300 avsnitt • Längd: 50 min • Månadsvis
Queer gamers answering your TTRPG questions! It’s like CarTalk, but for your tabletop role playing game. Campaign making a weird noise? One shot difficult to steer? Join pandas Phil Vecchione (Misdirected Mark, Gnome Stew, Encoded Designs) and Senda Linaugh (She’s A Super Geek, Gnome Stew) every Wednesday answering listener questions about playing, running, and designing TTRPGs.
The podcast Panda’s Talking Games is created by Senda Linaugh and Phil Vecchione. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
Show us how project management skills can help you GM — and vice versa! Phil and Senda are both professionals in various project management offices at this point in their careers, and have a conversation about how those skills work in both places and how you can use one to hone the other.
Also! This is our last show of 2024. We will be on podcasting vacation until the second week of January. Happy holidays, all!
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us…Gary Gygax’s tenants of GM Mastery! Phil and Senda go back for one more part on the 1987 book Role-Playing Mastery. Do they stand up to the test of time? Our take is…well, mostly.
Also this episode: HOLIDAY HIATUS DATES. We will be taking some time off — but we will be back in January! Specific dates and information at the top of the show.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how Gary Gygax thought you should be a master GM! Phil and Senda continue their conversation about the 1987 title Role-Playing Mastery by Gary Gygax, deciding what they think still holds true, what can be reinterpreted to modern play/situations, and what we have evolved beyond. In this episode, the beginning of GM Mastery!
(CW: definitely cuss words.)
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us what Gygax considered a master player! Do we agree? Do you?! Phil and Senda talk through the first 9 steps to being a Master Player according to Gary Gygax/s 1987 book Role Playing Mastery.
As a refresher, here are the first 9 points:
Study the rules of your chosen role-playing game.
Learn the goal(s) of the game.
Discover the spirit of the game, and make it your credo in play.
Know the genre in which the game is set, and study it often.
Remember that the real you and your game persona are different.
Know your team’s PCs and those who play them.
Know the campaign in which you play.
Understand the role of the game master and assist its fulfillment.
Role-play your character fully and correctly.
Here are the last 8 points that we cover on today’s episode:
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us what Gygax considered a master player! Do we agree? Do you?! Phil and Senda talk through the first 9 steps to being a Master Player according to Gary Gygax/s 1987 book Role Playing Mastery.
Here are the first 9 points:
Study the rules of your chosen role-playing game.
Learn the goal(s) of the game.
Discover the spirit of the game, and make it your credo in play.
Know the genre in which the game is set, and study it often.
Remember that the real you and your game persona are different.
Know your team’s PCs and those who play them.
Know the campaign in which you play.
Understand the role of the game master and assist its fulfillment.
Role-play your character fully and correctly.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you balance a player that is much much more proactive than the rest of your table! Phil and Senda cover when it’s actually a problem and some ideas on how to address it.
THERE WILL BE NO NEW EPISODE NEXT WEEK, OCTOBER 30th! We’ll be back in November!
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you find people…to be new gamers! Phil and Senda talk introducing people to gaming and finding the kind of people who a) would be interested and b) would be interested in the kind of gaming you are interested in.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you find a new gaming group! Phil and Senda talk approaches to finding people and how to figure out who you might be looking for.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you make gaming goals happen! Phil and Senda follow up on their gaming goals from last episode, including an extemporaneous brain storm on positive feedback at the table.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Episode 365 – after a whole year of numbered episodes, it’s like a New Year’s resolution? Phil and Senda talk personal goals for gaming – for how they play, facilitate, and engage with the industry and community.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Today we answered a grab bag of questions all submitted by folks whose names start with J! Coincidence? We think….yes absolutely didn’t notice it until partway through the show. Today’s questions cover analysis paralysis and hustle vs. play.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Note: we had an audio issue on the original release of this episode which has now been fixed. Many thanks to Ryan, editor extraordinaire!
Show us how you manage the conversation when you realize your game has lost momentum! Phil and Senda use their own campaign as a live demo to put their money where their mouth is and talk (like they always advise) about their ongoing game night and what to do with it.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Today we’re addressing some of our smaller questions!
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you play an evil game! Phil and Senda talk how to make it work and the pitfalls of chaos vs. purpose in an evil game.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you make a good player goal! Phil and Senda talk what and why, and how a strong “why” can make even a generic or potentially boring “what” really interesting. It’s also back to one shots and campaigns!
Check out Starscape from Golden Lasso Games on kickstarter right now! Found family and space travel, oh my! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goldenlassogames/starscape?ref=discovery
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how major life changes might change your gaming! Phil and Senda speak from experience on many of these. Have you experienced changes in your gaming due to changes in your life?
Check out Starscape from Golden Lasso Games on kickstarter right now! Found family and space travel, oh my! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goldenlassogames/starscape?ref=discovery
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you make space in your game for different kinds of “fun” when different things give energy to different folks at your table! Senda and Phil talk about “fun,” defining it for yourself, and how to create space for your fun and other people’s as a GM and as a player.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you add a romantic sideplot, without sidelining your main plot! Phil and Senda talk involved players, uninvolved players, and GMs as well as spotlight sharing and setting up the proximity of the characters involved in the romance.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you can get a board game friend to try TTRPGs — and maybe when it’s not a good idea! Phil and Senda talk about some of the signs that your friend’s fun comes from parts of board games that TTRPGs are good at, and how to identify when they might not be.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you share your world building! One very traditional approach to facilitating games is for the GM to be in charge of all the world building, so Phil and Senda are here to talk about the spectrum of shared world building responsibilities and some ways to approach it.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you embody an NPC at the table when advance prep is your stronger skill, or show us how you prep for a character when improv is where you excel! Phil and Senda talk small actions, mindset, and approaches to embodying NPCs, whether you’re doing some of that work up front or making it up as you go.
The podcast episode Senda referenced in the episode is from One Shot’s First Watch Podcast, and is now only available to One Shot patrons. You can hear James talk about voices on our editor Ryan’s show, though! Check it out here: https://oneshotpodcast.com/character-creation-cast/character-evolution-cast-e01-voices-with-james-damato/
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you mechanically handle downtime! Phil and Senda talk through Phil’s homebrew approach to downtime mechanics in Mutants in the Now, and how to create or apply something to any game you’re playing that doesn’t have a downtime mechanic built in.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
MicroRPGs, how we personally start doing game design, and contract work vs. hobby time, oh my! Phil and Senda sit down to answer a series of questions on game design and playtesting when you have limited play test resources.
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you tell stories in your session — structure that story! It was our 7 year podaversary and we completely forgot, so we’re taking this one to do a topic that Phil had been thinking about a lot as he planned one of his current games. How do *you* structure a session?
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you…do a bunch of littler topics! It’s been a little while since we’ve done a topic round up! On today’s episode we talk about:
Check out the Lumberjils kickstarter here! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/unrulydesigns/lumberjills-a-war-birds-game?ref=discovery
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you use daydreaming as GM prep! Phil and Senda talk daydreaming, both intentional/focused and not, as well as where we do it best and when and how you might want to write it down.
Misdirected Mark has officially become the Polygamerous Podcast Network! You can read more here: https://polygamero.us/misdirected-mark-productions-is-becoming-the-polygamous-podcast-network/
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you get the old group back together! Phil went on a trip and did some game prep for a very unique and specific circumstance, and we’re going to talk about it.
Welcome to the Polygamerous Podcast Network! Misdirected Mark is officially becoming the PGN. You can read more here: https://polygamero.us/misdirected-mark-productions-is-becoming-the-polygamous-podcast-network/
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: https://polygamero.us/panda
Show us how you run or play a game when you’ve only dabbled in a particular IP! Phil and Senda talk being the GM or being a player when you’re not the expert in something like Star Wars, Marvel, or Lord of the Rings.
Welcome to the Polygamerous Podcast Network! Misdirected Mark is officially becoming the PGN. You can read more here: https://polygamero.us/misdirected-mark-productions-is-becoming-the-polygamous-podcast-network/
Please note that as of April 15th, our feeds will change over to the new feeds at polygamero.us.
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://polygamero.us/panda
Hey friends! We ran into a crunch and needed to turn out a lower stakes episode this week, so here we present to you (drum roll please!) a chit chat! If this is your first time listening, you may wish to go back or forward an episode to hear our normal show style. In this chit chat, we talk giving us life in gaming and lessons you might be able to glean from it (Senda got to play Shab al-Hiri Roach and Phil wrote mad libs) as well as what’s giving us life in general.
Senda’s per page fundraising for the Trans Rights Read-a-thon (fundraising until Mar 29 2024 and she is FOUR BOOKS IN) can be found here: https://go.rallyup.com/trr2024senda
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 much of a game you can replace before you may as well write your own! Senda and Phil chat about the Ship of Theseus syndrome of games (if you replace all the parts, is it still the same game?) as well as when it might make sense to write your own game and when it wouldn’t (most of the time, in our opinion).
Link! Senda’s per page reading fundraising for the Trans Rights Read-a-thon can be found here: https://go.rallyup.com/trr2024senda
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 get emotional investment in one shots and the beginnings of campaigns! Phil and Senda talk player and GM responsibilities and faking it til you make it, along with some other ideas to get you started.
Link! Senda’s per page fundraising for the Trans Rights Read-a-thon can be found here: https://go.rallyup.com/trr2024senda
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 handle conditions and agency! Character agency vs. player agency — is there a difference? Phil and Senda talk agency and conditions, and when conditions have the potential to infringe on player agency.
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
Who’s an NPC? How can we categorize them? Let’s talk non-player characters (and the sometimes spectrum)!
