Aug. 4, 2023

Immersion

We're back! And this time joined by Anya, a.k.a. La Lionne Cosplay, to discuss immersion in your TTRPGs. Anya shares her experience as a Pro-GM on ways to truly pull your players into the game, no matter the system or medium.

  • 04:29 - Remote vs. In Person
  • 12:41 - “Acting Is What You Do When You’re Not Saying Lines”
  • 21:09 - Filling the Space
  • 33:25 - Soft Edges
  • 50:47 - Toggling that Role Play Brain

Tale of the Manticore: https://taleofthemanticore.podbean.com/

Find Anya on:

Find Thinking Critically online:

References:

Patrons:

Dial-up modem 'Modron voice' sound from BBC Sound Effects: ⁠https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07070097

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Podcast art by Lily from https://www.beiworkshop.com/

1
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:05,819
welcome back thinkers to season 5

2
00:00:03,060 --> 00:00:07,500
episode 3 of thinking critically and

3
00:00:05,819 --> 00:00:10,260
thank you for your patience I know it's

4
00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:11,820
been a long time coming it's that time

5
00:00:10,260 --> 00:00:14,280
of year as I mentioned at the top of the

6
00:00:11,820 --> 00:00:16,920
previous episode where there's just

7
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:19,760
everything's popping off right now I'm

8
00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:22,680
preparing for a new campaign anyway

9
00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:25,920
thank you for returning to the show

10
00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:29,400
really good one if you like what you

11
00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:31,199
hear like the episode please do drop a

12
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,480
follow on your podcast platform of

13
00:00:31,199 --> 00:00:35,579
choice or leave a review that would be

14
00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:38,460
fantastic just a couple of words would

15
00:00:35,579 --> 00:00:40,620
would make my absolute year check out

16
00:00:38,460 --> 00:00:43,320
all the socials and the website at

17
00:00:40,620 --> 00:00:44,700
thinking crazy.co.uk where there's

18
00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,680
everything you could ever want to do

19
00:00:44,700 --> 00:00:49,379
with the show is on there

20
00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:52,260
I also want to give a shout out to the

21
00:00:49,379 --> 00:00:54,059
tale of the Manticore podcast I was

22
00:00:52,260 --> 00:00:56,879
exceptionally fortunate enough to be

23
00:00:54,059 --> 00:00:59,180
asked to be a voice actor on the show

24
00:00:56,879 --> 00:01:03,660
for a little guest spot one of the NPCs

25
00:00:59,180 --> 00:01:06,320
it's a dark fantasy d d podcast kind of

26
00:01:03,660 --> 00:01:08,400
half solo actual play half story

27
00:01:06,320 --> 00:01:11,220
completely different dungeons Dyson

28
00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:13,380
dudes definitely not a comedy show but

29
00:01:11,220 --> 00:01:15,299
very exciting very enthralling I

30
00:01:13,380 --> 00:01:19,400
definitely go and check it out at

31
00:01:15,299 --> 00:01:22,200
Manticore tail on Twitter or tale of the

32
00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:24,060
manticore.podbean.com uh yeah I was on

33
00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,280
episode 39 as well as an episode a

34
00:01:24,060 --> 00:01:30,659
couple of before that hopefully you'll

35
00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:32,520
recognize my voice maybe and uh yeah

36
00:01:30,659 --> 00:01:34,619
it's it's a it's a really good lesson so

37
00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,820
really really fortunate to have got the

38
00:01:34,619 --> 00:01:38,880
opportunity to go and check out that

39
00:01:35,820 --> 00:01:41,280
podcast as well and of course I've had

40
00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,799
the host of that show John on thinking

41
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:47,820
critically before all the way back in

42
00:01:43,799 --> 00:01:49,500
season three episode one with story so

43
00:01:47,820 --> 00:01:50,460
if you like what you hear here if you

44
00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:52,259
like what you're hearing Taylor the

45
00:01:50,460 --> 00:01:53,520
Manticore definitely go and check out

46
00:01:52,259 --> 00:01:56,510
that episode

47
00:01:53,520 --> 00:02:02,800
otherwise let's get on with this episode

48
00:01:56,510 --> 00:02:02,800
[Music]

49
00:02:04,020 --> 00:02:05,170
foreign

50
00:02:04,970 --> 00:02:17,660
[Applause]

51
00:02:05,170 --> 00:02:19,560
[Music]

52
00:02:17,660 --> 00:02:21,420
cosplay thank you ever so much for

53
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,739
joining us today Anya can you tell us a

54
00:02:21,420 --> 00:02:27,200
little bit about yourself

55
00:02:22,739 --> 00:02:27,200
yeah hi my name is Anya I use

56
00:02:28,140 --> 00:02:33,239
her American but I live in Germany

57
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,819
um I've been here for quite a number of

58
00:02:33,239 --> 00:02:39,540
years now I am if you couldn't guess I'm

59
00:02:35,819 --> 00:02:43,680
a cosplayer uh but I am also a

60
00:02:39,540 --> 00:02:45,739
professional game master I am a an

61
00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:51,420
actual play performer

62
00:02:45,739 --> 00:02:54,780
dmgm All That Jazz I also write a lot

63
00:02:51,420 --> 00:02:57,720
a lot of different uh games not just for

64
00:02:54,780 --> 00:03:00,660
d d but also my own kind of like Little

65
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,459
Indie projects wow writing is something

66
00:03:00,660 --> 00:03:04,340
that I need to do a lot more of and

67
00:03:02,459 --> 00:03:08,519
that's where I'll leave white

68
00:03:04,340 --> 00:03:10,440
my my thoughts on that well good uh a

69
00:03:08,519 --> 00:03:12,900
very good person to have on for today's

70
00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:15,060
topic which is immersion so what does

71
00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:19,319
that mean to you in the DND and wider

72
00:03:15,060 --> 00:03:21,540
ttrpg framework so immersion for me it's

73
00:03:19,319 --> 00:03:23,580
not just like yes you're you're getting

74
00:03:21,540 --> 00:03:26,760
into a story you're telling a story

75
00:03:23,580 --> 00:03:28,920
together it is

76
00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:33,239
um getting the right notes getting the

77
00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:36,900
right vibe in your game so uh a really

78
00:03:33,239 --> 00:03:39,420
good example is

79
00:03:36,900 --> 00:03:42,659
um I always use frame of reference with

80
00:03:39,420 --> 00:03:46,140
things that I've run or written my game

81
00:03:42,659 --> 00:03:49,260
Mountaintop isolation is all about like

82
00:03:46,140 --> 00:03:51,480
psychological horror uh you're trapped

83
00:03:49,260 --> 00:03:52,799
isolated alone on a Mountaintop if you

84
00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:57,900
couldn't tell it's a wretched and alone

85
00:03:52,799 --> 00:04:00,599
game but it has not just that creepy

86
00:03:57,900 --> 00:04:03,120
Vibe of all of these weird strange

87
00:04:00,599 --> 00:04:05,220
things happening to you as you are

88
00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:09,060
getting deeper and deeper into being

89
00:04:05,220 --> 00:04:12,360
trapped in a uh blizzard on top of

90
00:04:09,060 --> 00:04:14,640
mountain but you have that aspect of the

91
00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:18,359
tumbling block tower as they call it

92
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:21,840
that precariousness of of it and the

93
00:04:18,359 --> 00:04:24,479
fear that drives in you and that kind of

94
00:04:21,840 --> 00:04:27,180
delves you a little bit deeper into and

95
00:04:24,479 --> 00:04:30,120
it makes it more immersive of an

96
00:04:27,180 --> 00:04:32,040
experience for you yeah what a great

97
00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:35,100
topic and I'm frankly I'm surprised it's

98
00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:37,080
taken me so long to get here but I'm

99
00:04:35,100 --> 00:04:38,639
very glad we have because it is one of

100
00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:42,419
those things that

101
00:04:38,639 --> 00:04:44,400
I think every GM struggles with at some

102
00:04:42,419 --> 00:04:46,860
point and there are various things you

103
00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:50,639
can do I mean I'm looking up here at my

104
00:04:46,860 --> 00:04:52,740
4 8 12 15 16 candles or so that you know

105
00:04:50,639 --> 00:04:54,900
to set the scene to set some Ambiance

106
00:04:52,740 --> 00:04:57,120
there's always like physic physical

107
00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:58,979
things you can do

108
00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:01,740
to help with the immersion obviously

109
00:04:58,979 --> 00:05:03,360
that only helps in person but it is one

110
00:05:01,740 --> 00:05:06,120
of those things that's like

111
00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,740
more of an art than a science I feel as

112
00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:10,560
is with a lot of gming I think to be

113
00:05:07,740 --> 00:05:12,720
fair is is trying to bring people in so

114
00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:15,180
I guess the candles are a good place to

115
00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,919
start do you feel it's like harder to do

116
00:05:15,180 --> 00:05:20,699
that if it's a remote game versus an

117
00:05:16,919 --> 00:05:23,520
in-person game it can be for sure a lot

118
00:05:20,699 --> 00:05:26,340
of GMS what they do is they incorporate

119
00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:30,060
music and sound into it to make it more

120
00:05:26,340 --> 00:05:33,780
immersive oh a good example of that I

121
00:05:30,060 --> 00:05:36,720
had a GM once who whenever things were

122
00:05:33,780 --> 00:05:39,900
kind of dragging a little bit or you

123
00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:42,780
know people were doing a little bit too

124
00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:46,680
much so he would start playing sounds

125
00:05:42,780 --> 00:05:49,699
and it would be things like oh I just

126
00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:51,360
heard a wolf howl

127
00:05:49,699 --> 00:05:53,759
oh

128
00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,860
um y'all we need to start paying

129
00:05:53,759 --> 00:05:59,400
attention now because something is about

130
00:05:55,860 --> 00:06:02,699
to happen and it wasn't even just the

131
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:04,979
players being cued into it it was okay

132
00:06:02,699 --> 00:06:07,620
now the characters need to cue in as

133
00:06:04,979 --> 00:06:08,759
well do they notice that this has

134
00:06:07,620 --> 00:06:12,120
happened

135
00:06:08,759 --> 00:06:13,979
there is a Machiavellian joy in that

136
00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,419
like just sitting back and pressing the

137
00:06:13,979 --> 00:06:17,100
button and playing the sound and then

138
00:06:15,419 --> 00:06:19,560
being like you know the arched

139
00:06:17,100 --> 00:06:21,600
fingertips of oh yeah and and then the

140
00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,759
players being like whoa you know looking

141
00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:26,180
looking to the GM for a queue and you've

142
00:06:23,759 --> 00:06:26,180
been like well

143
00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:31,020
there's nothing more for me like for me

144
00:06:29,039 --> 00:06:33,300
to add right now

145
00:06:31,020 --> 00:06:36,060
and uh that's definitely one thing that

146
00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:39,240
I need to explore a little bit more I

147
00:06:36,060 --> 00:06:41,460
don't do Sound and Music in my games I

148
00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,500
make my own sound effects whether those

149
00:06:41,460 --> 00:06:46,860
are good or not I think you'd have to

150
00:06:43,500 --> 00:06:49,580
ask my players but it's

151
00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:53,160
um it's just it's a more challenging

152
00:06:49,580 --> 00:06:56,120
technologically wise uh thing to do that

153
00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:59,400
I just haven't really delved into yet

154
00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:01,139
yeah I made a hole in that in my humble

155
00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:03,479
beginnings when I was just dming just

156
00:07:01,139 --> 00:07:05,400
for my mates in person I had a whole

157
00:07:03,479 --> 00:07:07,800
Spotify playlist you know it was like 30

158
00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:11,220
hours long of well I had several

159
00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:13,919
actually one for like sad deadly sad DND

160
00:07:11,220 --> 00:07:16,080
happy DND like River

161
00:07:13,919 --> 00:07:17,460
um they're like oh an NPC's dying let me

162
00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:18,720
sorry one second let me just scroll

163
00:07:17,460 --> 00:07:21,419
scroll scroll I've got to find the

164
00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:24,960
playlist sad now you're gonna feel sad

165
00:07:21,419 --> 00:07:26,460
um but of course moving to online and

166
00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,900
streaming and stuff you've got to be a

167
00:07:26,460 --> 00:07:30,120
little bit more careful around that

168
00:07:27,900 --> 00:07:32,460
stuff because so many pitfalls out there

169
00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:35,340
of of streaming music and all that kind

170
00:07:32,460 --> 00:07:37,380
of stuff absolutely and in addition to

171
00:07:35,340 --> 00:07:38,940
the technical overhead of being like but

172
00:07:37,380 --> 00:07:42,360
I need to hear it and they need to hear

173
00:07:38,940 --> 00:07:45,300
it so how can I plumb those two streams

174
00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:49,039
like to come out of the the stream

175
00:07:45,300 --> 00:07:52,199
itself correctly is was one that I never

176
00:07:49,039 --> 00:07:55,319
really bothered to resolve we we messed

177
00:07:52,199 --> 00:07:57,599
around in them in Discord for a bit but

178
00:07:55,319 --> 00:07:59,759
then since moving to something else I

179
00:07:57,599 --> 00:08:01,500
was like we feel free to play your own

180
00:07:59,759 --> 00:08:03,900
music in your own uh in your own living

181
00:08:01,500 --> 00:08:06,539
rooms guys and we'll just uh you could

182
00:08:03,900 --> 00:08:09,599
be your own DJ for a change and to be

183
00:08:06,539 --> 00:08:11,460
Frank from me as a a DM perspective

184
00:08:09,599 --> 00:08:13,680
kind of already had enough on my plate

185
00:08:11,460 --> 00:08:15,300
anyway certainly with the streaming so

186
00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,819
it was like I'm kind of happy to just

