Role Playing Public Radio

Maps are an essential part of tabletop RPGs. Who doesn’t love poring over a campaign map or fighting a massive set piece battle on a custom battle map? I talked to Joe at Heroic Maps about RPG map making. I recently collaborated with Joe to make a Mothership scenario available on both of our Patreons as a free download. We talk about what makes for a good RPG map and how to avoid some mistakes when making your own map. Check out The Oblivion Broadcast on Patreon! There’s an actual play, with a video version that showcases the map. Heroic Maps has a ton of maps available for download.

In this episode, we focus on a single D&D adventure called The Immortal Storm. This is a crazy scenario, designed for godlike PCs. It involves messing with stars, traveling to a dimension of sheet music and 1986 Manhattan. We also talked about Far West and Ken Whitman, both of whom are still around, 10 years later. Join the RPPR Patreon to get access to more episodes of After Hours, full RPG scenarios, original games, videos, and more! Use discount code OCCULT to get 50% off your first month!

Ross Payton, Ennie Award winning host of Role Playing Public Radio, Caleb Stokes of Delta Green Dead Channels, Ethan Cordray of Technical Difficulties Podcast, and Zach Reeves of Pretending to be People podcasts have years of experience creating, running, and promoting podcasts. Running a podcast is very rewarding but challenging and time consuming. Learn what pitfalls to avoid and the best way to get started! This panel was recorded at Gen Con 2025.

Caleb reviews Bad Medicine for Dr. Drugs, Aaron tries to explain Mekton Zeta mecha construction rules, I use a plot from the master fantasy plot generator and we talk about Bob Ross on Twitch.tv. Oh and there’s some discussion of Dragon #136 and Grimtooth’s Traps! If you enjoyed this episode and want more, there are over 10 years of bonus podcast episodes waiting for you on the RPPR Patreon! In our most recent episode, we looked at a d20 modern scenario that statted out Saddam Hussein. I’ve also started a newsletter with scenario writeups, cool links and more. In other RPPR news, I posted an interview with Gareth Hanrahan about his book on Moria for The One Ring RPG on our Youtube channel.

Writing a good mystery for a RPG can be tough to accomplish but it’s not impossible. Get tips from Ross Payton and Caleb Stokes on writing a great whodunit in your game! Threading the line between making the investigation too easy and too hard can be difficult, but we have enough experience to make it easier for you. This panel was recorded at Gen Con 2025. Check out Delta Green Dead Channels to support Caleb! Note: this panel was recorded at the Crowne Plaze hotel, which has an active railroad operating through it. I reduced noise as much as I could.

In 1968, in response to sinister influences that threatened to corrupt America from within and without, the Federal Government established a new agency – one that quickly acquired a reputation for ambitious operations overseas, for covert action, and for doing what had to be done, no matter the cost. This new agency was the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the BNDD. And within it – the forces of DELTA GREEN. This is the Borellus Connection. We recently finished the campaign on RPPR Actual Play and now we join up to discuss it. Join Aaron, Caleb, Chris, Tom, and I as we go through the book and discuss what we liked and didn’t like. There’s a video version of this episode on Patreon as a public post. I screenshared the PDF so you can see what I’m talking about.  Check out Hebanon Games and Delta Green Dead Channels to support Caleb’s work. Chris makes great videos on Youtube about video game history.

Alpha Omega is a Shadowrun-esque heartbreaker that covers a lot of territory. Its Wikipedia entry notes that its major claim to fame was the ARG/fake conspiracy theory called Ethan Haas was Right, which was briefly thought to be part of the Cloverfield viral marketing campaign. It got a lot of things right and a lot of things so very wrong. We also talk about conspiracy theorists and the Conspira-Sea Cruise, which has a lot of great guest speakers! Enjoy another classic episode of After Hours, now featuring Caleb, Ross, Tom, and Aaron, now with improved audio quality! In RPPR Patreon news, I posted the first episode of our Megadungeon Meandering series on Moria, the fabled lost dwarven city from Lord of the Rings, now available as a book for The One Ring. Check it out! I also made a survey about what content I should write for next year on the RPPR Patreon. See the scenarios I’ve made in the last year and let me know what you want to see from me.

