GM box: Recent Episodes
Åsa Tornborg & Johan Winqvist
This is a podcast where one veteran game master and one green game master discuss the ins and outs of GM-ing. We give tips on how to be a better GM, or at least how to avoid some pitfalls. The focus isn't on one system of rules but rather general ideas.We are an inclusive podcast. Is means we're very LGBTQ+ friendly, have a feminist approach, speak out on issues such as racism, ableism, and more. If you're not on board with this, don't be an ass and move on to a more suitable podcast.
This episode we discuss how to balance different kinds of encounters to suit your players. And Åsa has some questions about her new campaign.
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A long while ago we went to a convention and played a lot of roleplaying games!
The complete notes for the mystery scenario, expanded to make sense to non-Vincent people:
Lady A — Murdered, along with a faked vampire bite. Secretly a Mummy and heavily controlled by her husband.
Lord A — Husband of Lady A. Secretly a Mummy who kept his wife and their daughter, AD, gaslit about his control. Suspects Mr B.
Mr B — Had an affair with Lady A and knows she was afraid of her husband. Suspects Lord A.
Mrs B — Medium. Suspected her husband's affair and was killed by Lord A when she discovered they were Mummies.
Valet V — Knows Lord A is abusive... and admires him for it. Suspects Lord A but tries to throw anyone else under the bus.
Maid M — Discovered Lady A's body. She has fallen in love with AD and suspects her of the murder, but will try to save her loved one.
AD — Daughter of Lord and Lady A. Secretly a Mummy. Has fallen in love with M and killed Lady A to run away and start a new life with M.
Each Mummy has an urn with their heart stashed away. Destroying the heart kills them.
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
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In this episode Åsa tries to know things on the subject about how stuff gets older.
Tiny topics: How different systems handles character death.
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We talk about making maps for all your possible needs. From tolls to needs, from single locations to whole cities and regions. And Johan gets passionate about rivers.
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We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
There are times when the game is interrupted for long periods of time. Maybe you needed a break, everyone was away for the summer, or there was a global pandemic preventing you from seeing each other in person. Whatever it was, you are now excited to get back to it... but how? We'll give you some tools and tricks that can help you back on track!
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We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
We are finally back! Pardon the long wait, and the sound quality of this episode, and the fact that we are a bit rusty. :P
We always say, "talk to your players", but sometimes that is easier said than done. In this episode we give you advice on how to do this without putting unnecesary strain on you or the player in question.
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We are having a bit of a summer break, but we'll soon be back!
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CW: death (big surprise)
In this episode we discuss how to deal with player character death, and how to use death as a storytelling tool.
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We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
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This episode we answer a few episodes from our listeners.
The book mentioned in the episode epiphany is "Les dîners de Gala" by Salvador Dalí". More examples of amazing/disturbing dishes are: frog creme, snail ragu and pheasant in port (sounds fairly tasty actually).
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
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This episode we reach out to our beloved players with a collection of advice to make your and your GM's gaming experience even better!
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We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
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A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting. Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Roleplaying is a fundamentally social endeavour, but speaking up can sometimes be difficult. As the GM you can help your players feel comfortable taking an active part. We give a few tips and tricks. Please share yours with us on our various platforms!
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
SUPPORT US
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting. Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Introducing a group of only new players is exciting but comes with its own challenges. We explore some of the things to keep in mind to make it fun rather than overwhelming. Tell us how you were introduced to the hobby at any of our social media!
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
SUPPORT US
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting. Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
In this episode we discuss how we approach learning a new roleplay system. We also get a visit from a very special guest.
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
SUPPORT US
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting: https://ko-fi.com/gmbox
Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
The protagonists your players portray usually need an antagonist to create the conflict and story. But what should you think about when trying to come up with one? We talk about what makes a villain believable and what you might want to include or avoid when creating them!
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
SUPPORT US
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting: https://ko-fi.com/gmbox
Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Describing an NPC can tell your players so much about them. Their status, their personality, the culture they live in, and even the resources available in the area. But what are those clues that will bring all of this together? Åsa gives us some basics that will help with everything from worldbuilding to introductions.
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
SUPPORT US
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting: https://ko-fi.com/gmbox
Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
The first of our Lore Dump episodes where we do a deep dive into a nerdy topic with a few ideas for how you can use it in a game or a game world. First up is occultism and astrology. Much history and a bunch of theory!
Please let us know if this is something you'd like more or if you want us to focus completely on gameplay. And Johan will be eager to answer any additional questions. Possibly too eager. You have been warned.
The podcast "Roll for Equality" can be found here: https://anchor.fm/kris-guthrie
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
We'd love to hear what you think and share our experiences.
