Biggus Geekus

With the upcoming release of 6th Edition by WoTC and our ongoing desire for OUR DnD, we bring you some things you can to do to freshen up the old girl. This will be a recurring topic, offering new ideas or changes to previous ideas under this topic. This may (likely will) eventually depart from the old game and birth a new one.

Big Geek Con 2024 tickets on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials and video and podcast places as well.

Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email:[email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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Episode 178 Streamed Live Tuesday February 13, 2024 Main Topic: Who is the true Dungeon Master…Gary or Dave? A review of two documentaries: 1.) Secrets of Blackmoor: A Tue History of Dungeons & Dragons https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9301886/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl 2.) The Dreams in Gary’s Basement https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10621206/ Both movies painted their respective subjects in a good light Blackmoor for Mr Arneson’s part and Dreams for Mr Gygax. However neither treated the other’s subject in a bad light, letting the ages old schism remain in the past. Both mostly focused on the positive contributions each paid to our hobby. Secrets of Blackmoor went into great detail about how the tabletop RPG hobby sprung from war gaming, largely though Dave Arneson’s efforts. Dreams focused on Gary Gygax’s similar journey detailing the rise and fall of TSR and its eventual purchase by Wizards of The Coast. In light of these two documentaries, it seems the hobby owes it existence to both of these visionaries, though it is uncertain as to who gets top billing. At this point it hardly matters. Modules or Roll Your own? Modules/Pre-packaged Adventures Advantages: all encounters and stats done for you, plot ready to go, read-n-run (???), nice maps & visuals, and can dovetail with your own ideas(can even steal them from modules) and they can be fun to read. Disadvantages: may not fit your group, too railroad-y, costly($?), may need to shoe horn the current campaign/party situation into the adventure( Slavers series??/), politicization of games could creep in and long adventure paths/modules can be a lot to read and prepare even though it is all laid out for you. Rolling Your Own Advantages: easier to prep(theoretically), can react on the fly w/o worry of “messing” up the adventure, do not have to spend time reading, allows you infinite freedom and you can tailor it to your group from the start. Disadvantages: must make your own maps & prep time/write stats( ?), may need to use monster books/charts/random tables and “wing’in it” can result in non-sensical situations ( “ an aboleth, that doesn’t make any sense!”), inspiration can run dry, Big Geek Con 2: get ticket at - https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 September 20-22, 2024/$30 for those who are 13+ Parents must be always with their children. We are not babysitters. Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw 4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604 +1 989 790 5050 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well. Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: [email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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Tickets for Big Geek Con on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024

This week we discuss situations when you may need multiple DMs. Also the supposed Tencent issue.

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notes to follow

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Episode 175 Streamed Live Tuesday January 23, 2023 Main Topic: Divide -Divide-Divide The Hobby! https://youtu.be/L9pDhntGoVY?t=30 (sample of the song “Divide” by Disturbed) Bravo Mr. Boivin: https://youtu.be/u20Wuj5gMY0 What is wrong with just accepting the natural division of folks in the hobby? (i.e., BrOSR, 4D, Basic DD 1st-3rd level, 3.X epic tabletop skirmish, Sparkletroll Barista D&D, etc.) Let them do what they want and screech about being Elite, who cares? Shouldn’t we all just try to be excellent to each other? Maybe we should try to be excellent in our chosen playstyle? Let’s be elite in our own preferred play style, if possible, whatever that may be. Can Big Geek Con begin to be the play we attempt to achieve excellence in our style of play? This may include some Gatekeeping, but only as it pertains to folks trying to horn in on your fun by bringing in some other style you do not enjoy or maybe do NOT want at your table. We can and should still nerd rage but try to pursue this excellence, if nothing else just for ourselves. If it helps others then so be it. Plus, it’ll be fun to debate who are the true elites of TTRPGS! More Settings & Adventures and Less Systems! Inspired by a Facebook post I commented on and then was commented on by the following: Bitty Jen(username on Facebook) “Respectfully, I’ll pass. As mentioned earlier, there are more than enough rulesets/variants/clones/combo-rewrites..etc etc But good luck with yours. What the community really needs are competent writers of modules/campaigns who don’t take themselves too seriously, and don’t try to reinvent the wheel with stupid gimmicks.” New systems are not bad may be but less valuable to some these days than new settings/adventures/modules/Pop-in Principles/System neutral. Randy: “I do not deny the gamer fascination and love of new systems/games, but I’d like to see ore settings a la Savage Worlds business model over WoTC and many others endless array of supplements then Rinse&Repeat for each new edition. System neutral is ,for me, superior since it will never require updates/new editions and will be evergreen. Experienced DMs would find more value from Adventures/Modules/Settings than new systems in general if they have a long running campaign…yes, I am speaking for them. Of course, some GMs like other game systems for cannon fodder. Now gamers, in general, cannot resist the new shiny, but in the realm of the OSR, it has been said many times...who needs another clone retro or otherwise? What about Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed/Evolved style ‘systems? Too much like retro-clones, I guess. But the monetary drawback is 1 DM – 1 purchase…how to monetize such settings and adventure modules to the players? What could a player be offered besides a new system?” Report from Big Geek Land Big Geek Con 2 September 20-22, 2024 Friday Noon-11pm, Saturday 8a-11pm, Sunday Noon-6p??? Considering get-together at the attached Uno’s Friday & Saturday 9pm till close to play, wind down, meet-n-greet. Location: Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw: 4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604 +1 989 790 5050 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well. Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: [email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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Episode 174 streamed live Tuesday January 16, 2024

