* (3:34) jim must defend his name, Y, and W.

* (6:05) Pat goes for Father of the Year by taking a break from World of Warcraft to devastate his kid in a family game.

* (9:43) Giving games the right degree of substance and meaning, without making them overly poignant.

* (18:42) The role of the GM, specifically as it’s been taught (albeit unintentionally) by the legacy of D&D.  First-person versus third-person roleplayers.  On a side note, this episode was recorded when Penny Arcade’s series, The Conflux, was only a few strips in.

* (29:53) The “second Renaissance” of roleplaying games.  Also the relationship and perception driven model preferred by many newer games.

* (41:34) The seven types of gamers.

* (51:32) The important synergy between designers and marketers that’s often missing from game development.

Hosts: Chad, Chris, Dan, Pat, Wayne

Guests: jim pinto

* (0:24) Introducing guest host, Willie.

* (0:49) Introducing Erik Mona.

* (1:34) The size, state, and explosive growth of the Pathfinder game and Pathfinder Society.

* (3:23) Erik’s more thorough introduction, including his resume in the gaming industry.

* (6:35) We ask Erik to explain exactly what the job title of “publisher” means and what specific roles he fills at Paizo.

* (9:10) How past experience with the RPGA and Living campaigns affected the formulation of the Pathfinder Society.

* (22:14) An after-school D&D club in 1983, how Erik’s parents fought to get him in, and how it affected the trajectory of his life.

* (30:44) Erik’s take on Pathfinder being called “D&D 3.75″.  We also talk about the possibility of a sequel edition.

* (36:09) The upcoming Pathfinder Beginner Box.  You can find details and see the unboxing video on their site.  We also talk about the market viability of box set products in general.

* (50:13) The history, purpose, and future intentions for the Paizo online store.

* (56:58) Future projects coming up at Paizo, including the Pathfinder Battles miniatures.

Hosts: Chad, Dan, Johann, Wayne, Willie

Guests: Erik Mona

* (0:35) Wayne tries to hijack the show to talk about Superman.  You know what that means: we talk about Batman instead!  The blog post on the hosting arrangement can be found here.

* (3:07) Alex (aka Lizard Farmer) is creating transcripts of the show.  Check the show notes a few days after each episode releases for a link to the transcript.  An explanation of his idea can be found on our forums.

* (5:39) Our next March of Dimes charity auction has kicked off!  Prizes for this auction are being provided by the Gnome Stew website.  As with the previous auctions, 100% of the funds raised will go to the March of Dimes.

* (8:06) Introducing Joe Wetzel and Keith Curtis!  Joe has been developing Hexographer, Dungeonographer, and DungeonMorph Dice.  Keith’s work can be found on his portfolio site or Bloodmoon Goblins.

* (12:02) The importance of maps for creating scale, consistency, fairness, and depth.

* (26:34) How to build and fill in a map when you’re starting with nothing.  The title Joe mentions is Dawn of Worlds.

* (35:10) Filling in the details when you have a map with major locations already set but nothing in mind to occupy the gaps between.

* (40:06) A quick survey of climatology and how different climate zones form on a planet.  The factors that figure into such estimations and just how important they ought to be when designing your game world.

* (52:48) Understanding scale when designing an area, particularly when you’re contemplating volume as opposed to surface area.

* (57:20) The projects Joe and Keith are working on right now.  Joe’s work — including things not already linked in the show notes — can generally be found on Inkwell Ideas.

* (1:03:27) The video game giveaway is still on, so be sure to get entered if you haven’t already!

Hosts: Chad, Chris, Dan, Karla, Wayne

Guests: Joe Wetzel, Keith Curtis

* (0:37) Introducing Ken Hite.

* (1:39) Contrary to what I said in the episode, This Just In…From Gen Con! is still editing the show I guested on.  I’ll post a link here as soon as it’s ready to go.

* (1:54) Our video game giveaway is still in progress.  Be sure to get entered!

* (2:21) Wayne presents Dan with a gift from Brian.  A big “Thank you!” from Dan for taking the time to send us the note and chainmail dicebag!

* (3:42) We kick off the interview by asking Ken about his rather unusual education and how it affects his work in the game industry.

