TGC

Episode 112 is Online.

Episode 112 is all about Photon: The Ultimate Game on Planet Earth. Laser Tag was a big part of my teen years and I could talk about it for days … or at least 61:08 minutes.

You Don't Know Flack Podcast: [url=http://podcast.robohara.com]http://podcast.robohara.com[/url]
Episode 112: [url=http://podcast.robohara.com/?p=58]http://podcast.robohara.com/?p=58[/url]
Forum: [url=http://thegaschamber.robohara.com/]http://thegaschamber.robohara.com[/url]
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iTunes: [url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=3686042]http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=3686042[/url]

Downloaderizing now! :mrgreen:

Great episode. This is one of the reasons I like podcasts. Had this episode been on a website with text and pics, I would probably have skimmed it (checking out the pics and looking for something funny that might have happened) and just not really got into it. Basically, I was one of the many, unfortunate, people to not be able to have ever enjoyed Photon, or Laser Tag so I had zero interest going into this episode. I came out rather intrigued about what I missed as a child into adulthood.

Thanks for the show Flack.

AWESOME! I think I played laser tag maybe three times in my life, mostly at my boy's birthday party. Too much running around, not enough alcoholic beverages. One of the twelve year-olds suggested that I hold the gun sideways so the targets on the gun could not be hit as easily. I gotta take cops and robbers hints from a kid......huh.
Liked the ambiance in the background! Great stuff! Can't wait for 113!


THE
MORE, PLEASE
AARDVARK

I thought this was a great podcast. I never played Photon (nor laser tag), but it was cool to hear about it. Your excitement about it makes it interesting and held my attention. It is sad, but great that you were able to play Photon again all those years later. I guess the saying "You can never go home again" holds true.

My wife tends to do the same thing about supporting things. She'll talk a place up or an author she likes or whatever, but she doesn't support those things finically.

I thought it was a nice touch you adding in the different sounds of the game. It gave it a nice feel.

Loved it. Man, I feel stupid for having missed a cultural phenomenon that was only a couple of hours away, because this sounds like it was so right up my alley. At the time, I was heavily involved in a goofy series of home movies, and this sort of thing would've been a logical extension of that sort of thing to say nothing of a great location.

I missed out on Photon rug burn. Dammit. I really need to get out more. Always have.

Thanks everyone, for all the comments!

Earl, I think Photon would have been right up your alley. Even if you didn't play all that much, you really would have loved the atmosphere.

A lot of people said they enjoyed the sounds, so I would like to work more of those into future podcasts. Unfortunately the next topic is "text adventures" which are known for being silent. Maybe I'll come up with some topical music or something.

The laser tag place by my house (the one with the Egyptian theme) is now closed as well. We still have a Laser Quest in OKC and a place called HeyDay in Norman that Mason wants to go to for his birthday.

By the way, the second I posted this podcast, my web server got hammered. At least four different IPs (all from China) immediately downloaded it. So weird. I will probably post the next one in the middle of the night so that the traffic will level out by the next morning.

Flack wrote:Unfortunately the next topic is "text adventures" which are known for being silent. Maybe I'll come up with some topical music or something.

Or run some lengthy text adventure descriptions through one of [url=http://www2.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php]AT&T's Natural Voices[/url] and then auto-tune it over a funky beat! :lol: I'm full of many things, helpful ideas are just one of them.

That would be AWESOME! I might just have to load up Zork and see if I can get it read to me. Maybe in an English accent or something.


THE
WHOLE NEW REALM
AARDVARK

They have English accents. Actually, what would be funny would be to do it like this:

(EPIC MUSIC PLAYING - maybe a bit too epic)

English accent voice: (reads Zork description as the sound of swords clashing and dragons roaring is heard in the background)

Then... RECORD SCRATCH into dead silence!

Player: (mumbling) Hit... troll... with... sword. (over the sound of fingers furiously pounding the keyboard)

Rinse and repeat!

Okay, it'd probably be funny the first two or three times.

After listening to a couple tracks of "Auto-tune the news" (thanks to PDF's podcast), I could really get into something like that. "Auto-tune the Zork!" Ha!

BTW, I just found this online version of Zork: http://thcnet.net/error/index.php

Rob,

This episode was fantastic. It brought back alot of memories. My buddies and I all took a trip to the furniture store look around too. I remember getting the home Laser Tag kit and being so underwhelmed playing at home. Plus my friend was a jerk and would cover the chest target with his hand so you couldn't shoot him.

That was a really funny episode Flack. Good stuff!

Geat Episode! As alluded to above, this is a great example of the power of the podcast! I never knew about Photon and never set foot in any kind of laser tag facility, but now I have faux nostalgia running through my mind regarding the subject. :mrgreen: I think the story of Photon, including the Broken Arrow chapter would make a great documentary and would hit the same sweet spot that "Rockafire Explosion" did. I loved that movie and the crazy fan dedication it showed us. I liked your lament on not supporting the revival; I have felt that sense of regret myself a number of times. Anyhow, I am loving the shows and have just a few back episodes left to enjoy.

The kids were at their Grandparents last weekend and my wife and I went and played two rounds at Laser Quest! What a blast!!
http://www.laserquest.com/public/locations/PA-Wyomissing.cfm

We have that same chain of laser tag places not 5 miles from my house. It sounds like the kids had a good time? That is awesome. I really did think it was the sport of the future. We should start a petition to get laser tag into the Olympics.

They had a section of last weeks Comic Convention reserved for Laser Tag. Paul's kids played a couple rounds. The area is cordoned off fabric "walls" and the kids maneuver around inflatable rocks and buildings that looked like something from Minecraft. I didn't see any creepers in the area, however.

The Laser Tag exhibit was popular as I always saw a big line there every time I walked by.

I am listening to all the YDKF episodes over again as I work on my house and one thing about this episode struck me as really funny. You played a fifteen second clip from the terrible Photon television show and it sounded a lot like a pr0n video. I got the hiccups from laughing so hard.


THE
GIGGLE FIT
AARDVARK