[00:00:07] Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the 301st episode of Crashing Game Night. My name is Matt Duro, your host as always. We are joined by a couple familiar faces, the unofficial fifth member of the podcast, well unofficial official, Soldier First Class. Hello.
[00:00:28] And we've got Ray Coffman, creator of Aurora, joining us tonight.
[00:00:34] What's happening?
[00:00:36] Then we have our debut of a new couch, the Maid to Dia Services, the Lion's Mane, Jason Bellidio.
[00:00:44] It's 301, it's 301. How's it going guys? How's it going?
[00:00:49] Matt learned from last week that, you know, he got tired of saying me last because you know I'd always go on and on and rant alone.
[00:00:57] But it's okay. We got a new couch for 301. I promise you guys, it looks weird. I love it.
[00:01:04] It's going to match this whole, uh, it's offbeat. I like it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:01:08] It looks way too short to lay on though. No, it will not. It's I mean like, or it might be just enough for that for that like, uh, therapist couch.
[00:01:17] Yeah. You know, it's like a little session lie down. I don't need you guys being super tall. Like stop being super tall. And just, you know, maybe it's my size.
[00:01:26] Just to clarify, what is super tall to you? I mean like I'm, I'm five 10. So yeah, I'm six foot. So yeah. And then, uh, ladies and gentlemen, the be need one, our Grizzly Adams, Gerard.
[00:01:41] What is up all you nerds and boys. Welcome. Thank you for joining. Uh, we've got a great show and, uh, I can't wait to hear your guys's opinions on a few of the topics.
[00:01:53] We're going to get some good topics today. So, uh, I can't wait to hear some opinions.
[00:01:57] I mean, the conversation was lively beforehand.
[00:02:01] Oh yeah.
[00:02:01] Just a little, just a smidge.
[00:02:04] But yeah, it'll be good. It'll get good.
[00:02:05] How quickly into the podcast can a soldier get canceled?
[00:02:11] As quickly as you did the first three times.
[00:02:14] He's been on more than that. I mean, hold on.
[00:02:17] Let's see. How many, how many has he been on? Let's go, let's go consult the website.
[00:02:21] Let's my question is, is how many times have I been canceled over the years?
[00:02:24] That's what I was saying. Three times. I think, I think I've counted three times.
[00:02:28] That's true.
[00:02:29] You know what? You bounce back every soldier, baby.
[00:02:31] That's what soldiers do, man.
[00:02:33] This is soldier 16th episode.
[00:02:36] Hey, one six.
[00:02:38] Dang, yo.
[00:02:39] One six.
[00:02:40] What?
[00:02:41] Yes, you have been on 16 episodes, sir.
[00:02:46] You have been by far.
[00:02:48] I am looking at this official, unofficial indeed.
[00:02:51] Yeah.
[00:02:52] Yes.
[00:02:52] I think, I think that's like hall of fame status.
[00:02:55] That's a, I mean, like Matt, Matt, I demand a plaque on your wall.
[00:03:02] It must be displayed in the background in between, in between the posters.
[00:03:05] I know it. You know what? You know what?
[00:03:07] So I'm just going to put like a little, like little cardboard cutout.
[00:03:11] I need one right here.
[00:03:13] I'll do a little coin metal.
[00:03:14] Maybe like, like, yeah.
[00:03:15] You know what?
[00:03:16] Something to remember.
[00:03:17] How about this?
[00:03:18] We can, let's, let's do this, Jerry.
[00:03:21] We could, we could reach out to our artist, Pierre.
[00:03:26] Maybe have him do a cartoon character for soldiers.
[00:03:29] So we can put him into the opening reel anytime he's on.
[00:03:32] How about that?
[00:03:33] That would be fun.
[00:03:34] I like that idea.
[00:03:35] Can he make my nose smaller?
[00:03:37] No.
[00:03:37] He won't do, he's completely, you saw that, you saw the caricatures and the, he will stick
[00:03:42] to it.
[00:03:43] He'll stick to it.
[00:03:44] And then we'll put, we'll put, I'll put it right here.
[00:03:46] Put it right here.
[00:03:47] That's, that's what I'm afraid of.
[00:03:48] A little, a little, a little picture right there.
[00:03:50] That's the thing though.
[00:03:52] Like soldiers been on literally 5% of the episodes.
[00:03:57] Yeah.
[00:03:59] Holy crap.
[00:04:00] So.
[00:04:00] It's been a long time.
[00:04:02] I'll start taking numbers.
[00:04:03] It is.
[00:04:03] Yeah.
[00:04:06] Yeah.
[00:04:06] Yeah.
[00:04:06] So how, so.
[00:04:08] So.
[00:04:09] I wanted to do part of this episode and I want to focus this on Ray.
[00:04:12] And the whole reason soldiers here is because, is because our guest requested a wingman for
[00:04:20] said episode.
[00:04:23] But he couldn't show up.
[00:04:24] So I came.
[00:04:26] Yeah.
[00:04:26] We had to deal with what we had.
[00:04:31] There's bottom of the barrel.
[00:04:32] And then there's like the ground underneath.
[00:04:34] I'm like in between there.
[00:04:36] Roommates now, hopefully roommates down there, man.
[00:04:38] So hopefully he doesn't get you canceled.
[00:04:40] Right.
[00:04:41] Anyways.
[00:04:42] Don't worry.
[00:04:43] I get myself canceled enough for the both of us.
[00:04:45] So let's, let's talk Aurora though, man.
[00:04:48] Cause.
[00:04:50] You, you, you're getting close now.
[00:04:52] You were supposed to have the debut episode last Friday.
[00:04:56] Yeah.
[00:04:56] Yeah.
[00:04:57] Well, a couple of Fridays ago.
[00:04:58] Yeah.
[00:04:59] Actually two Fridays ago at this point.
[00:05:00] Yeah.
[00:05:00] So let's, let's get an update on Aurora.
[00:05:02] Cause it is, it's looking good.
[00:05:05] We, uh, so the reason for the delay, I kind of made a video about it was, you know, we're
[00:05:11] kind of in a, kind of a cool spot because like a lot of people don't see us coming and
[00:05:16] we want to be loyal to the people that do see us coming that are waiting for it.
[00:05:19] But on that side of the coin, we want to make sure that we deliver absolutely what the vision
[00:05:25] of the show is supposed to be.
[00:05:27] Um, and we found a few things in there that weren't quite up to snuff and I passed it to
[00:05:32] a couple of editors and they were all like, yeah, we should put it off and get it done,
[00:05:37] knock it out in the next couple of weeks.
[00:05:39] And we're hoping it's ready by next week.
[00:05:40] So, uh, the full first episode and then the second episode is not going to be far behind
[00:05:46] it.
[00:05:46] And that's another reason we wanted episode two to be real close by the time one came out
[00:05:53] to also wasn't where it needed to be because of some issues we had in the pipeline for one.
[00:06:00] We fixed those.
[00:06:01] They were like pacing things, uh, a few artwork things here and there, um, just lighting and
[00:06:07] effects and stuff like that.
[00:06:08] So having this further down the line is going to mean two is going to be maybe four to six
[00:06:15] weeks away from number one.
[00:06:17] And so that was the real hope is that people wouldn't have, because the first two episodes
[00:06:21] are kind of a self-contained story that leads into the rest of season one.
[00:06:27] So we were hoping that all of those would be shown within six to eight weeks of each other
[00:06:32] and that people can be looking forward to season one toward the end of the next year, plus
[00:06:36] all the books and stuff we've got coming.
[00:06:37] So that was the big reason for it.
[00:06:40] But to say that we are super excited with what we're seeing now.
[00:06:44] I've been passing some of it to Alex.
[00:06:46] Let him say I'm giving, I'm giving your YouTube channel a shout out right now while you talk
[00:06:50] about it.
[00:06:50] Oh, I appreciate it, man.
[00:06:52] Yeah.
[00:06:52] We're climbing over there.
[00:06:53] Uh, we're, we're hoping to be at a thousand pretty soon.
[00:06:56] And, uh, it's, it's wild watching all these.
[00:06:59] I'm really inspired by a lot of these independent animators that are just going on YouTube and
[00:07:05] saying, here's our show, go check it out.
[00:07:07] And then you look and it's like in a week, they'll have like 850,000 views or something
[00:07:13] crazy.
[00:07:13] Cause that's what the whole industry is doing now.
[00:07:16] Um, my story is not unlike a lot of their stories and that we were approached by different
[00:07:22] companies.
[00:07:23] I won't talk about them.
[00:07:24] Some of you, you know who they are.
[00:07:26] And you know, it was like a tug of war, give up this much to get this much shown.
[00:07:31] And then I was just like, and my wife, me and my wife even talked about, we were like,
[00:07:36] let's just fucking put it on YouTube, man.
[00:07:38] I don't know.
[00:07:39] Let's just put it on YouTube and see what happens.
[00:07:41] Yeah.
[00:07:42] And, uh, so that's kind of what we decided to do.
[00:07:44] And we're really, really happy.
[00:07:46] We decided to do that in the beginning.
[00:07:48] I was like, I don't know, but now the feedback we're getting and new people who didn't even
[00:07:53] know what it was are coming to the DMS and talking and all this other kind of stuff.
[00:07:58] And we're very excited.
[00:07:59] Looks awesome to do it.
[00:08:01] I'm, I'm, I'm sorry.
[00:08:03] Sorry.
[00:08:03] I'm getting stuck and watching the eight minute, the video.
[00:08:05] It's, it looks great.
[00:08:07] Yeah.
[00:08:07] So yeah, this is more of an eight minute teaser.
[00:08:10] It's not the real opening eight minutes.
