Shadow of the GM

Thank you to Joe Richter of the Hidsightless podcast and Henry Grady of the Generally Unappealing Regular People Streaming podcast for the birthday wishes. In this episode I respond to call ins from Joe and Jason Connerly of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast about Against the Darkmaster and a bit about GURPS. Then I go on to ramble a bit about Pathfinder 2nd Edition which I have been fortunate enough to play thanks to Che Webster of the Roleplay Rescue Podcast. Shall I do my usual two sided review of Pathfinder 2e after this... maybe? RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Today I do a quick summary of the Prime Directive (Powered by GURPS) Revised 2020 Edition by Amarillo Design Bureau Inc. I love the setting of the Star Fleet Universe (this isn't Star Trek as such) so hold on to your seats and prepare to go to warp... engage! RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I mostly respond to a couple of Call Ins from Jason of the Nerds RPG Variety cast, as well pick up a couple of my own errors or omissions when I discussed character creation in Against the Darkmaster. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I respond to some call ins and discuss character creation in Against the Darkmaster! Call ins this week are from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Joe of the Hindsightless podcast and Menion (aka Rob) of Confessions of a Wee Tim'rous Bushi. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I discuss the Cypher system by Monte Cook Games. Is this the system for all your generic gaming needs, or is it a pile of drivel that should go straight in the bin... lets find out! RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I respond to call ins from Jason Connerly of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Che Webster of the Roleplay Rescue podcast. I then go on to give a recap on the first session of my GURPS Dungeon (sort of) Fantasy Game as well as my thoughts on Foundry VTT with my current GURPS game module developed by Chris Normand. If you're interested in the GURPS module it can be found on Github at the following address: https://github.com/crnormand/gurps I suggest you check it out as well as Chris's videos on how to use it. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I discuss my prep work for my GURPS DF voice game on Foundry VTT as well as my prep work for mu GURPS Space Play-by-Post game. I also have a short segment at the end where I discuss the merits of using GURPS community resources that are out there. They will make your GMing life so much easier. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In today's episode I respond to call ins from Che Webster of the Roleplay Rescue Podcast, Henry Grady of the Generally Unappealing Regular People Streaming (GURPS - not a coincidence), and Jason Connerly of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast. Then I go on to discuss the optional rules around complimentary skills and working as a team from various GURPS source books. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

After a bit of a delay I finally have another episode. Today I discuss my thoughts on two Steve Jackson Games, The Fantasy Trip and GURPS. Specifically around playing fanatsy with them and how that seems to 'feel'. I also have call ins from Joe Richter of the Hindsightless and Weal or Woe podcasts and Jason Connerly of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast podcast. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Today I respond to a call in from Che Webster of the Roleplay Rescue pocast and call about the subject of that call in, my GURPS Horror game we ran in honor of Halloween.  RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

My response to  call in from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast and my brief thoughts on the latest MERP game I ran for Jason and Menion of Confessions of a Wee Tim'rous Bushi. Oh, and a last minute entry from Arlen Walker of Live from Pellam's Wasteland. Thank you for a stimulating question. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Today I respond to some calls from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast as well as discuss more GURPS gaming with the Children. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I talk about running the Middle-Earth Role-playing game with Jason of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Rob (Menion) from Confessions of a Wee Tim'rous Bushi. Also, a little bit about a possible side project we are considering based on it - while attempting not to violate any copyright laws. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I respond to call ins from Dave Aldridge of Dpercentile and Che Webster of Roleplay Rescue as well as a quick chat about running GURPS for my children. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I continue my coverage of our GURPS game talking about messing up the adventure without (hopefully) anyone noticing, and discuss how the flow of combat in the game. The intro music for this episode was composed and performed by TJ Drennon who deserves my special thanks for his work. Please find and support this awesome dude on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TJD RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In today's episode we take a quick look at the intoxication rules in GURPS. Maybe not something you'd use very often, but still lots of fun. Special thanks to Julz from the Jewels from NZ podcast for inspiring this episode with her alcoholic character. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In today's episode I catch up with my GURPS game news, discuss some of the features I'm using to make my life easier and do a quick overview of the VTTs I'm using and looking into. My thanks to Jason of Nerd's RPG Variety Cast, Julz of Jewels from NZ and Safer of Safer Fantasy Crafting for their call in's and continued support. You are the best and I love you all. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

What an experience. Think about the gaming experience for you and your players.

Day 30, let's take a portal to the End.

The end in sight, let's ride!

Better late than never, let's talk closure

Let's talk about playing favourites.

A day late but have day 26, how strange

Day 25 and let's start pulling all those levers.

Are you having a laugh. Day 24 and let's talk about humour... er... again as it happens.

Day 23, let's get edgy.

A podcast from me? Such a rare find. . Well, not so much when it's day 22 of the RPG a day challenge.

Day 21 of the RPG a day challenge. Time to push ourselves.

Today's episode is an after action report of my first session using GURPS. Thanks to Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast for the message at the start of the show, and to Julz of the Jewels from NZ podcast for being in the game!

