Inside The Table: A Tabletop RPG Talk Show

Mynar_Lenahan, IceColeBrew
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Cole (@icecolebrew) & Marley (@mynar_lenahan) sit down to talk about the craft of tabletop role playing games in this biweekly podcast.

  1. 12/01/2024

    38. A Screw & 3 Broken Light Bulbs

    In this episode, we recap our top games of 2023! After checking out a grand total of 82 games last year, Marley and Cole cover what they think is the most Innovative, the best story game, the game we want to play the most, the most "Us" (whatever that means) game, all the way to our Top Game of 2023. But first, some news: Riley Daniels is creating an Itch Bundle to support her local Trans Youth charity! If you have a game and want to support a great cause, join the google form here! Or if you want to donate directly, click here. Speaking of bundles, Jex Thomas of Bump in the Dark has created a itch bundle to donate to Pathfinders, a local, Milwaukee-based organization dedicated to connecting youth with housing and mental health support. Please offer your support and check out the bundle! Claymore has set out with the FIST JAM IV currently live and ask you to finish your supplement! Create your offering to the FIST community and submit to the FIST jam. Marley finds the joys of Project Zomboid! Cole tries to find 10 candles during New Years and fails to! On to TTRPGs, Marley shares his experience with Evil Hat's Playtest of Abyssal by Ash Cheshire and Lara Paige Turner, a new refreshing take on Forged in The Dark about humans, monsters, and those in between. Abyssal provides new takes on playbooks, and has 3 times and settings from which the players can explore the horrors of the abyss. Cole checks out the Fall of House Prosh by NotWritingGames, a sci-fi tragedy and melodrama that is staged similarly to a play. Join one of 3 factions and gain or spend tokens in order to bring your faction (or yourself) to power after the death of the Emperor. Finally, on to the main topic: The games of 2023! We had 5 categories to consider this year, and we want to know: What was your favorite TTRPG of the past year? Featuring Cole (⁠⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠⁠) and Marley (⁠⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠⁠). Produced by Cole, as well. Follow Inside The Table on ⁠⁠your Social Media of Choice⁠⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to ⁠InsideTheTable@gmail.com⁠!  And support us via ⁠our Patreon

    1h 56m

  2. 06/12/2023

    37. The Exhumed Skeleton

    In this episode, we talk about how notions of plagiarism, inspiration, and copyright fit into the TTRPG space. We both watched Hbomberguy’s recent video Plagiarism and You(Tube) so that’s where our heads are at. But first, Marley has finished Alan Wake 2 (it’s fuckin great), then started and stopped playing Hunt: Showdown after convincing himself he was good at shooters after playing lots of Fortnite. Then Cole has brief breaking news about a court case in progress about AI art! Cole also checked out Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, and even found time to learn fighting games…  Then onto TTRPGs! After reading Mothership last episode, Marley has been on an OSR kick and stumbled across RAD by ¡Hipólita!, a Metro 2033-inspired post-apocalypse TTRPG. It’s everything he wished Mothership was, particularly given how it’s clearly inspired by non-OSR systems. GMs have a lot more agency and it's thrilling to see a modern iteration. Meanwhile, Cole stumbled across The Marvelous Children of Inang-Uri by Momatoes, a generational world-building game set on the back of a living chimera. The game is itself a chimeric mix of Avery Alder’s The Quiet Year, Ben Robbins’ Kingdom, hidden role games, and even those complicated board games where you add up prestige at the end to figure out who won. Then onto the main topic! We both recently binged the gut-punch that is Hbomberguy’s recent video Plagiarism and You(Tube), which investigated several popular Youtubers who flagrantly stole their scripts from other creators and didn’t bother to credit them. So we take a moment to think about how that video fits in the context of the TTRPG space. How does hacking an existing game fit into that? How should we approach being inspired by other designers? And how does drawing heavily from an existing IP fit into that?  Also, shout outs to the Ind of the Year Bundle, which has Rad, Planet Fist, and a bunch of games we’re very excited for!  Featuring Cole (⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠) and Marley (⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠). Produced by Marley, as well. Follow Inside The Table on ⁠your Social Media of Choice⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to InsideTheTable@gmail.com!  And support us via our Patreon!

