Monday, April 18, 2011

RPG Crosstalk Show 06

This episode is hosted by Rich of Canon Puncture show and Tom of Knights of the Night.

How to contact us:
Updates and Announcements:

We have two new shows!
  • Self-Critical Hits
  • The Grumpy Celt

Shows:
Canon Puncture

Episode 110: Game Advocates - 1,001 Nights

    * Evan Torner talks about 1,001 Nights
    * Its a storytelling game inspired by the Arabian Nights



Designer vs Reality

Episode 23: Starshine Playtest 1A

    * World/Character creation session
    * Decided on a Victorian Steampunk setting


Episode 24: Starshine Playtest 1B

          o The characters created in episode 23 start their adventure

          o A cabal of industrialists is trying to muscle inventors, scientists, and engineers into joining them, and it’s up to the PCs to unravel their scheme.
          o Tried to go light on the challenges so the other parts of the game could be tested.


Episode 25: Starshine Playtest 1C

          o The adventure continues.
          o Challenge mechanics used with: interrogation, combat, and chemical analysis.



The Grumpy Celt

RPG Reviews: Castle WTF

          o A podcast review of the terrible 1E D&D module, Castle Greyhawk.


RPG Column: A Mission Statement

          o A Mission Statement - where Robert talks about what he wants in RPGs



RPG Reviews: Blood Meridian, the RPG

          o A podcast review of Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy




Here Be Gamers!

    * They have had a number of blog posts out about various RPGS they have gotten and taken a look at



Jennisodes
    Episode 37: Game Developing

    * Jenn talks to game developer Matthew Grau from Wildfire games and CthulhuTech
    * They talk about game development and the differences between developing card games, rpgs, easy/hard rule sets, video games, and miniatures


    Episode 38: Kickstarter and Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple

    * Jenn talks with Daniel Solis about his kickstarter that he is doing and the success he has had within 24 hours. The kickstarter is still going through May and they are in the middle of higher contributions.
    * They also discuss the influences on the game and how it is played.



Knights of the Night
    Episode 35: Get Him to the Greek

    * In this episode of the series one member of the Task Force meets with Nico, a mentor, about a bee relic, while the rest of the team goes to a construction site to check it out...at night... wearing construction outfits (hardhats, earplugs etc). They scope out the site at night and hangout at the coffeehouse to plan the stakehouse
    * Back at the hideout, Michael Clay speaks to Nico about the relic. They talk about the research Michael did and Michael needs to find out everything about it. They decide to meet at the library the next day to research Crowly


    Episode 36: Congregation

    * In this episode of the series the rest of the Task Force begins to plan out how they will scope out the construction site. The group discusses different ways to get onto the site and things they need to look for. They need to find out about the layout, the security systems, information about the relic


    Episode 37: Inner Voices

    * In this episode of the series Michael Clay is in the Cleveland Library researching the ritual needed to shut down the enemy when he starting hearing music, then a strange voice. He strikes a deal with an unknown spirit and then has to convince the rest of the strike force that he can control it..




Märklighetstroget:
No episodes were released during the last two weeks.

Mom’s Basement
No episodes were released during the last two weeks.

Narrative Control
No episodes were released during the last two weeks.

Shark Bone Podcast
    Episode: CHUM10 - Game Design

    * A chat with Lenny Balsera about game design
    * Why do you design a roleplaying game? Raw enthusiasm, your game isn’t out there.
    * Sitting down and starting a game - asking others about the idea and if it is possible
    * Then what? Playtesting


    Episode 53: Three Musketeers

    * Three Musketeers topics
          o Mistaken identity
          o All for One One for All motto for the gaming table
    * They discuss foreshadowing within the game. They give the example of Finding Nemo about sharks and sea turtles.
    * Once they establish what foreshadowing is and how cool it is, they discuss how to put it into your game


Episode 54: Fifth Element

    * Fifth Element topic
          o The Chaos. Problem one after problem - Hectic pace - good for cons, might be a bit much for weekly, perhaps one week madness, the next recover, then back to madness.
          o Factions more interesting than individuals - groups of enemies!
          o Lots of groups of people after the same thing
    * Relationship maps - giving the game master fuel.
    * Stellar Winds. (calls it Stellar Drift in podcast) - Crunching sci-fi RPG - too Crunchy? Time will tell



Self Critical Hits
    Episode 13 - Bad Romance

    * The group discusses romance in rpgs and carries on to a Dragon Age 2 post about romance options. Then they discuss how to use romance with characters in an interesting way. (What they found on blogs and forums with different games, Fiasco/BW)
    * They also discuss about various games, such as what they did this week (Fiasco! Mouse Guard, Apocalypse World)



    Episode 14 - That’s ‘Mr. GM’ to You

    * The power of the GM. Older - more GM power and Newer - less GM power and with players having more control over narrative.
    * But is there really a problem? How many bad GMs are there out there?

