Welcome to Episode 25 of ‘What Is Roleplay?'
This episode CM Lowry is joined by Steph Windross to discuss Crits
To start the conversation CM Lowry asks Steph to define what the meaning of a Crit in roleplay games
Crit is short for Critical Roll, either a Critical Success or a Critical Failure. In short that means you have a rolled either the highest (success) or lowest (failure) number on the dice. These usually have interesting results which impact on the game as you continue to play.
CM reminds us that if your unsure about dice you can revisit
Episode 1 of
What Is Roleplay
Most games and systems will require that the dice actually land on a natural 20 in order for that to be considered a Crit Success - so if you roll 18 and add some sort of bonus that makes your score 20 that would not count as a Crit.
Steph shares some about a brilliant Crit Success from her real life adventures in roleplay games such as DnD and Blades in the Dark.
In Blades in the Dark Crits create narrative currency for collaborative story telling moments
CM & Steph chat about some of the things that can happen when you roll a critical fail - a sort of doubling down on the things that go wrong.
CM asks Steph to chat about some games that don't use Crits. Steph mentions lots of the current batch of OSR (Old-School Renaissance) games
CM chats about the …
Welcome to Episode 25 of ‘What Is Roleplay?'
This episode we are joined by artist and tabletop roleplay game designer David Blandy to discuss No Prep Play
Chris asks David what No Prep Play is
Simply put it is playing without preparation - creating an adventure on the fly as you're playing. Instead of having a preset scenario or adventure, you just make things up as you go.
It helps to have a sourcebook for inspiration, perhaps one with lots of tables that you can roll on to randomly generate ideas.
The Opposite of No Prep Play usually takes one of two form
Either a pre-written module in which everything for the adventure is set out - maps, settings, non player characters, creatures, everything that the players are going to encounter is contained within the book or booklet
Or something homebrewed that takes on a similar format to the adventure module. Something you've spent hours (or years) thinking up, writing and illustrating. Everything is set out for the player. This can be a very exciting thing for a GM to create and is a form of play within itself. You might choose to use tables from other RPGS.
David shares some tips for those who might be scared to lead a No Prep game
Trust yourself - you have the answers because you know the world you are working with, as someone who is running the game. Have a shape in your head of how you'd like the game to …
Welcome to Episode 24 of ‘What Is Roleplay?'
This episode we are joined by Games Designer and Spicy Tuna RPG head honcho Marco Serrano to discuss Space
After a brief opening chat Chris asks Marco 'Why is Space brilliant'? To which Marco answers that it creates a realm of endless possibilities within the game. Sci-fi gives us input from the science and technology that we currently have available and also the possibility to extrapolate how things might look in the near future. The unknowns of Space gives us room to explore, within our games, all the possibilities that could come from life as we know it improving or getting worse!
Marco shared his experiences of playing MOTHERSHIP, the first game he ever played that was based in space. Like in many games your health can dwindle, but you also have stress that builds up and can lead to long lasting conditions. Narratively your character is forever changed, but without necessarily affecting the mechanics of how you roll and whether you can still actually achieve things. This builds into the horror aspect while allowing the game to continue to run - something that's especially great if your running longer campaigns rather than just one-shots.
Chris asks Marco if there are any other kinds of stories that space lends itself well too, other than just horror. Marco points out that there are lots of stories from the Ray Bradbury era that are more Thriller than Horror. Many stories based in space are …
Welcome to Episode 23 of ‘What Is Roleplay?'
This episode we are joined by Author and Game Designer Paul Baldowski to discuss Monsters!
Chris asks Paul why Monsters are so important in roleplaying games?
Paul states that they are far more than just a character to slam down - they add a level of challenge and complexity that wouldn't be present without them.
Chris makes the point that monsters are an important device for storytelling, a fork in the road of the journey that the players are on.
A discussion using Hansel & Gretel as an example of a monster being at the heart of a really complex story
Chris asks 'What defines a monster'?
Paul chats about this idea, suggesting that monster do not have to be animate - anything that presents a barrier or delay can be monstrous, such as a wall or door.
Paul sights the British TV series 'Knightmare' as a great example of inanimate monsters.
The lifeforce meter for 'Knightmare' can be viewed
HERE
In other approaches Monsters can be complex tasks that require lots of dice-rolls.
Paul points out that Monsters and Obstacles are the same unless the game mechanics make them different
Orc level 3 and locked door level 3 are the same in that they both require the player to overcome them using storytelling, dice rolling or some other tool or strategy
Cypher System deals with obstacles like this well - the levels allow for an increase or decrease complexity. So new …
Welcome to Episode 22 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by RPG designer and author Dan Sumption to discuss Rules Light Roleplaying Games
Rules light Roleplaying Games (RPGS) are games that have a very simple rules framework so that the learning curve is nice and easy and the players are more free to approach and enjoy the game.
There is a stronger emphasis on imagination and freedom, rather than being stifled by heavy rules.
Episode 15 of What Is Roleplay would be a helpful listen for those interested in Rules Light RPG.
Dungeons & Dragons is a game that many people have heard of and is the introductory game for many people getting into roleplaying games. Unfortunately it has very complicated rules, also known as crunch, and can be quite off putting.
Rules light games involve a lot more imaginative play, something we all naturally did as children but have often forgotten since.
Dan chats with Chris about Into The Odd, a game that has no hit rolls, meaning you don't have to roll to check if your attacks actually hit them. This changes combat a great deal, and bring a great gravity and consequence to fighting. This inspires players to think about non-combative ways of dealing with conflict.
Chris mentions the real-time mechanic used in NOVA by Spencer Campbell, whereby the GM keeps the game moving by telling players they've taken too long to complete there turn.
