Episode 22: Musical Cues in Preparation for Improvisation

Summary

Music can be a useful tool when playing an RPG, but in my experience, I have found it to be even more useful in preparation for play. In this episode, I survey some of the ways I have found to aid my preparation for improvisation with music and playlists. We also touch on, thanks to the interest of The GMologist Presents and Hindsightless podcasts, the use of the incredible Operation: Mindcrime in these pursuits.

At the bottom of this page, I have placed a BONUS EPISODE where we go into specifics about the use of Mindcrime in play in my World of Darkness days~

Part 1 – Context of using music for Improvisation and Example 1: character playlists 

Part 2 – Example 2: Using Operation: Mindcrime by Queensryche on the metalevel for preparation and reference in play 

Part 3 – Using variations, covers, and remakes and Example 3: Tom Waits songs to inspire an NPC 

Further Example Playlists: 

Tom Waits: Delta Green – tRUST   

Icecream Man – God’s Away on Business – Murder in the Red Barn – What’s he Building? – 16 shells from a 30.06 

Tragically Hip: Delta Green – Seasons of Deepening Dismay 

She Didn’t Know – 38 Years Old –  Little Bones –  Locked in the Trunk of a Car –  Nautical Disaster  

Various Artists (re: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) 

Dimensional Shambles – Red Right Hand covers, variations, and remakes

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 19: Alien RPG – Alienating the Alien

Summary

Part 7: Alienating the Alien… What are some of the elements of Free League’s Alien RPG that I find most useful? This episode looks at three: Abstract processing for Detailed outcomes, Conversational Gamespeak, and Layered Consequences.

This series of blog, vlog, and pod episodes will explore ⁠Alien the Roleplaying Game⁠ by Free League from the perspective of preparation for horror and improvisation within the framework of Campaign Mode for Colonial Marines.    

Read the blog post for this episode!

Additional Links: Alien the Roleplaying Game – ⁠Rules and Actual Play 

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 18: Alien RPG – Introducing the Alien

Summary

Part 6: Introducing the Alien…  In this installment of the preparation for improvisation series using Free League’s Alien RPG, we give a brief overview of the campaign so far and look at the process of ongoing assessment and analysis of play which makes it easier to shift and react to how play is really going, rather than how we might want it to go. 

This series of blog, vlog, and pod episodes will explore ⁠Alien the Roleplaying Game⁠ by Free League from the perspective of preparation for horror and improvisation within the framework of Campaign Mode for Colonial Marines.    

Read the blog post for this episode!

Additional Links: Alien the Roleplaying Game – ⁠Rules and Actual Play 

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 17: Alien RPG – Playing the Alien

Summary

Part 5: Playing the Alien…  On our first session, spontaneous improvisation within an understood framework of in-game and meta goals, and getting going even if not feeling 100% ready.

This series of blog, vlog, and pod episodes will explore ⁠Alien the Roleplaying Game⁠ by Free League from the perspective of preparation for horror and improvisation within the framework of Campaign Mode for Colonial Marines.    

Read the blog post for this episode!

Additional Links: Alien the Roleplaying Game – ⁠Rules and Actual Play 

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 16: Alien RPG – Framing the Alien

Summary

Part 4: Framing the Alien…  On conceptualizing the process of preparation in the context of who the characters are, what the approach to play is, and how those things intersect with the setting and its genre.

This series of blog, vlog, and pod episodes will explore ⁠Alien the Roleplaying Game⁠ by Free League from the perspective of preparation for horror and improvisation within the framework of Campaign Mode for Colonial Marines.  

Read the blog post for this episode!

Links: Alien the Roleplaying Game – ⁠Rules and Actual Play 

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 15: Alien RPG – Hearing the Alien

Summary

Part 3: Hearing the Alien…   On description and how it can be approached as a skill for horror gaming. This series of blog, vlog, and pod episodes will explore ⁠Alien the Roleplaying Game⁠ by Free League from the perspective of preparation for horror and improvisation within the framework of Campaign Mode for Colonial Marines.      

Read the blog post for this episode!

Additional Links:  

⁠Choice of Voice

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 14: Alien RPG – Feeding the Alien

Summary

Part 2: Feeding the Alien – On character and the two modes to enjoy them with in this game. This series of blog, vlog, and pod episodes will explore ⁠Alien the Roleplaying Game⁠ by Free League from the perspective of preparation for horror and improvisation within the framework of Campaign Mode for Colonial Marines.    

Read the blog post for this episode!

Additional Links:  

⁠Discomfort, Fear, Terror, and Vast Cosmic Horror, on a dime a day~⁠

⁠On Genre Being Rule Zero

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 13: Alien RPG – Embracing the Alien

Summary

Part 1: Embracing the Alien – on the choice of a horror game and how to implement it.

This series of blog, vlog, and pod episodes will explore ⁠Alien the Roleplaying Game⁠ by Free League from the perspective of preparation for horror and improvisation within the framework of Campaign Mode for Colonial Marines.

Read the blog post for this episode!

Additional Links:

1. Interview with Andrew E.C. Gaska⁠ on Tabletop Talk

2. ⁠Conscience in Gaming⁠

3. ⁠Conscientious Gamers⁠

4. Roleplaying Rank in RPGs

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 12: On Playing on Multiple Levels

Summary

Using Star Trek Adventures as a point of reference, this episode looks at stepping away from the skill of making judgement calls without oversight (using fiat) and toward the enjoyment which arises from the use of tools which challenge how and when you can interact with the objective truths of the campaign~

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!

Episode 11: On Playing Proactively

Summary

Building on a blog post from 2011, this episode looks at three barriers that can be overcome to clear the road for more proactive play. 

Read the blog post!

—

Send in a voice message via Speakpipe!