GeekNights

Games we played at PAX East 2026

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:51:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about the games we played at PAX East 2026, including Spokes, Magical Athlete, The Third Man, Take Time, Tezuma Trick, Big Wave, QE, Catch the Moon, Robokraft, False Kingdom, Juggernaut, Peanuts Talent Show, and John Company 2.0. In the news, there's a Halloween game (not that one, and there's another Mario movie.

Tax the Rich

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 02:50:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider how you must tax the rich if you wish to have a society. In the news, Mayor Mamdani ends those ridiculous criminal summonses for cyclists, BTS returns, and America's war against Iran endangers the world.

Assessing Risk

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 01:03:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the assessment of risk. Apropos of nothing Rym talks about his broken arm. In the news, Washington state moves forward on taxing rich people, and New York City moves forward on banning foie gras.

Puzzles in Games

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:56:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider puzzles in games. In the news, New York is suing Valve over illegal gambling, Valve's new hardware release timeline is heavily impacted by the RAM crisis but might still come in 2026, Blades 68 is launching (Rym was in the playtest), and Nintendo is suing the United States over our president's illegal tariffs.

Age Verification on the Internet

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:43:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about the dangers of trying to mandate age verification on the Internet. In the news, Discord embarks on a disastrous age verification scheme, Anthropic is mad that other "AI" companies are using their product, and Goldman Sachs launches an AI-free index.

The Muppets

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 01:18:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about The Muppets. They were formative in the youth of our generation, and they are timeless. In the news, Ryan Dancey found out how little gamers like generative AI, the US president is about to attack Iran to distract from the Epstein files, and the Democrats have rightly denied the DHS funding until it reigns in ICE. Write your senators every day with a simple message: "abolish ICE."

Paris Connection

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 04:24:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Paris Connection, also known as SNCF: France & Germany. It's no 1817, but it's a distilled real train game that's worth playing. In the news, Overwatch 1 is back and Diablo 2 is back.

Our Morning Routines

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:46:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss our respective morning routines. How do you spend your mornings? In the news, skyrocketing RAM prices delay the Valve Steam Machine (along with the controller, and Steam Frame), NVIDIA isn't releasing new videocards for the same reason, bitcoin is (finally) collapsing, and someone left Horatio at the Goodwill.

9 Kings (early access)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 03:10:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the early access version of 9 Kings. It's got some good things going on. In the news, the Switch is now the highest selling Nintendo console and the Switch 2 is the fastest selling Nintendo console. Swords Without Master is launching more broadly, and Scott is considering running a game. Also Congress has a chance to dismantle ICE: Call your senators.

Webcams

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:41:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss webcams. In the news, ICE murdered another person in broad daylight with video and witnesses, and Senate Democrats are willing to shut the government down over continued funding of ICE. Call your senators today. No funds for ICE: abolish, dismantle, and prosecute.

In other news, Europe may ban Elon Musk's nonconsensual porn machine and France is planning to build a video conferencing tool to reduce dependence on American technology.

The Running Man (1987 Arnold Version)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:27:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights we review The Running Man (1987 film) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Richard Dawson. In the news, the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO along with regional bodies throughout the state have called for statewide labor action in Minnesota over the brutality of ICE. The crazy house we rented once in Wildwood NJ is for sale, and the New York Sirens are on the verge of selling out MSG despite drawing tiny crowds in New Jersey (proving once again that few want to go to New Jersey on purpose).

Big Shot (2001)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 03:29:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Big Shot (2001). If you want some vicious auctions this is the game for you. In the news, the United States is in extreme crisis threatening to invade Greenland, invade Minnesota, terrorize the city of Minneapolis, and end the global world order as we know it. Also Mothership has good videogame journalism. Call your reps to tell them to defund ICE.

Magic: The Gathering (1993)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 03:56:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review a card game called Magic: The Gathering. It's 32 years old, so you may not have heard of it. In the news, gamers don't like generative AI and The Game Awards happened. Rym posted his [video editing process](https://community.frontrowcrew.com/t/the-geeknights-lecture-video-process/3683 for producing GeekNights panel and lecture videos. We will be live at Super MAGFest 2026!

