Episodes

  • #90 | Moriarty x Jaffe: On Video Games, Anxiety, and Negativity

    #90 | Moriarty x Jaffe: On Video Games, Anxiety, and Negativity
    Oct 1 2024
    It's time for a 'very special' one-on-one episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. It's me, Colin. Joining me today is storied game designer David Jaffe for an intimate (no, not like that) three-ish hour chat about a variety of topics. We dwell a great deal on video games, of course, touching on Steam, Concord, Freedom Wars, Bloodborne, Dragon Age, and much more. We even get into more philosophical ideas like visionary game design, bad opening sequences, and more. As we're often wont to do, however, we also get much more personal and serious, opining about our respective childhoods and upbringing, relentless online negativity that's slowly chasing us offline, and how we deal we deal with depression (and the anxiety that stems from it) in our lives. Please enjoy an unfocused -- but deep -- episode of Constellation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 49 mins
  • #89 | San Diego, Being Backstage, Technical Difficulties, Latenight Eats

    #89 | San Diego, Being Backstage, Technical Difficulties, Latenight Eats
    Sep 24 2024
    Welcome to a rare themed episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, I (Colin) welcome Punching Up co-host Micah Moriarty, Summon Sign host Brad Ellis, and LSM producer Ben Smith to the show, and I asked each of them to bring a topic centered around our recent experience at our live show in California. Brad kicks things off with a chat about San Diego itself, the host city of our event, a unique and special locale that has a lot to offer. What do we think of southern Southern California? Next, I get into the entire premise of 'going backstage' or 'being backstage' at an event. I love the mysticism and history behind the scenes at these different venues. Does anyone else feel it, too? Third up is Ben, who experienced some limited technical difficulties during our show. When tech goes awry in our day-to-day lives, how do we react, and what do we do? Finally, Micah rounds things out with an exploration of late-night eating. After all, seeing an In-N-Out shoulder-to-shoulder crowded after midnight set her mind alight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 55 mins
  • #88 | Three Old Men Talking About Video Games

    #88 | Three Old Men Talking About Video Games
    Sep 17 2024
    Welcome to "a very special episode" of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, I (Colin) am joined by a duo of guests as opposed to our traditional trio: Punching Up's Gene Park and storied game designer David Jaffe. In an unusual (though not unprecedented) move, I asked the guys not to come prepared with any topics this week. Instead, I thought we'd just chat about whatever and see where that brought us. Perhaps not surprisingly, a lack of a concrete plan led us into nearly three hours of video game talk about a wide variety of topics: Concord, Astro Bot, Drawn to Death, Jim Ryan, Mark Cerny, Naughty Dog, The Last of Us Online, Killzone, Resistance, Uncharted, God of War, PlayStation games going to Xbox, Phil Spencer, Bobby Kotick, Nintendo, Super Switch, and on and on. We hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 58 mins
  • #87 | Freaky Friday, Eradicating Animals, Stupidest Antics

    #87 | Freaky Friday, Eradicating Animals, Stupidest Antics
    Sep 10 2024
    Uncharted Territory! Chris Ray Gun (Sacred Symbols) hosts this weeks episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. Joined by Micah Moriarty (Punching Up) and Lockmort (a foreigner,) this ever-winding episode gets nutty. Micah forces us to envision our own Freaky Friday scenarios and decide which celebrities and LSM cohosts we'd switch bodies with. Chris sets his sights on animals that the world will be better without. Lockmort asks us about the three dumbest things we've ever done. Chris is hosting so expect frequent derailments. For free breakfast for life go to https://www.hellofresh.com/freecon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 35 mins
  • #86 | Football's Return, Exotic Animals, Our Sleep Schedule, Salad

