Me And Steve Talk RPG‘s

This week we bring you an interview with creator Todd Crapper of Broken Ruler games about his recent release, Pandora: Total Destruction.  It's an interesting take on the "Supers" genre, and has some interesting things to say as well.  We also go into some things Todd learned while writing this game, and how it shaped what the game now is. Links for Todd and Broken Ruler Games:      Pandora: Total...

This week we bring you the recording of a panel that we were asked to do at the Pittsburgh Gaming Expo! We talk about why as the GM, you should be the biggest fan of your players. The audio isn't the greatest, but given we sorta forgot to prepare for actually recording live, we didn't think it sounded too bad for setting a cell phone on the table between us, in a room with a PA system, and close t...

On the eve of Spooky-Month, the Steves sit down and have a chat about different things a GM can do outside of the game itself to help increase that sense of tension while playing games where you want it.  That and some other ramblings and musings! d20 Network Spotlight:  The Court Games podcasts      Court Games -- https://courtgamespod.com/      Fortune and Strife --  https://courtgamespod.com/L5...

This week we figured we'd do something just for fun, so we asked Chris Spivey to just come talk with us for a bit about whatever came up.  So that's what happened.  We talk gaming stuff, some of the business side, and the challenges that happen as a small publisher in the current state of the world.  Also, Chris lets us in on a snippet about his new [REDACTED]. Enjoy!   Links for Chris and Darker...

We made it to 100!!!  So to celebrate, we invited back a previous guest who likes just as varied a selection of games as we do, someone who writes about rpgs in lots of places, Egg Embry! Also, Egg has just released a cool little playtest for a game he's working on called Human... Almost. We chat about that, and assorted other things in our own Me and Steve way!      You can find Egg either on Fac...

What happens when our friend, and fellow d20 Network 'caster Sugi stops by to chat with the Steves?  We end up talking a LONG time!  Of course, we're talking painting minis, which one Steve has never done, one Steve has done quite a bit, and Sugi does A LOT!  There's a good bit of "how to get started" some general Q&A, and a little more technical stuff as well.  We have a lot of fun, and Sugi shar...

This week the Steves have a chat about planning and prepping for a new campaign.  We discuss a bit of our processes, weaknesses, and fears around starting new campaigns, be they in systems we're long-familiar with, ones we're new to, or somewhere in between.  (Yes, we get into more Star Wars talk!)   d20 Network spotlight:  The Order 66 -- http://feeds.feedburner.com/Order66   Game of the Week:  ...

We've all heard the term "meta-gaming" used, and usually with bad connotations, but what is it?  And is it always bad?  This week we Steves ponder this very thing!    d20 Network Spotlight: Eberron Renewed -- https://thegeekpantheon.com/category/podcast/eberron-renewed/   Game of the Week:      Steve G:  Teenage Mutant Dirtbags -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/404270/Teenage-Mutant-Dirtbags...

This week we're joined by Douglas from Gaming Ballistic to talk about GURPS from Steve Jackson Games.  Along the way Doug shares some inside info on the publishing side of the business, and also talks about his current Kickstarter for some old-school solo-play adventures!      Links for Gaming Ballistic:           Website: https://gamingballistic.com/           Twitter: http://twitter.com/GMingBal...

In honor of "Back to School" season here in the US, the Steves have a chat around some of the ways we've found to stretch our gaming dollars (or maybe it's just a way to be able to buy more games...).  In any case, it's a collection of budget-friendly tips to help out if you need em.  Or, just laugh at us for being cheap! d20 Network Spotlight:  Shared Sagas -- https://sharedsagas.podbean.com/   G...

What starts out as a conversation talking about games played on or in the water swirls with the Steves talking a lot about movies, and perhaps some reasons why things do or don't exist!   d20 Network Spotlight : OPCast -- https://anchor.fm/opcast   Game of the Week:      Steve G:  Army of Darkness -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2486/Army-of-Darkness-Corebook?affiliate_id=2018399      Stev...

So we started with the intent of talking about taking adventures/modules and porting them over to a different system/setting.  Of course, because us, we end up off in a couple rabbit-holes, but there's still some good conversation!   d20 Network Spotlight:  The Staggering Dragon -- https://thestaggeringdragon.com/category/stagdrag-podcast/   Game of the Week      Steve S:  Twisted Genomes: Wastela...

