Nuketown Radio Active

Welcome to Nuketown Radio Active!

nuketown@gmail.com — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:16:36 +0000

Nuketown Radio Active is a twice-a-month podcast dedicated to life, liberty and the pursuit of geekdom. The show features geek, technology and gaming links from around the Web as well as book, movie, game and podcast reviews.

Comments, suggestions and heretical complaints? E-mail nuketown@gmail.com.
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The podcast has been published since March 2005 and is hosted by Ken Newquist, Nuketown's editor and founder. A web developer by day, he's also a freelance staff writer for Knights of the Dinner Table and SCI-FI.com.

Radio Active #83: The Game Room Rebooted

nuketown@gmail.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:10:16 +0000

Good news -- Nuketown Radio Active did not see its shadow, and has emerged from its winter hiatus with an episode that looks at my new gaming room, runs down the video games I've been playing, and talks about the comic book companies you should be following on Twitter.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Game Room rev 3
  - The last two months have seen us hard at work on our 3rd floor (my game room, my wife's craft room)
  - New carpet, new lights, new desks, new shelves and (hopefully) a new TV for gaming, DVD watching.
  - A huge, time-consuming project but oh-so-worth-it.
  - Check out the photos on Flickr.
Promo: Accidental Survivors
- http://accidentalsurvivors.libsyn.com/
My Gaming Life
- Dragon Age: Origins ... continued
  - Rebooted with a new character after I discovered that a town was destroyed ... taking with it two NPCs.
- Mass Effect 2
  - Sequel to Bioware's SF RPG; this iteration feels more linear, and less RPG-like as it loses its inventory system (making the whole thing very Rainbow 6 like.
- Return to D&D 4E: Revenge of the Giants
  - My gaming group's playing D&D 4E again thanks to Revenge of the Giants, a megamodule involving a planar threat and (of course) lots of giants.
  - I reviewed the megamodule as part of The Tome podcast; the show should be up soon.
Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://rpgpodcasts.com
Netheads
- Comic Companies on Twitter
  - @darkhorsecomics Because they publish Star Wars: Legacy, gave Star Wars: KOTOR a great run & are launching a new SW title
  - @marvel and @agent_m because they got the value of Twitter from the beginning and are amusing reads
  - @Dc_Nation Follow for a steady stream of DC Comics news, but don't expect the robot to talk back.
  - @Wildstorm The feed for the DC line that does Twitter better than its parent company.
Promo: SFF Audio
- http://sffaudio.com
Outro

Contact us:

Email: nuketown@gmail.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2010-03-03.mp3	25.81 MB

Radio Active #82: Invasion of the Mario Brothers

nuketown@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:20:24 +0000

On this episode of Radio Active, StarGirl takes up soccer, NeutronLad becomes a preschooler, and I stop by The Tome podcast to geek out about the Eberron Campaign Guide.

Back at Nuketown, I talk about my new Nintendo DS Lite and some of the games I've picked up for it, learn how to make my own Star Wars crawl and surf through thousands of government regulations at OpenRegs.com

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- She shoots, she scores!
  - StarGirl's started soccer, which is slowly growing on her. She doesn't like it as much as softball; she says there's to much running, and I don't think she gets the "charge the ball" aspect of soccer. But she's trying.
- NeutronLad in preschool
  - Our little boy's going to preschool three days a week. He's excited; there are a lot more trucks in preschool. :) We're also meeting a whole new bunch of parents, which is interesting. Only a matter of time until he starts asking to hang out with his new friends.
- My Gaming Life
  - Halo ODST
    - 6-7 hour campaign, new firefight mode, and a bunch of maps (including 3 new ones).
    - Worth it for me, and I think worth it for my gaming group. It was nice to actually finish a game for once.
    - Buy it from Amazon.com.
  - Borderlands
    - A Diablo-like first-person shooter with an awesome multiplayer mode. Great for people who love Left4Dead, but want to pick from an infinity of weapons.
    - Buy it from Amazon.com.
  - Dragon Age: Origins
    - Bioware's new dark fantasy. Picture The Lord of the Rings drenched in blood, but what really makes this game isn't the gore - it's the story.
    - Buy it from Amazon.com.
  - Eberron Campaign Guide reviews
    - WotC successfully adapted 4E to Eberron, with none of the radical upheavals we saw with the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide last year. If I was running 4E, this is what I'd use. It gives me hope for the Dark Sun guide.
    - My GameCryer.com review
    - Round-table review at The Tome (including me)
    - Buy it from Amazon.com.
  - No more Sci Fi Wire game reviews
    - They've moved game reviews to Fidgit; not sure if/when I'll start writing again. Looking forward to a break.
Promo: Accidental Survivors
- http://accidentalsurvivors.libsyn.com/
Netheads
- Create your own Star Wars crawl
  - http://alienryderflex.com/crawl/
- OpenRegs
  - Web site dedicated to tracking federal regulations. Find out about what regulations are looking for comments, recently published final regs, and much more.
  - http://openregs.com/
- Fake AP Style Guide on Twitter
  - http://twitter.com/FakeAPStylebook
Promo: Yog Radio
- http://www.yog-sothoth.com/radio
Review: Nintendo DS Revisited
- I've got a spiffy new red & black Nintendo DS Lite ... and new games:
  - Scribblenauts: This game gives you a goal; you create the tools to achieve it. Write about an object -- any object -- and it gets inserted into the game. Use candles to light fires (or flamethrowers), summon Great Cthulhu to smite your enemies, freeze enemies into icecubes with freeze rays, etc.
  - Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars: A top down, faux 3D game that's a throw back to GTA 2. Extensive drug trading minigame (hey, it's GTA right?) is thrawted by police who chase you after minor fender benders.
  - Picross: A picture-based crossword -- you have a grid, and numbers in each column and row tell you how many squares in that grid are filled in.
  - New Super Mario Brothers: Classic side-scrolling action harkening back to Super Mario Brothers 3, with a surprisingly fun battle mode. One of StarGirl's and NeutronLad's favorites. In fact, their nuts about all things Mario.
Outro

