Bonus Episode - Robin Laws at The Kraken 2019 (a.k.a You and I Can Go Fight Some Lesser Podcasts) He was last at The Kraken two years ago, and so when Robin Laws returned in 2019, it was only right that we tried to get some time to talk to him again about what he's been up to, reminisce about some old products and get some hot tips on producing better content for aspiring writers everywhere. The Yellow King, Glorantha, Earthdawn, Feng Shui, Gumshoe, etc., the list of credits is too long to list,...
Oct 22, 2019•55 min
Episode 109 - Quickstarts (a.k.a Need To Know Information) A common feature of games these days, led perhaps by RPG Day and other thing, is the "Quick Start". An adventure, some characters, enough rules to play. Should be easy, right? As the lads discover when talking through the topic though, there's a lot of features people want from a Quickstart and they can vary in form and function. Dive in and hear about some examples of what's on the market, and hear the good, bad and ugly. Get in touch, ...
Oct 04, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Starter Sets (a.k.a. Double Demogorgon) Are they just there for bring people in? Essential tools? Collector pieces? Whatever you might think, starter sets are a thing (again?) now, with most of the main players producing one. Call of Cthulhu, Legend of the Five Rings, D&D, Pathfinder, Star Trek, Numenera and more... The lads talk about what they'd like to see in a starter set and now some examples stack up. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartparty Tw...
Sep 06, 2019•1 hr 5 min
Episode 107 - Electric Bastionland (a.k.a You Have Shared Ownership of a Child's Musket) Into the Odd was one of the lad's favourite independent game offerings of a couple of years ago, and now Chris McDowall is back again with his follow up, Electric Bastionland. Chris jumps in to talk about the imminent Kickstarter (early November 2019), what the design process was on the new game, what new and improved and much more. Plus! A five minute character creation session and other great content. If y...
Aug 28, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Episode 106 - Versions and Editions (a.k.a. d4 Damage for the Ill Behaviour) Don't remember the Edition Wars do you junior? Well, pull a stool, buy a tankard of ale and let the old timers tell you all about it... This week the lads go into new editions, versions and reboots. With special guest Mat Hart from Steamforged Games, the guys talk about why new editions come about, if they really change anything and if not, why not? Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Facebook: facebook.com/th...
Aug 19, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Episode 105 - Savage Worlds Settings (a.k.a. I'd Just Savage It) In the concluding part of their talk about Savage Worlds (for now!), the boys go through the some of the settings for the game, official and otherwise - as well as discussing what you can do for creating your own setting or adapting other things. Pinnacle Entertainment have lots of news on the core products, licenced goodies and an active forum too. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartparty ...
Aug 06, 2019•1 hr 12 min
Episode 104 - Savage Worlds Walkthrough - Part Two (a.k.a. Who Doesn't Like Rolling 15d8?) Savage Worlds part two, electric bugaloo. Who doesn't like cool subsystems and engaging GM advice? Savage Worlds has a lovely variety of bonus rules, including Allies, Mass Battles, Dramatic Tasks and more. The lads also discuss powers, magic and otherwise - plus the excellent GM advice section! Plus, of course, an overview of the game as a whole. Pinnacle Entertainment have lots of news on the core produc...
Jul 30, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Episode 103 - Savage Worlds Walkthrough - Part One (a.k.a. What Colour is Your Wild Die?) Savage Worlds is one of the lad's favourite games, they've been there since the beginning (arguably before!) and the new Adventure Edition is hitting virtual inboxes everywhere, with the physical products due in store soon (sometimes referred to as SWADE) - so let the guys take you on a walkthrough of one of the best action adventure systems out there. Great for beginners thinking of joining in, or old hand...
Jul 15, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Episode 102 - UK Games Expo and King of Dungeons (a.k.a Electric Boogaloo) The lads kick back and reminisce about the recent UK Games Expo, their seminar , people they met, things they saw and games they played. Also, a review of The Kraken spring break, other small convention happening and of course, chatter about the King of Dungeons Kickstarter that funded in just 13 minutes. Thanks to everyone that chatted to or otherwise supported the guys or the 'cast over the weekend. Good to get a game f...
Jun 23, 2019•58 min
Episode 101 - How to GM - Live From UK Games Expo 2019 UK Games Expo is the third largest gaming convention in the world, and the lads were there to chat to people, buy goodies and of course, run the "How to GM at Conventions" panel. With good friends of the show Dirk the Dice and Paul Fricker , from the Grognard Files and Good Friends of Jackson Elias respectively. The guys had an amazing time, and a great audience full of questions. Lesson learned - rephrase the question for the microphones! M...