    1h 38m

  3. 20/11/2023

    36. He's Not A Jonas Brother

    In this episode, Cole & Marley discuss video games that utilize TTRPG mechanics... But first... the strike has ended! Cole & Marley catch up on various films and tv shows that they have seen while the strike was ongoing (05:00). Marley shares his experience with Alan Wake 2, and the unique feel of the game as a part of the horror genre! (19:00) As for TTRPGS... Cole talks about Outward Bound by Penflower Ink (26:00), a Four Points System Sci-fi game about researching and exploring an asteroid belt known as the Teyn Belt which falls to a mysterious effect known as The Tide. Penflower Ink make a strong setting to support their new system, and it gives space to explore the relationships of your crew and of space itself. Marley discusses Mothership by Sean McCoy of Tuesday Knight Games, a sci-fi horror game based on films such as Alien (48:30). Mothership offers a rule-heavy set of explanations for clocks, items, and skill trees. The rules of the game provide a mechanic or dice roll for almost every situation, and the skill tree is far-reaching, diverse and covers every situation. Then, in the main topic, in which Cole points out the variety of approaches where games applied TTRPG styles to their games (1:10:02). Then, on to shout outs (1:41:00): Cole is continuing to work on CalazCon a Beam Saber Mega Actual Play project. Keep an eye on their Patreon for more! Cole is broadcasting more esports matches on their Twitch channel! Follow them on Twitch and turn on notifications to be alerted for when he goes live! Marley has released a new game: LET JUSTICE BE DONE, a one-shot murder mystery where you play as Consulting Detectives who use their skills of deduction to discover (and invent) Clues to frame the wealthy for crimes they absolutely didn't commit. Games for Gaza Bundle has concluded and raised a lot of money for a great cause. Marley is a part of the Strange Squad Kickstarter as a writer and designer for Code V! Featuring Marley (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) & Cole (⁠⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠⁠) Produced by Cole. Follow Inside The Table on ⁠your Social Media of Choice⁠⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to InsideTheTable@gmail.com!  And support us via our⁠ Patreon⁠!

    1h 54m

  4. 20/10/2023

    35. It's Not Water

    In this episode, Cole asks Marley for a post-mortem on his most recently released project: Salvager's Isle, a Bump In The Dark supplement made for the Iron Country Autumn Bump In The Dark Jam. But first... Cole talks about how they found a kitten and brought it home (08:00)! Now it has moved in and refuses to pay rent! He then goes on to talk about his past weekend producing and commentating for a charity tournament in Rocket League over the previous weekend (18:00) Marley shares his sorrows in finding the perfect game (21:00). Here is a hint: it is not Fortnite, nor Quantum Break, nor even The Lamplighters League. Please, assist Marley on this grand quest to find the perfect game, and send your recommendations to InsideTheTable@gmail.com As for TTRPGS... Marley talks about Crush Depth Apparition by Amanda Lee Franck (0:29:00), a survival horror game about enduring deep sea travel as a spectral labyrinth grows out from inside your submarine. It's a unique d20 game with fantastic tools for horror, but how does it hold up as a system? Cole explores The Hidden Isle by Causa Creations (0:39:00), a Kickstarter project that boasts a re-imagined Forged In the Dark system utilizing tarot cards instead of dice. With a fresh take on how to approach consequences, downtimes, companions, and even magic, this game offers a whole new perspective on how FitD systems can be approached. Finally, Marley talks about Eat The Reich by Grant Howitt & Will Kirkby (1:08:00), a d6-based TTRPG about vampire commandos killing Nazis in Paris. This game has high stakes action, cool moves, and is the most beautiful fucking TTRPG we've ever seen. Then, in the main topic, in which Cole asks some questions about Marley's latest project, Salvager's Isle (1:17:00). Where did the idea come from? What inspired him to make this supplement? What is his end goal, creating so many supplements for games? Then, on to shout outs (1:48:00): Cole is currently producing Rocket League matches and commentating tournament series! If you would like to have them cover a match for you, reach out to them through their social medias! Cole also wrapped Fire in The Dark, a Blades in the Dark actual play on Huntsmen's Hydra! Check out the series finale on their twitch! Marley released Salvager's Isle! Try the demo for free! Strange Squad, a paranormal investigation game that Marley wrote an adventure for, will be launching its Kickstarter soon! Make sure to follow it to find out when it's live! Game Master Monday released an episode playing Marley's Paranormal Inc. mystery, The Ghost Storage Facility! Marley also submitted games for the Games for Gaza Bundle to support Palestinians in danger in Gaza. We'll let you know when it's live! Featuring Marley (⁠⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠⁠) & Cole (⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠) Produced by Cole. Follow Inside The Table on your Social Media of Choice⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to InsideTheTable@gmail.com!  And support us via our Patreon!