* (6:51) Ken gives us his observations on the state of RPGs.  He also answers some questions about the rise of story-driven games.

* (15:19) A question about how Ken got started in GURPS leads to a discussion of professionalism (or more accurately, the lack thereof) in the RPG industry.

* (23:05) Ken begins settling long-running FtB marital disputes.  Chris kicks this one off with the GM screen, and then Dan asks about social mechanics.  Fortunately, Chris gives this some genuine purpose by questioning whether the way a person runs games affects how they write them.

* (30:54) Dan asks Ken for some tips on running horror games.

* (41:43) Following the suggestion of Ryan Dancey, we begin The Ken Hite Three Word Game!

* (48:49) Ken’s past, current, and upcoming work, including Night’s Black Agents and Star Trek.

Hosts: Chris, Dan, John, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Kenneth Hite

* (1:55) Introducing (or reintroducing) Ryan Dancey.

* (7:16) Ryan has been writing a series of columns for EN World.  The links are provided at the end of the show notes.

* (7:44) Some information on the MMO he’s currently helping develop, including an explanation of what he means by a “sandbox game”, when used in the context of online play.

* (14:57) Chris harkens back to a promo item he received at the D&D Third Edition release party.  This leads into some questions about the overwhelming success of the OGL, even in the face of newer editions of D&D.

* (24:50) Revisiting Ryan’s previous list of predictions.  We also get a list of new predictions.

* (31:14) Some theories about the shifting demographics of gamers and their interests, using Gen Con 2011 as an anecdotal jumping-off point.

* (49:21) The lack of a WotC announcement at Gen Con raises some questions and also serves as a reminder of just how small the industry is.

Hosts: Chris, Dan, John, Pat

Guest: Ryan Dancey

http://www.enworld.org/forum/columns/299860-4-hours-w-rsd-who-am-i.html
http://www.enworld.org/forum/columns/301385-4-hours-w-rsd-who-sitting-your-table.html
http://www.enworld.org/forum/columns/302913-4-hours-w-rsd-realtime.html
http://www.enworld.org/forum/columns/304716-4-hours-w-rsd-take-note.html
http://www.enworld.org/forum/columns/306026-4-hours-w-rsd-lets-have-flamewar.html
http://www.enworld.org/forum/columns/308179-4-hours-w-rsd-get-some-feedback.html

* (0:57) Welcoming Chris Kluwe of the Minnesota Vikings.  Discussion about his history with Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and MMOs.  You can find his own band, Tripping Icarus, on their Facebook page.

* (13:34) Chris’ experience with roleplaying games.  Power-gaming and over-planning characters.  How tabletop gaming is affected by his career in professional sports.

* (20:10) Gamer shame and bullying (or the lack thereof) while being a successful athlete through high school, college, and professional athletics.

* (29:07) Wayne asks whether Chris has leveraged his position to meet famous people.  The possibility of a future career in the tabletop or video gaming industries, and also discussion of a combination board and card game he’s working on.

* (32:23) How Chris got into wargaming.  His experiences with Warhammer and Warmachine, including how he did in his first tournament.  Discussion about what makes a game store successful and the sort of shop he’d like to help open someday.

* (42:44) How often a punter appears in front of the media.  Chris’ checkered history with Twitter.  And if you’re interested in seeing his Twitter account, you can find it here.

* (49:38) Chris’ current game picks.

Hosts: Chad, Chris, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Chris Kluwe

* (0:30) The St. Charles Fantasy Shop will be having a game day on April 9th from 12:00pm – 11:00pm.  You can find more details on the event calendar of their website.

* (1:41) Welcoming Shane Ivey of Arc Dream Publishing, the source of games such as Wild Talents, Delta Green, Godlike, and Monsters and Other Childish Things.

* (4:08) The difficulty of selling games where the play experience is difficult to describe in a cover blurb or elevator pitch.  Techniques for getting those titles out there, and the opportunities created by that struggle.

* (16:30) The relationship among independent publishers, specifically whether it’s more helpful or competitive.

* (19:09) The effectiveness of using samples, teasers, and other freebies to market a game.  The problems Free RPG Day present for a small publisher.