187
00:08:15,300 --> 00:08:20,819
let that fall by the side yeah we're

188
00:08:17,819 --> 00:08:23,520
already doing so many other things just

189
00:08:20,819 --> 00:08:27,479
adding another element just makes it

190
00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:29,280
a little bit too much yes yeah and the

191
00:08:27,479 --> 00:08:31,259
the reason I said I'm saying all of this

192
00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,820
is because I can't help maybe it's just

193
00:08:31,259 --> 00:08:34,080
that imposter syndrome you know voice at

194
00:08:32,820 --> 00:08:36,659
the back of your head but I can't help

195
00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,860
but feel it has impacted the immersion

196
00:08:36,659 --> 00:08:39,899
even if sometimes the music wasn't

197
00:08:37,860 --> 00:08:41,880
always spot on or even sometimes it to

198
00:08:39,899 --> 00:08:43,200
be like oh that's way too Jolly for this

199
00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,940
intimidation check we're doing let me

200
00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,560
just skip you know even if it was it

201
00:08:44,940 --> 00:08:48,660
wasn't quite on the mark

202
00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:51,600
the lack of it I can only help as

203
00:08:48,660 --> 00:08:54,779
negatively impacted emergence so yeah

204
00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:56,640
I'm soon to be dming a person again and

205
00:08:54,779 --> 00:08:59,760
I'm greedily rubbing my hands together

206
00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:01,459
happy to uh get back to having some some

207
00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,779
local Ambiance

208
00:09:01,459 --> 00:09:06,420
well you know what's interesting to me

209
00:09:03,779 --> 00:09:09,300
is you just made me think about it I

210
00:09:06,420 --> 00:09:11,519
personally have never actually gm'd in

211
00:09:09,300 --> 00:09:14,760
person before I played games in person

212
00:09:11,519 --> 00:09:17,880
before we didn't have any music or sound

213
00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,800
effects or anything like that uh my

214
00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,660
first

215
00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:25,200
ttrpg that I ever played was Serenity

216
00:09:21,660 --> 00:09:29,160
based off of the Firefly and TV show and

217
00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:31,080
serenity movie it came out in 2005 and

218
00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:35,100
uh it has a couple of problematic

219
00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:37,620
elements but it was my first ttrpg I

220
00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:40,620
absolutely adored it and it didn't

221
00:09:37,620 --> 00:09:43,560
matter to us to have music or anything

222
00:09:40,620 --> 00:09:46,080
like that because it was just we were

223
00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:49,500
exploring this world of cowboys in space

224
00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:51,959
and it didn't matter to us to have like

225
00:09:49,500 --> 00:09:54,140
the sound of the ship creaking around us

226
00:09:51,959 --> 00:09:58,080
or anything like that

227
00:09:54,140 --> 00:10:00,300
yeah how I don't want to be rude but do

228
00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,860
you think age has a part to play with

229
00:10:00,300 --> 00:10:04,080
like how easy it is to immerse yourself

230
00:10:01,860 --> 00:10:07,019
because of the kids run off into their

231
00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:10,519
fairy tale lands 24 7. do you think do

232
00:10:07,019 --> 00:10:14,339
you think there's a scale there

233
00:10:10,519 --> 00:10:16,800
don't think so because the G Ms that I

234
00:10:14,339 --> 00:10:17,880
know who use music in

235
00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,980
in sound effects and things and things

236
00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:23,580
like that they are

237
00:10:19,980 --> 00:10:25,200
all different ages so I really don't

238
00:10:23,580 --> 00:10:28,680
think that that has anything to do with

239
00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:30,120
it I will say that I feel like people

240
00:10:28,680 --> 00:10:32,459
who

241
00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:34,440
I'm using myself as an example but

242
00:10:32,459 --> 00:10:36,480
people who have a theater background

243
00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:40,080
sometimes have an easier time of

244
00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:43,260
escaping into these worlds because we

245
00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:46,019
are just fully into it especially when

246
00:10:43,260 --> 00:10:48,839
I'm streaming a lot of times I'm in

247
00:10:46,019 --> 00:10:51,240
costume oh wow and that's part of my

248
00:10:48,839 --> 00:10:53,820
immersion into the world and into my

249
00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:57,680
character is that I will dress up as

250
00:10:53,820 --> 00:11:00,660
them I have so many weird costumes

251
00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:02,279
that I I also really lean into that I

252
00:11:00,660 --> 00:11:04,140
mean I'm not because obviously I had

253
00:11:02,279 --> 00:11:05,700
Sarah on the production episode from

254
00:11:04,140 --> 00:11:07,560
from girls from these worlds as well and

255
00:11:05,700 --> 00:11:09,600
she also within the first 10 minutes

256
00:11:07,560 --> 00:11:12,260
said I'm a theater kid and now there's a

257
00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,260
theme appearing

258
00:11:13,860 --> 00:11:18,000
um now I did play Oliver in the School

259
00:11:15,540 --> 00:11:20,899
production of Oliver so okay maybe that

260
00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:24,120
qualifies Me Maybe not absolutely does

261
00:11:20,899 --> 00:11:25,500
but I am also a fan of like fancy dress

262
00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,560
and also dressing up I've got it I've

263
00:11:25,500 --> 00:11:30,959
got a big drawer downstairs for the very

264
00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:33,060
cheap wigs and hats and stuff but when

265
00:11:30,959 --> 00:11:35,640
it's just for like an off one-off NPC

266
00:11:33,060 --> 00:11:37,740
that's that's more than enough and again

267
00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:40,260
one of those things I am very much

268
00:11:37,740 --> 00:11:42,420
looking forward to you know Dustin off

269
00:11:40,260 --> 00:11:45,959
and bringing out again just because

270
00:11:42,420 --> 00:11:49,920
I think that for me is a huge like the

271
00:11:45,959 --> 00:11:51,240
physicality of it is a huge a huge if

272
00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,680
you even if you just play it for Laughs

273
00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,480
like the most two-dimensional way to do

274
00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:56,220
it is still like people are laughing and

275
00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,839
having fun you've already improved the

276
00:11:56,220 --> 00:12:00,420
the mood but even if you play it you

277
00:11:57,839 --> 00:12:03,060
know straight for any other thing it's

278
00:12:00,420 --> 00:12:03,899
just I think it's a great idea if if you

279
00:12:03,060 --> 00:12:06,180
can

280
00:12:03,899 --> 00:12:07,920
again mine are very cheap so it's not as

281
00:12:06,180 --> 00:12:10,019
if you have to they're literally like if

282
00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,720
you check a match to my the wig I'd be

283
00:12:10,019 --> 00:12:15,660
bold in a second that you know I'm I'm

284
00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:18,680
looking over at my 20 drawers filled

285
00:12:15,660 --> 00:12:22,019
with wigs and no

286
00:12:18,680 --> 00:12:24,660
[Laughter]

287
00:12:22,019 --> 00:12:26,300
no uh we will have our vices I think

288
00:12:24,660 --> 00:12:30,140
it's fair to say

289
00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:30,140
it's cosplay advice

290
00:12:33,140 --> 00:12:38,700
I see what the bank manager has to say I

291
00:12:35,579 --> 00:12:38,700
guess yeah

292
00:12:40,260 --> 00:12:44,339
um so yeah let's talk about that then a

293
00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:47,040
little bit much you obviously merge

294
00:12:44,339 --> 00:12:50,880
those two yeah Hobbies of yours together

295
00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:53,040
and presumably to Fantastic effect like

296
00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:57,000
is that fun is that do your players

297
00:12:53,040 --> 00:13:01,079
enjoy it I love it I do it more as a

298
00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:02,940
character as a PC than as a GM okay in

299
00:13:01,079 --> 00:13:05,339
part because my wigs often time you have

300
00:13:02,940 --> 00:13:06,779
to glue them to your forehead wow okay I

301
00:13:05,339 --> 00:13:08,760
have the I have the really nice Lace

302
00:13:06,779 --> 00:13:10,139
Wigs when things like that the good

303
00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:14,459
stuff yeah yes

304
00:13:10,139 --> 00:13:16,500
uh but uh when I'm a player it isn't

305
00:13:14,459 --> 00:13:18,540
just that I'm I'm wearing the costume it

306
00:13:16,500 --> 00:13:22,260
makes me kind of change my posture

307
00:13:18,540 --> 00:13:24,240
change how I speak like if

308
00:13:22,260 --> 00:13:26,639
I'm trying to think of

309
00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:29,160
examples of my specific characters like

310
00:13:26,639 --> 00:13:32,880
uh Adelaide from the vampire the

311
00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:36,779
Masquerade game she uh was very much a

312
00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:40,320
fashionista straight back she uh had

313
00:13:36,779 --> 00:13:43,560
this air of I am the most beautiful most

314
00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:46,139
important person in this room and

315
00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:50,880
everyone will look at me but at the same

316
00:13:46,139 --> 00:13:52,620
time there was this timidity to her that

317
00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:55,860
um it there were only a couple of people

318
00:13:52,620 --> 00:13:57,360
that would notice that and I always made

319
00:13:55,860 --> 00:14:02,700
sure

320
00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:04,139
to plated that and so all the time and I

321
00:14:02,700 --> 00:14:05,040
think that this is my theater background

322
00:14:04,139 --> 00:14:08,459
again

323
00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:10,260
when the spotlight isn't on me my

324
00:14:08,459 --> 00:14:13,380
character is still reacting to what's

325
00:14:10,260 --> 00:14:15,920
going on because acting is what you do

326
00:14:13,380 --> 00:14:21,959
when you are not saying lines

327
00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:24,899
and so for me part of that is portraying

328
00:14:21,959 --> 00:14:26,880
how they are reacting to what is

329
00:14:24,899 --> 00:14:29,100
happening around them

330
00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:31,399
mm-hmm and we're getting an education on

331
00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,399
this episode

332
00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,740
if that's not a reason to sign up for a

333
00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,740
patreon I don't know what is but um

334
00:14:37,139 --> 00:14:42,240
um I love this train of thought because

335
00:14:39,540 --> 00:14:43,740
I feel like from my experience some sort

336
00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,199
of things I've done now in in

337
00:14:43,740 --> 00:14:48,600
conventions and from friends and stuff I

338
00:14:46,199 --> 00:14:50,160
do feel like that we're moving away from

339
00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,079
the gym to play it you're trying to

340
00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:54,060
immerse yourself as a player now which

341
00:14:52,079 --> 00:14:55,740
to be honest I didn't even think you

342
00:14:54,060 --> 00:15:00,120
know didn't even enter my brain

343
00:14:55,740 --> 00:15:02,300
that trying to embody the character is

344
00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:05,339
something that is

345
00:15:02,300 --> 00:15:07,199
ashamedly left kind of by the wayside a

346
00:15:05,339 --> 00:15:09,000
lot of the time I rarely have thought

347
00:15:07,199 --> 00:15:11,639
about it when I've been the character

348
00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:13,560
but I think yeah putting on some element

349
00:15:11,639 --> 00:15:16,500
you know be it a hat or a jacket or

350
00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:19,079
anything to it can just be that trigger

351
00:15:16,500 --> 00:15:21,899
to be like okay let me slouch or let me

352
00:15:19,079 --> 00:15:25,139
set up straight or let me hold my drink

353
00:15:21,899 --> 00:15:27,300
in a certain way is is like you're gonna

354
00:15:25,139 --> 00:15:28,980
get like 400 Returns on your investment

355
00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:32,760
for doing that in terms of in terms of

356
00:15:28,980 --> 00:15:35,639
immersion yeah and it's even simple

357
00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:38,519
things like uh how do you hold yourself

358
00:15:35,639 --> 00:15:40,500
and I mean when you're online this is a

359
00:15:38,519 --> 00:15:43,320
little bit more difficult but

360
00:15:40,500 --> 00:15:45,600
how do you walk like what part of your

361
00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:49,320
body are you leading with when you walk

362
00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:52,680
because that changes your posture it

363
00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,420
changes how you're moving around and

364
00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,820
when you think about that you're

365
00:15:54,420 --> 00:15:58,860
thinking about okay why is this

366
00:15:56,820 --> 00:16:01,019
character walking like that why is this

367
00:15:58,860 --> 00:16:03,180
person talking out of the corner of

368
00:16:01,019 --> 00:16:04,800
their mouth so that they're slurring the

369
00:16:03,180 --> 00:16:07,019
words a little bit

370
00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:09,360
things like this like what is the

371
00:16:07,019 --> 00:16:11,880
reasoning behind that and that kind of

372
00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,740
expands that world for you a little bit

373
00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,959
more

374
00:16:12,740 --> 00:16:18,540
because often it is just like

375
00:16:15,959 --> 00:16:19,860
and and there's no bad thing like we've

376
00:16:18,540 --> 00:16:21,420
all been like you and I today have

377
00:16:19,860 --> 00:16:22,620
finished work and are now doing this

378
00:16:21,420 --> 00:16:24,240
like this the amount of games that

379
00:16:22,620 --> 00:16:25,800
people are like I've had I've lived my

380
00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,300
life today and now I just kind of want

381
00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:29,339
to sit down and just throw some dice

