CAGcast #80: Rebooting Your Face

[CheapyD]

Our third live show, broadcast via Stickam (http://www.stickam.com/profile/cagcast)!
We tackle the Manhunt 2 controversy, a lucky caller plays Stump the Retailer (http://youtube.com/watch?v=F8RmT31X5oo) for valuable prizes, we take your calls and answer your live CAGbag questions, but wait, there's more!

Win a Turtle Beach Ear Force X1 Headset (360/PC) by participating in our new Karaoke contest (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142042).
Ear Force X1 Headset (http://www.amazon.com/Ear-Force-Stereo-Headphones-Communicator/dp/B000HM1GUY/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4612678-8880057?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1182416774&sr=8-1)
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/images/game%20images/earforce.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000HM1GUY/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20)

(http://media.libsyn.com/media/cheapyd/cagcast77.mp3)http://media.libsyn.com/media/cheapyd/cagcast80.mp3
Download (http://media.libsyn.com/media/cheapyd/cagcast80.mp3) - 92 minutes, 42MB
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Past CAGcasts (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/../archives/cat_cagcast.php)

Unedited show coming soon!


Show Linkage/Notes (click the button below to expand):

Intro music: The Three Stooges (NES)

CAG Foreplay Podcast #4: New Releases (6/19/07) (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/../archives/cag-foreplay-podcast-4-new-releases-61907.php)

Manhunt 2 Rated Adults Only
GameFly, Blockbuster won’t stock Manhunt 2
(http://gonintendo.com/?p=19906)Nintendo and Sony Won’t Touch AO Manhunt 2
(http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/20/nintendo-and-sony-wont-touch-manhunt-2-with-ao-rating/)Rockstar Responds to Manhunt Rating (http://kotaku.com/gaming/original/rockstar-responds-to-manhunt-rating-270371.php)


Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (http://wii.ign.com/objects/893/893610.html)
http://media.wii.ign.com/media/893/893610/vids_1.html
Jenga Coming to the Wii
(http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164839)Contra IV for DS announced! (http://gonintendo.com/?p=19895)
Boogie (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3158180)

ThreeSpeech on the CAGcast (http://threespeech.com/blog/?p=439)
Blockbuster backs Blu-ray
(http://www.destructoid.com/blockbuster-backs-blu-ray-33255.phtml)Format War - HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray *The One and Only* (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132555)
Blu-ray is a rotten format - literally!
(http://www.destructoid.com/blu-ray-is-a-rotten-format-literally--33208.phtml)Sony Sizes Up Xbox Live (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6030&Itemid=2)
Reduce: New PS3 Bundle Slightly Cuts Pricey Price Tag (http://kotaku.com/gaming/reduce/new-ps3-bundle-slightly-cuts-pricey-price-tag-270403.php)
Rumor: Truly Episodic Game Coming to PS3 (http://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/truly-episodic-game-coming-to-ps3-270563.php)

A Q&A with Todd Holmdahl, the hardware guy at Microsoft, about Xbox 360 failures (http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/06/a_qa_with_todd_holmdahl_the_hardware_guy_at_micros oft_about_xbox_360_failures.html)
Take-Two not explaining GTA $50 million exclusive (http://feeds.joystiq.com/%7Er/weblogsinc/joystiq/%7E3/126144657/)
Xbox 360 & PS3 Controllers On Sale at Amazon (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/../archives/xbox-360-ps3-controllers-on-sale-at-amazon.php)
Target / CC / BB Video Game Prices: 6/24/07 - 6/30/07 ** Uber Thread ** (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141286)
(thanks, speedy1961)

CAGbag (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71382)

Digg the CAGcast (http://www.digg.com/podcasts/CAGcast)
MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/cagcast)
CheapyD's Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/cheapyd) (Subscribe (http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=CheapyD))
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/cheapyd)

Outro: Atari Jaguar

[HooHaa]

Woo, I've got a day off too.

[linkpwns]

Quick turnaround with posting the new CAGCast after the live one. Nice job Cheapy. Anyway, the Cast, well atleast last night, was pretty good. I Enjoyed a lot of the jokes made by Wombat (As usual) and the same goes for you Cheapy. When Wombat asked the caller if he was on a tredmill, I could not stop laughing. I thought that it was an all around funny Cast, and I hope that you guys keep the ball rolling. Keep up the good work guys.

"Nothing like a little shocking pussy to get your Pokemon going, eh?"

Thank you Wombat.

[seththefallen]

I actually managed to call in last night, I was SirAlderan in the chatroom. I asked the question about Sony and Microsoft buying all the good games licenses up. I was actually pretty nervous but it worked out pretty well. How many other podcasts let you actually talk to the hosts? Fantastic stuff.

[Brad Bishop]

I tend to agree with Wombat on the HD-DVD/Bluray formats.

With people getting large screen TVs and stretching regular (4:3) standard definition video to fill it and calling it high-def, I don't think that they'll jump right on board with HDDVD/Bluray mainly because the regular DVDs still look really good on most DVD players and TVs and they're dirt-cheap at Walmart.

You can look at other similar formats and see a failure (S-VHS / LDs). S-VHS, even though some movies were available on it, never caught on even though it was higher quality. The same can be said for LDs though they had a little better market penetration than SVHS.

As it is, with Joe consumer looking at a DVD player for $50 with movies for $5-10 readily available or an HDDVD/Bluray player for much more (and, yes, the prices will come down) + the higher price of the media, I think most will say, "Well, I already have a DVD player and all of these DVDs.."

Ultimately, I think the real killer for DVD/HDDVD/Bluray will be just digital downloading (either AppleTV or some other similar service). It's not about quality but value and convenience.

[MSUnman]

While I agree the price differential between blu ray and DVD is nuts, give it a year and blu ray will really start to come in to its own. Costs will lower on producing blu ray discs, ps3 will be cheaper, more hi def TVs will be out in the market. Blu ray players in general will be cheaper as well. Once HD DVD is defeated (hopefully in the next year) they will have all major studios together supporting the new hi def format.

And while it may cost more to buy a blu ray disc, its exactly the same price to rent them from services such as netflix or blockbuster. Watching movies in hi def is a much better experience especially when you have a large 46 inch 1080p TV like I have. Addressing the downloadable movies, I really have better things to do than to leave my system for hours on end on to download a 4GB movie. Plus Ive read that movies on blu ray and HD DVD are way better quality than those on the marketplace because the movies are compressed to make them smaller downloads.

[Cai]

yo whatz happening

this be your boy willard hazin from the forums, formerly known as the "dental regurgitation"

I wanna know how ya got started in to all this monopolizin of the forums

and the amazing deal presentations with the cash money making

ya know what I'm saying?

[Brad Bishop]

I've got AppleTV.

When I say click, "get this show" (I haven't done movies yet) it takes about 10min and it's done.

I have been taking my DVDs and ripping them so that I can watch them on my AppleTV, though. Works pretty well.

I don't think the quality difference is that great between DVD and HDDVD/Blu ray. I know on paper you can show number of pixels, etc. but for most people they're watching the movie and it doesn't really matter.

With VHS you had crappy lines/poor video tracking/static/etc. to deal with. The difference between VHS was like the difference between a 5-story buiding and the Empire State Building. The difference between DVD and the new formats is (to the eye) more like the difference between the Empire State building and the Sears Tower. Yeah, it's taller but not *that* much taller.

It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out, though. The problem with digital distribution is that, outside of AppleTV, there really isn't much else in consumer-level/friendly way of getting content to your screen. Yeah, there are other ways but none that most non-tech people will screw with.

[liquidcross]

As for why the 360 doesn't have a web browser...MS can't make the system too much like a computer, otherwise they're in violation of antitrust laws. After all that monopoly trouble they got in, MS isn't permitted to make computer systems; there's a very fine line, and they have to be careful not to cross it. That's also why the 360 doesn't support open standards (USB HDs, headsets, mice, etc) like the PS3 does. (That, and the obvious fact that they want to make more money off of official MS peripherals.)

[Kfoster1979]

This one is easy Wombat, Retailers like wal mart wont carry a AO game for the same reasons they won't carry Porn DVD's . It's the whole Family friendly aspect and they think they have a moral obligation to tell you want you can and can't buy. But like the Supreme Court said under free speech they can make it but retailers have the right to refuse selling it.

I however think the is a big jump from SD/ED TV (480i/p) to any kind of HD. I can see a big difference in DVD to HD and blu ray it's not has big as VHS to DVD I grant you that but it's there.

[moonknight25]

"Stump the retailer" was one of the best segments ever imo! Being in retail myself, it made me cringe a bit but it was still funny as shit. "Are you on a treadmill" stand outs as one of Wombats best lines ever as well lol.

Btw, I disagree with Wombat, Blue-Ray will be around for the long haul. Just because the PS3 has one built into it......if it wasn't for that then I see it going the way of the beta-max. Just think in a few years when the PS3 has a lower price point, peeps are going to embrace Blue-Ray even more. HD-DVD on the other hand depends greatly if Wal-mart releases those cheap players. That could influence the format war a bit due to the size and power of Wally-World.

Great show as always guys, it make a crappy day a lot better :applause:

[gorgo]

Cheapy, just an odd aside... "Beef Baloney"m the song you mentioned for big points, is an 80s punk song by the band FEAR. Surprisingly (or not), they're back together. Even more surprisingly, I was recently watching Monster Garage on Discovery HD, when they had a guest appearance from FEAR in the garage, and they played that very song!

[Gregory_Tea]

Good show fellas,

I like when Cheapy makes jokes like how microsoft makes bongs out the broken 360's. Weed jokes are funny, and Ive never even listened to the podcast high, its always when im at work.

I think I recall you once saying that in college no one could beat you at Mortal Kombat or bong hits.

I laughed.

Do it again.

Peese CAGods.

[Gregory_Tea]

I have Vista AND i love the CagCast!

Am i all alone out there?

Just give me shadow run, im the only CAG who can even play it.



-Weed.

[Zimmy]

I think the experiment is over.
The live callers have to go.
Either that or hire a screener.
It is so painful to hear some stoner stumble through his call to make some obvious point.
I can imagine how painful it is for the hosts.