Aaron, Dan, Tom, and I discuss an adventure for Rogue Trader. It’s called Soul Reaver and Aaron has no knowledge of the 40k setting, which makes him the perfect reviewer for this adventure. We then devolve into madness, thanks to random roll tables in Mutant Chronicles, System Failure, Immortal: The Invisible War, and fan-created critical hit tables for Warhammer Fantasy. RPPR News: Get 20% off an annual membership to RPPR at the $5 or $10 level by using discount code RPPRMAS at checkout. You can even gift memberships now, so give the gift of RPG scenarios, (8 so far!) and over 10 years of bonus podcasts, artwork, and more rewards! We have a new PDF scenario for patrons. Check out Alienation of the Flesh today and listen to our actual play episode.

Gen Con 2025 was a blast and we saw a lot and played a lot of great games! I talk with Caleb, Tom, Aaron, Elle, and David about their experiences this year. I’ve included links below for games we discuss. RPPR News: I just posted my sixth original PDF, Alienation of the Flesh, I’ve made in the last year for the RPPR Patreon! To celebrate, I’ve created a new discount! Get 20% off for an annual membership for RPPR by using discount code RPPRMAS You can even gift memberships now. It’s the perfect holiday gift! No need to wrap it, no need to ship it. The RPPR Patreon has over 10 years of bonus podcast episodes, full games, scenarios, artwork, and other exclusive content. We have a great Discord community and I run games every month for patrons. Click below for all the links to the games and other things mentioned in this episode. Ross and Caleb Diana Jones Awards ARKYVR: mothership module Shadowdark RPG Godzilla Trading Card Game Mythic Bastionland Ave Nox Helluva Town RPG

I interviewed Rhodrick Magsino, author of ARKYVR at Gen Con 2025 about his new module. ARKYVR is a multimedia MOTHERSHIP 1E setting & toolkit to play documentary filmmakers in space. Equipped with only their camera gear, ARKYVRs will attempt to document life in space and expose corporate client atrocities while surviving the void’s unspeakable horrors. We talked about his inspiration for creating the module, playtesting, and what he plans next. Get ARKYVER on DTRPG  Watch this interview on Youtube

We review Judge’s Guild Journal #18, d20 Kazakhstan for System Armageddon,, Atlas Shrugged the third movie, and Arkham Knight’s terrible batmobile. This is a classic episode from the archives of the RPPR Patreon, now with improved audio quality. Enjoy! RPPR News: The price of our lowest tier on the RPPR Patreon is going up from $2 to $3 on October 10. Current subscribers will be grandfathered in at the current price, so join today to keep the lower price! You can also sign up on annual basis and get a free month of RPPR! Join today!

Red Markets 2nd Edition is holding an open beta playtest for all of 2025. Come discuss the ongoing process! The new edition of the Profit System is more concise, more vicious, and closer than ever before. A panel of the game’s creators will take questions on the upcoming new edition or Red Markets in general. Caleb Stokes is the author of Red Markets, and he is joined by Ross Payton of Role Playing Public Radio, the award-winning podcast on which the game got its start nearly ten years ago. Download the Red Markets 2E playtest beta here! Listen to actual plays of Red Markets 2E at Hebanon Games on Patreon. More Red Markets APs can be found on the RPPR Patreon Games Youtube channel.

We review three RPG source books: Tarlkin’s Landing from Judge’s Guild, Earthshaker from TSR, and The Nightlife RPG by Stellar Games. We also discuss the gradual merging of bad movies like Samurai Cop and the Room into a schlock singularity and the future of bad-good movies. If you enjoy this episode, join the RPPR Patreon to get instant access to the full After Hours podcast collection and more rewards! We have over 10 years of episodes, plus full RPG scenarios on PDF, artwork, other podcasts, and a great Discord community.

