PBG episode 78

0:02 Hey Mitchell, as usual I'm Jamie. I think in in case you don't know my name. You I know you do, but if you're listening right now, maybe you don't and that's great. Thanks for joining us for the first time on episode potentially 78. I know we don't say the number all that much anymore, but I think this will be episode 78.

0:16 That sounds about right. Um

0:18 Yeah.

0:19 Uh yeah, I I I I I feel like I I got us so frightened of doing the naming of the episode thing cuz I like cuz it's it's hard because we both like order, we both enjoy the order of numbers and and but then there've been some episodes where we've done like a live episode here or there or if an event like Gen Con comes up, it's sort of prioritizes just coming back or just about to leave and then a video that we had ready to go has to go the next week and if it's the wrong number, it'll look like it's reversed. People go, "Why did you that?" So, I just gave you Hello everyone, welcome to Past Lead Board Gaming.

0:50 I think what sometimes happens too when I film these videos or videos in general, I don't always release them right away. I film well in advance sometimes. Usually for us it's just by a few days. And so, every now and then people will probably see a uh even even now they might see a top 10 video that was clearly recorded in the place I used to live. It's just because I recorded it a while ago.

1:11 Yeah. And there's nothing wrong with that. Uh

1:13 but you know what? That's that's what's really cool in so many I think most of these videos and hopefully our conversations as well except for the fact we say something is brand new when clearly it's not brand new.

1:23 Yeah.

1:23 We hope that a lot of this stuff is evergreen. Subjects that we talk about can be enjoyed at any time. They're not really uh they're they're not time dependent or moment in time dependent, we hope. But like we said, sometimes we'll mention a game as being brand new or you know, brand new to us is very different from brand new. And you'll say 6 months from now, "That that that game's been out for 6 months." But

1:41 hopefully the way we talk about things, the subjects we bring up, um and that's why we also talk about a lot a lot of life stuff and just human stuff that you can relate to hopefully at any time wherever you are. And again, we have people watching from so many different countries. That's that's really a fun thing. Forgetting about like getting caught up in how many number how many people are watching, how many people see it. It's I love the fact that we have a wide variety, different countries all over the world. I was shocked to see how many people all over the world watch the videos, download the podcast. So, wherever you are, welcome. We are so thrilled to have you and we love having all the different perspectives, especially from different countries where different games might be popular, different um different ways of of playing games, uh just different just different ways of interacting with people. Everyone has their own special way all over the world of gaming and playing and communicating.

2:32 So, it's great to have all that input. We absolutely love it.

2:34 It really Yeah, it really is. Um I was just listening yesterday to an interview on Dropout between a guy named Quinns who used to run the Shut Up and Sit Down YouTube channel. Now he runs something called Quinns' Quest. He talks about RPGs.

2:48 Okay.

2:48 And Brennan Lee Mulligan who's maybe one of the most famous people who is involved in real I think they call it real play or live play RPGs. Whatever they do when they when they're playing it in front of the of the camera.

3:00 Yeah, live play. Yeah.

3:01 Live play. And so they had a great chat. They had a really interesting chat, but they were comparing quite a bit and kind of ribbing each other about the difference between people in the UK where Quinns is from and people in the US and specifically California where Brennan Lee Mulligan is. It was it was a fun conversation on Dropout.

3:17 I love that and hopefully everyone has a sense of humor about them, more importantly about themselves. Being able to laugh at yourself and point the finger at yourself. That's that's one of the greatest qualities you can have. So, yeah, I love that. I love seeing people two different cultures, two different backgrounds and more than anything forgetting about the differences, seeing how much common ground there is. I think people are surprised by that, especially if there's a language barrier, just a cultural barrier in general. But then you realize there's so many similarities among all of us that it's yeah, it's it's always that that's the part that gets me the most you know, excited and happy. So, there you go, Jamie.

3:50 One thing that gets me excited and happy that I wanted to bring up today is uh today is Megan's birthday.

3:54 Aw. Megan is celebrating her birthday today.

3:56 Happy on 9/11. That's an auspicious day. Happy birthday, Megan. Happy birthday. 24 years young.

4:04 I just made that up. I Yeah, sure. Let's just make up an age. I Yeah, that's fantastic. You have a special birthday plans?