Jun 03, 2019•56 min
It's that time of year - the UK's biggest gaming event is just around the corner. UK Games Expo 2019 is upon us and the lads have a good old natter about what to do, things to see and what's hot for 2019. Never been before? Just want to get excited? Happy just to hear geeks chunter on about gaming stuff? It's all here... Join The Smart Party and special guests Dirk the Dice from the Grognard Files and Paul Fricker from The Good Friends of Jackson Elias , for a seminar at noon Saturday of Expo, a...
May 28, 2019•54 min
Episode 100 - Centenary Celebrations! (a.k.a Here's To 100 More) Back in the mists of time, the earth cooled and then there were dinosaurs. Not long after Baz and Gaz were sitting round drinking whisky and solving gaming. It's been 100 episodes! Officially, in reality there have been many more, with bonus episodes, actual play and no one really knows what happened to episode 11. Good friends of the show Dirk the Dice and Paul Fricker come along to help celebrate, talking about the last five year...
Apr 25, 2019•1 hr 29 min
Episode 99 - Roleplaying Games of the 70s (a.k.a Watership Down Scarred Me For Life) Simpler times, halcyon days? Baz and Gaz take a trip down memory lane and go through some of the very first RPGs from D&D in 1974, to Bushido on the cusp of the veritable explosion of product in the 80s. Even the venerable and wizened hosts aren't old enough to be buying the games as they came out, so conversation is sometimes mere impressions of the heady days at the cradle of gaming, but don't worry dear l...
Apr 11, 2019•1 hr 24 min
Episode 98 - Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition (a.k.a Show Us Your Two-Tailed Comet) ‘So, what are you here for? Adventure? Maybe. Gold? Probably. Justice? Ha, that’s a flexible term! What’s that I see in your eye, that pious gleam? Oh, you want to do the right thing. So long as it’s well enough paid, entertaining, and fits with your political views. Eh, close enough, you’ll do, come inside and I’ll tell you about the job.’ So begins the intro of WFRP 4e, a grim world of perilous of adventu...
Apr 01, 2019•1 hr 39 min
Episode 97 - Dennis Detwiller Interview (a.k.a. Everyone Walking Around In Parkas ) Top guestage again dear listeners, the lads chat to RPG writer and artist Dennis Detwiller who you will no doubt recognise from Ennie-award winning Delta Green , Magic the Gathering, GODLIKE and much more - including Arc Dream's latest Kickstarter (at time of writing) Wrestlenomicon . The guys talk about the changes in writing and publishing games, classic RPGs, improvements in the industry and making a quality p...
Mar 19, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Episode 96 - Ken Hite Interview (a.k.a What If Vampires Are Snake People?) Top guestage again this time dear listeners as the lads chat to gaming luminary Ken Hite about Vamprire, Night's Black Agents, The Fall of Delta Green, Nephilim, future projects, novels, games design, ploughing the world's history for gameable content, pilum throw weights and much more! You can get more podcast goodness by listening to Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff (KARTAS). Ken mentioned Star Crossed by Alex Roberts, wh...
Mar 12, 2019•1 hr 15 min
Episode 95 - Dungeon Master's Guide - Part Two (a.k.a. A Thinking DMs Book) With a surfeit of D&D designer guests and other goodness, the lads round off their current D&D coverage with a walkthrough of the second half of the DMG. What old favourites still languish in the book, and what exciting new gems? How has the last few years of gaming and writing thereof influenced this tome? When D&D 6 comes out - will we even still have a DMG? All this and more is discussed in this week's bum...
Feb 23, 2019•1 hr 28 min
Episode 94 - Kate Welch Interview (a.k.a. Stat Blocks and Vegetables) Bask in the mellifluous tones of D&D game designer Kate Welch, talking to the lads about what it's like to work at Wizards of the Coast. After one year on the job, Kate describes her start at Wizards, thoughts that go into design, user experience and bringing skills from the video game industry, standing up and shouting with joy in meetings about vampires and what's so good about the Monk class anyway? Plus! Much, much mor...
Feb 14, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Episode 93 - Mike Mason Interview (a.k.a. "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn") Why vote for the lesser evil? This week the lads chat to returning guests Mike Mason, Line Editor for Call of Cthulhu at Chaosium . Topics included how to start out playing Call of Cthulhu and the thinking behind the starter set, latest gossip on new products, Greg Stafford's legacy, revision of licensees, producing fan content via Miskatonic Repository and more! Find the lads via Facebook , on the Tw...
Feb 07, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Episode 92 - Mike Mearls Interview (a.k.a. Hit Dice are the new Healing Surge) Rare treat this week dear listeners, the lads interview Mr D&D himself right now, Mike Mearls. We cover current projects, what it was like taking over the helm, design choices and some nitty gritty details and listener questions, among many other things. Very insightful, and a charming guest, we look forward to inviting Mike back in the near future to answer more gems such as "What the hell is a hit point?" and "W...
