Best Automata Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. 317 - Cellular Automata and Artificial Life 1:01:50

11d ago1:01:50

1:01:50

Today’s discussion is on Cellular Automata by looking at Conway’s Game of Life, William Poundstone’s “The Recursive Universe” and Stephen Wolframs “A New Kind of Science”. We run into concepts like artificial life, Von Neumann probes, and more! Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Episode 23 - Crypt of the NecroDancer 33:51

4d ago33:51

33:51

Hustle into the heart-pounding, skeleton-smashing, disco-dungeon that is: Crypt of the NecroDancer. Join us as we dig deeper and dance deadlier.By Chris & Ryan Alley

1
Ep 86: Journey - Jerrrrrmileage May Vary 2:11:12

4d ago2:11:12

2:11:12

We finally played Journey—one of our longest-awaited games and you should definitely play it. Not to spoil the episode completely, but it's a beautiful game and all three of us (minus one of us) LOVED it, plus it's only like 2 hours long so you don't have any excuses. Get on it! Also this might be our longest MOLMF ep ever, and the first to be long…

1
Ep. 318 - Geospatial Visualization with Isaac Brodsky of Fused.io 39:54

5d ago39:54

39:54

Today’s interview is with Fused.io cofounder Isaac Brodsky. We talk about geo-spatial visualization, dealing with large amounts of data, computer science, and career. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Episode 1 11:23

6d ago11:23

11:23

Cara finds herself alone in a world of machinesBy Tony Warner

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Ep. 316 - Forty 22:47

14d ago22:47

22:47

Max reflects back on his podcast and radio show as he turns forty, and discusses the non-stop news events of this month of a seemingly epoch-defining nature, from the earthquake to the eclipse, to the Bitcoin halving. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

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Ep 85: Nier Automata - MOLMF Bookclub! Pt.1 49:43

1M ago49:43

49:43

We're doing a new thing! We're starting the MOLMF Book Club. And no, we don't books, we play games! We're starting with the iconic Nier Automata as a full blown episode, then the following parts of the Nier book club will be released as Side Quests in between regular monthly episodes. Jason was joined by avid gamer and Nier appreciator Dr. Jim Cree…

1
Ep. 315 - Robots, Casinos, and Digital Minimalism 1:07:43

1M ago1:07:43

1:07:43

Fresh off of his trip to the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation for the Yale Alumni Service Corps, Max talks to Aaron about his trip. They then get into some of the ideas of Cal Newport and Digital Minimalism, as well as a recent warning from Jonathan’s Haidt’s research on children and mobile technology. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmax…

1
Episode 22 - NieR: Automata 55:59

2M ago55:59

55:59

Blindfold yourself, grab your katana, get to your moon bunker, and teach your Roomba about mortality. We're joining 2B and "Nines" in Yoko Taro's NieR: Automata.By Chris & Ryan Alley

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Ep. 314 - AI Intensified 29:04

2M ago29:04

29:04

Max talks about the intensifying AI trends in 2024, including video creation and context windows, as well as Google's misstep with their image generation in Gemini. Will we be replaced by AI? Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

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Ep 84: Dredge - Kyo's Evil Lovecraftian Rod 1:35:30

2M ago1:35:30

1:35:30

Happy new month everyone! We're back and better than ever and enjoying our annual visit from none other than Kyo Edmoundson talking all about this month's game: Dredge! Hope you got a chance play it because it's super fun and pretty dang short. Get in here and join us. We start things off with a little jibberjabber then touch on the development (15…

1
Ep. 313 - Ori Keren: Software, Sports, and LinearB 32:59

3M ago32:59

32:59

Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

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Side Quest: Olivia's Top 18 Game Suggestions (Kid Appropriate) 57:36

3M ago57:36

57:36

Ben's eldest kid, Olivia was on the podcast a few years ago but now they're back and bigger and better than ever and have a carefully curated list of their top 18 video games they're dying to tell you about. Olivia put a lot of time into this list and have very specific notes, so hopefully this episode can help you pick your next fun adventure, or …

