New Episodes

​After Hours: Call of Cthulhu - Minions: We review the lowest rated Call of Cthulhu book, as determined by rpg.net. Beware the Horror Man!

​OMG the OGL situation?! The newest RPPR episode features Caleb and I discussing the OGL controversy and its root.

​Ludonarrative Dissidents: Meta Currencies in RPGs. Greg Stolze, James Wallis, and I discuss Fate Points, Willpower, Luck, and other similar mechanics in RPGs.

​Mothership: The Simulacrum Engine - our first scenario with the new edition of the sci-fi horror RPG Mothership. An alien artifact creates mutant clones and only a crew of a cargo spaceship can save the galaxy from this threat.

Gaming Resolutions for 2023

January is almost gone but I think there’s still time to talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps this year, we should try to fulfill at least one resolution, but let’s make it easy on ourselves. A gaming resolution should be fun to try. Here are some ideas to get you started on thinking of them:

1. Try a radically different character concept for a campaign: Every player has a preferred character type or concept. Play a character against your preference for a campaign and see how it goes. If you’re used to playing diplomats and fast talkers, play a strong and silent warrior. If you like jack of all trades and support characters, play a specialist who is extremely good at one thing. You love playing monstrous and inhuman characters? Play the most normal human you can be in the game, just a regular dad or mom. You get the idea.
2. Write a game: This may seem daunting, but it’s easier now than it has ever been. Look at one page games like Cthulhu Dark and Honey Heist. If you’re starting out, it’s easier to write an extremely focused game than try to write a sprawling fantasy epic or universal system tool kit. Even if you can’t get it to fully work, the experience can provide insight into how games work and how to improve your own playing experience.
3. Commission artwork, but not for yourself: If you’re a player, commissioning artwork of your GM’s setting or most interesting NPC, is a great way to thank them for their work in running a game. If you’re a GM, then a group portrait of the PCs is a fun way to celebrate a good campaign. Everyone can commemorate memorable scenes in a campaign. Finding an artist and describing what you want commissioned can give you a better appreciation of all the great art you see in your favorite games too!
4. Read one of your unplayed games cover to cover: We all have a ‘shelf of shame’ - all those cool games we bought but haven’t played yet. Get one of those unplayed games and at least read it, cover to cover. Playing it would be a nice bonus, but we all know it can be hard to organize a game, especially one unfamiliar to your group.
5. Teach your playing group a game they have not tried before: This resolution is more for players who aren’t the usual GM of the group. Volunteer to run a one shot in a system new to them. You’ll learn more about the game by teaching it to others than just by playing it yourself.

Cool Links

​How the Payday 2 Secret was Solved​

​New anticipated TTRPG releases for 2023​

​An analysis of the character ‘Red Hair’ in the film Conan the Barbarian​