Fear the Boot

* (0:29)  appears to have catering, but we could still use more GMs! * (5:21) Laundering identities. * (7:03) Game Masters getting fixated on things that aren’t important to the game they’re running. * (12:00) A lack of flexibility. The . * (19:36) GM distress when the party solves something too quickly. * (26:32) Let’s get passive-aggressive and make the GM solve their own problem! Obstructionist Game Masters. * (33:39) Problems should have purpose. * (43:24) Difficulty that’s out of place. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Julia, Wayne

* (0:29) A new show type on the horizon: phone the Boot, or something similarly clever. * (2:04) Kids’ games at . Our episode on gaming with children . * (4:15) Brodeur goes on  and . * (6:17) Brodeur gets invited to crash someone else’s game as a guest GM. * (10:02) The whole situation is awkward, starting with the style of game. * (16:59) The gut-punch of unintentionally outshining the person that invited you. * (18:51) Or, maybe outshining the other person isn’t such a bad thing. * (25:42) Expect the players to keep doing whatever you allow to work. * (33:10) The right kind of consultant. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Julia, Tex

* (0:29) A shoutout and thanks to WashingCon!

* (1:09) Fear the Con is coming up in mid-June.

* (2:25) Wayne annihilates his player-characters in a Legion of Liberty game, and they love it. Our episode on action economy.

* (10:22) The perspective that comes from getting your butt kicked.

* (13:52) The difference between the party getting defeated, the party getting cheated, and the party getting destroyed.

* (19:44) Rewinding as opposed to setting up round two.

* (27:35) Consequences don’t have to be applied directly to the player-characters.

* (33:35) Allowing players to choose the form of their defeat.

* (36:44) Brodeur terrorizes his staff.

Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Julia, Wayne

* (0:29) June 16th, 17th, and 18th for ! You can see Mikey Mason’s material . * (2:40) Reviewing the idea of horizontal and vertical creativity. * (4:56) Horizontal creativity doesn’t mean the player has to get lazy. In fact, it may mean the GM is getting lazy. * (12:35) How horizontal creativity can add complexity to the story. * (16:22) Understanding why a GM is limiting something. * (20:56) Players taking ownership for how far off the ranch they’ve gone. * (31:59) Learning more about the game through player experimentation. * (36:27) It’s OK to just let players have their fun. Hosts: Brodeur, Caleb, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) – Bordeur, Dan, and Julia will be at  this weekend: March 26th and 27th, 2022. * (2:23) – Defining how we’ll be using “vertical” and “horizontal” creativity over the next two shows. * (5:45) – The laziness that often accompanies horizontal thinking. * (8:08) – Creativity within seemingly narrow (i.e. “vertical”) ideas. * (11:10) – Playing within the GM’s parameters and rules. * (19:16) – What is it about the player that refuses to conform? * (28:27) – How horizontal creativity forces the GM to tell a story they may not have wanted to tell. * (31:08) – Why is it so hard to compromise a bit? Hosts: Brodeur, Caleb, Dan, Wayne

* (0:44) Get signed up for ! * (1:02) Brodeur is now on TikTok for some reason. . Do what you will. * (5:45) Welcoming Jason back to the show. * (6:31) There I Was…When Nothing Happened. The Kickstarter . * (11:26) Why “winning the fight” may not be a winning strategy. * (17:24) Seeing another way out. * (22:16) The five stages of avoiding violence. * (31:33) The relationship between anger and fear. Understanding your own psychology. * (38:55) Designing encounters with a clear understanding of your NPC’s motivations. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Jason, Julia

* (0:28) The teeth on the dog go click, click, click. * (1:30) Brodeur discovers New Game+ mode in video games. * (10:23) Weather and environmental effects in an RPG. * (13:09) Weather as a reflection of some other truth in the setting. * (14:53) Setting the mood and adding immersion. * (19:21) Does the environment not come up more often because it’s not in the rules? * (25:02) The storytelling side effects of being inside when we game. * (26:53) Using the environment to control the flow of the game. * (35:05) Integrating environment into your rules and narrative. * (39:09) Don’t forget to sign up for ! Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Wayne

* (0:18) Time to set the mood for bedtime. * (5:06) Wayne, Boxman, and the latex room. * (14:32) Watching sports for all the wrong reasons. Brodeur joins TikTok. God forgive us all. * (16:57) Wayne pulls a plane, and Brodeur brings the pain. * (26:22) Kids versus bikes. Bikes win. * (28:54) Kids versus cars. Cars win. * (32:39) On blowing up toilets and toys. * (38:07) Waynezilla. Meanwhile, Phoenix gets really crazy and burns…a candle. * (44:23) Oh, the places you’ll go. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Phoenix, Wayne

* (0:28) The site for  is now live! * (2:07) Monday Morning Quarterbacking your own games ( for anyone that doesn’t know that phrase). * (3:36) Getting past being your own worst critic. * (8:17)  and . * (12:57) Using game recordings to prepare for the next session. * (17:01) Approaching your recording with the right mindset, goals, and expectations. * (25:20) Using game audio to exonerate yourself in your own mind. * (29:53) The freedom to no longer take notes during the game. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) A fond farewell to Chad. * (4:50) Keeping the perspective that we all started somewhere. * (7:34) The amount of good advice every human being ignores; sometimes experience is the only effective teacher. * (12:49) The less you’re willing to step up, the more you ought to be patient. * (16:24) Don’t confuse personal style with absolute right and wrong. * (21:40) Determining whether you should stick around or just find another use for your time. * (24:04) When you’re the only one loving or hating the game. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne