Casting Shadows

This episode has quite a title, doesn't it? It's not hyperbole, but you may have to check out Umbramancer's series on YouTube for the complete picture. With luck, and your kindness, the parts in this episode will make sense. SEGMENTS: [one] an exploratory conversation About lethality As a feature versus story as a feature. Eloy Cintron, known on YouTube as Umbramancer, shares his practical application of all of this theory talk to D&D as we explore the metric by which he assessed my ideas on Layers of and Approaches to Play: Dungeon Crawl Mode vs Story Mode in Dungeons & Dragons. [two] calls for greater context from Jason Connerley and Che Webster [three] how to get involved in the discussion REFERENCES IN THIS EPISODE: [1] People and Podcasts of the Internet: Roleplay Rescue Podcast and Blog, The Nerds RPG Variety Cast, Keep off the Borderlands, Random Screed [2] The Elusive Shift: How Role-Playing Games Forged Their Identity (Game Histories) Jon Peterson [3] Umbramancer YouTube Channel: Umbramancer - YouTube https://youtube.com/@umbramancer5466 [4] Perspectives on Play by FreeThrall The Stochasium | Free Thrall | SuSubstack [5] dungeon crawl mode versus story mode a video by @Umbramancer on YouTube https://youtu.be/WybpOCUk7-M [6] #RPGaDay2023 NEXT EPISODE: It is time to talk about all of the immersions CONTACT ME: [1] Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) [2] Find me on Discord, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube @Runeslinger [3] Ubiquity Roleplaying System Discord https://discord.gg/WgnVvvze

This is an abridged version of a long overdue conversation with Scott Welker, long-time gamer and successful game designer with titles based in Savage Worlds, D20, Year Zero, and soon a system of his own making. Scott is one half of Thieves Guild Gaming. Our conversation is a full on, open-minded examination about focused attention in RPGs - otherwise known colloquially but ambiguously and unhelpfully as immersion. You can watch the full conversation, with its load of annotations and notes, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LdqytLSQd9oScott likes to say "Immersion is impossible!" We get into what he means by that. I, as you know, Dear Listener, like to say that immersion, like so many other things, is frequently misunderstood. We get into that, too. For added value, one way we explore the topic is through Scott's games and how they were written. Useful links:Thieves Guild Games on DTRPG, has just launched a public beta of their new OPENSIX system and are looking for feedback. As a system, it is directly relevant to this discussion. The game is currently PWYW and can be found here:https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/524225/opensix-zero-edition-take-back-your-imaginationFirst in a series of videos on Scott's first game, OS+R https://youtu.be/HaDi13UM21Y?si=dgRGHBnLRIDw6brdScott and I discuss the film: Zero Charisma https://www.youtube.com/live/dVXKIX78DIQ?si=oeIvKiePEcTp_WMIMy follow-up:https://youtu.be/X2TCg2cl9aI?si=PS_sEUrfL2wKmxYiScott's recent video on Autotelic Engagement: https://youtu.be/qHVyFOYRPgo?si=Lcuf10VFaZfFaT2vBlog post summarizing my basic theory of "immersion"On Immersion and Engagement in RPG Play https://wp.me/pTI80-3keA recent video from Bacon modelled on the above post and further exploring the points raised by Scott can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/live/iB_V-3V3KHc?si=7q83aGV8b93-Q_MmYou can contact me by e-mail at runescastshadows via gmail or by leaving a voice message through Speak Pipe.⁠Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast

I am joined by 3 friends that I am fortunate enough to game with regularly, Brian Courtemanche, Brian Gregory (Stochastic Agency on YouTube) and the indefatigable Ivan 'More Bass' Podgwaite. We discuss some gaming topics for quite awhile (made less through the magical power of editing) before diving into some off the cuff inspiration and improvisation with the first few prompts of #RPGaDAY2025. I hope you will join us and stick through to the end!You can find Ivan Podgwaite at ivanmike1968 on YouTube, where he talks about RPGs, playing bass, and life. You can find Brian Gregory at Stochastic Agency on YouTube where he talks about playing RPGs. You can find Brian Courtemanche on YouTube as well! So far, he has been reviewing short, light, takes on cosmic horror roleplay like the game he mentioned in this episode: Old Ones, Shoggoths, and R'lyeh.You can contact me by e-mail at runescastshadows via gmail or by leaving a voice message through Speak Pipe.Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcastMentioned in this Episode:Roleplay Cafe + - YouTubeRPG with DBJ - YouTube

This episode possibly resumes more regular releases of the podcast while sharing thoughts on some topics I have missed recently and on that gem of a system, Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying.Casting Shadows BlogSend a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcastRuneslinger - YouTube

Is Hindsightless THE most sporadic podcast on the Internet? I am not sure, this one must surely qualify for something in that category. NOTE: The recap portion of this video has been subtitled for your convenience. I have been putting up a in-depth videos on the YouTube channel lately about the nature of RPGs, so this weekend, with my thin strips of free time, I grilled up a recap as a sort of celebration of the great play I have been enjoying with Call of Cthulhu for the past year and a half, and as a possible on-ramp to getting into or at least enjoying the campaign vicariously, for those who don't enjoy YouTube. It was fun for me to go over our calendar of dates and events and spin that into a sort of StoryTime for the Casting Shadows Podcast. I hope you enjoy it, too. If you would like to contact me, please consider leaving a voice message via SpeakPipehttps://speakpipe.com/castingshadowspodcastIf you prefer text, you can find me @Runeslinger on BlueSky, TwiXter, and YouTube or at my gmail address: runescastshadows.Recommendation!If you are curious about a great exploration of Chainmail in the context of playing it as the wargame it began life as, rather then the product shoehorned into OD&D, please consider checking out the Diegetic Advancement podcast.

This nearly 90-minute conversation was made possible by the open-minded attitude of TrilltheDM, the interest of MercuriousAulicus and Black Lodge Games, and I suppose, the letter X. In it, we discuss Trill's recent video: Mastering Player Choice in Mystery and Horror RPGs and take it further than the original 10-minute runtime would allow, dive into its specific context, and in general have an enjoyable and interesting discussion. You can find the original video at this link: Mastering Player Choice in Mystery & Horror RPGs (youtube.com) This episode appears in its uncut, video form on my YouTube channel and is also re-distributed there in this audio-only version. CONTACT THE SHOW: ⁠⁠E-Mail⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Voice Message⁠⁠ FIND CASTING SHADOWS: ⁠⁠Blog⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Channel⁠⁠ LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE: Mastering Player Choice in Mystery & Horror RPGs - YouTube The Imagination series on the Casting Shadows Podcast Sandboxes: Layers and Vectors of Play: Immersion and Engagement: On Immersion On Attention Imagination and Preparation

This episode is in three segments. The first presents links and reactions to just a few of the cool posts I have seen in response to the 2nd week of #RPGaDAY2024. This is part of a series for each week of the event. If you have suggestions for great posts, send me a message with the links! The second segment offers some tantalizing morsels stolen from the freshly unearthed Mordavia: Land of Horror supplement for Leagues of Adventure, Leagues of Gothic Horror, and Leagues of Cthulhu by Triple Ace Games. The final segment runs roughshod over my own responses to the #RPGaDAY2024 prompts in unseemly haste! CONTACT THE SHOW: ⁠E-Mail⁠ ⁠Voice Message⁠ FIND CASTING SHADOWS: ⁠Blog⁠ ⁠Channel⁠ LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE: ⁠Autocratik Blog Halls of the Nephilim RPGNet Dodecahedroid Stargazer's World The Other Side Stochasium Triple Ace Games Mordavia on DriveThruRPG

This episode presents links and reactions to just a few of the cool posts I have seen in response to the first week of #RPGaDAY2024. This is intended to be the first of a series for each week of the event. If you have suggestions for great posts, send me a message with the links! CONTACT THE SHOW: E-Mail Voice Message FIND CASTING SHADOWS: Blog Channel LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE: Autocratik Blog Nerds' RPG Variety Cast Stochastic Agency JDRD30 Pink Phantom Podcast Mirke the Meek Podcast Dungeon Tutor Dekahedron's Joseph Gill Nolinquisitor Channel Creative Play and Podcast Network Miskatonic Playhouse Channel Hindsightless Podcast

In the first segment of this episode I quickly share some of my responses to the first week of #RPGaDAY2024 prompts. Later in the week ahead, I will be sharing cool prompts from other folk that I have found out there on the Internet. The second segment explores the structure and some suggestions for running The Great Campaign from Triple Ace Games for the Ubiquity Roleplaying System. The third segment is a quick overview of Ubiquity for those hearing about it for the first time. CONTACT THE SHOW runescastshadows AT gmail.com Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) UBIQUITY DISCORD SERVER https://discord.gg/cGedvmdG3h Products or Shows mentioned in this Episode: The GMologist Presents The Great Campaign (PDF, PoD)

