This is an abridged version of a long overdue conversation with Scott Welker, long-time gamer and successful game designer with titles based in Savage Worlds, D20, Year Zero, and soon a system of his own making. Scott is one half of Thieves Guild Gaming. Our conversation is a full on, open-minded examination about focused attention in RPGs - otherwise known colloquially but ambiguously and unhelpfully as immersion. You can watch the full conversation, with its load of annotations and notes, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LdqytLSQd9o

Scott likes to say "Immersion is impossible!" We get into what he means by that. I, as you know, Dear Listener, like to say that immersion, like so many other things, is frequently misunderstood. We get into that, too. For added value, one way we explore the topic is through Scott's games and how they were written. Useful links:Thieves Guild Games on DTRPG, has just launched a public beta of their new OPENSIX system and are looking for feedback. As a system, it is directly relevant to this discussion. The game is currently PWYW and can be found here:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/524225/opensix-zero-edition-take-back-your-imagination

First in a series of videos on Scott's first game, OS+R https://youtu.be/HaDi13UM21Y?si=dgRGHBnLRIDw6brd

Scott and I discuss the film: Zero Charisma https://www.youtube.com/live/dVXKIX78DIQ?si=oeIvKiePEcTp_WMI

My follow-up:https://youtu.be/X2TCg2cl9aI?si=PS_sEUrfL2wKmxYi

Scott's recent video on Autotelic Engagement: https://youtu.be/qHVyFOYRPgo?si=Lcuf10VFaZfFaT2v

Blog post summarizing my basic theory of "immersion"

On Immersion and Engagement in RPG Play https://wp.me/pTI80-3ke

A recent video from Bacon modelled on the above post and further exploring the points raised by Scott can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/live/iB_V-3V3KHc?si=7q83aGV8b93-Q_Mm

You can contact me by e-mail at runescastshadows via gmail or by leaving a voice message through Speak Pipe.

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I am joined by 3 friends that I am fortunate enough to game with regularly, Brian Courtemanche, Brian Gregory (Stochastic Agency on YouTube) and the indefatigable Ivan 'More Bass' Podgwaite. We discuss some gaming topics for quite awhile (made less through the magical power of editing) before diving into some off the cuff inspiration and improvisation with the first few prompts of #RPGaDAY2025. I hope you will join us and stick through to the end!

You can find Ivan Podgwaite at ivanmike1968 on YouTube, where he talks about RPGs, playing bass, and life.

You can find Brian Gregory at Stochastic Agency on YouTube where he talks about playing RPGs.

You can find Brian Courtemanche on YouTube as well! So far, he has been reviewing short, light, takes on cosmic horror roleplay like the game he mentioned in this episode: Old Ones, Shoggoths, and R'lyeh.

You can contact me by e-mail at runescastshadows via gmail or by leaving a voice message through Speak Pipe.

Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast

Mentioned in this Episode:

Roleplay Cafe + - YouTubeRPG with DBJ - YouTube

This episode possibly resumes more regular releases of the podcast while sharing thoughts on some topics I have missed recently and on that gem of a system, Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying.

Casting Shadows Blog

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Runeslinger - YouTube

Is Hindsightless THE most sporadic podcast on the Internet? I am not sure, this one must surely qualify for something in that category.

NOTE: The recap portion of this video has been subtitled for your convenience.

I have been putting up a in-depth videos on the YouTube channel lately about the nature of RPGs, so this weekend, with my thin strips of free time, I grilled up a recap as a sort of celebration of the great play I have been enjoying with Call of Cthulhu for the past year and a half, and as a possible on-ramp to getting into or at least enjoying the campaign vicariously, for those who don't enjoy YouTube. It was fun for me to go over our calendar of dates and events and spin that into a sort of StoryTime for the Casting Shadows Podcast. I hope you enjoy it, too.

If you would like to contact me, please consider leaving a voice message via SpeakPipe

https://speakpipe.com/castingshadowspodcast

If you prefer text, you can find me @Runeslinger on BlueSky, TwiXter, and YouTube or at my gmail address: runescastshadows.

Recommendation!

