Role Playing Public Radio

We revisited the saga of Baron von Kharkov, the vampiric man-panther (Manther for short), in the Dungeon magazine #50 adventure “Felkovic’s cat”. We also review Immortal: The Invisible War, a strange game of World of Darkness-ish terminology and bizarre metaphysics. Find out what whisperballs are and other esoteric secrets. This

Maps are an essential part of tabletop RPGs. Who doesn’t love poring over a campaign map or fighting a massive set piece battle on a custom battle map? I talked to Joe at Heroic Maps about RPG map making. I recently collaborated with Joe to make a Mothership scenario available on both of our Patreons as a free download. We talk about what makes for a good RPG map and how to avoid some mistakes when making your own map. Check out The Oblivion Broadcast on Patreon! There’s an actual play, with a video version that showcases the map. Heroic Maps has a ton of maps available for download.

Ross Payton, Ennie Award winning host of Role Playing Public Radio, Caleb Stokes of Delta Green Dead Channels, Ethan Cordray of Technical Difficulties Podcast, and Zach Reeves of Pretending to be People podcasts have years of experience creating, running, and promoting podcasts. Running a podcast is very rewarding but challenging and time consuming. Learn what pitfalls to avoid and the best way to get started! This panel was recorded at Gen Con 2025.

Writing a good mystery for a RPG can be tough to accomplish but it’s not impossible. Get tips from Ross Payton and Caleb Stokes on writing a great whodunit in your game! Threading the line between making the investigation too easy and too hard can be difficult, but we have enough experience to make it easier for you. This panel was recorded at Gen Con 2025. Check out Delta Green Dead Channels to support Caleb! Note: this panel was recorded at the Crowne Plaze hotel, which has an active railroad operating through it. I reduced noise as much as I could.

In 1968, in response to sinister influences that threatened to corrupt America from within and without, the Federal Government established a new agency – one that quickly acquired a reputation for ambitious operations overseas, for covert action, and for doing what had to be done, no matter the cost. This new agency was the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the BNDD. And within it – the forces of DELTA GREEN. This is the Borellus Connection. We recently finished the campaign on RPPR Actual Play and now we join up to discuss it. Join Aaron, Caleb, Chris, Tom, and I as we go through the book and discuss what we liked and didn’t like. There’s a video version of this episode on Patreon as a public post. I screenshared the PDF so you can see what I’m talking about.  Check out Hebanon Games and Delta Green Dead Channels to support Caleb’s work. Chris makes great videos on Youtube about video game history. 

Gen Con 2025 was a blast and we saw a lot and played a lot of great games! I talk with Caleb, Tom, Aaron, Elle, and David about their experiences this year. I’ve included links below for games we discuss. RPPR News: I just posted my sixth original PDF, Alienation of the Flesh, I’ve made in the last year for the RPPR Patreon! To celebrate, I’ve created a new discount! Get 20% off for an annual membership for RPPR by using discount code RPPRMAS You can even gift memberships now. It’s the perfect holiday gift! No need to wrap it, no need to ship it. The RPPR Patreon has over 10 years of bonus podcast episodes, full games, scenarios, artwork, and other exclusive content. We have a great Discord community and I run games every month for patrons. Click below for all the links to the games and other things mentioned in this episode. Ross and Caleb Diana Jones Awards ARKYVR: mothership module Shadowdark RPG Godzilla Trading Card Game Mythic Bastionland Ave Nox Helluva Town RPG Hangry Games Labyrinth Signal Ruins card game Lightning Train board game Dawn of the Orcs RPG Outgunned RPG Salvage Union RPG Botany board game Tom Island of Dr. Moreau RPG Eat the Reich RPG Legends: a superhero RPG (Tom thought it started with Freedom but it is called Legends) Wild Skies: Liberating Strife: RPG source book Aaron and Elle Ticket to Ride board game Lorcana card game Starship Horizons video game Expeditions board game Gundam Assemble skirmish game Artis Opus paintbrushes Turbo Dork paints David Pin Bazaar Good Strong Hands RPG Landmarks board game Squirrel Away board game David’s pins

I interviewed Rhodrick Magsino, author of ARKYVR at Gen Con 2025 about his new module. ARKYVR is a multimedia MOTHERSHIP 1E setting & toolkit to play documentary filmmakers in space. Equipped with only their camera gear, ARKYVRs will attempt to document life in space and expose corporate client atrocities while surviving the void’s unspeakable horrors. We talked about his inspiration for creating the module, playtesting, and what he plans next. Get ARKYVER on DTRPG  Watch this interview on Youtube

Red Markets 2nd Edition is holding an open beta playtest for all of 2025. Come discuss the ongoing process! The new edition of the Profit System is more concise, more vicious, and closer than ever before. A panel of the game’s creators will take questions on the upcoming new edition or Red Markets in general. Caleb Stokes is the author of Red Markets, and he is joined by Ross Payton of Role Playing Public Radio, the award-winning podcast on which the game got its start nearly ten years ago. Download the Red Markets 2E playtest beta here! Listen to actual plays of Red Markets 2E at Hebanon Games on Patreon. More Red Markets APs can be found on the RPPR Patreon Games Youtube channel.