This episode takes us on a semi-farcical journey into language and imagery to talk about the very necessary nature a lack of meaning and import can have to immersive and engaging in-character play. Curious? I hope so~ #RPGaDAY2024 infographics are available at AUTOCRATIK AUTOCRATIK: Announcing #RPGaDAY2024 for August Contact me at: runescastshadows at gmail dot com Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) Marty Robbins Gunfighter Ballads: https://youtu.be/zzICMIu5zFY?si=rTJvXrET_LKt9yFj

Get involved! Download the #RPGaDay2023 prompts infographic from castingshadowsblog.com to explore and share what you love about RPGs! CONTACT ME: [1] Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) [2] Find me on Discord, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube @Runeslinger [3] Ubiquity Roleplaying System Discord https://discord.gg/WgnVvvze

Links to the callers featured in this episode can be found below. This episode features calls from Sameoldji (link to his eponymous podcast can be found below), Jason Connerly formely of Nerd's RPG Variety Cast (link to his now complete library of podcast episodes can be found below), and Che Webster of the now intentionally intermittent Roleplay Rescue podcast (link provided below). Topics in this episode are the ongoing YouTube actual play series being run on my channel, and two different points about my recent conversation with Daniel Jones of Primeval Fantasy (link below) from the previous episode. Contact the Show! Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) https://www.speakpipe.com/castingshadowspodcast or @runeslinger for YouTube, TwiXter, Blue Sky, and Facebook runescastshadows AT gmail or leave a comment on the video version of an episode on my YouTube Channel: @Runeslinger Sameoldji's Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jean-franois-st-onge/episodes/0-Origins-and-directions-from-vlogging-to-podcasts-e2bg1rv/a-aaikrmm Jason Connerly Blog: The Nerd's RPG Variety Cast, er, Blog (nerdsrpgvarietycast.com) Library of Jason's Podcast Episodes: Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters Che Webster of Roleplay Rescue: Roleplay Rescue’s Blog – Murmurings from beneath the beard

In this conversation with Roleplay Rescue's host and seeker of immersive and engaging play, Che Webster, we discuss some blog posts about techniques that Che is trying out to get more of what he wants out of play. As that quest is near and dear to my heart, I thought others might resonate with it as well. We talk about making room for imagination, facilitating a more active stance in our imaginations, and consider how we speak to one another when we play. Podcasts mentioned in this episode: Roleplay Rescue Nerds RPG Variety Cast Contact Runeslinger @Runeslinger on YouTube, Facebook, TwiXter, Blue Sky, and others runescastshadows AT gmail https://www.speakpipe.com/castingshadowspodcast

This episode responds to listener calls dating back to the last two episodes of the podcast and continuing the exploration of imagination, memory, and attention as valuable parts of RPG play. Thanks go out to Jason Connerly, Spencer/FreeThrall, and Jean-Francois 'SameOldJi' St-Onge for the calls and the interaction~ Podcasts mentioned in the episode: Nerd's RPG Variety Cast Keep off the Borderlands SameOldJi - An RPG Catharsis Contact Runeslinger runescastshadows AT gmail Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com)

This episode responds to listener voice messages, does a surface exploration of the experience of imagination and gets into some practicalities about the benefit of talking about imagination with your group. Listeners are invited to contact me via the methods below to share their thoughts on their experiences of imagination. Visit the Casting Shadows blog at https://castingshadowsblog.com Visit us on YouTube at https://youtube.com/runeslinger or search for @Runeslinger For TwiXter, BlueSky, and Facebook: @Runeslinger Do you use Discord? Try me at Runeslinger#7592 Contact me via Speakpipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/CastingShadowsPodcast Thanks to: Jason of the Nerd's RPG Variety Cast Che Webster of Roleplay Rescue FreeThrall of Keep off the Borderlands (The new home of Movie Night1) Joe Richter of Hindsightless Links Mentioned: Whispering GM episode - Confessions of a High Prep GM https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-whispering-gm/episodes/Confessions-of-a-High-Prep-GM-e2dr5lp Roleplay Rescue discussion of the Primeval Fantasy setting with Daniel Jones https://open.spotify.com/episode/1JnSM0P6bTn4nR5Ja8Mrr8?si=Mm3nYZ_bROWlDUzE-q35mw

