VOG (Voice of Geeks) Network - Where Every Geek Has A Voice

VOG (Voice of Geeks) Network - Where Every Geek Has A Voice http://www.vognetwork.com/images/defaultavatar.jpg VOG (Voice of Geeks) Network - Where Every Geek Has A Voice http://VOGNetwork.com/ http://VOGNetwork.com/ The VOG (Voice of Geeks) Network is an online network dedicated to geek culture and all things fandom. Podcasts, Live Video Streams, Community, and more! en-us Sat, 25 Nov 2023 11:51:10 -0800 VOGNetwork.com Custom RSS Generator 2012 Edition Atari 2600+ Unboxing, Pictures, and Impressions Podculture http://www.vognetwork.com/reviews/259/Atari-2600-Unboxing-Pictures-and-Impressions/

A new toy arrived in the studio here at ye olde GeekBarn today: The Atari 2600+

Yep Atari released a modern version of their classic system. (my first game system actually) Now by “modern” I don’t mean high-end graphics and AAA titles. This is functionally the exact same system that was released back when I was a kid.

Inside the box is the system itself (with a nice little plastic dustcover over it). Looking exactly the same (right down to the classic woodgrain)…except that this time it is about 25-30% smaller than the original. One neat new touch is the fact that the Atari logo lights up when the system is powered on.

Out of the box the system feels exactly the same as the original system. Just a bit smaller. Flipping around to the back…there are two controller ports, USB-C power in. There wasn’t a power charger in the box…you have to supply your own. (I used an old Kindle charger and it worked just fine) The ports WILL work with the original accessories, however at the time of writing…I was unable to test this with my own original system controllers, as they are still packed away from a recent move. There is also the neat option to switch between 16x9 and the classic 4:3 aspect ratios as well.

Moving past the system and into the box we see a set of set up instructions and the first of two red boxes. The first box is a thin one that contains just two cables. HDMI for the TV and then a USB-A to USB-C cable for power. Annoyingly a power brick is NOT included. However I dug out and old Kindle charger and it worked just fine.

The cables themselves aren’t really anything to write home about, except they DID go to the trouble and embossed the Atari logo on each cable.

The second red box is the far more interesting of the two. It contains the 2600+ joystick controller and the included pack-in 10-in-1 game cartridge. The controller itself feels exactly the same as the original I grew up with. The included game cartridge has a bunch of the classic games on there, but I am really not crazy about how they have you select the different games. You have to flip a bank of dip switches on the back of the cart in various combinations, reinsert the cart, and THEN play the new game. There is NOT any kind of dashboard menu.

Slap a cart in and power on the system and it flashes the Atari logo and then BAM! You are right in the game. The games play exactly like they did back in the day too.

I compared two games (Yar’s Revenge and Combat) from the pack in to the original versions on their respective carts and play-wise I can’t tell any difference at all. I also tested a couple original carts that I’ve had sitting in storage for decades. (Pac-Man and Frogger) Pac-Man didn’t work at all (prob more due to age and storage, however Frogger fired up and played just fine.

Do I wish they had improved a bit more? Sure…the switches on the front are a bit stiff and could stand to be improved. (but the originals could be wonky too) The pack in cart suffers from not having a selection screen, as switching the games can be tricky if one has fat fingers or issues with fine motor skills.
HOWEVER the hit of nostalgia this brings (especially with being able to play original carts), and adding in the HDMI and the ability to use on a modern TV without having to use a sketchy adaptor or mod your original console far outweighs that.

The Bottom Line: The Atari 2600 is a neat little system and pretty affordable at approximately $130 US bucks. I like it a bunch, and I’m glad I picked it up.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/reviews/259/Atari-2600-Unboxing-Pictures-and-Impressions/ Sat, 25 Nov 2023 11:51:10 -0800 atari 2600 podculture VOG Roundtable: TwitchCon 2023 Our Experiences & Feedback Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/258/VOG-Roundtable-TwitchCon-2023-Our-Experiences-amp-Feedback/

Rob Roberts and Bobby Blackwolf are back from TwitchCon 2023 in Las Vegas! This was Bobby's first TwitchCon, and Rob's third, so we talk about how the experience compares to prior years, as well as if a first timer might want to go again. What were some factors that may have soured the experience that have nothing to do with Twitch? We discuss this and much more, including the importance of COMMUNITY in what these things are all about!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/258/VOG-Roundtable-TwitchCon-2023-Our-Experiences-amp-Feedback/ Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:08:23 -0700 twitchcon VOG Roundtable: TwitchCon 2023 Announcements Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/257/VOG-Roundtable-TwitchCon-2023-Announcements/

