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Oh, a Podcast!

Oh, a Podcast!

By Oh, a Podcast!

Video games are getting smaller and easier to make every day, and if we can do it, anyone can. Join the developers of Cat President, Internet Court, The Beard in the Mirror and more as we talk about the games we're making, the games we're playing, and how aspiring developers don't have to be "aspiring" anymore; they can just be developers. (And also make dumb jokes. Lots of dumb jokes.)

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the air!
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References Millennials Will Love!

Oh, a Podcast!Apr 28, 2023

00:00
49:27
References Millennials Will Love!
Apr 28, 202349:27
R.I.Pizza

R.I.Pizza

In this month's episode!


- How do you buy movie tickets?

- The D&D and Super Mario movies

- Michael and Paul's experiences as DMs

- When your characters won't stop talking

- Player-friendly puzzles

- Charles Clarinet

- Goal-oriented gaming

- A pool of liquefied humans

- How we use guilt to motivate ourselves

- Gaming pranks


All this, plus how to unlock Luigi in Super Mario 64! You won't want to miss it!


If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.


Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Mar 31, 202356:44
Goofy Goofies

Goofy Goofies

In this month's episode!

- Is AI going to write Cat President 3?
- AI-generated titles for our games
- Evil blobby aliens
- Distractions
- The Idle Miner Tycoon community
- The back part of Spencer's Gifts
- What are show notes? Are these show notes?
- Goof Troop vs. A Goofy Movie
- Continuity problems between Cat President 1 and 3
- Games from our childhood that we still go back to

All this, plus... *hold music*

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Feb 27, 202347:03
Sherlock Holmes and His Roommate Dave

Sherlock Holmes and His Roommate Dave

In this month's episode!

- Our favorite games that we made
- Lame-duck Congresses
- Quick updates on Cat President 3 and the Moms Game
- Michael's live stream of The Lost Oregon City Gold
- Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper
- The difference between publishers and developers
- Is Sherlock Holmes too OP?
- Comedy puzzles in serious games
- Brothels
- Our favorite games that we made

All this, plus...is episodic gaming over? (Please?)

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Dec 30, 202201:00:27
Dead Cats & Illegal Keyboards

Dead Cats & Illegal Keyboards

In this month's episode!

- The death of Chief Justice Goober
- Trying to remember our own jokes and storylines
- Which months are dead-er than others
- Februum
- Febroom
- How a game's interface can screw up your cool haikus
- Is it okay to name your son after the family sword?
- WWWWWWWWWW
- The lyrics to MMMBop
- Games we never made (…yet?)

All this, plus old men (us) shout at clouds (modern gaming consoles). You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Dec 01, 202257:13
Fry the Ghosts Away

Fry the Ghosts Away

In this month's episode!

- The ways we indent our code!
- Beating up your computer
- Sales breakdowns between PC, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox
- Our outline for Cat President 3
- Broadway musicals
- Cat genders
- Bitter giant artichokes
- Coming up with backstories for main characters
- Paul's hot take on the Big Mac
- Underrated, underappreciated games (like M.C. Kids)

All this, plus Bill Clinton plays the sax! We're An-i-ma-niacs!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Oct 28, 202259:46
Oopsie Poopsie Problem

Oopsie Poopsie Problem

In this month's episode!

- Twitter holidays
- The winner of the Cat President 3 purresidential election!
- Is Earl Grey dead?
- Potential Cat President 3 titles/subtitles
- The 1980 Presidential election
- Mixing AI and hand-drawn art
- The big Cat President update!
- Do we have any tips for making visual novel playthrough videos?
- …What about when they're boring.
- Paul's embarrassing Return to Monkey Island crisis

All this, plus we discuss DJ Nibbles' war on the Clawnstitution. You won't want to miss it!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Sep 30, 202201:00:00
Your Mom's Bank (in Anime Style)

Your Mom's Bank (in Anime Style)

In this month's episode!

- "You gotta monetize your friendships, bro!"
- AI art vs. actual real drawings
- Having art vs. not having art
- Michael should fire his editor (Paul)
- Replacing stock photos and music in the original Cat President
- Pride and Prejudice and Murder is out now!!
- How to get hired for one of our games
- Naked holidays in Portland
- Illusion of choice in games
- Paul and Michael try to figure out some math

All this, plus Michael reveals who "Mr. Drew" and "Miss Hardy" were named after—and the answer will SHOCK you!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Aug 30, 202252:26
Mom I Met Your Mother

Mom I Met Your Mother

In this month's episode!

- Time does not exist
- Cats: The Musical (The Dating Sim)
- Adapting works from the public domain (into dating sims)
- "Does everything have to be a dating sim?"
- Naming the characters you date in dating sims
- Paul makes Michael uncomfortable
- Paul makes Michael more uncomfortable
- Making visual novels harder
- Michael's hot cowboy friends
- How visual novels are like those personalized books you can get at the mall

All this, plus we brainstorm great names for our mom-themed dating sim, like "When Mother Met Sally" and "10 Things I Hate About Mom." You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Jun 29, 202247:55
The Mom Next Door

The Mom Next Door

In this month's episode! - Paul's problems with level(s) design - We try to pick our next project: mommies, supervillains, or creepy kids? - Writing during the pandemic - The concept of blue - Quack Man & Honk Girl - Dark Michael - Deconstructing Goosebumps - Recording authentic early 2000s cell phone sound effects - Holes in bridges - Mother 3 All this, plus Michael reveals the lost Lost Oregon City Gold death scene! You won't want to miss it! If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph. Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
May 31, 202251:42
The Normal Amount of Moons

The Normal Amount of Moons

In this month's episode!