Shadowdark is a fantasy role playing game built on OSR design principles with several new mechanics, including a real time torch light rule and experience point rules that emphasize exploration over violence. I sat down with the game’s creator, Kelsey Dionne at Gen Con to discuss the game’s creation, its mechanics, and how Kelsey has been able to build a community for the game. Learn more about the game at Arcane Libary’s website. https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark  

We had a blast at Gen Con this year! We recorded a lot of panels and games this year but this live recording of RPPR was a highlight for sure. In this episode, members of the RPPR cast talk about their gaming highlights over the last year, plans for RPPR in the near future, and games we wish we could play but never can bring to the table. Plus a segment where listeners try to stump us about what we had done in certain games. Featuring (from left) Fuzzy Dan Chris Aaron Caleb Ross Tom David

I’ve written a new action horror RPG called Labyrinth Signal. It’s a d20-based system inspired by survival horror games like Silent Hill and Alan Wake. It uses an innovative combo meter mechanic for combat that adds tactical depth to fighting monsters and mitigates the swinginess of normal d20 fights. I talk about the mechanics and inspirations with Caleb. You can get the beta PDF on the RPPR Patreon, which comes with a full scenario, Peak Nightmares. I ran an actual play of it last month on RPPR Actual Play. Watch this episode on Youtube to see pages from the beta PDF and other visuals.  Check out Hebanon Games and Delta Green Dead Channels. We’re playing a great actual play campaign with Bridget, Fae, Thad, and Ross! We’re going to Gen Con this year! We’re running a lot of events and if you’re going, you can sign up for them with the links below. Introduction to RPG Podcasting – Thursday July 31 at 10 am Delta Green and Arc Dream Publishing Panel – Thursday July 31 at 8 pm Just One More Roll: Writing Mysteries for RPGs – Friday August 1 at 10 am Tableside Interventions – A Conversation for GMs Managing Mental Health Symptoms at the Table – Friday August 1 at 3 pm Red Markets 2nd Edition Panel Discussion – Friday August 1 at 4 pm Blood Soaked Mayhem: Action and Horror in RPGs – Saturday August 2 at 10 am RPPR Live Episode and Meetup! – Saturday August 2 at 8 PM On the RPPR Patreon, check out After Hours for our latest episodes on Kremin, the weirdest RPG since Synnibarr. In Megadungeon Meandering we’re looking at a Liminal Horror scenario about a small town with a secret evil cult. I also published a Cthulhu Eternal scenario called Darkfield, featuring art from Sirenhead creator Trevor Henderson.

Red Markets is back! Caleb has spent over a year playtesting and revising Red Markets, improving negotiation, combat, and other core mechanics for the game. He’ll be posting an open beta of the game on the Hebanon Games Patreon so you can download and play it yourself. We talk about the process of updating a game’s rules and I give an update on my next RPG, now titled Labyrinth Signal. Follow Hebanon Games on DrivethruRPG and Itch.io.

Do you struggle with writing RPG scenarios for your home group quickly? I’ve been writing scenarios for the RPPR Patreon so I’ve had to learn how to get a good scenario out without spending a lot of time on it. I’ve figured out a few tips that can help you. This episode is on Youtube with visuals to go along with the narration. News: I am writing scenarios for the RPPR Patreon – check out the modern horror scenario After You Die, Tell God He’s Next and the Mausritter scenario Gunpla Island. The RPPR Youtube Channel has a lot of original content, including: Let’s Play of Still Wakes the Deep Watch the Pin Quest 2024 video  

I interviewed the CEO of Free League Publishing, Tomas Härenstam at Gencon this year. We talk about Free League’s approach to creating games, current trends in RPG design, and their upcoming second edition of the Alien RPG. Learn more about Free League Publishing on their website.

I caught up with Gareth Hanrahan at Gencon this year to talk about the Borellus Connection, a new campaign for Fall of Delta Green. Find out the secrets behind this globe hopping 1960s campaign! This interview has been mirrored on Youtube.

Do you have questions on actual play podcasts? Talk to Ross Payton (RPPR), Caleb Stokes (Dead Channels), Rob Stith, (Orpheus Protocol) and Ethan Cordray (Technical Difficulties) for all the answers you want! We talk about creating shows, running them, editing, marketing, and many other topics related to running an AP podcast. We recorded this panel at Gencon 2024. Enjoy!

This episode is also on Youtube with original video of Gencon 2024. Check it out! We’re back from Gencon 2024! We recorded panels, played and bought new games, and a lot more. Caleb won a Gold Ennie for God’s Teeth! I wanted to get out a quick summary of Gencon to let you all know the highlights. Find out what panels and events we recorded and some of the new trends in tabletop gaming. Of course, we’ll have a more detailed breakdown of Gencon coming soon, but I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible. If you enjoy RPPR, be sure to support our Patreon and get exclusive bonus podcasts, artwork, scenarios, and more!  

Art for tabletop RPGS is not technically necessary but it does help. Chris and I discuss the role of art in RPGs and review Art by Nohr, a book by Mork Borg co-creator, Johan Nohr. We’re experimenting with video with this episode, so subscribe to us on Youtube for Gencon coverage and more! Check out Chris’ Youtube channel where he discusses video game history and more. We’re doing a collab video so stay tuned for that. Buy Art by Nohr  

I have begun working on a new role playing game. It is called Labyrinths of Lost Futures, a modern day dungeon crawling hauntological fantasy. Delve into weird ruins with an enchanted gun and cellphone. Fight cryptids in a haunted trailer park. Escape a time loop based on a person’s childhood memories. Caleb has some questions and comments about the game. If you want to see some artwork of the game, check out the RPPR Patreon. The image in the show notes is by Patsy McDowell and is one of the levels of the modern mega dungeon I am working on. The Night Clerk is on sale at DrivethruRPG! If you missed the crowdfunding campaign, you can get the PDF now. I’m working on a way to sell print copies. Check out Delta Green Dead Channels to support Caleb and get great Delta Green content! Hebanon Games Open Design has a Red Markets 2E playtest campaign in progress.

The Kickstarter for season 3 of the Ludonarrative Dissidents podcast is now live! Back it today to help us fund another full season of this podcast. The Lady in Blue, a mysterious figure of cosmic power, enlists a band of simple peasants for a strange task. They are to follow an invisible bridge until they arrive at a hole in the sky – and then jump through. Death awaits all but the bravest, strongest, and luckiest, but the Lady offers a reward beyond all the riches of the world: the chance to change the very stars these peasants were born under, and thus change their destiny. We’re reviewing our first adventure for this season! We played it as the finale of last season and now you can hear what we think of the adventure as a published scenario.

We conclude the post mortem discussion of Impossible Landscapes, after the interruption from the previous episode. We now have a campaign index page, so you can easily find al of the episodes and other relevant bits for the campaign. Maddy as Ryan West, paramedic Thad as Marley Madelyn, FBI agent Fae as Yersinia Riszek, cryptographer Rob Stith as Jørgen Nygård, undercover agent Ross as the Handler Episode art by Patsy McDowell.  

Our actual play run of the surreal horror campaign, Impossible Landscapes, is now done. The cast and I discuss the characters, plot, and more! Find out the secrets behind the campaign and my advice for running this challenging but rewarding campaign. Maddy as Ryan West, paramedic Thad as Marley Madelyn, FBI agent Fae as Yersinia Riszek, cryptographer Rob Stith as Jørgen Nygård, undercover agent Ross as the Handler Episode art by Patsy McDowell. Thanks!

Architectural horror is a subgenre of intention. Novels like House of Leaves, movies like The Shining, the Saw series, and games like Control can all be called architectural horror, but what does that mean? Rob Stith of the Orpheus Protocol and I talk about the genre and my new scenario, The Night Clerk, which is now funding on Backerkit! If you want to know what the three types of architectural horror are, listen to this episode. Back The Night Clerk on Backerkit! The Orpheus Protocol RPG is now on DrivethruRPG. Shout Outs Bomb Rush Cyberfunk: The spiritual sequel to Jet Set Radio. A beautiful and fun game. The Remnant 2: A new action RPG with great gameplay. Bad Movie Bible: A fun Youtube channel discussing b-movies. Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer: A love letter to 90s FPS games and teenage edgelord silliness.  

A system-less RPG scenario is designed to be able to run in any system for a particular genre. Writing one is just as challenging as writing one for a single system. I’m launching a crowdfunding campaign on Backerkit for The Night Clerk, a system-less modern horror scenario, as a zine. In this episode, Caleb Stokes, author of No Security a collection of system-less scenarios, and I talk about them. I also go a bit into using Backerkit as a creator. We also discuss architectural horror and what that term means. Sign up on the Backerkit pre-launch page to receive notification when the project goes live. It should start in early September! Check out Hebanon Games Open Design for more info on Red Markets Second Edition!