How? What? Where? When? Why? It's day 20 of the RPG a day challenge. Let's investigate now.

It's day 19 of the RPG a day challenge, so let's talk about towers.

Just a quick one to catch up on stuff mid RPG a day month. Call ins from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Joe Richter of Hindsightless podcast, Safer of Safer Fantasy Crafting fame, and Julz from Jewels from NZ. Then I give you some news about a game I'm running!

Day 18 of the RPG a day challenge and today I talk briefly about meeting.

You know the drill by now. Day 17, let's talk about comfort.

Day 16 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about keeping things dramatic

Day 15 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about framing your RPG.

Day 14 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about using banners in RPGs.

Day 13 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about taking a rest from gaming.

Day 12 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about using messages in RPGs.

Day 11 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about having stacks of things prepared as a GM.

Day 10 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about what we want in RPGs.

Day 9 of the RPG a day Challenge and today we talk about adding a lighter touch to your games.

Day 8 of the RPG a day Challenge and I'm talking about shading in your RPG.

Day 7 of the 2020 RPG a day Challenge.

Day 6 of the 2020 RPG a day Challenge.

This is a quick episode to catch up on call ins, discuss some stuff around RPG a day, as well as the storm of conversations out there around miss a turn mechanisms. Call ins a re from Jason of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Lieren from Updates from the Middle of Nowhere and John Alan Large of the RDD Podcast as well as a response to Colin Green's Spikepit podcast and the various call in to that show.

Day 5 of the 2020 RPG a day Challenge.

Day 4 of the 2020 RPG a day Challenge.

Day 3 of the 2020 RPG a day Challenge.

Day 2 of the 2020 RPG a day Challenge.

Day 1 of the RPG a Day 2020 challenge

Some replies to my episode on paid DMs and I reveal my plans for RPG a day 2020.

In the first of my "A Focus on..." series I read through the initiative rules presented in AD&D 2nd edition, as well as my take on what they imply, and how I have used them. As a warning, some bits I may not be taking myself too seriously... you have been warned.

Today I'm going to talk about my planned deeper rules dives and why in have chosen the systems I have. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I have my double sided rant on paid GMs. Are they a great way to show appreciation for a GMs hard work, or a vile capitalist contrivance where we know pay people to have fun with us!!  You decide.

In this show I discuss my, still slightly tenuous, return to Dungeon Mastering. Even more controversial is the likelihood that I will be running D&D 5th Edition!

Welcome to the 30th episode! Life begins at 30, or at least it does for my GURPS solo play character. In this episode I talk through the process of creating my character and how I think about constructing characters in GURPS. Feel free to message me via Anchor: https://anchor.fm/gmsshadow RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this call in episode we cover GURPS, skills in RPGs, Hex flowers and some other stuff. Yeah. Thank you to my call ins, Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Joe of Hindlsightless podcast and Weal or Woe actual play, Che Webster of the Roleplay Rescue Podcast, Colin Green from the Spikepit podcast and Goblin's Henchman from the podcast of the same name. I really appreciate the calls and hope my replies have done you all some justice. Nerds RPG Variety cast: https://anchor.fm/jason376 Hindsightless: https://anchor.fm/joe-richter9 Spikepit: https://anchor.fm/spikepit Roleplay Rescue: https://anchor.fm/rpgrescue Goblin's Henchman: https://anchor.fm/ghench Leave me a message on Anchor at: https://anchor.fm/gmsshadow RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I'm going to talk about my plans to do some solo world exploration using hexflowers developed by Goblin's Henchman and the Mythic GM emulator (though using Goblin's Henchman's hexflower version) to randomise and procedurally generate as much of the world as possible. Maybe insane, we shall see! 

Some call ins today from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Colin Green of the Spikepit podcast. Then I ramble on about how, maybe, possibly, some of us misunderstand GURPS and what it does, or tries to do. Finally I finish off my madness talking about why it could be good to become an expert on a system, referencing Joe Richter from the Hindsightless podcast as well as multiple mentions of Che Webster of Roleplay rescue fame. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss Message me at: https://anchor.fm/gmsshadow Check out these podcasts: Nerd's RPG Variety Cast: https://anchor.fm/jason376 Spikepit RPG Podcast: https://anchor.fm/spikepit Hindsightless: https://anchor.fm/joe-richter9 Roleplay Rescue: https://anchor.fm/rpgrescue

Should you have skills in RPGs? Do they add to immersion, do they give you niche protection or definition to your character? Maybe they're core to your system and you need them. Maybe they are awful and we should just do without them. Who needs skills when you have other mechanisms which are perfectly good right? Right?

Better late than never they say. I just hope I still have listeners. Call ins today are from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Colin Green from the Spikepit podcast, John Alan Large of the relaunched RDD RPG podcast and Joe Richter of the Hindsightless podcast. Please check out their shows, they do this much better than me but I'll still podcast anyway!