1
Ep. 312 - Michael Callahan: Interaction, Identity and Ideology 43:12

3M ago43:12

43:12

Michael Callahan, host of "Where We Go Next" (wherewegonext.com) comes onto the Local Maximum to share what he's learned about hosting open conversations about Identity and Ideas. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

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There’s No Place Like MOLMF For The Holidays 1:27:03

4M ago1:27:03

1:27:03

We're a little behind the times but the holidays should be celebrated nonetheless. Here's to a great 2023 in the MOLMF Podomatic Universe and another one on the horizon in 2024. See you all in February for the start of our next season! As always, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it in iTunes or wherever else you're listening to i…

1
Ep 83: The Gardens Between - All About The Sweet Spot 1:15:27

4M ago1:15:27

1:15:27

We're back and later than ever! Here's our December episode and it's the beautiful puzzle game The Gardens Between. As usual, we all felt very differently about this game, but in the end we all very much enjoyed the experience. Hope you got a chance to play it too! After our intros and game development chitchat we get into the gameplay (12:15) befo…

1
Ep. 311 - Where We Go Next 1:01:23

4M ago1:01:23

1:01:23

Max appears on the podcast Where We Go Next with Michael Callahan to talk about technology’s effects on the health of society.https://wherewegonext.com/episodes/max-sklar Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Episode 21 - Dap 56:08

4M ago56:08

56:08

Tremulously enter into the ominous world Dap. This indie game is at once charming and sinister. But, does it earn a place in our Museum? Listen and find out!By Chris & Ryan Alley

1
Ep. 310 - Another Year, Another Local Maximum 42:19

4M ago42:19

42:19

Max and Aaron welcome 2024 by talking about the most interesting episodes of 2023, and possible areas for exploration in the New Year. Their conversation runs the gamut from copyright to crypto to digital habits and to international politics. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Ep 82: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - I PROMISE WE LIKED THIS GAME! 1:19:20

4M ago1:19:20

1:19:20

We're back! Happy holidays and new years and all that: here's our belated November episode: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor! We were lucky to back Tyler Weaver back on the pod after he joined us for the first game, Jedi: Fallen Order. We had a lovely time, and can't wait to have him back for Star Wars Outlaws sometime in 2024. And despite what Jason conti…

1
Ep. 309 - The Next Saeculum 55:20

4M ago55:20

55:20

Max and Aaron finished their discussion on "The Fourth Turning is Here" and talk about what may be in store for the rest of the Fourth Turning Crisis and what the next several decades might look like as a result. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

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Ep. 308 - Generations, Awakenings, and Gen X Comedy 1:05:34

5M ago1:05:34

1:05:34

Max just finished reading the 450-page book "The Fourth Turning is Here" by Neil Howe, so he has a new discussion with Aaron about Generational Theory and its relationship to cultural trends. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Ep. 307 - The Constitution and Shifting Language 49:06

5M ago49:06

49:06

Max's talks about the constitution and shifts in the language with Christopher Nesbitt of citizensacademy.us. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Ep. 306 - Spotify Shrinks, OpenAI Returns, and Household Robots Emerge 30:16

5M ago30:16

30:16

In today's December news update, Max talks about industry events like the layoffs at Spotify and the recent turmoil with OpenAI's management. He also talks about the NYU/Meta collaboration on household robot technology called DobbE. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe…

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Episode 20 - Laying the Foundations of the Musem - Introducing Collections! 23:31

5M ago23:31

23:31

We're introducing a new concept for the podcast - Collections! We'll be categorizing games into the various wings of our digital museum. In this episode, we revisit the games we've played so far and place them into their respective Collections! Visit the website to check out where we placed things!By Chris & Ryan Alley

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Ep. 305 - Fragmented: Health Care and Data with Ilana Yurkiewicz 36:38

5M ago36:38

36:38

Today's guest is Ilana Yurkiewicz, author of Fragmented: A Doctor's Quest to Piece Together American Health Care. The conversation starts with our health data, but goes into practical advice for patients and doctors. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Ep. 304 - OpenAI Fails to Align 30:14

