Greasy Says - Friend-zoned by Leah from Stardew Valley

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Warning CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

Join me, Greasy, as I begin my journey discussing the game industry from a brown game developer's perspective. I play games and I make games.

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Transcript

What's up everybody? Welcome to Greasy Says, My name is Arthur aka M-Cue, aka Greasy. game developer of fucking, like 15 years, I've seen it all. I'll tell you guys my story at some point, it might take a while. But I've seen a lot of parts of the gaming industry. And I've been in a lot of meetings and a lot of conventions. And I'm a brown guy. That might not seem important. But if you are a brown person, black person, whatever color that's not white person in the gaming industry, you know, that there aren't a lot of us. So I want to speak not for us. But for me, about the gaming industry, in my experience, in my view on it, and you know, whatever pops into my head about games and where this entertainment, this art craft is going. I think my opinion is important. And I would love to hear from more, quote unquote, minorities in the gaming industry, and your experiences, and where you're at and the challenges you face. Because I'm sure it's fuck going to talk about the challenges that I face. So buckle up, fuckers. Just kidding. You know, let's have fun with it. Let's kick it off with a question. Okay, I'm honestly gonna tell you, I don't have any questions, because this is the first show. So no one sent me questions. So I gotta ask my own question to myself, which is weird. But it'll it'll make sense, I guess. But if you have questions, if you're listening to this, and you're interested in how to break into games, or how making games works, or anything about games, or anything about me, or life or music or whatever, hit me up on social media, whatever. And I'll answer your question on the show. All right. So the question is: Why do you play games? Here's the thing, right? games are everything reality isn't. I can be who I wish I could be. jump higher than I ever could in real life. be stronger, faster, tougher, smarter, more confident, and I can always get the guy or girl. My regular life is filled with half accomplishments, disappointing results screens, credit scores instead of high scores. And with bad attitudes, instead of princesses and other castles. My quests usually end with a fart, not fanfare, fast travel isn't ever available, and dialogue options. Let's just say the Gordon Freeman approach is my go to in real life. In games, I get to be the guy everyone likes the hero. Every NPC listens to what I have to say. Even if they just finished getting shot, and I was the one who shot him. And they never interrupt. Fuck, how I wish that was true in real life. In games, I get to be seen as I wish I was seen in real life. NPCs don't judge me based on my skin color, unless they're programmed to assholes. NPCs don't have deeply ingrained socio economic bias that prevents them from being fair. Best of all, I can skip all of their conversations. Because I'm in a cutscene. cutscenes are like the DMV of games. cutscenes are like manager seminars, those manager training seminars, of games, you can't skip them. And someone thinks they're vital to your existence, but they're not. In games, you can become a level 60 demigod in a week simply by grinding. In real life, shit, you could grind for 30 years and still be standing in the same place you fucking started. In real life, death is hopefully final. In games, new life is just a continue away. I'd say that the only thing about real life that's better than games is that your enemies don't respond. And thank Christ for that. In games, we can be the best version of ourselves at all times. Simply by wielding a controller instead of having to get eight hours of sleep, having to stay away from booze and weed and drugs and all that shit, working out, eating healthy, going to therapy, talking about our feelings. We just have hit start, and we're awesome. Games let us be awesome.

