Dicegeeks.com Tabletop RPG Show: Recent Episodes
Matt Davids
A tabletop role-playing game show where we learn to become better gamemasters and role-players by filling ourselves with stories and knowledge. We talk Dungeons and Dragons, film history, mythology, archaeology, literature, and much more.
The time has come to take a break from the podcast. In this special episode, I go over the reasons why I'm pressing pause on the podcast. The podcast may return in a new format, but at this moment I am not sure of its future. Thank you so much for listening. It has been an amazing three and a half years.
Listen to all 179 episodes on Spotify or at dicegeeks.com
Award-winning game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast. We cover three incredible situations you can use in your tabletop role-playing games. We begin with a princess turned cold war broadcaster. Then we take a look at a teenage king. We finish up the podcast with an examination of a peasant. All of these situations can be dropped into your DnD or other RPG campaigns today.
Director John Putch joins me on the podcast today. John's directorial work includes TV shows like Big Bad Beetleborgs, Grounded for Life, Scrubs, and more. Among his feature films are Mojave Phone Booth, The Father and the Bear, and many others. In the early years of his career, he was an actor and appeared in many TV shows and movies like One Day at a Time and Jaws 3. He had two notable appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He first portrayed Mordock in the episode Coming of Age. Then he portrayed Mendon in the second season episode Matter of Honor. His portrayal originated the alien species the Benzites. In the podcast, we discuss his experience on Star Trek and the extensive makeup process to make him a Benzite. We also talk about his career, Roger Corman, filmmaking, storytelling, and more. Do not miss this episode!
The founder of Kobold Press, Wolfgang Baur, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging discussion covering game mastering, game design, and much more. Wolfgang informs us how he discovered Dungeons and Dragons and gives us insight into Kobold Press. Don't miss this episode.
Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. Our continuing mission to break down Star Trek: The Next Generation reaches the final episode. We discuss seasons six and seven of this iconic TV show. Again our conversation is a stream-of-consciousness rant of all things Star Trek TNG. We choose our favorite episodes plus talk about some of our least favorite. Come along on this TNG exploration mission.
Honey Heist creator and RPG game designer, Grant Howitt, joins me on the podcast today. Grant fills us in on his experience with tabletop role-playing games. We talk about Honey Heist and some of the principles of RPG game design. Grant also gives incredible advice for anyone who wants to design tabletop role-playing games for a company. Do not miss it!
Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. The great Stra Trek: The Next Generation geek-out continues with season 5. Ryan and I stream of consciousness spill out our thoughts and ramblings on TNG season 5 which we both consider one of the strongest seasons. Join us!
Award-winning game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmer, returns to the podcast. In this episode, Tristan fills us in on how we can use boomtown choirs, ancient Rome in space, and a wedding to remember in our RPG campaigns. As always, Tristan pulls from history, folklore, and literature to help us add situations and complications to role-playing game campaigns. Don't miss it!
Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. The massive discussion of Star Trek: The Next Generation continues! Ryan and I keep discussing TNG and exploring stories and ideas we can use in tabletop role-playing games. We delve deep into season 4 and Ryan fills us in on my he thinks this is one of the weakest seasons. If you are a fan of Star Trek: TNG do not miss this episode!
Author and national security expert, Dr. Sean McFate, joins me on the podcast today. Sean is a former paratrooper and contractor as well as an author of fiction and non-fiction. We discuss what corporate warfare looks like today and what it will look like in 2040. We discuss cyberpunk and other elements of corporate warfare and how to weave those into your role-playing game campaigns. Don't miss this podcast episode.
Writer and long-time role-player, Ben Riggs, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss Ben's new book Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons. We open the conversation by talking about Ben's role-playing history. However, we quickly turn to his book about the history of Dungeons and Dragons. Ben fills us in on how DnD was created and how it became a household name in the early 80s. Then trouble creeps into fantasy land as the company switches hands. We move to the mid-90s when once again it seems like Dungeons and Dragons may die. Then the knight in shining armor appears in the form of Wizards of the Coast. The story is a rollercoaster and is sure to fascinate any fan of DnD and role-playing games in general.
Science fiction short story writer and neuroscientist, Benjamin C. Kinney, joins me on the podcast. We kick off the conversation by discussing Ben's many tabletop role-playing game adventures, from Dungeons and Dragons to Shadowrun. Then we move into writing science fiction. We touch on how his work as a neuroscientist informs his writing. Monkeys with microchips in their brains enter the conversation at one point. Plus, we learn how he took a Shadowrun character backstory and turned it into a science fiction short story.
RPG writer and game designer, Ryan Costello, joins me on the podcast to discuss his work on the G.I. Joe role-playing game. G.I. Joe, the action figures and cartoons, has been a staple of American culture for decades. Ryan takes us into his love of the Real American Hero and then fills us in on the G.I. Joe RPG. The conversation dives deep into the RPG system and Ryan breaks down player options and character types. Learn how you can fight Cobra, the world's most dangerous terrorists, with this role-playing game. Always remember that knowing is half the battle.
New York Times bestselling author and legendary RPG game designer, Matt Forbeck, returns to the podcast today. We have a lively discussion about many role-playing game topics. The conversation begins with advice for using GM screens and then turns to the Marvel RPG. Plus Matt gives out tons of game-master and dungeon-master advice along the way. Do not miss this episode!
RPG writer Ryan Schoon joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging discussion where we touch on a number of different role-playing game topics. We talk about splitting the party and Ryan shares his game master advice. Plus we talk about some of the many RPGs Ryan has written for and a lot more. Don't miss it!
Podcast host and RPG writer, Lucas Zellers, returns to the podcast. First, we discuss what he has learned from his podcast Making a Monster. Lucas shares his insights into monsters and morality from having discussed it with many RPG designers. Then we jump into Lucas' new project which is the Book of Extinction for Dungeons and Dragons 5E. We talk about how he came up with the idea of making a monster manual of extinct animals. We cover several examples of the creatures and how Lucas is creating exciting monsters for your TTRPG sessions. Don't miss it!
Traveller role-playing game designer Marc Miller joins me on the podcast today. We start at the beginning, and Marc lets us know how he first learned of tabletop role-playing games through Dungeons and Dragons. Then we explore the vast reaches of the Traveller role-playing game. The creation of the first science fiction RPG becomes clear as Marc helps understand his influences from science fiction literature. We talk about Traveller 5 and what the future holds. Plus, we discuss his novel Agent of the Imperium set within the world of Traveller. Don't miss this episode!