6M ago30:14

30:14

Max covers the dramatic conflict between the board of directors of OpenAI, and former CEO Sam Altman who they voted to remove over the weekend. Is this about AI Alignment? Personality clashes? Or oddball Corporate governance? localmaxradio.com/304 Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe…

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Ep. 303 - Pharaohs and the Exodus with Alexander Hool 1:01:18

6M ago1:01:18

1:01:18

Max talks to Alexander Hool, author of Pharaoh: Biblical History, Egypt, and the Missing Millennium about alternative theories on the chronology of ancient Egypt as it relates to the Exodus and other biblical narratives. Max also talks about his further dives into ancient Egypt and what he's learned. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmax…

1
Ep. 302 - Sturbridge Village Retreat 1:00:17

6M ago1:00:17

1:00:17

Max and Aaron talk about this year's retreat at Sturbridge Village, MA. They go over the best and worst of their predictions from previous retreats, and what predictions they make for the future. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Episode 19 - West of Loathing 28:13

6M ago28:13

28:13

We're back from our summer hiatus for a short episode about the comedic western game West of Loathing! Saddle up!By Chris & Ryan Alley

1
Side Quest: Baldur’s Gate 3 - Steaks All Day 57:45

6M ago57:45

57:45

We're finally doing it! Our epic episode on our latest favorite game ever: Baldur's Gate 3. Corri sat this one out but Ben and Jason had a grand old time talk the ins and outs of this epic adventure. Give it a listen as we kept it pretty spoiler-free throughout. Maybe in a a few months we'll circle back and do a full on spoiler-filled version once …

1
Ep. 301 - Cultural Contradictions: War, Academia, and Entertainment 35:15

7M ago35:15

35:15

Max and Aaron continue their conversation last week, this time covering the reaction to world events in Universities and cultural institutions; as well as the contradictions around calls for free speech. Max also reviews the movie "Dumb Money" which covers the Game Stop short squeeze and is an early narrative builder on the handling of the Covid pa…

1
Ep. 300 - War in the Middle East, Part I 51:07

7M ago51:07

51:07

Max and Aaron react to the terror attack in Israel earlier this month, and discuss both its geopolitical significance and dealing with the shock and grief. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Ep. 299 - Sam Kamani with an Intro to Web 3 38:11

7M ago38:11

38:11

Max talks to investor, founder, and podcaster Sam Kamani about Web 3.0, Crypto, AI, and Podcasting. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

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Ep 81: Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate - It’s DOT COM! 1:27:09

7M ago1:27:09

1:27:09

Strong Bad, Homestar, and The Cheat are BACK! This time in a trilogy to end all trilogies in the freshly rewrapped and vamped again: Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate! We couldn't help ourselves and had to immediately insert this magnificent game directly into our calendar, and then directly into our veins and eye holes. MAN OH MAN was it a tr…

1
Ep. 298 - Veto Powers, Programming Languages, and Terminals 47:32

7M ago47:32

47:32

Max and Aaron discuss recent works at Local Maximum Labs, including feedback on the new Great Compromise constitution, and the programming language for newmap.ai Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Ep. 297 - Stephan Kinsella: The Fallacy of Intellectual Property 51:48

7M ago51:48

51:48

Max talks to Stephan Kinsella, a libertarian intellectual property lawyer who ardently challenges the very foundations of IP. Kinsella delves deep into the core arguments underpinning intellectual property and the inherent fallacies. They also discuss the impact of generative AI on the copyright landscape. Get full access to The Local Maximum at lo…

1
Ep. 296 - Government vs Google and Amazon Anti-Trust 32:47

8M ago32:47

32:47

Todays guest is Adam Kovacevich of Chamber of Progress who brings us the latest in the suits that federal government agencies are bringing against Google and Amazon. Who is behind this, what is being alleged, why now, and what might be the consequences? localmaxradio.com/296 Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscrib…

1
Ep. 295 - Rewriting the Constitution: Did the Founders Screw up the Senate 1:03:44

8M ago1:03:44

1:03:44

Max and Aaron talk about Max's newly-released research paper, Toward a New Great Compromise, which includes a refresh of the US Constitutional structure. Max shares what he learned about the founders of the country and why some of our institutions have been failing as of late. localmaxradio.com/295 Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaxim…