[00:08:11] It's a teaser.
[00:08:12] And then there are things this, even the scenes that are shown in this already look way
[00:08:17] different in the revised edit that we did.
[00:08:20] So, except for the prologue, this is supposed to have the feel of like a, uh, outlaw star
[00:08:26] record of Lotus war nineties anime prologue, you know, which are two outlaw star record
[00:08:32] of Lotus war are two of the things I kept going to, kept going to, uh, when we were doing
[00:08:38] this, I was like the quality, the kind of the way it's presented and, uh, just the look
[00:08:43] of it.
[00:08:44] I really love that era of anime.
[00:08:46] I call it the golden age, kind of the same era of the golden age of the JRPG because
[00:08:52] Japanese role-playing games are a big influence on what I did with the story too.
[00:08:57] So yeah, a lot of stuff.
[00:08:59] And I'll have people message me and say, Oh, this looks a bit like that.
[00:09:03] It's a bit like that.
[00:09:04] And if it's from the nineties, it probably is a little bit like that thing you just
[00:09:07] mentioned.
[00:09:07] Well, we were, we were talking, um, the other night, uh, he had sent me the, it's the scene
[00:09:14] with the, the rain and the, the cityscape and stuff like that.
[00:09:18] And it was like, I think if I remember right, the first thing I texted him was dude, this
[00:09:23] looks like nineties anime.
[00:09:26] Like this looks like that, that gritty art style, the sound design, like it's got that
[00:09:32] look.
[00:09:33] And it also has like, I think I might've even said outlaw star, like outlaw star, like
[00:09:40] coloring and, and like design.
[00:09:44] And it's like, to compare it to anything like current, I, I get a lot of like heavy Castlevania
[00:09:49] vibes from it.
[00:09:50] Like just the look and feel of it.
[00:09:52] Look, that's why like, I kind of resonate.
[00:09:55] Like I got stuck at watching.
[00:09:56] It looks great.
[00:09:57] Like I really like the animation.
[00:09:58] It's a lot like, um, vampire hunter D well, we're going, it's funny.
[00:10:04] You mentioned that because, uh, your vampire hunter D is like one of my favorite.
[00:10:10] It's, it's my favorite.
[00:10:11] The 85 movies, my favorite movie of all time.
[00:10:13] Yes.
[00:10:14] And I, I go to the well on that a whole lot.
[00:10:17] Like the story of Aurora opens in a place called the dark lands, which is directly inspired by
[00:10:23] the 1985 vampire hunter D movie when D rolls into town on the horse and Doris confronts him.
[00:10:29] I was totally inspired by that.
[00:10:31] So the fact that you gathered that is pretty spot on, man.
[00:10:35] Oh, well, I mean, for me, like I didn't know anything about anime until probably like 99.
[00:10:41] And the first two movies I ever saw were Akira and vampire hunter D.
[00:10:48] Yeah, man.
[00:10:49] Yeah.
[00:10:50] Akira, Afro Samurai and Samurai 7.
[00:10:53] Dude, I think Akira still clears almost every modern anime still in anime style.
[00:10:59] It still holds up, man.
[00:11:00] Dude, it still holds up.
[00:11:01] Oh, and Ghost in the Shell.
[00:11:02] Ghost in the Shell was like one of my first two.
[00:11:04] Yeah.
[00:11:04] Ninja Scroll.
[00:11:05] Ninja Scroll was just re-released in the theater.
[00:11:07] I didn't get to see it, but I'm getting the steel book for the anniversary.
[00:11:11] But one of the things that a lot of people who have just gotten into anime over the last five years,
[00:11:16] they watched Juju Kaisen and stuff like that.
[00:11:18] They'll ask me the shows like, what's some of the older stuff I should watch?
[00:11:21] And I give them my list, you know?
[00:11:23] And then they'll message me on like X or Facebook or something like that.
[00:11:27] Like, man, I checked out some of that.
[00:11:28] And they're always like, man, Tenchi Muyo and Outlaw Star are so good.
[00:11:32] You know?
[00:11:33] Tenchi Muyo shout out.
[00:11:35] Fuck yeah.
[00:11:35] Yeah.
[00:11:36] I knew what that was.
[00:11:38] Like, there are a couple of characters in my show that are directly influenced by Tenchi Muyo.
[00:11:44] The original Kagato, who had the ship and he had the white hair and the glasses and everything.
[00:11:50] Like, he's an inspiration for one of the characters in this story.
[00:11:53] Like, his look, the way he comes off, his vibe.
[00:11:56] But yeah, like, Aurora, it's its own thing.
[00:11:59] But it's also a love letter to kind of like that golden age of anime and JRPGs, really.
[00:12:04] But it's still its own thing.
[00:12:07] So you've got your website up.
[00:12:09] So for those that are actually watching right now or listening at home,
[00:12:14] you can go check out a lot of the stuff from the website, too, from news and stuff.
[00:12:17] It's AuroraOfficial.com and it's spelled A-R-A-U-R-A Official.com.
[00:12:25] So on their site, they've got links to the YouTube channel, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and the Bird app,
[00:12:32] whatever we want to call it these days.
[00:12:34] Right.
[00:12:35] You know, they've got a lot of good information on the website.
[00:12:39] You know, latest news.
[00:12:40] There's, I didn't know you were, that you had done a, like, the book release was on here.
[00:12:46] Right.
[00:12:46] And so I was looking at this the other day.
[00:12:50] Oh, the release schedule?
[00:12:51] Yeah.
[00:12:51] Yeah.
[00:12:52] The graphic novel.
[00:12:53] Yeah.
[00:12:53] We've got the novels on there.
[00:12:54] We've got the combo pack, all that stuff.
[00:12:57] The volume three Kickstarter is, I've got the proof for it.
[00:13:01] Actually, my editor has it right now, but I've approved it and he's looking through it,
[00:13:07] making sure I didn't miss anything.
[00:13:08] And if it's approved, we're going to go ahead and get those printing and get those out to the Kickstarter backers.
[00:13:13] Then a month after they have it, number three will be available to purchase.
[00:13:17] And we're not going to do Kickstarters anymore.
[00:13:19] We're just going to, as soon as they're done, we're just going to put them up for sale on the website and just keep moving out.
[00:13:24] Not to brag, but I have signed copies of both of those.
[00:13:28] Hey!
[00:13:30] Yeah.
[00:13:31] And we've got a lot more artwork.
[00:13:33] We've really been pushing hard to get the animated series out.
[00:13:37] And three is, the third book is done.
[00:13:40] Four and five are being worked on.
[00:13:41] Starting with five, I have brought in an inker who's going to be working on the inks of my pencils and stuff like that.
[00:13:48] And we're going to get more books out quicker because we're going to have two people working on it.
[00:13:52] Okay.
[00:13:53] Hold on.
[00:13:53] Hold on.
[00:13:53] Hold on.
[00:13:54] Can we call it what it is?
[00:13:56] They're just a tracer.
[00:13:57] They're just a tracer.
[00:13:59] Tracer.
[00:14:00] I'm an inker.
[00:14:01] He's an inker.
[00:14:03] What I just want to point out, to raise credit here, this is his passion project.
[00:14:13] And this is something that, I mean, this for a long, long time has been a one-man show.
[00:14:18] And for the most part, I think it really still is.
[00:14:20] I mean, you've hired some people, but this is, to its core, Ray Kaufman.
[00:14:27] Like, this is exactly him.
[00:14:29] And I think it shows, like, I've known him for a long time at this point now.
[00:14:33] I mean, for years at this point.
[00:14:36] And, like, you can see a lot of the inspirations in it.
[00:14:40] But you can definitely see a lot of Ray in it as well.
[00:14:44] And it's, like, it's just a really good mesh.
[00:14:48] And I've seen quite a bit of this project, both, you know, on screen and behind the scenes.
[00:14:56] And I think that a lot of it is, I think a lot of people are going to really resonate with this.
[00:15:02] And I think a lot of people are really going to see who Ray is as a creator once they watch this.
[00:15:08] And he actually has a really good voice cast for this.
[00:15:13] Part of which is part of the CGN family, too.
[00:15:17] Sweet.
[00:15:18] Insane voice cast.
[00:15:20] I was...
[00:15:20] Really?
[00:15:22] John Bentley, who plays, you know, he's in Final Fantasy.
[00:15:24] Uncle John?
[00:15:25] Rebirth.
[00:15:26] Uncle John, yeah.
[00:15:27] And Austin Matthews, who's also in Rebirth.
[00:15:29] Yep.
[00:15:29] It's funny because I was just talking to John last night.
[00:15:33] And he was, I was showing him some of the newer stuff.
[00:15:36] And he was like, oh, my gosh.
[00:15:38] Because he had seen, like, the other stuff and everything.
[00:15:41] And I'm working on some...
[00:15:43] He plays Reece, the guy on the right of the screen there with the hood on.
[00:15:48] He plays him.
[00:15:49] So I'm actually working on some art prints for him to have on his tables at shows and stuff, too.
[00:15:53] Oh, sweet.
[00:15:54] Sweet.
[00:15:55] So we got Austin Matthews, who he's not in the pilot that's dropping, but he is in the second part that's going to be dropping in six to eight weeks.
[00:16:03] So we've got him on board.
[00:16:05] Yeah, of course, we got Steve Bloom.
[00:16:07] We've got Johnny Bosch, Michelle Ruff, who's Rukia in Bleach.
[00:16:11] Nice, man.
[00:16:11] Also our voice director.
[00:16:13] We just picked up Jeremy Lee, Ray Chase, Yuri Lowenthal's going to be on board.
[00:16:18] We've got...
