Creative Commoners

Episode 95: D&D Part III – The Cult of The Three

Chris — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:00:39 +0000

Wherein we conclude the story of our first Dungeons & Dragons adventure. The hot chick is missing from Creo Commons, our heroes have run south toward the mysterious green light, and a foulness stirs deep beneath the graveyard. Will Brodo Shaggins and Rimrod Ravenshaft save the girl–and the town–from evil? Or will Corey be a total jerkbag Dungeon Master and kill everyone for his own amusement?

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 94: D&D Part II – The Missing Hot Chick

Chris — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:16:51 +0000

Wherein we start our Dungeons & Dragons adventures. Corey opens the story in the town of Creo Commons, Chris introduces the old-timey Elf wizard known as Rimrod Ravenshaft, and Allison voices the many accents of the lusty thug Halfling, Brodo Shaggins. Green lights, a missing hot chick, and bad jokes await!

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 93: Threes, Trilogies, Thirds

Chris — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:00:50 +0000

Wherein Chris plays the third wheel of the trio, quizzing Allison and Corey on their knowledge of all the trifectas, trinities, threesomes, turkeys, and Trinidads that pop up in our world. Then they explore the threes of creativity, from the rule of three and the three act structure to the rise of trilogies in fiction. So 1) sit back, 2) relax, and 3) enjoy the show.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 92: D&D Part I – Pimp My Character

Chris — Thu, 02 May 2013 07:00:32 +0000

Wherein Corey takes Allison and Chris through the steps of creating characters for their eventual on-air session of Dungeons & Dragons adventures. Corey quashes all the fun with rules, Allison creates a lusty little lothario, and Chris just wants to be Asian. It’s thirty-seven levels of nerdiness!

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 91: Arrr, Piracy!

Chris — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:00:01 +0000

Wherein our crew of salty sea dogs speak of online piracy and digital media, heaving down on DRM in video games, authors and e-book royalties, reasons why people steal, and how good will and trust can turn the tide. Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen, mateys!

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 90: Ian T Healy and “Day of the Destroyer”

Chris — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 01:00:29 +0000

Wherein we meet again with author Ian T. Healy to discuss the release of his third Just Cause novel, Day of the Destroyer. We also delve into the mammoth topic of worldbuilding, Corey dweebs over Bioshock Infinite, Allison wants more Dinklage, Chris goes bio-punk, and Ian makes B.J. West an offer he shouldn’t refuse.

Theme music by Latché Swing. “Day of the Destroyer” cover image courtesy of Ian Thomas Healy.

Episode 89: Let’s Make Some Stories

Chris — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:00:39 +0000

Wherein we bust out the Story Forge cards and the Story Form app to create a delightful trio of stories right before your very ears. These tales are full of mental instability, forbidden kisses, cough syrup, and… Peter Dinklage.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 88: Infobesity

Chris — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:00:26 +0000

Wherein we binge on the topic of information overload. How has the Information Age changed our brains and society? How do we stave off overchoice and analysis paralysis? And what happens when all this noise stifles and stymies our creative pursuits? This episode is pure TMI.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 87: Bring Me A Dream

Chris — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 08:00:03 +0000

Wherein our dreamy hosts put to bed all manner of sleepy talk, including nightmares, sleep paralysis, the mysteries of the brain, dreams as depicted in fiction, and using the unconscious mind to solve daytime problems and hatch brilliant ideas. Elsewhere, a gynoid dreams of electric revenge.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 86: The Cake is A.L.I.E.

Chris — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 07:00:47 +0000

Wherein Corey and Chris dial back the bro-ometer for another dude-tastic episode. This time, the guys enlist a lady bot named A.L.I.E. to co-host, dish over SimCity 5 and the new Star Trek trailer, reveal progress on their creative projects, and finish off by measuring their manhood.

Theme music by Latché Swing. Sound effects by robinhood76, keykrusher, joelaudio, and nnus_nnus.

Episode 85: Bro Show!

Chris — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:00:57 +0000

Wherein Corey and Chris deliver the manliest show known to man. What do sportball, My Little Pony, hot hatches, Robotech, and repressed emotions all have in common? BRO SHOW! Grab a Manwich and hit the man cave!

Theme music by Latché Swing. Static Motion, The Forest and the Trees, and The House of Leaves by Kevin MacLeod.

