Shows
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 141 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 4Ben has lots to say about his last day at PAX this year, from meeting an actual Larian Studios cosplaying brand ambassador on the streets of Seattle to another first-time purchase. He even conducted an interview that was so much fun, he forgot to press the record button! Ben also had a chance to talk with an assorted variety of folks: developers, PR specialists, CEOs, Twitch streamers, and a ghostwriter of mysteries turned game designer. To close out the program, Ben contemplates his plans for the show next year and provides another bonus game review for your external auditory...
2025-11-2349 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 141 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 4Ben has lots to say about his last day at PAX this year, from meeting an actual Larian Studios cosplaying brand ambassador on the streets of Seattle to another first-time purchase. He even conducted an interview that was so much fun, he forgot to press the record button! Ben also had a chance to talk with an assorted variety of folks: developers, PR specialists, CEOs, Twitch streamers, and a ghostwriter of mysteries turned game designer. To close out the program, Ben contemplates his plans for the show next year and provides another bonus game review for your external auditory...
2025-11-2349 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 140 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 3If your question right now is, “Hey Ben, what did you see and do at PAX West on day 3?” then this show is for you! The short answer—he saw two of his favorite games of the entire four-day show and played a handful of others. Starting off the episode with the favorites, Ben describes his experiences playing the outrageously goofy meat-centric 3rd-person shooter SWAPMEAT and the skiing-themed rhythm game Fresh Tracks. Next, he moves on to the other games he played: Birdseed VR, Rebel Engine, Pax Autocratica, Arcane Eats, and Black Jacket. Finally, to put a bow on the sh...
2025-10-2444 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 140 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 3If your question right now is, “Hey Ben, what did you see and do at PAX West on day 3?” then this show is for you! The short answer—he saw two of his favorite games of the entire four-day show and played a handful of others. Starting off the episode with the favorites, Ben describes his experiences playing the outrageously goofy meat-centric 3rd-person shooter SWAPMEAT and the skiing-themed rhythm game Fresh Tracks. Next, he moves on to the other games he played: Birdseed VR, Rebel Engine, Pax Autocratica, Arcane Eats, and Black Jacket. Finally, to put a bow on the sh...
2025-10-2444 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 139 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 2Ben’s schedule on the second day of PAX West was packed with game demos, time loops, interviews, and… time loops. Ben talks about playing a large assortment of demos, including Fractured Blooms, Project ATOM, ATMOSFAR, Bakudo, OPUS: Prism Peak, Anthem#9, Unyielder, and Aether and Iron. Other conversations he had on Day 2 of the show were with Hank: Drowning on Dry Land game director Jakub Lisinski from My Next Games, Blocks for Babies designers/developers Noah Ritz and Dan Rock from BunkSoft Interactive LLC, and Karen Morrison from the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Foundation, a global charitable organization serv...
2025-10-0554 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 139 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 2Ben’s schedule on the second day of PAX West was packed with game demos, time loops, interviews, and… time loops. Ben talks about playing a large assortment of demos, including Fractured Blooms, Project ATOM, ATMOSFAR, Bakudo, OPUS: Prism Peak, Anthem#9, Unyielder, and Aether and Iron. Other conversations he had on Day 2 of the show were with Hank: Drowning on Dry Land game director Jakub Lisinski from My Next Games, Blocks for Babies designers/developers Noah Ritz and Dan Rock from BunkSoft Interactive LLC, and Karen Morrison from the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Foundation, a global charitable organization serv...
2025-10-0554 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 138 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 1Ben went to the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle this year and has a ton of stuff to share, so much so, in fact, that we had to split the episode up into four parts! In this episode, Ben talks about escaping his first room or whatever (Tomb Raider themed, of course), chatting with artist extraordinaire Dan Paladin, trying out the latest demo of friend of the pod Christian’s Rogue Climber, experiencing the incredibly nostalgic “martian death race” style game Ascent: Rivals, being gifted some sweet spatial gaming earbuds from SAN Sound, taking a quick peek at the free-t...
2025-09-2627 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 138 - Ben’s PAX West Adventures Day 1Ben went to the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle this year and has a ton of stuff to share, so much so, in fact, that we had to split the episode up into four parts! In this episode, Ben talks about escaping his first room or whatever (Tomb Raider themed, of course), chatting with artist extraordinaire Dan Paladin, trying out the latest demo of friend of the pod Christian’s Rogue Climber, experiencing the incredibly nostalgic “martian death race” style game Ascent: Rivals, being gifted some sweet spatial gaming earbuds from SAN Sound, taking a quick peek at the free-t...
2025-09-2627 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 132 - DerivativeErik joins Ben this week to chew the fat about… math? NOPE! We’ll just insert THAT version of the definition into the title graphic instead, thank you (sorry, Norah)! However, the fellas ARE going to discuss how the word "derivative" is used in positive and negative contexts, but first a warmup—talking about their “glory days” and high school experiences. In the obligatory “What Have They Been Up To" intro, Erik shares details about what’s going on in the development of Rogue Climber, and Ben offers details and opinions about the games Spacepunk Survival and Polterguys: Possession Party. FINALLY...
2025-06-181h 05The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 132 - DerivativeErik joins Ben this week to chew the fat about… math? NOPE! We’ll just insert THAT version of the definition into the title graphic instead, thank you (sorry, Norah)! However, the fellas ARE going to discuss how the word "derivative" is used in positive and negative contexts, but first a warmup—talking about their “glory days” and high school experiences. In the obligatory “What Have They Been Up To" intro, Erik shares details about what’s going on in the development of Rogue Climber, and Ben offers details and opinions about the games Spacepunk Survival and Polterguys: Possession Party. FINALLY...
2025-06-181h 05
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 114 - Ben's Review of TEVIThis week, Ben is joined by long time fan and “aunt of the pod” Norah for a game review episode. After a BIG thank you to a PR ninja and some miscellaneous chatter about the origin of the “bunny girl” archetype, Ben dives right in to his assessment of the platform / bullet hell shooter mashup, TEVI! Stay tuned after the show for the latest 2VP tee shirt advertisement, brought to you by Partly Robot Industries.
00:00:21 - Traffic on the 1’s and 7’s, a year of Norah, Alaska, and a smoked salmon monsoon
00:02:41 - Ben’s PAX West 2024 plans...
2024-07-2248 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 114 - Ben's Review of TEVIThis week, Ben is joined by long time fan and “aunt of the pod” Norah for a game review episode. After a BIG thank you to a PR ninja and some miscellaneous chatter about the origin of the “bunny girl” archetype, Ben dives right in to his assessment of the platform / bullet hell shooter mashup, TEVI! Stay tuned after the show for the latest 2VP tee shirt advertisement, brought to you by Partly Robot Industries.
00:00:21 - Traffic on the 1’s and 7’s, a year of Norah, Alaska, and a smoked salmon monsoon
00:02:41 - Ben’s PAX West 2024 plans...
2024-07-2248 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 109 - BeatBen and Star host 2VP this week, so shake off that tired feeling, take a moment to collect yourself, and be cool… daddy-o! There are lots of definitions to cover before getting in to the conversation. From music to an artistic subculture movement to one of Ben’s favorite BMW “comercials,” there is much to talk about. Star teaches Ben about Taylor Swift and a couple of Generation Z phrases. Ben gets really excited about being able to do his oddly specific Bob Dylan impression, and bringing up his favorite movie director. Games discussed in this episode include “The Legend of Zelda...
