Episode 257 – a not-so-grand experiment

* (0:44) It feels good to be back, though Chris is sorry for calling Chad names. * (3:25) A big thanks to Wizards of the Coast columnist, Tracy Hurley, for mentioning us in an article on Gamer Resolutions! * (4:56) At Fear the Con V, Chris Ings will be running a Bloodname tournament for the surname, Badass. * (8:22) Announcing the contestants for the Power 16 III!  Voting will start in a few weeks. * (14:05) Introducing an online game the hosts will be playing using Pathfinder rules and the Forgotten Realms setting.  We’ll be using this to help us understand each other’s game styles and (more importantly) try to apply our own ideas to build and maintain a game.  Whether this succeeds or fails, we hope it will serve as a great object lesson. * (18:26) To start things off, Johann asks some questions about the intended level curve of the game, which leads Dan to ask why that’s important to his character. * (34:28) Bringing together the cultures of different gaming groups and merging them into a new, mutually enjoyable culture. * (37:10) An invitation to the audience to not only observe but also participate in our little experiment. * (38:46) Lacking the time to develop our next topic, we spin down the episode.  However, we kept recording, so Chad’s question gets a thorough exploration in the episode coming next week! Hosts: Chad, Chris, Dan, Pat, Wayne