Episode 84: We Don’t Wanna Grow Up

Chris — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 06:11:35 +0000

Wherein we cross our arms and refuse to leave behind our childlike sense of wonder. Corey goes Brony, Allison wants to gaze upon Uranus, and Chris geeks out over automatons. Special appearances by Craig the Crizzly Bear, CreoBot 2000, Madam Creontin, and Archie and Edith Bunker.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 83: Chat with Andrew Shaffer

Chris — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 07:00:32 +0000

Wherein we have a rousing chat with literary troublemaker and highly pseudonymous Andrew Shaffer (aka @EvilWylie, @EmperorFranzen, Fanny Merkin, and Edgar Allen Pole). The author of the hit Fifty Shames of Earl Grey and the new Literary Rogues: A Scandalous History of Wayward Authors stopped by the studio to talk about his writing exploits, fun Twitter exchanges, his greeting card line featured on The Colbert Report, and why he feels satire and humor matter. And we kinda punk Patton Oswald at the end.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 82: Sex Taboos

Chris — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:00:35 +0000

Wherein we discuss the taboos surrounding sex, sensuality, and carnal ribaldry. Is our society becoming more comfortable with sexuality? How has media and internet changed our views? We explore this all, through the guilt and shame, the portrayal of women and men in media, the rise of erotic fiction, and the full frontal exposure of our minds.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 81: Language Taboos

Chris — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:00:50 +0000

Wherein we discuss the taboos surrounding profanity, dirty swears, and other such f#$&%! We marvel at the power of our words and how we use them, discuss why works such as “Django Unchained” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” have come under scrutiny, and ponder why bad language is treated as more harmful to children than violence.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 80: Violence Taboos

Chris — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 07:00:43 +0000

Wherein we discuss the taboos in our culture surrounding the topic of violence. We delve into censorship and creative expression, wade through the common culprits of blame, speculate on the so-called “culture of violence” in America, and ponder why we, as humans, are drawn to violent entertainment.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 79: Chat with BJ West – Part II

Chris — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:00:01 +0000

Wherein our hosts continue their hilarious conversation with guest BJ West. We learn about the genesis of Story Forge, follow the publishing journey that resulted in his successful Kickstarter campaign, and hear about the exciting projects BJ is brewing.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 78: Chat with BJ West – Part I

Chris — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 07:00:37 +0000

Wherein our hosts have a rousing conversation with creative commoner BJ West, film maker, graphic artist, writer, and creator of Story Forge. In our first part, we hear about BJ’s creative origins, his rise to glory, and the truth behind his Bond villain costume.

Theme music by Latché Swing. Teleporter sound effect by Cyberkineticfilms.

Episode 77: Insane in the Meme Brain

Chris — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:00:37 +0000

Wherein the gang ragefaces into ehrmagerd territory and can has moar internet memes. They cover the big hits of 2012 before turning to lively discussion of what memes are, how they relate to the selfish gene, and why technology is driving us into a new age… the dawn of the teme.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 76: Here Comes 2013

Chris — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 07:00:31 +0000

Wherein our hosts kick off the new year by catching up, sharing new developments for the show, and discussing creative plans on the horizon. Elsewhere, Allison shows off her mixologist talents, Corey gets his own robot, and Chris reveals something he’s never done.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Corey’s Proto Game

Corey — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 03:49:34 +0000

In Episode 75: NotGaDeMon, I talked about an early prototype for the game I’m (slowly) working on. I sent a link to the game to Allison and Chris during the show and said I’d put the link up on the website. So, here I am. Doing that.

This will eventually be a demolition derby game. It is still very early. I don’t have any sound and the cars don’t get damaged. I’m plugging away at though. I actually worked on it yesterday and today. I’m hoping to make some good progress over the holiday break.

Check it out: http://level1gamer-demolition.appspot.com/

Use the arrow keys to control your car which looks exactly like the other cars. So, you have to figure that out on your own.

