Tag: ross

Palladium Poisoning: The New West

Shaun is back, just in time to help me guide Faust through the Wild Wild West of Rifts, complete with giant spider robots and racism. Yes, the New West has lots more character classes, guns, and poorly developed plot hooks. But there’s also new mechanics for rodeos! And a traveling medicine show! Plus cactus people and useless character classes!

Pictured above: A Wilk’s laser pistol, err a Sega Genesis Zapper.

Song: Hug It Out With A Cactus by Won Pound

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After Hours: Accute Pony-osis of the Liver

Did you know some people try to hypnotize themselves into believing they are ponies from My Little Pony? Well, I’m not going to link it. But it’s terrible and real. Aaron, Tom, Shaun, and I discuss better things those people should try to hypnotize themselves into being. We also review the following books:

  • Secrets of Shadowaloo
  • Time After Time (Part 2 of Aaron’s ongoing review)
  • Amazing Engine and For Fairy, Queen, and Country
  • Citadel of Fire

Song: Guile Theme

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After Hours: Fates Worse Than Bad Design

Most RPGs are terrible at information design. Sections are split up for no discernible reason, key elements are hidden away in blocks of text, and indexes are non-existent or terrible. We went over 3 books to analyze why they are so bad and why game designers would do this:

The Convert by Frank Mentzer

Fates Worse Than Death by Brian St. Claire King

Street Fighter Player’s Guide by Andrew Lucas

Song: Nod if You Can Hear Me by HOME

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Palladium Poisoning: Episode 9 – Rifts Adventure Sourcebook 2: Chi-Town ‘Burbs: Firetown & the Tolkeen Crisis – Part 2

When I visited Seattle and Tacoma last month, I hung out with Faust from Thrilling Intent so I could show her the adventure book she chose. After getting over her disbelief that it existed, we discussed how we could turn Revenge Sqaud Ragnarok into a sitcom. I think we did a pretty good job! Hollywood, GET AT US

Song: One with the Machine by Venator

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Bonus AP: Eclipse Phase – The Manor

The final game in the RPPR Triptych, this Eclipse Phase one shot features a group of Firewall sentinels investigating a hidden hypercorp research facility with a dark secret. There is a short prologue scene involving the hapless test subjects of the facility that serves as a tutorial for the new players. Enjoy!

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After Hours: Soul in a Box

After watching the first episode of American Gods, I wondered what other gods could be lurking in America. Caleb, Tom, and I discuss that and I review a very complex 3E module from Necromancer Games called Chaos Rising. It’s about a quest to retrieve an amulet that houses the soul of the Faceless Lord. In order to get it, the heroes must find and carry a 500 pound platinum anvil that radiates anti-magic through 2 nested demi planes. Then it gets weird. Tom also reviews After The Bomb: England.

Song: Boss Battle by Case Portman.

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After Hours: Defining Grimdark

Grimdark is an important characteristic of many RPGs, comics, movies, and video games these days. But what IS grimdark? How do you define it? Can you measure it? Caleb, Dan, Tom, and I got together to discuss this very important topic. Also, a listener sent me a copy of Monte Cook’s World of Darkness, so I just HAD to review it. It’s, uh, a bit of a doozy. Tom tries to review Project Twilight from the old World of Darkness as well.

Song: Your Heart is an Ocean by Matthew Bauer.

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