[00:16:20] We've had people say it's going to be the godfather of anime.
[00:16:23] And I was like...
[00:16:24] If there was an all-star team of voice casting, Ray has them.
[00:16:29] Yeah, he does a great cast.
[00:16:30] I mean, at this point...
[00:16:33] I knew what I wanted this to be.
[00:16:36] And I knew how I wanted it to look.
[00:16:38] I knew how I wanted it to sound.
[00:16:40] And when I met Steve Bloom back in 2017 and told me he was going to be in my show, he was like, yeah, man, sure, appreciate it.
[00:16:48] You know, he was being nice.
[00:16:50] But then in 2019, when I came to him and told him my plan, he was like, oh, I kind of remember you.
[00:16:55] Wow.
[00:16:55] I didn't...
[00:16:56] Because he was like, everybody says they want to do this, but nobody, you know, does it or whatever.
[00:17:01] And so I was like, well, how do I do it right?
[00:17:03] And then that's why I started figuring out how to do it right.
[00:17:05] And it took a long time.
[00:17:07] But anything worth doing, if you're going to do it, do it right, you know, and figure out the right way to do it.
[00:17:13] Figure out the right people to talk to.
[00:17:14] We had to get this union.
[00:17:16] We had to make this SAG official to get the people I wanted.
[00:17:19] I knew how I wanted it to sound.
[00:17:20] I didn't want to take shortcuts.
[00:17:21] And real quick, I want to jump on that real quick, right?
[00:17:25] Yeah.
[00:17:25] It is SAG official.
[00:17:28] Okay.
[00:17:30] And this is being driven by voice actors actually doing their roles, which is huge.
[00:17:40] Yeah.
[00:17:40] Now let me ask you a question.
[00:17:41] Are you going to do AI for this?
[00:17:44] AI?
[00:17:45] Yeah.
[00:17:46] What do you mean?
[00:17:47] Artificial intelligence.
[00:17:48] Yeah.
[00:17:48] Are you going to be using AI?
[00:17:49] We're not doing AI for anything.
[00:17:51] And that right there makes it all the worth it right there for everybody to check out.
[00:17:55] It's because he's using real actors, guys, and not AI, which is something that's kind of taken over the industry right now.
[00:18:04] And, you know, that's itself.
[00:18:09] One of the reasons it's taken four years is because I refuse to do AI.
[00:18:14] You know, I had people try to present it to me.
[00:18:20] And I have looked at AI stuff.
[00:18:21] I think as an artist, you kind of tinker, you try to understand what it's doing.
[00:18:26] And, like, for the world I wanted to create, AI just won't work because I have a very specific vision for it.
[00:18:32] You know, I know how I want it to look.
[00:18:34] I know what era it's supposed to look like.
[00:18:37] I know how I want it to sound.
[00:18:38] I would never even consider doing AI for voices at all because I know who I want it to be.
[00:18:44] I know how I want that to sound.
[00:18:45] And not only do I know who I want it to be or how I want it to sound, I want them to be a part of this family.
[00:18:51] I want them to be a part of this team because when you genuinely reach out to these people, no matter how famous they are or whatever, you make them a part of the team.
[00:18:59] You make them a part of the process.
[00:19:01] They get passionate for it.
[00:19:02] I tell everybody that I cast, no matter how many credits they have or how few credits they have, I'm like, they're like, well, how do I want to do this?
[00:19:12] I'm like, it's your voice.
[00:19:13] You are this character.
[00:19:15] I tell you who they are and you show me how you're going to interpret that.
[00:19:20] And then we're just going to build this thing on screen together.
[00:19:22] And honestly, like most actors love that.
[00:19:26] Yeah.
[00:19:27] When they have a character that's fully fleshed out, but you give them the reins, like I want you to bring it to life.
[00:19:33] When other directors sometimes like will butt heads with actors when they have a certain idea about the character.
[00:19:39] This is how I want it.
[00:19:40] You know, they they'll still do their job.
[00:19:43] But when you give them free reign like that, I just feel like more creativity comes out from the actor.
[00:19:49] And I feel like the characters become more fleshed out, you know, as the show progresses.
[00:19:56] Well, and I think, too, I think, too, like it's right.
[00:19:59] It's name recognition.
[00:20:02] Like, you know, a lot of people could take the short way out and just use AI or whatever.
[00:20:06] But by using these voices, when you hear Johnny Young Bosch, you're hearing Johnny Young Bosch.
[00:20:12] Like you are.
[00:20:13] Yeah, it's him.
[00:20:14] And that that brand, that name and brand recognition is going to draw people to this that may have been like, what is this project?
[00:20:22] Then you see that.
[00:20:24] Oh, well, if if one of the biggest voice actors in the world.
[00:20:29] Is signed on to do this, this must be a project worth doing, because, yeah, you could say, well, he's just doing it for the money.
[00:20:36] But at the same time, it's these guys's reputation, too.
[00:20:40] Yeah.
[00:20:40] So they could have said no.
[00:20:42] If something didn't like entice them or something they read that they didn't find interesting, why would they say yes?
[00:20:49] Just for the picture.
[00:20:50] Well, obviously, it was very interesting to them.
[00:20:53] They're.
[00:20:53] Yeah.
[00:20:53] They're part of the project.
[00:20:54] It's wild.
[00:20:55] It's going to be cool.
[00:20:56] We start recording this.
[00:20:57] Wait, hold on.
[00:20:58] You're pulling.
[00:20:58] You're pulling a Mel Brooks with this.
[00:21:00] You're voicing one of the characters.
[00:21:02] He's Stephen King in it.
[00:21:04] I'm voicing.
[00:21:05] I'm voicing.
[00:21:06] M.A.
[00:21:07] Shyamalan.
[00:21:08] Yeah.
[00:21:08] That's awesome.
[00:21:09] You know what we need to do, right?
[00:21:11] What's up?
[00:21:12] Next year, after we got some more episodes in the bank, we find one of the comic cons that a lot of your voice actors are going to be at.
[00:21:20] Let's do a panel.
[00:21:22] There's a.
[00:21:22] Yeah, we're kind of working on something right now.
[00:21:25] So we're trying to build a thing out.
[00:21:28] Oh, yeah.
[00:21:28] And it's funny because like when I read when I recorded Steve in like August of 2020 in the throes of COVID, you know, people were still trying to figure out how to record.
[00:21:40] It took six months to get that lined up.
[00:21:42] And at the time, I only had Steve, you know, and Steve had read the books, read the scripts I'd given him and everything.
[00:21:49] And then after we recorded, he was like, he's like, I'm not in his words kind of exactly as I'm not trying to blow smoke or anything like that.
[00:21:58] He was like.
[00:22:00] But he's like, I think this has legs.
[00:22:02] He's like, I don't think I've ever read anything like this.
[00:22:05] And he said, I he goes, who do you want?
[00:22:08] I was like, what do you mean?
[00:22:09] Who are what?
[00:22:09] He goes, who do you want?
[00:22:11] He goes, I know everybody.
[00:22:13] And I was like, OK, so I get a list.
[00:22:16] What a flex.
[00:22:18] He goes, that's a huge compliment to your work.
[00:22:20] Well, it was a compliment, though, because he wouldn't do that.
[00:22:23] And it's a testament to him because he really is just the nicest guy.
[00:22:29] Really?
[00:22:30] If you show you'll put the work in, he will back you on it.
[00:22:34] You know what I mean?
[00:22:35] And that was him putting his back against the wall for this thing.
[00:22:38] I gave him my list.
[00:22:39] They all messaged me that night.
[00:22:41] And I was like, oh, my God, we've got a real thing moving here now.
[00:22:46] And that's when this thing really started pushing out the door.
[00:22:49] And that's also kind of a rare thing, especially like when you're working on a project and you're working with another fellow actor and you're like, you tell them about this project and like you presented it to them.
[00:22:58] They read it and they have that kind of reaction.
[00:23:03] But he could have just said, like, yeah, I'm very interested.
[00:23:05] Let's work.
[00:23:06] Let's work on it.
[00:23:07] But to go that further and say, like, who do you want?
[00:23:11] Just solidifies that compliment to you, man.
[00:23:13] Because a lot of rare actors, they won't do that.
[00:23:18] Like, unless they truly feel like, oh, I want to be a part of this.
[00:23:21] Like, okay, what do you want in interim to where, like, how can I work with you and get this going?
[00:23:28] Like, that's such a big compliment, dude.
[00:23:29] Yeah.
[00:23:30] And, like, it's a responsibility, too, at that point.
[00:23:33] Like, I had a responsibility to make sure that, you know, they're putting their name on the line for this.
[00:23:38] I got to do everything I can to make sure it's as good as possible, you know?
[00:23:41] So anytime there were delays, because this has all been on-the-job training.
[00:23:44] So through all of that, were you kind of feeling a little bit more pressure?
[00:23:47] So now that it was kind of building with more of these?
[00:23:50] Real quick.
[00:23:51] No, because I felt like they understood where I was.
[00:23:53] Case in point.
[00:23:53] I was in my basement in the middle of Kentucky with a family, working two jobs, trying to make this happen, too.
[00:24:00] You know what I mean?
[00:24:01] And so they got it, and they understood that.
[00:24:04] Case in point with what Ray was talking about with the enhancements and stuff.
[00:24:08] Look, here's the differences.
[00:24:09] Right?
[00:24:10] The before and the afters.
[00:24:12] And all you guys say is...
[00:24:13] Dope!
[00:24:14] Yeah.
[00:24:15] The shot at the bottom with the smoke and Renzia, that was directly inspired by how the rockets blast off an Outlaw Star.
