What Is Roleplay?: Recent Episodes
Beyond Cataclysm
Welcome to What is Roleplay: a podcast from Beyond Cataclysm exploring the very basics of Roleplay, Role Play Games, and what it means to be part of this awesome hobby.
We will be exploring the nuts and bolts of how to play role play, with each episode themed on a particular concept or idea. Even if you know literally nothing about role play games currently, this podcast is at a level that assumes no prior knowledge.
We will have interviews with leading designers from the indie scene, and take a look into games you may have heard of, and others you haven’t heard of, but should.
Each episode ends with some short live-play examples too, to put flesh on the bones we've laid out earlier on.
Welcome to Episode 18.5 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Samuel Poots for a special Narrative Worldbuilding Actual Play
- This is a follow up to Episode 18, where Samuel unpacked the idea of Narrative Worldbuilding. Stream here
- Worldbuilding is an important cornerstone of all writing and especially important when writing roleplay games – the process of designing an environment for the story or the game you are creating.
- Samuel & CM Lowry work together to build a sci-fi world in which anthropomorphic badgers have cybernetic arms that are owned by private corporations.
- Samuel uses the following touch points to flesh out this world:
- Environment – What are the environmental challenges, what is the climate like etc.
- Culture – How do people respond to this environment? What do they bring to this space and how has this environment shaped them?
- Friction Points – What are the politics of the people within the culture, how is this not a monoculture
- Details of Intrigue – The granular details – items, specific NPCs, historical events that have shaped the world
- Listen as Samuel & CM establish the setting, factions and storyline for our renegade lumberjack badger who lives in the air vents of a corporate owned orbiter that travels from planetoid to planetoid, stripping them of all valuable resources. Rebel and fight back against the evil Galactic Union … and don’t forget your data-slate!
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- Jim Henson’s Labyrinth The Adventure Game
- Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
- Mutant: Year Zero – Ad Astra Expansion
- Blades in the Dark
- Wanderhome
Books, Authors, Etc.
- Repo! The Genetic Opera
- The Forest Moon of Endor (Star Wars)
- Deep Space Nine (Star Trek)
- Babylon 5
- Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- This Book I Read Podcast featuring Adrian Tchaikovsky
More about Samuel
- Twitter – @pootsidoodle
- Website – Ulster University
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #18.5: Narrative Worldbuilding Actual Play Special with Samuel Poots first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 15 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Samuel Poots to discuss Narrative Worldbuilding
- Worldbuilding is an important cornerstone of all writing and especially important when writing roleplay games – the process of designing an environment for the story or the game you are creating.
- Samuel Answers the Question ‘What is Narrative Worldbuilding’: Designing the environment in such a way that the location can tell it’s own story as well as creating a space that allows for stories to emerge naturally. Designing the world with narrative hooks that allow for stories to happen as the players encounter them. Using questions that add flavour to the world.
- There are two approaches to this – the GM spends a great deal of time before the game doing all of the narrative world building, writing the lore which sets out the story – OR – the GM has short touch points, perhaps just 100 words maximum, that set the scene for the players but allow for lots of personal interpretation and for the players to have more space to contribute to the story. The characters themselves have stories to tell.
- CM & Samuel spend a little too much time discussing cutlery! What if there was a world in which anthropomorphic cutlery were at war and the spoons had been banished to the desert biome?
- The GM has a great deal of influence over the use of narrative world building – rather than shutting down player suggestions, Samuel suggests the use of the ‘Yes, and’ approach – allowing character input but with conditions and an understanding of the effect this input will have
- Samuel Answers the Question: ‘How do you bring Narrative Worldbuilding to your table?’
- Environment – What are the environmental challenges, what is the climate like etc.
- Culture – How do people respond to this environment? What do they bring to this space and how has this environment shaped them?
- Friction Points – What are the politics of the people within the culture, how is this not a monoculture
- Details of Intrigue – The granular details – items, specific NPCs, historical events that have shaped the world
- Samuel also discusses the use of visual art as a hook or starting point for Narrative Worldbuilding, using Wanderhome as a wonderful example of this approach. The nature prompts within Wanderhome allow for conversation and collaboration
- CM Lowry asks Samuel to share some tips for players
- Have a conversation with your GM and the other players to establish the collaborative process, preferably in game session zero
- Perspective is all important – how does you character view and react. Consider their backstory and how their experiences and memories will effect the way they approach the adventure
- Samuel & CM Lowry share a brief actual play, starting out in a tavern at the edge of a range of ominous foothills. Strange interactions between a bar tender and post-person ensue, including decapitated Beast-man head in pickling vinegar!!
