Jim – Yes, THAT Jim: Recent Episodes
Jim Ryan
Half-crazed, introspective discourse on speculative fiction, gaming, social media and general geekery.
Sara and I talk about the value of taking Session Zero (a meeting that a tabletop gaming group holds prior to starting a new campaign) and splitting it into two separate sessions. There are a number of benefits to it! Especially for folks who record actual plays.
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(I’m sorry to say Sara passed away in July of last year. I held onto this recording for quite a while before I felt ready to edit and release it, which was a process that I needed to take my time with. She was a wonderful person, and very passionate about tabletop games, and I was very glad to have her thoughts on this topic.)
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A little while ago I got a hankering to record some discussions of geek and gaming-related things, and my friend Sara agreed to come along for the ride.
In this episode we talk about puzzles, riddles and mazes in tabletop RPGs and how a GM might approach them in a way that’s fun for everyone.
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In today’s podcast I talk about my recent leap into the media phenomenon that is Twitch streaming. I discuss some of the things I find interesting about the platform and how it’s affected my gaming habits. Here, have some links: My Twitch Channel Monte Cook Games’ Channel Off the Table The Greyhawk Channel […]
Believe it or not, I’m finally wrapping up my series on canon! In this last entry, I talk about my favorite author, Douglas Adams and discuss the continuity between various versions of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I also discuss the Dirk Gently series, the computer games Adams worked on and his nonfiction work. […]
We’ve made it to Discworld! In this episode, I talk about the canon of Terry Pratchett’s fantasy-comedy series. I also wander off into another rant about the use and meaning of the word “multiverse.” This series has a huge number of books in it – they’re all in continuity with each other, and yet you […]
I have returned to continue rambling about canon! In this episode I talk about the Cthulhu Mythos and stumle over several nigh-unpronounceable names for entities whose merest concepts could drive an ordinary human mad. I also discuss how the nature of the Mythos makes it extremely difficult – perhaps even impossible – to nail down […]
James D’Amato, creator of the One Shot group of tabletop gaming podcasts, stopped by to talk about his newest project, Dungeon Dome! Dungeon Dome will be presented to audiences as a series of matches between larger-than-life characters played out on the tabletop. It’s a delicious mashup of D&D and professional wrestling. If you haven’t heard […]
I ramble for way longer than I’d planned about the various versions of White Wolf‘s World of Darkness tabletop RPG titles. For the last quarter of a century, four (soon to be five) editions of WoD games have been released, along with two editions of games set in the alternate reality of the Chronicles of […]
I misguidedly attempted to wrap up my canon series only to realize I had much more to say than I’d initially reckoned. Ahaha. So, here’s the next part, wherein I tackle two franchises: Star Trek and DC. I also tangent for a bit at the beginning into the recent Darkwing Duck controversy. I also make […]
The delightful writer and podcaster KT Bryski and I chatted about her recent release, Six Stories, Told at Night. The audio drama folds traditional French-Canadian folktales into a series of stories about the relationship between two young friends. Those stories are in turn folded into a third overall narrative. It’s excellent stuff and you can […]
Here we have the third part of my ridiculously long ramble about canon in popular media, this time focusing on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I chat at length about some of the differences between the movies and the TV shows, the comics and all manner of other things as we continue to explore the question […]
Here’s the second part of my epically long pseudo-rant about continuity and canon in popular media. I love Star Wars, but in this episode I talk about why I think it’s best to err on the side of caution when chatting about its canon with fellow fans. For many folks, Star Wars is a build-your-own-canon […]
I set out to do a quick talk about the role of canon in various fandoms and it turned into a massive lecture that I’ll have to split into multiple parts. So, here’s the first part, wherein I talk at length about the canon of Doctor Who (and quite possibly tick off some of my fellow […]
A few days ago I did a quick interview with Charles White about his crowdfunding project for Olympus, Inc. It’s the first foray into a full-blown RPG setting for his company, Fabled Environments, and it presents a very interesting take on Greek mythology – as seen through the lens of the modern world. The Indiegogo […]
