Roleplay Rescue

What happens if we lean in hard to the Roleplay in roleplaying game? What if we take away the elements which distract from the enjoyment of being in-character, as-character, in a fantastic world? The first move is to start caring more about the fantastic Otherworld. The second is to push for greater Rules Opacity.Thanks to Jason Wiebe for calling in once again. Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@proton.meBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialMeWe:https://mewe.com/p/roleplayrescueRoleplay 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/

Why do I spend so much of my time drifting from game to game, system to system, and between diverse imaginary worlds? Why do I find it hard to settle on a game and make it come alive? Am I doomed to roam for the remainder of my life never quite experiencing the games I want to enjoy?I’ve been adrift in the hobby for a long, long time. And then something clicked. That click was a simple question: What’s it for?  The answer is simple: the RPGs that I want to play are first and foremost vehicles for agency. But, as with all answers to the basic question, “What’s it for?” there is a need to ask that question at the second level too: what’s this particular game - the campaign I am currently cooking up - what’s that for? And that is the question that I need to start asking when I build my next RPG experience for my players.Thanks to Jason Wiebe for calling in once again. Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:hello@rpgrescue.comBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialMeWe:https://mewe.com/p/roleplayrescueRoleplay 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/

I love to hear from listeners and, while email and social media messages are great, the best moments are when people call in with a voice message. This episode collects four listener calls which I have been wanting to respond to for a few weeks, plus a bonus-length call-in from Patron Carl D. These date back over the period from the 7th September until the 19th October 2024 and cover thoughts on a few past episodes.Big thanks in advance to Patrons Jason Wiebe, Spencer aka Free Thrall, Jason Connerley, and Carl D aka "The Kid" for calling in! Thanks also to one of the earliest callers to Roleplay Rescue, Matt Jackson, back for a rare reprise. When you feel like you are shouting into the Void it’s great to get some signal feedback.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:hello@rpgrescue.comBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialMeWe:https://mewe.com/p/roleplayrescueRoleplay 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/

Chris Casciano is a medieval fantasy illustrator and author from Syracuse, New York. He has illustrated for novels, tv shows, and numerous games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and Game of Thrones. His personal art series, “The Iron Cast,” is a world of medieval knights and environments painted with a combination of realism, abstract shapes and textures. Chris has also written and illustrated his own Solo RPG novel, Escaping Tynebris: The Dungeons. Beyond being a professional creator, he also teaches Concept Art, Illustration and Digital Design at the high school level. Talking to him, I realised just how special this book is going to be, coming as it is from a well-spring of passion and love for all things medieval and fantastic. I hope you’ll listen in and check it out.Escaping Tynebris Trailer:youtube.com/watch?v=Q5M34woIYCAKickstarter Prelaunch Page: kickstarter.com/projects/escapingtynebris/escaping-tynebris-the-dungeonsEscaping Tynebris Website:theironcast.com/escapingtynebrisThe Iron Cast Website:theironcast.com/Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:hello@rpgrescue.comBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialMeWe:https://mewe.com/p/roleplayrescueRoleplay 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/

On April 2nd 2004, Pyramid Magazine published an article entitled, “Designer's Notes: GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition” by Sean Punch. Twenty years from that article in 2004, GURPS - the Generic Universal Role-Playing System - is still with us. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not a dead game. GURPS Fourth Edition might be out of fashion but it’s truly a standard in the RPG community. Last episode, I spoke of my rediscovery of the spirit of the Third Edition through the pages of Roleplayer. A month on, I have arrived back with the Fourth Edition of GURPS. Having enjoyed a journey into the early 1990s GURPS community, I was also aware that GURPS received an overhaul in 2004. This episode is a reflection on the power of that RPG system: it’s time to unleash this power and flexibility into my experience of play.Big thanks to Matt C and Jason W for the call-ins this episode!Thanks also to Steve Jackson Games for creating GURPS and keeping the game alive for nearly 40 years.Game on!GURPS Basic Set on Warehouse23: GURPS Basic Set: Characters and Campaigns | Warehouse 23ORwarehouse23.com/collections/gurps/products/gurps-basic-set-characters-and-campaignsGURPS Lite on Warehouse23:GURPS Lite (Fourth Edition) | Warehouse 23OR warehouse23.com/products/gurps-lite-fourth-editionGURPS Lite on DriveThruRPG:GURPS Lite (Fourth Edition) - Steve Jackson Games | GURPS Fourth Edition | GURPS Fourth Edition - Start Here! | DriveThruRPGORdrivethrurpg.com/en/product/236828/gurps-lite-fourth-editionRoleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:hello@rpgrescue.comBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialMeWe:https://mewe.com/p/roleplayrescueRoleplay 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/

In February 1986, a free newsletter began to be posted out to customers from Steve Jackson Games: Roleplayer. Now available again from Warehouse 23, in the summer of 2024 I got curious to discover what insights this old newsletter might hold about the development of GURPS. What I found was a portal back to 1986 which began to inspire me towards play in directions both old and, strangely, new.Thanks to Jason Connerley who, by sending me GURPS Second Edition, unlocked this whole episode’s content. Thanks to all the callers - Frank T, Jason C, Jon M, Jon C, and Wiebe - for adding the community’s voice to this episode.Game on!Roleplayer on Warehouse23: GURPS Roleplayer Bundle | Warehouse 23ORhttps://warehouse23.com/products/gurps-roleplayer-bundleRoleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:hello@rpgrescue.comBlogroleplayrescue.com Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialMeWe:https://mewe.com/p/roleplayrescueRoleplay 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/