[00:24:23] Like how the smoke gathers on the...
[00:24:26] And then explosions in Macross and Gundam, the way explosions happen in those shows.
[00:24:31] I went back and researched and studied more because that was...
[00:24:35] A lot of people were like, well, the top one's fine.
[00:24:37] And Soldier, I think maybe you or somebody else said this while I said it to you.
[00:24:40] The top one's fine, but the bottom one's man.
[00:24:42] You know, it's night and day.
[00:24:45] It's those little touches that are the difference.
[00:24:47] Because if you look at it, the general animation is similar.
[00:24:53] But then you see it looks like in the top one...
[00:24:56] Those little added touches that gives it that oomph.
[00:24:58] Right.
[00:24:58] Like the top one, the smoke in the foreground is just kind of going across.
[00:25:05] Whereas in the bottom one, the smoke is going across, but it's also billowing.
[00:25:09] It's got movement.
[00:25:11] You have that sense of depth and movement.
[00:25:13] Yeah.
[00:25:13] It's got life to it.
[00:25:14] It's not full frames looping.
[00:25:16] It's actual animated movement.
[00:25:19] Yeah.
[00:25:19] It's like, it's got life to it.
[00:25:22] These are the reasons we delayed the pilot.
[00:25:25] This is exactly it.
[00:25:27] Like, it's all stuff like this, you know?
[00:25:29] Well, and at the end of the day, you've got to be happy with the final product too.
[00:25:33] And at the same time too, like it does have that like 90s Escaflowne.
[00:25:37] Escaflowne, like little fog in the top one where you can still see everything in the background,
[00:25:43] even though it's supposed to be smoke and fog.
[00:25:46] Like, compared to the bottom one, yeah, it does like hide the image behind.
[00:25:51] So there's a little bit more of that like actual smoke, smoke rather than like a dusty wind.
[00:25:58] I think Ray just needs to give us the episode now.
[00:26:00] I was like, I changed the background altogether.
[00:26:03] And because I looked at my wife and I was like, shouldn't he be yelling at the shed here instead of some trees?
[00:26:08] And she goes, oh yeah.
[00:26:10] I was like, well, let me fix that.
[00:26:14] So folks, I would say this, go on to their social media accounts and drop the follows.
[00:26:20] So you know when the episode actually launches.
[00:26:22] Because Ray, I want this.
[00:26:24] Damn it.
[00:26:27] Well, I'm starting tomorrow night.
[00:26:28] I'm going to be on the Aurora YouTube channel and the changes we're working on.
[00:26:32] I'm going to be doing live streams.
[00:26:34] And I was going to be talking to people and being like, I'm working on it live.
[00:26:38] And I'm just going to be like, this is why we did this.
[00:26:40] This is what we're doing here.
[00:26:41] This is why we're moving this around.
[00:26:42] And this is why we're putting here, this here, and this there.
[00:26:46] And you were talking about the actors and using, letting the actors bring their characters to life earlier.
[00:26:51] I've got two really good stories about that.
[00:26:53] The first one is John Eric Bentley.
[00:26:57] We call him Jeb and Jeb.
[00:26:58] We've got John Eric Bentley.
[00:26:59] We've got Johnny Young Bosch.
[00:27:00] It's Jeb and Jeb.
[00:27:01] That's how we were approaching them.
[00:27:02] I love it.
[00:27:03] Like in the...
[00:27:04] That's how we see him.
[00:27:05] Hey, was it Jeb?
[00:27:06] Oh, I love it.
[00:27:07] She's like, is this Jeb or Jeb?
[00:27:09] I was like, this is Jeb.
[00:27:10] This is Jeb, you know?
[00:27:12] So, because we got two Johns and we were just distinguished them.
[00:27:16] But, like, so Rees, he's a former knight of this.
[00:27:20] The Darklands are a former empire.
[00:27:22] And they would kind of watch over the rest of the world.
[00:27:25] And they worked in conjunction with Aurora.
[00:27:27] When Aurora disappeared, they were breaking their backs to protect the world.
[00:27:31] Then they fell too.
[00:27:32] And so now it's the Darklands.
[00:27:33] But you still have a few knights who feel sworn to the people of the land and partially responsible for letting it fall.
[00:27:42] John, his character, Rees, is one of those characters.
[00:27:45] And so he was working with me to flesh out the voice and everything.
[00:27:50] So we finally came to the record.
[00:27:51] He was putting little things in the lines.
[00:27:54] And he was like, he would sit there.
[00:27:56] And you could tell he was like, I, I, yes, I.
[00:28:00] You know, the I wasn't in there.
[00:28:01] You know, he added that.
[00:28:03] And then it gave me a feeling of the character that wasn't there before.
[00:28:08] And I was like, oh, so he kind of, he is more introverted when it comes to these moments.
[00:28:14] And he's thinking about this after a character says this kind of thing, you know.
[00:28:18] And with, so that was something he brought by just giving him free reign to create the character, you know.
[00:28:24] And then Johnny Young Bosch.
[00:28:26] People don't realize how just friggin' hilarious that guy is.
[00:28:31] Like he has got incredible comedic timing.
[00:28:34] Like I knew it when I first watched Trigun, the original Trigun dub.
[00:28:39] Because that's, a lot of that is where Renzia, my main character, one of my main characters came from, was sitting in my efficiency apartment in 2004.
[00:28:47] Writing this character, listening to Trigun DVDs as they were coming out, you know.
[00:28:50] And all these years later, I got to cast Johnny.
[00:28:52] So, in part two of the pilot, what's going on with Renzia in the pilot is he just doesn't want anybody to bother him.
[00:29:00] He wants to be left alone.
[00:29:02] He's got a history like everybody else in this world, but he wants to be left alone.
[00:29:05] He cares too much about people, so he just distances himself from them because people aren't in a good place, you know.
[00:29:12] So, these two kids need his help.
[00:29:15] He's like, man, I really don't want to help these kids, but I don't want to leave them in the woods either.
[00:29:18] So, I'll get you all back to town and then I'm done with you, okay.
[00:29:21] And so, like, his comedic timing with all the stuff with the kids, there's this one line where he's talking to them and he's like, hey, I'll make you a deal.
[00:29:30] If you stop running off into the woods of murderers, I'll give you a hand.
[00:29:33] You know, there's another line where these kids are like, you know, they did something where they were thinking with their heart, you know.
[00:29:40] In anime, they say stuff a lot of times like, you were thinking with your heart, you know.
[00:29:44] And then he says, you were thinking with your heart, which is stupid.
[00:29:49] You know, so, just the way he was rolling the lines, it was just, we were, we had to do a couple takes because we were laughing in the recording booth.
[00:29:56] And he was just taking the lines that I had written for him and just let him create because I kind of know what his range is.
[00:30:04] And just letting him create, it was lightning in a bottle, man.
[00:30:07] And I'm really excited for people to be able to finally hear it, you know.
[00:30:11] That's awesome.
[00:30:13] Well, hurry up, Bray.
[00:30:14] I know, man.
[00:30:15] I am.
[00:30:16] That's why I'm, look, if I could show you my studio right now, I've got a fold away cot over here in my studio.
[00:30:22] I get done recording.
[00:30:24] I get done editing and stuff probably about four or five in the morning.
[00:30:27] And so I don't wake my wife up.
[00:30:29] I pull the cot out and sleep here.
[00:30:32] And I wake up about 10 or 1030 and I get back to it.
[00:30:36] And then I go work and I come back.
[00:30:38] I'm editing.
[00:30:40] I live in this 12 by 15 studio right now.
[00:30:44] But that's what you got to do to make it happen.
[00:30:47] And that's the grind, dude.
[00:30:48] Yeah.
[00:30:48] But that's also, that's the love of filmmaking.
[00:30:51] I totally understand it.
[00:30:52] That's awesome.
[00:30:53] Yeah.
[00:30:54] And good luck.
[00:30:55] And honestly, you got a fan now.
[00:30:57] It looks great.
[00:30:58] Yeah.
[00:31:00] Like I said before, dude, that was just a huge compliment of what they, what they said and what the moves that they were making for you.
[00:31:06] The moment they saw, you know, your teasers, same thing, dude.
[00:31:11] I immediately see it.
[00:31:13] I see other shows that, that I see may have been inspired or been like influenced.
[00:31:21] And that's, that's where you see, that's when, you know, the project is going to have legs.
[00:31:26] When someone, it's kind of that thing when you, when you hear a new song and you know, it's going to be a hit.
[00:31:32] Most people think, oh, have I heard that before?
[00:31:34] No, I just wrote it.
[00:31:36] Like that people, a lot of people say that those are hits being written.
[00:31:40] Same thing here.
[00:31:41] Why it has legs.
[00:31:43] Like you constantly think like, oh, this kind of reminds me of this and this.
[00:31:46] And they get more and more interested.
[00:31:48] It's just really well done.
[00:31:51] Oh, well, thank you, man.
[00:31:52] I really appreciate that.
[00:31:54] It's, it's a labor of love, man.
[00:31:56] You know, and it's funny because like when I first put the first stapled comic book out in like 2012.
[00:32:05] Um, I had people and it was very incomplete.
[00:32:07] Like I'm the type of guy that'll do the same thing three times to get it right.
[00:32:10] So I, I produced the comics many times before I did a collected volume.
[00:32:14] My first collected volume was three chapters.
[00:32:17] I released it back in like 2014.
[00:32:18] I think I put that out and people were like, have you thought about animating this?
[00:32:22] I'm like every day, man.
[00:32:23] But that's not possible.
[00:32:24] And then five years later, six years later, we were like, let's do it.
