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:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lalionnecosplay
- Itch.io: https://lalionnepublishing.itch.io/mountaintop-isolation
- StartPlaying: https://startplaying.games/gm/lalionne
Find Thinking Critically online:
- Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk
- Socials: @ThinkCritDnD
- Dungeons, Dice, & Dudes: https://linktr.ee/DDandD
References:
- Aether: https://eldritchcrow.itch.io/aether-a-heroic-fantasy-rpg
- Ramona a.k.a. Alderdoodle: https://twitter.com/alderdoodle
- Under the Floorboards: https://loottheroom.itch.io/under-the-floorboards
Patrons:
- Tabletop Journeys @ttjourneys: https://ttjourneys.com/
- Joe from The Fourth Leg @jcd0818: https://anchor.fm/james-h-anderson
- Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/
- Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/
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/
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welcome back thinkers to season 5
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episode 3 of thinking critically and
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thank you for your patience I know it's
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been a long time coming it's that time
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of year as I mentioned at the top of the
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previous episode where there's just
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everything's popping off right now I'm
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preparing for a new campaign anyway
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thank you for returning to the show
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really good one if you like what you
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hear like the episode please do drop a
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follow on your podcast platform of
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choice or leave a review that would be
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fantastic just a couple of words would
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would make my absolute year check out
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all the socials and the website at
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thinking crazy.co.uk where there's
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everything you could ever want to do
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with the show is on there
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I also want to give a shout out to the
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tale of the Manticore podcast I was
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exceptionally fortunate enough to be
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asked to be a voice actor on the show
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for a little guest spot one of the NPCs
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it's a dark fantasy d d podcast kind of
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half solo actual play half story
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completely different dungeons Dyson
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dudes definitely not a comedy show but
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very exciting very enthralling I
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definitely go and check it out at
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Manticore tail on Twitter or tale of the
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manticore.podbean.com uh yeah I was on
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episode 39 as well as an episode a
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couple of before that hopefully you'll
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recognize my voice maybe and uh yeah
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it's it's a it's a really good lesson so
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really really fortunate to have got the
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opportunity to go and check out that
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podcast as well and of course I've had
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the host of that show John on thinking
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critically before all the way back in
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season three episode one with story so
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if you like what you hear here if you
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like what you're hearing Taylor the
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Manticore definitely go and check out
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that episode
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otherwise let's get on with this episode
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[Music]
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foreign
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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cosplay thank you ever so much for
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joining us today Anya can you tell us a
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little bit about yourself
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yeah hi my name is Anya I use
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her American but I live in Germany
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um I've been here for quite a number of
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years now I am if you couldn't guess I'm
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a cosplayer uh but I am also a
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professional game master I am a an
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actual play performer
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dmgm All That Jazz I also write a lot
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a lot of different uh games not just for
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d d but also my own kind of like Little
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Indie projects wow writing is something
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that I need to do a lot more of and
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that's where I'll leave white
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my my thoughts on that well good uh a
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very good person to have on for today's
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topic which is immersion so what does
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that mean to you in the DND and wider
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ttrpg framework so immersion for me it's
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not just like yes you're you're getting
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into a story you're telling a story
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together it is
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um getting the right notes getting the
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right vibe in your game so uh a really
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good example is
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um I always use frame of reference with
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things that I've run or written my game
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Mountaintop isolation is all about like
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psychological horror uh you're trapped
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isolated alone on a Mountaintop if you
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couldn't tell it's a wretched and alone
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game but it has not just that creepy
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Vibe of all of these weird strange
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things happening to you as you are
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getting deeper and deeper into being
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trapped in a uh blizzard on top of
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mountain but you have that aspect of the
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tumbling block tower as they call it
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that precariousness of of it and the
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fear that drives in you and that kind of
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delves you a little bit deeper into and
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it makes it more immersive of an
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experience for you yeah what a great
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topic and I'm frankly I'm surprised it's
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taken me so long to get here but I'm
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very glad we have because it is one of
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those things that
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I think every GM struggles with at some
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point and there are various things you
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can do I mean I'm looking up here at my
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4 8 12 15 16 candles or so that you know
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to set the scene to set some Ambiance
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there's always like physic physical
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things you can do
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to help with the immersion obviously
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that only helps in person but it is one
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of those things that's like
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more of an art than a science I feel as
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is with a lot of gming I think to be
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fair is is trying to bring people in so
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I guess the candles are a good place to
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start do you feel it's like harder to do
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that if it's a remote game versus an
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in-person game it can be for sure a lot
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of GMS what they do is they incorporate
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music and sound into it to make it more
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immersive oh a good example of that I
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had a GM once who whenever things were
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kind of dragging a little bit or you
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know people were doing a little bit too
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much so he would start playing sounds
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and it would be things like oh I just
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heard a wolf howl
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oh
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um y'all we need to start paying
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attention now because something is about
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to happen and it wasn't even just the
