Have Games, Will Travel

Improv and Gaming Conversation with Remi Treuer, Part 2

• 0:33 - Today's episode is the second half of my conversation with Remi Treuer of the Durham 3 about improv and roleplaying.
• 1:27 - This show is a member of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 1:34 - Having talked about how improv and gaming are different, Remi and I dig into improv techniques that can be use effectively in roleplaying, starting with reincorporation and listening.
• 9:33 - We dig into "Yes, And. . ." and the potential problems surrounding it.
• 16:42 - I bring up the issue of sharing cool ideas immediately rather than hoarding them.
• 22:57 - We talk about vastly different role that endowment plays in improv and gaming, and Remi points out a clever twist on how to use it effectively.
• 30:48 - Remi brings up "I'm going to make you awesome" as a great tool in both improv and roleplaying before we sum up. I then go off on the new improv format my troupe is trying out and how it's a lot like roleplaying.
• 37:29 - With my conversation with Remi concluded, I disclose my plan for recording episode 100 at GenCon. Ryan Macklin of the Master Plan podcast will be the Master of Ceremonies and Roastmaster. Even if you can't be there, please send along emails and audio clips to [email protected].
• 40:59 Speaking of GenCon, next episode will be the pre-GenCon show.

--PaulDiscuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

Improv and Gaming Conversation with Remi Treuer, Part 2

• 0:33 - Today's episode is the second half of my conversation with Remi Treuer of the Durham 3 about improv and roleplaying.
• 1:27 - This show is a member of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 1:34 - Having talked about how improv and gaming are different, Remi and I dig into improv techniques that can be use effectively in roleplaying, starting with reincorporation and listening.
• 9:33 - We dig into "Yes, And. . ." and the potential problems surrounding it.
• 16:42 - I bring up the issue of sharing cool ideas immediately rather than hoarding them.
• 22:57 - We talk about vastly different role that endowment plays in improv and gaming, and Remi points out a clever twist on how to use it effectively.
• 30:48 - Remi brings up "I'm going to make you awesome" as a great tool in both improv and roleplaying before we sum up. I then go off on the new improv format my troupe is trying out and how it's a lot like roleplaying.
• 37:29 - With my conversation with Remi concluded, I disclose my plan for recording episode 100 at GenCon. Ryan Macklin of the Master Plan podcast will be the Master of Ceremonies and Roastmaster. Even if you can't be there, please send along emails and audio clips to [email protected].
• 40:59 Speaking of GenCon, next episode will be the pre-GenCon show.

--PaulDiscuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

Improv and Gaming Conversation with Remi Treuer, Part 1

• 0:33 - This is your last chance to vote for the ENnies and potentially impoverish me. Voting closes July 29th.
• 3:09 - This show is a member of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 3:16 - Remi Treuer, one third of the Durham 3, sits down with me to talk about the relationship between improv and roleplaying. We start off by explaining our improv backgrounds, Remi's with Dirty South Improv and mine with Ventura Area TheatreSports.
• 10:24 - With that out of the way, we start exploring the ways in which improv isn't roleplaying and vice versa, starting with the idea of the space around the game.
• 16:38 - We discuss how conflicts and arguments work very differently between improv and roleplaying.
• 27:20 - And that does it for part one of our conversation. Next episode, we'll discuss what things can be stolen from improv and taken back to gaming.

--PaulDiscuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

Improv and Gaming Conversation with Remi Treuer, Part 1

• 0:33 - This is your last chance to vote for the ENnies and potentially impoverish me. Voting closes July 29th.
• 3:09 - This show is a member of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 3:16 - Remi Treuer, one third of the Durham 3, sits down with me to talk about the relationship between improv and roleplaying. We start off by explaining our improv backgrounds, Remi's with Dirty South Improv and mine with Ventura Area TheatreSports.
• 10:24 - With that out of the way, we start exploring the ways in which improv isn't roleplaying and vice versa, starting with the idea of the space around the game.
• 16:38 - We discuss how conflicts and arguments work very differently between improv and roleplaying.
• 27:20 - And that does it for part one of our conversation. Next episode, we'll discuss what things can be stolen from improv and taken back to gaming.

--PaulDiscuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

Engel Matrix Games and the Indie RPG Awards

• 0:33 - Voting for the ENnies is now open. Before you fill out your ballots, I recommend checking out the Summer Revolution and the ENnies Nominations special episode of Gamer's Haven.
• 3:18 - Robin Laws gives us his blessing.
• 3:25 - Engle Matrix Games, from Chris Engle's Hamster Press, provide a unique approach to colloborative story creation. I talk about my experiences with Dracula and Evil Wizard School: The Final Lesson.
• 16:13 - This show is a member of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 16:22 - John Kim and I discuss the Indie RPG Awards.
• 29:42 - Mick Bradley flatters me.
• 29:53 - Before I go, I make a plug for the HG,WT Guild on BoardGameGeek and the next installment in the Strategicon series of conventions.

--Paul Discuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

Engel Matrix Games and the Indie RPG Awards

• 0:33 - Voting for the ENnies is now open. Before you fill out your ballots, I recommend checking out the Summer Revolution and the ENnies Nominations special episode of Gamer's Haven.
• 3:18 - Robin Laws gives us his blessing.
• 3:25 - Engle Matrix Games, from Chris Engle's Hamster Press, provide a unique approach to colloborative story creation. I talk about my experiences with Dracula and Evil Wizard School: The Final Lesson.
• 16:13 - This show is a member of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 16:22 - John Kim and I discuss the Indie RPG Awards.
• 29:42 - Mick Bradley flatters me.
• 29:53 - Before I go, I make a plug for the HG,WT Guild on BoardGameGeek and the next installment in the Strategicon series of conventions.

--Paul Discuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

Origins 2007 Round Table with Chris Hanrahan, Fred Hicks, and Kenneth Hite

• 0:38 - Before talking about Origins, I briefly discuss the ENnies. This show, along with The Sons of Kryos, The Godzilla Gaming Podcast, Yog Radio, and Fear the Boot, has been nominated for Best Podcast.
• 4:01 - The Sons of Kryos say hi.
• 4:14 - Chris Hanrahan (of 2d6 Feet In a Random Direction) and I corner Fred Hicks and Kenneth Hite to talk about our time at Origins, starting with our great dinner at the Burgundy Room.
• 7:25 - With that out of the way, Fred gives us the scoop on the Indie Press Revolution booth, while I talk about the joy of giving Luke Crane his Origins Award for Burning Empires. This led to a discussion of this year's voting procedure for the Origins Award and how important activism was.
• 12:08 - Ken talks about carry, Aces and Eights, and Witch Hunter.
• 23:23 - Prompted by Ken, Fred discusses his time at the IPR booth, focusing on Spirit of the Century and Don't Rest You Head. I mention Battlestations in passing, and Ken demands that I put a link to it in the show notes.
• 25:21 - We get Chris to talk about his love for new Battletech products. Drool is involved.
• 28:20 - Jerry Corrick of Adventure Retail and the Source gets serious kudos from Ken for his impressive stock of Cthulhiana and Lovecraft books (including The Kalem Klub and The Monster in the Mirror).
• 32:48 - I talk about playing board games, especially in the Board Room run by the Columbus Area Boardgaming Society. Among them were Zooloretto, Pizza Box Baseball, Lost Valley, and Jenseits von Theben.
• 37:46 - After a brief digression about the glories of the North Market, Fred talks about playing a few after-hours RPGs with Jared Sorensen, and we talk about what makes Origins a great experience (as Ken and I discussed last year).
• 42:14 - Chris and I got to shoot things in TerrorWerks. Ken manages to relate this to the Scandinavian gaming scene and how our hobby is able to adapt and sell a highly-individualized experience. (This is why we invite him on the show.) Fred brings in the Ashcan Front as an example. Eventually this comes around to a discussion of the Origins seminar track.
• 52:48 - Before we go, Chris gives a shout out to the city of Columbus, and we all agree.
• 57:28 - This show is part of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 57:34 - I have a few final thoughts on Origins before talking about two projects I've worked on recently, Finis and The Story Games Names Project.