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 run a game when you are less than enthusiastic about it…maybe? Phil and Senda talk running games as a gift or favor for folks (when you are not a professional GM), how to get onboard or find a way to be onboard, and when it’s maybe not worth it.
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 breathe life into your setting at the table! How do you make a setting feel alive, engaging, and evocative? Phil and Senda discuss in this off the cuff episode.
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 make an encounter (in whatever context) challenging without being *too* challenging! Phil and Senda talk GM knowledge vs. NPC knowledge, planning challenges and encounters, and not nerfing your players special powers on the reg.
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 linktree: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda
Show us how you introduce a new setting to players! Phil and Senda talk setting considerations, ways to do setting introductions without turning on the firehose, and recommendations for getting folks up to speed quickly.
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 your gaming plans for 2024! We’re taking the gentle on ramp after our holiday and talking about some of our aspirations for the new year, both gaming and personally. What are some of your gaming aspirations?
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 use leading questions in your games! Phil and Senda talk leading questions, as well as how and when to use them effectively. Unfortunately two thing happened this episode: 1. Phil’s mic started doing some very strange things. We were not able to save the bamboo lounge. 2. Phil hurt his back and was in pain as we got this recorded, so we were not able to do a take two. Many many thanks to Ryan, our editor and the cohost of Character Cache, for saving the day!
This is our last episode for the year. We will return after our holiday hiatus in January! In the meantime, please feel free to send us your questions or topics as always: http://misdirectedmark.com/panda . We can’t wait to hear from you!
There is no bamboo lounge today.
Our additional music this episode was used under a Creative Commons license as follows:
Music: Christmas Tape Lo Fi by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7133-christmas-tape-lo-fi
Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Show us what you’re grateful for in gaming this year! Phil and Senda record a quick episode before American Thanksgiving to tease apart some of the things we are really grateful for this year when it comes to our gaming lives.
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….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!)
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:
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
Show us how you take your memorable or influential gaming experiences forward into your future games! Phil and Senda revisit last week’s topic to talk about exactly how we carried things forward from our games. We also talk about ways to categorize your experiences to help pinpoint specific things you want to bring with you to new games.
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 your memorable gaming moments! Phil and Senda answer a request to talk about memorable gaming moments.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
TikTok: PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how players can support a brand new GM! Phil and Senda talk through some of the responsibilities that the GM stereotypically takes on and how players can either assist or take over those responsibilities, especially when a new GM is getting their GMing legs under them or is intimidated by the number of things they have to manage.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
TikTok: PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you queer up your game when it isn’t written that way! Phil and Senda talk queer themes (and a little personal history) and some of the ways our games get queerer.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
TikTok: PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage mid game changes to your game’s tone or content that are caused by out of game, real world stuff! This hasn’t actually happened to Phil or Senda — we’ve just switched games — but the question was asked and we live to answer your questions so we tackled this from the theoretical. As always, we’re fans of ~communication~!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
TikTok: PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Iiiit’s a chit chat! Due to some *life,* we’re doing a chit chat today instead of our normal discussion episode style. Additionally, there will be no new episode next Wednesday, July 5, as we won’t be able to record this coming weekend. See you all July 12!
On today’s chit chat, we talk prep time vs. play time and being a player as a GM who also gets to be surprised by the story, and positive metagaming for leaning in on a collaborative story. Also, Phil enjoyed his conference and Senda continues to read like it’s going out of style.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you roll your dice — open, or closed — and show us how you uninvite people from your group! Phil and Senda answer two questions from J.T. Evans. How do you feel about rolling dice in the open vs. closed? How do you manage the emotional aspects of uninviting someone from your ongoing game?
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you use a GMPC! GMPCs get a bad wrap a lot, and for good reason. Phil and Senda talk when they’re actually pretty great and helpful, and the circumstances you might want to use them in.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you playtest! Phil and Senda talk playtesting (a discussion topic we received from multiple requests). We approach it based on an idealized version of how we’ve playtested games, but also in consideration of playtesting house rules.
You can hear some of our older takes on playtesting in Episode 114 (crossover with BXP) and Episode 89.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s time…for a chit chat! If this is your first time listening, this is not our standard format. In a chit chat, we talk about things that are giving us life in gaming, and things that are giving us life outside of gaming. On today’s episode, we talk about getting into a new mission in our game of Long Live The Queen, solo journaling games, World Anvil, Fringe, and Pair eyewear.
If you want to hear our standard episode format, go back one (or probably forward one)!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…answer multiple questions! Phil and Senda talk connecting published adventures to each other or to your homebrew, and clues in mysteries without railroading (and why mysteries can feel railroad-y).
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle non-physical damage! Phil and Senda talk emotional conditions from Masks specifically and non-physical damage, how to use it in games that already have it and how to implement it in games that don’t have it.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you deal with the death of a character in game — emotionally and logically! Senda and Phil talk fall out from various types of character death and how it comes about.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage safety breaks in your game. Phil and Senda talk about how to deal with safety breaks even when everyone at the table is acting in good faith and things still go sideways.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage the emotional fall out of dropped games — especially when they stack up! Phil and Senda talk ideas for dealing with the mechanical why of games being dropped and thoughts on dealing with the emotional drop of a cancelled game (especially last minute).
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you use camera shots in your game — and when you show your players things from a camera angle their characters can’t see! Senda and Phil talk camera angles, descriptions, teasers, and other “off camera” work.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you take inspiration from actual plays — without getting disappointed or let down but real table play! Phil and Senda talk about how to take inspiration from actual play and why it should be just that –inspiration, not your aspiration or expected table play. We also talk about how to take the things that you like from that actual play media and work to incorporate them into your game (again, as inspiration!).
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Today is a grab bag! We answer two quick questions: How to purge your physical TTRPG book collection and our current thoughts on conventions.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you know if your game mechanics are a good fit — or how you make a graceful change if they’re not! Senda and Phil talk about how to tell if your game fits what you’re doing as well as some approaches for transitioning to a different system if you need to, or readjusting to fit to the game if that’s the preference.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you hit those beginnings hard and knock out those endings! Senda and Phil talk intros and outs, suggestions for how to make them impactful, and some tips on what to avoid.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you keep skill challenges interesting! Senda and Phil talk skill challenge challenges (see what I did there?), suggestions for when and how to use them, and some tips on what to avoid. Also, Captain Kirk is climbing a mountain. Why is he climbing the mountain? https://youtu.be/HU2ftCitvyQ
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Due to some *life stuff,* we had to record a quick chit chat! If you are listening for the first time, this is not our standard format, but it is the format that we use when life gets in the way of our standard style.
This chit chat: what’s giving us life in gaming – Brindlewood Bay, Game group rearranging, and world building
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you maximize your prep to game play time! Phil and Senda talk prep, prepping the most important stuff, and pacing the game to fill the time you want it to.
Book resources (also available on Amazon):
Never Unprepared: The Complete Gamemaster’s Guide to Session Prep – https://enginepublishing.com/never-unprepared-the-complete-game-masters-guide-to-session-prep or in print – https://studio2publishing.com/products/never-unprepared-the-complete-game-master-s-guide-to-session-pr?_pos=1&_sid=31ad7d6d4&_ss=r
Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots to Inspire Game Masters – https://enginepublishing.com/eureka-501-adventure-plots-to-inspire-game-masters or in print – https://studio2publishing.com/products/eureka-501-adventure-plots-to-inspire-game-masters?_pos=1&_sid=e97975586&_ss=r
Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game – https://enginepublishing.com/masks-1000-memorable-npcs-for-any-roleplaying-game or in print – https://studio2publishing.com/products/masks-1-000-memorable-npcs-for-any-roleplaying-game-softcover?_pos=1&_sid=f5b184f87&_ss=r
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you de-role after you play! Phil and Send chat about de-roling for sessions and campaigns, with things you may wish to consider and tips on potential ways to de-role.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s episode 300, and we’re talking about epilogues! Show us how and when you use an epilogue! Senda and Phil talk the when, who, and how of epilogues, and a little bit about being 300 episodes into a podcast.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage sharing playing NPCs at your table! Phil and Senda talk about how to draw boundaries when there’s spillage between NPCs you want/don’t mind sharing with your player and NPCs you need to control.
Apologies for the late show — the hotel wifi was a challenge in trying to get the audio uploaded! We will be back on schedule again next week (Wednesdays).
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
We’re back from holiday hiatus! Phil and Senda attempt to remember how to do that thing we do weekly, and then take a deep dive on request into a conversation about house rules — the good, the bad, and some categorization.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you deal with prisoners in your game! Do your players get stuck debating for hours? Senda and Phil talk about a gaming horror story we received (names and details redacted just in case) and what it made us think about in terms of avoiding this issue or mitigating hours of debate at your table.
Additionally, we are taking our holiday hiatus! This will be the last episode that drops this year (December 7). You’ll hear from us again starting on January 11 2023! Happy Holidays, all!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage clue distribution and railroading in a mystery game! Phil and Senda talk clues, railroads, prepped and ad hoc mysteries, and the two mystery games we both just happen to be playing right now (that made this question so pertinent at this moment).
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Phil and Senda chat about…the chit chat we were going to have last week if only Senda weren’t sick! As usual for our chit chat episodes, we talked giving us life in gaming and giving us life outside of gaming.
