Loco Ludus

Dirk and I discuss his experiences creating hacks for Gamma World, Strontium Dog and more. Thanks for listening!

More discussion with Tom Barbalet @ My Rules Are Better, this time about his game Just Plain Chaos. We also talk miniatures, Games Workshop’s chaos, dice and more. Thanks for listening!

Hi! A short update announcing three interview episodes to be published over the next week: Tom Barbalet @ My Rules are Better, part 2; Joe Norris, designer of Nightlancer, launching very soon on Kickstarter; and Dirk the Dice @ The Grognard Files. Plus a few thoughts about Chris McDowall’s Electric Bastionland, Dave and Claire Aldridge’s Mudharbour and Appendicitis - the occasional series recently begun by me and Andy Goodman @ Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks. Thanks for listening!

Call ins sharing gaming-related compliments from John Alan Large @ Red Dice Diaries, Julz Burgisser @ Jewels From NZ, Larry Hamilton @ Follow Me, and Die!, Jason Connerly @ Nerd’s Variety Cast, Andy Goodman @ Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks, Joe Richter @ Hindsightless and Weal or Woe and Colin Green @ Spikepit. Thanks all!

A first dip into Warlord’s new Dredd skirmish game with a nice call in from Joe Richter @ Hindsightless and Weal or Woe.

In their new sub-series, Appendicitis, Barney and Andy Goodman of Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks discuss works NOT on the infamous AD&D Appendix N. They begin with Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast. They discuss how it might be of use in roleplay games, ending with a discussion of the campaign Andy created based on it, followed by a digression into Cthulhu. Look out for Appendicitis as and when. Thanks!

Gaming-related compliments: call in, get in touch and share the best compliments you’ve ever received and how they’ve affected you. Big thanks to Spencer @ Keep Off the Borderlands, Jason @ Nerds’ RPG Variety Cast and Andy @ Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks.

The Devil is most certainly in the detail! Messages from Che Cormack @ Friday Night DnD, Colin Spikepit Green (or whatever his name is), Spencer @ Keep Off the Borderlands, Jason @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast and some extended input from Goblin’s Henchman. Thanks all! Here’s the link to the GMless Horror Movie Generator I use: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gBg7VwBK13l6Kv4iefqZvqyfr5PIN15V/view

What happens when your prep time evaporates? When it goes REAL-TIME-PARALLEL. And what ever happened to Gingo and the Ruffets? The Who? Decisions. Energy. Aims vs Outcomes.

More on prep and ICRPG. Great thoughts from Lieren @ Updates from the Middle of Nowhere, Joe @ Hindsightless, Seraphim from ICRPG Europe Discord, and - with a meaty “review” of ICRPG - Josh Beckelhimer @ JB Publishing. Get in touch! Anchor message! Email! locoludus [at] gmail.com FB!

A Conversation with Goblin’s Henchman about the potential use of Hex Flower Game Engines in the ever-evolving Hammer Horror RPG game system. Find his work on DriveThruRPG and at his blog: https://goblinshenchman.wordpress.com

Call-in catch-up: Jason, Ray Otus and Goblin‘s Henchman - my next guest on the show. Nods to Andy Goodman, Spencer, Colin Spikepit, Pete Jones, Josh Beckelhimer and Runehammer.

A deserving Barney unboxes The Others, a horror board game by Eric M. Lang. He looks at the gruesome miniatures and tries to recall the rules... It’s got interesting game mechanisms...

Reflections on the first play-test of the Hammer Horror RPG. Call-ins from Colin Spike Pit and Spencer Free Thrall Keep Off the Borderlands.

Gearing up for the 1st Hammer Horror playtest on Wednesday; some thoughts on pushing the system towards playability. Do leave messages via Anchor or email locoludus[at]gmail.com with your thoughts. Thanks Colin Green @ Spikepit!

Follow-up thoughts on ICRPG after my interview with Hank and in light of subsequent discussion and feedback. The focus is on the possible distinction between the ICRPG system and the ICRPG “mindset” as Hank calls it and on improvisation vs extensive preparation and rules light vs rules heavy. Big big thanks to Andy @ Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks for his message!!! Mention is also made to Josh Beckelhimer @ JB Publishing, Dave Aldridge @ Dpercentile and Che Webster @ Roleplay Rescue.

Barney and Emi discuss podcast plans and hopes for 2020. This includes the board games we have modification plans for. We share our first, mini, board game modification for Carcassonne. Towards the end we share our plans for our nearly-completed Brexit card game, Brex**it: Time Warp.

Interview with Hankerin Ferinale, the man behind Runehammer Games, about the evolution of Index Card RPG, its newest iteration - Altered State - and his forthcoming branching narrative book, Retune. And much more!

Barney shares his joy of play testing his RPG system with his children. Dr Ludus gets an official role on the show and offers therapeutic advice to two listeners. Interviews announced.

Aaaarrrgh! More debate on A.I. constraints and the Hammer Horror RPG project. First responders: Spencer Keep Off, Colin Green Spikepit and Jason, dear Jason Nerd’s Variety...