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Ep. 294 - State Chains and Copyright Claims 31:57

8M ago31:57

31:57

Max describes "state chain" technology, which he believes could solve some of the problems associated with the previous crypto collapse. He also gives an update on the court cases around copyright infringement and whether you can copyright an AI-generated work that are currently make their way through the American judicial system. Get full access t…

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Ep. 293 - Twitter Rants: Jon Stewart, Scrum, and Just Plain Numbers 40:04

8M ago40:04

40:04

Max and Aaron have a little fun in a late night record, and examine Twitter rants about the rise of late night snark comedy, and scrum. They talk about the nature of corporate fads, and end on going down a rabbit hole of continued fractions. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Ep. 292 - Copyright Clashes, Literary Science, and Rational Distributions 44:32

9M ago44:32

44:32

Max and Aaron do an August news update with discussion about the closure of Prosecraft, a small site dedicated to literary analysis which was shut down due to copyright and ownership concerns. Will these types of internet mobs and legal actions bring a chilling effect on innovation? Probability Distribution of the Week: Max's First Idea on Rational…

1
Ep 80: Don’t Starve: The Anal People Correlation 1:20:54

9M ago1:20:54

1:20:54

Hope you didn't starve while waiting for this episode to satiate your ravenous hunger for our dulcet tones! We're back and ready to chat all about Klei Entertainment's Don't Starve that came out originally in 2013. It's an oldie but a goodie in this month's game, and we're joined by none other than the delightful Gabi Kirilloff to walk us through a…

1
Ep. 291 - Publishers vs Librarians, Artificial Digital Scarcity, and Revisiting Bertrand 36:04

9M ago36:04

36:04

Max discusses the legal troubles of the Internet Archive as it get pummeled by publishers and copyright lawyers. A new paper on Bertrand's Paradox claims to resolve it. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

1
Ep. 290 - Generational Turnings versus Technological Change 44:45

9M ago44:45

44:45

Max talks about how Strauss-Howe generational theory and the turnings interact with technology as he reviews the book "The First Turning: A Vision of America and a World at Peace" by Carol Engler. Distribution of the Week: The Wishart Distribution Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Episode 18 - Star Renegades 43:04

9M ago43:04

43:04

This episode? Star Renegades! Dedicated to the memory of Gilbert Gottfried. Also, Ryan got a soundboard and it might be the end of us.By Chris & Ryan Alley

1
Ep. 289 - Revamping Dental Tech with Melissa Luvisi 33:21

9M ago33:21

33:21

Max interviews Melissa Luvisi from tab32 as they dissect the intersection of dentistry and technology. They explore the software deficits plaguing the medical field, how dentistry is lagging, and how it can take a quantum leap forward. Luvisi shares her insights on harnessing health data, addressing security and privacy issues, and the promising fu…

1
Ep. 288 - Is Artificial Intelligence a Threat to Humanity? 59:50

10M ago59:50

59:50

Max and Aaron discuss the arguments put forth by Eliezer Yudkowsky and some AI researchers about "existential threats" posed by the technology. They end with some predictions on the subject. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribeBy Max Sklar

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Ep. 287 - The Rise and Fall of ESG with Peter Earle 38:58

10M ago38:58

38:58

Today's guest is Peter C. Earle, economist at AIER. The topic is ESG: Environment, Social, and Governance regulations, and the theory behind it that says corporations should be run for the benefit of interests outside the shareholders. They explore the rise of ESG criteria in a low interest rate environment, and ask whether ESG on its way out. Get …

1
Ep. 286 - Consciousness Bets, Reverse Turing Tests, and Display Tech 31:41

10M ago31:41

31:41

Max talks about a bet that two academics made 25 years ago about the nature of consciousness that has recently been settled. He also talk about the idea of a "reverse Turing Test". We also get an update on the latest display tech, with reviews on foldable phones and color e-ink making a comeback. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum…

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