Til Dice Do Us Part

Content Warning: This episode contains brief references to sexual assault, violence, racism, torture, starvation, child death, mental health, panic attacks and drug use.  There is no detail to these mentions and no explicit language is used.

Get your children out of the room, switch off Granny's hearing aid, and make sure that your boss can't hear what's on your headphones as we have some more risqué content for our 18th episode!  That's not to say there isn't practical chat though, as Ailsa and George have a very long discussion on Consent In RPGs.  How do you make sure everyone is comfortable at your table, whether it's obvious triggers or more subtle ones?  We've got some personal experiences to share on this topic, as well as some ideas from the fantastic free PDF Consent in Gaming, which we highly recommend you grab.

After that Ailsa is taking on a different role than usual as she hosts a Quiz in which George is asked questions on the Book of Vile Darkness, the third edition D&D book that went full grimdark leather-and-gore edgelord after the game had spent a decade playing it safe to keep angry mums at bay.  Some of this adults-only D&D book ended up bleeding into mainline D&D books of the era, but other bits.... well, turns out 2002 was a different planet, you know?  Why not play along and see if you can get the questions on arch-devils, posing pouches and Ed Sheeran correct.

You can also expect to hear Tuppy read from a barely amended Video Standards Council Script, Twike get very excited about an Indiana Jones themed video, the Mailer Daemon get really angry about a potato peeler, the Inch-High Incel battle with insulation foam, and an advert for two ladies who you maaaaaaybe shouldn't look up on your work computer.

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Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Endlessless by Sascha Ende®
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/26-endlessless
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

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Summer is here, and maybe you're out and about enjoying some barbeque foodstuffs or picnics, so we've got a food themed episode to get your geek taste buds going.  First up is a World Building segment in which we discuss how to incorporate food into your settings when you are designing cities, countries, cultures and planets.  What sort of food are your players likely to find in a local tavern or restaurant?  How can you encode little bits of game data in the food that they are served and how it is served?  And what setting did George once bake themed cookies for before playing in it?

After that we have an Elevator Pitch in which we have food right in the title of the game!  We talk about Lashings of Ginger Beer, the Enid Blyton-esque roleplaying game of plucky kids solving mysteries in Idyllic England™.  British listeners will need little explanation of this premise but, have no fear overseas chums, Ailsa will do her best to explain it.  (If she can keep herself from singing the Famous Five theme tune from the 70s series.)

In amongst this we have the usual things you can expect a typical RPG podcast to refer to:  Traveller's dog aliens and their diets, Scooby Doo, T4 On The Beach, our insurance limitations,  the Basque region, and of course our episode sponsor who will show you how to be a Dungeon Goddess.

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Additional music is Smooth Lovin by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4379-smooth-lovin
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

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Another fortnight has passed and once again the Til Dice Do Us Part gang are here!  Let's open up proceedings with an Ask A GM and get the mailbag open - if Ailsa can arrive on time - and find out how to deal with a group where not everyone has the same level of investment in your setting.  What do you do when one person knows everything about Marvel superheroes and another person can't remember which one is the big green one?  How can you keep everyone in the group happy and avoid anyone complaining or switching off?

Letters are also the theme of our second section as we do a Quiz themed around the letters pages of gaming magazines.  George has ten letters, each with a word or phrase changed - can you guess what the real topic of conversation was in each letter?  Along the way we'll talk about gaming magazines from the early days of the hobby along to the present day and find out what nerds were moaning about in days gone past.

George will also talk about the game he had the least fun in as a player, Ailsa will offend two separate sci-fi fandoms, the Mailer Daemon will make multiple appearances, a celebrity drops in to say what they want from Til Dice, and there's a special government information piece in the sponsored segment.  #handsfacespace

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tildicepodcast)

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Maybe your brain is struggling in the summer heat, but we hope you can still give our latest Quiz a go.  This time round, George has prepared a list of monsters where some but not all first originated in Monster Manual V - yes, third edition got up as far as a fifth Monster Manual!  Ailsa is going to have to rack her brains to deduce which of these bizarre creatures are just bizarre enough to have been invented in the dying days of an edition when you've got to somehow fill out one more book.