Book Club: I Who Have Never Known Men

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:27:00 +0000

Tonight on the GeekNights Book Club, we discuss Jacqueline Harpman's phenomenal I Who Have Never Known Men.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman is a dystopian sci-fi novel. It was originally written in French and published in 1995. It was not very well known until recently it surged in popularity.

This renewed interest in the book is not unfounded. Although it is only thirty years old, I was convinced it was at least twenty years older. It reads much like the foundational dystopian sci-fi novels like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, or Brave New World.

It tells the story of a woman who has lived her entire life in a prison. She has no memory of anything else. In the prison cell are only women. The other women do remember life before the prison, but nothing else. They don’t know why they are there, and assume they will never be let out. From that point, various events begin to unfold.

Initial Thoughts on Dispatch and Metroid Prime 4

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:06:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we share our early thoughts on Dispatch and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. In the news, Frankfurt's Christmas market is lit, and the Netflix x Warner Brothers Discovery situation is even more dangerous than the baseline danger of capitalist consolidation of media.

23 Knives

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 03:08:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights we review the historical and topical 23 Knives (2025). It's worth playing, and Rym is probably going to buy it. In the news, PAX Unplugged 2025 was smooth as butter, Doodle Puzzle is a good idea that's hard to make work, Gingham is more vicious than it appears, and Scott surprisingly is enjoying Octopath Traveler.

Arco (2025)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:58:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights we review Ugo Bienvenu's Arco (2025). Set in the future and the far future, it's a very French Science Fiction animated feature that's definitely worth seeing. In the news, we'll be at PAX Unplugged this weekend, as will the Night Market, and the Internet relies too much on one service.

Anti-Intellectualism

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 03:25:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider anti-intellectualism. In the news, Valve has new hardware including a new VR headset Rym is going to get, and you should learn about the 1981 Air Traffic Controller strike. We will be live at PAX Unplugged 2025!

Wake Up Dead Man (2025)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 02:20:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review (without spoilers) the third installment in the Knives Out Mysteries: Wake Up Dead Man. Benoit Blanc is a character for the ages, and it's worth seeing. In the news, Zohran Mamdani is the next mayor of New York and his victory speech is worth a watch. Democrats overwhelmingly vote to fight for democracy. Kodak quietly begins selling film again.

GeekNights 20th Anniversary Special!

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:39:00 +0000

Tonight is a very special GeekNights. This is our 20th anniversary stream. GeekNights began on October 31 2005 and has continued for 20 years with no real breaks. We did a series of "beta" episodes even earlier to work out the show format and learn how to podcast. We've done 317 talks at conventions. We had a massive forum which we replaced with a smaller forum. And somehow we're still going!

Messing Up the Rules

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 03:19:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about when one messes up the rules in games. In the news, EA is being aquired by Trump-linked private equity, and VRChat has recaptured some of the magic of the Old Internet.

Tech Bubbles

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:50:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss tech bubbles like the Dot-com bubble. Unrelatedly here's a video by Hank Green titled The State of the AI Industry is Freaking Me Out, and a video by Adam Conover titled Sora Proves the AI Bubble Is Going to Burst So Hard. In the news, nearly 7 million Americans marched in defense of democracy, Amazon AWS went down Sunday night reminding us how fragile the Internet has become, and the end of Windows 10 shouldn't be ignored.

Book Club: The Running Man (1982)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 01:24:00 +0000

Tonight on the GeekNights Book Club, we discuss Stephen King's Richard Bachman's The Running Man (1982). In 2025, the world's economy is in shambles, and America has become a totalitarian dystopia. The better-known Arnold movie is loosely based on it, though thematically it was spot-on. The 2025 Edgar Wright film will be much closer to the original.

In the news, No Kings Day is October 18th: find the march nearest you! The next GeekNights book club book will be I Who Have Never Known Men.

