e572 – Over The Hill Gaming

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Photo by Dorsa Fathollahi on Unsplash

This week’s show features our friend ePredator – AKA Ian Hughes, a retired tech luminary! Michael R and Ian get to spend the time talking a lot about gaming and some of the good, bad, and interesting activity going on in the space.

We begin the show with Michael giving a review of the Apple Vision Pro’s latest movie release. This time, in time for Halloween, it is a horror movie. While not being a big fan of horror movies, he bravely watched all 27 minutes, and came away with an appreciation for the beauty of the film.

Since both Ian and Michael are users of their products, we do a quick reaction to Withings latest update on adding subscription requirement to access your data outside of their devices. Followed up by a memory lane discussion of all great Bioware game franchises that are potentially in peril after EA announces they are shutting the studio down.

Turning over to more fun topics, we spend much of the rest of the show talking about various driving games, and Ian’s love of automotive physics and gaming. Including Over The Hill (a zen like off road driving simulator and GTA VI), during which we also discuss some of the details of the Nvidia DLSS 5 leaks.

We wrap up discussing both the release of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 (which Ian has been playing in early access) and Crimson Desert, which has been pushing forward the gaming experiences for many.

What games are you playing and are there any upcoming releases that you are particularly excited about? Let us know over on are Mastadon feed at @gamestwork_biz@mastadon.social

Show links

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:48 — 18.8MB) | Embed

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e571 – Rando Blocko

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Photo by Nigel Hoare on Unsplash

Published 12 October 2026

e571 with Andy and Michael R: lots of bricks and blocks (LEGO, and Minecraft), podracing, and random typefaces.

We kick off with a look at the just-announced LEGO Marvel City Skyline set (due January 2027). Andy wants it for his home office shelf.

Next, a discussion of Apple’s “Welcome Home” event and the rumoured hook-up with the privacy disaster that is LG Electronics.

One man has built a gigantic city in Minecraft, after years coaching in the NFL. Well, that’s one retirement plan! Another idea might be to prompt your next game into life using Google Playground (it’s a playground, not a graveyard – yet).

Both Michael and Andy get a little bit excited about the new Star Wars Galactic Racers game, bringing podracing to a new generation, and even streamed via a browser in Amazon’s Luna platform.

Finally, Michael gets freaked out by a monospaced font that MOVES.

What game would you prompt into life? Have your bots 🤖 drop our bots 🤖 a line at @gamesatwork_biz@mastodon.social (our home for now) and let us know! 

These show notes were lovingly hand crafted by a real human, and not by a bot. All rights reserved. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

Selected Links

Marvel LEGO: https://www.slashfilm.com/2281558/lego-marvel-universe-city-skyline-set/

Apple comes home: https://sixcolors.com/link/2026/10/apple-sets-homecoming-for-oc

NFL Minecrafting: https://onefoottsunami.com/2026/10/08/mike-tomlin-has-been-minecrafting/

Google games (and it’s not Stadia) https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/technology/ai/playground-experimental-gaming-platform/

Podracers: https://kotaku.com/star-wars-galactic-racer-is-out-today-and-amazon-prime-members-can-check-it-out-for-free-2000740982 and https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/1002887/star-wars-galactic-racer-review

Rando Mono by Beau: https://beau.land/rando_mono/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:32 — 14.6MB) | Embed

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e570 – Tiny Concrete Fish

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Manta ray, sawtooth shark and other fish swimming in a massive tank. Photo by Michael Martine, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia April 2018
Photo by Michael Martine, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia April 2018

Published 5 October 2026

e570 with Andy and Michael R: stories about AI brain for fish, crowdsourced fishing for map updates, inebriated AI, virtual Brutalism architecture, a Minecraft themed hotel and a whole lot more!

Have you ever heard the phrase “fish for brains”?  Well in this episode, Michael R and Andy start things of for what kind of AI model is needed to be the brain for fish.  Pocket Tank is a tiny, yet sophisticated AI model for how fish interact in the smallest of fish tanks.  Andy shares a game about digging a hole which reminded Michael M (while crafting the show notes) of the Wind Rose Diggy Diggy Hole song – which will nicely connect to the Minecraft hotel discussion at the end of the episode.

A longtime focus of this podcast is maps, mapping and improving them, going all the way back to the very first episode of Games at Work.  A superb example of this is StreetComplete, which is on android, and newly available via TestFlight for iOS which allows the user to contribute to OpenStreetMap in a gamified, quest driven way, such as detailing the kind of pedestrian crossings are available at a particular intersection. 

A Sony Walkman skeuomorphic user experience takes advantage of the new iPhone Duo folding screen to replicate opening up the Walkman and inserting a cassette tape.  Check out other examples of what Bitrig is envisioning with the iPhone Duo’s multiple screens.

Michael and Andy both express their appreciation for an impressive full desk set up to charge a qi device wherever the device is placed on the desk.  If you are looking for something to buy right now, check out the (no affiliates link) Wirecutter collection below.

Minecraft hotel in Chessington is being crafted / constructed, which will have a potions bar in addition to themed guest rooms.  Have to wonder if they will provide the ability of guests to come dig a hole either virtually or on the premises!

