PolyCast Episode 64: "Add Some Levity to It"

[DanQ]

Don't take everything so seriously. The sixty-fourth episode of PolyCast, an official podcast of Apolyton Civilization Site (ACS), is now netcasting. "Add Some Levity to It" features regular co-hosts Daniel "DanQ" Quick, Makahlua Imran Siddiqui and Annalee "Cartimandua" Barney with first-time guest co-hosts "crescentfresh" and Pål "Lars_Domus" Kjærsdalen.

PolyCast is a bi-weekly audio production in an ongoing effort to give the Civ community an interactive voice on game strategy. A nominee in the "Best Produced" and "Gaming" categories of the 2008 Podcast Awards, sibling show ModCast focuses on Civ modding and RevCast focuses on Civilization: Revolution.

To date, ACS is the only known community on the Web to produce its own Civ podcasts.

[DanQ]

Summary of Topics

- 04m39s | Forum Talk
Some forgotten-but-important technologies in Civilization IV, do you think Longbowmen come too early, and should vassal states exist after the Emancipation Civic.
- 22m21s | Senate
To really gimp the Artificial Intelligence, give them Stone.
- 26m07s | Research Lab
Uniques, the new frontier, and the call for unlockable achievements.
- 35m56s | Theatre
Dan shares the progress of a recent game of his which was initiated after a prompt to, in fact, not do something.

- Intro/Outro | Miscellaneous
When did you start calling 'Shields' 'Hammers' instead, and has the AI ever given you a free city.

[MMC]

- Intro/Outro | Miscellaneous
When did you start calling 'Shields' 'Hammers' instead,

Stop! Hammer Time!

[DanQ]

Stop! Hammer Time!

Yep, that works too. (For those who haven't listened yet, I chose another song in regards to this...)

[clever id]

I suppose there migh tbe a better place for this, but I just wanted to chime in and say that I was impressed with what I perceived as a improvement in the podcast quality around the start of the new year, but it may just be my imagination.

Anyway, I enjoy the show so thanks!

[DanQ]

I suppose there migh tbe a better place for this, but I just wanted to chime in and say that I was impressed with what I perceived as a improvement in the podcast quality around the start of the new year, but it may just be my imagination.

Thank you kindly.

Out of curiosity are you referring to technical quality, content quality, or a combination of both?

Anyway, I enjoy the show so thanks!

We appreciate the contact -- it permits us an opportunity to communicate more directly with members of our audience.

[clever id]

Out of curiosity are you referring to technical quality, content quality, or a combination of both?

I think the content was there, but the audio quality seemed to improve greatly. Like I said, I could be crazy...

[ruff_hi]

I, too, think the quality has improved - good job Dan. I listened to this last night on a flight back from somewhere West of where I live and laughed out loud at one stage - probably something Annalee said.

I also noted that I got mentioned (little dance) although Imran came very close to calling me a fibber - pistols at dawn! pistols at dawn!

[DanQ]

I think the content was there, but the audio quality seemed to improve greatly. Like I said, I could be crazy...

I, too, think the quality has improved - good job Dan.

Why, thank you both. I haven't been doing anything different in editing so far this year as compared to what I was doing at the end of '08 that I'm aware of though ...

With that in mind, further inquiry of interest: is the audio quality sounding better with regular co-hosts and guest co-hosts alike, some regulars/guests or..?

I listened to this last night on a flight back from somewhere West of where I live and laughed out loud at one stage - probably something Annalee said.

I also noted that I got mentioned (little dance) although Imran came very close to calling me a fibber - pistols at dawn! pistols at dawn!

[ruff_hi]

With that in mind, further inquiry of interest: is the audio quality sounding better with regular co-hosts and guest co-hosts alike, some regulars/guests or..?

I found the two co-hosts slightly difficult to hear - sound a little blury or the accent - not sure which.

I think the editing as improved over the year and is starting to show real benefits. I also think the team you have has really settled into their respective roles:

Dan - monologues that leave me wondering if you write them all out and practice them while in the shower
Imran - funny asides and also grabs each and every opportunity for a double entendre
Annalee - unusual / different input but good quality and always worth a laugh
Makahlua / Stephanie - Hard core play input, some slight leaning to disagreeing with what the other hosts are say ... and the 'no male singing' warden

[DanQ]

I found the two co-hosts slightly difficult to hear - sound a little blury or the accent - not sure which.

I suspect Lars has a very basic microphone for it generated a fair bit of distortion that I cleaned up as best I could (or, at least, know how).

I think the editing as improved over the year and is starting to show real benefits.

Thank you for the kind words.

I also think the team you have has really settled into their respective roles:

Dan - monologues that leave me wondering if you write them all out and practice them while in the shower

I prep much of the points I put across in those, but not its phrasing necessarily.

Imran - funny asides and also grabs each and every opportunity for a double entendre

You can well imagine that which is cut along the later...

Makahlua / Stephanie... the 'no male singing' warden

With Annalee as her deputy in that.

[clever id]

I think the editing as improved over the year and is starting to show real benefits.

This must be what I'm finally noticing. Without going back and listening to some older episodes I'd have a hard time pin pointing anything...

Anyway... Keep up the good work, I listen to alot of podcast and every time polycast pops up in my RSS it gets bumped to the front of the list.

[DanQ]

This must be what I'm finally noticing. Without going back and listening to some older episodes I'd have a hard time pin pointing anything...

Fair enough.

How long have you been listening to the show?

Anyway... Keep up the good work, I listen to alot of podcast and every time polycast pops up in my RSS it gets bumped to the front of the list.

[clever id]

Fair enough.

How long have you been listening to the show?

I probably started listening last September, but I started from the begining and worked my way through episodes.

[xmen510]

Since some of the hosts and co-hosts probably don't check out the civfanatics site, I figured I would post my thanks here again! Great show! Keep up the great work.