GamingPerspectives

Episode 224: The OGL Drama, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

 
    Hey There Listeners,   Saul and Jolene were not going to enter the fray with the OGL "Contraversy" but news about the subject keep coming every day.  From the leaked new OGL called 1.1, to the reaction by those from the gaming community we had friends and listeners asking our opinion.  Though it seemed like a question of a legal matter, as it deals with contracts and we are not lawyers, it seemed out of our realm to dicuss that we really didn't want to do an episode on the subject.  But so much has happened we had to devote an episode to the reaction from the gaming community to WOTC's new OGL and their response to the voices of the gaming community.       There is a lot to unpack in this episode, we recorded on Sunday morning expecting to have even more news to come out as soon as we concluded recording.       Saul and Jolene read both the OGL 1.1 and the statement posted on the D&D Beyond website and compared what each document stated. We have included the links to each document for you to read on your own and decide for yourself.     As always we would like to thank all of you for listening.
   Web art by Jim Foster   Episode art by Michael Shean-Jones   No music for this episode.
The leaked OGL,http://ogl.battlezoo.com/The update posted on D&D Beyond websitehttps://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl

Episode 223: Why We Play TTRPGs, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

 
     Why do we play TTRPGs?  The simple answer is to have fun.  Other than the simple answer what other reasons do we play RPGs and what can we learn from playing RPGs.      Jolene came up with this topic reading various sources and the discussion she had with Saul is the basis of this Episode.  Saul and Jolene discuss various things that players can learn from RPGs and what players can gain.        Thank you all for listening.       Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
   Music by Harry, Larry and George,  song Chess Man Blues, from the    album Aggie Road.   Available from Tribeofnoise.com

Episode 222: Top Ten RPGs We Want to Play in 2023, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

    Happy New Year!  As 2022 ends Saul and Jolene decided to do an episode of Top Ten RPGs they want to play in 2023.  Saul cheated on number 10 and threw in a quick list of 8 games that he wants to get to the table in 2023.    The list is not top ten of new RPGs just RPGs that have been in Saul's library for a while and have not seen any or enough action at the RPG table.  This list come mainly from Saul but Jolene added one or two to the list.   Some on this list is just published as in Blade Runner RPG or older like Star Wars D6 by West End Games.
           Once again Happy New Year's to all that listen to our podcast and your families, thanks for Listening to our humble Podcast.    Saul and Jolene
   Web Art by Jim Foster   Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones   Music by A to the G, song By New Year's Day.   Available from Tribeofnoise.com
 -A bit of an edit.  Fantasy Flight's Star Wars games are to by reprinted by Edge Studios in 2023-

Episode 221: Are You a Real GM?, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

Jolene came across a blogger discussing some comment he had heard or been told.  Those were along the lines of "Your not a 'Real' GM if you don't make your own world or setting".  Your not a Real GM if you run modules, run one-shots, run games for kids etc.       Jolene told saw about the blog and he took a look at it and just to frustrate Jolene he thought of some ideas why someone would make these kind of statements.        Jolene and Saul decided to do an episode on these of other statements like these.      As Always, we would like to Thank You All for listening.
   Web Art by Jim Foster    Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
   
    Music by Roi and the Secret People, song Keep it Real, off the album Dog Street     Available from Tribeofnoise.com
 

Episode 220: What Kind of Player Are You?, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     In this episode Saul and Jolene discuss the idea of "What Kind of Player Are You?".  This topic is from a Reddit post that Saul read in the RPG forums.   The original poster had put of a panel with a little bit of an explanation of each"type" of player.      Though it is a way for a player to figure out what they enjoy most about RPGing, Saul thought it would be useful information for a GM to mine.   Web Art by Jim Foster   Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones     Music by Noel Griffin, song Player One, off the album Sentinent Life.  Available from Freemusicarchive.com

