CAGcast #299: Dem Vault Symbolz

[preview][IMG-L=5838]15060[/IMG-L]Cheapy plays War of the Roses and FTL: Faster Than Light, Shipwreck worries about holiday games being forgotten, and Wombat uncovers a Real Steel mystery.

Get your questions or topics answered on future shows via CAGbag or Twitter.

[podcast]208[/podcast]
Download - 1 hours 9 minutes, 42MB
iTunes: Subscribe - Review
[/preview]


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Show Linkage/Notes:

Intro/Outro: Jam On It (Nucleus) - GI Joe PSA (Ripcord)




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Hell yes

Thanks again to Cheapy and friends for the CAGcast.

I'm not sure I understand Wombat's comment on expectations regarding Xcom since Amazon and Best Buy are offering a $15 gift card with purchase. Is there a difference between that and the $20 in RZ points Best Buy is offering with higher profile titles like Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Assassin's Creed 3, Halo 4, and Black Ops 2?

Does anyone on the show regularly read comic books? If so, what titles are you reading?

I don't understand...

Not much money in the budget for Trickster's costume.

Also, here are the winners of last week's Half-Minute Hero contest:

Menta
my2k2zx2
celegus
boredasfook
TickleZombie89

codes are in your PM box

Thanks so much for the code Cheapy, can't believe I won something!

Looking forward to the show getting me through the workday.

I won too!! Was very surprised I had a pm from Cheapy this morning. Thanks!!

Woot I won a code thanks Cheapy!!! Cant wait to listen to the show.

Listening at work, danke schon!!!!!!!!!!!

The one thing I hate about this show is how much Shipwreck can be ignored by the other two. For example, this week Shipwreck was not even ing introduced in the beginning of the show. I bet Shipwreck doesn't care but I care, and I bet other listeners care too, I hope. I know the other two don't mean any harm and their all friends of course, but please stop being disrespectful, in my opinion. I'm picky about what podcasts I listen to and since I currently only listen to five, I don't want to stop listening to this one for such a reason.

Listening tonight on my drive from Columbus to Cleveland!

And FTL is an AMAZING game. I definitely recommend getting it this weekend if you haven't already.

No clue what vault symbols shipwreck is talking about either cheapy. And Cheapy, you and your wife could be retired in boring Hawaii for the rest of your lives if you want to right?

I think Xcom might be getting underestimated. It has a legendary reputation on PC and it will be offering up a pretty unique experience compared to other games this season. I rarely buy a game on day one, but I'll be getting this one.

Show Notes

3:30 Thug Life: Iphone 5
6:15 Watch This: Real Steel
9:00 Watch This: Elite Squad: The Enemy Within
10:30 Watch This: The Dark Knight Returns
13:30 Superman vs The Elite
14:45 Show Feedback: Multiplayer rushing, Borderlands 2
19:30 Show Feedback: Episode 300
21:00 New Releases
21:15 Resident Evil 6
26:45 NBA 2K13
31:00 War of the Roses
34:00 Ruff Trigger
35:00 Nights: Into Dreams
36:00 FTL
39:45 News: CliffyB leaves Epic
41:00 Capcom breaks shipped numbers record with RE6
42:30 Games that may get overlooked this winter: X-Com, Dishonored, Medal of Honor, Epic Mickey 2, Hitman
52:00 Microsoft birthday promotion
56:00 Playstation Mobile exists
1:00:30 Jewel Factory
1:02:45 Cagbag
1:02:45 Desire to move back?
1:03:45 Borderlands 2 season pass
1:06:15 Gaming laptops vs desktops

Hello! Cheapy, Wombat and Shipwreck,

Great show today. Thank you for the posting on Gamefly PC sale. I saved a lot of money on Spec Ops: The Line ($7.49).

You are so right about the Xbox live's reward birthday gift. Since my birthday is in October, I was wondering what I will get from Microsoft. When I read my birthday gift e-mail, I was like, "WTF"! 20 MS points is nothing. It's only enough for a gamer picture on discount.

I thought that they might learn from PSN+ membership and give out an "outdated" free game as birthday gift. Boy, I was so wrong.

Suggestion for Microsoft! The gift can be either a game from XBLA or Games on Demand. Even free a DLC or 400 MS point means something for the Xbox live users. Microsoft is so cheap in this case. I am so disappointed.

I was right about Shipwreck and Dem Vault Symbolz! Don't forget the hidden ECHOs, they have a bit of backstory for different characters. Some of the other challenges are fun and quirky. But the game does hold a lot of secrets like Minecraft, Seven (the movie), or other minor references like Commando shouting you get a bullet and you get a bullet.