4:10 We are going out to dinner with some friends. Megan uh likes to celebrate the entire month. So really it's been a month of birthdays as it were for Megan. And today is specifically I wore green shirt cuz she usually plays green when she plays games. Love it. Um and I I uh I thought about asking her to come on and join us for a minute, but I I thought maybe the bigger birthday gift would be to not ask her to do that cuz she doesn't doesn't like to be on camera.

4:34 I thought you were going to say the big gift was sparing her having to deal with me. I thought that's where you were going with this.

4:39 she adores you. She would have loved that part. Yeah.

4:41 I love that. I love that. And you know what? We are both Virgos. My birthday was 3 days ago. So technically I'm 3 days Thank you. I'm 3 days older than Megan. Um yeah, so I'm only Yeah, I'm 24 also, but just a few days uh here before. So I'm I'm 3 days older. Sorry, 3 days older than Megan. Yeah. That's okay. I can deal with that. I can be 3 days older than Megan. She's great. Uh so happy birthday. And also again, it is 9/11. So we want to send our thoughts and you know, just our thoughts out to everyone that was affected by that day 25 years ago. 25 years ago. And did you read about Jamie? I pulled this up. I I think Tracy, my wife Tracy sent this to me. They did in New York, they had this drone Did Did you see the drones rebuilding with lights the World Trade Center in its place? It was I'm just I'm just going to pull this up really quickly. I'm trying to find the exact I think it used the exact number of drones as the people who lost their lives in the attack.

5:37 And the light show was recreating as if the buildings were there in 3D. It was incredible. Gives me goosebumps just talk about it. And especially as a New Yorker who woke up every morning with a view of those buildings, you know, it's just a incredible 25 years ago. So, uh thoughts out to everyone who's affected by that all over the world and also happier thoughts to make on her birthday, which I love. That puts a that puts definitely a more positive spin, so I love that.

6:01 It is a a difficult day, I think, for America's history, uh but uh it's also a difficult day to have a birthday, I think, [clears throat] for America.

6:09 I you know, I know.

6:10 For the last 20 years.

6:11 the association, but you know, it's it's okay to remember, but it's also okay to celebrate the positive stuff, too, so.

6:17 Yeah, that's a

6:17 You know, not that you didn't need to hear that, but it's, you know, just it's worth saying, so.

6:21 Yeah.

6:22 Yeah.

6:24 Uh I have a I have a couple I have a little thing to throw at you today before maybe a bigger topic.

6:28 Sure, sure. I got a little thing today.

6:30 Yeah.

6:30 Um and it ties to I sent Mitchell a link that he shouldn't have seen last week, but Mitchell's very good with confidentiality. But this is actually somewhat tied to it, so I thought what I'd do, Mitchell, today this video is uh probably being released on nine on September 17th. And which is about a week before I am going to reveal our big new game of the fall. And I thought I'd do something a little bit different. I'm going to I'm going to show you, Mitchell, on camera, for anyone to see, the box of this new game.

7:01 I got my glasses on, Jamie.

7:03 I the name might appear on screen, it might not. I might I It it's not a big deal if it does or it doesn't. Um and I I was thinking I'd show it to you and you I would I would ask you, Mitchell,

7:16 Yeah.

7:16 um to tell me what you think the game is about just from looking at the box. I'm not going to give you any other context. I'm not revealing anything else today. I'm just going to show the box and you can talk about what you think this is. Is that okay?

7:25 Yeah, of course.

7:25 For a minute?

7:26 Yeah.

7:26 Okay. So, here is It's probably just going to have to be the whole box. I don't know how I could hide it. So, here is the box and you can talk about it out loud as much as you want. Can you see it okay?

7:35 Yes, I can.

7:37 Yeah.

7:39 Okay. I can tell you this is going to be like one to six players. It's definitely going to have a strong single player component. I'm just I'm making this up as I go along because it's a

7:51 Well, it does say here it's one to five players.

7:53 Oh, one to five players. Okay, one to five. Okay, I was one off.

7:56 describe it to those who are listening you might want to describe it a little bit so they can see what you're

8:00 I love the artwork. So, we see people sitting on what's looking like um a flat like a plateau of a mountain. Uh but it almost looks like it's mountain in the sky with different peaks. Uh and you're looking at the sky with this almost floating monolith in the middle and clouds above it and I see air machines. Oh, I see Okay, I see something. I see different air machines and different little land masses in the sky that have other buildings on them. It looks like one of the air machines is being fueled up if I'm not mistaken and the people that are standing on this plateau are all looking out uh into the distance at all these different things that I'm talking about. The monolith in the middle, the little air islands, and the little air machines. Is that a good way of describing it, Jamie? I

8:42 Absolutely, yeah.