2024-05-161h 01The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 109 - BeatBen and Star host 2VP this week, so shake off that tired feeling, take a moment to collect yourself, and be cool… daddy-o! There are lots of definitions to cover before getting in to the conversation. From music to an artistic subculture movement to one of Ben’s favorite BMW “comercials,” there is much to talk about. Star teaches Ben about Taylor Swift and a couple of Generation Z phrases. Ben gets really excited about being able to do his oddly specific Bob Dylan impression, and bringing up his favorite movie director. Games discussed in this episode include “The Legend of Zelda...
2024-05-161h 01
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 107 - TrendCeramicist and former fashion industry designer Jackie joins Ben this week to talk about a topic that impacts our physical AND digital lives. Jackie has a great deal of experience and interest in design, but now she is shifting her focus to digital. Ben shares his 90s / early 2000s fashion and Rory Gilmore’s boyfriend choices before getting to the definition. Other topics discussed include: fashion, digital trends, puzzle video games, commerce, the mobile gaming market segment, and video game trend predictions for 2024.
00:00:21 - Voices, a determined Mango, a Masters in a week, and ceramic artist burnout
0...
2024-04-151h 13The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 107 - TrendCeramicist and former fashion industry designer Jackie joins Ben this week to talk about a topic that impacts our physical AND digital lives. Jackie has a great deal of experience and interest in design, but now she is shifting her focus to digital. Ben shares his 90s / early 2000s fashion and Rory Gilmore’s boyfriend choices before getting to the definition. Other topics discussed include: fashion, digital trends, puzzle video games, commerce, the mobile gaming market segment, and video game trend predictions for 2024.
00:00:21 - Voices, a determined Mango, a Masters in a week, and ceramic artist burnout
0...
2024-04-151h 13
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 106 - TurboTax Game ReviewTo get you all excited for April 15th, Andrew joins Ben for a game review! They were under the impression that math was fun… until they tried this game. From relatively unknown game developer Intuit Inc. comes TurboTax! Andrew and Ben are playing different versions of the game, so they share their varied experiences with each other and YOU! Spoiler alert… as a game TurboTax is a dud, but as tax preparation software it’s fairly solid. Ben says, “NEEDS ZOMBIES!”
00:00:20 - The third person, dog of bag poop, and Andrew (the IRS) has set a deadline
00:02:20...
2024-04-0244 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 106 - TurboTax Game ReviewTo get you all excited for April 15th, Andrew joins Ben for a game review! They were under the impression that math was fun… until they tried this game. From relatively unknown game developer Intuit Inc. comes TurboTax! Andrew and Ben are playing different versions of the game, so they share their varied experiences with each other and YOU! Spoiler alert… as a game TurboTax is a dud, but as tax preparation software it’s fairly solid. Ben says, “NEEDS ZOMBIES!”
00:00:20 - The third person, dog of bag poop, and Andrew (the IRS) has set a deadline
00:02:20...
2024-04-0244 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 105 - EquivocateThis week Andrew brings a very interesting word to the show! Ben is up for the challenge, but first he has a review of Trombone Champ! Then the hosts dive right into the discussion starting with literature… Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and Star Wars by George Lucas. Coincidentally, Ben gets to talk about his biggest “Jedi: Fallen Order,” pet peeves, but then they chat briefly about constitutional law. In the “official” video games segment, Ben shares the strange development story of “The Day Before” and the numerous equivocations therein. In closing, Andrew talks about a cola marketing sca...
2024-03-271h 08The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 105 - EquivocateThis week Andrew brings a very interesting word to the show! Ben is up for the challenge, but first he has a review of Trombone Champ! Then the hosts dive right into the discussion starting with literature… Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and Star Wars by George Lucas. Coincidentally, Ben gets to talk about his biggest “Jedi: Fallen Order,” pet peeves, but then they chat briefly about constitutional law. In the “official” video games segment, Ben shares the strange development story of “The Day Before” and the numerous equivocations therein. In closing, Andrew talks about a cola marketing sca...
2024-03-271h 08
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 104 - Lukas Eggen Interview AND Quilts and Cats of Calico ReviewWe have a special episode this week hosted by Ben and Norah! After dispensing with the formalities, Ben has a great interview with journalist Lukas Eggen from the Las Vegas Review-Journal to share. Lukas has a new Kickstarter project that he is working on that will hopefully reinvigorate games journalism by going back to a traditional investigative reporting philosophy… “Game On!” Ben’s interview style is very conversational, but he does have a couple of thought provoking questions up his sleeve. Following that, Ben and Norah talk about their experiences with the game Quilts and Cats of Calico from Monster Couc...
2024-03-141h 00The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 104 - Lukas Eggen Interview AND Quilts and Cats of Calico ReviewWe have a special episode this week hosted by Ben and Norah! After dispensing with the formalities, Ben has a great interview with journalist Lukas Eggen from the Las Vegas Review-Journal to share. Lukas has a new Kickstarter project that he is working on that will hopefully reinvigorate games journalism by going back to a traditional investigative reporting philosophy… “Game On!” Ben’s interview style is very conversational, but he does have a couple of thought provoking questions up his sleeve. Following that, Ben and Norah talk about their experiences with the game Quilts and Cats of Calico from Monster Couc...
2024-03-141h 00
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 99 - Ben’s Critique of Thirsty SuitorsBen and Norah are on deck for the first show of 2024! Ben does something a little different to start out this year… a game review! The game is… … Outerloop Games’ sophomore release “Thirsty Suitors,” and in an effort to quench, Ben has a big bucket of opinions he’s going to dump on us. He starts by explaining his assessment method (which will be discussed in more detail on a forthcoming show) and then gets in the weeds with sharing his critique of TS’s aesthetics, game mechanics, and story. Ben also provides 3 examples of what the game does well and 3 examples...
2024-01-0751 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 99 - Ben’s Critique of Thirsty SuitorsBen and Norah are on deck for the first show of 2024! Ben does something a little different to start out this year… a game review! The game is… … Outerloop Games’ sophomore release “Thirsty Suitors,” and in an effort to quench, Ben has a big bucket of opinions he’s going to dump on us. He starts by explaining his assessment method (which will be discussed in more detail on a forthcoming show) and then gets in the weeds with sharing his critique of TS’s aesthetics, game mechanics, and story. Ben also provides 3 examples of what the game does well and 3 examples...
2024-01-0751 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 91 - Clip Show #3Get your snacks and buckle up for a “beefy” program this week; it’s time for another show composed of cutting room floor trimmings! Don’t let that keep you away; it’s all great conversational content featuring previous cohosts: Amaya, Andrew, Ben, Cheyenne, Madison, Melody, and Norah. We start with Andrew’s Sensory Adventures (not yet sponsored by Pringles), and then dive into the deep end… of CLIPS! The diverse selection of topics include: Pringles tasting, chess incidents, the “cheekmate” device, commercials, dietary plans, old television shows, parking cars, a silly themed graph, snacks, utilitarian loops, underwater vehicles, parenthood, movies, B...
2023-10-111h 28The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 91 - Clip Show #3Get your snacks and buckle up for a “beefy” program this week; it’s time for another show composed of cutting room floor trimmings! Don’t let that keep you away; it’s all great conversational content featuring previous cohosts: Amaya, Andrew, Ben, Cheyenne, Madison, Melody, and Norah. We start with Andrew’s Sensory Adventures (not yet sponsored by Pringles), and then dive into the deep end… of CLIPS! The diverse selection of topics include: Pringles tasting, chess incidents, the “cheekmate” device, commercials, dietary plans, old television shows, parking cars, a silly themed graph, snacks, utilitarian loops, underwater vehicles, parenthood, movies, B...
2023-10-111h 28
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 90 - Ben at PAX West Day 3PAX West 2023 part 3 of 3... it is the bow on the present, the cherry on top of the sundae, the other bookend, the roof on the… I digress. On day 3 Ben met Azusa, Creason, Eddie (Axolotl), Ludvig, Martin, and Bartosz. Games he played and other video game related items he saw include: “TrinityS,” “Sky the Scraper,” “Never Awake,” “Extremely Powerful Capybaras,” “StarVaders,” “Big Boy Boxing,” “The Gap,” and the Playdate handheld. Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the 1980 arcade game “Crazy Climber,” the largest living rodent, the axolotl, Boxing Day, the largest US clothing retailer, and a trip to the first Starbucks. Ben wraps up the...
2023-10-0243 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 90 - Ben at PAX West Day 3PAX West 2023 part 3 of 3... it is the bow on the present, the cherry on top of the sundae, the other bookend, the roof on the… I digress. On day 3 Ben met Azusa, Creason, Eddie (Axolotl), Ludvig, Martin, and Bartosz. Games he played and other video game related items he saw include: “TrinityS,” “Sky the Scraper,” “Never Awake,” “Extremely Powerful Capybaras,” “StarVaders,” “Big Boy Boxing,” “The Gap,” and the Playdate handheld. Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the 1980 arcade game “Crazy Climber,” the largest living rodent, the axolotl, Boxing Day, the largest US clothing retailer, and a trip to the first Starbucks. Ben wraps up the...
2023-10-0243 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 89 - Ben at PAX West Day 2This week… no time for pleasantries (Kyle)… Ben gets right into it! On day two he met Hollie, Johnson, Daniel, Cory, Sawyer, Andrew, Natalie, Chris G., Chris R., and Chris S…. all of whom he hopes will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future. Games he played, demos he experienced, and other video game related items he saw include: “PixelJunk Eden 2,” “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe,” “A Corgi’s Cozy Hike,” the VArmchair, “Castle Doombad,” the Pokémon card game, the VR game “Journey to Foundation,” “Animal Well,” and “Roman Sands RE:Build!” Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the word pixel, Ikea’s Poäng cha...
2023-09-2343 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 89 - Ben at PAX West Day 2This week… no time for pleasantries (Kyle)… Ben gets right into it! On day two he met Hollie, Johnson, Daniel, Cory, Sawyer, Andrew, Natalie, Chris G., Chris R., and Chris S…. all of whom he hopes will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future. Games he played, demos he experienced, and other video game related items he saw include: “PixelJunk Eden 2,” “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe,” “A Corgi’s Cozy Hike,” the VArmchair, “Castle Doombad,” the Pokémon card game, the VR game “Journey to Foundation,” “Animal Well,” and “Roman Sands RE:Build!” Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the word pixel, Ikea’s Poäng cha...
2023-09-2343 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 88 - Ben at PAX West Day 1Ben is back from Seattle and incredibly excited to talk about it! On day one he met Becky, Ty, David, Haylee, Rob, and Brandon… all of whom he hope will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future. Games he played or saw demos of include: “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown,” “Wild Country,” “Cuisineer,” “Sail Forth,” “World of Horror,” and “Demonschool.” Of course it wouldn’t be Two Vague without diversions. Ben talks about his college PC, cooking in games, the origin of yacht rock, Junji Ito, and Mortal Kombat’s friendliest finishers.
00:00:20 - Intro and a brief history of the Penny...
2023-09-1642 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 88 - Ben at PAX West Day 1Ben is back from Seattle and incredibly excited to talk about it! On day one he met Becky, Ty, David, Haylee, Rob, and Brandon… all of whom he hope will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future. Games he played or saw demos of include: “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown,” “Wild Country,” “Cuisineer,” “Sail Forth,” “World of Horror,” and “Demonschool.” Of course it wouldn’t be Two Vague without diversions. Ben talks about his college PC, cooking in games, the origin of yacht rock, Junji Ito, and Mortal Kombat’s friendliest finishers.
00:00:20 - Intro and a brief history of the Penny...
2023-09-1642 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 82 - Airplane!This week Ben is joined by Andrew from Partly Robot Industries for an appropriately timely conversation about a vehicular method for domestic and international travel… with OR without the exclamation point! Andrew’s going to Italy (and on a side quest or two), so Ben wants to assist in his mental preparation and support him in any way he can. What’s the best way to prepare for the perils of air travel… is the answer watch airplane themed movies? Who’s to say? The hosts discuss the movies they watched to get themselves in the flight headspace, so to speak: Snak...
2023-07-151h 09The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 82 - Airplane!This week Ben is joined by Andrew from Partly Robot Industries for an appropriately timely conversation about a vehicular method for domestic and international travel… with OR without the exclamation point! Andrew’s going to Italy (and on a side quest or two), so Ben wants to assist in his mental preparation and support him in any way he can. What’s the best way to prepare for the perils of air travel… is the answer watch airplane themed movies? Who’s to say? The hosts discuss the movies they watched to get themselves in the flight headspace, so to speak: Snak...
2023-07-151h 09
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 81 - LoopNorah joins Ben this week for a discussion about recursion, and speaking of… Happy Second Anniversary to us! Norah has just seen another loud musical, and Ben is champing at the bit to talk about the game he’s been playing lately. They start their circuitous loop with some Canadian music industry trivia, a correction for the dystopia episode, the definition, and unintentionally making fun of the Scottish. More loop centric topics include… making jewelry, an area of downtown Chicago, digital music, computer programming languages, rollercoasters, mathematics, Norah’s Summer job in college, and “time loop” movies. On the topic of video g...
2023-07-021h 07The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 81 - LoopNorah joins Ben this week for a discussion about recursion, and speaking of… Happy Second Anniversary to us! Norah has just seen another loud musical, and Ben is champing at the bit to talk about the game he’s been playing lately. They start their circuitous loop with some Canadian music industry trivia, a correction for the dystopia episode, the definition, and unintentionally making fun of the Scottish. More loop centric topics include… making jewelry, an area of downtown Chicago, digital music, computer programming languages, rollercoasters, mathematics, Norah’s Summer job in college, and “time loop” movies. On the topic of video g...
2023-07-021h 07
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 80 - ChildhoodIn this storytelling-heavy episode, Madison joins Ben to reminisce about the days of their youth. The hosts compare their experiences as children and reflect upon how these events have impacted their lives. Ben and Madison grew up in very different households, yet they share some common personality traits… aside from being “birthday twins!” Madison has minimal experience and interest in video games, but she still has thought provoking questions for Ben about how his hobby shaped him as a person. As an added bonus, we get to hear a genuine laugh from Madison when she is educated about the “hot girl wal...
