Fear the Boot

* (0:29) Ghost of Tsushima, Red Dead Redemption 2, and archery in schools. * (8:51) Starting up new games as old ones end. Fear the Boot’s . * (14:34) . Preliminary questions and contagious enthusiasm. * (20:56) Wayne passes the GMing torch to Chad. * (28:12) Building a game around a set of parameters: a group of good guys with a lasting legacy. * (34:33) A game in three chapters, each with their own era and setting. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:23) Brodeur’s . * (4:10) The  RPG. * (7:29) A descriptive and contextual character sheet. * (15:35) The game’s replayability. * (19:01) The art book. * (23:09)  on March 26th – 27th, 2022. * (25:07) Fear the Con on June 16th – 18th, 2022. The room block number is 2413940. You can place your room reservations , which should prepopulate the con dates. * (25:39) Food drama! Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:35) Brodeur’s syphi-list. * (3:48) Continuing a game after mass-character-death by playing in the afterlife. * (16:43) What happens to the characters that didn’t die? * (20:15) When a player can’t attend their own afterlife. * (26:17) Alternate options for science fiction games. * (29:00) The price of coming back. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Wayne

* (0:36) Press or entertainment? . * (2:41) , , and . * (9:57) The consolidation of our hobby. * (16:30) Shareholder vs stakeholder economy. * (21:48) An important disclaimer. * (23:03) Some possible bad news for the current iteration of OGL products. * (27:48) The disparity between RPGs and everything else Hasbro does. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Wayne

* (0:28) The scheduling crush of Christmas, and some love for . * (7:06) The many stories you can get from a single game idea, as demonstrated by . * (11:14) The greater number of outcomes possible in story versus crunch. . * (12:54) How prompts give you the framework to interpret and develop ideas.  and the . * (18:26) Having the right tool for the right story, and how too much freedom can become a problem. * (20:33) An odd aversion to adding elements mid-game, even though it’s the crux of character creation and other pre-game activities. Our episode . * (32:58) The vast number of online tools for generating random content ideas. Mashing games together. Hosts: Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:28) Brodeur starts off a game session with a cutscene, which becomes its own pun. * (5:02) Other media as a metaphor for how you structure your storytelling. * (6:50) Not withholding player agency for too long. * (13:26) Having to roleplay with yourself. * (16:11) Revealing information to the players. * (22:31) Read the table and manage the length of these scenes. Letting the players have an emotional response to truths their characters don’t know. * (28:58) Using cutscenes to set the tone for the game. * (33:32) How cutscenes can lock you into a particular truth. * (38:44) The value of scenes that lack obvious utility. * (50:46) Short attempts and immediate feedback are your friends. * (52:35) The added content . Hosts: Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:44) When only the shell of a character gets made, for lack of knowledge about the world. The episode where we previously discussed this . * (13:19) Using an opportunity in the present to expand the character’s past. The influence of other players in the process. * (17:01) The person with no past. Creating memories. * (26:07) Fixing on the fly instead of flushing. * (33:11) Players helping players. * (40:28) Your willingness to adjust, without allowing others to take unfair license.  and  of World War I. * (45:31) Potential problems and pitfalls. * (51:17) The plot opportunity created by new or conflicting information. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan

* (0:33) Brodeur went to Gamehole Con, and Dan can’t take other people’s money. * (8:08) How age changes what you care about. * (10:02) The end-of-year blackhole that consumes our schedules (and, by extension, our games). * (11:23) Brodeur loses his motivation to GM. * (15:28) Player satisfaction does not necessarily equate to GM satisfaction. * (21:49) Fighting the burnout that strips away your enjoyment of the hobby. * (31:28) The buy-in of the whole group to relieve one person’s pain. * (40:38) Letting go of the unneeded prep in order to get to the part that’s actually fun. * (48:49) Time and the other finite currencies of life. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:32) Fear the Con’s room block number is 2413940. You can place your room reservations , which should prepopulate the con dates. * (1:08) Brodeur’s second product pick from the con circuit: . * (6:13) The “World of Darkness” problem, when games sit too close to real-world ideas people hold near-and-dear. * (13:46) Why this occurs in some modern-day games but not others. * (30:36) Prepping for a game that will hit close to home. . * (35:43) GM-enforced conformity. When it’s more lifestyle than game. * (43:03) Brodeur goes furry in defense of World of Darkness. * (44:29) Going back to solving it in session zero. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:28) Dan is the new Brodeur. * (4:51) Fear the Con coming up June 16th – 18th, 2022. * (5:52) Brodeur hits a few conventions. We start by talking attendance numbers. * (15:33) The companies that were conspicuously absent, and those that filled the void. * (18:45) Was the change for the better? * (22:46) The problem of talking about problems. * (28:09) Companies may no longer feel they need conventions. * (37:12) Accidental engagement and unexpected discovery. * (42:25) Brodeur’s post-Gen-Con product pick: . Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan

* (0:28) Fear the Con coming up June 16th – 18th, 2022. * (2:54) Making a plot that’s personal to the characters, without falling back to cheap shots. * (9:42) If you don’t want purely violent responses, don’t rely on purely violent hooks. * (15:43) An example about a Firbolg. Our two episodes on West Marches games can be found  and . * (23:52) Finding out you were the villain’s stooge. * (32:33) Why overdoing any motivation can end in meta-game problems. * (41:19) Looking at the facts you know about a player-character to create something interesting to explore. * (44:51) Tying in all of the characters, not just one. How involvement creates interest. * (54:13) When the characters don’t yet care about each other. * (59:27) Fear the Boot’s actual plays can be found . Hosts: Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) Introducing Vece. You can find the Skies of Glass playtest . * (1:35) Brodeur continues hurting himself. You can find . * (11:35) What got us thinking about playtesting a roleplaying game.  playtest survey. * (14:43) Why you may not know what you need to ask. * (18:35) Taking feedback seriously, while remembering no one’s opinion is “right”. * (25:58) Testing obscure facets of a game. * (31:58) Playtesting the fluff (i.e. setting, introductory text, explaining the RPG hobby). * (44:16) Deciding the order in which you’ll complete tasks. * (56:19) Making incremental changes instead of over-correcting. * (59:42) Testing the minimum viable product and building up from there. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Vece, Wayne

* (0:30) Let the bodies hit the floor! * (5:24) Defining the “action economy”. The video of three master fencers versus 50 random people . * (14:57) Consider not using a lone enemy. * (17:48) Using objectives instead of enemies. * (27:37) The erosion of the Game Master’s enjoyment. The idea of “action equity”. * (37:58) The value of a cooperative table, where the GM and players aren’t trying to one-up each other. * (46:22) Setting the tone for your table. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:28) Dan’s situation with his Blades in the Dark character. * (2:21) The “play cycle” of an RPG. * (6:06) Designing a character that works in the play cycle, but not very well outside of it. * (24:54) Why not just play another character or revise the existing character traits? * (32:55) “That’s not what my character would do!” * (37:28) Adding onto what exists. * (48:27) An issue of sympathy. * (50:51) Chris Hussey’s AP for Pinnacle can be found here:  and . Hosts: Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:33) Brodeur’s ongoing work to blind himself. * (2:40) Gaming when down a person. Putting some parameters on the discussion. * (7:53) Avoiding cliffhangers that hinge on a single character. * (11:58) Subtly reframing the scene to obscure the unknowns. * (16:31) Get a few what-if tips from the missing player to help you guide the scene. * (20:33) Being flexible, not just in executing the situation, but also in adjusting the outcome. * (22:44) Using pacing to avoid the issue completely. * (40:54) When the player’s absence is felt by the party, even though there was no cliffhanger. * (47:18) Gatekeeping interactions with the absent character. Owning your choice to create a cliffhanger. * (53:56) Keeping your perspective straight. You can hear . Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan

* (0:24) Maybe combat shouldn’t be played to the point of annihilation. Violence as part of the human experience. * (5:50) The social contract of a fight. Jason Brick’s  show. * (9:43) Playing the enemies sub-optimally, or managing combat according to your strengths as a GM. * (21:18) The “soft” rules that different RPGs offer for resolving combat. * (33:47) The freedom that comes from what’s never seen behind the GM screen. * (38:54) GMing under the . * (44:21) The joy of an un-antagonistic table culture. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) Wayne gives a shoutout to Old Man Hussey. (Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a link to the AP he ran.) * (3:15) Brodeur gets us started on the joys of combat in roleplaying games. How initiative balances the spotlight. * (7:05) Why fight at all? * (11:31) Intermixing roleplaying and combat. * (16:09) Rolling back to spotlight management. * (23:10) Creating tension in combat through narrative or numbers. * (32:15) When the game doesn’t allowing for fudging. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:52) A love that makes Brodeur and Wayne uncomfortable. * (4:37) Actor has a seat at Brodeur’s table but doesn’t seem to enjoy it. * (10:14) The importance of looking for context and motive to understand a behavior. * (18:50) Someone else’s struggles don’t invalidate your boundaries. * (26:33) Getting perspective, possibly with the help of a third party. . * (35:49) Sometimes something has to be broken to create a new opportunity. * (41:05) The power in just talking to someone. * (45:08) The healthy and unhealthy act of venting. Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Phoenix, Wayne

* (0:27) Where’s Brodeur? * (2:00) Fear the Con Online, June 25th – 27th. You can create and sign up for games . * (4:04) Having patience for people, whether in discomfort or just struggling with old habits dying hard. * (6:42) Neglected gaming spaces and snack stashes. * (13:01) Change up your gaming traditions. * (14:54) Have minimal expectations for your first gathering. * (19:20) People may have fundamentally changed. * (25:43) Put together all of the gaming supplies that weren’t needed online, but are needed in-person. * (36:39) Consider adjusting the plot or chasing a side story. Hosts: Chad, Dan, Julia

* (0:28) And the cat came back…! * (1:13) Fear the Con Online, June 25th – 27th. You can create and sign up for games . * (4:00) As we get close to gaming face-to-face again, we look back at over a year of online gaming. * (5:43) It’s better than not gaming at all, and there’s no commute. * (8:38) The self-consciousness that comes from being on camera. * (16:19) No one has to host the game. * (22:41) You’re not away from your nest. * (26:26) Electronic resources are accessible from the same device you use for online gaming. * (30:06) Better isolated side-talk. * (33:04) You can game with people drawn from a deeper pool. * (34:16) The frustration of technical difficulties and missed social cues. * (39:25) Being home can make you a bit too accessible. The social flow of the game. * (44:11) You don’t get out of the house. * (52:48) The loss of tactile objects and environmental ambience, particularly when technology won’t come close to replacing them. * (58:10) Being stuck to The Chair™. Hosts: Chad, Dan, Julia, Wayne

* (0:39) Silver milk. * (7:54) Spotlight vs. validation. * (12:40) Being a fan of the players. * (18:27) Evaluating whether the idea is genuinely bad, or you’re just being judgmental. * (23:39) Asking players why they think their ideas would work. * (27:25) Picking the hills that are worth dying on. * (36:36) Not punishing someone’s moment of bravery. * (41:39) Why is this on the Game Master? * (46:08) The inherent risk of shooting someone down. Separating success from validation. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:40)  (or not) in a Mexican restaurant. * (21:16) Wayne’s weird skill of making eating interesting. * (23:45) A Dresden game gets a bit depressing, but not all entertainment needs the same tone to succeed. * (30:47) An engaging story, that’s true to your creative vision, is worth more than cheap thrills. * (35:09) Stories don’t have to have a single tone. * (41:12) Not wanting to be pigeon-holed as someone that has no range. * (47:28) The value of narrow questions and immediate feedback. * (53:46) Your story doesn’t have to be what you expected. Hosts: Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:22) Hating on Zoom, and welcoming Tex and Old Man Hussey. * (1:48) Welcoming author and former Assistant BattleTech Line Developer , and other/new Tex from  (his recommended episodes  and the ). * (6:21) BattleTech in the 80s, including  it inspired. * (11:05) Virtual World and early VR gaming. * (21:45) If Virtual World drove the nature of Clan ‘Mechs, then what real-world events drove BattleTech’s story’s other inflection points? * (29:45) Maintaining consistency and continuity in such a detailed setting. * (34:53) Is there a freedom of story-writing that accompanies a fundamental shift in the physical products? * (39:41) Attack of the tripods. * (43:16) Handling inconsistencies in the previously-written canon. * (48:45) Popularity and product runs. * (53:09) The bashfulness of new Tex. * (56:06) Real-world romances inspiring fictional ones. Hosts: Ben, Chris, Dan, Tex (new), Tex (old)

