For this episode, I am joined by the host of the seemingly lapsed Hobbs and Friends, and the sadly sporadic Random Screed, by the Mr. Hobbs of Mr. Hobbs’ Gamerhood: Jason Hobbs. He and I dive into some core elements of his recent foray into game writing with his release ‘Bite the Bullet‘ which you can obtain PWYW on itch.io or DriveThruRPG. The game, a western-themed RPG based on Into the Odd, puts a tight focus on who the character is and what they will do to get what they want. We dig into that, and some of the approaches we might take to playing it in this discussion.
You can watch and listen, rather than just listen to this episode as a video podcast directly on Spotify, and on YouTube.
Sean Kelley now host of the @RPGSean channel joins me for a natural discussion of seemingly tough topic: long-form and campaign play of cosmic horror RPGs. Drawing on experiences in our own play, using our own material, and such fantastic and lengthy campaigns as Impossible Landscapes and Masks of Nyarlathotep, we cruise through some core ideas, some foundational practices, and some notions of goal-setting, which might help alleviate some of that sense of impossibility~
This is an OctOSR-adjacent episode. Thanks go out to BJ Boyd, the Arcane Alienist, for being a guest on this episode to help frame and execute a discussion on the nature of memory and some key ways it can affect our play and understanding of RPGs. You can find BJ’s podcast at the link below:
This is an abridged version of a long overdue conversation with Scott Welker, long-time gamer and successful game designer with titles based in Savage Worlds, D20, Year Zero, and soon a system of his own making. Scott is one half of Thieves Guild Gaming. Our conversation is a full on, open-minded examination about focused attention in RPGs – otherwise known colloquially but ambiguously and unhelpfully as “immersion.”
You can watch the full conversation, with its load of annotations and notes, on YouTube:
Scott likes to say “Immersion is impossible!” We get into what he means by that. I, as you know, Dear Listener, like to say that immersion, like so many other things, is frequently misunderstood. We get into that, too. For added value, one way we explore the topic is through Scott’s games and how they were written.
Useful links:
Thieves Guild Games on DTRPG, has just launched a public beta of their new OPENSIX system and are looking for feedback. As a system, it is directly relevant to this discussion. The game is currently PWYW and can be found here:
I am joined by 3 friends that I am fortunate enough to game with regularly, Brian Courtemanche, Brian Gregory (Stochastic Agency on YouTube) and the indefatigable Ivan ‘More Bass’ Podgwaite. We discuss some gaming topics for quite awhile (made less through the magical power of editing) before diving into some off the cuff inspiration and improvisation with the first few prompts of #RPGaDAY2025. I hope you will join us and stick through to the end!
You can find Ivan Podgwaite at ivanmike1968 on YouTube, where he talks about RPGs, playing bass, and life.
You can find Brian Gregory at Stochastic Agency on YouTube where he talks about playing RPGs.
You can find Brian Courtemanche on YouTube as well! So far, he has been reviewing short, light takes on cosmic horror roleplay like the game he mentioned in this episode: Old Ones, Shoggoths, and R’lyeh.
I sit down with a second conversation with Daniel Jones of @Primaeval , this time about making the culture and approach to play in an RPG group more visible and accessible to others. Do we achieve this goal? Join us and see~
In this conversation with Roleplay Rescue‘s host and seeker of immersive and engaging play, Che Webster, we discuss some blog posts about techniques that Che is starting to use to get more of what he wants from play. As that quest is near and dear to my heart, I thought others might resonate with it as well. We talk about making room for imagination, facilitating a more active stance in our imaginations, and consider how we speak to one another when we play.
This episode has quite a title, doesn’t it? It’s not hyperbole, but you may have to check out Umbramancer’s series on YouTube for the complete picture from a D&D perspective. With luck, and your kindness, the parts in this episode will make sense.
SEGMENTS:
[1] an exploratory conversation about lethality as a feature versus story as a feature. Eloy Cintron, known on YouTube as Umbramancer, shares his practical application of all of my theory talk to D&D as we explore the metric by which he assessed my ideas on Layers of and Approaches to Play: Dungeon Crawl Mode vs Story Mode in Dungeons & Dragons.
[2] Calls for greater context from Jason Connerley and Che Webster
NEXT EPISODE: It is time to talk about a lot of the varied “immersions”
Remember!
#RPGaDay2023 is on its way. Check the Autocratik blog by David Chapman or my Casting Shadows blog for all the details! Also, check out this fantastic warm-up contest by Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast as we wait for August to arrive!
This episode is filled to the brim with words. With luck, and your kindness, those words will make sense.
SEGMENTS:
[1] The episode begins with the promised reply to Che Webster’s epic call-in from the previous episode (Exploring the Experience of Play). To hear that message in its entirety, please refer to that episode. It’s right at the beginning so you won’t have to search for it; just press play and relax. In this episode, a short and directly relevant section of his call is presented for context but that wee snippet o’ Che pales in comparison to the full expression of his ideas. Don’t cheat yourself. Go back and revel in the full message. The context of the tiny morsel of Che in this episode reveals the semantic nuance of Frames that were obvious to Che but not to me, and the understanding of switching costs in cognition when “multitasking” or alternating between two tasks – an idea upon which we are in full agreement: at least for certain tasks.
[2] We then move into what might be the meat or might be the side dish of this meal, practical examples of using understanding of layers to inform how we play.
[3] The last main segment of the episode is a recap of ideas I have expressed about a lexicon of useful terms, jargon, and techniques for roleplaying games.
Promotional Blurb: This classic study still provides one of the most acute descriptions available of an often misunderstood subculture: that of fantasy role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Gary Alan Fine immerses himself in several different gaming systems, offering insightful details on the nature of the games and the patterns of interaction among players—as well as their reasons for playing.
[7] All for One: Regime Diabolique (Triple Ace Games, Musketeers face Supernatural Threats and Intrigue, Ubiquity) Actual Play Playlist
Solo Player Episode: Margot; An invisible experience of immersion
The next episode will feature Eloy Cintron, known on YouTube as Umbramancer, who shares his practical application of all of this theory talk to D&D as we explore the metric by which he assessed my ideas on Layers of and Approaches to Play: Dungeon Crawl Mode vs Story Mode in Dungeons & Dragons.
Remember!
#RPGaDay2023 is on its way. Check the Autocratik blog by David Chapman or my Casting Shadows blog for all the details! Also, check out this fantastic warm-up contest by Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast as we wait for August to arrive!
Thanks to Che Webster for leaving the lavish sensorium that is Roleplay Rescue for a time to drift about in this cemetery of lost content. Yes, I jest. Visit the great stuff that Che is doing his enjoyable site.
We will respond directly to Che’s call at the start of the show in a later episode focused on those ideas. Have no fear! Visit Keep off the Borderlands, Random Screed, and the Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast for more segments and messages along these general lines!
#RPGaDay2023 is on its way. Check the Autocratik blog by David Chapman or my Casting Shadows blog for all the details! Also, check out this fantastic warm-up contest by Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast as we wait for August to arrive!
Casting Shadows Podcast 