Episode 103: Prequels

Peter Parker before being bitten by a radioactive spider, the first 33 years of Frodo Baggins’ life, moisture farming on Tatooine. Aren’t these the stories that we should be telling?

In this episode, we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of running a prequel and the different ways that you can do so.

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Episode 100: Warriors: Gladiators

Jupiter’s middle leg! Has it been C episodes already? Gratitude for listening. At times, words fell from our mouths as crap from ass. However, we pray we offered some manner of good advice on other occasions. We plan to continue as long as desire wills our tongues.

In episode C, we offer another installment of Warriors.  Here we discuss  Gladiators, the brotherhood of the stadium.

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Episode 99: GM Tools: Set Pieces

Rejected lines from The Empire Strikes Back and proof that GMs really need to think about what they want to accomplish with their scenes:
“Luke, when a man and woman love each other, they hug very tightly…”
“If you thought the trash compactor was a tight squeeze, you should’ve seen your mother…”
“Luke! Meeza Jar Jar Binks. Yourza faza, Darza Vada, asksa me to tella you…”

In our first episode of 2013, we debut a new series: GM Tools. In this episode, we look at set pieces, vignettes and boxed text. In order to provide concrete examples that everyone can follow, we use the original Star Wars trilogy as our example “campaign”.

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Episode 98: 2012 Wrap Up

In our last episode of the year, we look at the gaming stories of 2012 that we liked and didn’t like. D&D Next manages to make both lists.

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Episode 97: Creature Feature: Fairies

In this installment of Creature Features, we get in the Christmas spirit (kind of) and talk about fairies, except for elves (okay, not at all). We discuss different elements you can use in your game, which apparently includes David Bowie’s bulging crotch (all that Wayne remembered from Labyrinth).
We also finally settle the question of which was the best superhero movie of 2012: The Dark Knight Rises or The Avengers.

Lyal tries a new microphone and literally sounds like he’s phoning it in instead of metaphorically (as usual). Funny how the microphone picks up the sound of ice dropping into a glass from three metres away with perfect clarity, but struggles to pick up a voice from three centimetres away.  Looks like it’s back to the sound board.

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Episode 96: Monsterhearts & Dungeon World

Having successfully recovered from The Towel Incident last week, we return to discuss two “Powered by the Apocalypse” games: Monsterhearts and Dungeon World. What does a high school monster love story game have in common with a throwback to old school D&D? Studded leather.

After listening to the episode, Lyal felt that Chris and Wayne didn’t really explain how the Dungeon World game works. There is now a write-up of the session we played both here in the Idle Red Hands forum and here in the Dungeon World subforum of the Barf Forth Apocalyptica forums.

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Episode 95: Weapons: The Sword Part 2

He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword (or cancer).
In the second part of our look at the sword, we discuss how swords in games are more than just a type of die.

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Episode 94: Weapons: The Sword Part 1

They say you can always judge a man by his shoes. Lies. You can judge a man or woman by his or her sword.
In our first installment of a new series, we look at the sword’s evolving role in battle and it’s less evolving role in society. We also practice our Greek and Latin (again) with mixed results (again). I think we nailed the Japanese, though.

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Episode 93: Antiheroes

“In the roar of an engine, he lost everything. And became a shell of a man, a burnt out, desolate man, a man haunted by the demons of his past, a man who wandered out into the wasteland.”
– The Road Warrior

The selfish rogues, the emotional voids, the cold-blooded killers. These are the antiheroes of literature, TV and the movies. We’ve all played these characters at some point or another, but are we doing it right? Listen up to find out.

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Episode 92: Movie Genres: Horror

In our last installment of 2012’s Month of Horror, which we missed by six days, we discuss horror movies. Joining us for the discussion is horror movie aficionado (and massive movie spoiler) Josh.
For those hoping to have the first 90 minutes of the 95-minute The Cabin in the Woods explained to them, I’m afraid we cut it out. I guess you’ll have to learn the plot the old-fashioned way: watch it yourself. Fortunately, Lyal, Chris and Wayne don’t have to now. Thanks, Josh.

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