- Michael is a sleepy boy.
- GameCola's 20th anniversary? 10-year? 50th?
- The 2022 Nancy Drew Mega Marathon
- Oh, a Rock! geocaching!
- Selling games to cheevo hunters
- Using AI-generated art in visual novels
- Outlines, outlines, outlines
- Navigation in adventure games built with Ren'py
- Designing a Disney World based on Oh, a Rock! games
- It's very dangerous to get us talking about theme parks.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Apr 29, 202258:21
Backrubs for Hibernating Bears

Backrubs for Hibernating Bears

In this month's episode!

- John Cena's Peacemaker
- Is social media getting better or worse?
- The ice-cream business
- The Pizza Delivery Boy Who Saved the World is now on Switch, PlayStation and Xbox!!
- Changes we made for the console release
- What would a (theoretical) Pizza Boy sequel look like?
- The Lost Oregon City Gold is coming out in two weeks!
- Keeping things consistent when you have multiple writers
- Getting permission to use real-life locations
- Underdressed pizza customers

All this, plus why Pizza Boy is rated T for Teen! You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Mar 31, 202256:37
Gratuitous Use of a Single Tuple

Gratuitous Use of a Single Tuple

In this month's episode!

- WE KNOW WHAT TUPLES ARE NOW.
- Burger King hacks
- Updates to the credits sequence in Too Many Santas! (and why)
- Getting your kids to scream
- Authentic elevator sounds
- Redoing art assets for sequels
- Making dumb workarounds look intentional
- Are games just too loud nowadays?
- How do we find music for our games?
- "The Lost Gamer"

All this, plus why devs should watch people stream their games! You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Feb 28, 202251:48
The Beloved Municipal Elevator

The Beloved Municipal Elevator

In this month's episode!

- Visual;Conference (aka VNConf) 2022
- Nose picking and armpit-hair removal
- Accidental flirting
- …Are we making an adventure game?
- Our new collaborative workflow!
- Editing our game art so we don't get sued
- Making VNs feel more lively
- HTML color codes!
- Changes we make so people won't laugh at us
- The Oh, a Rock! Book Club

All this, plus we try to settle, once and for all: Is WarioWare a visual novel? You won't want to miss it!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Jan 31, 202253:47
What's a Numismatist With You?

What's a Numismatist With You?

In this month's episode!

- TOO MANY SANTAS IS OUT NOW, somehow!
- Things we cut from the game in order to finish it in time
- "His eyelids are definitely someone else's eyelids."
- Why politicians only "suspend" their campaigns, never "end" them
- Steam still doesn't think we're real :(
- What's next?
- How John Cena cured his cholera
- The mystery of the unbuyable t-shirt
- Tripods!
- Our favorite rocks

All this, plus COVID DOESN'T EXIST—in our games!! (Bet I freaked you out for a second there, huh.)

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Dec 29, 202155:24
Wham Bye Pie

Wham Bye Pie

In this month's episode!

- Why is there that weird pause in the middle of every intro?
- The canceled DLC for Cat President
- Our favorite Santa Claus memes
- Murder mystery recipes
- "Be the Christmas you want to see in the world."
- Characters with names
- The villain Lord Franzen
- The villain Soseki Natsume
- Will we ever make 3D games?
- You can MICROWAVE METAL NOW????

All this, plus pie. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Oct 29, 202153:40
Bowl, of Rocks!

Bowl, of Rocks!

In this month's episode!

- Warrior Cats is officially banned from the podcast.
- Oregon colleges
- Paul tries to cast Michael's mom in another game
- Santa Claus arts and crafts
- The Steam store page for Too Many Santas is live!
- Giant cats
- Austrian hobbit holes
- Paul learns about tripods
- Were-cats
- [this content removed for legal reasons]

All this, plus we try to figure out how to convince people we're not weird! You won't want to miss it!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Sep 30, 202156:56
A Book That's Apples

A Book That's Apples

In this month's episode!

- Michael should go to jail for programming crimes
- The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
- Repetitive dialogue
- Can bicycles go backwards?
- Hot, swearing prosecutors
- Repetitive dialogue
- A shocking name reveal for our Santa Claus dating sim!
- Adopting historical pennies
- We love all our testers' feedback
- Desert island books, movies and videogames

All this, plus we talk about repetitive dialogue! You won't want to miss that.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Aug 27, 202159:14
All Michaels Considered

All Michaels Considered

In this month's episode!

- How long have we been podcasting.
- Hitting on moms at funerals
- How Michael (almost) appeared on All Things Considered
- Oregon City's municipal elevator
- Good dogs
- How easy is it to get sued, really?
- Dutch Bros.' not-so-secret menu
- More Fiverr fails
- Are The Hardy Boyz intimidating?
- Our dream cast for The Pizza Delivery Boy Who Saved the World: The Movie

All this, plus we learn how to pronounce Willamette in our regional accents. You won't want to miss it!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Jul 29, 202154:27
The Trouble With Tuples

The Trouble With Tuples

In this month's episode!

- Nature doesn't grow in a hallway
- Movement controls in Deja Vu
- Trying to cheat our own puzzles
- Ancient Photoshop
- TUPLES
- WHAT IS A TUPLE
- HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE TUPLE
- Transitions
- How to code a hug
- HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE GIF

All this, plus we talk about TUPLE. Tuple tuple tuple.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Jun 30, 202155:26
Slurp Knead: Ace Attorney

Slurp Knead: Ace Attorney

In this month's episode! - Santa Claus costumes - Fiverr fails - Paul's canceled FMV dating sim - Murder at Singles University - Melissa & Dog - How to change cursors in Ren'py games - Real-life Internet Court - Replaying the "new" Ace Attorney games - Do Michael and Paul ever have major creative disputes? - Jokes about murdering Santa Claus All this, plus Paul's report from The Christmas Tree Shop! Who'd wanna miss that?! If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph. Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
May 28, 202157:30
The Book of Good and Bad

The Book of Good and Bad

In this month's episode!

