Shmup Slam 6 Put Me In the Hospital and Was WORTH IT | Patreon Podcast
Added 2023-09-18 22:11:46 +0000 UTCHi everyone,
Today is a very special episode of the patreon podcast where I recap my experience running and participating in Shmup Slam 6, which was crazy but also awesome, and also my growing love for Manga (especially Berserk). With a fun middle school story mixed in ha.
Comments
8:30. I wouldn’t mind if you talked about books a bit more but I get why that would go down like a lead ballon on a gaming channel. Maybe sprinkle in some literary nuggets here and there or make an episode for the Patreon.
Kuma_Wamu
2025-04-24 00:31:20 +0000 UTCOh what a fantastic recommendation, I've been looking for a new manga to read so I'll keep an eye out for that. Also I agree about berserk, I'm on volume 22 now and it's not bad or anything, but it has lost its mojo from that initial 2 arcs for sure. I think it's kind of falling into more of a traditional manga anime feel.
The Electric Underground
2023-10-13 19:11:02 +0000 UTCI loved Berserk from the first page up until the end of the Golden Age arc and a little after that, thought it was 10/10 unbeatable. Imo it never reaches those heights again and drops the bar a lot after (but perhaps that's because of the such high standard it had set). If I may suggest a manga to read, I'd say Vagabond (see avatar pic :D). It's an adaptation of Eiji Yoshikawa's Novel Musashi, about the life of the real master swordsman Myamoto Musashi. Both the novel and manga are essential reads, as they're quite different in their presentation and even story on some parts. Please check it out! You'll not be disappointed, specially if you like samurai stuff, though it goes waaay beyond that imo. I think you mentioned in a vid with Bog Hog how you could tell by reading a first page of a book if it's any good. I think that applies here as well, at least to the novel. And it's all absolutely worth it for when you get to the final page.
Elenddil
2023-10-10 13:06:56 +0000 UTCDamn we are like exactly the same Kriegor ha, yes I had a ton of experiences like this in school and afterward. When my wife and I were dating (so she was my girlfriend at the time) i never ever talked about my interest in gaming, and then just slowly eased her into it after we were married ha. Yes, I think among the younger crowd gaming doesn't have the same nasty bias, but if you work with people over the age of 30, I still think there is this negative stigma towards them.
The Electric Underground
2023-09-30 17:46:40 +0000 UTCBeing born in the eighties was both a blessing and a curse. I had the privilege to see video games genres appear and evolve, but at the same time, I couldn't share my passion like people in their twenties can now. Video games were for male kids, losers and immature adults. If you wanted to be popular, you needed an other hobby (music and wines were easy picks), and lie about how much video games mattered to you. I have a similar story than yours. When I was around 8th grade, two friends and I were crazy about a new video game called Worms. We decided to create a club about Worms. At that point, it was only us 3 so no big deal. But at the end of the academic year, our school had an opening day where every clubs could present what they were doing and, for some reasons, we though it'd be a good idea to share our passion for Worms! Seeing teachers disappointed and young adults quickly move on to other clubs felt so humiliating I swore to myself I would never show this side of me again. It's to the point that my first girlfriend thought I had no interest in video games for more than a year (and I was easily playing 20 to 30 hours a week, in secret). I was feigning complete ignorance even when people talked about popular games. Even now, at work, my colleagues think I don't know the first thing about video games. I'm always worried about being perceived negatively IRL for loving this media. It just doesn't feel mature/educated.
Kriegor
2023-09-29 08:22:17 +0000 UTCI'll check it out. I've got a large number of books with a neat collection of old Warhammer items. Some graphic novels. Not much room for hard copies here. Will look out for a digital copy maybe. I really don't want to engage Manga on a collector level. I'm saving for hard times here!!
Taze Roiu
2023-09-25 16:59:45 +0000 UTCOh yes one of my big goals this year is to try to become a more consistent reader, which has been pretty challenging, but hopefully I can build up the habit more because I have a giant pile of books that I need to read through at some point ha.
The Electric Underground
2023-09-25 14:48:18 +0000 UTCHey that is awesome Taze!! Glad you checked out Gungrave and enjoyed it! I can definitely recommend the Berserk Manga as well if you are interested, it's both beautifully drawn and actually well written, which is probably a pretty rare combination I assume ha.