Contact us:

Email: nuketown@gmail.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-11-19.mp3	27.31 MB

Radio Active #81: That New Mac Smell

nuketown@gmail.com — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:37:33 +0000

On this episode of Nuketown Radio Active, the site gets updated to Drupa 6, I get a new MacBook Pro, return to Castle Wolfenstein and try out some new tricks from the Jedi Academy Training Manual.

In Netheads I make plans for MEPACon 2009 and check out the northeast Pennsylvania convention's web presence, and get my final frontier fix from The Space Review

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Nuketown Gets Upgraded
  - Now running Drupal 6. And it even works!
    - Views went a way for a bit, but then I found them hiding in a corner.
    - Publishing images is still a bit ... wonky. Where is your Image API Drupal 7?!
- That New Mac Smell...
  - I got a new MacBook Pro at work.
  - Good: Beautiful (if shiny) display, gestures are cool and hey, look a RIGHT-CLICKING TRACKPAD.
  - Bad: Unibody means stupid port placement; all ports on the left, disc drive on the right.
- New Review Gig: The Secret Lair
  - Audio versions of my Nuketown game reviews are being syndicated at The Secret Lair (http://www.thesecretlair.com)
    - First up: The Day After Ragnarok.
- What I've been playing:
  - Wolfenstein: It's time to stomp supernatural Nazis once again.
  - CORE: A first person shooter for the Nintendo DS. A throw back to DOOM ... but not in a good way.
  - Jedi AcademyTraining Manual [rpg]: Because Jedi didn't have enough cool stuff to do already. That said ... lightsaber form powers are hella cool.
Promo: The Secret Lair
- http://www.thesecretlair.com
Netheads
- MEPACon, Fall 2009
  - November 13-15, 2009 near Scranton, Pa.
  - I'm running a Star Wars: Legacy Era game, a Day After Ragnarok game using Savage Worlds, and Risk 2210
- Space Review
  - "Essays and commentary about the final frontier." Covers government and private space ventures from around the world. Great if you like to keep up with current thinking on the exploration and commericalization of space.
    - http://www.thespacereview.com
Promo: The Accidental Survivors
- http://accidentalsurvivors.libsyn.com/
Outro

Contact us:

Email: nuketown@gmail.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-09-14.mp3	19.37 MB

Radio Active #80: Summer Vacation

nuketown@gmail.com — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:28:03 +0000

On this episode of Nuketown Radio Active, I talk about my summer vacations, first to Origins 2009 in Columbus, Ohio, then to an island on Lake Champlain in Vermont.

I run down the new role-playing game books and supplies I bought at Origins, geek out about my family's new "Blue Dolphin" netbook, and offer a progress report on my summer reading list, which includes Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds, The Dreaming Void by Peter F. Hamilton, Dauntless by Jack Campbell and The Far Side of the World by Patrick O'Brien.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- What I bought at Origins
  - Hackmaster Basic
    - Crunchy, old-school gaming, sprinkled with Hackmaster humor.
  - Savage Worlds supplements
    - Campaign Setting: The Day after Ragnarok
      - What if the Nazis had woken Midgard, the World Serpent? What if America killed it with an atomic bomb? And what if it's corpse was poisoning the world?
      - Conan meets 1970s post-apocolyptic, cold war pulp.
    - Savage Worlds: Fantasy Companion
      - Repackaged Fantasy Toolkit, in a convenient Explorer's Edition folio book. Just what I've been waiting for.
      - Rules for magic items, fantasy races, and a bunch of new monsters. Seems like you could run a great sword-and-sorcery game with these rules (and I plan to do so as an ur-Flan prequel).
      - Now about those science fiction and pulp toolkits...
  - Serenity: Six-Shooters and Spaceships
    - Unlikely I'll run Serenity any time soon, but this has some great starship maps that I can grab for Star Wars
  - Lots and lots of starship minis for Star Wars.
  - Fluxx
    - A card game where the rules change from hand to hand and turn to turn.
  - No dice. :(
- The Dolphin Has Landed
  - My misadventures in blogging from an iPod touch tought me that having a small (9" or 10") lightweight netbook would be a worthwhile investment.
  - We bought the ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-PU1X-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (in blue)
    - Nice little machine with good battery life, but we did have some issues with the charger.
Promo: Lovecraftiana
- www.lovecraftiana.com
Summer Reading Progress
- Redemption Ark by Alistair Reynolds
  - Took too long to get started (and to get back to the characters in Revelation Space) but ultimately it was a good hard sf/space opera mix, with some truly huge space structures. Cool stuff.
- The Dreaming Void by Peter F. Hamilton
  - Another book that took its time getting started. The premise is shaky -- there's a pocket universe at the center of the galaxy. It's a medieval world with telepathic and telekinetic powers. It sends dreams to the galaxy at large that have attracted a huge following. These "Living Dream" adherents want to enter the Void, but the rest of the galaxy fears this will cause the pocket universe to expand, consuming part or all of the galaxy.
  - Not bad, and I liked the tie-ins to Hamilton's earlier Pandora's Star/Judas Unleashed. I wish there was more out and out space opera in this book, and less sex. A few big starship battles would have been nice, and this tome is certainly setting up some of those, but I suspect have to wait for the Temporal Void (the book's sequel) for them.
  - I'll read part 2 ... but this book's a step down from Pandora's Star.
- Dauntless (The Lost Fleet, Book 1) by Jack Campbell
  - Starts off with an allied star fleet about to lose a huge battle, and its only hope is Captain John "Black Jack" Geary, just thawed from hibernation after losing his own epic battle 100 years earlier.
  - Satisfies that nautical/military SF itch I get from time to time.
- The Far Side of the World and The Reverse of the Medal by Patrick O'Brien