Main Topic: What are the OSR’s of today? Old School Renaissance or Old School Revival

A little History:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_School_Renaissance

A couple of primers:

1. A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming (Matt Finch and Mythmere Games 2008): https://ia601802.us.archive.org/28/items/a-quick-primer-for-old-school-gaming/A%20Quick%20Primer%20for%20Old%20School%20Gaming.pdf

2. New OSR Primers (Lumpkin, Milton, & Perry):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VSa6hSvQAlyvkTfmqhix1Z2EoFJPR-CP/view

The Different Flavors of the OSR today

https://osrsimulacrum.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-historical-look-at-osr-part-v.html

“It was simply a rebirth of interest in old-school Dungeons & Dragons, specifically as its original designers intended it to be played. Its adherents had never entirely disappeared, but it was certainly a playerbase on life support for the longest time. Around 2007 began a renaissance, one that manifested in a variety of ways but at its heart was firmly rooted in mechanical compatibility with TSR-era D&D and a sharing of certain key design principles that went with those editions and the way their designers intended them to be played…”

The main four variants:

Classic OSR: The original wave. Has both compatibility and principles.

OSR-Adjacent: Some principles, some compatibility.

NSR: Principles, but not compatibility.

Commercial OSR: Compatibility, but not principles.

OTHERS:

FKR:Free Kriegsspiel Revolution

• Numbers don’t add up to a game.

• If the fiction fits, try it.

• Youplay worlds, not rules.

• https://followmeanddie.com/2021/10/02/fkr-free-kriegsspiel-revolution/

Great video by ben Milton of Questing beast for overview:https://youtu.be/d4lvrC3ZBzM

BRoSR:https://youtu.be/JIEW2r6deXs
“AD&D 1st edition with absolutely no house rules, do every single thing Gary told you todo." Also patron play / Braunstein where many domain level characters that would be NPC are run by the players"

More annoying links:

1) https://jonmollison.com/2022/11/10/brosr-principles-a-primer/

2) https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/11/bdubs-essential-guide-to-patron-play.html

3) https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/07/jeffrogaxian-time-keeping-vs-variable.html

Live Character Creation

Let’s create a character with as many random rolls as possible using Horde Wars!

Random Geek-itude

Big Geek Con 2

Dates: September 20-22, 2024 (Times TBD)

Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw

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Episode 173 Streamed Live Tuesday January 9, 2024 Main Topic: What time is it? Timekeeping in D&D What is the value of time keeping? Is it worth the effort? Abstract or precise units of time? Which version of D&D does this in the way you most prefer? What game does this in the way you most prefer? Campaign Level View: events in the world/region/city/base town, Holy days for religious orders, special astronomical events, magical confluences, others? Character Level View: spell durations, round durations, disease/poison duration, ration usage, light sources, aging process, stamina, rest & recuperation, and others? Consider: https://www.reddit.com/r/osr/comments/17qab2z/an_attempt_at_strict_time_keeping_records/ Too extreme? Adventure Level View: Dungeon mapping, dungeon crawling (real light sources/torches. Equipment usage, overland travel, time limits/pressure, etc/other? Player Needs: Time to play, time in between turns, breaks in play. Etc/other? BRoSR: https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/07/jeffrogaxian-time-keeping-vs-variable.html https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/11/bdubs-essential-guide-to-patron-play.html When Gaming Preferences become true Biases When you learn/see/try a new game, what sorts of preconceived notions/preferences may keep you from enjoying them or enjoying them fully? How might they influence how you play the game or even if you would even try to play it? 1. Genres: fantasy (dragons and wizards), historical, sci fi, horror, superhero, mixed genres, other? 2. Settings: homebrew vs published 3. Mechanics: die types, diceless, cards, built-in safety tools, others? 4. Companies: woke vs non-woke, TSR vs WoTC, other? 5. Editions: 1e vs 2e vs etc any game 6. Simulation vs Emulation vs Narrative As well as Trad games vs indie vs dungeon crawler’s vs OSR vs Modern 7. Play styles: RP-1st/2nd/3rd person, Adventure: sandbox, AP, modules, others? 8. The stereotypes associated with the game or the players of the game? Report from Big Geek Land Big Geek Con 2 Meeting Jan 15th to determine exact dates of BGC2. Likely September 20-22, 2024 Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well. Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: [email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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This week we discuss a variety of topics, including New Year's Gaming Resolutions, with Patrick of Pointy Hat Games.

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notes to follow

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Episode 170 Streamed Live Tuesday December 19, 2023

Main Topic: Horde Wars Basic and Beyond with Blackwall Games

We discuss Horde Wars with Todd and Nate of Blackwall Games. Horde Wars is a fantasy tabletop RPG that leans into a medieval European tropes to inform its design. This is mixed with other influences to give it a unique feel. It also relies on a combination of classes and skills that give players many combinations to choose from.

Many topics were covered:

• Where does the Basic game stand?
• What about the advanced version?
• How does Horde Wars facilitate campaign play?
• With so many games on Guilded, how do you keep motivated?
• Are you and Nate both running playtest groups?
• Are you and Nate going to Cabin Con #2
• How do you design monsters?
• How do you design encounters?

d12 days of Horde Wars! The Christmas Holiday Special giveaway!

We have given 9 away so far…Last 3 tonight!!!

Shameless Plug Time:

If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.

Cash Support

PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus

Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip

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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus

On the Web:

Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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