Award-winning game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast. We cover three incredible situations you can use in your tabletop role-playing games. There's a pirate king, a crazy shipwreck, and a festival gone wrong. We discuss how you can mine these historical events for your next RPG campaign. Don't miss it!
Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. Our continuing mission to break down Star Trek: The Next Generation reaches part two. This episode is the second half of the same conversation that began last week. Ryan and I now launch into the third season of TNG. Don't miss this episode as we dig deep to find situations for tabletop role-playing games.
Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. We begin our mission of breaking down Star Trek: The Next Generation. We both grew up with the TV show and love it. We look at seasons one and two for situations and concepts we can use in our RPG campaign. Join us for the geek out!
The Monster Professor makes a triumphant return to the podcast. We tackle movie monsters by considering the storytelling techniques in The Terminator and Jaws. The monster professor breakdowns the concept of the "hunter" that is usually present in horror movies. We dive deep into scenes and storytelling before we turn to board games. Josh is designing a new board game and he pulls back the curtain and shows us how he is creating rules.
Max Carr and Mikael Sebag, the creative force behind Hellguard: Curse of Caina, both join me on the podcast today. We dive into gamemaster advice and game design. The conversation is wide-ranging and then we focus on Hellguard.
Rest in Pieces and Dreamchaser designer Pete Petrusha joins me on the podcast today. We talk about game design, TTRPG rules, gamemastering, and much more. The conversation ranges from RPG history to RPG culture so you don't want to miss it.
Game designer Alvaro Cifuentes of Browy Games joins me on the podcast today. We discuss Alvaro's history of gaming and then we dive into his design work. Come along with us as we talk about tabletop RPGs and Alvaro's game Dice & Adventures.
The original designer of the first Call of Cthulhu RPG, Sandy Petersen, joins me on the podcast. We explore sandy's love of tabletop role-playing games and plumb the inky depths of the CoC RPG's origins. Sandy freely shares his knowledge of running Call of Cthulhu sessions and gives insights help to all game masters across all genres. It is a wide-ranging conversation that is to fascinate all lovers of RPGs. Don't miss it!
Dungeon master guru, The Major, returns to the podcast. We discuss the Major's rules of RPG world-building. He covers some common pitfalls DMs and GMs fall into while world-building for role-playing game campaigns. We talk about not wasting time, not creating things your players don't care about, and much more.
Writer and RPG designer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast once again. Tristan informs us of three historical topics we can use for inspiration in our RPG campaigns. In the Tangling With the Night Watch segment, we learn to take off our 21st-century glasses when thinking about town defense in pseudo-middle-age RPG settings. The Patrocles’ Caspian Exploration Fraud is all about exploration or not. How to use frauds and false maps in RPGs. Post-Pirate Politics in a Mughal Port creates a dynamic milieu for dungeon masters and game masters to thrust their characters into. This podcast episode is packed with RPG campaign ideas. Don't miss it!
Transmedia author and speaker Houston Howard returns to the podcast. We have a fascinating conversation about the misconceptions about tabletop role-playing game world-building. We survey a wide array of topics and points of how game masters and dungeon masters can world-build effectively and creatively. We cover examples from movies, TV shows, books, and more. Every game master needs to hear this conversation.
Roll20 Director of Licencing, Emily Floyd, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss the use of virtual tabletop platforms and how they aid role-playing game players. The pandemic's impact on Roll20 plays a large role in the conversation. Emily also lets us in on the future of Roll20 and where the platform is headed.
Tales of Xadia RPG lead designer, Cam Banks, joins me on the podcast today. We set the stage with a conversation about Cam's role-playing game history and how he became a game designer. We then dive into a deep discussion of the Tales of Xadia which is an RPG based on the Netflix show The Dragon Prince. Cam fills us in on the stand-out features of this exciting new tabletop RPG and the rich world of The Dragon Prince. Plus, Cam gives us a hardy helping game master advice along the way. Don't miss it!
Host of the Elder Sign podcast, Glenn Mc Dorman, returns to the podcast. In this episode, we analyze and explore a short story by the science fiction grandmaster Poul Anderson. The Valor of Cappen Varra is a fantasy story involving trolls, Viking-like warriors, and the cowardly bard who is Cappen Varra. We talk about the writing of the story and the main dilemma faced by Cappen. We have an extended conversation about how the character of Cappen Varra surely influenced the Bard Dungeons and Dragons class. we also touch on how dungeon masters could possibly mine the story for their RPG campaigns. Stay tuned!
Future war visionary and author, Dr. Sean McFate, joins me on the podcast today. Dr. McFate shares his expertise and paints a picture of where warfare is heading in the future. We discuss his novels and his nonfiction books and explore how game masters can use the ideas he is advancing in RPGs. We also learn Sean was a D&D player while growing up. Don't miss it!
Film historian and author Austin Trunick returns to the podcast with a treasure trove of knowledge. First, he fills us in on his latest RPG experiences by detailing how he is playing in a living RPG campaign. The campaign allows for people to drop in and out without disrupting the flow of the story. But then we dive into a deep discussion about his work as a film historian and author. We talk about his new book The Cannon Film Guide Volume II (1985-1987). The conversation covers Masters of the Universe (1987), The Delta Force (1986), and Cyborg (1989). Austin fills us in on history, trivia, and how these movies were made. Don't miss this episode!
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Game designer and novelist, Clinton J. Boomer, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging conversation about creating magic items for tabletop role-playing games and much more. We learn how Clinton won a contest that kicked off his RPG writing career. Plus we dive into his novel and what makes a good magic item. Don't miss it!
Writer and game designer Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast for a history stuffed episode for your RPG campaigns. We tackle three historical situations including a pirate mutiny, the siege of Cartagena, and ferryboat bandits. Tristan applies his historical knowledge and we tease out ways you can use these situations in your tabletop role-playing game campaigns. Plus we have a long conversation about using diseases and illnesses in RPG sessions by pulling examples from Star Trek episodes. If you want to up your tabletop RPG sessions, you don't want to miss this episode.
Call of Cthulhu Creative Director Mike Mason joins me on today's dicegeeks podcast. We have a fantastic conversation covering a breadth of topics. We discuss how CoC game masters can create a feeling of horror in their RPG sessions. We talk about Mike's career as an RPG game designer. We discuss all sorts of GM advice. Plus I nearly detail the podcast by singing the praises of the movie Jaws. Don't miss it!