8:43 Okay. Um wow. So, this looks like uh this is interesting. It looks like an alternative future game. Um I say alternative because it doesn't look alternative reality game alternate reality game because it doesn't look hyper futuristic because it doesn't look cutting edge space age. Uh it looks like an alternate universe with flying machines and what could be could it be um an area control game. I'm going to go with an area control game. Uh but did you want me to like Is this where you want me to sort of try to figure out what type of game it is?

9:19 they Yeah, name a few mechanisms like like that that you think might show up in this game based on just the you know, the name, the look of the box. Yeah. I'm not going to confirm anything, but you can

9:27 No, no, it's okay. I'm going to say area control with some set collection set in an alternate universe. Um obviously where flying machines exist and these air islands. Yeah, this look Jamie, this is super intriguing. Tell us all about it. Um

9:45 Uh yeah, that looks super cool.

9:47 Thank you for noticing.

9:48 artwork is beautiful by the way. The artwork is beautiful. I love the fact that it Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's sort of like I mean muted tones sets a very you know, it's not very um it's not super bright and electric looking which I think connotes like a hyper futuristic look. It has more muted subtle tones. It's really gorgeous. Oh, wow. So yeah, I want to hear everything about this in in a few weeks. Yeah.

10:10 Well, next week yeah, I'll I'll reveal what parts of what you said are correct. Obviously, you described the artwork beautifully. Uh the mechanisms I'll leave for next week's reveal, but uh yeah, I appreciate you uh appreciate you taking a look at that.

10:24 Oh, this There's going to be a strong solo component. I can tell you that right now.

10:27 It it will have it does have Yeah.

10:30 Please, just don't lie your game. I Yeah. Uh so it's one to five. I don't know why I went with one to six. I thought you were going to go crazy. I don't know. Um the one to five Yeah, and oh my I'm so intrigued. I'm so intrigued by the art Isn't it funny how artwork pulls you in like that?

10:44 Yeah.

10:45 And that's what's so important about art. And I know you always put an emphasis on, you know, art done by humans as opposed to AI driven art and all that stuff. It's just It's just It sets a tone and automatically It automatically triggers something and you're like, "Oh, okay. I feel some sort of connection to this and here's what it is." But yeah, I don't know why I thought of air control with some set collection. I don't know why. Um but that's just I I want to know if I'm right about any of this.

11:09 Just It's going to be like, "That was so sweet that you guessed everything incorrectly, but you described what you saw very well."

11:18 That's going to Oh, I'm excited. So next week you'll be able to You'll be able to tell us more.

11:22 That's right. That's right. Yeah.

11:24 All right. Well, I'll try and be patient. You know, it's not my strong suit.

11:27 So I have another little mini game to play later with you, but But, thought maybe we could jump over to your topic today before

11:32 Well,

11:33 [clears throat]

11:33 before we get started I would What did I do? Actually, okay. You know that I love these retro handhelds, right?

11:39 Mhm.

11:40 This is the latest one. Uh it's been out for a little bit. It is the latest one that I have. It's the Ambernic RG34XXSP. A lot of letters, a lot of numbers, but it looks like a Game Boy Advance SP basically. Clamshell design, the only difference being the main difference being you have two analog joysticks at the bottom, which is a huge thing because being a retro gaming console it has um pretty much every console you can imagine on here playable up to PlayStation 1. So, that obviously includes Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 and everything that came before and it plays so well and it's so much fun to have something that automatically I mean, I have a case for it, but it doesn't need a case cuz it's a clamshell design here and it's in that GameCube like Nintendo GameCube blue um with those similar sort of GameCube aesthetics on there like a controller.

12:32 Um and you know what? We don't We don't usually mention businesses uh on their own individually and again, we are not we are not sponsored. We don't have ads on our podcast. Um the company the business that I deal with is a business called Dream Lab. Dream Lab and it's dreamlab.biz. If you like any of these retro, you know, retro handhelds, you need to go visit them because not only do they have an amazing selection of these different handheld consoles they do custom software. So, the user interface is super streamlined, super easy to use. Loading, saving, looking at your library super easy. And the great thing about these consoles, I think I told Jamie about this, unlike back in the day when these these games were really hard. You know, you talk about games back in the day where the graphics might not have been as cutting edge as they are today, but they were they were really well thought out and the games were really difficult. And a lot of these games you had to get to a certain save point, right? You remember like having to get to the save points before you could save a game. It wasn't like today where you could save anywhere.