If you are curious about a great exploration of Chainmail in the context of playing it as the wargame it began life as, rather then the product shoehorned into OD&D, please consider checking out the Diegetic Advancement podcast.

This nearly 90-minute conversation was made possible by the open-minded attitude of TrilltheDM, the interest of MercuriousAulicus and Black Lodge Games, and I suppose, the letter X. In it, we discuss Trill's recent video: Mastering Player Choice in Mystery and Horror RPGs and take it further than the original 10-minute runtime would allow, dive into its specific context, and in general have an enjoyable and interesting discussion.

You can find the original video at this link:

CONTACT THE SHOW:

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LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

Mastering Player Choice in Mystery & Horror RPGs - YouTube

Sandboxes:

This episode is in three segments. The first presents links and reactions to just a few of the cool posts I have seen in response to the 2nd week of #RPGaDAY2024. This is part of a series for each week of the event. If you have suggestions for great posts, send me a message with the links! The second segment offers some tantalizing morsels stolen from the freshly unearthed Mordavia: Land of Horror supplement for Leagues of Adventure, Leagues of Gothic Horror, and Leagues of Cthulhu by Triple Ace Games. The final segment runs roughshod over my own responses to the #RPGaDAY2024 prompts in unseemly haste!

CONTACT THE SHOW:

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LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

⁠Autocratik Blog

Halls of the Nephilim

Stargazer's World

The Other Side

Stochasium

Triple Ace Games

Mordavia on DriveThruRPG

This episode presents links and reactions to just a few of the cool posts I have seen in response to the first week of #RPGaDAY2024. This is intended to be the first of a series for each week of the event. If you have suggestions for great posts, send me a message with the links!

CONTACT THE SHOW:

E-Mail Voice Message

FIND CASTING SHADOWS:

Blog Channel

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

Autocratik Blog

Nerds' RPG Variety Cast

Stochastic Agency

JDRD30

Pink Phantom Podcast

Mirke the Meek Podcast

Dungeon Tutor

Dekahedron's Joseph Gill

Nolinquisitor Channel

Creative Play and Podcast Network

Miskatonic Playhouse Channel

Hindsightless Podcast

In the first segment of this episode I quickly share some of my responses to the first week of #RPGaDAY2024 prompts. Later in the week ahead, I will be sharing cool prompts from other folk that I have found out there on the Internet.

The second segment explores the structure and some suggestions for running The Great Campaign from Triple Ace Games for the Ubiquity Roleplaying System.

The third segment is a quick overview of Ubiquity for those hearing about it for the first time.

CONTACT THE SHOW

runescastshadows AT gmail.com

https://discord.gg/cGedvmdG3h

Products or Shows mentioned in this Episode:

The GMologist Presents

The Great Campaign (PDF, PoD)

This episode takes us on a semi-farcical journey into language and imagery to talk about the very necessary nature a lack of meaning and import can have to immersive and engaging in-character play.

Curious? I hope so~

#RPGaDAY2024 infographics are available at

Contact me at:

runescastshadows at gmail dot com

Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com)

Marty Robbins Gunfighter Ballads:

https://youtu.be/zzICMIu5zFY?si=rTJvXrET_LKt9yFj

Links to the callers featured in this episode can be found below. This episode features calls from Sameoldji (link to his eponymous podcast can be found below), Jason Connerly formely of Nerd's RPG Variety Cast (link to his now complete library of podcast episodes can be found below), and Che Webster of the now intentionally intermittent Roleplay Rescue podcast (link provided below).

Topics in this episode are the ongoing YouTube actual play series being run on my channel, and two different points about my recent conversation with Daniel Jones of Primeval Fantasy (link below) from the previous episode.

Contact the Show!

or

@runeslinger for YouTube, TwiXter, Blue Sky, and Facebook

runescastshadows AT gmail

or leave a comment on the video version of an episode on my YouTube Channel: @Runeslinger

Sameoldji's Podcast:

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jean-franois-st-onge/episodes/0-Origins-and-directions-from-vlogging-to-podcasts-e2bg1rv/a-aaikrmm

Jason Connerly

Blog: