GeekNights

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider Deathmatch games, particularly FPS deathmatches. Ostensibly beginning with Doom and Quake, the "genre" began already extremely refined, and frankly Quake 1 Deathmatch is literally worth playing today. In the news, Rym biked to Poughkeepsie again, Quake 1 got an update that makes multiplayer "just work" on modern PCs, China effectively bans minors playing online games, and tabletop game prices are going to skyrocket.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider Apple, CSAM, and Privacy. Apple is under fire for its solution here, some have warned of its dangers, and other companies already do similar things. (It's worth noting that Apple is already doing this on iCloud Mail). In the news, OnlyFans sells out its core user base, though the situation is more complex than it appears and other similar entities have complied with the rules that they ran afoul of. Meanwhile, Twitch is doing essentially nothing to curtail a massive wave of targeted attacks on minority and marginalized streamers, leaving them to use inadequate tools to solve a problem that Twitch is 100% responsible for. Join the boycott of Twitch on September 1st!

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about natural disasters. In the news, there's a reason we don't make much anime content anymore, cars are back to destroying the world, Cuomo is (rightly) out as New York's governor, and the US military will (rightly) require vaccination against COVID-19.

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Pokémon UNITE: the Pokémon MOBA. It's actually pretty fun, and it's a shame that it's microtransactional pay-to-win garbage. Only play it if you can play with friends who agree to never spend money, never grind, and never use any items. In the news, the NHL Expansion Draft has released the Kraken, Activision Blizzard is rightly sued by the state of California for sexual harassment and discrimination, we join other games media in a complete blackout of all reviews or coverage of their games of any kind, as well as support their employees striking tomorrow, and Valve has released the Game Gear 2 (which they promise will run "the entire Steam library" at 30+fps)

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the cartoons of Hanna-Barbera Productions, which were a staple of our 80s childhoods despite being largely from the 60s and 70s. From The Roman Holidays to Fantastic Max, they were a recycled staple of our youth. (Some, like The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound, are best forgotten entirely). In the news, Belle might be extremely good, Mamoru Hosoda has some thoughts on Miyazaki (and also worked on Utena credited as Katsuyo Hashimoto), and the official Popeye twitter account is fantastic. Also Scott didn't know there was a live action Popeye movie staring Robin Williams and Shelly Duvall.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider bootlegs and counterfeits. Illegitimate goods. In the news, Texas Democrats are risking a lot trying to defend American democracy, Bowling Balls can't be recycled, a doctor faked vaccine records to sell fake medicine, and Amazon sells a lot of dangerous goods. We'll also be live at PAX Online East 2021!

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider collecting in games. Specifically, we consider "new in box" cartridges and people who like to tell you how many board games they own. In the news, Advance Wars 1 and 2 are coming to the Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch Pro is exactly what we expected rather than what people seemed to imagine, someone buys a new-in-box copy of Super Mario 64 for way too much money, and we will be live at PAX Online East this weekend! If you want Rym's copy of Ogre, you can have second dibs on it. If no one takes it before Rym has an excuse to see a certain person, you'll miss your chance.

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the phenomenal Odd Taxi anime. It's a psychological thriller and it's one of the best shows in recent memory. We're talking must-watch anime. in the news, the X-Men are X-Men again, MAPPA shows off the upcoming Chainsaw Man anime, MAPPA pays poverty wages for animation, SGDQ 2021 is underway, Godzilla Singular Point is OK, and The Owl House season 2 keeps on truckin'. Also Scott offers second dibs on a Dell Ultrasharp U2410.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider when to bail, hit da bricks, or be "out" of something. In the news, loud pipes don't save lives, the new R211 subway cars were unveiled, and what happened in Florida was preventable.

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about DC's Batman. In the news, it was a big NYC election, PAX West is happening in-person (but we won't be there), Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway is coming, you can get started on Gundam right here, Tuca and Bertie season 2 is great so far, Uzumaki is coming, and Intern Annika has arrived.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider hotels and motels. We kind of miss them. In the news, Pokémon Unite is a MOBA, the US Supreme Court made one good decision and one abhorrent decision, and if you wondered why Batman was trending recently, well, now you know. Also we'll be live at PAX East Online!

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the merchandise around cartoons, anime, comics, and manga. In the news, the fireworks are back in Queens, Glamdring the Foe-Hammer is back, a ton of cels are up for auction, the Sweet Tooth TV adaptation is pretty good so far, the El Hazard OAVs are getting a re-release, and Yoko Kanno is scoring the live action Cowboy Bebop. Also, we'll be live at PAX East online 2021 with Atari Game Design!

Tonight on GeekNights, we accidentally do a June tech news roundup. So, in that news, US carries share vertical location data for 911 calls, Apple adds additional safety measures to AirTags (though there are still workarounds), Facetime is (sort of) coming to the web, and there's a ton of WWDC news.

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about skin. Yes, that kind of skin. In the news, Scott GeekBites Oxygen (2021), Rym GeekBites Walker (1987), maybe companies should be barred from bothering you after-hours, and AMC issues 11MM shares.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the New Pokemon Snap. It's Pokemon Snap. It's exactly what it looks like. And it's probably worth playing. In the news, 1846 gets an update, An Airport for Aliens Currently Run By Dogs is out, the 3080 Ti is coming, Nintendo took down a rom site (but the buried lede is that the proprietor went pro se in court), and while Moon Hunters was a delightful game this article describes what was wrong with its level design.