5:03  

Even though we suck. Oh man. I remember the first time I played fucking gates of thunder. I literally cried like, I played Turbo graphics 16 and I literally fucking had a nervous breakdown when the dude What was his name? I think his name is Alex. So actually, I should be using names. Fuck that his name was Randall. He brought over his turbo graphics 16 dog, I play bonk. And I played Oh, he had a turbo duo too which back in the 90s having a turbo duo that motherfucker must have been rich out of his fucking mind. And we just didn't even know. My cousin was rich too. But you know, his parents were rich. So they lived in like a wealthy community or whatever. But I played bonk and fucking gates a thunder on turbo graphics. And the dude got up and went to leave. And I started crying. I must have been like, eight or something. Right around the same time. I watched a porno film but it was a it was a serious summer porno. Turbo graphics 16 it will fuck litte mind up. You know I'm saying that turbo graphics 16 Oh, fuck your mind. Yeah, for real. Anyway, why do I play games, so many reasons. escapism get away from, from the day to day, relaxation. You know, taking a load off after a bunch of work or, you know, back in the days when you know, play a show, come home, play some games, is bring that energy down. stimulation. You know what I want to get my mind moving inspiration, right? As a game developer, as a sound designer, as a designer, as a fucking creative lead all the shit that I do. You got to play games, it's research. So you know, you have to you have to look at what other people are doing all the time. You have to admire what other people that do in like. Like, I play Uncharted. And I'm just like, Man, it's like watching a Pixar movie. Right? The the level of work and the level of craftsmanship and the amount of fucking people hundreds of fucking maybe 1000s of people, hundreds of people. Definitely hundreds people. Probably 1000s if you stretch it out to like, marketing and fucking research and sticking a thumb up this person's asked. A lot of people get paid. And it's quite a is quite a an undertaking, man. It's fucking awe inspiring. Anyway, so yeah, play games for research, what else do I play game for... I don't really play games socially. That's weird. Like, I know I'm talking about games and I make games and I've even made social games but I don't play games for that. I don't play I don't even really like multiplayer games all that much like yeah, occasional party game. Some among us However, some fucking overcooked some fucking penis jousting. Right? I'll play I'll fuck with that. But like on a regular basis, like linking up with my fucking guild or whatever the fuck? that's just that's not for me. That's not for me. So I don't play games for that reason. I don't play games to be social. I mean, I barely like people in real life. So why the fuck would I want to go? Fuck with assholes on the internet too you know what I mean. But yeah, the reason I play games man, it comes down to the same reason I listen to music. It fills me up. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel happy. It makes me It pulls me out of real life. It makes me feel it has the power that music has to make you remember a moment or an emotion or a feeling when you heard that song? Like same shit like like I'm talking about bonk and fucking Lords gates or Thunder lords of thunder whatever the fuck fucking like 30 years later, remembering that shit like it was yesterday. That's the power of games it has this ability to transport you to to pull you out of reality that to me is fucking amazing like and then when we talk about just the corporate monster that's behind it you know that's just got to be art because anytime there's beautiful art you notice some fucking leech and ass mother fucker, right around the corner rate of fucking milk that shit dry. But we'll get into that shit. Some other time. Some other time. Some other time. Coo Coo, Coo, Coo, Coo.

9:51  

Like whatcha playing now?

9:55  

Whatcha playing

9:58  

I mean cyberpunk, right. cyberpunk 2077 when the biggest profile games ever marketed, I don't even want to think about how much marketing money they spent gotta be over a few million. I wouldn't call it a big disappointment. It's just a bummer. You could tell they put a lot of fucking thought into that game. The lore is incredible. The background is incredible. The setting is sick. The world is ridiculous. But, you know, fucking people walking through the sky and fucking cars falling out of nowhere and people pissing through their pants and shit, like, buggy super buggy, like, buggy on a Bethesda level. You know, I mean, worse than Bethesda. You know, Bethesda will release some buggy as shit people walking into walls saying, hello. Oh, hello. didn't see you there. Hello, and like walking away from you into a corner. But it's clear, like the parts that they nailed the parts you could tell they put their people on, and they put the extra effort into all of the Johnny silverhand shit. polished as hell. So good. kinda wish they had not gone for as much breath and went for more focused development of the main story. And it might have come out kind of more slick, feeling more like Witcher like Witcher had bugs. But I felt like Witcher three was way more polished than cyberpunk was. But it might be the nature of new IP. A new game mode like not game mode, but you know what I mean? Like new perspective, like first person perspective. Making a shooter for the first time there's so many challenges with all of that stuff. They were basically coming up with a basically a brand they were rebranding their studio, and they made this fucking game. You know what I mean? They were doing fantasy third person with very different mechanics. This is basically they remade Fallout. Oh, speaking of which. Has anyone made the fucking distinction between quick hacks and vats? It's the same shit. Has anyone noticed that? Alright, maybe VAT is a little more clunky and older. And more like it's kind of like turn based almost almost like a divinity model where you have a certain amount of of actions that you can do. Well, I know not to explain it. It's the same shit as quick acts. So yeah, they based like, between the, you know, okay, gunplay and this VAT system they were really make kind of make in a fallout after they had been making, you know, Morrowind for however many years. So there was a lot of challenges with that game. Personally, I think the game is dope as hell. It's just like, it's gonna be a really good game like a year and a half from now when they release the game of the year version with all the patches, all the expansions, all the DLC, whatever, whatever they do. So I would say by cyberpunk 2077 in the year 2077, and that shouldn't be the best game ever. Well, I thought it sucked I even wrote death threats to the developers. Yeah, who the fuck does that? Who has no life? Who has such little going on? Right? You're such a fucking waste of space. You have nothing to do. Your life is so fucking empty. That you write a death threat to a game developer. It's fucking games people. Relax. I make them I don't even take the shit that seriously. Y'all need to fucking relax man. Timmy. Relax, Kenneth. Fucking relax. Raven, you need to just chill out go in the corner Raven. Go stand in the corner. No, don't don't even look at Trevor. Raven, you just stay there. Okay, Carter, I have my eye on you. oh Carter you better look out. Hey. Yeah. I also want to say all you people listening out there. Let me know what you're playing. You know, it might be a game I haven't even heard of or never even gave a chance. So you know, write in hit me up on social media. Whatever. Tell me what you're playing. Maybe I'll mention it on the show. You know?