382
00:16:27,300 --> 00:16:30,360
absolutely no shade but if you get the

383
00:16:29,339 --> 00:16:32,699
opportunity or you get those rare

384
00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,920
occasions where it's like I'm a bushy

385
00:16:32,699 --> 00:16:36,959
tail but

386
00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:38,579
then I can only yeah encourage it I'm

387
00:16:36,959 --> 00:16:40,980
definitely going to try and

388
00:16:38,579 --> 00:16:42,540
going into gming a bit more soon I'm

389
00:16:40,980 --> 00:16:44,040
definitely going to try and think about

390
00:16:42,540 --> 00:16:45,540
that a little bit more keep that in the

391
00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:48,120
back of my mind to try and do it a

392
00:16:45,540 --> 00:16:50,519
little bit more rather than just I'm sat

393
00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:53,040
in my office or I'm sat at the chair to

394
00:16:50,519 --> 00:16:54,420
get the players and I know I do I've got

395
00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,339
a couple of sessions left as a player

396
00:16:54,420 --> 00:16:58,259
I'm trying to think about what I can do

397
00:16:56,339 --> 00:17:00,240
in those in that short frame of time now

398
00:16:58,259 --> 00:17:02,579
as a player to really make the most of

399
00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,500
it to bring me into that character but

400
00:17:02,579 --> 00:17:07,079
um do you think there are a lot of

401
00:17:04,500 --> 00:17:08,819
parallels then between let's say I mean

402
00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:10,380
I've done an episode on acting but do

403
00:17:08,819 --> 00:17:11,459
you think for lack of a better term

404
00:17:10,380 --> 00:17:15,480
there are a lot of parallels between

405
00:17:11,459 --> 00:17:17,220
acting and being a player in a ttrpg I

406
00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:20,280
think there are and of course not all

407
00:17:17,220 --> 00:17:23,160
players are actors of course not but I

408
00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:27,240
do feel like actors and former actors

409
00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:30,540
are more drawn to especially the the

410
00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:33,480
streaming side of things simply because

411
00:17:30,540 --> 00:17:36,059
this is another form of acting it is

412
00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:38,460
improv and there are dice that affect

413
00:17:36,059 --> 00:17:43,020
you or cards if it's something like

414
00:17:38,460 --> 00:17:45,240
Aether uh but you are affected by these

415
00:17:43,020 --> 00:17:48,120
this other entity but then you have to

416
00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:51,600
roll with what happens and it's always

417
00:17:48,120 --> 00:17:55,080
yes and that concept from acting that

418
00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:58,980
you never negate what your scene partner

419
00:17:55,080 --> 00:18:01,140
has said you build off of it which is

420
00:17:58,980 --> 00:18:04,860
that which is a cool tenant basically of

421
00:18:01,140 --> 00:18:08,340
most ttrpgs I think in general play

422
00:18:04,860 --> 00:18:11,220
shall we say yeah so in addition to

423
00:18:08,340 --> 00:18:12,960
popping on a wig or a set of glasses or

424
00:18:11,220 --> 00:18:14,700
sitting in it in a certain way what else

425
00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:17,700
do you think as a player you can do

426
00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:19,620
because obviously the majority of TT RPG

427
00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:20,940
players are on one side of the screen

428
00:18:19,620 --> 00:18:23,400
than they are there's more players than

429
00:18:20,940 --> 00:18:25,020
there are GMS so this is more value to

430
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,220
those what else do you think you can do

431
00:18:25,020 --> 00:18:29,280
as a player to either immerse yourself

432
00:18:26,220 --> 00:18:31,620
or I guess more importantly

433
00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:34,679
immerse the four five other people at

434
00:18:31,620 --> 00:18:38,220
the table and help them get embedded in

435
00:18:34,679 --> 00:18:42,120
to the game well me being me I

436
00:18:38,220 --> 00:18:45,120
love role play and so a really good

437
00:18:42,120 --> 00:18:47,039
example of this is was it yesterday time

438
00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:49,559
is a weird soup

439
00:18:47,039 --> 00:18:52,440
um I have what day of the week is it

440
00:18:49,559 --> 00:18:55,980
it's Thursday this morning this morning

441
00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:58,500
all the way back this morning because I

442
00:18:55,980 --> 00:19:01,080
I run games sometimes for people who

443
00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:04,340
it's evening on the west coast USA so

444
00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,340
it's 6 a.m for me

445
00:19:04,580 --> 00:19:12,120
but I am running a monster of the week

446
00:19:07,559 --> 00:19:14,400
game and I had uh the set scenes of okay

447
00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:18,240
this is a point in time this is a point

448
00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:21,120
in time what happens in between this and

449
00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:23,039
so I'm there a little bit more to prompt

450
00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:24,539
the players like of course I have the

451
00:19:23,039 --> 00:19:27,720
mystery and everything that they need to

452
00:19:24,539 --> 00:19:30,919
solve I'm guiding things however

453
00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:34,860
I gave them that space to kind of play

454
00:19:30,919 --> 00:19:38,460
and so they uh kind of riffed off of

455
00:19:34,860 --> 00:19:40,320
each other to create this moment that I

456
00:19:38,460 --> 00:19:44,220
was not expecting there was an Auntie

457
00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:46,679
Anne's and a liminal space mall and uh

458
00:19:44,220 --> 00:19:49,320
they they named the woman behind the

459
00:19:46,679 --> 00:19:51,900
counter and they like were just having

460
00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:54,840
this banter back and forth with her and

461
00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:57,600
it just makes it so much more fun and it

462
00:19:54,840 --> 00:20:00,299
really shapes the world just a little

463
00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:02,700
bit more and makes that I'm gonna keep

464
00:20:00,299 --> 00:20:05,400
plugging the word of the episode it

465
00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:07,919
immerses it just a little bit more

466
00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:09,780
yeah I think that like

467
00:20:07,919 --> 00:20:12,059
I like how in that example you said like

468
00:20:09,780 --> 00:20:13,740
you were the GM however that that

469
00:20:12,059 --> 00:20:17,220
argument is the same for players like

470
00:20:13,740 --> 00:20:19,980
giving other players and even the GM in

471
00:20:17,220 --> 00:20:22,500
some cases that space that you put it to

472
00:20:19,980 --> 00:20:23,700
be like like you guys go off and do and

473
00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:25,500
have that back and forth and have that

474
00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:28,140
yes and and we'll see see where it takes

475
00:20:25,500 --> 00:20:29,580
us is you know very like you can tell

476
00:20:28,140 --> 00:20:32,160
you can tell when people are like in the

477
00:20:29,580 --> 00:20:34,980
zone or having a moment like of really

478
00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:36,419
vibing like and it can be a huge benefit

479
00:20:34,980 --> 00:20:38,700
just like okay I'm gonna let that see

480
00:20:36,419 --> 00:20:41,280
see it through to its end because I'm

481
00:20:38,700 --> 00:20:44,160
really enjoying being a

482
00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:45,780
just watching it happen it was very

483
00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,039
entertaining and there were moments

484
00:20:45,780 --> 00:20:48,480
where I was just like okay I can say

485
00:20:47,039 --> 00:20:51,539
something now no they're still going

486
00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:54,900
okay they're they're having their moment

487
00:20:51,539 --> 00:20:57,419
and I just I was enjoying watching them

488
00:20:54,900 --> 00:21:00,419
have that moment yes you have to cherish

489
00:20:57,419 --> 00:21:02,760
those moments as a gym uh

490
00:21:00,419 --> 00:21:04,740
because at the next session you'll be

491
00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:07,460
staring at four dumbfounded faces you

492
00:21:04,740 --> 00:21:07,460
don't know what to do

493
00:21:08,220 --> 00:21:12,840
so in turn we spoke briefly earlier on

494
00:21:10,500 --> 00:21:15,539
about music and sound I guess to a

495
00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:18,240
lesser extent for the GM to help immerse

496
00:21:15,539 --> 00:21:20,940
their players as we've discussed being

497
00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:24,600
remote as a lot of games are

498
00:21:20,940 --> 00:21:27,480
um there are barriers to entry so often

499
00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:31,260
we're left with our voices and to a

500
00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:33,179
lesser extent our torsos or portraits so

501
00:21:31,260 --> 00:21:35,340
with with those tools that basically

502
00:21:33,179 --> 00:21:36,299
everybody has their language and their

503
00:21:35,340 --> 00:21:40,140
face

504
00:21:36,299 --> 00:21:42,299
um how can you try and immerse people as

505
00:21:40,140 --> 00:21:45,120
you said that maybe on the other side of

506
00:21:42,299 --> 00:21:47,220
the world through a screen what tips or

507
00:21:45,120 --> 00:21:50,340
tricks have you have you picked up in

508
00:21:47,220 --> 00:21:52,080
that time I am very expressive and no

509
00:21:50,340 --> 00:21:55,440
one else can see this but you can like I

510
00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:58,260
am constantly gesturing and I I make

511
00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:00,120
myself big I

512
00:21:58,260 --> 00:22:04,500
um I'm I'm already forgetting your

513
00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:08,640
question but it's uh I do everything I

514
00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:12,000
can to fill the space basically

515
00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:14,400
uh like filling the space it has

516
00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:17,820
connotations of like physically but also

517
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:19,799
you can do that with your voice so like

518
00:22:17,820 --> 00:22:21,780
so the question was like how do you kind

519
00:22:19,799 --> 00:22:24,179
of arrest attention and immerse your

520
00:22:21,780 --> 00:22:25,980
players when you're through two screens

521
00:22:24,179 --> 00:22:28,860
in a camera or on the other side of the

522
00:22:25,980 --> 00:22:30,419
world and your voice and you're

523
00:22:28,860 --> 00:22:33,419
gesticulating

524
00:22:30,419 --> 00:22:36,840
um is is certainly ways to do it I need

525
00:22:33,419 --> 00:22:38,880
to again my accents of my my girlfriend

526
00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,960
will tell you uh I can't she's

527
00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,760
understand I don't know it because

528
00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:44,700
you're not you can't do it so just don't

529
00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,200
don't try it because it'll be bad and

530
00:22:44,700 --> 00:22:48,960
she'll be like oh they're from they're

531
00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:52,200
Geordie do a Geordie accent that was

532
00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:54,000
Welsh okay fine whatever moving on uh so

533
00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,020
that's something I struggle with so I

534
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,700
guess let's leverage your theater

535
00:22:55,020 --> 00:22:57,960
background a little bit more then have

536
00:22:56,700 --> 00:23:02,460
you got any

537
00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:04,200
advice then for for doing NPC voices so

538
00:23:02,460 --> 00:23:08,159
if you can't do access

539
00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:13,380
and I am not the best at them like I I

540
00:23:08,159 --> 00:23:16,159
run Serenity Now as a pro GM and so if

541
00:23:13,380 --> 00:23:18,960
you know the characters I cannot do

542
00:23:16,159 --> 00:23:21,720
Badger's accent I cannot do fancy and

543
00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:24,120
mingo's accents I am not going to even

544
00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:28,380
attempt to mangle them

545
00:23:24,120 --> 00:23:33,059
it is not good and so uh instead what

546
00:23:28,380 --> 00:23:36,659
I'm doing is I uh again like I had said

547
00:23:33,059 --> 00:23:40,980
I change kind of how I hold myself my

548
00:23:36,659 --> 00:23:43,919
posture and I like with fancy and mango

549
00:23:40,980 --> 00:23:45,480
I find myself because they're twins if

550
00:23:43,919 --> 00:23:47,820
for those who don't know they're

551
00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:49,980
identical twins and they dress alike

552
00:23:47,820 --> 00:23:53,039
except for like different colored

553
00:23:49,980 --> 00:23:56,460
cravats or ties whatever and so I find

554
00:23:53,039 --> 00:23:58,799
myself shifting in my seat to look at

555
00:23:56,460 --> 00:24:01,980
myself basically

556
00:23:58,799 --> 00:24:04,500
and I'm kind of like doing emotion like

557
00:24:01,980 --> 00:24:06,600
a side to side motion uh because they

558
00:24:04,500 --> 00:24:08,820
kind of they kind of are doing that

559
00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:11,520
constantly just to talk to each other

560
00:24:08,820 --> 00:24:15,419
and so I try to go more for the

561
00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:17,159
mannerisms if I can't do the accent

562
00:24:15,419 --> 00:24:18,000
yeah and that is actually something you

563
00:24:17,159 --> 00:24:20,880
can take

564
00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:24,000
into in-person games as well and again

565
00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:25,799
my problem is is I always my brain is

566
00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:30,480
going a million miles per hour whenever

567
00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:33,360
I'm dming and it's always on like the

568
00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:35,940
words I have to think really really hard

569
00:24:33,360 --> 00:24:37,860
to filter it through get downloads

570
00:24:35,940 --> 00:24:39,539
biases out the way and then try and

571
00:24:37,860 --> 00:24:42,120
think about what this NBC would do in

572
00:24:39,539 --> 00:24:45,620
this without me trying to be like a mean

573
00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:48,120
DM or a two you know um soft DM and like

574
00:24:45,620 --> 00:24:51,240
so trying to navigate those currents

575
00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:53,340
takes up like 90 of my CPU running time

576
00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,740
uh which is which is wrong because I

577
00:24:53,340 --> 00:24:58,980
should I need to spend more time on

578
00:24:55,740 --> 00:25:00,480
those flourishes on those like moving

579
00:24:58,980 --> 00:25:03,000
around and then getting up and walking

580
00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:04,280
around and and sitting up straight and

581
00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,659
that kind of stuff because

582
00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:08,640
it's just it's just like you don't get

