Episode 84 - Spire & One Page RPGs (with Grant Howitt and Christopher Taylor) A cornucopia of voices on this edition, as Baz is unavailable, but Iain McAllister from Brainwaves podcast and The Giant Brain blog in on board to help interview Grant Howitt and Christopher Taylor of Rowan Rook & Decard best known for Spire RPG and one sheet RPGs such as Jason Statham's Big Vacation . Join the Strata Kickstarter You can also catch the guests on the Hearty Dice Podcast, for your listening pleas...
Nov 02, 2018•1 hr 1 min
Episode 83 - Designing Scenarios Scenarios are what it's all about! Thanks to glorious supporters on Patreon, The Smart Party have pumped out a couple of adventures - one whimsical from Baz and another more gritty from Gaz. This week the lads chat about the process of designing their own scenarios and some of the tips and tricks they've learned from their own writing and reading (and playing) other peoples'. Struggle to write your own stuff? Wonder what goes on behind the scenes? This podcast is...
Oct 14, 2018•1 hr 10 min
Episode 82 - First Time DM Experience It's been many long years for Baz and Gaz, hazy memories of early games lost to the mists of time. What was it like to run that very first game? Well, that lads can't remember, that's for sure, so this time they're joined by delightful guest Nina (@humanbard) to talk about her first time behind the DM screen. Our guest has been playing for many years, and done podcasting and streaming, but that first time in charge of the game can be intimidating. But like a...
Oct 02, 2018•51 min
Episode 81 - Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000AD (Interview with Russ Morrissey) Attention thrill-seekers! Russ Morrissey, designer of the W.O.I.N system joins the lads to talk about his new take on Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000AD . A nostalgiac trip to the early days of gaming, inside scoops and future products, a view of the system, chat about how to make a successful Kickstarter and more await you! With the full support of Rebellion Comics , the art and production are in place, an alrea...
Sep 20, 2018•1 hr 5 min
Episode 80 - Patrick Stuart Interview (a.k.a Picard is my nemesis) More Ennie Award Winning guestage this week, with Patrick Stuart joining the lads. Author of such gems as Maze of the Blue Medusa, Veins of the Earth and many more, Patrick provides insightful chat on his writing process, inspiration and all things gaming from Warhmmer to OSR. Follow what Patrick is doing by checking his blog or get some lovely books on his author website . You can find much more of Dirk's unique art by clicking ...
Sep 13, 2018•1 hr 4 min
Episode 79 - Troika! Daniel Sell Interview Good friend of the show Ennie Award Winning Daniel Sell returns (last time was Episode 13!) to talk about his revamp of Troika! which definitely isn't Fighting Fantasy, winning Ennie awards and his delightfully hands-off publishing style. Fans of Hipster Planescape are in for a treat, as is anyone who likes something just a little bit different than the usual. Daniel publishes The Undercroft, a nostalgically pleasing hand-crafted fanzine, you can catch ...
Sep 05, 2018•51 min
Episode 78 - Teachers & Teaching This week the lads are joined by educators Pete Atkinson and Neil Gow to talk about how teaching influences gaming, or vice versa. Is the noble art of pedagogy something that helps or hinders young minds when it comes to playing games? With a teacher of primary, secondary and further education on board, the assembled classroom discusses what lesson we can all learn. Gaz mentioned a Data Science in the Games Industry course that can be picked up on the freemiu...
Sep 01, 2018•1 hr 9 min
Episode 77 - Satine Phoenix Interview Community Manager of Dungeons & Dragons, co-creator of Maze Arcana (with Ruty Rutenberg) and all around great ambassador of D&D and gaming in general Satine Phoenix joins the lads for some great chat on D&D, communities, sending people to sleep, D&D around the world, gaming in a castle and all sorts. Strap yourselves in for some delightful conversation and heartfelt chat about our great hobby! You can find Satine by looking for @satinephoenix...
Aug 21, 2018•53 min
Bonus Episode - UK Games Expo Chat Not too long ago it was the highlight of the UK gaming calendar UK Games Expo and Gaz went round chatting to all kinds of lovely gaming folk to find out what's going on in the wonderful world of gaming. Here's some awesome #content from his travels. [02:10] Paul Baldowski from All Rolled Up, Cthulhu Hack and other fame All Rolled Up [06:20] Sam, from award-winning Sins RPG SINS RPG [12:50] Julia from Lamentations of the Flame Princess talks about weird stuff La...
Aug 14, 2018•1 hr 19 min
Episode 76 - Jonathan Tweet Interview Legendary game designer and writer, Jonathan Tweet joins the lads this week, with news of his reboot of Over the Edge which you can still grab on Kickstarter if you're quick , great insights on D&D, Everyway, Ars Magica and much more. We get in a bunch of questions from our dear listeners and generous supporters and a couple of our own war stories too! Want to discuss further? Give the lads your view via Facebook , on the Twitters: @the_smart_party or em...