Many RPGs use d20s for resolving combat, like D&D, 13th Age, and Lancer. Caleb and I have been playing a lot of d20 games recently and we wanted to talk about the nature of d20 combat. It’s a very swingy system, where every combatant can miss in a single round, resulting in nothing happening. Can this problem be fixed? News: I am exporting all of RPPR’s back catalogue to Youtube! Listen to older episodes and share them with friends. Subscribe now to help us get more notice on the site. Caleb is running a Red Markets 2E playtest campaign. Go to Hebanon Games to listen and access the beta draft rules. Caleb’s also running a bunch of Delta Green on Dead Channels. Shout Outs Deadly Dowagers: A fun board game about marrying rich men and murdering them for their estates. Monk and Robot: A novel series about a traveling robot and monk. Shiny Happy People: a documentary series about the evils of the Duggar family. How to Blow Up a Pipeline: a film based on the book of the same name. Worst of the Worst: A Youtube video essay series about the bottom level of combat sports. Starship Troopers: Extermination – a co-op shooter about blowing up alien bugs and building bases.

We ran a Fate Core campaign called Cointract Island on RPPR Actual Play. Over 16 episodes, a trio of heroes explored an island overrun with genetically engineered and cybernetically enhanced creatures. In this post mortem, Bridget, Fae, Lydia, and I discuss the campaign’s themes, the Fate system, and crypto bro culture. Bridget as Felicia, cat girl bartender Lydia as Aava Amaranth, cyborg hacker Fae as ‘Emily);Drop Table;– (AKA Indy), a scrappy scavenger

I talked with Greg Stolze, author of Reign, Termination Shock, co-author of Unknown Armies, and writer on many other books (and my co-host on Ludonarrative Dissidents podcast) about his new Kickstarter for Ships, a supplement for Termination Shock. We talked about the core mechanics for Termination Shock, game design, and crowd funding RPGs. Back Ships: How to Build and Blast Them on Kickstarter now! Greg has his own Termination Shock actual play podcast, if you want to hear how the game plays. I’ll be recording RPPR After Hours with Greg for the RPPR Patreon soon.

Caleb is back discussing his progress on Red Markets. After a recent gaming retreat, Caleb developed a theory he wanted to discuss in this episode, about the obscene and the scene. The scene represents the public, socially acceptable aspects of a given object or activity. The obscene refers to the hidden, taboo aspects. In RPGs, the scene is what we say about our games but the obscene is how we actually engage with them. “I hate this game. I’ve run a hundred sessions of it.” There’s the promised version of a game during its Kickstarter campaign, the version delivered, and the version actually played. We discuss these weighty topics and how it is affecting the development of Red Markets. Check out Hebanon Open Game Design to keep track of Red Markets development!

In this episode, James Wallis, co-host of Ludonarrative Dissidents podcast and author of “Everybody Wins: Four Decades of the Greatest Board Games Ever Made,” and I talk about what RPG designers can learn from board games. We talked about the history and influence of board games, the challenges of playtesting RPGs, and how incorporating board game mechanics can benefit RPG design. We also have some shout outs. News: On the RPPR Patreon, on the newest episode of After Hours, we discuss the most horrifying spells in Dungeons and Dragons. On Recommendizer, Thad and I talk about good inspirational sources for zombie apocalypse games. Our next campaign on RPPR Actual Play is Delta Green: Impossible Landscapes. Check out this poster for the campaign! Shout Outs Who Fears the Devil: a collection of short stories about Silver John, who fights witches and ghosts in the Appalachian mountains. The Night Ocean: a biographical novel of H.P. Lovecraft, his life, and the early days of fandom. A Town Called Malice: a storytelling game inspired by Nordic noir and isolated small town horror. Die: A comic series about RPG players entering in their fantasy campaign world Terracotta Army: A worker placement board game about building statues for the emperor’s tomb. Dread: A classic RPG that uses Jenga for its conflict resolution system. Jury Duty: A reality comedy series about a fake trial and 1 real juror. Music: Chillhops Essentials Spring 2023

Wizards of the Coast has stepped on a series of rakes with a series of proposed changes to the Open Gaming License (OGL). What is the OGL and why is WOTC is trying to destroy a popular thing in the industry? Caleb and I discuss what’s going on and what some possible outcomes of this controversy are. News: Check out the newest episode of RPPR After Hours for a hilarious dive into the lowest rated Call of Cthulhu supplement! Caleb is running through God’s Teeth with a new player group on Delta Green: Dead Channels. You can find link to all of Caleb’s projects on his Link Tree. Shout Outs The Menu: a foodie horror movie and one of the best from last year. Manhunt: a brilliant new take on the zombie apocalypse genre Warhammer 40k: Chaosgate – Daemonhunters: If you love XCOM style gameplay and 40k, this game is for you. Neon White: Speedrunning taken to a new level. Kaleidoscope: A Netflix mini series about a complex heist. Stalcraft: Stalker in a Minecraft-style setting. Great music and free to play.