If this is your first episode, please know that this is not our normal format! We’ll be back to tinkering around in the engine of your game if it’s making weird noises next week.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage conflict, bad behavior, and close relationships at the table! Phil and Senda chat about what to do when a family member (or other close trusted person) is the problem at your table. As usual, these are only suggestions! Take what you like and leave what you don’t. Also, we’re both only children sooooo…
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Mentioned (and you might want to check out before the kickstarter ends!): Sharp Wit & The Company of Women
Show us how you handle game ending or ruining decisions aat your table! Phil and Senda chat about when a game goes completely sideways and how to realign yours and your players’ expectations and understanding of a situation. No rocks fall you all die!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle analysis paralysis! Senda and Phil talk some reasons why analysis paralysis can happen, and some ideas about how to address them. (Hint: it’s not always just overthinking!)
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle the LEROY JENKINS! Phil and Senda talk about why this kind of move happens, how to prevent it when it’s not so good, and how to make it fun when it’s intentional.
Also, do you like baklava? Check out https://oeabakery.com. Tell them Senda sent you! No, they’re not paying me to say it.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you make the other folks at your table shine! Phil and Senda talk about shining moments, which is more than just spotlight or even niche maintenance.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you choose when to drive as a GM, or when you let the players drive! Phil and Senda talk about the give and take of proactive and reactive actions in games, and then in PBtA games in particular.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
This episode was edited by the amazing Ryan Boelter: @lordneptune/@CreationCast
We have hit our 300 episode limit on our RSS feed, and our first episodes are dropping off! If you are new to the show and want a quick introduction to us, the show, the jokes you might hear, and what we’re doing, start here! If you’d like to start at the true beginning, you can always find our full backlog here: http://bit.ly/MMPanda
Please feel free to submit questions and we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled gaming advice starting next week.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage age (and experience) gaps at the table! Phil and Senda chat about managing tables with mixed age groups, having managed to be inspired by a question isntead of actually answering it because sometimes it’s just like that.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Sometimes, life comes at you fast — and then sometimes you also get to go on vacation! Today’s episode is a chit chat (not our standard format), but we are back from vacation. We talk Cortex Prime and putting together Solar Legacy, as well as chilling in Denver.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
How do you know when you’re being too clever? There’s no perfect way to know, but we’re going to talk through some things to consider!
NOTE! We will be taking another week off next week for summer vacation! See you on 8/17!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you like your mini campaigns (again)! We talked about mini campaigns pretty recently (check out 268) but we still had this question sitting in the backlog — we’ll take any excuse. In this episode, pros and cons of mini campaigns vs. full campaigns.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Phil and Senda are flying with no show notes and no topic! If this is your first intro to our show, this is not our normal format. You may want to grab a show that is not a chit chat to get an idea for how we usually run things around here.
Giving us life: RRR, Ms. Marvel & Whose Line Is It Anyway
Giving us game life: Self realizations of what Phil gets out of GMing; Brindlewood Bay session 0 and improv style gaming
ALSO! There will be no show next week to accommodate for summer vacations. We’ll be back the following Wednesday!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage a player/GM conspiracy at the table! Phil and Senda use a cautionary tale of Phil’s GMing past to illustrate some potential pitfalls and how you might avoid them.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage treating (or bribing) at your game table! Today’s episode had some serious time constraints. Also, welcome to Wednesdays!
This podcast supports the bodily autonomy of all womb bearing people. We may talk about consent and agency in gaming, but it applies just as much to our real selves as it does to our characters. We did not talk about this in the episode because the change is still too overwhelming and emotional to address with care. Be safe out there, friends.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle mistakes at the table! Phil and Senda talk about managing significant mistakes (not minor, and not big like a safety break) at the table, and a thought process for deciding how to handle them.
AN ANNOUNCEMENT: This is the last week we’re going to drop on a Monday! We are going to move our drop day to Wednesdays going forward as Mondays seem to be a fail point for me to edit in time.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you analyze media as if it were a game! Phil and Senda talk about consuming stories in other mediums as if they were games, and how you can use it to practice thinking like a GM or player within the mechanics of the system you are playing. Also, it’s not late if it’s still Monday when I hit post, right? Right?? An announcement will be coming soon about an adjustment to our release schedule since Mondays are suddenly hard for me to nail. (Spoilers: Wednesdays, anyone?)
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
On today’s episode, Phil and Senda talk about failing forward, how it differs from success with consequence or complication, and using it in your game!
How do you tell if you’re talking about failing forward or success with consequence? Here’s an example: I failed to post this episode on time. My intent here was to post the episode. Based on this intent, I have succeeded at posting the episode, with a consequence (it’s late). Sigh. In other news, expect an update about our release date soon, as the turn around from Saturday to posting Sunday has been reducing my success rate at this significantly.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
A bit late for the US holiday, but better late than never! Phil and Senda are having a chit chat as scheduling was very up in the air this last week. We talk what’s giving us life in gaming and what’s giving us life outside of gaming, mostly about Senda’s recent trip out to Buffalo. If this is your first episode of Panda’s Talking Games, this is not our standard format!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
CONTENT WARNING: This episode is specifically a discussion of your ongoing game when one of your players has passed away. For tips on rearranging groups or when a player leaves, check out Episode 41 (Missing Players) or Episode 69 (Should I Stay or Should I Go?). If this topic feels too heavy, we’ll catch you next week!
Show us how you manage your game when your game is mixed up with the loss of a friend. Phil and Senda throw out some ideas about things you may want to consider. Neither of us are experts, so please pick and choose anything that feels right for you in this situation!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle relationship disasters in games — whether between PCs or with NPCs! Phil and Senda talk disaster relationships, the axis on which you can slide some of the controls, and how to approach them to make sure they are and remain fun.
We are back from our one week accidental hiatus — Senda came down with a nasty cold and wasn’t able to edit the show last week after we’d recorded! The good news: we are now working with an actual buffer, so hopefully we won’t have dropped episodes in the future. Here’s the show that we planned for you last week!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Join Phil and Senda for a quick chit chat! Yes, life got away from us again. As usual for our chit chats, we’re talking what’s giving us life in gaming and outside of gaming.
Phil:
Gaming – pacing in games
Outside of Gaming – G.I. Joe
Senda:
Gaming – character motives/making the character on paper real at the table
Outside of Gaming – The Midnight Lie and The Hollow Heart by Marie Rutkoski
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
CONTENT WARNING: discussion of alcohol and adult substances with mentions of substance abuse.
Show us how you deal with adult substances at your table! Phil and Senda talk about table behavior expectations, and some ideas about how to make sure they’re aligned to hopefully avoid or resolve any issues. A strong note, although we said it in the episode as well: we can only speak from personal experience on this one, not professional expertise — and always, always, if you are not safe in a situation, please get out if you can instead of trying to implement a fix.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you get into character for the first time! Phil and Senda talk about some ways to approach that awkward first set up when you are trying to bring a character out for the first time, before you’ve ever had them interact with anyone else before.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you start your game, and how you end your game, and how you — well, let’s just talk about table rituals! Phil and Senda chat (at a pretty high level) about rituals at your table (as players, not in game or religious) and how they work in our own groups. For a much more expert look at rituals around playing and designing games, we’d highly recommend you check out Meguey Baker’s post on it!
Ritual In Game Design
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage knowledge imbalance when a player at your table knows more about a setting or situation than you do! Or really, let’s have a conversation about it, shall we?
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you wrap up year 6! Our podcast is getting old, just like Phil (Happy birthday, Phil)! On today’s episode, we do a quick recap of year 6, including our three favorite episodes, and where we think we’re going next.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you do a mini campaign (vs. a full campaign or a one shot)! Phil and Senda talk mini campaigns, arbitrarily numbered at 3-8 sessions. Or 9. Because math.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you drive your game — is it story based or do the characters make it happen? Phil and Senda talk story driven vs. character driven games, and while the concept is not new, we’re newly adding the definition to our lexicon so that we can tackle a question about mini campaigns next week!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us your gaming journey! Senda and Phil talk about gaming journeys, why you might care about yours, and some ways to consider your assumptions and biases about games.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us what you do with your unfulfilled/unrequited character concepts! Phil and Senda talk about how unfulfilled concepts happen, ways that you can try to hang on to them, and some of our own unfulfilled character concepts.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Senda and Phil talk about managing the social aspects of trying new games or playing lots of games with an existing group (spoilers: it’s about communication).
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s a January Chit Chat! Phil and Senda chat about what’s giving them life in gaming and outside of gaming (spoilers: books and food). There’s a bit of Thirsty Sword Lesbians, a bit of Larp, and a bit of Cortex as well as taking our own advice.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you edit your best laid plans when the campaign has already started! Senda and Phil chat about potential pitfalls and some ways to edit your story that’s already in progress, whether at the table or between sessions.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you stuff one game inside another and cook it up for gaming! Senda and Phil talk about using side games and main games to create specific experiences in a campaign or story.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you make a good plot! Phil and Senda sit down with an email about nerves setting up a new plot, and dive in on some advice to hopefully help.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Things are getting a little wild around here — so it’s back to a chit chat for us! If you’re new here, that means we drop our normal show format of answering listener questions to have a quick chat about 1) what’s giving us life in gaming and 2) what’s giving us life outside of gaming.
As a quick reminder, this will be our last episode until the new year. We’ll return on Monday, January 10. Happy New Year, all, and we hope whatever other holidays you’re celebrating (or have already celebrated!) are relaxing and full of joy instead of stress.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you do a one on one session zero for a campaign! No really! We haven’t done one before! Senda was in Buffalo, so we did one in person — here’s our debrief.
If you are interested in vintage and vintage reproduction, here’s the store Senda waxes poetic about, where you can also shop online (no, they’re not paying us): https://catslikeus.com
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you approach a one on one GM-ful game! Well, really, let us chat since we weren’t sure we were going to get to record this week at all (Senda’s been down with an awful cold all week). So you get some random thoughts on one on one gaming as we are getting ready to session 0 our one on one play of Thirsty Sword Lesbians.