    2h 1m

  5. 09/10/2023

    34. PulsarPops (ft. Commander Pulsar!)

    In this episode, we are joined by Commander Pulsar, GM-for-hire on StartPlaying.Games to answer our questions about how to get started as a GM-for-hire, how to pitch yourself as a competent GM on a marketplace, how to balance the power dynamics as a paid GM and their table, and the best game for new-comers. But first... Pulsar talks about his adventures of hacking Horizon Zero Dawn into a Cortex Tabletop Roleplaying game, and his experience with the system (0:06:00). Cole continues with his adventures in Round 8 Studios' Lies of P and talks about how he feels about the genre the more he progresses through the game (0:25:00). They then proceed to talk about AEW's PPV event WrestleDream, held in honor of Antonio Inoki and his reactions around wrestling (0:32:00) Marley talks about the new lessons he has learned as he continues on his path as a freelance writer (0:36:00) As for TTRPGS- Marley shares his experience with ⁠Lovecraftesque 2e from Black Armada Games⁠ (0:43:00), a cosmic horror, prompt based tabletop roleplaying game with new prompts and a new streamlined teaching system. Pulsar breaks down what he loved about ⁠Hard Wired Island by Weird Age Games⁠ (0:50:00) ,a sci-fi retrofuture cyberpunk adventure about the far off future of 2020 boasting an easy-to-learn system and fantastic art on the inside! Cole looks to take care of beasts of legend in ⁠Sandy Pug Games' Monster Care Squad⁠ (1:08:00), a Powered By The Apocalypse game about solving the mystery of a disease while caring and fostering creatures of myth and magic across the land of Ald-Amura. Pulsar comes back around to talk about⁠ Project Perseus⁠ (1:26:00) written by Stras Acimovic and John LeBoeuf-Little, a Evil Hat Productions game in beta testing about spies versus the Supernatural in a 80s and 90s spy aesthetics and provides a new challenge in FiTD mechanics between playing field agents and the handler who runs the mission behind the scene. Then on to the main topic, (1:45:00)- we ask Pulsar about GMing professionally on a website called Startplaying.games! Pulsar shares where he started as a GM online, and how he came to work in the field. He also shares advice on how to promote yourself versus promoting the game you are running, especially with the unique and new games that many people may have never heard of! Then, on to shout outs (2:24:00) Marley is still in the office! He is writing games! Keep an eye on his socials for what is going on!Cole is doing esports commentary and producing local football games for Vype Media!Pulsar is currently running games at ⁠Startplaying.games⁠, ask him to run games for you at Startplaying.games Featuring Cole (⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠), Marley (⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠) & special guest Commander Pulsar (@CommanderPulsar) Produced by Cole. Follow Inside The Table on ⁠your Social Media of Choice⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to InsideTheTable@gmail.com!  And support us via our Patreon!

    2h 39m

  6. 22/09/2023

    33. Just For The Buffs

    In this episode, we take a listener question and talk about queer representation in tabletop roleplaying games along with our own journey with queerness and games... But first... Marley talks about writing as a freelancer and the difficulties that come with it, especially as a freelancer finding his feet (2:00). Cole talks about their experience playing the new souls-like game "Lies of P" from Round 8 Studios (10:50). They talk about the aesthetics of the world and the early costumes that have shown up so far. Lies of P is based on the Pinocchio lore and cannot wait to stream it on their Twitch channel. He also talks about wedding plans and how they are actually moving forward (19:00)! As for TTRPGS- Marley talks about Bump in the Dark by Jex Thomas (22:50) a Forged in the Dark Monster hunting tabletop rpg with a upcoming game jam. Bump in the Dark is about a group of people who have dedicated to their lives to monster hunting and solving cryptid mysteries. The game tackles the Forged in the Dark system with unique mechanics, new ideas on how to interact with the community, and a darkness that permeates all levels of the game. Cole talks about Songbirds 3e by Snow (47:00) a d20 based tabletop roleplaying game about undeath, supernatural powers, and blue dreams of the moon. A eldritch game that focuses on gifts, curses, and pacts guide the players through a land that has lost their god of love and the god of death sleepers forever in a moon. This game provides a variety of tools to lean on to explore a world that the characters can expand and fall in love with. Then, on to the main topic (1:04:00), we take a listener question (Thanks again Laurie!) about the depictions of queerness in tabletop roleplaying games! From how the game interacts with characters who are queer explicitly in their game text and mechanics, to those who do not do so except for the slightest subtlety. We even talk about our own experience in queerness both at the table and in our own lives as well. Then, on to shout outs (1:45:55) Marley has his game, Paranormal Inc Mystery- the Ghost Storage Facility, appearing on the October 16th episode of Game Master Monday podcast! Hosted by Jenny AKA DatKooby, PondPlays, and The RPG Goblin. Cole is getting back into streaming with their partner! Come watch Cole play games on their Twitch! Or check their socials below for game announcements! Featuring Cole (⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠) and Marley (⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠) Produced by Cole. Follow Inside The Table on ⁠your Social Media of Choice⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to InsideTheTable@gmail.com!  And support us via our Patreon!

