GamingPerspectives

     Can roleplaying games be more than games?  Saul and Jolene talk about psychology in roleplaying games.  Jolene curiosity was piqued when this subject was brought up in the many esoteric conversations she has with Saul.  After a bit of research and discussion with Saul the present episode was born.  There has always been talk about how rpgs can be used other than a game.  It turns out there have been many programs and research on the subject of roleplaying games.   

     Below are articles and programs where rpgs are used as tools for therapy.

      Operation Z Day, a program to help clients use public transportation in Tocoma  http://www2.rpgresearch.com/blog/using-role-playing-games-for-autism-spectrum-participants

     http://www.seattleschild.com/Valuing-Difference-Local-Programs-Help-Kids-on-the-Spectrum-Connect/

     https://geekandsundry.com/role-playing-gamers-have-more-empathy-than-non-gamers/

     https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1609&context=etd

         Music by Nick Bommorito,  song Folk Psychology from the album Harp Fragments.

   Available from FreeMusicArchive.com

     In this Episode we talk about the TV cult hit Supernatural RPG.  It is a favorite show of both Saul and Jolene.  They discuss the Supernatural RPG published by Margaret Weis Productions.  Saul talks about why he liked the system, now called, Cortex Classic.  And of course the show the RPG is based on.  It is a modern day monster hunting game.  Saul tells a story of Jolene trying to play from the couch until she finally has enough and joins the table to play.  

     The game creator was Jamie Chambers not the person I mentioned on the podcast.. oops..

   Music by Mystified,  Song Spooky on the album Themes.

  Available at FreeMusicArchive.com

     In this episode Saul and Jolene talk about how they make encounters and things they consider when making those encounters. Jolene talks about killing Saul's newly made Paladin character in the first session he gets to play in.  Well luckily for Saul they are playing 5th Edition D&D so the Paladin only went down for a couple of rounds.  So Saul and Jolene discuss what goes through their minds as they try to make encounters that are challenging and fun but not overpowering.  A few examples of encounters that did not go well but we learn from all things especially mistakes.

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     Music by,  David Hilowitz, song Close Encounter off the album Close Encounter

    Available from FreeMusicArchive.com

     Saul and Jolene talk about Kickstarter.  They discuss both the pledging and creating Kickstarter Campaigns.  As a long time supporter of a few Kickstarter campaigns, Saul discusses why people support Kickstarter campaigns.  Jolene attests to the number of KickStarter that Saul has pledged and  who has been pretty happy with most of the pledges.   Saul discusses the help that is out there for creators and talks about specific Kickstarter campaigns he has supported in the past and one that is currently active.

    Happy New Year Everyone!!!

   For tips on how to run a good Kickstarter campaign you can look at a very successful Kickstarter creator Jamie Stegmaier,  go to the following web page.   https://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter/

   The current Kickstarter RPG that Saul has pledged to and still has 10 days left as of this episode's publication. 

     https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/encoded/the-streets-of-avalon

     The book mentioned by Saul about medieval life by Phil McGregor available on DriveThruRPG can be found here.

        https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/222678/Orbis-Mundi-2?src=hottest_filtered

    Music by Scott Holmes, song Follow Your Dreams.

      Available at FreeMusicArchive.com

    So the whole D&D "Band" can't get together on the next session.  Don't cancel play a D&D Boardgame to get your D&D fix.  Saul and Jolene talk about D&D themed boardgames that might scratch the D&D itch just so most of you that can get together can still play.  Saul and Jolene discuss Castle Ravenloft and some of the other themed games using the same game system.  A different type of game is Lords of Waterdeep a worker placement game set in the Forgotten Realms D&D Campaign Setting.  Jolene's best advice might be, "Don't sit couples next to each other".  And lastly we discuss Betrayal at Balder's Gate, another game set on the famous Sword Coast in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting

    Music by Box Cat Games, song "Victory" 

  Available at FreeMusicArchive.com

    So the whole D&D "Band" can't get together on the next session.  Don't cancel play a D&D Boardgame to get your D&D fix.  Saul and Jolene talk about D&D themed boardgames that might scratch the D&D itch just so most of you that can get together can still play.  Saul and Jolene discuss Castle Ravenloft and some of the other themed games using the same game system.  A different type of game is Lords of Waterdeep a worker placement game set in the Forgotten Realms D&D Campaign Setting.  Jolene's best advice might be, "Don't sit couples next to each other".  And lastly we discuss Betrayal at Balder's Gate, another game set on the famous Sword Coast in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting

    Music by Box Cat Games, song "Victory" 

  Available at FreeMusicArchive.com

     The Ranger Class first introduced to Dungeons and Dragons players was way back in 1978 in the Advanced D&D Player's Handbook.  The class had first been seen in Dragon Magazine issues.  In the Players Handbook the Ranger really saw the light of day and it drew many players to this homage of Tolkien's novels.  The Ranger has been in D&D ever since in all editions to this day.   As a sub-class of a fighter the Ranger is a departure from that class in a sense that Rangers are not a heavy combat class.

       The differences from a standard Fighter make the Ranger an interesting class to play.  And that departure makes it a fun class to play in D&D.  

   R.A. Salvatore wrote the Drizzt novels before the year 2000 and so Saul's idea of that character influencing the Ranger Class D&D 3rd Edition is possible.  

   Star Rangers was a MS-Dos game published in 1995.

   Song by Tone Ranger, song Cheyenne off the album Tone Ranger.

    Available at FreeMusicArchive.com