[00:32:29] I had some people DM me on, uh, Twitter X, whatever it's called now, Twix.
[00:32:34] Uh, they were, uh, they were, they were like, uh, did you draw a lot of inspiration from Castlevania?
[00:32:40] And I was like, no, not really.
[00:32:43] Um, I know Renzia kind of has like a look of, uh, uh, Richter a little bit, but then I send them a link from like Amazon.
[00:32:50] I'm like, I've had this out since like, he's looked like this since 2014, you know?
[00:32:56] And they're like, oh, that's cool.
[00:32:58] You know, but I was like, I did get inspired by these things.
[00:33:01] I'll break the list, the list out.
[00:33:03] You know what I mean?
[00:33:04] I love sharing inspirations because it's funny when you do that, people are like, oh, I like that stuff too.
[00:33:09] Maybe I'll check it out.
[00:33:10] Don't be shy about the things that inspire you, you know, or what moved you to do a thing.
[00:33:15] Give them total credit because people will find that.
[00:33:17] And I've got a lot of Aurora fans through people that are like, I love nineties anime.
[00:33:21] Well, what things inspired you?
[00:33:23] And I'll give them the list.
[00:33:24] They're like, I'm gonna check it out.
[00:33:25] And they're like, oh yeah, you're right.
[00:33:26] It's inspired by those things.
[00:33:27] I like it.
[00:33:28] So, so I do want to ask you something because this actually isn't a question I've ever asked you.
[00:33:34] So I, yes, it looks great on you.
[00:33:39] That, that scene.
[00:33:40] Thank you.
[00:33:40] No, it doesn't.
[00:33:41] That scene that was just on kind of reminded me of Outlaw Star a little bit, but no, my question is you were, you were mentioning the voice acting and how, you know, normally in anime, they would say this, or they would say it like this.
[00:33:53] And you're like, Johnny kind of took it and was like, this is how he did it.
[00:33:58] Did you find yourself with this trying to kind of be like the reverse of anime where you were trying to make this more voiced, like, like talking how people would talk?
[00:34:09] Like, not that over-exaggerated anime style that is kind of popular right now.
[00:34:15] More so like, like me and you were, not like me and you were talking, but just in general, like a conversation between two characters sounding authentic instead of like force or.
[00:34:29] Pushing, pushing the, pushing the storyline.
[00:34:33] Pushing the emotion a little bit too much.
[00:34:35] We, um, one of the things that we were planning and we were going through scripts and stuff.
[00:34:40] And by the way, shout out to Michelle Ruff and Johnny Bosch too, because like there were nights where I'd be up till three in the morning.
[00:34:45] They were like, both of them would be like, send us what you got.
[00:34:48] As far as the script goes, let's look it over.
[00:34:50] And then they would be very hard.
[00:34:52] And which is why I wanted, I was like, don't sugarcoat it.
[00:34:55] If it's, if it's not good, if it sucks, let me know.
[00:34:57] I need to know how to write this the right way, how to structure it, how to format it.
[00:35:01] So, uh, one of the things I told them early on is it's not going to be, and a lot of times in anime, what you run into is when they're dubbing, you know, like you've got these beeps that are going off and you have to get the vocal tone in between the beeps and you got to get your lines in all that kind of stuff.
[00:35:16] And yeah, I'm actually lip flaps and this, there's none of that.
[00:35:20] So I told them, I was like, we're conversational.
[00:35:22] I want to use your voice.
[00:35:24] Um, and that's why I'm casting you.
[00:35:26] You know, I've heard you talk.
[00:35:27] I know how you sound.
[00:35:28] I want your voice as this character.
[00:35:31] And a lot of times when they play different characters, they're just using different inflections of their own voice anyway.
[00:35:36] And so when I do get to know these people and I hear their voices, I'm like that, that right there.
[00:35:41] That's, that's what I want.
[00:35:42] I want you to say it like that, but like you're pissed or like somebody just stole something from you or, you know, and then we'll give them direction and then they just, they take it and they do it their own thing.
[00:35:51] But yeah, I want it to be conversational.
[00:35:53] It needs to sound like a drama.
[00:35:55] Uh, my biggest influence is all this is the Lord of the Rings.
[00:35:59] Yes.
[00:35:59] And I've been a Lord of the Rings fan since I was a kid, reading The Hobbit, reading the books.
[00:36:04] And then the movies came out, which just expounded the fandom.
[00:36:07] Uh, but I started writing this as a series of novels in college and it just never worked.
[00:36:11] The friends were like, make it a comic.
[00:36:13] I'm like, it doesn't work as a comic.
[00:36:14] Then a buddy of mine let me hold a copy of Berserk.
[00:36:15] I was like, well, it could be this, you know?
[00:36:18] So, and then, um, then that's what my need to turn into this turned into.
[00:36:23] But yeah, to answer your question, it's conversational.
[00:36:27] We're not doing a whole, whole lot of like over inflection and, and.
[00:36:33] Manipulating their voice to kind of, um, amplify the character.
[00:36:38] Where you want that, you want them to be grounded and really come from a real place.
[00:36:42] Right.
[00:36:42] Because the, the thing about, there is some anime humor and stuff in there, like anime inspired humor.
[00:36:48] Like if somebody like gets pissed or something, but that's more of in the artwork and less in the voice.
[00:36:54] You know what I mean?
[00:36:55] Right.
[00:36:55] Because the thing about the dark lands is people that live there, they just go about the day to their lives.
[00:37:00] People that don't live there that are coming to try to help people, whatever.
[00:37:03] It's horrifying for them.
[00:37:05] And they're just like, and other people are like, nah, we're used to this, man.
[00:37:08] Just don't go out at night and stay in your house and stay on the road.
[00:37:10] If you got to go somewhere and blah, blah, blah, you know?
[00:37:13] And, um, but yeah, all you'll see all that stuff that we're talking about.
[00:37:18] But as far as the, the voice acting and the performances.
[00:37:22] Yeah.
[00:37:22] It's more grounded.
[00:37:23] There, there are lighthearted moments.
[00:37:25] There are casual humor moments and stuff like that.
[00:37:28] It's not too overbearing.
[00:37:30] It's not like a Castlevania or something like that.
[00:37:33] It's, it's very much more like an outlaw star.
[00:37:36] You know what I mean?
[00:37:37] I keep going back to berserk outlaw star.
[00:37:40] You think about that 97, 98 dub of berserk.
[00:37:43] You know what I mean?
[00:37:43] Of course it was dubbed later, but that first series.
[00:37:47] Think like that, you know, there's humor, but they're, they're talking to each other like
[00:37:53] people, you know what I mean?
[00:37:54] That's the biggest thing.
[00:37:55] I was like, I want everybody to talk to each other like people.
[00:37:58] That's what this story is.
[00:38:00] And I think that's, what's kind of kind of set it apart for a lot of things.
[00:38:02] It's not going to be some people's cup of tea.
[00:38:04] Like if they're into like, like the middle school anime things, I don't want to cut people
[00:38:08] out, but you know, if, you know, if you're, if you're into that kind of more goofier
[00:38:13] kind of modern stuff, it might not be your cup of tea, but I would encourage you to check
[00:38:16] it out anyway, because it might be your gateway into that nineties stuff.
[00:38:21] My goal with this show at the end of the day is for somebody to watch this and be like,
[00:38:25] huh, I missed this in 98.
[00:38:27] I missed everything that came out in 98.
[00:38:28] How did I miss this?
[00:38:29] You know, that's my goal with this when it comes out.
[00:38:33] And it could be kind of one of those new shows that comes out kind of like what's, what's
[00:38:38] going on now as the, with the resurgence of the old, uh, eighties and nineties kind
[00:38:44] of shows or cartoons or toys coming out.
[00:38:47] X, X-Men 92.
[00:38:48] Yeah, exactly.
[00:38:49] X-Men 97.
[00:38:51] 97.
[00:38:51] But, um, uh, that's the thing that your, your show could be the bridge to bring back
[00:38:56] more of a resurgence of that stuff that inspired you and inspired us, which it kind of, I
[00:39:02] love that.
[00:39:03] Yeah.
[00:39:03] Anime.
[00:39:03] I really feel like God's foothold in the West because of the grit, because of the, the darker
[00:39:09] tone of it.
[00:39:10] Because if you go back and watch Trigun, that's not a lighthearted show, man.
[00:39:15] It's like, like spoiler alert, but if you've never seen Trigun.
[00:39:20] A little, uh, late on the spot.
[00:39:23] A little late.
[00:39:23] Yeah.
[00:39:24] Just in case.
[00:39:25] You never know.
[00:39:25] Statue of limitations is over.
[00:39:28] It's a couple decades.
[00:39:29] The Legato episode.
[00:39:31] Legato Blue Summers is one of my favorite characters of all time.
[00:39:34] His character design, the way he's portrayed, the character itself, what he is.
[00:39:39] Yeah.
[00:39:39] Like the, the scene where Vash and Legato have their final encounter.
[00:39:44] That's all I'm going to say.
[00:39:46] And you realize Legato won that battle, even though he's dead.
[00:39:52] Like that's when it hit me.
[00:39:54] I was like, this is fucking S tier storytelling.
[00:39:57] Like this is like beyond the pale, you know, it's so good.
[00:40:01] And yeah.
[00:40:02] So that era of storytelling, that era of artwork is something that I long for when I watch a show.
[00:40:09] And that was really my goal when I set out to make this thing real.
[00:40:15] So I do want to transition kind of right on that.
[00:40:19] We're talking about like story and stuff like that, because we all met, right?
[00:40:24] As far as the soldier and Ray and myself, all because of Final Fantasy.