The Space Opera Renaissance edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer

Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://www.rpgpodcasts.com
Outro

Contact us:

Email: nuketown@gmail.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-08-15.mp3	26.71 MB

Radio Active #79: On the Edge of Summer

nuketown@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:18:14 +0000

On this episode of Nuketown Radio Active I start building my summer reading list (and yes, inspite of all this dreary rain and 60 degree weather, I do believe summer is coming), recruit players for my weekly Star Wars campaign, geek out about Origins 2009, and take a look at the games that have been consuming my free time this spring.

Meanwhile in Netheads I come across a treasure trove of modules, campaign settings and other resources for D&D and contemplate a Savage Worlds-powered Star Trek campaign.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- It's almost summer...
  - ... but you wouldn't know it from the Weather.
- Building my Summer 2009 Reading List
  - I'm looking for suggestions for my Summer 2009 Reading List
  - I already have a few books on the list:
    - Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds
    - The Dreaming Void by Peter Hamilton
    - The Space Opera Renaissance
    - The Lost Fleet: Dauntless by Jack Campbell
  - http://www.nuketown.com/books/readinglists/summer-2009-suggestions
- Looking for a new player for my Star Wars campaign
  - http://www.nuketown.com/games/news/recruiting-new-players-in-lehigh-valley
- Origins 2009
  - Game Faire in Colombus, Ohio in June
  - I'm playing Star Wars, Spirit of the Century, Call of Cthulhu, Battlestar Galactica (Board Game), Settlers of Catan, and Arkham Horror. I'm hoping to find a Savage Worlds game to join as well.
  - http://www.originsgamefair.com/
- Recent game reviews at SCI FI Wire:
  - Ghostbusters
  - Bionic Commando
  - Damnation
  - Demigod
Promo: Ray Gun Revival
- http://www.raygunrevival.com/
Netheads
- Savage Star Trek
  - http://renny.wikispaces.com/ST+Home
  - Alien races, gear, starships
- D&D: Previous Editions Archive at Wizards of the Coast
  - Classic Realms modules
    - The Fall of Myth Drannor
    - Volo's Guides
    - City of Raven's Bluff
    - Elminster's Ecologies
  - Dungeon Land / Land Beyond the Magic Mirror
  - Palace of the Silver Princess
  - Secret of Bone Hill
  - Birthright, Darksun, Dragonlance, Greyhawk (Ivid the Undying!)
  - http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads
- Thoughts on running Star Trek RPGs at Vulcan Stev's blog (guest written by Uncle Bear)
  - Running a campaign (runabout style)
  - Starship combat made easy
  - Worldbuilding 101
  - http://vulcanstev.wordpress.com/2009/06/10/gaming-in-the-universe-of-star-trek/
Promo: Accidental Survivors
- http://accidentalsurvivors.libsyn.com/
Outro
- Contact us:
  - Email: nuketown@gmail.com
  - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
  - Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-06-19.mp3	24.65 MB

Radio Active #78: Wii Have a Winner

nuketown@gmail.com — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:32:33 +0000

On this episode of Nuketown Radio Active colds stalk the Newquist household, I geek out about some computer upgrades, and I return to the World of Warcraft.