Shadowdark is a fantasy role playing game built on OSR design principles with several new mechanics, including a real time torch light rule and experience point rules that emphasize exploration over violence. I sat down with the game’s creator, Kelsey Dionne at Gen Con to discuss the game’s creation, its mechanics, and how Kelsey has been able to build a community for the game. Learn more about the game at Arcane Libary’s website. https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark

We had a blast at Gen Con this year! We recorded a lot of panels and games this year but this live recording of RPPR was a highlight for sure. In this episode, members of the RPPR cast talk about their gaming highlights over the last year, plans for RPPR in the near future, and games we wish we could play but never can bring to the table. Plus a segment where listeners try to stump us about what we had done in certain games. Featuring (from left) Fuzzy Dan Chris Aaron Caleb Ross Tom David

deadEarth is one of the weirdest RPGs I’ve seen. It features a d1000 mutation table. Back in 2015, Tom, Aaron, and I went up to St. Louis to catch the live Night Vale show. Before that though, we went through character creation in deadEarth. We also discuss deadEarth’s setting and starting adventure, Caleb shares his thoughts on the game, and we talk about Roar, the craziest goddamn movie ever made. Join the RPPR Patreon to get access to the entire archive of RPPR After Hours, get full RPG scenario PDFs, RPG maps, artwork, and a lot of other great rewards! deadEarth is still around. Check out the PDFs here. Support Caleb on Hebanon Games on Patreon and on Delta Green Dead Channels.  If you missed the last episode of RPPR, we’re doing a bunch of Gen Con events this year!  Watch a preview of our most recent episode of After Hours on Youtube, where we look at “Universe in Bloodbath Five” an..unusual demo adventure for Kremin the superhero RPG

I’ve written a new action horror RPG called Labyrinth Signal. It’s a d20-based system inspired by survival horror games like Silent Hill and Alan Wake. It uses an innovative combo meter mechanic for combat that adds tactical depth to fighting monsters and mitigates the swinginess of normal d20 fights. I talk about the mechanics and inspirations with Caleb. You can get the beta PDF on the RPPR Patreon, which comes with a full scenario, Peak Nightmares. I ran an actual play of it last month on RPPR Actual Play. Watch this episode on Youtube to see pages from the beta PDF and other visuals.  Check out Hebanon Games and Delta Green Dead Channels. We’re playing a great actual play campaign with Bridget, Fae, Thad, and Ross! We’re going to Gen Con this year! We’re running a lot of events and if you’re going, you can sign up for them with the links below. Introduction to RPG Podcasting – Thursday July 31 at 10 am Delta Green and Arc Dream Publishing Panel – Thursday July 31 at 8 pm Just One More Roll: Writing Mysteries for RPGs – Friday August 1 at 10 am Tableside Interventions – A Conversation for GMs Managing Mental Health Symptoms at the Table – Friday August 1 at 3 pm Red Markets 2nd Edition Panel Discussio

We review Rifter #13, Palladium’s own magazine about their games. We also talk about headcanon, which is the idea of making your story behind a fictional story – like the cop wizards of Payday 2. This episode is from April 2015 but making fun of Palladium is timeless! If you enjoy this episode, join the Patreon to get access to all 10 years of After Hours! I’ve uploaded a beta of my new action horror RPG, Labyrinth Signal, to the RPPR Patreon. It contains a full adventure and all the rules you need to play.  Check out our preview of our newest episode of After Hours, where we look at Kremin, possibly the weirdest superhero RPG ever made:

0" data-ng-bind-html="trust(creation.content)">In this episode, we review Darktek, a supplement for Dark Conspiracy filled with odd gear choices, and Warrens of the Ratmen, a 3E supplement about ratmen and their warrens. We also talk about the Superbowl and 50 Shades of Grey.  This episode was originally posted in March 2015 so enjoy this blast from the past! News: You can now gift memberships to the RPPR Patreon! Share RPPR with your gaming friends!

We’re celebrating 10 years of the RPPR Patreon by releasing the first year of the After Hours podcast on the public feed! You can listen to the very first episode of After Hours here on the main feed but until now, this episode has been Patreon exclusive. We’re looking at Ravenloft’s supplement on Darklords in this episode. Find out what a Manther is and his tragic backstory. Join Caleb, David, Tom, Aaron, and I as we plunge into the mists of Ravenloft. If you back the RPPR Patreon at the $2 level, you get access to TEN YEARS of After Hours podcast episodes, plus artwork and more. If you back at the $5 level or higher, you get bonus scenarios and a lot more!