Fitness Tech

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 01:15:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss fitness tech like heart rate monitors and Strava and Dance Dance Revolution. In the news, Tik Tok has a dubious deal to keep operating in the US and the regime has plans for the algorithm. Also go see Perfect Blue remastered while you can. And read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

The Gang

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 02:33:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review The Gang, a fantastic cooperative tabletop game about pulling bank heists by ranking poker hands. In the news, there's lots to say about the Nintendo Direct, Borderlands 4 has angered gamers with its poor performance and Gearbox isn't handling it super well. 'Pitchford told people to “code your own engine and show us how it’s done, please,” and declared Borderlands 4 “a premium game made for premium gamers” whatever that means.

Specific Mice

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 01:12:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about specific mice. Mice we've used over the years, since the days of balls. In the news, Google dodges consequences in the US but not in the EU, Google is sued yet again for their advertising monopoly, and Google is looking to flood the phone lines of tiny businesses.

Video Chat and Teleconferencing

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 01:06:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about the modern marvel that is video chat. In the news, Perplexity is using undeclared crawlers to scrape content, Samsung has a crazy Micro LED TV, real life ad block is possible, and Trump is forming the American SS.

The next GeekNights Book Club book will be The Running Man, by Richard Backman, who you may know better as Stephen King.

Donkey Kong Bananza

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 02:40:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we share our thoughts on Donkey Kong Bananza. In the news, Gamescom happened, PAX West badges aren't sold out, and you should see The Relationship Between Game Design and Art Direction with Naoki Yoshida and Hiroshi Minagawa.

Computer Audio Interfaces

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:11:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss audio interfaces. Rym uses a PreSonus Studio 1810c to record GeekNights, and as his general purpose "sound card" in the studio.

In the news, the CEO of GitHub steps down, you can consider Forgejo if that worries you, Reddit will block the Internet Archive, and Trump illegally forces the National Guard to deploy to the streets of Washington DC.

GeekNights Book Club: The Silent Patient

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 01:52:00 +0000

Tonight on the GeekNights Book Club, we discuss Alex Michaelide' The Silent Patient. It's a fine mystery novel, and we both enjoyed our time with it.

In the news, Texas Democrats have fled the state in a bit to fight fascism, and Disney's ESPN acquires the NFL Network in the continued consolidation of all sports media into one big casino.

If you enjoy GeekNights panels and lectures, here's a list of all 315 we've done to date!

The Popularity of Anime Over Time

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:25:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the popularity of anime over time. In the news, CITY The Animation continues to crush it, it's GUNDAM season, The Boy and The Beast is pin theaters August 18th[(https://www.cartoonbrew.com/anime/mamoru-hosoda-the-boy-and-the-beast-theaterical-release-crunchyroll-248944.html?cbtr=LATPOS), and expect this The Bad Guys 2 anti-AI statement to appear in more movie credits.

Fancy Restaurants

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 23:59:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider fancy restaurants. In the news, noted racist Terry Bollea has died at 71, Donald Trump is getting even more dangerously unhinged than usual, and the Canada World Junior assault case has ended.

Here is a list of every significant lecture or panel that Rym and Scott have ever done, going back to the year 2002.

Tower Defense Games

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:41:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider Tower Defense games like the famous Desktop Tower Defense (2007). In the news, Ozzy Osbourne made it to 76, the PS5 Store is full of AI slop, Steam is caught up in the war on "pornography", and Deltarune is fantastic.

Rym's solo version of Every Game is the Same Game from Zenkaikon is live!

City the Animation (2025)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 23:04:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Keiichi Arawi's City the Animation. It's delightful; we reviewed the manga in 2018. In the news, Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a surprisingly popular game, though we had a meh opinion of the anime it's based on.

Why there's no big tech news

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:50:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider why there, broadly, aren't major consumer technology developments lately. In the news, Debian reduces support for i386 and Chrome OS is combining with Android. Also we'll be live at PAX West!

Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 02:09:00 +0000

Tonight on the GeekNights Book Club, we discuss Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune, 2052-2072 Despite several compelling aspects, its ultimately was a frustrating read which we discuss at length. That said, it's important to have post-apocalyptic works that imagine a better world rather than a worse one, however naive some of the interrogation of the subject ends up being.

