Dicegeeks.com Tabletop RPG Show (Matt Davids)

The founder of Kobold Press, Wolfgang Baur, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging discussion covering game mastering, game design, and much more. Wolfgang informs us how he discovered Dungeons and Dragons and gives us insight into Kobold Press. Don't miss this episode.

Writer and game designer Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast once again. Today's history topics include a murderous mail robbery in France, a Ming Dynasty invasion fleet, and the Pilgrimage of the Dead. Tristan covers these real events and then we break them down showing ways you can use them in your RPG campaigns. This episode provides a wealth of ideas and situations gamemasters can use in their games tonight. Murder, hasty trials, foreign conquering fleets, special wine, and vision of the dead... Don't miss it!

My guest today is Russel Bartek from Venture Forth, a Dungeons and Dragons actual play podcast. Russel and I dive into D&D and our love for the game. We also talk about problems dungeon masters face and creative ways to solve them. We also discuss why Venture Forth stands out from the crowd of D&D actual play podcasts. Don't miss this episode!

The time has come to take a break from the podcast. In this special episode, I go over the reasons why I'm pressing pause on the podcast. The podcast may return in a new format, but at this moment I am not sure of its future. Thank you so much for listening. It has been an amazing three and a half years.

Listen to all 179 episodes on Spotify or at dicegeeks.com

Writer, game designer, and blogger, Tristan Zimmerman, returns the podcast today. As always, we examine several historical topics to learn how we can use them in our RPG campaigns. Tristan dissects a bizarre court-martial, African ruins, and the emissary to the Mongols. Learn how each of these situations can be used as fuel as we run role-playing game sessions and campaigns.

Narrative designer, Nick Jones, drops in on the podcast today. We discuss his work in crafting stories for video games and talk about story structure. Also, we delve into Nick's theories and ideas of using folkloric motifs in narrative design. Please join us for this fascinating conversation about stories, folklore, and more to learn how you can become a better game master and role player.

New York Times bestselling author and legendary RPG game designer, Matt Forbeck, returns to the podcast today. We have a lively discussion about many role-playing game topics. The conversation begins with advice for using GM screens and then turns to the Marvel RPG. Plus Matt gives out tons of game-master and dungeon-master advice along the way. Do not miss this episode!

The original designer of the first Call of Cthulhu RPG, Sandy Petersen, joins me on the podcast. We explore sandy's love of tabletop role-playing games and plumb the inky depths of the CoC RPG's origins. Sandy freely shares his knowledge of running Call of Cthulhu sessions and gives insights help to all game masters across all genres. It is a wide-ranging conversation that is to fascinate all lovers of RPGs. Don't miss it!

Ryan McHargue, co-host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, joins me today on the show. We discuss what not to do when GMing and other role-playing game advice and tips. We talk about creating planets for Star Wars and Star Trek RPGs, FASA Star Trek, and Ryan's work with his RPG podcast. Plus we go on a rant about Star Trek 2 and 3 as well as take a detour through the feature film directorial career of Leonard Nimoy.

Honey Heist creator and RPG game designer, Grant Howitt, joins me on the podcast today. Grant fills us in on his experience with tabletop role-playing games. We talk about Honey Heist and some of the principles of RPG game design. Grant also gives incredible advice for anyone who wants to design tabletop role-playing games for a company. Do not miss it!

Archeologist Scott Smallwood returns to the podcast to discuss treasure hunting and looting in real life and in role-playing games. His perspective as an archeologist is thought-provoking and insightful. We also check in on his RPG design projects and end up talking about ancient Norse rap battles.

Comicbook writer Josh Barbeau returns to the podcast. The discussion is a deep dive into story hooks and RPG campaign hooks. We talk about how to give your players or readers questions that will carry them through the story. We draw examples from comic books, movies, role-playing games, and more. 

Ironsworn: Starforged artist, Joshua Meehan, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss all things Ironsworn: Starforged. We talk about the game design, we talk about playing, and of course, we talk about Joshua's incredible artwork for the role-playing game. The conversation includes sci-fi influences and gamemastering. Don't miss it!

Roll20 Director of Licencing, Emily Floyd, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss the use of virtual tabletop platforms and how they aid role-playing game players. The pandemic's impact on Roll20 plays a large role in the conversation. Emily also lets us in on the future of Roll20 and where the platform is headed.

RPG adventure designer and novelist Beth Ball drops in on the podcast today. Beth and I have a wide-ranging conversation discussing playing role-playing games with one gamemaster and one player, sometimes called one-on-one or duet play. We talk about strategies for effective one-on-one role-playing. We touch on the dreaded gamemaster player character (GMPC) and how it can be used correctly in duet RPGs. Beth gives us insights into writing and designing D&D duet adventures. Plus Beth and I dive into novel writing and discuss our experiences and processes of writing our books.

Author and game master, Aron Jolley-Meers, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss tons of different ways game masters can tell better stories. If you are feeling stuck as a GM or your RPG campaigns are lacking a bit, then listen to this episode. We talk practical RPG GM advice and how Aron collected his gaming wisdom into a book called My Guide to RPG Storytelling.

Spelljammer creator and writer, Jeff Grubb, drops in on the podcast today. We talk about Jeff's career and how came to work at TSR.  We discuss the classic setting of Spelljammer and its genesis. Plus, Jeff was also the lead designer on the Marvel Superheroes role-playing game. The Marvel Superheroes RPG was a very important game in my development as a game master and a role-player. Currently, Jeff works for Amazon developing video games.

RPG streamer and writer Anthony Carlson is today's guest on the podcast. We discuss Anthony's beginnings as a role-player and his interest in tabletop RPGs. With the increase in streaming content, we talk about what it takes to be a good player while streaming. Anthony also fills us in on The Ascended, the RPG actual play streaming game of which he is a member of the cast. He also sings the praises of and explains why Savage Worlds is one of the best role-playing systems for streaming.

Host of the Elder Sign podcast, Glenn Mc Dorman, returns to the podcast. In this episode, we analyze and explore a short story by the science fiction grandmaster Poul Anderson. The Valor of Cappen Varra is a fantasy story involving trolls, Viking-like warriors, and the cowardly bard who is Cappen Varra. We talk about the writing of the story and the main dilemma faced by Cappen. We have an extended conversation about how the character of Cappen Varra surely influenced the Bard Dungeons and Dragons class. we also touch on how dungeon masters could possibly mine the story for their RPG campaigns. Stay tuned!

Writer and RPG game designer Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast. We tackle historical situations you can use in your role-playing games and Dungeons and Dragons today.  First, we touch on Montaillou a spy-infested anthill village that can give player characters major headaches. Then we move on to Olympic spirits from the Arbatel’s Grimoire. After that, we dive headlong into scholarly NPCs from Aubrey’s Lives. Take your RPG campaigns to the next level by using real history.

Two guests join the podcast today. Luke CJ Smith is a D&D adventure writer and Chris Sagovac is an artist and professor. We discuss the D&D adventures they create and release through Copper Hoard and the DMs Guild. We touch on their approaches to playing role-playing games. We dive into dungeon mastering and discuss character backstories. Plus we talk about delivering setting information to players with prophetic dreams.

Writer and game designer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast today. Tristan and I discuss three historical topics and situations you can use in your RPG campaigns right now. We tackle a Florentine feud, the genesis of the mysterious Piasa bird, and a scam colony in the South Seas. Tristan and I give you tips and scenarios for how you can work these topics into your role-playing game sessions and campaigns today.

DriveThruRPG's Indie Publisher Representative Adriel Wilson joins me on the podcast today. We talk about the do's and don't of publishing role-playing games on DriveThruRPG. The conversation begins by discussing tips and advice for those new to publishing. Then it moves into more advanced tips for experienced RPG publishers. Topics touched on include stock art, social media, software tips, and more.

Today, my guest is Peter Corless, a game designer who worked for West End Games and once owned the Pendragon RPG. In our conversation, we discuss his work on the Paranoia RPG and how he drew the map of the Millennium Falcon map for the WEG Star Wars RPG. We talk about Pendragon and what sets it apart from other role-playing games.

