Talking TableTop

By Jim McClure & Jim Merritt

What's Talking TableTop about?

Talking TableTop is a weekly interview style podcast created for tabletop gamers. We talk with industry leaders to find out what makes them tick. Our goal is to celebrate this incredible community of people and offer an avenue for collaboration between ourselves, this community, and those pushing tabletop innovation.

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Talking TableTop episodes:

09.20.2019
68. Grant Howitt and Chris Taylor
On this episode of Talking Tabletop, Jim interviews Grant and Chris the designers and owners of Rowan, Rook and Decard. During this episode we talk about their first trip to GenCon this year, what it's like producing a new game...
05.07.2019
67. Rob Stith
This episode features an interview with Rob Stith, the designer of The ORPHEUS Protocol. In this interview we talked about the game, what it is like designing an RPG in public, and some of Rob's favorite moments from the 3-year...
04.03.2018
66. Rob Wieland
This weeks episode features Rob Wieland. Rob is a writer for Geek & Sundry, has over 50 writing credits in the RPG world from Shadowrun to Star Wars, and is a professional Game Master. During the interview, we discuss how he...
03.20.2018
65. Erika Chappell
This week features the return of Talking TableTop! Our return features Erika Chappell, a game designer that has her first RPG, Flying Circus, on Kickstarter right now. In this interview we discuss how she got involved in game design, dealing with...
04.18.2017
64. Colin Kyle
This episodes features Colin Kyle a brand new game designer that is just starting his journey into the world tabletop design. During the episode we discuss his career in academia, tackling uncomfortable topics with game design, and his kickstarter for...
03.21.2017
63. John Adamus
This episode features John Adamus. A long time member of the RPG community and industry, John is preparing to launch his very first kickstarter for his game Noir World. During this interview we talk about life, health, and the reality...
03.01.2017
62. James and Kat
This episode of Talking Tabletop features James and Kat, the matriarch and patriarch of One Shot. We discuss what it is like working together in a creative environment, and their unique relationship.
02.28.2017
Satanic Panic Episode 14 - Invasion
The team was just getting to the bottom of their many mysteries when there was a knocking at the door, or rather an explosion at the elevator. An old friend has come to pay the agents a visit....
02.14.2017
61. Shane Harsch
This episode features Shane Harsch of Legendsmith. During the interview we discuss how he got inot gaming, what he is doing with Legendsmith, and his projects Narosia and NOVA6.
02.14.2017
Satanic Panic Episode 13 - Revelations
The team returns to the TPS headquarters with an new prisoner in the mad doctor they nicked from the stronghold. However, the interrogation of the doctor raises more questions than answers.
01.31.2017
Satanic Panic Episode 12 - Heavy Weapons
The team is in the midst of the TSR Stronghold. The only thing they have to help them... is a warehouse worth of machine guns. And mechanics! So many game mechanics!
01.31.2017
60. Eric Simon
This episode features Eric Simon the designer of Rockalypse. During the interview we talk about the game, his other project Steamscapes, and what it was like leaving the day job to do RPGs full time.
01.24.2017
Satanic Panic Episode 11 - Doctors and Demons
As the team infiltrates the TSR stronghold new information comes to light about the cooky old doctor and what resides inside Alexander. Also the team gets a potty mouth.
01.19.2017
Satanic Panic Episode 10 - The Doctor
The team is on the outskirts of a TSR stronghold. While loaded down with the most guns they could possible carry, they decide to test the bounds of geographic reality.
01.10.2017
Satanic Panic Episode 9 - Georgia
In the aftermath of Inspector Acht's visit to the agency, Burt Macklin goes into business for himself. A few well placed lies, with the help a supportive superior officer, and the team is on its way to a TSR stronghold.
01.03.2017
Satanic Panic Episode 8 - Inspector Acht
The team returns from their mission out to Talawanda High school only to come under fire from a brand new threat. They must defend themselves from an inter-office investigation.
01.03.2017
59. Quinn Wilson
This Episode features Quinn Wilson of the Swallows of the South podcast. During this interview we discuss how his brother got him into tabletop, what it is like introducing new people to lore-dense games, and his efforts to expand the...
12.27.2016
Satanic Panic Bonus Episode - Howard's Birthday
The team has been roped into a mission all of them have been dreading, attending Howard's birthday party.
12.20.2016
Satanic Panic Episode 7 - The Demon
The team has tracked the source of the demon to the basement of Talawanda high school, but this basement hold more secrets then anyone expected.
12.20.2016
58. Dan of Fear the Boot Part 2
This episode of part two of Jim's interview with Dan of Fear the Boot. During this interview they discuss video games, RPG's with Meta-plots, and the future of Fear the Boot.
12.13.2016
Satanic Panic Episode 6 - Room 204
Face with a possessed girl in the middle of a high school cafeteria the team takes drastic action to try and isolate the situation. However, unforeseen circumstances make this task far harder than anyone expected...
12.06.2016
Satanic Panic Episode 5 - Amy
After a harrowing engagement with a TSR Agent in Middletown Ohio the team is sent out to Talawanda High school on reports of a demon possessed girl. The insertion method of choice? 80's fashion and bad radio DJs.
11.29.2016
Satanic Panic Bonus Episode
On this special bonus episode of Satanic Panic, Dr Kessler, Alexander, and Macklin return from a botched mission and must try and talk their way out of a debriefing with Glen Dotson.
11.29.2016
57. Dan of Fear the Boot - Part 1
This episode is part 1 of a conversation with Dan, the originator of the Fear the Boot podcast. Fear the Boot is the longest running tabletop podcast and during this interview Dan talks about how it got started, his early...
11.22.2016
Satanic Panic Episode 4 - The Agent
The comic store has been cleared, but Middletown Ohio is not safe yet. Alexander is in a bad way and trouble is brewing on the outskirts of town. One last basement to investigate, one last piece of information to be...
11.15.2016
Satanic Panic Episode 3 - The Sampson Family