13:28 But when you have a handheld console like this, you can save anywhere. And you can reload the game instantly and you can actually pause and it stays in like a sleep state when you close the clam shell for days. So you can come back to the game. So if you're interested in getting something like this, the guy who runs the business is a guy named Neo. Coolest name in any business at dreamlab.biz and they you know, he makes these he he hand procures the software and the whole experience. So and it's it's to the point honestly and I might I know this sounds like a tagline like I wouldn't buy my game what you know handhelds anywhere else. I really wouldn't because the software that he designs to go with it makes all the difference in terms of you know how I interact and interface with these things. So head to dreamlab.biz and no again not sponsored just sharing the joy and sharing love to a business that I think is amazing and has great stuff. So there you go.

14:18 Another handheld for me. My my attempt to go back in age Mitchell Mitchell button is is complete. I'll be aging in reverse very soon.

14:30 Um Did you want to did you want to like talk about my my real sub not my real sub this is one of the things I wanted to talk about but did you want to know that I played hell of a deal? Oh you did? Oh awesome. That poker game that I think you will absolutely go bonkers for because I know and by the way if you haven't watched Jamie's most recent I call these videos for Jamie these as of today top 10 and I think it's important to say that because these are living these are living breathing lists. They change they might change week to week. Let alone month to month or year to year. Um So I would I watched Jamie's like by the way great list and again who am I to comment in any way because it's it's your list right? But I was like oh yeah that's great that's a great choice and one of Jamie's spoiler alert one of his top 10 is the game.

15:19 Which [clears throat] is cooperative poker. So when I saw at Gen Con this year, Hell of a Deal, which I think was just fulfilling to Kickstarter backers when Gen Con was happening. So, they were they were selling copies there and they were actually delivering simultaneously to their backers. I saw this I was like, "Oh, cooperative poker. I know Jamie would like it. I know I would like it. I'll get this." So, I ended up getting it and it's different in the game because unlike the game where you are basically there's still limited communication because it's cooperative poker, so there has to be limited communication. But unlike limited communication through chips sort of denoting where you think your hand ranks in the group of people that are playing, this one is you are playing against the minions of hell to fight for your soul. And soul is represented your soul is represented in chips. There are these little soul chips that are in there.

16:09 And the more soul that you build up the better. So, you can bet with these soul chips and the way it works is you're playing against four sub bosses and then the main boss who has two phases. And the four sub bosses all have different rules. The whole thing is they call it cheating but it's really using cards and chips and abilities to augment how you can play your hand. They call it cheating cuz again you have to the devil and his minions are going to cheat, why not you cheat too in order to reclaim your soul, right? And win these poker hands. So, the boss comes out with a pre-done hand that says on the card the worst the worst this boss has cuz again they're playing along with you. They have their cards that you can't see. And then they have, you know, the river all the cards that are out there the communal cards. So, they can make their own hand too but even if they have hot garbage for a regular hand as it's dealt it says printed on their card at the very least they have three sevens or at the very least they have two pair jacks, you know, jacks over eights. So, you know the minimum of what you have to beat. You don't know what they're going to end up having in their hand mixed with what's in the middle. So, it's kind of a clever concept right there, right?

17:12 Yeah.

17:12 And as you're betting like I said you're betting these you're betting these chips that will give you more soul because at the very end, the idea is to beat the boss without going negative in these little soul chips cuz that'll end the game instantly. Or if or if two or if two players go over the temptation um uh not short. There's a temptation, you know, um list uh a circular one through 12, I think it is. Um and if you go past 12, you know, then then you're past a temptation barrier and then if one other person goes there, and you get temptation through different ways. If you if you lose a hand, uh if you have tips, if you have if you play chips as you're betting these chips to try and beat the devil and the minions, they have a positive side and on the back, they have a negative side. If you lose the hand, the negative side comes into play. If you win the hand, they don't. And part of the hand is going on the temptation track, you know, advancing on that. So you're trying to mitigate and you're able to heal people and move them back on the track, but it also has a ratcheting mechanism. So once you get past five and I think 10, you can't be healed you know, past beyond you know, back past that. It's so good.