RPG game Designer Brandon Gutowski joins me on the podcast today. We discuss his deck-building role-playing system called the C22 System. Science fiction heists and RPG game design also take center stage during this wide-ranging and informative conversation about role-playing games. Don't miss this incredible gaming interview.

Filmmaker and author, John Walsh, returns to the podcast. Today we discuss his new book Escape from New York: The Official Story of the Film. We dive into the making of the classic John Carpenter film. John Walsh fills us in on fascinating behind-the-scenes information and sets the stage as to how Escape from New York was made. We talk about the special effects, the era of the late 70s and early 80s filmmaking, the countdown device, and much more.

Author and role-player, Ryan Dalton, drops in on the podcast. We have a great conversation about writing, publishing, and tabletop RPGs. We dive deep into his books and how RPGs influenced his writing. Don't miss it!

Director, producer, and author, James L. Conway, joins me on the show today. We discuss his television directing career including shows like MacGyver, Star Trek: TNG, Star Trek: ENT, Smallville, Charmed, The Magicians, and many more. I ask James about storytelling, directing, writing, and more. We talk about his time working on various Star Trek shows and how he was a fan of the original series. The discussion ranges from his television work into novel writing, and more.

Writer and game designer, Richard Davis with Explorer's Guild Publishing, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging conversation touching on many areas of game master advice as Richard let's us in on how he runs RPG sessions. Also, we talk about Richard's Explorer's Guild Publishing and his RPG resources.

Entertainment lawyer and role-player, Charles Hildebrandt, joins me on the podcast today. We have a massively wide-ranging conversation from science fiction to role-playing games to film to copyright and trademark law. We learn his father was famed science fiction illustrator Tim Hildebrandt. Charles gives us insight into his RPG journey dropping some great game master advice along the way. Then we discuss legal issues small creators may face when publishing and creating role-playing games and other intellectual property.

Tristian Zimmerman returns to the podcast to discuss the rose-realm of the king of giants and dwarves, supernatural lion men assassins, and the eternal war between elephants and dragons. We take a look at these topics and examine ways you can work them into your RPG campaigns. If you are running an RPG campaign this episode will give you tons of ideas you can add to it today.

Ash Kain and Brandon Miller, the masterminds behind Promethium Books, drop in on the podcast today. We discuss our gaming histories and then dive into tabletop role-playing game design. We talk dice mechanics and Promethium Books' upcoming RPG projects.

Award-winning game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast. We cover three incredible situations you can use in your tabletop role-playing games. We begin with a princess turned cold war broadcaster. Then we take a look at a teenage king. We finish up the podcast with an examination of a peasant. All of these situations can be dropped into your DnD or other RPG campaigns today.

Eric Koll, therapist and longtime role-player, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss RPGs, Dungeon and Dragons, and more. We talk about how he uses role-playing games in therapy. The conversation ranges from game master advice to many other topics and how tabletop role-playing games can help people deal with mental health issues.

The Creator of the Tale of the Manticore actual podcast, Jon Cohen, returns to the podcast. We discuss his dark fantasy storytelling podcast. Plus we talk a lot about running solo RPGs as well as other game master tips you can use in your RPG campaigns. It is a lively conversation about all things role-playing games you do not want to miss.

Tales from the Magician's Skull magazine editor and author Howard Andrew Jones returns to the podcast. In the discussion, we define the sword and sorcery genre. We cover the submission guidelines for Tales from the Magician's Skull magazine and Howard tells us feelings about dwarf and elf detective stories. Howard enlightens us as to why stories shouldn't include whiny characters when writing. We also talk about why simply writing up our RPG campaigns usually does not work as short stories. Plus, we talk about Howard's new novel released in August 2021 called When the Goddess Wakes.

The Monster Professor returns again! Josh Woods, author, professor, and monster expert, and I talk monster archetypes which leads us from vampires and werewolves to the Borg to the ancient heart of chaos itself. We also delve into Typhon, the god and father of monsters in Greek mythology, and the golem. This is a wide-ranging discussion touching on myth, AI, Star Trek, and more.