583
00:25:06,659 --> 00:25:12,900
to do that in any other medium so you

584
00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:14,520
may as well do it all yeah exactly

585
00:25:12,900 --> 00:25:16,200
okay I'm just now I'm just trying to

586
00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,580
Rattle through a couple of major NPCs

587
00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,020
and thinking like what can I do for her

588
00:25:17,580 --> 00:25:21,419
what can I do for them what can I do for

589
00:25:19,020 --> 00:25:23,520
him like and and that's now some

590
00:25:21,419 --> 00:25:25,020
homework the the double-edged sword of

591
00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:26,279
this podcast is it always gives me

592
00:25:25,020 --> 00:25:27,539
homework every time I speak to somebody

593
00:25:26,279 --> 00:25:29,240
I'm like okay great now I don't really

594
00:25:27,539 --> 00:25:32,820
don't do that

595
00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:36,840
well it lets you get to play with how

596
00:25:32,820 --> 00:25:38,760
you GM and then you can maybe adapt some

597
00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:41,279
pieces that yes that works for you but

598
00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:44,640
oh no that doesn't work for you because

599
00:25:41,279 --> 00:25:47,760
every GM is different some people are

600
00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:50,880
the the full effects the Epic stories

601
00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:53,580
things like that where they know where

602
00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:56,000
every single piece and every single NPC

603
00:25:53,580 --> 00:25:59,580
is at all times

604
00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:02,880
I personally don't go that route and I

605
00:25:59,580 --> 00:26:07,740
think part of for me as a GM the the

606
00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:11,520
immersion aspect is that I have key

607
00:26:07,740 --> 00:26:13,500
moments or key people very very rough

608
00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:15,539
very basic I'll have a couple of

609
00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:17,760
paragraphs of things that I know that I

610
00:26:15,539 --> 00:26:18,539
want to say for describing but besides

611
00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,020
that

612
00:26:18,539 --> 00:26:23,820
what my players do

613
00:26:21,020 --> 00:26:25,860
determines completely what happens like

614
00:26:23,820 --> 00:26:28,260
I have run this one particular monster

615
00:26:25,860 --> 00:26:30,840
of the week module probably 10 times at

616
00:26:28,260 --> 00:26:32,580
this point and every single time

617
00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,620
something different happens

618
00:26:32,580 --> 00:26:38,580
every single time

619
00:26:34,620 --> 00:26:41,700
and like uh one time I had a player

620
00:26:38,580 --> 00:26:43,080
decide that he needed to go to a thrift

621
00:26:41,700 --> 00:26:44,640
store and I was just like well now

622
00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,220
there's a thrift store there and because

623
00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:49,980
you have created this thrift store added

624
00:26:47,220 --> 00:26:51,840
something to this world well the girl

625
00:26:49,980 --> 00:26:53,720
behind the counter knows something about

626
00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:57,600
this mystery that you're trying to solve

627
00:26:53,720 --> 00:27:00,659
and so I reward the creativity of my

628
00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:03,779
players and they're exploring this world

629
00:27:00,659 --> 00:27:07,679
that they're in with little hints little

630
00:27:03,779 --> 00:27:10,200
Clues just fun things fun elements they

631
00:27:07,679 --> 00:27:11,940
say that what's the saying insanity is

632
00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,159
doing the same thing and expecting a

633
00:27:11,940 --> 00:27:17,159
different outcome and yet the thing I

634
00:27:14,159 --> 00:27:20,700
love about the ttrpgs is that you can

635
00:27:17,159 --> 00:27:22,860
have the same variables and there'd be

636
00:27:20,700 --> 00:27:24,900
it can it can always Blindside you it's

637
00:27:22,860 --> 00:27:26,520
gonna be it's gonna be in fact when I

638
00:27:24,900 --> 00:27:29,580
start jamming soon that'll be the third

639
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:31,380
ish iteration of this kind of world that

640
00:27:29,580 --> 00:27:33,779
I've I've built up and I'm expecting it

641
00:27:31,380 --> 00:27:36,299
now with experience to go completely

642
00:27:33,779 --> 00:27:38,340
different again for the third time

643
00:27:36,299 --> 00:27:39,539
because it is even with the same like

644
00:27:38,340 --> 00:27:41,580
you're in this town and there's these

645
00:27:39,539 --> 00:27:43,980
NPCs and this is happening okay well I

646
00:27:41,580 --> 00:27:47,580
want to go to the thrift shop okie dokie

647
00:27:43,980 --> 00:27:48,539
there's a thrift shop now it is called

648
00:27:47,580 --> 00:27:51,659
um

649
00:27:48,539 --> 00:27:56,279
I don't know my my first thought in my

650
00:27:51,659 --> 00:27:58,919
brain was uh the Violet sofa I don't

651
00:27:56,279 --> 00:28:02,279
know why but it's the Violet sofa now

652
00:27:58,919 --> 00:28:04,020
and uh you go in and there are all of

653
00:28:02,279 --> 00:28:06,720
the there's all this brick-a-brac all

654
00:28:04,020 --> 00:28:08,279
around and the thing that you're looking

655
00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,140
for

656
00:28:08,279 --> 00:28:13,200
perception check or whatever it may be

657
00:28:10,140 --> 00:28:16,860
as on a shelf very high up and you need

658
00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:19,260
a lot and so you build off of that and

659
00:28:16,860 --> 00:28:21,539
it just creates a world and no one knows

660
00:28:19,260 --> 00:28:22,740
what's to what you're going to expect I

661
00:28:21,539 --> 00:28:26,480
don't know what I'm going to expect

662
00:28:22,740 --> 00:28:30,179
because it just randomly appeared

663
00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:33,179
so uh yeah so that's that's one reason

664
00:28:30,179 --> 00:28:35,340
why I do love ttrpgs that that same

665
00:28:33,179 --> 00:28:37,200
input different output is from my very

666
00:28:35,340 --> 00:28:39,179
programmatic brain and background that's

667
00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,500
it scratches that itch me very much it's

668
00:28:39,179 --> 00:28:43,980
spending my working day dealing with

669
00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:47,400
computers and stuff so when we are

670
00:28:43,980 --> 00:28:48,840
building worlds which I know is is you

671
00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:51,539
know emphasized more or less depending

672
00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:55,460
on the system you're in what can you do

673
00:28:51,539 --> 00:28:58,080
there as a World Builder as a GM to help

674
00:28:55,460 --> 00:28:59,880
with bringing the players into that

675
00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:01,380
world because I know you know I've done

676
00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:03,779
it in the past where

677
00:29:01,380 --> 00:29:05,220
you need improvising or you've not got

678
00:29:03,779 --> 00:29:06,900
enough prep or it's the first session

679
00:29:05,220 --> 00:29:08,340
with new players who are like I'm

680
00:29:06,900 --> 00:29:10,440
looking at it may as well be a blank

681
00:29:08,340 --> 00:29:12,360
piece of paper and I don't as all

682
00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,440
writers will tell you a blank piece of

683
00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,460
paper is the hardest thing to look at as

684
00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,799
soon as you get one word on there it's

685
00:29:14,460 --> 00:29:18,779
fine but getting over that that first

686
00:29:16,799 --> 00:29:22,140
blank bit of paper

687
00:29:18,779 --> 00:29:24,480
metaphor for tgrpg absolutely I know

688
00:29:22,140 --> 00:29:27,240
exactly what you mean don't worry so

689
00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:29,880
yeah how like as a gym what can we do to

690
00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,899
in those situations with our world

691
00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:35,279
building

692
00:29:30,899 --> 00:29:38,039
it depends on if it's a one shot or a

693
00:29:35,279 --> 00:29:39,419
campaign because I do run a lot of one

694
00:29:38,039 --> 00:29:43,200
shots

695
00:29:39,419 --> 00:29:46,919
and so for campaigns what I will always

696
00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:49,380
do is I will have my players especially

697
00:29:46,919 --> 00:29:51,240
for something like monster of the week I

698
00:29:49,380 --> 00:29:53,880
just recently started this campaign so

699
00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:58,020
it's very much on my brain but I will

700
00:29:53,880 --> 00:30:01,140
have them add in some elements of the

701
00:29:58,020 --> 00:30:03,659
story so they will get to create oh well

702
00:30:01,140 --> 00:30:06,260
what's your what's the favorite Diner of

703
00:30:03,659 --> 00:30:10,340
the group after you've had a long day

704
00:30:06,260 --> 00:30:14,039
slaying monsters where do you go

705
00:30:10,340 --> 00:30:18,120
what is the uh the prank that you pull

706
00:30:14,039 --> 00:30:20,880
on uh this other character and so like I

707
00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:24,600
I draw in all of these elements that

708
00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:28,080
they get to create the world and we go

709
00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:30,840
from there another uh campaign that's on

710
00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:35,159
pause right now I have a kids on broom's

711
00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:39,000
campaign and that one is extremely the

712
00:30:35,159 --> 00:30:41,159
players create the world and so we have

713
00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:44,580
an underground

714
00:30:41,159 --> 00:30:46,080
I can do words school I say that

715
00:30:44,580 --> 00:30:48,179
sometimes no we have an underground

716
00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:51,299
School underneath Paddington Station in

717
00:30:48,179 --> 00:30:54,179
London and it is the Paddington school

718
00:30:51,299 --> 00:30:56,700
for the Arcane arst because someone

719
00:30:54,179 --> 00:31:00,120
putting up the sign uh switched the

720
00:30:56,700 --> 00:31:02,159
letters and because it was put up there

721
00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:05,279
it's permanent and forever so that had

722
00:31:02,159 --> 00:31:07,020
to be the name of the school

723
00:31:05,279 --> 00:31:08,700
um and it was legitimately because I was

724
00:31:07,020 --> 00:31:10,320
writing things down and I accidentally

725
00:31:08,700 --> 00:31:11,460
switched the letters and I told my

726
00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,020
players and they were like no that's

727
00:31:11,460 --> 00:31:16,140
funny keep it

728
00:31:13,020 --> 00:31:18,480
yeah I love that

729
00:31:16,140 --> 00:31:21,299
there is I have I have seen tips and

730
00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:23,580
tricks before of like a session zero a

731
00:31:21,299 --> 00:31:26,179
big part of that being like okay well

732
00:31:23,580 --> 00:31:29,100
let's here's some land masses but let's

733
00:31:26,179 --> 00:31:32,760
populate it together have you ever done

734
00:31:29,100 --> 00:31:35,220
anything like that not the entire world

735
00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:37,440
itself I would say that the the kids on

736
00:31:35,220 --> 00:31:41,580
broom's game is the closest to that

737
00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:44,820
because we created a couple of different

738
00:31:41,580 --> 00:31:47,880
key locations like there's the yarhesy

739
00:31:44,820 --> 00:31:50,520
woods that is 10 meters by 10 meters

740
00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:52,380
from the outside and it's in the center

741
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:54,899
of the school but as soon as you enter

742
00:31:52,380 --> 00:31:57,179
it is this massive Forest

743
00:31:54,899 --> 00:31:58,860
and I didn't come up with that one of my

744
00:31:57,179 --> 00:32:01,140
players did

745
00:31:58,860 --> 00:32:03,779
um they also came up with oh well

746
00:32:01,140 --> 00:32:05,340
there's a theater class and I was just

747
00:32:03,779 --> 00:32:09,799
like cool

748
00:32:05,340 --> 00:32:09,799
um it is haunted by Shakespeare's ghost

749
00:32:10,279 --> 00:32:16,260
and uh one of the players decided that

750
00:32:13,919 --> 00:32:19,980
like he was coming from the states to

751
00:32:16,260 --> 00:32:21,480
this school and so he had a cell phone

752
00:32:19,980 --> 00:32:23,700
he was constantly trying to keep in

753
00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:25,200
contact with his brother and so he would

754
00:32:23,700 --> 00:32:26,760
go over to the Starbucks and I was like

755
00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:29,159
cool there's suddenly a Starbucks in

756
00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:32,580
this magical world whatever

757
00:32:29,159 --> 00:32:36,899
I mean it's it's underground from London

758
00:32:32,580 --> 00:32:40,380
proper so I think that works it's fine

759
00:32:36,899 --> 00:32:42,480
yeah no absolutely I I have I bought in

760
00:32:40,380 --> 00:32:44,460
a uh I call it a dwarf box because run

761
00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,980
by dwarfs um but I love the

762
00:32:44,460 --> 00:32:50,640
juxtaposition of something that's very

763
00:32:46,980 --> 00:32:52,559
very Ultra Modern and capitalist in a

764
00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,299
very very fantasy setting and having the

765
00:32:52,559 --> 00:32:55,919
two smushing the two together and being

766
00:32:54,299 --> 00:32:57,899
like yeah you can just get like hot

767
00:32:55,919 --> 00:32:59,760
coffee here and that's yeah it's just

768
00:32:57,899 --> 00:33:01,799
something that you would not expect to

769
00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:03,179
see and I think my players liked it a

770
00:33:01,799 --> 00:33:04,679
couple of times they went I like to

771
00:33:03,179 --> 00:33:07,860
think at least I tell myself that when

772
00:33:04,679 --> 00:33:10,380
I'm building new ones uh I did actually

773
00:33:07,860 --> 00:33:12,040
listen to uh philippa's episode where

774
00:33:10,380 --> 00:33:14,960
you did talk about that

775
00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:18,239
[Laughter]

776
00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,239
[Music]

777
00:33:20,830 --> 00:33:27,600
[Music]