* (0:24) Blades in the Dark as a Charles Dickens’ book, rewritten by H.P. Lovecraft.  as a genre. Richard Trager from . * (8:06) Where Dan’s plans for his character diverge from what our game can reasonably handle. * (15:42) Balancing resources a player wants for their character. * (27:36) Not doing the work, but wanting the reward. * (38:38) The freedom that comes when trappings matter more than rules. * (40:15) Being fixated on a particular way of accomplishing a goal. * (46:13) Brodeur gives a shoutout to Joshua A. and…uh…something else. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) Sharing space with other GMs and three kids. * (7:40) XP and loot in a West Marches game. * (11:57) And a child shall lead them… * (19:22) Lifelines to sanity. Wayne’s . * (21:16) Player negotiation with the Game Master. Seven questions to help develop characters. * (29:17) When players want something without understanding its context in the world. * (32:37) An example from our . * (36:25) A big thanks to the people giving us feedback on the ! * (37:27) Back to the Blades in the Dark character example. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) Brodeur’s slamdemic, language choices, and current game. * (6:13) The beginning of Brodeur’s problems with Actor. * (13:18) Cue Ball returns with some insight. * (17:20) Why this might have been the wrong solution for Brodeur and/or a misunderstanding of Actor. * (23:42) Understanding where Actor is coming from. Why was Brodeur the only one addressing this? The much-referenced interview with Chad . * (27:26) The balance of power around the table. * (36:48) How would Actor respond to this in one of his games? * (44:54) The unacceptable solution: talking to Actor like an adult. Why Actor is better than Law School. * (54:21) A very mature solution to the problem, and how Brodeur ruined a 13-year-old’s life. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:23) Who is Amy? * (1:07) Why do we tolerate so much bad behavior at our gaming tables? Separating this topic from what one might encounter during public games (e.g. conventions, organized play). * (8:41) Friendships aren’t transitive. Also, perhaps we put up with the bad because it’s less than the good the same person brings. * (10:37) Opinions are identity. * (11:37) Hating confrontation while thriving on the drama. * (18:36) People are a bank. * (24:41) Social vampires that draw something they need from healthy groups. * (27:49) Issues of socialization. The cycle of abuse, and the dispensability (or indispensability) that comes from the number of friends you have. * (35:26) Being around too many people that are a lot like you. * (43:58) People are attracted to hobbies because they “fit” them, and ours is a hobby of ideas. * (50:18) “That’s the Game Master’s problem!” * (52:33) The mistake of not handling the issue. Hosts: Amy, Brodeur, Chad, Dan

An update on how COVID is impacting Fear the Con 2021.