Housekeeping: there will be no show next week as we will both be with family for American Thanksgiving. 12/6 is also iffy, but we’ll keep you updated on social media.
If you are into TSL, you have ONE DAY as of the dropping of this recording left to back the companion print book, Advanced Lovers & Lesbians: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/evilhat/advanced-lovers-and-lesbians?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=advanced%20
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you set up family dynamics in your game! Phil and Senda talk family dynamics and specific safety conversations you might want to have when setting up PCs who are all related. Also: you may note in this episode that we keep talking about how we are supposed to be off. We actually recorded this for release last week, when we had announced we would be off, but due to the mental health circumstances of the editor (hi, that’s me) it didn’t get released…so we ended up missing the week we said we’d miss anyway. We are back, and while the holidays coming up mean that there will be some more weeks off coming up, we’ll do our best to keep you in tasty Panda listening for the winter gifting season!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you design non combat conflict for your campaign! Phil and Senda talk non combat conflict. A quick heads up: there will NOT be an episode on Monday, 11/8. We’ll return to our regularly scheduled episodes on 11/15!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage changes in your campaign and game tone! Senda and Phil talk managing big changes and how they can effect your tone, and taking time to stop and talk to the table to keep things on the level.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Things got away from us this week — so we’re back with a chit chat! Phil and Senda talk what’s giving them life in gaming, and what’s giving them life outside of gaming (more briefly). Spoilers: Senda went back to Meow Wolf and is experiencing high engagement with the interactive access in really gamified ways! Phil is reading Cortex Prime!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Forums: http://forums.misdirectedmark.com
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you pick a game to run when nothing feels quite right! Also, where do you want to grab dinner…? Phil and Senda tackle these two topics in tandem using hunger as a metaphor for wanting to play.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you stay engaged with a solo RPG! Senda and Phil talk solo RPGs, excitement, engagement, and identifying ways to keep the interest going.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how (or if) you debrief your campaigns! Phil and Senda talk campaign debriefs and ways to approach them.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle pacing as a player! Phil and Senda sit down to chat about the companion topic to 250, the one that people don’t address very much — that everyone contributes to pacing! So how can you support the GM as a player?
This episode is a day late due to the holiday — thank you for your understanding!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you pace your story as a GM — in one shots and campaigns! That’s right, for our 250th episode we revisit our classic format of one shots vs. campaigns to talk about pacing from the GM’s seat.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage genre hopping all in one game! Phil and Senda sit down to talk about the specific needs of games that hop genres and which ones would make it the easiest to pull off.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us your favorite GMless story game! Phil and Senda talk GMless, collaborative story games — some of our favorites, why and when they’re great, and tips on how to approach playing them.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you determine if your game is bumming you out instead of pumping you up! Phil and Senda talk some of the reasons your game might not feel fun anymore and some ideas for managing those problems.
Unfortunately due to a technical issue, there is no Bamboo Lounge this week. We’ll be back with more unrelated nonsense for our patrons next week!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you use NPC relationships — without stressing them! Phil and Senda talk through some ideas about embedding NPCs without making them pressure points for the PCs.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you “decrunchify” a mechanics heavy game — ie how to shift the balance to encourage more role play in conjunction with the heavier mechanics.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us your favorite zero prep games to run! Phil and Senda talk games that are written to be low prep, and how to make a game that you like work as a no prep game by (spoilers) prepping it.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage your notes, as a player or as a GM! Phil and Senda talk about note taking, when we take notes, and how and with what, as well as what we think are some of the most effective methods.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us your favorite character or campaign that you never got to play through! Phil and Senda talk through their own unrequited characters and campaigns.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you run narrative combat! Phil and Senda are here with some tips and tricks and pitfalls to running narrative combat successfully, including (of course) some definitions about what folks might be talking about when they say “narrative combat” since cam mean different things in different circles.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
We’re back with another grab bag episode — two topics from twitter and one soap box from Phil! We talk more about our in development spark short hand for short hand romantic consent and what we will take forward with us from the pandemic, as well as a rant about recipes online.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s a grab bag episode for May! We answer three listener questions in quick succession because they were fun.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you acquire games — to play or to collect! Phil and Senda talk about collecting games, playing games, and how and why we keep and purchase games. Also, a sarlacc pit.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you take your sheaf of loose chapters and turn them into an actual end product — small rpg publisher style! Phil and Senda talk about their personal experiences in publishing, formatting, short print runs, and print on demand.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
By request, Phil and Senda jump in on talking about their particular experiences in RPG publishing: Phil as a publisher of RPGs, and Senda as a designer who has and is publishing with him, as well as working in book distribution for several years.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you use description on demand! When is it a good idea to use it, how can you make it effective, and when might you want to avoid it? Phil and Senda talk this and more.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you FINISH designing a game! Phil and Senda talk feedback, alphas, betas, ashcans, and quickstarts, based on our personal experience.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you design a game! Senda and Phil start a brief overview of what the process has, historically, looked like for us, to be finished in PART 2.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It was a wild few days and the end result was that even though we had some neat potential topics, we just didn’t have the spell slots to put them together. The end result is this — MARCH CHATNESS, where we once again talk about something that’s giving us life in gaming and something that’s giving us life outside of gaming. We also realized this show is the first show of our sixth year, which is absolutely WILD. Hear us fail at math and gasp in astonishment in the outtakes!
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you hide and conceal emotions at the gaming table! Senda and Phil talk showing and hiding emotions as PCs and NPCs both expressively and mechanically. Senda even managed to remember the song finally, although too late for the intro.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s another chit chat episode! When things go a little wild in the real world but we still want to get an episode out to you, sometimes that means we do a quick chat about things that are exciting us in gaming and in life.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you play preludes (and flashbacks) in your games! Phil and Senda talk what preludes can do for you and some tips on how to implement them.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you create and encourage role play as a GM and as a player! Phil and Senda talk about how to create opportunities and the right environment for role play to happen naturally at your table, and how to take advantage of the times that you get.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage bad PC/NPC romances in your games! Senda and Phil talk about what makes up a bad romance (or at least how we’ll be talking about it), how to implement it, and how to keep it interesting.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you’re managing attention in online gaming! Whether it’s your attention or your players’, there’s no doubt that it’s trickier to manage in online gaming than at the table. Phil and Senda talk about discerning whether there’s an actual problem and some quick suggestions you can implement as a GM to hold attention better.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you make travel interesting! Phil and Senda talk about different ways to keep travel interesting, from just not doing it, to ways to make time feel like it’s passed, to actually playing through it.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us what you will need to feel safe going to conventions again! Please note, we are not healthcare professionals, security professionals, or convention organizers, so this is just what we’re thinking about as frequent con attendees.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Welcome back to a chit chat episode! When the world goes a little to wild, we settle down with a stick of bamboo and just chat! We’ll be back to our normal scheduled programming…well, hopefully next week, but we’ll see depending on world and life events. On today’s episode, we talk about what’s giving us life in gaming, and life in general.
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you organize your physical books! Since we’d talked about organizing your digital collection (and some folks have recently moved), we got a question about what to think about when organizing your physical collection, and that’s something you may not want to hear us talk about for 45 minutes….and yet, here we are, because we can!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you break up with a player. Phil and Senda talk through the difficult process of splitting a player off of a group — construct your own mix and match for limiting break up experience drama (hopefully). But then again, hopefully this is advice you don’t need!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
One more grab bag to see us through the holidays — hope you all had delightful Solstices, Christmases, Hanukkahs, or Kwanzaas (ongoing)!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…do one more grab bag before the holidays! On tonight’s episode, we talk about giving gifts in play as a player and GM, learning crunchier games effectively, and of course, that holiday classic, the Ditch Lilies Christmas album.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Three more grab bag questions as we cruise into the holidays! Also, jingle bells courtesy of JarredGibbs (you’ll know when you hear it).
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us your gaming rituals for starting or ending a session! Phil and Senda talk ritualizing aspects of your play time to help set expectations, enforce social contracts, and transition from social to game or back.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you’re managing your online games! Although we’ve talked about it in chit chats and off and on throughout the pandemic, we got a request to actually just talk about online games
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s a grab bag! We haven’t done one of these in a while since there’s no convention travel this year. We’re covering three questions: getting players to play more background and personality, spotlighting players, and of course, that Ditch Lilies cameo on DS9.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us what your favorite short form games are! Phil and Senda chat about old and new favorite short form games…many, many short form games.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you’re taking stock of your gaming as we go into the holidays and the continuing pandemic! Phil and Senda talk about evaluating you current gaming habits to make sure they’re working for you in this stressful times.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you do (or don’t) use meta game talk as a GM at your table! So sorry for the late drop — life definitely got in the way this week.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage your digital RPG files! Phil has professional experience in this and Senda is terrible at maintaining the structure that she created. Join us for some half awake thoughts on managing your digital RPG collection.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage the layers of the game! Senda and Phil take a fly by on the old MMP game layers (with a few updates), what they are, when you’re in them, and how using this lens on your games can be a useful tool for finding the kind of game that works best for you.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage your GMing stagefright! Phil and Senda talk about those butterflies (uh, were they cocoons?) in your stomach before you’re up in front of players, ways to manage, and ways to help mitigate. And the big secret — it never goes away, you just get better at it.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage spotlight time as a GM and as a player when you have personal plots! Senda and Phil talk spotlight management and graceful plot sharing, and how to encourage it at your table.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage when you’re not bring your A game to the table! Senda and Phil talk managing a session when you’re not up to your personal standards, and some thoughts on playing successfully anyway (if cancelling isn’t a better idea).