778
00:33:24,980 --> 00:33:30,659
uh yeah so it's

779
00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:31,919
again as I said before I sound like my

780
00:33:30,659 --> 00:33:34,140
dad don't repeat myself

781
00:33:31,919 --> 00:33:36,720
um more of an art than a science and

782
00:33:34,140 --> 00:33:39,360
that that immersion is it's both as a

783
00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:41,399
player and a GM it's very easy to get

784
00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:44,159
you know not see the wood for the trees

785
00:33:41,399 --> 00:33:46,500
and just be like I'm doing the rote I'm

786
00:33:44,159 --> 00:33:48,899
doing yeah the heroes and here's for

787
00:33:46,500 --> 00:33:51,539
NPCs and here's the shop and here's the

788
00:33:48,899 --> 00:33:53,940
city that it's in but kind of lose the

789
00:33:51,539 --> 00:33:56,399
you know the soft edges on those to make

790
00:33:53,940 --> 00:33:57,899
it a little bit more engaging a little

791
00:33:56,399 --> 00:34:01,380
bit more like well there's the shop so

792
00:33:57,899 --> 00:34:04,260
and this guy is his name is Joe and

793
00:34:01,380 --> 00:34:06,240
that's it uh without kind of losing

794
00:34:04,260 --> 00:34:08,099
those those soft edges and it's

795
00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:09,599
something I

796
00:34:08,099 --> 00:34:12,720
also

797
00:34:09,599 --> 00:34:15,300
um again as I said I'm quite uh

798
00:34:12,720 --> 00:34:17,280
who put it I think it was Philippa she

799
00:34:15,300 --> 00:34:18,780
said that my was it brain what was the

800
00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:21,080
type of brains you can have like one's

801
00:34:18,780 --> 00:34:23,000
quite programmatic and uh

802
00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:26,520
I remember

803
00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:30,679
yeah creative uh being a visual learner

804
00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:33,359
or things like that so I'm I'm very like

805
00:34:30,679 --> 00:34:36,060
so I'm it's something I struggle with to

806
00:34:33,359 --> 00:34:40,500
be like let me like break that mold and

807
00:34:36,060 --> 00:34:44,580
go out of a bit to to try and make this

808
00:34:40,500 --> 00:34:47,580
world be alive rather than just a like a

809
00:34:44,580 --> 00:34:49,859
Lego block set of scenes one after the

810
00:34:47,580 --> 00:34:52,619
other I have a very good example of that

811
00:34:49,859 --> 00:34:54,899
so uh there's this one module that I run

812
00:34:52,619 --> 00:34:56,460
that's called The modron Maze and I

813
00:34:54,899 --> 00:35:01,820
believe it's free if you want to get it

814
00:34:56,460 --> 00:35:04,740
uh but it is one of those that it is a

815
00:35:01,820 --> 00:35:07,980
dungeon delve classic with a Twist

816
00:35:04,740 --> 00:35:11,220
because the modrons are trying to

817
00:35:07,980 --> 00:35:12,200
collect data and figure out what the

818
00:35:11,220 --> 00:35:16,560
perfect

819
00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:19,140
dungeon is to you know just to establish

820
00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:23,820
this so it's you are dungeon experiment

821
00:35:19,140 --> 00:35:27,480
73 and so you get transported into this

822
00:35:23,820 --> 00:35:30,180
30 by 30 room that looks like

823
00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:33,240
if you have been told what farming

824
00:35:30,180 --> 00:35:35,460
equipment and Farms look like and you're

825
00:35:33,240 --> 00:35:39,420
drawing it from that memory 10 years

826
00:35:35,460 --> 00:35:41,460
later uh so it's just wild things that

827
00:35:39,420 --> 00:35:44,280
have been painted it looks terrible it's

828
00:35:41,460 --> 00:35:47,700
wild but basically you're going from

829
00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:49,260
room to room solving puzzles uh going

830
00:35:47,700 --> 00:35:54,359
through dilemmas things like that

831
00:35:49,260 --> 00:35:57,680
there's combat and I have only had one

832
00:35:54,359 --> 00:36:01,500
time where the players very clearly

833
00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:03,599
didn't quite get it okay and they were

834
00:36:01,500 --> 00:36:05,280
very much we have done the task go to

835
00:36:03,599 --> 00:36:08,520
the next room we have done the test go

836
00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:10,200
to the next room they weren't to me it

837
00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,700
felt like they weren't immersed in it

838
00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:14,760
and they weren't having fun because they

839
00:36:11,700 --> 00:36:16,560
were so focused on task a task B tasks

840
00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:18,900
yeah you know

841
00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:21,240
that sounds I love modrons

842
00:36:18,900 --> 00:36:23,220
um that I haven't I have a module in in

843
00:36:21,240 --> 00:36:25,440
my Homebrew campaign that that has

844
00:36:23,220 --> 00:36:27,960
though it's just the that that desire

845
00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:29,339
for Perfection that yeah the mechanical

846
00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:31,320
element to it it's just takes so many

847
00:36:29,339 --> 00:36:33,540
boxes for me and they look cute as heck

848
00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:36,300
as well

849
00:36:33,540 --> 00:36:37,020
it just it's just you know fantastic

850
00:36:36,300 --> 00:36:38,940
um

851
00:36:37,020 --> 00:36:40,680
but I love that that try to find the

852
00:36:38,940 --> 00:36:42,800
perfect dungeon I'm gonna I'm gonna look

853
00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:46,260
for that because

854
00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:47,760
it is a really fun one that farming

855
00:36:46,260 --> 00:36:49,980
equipment thing reminded me of that Meme

856
00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:51,780
where it's like old-fashioned uh

857
00:36:49,980 --> 00:36:53,640
paintings of cats and the thing is like

858
00:36:51,780 --> 00:36:55,200
you know what you can paint a cat you

859
00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:57,119
know what a cat looks right yeah right

860
00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:00,300
yeah yeah sure but then other cats are

861
00:36:57,119 --> 00:37:02,700
like got six legs elongated snouts and

862
00:37:00,300 --> 00:37:05,940
look very suspicious yeah well think

863
00:37:02,700 --> 00:37:09,480
about it this way imagine a bicycle in

864
00:37:05,940 --> 00:37:11,640
your head and then try to draw it it is

865
00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:15,000
really hard to do without referencing

866
00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:17,579
the actual bicycle and so it's a similar

867
00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:20,280
kind of thing and uh one of the elements

868
00:37:17,579 --> 00:37:22,320
I don't remember if it's actually in the

869
00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:24,599
module or if I made it up but do you

870
00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:27,420
know the painting American Gothic yeah

871
00:37:24,599 --> 00:37:31,079
yeah yeah so uh one of the things that I

872
00:37:27,420 --> 00:37:33,540
have in there is that you find a guy

873
00:37:31,079 --> 00:37:36,119
that is called farmer modron and he is

874
00:37:33,540 --> 00:37:39,180
looking for his daughter made in modron

875
00:37:36,119 --> 00:37:41,640
and there is a painting on the wall that

876
00:37:39,180 --> 00:37:44,640
is basically them in American Gothic

877
00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:47,640
style and they're acting the parts right

878
00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:50,160
like oh yeah yeah yeah uh the maiden

879
00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:52,260
modron just has a flower stapled or

880
00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:54,960
taped whatever to her head and the

881
00:37:52,260 --> 00:37:57,119
father Mo the farmer modron has the the

882
00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:58,600
straw hat and a piece of straw sticking

883
00:37:57,119 --> 00:38:01,339
like glued to his mouth

884
00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:04,380
[Laughter]

885
00:38:01,339 --> 00:38:06,660
I think I think when I the one the one

886
00:38:04,380 --> 00:38:09,900
time I ran it is like a one shot just to

887
00:38:06,660 --> 00:38:12,300
test the waters I think I had them

888
00:38:09,900 --> 00:38:12,900
I had about oh well I'm gonna Loop it

889
00:38:12,300 --> 00:38:14,339
back to what we were talking about

890
00:38:12,900 --> 00:38:17,339
earlier on it had a sound effect planned

891
00:38:14,339 --> 00:38:19,560
ah yeah and it was the 56k dial-up modem

892
00:38:17,339 --> 00:38:21,119
sound oh and I was like this creature

893
00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:21,900
approaches you opens its mouth and you

894
00:38:21,119 --> 00:38:24,619
hear

895
00:38:21,900 --> 00:38:24,619
this noise

896
00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:37,440
and just lay that and the players were

897
00:38:33,599 --> 00:38:41,220
like right okay well do I understand

898
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:42,839
that you hear that noise I I don't know

899
00:38:41,220 --> 00:38:45,240
what else to tell you

900
00:38:42,839 --> 00:38:48,119
amazing

901
00:38:45,240 --> 00:38:51,240
um one of my one of my friends he's my

902
00:38:48,119 --> 00:38:52,859
uh moderator on Twitch and is a

903
00:38:51,240 --> 00:38:55,560
wonderful human being

904
00:38:52,859 --> 00:38:58,099
um he suggested I think it was this

905
00:38:55,560 --> 00:39:00,359
morning time is weird

906
00:38:58,099 --> 00:39:03,300
when I have these long days I don't know

907
00:39:00,359 --> 00:39:07,140
what time is anymore but uh he suggested

908
00:39:03,300 --> 00:39:09,480
because he's also British he said hey I

909
00:39:07,140 --> 00:39:12,420
should do some recordings if you want

910
00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:15,540
for your Serenity game because then they

911
00:39:12,420 --> 00:39:18,480
can just be random recordings from

912
00:39:15,540 --> 00:39:20,700
people that have been sent over and I

913
00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:22,640
was just like this is an excellent idea

914
00:39:20,700 --> 00:39:25,020
I love it

915
00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:28,800
so you've got like a sound board or are

916
00:39:25,020 --> 00:39:30,180
they uh longer pieces I don't know we've

917
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:32,880
just it's gonna be a pleasant surprise

918
00:39:30,180 --> 00:39:36,420
lovely we'll we'll see what happens but

919
00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:38,880
he has like a full setup she has like 20

920
00:39:36,420 --> 00:39:41,339
guitars he's

921
00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:43,079
he has I think when we when we play he

922
00:39:41,339 --> 00:39:47,099
has to go through like 50 different

923
00:39:43,079 --> 00:39:49,400
sound things to find where his mic is uh

924
00:39:47,099 --> 00:39:52,200
oh inputs you mean yeah yeah

925
00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:54,240
I'm Bamboozled by my two input interface

926
00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:55,560
down here so that's it it's it's done

927
00:39:54,240 --> 00:39:57,000
it's been done one right so now we're

928
00:39:55,560 --> 00:40:00,000
never gonna touch it again because it's

929
00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:02,579
it's working so yes I can I can imagine

930
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:04,500
it's like a different it's like a a

931
00:40:02,579 --> 00:40:06,720
completely different Beast yeah for sure

932
00:40:04,500 --> 00:40:08,040
oh I've just think about more John's as

933
00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:09,119
just making me happy now I'm just

934
00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:10,920
smiling

935
00:40:09,119 --> 00:40:14,099
just trying to think of cute little

936
00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:16,140
crazy things for them to do

937
00:40:14,099 --> 00:40:18,180
the plan I have we're going off on the

938
00:40:16,140 --> 00:40:21,660
Sega right now but yeah that's fine the

939
00:40:18,180 --> 00:40:23,220
plan I have was partly inspired by Star

940
00:40:21,660 --> 00:40:25,079
Trek to a certain extent obviously

941
00:40:23,220 --> 00:40:26,640
they're all like there's like a there's

942
00:40:25,079 --> 00:40:27,900
like a modern prime or something like

943
00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:29,099
that there's some like leader because

944
00:40:27,900 --> 00:40:30,839
they were you know there was a very

945
00:40:29,099 --> 00:40:33,240
clear hierarchy in terms of like

946
00:40:30,839 --> 00:40:34,500
management with the with the mudrons all

947
00:40:33,240 --> 00:40:36,960
the way up to the top of the big boss

948
00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:40,079
man and I had in my head that like a

949
00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:41,460
sect had broken away a bit like I think

950
00:40:40,079 --> 00:40:43,140
in a couple of Star Treks it's like

951
00:40:41,460 --> 00:40:44,520
where the there's some Borg that have

952
00:40:43,140 --> 00:40:46,680
broken away from the collective and

953
00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:49,020
they're like what is happening because

954
00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:52,200
I've got my sentience back and it's

955
00:40:49,020 --> 00:40:53,760
scary here so that's that's the kind of

956
00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:55,380
vibe I wanted to look at they might find

957
00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:58,020
a little sect of like module on

958
00:40:55,380 --> 00:41:00,000
somewhere who are like am I making a

959
00:40:58,020 --> 00:41:02,640
house I don't know what is happening I'm

960
00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:04,560
just trying to like now I'm not being

961
00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:07,619
controlled by this huge machine

962
00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:10,079
literally uh I'm now just

963
00:41:07,619 --> 00:41:12,720
try to make my way and this crazy Topsy

964
00:41:10,079 --> 00:41:16,220
world that is on a Gear uh it's a little

965
00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:19,440
Doctor Who to me yes

966
00:41:16,220 --> 00:41:23,040
yeah yeah yeah absolutely yeah I can

967
00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:24,859
imagine so oh yeah now it's getting all

968
00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:27,900
my my creative juices flowing again