Maybe to appease the CAGCast fans, have the proper show, then announce...

OK, now is the stoner call in portion.
This way we will know when to turn it off.

;)

[Kfoster1979]

I have Vista AND i love the CagCast!

Am i all alone out there?

Just give me shadow run, im the only CAG who can even play it.



-Weed.


No I have Vista also, I like it a lot but I could live with out it.

[Cambot]

Regarding "Stump the Retailer:"

You asked the retailer which systems allow you to surf the internet, and he responded:

"The only one I'm aware of is the PS3."

Technically he wasn't really wrong since he only speaks to his awareness of the topic, and never offers a definite answer. Now if you can prove that he was, in fact, aware that Wii also allows you to surf the internet, and somehow forgot he was aware - or attempts to disregard or hide his own awareness, then, yes, he would be wrong.

He was, however, stumped.

[trip1eX]

If people are buying hi-def tvs then they want BR players. Might not be today, but they will. Hard to imagine everyone is buying these 720p/1080p hi-def tvs and watching hi-def tv, and hi-def sports and playing hi-def games, but movies? Oh no we'll watch them at EDTV resolutions. It's good enough. Huh?

Makes little sense. Why are we buying these 1080p tvs for then? When not buy Plasma EDTVs if the resolution is good enough?

Nah like hi-def tvs themselves BR is expensive because it's a new tech. As prices fall more and more people will take a look at it. AS more movies are released that TRULY take advantage of the BR format people will take notice.

Sure if Sony and movie companies try to price BR too high then consumers won't bite, but I think the prices will come in line with DVD prices. I do acknowledge that movies companies will be able to price BR discs slightly above DVD prices and get away with it. I mean if a BR disc is $.50 more then which are you going to buy? The BR disc. So you can see the movie companies have some pricing leverage there.

The only thing competing against BR are hi-def downloads, but man no one really has the bandwidth to download that stuff. Sure you can highly compress hi-def movies and call it hi-def, but it's not the same.

[trip1eX]

Yeah MS wants to protect their Windows monopoly and that's why they have no internet browser. With an internet browser too, 3rd parties could rig up streaming of media and bypass the need for Vista or XP MediaCenter.

[Bartex]

good show... except for the LAG!!!

[Jackal888]

Reboot Your Face my new favorite catch phrase. That was a funny show.Wombat is wrong about Blu-Ray, In 2009 all Americans will have to either get a HD television set or a HD tuner. High Definition will have a bigger penetration and people will want high definition movies.

Prices of BD movies is going down as did DVDs.

PS CheapyD:"She don't like salami, she don't want pastrami, she don't want a chicken, she don't want a roast; she just wants a double dose of my beef, beef, beef, beef bologna!"

[linkpwns]

I have Vista AND i love the CagCast!

Am i all alone out there?

Just give me shadow run, im the only CAG who can even play it.



-Weed.

I have Vista too... I'll take that copy of Halo 2

[JTHomeslice]

Nice choice of title, Cheapy.

This pic made the Cast for me:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/JTHomeslice/cheapy.png

[Brad Bishop]

I think the experiment is over.
The live callers have to go.
Either that or hire a screener.
It is so painful to hear some stoner stumble through his call to make some obvious point.
I can imagine how painful it is for the hosts.


A call screener would help. I think that even with a call-screener, though, the problem would still persist because you probably don't have a huge pool of choice callers to pick from.

Even on most local radio shows the callers are painful to listen to. They either think they're geniuses or comedians. Usually they're the opposite of both.

[jaystaeb8]

Regarding "Stump the Retailer:"

You asked the retailer which systems allow you to surf the internet, and he responded:

"The only one I'm aware of is the PS3."

Technically he wasn't really wrong since he only speaks to his awareness of the topic, and never offers a definite answer. Now if you can prove that he was, in fact, aware that Wii also allows you to surf the internet, and somehow forgot he was aware - or attempts to disregard or hide his own awareness, then, yes, he would be wrong.

He was, however, stumped.
No offense but you sound like my wife (that is offensive, but I prefaced it with no offense so you can't get mad)

If you are not right you are wrong no matter how you preface your answer.

And I am glad the other poster talked about the stoners who called in. I have listened and enjoyed the other live podcasts, but this was the worst as far as the callers. I have never heard such a mumbling, bumbling bunch in my life. Are me and the other guy who mentioned it earlier in this thread the only CAGs not high last night. Do some of you always get surprised when you call a phone number and somebody answers? And how can you people not know that you needed to turn down the volume, Cheapy said it 20 times and had it posted everywhere he listed the number to call in that you would need to turn down the volume on your computer. How some of you managed to figure out how to dial your phone without injuring yourselves yet can't follow the simple instructions of turning down the volume on your computer is stunning.

Cheapy and Wombat, you were excellent as always. I would say you were actually funnier this podcast than ever before, but when doing the next live show in 2 weeks, you might want to reconsider the timing and do it before the stoners get stoned or in the AM before they wake up. I know the time difference is significant for Cheapy but maybe AM in the states to weed out some callers might be the route to go.

[gunm]

It's a different show without the stickam issues, for sure. Actually, it's the same show, just not all wacked-out, stuttering john-like. Just curious why the edited pauses are soooo long with dead air? Throw in an Xbox Achievement sound bleep or something in between there, as the first time I couldn't tell if the cast was still streaming or not.

On to the kudos: I mentioned this in the "Live" thread, but "Stump the Retailer" is genius. I love it. I'm sure the next one will be "Stump the Xbox Warranty/Repair Center".

And I completely missed the whole Cheapy gets press credentials to Sony conference @ E3 news--congrats! Great job, Wombat! Bring back lots of shwag you can give away to CAG members please. ;)

[lspear76]

A call screener would help. I think that even with a call-screener, though, the problem would still persist because you probably don't have a huge pool of choice callers to pick from.

Even on most local radio shows the callers are painful to listen to. They either think they're geniuses or comedians. Usually they're the opposite of both.

Uh... me like cagcast!

Um... me like 360, should me get PS3?

Uh Uh Uh

The Cagcast has the stupidest fanbase of any podcast on the net. Besides, what question can Weapy and Cumbat possibly answer? They're not experts. We all know the same crap from being game fans and reading game "news."

[lspear76]

Reboot Your Face my new favorite catch phrase. That was a funny show.Wombat is wrong about Blu-Ray, In 2009 all Americans will have to either get a HD television set or a HD tuner. High Definition will have a bigger penetration and people will want high definition movies.

Prices of BD movies is going down as did DVDs.

PS CheapyD:"She don't like salami, she don't want pastrami, she don't want a chicken, she don't want a roast; she just wants a double dose of my beef, beef, beef, beef bologna!"

I can't wait until Weapy sends me the PS3 as my prize for getting that quote right! I'm going to do an unboxing video like Cumbat did! Only thing is that Weapy will jump out of the box, shipping himself to the USA so he can get the fuck outta japan!

[Blaine]

Sound Voyager is one of the most relaxing games I've ever played. I've had it for about a month now and it's fantastic.

There's several modes as well, and it's awesome because it has a mode called

"Sound Cock".

What more could you want?

[benjamouth]

For the love of God Cheapy, please drop the Live calls. They're ruining an otherwise excellent show.

You and Wombat have really hit your stride with the CAGcast, but the calls just kill any momentum the show has, plus most of the people calling in sound like morons.

Honestly, listening to the calls is slightly more painful than pulling your own teeth out.

[PyroGamer]

Stump the retailer rocked.


Having the show live sucked.

[PyroGamer]

Oh, and though I said this about a thousand times in the chat, "Beef Balogna" is from The Decline of Western Civilization.

[agapens]

Oblivion. F-ing Oblivion. Again???

CheapyD: Have you heard of ____?
Wombat: No
CheapyD: Have you seen videos of ___?
Wombat: No
CheapyD: Have you anything worthwhile to contribute?
Wombat No. But lets talk about my 260th hour of Oblivion. I swear its almost relevant because its a near identical version that came out on another system 6 months ago.

I'm not kidding. Its ridiculous. Enough.

[JDUB X]

Yeah, Stump the Retailer really rocked.

It should definitely be a regular segment, at least on the Live Shows.

[Weedy649]

I wasnt stoned :(

GTA IV hype meter (http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=vg_nav_hp_x360/102-9345239-6816952?ie=UTF8&node=14220161&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-1&pf_rd_r=1HHE5Z5NV8BMXFP90J0R&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=293979501&pf_rd_i=468642)

I feel it was a bit relevant, i tried to call earlier in the show but it was busy and thats why i mentioned it in the cagbag. It was also a bit hard for me to hear cheapy on the phone(yes i did have my computer volume off ><) which is why i may have sounded a bit lost at times.

[seththefallen]

People keep saying neither hd format will win, because of downloading, and I really don't see that happening for approx 10 years. Microsoft is charging almost $8 dollars to (500 something points) watch an HD movie ONE TIME. That is not affordable. If you are like me, and have a favourite movie you watch frequently then $8 a pop is going to brake the bank pretty quick. HD disc formats also tend to offer superior quality over any other HD format because there is less compression required. I like HD-DVDs better but, Blu-ray has the support.

[level1online]

Summer Camp Nightmares ???

I could've sworn I heard that song in a movie called Meatballs II

[evanft]

Oblivion. F-ing Oblivion. Again???

CheapyD: Have you heard of ____?
Wombat: No
CheapyD: Have you seen videos of ___?
Wombat: No
CheapyD: Have you anything worthwhile to contribute?
Wombat No. But lets talk about my 260th hour of Oblivion. I swear its almost relevant because its a near identical version that came out on another system 6 months ago.

I'm not kidding. Its ridiculous. Enough.

This has pretty much been the Cagcast for a while now. It's the reason why I think Cheapy should figure out a way to get ViolentLee on either as a replacement for Wombat or for a third guy.

[CheapyD]

lspear, you need to definitely take a time out from posting here or adjust your attitude. If you are unable to control yourself, I will do it for you.

Your posts are insulting and are adding nothing to the conversation.

[sloof70]

CheapyD, you need more structure in when you accept calls. You should have a specific time when you allow people to call in and ask questions or discuss topics. Calls would only be taken during one segment, either at the beginning or the end. That way, you wouldn't have any of these dumb shits calling in and talking about things that you covered long ago.