My friend Michael Carlucci (of the Chaotic Neutral podcast) and I sit down and interview the developers of the second edition of the glorious fantasy Restoration-era tabletop RPG 7th Sea! We talk about the game’s origins, the ongoing Kickstarter for the new edition and the nature of the changes we can expect to see. We even take […]
A few weeks ago I went to the SCARAB Gaming Convention in Columbia, South Carolina. I had the opportunity to hang out in the media room with some of the folks behind the con along with a couple of gentlemen running some of its events. As it happens, some of them were fellow podcasters! We had a […]
Let’s chat for a little while about the idea of using one kind of game to generate ideas for another. I go deep into gamer geekery this episode to explore the idea of creating scenarios for tabletop RPGs using other role playing games or even board games. In my ramblings I bring up a blog […]
Society has changed a heck of a lot over the last half-century. I suspect we’re missing some element we used to have and that we’ve become more hollow and paranoid as a result. But when I try to figure out the exact cause of this problem, I can never quite put my finger on it. So […]
After dealing with several life-altering bits of oddity over the last few months, here finally is a discussion I recorded with some folks a while back as a post-mortem to ConCarolinas this year. Of course, as you’ll hear, there’s already a bit of time-bending in our conversation (as none of us could quite recall what […]
A quick update to let you know I’m still among the living and to watch for more content soon! EDIT: If anyone is in any doubt about the subject of this post in future, it turns out my friend Chris has kindly provided us with a resource that we can check at any time around the […]
Howdy! I’ve got a bit of a storytelling experiment to share with you. I’ve put together three short pieces of semi-abstract audio fiction for you to listen to. I’ve linked them down below the audio for this entry’s podcast. Listen to them in any order you like – I’m curious to know if that makes […]
Forgive me, Internet, but I’m going to discuss The Dress. You probably know the one I’m talking about – you know, the one whose colors people can’t agree on. What fascinated me about this recent phenomenon wasn’t so much the optical illusion but the sheer amount of rage people exhibited. And the opportunity this one particular […]
To kick off 2015 I decided to do something a bit different: a roundtable discussion! There’s much to be said for Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies, but how do major Tolkien fans feel about it? I was curious to find out, so I grabbed four people steeped in Hobbit lore and held a discussion full of delicious nerd rage. […]
I thought I’d end up with no posts this month, but just as I was giving up hope, I stumbled across the hysterical brilliance of the #TalesFromBlackFriday hashtag and felt the need to share it. 🙂 Download
or Man’s Crisis of Identity in the Earlier Half of the 21st Century This one’s a bit different from my normal ramblings, and is much more introspective than usual. I had something of an epiphany the other day after a slip of the tongue at our local Geek Gala that led me to remember something very […]
I ramble for a while trying to put my finger on exactly what it is that bothers me about the way social media has changed since the late 00’s. UPDATE: Since recording this, I’ve gone ahead and joined Ello. Here’s my page for anyone who’s currently in the Beta and wants to look me up there and […]
In this ramble recorded a few weeks ago (way back in July – remember July?) I talk about going to see Monty Python Live (Mostly) and my relationship with Monty Python in general. And I digress. A lot. Download
For the second year in a row, one of the other podcasts I’m involved with, Transmissions from the Ninth World, has been nominated for an ENnie Award! So I decided to ramble for a bit about the topic of that podcast, the tabletop RPG Numenera. I look at it as a game that could be […]
Once again a lot of craziness has been going on so I haven’t had time to put together a proper episode. So here’s another monologue! (Which, as it happens, appears in my book Abduction Etiquette!) 😉 Download
I go on a reflective kickabout and talk about the increasing pressure to do fewer social activities in favor of getting creative work done. This is something that’s been bothering me a lot lately and I decided to talk about it in the hope of relieving a little bit of the pressure. As a result, […]
I like puzzles. I also like tabletop role-playing games. But for the life of me I have yet to figure out a decent way to combine the two. I love the idea of throwing puzzles at a group of players when I’m running a game, but actually doing it has proven very challenging. Do players […]
I talk for a while about my recent trip to ConCarolinas and how it smashed my brain about with its many wonders and diversions. Silent movies, alcohol and writing panels galore! (Recorded earlier this week when I was still a bit punchy.) Download Music by Kevin MacLeod