RPG writer and game designer, Ryan Costello, joins me on the podcast to discuss his work on the G.I. Joe role-playing game. G.I. Joe, the action figures and cartoons, has been a staple of American culture for decades. Ryan takes us into his love of the Real American Hero and then fills us in on the G.I. Joe RPG. The conversation dives deep into the RPG system and Ryan breaks down player options and character types. Learn how you can fight Cobra, the world's most dangerous terrorists, with this role-playing game. Always remember that knowing is half the battle.

Award-winning game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmer, returns to the podcast. In this episode, Tristan fills us in on how we can use boomtown choirs, ancient Rome in space, and a wedding to remember in our RPG campaigns. As always, Tristan pulls from history, folklore, and literature to help us add situations and complications to role-playing game campaigns. Don't miss it!

Co-designer of 13th Age and lead designer D&D 4e Rob Heinsoo is my guest on the podcast today. We dive into Rob's history with RPGs and how playing them has evolved over the years. The discussion ranges into Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition and Rob's thought process in the design. We also talk about the 13th Age RPG and the problems it was designed to solve in D20 fantasy gaming. Plus we touch on the future of gaming and streaming and Rob's upcoming projects.

Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. The massive discussion of Star Trek: The Next Generation continues! Ryan and I keep discussing TNG and exploring stories and ideas we can use in tabletop role-playing games. We delve deep into season 4 and Ryan fills us in on my he thinks this is one of the weakest seasons. If you are a fan of Star Trek: TNG do not miss this episode!

Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. The great Stra Trek: The Next Generation geek-out continues with season 5. Ryan and I stream of consciousness spill out our thoughts and ramblings on TNG season 5 which we both consider one of the strongest seasons. Join us!

Podcast host and RPG writer, Lucas Zellers, returns to the podcast. First, we discuss what he has learned from his podcast Making a Monster. Lucas shares his insights into monsters and morality from having discussed it with many RPG designers. Then we jump into Lucas' new project which is the Book of Extinction for Dungeons and Dragons 5E. We talk about how he came up with the idea of making a monster manual of extinct animals. We cover several examples of the creatures and how Lucas is creating exciting monsters for your TTRPG sessions. Don't miss it!

The Monster Professor creeps onto the podcast once again. Join the Monster Professor and me on a wild ride through terrifying monsters and learn how to use them in your D&D and RPG campaigns. We tackle dinosaurs, those enigmatic beasts from earth's past. Why are they scary? Are they scary? Find out. Also, we explore monsters in fantasy realms vs. monsters from the star and science fiction. How are they different? Are they any different? Then we compare the classic monsters like the wolfman, the mummy to modern monsters like the shape and the terminator. Plus along the way, you'll get a heaping dose of b-movie trivia, jokes, and digressions into deep monster lore.

Mark from the D4 on the Floor podcast joins m on the dicegeeks show today. We discuss his years of running Shadowrun and how to effectively run tabletop RPGs. He fills us in on the D4 on the Floor podcast and lets us know about its rich fantasy world using D&D. Any fan of TTRPGs will gain a lot from this conversation.

Writer and RPG designer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast once again. Tristan informs us of three historical topics we can use for inspiration in our RPG campaigns. In the Tangling With the Night Watch segment, we learn to take off our 21st-century glasses when thinking about town defense in pseudo-middle-age RPG settings. The Patrocles’ Caspian Exploration Fraud is all about exploration or not. How to use frauds and false maps in RPGs. Post-Pirate Politics in a Mughal Port creates a dynamic milieu for dungeon masters and game masters to thrust their characters into. This podcast episode is packed with RPG campaign ideas. Don't miss it!

Award-winning game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmerman, returns to the podcast. We cover three incredible situations you can use in your tabletop role-playing games. There's a pirate king, a crazy shipwreck, and a festival gone wrong. We discuss how you can mine these historical events for your next RPG campaign. Don't miss it!

Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. Our continuing mission to break down Star Trek: The Next Generation reaches part two. This episode is the second half of the same conversation that began last week. Ryan and I now launch into the third season of TNG. Don't miss this episode as we dig deep to find situations for tabletop role-playing games.

