GamingPerspectives

          A listener asked about a good RPG to run a Monster of the Week game.  Saul came up what criteria would make a good Monster of the Week game.  From ease of rules, types of character and other factors.           Then Saul and Jolene talked about what games would make it easy to run a Monster of the Week game.  Saul's list comes from game created in the 1990's, 2000's, 2010's and even very recent game published.  
    Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Smakabbrit, song Monster's Playground    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0     https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

     A listener asks about getting a RPG off the Shelf of Shame and on the the table to play.   This is a problem that inflicts both RPG gamer and board gamer as both groups have this problem.  Both have games that have not hit the game table and for many a gamer this is a terrible source of frustration.  Saul has a lot of shelves that contain RPG games.  It has been a source of consternation for him and has made it a goal to get as many of those RPGs of Shame on the game table.     There are certain steps you can take to try and get those games on the table.  Saul and Jolene go over those steps and talk about they work and how they may help make your Shelf of Shame a bit lighter.           Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones+
 
    Music by Hansen Chat,  song Dancing on the Table    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 4.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

          Saul was at Kubla Autumn a new game con taking place over Veteran's Day which is celebrated here in the U.S. on November 11th.  Right when he got there he sat in a seminar the dealt with the future of boardgames. In that seminar they talked about Cozy games.  Saul immediately thought of Cozy RPGs.  Saul noticed a lot of RPGs that would fit under this genre.  He talked to Jolene about it and discussed the subject.      This episode is the result of that conversation.  Saul list five RPGs that he thought would fit under the genre of Cozy.   His criteria was not always correct and indeed some of those discussed may not fit in Saul's Cozy criteria.  After the episode Saul has noticed another "cozy" game on Kickstarter called Riverbank.       Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
 
   Music by Al Pegon, song Five O'Clock Tea,  off the album Bad One T   Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

     In the long time that Saul has been playing RPGs, there has been some instances where players did some weird things.  At least unexpected things that he saw as both a GM and a Player.  Saul remembers a couple instances where players acting strange may have caused problems in the session.   Jolene relates a story she read online about a player who indeed acted strange for no logical reason that Saul and Jolene did not understand.        What causes players to act in a strange way?  Saul proposes some ideas as to what would make a player to do strange things in a roleplaying game.  From stealing for other character to trying to fight other player's character in a session.  Sometimes players demand that other players act or play in a certain way.   As a GM it is very important to understand why players are acting in a way that could cause problems in a gaming group.         Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Kramer Guy, song Strange Surf    Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

          In this Episode Saul and Jolene discuss why some GMs do not like running Intellectual Property games.  Those are games based on books, Tv shows, or movies.  Whether its Conan, Star Wars, Star Trek of hundreds of other RPGs that are based on others creative works some GMs shy away from running these games for specific reasons.       Saul as usual goes to the way back machine and discusses his brushes with working on games that were based on others Intellectual Property.   From the first foray into running a shared campaign in the World of Greyhawk and later Forgotten Realms Saul talks about the ease and difficulty about taking on running an "IP RPG.       Lastly Saul and Jolene discuss why they like playing RPGs based on Intellectual Properties.  Whether it was Conan, Star Trek or Dresden Files they discuss what they like about playing in those created worlds or universes.  They also discuss the genuine fun that players have when they get to play a RPG in their favorite IP.    Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Lyrics Girl, song Intellectual Love,  off the album Acid Planet    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 4.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

     Saul is slowly recovering from heart valve surgery but Jolene and Saul are back to recording episodes.  This episode comes from a Reddit post about a GM that needs to run a game with no prep for 1st time players with only a 2 hour window.  Though many answers were the names of games that people suggested Saul took a different angle.      Saul was thinking what the GM had to think about the game they decided to run.  From the system, to the adventure, to the GM's comfort in running the game.   Also there was what are the expectations of the players.  Where and how did they get interested?  Do they know that there are more RPGs than just D&D?     Saul and Jolene discuss these ideas for this episode.     Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Dixon, song In No Time Soon,  off the album In No Time Soon    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    *SPECIAL NOTE* Saul and Jolene would like apologize for the lack of epidodes for the past Month.   This was due to Saul having to have heart valve replacement surgery.  Saul is recovering and Jolene is taking care of him.  Saul and Jolene would like to thank all the listeners for their support of their podcast.          The latest episode concerns Starter Box Sets.  What a good starter set should have in the box and why.  Starter Sets have changed from the days of the D&D Blue Box Set.   After their brief discussion Saul lists 3 Stater Sets are to him are what starter sets should strive to be.    Listen to hear what 3 starrter sets really appealed to Saul and why.           Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Sam Gallager, song Starter,  off the album Night Music    Available from Tribeofnoise.com   Used Under the Creative Commons License 4.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

When you are creating an adventure or a complete RPG for public consumption one thing you really need as a creator is Feedback.  From one shot adventures, longer adventures, campaigns you need feedback to hone your creation to make it as best as it can be.   Good Feedback is essential to making your creation to be as successful as it can be.  With self publishing become a large part of TTRPGs, you as a creator need good feedback on your creation.       A key to good feedback is asking the right type of questions for your project.  Answers to the questions that you include in your feedback questionnaire are what will make your TTRPG project better.   Saul and Jolene discuss the difference between questions for the type of project you are making.  Questions for an adventure will differ greatly from questions that you would ask if your project was a full fledged RPG.    Episode notes: Saul says that he started running games at conventions in 1985 but it was 1995.       It was Panny and Aled creators of Salvage Union who ran their games at UK gaming conventions                                    and online.         
    Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by Nathan Brumley, song The Games That Play Us,  off the album Shay Watson    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 4.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

     Saul was reading a Reddit and came across a post asking if people used maps or visual aids in their roleplaying games.  The poster also stated that they only used a while board and magnitized tokens in his sessions.  The OP then asked if you do use maps or visual aids how integral are they to your game.       Saul and Jolene have played and ran games where lots of maps or visual aids were used and game where nothing was used during the game.  Saul and Jolene discussed why this was and they decided it was a good topic for an episode.
    Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
    Music by The Legend of Wolf,  song Crossing the Map,  off the album L:issle    Available from Tribeofnoise.com  Used Under the Creative Commons License 4.0  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Saul read an article about a couple of RPGs that had elimnated the Iconic Mechanic of Rolling to Hit.  Saul mentioned the idea to Jolene.  Jolene had a lot of questions about the whole idea and how it would work.   Jolene's questions were why, how and would it be fun?        It was a good discussion so they decided to do an episode on the subject.  The big game on the list is a new game coming out in the near future by Matt Colville now called Draw Steel.  There is a link at the bottom of these show notes.           Thank you all for Listening     Web Art by Jim Foster     Episode Art by Michael Shean-Jones
Here is a link to Matt Colville's preorder:    https://mcdm-rpg.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
    Music by Riff Master, song Rolling with Thunder,  off the album Enter the Realm    Available from Tribeofnoise.com    Used Under the Creative Commons License 3.0    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/