After that, everyone's favourite Daemon comes along with the mailbag to let us get into another Ask A GM.  Jessica has sent in a message asking what to do when you take part in a game that has the GM explicitly promise you one thing - say, a totally non-supernatural murder mystery - only to deliver another thing when they turn around and say "SURPRISE!  THERE'S ZOMBIES!"  What sort of twists are a twist too far, and how can players and GMs make sure their expectations sync up?

Before the episode is finished we'll also have time to find out how Twike has taken to her role as occasional Quiz sound effect assistant, hear two thirty somethings in hysterics over an exploding cow, discover the name of the game that was possibly George's worst experience as a player, and even see a return of a previous sponsor who has a new product for all the ladies out there who want to roleplay like a girlboss.

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Bounce by Sascha Ende®
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/490-bounce
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Glitter Blast by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4707-glitter-blast
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tildicepodcast)

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It's been a while since we did one of our X Meets Y Mashups so lets get our D20 table of random TV shows, books, films and other media to see what we can do!  George and Ailsa will try, with no preparation, to combine two franchises together for inspiration in creating RPG characters, adventures and campaigns.  This time round we've got two Anime staples, a French comic book classic, and a film that almost killed the main star.   Expect some odd ideas ahead!

Then it's time to cue the Imagination sound effect as Ailsa leads us into another Elevator Pitch.  We're looking at Promethean: The Created - a more obscure White Wolf game than their more famous efforts of Vampire or Werewolf, but one we are big fans of and have ran some enjoyable session with.  Let us explain about gaming as a golem, robot or animated cadaver trying to find a soul - and let us also tell you what horrors are happening in our spare room when we left the Inch High Incel unsupervised

Along the way we'll tell you which anime film is better than its original manga version, which sci-fi RPG author is a bit of a wrong 'un, what exciting things we get up to on holiday.... oh, yeah, and we also take a trip out into the wilds for a piece of Gonzo Journalism, D&D-style. 

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Additional music is District Four by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3662-district-four
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Additional music is Titan's Awakening by Dark Fantasy Studios
Used under a paid license.

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tildicepodcast)

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Some of you may have superstitions about the number 13, but we hope this vaguely luck themed episode isn't an ill omen for you!  It commences with a little intro to the show for anyone who is new before we leap into another Elevator Pitch.  This time we're discussing the game Fiasco - the game of crazy schemes, plots gone wrong and screwball comedy in the vein of a Coen Brothers movie.  Ailsa and George will try and talk you through the games and what they think are its strengths and weaknesses - though Ailsa thinks she might need some other people to help demonstrate...

After that, there's the most money ever spent on this show up until this point as this episode's Quiz involves guessing the price of some items George bought online.  Borrowing more than a bit from Ashens and Cheapshow, George has purchased some items by typing some geeky terms that come up on this podcast into the website of the terrifying traders of tat that is Wish.Com.  Can Ailsa guess roughly how much each item cost in a "Price is Right" style game?  Are any of these weird and wonderful items actually worth us keeping?  Maybe your luck will hold out and you can guess better than her!

Along the way you can learn which of the Til Dice cast is best at unarmed combat, what sweets are the preferred nibble of goblins, and how you can quickly and easily get a new monstrous creature delivered direct to your door in no time at all.

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Additional music is Spy Story by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6032-spy-story
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Additional music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tildicepodcast)

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Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of mental illness, eating disorders, and self-harm.  If you are affected by any of the issues discussed and are struggling, please contact The Samaritans, Mind, or Breathing Space for support.

We get things going this week - with a brief interruption involving Tuppy name-dropping - with a serious discussions about Mental Health in Role-playing Games.  Most gamers have at least dabbled in a game that has rules for sanity loss, acquiring mental illnesses or battled against a foe whose justification was "ThEy'Re CrAzY!", but how do you deal with a real world issue in a respectful way?  How have different games handled it mechanically and how would we suggest you approach it at the game table?

Things don't stay this serious too long, though, with another Quiz to lighten the tone.  This time round, Ailsa has to identify ten monsters from their descriptions in the 1st Edition AD&D Monster Manual: but George has replaced their proper names with his usual mixture of nonsense.  Come play along and see if you can also work out what monster has more hit dice than Tiamat, what Muppet-related errors George makes, and what Monster Manual entry is just too giant for Ailsa to stay focused.

