Episode 44 — Limp Butt

[Brett Arnold 55]

After boarding the detached tower escape vessel, the gang is back in the tower and Sir Richard has a spectacular roll. Things get weird fast as death by horse sex is mentioned almost immediately. Will the cliffhanger ever be addressed? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

[qrter 79]

Enjoyment starts even before listening - the mp3 just being named Limp Butt.mp3

 

That's how I like my mp3s named.

[mattman92ish 823]

im so excited for this one

 

 

it was amazing

[Chaosound 50]

did they actually make the conversion???

[ProppaT 13]

I'm pretty sure I've got this one all figured out.

 

 

I think the old wizard is hooking these dudes up to the tubes, pumping their nuts full of souls, sucking out their jizz with these tubes, and using that to incubate the women clones.

 

[RobotsPJs 123]

In an RPG I never leave anything to come back to later, because A. I could be dead. B. It may come back to kill me later. C. The dungeon or ship or whatever I'm in could be destroyed after I fight the boss of the place.

 

There was some real David Cronenberg type body horror in this one. Great stuff. Also love a Mr. Hands reference.

 

No old man yet. Argh!

[RobotsPJs 123]

I'm pretty sure I've got this one all figured out.

 

 

I think the old wizard is hooking these dudes up to the tubes, pumping their nuts full of souls, sucking out their jizz with these tubes, and using that to incubate the women clones.

 

 

I am thinking they're either extending the old Man's life somehow or he's turning them into the hooded figures.

[Corky Kneivel 113]

Christ!

 

Sark (meanderingly) begins the episode by stating that last episode’s cliffhanger featured them getting on a lift. At the 21:13 mark of this one he says “Okay so you guys are now off the lift”. In between we were treated to: bad impressions, horse fuckery, a dice roll for something, and lots and lots of snoring,

 

 

This show should change its name to "Shaft Poker", "Amazing Elevator Adventures" or "My Lift Foot" (if you want to get all artsy-fartsy) just so people know what they're getting themselves into.

 

 

I have been LOVING the creepiness aspect of the current “old wizard” storyline. Hallway after hallway of gothic design and pictures of this creepy, obviously evil, old man in a variety of triumphant conquering poses is just chilling. However they first came to this place in the eponymous The Dark Tower (episode #35) and that was 10 episodes ago. Very little has happened since then beyond lenses, Mildred getting possessed, the old man making threats, and Amarth slaying some collectors. There’s been some Bahamut Blasts, Dragonborn breath,and Stargoyle soul sucking as well. Oh and also a DVD extended scene from Se7en with a Halfling hooked to some tubes that was pretty gross. It may seem like I contradicted myself saying not much has happened then naming things that have happened but if memory serves me correctly a single episode contained the majority of that action.

 

 

For me this show is vastly more entertaining when they’re focused on the game and actually progressing the story rather than fucking around. The fucking around is fun and is a huge piece of the charm of the show but I like the format of the first 20 episodes or so better than what they’ve been doing lately. From the very beginning, to just a little after the big fight on the water plane with the Water Boss things moved along pretty neatly, goals were met, the concept of “leveling up” wasn’t just a punchline, and the story Sark created for them was more solid and linear. Not that there was no fucking around but it was more like a 80/20 ratio of gameplay to playplay. About around the floating fart planet (was that a planet?) and the flying mouth on top of the head things they had to talk and toss meat to, to this creepy old man its all gotten a little too unwieldy for me. The more esoteric it’s become the less I’ve enjoyed it.

 

 

I don’t know that I have a point here beyond venting and maybe some tough love. I’ve been listening from the beginning, I should say I’ve been HOOKED from the beginning, and it’s still appointment listening for me every Wednesday morning but I’ve found I’m not recommending it to my friends any more. I was happy to hear them discuss and acknowledge recently their “style of play” and I really hope this doesn’t just come across as complaining about that.