The Electric Underground
2023-09-25 14:44:32 +0000 UTChaha yeah its pretty damn dark, but its actually a really good book. Also, Cormac is probably my favorite author! Wasp Factory might be like a Child of God on the Cormac disturbing scale. I'm going to pick up Berzerk finally next time I hit the book store.
Draino
2023-09-25 03:00:36 +0000 UTCAint MSX just the coolest cat ;) Really appreciated that recommendation and overview of 'Gungrave' on the last podcast too. It was a glorious marathon first watch. Its got Street Fighter TAM vibes, and Ninja Scroll influences. Perfect. Any other hot tips like that will be great. Ive actually requested a faneditor who is quite game for epic projects to do a TV2Movie edit for Gungrave now. Not heard back from them yet but I suspect they may be reviewing the content for possible splicings. Its only 10 hours with alot of sidewinding scene setting stuff, and a whole episode instantly disgardable. Actually that number includes titles and credits. Just a really long condensed version will be quite acceptable. Hopefully they consider it a worthy challenge, as cutting length will really be the only reason as there is nothing to be considered rubbish in there. Yea, I will of course pass on a link if it happens!!
Taze Roiu
2023-09-24 16:22:30 +0000 UTCReading novels are a pain in the ass, it can take a lot of energy just to imagine a simple scene imo. I found that it helps if the narrative is labyrinthine, I need to pinball around before I can chisel a cohesive image. I like that you mention Nabokov because his aesthetic of rereading seems similar to your idea of arcade level design being infinite. I love Berserk, especially the monster designs. Manga and short stories are great for getting that homegrown quality you get from a singular or localized vision without having to invest the energy you do with novels.
Climby_coyote
2023-09-24 04:14:42 +0000 UTCSo after reading your comment I looked into wasp factory, and apparently it was declared : "a work of unparalleled depravity," so now I have to read it ha! I'm a big fan of cormac mccarthy's stuff (rip), so this sounds right up my alley. I'll def try to give it a read soon! also yeah manga is expensive and it's crazy how fast you can cruise through it compared to books, but there is something sort of satisfying about that too if it's well written (like berserk). Random thought, but my vision isn't the best and I think I have some sort of minor form of dyslexia (though very minor) so little print books are like a challenge for me. I know there are ebooks now where you can zoom the text in massive (which I do), but I would be cool to get like giant print versions of books. I know they make them for vision impaired people ha, but anyway reading manga sort of reminds me of reading giant print books XD
The Electric Underground
2023-09-22 03:01:56 +0000 UTCyes exactly on the manga point. I think beserk is legit well written (even by literary standards) so if there is one manga I would recommend, it's def that one. Funny enough I went back to barnes and noble today to buy volume 6 of the deluxe editions, and there was a pretty 20 something year old girl sitting on the floor of the manga section, literally laughing out loud while reading some manga ... thus confirming my theory that girls love manga now lol. Also yes pale fire is pretty cool, but I just have to put Lolita at the top of my list because of it's ability to be both funny and terrifying at the same time. It's incredible writing and in my view one of the best novels ever written because it not only tells a dark but realistic tale of abuse (besides the crazy accidents and stuff - which humbert probably made up tbh), but it also shows how a sick mind is able to rationalize his abuse to himself, which is a unique strength of the novel that no other medium can capture as well I don't think.
The Electric Underground
2023-09-22 02:56:18 +0000 UTCHa yes exactly, i had a lot of really fun dates at ihop in highschool too ha. There is something about it that's just a little run down that gives it that sort of at home feel lol! Oh yes I think about the kids that made fun of my yu gi oh dueling club with some satisfaction, because the story has sort of a payback ending (if you want to think of it that way) where i went on by the end of highschool to be fairly popular and get into the cool kids crowd and so forth, so I got my revenge back then ha, so I don't worry about it as an adult at all. Though it did teach me a lesson about keeping the nerd side in the closet for many years, and honestly that was a neceassary strategy back then. But now Gen Z is a bunch of nerds, so it's not as needed anymore ha. The scene I always think of is 21 jump street where channing goes from being a cool jock in his highschool, to being this weird bully in the Gen Z highschool, love that movie.
The Electric Underground
2023-09-22 02:51:33 +0000 UTCyeah it's only a few people who get cranky about me taking donations these days, since I clearly am spending a bunch of money to put the whole thing together ha. You know it wouldn't have been too stressful other than getting sort of tricked by the hotel venue and having to scramble at the last minute to put a new venue together ha. It all worked out though, which is a huge relief and a miracle. My pocket book (as you brits say) is feeling a lot happier now that slam is over, that's for sure ha.
