* (0:29) Ghost of Tsushima, Red Dead Redemption 2, and archery in schools. * (8:51) Starting up new games as old ones end. Fear the Boot’s&nbsp;. * (14:34)&nbsp;. Preliminary questions and contagious enthusiasm. * (20:56) Wayne passes the GMing torch to Chad. * (28:12) Building a game around a set of parameters: a group of good guys with a lasting legacy. * (34:33) A game in three chapters, each with their own era and setting. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

Episode 588 - new beginnings

* (0:29) A fond farewell to Chad. * (4:50) Keeping the perspective that we all started somewhere. * (7:34) The amount of good advice every human being ignores; sometimes experience is the only effective teacher. * (12:49) The less you’re willing to step up, the more you ought to be patient. * (16:24) Don’t confuse personal style with absolute right and wrong. * (21:40) Determining whether you should stick around or just find another use for your time. * (24:04) When you’re the only one loving or hating the game. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

Episode 589 – just inexperienced

* (0:28) The site for&nbsp;&nbsp;is now live! * (2:07) Monday Morning Quarterbacking your own games (&nbsp;for anyone that doesn’t know that phrase). * (3:36) Getting past being your own worst critic. * (8:17)&nbsp;&nbsp;and&nbsp;. * (12:57) Using game recordings to prepare for the next session. * (17:01) Approaching your recording with the right mindset, goals, and expectations. * (25:20) Using game audio to exonerate yourself in your own mind. * (29:53) The freedom to no longer take notes during the game. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Wayne

Episode 590 - game recordings

* (0:18) Time to set the mood for bedtime. * (5:06) Wayne, Boxman, and the latex room. * (14:32) Watching sports for all the wrong reasons. Brodeur joins TikTok. God forgive us all. * (16:57) Wayne pulls a plane, and Brodeur brings the pain. * (26:22) Kids versus bikes. Bikes win. * (28:54) Kids versus cars. Cars win. * (32:39) On blowing up toilets and toys. * (38:07) Waynezilla. Meanwhile, Phoenix gets really crazy and burns…a candle. * (44:23) Oh, the places you’ll go. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Phoenix, Wayne

Bonus Episode 95 – Bedtime Stories 8

* (0:28) The teeth on the dog go click, click, click. * (1:30) Brodeur discovers New Game+ mode in video games. * (10:23) Weather and environmental effects in an RPG. * (13:09) Weather as a reflection of some other truth in the setting. * (14:53) Setting the mood and adding immersion. * (19:21) Does the environment not come up more often because it’s not in the rules? * (25:02) The storytelling side effects of being inside when we game. * (26:53) Using the environment to control the flow of the game. * (35:05) Integrating environment into your rules and narrative. * (39:09) Don’t forget to sign up for&nbsp;! Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Wayne

Episode 591 - weathering weather

* (0:24) Releasing episodes out of order. * (1:24) The little convention that could, despite how hard life tried to stop it. * (6:59) All of the hurdles that weren’t COVID. * (14:00) The obstacles that came up during the convention. * (24:24) In spite of everything arrayed against it, the con went really well. * (31:42) Thanking Eric Van Note for the picture of Gnarl, which&nbsp;. You can contact him for your own commission at: vannoteillustration@gmail.com * (33:50) Wishing we’d had more time to talk to people and paced ourselves better. * (39:11) A request, an idea, and a placeholder. June 15th, 16th, and 17th are the tentative dates for Fear the Con 2023. * (43:46) A big “thank you” to our community! Hosts: Brodeur, Caleb, Dan, Wayne

Bonus Episode 96 - Fear the Con 2022 report

* (0:29) Brodeur’s post-Gen-Con review. (I know, we’re right on top of the latest news.) A shoutout to&nbsp;,&nbsp;, and RogueOperative. * (8:02) Customizing modules for your players and characters. * (11:48) Modules as a framework, not a full script. * (18:26) Know the module well enough that you can deconstruct it into its components. * (24:37) An imaginary scenario using a well-known story as a module, adjusted to an obviously unique character. * (36:44) How the whole context of a pre-written scenario can be changed by just swapping proper nouns. * (42:32) Separating story-writing from story-telling. * (43:31) Some great example modules include Chris Hussey’s&nbsp;&nbsp;for Savage Worlds and&nbsp;&nbsp;Red Star Rising campaign for D&amp;D 5th edition. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 602 - personalizing a module

* (0:30) Giving a remote episode a try. We have a fix for Dan’s audio that should improve the quality on our next remote show. * (1:42) Catching up with Brodeur and DJ, who was on&nbsp;&nbsp;to talk about&nbsp;. * (4:43) Putting some parameters on the topic. * (9:42) Does Wizards of the Coast hate you? Envy other publishers? Or just not understand the market? * (16:36) Why people went along with the OGL to begin with. A genuine belief that some people in the mix have the best of intentions. * (24:47) Why care at all? * (29:23) The silent majority that may neither know nor care this is all happening. * (36:21) Why this might be a good thing.&nbsp;&nbsp;on Dan’s resentment of what D&amp;D represents, despite his enjoyment of the game. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, DJ, Wayne