18:18 And the bosses are so interesting the way they change the game and the way that you bet and the way that you're able to mitigate your hand with these betting chips cuz there are abilities that are baked into the board and you have to bet one of the red chips to use one of the four pre-done abilities that let you either look at a hand, look at cards, or reveal some of the whole cards of the devil or one of the minions so you can sort of get an idea of what they might have in their hand. So then you know, okay, am I going against what they have on the table or am I playing against their pre-done minimum of two pair?

18:49 Right. Right.

18:50 Jamie, it is it is so much fun. It it's very it's it's stressful. I find these even though they're cooperative games just like the game can be stressful because sometimes you don't want to let down your teammates, right? Um does this sound does this sound like something that's appealing to you cuz to me, this was like something poker mixed with mitigation uh mixed with like augmenting hands. I thought this would be something that you would love.

19:12 Yeah, it sounds like a blast. I and I'm I I know it probably doesn't matter if you won or lost. You sound like you had fun either way, but did you did you win?

19:21 We won we won and it's it's not it's not easy. We won we played we played three games. Okay. And it's it it plays it's like up to an hour and a half in length. So we were we were supposed to play a few games. We ended up playing just this. The third game I thought we were done after the second game and I was like, "Wow, that was great." And Jack's like, "What do you mean great? I'm dealing out another hand." I was And I was kind of exhausted and I made a couple of mistakes that Jack pointed out could have resulted in us winning. Thank you so much for that, Jack. Didn't make me feel bad at all. And positively board gaming. Um so I mean I made a couple of mistakes that cost us the win. Uh but even the third game was so close. And again, my my little mistake did end up haunting us, but I was tired and I'm old, so I was okay with that.

20:03 I'm a 62-year-old tired man. Oh yeah, I know it's coming. The older I get the more Deckard Cain comes at me. So um yes, we ended up winning. And they're also there are different levels just like you can you know amp up the the difficulty in the gang depending on the cards that you play. Um the positives and negatives, you can you can do that in this game as well. They're they're we were so challenged with just the basic hands and the basic cards that we didn't even go for the tougher stuff. We just want this our first time playing. And again, I think it's like when you're first time playing, especially I know some players, especially if you're an experienced gamer, you're tempted to go for the let's go for the tough I'm a I've been gaming for years. I know this genre. I'm familiar with this mechanism, so let's go for the tougher. I'd always suggest with the new game starting off with the way it was meant to be played like the base game and then going tougher cuz again, you can always if you discover it's, you know, wow, this really was too easy. I was right.

20:56 We are amazing. Let's move it up. Every each each different game has their own idea of what is they consider easy and hard or what they consider to be the base character. In fact, I think they they put something out on Reddit where they were telling people, "We changed our minds for what the first boss you should start with should be cuz there are multiple bosses you can face." And they they made it a little bit easier cuz I think some people are like, "Well, that was really hard." And it can be hard. I mean, imagine like a boss that has a minimum of a full house. It's It's tough to beat that even augmenting your cards. It's kind of tough to beat that. So, I was [clears throat] I was I was blown away. I had We had a great time. And I can't wait to, you know, possibly have us lose again. I can't get that out of my head. Jack ruined me for that game. It was wonderful. We had a blast and we would definitely play it over and over again, which we did.

21:44 So, that's hell of a deal.

21:45 Hell of a deal, yeah. We're going to play that sometime. Yeah. I'm already seeing the thumbnail that you're with the box cuz the box looks really cool, too.

21:51 Uh yeah, your game look the box art. I'm so intrigued. Oh, I have so many questions. Anyway, go ahead.

21:56 Yeah. So, for you Well, for me today, I actually have another thing for you. Um you recently asked me a bunch of great questions and um I have some questions for you, but with a little bit of a twist.

22:07 Okay.

22:08 Uh I've played a game recently that I've really enjoyed, a party game called Ask a Lotl. Played this with different groups recently and we've had a lot of fun with it.

22:18 Okay.

22:19 And the way you play this is uh there's a uh 12-card grid on the table of these cute little axolotl, a type of creature, axolotls with different personalities.

22:29 Okay.

22:30 And the active player is one of those axolotls that the game secretly says you are this axolotl. And everyone else has to ask questions to this player and they have to answer as that axolotl as those players try to decide which one are the axolotls.

22:45 you are. Yes. Okay.

22:47 So, I have some of these Ask a Lotl cards queued up.

22:50 Okay.

22:51 And I'm going to show them to you. You were going to be one of them and

22:54 Okay.

22:55 answer these questions as if you were this axolotl. And then maybe if you also have a fun fun answer as Mitchell, you're welcome to answer that as well. So we're going to what Yeah.