I hate the live shows, but I know you like them so I'm just suggesting a way to make them better.

[PyroGamer]

lspear, you need to definitely take a time out from posting here or adjust your attitude. If you are unable to control yourself, I will do it for you.

Your posts are insulting and are adding nothing to the conversation.
You have to admit, "Weapy and Cumbat" was pretty damn clever.







.... :-|

[lspear76]

Honestly, all kidding and baiting aside, I think Weapy is too good for the cagcast. The live show has what, 150-200 listeners? A podcast can only do so much. I think Weapy should shop his "Your Man in Japan" show idea to Spike TV. Who did he shop it to last time, G4? Screw G4. Weapy has got the voice and persona to make the show a great fish out of water affair, plus Japan is an interesting place. They'd totally buy into the show. Weapy's even been on tv before, and in the Wall Street Journal. Cumbat is talented as well, he's probably the perfect co-host, but i'm pissed at him for trading that Blu Ray copy of Superman II I bought him into Gamestop for $4 credit. And even more pissed that he bought the same game again for a different format!

Anyway, answering calls from clueless stoner-wrestling fan-live in my mom's basement losers can only be so good, which the live show completely proves. The highlight of the show was Cumbat asking the caller if he was on a treadmill. Now that was funny as hell.

[Wombat]

Oblivion. F-ing Oblivion. Again???

CheapyD: Have you heard of ____?
Wombat: No
CheapyD: Have you seen videos of ___?
Wombat: No
CheapyD: Have you anything worthwhile to contribute?
Wombat No. But lets talk about my 260th hour of Oblivion. I swear its almost relevant because its a near identical version that came out on another system 6 months ago.

I'm not kidding. Its ridiculous. Enough.

Thats a not an acurate representation of me, sometimes I say nope or Nah. OK now back to the realms of cyrodyl, I wonder where Mrs. Wombat hid my Wizard hat

[lspear76]

You have to admit, "Weapy and Cumbat" was pretty damn clever.







.... :-|

Weapy must be on the rag today, lol. Come on dude lighten up, be a man for once. You did a live show, and it sucked. Now we're just discussing the suckage. If the show was great we'd discuss how it rocked. What do you expect? Your cohost calls Larry a "Vagina Clown" but you get all pissy at some joking. Imagine if you had a real job like Major Nelson, and had 100x the complaints. Could you handle that? Guess you can dish it out but can't take it. Put a smile on that face. Be professional, like Leon. Or a real hard worker, like Charles Ingalls. I love how power corrupts.

<3

[shipwreck]

Weapy must be on the rag today, lol. Come on dude lighten up, be a man for once. You did a live show, and it sucked. Now we're just discussing the suckage. If the show was great we'd discuss how it rocked. What do you expect? Your cohost calls Larry a "Vagina Clown" but you get all pissy at some joking. Imagine if you had a real job like Major Nelson, and had 100x the complaints. Could you handle that? Guess you can dish it out but can't take it. Put a smile on that face. Be professional, like Leon. Or a real hard worker, like Charles Ingalls.

<3

Or a dick like lspear76 that doesn't understand when to stop.

[miyamotofreak]

Again I highly advise Talkshoe over Stickam. Check the service out Cheapy, its way better.
EDIT: I bet lspear is major nelson. Hit em with the banhammer!

[trip1eX]

Stump the Retailer was good, but could be sped up a bit. 5-10 seconds to answer in before you get buzzed?

[lspear76]

Or a dick like lspear76 that doesn't understand when to stop.

I find it funny when people can talk bs about others, but can't take it when it's about them. You can call me a dick. I can take it. See? Nice and breezy. Cumbat took it like a man when I said his life is pathetic, he can't hold a job, he is broke, his apartment is small, his apartment is rat infested, etc. He took it like a man and went on playing his 360 that doesn't open or read discs, while getting up to swat the rats that were chewing his power brick. You see? And when he asked that 500 pound guy if he was "calling from a treadmill," he said it for all the right reasons, from the bottom of his heart, just as he did when he said Larry Hyrb is a "Vagina Clown" and "the Ronald McDonald of Microsoft."

There, I said what I wanted to say. I'm not posting in this neo-conservative, free speech rejectin', gun-totin forum until next week's show.

And one more thing. Your podcast persuaded me to buy every TG16 game released last week on the Virtual Console -- Bloody Wolf AND World Sports Competition. Hahahahahahahahahahaha! The joke is on you! Time to grab a Wii Points card and license Dead Moon for 600 more points!

[Thomas96]

I enjoyed the show, I thought most of it went well. I started to stop listening when Cheapy just made a mockery of the Playstation 3 - yet again.. First the clip of "bull shit" when Sony camp makes a comparison of their PSN vs the xbox live. The only difference is that there's more content available on xbox live, no one is taking that clear advantage away by saying the two are similar. After the first mockery, then the ridge racer clip... however when we get the xbox portion.. [talking about B.S. answers for a serious problem] a couple of jokes, and there's no mockery made there. Just swept all the mess from MS under a rug... And then on top of the PS3 mockery.. you don't even take calls from the PS3 portion of the show. We know you [cheapy] like the xbox better than PS3, and that's fine, but just don't short change the PS3 portion of the show because for some [well maybe just me...] PS3 portion of the show is what they want to hear.


Wombat, you know we still in the beginning stages of this Blu Ray stuff, so of course the prices of the movies are going to drop. Its always about who can get enough initial sales in order to price drop. I think that Best buy, and other retailers don't want Blu Ray to succeed right now, because they're doing so well in the DVD market. I find it funny that Best buy, and other retailers, charge so much for Blu Ray movies, when online you can get them almost 10 dollars cheaper. Terminator 2 best buy = 29.99; amazon 19.99; I think that retailers are slowing the progress of blu ray so that they can continue to make more money off of the DVD market... but that's just a theory.

[CYRiX]

Wombat, move on to a new game...

[Pharrell1]

reboot your face!!

[moonknight25]

I find it funny when people can talk bs about others, but can't take it when it's about them. You can call me a dick. I can take it. See? Nice and breezy. Cumbat took it like a man when I said his life is pathetic, he can't hold a job, he is broke, his apartment is small, his apartment is rat infested, etc. He took it like a man and went on playing his 360 that doesn't open or read discs, while getting up to swat the rats that were chewing his power brick. You see? And when he asked that 500 pound guy if he was "calling from a treadmill," he said it for all the right reasons, from the bottom of his heart, just as he did when he said Larry Hyrb is a "Vagina Clown" and "the Ronald McDonald of Microsoft."

There, I said what I wanted to say. I'm not posting in this neo-conservative, free speech rejectin', gun-totin forum until next week's show.

And one more thing. Your podcast persuaded me to buy every TG16 game released last week on the Virtual Console -- Bloody Wolf AND World Sports Competition. Hahahahahahahahahahaha! The joke is on you! Time to grab a Wii Points card and license Dead Moon for 600 more points!

What the fuck is your problem dude?

[hcamacho]

HD dvd war is way beyond over, the only thing that keeps non tech gadgets people from getting a hdtv and hd dvd player is the prices, as soon as the hd dvd players drop to the 200$ like price, be it BD or HDDVD, then the consumers will get them, and also when hdtv sets get lower in price also, I've been on the fence, about getting a hdtv set for price reasons, although this christmas will be it, since I no longer can afford playing my 360 in sd tv.

And by the way Blockbuster....of course blu-ray is more active than hd-dvd ...you are taking in consideration that the vast majority is because of the ps3 , right?If in the long run, hd-dvd gets cheaper sooner than blu-ray, the tide could turn over, and then suddenly hd-dvd is the most used hd format, so lets wait and see.....

I for one format winner , dont care, I still believe dvd's have a couple more years to fade away.

[E*Master]

I think Blu-Ray will take a while to come around. I don't know about the USA but In Canada it took DVDs almost 7 years to come around to the point where everyone wanted a player and toss their VHS permanently. DVDs came out like 1997 (correct me if I'm wrong if I am) and in 2003 DVD rentals outdid VHS rentals. I personally started with DVDs around then as well. Blu-Ray as far as retail sales and rentals started in 2005-2006 and I don't expect to see a final judgement on which format is the winner until 2011-2012.... Oh God I will be in my early 30s then :S

[DarkNessBear]

Damn CheapyD stop your 360 fanboyism is showing.

First you say you stopped listening to the interview with the PSN guy after he said that one thing, WHICH if you listen further he says that he likes that the 360 has an achievement system and that you can stay in contact with friends through every game and invite them through what ever game you play...

And then you play that stupid fanboy "ridge racer" clip. After some good news for the PS3. Wow, I feel like im listening to 360cast.

And Wombat says HD doesnt matter? Uh, Planet Earth on Bluray not say anything to you?

Doesnt matter to the "average consumer" wtf is the average consumer? Grandma's at home that try to watch Golden Girls on VHS? Everyone wants better quality shit, and as the price goes down on HDTV you'll see a higher demand for the format that acctually lets them enjoy their movies at its full potential.

And watching Apocolypto on Bluray seriously made me a Bluray believer. And I dont even have a 1080p setup. I did not think that Bluray would look that good on 720p.

[xraytd]

This live show was not very good, but it sounds like Cheapy is committed to giving it a fair trial run. Then how about doing 2 shows? The regular formated show with a formal structure and properly edited and then a live anything goes kind of show later in the week. I, for one, would love more Cagcasts!

[level1online]

I've never made a comment about the cagcast, up until now:

You know what? I absolutely LOVE IT when you Call Bullshit on comments made by PR reps of sony/microsoft/nintendo.

That's why my favorite episode of all time was when Wombat had an "Angry Wombat" segment and made some really harsh comments towards Capcom and about the video game industry. I think the comment was about Dead Rising's save system. But anyways, the point is, as much as I love Capcom, I was not offended, because 1) it was refreshing to hear some TRUTH and 2) it wasn't the typical apologetic PR rep regurgitation. If I wanted the usual corporate PR rep mumbo jumbo, I'd just read a video game magazine (EGM, I'm looking at you). And thats why I like the cagcast.