Ironsworn: Starforged artist, Joshua Meehan, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss all things Ironsworn: Starforged. We talk about the game design, we talk about playing, and of course, we talk about Joshua's incredible artwork for the role-playing game. The conversation includes sci-fi influences and gamemastering. Don't miss it!
Author and role-player, Ryan Dalton, drops in on the podcast. We have a great conversation about writing, publishing, and tabletop RPGs. We dive deep into his books and how RPGs influenced his writing. Don't miss it!
My guest today is Russel Bartek from Venture Forth, a Dungeons and Dragons actual play podcast. Russel and I dive into D&D and our love for the game. We also talk about problems dungeon masters face and creative ways to solve them. We also discuss why Venture Forth stands out from the crowd of D&D actual play podcasts. Don't miss this episode!
The owner of Evil Genius Games, Dave Scott, joins me on the podcast today. We kick things off by talking about our love for Dungeons and Dragons. We then discuss Evil Genius Games' upcoming tabletop RPG called Everyday Heroes and how it draws inspiration from 80s action movies. Dave lets us know how the d20 Modern system was updated by creator Jeff Grubb to provide the best engine for Everyday Heroes. We jump into the deep end with a discussion of the 1979 film The Warriors and other action movies. Don't miss out!
RPG game Designer Brandon Gutowski joins me on the podcast today. We discuss his deck-building role-playing system called the C22 System. Science fiction heists and RPG game design also take center stage during this wide-ranging and informative conversation about role-playing games. Don't miss this incredible gaming interview.
Steve Morrison from the Errant Adventures RPG podcast joins me on the dicegeeks.com podcast. Steve and I have a wide-ranging conversation covering tabletop role-playing games, writing, podcasting, and more. We discuss his RPG podcast and explore Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Starforged, two solo RPGs designed by Shawn Tomkin. We also take time to talk about solo role-playing and Steve gives some tips on how to make solo play more fun.
Writer and RPG game designer Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast. We tackle historical situations you can use in your role-playing games and Dungeons and Dragons today. First, we touch on Montaillou a spy-infested anthill village that can give player characters major headaches. Then we move on to Olympic spirits from the Arbatel’s Grimoire. After that, we dive headlong into scholarly NPCs from Aubrey’s Lives. Take your RPG campaigns to the next level by using real history.
Brian from Snow Fight Studios joins me on the podcast. We jump headlong into our love of role-playing games. We talk about running games, our experiences playing, and we drop tons of GMing advice. We learn about Brian's miniature painting, artwork, and more of his RPG endeavors.
The dungeon master and a player from the Crit Like a Girl podcast join me on the dicegeeks podcast today. We dive into Dungeons and Dragons, running TTRPGs, and more. We discuss the Crit Like a Girl podcast, the setting, and the characters. Be sure to tune in to learn more about the podcast and experience our insights into Dungeons and Dragons.
The Monster Professor creeps onto the podcast once again. Join the Monster Professor and me on a wild ride through terrifying monsters and learn how to use them in your D&D and RPG campaigns. We tackle dinosaurs, those enigmatic beasts from earth's past. Why are they scary? Are they scary? Find out. Also, we explore monsters in fantasy realms vs. monsters from the star and science fiction. How are they different? Are they any different? Then we compare the classic monsters like the wolfman, the mummy to modern monsters like the shape and the terminator. Plus along the way, you'll get a heaping dose of b-movie trivia, jokes, and digressions into deep monster lore.
Entertainment lawyer and role-player, Charles Hildebrandt, joins me on the podcast today. We have a massively wide-ranging conversation from science fiction to role-playing games to film to copyright and trademark law. We learn his father was famed science fiction illustrator Tim Hildebrandt. Charles gives us insight into his RPG journey dropping some great game master advice along the way. Then we discuss legal issues small creators may face when publishing and creating role-playing games and other intellectual property.
Transmedia author and longtime role-player, Houston Howard, joins me on the podcast today. We have an outstanding conversation on a vast array of topics around role-playing, storytelling, and what small creators need to do. We learn Houston's RPG history includes the old West End Games Star Wars D6 system. We cover game master advice, advice for small publishers and writers, and how you can tell your idea is good. We dive into how television shows, filmmaking, and movies are changing. Plus we have a complete one hundred percent geek discussion on The Last Jedi.
Eric Koll, therapist and longtime role-player, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss RPGs, Dungeon and Dragons, and more. We talk about how he uses role-playing games in therapy. The conversation ranges from game master advice to many other topics and how tabletop role-playing games can help people deal with mental health issues.
Game designer and Rabbi, Menachem Cohen, pops in on the podcast today. We discuss work in using RPGs to help people heal and grow. We talk about game design, several games he has worked on, and tons of game master advice.
Narrative designer, Nick Jones, drops in on the podcast today. We discuss his work in crafting stories for video games and talk about story structure. Also, we delve into Nick's theories and ideas of using folkloric motifs in narrative design. Please join us for this fascinating conversation about stories, folklore, and more to learn how you can become a better game master and role player.
Game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmerman, joins me on the podcast once again. We always tackle incredible historical events that you can use in your RPG campaigns. The conversation today centers on the Glass Delusion, five borders towers, and Seaports. We dive into how to use these in your current role-playing games campaigns to add depth and engage your players more.
Ash Kain and Brandon Miller, the masterminds behind Promethium Books, drop in on the podcast today. We discuss our gaming histories and then dive into tabletop role-playing game design. We talk dice mechanics and Promethium Books' upcoming RPG projects.
Spelljammer creator and writer, Jeff Grubb, drops in on the podcast today. We talk about Jeff's career and how came to work at TSR. We discuss the classic setting of Spelljammer and its genesis. Plus, Jeff was also the lead designer on the Marvel Superheroes role-playing game. The Marvel Superheroes RPG was a very important game in my development as a game master and a role-player. Currently, Jeff works for Amazon developing video games.
Game designer and writer, Steve Kenson, joins me on the podcast today. Steve has designed and written a wide variety of tabletop role-players. He is the designer of Mutants and Masterminds as well as The Expanse RPG. He is also a staff writer for Green Ronin. We discuss running superhero RPGs and the popularity of superhero movies and TV shows. He gives some great strategies for superhero RPG game masters. We touch on the genesis of Mutants and Masterminds and his design work on The Expanse RPG. Don't miss this episode.
Two guests join the podcast today. Luke CJ Smith is a D&D adventure writer and Chris Sagovac is an artist and professor. We discuss the D&D adventures they create and release through Copper Hoard and the DMs Guild. We touch on their approaches to playing role-playing games. We dive into dungeon mastering and discuss character backstories. Plus we talk about delivering setting information to players with prophetic dreams.
