The Download's tracks

The word is leftovers so the nerds talk about leftovers of various sorts, including pizza, mac&cheese, french fries, and a TV series from a few years ago called The Leftovers. Andy talks a little about binging Breaking Bad, and Keith gives his impressions of the endings of Succession and Ted Lasso. This ends up leading to yet another conversation about Star Wars, followed by yet another conver...

The word is bingo and Keith has a lot to say about homemade bingo cards. Andy mentions receiving his copy of Cool Cool Cool and Keith tells more stories about his recent trip to Toronto for more appearances on Six Sides of Gaming. He also reports on visiting Stormcrow Manor. Then they lament the loss of the Galactic Starcruisier. Moving on to media, Andy talks about finally watching Breaking Bad a...

The word is masks and it turns out the nerds have very different views on these. Andy detests wearing a mask, while Keith actually enjoys it. They discuss their own views and also discuss the Mandalorian and its always-masked characters. Keith provides a little recap of the stuff he talked about last week that was lost in transmission. This leads to a discussion of some memorable magic tricks. The...

This is a strange episode because Keith’s side of the conversation was lost in transmission. We hear Andy’s side of the conversation as they talk about their usual topics. The episode is only 18 minutes long.

This week the word is Sonder, so the show starts with a discussion of what that word even means. Then Keith talks about his recent trip back to Maine, visiting the Bates Discordians, which led to discussing the history of this college organization Keith help launch 30 years ago. Next, Andy mentions a few more things about Disney parks, and also talks about the real-life versions of the games from...

This week the word is Disney, since Andy has recently returned from Disney World and has a lot to say about Star Wars Land and other things that have changed since his last visit 15 years ago. He also talks at length about an event he attended in Miami called Love Burn. Then Keith talks about what he’s been doing lately, including appearing with several other famous game industry folks in a series...

This week the word is Fidget, since the nerds are both fidgeters, and they discuss various ups and downs of fidgeting. Then Keith gives a detailed report on his recent trip to Canada where he was filming a D&D session series with several other game industry luminaries. Keith talks about other D&D projects he’s been up to as well, then they talk a little about various media, including Mr. R...

This week the word is Roof, since it happens that both of the nerds just got new rooves on their houses. Then they discuss the scandal currently roiling the D&D world (a situation that has continued to rapidly develop since this was recorded). After a bit of ranting on that, they move on to other topics. Keith talks about finally playing Gloomhaven, which they discuss at some length. Near the...

This week the word is (N)evermore, since the nerds discuss the Wednesday Addams series, which is set at the Nevermore Academy, as well as the Evermore theme park which was the subject of a recent Jenny Nicholson video. Next, Andy talks about the real meaning of the “Golden Rings” in the Twelve Days of Christmas, and Keith talks about a fan who named their cat Keith Baker. This leads to some discus...

This week the word is Swamped, since Keith just has too much stuff going on right now. He reports on various projects, including the coin for the new version Illimat, the issue of guns in Eberron, Hero Forge minis wearing his hat, and a new micro RPG called Snow Globe. Moving on to other business, they discuss again the Dream Apart / Dream Askew games, how time used to work in D&D, social medi...

This week the word is Groovy, since Andy just turned 59. The nerd discuss a few groovy topics, then Keith talks about AmberCon and a couple of games he played there using the No Dice, No Masters RPG system. Then Andy talks about running a playtest of Dustworld for a bunch of his friends on his birthday. Other topics include Jenny Nicholson’s videos, Rocky & Bullwinkle, and vintage LARP games. Afte...

This week the word is Cool, since Keith’s company is Kickstarting a game called Cool Cool Cool. They also discuss coolness in other games and coolness (and uncoolness) in general. Other topics include fist bumps, Crater Lake, Keith’s current Eberron game, and a new videogame he’s working on. Andy talks about the next Looney Labs release: Across America Fluxx. He also talks about buying a lawnmower...

This week the word is Spartacus, for reasons that don’t entirely make sense. Keith talks about his recent travels, including visiting Italy, then Andy talks about his recent travels, including Burning Man. Topics of note include cemeteries, how Andy’s new game Dustworld played out, the naming of the Colosseum and the history of Venice, and foods on the menus in foreign McDonalds. Next Keith report...

