TABLETOP TALK - Third Floor Wars
Craig Shipman
Do you love tabletop gaming? This is your podcast.
Who are the creatives behind your favorite games and content? How do they approach their work?
I sit with designers, developers, artists, writers, and creators and learn how they approach their work. I try to understand their process, inspiration, and methods for crafting their creations.
Craig digs deep into the work and uncovers the origins of your favorite tabletop games and the creative process that brought them to life.
Who are the creatives behind your favorite games and content? How do they approach their work?
I sit with designers, developers, artists, writers, and creators and learn how they approach their work. I try to understand their process, inspiration, and methods for crafting their creations.
Craig digs deep into the work and uncovers the origins of your favorite tabletop games and the creative process that brought them to life.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 26, 2025 • 1h 48min
John Harper (Blades in the Dark: Deep Cuts) ep. 257
John Harper talks with Craig about the Deep Cuts expansion book for Blades in the Dark.Blades in the Dark Deep CutsBlades in the DarkLady BlackbirdTalislantaDelta GreenPagan PublishingHow To Draw Comics The Marvel Way | Book by Stan Lee, John BuscemaAdvanced Dungeons and DragonsWatchmenFateThe Road - Cormac McCarthyThe PropositionUnderstanding Comics - Scott McCloudAvatar: The Last AirbenderAlien: RomulusMoblandSuccessionA Thousand BlowsPrevious interviews with JohnEpisode 192Episode 164Episode 108************************************Support the show for as little as $1 a month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145Example: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent board game podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook, Follow on BlueSky
May 19, 2025 • 1h 55min
Graham Walmsley (Play Unsafe, Cosmic Dark, Cthulhu Dark) ep. 256
Graham Walmsley talks with Craig about the creative process behind Play Unsafe, Cthulhu Dark, and CosmicDark.Back Cosmic DarkGet Cthulhu DarkGet Play UnsafeTunnels & TrollsToonGolden HeroesVampirethe MasqueradeTrail of CthuluThe Quiet YearAin't Slayed NobodyJG BallardTrophy DarkDarkenedHill and DaleMidsommarBlood on Satan’s ClawWitchfinderGeneralWickerManWhat Moves the Dead byT King FisherFall of the House of UsherBetweenTwo FiresWhite LotusSuccession************************************Support the show for as little as $1 a month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145Example: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent board game podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook, Follow on BlueSky
May 6, 2025 • 1h 15min
J Strautman & B Marsollier (Fool's Errand) ep. 255
I talk with J and B about their newest game, Fool's Errand. A Fool’s Errand is a tarot-fueled science fantasy game set in a vibrant post-calamity world of Androids, Humans, and those in between. Fools, go forth and explore realms both waking and subconscious. Beware: the Gods are watching, ready to manifest their love and rage as boons and calamities.Back Fool's Errand HEREStarfinderHoney HeistUpriver, DownriverTangled BlessingsMonster of the WeekPowered by the ApocalypsePlanet Arcana PodcastPathfinderFinal Fantasy 7Anamnesis************************************Support the show for as little as $1 a month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145For example https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent board game podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook Follow on BlueSky
Apr 16, 2025 • 1h 44min
Mike Hutchinson (Gaslands, Space Gits) ep. 254
Craig sits down with Mike Hutchinson of Planet Smasher Games and talks about the creative process behind his new miniatures game, Space Gits. We also discuss a new version of A Billion Suns and his RPG, The Crawling Chaos.Space Gits, Gaslands, Billion Suns, Hobgoblin, The Crawling Chaos, Daily Rituals by Mason Curry, The Infinite Game - Simon Syneck, Bushido, Vampire: The Masquerade, The Dunwich Horror, Tour de Lovecraft: The Tales -- Kenneth Hite, Bluebeard's Bride, Everyone is John, For the Queen, Nosferatu, The Witch, Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, Maus, Citizen Sleeper, Scum and Villainy, Blades in the Dark************************************Support the show for as little as $1 a month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145For example https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent board game podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook Follow on BlueSky
Apr 10, 2025 • 1h 46min
Paul Baldowski (Cthulhu Hack, Dee Sanction) ep. 253
Craig talked with Paul about his creative process and the game on KS, Dee Sanction.Dee Sanction KickstarterCthulhu HackMaelstromMork Borg************************************Support the show for as little as $1 a month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145For example https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent board game podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook Follow on BlueSky
Mar 30, 2025 • 1h 30min
Patrice & Leland (Changed Stars) ep. 252