2023-06-181h 13The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 80 - ChildhoodIn this storytelling-heavy episode, Madison joins Ben to reminisce about the days of their youth. The hosts compare their experiences as children and reflect upon how these events have impacted their lives. Ben and Madison grew up in very different households, yet they share some common personality traits… aside from being “birthday twins!” Madison has minimal experience and interest in video games, but she still has thought provoking questions for Ben about how his hobby shaped him as a person. As an added bonus, we get to hear a genuine laugh from Madison when she is educated about the “hot girl wal...
2023-06-181h 13
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 79 - DystopiaNorah and Ben are feeling a bit philosophical this week (as illustrated by the topic word), and in our humble opinion they do not disappoint on the discussion front. First up on the docket, what they have been up to. Norah has been preparing a (timely) history presentation, and Ben has been playing a Sega game created as an April Fools prank. The conversation then turns to dystopian themes in fiction and other media. Ben shares some information about an inclusive community in India before moving to Russia (not literally) and the game Atomic Heart by Mundfish. Norah closes the s...
2023-06-021h 00The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 79 - DystopiaNorah and Ben are feeling a bit philosophical this week (as illustrated by the topic word), and in our humble opinion they do not disappoint on the discussion front. First up on the docket, what they have been up to. Norah has been preparing a (timely) history presentation, and Ben has been playing a Sega game created as an April Fools prank. The conversation then turns to dystopian themes in fiction and other media. Ben shares some information about an inclusive community in India before moving to Russia (not literally) and the game Atomic Heart by Mundfish. Norah closes the s...
2023-06-021h 00
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 78 - MixtapeSpecial guest Brian, the mastermind behind the “My Weekly Mixtape” podcast, joins Ben this week for an episode steeped in their childhood nostalgia! The word is mixtape, and the hosts will be talking at length about their experiences and memories making them. It wouldn’t be the Two Vague Podcast if there wasn’t a diversion or two along the way, but then Ben has a surprise for Brian to close out the show. They are going to make a MIXTAPE (sort of) composed of a list of memorable arcade games past and present!
00:00:21 - Introducing Brian and his “My...
2023-05-191h 06The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 78 - MixtapeSpecial guest Brian, the mastermind behind the “My Weekly Mixtape” podcast, joins Ben this week for an episode steeped in their childhood nostalgia! The word is mixtape, and the hosts will be talking at length about their experiences and memories making them. It wouldn’t be the Two Vague Podcast if there wasn’t a diversion or two along the way, but then Ben has a surprise for Brian to close out the show. They are going to make a MIXTAPE (sort of) composed of a list of memorable arcade games past and present!
00:00:21 - Introducing Brian and his “My...
2023-05-191h 06
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 77 - RatingNorah joins Ben this week on a show that is rated V for vague! They are taking about the word rating for about 83 percent of the show, and they hope that your interest, in this specific case, is very high! Get it? After sharing what they have been watching recently, they dive right in to the definition. Ben explores the nature of MPAA movie ratings, examines their relation to censorship, and provides a couple of examples from two of his favorite movies… Galaxy Quest and Robocop. Norah recalls her experiences in advertising, drops some Michelin restaurant knowledge, and relays positiv...
2023-05-081h 13The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 77 - RatingNorah joins Ben this week on a show that is rated V for vague! They are taking about the word rating for about 83 percent of the show, and they hope that your interest, in this specific case, is very high! Get it? After sharing what they have been watching recently, they dive right in to the definition. Ben explores the nature of MPAA movie ratings, examines their relation to censorship, and provides a couple of examples from two of his favorite movies… Galaxy Quest and Robocop. Norah recalls her experiences in advertising, drops some Michelin restaurant knowledge, and relays positiv...
2023-05-081h 13
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 74 - FootageThis week Ben takes Norah on an adventure with a word she has no interest in, but first Norah talks about three games she tried playing while she was visiting her nephew. After the pleasantries, Norah fastens her seatbelt and prepares to be bombarded with Ben’s research. Subjects and diversions include: memories of historical news moments, “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension,” the found footage movie genre, the first found footage film, and the video game designs of Sam Barlow.
00:00:21 - Norah is back from Arizona, and Ben decides that Norah needs a ma...
2023-03-271h 00The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 74 - FootageThis week Ben takes Norah on an adventure with a word she has no interest in, but first Norah talks about three games she tried playing while she was visiting her nephew. After the pleasantries, Norah fastens her seatbelt and prepares to be bombarded with Ben’s research. Subjects and diversions include: memories of historical news moments, “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension,” the found footage movie genre, the first found footage film, and the video game designs of Sam Barlow.
00:00:21 - Norah is back from Arizona, and Ben decides that Norah needs a ma...
2023-03-271h 00
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 72 - ArtThis week, Norah joins Ben to talk about a subjective… subject. The word is art, so prepare yourself for a more philosophical episode than you're used to. The hosts share their love of observing, appreciating, making, and talking about art. Ben tells a few stories, Norah brings her research, and they both drop many artist and architect names. For details about the episode’s "video game bookends," see below!
Video games mentioned or discussed (albeit briefly) in this episode include:
Mahjong Dimensions - by Arkadium
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! - GAME FREAK
The Grand Theft Auto franc...
2023-02-241h 10The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 72 - ArtThis week, Norah joins Ben to talk about a subjective… subject. The word is art, so prepare yourself for a more philosophical episode than you're used to. The hosts share their love of observing, appreciating, making, and talking about art. Ben tells a few stories, Norah brings her research, and they both drop many artist and architect names. For details about the episode’s "video game bookends," see below!
Video games mentioned or discussed (albeit briefly) in this episode include:
Mahjong Dimensions - by Arkadium
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! - GAME FREAK
The Grand Theft Auto franc...
2023-02-241h 10
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 70 - TriviaPaul is back in the studio with Ben this week to talk about his passion for the Moops, which is NOT the sound produced by a cow after making a mistake! We’re joking, but if you know “the Moops” reference is from the 47th episode of Seinfeld, “The Bubble Boy,” then you are probably very familiar with this week’s word… and a standout at most parties. To Paul’s delight, the show is liberally peppered with bits of trivia, and there’s a lot to talk about. Along with the aforementioned “knowledge nuggets,” topics discussed include: the board game Trivial Pursuit...
2023-01-261h 02The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 70 - TriviaPaul is back in the studio with Ben this week to talk about his passion for the Moops, which is NOT the sound produced by a cow after making a mistake! We’re joking, but if you know “the Moops” reference is from the 47th episode of Seinfeld, “The Bubble Boy,” then you are probably very familiar with this week’s word… and a standout at most parties. To Paul’s delight, the show is liberally peppered with bits of trivia, and there’s a lot to talk about. Along with the aforementioned “knowledge nuggets,” topics discussed include: the board game Trivial Pursuit...
2023-01-261h 02
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 68 - The Boxing Day Show!For the last episode before the first full week of 2023 Ben is sans co-pilot, but he still has a lot to share. He talks about Boxing Day and memories of his Canada pants before playing a clip of the warmup portion for a forthcoming show featuring returning cohost Paul. Norah joins their conversation while they discuss trivial facts, and midway she (correctly) points out that they are acting like 6th graders. Finally, to wrap it all up Ben talks about rogue-like games, bullet hell shooters, and his current game addiction which is Vampire Survivors.
00:00:21 - Ben buys a g...