Episode 219: Shopping in RPGs, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     In this episode Saul and Jolene discuss shopping in RPGs.  This topic was put forth by a Facebook post asking Saul to read a blog about shopping.  Saul mentioned it to Jolene who didn't think there would be much opinion on the subject, but even Saul was surprised by how adament people's opinion on the subject was.      From the players and GMs that absoulutely hated shopping in a RPG session to some that made it a feature of starting of their campaign.       Saul and Jolene discuss their experiences with shopping and how their kids really liked shopping when the party got to town.  This episode mentions living in the middle of nowwhere, Little House on the Praire, Critical Role and many other subjects seemingly not associated with shopping.      Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Captive Portal, song They Went Shopping   Available from Freemusicarchive.com   Attribution-ShareAlike: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
 

Episode 218: Railroads and Storytelling, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     This episode came about from Saul reading a Facebook post about Storytelling and Railroading.  As gamers we all know the terms railroad and storytelling but Jeff Dee an artist and RPG author posted that he did not think "Storytelling" was an approbiate term for "Roleplaying".   As usual a large group of people responded with their ideas and that discussion lead to this episode.      Saul and Jolene discuss the ideas of why someone would not consider the term "storytelling" a good term for what roleplaying is all about or a goal we as gamers try to achieve.       Though we have covered both these topics it was interesting enough for Jolene and Saul to discuss and make an episode.   As always thank you all for listening.   All we ask is that you share our podcast with your gaming friends.
   Web Art by Jim Foster    Episdoe Art by Michael Shean-Jones
 Music by Railbird, song Born on the Railroad, off the album Railbird

Episode 217: Space Combat in RPGs, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     In this episode Saul and Jolene talk about Space Combat in Science Fiction RPGs.  There have been many SF RPGs and they all have to deal with combat in space in one way or another.  From developing a certain set of rules just for space combat or using their core mechanic into a set of space combat rules.         The problem many SF RPGs have is that space combat is very different animal than character combat.  Saul believes that those players that really relish roleplaying are usally put off by space combat because those involved in playing space combat are usually very limited.      Most SF RPGs space combat rules are complicated and boring to rpg players.   Grids, tactics and math for those wanting to play an rpg have no place in their games and many early SF RPGs are guilty of this.   Saul's favorite SF RPG Space Opera is very guilty of this crime.       Space Combat might be great to see on film or read in a book but very few SF RPGs make it exciting or engaging for players.   Thanks for listening!
   Web Art by Jim Foster    Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
     Musc by Astroeer, song Space.     Available from Tribeofnoise.com
 

Episode 216: Keeping Track of Your Stuff, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

        In this episode Saul and Jolene discuss how players and GMs deal with Stuff.This is items that the playes posess or carry on their person.  How much stuff do they have and how do they keep track of their stuff.   Arrows, bullets, magic swords and food are at things that in most traditional RPGs have to deal with.  How do RPGs tell players to deal with the items that a character has.          Especially important are items that are expended in play.   Does a player keep track of this stuff by marks or numbers on a character sheet, glass beads, tokens, or not a all.  Does the RPG have a way of handling stuff?       Thank you all for listening. 
  Web Art by Jim Foster Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
 
     Song Mad Stuff, by Main Street Official

Episode: Low Fantasy Gaming and Alternative to D&D 5th Ed, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

In this episode, Saul and Jolene finish up the three fantasy rpg alternatives to D&D 5th Edition.  In this third installment is on Low Fantasy Gaming Deluxe by Pick Pocket Press.      Like the other two FRPGs discussed Low Fantasy Gaming takes a different path than D&D 5th Edition.   Low Fantasy Gaming is a darker, gritter,  and a lower magic fantasy roleplaying game.       Saul and Jolene discuss how they achieve the goals of being different from D&D.  From lower power levels, less magic, a deadlier game and many other factors that make Low Fantasy Gaming a different experience than D&D 5th edition. Even though this is the most D&D like game it makes substantial changes to the rules that it does not play like D&D but it base rules is very familiar to those that have played any incarnation of D&D since it's inception.      As Always we would like to Thank You all for listening.     Web Art by Jim Foster    Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones   
    Music by Edna Poli, song Fantasy Girl (instrumental)    Available from Tribeofnoise.com