 

ANyhow I’ve paused the show right now to write this and I sincerely hope I’m proven wrong by the remainder of the episode. But I wouldn't be surprised if at the end they hadn't confrotned th eold man, hadn't made it much beyond the elevator, and we were still weren't clear as to the meaning behind anythign that's going on.

[matthewcohen 18]

I love u guys, and I know youR banter is part of the show.....just the banter is not the best part of the show.

[ProppaT 13]

Guys, it's really not their fault that the show moves slow and is full of banter. They have to chop the episodes up and, each time, they lose momentum that they have to rebuild the next episode (especially if they're not taping back to back). The banter isn't because they're trying to ham it up, they're just a bunch of friends. Any type of gaming I've ever been involved with is the same way.

 

Really, more than anything, it's just difficult to play 1 hour of D&D. Realistically, you'd be playing for a few hours at a time just so you don't lose all the momentum.

[action52 554]

Christ!

 

Sark (meanderingly) begins the episode by stating that last episode’s cliffhanger featured them getting on a lift. At the 21:13 mark of this one he says “Okay so you guys are now off the lift”. In between we were treated to: bad impressions, horse fuckery, a dice roll for something, and lots and lots of snoring,

 

 

This show should change its name to "Shaft Poker", "Amazing Elevator Adventures" or "My Lift Foot" (if you want to get all artsy-fartsy) just so people know what they're getting themselves into.

 

 

I have been LOVING the creepiness aspect of the current “old wizard” storyline. Hallway after hallway of gothic design and pictures of this creepy, obviously evil, old man in a variety of triumphant conquering poses is just chilling. However they first came to this place in the eponymous The Dark Tower (episode #35) and that was 10 episodes ago. Very little has happened since then beyond lenses, Mildred getting possessed, the old man making threats, and Amarth slaying some collectors. There’s been some Bahamut Blasts, Dragonborn breath,and Stargoyle soul sucking as well. Oh and also a DVD extended scene from Se7en with a Halfling hooked to some tubes that was pretty gross. It may seem like I contradicted myself saying not much has happened then naming things that have happened but if memory serves me correctly a single episode contained the majority of that action.

 

 

For me this show is vastly more entertaining when they’re focused on the game and actually progressing the story rather than fucking around. The fucking around is fun and is a huge piece of the charm of the show but I like the format of the first 20 episodes or so better than what they’ve been doing lately. From the very beginning, to just a little after the big fight on the water plane with the Water Boss things moved along pretty neatly, goals were met, the concept of “leveling up” wasn’t just a punchline, and the story Sark created for them was more solid and linear. Not that there was no fucking around but it was more like a 80/20 ratio of gameplay to playplay. About around the floating fart planet (was that a planet?) and the flying mouth on top of the head things they had to talk and toss meat to, to this creepy old man its all gotten a little too unwieldy for me. The more esoteric it’s become the less I’ve enjoyed it.

 

 

I don’t know that I have a point here beyond venting and maybe some tough love. I’ve been listening from the beginning, I should say I’ve been HOOKED from the beginning, and it’s still appointment listening for me every Wednesday morning but I’ve found I’m not recommending it to my friends any more. I was happy to hear them discuss and acknowledge recently their “style of play” and I really hope this doesn’t just come across as complaining about that.

 

ANyhow I’ve paused the show right now to write this and I sincerely hope I’m proven wrong by the remainder of the episode. But I wouldn't be surprised if at the end they hadn't confrotned th eold man, hadn't made it much beyond the elevator, and we were still weren't clear as to the meaning behind anythign that's going on.

 

Just because they're not fighting, it doesn't mean that "nothing's happening." Pen & paper RPGs aren't supposed to be about constantly battling enemies the way video game RPGs are. They can be, if you specifically choose a game format that's like that, but they aren't like that by default. A campaign can literally have no fighting in it if the DM and players carry it out that way. But whatever the game, it works better when the fighting is natural and appropriate to the situation.

