Roleplay Rescue

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.Episode 4: Finding Your Table — Building a Gaming Club That LastsHow do you grow a tabletop community from twenty strangers into seventy-one paying members with two regular game nights? Brian McKay joins Che to share how the Northside Adventure Gamers Association in Brisbane pulled it off — incorporating as a nonprofit, securing a permanent home in a state school library, and running tables across everything from D&D 5e to Cthulhu to Dungeon Crawl Classics. Plus: managing player flow between tables, keeping table identities intact, and why finding your own space changes everything about how people show up at the game. This one's for anyone who's dreamed of building more than just a campaign — this is about building a home for other players too.Big thanks to Brian for coming on the show!NAGA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NorthsideAdventureGamersNAGA Public listing of games: https://public.naga.net.au/NAGA website to log in and book games: https://login.naga.net.au/index.php#Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@pm.meBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.Episode 3: Solo Skirmish — Where Wargaming Meets RoleplayingEver wished you could scratch that RPG itch without rounding up a whole group? Jason joins Che to explore how skirmish wargames like Five Parsecs from Home bridge the gap between solo tabletop gaming and full roleplaying. From programmed enemy "AI" that frees you to focus on your own character, to persistent worlds and character development in a lighter package — this is a conversation about what happens when the old wargaming DNA in RPGs resurfaces as something you can play alone at your kitchen table. Perfect for busy schedules, quiet nights, or sparking ideas for your next campaign.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@pm.meBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.Episode 2: Steal This Idea — How to Create Original Worlds Without Losing Your MindWhat does it mean to "steal" from your inspirations instead of copying them? Pat Mullen joins Che to unpack Baudrillard's concept of simulcra and pastiche, arguing that mature creators should adapt rather than imitate. From adapting Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest for a Star Trek campaign to building worlds that feel organically lived-in rather than assembled from IP fragments, this conversation digs into how research, historical accuracy, and deep immersion create authenticity. No pastiche, no shortcuts — just worlds that breathe.Big thanks to Patrick Mullen of GURPStalk for coming on the show.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@pm.meBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare. Episode 1: Running Big Battles Without Losing Your PlayersHow do you run a battlefield with hundreds of combatants without turning your RPG session into a war game? Che and Arlen explore strategies for scaling combat beyond the usual skirmish, from positioning players as specialist units and scouts to using historical battles like Hastings as inspiration. Plus: keeping player agency alive when the stakes are army-sized, crafting authentic chaos through limited information, and letting strategy—not dice rolls—decide the fate of empires.Big thanks to Arlen Walker of Live From Pellam's Wasteland. Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@pm.meBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/

It is finished.This is the episode where we hear from a couple of recent callers and then I tell you that this is the last show.If you’ve been here since the beginning, thank you. You’ve heard me say I’m done quite a few times over the years. Never say never, isn’t that what they say? Who knows what tomorrow brings?If you’ve just joined us, well, welcome … and farewell. There’s a back catalogue if you want to share the journey. Just know that it does have a destination. Thanks for listening and… well, I’ll still be around.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@pm.meBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialRoleplay Rescue Theme by Jon Cohen from Tale of the Manticore:https://taleofthemanticore.podbean.com/Logo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/

Exploring the daunting transition from forever-GM to player. Preparing to join Pat's open-world Star Trek campaign, Imminent Destinies, Che discusses how to apply Jamison's Otherworld-immersion and Justin Alexander's clear "action and intent" loop directly from the player's seat. The episode dives into the gritty, espionage-heavy Rigel Basin setting and navigates a trilemma of character concepts ahead of 'Session Minus One'. Discover the framework for banishing rules-talk, leaning into maximum player agency, and becoming a true Sojourner in a living Otherworld.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@pm.meBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialRoleplay Rescue Theme by Jon Cohen from Tale of the Manticore:https://taleofthemanticore.podbean.com/Logo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/