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Phil and Senda have a chit chat episode because it was a rough week! What’s giving us life in gaming this week – collaborative world building and well built premade settings.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us whose job it is to make things happen at the table! Phil and Senda talk player responsibility and good player basics. What are your best “be a good player” tips? Let us know on twitter or the forums!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you define some panda terminology! Thanks again to ShadowWarl1 for this topic idea. Phil and Senda finish out another list of 6 or 7 definitions, but as usual, let us know if there are more that you want or need to know!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you … define a bunch of random terminology that we use all the time! Shadowwarl1 on twitter asked us to define some terms we’ve commonly used so that you don’t have to hunt through all our old episodes trying to figure out what we’re talking about.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you use consent revoking/reactive safety tools effectively in your games! Phil and Senda share some thoughts on effectively implementing and effectively using consent revoking safety tools like the X card in your games. As this is pandemic times, we continue to leave the vast majority of the podcast unedited. Who knows? Maybe editing is a thing of the past…
Breakout Con’s Safety Tool compilation: https://breakoutcon.com/https%3A/breakoutcon.com/convention/safety-tools
Safety Toolkit from Smooching Knife (the one Senda couldn’t remember): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/114jRmhzBpdqkAlhmveis0nmW73qkAZCj
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you would talk about creating a culture of player improvement the way that we typically talk about GM improvement. Phil and Senda chat about what that might look like in this first part of what will be at least two parts. Many thanks to Kalum of the Rolistes Podcast for the fantastic topic suggestion in our forums!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Another Chit Chat for us — you know the drill, friends! That means this is 90% unedited. This week we talked games and food, of course, as food seems to be a reoccurring pandemic theme for us.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us your favorite games for first time GMs and first time players! Phil and Senda talk some of their favorite games for both categories and why they picked those games. Despite being a return to actual questions answered, this is still a pandemic episode, and as such is unedited beyond adding in the music. You have been warned! It’s the disaster opening of doom!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Another chit chat — this one inspired by some of the twitter chatter last week about Powered by the Apocalypse games, and their relevancy to current game design.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us some more examples of reskinning! Thanks to Joe for sending us this one — we’re revisiting reskinning plots in different genres.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Another chit chat as Phil comes out of his harrowing work project! Next week, we are hoping to do some random question answering, so drop us your quick questions!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Senda and her guest host Pandi try to fill in for Phil and fail. Come back next week!
There are no bonus outtakes because Pandi FAILED ME.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Our 7th Chit Chat. We talk what’s giving us life in gaming: writing letters and superheroes. As per usual with the Chit Chats, this episode is largely unedited and will contain ums, uhs, and sidetracks that are usually relegated to the outtakes. If you’d like to hear what our “regular” episodes sound like, check out the shows in the 200s!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Our 6th Chit Chat. We talk what’s giving us life in gaming and we (with precautions) saw people in in real life! As per usual with the Chit Chats, this episode is largely unedited and will contain ums, uhs, and sidetracks that are usually relegated to the outtakes.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Our 5th Chit Chat. Giving us life in gaming, we talk about sound as a game mechanic and being a proactive player. Then we added what was giving us life in the kitchen since we’re both doing new recipes every week! As per usual with the Chit Chats, this episode is largely unedited and will contain ums, uhs, and sidetracks that are usually relegated to the outtakes.
(Senda’s cat is still alive and seems to be doing a little better, although it’s still precarious — thanks to all of you for your concern. We will likely keep doing these chit chats until we’re sure things won’t take a sudden downturn.)
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Chit Chat the fourth! We are continuing the chit chats as Senda has ongoing cat care on her shoulders. On this week’s chit chat, we talk what’s giving us life in gaming (from Senda: using online tools to create unique experiences! and from Phil: long term payoffs) and what’s giving us life on Netflix (spoilers: it’s SheRa and Star Trek).
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Chit Chat the third! We may be having these a little more than anticipated as Senda is dealing with a sick pet. Phil and Senda chat about gaming in the time of lockdown, when people may cancel, as well as what else is giving them life (hint: one of them is cinnamon rolls).
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Another chit chat episode while Phil and Senda take a breather! As a quick reminder, that means that this episode is 95% unedited, so you will find all the outtakes embedded IN the actual audio — like easter eggs! Can you find them all?
On today’s chit chat we talk about new things that are giving us life in gaming this week and, of course, what we’re doing in the kitchen.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Hi Friends! We’re doing something a bit different this episode. It’s hard to keep up spoons for creativity and editing in our current climate, but we also didn’t want to podfade on you. So! Enter the Panda Chit Chat. We are chatting about what’s giving us life in gaming, and what’s giving us life in the kitchen this week.
We will drop an episode like this whenever one of us needs some down time. There may be a lot more of them before this is over, and that’s okay! We’re not counting them in our episode numbering because they’re not real episodes — we don’t have notes and they are 95% unedited, unlike our standard shows. Hopefully this is a happy medium to keep the show going without burning us out, and keep you all entertained on weeks that we need a little less on our plates.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle in game character introductions! Phil and Senda talk managing tropes of all the characters meeting or being forced together in one shots as a GM and as a player. Also, cookies, Phi’s mug, basements, Ronan.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage collaborative world building in the beginning and middle of one shots! Phil and Senda talk collaborative world building in the time constraints of a one shot, how best to engage it and when to use it.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you celebrate 200 episodes by trying to pretend that you can do the anniversary stuff and STILL ANSWER A QUESTION somehow! Phil and Senda talk about campaign stress vs. one shot stress, and also talk about our favorite episodes from season 4. Also, soft pants vs. hard pants.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you run games in genres you’re not familiar with! Phil and Senda talk faking it and picking it up quickly to run games in genres that aren’t your core competency as one shots and campaigns. Also, chocolate (CW – mouth sounds!), soft pants vs. hard pants the preview.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage relationship triangles in your game! Phil and Senda talk about triangles, how to use them, and how to keep them fun, whether it’s all PCs or some mix of PCs and NPCs.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you keep your game going in this time of physical distancing! Phil and Senda talk about some things to consider as you move online and quick tips on making the move as smooth as possible. Stay safe and wash your hands! Also, many badly croaked songs.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you run a dungeon crawl without being boring! Phil and Senda talk about what pieces make up our idea of a dungeon crawl to help you pick the parts that will be fun (and potentially nostalgic) for your group. Also, More Than Words, TikTok ideas, water is not my friend, and Mulan. (We want to like it but we’re not sure if they’ve treated it with appropriate sensitivity.)
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage your cliche use in games! Senda and Phil chat about tropes, shticks, and cliches; why you might want to avoid cliches, and when you might want to lean in and use them. Also, more TikTok, wood working, chicken katsu curry and cyberpunk hackers.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage mind altering effects in games! Phil and Senda talk about some of the ways they are problematic and some possible ways to mitigate or manage at least some of the issues. Also, the TikTok, the Return of the Buggies in My Tumtums, Phil’s adjustable desk, the special animal noise, Barbie Girl, Phil fails to introduce himself. Marked as explicit for a bit more cussing than usual.
Muh Butthole Cat TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatstheirface/video/6790093964801330437
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle lines and veils as a living documents — recorded live on twitch! Senda and Phil talk about their (current and evolving) thoughts on lines and veils as a living document and in conjunction with other safety tools. Also, Buc-ee’s, giraffes, Phil LIED about kombucha, the Buggies in my Tumtum (by the Beaver Nuggets), and Disney’s failed movie A Gut’s Life.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you run an impromptu (esque) RPG game day! Phil and Senda talk about their trip to WI for Weregator’s surprise birthday party and how they managed running games and setting up a quick system for game selection while there. Also, CHEESE. Too much cheese? YES. Too much cheese.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how youuuuuuu do a grab bag or the B show! Phil and Senda talk players who don’t show up, props, and inspiration. Also, movies with bad rotten tomato reviews, Axe body spray, Aliens, giggles, consent and earbuds. A little more cussing in this one than usual so it’s marked explicit.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage transactional complications as a player and as a GM! Phil and Senda talk about setting table expectations, how to use transactional complications effectively, and how to not be a dick about using them. Also, bread. A lot about bread. Bread machines too.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage an online game! From recruitment to note taking, Senda and Phil are here with some thoughts on running one shots and campaigns online. Also, way more than you wanted to know about Senda’s new desk and way more than you wanted to know about wikis generally and Confluence specifically.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you implement the hero’s journey in one shots and campaigns! Phil and Senda talk about this classic story structure and ways you can make it work in games vs. static media. Also, Transit AI, Ancillary Justice, and WHATEVER SENDA IS READING.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you hard frame a scene! Phil and Senda talk hard openings and hard endings for scenes when you need to keep a story clipping along. Also, Phil used his one wish on a dumpster.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle splitting the party in story games! Phil and Senda talk pros and cons and some tips for being split up and for when you’re not so that you can mix the two like a pro. Also, Nickelodeon, You Can’t Do That On Television, Double Dare, Days of Thunder (TWENTY SEVEN TIMES), there’s a song?
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you co-GM! Phil and Senda have been deflecting this question for YEARS now, but…we think we can now approach it! This is the third and final episode of our live on mic negotiation of how we will approach co-GMing for cons in 2020. Also, Phil’s hair, mani and pedis, and Revolutionary Girl Utena.
Check out Never Unprepared, Phil’s book on game session prep, now available in audiobook form from Audible!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you co-GM! Phil and Senda have been deflecting this question for YEARS now, but…we think we can now approach it! This is the second part of our live on mic negotiation of how we will approach co-GMing for cons in 2020. Also, Phil’s hair. A lot about Phil’s hair.