Have you heard of galvanized square steel, the Munger dorms or Dahir Insaat? Bridget, Caleb, Fae, and I explore weird architectural stories and videos on the Internet. This is a preview of Scheduling Snafu, a new series on the RPPR Patreon, where the RPPR cast discusses weird stuff we find on the Internet. This episode has been mirrored on Youtube so you can watch it and see what we saw during the recording. All of the episodes have video and can be watched on the Patreon.

Red Markets is back! Caleb has spent over a year playtesting and revising Red Markets, improving negotiation, combat, and other core mechanics for the game. He’ll be posting an open beta of the game on the Hebanon Games Patreon so you can download and play it yourself. We talk about the process of updating a game’s rules and I give an update on my next RPG, now titled Labyrinth Signal. Follow Hebanon Games on DrivethruRPG and Itch.io.

Do you struggle with writing RPG scenarios for your home group quickly? I’ve been writing scenarios for the RPPR Patreon so I’ve had to learn how to get a good scenario out without spending a lot of time on it. I’ve figured out a few tips that can help you. This episode is on Youtube with visuals to go along with the narration. News: I am writing scenarios for the RPPR Patreon – check out the modern horror scenario After You Die, Tell God He’s Next and the Mausritter scenario Gunpla Island. The RPPR Youtube Channel has a lot of original content, including: Let’s Play of Still Wakes the Deep Watch the Pin Quest 2024 video

I interviewed the CEO of Free League Publishing, Tomas Härenstam at Gencon this year. We talk about Free League’s approach to creating games, current trends in RPG design, and their upcoming second edition of the Alien RPG. Learn more about Free League Publishing on their website.

I caught up with Gareth Hanrahan at Gencon this year to talk about the Borellus Connection, a new campaign for Fall of Delta Green. Find out the secrets behind this globe hopping 1960s campaign! This interview has been mirrored on Youtube.

Do you have questions on actual play podcasts? Talk to Ross Payton (RPPR), Caleb Stokes (Dead Channels), Rob Stith, (Orpheus Protocol) and Ethan Cordray (Technical Difficulties) for all the answers you want! We talk about creating shows, running them, editing, marketing, and many other topics related to running an AP podcast. We recorded this panel at Gencon 2024. Enjoy!

This episode is also on Youtube with original video of Gencon 2024. Check it out! We’re back from Gencon 2024! We recorded panels, played and bought new games, and a lot more. Caleb won a Gold Ennie for God’s Teeth! I wanted to get out a quick summary of Gencon to let you all know the highlights. Find out what panels and events we recorded and some of the new trends in tabletop gaming. Of course, we’ll have a more detailed breakdown of Gencon coming soon, but I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible. If you enjoy RPPR, be sure to support our Patreon and get exclusive bonus podcasts, artwork, scenarios, and more!

Art for tabletop RPGS is not technically necessary but it does help. Chris and I discuss the role of art in RPGs and review Art by Nohr, a book by Mork Borg co-creator, Johan Nohr. We’re experimenting with video with this episode, so subscribe to us on Youtube for Gencon coverage and more! Check out Chris’ Youtube channel where he discusses video game history and more. We’re doing a collab video so stay tuned for that. Buy Art by Nohr

I have begun working on a new role playing game. It is called Labyrinths of Lost Futures, a modern day dungeon crawling hauntological fantasy. Delve into weird ruins with an enchanted gun and cellphone. Fight cryptids in a haunted trailer park. Escape a time loop based on a person’s childhood memories. Caleb has some questions and comments about the game. If you want to see some artwork of the game, check out the RPPR Patreon. The image in the show notes is by Patsy McDowell and is one of the levels of the modern mega dungeon I am working on. The Night Clerk is on sale at DrivethruRPG! If you missed the crowdfunding campaign, you can get the PDF now. I’m working on a way to sell print copies. Check out Delta Green Dead Channels to support Caleb and get great Delta Green content! Hebanon Games Open Design has a Red Markets 2E playtest campaign in progress.