In Netheads I look at the Bard of Valiant, an RPG blog and Saga-Edition, a fan web site dedicated to Star Wars: Saga Edition RPG. Finally, I round out the podcast with a look at four cool games for the Nintendo Wii.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Gloop Invades the Newquist Household
  - One, two punch: first colds, then stomach bug.
- Podcasts Archives Fixed!
  - Khephren (coming in from Yog sothoth) reported a problem with the show archives that prevented episodes 13 to about 32 from being downloadable has been fixed.
- Computer Upgrades: I spent some of my hard earned freelance cash (remember all those reviews last fall/winter?) on some upgades for my MacBook Pro and home office.
  - LACIE 320 GB Rugged Hard Drive
  - Dell 22" HD LCD monitor
- Return to World of Warcraft
  - I'm back in World of Warcraft after 3 years away. And Zilanderan was right there waiting for me.
  - Having a blast playing with my gaming group.
Promo: Serving Worlds by John Mierau
- http://johnmierau.com/
Netheads
- Bard of Valiant
  - RPG gaming blog that spends a goodly amount of time talking about science fiction (which, as a newbie scifi gm, I appreciate greatly).
  - Recent posts include "Prophesy", "A Dark Earth" science fiction campaign setting, random scifi encounter with a killer garden.
  - http://www.bardofvaliant.com
- Saga-Edition.com: The Star Wars Saga Editon RPG Databank
  - Includes conversions from earlier editions, new rules (e.g. Jedi and Sith holocrons), NPC write-ups, feat and talent indexes (though I wish they'd identifty which book they came from in their master lists) and much more.
  - http://saga-edition.com/
Promo: The Secret Lair
- http://www.thesecretlair.com
Game Review: Wii Games
- Animal Crossing: City Folk
  - More of the same; if you've played the DS version there's not a lot new here. There's a new city to visit, 20% more furniture, but game play remains the same.
- Cooking Mama: International Kitchen
  - Complete various recipes to make virtual meals. Very Japanese, but StarGirl likes it.
- The Force Unleashed
  - The graphics may not be as good as the 360, but you can use the Wiimote as a lightsaber. 'nuff said.
- Outdoor Life Adventure Challenge
  - Comes with a floor mat (a la Dance Dance Revolution?) that you can use to control the onscreen actions. Games include running, jumping, mine cart races, tunnel sliding. A big hit in our house.
Outro
- Contact us:
  - Email: nuketown@gmail.com
  - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
  - Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-05-31.mp3	24.72 MB

Radio Active #77: Footsteps in the Night

nuketown@gmail.com — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:42:06 +0000

On this episode of Nuketown Radio Active, Neutron Lad gives up diapers for good, StarGirl and I get in a game of Settlers of Catan, I head back to the gym (again) and set some goals and I share my reviews of a bunch of new games, including Resident Evil 5, Star Ocean and Ticket to Ride.

In Netheads, I take a look at the Launchy fast-application launcher for Windows and Linux, and share some Tor.com-inspired thoughts about the future of comic books.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- NeutronLad gives up diapers for good.
  - Good news: He's mostly potty trained.
  - Bad News: The soft footfall of almost-preschooler footsteps in the night.
- Settlers of Catan with StarGirl
  - She gets the math, she gets the mechanics, eventually she'll get the strategy.
- Back to the Gym
  - How things currently stand: 209 lbs., 38 waist.
  - Watching Alias, Season 1, which goes surprisingly well with exercsie.
  - Goal: 200 by April 30.
- New Game Reviews
  - SciFiWire: Resident Evil 5
    - http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/review-plug-away-at-an-en.php
  - SciFiWire: Star Ocean
    - http://www.nuketown.com/games/news/scifiwire-reviews-star-ocean
  - Nuketown: Ticket to Ride (Xbox Live edition)
    - http://www.nuketown.com/games/reviews/ticket-to-ride-xbox-live
  - Game Cryer: Star Wars: The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
    - http://www.nuketown.com/games/news/gamecryer-reviews-clone-wars-campaign-guide
Promo: Serving Worlds by John Mierau
- http://johnmierau.com/
Netheads
- Launchy
  - Open source fast application launcher for windows.
  - Like Quicksilver for the Mac, but much more limited.
  - http://www.launchy.net/
- Tor: Are Comic Books Dying?
  - Heather Massey speculates on the demise of comic books as we know them. I've got to agree; a weekly pull is getting harder and harder, trade paperbacks are getting much more appealing, and the online archives do suck.
  - Reading a comic in digital format is, well, tough.
  - An iTablet could help with this; good resolution, plus easy portability, could help a lot (and help preserve trade paperbacks).
  - http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=blog&id=11958
Promo: J.C. Hutchins: Personal Effects: Dark Art
- http://jchutchins.net/site/personal-effects/
Outro
- Contact us:
  - Email: nuketown@gmail.com
  - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
  - Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-04-08.mp3	28.2 MB

Radio Active #76: The Stars, Like Books

nuketown@gmail.com — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:25:46 +0000

My Christmas-turned-Winter Reading List is front and center on this episode of Radio Active as I run down the books I've been reading recently, including Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds, The Last Colony by John Scalzi and Star Wars: Omnipedia: Tales of the Jedi, Volume 1.