Auction and Bidding Mechanics

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:36:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider auction and bidding mechanics in games. In the news, DriveThruRPG chose cowardice, and Microsoft lays of 9,000 people. GeekNights will be live at PAX West with an all new lecture on the same topic as this show! Our talk The Everlasting Game from PAX East is on youtube!

The Wild Robot (2024)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:28:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Chris Sanders' The Wild Robot (2024), out of Dreamworks. It's fantastic animation and overall a good film. In the news, Rym has ascended to the open comb razor, Diamond's bankruptcy saga continues to be more and more insane by the day, and Rick and Morty has matured into a very good show.

Blinky Lights

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:10:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the blinky lights and LEDs the kids are putting on everything including their computers. In the news, Windows 10 has extended security support, Broadcom is desperate to monetize VMware, and the EU forced Apple to comply, at least in the EU.

Toilets and Bidets and Washlets

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 01:38:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider toilets, washlets, and bidets. (Oh my). In the news, some context on the current Iran conflict, and Apple WWDC25 was mostly uneventful other than keeping old devices going for a while yet.

Nintendo Switch 2: Day One

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 01:51:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider day one of having a Nintendo Switch 2. In the news, Fortnite on the Switch 2 will support objectively superior FPS controls, REMATCH might do what Scott has always wanted, the Blades '68 playtest is done and you will soon be able to play Blades '68! The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is actually worth buying, and Mario Kart World is fun but the tracks are too wide.

Houseplants

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 30 May 2025 00:50:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the keeping of houseplants. In the news, the fascists are going after Harvard, but Harvard is fighting back in multiple ways. I recommend the free course "U.S. Public Policy: Social, Economic, and Foreign Policies." More interesting is the (not free) Public Leadership Credential. Long Island City finally has good bagels, and next week brings us a bunch of exiting nerd stuff including John Wick: Ballerina, The Phoenician Scheme, and Deltarune. Also Rym got a 1/4 scale Dig Dug machine.

Flip 7, Krakel Orakel, and Context

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:09:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review two Spiel des Jahres 2025 nominees — Flip 7 and Krakel Orakel — plus Context, a game that's harder the smarter you are. In the news, Rym has been diving deep into VRchat's true value, Shadow Labyrinth's mazes are revealed, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 dropped roll cancels from Capcom vs SNK 2, and Apple bought the creators of Sneaky Sasquatch.

Capacity Management

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 20 May 2025 01:40:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss capacity management. It's changed a lot over the years. In the news, evil people are trying to accelerate climate change, and a silly camera is coming.

Painting Miniatures

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 15 May 2025 23:50:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the painting of minis, from Ral Partha to Ralidium. In the news, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) will likely (and justifiably) strike, here's a starting point if you are interested in the dynamics of a broader anti-fascist General Strike, and the Twitter AI is obsessed with defending South African white supremacists.

Quacks (of Quedlinburg)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:24:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Quacks, previously released as The Quacks of Quedlinburg in 2018. It's a push your luck game that is fun, but just short of greatness. (That's rare praise from GeekNights). In the news, Greater Than Games is forced to reduce staff in light America's ridiculous tariff war, and tabletop companies are suing our president over America's ridiculous tariff war.

Surgery

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 01 May 2025 23:48:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about surgery. Warning: we talk about surgery. In the news, capitalism has destroyed Polygon and a federal judge has permanently blocked the Trump administration from deporting people to concentration camps using the archaic Alien Enemies Act of 1798, setting up an existential supreme court showdown.

Getting a New Game Console

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 23:01:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the acquisition of new gaming consoles. In the news, Overwatch competitive mode adds hero bans, the fourth of the old scrolls are remastered, and Scott has Hemorrhoids. The GeekNights content you crave.

The Apothecary Diaries

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:42:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review The Apothecary Diaries anime. It's worth a look, and is on both Crunchyroll and Netflix. In the news, Science Saru is bringing us a very good looking Ghost in the Shell, the Star Wars manga is getting a fancy artbook, and the Rose of Versailles movie is coming to Netflix April 30th. Also get on your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders.

Princess Mononoke

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 23:14:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫). This 1997 film is a masterpiece. In the news, Donald Trump destroyed global trade, Murderbot is coming, the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin manga gets a deluxe edition, and Spider-Verse 3 is coming on June 4 2027. Also Rym continues to love Common Side Effects.