Episode 606 - contexting the OGL

* (0:36) An odd tangent on names. * (3:39) A conversation about AI art. Some parameters we’re putting on this episode. AI art&nbsp;. * (8:08) An admittedly non-technical overview of how AI generally creates its work.&nbsp;. * (17:43) AI creations as a starting point instead of the final product. Why the lack of semantics may distinguish what inspires humans as opposed to AIs. * (29:32) The positive impact of AI creativity, contrasted with the intellectual property and monetary concerns. * (37:02) The human-seeded meta-thought used by AI, and the inevitability of its adoption across multiple industries. * (47:26) After taking jobs, technology may also improve lives and push humanity forward. Automating simple tasks or “shifting them left”. * (54:45) The financial incentive to use AI art versus the status incentive to use human art. Hosts: Dan, Julia, Mary, Wayne Some of the sample AI art Dan made while playing around with an app… A man with two beards that’s holding a third beard (stupid beard hog), Jesus with hot dogs for fingers, and…OH NO! Its mini-Jesus off the ropes!  What’s that Lassie? Jesus is here? And he thinks our dogs are gnolls? And Gabriel is also a dog?  OK, so now we’ve got gnolls with underbites, some random people in the background, Jesus with John Wick levels of determination, and…what the hell is that thing in the lower-right!?  What the AI thought Gnarl should look like. I’m totally going to stat this out and use it in a fantasy game.

Bonus Episode 99 - AI creativity

* (0:28) The new fiction podcast,&nbsp;. * (1:43) Dan re-reads the D&amp;D 2nd Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide. Wayne watches&nbsp;. The inspiration D&amp;D’s creators drew from&nbsp;. * (6:38) The rather disjointed rules of early RPGs. * (8:23) The heavy crunch of early RPGs that might be as much unearned reputation as reality. * (13:02) Why an early RPG may have needed to describe concepts that would be misinterpreted as immutable rules. * (16:06) Narrative examples of play. * (19:17) Separating old games from OSR games. Conveyed interpretation and social tradition. * (27:07) The shortcuts around setting building, and how rules may have gotten caught up in those. Hosts: Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 607 - maybe a misunderstanding

* (0:28) The&nbsp;&nbsp;is live! * (1:12) Things a Game Master has done to make a world seem a little more alive (with credit to JoshB for the topic). * (5:46) Plot hooks, substories, and unanswered questions about my character. * (9:16) Allowing characters to have goals, ambitions, and projects. * (13:32) Giving me things I can trust that won’t betray me or become a vulnerability. * (19:52) Investing the players in world-building that matters. * (29:25) Don’t constantly veto your players. * (31:55) Digging through enough specifics may reveal a general truth you can use. Hosts: Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 608 - bringing a world to life

* (0:31) The&nbsp;&nbsp;is live! * (1:04) The new fiction podcast,&nbsp;. * (3:09) Game mechanics we’re particularly fond of. * (4:54) Rerolls and other roll-modifying mechanics. * (10:13) A close relationship between skills and attributes. * (15:46) Life paths in character creation. * (24:48) Using all the dice. * (30:12) Injury instead of a simple health pool. * (38:08) Lots of randomness. * (40:31) Building something bigger than your character. * (44:13) Double-edged character traits. Hosts: Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 609 – the best mechanics

* (0:28) Running a game when someone else knows the setting a whole lot better than you do. * (2:07) The lack of pronunciation guides in most games. * (3:16) Narrowing down the task by asking what’s important about the setting to the players. * (7:59) Getting the essence or feel of the setting right. We need a&nbsp;&nbsp;recap of BattleTech lore. * (12:53) Start small and work outward, learning just what you need for each step along the way. * (21:15) Tell your players you only know some canon and therefore will only use some canon. * (24:01) Setting an ending to the canon so you can tell your own story. Breaking continuity early to get it over with. * (28:35) Keeping a chunk of authentic setting. Otherwise, why run it at all? * (33:56) Asking your setting experts to give you limited homework. * (35:09) We look forward to seeing you at&nbsp;! Hosts: Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 612 - running the unknown

* (0:28) An update on the&nbsp;. * (4:48) The&nbsp;&nbsp;(at least temporarily back in print!) and our&nbsp;. * (8:09) Why play InSpectres as an interlude to the main campaign? Apparently only Dan has heard of&nbsp;. * (12:58) Plus an extra player. * (16:10) The, “yes and,” style of gaming. * (21:31) Assisting new players when they’re stuck. * (26:24) Seeing roleplaying games as a starting point, not a finished product. * (33:43) It’s not just a game; it’s on the mics. * (39:19) No takebacks! Hosts: Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 615 - inspecting InSpectres