- Oh, a (large) rock!
- How to cheat at slider puzzles
- Internet Court and Cat President 2 sales figures
- Steam's new beta-testing program
- Dressing up our friends as Santa Claus
- Blinking
- Stealthy vs. non-stealthy beards
- Burger King soda fountains
- How to pronounce Oregon
- Which of our games would we want to be trapped in for a year?

All this, plus we learn what Paul plans to do with his Amazon Prime free trial! You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Apr 30, 202152:40
Weird Roles (feat. Huw Miller and Timothy Mark)

Weird Roles (feat. Huw Miller and Timothy Mark)

In this month's episode!

- Internet Court is coming out on April 6th!!
- Huw Miller and Timothy Mark join us to talk about their characters in the game
- Casting decisions (or: "Hey, that's a nice hoodie!")
- Improv in Internet Court
- Janky camera setups
- Michael's college TV sitcom
- $5 VR headsets
- Goths at Disneyland
- Nancy Drew drama
- Paul's "Gamedev Search of the Day"s

All this, plus Tim tells a story about going camping with legendary game designer Tim Schafer! You won't wanna miss it!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, Michael is @arglefumph, Huw is @the_huwmiller, and Timothy is @BidiotBales.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Mar 28, 202156:06
I Like My Nonsense

I Like My Nonsense

In this month’s episode!

- We’ve been doing this for FIVE YEARS HOLY [censored]
- The Muppets Take Manhattan
- Michael’s Life in the Dorms livestream
- How to lose all your dates in 40 minutes
- What should our next project be?
- Internet Court bugs :(
- Paul’s love for dumb puzzles
- Abandoned paper mills
- The real-life inspirations behind Life in the Dorms
- Why Steam reviews matter

All this, plus we talk about a tongue-kissing minigame! It’s gonna make everyone upset. Please listen anyway.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Jan 29, 202158:22
Epic Beard Wish Fulfillment

Epic Beard Wish Fulfillment

In this month's episode!

- The SpongeBob musical
- Michael's haircut
- Michael's "kid friends"
- Signing up for COVID vaccine trials
- Laughing at jokes you don't remember writing
- Dubs
- Internet Court's menu design
- Adding last-minute dumb things to games
- Young Trucy Wright
- Paul's tired of thinking

All this, plus I cut out like 10 minutes of us trying to remember plot details from Apollo Justice. YOU'RE WELCOME!!

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Dec 30, 202050:14
How to Draw Anime Santa

How to Draw Anime Santa

In this month's episode!

- Glitter
- NaNoWriMo hacks
- How not to confuse your future self
- Background animations in VNs
- Jenny LeClue
- Naughty and nice decisions
- How many Santas is enough Santas?
- Joey Joey and the Good Good Boys
- Coding for kids
- Legacy of Dragonholt and room-escape games

All this, plus how to hook up with Santa! You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.

Our theme song is "Cigarettes and One-Night Stands" by 5thavenueband, and it is licensed under under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.
Nov 27, 202053:56
The Cats of Cat President 2 (feat. their owners)

The Cats of Cat President 2 (feat. their owners)

In this special edition of Oh, a Podcast!:

- We have three guests in the (virtual) studio: Anne Sullivan, Abigael Williams, and Rin J—aka the owners of Mr. Biscuits, Fe.Line, and Queen Fabulousa!
- The real-life purr-sonalities of the Cat President 2 cats
- Where these cats came from
- 2 for $10 cat deals
- Should Paul get a cat??
- How many cats should Paul get.
- How we made the cat owners deeply uncomfortable
- Cats and the pandemic
- The origins of the weird [censored] cat on the title screen
- Skulls

All this, plus whether golden retrievers ever really grow up (they do not). You won't want to miss it!!! Especially if you like cats!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow ALL of us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, Michael is @arglefumph, Anne is @annetropy, Abigael is @asgardianmead61, and Rin is @SirLadySketch.
Oct 26, 202059:18
Homemade Beard Balm

Homemade Beard Balm

In this month's episode!

- Beard care tips
- Cat President 2 is coming out this month!
- Composting pyramid schemes
- Mountain Dew VooDew
- Why aren't ballots like fast food
- Windows Vista
- Creating counterfeit dollars in PhotoShop
- Do we make "sexy" games?
- Carol Reed
- How Paul ruined Michael's wedding photos

All this, plus we try to figure out different spin-off games for Detective Pikachu. (Maybe Coast Guard Squirtle??) You magi-can't miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Sep 28, 202059:52
Look at My Fancy House

Look at My Fancy House

In this month's episode!

- We're using Discord now!
- We're too old for Discord.
- What is the end of Minecraft?
- Paul just wants to impress the fourth graders.
- Books where you can die
- Visual novels with stats
- Placeholder names
- The TV show Soap
- What are the youths doing?
- Tester feedback on Cat President 2

All this, plus the true story of how Paul invented Steam! You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Aug 29, 202059:10
Cat Fingers

Cat Fingers

In this month's episode!

- Making games is fun(?)
- Cat President's word count
- What's next after a game is "finished"?
- How cats wear jackets
- Do cats have goatees?
- Cats with tats
- Testing text-based games
- Games with time loops
- Time-travelling toilets
- MURDER MAN

All this, plus how to accessorize like a bad boy! It's educational! SO LISTEN.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jul 28, 202051:54
Let's Date Pikachu!

Let's Date Pikachu!

In this month's episode!