Heat: Pedal to the Metal (2022)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 01:20:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Heat: Pedal to the Metal (2022). It's a car racing game with well-tuned push-your-luck mechanics that is definitely worth a play. It's even better over multiple races. In the news, Cory Booker heroically and historically holds the Senate floor for over 24 hours in a powerful rebuke of Donald Trump's fascism (beating Strom Thurmond's vile "record"). Also torpedo bats are a deeply baseball thing to happen, Nintendo Direct number 1 brings virtual game cards and a bunch of games, and Nintendo Direct 2 will announce the Switch 2.

The Discoverability Problem

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:34:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we muse a bit on the problem of discoverability. Nearly all experience is mediated, and this includes deciding what web site to look at. In the news, Rym is back from Zenkaikon, Moon Zooz is continuing to rock it, the cosmological constant might not be, niri is a scrollable-tiling Wayland compositor, and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is a dangerous idiot.

Power Grid: Outpost

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 01:22:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Friedemann Friese's sequel to Power Grid titled Power Grid: Outpost. We highly recommend reading the second page of the rulebook closely. In the news, Pokémon Go (and all your location data) were sold to Scopely, there's something to this nemesis system, and this is the most important thing you can pay attention to in America's ongoing crisis.

Sakamoto Days

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 01:19:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the Sakamoto Days anime. It starts with a strong premise, but in the end it's just a shounen fighting show. In the news, Flow wins Latvia's first Oscar, The Day The Earth Blew Up actually looks pretty good, you can see Princess Mononoke restored in theaters, and Common Side Effects is real good.

MIDI

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 01:07:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about MIDI. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is still in use today. In the news, Donkey Kong ‘94 is re-released on Switch, Youtube adds translated dubbing, and Ontario (rightly) taxes Americans using their energy.

Windows 11

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 01:20:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider Windows 11 and the fools who refuse to upgrade. In the news, the iPhone 16e arrives, Gmail is (correctly) dropping SMS two-factor, Twitch is capping uploads for 0.5% of streamers, and Germany represents a profound realignment of global politics.

Retirement

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 00:14:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the concept of retirement. I know what my plan is. In the news, James Bond is captured by an evil megacorporation, and supplements will destroy your liver.

Shogun (1986)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 02:36:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights we review Shogun, released as part of the Milton Bradley Gamemaster series that we reviewed back in 2006. Renamed to Samurai Swords and then to Ikusa, we revisited it with pro tabletop players this past weekend. We're a lot wiser about game mechanics and game design here in 2025, and this game holds up surprisingly well except for a few notable flaws.

We're also trying an experiment. Rym is writing new rules in an attempt to refurbish this old game. Comments appreciated!

In the news, the Four Nations Face-Off has been lit, the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming, Nintendo is dropping their coupon pricing, we're playing the newly released Civilization VII to prepare a grand review, Magic: The Gathering announces Final Fantasy commander decks, and NetEase fired the people who made the hit game Marvel Rivals..

Electronic Payments

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 00:58:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss electronic payments. We grew up in a world where credit cards were imprinted on carbon paper and cheques were on physical paper. In the news, the Baltics have disconnected from the Russian power grid, Football Manager 25 will be skipped, and there's one weird trick to stop Google's terrible AI summaries.

Fantastic Four (2022)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 02:02:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Ryan North's Fantastic Four (2022). It's kind of fantastic. In the news, Diamond Distributors is dead and AnimeNEXT appears to be dead.

Ways to Sell Software

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 01:09:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider all the ways to sell software. From shareware to software-as-a-service to "just buying it" it's evolved quite a bit over the years. In the news, CES happened, Republicans killed net neutrality, and Pornhub is blocked in the entire US south. Also we will be live at MAGFest, which is imminently about to sell out.

Moorland (2023)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:32:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights we review Moorland (2023). We played it twice at PAX Unplugged and it's a solid game with two novel mechanics. In the news, New York's congestion relief pricing is already fantastic, Valve makes insane money per employee, and two Gundam tabletop games are coming.