14:47  

community engagement.

14:52  

me. So I have a weird question for you.

14:57  

What game character could you fall in love with?

15:01  

This week. See? You know who? LEAH from Stardew Valley. If you know Leah, you know who I'm talking about. red hair with the braid was pouty lips. Those bedroom eyes. She's an artist, a sculptor. Good with her hands. Good at massaging things into position. Okay, she knows what she's doing. She's not a fucking amateur. Okay, Leah. All right, lives down by the fucking river bank. Where I fish often. Often I fish there. Okay, on the way to deliver. You know, eggs sell eggs if I need to, at whatever the chick is who fucked the mayor in left his drawers in her house. Mable some shit like that. But anyway, forget her. Leah. Leah. Okay, let me scoop you up. Let me take you down to the beach. We can collect coral. We can do some late night fishing. And who knows? Maybe we'll get some eight bit sand into our nether regions. Have you ever had sand in your nether regions during pleasurable activities? I have. And I want to do it with you again. I want to hurt with the sand. Okay, I've seen your sculptures. I know what's in that mind appears. Just let me just let me

16:43  

just let me in.

16:48  

I don't think I ever think ever romanced her, did I? Oh, wait. I'm looking at this thing now.

17:02  

The wiki

17:05  

she forages for wild meals too far just for wild meal. What does that even mean? Like she picks up those fruits and shit on the ground. I didn't know that. Maybe I didn't spend enough time with Leah, Leah I'm sorry. I should. Okay, Leah, listen. I know I didn't pay attention that you like to forage for wild meal must have been caught up with with the cows that they may have been. may have gotten a new pick axe and may have been down in the caves. I just want to fix this. Okay, so you want to meet me on the beach?

17:50  

Where the sand hurts. Just leave me a message in my mailbox. my mailbox is always open. I just want to see you again. Leah.

18:05  

I will say though, you know she does. She might be gay. She might be in the girls only. I have a way of being attracted to girls who are only in the girls. So maybe Leah's only in to girls. I never actually did I ever romance I don't think I did. We stayed friends. I got friendzoned by Leah from Stardew Valley