I also talk about my new writing gig at GameCryer.com and try out Cute PDF, a free PDF writer for Windows.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Game Cryer
  - There's a new game review web site out here, and I'm writing for it. It's called GameCryer.com, and it's aimed at getting quality game reviews on the web.
  - My first review for the site, Star Wars: Scum and Villainy, is up now. Look for me to write about one review a month.
  - Excited about it because we really needed another good, consistent venue for reviewing RPGs.
  - http://www.gamecryer.com
- Cute PDF
  - Found a quick-and-easy free PDF writer I've been using on my Mac's Windows partition.
  - http://www.cutepdf.com
Promo: Lovecraftiana
- www.lovecraftiana.com
Christmas/Winter Reading List
- Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds
  - I was in the mood for a good, hybrid space opera/hard SF book, and Reynolds delivered. Revelation Space is a novel that wraps itself around a cosmological mystery: what caused the extinction of the alien Amarantin civilization? And will solving that mystery save the human race ... or destroy it?
  - The book gets a little thick in the middle -- it could have lost 50 or so pages of political scheming -- but throttles things up in the last third to reach a satisfying conclusion.
  - While this is the first book in a series, it doesn't read like one; there are no unnatural cliffhangers, and it's nicely self-contained.
- The Last Colony by John Scalzi
  - The last in the trilogy spawned by Scalzi's first book, Old Man's War. John Perry and his cloned wife have settled into post military life, only to find themselves recruited to serve as chief administrators on Earth's newest colony. Scalzi introduces (and then abrutly discards) first contact with an aboriginal alien spieces, then goes on to short curcuit his own political intrigue about halfway through the book. It's not a bad book, and it's an adequate conclusion to the series, but it felt rushed, and like it could have used about another 50 pages of exposition.
- Star Wars: Omnipedia: Tales of the Jedi, Volume 1
  - Volume #1 consists of three stories: The Golden Age of the Sith, Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon, and The Saga of Nomi Sunrider set 3000-4000 years before the Battle of Yavin.
  - All in all, the book's worth picking up, particularly for those (like me) who are running Knights of the Old Republic RPG campaigns. "The Golden Age" may be weak, but the other two stories make up for it.
- Next up:
  - The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman (Book #3 of His Dark Materials; The Golden Compass was book #1)
  - Either The New Space Opera or The Space Opera Renaissance
- My Christmas 2008 reading list on GoodReads.com
- My Winter 2008 reading list on GoodReads.com
Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://rpgpodcasts.com
Outro
- Contact us:
  - Email: nuketown@gmail.com
  - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
  - Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-01-25.mp3	13.06 MB

Radio Active #75: Under the Geek Tree

nuketown@gmail.com — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:05:08 +0000

In Radio Active #75 I look back on the holidays and talk about the presents I found under the Geek Tree this year, geek out with some gaming on the Xbox 360 and Wii, check out a tool for porting Unix utilities to the Mac, contemplate some retro-future t-shirts.

Finally, I review the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society's most excellent A Very Scary Solstice Christmas album, which is filled with 25 seasonal songs dedicated to the horror of the Cthulhu Mythos.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Under the Geek Tree...
  - Lots and lots of books
    - Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi Vol. 1
    - The New Space Opera
    - The Space Opera Renaissance
    - The Last Colony by John Scalzi
  - Games!
    - Arkham Horror (the world's most complex ... and coolest ... video game)
    - Civilization IV: Warlords
    - MarioKart DS
    - Travel chess set
  - DVDs
    - Alias, Season 1
- Gaming Life: Left 4 Dead, Tomb Raider, Warlords, Gears of War 2, Wii
  - Left 4 Dead:
    - Multplayer zombie mayhem. Try to survive the undead apocoylpse with four friends online. It's a one note game, but man, what a note!
    - Rating: A-
    - Read the review on SCIFI.com
  - Tomb Raider
    - The relaunch of the Tomb Raider franchise continues. Running, jumping and problem solving; if you like these things, you'll like the game ... but beware of wonky cameras.
    - Rating: B
    - Read the review on SCIFI.com
  - Gears of War 2
    - Traded in a couple of games to finally get Gears of War 2. Underwhelmed by the story so far, but as always co-opt rocks.
  - Civ IV: Warlords
    - Civ IV gets some new game mechanics, including the ability to acquire vassal states (instead of destryoing an enemy or signing a peace treaty with them, you can now force them to do your bidding) and warlord units (which can serve as generals for your units and build military-enhancing city improvements.
  - Wii
    - Animal Crossing for the Wii: Same game, slightly tweeked
    - Wii Sports: Still the system's killer app.
    - Contemplating renting Wii version of Force Unleashed; had a blast playing it at my brother-in-laws ... but can I stand missing the gamer points on the Xbox?
Promo: Accidental Survivors Shoutout
- http://accidentalsurvivors.libsyn.com/
Netheads
- MacPorts
  - Easy (relatively) open source unix ports for Mac OS X.
  - From the site "The MacPorts Project is an open-source community initiative to design an easy-to-use system for compiling, installing, and upgrading either command-line, X11 or Aqua based open-source software on the Mac OS X operating system.
  - Practical use case: I needed ImageMagick command line tools to serve as an image toolk kit for a local Drupal install on my Mac. Mac ports made the process painless!
  - http://www.macports.org
- Retropolis Transit Authority T-Shirts
  - T-shirts from a future that never was, including space cadets, mad geniuses, faithful robots, retro rocketeers, and space pirates!
  - http://www.printfection.com/retro-future/
Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://www.rpgpodcasts.com
Music Review: A Very Scary Solstice
- A Christmas album by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society that replaces traditional christmas song lyrics with ones inspired by the weird horror of the Cthulhu Mythos.
- My favorite songs:
  - "The Carol of the Olde Ones"
  - "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fishmen"
  - "I Saw Mommy Kissing Yog-Sothoth"
  - "I'm Dreaming of a Dead City"
  - "Little Rare Book Room"
  - "The Shoggoth Song"
- http://www.cthulhulives.org/Solstice/
Promo: Canon Puncture
- http://canonpuncture.blogspot.com
Outro
- Contact us:
  - Email: nuketown@gmail.com
  - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
  - Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2009-01-07.mp3	19.66 MB

Radio Active #74: The Sound of Distant Crashing Xboxes

nuketown@gmail.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:38:16 +0000

On this episode of Nuketown Radio Active, I dream of a good night’s sleep, remember the adventure that is potty training my son, recount my Xbox 360 "Red Ring of Death" woes and talk about the boatload of games I’ve been reviewing.