The Kickstarter for season 3 of the Ludonarrative Dissidents podcast is now live! Back it today to help us fund another full season of this podcast. The Lady in Blue, a mysterious figure of cosmic power, enlists a band of simple peasants for a strange task. They are to follow an invisible bridge until they arrive at a hole in the sky – and then jump through. Death awaits all but the bravest, strongest, and luckiest, but the Lady offers a reward beyond all the riches of the world: the chance to change the very stars these peasants were born under, and thus change their destiny. <p class="Type__TypeElement-sc-goli3j-0 gfMYqC" data-slate-node="element" data-encore-id="type" data-slate-fragment="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

Mega Dungeon Meandering is a deep dive into one of the best reviewed mega dungeons of all time, Stonehell: Stonehell Dungeon is a classic-style mega dungeon, filled with enough  monsters, traps, weirdness, and treasure to keep you gaming for a long,  long time. Explore over 700 rooms, encounter more than 40 new monsters,  and discover 18 mysterious magical items — and that’s just in the first  book! If you like this episode, we have more episodes available on the RPPR Patreon. We also have a lot of other great rewards, including more podcasts, artwork, and a great community Discord server! We’re going to start making videos for RPPR this year. I’ve mirrored a lot of the RPPR back catalogue on Youtube and there’s more to come. Subscribe now to re-listen to your favorite classic episodes and be the first to see original videos when they’re uploaded. Subscribe today!

We conclude the post mortem discussion of Impossible Landscapes, after the interruption from the previous episode. We now have a campaign index page, so you can easily find al of the episodes and other relevant bits for the campaign. Maddy as Ryan West, paramedic Thad as Marley Madelyn, FBI agent Fae as Yersinia Riszek, cryptographer Rob Stith as Jørgen Nygård, undercover agent Ross as the Handler Episode art by Patsy McDowell.

Our actual play run of the surreal horror campaign, Impossible Landscapes, is now done. The cast and I discuss the characters, plot, and more! Find out the secrets behind the campaign and my advice for running this challenging but rewarding campaign. Maddy as Ryan West, paramedic Thad as Marley Madelyn, FBI agent Fae as Yersinia Riszek, cryptographer Rob Stith as Jørgen Nygård, undercover agent Ross as the Handler Episode art by Patsy McDowell. Thanks!

We’re back for another episode! I found a bottle of Blanton’s bourbon and to celebrate my discovery, we recorded a new episode. Spencer even has a new food rating system! Back The Night Clerk zine! A modern horror RPG scenario from Ross Payton! We’re talking about a wide range of topics – check it out: Beer: Prairie Artisan Ale Stuf’t (2) Segment: Dissecting Our Fun (4) Sub-Topic: Ark Nova is…big…and good Beer: Brasserie Dunham Farbenku  gel Segment: Binge Binger Sub-Topic: What’s been your most recent binge addiction? Beer: Second Shift Brewing Spiritual Delight (4) Segment: Ready Player Drunk Sub-Topic: Tears of the Kingdom GOTY? Beer: El Segundo Brewing Steve Austin’s Broken Skull IPA (3) Segment: Sportsplainer Sub-Topic: There’s an incredibly deadly motorcycle race called the Isle of Man TT. Over a century old and over 260 people have been killed – not just racers but spectators as well. Where’s the line in allowing sports like this to continue? Beer: Tighthead Brewery Chilly Water IPA (2) Segment: Mixed Six Mock Draft Sub-Topic: Republican primary candidates and cars from the wacky racer genre (wacky racers, rat race, Mario cart; twisted metal, death race, etc) Beer: Prairie Artisan Ales Tiny Esses (1) Segment: Drunk Enough Sub-Topic: So what’s it been like to not monetize your drinking for the last year? In case you missed it, the entire Mixed Six catalogue is now mirrored on archive.org. All of the m

The Flash is a spectacularly bad movie. Caleb, Spencer, and I got together to discuss exactly WHY it was so bad. I was part of a podcast called The Mixed Six for nearly 6 years. I had a blast making it and I’m proud of the episodes we made. It ended a year ago, but we came back together recently to record a reunion special episode. This is Hot Takes on Ice, a shorter podcast we did on a single take. I’m sharing it here because I think if you missed the Mixed Six when we were making on a regular basis, now is the perfect time to binge the series. I’ve mirrored the entire catalogue of the podcast on archive.org so you can listen to regular episodes, formerly Patreon-exclusive episodes, and mini episodes like Hot Takes on Ice. We’ll have a full new episode out on Monday. Don’t forget to back The Night Clerk on Backerkit today! A full color 44 page scenario zine of architectural horror! All of the main episodes are here. All of the Patreon bonus episodes are here. All of the Hot Takes on Ice and other mini-episodes and specials are here. Join the Mixed Six Discord Server, now open to the public to discuss this episode and catch up with the community.

