* (0:29) Unplugged cables and the ever-moving studio.
* (4:20) The cost of a press pass.
* (6:10) The hardest thing to do in a horror game.
* (10:35) The lack of numinous fear. When Pat was prepared to kill us all.
* (23:01) Cutting away reality to nurture a new kind of fear.
* (26:17) Displacing tension into the place of fear. Keith Curtis’ alien puppet.
* (33:32) Starting with control of the gaming environment.
* (37:10) Not taking this as license to terrorize or traumatize the non-consenting.
* (38:31) Misdirecting so the familiar feels unfamiliar.
* (43:49) Keeping the pacing up and downtime down.
* (49:59) Fear the Con Online, coming up on June 19th – 20th. The promo video can be found here and the signup site can be found here.
Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Laura, Wayne
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:18) Gen Con was cancelled after this episode was recorded but before it was released.
* (1:14) Fear the Con Online, coming up on June 19th – 20th. The promo video can be found here and the signup site can be found here.
* (2:35) Brodeur got some inside info regarding Gen Con. The article he wrote prior to getting this info can be found here.
* (4:46) The letter from Gen Con to key vendors.
* (8:02) Fear the Boot makes the call!
* (16:40) Critiquing the questions that were asked.
* (22:10) Defending the questions that were asked.
The artist we were partnered with for Wizard World can be found on Facebook here. WARNING: The art displayed on his Facebook page is technically SFW, but it’s very risque.
* (37:39) The general vacuum of information in the RPG industry.
* (39:48) Juxtaposing how the Opera Theatre St. Louis handled a similar situation.
* (52:41) Cats, weed, and the moral dimension of COVID.
Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Laura
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:29) Fear the Con Online, coming up on June 19th – 20th. The promo video can be found here and the signup site can be found here.
* (7:41) Fear the Con 2021 has been locked in for June 25th – 26th, 2021.
* (9:39) A question about henchmen, courtesy of Jesse Sierke. Setting some boundaries on the discussion.
* (12:56) How many is too many, particularly if you’re not trying to run an empire-building or administrative game?
* (15:35) Making it the burden of the player that brought in all of the NPCs.
* (18:58) When players treat the NPCs as a valueless resource. Abstracting a group of NPCs into a single, collective unit.
* (28:42) Tracking social transactions.
* (37:17) Making the players explain why they need hirelings to begin with.
* (41:03) The role of the party should always eclipse the role of the henchmen.
Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Laura, Wayne
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (1:05) A message from Matt about some issues with a GM.
* (2:21) Player creativity can spook the GM into responding in frustrating ways.
* (13:35) Reasons why GMs find themselves in this situation.
* (21:47) The role of player empathy in fixing the problem.
* (30:10) Buying time to rethink instead of immediately reacting.
* (34:28) Outsourcing the solution by asking players for more input.
* (39:46) The value of being honest.
* (44:56) Throwing a different curve-ball than the one you’d initially planned.
Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:36) Adapting the show to current realities.
* (1:52) The history of West Marches and the context of the advice we gave. Ben’s blog on his game. Another contribution of his to the hobby: Microscope.
* (11:17) More information on the Skies of Glass play-test document, slated for release on Patreon on April 21st.
* (14:28) The mental and social impact of COVID, including what you can do for yourself and others. The relevant Reuters article.
Hosts: Dan
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:46) Repeating the announcement regarding Fear the Con 2020.
* (2:14) New content and general improvements for our Patreon.
* (7:10) Explaining what a West Marches style game is. The West Marches game through GamersTable can be found on their Discord in the Star Trek Adventures area.
* (17:08) The nature of character relationships in an ever-shifting party.
* (19:06) Sharing information between the participants.
* (22:18) A different style for different people. Cameo appearances.
* (29:46) Some random thoughts on maps and technology to aid a campaign.
* (34:36) Keeping everyone on the same page regarding game events, creative boundaries, and such.
* (49:08) The origin of the name, West Marches, and the idea’s history can be found here.
Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:41) Some unfortunate news about Fear the Con 2020. A blog post with some more information is coming soon.
* (4:14) Brodeur’s new endeavor can be found here (as of this episode, the site is still very heavily under construction).
* (7:55) Dan and Brodeur go to GAMA Expo! The usual relationship between tabletop games and conventions.
* (14:57) Why the con-to-game relationship seems to be breaking down this year, and what that may mean for our hobby.
* (27:04) The potential impact on retail.
* (31:11) Answering some of the questions the listeners asked us to look into.
* (41:18) How all of this affects the end consumer.
* (47:36) The misuse and abuse of Kickstarter.
* (57:03) The resilience of the tabletop gaming hobby.
Hosts: Brodeur, Dan
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:24) Betrayal to the keys to power.
* (4:40) Why Wayne abuses utility powers.
* (6:19) Chad passes judgment. It might be easier to say, “no,” upfront than to have the fight later.
* (13:02) Fear of the unknown. Wayne’s confessional mini-show, now available on Patreon.
* (16:53) Getting Dale’s perspective as a publisher of game supplements. You can find his online shop here.
* (24:25) Dale’s advice for the splat-averse.
* (32:34) How Dale can attract people to his products. Splat certification?
Hosts: Chad, Dale, Dan, Wayne
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:24) Putting Dale in the hotseat as a Game Master.
* (10:01) Pitching the same idea to Chad and Wayne as theoretical players.
* (17:13) Judging the regularity of and motivation for playing unusual characters.
* (23:52) Kicking the pitch back to Dale again.
* (32:46) The unique problems of playing from splat you wrote.
* (38:17) Flipping the script and using splat to empower other characters. But it did get worse.
* (43:52) Dan’s trouble with trust.
Hosts: Chad, Dale, Dan, Wayne
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
* (0:24) Why Chad doesn’t have a strong opinion on splat. Getting to the player’s real reason for the request. Allowing unusual requests as a form of collaborative world-building.
* (4:20) Why Chad’s games more easily accommodate weird ideas.
* (7:22) Re-skinning existing content instead of creating new content. Abusing splat.
* (8:17) Not trusting the players to self-moderate.
* (19:54) Why Dale, as a player, likes splat.
* (27:49) Putting Dale in the hotseat as a player.
Hosts: Chad, Dale, Dan, Wayne
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
Apple Podcasts
Discord
Facebook
Google Play
Pandora
Patreon
RSS
SoundCloud
Spotify
Stitcher
Twitter
YouTube
