Gemstone Shards

Just over a century ago, science fiction writer Ray Cummings wrote, "Time is what keeps everything from happening at once." While you may agree or disagree with how well this describes the "real world", it is certainly true of your game world! An effective timekeeping system helps avoid continuity errors, allows you to build stronger, more suspenseful plots, and can help prevent one of the "deadly sins" of world design, overbuilding. Join Gregory and Mike as they take a look at timekeeping, and how it affects both your world-building and your game mastery!

Even the most creative game masters sometimes need more than mere inspiration when they're building their game worlds. Join Gregory and Mike as they explain what they mean when they say, "Good GMs borrow, great GMs steal!"

We've looked at how problems with your game world can affect your players, preventing them from engaging with your setting, or even causing them to leave your game. But what about you, the game master? Could the world you've so lovingly created be holding you back? On today's episode, Gregory and Mike look at how a game world that is cluttered, dated, or overwhelming limits your ability to be an effective, enthusiastic GM!

This is the third episode in a three-part series. While not essential, we would suggest listening to Episodes 029 and 030 first, as they'll provide background for today's broadcast.

In our last episode we looked at the question of player retention, and how the game world you've created may be causing players to leave your game. Now it's time to look at player engagement: You've got gamers coming to your table, but they don't seem that into your setting, and your gaming sessions aren't as much fun as they should be. Join Gregory and Mike as they identify issues that prevent player immersion in your game world, and how you can correct them!

This is the second episode in a three-part series. While not essential, we would recommend listening to Episode 029, "Is My Game World Holding Back My Game? Part One" first.

When a tabletop RPG campaign falls apart, blame usually falls on either the GM's game mastery skills, or the actions of one or more of their players. But what if it's neither? What if the problem is the world you've created to host your game? In our next three podcasts, we'll look at how structural problems within your setting may be crippling your ability to run an effective game there. On today's episode, Gregory and Mike begin by tackling the issue of player retention: Is your game world actively driving players away, and if so, why?

We recently passed the halfway point of our first year, so we thought now would be a good time to review some key concepts we introduced in our earliest episodes. If you're just now joining us, this is a great opportunity to get caught up with a minimal investment of time. We also give a quick overview of the topics we've covered so far, making it easy for new listeners to find specific episodes they may be interested in!

Also, be sure and join us next week for the first episode of a three part series designed for those of you with existing homebrew settings, where we ask the question, "Is my game world holding back my game?"

Now that we've discussed the availability and power of magic in your game world, it's time to examine the intersection between the two factors! Is magic rare and ultra-powerful, allowing a cabal of wizard-kings to rule the known world? Is magic ultra-common but of limited utility, creating a setting where children are taught cantrips like Mending and Light in school, but major problems must be solved with technology? On this episode, Gregory and Mike look at how different combinations of magical power and availability radically affect your game world and what your players encounter there!

While it's theoretically possible to create a tabletop fantasy game setting where players don't have access to spells and magic items, that's probably not the case for the world you're building. Assuming that magic does exist in your game world, exactly how powerful is it? Can high-level practitioners perform miracles, or are magic spells little more than parlor tricks? Also, is magic rare or common in your world? Does every peasant farmer own an enchanted plow and know a few cantrips, or are magical spells and abilities the province of a handful of gifted individuals? Join Gregory and Mike as they discuss how the power and availability of magic can radically alter both the way your world works, and how gameplay unfolds at your table!

As this broadcast builds on concepts introduced in Episode 025 ("Magic in Your Game World, Part One"), we recommend listening to it before starting this one!

For most builders of fantasy game worlds, magic plays a major role in their setting. So where does your world's magic come from? Does it 'just work', or is there an element of chaos about it? Would a setting without spells or magic items still be a fantasy world? Join Gregory and Mike as they begin a two-part discussion about the role of magic in your game world!

After careful thought, you've decided that there are divine beings present in your game world. Now it's time to ask some additional questions: Is your world animistic? Monotheistic? Polytheistic? If, like most fantasy settings, it's polytheistic, are there a handful of gods? Dozens? Thousands? How do your gods interact with their worshipers and with each other? Join Gregory and Mike as they continue their discussion of gods in your game world!

If you aren't well-versed in "real world" religious systems, you may want to check out Episode 023, "Gods, Demigods, and Heroes, Part One" for the basics before listening to today's podcast!