The Electric Underground
2023-09-22 02:47:01 +0000 UTCWow, so sorry that it was such a nightmare to plan! From a viewer's perspective the stream looked amazing and smooth, so great job pulling that off. Thanks again for putting that on, the runs and commentary was awesome. I would be interested in coming out to galloping ghost or an IRL slam if that happens. Also, I love a strong first person perspective in books too. I'm wondering if you read the Wasp Factory by Iain Banks or the Dumb House by John Burnside. Those are two of my favorite books written from deeply unreliable and horrifying narrators. I'd actually be interested in hearing your thoughts on lit more often if you're ever interested in pursuing that. I have been interested in manga (specifically berzerk), but the price point is so much higher than books and you burn through comics so fast. Maybe I'll bite the bullet finally.
Draino
2023-09-21 19:27:58 +0000 UTCI've had the same problem with manga and comics, theoretically I'd love to get into them, just so hard to find quality writing. I think it's funny when marvel comic guys whine about how the movies deviate from comics that were written at a 2nd grade reading level. Also, same feeling browsing manga at Barnes & noble, hard not to feel like a creep surrounded by animated half nude "middle schoolers." Will try Berserk. Sounds like you'd really like Pale Fire. Another Nabokov, narrator whose POV distorts everything, requires close reading, plays with structure, etc., but more fun than Lolita imo. Glad you're through your health scare. Looking forward to meeting everyone at Galloping Ghost!
Jake G
2023-09-20 20:48:15 +0000 UTCI'll just start by saying appreciate all the effort put into Shmup Slam stuff. I usually learn about a few new games every time that I had no idea existed, or it finally gets me to try out a game I've put off for a while. I can sort of feel the adrenaline for the runners too which is pretty cool. Also I had my first date with my girlfriend 8 years ago at IHOP. That's just top notch small town American culture! And, for whatever reason, it was a really popular restaurant for people my age (early 30s). Not sure if it still is, but that was like a PLACE to go to as a teenager. Lastly, your mistake was making a yu gi oh club; should have been a shmup club. Then you'd have hit popularity then and there >:D It's also kind of funny how asshole kids can sort of give you this minor type of trauma, but when you just think about it, you wouldn't give 2 shits what some 12 or 13 year old said to you now. Take that same kid and if they said it back THEN, then it might still have this little everlasting effect on you.
Ushi Mushi
2023-09-19 20:11:16 +0000 UTCIt'd be cool if you could make it, it's worth going. And if you ever want to save some money and need a place to crash or would like some restaurant recommendations in the area, I'd be happy to help out!
Viewtifu1
2023-09-19 19:56:45 +0000 UTCDamn, I had no idea you'd gone through such an ordeal organising shmup slam 6 sorry about that dude and really glad to hear that you seem to have recovered from it atleast. Sorry to hear about the financial issues with it too and people complaining about you getting any money for the event. It's not really my business or anything and at risk of sounding like a broken record, since I've been on the shmup creator discord there's a whole bunch of indie devs on there who I think would love to contribute towards sponsorship for any future events that you do. It was a really fun event though and I'm really glad I got the opportunity to take part in it. Hey and on a more positive note, glad to hear that you found it all worth it in the end nonetheless you absolutely smashed it.
RiffMason
2023-09-19 16:51:35 +0000 UTCHey viewtiful!! Thanks for coming out to ss6! It was so much fun hanging out ha! Yes I have been thinking about trying to go out to stuff like Portland retrograding expo as another meet up opportunity and also a way to hang out with some other retro gaming fans :-) so I see this is coming up next month, I m gonna give it some serious thought, i just might, that could be really cool
The Electric Underground
2023-09-19 14:21:56 +0000 UTCI know everyone said it at the event but I do want to say thanks again for running Shmup Slam 6. Especially now after getting the full story of the lead up to the event, it really seems like a huge amount of effort that does not go unappreciated. It was fun to hang out and just talk about games in a way that you can't always do with people IRL. You were talking about for a while there about different ideas for future events or meetups but have you ever given thought to checking out the Portland Retro Game Expo? It's a really fun event just to go to that'd be within a decent drive and I'm sure you could make a decent amount of content out of it as well!
Viewtifu1
2023-09-19 05:52:36 +0000 UTC