[00:40:31] This, well, yesterday, the Game Awards announced their Game of the Year nominees.
[00:40:40] Um, and it was Astro Bot, Bellatro, which is a mobile game, Black Myth Wukong, which Jerry, you, you were like, hey, this is probably on the game, you know, the list, right?
[00:40:54] Metaphor.
[00:40:55] I said mine.
[00:40:56] I, I hope Astro Bot or Final Fantasy win.
[00:40:59] I, but my biased opinion based on what, uh, what I'm just kind of reading the terrain, I think Black Myth is going to win.
[00:41:06] So you've got FF7 Rebirth, but then, and we all have hot takes on this, especially Soldier.
[00:41:14] Um, off the record, off the record.
[00:41:18] Um, then we got DLC called, uh, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erd Tree.
[00:41:23] You mean Game of the Year Potential Winner Shadow of the Erd Tree.
[00:41:29] Now this has created quite a bit.
[00:41:31] It's not a game.
[00:41:32] It's DLC.
[00:41:33] It is, it is absolutely created a lot of controversy within the gaming community right now because it is DLC.
[00:41:40] It is an expansion of the story.
[00:41:43] Um, yet it's up for Game of the Year.
[00:41:47] The Game Awards, this is under their facts and everything.
[00:41:53] Wow.
[00:41:53] Oh my goodness.
[00:41:53] We're getting, we're getting, we're getting technical.
[00:41:55] We're getting technical.
[00:41:56] Oh, we are.
[00:41:56] Oh, okay.
[00:41:57] There is, there is one here at the bottom.
[00:41:59] They actually are, and I want to put this out there.
[00:42:00] It says, and this, you can go to Game Awards, uh, thegameawards.com, go to their FAQ section.
[00:42:06] You'll be able to see this set down at the bottom.
[00:42:08] Are DLCs, expansion packs, and remakes, slash remasters eligible?
[00:42:13] The Game Awards aims to recognize the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that content's release.
[00:42:20] Expansion packs, new game sessions, DLCs, remakes, and remasters are eligible in all categories.
[00:42:26] If the jury deems the new creative and technical work to be worthy of a nomination, factors such as the newness of the content and its price value should be taken into consideration.
[00:42:37] It's fucking DLC.
[00:42:39] Listen, listen, I have an argument, I have an argument.
[00:42:41] I have an argument.
[00:42:43] Okay.
[00:42:44] What's the argument?
[00:42:45] Okay.
[00:42:47] So, in there, it says the jury decided to put it in the Game Awards, right?
[00:42:52] So, there was a, there's a jury of our peers, whatever you want to call it.
[00:42:55] There was deliberation.
[00:42:56] There was deliberation, and it got selected.
[00:42:59] My argument is that if more games had not come out and been disappointing in the long run, I don't think it would have gotten chosen.
[00:43:09] But it is the highest rated, it's tied for the highest rating on the Game Awards list.
[00:43:15] It's higher than Bellatro.
[00:43:18] It's higher than Rebirth.
[00:43:20] And it's higher than, I think, well, definitely Black Myth Wukong.
[00:43:25] And so, for me, Dragon Age came out and was disappointing critically.
[00:43:30] Dragon's Dogma was controversial with its microtransactions, and it disappointed critically.
[00:43:38] A lot of games that we thought were going to come out this year that were going to blow the doors off did not do so.
[00:43:46] So, they went with one of the highest rated pieces of content in gaming.
[00:43:52] And despite that being a DLC, it was still very critically well received.
[00:43:58] Also, to kind of add to your claim, it is the size of a full game.
[00:44:03] Its predecessor was the Game of the Year winner too.
[00:44:06] Yes.
[00:44:06] Now, with that argument, I do want to give the caveat that I don't agree with its selection.
[00:44:14] But I understand why it was put there in the sense that there was nothing else to put in there.
[00:44:21] Agreed.
[00:44:22] The only thing I want to ask you guys, now, does this kind of open the forum for other DLCs or other games?
[00:44:30] Obviously, it does.
[00:44:32] But do you think that's kind of a dangerous thing?
[00:44:35] Yes.
[00:44:35] Because now in the future, well, if a game comes out that everyone thinks deserves to be in, but then a DLC like this that did make waves, maybe if it wasn't as successful as Elden Ring, but it got selected instead of that game, where are we at then?
[00:44:55] Okay.
[00:44:56] Well, I'll 14.
[00:44:58] Yeah.
[00:44:59] Well, here, that's what I was going to say.
[00:45:01] Here's the thing.
[00:45:02] Every time a new expansion of 14 comes out, well, except for the last one, it wasn't very well received, but so far.
[00:45:11] Final Fantasy 14?
[00:45:12] Yes.
[00:45:13] Okay.
[00:45:13] Okay.
[00:45:14] Like Heavensward was like one of the highest rated, was one of the highest rated on Metacritic for an expansion.
[00:45:22] It's a full game on its own.
[00:45:24] Every expansion is a full game on its own.
[00:45:27] Yeah.
[00:45:28] If it were to be cut into, like, it's cut into sections.
[00:45:30] The problem being is that you have to play base 14, or you can skip to Heavensward and just play Heavensward.
[00:45:37] Yeah.
[00:45:38] Or you have to.
[00:45:39] Okay.
[00:45:39] There is a skip.
[00:45:40] Yeah.
[00:45:41] Yeah.
[00:45:41] Yeah.
[00:45:41] Yeah.
[00:45:42] You can buy a skip, which, I mean, I understand that's extra money and everything else, but you can play Heavensward as its own standalone thing.
[00:45:50] Yeah.
[00:45:50] As you can every expansion because of the purchasable skips.
[00:45:55] However, again, if we're looking at it being expansion packs, DLCs, I don't necessarily think that it should be eligible.
[00:46:03] I don't make the rules.
[00:46:04] I don't make the rules.
[00:46:05] I'm not on the jury.
[00:46:07] I don't get a vote.
[00:46:08] So whatever the Game Awards Committee decided to do that was on them, and I almost wonder if this is leaning towards Shadow of the Erd Tree winning, or is it because there just weren't enough competition this year?
[00:46:25] I don't think.
[00:46:25] I kind of understand both sides.
[00:46:27] I think we had too many flops this year.
[00:46:29] But the other thing is, I think if we still had more successful games, I still kind of feel because it's Elden Ring, I think it still would have gotten nominated.
[00:46:40] It's just a strong franchise in a game.
[00:46:43] I don't think it would have, though.
[00:46:45] I think it would have taken the place of the mobile game because I don't think mobile games at all deserve.
[00:46:52] Bellatro was so, so well-loved.
[00:46:56] Really?
[00:46:57] Okay.
[00:46:58] Oh, yeah.
[00:46:58] I will say this.
[00:46:59] I think if Dragon's Dogma 2 or Dragon Age had come out and scored like a 90 on Metacritic,
[00:47:05] You think it would have taken it?
[00:47:06] I think Erd Tree wouldn't be there.
[00:47:08] I think this is a direct result of the gaming industry being really, really light on games this year.
[00:47:17] And the ones that we all thought were going to come out and blow the doors off did not do so.
[00:47:23] So I think this is why Erd Tree is there.
[00:47:25] Not that I necessarily agree with it.
[00:47:27] Although I do hope it wins because the salt will feed families for generations.
[00:47:32] But I agree with your assessment.
[00:47:34] I don't agree with hoping it wins.
[00:47:37] I really secretly hope Astro Bot wins.
[00:47:40] But for the hype and how many people are streaming it still, I think it's going to be between Elden Ring and Wukong.
[00:47:48] But I think Wukong might win.
[00:47:49] But I also, I'll say this.
[00:47:51] I also believe that there is tech, there could be, as Matt said, maybe a problem with this.
[00:47:59] Because, okay, let's say...
[00:48:00] Pandora's Box.
[00:48:01] No.
[00:48:02] Pandora's Box.
[00:48:02] It doesn't open it.
[00:48:03] Yes.
[00:48:04] It does kind of.
[00:48:05] Because if you think about it, okay, what if Fortnite decides we're going to make an expansion pack?
[00:48:11] Fortnite's going to be like...
[00:48:13] 40-hour content expansion pack.
[00:48:15] You have like Tekken, you have all, like literally every fighting game remains the same fighting game until they bring up the next expansion of it.
[00:48:23] Tekken 7 was like three, four years.
[00:48:26] Yeah, but didn't Fortnite add a Guitar Hero mode?
[00:48:29] Yeah.
[00:48:29] I mean, like...
[00:48:30] It doesn't add...
[00:48:31] What?
[00:48:31] It doesn't add like, oh, does it make it the game of the year now?
[00:48:35] No.
[00:48:35] It didn't last long, did it?
[00:48:36] Because I don't remember.
[00:48:37] Honestly, let's be real.
[00:48:38] It doesn't really add it.
[00:48:40] It only was added right now, honestly, because of how big Elden Ring has gotten.
[00:48:45] You know, like...
[00:48:46] But even then, though.
[00:48:48] It's too large.
[00:48:49] Now you have to.
[00:48:50] But it's almost like having like Destiny 2 or like Final Fantasy 14 where it's gotten so massive that it's a singular game that's not an MMO, but everybody plays it as if it is an MMO.
[00:49:04] If that makes sense.
[00:49:05] So let me put it this way.
[00:49:06] If it was like Destiny...
[00:49:07] You bring up Destiny, right?
[00:49:08] I can guarantee...
[00:49:09] Like for me is if...
[00:49:12] If we're going DLC route, which I think they now have to because they're allowing Ertree in,
[00:49:18] you can't just say, oh, we just made an exception because there was nothing there that year.