18:26  

This is bullshit. Now I'm pissed off...well that went well, glad I asked. Yeah, that makes me think. Is there any example of like, an eight bit vagina or 8-bit penis? In a game? It would have to be something from like, now. We're like, somebody who was like, I'm gonna go out of my way to make an 8-bit pinner or Vivi? I have never seen one. If you know of one. Send it to me, let me know reach out to me. Tell me what it is. Because I got to see it. Because like in my head, I'm like, okay, eight bit. pixel art. I can totally see a penis. Right? Easy. Easy, super easy. But have a VP poopoo a hairy VP? poopoo that's easy, but a hairless VP? poopoo I don't know. Seems pretty difficult. You'd have to be pretty good at like the shading a bit shading and like, give it some depth. You know? You have to give it some depth. PP easy. pp is super simple. You just put two dots down and you're done. Maybe a couple of shades for the cohorts. Yeah, if you Yeah, if you if there's a eight bit PP or VB poopoo out there, let me know the reason Bring it up is in cyberpunk the character creator. It's incredible. You know, it might not be as it's pretty fucking deep. I can't really think of another one that says deep. The amount of options and the big option obviously everybody's talked about it probably been blogged and vlog to fucking death is your genitalia like your PP and your vv? poopoo they have options for that. You can modify in my case a pp. I always play male characters. I'm sorry. I'm a fucking piece of shit. cisgendered narrow minded jackass and a hat. Okay, let's just get that out of the way. But I usually play as dudes. I usually try to make dudes who look like me. Okay, sorry, I'm a fucking egomaniac.

20:59  

So, but the penis

21:00  

options, the PP options. Oh, amazing, hooded, un hooded, fancy. trims regular trends, colored dye trends. So great. So great. Celebrating the PP end of bV poopoo. And that you can mix and match. You know, it totally speaks to like, gender fluid, people are people who want to choose their gender, whatever, that is the future of character creation, right? Like, you have to give that level of customization from here on. I remember when we worked on DC VR, that was like a discussion for like, months about how do we handle gender in a character creator. And like, the truth is, like, just take the fucking reins off and just fucking let people do whatever look like, do whatever the fuck they want. And people will be happy. It's even like down to like, in cyberpunk, they they kind of tiptoed around it, but like, they're like, okay, you're gonna have this voice, or you're gonna have this voice didn't on that screen where you choose your sort of, quote, unquote, gender, they don't even talk about gender on that page. And I think that's more and more like, I think that's going to become part of character creation and games, of avoiding the conversation about gender, because it's, it's kind of a personal thing. And if you give people the options to be whatever they identify as, then people will be happy. But it's tough. And it's a constant learning experience. Because you have to keep talking to your audience, you have to talk to younger and younger gamers, you have to talk to people outside of the industry people coming new into the industry, fresh ideas. studios are responsible, they have to be responsible for that they have to be required to keep you want to expand games and make games better and make games newer and and cutting edge, you have to embrace this idea of gender fluidity in your character creator. And I mean, not even talking about gender, you know, I mean, it's just whatever, do whatever the fuck you want. Fucker gender option, just gimme voices. I don't really give them any choices. But yeah, let me know what you folks think of the cyberpunk character creator and character creators in general and the options that you think should appear, or you know, what's missing from character creators? What do you always wish they had? They're getting pretty in depth. But we can always come up with new ideas, you know? Okay, so we're gonna wrap up the show now. Thank you for joining me. But before we go, we're gonna go through a little meditation,

24:15  

medicate meditate,

24:17  

a meditation to stop the haters in their tracks, and meditation to stop the biggest hater of all

24:24  

the hater within. Now, if

24:29  

you're not driving, driving, close your eyes. If you're not operating machinery, close your eyes. Let us check it together. Haters you will not penetrate my Guard

25:02  

I have a perfect guard.

25:05  

I hold down and back and all of your hatred down and back. Down in back. Your leg sweeps can't hurt me your subzero sliding kick cannot hurt me You are lost haters you confusion spins will not work. I had a quick material which makes me immune to confusion spells so try as you will on every turn to confuse and baffling me haters

25:52  

you cannot penetrate My God

25:55  

because I'm 100%

25:58  

down and back

26:06  

got these got these got these

26:10  

yeah we got them running y'all haters find cover your sons of bitches well thanks again people for joining me on greasy says it's been fun. I've had a lot of fun. Real quick, just gonna plug all of my social media. Other places you guys can find me online. Um, Greasy says that's gr e a s y. says SAY s on Instagram and Tiktok and Facebook.Greasy says on all three. Check me out as mq m hyphen cu e on Spotify on Bandcamp and on SoundCloud. Greasy people. Thanks for coming out. Like Subscribe, comment, give me feedback. Tell me to go fuck myself. And until next time, it's me. Greasy. Check it out with the room key night.