At the end of the day, TTRPGs share one thing in common —they tell a story. The writers, the players, the DM: everyone is there to tell a story, feel something, and have fun. Gene Koo approaches game creation differently than most of the creators you’ll hear about. His games all stem from deep connections in his life, his own childhood, his daughter, things with real weight. This comes through in every game, from careful, well-placed mechanics to emotional narrative storytelling. 

Today’s episode focuses on player agency, emotional storytelling, and the unique mechanics that allow those things to come together. Gene talks to us about Color Jam, his newest game that is unique, exciting, and very much its own thing. We also talk in depth about Bonsai Diary, an amazing game that he gives a lot of insight into. 

Follow Gene on Bluesky! 

https://bsky.app/profile/stickydoodler.bsky.social
Back Color Jam on Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lunarpunkgames/colorjam

LISTEN HERE or on any pod platform

The Ultimate RPG Episode: Making Better Villains with James D’Amato and Dillin Apelyan

This week we’re joined by Dillin Apelyan and James D’Amato. If you listen to the One Shot Podcast, you’ve probably heard of both of them, and if you’re a fan of the actual play scene in general, you’ve seen their work all over. And now, they’ve come on to the show to discuss their brand new book.

Dillin’s been featured on Dropout, Critical Role, and podcasts across the space. They’ve designed a bunch of great games as well, including the HUNT(er/ed) and Neverland: The Impossible Island. You can find out more about Superdillin here. 

James has been working in both the comedy and TTRPG scene for years. He’s the creator of the One Shot Network and the author of the Ultimate RPG book series, which is an absolute masterclass in breaking down the genre for players and Game Masters alike. You can find his books here!

The pair are more than just integral parts of the community today–they’re good friends, and even better podcast guests. The episode was a blast, breaking down their experiences and talking in depth about their new book, The Ultimate RPG Villain Backstory Guide. They dive deep into gaming culture, their GMing experiences, and provide a lot of insight into how you can build better NPCs and characters.

Listen on your favorite podcast platform or HERE!

Listen HERE

Today we sit down with Laurence Phillips of Hardy Roach Games, an independent designer who creates unique games that focus on themes that dive deeper than your average TTRPG.  His one-page games are weird and exciting to play, and now he discusses his brand-new game, Il Fantasmo del Giallo. 

Step into the world of Giallo, a 20th-century Italian film genre that focuses on switchbacks, misdirection, and mile-high stakes. Il Fantasmo del Giallo is a cinematic, dark, brooding game that focuses on narratives and scenes more than a traditional dice-roller. Drama, Mystery, and Mortality are the main words of the game, and it’s an excellent example of the doors that have opened in modern roleplaying. Trauma decks, scene work, and avant-garde lenses to play make for a new take on an old genre.  

Il Fantasmo del Giallo Kickstarter

Hardy Roach Games

His Website

 Mentions

 Star Wars Visual Magazine

 Call of Cthulu

 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 

 Bird with the Crystal Plumage

 Blood and Black Legs

 Lovecraftesque by Black Armada

 Suspiria

 Halloween

 Giallo Genre

 Sherlock Holmes

 Vangers: One For the Road

Ray Chou is a comic book and TTRPG creator–one of the talents behind the amazing Mythworks team, known for some of the last few years’ most anticipated games–Wildsea, Slugblaster, Pico, and a whole lot more. Their studio defines the modern age of TTRPG development, and he walked us through his experience and process, offering a lot of insight into how it all works.

Today’s episode focuses on Ray’s unique experiences breaking into the industry and a close look into what it means to work in the high-level indie space. Ray broke into game writing at a pivotal point in the industry. It was before the medium really blew up, but recently enough to ride the wave of Kickstarter just as it was beginning. We also talked in depth about Mythworks and how it operates as an organization, leveraging the team’s creative strengths to create indie work that feels like blockbuster TTRPG gaming. 

Listen to my conversation with Takuma about the journey from idea to release for their hit indie RPG, Stewpot (available from Evil Hat). Listen on your favorite pod platform or HERE! #ttrpg

I had the opportunity to sit down with Cam Banks and discuss his creative process, the incredible library of games he has helped bring to life, and what media he’s been grooving on. #ttrpg

Check it out!

Craig talked with Glenn Ford about his creative journey and two of his miniature-game designs. Available at all the pod places and here!

I sat down with Maddie & Wheels of Just for Fun! Inc. to discuss life after Dicebreaker, their new approach to gaming content, and their game FREAKZ! from. Available on all the podcast platforms