GamingPerspectives

     Technology has greatly advanced since the introduction of RPGs in the mid 1970s.  Saul and Jolene discuss the pros and cons of having today's tech at the gaming table.  For the most part the discussion is positive about technology at the table.   From laptops, cell phones, tablets and HD TVs technology at the game table can really help in running an RPG.  Things such as PDFs of the rules, mus...

     Saul and Jolene talk about sticking to canon in RPGs.   Saul usually tries to be a rebel but feels sticking to official "canon" of a setting or IP is important.  It may not be really important to Saul as a fan of a genre, but when he runs RPGs, he feels that staying close to canon is important.  One of the  reasons it is important is because when you list or describe your game being set in a...

     Saul and Jolene talk about "Backtracking" in your RPG, also known as RetConning.  Jolene read about a GM asking about advice on a situation where a two player game resulted in a TPK and one of the players wanted a do over.        Jolene was surprisingly harsh and was against the idea and Saul was open to the idea.  As the discussion progressed, Jolene was able to convince that allowing the do...

     The classic Druid class in D&D is discussed by Saul and Jolene in this episode.  Though not a favorite of Saul or Jolene they have had a number of players in their groups who played druids.  From Saul's  the cavalier childhood friend to the critical thinker druid played by the son of a friend.  Each character were was played very differently due to how each player interpreted what a druid was...

     This is our 100th Episode which means we are only four weeks away from 2 years of podcasting which is a pretty good milestone in podcasting. People like the big round numbers so this is 100 weekly episode, which does not include interview or recordings from gaming conventions.       Paranoia is this crazy, wild game of a "Humorously Dark Future."  Saul bought the box set one summer in 1984, t...

       Saul and Jolene talk about "Realistic" Post Apoc RPGs.  Having discussed this genre when they talked about Gamma World we decided that another sub genre needed to be discussed in detail as they can tell a different kind of story.     As always thanks for listening.       Music by Robert Vasley,  song The Seedling.      Available at Tribeofnoise.com  

       Today Saul and Jolene talk to Marcus Bone.  Like Saul, once Marcus saw the cover of Dark Conspiracy RPG in 1991 he had to have it.  Though Saul liked the theme and the game overall Marcus was a true fan.  At first one of three co-creators of Demon Ground, then author of DC supplement "Of Gates and Gods" and even owner of the license to publish Dark Conspiracy itself.        Dark Conspiracy...

    In this episode Saul and Jolene discuss "Saying Yes AND..."  as GM tool to keep the players engaged in your roleplaying session.  Of course Saul has to relate it to the ancient history of his first days of playing D&D and how playing D&D back in the late 70's and early 80's was a different experience than roleplaying games of today.  Leaving the Dungeons to playing outside in an open world cau...

     This this episode we took an off podcast discussion and invited long time friend Mike to come on the microphone and talk about his idea that modern RPGs "coddle" players.   And that this "coddling" is not good for the players or the GM that has to treat the modern gamer with kid gloves.  Saul and Jolene ask and discuss this idea of being too easy on players.  This discussion went a bit longer...

     In this Episode Saul and Jolene talk about one of their favorite genres, Steampunk.  Saul talks about various books of the Steampunk genre he has read.  Saul and Jolene discuss the various RPGs that fall under the genre of Steampunk.  Some are dismissed as not Steampunk by Saul but Jolene thinks that some of those dismissed by Saul are Steampunk.  In the end Jolene asks Saul to run a RPG of t...

     This week Saul and Jolene discuss new RPGs for every new movie, tv show or book.  Do we really need a new game for these intellectual properties that we see.  Saul has always said you don't but lately, he seems to have changed his mind a bit.      In this episode listeners learn that Saul has a large RPG collection, their personal copy of Ticket to Ride has seen over a thousand plays, and tha...

   In this episode Saul and Jolene talk about the differences between "Hard Science Fiction" and plain ole science fiction in RPGs what it means and some differences.   From artificial gravity, FTL travel, personal and ship combat and other topics are covered in this fun discussion about what your flavor of science fiction you like and give many examples of RPGs that tackle these different types o...