969
00:41:24,859 --> 00:41:30,540
she's making very happy so from from

970
00:41:27,900 --> 00:41:33,960
your perspective then let's let's flip

971
00:41:30,540 --> 00:41:36,599
it a little bit from the times that

972
00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:39,119
you've been a player in anything what

973
00:41:36,599 --> 00:41:41,400
things have you found to be like wow

974
00:41:39,119 --> 00:41:43,500
okay I'm engaged now or I know exactly

975
00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,760
where I am or I'm really in the moment a

976
00:41:43,500 --> 00:41:46,560
lot of things of other players down on

977
00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:49,020
the DM's done for you for you that's

978
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:52,820
that's really stood out and been like

979
00:41:49,020 --> 00:41:52,820
okay I'm here

980
00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:58,619
it's a difficult question because

981
00:41:56,640 --> 00:42:00,780
there's probably millions and millions

982
00:41:58,619 --> 00:42:03,119
of examples and across the weird time

983
00:42:00,780 --> 00:42:06,720
you want me to be business so exactly

984
00:42:03,119 --> 00:42:09,480
well I'm thinking back to so when we did

985
00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:11,579
the the vampire the Masquerade game it's

986
00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:15,359
on manapot Studios they're all on

987
00:42:11,579 --> 00:42:18,240
YouTube now but uh we did a three-part

988
00:42:15,359 --> 00:42:21,359
Series in the fall and at the end of the

989
00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:24,420
last episode we went oh no this is

990
00:42:21,359 --> 00:42:26,880
this is a prequel isn't it and so then

991
00:42:24,420 --> 00:42:30,480
we went on to do another uh three

992
00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:33,839
episodes I think in the spring but

993
00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:37,440
I think that thinking about that the

994
00:42:33,839 --> 00:42:38,880
immersive moment for me was when crefu

995
00:42:37,440 --> 00:42:42,300
the GM

996
00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:44,099
he pulled in one of my I'm forgetting

997
00:42:42,300 --> 00:42:47,040
the terms now but one of my connections

998
00:42:44,099 --> 00:42:48,720
he brought in my character's

999
00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:53,940
ex-girlfriends

1000
00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:56,579
and so he he pulled on that moment and I

1001
00:42:53,940 --> 00:43:00,839
had this realization of

1002
00:42:56,579 --> 00:43:01,680
oh no she is not ready to see her she

1003
00:43:00,839 --> 00:43:05,099
can't

1004
00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:07,619
this is really and it's not like scary

1005
00:43:05,099 --> 00:43:10,740
or dangerous or anything like that it's

1006
00:43:07,619 --> 00:43:14,640
her heart has been broken and I didn't

1007
00:43:10,740 --> 00:43:18,119
actually realize that until that moment

1008
00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:21,900
and so there was this there was this

1009
00:43:18,119 --> 00:43:25,859
just little connection between me and uh

1010
00:43:21,900 --> 00:43:28,319
another player where I hid behind her

1011
00:43:25,859 --> 00:43:31,920
and she like checked in with me are you

1012
00:43:28,319 --> 00:43:33,540
okay and that

1013
00:43:31,920 --> 00:43:36,480
spurred

1014
00:43:33,540 --> 00:43:39,359
third relationship actually uh it was

1015
00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:44,220
very beautiful chaotic like disaster

1016
00:43:39,359 --> 00:43:48,180
lesbian vampires amazing I adored it but

1017
00:43:44,220 --> 00:43:51,980
it all stemmed from our GM bringing in

1018
00:43:48,180 --> 00:43:56,220
that NPC at a very raw vulnerable moment

1019
00:43:51,980 --> 00:43:58,819
and Adelaide had to take a step back and

1020
00:43:56,220 --> 00:44:03,540
hide and compose herself

1021
00:43:58,819 --> 00:44:05,940
and that pulled in so much more into

1022
00:44:03,540 --> 00:44:09,540
perspective for me for who Adelaide was

1023
00:44:05,940 --> 00:44:11,700
why she was there and a little bit more

1024
00:44:09,540 --> 00:44:13,859
about her backstory that I hadn't even

1025
00:44:11,700 --> 00:44:15,540
explored yet

1026
00:44:13,859 --> 00:44:17,760
um yeah I think I've been I've been

1027
00:44:15,540 --> 00:44:21,180
there when other players have had those

1028
00:44:17,760 --> 00:44:22,520
you know familiar moments with with NPCs

1029
00:44:21,180 --> 00:44:25,460
and I've just been sitting there like

1030
00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:28,980
something Big's about to happen yeah

1031
00:44:25,460 --> 00:44:30,660
just watching them really you know have

1032
00:44:28,980 --> 00:44:31,800
that intense moment and you'll come out

1033
00:44:30,660 --> 00:44:35,880
the other side and you're almost like

1034
00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:39,660
are we everyone cool we get to yeah

1035
00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:42,660
oh emotional things are my absolute

1036
00:44:39,660 --> 00:44:45,900
favorite in games like Philippa can

1037
00:44:42,660 --> 00:44:49,079
attest to this if you ask her but uh at

1038
00:44:45,900 --> 00:44:51,859
the end I won't give spoilers but at the

1039
00:44:49,079 --> 00:44:55,380
end of that prequel three-part series

1040
00:44:51,859 --> 00:44:56,900
there was a a very emotional

1041
00:44:55,380 --> 00:45:00,900
confrontation

1042
00:44:56,900 --> 00:45:03,780
that I just absolutely adored and I was

1043
00:45:00,900 --> 00:45:07,619
crying by the end of it

1044
00:45:03,780 --> 00:45:09,599
so hard and I just I love that I think

1045
00:45:07,619 --> 00:45:12,540
it's definitely the actor side of me

1046
00:45:09,599 --> 00:45:15,720
being like yes emotional I made other

1047
00:45:12,540 --> 00:45:18,720
people watch and cry perfect

1048
00:45:15,720 --> 00:45:18,720
up

1049
00:45:22,819 --> 00:45:28,560
yeah I want to I need to we're currently

1050
00:45:26,040 --> 00:45:29,960
in the like planning and prep stage this

1051
00:45:28,560 --> 00:45:31,740
new campaigns there's a couple of

1052
00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:33,839
players working on the characters

1053
00:45:31,740 --> 00:45:35,040
thinking out backstories and and you

1054
00:45:33,839 --> 00:45:37,200
know some of them even picked races or

1055
00:45:35,040 --> 00:45:38,460
classes yet so I want to try this

1056
00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:39,960
there's a big questionnaire I found at

1057
00:45:38,460 --> 00:45:42,480
one point ages ago if we would have read

1058
00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:45,720
it back in the five years ago

1059
00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:47,460
um that had not only stuff like who's

1060
00:45:45,720 --> 00:45:48,900
your family you know where are they what

1061
00:45:47,460 --> 00:45:51,300
do they do now what I think about you

1062
00:45:48,900 --> 00:45:55,079
risking your life to go adventuring but

1063
00:45:51,300 --> 00:45:57,240
also stuff around like what is what do

1064
00:45:55,079 --> 00:45:59,579
you have in your pockets what's the

1065
00:45:57,240 --> 00:46:01,380
Keepsake for you you know what what yeah

1066
00:45:59,579 --> 00:46:03,680
what do you what do you you know what do

1067
00:46:01,380 --> 00:46:05,520
you think of religion

1068
00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:08,280
open-ended questions like that so I

1069
00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:10,020
might give that to them and just say you

1070
00:46:08,280 --> 00:46:13,079
know as much or as little as you like

1071
00:46:10,020 --> 00:46:16,020
with the evil intent to pull on their

1072
00:46:13,079 --> 00:46:17,760
heartstrings in two years time when when

1073
00:46:16,020 --> 00:46:20,819
that family member comes back or

1074
00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:24,000
something happens absolutely there's

1075
00:46:20,819 --> 00:46:26,819
this uh so I've been reading up on a

1076
00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:29,640
bunch of different smaller indie games

1077
00:46:26,819 --> 00:46:33,000
that are multiplayer and all of that and

1078
00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:36,000
uh one of them that I've done is said

1079
00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:37,160
this uh fun little game called under the

1080
00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:40,619
floorboards

1081
00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:44,099
and one of the things that they do in

1082
00:46:40,619 --> 00:46:45,300
establishing questions is that uh and I

1083
00:46:44,099 --> 00:46:48,420
think that it's called establishing

1084
00:46:45,300 --> 00:46:51,900
questions that is that they have like

1085
00:46:48,420 --> 00:46:55,020
five or six questions and uh the first

1086
00:46:51,900 --> 00:46:57,660
one is looking and for for people who

1087
00:46:55,020 --> 00:46:59,819
don't know it it's like uh the borrowers

1088
00:46:57,660 --> 00:47:02,160
Secret World of arietti that kind of

1089
00:46:59,819 --> 00:47:05,099
thing but you are two inch tall people

1090
00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:09,200
and you are living between the

1091
00:47:05,099 --> 00:47:12,420
floorboards of a um the biggies house

1092
00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:16,380
and so uh one of the questions that they

1093
00:47:12,420 --> 00:47:18,500
ask is what in this room and I think

1094
00:47:16,380 --> 00:47:21,660
it's the living room what in this room

1095
00:47:18,500 --> 00:47:24,300
makes you feel safe

1096
00:47:21,660 --> 00:47:27,780
can be a very innocent innocuous

1097
00:47:24,300 --> 00:47:30,839
question however

1098
00:47:27,780 --> 00:47:33,359
gives you a moment as a GM or in this

1099
00:47:30,839 --> 00:47:36,319
case a guiding voice to be like oh what

1100
00:47:33,359 --> 00:47:39,000
can I do with that information

1101
00:47:36,319 --> 00:47:41,280
what answers have some people given for

1102
00:47:39,000 --> 00:47:42,780
that then is it mundane like the pillow

1103
00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:45,660
in the corner or is it more abstract

1104
00:47:42,780 --> 00:47:48,119
like the warmth from the fireplace yeah

1105
00:47:45,660 --> 00:47:50,339
it's sometimes it's mundane uh the

1106
00:47:48,119 --> 00:47:53,160
example that was given in the game that

1107
00:47:50,339 --> 00:47:55,740
I ran this week was

1108
00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:59,460
um that they had uh you know those those

1109
00:47:55,740 --> 00:48:03,359
demo CDs that you used to get uh in the

1110
00:47:59,460 --> 00:48:06,720
mail or whatever so it was uh this demo

1111
00:48:03,359 --> 00:48:10,380
CD that they had created into their

1112
00:48:06,720 --> 00:48:13,859
dining room table using a champagne cork

1113
00:48:10,380 --> 00:48:16,619
in the center you know so it was it

1114
00:48:13,859 --> 00:48:19,380
wasn't the physical object of it but it

1115
00:48:16,619 --> 00:48:20,940
was the the borrowing of it like finding

1116
00:48:19,380 --> 00:48:24,180
it and bringing it back to their home

1117
00:48:20,940 --> 00:48:27,240
and it was whittling away at that cork

1118
00:48:24,180 --> 00:48:30,780
so that it would fit into the CD in that

1119
00:48:27,240 --> 00:48:33,839
Center hole and it was all of the meals

1120
00:48:30,780 --> 00:48:37,500
that they share around that table

1121
00:48:33,839 --> 00:48:41,760
so yes it was a physical object but it

1122
00:48:37,500 --> 00:48:45,319
added so much character and backstory to

1123
00:48:41,760 --> 00:48:47,460
this one shot that I ran yes yeah

1124
00:48:45,319 --> 00:48:49,260
I didn't want to maybe think about just

1125
00:48:47,460 --> 00:48:51,000
like the the complete opposite of that

1126
00:48:49,260 --> 00:48:51,960
of the uh that that answer to that

1127
00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:54,540
question is that what makes you feel

1128
00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:57,420
safe this gun and that's it there's no

1129
00:48:54,540 --> 00:48:58,940
that's it the third third dimension it

1130
00:48:57,420 --> 00:49:02,800
is literally like

1131
00:48:58,940 --> 00:49:02,800
[Laughter]

1132
00:49:03,560 --> 00:49:08,819
what happens when your gun is stolen

1133
00:49:06,480 --> 00:49:10,500
from you or when it gets bent or jammed

1134
00:49:08,819 --> 00:49:13,140
or yeah any other thing what happens

1135
00:49:10,500 --> 00:49:15,540
when you run out of bullets what then

1136
00:49:13,140 --> 00:49:18,359
what makes you feel safe I also have the

1137
00:49:15,540 --> 00:49:21,599
image of what a small you know

1138
00:49:18,359 --> 00:49:23,880
borrower's gun would be now on we had

1139
00:49:21,599 --> 00:49:25,740
that example actually because they were

1140
00:49:23,880 --> 00:49:27,780
just like oh I imagine I have a pistol

1141
00:49:25,740 --> 00:49:29,940
I'm just like you're two inches tall

1142
00:49:27,780 --> 00:49:33,619
yeah how does that work

1143
00:49:29,940 --> 00:49:33,619
where are you getting a gun from

1144
00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:39,660
someone or it takes 10 of them to like

1145
00:49:37,140 --> 00:49:44,780
hold it there yeah

1146
00:49:39,660 --> 00:49:48,119
God uh considering the fact that a

1147
00:49:44,780 --> 00:49:51,060
safety pin is like a grappling hook for

1148
00:49:48,119 --> 00:49:54,260
them if they bend it around no no not

1149
00:49:51,060 --> 00:49:54,260
gonna work not gonna work

1150
00:49:55,040 --> 00:50:01,079
oh that's I see this this always proves

1151
00:49:58,020 --> 00:50:02,880
to me I need to look into more stuff I'm

1152
00:50:01,079 --> 00:50:07,319
I'm you know hands up the first to say

1153
00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:11,819
I'm such you know my my blinkers on for

