Best Chris McDowall Podcasts (2025)

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Amanda Lee Franck's Rule of Three 46:35

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1h ago46:35

46:35

This week I'm joined by Amanda Lee Franck to discuss a bunch of things that are probably games? You can find out more about Bastionland at ⁠bastionland.com⁠ and support this podcast on ⁠Patreon⁠.⁠

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This is an RPG historian you have to hear from- A conversation with Shannon Appelcline Episode 78 1:00:30

12h ago1:00:30

1:00:30

This is an RPG historian you have to hear from. Shannon Appelcline. He's the mind behind Designers & Dragons, which chronicles our hobby's wild past, from basement print runs to global pop culture phenomenon. Shannon has done the research, interviewed the legends, and connected the dots between decades of dice-rolling history. So grab your characte…

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Luke Stratton's Rule of Three 52:14

2d ago52:14

52:14

This week I'm joined by Luke Stratton to discuss Brigs, Borgs, and Bagginses. You can find out more about Bastionland at bastionland.com and support this podcast on Patreon.⁠

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"Games Will Prevail": A conversation with Meguey Baker, Vincent Baker & John Harper- Ep 77 1:02:18

12d ago1:02:18

1:02:18

What do Cormac McCarthy, Charles Dickens, & Scheherazade say to each other on the podcast? Today, we find out! First up, we have Meguey Baker: game designer, textile historian, and one of the most revolutionary voices in the history of tabletop gaming. You might know her from 1001 Nights, Psi-Run, or her work on Apocalypse World, a game that cracke…

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Arion Games and other RPGs (with Graham Bottley)

6d ago

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September and October have been replete with gaming sessions. Can you have too much of a good thing? That’s the question we ask this episode. Dirk is joined in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling by Graham Bottley from Arion Games, which is celebrating 20 years publishing games and supplements. It has had the licence for Advanced Fighting Fantasy, Me…

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30 Minutes Into This Interview with Fred Hicks & Cam Banks, I Share Leaked D&D Sales Data Ep-76 55:25

19d ago55:25

55:25

Shamelessly, 30 minutes into this interview with Cam Banks & Fred Hicks, I share leaked D&D sales data. He's the Kiwi conjurer who helped create the Cortex System, which has been used on everything from Firefly to Marvel. He's made the rules that make the stories sing, and he's living proof that spreadsheets and sorcery can coexist. Please welcome …

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RPGs don't make stories. They make experiences: A conversation with Jay Dragon & Watt EP 75 59:24

20d ago59:24

59:24

This conversation is absolutely brilliant. I talk to a lot of game designers, but this episode is easily a favorite. Today, we discuss with two engines of creativity: Jay Dragon of Wanderhome & Watt of Cloud Empress! Watt is a designer, artist, and architect of the beautifully bizarre. Watt's games feel like dreams with teeth, lush, lyrical, and a …

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Why Borg? A conversation with Zac Goins & Erica Lowe Ep 74 1:04:15

25d ago1:04:15

1:04:15

Why borg? Today on the show, we're joined by Zac Goins, RPG designer, Kickstarter consultant, and all-around tabletop creative. Zac has worked with Marvel, Wizards of the Coast, Modiphius, and more, and currently serves as Director of Marketing for Limithron. He's designed for systems like Old School Essentials, Mörk Borg, Shadowdark, and beyond. A…

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"All RPGS are inherently unfinished"- A conversation with Justin Alexander, Panayiotis Lines & Aled Lawlor EP 73 56:30

1M ago56:30

56:30

Today, we've got a four-way! Listen and marinate in the brilliance of Justin Alexander, Panayiotis Lines, & Aled Lawlor! Aled Lawlor and Panayiotis Lines are the creative duo behind Leyline Press. In just a few short years, Leyline has carved out a reputation for distinctive, atmospheric RPGs that blend striking visual design with elegant, playable…

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Let's talk about Uncle Gary: A conversation with Gygax's biographer, Michael Witwer Ep. 72 53:51

1M ago53:51

53:51

Today, I am going to talk turkey with fellow historian and bestselling author, Michael Witwer. His books, such as Empire of Imagination, the acclaimed biography of Gary Gygax, and the lavish Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana, have helped bring the hidden history of role-playing games into the mainstream. His work combines deep research with a storyt…