I once again find myself trying to ski ahead of a deadline avalanche, so I didn’t have time to do a regular topic this week. So instead, here’s more audio from the vault! This is a faux commercial I came up with in broadcasting school to advertise a faux car. I hope it is to […]
When I try to come up for a name for a fictional person, place or thing, it can sometimes take me quite a while because I don’t want to choose a name that’s already taking up a big chunk of the public’s mental real estate. In this episode I have a bit of a ramble about […]
So, it seems I managed to utterly fail to prepare a topic this week, so here’s something from my audio archives: a monologue in which I try to sell you a DNA-altering protein drink. I hope it is to your liking! (DISCLAIMER: No basilisks, legendary or otherwise, were harmed in the making of this recording!) […]
For this blogcast’s 50th episode, I interview Stephen Hood, one of the creators of Storium, a new online storytelling game. It looks to be a project that will tickle the fancies of writers and gamers alike! It came to my attention when I saw huge numbers of writerfolk and gamerfolk from all over my social media talking about […]
I have a bit of a rant about the use of passwords in the modern age. Perhaps I’m too set in my ways or perhaps I’m just weary of all the wonderful hoops the information age requires us to jump through. Thankfully, this episode is NOT password protected. Yet. Download
Batman and Superman have recently had their 75th birthdays, along with DC Comics. I decided to ramble for a while about my experiences with those two characters in particular and the effects their stories seem to have – on me, at least. Download VIDEOS! It seems I’ve managed to embed […]
Here’s an update of stuff I’ve got going on in the writing and podcasting worlds! I recorded this last Sunday evening and for the last few days I’ve been scrambling about finishing up the current project you’ll hear me discuss in this episode. I also mentioned a few publications my work has recently shown up in. LINKS! In […]
Let’s have a little chat about negativity and why it’s not as great an idea as it seems. Download
Sorry about the delay in getting this one posted, folks. This week I’ve been doing the literary equivalent of trying to ski uphill during an avalanche. So I’ve been a wee bit more distracted than usual. This time I’ve decided to geek out about Deadlands, a Weird Western role playing game. I talk a bit […]
Time for a bit of a ramble about Star Wars and Star Trek, and how the two seem to have become each other. Over time, Star Wars has become more Star Trek-y and Star Trek has become more Star Wars-y. I wonder where it will lead? Download
Ever get that feeling like the clock in your head is speeding up and the seconds are ticking away faster and faster because you’re not working on something RIGHT NOW? I certainly do. Incidentally, if you’re curious about the awesome and entertaining Geologic Podcast, which I mention early on, it can be found at http://www.geologicpodcast.com/. […]
I’m fascinated with the way our brains fill in the gaps about people and things when we use social media. So I’ve decided to ramble about it for a bit. 🙂 Download
At a time that the concept of role-playing had mostly been thought to be the purview of actors and psychiatrists, some folks thought of a different application. No, not Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, but television producer Fred Friendly. The Fred Friendly Seminars got well-known experts together to discuss major issues of the day by […]
I ramble for a bit about how the people behind Doctor Who may not have changed as much as we might think at first. I also talk about why old Classic Who fans like myself shouldn’t worry so much about the differences between the old series and the new one. Even though we had a […]
I was snowed in for a while last week and got to look on as people went mad trying to deal with it. It was as strange as it was entertaining. Download
I am not dead! I just went to a party held by my author friend Kierce Sevren (check out her blog HERE) and it was DELIGHTFUL. Here’s a thing I recorded beforehand. It was horribly early in the morning and I think I must have been too close to the mic, so apologies for the […]
The multi-talented Starla Huchton and I have a rambly conversation about her Sci-Fi Romance novel NEMESIS, the New Adult category of fiction and what’s going on with genres in general. Starla’s web site with links to her current projects (writing, voice work and ALL THE THINGS) can be found HERE, and her book cover design […]
Fabled Environments is in the midst of a new Kickstarter campaign! This time their objective is to create a complete floor plan of a high school for use with tabletop RPGs. I talked to Charles White about the Kickstarter, the creation process and possible future projects. Check out the Kickstarter HERE. Download Music by Kevin […]