Episode 75: NotGaDeMon

Chris — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:00:23 +0000

Wherein we discuss Corey’s progress with National Game Design Month (NaGaDeMon), comparing game development to other creative endeavors. Then we discuss Indie Game: The Movie, which captures the emotional investment and struggles of the creators behind Super Meat Boy, Braid, and Fez. Elsewhere, Allison plasters the tabloids, Corey gets hungry, and Chris wants your hate mail.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 74: NaNoFailMo

Chris — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:00:56 +0000

Wherein we discuss the struggles, defeats, and even triumphs of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). We talk about the persistence of distractions, like technology, holidays, and the election, and the growing need for a creative space to keep focus. Elsewhere, Chris starts a new toy line, Allison crushes peoples’ dreams, and Corey preps for his new “after dark” show.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 73: More About Villains

Chris — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 04:39:07 +0000

Wherein we discuss more villain types. We cover the newest Bond villain, Raoul Silva, as well as those you love to hate, like Nurse Ratched, Dolores Umbridge, Randall Flagg, and Hans Landa. We talk about the over-the-top or flamboyant villains, like Dr. Evil, Zorg, and The Joker, villains that straddle several types, like Handsome Jack and GLADoS, and even delve into non-living villains with Skynet and HAL 9000. Elsewhere, we tangent into storytelling in video games and the difficulty of writing a good villain.

Theme music by Latché Swing. Handsome Jack dialogue property of Gearbox Software.

Episode 72: Here Come The Villains

Chris — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 07:00:44 +0000

Wherein we discuss villains a-plenty! Protagonist villains like Walter White, those who skirt the villain/hero line like Dexter, sympathetic villains like Magneto, and menacing villains like Jaws, Terminator, and Anton Chigurh. Elsewhere, Allison reveals her most villainous voice, Chris ponders formless evil, and Corey ties the episode to the railroad tracks.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 71: I Need An Antihero

Chris — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 07:00:46 +0000

Wherein we discuss antiheroes, a reaction to the pure, often flawless, heroes we covered in the previous episode. Whether vulnerable, flawed, or otherwise riddled with vices, we discuss a litany of antiheroic characters, including Dexter, Hannibal Lecter, Roland from “The Dark Tower” series, Han Solo, and Michael Corleone. We explore what makes antiheroes realistic, relatable, and sometimes quite annoying. Elsewhere, Chris wonders if there can be a non-living hero, Allison explains Walter White’s absence from the show, and Corey has a date with The Dead.

Theme music by Latché Swing.

Episode 70: I Need A Hero

Chris — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 07:00:19 +0000

Wherein we talk about heroes, protagonists, and main characters that exist in popular literature and movies. We consider mostly the “White Hat” or pure heroes, such as Superman, James Bond, and Luke Skywalker, but also analyze The Bride from Kill Bill within the context of the Hero’s Journey. Elsewhere, Chris belts out his falsetto, Allison starts going through The Change, and Corey doesn’t want the teens to dance.

Theme music by Latché Swing. “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler can be purchased on iTunes.

Episode 69: Inspirational History

Chris — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 07:00:30 +0000

Wherein our hosts talk a lot about history’s creative influence and a little about politics. Corey introduces Thomas Jefferson as the inventor, archaeologist, and baller that he was. Allison explores the intersection of formality and casualness in our society. Chris wonders what time periods have been a source of creative inspiration. And all around the Creative Commoners high rise, the clouds of a bitter election choke the airwaves with nasty attack ads.

Theme music by Latché Swing. “Friendly Day”, “Satiate”, “Constancy Part Two”, and “Villainous Treachery” by Kevin MacLeod. “Stars and Stripes Forever” performed by The U.S. Marine Corps Band. Cranking sound by atomota.

Episode 68: It Was Halloween Night

Chris — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 07:00:19 +0000

Wherein it was Halloween Night, so of course our hosts and listeners share another spooktacular batch of stories. From cold lakes and clowns to razor blades and revenge, hear tales that will chill your blood and songs that will leave you in hysterics. A wonderful round of applause goes to Justin Wasson, Craig Wessel, Scott Weaver, Greg Holbus, Kate Jenkins, D.F. Hall, Whit Heintz, and Hollie Heintz for their submissions.

One-eyed Maestro by Kevin MacLeod. Halloween Main Theme Title by John Carpenter. Freedom by Unknown Artist.

Episode 67: Story Forge

Chris — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:00:02 +0000

Wherein our hosts talk about Story Forge, a creative character and story building card deck created by BJ West. Story Forge provides an inventive way to invigorate your creative energy and have some fun with developing ideas. Using a few of the suggested layouts, our hosts unravel the tale of Allistar Krum, the frail, old protector of a mysterious object known as The Blackbird. Lend us your ear to find out how it evolves! Elsewhere, Corey admits to a Kickstarter addiction, Allison stretches for a writing marathon, Chris sings an old ditty, and BJ’s true identity is revealed.

Theme music by Latché Swing.