* (0:29) Dan prefers affiliated groups, Wayne does not. * (2:15) Cohesion, identity, and help. * (9:35) Affiliations you start with as opposed to those you pick up along the way. * (11:56) The party’s direction and motivation. Affiliating with an ideal. * (20:23) Affiliations create an obvious pool of NPC relationships. * (25:40) External versus internal affiliations, and how they’re not mutually exclusive. * (32:06) Taking extreme positions just to highlight the topic. Hosts: Dan, Doug, Julia, Wayne

Episode 616 - affiliated or not

* (0:29) Thanks to Eric Van Note for Swole Mole! * (3:15) The value of terrible GMing. * (8:42) Everyone is their own most inept critic.&nbsp;. * (15:28) The worst possible outcome: something being forgettable. * (22:20) Asking Doug to grade his own game. * (25:35) The value of creating art, simply for the act of creation. * (37:04) A few&nbsp;&nbsp;in someone’s eyes. Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Episode 617 - the value of questionable

* (0:22) Picking out the point we became curmudgeons and what exactly that means. * (4:48) Being too set in our ways. * (11:19) The self-destruction that comes with stagnation. * (21:32) Wii have a solution. * (24:32) Ducking new games while at a convention. Playing&nbsp;&nbsp;on an airplane. * (32:57) The role of pragmatism. Why expand your horizons when no one lets you go there, anyway? * (38:43) There’s always going to be something wrong. * (41:09) A lesson learned from&nbsp;. Hosts: Dan, Doug, Wayne

Bonus Episode 100 – becoming the curmudgeon

* (0:29) Why talk about intelligence?&nbsp;&nbsp;episode about Cicada 3301. * (9:24) A game takes an unhelpfully long break, only to be replaced by another RPG. * (12:44) The lack of a bottomless “buffet of ideas” in a closed setting. * (14:24) Use minimal starting information to give you room to work. * (18:12) How to run a school (everyone go play Persona 5). * (24:48) Create a wide variety of NPCs and give them their own lives. * (30:38) Keeping the party together, even if it doesn’t quite make sense. * (31:57) PC-specific NPCs, so you know the players are bought it. Hosts: Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 619 - a closed setting

Digging through the lives of a family trapped in a gilded cage.

Epoch of Rysos, Episode 8

* (0:30) Dan runs a game a bit too literally. * (4:12) The intersection of technology and roleplaying in a way that isn’t required by the game. * (7:32) Why multimedia doesn’t pay-off the way it does in other forms of storytelling. * (13:36) The prep time technology adds, and the stability it takes away. * (15:59) The time spent digging up the right asset on-the-spot. * (20:52) The physical space taken up by technology. Playing “follow the leader” at a subconscious level. Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Episode 620 – juice ain’t worth the squeeze

I decided to skip over the Iron GM and go for a Tungsten GM. The ingredient? All broadcasts cease because something won’t let them get through. What’s the game plot? Also, the Fear the Con 2024 Kickstarter is&nbsp;! Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Bonus Episode 101 - WGM 1: dead air

* (0:29) In defense of technology at the gaming table. Caleb’s setup with&nbsp;. * (5:13) Dan’s Lion King sing-a-long and Wayne’s Ghostbusters game. * (6:27) The deeper pool of online players, including AIs. Remoting in a missing player for an in-person game. * (14:04) Working distance and distraction into the game. * (17:54) Digital storage and organization. The wonder of CTRL-F. * (25:21) Minimalization of the gaming experience. * (30:01) Dodging some issues by allowing only one person to have technology. The visual obstruction created by laptops and such. * (41:01) Getting digital audio to work for you. * (45:00) Balancing it all out. Advantages, disadvantages, familiarity, and the passage of time. Hosts: Caleb, Dan, Mary, Wayne

Episode 621 – juice is worth the squeeze

Today’s ingredient: The dead are consuming the living. Why and how? Let’s find out! Fear the Con 2024’s Kickstarter&nbsp;. Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Bonus Episode 102 – WGM 2: dead consuming the living

* (0:30) What steps do we take to bring a character to life? * (1:49) Ask what’s important. * (6:53) Seeing the good and bad in a single trait. * (8:06) Doug’s personality triangle model. * (10:54) Demonstrating character quirks. * (16:34) Making characters that both have and express personal growth. * (18:57) Taking a hobby, off-topic skill, or development path. Keeping your character in continuity. * (23:11) Practicing a character. * (29:43) Developing your idea in other creative media, but consider leaving a gap before the game begins. * (35:35) The last few days of the&nbsp;! Hosts: Dan, Doug, Mary, Wayne