* (0:28) In a world where… * (1:29) Laura is Lura, and now Dawn is Don? * (3:50) Explaining  and Powered by the Apocalypse. * (7:32) Transitioning the same characters from Masks to . * (12:44) The implicit model of every RPG system. * (17:17) Rebuilding the character instead of trying to directly translate it. * (21:40) Transliteration versus paraphrasing. * (31:06) Or just make a new character! * (39:02) The possible fragmentation of Pathfinder. * (45:04)  podcast. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan

* (0:29) Lura struggles with her own name, but we’re there to help! * (3:39) The flash fiction anthology, , is still available for purchase. * (7:43) Laura is starting a game for minority and marginalized people. You can contact her to learn more , email ([email protected]), or by PMing her . * (11:40) Wayne is also starting up a game, unrelated to Laura’s. You can contact him via email ([email protected]) for more information. * (13:27) Please be respectful. * (15:33) Chad gets interviewed . * (18:48) Following up on  to hear how Wayne’s resurrection of a game panned out. * (22:27) What Wayne did to preserve the game during the gap. * (32:40) Whether the game was started right where it left off or somewhere in the future. * (43:26) The value of equally interesting and banal game recoveries. * (50:30) Writing only what’s necessary to get things moving again. * (52:51) Getting Gnarl into The Sims. Hosts: Chad, Dan, Laura, Wayne

* (0:24) A literal F-bomb. * (1:27) The fishbowl of gaming in a game shop. * (16:22) The desired safety—yet expected vulnerability—of a public gaming space. Missing context. * (21:49) An allegory of pets. * (27:32) Please not just D&D. * (29:03) An update on Fear the Con 2021. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:30) The flash fiction anthology, , is now out! * (3:35) Love for Johnny Lawrence that no child of the 80s should have. * (17:43) Wayne runs The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men with a family audience. * (24:37) How an audience impacts execution of the game. * (29:18) Tailoring to audiences based on your relationship with them. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:24) Enjoying roleplaying as an artform. * (1:44) When desires collide. * (11:37) The opportunity to express or explore controversial ideas. * (16:54) Indulging a power fantasy. * (23:20) Stress relief. * (30:28) Interacting with a particular world. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) Brodeur gets back on the ladder again. * (1:13) Dan plays doctor, which gets us wondering what makes people want to roleplay anything at all. * (5:59) Why it’s good to know what motivates someone to roleplay. * (10:07) Structured social interactions. * (15:13) Exploration of self. * (18:28) Exploration of others. * (21:38) Escapism. * (27:30) The opportunity for creativity. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) General Bootspital. * (7:19) More observations from roleplaying in an MMO. Not using freakshow characters to make yourself stand out. * (11:46) The great, unoccupied average. Distinguishing your character by who they are, not what they are. * (27:35) How collaborative game-building can keep characters from being freakshows to begin with. The praise-worthy amount of heart that often goes into freakshow characters. * (34:20) The potential laziness of a freakshow character. Using questions to develop the character past that initial laziness. * (44:42) Sometimes average and interesting characters get made, simply because the person doesn’t realize what they’re playing is unusual in concept. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Laura

* (0:29) Fear the Boot: Quarantine Edition. Plus, Brodeur versus Ladder. Ladder wins. NOTE: Brodeur has not actually lost an arm or eye. I meant to say he’d lost use of them. * (3:57) Roleplaying in an MMO, and why I never thought I’d do it. * (5:29) My history with MMOs. * (7:09) Comparing an MMO to any other electronic play surface. * (9:41) Five qualities that help RP in an online game: environmental props, costuming, emotes, a thriving RP community, and private locations. * (15:17) Why it’s best to have a large pool of roleplayers to draw from. * (19:35) Tips for finding the right group a little faster. * (21:55) The unexpected quirks created by roleplaying so anonymously. * (27:44) Remembering that an MMO is just another medium of play. Hosts: Dan

