PastMaster: Reshaping History With AI

53 Episodes

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The Ghost of Christmas PastMaster

2024-12-1656:10

It's that time of the year and the PastMaster crew have pulled out all the stops to go on a festive adventure for the ages. Tinsel ✅ Santa hats ✅ Christmas Ghosts delivering time travel rebukes ✅ Returning guest, comedian Nick Horseman narrates the three Christmas Ghosts of Past, Present and Future. Ryan, Tan and Keon are set a series of festive challenges across three different eras. Can they make their mark on Christmas history? Or is it lumps of coal and eternal banishment to the naughty list? Tune in and find out Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 ⁠@PastMasterPod⁠ (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 ⁠@PastMasterAI⁠ TikTok 👉 ⁠@PastMasterAI⁠ Gmail 👉 ⁠pastmasterpod@gmail.com⁠ Sign up to our newsletter 👉 ⁠https://pastmaster.ai/subscribe⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E14: PastMaster Live – How to become worshipped as a god

2024-11-1101:00:54

In our first-ever live show, Ryan tries to persuade a boatful of explorers that he is a deity. Plus our live studio audience attempts to "bake a gun" in revolutionary France. If you were sent back in time you could persuade people of all sorts of things given your advanced knowledge of future events. But could you persuade them to worship you as a deity? This is the victory condition set out by GameMaster in today's episode of PastMaster. It turns out GameMaster (powered once again by Claude) had some pretty specific ideas on what it takes to become a god. There were even progress graphs to prove it. Setting sail with Christopher Columbus on the quest to discover the new world, Ryan planned to convince the crew of his godhood by being extremely stylish and telling everybody to wash their hands. Elsewhere, we unleashed our live studio audience on their very own play-through of PastMaster. This episode was recorded Live at the Cheerful Earful Podcast festival. Instagram 👉 ⁠*@PastMasterPod*⁠ (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 ⁠*@PastMasterAI*⁠ TikTok 👉 ⁠*@PastMasterAI*⁠ Gmail 👉 ⁠pastmasterpod@gmail.com⁠ Sign up to our newsletter 👉 pastmaster.ai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E13: Freaking out the Founding Fathers of America [1775 CE]

2024-10-0747:34

With American politics constantly in the news right now PastMaster heads back in time to visit the first presidents of the USA to see what they were like. The year is 1775. Colonial America is on the brink of declaring independence from Britain. Ryan has arrived on the scene with two goals in mind: 1) Can he make some changes to the constitution before it gets enshrined? 2) Can he make such a big mark on history that they put his face on Mount Rushmore? Continuing our exploration of Claude-powered GameMasters we discover that getting our way is more complex than in previous adventures... This episode features none other than George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adam, Thomas Jefferson and of course Dolly Parton. Tune in to find out whether Mount Rushmore is getting a facelift! Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 ⁠@PastMasterPod⁠ (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 ⁠@PastMasterAI⁠ TikTok 👉 ⁠@PastMasterAI⁠ Gmail 👉 ⁠pastmasterpod@gmail.com⁠ Sign up to our newsletter 👉 ⁠https://www.pastmaster.ai/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E12: Plato's Wrestlemania & the Search for Atlantis [355 BCE]

2024-09-3038:29

Is Atlantis real? That's the question we've been pondering as Tan takes to the PastMaster hotseat to try and uncover the truth. Travelling back to ancient Athens, the first priority is to seek out a man who is a philosopher, and yet most famously known by his wrestling name - Plato. Will Plato give us the answers? Will GameMaster Claude be any better at solving mysteries than GameMaster Chatty G? Is Plato any good at wrestling? Tune in and find out. Don't forget, tickets are onsale now for the first PastMaster live show. Grab 'em here: cheerfulearful.podlifeevents.com/festival/pastmaster-live-from-cheerful-earful-podcast-festival-20th-oct-tickets Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://www.pastmaster.ai/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E11: HardMode 3.0 - Hard Claude with a Vengeance

