Role Playing Public Radio

Even though Fallout 4 is out, Caleb is still hard at work on Red Markets. Playtest feedback is trickling in, so the next step is deciding how to change the game based on this feedback. Some changes will be easier than others, but not every bit of feedback will be used to make these changes. After all, not all feedback is equal. Giving and receiving feedback is a crucial skill for a game designer, yet it is often an undeveloped skill. Fred Hicks about his experiences at Metatopia about feedback skills and is mentioned during out discussion. Even after receiving valuable feedback, changing the game will not be easy. Caleb discusses some of the changes he is considering and I provide some analysis of Red Markets in its current state. Music: Footbeats by Admiral of the Red.

Dracula is not a novel. It’s the censored version of Bram Stoker’s after-action report of the failed British Intelligence attempt to recruit a vampire in 1894. Kenneth Hite has restored the deleted sections, inserting annotations and clues left by three generations of MI6 analysts. This is Dracula Unredacted. Follow those clues to The Director’s Handbook, containing hundreds of encounters: shady NPCs, dangerous locations, conspiratorial nodes, and mysterious objects. Together they comprise The Dracula Dossier — an epic improvised, collaborative campaign for Night’s Black Agents, our award-winning vampire spy thriller RPG. The mission: Hunt and kill Dracula now, once and for all, before Britain falls to him forever. I interviewed Kenneth Hite about the creation of the Dossier, advice on running it, and other topics. It’s coming to stores this week and the PDF is already out! Check out the free resources available for running Dracula Dossier.

Sponsor: Arc Dream is sponsoring this panel. Check out the Delta Green Kickstarter. New reward levels have been released so backers can get everything in print and PDF. Synopsis: Horror gaming can go beyond Lovecraft and tentacles. Sometimes the most frightening moments in RPGs can come from obscure references and mundane moments. Surprise your players from a new direction! The panel will include Caleb Stokes (No Soul Left Behind, No Security), Ross Payton (Base Raiders, Zombies of the World), John Kennedy (Demonworld), and Jack Graham (Eclipse Phase). The title “Scary Parrots” refers to an RPPR game in which the players completely forgot about the plot and focused on a parrot THAT COULD NOT BE. Rather than dismiss the moment as a one-off, this panel will explore the unexpected places that the GM can exploit for terror. Between other writers of The Weird, discoveries in neuroscience, and philosophical thought experiments, this panel will provide a ton of original plot hooks and little disquieting scares to throw at your players.

Sponsors: This episode of RPPR is sponsored by Mystical Throne Entertainment. Use coupon code rpproctober to get the Entropic Gaming System PDF for $1 (normally $5). Arc Dream is also sponsoring this episode of RPPR. Check out the Delta Green Kickstarter going on now. There is a free Quickstart guide and demo adventure available. Synopsis: Conspiracies are a common element in horror games, but they are often handled badly. They are too powerful, too well-organized and too flexible to stop or even fight. In this episode, we talk about how to use conspiracies in RPGs, by looking at historical conspiracies like Operation Gladio and DeBeers. SPOILER WARNING FOR THE FILMS THE PLEDGE AND MEMORIES OF MURDER. There’s also shout outs and anecdotes. Shout Outs Deathgasm: A horror comedy about heavy metal, high school, and demon summoning. Eternity by Cobalt Road: a vaportrap album that is quite good for late night listening. Limetown: A cross between Serial and Delta Green. What happened to Limetown? Moonbeam City: a synthwave inspired comedy that is part Nagel and part Archer. John Carpenter’s Lost Themes: You want some original John Carpenter music? Of course you do! Clue Pursuit: A locked room puzzle mystery experience. Fun for the whole group Fornax Void: Get a VHS tape with a Carcosa/Vaporwave-video today. Ryuutama: A Japanese tabletop RPG now available in English. Gang Beasts: Fumblecore + multiplayer brawling = hella fun. As seen on Raillery. The Bugle: John Oliver’s comedic news podcast. Very funny stuff. Music: Tentative Steps by Kai Engel.

