Panda's Talking Games

It’s sure been a time! Phil and Senda talk their 2025 gaming, then things to look forward to in 2026. This feels like a good time to reiterate that we have specifically chosen to maintain MORE

Show us how you…do a year end topic round up?? Phil is joined by Ryan, our always intrepid editor, for a quick topic round up to “round off” our recording year. (eh? eh? you see MORE

Show us how you handle a game end when you don’t get to wrap it up, whether that’s for a story or a character! Phil and Senda talk about closure/closing loops, and other ways to MORE

Show us how you form good TTRPG teams! Phil and Senda revisit the Tuckman model of Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and (wah wah) adjourning when your group changes up — whether that’s people, scheduling, or MORE

Show us how you balance agency vs story structure in table top games! Phil and Senda talk spectrum and (hopefully) nuance of this potentially loaded question. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and MORE

Show us how you move from a more traditional game to PbtA for the first time! Phil and Senda talk tips for grocking the major differences in the system whether you’re new to TTRPGs in MORE

Show us how you handle failure in your games! Phil and Senda talk competent failure, incompetent failure, and failure at various story points. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find MORE

Show us how you handle asking your group for more — more role play, more emotional stakes, more shared narrative. Phil and Senda talk about the ways you might approach that conversation and what you MORE

Show us how you use the principles of servant leadership to GM your games! Phil and Senda once again bring their professional training to bear on this gaming topic to discuss servant leadership for GMs. MORE

Show us how you manage your setting/info dump! Phil and Senda talk just in time info and some ways to approach it. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us MORE

Show us how you create a culture of collaboration at the table! Or, show us how you make sure that everyone is getting their game needs met in balance at the table! Phil and Senda MORE

Show us how you get useful feedback as a GM or a player! Phil and Senda talk ways to get critique and what needs to be true to make it useful. Also, sometimes the game MORE

Show us how you handle starting a game that’s lost it’s shine…or should you? Phil and Senda talk communication with your players and ways to approach a game that’s lost its shine between when you MORE

Show us how you avoid manipulating your players via NPC/GMPC (GMC)! Phil and Senda talk the actual question from last week: how to avoid unconscious (or conscious) bias in using your NPCs to communicate with MORE

Show us how you try new or risky ideas at the table! Phil and Senda tackle a single question that turns into two parts (so come back next week for the rest of the discussion). MORE

Show us how you handle mid-game check ins! Phil and Senda talk checkins: after session, four sessions in, going into a new arc, going into the end game, and when something goes wrong. Bamboo Lounge MORE

‘Show us how you rebuild your game prep strategy when life throws you a curveball! Phil and Senda talk through Phil’s updated free time reality, how that’s been impacting his gaming, and what his new MORE

Show us what three things are most important for a new GM to learn! Phil and Senda talk through what we think — do you agree? Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and MORE

Show us what you want from a rulebook! Phil and Senda tackle a question about what we most want to see in a rule book, for running a game or for potentially purchasing a game. MORE

Show us how you create an engaging core loop — as another part of your setting creation! Phil and Senda talk core loops and how they drive investment and character creation, and also how to MORE

Show us how you handle facilitation and collaboration at the table…and specifically, how do you make sure everyone stays involved! Phil and Senda are pretty passionate about this because it’s part of both their hobby MORE

Show us how you manage players missing games! Phil and Senda talk about what you may need to take into consideration, including length of absence, how key that character is to the story, etc. Bamboo MORE

Show us your favorite things to include in your session 0! Phil and Senda are joined by invisible third panda Ryan Boelter (our editor) in celebration of their 100th show with us. Thanks Ryan!! Check MORE

Show us how you bring an iced campaign back from a long hiatus! Phil and Senda both have some experience with this. As usual this is a buffet, so some may be helpful for your MORE

Show us how you manage tech at the table for players and GMs! Phil and Senda talk about everything except the monster in the corner (focus). Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and MORE