Check out Never Unprepared, Phil’s book on game session prep, now available in audiobook form from Audible!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you co-GM! Phil and Senda have been deflecting this question for YEARS now, but…we think we can now approach it! This is the first part of our live on mic negotiation of how we will approach co-GMing for cons in 2020. Also, a new podcast? Thanksgiving was great! And as always, the meows.
Check out Never Unprepared, Phil’s book on game session prep, now available in audiobook form from Audible!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage an open table! Phil and Senda talk running games when you have fluctuating attendance with many characters, such as at a school or a game store, and how to still run a coherent arc. Also, phrasing. Are we still doing phrasing?? (The outtakes here get a little risqué.)
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Well friends…we recorded a good, long, normal episode this week — and then discovered that the audio was mangled beyond retrieval. So instead we bring you this super short, COMPLETELY UNEDITED (except for chopping off the beginning and putting in the music) weird recap episode that we immediately rerecorded in half the time! There are no bonus outtakes from this week. Partially because it was short, and partially because…I didn’t edit it.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s a Grab Bag! We’re on our way back from Metatopia today, so Senda and Phil talk about not letting your next campaign steal steam from the current one, balancing new hotness with old standbys, and what games we’d like to see each other run.
There are no bonus outtakes today because this was a pretty short episode.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Phil and Senda sit down to answer three quick questions for a November Grab bag — the first of two this month, as we’ll be at Metatopia coming up 11/7! Let us know if you’ll be there! On today’s episode we’re talking licensed games, rewriting old or obscure games, and self care.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you avoid the too-much-planning and analysis paralysis in your games! Phil and Senda talk creating urgency, adding stakes, and how to mitigate the issues of players who don’t have the same level of competency as their characters. Also, clicky off sides, finger soccer, Silence of the Lambs, and tick tock.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you port rules from other games in to your current game! Phil and Senda talk porting integrated and non-integrated rules in to your ongoing campaign, as well as random ideas for merging games together. Also, Fatal (oops), losing the meow in the middle, Phil makes fake hard cuts, Swords without Queens, what’s our twitter handle again…?
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you set up a mystery game! Phil and Senda talk mysteries, making a clue map and a what’s really going on here document, as well as prepping your clues and changing them on the fly. Also, a lot of Blue’s Clues trivia, and we originally titled this episode Building A Mystery buuuuuuut we just kept yelling about BLUE’S CLUES!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you get Indie gamers to play traditional games and vice versa! Phil and Senda break down some generalities about what differentiates the stereotypes of these games and then talk about some of the ways you can be up front with your players to make sure they have a good experience switching. All of this episode assumes that they are game to at least give something new a shot — no bait and switch for us! Also, Senda tries to plug the G+ community, Phil is playing Dream Daddies, and Senda’s game group has “compliance” issues.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how….Senda forgets to queue the episode before leaving for con! Also on this episode, we talk good pregens for cons and one shots and how to manage surprise as a GM. Also, there are outtakes…
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers will be available later today or early tomorrow! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Phil and Senda answer three listener questions in quick succession! We talk co-GMing, adding drama/relationships/bonds to more traditional RPGs, and recycling your content and ideas. Also, one hit wonders Definitely Leopard and their short lived career, the state of Senda’s air conditioning, and how long is 600 measures in podcast time??
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you read a table! Phil and Senda talk passively reading game tables and actively soliciting feedback, and how the two combine for the most effective table reading. Also, DEFINITELY LEOPARD.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you implement collaborative world building! Phil and Senda talk collaborative world building in your session 0 and when you are mid game. Also, lots more music, not understanding we were queer in the 90s, cat sounds and the facial expressions that accompany them, and EIGHT HOURS of gaming + ice cream.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you get the Right Stuff to Hang Tough as a new GM! Phil and Senda talk tips for new GMs from ABomb, and trust us — You Got It! Also, Senda HAS INTERNET AGAIN.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…take an easy week? Phil and Senda answer three quick questions from TerrordactylU on twitter: balancing mechanics vs. immersion, when props are good vs. bad, and the great bag question: bag of holding or Peak Design Everyday Backpack? All this and MORE on today’s episode!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage character bonds, especially when they’re not mechanically part of your game! Phil and Senda talk bonds, bonding, bond…other stuff? Also, the beefness scale, the 90s, all our cell phones and mp3 players, Phil forgets his name.
Don’t forget, you can still double your impact by supporting the IGDN Metatopia scholarship right now if you let us know, as well as getting cool discounts! Check out the details: http://misdirectedmark.com/2019/07/29/special-announcement-gem-fund-matching-drive-for-the-2019-igdn-metatopia-sponsorship/
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you reward the behavior you want to see in your game — mechanically! Phil and Senda brainstorm live about how to answer the third of Jared’s questions as it pertains to the Ditch Lilies Road Tour. Also, Phil got new headphones.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you approach your new game idea! Phil and Senda talk Jared Sorrenson’s three questions you can answer to narrow down your game idea, and use their budding thoughts on the Ditch Lilies game as an example. Also, patriarchy pockets, the Timbuk 2 3 Way Phone Pouch and fried rice.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you make a recap show useful (hopefully)! Phil and Senda talk briefly about their Queen City Conquest experiences and what they learned or remembered from running and playing games there.
Also, cheese: https://9gag.com/gag/aKqdNvZ/the-4-stages-of-eating-cheese, and Tricksters Save the World: https://fourinhand.itch.io/tricksters-save-the-world
The Turning Point QuickStart is out on DriveThruRPG! Here’s a handy dandy link, just for you! http://bit.ly/TurningPointQS
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you….play Turning Point?? With the release of the quickstart, Phil and Senda are here to talk about Turning Point, what it is, how it got here, and fun things about it!
Sorry, Patrons — the recording was so short there are no bonus outtakes today, however you might want to check the posts to make sure you got the other reward! http://patreon.com/mmp
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you balance immersion and mechanics! Phil and Senda talk maintaining immersion, keeping mechanics from being interruptive, and the layers/levels of play. Also, Phil hates his headphones. Like, a LOT.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you create intrigue without creating confusion! Phil and Senda talk about intrigue, confusion, and red herrings, as well as a lot of purple smoke, magical bogs, and the difference between creating intrigue and urgency. Also, the Turning Point Quickstart will be here soon — and we’ll hope to see as many of you as possible at the QCC!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…record an episode the day after you’re back from con? Here’s what Senda and Phil did at Origins! Also, hot chicken takeover.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage cooking and bag mechanics in RPGs! It’s a couple of quick questions because we’re on our way home from Origins today!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you get ready for Origins! Also, taking the hook when it’s bad, or dealing with bad adventure hooks, and the Ditch Lilies everyday carry. Phil and Senda are getting ready to see some of you at Origins 2019 so this is an A show!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us why GMing advice? Phil and Senda talk about why GMing advice matters and the Encoded Designs acquisition of Engine Publishing as an imprint. Also, Phil’s Boston trip, Senda’s temporary consideration of a yellow couch, and we go too far as usual.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
One more grab bag episode for May as we cover for Phil’s trip to Boston! In this episode, we answer questions about sharing the spotlight and taking the hook. Please note, I’ve marked this episode as explicit for more risqué than usual outtakes…I usually reserve that level of innuendo for the bonus outtakes! Also, more panties. That’s probably a thing. If you’re following us on social media, tell us if you would wear the Freytag’s Pyramid Rising Big Bad Action shirt!
On that note, there are no bonus outtakes today. Sorry folks! Back to normal soon.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you do a grab bag for May when travel interferes with your recording schedule! On today’s episode, we answer two questions: How to have satisfying session arcs in episodic campaigns, and which Ditch Lilies songs should have been in Captain Marvel (SPOILERISH).
This was a short show so there are no bonus outtakes today! We’ll be back with bonus episodes when we are done with this grab bag (and the next one). Marked explicit for a few more uncut cuss words than usual, as well as panty outtakes (that might have under normal circumstances landed in the bonus outtakes).
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how playing can make you a better GM and GMing can make you a better player! Phil and Senda talk about how being in each position at the table and how it can inform your play when you are in the other seat. Also, my Peak Design bag came! Senda’s lack of Friday voice, drunk pandas, and ENnies submissions.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you adjust your life for games! Phil and Senda talk part 2 of balancing games and life. Also, Panda’s Talking Bags. Lots of bags. And pouches.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you adjust your gaming for your life! This is part one of a two parter we ACTUALLY ANTICIPATED. Go us! Phil and Senda talk about adjusting your gaming style to your life circumstances. Next week, Senda and Phil talk adjusting your life for your games!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how pilots and midseason episodes can inspire one shots and campaigns! Phil and Senda talk parallels between how script writers write for pilots vs. mid-season episodes as their old standards of one shots and campaigns. Also, Phil’s 2nd grade experience with tights, schoolhouse rock, the new Cowboy Bebop, and this, my friends, is a failure to meow.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you set up and make a space for romance in your games! Phil and Senda talk creating safe spaces for romance with consent, boundaries and expectations, and safety tools, and also how to give your players the opportunity to engage in romance within that framework. Also, Senda cusses a lot about Captain Marvel panties (or the lack thereof) and somehow there was a lot of stuff that we just had to cut entirely.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you celebrate a podversary with no fooling! Phil and Senda talk getting your players to do homework between games (thanks to Jim Likes Games), our favorite episodes, our year in review, and our plans for next year.
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…somehow manage to still record a show while con dropping like mad! Phil and Senda talk Breakout 2019 in Toronto, what we played (all games in development), and what we learned.