In Netheads, I try out the “Is Gd” url shortner, test drive the Obsidian Portal gaming wiki, and round out the show by geeking out over the Star Wars RPG game master’s screen.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Potty Training Redux!
  - NeutronLad decides he’s had enough diapers.
- My Xbox 360 died dead.
  - For the second time in 2.5 years, my Xbox 360 is dead. This time though, it wasn’t covered by the Best Buy service plan, so I had send it back to Microsoft … right while I was reviewing an avalanche of games.
  - Turns out renting one is next to impossible, but borrowing well, that’s easier.
  - Jordan missed the Xbox terribly.
- New game reviews: DeadSpace, Fallout 3, DC Universe
  - DeadSpace:
    - Solid horror shooter that mixes things up with cool zero gravity mechanics and a location-based space zombie killing mechanic.
    - Rating: B+
    - Read the review on SCIFI.com
  - Fallout 3
    - Loyal to the original game, even if it shifts from third person to first person perspective. Not as deep or extensive as Oblivion, but this is a good thing as you’ll actually be able to replay it. Makes me want to play Gamma World with Star Wars: Saga-spawned rules.
    - Rating: B+ (but a really solid B+).
    - Read the review on SCIFI.com
  - Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
    - Fun with friends, but more a rental than a buy.
    - Read the review on SCIFI.com
- The Secret Lair: Review of The Sky People by SM Stirling
  - http://www.thesecretlair.com/main/2008/11/19/episode-0017-the-sky-people-by-sm-stirling
Promo: Accidental Survivors Shoutout
- http://accidentalsurvivors.libsyn.com/
Netheads
- Is.Gd: URL Shortener
  - Twitter needs short URLs. Tiny URL is flaky, so when I saw friends using is.gd over the summer, I decided to try it.
  - http://is.gd
- Obsidian Portal
  - Free campaign wikis
  - http://www.obsidianportal.com
  - You can create:
    - Adventure Logs
      - posts as public, but can be flagged as GM only
      - content can be broken down within the post to public vs. GM only, which is nice.
      - Posts can be tagged
    - Wiki
      - Functions as a traditional wiki, including mediawiki style bracketed hyperlinks.
      - Every wiki page has a GM secret area.
    - NPC Tracker
      - Allows you to quickly add and tag NPCs, then go in and edit their details (level, species, bio, etc.)
    - Comments
      - Simple comment page.
    - Map Upload
      - No map creation or pre-gens (wouldn’t THAT be nice?)
    - Terms of service based on WordPRess TOS.
      - http://www.obsidianportal.com/terms-of-service
  - Prime plans can restrict access to members of their party or friends.
  - Site map shows locations of campaigns around the country.
  - Can share information with third party sites, e.g. posting wiki updates to blog syndication services.
  - Could really use a forum associated with the campaign site; that would be particularly handy for play-by-posts, but you could get away with comment threads in adventure logs.
Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://www.rpgpodcasts.com
Game News: Star Wars: KOTOR campaign begins!
- Campaign site up at http://kotor.griffcrier.com
- Plays very fast … so fast that players aren’t ready for their action because they’re used to waiting.
- Find myself trying to retrain my brain to do scifi … and less monster slaying.
- Playtest notes for Sessions #1 and #2 are up now. Session #3, which featured skill challenges, will be up this week.
Review: Star Wars Game Master's Screen
- MSRP: $12.95
- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786949368/nuketown
- Quick-reference screen/fortress of solitude for game masters running Star Wars: Saga Edition RPG.
- The screen is low and wide – only 8.4 inches tall, but two feet long – and is comprised of four panels (check)
- Built from heavy, laminated cardboard; much stronger/solid than previous edition screens (or D&D screens)
- Cover art is a montage of video captures and artwork from the Star Wars films and Extended Universe.
- Panel by Panel:
  - First Panel:
    - Statistics for Objects, Statistics for Substances, Weapon Ranges, Restricted Objects
  - Second Panel
    - Actions, Combat Modifies, Condition Track, Vehicle Actions, Size, Vehicle Weapon Ranges
  - Third Panel:
    - Sample Skill DCs, Climb Check DCs, Deceptions, Average Skill Bonuses, Attitude Steps, Perception DCs, Gather Information DCs, Treat Injuries DCs, Computer Attitude Steps
  - Fourth Panel
    - Cone Diagram, Experience Points and Rewards, Force Powers (Core book)
  - All panels are white and light blue on a black background.
- We’ve been moving away from GM screens in our game, but I like this style of low screen; it’s less of a barrier and more of a game aid. You can still roll those secret rolls, but you don’t have this huge wall in front of it.
- Everything on these screens is something that I’ve needed in our playtests (especially skill DCs, weapon ranges and – as of last Friday – cone diagrams).
- Also love that this screen perfectly fits my downstairs work area; I can wrap it around my laptop and still see everything I need. I think this may be
- Some complained that weapons damages weren’t listed, but honestly I’m ok with that. Players have that stuff on their sheets; they don’t generally have weapon ranges.
- Artwork is not particularly inspired. Really liked the cover sleeve (with Darth Vader and the partially completed Death Star) and wish they’d carried that to the screen, but what they have is adequate
Promo: Yog Radio
- http://www.yog-sothoth.com
Outro
- Coming up on Radio Active:
  - A very geeky Christmas!
  - Even more video game reviews.
- Contact us:
  - Email: nuketown@gmail.com
  - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nukehavoc
  - Skype: nuketown

