Join Gregory and Mike as they start their discussion of the two major approaches to world-building, Comprehensive Design and Concentric Design. In this episode, they'll examine the differences between the two methods, explain their strengths and weaknesses, and give an overview of which design style best suits the development of the various elements of your game world!

In this installment, Gregory and Mike examine the difference between games and stories, discuss linear versus freeform campaigns, and explain why you should let your players' actions drive your game's story. They also offer tips to help game masters offer their players meaningful choices during gameplay, without having to be skilled at creating "on the fly".

In the very first full Episode of Gemstone Shards, Gregory and Mike discuss what "world-building" means for role-playing games, reasons why you should (or perhaps shouldn't) create your own game setting, and how world-building for RPG campaigns differs from developing a setting for a novel or screenplay.

In this brief introductory episode of Gemstone Shards, Gregory and Mike introduce themselves and explain what they hope to accomplish with their podcast (biographical information current as of November, 2019).