Caleb and I discuss the possibility of creating a second edition of Red Markets and Base Raiders. It’s a major task, so examining the pros and cons is a necessary first step. Updating the mechanics, revising the lore, and improving the information design are all big challenges, not to mention the logistics of getting a game funded by crowdfunding. Check out Hebanon Games to see Caleb’s latest game design work. News: I started a new bonus podcast on the RPPR Patreon. Recommendizer is focused on media recommendations. In episode zero, we talk about two new horror video games, Signalis and Scorn and some underwater horror movies. Song: Dotlights – Come In And Stay on Chillhop Essentials Winter 2022

News: There’s a horror video marathon on the RPPR Patreon Discord on Sunday October 30, starting at 3 pm CDT! Sign up for the RPPR Newsletter and get a FREE Monster PDF! Synopsis: After watching the first 7 Saw movies in the last week, I realized that game design comes up in a lot in horror films. I got Chris and Aaron to talk about the franchise and other horror movies that intersect with game design topics. We mention Phantasm, Cube, Circle, Tremors, and a lot of other movies. A fun discussion just in time for the spookiest month of the year! Shout Outs Saloum: An African horror thriller film currently on Shudder. Beautiful, intriguing, and unforgettable Scorn: A horror adventure video game with a biomechanical aesthetic. Three Thousand Years of Longing: A fantasy film about a writer and a genie, from director George Miller Forgive Me Father: A Lovecraftian FPS with an old school design. Mow down hordes of cultists with a tommy gun. What’s not to love? Shining the Holy Ark: A Sega Saturn RPG with some unique features. Happy Endings: An autobiography of Bella Green, a comedian and sex worker. Disney Dreamlight Valley: Animal Crossing but with Disney characters. Floodlight: A drum and bass album where all proceeds go to disaster relief for flooding in Pakistan. Quantum Leap: It’s a reboot of the 1980s show. Music: Floodlight DnB Aid for Flooding in Pakistan

Designing new monsters for your RPG is a time honored tradition for most GMs. I got Greg Stolze and Caleb Stokes to talk about their approaches to creating new creatures for games. Is the monster a metaphor or just a weird new enemy to fight? Get some tips on becoming Dr. Frankenstein for your next game! News: Caleb is running Delta Green on Twitch on September 28 at 6 pm CST. Follow the Delta Green Twitch channel to get notified when the game goes live. It should be fun! Greg started a Patreon for his fiction. Sign up to get his latest works. I’m starting a newsletter with original content, links, and updates for all my projects. Sign up below and get a free PDF of the Death Stratum, a new monster usable for any horror or fantasy RPG. [convertkit form=3624176] Shout Outs Fashion Police Squad: a new FPS with cool game mechanics and fun to play Death’s End: the final novel in the Three Body Problem trilogy Abby Howard: a cartoonist behind The Last Halloween and Crossroads at Midnight Cult of the Lamb: A hybrid base building/rogue-like dungeon crawling game Ravenous Dusk: Sequel to Radiant Dawn, a very Delta Green horror novel with lots of body horror. Visual Signals issue 7: I wrote an article for this vaporwave zine. Check it out. Music: The Devil’s Eyes by White Bat Audio

Like so many other things, game design has changed in the post-pandemic world. Jeff Barber, author of Blue Planet, and Caleb Stokes, author of Red Markets, and I talk about work and the industry. Jeff’s been hard at work on Blue Planet: Recontact and Caleb talks more about Fae’s Anatomy and other projects he’s working on. We hit on everything from writing, art direction, to graphic design, and work/life balance. Song: Cmon by 2Mello

The Multiverse is back! Films and TV shows featuring the concept of a multiverse are more popular than ever, even though they are old hat in tabletop RPGs. Special guest Patrick from RPX and Tech Diff podcasts and I talk about ways you can implement a multiverse in your RPG and some examples. We also have some shout outs! News: Don’t forget to check out the RPPR Patreon! Patrons can sign up for RPG consultations with Ross Payton – do you need help with your RPG project? Ross can help! We’re also still running the Ludonarrative Dissidents Season 2 Kickstarter. Back it today to get some cool rewards and help us make season 2 even better! Shout Outs Closetland: a moving film about a woman imprisoned by an unjust state. Men: A new supernatural horror film from Alex Garland Islands of Abandonment: a book about what happens to abandoned structures and the post-human landscape. My Name: a Korean action series about an undercover cop seeking revenge. Janitor Bleeds: a low poly horror video game set in an abandoned arcade. Frontier Scum: an “Acid Western” OSR style TTRPG. Music: The Honeymoon Suite by Harkins tracks 1-3