Aug 09, 2018•1 hr 18 min
Episode 75 - Ennies Nominee Review The gremlins got into the sound engine again this week and it's all gone a bit tinny. Never mind, the content is still golden! Maybe electrum. The lads discuss the Ennie Awards happening at Gen Con weekend. What's with the nominees, the process, the missing games? All is far grist for the mill - get the expert opinion on this year's entries while the GenCon masses cast their vote. Think of anything that should have got an Ennie? Give the lads your view via Face...
Aug 01, 2018•1 hr 17 min
Episode 74 - DIY Gaming (a.k.a. It's Only Got to be Good Enough) Back by popular demand! The Smart Party presents DIY gaming – what do they mean by this? A bit of reminiscing about how it used to be “back in the day”, a dash of OSR and writing your own stuff, and advice to stop creating and start playing! Already building your own stuff? Give the lads your view via Facebook , on the Twitters: @the_smart_party or email the guys directly! Enable the purchasing of virtual nuts and bolts by becoming...
Jul 23, 2018•1 hr 5 min
Bonus Episode - Runequest Actual Play As a special feature, here's some actual play of the Free RPG Day adventure which is still available at the Chaosium site . The lads along with Mat Hart (currently warming up to release Dungeons & Doggies read more on Facebook here ) faced the perils of Glorantha, as realised by Dirk the Dice from The Grognard Files . Something different to keep you going while we get more content for you dear listeners, many thanks to Dirk for helping out and doing an e...
Jul 09, 2018•47 min
Episode 73 - UK Games Expo Preview (a.k.a. Bring Back The Beer Bus) Spring has sprung, and that can mean only one thing, it's nearly time for UK Games Expo ! The lads are stalwarts of the show, and joined by fellow podcaster, reviewer and Expo veteran Iain McAllister of the Giant Brain to talk about what's hot, top tips and generally enthuse about the event. You can read more detail of his Top Ten Hit List here . Obviously listening to our excellent chat about Expo gives you all you need to know...
May 17, 2018•1 hr 1 min
Episode 72 - Downtime Abbey (a.k.a. You're Not My Supervisor) What to do with those pesky players when they're not delving in dungeons? How to convince the GM you need time to fanny around and go shopping for booster potions with real characters? Two sides of the same copper piece my friends, this week the lads talk about downtime or what goes on in games when you're not doing the core activity (be that punching orcs in the face or using Traveller to model Elite). What do you do with your time o...
May 02, 2018•1 hr 5 min
Episode 71 - New GM Advice (a.k.a. Your Job Is To Lose Every Fight) How do you go about running your first game? Do you want to be a DM, GM, LM, Referee or Keeper? Perhaps you've played for years but never run a game, maybe you've never gamed at all, is could be you tried running games and didn't really get on with it. Fear not! The Smart Party are here to help. The lads go through how to go about running your first RPG with everything from whether you should buy and adventure, to giving yoursel...
Apr 03, 2018•1 hr 7 min
Episode 70 - Dungeons and Dragons (a.k.a. There's this new game called D&D) There's a new hwatness on the streets that you may not have heard of. It's called Dungeons & Dragons and has loads of editions apparently. Who knew? Baz and Gaz have managed a couple of sessions (after finally making a save versus paralysis), and what's more have been on the same side of the DM screen for once. Baz patiently talks a sceptical Gaz through the joys of the Player's Handbook and they finish off with ...
Mar 20, 2018•1 hr 8 min
Episode 69 - Urban Fantasy with Paul Mitchener (a.k.a. Liminal Advertising) Special Guest time once more and the prolific Dr Mitch is on again. The lads talk about his new Urban Fantasy game, and indeed – what is Urban Fantasy? Does American Gods count? What about Young Adult novels? Liminal is out on Kickstarter with a bunch of stretch goals, all introducing different writers, Jason Behnke’s art and other frippery - giving the guys plenty to talk about. Mitch even sings at one point… but don't ...
Mar 08, 2018•58 min
Episode 68 - Roleplaying Games of the 90s (a.k.a. Gaming Like It's 1999) Let's party like it's 1999! Why not the whole decade? The lads take a trip down memory lane to go over the 90s (which only last decade right?) and talk through some of the key products, what's still hot and what's not - and maybe which games deserve another day (or never really got the day they deserved) in the sunshine. The episode is dedicated to Mik Reed, who was a familiar avuncular face on the UK con circuit. Sadly, af...
Feb 23, 2018•1 hr 20 min
Episode 67 - Greg Stolze Interview Gaming Legend Greg Stolze joins the lads for a great chat about his many games and what he's up to in 2018. Unknown Armies, Over The Edge, Godlike, Feng Shui, REIGN, Temintation Shock, short stories and novels - Greg has an impressive portfolio and plenty to talk about, so dive in and enjoy! You can hear about about Temination Shock on Greg's Soundcloud and read much more on REIGN and his myraid other writing projects on the Stolze site . Deliver gold pieces to...