Bobby Blackwolf and Rob Roberts are back from TwitchCon 2023 in Las Vegas, and discuss the big news from the keynote. This includes the bombshell change to the exclusivity agreement. What could this mean for streamers large and small? We discuss. We also get into features that have great potential, such as Stream Together, and Private Moderation Messages. Join us and our many many years of streaming experience as we break down the news!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/257/VOG-Roundtable-TwitchCon-2023-Announcements/ Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:31:38 -0700 twitchcon VOG Roundtable: Monster Hunter Now Launch Impressions Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/256/VOG-Roundtable-Monster-Hunter-Now-Launch-Impressions/

Rob Roberts and Shane sit down to discuss the recent launch of Monster Hunter Now. In some ways, this mobile phone game is really slick, and one of the strongest games that Niantic has released. However, we discuss the deeper issues that lie with Niantic and-- well do we TRUST this company to do good things with the game and the community? It's some serious questions that we take on and discuss in our Monster Hunter Now Launch Impressions!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/256/VOG-Roundtable-Monster-Hunter-Now-Launch-Impressions/ Sat, 30 Sep 2023 14:51:26 -0700 monster hunter monster hunter now ar game capcom VOG Roundtable: Sony State of Play September 2023 Reactions & Discussion Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/255/VOG-Roundtable-Sony-State-of-Play-September-2023-Reactions-amp-Discussion/

Rob Roberts and Shane get together to talk about the surprise Sony State of Play from September 2023. While no big new games were announced, we got a more in depth look at titles such as Foam Stars, and Spiderman 2. Of course, it's the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth trailer that got the most attention from us. We talk about all the highlights, and things we wish we would have seen, and much more!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/255/VOG-Roundtable-Sony-State-of-Play-September-2023-Reactions-amp-Discussion/ Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:55:12 -0700 state of play ps5 spiderman final fantasy 7 rebirth ff7 rebirth VOG Roundtable: Nintendo Direct (Sep 2023) Reactions & Discussion Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/254/VOG-Roundtable-Nintendo-Direct-Sep-2023-Reactions-amp-Discussion/

Rob Roberts and Shane team up to talk about the Nintendo Direct released on September 14th, 2023. The direct featured many titles such titles as Super Mario RPG, F-Zero 99, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong. We give our overall impressions of the direct, and how it measured up. Did the rumors hurt the reception to the direct? Do the rumors of Switch 2 being on the horizon effect the announcements made? Why didn't they reveal the switch 2 here? We discuss all this and much more!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/254/VOG-Roundtable-Nintendo-Direct-Sep-2023-Reactions-amp-Discussion/ Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:10:05 -0700 nintendo direct fzero 99 mario donkey kong super mario rpg VOG Roundtable: The Making of Karateka Discussion Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/253/VOG-Roundtable-The-Making-of-Karateka-Discussion/

Bobby Blackwolf and Rob Roberts sit down to discuss the recent release "Making of Karateka." We discuss how this may have slipped off your radar, but it's an important one for retro enthusiasts. We talk about how the coffee table book or museum style presence of the game sets a new standard in game preservation. However we also discuss some of the opportunities for things to be even better with a potential future release. We also speculate what future releases in the Gold Master Series by Digital Eclipse could include!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/253/VOG-Roundtable-The-Making-of-Karateka-Discussion/ Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:40:08 -0700 karateka gold master series VOG DragonCon 2023 Wrapup & Review Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/announcements/252/VOG-DragonCon-2023-Wrapup-amp-Review/

Bobby Blackwolf and Rob Roberts sit down to talk about this year's DragonCon which happened in Atlanta over Labor Day weekend. How great was the cosplay? What were some things that were even better than prior years? What were some things that weren't so great that should have stayed in a focus group? We talk about all this, give our 2024 suggestions from our perspectives, and much more!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/announcements/252/VOG-DragonCon-2023-Wrapup-amp-Review/ Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:42:10 -0700 dragoncon dragon con VOG Previews DragonCon 2023! Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/251/VOG-Previews-DragonCon-2023/

Bobby Blackwolf and Rob Roberts from VOGNetwork sit down to talk about what's in store for DragonCon 2023, now that the app is officially live! What caused a bit of a delay in the full schedules release? We discuss this, as well as the impact the ongoing strikes in Hollywood will likely have on this years show. However, with DragonCon being such a diverse convention with so many fan-supported track, could it be that many people who attend won't see a difference at all? We talk about this and much more, with only one week to go until the big show in Atlanta!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/251/VOG-Previews-DragonCon-2023/ Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:31:45 -0700 dragoncon VOG VLOG: Pokemon Go: New Routes Feature Overview & Impressions Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-vlogs/250/VOG-VLOG-Pokemon-Go-New-Routes-Feature-Overview-amp-Impressions/