A body was found in the basement of Open Page Comics, and an ominous sign carved into it's chest, "THAC0". The agents set up an interesting sting operating utilizing a complex market strategy for the store in an effort to...
11.08.2016
Satanic Panic Episode 2 - Open Page Comics
The team is sent out to Middletown Ohio to handle an outbreak of tabletoppers in the local community. They find their biggest rival in an antagonistic quartermaster and a metalhead that runs a comic book shop.
11.08.2016
56. James Introcaso
This episode features James Introcaso. James is an ENnie award winning blogger, podcaster, and all around amazing person. During this show we talk about his early days in gaming, how he got into podcasting and blogging, and what it was...
11.01.2016
Satanic Panic Episode 1 - Tabletoppers
The team of Dr Courtney Kessler, Alexander Ray, and Burt Macklin are sent on an operation in Ohio to handle a rouge group of tabletop players. They will have to deal with the dangerous of an unknown basement, an over-oppressive...
10.25.2016
55. Keith Baker
This episode features Keith Baker the original writer of the Eberron setting for Dungeons and Dragons. During this interview we talk about his time as an MMO game designer, the design philosophies behind Phoenix Dawn Command, and his general love...
10.11.2016
54. Jeff Barber
This episode features Jeff Barber of Biohazard Publishing. Jeff is a game designer that made the Origins Award nominated game, Blue Planet. Now after many years away Jeff has come back to game design with his new game Upwind. During...
09.27.2016
53. Jim McClure Part 2
This episode feature part 2 of the interview with Talking TableTop host Jim McClure. In this episode he talks about the story of how he came to join One Shot, the inception of Third Act Publishing, and he answers the...
09.20.2016
52. Jim McClure
On this episode of Talking TableTop the co-host becomes the... co-shot as Jim McClure is the one getting interviewed by Chirs of the Misdirected Mark Podcast. During this part one of the interview, Jim discusses his two different origin stories...
09.06.2016
51. One Year Anniversary
This episode is the one year anniversary of Talking TableTop and it features extra "after hours" interviews from past co-hosts of the show. In this episode we hear from Chirs Hussy, John Goodenough, John Wick, Shanna Germain, Grant Howitt, and...
08.30.2016
50. Matt Forbeck
This show features Matt Forbeck, a game developer, freelance writer, video game writer, and novelist for over 30 years. If there has been a game product, chances are Matt has worked on it or knows someone who has. During this...
08.23.2016
49. Chris Hussy
This weeks show features Chris Hussy. Chris is a member of the Fear the Boot Podcast, an RPG writer, and film maker. During this interview we discuss his time as a writer, what it was like running two failed kickstarters,...
08.16.2016
48. Jim Crocker
This episode features Jim Crocker. He is a brick and mortar game store owner that has been in the retail side of the game business for over a decade. During this show we talk about what it is like to...
08.09.2016
47. Hans Cummings
This episode features Hans Cummings. Hans is a tabletop player, blogger, novelist, and the submission coordinator for the ENnie awards. During this interview we talk about some of his past projects like running the same module in ever edition of...
08.02.2016
46. Evan Torner
This episode features Evan Torner. Evan is an RPG organizer for Games on Demand, and a game designer that has been in the hobby for over 20 years. During this interview we talk about the evolution of games, how...
07.26.2016
45. Rich Rogers
This show features Rich Rogers. Rich is a veteran podcaster, youtuber, tabletop gaming, and all around awesome person. During this interview we talk about what podcasting was like a during its infancy, how content creation has changed and evolved over...
07.19.2016
44. Tobie Abad
This episode features Tobie Abad. Tobie is a game designer from the Philippines that has worked on projects like A Single Moment, Sound of Water, Queer Gaymers, and 7th Sea Second Edition. During this interview we talk about what it...
07.12.2016
43. Mark Diaz Truman
This episode features Mark Diaz Truman the owner of Magpie Games, a company that has made such amazing games as Our Last Best Hope, Masks, and Bluebeard's Bride. During this interview we discuss Mark's on-again off-again past with RPGs, his...
07.05.2016
42. John Arcadian
This episode features John Arcadian. John is the Chief Gnome in residence at Gnome stew. During this interviews we discuss John's early days in RGPs, the bloody coup that resulted in him being the head Gnome, and what he thinks...
06.28.2016
41. Nolan T Jones
This episode features Nolan T Jones. Nolan is one of the founding members of roll20, the world's largest online tabletop platform. During this interview with talk about the genesis of roll20, the early days of kickstarter, and anime, oh so...
06.14.2016
40. Talking with Jason Pitre
This episode features Jason Pitre, an origins award winning game designer that has made games like The Spark RPG, Sig: The City Between, and Pasthuman Pathways. During this interview we talk about how he got into game design, trying...
06.07.2016
39. Adam Kobel
This episode features Adam Kobel. Adam is best known as the co-creator of the Dungeon World RPG and as the host of various showss including being Roll20's GM in residence. During this interview we talk about his love of black...
05.31.2016
38. DM Mitch
This episode features DM Mitch from the DMs Block Podcast. For those not familiar with DM's block, it is an RPG advice podcast where they present ideas and information to help DMs grow in the hobby. During this interview we...
05.24.2016
37. Will Hindmarch
This episode features Will Hindmarch. Will is an accomplished tabletop game writer and designer that has over fifty credits to his name while working on projects for Atlas Games, White Wolf, and his own company Gameplaywrite. During this interview we...
05.17.2016
36. James Michael Spahn
This episode features James Michael Spahn. He is a freelance writer and game designer that has worked on The One Ring RPG, Swards and Wizardry, and has published his own game White Star. During this interview we discuss his early...
05.10.2016
35. Shanna Germain
This episode features a very special guest in Shanna Germain. Shanna is most well known as the co-owner of Monte Cook games and her amazing work on games like Numenera and No Thank You Evil. During this episode we discuss how...

