Mastering Dungeons

How is an RPG Book Made? (Alphastream Collaboration) While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording Teos made with Scott F Gray, sharing the intricacies of the process for creating an RPG book. This recording appeared in two parts on the Alphastream YouTube channel and we are sharing it here for your enjoyment.  Contents 00:00 Intro 00:46 About Scott 04:15 Who this video is for 09:09 Starting with an idea 12:54 When is my idea ready? 26:53 What to know when I start writing 39:04 Understanding words per page 43:00 After writing and types of editors 01:02:22 Development 01:04:10 Sensitivity Reading 01:07:10 Proofreading 01:10:11 Layout 01:14:47 Initial Layout Design 01:19:05 Flowing Copy and Word Processor Choices 01:24:39 Art and Art Orders 01:36:46 Bleed 01:39:26 Rewriting After Initial Layout 01:45:27 Don't Write in Layout 01:49:24 Final Proofread and Layout 01:55:34 PDF vs PoD vs Offset Printing 02:11:25 Offset Printing and Timeline 02:15:20 Crowdfunding 02:18:55 Rising Tide on Manufacturing and Shipping 02:21:12 On Collaboration 02:26:27 Support the Show Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Gamehole Con 2025 and Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: The Beautiful Mess of 5E! (Gamehole Con 2025) While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording of a panel at Gamehole con where Mike Mearls, Mike Shea, Shawn, and Teos discuss the many forms of 5E available both officially and through third party companies. We look at how D&D 5E was designed in a open way and how this impacts our hobby.  Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 269 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Brindlewood Bay’s Cozy Horror Cozy on up with our review of Brindlewood Bay. Being an elderly widow, cutting to commercial, detailing our cozy home, and drawing on classic TV? Sign us up! News: Eberron Forge of the Artificer, MCDM’s Summoner and Blackbottom, Cosmere Actual Play, and more! Contents 00:00 Clue Advent and Alien Evolved 03:32 Player Goals First? 12:34 Crawford Perkins Critique and Praise? 16:45 Eberron Forge of the Artificer is Out 21:15 MCDM Releases Summoner 21:42 Fall of Blackbottom Adventure 23:40 Initiative D&D in NYC 26:10 Cosmere Actual Play 27:23 Jubensha Grows Internationally 30:47 Nominate Most Anticipated RPG of '26 31:43 Brindlewood Bay 32:16 Game and its Vibes 35:30 Elderly Widows as PCs 37:57 Game Play Basics 39:44 Why the GM Can Push Hard 42:33 Gear as Your Cozy Home 45:08 PbtA Moves 56:35 Maven Moves 58:45 Being a Keeper or GM 01:00:24 Clues and Void Clues 01:02:42 One-Shots vs Campaign 01:08:09 Shout-Outs 01:12:15 What Are We Gonna Do? Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 268 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Can We Fix 1-Player Dragon Delves? While a full fix would take more work, we do quickly test a fix and find it is a ton more fun as we conclude our 1 DM and 1 Player adventure! News: Daggerheart’s Big Expansion, Acq Inc Switches, D&D’s Digital Releases, Leaked Financials, and more! Contents 00:00 Shawn is Horrified 02:46 D&D Version of Andor or Office? 11:18 Must Fun Single-Class Party? 15:18 Lorwyn First Light Released Digitally 20:32 Daggerheart New Expansion 24:26 Daggerheart PAX News 27:46 Acq Inc Switches to Daggerheart 30:48 Leaked 5E Sales Data 37:28 Free Fantasy Grounds 38:51 If RPGs Adjusted for Inflation 40:13 Temple of the Lightbringers 40:37 Stabracadabra 41:32 Crack the Sun for Draw Steel 42:12 Drakkenheart 43:00 Kickstarter Union Prevails 43:35 Baker's Doesn't Conclusion 44:07 Our Test So Far 46:59 1 on 1 Play as a Concept 55:25 Shawn's Proposed Changes! 01:04:21 Underground Jail 01:10:34 Yummy Mummy 01:14:29 Our New Solo Combat 01:25:48 When Mummy is Daddy 01:31:00 Facing Nibblecheeks 01:35:39 The Heroes We Made Along the Way 01:41:25 Final Thoughts 01:48:15 Shout Outs 01:52:04 What Are We Gonna Do? Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 267 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Does 1 Player Really Work with Dragon Delves? Shawn runs Teos through Dragon Delves and they find out whether the adventure’s rules for one player work. Spoiler: no, listener, they do not work! News: Mighty Nein on Amazon, D&D Challenging for Netflix, Draw Steel Codex, 5E on Demiplane, and more! Contents 00:00 FR Goodness 01:03 DnD Bologna Contestants - Die Egg Cup 02:32 DnD Press-On Nails 03:54 People Mag and DnD Wedding Cakes 06:17 What Should WotC Design? 