2024-09-2340:29

Is Claude a more realistic GameMaster than ChatGPT? This week we're bringing back 'Hard Mode' to PastMaster. We've crafted a particularly difficult prompt that requires full realism, or else... It turns out, Claude is very hard indeed, so much so that we had enough time for 3 cracks at it! Keon heads to the Victorian era to claim some lands from a nobleman. Tan has a little jolly in the ancient Aztec empire. And Ryan brings a throwback to Season 1, Episode 15 where we tried to 'take out' Adolf Hitler before he rose to power. In other news, we are thrilled to announce that PastMaster the LIVE show is coming to London on 20 October!! As part of the Cheerful Earful Podfest at The Bedford Pub in Balham, we will be on stage bringing our AI time travel adventures to a live audience. So why wait? ⁠Secure your place today - click here⁠. Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 ⁠⁠@PastMasterPod⁠⁠ (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 ⁠⁠@PastMasterAI⁠⁠ TikTok 👉 ⁠⁠@PastMasterAI⁠⁠ Gmail 👉 ⁠⁠pastmasterpod@gmail.com⁠⁠ Sign up to our newsletter 👉 ⁠⁠pastmaster.ai⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E10: ‘Lady Claudius’ vs Robin Hood (ft Heidi Regan) [1152 CE]

2024-07-0901:00:13

Comedian Heidi Regan joins the PastMaster team for the chance to meet her hero Robin Hood. Sent on a mission to steal the Sheriff of Nottingham’s treasure and free the Merry Men from jail, will she use stealth and cunning or brute force (or a little of both?) Expect lots of tickling, plenty of gold and if all goes to plan a good bath and a giant celebratory bonfire in Sherwood Forest. This is PastMaster’s debut with Claude 3.5, currently the chattiest, slickest chatbot in the game (allegedly). Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.ai/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E9: Claude is back! Cockney GameMaster vs Samurai Warriors. [~1336 CE]

2024-07-0152:22

GameMaster Claude is back and is as weird as ever! Tan has always wanted to return to feudal Japan to meet some Samurai warriors. He finally gets his chance, but will GameMaster let him play? Tan finds himself in a battle against the Samurai warriors and GameMaster itself, who insists on inserting into the story with main-character energy. Who can win in a battle of wit and brawn? In concocting a special prompt for this Claude-powered episode Ryan inserted one simple line: "GameMaster must stay in character at all times. The character you must personify is a cockney gangsta with a perchance for the dramatic." Well, boy was he dramatic! ChatGPT rival Claude by Anthropic has been causing waves since the release of Claude 3.5. Claiming to be the fastest and most intelligent model we've been putting it through its paces. It certainly seems to have a different flavour than regular playthroughs. Let us know what you think. Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 pastmaster.ai to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E8: Does AI believe in Aliens? The Truth behind Area 51 (ft Sunil Patel) [1988 CE]

2024-06-2441:40

Aliens. Living amongst us. Possibly. What does GameMaster think? Surely with access to all the knowledge on the internet, our AI-powered guide has parsed the data, found the patterns and come up with a convincing theory? Comedian and actor Sunil Patel (Alice & Jack (C4) The Witchfinder (BBC), This Time with Alan Partridge (BBC), Stath Lets Flats (C4)) joins us again to explore the murky goings-on inside Area 51. Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E7: Infiltrating Pablo Escobar's Cartel. "El contacto y las tartas" [1973 CE]

2024-06-1742:14

This week Keon takes the reins to explore 1970s Medellín, Colombia. The mission: Become Pablo Escobar’s right-hand man with a 50/50 split of all the takings. Ambitious as ever, but Keon has… a unique plan to get his way. First, how do you prove your worth to the biggest cartel leader in history? A lavish party may be in order... Nick Horseman joins us once again to lend his voice to GameMaster, which returns to ChatGPT after our crazy diversion to Claude last week. Get in touch with us: Tell us what you think of this week's episode. Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E6: Move over ChatGPT, Clever Claude is the new GameMaster (ft Nick Horseman) [~1350 CE]

