Panda's Talking Games

Show us how you….okay. Hang on a sec. [The screech of a soap box being dragged out from a closet] Real talk. There’s a lot of discourse currently occurring about bleed on a number of social media platforms. We don’t usually jump in on discourse (and have managed not to on social media directly) but we have THOUGHTS, dammit. We are not here to tear apart the original cause of the discourse, but we are concerned about the direction that it’s taken that bleed is bad, destructive, dangerous, and unsafe at all times. This discourse requires a more nuanced conversation, and fortunately we have this hour long format to take a stab at it! If you want to see some good thoughts directly about the current discourse, check out https://www.tiktok.com/@rufflejax on Tiktok. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

Show us how you slide some character beats into an action oriented game! Phil and Senda talk about the spectrum that is character driven games and action driven games, and how to push your slider a little more into the middle when the game you’re playing is intended to be action oriented. Also, hope y’all enjoyed Acadecon, we were super late on addressing this topic! XD Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

Show us how you play more games! Phil and Senda….both had quite a few weeks there, but we’re happy to be on mics again, even if we kept it pretty short. This week, we talk about some ideas for getting more games to the table — a constant struggle for the polygamerous among us! If you have more ideas, let us know, because we need help with this too! Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

No cliffhangers today! Phil and Senda talk about the second part of the question regarding GM brain and anxiety — some common GM anxieties and ideas about how to address them (besides just the old advice to practice). Are there other specific anxieties that haunt you at the table? Drop us a line! Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

Show us how you can use improv at the table to alleviate your recall anxiety! Phil and Senda talk improv and GM anxiety at the table, with a helping of other resources for practicing improv for gaming specifically. References: Improv for Gamers by Karen Twelves Episode 127 – Improve your Improv (yikes! That was a LONG time ago!) Perchance Never Unprepared Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

We’re bringing it back! Way back before the pandemic, Phil and Senda were well on their way to kickstarting this game. We’ve just picked it back up again and we’re working hard! We were a little overworked to have our standard topic today, so we had a chit chat instead. If this is your first episode, you may wish to go forward or backwards on episode to hear our normal show set up. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

Show us how you manage being REALLY into your game when not everyone is! Phil and Senda talk about the disparity of time spent thinking about a game between player and GM, as well as more generally when you are more excited about something than the people you are around. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

Finishing up last week’s topic (barely!), we’re bringing it home by merging in the discussion of GM brain with GM style and GM supports. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

Show us how you find the right kind of game for your GM brain! Thanks to a comment about a quick aside from a few episodes ago where Senda mentioned in passing that her attachment to improv GMing has more to do with ADHD recall than with a lack of desire or ability to prep, we’re on the case. Phil and Senda take a stab at generalized categorization of things that may be easy or hard, and things that may give you energy or take energy to use as a starting point. Spoilers — there will be a part 2 because we ran out of time! In case you are following along at home and it’s easier to have the categories written down, they are: Creative Analytical Executive Recall Meal train for the Baker family: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/lk908w/ Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda

Show us how you set a scene to give it genre feel and manage pacing! Phil and Senda talk scene setting — pacing, description and set up, spotlight, and participants — for genre emulation and tone creation. Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp. Find us on the internet or drop us a topic on our shiny new linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda