Misdirected Mark Plays

Regardless of the game, players and GMs have a tendency to get hung up on randomizers. The D20, the dice pool, the card flip. You know. The randomizer. They’re important but they’re just one part MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss making the most of using the narrative device of flashbacks in your games. Enjoy the show, and tell us your thoughts on flashbacks at the Misdirected Mark Forums. Announcements and Links MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry return to the Adversary Files to discuss another type of adversary for your games, the Faction. Enjoy the show, and tell us your thoughts on factions at the Misdirected Mark Forums. Announcements MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss giving and receiving feedback, why it’s important in your game, how to give it, and how to receive it. Enjoy the show, and tell us your thoughts on feedback at MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss the bad (and the good!) about “railroading” and linear plot design. Enjoy the show, and tell us your thoughts on railroading at the Misdirected Mark Forums. Announcements and Links Lifted Vol. MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry welcome game designer and head of Gauntlet Publishing Jason Cordova to discuss tips and techniques for running mysteries in games and in particular to examine the design of Jason’s cozy murder MORE

[Content note for this episode: after the intro, Phil brings out his famous soapbox and rants about politics in the Lobby, so if you’re not into it, you can bypass the Lobby and skip to MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss ways to create a table culture for your gaming group. Enjoy the show, and tell us your thoughts on table culture at the Misdirected Mark Forums. Announcements and Links Brindlewood Bay MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss handling rewards in the game for both players and characters. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite game rewards at the Misdirected Mark Forums. Announcements and Links Old Gods MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry continue the discussion on managing game secrets with an examination of handling different kinds of GM secrets. Enjoy the show, and tell us your opinions on GM secrets at the Misdirected Mark MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss managing secrets in your game and the differences between secrets kept by characters and those kept by players. Enjoy the show, and tell us your opinions on in-game secrets at MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss converting games with settings that you like into games with rules that you like just as much. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite old game conversions at MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss ways to take a break from the main campaign storyline and enjoy a side-story or two. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite side quests at the Misdirected Mark MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry talk about what excites them about some of the games that they haven’t yet brought to the table. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your games you have yet to MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss generating player investment and engagement early in the game, both in the early sessions of a campaign or the opening scenes of a one-shot. Enjoy the show, and tell us MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss techniques for GMs and players to manage playing characters more competent than themselves. Enjoy the show, and tell us how your smart characters at the Misdirected Mark Forums. Announcements and Links MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss how GMs and players can get the most out of setting up the components and venue for a new game. Enjoy the show, and tell us how you manage game MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss when players may not enjoy playing their characters, and how to manage those situations both as a player and as a GM. Enjoy the show, and tell us how you MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss game excitement, investment, and energy at the gaming table and how to manage and improve all three. Enjoy the show, and tell us about what keeps your games exciting at MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry start off the new year with a discussion about how to move beyond Session Zero and get the most out of Session 1. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss different ways to approach worldbuilding for your games. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite home-grown worlds at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Links and Announcements Check out Jason Pitre’s MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry return to the Adversary Files to talk about that guest character with awesome powers and a terrible personality: the Cosmic Jerk. Enjoy the show, and let us know your cosmic jerk MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry spend an episode on brief takes on audience-provided questions, taking on topics like troupe play, writer’s block, eating while gaming, and more! Enjoy the show, and get in touch with your MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss tools and techniques for managing the sometimes massive amount of information needed to keep your campaign running smoothly. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite organizational tricks at The MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss what it takes to make and manage an epic campaign framework. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite epic story arcs at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Links and Announcements MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss the Chosen One, both as a character archetype and as a narrative framework, and offer tips on incorporating this idea into your games. Enjoy the show, and tell us about MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry return to the “Background Check” series of character types with a discussion about the Vengeful Hero. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite vengeful heroes at The Misdirected Mark Forums. MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry take on the perennial RPG topic of the fudging of die rolls, both from the GM and player perspectives. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your opinions on fudging at The MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry head to the Lab to try out a new segment on player character backgrounds. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite character origins at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry return once more to the Adversary Files to discuss the Fallen Hero. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite fallen heroes at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps The Temperature MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss tips for running NPCs your players will enjoy. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite NPCs at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps The Temperature Check The Lobby The MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry return to the Adversary Files, discussing the related roles of Hunter and Collector. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite hunter/collector adversaries at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps The MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry return to the topic of Session Zero, discussing how to best take advantage of an introductory session for your campaign. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite session zero MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry continue the Adversary File series with a discussion about the Fanatic, an adversary driven by single-minded devotion to a cause. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite fanatical adversaries MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss adding a new temporary player to an ongoing campaign and share tips both for running the game and playing in it. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss getting through a lot in a little bit of time by using a montage. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite montage at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss ups, down, tips, and tricks of dusting off and running those older games. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your older game collection at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss the nature and causes of GM burnout and what you can do about it both before and after. Enjoy the show, and tell us if you worry about GM burnout MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss those characters who keep repeatedly showing up in your campaigns, and also why this show isn’t called “Recurring Characters.” Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite returning NPCs MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss types, planning, and expectations for small, convention-like gatherings to play games with your friends. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite friend cons at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss the GM skill of managing player expectations when running games. Enjoy the show, and tell us how you manage expectations at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps The Temperature Check The MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss how to manage mooks, henchpersons, hirelings, and other low-power NPCs in your games, both as players and GMs. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite character minions at The MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry welcome special guest Craig Campbell to talk about culling game ideas from media inspiration and Craig’s game Nowhereville, on Kickstarter through Thursday, June 3rd. Enjoy the show, and tell us about MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry welcome special guests Jamila Nedjadi and Jason Pitre to talk about the use of mini-games in RPGs and Jamila’s new game Once More Into The Void, on Kickstarter through Thursday, June MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss GM tips for running job-based games and how the similarities and differences with mission-based games. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite in-game jobs at The Misdirected Mark Forums. MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss GM tips for getting the most out of mission-based gaming and stories. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your favorite missions (successful or not) at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss the use of mechanical currencies in games, like Fate Points, Hero Points, and Bennies, and how to manage them both as GMs and players. Enjoy the show, and tell us MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss how to prepare for, manage, and enjoy gaming with intense emotional involvement, both as GMs and as players. Enjoy the show, and tell us about your emotional gaming experiences at The MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss the difficulties with constantly escalating stakes and power in games, and how to deal with the problems that can arise. Enjoy, and tell us how your narrative and power curves MORE

Phil, Bob, and Jerry discuss the uses and influence of in-fiction money in your game. Enjoy, and tell us about how you handle your in-game fortunes at The Misdirected Mark Forums. Time Stamps 2:25 – The MORE