More on A.I. Constraints and how they might operate in the Hammer Horror games... Crunchy call-ins from Colin Green @ Spikepit RPG Podcast, Josh Beckelhimer @ JB Publishing podcast and Goblin’s Henchman...

Following on from last episode’s A.I. plug-in, an overview of the draft rules created for the Hammer Horror RPG game season. Jason Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast and Pete Dragons are Real podcast add to the discussion with call ins. Blade Runner mini episodes announced, as are more interviews.

This episode considers game "constraints" and proposes we distinguish between "constraints of limitation" and "constraints of possibility." With this in mind, I discuss an RPG plug-in I came up with back in October. The plug-in sets out a PC/NPC "A.I." constraint that also serves as an initiative mechanic. I discuss it now as I plan to use it in my Hammer Horror games in the new year and potentially in the Blade Runner game I'm developing. Feedback very welcome! email locoludus[at]gmail.com or leave an Anchor message. Here is the link to my A.I./Initiative plug-in: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Xv5BDfdvvSYtkMn_f9IXpk2rjhcTpnU/view?usp=sharing There is also a short, exclusive interview! I mention the latest episode of What Would the Smart Party Do? podcast "How to be a better player": https://www.whatwouldthesmartpartydo.com/ I also mention ICRPG: https://www.icrpg.com/ and Electric Bastionland: http://www.bastionland.com/ 

Interview with Tom Barbalet of My Rules are Better Podcast about his life as a DIY gamer and some of his current interests. We have more to discuss in the future, so this is branded "PartI." http://myrulesarebetter.com/

Jason’s nerves are settled at the Hammer Klinik. The next episode WILL BE my interview with Tom Barbalet...

Hammer Production Meeting. Jason has good reasons to worry. Barney is feeling a bit ill.

Hammer Horror usurps Blade Runner AND my interview with Tom Barbalet. Guest star: Jason Nerd‘s Variety

Blade Runner homebrew RPG scene-setting, Legend of the Five Rings and some appreciative rumination about having podcasting friends.

First half dedicated to Tom Barbalet @ My Rules are Better podcast https://www.myrulesarebetter.com - big high five to him on 1/6, 2/6, 3/6 dice structure and a Barbalet-inspired report on a visit to Damage Unlimited game shop in Vienna. Second half dedicated to fellow Anchor podcasters and all that comes with that: Messages from Dave Aldridge @ Dpercentile podcast https://anchor.fm/dave-aldridge , Jason @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast https://open.spotify.com/show/4oPnUnwitpUqn9saEkFaNf , Pete Jones @ Dragons are Real podcast https://anchor.fm/dragonsarereal and Spencer Free Thrall @ Keep Off the Borderlands podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/6WeOXszl7BrxQvmjrw7xAI

Prolific designer Andy Chambers discusses his work on Warlord Games’s current 2000AD skirmish games - Strontium Dog and the soon-to-be-released Judge Dredd and more. Enjoy!

Next special guest announcement (2000AD related)!!! Reflections on some of Chris MacDowall’s comments from last episode. RPG musings - DMing Chris’s Into the Odd/Electric Bastionland (more/again); being a player in an Aliens ICRPG game on Roll20. How to end RPG sessions with something of the midway thrill? Is it possible to overcome the entropic wind-down? I don’t know. Any suggestions? Offer something to the Ludic Behemoth: a game mechanic or component and an underrated character archetype or skill. Leave a message or email us. Messages from Jason Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast https://open.spotify.com/show/4oPnUnwitpUqn9saEkFaNf and Spencer Free Thrall https://open.spotify.com/show/6WeOXszl7BrxQvmjrw7xAI

Interview with rpg designer and author Chris McDowall on his Into the Odd and upcoming Electric Bastionland (currently running on Kickstarter). Intro with messages from Che @ Roleplay Rescue podcast https://anchor.fm/rpgrescue and Spencer Free Thrall @ Keep Off the Borderlands podcast https://anchor.fm/free-thrall

Special guest for next episode announcement!!!! Chris McDowall!!! Very exciting!!!! Blade Runner homebrew RPG plan. Plus: invoking the Ludic Behemoth! As an offering send in a game mechanic or component and an underrated character archetype or skill. Leave a message on Anchor or email locoludus[at]gmail.com Messages from Dave Aldridge @ Dpercentile podcast https://anchor.fm/dave-aldridge , Joe Richter the Blind Rat @ Hindsightless podcast https://anchor.fm/joe-richter9 and Spencer Free Thrall @ Keep off the Borderlands podcast https://anchor.fm/free-thrall. A nod back and forth to Tom Barbalet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap8dkAKqIeU

Table top game modifications, DIY, Homebrew, conversions, kitbashing, designing, making, etc etc... leave a message on Anchor, email us: locoludus@gmail.com. Thanks to Dirk the Dice at The Grognard Files https://thegrognardfiles.com , Tom Barbalet at My Rules are Better https://www.myrulesarebetter.com , Dave Aldridge at Dpercentile https://anchor.fm/dave-aldridge and Che Webster at Roleplay Rescue https://anchor.fm/rpgrescue