    1h 60m

  7. 07/09/2023

    32. The Fracturing (feat. Eric Silver)

    In this episode, we talk with Eric Silver (Join The Party, Games & Feelings, and a huge number of other podcasts) about Actual Plays, D&D, and the podcasting business overall. But first, a lot has happened in wrestling since the last episode (0:05:39) and Cole fills us in: CM Punk (not Steam Punk) getting fired, the Monster Hunter Matthew Palmer, Minions (?), and… Big Meaty Men Slapping Meat? Then, as its Labor Day (at the time of recording), Marley follows up with an update on what’s happening with SAG-AFRA, specifically how they voted to authorize a strike for video game work (0:13:00).  (Unfortunately, we don’t talk about any TTRPGs in detail this episode, because it was a lot of work editing the interview and Starfield came out, so…) Then, we do our interview with Eric Silver (0:19:46), talking about how Join The Party got started, hacking D&D vs playing new TTRPGs, the assorted controversies Wizards of the Coast has been apart of, the focus on personalities instead of game systems in some Actual Plays, the precarious business of podcast businesses, and is D&D core to what Join The Party is? Then, on to shout outs (1:34:22): Cole’s taking part in an Org Battle for Rocket League on September 14th at 8pm. You can check it out on The Swordfish Esports Twitch channel. Additionally, Cole will be doing Rocket League commentary for Rocket Underground. Marley, meanwhile, is working on a Vampire: The Masquerade thing and is under NDA, so can say no more… Marley’s also writing an adventure for Strange Squad, which has just had a new adventure come out: Anti-Reality Dumpsite. And if you liked our last episode on the top-selling games on itch.io, be sure to check out Thomas Manuel’s excellent breakdown on the top-selling categories on DriveThruRPG. Featuring Marley (⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠), Cole (⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠), and Eric Silver (@El_Silvero) Produced by Marley, as well. Follow Inside The Table on ⁠your Social Media of Choice⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to InsideTheTable@gmail.com!  And support us via our Patreon!

    1h 49m

  8. 26/08/2023

    31. *Card Shuffle Noises*

    In this episode, we check out the best selling games on itch.io and speculate what qualities make them sell so good... But first, Marley has been checking out niche YouTubers (00:03:21), including a stealth camping expert who gives advice for camping in roundabouts and a fast food reviewer who uses slo-mo, house music, and multiple cameras to review mediocre burgers and tacos. Cole, meanwhile, went to a convention in full Sailor Moon cosplay and has endured the highs and lows that come with that experience (00:10:04). They offer useful tips for the best way to avoid paying the extra four bucks on a plastic cup and talk about how many great events they were able to see… We also spend some time not talking about movies, but continuing our discussion of the writers' and actors' strikes in Hollywood (00:14:15). Then, onto TTRPGS! Firstly, we check out the kickstarter for Eat The Reich by Grant Howitt and Will Kirkby (00:17:12). (This is the vampire-commandos-drink-hitler TTRPG, for those unaware.) With no game preview released, we scour the kickstarter page for info about the characters, the setting, the sensitivity consultants, and the mysterious new Havoc Engine that this game will be using… Cole’s also been gifted The Deck of Stories by 1985 Games (00:31:37), a card game which boasts that it “helps you create a legendary adventure in fifteen minutes.” But can it really? (Spoiler: Cole tries it live on the pod and comes up with a chapter from Lord of the Rings, so probably the answer is pretty much yes.) Then, Marley talks about Thinly Veiled by Chloe Sobel (00:38:48), an expansion of Good Society that adds ghosts, mediums, and spiritualists. Marley’s intrigued by it since it provides a lot of really interesting historical context to the belief in ghosts and how they might influence traditions and class relations. Then, onto the main topic (00:47:16), in which we take a look at the top selling physical games on itch.io and speculate what makes them rise to the top of the charts. Good art, community copies, a known brand, game jams, popular streamers taking interest, and, perhaps, a certain je ne sais quoi…  (Marley also gives a little background from his experience as a game designer as he accidentally got in the top 8 one time.) Then, on to shout outs (01:08:35)! Cole is about halfway through recordings for the CalazCon actual play (which you can follow along at their patreon). We also want to shout out our own Patreon, which has a bonus episode coming out in the next few days… Prolific designer Meguey Baker is also looking for support in her fight with breast cancer. You can send through donations here! Finally, Marley is gonna be writing for Vampire The Masquerade - Milan Uprising, a crowd-funded board game which has made over $750,000 USD! And Marley has also been writing and playtesting a vampire mystery for Strange Squad. Featuring Cole (⁠⁠@IceColeBrew⁠⁠) and Marley (⁠⁠⁠@Mynar_Lenahan⁠⁠⁠) Produced by Marley, as well. Follow Inside The Table on ⁠your Social Media of Choice⁠ and be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Also, send in your Listener Questions to InsideTheTable@gmail.com!  And support us via our Patreon!

    1h 21m
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Cole (@icecolebrew) & Marley (@mynar_lenahan) sit down to talk about the craft of tabletop role playing games in this biweekly podcast.

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