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The Ring Knight Honors the Weeping Seer-with Jeremy Bent & Chris McDowall Ep. 71 58:04

2M ago58:04

58:04

Welcome to D&D Outloud with Ben Riggs, I am Ben Riggs, apparently controversial D&D historian and author of Slaying the Dragon A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons, and over the past 13 years of writing and podcasting, I have met hundreds of creative geniuses in and around the world of TTRPGs. Here on this show, I ask two of these flaming torches…

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"D&D is Not in the Innovation Biz" A Conversation with Two 4th Ed Designers- Ep 70 1:04:18

2M ago1:04:18

1:04:18

Does 4E D&D have the best combat? The question leads us to a conversation with two of the game's three lead designers. First up, we have Rob Heinsoo, one of the leading minds behind Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition. He's also the co-creator of 13th Age, a system that blends narrative freedom with crunchy mechanics in amazing ways. He's a designer, a …

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Dungeon Crawl Classics Continued (Ep.85)

2M ago

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This time we return to the topic of Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) with Judge Blythy, our resident zealot. Appendix G, our never-ending list of influences, expands with the wonderful Swords Series from Fritz Leiber nominated by Dave Paterson. We talk about our preparation for a busy September of gaming. Paul Fricker has released Gatsby and The Great …

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"All of the $ should be coming to Wizards-" an interview with the former WotC Book Team Ep. 69 56:29

2M ago56:29

56:29

Wanna know what the hell is going on at WotC? Let's ask people who used to work there. It is difficult to describe what a superstar gathering this is on the show. These are not the first names that you think of when you hear D&D, but they are just as significant if not more so than the names we all know. First Liz Schuh, whose final title at Wizard…

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This Guy Reviewed an RPG that Doesn't Exist! Ep. 68 with Luke Gearing & Leo Hunt 48:48

2M ago48:48

48:48

An in-depth conversation with two of the most remarkable adventure-writers working today: Luke Gearing & Leo Hunt! Luke Gearing, is an incredible voice in the tabletop RPG world. His work includes Acid Death Fantasy for Troika!, the epic and disturbing Gradient Descent for Mothership and the Wages of Sin bounty book. His work is gritty, evocative, …

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"Corporations are colonizing your imagination for profit. TTRPGs are a liberation movement!"- Ep. 67 59:32

2M ago59:32

59:32

Today, enjoy this conversation between 3rd edition D&D lead designer Jonathan Tweet and TTRPG historians Shannon Appelcline and Ben Riggs! They discuss one of the hotbeds of gaming ferment, St. Olaf College, which produced nerd legends like Lisa Stevens, Mark Rein-Hagen, Nicole Lindroos, and Tweet himself. Then they move on to discuss one of the mo…

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Secrets of the Bestselling D&D Adventure of All Time- Ep 66 57:39

3M ago57:39

57:39

Our guest tonight is a giant in the realms — literally and figuratively. Richard Baker is a legendary Dungeons & Dragons designer, novelist, and world-builder whose fingerprints are all over the game we love. He's helped shape settings like the Forgotten Realms, Birthright, and Alternity. He designed iconic adventures. He wrote novels that bring fa…

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Solving the Mysteries of the D&D Business: A Gen Con 2025 Seminar- Ep. 65 54:28

3M ago54:28

54:28

D&D is bigger than it has ever been, but being a D&D fan in 2025 is deeply confusing. The questions come on and on. Why do extensive promotion of a virtual tabletop for D&D, Sigil, and then give it no marketing at rollout and kill it a month later? Why has there been an exodus of staff from the company? Why, after a golden age during the game's 5th…

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10 Years of The GROGNARD Files

3M ago

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It was 10 years ago today, that we first came out to play! In this episode we jump every shark in sight by reflecting on the past ten years of the podcast. We invited listeners to ask us anything, as long as it was looking back over the past 10 years, so we could lean back in our armchairs and reflect on what we have done. Also, joining the fun is …

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Is WotC Mucking this Up? Ep. 64 1:00:58

3M ago1:00:58

1:00:58

Is Wizards messing this up? We discuss with two titans of the TTRPG industry! First up, David M. Ewalt – journalist, editor, and author of the engaging and wonderful Of Dice and Men. He is currently the editor in chief of Scientific American, which may make him the most prestigious personage I've ever had on this podcast. He is also the author of D…