Don’t forget to check out Cut to the Chase, a short form (for reals, not like us) collaborative two player game that tells the story of a thrilling chase — on kickstarter right now! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cuttothechase/cut-to-the-chase?ref=753371&token=42fdcd1b
There are no bonus outtakes today — sorry friends! Better luck next week.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Senda and Phil are at Breakout this week instead of recording — so here’s another grab bag episode for your amusement! On this grab bag, we answer questions about favorite game mechanics, world building as part of character creation, and breakfast cereals. We’ll see you next week for our Breakout wrap up!
Bonus outtakes for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http://patreon.com/mmp.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you do a grab bag because COOON! Phil and Senda answer fun short questions in this grab bag episode in preparation for Breakout 2019. Will we see you there?
Bonus outtakes for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you decide to run published adventures or write your own — especially if it’s your first game! Phil and Senda talk about running your first game and how to decide if you should write your own adventure or use someone else’s.
Sorry friends — no bonus outtakes today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you run a game for demo purposes vs. just for entertainment! Phil and Senda talk the balance of entertainment and demo modes for con games as well as the focus of each and how to balance them. Also, we had games in the last Bundle of Holding, Senda can’t seem to start the show, and the shipping woes of Phil’s new bag.
Bonus outtakes today for our patrons!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @PandasTalkGames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you manage a group that lacks leadership! Phil and Senda talk about leading and supporting roles (in games and in life), types of leadership, and how to provide leadership in a game where no one wants to do it (but they need to have it).
Also, it was a rough week and we got off to a slow start until we stumbled on toilet paper and there are just too many m’s.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you structure you sessions, one shots, campaigns, or adventures! Phil and Senda talk through the various adventure structures, including linear, branching, railroad, and sandbox. Also, origami butterflies, missing dice, and Phil forgets to introduce himself.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us your pros and cons for broad and narrow, strong and weak game situations! Phil and Senda talk situation a la Jason Pitre’s four structures (http://www.genesisoflegend.com/2018/06/fourstructures) in terms of pros and cons. Also, Minecraft, a failed Steven Universe waveform song, the kombucha bait and switch, cereal, and on being too old for instagram.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you playtest your games! Phil and Senda are joined by Bonus Experience’s Monica and Rai to talk playesting, giving feedback, and accepting feedback. Also, PBMOs, we fail to start the show, we fail to end the show, and put it back in your butt.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Phil and Senda talk hacking Powered by the Apocalypse — making your own moves and playbooks. Also, sheep pits, minecraft, Senda forgets to put the blurb in, who sees your #tableselfies when you post them on social media, and the magical girl transformation move.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…still get an episode out when you’re both on the road all week! This week’s show is unedited except for music and clipping our very beginning nonsense and very end nonsense. Not only do you get the full range of ums and uhs, you also get the outtakes right there in the show! I pause here for dramatic excitement and effect!
Despite all of these set backs, we did in fact talk about all three planned topics in this week’s episode: Saturday Morning cartoons as game inspiration, running H2O as a one shot vs. Love and Justice as a campaign, and where we like to go for inspiration and game ideas.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Welcome to the new year folks. We have a bit of a treat for you all this week as we got together with many of the different hosts of our shows and brought them in for a new years eve gathering. A variety of hosts from other shows on the network drop in and we have a rousing good time on this New Years Eve special episode. Enjoy and we’ll be back with normal programing next week.
Show us what you do when your players get stuck! Phil and Senda talk about some quick tips and tricks as a GM or as players when the story gets stuck and stops moving forward. Then we get a little healing and a couple more terrible rolls for Anadara Blackwing to wrap up the podcasting year. Also, Tumblr’s demise, female presenting nipples, GI Joe, where’s the beef, Whamaggedon, and Senda got a new mic so now we can both doppler podcast.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Sound effects included “Weathering 01 – earth, water and frost” by New Age Soup on freesound.org and is also used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you deal with problematic content! Phil and Senda answer a listener question about problematic content and how to include it (if you have a good reason) in your games.
Also, the meow fails, pizza bagels, Schrödinger’s Camdon, there is no show, earbuds by people who hated ears, and maybe I’ll start the show. Maybe.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you handle environmental challenges as a GM and as a player! Phil and Senda talk environmental challenges in light of Anadara’s current precarious situation in Dungeon World. Also, acceptable star wars hood shapes, coffee naps, homework parties and bribery, posting the correct outtakes for patrons from last week, and Phil’s failed environmental challenge.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you manage non-violent encounters instead of combat! Phil and Senda talk encounters with combat potential and how to make other options viable. Also, we fail at the end of the show, we fail to remember to start the show, Senda fails to remember the words, and Phil fails to popsplain.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you….talk about games when it’s the middle of busy holiday stuff! We really will get back to answering questions here any week now. In the meantime, Anadara spends most of her time buried under a pile of books. Also, Panda’s Talking Leftovers, so much stuff that went in to the bonus outtakes this week, and Phil gets stuck in a loop.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you…had so much fun talking about Metatopia you ran out of time to do any AP…? Phil and Senda talk through the rest of Metatopia, including the inception of the half-eaten burger larp, Senda’s inability (thank goodness) to recognize people, and Phil’s first trip to the container store. Also, if Rob opened me a banana, failing the outtro, brooming the floor, and on air game design.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…do a show while dropping! Phil and Senda talk through the first part of their Metatopia 2019 experience, what they playtested. Funny stories for next week!
Also on this week’s episode, creepy zombie ice goblins, we fail to start the show after trying to really quickly, Senda kicks things and loses RPGs. And when I punched my mic I actually also punched the mute button, so it didn’t really record it.
There are no bonus outtakes today.
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
The atmospheric sound in this episode was “musical winds” by Cosmic D on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you…plan ahead for Metatopia so as not to miss any scheduled releases! Phil and Senda are just traveling back today, so this episode was recorded two weeks ago. On today’s grab bag, we walk handling annoying NPCs and some serious deep cuts Ditch Lily trivia (thanks, PK!). We’ll be back next week with Legacy Weapon! Also, Phil had three questions but we realized we’d already done a whole show on it, there is juggling, raven sounds, a weird moment where Phil expects Senda to follow the script, and raccoons.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you create an evocative opening! Phil and Senda talk through a few of their favorite opening options, then finally truly begin the Legacy weapon with an opening of their own. Also, Phil attempts to meow but can’t because laughing, some show planning (grab bag next week), Phil ran ALL THE GAMES, Turning Point is going well, accidental nonlinear podcasting.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you handle manage 1 on 1 play when your game might be built for a party! Phil and Senda talk about ways to manage the power differentials and missing niches, then move in to how we’re handling it in our game as we do a quick run down of our character creation. Panda’s Talking Bags returns. Also, there are ravens. CAW!
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The theme used for the Legacy Weapon is adapted from “nomen alterum” by nomenum on freesound.org and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Show us how you session 0! Phil and Senda talk about a little pivot we’ll be making to the show to accommodate our crazy lives: we will be splitting the show in to some discussion, and some actual play of Phil’s Legacy Weapon (which you can get on drivethru to follow along). Then we do our session 0 right out there for you all to hear. Also, Panda’s Talking Bags, the most adorable (and flattering) audio, and Phil missed a spot.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you learn to improv GM! Phil and Senda talk about tips and ways to ease in to improv GMing coming from a more traditional prep background. Also, snacks, oreos, raccoon appreciation day, and the surprise Hey.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how much backstory is too much backstory! Senda and Phil talk about backstory for PCs, NPCs, and how to be effective with it in one shots and campaigns. Also, silicone, Phil is still a fan of his new notebook, Studio Oh!, and starting the show was a bit of a problem.
Bonus outtakes for patrons today!
Find us on the internet:
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you QCC’d! Phil and Senda talk about what they ran at QCC 2018 and what lessons they took away from each of those game experiences.
Also, Phil has a silicone straw! Phil’s new notebook, it was late at night and we were a bit goofy about the script, we accidentally created the elevator pitch and the genre for Long Live the Queen, and Queen City means Buffalo.
All the outtakes are in the show this week!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you run a panel when you make the audience come up with all the topics! Phil and Senda answer audience questions at QCC 2018 in Buffalo.
All the outtakes are in the show this week!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
It’s a grab bag! Phil and Senda talk running tight plots at one shots, handling paradigm shifts in games, and what kind of designs we’re currently in to. Past Phil and Past Senda assume that QCC was amazing!
Sorry, no bonus outtakes today.
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you play and GM reactively and proactively in one shots and campaigns! So many moving parts in this one that Senda and Phil both talk about one shots and campaigns. Also we discuss rearranging my office, that obscure metal band Vent Magnetic, metal straws, and mic bumps.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
That’s right, it’s another grab bag! The QCC is nearly here and in a desperate attempt to not be last minute scrambling or missing an episode, our valiant hosts return to the time honored tradition of two shows in ONE NIGHT! Yes, ladies and gentlepersons, this stunts has only been recorded previously on this very podcast, but tonight we bring you the first of two, count them two, grab bags!
On this episode: making your NPCs both real and smoochable, how to be a good convention player, and running cyberpunk in one shots vs. campaigns!
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Hi friends! This month leading up to the Queen City Conquest, where both Phil and Senda will be in attendance, is super hectic! We’ll be doing a bunch of fun grab bag episodes to keep things going.