Feb 03, 2018•1 hr 13 min
Episode 66 - A New Campaign 2018 It's the start of a glorious new year and the lads discuss what they've got for Christmas, how to start a new campaign, what new and exciting games they may be setting up for 2018 and other goodness. Do you remember Transhuman Space? That and more could be in the offing this year... Give sacrifice to the Patreon fund , and we'll keep attending great events, and recording more content for you, dear listeners. Both of you. At time of writing we're at a sufficient l...
Jan 13, 2018•1 hr 3 min
Episode 65 - Rafael Chandler Interview Author of one of the finest novels of modern times (Baz knows his stuff on this), video game designer and RPG creator Rafael Chandler joins the boys for a discussion about his works and many other fun things! Find out about Splatterpunk horror games, the enigmatic El Degollador (The Decapitator) from Peruvian history, how the creation process works for games and novels, why spiders are your friends, and much more! If you want to tell Rafael about your favou...
Dec 21, 2017•55 min
Episode 64 - End of Year Review 2017 It's been a funny old year. Or has it? Baz and Gaz go over what's been happening, talk about their favourites, and upcoming things that tickle their collective fancy. Throw a copper piece into the Patreon fund , and we'll keep attending great events, and recording more content for you, dear listeners. Both of you. If we get enough funding we'll dish out some fanzine action too - so tell your friends. Check out our spangly new Facebook page . Find them on the ...
Dec 18, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Episode 63 - Dragonmeet Review & Interviews After a great time as part of the #Podcastzone at Dragonmeet, the guys got together for a review of the event and also mixed in some of the interviews and brief chats they got while gadding about. Hear from OSR guys such as Luke Gearing [19:20], the Lamentations of James Raggi [28:55], the silvered tones of Patrick Stuart [34:05]; plus, what's new in Chaosium Line Editor Mike Mason's stable [39:50] and more Cthlhu style shenanigans from Paul Baldow...
Dec 08, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Bonus Episode - Black Hack at Dragonmeet The lands went on a jolly to Dragonmeet and have a full episode in the pipe - but along the way they spent some time in the bar chatting to David Black of The Black Hack fame, gate crashed by Chris Mc Dougal Donald Duncan Dowall from Into the Odd . Throw in a dollar or two to the Patreon fund , and we'll keep attending great events, and recording more content for you, dear listeners. Both of you. Check out our spangly new Facebook page . Find them on the ...
Dec 05, 2017•53 min
Episode 62 - Preparing For Dragonmeet If you're going to try a one day gaming convention in the Big Smoke, then Dragonmeet is the place to be. What to expect though? Baz and Gaz lead you through everything that's going down, provide stories of previous adventures, and fill you in on some tips and tricks, along with highlights not to be missed. Most of all, they look forward to meeting both their listeners there! Dragonmeet is one of the most vibrant tabletop gaming conventions and the largest of...
Nov 29, 2017•54 min
Ken Rolston, known for his work on Elder Scrolls (Morrowind and Oblivion), Paranoia and many other gaming successes, joins us for a chat about all things game related. From his long and storied history in the hobby, producing an RPG, the state of the video gaming industry, RPG tips and stories, to many amusing anecdotes, Ken was a delight to chat to. In his own words: subversive, perverse, deconstructionist, sophisticated, mellifluous, jaded and more; Ken is a huge personality in the gaming worl...
Nov 21, 2017•57 min
You're in a German Schloss, it's 4am, and you've been drinking and eating fit to burst. What could top this off? Chatting to President of Chaosium , Rick Meints about Runequest, running Chaosium, the fan community and ducks. Slurred words are obviously a result of being sleepy, and sound of enjoyment in the background is... well, people enjoying themselves. We recorded live and there is a bit of background noise, but the content, as always, is awesome. Help us get more content! Throw in a dollar...
Nov 19, 2017•16 min
Episode 61 - The Grognard Files Baz and Gaz are joined by Chris (a.k.a Dirk the Dice) from The Grognard Files , to talk about old, comforting RPG gaming. Something eldritch occurred with Gaz's voice and he sounds like a dusty robot, but never mind that, our guest has a syrupy voice, sweet and soothing as if from the Sabden Treacle Mines. The guys talk Grognard Files , old school stuff like Runequest, Games Workshop, 24 hour gaming advice and more! If you haven't checked out the Grognard Podcast ...
Nov 17, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Special Guest and Great Old One, Sandy Petersen (creator of Call of Cthulhu and mind behind Petersen Games talks to us about his upcoming board games, getting into Call of Cthulhu and his foray into video games. A fantastic German gaming retreat happens once a year in the old East Germany and this is one of several on-site interviews. As a result sound quality isn't 100%, but the content is! You can find the latest Kickstarter from Petersen Games here , created by Sandy's son and fellow designer...
Nov 14, 2017•49 min