Architectural horror is a subgenre of intention. Novels like House of Leaves, movies like The Shining, the Saw series, and games like Control can all be called architectural horror, but what does that mean? Rob Stith of the Orpheus Protocol and I talk about the genre and my new scenario, The Night Clerk, which is now funding on Backerkit! If you want to know what the three types of architectural horror are, listen to this episode. Back The Night Clerk on Backerkit! The Orpheus Protocol RPG is now on DrivethruRPG. Shout Outs Bomb Rush Cyberfunk: The spiritual sequel to Jet Set Radio. A beautiful and fun game. The Remnant 2: A new action RPG with great gameplay. Bad Movie Bible: A fun Youtube channel discussing b-movies. Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer: A love letter to 90s FPS games and teenage edgelord silliness.

A system-less RPG scenario is designed to be able to run in any system for a particular genre. Writing one is just as challenging as writing one for a single system. I’m launching a crowdfunding campaign on Backerkit for The Night Clerk, a system-less modern horror scenario, as a zine. In this episode, Caleb Stokes, author of No Security a collection of system-less scenarios, and I talk about them. I also go a bit into using Backerkit as a creator. We also discuss architectural horror and what that term means. Sign up on the Backerkit pre-launch page to receive notification when the project goes live. It should start in early September! Check out Hebanon Games Open Design for more info on Red Markets Second Edition!

Many RPGs use d20s for resolving combat, like D&D, 13th Age, and Lancer. Caleb and I have been playing a lot of d20 games recently and we wanted to talk about the nature of d20 combat. It’s a very swingy system, where every combatant can miss in a single round, resulting in nothing happening. Can this problem be fixed? News: I am exporting all of RPPR’s back catalogue to Youtube! Listen to older episodes and share them with friends. Subscribe now to help us get more notice on the site. Caleb is running a Red Markets 2E playtest campaign. Go to Hebanon Games to listen and access the beta draft rules. Caleb’s also running a bunch of Delta Green on Dead Channels. Shout Outs Deadly Dowagers: A fun board game about marrying rich men and murdering them for their estates. Monk and Robot: A novel series about a traveling robot and monk. Shiny Happy People: a documentary series about the evils of the Duggar family. How to Blow Up a Pipeline: a film based on the book of the same name. Worst of the Worst: A Youtube video essay series about the bottom level of combat sports. Starship Troopers: Extermination – a co-op shooter about blowing up alien bugs and building bases.

We ran a Fate Core campaign called Cointract Island on RPPR Actual Play. Over 16 episodes, a trio of heroes explored an island overrun with genetically engineered and cybernetically enhanced creatures. In this post mortem, Bridget, Fae, Lydia, and I discuss the campaign’s themes, the Fate system, and crypto bro culture. Bridget as Felicia, cat girl bartender Lydia as Aava Amaranth, cyborg hacker Fae as ‘Emily);Drop Table;– (AKA Indy), a scrappy scavenger

I talked with Greg Stolze, author of Reign, Termination Shock, co-author of Unknown Armies, and writer on many other books (and my co-host on Ludonarrative Dissidents podcast) about his new Kickstarter for Ships, a supplement for Termination Shock. We talked about the core mechanics for Termination Shock, game design, and crowd funding RPGs. Back Ships: How to Build and Blast Them on Kickstarter now! Greg has his own Termination Shock actual play podcast, if you want to hear how the game plays. I’ll be recording RPPR After Hours with Greg for the RPPR Patreon soon.