[00:49:22] Exactly.
[00:49:22] They opened Pandora's back now.
[00:49:24] You cannot put it back in the box now.
[00:49:27] So...
[00:49:27] Well...
[00:49:28] I mean, like...
[00:49:29] Tell me...
[00:49:30] Like...
[00:49:30] I mean, other than this, the only other games that come out that are like a secondary game that I could think of this year is just Hades 2 and Senua 2.
[00:49:40] That's it.
[00:49:40] Well, what about Phantom Liberty for Cyberpunk?
[00:49:44] Does anybody think that it should have been considered for Game of the Year?
[00:49:48] No, because that was like, what?
[00:49:52] 20...
[00:49:52] 10...
[00:49:52] 15...
[00:49:53] 20 hours of gameplay?
[00:49:55] Asher Abad.
[00:49:55] Right.
[00:49:56] Asher Abad is an 8-hour game.
[00:49:57] Right.
[00:49:58] Game length to me doesn't matter.
[00:50:00] I don't think that should matter.
[00:50:01] It's just game length.
[00:50:02] Well, I'll say...
[00:50:03] I'll say this.
[00:50:03] And this might be...
[00:50:04] I don't know.
[00:50:05] Saying the quiet part out loud.
[00:50:06] I don't know.
[00:50:07] But, like...
[00:50:08] I feel like whatever should be nominated for Game of the Year should be whatever the best game was that came out that year.
[00:50:14] If it's DLC that everybody had the best time with, then it's DLC.
[00:50:19] If it's a mobile...
[00:50:19] That's something I can back...
[00:50:20] If it's a mobile card game that everybody was just going nuts over, that's in.
[00:50:25] Whatever people were going nuts over...
[00:50:26] Except for mobile.
[00:50:27] I can't accept mobile.
[00:50:28] ...and really going crazy for, I feel like that's in.
[00:50:32] It's a game.
[00:50:32] That's just...
[00:50:33] I know DLC, all this other kind of stuff.
[00:50:35] I mean, I get that.
[00:50:37] I understand.
[00:50:38] But it's like some DLCs, like Shadow of the Erdentree, I'm not a player of Elden Ring.
[00:50:44] I'm not.
[00:50:45] I've told Alex many times about that.
[00:50:47] I'm like, man, I wish I had time to get into it, you know?
[00:50:49] Because it looks awesome.
[00:50:51] And it's so inspired by Berserk.
[00:50:54] I naturally just love that.
[00:50:55] But, you know...
[00:50:56] Or not that one, but...
[00:50:58] What's the one that was really inspired by Berserk?
[00:51:00] Same company.
[00:51:01] Dark Souls.
[00:51:02] Dark Souls, yes.
[00:51:03] Oh, yeah.
[00:51:03] I'm sorry.
[00:51:04] Elden Ring is too.
[00:51:05] There's literally sword graveyards.
[00:51:08] Yeah.
[00:51:09] But, you know, I think, you know, to discount a DLC, the size of that DLC, just because it's
[00:51:18] a DLC and you put in, you know, Hellblade 2, just because it's a real game.
[00:51:25] No.
[00:51:26] No.
[00:51:27] And that's my point.
[00:51:28] I kind of agree.
[00:51:29] I think I back the fact that impact has to be a factor too.
[00:51:33] Yes, but...
[00:51:34] I think so.
[00:51:34] Yeah.
[00:51:35] They opened Pandora's box now.
[00:51:37] So they now have to, going forward to what Ray's talking about, what we're kind of talking
[00:51:42] about is that they now need to include DLCs if it's worth it based on, hey, what was the
[00:51:48] public reception on it?
[00:51:49] To consider it.
[00:51:50] To consider it.
[00:51:51] But that's still considering the fact that the impact.
[00:51:56] So like that DLC for Elden Ring, it made a huge impact.
[00:52:00] Yeah, but...
[00:52:02] Well, two in the past.
[00:52:02] A game that came out that everyone's talking about.
[00:52:06] That was part of the conversation too.
[00:52:08] That's why I agree.
[00:52:09] Well, in two things here.
[00:52:10] But in the past though, FFXIV though, like it had amazing expansions that got included
[00:52:14] into that game.
[00:52:16] Wasn't included for Game of the Year, yet you threw in something like Mario Wonder, which...
[00:52:20] Yeah, but you're talking about Integrate?
[00:52:23] You're talking about that DLC?
[00:52:24] Was that...
[00:52:24] No, no.
[00:52:25] For 14.
[00:52:26] For 14.
[00:52:26] Oh, for 14.
[00:52:27] I'm sorry.
[00:52:28] Massive expansions.
[00:52:29] Yeah.
[00:52:29] Right.
[00:52:30] The only...
[00:52:30] Okay, my bad.
[00:52:31] They are full games.
[00:52:33] Like...
[00:52:33] Shadowbringers.
[00:52:34] Shadowbringers would deserve it.
[00:52:35] Oh, and what about the...
[00:52:37] Yeah.
[00:52:37] What about the...
[00:52:38] The drought of Nintendo presence at the Game Awards this year?
[00:52:43] I mean, like...
[00:52:44] That's...
[00:52:44] Because here's the thing is they...
[00:52:46] I'm not...
[00:52:47] I'm not advocating for them.
[00:52:49] I just thought it was strange.
[00:52:50] Because Nintendo did a bunch of like remakes and stuff like that.
[00:52:54] Princess Peach was a very niche game and didn't hit with that niche.
[00:53:00] Echoes of Wisdom, as much as I love that game, and it's now moved up the list in my
[00:53:05] favorite Zelda games, it still isn't resonating with the Zelda fans like they thought it would.
[00:53:11] I would say the same with Tears as well.
[00:53:13] If anything, I think Tears would have been their closest kind of like nominated game.
[00:53:18] But Tears was nominated, wasn't it?
[00:53:19] Tears was nominated for Game of the Year.
[00:53:21] Yeah.
[00:53:21] With Mario 1.
[00:53:22] They had two last year.
[00:53:23] Yeah.
[00:53:24] Oh.
[00:53:24] This year.
[00:53:25] Nintendo really didn't...
[00:53:26] They didn't throw out a lot of like...
[00:53:28] That's right this year.
[00:53:29] BG3 was the one that won it last year.
[00:53:31] Yeah.
[00:53:31] So, real quick, I do...
[00:53:33] As we are getting...
[00:53:34] Already at the top of the hour for this.
[00:53:37] There was one little bit of news that broke via IGN, as well as it was originally reported
[00:53:45] by Reuters.
[00:53:48] Sony is in talks to buy the parent company from software.
[00:53:52] Oh, yeah.
[00:53:53] Bloodborne Remastered, baby!
[00:53:54] I just told you!
[00:53:56] Come out, man!
[00:53:57] They already own shares in Kadokawa, as well as from software.
[00:54:05] News...
[00:54:05] News...
[00:54:05] Once this news broke, Kadokawa's shares closed up 23% above.
[00:54:12] So, investors are liking this idea.
[00:54:17] I...
[00:54:18] So, I...
[00:54:18] Market capitalization.
[00:54:19] This is...
[00:54:20] It's a $2.7 billion market capitalization.
[00:54:23] So, this is going to put this deal close to the Activision deal.
[00:54:28] So, I pressed a query then.
[00:54:31] With this...
[00:54:32] With Sony acquiring this company, do you think they might go for another one?
[00:54:36] Like...
[00:54:37] I keep going to Square Enix.
[00:54:39] I keep thinking, like, somehow...
[00:54:41] I always put Square Enix because they're...
[00:54:43] Square Enix and every time...
[00:54:45] I call that the slow news day story when people are like, oh, what can I make a YouTube video
[00:54:50] about?
[00:54:50] Ah, Square Enix is getting sold.
[00:54:52] Square Enix...
[00:54:53] People don't realize what all's in that ecosystem.
[00:54:56] You've got anime.
[00:54:57] You've got manga.
[00:54:58] You've got toys.
[00:54:59] You've got games.
[00:55:00] You've got...
[00:55:00] Square Enix is more than just a gaming company.
[00:55:02] They're a multimedia company.
[00:55:04] They really don't need...
[00:55:05] They're probably worth more, if not as much, as Sony.
[00:55:09] You know what I mean?
[00:55:10] I will say, I think, though, that...
[00:55:12] Okay.
[00:55:15] Buying...
[00:55:16] If you could equate it to something, it would be like if Sony bought Bandai Namco instead
[00:55:23] of just FromSoftware.
[00:55:25] Like, Bandai Namco is their publisher.
[00:55:28] They release all their games through them.
[00:55:30] Like, that would be...
[00:55:33] Yeah, it would be like if you bought...
[00:55:34] That would kind of be impossible for them to buy it.
[00:55:36] If anything, they would partner with them.
[00:55:39] Just managing them.
[00:55:39] Or...
[00:55:39] Yeah.
[00:55:40] Okay.
[00:55:41] I didn't realize how big they were.
[00:55:43] Yep.
[00:55:43] Because I just see them from, like, a gaming perspective and, like, their merchandising
[00:55:48] perspective.
[00:55:48] But you're right.
[00:55:49] They do anime.
[00:55:50] They have a whole lot.
[00:55:52] Well, and if you remember, at one time, they owned, like, three entire Western studios
[00:55:58] under their umbrella, too, before they sold them.
[00:56:00] So Square Enix was actually a much bigger company.
[00:56:03] Yeah.
[00:56:04] Back when.
[00:56:05] Yeah.
[00:56:05] Yeah.
[00:56:06] Crystal Dynamics.
[00:56:08] And there was another one.
[00:56:09] Oh, that's right.
