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News: Check out the new Raillery episodes, where the RPPR crew dusts off the Xbox version of the Warriors for hobo gang fights on the rooftops of 1970s New York. Not to be missed!

Also make sure you subscribe to the blog at Hebanon Games for access to the scenarios from the No Security Kickstarter.

Synopsis: Role playing games cannot simulate everything perfectly nor should they. Yet when a particular campaign or scenario visits a conflict not well handled by the rules, what should happen? How fair is it to run a game where the rules are ill-defined at best? Is it better to run a well-polished but simple game or a complex yet clunky game? Tom and I try to strike a balance between plot and polish. We also have a unique letter from Tom and a letter from a listener, plus shout outs of course.

Shout outs:

  • Lone Survivor: Awesome survival horror computer game, with a unique plot and soundtrack.
  • DayZ: The super popular zombie apocalypse survival multiplayer mod
  • Superbrothers Swords and Sworcery EP: Indie retro-style adventure computer game for iOS and Steam
  • Breath of Death: A tongue-in-cheek RPG from the creator of Cthulhu Saves the World
  • Nimona: Funny new webcomic about a supervillain’s new sidekick
  • Alpha Flag: Intriguing mystery webcomic of a man trying to recover his mind.
  • Dadtucks: What if the D&D cartoon was played out as a RPG scenario?
  • Godel’s Deliveries: See RPPR regular Thad hock pizzas in a dystopian plague-ravaged world!
  • Aliens vs Predators CCG: Play as human, alien or predator in this dead but fun card game.

Music: The Plot by the White Rabbits.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:54 — 64.5MB)

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Yup. This exists. You can't unsee it now.News: Caleb’s added a stretch goal for his No Security Kickstarter. Check it out.

We’ve also added a few guest games on RPPR Actual Play. What do you think of them?

Synopsis: Kickstarter, the new crowdfunding platform and social network, has taken the gaming world by storm. Both video and tabletop game developers have used Kickstarter to fund games like a sequel to the classic CRPG Wasteland to a tabletop RPG based on Meso-American mythology. Also, Dolphin based RPGs. Of course, this has led to criticism of the site, as some believe that it’s only a fad or that backers or project creators are being ripped off by Kickstarter. So in this episode, we talk about our views on this recent wave of crowdfunding games. No letter from Tom but we do have anecdotes and shout outs.

Shout outs

  • Kick Saver: Site that shows you Kickstarters about to end that only need a little more money to succeed. Save that Kickstarter!
  • RPG Kickstarters: A Tumblr that lists new tabletop RPG Kickstarters
  • Shit Starter: The worst Kickstarters, for your entertainment and D:
  • Kicktraq: New stat tracking tool for Kickstarter
  • City of Clocks: A Fantasy systemless setting from RPPR friend James Knevitt.
  • The Silent City: A new zombie web series that will premiere on July 1. Made possible by Kickstarter
  • CLANG: Real swordfighting? In my computer game? It’s more likely than you think.

Music: three guesses man.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:32 — 49.2MB)

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News: No Security, a horror scenario anthology set in the American Great Depression, written by RPPR regular Caleb Stokes, is up on Kickstarter. If you enjoyed Bryson Springs or Lover in the Ice, consider contributing to it.

Synopsis: My recent trip to China got me thinking about complexity. RPGs are often very reductive, very simple worlds, but adding a bit of complexity to a game can greatly enhance it. Of course too much complexity can be awful especially in the wrong areas, but tweaking a specific aspect like a setting detail or a single game mechanic can make an average game into a great one. I also reveal my idea for a new Iron Heroes campaign, plus a letter from Tom, shout outs and an anecdote:

Shout outs

  • Liminal States: A genre-bending novel of immortality and Lovecraftian horrors and highly recommended by Caleb.
  • China Road: A journalist travels across China, seeing the highs and lows of the country.
  • The Weird: A massive anthology of weird fiction from around the world. Over 1000 pages of weirdness!
  • Black Books: A hilarious sitcom starring Dylan Moran.
  • Book of Cthulhu: A great anthology of Cthulhu mythos fiction.
  • Nyarko-San: An insane anime recommended to us by several RPPR listeners. A very unique view of the mythos to say the least.
  • Stealth of Nations: A study of the world’s global informal economy. Great fodder for dystopian and post-apocalyptic games.
  • A Corpse in the Koryo: A brilliant detective/thriller novel about a police inspector in North Korea caught up the machinations of competing security agencies.
  • Wool: A highly reviewed and recommended sci-fi ebook novella. Only 99 cents!

Music: Beautiful Lies by B-Complex

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:02 — 63.2MB)

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