Hello comrades! Kyle and John bust out the soap boxes and ask: What is with all the new games? And why can't we talk about the creative aspects of these new games, instead of business moves? Spoiler: Because social media and capitalism ruin everything. The Splatphone! Roll For Topic The Cloud Curio Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon Email Us: splatbookpod@gmail.com Tales of the Valiant Candela Obscura Panopticon Society of the Spectacle Amusing Ourselves to Death Alex Roberts Alex Ross...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 34
Kyle and John exchange and discuss some of their favorite passages from RPG books. Call us on the Splatphone! Send us an email splatbookpod@gmail.com! Mausritter The Warren Bunnies and Burrows Dialect A Plague Among Us The Splatphone! Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon Email Us: splatbookpod@gmail.com...
May 19, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 33
Kyle takes John back to school to discuss how RPGs fit into our ideas of play, games, and other strange creatures. The Beginner's Guide Felix Lebed on Play Maslow's hierarchy of needs Homo Ludens - John Huizinga Alan Levinovitz - Toys Thomas Malaby - Games “Big Three” questions at the Forge: “What is the game about? How is it about that? What does the game reward?” Evan Bottcher - Platforms The Splatphone! Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 32
What do you do when part of your game group takes some time off? Try new games? Try new ways of playing old games? John and Kyle discuss. Dread The Quiet Year Fiasco Dialect The Splatphone! Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Apr 20, 2023•58 min•Ep. 31
This week John and Kyle take a deep dive into Free League publishing's Year Zero SRD. Kyle goes full professor on John, and then they talk about Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Free League - Year Zero SRD A Theory of Fun FATE: The Secrets of Cats The Splatphone! Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Apr 06, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 30
Kyle tells John about a programming project he designed for his students, and what he hopes they will learn from it: When acquiring new skills, you have to get comfortable sucking at them at first. John says he has always struggled with this, and somehow does not say the phrase "learn to play tennis with a wooden racket" even though this was the right episode to say it. One of Kyle's game experiments - Methris The Splatphone! Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Mar 30, 2023•14 min
John and Kyle dig into one of their favorite OSR modules: Winter's Daughter by Gavin Norman Old School Essentials Winter's Daughter Hall of the Blood King The Splatphone! Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Mar 23, 2023•42 min•Ep. 29
Kyle and John talk about the Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure Sailors on the Starless Sea and ask: "Why is it so dang good?" They also answer a listener's question left via the Splatphone! Hang around for the cut-bitlets to hear in-depth discussion of Kyle's new cat. Dungeon Crawl Classics Sailors on the Starless Sea Remembering Jim Halloway The Splatphone! Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 28
What is that ringing sound!? Could it be... THE SPLATPHONE! Listener Jake recorded some thoughts on melancholy in RPGs. This prompted John and Kyle to enter the Swamp of Sadness, and discuss the topic through the lens of the film The Neverending Story. The Splatphone! The Fall of Magic Wolves of God Polaris Delta Green The Fall of Delta Green Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Feb 23, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 27
Kyle and John take a break from talking about favorite media to give some tips on doing NPC and characters voices. Or maybe they just needed an excuse to be silly? Noisy Person Cards The Between and Brindlewood Bay Beyond the Darkened Threshold Orcs with normal voices Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Feb 09, 2023•53 min•Ep. 26
Roll for Topic's own Andy Rau joins Kyle and John to talk about the first book of the Dark Tower series: The Gunslinger. Will the podcast survive this titanic show down? The Gunslinger Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon
Jan 26, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 25
Kyle finally tricks John into talking about the story The Fortress Unvanquishable, save for Sacnoth. After many attempts, John learns how to pronounce Tharagavverug and Wong Bongerok. Kyle compares the story to the Legend of Zelda, and points out that Leothric teaming up with Tharagavverug is kinda like Spiderman teaming up with Venom. Spoiler: We love this story. The Fortress Unvanquishable, save for Sacnoth Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 24
John and Kyle wrap up 2022 with a discussion of what they are grateful for, what they learned, and what they are looking forward to in 2023. And then they sing! Dungeon23 Vaesen RPG Subreddit Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Dec 29, 2022•43 min•Ep. 23
This week Kyle and John tackle two excellent articles from the OSR Canon. Kyle realizes that John is old enough to have played D&D when the OSR style was just called... playing D&D. John gets cranky, and Kyle calms him down. Pleasures of the OSR: Secrecy and Discovery Episode 126 – Pleasures of the OSR: Secrecy and Discovery, by Ben L. The Ogre and the Golden Bird Episode 19 – The Ogre and the Golden Bird by Patrick Stewart Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Dec 15, 2022•55 min•Ep. 22
In this episode John and Kyle talk about the Beatles, The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, The Twilight Zone, and OH YEAH, the actual story listed in the title of this episode. We also totally talk about RPGs a whole bunch. The Last Defender of Camelot (Wikipedia) The Last Defender of Camelot - Twilight Zone In Memoriam: George RR Martin Remembers Roger Zelazny Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Dec 01, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 21
This week we go old school with a story from the influential author Lord Dunsany: The Quest of the Queen's Tears. Marvel at how John and Kyle can talk about a 3 page story for almost an hour. You can read the full text of The Quest of the Queen's Tears - link in the show notes. Lord Dunsany The Quest of the Queen's Tears Richard Francis Burton Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Nov 17, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 20
John and Kyle discuss another entry in the the annals of their Personal Appendix N. For this episode John choose The Dark Muse by Karl Edward Wagner. This story is part of Wagner's collection Night Winds, which features his most famous character - Kane the Mystic Swordsman. Check the show notes for more about Karl Edward Wagner, Kane, and this story. Including a link to an excerpt from The Dark Muse. The Dark Muse: Excerpt The Last Wolf Trailer (Karl Edward Wagner documentary) Karl Edward Wagner...