2023-01-0151 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 68 - The Boxing Day Show!For the last episode before the first full week of 2023 Ben is sans co-pilot, but he still has a lot to share. He talks about Boxing Day and memories of his Canada pants before playing a clip of the warmup portion for a forthcoming show featuring returning cohost Paul. Norah joins their conversation while they discuss trivial facts, and midway she (correctly) points out that they are acting like 6th graders. Finally, to wrap it all up Ben talks about rogue-like games, bullet hell shooters, and his current game addiction which is Vampire Survivors.
00:00:21 - Ben buys a g...
2023-01-0151 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 63 - CookNorah joins Ben this week to talk about ancient art of food assembly. We do it for fun. We do it to impress. We do it when we are hungry… sometimes. The hosts share their fond memories of family cooking for Christmas gatherings, the cooking shows they watch, the memorable dishes they have prepared, and an assortment of cooking techniques. For the games portion of the show, Norah talks about her experiences with her very first idle game, Hidea and Neowiz’s “Cats & Soup.” Ben talks about a handful of cooking games he has been playing recently: Battle Chef Brigade, “Cook...
2022-10-231h 08The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 63 - CookNorah joins Ben this week to talk about ancient art of food assembly. We do it for fun. We do it to impress. We do it when we are hungry… sometimes. The hosts share their fond memories of family cooking for Christmas gatherings, the cooking shows they watch, the memorable dishes they have prepared, and an assortment of cooking techniques. For the games portion of the show, Norah talks about her experiences with her very first idle game, Hidea and Neowiz’s “Cats & Soup.” Ben talks about a handful of cooking games he has been playing recently: Battle Chef Brigade, “Cook...
2022-10-231h 08
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 61 - SnackThis week Ben and Norah are discussing the food we consume to tide us over to our next full meal. Yummy SNACKS! Sprinkled throughout the episode are salty stories and discussions about electric boats, happy hours, ice cream bar diets, snakes, potato salad, and “sleepy chicken.” After Norah reveals her cookie addiction, Ben reveals his Bacon number! Finally, the proverbial cherry(s) on top for a touch of sweetness are conversations about Norah playing Ben Esposito’s Donut County and Ben playing Young Horses’ Bugsnax.
00:00:35 - Norah’s boat trip on the Chicago River, and knocking out the arthritis
2022-10-081h 05The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 61 - SnackThis week Ben and Norah are discussing the food we consume to tide us over to our next full meal. Yummy SNACKS! Sprinkled throughout the episode are salty stories and discussions about electric boats, happy hours, ice cream bar diets, snakes, potato salad, and “sleepy chicken.” After Norah reveals her cookie addiction, Ben reveals his Bacon number! Finally, the proverbial cherry(s) on top for a touch of sweetness are conversations about Norah playing Ben Esposito’s Donut County and Ben playing Young Horses’ Bugsnax.
00:00:35 - Norah’s boat trip on the Chicago River, and knocking out the arthritis
2022-10-081h 05
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 60 - The Second Clip ShowWe’ve hit another 30-ish episode milestone, so it’s time for another “cutting room floor” show! This never before heard material is a potpourri of trivia, news discussions, personal stories, and it all starts with a joke from my Aunt! We hope you enjoy the smorgasbord of clips from episodes 33, 35, 43, 48, 50, 53, 54, and 55.
00:00:21 - Starting the clip show with what Ben has been noodling with lately
00:03:09 - WHY DO I KEEP CALLING IT DONUT COUNTRY… IT’s DONUT COUNTY!
CLIP #1 - Norah’s joke
00:04:10 - Intro
00:05:25 - Green tea lemonade and lemon loaf after a “stick in...
2022-09-251h 25
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 57 - AcronymASAP, AFK and sonar walk in to a bar. The bartender says, “As Soon As Possible… Away From Keyboard… who’s your friend?” If you don’t understand this “joke,” don’t worry; you will before the end of the show. This week Ben and Norah discuss the difference between acronyms, anacronyms, and initialisms. Other topics include: a recent TikTok trend, commonly used acronyms, a comedy bit by Gary Gulman, a chat room party game, and commonly used video game abbreviations.
00:00:21 - Norah and Ben open the show by talking about the weather
00:02:50 - Ben drops a “Pop Song 89” referen...
2022-08-281h 08
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 56 - GenerationNorah leads the conversation about the word generation while Ben sits comfortably in the cohost chair. Norah shares her research on the meaning of the word, provides a breakdown of the social generations, and explains the personality tendencies of Boomers, X-ers, Millennials, and Zoomers. Ben contributes a summary of console generations, some marketing statistics about gamers from the social generations, and his sparkling wit as rare as hen’s teeth.
00:00:20 - TWO different segments, and Ben’s “watch along with Norah” idea
00:02:30 - Norah recalls what generation meant in the “old days,” and describes “to beget”
00:04:30 - From...
2022-08-191h 10
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 55 - RoleTracy joins Ben this week to converse about the word role! From jobs, to theatre, to games, the word role plays important… um… role in our day to day lives. However, these two love games, so this conversation revolves mostly around tabletop games and RPGs. Discussion topics include: acting, the now defunct Pathfinder Adventure Card Game (by Paizo), Betrayal at House on the Hill (2004 Avalon Hill / 2010 Hasbro), Among Us, going to conventions, the new game Stray, and Disco Elysium.
00:02:20 - The word is role (not roll), NQ, and “what’s the deal with all the hats?”
00:06:22 - Tracy’s act...
2022-08-071h 11
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 53 - BloodNorah joins Ben this week to talk about the bodily fluid responsible for oxygen transport to and from the heart. They each have research to present on the components that make up blood, blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood types. After those “lectures,” Ben talks about blood type bias in Japan and why blood types appear in old arcade game character bios. He then moves on to describing the game Code Vein which turns in to a very bold statement about why Elden Ring should not win GOTY 2022.
00:00:53 - “Not much to do in Tucson…” and “blood, let’s get into...
2022-07-211h 17The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 53 - BloodNorah joins Ben this week to talk about the bodily fluid responsible for oxygen transport to and from the heart. They each have research to present on the components that make up blood, blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood types. After those “lectures,” Ben talks about blood type bias in Japan and why blood types appear in old arcade game character bios. He then moves on to describing the game Code Vein which turns in to a very bold statement about why Elden Ring should not win GOTY 2022.
00:00:53 - “Not much to do in Tucson…” and “blood, let’s get into...
2022-07-211h 17
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 51 - RollThis week hosts Ben and Norah are talking about the word roll. As a verb and as a noun it conjures up a wide variety of phrases and concepts. Along with the conversational riffing, additional topics include: ball bearings, inline skates, some mild Physics, RollerGames, and the 1975 movie Rollerball. Then it’s on to video games! Ben talks about Roller Champions, Mega Man, Katamari Damacy, and Bouldy from Hades.
00:00:21 - A belated Happy Birthday to the 2VP, and Ben and Norah get the show rollin’
00:02:23 - The Ann Sather incident of every time Norah goes, and cinnamon...
2022-06-301h 02The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 51 - RollThis week hosts Ben and Norah are talking about the word roll. As a verb and as a noun it conjures up a wide variety of phrases and concepts. Along with the conversational riffing, additional topics include: ball bearings, inline skates, some mild Physics, RollerGames, and the 1975 movie Rollerball. Then it’s on to video games! Ben talks about Roller Champions, Mega Man, Katamari Damacy, and Bouldy from Hades.
