In this first-half episode we discuss the latest and one of the most exciting games from role-playing game designer extraordinaire, Vincent Baker. Apocalypse World is a futuristic world that puts the action in the players hand with a GM style that feeds off of the players own energy. We discuss the GM style of the game, the plethora of "playbooks" that a player may consider choosing and even why this game has rules that encourages characters to have sex with each other.

To find a copy of this fantastic game, please visit this link.

In this episode we discuss the first edition of Betrayal at the House on the Hill with designer Professor Bruce Glassco. Our talk revolves around the strong genre feel of the game, the complexities of designing games with multiple adventures, and the intrigues of games that are a mix between cooperate and competitive. We also learn that Bruce is a literature professor specializing in 19th Century American and British literature.

To learn more about the breadth of the Betrayal world or discuss the game with fans and the designer himself, follow this link to the Board Game Geek page for Betrayal.

During this episode we discuss Hoopla, a Cranium licensed game design by Forest-Pruzan Creative. Speaking with Alan Pruzan, one of the inventors of the game, we explore the intracacies of designing a game that is remarkably different from its license, but captures the same feeling of the licensed product. Our discussions range from the complexities of paring down a game with a larger scope to what Hoopla brings to the Cranium universe.

Look out for a copy of this game. It isn't easy to find, but you will be ecstatic when you do find it.

In this episode we discuss Kill Puppies for Satan, an older game from a favorite victim of the show, Vincent Baker. We explore the deranged and depraved side of humanity with a game that encourages, nay demands, the players to please their dark lord with piles of dead puppies* (or other small animals). The game is not limited to animal killing, but encourages all sorts of evil acts against decent people. We get a window into the mind and past of this designer who some may say is responsible for all the dead puppies. 

Click here to buy the game. The dark lord needs more puppies.

*Note: no puppies were harmed in the making of this episode.

On this episode we discuss the recently released DnD board game, Castle Ravenloft. We ask Mike Mearls about the process of designing a board game from an RPG. We discuss how Castle Ravenloft differs from other cooperative board games, and if it will have an impact on the design of DnD in the future. This compares favorably to all other games: play deal or no deal games, online games, and traditional board games.

We also briefly discuss the New DnD Starter Kit (Red Box) with Mike.

Misspent Youth is a story game about 12-18 year olds fighting back against the authority. We discuss with Robert his intentions for the game and how he uses the rules to enforce the feeling of being a clique of teens in a harsh world.

In this episode we discuss Perfect with designer Joe McDaldno. Its a dystopian steam punk RPG with no GM in the traditional way. The interview focuses on how Joe uses the mechanics of the game to bring about situation that he wants to emulate from his source material. 

Perfect is funded by a Kickstarter project, add money to support the project and receive a copy of the game in return! If the donation goal is reached by Aug 22nd the project will go through, if not, you don't pay anything. Lets help Joe out!

In this episode we do a preview episode with Josh Roby. We discuss his game, the Smallville RPG. This game is going to be released at GenCon!!! Smallville is unique for a game based on a property. Number one, yes you can be Superman; number two, the game is set in a TV show spin off of smallville the tv show, not in the world if Smallville were real!

We discuss the nuances of working with a property, how to balance Superman with... non-Superman characters and how the game rules support the tv show dynamic.

Mouse Guard is an RPG which is based on a comic book series of the same name. The game focuses on a patrol of guard mice who's job it is to defend the territories, keep the peace and deliver mail. The game has novel mechanics and solves some key problems of RPGs, or rather it embraces behavior that some think of as dysfunctional.

We discuss with the designer Luke Crane his design process and design goals. Most of the discussion focuses many game elements (mechanical and advice) that Mouse Guard has, but other games lack.

Polaris is an RPG where each player has a Hero who's stories are separate from the other Heroes at the table. Each hero, in turn gets a scene about them, and the other players GM as a group. The game is very much about saying what you want to happen, and having it happen.

We discuss with Ben the areas in which his game departs from traditional RPG design. We investigate why he took his game down this alternative path, both the GM to Hero ratio and the innovative conflict mechanics.