RPG game designer, Jake Paul, joins me on the podcast today. We dive into the story of how Jake came to work for Parlor Gaming. We discuss the Tephra Steampunk RPG and some of Parlor's other RPGs. Also, Jake walks us through his game design philosophy and how he uses d12s and d20s. We talk about running RPGs and Jake shares his game master secrets.
Author and game master, Aron Jolley-Meers, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss tons of different ways game masters can tell better stories. If you are feeling stuck as a GM or your RPG campaigns are lacking a bit, then listen to this episode. We talk practical RPG GM advice and how Aron collected his gaming wisdom into a book called My Guide to RPG Storytelling.
Alex Aboud, the founder of Dragori Games, joins me on the podcast today to discuss the Tanares RPG campaign setting for Dungeons and Dragons 5e. Tanares recently kickstarted for more than two million dollars and features writers like Ed Greenwood and Bruce Nesmith. We talk about new character types, new classes, the fantasy world setting, modes of play, and more. Get ready to take D&D 5e into new realms with Tanares.
The Creator of the Tale of the Manticore actual podcast, Jon Cohen, returns to the podcast. We discuss his dark fantasy storytelling podcast. Plus we talk a lot about running solo RPGs as well as other game master tips you can use in your RPG campaigns. It is a lively conversation about all things role-playing games you do not want to miss.
Writer and game designer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast today. Tristan and I discuss three historical topics and situations you can use in your RPG campaigns right now. We tackle a Florentine feud, the genesis of the mysterious Piasa bird, and a scam colony in the South Seas. Tristan and I give you tips and scenarios for how you can work these topics into your role-playing game sessions and campaigns today.
Mark from the D4 on the Floor podcast joins m on the dicegeeks show today. We discuss his years of running Shadowrun and how to effectively run tabletop RPGs. He fills us in on the D4 on the Floor podcast and lets us know about its rich fantasy world using D&D. Any fan of TTRPGs will gain a lot from this conversation.
Patrick Kanouse returns to the podcast today to talk about running science fiction RPG campaigns. In the first interview, we learned Patrick has done a lot of sci-fi role-playing so this topic was right up his alley. We dive into the elements of what makes a great science fiction RPG campaign and Patrick drops some great gamemaster wisdom along the way. Also, we discuss his new RPG After: The Machines.
Writer and game designer, Richard Davis with Explorer's Guild Publishing, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging conversation touching on many areas of game master advice as Richard let's us in on how he runs RPG sessions. Also, we talk about Richard's Explorer's Guild Publishing and his RPG resources.
Filmmaker and author, John Walsh, returns to the podcast. Today we discuss his new book Escape from New York: The Official Story of the Film. We dive into the making of the classic John Carpenter film. John Walsh fills us in on fascinating behind-the-scenes information and sets the stage as to how Escape from New York was made. We talk about the special effects, the era of the late 70s and early 80s filmmaking, the countdown device, and much more.
RPG writer and streamer, Travis Legge, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging conversation touching on a variety of topics. Onyx Path Publishing, They Came from Beneath the Sea, the 1970s, nuclear war, and filmmaking are just a few of the topics we discuss. Along the way, we talk about running RPGs and writing for RPGs.
Today on the podcast, I welcome two guests: DJ Shewmaker and Kenny Moore with DragonSoul Dice. We talk about the liquid core role-playing game dice for which DragonSoul Dice is known. We discuss their look and how they roll. Plus, we dive into our current RPG campaigns and what characters we are playing right now. Also, we dive into the card game Magic a bit as well.
Brendan Lasalle, Goodman Games staff writer, joins me on the podcast today. Brendan lets us know how he began playing role-playing games with D&D and then quickly moved into playing other games. We discuss GMing and how players can improve how they play. Brendan fills us in on what Goodman Games is and what kind of RPGs they produce. We talk about Dungeon Crawl Classics and more. Also, Brendan is the designer of the game XCrawl and he lets us know how a new edition is in the works.
Forrest Harris, the owner of Knuckleduster Miniatures me on the podcast today. We discuss his miniature game Gunfighter's Ball and wargaming in general. We dive into the wild west and western films. Plus we dip into the weird west with orc outlaws and much more.
Austin Trunick, the author of The Cannon Film Guide, joins me on the podcast today. Cannon Films produced some of the greatest 80s action movies. The podcast discussion ranges from behind-the-scenes history of Cannon Films to specific movies like Invasion USA, Firewalker, Bloodsport, and more. We talk about how Cannon Films jumped on and helped fuel the ninja and breakdancing crazes of the 80s. Plus Austin used to play D&D and is now getting back into the hobby and we touch on an RPG campaign is he hoping to run.
Writer, game designer, and blogger, Tristan Zimmerman, returns the podcast today. As always, we examine several historical topics to learn how we can use them in our RPG campaigns. Tristan dissects a bizarre court-martial, African ruins, and the emissary to the Mongols. Learn how each of these situations can be used as fuel as we run role-playing game sessions and campaigns.
My guest today is game master and Obsidian Portal emissary, Zac Harrison. We have a wide-ranging conversation touching on a variety of role-playing game topics. We discuss running RPG campaigns with low or no-prep. Other topics include: game master tips and tricks, paid GMing, and more. Plus we talk about organizing your RPG campaigns in Obsidian Portal
Writer and editor, Jonathan Oliver, joins me on the podcast today. The conversation spans writing, editing, publishing, and Jon's love of RPGs. We cover what editors are looking for and the trend of self-publishing. Plus Jon was the editor of my novel The Spaceport Gambit, so we discuss it a bit.
Comicbook writer Josh Barbeau returns to the podcast. The discussion is a deep dive into story hooks and RPG campaign hooks. We talk about how to give your players or readers questions that will carry them through the story. We draw examples from comic books, movies, role-playing games, and more.
CinnamonRoll Studios CEO Je'Don Carter joins me on the show today. We talk about his new virtual reality role-playing game tool that gives traditional tabletop games a VR environment. Plus, we discuss his introduction to Dungeons & Dragons and his first experiences DMing.
Long-time gamer, retired Air Force pilot, and game designer, Joel "The Major" Burt, visits the podcast today. Our conversation spans his introduction to RPGs, D&D, and more. However, the main focus of the discussion is his three rules to be a great dungeon master. We explore his rules and delve deep into what it means to be a truly great dungeon master.