- Pride and Prejudice and Murder
- Managing continuity with multiple writers
- Politicians licking themselves
- Filming FMV games from home
- DID SURGE GET DISCONTINUED AGAIN????
- Is Orange Vanilla Coke gone too??????
- The Luncheon Kingdom
- Dating sims with 100+ routes
- How Michael and Paul met
- VR VNs

All this, plus why does Super Mario Odyssey have so many moons. It's too many moons!!!!! You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jun 28, 202055:28
Thrift Store Mystery Garbage Box

Thrift Store Mystery Garbage Box

In this month's episode!

- Ice-cream!
- COVID-19's impact on our work
- Cancer-themed romance novels
- Hooking up with the vice principal
- Rooftop minigolf
- Internet Court is real life now.
-
BoardGameArena.com (add Paul as a friend—paulmeetsworld!)
- Quarantining with kids
- Updates that make games worse
- The oppressive sadness of Life is Strange 2

All this, plus we talk about Michael's canceled Disney World trip! There's nothing super-sad about that—you'll definitely want to listen.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
May 27, 202059:58
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Loves Anime

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Loves Anime

In this month's episode!

- Testing Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem
- The Kidnapped Prom Queen is out now! Buy it!
- How to end games
- Making it look like you put effort into your game
- Pudd'nhead Wilson
- Writing jokes that we don't understand
- Internet Court is real life now
- Who would we cast in Cat President: The Movie?
- ...And why is it Adam Sandler.
- HUMANS: The Musical

All this, plus we reveal Thunderpaw's secret original name! We haven't revealed that already, have we? Anyway, LISTEN.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Apr 28, 202054:37
Hidden Babies

Hidden Babies

In this month's episode!

- Are babies really that interesting
- Singing
- How voting is like fast food
- Superior Tuesday
- The qualified business income deduction
- Ace Attorney news!! (There isn't any.)
- Making gross sound effects
- Naked people wearing towels!
- The Arglefumph jingle
- BRING ME A CAT PRESIDENT ANIME OR MANGA

All this, plus...I cut out a lot of the stuff where we talked about politics. You're welcome!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Feb 26, 202051:44
The Kidnapped Pig

The Kidnapped Pig

In this month's episode!

- Paul is sad; Michael is fired.
- Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disney World!!
- Everything wrong with Midnight in Salem
- How to spell "um"
- Boogers in Harry Potter
- Speedruns
- Public domain kidnapping photos
- Diversity in Oh, a Rock! games
- Iconography
- Nabbit from New Super Mario Bros. U

All this, plus a primer on what we're looking for when we cast human models! You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jan 28, 202049:21
The One With Midnight in Salem

The One With Midnight in Salem

In this month's episode!

- Is Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem...good?
- Michael's new career as a tester
- How much dialogue is too much?
- First-person navigation
- Achievements for dying
- PIZZA BOY IS A REAL GAME
- Promotional art across different platforms
- Harem scenes in visual novels
- Michael's face
- Dating Santa Claus

All this, plus Michael has to explain bitcoin to a boomer! You won't want to miss THAT.


If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Dec 20, 201953:33
I Promise I Had Clothes on When I Wrote This

I Promise I Had Clothes on When I Wrote This

In this month's episode!

- More writing tips from Michael!
- Designing puzzles in the shower
- Comic Sans
- Coding in
Notepad.exe
- Kid directors
- How real companies do voice acting, probably
- Native Latin speakers
- How we feel about your fifth-grade teacher
- The thing that's finally gonna put us out of business
- The FTC and COPPA

All this, plus we call out GameCola.net! FIGHT ME, GAMECOLA!! You won't want to miss that.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Nov 28, 201945:27
Hamburgers By Mail

Hamburgers By Mail

In this month's episode!

- Paul's brief career as a school janitor
- *BLEEP!*
- Bad football teams
- Making achievements for games with no gameplay
- Is stabbing people "violent"?
- Gooigi and Wagooigi
- Sunny from "The View"
- Hot guys
- Can babies play videogames?
- Color-a-Dinosaur

All this, plus fresh tips on how to cheat at NaNoWriMo! You won't want to miss it!!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Oct 31, 201958:54
The Oregano Trail

The Oregano Trail

In this month's episode!

- Are steak fries even French fries?
- Why you shouldn't work with other people
- 46-minute mysteries
- Outtakes
- Pride and Prejudice (and Murder)
- Candidates for Cat President 3
- Voting in Oregon and New York
- Francy Droo: 12 O'Clock in Boston
- Games you shouldn't play after oral surgery
- The tragedy of Mario Kart on the Wii U

All this, plus Michael dunks on the DS! You won't want to miss that, probably.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Sep 26, 201950:14
Schrödinger's Nancy Drew

Schrödinger's Nancy Drew

In this month's episode!

- Michael has a new game out!
- Messing with text parsers
- What would a mystery RPG look like?
- Putting kids to work
- All the latest on Midnight in Salem!
- Adapting murder mystery dinner parties into visual novels
- Steam's underground Trading Card cartel
- Casting cats and humans for Cat President 2
- Shipping Waluigi
- Oregon Trail as an FMV road trip game

All this, plus Michael's critical thoughts on To All the Boys I've Loved Before. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jul 30, 201959:58
Brackenface

Brackenface

In this month's episode!

- Warrior Cats
- Pun names for Tinder
- Political twinsies
- How we're teaching kids to code
- Is game development getting easier or harder over time?
- How to draw squares
- Post-apocalyptic Nancy Drew
- Photoshopping in public
- Our dating sim can beat up your dating sim
- Coming to terms with being a Hufflepuff

All this, plus several bonus minutes of grammar tips! You weren't want to miss tht!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jun 30, 201943:51
Dokidokidokidokidoki Running Club

Dokidokidokidokidoki Running Club

In this month's episode!