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2008-12-01.mp3	22.16 MB

Radio Active #73: The Cold Touch of Autumn

nuketown@gmail.com — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:56:39 +0000

The kids are getting over colds and we've got another round of home improvement under our belts as Nuketown Radio Active returns for more adventures in geek parenting. In this episode I've got a run down the video games I'll playing over the next few weeks, I take a look at Green Ronin's new Wizards and Warlocks role-playing game and find kindergartners playing chess with spaceborne astronauts. Rounding out the show is a review of Apple's iPod touch, the one geeky gadget that could conceiveably replace my trusty black iPod...

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Sick Kids.
  - Three weeks of sick kids, sick moms and sick dads. And is anything more miserable than a sick 2 year old?
- Home improvement strikes again. This time ... winterizing!
- Hit Sonic for the first time! (
  - The Lehigh Valley got its first one in Nazareth, near Route 33 and 248.
- Newsletter Poll is done.
  - So far 8 votes in favor (9, if you count twitter)
  - Have a solution in mind that works with Drupal.
- Currently playing: LEGO: Batman
  - If you like LEGO games, or just want a superhero themed game you can play with the kids, this works (esp. on superhero side).
  - Read my review of LEGO: Batman on SCIFI.com
Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://www.rpgpodcasts.com
Netheads
- Wizards & Warlocks Design Journal #1
  - Green Ronin is releasing a fantasy RPG based on its Mutants & Masterminds rules. This could be made of AWESOME.
  - http://www.mutantsandmasterminds.com/super-vision/000610.php
- NASA, U.S. Chess Federation to Begin Earth vs. Space Match
  - The chess team at Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue, Wash. is facing off against the crew of the ISS. Each day the kids pick four possible moves to make, then the public votes on which one should be sent up to the space station.
  - NASA, U.S. Chess Federation to Begin Earth vs. Space Match
- Star Wars: Delusions of Grandeur
  - The blog of Star Wars RPG freelancer Sterling Hershey, who's worked on KOTOR and a bunch of the upcoming source books.
  - Keeps fans up to date on the mini and RPG games.
  - Has news about his new stuff, like the free adventure "Iridonian Darkness" for KOTOR.
  - http://blogs.starwars.com/silverforce
Promo: Canon Puncture
- http://canonpuncture.blogspot.com
Review: iPod Touch
- Been using a 1st gen iPod touch for a few weeks now in testing for work.
- Using it to check mail, view calendars (which I'm now happily syncing with my Mac via Google Calendar, details about that can be found on Nuketown).
- Video looks great on in; perfect for watching video podcasts, movies, TV, etc.
- Compatible at least some of the peripheries of other iPod device (it works with our kitchen music station).
- Web browser is nice. Nothing you'd want to spend hours working on, but useful for quick hits.
- Great if, like me, you continuously live in a wi-fi field, but have crappy cellphone coverage (or just don't want a dataplan for your cell)
- Apps:
  - Stanza: Book reader for iPod Touch
    - http://www.lexcycle.com/iphone
  - AIM
  - Pandora
    - http://www.pandora.com/
  - Twitterific
    - http://iconfactory.com/twitterrific/
  - TouchTerm
    - offers SSH access (including support for private/public key authentication0 to servers.
    - http://www.jbrink.net/touchterm/
  - Mach Dice: Dice roller for the iPod Touch
    - http://www.machwerx.com/apps/machdice/
- Haven't driven with it, but I expect the interface would be more difficult to use than the standard iPod (which is what I hear from friends with the iPhone as well)
- Lack of storage is a challenge (16 GB is probably adequate for a mix of podcasts, videos and music, but 32 is the sweet spot in my opinion ... and more expensive for it.
- And oh yeah, it plays music too.
Promo: SF Audio
- http://www.sffaudio.com
Outro
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=706747005
- Email: nuketown@gmail.com
- Skype: nuketown
- MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/knewquist
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NukeHavoc
- Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/profile/nukehavoc

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2008-10-13.mp3	37.05 MB

Radio Active #72: Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition

nuketown@gmail.com — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:07:04 +0000

