Exactly what it says on the tin: Dave regales the cast of his adventures in Madison, Wisconsin.
This is a short one. Enjoy!
Author Archives: Dana
IPMM 28: Innovations in Modern Gaming
“…but not as overused as the gambler’s phallus.”
In this episode, Yanni talks about introducing “traditional” gamers to Apocalypse World, and we analyze some of the innovations that set modern games apart from their older cousins. Here’s a (partial) list of the things we came up with; not every game does every one of them, but having more seems to be better than having fewer, and some of them can be worked into any game:
- Make failure interesting.
- Make the rules about what the game is supposed to be about.
- Reward the players for doing the things you want to see in the game.
- Create mechanics that are win-win.
- Add mechanics/rewards to the stuff players will do anyway.
- Include rules or guidance for scene-framing.
- Try to create a common vision/agenda for the game and the fiction among the players.
Here’s the audio link:
IPMM-28-Innovations-in-Modern-Games
And here are some of the topics touched on in the podcast:
Filed under Discussion, Podcast
IPMM 27: Monsterhearts Episode 3
“Fursuit”
In this episode of Monsterhearts, Chloe throws a costume party which Gabe promptly trashes.
Meanwhile, Mara, Chassie, and Robin get sidetracked and the PC’s get their first whiff of the season’s Big Bad.
Everything goes downhill from there.
This episode was pivotal – it set the tone for much of what happened over the rest of the season. It was also the first time anyone hit their Darkest Self – but we won’t spoil any more of it for you. Sit back, strap in, and enjoy!
Standard disclaimer applies: This is a game with some serious themes and strong language. Listen at your own discretion.
Filed under Actual Play, Podcast
IPMM 26: Find the Path
“Hey, DUNCAN, this kid named DUNCAN, two years ago…”
In this episode, we plug some great tabletop games and complain about parts of some of the more traditional RPGs we’re playing.
What is it that makes games like Iron Kingdoms and Pathfinder frustrating? How can we make them better? We don’t figure everything out, but we decide we definitely don’t hate D&D.
We wrap up with some video game talk and a few plugs.
Stuff in this episode:
Filed under Discussion, Podcast
IPMM 25: Monsterhearts Episode 2
“Hash tag #butts”
We had some homework before the session: draw what’s on our characters’ desks in homeroom. The results were… somewhat predictable.
Then, Chloe and Mara see a movie, we find out some of the students have gone missing, the girls have an impromptu makeover, and Gabe does a bunch of dumb stuff.
We also spend some time figuring out how the moves and strings work.
Standard disclaimer applies: This is a game with some serious themes and strong language. Listen at your own discretion.
Filed under Actual Play, Podcast
IPMM 24: Monsterhearts Episode 1
“I’ve given you everything.”
Disclaimer/Trigger Warning: The content of this Actual Play may disturb some listeners. Topics may include teen sexuality, abuse (sexual, physical, emotional), rape, body-shaming/eating disorders, and criminal activity. We do not pull punches, though we try to give serious issues the gravity they deserve. If this doesn’t seem like the sort of thing you want to listen to, go listen to our Apocalypse World APs instead (they’re way tamer – no, seriously).
With that out of the way, this season of Joe McDaldno’s Monsterhearts features:
- Will as Chloe, the Infernal
- Duncan as Robin, the Mortal
- Caitlin as Mara, the Ghoul
- Joanna as Chassie, the Werewolf
- Dave as Gabriel, the Chosen
- … and Yanni as the MC
This recording covers the introduction to the game, character creation, and our first day of class. Hope you enjoy it!
Filed under Actual Play, Podcast
IPMM 23: Vesna Thaw, Part 2
「見ろ！ゴジラだ！」
This concludes our play of NDP Design’s “microgame”, Vesna Thaw.
You can listen to Part 1 here.
We decided that everyone should go out in a blaze of glory, but that only extended the game by a few scenes. Overall, though, the game was already probably a bit too long for the concept.
Filed under Actual Play, Podcast
IPMM 22: Vesna Thaw, Part 1
“In a hole. Full of radiation. With no sunlight. And no food. Also sewage.”
This is Part 1 of NDP Design’s “microgame”, Vesna Thaw. It’s a fun little game (and I emphasize “little” – the rules fit on about eight pages) that has each player piloting a giant robot in post-nuclear-holocaust Soviet Russia.
The most fun part of this game was collaboratively drawing the robots:
Duncan’s Claw Robot from Vesna Thaw
Will’s Parasol Robot from Vesna Thaw
Dave’s Racecar Robot from Vesna Thaw
Yanni’s Bat Robot from Vesna Thaw
After that, play was fun but long. We’ve broken the audio into two episodes, each about an hour and a half long.
Filed under Actual Play, Podcast
Monsterhearts Cheat Sheet
We’re about to start putting up our Monsterhearts play recordings, and one of the things we have noticed playing the game is that, while flavorful, the quick reference sheets provided at Buried Without Ceremony are hard to navigate.
So, as a service to all the awesome gamer folk out there, we’ve created our own, color-coded cheat sheet for the game. It’s got most of the information on the MH cheat sheet, and everything you’ll need for regular play is on one side of a page. It’s also released under a Creative Commons license so you can remix it any way you like for your own games.
Enjoy!
MonsterheartsCheatSheet (Word format)
MonsterheartsCheatSheet (PDF format)
Filed under Play Aids
IPMM 21: Fear and Loathing in GM Land
“Pokemon is clearly the aftermath of a global, apocalyptic war.”
In this episode, Dave, Yanni, and Duncan talk about how to evoke fear (and other emotions) in games and the challenge of transitioning between the GM and player roles.
Stuff we mention:
IPMM-21-Fear-and-Loathing-in-GM-Land
Filed under Discussion, Podcast