DriveThruRPG's Indie Publisher Representative Adriel Wilson joins me on the podcast today. We talk about the do's and don't of publishing role-playing games on DriveThruRPG. The conversation begins by discussing tips and advice for those new to publishing. Then it moves into more advanced tips for experienced RPG publishers. Topics touched on include stock art, social media, software tips, and more.
Today, my guest is Peter Corless, a game designer who worked for West End Games and once owned the Pendragon RPG. In our conversation, we discuss his work on the Paranoia RPG and how he drew the map of the Millennium Falcon map for the WEG Star Wars RPG. We talk about Pendragon and what sets it apart from other role-playing games.
Writer and game designer Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast once again. Today's history topics include a murderous mail robbery in France, a Ming Dynasty invasion fleet, and the Pilgrimage of the Dead. Tristan covers these real events and then we break them down showing ways you can use them in your RPG campaigns. This episode provides a wealth of ideas and situations gamemasters can use in their games tonight. Murder, hasty trials, foreign conquering fleets, special wine, and vision of the dead... Don't miss it!
Keith Ammann, the author of The Monsters Know What They're Doing: Combat Tactics for Dungeon Masters, joins me on the podcast today. The conversation kicks off with Keith telling how he was introduced to TTRPGs and how he played D&D. We discuss how important it is to understand what NPCs in the game world know because that determines how they act. We talk about the combat tactics of D&D monsters and dive deep into goblins, kobolds, and more. Plus we talk about Keith's other D&D books, and much more.
Archeologist Scott Smallwood returns to the podcast to discuss treasure hunting and looting in real life and in role-playing games. His perspective as an archeologist is thought-provoking and insightful. We also check in on his RPG design projects and end up talking about ancient Norse rap battles.
RPG designer and writer, Shawn Merwin, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss Shawn's history with role-playing games and how he began writing RPG adventures. We talk about his work on the Acquisitions Incorporated sourcebook for D&D 5e. Plus we talk about his current work with Ghost Fire Gaming and, of course, he drops role-playing wisdom and advice along the way.
Ryan McHargue, co-host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, joins me today on the show. We discuss what not to do when GMing and other role-playing game advice and tips. We talk about creating planets for Star Wars and Star Trek RPGs, FASA Star Trek, and Ryan's work with his RPG podcast. Plus we go on a rant about Star Trek 2 and 3 as well as take a detour through the feature film directorial career of Leonard Nimoy.
Tales from the Magician's Skull magazine editor and author Howard Andrew Jones returns to the podcast. In the discussion, we define the sword and sorcery genre. We cover the submission guidelines for Tales from the Magician's Skull magazine and Howard tells us feelings about dwarf and elf detective stories. Howard enlightens us as to why stories shouldn't include whiny characters when writing. We also talk about why simply writing up our RPG campaigns usually does not work as short stories. Plus, we talk about Howard's new novel released in August 2021 called When the Goddess Wakes.
Game designer Luke Miller joins me on the podcast today. We talk gamemaster advice, writing, and running solo tabletop role-playing games. The discussion kicks off with how Luke was introduced to tabletop RPGs and how he became a dungeon master. Then we talk about his new adventure in creating a solo RPG called Journey.
Gamemaster and game designer Guy Sclanders joined me on the podcast. Guy runs the How to be a Great Gamemaster YouTube Channel where posts incredible GM advice. In our discussion today, we touch on various aspects of running tabletop RPGs and Guy gives excellent advice on how to up your game. We also talk about his new diceless TTRPG called Bounty Hunter.
Director, producer, and author, James L. Conway, joins me on the show today. We discuss his television directing career including shows like MacGyver, Star Trek: TNG, Star Trek: ENT, Smallville, Charmed, The Magicians, and many more. I ask James about storytelling, directing, writing, and more. We talk about his time working on various Star Trek shows and how he was a fan of the original series. The discussion ranges from his television work into novel writing, and more.
Role-player and audiobook narrator Zac Katz-Stein joins me on the podcast today. The discussion ranges from dungeon master advice to playing your character to cutting down your GM prep time. We dive deep into tips and tricks that can help tabletop RPG gamemasters. Also, we touch on how Zac began playing RPGs and his work as an audiobook narrator.
RPG adventure designer and novelist Beth Ball drops in on the podcast today. Beth and I have a wide-ranging conversation discussing playing role-playing games with one gamemaster and one player, sometimes called one-on-one or duet play. We talk about strategies for effective one-on-one role-playing. We touch on the dreaded gamemaster player character (GMPC) and how it can be used correctly in duet RPGs. Beth gives us insights into writing and designing D&D duet adventures. Plus Beth and I dive into novel writing and discuss our experiences and processes of writing our books.
Writer and game designer Tristan Zimmerman joins me once again to take real history and work it into our RPG campaigns. We discuss a Hungarian crown heist, fated rulers in Africa, and a monk with an awesome name. The conversation ranges from an overview of these topics to taking bits of them and working them into your existing tabletop games. Get ready for an action-packed episode with tons of situations that will enhance your role-playing games.
Feature film director Sam Firstenburg visits the podcast today. His most famous films include American Ninja, American Ninja II, Ninja III: The Domination, Avenging Force, and Revenge of the Ninja. We discuss American Ninja and Ninja III at length and Sam shares many stories about making them. Also, we delve into Sam's career working for Cannon Films, one of the great independent film production companies in the 1980s. The conversation ranges into what makes a great movie, directing actors, how the movie industry has changed over the years, and more.
Satine Phoenix and Jamison Stone join me on the podcast to discuss Sirens: Battle of the Bards. The new D&D 5e campaign centered around Bards and their wonderous exploits is set in the magnificent city of Salvata. Sirens: Battle of the Bards is currently on Kickstarter. We also talk about how D&D became part of our lives and how online streaming has grown the popularity of TTRPGs. Plus Satine gives her thoughts on celebrities playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Former editor in chief of Worldbuilding Magazine and lead game designer for Smunchy Games, Adam Bassett, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss different aspects of worldbuilding and delve into Adam's work on card games
Co-designer of 13th Age and lead designer D&D 4e Rob Heinsoo is my guest on the podcast today. We dive into Rob's history with RPGs and how playing them has evolved over the years. The discussion ranges into Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition and Rob's thought process in the design. We also talk about the 13th Age RPG and the problems it was designed to solve in D20 fantasy gaming. Plus we touch on the future of gaming and streaming and Rob's upcoming projects.