Craig sat down with the creators of the sci-fi RPG Changed Stars!Get it hereChanged Stars is a sci-fi RPG set in a bright-yet-perilous future. Inspired by utopian-feminist science fiction and contemporary, gritty, speculative futures, Changed Stars presents a modern take on a post-patriarchal society. A diverse array of Frames provides opportunities for many sorts of play—ranging from taking on xenophobic separatists, cutthroat criminals, lethal machines, and otherworldly predators to forwarding scientific advancements across space to working a day in the life of your character as unexpected calamity thrusts them into a thriller.************************************Support the show for as little as $1 a month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145For example https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent board game podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook Follow on BlueSky
Mar 10, 2025 • 1h 38min
Jon Cohen (Tale of the Maniticore) ep. 251
Jon talks to me about his popular Tale of the Manticore podcast and One Shot in the Dark RPG.************************************Support the show for as little as $1 month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145For example https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent boardgame podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook Follow on BlueSky
Feb 27, 2025 • 1h 20min
Pick the right RPG with Clint (Claim to Game) ep. 250
Craig and Clint talk about how you can pick the right game for your next RPG session.Free RPG Quiz - Find a Good Fit RPG for your Gaming GroupOther Helpful Episodes or Podcasts Mentioned: CTG Episode 16 - Keep Your Eye on the Ball - How to Play to Your Strengths During a Tabletop Roleplaying Game, With Robin D. Laws - CTG Episode 18 - Don’t be Scared of Horror - Why you should give horror TTRPG genre a chance, with Kenneth Hite - CTG Episode 31 - Master Storytelling Like J.R.R. Tolkien - Lessons from Lord of the Rings with Aaron Airmet - The Final Girls: A Horror Film Podcast - Books to Level Up Your Game Master Skills: Lazy Dungeon Master (Paperback) - https://amzn.to/4hThN7T Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master (Paperback) - https://amzn.to/3EW1AQD The Ultimate Guide to 5 Room Dungeons (PDF & Softcover) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/303020/the-ultimate-guide-to-5-room-dungeons?affiliate_id=4263376 Mothership: Warden’s Operations Manual (PDF) - https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/484223/mothership-warden-s-operations-manual?affiliate_id=4263376 Honorable Mentions: Feeding the Monster - Why Horror Has a Hold on Us (Hardback) - https://amzn.to/3Qz3pFFTabletop Games Mentioned (these use Clint's affiliate link so show him some love) Blades in the Dark (PDF + Softcover) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/170689/blades-in-the-dark?src=hottest_filtered&keyword=Blades%20in%20the%20dark&affiliate_id=4263376 Shadow Run: Sixth World (PDF) - https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/460386/shadowrun-sixth-world-core-rulebook-city-edition-berlin?src=newest_recent&affiliate_id=4263376 (Not the oldman version Craig mentioned 🙂) Ironsworn: Starforged (PDF) - https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/391653/ironsworn-starforged?affiliate_id=4263376 Lancer Core Book: First Edition - https://massif-press.itch.io/corebook-pdf?ac=DpvFD5gDjhHDp TMNT and Other Strangeness - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/palladiumbooks/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-and-other-strangeness The Terminator RPG (PDF) - https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/398327/the-terminator-rpg?src=hottest_filtered&affiliate_id=4263376 Burning Wheel Gold Revised - (Multiple Formats) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/448187/burning-wheel-gold-revised?affiliate_id=4263376 ************************************Support the show for as little as $1 month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145For example https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent boardgame podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook Follow on BlueSky
Feb 26, 2025 • 1h 16min
Chris Casciano (Escaping Tynebris: The Dungeons) Interview: ep. 249
Craig talks to artist and game maker, Chris Casciano!Check out Escaping Tynebris here!************************************Support the show for as little as $1 month: Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145For example https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube Listen to an excellent boardgame podcast Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:Listen to Tales of the ManticoreFollow us on Facebook Follow on BlueSky
Jan 25, 2025 • 2min
An Apology: ep. 249
An overdue apology and talk about what is next.
************************************
Support the show for as little as $1 month:
Add this to the end of your link on DriveThruRPG to support the show: ?affiliate_id=1044145
For example
https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397612/Court-of-Blades--Scandal-Forged-in-the-Dark?affiliate_id=1044145
Check out our live-streaming content on Twitch
Don't miss our RPG Actual Plays, tutorials, and gaming content on YouTube
Listen to an excellent boardgame podcast
Go to the Writer's Room for 7th Sea Adventures!
Check out the great games from A Couple of Drakes:
Listen to Tales of the Manticore
Follow us on Facebook
Follow on BlueSky