Rob Roberts from Orange Lounge Radio takes a deep dive on the New Routes feature for Pokemon Go. While demonstrating a sample route in a nearby mall, Rob talks about the things implemented well and not so well about the feature. Also brought up is a longer running Niantic Game, Ingress, where we take a look at the Missions feature in the game and how it's similar and different to the routes in Pokemon Go, and why Niantic may have chosen not to just copy over existing missions from their other game.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-vlogs/250/VOG-VLOG-Pokemon-Go-New-Routes-Feature-Overview-amp-Impressions/ Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:30:38 -0700 pokemon go ingress routes missions niantic VOG Roundtable: Final Fantasy XVI: Impressions Post-Game Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/249/VOG-Roundtable-Final-Fantasy-XVI-Impressions-PostGame/

Rob Roberts and Shane discuss Final Fantasy 16, now that the game has been out for several weeks and both have had a chance to beat it. We talk about the things we loved and things we thought could have been improved about the game. We also discuss the potential for a Final Fantasy 16 sequel, or perhaps DLC, and much more!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/249/VOG-Roundtable-Final-Fantasy-XVI-Impressions-PostGame/ Sat, 19 Aug 2023 08:24:46 -0700 ff16 final fantasy 16 spoilers ff16 ending VOG Roundtable: Final Fantasy XIV 2023 Fanfest Experiences, Reaction, and Feedback with Rob Roberts and Shane Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/248/VOG-Roundtable-Final-Fantasy-XIV-2023-Fanfest-Experiences-Reaction-and-Feedback-with-Rob-Roberts-and-Shane/

Shane (@shad_leland) went to Final Fantasy Fanfest in Vegas, and brought back a souvenir he didn't want. However, he breaks down the good, and bad, as well as feedback for future Fanfest events. Rob Roberts from Orange Lounge Radio joins to talk about this event from the virtual side, breaking down all of the game's announcements, and how the festival compared to prior events.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/248/VOG-Roundtable-Final-Fantasy-XIV-2023-Fanfest-Experiences-Reaction-and-Feedback-with-Rob-Roberts-and-Shane/ Sun, 13 Aug 2023 13:02:58 -0700 final fantasy xiv 14 ff14 fan fest dawntrail VOG Roundtable: Dead by Daylight new Alien DLC talk with DarkSakura and Rob Roberts! Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/247/VOG-Roundtable-Dead-by-Daylight-new-Alien-DLC-talk-with-DarkSakura-and-Rob-Roberts/

Orange Lounge Radio's Rob Roberts and DarkSakura (DarkSakura_OLR on twitch) join up for a special stream talking about the Dead by Daylight August 2023 announced chapter, Alien! We talk about the new characters, as well as the current state of the game, as well as much more!

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/247/VOG-Roundtable-Dead-by-Daylight-new-Alien-DLC-talk-with-DarkSakura-and-Rob-Roberts/ Sat, 12 Aug 2023 09:28:34 -0700 dead by daylight alien VOG Roundtable: Microsoft And Activision Sittin In A Tree. M-E-R-G-I-N-G Bobby Blackwolf http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/246/VOG-Roundtable-Microsoft-And-Activision-Sittin-In-A-Tree-MERGING/

Bobby Blackwolf of The Bobby Blackwolf Show and Rob Roberts of Orange Lounge Radio went on Twitch on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, to discuss the biggest gaming news of the day.

Taiko no-Tatusjin is coming to Xbox Game Pass.

Oh, and Microsoft announced their intention to purchase Activision Blizzard King for almost $70 billion.

Here are some hot takes that couldn't wait until Sunday.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/246/VOG-Roundtable-Microsoft-And-Activision-Sittin-In-A-Tree-MERGING/ Fri, 21 Jan 2022 15:17:31 -0800 video games gaming microsoft activision blizzard king VOG Roundtable 9/30: Pokemon GO & DLC Updates Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/245/VOG-Roundtable-930-Pokemon-GO-amp-DLC-Updates/

Pokemon GO announced some big changes this week, not only in how it will interface with Pokemon Home, but also in rolling back several changes that had been made to the game months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pokemon news didn't stop there though as we got announcements with the main series as well. Join Rob Roberts with Network Regulars Shad Starzyk, ssj100matt, and act_deft of the GFMcast for a discussion on all the latest in Pokemon news from this week.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/245/VOG-Roundtable-930-Pokemon-GO-amp-DLC-Updates/ Thu, 01 Oct 2020 19:35:06 -0700 pokemon go pokemon pokemon home VOG Roundtable 9/23: Cosplay in COVID Times Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/244/VOG-Roundtable-923-Cosplay-in-COVID-Times/

Rob Roberts sits down with cosplayers to discuss the effect of COVID on the cosplay community, from lack of in person conventions to the virtual conventions, and several other ideas for these artists to express themselves while still practicing social distancing.

Panelists:
IchigoGami - twitch.tv/StrawberryPaperDoll
Victoria - instagram.com/arya_snark
DJ Ranma S - animejamsession.com

Photo Credits for Thumbnail (L to R):
DJRanmaS
instagram.com/dgnphotography
RichAndStrangePhotography Through D.C. Cosplay and Photoshoots]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/244/VOG-Roundtable-923-Cosplay-in-COVID-Times/ Thu, 24 Sep 2020 18:04:59 -0700 VOG Roundtable 9/16: Twitch Mid-Roll Ad Announcement Discussion & Reaction Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/243/VOG-Roundtable-916-Twitch-MidRoll-Ad-Announcement-Discussion-amp-Reaction/

Rob Roberts (@RobRoberts) sits down with VOG Co-Founder Bobby Blackwolf (@BobbyBlackwolf) to discuss the recent announcement by Twitch that they plan to start putting ads into streams. Is this something that is here to stay? Are there negotiations or alternatives we want Twitch to consider? How do we make sure as content creators we control our content? We discuss all this and more!

Note: After this Roundtable was recorded on Wednesday evening, Twitch Support put out a tweet indicating that the mid-roll ad test has concluded. However, we feel this discussion still has value, as Twitch clearly is looking for ways to have more ad revenue, and we do present our thoughts and alternative ideas in our discussion.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/243/VOG-Roundtable-916-Twitch-MidRoll-Ad-Announcement-Discussion-amp-Reaction/ Fri, 18 Sep 2020 08:19:38 -0700 twitch midroll ads VOG Roundtable 9/16 : Sony PS5 Price, Date, & Games Announcement Reaction Rob Roberts http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/242/VOG-Roundtable-916--Sony-PS5-Price-Date-amp-Games-Announcement-Reaction/

Rob Roberts (@RobRoberts) sits down with Delvin (@VGRealness), Michael (@StealthKing500), and Sean (Wasted Knowledge Podcast, The Beerly Traveler Podcast) to talk about the Playstation 5 Price and Date reveal. Did the event convince us to buy a system Day 1? What Trailers caught our attention? How should Microsoft respond? We break down all this and more on the very first VOG Roundtable.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/vog-roundtables/242/VOG-Roundtable-916--Sony-PS5-Price-Date-amp-Games-Announcement-Reaction/ Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:08:30 -0700 playstation 5 ps5 Voice of Geeks Network Moving To Twitch Bobby Blackwolf http://www.vognetwork.com/announcements/241/Voice-of-Geeks-Network-Moving-To-Twitch/

The Voice of Geeks Network is excited to announce that we are moving our live programming from internet radio to Twitch, which means an added element of video to our broadcasts as well as enhanced discoverability so others can join the community you all have enjoyed over the years.

We will be starting this conversion on Sunday, December 16, 2018, with the first live video airings of The Bobby Blackwolf Show and Orange Lounge Radio on the VOG Network Twitch channel. On January 15, 2019, Anime Jam Session will be moving over to their own Twitch channel. The current 24/7 internet radio station will then be taken offline.

Why the change?

When we started VOG in 2012, we were recreating something familiar to us. We had started in the land of internet radio, and gained a following in the land of internet radio. We had done some video streaming in the past at places like Ustream and Justin.tv, but none panned out for us. (Fans of Bobby Blackwolf's old Friday Night Gaming show can relate.) We did have video content - Under Sedation Live was video throughout it's entire run on VOG - but the core of the VOG Network was around radio and podcasts.

It is now coming on to 2019. Video streaming is easier than it ever was before, and the discoverability opportunity is huge. Less and less people are listening to internet radio, and gamers specifically aren't going to internet radio to find live content anymore. We've had individual success on the Twitch platform, even gaining affiliate status, and decided to refocus our efforts for VOG using what we've learned.

Does this mean video archives?

Before we start this section, I want to put this in bold: Nothing any of our podcast listeners currently get will be taken away. However, there are some new things that come with video and streaming on Twitch that might not be as "free" as what we've had.