18:01 Demiplane 5E Support 23:14 Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime 25:27 D&D on Netflix is Challenging 30:45 Draw Steel Codex 32:51 Codex Draw Steel Marketplace 33:32 Crack the Sun! 35:54 Amazon Warhammer 40k Shows 38:03 Baldur's Gate Adventure Jam Released 39:38 D&D Municipal Ethics Adventure 40:56 Beast RPG 43:55 Alpha Star Magazine 44:33 Darrington Press Seeks Creators 45:38 Dungeons of Drakkenheim for Daggerheart 46:20 DM and Player Gaming 50:06 Story So Far 52:00 Forest and Candy Trail 56:10 Investigating the Outside 01:07:05 Exploring the Interior 01:10:01 Taffy and Bugbears 01:14:22 Discussing 1 Player Combat 01:17:57 Secret Passage 01:22:10 Critical Hit! 01:33:57 Reflecting on 1-on-1 Combat 01:35:27 Saving Asger 01:39:23 Additional Thoughts Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 266 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Solo Actual Play with Dragon Delves! Can solo play work? Shawn runs Teos through Dragon Delves. See their ridiculous antics and what they think about the design! News: Daggerheart’s New Bloodhunter, Moonbeam Shuts Down, WotC Restores Educator Resources, HeroForge and Daggerheart Dilemma, and more! Contents 00:00 Playing All the Games 04:08 Reasons Why PCs Have New Features? 12:18 Lost Art of Dungeon Design? 22:47 Favorite Community Program? 27:54 Moonbeam Shutting Down 30:01 Organize Play Adds FR Options 32:58 DnD EU and AP Release Dates 34:26 WotC Restores Educator Resources 35:51 Daggerheart Playtests Blood Hunter 37:37 HeroForge and Daggerheart Dilemma 41:21 Solo Play with Dragon Delves 42:55 Using Maps VTT 45:58 Solo Play Rules in Dragon Delves 50:27 Adventure Starts with Fire 57:01 Saving the Halfling 01:01:41 Investigating the Fire 01:09:58 Golden Lizards 01:14:21 Mischief at the Bakery 01:28:41 Behind the DM Curtain 01:30:08 Shout Outs 01:33:38 What Are We Gonna Do? Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 265 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Shannon Appelcline and Designers & Dragons Origins! Renowned RPG historian Shannon Appelcline joins Teos and Shawn to discuss his new 4-book series capturing the amazing stories behind every D&D product from OD&D, AD&D, and Basic! News: New Daggerheart folio, Tales of Woodcreek starts with a bang, Free FR preview, and more! Contents 00:00 Thankful for community 03:44 Draw Steel allows roleplay? 06:38 Get players to make stuff up? 19:32 Netflix and Hasbro KPop Demon Hunting 20:48 Hasbro Q3 report 22:54 WotC Q3 results 24:07 Videogame costs 26:49 Hasbro's 45-50 shows and movies 29:34 WotC explains D&D well, actually 35:34 How big is D&D? 42:13 Are we getting a Dragonlance show? 45:15 Sigil will be no more 52:06 Daggerheart on class design 54:41 PAX Unplugged BIPOC demo days 55:37 Drakkenheart 57:07 Draw Steel recoveries and respites 57:52 Ending combat 01:03:02 Balancing adventuring days 01:06:23 Recoveries 01:08:12 Resting and victories 01:11:23 Respites and downtime 01:21:52 Project roll 01:23:34 Project events 01:28:13 Rewards and downtime 01:32:52 Shout-outs 01:37:19 What are we gonna do? Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Dive into the fascinating world of Draw Steel, where resting isn't just recuperation, but a strategic element intertwined with character goals. Discover how roleplay enhances gameplay and learn tips for encouraging player improvisation. Unpack the implications of Hasbro's recent K-pop demon partnership with Netflix, and delve into the financial performance of Wizards of the Coast. Plus, get insights into the latest projects, including a potential Dragonlance show and the retirement of the Sigil tabletop, all while exploring innovative downtime mechanics!

Episode 263 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Live from Gamehole Con -  Complexity in RPGs! We discuss complexity with our live audience! News: Asmodee Controls Lord of the Rings, Circle Magic, Biggest Industry Surprise, New Kobold Hires, and more! Contents 00:00 Live with pants 01:13 Gamehole games so far 03:53 Modularity of RPG for GM? 06:16 Odds of Dark Sun 5E? 09:06 What do I do this week? 10:05 Biggest surprise in the industry? 12:28 Survivability of games with financial changes? 16:22 Financial shift to premium products? 17:08 Asmodee controls Lord of the Rings 19:00 Circle Magic and New Spells 26:31 New Kobold Press hires 27:23 Your Creator Corner 29:05 Complexity in RPGs 29:46 Character complexity 40:29 RPG rule complexity 50:21 Thank you! Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 262 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Draw Steel Combat Encounters! Teos and Shawn examine how the Draw Steel RPG handles player turns, including forced movement, damage, and dying! News: D&D Hellfire at Target, Free Daggerheart Roll20 Quickstart, Drakkenheim for Daggeheart, Our Approach to Learn New RPGs, and more! Contents 00:00 Gamehole Peak Prep 02:11 Remembering Rob Weiland 04:29 Our Daggerheart and Draw Steel Games 09:12 Our Process to Learn an RPG? 16:30 Hellfire Club Released 20:03 Daggerheart Quickstart on Roll20 and Demiplane 22:07 Hellfire in Target 23:09 Hasbro's SORRY Mobile Game 24:05 Licensing D&D and MtG 25:21 Drakkenheim for Daggerheart 29:43 How Much Magazine Stuff 31:05 Designers & Dragons Origins Preview 34:29 Keith Ammann on Writing About Dragons 35:22 Allies & Enemies for Shadowdark 36:18 Jerry Garcia's Cosmic Journey 36:56 Fred Armisen's 100 Sound Effects 38:46 Draw Steel Combat Encounters 39:42 Three Action Types 45:47 Tactical Details 48:09 Forced Movement 53:10 Critical Hits 59:49 Damage and Stamina 01:04:54 Daggerheart Damage Comparison 01:10:17 Shout-Outs 01:15:39 See you at Gamehole Con! Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.