Get my drift?

Stick with honesty, even if you offend the fanboys.

[Quintessence]

I cannot get the show to play :(

Edit: Nevermind...I just will stream it off the front page because the iTunes one will not work.

[Wombat]

Damn CheapyD stop your 360 fanboyism is showing.

First you say you stopped listening to the interview with the PSN guy after he said that one thing, WHICH if you listen further he says that he likes that the 360 has an achievement system and that you can stay in contact with friends through every game and invite them through what ever game you play...

And then you play that stupid fanboy "ridge racer" clip. After some good news for the PS3. Wow, I feel like im listening to 360cast.

And Wombat says HD doesnt matter? Uh, Planet Earth on Bluray not say anything to you?

Doesnt matter to the "average consumer" wtf is the average consumer? Grandma's at home that try to watch Golden Girls on VHS? Everyone wants better quality shit, and as the price goes down on HDTV you'll see a higher demand for the format that acctually lets them enjoy their movies at its full potential.

And watching Apocolypto on Bluray seriously made me a Bluray believer. And I dont even have a 1080p setup. I did not think that Bluray would look that good on 720p.

I never said I didnt think blue ray dosnt look better, its looks alot better on some things, i.e. Planet Earth. But the price on Movies is still to high for most people to fully adapt the system. I like owning my DVDs but right now the discs cost too much and there still not a strong reason for a non PS3 owner to adapt to the new medium. Upscalled DVDs look good too

[terpkristin]

When I listened to the cast live last night, I completely disagreed with Wombat about "neither HD format winning the war/both losing." Reading the thread here, though, reminded me of why he might be right--the future of the download. Even though I haven't splurged on a HDTV yet (an HDTV?), a good portion of my "tv-viewing" lately is shows downloaded from the iTunes store, on my tv through my iPod/iPod dock combo. Though I haven't downloaded any movies that way, yet, I could easily see downloads becoming the norm and beating out both HD disc formats.

Any idea what caused the lag this time around with Stickam? It was a bit surprising, given that it hadn't shown up before that I was aware of.

As always, enjoyed the show :)
/tk

[Weedy649]

Damn CheapyD stop your 360 fanboyism is showing.

If you listen to the show he did mention the PS3 being the best deal for the money out of all the new systems(if you have use for the features that make it the best deal). I dont think a 360 fanboy would say that(or own a ps3 for that matter).

[Brad Bishop]

Stump the Retailer was good, but could be sped up a bit. 5-10 seconds to answer in before you get buzzed?

Although the live callers have been pretty bad, the stump the retailer bit was good.

It may take them a few more live episodes to work the bugs out. The Shipwreck's show was a little rough the first time out but was fine from the 2nd on.

I still think a live call-in show will be tough just because radio talk shows typically have a hard time with it and they've got a broader audience and folks who do nothing but deal with callers each day.

[Brad Bishop]

Even though I haven't splurged on a HDTV yet (an HDTV?), a good portion of my "tv-viewing" lately is shows downloaded from the iTunes store, on my tv through my iPod/iPod dock combo.

I do the same thing with AppleTV.

I got tired of paying $90+/month for expanded digital cable (what we all used to just call cable). I was only watching 2-3 shows a week and I had the whole DVR deal happening.

Anyway, I decided to do the AppleTV deal (ditch the cable boxes) and it's a lot cheaper buying a few shows here or there than it is to buy everything each month and watch (mostly) nothing. I had gotten to a point where I wouldn't even turn my TV most days out of the week.

Now, when I want to watch a TV show it's there - no commercials, I just watch it. I do have an HD/QAM tuner for local channels (I kept the local (basic) service ($15/month) with my internet connection).

While it wouldn't work for everyone, it does work well for me.

[agapens]

Thats a not an acurate representation of me, sometimes I say nope or Nah. OK now back to the realms of cyrodyl, I wonder where Mrs. Wombat hid my Wizard hat

Don't take it the wrong way, Wombat. Its not that I have anything against you personally. Its like....an intervention. You like the person, you just see a behavior that needs to be addressed. I can handle it if you don't have the time or means to contribute to new releases every week, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't steer the conversation to Oblivion every time there's an opening.

[JDUB X]

Don't take it the wrong way, Wombat. Its not that I have anything against you personally. Its like....an intervention. You like the person, you just see a behavior that needs to be addressed. I can handle it if you don't have the time or means to contribute to new releases every week, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't steer the conversation to Oblivion every time there's an opening.

I dont find anything wrong with the way Wombat brought up Oblivion. He was only talking about his latest purchase. It's not like he brought it up out of thin air.

[tsg2005]

great show as usual...

cheapy, just wondering, what equipment do you and wombat use to record the cagcast? im pretty sure this was posted awhile ago, but i cant find it. let me know, thanks!

[The-Bavis]

Just chiming in real quick (without reading anything before this, so sorry for any rehashing).

I liked the show and thought you guys did well with the live version despite all of the problems. I wanted to comment about the game where Cheapy called the Beepstops. I enjoyed it, but my only beef was all of the confusion during it. I think it would be improved if you called it "Elite or Newb" or something similar and had the player say if the employee was "Elite" (correct) or a "Newb" (incorrect). This would prevent all of this confusing talk like, "He said he was going to be wrong and the clerk was right so he was wrong." All three of you were getting confused by this, so I think this little tweak could help.

You don't have to use my Elite/Newb words, that's just an idea. Smart/dumb synonyms abound.

(Translation Key: Elite = 1337, Newb = n00b)

[CheapyD]

great show as usual...

cheapy, just wondering, what equipment do you and wombat use to record the cagcast? im pretty sure this was posted awhile ago, but i cant find it. let me know, thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/Samson-Audio-C03UPAK-Microphone-Podcast/dp/B000H4HS72/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-4612678-8880057?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1182483260&sr=8-2

Macbook w/Audacity, Audio Hijack Pro, and Sound Byte.

[sying]

Is it just me or is the CAGcast downloading suuuuperslooooow? Jeez, PS3 might release a good game before this DL finishes.... /zing

[Han Solo]

CheapyD, I think your voice sounds more like Yogi Bear than Top Cat.

On the next Cagcast you should play a clip of Yogi saying "I'm smaaaaarter than the average bear".

[usickenme]

That was horrible. From clueless caller to many spans of dead air to not knowing the news (ahem Wombat) to general lack of interest.

Oh yeah, Wombat crossed over from being a sarcastic co-host to a complete a-hole.

It honestly sounded like you recorded a practice session.

[I82Much]

Just wanted to reiterate what's been said as far as loving the Stump the Retailer portion. Much more interesting than the "Name that tune" portion.

I really appreciate all the effort you put into editing these shows; I have never heard them live as I'm at work during that time, but the podcast editions flow just like a normal show.

[DQT]

I was about to say the quality of callers improved when I heard the Manhunt discussion, but then I listened to the rest of the show. It's a good point that retailers have essentially made the "M" rating what the "Ao" rating was supposed to stand for.

The live callers got even worse. Either they were clueless or they tried to be funny but weren't. Can't wait for the next show.

I can't understand all the frustration with the 2 minutes Wombat spent talking about Oblivion. 1up has commercials for the other shows I don't listen to, but I just fast forward through them. It's not that hard.

[HOVA uk]

Is it just me or is the CAGcast downloading suuuuperslooooow? Jeez, PS3 might release a good game before this DL finishes.... /zingSame here, i thought it was my internet connection, but it's not...

i guess the server is acting up , taking 40 minutes fo a 40 mb mp3.

[steverl22]

This show is downloading super slow...anyone else?

[Agent_BBJ]

I agree with wombat on the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray issue. I believe Blu-ray will win the war in the long run because of the PS3 but right now I do not feel the need to spend all that money on an HD-TV and high def player. My games would look better but i work the midnight shift and a local retailer and getting through college. I will only buy a game for less than $10 unless it is something i really want. To me, it is an issue of money. With blockbuster not carrying the HD-DVD's anymore , they are not letting the consumer decide what product they want to pick up. When did retailers decide what i want i decide what i want. On to another topic, i love the show. I have only listened for about 6 episodes. Of all the video game podcasts, you guys are the funniest and most informative.

[Zimmy]

If I could request a subject for a future show...
Maybe someone from the ESRB could be interviewed (if they even allow that).
I would love to know how games get rated.
For instance, did someone sit down and actually play through the entire Manhunt 2 game?
Did Rockstar have to supply a list of everything in the game that meets certain criteria?
It is amazing that one thing could have sent the game to an AO rating and basically killed it dead, so to speak.

Thanks.

[LiK]

thank you Wombat for correcting Cheapy on pronouncing "episodic". that was annoying me. maybe Cheapy has been living in Japan for too long, hehe

i also really enjoyed Stump the Retailer, that was great. nice little homage to Stern ^^

finally, it's true, PS3 only comes with composite cables. if you want HD, go buy component or HDMI cables.

btw, let me add you guys to my friend lists. i get no love... ;_;

[Wombat]

That was horrible. From clueless caller to many spans of dead air to not knowing the news (ahem Wombat) to general lack of interest.

Oh yeah, Wombat crossed over from being a sarcastic co-host to a complete a-hole.

It honestly sounded like you recorded a practice session.

I thought I was pretty well read for this ep too, help me out what should I have studied up on better? (keep in mind that when I say "No, Cheapy, tell me about it" Its an opening for him to explain what the item is about) And when did I cross that line from charming sarcasm to A-hole. I appreciate the feedback.

[HooHaa]

I thought I was pretty well read for this ep too, help me out what should I have studied up on better? (keep in mind that when I say "No, Cheapy, tell me about it" Its an opening for him to explain what the item is about) And when did I cross that line from charming sarcasm to A-hole. I appreciate the feedback.

I don't agree with anything that guy you quoted said, but I'd like to hear you and Cheapy sharing the news. Cheapy presents one item and then you present another, I think it would make the CAGcast flow a lot nicer.

It would lessen Cheapy's vice grip over the CAGcast and increase your impact as a cohost.

I'm loving the show, keep it up.

[usickenme]

Let me start off by saying I usually like your presence on the show. (And I did like the treadmill joke). However, it seemed you were really on Cheapy's case about everything.

