GamingPerspectives

Episode 280: What RPGs Aren't Good At, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

         Saul was thinking what were some themes or genres that RPGs have a hard time capturing the feeling or thrill of playing.  Jolene had a difficult time wondering what Saul was even talking about but after a while she realized the concept Saul was trying to explain.  One example was Sports.  A Sports themed  RPG  that wasn't  a  miniature game or boardgame desguised as a RPG.      That discussion is what lead to this episode.  So is there anything subject, theme or genre that RPGs are not good at?     If you have any comments, questions or topics you would like Saul and Jolene to discuss please email them at Gamingperspectives.com@gmail.com     Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Alazarin, song Sports Model,  off the album It's Music Jim, Just Not as We Know It.    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Episode 279: Backtracking in RPGs, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

Saul and Jolene were  talking about how people "backtrack" or take their turn over in boardgames, they take their turn and then change their minds and redo their turn.   Saul and Jolene discused  how it seems like a bad idea.   This act of "backtracking" can frustrate other players but what about in an RPGs?            The idea of backtracking an action or a scene in a RPG is usually contemplated by a GM who feels bad or remorse about how things worked out.  So they "backtrack" the play.  Why would a GM do this and what are some of the pitfall for the GM and their players when this happens?    Thank you all for listening.
     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
 
    Music by Deus King, song Back Again,  off the album There's Nothing Impossible    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0        https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Episode 278: Maps and Info

          In this Episode Saul and Jolene answer a question proposed by listener Mike.  He asked about maps.  How much detail do you share with players when you give them a map.   Saul and Jolene thought it was a good question to make an episode.  Along with maps, Saul thought about how much  general information do you share with players.          Saul asked how much should you share with the players?  Does what the character "knows" determine the amount of detail in Maps and Info?      Jolene remembered a couple situations where placing or drawing a map gave more information than what just was on the map.  One was in a D&D game another was in a Feng Shui game.  Saul was the GM of both and realized that just by placing a map or drawing out a map or situation on a battlemat "tells" the players of a possible encounter.
    Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
   
    Music by Chiba,  song Maps of the Sky    Available from Tribeofnoise.com     Used Under the Creative Commons License 4.0     https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Episode 277: Influences on Play Style, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

What are things that influence what your play style in RPGs.   Saul and Jolene discuss a couple of things that might influence the way you play your character.  Saul admits that for about 20 years, Saul played variations of his own personality and not really trying to Role play an aspect of himself.  
     As usual Saul strays from the subject by talking about two of his all time favorite RPGs, the One Ring and Shadowrun 5th edition, and Jolene brings him back to the subject at hand though Saul was using those two games as examples of how a game would influence play style.  
    Thank you all for Listening   
    Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by P. Bailey, song What's it Going to Be,  off the album The Singles Disc 2    Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Episode 276: Help with World Building, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

Someone asked about World Building, and if there was any advice, books, or manuals on how to do it.  Saul looked at his vast amounts of PDFs and found a couple of books on World Building, and Saul even found he had some physical books on the subject.  Jolene not  a fan of World Building, she finds it odd that people would spend the time on world building as she is not a fan of the endeavor.      List of Books mentioned:     The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Worldbuilding Guide by James D'Amato     The Only World Building Workbook You'll Ever Need, T.M. Holladay    Orbis Mundi 2, by Phil McGregor  https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/222678/orbis-mundi-2           Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Burning Brains The Band, song Illusion World, off the album Amazon    Available from Tribeofnoise.com     Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0        https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Episode 275: The GM Info Dump, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

    Saul and Jolene were discussing how would a GM Desiminate  Information about their RPG Setting.  Especially when the lore is vast and deep.   Saul and Jolene came up with various methods and things to consider what a GM can do to make the "Info Dump" not only be easier but actually work.    Saul used Bethorm rules written by Jeff Dee, for running his Sakbe Road to Redemption game set in the world of Tekumel    Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Ant America, song The Information    Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Episode 274: When A Player Ditches Your Game, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

     Recently Saul and Jolene were at a local Gaming Convention and at a RPG game and when the group broke for a quick dinner break, one player never came back.   This has happened at gaming conventions and even in home game groups.  What can a GM do to mitigate the affects of the missing player.     Though usually more problematic at a Convention or in a One-shot RPG game there are things that you can do as a GM to make the session still go well.  Saul and Jolene discuss what happened in their Star Trek game when the player playing the Chief Medical Officer did not come back from the break.       Jolene discusses what she did when a key player in her Shadowrun 5th Edition game had to sit out in two session in a row.  Why she cancelled one session but went without that character/player the 2nd time he had to cancel.     Indeed it seems that for Saul and Jolene the fact that a character missing from the game might actually make the game more enjoyable since it requires more "thinking outside the box."     Thank you all for listening!     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones     Music by Danny Allen, song  "I'm Leaving"   
Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0       https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Episode 273: Getting More GMs, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

Saul and Jolene were at a Con recently and there a few people stated that there needed to be more rpg games and therefore the idea of needing  more GMs came about.   There was even a discussion on Facebook about what gamers could do to get more people to gm at conventions.      With that discussion in mind Saul and Jolene decided to record an episode of what gamers could do to get more people to run games at Cons, at FLGS, or even at home games.      As always thanks for listening      Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
 
    Music by Adam Balusik, song They Still Need More, off the album Three Trees    Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used under the Creative Commons Lincense 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/    

Bonus Episode: Lester Smith Interview, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

   This is one of our Bonus Episodes an interview of Lester Smith the author of one of Saul's favorite RPGs, Dark Conspiracy.  
   Lester Smith  has worked for many famous game companies.  From small companies like Flying Buffalo to TSR.
   Lester was gracious to talk to us and share some of his story.  From his gaming roots, to finding RPGs to being hired to work on RPGs.   Now a "retired" game creator his is finishing up his Bookmark RPG Kickstarter, check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lestersmith/make-100-battle-bookmarks and will be Kickstartering a revised version of his  D6XD6 RPG. 
   Thanks for listening. 

Episode 272: Straight Modern RPGs, Gaming Perspectives with Saul and Jolene

    A husband asked a question about a good Modern RPG that he could run for his wife.  She was not interested in anything related to Fantasy or the Science Fiction genre.  Not interested in any fantastical or supernatural elements in a modern setting.  When Jolene asked about this situation he immediately went to his bookcase and his Drivethrurpg Library.       Saul picked out some RPGs that did  not have any supernatural or fantastical elements.  From the generic RPGs to some RPGs that offer a very specific type of games.  From super spies and daring cops to very hard luck detectives and private eyes.  Rpgs from well known RPG publishers to independent publishers using self publishing.    As Always thank you all for listening.     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Song by Steve Katz, song A Modern Tale, off the album Barricades    Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0       https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/