On today’s episode, we talk character creation in one shots and campaigns thats to @CreationCast and picking games when parts of your group may or may not seem that “in to it” via @jezzirolk. Also, The Circle of Life, how Jianghu Hustle got its name, how the raccoons start their podcast, and the ongoing trials of Phil’s metal straw.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you cootie catcher a magical girl! Phil and Senda are joined by Emily Reinhart of Third Act Publishing to talk about her new game on kickstarter now, Domina Magica:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1445739002/domina-magica-a-magical-girl-rpg
Also, Phil remembered to start the dryer, Emily is always watching, there is no mermaid green in Google docs, and so much Sailor Moon.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Someone left the garbage bins open at the Panda’s Talking Games studio, and look who came wandering in! On this episode, Eric and Rob rummage ’round the rubbish and come up with Grant Howitt and Rach Shelkey. Come hear us all chat about the latest in tabletop raccooning!
Your humble hosts are Eric Farmer and Rob Abrazado. Eric’s game Trash Pandas is available for pay-what-you-want on DriveThruRPG! Rob will go too far to commit to a bit.
Thanks to Grant Howitt, among whose myriad tantalizing games is the super fun Crash Pandas, which started this all and is currently available to Grant’s Patreon backers; it will be publicly available soon! Grant also hosts the gaming “advice” podcast, Hearty Dice Friends.
Thanks also to Rach Shelkey, organizer at Breakout, Toronto’s finest gaming convention, and co-host of the excellent Powered-by-the-Apocalypse podcast +1 Forward. Keep an eye out for the next supplement for Golden Sky Stories, The Colors of the Sky Volume 2, coming soon!
Special thanks to Misdirected Mark Productions for supporting our shenanigans, and all love to Senda and Phil of the real Panda’s Talking Games.
Show us how you manage out of control campaigns! Since we talked about in session table control issues last week but went a little out of control ourselves, we’re finishing up Kevin’s topic this week with the campaigns. Also, does John Arcadian sing to his wife? What will be the name of Bob’s new podcast? Can we ever get this show started? Also, the biggest build up for the least excitement: kumquats. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle an out of control table (or podcast?) at a convention! Phil and Senda talk about signs of the table being out of control, how to tell if it’s actually a problem or not, and how to help manage it as a player if it is. Also, the very first accidental installment of Pandalell Timelines, Phil is old, Laminations of the Panda Queen (with our favorite Minister of Tumbleness), congrats to Ryan on Baby Boelter, the metal straw, Senda’s cat the purr and fur murder machine, pregame socialization, there weren’t any new reviews, and yes there were a lot of outtakes because this podcast was out of control. Oh the irony.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us what you…like to snack on for conventions and at home? Phil and Senda talk way too much about snacks before jumping in on how to make “good” puzzles for one shots and campaigns. Also, silicone cups and straws.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Iiiit’s the July Grab Bag part one! Senda’s going on vacation so this needed to be faster to edit. On today’s episode, we cover mashing up magical girls with cyberpunk, how to handle character death in one shots vs. campaigns, and how to support your friendly local GM. We’ll have one more grab bag this month and then back to our regularly scheduled “short form” topics! We were slightly more explicit in language than usual. Also, blue raspberry, it’s hot, and I fail to follow Phil’s jokes this week. You stuck your chocolate in my peanut butter!
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle different power levels in one shots and campaigns! Phil and Senda talk about the pros and cons of starting at low levels, medium levels, or high levels, and handling speed of advancement. Also, we fell down a rabbit hole discussing one of the Ditch Lilies more experimental pieces, Night of A Thousand Noises.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you prep differently for one shots at cons vs. one shots at home! Phil and Senda talk about generality and accessibility vs. specificity and customization, time frames, etc. Please forgive my slightly sick voice this week — I am starting to feel better! Also, the panda tweet that wasn’t a panda tweet, character gen is episode 3, processed milky cheese.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you con! Phil and Senda are just back from Origins, and they talk through the experience of running games at a convention that are in development, as well as a general recap of Origins 2018. Also, more taco meat, the introduction of milky cheese, and poor Phil on no sleep.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
One more grab bag while Senda and Phil are at Origins! When you are hearing this, we will be in transit home. One today’s grab bag we answer Ditch Lily trivia questions from Ryan Swan, a comedy game question from Jonathon Lavallee, and talk about food in games courtesy of PK Sullivan. Also, my air conditioner is not yet functional, and taco meat. Taco meat.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Iiiit’s a grab bag because we’re heading in to Origins! Hope to see you there!
On tonight’s show, Senda and Phil talk time to produce a game, sandboxes, magical girl 101 and old games that we’d (Phil’d) love to see make a come back.
There are no bonus outtakes this week.
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you ship rules with settings! Phil and Senda talk merging settings with different rules as one shots vs. the considerations of campaigns. Also, we saw Solo but there are no spoilers, only wookie noises.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle the fallout from your one shot turning in to a campaign! We answer @our_lady_irony’s questions about her time travel campaign.
Alternative titles for this episode: Blushing Panda, Hidden Waveform; The Chelsea Episode; Black and White and Red All Over
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Apparently Phil was busy this week, so we have yet another grab bag episode! On this episode, Senda and Phil talk physics vs. genre modeling, pop culture homages, and of course, the Ditch Lilies (we are their biggest fans!). Thank you all for the awesome questions!
Also, Cowboy Bebop, Star Wars, Phil is only feeling modestly funny (but he ramped up in to it), harmonized meows.
Show us how you handle relationship set up past your session 0 in a game! Phil and Senda talk creating relationships when you need to drop a new PC in to an existing game, and creating or evolving relationships with NPCs. Also, Cowboy Bebop, smerge, I totally remembered the words to the waveform song, yep.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you…still manage to record an episode even if it’s cursed?! Phil and Senda talk three listener questions on today’s show: RPG design as software sprints, what games to play the Ditch Lilies in, and what’s better for a first time GM, one shots or campaigns?
As this episode was cursed, we must apologize for Phil’s less than ideal sound quality and the lack of bonus outtakes for our Patrons. Better luck next week!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle relationship set up past your session 0 in a game! Phil and Senda talk creating relationships when you need to drop a new PC in to an existing game, and creating or evolving relationships with NPCs. Also, Cowboy Bebop, smerge, I totally remembered the words to the waveform song, yep.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you up your descriptive game! Phil and Senda answer listener @gmgerrymander’s question — how do you get players to be more descriptive about their actions? Also, Cowboy Bebop and the history of the internet according to pandas.
Don’t forget — you can catch us both at the Queen City Conquest! Check it out, and we’d love to see you there! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/leg/the-queen-city-conquest-2018?ref=discovery&term=queen%20city%20conquest
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you….actually, please really just don’t. Phil and Senda talk about the bait and switch, how GMs think they’re being clever, and why players hate it. There’s one specific convergence of events that might net you a successful bait and switch campaign, and we talk about it.
Also, Parry Grip, Cowboy Bebop, and we can’t possibly live up to the Beefness.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle stakes in one shots and campaigns! Senda and Phil talk stakes as character, session, arc, and campaign stakes, and how you use those to drive your story in one shots and campaigns. Also, an ad, Bunnicula, the beefness.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle episodic campaigns for small play time and imperfect attendance! Phil and Senda answer listener David’s question about handling individual sessions as one shots while still having an overall campaign arc, having folks who are there sometimes and not others, and keeping things to a three hour play time. Also, Ditch Lily trivia, meow issues, Turning Point updates, and Phil is playing Marvel Strike Force (which apparently everyone should be playing — JOIN THE RUST BELT AVENGERS TODAY! You can find him under the name dnaphil of course).
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you like to put your closet bars — in single rows high up, or split in half? Phil and Senda talk closet organization (because it’s April Fool’s).
AND
It’s our second pandaversary! We answer a listener question about playing characters over 100 in honor of our 100th episode, and talk retirement home RPG ideas. Then we pulled some of our favorite episodes from this year and talk about our plans going forward. Also, Ditch Lilies.
“Easy Jam” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Show us how you handle Panda’s LIVE!!!! Senda and Phil talk about Breakout Con as they recorded this episode live, in front of a studio audience. All outtakes are in the show…so I guess they’re not outtakes.
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
Show us how you handle that sinking feeling in your stomach when you’re getting in to your GM groove! Senda and Phil tackle a number of reasons that GMing can be intimidating, with thoughts to mitigate and debunk or hopefully at least take the irrational fear out of them. Thanks to Chelsea for the question…it was so good we went REALLY LONG. Also, snort laughs, Apple podcasts, and a super hard time starting the show.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Twitter: @pandastalkgames
Facebook: facebook.com/pandastalkgames
and panda(at)misdirectedmark.com
The great ask us anything continues with fantastic email from Evan! Senda has a parable about stealing form the party and gets to say the Phil line (“So I wrote an article on Gnomestew…”), Phil figures out kender naming conventions, and we don’t really know ship fighting games (#spoilers).
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
Phil and Senda continue the great AMA, delayed one week due to website/feed implosion! On today’s episode, we answer questions from Angela, Blake Ryan, and Sniezak, covering our GMing improvement goals for the year, how to handle players who are bad at sharing, and designing a woodland creature mobster game. Also, not now Adobe! And Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
The great AMA continues! For this episode and probably through the end of February, so anything random you want to hear about, now is the time! On today’s episode, we answer questions from @TerrordactylYOU, @eolh, and Brian Kurtz on G+. Thanks for the questions, guys! We thought we’d be doing more than 3 per episode, but we were WRONG.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
If you didn’t hear about it, Phil broke his arm! It’s messed with our standard show set up a bit, so we’re taking a few weeks to do a looser, less focused show until he’s back in full working order. On today’s episode, we answer questions from @terrordactylyou and Sniezak because we talked too long.
Bonus outtakes available for Patrons today!
Find us on the internet!
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.