Victorian Chamber Metal band Valentine Wolfe are working on a collaborative project called “Once Upon a Midnight.” The project includes both an album and a graphic novel, each of which takes a look at the afterlife of Edgar Allen Poe, as interpreted through his stories and poems. The Kickstarter for this project can be found […]
Hey folks – things are changing! This is an audio-only update, so feel free to listen below or download the MP3 file to hear me ramble about what’s going on. Download
I’ve been on a crusade of late. Well, maybe “crusade” is too strong a word. “Quixotic Jaunt” might be a better description. The last few months I’ve been focusing a great deal of attention on getting my various projects done, or at least making significant progress on them. To that end, I’ve begun doing this […]
(The audio of this interview is available at the bottom of this post!) JR: Today I am talking to Charles White of Fabled Environments. Hello, sir! CW: How are you? JR: Good! How’s it going? CW: Not too bad, not too bad at all. JR: So first off, tell us a little bit about Fabled […]
(The audio of this interview is available at the bottom of this post!) JR: I am talking to Jenn from the Jennisodes. Hello! J: Hi! JR: So I see that you are in the midst of a Kickstarter. J: I am. The grueling part of a Kickstarter – right in the middle. JR: And this […]
(The audio of this interview is available at the bottom of this post!) JR: I am talking to author and game designer Matt Forbeck. Hello, sir! MF: How are you doing, Jim? JR: Good, good! Good to have you on here. MF: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it! JR: Of your many projects that […]
One day I found myself sitting in a movie theater watching something abysmal. I can’t remember what it was, exactly, but a moment of inspiration came to me as I found myself almost about to fall asleep for the thirteenth time. “You know what this movie could use?” I asked no one in particular. “Godzilla.” […]
(The audio of this interview is available at the bottom of this post!) JR: I am talking to Eloy Lasanta of Third Eye Games and we’re going to be talking about his game Part-Time Gods. Welcome, sir! EL: Hello everyone! JR: First off, for anyone who might not be familiar, tell us a little bit […]
As you may have noticed from the audio of the monologue at the end of my previous post, I’m a fan of caffeine. The problem, though, is that the further I creep into that thing which, for the sake of argument, we’ll call my thirties, I find that I’m becoming more a fan of the […]
Hey, folks! I’m making a little entry here to let you know that I have a book coming out and it has just gone into pre-order! The book is called Abduction Etiquette and it contains about 50 or so monologues that I wrote to perform at open mic nights at coffee houses and the like. […]
I’ve been playing a ridiculous amount of World of Warcraft lately. I’m sure if a cyber-cop pulled me over on the Information Superhighway and gave me a virtual breathalyzer test I’d be several points over the legal WoW limit. Why am I so captivated? What is it about this game that’s got me wondering if […]
I was going through the contents of an old disk and stumbled across some answering machine messages that I’d recorded and done some audio editing on back in the 90’s – sort of an early example of me playing around with audio from some of the earlier strata of my life. And I thought it […]
(The audio of this interview is available at the bottom of this post!) When I went to ConCarolinas this year I got a chance to sit down and talk to Joel Kinstle, VP of Pinnacle Entertainment Group, the makers of Deadlands and Savage Worlds. The interview was for one of the shows I do on […]
Download I think I’ve just figured out why Doctor Who is so important to me these days. I know, it’s shocking – a geek like myself being a fan of Doctor Who. I’ve been one since I was about seven years old. I’d been hearing for years about that odd, British, science fiction show […]
Hey, folks! Just wanted to let you know about a few things of mine that are seeing the light of day. A couple of my monologues were recently published in Main Street Rag, which is a local magazine. It’s the first time any of my monologues have seen print and I am very excited about […]
(The audio of this interview is available at the bottom of this post!) JR: Welcome to jimyesthatjim.com, the blog that continues to exist in spite of itself. For those who are listening or reading this I am online with Jennifer Hudock, who is the author of Goblin Market. The thing that I find most interesting […]
I’m about to get into a topic that might tick a few folks off. You see, this is going to be about something that is fairly commonly done on the internet (in fact, a number of my friends do it) but that I’m not too fond of myself. Just know that if you happen to […]