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OSR Secrets Revealed! Ep. 63 55:31

4M ago55:31

55:31

This week, we go deep into the Old School Revolution with Old School Essentials creator Gavin Norman and Josh McCrowell of His Majesty the Worm! Gavin Norman is the mind behind some of the most exciting work in the modern OSR scene. He is best known for Old-School Essentials, the gold standard for clean, accessible retro-gaming rules that have brou…

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Is this the Best RPG Book of All Time? Ep. 62 1:09:09

4M ago1:09:09

1:09:09

My guest tonight is a legend in the world of game design and storytelling. Richard Dansky is best known as the mind behind some of the darkest and most compelling corners of the World of Darkness. He served as the developer for Wraith: The Oblivion and helped shape the haunting masterpiece Charnel Houses of Europe: The Shoah, one of the most powerf…

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Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG (with Brendan LaSalle)

4M ago

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In this GROGPOD, Judge Blythy talks about his initiation into the cult of DCC. We look at what makes it work. Goodman Games, the publisher of DCC, is hosting DCC Day on 19th July 2025. We are joined by Brendan LaSalle who talks about DCC and his futuristic variant, XCrawl Classics where you can have a spectator sport in the dungeon. Next time we wi…

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D&D Designer Meets the Questing Beast! Ep. 61 1:01:22

4M ago1:01:22

1:01:22

This one's a banger: D&D designer Steve Winter meets Ben Milton of Questing Beast! Ben Milton is a game designer, YouTube sage, and sorceror-king of the OSR demigod! He's the mind behind Knave 2e and the force behind Questing Beast, your portal to the wild, weird wonders of old-school RPGs. If you like sharp rules, deadly dungeons, and freedom at t…

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A Conclave of RPG Historians- Ep. 60 58:57

4M ago58:57

58:57

Not one, not two, but THREE RPG HISTORIANS in one hour of amazing audio! Today, we are fortunate to have with us Shannon Appelcline, author of the magisterial THIS IS FREE TRADER BEOWULF, which is a history of the Traveller RPG. He's probably most famous for DESIGNERS AND DRAGONS, which is his multi-volume history of seemingly every role-playing ga…

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Legendary RPG Designer Breaks Media Silence- Ep. 59 1:07:53

4M ago1:07:53

1:07:53

I can't believe I got these two on the show together! First, Kevin Crawford is a TTRPG design legend. My favorites from his work are Stars Without Number, and Worlds Without Number, both of which have been tremendously successful and influential as paragons of sleek game design and peerless GM tools. Stars was what I ran during the pandemic, and Wo…

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Did this guy save Dungeons & Dragons? Ep 58 1:01:00

5M ago1:01:00

1:01:00

Who saved Dungeons & Dragons? How many people could say that they saved Dungeons & Dragons? Off the top of my head, I would say that the list of people who could say they saved D&D at some point over the course of its 51-year history is less than 20. But I believe I have one of those people who could credibly tell a story explaining how they saved …

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Commander Shephard in Ravenloft Ep. 57 59:10

5M ago59:10

59:10

The theme of today's conversation is Ravenloft, but I don't know think that's the best place to actually start introducing my three guests. Instead, I am going to say that I have a very addictive personality. I play one video game about every three years. But one of the video games I have played is MASS EFFECT, and with us today is the accomplished…

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Ars Magica RPG (with Adrian Tchaikovsky) Ep 82

5M ago

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In this episode, we continue our examination of magic in Role-Playing Games with a look at Ars Magica with Science Fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky. He talks to us about the setting, the rules and the way that magic works in the game. We haven’t had chance to play it yet, so Dirk and Blythy meet in the Lass O Gowrie pub in Manchester and discuss t…

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Are Hexcrawls the Adventure's Final Form? with Jacob Hurst & WF Smith Ep. 56 58:09

5M ago58:09

58:09

Are hexcrawls the adventure's final form? We discuss that very question with two of the premier purveyors of the hexcrawl format in the 21st century: Jacob Hurst & WF Smith, aka Prismatic Wasteland. Jacob is one of the brilliant minds behind The Dark of Hot Springs Island, a hexcrawl of evil elves, interdimensional drug dealers, and beached whales.…

