What Would The Smart Party Do?

Episode 158 - Dark Souls (a.k.a. You Wake Up By A Bonfire) So it is, ash seeketh embers… this time the lads are joined by Mat Hart and Rich August from Steamforged Games to talk about the Dark Souls RPG, and go deep diving into game design theory. You can find out more on Dark Souls and other Steamforged goodies at the Steamforged website . If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, ch...

Episode 156 - Campaigns a.k.a. One Scenario After Another What makes a good campaign? This time the lads explore what's out there in published campaign land and seek to determine what sort of campaigns there are, what makes them good and throw out some top tips and recommendations. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel . Get in touch, the lads lov...

Episode 156 - Runequest a.k.a. Your Glorantha May Vary The starter set is out for the latest edition of an old classic, Runequest. As Baz plunders this resource and gives his thoughts, Gaz expands in this knowledge with a tour through previous editions and the lads try to answer the core question of any game - what's cool about it? If you want to hear more about Runequest, Baz's side project going...

Episode 155 - Review of 2021 a.k.a. Recording at the fag-end New year, new you and new podcast. The lads go over the year that was, 2021, with all its trials, tribulations and great gaming moments. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel . Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_party Email: thesmartparty@hotmai...

Episode 154 - Subsystems a.k.a. Cut Down Like Ep1 of Squid Game The lads chat through chases, Dramatic Tasks, the funnel, spell duels, grappling and all other manner of subsystems and extra bits. Core mechanics are all very well and good, but how do you do mass battle? Find out in this episode! If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel . Get in touch,...

Bonus Episode - Writing RPG Scenarios for Publication The lads went down to London Village for Dragonmeet and presented in their usual seminar slot. This time they were joined by special guests Paul Fricker (Call of Cthulhu, Rivers of London) and Mat Hart (Steamforged Games) to talk in a wide-ranging presentation on writing your own content for RPGs and getting it out there. Topics included what t...

Episode 153 - Shane Hensley Interview a.k.a Shaken Not Stirred The lads were delighted to have one of their gaming heroes on this time, founder of Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Shane Hensley. He's created the best-selling, award-winning Deadlands, Hell on Earth, Weird Wars, and later Savage Worlds and many of its settings. He's also written for God's Own Game Earthdawn, TORG, and many other things...

Episode 152 - Jason Cordova Interview a.k.a Shouting Into The Void Jason Cordova joins the lads to chat about his own podcasting experience on Fear of a Black Dragon, hot indie rpgs like The Between and Brindlewood Bay, game design, streaming and much more! Follow Jason on Twitter . You can find out more about the Gauntlet and cool techniques and games on his website . Get your earballs around the...

Episode 151 - Into The Odd Remastered a.k.a You Were The First Good friend of the show Chris McDowall has remastered his well-renowned and critically-acclaimed Into the Odd in a new edition, teaming up with more good friends of the show, Free League! The lads go through design choices, graphics, how to write a game and much more in this busy episode! You can find out more about all Chris' stuff at...

Episode 150 - Meguey & Vincent Baker Interview a.k.a The Secret Is, They're Just Subsystems For the 150th episode, the boys needed something special, and what better way to celebrate than chatting to two of the industry's best and nicest game designers, Vincent and Meg Baker. Between them, authors of Apocalypse World, Dogs in the Vineyard, Psi*Run, Murderous Ghosts and more! A proper after-hours c...

Episode 149 - Advancement a.k.a The Other Sin is 1XP Thanks to a Listener's Letter, this episode is all about advancement. Of course a lot of the chat is about XP and mechanically improving your character, but the lads also think about what else advancing a character could mean. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel . Get in touch, the lads love t...

Episode 148 - Nostalgia a.k.a The More You Look At It, The More It Looks Back At You Remember those Hovis adverts from back in the day? No? How about Cyborg Commando? The lads ponder on lost youth and the eternal question of not only can you go back, but should you? Numerous old games get a mention and the guys go through reboots and reskins and lots of other topics in a wide-ranging chat. If you...

Episode 147 - Investigation RPGs a.k.a The Problem That Doesn't Exist Have you passed your Spot Hidden check? Then you will note that Baz is on holidays, so Gaz is joined by the effable Stunt Baz, Guy Milner off of the Burn After Running blog to talk about investigative RPGs. What are the common pitfalls? What makes a good investigation? Which are the key games out there on the market? All this an...