 

Since entering the tower they are in a new, unfamiliar environment where the enemies are far too strong to defeat on their own. So it is logical that they would be avoiding combat, especially since they gain almost nothing by killing collectors or those big clockwork machines. This part has therefore focused more on exploration, and the "action" has involved evading enemies more than fighting them.

 

You are of course entitled to your opinions but I have enjoyed this part of the game more than anything up to now, I think. Hearing about all the fucked-up stuff in this tower that Sark cooked up has been fascinating. And for the most part, I don't care if they take their time because while I like the story I enjoy listening to them riff and make jokes with each other more. I think it is good that you voiced your criticism in a constructive way, Corky, but I think most of us disagree with it. Maybe not, but I know that I disagree with it.

[Jackson1326657838 105]

I was tempted to quote and repost such a long rant, but thought it would be innapropriate. Glad someone beat me to it.

 

First off, way to out nerd a show called nerd poker. I think most of those points are totally valid and I do think the show has taken a turn. Not especially for the better or worse, it's just changing a bit. I think maybe the campaign is winding down and with all the left turns the team keeps making, Sark is probly stalling just so he can come up with a decent scenario.

 

I just think if you are frustrated you should consider the difference between playing D&D and making a show where you play D&D. You can't help approaching it at least a little differently. If it were me, I would be torn between making a good show and having a good game; hoping to do both at the same time but forced to lean one way or the other at various points.

 

Personally, the last few episodes, as much as I try I have been tuning out the game itself and picking up mostly banter. I'm not sure why, but it was certainly the reverse early on. Whatever is going on in the actual game is starting to become boring and hard to follow. No, that's not it. I'm not sure how to put it. It's just like, listening to someone tell you an unformed idea. It's just hard to process I guess, so I find myself easily distracted.

 

I'm just trying to say that recently, the banter has gotten more of my attention than the game.

[qrter 79]

When Ken softly said ".. that's the way you do it..", was that a sly Dire Straits reference, what with Sark using the expression 'dire straits' a couple of times in the introductory part of the episode?

 

Anyway - I loved this episode. I loooove the banter, and the references were flying thick and fast in this episode. I actually had to stop what I was doing when Sark did his Italian Woody Allen, I had to laugh so hard.

 

I do like the story, but I don't follow it religiously - for me personally, it's a bit too move from one combat encounter to the next. I prefer the more roleplay-ey kind of game, with more talkin' and shit, you know?

 

I also think the bantering helps to keep the players sharp, especially Brian, who has the tendency to drop off.

 

The banter also reminds me of my own games - it's just a style of playing, really. I know we tried to be more serious about it at a time, but that just didn't work, it just wasn't how we wanted to play the game (and have it be, you know, fun.)

[Chaosound 50]

Yeah have to chime in, the banter is way better than the gameplay. This whole campaign plotline is boring as hell to me most of the time. I much prefer these episodes where they ramble for 20-30mins. If you want strict, serious D&D gameplay there are tons of other podcasts out there.

[RobotsPJs 123]

I haven't played RPGs as long as these dudes and lady, but every game I've played in real life is full of banter. This really does sound like people playing a game with friends. If you don't like it, don't listen. Just tune into one of the other more serious D&D podcasts out there. I'm sure there's more than just this and the D&D segment on Harmontown.

 

And while I'm dying for them to get to the old man, sometimes campaigns get a little stuck in the mud. Especially when they've gone as far off the rails as Sark has indicated.

[qrter 79]

..sometimes campaigns get a little stuck in the mud.

Exactly this. You can play a whole evening and hardly advance from where you were last time, which is a bit frustrating, but it happens. The banter actually helps, makes it more bearable.

