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In: Podcast Episode
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rppr-banner-7Sponsor: Upwind the fantasy RPG is now on Kickstarter! Back it today and help us reach a stretch goal so Ross can write a full campaign for Upwind.

News: Two new Base Raiders PDF supplements are out: Exemplar is a new villain and Glitched Reality adds new powers usable by any character.

Synopsis: Caleb and I discuss the lack of fantasy elements in many fantasy RPGs. It is very common for games like Dungeons and Dragons to gate truly fantastical elements like floating castles and alternate dimensions to higher level characters, as a kind of reward for playing the same character for so long. However, fantasy should not always be separated by player character power level. Why can’t relatively mundane characters meet ancient dragons or explore castles floating in the sky? We discuss why this happens and how it can be changed. Also, an anecdote from our Base Raiders campaign.

Shout Outs

  • Big Machine: A novel with a very Unknown Armies vibe. Explore the secret voices heard only by a conspiracy of occult researchers.
  • Killzone 2: A Hong Kong/Thai action film with Shakespearian coincidences and insane martial arts fighting. On Netflix!
  • Mutant Year Zero: A post-apocalyptic sci-fi RPG with good rules, art, and unique settlement building mechanics.
  • Cthulhu Wars: An excellent alternate history book about the US military fighting the Cthulhu mythos. Written by Ken Hite so you know it’s good!
  • Sword and Scale podcast: A true crime podcast that covers that is not for the weak of heart.
  • Last Days of the Incas: A history of the fall of the Inca Empire and the rediscovery of ancient Inca ruins in the early 20th century.
  • Chapo Trap House: a liberal political comedy podcast. Very NSFW.
  • Nightmare Stacks: The latest entry in the Laundry series of novels. Dark elves invade the UK and only a nerdy vampire sorcerer can stop them.

Songs: Chant of the Night Blades and the Price of Valour by Kai Engel

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:38:06 — 33.9MB)

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On:
In: Interview
With: 2 Comments

invisiblesunI recently interviewed Monte Cook about his latest Kickstarter, an ambitious deluxe fantasy RPG called Invisible Sun. It is still under development but promises “A game of surrealistic fantasy, secrets, and magic played both at the table–and away from it.” Curious about its game mechanics and features, I talked to Monte for an hour about how the game came to be, how it plays, and what comes with the game.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:53 — 21.1MB)

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In: Panel discussion
With: 7 Comments

bite-red-markets

Fun is obviously a byproduct of games, but that’s where the usefulness of the term ends. This seminar presents the case against fun as a design goal, method of criticism, and aesthetic in gaming. Caleb Stokes (No Soul Left Behind/No Security) and Ross Payton (Base Raiders/ Zombies of the World) discuss the negative and positive uses of the word of fun in gaming, along with other critical frameworks by which the word can be understood (such as the 8 types of fun).

This panel was recorded at Gen Con 2015 and I forgot to post it until now! Better late than never, I guess.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:36 — 26.5MB)

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