This week the word is cartoons. The nerds discuss the differences between cartoons and comic books and why (or why not?) they each prefer one over the other. They talk a long time about comics and cartoons, movie adaptions thereof, the gore factor, and more. Then Keith talks about life stuff including chasing down a UPS truck, and reveals his ideas for incorporating the new Spelljammer stuff into...

This week the word is Trackanon, which the nerds start by explaining. Then Andy talks about a tree that almost fell on his house and how he bought a chainsaw to cut it up with. He also carries out about the joy of Ryobi power tools and their interchangeable battery packs. Keith reports on various topics including the saga of his ten frozen Giordano’s pizzas and what’s currently going on in his D&D...

This week the word is Covid, since Keith just lost his membership in the never-had-Covid club. Keith talks about what Covid has been like, and also talks abut ordering a bunch of Giordano’s pizzas. Then they talk, yet again, about Star Trek vs. Star Wars. Eventually they move on to other shows and movies including Ghostbusters Afterlife and Dr. Strange before going back to the subject of Star Trek...

This week the word is biweekly. First the nerds talk about their recent decision to slow down this podcast, by only recording it every other week (even though they will continue to talk weekly). Then Keith mentions that he thinks he’s caught Covid, after which he gives his live reactions to a new type of candy bar he discovered. Next, Keith recounts the latest action in his current D&D campaigns....

This week the word is discombobulation. First the nerds talk about post-travel discombobulation, since Andy just got back from his first big event in over 2 years, and Keith is still getting back into the groove after his recent trip to Utah. They talk in a non-spoilery way about the new Kenobi series, the new season of Stranger Things, The Time Traveler’s Wife, This Is Us, Shining Girls, For All...

This week the word is recombobulation, and it’s a week of random topics for the nerds, including: Keith’s recent trip to Utah, sodas of unusual flavors, Watergate, apple-picking excursions, Andy’s neck-watch, John Bowman’s catchphrase on Hollywood Squares, Matter-Eater Lad, how to use time travel to steal DB Cooper’s suitcase full of cash, Strange New Worlds vs Discovery, Duolingo, The Godfather,...

This week the word is cinema and the nerds have a lot of thoughts about movie theaters. Keith tells Andy a little about several movies currently in cinemas, a place Andy is still nervous about going to. Andy talks about seeing Conquest of the Planet of the Apes at a birthday party event when he was 8 years old. Next they each talk about a couple of books they’ve been reading lately. Then they drop...

This week the word is Carbuncle (again). First, Keith reports on a very successful D&D session he just ran, featuring a carbuncle. Andy recommends that Keith watch a movie called The Endless, and Keith recommends Everything Everywhere All At Once, and also talks about a show called Servant. Then they discuss various late night talk shows they enjoy, and Keith mentions that a mysterious stranger ha...

This week the word is cliffhanger. The nerds discuss various cliffhangers they’ve enjoyed, or not, and the problems of cliffhangers that end up never being resolved, or worse, having disappointing eventual resolutions, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Twin Peaks, and many others. Then Keith has another word to discuss, which is decoct, after which he talks his next D&D game, and Andy talks about hi...

This week the word is carbuncle. No, not a painful collection of boils, but the old D&D creature that looks like an armadillo with a gemstone in its forehead, which the nerds were reminded of by a recent meme. The discussion includes other wacky monsters like the Nilbog and the Hell-Cow. Next, Keith gives a report on his D&D campaign, and challenges the assertion that Wheel of Fortune is “America’...

This week the word is Consequences. After a quick shoutout to the concept album, the nerds discuss the importance of consequences in games and other forms of story-telling, with particular emphasis Star Trek and Phoenix: Dawn Command. Next Keith yammers about the expression, “Beyond the Pale,” and Andy talks a little about Galactic StarCruiser. Then they continue their discussion of House of Leave...

This week the word is Dream. The nerds talk at great length about dreams and dreaming, games Keith has worked on that focus on dreams, various recurring dreams they’ve had, lucid dreams, and so on. They also discuss dream-themed movies, with particular attention given to the Lathe of Heaven. Next, Keith talks about a recent trip to Utah, then Andy brings up some lingering Galactus topics. Lastly,...