RPPR Episode 140: Games Within Games
News: Arc Dream needs GMs to run games at Gen Con. Get awesome rewards like a Delta Green raid jacket! Check out the details here.
Synopsis: With most of the RPPR crew out of town, Bill and I got together to discuss ways to add mini games inside a RPG. We’ve done it before in various RPPR games, but we haven’t fully explored the concept. Turning lock picking from a single skill roll to a puzzle can make the game more engaging for every player. However, figuring out what kind of mini game to add and how to integrate it can be tricky. We discuss some examples and how they work with the 8 types of fun, ranging from puzzles to board games or even other RPGs. We also have shout outs and anecdotes.
Shout Outs
- I Am A Hero: Zombie apocalyptic character study manga. First 2 volumes are great.
- You: A novel by Greg Stolze. Very Unknown Armies.
- Young Justice: Teenage superheroes go on secret missions because Batman said so.
- GM Word of the Week: A short weekly podcast by the Angry GM.
- Fragged Empire: A post post-apocalyptic sci-fi RPG with great art and interesting rules.
- Nuclear Throne: Fight to sit on the nuclear throne!
- The Grizzled: A co-op WW1 themed card game. Try to survive until the war’s end.
Song: Here Comes the 8-bit Empire by Ozzed
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:24:34 — 29.2MB)
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Interview with Dustin DePenning about Synthicide
I recently interviewed Dustin DePenning, a game designer who has published a new sci-fi RPG called Synthicide. We talk about the game’s mechanics, his background as a game designer, and more! If you’re interested in the game, you should check out its website to learn more.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:19 — 18.1MB)
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RPPR Episode 139: Chains of Command
News: To celebrate the release of the first episode of our first Base Raiders campaign, I have put the main book on sale! Get Base Raiders in print for 30% off!
Synopsis:Instead of being lonely murderhobos, player characters can start and lead organizations in many games. Tom, Dan, and I discuss how to run a campaign about building an organization and how it differs from a standard campaign. The degree of new game mechanics necessary to run such a game varies so it’s possible to run this style of campaign in nearly any RPG. However, picking a game that has focused mechanics may result in a more engaging game. We also have shout outs and anecdotes!
Shout-outs
- Nefarious: A platforming video game about a princess-kidnapping villain.
- Zombies, Run!: a fitness/zombie survival guide! Outrun and outfight the undead.
- Don’t Call me Crazy: A BBC mini-series about teens in a mental health facility.
- 37th Parallel: A book about a UFOlogist and his quest for the truth.
- Lords of Waterdeep: Fantasy worker placement. Rule Waterdeep by manipulating adventurers.
- Joking Hazard: A comic card game from the makers of Cyanide and Happiness.
- Congresswolf: Interactive fiction about politics and werewolves.
- Letterkenny: A hilarious Canadian sitcom about small town life.
- Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu – It’s Pandemic but with shoggoths. Fun!
Song: Unfinished Business by Hong Kong Express
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:58 — 25.6MB)
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