Jan 31, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Bonus Episode - Rolling Up A DMG Scenario (a.k.a. Stop Moaning and Roll Your Dice) Hot on the heels of our Dungeon Master's Guide overview (part one), the lads have done a bonus episode rolling on the tables in the DMG and coming up with some ideas for a scenario. If you've got a copy of the book handy, then play along as they come up with table entries and what they might mean. Think about what you might do. Let the guys know how you get on. What would you do differently? Have you ever used thi...
Jan 23, 2019•1 hr 14 min
Episode 91 - Dungeon Master's Guide - Part One (a.k.a. Generic Cleric) Arguably one of the most overlooked, under-read RPG books of recent years, the Dungeon Master's Guide has lots of interesting parts and deserves a more thorough look. Gaz and Baz take a wander through the first few chapters of this D&D staple and offer insights on the pages found therein! New DMs or old hands alike could gain something from delving into a staple of the RPG library. Looks out for a bonus episode, with roll...
Jan 21, 2019•1 hr 10 min
Episode 90 - Plans For 2019 (aka Your Motivation Is Down The Gym) Stuck for what to do in the New Year? Does it all seem to much? Too many games, not enough time? It's exactly the same at Smart Party Towers. This week the lads look at what 2019 might hold, how to get the most out of gaming hours, which books to read, corralling gamers and choosing systems and settings. Let's get some games in and all be even better players in 2019! Do The Smart Party a favour and head on over to the EN World sit...
Jan 03, 2019•1 hr 2 min
Bonus Episode - WFRP Actual Play The lads are joined by Dirk the Dice and Blythy off of The Grognard Files and Mat Hart from Steamforged Games to play some of the new Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay from Cubicle 7 . The brave adventurers failed Baron Von Horgen in a previous endeavour and now find themselves in Schmutziger, attempting to bring back the black sheep of the Von Horgen flock. Having had an encounter with the Stevedores' Guild, (you can hear more about that here ), our plucky band start t...
Jan 01, 2019•1 hr 14 min
Episode 89 - 2018 In Review (aka A Lot of People Give a Monkeys About This) It's that time of the year again - another one survived! Baz and Gaz and go through the games of the year, themes and what's hot right now in the industry. A sojourn through the upcoming games as well - discussion on why the new Savage Worlds might be more anticipated the Pathfinder 2 - and the proliferation of second editions, sequels and franchises. It's not just the lads of course, thanks to all the glorious guests, a...
Dec 23, 2018•1 hr 24 min
Episode 88 - B. Dave Walters Interview (aka Shine on You Crazy Diamond) Live gaming actor, streamer, DM, comic author, life coach and all round great guy B. Dave Walters has more strings to his bow than a harpist. You may know him from LA By Night, The Uncommon Trust, D&D, or various Geek & Sundry or other outlets (Top Ten links below). Gaz and Guest Host and good friend of the show Iain McAllister of The Giant Brain and Brainwaves podcast chat to Dave about streaming games, running D&am...
Dec 06, 2018•1 hr 14 min
Bonus Episode - Dragonmeet Seminar A special treat dear listeners! This week the lads were down in London Village to attend Dragonmeet - a one day convention. They teamed up with old pals The Good Friends of Jackson Elias to have a verbal wrestle on whether all RPGs were essentially just customised versions of Dungeons & Dragons. Due to live recording in fluid environment, some sections of audio may not be to the usual high standard, but the content is solid fried gold as always. Let us know...
Dec 03, 2018•55 min
Episode 87 - Rob Schwalb Interview (aka All Hail the Demon Lord) Rob Schwalb, our special guest this time is a veritable game-producing machine, prolific output for Shadow of the Demon Lord is added to by Occult Philosophy in Kickstarter. One of the designers of D&D, involved in everything from A Song of Ice and Fire to WFRP second edition - Rob has plenty to talk about and intriguing thoughts into game design and where inspiration comes from. Many thanks to Rob for coming on again! We lost ...
Nov 28, 2018•1 hr 1 min
Episode 86 - Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan Interview The prolific and talented Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan joins the lads for some gaming chat and excellent advice on writing scenarios. We cover the writing process, collaborating with others, creating specifically for convention games and why gaming books should be useful at the table, among other things. A lot of what Gar says makes perfect sense and our glorious listeners may wonder, as we did, why it's not just this obvious for everyone - but that's the ma...
Nov 24, 2018•1 hr 10 min
Episode 85 - Shane Ivey Interview The guys chat to Arc Dream head honcho Shane Ivey about the Ennie-award-winning Delta Green, GODLIKE, British small press games, publishing in the modern world many other things. Not only a prolific producer of games, but well-read fan of RPGs too, Shane has plenty to say on what's happening on Arc Dream and tidbits on other games and insights into how to run a game company. The Delta Green site has plenty of content, but there's great presence on Facebook , Twi...
Nov 15, 2018•1 hr 9 min