1154
00:50:07,319 --> 00:50:13,859
d d yeah yeah but also for like just

1155
00:50:11,819 --> 00:50:16,680
that is not that answer that's the the

1156
00:50:13,859 --> 00:50:18,420
root cause the symptom is only asking

1157
00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:21,420
questions like who are your family

1158
00:50:18,420 --> 00:50:23,819
members which is great but it is again

1159
00:50:21,420 --> 00:50:24,900
it is it is still kind of limited yes

1160
00:50:23,819 --> 00:50:26,520
what we've got in your pocket but

1161
00:50:24,900 --> 00:50:28,920
there's still like what makes you feel

1162
00:50:26,520 --> 00:50:30,960
safe it's just such a great open-ended

1163
00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:33,839
it is

1164
00:50:30,960 --> 00:50:36,900
to really get those those juices flowing

1165
00:50:33,839 --> 00:50:38,400
so that's what I'll be doing now is go

1166
00:50:36,900 --> 00:50:39,960
into that list and adding in the

1167
00:50:38,400 --> 00:50:41,819
questions of that ilk

1168
00:50:39,960 --> 00:50:44,339
yeah I need to

1169
00:50:41,819 --> 00:50:46,260
like that we're about to start as I've

1170
00:50:44,339 --> 00:50:48,960
said several times and

1171
00:50:46,260 --> 00:50:51,079
I'm now just being selfish and mining

1172
00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:54,119
for advice now um

1173
00:50:51,079 --> 00:50:57,480
but starting this campaign real mixer

1174
00:50:54,119 --> 00:50:59,099
players one is not novice but he's only

1175
00:50:57,480 --> 00:51:01,740
played a couple of times in the past and

1176
00:50:59,099 --> 00:51:02,940
the rest uh you know years and years of

1177
00:51:01,740 --> 00:51:04,980
experience

1178
00:51:02,940 --> 00:51:07,099
um what's what's something I can do you

1179
00:51:04,980 --> 00:51:09,660
know right at the beginning too not only

1180
00:51:07,099 --> 00:51:11,760
solve the problem of the classic we need

1181
00:51:09,660 --> 00:51:13,740
to bring everybody together and make

1182
00:51:11,760 --> 00:51:17,040
them go in the same direction which is

1183
00:51:13,740 --> 00:51:19,980
difficult anytime but also that initial

1184
00:51:17,040 --> 00:51:21,119
like now in the world like maybe you

1185
00:51:19,980 --> 00:51:22,500
could you could kind of broaden that

1186
00:51:21,119 --> 00:51:25,380
question to be like at the beginning of

1187
00:51:22,500 --> 00:51:27,420
every scenario what's the kind of uh

1188
00:51:25,380 --> 00:51:30,180
every scenario every session yeah what's

1189
00:51:27,420 --> 00:51:31,440
the kind of tradition perhaps people do

1190
00:51:30,180 --> 00:51:34,079
to

1191
00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:36,300
switch your brain over from beep boop

1192
00:51:34,079 --> 00:51:39,119
I've done the washing up to now I've got

1193
00:51:36,300 --> 00:51:43,339
to be this evil glitch

1194
00:51:39,119 --> 00:51:43,339
yeah one of the things that I like

1195
00:51:44,160 --> 00:51:47,780
I like session or things I think that

1196
00:51:45,540 --> 00:51:47,780
but

1197
00:51:48,800 --> 00:51:54,660
what do they do in their daily life and

1198
00:51:51,960 --> 00:51:57,599
what is disrupting them

1199
00:51:54,660 --> 00:52:01,920
so maybe that new player maybe their

1200
00:51:57,599 --> 00:52:04,980
character is a I mean going off of the

1201
00:52:01,920 --> 00:52:07,980
classic I mean no Tavern but what if

1202
00:52:04,980 --> 00:52:09,780
they are working at the tavern or

1203
00:52:07,980 --> 00:52:11,599
delivering some mail maybe they're a

1204
00:52:09,780 --> 00:52:16,020
message run or something like that

1205
00:52:11,599 --> 00:52:18,660
and they have some Grand thing happens

1206
00:52:16,020 --> 00:52:22,500
that they need to explain who do they go

1207
00:52:18,660 --> 00:52:24,240
to to explain that to oh well maybe the

1208
00:52:22,500 --> 00:52:26,940
uh the owner of the bar isn't the most

1209
00:52:24,240 --> 00:52:29,280
trusting in the world and they see this

1210
00:52:26,940 --> 00:52:32,040
like one or two people

1211
00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:34,440
that they seem like they are more

1212
00:52:32,040 --> 00:52:37,859
trustworthy to share this information

1213
00:52:34,440 --> 00:52:41,700
with so they will come over and share

1214
00:52:37,859 --> 00:52:46,079
that and you can even do things like

1215
00:52:41,700 --> 00:52:49,440
giving piecemeal information that some

1216
00:52:46,079 --> 00:52:52,559
characters know and others don't and

1217
00:52:49,440 --> 00:52:55,859
then so maybe that new player the thing

1218
00:52:52,559 --> 00:52:58,920
that you give him is uh give them is uh

1219
00:52:55,859 --> 00:53:04,819
you know that these other two characters

1220
00:52:58,920 --> 00:53:08,160
are in grave danger and you know that

1221
00:53:04,819 --> 00:53:10,079
XYZ like the Lich example that you get

1222
00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:12,540
the Lich is coming for them whatever it

1223
00:53:10,079 --> 00:53:14,700
may be but you know this teeny bit of

1224
00:53:12,540 --> 00:53:18,059
information and you need to get them to

1225
00:53:14,700 --> 00:53:20,160
trust you and you need to help them

1226
00:53:18,059 --> 00:53:22,980
so it also gives them a little bit more

1227
00:53:20,160 --> 00:53:24,420
of a direction to go into because uh

1228
00:53:22,980 --> 00:53:27,300
people who've been playing for years and

1229
00:53:24,420 --> 00:53:30,059
years and years we generally have a good

1230
00:53:27,300 --> 00:53:32,940
sense of what we need to do but newbie

1231
00:53:30,059 --> 00:53:35,160
players not as much like they might have

1232
00:53:32,940 --> 00:53:37,020
a general idea concept of it if they've

1233
00:53:35,160 --> 00:53:40,859
watched any actual plays or things like

1234
00:53:37,020 --> 00:53:43,140
that but having that direction that

1235
00:53:40,859 --> 00:53:46,500
drive for their character helps to bring

1236
00:53:43,140 --> 00:53:48,059
them into it as well having each player

1237
00:53:46,500 --> 00:53:49,619
have some information the first thing my

1238
00:53:48,059 --> 00:53:51,059
Lich mind went to was like it would be

1239
00:53:49,619 --> 00:53:52,980
fun to throw in a few red herrings in

1240
00:53:51,059 --> 00:53:54,240
there a couple of players that everyone

1241
00:53:52,980 --> 00:53:59,059
have a piece of information but a couple

1242
00:53:54,240 --> 00:54:01,460
are just like completely wrong 100

1243
00:53:59,059 --> 00:54:04,559
I don't know how that reflects on me but

1244
00:54:01,460 --> 00:54:07,800
slightly off from what the actual truth

1245
00:54:04,559 --> 00:54:11,599
is yes beware of people in red coats and

1246
00:54:07,800 --> 00:54:11,599
it's a blue coat that yeah

1247
00:54:12,660 --> 00:54:17,220
uh okay thank you for that yeah it's

1248
00:54:14,880 --> 00:54:18,480
something I've done it for ages uh you

1249
00:54:17,220 --> 00:54:19,680
know starting the new campaign bringing

1250
00:54:18,480 --> 00:54:21,599
in new players and stuff and then

1251
00:54:19,680 --> 00:54:22,800
suddenly um when they're starting to

1252
00:54:21,599 --> 00:54:24,300
give me character sheets I'm like oh

1253
00:54:22,800 --> 00:54:25,559
it's real and it's happening and I've

1254
00:54:24,300 --> 00:54:26,880
actually got to get these people to do

1255
00:54:25,559 --> 00:54:31,260
something now in a world that I've

1256
00:54:26,880 --> 00:54:33,599
created oh okay uh I can't just turn up

1257
00:54:31,260 --> 00:54:35,819
every other week and play the game and

1258
00:54:33,599 --> 00:54:37,440
then leave and uh yeah

1259
00:54:35,819 --> 00:54:39,420
there's some more work that needs to be

1260
00:54:37,440 --> 00:54:42,599
done one final thing I wanted to mention

1261
00:54:39,420 --> 00:54:44,520
is a tip that I often hear and and try

1262
00:54:42,599 --> 00:54:46,980
to employ again not as much as I should

1263
00:54:44,520 --> 00:54:48,540
is when you do the descriptions when

1264
00:54:46,980 --> 00:54:51,420
you're describing a place try and bring

1265
00:54:48,540 --> 00:54:54,180
in the smells and the sounds rather than

1266
00:54:51,420 --> 00:54:57,599
just the site I don't know what part of

1267
00:54:54,180 --> 00:54:59,760
human nature makes us only focus on like

1268
00:54:57,599 --> 00:55:02,040
what you can see you know so like that's

1269
00:54:59,760 --> 00:55:04,020
That's a classic tip 101 what smells can

1270
00:55:02,040 --> 00:55:05,220
you and smell in this environment and

1271
00:55:04,020 --> 00:55:07,260
everyone goes well at least I certainly

1272
00:55:05,220 --> 00:55:08,280
did oh yeah why don't I why didn't I

1273
00:55:07,260 --> 00:55:10,140
think of that when I was writing that

1274
00:55:08,280 --> 00:55:12,119
description I don't know why humans only

1275
00:55:10,140 --> 00:55:13,920
focus on site but it's clearly a problem

1276
00:55:12,119 --> 00:55:16,140
otherwise it wouldn't be a tip well a

1277
00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:18,720
really good example which I've been

1278
00:55:16,140 --> 00:55:21,180
saying a lot but uh going back to that

1279
00:55:18,720 --> 00:55:24,420
monster of the weekend uh session the

1280
00:55:21,180 --> 00:55:27,300
module that I've run many many times I

1281
00:55:24,420 --> 00:55:29,280
have this moment where they are starting

1282
00:55:27,300 --> 00:55:33,900
to track down this monster that is

1283
00:55:29,280 --> 00:55:36,660
kidnapping people and someone smells

1284
00:55:33,900 --> 00:55:37,680
something in the air and it's this Briny

1285
00:55:36,660 --> 00:55:40,140
scent

1286
00:55:37,680 --> 00:55:43,200
and so that pulls them to the ocean it

1287
00:55:40,140 --> 00:55:44,640
pulls them to okay I'm smelling this

1288
00:55:43,200 --> 00:55:45,630
thing what does this mean we're in the

1289
00:55:44,640 --> 00:55:47,220
middle of Ohio

1290
00:55:45,630 --> 00:55:51,119
[Laughter]

1291
00:55:47,220 --> 00:55:54,180
so what does this mean and so that draws

1292
00:55:51,119 --> 00:55:58,319
them in further and uh there's another

1293
00:55:54,180 --> 00:56:01,920
thing that I do uh that I didn't realize

1294
00:55:58,319 --> 00:56:04,200
that it was a creepy moment uh until a

1295
00:56:01,920 --> 00:56:08,099
player uh said this for a different

1296
00:56:04,200 --> 00:56:10,339
thing but I said that a great opened

1297
00:56:08,099 --> 00:56:14,520
like a sewage great

1298
00:56:10,339 --> 00:56:17,579
silently like without there was no sound

1299
00:56:14,520 --> 00:56:19,680
as he pulled open the great and he

1300
00:56:17,579 --> 00:56:21,480
immediately went oh no I do not like

1301
00:56:19,680 --> 00:56:23,700
that because that means that a monster

1302
00:56:21,480 --> 00:56:25,920
can get out and no one knows that it has

1303
00:56:23,700 --> 00:56:28,339
left the sewer and that is terrifying

1304
00:56:25,920 --> 00:56:31,079
and I just went oh that's good to know

1305
00:56:28,339 --> 00:56:32,819
yeah that's Well Creepy just the

1306
00:56:31,079 --> 00:56:34,619
division the image of it is is weird

1307
00:56:32,819 --> 00:56:37,559
without any sound is is already

1308
00:56:34,619 --> 00:56:39,059
unsettling without any other context so

1309
00:56:37,559 --> 00:56:41,400
I guess yeah the answer is there is

1310
00:56:39,059 --> 00:56:43,440
using all the absence of sound in this

1311
00:56:41,400 --> 00:56:46,200
example you know to immerse the players

1312
00:56:43,440 --> 00:56:48,420
to convey a certain feeling oh oh we

1313
00:56:46,200 --> 00:56:49,619
jump straight to the Advanced tactics

1314
00:56:48,420 --> 00:56:50,819
not just tell them what they're gonna

1315
00:56:49,619 --> 00:56:53,400
hear we've gone to tell them what they

1316
00:56:50,819 --> 00:56:54,960
can't hear I love it like just straight

1317
00:56:53,400 --> 00:56:56,520
to the good stuff

1318
00:56:54,960 --> 00:57:00,240
and then you can be like my friend

1319
00:56:56,520 --> 00:57:01,400
Marcus who's just like the silence is

1320
00:57:00,240 --> 00:57:03,780
silent

1321
00:57:01,400 --> 00:57:06,000
we've oh come on we've all been we've

1322
00:57:03,780 --> 00:57:07,319
all been there I've been at 11 o'clock

1323
00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:08,460
when you when you're dming and you're

