GamingPerspectives

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
 

Bonus Episode Interview with Kuba creator of Touched by the Gods RPG, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

    In this Episode we are fortunate to interview Kuba creator of Touched by the Gods RPG.  Its a fantasy RPG using Free League's Year Zero Engine.      The Art is amazing and Year Zero engine is one of Saul's favorite systems as it can handle such wide variety of genre's and type of RPGs.  From mutant apocalypse to space opera to space horror the Year Zero system is fairly simple and flexible.     Touched by the Gods is being crowd funded on Kickstarter right now.  You can find it by clicking the link below.     Touched by the Gods looks to be an amazing take on Fantasy Roleplaying Games with a unique background using the Year Zero Engine.  
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cosycoven/touched-by-the-gods-role-playing-game
   As Always Thanks for Listening.      Web Art by Jim Foster    Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones

Episode 214: RPGs for Beginners, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     In this episode Saul and Jolene discuss three games that are good for those new to RPGs.  Jolene noticed a number of things of the games that Saul chose for Beginning RPG players.       First of all they are all six-sided dice based.  Even all the systems are very different they all share the plain ole' D6.  Jolene like most gamers love those polyhedrel dice.        This episode is quite full of digressions from the old style telephone booths to the first in home computers.      Jolene asks why I did not choose D&D 5th edition since it is so popular and many new players might be interested in the most popular RPG in the world.  Saul decided to go against the grain and chose some old, new, and newer rpgs.  
  As Always thanks for listening. 
  Web Art by Jim Foster  Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
 
  Music by Simplified, song Shall We Begin, off the album Brighter Days.  Available from Tribeofnoise.com

Episode 213:Magic Users in RPGs

    In this episode Saul and Jolene discuss why Magic Users are popular in RPGs and what magic systems there are and which ones Saul really likes.
 
  Web Art by Jim Foster
   Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
   Music by Deephi Magic, song Magic Ride, from the album Imagination Serie

Episode 212: Symbaroum an Alternative to D&D 5th ed

     Saul and Jolene continue their discussion of Fantasy Role-Playing games that are not D&D.  This week's game is Symbaroum a game by Free League publishing.   Like Warhammer Fantasy, this game is darker and grittier than Dungeon and Dragons 5th Edition.  But unlike Warhammer Fantasy the rules are much lighter and easier to learn and play.         The discussion does cover the idea that because D&D 5th is so extremely popular that Free League has published a D&D 5th edtion of Symbaroum and the One Ring.  Saul and Jolene discuss why they would make 5th edtions of their game. Thanks For Listening Web Art by Jim Foster Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones     Music by Klawie, song Out Pacing the Grim Reaper, from the album About Love and War.

Episode 211: Warhammer FRPG an Alternative to D&D, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     Saul and Jolene have been asked and seen many posts on social media about alternatives to D&D.  Saul decided to stay in the Fantasy Genre and chose a couple of games that are in the same genre but come at Fantasy from a totally different perspective.       This was supposed to be a single episode discussing a couple of what Saul considers very good examples of being Fantasy RPGs but as far removed from D&D as possible in rules and setting.  The first to be discussed is Warhammer Fantasy RPG.   Saul discusses how Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying game is different from the very popular D&D 5th edition.       From the Grim world setting which is very different from most setting in D&D to the very deadly system which pairs very well with the world of Warhammer.  The rules are not only deadly but a bit more crunchy/complicated than D&D 5th edtion.   The system makes the players play in a different style.  Combat is always brutal should be a last resort and often ends with brutal consequences even for the victor.      This was supposed to be a single episode featuring two alternative Fantasy RPGs to D&D.  Unfortunately we only discussed Warhammer so this must be a two episode topic.    As Always Thank You All for Listening.
   Web page art by Jim Foster   Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones.     Music by Janelle Avery, song Hammer it All, off the album My Songs.    Available from Tribeofnoise.com

Episode 210: Going Outside GM Parameters, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     In this episode Saul tries to give advice from a query on FB.  The post asked advice on how to deal with two players in their group of four players that always go beyond the limitations the GM wanted in their RPG campaign.  From using races and classes from books the were not on the GM's list, to porting characters from long dead campaigns from several edition past.       Saul and Jolene give it their best shot at dealing with these players who seem committed to upsetting the GM's concept of their campaign or aloof to the parameters that the GM put in place.     As always thanks for listening and please share our podcast.
   Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones   Web Art by Jim Foster     
Music by Chris Spring, song Limitations, off the album The Universe is Flat Available from Tribeofnoise.com
 

Episode 209: Summer of SRD, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

    In this episode Saul and Jolene talk about the SRD's (System Reference Document) that are being published by some game publishers of their in house RPG Systems.  Saul has been wondering about this happening with a couple of publishers.     Specifically Modiphius with their 2D20 system and Free League with their Year Zero Engine.  Each of these publishers have made several RPG rules using a version of their in house systems.  Saul has GM'ed or played in several of each publishers games.  Conan, Mutant Chronicles, Star Trek Adventures, John Carter of Mars for Modphius and  Coriolis, Tales From the Loop and Alien.     The problem Saul saw was that every incarnation of the system was different, sometimes just a bit other were quite a bit different.  So a SRD solves that problem of having one set of rules for the house system.      Saul and Jolene both meander a bit and go off topic but they finally get back to SRDs and why they feel each publisher putting out an SRD of their house systems as a good thing.   Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones    Web Art by Jim Foster   Music by Denni A.  song Summer Days, off the album Indys.   Available from Tribeofnoise.com