What's Talking TableTop about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Talking TableTop episodes:

68. Grant Howitt and Chris Taylor

67. Rob Stith

66. Rob Wieland

65. Erika Chappell

64. Colin Kyle

63. John Adamus

62. James and Kat

Satanic Panic Episode 14 - Invasion

61. Shane Harsch

Satanic Panic Episode 13 - Revelations

Satanic Panic Episode 12 - Heavy Weapons

60. Eric Simon

Satanic Panic Episode 11 - Doctors and Demons

Satanic Panic Episode 10 - The Doctor

Satanic Panic Episode 9 - Georgia

Satanic Panic Episode 8 - Inspector Acht

59. Quinn Wilson

Satanic Panic Bonus Episode - Howard's Birthday

Satanic Panic Episode 7 - The Demon

58. Dan of Fear the Boot Part 2

Satanic Panic Episode 6 - Room 204

Satanic Panic Episode 5 - Amy

Satanic Panic Bonus Episode

57. Dan of Fear the Boot - Part 1

Satanic Panic Episode 4 - The Agent

Satanic Panic Episode 3 - The Sampson Family

Satanic Panic Episode 2 - Open Page Comics

56. James Introcaso

Satanic Panic Episode 1 - Tabletoppers

55. Keith Baker

54. Jeff Barber

53. Jim McClure Part 2

52. Jim McClure

51. One Year Anniversary

50. Matt Forbeck

49. Chris Hussy

48. Jim Crocker

47. Hans Cummings

46. Evan Torner

45. Rich Rogers

44. Tobie Abad

43. Mark Diaz Truman

42. John Arcadian

41. Nolan T Jones

40. Talking with Jason Pitre

39. Adam Kobel

38. DM Mitch

37. Will Hindmarch

36. James Michael Spahn

35. Shanna Germain