Dice Exploder

TranscriptThis week, Sam talks with Tan Shao Han about stress from Brinkwood by Erik Bernhardt, a character resource originally from Blades in the Dark by John Harper.This is one of those episodes where to talk about the mechanic in question, we kind of have to talk about the whole-ass game around it because so much of Brinkwood is tied up in stress. And in this case, we really had to talk about two whole-ass games, because so much of what makes Brinkwood stress interesting is how a few small tweaks from Blades in the Dark ripple out through the design and lead to big changes in play.Get ready for the full firehose of mechanics: this is an episode jam-packed with delicious, crunchy examples.Further reading:Brinkwood by Erik Bernhardt: https://brinkwood.net/Blades in the Dark by John Harper: https://bladesinthedark.com/The Blades in the Dark discord: https://discord.gg/uXwCKq3Thoughts on Forging in the Dark by Small Cool Games: https://smallcoolgames.itch.io/thoughts-on-forging-in-the-darkAn Amateur’s Guide to Hacking Blades in the Dark by past cohost Michael Elliott: https://notwriting.itch.io/an-amateurs-guide-to-hacking-blades-in-the-darkSocials:Shao on Bluesky, Twitter, and his personal website.Sam on Bluesky, Twitter, dice.camp, and itch.Our logo was designed by sporgory, and our theme song is Sunset Bridge by Purely Grey via Breaking Copyright.Join the Dice Exploder Discord to talk about the show!

TranscriptThis week, Sam talks with his middle school buddy David Block about We Are But Worms: A One Word RPG, other lyric games, and experimental art at large.Some topics discussed include:* Art* Games* Poetry* ListsThe best place to find David is on the Dice Exploder Discord.But No More: A One Letter Supplement for We Are But Worms: A One Word RPGYou can find Sam on Bluesky, Twitter, dice.camp, and itch @sdunnewold.Our logo was designed by sporgory, and our theme song is Sunset Bridge by Purely Grey.

Game designer and Fate enthusiast wendi yu discusses the Fate Point economy, the balance between mechanics and narrative in role-playing games, the challenges of crafting aspects in Fate RPG, and the importance of specificity in game design and art. They also explore the concept of trying out new identities and discuss a game that served as a gateway to story games.

TranscriptThis week, Sam talks with Morgan Nuncio about cramped quarters, a move from Uncharted Worlds. Some topics discussed include:* Travel in story games* Making this move at the beginning, middle, or end of a scene* Moves as training wheels* Stonetop’s “keep company”* Wanderhome* For the QueenYou can find Mo on Twitter @SirenaBesos.You can find Sam on Bluesky, Twitter, dice.camp, and itch @sdunnewold.Our logo was designed by sporgory, and our theme song is Sunset Bridge by Purely Grey.Join the Dice Exploder Discord to talk about the show!

Clayton Notestine, expert on hexagons and RPGs, discusses the birth of RPGs, the advantages of hexes over squares, and the modularity of hex maps. The podcast covers leaving hexes empty for storytelling, hex flowers in RPGs, and the joy of drawing maps with hexagons.

Coming August 17th, 2023: DICE EXPLODER SEASON 2.(Here’s a transcript of this trailer.)That’s right, we are back next week with an all new season. It's 12 new episodes, 13 new co-hosts diving face first with me into the world of tabletop RPG design one mechanic at a time.This is gonna be a season that's a lot about flavor and vibes and how those things themselves are fundamentally mechanics in these games. We've also got a trio of episodes about different ways to depict travel, and of course a few deep dives into crunchy grindy bits of games.Our longest episode yet. Our shortest episode yet. Splorts!Tell your siblings and your niblings! Join our Discord if you can’t wait that long.See you soon. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diceexploder.substack.com

Expert Ash Kreider and host Sam explore character creation picklists in PBTA games, discussing efficiency, gender representation, and small character details. They delve into the impact of pick lists on defining characters in games like Blades in the Dark and Dream Askew. The creative use of pick lists in PBTA games is highlighted, with examples from Under Hollow Hills and Queer Sir.

Game designer Ryan Khan discusses the mechanics of Whispers in The Wildsea, focusing on player agency, open-ended lore, and devil's bargains. The discussion explores game design elements from The Wildsea, Apocalypse World, and Blades in the Dark, emphasizing the importance of setting and narrative twists in tabletop RPGs.

Greg Soper, an expert on Divine Favor and Agon 2e mechanics, discusses family drama in character sheets, Greek Gods as bad parents, and the challenges of hacking Divine Favor. They explore themes in games like All Quiet No Peace and discuss setting elements from Dream Askew. The podcast offers insights into player agency and narrative freedom in RPGs.

Ema Acosta discusses gender dynamics in The Watch RPG, inducing emotions through technical language, balancing misery with hope, and the game mechanics of 'Change The World'. Topics include rail shooter RPGs, crying during gameplay, and the emotional depth experienced at the gaming table.