
* (0:29) Why talk about intelligence? The Why Files episode about Cicada 3301.



* (9:24) A game takes an unhelpfully long break, only to be replaced by another RPG.



* (12:44) The lack of a bottomless “buffet of ideas” in a closed setting.



* (14:24) Use minimal starting information to give you room to work.



* (18:12) How to run a school (everyone go play Persona 5).



* (24:48) Create a wide variety of NPCs and give them their own lives.



* (30:38) Keeping the party together, even if it doesn’t quite make sense.



* (31:57) PC-specific NPCs, so you know the players are bought it.



Hosts: Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 619 – a closed setting

An irreverent look at tabletop roleplaying games and a little bit more.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Hobbies

Games & Hobbies

Games

Leisure


* (0:29) Fear the Con has funded and the sign-up site is live! We hope to see you Thursday, June 20th to Saturday, June 22nd.



* (1:58) Getting back to what you love, inspired by Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing.



* (5:16) The tyranny of compromise.



* (9:54) Wanting the GM to build the world instead of “yes-and” player input.



* (15:43) Why Wayne discarded some ideas he was excited about.



* (19:06) The passion for sharing stories.



* (22:06) Watching players engage with obstacles and NPCs.



* (26:06) Hopeful or despondent?



Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Episode 624 – back to what you enjoy


* (0:29) Wayne has a problem: the Wardens from Dresden Files. Coming up with too many excuses for why powerful organizations don’t care about the characters’ problems.



* (7:14) Session Zero can help…or maybe not.



* (10:29) There’s always someone bigger, and maybe your allies lack what you need.



* (14:42) What if the characters are the backup? Or maybe they’re starting to get a reputation.



* (17:41) Not letting it become a chip on the GM’s shoulder. Players that hamstring themselves.



* (23:45) The assistance not being what the players expected.



* (27:54) Falling back to the mature answer.



Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Episode 623 – too big to fail


* (0:30) What steps do we take to bring a character to life?



* (1:49) Ask what’s important.



* (6:53) Seeing the good and bad in a single trait.



* (8:06) Doug’s personality triangle model.



* (10:54) Demonstrating character quirks.



* (16:34) Making characters that both have and express personal growth.



* (18:57) Taking a hobby, off-topic skill, or development path. Keeping your character in continuity.



* (23:11) Practicing a character.



* (29:43) Developing your idea in other creative media, but consider leaving a gap before the game begins.



* (35:35) The last few days of the Fear the Con 2024 Kickstarter!



Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne





Episode 622 – bringing your PC to life


Today’s ingredient: The dead are consuming the living. Why and how? Let’s find out!



Fear the Con 2024’s Kickstarter can be found here.



Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Bonus Episode 102 – WGM 2: dead consuming the living


* (0:29) In defense of technology at the gaming table. Caleb’s setup with Owlbear Rodeo.



* (5:13) Dan’s Lion King sing-a-long and Wayne’s Ghostbusters game.



* (6:27) The deeper pool of online players, including AIs. Remoting in a missing player for an in-person game.



* (14:04) Working distance and distraction into the game.



* (17:54) Digital storage and organization. The wonder of CTRL-F.



* (25:21) Minimalization of the gaming experience.



* (30:01) Dodging some issues by allowing only one person to have technology. The visual obstruction created by laptops and such.



* (41:01) Getting digital audio to work for you.



* (45:00) Balancing it all out. Advantages, disadvantages, familiarity, and the passage of time.



Hosts: Caleb, Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 619 – a closed setting

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