Undercommon Taste

This week, we're finishing our discussion on the Eight Types of Fun and how the rules of different games accommodate each of these different aspects of play. Join us as we wrap up our discussion with Challenge, Fellowship, Discovery, Expression, and Submission (a.k.a. Habit), diving into each aspect of fun with definitions and examples of how we implement them in our own games, as well as other games which have mechanics that reinforce these aspects of fun.

Again, lots of links for this episode, starting with Ian Schreiber's multi-part blog post on Game Design Concepts: https://gamedesignconcepts.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/level-1-overview-what-is-a-game/

Fiasco is a dice-pool based improv game by Jason Morningstar where you start with a genre, generate characters and prompts, and effectively improvise a movie with your friends. You can find it on Bully Pulpit's website, https://bullypulpitgames.com/products/fiasco

Action 12 Cinema is a game by Michael Ross where you use d12 dice to play through your own B-budget action movie. We played this game with the creator and friend of the show Rob Hilferty (Worldbuild With Us) for our 2024 Anniversary episodes, which you can find here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-yai3u-16c0469. You can pick up a PDF of the game on DriveThruRPG (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/475741/action-12-cinema), or a physical copy from Indie Press Revolution (https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Action-12-Cinema.html)

Raccoon Sky Pirates is a game by Chris Sellers where you play as a group of trash pandas who cobble together an airship from parts in your junkyard, then strike out to the suburbs in search of higher quality trash. You can pick up a copy from Hectic Electron's Itch page, https://hecticelectron.itch.io/raccoon-sky-pirates, and you can find us playing the game for our 6th anniversary with Mary Crowell, Leon Richardson, and Rene (RenePlaysGames) on Episode 199 (https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-rfghm-1b55d9b)

Carta is the card-based mapmaking game system developed by friend of the show Leon Richardson. You can find the Carta SRD, along with numerous games built on the system, on their Itch page Blind Snake Studios (formerly Peach Garden Games), here: https://blindsnake.itch.io/

Colostle is a solo RPG created by Nich Angell where you play in a fantasy setting called The Roomlands and face giant castle-themed monsters called Rooks. You can find the game (and the creator's Patreon) at https://www.colostle.com/, and you can find the first episode of Rene's playthrough at https://open.spotify.com/episode/3cOhfXBEjeW5tS4UvLXCh9

The Quiet Year is a map- and world-building game by Avery Alder, where you use a deck of playing cards to generate prompts for the four seasons leading up to an impending disaster. You can pick up a copy from Avery's website, https://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we're starting to talk about the Eight Types of Fun and how the rules of different games accommodate each of these different aspects of play. Join us as we start our discussion with Sensation, Fantasy, and Narrative, diving into each aspect of fun with definitions and examples of how we implement them in our own games, as well as other games which have mechanics that reinforce these aspects of fun.

Lots of links for this episode, starting with Ian Schreiber's multi-part blog post on Game Design Concepts: https://gamedesignconcepts.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/level-1-overview-what-is-a-game/

The Time We Have is a 2-player narrative game written by Elliot Davis. As mentioned by Danny Mendoza during Episode 200, the crew over at Many-Faced Plays has recorded multiple sessions, which can be found on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1c6JnNLy2c&list=PLMp2ZAfjgFwk. You can find the game on Elliot's Itch page, here: https://moreblueberries.itch.io/ttwh. 

The Wretched is a solo journaling game written by Chris Bissette in which you play the sole survivor on a ship that is failing, with the thing that killed the rest of your crew coming back to finish the job. You can find the game on Chris's Itch page, here: https://loottheroom.itch.io/wretched

SPINE is a solo game published by Backwards Tabletop in which you feel compelled to read a book that wants to steal your soul, and the only way to lessen its power is by defacing the book. It is designed to be played by multiple consecutive players who mark up the physical copy of the book. You can find a review of the game by MyLifeIsAnRPG on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWtfYXOJ9zg, and can find the game for sale on Backwards Tabletop's Itch page, here: https://backwards-tabletop.itch.io/spine.

Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast is a cozy, queer-coded slice-of-life game about the residents of a bed and breakfast, and the guests which come into and out of their lives. As you play the game, you mark up the book, showing the characters' progression through lived experiences, forever changing how they are played in the future. You can find the game on Possum Creek Games's Itch page, here: https://possumcreekgames.itch.io/yazebas-bed-breakfast. 

