About
We started the GROGPOD because we like roguelike games and like complaining about them. Inspired by other podcasts like Ultra64, Roguelike Radio, and Ascension Run, we thought to bring a new podcast to the genre we love to play. Once every two weeks, we use our combined knowledge of data science, DnD, and general madness to give our thoughts on what we think about roguelikes and try to rank the best ones.
Hosts
Scott Burger - author of “Intro to Machine Learning with R”, head of engineering analytics. Personal blog.
Will Wright - Jazz and darts enthusiast, data scientist. Developing a roguelike deckbuilder. Lichess profile.
Colin Smith - DnD dungeon master, mechanical design engineer.
Andrew Harshman - dnd, 40k, minis, metal, and occasionally minis made of metal. Instagram / TikTok
Frequents Guests
Woody Ciskowski - Co-host emeritus of the Ultra64/Wii-Universe podcast
What is a Roguelike?
If you’ve never heard of roguelike games before, strap in for a fun and widely varying genre! Generally speaking, roguelike games involve run-based gameplay and a large degree of random variety with the idea being that every time you pick up and play, it should be a fun and unique experience.
But don’t take our word for it! Defining the genre is a historically tricky problem, dating all the way back to the era of UseNet.Check out some examples of how people have been thinking about the genre over time here.
Show Me The Data!
If you’re reading this far, you’re probably interested in the data we use to drive the show. You can find all of our historical data snapshots on rogue-type games here.