First Date Update: A New TTRPG with Mat Copelli! episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 16, 2025 · 45 MIN

First Date Update: A New TTRPG with Mat Copelli!

from Tabletopped · host Nick Perron

In this episode, we're getting up close and personal with romance mechanics—and no, we're not talking about your last Tinder disaster. Host Nick Perron sits down with Mat from the Role Play Chat podcast to dive deep into his brand new TTRPG creation: First Date Update. From nervous small talk mechanics to butterfly-inducing connection systems, this indie game is redefining what it means to roll for romance at the tabletop.Whether you're a forever GM looking for something fresh or just curious about how indie designers tackle the trickiest emotions to gamify, Mat breaks down everything from core mechanics to his design philosophy with the kind of passion that only comes from someone who's been there, done that, and rolled the dice to prove it.Topics Covered:What First Date Update is really about (spoiler: it's deeper than you think)How the core mechanics capture those first-date butterflies without being cringeMat's journey from concept to finished game—the playtesting, the pivots, the "aha!" momentsThe design decisions that make this game tick, from mechanic creation to resolution systemsSo grab your dice, your favorite beverage, and maybe practice your pickup lines—we're diving into the wonderful world of romantic tabletop gaming!Join host Nick Perron as he draws from his expertise in the TTRPG space to explore the cutting edge of indie game design with creators who are pushing boundaries and making magic happen one dice roll at a time.LINKS!→ Mat's Stuff:• Role Play Chat Linktree• Itch Page: Check out for access to the game in August!→ Tabletopped's Stuff:→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tabletopped's website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check us out on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We have a new monthly pod as well as behind the scenes clips that you can get on a secret Spotify feed! We will also be dropping some more treats from time to time!Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mitch Poulin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we're getting up close and personal with romance mechanics—and no, we're not talking about your last Tinder disaster. Host Nick Perron sits down with Mat from the Role Play Chat podcast to dive deep into his brand new TTRPG creation: First Date Update. From nervous small talk mechanics to butterfly-inducing connection systems, this indie game is redefining what it means to roll for romance at the tabletop.Whether you're a forever GM looking for something fresh or just curious about how indie designers tackle the trickiest emotions to gamify, Mat breaks down everything from core mechanics to his design philosophy with the kind of passion that only comes from someone who's been there, done that, and rolled the dice to prove it.Topics Covered:What First Date Update is really about (spoiler: it's deeper than you think)How the core mechanics capture those first-date butterflies without being cringeMat's journey from concept to finished game—the playtesting, the pivots, the "aha!" momentsThe design decisions that make this game tick, from mechanic creation to resolution systemsSo grab your dice, your favorite beverage, and maybe practice your pickup lines—we're diving into the wonderful world of romantic tabletop gaming!Join host Nick Perron as he draws from his expertise in the TTRPG space to explore the cutting edge of indie game design with creators who are pushing boundaries and making magic happen one dice roll at a time.LINKS!→ Mat's Stuff:• Role Play Chat Linktree• Itch Page: Check out for access to the game in August!→ Tabletopped's Stuff:→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tabletopped's website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check us out on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We have a new monthly pod as well as behind the scenes clips that you can get on a secret Spotify feed! We will also be dropping some more treats from time to time!Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mitch Poulin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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First Date Update: A New TTRPG with Mat Copelli!

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This episode is 45 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 16, 2025.

What is this episode about?

In this episode, we're getting up close and personal with romance mechanics—and no, we're not talking about your last Tinder disaster. Host Nick Perron sits down with Mat from the Role Play Chat podcast to dive deep into his brand new TTRPG...

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