Hollow Earth Expedition by Exile Game Studio is probably my favorite game to run for Fandible. The setting is rich with opportunities for all kinds of pulp-inspired gaming, but sometimes even the best GMs find themselves prepping for a game, staring at a blank sheet of paper and thinking “What the hell am I going…
Read More
I love old-time radio, when a recording couldn’t just re-record or “do that in post,†and I listen with undivided interest when I hear the tiniest slip-up of an actor’s lines because I know it’s live and, honestly, I can’t imagine the faces they get from their fellow actors in the studio. My favorite aspect,…
Read More
Billy explores those television shows that started off poorly but were able to pull themselves together before they were cancelled! How do you think he did?
Read More
Ah, technology: At once both an asset and a hindrance to the productivity of humankind, it has been the thing that separates us from the animals. Armed with opposable thumbs and the mantra of “this thing that is difficult/impossible shouldn’t be goddamnit I have things to do today WTF†our species has explored and conquered…
Read More
One of the most difficult things for a GM to deal with is the divide between a good setting and a difficult system. Depending on your group’s preference, the table can share responsibility for understanding the rules, like having certain players specialize in specific aspects of the game (having a “combat czar†or a “magic czar†for instance) or just voting altogether to do away with chunks of the system that you don’t like. Other times, however, the burden of understanding the system falls squarely on the shoulders of the GM.
Read More
As Jeff Goldblum observes in the new Independence Day: Resurgence trailer, aliens (or any other kind of world-ending scenario) “likes to get the landmarks.” Destroying iconic monuments makes for flashy set pieces and gut-wrenching twist endings (I’m looking at you, Planet of the Apes). It’s also an easy shorthand for just how powerful these destructive forces are, as they can destroy in mere moments what it took humans months, or even years, to build. Whether it’s a long-running commentary on the hubris of humanity to try to leave a lasting mark on the planet, or just an illustration of how far special effects have come that there are always new and innovative ways to destroy the Golden Gate Bridge or the Sydney Opera House, I’ll leave that for smarter people to decipher. I’m just here to list my advice for building up (and tearing down) a post apocalyptic city in your role playing game.
Read More
Last week, fellow actual play podcast The RPG Academy launched a Kickstarter to fund AcadeCon 2016 this November. We’re so excited about a podcast-backed convention (and one that’s in Billy’s former backyard), that we decided we wanted to back this Kickstarter in a big way.
Read More