I don't want to break it down Zapruder film style but things like "is that your attempt at humor?" (I thought it was funny), constant correcting and the general tone that you are so much smart smarter than Cheapy. I know you don't think that way but it sounded like that.

Also not knowing about certain games until you see it in the outline. C'mon Zack and Wiki has been a recent forum thread.

I don't want to make this an indictment of all things Wombat. I generally like your comments and I couldn't imagine the CAGcast w/o you. I just seemed you were extra cranky this ep.

p.s.

(keep in mind that when I say "No, Cheapy, tell me about it" Its an opening for him to explain what the item is about)

Yeah, anyone who has watched an infomerical is aware of the "no tell me about it" line

[Wombat]

Let me start off by saying I usually like your presence on the show. (And I did like the treadmill joke). However, it seemed you were really on Cheapy's case about everything.

I don't want to break it down Zapruder film style but things like "is that your attempt at humor?" (I thought it was funny), constant correcting and the general tone that you are so much smart smarter than Cheapy. I know you don't think that way but it sounded like that.

Also not knowing about certain games until you see it in the outline. C'mon Zack and Wiki has been a recent forum thread.

I don't want to make this an indictment of all things Wombat. I generally like your comments and I couldn't imagine the CAGcast w/o you. I just seemed you were extra cranky this ep.

p.s.



Yeah, anyone who has watched an infomerical is aware of the "no tell me about it" line

I see your point and for the most part I agree with you and will offer this explanation for my attitude, for the last week up until yesterday, My Boss needed to be out of town unexpectedly due to a death in his family, so then boom! I was the "acting" boss for the last week and a half, literally up until about 2 minutes before the show I was still fielding work calls on my cell phone, so I was bit more stressed than usual. Arguing contract minutia at 8pm is still better than sniffing Milk though

[usickenme]

Fair enough

[Omatsei]

I just wanted to say that I have a theory about browsing the internet on the 360... I don't think they'll port Internet Explorer over to the 360, but I do think they'll add the Deepfish browser to the 360 at some point. If you think about it, the Deepfish browser is perfect for the 2 analog stick navigation. The left stick would move the selection box around while the right stick would enlarge or shrink the selection box. Then, you'd hit A to zoom in/out. Overall, I think Deepfish is much better fit for the 360 control scheme than IE is.

[Tybee]

I’m sorry, Cheapy and Wombat. I was on the fence to this point, but this episode cinched it for me. The live podcasts must die. I love my CAG brothers and sisters, but somehow the callers on these shows (with the exception of Thorbahn and one or two others) have proven themselves mumbling, clueless, unfunny, mouth-breathers. Moreover, the poor sound quality (which was not resolved in this episode, despite Cheapy’s assurances last time that it would be), the constant rebooting, and the dead air wait for people to call/respond/figure out how to turn down their speakers was painful and brought the show to a dead stop at several points.

I feel bad, because I know these episodes seem fun and interesting for the hosts and make Cheapy feel like Howard Stern. But I wish we could make you see that they are NOT fun for your listeners. Maybe I can illustrate it this way: When I downloaded last week’s CAGcast and saw that it was two hours long, I thought I’d be bored silly. But I wasn’t. It was one of the best episodes ever. Funny, lively, consistently interesting. But this episode, despite being a half-hour shorter, seemed twice as long and half as enjoyable. Maybe a call screener is the answer. I don’t know. I just know that the live shows are cooling my interest in the CAGcast after almost two years of dedicated listening.

On the up side, I did enjoy “Stump the Retailer.” That was one of the few things that worked with the live format (though could be just as entertaining if played with Wombat alone). And I like the use of the sound buttons.

As to the Blu Ray/HD DVD discussion: I tend to agree with Cheapy that one of the formats is going to win...eventually. But I think Wombat is correct in that 90% of the general public doesn’t understand the advantage of high definition formats over DVD or even standard def TV and doesn’t really care. There was a recent study that said 55% of the households with HDTVs are NOT feeding it HD content. That’s crazy. And I’m quite sure the vast majority of the WalMart crowd thinks regular DVDs ARE high definition. So these new formats have a tough road to hoe.

Add to that the fact that there are currently only about 250 titles available on each of the HD disc formats. For comparison, Netflix offers well over 80,000 standard DVD titles. The only thing that even remotely interests me on Blu Ray or HD DVD at this point is Planet Earth, and I already have that in HD on my DVR. When Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Criterion Collection titles start coming out on HD discs, THEN I’ll take notice.

[Indifference]

That is a great game. I am trying to get people's friend codes to start playing. Only one person responded on the thread I put in the Nintendo CAG forum. Perhaps if Wombat starts playing others will.

PPL: 395239080471

[Kunikos]

I'd rather have a new semi-regular cast-member that covers PC games than anything live.

[QuasidodoJr]

I dug the show. Sure, there were hiccups, but that's to be expected.

To Wombat: When DVD launched in the US around 10 years ago, I was paying $30 - 40 per movie. BDs will start to become more affordable as more players make their way into the market - just like DVD. Actually, Blu-Ray already has a leg up on DVD, because you couldn't rent DVDs until the format was around three years old. With Netflix and Blockbuster adopting BDs this early in their lifespan, they're sort of being given a headstart.

[AshesofWake]

holy crap wombat, Oblivion for PS3? really? :rofl: i laughed so hard when you said that

tsk tsk *shakes head*

haha

[seththefallen]

Honestly I think Cheapy and Wombat do a pretty good job considering they dont' have the resources or funding of a typical radio station. This podcast is done by two guys who live worlds away from eachother. The podcasts from 1up are done in a studio, and are backed by considerable funding. I have faith somehow these live casts can get refined. I'm pretty shocked that most of the listeners just dick around though. If you aren't listening because you're interested, why waste your time on the show?

[G-Dog]

I don't know if somebody has pointed this out before, so ignore me if it's come up.

Cheapy, I have to call you out on something. For a number of sequential episodes you have opening discussed your anti-piracy stance when it comes to videogames.

However I've noticed that when somebody brings up a movie or television show that you have seen, nine times out of ten you hit that the material is bootlegged from bittorrent. An example being 300. How can you condem one form of piracy, but then play coy about another?

Personally, I don't care what you bootleg. Go ahead and bootlet my face if you want, I just like causing trouble on web forums.

PS, I'm slightly drunk.

[H.Cornerstone]

Cheapy, you missed the most important part of that interview where it talks about user-created content for games - such as modes - possibly being possible. :)

And I have a suggestion, instead of having people call in during the show, at the end of each show just do a segment where listeners can call in and ask questions or voice their opinions. The calls during the show never work as people never talk about what the topic at hand is for whatever reason.

[bestguy83]

I started joining your listener base around several months ago and have found your podcast to peak my interest as a fresh perspective, ie. not the usual repetitive corporate dialogue you hear from most media outlets.

I think you guys have a winning formula and can only get better (as apparant from your first few online podcasts). I encourage you guys to keep up with the online calls, it will give the podcast even more variety from the norm. True, the caller's are a little off topic and usually contribute little insight, but I feel that this issue can be fixed through time in learning how to field out the right questions to the listener base. It's obvious that Cheapy atleast knows how to dump a caller when he calls just to listen to himself chattering live about nothing ;).

Anyways, this is my first post and it is a sign of more to come. Just wanted to let you guys know you're doing great and to keep at it!

[chodax]

The cagcast was named after what I said! :applause::applause:

[seththefallen]

I don't know if somebody has pointed this out before, so ignore me if it's come up.

Cheapy, I have to call you out on something. For a number of sequential episodes you have opening discussed your anti-piracy stance when it comes to videogames.

However I've noticed that when somebody brings up a movie or television show that you have seen, nine times out of ten you hit that the material is bootlegged from bittorrent. An example being 300. How can you condem one form of piracy, but then play coy about another?

Personally, I don't care what you bootleg. Go ahead and bootlet my face if you want, I just like causing trouble on web forums.

PS, I'm slightly drunk.

Thats a brilliant point. I honestly get anoyed when people try to take the moral high ground when it comes to piracy and tell others its wrong. Cheapy does always seem to get his movies and tv shows pirated, unless we're misunderstanding. Whats going on here Cheapy? Why condemn one form and not the other?

[Kfoster1979]

Thats a brilliant point. I honestly get anoyed when people try to take the moral high ground when it comes to piracy and tell others its wrong. Cheapy does always seem to get his movies and tv shows pirated, unless we're misunderstanding. Whats going on here Cheapy? Why condemn one form and not the other?

I think his reasoning is that he lives in Japan and cant get 99% of the American TV or Movies he wants without BT, I could have swore he talked about this a few weeks ago. I agree its a bit hypocritical, but if he truly cant get them in a "legal" way then go ahead DL that stuff.

[HOVA uk]

Finallyy able to download it..

sounds good so far, reboot your face is now my XBL motto :p

[CheapyD]

Thats a brilliant point. I honestly get anoyed when people try to take the moral high ground when it comes to piracy and tell others its wrong. Cheapy does always seem to get his movies and tv shows pirated, unless we're misunderstanding. Whats going on here Cheapy? Why condemn one form and not the other?

I'll be sure to discuss it next week's show.

[yukine]

Despite what everyone else has said about the live CAGcasts, I enjoy them quite a bit. The most often complaint made against the live shows is that the callers are listless, unintelligent, and bring down the show. I disagree, in my opinion the sheer absurdity of some the callers is very entertaining in a "so bad, it's good" way. Obviously I'm in the minority about this, but I question why do said complainers not call the show themselves to rectify the situation? All they have to do is pick up a phone, which is perhaps a daunting task at first but is fairly easy.

[jollydwarf]

Not completely through this week's show, but in the meantime...

--CheapyD, a.k.a. "TopCAG"??

--While you were doing the Topcat impression, Cheapy, I'm sorry, but I immediately free-associated your voice with the one and only (thankfully) "Elegant" Elliot Offen. That made me laugh again, just thinking about it.