* (23:47) The innovative Bits and Mortar initiative which helps local gaming stores give you electronic copies of games along with the physical book, thus using digital publishing to help their sales instead of being competition.  The site also has a store locator to help you find participating shops.

* (31:41) Shane’s own tastes in gaming outside of Arc Dream titles.  We talk about historical gaming and some alternate methods of scene resolution.

* (44:14) How the games Shane plays impact the games he writes.

* (52:08) The new products Arc Dream currently has in development or has recently released.

Hosts: Chad, Chris, Dan, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Shane Ivey

* (3:44) The value of art, entertainment, and ideas on the internet.  Why free may not always be the best price.  Tracy’s plan for nurturing new authors in this environment.  As a side note, Wayne’s serial fiction is being released weekly on the Skies of Glass website.

* (14:34) Tracy’s experience of co-authoring with his wife.  The importance of a continual feedback loop in the creative process.  The struggles of writing and the joys of having written.

* (19:43) The Dragonlance movie.  Watching other people take over your creative properties, and the “original bad deal” that gets you published.

* (25:17) Whether Tracy ever plans to do anything more that’s directly in the RPG market.  His new book series, starting with Song of the Dragon.

* (29:20) What’s up with the dragons?  That question leads into a discussion on the monomyth, cognitive dissonance, and the human penchant for narrative.

Hosts: Chad, Dan, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Tracy Hickman

Don’t forget to get signed up for the special offer of Dragon’s Bard using the discount code found here!  This offer is only open through September 15th.

* (3:41) The story of how Tracy’s wife and a missed ride got him into gaming.

* (8:25) The current trend in complexity and execution of roleplaying games.  Be sure to check out both X-treme Dungeon Mastery and Killer Breakfast.

* (27:41) Raising his son in the hobby, and the experience of co-writing X-treme Dungeon Mastery with him.

* (30:56) The strangest places he’s seen his own material, and the unique relationship between an author and reader.

* (36:52) The impact of social networking and new media on the publishing industry.  Be sure to check out Dragon’s Bard, and if you want the discount he’s offering our listeners, you’ll need to take the coupon code from here and place your order right here.  The revised deadline for orders is September 15th, so be sure to get yours in soon!

Hosts: Chad, Dan, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Tracy Hickman

We hope you’ll join us for the second half of the interview next week in which we talk more about new media, Dragonlance (including the movie), community building, Tracy’s upcoming projects, and more!

Hosts: Chad, Chris, Dan, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Fred Hicks

Hosts: Chad, Dan, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Eddy Webb

Hosts: Chad, Dan, Pat, Wayne

Guest: Matt Vancil

Hosts: Chad, Chris, Dan, Wayne

Guests: Jim Pinto

Hosts: Chad, Dan, Pat

Guests: Trampas Whiteman

Hosts: Dan, John, Luke, Matt

Guests: Luke Crane

Hosts: Dan, John, Luke, Matt

Guests: Luke Crane

WARNING: This version of the interview contains uncensored language.  If you wish to get a “clean” version of the interview, it is available on the feed.

Hosts: Dan, Luke, Matt

Guests: Erik Mona

Hosts: Dan, John, Luke

Guests: Shane Hensley

Her website: http://www.jesshartley.com/

Hosts: Adam, Dan, John, Mike

Guests: Jess Hartley

In this interview we talk with Shamus Young, author of the web comic, DM of the Rings, a parody of Lord of the Rings, presented as if the movie was the plot of an RPG.

His website: http://www.shamusyoung.com
His comic: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?cat=14

During the show, we mention an episode we recorded 30 minutes ago.  That show is episode 51, which will be released next week.

Hosts: Adam, Dan, Tex

Guests: Mike West

Since starting this podcast, Fear the Boot has made contact with quite a few professionals in the gaming market.  Rather than let these opportunities go to waste, we decided to start a new interview series.  For our kick-off show, we chat with Ryan Dancey about his experience working for Wizards of the Coast, the data he’s seen on the gaming population, and the future of the hobby.

If you’d like to hear more from Ryan, be sure to check out his blog!

Hosts: Adam, Dan, John, Mike

Guests: Ryan Dancey