    #86 | Football's Return, Exotic Animals, Our Sleep Schedule, Salad
    Sep 3 2024
    It's time once more for another episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, I (Colin) am joined by Punching Up co-host Micah Moriarty, Defining Duke co-host Lord Cognito, and Sacred Symbols co-host Chris Ray Gun. As usual, topics are varied. Chris kicks things off with an inquiry into exotic animals. No, not cats, dogs, and the like, but far more unordinary fare. Do we want a weird creature companion? Next, Micah explores the wide world of salads. Are we excited or repulsed by leafy greens and their endless accoutrements? From there, Cog takes us down an interesting path, exploring our respective sleep schedules, and the cadence by which we go through our daily lives. Are we early birds or night owls? Finally, I wrap things up -- here, on the precipice of football season! -- by checking everyone's temperature on the upcoming NFL campaign. Are we optimistic, pessimistic, or wildly disinterested? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 4 mins
  • #85 | Mythology, Vigilantism, Adaptations, Cars

    #85 | Mythology, Vigilantism, Adaptations, Cars
    Aug 27 2024
    Welcome back to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, I (Colin) am joined by LSM executive producer Ben Smith, Summon Sign host Brad Ellis, and Hoeg Law's Rick Hoeg. Rick kicks off this time around with a topic about mythological pantheons. From Roman to Greek to Norse and beyond, do we find ourselves particularly interested in or attracted to any of these ancient forms of worship? Next up is Brad, who wants to chat about film, TV, and game adaptations. Whether we're talking about The Last of Us, Batman, Castlevania, or something else entirely, which IP have most successfully crossed media boundaries in our eyes? From here, we come to Ben for a conversation all about cars. What was the first car we personally owned? What car do we own now? Do we like driving? Finally, I wrap things up with an inquiry into vigilantism, specifically through the lens of recent 'predator catcher' videos that have gone from non-violent to decidedly aggressive. Do the victims deserve this level of treatment, or have things officially gotten out of control? For free breakfast for life go to https://www.hellofresh.com/freecon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 46 mins
  • #84 | Video Game Films, Fixing Warner Bros., Re-specing Yourself, The Songs In Our Heads

    #84 | Video Game Films, Fixing Warner Bros., Re-specing Yourself, The Songs In Our Heads
    Aug 20 2024
    It's time for more Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, I (Colin) am joined by LSM coordinator and shopkeep Micah Moriarty, storied game designer David Jaffe, and Lockmort's Edits' Lockmort. We begin with my topic, a heady one no doubt, but a fun one with lots of threads from which to pull. Warner Bros. Discovery -- the owners of HBO, CNN, Cartoon Network, WB Pictures, WB Games, and much more -- is in freefall, with value dropping 70%. How would we save this storied brand from seemingly-certain destruction? Next up is Micah, who wants to know which songs are currently in everyone's heads. What are you humming as you go about your recent business? Then, Jaffe steps to the plate with a classic gaming conundrum, but for real life: If given the opportunity, how would we "re-spec" ourselves, like a character in an RPG? Finally, Lock brings up the rear with a conversation about video game movies. Borderlands is apparently very bad. What gaming film do we want to see made that would hopefully be the exact opposite? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 20 mins
  • #83 | Game Informer's Closure, Favorite Brand Mascots, Space Travel, Road Trips

    #83 | Game Informer's Closure, Favorite Brand Mascots, Space Travel, Road Trips
    Aug 13 2024
    Welcome -- one and all! -- to another episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, Colin is joined by Punching Up's Micah Moriarty, Defining Duke's MrMattyPlays, and Summon Sign's Brad Ellis. Matty kicks things off with a soliloquy for Game Informer, the popular gaming publication founded in the early-'90s, and inexplicably shuttered right before we began recording. How do we feel about its closure, and its impact on the industry? Next up is Micah, who inquires as to our favorite brand mascots over the years. Where do the Geico Gecko, Mr. Clean, and the Trix Rabbit stack-up? Then, Brad brings us on a journey, recounting our favorite roadtrip memories from our past. Did we find ourselves on long roadbound adventures with friends and family? Finally, Colin wraps things up by inquiring about space travel. How does everyone feel about the idea of exploring the seemingly unexplorable? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 5 mins