The key difference between traditional RPGs and rules light …
Welcome to Episode 20 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by fantasy map maker Jog Brogzin to discuss Maps
What is a fantasy map maker? Someone who makes fantasy maps. Unlike a regular cartographer they're not looking to create maps that will safely guide you to your destination - they're not looking to complete with GPS or Ordinance Survey. Instead they are looking to tell a story through the map.
Jog creates maps for conventions such as
Dragonmeet and
Warpcon, making sure they have the flavour of the particular convention.
Jog first got into maps by going hiking and taking a map and a compass to be able to know exactly where they were at all times.
In RPG maps are an important part of the lore - here is the world, what do you want to do with it?
CM Lowry asks Jog to share some roleplaying games that feature maps and have sparked joy.
The Royal Cartographer - A Solo Journaling Map Making RPG by Albi
Colostle - A beautifully illustrated Solo World-building RPG by Nich
We Sail Beyond - A map making game for group play By Matt Sanders
Jog shares some tips for making your own maps
Don't be to hard on yourself - have fun with it
Remember the purpose is for story telling more than navigation
Manage your expectations on how much people will interact with your map
Share your skills with others if you can
Hex Maps are discussed: …
Welcome to Episode 20 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Luke Stratton aka Limithron to discuss Pirates!
Luke answers the question 'What is a Pirate'
Dictionary definition - someone who steals things at sea
Pirate is a word that has been appropriated for all types of theft
Pirate has another layer of connotation - The word Pirate, somewhat like the word Knight, there is an aspect of this rogue being a sort of hero'
Chris asks 'why are pirates good for roleplay games'
Pirates are a really accessible character to play for first time roleplayers. They may not know what a Tiefling Bard is, or how to play one. Everyone knows how to talk like a Pirate and chase the usual tropes of treasure, love and rum!
Chris asks Luke if there are any challenges that people face in playing a Pirate
There is a line to walk - real Pirates were murders, racists, rapists & criminals. So there is a line between reality and the fantasy version of Pirates you need to be careful with and discuss with your players before starting a roleplay sessions.
Luke answers the question 'What other games do Pirates well'
Luke doesn't feel that there are many, if any, roleplay games that do Pirates that way he'd like them to be, hence why he created Pirate Borg. There are some great video games that do Pirates justice, such as Assassin's Creed Black Flag and Sid Meyers Pirates!
One RPG that …
Welcome to Episode 19 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Dave Semark and Matthew Tyler-Jones to discuss Social Conflict
Dave & Matthew tell us about how the embarked on their journey into podcasting, inspired by the Free League game Coriolis and how that lead to them building a relationship with Free League and becoming freelance designers, not only working with Free League but also with Modiphius, Monolith, Firelock and other games publishers.
CM Lowry asks the question: What is Social Conflict?
Matthew makes the point that most systems don't have rules for social conflict. Dice are used for pretty much everything else, but social conflict is dealt via conversations between the players and GM.
Matthew states that social conflict is at the very heart of all roleplay aspects of gaming, the parts where you are playing your characters as opposed to rolling dice.
CM Lowry makes the point that having the ability to win or lose at conversation can be quite daunting for players, especially those who find it hard to express themselves, debate or converse at length
Friendships were made and lost around the table, because players took it personally when their character lost an argument.
Dave makes the point that the player / player character dynamic is a strange thing and it's important to be able to, as a person, disconnect ourselves from our characters so that we don't get to hot under the collar.
CM Lowry and Dave discuss the different approaches to …
Welcome to Episode 18.5 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Samuel Poots for a special Narrative Worldbuilding Actual Play
This is a follow up to Episode 18, where Samuel unpacked the idea of Narrative Worldbuilding. Stream
here
Worldbuilding is an important cornerstone of all writing and especially important when writing roleplay games - the process of designing an environment for the story or the game you are creating.
Samuel & CM Lowry work together to build a sci-fi world in which anthropomorphic badgers have cybernetic arms that are owned by private corporations.
Samuel uses the following touch points to flesh out this world:
Environment - What are the environmental challenges, what is the climate like etc.
Culture - How do people respond to this environment? What do they bring to this space and how has this environment shaped them?
Friction Points - What are the politics of the people within the culture, how is this not a monoculture
Details of Intrigue - The granular details - items, specific NPCs, historical events that have shaped the world
Listen as Samuel & CM establish the setting, factions and storyline for our renegade lumberjack badger who lives in the air vents of a corporate owned orbiter that travels from planetoid to planetoid, stripping them of all valuable resources. Rebel and fight back against the evil Galactic Union ... and don't forget your data-slate!
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Jim Henson's Labyrinth The Adventure Game
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Mutant: …
Welcome to Episode 18 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Samuel Poots to discuss Narrative Worldbuilding
Worldbuilding is an important cornerstone of all writing and especially important when writing roleplay games - the process of designing an environment for the story or the game you are creating.
Samuel Answers the Question 'What is Narrative Worldbuilding': Designing the environment in such a way that the location can tell it's own story as well as creating a space that allows for stories to emerge naturally. Designing the world with narrative hooks that allow for stories to happen as the players encounter them. Using questions that add flavour to the world.
There are two approaches to this - the GM spends a great deal of time before the game doing all of the narrative world building, writing the lore which sets out the story - OR - the GM has short touch points, perhaps just 100 words maximum, that set the scene for the players but allow for lots of personal interpretation and for the players to have more space to contribute to the story. The characters themselves have stories to tell.
CM & Samuel spend a little too much time discussing cutlery! What if there was a world in which anthropomorphic cutlery were at war and the spoons had been banished to the desert biome?
The GM has a great deal of influence over the use of narrative world building - rather than shutting down player suggestions, Samuel …