[Corky Kneivel 113]

Just to clarify: I don’t want constant battle and I’m not interested in a show with no “banter”. Telling me that banter exists at game tables is as pointless as telling me RPGs aren’t always about fighting. It’s condescending and doesn’t even address what I brought up. As I said above, I thought the charm of the show was that some hilarious people are playing a RPG and not only was it very funny and interesting character wise, it was a well crafted story campaign. It’s why I was drawn to the show, why I recommended the show, and was the spur for me to get heavily into the RPG podcasts that exist. It WAS that show for the 1^st half or maybe ¾ of this podcast’s existence. Recently however the fucking around outweighs what has become a stalled, hard to get into, storyline.

 

I find it interesting that, outside of my opinion that the show is better when there’s less fucking around, nobody’s asserting that what I’ve said about the content is wrong in any way. Nobody’s insisting that the show IS focused or debating whether this current storyline is stuck on slow or that it’s not more “banter” than any actual game. The sentiment that the show has changed since its inception was echoed as well. Someone also said they are bored by the storyline and another that they lose interest easily. The common consensus seems to be that the show is “banter” first and foremost, actual RPG second, and that the RPG is slow, boring, and dismissible, but that’s okay since it’s solely the device to get BP&F together to fuck around. That seems to be the prevailing interpretation of the show based on the replies to my post. The disconnect is just whether an individual finds that entertaining or not.

 

If that’s the assessment of the show, and is what the show is, that makes me sad. Sad because I don’t want that to be the show they’re getting together to make when the marriage of creative comedians and RPG is a no-brainer match made in Heaven for me. There’s so many podcasts that are just people sitting around bullshitting and I don’t want my problem with the show to be simply what the show is. Because then the problem is just me and only goes away if I do.

 

 

For all the talk about “banter” being the best part of the show, the players being cautious and smart in their gameplay, and assumption that I’m complaining about lack of fights, let’s break down the episode. It began with a recap of the last episode, interestingly enough addressing comments that the fans wanted a resolution to the current storyline. As I said earlier they were on the lift (the one from previous episodes) and they had a strength check for something I’m not quite sure what. Then they get off and find more hallways, more paintings(?), lots of doors. I’ve loved the description of this place but this is the same thing we’ve heard since #35. They busted open doors boots first and found more tubed up men. Like before, they cut some free and watched them die. They found a semi-alive one who said “save my planet”. That was the episode. It was all stuff they’d seen and done before, and the DEFINITELY weren’t cautiously avoiding fights, and there was no headway at all. In between all of it they fucked around, cracked each other up, and grossed each other out (“banter”) and that was why more stuff didn’t happen. I felt this way last episode too when they were debating the merits of a cliff-hanger. All I could think was ”It doesn’t HAVE to be a cliffhanger if you just actually get to the shit!!”

 

I don’t need fighting non-stop but I do want things to progress. I hadn’t considered, as someone said, that Sark might be stalling which would make sense and, as anyone who’s gamed regularly has, I’ve seen DMs be unprepared and wing it/stall advancement a bit. Seems odd since it’s a show and all, but I guess its possible. I flat out disagree that the players are overly cautious and that explains why things aren’t progressing. I agree they’re confused and can be overly timid, but I think that’s more down to having not a clue about what’s happening or how to get to the old wizard.

 

I agree a lot with Jackson1326657838 and that user said it better than I did, probably. I doubt BP&F want everyone acknowledging how “stuck in the mud” the current storyline is and how most people tune out everything but “banter”. They’re all of them creative people, some of them entertainers and are putting this out for entertainment purposes. But maybe I’m wrong because it seems as I’m in the minority of finding its current iteration sub-par.

[sorenconrad 6]

I like the banter but like corky, thought this one was a little unfocused. I think/hope it is just an out lyre.

 

I don't mind the pace of the show. I think sark has a good campaign going and just see this as a natural D&D slow down that happens from time to time. In fact, as far as actual play podcasts go, this has been fairly face paced. Sark has mentioned how the pcs haven't gone the path he was thinking on a few things so as said before, that could add to to it. Not that he is stalling just that decisions pcs and he have made have lead to a bit of a slow down to get all the way through it. It's a common phenomenon and I wouldn't think these guys are immune to it.

