Rob Boyle (Eclipse Phase), Ross Payton (Baseraiders), and Caleb Stokes (No Security) discuss using the basics of economic theory to make RPG settings more unique, immersive, and fun for your players.

Designers can talk forever about economies of narrative control and the finances of the RPG industry, but what about the economic structure of your setting? Most RPGs largely ignore the topic, but the basic tenets of economic theory are a great way to immerse players in a story and create conflict. A materialist outlook can make any setting unique and generate numerous plot hooks. This panel is here to show you how. Rob Boyle (lead designer for Eclipse Phase), Ross Payton (author of BaseRaiders: Superpowered Dungeon Crawling), and Caleb Stokes (author of No Security: Horror Scenarios in the Great Depression) will discuss using economics to engage players.

Game designers Luke Crane, Jack Graham, Tracy Hurley, Caleb Stokes, & Amanda Valentine solve your home campaign woes. Bring your questions; the Campaign Doctors will tell you the awful truth! This panel was recorded at Gen Con 2014.

rppr-meetupNews: The No Soul Left Behind and Horrors of War Kickstarters are both successful! Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Synopsis: Gen Con 2014 has come and gone and we had a blast. More of the RPPR crew made it up there than previous years, and our meetup was a resounding success. We even had a war banner! So this episode is a full breakdown of what we did, what games we tried out, and what loot we secured. Thanks to everyone we met up there and we look forward to next year.

Shout Outs:

  • GroupMe: Very handy social media app for the geek on the go.
  • Dead of Winter: Very cool zombie survival horror co-op board game.
  • Shinobi Clans: New card game out from Posthuman Studios.
  • Mythos Expeditions: a new collection of Trail of Cthulhu adventures centered around exploration in distant lands.
  • The Void: Cthulhu meets space opera, in RPG format.
  • Wield: A new fantasy RPG about sentient magic items and the humans they manipulate.
  • Atlantis The Second Age: A swords and sorcery RPG from the creator of Hellas.
  • Atomic Robo RPG: Not actually radioactive or made of robot parts.
  • Emerald City: New Mutants and Masterminds setting book.
  • Dinosaurs in Space: It’s written by Greg Stolze. Just get it already.
  • Dr. Who RPG: It’s that story about the doctor who can’t remember his name so he’s homeless and lives in a telephone box.
  • The Play’s the Thing: Yo dawg, I heard you like storytelling, so I put a RPG in your Shakespeare.
  • The Legend of Drizzt: Ice-T is a masterful narrator. If only he had better material.
  • Dresden Files Shield Bracelet: So pretty and +5 vs. uh, demons or something?
  • Mad Quao: a great card game for large groups.

Song: Hypersloth by Cuddly Psycho.