Delta Green is a popular horror RPG but it can be hard to understand how to get its tone or its procedural elements. Caleb, Jason, and I discuss some media to look at when trying to ‘get’ the Delta Green vibe. This is a preview episode of our new series on the RPPR Patreon, where we recommend media sources to inspire and inform for a particular genre or game. Check out the entire Recommendizer series on our Patreon! Check out Jason’s Warhammer streaming on Twitch! Caleb is running Delta Green on Dead Channels. Some media mentioned on this episode: Lovecraft’s fiction – the inspiration for Delta Green. True Detective Season 1 – what DG looks and feels like. Supernatural influence might be missable/explainable. Occult America: Book on “esoteric undercurrents” in American history X-Files – Monster of the Week, UFO mythology, government conspiracies and counter-conspiracies To Live and Die in LA – procedural techniques and committing felonies to solve a case Angel Heart – occult mystery/noir film. Great for atmosphere and tone. The Spine Collector – long article on a book thief – the depths of which investigations go FEAR – video game series mixing FPS gunplay with horror elements. Extraction – the Netflix movie. Solid depiction of contemporary combat, both armed and unarmed, and ramifications of fighting in and against body armor. (Bonus points for showing the limitations and strengths of

Caleb is back discussing his progress on Red Markets. After a recent gaming retreat, Caleb developed a theory he wanted to discuss in this episode, about the obscene and the scene. The scene represents the public, socially acceptable aspects of a given object or activity. The obscene refers to the hidden, taboo aspects. In RPGs, the scene is what we say about our games but the obscene is how we actually engage with them. “I hate this game. I’ve run a hundred sessions of it.” There’s the promised version of a game during its Kickstarter campaign, the version delivered, and the version actually played. We discuss these weighty topics and how it is affecting the development of Red Markets. Check out Hebanon Open Game Design to keep track of Red Markets development!

In this episode, James Wallis, co-host of Ludonarrative Dissidents podcast and author of “Everybody Wins: Four Decades of the Greatest Board Games Ever Made,” and I talk about what RPG designers can learn from board games. We talked about the history and influence of board games, the challenges of playtesting RPGs, and how incorporating board game mechanics can benefit RPG design. We also have some shout outs. News: On the RPPR Patreon, on the newest episode of After Hours, we discuss the most horrifying spells in Dungeons and Dragons. On Recommendizer, Thad and I talk about good inspirational sources for zombie apocalypse games. Our next campaign on RPPR Actual Play is Delta Green: Impossible Landscapes. Check out this poster for the campaign! Shout Outs Who Fears the Devil: a collection of short stories about Silver John, who fights witches and ghosts in the Appalachian mountains. The Night Ocean: a biographical novel of H.P. Lovecraft, his life, and the early days of fandom. A Town Called Malice: a storytelling game inspired by Nordic noir and isolated small town horror. Die: A comic series about RPG players entering in their fantasy campaign world Terracotta Army: A worker placement board game about building statues for th

Wizards of the Coast has stepped on a series of rakes with a series of proposed changes to the Open Gaming License (OGL). What is the OGL and why is WOTC is trying to destroy a popular thing in the industry? Caleb and I discuss what’s going on and what some possible outcomes of this controversy are. News: Check out the newest episode of RPPR After Hours for a hilarious dive into the lowest rated Call of Cthulhu supplement! Caleb is running through God’s Teeth with a new player group on Delta Green: Dead Channels. You can find link to all of Caleb’s projects on his Link Tree. Shout Outs The Menu: a foodie horror movie and one of the best from last year. Manhunt: a brilliant new take on the zombie apocalypse genre Warhammer 40k: Chaosgate – Daemonhunters: If you love XCOM style gameplay and 40k, this game is for you. Neon White: Speedrunning taken to a new level. Kaleidoscope: A Netflix mini series about a complex heist. Stalcraft: Stalker in a Minecraft-style setting. Great music and free to play.