00:00:21 - A belated Happy Birthday to the 2VP, and Ben and Norah get the show rollin’
00:02:23 - The Ann Sather incident of every time Norah goes, and cinnamon...
2022-06-301h 02
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 48 - ComicAspiring actor (and top notch barista) Ryan joins Ben to talk about the word comic. Ben is going super-old school with his trivia and references, and Ryan tries to keep up. They discuss their favorite stand-up comedians, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ( mild spoilers 16:02 - 39:02 ), their favorite comic themed video games, and what comic book characters they would make a game about if they could.
00:00:45 - “Is it safe,” Ryan doesn’t like the word soccer, and the origin of the word comic
00:03:27 - Norm Macdonald, “not a sponsor,” 180 people, and comedians in cars
00:08:03...
2022-05-3059 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 46 - TranslationDr. Tahnee is back in studio to provide her expert opinions on the subject of translation! Ben may not be a “Spoony Bard” but all of his base do belong to them… as they discuss the intricacies of communicating source language content successfully in a target language. What does translation success mean or even look like? Listen in to their discussions and find out!
00:00:20 - This week Ben and Tahnee are talking about the word translation!
00:01:00 - “The Alchemist” is better translated to English than in the original Portuguese?
00:04:10 - Tahnee’s thoughts on two books she read th...
2022-05-161h 15
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 43 - VirtualThis week Paul joins Ben to discuss the word virtual. Topics covered include: virtual experiences present and future, programming languages, virtual software environments, pioneers of the home computing industry, pondering the uses of virtual reality in the future, and envisioning improvements to VR hardware.
00:00:30 - “Jinx, you owe me a coke”
00:03:01 - “Does technology make us more or less virtuous?”
00:05:55 - The game Ben can’t remember is Kung Fu Rider
00:07:50 - Paul describes some programming languages and concepts for Ben
00:12:40 - Ben has questions about object oriented programming for Paul
00:16:01 - Representing...
2022-04-231h 02
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 41 - MoralityPhilosophy student Jenna and Generation X-er Ben are talking about the word morality this week, but before they get started on this thought provoking topic… they have a “warmup chat” with Norah. After the official show introduction Ben and Jenna dive in to the discussion… and it goes to some unexpected places. Video games mentioned include the GTA franchise, Call of Duty, Dante’s Inferno, the Mass Effect franchise, Fallout 3, and Detroit: Become Human.
00:00:21 - The Ben, Jenna, and Norah with the (depressing?) morality warmup
00:01:40 - Alan Turing, Oscar Wilde, ferries, and Staten Island
00:06:00 - Morality thre...
2022-04-091h 15
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 39 - FungibleFor this week’s discussion, Ben (and an incredibly vocal Mango who presumably was confused with Ben appearing like he was talking to himself for an hour and a half) is joined by Aunt Norah for a somewhat unfamiliar word to both of them, but it’s nothing that can’t be cured by some research and questioning of Chicago restaurant waitstaff. Topics of discussion include Lunchables, Economics, “The Problem with Jon Stewart”, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, a Michael Jordan story, and in-game collections.
00:01:05 - “When was the first time you heard the word fungible?”
00:04:10 - A brief history of Lunch...
2022-03-281h 14
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 38 - DrivePaul joins Ben this week to discuss the word drive. The conversation focuses mostly on professional racing due to Paul’s enthusiasm about the topic, but Ben has a few trick questions, some trivia, and maybe a golf club up his sleeve. Paul shares his knowledge of Formula 1 and NASCAR racing with Ben, and they both reflect upon their favorite console driving games.
00:00:35 - Paul gets right to the point… “speed run” and F1
00:05:27 - Ben talks about the BMW commercial series “The Hire”
00:07:45 - Vehicle movies: Fast and the Furious, Drive, and “Die Hard on a Bus” a.k.a...
2022-03-211h 17
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 37 - TravelThis week Emelie joins Ben to discuss the word travel. First they talk about the interesting places they have each been for work and pleasure. Driving, flying and riding the train are just a few of the modes of transportation discussed before Ben talks about two ridiculous travel themed “games.” To close out the show Emelie and Ben share their international and domestic dream vacations: Tokyo, Stockholm, the Grand Tetons, and a specific Disney destination.
00:00:56 - “Ask Cheyenne about her unicycle experience”
00:02:43 - Emelie’s one free day in Kauai, and Ben’s childhood fascination with surfing
00...
2022-03-131h 17The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 37 - TravelThis week Emelie joins Ben to discuss the word travel. First they talk about the interesting places they have each been for work and pleasure. Driving, flying and riding the train are just a few of the modes of transportation discussed before Ben talks about two ridiculous travel themed “games.” To close out the show Emelie and Ben share their international and domestic dream vacations: Tokyo, Stockholm, the Grand Tetons, and a specific Disney destination.
00:00:56 - “Ask Cheyenne about her unicycle experience”
00:02:43 - Emelie’s one free day in Kauai, and Ben’s childhood fascination with surfing
00...
2022-03-131h 17
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 35 - CharacterFor this week’s episode (nearly lost to the evils of SD card data corruption), Cheyenne is running the show! Cheyenne and Ben talk about Fight Club, their favorite John Hughes films, their favorite characters from pop culture (too numerous to mention individually), and their favorite video games for character customizations.
00:00:30 - Role reversal, consolation prizes, and character
00:03:30 - Meatloaf dead on a table and a Fight Club discussion
00:08:20 - Ben and Cheyenne are both characters
00:14:00 - Ben thinks you should watch the movie Weird Science
00:16:20 - Music vs. Dad humor
00:18:00 - Ben’s...
2022-02-281h 20
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 34 - SpacePaul joins Ben this week to talk about a very expansive word… assorted nerd-geekery ensues on the subjects of telescopes, aliens, Star Wars, Dune, and other memorable science fiction media. They only scratch the surface of science fiction space games, but their favorites include a list of recognizable properties (to non-Norah’s) and one forthcoming new Bethesda project that Paul hasn’t heard of.
00:01:55 - Ben and Paul talk about painting… “does anybody know the difference?”
00:05:27 - What fascinates Paul about space?
00:08:37 - “Do you believe in aliens?”
00:11:13 - James E. Webb vs Edwin Hubble, and too m...
2022-02-201h 20
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 33 - HypeBen and Cheyenne are incredibly excited to talk today, but it could just be the word… HYPE (insert airhorn noise here)! Ben educates Cheyenne on “hype men” in the music of his youth, Public Enemy’s song/video “By the Time I get to Arizona,” the air horn, Beanie Babies, and assorted documentaries. When the conversation turns to video games, they discuss Cyberpunk 2077, how to promote games successfully with an appropriate level of hype, The Witcher 3, Dragon’s Dogma, and Warframe.
00:01:00 - Pre-calculus, snapping necks, cashing checks, and the etymology of hype
00:03:35 - The dog’s bollocks, word asso...