Sponsor: Arc Dream is sponsoring this episode of Game Designer’s Workshop. Check out the Delta Green Kickstarter. News:I have released a new Base Raiders PDF called Avalon’s Ideal, written by Kyle Carty. Synopsis: The beta for Red Markets has been out for a while, so Caleb now has to deal with feedback and resisting the urge to change the game during the beta. Dealing with a community playing an incomplete game leads to unique challenges for the game designer, which we discuss in detail. Be sure to check the RPPR forums for threads like this about Red Markets. Music: All Your Things from Admiral of the Red

Sponsor: This episode of RPPR is sponsored by Mystical Throne Entertainment. You’ll find a variety of settings covering dark fantasy, historical fantasy, horror, Greek mythology, modern action, and sci-fi. News: Sparkles the Unicorn for Base Raiders is now available! Get it on DrivethruRPG or through the Base Raiders store. Synopsis: In many groups, most role playing happens between players and the GM, not between the players. In this episode, Tom, Aaron, Bill, and I discuss how to encourage intra-party role playing and when is too much. Bill also reviews the new 5E D&D book, Out of the Abyss, in great detail. Plus, shout outs and anecdotes Shout Outs Night Mind: A Youtube channel that explains creepypasta serials like Marble Hornets Eureka: A comedic sci-fi series now on Netflix SciShow: A Youtube channel that explains science, like the 5 most dangerous chemicals and Turbo Encabulator. Delta Green Fiction: Check out Strange Authorities, Through A Glass Darkly, Denied to the Enemy, and Tales of Failed Anatomies. Great horror fiction! Turbo Kid: A retro sci-fi action film about post-apocalyptic Canada (?) Blunt Talk: A new comedy series starring Sir Patrick Stewart as a drug addicted fop Play Unsafe: A book of great advice for GMing Mythos Society Guide to New England: A useful book for running games in Lovecraft Country Arkham Archivist: A blog by Cthulhuchick Song: Dreams by Iacon

No Soul Left Behind, a full campaign for Better Angels, written by RPPR’s Caleb, is now available for purchase. In this special interview, you can hear how the book came to be, Greg Stolze’s thoughts on it, and a lot more! From hilarious playtesting stories to lessons learned on game design, this discussion covers everything you wanted to know about No Soul Left Behind. Don’t forget to listen to the RPPR Playtest campaign, if you haven’t already.

How do you build a character with staunch ethical principles without stopping a game dead with the dreaded my-character-wouldn’t-do-that problem? Do RPG systems imply ethical philosophies? Should they? Caleb Stokes (No Soul Left Behind), Ross Payton (Base Raiders), Andreas Walters (Baby Bestiary), and Shoshana Kessock (Living Game Conference) discuss ethical concepts in characters, in game worlds, and at the level of design. Bring your questions and curiosity. This was recorded at Gen Con 2015.

News: No Soul Left Behind is out! BUY CALEB’S BOOK! If you backed Boiling Point, check the Kickstarter to read the text for Sparkles the Unicorn. Synopsis: Duality, a Rimward and gatecrashing focused Eclipse Phase campaign recently wrapped up on the Actual Play site. You can browse the entire list of episodes here if you need to catch up. Caleb, Tom, Aaron, and I discuss the campaign and what we liked and didn’t like about it. It took a long time to play and run and we did learn a little about ourselves and our favored play styles by doing so. Shout Outs The Annihilation Score: The latest in the Laundry novel series. An occult violinist battles demons, both personal and external. Margin Call: a movie about the 2008 financial crisis and who caused it. Exile: An extremely Lovecraftian horror film with some rather terrifying body horror. Concept: A board game about figuring out phrases from common symbols. Sonic Dream Collection: It’s like Deviant Art manifested itself. Last Week Tonight – Televangelists: John Oliver examines how televangelists can make money without taxation because religion. Song: D a n c e O f C a t s by Datasette

Talk with Caleb, Ross, and publishers about how to get started writing for games. With a few tips, you could be barely scraping by just like the pros! The goal of RPPR’s GDW podcast has always been educational. To that end, Ross and Caleb will do their best to give advice on “breaking into the industry” in a post-Kickstarter age. The conversation will focus on the more logistical, legal, and mundane business of freelancing in RPGs. On the publisher side of things, Adam Jury and Rob Boyle from Posthuman Studios are dropping by to lend their expertise. Prepare to be demystified, warned, clued-in, and tipped-off about the path to seeing your work get included in games. Questions are welcome and encouraged.