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- Jim Henson’s Labyrinth The Adventure Game
- Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
- Monarchs of Camelot
- Into The Odd
- Mork Bork
- Wanderhome by Jay Dragon
- Mausritter
- Mouse Guard
Books, Authors & Publishers:
- Penny Dragon Games
- Redwall by Brian Jacques
- OnTableTop
- Sea of Claws by Samuel Poots
- Cubicle 7 Games
- Digital Dryad
More about Samuel
- Twitter – @pootsidoodle
- Itch – comemartin.itch.io
- Instagram – instagram.com/comemartin_/
- Website – Ludosphere
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay? #18: Narrative Worldbuilding with Samuel Poots first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 17 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Aviv Or and Eran Aviram to discuss teaching games
- Aviv & Eran’s work ‘The Crystal Heart’ and how it uniquely teaches readers to roleplay, specifically to play the Savage Worlds RPG
- Their use of narrative to explain how to play, based on the assumption that the reader has no prior knowledge
- The time and effort they have put in to developing the ability to teach games through the graphic medium, such as the use of humour, and colour (to indicate who’s turn it is)
- The importance of aesthetics and atmosphere when teaching someone a game – open the rulebook on a fun page with graphics, use colour dice, create a comfortable environment. Know your audience – what will this person enjoy, what will draw them into the game?
- Pick the right game – something that is colourful and well set out will help you learn the game and teach it to others
- Set up a specific scenario for your new players, so they have a basic understanding & something to work with: ‘Let’s play a fantasy adventure where we will be rescuing a princess from a fearsome dragon’. Then as you explain the rules they will be able to refer back to the scenario
- Being a good player means taking part in the shared social contract – agreeing as a group what your desired outcome is and then not doing things that negatively impact on that agreed outcome.
- FUN! There are so many different forms of fun, make sure the game is fun for the new player. Do no harm
- Rolling Dice – Make sure the first roll is nice and basic. Let the player understand what happens after the roll. Let them succeed. Explain how the dice effect the game and the outcome. Check Episode 1 for more info on dice
- Staggered rule introduction – clearly and concisely communicating the rules of play, but in a slow and methodical approach. Instead of spending 30mins to an hour explaining all the rules, just introduce them as needed. For example the concept of advantage or disadvantage doesn’t need to be unpacked until it’s relevant to encounter at hand
- View the rulebooks as encyclopaedia rather than manuals that must be memorised
- Do not take away agency from the player – do not make the games rule system something that they have to fight against. Don’t disempower them by withholding the rules or rolling the dice for them.
- In our actual play Eran walks Chris and Aviv through a game of City of Mist, teaching them about the system, dice rolling, tags and status mechanics. Will they overcome the powers of darkness and the mysterious chanting monks?
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- Crystal Heart Comic & RPG
- City of Mist
- Savage Worlds
- Up To Four Players
- NOVA
- Pathfinder 2
- Mausritter
- Dragonbane
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Fiasco
- Lancer
- BUY Crystal Heart here
- BUY Eran’s games here
Books, Authors, Publishers etc:
- Dragon Meet
- Fantasy Flight Games
- World Anvil Worldbuilding Podcast by Eran Aviram
- Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
More about Aviv
- Bluesky – @avivor.bsky.social
- Website – avivor.com
- Up to Four Players – uptofourplayers.com
More about Eran
- Blue Sky – @nnesk.bsky.social
- Website – EranAviram.me
- Ready To Roll Comics – uptofourplayers.com/comics/
- Up to Four Players Dischord – discord.com/invite/V6UVvKR
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Bluesky – @beyondcataclysm.bsky.social
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #17: Teaching Games with Aviv Or & Eran Aviram first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 16 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by John Dodd to discuss dungeons
- The intrigue of The Dungeon – why would someone build this, what was it for, how did it get here? You’re not supposed to be there!
- Maps as promises – they guarantee excitement, adventure and maybe treasure
- Mega-dungeons – Architecturally impossible structures that might prove impossible to explore in one lifetime
- The joys of having almost too much space and level of detail to explore
- The beauty of sci-fi and fantasy allowing you to bend the realms of what is reasonable to create impossible mega-structures
- Dungeons are a nightmare – you’re in the dark with no idea what you are doing or where you are going. Perfect fodder for an adventure.
- Key Things A Dungeon Needs:
- Light – Yet there is an absence of it and the dungeon doesn’t want you to have it! The contrast of light & dark. Dark as a representation of the unknown.
- Treasure – If someone has gone to all the trouble of building a dungeon there must something interesting down there! A great evil? A King’s ransom? Why is it there? There has to be something that draws people in to the dungeon, where they know they shouldn’t be
- What Now? – So you have a reason to be there and you’ve used light to find the treasure. But you’ve got to wonder what now? Something or someone has taken over this Dungeon, as they’re never being used for their original purpose. What happens next? Most dungeons don’t have a back door! How are you getting out?
- Actual Play: Chris & John explore a Dungeon deep under modern day London, found by accident during tunnelling works for the Elizabeth line. It’s an icehouse build by a chryomancer (the assistant to the regional Chyromancer), who set out to make a million from selling ice to rich Victorians. Look out for the monstrous subway trains and the hidden entrances in the grounds of the abandoned Mansion! Ice-locks abound!!
- Here are the beautiful maps John draw of this Dungeon during the actual play chats with Chris. Download images & scenario here
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Fighting Fantasy by Steve Jackson & Ian Livingstone
- Fighting Fantasy: Deathtrap Dungeon
- D&D: The Temple of Elemental Evil
- D&D: Forgotten Realms – Menzoberranzan
- Warhammer 40K – Space Hulk
- Delve & Rise by Anna Blackwell
- Dungeon Master (Atari Game)
- Moria, from The Lord of the Rings
- Shadow of Mogg
- CY_BORG
- Paranoia
Books, Authors, Publishers etc:
- Wizards of the Coast
- Games Workshop
- The Big Book of Battle Mats
- Subterranea Britannica
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaimon
- Adventure Tourism Podcast by Chris Bisette
- The Time Machine by HG Wells
- Dragonmeet Convention
- Worldcon
More about John
- Twitter – @AutomaticDodd
- Facebook – facebook.com/john.dodd.9022
- Website – TheDodd.com
- Luna Press Publishing – .lunapresspublishing.com
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #16: Dungeons with John Dodd first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 15 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Côme Martin to discuss diceless rpg
- Chris & Côme discuss many different Roleplaying Games that don’t use dice & explore the spectrum of games from completely controlled by fate, to the other end of the spectrum where the only narrative input in the game is the things your saying to one another around the table.
- The mechanics of dice use and how they can be replaced with other items such as a pack of cards
- The ways that a deck of cards can be broken into different groupings for use in roleplay. Côme prefers cards to dice as it gives you a wider range of options
- The option that cards give you for editing – you can change the deck by writing on the cards as you go through them so that they next time you use that card it has a different effect.
- Using pick up sticks, Jenga, runestones, Tarot cards or tokens as help prompts as part of roleplay instead of dice.
- Diceless roleplay gives the players and the Games Master (GM) a little more power over outcomes, rather than being ruled by chance.
- Games play without any prompts & GM-less play – the joys of improvisation.
- Worldbuilding and lore writing – how diceless play can make for really interesting world building experiences
- Actual Play: Christof & Martin star in a spring time coming of age adventure set in the Viking era. Magic spells and finger bones abound!
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- Meanwhile on the Subway
- Two Summers
- Lucky for None
- Unbound
- Feathered Adventures
- 3 Games about Life
- Dread
- Star Crossed
- Fate of the Norns
- Not The End
- Millennial Apartment Hunters
- Dixit
- Mysterium
- Fiasco
- Microscope
- A Set of Scrubs
- ISBN Coffee
- Belonging Outside Belonging [System]
- Free Kriegsspiel Roleplaying (FKR) [System]
- Lost & Found [System]
Books, Authors & Publishers:
- Wanderhome by Jay Dragon
- Possum Creek Games
- Bully Pulpit Games
More about Côme
- Twitter – @comemartin_
- Itch – comemartin.itch.io
- Instagram – instagram.com/comemartin_/
- Website – Ludosphere
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #15: Diceless Roleplay Games with Côme Martin first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 14 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Johan Nohr to discuss design
- Everyone can draw – as adults we stop being creative because we fool ourselves into thinking that we cannot do it.
