The Gaming Den

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:47 am**

Prak wrote:Edit: For anyone on the fence about Steven Universe, Bogleech just did a Halloween article about the more nightmare-inducing stuff from it.

I just read that and it's a good list; thanks for posting about it. Episodes 5 and 6 introduce Frybo and Cat Fingers, respectively, and they were pretty fucked up, especially compared to the previous four episodes. We're talking a shift in tone from "Let's eat breakfast together, like a family" to Akira-level body horror.

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:03 am**

Yeah. Nightmare Hospital is pretty good too, for having probably the most alarming Gem Fusions so far.

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:08 am**

PhoneLobster wrote:But what the hell, since when the fuck is the gaming den about proving your liking stuff credentials? When the fuck was "you aren't allowed to be critical without first talking about liking something!" even a thing around here? What IS our standard response to the well near annual failed troll wannabe gotcha thread of "Aw yeah, well then what the fuck RPG system DO all you big negative nancy gaming den fuckers actually LIKE then? I bet its NOTHING!"? Why is it that I have to prove my liking things credentials for some insane reason? What IS the new standard on how many Steven Universe praising threads you have start for an acceptable number of quidich criticism threads to create PERMISSIBLE ratio of naughty naughty unwanted critical negativity?

And what? I don't get credit for "productively" posting my own rules material on the den anymore? Because just a few years ago the big crazy demand people were making of me and no one else to prove I wasn't a negative nancy was to do THAT, which I'd already been doing anyway. Suddenly now I need to be an openly outed fan of god damn Bee and Puppycat before I'm allowed to trash Friendship Is Magic or something similar AS WELL?

In response to:

Prak wrote:Wait.

So you like Steven Universe because you don't know if you like it?

This actually makes sense, given that you hate everything, PL.

I think, just like every other time you have been wrong in the history of the universe, you have a persecution complex.

People point out that you don't like things, people point out that I am mad, people point out all kinds of shit. Even if Prak was criticizing you, which by the way, he wasn't, it is totally okay, and not a call for censorship or a demand for positive happy threads from you.

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:10 am**

I mean, Kaelik constantly points out I'm dumb and should stop saying things, and I don't get mad about it (anymore) (much).

Also, while the Frybo episode is pretty good overall, my favorite thing about it was facilitating this image:

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:15 pm**

I'm on the fence with Moonbeam City. I adore the 80s aesthetic, character design, and soundtrack. But it's basically Archer. Don't get me wrong, I like Archer, but I recognize it's stupid. I'd like to see somebody actually play this stuff straight.

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:56 pm**

I think it's considerably dumber than Archer. Archer gets a lot of its humor from being just grounded enough that the transgressive stuff plays as actually transgressive. Moonbeam City is so cartoony that nothing that happens has any impact at all.

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:32 pm**

I like the art direction (a rarity with Titmouse products), and the voice acting is adequate, but have been completely unimpressed with the script writing for Moonbeam City. I can see why people might compare it to Archer (less than fluid animation, adherence to a neo-retro aesthetic), but at least Archer occasionally goes for a subtle gag. I'm also creeped out by how much advertising space Moonbeam City has purchased with DC comics.

I made the mistake of watching an episode of Thunderbirds Are Go (2015). I fully admit being biased against it from the jump, so YMMV, but I found it disconcerting that there's an uncanny valley for CGI-simulated puppetry.

I think I may have convinced a couple of daughters of my friends to go with Garnet and Pearl costumes instead of distaff versions of Marvel characters.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 11:09 am**

I'm really enjoying Gravity Falls. It's cleverly written, episodes are fun as stand-alone while handling meta-plots satisfactorily. I wasn't expecting to get as much fun from a kid-oriented Disney Channel cartoon.

I'm glad to read that Steven Universe gets really good after the first episodes. Because while Gravity Falls was good from episide 1, I'm 4 or 5 episodes in Steven Universe and haven't found it very interesting so far.

That Star Wars one sounds good, I'll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 11:12 am**

I think part of why I like Gravity Falls is that I basically was Dipper as a kid. I seriously went out looking for bigfoot when I was camping around the age of 9.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:57 pm**

I've been on the fence with even bothering with SU for two reasons. First, my wife watched a few episodes and described it as pothead humour, which neither of us like. Second, hype backlash because I am on Tumblr and the people I follow reblog a TONNE of SU stuff going on about how awesome it is; like seriously 30 or so whenever a new episode airs and another 5 a day each in-between. It's the same reason I couldn't watch Jupiter Ascending for the longest time. One of my friends literally watched it thrice a week for three straight months and would reblog stuff on it the entire time.