Mike Shea Interview a.k.a Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master It's the Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, or first time on the show for Mike Shea, also know as Sly Flourish on the Twitters. Mike's books about how to get the most out of the game prep and spend less time doing it have been an inspiration to many hard-pressed GMs, and the lads take a dive into his secrets and tease out details on how y...

Episode 144 - Games You Should Have Too In a continuation of last episode, the lads go through a veritable cornucopia of games that you should consider looking at, to round out your roleplaying chops. If you're looking for inspiration or fancy broadening your horizons, get your earballs round this episode covering settings, GM advice, adventure support, art & layout and much more! Johan Egerkrans...

Episode 144 - Games You Should Have The lads have been listening to other podcasts and hearing their thoughts on systems, creating a Frankenstein's monster of a game etc. and reminded of all the sections they have done on particular parts of games. It seemed about time to draw some of this together and go through a variety of games people should have in their collections for a more well rounded vi...

Episode 143 - Shawn Tomkin Interview The lads get yet another special guest, Shawn Tomkin, creator of Ironsworn, who is currently in the process of bringing out his new Sci Fi game, Starforged. As usual, the boys get the inside scoop on design decisions and drill more into the solo play aspect, the dark art that is the Oracles and much more! Get more on Starforged at the Kickstarter page. If you d...

Episode 142 - Mattias Lilja Interview The lads get another special guest this time, Mattias Lilja, co-creator and game writer for Ruins of Symbaroum 5E from Free League. They talk about the difference between the original game and 5e version, and what effect that has on design. Also, a discussion on probabilities in gaming and does everyone understand the statistics behind them? Find out more on R...

Episode 141 - Dennis Detwiller Returns (aka McReady From The Thing Drinking Scotch) The lads are delighted to invite back Arc Dream's Dennis Detwiller to talk about his latest project, Impossible Landscapes, helping out new RPG creators after reviewing 200+ products and hot new gossip about what's happening with Smart Party favourite GODLIKE, superhero roleplaying in World War II. Find out more on...

Episode 140 - Influential Games (aka Chained Lightning) There are many games that influence the way we play. Some have become almost lifelong companions; some deliver a great idea to be stolen and used elsewhere. Baz and Gaz got through some of the influential games that shaped their gaming and talk about others that perhaps defined parts of the roleplaying zeitgeist. Settle in for a classic episo...

Episode 139 - 90s Magazines(aka Fool's Gold) Good friend of the show Dirk the Dice off of The Grognard Files is a guest this week, to talk to the lads about gaming in the 90s; a period when he was in the "deep freeze" and away from roleplaying games. RPG magazines from that storied decade are all he has to go on as evidence of gaming back then, and so Dirk presents our hosts with assumptions to be...

Episode 138 - Jonathan Tweet - Everway Interview(aka Right Turn Clyde) Good friend of the show and veteran game designer Jonathan Tweet returns to talk to the lads about the 25th Anniversary Edition of Everyway, his diceless mythic roleplaying game. There's also chat on Over the Edge, Ars Magica, Glorantha and where Magic the Gathering came from! If you want to know more about the Kickstarter you...

Episode 137 - Francesco Nepitello Interview(aka You're My Sam Gamgee) This time, internationally recognised game designer Francesco Nepitello joins the lads to talk about the upcoming second edition of The One Ring. He is an author of roleplaying games and thematic board games, like Lex Arcana, Zombicide: Chronicles and Age of Conan, reaching international recognition with War of the Ring - and us...

Episode 136 - Baz is Back(aka What Are You Playing?) After his forced absence, enjoying listening to the show for a short while, our Baz is back in the office and talking games. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel . Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartparty Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_party Email: the...

Episode 135 - Role+Play+Game(aka I Want to Roll Dice in the First Half Hour) Due to the plague, the lads have drafted in a Stunt Baz for this episode, but it's a goodie! Guy Milner off of the Burn After Running blog joins Gaz to talk about rolling dice and all elements of the Roll plus Game plus Playing hobby. Some top tips on using dice in your games and what to think about before you even start....