- How the independent games scene allows people to explore new ways of designing and laying out games that go against the safe mainstream game publishing norms
- How good graphic design helps to communicate the feel of the game and draws the player in
- The beauty of getting something hand drawn or hand made in the era of digital design
- Over the top art-punk designs that skew all design norms vs minimalism and the use of white space
- How tactility helps improve the player’s experience of role playing games – use of techniques such as foiling, embossing, gloss vs matt papers and printing on the book ribbons.
- The differences between screen readers & printed books. The problem with PDFs being set up as if they were books when they could be better designed for onscreen use. The plus’ of digital versions when it comes to accessibility.
- Listen as Chris & Johan do an actual play where they design a ridiculously meta game entitled ‘GamePOD’, intended to be published on an editable 8-track tape
- An encouragement to experiment with and enjoy roleplay and roleplaying games.
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- MÖRK BORG
- Delve
- Umbra
- Mausritter
- Old School Essentials
- CY BORG
- Gozr
- Medieval Margin-agerie
- MORK ORG
- ISBN Coffee
Books, Authors & Publishers:
- Stockholm Kartell
- SquareHex Publishers
- All Rolled Up Press
More about Johan
- Twitter – @artbynohr
- Itch – jnohr.itch.io
- Website – Stockholm Kartell
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #14 – Design with Johan Nohr first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 13 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Rugose Kohn to discuss Melee Combat
- Trigger warning for violence and body horror!
- Melee combat is usually gritty and visceral hand to hand combat as opposed to more removed and antiseptic approach such as aerial bombardment.
- How early roleplaying games have sort of set the standard of combat as just charging in headlong and hoping for the best where as more modern systems make that approach obsolete and involve more subtilties.
- Experimentation as an exciting approach to roleplaying.
- How gravitating towards combat can squash creativity, whilst finding other ways to deal with the encounter can open up really interesting outcomes.
- Systems that use interesting mechanics to deal with managing conflict such as Powered by The Apocalypse, Lichoma & Fiasco, which emphasise story telling rather than melee combat.
- Rugose shares a fun experience of melee combat in a game of MÖRK BORG at GenCon 2022.
- Chris & Rugose get into some actual play featuring a hardware store in Colorado, billy clubs, concealed hammers and a dishevelled criminal known only as Dobie. Broken arms and lost eyeballs ensue…
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- MÖRK BORG
- Red Box DnD
- Twilight 2000
- Into The Odd
- Warhammer Fantasy RPG
- 5e DnD
- Powered By The Apocalypse
- Lichoma
- Lancer
- Fiasco
- Four Borg
Books, Authors & Publishers etc:
- Stockholm Kartell
- Bogfolk Co-op
- Gen Con
Film
- Monty Pythons ‘Holy Grail’
- Conan The Barbarian
- Rambo
- Dumb & Dumber
More about Rugose
- Twitter – @RugoseKohn
- Itch – rugose-kohn.itch.io
- Website – rugosekohn.com
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What Is Roleplay? #13 – Melee Combat with Rugose Kohn first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 12 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! Join Chris & Dave as they get very silly in an All Outta Bubblegum actual play special!
- A brief explanation of the rules of All Outta Bubblegum
- A safety talk
- Counting for fun
- Setting the scene
- Pizza delivery mishaps and corner shop catastrophes
- More counting
- Listen as the game unravels as we run out of bubblegum
- Conclude with us that you don’t always have to spend hours prepping before a fun rpg session – you can take inspiration from things around you and have a great laugh in the process
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- All Outta Bubblegum
- FREE PDF Download
Movies:
- They Live!
More about Us:
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #12 – All Outta Bubblegum actual play first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 11 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Guilherme Gontijo to discuss Design
- How design is very similar across the board, and how the differences often just come down to execution?