Many RPGs use cards in their mechanics, from playing cards to Tarot to custom decks of cards. We discuss some of these games, the types of mechanics we’ve seen and the history of card-based games. If you enjoy this episode, back our Kickstarter for Season 2 of Ludonarrative Dissidents. This podcast is only possible with the help of backers and this time we’ll have a private RSS feed for early access to all episodes, plus other great rewards! All of Season 1 is now available if you missed it. This episode will be the only one posted on the RPPR feed. Some of the games mentioned in this episode Everway The Mystery Creature of Claytonsville Whimsy cards Aces and Eights Savage Worlds Lace and Steel Upwind Best Friends The Beast Conspiracy X Zener cards The Mind

The Terminator RPG was released as a PDF recently. A special guest, Jacqueline Bryk and I went through the game. It contains a lot of rules, including a dense system for hacking, something I hadn’t seen since Shadowrun and Cyberpunk. What makes a licensed game good or bad? We talk about the highlights and lowlights of the game and other licensed games out there. Plus shout outs! Shout Outs God Talker Nobody: A solo journal writing game about becoming a prophet of an obscure god. Mad God: A stop motion horror film of a descent into Hell Chase the H0ll0w: A game stylized after creepy pasta FIST RPG: Freelance Infantry Strike Team – a game of paranormal mercenaries Dreaming the Devil: a LARP about a witch trail in 16th century Italy Dueling Fops of Vindamere: A new game from Greg Stolze about fops who duel, oddly enough. Changeling: A visual novel “about love, reconciliation, and trying to survive in a dangerous supernatural world“ Project Sparrow: Jacqueline’s upcoming online game! Song: Terminator 2 – 02 Terminator 2 theme (short) by CARBON KILLER

News: The RPPR Patreon just finished a six part podcast series on the mega dungeon Castle Greyhawk. It’s a very funny and weird module and we had a lot of reviewing combing through it. Patrons at the $10 level and higher can get one on one RPG design/advice consultations in May and June. If you want Ross to look at your project, here’s your chance! We are also offering remastered actual play episodes of some classic episodes, like Somewhere Lane. Back the Patreon today to get all of these rewards and more! Synopsis: Outcasts are a common theme in many RPGs, but how do you handle them, both as a player and as a GM? Tom and I talk about the various flavors of outcasts, from cosmetic back story to immersive games about being an outcast. We talk about outcasts in D&D, Mutants in the Now, and Vampire, among other game settings. Shout Outs Mutants in the Next: A supplement for Mutants in the Now,Kickstarting now! The Devil’s Candy: A brilliant book on the film making process. Find out how the flop, Bonfire of the Vanities, was made. Watch this video essay for one fascinating anecdote from the book. This Grand Life: A Life simulator video game. Tom approves! Weird Tales of a Bangalorean: A compilation of weird short stories set in Bangalore, India. How to Drink: A Youtube channel about making cocktails and mixed alcoholic drinks. Infernax: A retro side scrolling Metroidvania. Very fun and on Gamepass. Castlevania 2 Redacted: A fan remake of Castlevania 2 for the NES. Trek to Yomi: A black and white side scrolling samurai themed action video game. Atun-Shei Films: A Youtube channel about history and movies. Our Flag Means Death: A comedy show about pirates. Hilarious! The Sadness: An incredibly gory Taiwanese zombie movie inspired by the comic series Crossed. Song: Outcast by AMITWOutcasts are a common theme in many RPGs, but how do you handle them, both as a player and as a GM? Tom and I talk about the various flavors of outcasts, from cosmetic back story to immersive games about being an outcast.  

The public domain expanded this year and Caleb and I dive into it to find gameable material. Anyone can use these books, images, or music, for whatever project they can imagine. I found a list of characters from pulp fiction magazines with such interesting heroes like the vigilante Crimson Clown, and a group of French boy scouts who explore the hollow earth. News: We’re doing a weekly livestreams on Twitch and Youtube! The first episode is available publicly here. We’ll be looking at RPGs on DrivethruRPG and other sites for the best and the weirdest. If you miss the livestream, the videos will be available for RPPR patrons to watch whenever you want. Check out Caleb’s Dead Channels Patreon for a Delta Green campaign, Insolent Impulse. I’m playing in it! Shout Outs Inscryption: A roguelike deck building and escape room puzzle video game. Berserk: legendary dark fantasy manga series LuLaRIch: A mini series about the MLM company LuLaRoe Sifu: A martial arts action game with amazing combat The Power of the Dog: a movie about outsiders in the West For All Mankind: An alternate historical drama about the Space Race All of Us Are Dead: A Korean zombie teen drama show with Red Markets vibes Raccoon Sky Pirates: a new indie RPG about raccoons with a sky ship pulling off a heist. List of public domain websites Public Domain Day Public Domain Review Jess Nevin’s Twitter Thread on Pulp Characters Mutiny on the Bounty Arrow Collar Man Liberation of Mankind In Barbary The Arcturus Adventure A History of the Ancient World City of the Sacred Well Pulp Magazine Archive song: The World is Waiting for the Sunrise