23:04 And by the way, the title the the title of the game name of the game I love and it sounds like something Jerry Lewis might have come up with in his day. Ask a lotl. I don't know why I want to say ask a lotl. That's how I want to say it. But yeah, sorry. I had to do that. It's the you know the old borscht belt comic in me. But please yes, go ahead.

23:19 Voices are completely like you you're supposed to get as much into the character of the axolotl as you want. Um so in your head, don't tell me the this. In your head it pick yellow, green, or pink. So pick one of these colors in your head. Yellow, green, or pink.

23:32 Okay.

23:32 And now I'm going to show you a yellow, a green, and a pink axolotl card and you you're just going to look at it for now and I'm going to ask you a question. And I guess as or answer well for those who are listening it's it's going to be a little tough cuz these are visual cards with um and you kind of give things away if you actively describe it. So let's start with maybe your answer to the question then we can describe them briefly.

23:55 Okay, so basically I have to answer in the character of one of these things and I'm basing it solely on how the character looks.

24:02 Exactly.

24:03 Not on anything it says like you are a this or that. No, no, it's they're no they're no words on here. It's just the look of the character and I have to answer how that character would answer and sound based on how they look.

24:15 That's exactly correct.

24:16 Sure.

24:17 Um let's try this.

24:19 Yeah.

24:20 Uh So axolotl Mitchell, how would you spend your perfect day?

24:27 Not answering any questions.

24:31 I'm going to go with this one?

24:34 Yes.

24:34 Okay, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

24:39 NO, I'M SUPPOSED TO MAKE IT HARDER THAN THAT. SO this is this is Okay.

24:43 me to guess it? Yeah.

24:44 you to guess. Okay, cool. Okay. I thought it was like sort of like a fake artist uh goes to New York where you're trying to like Okay.

24:51 me to guess. Yeah.

24:51 I got you. I got you. Okay.

24:53 That's good. And real Mitchell, how would you spend your perfect day?

24:57 [sighs]

24:57 My perfect day would definitely involve a meal with my whole family, with my wife and two kids, a walk with my wife, a Ranger game on somewhere in between. Hockey season almost upon us, I can't wait.

25:12 Oh.

25:12 Uh-huh.

25:13 And um maybe capped off uh at night with a little My Lottery Dream Home or House Hunters. That's again, this this is like Yeah.

25:22 Simple.

25:23 Yeah.

25:23 Yeah.

25:23 Simple. Simple.

25:25 Simple.

25:25 Yeah. I'm a simple man, Jamie.

25:28 All right, simple man. Choose yellow, pink, or green again. Yellow, pink, or green.

25:32 You got it.

25:34 Okay, here are your new axolotls, three new ones. Here, this one's actually kind of horizontal.

25:40 Yeah.

25:42 All right, and your question

25:43 Sure.

25:44 Uh this game gives you a a ton of questions to ask. Uh what movie have you watched the most?

25:54 Uh oh, let's see. Probably The Gigolo.

25:59 The The Gigolo?

26:00 Richard Gere at his best. Wasn't that Richard Gere? Wasn't that his movie?

26:04 I maybe. I've never seen it. Is that this one?

26:06 Absolutely.

26:08 We all think that this one looks like uh Jeff Goldblum from Jurassic Park.

26:13 Who has a little bit of like a suave, ladies man kind of attitude as well, right?

26:18 Exactly.

26:18 American Gigolo. American Gigolo, not Gigolo. American Gigolo. That was Richard Gere. It came to me like, "American Gigolo." I had to scare people at least. Yeah. This is great.

26:27 And Mitchell, what movie do you think you've watched the most?

26:31 Oh, wow. I have two favorites of mine that are I think pretty much stuck in the 70s, late 70s {slash} early 80s. Probably I think it's early 80s. And so it would be one of two. It would either be Defending Your Life, um Defending Your Life or Tootsie. Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life with Meryl Streep

26:53 Uh-huh.

26:53 Uh where something happens to him and he ends up in a place that's not really heaven or hell, it's someplace in between and you have to actually to go through like a courtroom procedure to defend the choices you've made during your life to actually move on to the next plane in your afterlife, which is in its brilliant it's a brilliant comedy so wonderfully written and Meryl Streep I think it might have been her first comedy. Uh she was amazing they're both amazing in it. And Tootsie is Dustin Hoffman who's a struggling actor. Have you heard of Tootsie? Have you seen it?

