Roleplay Rescue

On the 28th of November 2018, the 8 minute and 14 second Episode Zero of Roleplay Rescue was aired. Seven years of striving, failing, starting over, and asking: How can I run a game that is creatively engaging for my friends and myself, while managing the crippling anxiety and self-doubt that plagued my identity as the "world's flakiest GM"?This episode we dive into the manifesto that emerged from that struggle. Thanks to Anthony and Thorsten for the call-ins!Music by Jon from Tale of the Manticore.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/

This week patron and regular listener, Alex from the UK, called in with a question about my approach of what he calls, "Player-Directed Goal-Driven Play". His specific issue is around whether this approach can work with shorter periods of play that are designed to be time-bound to fewer sessions than my own aspiration for 1-year plus long-form play. This episode is my answer to the question.Thanks Alex for the call-in question!Hope this is useful to others too.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/

This week I found myself wandering back to Traveller - specifically, the current edition of the game published by Mongoose.Wandering is an inevitability in my hobby. My mind is constantly scanning for interesting things. I am curious by nature. This is the way I am.This week, Pioneer caught my attention again. It's a game about exploring the solar system. For me, the idea of a "For All Mankind" type of space exploration game in the near future sounds great. I downloaded the free book that's on the Kickstarter page:The Pioneer RPG: Explore the Solar System by Mongoose Publishing — KickstarterBut then I wanted to re-read Traveller Core Rules. My head was spinning about the Companion, which has points-build rules for characters. And then, just this morning, I landed upon The Borderland:The BorderlandWONDERING is part of my character. It's the most natural thing in the world to wonder.WANDERING is also part of my character. I find myself wandering, both physically and intellectually, most days.And so I wonder and wander.Cute.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/

Starting with a seemingly random quote from "Tiny Experiments" by Anne-Loure Le Cunff, I riff off the idea of non-linear paths through RPG adventures. I draw on Jamison's idea about the Obstacle and its three stages.Overall, this is me animatedly talking about how I prep for my games right now.Thanks to everyone who is supporting the show on Patreon!Thanks to Anthony for calling in (even if I didn't use it yet)!Game on!Jamison's "Gamemastering": Gamemastering: Amazon.co.uk: Jamison, Brian: 9781448675432: BooksOR amazon.co.uk/Gamemastering-Brian-Jamison/dp/144867543XRoleplay 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/

This episode I talk about Brian Jamison's approach to setting up a role-playing game. I stitch together Pat Mullen's bio sheet into this process as I talk about how I've applied it in my gaming in recent months. I also point out how good play involves improvisational elements which Jamison and Mullen's process encourages.Thanks to everyone who is supporting the show on Patreon!Thanks to Carl D for calling in (even if I didn't use it yet)!Game on!Jamison's "Gamemastering": Gamemastering: Amazon.co.uk: Jamison, Brian: 9781448675432: BooksOR amazon.co.uk/Gamemastering-Brian-Jamison/dp/144867543XRoleplay 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/

What would happen if I recorded one short episode every week for ten weeks? This is my tiny experiment for Roleplay Rescue Reborn.This episode I talk about the intention, the experimental mindset, and the three RPG experiments I've got underway.Thanks to everyone who is supporting the show on Patreon!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/

I don’t want to say this out loud, because it feels so final and unlikely, but this is the last planned episode of Roleplay Rescue. After seven years, what is there left to say? Well, uncounted things and many topics as the hobby moves forward and ideas still percolate through my consciousness, BUT…The truth is that producing the podcast is a big investment in time and energy. Do I want to make a podcast or would I rather run some games? The playing of these games is far more important to me than talking about them, even if those two things do go hand-in-hand. And so it’s time to press pause and admit that just because you’ve been doing something for a long time it doesn’t mean that you can’t stop.Big thanks to the callers today - Jason C and Matt C - your message are appreciated and, at heart, spurred some of the things I want to talk about!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/

This episode arose after 12 weeks of conversations and not recording a more personal episode during those 3 months. Here you'll catch up with what I've been doing since April, hear three great messages from listeners and the replies they spark from me, and get the lowdown on what's coming this summer on Roleplay Rescue.Big thanks to the callers - Matt, Jason C, and Pat. Big thanks to you for listening in.Blogs mentioned in the show include...The Alexandrian "Roleplaying Games versus Storytelling Games":thealexandrian.net/wordpress/6517/roleplaying-games/roleplaying-games-vs-storytelling-gamesThe Alexandrian "Art of Rulings":thealexandrian.net/wordpress/4238/roleplaying-games/the-art-of-rulingsGame 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/

This one’s with a familiar guest - Simon Williams - in which, as it turned out, Simon interviewed me on the question of Scenario Design: how do I do it and what approaches do I take? Simon is a British artist and illustrator, and also the creator of the Legend of The Bones podcast, a hybrid Solo Old School Dungeons and Dragons actual play and dark fantasy audio drama.Through several conversations, both on and off air, Simon and I have become friends and this chat wasn’t really slated for airing but I had clicked record. I’m really glad that I did record the chat because it was an hour during which Simon’s questions led to me working out and explaining a process that I’ve developed over the past couple of years. Big thanks to Simon for asking the questions and sharing his own thoughts, but also for letting me record and share it with you.Game on!Legend of the Bones podcast:Legend of the Bones Podcast — Apple Podcasts OR https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/legend-of-the-bones/id1622036301Legend of the Bones | Podcast on Spotify OR https://open.spotify.com/show/2HIuUxGzBtQLdGgPWRwjkg?si=0e438637d0854b09&nd=1&dlsi=57a5f90b55a148d1Legend of the Bones website: Legend of the Bones OR https://legendofthebones.blogspot.com/Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:roleplayrescue@pm.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/