Not sure I'm excited about next week's Watch This Bitches featuring Hulk Hogan's sex tape.

I know it seems ungrateful to complain about Microsoft's "reward" program offering a 2% discount each month but Wombat's right, it's insulting. I have to imagine that the average XBL user is not spending enough points each month for this discount to be a significant reward. I think Wombat is 100% correct in his assumption that Microsoft will profit from this promotion due to people having to buy extra points in order to afford anything on the marketplace. A simple fix would be to allow users to purchase points in any denomination they choose.

[quote name='ILikePopCans']The one thing I hate about this show is how much Shipwreck can be ignored by the other two. For example, this week Shipwreck was not even ing introduced in the beginning of the show. I bet Shipwreck doesn't care but I care, and I bet other listeners care too, I hope. I know the other two don't mean any harm and their all friends of course, but please stop being disrespectful, in my opinion. I'm picky about what podcasts I listen to and since I currently only listen to five, I don't want to stop listening to this one for such a reason.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, nevermind all the times he has introduced Shipwreck and just focus on the one time he doesn't.

Other ways you can see Real Steel,, have a mom that buys all new release movies, the wife and I borrowed her bluray copy and watched it cause I heard it wasn't that bad, definitely didn't think there was anything eluding to the kid not being his though, they kept trying to point out how the kid acted like him, like pushing his bot into the fight with main bad bot when he grabbed the mic, ya know going all in like that. K, now I have to go play some borderlands 2 with the wife, unfortunately I have to wait to finish the podcast to find out about the Vault talk and the rest of the show,just had to voice my thoughts!

Oh Hulk Thermos, what have you gotten yourself into now???



Now the term "Nuclear Testes in my pants", as heard while playing Lollipop Chainsaw, is even more relevant...

why does shipwreck hate batman so much? the disdain in his voice pierced my ears and my soul.

[quote name='Sway']Thanks again to Cheapy and friends for the CAGcast.

I'm not sure I understand Wombat's comment on expectations regarding Xcom since Amazon and Best Buy are offering a $15 gift card with purchase. Is there a difference between that and the $20 in RZ points Best Buy is offering with higher profile titles like Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Assassin's Creed 3, Halo 4, and Black Ops 2?

[/QUOTE]

The difference with those titles are they expected to sell well and companies are offering gift cards because of competition and/or the game companies are subsidizing some of it (Doubt it). I believe Wal-Mart.com started the GC/promo war recently and Amazon started the first war years ago.

Basically Best Buy wants you to go to their store and buy other shit outside of the game (hence a gift card) and hope to make a few $ in profit when all is said and done. Amazon wants you to buy more shit to. Being a CAG we are somewhat evil if we don't "'overspend"' on Amazon products after getting promo credit and up just spending what we get in Amazon promo credit alone.

Either way It's apparent XCom isn't going to sell well and I'm sure the NPD and VGChartz (lulz) numbers will show when the time comes. No one is saying It's a bad game (infact Wombat said it will be awesome) but they are saying it will sell like crap and I agree. Most likely Amazon saw it better to offer credit before hand trying to off some of the copies before the price started to drop like crazy. Best Buy followed suit as well. Here's hoping Amazon/Best Buy didn't get stuck with too many copies of a game that won't sell well.

Either way, Wait for the sale. I predict $20-$30 by January.

free is free.
Lets see what YOU bring to my birthday.

Don't worry about falling asleep during the Avengers Cheapy, its an overhyped movie that's really boring for the first 2/3's of the film. The Dark Knight Returns pt.1 is MUCH better with the real action starting within 20 mins. and never letting up, unlike Avengers which has sporadic skirmishes until the 3rd act where the movie FINALLY picks up its slow boring pace.

Interesting to hear Wombat musing getting a gaming laptop. I looked at a Lenovo Y580, but ended up with a custom Sager like sold by XoticPC and LPC-Digital. I just couldn't shell out $2200 for a 15" Macbook Pro--that's crazy prices for a machine that can't be upgraded or even have the battery changed.

ANYHOW, this PC is pretty awesome. I can put on my headphones and game while my wife is watching her own show on the TV or watch my own via our HTPC home network. Of course the graphics card is robust, so it games great. It was a bit expensive, but this is why we work, right?

FTL is an AMAZING game! It really reminds me of Sundog:Frozen Legacy in many ways. Shipwreck and Wombat, Cheapy is right that it's addictive. Make time for it and you won't be disappointed.