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Are TTRPG Creators Geniuses? with Stephen Radney-Macfarland Ep. 55 57:33

6M ago57:33

57:33

I have interviewed bestselling authors, Ivy League professors, and comic creators whose work has gone on to generate billions at the box office. But as a class, TTRPG professionals seem to be the smartest people I regularly talk to. I discuss this and other fascinating points this week with Stephen Radney-Macfarland, a designer with a TTRPG resume …

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Advanced World Creation with Jeff Grubb & Kevin Kulp Ep. 54 1:01:20

6M ago1:01:20

1:01:20

Kevin Kulp & Jeff Grubb have, between them, created entire cosmologies and entire timelines. Kulp is the award-winning creator of Timewatch and the investigative fantasy game, Swords of the Serpentine. Grubb, a legend in his own time, is the engineer of the Forgotten Realms, creator of Spelljammer, and writer of Manual of the Planes. Hear the pair …

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A Brief History of Traveller with Shannon Appelcline Ep 53 59:56

6M ago59:56

59:56

Shannon Appelcline is a TTRPG historian par excellence. His Designers & Dragons set a high bar for the field and I cannot recommend it too highly. HIs recent Traveller history, This is Free Trader Beowulf, is similarly excellent. Today, we talk with Shannon about his time in the trenches of RPG history! Ben interviewed 2nd ed designer Zeb Cook in H…

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Scarred by Magic in the 70s & 80s (with Stephen Brotherstone)

6M ago

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Returning guest Stephen Brotherstone, co-author of the Scarred for Life series of books and shows, joins us in the zoom of Role Playing Rambling to examine the witchcraft and horrors that haunted our childhood years. You can see Ste as his show is on the road during 2025 and the latest volume of the series is now available. Highly recommended as it…

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What was the first RPG? It ain't what you think... Ep 52 59:38

6M ago59:38

59:38

Ask a round of nerds what the first RPG was, and you'll likely get D&D as your answer. Some might shout out Blackmoor. A few may say Braunstein. But what if the answer was... something else? A long talk with the Thucydides of RPG history, Jon Peterson! Pick up the first volume of Playing at the World 2nd Edition here! Read Jon's article on Western …

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PART 2 - Goblin Archives & Josh Domanski, Liminal Horror Deluxe Edition 34:14

6M ago34:14

34:14

This is the second episode of a two-part series on Liminal Horror and modern horror RPGs, featuring Goblin Archives and Josh Domanski, the co-designers of Liminal Horror. Episode two covers their modules and games, and particularly Liminal Horror Deluxe Edition which is crowdfunding right now. Listen to episode 1 Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us…

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Goblin Archives & Josh Domanski, Liminal Horror Deluxe Edition 32:56

6M ago32:56

32:56

This is the first episode of a two-part series on Liminal Horror and modern horror RPGs, featuring Goblin Archives and Josh Domanski, the co-designers of Liminal Horror. Episode one is focused on Goblin and Josh’s origin story as RPG designers, and why horror is such a good genre for Tabletop RPGs. Episode two covers their modules and games, and pa…

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Why Sci-Fi with Author Mary Fan Ep. 51 50:20

6M ago50:20

50:20

Mary Fan is a sci-fi stalwart, a prolific author whose novels include the Jane Colt series among many, many, others, and lifelong reader. She shares with us her favorite short story, which happens to be by Polish genius Stanislaw Lem, and of course we argue about Star Wars and Star Trek. Ben interviewed 2nd ed designer Zeb Cook in Hugh Hefner's sui…

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Adam STATION, I don't belong here 43:08

7M ago43:08

43:08

Today The Lost Bay Podcast’s guest is Adam STATION. Adam is best known for designing modern horror RPGs, with a surreal twist. Their games and modules have two unique features. First they are heavily procedural, based mostly on tables and nested tables. Second they are inspired by modern and contemporary music, to the point some of them are actuall…

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Mike Mearls + Kelsey Dionne = An Hour of Happy Ep. 50 58:44

7M ago58:44

58:44

You will not regret spending an hour listening to this conversation between 5th edition designer Mike Mearls and Shadowdark designer Kelsey Dionne. The pair are without question two of the most outstanding game designers working in TTRPGs today, and in this episode, they each give us a peek into their persons and processes. You can find Mike's Patr…