Radio Active #72 contememplates the best way to organize a geeky bookshelf, takes another turn at chess with kids, finds out that Neutron Lad has a lot to talk about, asks questions about Nuketown's long-dormant RADIATIONS newsletter and finally reviews Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, the latest edition of the venerable role-playing game by Wizards of the Coast.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- Luke decides to reorganize his room
- Jordan loves chess.
- I'm reworking the geek dad bookshelf. Photo on Flickr
- Luke gets talking ... and talking ... and talking.
- Should I bring back the RADIATONS Newsletter? Vote on Nuketown
Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://www.rpgpodcasts.com
Netheads
- Pyramid: Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Reviewed (subscription required)
  - http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/login/article.html?id=6945
- The Tome: Player's Handbook
  - http://TheTome.podbean.com/2008/06/23/the-tome-ep-66-4e-players-handbook/
- The Tome: Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide
  - http://TheTome.podbean.com/2008/06/24/the-tome-ep-67-4e-dmg-and-mm/
- SCIFI.com: Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition
  - http://www.scifi.com/sfw/games/sfw19037.html
- The Game's the Thing: Episode 034: Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Discussion
  - http://www.thegamesthething.com/index.php?post_id=351751
- Investigating Mind Games Vol 1 #07 - JJ and Sean Talk 4th Edition…
  - http://www.fistfullofcomics.com/podcasts/2008/07/05/investigating-mind-games-vol-1-07-jj-and-sean-talk-4th-edition/
- Virtual Play - Episode 29: Dungeons & Dragons 4E
  - http://virtualplay.podbus.com/http://virtualplay.podbus.com/?p=56
- WapCaplets: Episode 19: Obligatory D&D 4E Episode
  - http://wapcaplets.podbean.com/2008/07/06/episode-19-obligatory-dd-4e-episode/
- Radio Free Hommlet: A D&D 4E
  Podcast
  - http://hommlet.com
- Pulp Gamer: 4E First Impressions
  - http://www.pulpgamer.com/outofcharacter/134109/pgoc-051-first-look-at-4th-edition/
Promo: Canon Puncture
- http://canonpuncture.blogspot.com/
Review: Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition
- Read the full review at Nuketown.com
- Final Analysis:
  - I like 4E, but I don’t love it. I think it’s a bad fit for traditional campaign settings, including Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms and works best with players who are tired of 3E, are looking for something with more focused character options, and are willing to reboot their campaign.
  - The game system is less flexible than it’s predecessor, and unlike 3E players will find themselves forcing their campaigns to fit 4E’s play style, rather than the other way around.
  - If I were starting up a new D&D campaign with a new group of players, I might go with an Eberron 4E campaign (especially once the updated setting is released next year) but for now 4E’s off my active gaming radar.
  - And yeah, I'm tired of arguing about 4E.
Promo: Geek Acres
- http://www.geekacres.net/
Outro
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=706747005
- Email: nuketown@gmail.com
- Skype: nuketown
- MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/knewquist
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NukeHavoc
- Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/profile/nukehavoc

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2008-09-28.mp3	37.75 MB

Radio Active #71: Summer's End

nuketown@gmail.com — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:41:33 +0000

Summer's over and Nuketown Radio Active's back in the saddle as I talk about a different kind of game day, dodge a bullet with a crashed hard drive, get ready for a Western-themed NukemCon 2008.

My promised review of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition has been bumped to Radio Active #72, and instead I talk a little about the challenges of reviewing the game, and what my gaming group's decided to do with the new edition.

Getting the Show

There are several ways to get the podcast:

Download the MP3 directly
Subscribe to the podcast rss feed using an aggregator (you only need to do this once; subsequent shows should download automatically)
Subscribe via iTunes (you need iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)

Show Notes

Nuketown News
- The Long Summer
  - It's been one long, crazy summer. Way, way too much work to do, which led to way, way too few podcasts. But the semesters under way, and I'm getting back to my regular routine.
- Close Encounters of a Crashy Kind
  - Have you backed up recently
- Back to the Gym
  - I've gone back to the gym (and pool) and am slowly working my way back down to my target weight of 190 lbs. Right now I'm down about 6 lbs., at 208
- A Different Kind of Game Day
  - Jordan and I made it to two IronPigs games. Fantastic fun, great family-centric environment. I can't wait to go again next year; I'm thinking about getting a multi-game pack.
- Nuke(m)Con
  - My gaming group's gearing up for its home-grown gaming convention, Nuke(m)Con. We're going with a western theme this year, focusing on games like Aces & Eights, Deadlands Reloaded, Serenity and Dogs in the Vineyard; all games we bought over the last year or so, but never had a chance to play. And, of course, there will be D&D.
Promo: RPG Podcasts
- http://www.rpgpodcasts.com
Netheads
- RPG Bloggers Network
  - Dozens of RPG bloggers have come together as part of the network. This site aggregates their posts into a central, easily browseable location.
  - http://www.rpgbloggers.com
    - Musings of the Chatty GM
    - Uncle Bear
    - Critical Hits
    - The Core Mechanic
    - Stupid Ranger
    - Critical Ankle Bites
    - The Fine Art of the TPK
Promo: The Master Plan Podcast
- http://masterplanpodcast.net
Feature: Struggling with 4th Edition D&D
- Sorry, no review in this edition, but it will be in Radio Active #72. I know this because I already wrote it. Instead I talk about my challenges writing the review, and what may gaming group's decided to do with 4E going forward.
Outro
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=706747005
- Email: nuketown@gmail.com
- Skype: nuketown
- MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/knewquist
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NukeHavoc
- Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/profile/nukehavoc

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2008-09-14.mp3	24.06 MB

Re-post: Radio Active #70: A Day at the Ballpark

nuketown@gmail.com — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:09:03 +0000

I accidentally linked the story for Radio Active #70 to the file for #69. This is a re-post to get the file into the feed; show notes are still available at:

http://www.nuketown.com/podcast/radioactive/70

And that folks, is why you should always check your feed and feed stats after posting a new episode...

Attachment	Size
NuRA-2008-07-17.mp3	27.97 MB