Film historian and author Austin Trunick returns to the podcast with a treasure trove of knowledge. First, he fills us in on his latest RPG experiences by detailing how he is playing in a living RPG campaign. The campaign allows for people to drop in and out without disrupting the flow of the story. But then we dive into a deep discussion about his work as a film historian and author. We talk about his new book The Cannon Film Guide Volume II (1985-1987). The conversation covers Masters of the Universe (1987), The Delta Force (1986), and Cyborg (1989). Austin fills us in on history, trivia, and how these movies were made. Don't miss this episode!

Matt Jowett, Free League Publishing Twitch Director, joins me on the podcast. We discuss streaming tabletop role-playing games and Matt's position as a Twitch Director. Matt gives us some great tips for gamemastering streaming RPGs. Plus we discuss Free League Publishing games and how you can watch his streams.

Max Carr and Mikael Sebag, the creative force behind Hellguard: Curse of Caina, both join me on the podcast today. We dive into gamemaster advice and game design. The conversation is wide-ranging and then we focus on Hellguard.

Gamemaster and game designer Guy Sclanders joined me on the podcast. Guy runs the How to be a Great Gamemaster YouTube Channel where posts incredible GM advice. In our discussion today, we touch on various aspects of running tabletop RPGs and Guy gives excellent advice on how to up your game. We also talk about his new diceless TTRPG called Bounty Hunter.

Role-player and audiobook narrator Zac Katz-Stein joins me on the podcast today. The discussion ranges from dungeon master advice to playing your character to cutting down your GM prep time. We dive deep into tips and tricks that can help tabletop RPG gamemasters. Also, we touch on how Zac began playing RPGs and his work as an audiobook narrator.

Alex Aboud, the founder of Dragori Games, joins me on the podcast today to discuss the Tanares RPG campaign setting for Dungeons and Dragons 5e. Tanares recently kickstarted for more than two million dollars and features writers like Ed Greenwood and Bruce Nesmith. We talk about new character types, new classes, the fantasy world setting, modes of play, and more. Get ready to take D&D 5e into new realms with Tanares.

Satine Phoenix and Jamison Stone join me on the podcast to discuss Sirens: Battle of the Bards. The new D&D 5e campaign centered around Bards and their wonderous exploits is set in the magnificent city of Salvata. Sirens: Battle of the Bards is currently on Kickstarter. We also talk about how D&D became part of our lives and how online streaming has grown the popularity of TTRPGs. Plus Satine gives her thoughts on celebrities playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Game designer Alvaro Cifuentes of Browy Games joins me on the podcast today. We discuss Alvaro's history of gaming and then we dive into his design work. Come along with us as we talk about tabletop RPGs and Alvaro's game Dice & Adventures.

Director John Putch joins me on the podcast today. John's directorial work includes TV shows like Big Bad Beetleborgs, Grounded for Life, Scrubs, and more. Among his feature films are Mojave Phone Booth, The Father and the Bear, and many others. In the early years of his career, he was an actor and appeared in many TV shows and movies like One Day at a Time and Jaws 3. He had two notable appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He first portrayed Mordock in the episode Coming of Age.  Then he portrayed Mendon in the second season episode Matter of Honor.  His portrayal originated the alien species the Benzites. In the podcast, we discuss his experience on Star Trek and the extensive makeup process to make him a Benzite. We also talk about his career, Roger Corman, filmmaking, storytelling, and more.  Do not miss this episode!

Game designer and Rabbi, Menachem Cohen, pops in on the podcast today. We discuss work in using RPGs to help people heal and grow. We talk about game design, several games he has worked on, and tons of game master advice.

Today on the podcast, I welcome two guests: DJ Shewmaker and Kenny Moore with DragonSoul Dice. We talk about the liquid core role-playing game dice for which DragonSoul Dice is known. We discuss their look and how they roll. Plus, we dive into our current RPG campaigns and what characters we are playing right now. Also, we dive into the card game Magic a bit as well.