--As others have said elsewhere, the need for the seemingly pointless "AO" rating is that the rating spectrum needs somewhere to go for games that truly 'cross the line'. Suffice to say, what happens in a Halo or Resident Evil is violent, but not nearly what Manhunt 2 seems/seemed to promise. If we went straight from "T" to "AO", it would be like going from "PG-13" to "NC-17". Again, I'm not the first one to point out that analogy, but I think it's very valid and merits reiteration here.

Now whether Manhunt 2 specifically deserved the "AO", well, insufficient data, but I'm betting that it did.

EDIT: Concerning someone trying to correlate a retail-priced Wii Jenga to a five-dollar Live Arcade Uno just shows you how cheap and low 'loyalists' will go to 'save face' for their own consoles. Sadly, these ridiculous analogies not only often go unchecked, but they're almost as frequently uttered by well-paid spokespeople.

Also, Wombat seems to contradict himself on the Oblivion graphical discrepancies. He initially and somewhat emphatically says that it's "noticeably better" and then seems to quickly temper and qualify his claim. "The graphical difference is so slight..." C'mon, man, take a side! Incite some bile! Trigger knee-jerk animosity and pettiness from man-children!!

And your high-def claims Wombat, well, you've got good points, but your premise about neither format surviving is ridiculous, unless you qualify it with both being a stopgap measure until HD download-only services become feasible in the next 3-5 years. Which I don't see happening that soon, not for two-hour films.

[oldschoolgoth]

These live casts have got to go!! I enjoy the regular show but the live ones do nothing to further the CAGcast, and a lot of the support for it are by people who just want to be on the fake air, and this gives them an avenue of doing so. I think the callers contribute to the killing of the momentum, and I think Cheapy needs to re-think how to do his contests, because the Ask A Retailer segment took a whole lot longer than it should have, and had me itching to fast-forward to some action. The biggest problem is that there's really no way to improve the live show much to where it'll be enjoyable. The people who call into the CAGbag and don't have a question need to be abused for contributing to fucking up your show. Bad callers, lag, pacing stutters--this stuff has got to go! I get the feeling if the live ones continue every other week, I'll just pass on them, because it really isn't feeling like it's worth listening to. I'll try as long as I am able, though.

[jollydwarf]

What you guys really need to do is have an on-air 'interview' with Beetlejuice. He'd be as accurate as any "analyst", as far as I could tell, and geometrically more entertaining.

"Yeah, I makes the games, dude. Like fo'ty-fo' in like two hours, dude. I gots like a thousand hundred tirdy-eight in two more years. I makes 'em all for dese bitches. I punch Mario in tha nuts for ya."

[troll_tracka]

good live cagcast . the funniest part was when snoop dogg's cousin called up and cheapie laughed at him then hung up. it was great .So anyways keep up the good work and try out ninja gaiden sigma i bought the korean version and the game is great.:hot:

[evanft]

Duuuuuuuude...Cheapy, you need a soundboard. Any time someone calls and mentions Pokemon, you gotta have Cosby sayin', "POKEMANS!!!!".

[Purkeynator]

Hey Wombat
Question for you regarding Blu-ray/HD-DVD: You have said many times that the winner will be neither but DVD will continue to reign supreme. Don't you think the next obvious evolution should have been 720P/1080i DVD's? Think about it, the games on Xbox 360 come on standard 9 GB DVD's but can display the games in 720P, 1080i, and even 480P. High definition versions of movies don't take up as much room as Blu-ray and HD-DVD camps want you to think. When you download a high definition movie on Xbox live they are usually no larger than 4-5 GB which could easily fit on a 9 GB DVD with room to spare. And they would display on all tvs from 480i all the way to 1080i or maybe even 1080P (Lost Planet is a 1080P Xbox 360 game on a DVD). This would allow everyone to play the same movie in either high definition or standard definition. The only upgrade would be to get one of the HDMI equipped DVD players which are only $100 or less now. The movies could still be cheap and we could have high def. Even if extra space was needed they can always make those flipper discs and put the movie on one side, flip it over and put the extras on the other side. Those DVD's hold about 18GB!

[CheapyD]

Thanks for all the comments!

For those who are interested, I've pulled the Stump the Retailer bit and tossed it up on Youtube

http://youtube.com/watch?v=F8RmT31X5oo

http://youtube.com/watch?v=F8RmT31X5oo

[H.Cornerstone]

Hey Wombat
Question for you regarding Blu-ray/HD-DVD: You have said many times that the winner will be neither but DVD will continue to reign supreme. Don't you think the next obvious evolution should have been 720P/1080i DVD's? Think about it, the games on Xbox 360 come on standard 9 GB DVD's but can display the games in 720P, 1080i, and even 480P. High definition versions of movies don't take up as much room as Blu-ray and HD-DVD camps want you to think. When you download a high definition movie on Xbox live they are usually no larger than 4-5 GB which could easily fit on a 9 GB DVD with room to spare. And they would display on all tvs from 480i all the way to 1080i or maybe even 1080P (Lost Planet is a 1080P Xbox 360 game on a DVD). This would allow everyone to play the same movie in either high definition or standard definition. The only upgrade would be to get one of the HDMI equipped DVD players which are only $100 or less now. The movies could still be cheap and we could have high def. Even if extra space was needed they can always make those flipper discs and put the movie on one side, flip it over and put the extras on the other side. Those DVD's hold about 18GB!

I would think that those Hi-Def movies on Xbox Live are compressed a lot, and I am sure don't have the same sound as Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

[FriskyTanuki]

If I could request a subject for a future show...
Maybe someone from the ESRB could be interviewed (if they even allow that).
I would love to know how games get rated.
For instance, did someone sit down and actually play through the entire Manhunt 2 game?
Did Rockstar have to supply a list of everything in the game that meets certain criteria?
It is amazing that one thing could have sent the game to an AO rating and basically killed it dead, so to speak.

Thanks.

No offense, it's not that hard to find that info. It's right in ESRB's FAQ page (http://www.esrb.org/ratings/faq.jsp#14):


About the Rating Process

Who decides which rating a game should get?
Each ESRB rating is based on the consensus of at least three specially trained raters who view content independently of one another. ESRB raters work on a part-time basis and are recruited from one of the most culturally diverse populations - the New York metropolitan area. They must be adults, and typically have experience with children through their profession, education or by being parents or caregivers themselves. They are not required to have advanced skills as computer and video game players since their job is to review content and determine its age-appropriateness, not to assess how challenging or entertaining a particular game is to play. To ensure their objectivity ESRB raters are kept anonymous, and they are not permitted to have any ties to or connections with any individuals or entities in the computer/video game industry.

What are the criteria for rating video games?
ESRB raters are trained to consider a wide range of pertinent content and other elements in assigning a rating. Pertinent content is any content that accurately reflects both:

the most extreme content of the final product - in terms of relevant rating criteria such as violence, language, sexuality, gambling, and alcohol, tobacco and drug reference or use; and
the final product as a whole - demonstrating the game’s context (such as setting, storyline and objectives) and relative frequency of extreme content.Due to the unique interactive characteristics of games, the ESRB rating system goes beyond other entertainment systems by also taking into account elements such as the reward system and the degree of player control.

How does the rating process work?
Prior to a game being released to the public, game publishers submit responses to a detailed, written questionnaire (often supplementing responses with lyric sheets, scripts, etc.) specifying exactly what pertinent content (http://www.esrb.org/ratings/faq.jsp#15) will be in their game. Along with the written submission materials, publishers must provide a videotape or DVD which captures all pertinent content (as defined by ESRB), including the most extreme instances, across all relevant categories, including but not limited to violence, language, sex, controlled substances and gambling. Pertinent content that is not playable but will exist in the code on the final game disc must also be disclosed. Once the submission is checked by ESRB for completeness, which may also involve ESRB staff members playing a beta or alpha version of the game, the video footage is reviewed by at least three (and oftentimes more) specially trained game raters (http://www.esrb.org/ratings/faq.jsp#14).

Upon reviewing the video or DVD of all pertinent content in a particular game, the raters use their own judgment to independently recommend appropriate rating categories and content descriptors for the specific scenes and depictions reviewed as well as the game overall. ESRB staff checks the raters’ recommendations for consensus, conducts a parity examination where appropriate to maintain consistency in rating assignments, and issues a certificate with the official rating assignment to the game publisher. The publisher can either accept the rating as final or revise the game's content and resubmit it to the ESRB, at which time the process starts anew. Publishers also have the ability to appeal an ESRB rating assignment to an Appeals Board, which is made up of publishers, retailers and other professionals.

When the game is ready for release to the public, publishers must send copies of the final product to the ESRB. The game packaging is reviewed to make sure the rating information is displayed accurately and in accordance with ESRB requirements. Additionally, ESRB's in-house game experts play the final version of both a random sample of games as well as a number of hand-selected titles to verify that all the materials provided by the game's publisher during the rating process were accurate and complete. For more information on how ESRB enforces its rating system, click here (http://www.esrb.org/ratings/enforcement.jsp).

Why don’t the ESRB raters actually play the games they rate?
ESRB raters do not actually play the games they rate for many reasons. First, many games have upwards of 50 hours of gameplay, and requiring a minimum of three raters to play through each of the more than 1,000 games rated by ESRB each year would not only be inefficient given the high degree of repetition in video games, but would fail to ensure that they found and had the opportunity to consider all of the pertinent content in their assignment of a rating.

Additionally, because games are player-controlled, there are many different permutations of gameplay depending on the choices the player makes. Therefore, one player may see very different types of content than another depending on the choices he or she makes while playing the game. As such, engaging in only an hour or two of gameplay as a supplement to the current rating process would offer no greater assurance that all pertinent content was disclosed and considered in the assignment of a rating. That is why it is essential that publishers be required to disclose on videotape or DVD all pertinent content in the game they submit for rating, including the most extreme elements, so that raters can thoroughly assess the game and assign an appropriate rating.

Moreover, given the manufacturing and print advertising deadlines to which publishers must adhere (which can occur 60-90 days before a game ships), games must oftentimes be submitted to ESRB for rating before they have been completed or fully tested. As a consequence, these games may be “buggy,” making it difficult, if not impossible, for a rater to play the game from start to finish.