Borderlands does cast a long shadow, but there was lots of interest in Xcom at PAX. I think that it will do well--not a huge hit, for sure--but well--but that 2k is planting seeds for Xcom to come back as a big franchise. Certainly their Steam promo where everybody who pre-orders also gets Civ V for free has been a hit!

Enjoyable show as always.

I thought in The Dark Knight Rises Batman was supposed to be around 38, the same age as Christian Bale is now.

In Batman Begins he turns 30 and Gordon warns him about the Joker, the events of TDK happen shortly after, and then there's an eight year gap.

Vault symbols are just carvings that you can find in-game as bonus challenges.

Re: cheaply getting a sniper buddy in one of those slaughter challenge.
All the members of the party has to be by the button in order to start the mission. You can have one of your party members die in order to respawn outside of the arena, but you lose someone who can possibly revive you.

Wombat, great rebound. It looks like you took my last critique to heart. You contributed with some comedy, some very constructive commentary, and just the right amount of grouchiness.
There is no sarcasm in this critique at all. This was a great episode. Keep it up

Ship and Cheapy, you should check out Good Old Games for some of your PC games. They update classic old games like Painkiller and the original Baldur's Gate, then sell them pretty cheap. They also sell some new games as well, at prices competitive to Steam.

Also, all their downloads are DRM-free and run much smoother than Steam games, I've found.

One Reel Steal comment the look Jackman gives I thought implied how bad a father he is. Wombat and Cheapy really came off as entitled knocking the rewards program. They are giving you something for free that you don't have to do anymore more than what you normally do.

[quote name='4nik8tor']free is free.
Lets see what YOU bring to my birthday.[/QUOTE]

You get an email every year from Cheapy.

One thing I noticed is when you guys talk about upcoming games, you never mention Bioshock Infinite. Personally, this is my most anticipated game because the first Bioshock is one of my favorite titles. I know it does not come out until February, but are any of you excited for it?

[quote name='Monsta Mack']The difference with those titles are they expected to sell well and companies are offering gift cards because of competition and/or the game companies are subsidizing some of it (Doubt it). I believe Wal-Mart.com started the GC/promo war recently and Amazon started the first war years ago.

Basically Best Buy wants you to go to their store and buy other shit outside of the game (hence a gift card) and hope to make a few $ in profit when all is said and done. Amazon wants you to buy more shit to. Being a CAG we are somewhat evil if we don't "'overspend"' on Amazon products after getting promo credit and up just spending what we get in Amazon promo credit alone.
[/QUOTE]

Why incentivize something that's going to sell well already? My issue is that I perceive retailers are using the same method (gift cards/credit) based on different expectations for each game and conditions within the market. Without having the information that retailers/publishers have that they base their expectations on, it difficult for me to attribute why X game is getting an incentive while game Y is getting is getting one as well. That's where my confusion of not seeing a difference stems from.

As far as publishers subsidizing these incentives, if this article is believed to be true, I can't see retailers forfeiting most/all of their margin. There has to be some kickback from the publishers if a retailer buys some amount of a title.

Note to Wombat: every game in the AC series has gone on sale during holiday sales season or before mid January. If there's a game to hold off on buying this fall, it's Assassin's Creed 3. As much as I enjoy the series, I know I'm willing to wait.

[quote name='Cursor']Interesting to hear Wombat musing getting a gaming laptop. I looked at a Lenovo Y580, but ended up with a custom Sager like sold by XoticPC and LPC-Digital. I just couldn't shell out $2200 for a 15" Macbook Pro--that's crazy prices for a machine that can't be upgraded or even have the battery changed.[/QUOTE]
The Y580 is a great PC I was able to snag one for $450. If wombat got one of those he would be able to run most of the games out there on high-to- ultra settings.
[quote name='Cursor']
Borderlands does cast a long shadow, but there was lots of interest in Xcom at PAX. I think that it will do well--not a huge hit, for sure--but well--but that 2k is planting seeds for Xcom to come back as a big franchise. Certainly their Steam promo where everybody who pre-orders also gets Civ V for free has been a hit!
[/QUOTE]
I feel like X-com will do well on the PC but will flounder on the consoles, most of the fan base are still probably PC gamers. I think the reason it's coming out on the consoles is to establish name recognition, so the FPS game ( the one that started this whole revival of the series) which will probably be pushed back till the next gen, will have a chance.