--Paul Discuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

Origins 2007 Round Table with Chris Hanrahan, Fred Hicks, and Kenneth Hite

• 0:38 - Before talking about Origins, I briefly discuss the ENnies. This show, along with The Sons of Kryos, The Godzilla Gaming Podcast, Yog Radio, and Fear the Boot, has been nominated for Best Podcast.
• 4:01 - The Sons of Kryos say hi.
• 4:14 - Chris Hanrahan (of 2d6 Feet In a Random Direction) and I corner Fred Hicks and Kenneth Hite to talk about our time at Origins, starting with our great dinner at the Burgundy Room.
• 7:25 - With that out of the way, Fred gives us the scoop on the Indie Press Revolution booth, while I talk about the joy of giving Luke Crane his Origins Award for Burning Empires. This led to a discussion of this year's voting procedure for the Origins Award and how important activism was.
• 12:08 - Ken talks about carry, Aces and Eights, and Witch Hunter.
• 23:23 - Prompted by Ken, Fred discusses his time at the IPR booth, focusing on Spirit of the Century and Don't Rest You Head. I mention Battlestations in passing, and Ken demands that I put a link to it in the show notes.
• 25:21 - We get Chris to talk about his love for new Battletech products. Drool is involved.
• 28:20 - Jerry Corrick of Adventure Retail and the Source gets serious kudos from Ken for his impressive stock of Cthulhiana and Lovecraft books (including The Kalem Klub and The Monster in the Mirror).
• 32:48 - I talk about playing board games, especially in the Board Room run by the Columbus Area Boardgaming Society. Among them were Zooloretto, Pizza Box Baseball, Lost Valley, and Jenseits von Theben.
• 37:46 - After a brief digression about the glories of the North Market, Fred talks about playing a few after-hours RPGs with Jared Sorensen, and we talk about what makes Origins a great experience (as Ken and I discussed last year).
• 42:14 - Chris and I got to shoot things in TerrorWerks. Ken manages to relate this to the Scandinavian gaming scene and how our hobby is able to adapt and sell a highly-individualized experience. (This is why we invite him on the show.) Fred brings in the Ashcan Front as an example. Eventually this comes around to a discussion of the Origins seminar track.
• 52:48 - Before we go, Chris gives a shout out to the city of Columbus, and we all agree.
• 57:28 - This show is part of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 57:34 - I have a few final thoughts on Origins before talking about two projects I've worked on recently, Finis and The Story Games Names Project.

--Paul Discuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

After Action Report for Primetime Adventures

• 0:34 - We've just finished up playing a full season of Primetime Adventures, so I thought this would be a good time to talk about it.
• 1:51 - The illustrious Kenneth Hite greets us.
• 2:00 - I sit down with Christina, Roy, and Ted to talk extensively about Terroir, our recently concluded game of Primetime Adventures. We start off with introductions.
• 4:16 - We begin with the pitch session and how we ended up playing Six Feet Under meets Tim Powers' Earthquake Weather meets Six Feet Under
• 8:08 - We talk about how the conceptual framework of a television show impacted the game.
• 20:18 - The first element of PTA's mechanics we dig into is fan mail.
• 28:28 - En route to discussing the conflict system, we explain our biggest stumble in the game.
• 37:48 - With that out of the way, we finally get to the conflict mechanics, specifically how they drive plot momentum and handle orthogonal stakes.
• 43:57 - We give some advice for people looking to try PTA for the first time.
• 56:27 - Finally, we conclude with what we've learning and we're taking away for future games.
• 1:08:46 - The show is part of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 1:08:56 - I'm off to Origins, and I'll be back next week to talk about the experience.

--Paul Discuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.

After Action Report for Primetime Adventures

• 0:34 - We've just finished up playing a full season of Primetime Adventures, so I thought this would be a good time to talk about it.
• 1:51 - The illustrious Kenneth Hite greets us.
• 2:00 - I sit down with Christina, Roy, and Ted to talk extensively about Terroir, our recently concluded game of Primetime Adventures. We start off with introductions.
• 4:16 - We begin with the pitch session and how we ended up playing Six Feet Under meets Tim Powers' Earthquake Weather meets Six Feet Under
• 8:08 - We talk about how the conceptual framework of a television show impacted the game.
• 20:18 - The first element of PTA's mechanics we dig into is fan mail.
• 28:28 - En route to discussing the conflict system, we explain our biggest stumble in the game.
• 37:48 - With that out of the way, we finally get to the conflict mechanics, specifically how they drive plot momentum and handle orthogonal stakes.
• 43:57 - We give some advice for people looking to try PTA for the first time.
• 56:27 - Finally, we conclude with what we've learning and we're taking away for future games.
• 1:08:46 - The show is part of the Gaming Broadcast Network.
• 1:08:56 - I'm off to Origins, and I'll be back next week to talk about the experience.

--Paul Discuss this episode in the HG,WT forum.