Ep 53 of The Letters Page - The Operative

I was waiting on Matchstickman.  Oh well.  Interesting episode and makes me curious for next week with discussion on Temple of Zhu Long. 

I see what you did there...

I submitted a *bunch* of stuff on Zhu Long, especially in relation to other Chinese Mythology related characters in Nightmist's and Fixer's backgrounds...

Hopefully, some of mine will get pulled.  I don't submit a ton of questions, but I think the last of mine that was read was during Fixer's episode...

I like the Checmicals reference when asked about Professor Pollution.  Also good luck limiting me on questions at the Letters Page Live 

LPLive won't know what hit 'em!

It was a good episode, but I gotta say, not a fan of that new intro. It sounds hastily thrown together. Like, script something, and have Christopher and Adam read it when they're well-rested and enthusiastic, and it might work? But it doesn't give a good first impression of the podcast, and apparently that's what's trying to be done, because I can't think of why it would be necessary if they weren't trying to make it more accessible to new listeners. :B That's my take on it.

My sciurid roommate has informed me that the Otterative is exactly as adorable as Christopher thinks.

I didnt really care for the new intro, either. Way too much exposition.

I didn't mind the new intro, but I do think it's a little late in the game to add it in... But I guess it's more for any new-comers to the podcast...

I quite like the new intro will be helpful for new people/ random spods who think this looks interesting.

Was amused when my questions were asked by other people in almost the same wording. Glad they were answered just need to get more creative with my words if I want to be as podcast famous as Powerhound. 

I’m not that famous I just lambast with enough questions that I likely hit a topic no one else has hit.  As to the new intro I’m not a fan.   It seems odd hearing their voice over top of the Sentinels of the Multibits music they use for the intro.  I prefer the existing intro after the music.  

Oh yes, I forgot about the Otterative. :D I love it when C&A just jump right onto something like that, Christopher especially was so into the idea! XD

I admit to not being certain about who is the intended target of the new intro. As I assume (admittedly perhaps incorrectly) anyone who plays a Sentinel Comics-related product would already know who Christopher and Adam are, and I am uncertain what someone who's never heard of Sentinels would get out of the podcast in its current form. (I can see a future format of play-by-play summaries of the issues having more outside appeal, but currently from an outsider POV it's kind of more or less two random guys talking in depth about characters you've never heard of.)

What would the possibility be of recording a "Session Zero"--a short episode designed specifically to be an intro for new listeners. 

It'd be easy to feature that at the top of the webpage and helps provide the sort of background information that a new listener might need to get started.  It'd also be a way to explore some of the ongoing "chronology" of SotM and Greater than Games as a whole.  

Anyone else think that the magical artifact hanging in the bar would make an excellent RPG origin?

Yeah, if they are trying to attract people who are new to Sentinel Comics stuff entirely, this may be a great idea. It could kinda go over who Christopher and Adam (and related GTG and Handelabra folks) are, what products involve the universes being talked about, and a very general summary of the universes and their characters. Basically give some context for what the audience would be listening to, for those folks who don't already have that context.

Speaking of the fight at the bar between Operative and Stuntman, I have not seen the card that question in particular was refering to. Can anyone provide a link?

I'm guessing it must be a card the question asker saw at a convention demo, since while we have seen a few preview cards from Stuntman's deck, I don't recall that card being one of them.

This was my thought as well. 

Yeah, wich is why I'm curious. From what I know they've revealed the foil versions of Stuntman and his promo, along with two cards(the names escape me at the moment) from a Kickstarter Update for OblivAeon.

This would explain why my rampant searching of the Kickstarter updates provided no help on finding that card.

The foil version of Stuntman makes the Celestial Tribunal much more hilarious when they summon him.

As they stipulated in the episode people likely haven’t seen it yet.   Typically I’ve had questions regarding stuff I’ve seen as a playtester and this was probably the first I feel they answered.  

I like the intro! My thoughts: While we know who Christopher and Adam are, the vast majority of Sentinels fans don't (other than that their names are on the box). As they get the RPG up and running, they'll likely get a lot of new listeners who also won't know, so this is probably a good idea.

That's just me, though -- definitely understand if other folks don't like the change. :-)

I’m more in favor of the episode zero suggestion by PlatiumWarlock as this new intro is jarring.  

As for the intro, most people listen to the first episode of the podcast to see if they like it and then jump back, and that's what I think the intro is for.

That would be the idea behind the "Episode Zero".  It'd effectively serve as an out-of-sequence first episode that you'd pin to the top of the webpage, likely with some text saying "New to The Letters Page?  Start HERE!" so that people would have a way to jump in.

I don't know, a lot of people just jump in at the most recent episode.  I've often seen advice, which I agree with, that if you're interested in trying a new podcast, you should start with the most recent one or two episodes and then go back to the beginning.  That way you know what its current quality and direction are before you commit. 

I remember they read one letter written by someone who clearly didn't know C&A were the creators.  And the game boxes have only their last names, while they only go by their first names on the show.  So I think it's helpful.

I do think the new intro is a bit long, though.

I'd say the new intro needs some cleaning up. Christopher sounded kind of awkward, like he was either reading it for the first time or searching for the words, and it was longer than it needed to be.

A second, quicker take would be better.

So I read all of the ardent arguments about the new intro on here before actually listening to it, so I went in thinking, "Wow.  How bad is this thing?".  Then when I heard it, my reaction was basically, "Oh.  That was fine."  I suppose it could have been jarring to people not expecting it, and I guess it could be a little more polished, but yeah, I don't have a particularly positive or negative reaction to it.

My argument is, if the new intro is a thing, it needs to be redone. As Stickman said, Christopher sounds awkward, Adam sounds tired, neither of them sounds very enthusiastic. If this is meant to catch up people who are (illogically) jumping into the newest episode, then it should actually draw them in, y'know? Let them be their fun-loving selves, this podcast is full of personality!

I'm confused.  Is it Sophia, or Sophie?  I thought it was Sophie, but the wiki is inconsistent.

Both.   In the episode she is referred by both names.  Sophie was used in her childhood based the episode and the bio she has.