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
SUPPORT US
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting: https://ko-fi.com/gmbox
Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
We talk about having strangers at your table as you start a campaign or for a one-shot. We include some improvising of our own as well!
JOIN US ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA!
Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegmbox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMbox2
SUPPORT US
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hosting: https://ko-fi.com/gmbox
Even a small tip is much appreciated.
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
We relied on experience more than preparation for this episode. But how to do that? We talk about various strategies that might help you be more confident when you haven't prepared.
Remember to join our Discord to talk about ideas: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
A good way to support us is through a small donation to our Ko-fi to help pay for the podcast hoasting: https://ko-fi.com/gmbox
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Running a mystery game requires a balance of challenging for your players and their characters, but also make them able to figure it out. We go through ten different ways to make this work in your roleplaying game.
Join the Discord and get mystery ideas amongst much else: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
The Three Clue Rule mentioned: https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule
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Today's episode (a bit late up, sorry about that) we have a guest from all the way from the other side of the apartment - Delphine!
We talk about what it's light to be very new to being a GM as well as how she handles playing online.
We'd love some insights into your experiences or questions over at https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
It is important that everyone feels comfortable playing, and that means talking about what is and isn't acceptable beforehand. We talk about what some of those things are and give our take on them—also, ramblings.
Talk about your what is a sensitive subject to you and give your perspective on relationships in-game at https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
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Out of ideas? Out of energy? You're not alone. We've all gone through it, but all is not lost. Join us to talk about ways you can get back into the game.
Talk about your experiences and find support over at https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Bit messy sound on this one, sorry! At some point, we might be able to invest in better equipment, but it is not this day.
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Make your horror stories actually feel scary. We talk about strategies for what to do and what not to do. We might not show you an actual monster, but we'll talk about why that would be a bad idea anyway.
Talk about your best horror stories and make terrifying friends over at https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
Players make our games the wonderful things that they are. But it can be tricky to balance a group and get it to play nicely with each other. We share our experiences and how we dealt with them as well as providing some general advice.
Join the community at https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
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In this episode we (or mostly Johan) ramble on about different game systems that we like, or would like to try out. This episode is a bit longer than the usual, so if you dont want to listen to everything the games mentioned are as follows:
2:24 Castle Falkenstein
7:15 GURPS
12:27 World of Darkness
19:56 Fate Core
25:00 Weave
28:50 Dark mysteries: Kult, Call of Cthulhu
32:06 Dread
34:13 Monster Hearts
36:47 Bonus: Tales from the Loop, Väsen/Vaesen, Mutant
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In this episode we discuss how you build upon an existing setting, fangirl over Matthew Mercer, tell you what we hide behind our gm-screens and take note on the importance of coffee. We elaborate a little bit on how you make your world interesting and give you another NPC to get inspired by.
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We discuss how to create NPCs. Åsa shares her less than structured method for conjuring up interesting characters and we discuss how we struggle to make our worlds more diverse. We make a few notes on voices and Johan shares a plot with a nice moral dilemma to torture players with.
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In this episode Johan rambles on about how to guide your players in the creation of their characters, in what character traits you might want to avoid and how to squeeze in characters in a group. We shower some love over Transhuman Space, find out Åsa cannot pronounce Timothy, and we show our political colours (it’s not orange).
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In this episode we try to guide you through the wobbly steps of writing your very first story (spoiler alert: you need a beginning and an end). We discuss how to get the story started and about deciding the style of your game. Åsa talks about a game she plans to run for her non gaming coworkers, and how she's writing that story, and how to adapt a game for completely new players.
Åsa's coworkers, please don't listen between 16:45 and 19:20 (at least not before we play our games).
We also discuss note-taking (or the lack thereof).
Feel free to join the Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Make sure to go to the #roles channel and show that you're a listener. That way you'll get updates whenever there's a new podcast and you'll be notified of any messages specific to us.
We are also on Twitter! https://twitter.com/GMbox2 Give us a follow and hear the latest news and share your views on the topics! And please let us know what you want us to discuss in upcoming episodes!
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)
In this episode, we introduce ourselves and talk generally about being a game master. We try to provide advice for any game or world.The sound got a bit unbalanced this episode - we'll try to remedy that in the next one!
Feel free to join the Discord: https://discord.gg/HpJchvk
Make sure to go to the #roles channel and show that you're a listener. That way you'll get updates whenever there's a new podcast and you'll be notified of any messages specific to us.
We are also on Twitter! https://twitter.com/GMbox2 Give us a follow and hear the latest news and share your views on the topics! And please let us know what you want us to discuss in upcoming episodes!
Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/gmbox)