Ten Candles is a narrative horror game by Stephen Dewey, designed around the mechanic of ten votive candles being an indicator of the gradual loss of hope in a hopeless scenario. This is an incredibly well-done game, but one which is quite emotionally heavy. You can find the game on Cavalry Games's website, https://cavalrygames.com/ten-candles-info. 

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we're discussing what makes games fun. Join us as we talk about the different types of fun players seek in their games, what we look for in the games we play, and a trip down Memory Lane to assess how our past game experiences have shaped our current preferences.

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we celebrate our 200th episode with a Pirate Borg actual play, featuring special guests Jon (Tale of the Manticore), Eric Holden (The Goblin's Corner), and Danny Mendoza (The Streaming Rainbow). Join us as we set sail on the Dark Caribbean in search of a relic to turn back a horde of the undead. 

You can find Jon on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/taleofthemanticore.bsky.social), and you can find his podcast Tale of the Manticore at taleofthemanticore.com. Season 3 just wrapped up, and Season 4 is scheduled to launch on November 1st, 2026.

You can find Eric on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/goblinscorner.bsky.social), and you can find his podcast The Goblin's Corner on at goblinscorner.com. 

You can find Danny on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/dannyrmendoza.bsky.social), and you can find all of his various projects through his LinkTree (linktr.ee/dannyrmendoza), or by looking back through the Self Promo channel on our Discord server. 

It's a bit surreal to think that we've published 200 episodes (204, if  you include the unnumbered Tarrasque Task of Maureen Trask AP episodes we did after episode 100). From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to thank our listeners and guests, without whom we would still just be Two Schmucks on the Internet.

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we're joined by returning guests Mary Crowell, Leon (formerly Cat), and Rene from RenePlaysGames to play a wacky, chaotic game of Raccoon Sky Pirates. Join us as we build an airship, attempt to pilot it through the neighborhood, and pilfer everything we can get our grubby little mitts on from a suburban home before absconding with our loot. 

We once again want to express our heartfelt thanks to our guests for joining us, and to you, our listeners, for six years of podcasting. Please check out our guests' works, and return in two weeks for our 200th episode, which will be another AP where we play Pirate Borg with returning guests Danny Mendoza (Streaming Rainbow), Eric Holden (The Goblin's Corner), and Jon (Tale of the Manticore). 

Dr. Mary Crowell: you can find her on Bandcamp and Patreon (links below, in this and every episode)

Leon: on BlueSky (catlinggun.bsky.social), and on Itch (blind-snake-studio.itch.io)

Rene: You can find the RenePlaysGames podcast here, or on your podcatcher of choice: RenePlaysGames on Spotify

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we discuss how to play a pacifist character in a TTRPG. Join us as we discuss degrees of pacifism, some tools you can use to play these characters, and why these characters - more than most - especially need a Session Zero discussion. 

Next week is our 6th anniversary episode, followed in two weeks by Episode 200. We will be having several returning guests join us over those two episodes to play a couple of one-shot TTRPG sessions. Our anniversary episode will be a game of Raccoon Sky Pirates, and our Episode 200 game with be Pirate Borg. 

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we're back to talking shop about Ian's game-in-progress, Postapocalyptia. Join us as we discuss how to earn experience, what you can spend experience points on, and how you can put your characters into (and take them out of) retirement. 

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we're discussing Pirate Borg, the OSR pirate horror game by Luke Stratton and Limithron. Join us as we sail the Dark Caribbean, fight off undead hordes, and see what buried treasures we can dig up. 

Pirate Borg is published by Limithron, and can be found here: https://shop.limithron.com/

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, we return to Postapocalyptia to discuss the rest of the character creation process. Join us as we discuss the skill system, how perks and traits are used to customize your character, and the way that quirks can be used to enhance roleplaying. 

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

This week, to keep on theme of the upcoming Independence Day holiday in the U.S., we are talking about revolutions. Join us as we discuss different types of revolutions, how the concepts of revolution can be adapted to non-governmental conflicts, and some ideas on how to implement them into your games. 

Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.

Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.

Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.