Game designer Luke Miller joins me on the podcast today. We talk gamemaster advice, writing, and running solo tabletop role-playing games. The discussion kicks off with how Luke was introduced to tabletop RPGs and how he became a dungeon master. Then we talk about his new adventure in creating a solo RPG called Journey.

Steve Morrison from the Errant Adventures RPG podcast joins me on the dicegeeks.com podcast. Steve and I have a wide-ranging conversation covering tabletop role-playing games, writing, podcasting, and more. We discuss his RPG podcast and explore Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Starforged, two solo RPGs designed by Shawn Tomkin. We also take time to talk about solo role-playing and Steve gives some tips on how to make solo play more fun.

Author and national security expert, Dr. Sean McFate, joins me on the podcast today. Sean is a former paratrooper and contractor as well as an author of fiction and non-fiction. We discuss what corporate warfare looks like today and what it will look like in 2040. We discuss cyberpunk and other elements of corporate warfare and how to weave those into your role-playing game campaigns. Don't miss this podcast episode.

My guest today is game master and Obsidian Portal emissary, Zac Harrison. We have a wide-ranging conversation touching on a variety of role-playing game topics. We discuss running RPG campaigns with low or no-prep. Other topics include: game master tips and tricks, paid GMing, and more. Plus we talk about organizing your RPG campaigns in Obsidian Portal

Dungeon master guru, The Major, returns to the podcast. We discuss the Major's rules of RPG world-building. He covers some common pitfalls DMs and GMs fall into while world-building for role-playing game campaigns. We talk about not wasting time, not creating things your players don't care about, and much more.

RPG designer and writer, Shawn Merwin, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss Shawn's history with role-playing games and how he began writing RPG adventures. We talk about his work on the Acquisitions Incorporated sourcebook for D&D 5e. Plus we talk about his current work with Ghost Fire Gaming and, of course, he drops role-playing wisdom and advice along the way.

Brian from Snow Fight Studios joins me on the podcast. We jump headlong into our love of role-playing games. We talk about running games, our experiences playing, and we drop tons of GMing advice. We learn about Brian's miniature painting, artwork, and more of his RPG endeavors. 

Podcast host, writer, and RPG designer, Mike Shea visits the Dicegeeks.com podcast today. Mike is the author behind The Lazy Dungeon Master and The Return of the Dungeon Master. Plus he runs the website SlyFlorish.com. We discuss DM advice, good D&D 5e boss fights, and his new book Fantastic Lairs.

Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. Our continuing mission to break down Star Trek: The Next Generation reaches the final episode. We discuss seasons six and seven of this iconic TV show. Again our conversation is a stream-of-consciousness rant of all things Star Trek TNG. We choose our favorite episodes plus talk about some of our least favorite. Come along on this TNG exploration mission.

Writer and long-time role-player, Ben Riggs, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss Ben's new book Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons. We open the conversation by talking about Ben's role-playing history. However, we quickly turn to his book about the history of Dungeons and Dragons. Ben fills us in on how DnD was created and how it became a household name in the early 80s. Then trouble creeps into fantasy land as the company switches hands. We move to the mid-90s when once again it seems like Dungeons and Dragons may die. Then the knight in shining armor appears in the form of Wizards of the Coast. The story is a rollercoaster and is sure to fascinate any fan of DnD and role-playing games in general.

The designers of Battlelords of the 23rd Century TTRPG join me on the podcast. Anthony Oliveira, David Soruco, Kurt Willis, and I have a great chat about the role-playing game, its history, design, the skill system, skill advancement, and more. We discuss our role-playing backgrounds and upcoming sourcebooks for Battlelords of the 23rd Century.

Feature film director Sam Firstenburg visits the podcast today. His most famous films include American Ninja, American Ninja II, Ninja III: The Domination, Avenging Force, and Revenge of the Ninja. We discuss American Ninja and Ninja III at length and Sam shares many stories about making them. Also, we delve into Sam's career working for Cannon Films, one of the great independent film production companies in the 1980s. The conversation ranges into what makes a great movie, directing actors, how the movie industry has changed over the years, and more.