Finally, ESRB ratings are based on the consensus of independent raters whose values and judgments resemble those of the mainstream American public, particularly parents (see consumer research (http://www.esrb.org/about/awareness.jsp)). Requiring all ESRB raters to be expert gamers (which they would need to be if required to play each game assigned to them for rating) would undoubtedly hinder ESRB’s ability to recruit a diverse rater pool reflective of mainstream public opinion.

Though the raters do not play the games themselves, ESRB staff may play beta or alpha versions of games submitted for rating when the content disclosed in submission materials requires further clarification. Once a game has been released, ESRB’s in-house game experts play the final version of both a random sample of games as well as a number of hand-selected titles to verify that all the materials provided by the game's publisher during the rating process were complete and the rating is appropriate.

[FriskyTanuki]

Damn, the lag made it into the final version of this week's CAGcast. I guess Cheapy isn't a god at editing. :lol:

I found Wombat's response to not having achievements funny since it reminded me of a scene from The Office. Jim trains Dwight to unknowingly ask for a mint every time he heard a Windows chime, but when Jim stops doing it purposefully, Dwight happens to cause the chime sound and then begs for a mint, to which Jim acts like he's clueless about the joke. Sounds like Microsoft made a fool out of Wombat. ;) :lol:

I have to say I'm disappointed by Cheay's response to the whole VGC fiasco. It seems like Cheapy doesn't care about what the CAGs wanted and expected once the thread was closed, but instead it seems like you just cares about the affiliate money you'll get while ignoring the problem. I'd like to hear a better explanation because the one in this episode just raised further questions. That's just how it appeared to me with the decision you made.

If you still haven't gotten the hint that you need to figure out a way to screen calls, you're doomed and might as well just give up on the whole idea of live shows while you're ahead.

Overall, it was a solid show, but the lag is becoming a bigger problem than the callers. It was fine for me for the first hour or so of the show, then the barrage of callers seemed to bring the show down to a crashing halt. It seems like this beta should be moved back to alpha testing to find a fix for the lag first. I look forward to seeing what the new site you choose to hopefully fix the problem.

[CheapyD]

I have to say I'm disappointed by Cheay's response to the whole VGC fiasco. It seems like Cheapy doesn't care about what the CAGs wanted and expected once the thread was closed, but instead it seems like you just cares about the affiliate money you'll get while ignoring the problem. I'd like to hear a better explanation because the one in this episode just raised further questions. That's just how it appeared to me with the decision you made

I'm pretty sure people are tired of hearing me talk about this on the show, so perhaps I can shed some light on this matter here.

What did the CAGs want/expect?
It sounded like the CAGs wanted me to eject them from an affiliate program that does not exist. Am I supposed to ban their URL from ever appearing in the forums?

[Kfoster1979]

Hey Wombat
Question for you regarding Blu-ray/HD-DVD: You have said many times that the winner will be neither but DVD will continue to reign supreme. Don't you think the next obvious evolution should have been 720P/1080i DVD's? Think about it, the games on Xbox 360 come on standard 9 GB DVD's but can display the games in 720P, 1080i, and even 480P. High definition versions of movies don't take up as much room as Blu-ray and HD-DVD camps want you to think. When you download a high definition movie on Xbox live they are usually no larger than 4-5 GB which could easily fit on a 9 GB DVD with room to spare. And they would display on all tvs from 480i all the way to 1080i or maybe even 1080P (Lost Planet is a 1080P Xbox 360 game on a DVD). This would allow everyone to play the same movie in either high definition or standard definition. The only upgrade would be to get one of the HDMI equipped DVD players which are only $100 or less now. The movies could still be cheap and we could have high def. Even if extra space was needed they can always make those flipper discs and put the movie on one side, flip it over and put the extras on the other side. Those DVD's hold about 18GB!

Your correct HD content can be put on a DVD 9 and played by most DVD players. The reason for a new format(s) is two fold 1) lets not underestimate that more disc space is better one of the tech demos HD-DVD showed was the complete Lord Of the rings trilogy HD video on 1 duel layer disc the MPEG 4 AVC-1 compression format is a damn nice codac. 2) Security granted HD-DVD and Blu Ray both can be "backed up", however the main reason and push is because they want to curb piracy. Both camps added in more layers of security and both have been cracked now so its a push.

I don't agree with Wombat on the HD video comment. I don't think BR will win or HD-DVD the market has room for both, and both can survive if a majority of studios support both. And before people talk about BR and how the majority of studios support it lets not forget studios like FOX have pulled back the A titles until this works it's self out. But the first player with a stand alone under 200.00 will take a big jump just look at how fast crutchfield sold out of the Toshiba player when it was selling for 299.99 plus the MIR of 100.00 same with Amazon After rebate was 250.00. If Wal Mart can get the 199.99 player in then Joe Consumer will take notice but at this point its still early adopter stuff.

I think the HD-DVD stand alone will be the first to under 200.00 then at that point the studios that only support BR will have to support both.

[rogueweapon]

Keep that stuff coming. I think my new one beats yours. enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iQrWjN6aPY


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http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4954/img209gl0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[FriskyTanuki]

I'm pretty sure people are tired of hearing me talk about this on the show, so perhaps I can shed some light on this matter here.

What did the CAGs want/expect?
It sounded like the CAGs wanted me to eject them from an affiliate program that does not exist. Am I supposed to ban their URL from ever appearing in the forums?
I would say that it seemed like the easiest decision to make after all the crap that went on with the thread that you'd disassociate CAG from VGC by doing whatever was needed so that the two sites were not affiliates anymore. Plus, there are a few CAGs that have mentioned that they're not going to be using affiliate links for any site they buy from for as long as we're still affiliated with VGC.

The confusing thing was that you mentioned that CAG doesn't have an affiliate program, but that CAG is on VGC affiliate program and you made it seem like we have no say in the matter after the affiliation and that we're simply stuck with the decision. That's why I asked if we were essentially being held hostage, since it seemed like you weren't going to take the initiative to get CAG out of their affiliate program.

I also think you should've made a post about the matter somewhere in the forums, as not all CAGs listen to the CAGcast and they probably wouldn't listen just to hear if you've made any kind of decision about the situation. It seemed like there was a large disconnect between you and the CAGs about this subject if you were only going to talk about it on the CAGcast and ignore it elsewhere

The thing with the whole situation is that it seems like it was poorly handled on both sides, with VGC guy being an ass and you seemed to be hiding behind the CAGcast, seemingly refusing to acknowledge the situation in the forums after closing the thread. He could put the whole issue to rest for me by acknowledging how badly he handled the situation and promising that he's going to put a hell of a lot more research into future affiliations. I don't want to sound like an ass, but that's just how I see it.

[terpkristin]

I'm pretty sure people are tired of hearing me talk about this on the show, so perhaps I can shed some light on this matter here.

What did the CAGs want/expect?
It sounded like the CAGs wanted me to eject them from an affiliate program that does not exist. Am I supposed to ban their URL from ever appearing in the forums?

Personally, I think you did everything correctly. I think people forget how an affiliate program works. It's something like this:
1. Company sees that you have a popular website related to some product they sell.
2. Company asks if you would like to enter their affiliate program.
3. You post link to company's website (sometimes via banner or button)
4. People see link on your site and click-through and purchase something from company.
5. Company gets money from making a sale, you get money for "referring" somebody to the company.

What happened in this case was a little sad, since the company in question posted here and "made fun" of some users via coupon codes and such, but that's not the norm. Cheapy talked with them, suggested they didn't post, etc.

What else can he do? He can ask to be removed from their affiliate program, but at the end of the day, what does that really accomplish? It helps both the company and the site to enter an affiliate program (and don't forget, it costs money to keep CAG running). As other users have pointed out, these "mod" tools can be found at a ton of places. It'd be one thing (and quite a different story) if Cheapy were posting links for great deals on mod tools or something, but he's not. He is providing a link to a place to get stuff that you might want, and will help out the site. If you're going to be outraged that stores sell these things, you might soon find you've got a long list of places you are outraged with.

And, ultimately, if CAGs are truly upset by it, they can always "boycott" the site. If people don't click-through and don't buy, it does the company no good to have CAG as an affiliate, and may drop him.

Or perhaps we just all need to do more drugs/drinking.

/tk

[CheapyD]

We are discussing it in the forums...right here.
I'm thinking "out loud" here, so feel free to correct me or play devil's advocate, but the way I see the situation, there are 2 possible outcomes:

1) VGC's URL is banned from CAG
2) VGC's URL is not banned from CAG

I think it's safe to say, that option #1 is not practical. Even though it might seem unlikely to some, it is entirely possible that VGC has some decent offers in the future. Even if it is only one decent deal a year, if a CAG wants to share something he finds at VGC, shouldn't he be allowed to post it?

So, if we are not banning their URL, and "the unthinkable" happens and VGC has a decent deal, shouldn't CAG receive its due commission? Is it better that the deal is posted and CAG doesn't receive their commission?

Speaking frankly, this has more with me making a logical decision than actual dollars and cents. CAG will probably generate more revenue from Amazon on a random week, the with a lifetime "affiliation" with VGC.

[AshesofWake]

cheapy, you made the right choice regarding the situation.

[aggravatedMan]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the live show format you are using every other week Cheapy. It seems to me that most of the complaints are coming from long time listeners who don't want change. The live shows do have there rough spots but I like the fact the Cheapy and Wombat are trying something different. I listen to a few podcasts a day because my job is so boring and the cagcast is always the one i look forward to. To all the listeners that call themselves fans get over yourself and allow Cheapy and Wombat to do bigger things with the cagcast.

[tsg2005]

Cheapy is making the RIGHT decision about VGC and if you dont like it, deal with it. People are making it a bigger deal then it should be.

[strummerbs]

We are discussing it in the forums...right here.
I'm thinking "out loud" here, so feel free to correct me or play devil's advocate, but the way I see the situation, there are 2 possible outcomes:

1) VGC's URL is banned from CAG
2) VGC's URL is not banned from CAG

I think it's safe to say, that option #1 is not practical. Even though it might seem unlikely to some, it is entirely possible that VGC has some decent offers in the future. Even if it is only one decent deal a year, if a CAG wants to share something he finds at VGC, shouldn't he be allowed to post it?