Preparation is one thing that can benefit from change if you adjust your style or intentions for play. My guest has recently discovered a desire for playing more and more in-character (moving toward in-character as-character) and leaving room for immersion to happen. WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/-01dPAKsvM4 MY GUEST: CRISPY of the @Tablerunner YouTube channel. Origin: "I'm an RPG enthusiast who came to realize earlier this year that I've only just scratched the surface of what the hobby can be. Now I'm focused on enhancing my experience and that of my players through 'in-character play.' I run an in-person weekly game that has been a going concern for 17 years and hopefully many years to come. I share my experiences as an old hand with a fresh appreciation for actual roleplay on my YouTube channel @tablerunner. You can find me on X at @cfourcrispy." Call-ins: I have received some great calls since the last episode and I would love to include them in this episode as they are relevant to various points made throughout, but I due to the length of the conversation (1hr4min) I feel it is best to frame an episode around those call-ins and any others that come in the interim. That episode will concern itself more directly with imagination. Therefore, there is still time to leave a message via Spotify (if you dare), Speakpipe, discord, or email about how imagination presents itself to you. How do you imagine a moment of play? CONTACT ME: runescastshadows at gmail Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) Social Media: @Runeslinger

Featuring a call-in from Mirke the Meek, this episode is primarily a first conversation between Daniel Jones of the Primaeval Fantasy RPG podcast/YouTube channel and myself on the topic of in-character play through means intended to facilitate imagination and hopefully immersion in the character's perspective. You can find Mirke the Meek here: Mirke The Meek • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters You can find my guest, Daniel Jones here: Primæval Fantasy RPG - YouTube and here (Podcast RSS): https://anchor.fm/s/7adf4c4/podcast/rss To contact Casting Shadows please leave a message on Spotify (be prepared for it to not function) or Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com)

Che Webster of Roleplay Rescue was kind enough to return to the podcast for another exploratory conversation about learning and guiding others in their learning of RPGs. CONTACT the podcast and leave a VOICE MESSAGE ⁠Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com)⁠ VISIT the Casting Shadows blog ⁠Casting Shadows | Interactive roleplaying interaction (castingshadowsblog.com)⁠ WATCH Casting Shadows on YouTube ⁠Runeslinger - YouTube⁠ Comments, Call-Ins, Opinions, and References in this episode Podcast – Roleplay Rescue’s Blog

The focus on Immersion continues. This episode explores how attention transforms our ability to perceive, receive, conceive, and imagine the imagined situations of our gaming into immersive and engaging experiences. CONTACT the podcast and leave a VOICE MESSAGE Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) VISIT the Casting Shadows blog Casting Shadows | Interactive roleplaying interaction (castingshadowsblog.com) WATCH Casting Shadows on YouTube Runeslinger - YouTube Comments, Call-Ins, Opinions, and References in this episode Nerd’s RPG Variety Cast • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters The Silver Key | Darkfluid | Substack Keep off the Borderlands | Free Thrall | Substack Podcast – Roleplay Rescue’s Blog Safer Fantasy Crafting • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters Spikepit • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters

This episode continues our survey of the topic of 'immersion" with the help of a meaty call-in from Safer plus a further look at the notion of examining the focus of attention through a split lens of immersion and engagement. Previous episodes on this topic can be found at links below. In addition, written posts supporting these episodes can be found at the Casting Shadows Blog: https://castingshadowsblog.com/2023/11/12/on-immersion-and-engagement-in-rpg-play/ On Immersion and Engagement episode: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/WLHX56euFEb Call-in episode on Immersion: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ZvjRf5euFEb Layers of Play episode: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/S1jutcfuFEb This episode features a call in from Safer of Safer Fantasy Crafting. In that response, he mentions a session of immersive play which was recorded and is available to listen to. That episode and more of Safer's content can be found here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sfc-saferfantasycrafting/episodes/Minis--Make-Believe---A-5e-Lets-pretend-live-play-err6d6/a-a4rln9n This episode continues ongoing discussions on theory and technique for roleplaying games. It has a series of calls from Jason of the Nerds RPG Variety Cast to connect us despite the month-long gap introduced by RPGaDAY and other commitments (such as tight editing and writing deadlines for RPG stuff) all the way back through the last few episodes of this season: Sandboxes, Layers of Play (Featuring Che Webster), and a practical example of applying these ideas to our play. This episode extends the conversation more fully into immersion as a topic for discussion and exploration. CONTACT ME: [1] Send a voice message to CastingShadowsPodcast (speakpipe.com) [2] Find me on Discord, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube @Runeslinger [3] Ubiquity Roleplaying System Discord https://discord.gg/SDxH9xQDfD