Episode 189: Five Games, One Shelf

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Idle Red Hands

In this episode, we pick the five RPGs every role player should have on his or her shelf, including which edition to have. These aren’t our five favourite games or the five most popular games of all time. Nope. These are five games whose mere possession will contribute to your overall gaming experience.

These are the criteria we used. Play along at home.

Innovative
Impact
Representative of a specific type of a game
Widespread
Paid us to mention them (Kidding. No company took us up on our offer.)

Episode 187: Generalist vs. Specialist Players

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Idle Red Hands

The specialist: “How would you make a Jedi in D&D?”
The generalist: “I wouldn’t.”

In this episode, we compare focusing on just one game system (specializing) with playing a wide variety of games (generalizing) to see which is the best approach. Did your approach win?

Episode 182: 2014 Wrap Up

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Idle Red Hands

In our last (first?) episode of the year, we discuss some of the big stories in the geek and gaming world from 2014. While they may not be the same stories everyone else is talking about, they’re the ones that had the most impact in our little circle across the Pacific.

Episode 170: Interview: Spirit of 77

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

“Now, look what we have here before us. We got the Dukes of Hazards sitting next to Foxy Brown. We’ve got Shaft right by the Six Million Dollar Man. Nobody is hard moving nobody. This … is an RPG. And this RPG is the way things ought to be.”
-Idlus, The Warriors

Dave from MonkeyFun Studios joins us to discuss their Powered-by-the-Apocalypse game, Spirit of 77, which is currently on Kickstarter. We don’t interview him so much as strap ourselves into his Dodge Charger as he takes us on a fuel-injected ride. Let’s get down to it, boppers.

Episode 169: Interview: The Sprawl

Posted on September 13, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

In this episode, we interview Hamish Cameron, the author of The Sprawl, a Powered-by-the-Apocalypse cyberpunk game currently on Kickstarter. Since Hamish is from New Zealand, we’ve provided a Kiwi-English dictionary below.

Kiwi – English
sitting – setting
dick – deck
bin – been
pin – pen
pin – pin (We know.)
Didya git eyes for Chrissmas, bro? – Is there a reason why you’re looking at me, sir?

Episode 156: Encounters

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

During this episode, listeners may encounter the following (roll d100):

01-10 Boredom
11-20 Lame jokes
21-30 Extremely late movie reviews
30-80 Chris & Wayne fighting
81-90 Tangents
91-98 The ghost of Lyal, sighing
99-00 Interesting, lively conversation

In another Lyal-less episode, Chris and Wayne discuss encounters (both random and planned). Should encounters in RPGs be balanced, or should they follow the fiction of the setting? How to plan encounters, and how to make them interesting, balanced or not. This episode was inspired, in part, by an awesome (and angry) article by the Angry DM.

Episode 152: Undercover

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

State Trooper: Hey, Doc! We’re looking for a prisoner from that bus-train wreck a couple of hours ago, might be hurt.
Dr. Richard Kimble: Uh, what does he look like?
State Trooper: 6’1, 180, brown hair, brown eyes, beard. See anyone like that around?
Dr. Richard Kimble: Every time I look in the mirror, pal – except for the beard, of course!
State Trooper: Now that you mention it, you do look a lot like him, minus the beard, of course. But that’s easy to shave. Come with me, Dr. Kimble.
– The Fugitive‘s original 30-minute running time didn’t screen well with test audiences.

In this episode, we discuss going undercover and the different types of stories you can tell. We also suggest a mechanic for establishing a cover that can be used for multiple systems.

This episode contains no Chris. Listener discretion is advised.

Episode 146: Campaign Confessions: Pathfinder Part 1

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

“Fighting a dragon is always a challenge. They are the kind of problem that calls for an A-10 Thunderbolt II and lots of rockets. Unfortunately, these things won’t be invented for another thousand years or so. In a pinch, you can get by with some household cleansers, rope, and magic, the duct tape of the fantasy world.”
-Michael West(en), Burned Rogue/Illusionist

In Part 1 of our latest Campaign Confessions, we give our thoughts on the Pathfinder system.

Episode 131: Review: Numenera & 13th Age Part 1

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Idle Red Hands

In this two-part episode, we review Numenera and 13th Age. This episode focuses on Kickstarter sensation Numenera. Should you buy it?

It should be noted that these reviews are based on reading the books, not playing the games. After these reviews, we’ve decided to make one our next game. It should be clear which one after listening to both parts.

Episode 123: Cosmic Heroes

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Idle Red Hands

“In blackest day, in darkest night, may the force be with you.”
-Idle Red Hands

Go big or go home. This week we tackle a galactic sized topic with “Cosmic Heroes”. Marvel’s Nova Corps, D.C.’s Green Lantern Corps, the Jedi and other heroes – in spaaaaaaaace.

Idle Red Hands

A Podcast From Japan About Games and Gamer Culture

Tag Archives: Apocalypse World (RPG)