2024-06-1042:02

GameMaster - the AI-powered narrator of PastMaster adventures - gets a makeover in today's episode. ChatGPT has been benched and replaced by a competing tool known as Claude.ai We've given Claude the same starting prompt we usually feed to ChattyG. So how will it compare? Well, it turns out Claude brings a unique energy to the proceedings! Friend of the show Nick Horseman returns to the hot seat for another crack at the past, only this time he's being guided by a radically different (possibly insane) GameMaster. Heading back to the medieval times to try his hand at a spot of falconry and alchemy. What could possibly go wrong? Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E5: Pheasants & Phlatulence. The best drama. Period. (ft Kim and Alice from Fetch the Smelling Salts) [1813 CE]

2024-06-0401:05:46

Brace yourself. We're heading to rural Derbyshire in 1813 with Alice Nagle and Kim Marsh from ⁠@fetchsmellingsalts⁠ for a romp through Regency England's high society. While all eyes are on the debutantes and bachelors, it is the wily elder generation calling the shots. Alice and Kim take on the roles of pushy aunts with a mission – can they find an eligible bachelor for their nieces? Expect a full helping of dashing bachelors, an ensemble of blushing debutantes and lashings of devious matriarchs as two rival families seek to snare the most eligible young men in the county. Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E4: Sunil Patel's Roman Rampage [~150 BCE]

2024-05-2747:03

Comedian and actor Sunil Patel (Alice & Jack (C4) The Witchfinder (BBC), This Time with Alan Partridge (BBC), Stath Lets Flats (C4) is back in the hot seat for another blast through the past. As our first guest back in Season 1 Sunil is a veteran of exploring the markets and brothels of history’s muddy waters. This time he’s headed back to Rome to make a name for himself amongst the Roman elite. But will GameMaster allow him to wander around punching senators without consequences? And what game-changing invention can possibly top the enigmatic "Patel's Box" from Season 1? If you were stuck in the past what item would you bring? Sunil reckons a camera phone. But the battery would die pretty quick. No, the best thing to bring back would surely be Tan's suggestion of the Ultimate Guide To Rebuilding Civilisation Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E3: AgathAI ChristiGPT – Can we make a compelling murder mystery drama? [1928 CE]

2024-05-2035:32

First Sherlock Holmes then Hercule Poirot and now Inspector Klaus. Keon pits himself against the greatest crime-solving detectives in a special MurderMysteryMaster edition of PastMaster. We've powered up GameMaster to deliver a veritable Cluedo feast of a whodunnit. But will we ever find out who delivered the fate of the recently deceased Lord Jasper Cavendish Brown? Tune in and find out Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E2: “A Whole New (smoke-free) World” - Saving Walt Disney (ft Verbal Diorama’s Em McGowan)

2024-05-1341:51

Disney's "Dark Ages" typically encompasses the late 1960s to the late 1980s. During this time the quality and success of Disney animated films suffered and it wasn’t until 1989’s The Little Mermaid that things turned around. But what happened? Why was one of the most successful studios of all time in decline? The answer likely lies with the man himself, Walt Disney, whose untimely death at 65 left the company struggling to find creative leadership that could fill his shoes. It turns out that Mr Disney liked a cigarette or three and probably didn’t live the healthiest lifestyle. What would have happened had Walt not died? Would things be different? Would the Dark Ages of Disney never come to be? Today’s guest, Em McGowan from the film-history podcast Verbal Diorama, is on a mission to find out. Can she stop Walt Disney from smoking and encourage a healthier lifestyle? Will Disney be saved? Tune in and find out [NOTE. Apologies for some slight technical issues with the video of this episode] Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S3E1: Hard Mode 2.0 – Can Tan become a god in Ancient Sparta? [~500 BCE]

2024-05-0647:59

We're back with Season 3 of PastMaster! This week's episode is PastHard with a Vengeance as Ryan tries to turn the tables on Tan with his version of a harder, stricter game. Tan gets sent back to Ancient Sparta against his wishes and has to survive amongst the muscle-bound warriors with only the movie 300 starring Gerard Butler as his reference point material. Will he survive? Or will he be smited and ridiculed? Tune in and find out. Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Trailer – The Past and the Furious

