Yaruki Zero Podcast #15 (34 minutes, 58 seconds)

This episode is an attempt to unpack certain underlying “big picture” things in role-playing games that I’ve been thinking about lately. It’s not about how they fare in the marketplace (though there’s a little bit of that), but RPGs are and how they work. There’s a good chance other (smarter) people have said this elsewhere, but I need to put it out there in my own words.

Show Notes

1. Intro
• A-Kon – Lots of receptive people, my thoughts and observations seemed really new to most of those folks.
• Got to meet Malcolm Harris of Channel M Publishing, Jonathan Thompson of Battlefield Press.
2. Text vs. Play
• Old-School D&D
• The Perrin Conventions (Word doc)
• Traditional RPG play
• Are skilled GMs really that common?
• Structured RPG play
3. Artists vs. Consumers
• Non-Commercial Gaming
• Gaming as Consumption
• Structured RPGs and Creativity
• Consumption as Shortcut
4. Rules vs. Not-Rules
• Redrawing the Lines
• “Missing” Rules
• Naked rules vs. Clothed Rules (Guy’s posts on Blinders)

This podcast uses selections from the song “Time Machine” by To-den from the Grünemusik album of the same name, available for free from Jamendo.com. If you like the song, consider buying some CDs from Nankado’s website or via Jamendo.

Very awesome caricature of Ewen courtesy of the talented C. Ellis.