Loco Ludus

In this episode, Barney thinks out loud about working on two games at the same time: League of Eternal Guardians and Alluvial Plains (which uses the Vantage system). Thanks to Andy Goodman @ Grizzly Peaks. Big thanks to Jason Connerley @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast for the messages which close the show.

Barney discusses the exciting progress of League of Eternal Guardians and why he chose not to run it in Kickstarter’s Zine Quest 3. Thanks to David Surman, Scott Dorward, Dirk the Dice, Frank Reding, The Eldritch Organists and the friendly and creative Zine Quest community.

In this episode Barney speaks with Paul StJohn Mackintosh about his roleplay game, Casting the Runes: Occult Investigation in the World of M.R. James, recently published by The Design Mechanism. Fast becoming a sell-out, physical copies might be available via Aeon Games in the UK: https://www.aeongamespublishing.co.uk/author.asp?AID=23633

Barney discusses his plan to enter his new RPG, League of Eternal Guardians, into Kickstarter’s Zine Quest 3. Thanks to Andy @ Grizzly Peaks, Jason @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast and Sofinho @ Alone in the Labyrinth.

Alluvial Plains. Vantage. Dice rollers. Kraken con. Creswell Crags. Eldritch Organ (with Andy Goodman). Frank Reding’s Hypertellurians. Thank you everybody.

In this episode, Barney shares details of a lakeside walk and a couple of dreams, before fielding some responses to recent R&D episodes from Joe @ Hindsightless, Spencer @ Keep Off the Borderlands and Colin @ Spikepit. Thanks everyone.

In this episode Tom Barbalet returns and turns the tables on Barney and asks him lots of great questions about the Alluvial Plains RPG project. The discussion goes to some very interesting places about Alluvial Plains specifically, game design and playtesting in general and the personal things we bring to such work. Thanks to Tom as well as to Spencer at Keep Off the Borderlands and David Surman.

On the eve of its release by Games Omnivorous, game designer Isaac Williams speaks to Barney about the new edition of his game, Mausritter. https://losing.games/mausritter/ https://gamesomnivorous.com 

It’s a whopper! Lots to talk about... Kraken con, postcards, new character sheets, abilities, THE MAGIC SYSTEM. Joe Richter of Hindsightless and Spencer of Keep Off the Borderlands chip in. There’s mention of Tom Barbalet of My Rules are Better too. And David Surman’s amazing illustration. Thanks all! Do get in touch. Barney

Thoughts on running Alluvial Plains at Kraken con...

More on the development of the Alluvial Plains RPG...

Barney considers dice pools with the help of Pete, Colin, Jason and Spencer. Thanks everyone!

Barney discusses the latest playtests of Alluvial Plains, including starting a regular school group. This means extended, campaign play! And he reports on the success of the tribe creation and character creation processes. Jason opens the show.

Barney rolls and ruminates his way through ICRPG’s prehistoric Blood and Snow setting.

Barney gives a brief overview of the Vantage RPG system he has been working on that feeds into the prehistoric Alluvial Plains setting being developed with Spencer @ Keep Off the Borderlands and David Surman. Towards the end he discusses the virtues of the micro and minimalist RPG mindset which he aspires to follow.

The first episode dedicated to reporting on the progress of the Vantage RPG system and the prehistoric Alluvial Plains setting being developed with Spencer @ Keep off the Borderlands and David Surman. Thanks to Jason @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast, ShandyAndy @ Unguarded Treasure, RFED, Jim, Emi and Peter.

Barney reports on holiday gaming, playing in Griff Mon Morgan III’s OD&D adventure, Tom Barbalet’s Just Plain Chaos and recommends Cabo, Wizard and Century: Spice Road. Then he discusses working on Vantage/Alluvial Plains and playtesting the Brexit card game he’s designed with his son.

Barney tests the Anchor 60 minute limit to voice recordings to discuss a partial shift in his thinking from homebrewing to playtesting. He offers some vignettes of recent experiences playing in Dave Aldridge’s and Tom Barbalet’s RPGs and playing Barry Sawada Tucker’s skirmish game, Periphery. He then talks about his recent steps to widen playtests of his own system, Vantage. If you would like to take part in a playtest, please get in touch either by leaving an Anchor message or emailing locoludus@gmail.com Listen to Dave Aldridge‘s dpercentile podcast: https://anchor.fm/dave-aldridge Listen to Tom Barbalet’s My Rules are Better podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/my-rules-are-better/id1447857948 Watch Barry Sawada Tucker’s Mega City Gaming channel: https://m.youtube.com/c/BarrySawadaTucker/videos?disable_polymer=true&itct=CBIQ8JMBGAEiEwiZi7Oo0erqAhUPot4KHfiTCx0%3D

Barney talks about the overlap between 2000AD’s Judge Dredd Mega-City One and Games Workshop’s Necromunda which took place in 1987.

Barney reflects on the process of revising RPG scenarios after running a game of Electric Bastionland for the amazing Grognard Files crew. And a message from Spencer @ Keep Off the Borderlands offers a chance to consider absurdity, surrealism, brevity and literacy. Listen to the Grognard Files!!! Leave me a message!

Barney reflects further on Electric Bastionland and discusses one feature that he finds particularly excellent. Call ins on Mausritter from Colin Spikepit and Spencer Free Thrall. Jason has to ask again for the Fury of Dracula hack... Nemesis sci-fi horror board game reviewed. Liam Thompson’s Sanctions RPG. Goblin’s Henchman’s new hex flower In the Heart of the Delve & Dangerous. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/314715 But the open question is this: how and how much do you as GM tailor a game in response to player numbers, personalities, interests and experience?