Could Dou-Man be the “killer app” for the new iPhone Duo?  What do you think the killer app will be?  Have your bots 🤖 drop our bots 🤖 a line at @gamesatwork_biz (our home for now) and let us know! 

These show notes were lovingly hand crafted by a real human, and not by a bot.  All rights reserved.  That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

Selected Links

A Plethora of Posts

Stratobuilds article: Pocket Tank: A Tiny AI Fish Tank

Wikipedia article: Tamagotchi

Wikipedia article: Little Computer People

Games at Work e366: MetaMoney (for Little Computer People discussion)

Gaming on Linux article: A Game About Digging A Hole Together announced

Maps & Mapping

Kottke post: Map of the Lighthouses of the World

StreetComplete

OpenStreetMap

Hacker News post: StreetComplete on iOS is now in public beta

Games at Work e00001: Wouldn’t You Like to Be a Mayor Too? (For gamified mapping with Waze)

More Treasures from the Internet

The Verge article: Amazon’s delivery driver smart glasses will reportedly take photos ‘almost constantly’

9 to 5 Mac article: Duo-Man turns your 2026 iPhone Duo into a 1980s Sony Walkman

https://viditb.com

Bitrig post: Bitrig Now Builds iPhone Duo Apps

RE: circumstances.run/@davidgerard

Congrats on inventing Drunk Clippy.

— Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog)2026-09-29T21:59:41.627Z

Well — this is awesome!

youtube.com/watch?v=KvLWuK2TU-

— Benjamin Han (@BenjaminHan)2026-09-28T01:47:09.526Z

https://www.youtube.com/@HTXStudio

Wirecutter article (updated September 23, 2026): The Best Apple Wireless Charging Stations for Multiple Devices

The Guardian article: World’s first Minecraft hotel to open in the UK – here’s what we know so far

Tiny Brutalism

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:34 — 16.9MB) | Embed

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e569 — Vice City or ASCII City

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a 3D visualization reminiscent of the Matrix - Photo by Logan Voss on Unsplash
Photo by Logan Voss on Unsplash

Published 28 September 2026

e569 with Andy, Michael and Michael explore flight and world simulators, VR glasses that burn temples, sideburns, ice printing, a camera robot, audio optimized venues and a whole lot more!

The Game at Work cohosts Andy, Michael and Michael are back together for a whirlwind review of the latest in technology.  They start off with a flight simulator, which is not from the perspective of a pilot – rather from the perspective of a passenger.  The familiar sights and sounds or jet travel can be yours from the browser-based InFlightSimulator.  Then, zooming out a bit, the cohosts consider God’s Eye View, where the user can experience a photorealistic digital twin of the planet.  After briefly touching (down) on Geoscape, Andy has an opportunity to share the ASCII City experience.  This is not your 1980s ASCII art, rather a very Matrix-esque view of a city, with cars, pedestrians and buildings.

Switching gears, the team takes a look at several VR stories, including the new VR glasses from Meta and the Inmo Air3.  The Inmo glasses have had a recall for overheating, which opened a etymology discussion on the origin of sideburns.  And an article from heise.de details challenges stemming from GDPR requirements.  

In the last part of the episode, there are several cool stories.  One details how it is possible to 3D print ice by removing air.  Another is an interactive art exhibit.  A third is a kickstarter for flat dice.  After looking at Beni, a camera robot designed to follow or race ahead of you to film you, the team wraps up with the new Apple Music Hall venue in London, which looks to be a fantastic place to hear performances. 

What city would you like to experience in ASCII?  Have your bots 🤖 drop our bots 🤖 a line at @gamesatwork_biz (our home for now) and let us know! 

These show notes were lovingly hand crafted by a real human, and not by a bot.  All rights reserved.  That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

Selected Links

World Simulations

In Flight Simulator

@gamesatwork_biz
If you happen to know any flight simulator enthusiasts/delightful nerds… why not offer them a God-like-vista to keep them busy exploring forever…

youtu.be/o_FJ1NIH9yw


— 𝓛𝔁𝓼 / 𝔸𝕝𝕖𝕩𝕚𝕤 🏵🇪🇺💫 (@lxs)2026-09-15T17:44:24.510Z

God’s Eye View on GitHub

Geoscape

ASCII City

Grow Now! Games (for ASCII City)

ASCII Art Archive

AR/VR Glasses

IGN article: Meta’s New VR Glasses to Entice Casual Viewers With 3D and Full-Frame IMAX

The Verge article: These smart glasses have been recalled for overheating temples causing burns

Wikipedia article: Ambrose Burnside (for the etymology of “sideburns”)

heise.de article: GDPR trap Smart Glasses: Why Ray-Ban Meta wearers can be held liable

Ice Ice Printing

Fabbaloo article: A 3D Printer That Makes Ice By Removing Air

PNAS article: Three-dimensional printing of ice structures via evaporative cooling in vacuum

More Cool Stuff

Ink and Switch

Ink and Switch Ambsheets

Kickstarter: HEXFORME DICE: Ultra-Thin Modular Magnetic Spinner Dice

Mondo Robotics

Games at Work e171: Jelly Jelly Bo Belly (for the selfie taking wrist drone)

Apple Newsroom: Apple opens Apple Music Hall, a brand‑new state‑of‑the‑art live music venue in London

Berliner Philharmoniker

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:02 — 13.0MB) | Embed

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