I really enjoyed the "bargain bin" predictions & is something I would like through out the entire holiday season.Not everybody can get every game that comes out in the 3 months coming up.With Cheapy's resources & the gangs experience could you do this weekly as the game release or a more thorough list. Examples would be COD never goes on sale where as AC games usually have a Black Friday discount.It would truly give us CAG's some good insight & planning for the season.

[quote name='thorbahn3']No clue what vault symbols shipwreck is talking about either cheapy. And Cheapy, you and your wife could be retired in boring Hawaii for the rest of your lives if you want to right?[/QUOTE]

Well, if you go through the list of challenges for each area you see the Vault Symbols are in pretty much every area. That's how I first found out about them and then I went to try to find them. I had seen one before but just thought it was part of the background - I didn't realize you could "discover" it (by pressing 'X'). There are 5 of them just in Sanctuary by the way. Some of them are deviously hidden. I'm wondering which one Ship is talking about that might require 2 players. I'd be up for helping you with that one Ship.

[quote name='Kazaganthi']I was right about Shipwreck and Dem Vault Symbolz! Don't forget the hidden ECHOs, they have a bit of backstory for different characters. Some of the other challenges are fun and quirky. But the game does hold a lot of secrets like Minecraft, Seven (the movie), or other minor references like Commando shouting you get a bullet and you get a bullet.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, and supposedly also in the Caustic Caverns (where the Minecraft easter egg is), there is a Dark Souls area (complete with bonfire and soul form character you can talk to). But it requires a lengthy slog through the acid to discover it (very fitting). I have yet to get there myself as I need a higher level/better shield I think.

I completely get what Wombat and Ship are saying about hurrying through levels when playing online coop. I played a few games and sort of had the same issue. Of course it was worse because I couldn't get my headphone/headset mic to work so I couldn't communicate with them either. I think if you could talk to each other you wouldn't feel the need to rush so much though. And I'd think it would common curtesy to let the host have first chance at the loot so you shouldn't have to rush for that either. (I was also playing late at night so talking would have to be at a minimum anyway since the other 6 members of my family were sound asleep - which is why I have to use my headphones then).

Wombat or Ship - if you guys want to play on 360 let me know. I love taking my time through areas and looking for all the goodies (loot, Vault symbols, etc). I think I just play at completely different times from Ship, though. For example, I'm probably going to go play now (2am Pacific). I've only ever seen him online and playing the game once and given how much he says he plays it we must always miss each other. And I was only online that one time that he was so I could enter a Shift code (for a golden key) since they are only valid for a few hours.

Wombat was asking on twitter for favorite cagcast moments. Here are some of my favorites:
#138 @ 30:00 - Cheapy waxes philosophical on gaming and Wombat shoots him down
#148 @ 1:05:40 - Cheapy gets exasperated at Wombat
#218 @ 8:30 - 'So get in there'
#226 @ 25:20 - Wombat on meds gives a public service announcement

Show 299 was a great CAGcast, as always. It was very entertaining. Early congratulations on hitting podcast #300! I'd like to reward each of you with 20 Microsoft points ;-)

[quote name='bickle']Show Notes

3:30 Thug Life: Iphone 5
6:15 Watch This: Real Steel
9:00 Watch This: Elite Squad: The Enemy Within
10:30 Watch This: The Dark Knight Returns
13:30 Superman vs The Elite
14:45 Show Feedback: Multiplayer rushing, Borderlands 2
19:30 Show Feedback: Episode 300
21:00 New Releases
21:15 Resident Evil 6
26:45 NBA 2K13
31:00 War of the Roses
34:00 Ruff Trigger
35:00 Nights: Into Dreams
36:00 FTL
39:45 News: CliffyB leaves Epic
41:00 Capcom breaks shipped numbers record with RE6
42:30 Games that may get overlooked this winter: X-Com, Dishonored, Medal of Honor, Epic Mickey 2, Hitman
52:00 Microsoft birthday promotion
56:00 Playstation Mobile exists
1:00:30 Jewel Factory
1:02:45 Cagbag
1:02:45 Desire to move back?
1:03:45 Borderlands 2 season pass
1:06:15 Gaming laptops vs desktops[/QUOTE]

This list is really helpful, since I really don't care for listening to the movie talk.

Just wondering did Wombat or Cheapy D check out the new show called Arrow about the DC character The Green Arrow?

Could someone please put this in the appropriate subforum (Show Archives → CAGcast Archive)! I had trouble finding it. I'm sure many others are as well, seeing that it's almost a 2 year old thread.

I will delete the post after the thread's been moved, so as to hopefully remove this bump and restore the last posted in/on date.

Thank you.

Also, good show.