Terminals

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 01:26:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about Terminals. From the VT100 to any modern Terminal Emulator, they are still a part of the computing world and are worth knowing about. In the news, Jimmy Carter has died at 100, Chinese state-sponsored hackers attacked the US Treasury, and a hero has defeated a fake Nintendo lawyer.

Fear

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 00:52:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about fear. Rym was on a panel about fear at PAX South back in 2016, plus a video essay. In the news, it turns out Santa Claus is a myroblyte, ChatGPT went down, Russia shot down another commercial airliner, and Finland seized a Russian sabotage tanker.

Drones

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 02:43:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about drones. In the news, the common clay of the New West think they're seeing nefarious drones everywhere and we have WordPress vs WP Engine.

Knives

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:26:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about knives. Learn to use the right knife for the right task with the right technique in the kitchen, and your life will be better. Also learn how to care for them. In the news, the assassination of a health insurance CEO brought a deep simmering anger to the surface of American society, surprising many, and the Interstella 5555 "remaster" isn't.

PAX Unplugged 2024

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:40:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider PAX Unplugged 2024. It was a top tier PAX. In the news, the Rangers aren't doing well, Marvel Overwatch is exactly what it looks like, and Fortnite has to pay back the kids it ripped off.

Blogs

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:38:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider blogging. In the news, Roblox is making a closed ecosystem Discord competitor, the US gave Intel a pile of money, and Intel's CEO hit the bricks. Rym has also consolidated all of his social media into rym.social and talks about how he set up cross-posting across microblog, Mastodon, and Bluesky.

Obelus (2024)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 23:55:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Obelus. A re-implementation of Dark Spires designed by Chris A. Williams, it's a quick abstract two-player game that's worth having in your bag. In the news, The Magic Commander Format, recently embroiled in capitalist drama, is getting a digital version, and the itch.io Creator Day sale is this Friday!

Ranma 1/2 (2024)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:14:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the remake of Ranma 1/2. It's a solid remake of the classic anime based on the classic manga by Rumiko Takahashi. In the news, stay strong as the fascists take control of the US government, and Sony is trying to buy Kadokawa.

Pumpkin Carving

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 01:33:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the humble tradition of carving pumpkins. You may recall in 2006 when we reviewed Pumpkin Scissors or our review of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, but we have never dedicated an entire episode to the carving of pumpkins.

In the news, tonight is the 19th anniversary of GeekNights. (The brave can listen to the remastered pre-launch beta episodes (with commentary)). Also jaywalking is no longer illegal in New York.

Terminator Zero (2024)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 23:32:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the Terminator Zero anime. It's a worthy Terminator entry, though we'd suggest watching Terminator and Terminator 2 (and nothing else) before watching it. Eight episodes on Netflix and produced by Production IG, Skydance, and Netflix. In the news, John Wick is getting a prequel anime, and Animation Speak Easy is this Friday in Brooklyn.

Be sure to make a plan to vote for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Don't be a sucker.

Widgets

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 01:16:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about widgets. Mostly status and telemetry widgets that people like to put on their desktops or their phones. They have their uses, but are usually useless. In the news, Cloudplane is shutting down in December, Adobe's Project Turntable is stunning, and Tesla's robots were (obviously) fake.

If you are able to vote in the United States, make a plan to vote. You can't sit this one out. You can't vote for a "third party." It's frankly unethical to do anything but vote straight ticket for Democrats.

There are two power-seeking coalitions in America. Choose the one that you want setting the rules for the next election. The Democrats are the literal best option we have. Do the right thing.

Debt

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 23:30:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the concept of debt. In the news, the FTC makes a move against dark patterns in subscriptions and North Korea blows up its connection to South Korea and decrees that unification is no longer possible.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 23:17:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. It's a Zelda game and you probably should play it. In the news, the big Nintendo leak isn't that exciting and Reiner Knizia’s SHOCKING Confession.

Look Back (2024)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 22:26:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Look Back. Directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and based on Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga of the same title. You may know Tatsuki Fujimoto from Goodbye Eri and Chainsaw Man. In the news, Rym's flight home from Singapore has its own wikipedia page, Anno is producing a new Space Battleship Yamato film, and the Uzumaki anime has some drama.