* (0:24) Bringing everything together into a single ending. Remembering that the GM should get their say as well. * (8:05) The collaborative building of a world with conflict. The natural concern for one’s own creation. * (19:40) Differentiating the ending and epilogue of the game. * (34:50) Knowing where to let go. * (42:56) #SaveGamer…? Ask Brodeur. We’re not dealing with this one. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:30) Never humor Brodeur. * (1:17) Jason Brick is launching a new flash fiction anthology, with several Fear the Boot hosts contributing. You can find the Kickstarter here. * (4:23) The fine folks at  feed Dan’s Enclave addiction, and he repays them by referring to Wasteland Warfare as Wasteland Warriors. * (8:32) Discussing how to end a long campaign, as inspired by the end of our , along with an upcoming  campaign Wayne is preparing to wrap up. * (10:18) An aside on projects we’ll be doing between major actual plays. * (13:00) Hooray for even keeping a game alive until it ends! * (15:06) Why the expectations around the end of the game create unique stress. Remembering it’s not just the GM’s ending. * (18:22) Asking the players what they want from the ending without having them dictate the plot. * (25:25) Writing the ending in session zero. * (26:23) Getting back to the example ending from Skies of Glass. * (36:33) Accepting player freedom in their choices and giving them some responsibility for their own satisfaction. * (40:10) Respecting the difference between an individual character’s ending and the shared, group ending. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:24) Brodeur’s response to our critiques. Settling disputes in online games. * (3:12) Minis are just cool to create and use. * (6:32) A form of art and inspiration. * (11:40) The value to visual thinkers and visual learners. * (21:40) Estimating the percentage of groups that use minis. * (27:29) Minis as commemorative art. * (36:06) Three ways of consuming miniatures. * (44:03) , who did excellent mini-painting work for Wayne and Dan. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:29) Models, minis, figs, and toy soldiers. Brodeur proposes . Why Chad is wrong about . * (4:02) Minis in an RPG. Enriching or distracting? Brodeur’s  on the matter. * (15:36) What miniatures bring to and take away from the typical roleplaying game. Distaste for collectibles and blind box purchases. * (25:22) The added work surrounding minis. The need for more minis than you originally thought you’d need. * (30:34) The separate hobby—and required skills—for building and painting minis. * (36:55) The value in the mere presence of minis. Keeping things consistent. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:28) Brodeur’s , Wayne’s , and Fear the Boot’s . * (3:49) Looking at an updated view of the effect COVID is having on tabletop gaming. Setting some parameters on the discussion. * (8:47) The impact it’s had on our own games and gaming groups. * (20:32) How COVID is affecting the podcast. * (24:41) How COVID is affecting game creators, publishers, and retailers. Dan and Brodeur’s prior predictions . * (30:50) An aside on miniature wargames and Gnarl versus Unicron. * (34:28) The effect on manufacturing and distribution. * (41:42) Will COVID have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on gaming? * (53:04) The possible loss of talent from the industry. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan

* (0:30) Nagging Brodeur to do an episode of . Brodeur’s . * (7:21) Revisiting command structures in a game. Waiting to set roles until after you’ve had a chance to play your character. * (14:28) Your character isn’t their job. * (21:44) Not having a group structure at all, juxtaposed with the inevitability of interpersonal organization. * (31:39) Micromanagers in leadership roles. * (35:28) Putting some focus on whether non-command personnel are right for their roles. * (48:33) Unplanned shifts in role that occur during the story. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:28) Developing a GMing style. * (2:38) Defining “GMing style,” as it will be used in this show. * (9:19) Laura, as a GM who is running her formative games. * (12:10) Picking up helpful ideas from other GMs without losing your own style. Sticking with it. * (18:43) Struggling with a sense of detachment from the game, due to the number of things a GM has to keep track of. * (35:12) The influence of experienced GMs. Ignoring absolute advice, and how “Show, Don’t Tell” . * (45:00) After running about 10 games, what has Laura found didn’t work? Hosts: Chad, Dan, Laura