- Unruly mermaids
- Participation playoffs for hockey teams who try their best
- Japanese high school clubs
- Participating in Steam seasonal sales
- The "new" "Harry Potter" "books"
- Doc Brown's Chicken
- Finding public domain books to turn into games
- The original version of Mermaid Mission: Titanic
- Playing Toobin' at the doctor's office
- Who first introduced us to gaming?

All this, plus Michael's trip report from Universal Studios Hollywood! You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
May 31, 201959:37
The Thought Doesn't Count

The Thought Doesn't Count

In this month's episode!

- Can we replace Michael with potatoes.
- Michael's mom reacts to Internet Court
- Potty training
- Do people still use README files?
- Costumes for cats
- The cartoony era of adventure games
- How videogames can help you see new perspectives
- Tipping should be a thing on Steam.
- Cat President: The Anime
- VN fans don't really like our VNs.

All this, plus Michael gets sad because Paul keeps rewriting his scripts. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Apr 29, 201954:58
Find Joy in the Mundane

Find Joy in the Mundane

In this month's episode!

- References in our games that we don't understand
- Disney princesses
- Designing puzzles for text-only games
- "Wikipedia Brown"
- How to recharge old batteries
- The locks at Yale University
- Selling our games for embarrassingly low prices
- How to demo visual novels at conventions
- The dangers of videogames
- Where does the name "Oh, a Rock!" come from?

All this, plus spoilers for The Wizard of Oz! You probably SHOULD miss it, if you haven't read the book yet.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Mar 28, 201958:01
Harry Potter and the Weird Toilet Thing

Harry Potter and the Weird Toilet Thing

In this month's episode:

- I hope you like Harry Potter!
- Shifty wizards
- Wizards with guns
- "Flipendo"???
- Dating 80-year-old Supreme Court Justices
- Bulletproof skin
- Hogwarts' suspect hiring practices
- Percy Weasley fanfiction
- We talk a little about game development.
- How does anyone find niche games in 2019?

All this, plus how to play the little-known Francy Droo spin-off game, Carlton Droo and the Power Stock Scheme! Yes, it's real, and yes—you won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Mar 01, 201956:56
Future Toast

Future Toast

In this month's episode!

- Snow!
- Michael explains marginal tax rates
- Designing inventory interfaces
- "Forget YOU, YouTubers!"
- We try to find something happy to talk about.
- Visual;Conference 2019
- Michael's old blog (RIP)
- The Oh, a Rock! Extended Universe™
- Games we're looking forward to in 2019
- How to play Kingdom Hearts 3 without knowing anything about the story

All this, plus Michael dumps on Smash Bros.! You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jan 30, 201949:08
I Hate It I Hate It I Hate It

I Hate It I Hate It I Hate It

In this month's episode!

- Pizza bartering
- Round two of Internet Court alpha testing
- AOL Instant Messenger
- Watching yourself act
- Bad video quality as a feature
- Leaving self-deprecating comments in our code
- Args and kwargs
- Saying goodbye to sunrises
- "It's the Paulcast now."
- Christmas traditions

All this, plus technical difficulties! (Thanks, Frontier!) You won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Dec 21, 201848:46
My Cat Ate My Taxes

My Cat Ate My Taxes

In this month's episode!

- Politics and pro-wrestling
- Ren'py woes
- "YES! YES! YES!"
- Love, Guitars, and the Nashville Skyline
- The like four Christmas games that exist
- Songs about cookies
- "Everything's stupid, and I hate it."
- Telltale Games (R.I.P.)
- Ogden, Utah
- How do drug dealers pay their taxes?

All this, plus a detailed explanation of frivolous tax returns! I can tell already—you won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Nov 30, 201852:41
The Queen's Dirty Dolls

The Queen's Dirty Dolls

In this month's episode!

- Is Buckingham Palace a real place?
- Sherlock Holmes Versus Arsene Lupin
- "Met-a-Critic?"
- Puzzles that are secretly homework
- The NPC meme
- Tester feedback on Internet Court
- Sending Michael's mom back for reshoots
- Inventing a pause function for Ren'py
- Carson Drew or Phoenix Wright?
- How great it would be to have a budget

All this, plus math. ...Wait, seriously? Math?? Well, I'm sure you won't want to miss that. I guess.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Oct 30, 201856:54
The Capcom Test

The Capcom Test

In this month's episode!

- Do the kids these days know what Harry Potter is?
- Michael accidentally mentions theme parks.
- Why the default name in Cat President is "Abigail"
- Achievements for being bad at games
- Trying to make any money off Steam
- Watching "Finley" stream Pizza Boy
- Which characters in Pizza Boy were supposed to be naked?
- How to make yourself look old
- "Tangled is better than Frozen."
- (Coco is actually better than Frozen.)

All this, plus we try not to get sad when people say mean stuff about our games. You won't want to miss that.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Sep 30, 201850:47
Make it Good, Not Bad!

Make it Good, Not Bad!

In this month's episode!

- Our new game is coming out soon!!
- Michael's pizza disaster
- Why Internet Court is taking so long to code
- Bug-sorting puzzles
- What happens when the programmer isn't a programmer
- How to tell who's a cat and who's a human
- Life in the Dorms is FINALLY out on Steam, kind of
- Burritos are basically tacos
- Why don't we make apps?
- Murder, She Baked and Garage Sale Mystery

All this, plus we try to figure out if you can preorder a pizza. You won't want to miss it!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Aug 31, 201856:57
Mad About Pizza (feat. Victoria Budkey)

Mad About Pizza (feat. Victoria Budkey)

In this month's episode!