 

Sark has been on here and honestly! I don't want him to read all this and try to change his style or end something briefly because we think it has slowed.

 

The current arc is near a close and it will likely pick up the pace from there.

[Silly Lacy 102]

Maybe they didn't want to advance the story too far without Gerry. Some of you would be pretty upset if he wasn't involved in the next big break in the game. Also, it seems that some decisions take longer to make than others, and they've been in some really giant places with not a lot of clues as to what the answer is. I don't disagree that it's slowed down, but I guess it didn't occur to me that it was a problem. There was another period earlier in the campaign where they spent two or three episodes in a lift, and there were some comments about that as well. It picked back up, as I'm sure it will again.

[RobotsPJs 123]

All I have to say is:

 

tldr;

[RobotsPJs 123]

Also, I have to add that anyone who thinks the team isn't getting enough done, last weekend I played Call of Cthulhu for 4 hours. The first 3 hours we didn't see a single monster or do any fighting. It was 3 hours of going to libraries, asking people questions, researching monsters, buying weapons, etc. ect. It still was pretty fun, but I'd feel bad for anyone that would have been listening to us. That would have been 3 episodes of agony before the 4th ep which was some crazy shit.

 

I have the feeling that it's going to get pretty crazy for the Nerd Poker crew very soon.

[arctycfox 11]

There are certain spoiler type questions and comments in my post. please don't read it unless you have listened to the Episode already. you have been warned.

 

Did anyone else think that the semi-conscious guy was trying to write a message to the players but was then controlled by the creepy old guy to write something else? I missed this the first time around but during my second listen it seems like the guy dips into his own bloodwell (inkwell, but full of blood, get it?) and is forming words on the floor. He then pauses and the word that Sark describes is different than what he was originally going to write as if he intended to write the solution to the problem but then was controlled (like Mildred a few episodes ago) by the Old Geezer to write a message that throws off the party. If he were originally trying to spell something (minute 57 is where Blackie asks him to become his own sharpie) "save my wi" is changed to "save my world" and then they ask how and he responds "Kill the World" but Sark makes it "Kill the Women" and then Sark even mentions that he is able to control people who have an attachment to him.

Thanks for reading and am interested in hearing if anyone else heard it that way.

Also, awesome description of the hooks that were joined in the middle of that guys body.

Edited October 6, 2013 by arctycfox

[Jackson1326657838 105]

The best and probably most pertinent point that had been made about this week's episode is that Gerry was gone. No Gerry, no major progress. Funny how a naked shaman reincarnated as an amputee paladin becomes so crucial to the story's progression.

[qaop_space 87]

Agree with some talk that's been said here. I have found myself having to re listen to a lot of the more recent episodes due to being distracted by the banter and getting lost with the story parts. Having said that, I'm not complaining, I enjoy listening to these episodes more than once.

 

And Blaine has been killing me lately with his particular banter, just superb, and I don't even know what half of the references he makes are.

[Corky Kneivel 113]

The best and probably most pertinent point that had been made about this week's episode is that Gerry was gone. No Gerry, no major progress.

 

 

Gerry not being there is something I really didn't consider when I posted originally but have thought about since it was mentioned. I both agree and disagree with that notion. I think it’s a perfectly reasonable reason (delaying for his return) for the repetitive nature of this episode. However I think it’s been trending towards this type of episode and some of the repleis here seem to bear that out.

 

I will also cop that I can sometimes be a little alarmist about things like making it so a slow episode, or a couple of slow episodes is now "a problem" with the show. Perhaps thats the situation here and I hope my comments are taken more as wonderign if the listening community feels the same, or, flattering myself, a sort of constructive criticism for BP&F and its not seen as me merely talking shit.