RPG streamer and writer Anthony Carlson is today's guest on the podcast. We discuss Anthony's beginnings as a role-player and his interest in tabletop RPGs. With the increase in streaming content, we talk about what it takes to be a good player while streaming. Anthony also fills us in on The Ascended, the RPG actual play streaming game of which he is a member of the cast. He also sings the praises of and explains why Savage Worlds is one of the best role-playing systems for streaming.
Matt Jowett, Free League Publishing Twitch Director, joins me on the podcast. We discuss streaming tabletop role-playing games and Matt's position as a Twitch Director. Matt gives us some great tips for gamemastering streaming RPGs. Plus we discuss Free League Publishing games and how you can watch his streams.
The designers of Battlelords of the 23rd Century TTRPG join me on the podcast. Anthony Oliveira, David Soruco, Kurt Willis, and I have a great chat about the role-playing game, its history, design, the skill system, skill advancement, and more. We discuss our role-playing backgrounds and upcoming sourcebooks for Battlelords of the 23rd Century.
Podcast host, writer, and RPG designer, Mike Shea visits the Dicegeeks.com podcast today. Mike is the author behind The Lazy Dungeon Master and The Return of the Dungeon Master. Plus he runs the website SlyFlorish.com. We discuss DM advice, good D&D 5e boss fights, and his new book Fantastic Lairs.
The Monster Professor returns again! Josh Woods, author, professor, and monster expert, and I talk monster archetypes which leads us from vampires and werewolves to the Borg to the ancient heart of chaos itself. We also delve into Typhon, the god and father of monsters in Greek mythology, and the golem. This is a wide-ranging discussion touching on myth, AI, Star Trek, and more.
Tristian Zimmerman returns to the podcast to discuss the rose-realm of the king of giants and dwarves, supernatural lion men assassins, and the eternal war between elephants and dragons. We take a look at these topics and examine ways you can work them into your RPG campaigns. If you are running an RPG campaign this episode will give you tons of ideas you can add to it today.
Game designer Ty Rucker and I continue our post-apocalyptic movie geek out. We finally reach the 21st century and discuss movies from the 2000s to almost the present day. We discuss some lesser-known films of the genre as well as heavy hitters like Mad Max: Fury Road, The Book of Eli, and more.
RPG YouTuber Anto Cerrato is today's guest on the Dicegeeks podcast. Anto shares his expertise running D&D campaigns and sessions. We also talk about world-building and how to prep for RPG sessions. And if that wasn't enough, Anto creates DM advice videos and RPG products. If you want to be a better dungeon master, you had better listen.
DMs Guild creator and game designer Matthew Whitby pops in on in the podcast. In addition to being a creator on the DMs Guild, Matthew is also working towards a Ph.D. in game design. Matthew enlightens us all to the "door problem" in D&D and other TTRPGs. We dive into game design and cross into some philosophical territory as well. Matthew gives us his best GM tips and tells us about publishing on the DMs Guild. Plus we talk about his RPG interview show on YouTube called the Dungeon Master's Guild House.
RPG designer Kevin Kulp joins me on the podcast today. We discuss gamemaster advice and the best tips Kevin has to offer on running RPGs. Kevin and I talk about his RPG Timewatch and he gives a tremendous overview of Swords of the Serpentine. Plus I derail the podcast by asking Kevin how he is spending pandemic lockdown. Since he is watching giant shark movies I become overly fascinated. I love watching shark movies and it is not too often I get to ramble about them.
Game designer Randy Angle drops in on the podcast. We discuss video game design and RPG game design. Randy's long career in game design provides ample stories and great information about RPGs, gamemastering, and more. Randy also shares how his Star Trek video game influenced the TV show.
Podcast host, writer Glenn McDorman joins me on the podcast today. We discuss how speculative fiction makes us better RPG gamemasters and people. Plus, we talk about his many podcasts: The Gene Wolfe Literary Podcast, Elder Sign: A Weird Fiction Podcast, Lower Decks: A Star Trek Podcast, Hanging Out With the Dream King: A Neil Gaiman Podcast, and Atoz: A Speculative Fiction Book Club Podcast. It is a lively discussion covering classic works of fiction and Star Trek.
Raised on D&D podcast host, Nick Cardarelli joins me for a discussion of playing D&D with your kids. We talk about gamemaster advice when running RPGs with kids. We talk about why gaming with your kids can be very important for creating memories and connections. Nick offers his advice for handling violence when playing with kids and some recommendations for kid-friendly tabletop RPGs.
Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast to discuss how to use real history in your tabletop role-playing game campaigns. We talk about The Year Without a Summer when a volcano changed the climate of nearly the entire world. We tackle castles and seek to make them fun again. Then we discuss gaming in Peter Pan's Neverland.
Starfinder developer Jason Tondro drops in on the podcast today. The discussion ranges from gamemaster advice to poor heroes and rich heroes in tabletop role-playing games and movies. We also talk about the Starfinder Adventure Path Fly Free or Die and how working-class heroes tackle space adventures.
Ty Rucker from Crypt Monkey Games returns as we explore the wasteland once again. Our post-apocalyptic movie geek out continues from 1987. We cover obscure movies and popular ones, but all of them deal with the end of the world. The Blood of Heroes created a sport called Jugger. Escape from L.A. gave us Kurt Russel and Peter Fonda surfing a tsunami. Robot Jox was giant mech before giant mech was cool. The Postman was almost a work of complete genius. These movies expose us to stories and situations we can use in our tabletop role-playing game campaigns.
Keith R. A. DeCandido is the author of more than 50 novels. He has written for series like Star Trek, Stargate, Farscape, Andromeda, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and more. Keith joins me on the podcast today to discuss writing, storytelling, our favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes, and more. Also, we touch on his experience with D&D and his career as a writer.
The host of the Making a Monster podcast Lucas Zellers joins me on the podcast today. We discuss his monster's first approach to running tabletop role-playing games. We learn how Lucas began playing D&D and we get into his ideas for running one-shot adventures. We delve into monsters and why as humans we are fascinated with them. Plus, we talk about Lucas' D&D adventure he published on the DMs Guild.
Cat Tobin, co-owner and CEO of Pelgrane Press, returns to the podcast. We discuss the future of tabletop role-playing games as an industry and as a hobby. The conversation delves into the phenomenon of watching people play TTRPGs online. Cat also lets us know how Pelgrane Press is handling the changing nature of the RPG hobby and what new RPGs they are releasing soon.
