Nerd News in Brief

After a week on top, the traffic around ol’ Hipster, please! seems to be slowly shrinking back to normal.

It was really cool to have so many people visiting to check out the Old Nerdy Bastard compilation, and, moreover, I was genuinely pleased with the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the project. All parties involved did a bang-up job, and I’m glad fans acknowledged that.

Still, it’s hard not to feel a slight sense of relief at this return to normalcy. I mean, it’s just us again, just the regulars.

This means we once again have the freedom to walk around in our underwear and stop sucking in our guts.

You can’t put a price on shit like that.

• A water-tight case: Church just hit me up with a link to this letter of complaint directed at Arizona State University. Personally, I think Mr. Lacrampe’s case seems fairly cut and dry.
• Like regular gamers, only brainier: Are you interested in taking a one -semester seminar course devoted to the history of the RPG? Of course you are! Now meet the man who’d like to teach it.
• Magic Missile: And speaking of RPGs, we GeekDads are hosting a new contest. The challenge? Create self-portraits of yourselves and your children as D&D characters. The spoils? A handsome D&D 4E prize pack! See this post for the full skinny.
• As if you don’t get enough of me already: A new edition of the HipTrax podcast is now available. This one features Brad Sucks, The Weasel King, and Maja. It also features me babbling. Even more so than usual. What can I say? I’d just finished the new comp and was totally burned out. Thankfully, Ken was there to keep me on track.
• I am a WRock. I am an island: For those of us unable to attend, the Wizrocklopedia crew has provided ample pictures and videos of last weekend WRockstock. And thanks to Matt for catching a brief mention of Old Nerdy Bastard in this vid from The Wizrockateers. You WRock, Lizz!
• The Clambon’s connected to the foot bone: For those of you still trying to figure out what Hidari’s “Clambon” – the song masterfully remixed by Glenn and Justin on ONB - is really about, I present Mr. Bacon’s own translation. That clear everything up for ya? Didn’t think so.
• (Finally) Ready to Launch: The newest Game Music 4 All compilation, Heavy Troopa is Ready to Launch! became available last Sunday. On the off chance you haven’t head over to GM4A and download this massive 3-disc set of musical goodness. It’s got all the music you love from the Nintendo/Square classic in new and exciting forms.
• Captain’s log, supplemental: And while you’re at it, be sure to check out episode 20 of the Into the Score podcast wherein the net’s only podcast dedicated to the academic study of game music takes on the original Super Mario RPG soundtrack. Be amazed, enlightened, and summarily educated.
• Oh, Canada!: On the subject of free releases, you would also be wise to peep Hand’Solo Records new mixtapes Hokey Religions & Ancient Weapons (are no match for a good blaster). This mix is freely downloadable, but those with a taste for physical media can snag the CD for $10. It features Jesse Dangerously, Wordburglar, and Myf, and if that’s not enough to get you excited, then I judge thee unexcitable.
• Practically giving it away: Also freely available is the Motherboard Compilation featuring id obelus and Wordburglar (again!), another hip-hop mix worth your valuable time. It’s available from Canadian meta-collective Secret Cloud and will most probably cure what ails you.
• Endsville still burns: Straight from the portal of a seemingly resurrected Rhyme Torrents comes news that Attack Slug has released isolated acappellas and background tracks from his new album Endsville is Burning. Remixing is encouraged.
• Get your hack on: Despite the fact that I’m only 1/3 of the way through Mario Kart Wii – and feel free to shoot me your friend code if you wanna race – I’ve become enamored with the concept of the Wii Homebrew Channel. Don’t get me wrong, WiiWare is cool and all, but this puppy’s got potential!
• You are what you (b)eat: And while we’re talking about Nintendo and homebrew apps, I’ve just been informed by Gorgull that Protein[DS] v080522 is now available. Judging form Pierre’s new video, the program has been noticeably beefed up. Make some room amongst all those bootlegs on your slot-1 cart for this one.
• mc still lives: Those of you looking to buy mc chris’s new release mc chris is dead from Indie Merch Store are (temporarily) out of luck. The album is presently sold out, although mc promises that a second pressing is underway, and that it should be in stock later this week.
• How we do it on Cyphertron: While your waiting on that to become available, why not check out the latest communiqué from the Autobeat Command Center? In addition to news of a forthcoming album, you’ll also be hipped to new non-Optimus projects from Wheelie, grimROCK, and Stumblebee.
• The nerdy James Bond: For those who haven’t been keeping up – and shame on you if you haven’t – YTCracker has been providing color commentary concerning the YT/Front/Lars/Del commercial video shoot for G4. Some great footage and the obligatory nis references can be found at his blog.
• Bea Arthur!!!: To take us home today, let me leave you with another slice of madness from our pals Uncle Monsterface. The guys from Monsterface Industries, you see, are brining back their weekly YouTube feature Monsterface Mondays in a big way, starting off with a promo video/infomercial for the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo. See you there!