Quake 1 is an incredibly influential video game, not just to other video games, but to tabletop RPGs as well. We played Slipgate: Chokepoint recently. Now that we’ve re-played Quake 1 and a RPG inspired by it, Chris and I discuss the thematic and mechanical differences in translating pixels to a paper game. (on a personal note – I plan to post more episodes here more frequently. The last few months were extremely hectic but now that the wedding is over, I can focus more on RPPR podcasting. I have a lot of great topics for upcoming episodes so stay tuned!)

A new crew of smugglers start taking jobs in Duskvol. They call themselves the Blind Eyes and specialize in the weird and the occult. As the gang grows in power, they learn of an invisible war for control over the city between supernatural beings and ruthless factions and an incredibly powerful artifact that can change the course of history. This episode, the players and I talk about what worked and what didn’t work in our 24 episode campaign of Blades in the Dark, both in game mechanics and the story of this particular game. If you missed an episode, check our the campaign page to find download links. This group portrait of The Blind Eyes by Patsy McDowell. From left to right: Vimes, Salvage, Salty, Flake, and Audra Baz – Salty / Oberon Matias Declarmont the Spider Birk – Audra the Whisper Aaron – Salvage the Leech Caleb – Flake the Cutter Bill – Vimes/Seth the Slide

My friend Chris (the voice of Ab3 in our early radio plays and a cool guy on Twitter) had an idea for a new series on RPPR. Tabletop RPGs have influenced video games since their creation. Video games have influenced tabletop RPGs for a while as well. In Pixel 2 Paper, we will focus on specific video games and their connection to tabletop RPGs. In the first episode, we will look at the video game, then in the second episode, we will do an actual play of a tabletop RPG linked to the video game and in the third episode, we’ll talk about both. For our first game, we’re looking at Quake 1, the influential FPS from Id Software with Lovecraftian undertones. Its story is barely more complex than its color palette, but its incredible action and innovations changed video games forever. (On another note, I talked about the Quake 1 soundtrack on my other podcast, Night Clerk Radio, so check out that too!) Listen to part 2, our actual play of Slipgate Chokepoint, here.

A cluster of enclaves in Missouri faces annihilation at the hands of a massive horde of the undead. Their only hope is to prepare for war, a job for their preeminent taker crew, the D4s. The crew uses an armored vehicle to take the largest scores of valuable goods they can find, no matter what gets in their way, whether it’s undead, human, or mother nature. In this episode, Jason B, Aaron, Maddy, David, and I talk about this campaign. How did Jason get the idea for it, how it was run, what we liked and what we would have changed, if anything. If you missed the campaign, here’s a page with links to all of the episodes. Music: The Dead Walk by John Carpenter

Sponsor: Check out the Chew RPG Kickstarter! After running a two part game with the new Forged in the Dark RPG, Chew, I wanted to talk to Pete Petrusha about the game. I liked how Chew ran differently than Blades as it focuses on investigating crimes instead of pulling off heists. Chew uses the FitD system but changes quite a few things about the mechanics from the original Blades in the Dark. Pete talks about the development cycle, how certain changes were made, and game design principles.

News: Please fill out the RPPR Survey so I can improve the quality of the RPPR Patreon. Thanks! Synopsis: Thad and I both have ideas for scenarios. I got an idea for an investigative scenario (probably Delta Green) after I watched a series called Fear City. It focuses on the FBI’s prosecution of the mafia in the early 80s and how wiretapping was a key component. So I thought why not build a scenario around wiretapping? Thad recently read a book called Strike about the history of labor organizing and thought that would be an interesting challenge for a Red Markets game. In this episode, we talk about our ideas and how to structure them as adventures. Follow Thad’s Twitter profile to keep up with his latest work, including his upcoming Twitch stream! Shout Outs Collection of Saga Final Fantasy Legend: The old gameboy FF games brought to the Switch Come Drink With Me: A wuxia classic. Kung fu and amazing storytelling. Strike: A history of labor organizing. Bar the Windows, Bolt the Doors: a story telling horror game. Sensor: The newest Junji Ito horror masterpiece. Grave Encounters 1 and 2: Architectural horror films. A very niche subgenre but I love it. Streets of Rogue: An action roguelike video game with surprising complexity. Psychonauts 2: An incredible platformer video game about healing trauma. Song: The Object by Gary Sevison