- Why does design matter?
- It is more than just style or a taste aesthetic
- Design is more about translating ideas on the abstract plane into visuals
- Good design helps roleplay games (RPG) creators to communicate the ideas, mood and feel of a game visually
- You can fit a whole lot of fun into a small amount of space with good design
- The DIY ethos and how the punk spirit has influenced the Indie RPG scene
- Funding the beauty in both minimalist as well as heavily illustrated RPGs such as MÖRK BORG
- The major importance of remaining faithful to ideas – starting at the essence of the idea and allowing it to inform the design. Making an alliance with the idea and not allowing outside influences to change it & allowing open ended questions to remain.
- Italian ‘Giallo‘ horror movies and their influence on Gontijo’s game Blurred Lines
- Listen as CM Lowry & Gontijo live design a new game where monks fall into temptation to one of the seven deadly sins and end up in a sepia hell where everyone is in perpetual motion. The working title? ‘No Rest for the Wicked!’
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
- Vaults of Vaarn
- Honey Heist
- Lasers & Feelings
- MÖRK BORG
- Blurred Lines
Books, Authors & Publishers:
- Grant Howitt
- Johan Nohr
- DriveThruRPG.com
- itch.io
More about Guilherme
- Twitter – @gontijolab
- Itch – gontijo.itch.io
- Website – gontijolab.com
More about Us
- CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
- CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
- Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
- Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #11 – Design with Guilherme Gontijo first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
Welcome to Episode 10 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Spencer Campbell to discuss Stats * Laying out some of the basic types of stats that are used in roleplaying games * The concept of Min/Max * The good, the bad and the ugly of Stats * Focusing on skills and approaches rather than just a list of stats * Exploding dice! * How stats enable us to connect with our character and the world of the game
Links to things we discussed:
Games: * Rune * The Lumen System * The Lasers & Feelings System * End of the World * Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition * Nova * Savage Worlds * Spire * REAP
Books, Authors & Publishers: * Fantasy Flight Games * Wizards of the Coast
More about Spencer * Twitter - @GilaRPGs * Spencer on itch - gilarpg.itch.io * Gila RPG website - Gila RPGs
More about Us * CM Lowry on Twitter - @cmlowryauthor * CM Lowry's website - All About Chris * Website - beyondcataclysm.co.uk * Patreon - Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by: Powerplant & Imploders.
Welcome to Episode 9 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Cezar Capacle to discuss Chance & Probability * Be amazed by Cezar's amazing productivity levels - 20+ games in three years! * What on earth are "Conflict Resolution Mechanics"? * We explore mechanics within various games systems that make good use of chance and probability * Listen as Cezar's technique of 'playstorming' builds a game within the actual play section, involving a Knight, a Ford Fiesta, Glory & Chaos!
Links to things we discussed:
Games: * Push * Dungeons & Dragons * MÖRK BORG * Death in Space * Call of Cthulu * Mothership * Dread * Spectaculars * Ironsworn * Powered by the Apocalypse * Grimdark * Lucky for None * Savage Worlds * Stuck * Derelict Delvers
Books, Authors & Publishers: * Adams Media * The Die Decides by CM Lowry * Rowan, Rook & Decard * Odd Jobs: RPG Micro-settings Vol. 1 by Sasha Sienna & Jonathan Sims * MacGuffin & Co Publishers * Loot The Room * Tim Clare * The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide, Expanded Genres Edition by James D’Amato
Podcasts: * Cezar Capacle on Dieku Podcast * Cezar Capacle on the Yes Indie'd Pocast
More about Cezar * Capacle Twitter - @capacle * Capacle on itch - capacle.itch.io * Capacle on Bento - bento.me/capacle
More about Ud * CM Lowry on Twitter - @cmlowryauthor * Website - beyondcataclysm.co.uk
With music generously provided by: Powerplant & Imploders.
Welcome to Episode 8 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by James D'Amato to discuss Personal Play* An important, yet often undiscussed, topic that encompasses anything in RPG game play that you do on your own - world building, character creation via dice rolling, writing character backstories etc. * Realising that roleplaying isn't just the time we spend around a table with other people. * 'Play' being something that we are encouraged to grow out of as we reach adulthood but that in reality is fun and therapeutic for adults too. * Personal play as a good option for folks who don't get to game with others as often as they'd like.
