44. The Puzzle Hidden in the Machine

The Pixel Boys played Dungeons and Dragons, and boy do they have a lot to say! The episode opens with a thought experiment involving latency in sound, then lots of D&D, and follow up on optimization vs. player choice. This leads to thoughts on the New Pokémon Snap, which Tony proposes is the “epitome of collectathons.” Alex relates this to puzzles hidden in “the machine” (meaning, the internet). Finally, Tony and Dan give their impressions of the latest PS5 exclusive, Returnal.

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The Pixel Boys played Dungeons and Dragons, and boy do they have a lot to say! The episode opens with a thought experiment involving latency in sound, then lots of D&D, and follow up on optimization vs. player choice. This leads to thoughts on the New Pokémon Snap, which Tony proposes is the “epitome of collectathons.” Alex relates this to puzzles hidden in “the machine” (meaning, the internet). Finally, Tony and Dan give their impressions of the latest PS5 exclusive, Returnal.

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0:00:00 Alex’s Latency) Thought Experiment
Celeste

0:08:39 Dungeons and Dragons
Inception
Fantasy High
Lost Mines of Phandelver
Curse of Strahd

0:36:47 Learning to Play Casually
0:42:25 Player Choice vs Playing Optimally
Stardew Valley
Enemy Difficulty Scaling Patent
Pokemon

1:12:12 New Pokemon Snap
Pokemon Legends
Collectathons
Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom
Banjo-Kazooie
Donkey Kong 64
The Witness

1:31:39 The Puzzle Hidden in the Machine
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Return of the Obra Dinn
Hades
Papers, Please
Easter egg in The Last of Us

1:42:49 Returnal
Slay the Spire