[00:56:09] Yeah, they did.
[00:56:10] Oh, man.
[00:56:10] Well, when they started selling, everybody was like, oh, they're getting ready to be bought.
[00:56:14] I'm like, no.
[00:56:14] No, they just leaned up their...
[00:56:16] They just leaned it all up, you know?
[00:56:18] Yeah.
[00:56:18] So it'll be interesting to see what happens with that deal.
[00:56:21] It looks like everybody kind of wants it.
[00:56:23] I didn't know Sony already owned shares in From Software, so...
[00:56:27] Well, they've been partners for over a decade.
[00:56:31] They did Demon's Souls together.
[00:56:32] They did Bloodborne together.
[00:56:34] They won't give a Bloodborne remaster.
[00:56:38] Oh, it's coming.
[00:56:39] You never know.
[00:56:40] It's coming.
[00:56:41] Remasters are a thing.
[00:56:42] It's coming.
[00:56:42] They're getting big.
[00:56:43] Yeah.
[00:56:43] I have a theory on that.
[00:56:45] I have a theory on that.
[00:56:46] I think they've been sitting on Bloodborne remaster because I think...
[00:56:51] Now, if I were making the call, I'd be like, if we have the remaster ready to go, let's
[00:56:56] wait until part two is a year away.
[00:56:59] So you can release the remaster.
[00:57:01] Get them going on that.
[00:57:03] Six months later, you could be like, Bloodborne 2.
[00:57:06] You know what I mean?
[00:57:06] Get ready.
[00:57:07] And people are fresh on it.
[00:57:09] You know?
[00:57:10] Because you know gamers will get inspired and go back to the first game.
[00:57:14] Yeah.
[00:57:15] I just recently replayed that.
[00:57:17] The original.
[00:57:17] Go right into that.
[00:57:19] So I do want to, as we're closing out the show, right?
[00:57:21] That's what I did with Horizon.
[00:57:22] I do want to make...
[00:57:24] Yep.
[00:57:25] I do want to make an announcement for next week's guest.
[00:57:30] The voice of Halo multiplayer that we've all...
[00:57:35] We all know.
[00:57:35] We all can hear that double kill voice and everything like that.
[00:57:38] Double kill.
[00:57:39] Kill-tacular.
[00:57:41] Jeff Stitzer will be on Tuesday night.
[00:57:44] Nice.
[00:57:45] On the podcast.
[00:57:45] That's going to be fun.
[00:57:46] Yeah.
[00:57:47] So for everybody that hung out and, you know, is kind of just lurking in the shadows watching
[00:57:52] this and whatnot, thank you for crashing game night with us.
[00:57:55] It's the first time you're checking us out.
[00:57:57] Appreciate it.
[00:57:58] Right?
[00:58:00] I feel like if you're sure to drop us a follow here on Twitch or head on over to crashing
[00:58:03] game night.com.
[00:58:04] Follow us on the platform of your choice.
[00:58:09] It's...
[00:58:09] With everything kind of...
[00:58:11] I talk about this every single week, but with everything going on in the world, especially
[00:58:16] around the U.S. right now, please just be excellent to each other.
[00:58:24] That's right, everybody.
[00:58:25] All you nerds out there.
[00:58:28] Soldier, Ray, thank you guys so much for joining.
[00:58:32] I mean, Soldier, of course...
[00:58:34] Like, you just...
[00:58:35] Anytime you come out.
[00:58:36] Anytime you want to come.
[00:58:37] Of course.
[00:58:39] That's what she said.
[00:58:41] I want to say real quick.
[00:58:42] I requested...
[00:58:43] Because Matt asked me if I wanted to be on the show and talk about Aurora.
[00:58:46] I requested Alex come on.
[00:58:48] Soldier, come on with me.
[00:58:49] Because the whole time I've been working on this project, I'll message him.
[00:58:53] And I'm like, he has really been a real great friend.
[00:58:57] Great support.
[00:58:59] And I told him...
[00:59:00] I met him when I first started doing YouTube stuff for Final Fantasy VII.
[00:59:04] I told him, you're the reason I started doing YouTube videos.
[00:59:08] And we became really good friends.
[00:59:10] And he has really helped me at points where I'm just like, dude, I'm pulling my hair out.
[00:59:16] Or, dude, I'm going crazy.
[00:59:17] Or, man, I've been off more than I can chew.
[00:59:18] And he's just like, dude, just take your time.
[00:59:20] He was there for me when other people were not talking.
[00:59:24] Didn't think I was going to get this thing done.
[00:59:26] Not have a faith.
[00:59:27] He never broke the faith.
[00:59:28] He was always there for me.
[00:59:29] And I want him to be here on a part of this show.
[00:59:31] I really...
[00:59:32] I love you, brother.
[00:59:33] I really appreciate it.
[00:59:34] He's a big reason I've been able to push this thing across the finish line.
[00:59:38] Thank you to you both.
[00:59:39] I've been subliminally the whole time just been like, hey, you should make me co-creator in the credits.
[00:59:45] It hasn't quite stuck yet.
[00:59:48] Special thanks, you know.
[00:59:49] Not special thanks.
[00:59:50] Just put me in there.
[00:59:51] Thank you to you both.
[00:59:52] Because I'm already following the YouTube channel.
[00:59:55] I'm already a fan.
[00:59:56] It looks amazing.
[00:59:57] And, dude, I hope you get to the hilltop.
[01:00:00] I want to see this made.
[01:00:02] And it's so cool.
[01:00:04] I appreciate it.
[01:00:04] So thank you guys so much for joining.
[01:00:06] Once again, we just want to spread that same message.
[01:00:11] Times are a little...
[01:00:12] You know, the election's done.
[01:00:14] We have our opinions.
[01:00:16] Let's try and just accept it.
[01:00:20] Be open.
[01:00:21] Have conversations.
[01:00:21] Let's be open to one another.
[01:00:24] And every once in a while, let's try and lend a helping hand when we see someone in need.
[01:00:31] Overall, let's just try to do and be better.
[01:00:34] And, you know, once again, make everyone just comfortable.
[01:00:39] And let's just try and be a little bit more kinder.
[01:00:42] So, everyone, be safe.
[01:00:45] And I send it off to my boy, J-Rock.
[01:00:49] J-Bone.
[01:00:50] Take it away.
[01:00:52] Yeah.
[01:00:53] Again, Ray, soldier, anytime.
[01:00:57] Brand new couch.
[01:00:58] First butts on it, you know.
[01:01:00] I love it.
[01:01:01] Thank you.
[01:01:02] Always welcome back on the couch anytime, you know.
[01:01:05] So, yeah.
[01:01:06] I mean, next week is going to be just around the holiday season or the start of holiday season.
[01:01:11] So, please, you know, be nice.
[01:01:15] Be jolly.
[01:01:17] Be okay.
[01:01:18] Like, find some friends.
[01:01:20] Find some family.
[01:01:21] Find whoever it needs to be to get you through the holiday time.
[01:01:26] Because for some, it's great.
[01:01:29] For some, it's not.
[01:01:30] So, you know, just take that, like, a little extra time.
[01:01:33] We are hitting up the holiday season.
[01:01:35] Don't play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, please.
[01:01:39] Thank you.
[01:01:40] Please.
[01:01:40] I'll put that PSA again.
[01:01:41] Next week, I'll put that PSA out there again.
[01:01:45] We all know Mariah Carey's coming.
[01:01:48] No more.
[01:01:48] No more.
[01:01:49] No more.
[01:01:50] Oh, God.
[01:01:50] That trick.
[01:01:51] But, yo.
[01:01:52] Save the Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.
[01:01:56] I'll put that out there again next week for y'all to listen.
[01:01:59] You know, I'd like to close it out with my man, Theo, who is not here tonight.
[01:02:04] Hopefully, you get well, buddy.
[01:02:05] Yeah.
[01:02:06] I feel better, bud.
[01:02:07] I miss you, bro.
[01:02:08] But, you know, I got to start out to the fourth incoming-ish member, fifth member, officially,
[01:02:15] unofficially.
[01:02:16] Soldier First Class.
[01:02:17] Take it away like Theo does.
[01:02:20] I don't remember the intro to how he does it, but I do know the outro.
[01:02:23] It's okay.
[01:02:24] Do it.
[01:02:25] Rebel here.
[01:02:25] You make it your own.
[01:02:27] Hey, don't.
[01:02:27] Don't, baby.
[01:02:28] As long as you know the outro, like, you can say whatever before the outro.
[01:02:31] So, I just want to say thanks again for having me on.
[01:02:34] Thanks, Ray, for having them invite me, even though I don't need one.
[01:02:39] And, no, I just – everybody be awesome to each other.
[01:02:43] Don't kill each other over what wins game of the year, even though it's going to be
[01:02:46] Erdtree.
[01:02:48] And –
[01:02:49] Well, maybe we might need Soldier On when we actually put the votes in.
[01:02:53] Like, just like the color commentary.
[01:02:56] But he needs to be that tiebreaker because it's four of us.
[01:02:59] We need the tiebreaker.
[01:03:00] It's four of us.
[01:03:00] We do need the tiebreaker.
[01:03:02] But anyway, guys, be nice to each other.
[01:03:04] You know, don't beat each other's throats on the internet.
[01:03:08] There's too much of that already.
[01:03:11] And we love you.
[01:03:12] So, we'll catch you later.
[01:03:15] TTFN.
[01:03:15] Toss Off.
[01:03:16] Toss Off.
[01:03:17] Good night, everybody.
[01:03:18] That's how you do it, Jay.
[01:03:19] That's how you do it.
[01:03:20] No, you make it your own.