Shows
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 42: Backstories (Part 2) - The BackeningIn Episode 16 of of this podcast we talked about the process of creating a Character's Backstory. But once you have that backstory, what do you do with it?
This episode we talk about how backstories are integrated into game play. We discuss the differences between writing an elaborate backstory or creating a simple character concept. Halfway though this episode we inadvertently develop a new backstory generation technique. We discuss that and more, this week on Dungeons & Tangents
2018-06-1942 min
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 41: Massive Tangents #4 - The Pokemon Universe is a DARK placeSometimes, when the mics are on, we start talking about some odd things.
And sometimes those odd things are worth sharing with our listeners.
This episode started as a couple of off hand comments from Ben. What resulted was a very dark conversation about the horrors of Universe that Surrounds Pokemon.
Follow us down a Massive Tangent, this week on Dungeons & Tangents
2018-06-1219 min
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 40: Religion & Role-playingRole-playing games have had a difficult time getting along with religion, and specifically American Christians.
From the start, there was a disconnect between them.
Sadly, misunderstandings in the early 80's started a feud that continues to this day.
It's a difficult and sensitive subject, but we will discuss that and more, this week on Dungeons & Tangents.
2018-06-0545 min
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 36: Introducing new players to D&DWe all have friends, family and coworkers who've never played a role-playing game.
Plenty of them just aren't interested. And that's okay. But when you have the opportunity to introduce new players, how do you do so in a way that has them coming back for more? We discuss this and more, this week on Dungeons & Tangents.
2018-03-2734 min
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 35: Players Contributing to the Gaming WorldIf a player wants to write the back-story for their character's home village. That's cool, right?
If, during session 0, they suggest that the world you're about to play in should have no magic at all. Is that cool?
What if they recommend that the villain of your campaign should be seeking revenge on another Player's Character?
Players and DMs are always working together to tell a collaborative story, but it CAN be unclear where the line between DM agency and Player Agency should be drawn. We discuss this and more, this week on Dungeons & Tangents.
2018-03-2034 min
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 33: Session 0: the planning sessionWhen you build a house, you need a blueprint.
But When you play D&D, you may run a module that gives you a plot, but there's no blueprints for how your players interact with each other or the world around them.
A planning session, sometimes called "session 0" can help make sure Player and DM expectations are in sync.
We discuss makes a good session 0, this week on Dungeons & Tangents
2018-02-0648 min
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 32: Failing Forward & Awareness of RisksA rogue tries to pick a lock. "Roll a sleight of hand Check" that DM says. The roll is low.
So What happens next?
Does the DM say "you failed to pick the lock"?
Is this a dead end in the game?
It doesn't have to be.
If a player is rolling the dice, failure must always an option, but success or failure, the game must go on.
We consider the relationship between risks, successes, and failures this week on Dungeons & Tangents.
During this podcast, we discussed the content of...
2018-01-3045 min
Dungeons & TangentsEpisode 31: At The Movies (part 1)A Cartoon in 1983,
A live action Feature in 2000,
An Animated Feature in 2008,
There have been a lot of attempts to take D&D into the world movies and TV, but many have fallen far short of fan expectations.
In late 2017, a new D&D movie was announced and is set for release in October of 2021.
we'll discuss that and more, this week on Dungeons & Tangents
2018-01-0927 minDungeons & TangentsEpisode 30: Party DynamicsWhat would the A-Team be without Hannibal?
The Fellowship of the Rings be without Gandalf?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer without Giles?
Are there character archetypes that are necessary for a party to gel?
Are there character pairings that make parties fall apart?
We'll ask these questions and discuss general party dynamics today on Dungeons & Tangents.
2018-01-0231 minDungeons & TangentsEpisode 29: Alignment (the inevitable episode)Most of you have seen your favorite fictional characters pigeon holed into a chart of the 9 Alignments.
Obiwan is "Lawful Good", Treebeard is True Neutral, The Joker is "Chaotic Evil".
Obviously that grid was popularized by D&D, but you may not know that it was not originally part of D&D.
We'll discuss that as well as how it fits into game play today on "Dungeons & Tangents"
2017-12-1933 minDungeons & TangentsEpisode 28: Sports vs eSports vs Tabletop StreamsSports is a Trillion Dollar industry in the United States alone. And while Sports has been a part of our cultural landscape for more than a hundred years, eSports and tabletop streaming are very new industries that are vying for a very different audience. Can these new forms of entertainment satisfy the Nerd world's need for an alternative to Football, Basketball, and Baseball?
We'll discuss that and more, today on Dungeons & Tangents.
2017-12-1229 min