Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #294 – 8/31/2026
Professor Matt Barton of Matt Chat joins Shane for a gabfest on CRPGs and other things video gamey, plus a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. EverQuest and World of Warcraft still have players. What is Mr. T’s connection to WoW, and are fools involved? A cruise through player activity stats for various MMOs, plus which MMO has (or had) the highest player base. Playing tabletop RPGs on a virtual tabletop versus in person. Shane’s weekly game group has a hard time finding multiplayer video games they all agree on. Against all odds, a rhomboid is both a muscle and a geometric shape. The age-old question of what is a CRPG? Shane thinks Baldurs Gate 3 is the best adaptation of the tabletop experience ever in a CRPG. What does rat milk taste like, and is it good for the hair? The Army is giving time off to…. play a video game?? (What amazing game could this be??) MMO shooters for the glory of the state. Matt is very impressed with Fallout: New California. The legal ins and outs of game mods. Classic Ultima Online (multiplayer classic Ultima, not the Ultima Online MMORPG). The “1,000 Good Fans” theory. Shane and Matt used to play MUDs. Never cast invisibility on the fountain. Matt loves smashing rats, and Shane loves driving around in the Mako and blasting the crap out of stuff in Mass Effect. KOTOR essentially runs the D&D D20 system under the hood. Creators and companies becoming victims of their own success. Shane pre-ordered Star Wars Zero company. And of course the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT and more!
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SHOW NOTES
Matt Chat (Matt Barton on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/@MattBarton
1,000 True Fans Essay by Kevin Kelly
https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/
Project 1999 – Classic EverQuest
https://www.project1999.com/
EverQuest Legends
https://www.everquestlegends.com/home
Project Zomboid
https://store.steampowered.com/app/108600/Project_Zomboid/
Army battalion in Georgia offering 4 days of GTA 6 play as reenlistment incentive
https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/army-battalion-in-georgia-offering-4-days-of-gta-6-play-as-reenlistment-incentive/
America’s Army link
https://store.steampowered.com/app/203290/Americas_Army_Proving_Grounds/
Operencia: The Stolen Sun
https://store.steampowered.com/app/985950/Operencia_The_Stolen_Sun/
Fallout: New California
https://www.gog.com/en/game/fallout_new_california
Classic Ultima Online
https://shatteredmoon.com/cuo/
Empire (1977 video game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_(1977_video_game)
New Rumors Suggest KOTOR Remake May Be Re-Announced This Year (and Potential Launch Windows)
https://www.mmorpg.com/news/new-rumors-suggest-kotor-remake-may-be-re-announced-this-year-and-potential-launch-windows-2000138547
Star Wars Zero Company
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2075800/STAR_WARS_Zero_Company/
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Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2nd Edition
Shane’s book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
Order on Amazon now:
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/
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