The Table Dragon The Table Dragon

In which we talk about various approaches to planning coherent and successful rpg campaigns.
- Modules and Railroading
- The improv/spontaneous/"ideas-in-a-cloud" approach
- Event-based approaches; the campaign "timeline"
- Site/Setting-based approaches; here's what's going on - get involved where you like
- Having PCs decisions make a real impact on the game and world
- The Group Template, tailoring the campaign to the PCs, giving the characters a personal stake
- Player/Character-based approaches
- Recap

In which we talk about running horror games.  Our perspectives on what it takes to make a really good horror game, some useful tools and tips, and things to watch out for.
- Horror Scenes vs Horror Campaigns
- Laying the Groundwork / Player Buy-In
- What *is* a "Horror Game"?
- Be Up-Front, or Count on Players to Pick Up Your Cues
- Table Atmosphere: Focus, Lighting, Ambience, Audio
- The Uncanny vs. The "Powerful"
- Just a Bit "Off"
- Investigation & Mystery: More Questions Than Answers
- To D&D or Not to D&D: That Is The Question (or, "Choose the Right System For Your Group")
- Description: Technique, Tone, and Delivery
- Recap

In which we talk about encouraging passive, unengaged, or otherwise minimal-effort gamers to get a little deeper into character, narrative, and roleplaying.  Plus the usual tangents and related bits.
- The 'problem' and what it means
- Passive players
- Pushing the player's buttons
- Setting the expectations
- Giving cues, planting seeds
- Using the alpha player
- Don't be adversarial as a GM
- Look for opportunities
- Pay off the risk / make it worth it
- Extension of self vs independent characters
- Character evolution
- In Sum

In which we talk to Keith Baker and Jenn Ellis of Twogether Studios about Illimat - the modern classic card game they dreamed up with the Decemberists.
Editor's Note: Technical issues resulted in a somewhat garbled audio quality.  We attempted to troubleshoot this for some time, but time was short and we'd already rescheduled once so we decided to roll with it.
- Collaboration with the Decemberists
- The feel of the game
- Mechanics and design

In which we discuss the various forms of "problematic" tabletop RPG players we've encountered, and how we've addressed those issues + some related tangents.
- Is there really a problem?
- Differing play styles / what people want out of the game / knowing your group
- The Annoying Player
- The Disruptive Player
- The Checked-out/Inattentive Player
- The Player Who Runs Away With The Game
- The New Player
- Adjusting the game / changing it up
- Having a talk
- Killing/Resurrecting the game
- Doing something else

In which we kick around some tips for those new to running tabletop roleplaying games - i.e., "GMing" - and what to do when you're setting up your first session.
- A game, and knowledge thereof
- A Setting
- Something To Do
- The Preface and First Scene
- Pacing
- When things go wrong unexpectedly