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players being cued into it it was okay
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now the characters need to cue in as
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well do they notice that this has
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happened
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there is a Machiavellian joy in that
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like just sitting back and pressing the
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button and playing the sound and then
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being like you know the arched
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fingertips of oh yeah and and then the
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players being like whoa you know looking
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looking to the GM for a queue and you've
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been like well
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there's nothing more for me like for me
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to add right now
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and uh that's definitely one thing that
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I need to explore a little bit more I
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don't do Sound and Music in my games I
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make my own sound effects whether those
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are good or not I think you'd have to
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ask my players but it's
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um it's just it's a more challenging
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technologically wise uh thing to do that
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I just haven't really delved into yet
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yeah I made a hole in that in my humble
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beginnings when I was just dming just
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for my mates in person I had a whole
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Spotify playlist you know it was like 30
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hours long of well I had several
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actually one for like sad deadly sad DND
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happy DND like River
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um they're like oh an NPC's dying let me
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sorry one second let me just scroll
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scroll scroll I've got to find the
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playlist sad now you're gonna feel sad
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um but of course moving to online and
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streaming and stuff you've got to be a
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little bit more careful around that
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stuff because so many pitfalls out there
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of of streaming music and all that kind
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of stuff absolutely and in addition to
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the technical overhead of being like but
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I need to hear it and they need to hear
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it so how can I plumb those two streams
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like to come out of the the stream
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itself correctly is was one that I never
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really bothered to resolve we we messed
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around in them in Discord for a bit but
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then since moving to something else I
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was like we feel free to play your own
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music in your own uh in your own living
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rooms guys and we'll just uh you could
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be your own DJ for a change and to be
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Frank from me as a a DM perspective
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kind of already had enough on my plate
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anyway certainly with the streaming so
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it was like I'm kind of happy to just
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let that fall by the side yeah we're
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already doing so many other things just
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adding another element just makes it
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a little bit too much yes yeah and the
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the reason I said I'm saying all of this
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is because I can't help maybe it's just
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that imposter syndrome you know voice at
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the back of your head but I can't help
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but feel it has impacted the immersion
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even if sometimes the music wasn't
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always spot on or even sometimes it to
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be like oh that's way too Jolly for this
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intimidation check we're doing let me
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just skip you know even if it was it
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wasn't quite on the mark
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the lack of it I can only help as
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negatively impacted emergence so yeah
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I'm soon to be dming a person again and
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I'm greedily rubbing my hands together
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happy to uh get back to having some some
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local Ambiance
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well you know what's interesting to me
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is you just made me think about it I
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personally have never actually gm'd in
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person before I played games in person
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before we didn't have any music or sound
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effects or anything like that uh my
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first
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ttrpg that I ever played was Serenity
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based off of the Firefly and TV show and
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serenity movie it came out in 2005 and
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uh it has a couple of problematic
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elements but it was my first ttrpg I
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absolutely adored it and it didn't
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matter to us to have music or anything
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like that because it was just we were
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exploring this world of cowboys in space
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and it didn't matter to us to have like
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the sound of the ship creaking around us
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or anything like that
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yeah how I don't want to be rude but do
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you think age has a part to play with
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like how easy it is to immerse yourself
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because of the kids run off into their
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fairy tale lands 24 7. do you think do
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you think there's a scale there
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don't think so because the G Ms that I
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know who use music in
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in sound effects and things and things
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like that they are
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all different ages so I really don't
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think that that has anything to do with
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it I will say that I feel like people
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who
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I'm using myself as an example but
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people who have a theater background
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sometimes have an easier time of
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escaping into these worlds because we
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are just fully into it especially when
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I'm streaming a lot of times I'm in
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costume oh wow and that's part of my
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immersion into the world and into my
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character is that I will dress up as
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them I have so many weird costumes
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that I I also really lean into that I
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mean I'm not because obviously I had
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Sarah on the production episode from
254
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from girls from these worlds as well and
255
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she also within the first 10 minutes
256
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said I'm a theater kid and now there's a
257
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theme appearing
258
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um now I did play Oliver in the School
259
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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
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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
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and bringing out again just because
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00:11:42,420 --> 00:11:49,920
I think that for me is a huge like the
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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
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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
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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
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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
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!