Bonus Experience

Bonus Experience

By Rai Witter Cole, Monica SpecaLeisureGames
Download on the App Store

Bonus Experience episodes

  • BXP 3×10 – The Calvinball Recap

    Hello Bonus Babies, 

    In today’s episode, Monica and Rai talk about the live streamed “Calvinball” game – a thought experiment hosted by Danielle Lauzon (friend of the show, Storypath and Vampire: the Requiem developer). In “Calvinball” all the PCs are from wildly varying games, all using different systems and at different power levels to test the thesis that the players make the game. 

    Also discussed: technical difficulties, zippered butt flaps. 

    All this and more in Margaret’s Extended Cut

    Be sure to check out The Systematic Understanding of Everything to learn the basics of Exalted’s incredible setting! Look for it in your feeds soon. 

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    36 min
  • BXP 3×09 – What’s a Traditional Game, Anyway?

    Hello Bonus Babies, 

    Thanks to a really excellent discussion on our Discord, Rai and Monica sit down and discuss what the definition of “Traditional Game” actually is. Does it mean lots of math? Does it mean a fiddly combat system? Do you have to grow a beard to run the game??

    Join us on this journey of definitional discovery!

    Also discussed: the arduous process of getting a job, and we play the worst game ever – Is this Bug a Cockroach?

    All this and more in Margaret’s Extended Cut

    Also check out The Systematic Understanding of Everything to learn the basics of Exalted’s incredible setting. We also shout out Terry and his show Mage the Podcast being a cool fan and also producing just, like, a ridiculous amount of audio.

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    35 min
  • BXP 3×08 – The Onyx PathCon Discussion

    Hello Bonus Babies, 

    Today we bring you our discussion about the live Exalted Essence playtest that happened during Onyx Pathcon. Monica and Rai break down prepping to run a game and a demo live, from prepwork to design considerations, and so on.
    This was one of our quarantine hangout episodes, so it’s unscripted. and you’ll be treated to a Symphony of Background Sounds.
    Also discussed in the extended cut: a lot of puppy stuff, oatmeal flexing, and a paean to ZipRecruiter.

    All this and more in Margaret’s Extended Cut

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    56 min
  • BXP 3×07 – We Can’t Brain Today

    Hello Bonus Babies, 

    This is the first of our unscripted hangout episodes, so enjoy us all over the place. Today’s topic is how to keep your brain going when you just, can’t. We talk about where we’re making helpful donations, as well as our entire arsenal of coping mechanisms. 

    Also discussed in the extended cut: quarantime catch-up, civil disobedience, Donate to Bail Funds, puppy breaks, Tea Experience.

    All this and more in Margaret’s Extended Cut

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    57 min
  • BXP 3×06 – Mechanics Are Inevitable

    In today’s episode, Monica and Rai break down how all games have rules, and mechanics are just another tool in the game designer’s toolbox. We highlight some good examples and give some advice for choosing  the tools to build your game.

    Also discussed: weird dreams, Bruce Banner the puppy,  ADHD talk and a brief interlude while Rai takes her meds and Monica has breakfast. It’s like you’re really here with us!

    All this and more in Margaret’s Extended Cut

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    46 min
  • BXP 3×05 – Fellas, is it Gay to Play RPGS? Games with Queer Themes
    In today’s episode we discuss traditional games with queer themes. We also helpfully define both what we mean by “traditional games” and “queer themes.” Rai gets to flex her literary theory knowledge and Monica gets to use Exalted as a good example for a change. 
    Enjoy some of our audience interactions from the live recording! 

    All this and more in Margaret’s Extended Cut

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    32 min
  • BXP 3×04 – Character Death and Why It’s Not Great

    In today’s episode Monica and Rai tackle the topic of killing people — err… characters. Yeah. Characters. We talk about why you should and shouldn’t include character death in your campaigns in a variety of different systems and situations.

    Also discussed: That One Time Rai Raced to Unplayability, What if We Played a Dead Guy This Whole Time, and some thoughtful meditations on isolation. All this and more in Margaret’s Extended Cut

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    43 min
  • BXP 3×03 – Bonus Inexperience: Dealing with Brand New People

    While running, writing, or designing games you will probably have to contend with a rather surprising challenge: new people. This episode dives into a how-to discussion when it comes to making sure new folks don’t feel totally overwhelmed when they join your game (as a GM) or pick it up for the first time (as a writer or designer).

    And uh, we didn’t script this one. So it’s a hot ADHD mess. That’s what you like about us, though, right?

    Right?

    If you want to know when next we’ll do a live recording, be sure to follow us on Twitter—or better yet, support us on Patreon!

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    42 min
  • BXP 3×02 – BXP LIVE! Mediocre Twitter RPG Advice
    Here we are with a special, socially-distant, LIVE RECORDING of Bonus Experience! Monica and Rai threw it open to everyone who joined the Discord server, and the episode is infinitely better for it.

    Today, we discuss an inexplicably popular list shared to social media, of “ideas from video games you can use to level up your ttrpg.” The whole thing is baffling in its mediocrity. Let’s discuss it and get spiteful!!

    If you want to know when next we’ll do a live recording, be sure to follow us on Twitter—or better yet, support us on Patreon!

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    1 hr 5 min
  • BXP 3×01 – It’s Season Three Already?!
    Whoa, what?? It’s our third season?? What year is it??
    …for real though, what year is it, we’ve had a hell of a winter.
    Monica and Rai catch us up on what they’ve been up to (mostly Seasonal Affective Disorder and writing under NDAs, has Monica told you yet that she’s the lead mechanical designer for Exalted: Essence?), and look ahead to the bright and shiny year of 2020! What will be left of it, anyway, after the world ends, haha, right?? Right?? hahaha!!! I’m okay!!!
    Are you watching Letters Edged in Black, BXP’s Blades in the Dark stream? You should! Subscribe here.

    [ Bonus Experience: the Blog! bxpcast.com | Bonus Experience: the Twitter! @bonusexpcast | Bonus Experience: the Patreon! patreon.com/bonusexperience ]

    20 min

About Bonus Experience

From the publisher's feed

A deeper look at the play experience and the finer details of running and writing tabletop games.