Last week, I announced our live streaming schedule on Twitch. You can read the details here, but that is not the only changes I’m making as far as the media side of VNs Now is concerned. Several readers have asked me about my plans for our podcasts. Currently, I host the monthly VNs Now Podcast which talks about various gaming news, narratives and writing, media and entertainment, business: we cover a lot. I’ve decided to add a few things to the schedule that will allow me not only to expand talking about my interests but also allow me to incorporate talking about some of the things I love a bit more (character writing, plot development, the usual).
So, what is that going to look like? Well, let’s start from the top!
The VNs Now Podcast
From the beginning, I’ve wanted The VNs Now Podcast to be a biweekly product. So far, I have not achieved that goal. But the overall reaction from you guys about it has been fantastic and I thank you for that. Starting this week, I’ll be uploading new episodes on Thursday (May 16th) and within the next few months I will make it a biweekly program. Not much changes but the date so we’ll stick with that there, yeah?
JP3’s Character Study Podcast
This is one I’ve been working on for a while: slowly ironing out the issues and putting together a show that touches on the areas of character writing and development. Eventually, even I have to heed the words of a much wiser man than I who once said, ‘Finished is better than perfect’. SO, JP3’s Character Study will debut Sunday, May 26th: at long last. The first episode will feature a look at the titular ‘Queen of All Evil’ Jezebel and what makes her unique as a historical figure and archetype. The plan is for this to be a limited weekly series: about ten episodes to start with. Depending on how well I execute that, the next step will be determined.
After Colony Podcast
I mentioned on Twitter that I was going to re-watch Gundam Wing. Why? Because, even with all of the problems that comes with the series aging, the frank truth is that I wouldn’t be a fan of anime at all without Gundam Wing. It was one of the series that kept me interested in the genre long enough for shows like Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex to hook me in fully. I wanted to not only re-watch it, but discuss it in total: the good and the bad. Hence, a brand new podcast. I don’t think right now it’ll be episode-by-episode, as Wing had its share of filler. But I am confident what I have in mind will touch on what I want to explore with the series. You can expect the After Colony Podcast to launch Friday, May 24th. Currently, I’m planning on that to be a weekly series that will have a short run.
Morningstar IV
Now this one I’m particularly happy to start. But first, the art isn’t mine. It’s from a British WW2 propaganda poster that perfectly sets the mood. I have been wanting to do an audio drama for years, but have never had the proper resources to pull it off. Again though, following the principle of ‘finished is better than perfect’, eventually I have to do something. So I am. The parent company of this very website, Ishmaelic Arts, will be producing a ten episode audio drama featuring yours truly. It’s an Alternate History tale based on if the American Revolution never happened? So essentially no Canada (sorry Canada) and also mechs, because who doesn’t love giant robots? Here’s the synopsis:
After the dark days of the Fourth European War, the surviving nobilities and monarchical families decided amongst themselves that only they could secure stability for humanity. With the power of their armies and the resources of their colonies, these empires ended the chaos of Anno Domini and began a new era of security and peace. It is Year Eighty-Seven of the Imperial Century. After gaining independence twenty years prior the American Commonwealth, also known as English America, seeks to establish itself as an international power by taking colonies of its own.
I’m having a lot of fun recording this one and I hope you guys will enjoy it! Morningstar IV will officially launch Saturday, June 1st.
So, for those paying attention, our new podcast calendar looks like this:
- The VNs Now Podcast (Thursday – Biweekly) Starting This Week
- The After Colony Podcast (Friday – Limited Weekly) – Starting May 24th
- Morningstar IV (Saturday – Limited Weekly) – Starting June 1st
- JP3’s Character Study (Sunday – Limited Weekly) – Starting May 26th
These podcast will be available on Soundcloud, Sticher, and soon iTunes and Google Play. Let’s see me make this happen now. JP3: OUT.