Twitch automatically archives video, so obviously you'd think that we'd have video archives available! And the answer to that is - yes and no. We actually plan on locking our video archives to those who subscribe to our channel on Twitch, either using their one free Twitch Prime subscription a month or by actually spending some money to subscribe. So, you will be able to watch our unedited video archives, but only if you're a subscriber.

The good news is, "the first hit is free" - the VOG Network Twitch channel is not at Affiliate level yet, and probably won't be until late January. So all video archives will be open to all!

Once we become an affiliate, we will also be accepting "bits" (Twitch's version of tips) - which means that, for the first time since VOG Network's existence, you can finally support us monetarily, which is something people have asked for often.

Another note in bold: It will cost you no money to watch our live video or download our audio podcasts. Nothing that you currently get will be taken away.

So what happens to the Internet Radio station?

Well, except this - it's going away. The 24/7 internet radio station is the single biggest expense that VOG Network has - moreso than the domains and website hosting. We do applaud the few of you who listen to our music feed during the week, but we know that people only tune in for our live programming. It was a wonderful and great idea in 2012, and we are happy to have been on the air for the past six years. But, it's coming onto 2019...Times have changed.

So what happens to the Podcast network?

Nothing!!!! Absolutely nothing. We are still dedicated to being a network of podcasts around geek culture. The only thing that will go away is the scheduled airtimes on our internet radio station - but, we also see the metrics and how popular that has been recently. Our website will still gather all of the latest episodes and announce them to our social media, and we will still look for the cross-promotion that we have been doing since we started. We do look forward to having more shows join our network.

So what happens to the chat room?

For the time being, when there is no live content going on at VOG, the IRC chat room will still be shown on Live.VOGNetwork.com. When there is live content on VOG, we will be replacing the chat applet to point to the either the VOG Network or Anime Jam Session Twitch video and chat room. Once the radio feed goes away, we will permanently be showing the VOG Network Twitch feed and chat unless a show that uses their own Twitch channel is live (such as Anime Jam Session.)

If you would like to be able to chat with other members of the community, we encourage you to join our Discord server. It is more active during the week than the chat room and (now closed) forums have been for the past few years.

So what happens to Checkins and Site Loot?

For the time being, we will still be offering checkins and loot on the site. We will also still continue doing the passphrase for our podcast programming. All this is subject to change in 2019, however.

Shut up and take my money!

Okay, you didn't actually say this, but we'll be accepting Twitch subscriptions and bits hopefully in January. Go ahead and follow VOGNetwork and AnimeJamSession on Twitch to be notified when they go live - we plan on taking the VOG channel live during the week sometimes to get some of the prerequisites for becoming a Twitch Affiliate out of the way, so we'd love it if you'd watch during those times to help us out.

"See" you soon!
]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/announcements/241/Voice-of-Geeks-Network-Moving-To-Twitch/ Sat, 15 Dec 2018 15:18:40 -0800 video games gaming podcasts twitch bobby blackwolf orange lounge radio rob roberts Game Review: Blossom Tale: The Sleeping King (Switch) Eric Kelly http://www.vognetwork.com/reviews/240/Game-Review-Blossom-Tale-The-Sleeping-King-Switch-/

It's been awhile since the PC release of this game has been out, but now the game is available on the Nintendo Switch. Here are my thoughts on the port. If you want my overall thoughts on the original, please check my preview and reviews here and here, respectfully.

The game doesn't receive any noticeable visual improvements, although it does look good in portable mode regardless. And the HD rumble is much better than the force feedback seen with standard gamepads on the PC release. On the other hand, the game is more or less a straight port, as there's no new content since it's PC release, including the lack of quality of life improvements. This is disappointing since it would have been nice if the map system had received an update to be more visible, with labels for things like challenge caves, etc. but alas. Another nice update would have been a quest marker system that would let you mark a place on the map to let you know where to go for a quest.

Despite the lack of quality of life improvements though, Blossom Tales is still a game that's worth picking up. If you haven't picked it up on PC already, the Switch is the way to go. It's 'take it anywhere' nature makes a quick session a snap. But if you've already picked this up on the PC, there's little reason to pick this up unless you really want to potentially play the game on the go. And in that event, you'd better just wait for a sale. Although it might be quite some time before that happens in that case.

Summary: A great port to a little Zelda clone with a lot of secrets to uncover, with fun The Princess Bride styled commentary.

Acquisition Method: This game's review code was provided by the publisher.

]]> http://www.vognetwork.com/reviews/240/Game-Review-Blossom-Tale-The-Sleeping-King-Switch-/ Fri, 18 May 2018 08:11:01 -0700 blossom tale sleeping king switch