New York Times bestselling author Philip Athans visits the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging discussion that includes Phil's career, his time editing and writing D&D novels, how he began playing Dungeons and Dragons, gamemaster advice, writing monsters in RPGs and fiction, the history of TSR and Wizards of the Coast, Lovecraft's fiction, and what monsters mean. The conversation also touches on Jaws, Aliens, and how those movies handle monsters.
Chris O'Neill from 9th Level Games joins me on the podcast today. We discuss Chris' history playing tabletop RPGs and the various games he has played. The conversation moves into 9th Level's RPGs and his preferences in RPG design. Chris gives us some excellent gamemaster advice and we talk about unchanging heroes.
Archeologist and tabletop role-playing game designer Scott Smallwood joins me on the podcast today. We learn about Scott's history with TTRPGS as well as his day job as an archeologist. We discuss how cultural respect informs his RPG adventure design and why he doesn't like the term "race." The conversation covers a variety of RPGs and Scott's own The Matter of Elbe RPG. He also shares his advice for gamemasters, which involves reactive GMing and more.
Megaliths, Icelandic beasts, and David Alroy with Tristan Zimmerman. Tristan from Molten Sulfur Blog joins me on the podcast again to discuss a range of topics. We dive into Stonehenge and other stone circles and how to use them in your tabletop RPG campaigns. If that wasn't enough, we cover Icelandic beasts and a false messiah and how to work them into your RPGs.
The Dungeon Coach drops in on the podcast today to dish out dungeon master advice. The Dungeon Coach is a YouTuber who creates helpful D&D videos. We talk running D&D campaigns and our best pieces of advice for DMs. We touch on a variety of topics all geared to crafting better Dungeons and Dragons sessions.
Jesse Covner and Patrick Chandler from the Sons of Singularity join me on the podcast to discuss the Journal d'Indochine, a new Call of Cthulhu RPG campaign. The Journal d'Indochine takes place in 1925-1954 French Indochina and explores the horrors of reality and beyond. We learn about Jesse and Patrick's backgrounds, their histories with Tabletop RPGs, and more.
Christoffer Sevaldsen the designer of the Black Void tabletop role-playing game joins me on the podcast. We discuss the unique setting and the system of Black Void. Also, we touch on why it is important for gamemasters to improvise plus other GM advice.
Role-playing game designer Dan Cross drops in on the podcast to talk about his latest creation, the Jordenheim RPG. Along the way, we learn about Dan's game design philosophy, that he worked with Gary Gygax, and how he began playing tabletop RPGs. Also, he tells us about W.R.K.S. Games, the company producing the Jordenheim RPG.
Tabletop RPG podcaster Jon Cohen joins me today to discuss his podcast the Tale of the Manticore. The conversation ranges from discussing how he began playing D&D to why there are so many D&D comedy podcasts. Plus we talk about actual play podcasts in general.
Post-Apocalyptic movie geek out! Check your fuel gauge, load your shotgun, put on your leather pants. Game designer and movie buff Ty Rucker joins me on the podcast to discuss classic end-of-the-world movies. We start in 1955 and work our way up to 1987. The movies take from Roger Corman to Vincent Price to Charlton Heston to George Miller and more. Needless to say, we will need a part 2 to cover more of our favorite PA movies.
TTRPG writer and novelist Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan joins me on the podcast today. We discuss his career as a tabletop role-playing game designer, playtesting RPGs, and some of his work for RPG publisher Pelgrane Press. Also, we talk about his novel The Gutter Prayer and touch on his writing process.
The hosts of the Drive Back the Night podcast Ethan Maestri and Ryan Mazzocco join me on the Dicegeeks.com podcast today. We discuss our appreciation for the TV show Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. We talk about the premise of Andromeda and the main characters as well as share our favorite episodes. Ryan and Ethan also tell us about their podcast and how they are reviewing every episode of Andromeda.
Tabletop RPG designer and writer Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast to talk history and role-playing games. We dive into an outlaw swamp in Texas, witness palace intrigue in medieval Mali, and see what destruction the mythical dragon hoard from the Völsunga saga has wrought. We examine these topics and breakdown how they can make your RPG campaigns richer and fuller.
Author, journalist and television writer Ethlie Ann Vare joins me on the podcast today. We discuss her career writing for TV shows like Earth: Final Conflict, Beastmaster, Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, and more. Ethlie tells us what makes a great story and how TV episodes come together in the writing room. She shares some excellent bits of trivia for Andromeda fans like why Tyr wears chainmail and how the studio pressure affected the show. Also, she tells us what the difference is between a Star Trek hero and a Star Wars hero.
Award-winning tabletop RPG game designer and podcaster, Robin D. Laws was kind enough to visit the Dicegeeks podcast today. We discuss his career, several of RPGs as well as some advice for gamemasters. Also, I ask Robin about the Gumshoe RPG system, Ashen Stars, and the Yellow King RPG. Robin is the co-host of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast. Plus he is the designer behind Hillfolk, Gumshoe, and the author of Hamlet's Hit Points.
Writer, game designer, and illustrator, Dennis Detwiller, joins me on the podcast today. Dennis is known for his work on Magic: The Gathering, Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game, and numerous video games. We discuss his career, game design, Delta Green, and gamemaster advice.
Marc Morrell and Greg Tyler are the hosts of Let's Voltron, the official Voltron podcast. Marc and Greg join me to discuss the history and impact of Voltron. We have a wide-ranging conversation that covers the origins of Voltron, the production of the various TV shows, the Let's Voltron podcast, toys based on the characters, and more.
TV writer and novelist Robert Hewitt Wolfe joins me on the podcast today. We discuss writing for TV, working in the TV industry, Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. Plus we learn Robert has played Dungeons and Dragons and RuneQuest since he was a teenager. Robert Hewitt Wolfe began his television career by writing "A Fistful of Datas" for Star Trek: The Next Generation. He went on to be a writer and producer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Since then he has created or written for many TV shows including Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, The Dresden Files, Elementary, The 4400, and more. He is also the author of Billy Smith and the Goblins a YA fantasy novel series.
Writer and game designer Jason Brick drops in on the podcast to discuss running tabletop role-playing games. Jason has written for RPGs like Conan, John Carter of Mars, Dishonored, and more. We cover a variety of topics and drop GM tips and tricks along the way. If you want to level up your gamemastering, this is the episode for you. Plus Jason tells us why we need our own "awesome guy" when preparing to run an RPG session.