Multicore Multiprocess Concurrency and Such

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 02:01:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about cores and concurrency and threads and such. Also Rym and Emily fought a bear. In the news, Intel's chip instability saga has concluded, and Python 3.13.0 is pretty good.

Web Trackers and Analytics

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:53:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the evils of web trackers and analytics. They are used almost exclusively to feed the ad industry and you should block them wherever possible. Rym has installed the microcode patch for some Intel chips and you should too if you have one of them.

In the news, Microsoft is moving to a security-first posture, nostalgia accounts on social media are making up nonsense, and chatbots are intruding into and slowly ruining online social spaces.

LUPIN III Kabuki Production

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 23:34:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights we review the absolutely fantastic LUPIN III Kabuki Production. Even if you have never experienced kabuki and know nothing about it, this is 100% worth watching. It's a top tier experience. In the news, everything on Temu and Shein is full of poison and the updated Chicago Manual of Style just dropped!

Friends vs Friends

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:43:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Friends vs Friends. It's a fantastic quick arena-duel FPS with cards. It evokes the feeling of playing weird mods against your friends online in 1998. In the news, PAX Unplugged is December 6-8, the keynote speaker is Elizabeth Hargrave (of Wingspan fame), "hard mode" is a great way to frame handicapping in games, Microsoft lays off even more people, and Sony's Concord failed in legendary catastrophic fashion.

A Fourth Branch of the Federal Government with Rym

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:40:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, Rym begins a series of short episodes where he talks about something that's stuck in his craw. Join us in the forum thread to prove him wrong or ask questions. Whatever threads get the most engagement will lead to "part two" episodes of those topics going deeper.

This is why you can't let Scott go out of town. Mods asleep, post about structural concerns of government!

Quantum Physics with Rym

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:42:00 +0000

This is why you can't let Scott go out of town. Mods asleep, post quantum physics.

Slay the Princess

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 20:30:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, Rym and Emily review Slay the Princess. It's a graphic novel philosophical horror game in a sense. It'll give you a lot to chew on and it's definitely worth playing! From Black Tabby Games, you may recognize Abby Howard from Penny Arcade's Strip Search!

Scavengers Reign

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 22:52:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Scavengers Reign, a science fiction drama television series created by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner for Max, based on their 2016 short film Scavengers. It's not bad. In the news, Deadpool & Wolverine is worth seeing if you like Deadpool, Arcane and Terminator Zero are already leaked, and the Rick and Morty anime is coming August 16th.

Fragrances

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 23:34:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss fragrances. You may recall in 2013 we covered the opposite side of the smell spectrum. In the news, GeekNights officially endorses Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for President and Vice President of the United States, the world's first medieval electronic instrument has launched, and this is the kind of thing you only expect to see in movies.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:22:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Four Swords, which was released in 2002 on the GBA as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords. It's basically a tech demo/proof of concept for the real game released on the Gamecube which we reviewed back in 2009. You can play it online with friends on the Switch, and you probably should. In the news, Game Informer is no more, Go AIs can be attacked via exploits, and the new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has engaged the hype machine.

Mars Express

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 22:50:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the 2023 French animated neo-noir science fiction film Mars Express. Just watch it. It's Robocop Bladerunner 2001 Terminator 2 Total Recall Ghost in the Shell Murderbot (and more). In the news, The Time Masters is getting a theatrical 4k remastered release, the creator of Centaurworld is making a musical feature, and Ranma 1/2 is getting a redo.

Noise Pollution

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 23:29:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about the insidious and underestimated problem of noise pollution. We've previously talked about computer noise specifically. In the news, GeekNights endorses whoever the Democratic candidate for President is in the 2024 election, the Russian government plotted assassinations in Europe, red light cameras remain controversial, and the Jersey Shore played itself.

Beach Games

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 23:19:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the games one can play at the beach. We've previously talked about the beach, and also Yard Games, so now we bring an intersection of the two. Also Beach Soccer and Terraforming Mars. In the news, the Nintendo Direct had some good stuff (especially the long awaited Metroid Prime 4) and you don't need an Xbox to play Xbox games.