- We have a special guest: Victoria Budkey, one of the stars of Pizza Boy!
- ...Uh, what's our game called again?
- Victoria's background in the entertainment biz
- ** MEETING THE ROCK ON THE SET OF BAYWATCH **
- Charleston, NC
- Everyone's favorite Nancy Drew games
- How improv and acting skills helped with modeling for Pizza Boy
- Paul's lifetime supply of Michael photos
- Who is Finley?
- Disneyland (boo) vs. Disney World (YES)

All this, plus Paul gets VERY worked up about the Secret of Mana remake. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, Michael is @arglefumph, and Victoria is @vbudkey.
Aug 01, 201857:57
Robots in the Desert

Robots in the Desert

In this month's episode! - Neither of us has seen the new Star Wars movie, so let's talk about it! - Luke and Leia hooking up in the books - Comparing Star Wars to The Odyssey - Michael (accidentally) releasing two games in the same week - What's next in the piper? What's next-next? - "Pride & Prejudice & Murder" - Playing through Pizza Boy as Michael Jordan - What even is a depot???? - CAT. PRESIDENT. 2. - How to avoid dating your dating sims All this, plus Paul's theories on whether Ted Cruz is secretly a dog. You definitely won't want to miss it. If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jun 28, 201859:55
It's Gonna be Mermaids

It's Gonna be Mermaids

In this month's episode!

- Cracker Barrel trivia
- Streaming old adventure games for young Nancy Drew fans
- Heroes who are actually terrible people
- Characters, backgrounds and items that do nothing and serve no purpose
- "Where are the marshmallows?!"
- Inventory overload
- Pro-tips for Windows Movie Maker
- The [censored] [censored] puzzle from Tales of Monkey Island that Paul hates so much
- Balancing difficulty and fun
- Asking developers to "just" add something to a game

All this, plus updates on Internet Court, The Pizza Delivery Boy Who Saved the World, and Mermaid Mission: Titanic. You won't want to miss it!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
May 19, 201858:48
What Would Videl Say?

What Would Videl Say?

This month on the pod!

- When is it okay to remake your old game? One week after release? Two?
- How Michael ended up as a student in a Nancy Drew game
- How Paul ended up as a finger model for Curiosity: What's Inside the Cube?
- Paul's month from hell
- How DBZ can help you write better dialogue
- Letting NPCs solve puzzles so the players don't have to
- Testing your testers
- Why it's embarrassing when other people look at your code
- Games that make us scream
- Making time for games as a grown-up

All this, plus Michael makes a really good pun about a hammer. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Apr 23, 201859:49
The Joy of Coding

The Joy of Coding

In this month's episode!

- Why are GUIs so hard to code??
- And captions?! Jeez!
- Image editing isn't so great, either.
- Removing background noise from videos—now THERE'S a challenge
- Coming up with subtitles isn't so bad though.
- DLC vs. a full sequel for Cat President
- Games that disturbed us so much we had to stop playing

All this, plus our ideas for remaking the calendar. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Feb 26, 201841:36
I Still Love You, Pizza

I Still Love You, Pizza

In this month's episode!

- Michael's Michael shirt he had printed up for Internet Court
- How to drink soda without getting sued
- Casting our moms in our games
- What it's like to have more than two people test your game
- Oxford commas
- Why do we have websites?
- Designing and implementing pizza-based puzzles
- Naked speed-runs
- What tastes better, Tide Pods or Switch cartridges?
- We dump on the new Mario and Zelda games for like 15 minutes.

All this, plus Michael pronounces "Chopin" kinda funny. You won't wanna miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jan 26, 201858:27
IT WAS YOU! (feat. Diana Gray)

IT WAS YOU! (feat. Diana Gray)

In this month's episode!

- Special guest Diana Gray (aka the voice of Francy Droo) is here!!
- How do you pronounce a question mark?
- Recording dialogue on the fly through Skype
- Which cat in Cat President is "the weird one"?
- HOW ARE THEIR SO MANY TYBOS IN THESE GAMES
- Paul reveals that you can date him in a mobile game
- One of the models in Pizza Boy is a legit, actual actress
- Why and how Miles Edgeworth is canonically a My Little Pony fan
- Michael's bachelor party (which you can watch on YouTube!)
- Ace Attorney shipping

All this, plus hot tips on how to get authentic confusion from your voice actors (by not telling them anything about their characters, their motivations, or what's happening in the story). You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, Michael is @arglefumph, and Diana is @acefangirl.
Dec 30, 201752:17
Hi, I'm Fish Lover

Hi, I'm Fish Lover

In this month's episode! - Paul's trip report from RetroGameCon! - Michael isn't 100% sure what Undertale is. - Michael isn't 100% sure what Steam is, either. - Francy Droo & Friends is coming out on December 5th!! - Is breakfast a verb? - How to deal with conflicting tester reports (can somebody please tell us?) - Filming babies - Rewriting Pride and Prejudice with alternative love interests - Cat President's "very positive" reviews on Steam - The murder of Professor Layton All this, plus.........anything? You won't want to miss it!! If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Nov 30, 201751:25
Drowning in Jello

Drowning in Jello

In this month's episode! - Francy Droo & Friends is coming very soon! - Finding bugs in My Nigerian Prince, three years later - It's pronounced "Ren'py". - Mermaid Mission Titanic, a new visual novel that Michael's writing, coding, and arting - Michael's impossible dialogue - We completely invent the idea of "pre-alpha". Copyright; that's ours now. - Do mops look anything like hair? - The lost Latin translation of My Nigerian Prince - Paul's twitter text adventure, and how he tried to kill all our fans - Decorating for the holidays All this, plus Michael's big plans for a game based on Bastille Day! You won't want to miss it! If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Oct 31, 201750:23
What a Twist~!

What a Twist~!

In this month's episode!