So, if we are not banning their URL, and "the unthinkable" happens and VGC has a decent deal, shouldn't CAG receive its due commission? Is it better that the deal is posted and CAG doesn't receive their commission?

Speaking frankly, this has more with me making a logical decision than actual dollars and cents. CAG will probably generate more revenue from Amazon on a random week, the with a lifetime "affiliation" with VGC.

You did make the right decision under the circumstances. There's not really a whole lot of options really. However, I do agree with Frisky above that you should make your presence and the outcome of the situation better known. Talking about it on the CAGcast only reaches certain members, whereas a specific thread discussing the issue would reach most of the others who are interested. It's an issue that seems to have inspired a great deal of interest among the forum community, so it seems that using the forums to address the concerns of the community is an apt response.

[tipsymcfragger]

hey just finished listening to the podcast, great show

I have one comment to make about your thoughts on why a web browser for the 360 was not made. Maybe this has something to do with the vulnerabilites of the IE platfom.

Just food for thought

Anyway great show and keep up the good work Cheapy and the Wombats!

[CheapyD]

The thing with the whole situation is that it seems like it was poorly handled on both sides, with VGC guy being an ass and you seemed to be hiding behind the CAGcast, seemingly refusing to acknowledge the situation in the forums after closing the thread. He could put the whole issue to rest for me by acknowledging how badly he handled the situation and promising that he's going to put a hell of a lot more research into future affiliations. I don't want to sound like an ass, but that's just how I see it.
"Hiding behind the CAGcast"? We have approximately 6,000 listeners per show. Do you think 6,000 people would have read my explanation in the forums? I sure don't.

I believe my big mistake was not closing that thread sooner. I definitely gave the VGC owner enough rope to hang himself and my inability to act quicker caused several people (CAGs & VGC) aggravation.

How much research I should be doing on a store that has invited CAG to join their affiliate program? I looked them up on BBB and spoke to one of their principals on the phone. I did not delve deep into their entire product catalog, and as you can see, their mod device section is not exactly the easiest thing to find on their website.

While I admit I did not handle the situation perfectly, I don't know what else I could have done differently, other than close the flaming thread sooner. I understand that some CAGs are unhappy with how I handled the situation and I'm certainly open to hear suggestions on what I could have done or should do in the future.

[FriskyTanuki]

"Hiding behind the CAGcast"? We have approximately 6,000 listeners per show. Do you think 6,000 people would have read my explanation in the forums? I sure don't.
Do you think those 6k included everyone that was even aware of or cared about the situation? Only talking about the situation on the CAGcast leaves the folks involved, like Roufuss and many others, clueless about what happened without any idea what you had decided. You can't just expect that everything you talk about will be the final word for everyone involved because not everyone listens to the CAGcast or cares about it enough to listen just to hope you discuss the topic and address the big issues.

I believe my big mistake was not closing that thread sooner. I definitely gave the VGC owner enough rope to hang himself and my inability to act quicker caused several people (CAGs & VGC) aggravation.

How much research I should be doing on a store that has invited CAG to join their affiliate program? I looked them up on BBB and spoke to one of their principals on the phone. I did not delve deep into their entire product catalog, and as you can see, their mod device section is not exactly the easiest thing to find on their website.
No kidding, especially when he started removing the pirated stuff that CAGs were posting because he was still reading the thread after he said he was done with the thread.

While I admit I did not handle the situation perfectly, I don't know what else I could have done differently, other than close the flaming thread sooner. I understand that some CAGs are unhappy with how I handled the situation and I'm certainly open to hear suggestions on what I could have done or should do in the future.
You didn't really have the ability to tell that the VGC guy was a nutbar, but definitely force psychiatric evaluations on any future affiliation partners. ;)

Seriously, how about a trial run for affiliates? I don't know how feasible this is, but how about a trial run so you can see if it's something CAGs are happy about and works for everyone?

[CheapyD]

I'm not sure this really qualifies as a big issue. I literally received a grand total of two complaints (both via PM). I replied to one of the complaints directly via PM (not sure why I neglected the other). Rather than create another forum thread which would just create more useless drama, I chose to speak about it on the CAGcast, where I thought i would be able to discuss it freely and in greater detail. I also believed it would be interesting for the audience to learn how affiliate programs work.

CAGs who are really interested on what goes on behind the scenes here, probably listen to the CAGcast. If they don't, they should. ;)

Apparently, the guy spoke to at VGC was not the same person posting in the thread. Also, as I explained before, it is the retailers who run the affiliate programs, so if anything, it would be up to them to give CAG a trial run, not the other way around. Sure, I guess CAG could leave a retailer's affiliate program, but as mentioned earlier, that doesn't really make much sense.

Ok, I think we've officially beat this dead horse into the ground. I'm going to reboot my face now.

[daroga]

It's a two way street, though. Yeah, they're aligning themselves with CAG and therefore putting themselves out there a bit, but by officially endorsing the site, you gave the impression that we were totally aligned with them. The issue wasn't that their deals sucked but that they sold things that were against our own ToS. Either keep the official link between us and change the ToS to allow flash carts, mod chips, etc., or break it off and keep things the way they are. I'd vote for the latter.

Whether you intended this implied endorsement or not is immaterial. It happened. In the future, even if you don't search the site, grill the reps for what items they might sell from our verboten list.

[Don Chubo]

It's a big issue if it deals with the integrity of your business, I'd think - and that's what we're talking about here.

You run this site to make money. To that end, you sign on with affiliate programs so you get paid. And I imagine with how many users CAG has, you get paid very well.

One of your affiliates seemed to be selling goods that violate your own TOS. Seems like it's be a problem to a few people here.

One thing I wondered - it was inferred that the affiliates sought you out for relationships. Is that correct? Who courted who? Just wondering.

[tsg2005]

Who courted who? Just wondering.

who cares? dont buy there and he doesnt make money. ill buy there if i see a good deal and ill be happy to make cheapy some money.

and i truly doubt cheapy runs this site just to make money. he does have a love for games ya know.

freakin dream job if u ask me. ;)

[kaw]

All the talk about lag should have been edited out, and the call-in segments were still a disjointed mess. After suffering through it long enough, I finally turned it off around the 75 minute mark. Sorry guys, the live shows just aren't doing it for me.

EDIT: Okay, I'll offer some constructive criticism too. I think for a couple of CAGcasts you had a segment where you would showcase certain threads in the forum (other than Video Game deals). I think this deserves to be a semi-regular segment because, obviously, the forums are CAGs biggest asset. For example: BriansRareGames has been running a contest for the past three weeks, and plans on running it until October where he gives out prizes every week, and a 150 dollars in gift certificate at the end. I believe a shout-out is deserved to drum up awareness to the contest, but also to commemorate this type of CAG philanthropy.

[Kfoster1979]

Wombat, While I agree with you on the whole Joe Consumer not giving a damn right now I have to disagree with you on the Picture quality. I know DVD to HD is not the same jump from VHS to DVD but the upgrade in quality is there. Take a look at this site http://www.cornbread.org/FOTRCompare/index.html

I think there is a big difference in the two or maybe it's just placebo and I want to see it. Also if the site they got the Video from is say TNThd or Any cable source the bitrate is a lot lower than the 20+ mb a sec. that you get from a HD-dvd or Bluray, so from a disc the quality should be even higher in theory.

[Tybee]

Wombat, While I agree with you on the whole Joe Consumer not giving a damn right now I have to disagree with you on the Picture quality. I know DVD to HD is not the same jump from VHS to DVD but the upgrade in quality is there. Take a look at this site http://www.cornbread.org/FOTRCompare/index.html

I think there is a big difference in the two or maybe it just placebo and I want to see it. Moreover if the site got the Video from sat TNThd or Any cable source the bitrate is a lot lower than the 20+ mb a sec. from a HD-dvd or Bluray so from a disc the quality would be even higher.

Oooh...Thanks for that link. As I said before, the day LotR is released on HD DVD or Blu-Ray is the day I jump on board.

[Kfoster1979]

Oooh...Thanks for that link. As I said before, the day LotR is released on HD DVD or Blu-Ray is the day I jump on board.

If I remember correctly it will be one of the first HD-DVD/BR Combo disc. I will bet it's going to be this holiday season.

[Tybee]

If I remember correctly it will be one of the first HD-DVD/BR Combo disc. I will bet it's going to be this holiday season.

See, that just seems silly to me. That's valuable space that could be used for bonus features or a higher bitrate.

[pop311]

Where is the new CAGcast, I can't remember if Cheapy and Wombat said there would or wouldn't be one this week.

[shipwreck]

Where is the new CAGcast, I can't remember if Cheapy and Wombat said there would or wouldn't be one this week.

They record on Wednesday nights, so it should be up by tomorrow morning.

[pop311]

They record on Wednesday nights, so it should be up by tomorrow morning.Oh, thank you. BTW Nice podcast this week, ship and Mrs. Ship.:D

[tsg2005]

so im still curious, is this weeks cagcast going to be live?

[SmellsLikeRandyMossGuy]

so im still curious, is this weeks cagcast going to be live?

Nope, Wombies gave me the 411 and it was already recorded and put up.

I think it would be funny if they taped a show but during the show they pretended it was live.

[jonnyflash]

Just when I thought we were out, they pulled us back in.

Here we are, 10 episodes after someone finally called for an end to Oblivion comments, and now there is another version to discuss endlessly. Do Cheapy and Wombat talk about Oblivion too much or not enough? You be the judge! I've collected every mention of the game between episode 69(when someone complained) and now. Only time will tell if the list grows:

http://minorcrisis.net/files/cagcast%20oblivion.mp3

Click here if that server goes down. (http://bobbinthreadbare.imeem.com/music/shYBLQj-/cagcast_and_oblivion/)

[yukine]

That was pretty humorous, johnnyflash. But just wait until Fallout 3 is released, which is practically Oblivion but just in a different setting.

[CheapyD]

Thats great...I'll thow that on the end of cagcast 81...which im about to encode now.

[level1online]

Thats great...I'll thow that on the end of cagcast 81...which im about to encode now.

Looking forward to the next cagcast.

If you can, for those of us who aren't familiar with the Fallout franchise, can you give us a brief synopsis of what's going on. thx