News: We’re remastering classic actual play episodes of RPPR! If you want to listen to Lady Gaga 2.0 with improved audio quality, download the episode here. If you want to pick which classic episodes are edited, back the RPPR Patreon before September 6. We’re running a special offer and I’ll be adding more rewards to the offer during this time. If the special offer does well, I’ll start remastering a lot of our episodes, including campaigns like Know Evil. Learn more on our Patreon post. Listen to a clip of the original podcast with the remastered version here. Synopsis: Gaming with the same people for years has its advantages and disadvantages. Aaron, Tom, and I discuss the differences between playing with regular friends versus new players. We also talk about how to avoid getting stale in long term game groups and how to add new players into groups. Shout outs The Empty Man: a horror film about a sinister cult and the power of the tulpa. Patron: a new city builder video game Green Knight: A new movie about the Arthurian poem Gawain and the Green Knight Godzilla Singular Point: a Netflix anime series about Godzilla and it’s pretty great Cooking Simulator: a video game about cooking Faust: An amazing surreal re-telling of the Marlowe play. Directed by the legendary Jan Švankmajer Caveat: An Irish thriller about a man trapped in a strange house with a stranger woman No End House: Season 2 of Channel Zero, an excellent horror TV series. Architectural horror! Song: No Rave Shit by 2 Mello

News: Check out Arkham Cold Cases on the RPPR Patreon! Episode 4 features Caleb as a guest and it’s quite hilarious. Listen to a sample here. We’ve also picked a regular time for livestreams on the RPPR Patreon Discord – 6 pm CST on Sundays. Come hang out with us by joining the Patreon. Synopsis: Over the last year, Shaun has become a fan of vtubers, a new type of performer on streaming services like Twitch and Youtube. They use custom face rig animation software to look like cartoon characters while they chat and play various games. Many vtubers have gotten into tabletop RPGs, Many vtubers are Japanese and their RPG habits are quite different. This article from Dicebreaker helps explain. Shout Outs Psycho Goreman: a hilarious Monsters and Other Childish Things-stylized horror comedy movie. A must-see for RPPR fans! Ask a Mortician: A mortician and Youtuber who answers questions about death. Superliminal: a puzzle game based on optical illusions. Tasting History: A Youtube channel focused on food history Survival Skills: an unnerving film themed around 1980s police training videos. Demon Wind: an over the top horror movie from 1990. The Last Spell: a tactical combat RPG roguelike with town building elements. Song: My Valentine has shiny eyes by Darkness

Caleb and I sat down to talk about his new project, Fae’s Anatomy. It parodies the stories found in procedural medical dramas. Think General Hospital, Grey’s Anatomy, M.A.S.H, or House. Only insane, because who needs realism? It mixes over the top melodrama role playing with cooperative puzzle solving. Caleb talks about the design process, preparing it for Kickstarter, and using online tools like Discord for development and community management. It’s currently on Kickstarter so check it out now. Song: Pain Management by Zephyr Medical Group

Ludonarrative Dissidents is a new podcast series from Ross Payton, Greg Stolze, and James Wallis. Check out the Kickstarter to help fund this project and get unique rewards! In each episode, we plan to focus on a particular RPG, looking at its mechanics, setting, and everything else to see what makes this game tick. In this preview episode, we look at Apocalypse World, the RPG that launched a revolution in the indie RPG scene. We try to answer the following questions: 1) What the game does. 2) How it does it. 3) How people play it. 4) Why people play it that way. If you want to hear more episodes, help us get our goal for a season of six episodes, with the games chosen by backers! We also have rewards for bundles of our games in PDF, a chance to play in an online game run by one of us, and get your game critiqued by us!

Jeff Barber recently spoke to me about his new project, Blue Planet Recontact. It’s the new, updated, definitive edition of the classic science fiction roleplaying game set on the wild, frontier waterworld of Poseidon. Blue Planet is a compelling RPG journey into humanity’s precarious future on a distant waterworld where political unrest and a hungry alien ecology threaten the nascent colony effort. ‘ Back Blue Planet Recontact on Kickstarter! We talked about writing a new edition of the game, planning the Kickstarter, and the kind of work that went into it, from research to finding sensitivity readers. It was a great discussion and if you are thinking about running a RPG project on Kickstarter, this is the episode for you. Get the Quickstart guide here. Song: Edge by Street Cleaner