ADDENDUM: I've been watching Star vs the Forces of Evil from the beginning, and while I'm not overly fond of the indie comic art style, I do enjoy the show as a whole. If I wasn't so lazy, I would very likely use Marco's ringtone on my own cell.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:10 pm**

I hate pothead humor too, virgil, and with maybe a very few exceptions, I wouldn't call anything on SU pothead humor. The few things I can think of (sentient frysuit, conspiracy kid) aren't really pothead humor, more "stories the pre-puberty crowd, which is our target audience, will find hilarious." Which just so happens to be about the same level of comedy as pothead humor.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:16 pm**

Out of curiosity, what's people's take on Rick and Morty? Worth watching? If so, are there any parts worth avoiding (i.e. the Rick and Morty-equivalent of the Archer Vice season)?

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:19 pm**

Shatner wrote:Out of curiosity, what's people's take on Rick and Morty? Worth watching? If so, are there any parts worth avoiding (i.e. the Rick and Morty-equivalent of the Archer Vice season)?

I personally like the show.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:32 pm**

Rick and Morty is generally pretty good, if very dark. My biggest problem is the parents. The Beth/Jerry B-plots are good inside individual episodes, but seem to have dreadful continuity and have also become repetitive.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:43 pm**

Hey, I liked the Archer Vice season.

Yeah, Rick and Morty is pretty good. The whole... constantly belching? thing with Rick is very weird, and I'm not fond of it, or, the art style, really, but it's a funny show.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:57 pm**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels are simply amazing. While admittedly they start out kind of slow, once the series gets going, it's simply a treat to watch.

Posted: **Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:31 pm**

Rick and Morty is hilarious but yes it is very dark. If you are not the kind that can laugh at how awful and unfair the universe and life is you may want to avoid it.

As for the belching I feel they toned it down after the pilot. I barely notice it where in the first episode it was very distracting. It seemed like in the pilot hed belch every other word and now it is every few sentences.

Rick and Morty Premise: Alcoholic, seemingly sociopathic mad scientist grandfather reconnects with his estranged family and drags grandson Morty on wildly inappropriate "adventures."

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 4:06 am**

Leress wrote:
AcidBlades wrote:Y'know what cartoonist who's works should be watched?

Ralph Bakshi's. Fritz the Cat and Wizards are classics.
I also recommend Coonskin.

My favorite is American Pop, even if it lacks the surreal quality of Bakshi's earlier films.

I also second Steven Universe, Star vs. the Forces of Evil and Gravity Falls. I'll also recommend Rick & Morty.

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 4:10 am**

Ancient History wrote:I'm on the fence with Moonbeam City. I adore the 80s aesthetic, character design, and soundtrack. But it's basically Archer. Don't get me wrong, I like Archer, but I recognize it's stupid. I'd like to see somebody actually play this stuff straight.

I'm interested in Moonbeam City mostly because the characters all look like Patrick Nagel paintings.

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 4:12 am**

I watched the first episode of Star vs. The Forces of Evil, and it was cute, but I'm not sure how into it I am. Both main characters' personalities are near misses for me and it's a bit off putting.

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 6:37 am**

Wiseman wrote:Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels are simply amazing. While admittedly they start out kind of slow, once the series gets going, it's simply a treat to watch.

I've only heard one person say anything positive about the clone wars cartoon and his tastes are so questionable that I avoided watching he show mostly from that alone. I had the impression that the show is basically bad for people who aren't 10.

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 6:47 am**

MGuy wrote:
Wiseman wrote:Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels are simply amazing. While admittedly they start out kind of slow, once the series gets going, it's simply a treat to watch.
I've only heard one person say anything positive about the clone wars cartoon and his tastes are so questionable that I avoided watching he show mostly from that alone. I had the impression that the show is basically bad for people who aren't 10.

The introduction of General Grievous.

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 8:22 am**

Maxus wrote:The introduction of General Grievous.

So... they gave Shaggy from Scooby Doo a lightsaber hey? I might have watched more if they kept him around and let him bring Thelma and the dog with him.

Unfortunately the clip seemed to focus mostly on other, less interesting characters.

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 9:29 am**

Maxus wrote:
MGuy wrote:
Wiseman wrote:Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels are simply amazing. While admittedly they start out kind of slow, once the series gets going, it's simply a treat to watch.
I've only heard one person say anything positive about the clone wars cartoon and his tastes are so questionable that I avoided watching he show mostly from that alone. I had the impression that the show is basically bad for people who aren't 10.
The introduction of General Grievous.

I remember seeing and liking these shorts between the movies. I assumed you were talking about the Clone Wars TV show with the blocky characters that seemed to center around Anakin and his padawon that they made up for the show.

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2015 10:14 am**

MGuy wrote:
Wiseman wrote:Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels are simply amazing. While admittedly they start out kind of slow, once the series gets going, it's simply a treat to watch.
I've only heard one person say anything positive about the clone wars cartoon and his tastes are so questionable that I avoided watching he show mostly from that alone. I had the impression that the show is basically bad for people who aren't 10.

It's important to remember that Lucasfilm think it's a good idea to give different series released a few years apart the same name which makes determining what people are talking about in casual conversation a real hurdle. You can have two people talking to each other about "that Clone Wars cartoon" that have both seen totally different shows and don't even realise it. Good job guys!

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