- The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and live theatrical shipping!
- Letting Twitch dictate your life (literally)
- Text parsers vs. verb menus vs. cursors
- Paul's really going to start writing Basically a Cow soon; he means it!
- How we (try to) promote our games
- What even are GUIs?
- Paul and Michael's let's play of Willy Beamish from 2011.
- IT'S PRONOUNCED "SUPER NINTENDO"
- Is it time for listener questions yet??
- Come hang out with Paul at RetroGameCon in Syracuse in November!

All this, plus Michael spends like 10 minutes trying to convince Paul to publish his game about mermaids. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Sep 28, 201756:42
#SexyPriest

#SexyPriest

We're celebrating one whole year of "Oh, a Podcast!" ...Quietly. In our own ways. It's almost like we didn't mention it at all on the podcast itself, which would be crazy; but if you listen closely, you might hear us talking about things like:

- YouTube is putting LPers out of business.
- Michael Gray, the swim dad
- Pride and Prejudice as an interactive dating sim
- How Paul finds contract proofreading gigs
- Michael and Paul's story pitches, like "Forever a Clone" and "Love on the Oregon Trail"
- Craft store romance
- Should Michael write a game about his time in the seminary?
- Mermaids are definitely the Next Big Thing.
- Working out a personality for Judge Doodles in Internet Court
- Paul's experience showing off Awkward Steve at the Smithsonian!

All this, plus we try to re-imagine A Christmas Carol as high-fantasy interactive fiction. You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Aug 28, 201753:31
Cool Dads and Weird Moms

Cool Dads and Weird Moms

It's podcast season, everyone! What? That's not a thing. Anyway, here's what we're talking about this month!

- Paul and Michael are each other's boss.
- Angry Man Bun, and other fun nicknames for co-workers
- Awkward Steve is going to be showcased at the Smithsonian!!!
- No, SERIOUSLY!!
- Making death sequences fun, rather than frustrating
- An update on Sherlock Holmes' copyright status
- Weird Moms are the new Cool Dads.
- We definitely know what the Game Grumps are.
- Animorphs, Baby-Sitters Club, and Boxcar Children (because of course)
- Michael taking art inspiration from his middle school self

All this, plus Paul gets basic facts about Star Trek totally, utterly wrong. If you like being angry, you won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jul 31, 201757:24
Shadows of Garfield

Shadows of Garfield

Well, we did it! Another podcast in the books. The pod-books. The book of pod. Casts. Podcasts! ...Here's what we're talking about this month:

- The Awkward Steve Duology is coming out next month! (And Paul has no idea how to sell it.)
- Also, E3 is happening! ...We haven't been keeping up with it, though.
- R.I.P. Steam Greenlight, and our bank accounts
- Are boring trailers better or worse than wacky trailers?
- All the Metroids
- We're having trouble figuring out the artwork for REAL Real-Life Room Escape: The Escape
- Michael's Sherlock Holmes interactive text game
- itch.io, and how we wish it had a bigger user base
- YouTubers react to Rover's unusual meow!
- "Has a game ever made you cry?"

All this, plus we learn about how Paul backs up his files!! You definitely won't want to miss it.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Jun 18, 201753:32
Blame MS Paint

Blame MS Paint

It's crunch time on Don't Turn Your Back on the Ocean, the long-awaited sequel to Awkward Steve! The game will be coming out in the next few months, and—oh. We forgot to talk about that on the podcast. Here's what we talked about instead!

- Paul's ill-fated prototype about a cross-country typo hunt
- Little-known franchises we'd like to make games based on, like Animorphs and Harry Potter
- Michael's new "artistic method"
- Emergency Ketchup.
- Which letters of the alphabet are hardest to draw?
- Paul wants to add FMV to everything
- All of the changes we're making to Cat President for the new update
- Trying to differentiate our games from other visual novels
- What are our favorite pathways in Cat President?
- "Help, I've Switched Bodies With President Crazypants!"

All this, plus...hey, whatever happened to Michael's webcomic, Pug's Adventures? Hmm. Happy listening!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
May 31, 201755:44
Beard Cat

Beard Cat

It's bright and early on a Monday morning! ...But it doesn't have to be. Take this podcast journey with Paul and Michael, and forget all about that pile of work that's threatening to take over your entire life. Here's what's on tap this month:

- We're making Michael figure out how to do pixel-art
- Point-and-click verb interfaces!
- What even is "full-screen"?
- Updates on Francy Droo 2, Awkward Steve 2, and Who Am I?
- PLEASE VOTE FOR OUR GAMES ON STEAM GREENLIGHT!!!
- Dealing with footage that's too awkward for Awkward Steve
- Very special editions of Sweet Valley High
- What would a procedurally generated visual novel be like?
- Michael spills the beans on The Worst High School Reunion Ever
- The two times Michael and Paul have actually met in person

All this, plus absolutely no tax talk! We promise! Please enjoy our podcast.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Apr 24, 201749:29
Kids Love E-Mail

Kids Love E-Mail

It's Oh, a Podcast! #7! Michael ran out of games to write and Paul's been doing hush-hush contract work, but here's what we can and did talk about:

- How Paul picks up contract proofreading work for games
- The mistakes hidden object games were making ten years ago
- More about estimated tax payments!!
- We're working on an FMV legal thriller (tentatively) called "Internet Court"!
- Localizing noodles into hamburgers
- Cat President's value as an educational tool
- Michael is performing science experiments on his beard.
- Paul has a LOT of thoughts about save features in games.
- The unexpected and frustrating things that happen right before you release a game
- PLEASE VOTE FOR OUR GAMES ON STEAM GREENLIGHT.