Keith Ammann, the author of The Monsters Know What They're Doing: Combat Tactics for Dungeon Masters, joins me on the podcast today. The conversation kicks off with Keith telling how he was introduced to TTRPGs and how he played D&D. We discuss how important it is to understand what NPCs in the game world know because that determines how they act. We talk about the combat tactics of D&D monsters and dive deep into goblins, kobolds, and more. Plus we talk about Keith's other D&D books, and much more.

Future war visionary and author, Dr. Sean McFate, joins me on the podcast today. Dr. McFate shares his expertise and paints a picture of where warfare is heading in the future. We discuss his novels and his nonfiction books and explore how game masters can use the ideas he is advancing in RPGs. We also learn Sean was a D&D player while growing up. Don't miss it!

Game designer and writer, Tristan Zimmerman, joins me on the podcast once again. We always tackle incredible historical events that you can use in your RPG campaigns. The conversation today centers on the Glass Delusion, five borders towers, and Seaports. We dive into how to use these in your current role-playing games campaigns to add depth and engage your players more.

Ryan McHargue, the host of the Geezers of the Game podcast, returns to the podcast. We begin our mission of breaking down Star Trek: The Next Generation. We both grew up with the TV show and love it. We look at seasons one and two for situations and concepts we can use in our RPG campaign. Join us for the geek out!

The Monster Professor makes a triumphant return to the podcast. We tackle movie monsters by considering the storytelling techniques in The Terminator and Jaws. The monster professor breakdowns the concept of the "hunter" that is usually present in horror movies. We dive deep into scenes and storytelling before we turn to board games. Josh is designing a new board game and he pulls back the curtain and shows us how he is creating rules.

Writer and game designer Tristan Zimmerman returns to the podcast for a history stuffed episode for your RPG campaigns. We tackle three historical situations including a pirate mutiny, the siege of Cartagena, and ferryboat bandits.  Tristan applies his historical knowledge and we tease out ways you can use these situations in your tabletop role-playing game campaigns. Plus we have a long conversation about using diseases and illnesses in RPG sessions by pulling examples from Star Trek episodes. If you want to up your tabletop RPG sessions, you don't want to miss this episode.

Rest in Pieces and Dreamchaser designer Pete Petrusha joins me on the podcast today. We talk about game design, TTRPG rules, gamemastering, and much more. The conversation ranges from RPG history to RPG culture so you don't want to miss it.

Brendan Lasalle, Goodman Games staff writer, joins me on the podcast today. Brendan lets us know how he began playing role-playing games with D&D and then quickly moved into playing other games. We discuss GMing and how players can improve how they play. Brendan fills us in on what Goodman Games is and what kind of RPGs they produce. We talk about Dungeon Crawl Classics and more. Also, Brendan is the designer of the game XCrawl and he lets us know how a new edition is in the works.

Writer and editor, Jonathan Oliver, joins me on the podcast today. The conversation spans writing, editing, publishing, and Jon's love of RPGs. We cover what editors are looking for and the trend of self-publishing. Plus Jon was the editor of my novel The Spaceport Gambit, so we discuss it a bit.

Traveller role-playing game designer Marc Miller joins me on the podcast today. We start at the beginning, and Marc lets us know how he first learned of tabletop role-playing games through Dungeons and Dragons. Then we explore the vast reaches of the Traveller role-playing game. The creation of the first science fiction RPG becomes clear as Marc helps understand his influences from science fiction literature. We talk about Traveller 5 and what the future holds. Plus, we discuss his novel Agent of the Imperium set within the world of Traveller. Don't miss this episode!

Science fiction short story writer and neuroscientist, Benjamin C. Kinney, joins me on the podcast. We kick off the conversation by discussing  Ben's many tabletop role-playing game adventures, from Dungeons and Dragons to Shadowrun. Then we move into writing science fiction. We touch on how his work as a neuroscientist informs his writing. Monkeys with microchips in their brains enter the conversation at one point. Plus, we learn how he took a Shadowrun character backstory and turned it into a science fiction short story.