Caleb and I discuss the possibility of creating a second edition of Red Markets and Base Raiders. It’s a major task, so examining the pros and cons is a necessary first step. Updating the mechanics, revising the lore, and improving the information design are all big challenges, not to mention the logistics of getting a game funded by crowdfunding. Check out Hebanon Games to see Caleb’s latest game design work. News: I started a new bonus podcast on the RPPR Patreon. Recommendizer is focused on media recommendations. In episode zero, we talk about two new horror video games, Signalis and Scorn and some underwater horror movies. Song: Dotlights – Come In And Stay on Chillhop Essentials Winter 2022

We’re back for one more round with Synnibarr 3ED. Caleb, Thad, Baz, and I dive into the GM (or Fate in the parlance of Synnibarr). We’re all guests in Raven’s house, so find out what his wisdom for running a RPG is. What is the ADDA model? Why are there so many random tables? We’ll try to unravel the mystery that is Synnibarr but we may find ourselves stranded on the Worldship… Join the RPPR Patreon to listen to the full episode! Caleb has Delta Green Dead Channels Baz is on Twitch as FutureWolfington

News: There’s a horror video marathon on the RPPR Patreon Discord on Sunday October 30, starting at 3 pm CDT! Sign up for the RPPR Newsletter and get a FREE Monster PDF! Synopsis: After watching the first 7 Saw movies in the last week, I realized that game design comes up in a lot in horror films. I got Chris and Aaron to talk about the franchise and other horror movies that intersect with game design topics. We mention Phantasm, Cube, Circle, Tremors, and a lot of other movies. A fun discussion just in time for the spookiest month of the year! Shout Outs Saloum: An African horror thriller film currently on Shudder. Beautiful, intriguing, and unforgettable Scorn: A horror adventure video game with a biomechanical aesthetic. Three Thousand Years of Longing: A fantasy film about a writer and a genie, from director George Miller Forgive Me Father: A Lovecraftian FPS with an old school design. Mow down hordes of cultists with a tommy gun. What’s not to love? Shining the Holy Ark: A Sega Saturn RPG with some unique features. Happy Endings: An autobiography of Bella Green, a comedian and sex worker. Disney Dreamlight Valley: Animal Crossing but with Disney characters. Floodlight: A drum and bass album where all proceeds go to disaster relief for flooding in Pakistan. <a href="https://

Making a player character for Synnibarr Third Edition is perhaps the most challenging part of the game. Baz, Noah, Thad, and I attempt to make a group of characters for the game and discover that do not perceive reality in the same way that Raven McCracken does. We do learn that you can technically mount a chain gun on a horse though. Listen to the full episode on the RPPR Patreon. Join today to get more bonus podcasts, RPPR Illustrated, and access to our Discord server! Join at the $10 tier to play in RPG one shots I’m running. Check out Noah’s podcast, Thinking Too Hard About Anime! Baz streams a lot of cool games on Twitch!

Designing new monsters for your RPG is a time honored tradition for most GMs. I got Greg Stolze and Caleb Stokes to talk about their approaches to creating new creatures for games. Is the monster a metaphor or just a weird new enemy to fight? Get some tips on becoming Dr. Frankenstein for your next game! News: Caleb is running Delta Green on Twitch on September 28 at 6 pm CST. Follow the Delta Green Twitch channel to get notified when the game goes live. It should be fun! Greg started a Patreon for his fiction. Sign up to get his latest works. I’m starting a newsletter with original content, links, and updates for all my projects. Sign up below and get a free PDF of the Death Stratum, a new monster usable for any horror or fantasy RPG. [convertkit form=3624176] Shout Outs Fashion Police Squad: a new FPS with cool game mechanics and fun to play Death’s End: the final novel in the Three Body Problem trilogy Abby Howard: a cartoonist behind The Last Halloween and Crossroads at Midnight Cult of the Lamb: A hybrid base building/rogue-like dungeon crawling game Ravenous Dusk: Sequel to Radiant Dawn, a very Delta Green horror novel with lots of body horror. Visual Signals issue 7: I wrote an article for this vaporwave zine. Check it out. Music: The Devil’s Eyes by White Bat Audio

The Worldship is back! There’s a new edition of the Synibarr and we’re diving into it. I got a full round table of RPPR regulars to explore the Ultimate Adventurer’s Guide. Baz, Caleb, Noah, and Thad and I found so many different things, it’s hard to keep track of them all. From bizarre metaphysics to unbalanced spaceships, Synnibarr has it all! Listen to the full episode on the RPPR Patreon today!