GamingPerspectives
Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene is a husband and wife team that love Hobby Gaming. We play RPGs and Boardgaming and wish to share our love of this hobby with everyone we know.
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Episodes
Saturday Jul 20, 2019
Saturday Jul 20, 2019
In this episode Saul and Jolene talk an old rpg Gamma World by TSR. It was the first RPG owned by Saul and it was Jolene's first RPG game she played way back in the early 80's. Saul and Jolene discuss all the iterations Gamma World that were published. From the first edition published in 1978 to 8th edition published in 2010. Saul has copies of 4 different editions. Saul and Jolene talk about why they liked the game. Saul discusses running the latest edition at local con in kids and teen rooms.
Thanks to all that listen to our podcast and all we ask is that you share our podcast with family and friends.
We have to confess an error we refer to the bipedal mutated rabbits as Hoppers but they were actually called Hoops. Hoppers were the large horse sized mutated rabbits that some used as mounts. Hoops were smart and Hoppers were considered dumb by Hoops in the game. Sorry for confusing the two mutated rabbits.
The Day After aired on November 20th 1983. Interestingly enough the NATO ran a command post exercise called Able Archer, later records reveal that this was the closest the world was to nuclear world war since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Check it out, pretty scary stuff.
Music by Blue Ducks, song Floss Suffers from Gamma Radiation off the album Six
Available from FreeMusicArchive.com
Sunday Jul 14, 2019
Sunday Jul 14, 2019
Saul and Jolene talk about Ghosting in RPGs. So what is ghosting and where does this term come from. Saul listens to many podcasts and it was a term used on another gaming podcast called "Gaming and BS". In it a host talks about ghosting. Saul had never heard of the term and asked Jolene what it was about. Saul and Jolene discussed and laughed about this subject and decided to record and episode about this strange way of dealing with a problem player or group in RPGs.
Why to gamers Ghost games or players. It an long held stereotype that gamers are not good in social situations but this term comes from dating. So its just not a gamer problem, that problem is communication. Saul describes a couple RPG "ghosting" scenarios. Saul and Jolene discuss the humorous stories and offer some ideas on how better to deal with those situations.
As always thanks for listening and please share our podcast with your family and friends.
Music by Hollie Cook, song Ghostly Fading off the album Live at WFMU for Sophisticated Boom Boom with Shiela B. 3-23-18
Available at FreeMusicArchive.com
Saturday Jul 06, 2019
Saturday Jul 06, 2019
In this episode Saul and Jolene talk about the Barbarian class in Dungeons and Dragons. From the first time Saul saw the optional class in 1985 in issue 63 of The Dragon magazine. The Barbarian has become known as the quintessential "tank" in D&D. Though Saul doesn't like the use of the term tank for the Barbarian class it really does fit. With the high hit points, damage resistance, high physical damage potential the Barbarian is a great class to play in combat situations.
Saul and Jolene also discuss the RP potential of Barbarian characters away from the combat encounter. Whether you play your Barbarian as a brute, sly, wily, she is always a fish out of water in social situations, where she is not at home. A great rewarding character to play on and off the battlefield.
As always thank for listening and please share our podcast with family and friends.
Music by Triclops, song Send Conan Home, off the album Live at WFMU
on Diane's Show 11-6-2008
Saturday Jun 29, 2019
Saturday Jun 29, 2019
Saul and Jolene discuss the buying of new RPGs. Why do people continue to buy new RPGs? If players and GMs like a particular RPG why would you buy new ones. What makes gamers continue to guy games even as their collection grows to the point they won't be able to play all of them? It is an interesting question which Saul and Jolene dive into. As Jolene marvels at the number of different RPGs on her shelves she knows that Saul will continue to look at and buy new RPGs. Saul says because he likes certain mechanics that some newer games offer. Or maybe they look at RPGs in a different way. Finally Saul reveals the real reason most gamers continue buying RPGs even as their collection grow to unplayable sizes. Either way gamers continue to chase that perfect RPG and for writers and publishers they are okay with that.
Music by Frau Holle, song Chasing Rainbows off the album Ascending Souls.
Available from FreeMusicArchive.com
Sunday Jun 23, 2019
Sunday Jun 23, 2019
Today Saul and Jolene talk about Cathartic Gaming. In previous episodes this subject has been mentioned from time to time , but we thought it deserved its own episode. Saul gives the definition of the word cathartic and catharsis and then Saul and Jolene relate it to RPGs. The idea that all games are cathartic in one form or another the main difference is in scale. From simple diversion as one can have in reading a book or watching a movie or tv show, to a full cathartic moment where you release stress through feeling strong emotions.
Though we mostly play for diversion at times there have been moments when our games have gotten emotional or have had a strong emotional reaction to a situation. Saul and Jolene believe that GMs especially ones that run games with high emotional content be prepared to deal with the ramifications of running those games and be aware that those games may "trigger" players.
As always thank you all for listening and please share with family and friends on your social networks.
Music by, U Can Unlearn Guitar, song U Needed Me (Cathartic Karaoke)
From the album: 2 Digitizdat: The Circumvention of Populace Censure
Saturday Jun 15, 2019
Saturday Jun 15, 2019
In this episode Saul and Jolene tackle the sensitive subject of feedback in your RPG game. Most GM's want to get information on how their games went and what they can do to improve on their game. The problem is, getting good feedback or constructive criticism. Saul and Jolene discuss ways of getting good feedback and lower the chances of feedback that just upsets you as a GM. Jolene reminds Saul of when criticism wasn't asked for and it upset him quite a bit and affected his gaming.
Saul and Jolene would like to thank Michael S-J, for his idea for this episode's topic of feedback in gaming.
As always thanks for listening and all we ask is that you share our podcast with family and friends.
The music is back!!
Music by Punk Rock Opera, the song Study in FEEDBACK, off the album Nerve Damage
Available from FreeMusicArchive.com
Friday Jun 14, 2019
Friday Jun 14, 2019
In this episode we interview Brandon Raasch of Bard Games. Saul first met Brandon a few years ago when he played in his Monterey Dresden game at DunDracon, a local N. Cal, gaming convention. Brandon was such a great player that after that Saul always said hi and talked to him at all the local cons we attend. Saul realized Bradon is a game publisher and has a game on Kickstarter. The game is called Fickle and the Kickstarter ends in a few days. So we wanted to get him on the microphone and talk to him about his gaming roots, his company, his game and Kickstarter.
Even on short notice Brandon agreed to join us on the mics and talk to us.
As always, thank you all for listening and please share with your family and friends.
Here is the link to the Fickle Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/skelletor/fickle-a-fairy-board-game-featuring-the-art-of-amy-brown?utm_source=drunk-on-games&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=ficklekick
Here is the link to Bard Games: https://www.bardgames.fun/
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Today we have Sean Nittner the person that puts on BigBadCon in the Bay Area. We wanted to get Sean to talk to us because BigBadCon is not a typical game con. It has a different heart that other cons. They all have their own character and BigBadCon is known for the great RPGs and LARPs. In the last few years they have added Boardgames, and Panels to BigBadCon. Though most of the people that attend are from the San Francisco Bay Area there are quite a few that come from all over the U.S. to attend BigBadCon.
We really appreciate Sean taking time from his busy schedule to talk to us about BigBadCon from it roots to its future.
Though the Kickstarter is over you can still buy tickets starting in early July.
Here is the link the conventions website: https://www.bigbadcon.com/
BigBadCon takes place from October 10th-13th at the Marriot in Walnut Creek, California.
Here is the link to the Hotel block: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1555698790823&key=GRP&app=resvlink
If you want to go to a great RPG con that runs many small press and independent rpg games BigBadCon should be on your list of cons to attend every year.
As always thanks for listening and all we ask is that you share our podcast with your family and friends.
Sunday Jun 09, 2019
Sunday Jun 09, 2019
In this Episode Saul and Jolene talk about one of the oldest RPG's Traveller. Traveller is a science fiction rpg that continues to be published to this day. First published in 1977 Traveller consisted of a small format box set, similar to the box set of Original D&D. The box set contained 3 little black books which split the rules into Book 1 Characters and Combat, Book 2 Starships, Book 3 Worlds and Adventures. Saul talks why he didn't like Traveller, but now feels he may have been overly critical of the game.
Yea!! We have made it to 52 regular episodes making this our one year mark of Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene. Thank you all for listening and all we ask is that you share our podcast with your family and friends.
Thanks for all of you that take the time to download and listen to our podcast.
Saturday Jun 01, 2019
Saturday Jun 01, 2019
Well, we are almost at Episode 52, which makes it a year of our podcasts. We missed a week due to going to Kublacon over Memorial Day weekend. But we did publish two bonus episodes that we recorded at Kublacon on Friday and Saturday of the con. We had a great time and were very busy the whole weekend.
So in this episode Saul and Jolene talk about Rules As Written(RAW) over Story. No game is all of one or the other in Roleplaying games. At times a GM will have to make a decision that may or may not follow the rules as written. Sometimes it is done due to a mistake, trying to keep the narrative going, or many other reasons. Saul and Jolene give examples of why people like to have run games RAW.
Saul and Jolene discuss the idea of the GM telling the players of his game his expectations of the game that they will be running. This will help alleviate any problems that could arise from players expecting a different game than the one the GM is intending to run.
As always thank you all for listening and all we ask of you is that you share our podcast with friends and family in order to get our podcast to as many people as possible.
No music due to the podcast computer dying and being stubborn about being brought back to life.