27:22 I've I haven't seen it but I'm familiar with it.

27:24 You have to watch both both these movies are wonderful. They're older movies but they're wonderful comedies. In Tootsie Dustin Hoffman is a struggling actor uh his agent sort of challenges him that you know he's become so difficult that no one will hire him and he's like oh really? Want to bet? He ends up dressing up as a woman and um getting a job on a soap opera as an actress. And the story just follows what happens. Mayhem ensues. Uh and it's just it's it's Dustin Hoffman uh Dabney Coleman uh and an uncredited appearance and performance by Bill Murray who again was not he wasn't in the credits. He wasn't promoted as being part of the movie I think because you know this was a different kind of role for him

28:07 Uh-huh.

28:08 and he was amazing in it too and it's just an amazing if anyone that's watching or listening has seen either Defending Your Life or Tootsie. Uh those are those are the two movies I've probably watched the most over my lifetime. They're just and they also make me feel like home, you know those feel they're comfort movies, you know? What about you? Do you have is there a movie what movies have you what movie have you watched the most do you think?

28:27 I feel like I've seen The Matrix a lot.

28:31 Oh yeah.

28:32 Possibly like it's there was a time when I was in college where it just seemed to be always be on the TV somehow and I also I've watched The Incredibles the Pixar movie a lot. I get that movie I find infinitely replayable re-watchable.

28:45 Yes. I love that as well. They're good choices, really good choices. Yeah, love those.

28:49 I have one last question for Asklotl and Mitchell.

28:52 Oh, Asklotl.

28:53 Uh okay, yellow, green, or pink?

28:57 [sighs and gasps]

28:58 Okay.

28:59 Okay, and here are your choices.

29:02 Okay.

29:04 And your question Um what is your least favorite chore?

29:10 [sighs]

29:10 Oh.

29:12 I don't know that I have a least favorite chore because right now I'm just about helping people. Sometimes I help them cross the street. Sometimes they come to me and I help them, but really there's really no chore that I wouldn't do because it's just part of being a good person or human or creature.

29:26 Well, that is excellent. I'm glad

29:29 you are an actor, Mitchell. Uh that made this I knew this would be fun doing this with you.

29:34 Uh well done. Well

29:36 Thank you. This is this is so much fun. And it's great cuz any age group can really you could play this with any age group. You don't have to be an experienced gamer. I love this.

29:45 Yeah, this is uh it was recommended to me by our um our family gamer panelist Skyler who said the exact same thing that you said that her her kids love this, but they and the kids know the rules for it. So whenever new people come into the house or anyone comes into the house, they invite them to play Asklotl no matter how old they are.

30:02 This was part of your list This was part of in your top 10 video that just came out, right?

30:06 It was it was her pick in that video, yeah.

30:08 Yeah, I remember that. Okay, remember I remember that. That was a Yeah, and I remember being intrigued by it at the time. Uh yeah, that's great. And I like when you have other people in your videos when you share the spotlight with the other with other ambassadors or contributors that cuz I always love their choices as well. So that's really that's so cool. I love that.

30:24 And so before we go, Mitchell, what is your least favorite chore? Do you have one?

30:31 Um well No, I like cleaning the toilets because I have a new device, so that's a good one. Uh I I vacuuming. I think I think if you were to ask Tracy, I definitely have a hard out when it comes to washing dishes. We have a dishwasher, and technically [clears throat] you're supposed to use it because it uses far less water than if you're manually washing dishes, right? I don't know why I felt the need to do this as if you wouldn't know what washing dishes was. So, I'm making a So, if you're listening, I'm making a circular motion with my hand as if I'm scrubbing a pan or a pot here. Um I have a hard out You know, so You know, these This isn't a Owala, but some people have Stanley's, some people have What's the famous one that's not a Owala or Stanley?

31:16 It's another one of these kind of cups.

31:18 Yeti's

31:19 Yeti's and thermal cups. These thermal These thermal things that you know, keep the water super cold or super hot depending on what you're using. I do not like cleaning them.

31:27 Uh-huh.

31:28 So, if there if there are a bunch of dishes and these in there, I will do the dishes and leave and leave a few of these in there, and Tracy will just know, "Oh, he doesn't do those." And it's become The funny part is that it's become acceptable almost. It's become accepted, "Oh, Mitchell will do things, but he doesn't wash those." I find them disturbing and I have to use the the little like the pipe cleaner thing to clean the straws. There are too many stages involved that I don't enjoy it. Um but I I can vacuum all day long. I can wash, you know, I can wash silverware and plates and stuff. Like I said, I could do bathrooms, but do not ask me, please, to wash one of these because I just assume the gremlins the house gremlins suddenly these are clean and ready for me to reuse again. It's like magic. It's home magic.