Patrick Kanouse is a longtime gamemaster and novelist. He joins me on the podcast to discuss running tabletop role-playing games. We discover Patrick began playing RPGs with Traveller. He stuck with science fiction and only recently moved into Dungeons and Dragons. In addition to gamemaster advice, we discuss his mystery novel series and self-publishing.
Tabletop RPG writer and blogger Tristan Zimmerman joins me once again on the podcast to discuss how to use historical events in your role-playing games. In this episode, we talk about the West African gold trade, Sir John Mandeville's wild travels, and his description of the pygmies' war with the cranes. Plus we touch on running long journeys and a story of shipwrecked Russian sailors.
RPG designer and writer, Bill Slavicsek, joins me on the podcast today. Bill is the Lead Writer on the Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG and has extensive RPG industry credits including D&D 3rd and 4th edition, d20 Modern, the Dark Sun setting, and more. In the podcast, we discuss his work on the West End Stars Wars role-playing game which is one of my all-time favorite games. I learned he created the term "Twi'Lek" in the Star war universe. We also talk about his work on D&D, and Elder Scrolls Online.
Role-playing game designer and Saturday Morning Scenarios founder Matt Corley joins me on the podcast today. We discuss his career as a writer and creator of RPG adventures and campaigns. Plus we talk about what makes a good RPG encounter and his new horror 5e campaign Horror in the Windy City.
The Monster Professor returns to the podcast for the third time. We start our wide-ranging conversation with infectious monsters then talk about lake monsters. We veer into D&D territory to discuss Owlbears and Beholders. Along the way, we touch on vampires, zombies, 80's movies, Godzilla, and more.
Author of Play Unsafe and designer of Cthulhu Dark, Graham Walmsley, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss his books and his role-playing games as well as his gamemaster advice for running tabletop role-playing games.
Adron Buske, the host of the FICTITIOUS podcast, returns to the show to discuss becoming a better gamemaster by studying stories. We talk about creating compelling villains, plot points, story structure, plus share tips for playing online. We share stories from our role-playing game campaigns, movie references, and much more.
Graeme Davis is one of the original designers of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay as well as a designer of Kingdoms of Camelot: Battle for the North video game. On the podcast, we discuss his career, WFRP, and we sprinkle in some gamemaster advice. Plus we talk about low fantasy vs. high fantasy and more.
Dr. Michael Drout is a professor of English as well as a leading Tolkien scholar. In our conversation on the podcast, we discuss common misconceptions about The Lord of Rings as well as ancient texts that influenced Tolkien's writing. At first, we talk about Dr. Drout's career and his interest in LotR from an early age. Plus we touch on the fact that he played D&D and a number of other topics.
Darren Pearce was kind enough to join me on the Dicegeeks podcast today. He is a writer and game designer with lots of experience in the tabletop RPG industry. Some of his game design credits include Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD, the Doctor Who RPG, as well as Shaintar from Savage Mojo. We discuss his career writing for RPGs. Plus we talk about why gamemasters should improvise more among other topics.
My guest today is Matt Wilson the founder and Chief Creative Officer of Privateer Press, a miniatures game company. We discuss his career including a couple of tours at Wizards of the Coast. We discuss the state of the gaming industry as well as self-publishing. Matt describes the Iron Kingdoms and War Machine some of Privateer Press's games. Plus Warcaster the new game the was fully funded on Kickstarter within minutes.
James Introcaso is a tabletop role-playing game designer for D&D and the host of the Table Top Babble podcast. He has worked on Eberron: Rising from the Last War, Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Waterdeep Dragon Heist, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, and more. He is also a prolific contributor to numerous adventures on the DMs Guild. On today's podcast, we discuss James' career, what it is like to write for D&D, and dungeon master bad habits.
Novelist and podcaster Van Allen Plexico joins me on the podcast today to discuss his novels and writing. We touch on a variety of subjects from self-publishing to why the superhero genre is so popular. Van gives us insight into his novels Lucian and Sentinels. In addition to writing novels, Van has several podcasts two of which are White Rocket Podcast and On Her Majesty’s Secret Podcast.
Want gamemaster and player advice for tabletop RPGs? Well, Nate from WASD20 joins me on the show today to talk about those topics. We learn how Nate started playing role-playing games as well as producing videos about them. We touch on how to jump into being a dungeon master. Plus how you can up your game as a player.
Author, critic, speaker, and D&D player Ethan Gilsdorf joins me on the podcast to discuss the question of whether or not Dungeons and Dragons is good for you. We share stories of growing up playing D&D and its benefits. The conversation crosses into D&D's resurgence in popularity and the factors that have played into it.
Prolific film and TV director David Winning joins me on the podcast to discuss his career, filmmaking, and TV industry. David has directed episodes of Earth: Final Conflict, Gene Roddenberry's Andromedia, Stargate Atlantis, Van Helsing as well as many feature films and movies of the week.
We learn David's love of the original Star Trek inspired him to become a filmmaker. He shares how he skipped film school in favor of making his own feature film and how that propelled his career. David gives us some insight into directing and how television shows are shot. He even gives us a few movie recommendations.
Today I interview Chris van der Linden the founder of the tabletop RPG publisher LoreSmyth. Chris and I discuss his book Remarkable Inns & Their Drinks as well as his Dungeon Discoveries Cards. We talk gamemaster advice and publishing tabletop role-playing games.
Game designer Jason Carruth drops in to talk about his new cyberpunk tabletop role-playing Dystopia 23. We discuss the rules system, character creation options, cybernetic implants, and the setting. We learn that Jason likes big, crunchy RPGs filled with outstanding details.
Artist Brent Chumley joins me on the Dicegeek.com Tabletop RPG Show this week. We discuss his career creating art for role-playing games and card games like Shadowrun and Legend of the Five Rings. We also get into his process and what it is like to be a working artist in the RPG industry.
John Scott Tynes (co-creator of Delta Green) stops by the podcast to talk about running investigative RPG sessions, his career in the gaming industry, and his new sourcebook Delta Green: The Labyrinth. John is currently the Design Director of Digital Games at Wizards of the Coast and has worked for Microsoft creating video games in addition to his extensive work on tabletop role-playing games like Unknown Armies, Delta Green, Puppetland, and many more.
Spaceships and Starwyrms is a 5E supplement that takes the D&D OGL into a whole other galaxy. Ben Quiggins the co-designer stops by the podcast to share the details on Spaceships and Starwyrms. We delve into the character and class options, the original setting, playable races, plus we discuss influences on the creation of the supplement.