How do you break up time in RPGs? We might discuss down time, moments, combat rounds, but how does it feel when you play? Anchor link: https://anchor.fm/gmsshadow RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

That's right, not just a call in special, but a special where all the callers share a common initial! I couldn't have planned it if I tried. We have Joe Richter of Hindsightless, Julz from Jewels from NZ, Jason from Nerds RPG Variety Cast and John Alan Large from the RDD podcast! Hindsightless: https://anchor.fm/joe-richter9 Nerds RPG Variety Cast: https://anchor.fm/jason376 Jewels from NZ: https://anchor.fm/jewelsfromnz RDD RPG: https://rddrpgpodcast.buzzsprout.com/ My own page for call ins: https://anchor.fm/gmsshadow

In this episode I finally get round to D&D 5th Edition. Why is it the best system in the world and you should trample your own grandmother in a mad rush to get to it, and why it is awful so should be burned as heresy with it's name scored out of history. Feel free to call in at: https://anchor.fm/gmsshadow RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

I decided to make this a dedicated call in episode since I had a few, that way no one has to listen to them if they have no interest in other people. Call ins today are from Joe Richter of the Hindsightless Podcast, Jason of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Julz from the Jewels from NZ podcast. They're all amazing shows, don't just take my word for it, go and check them out.  RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss  Anchor: https://anchor.fm/gmsshadow

In this episode we discuss GURPS by Steve Jackson games. Why it is the best system every written and you should sell your granny to buy it. Alternatively, why it is just truly awful and you should avoid it like COVID-19. Which is true? You decide. Plus a call in from Jason of Nerds RPG VarietyCast. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I discuss the many RPGs I would like to play, even if I don't have the time as well as a quick after action report of a Mothership game I GMed. Only a single call in this time from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

No call ins this week as nobody loves me, so I spend all my time talking about my solo gaming with the Fighting Fantasy App on Steam, solo wargaming with Frostgrave on Roll20, and being able to play Mothership RPG on Roll20. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Call ins from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Frank Turfler of Frank T's Liner Notes and Lieren of Updates from the Middle of Nowhere. In this episode I discuss complexity and simplicity in rules and how I seem to keep coming full circle. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I mainly deal with some call ins from Jason or Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Joe from Hindsightless, but I also briefly discuss what's going on in my life outside of gaming. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I discuss the first RPG I ever GMd, the Goliath of rules tables that is Rolemaster. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I respond to call ins from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Josh of the JB Publishing podcast. I also discuss my prep for a PBP Boot Hill 2e game including some brief comments around RoleGate and Roll20. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I look back at 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons and tell you why it was the best (and the worst) edition of all times. RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I reply to a call ins from Jason of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Colin Green of Spikepit as well as discuss my recent live game with Jason, Shandy Andy of B52 Unguarded Treasure and my 15 yr old son. Fun times! https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Call ins from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Joe of Hindsightless podcast. This stimulates me to discuss the difficulty system in Romance of the Perilous Land further... maybe I should just speak to Scott? RSS https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Call ins today from Joe of Hindsightless, Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Andy of Expedition to the Grizzly (Not Barrier) Peaks and Lieren of Updates from the Middle of Nowhere. Then the main show revolves around the debate of 'Should you stick to one system and master It?" RSS https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Call ins from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast and two special guests at the end of the show. Then I do my best to briefly review Romance of the Perilous Land by Scott Malthouse published by Osprey Games.

Call ins today from Josh of JB Publishing, Joe of Hindsightless and Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast. Followed on by me wittering on about complex rules, how Rpgs are written, used and how we all communicate differently. I doubt it makes sense. You have been warned. RSS https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Call ins from Josh of JB Publishing, Lieren of Updates from the Middle of Nowhere and Jason from Nerds RPG Variety Cast talking min maxing and rule 0. Then I go on a small stream of consciousness about competing playstyles at the table and how I did or didn't manage these. RSS https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

In this episode I respond to a call in from Joe of the Hindsightless podcast. Then I look into the concept of rule zero. Are the rules immutable, or are they more like guidelines. RSS https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Call ins from Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast and Joe of Hindsightless. Today I ramble on about Min Maxing. Is it New, and is it mad, bad and dangerous to know? RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss

Wherein I discuss the brief history of TSR to WotC, the main changes from 2e to 3e, and why it was clearly all WotCs fault that it was so different and clearly nothing like old editions... or was it?

In this episode I discuss my feelings in Level and class based RPGs. I also reply to some call ins from Joe at Hindsightless and Josh from JB Publishing.

Where we talk about 4e. Oh yes we do. In this episode I reply to some of my call ins, as well as a two sided review of 4e D&D. Why it is the best edition of D&D. Why it is the worst edition of D&D.

I give in again to the audio dungeon peer pressure. Here I discuss how I first came across the OSR movement and what I feel it means to me.

Where I catch up on my call ins and discuss my not so secret plan for 2020.

Where due to inspiration from the Anchor community I feel the need to wax lyrical on railroading in TTRPGs. Is it such a bad thing?

Part 2 of my test or introduction podcasts. In this one I discuss how I got into gaming and where I am now.

My first attempt at an Anchor podcast. A test of my skills and why I'm podcasting. RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/122cac60/podcast/rss