It’s time for everyone’s favorite game show, Living or Dead?! Here’s how the rules work: I’m going to name some celebrities and it’s up to you to tell me if they’re still living or if they’re dead! Ready? Here we go! Rodney Dangerfield (Answer: Dead. Though he may still be moving around a bit.) Andy […]
So, you might have noticed that I haven’t posted an entry in a little while. Don’t worry, folks. I still love you. I am not seeing other blogs behind your backs. But unfortunately I got buried under what I can only characterize as a Mountain of Year-End Work. And so, some of my ongoing projects […]
Here’s a little suggestion I have for writers of fantasy and horror: fairies should be terrifying. They are not your friends. They will not whisk you away to a wondrous magical land where you’ll never grow old and you can play happily in golden fields and under the lollipop trees for eternity. What they’re more […]
What with Christmahannukwanzaayuladanivus coming up, people have begun scrambling about like ants in a recently-stomped sandbox searching for original-looking gifts to buy. As it happens, I have a suggestion on that front. Not too long ago I got the opportunity to try out a very interesting game called Mad Scientist University. It’s been available from […]
I discovered the board game Talisman back in the 90’s, when it was just coming out with its 3rd edition. I had a bunch of friends – henceforth known as “pushers” – who initiated me into the ways of that game with its 2nd edition. We only played once or twice but that was enough […]
(The audio of this interview is available at the bottom of this post!) JR: Welcome to the experience that is Jim – Yes, THAT Jim, the blog that is constantly stumbling over itself trying to figure out what it is. JCH: I’m just glad I actually know who “that Jim” actually is now! JR: I’m […]
Howdy, partners. I expect some of y’all are curious about the art o’ Personal Brandin’. Step on up to the fire-pit and grab a hot iron, if you think you’re ready. It takes a brave one to do it, but once everybody sees that there emblem on you, the folks’ll flock to you like a […]
Hey, folks! Just in case anyone might still be wondering, no, I was NOT really hacked! That last blog entry was a promo. So, no need to worry about that! Just wanted to record a quick update and let you know that I shall be conspicuously absent for the next few days because I am […]
Something has been seriously bugging me lately. I’m not sure how long this has been going on, but have you noticed something peculiar that’s started to happen when they stick an animated character into a film? I thought I was imagining it at first, but after the most recent batch of summer blockbusters, I realized […]
So, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last month or so I’m sure you heard that Disney purchased Marvel Comics. For the most part this doesn’t bother me too much. These kinds of things happen all the time. I understand that Disney has many departments and isn’t necessarily the evil empire a […]
Here’s a question that comes up from time to time when I’m playing role-playing games. Is it better for your character to have a mechanical advantage on its character sheet or to have a non-mechanical advantage gained through role-playing with NPCs and interacting with the plot? I realize that with a question of that level […]
Whenever I talk about my own thought process, I feel as though I’m about to attempt an impossible task. After all, it’s not possible to talk about what a maze looks like from the outside when you’ve never been outside the maze, is it? It’s like trying to see the top of your own head […]
Do you do a lot of texting? E-mailing? Tweeting? Facebooking? Livejournaling? Other web-related things? I do a fair amount of all that and more and I freely admit that I make use of emoticons. You know, those little symbols people make out of their keystrokes to show that they’re smiling :), winking ;), frowning 😦 […]
The amount of vitriol being spewed all over the place over the most recent edition wars going on with Dungeons & Dragons – even more than a year after 4th Edition’s premier – is mind-boggling, but I try not to let it affect me. I’ve heard a lot of people say, “4th Edition ISN’T Dungeons […]
Okay, I know it’s been about a month since DragonCon, but I figured that since I actually DID get to go this year, it would be a good idea to talk about it. Back when I was living in Atlanta, DragonCon was something that I always tried to attend every year without fail. To be […]
Hello, my name is Jim and I’m a podaholic. “Hi, Jim!” I’ve been addicted to podcasts since some time in 2008. I’m not sure exactly when I started. It’s all become a kind of blur, really. I still remember that fateful day when that guy on the street corner waved an iPod at me and […]
“There’s a large group of people in the park all wearing black. They must be dangerous!” No, we’re not. We’re just playing a game. Thankfully, the stigma associated with live-action role playing looks to have diminished a bit over the years. I play in a Vampire: the Requiem LARP with about thirty to fifty people […]