RPG Action, Reaction, and Interaction~
Published: December 11, 2022
Using an example from the Halloween Cerebrevore episode, we briefly suggest some ideas about playing for character experience versus playing a role in a story~
Links mentioned in the episode:
Cerebrevore: On Serious Horror RPG play
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This episode broaches another huge topic for potential discussion, touching on a few techniques, perspectives, and organizational principles of sharing the role of GM in a group. BJ Boyd of the Arcane Alienist podcast left us a message about episode 31 (Time Travel Techniques) and the new Star Trek series. The episode finishes with an exploration of what the OSR means to me as an outsider, and where I hope its many strengths can take it.
Links mentioned in the episode:
(1) One Campaign, Multiple GMs – YouTube
THE GM OF MANY PARTS blogpost from February 2011 on https://castingshadowsblog.com
The GM of Many Parts | Casting Shadows (castingshadowsblog.com)
All for One: Regime Diabolique “Lights in Darkness” campaign Actual Play videos playlist
Lights in Darkness Campaign Recaps and Reflections playlist
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Spinning off from an episode of the Cerebrevore Podcast on the topic of time travel in RPGs for which I was a panel guest, this episode looks at the notion of metagaming, player skill, and messing with the presentation of time – without resorting to brute force techniques such as the railroad or the quantum ogre.
Relevant Links:
Cerebrevore Podcast – Time Travel in RPGs Parts 1 to 4
3) Time Travel Methods in RPGs
Phantom Thoughts Podcast
1) Episode 9: Call-ins, Player Skill, Metagaming, System Mastery
2) Episode 10: Call-ins and more on Metagaming
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Following on from the previous episode on (My) relationship with Call of Cthulhu, we take two short listener calls from Menion (aka Rob) of the Confessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi podcast, who is currently diving deeply into Runequest: Glorantha, and Jason (aka the other Jason) of the Nerd’s RPG Variety cast, who continues doubling down on the variety these days with his refreshing breadth of gamer-relevant topics, and stretch them out for almost an hour. Can you survive this gauntlet of game talk?
Relevant Links:
Confessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi
Interview on Substandard Roleplaying
GM Mastermind Episode – Story? Story. Story!
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In response to a great series of episodes and call-ins on the Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast and Bandit’s Keep podcast, I have labored to produce this “brief” episode on my relationship with Call of Cthulhu and some of what I have seen of its use in my own groups and out there in the cold, cold world.
Relevant Links:
-Episode #380 In Defense of Call of Cthulhu by Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast
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With specific examples from and focus on Mythras, Ubiquity, and FFG/Edge Star Wars, this episode goes into some justifications for Mook rules in RPGs. What are they for? How can they differ from game to game? Why do some gamers dislike them?
This topic was released simultaneously on the Casting Shadows YouTube channel where it is a part of three ongoing series on playing the three systems in question, as well as continuing the general theme of In-Character As-Character play, particularly with regard to preparation for improvisation.
We hear from Jason of the Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast in this episode. You can find his show at the link below.
If you prefer to watch this as a video instead, the link is below.
In Defense of the Mook, Minion, and Fodder for Cannons (Pulp RPGs)
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Featuring calls from Menion aka Rob from Confessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi, Joe Richter of Hindsightless, and Jason of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast, we expand the conversation about pulps and pulp games to address the questions of how some example systems can affect pulp play, group size for fun and pulpiness, and PCs of unequal capabilities. I hope you will join in on the discussion as despite the length of this episode there is still more to dig into~
Links
Menion’s Confessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi
Joe’s Hindsightless
Jason’s Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast
Blog Articles Referenced in this Post or Relevant to it:
Imbalance Principle The Imbalance Principle | Casting Shadows (castingshadowsblog.com)
Snap, Crackle, and Pulp | Casting Shadows (castingshadowsblog.com)
The 2-Hour Fuse: How NOT to run Pulp Adventures | Casting Shadows (castingshadowsblog.com)
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Inspired initially by discussions in my Saturday Alternators Book Club for RPG players, then finally and fruitfully inspired into actual production by Menion aka Rob of Confessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi and his callers and guests, this episode explores thoughts on pulp heroic characters and explores some of my connections with these stories in life and gaming.
What pulps were “my” pulps? Aren’t pulps problematic? Aren’t pulp characters set and unchanging (and by extension unrelatable, uninteresting, and unbelievable)? Can such characters be presented in RPG terms? What is the point of playing such characters? Sound interesting? Then please strap in: this turned out to be a long one… go figure.
PODCASTS mentioned in this episode:
Confessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi
LINKS:
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Please join me as I navigate three very different topics with the help of some kind callers. This episode features calls from hosts of The GMologist Presents, Hindsightless, Spikepit, and Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast podcasts. Karl, Joe, Colin, and Jason were kind enough to listen to one or more episodes of this podcast and have called in to give depth and meaning to the conversation. Links to those shows are below.
Topic One: Difference between Cinematic and Campaign Modes in Free League’s Alien RPG
Topic Two: RPGaDay Call-ins
Topic Three: Immersion, call-ins, and commentary
LINKS:
PODCASTS mentioned or calling in to this episode:
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Sections include notes on my guest appearance on Roundtable Roulette with host Craig Shipman and fellow guest Seth Skorkowsky, thoughts about the next RPGaDay (2022), more on our ongoing but sometimes interrupted Alien Campaign, and a special focus on the once-again recent and always interesting topic: immersion thanks to an interesting series of observations and call-ins appearing on the Nerds’ RPG Variety Cast.
Additional Links:
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Casting Shadows Podcast