Sunday, April 3, 2011

RPG Crosstalk Show 05

This episode is hosted by Jenn of Jennisodes and Dan of Designer vs. Reality.

How to contact us:
Updates and Announcements:

  • Contest 100+ members.  Winners announced!
  • Fille from Stockholm
  • Joshua E Koitzsch
  • Matt from Redlands CA

Shows:
Canon Puncture Show:
Episode 109:  PEW pt 2
    • Rich and Arnold announce the winner of the PEW (Pure Epic Win Moment) Contest, none other than RPGCrosstalk member - Dan Maruschak!
    • They continue to discuss a small con Arnold recently hosted at his house (called PEWCon, sounds like “Puke On”), the ups and downs of it
    • Lastly, Rich does a mini review of RPGKids and Dread House, both RPGs for kids

Designer vs Reality
Episode 21: Pilgrim Playtest 1A
    • Start out with character creation
Episode 22: Pilgrim Playtest 1B
    • Dan, Leo, and Nolan playtest Leo’s game Pilgrim.
    • It’s a GM-less game set in a dystopian future where the characters are on a pilgrimage to get “reskinned” and have the burdens on their souls lifted. The pilgrimage is the frame story, but the actual action of the game happens in flashback as the characters discuss the events that led them to their present condition.

Here Be Gamers- no show in the last two weeks

Jennisodes
    Episode 34: The Commercial side of Gaming
  • Jenn talks to Graham Walmsley about selling games at stalls and online over in the UK.
  • They discuss what kinds of indie games gamers like over there and how to sell these games (by knowing what he talks about and is passionate about the games)
  • Graham is very excited about the games he sells.  The kind of enthusiasm you want to see in everyone selling a product.
    Episode 35: Human Contact
  • Jenn talks to Joshua AC Newman about his game Human Contact
  • It’s a collaborative world building game set in a science fiction world with the Academy coming onto the Colony planet.
  • Discuss the artwork, the linguistics mechanic, and how Joshua designed the game. Look out for other Shock based games coming out soon!
    Episode 36: Kickstarter
  • Jenn talks with Joshua again about Kickstarter and how to do it successfully

Knights of the Night
Episode 33: The Infection of Dissension (World of Darkness game)
  • Explanations of mechanics are good - players explain what they are rolling and the GM asks if they want to add anything. 
  • One of the team members got infected! The group argues about bringing a corpse that might be infected to the safehouse. Each player posed reasons why it was good or not - compelling arguments! 

Märklighetstroget: Episode 08: Pitfalls  
  • Interview with Karl Bergström from the interactive institute about common pitfalls in RPGs and how to avoid them.
  •  They also discuss GNS theory briefly as one of many tools that can help players come to an agreement on what they want out of a campaign and, thus, avoid some of the problems brought up in the episode.

Mom’s Basement:    Episode 27: Demilich and What Makes an RPG
    • What makes an rpg - roleyplaying or just using funny voices
    • Decided that there has to be a natural intuitive connection between the roleplaying and the mechanics
    • Demilich - Noam Rosen’s Game
    • A lot of cool strategy elements in it, the playtest lost a little roleplaying
    • Discussed how the playtest went and how it could be made better, what was confusing, things that need to be added (more rules for multiple sessions)


Narrative Control: 
    Episode 62 - Retcon!
  • Idea 1 - How to get a game back from over the edge
  • Using “frames” or the subjective nature of a story to justify play not being what “actually happened”.
  • Examples from movies, games and storytelling tropes.

    Episode 63 - Making the bits compelling
  • Getting the players invested in your set pieces (locations, people, etc)
  • Four tips for doing so:
    • Actionable - Players can make a difference
    • Need - It’s got something the PCs want or need
    • Reincorporate the PC aspects - It’s a mirror of the PCs issues
    • Movable pieces - Include things the PCs can use as resources.

    Episode 64 - Lenisode
  • Lenny Balsera ideas - 15 minute prep (GM frame 3 scenes that hit the beliefs of the characters in the most unsubtle way you can)
  • Compells within the game (BW/Dresden/Fate) - give them a FATE chip to make the player/character MAKE a decision (not just to give them a fate chip)

SharkBone:
Episode 50 - Alien and Lines and Veils
    • Horror movie - concept of taking a small part of the movie/literature and building up on that part (putting Dracula on a boat slowly killing all the characters)
    • Characters who have one profession but end up being forced to go find the aliens but its in the contract!! (small print)
    • Discussed lines and veils and how to go to the limit but notice your friends reactions and backtrack if necessary
    • Always depends on the table and needs to be discusses
Episode 51 - Celebration
    • 1 Year Celebration giveaway! Throughout the show
    • Covered favorite topics from the year
      • Talked about Let it Ride and Dice pools