32:14 Home magic, yeah.

32:15 Yeah. It's home magic. Um I have a quick thing to ask Well, to tell you. And how are we doing on time? We're We're right about at the end anyway. Um we're we're installing an HVAC system, a mini split unit that'll give us heat and air in our garage.

32:33 Okay.

32:33 Because we do spend a lot of time there crafting and we have my RC cars and we have exercise stuff set up in there and I have a lot of board games in there as well and having a stable temperature would be really helpful for all of those things.

32:46 Yeah.

32:47 The problem is where it's being installed is where I current right above a unit that houses a bunch of my games which is putting a lot of stress on my orderly nature of you know I have my game or my games organized in a certain way and where they go so now this is completely being thrown off and I'm sitting around like this like but it's a good thing. I mean it's good that we're getting you know heating and cooling and it's a big garage so it's good it's going to be a good thing but it's throwing me off with my games and how I'm going to organize them properly over the next few weeks so that is weighing heavily on my heart Jamie. I just wanted to share that with you so I can take a breath and breathe again. You know how our listeners know it and our viewers know it I've heard similar things from comments people like I get it. I like to organize my stuff too and if I have to pick where something goes and it gets changed it throws me off. So I think by sharing this it sort of takes a little bit of the weight off and I I know very much a first world problem but

33:45 [snorts]

33:45 it's real Jamie.

33:46 was there a silver lining that sometimes it's fun to reorganize your game collection and this is an opportunity to do that a little bit or is it pure like you're just going to put everything back the way it was when you have the chance and

33:56 Being positively board gaming I'm going to say yes but no.

33:59 Okay.

34:00 Uh I'm only saying yes to be keep it positive but I'm saying no only because it's kind of true. No, no. It's because I had just finished organizing everything just how I liked it. I had gotten it to a point where I was like okay I have my my Stonemaier games are here. I have bunch of Stonemaier games here. I have some in the garage because of the larger boxes and I can't fit them in my office so I have the larger boxes you know the Viticulture and Wingspan everything and so I have them in a certain space so I got everything exactly where I wanted it. So I had just finished purging and doing and tweaking and massaging and here we go all over again.

34:37 Here we go.

34:38 And it's my own fault. I was like, "Hey, let's get heating and cooling in the garage cuz everyone needs that." And now I ended up hurting myself in the process, but it's okay. I'll be okay. I'll be okay.

34:47 I hope I will get through this together, Mitchell. Yeah. We'll

34:49 Thank you, Jamie.

34:50 Yeah.

34:53 I'm okay.

34:55 Well, if anyone can relate to that, I'm sure we all can when you have to move or [snorts] change your house, let us know in the comments. Let us know what you I guess the if you played Hell of a Deal or another poker style game or if you played a fun party game recently like Ask a Llama. Or if you actually want to also answer the questions that I asked today, what's your least favorite chore, what movie have you watched the most, and how would you spend your perfect day? I'd love to hear any of those answers in the comments.

35:18 Well, so people will already have known what the game you showed earlier by the time this airs they will they will already know what that game is and what it's about.

35:27 They won't. This will be the first time anyone sees that box. So, I won't I won't actually be talking about it till a real week after this video goes out 6 days after that won't be it won't be.

35:37 So, should we invite people to think what to contribute what they think the game might be? Yeah. I mean, that's I think I'm only saying that because I think that's going to be the main topic because whenever you announce a game or the people are like you me myself included I'm like, I can't think of anything else. Even my organization issues I'm focused on your game. So, there you go.

35:55 Yeah, go for it. Yeah. I'm happy to I won't confirm anything in the comments but you'll know 6 days later if you got it right or not. You can name some mechanisms how you think that what the how you think the game works. Yeah. Let's do it. I like that.

36:06 I like it, too. All right, Jamie.

36:09 Good to see you.

36:10 You, too. And Megan, wherever you are, happy birthday. Hope you're having a fantastic day. I'm acting like she can hear me. Like, "Okay. Yeah, you, too." All right, I'll talk to you soon. I had a whole conversation for us. There you go.

36:23 All right, Mitchell. Take care.

36:25 Bye.