All this and we've got appearances by almost our entire roster of characters - Mailer Daemon, Twike the Social Goblin, Tuppence Juniper-Smythe and even Mrs Shawney.  We'll be on our guard to keep the Inch-High Incel out of the episode, though to be honest once you see what George has lined up for the mid-episode intermission you might think he's not the worst thing to ever appear in this podcast.

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Additional music is Rock on Chicago by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4302-rock-on-chicago
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tildicepodcast)

Support the show

It's time to crack open the mailbag again as the Mailer Daemon brings us another letter for Ask A GM.  This one is from Jon from Yorkshire, who is taking their first steps into running games but is having some issues preparing to play and assembling a group.  Some of this is general advice and some is more Covid-specific problems - how do you assemble a group in a era when you can't go to your local gaming group?  Hopefully Jon and others will find value in this, and maybe you'll have your own suggestions to offer.

Speaking of listener interaction, you can also join in this episode's Quiz.  Ailsa is challenged by George with a White Wolf-related game.  Which of the listed game titles are real RPGs published by White Wolf or it's subsidiary companies?  What is a real product for the eyeliner wearing 90s goth who enjoys listening to Nine Inch Nails, watches The Crow and drinks cider & blackcurrant?

Otherwise, it's a pretty typical episode of Til Dice Do Us Part.  There's stories from our experience in roleplaying games, discussion of the television in the nether realms, an ode to the greatest 90s sci-fi TV show, a Shakira reference and an advert for a product that will fill a hole in the market left by the Coronavirus lockdowns.

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Additional music is Pure Rock N Roll by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5799-pure-rock-n-roll
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tildicepodcast)

Support the show

There's a heavy concentration of Arton energy, temporal phenomenon and wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey nonsense going on at Til Dice Do Us Part HQ.  Hop into George's rather, erm, unique time machine and join us on an Elevator Pitch for Doctor Who by Cubicle 7.  Learn how you can battle a Dalek with only six-sided dice, marvel at how useful running away can be as a life skill and discover just how different things are in the year 3021. 

After that we'll leap into the past for another Quiz, where the theme is games with alliterating titles.  There was a stage when it seemed every second roleplaying game was doing it and so Ailsa is asked to identify the true titles from the balderdash books in this little game that you can play at home.  George has some easy questions but also some hard ones, though perhaps none as hard as "What even is a crawdad, anyway?"

The usual mixture of characters, jokes, geeky references and Scottish accents fill out the rest of proceedings.  Except the episode sponsor, in which you're going to hear about fierce runway looks that will be lost in time.  Like tears... in rain.

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Additional music is Werq by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4616-werq
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tildicepodcast)

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Things are a bit manic here at Til Dice Do Us Part Headquarters so we don't have time for much prep - we just have to leap straight into our next Elevator Pitch, even if Ailsa's introduction is.... a bit suspect.  But don't let that put you off - we've got a lot to say about The Warren, a game which lets you roleplay out the life of rabbits with a heavy dose of Watership Down.  Find out what we make of it, how the rules handle lagomorph adventures, and what noise George makes when a Python reference slips in.

There's also another bit of World Building chat, this time on the topic of languages and how to use them in games beyond just saying "Erm, I know Common and Elven".  We're not suggesting you go full J.R.R. Tolkein but there's things you can do to help make a richer world - such as digging into why your characters know the languages they do and what power a few words of slang have to set the tone.  Along the way we'll touch on Nadsat, Polari, tlhIngan Hol, and the youth-talk of Neo-Gotham.

Also, Shoved Granny games have partnered with us yet again!  They assure us this game idea is much better than their last few and that you won't hesitate to back their Kickstarter for a game based on a BAFTA award winning drama.  It's the bomb!

Contact us by email on [email protected]

We can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under @tildicepodcast

Our theme music is Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Additional music is We Are The Best Team! by WinnieTheMoog
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6235-we-are-the-best-team-
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our logo is by Neil Slorance - check out his work on Twitter under @neilslorance or Facebook as "Art by Neil Slorance"

Support the show