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers (2023 Anime)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 22:39:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the anime version of Ōoku: The Inner Chambers from 2023. In the news, the Lupin III Kabuki Stage Play streams live with English subtitles on August 11 and Dandadan is opening in theaters on September 13th.

Car Dashboard Tech

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 00:32:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the sad state of the technology creeping into car dashboards. In the news, the US Supreme Court has disastrously ruled that the president is above the law in extreme and shocking complicity with authoritarian takeover. In other news, some good Python development practices and Apple cramming AI into their largely failed Vision Pro.

Bosses (in videogames)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 01:04:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the concept of bosses in videogames. In the news, the Panthers win the Stanley Cup in the longest season in NHL history, Connor McDavid is awarded the Conn Smythe trophy but doesn't come out to claim it, and Founders of Reyvick might someday come.

Tech News Roundup Summer 2024

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 02:47:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, it's a Tech News Roundup! Mouse movers are getting people fired but are also a sign of late stage capitalism, social media is messing up the kids, don't operate your i9 at turbo voltages when it's overheating, Adobe is mostly wrong here but also read what you buy, this is a good car that will never reach the US, data breaches are getting worse as people care less and less that they happen, Wine patches bug 7955 after 17 years, the Pentax 17 is bad, Apple cancels Apple Pay Later, New York gets digital IDs (sort of), Microsoft slow rolls Recall after backlash, and Voyager 1 still lives!

Animal Well (2024)

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 03:06:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Animal Well. It's a beautiful and well made metroidvania. In the news, Civilization 7 is coming and Blades in the Dark is fantastic from session zero to terminal endgame.

Tech Predictions for 2025, 2029, and 2034

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 02:38:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we make some technology predictions for one, five, and ten years into the future. We did this once back in 2010. In the news, Ticketmaster and Santander have massive data breaches, Google accidentally published its secret search sauce, Twitter adds pornography, and Rubin is the next generation AI chip.

Markup Languages

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:01:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss markup languages like Markdown. In the news, Rym posted an analysis of strange noises in Sportsnet NHL streams, the ship that broke Baltimore Harbor has been removed, you can read a paper exploring The consequences of generative AI for online knowledge communities, and there are new iPads.

Don't Make a Game, Make a Store

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 15 May 2024 01:39:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, in light of one of many Helldivers 2 kerfuffles, we consider yet another way that late capitalism is ruining the games industry: the stores make more money than the games. In the news, a Roblox game's attempt to fix its in-game economy causes a bunch of gamers to lose their minds, Sportsnet streams have freaky noises, and Animal Well is good.

Technology Failures

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Tue, 07 May 2024 00:47:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights we talk about when technology fails. Dead PSUs, dead hard drives, and the like. In the news, there is a vulnerability in practically all VPNs and Tesla is firing everybody after they fired a bunch of people.

Book Club: The Night is Short, Walk on Girl

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Thu, 02 May 2024 23:28:00 +0000

Tonight on the GeekNights Book Club, we discuss The Night is Short, Walk on Girl by Tomihiko Morimi. You may recall its anime adaptation we previously reviewed on GeekNights.

It's sort of a surreal and mystical romantic comedy. A college student heads out into the night and encounters various people and wild surreal happenings. Another student who has a crush on her has decided to confess that night, and ends up along for a wild ride. If you had a certain kind of university experience it is very true to that experience.

How to ruin your competitive card game

apreche@frontrowcrew.com (Rym and Scott) — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:11:00 +0000

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider how to ruin your competitive card game. Scott shares the original Sins of CCG design. This is all in the context of Marvel SNAP. In the news, the Rangers sweep the Capitals, Square Enix reported extraordinary losses, Dave & Buster's introduces real money gambling, and Fallout games don't work on modern PCs.

GeekNights

Games we played at PAX East 2026

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Tax the Rich

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Assessing Risk

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Puzzles in Games

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Age Verification on the Internet

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The Muppets

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Our Morning Routines

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9 Kings (early access)

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The Running Man (1987 Arnold Version)

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Big Shot (2001)

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Magic: The Gathering (1993)

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