2022-02-121h 06
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 32 - RugbyBen is joined this week by Judy, a rugby player for the Colorado Grey Wolves in the WPL (http://wplrugby.org). They talk about Judy’s “origin story” and the ins and outs of the game of rugby. It’s a subject that Ben has very little knowledge of, but his eagerness to learn inspires Judy to teach him the basics. In the last portion of the show, Ben shares his passion for video games with Judy by showing her trailers for a number of sports games and asking her for feedback. Is there a console and game purchase in Judy’s fu...
2022-02-061h 10The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 32 - RugbyBen is joined this week by Judy, a rugby player for the Colorado Grey Wolves in the WPL (http://wplrugby.org). They talk about Judy’s “origin story” and the ins and outs of the game of rugby. It’s a subject that Ben has very little knowledge of, but his eagerness to learn inspires Judy to teach him the basics. In the last portion of the show, Ben shares his passion for video games with Judy by showing her trailers for a number of sports games and asking her for feedback. Is there a console and game purchase in Judy’s fu...
2022-02-061h 10
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 31 - The Clip Show!Ben shares never before heard clips from a few previous shows. Subjects include social media trends, sex toys, old game shows, movie aliens, stop motion animation, and nostalgic games.
00:00:20 - Ben’s introduction of the “Clip Show” and the first two clips
00:01:45 - Evan tries to explain ASMR, POV experiences, and Mukbangs
00:04:45 - Rachel doesn’t like ASMR and Ben talks about a Mukbang dating show.
00:07:35 - Ben introduces clips from Marily’s Agriculture episode
00:09:00 - Sex toys, “The Great Game of the Goose”, 15 minutes and corn
00:18:20 - Introducing the clip from Cheyenne’s Conte...
2022-01-3057 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 30 - ResolutionEmelie and Ben discuss what the word resolution means to them. Emelie reflects upon her 2022 resolution, a past relationship, the game “It Takes Two,” and watching Star Wars with her big brother. Ben talks about vector graphics, Aggretsuko, mental health, and early games developed to be played on an oscilloscope.
00:00:20 - Introducing Ben, Emelie, and word resolution
00:04:03 - If there’s a party, Ben’s not going to turn it down
00:06:03 - Ben’s resolution joke doesn’t land with Emelie, and she shares her 2022 resolution
00:09:00 - Emelie is working on herself, and Ben remembers a pre...
2022-01-2254 minThe Two Vague PodcastEpisode 30 - ResolutionEmelie and Ben discuss what the word resolution means to them. Emelie reflects upon her 2022 resolution, a past relationship, the game “It Takes Two,” and watching Star Wars with her big brother. Ben talks about vector graphics, Aggretsuko, mental health, and early games developed to be played on an oscilloscope.
00:00:20 - Introducing Ben, Emelie, and word resolution
00:04:03 - If there’s a party, Ben’s not going to turn it down
00:06:03 - Ben’s resolution joke doesn’t land with Emelie, and she shares her 2022 resolution
00:09:00 - Emelie is working on herself, and Ben remembers a pre...
2022-01-2254 min
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 28 -TarotTarot is the word for Jenna and Ben this week. Jenna talks about her Catholic upbringing, spiritual experiences, and reflecting on the meanings of tarot cards. Ben asks (MANY) questions about religious beliefs and rituals, but he has a couple of stories. They also discuss using tarot as a guide, GTA, FIFA, and navigating life.
00:00:20 - Jenna is pretty good, Ben is fine, and the word is tarot
00:01:53 - The swords, the pentacles, the cups… and the other thing
00:04:04 - Jenna talks about High School and the “mini morning mass”
00:07:41 - Jenna was in the newspa...
2022-01-081h 07The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 28 -TarotTarot is the word for Jenna and Ben this week. Jenna talks about her Catholic upbringing, spiritual experiences, and reflecting on the meanings of tarot cards. Ben asks (MANY) questions about religious beliefs and rituals, but he has a couple of stories. They also discuss using tarot as a guide, GTA, FIFA, and navigating life.
00:00:20 - Jenna is pretty good, Ben is fine, and the word is tarot
00:01:53 - The swords, the pentacles, the cups… and the other thing
00:04:04 - Jenna talks about High School and the “mini morning mass”
00:07:41 - Jenna was in the newspa...
2022-01-081h 07
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 27 - ToolClosing out 2021, Ben is joined by Arden to discuss the word tool. Ben talks about Alfred Nobel, remembering his father’s neatly organized tool areas, Eric Sloane books, the “infamous staircase of family legend”, fishing at Lake Julian in Cary, IL (which still operates today), and the band Genesis. While Arden talks about his favorite tools, builders in the 1100s, thinking that fishing was scary and gross at a young age, his “jack-est” (soon to be a thing), and his enjoyment of the band Tool. On the subject of video games, they explore the use of tools in “Souls-like” games, Death Stra...
2022-01-011h 23
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 25 - LanguageThis week, Ben is joined by Dr. Tahnee, a teacher of ESL, to discuss the word language. Tahnee talks about teaching English and her love of languages. Ben talks about the origins of the Sims game franchise and tries to answer Tahnee’s questions about the development of the Simlish language.
00:00:20 - Ben and Tahnee introduce themselves
00:01:00 - Tahnee talks about where her interest in language started
00:03:31 - The Mango and Bash love Tahnee mic sounds, and the school system in Brazil
00:07:34 - How cats communicate with humans, and “The Secret Life of Cats” documentar...
2021-12-181h 29
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 24 - PlatformThis week Cheyenne joins Ben to talk about the word platform. Diving, water pipes, taking risks, platform shoes, cosplay, Booster Gold, and the movie “The Platform” are just a few of the subjects they discuss on their circuitous route to video games. Then Ben and Cheyenne talk about their most memorable game consoles and platform games to close out the show.
00:00:20 - Introducing Cheyenne, Ben, and the word platform
00:02:45 - Saying episode words makes Ben feels dirty, and then he talks about diving
00:05:14 - “… discontinued in 1937” and the origin fancy diving
00:08:12 - “… a bunch of people on a cou...
2021-12-101h 21The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 24 - PlatformThis week Cheyenne joins Ben to talk about the word platform. Diving, water pipes, taking risks, platform shoes, cosplay, Booster Gold, and the movie “The Platform” are just a few of the subjects they discuss on their circuitous route to video games. Then Ben and Cheyenne talk about their most memorable game consoles and platform games to close out the show.
00:00:20 - Introducing Cheyenne, Ben, and the word platform
00:02:45 - Saying episode words makes Ben feels dirty, and then he talks about diving
00:05:14 - “… discontinued in 1937” and the origin fancy diving
00:08:12 - “… a bunch of people on a cou...
2021-12-101h 21
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 23 - PerspectivePrepare yourself for a debate! Ben and Eric have their own perspectives on what makes a great game, but first Ben tries to throw Eric off his rhythm by explaining perspective drawing. They have similar views on what makes great movies, but when it comes to enjoying games… well that’s a different story. Does Ben’s ploy work? You’ll have to listen to find out!
00:00:20 - In the beige corner… Ben & in the green corner… Eric… always special
00:01:25 - Ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi’s truth… from a certain point of view
00:04:00 - Reflections on the Star Wars franchise...
2021-12-031h 27The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 23 - PerspectivePrepare yourself for a debate! Ben and Eric have their own perspectives on what makes a great game, but first Ben tries to throw Eric off his rhythm by explaining perspective drawing. They have similar views on what makes great movies, but when it comes to enjoying games… well that’s a different story. Does Ben’s ploy work? You’ll have to listen to find out!
