RPG Design Panelcast

Explicit vs Role-Based Knowledge Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Clark Valentine, Shane Harsch and Evan Torner. This seminar poses the question of whether it is possible to support a detailed, knowledge-rich environment for an RPG without creating a situation where the character that should know how to do something actually does not. Where is the balance between detail and role? You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 71: Explicit vs Role-Based Knowledge Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (238)

Editing Rulebooks Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Joshua Yearsley. Your rulebook is the heart of your game, so why not give it the love it deserves? In this seminar, you’ll learn ten best practices for improving the structure, style, and clarity of your rulebook. Got any burning questions about rules craft? Get answers from a professional rulebook editor. Additional references and a copy of the presentation is available at http://joshuayearsley.com/case/ten-things-you-can-do-to-make-your-rulebook-awesome/   You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 70: Editing Rulebooks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (330)  

Social Media Action Steps Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Beth Rimmels. Social media is a crucial marketing step, especially for new and small businesses. Even better, it can cost you little to nothing, but can be confusing or overwhelming. This panel will explain what’s essential, where to start (and on which social media channel), free and low-cost tools that will make your life easier, and how to grow an audience organically. You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 69: Social Media Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (220)  

Executing a Smart Crowdfunding Campaign Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Fred Hicks, Joshua A. C. Newman & Hannah Shaffer How do you plan your crowdfunding campaign? How done do you need to be before you open? How do you engage your community? How do you plan for all possible outcomes? Joshua A.C. Newman (Mobile Frame Zero: Rapid Attack and Shock: Social Science Fiction), Fred Hicks (Fate Core, Designers & Dragons, and more), and Hannah Shaffer (Questlandia) share their experiences and then ditch out on their planned talk to address your questions once they realize they can’t afford shipping.   Episode 68: Smart Crowdfunding Campaigns Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (222)   Special Kickstarter Mentions Sig: The City Between         Headspace RPG         ******************* You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes  

The Best Practices for Information Organization in Tabletop RPGs Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Brennan Taylor, Matt Wilson, Meredith Reitman, Krista White & John Stavropolous Tabletop RPGs serve as both a “let’s play!” and a reference document. RPGs designers and writers often attend to one of these goals at the expense of the other. Come to this panel to learn about professional theories of information organization, best practices for making the important information in your games findable and learn lessons from experienced game designers who have made information organization innovations and mistakes in their own games. You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 67: Information Organization in RPGs [ 57:35 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (282)  

Learn RPG Design Redux Recorded at Gencon 2015 Presented by Jason Pitre, Caleb Stokes and Andreas Walters  This panel, sponsored by the Indie Game Developer Network is a fresh new exploration of how to start roleplaying game design by focussing on mission statements, the important questions of game design, and other gems. Also an absurd number of references to games including, but not limited to: Inspectres, Headspace, Dog Eat Dog, Paranoia, Fiasco and Apocalypse World. There is a reference to cards with links to a ton of resources? All of that treasure-trove is available over here. You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 66: Learn RPG Design Redux Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (306)

Women in Game Design: Building Networks and Forming Mentorships Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Emily Care-Boss, Julia Ellingboe, Shoshana Kessock, Amanda Valentine & Avonelle Wing. The “gaming industry” has been a brutal place to be a woman this year. Join our esteemed panelists for a conversation about the need for strong support networks and finding mentors in a turbulent and sometimes hostile industry.   You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 65: Women in Game Design Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (248)

Dramatic Editing : Creating the Editing Bay Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Will Hindmarch How does your design facilitate dramatic editing at the game table? Do you have strict mechanisms that put editing into the hands of the players or their characters through overt metaphors or in-setting magic? Or do you provide procedures and guidelines for collaborating and revising action during play? Dramatic editing at the table allows for players to propose and explore actions without them necessarily making it “on stage” or committing it to “film” and that can be a messy freedom or a beautiful drudge. Let’s look at ways to facilitate what you want to happen at the table. Note that the sound quality is lousy in the first minute of audio, but it gets much better after that point. You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 64: Dramatic Editing Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (213)

Gaming With, and Designing For, Young Players Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Cam Banks, Lisa Bowman-Steenson, Clark Valentine, Amanda Valentine & Brennan Taylor. Young players can present unique challenges to game designers and adults at the table. Attention spans, play styles, system mastery, and age appropriate subject matter can vary a great deal. Be part of a discussion about making and running games that work for young players. You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 63: Playing with and Designing for Young Players Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (209)

Bisociation, Mashups, the Uncanny, and the Weird Recorded at Metatopia 2014 Presented by Kenneth Hite. “Bisociation, Mashups, the Uncanny, and the Weird: Toward an Aesthetic of Setting Bricolage” presented by Kenneth Hite. A dictionary may have been involved. In an age where “everything is mashup”, what makes a game setting more than the sum of its parts? Both the modern “uncanny” and the postmodern “slipstream” depend on subverting or deranging expectations, but how can you get good play without something to play off of? Do Koestler’s “bisociation” or Lovecraft’s “truly weird” help us out or derail us? Designer Kenneth Hite (NIGHT’S BLACK AGENTS, DAY AFTER RAGNAROK) isn’t sure yet, which is why he asks you to join him and think out loud on these topics. You can subscribe to us here!  RSS Feed iTunes   Episode 62: Bisociation, Mashups, Uncanny, and Weird Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (162)