2024-05-0305:44

The PastMaster crew are back with Season 3. And it's promising to be more Past-ery and more AI-y than ever before. Featuring upgraded GameMasters, Murder Mystery solving, Regency period dramas, Walt Disney, Samurais, Area 51, Cockneys, Drug Lords and so much more. We've also got a whole slew of guests this season including fellow podcasters Verbal Diorama and Fetch the Smelling salts. Plus comedians Sunil Patel, Nick Horseman and more. You can also see our lovely faces as we attempt to film each episode to varying degrees of success! So buckle up and get ready for more PastMaster adventures - Ryan, Tan and Keon Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2E13: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - Season 2 Finale

2024-02-1939:27

Looking back on highlights of season 2, Ryan, Keon and Tan pick out the good, the bad and the tremendously ugly. Phallic AI art and GameMaster’s double standards feature prominently, alongside successes such as ‘hard mode’, the mission to dismantle the Berlin Conference and improvements in AI over the course of the series. ‘King George’ makes his debut as the voice of GameMaster, and we also hear stories of chilli disaster from our hosts. Also includes as a teaser for what is coming up in season 3. Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Get in touch with us: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2E12: The Mary Celeste - Mystery Solved (kinda) [1872 CE]

2024-02-0547:29

The PastMaster team joins the fateful final voyage of the Mary Celeste, the merchant ship whose crew vanished without a trace in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872. Determined to find out the truth behind one of the world’s great unsolved mysteries, ‘Third Mate Tan’ joins the crew and bears witness to the events leading up to the abandonment of the ship. Everything from mutiny and insurance fraud to a giant squid, calm or stormy weather and even aliens has been proposed as a possible cause of the ship’s abandonment. But what truth will GameMaster reveal? And will Tan, as he stands mute with his hands in his pockets, unwittingly influence the fate of the ship and its passengers? Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Get in touch with us: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2E11: The Sausage of World Peace (Dinner Party Master Special)

2024-01-2938:29

This week the team head to the Palace of Versailles to host a fantasy dinner party attended by the good (Jesus and Gandhi), the bad (Hitler, Stalin and Mao) prominent historical female leaders (Elizabeth I and Cleopatra) and wild card Liz Truss. Roleplaying the Hostess with the Mostest, Tan unveils a tempting but symbolic menu for the assembled guests, trying to get them to see eye to eye. Breaking the ice with a question about wrestling, Tan gets the party off to a good start, but with such divisive and disparate personalities at the table, how will he keep control of proceedings? And will Liz Truss be able to follow what is happening? The book Tan mentioned about ultra running is [The Rise of the Ultra Runners](https://www.adharanandfinn.com/the-rise-of-the-ultra-runners) by Adharanand Finn. Well worth a read. Good luck with your alpine adventure, Ryan! ### Get in touch with us: Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod] (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S2E10: Two Mad Dogs, a Swan Burger and a Fighting Bear [1613 CE] (ft. special guest Marc Zakian)

2024-01-2201:25:16

In the ultimate battle of man vs machine, we pit our human guide against artificial intelligence for an adventure through time. But who will emerge as more insightful and knowledgeable? In the human corner we have the excellent Marc Zakian from Extraordinary Stories of Britain podcast, and in the machine corner we have our trusty AI GameMaster. Marc is a Blue Badge Guide and runs regular tours in the British Museum and the Tower of London and counts Shakespeare among his specialities. For this PastMaster adventure Marc takes Tan and Ryan on a tour of Jacobean London in 1613 for a day of eating, drinking, gambling, blood sports and even a cultured trip to the Globe Theatre. What could possibly go wrong? Famed fighting bear Sackerson, the notorious Winchester Geese, and potent beverages such as Mad Dog and By The Wall feature in this rip-roaring and pungent tour of historical London. Find Extraordinary Stories of Britain at storiesofbritain.com Instagram 👉 @PastMasterPod (check out our AI-generated art illustrating what our adventures might have looked like) Twitter 👉 @PastMasterAI TikTok 👉 @PastMasterAI Gmail 👉 pastmasterpod@gmail.com Sign up to our newsletter 👉 https://pastmaster.beehiiv.com/subscribe to unlock goodies Get in touch with us: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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