All this, plus NO SERIOUSLY, PLEASE VOTE FOR OUR GAMES ON STEAM GREENLIGHT!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Mar 28, 201749:04
America's Wackiest Taxpayers

America's Wackiest Taxpayers

Steam Greenlight is on its way out! What does that mean for us? Well, it's, uhhh...it's not great. Here's what we're talking about this month: - What if we just did a podcast about A Goofy Movie. - Production has started on our new full-length visual novel, The Pizza Delivery Boy Who Saved the World! - The death of Steam Greenlight - PLEASE VOTE YES ON THE FRANCY DROO & FRIENDS COLLECTION - Pizza boy modeling - Baby Rosie's exploding belly button - The majesty of the "magnetic lasso" tool - Trying to make a realistic soap opera parody - Bug-testing through watching people's LP's of our games - Our favorite game developers All this, plus we answer the age-old question: "Pizza?" You absolutely will not want to miss it. If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Feb 24, 201750:10
No Baby Kissing!!

No Baby Kissing!!

Welcome back to "Oh, a Podcast!", literally the only thing on the Internet that isn't talking about politics this month! Here's what's on the docket:

- We finally thought of a dating sim too uncomfortable for even us to make.
- Paul's dream adventure game, Basically a Cow
- Balancing having a newborn and getting anything done ever
- Game puzzles involving dirty diapers
- Taking inspiration from games we found at yardsales
- We don't really know what Thumbelina is.
- Michael's old man make-up
- Designing game design docs
- The pedantic math puzzle in Francy Two that everybody is going to hate
- How to avoid animating your game

All this, plus Michael briefly explains how self-employment taxes work*! You won't want to miss it!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.


* THIS IS PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. DO NOT MAKE ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT THESE TWO BOZOS SAY.
Jan 24, 201748:09
Frankencats

Frankencats

Michael's got a new job and a new baby on the way, and Paul is...also busy (*wipes Cheeto dust off shirt*), but we're still making games and casting pods! Here's what we're talking about this month:

- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Flippin' artwork! (No wait, sorry, that should be "flipping artwork".)
- Gamifying soap opera storylines
- Best practices for using photography in visual novels
- Selecting "the most racist-looking cats" for Cat President
- Stunning revelations about Thunderpaw's hair (and DJ Nibbles' legs)
- Snark vs. sincerity
- Character names in Little Orphan Annie
- Sexism in Ace Attorney and French novels from the 1800s
- What would we like to see more of in games?

All this, plus a like 20-minute discussion of Case 3 from the new Phoenix Wright game! It's like we recorded an episode of The GameCola Podcast by mistake. Happy listening!!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Dec 15, 201647:49
Grown-Ups Who Do Grown-Up Things

Grown-Ups Who Do Grown-Up Things

Happy Turkey Week, everyone! Stuck at the grown-ups table with your weird uncle and your cousins who voted for [person you didn't want to win]? Pop in your ear-buds and drown them out with your favorite indie devs, Michael and Paul. This month, we're talking about:

- Frogs and frog butts
- Using NaNoWriMo to write all the games we'll be working on in the coming year
- Designing games through Twitter and podcasts, just like Sid Meier used to do
- How to slice tomatoes the wrong way
- Explaining our job to actual adults
- Rover from Cat President, and how he used to be way more racist
- Logic puzzles vs. inventory puzzles
- Michael's detailed plan to make himself look like an old person
- Should games have more musical numbers? (YES.)
- Our earliest memories of playing videogames

All this, plus Paul lists some of the worst pizza-related pun names anyone could ever come up with. LISTEN. LISTEN NOW.

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Nov 21, 201649:36
Pizza Secrets

Pizza Secrets

We're back!! (A Dinosaur's Story.) (Sorry, force of habit.) Here's some of the stuff we talk about in this fine episode:

- The FMV legal thriller we've been trying to get started for like four years
- A brutal takedown of (how bad we are with) the new Phoenix Wright mechanics
- Apples, mashed potatoes, and other things Paul thinks it's okay to put on pizza
- Stories from Michael's pizza-delivery route
- Venting real-life frustrations through game design
- Michael's soap operas
- The flexibility of Ren'py
- How everything in game development takes longer than (you think) it should
- Using RPG mechanics to explain football
- Game development through Twitter

All this, plus a special appearance by "Rover", the definite cat from Cat President!

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the show! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Oct 14, 201651:04
Not Actually About Doug

Not Actually About Doug

HELL-OH, FELLOW ROCK STARS! And welcome to this brand-new Internet podcast, brought to you by the good folks at Oh, a Rock! Studios! Join me (Paul Franzen, Oh a Rock's Head Boy) and Michael Gray (writer of Cat President, Francy Droo and more) as we talk about the games we're making, the games we're playing, and how aspiring developers don't have to be "aspiring" anymore; they can just be developers. (And also make dumb jokes. Lots of dumb jokes.)

In this episode, we use 2008's The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft as a jumping-off point for a bunch of adventure-game-related (and not-so-related) discussion, like:

- Adventure games with multiple playable characters
- Multiplayer point-and-click adventure games (WHY ISN'T THIS A THING?)
- Introducing Candy Crush mechanics to the adventure-game genre
- Tutorials where you only use the mechanics in the tutorial itself
- Puzzles involving friendly birds
- Cleaning out the player's inventory by getting eaten by a snake
- Paul still holding a grudge against the crate puzzles in Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon over a decade later
- "Yo, Hamlet! I wish I wasn't dead already!"
- Including stuff from your fans in your games, like answering machine messages or pictures of their cats
- When series' canon gets too big and bloated
- Uncomfortable flirting between Ace Attorney characters

If you have questions about game development or any of our games, e-mail them to podcast@oharock.com, and we'll answer them on the air! You can also follow us on Twitter; I'm @PaulMFranzen, and Michael is @arglefumph.
Sep 26, 201648:26