Nov 03, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 19
On episode of 97 of our sister podcast Roll for Topic, Chris and John designed a 1-page RPG: Prison Escape!. In this episode of The Splatbook, Chris joins John and Kyle to run the game. Enjoy! Roll For Topic episode 97 Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Oct 20, 2022•47 min•Ep. 18
Kyle and John are back! We talk about our own personal appendix N. What works of fiction have inspired us, and how they have influenced our games? Listen and find out! Appendix N Spirit of 77 The Dresden Files Krull Patricia A McKillip and Patricia A McKillip The Aching God The Trouble with Tribbles Star Trek: TNG Delicious in Dungeon LOOM Gideon the Ninth The Fifth Season Throne of the Crescent Moon The Fire Clown Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Oct 06, 2022•55 min•Ep. 17
Kyle is under the weather, so Tim Saucer stepped in and talks to John about playing RPGs with kids. Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon
Sep 22, 2022•41 min•Ep. 16
Kyle quizzes John about difficulty in games. What is the difference between difficulty, and likelihood? We spend an inordinate amount of time talking about sports. Sorry. Brindlewood Bay 3-point shot Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Sep 08, 2022•49 min•Ep. 15
Kyle and John chat about what they have been up to in their gaming lives. We discuss our recent Con experiences, Basic D&D, and everyone's favorite indie RPG - D&D 5e. Basic D&D GenCon Indie Press Resolution Possum Creek Games - Wanderhome Soul Muppet Grasping Nettles RPG Possible World Games Tyler Crumrine Tales from the Loop Vaesen Book Vaesen RPG Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Aug 25, 2022•43 min•Ep. 14
Today we take the sword and sorcery game The Wizard's Grimoire by the Bakers. We had a great time playing this improv PbtA game, and we hope you enjoy it too! The Wizard's Grimoire Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon
Aug 11, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 13
This week we are joined by Jess and Keeley for a game of Moose Trip - A game about moose who eat psychedelic mushrooms. We had a great time, and we hope you will too! Moose Trip It is true! Fiasco On a bed of moss Adventures in Odyssey 5E Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Jul 28, 2022•54 min•Ep. 12
We had so much fun chatting last week we decided to release more of that conversation. John, Kyle, and Matt talk about their experiences with running mystery RPGs. Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon
Jul 21, 2022•17 min
This week we bring Matt Wilson on the show to run a game of Cthulhu Confidential - GUMSHOE 1-on1. GUMSHOE Gams Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Jul 14, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 11
We are joined by the amazing Shel Khan to play Nate Treme's OSR game Tunnel Goons . Check out Shel's store ! And their website ! Corpuscular Randolph Mantooth Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Jun 30, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 10
Kyle and John breakdown their thoughts on the actual play of Swords Without Master we released last episode. If you have not listened to that episode yet, it is linked below. Swords without Master - Actual Play (the episode we are talking about) Swords without Master Worlds without Master Lasers and Feelings Honey Heist Post-structuralism Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon The Creatures - You! The Cocteau Twins - Violaine...
Jun 16, 2022•26 min•Ep. 9
The summer of Actual Play begins today! We invited our good friend Chris Salzman on the show to help us try out Swords Without Master. Swords without Master Worlds without Master Gilius Thunderhead Golden Axe Shostakovich First Cello Concerto Roll For Topic Map Crow YouTube Map Crow Patreon...
Jun 02, 2022•36 min•Ep. 8
F20 - Ken and Robin Talk about stuff Spirituality Spiritualized Cults Episode Critical Roll Phoenix Dawn: Command Against the Cult of the Reptile God Moose Trip The DreamQuest of Unknown Kadath Hamlet’s Hit Points Beating the story Hillfolk Gods of Pegana I am the sun part 1 At the end day Map Crow Map Crow Patreon Roll for Topic...
May 19, 2022•30 min•Ep. 7