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Lin Codega's Next Scoops Will Knock Your Socks Off- Ep 49 1:05:10

7M ago1:05:10

1:05:10

Lin Codega is the most important gaming journalist in the history of TTRPGs. They broke the OGL scandal wide open and changed the industry forever. In this hour-long conversation, Ben picks their brain about the state of things today, and where they are going next. Find further delight in Lin's words at Rascal! Ben interviewed 2nd ed designer Zeb C…

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More Magic in RPGs (with China Miéville)

7M ago

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Magic in RPGs is a continuing obsession for Dirk the Dice and Blythy in this latest episode of the podcast. We talk about Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) and Powers and Perils (Pee & Pee) and marvel at how we played in the early 2000s, when we didn’t know any better and were more willing to freeform and ‘make stuff up’. Also in this episode, w…

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Sword & Sorcery in School- Ep. 48 with Dr. Jason Ray Carney 1:00:17

7M ago1:00:17

1:00:17

The pulp fiction that influenced Dungeons & Dragons and Call of Cthulhu was once considered disposable entertainment. But now it is taught in school! This week we pick the brain of Dr. Jason Ray Carney, a professor of English at Christopher Newport University who teaches weird fiction! The next thing we're going to release on the Patreon feed is an…

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The Best RPG History You Haven't Read- Ep 47 with Stu Horvath 1:00:59

8M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

Stu Horvath is an RPG historian you need to hear about. His book, Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground is enlightening, engaging, entertaining, and informative. Oh, and gorgeous! It is a romp through 50 plus years of iconic RPG products, from the obvious to the obscure. In this episode, we discuss Chaosium's Theives' World. Pick up Stu's book …

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Jesse Ross, Trophy Dark 42:07

8M ago42:07

42:07

This episode's guest is Jesse Ross, designer of Trophy Dark. Trophy Dark is a narrative game about doomed treasure hunters venturing into a forest that doesn't want them there. I'm a late discoverer of Trophy Dark; I read it just a few months ago, and it radically changed the way I see and play RPGs. The book delivers such a strong and consistent g…

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Guess How Many Copies of Shadowdark Have Been Sold? Ep. 46 1:01:51

8M ago1:01:51

1:01:51

Shadowdark is the new hotness in the OSR community. Shadowdark is a cobra. Fast. Elegant. Deadly. Beautiful. I'm running Shadowdark because it is a game that demands to be played. The internet asks, is Shadowdark a D&D-slayer? In this hour-long seminar from Gary Con, Kelsey Dionne gives us a deep look into the workings of the game, her company, and…

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Magic in RPGs (with Stu Horvath) Ep.79

8M ago

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It’s a kind of magic, in RPGs. This time we are joined by Stu Horvath, podcaster (Vintage RPG Podcast) and writer, who talks about his book Monsters, Aliens and Holes in the Ground, which takes us decade by decade through the history of RPGs. He also contributes to our discussion about magic in RPGs. What would we like to play, stay on our shelves …

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The Oldest Existing Publisher of RPGs is Still Making Waves- Ep. 45 55:31

8M ago55:31

55:31

Michael O'Brien is vice-president of Chaosium, the oldest extant RPG company, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! In this interview, Ben & Michael go back to the dawn of fantasy RPGs, and talk about the brilliant minds that have made Chaosium home this past half-century. Check out O'Brien's Sun Country, which he described as "Spart…

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D&D in Front of an Audience with PowerPoints- Ep. 44 53:35

8M ago53:35

53:35

Cory Burns is at the forefront of D&D actualplays, because his incorporates audience participation! We chew the fat with Burns, creator of Adventures Improvised, which plays D&D in front of an audience using powerpoints and audience participation. He has his own RPG, Wanderverse, which will be kickstarting on March 25th. Playtest materials for the …

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Sci-Fi in my Cthulhu is Delicious! with Matt Grau Ep 43 54:11

9M ago54:11

54:11

CthulhuTech smashes sci-fi anime with the work of Lovecraft to create something wholly new. In this episode we talk with the game's designer, Matt Grau about the game's creation, history, and his own time in video games. You can check out the CthulhuTech Kickstarter here! Want to hear Call of Cthulhu creator Sandy Petersen discuss game design with …