Tales of Xadia RPG lead designer, Cam Banks, joins me on the podcast today. We set the stage with a conversation about Cam's role-playing game history and how he became a game designer. We then dive into a deep discussion of the Tales of Xadia which is an RPG based on the Netflix show The Dragon Prince. Cam fills us in on the stand-out features of this exciting new tabletop RPG and the rich world of The Dragon Prince. Plus, Cam gives us a hardy helping game master advice along the way. Don't miss it!

RPG writer Ryan Schoon joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging discussion where we touch on a number of different role-playing game topics. We talk about splitting the party and Ryan shares his game master advice. Plus we talk about some of the many RPGs Ryan has written for and a lot more. Don't miss it!

Transmedia author and speaker Houston Howard returns to the podcast. We have a fascinating conversation about the misconceptions about tabletop role-playing game world-building. We survey a wide array of topics and points of how game masters and dungeon masters can world-build effectively and creatively. We cover examples from movies, TV shows, books, and more. Every game master needs to hear this conversation.

RPG writer and streamer, Travis Legge, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging conversation touching on a variety of topics. Onyx Path Publishing, They Came from Beneath the Sea, the 1970s, nuclear war, and filmmaking are just a few of the topics we discuss. Along the way, we talk about running RPGs and writing for RPGs.

Game designer and writer, Steve Kenson, joins me on the podcast today. Steve has designed and written a wide variety of tabletop role-players. He is the designer of Mutants and Masterminds as well as The Expanse RPG. He is also a staff writer for Green Ronin. We discuss running superhero RPGs and the popularity of superhero movies and TV shows. He gives some great strategies for superhero RPG game masters. We touch on the genesis of Mutants and Masterminds and his design work on The Expanse RPG. Don't miss this episode.

CinnamonRoll Studios CEO Je'Don Carter joins me on the show today. We talk about his new virtual reality role-playing game tool that gives traditional tabletop games a VR environment. Plus, we discuss his introduction to Dungeons & Dragons and his first experiences DMing. 

Former editor in chief of Worldbuilding Magazine and lead game designer for Smunchy Games, Adam Bassett, joins me on the podcast today. We discuss different aspects of worldbuilding and delve into Adam's work on card games

The owner of Evil Genius Games, Dave Scott, joins me on the podcast today. We kick things off by talking about our love for Dungeons and Dragons. We then discuss Evil Genius Games' upcoming tabletop RPG called Everyday Heroes and how it draws inspiration from 80s action movies. Dave lets us know how the d20 Modern system was updated by creator Jeff Grubb to provide the best engine for Everyday Heroes. We jump into the deep end with a discussion of the 1979 film The Warriors and other action movies. Don't miss out!

Writer and game designer Tristan Zimmerman joins me once again to take real history and work it into our RPG campaigns. We discuss a Hungarian crown heist, fated rulers in Africa, and a monk with an awesome name. The conversation ranges from an overview of these topics to taking bits of them and working them into your existing tabletop games. Get ready for an action-packed episode with tons of situations that will enhance your role-playing games.

The dungeon master and a player from the Crit Like a Girl podcast join me on the dicegeeks podcast today. We dive into Dungeons and Dragons, running TTRPGs, and more. We discuss the Crit Like a Girl podcast, the setting, and the characters. Be sure to tune in to learn more about the podcast and experience our insights into Dungeons and Dragons.

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Game designer and novelist, Clinton J. Boomer, joins me on the podcast today. We have a wide-ranging conversation about creating magic items for tabletop role-playing games and much more. We learn how Clinton won a contest that kicked off his RPG writing career. Plus we dive into his novel and what makes a good magic item. Don't miss it!

Long-time gamer, retired Air Force pilot, and game designer, Joel "The Major" Burt, visits the podcast today. Our conversation spans his introduction to RPGs, D&D, and more. However, the main focus of the discussion is his three rules to be a great dungeon master. We explore his rules and delve deep into what it means to be a truly great dungeon master.

RPG game designer, Jake Paul, joins me on the podcast today. We dive into the story of how Jake came to work for Parlor Gaming. We discuss the Tephra Steampunk RPG and some of Parlor's other RPGs. Also, Jake walks us through his game design philosophy and how he uses d12s and d20s. We talk about running RPGs and Jake shares his game master secrets.