Episode 622 – bringing your PC to life

* (0:23) Some more details on Derek’s&nbsp;charity games (low level, mid level, and high level tiers). * (3:04) Time to go bonus episode! The FAST test for stroke. * (5:10) Customers beat down Brodeur, illustrating the reason Dan became a programmer. * (11:26) Chad loves the customers. Or at least doesn't hate them. Dan and Wayne just don't generally get angry. * (22:56) A reality&nbsp;that doesn't work for anyone involved. Wayne puts himself in high pressure sales vs Dan's tactic for coping with&nbsp;them. Elmo's  work ethic. * (31:59) Chad gets threatened over a stranger's&nbsp;girlfriend. * (45:29) Bottle it up for later. * (49:30)&nbsp;The GoFundMe page to help Pat&nbsp;and Beth with medical costs. His status updates&nbsp;on Caring Bridge. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

Bonus Episode 73 - customers

* (0:34) After years of dodging anime, Dan falls in love with One Punch Man. Bill Burr give his take on the show (FAIR WARNING: NSFW language). Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony. * (8:01) Two things that could have messed up the feel of One Punch Man. * (16:47) Putting other anime on the table. * (18:06) Fear the Con X coming up on June 22nd - 24th! * (19:18) We're attempting an actual player series that we're marketing-testing on Patreon. Audience input is currently being taken here. * (25:04) The idiosyncrasies of Fantasy Flight's Star Wars game. * (33:28) Willingness to take on complex games. What's changed and why. * (43:51) A change in the gaming zeitgeist. * (46:14) Adding a third axis to the chart. * (53:56) The Gwent League. Five minutes of Chad's "no index rage" noise. Dan's dance remix of Chad's noise. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan

Episode 446 - too old to punch

* (0:33) Chad fired Brodeur, Dan is the head of HR, Broflake pending. * (6:26) Fear the Con X, post-con. Special thanks to Adam, Bob, and Derek. Also thanks to Beth, Julia, our Kickstarter backers, and everyone who attended. Derek's beard. * (10:23) Some gaming advice that Dan learned at FTC: Hiring an agent of chaos. Over the berm, where Pat kills us all. * (17:10) Inspecting  the Broflake. Brodeur's  reaction to ghosts. * (23:49) Chad's topic: Darkenship. Nobody gets Dan's jokes. * (27:39) Technical expertise and real-world knowledge when running a game. * (32:38) Never weaponize the information. Instead, use it as seasoning. Mr. Robot. For anyone not familiar, PerfMon is  performance monitor. * (40:46) Weaving the information into the narrative. * (44:07) Pat getting possessed by Ted Kennedy. * (48:05) A quick round-robin of best games from the con. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

Episode 448 - Fear the Con X in review

* (0:30) The Skies of Glass actual play&nbsp;is now public, and Lookout Radio has gone live. * (1:59) Some restructuring of our Patreon. A live-streaming actual play game is coming soon. * (4:47) Brodeur picks Gunslinger for a gestalt game, gets handed a pre-made. * (13:49) Developing as a Game Master by trying new things.&nbsp;Knowing when to fold 'em. Post-game feedback, and the vital nature of honest communication. * (23:48) Singing! Appealing to other senses and kinds of creativity. * (32:53)&nbsp;Elves and Dwarfs with John. [The Editor violently salivates at the thought of an actual Dwarf Fortress game and violently objects to any characterization of dwarfs inconsistent with Dwarf Fortress.] Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Chris, Dan, John

Episode 449 - taking risks

* (0:29) White whales. * (2:09) What do you want to run but have never had the chance to? * (10:17) What do you want to play but have never had the chance to? * (18:14) What do you want to get published but never have? * (27:07) A big thanks to Chris Torres. * (30:06) How the lack of attention given to Amelie in the Skies of Glass AP&nbsp;led Dan to develop her more. * (43:14) Inverting the formula and letting player non-reactions create content. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

Episode 450 - opportunity in a vacuum

* (0:28) Finally all the way home!   * (0:48) The Actual Play actor's studio.   * (3:33) Dan's PCs are becoming more like NPCs.   * (11:34) Not giving up your own enjoyment. Misreading the situation.   * (17:27) Being a codependent player.   * (21:09) Strategies for helping the GM with your PC. Reading the GM.   * (30:39) Not dominating the game.   * (39:43) Playing NPCs as PCs. The appeal of Fat Tony.   * (47:29) Do bad PCs make good NPCs?   Hosts: Chad, Dan, Julia, Wayne

Episode 504 - PCs like NPCs like PCs

Fear the Boot is an irreverent, round table discussion of tabletop role playing games. In this weekly show we debate game-related issues, offer advice for improving your game, and poke fun at the hobby. Our cast changes a little from show to show, but we always assemble a group of dynamic individuals with divergent views, guaranteeing you will hear several perspectives on everything we discuss.

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