* (0:28) How this topic may tie into the next campaign in our . * (7:47) The particular struggle over captain, as opposed to any other position on the bridge. * (9:21) The attractive folly of choosing a reluctant leader. * (17:00) The difference between trying to shoehorn in the wrong player versus the wrong character. * (26:03) Getting the right player and the right character. * (30:40) “A captain makes my participation pointless.” * (31:08) What a good captain looks like. . The power of a title. * (40:17) A trio of real-world examples. (That was supposed to be True Dungeon, not Real Dungeon.) * (59:42) . * (1:02:26) Letting people find their roles naturally, during the course of the game. Hosts: Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:28) Have a game! And an online calendar. * (3:09) When one player asks for a very specific game. * (9:08) Determining exactly what they want from this game. Yes, Chad, Green Squadron . * (11:18) Does the rest of the group want to participate in this game? * (12:40) An intentionally difficult example with . Restraining yourself as the subject-matter expert. * (18:32) Asking the requester to give spotlight to the other players while limiting their own. * (29:54) Now you have to sell it! * (31:17) Switching back to Green Squadron, which presents a different set of problems and opportunities. * (36:53) The value of a beloved but unremarkable character. * (40:47) Not abusing meta-game knowledge. * (50:13) Be prepared to concede as much as you’re asking for. Self-inflicted insignificance. Hosts: Chad, Dan, Wayne

* (0:24) Introducing Zylo and reintroducing Chris. * (0:49) A brief history of Fear the Conline. * (3:42) The dual novelty of running a con game and online game. * (7:10) Position the screen below the camera. * (9:02) Allowing for early communication between the GMs and players. * (11:52) The  Zylo made. Allowing time to setup the expected game-play tools. * (19:07) The degree to which an online con feels like a regular con. * (27:58) The length of game slots. * (33:27) Issues with communication and coordination. Timezones. * (42:10) Panels, seminars, and streaming events. * (46:00) A roundup of final thoughts. Fear the Boot’s . Hosts: Chris, Dale, Laura, Wayne, Zylo

* (0:29) Are there TWO soulless gingers on the show!? * (4:03) Minnesotans and their grey ducks. * (6:03) Lura explains her tarot deck and witchery. * (14:37) A reading for Gnarl. The . * (26:22) A reading to give Wayne game advice.  * (39:30) A reading on Dan’s love life. The . Hosts: Chad, Dan, Laura, Wayne

* (0:29) Bad Brodeur gets bashful. Lura and finding God’s love in F7. * (8:13) Dan prepares to run a West Marches game. You can find our prior episodes on West Marches  and . * (11:02) The fresh perspective children and new gamers bring to the table. * (21:31) Working player-to-GM collaboration into a setting-driven game. Worldographer by . * (29:05) Growing your GMing skills by limiting your rating. * (46:26) Collaborating with parents to build the boundaries of the game. * (51:54) West Marches: After Dark. Maintaining continuity after a more adult session. * (55:47) Increasing the disconnect between the game and real-life horrors. Hosts: Brodeur, Chad, Dan, Laura

* (0:37) Wayne has to rather abruptly put his Dresden Files game on hold. * (10:46) The added difficulty of an ending you couldn’t plan for. * (11:47) Remembering where you left off. Taking a record of what both the GM and players remember and care about. * (24:13) Using audio instead of written notes. * (27:03) Finding game-oriented activities you can do in the interim. * (31:05) Using game-related prose. * (38:20) Time jump? Or pick up where the last game left off? * (44:30) Pacing yourself and picking the best ideeas. * (49:55) Fear the Con Online, coming up on June 19th – 20th. The promo video  and the signup site . Hosts: Chad, Dan, Laura, Wayne

* (0:29) Unplugged cables and the ever-moving studio. * (4:20) The cost of a press pass. * (6:10) The hardest thing to do in a horror game. * (10:35) The lack of . When Pat was . * (23:01) Cutting away reality to nurture a new kind of fear. * (26:17) Displacing tension into the place of fear. Keith Curtis’ alien puppet. * (33:32) Starting with control of the gaming environment. * (37:10) Not taking this as license to terrorize or traumatize the non-consenting. * (38:31) Misdirecting so the familiar feels unfamiliar. * (43:49) Keeping the pacing up and downtime down. * (49:59) Fear the Con Online, coming up on June 19th – 20th. The promo video  and the signup site . Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Laura, Wayne