Links to things we discussed:Games:* Dungeons & Dragons * The Traveller RPG * MÖRK BORG * We Sail Beyond * Microscope * Paranoia * Spire * In The Blue Light * Skyjacks * Illimat Boardgame
Books, Authors & Publishers:* Adams Media * The Die Decides by CM Lowry * Rowan, Rook & Decard * Odd Jobs: RPG Micro-settings Vol. 1 by Sasha Sienna & Jonathan Sims * MacGuffin & Co Publishers * Loot The Room * Tim Clare * The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide, Expanded Genres Edition by James D’Amato
Podcasts:* The One Shot Podcast * The Skyjacks Podcast * Rusty Quill Podcast
More about James* James D'Amato Twitter - @OneShotRPG * Find James' book here - The Ultimate RPG Gameplay
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
Welcome to Episode 7 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Marx Shepherd to discuss Life PathsSo, this episode was released a bit out of order... it's not episode 3, but actually 7! It's also worth noting that Marx no longer runs the Yes Indie'd Podcast!* We cover tables, and rolling from them! * Anime, and super super anime things. * Defining a character's development through guides mechanics. * Staying within the boundaries of genre without having to work too hard.
Links to things we discussed:Games:* Powered by the Apocalypse * Sengoku * Treasures of the Troll King * Fuzion * Bubblegum Crisis * Traveller * Pathfinder * Mork Borg * Spire * Blades in the Dark
Books:* Play Dirty by John Wick * The Die Decides by CM Lowry * Duncton Wood by William Horwood
Podcasts:* Yes Indie’d Podcast * All my fantasy children by Jeff Stormer
More about Marx Marx Shepherd - @IAmPhophos * Yes Indie’d Podcast * InDie Zine * Find their games at marxofhighwater.itch.io
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
Welcome to Episode 6 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by Chris Bissette to discuss Character Creation What actually is Character Creation? Deciding who you are going to be in a game, right? * How traditional RPGs such as Dungeons & Dragons handle character creation. * Randomly generating versus picking skills * Beginning with a background story - or finding out who your character is through* play. * Character Creation as a game in itself!
We end by creating character together live as an “actual play” demonstrating some of the cool things Chris had introduced.Today's adventure involves creating characters in Mausritter, a game for small mice and dangerous escapades...Links to things we discussed:* The Wretched * Loot The Room * Dungeon Crawl Classics * Spire RPG * TYRANNOSAUR INSIDE with stats from Chris Bissette
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
Welcome to Episode 5 of ‘What Is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by James D'Amato to discuss One Shots & Campaigns We discuss RPG One Shots and Campaigns and how the contrast as well as compliment each other. * We talk about the difficulties of scheduling campaign play sessions and how one-shots can make for much simpler, streamlined & spontaneous play. * We define some helpful terms you’ll need to know, like One Shot (a role-play game adventure that takes place in one play session) and Campaign* (An ongoing role-play game that takes place over many game play session and can literally last for years). * The pitfalls and hilarity of live streaming campaigns using apps like Zoom. * The definition of Campaign can be very mercurial, discussing expections and safety before game play is important.
We end, as usual, with some live “actual play” using James' Luminaries, to demonstrate a one-shot & the of the concepts we've discussed.Today's adventure involves dread, a desperate goodbye, and a player character sacrificing themselves for the greater good...Links to things we discussed:* Beyond Cataclysm – beyondcataclysm.co.uk * The One Shot Podcast * The Skyjacks Podcast * Ultimate RPG Guide Series * All Outta Bubblegum * Millenial Apartment Hunters * Dungeons & Dragons by Wizards of the Coast * The Eberron Setting for D&D * The Luminaries * Greetings Adventures Podcast * Yes, No, Maybe - A safety tool by CM Lowry * West Marches * Fiasco * Bully Pulpit Games * Dread * Star-Crossed * The Watch * Pheonix Star Command * The Ultimate RPG Gomeplay – by James D'Amato * Write To Them
With music generously provided by:Powerplant & Imploders.
The second half of our 'What is Roleplay?" special episode... In the concluding part, CM Lowry loses his voice, but talks to many interesting designers at the UK Games Expo to teach you how to enjoy RPG at games conventions.
The hodge-podge of cool people we chatted to includes... * Ben from The Party RPG * Brian at Stout Stoat Press - try typing that ten times quickly * Anna from Blackwell Games * Nick Spence, author of Gangs of Titan City * Grant Howitt from Rowan, Rook & Decard * Tom Brewster from Shut Up & Sit Down * Chris Birch, head honcho at Modiphius Entertainment * Panny & Aled from Leyline Press * And JOHAN NOHR, who I definitely gushed all over, designer of MÖRK BORG!
Links to cool stuff we saw: * The Party RPG * Apawthecaria * Delve (Buy it in the BC webstore!) * Umbra (check it in our store!) * Gangs of Titan City * Heart * Spire * Dodo * 2d20 RPGs * Agents of Dune * Salvage Union * MÖRK BORG * Cy_Borg
With music generously provided by: Powerplant & Imploders.
A special episode of ‘What is Roleplay?! In this episode CM Lowry wanders around the UK Games Expo to pick up tips on how to enjoy RPG at (and generally survive) these massive games conventions.
We chat to: * Chris Samson of Magpie Games - and mostly getting distracted by their amazing dice rings from Crit Success! * Anna Molla from Mottokrosh Machinations and the beautiful Hypertellurians game! * Matt Sanders representing the awesome Soul Muppet publishers! * Zachary Cox, whose claim to fame is being the "&" in Rowan, Rook & Decard. * Cat Evans, from fellow micropublisher Ex Stasis Games!
We chat to lots of awesome people about games, roleplay and the weird world of gaming cons.
Links to cool stuff we saw: * Root RPG * Zombie World RPG * Hypertellurians * Mini B/X * Cantrip * Brave Zenith * Manse * Apparition
With music generously provided by: Powerplant & Imploders.
Episode two of ‘What is Roleplay?! This episode we are joined by CJ Eggett to discuss DEATH!!! * How the threat of death or overcoming death is the driving force in most roleplay games. * How loss, madness and other missing pieces are analogues for death * Some more terms you’ll need to know, like Railroading (Being forced down a particular narrative path) and OSR (Old School Revival, a resurrence in simpler, more traditional Roleplay) * Damage in Dungeons & Dragons, and alternative ways of handling that in Tunnel Goons. * CJ's obsession with weird puppet magic monsters in The Dark Crystal.
We end, as usual, with some live “actual play” to demonstrate the concepts we've discussed. Today's adventure involves death, a eulogy, and a player character not going to university...
Links to things we discussed: * Beyond Cataclysm – beyondcataclysm.co.uk * Artefact by Mousehole Press * A Set Of Scrubs by CM Lowry * Call of Cthulhu from Chaosium Inc. * Tunnel Goons by Nate Treme * MÖRK BORG from Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell * The Dark Crystal Adventure Game from River Horse * Tyrannosaur Inside – by CM Lowry
With music generously provided by: Powerplant & Imploders.
Welcome to the very first episode of our semi-regular Beyond Cataclysm podcast – ‘What is Roleplay?’ This episode we are joined by author CM Lowry to discuss: * A very loose definition of ‘role play’ and how we’ve all done it in real life * Some basic terms you’ll need to know like RPG (Role Play Game), GM (Games Master), and PC (Player Character) * The various dice you might come across (featuring too many dice rolling sounds!) * The mechanics of Stats
We even do a little bit of live "actual play" role play, which we think makes for pretty fun listening.
Links to things we discussed: * Beyond Cataclysm – beyondcataclysm.co.uk * Visions Press – visionspressdiy.bandcamp.com * CM Lowry Author – allaboutchris.org * Tyrannosaur Inside Kickstarter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cmlowry/tyrannosaur-inside-a-monstrous-quest-inside-a-giant-t-rex * All Outta Bubblegum RPG - https://www.dropbox.com/s/c9vhigdldvg8ji4/AllOuttaBubblegum.pdf?dl=0 * Lasers & Feelings RPG - http://www.onesevendesign.com/laserfeelings/
With music generously provided by: Powerplant & Imploders.