1324
00:57:07,319 --> 00:57:10,980
coming to the end of the session and

1325
00:57:08,460 --> 00:57:12,839
you're like running on like fumes at

1326
00:57:10,980 --> 00:57:17,040
that point and you've got to be like oh

1327
00:57:12,839 --> 00:57:19,800
and the the bar man is a man and he

1328
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:21,500
works at a bar and I'm like that's where

1329
00:57:19,800 --> 00:57:24,900
we'll end the session because

1330
00:57:21,500 --> 00:57:27,240
yeah I've been there I'm just I'm

1331
00:57:24,900 --> 00:57:28,800
teasing him from afar because you

1332
00:57:27,240 --> 00:57:31,859
literally just posted about the secret

1333
00:57:28,800 --> 00:57:35,880
day or maybe today I don't know time

1334
00:57:31,859 --> 00:57:37,500
time well well talking of time we're

1335
00:57:35,880 --> 00:57:39,980
almost at the end of the episode so

1336
00:57:37,500 --> 00:57:42,000
someone's gotta keep clapping

1337
00:57:39,980 --> 00:57:42,960
is is there anything you want to talk

1338
00:57:42,000 --> 00:57:44,160
about that we might have missed I

1339
00:57:42,960 --> 00:57:47,400
haven't got to yet

1340
00:57:44,160 --> 00:57:50,099
I think that the only thing that

1341
00:57:47,400 --> 00:57:53,579
was thinking about like

1342
00:57:50,099 --> 00:57:55,319
um this applies Less in online games but

1343
00:57:53,579 --> 00:57:57,960
physical objects

1344
00:57:55,319 --> 00:58:00,240
so thinking about like handing your

1345
00:57:57,960 --> 00:58:02,940
players a potion bottle that has the

1346
00:58:00,240 --> 00:58:05,280
actual d4s in it uh things like that or

1347
00:58:02,940 --> 00:58:08,300
a handwritten thing

1348
00:58:05,280 --> 00:58:11,460
um someone that I love dearly does

1349
00:58:08,300 --> 00:58:13,200
amazing beautiful work Alder doodle I

1350
00:58:11,460 --> 00:58:15,300
don't know if you know uh off the top of

1351
00:58:13,200 --> 00:58:18,960
my head Alder doodle she her pronouns

1352
00:58:15,300 --> 00:58:20,700
they do these beautiful like Scrolls and

1353
00:58:18,960 --> 00:58:23,359
things like that like hand lettered

1354
00:58:20,700 --> 00:58:27,960
everything like that absolutely gorgeous

1355
00:58:23,359 --> 00:58:29,940
and so one of the things that I do in my

1356
00:58:27,960 --> 00:58:31,859
online games because obviously I can't

1357
00:58:29,940 --> 00:58:34,859
send physical letters to people or

1358
00:58:31,859 --> 00:58:39,660
things like that is I uh even just in

1359
00:58:34,859 --> 00:58:41,640
canva canva.com you can create the uh

1360
00:58:39,660 --> 00:58:46,020
the letters that people receive you can

1361
00:58:41,640 --> 00:58:48,960
create all manner of things I even did

1362
00:58:46,020 --> 00:58:52,020
uh for a different module that I run I

1363
00:58:48,960 --> 00:58:54,059
did a there was a puzzle that I thought

1364
00:58:52,020 --> 00:58:56,880
was better if it was visual rather than

1365
00:58:54,059 --> 00:58:59,700
described and so so I went into canva

1366
00:58:56,880 --> 00:59:03,359
and I made the puzzle so that I could

1367
00:58:59,700 --> 00:59:05,579
just show it to them and it just adds so

1368
00:59:03,359 --> 00:59:08,160
much more to it because they look at it

1369
00:59:05,579 --> 00:59:09,960
and they just go huh and it makes them

1370
00:59:08,160 --> 00:59:12,180
sink a little bit more than if I just

1371
00:59:09,960 --> 00:59:15,540
described it to them so having those

1372
00:59:12,180 --> 00:59:18,000
handouts even if it's digital uh and

1373
00:59:15,540 --> 00:59:21,140
you're playing online are amazing and

1374
00:59:18,000 --> 00:59:24,599
wonderful and I love them I wanted to

1375
00:59:21,140 --> 00:59:26,819
include a in probably several Legend of

1376
00:59:24,599 --> 00:59:28,440
Zelda games whereas ice and there's

1377
00:59:26,819 --> 00:59:30,540
sliding blocks and you have to slide the

1378
00:59:28,440 --> 00:59:31,859
blocks in a certain way without them

1379
00:59:30,540 --> 00:59:33,119
falling off the edge so like because

1380
00:59:31,859 --> 00:59:34,319
once you've started to push them they

1381
00:59:33,119 --> 00:59:35,640
keep going until they hit an object

1382
00:59:34,319 --> 00:59:37,319
right and if you don't push them in the

1383
00:59:35,640 --> 00:59:38,400
right north south east west they'll

1384
00:59:37,319 --> 00:59:40,200
stand off the edge of the map and it

1385
00:59:38,400 --> 00:59:42,420
will reset the puzzle so I was like

1386
00:59:40,200 --> 00:59:43,680
that's that's cool simple enough that

1387
00:59:42,420 --> 00:59:45,420
most people will be able to solve it so

1388
00:59:43,680 --> 00:59:47,400
it's not this weird like

1389
00:59:45,420 --> 00:59:49,440
thesis level puzzle that nobody's going

1390
00:59:47,400 --> 00:59:50,579
to get within four hours it's just

1391
00:59:49,440 --> 00:59:52,799
something people can do at the table but

1392
00:59:50,579 --> 00:59:55,740
it's like a unique like there's no way I

1393
00:59:52,799 --> 00:59:58,140
can describe that in words like you need

1394
00:59:55,740 --> 01:00:00,119
to have it physically there anyway

1395
00:59:58,140 --> 01:00:01,500
um so that makes me think of just to go

1396
01:00:00,119 --> 01:00:04,260
off on a slight tangent it makes me

1397
01:00:01,500 --> 01:00:05,819
think of uh the video game missed did

1398
01:00:04,260 --> 01:00:07,020
you ever play that yeah yeah yeah I

1399
01:00:05,819 --> 01:00:08,460
remember buying like the complete

1400
01:00:07,020 --> 01:00:10,260
collection monster was probably way too

1401
01:00:08,460 --> 01:00:12,180
young to really appreciate what it was

1402
01:00:10,260 --> 01:00:13,160
going for and was like this is just

1403
01:00:12,180 --> 01:00:16,980
weird

1404
01:00:13,160 --> 01:00:19,980
I finished that game in I think six

1405
01:00:16,980 --> 01:00:23,720
hours and I was just like I I need more

1406
01:00:19,980 --> 01:00:28,020
because I love puzzles puzzles are just

1407
01:00:23,720 --> 01:00:31,079
so good I love them so if puzzles are in

1408
01:00:28,020 --> 01:00:33,180
a game I am immersed there we go well

1409
01:00:31,079 --> 01:00:34,980
that's that's a perfect place to to end

1410
01:00:33,180 --> 01:00:37,740
the episode on then

1411
01:00:34,980 --> 01:00:42,540
um is there anything you want to plug or

1412
01:00:37,740 --> 01:00:45,359
promote uh well I am everywhere as La

1413
01:00:42,540 --> 01:00:48,780
Leon cosplay uh you can find me on New

1414
01:00:45,359 --> 01:00:50,400
nearly every social media as that I

1415
01:00:48,780 --> 01:00:52,400
don't understand Mastodon though so

1416
01:00:50,400 --> 01:00:55,799
don't talk to me there

1417
01:00:52,400 --> 01:01:00,119
let's see I am a pro GM on start playing

1418
01:00:55,799 --> 01:01:02,220
there I am only La Leon with two ends uh

1419
01:01:00,119 --> 01:01:04,740
simply because I am not cosplaying when

1420
01:01:02,220 --> 01:01:06,960
I am running my pro games but I am

1421
01:01:04,740 --> 01:01:09,839
running games literally all the time it

1422
01:01:06,960 --> 01:01:13,559
is one of my major jobs so please join

1423
01:01:09,839 --> 01:01:14,579
me it's a fun time and as usual all the

1424
01:01:13,559 --> 01:01:17,040
links will be down in the episode

1425
01:01:14,579 --> 01:01:19,500
description so I would encourage you all

1426
01:01:17,040 --> 01:01:22,260
to go and check them out all that's left

1427
01:01:19,500 --> 01:01:24,839
to say is thank you ever so much Anya

1428
01:01:22,260 --> 01:01:26,579
this has been a lot of fun yeah

1429
01:01:24,839 --> 01:01:28,440
absolutely I had a blast chatting with

1430
01:01:26,579 --> 01:01:29,420
you I don't know where the time went I

1431
01:01:28,440 --> 01:01:32,160
did

1432
01:01:29,420 --> 01:01:34,559
yes it just it just vanished it just

1433
01:01:32,160 --> 01:01:38,540
vaporized as did the rest of the day and

1434
01:01:34,559 --> 01:01:38,540
the rest of the last five years uh

1435
01:01:39,660 --> 01:01:44,280
um so yeah thank you ever so much Anya

1436
01:01:41,880 --> 01:01:48,240
thank you everyone for listening at home

1437
01:01:44,280 --> 01:01:50,040
as usual like comment subscribe I never

1438
01:01:48,240 --> 01:01:52,140
never get I never get the Spiel down

1439
01:01:50,040 --> 01:01:54,839
just go and do the thing

1440
01:01:52,140 --> 01:01:57,180
um it's very British of me just to be

1441
01:01:54,839 --> 01:01:59,819
like just go and do the thing out there

1442
01:01:57,180 --> 01:02:01,799
it is what it is uh but yes otherwise

1443
01:01:59,819 --> 01:02:04,079
thank you all for listening and good

1444
01:02:01,799 --> 01:02:06,000
night yeah bye

1445
01:02:04,079 --> 01:02:07,920
now it's time for the patreon shout outs

1446
01:02:06,000 --> 01:02:10,559
huge thank you to all my patrons

1447
01:02:07,920 --> 01:02:12,960
starting with Josh lewinike and Glenn

1448
01:02:10,559 --> 01:02:14,520
the three fabulous toasts of tabletop

1449
01:02:12,960 --> 01:02:17,160
Journeys who've been on the show several

1450
01:02:14,520 --> 01:02:19,740
times before and who I'll always invite

1451
01:02:17,160 --> 01:02:23,640
back to go check out tabletop Journeys

1452
01:02:19,740 --> 01:02:26,700
at ttjourneys.com or at TT Journeys on

1453
01:02:23,640 --> 01:02:29,400
Twitter we also have Joe from the fourth

1454
01:02:26,700 --> 01:02:32,400
leg podcast because all about giving DMS

1455
01:02:29,400 --> 01:02:34,079
another leg to stand on again previous

1456
01:02:32,400 --> 01:02:35,280
guests of the show and I'd thoroughly

1457
01:02:34,079 --> 01:02:37,740
encourage you to go and check out their

1458
01:02:35,280 --> 01:02:39,839
great content so you can find them at

1459
01:02:37,740 --> 01:02:41,220
the fourthleg on Twitter

1460
01:02:39,839 --> 01:02:42,960
always have a good friend of the show

1461
01:02:41,220 --> 01:02:45,180
optional rule you can go and find him

1462
01:02:42,960 --> 01:02:47,819
out on optional rule.com or at optional

1463
01:02:45,180 --> 01:02:49,799
Rule full of very insightful and

1464
01:02:47,819 --> 01:02:53,640
educated comments and thoughts and

1465
01:02:49,799 --> 01:02:55,260
threads on the really nitty-gritty of d

1466
01:02:53,640 --> 01:02:58,619
d we have

1467
01:02:55,260 --> 01:03:00,059
what a guy Matthew Perkins who is just

1468
01:02:58,619 --> 01:03:02,160
out there in the world trying to make

1469
01:03:00,059 --> 01:03:05,579
you laugh so go and check him out at

1470
01:03:02,160 --> 01:03:06,319
Matthew perkins.net or at hey it's Matty

1471
01:03:05,579 --> 01:03:09,540
P

1472
01:03:06,319 --> 01:03:12,079
m-a-t-t-y-p and good friend of the show

1473
01:03:09,540 --> 01:03:15,299
and one of my table mates Matthew Street

1474
01:03:12,079 --> 01:03:19,140
go and check out his partner's hustle at

1475
01:03:15,299 --> 01:03:21,619
virtualtime hustle.com or at mp street88

1476
01:03:19,140 --> 01:03:21,619
on Twitter

1477
01:03:22,500 --> 01:03:43,919
[Music]

 

Anya Profile Photo

Anya

TTRPG Writer/GM/Performer

Anya (she/her) is a queer TTRPG writer, GM, and performer who first got into Actual Plays on Twitch by accident in October 2020. She went headlong into things properly in 2022 and hasn't looked back! She's written several indie TTRPGs as well as 5e modules and is a pro GM on StartPlaying, running multiple campaigns and many one-shots for everything from Serenity to 5e to Glitter Hearts!