In answer to a plea from Colin Spikepit, Barney discusses running Isaac Williams’ neat Mausritter RPG and offers a couple of small modifications to the rules.

Barney reflects on succeeding to wipe out last Saturday’s game team. Thanks to Colin @ Spikepit, Andy @ Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks and Jason @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast for their call-ins.

Barney reflects on last Wednesday’s game, Isle of Death, using Death Robot a Jungle and Electric Bastionland

Barney‘s offer of a lethal run through Death Robot Jungle using the Electric Bastionland system has some takers! Hear Spencer @ Keep off the Borderlands, Jason @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast, Colin @ Spikepit and Joe @ Hindsightless / Weal or Woe book their one-way* tickets! Others, too, are taking the trip (eg. Cody M. @ No Save for You!) or are thinking about it. Get in touch if you want to risk life and limb! *Return tickets are available on request, but must be collected in person.

Following a physically-distanced high-five endorsement from Colin “Spikepit” Green, Barney unboxes the LP RPG setting DEATH ROBOT JUNGLE from Games Omnivorous/Exalted Funeral and the multi-media brainchild of Andre Novoa, Manuel Pinheiro, Jason Bradley Thompson and Alex Figueira. At the end Barney throws down the gauntlet... (with a shout out to People and Other Diseases). Get Death Robot Jungle here: https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/products/death-robot-jungle or here: https://gamesomnivorous.com/product/random-psych-weirdness/death-robot-jungle/ You can also listen to the music here: https://open.spotify.com/album/0g1hRqhPebcxprBBKcH0e7?nd=1 Get in touch with Loco Ludus: locoludus@gmail.com or leave a message on the Anchor page...

Barney and Spencer (from Keep Off the Borderlands) continue their musings about the great roleplay capital city, Bastion, and the fallout from Chris McDowall's RPG rules systems Electric Bastionland and Into the Odd. They discuss solo roleplaying and Ray Otus' Oracle gaming tool (link below), Barney's Amberwood borough in Bastion (see Electric Bastionland rules p.326-8), Mausritter (which utilises the ItO rules) (link below) and, last but not least, they roll up a pair of Rook Tamers (Emmy Allen's special failed career. See Electric Bastionland rules p.56-7).  You can find the first episode of The Bastion Social in the Keep off the Borderlands feed here: https://anchor.fm/free-thrall/episodes/The-Bastion-Social-001-Electric-Bastionland-ebl194/a-a1nip54 Ray Otus' Oracle: https://rayotus.itch.io/oracle Mausritter: https://losing-games.itch.io/mausritter Get Electric Bastionland here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/308100/Electric-Bastionland Keep up with Chris McDowall at http://www.bastionland.com/ and by listening to his podcast commentaries about the making of Electric Bastionland here: https://anchor.fm/bastionland

In this interview, Barney speaks with Andre Novoa, the main man behind new publishing venture, Games Omnivorous. They discuss Andre’s 17th Century Minimalist rules and all the swashbuckling that comes with it (!!!), the publishing house’s exciting Manifestus Omnivorous and Random Psych Weirdness lines - in particular TODAY’s new release: Death Robo Jungle!!!! Here’s the link: https://gamesomnivorous.com

Barry discusses his homebrewed Judge Dredd skirmish game, Periphery - really insightful stuff for designers! Find Barry on YouTube at: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC02RQR9IEx9n2ubOpG1WUwg

A epic, watery traversal of swashbucklery for RPG’ers, featuring: Colin Green @ Spikepit, Che Webster @ Roleplay Rescue, Joe Richer @ Hindsightless / Weal it Woe, Jason Connerley @ Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast and Spencer @ Keep Off the Borderlands. The episode begins with some feedback on recent interviews, with messages from Che Cormack @ Friday Night DnD, Goblin’s Henchman @ Goblin’s Henchman and Andy Goodman @ Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks. Thanks all! Reference is made to the following Dungeon Craft YouTube video: https://youtu.be/fRxq0kC-XWI Get in touch! Leave an offering to the Ludic Behemoth!

An interview with Patrick Stuart, author of many things, including Fire on the Velvet Horizon, Silent Titans, Veins of the Earth, Maze of the Blue Medusa and... Deep Carbon Observatory currently on Kickstarter as a remastered edition: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gawain/deep-carbon-observatory-remastered/description Patrick‘s other webpages: https://falseparcels.bigcartel.com http://falsemachine.blogspot.com/?m=1 A hearty hit for Jason @ Nerd‘s RPG Variety Cast...

Bonus episode of Barney, Ian and David Rolling up two Stoud Halfling twins. It’s almost ASMR, certainly relaxing, sometimes funny and the soundtrack is killer.

Everything you wanted to hear about Swashbuckling but were too afraid to ask...maybe. Get in touch - throw your doubloon into the ring! Is Swashbuckling a fundamentally funny word? Say it out loud: are you smiling? Also: Barney plays D’n’D. Eh? And reports on his luxury gaming visit to the UK. Thanks to Jason @ Nerd‘s Variety and Che @ Roleplay Rescue, Colin Green @ Spikepit, RFED, and Dave Aldridge @ dpercentile.

In this episode I interview Joe Norris about his cyberpunk board game Nightlancer which launches on Kickstarter tomorrow (24th Feb 2020). Joe discusses how he developed the game, worked with illustrators and graphic designers and much more. Lots of great insights. Take a look at Nightlancer here: adversitygames.com and here: nightlancergame.com

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