     This week Saul and Jolene discuss the using of "real life" events in RPGs.  Saul and Jolene talk how using real life events maybe problematic at your game table.  Do you really want to use a recent event as a back drop to your game?  Will inclusion of serious, real life altering events cause some of your players not to have fun at your game table?        Saul and Jolene give tips on how to ke...

     In this week's episode Saul and Jolene talk about Sub-Optimal Characters.  The discussion kinda meanders this week from creating flawed characters, to a discussion of Min-Max players, problems as story elements etc.      As Always thanks for listening and all we ask is that you share our podcast in your social media networks.        Also with the Covid-19 outbreak please stay safe.  You all s...

      Getting the Gang Together, as adult gamers this tends to be a big problem.  Just getting a day when you can play a nice rpg session in can be daunting in today's world of tight schedules.  Saul and Jolene talk about this subject on why as adults we just can't play like we used to when we were kids.       Saul and Jolene also discuss some simple PC tools you can use to get a better chance of...

     In this episode Saul and Jolene talk about Dark Themed RPGs.   They talk about the different games that explore darker themes than most RPGs that focus on Adventure and Heroics.  From post-apocalyptic to games where you play monsters such as Vampire, Werewolf, Monster Hearts, Saul runs through games he has played and at times run.         Jolene with much less experience in playing different...

      Civility is boardgames.  What is more important your friendship or "WINNING"!  Saul and Jolene talk about boardgame civility, at home, at tournaments or conventions.  What games don't make it to the table because there is too much player interaction.  Backstabbing element in the game? Better make sure all your players can handle it.       Saul and Jolene talk about a question a listener had...

       In this Episode Saul and Jolene talk to Brandon Raasch of BARD Games.  Currently Brandon has a Kickstarter for the boardgame The Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby.  This is the second time we have had the pleasure of talking to Brandon while he has had a live KS campagin.     In this episode Brandon talks about his new game The Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby and the interesting finds the Josh Kirby esta...

      Saul and Jolene went to Dundracon 44 in San Ramon California over the President's Day weekend.  On Saturday they recorded at DDC and had two people join them on the microphone one was the much mentioned Felipe, Saul's older brother, and Phil,  Saul's long time friend and fellow gamer.  Felipe is the older brother that got Saul started on his lifetime love of hobby gaming with the introductio...

     In this week's episode Saul and Jolene discuss running a RPG for brand new players.  Things you should consider when running games for players that have never played a roleplaying game.  Thing like ages of the players, what their interests are or where their interest of playing an RPG came from.      As always thanks for listening and all we ask is that you share our podcast on your social me...

      Saul and Jolene take a premise of an earlier topic of magic altering structures in a fantasy world and discuss how "Magic" would impact society as a whole.  What would be different? How would they be different? What might stay the same.      As usual the conversation runs from books to movies and even some talk about Roman civilization and how they dealt with who lead the Roman Empire, or mo...

        In this episode Saul and Jolene discuss whether Dungeons and Dragons is an ambassador for all RPGs and if that is a good or bad thing.   This topic came from a discussion from another RPG podcast called Fear the Boot where one member shared is dislike that when the subject of RPGs comes up with people who don't play, a lot of them think D&D is the only RPG.    He is a big SF fan and was di...

     This week Saul and Jolene talk about one of Saul's favorite old rpgs called Dark Conspiracy.  It is a game of "near future horror roleplaying game.  Published in 1991 Dark Conspiracy called DC by fans first caught the eye of Saul way back in 1991 at a B. Dalton's Bookstore in the local mall.  From the cover and the story line that intrigued Saul, he kept going back to that store and finally b...

      In this episode Saul and Jolene talk about skill in rpg and whether they diminish RP.  Saul uses the "Sense Motive" skill or similar one as an example of how a skill might kill roleplaying.  In the example the GM playing an merchant  NPC tells the player something.  The player then rolls a Sense Motive skill, is successful and tells the GM that he knows if the merchant is lying.  By passing...

     In this episode Saul and Jolene begin a discussion about gamer expectations from the player and GM point of view.  The discussion is about how gamer's expectations about a game they are playing in might change and how these changes might impact the fun at your game table.      Saul and Jolene talk about their Shadowrun game they are currently playing and how certain game sessions can change e...