00:00:20 - In the beige corner… Ben & in the green corner… Eric… always special
00:01:25 - Ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi’s truth… from a certain point of view
00:04:00 - Reflections on the Star Wars franchise...
2021-12-031h 27
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 22 - FamiliaThis week Ben is joined by Marily for a special episode for the holiday season; it’s all about family (or familia en Español). Instead of focusing on the negative histories of the holidays they choose discuss the food, traditions and personal stories associated with family get-togethers. Marily shares her thoughts on family gatherings, making tamales, Mario Kart, and the Christmas gift she wants this year. Ben talks about the biological classification of organisms, the Pointer Sisters, stand-up comedians, his first console, and cross-play functionality in games.
00:00:20 - Introducing hosts Ben and Marily
00:01:47 - Ring Tailed...
2021-11-251h 19
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 20 - AgricultureBen is excited about Marily’s first appearance on the show; she wants to talk about about the word agriculture! This is a sprawling episode. Topics include: the life of a field worker, childhood stories, the 4H Club, meat sciences, experimental cornfields, pinball, and “Farming Simulator 22.” As luck would have it, Ben just started playing “Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin” and wants to share his thoughts on it.
00:00:20 - Introducing this week’s hosts Ben and Marily
00:01:05 - Marily reminisces about her family and field workers
00:03:14 - “The Rural Juror” and the life of a field worker
00...
2021-11-051h 13The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 20 - AgricultureBen is excited about Marily’s first appearance on the show; she wants to talk about about the word agriculture! This is a sprawling episode. Topics include: the life of a field worker, childhood stories, the 4H Club, meat sciences, experimental cornfields, pinball, and “Farming Simulator 22.” As luck would have it, Ben just started playing “Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin” and wants to share his thoughts on it.
00:00:20 - Introducing this week’s hosts Ben and Marily
00:01:05 - Marily reminisces about her family and field workers
00:03:14 - “The Rural Juror” and the life of a field worker
00...
2021-11-051h 13
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 17 - NostalgiaSammi joins Ben this week to get nostalgic about miscellaneous pop culture. This is a heavy storytelling episode, but they eventually get to video games. Sammie doesn’t like zip-lines or pinball machines. Thoughts on remastered games from Sammi and Ben.
00:00:20 - Sammi and Ben start getting nostalgic
00:01:00 - The rain, the 80s, GTA, and Genesis
00:03:16 - Nostalgia… “it’s all Greek to me”
00:05:50 - Ben forgets to mention the song Summertime
00:08:10 - “Not the watermelon dude” and the 7 words
00:11:20 - The amygdala and the country’s best yoghurt
00:13:54 - Berlin and Sammi gets in to...
2021-10-141h 01
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 15 - SubstanceAfter some pre-show lunch, Ben and Sammi talk about the what the word substance means to them. Ben goes to the UK, buys New Order albums and acts like an ignorant American at the amusement park. Sammi talks about the substance of people and things. Then she shares her struggles and triumphs dealing with substance addiction. The conversation then moves to video games and haptics. It gets a little naughty at the end, but Sammi insists that you Google it.
00:20 - Sammi and Ben and the vegan Sonoran Hot Dogs
02:22 - Substance, but “…next time, the word ranc...
2021-09-301h 07
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 14 - AchievementCheyenne joins Ben this week to talk about the word Achievement. Ben shares facts on scouting, movies and how he amassed his sewing kit fortune. Cheyenne asks about knots and wants a badge for building traps. They both share stories about how uncomfortable it was going door to door in their youth. A discussion on dumb and satisfactory game achievements ensues. Ben thinks he knows what the first video game achievement was. Cheyenne shares her definition of time traveling and opinions on why she doesn’t use exploits.
00:20 - Ben and Cheyenne: “Achievement Unlocked!”
01:55 - “… in Sans Serif font...
2021-09-231h 03The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 14 - AchievementCheyenne joins Ben this week to talk about the word Achievement. Ben shares facts on scouting, movies and how he amassed his sewing kit fortune. Cheyenne asks about knots and wants a badge for building traps. They both share stories about how uncomfortable it was going door to door in their youth. A discussion on dumb and satisfactory game achievements ensues. Ben thinks he knows what the first video game achievement was. Cheyenne shares her definition of time traveling and opinions on why she doesn’t use exploits.
00:20 - Ben and Cheyenne: “Achievement Unlocked!”
01:55 - “… in Sans Serif font...
2021-09-231h 03
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 13 - AdaptationFan of the show, Eric is in the “studio” this week with Ben and the “pod-cats”. They are champing at the bit to talk about the word “adaptation” (even the cats), but first they answer a question about “Easter eggs”. The conversation goes to some interesting places before getting to video games and what is recognized as the worst movie to video game adaptation so far. Ben comes up with Norah’s PERFECT gamertag and Eric talks about his “Middle Earth” obsession.
00:20 - Ben and Eric introduce this week’s word… “adaptation”
00:33 - Clapping for syllables and “What is an Easter egg?”
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2021-09-161h 16The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 13 - AdaptationFan of the show, Eric is in the “studio” this week with Ben and the “pod-cats”. They are champing at the bit to talk about the word “adaptation” (even the cats), but first they answer a question about “Easter eggs”. The conversation goes to some interesting places before getting to video games and what is recognized as the worst movie to video game adaptation so far. Ben comes up with Norah’s PERFECT gamertag and Eric talks about his “Middle Earth” obsession.
00:20 - Ben and Eric introduce this week’s word… “adaptation”
00:33 - Clapping for syllables and “What is an Easter egg?”
0...
2021-09-161h 16
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 12 - MapEvan joins Ben this week to discuss maps. Ben recites his map related research findings and tells a cool Google Maps story. Evan confesses that she is bad at directions. At one point the conversation moves to pizza for some reason. Evan and Ben both love Namco’s Mappy! What are “trap streets”? What makes a great video game map? Tune in and find out!
00:20 - Introducing your hosts Ben and Evan
00:38 - “Two words that don’t rhyme” and Dora
03:00 - Has Evan ever used a paper map? …Google Maps?
07:28 - Ben’s cool Google Maps story
2021-09-091h 01
The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 10 - ChangeFirst, Evan and Ben get in to an emotional discussion about navigating the changes in their lives. Then Ben forces Evan to watch a SNL skit, and they talk about reality TV. Rounding out the episode is a conversation about what games they are currently playing and how they would change them if they could.
00:20 - Ben introducing his cohost this week, Evan
00:36 - “We’re not talking about coinage”… yet
03:10 - The delta
04:37 - To Evan, change is adrenaline
06:51 - Evan shares how the death of her mother affected her growth
12:38 - Ben share...
2021-08-261h 10The Two Vague PodcastEpisode 10 - ChangeFirst, Evan and Ben get in to an emotional discussion about navigating the changes in their lives. Then Ben forces Evan to watch a SNL skit, and they talk about reality TV. Rounding out the episode is a conversation about what games they are currently playing and how they would change them if they could.
00:20 - Ben introducing his cohost this week, Evan
00:36 - “We’re not talking about coinage”… yet
03:10 - The delta
04:37 - To Evan, change is adrenaline
06:51 - Evan shares how the death of her mother affected her growth
12:38 - Ben share...
2021-08-261h 10