This week we're talking with 2 of the organizers of a local gaming convention.  Wizz and Alex fill us in a little on just what the Pittsburgh Gaming Expo is, and what can be expected if you attend, but we also talk a bit about just what goes into organizing a con, should you have the desire to try to do it yourself! To find out more about the convention here's the website for it. https://www.pghre...

Because you can never have enough Star Wars RPG content (and because Steve just couldn't get left out of the conversation), Hooly is back with another episode talking about running games in the Star Wars universe! We talk a little bit about using other systems to play in Star Wars, and some talk about what makes a story feel like Star Wars. Because it gets mentioned a time or 2, and because it's s...

Hooly is back and were talking Star Wars!  Due to technical difficulties and time constraints there is no game of the week bumper.  Sorry folks.   d20 Network Spotlight:  Primed By Cortex -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/primed-by-cortex/id1539916746   Game of the Week      Steve G: Movie Night -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/267571/Movie-Night?affiliate_id=2018399        GM Hooly:...

This week we have a discussion with the fantastic Eddy Webb around his game Pugmire, as well as some of his design philosophies.   d20 Network Spotlight:  Werewolf The Podcast -- https://keepontheheathlands.podbean.com/   Game of the Week      Steve S: mutants in the Now -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/378040/Mutants-in-the-Now?affiliate_id=2018399        Steve G: Invasion of the Tuber Dud...

This week we have a discussion that starts out at the GM being a player too, and ends up with a bit of a talk about paid GMing and 'pay to play' games, and our thoughts around such!   d20 Network Spotlight:  The Forge -- https://forgegenesys.com/   Game of the Week      Steve S: The Terminator RPG -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/398327/The-Terminator-RPG?affiliate_id=2018399      Steve G:...

Prompted by one of our wonderful Discord community members, this week we have a conversation around the never-ending debate of "what the rules say" vs "what's fun".  Also, a little talk about bringing homebrew to the table as a player!   d20 Network Spotlight:  Order 66 -- http://feeds.feedburner.com/Order66   Game of the Week:      Steve G:  Dungeon Local 001 -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/produ...

This week we have a couple hot-takes, and the subsequent rambling.  From thoughts on Kickstarters, and the new MARVEL rpg, to some thoughts on game design and terminology, and even a power outage, we Steves give some opinions on some things.   d20 Network Spotlight:  The d20 Network blog -- https://www.d20radio.com/main/   Game of the Week      Steve G:  Orbital Blues -- https://www.drivethrurpg.c...

This week we've still got 2 Steves, but not both the normal ones!  One Steve is on vacation, but the other Steve is joined by Steve Dee of Tin Star Games to talk about his current project, a game called "Partners".  Along the way we have some interesting conversation about game design, and why system matters in games.  It's a cool game, and some good, thought-provoking conversation.      Links for...

We intended to have a talk about house rules, and we did, sorta, at times.  Our brains got the best of us, and we went off down some deep tangents, but if you listen to us at all, you know, that's probably what we do best!  Anyway, listen, and enjoy! d20 Network Spotlight:  The Story Told -- https://thestorytold.libsyn.com/   Game of the Week:      Steve S:  Mashed -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/...

We all know it, those jitters, that uncertainty if we did a good enough job running the game, did everyone have enough fun?  Oh, yeah, and the things we get wrong, what if they know?  Anxiety over GMing is real, and I think, normal, but to talk about it, and maybe help us all deal with it a little bit, we're joined by Amber (@Rocketorca) from Geekspective, who does a lot in our little gaming world...

Lighter topic this week!  The Steves ask each other gaming related questions and riff off that.  Some opinions, some self-discovery, and lots of "-ish"!   d20 Network Spotlight: The Staggering Dragon -- https://thestaggeringdragon.com/category/stagdrag-podcast/   The Steves will also be appearing in public!  Join us October 1 & 2 at the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville PA (just outside...

This week the Steves have a little chat about what it is that drives us to purchase games, and more games, and...     Nothing too heavy, but we made ourselves think a little bit.   d20 Network Spotlight:  The Genesys Archives -- https://anchor.fm/thegenesysarchives   Game of the Week:      Steve G: Pistol Dust -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/393309/Pistol-Dust?affiliate_id=2018399      Ste...

This week we're rejoined by previous guests Opti and Cliff from Fragging Unicorns Games ( Episode 20 )!  But this time they're talking about the game that they've currently got on Kickstarter.  It's a refresh/update of Robert Bohl's "Misspent Youth".  A game about youthful people banding together to stand up to corrupt authority and see what they can accomplish without selling out their principals...