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Synopsis: Every gamer has their own expectations at the gaming table. Most of the time, everyone has similar enough expectations that they can all enjoy the same game but this isn’t always the case. How do you deal with people who seem to have mutually exclusive expectations of a RPG? Ultra realism or cinematic action? High fantasy or hard sci fi? We discuss how to collaborate and compromise so that the game can reach a suitable middle ground. We discuss the five hot spots where expectations are frequently violated: genre, style, violence level, maturity level and consistency in the game. Plus, a letter from Tom to Splynncryth the alien intelligence from Rifts, anecdotes and shout outs:

Shout outs:

  • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The classic regency romance novel, with new scenes of zombie mayhem. Can Mr. Darcy find love in a zombie apocalypse?
  • Root of All Evil: A Lewis Black Comedy Central series about pop culture and evil.
  • Armored Trains: A book about the use of armored trains in war, especially WW1 and WW2, with lots of great pictures. What’s not to like?
  • Look Around You: A BBC parody of educational TV. The Water and Sulfur episodes are hilarious.
  • Lovecraft is Missing: A horror/pulp webcomic about H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos.

Music: Wagering Lights by Venn & Euler.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:24 — 35.7MB)

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Synopsis: Open-ended or Sandbox games can be extremely fun but it requires a lot of work on the part of both the GM and the players. Our friends over at the Bearswarm recorded an episode about sandbox games recently but we thought we would give it a shot (and neither of us has listened to it yet). Also, we have four anecdotes in this episode, including the legend of the nautical druid – written by a player from a D&D game I ran a few years back. Don’t miss it!

Shout Outs:

Midnight Meat Train: A crazy horror movie based on a Clive Barker story directed by a Japanese guy. Starring Vinnie Jones as a killer.
Survive Style 5: A Japanese movie featuring Vinnie Jones as a hitman. It’s sureal and awesome.
Fall of Cthulhu: A cthulhu mythos type godwar comic book. Fun stuff. Cthulhu vs Nodens vs Nyarlathotep.
Asian Horror Movies: A website featuring Asian horror movies for free – streaming online. I recommend Noroi.
Open Grave: A great new WOTC 4E D&D book about the undead.
In Search of Adventure: I wrote one of the adventures, a Lovecraftian dungeon crawl using 4E rules.

Music: Giant Enemy Crab remix

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:26 — 32.7MB)

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We’ve received a lot of messages from listeners so we thought we discuss a few of them. This show covers a lot of topics, from our personal favorite RPGs, the indie RPG Dread, to dealing with out of control house rules and other issues. We also got our first donation, so if you like the show, help us pay for the hosting and Gencon this year. Plus Tom has some gaming New Year’s Resolutions in his letter and of course shout outs and an anecdote.

Shout outs:

  • 221 Films and The Assemblage of the Crystal Sphere: A D&D Story: A mockumentary about the culmination of a 5 year D&D campaign, in a very wry manner. We will have a full review in the next episod.
  • Wild Country: A Scottish werewolf movie.  It has gore and nearly indecipherable Scottish brogue.
  • Crossover  Comic Archives: As listener Tadonari Oyama writes “A very silly sprite comic series” If you want to read comics where Chun Li teams up Sonic the Hedgehog to fight illiteracy and mutant badgers.
  • Poultrygeist: A Troma movie about chicken spirits, Indian burial grounds and zombies. Also, blood and gore.
  • Saving Stone: A prequel to the hilarious novel, Game Night and it’s a free pdf to boot! Read it already.
  • Spelunky: A roguelike platformer with randomly generated levels. Get the treasure before you die a horrible death.

Music: Mailing it in by Allied Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:16:23 — 43.7MB)

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