This Ol’ Dungeon Podcast

Episode 34 Erik Tenkar and Bad Mike Take on B1 In Search of the Unknown

In this episode we have Erik Tenkar and Bad Mike Badolato -the dynamic duo themselves- straight from the "Talking Crit" livestream among their other OSR contributions such as the Tavern blog, The North Texas RPG Con, RPG auctions, Swords and Wizardry Light, and many others.

We get to talk with them all about these endeavors as well as the classic B1: In Search of the Unknown, which is getting a non-canon sequel for NTX this coming year!

These guys are a lot of fun, so sit back and enjoy some banter.

One Shot Episode 14 with Jeff Jones and his Gary’s Appendix Issue 3

Jeff Jones of the RPG Ramblings podcast stops by for a discussion about game design, what it means to create something within the space of of the 1st Edition DMG, and whatever else floats across my mind while were talking. We also get a chance to discuss his Gary's Appendix series - with Issue 3 Kickstarting RIGHT NOW! Give it a listen and go check out the project, its a great one! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1580058713/garys-appendix-issue-3?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=gary%27s%20

Episode 33 Lady in Distress with a Short Interview with Mike Carr

In this episode Bill, Edwin, and Lou discuss the classic Top Secret module, TS003: "Lady in Distress."  This GenCon XIV tournament module features a cruise ship taken over by terrorists who are after a secret bio weapon smuggled on board by a rogue Spanish scientist.  BUT FIRST: Mike Carr - TSR legend and co-writer of this adventure - spends some of his afternoon with us answering a few questions about the module.  Bill is in the hot seat for Geek Credit and the mailbag doth provide...  Below we have some bonus anecdotes from Merle Rasmussen the OG Admisstrator and founder of the Top Secret game.  We are looking to have both him and Mike back for full-length episodes.

Mr. Rasmussen: "(Mike) and I are long-time friends. Mike was working for TSR before I submitted modern espionage rules. We wrote letters to each other (before the internet) and I sent him a copy of my rules with the working title SPY WORLD (inspired by GAMMA WORLD). Mike sent me the note from Gary Gygax, “Accept this MS [manuscript] as soon as it is typed.” I then hired typists to complete the work. Mike and I independently filed the rules under “TOP SECRET.” When we discovered this coincidence, it was obvious the game should be titled, TOP SECRET®!

I wrote a module to be included in the TOP SECRET® COMPANION. It involved terrorists using Carbonophage Microbes to destroy the carbon-carbon reinforced surfaces of the Space Shuttle. I was paid by TSR, unfortunately, they would hold my product for a year. Space Shuttle Challenger exploded seconds after liftoff killing all crew members on board. This is the problem writing contemporary role-playing games-- reality sometimes catches up.

I also submitted material for TOP SECRET: NEW WORLD ORDER® that ended up on the cutting room floor. Good news! Last night I saw editing on HACKNOIA® GONZO MODERN Role-Playing Game by Jolly Blackburn and Merle M. Rasmussen. SOLARIAN GAMES hopes to publish the conspiracy, supernatural, and espionage rules. They signed a licensing agreement with KENZER & COMPANY years ago. Jolly is a fan of TOP SECRET® and spoofed my serious spy game in his Knights of the Dinner Table® cartoons calling it HACKNOIA®. I suggested we create HACKNOIA® for real. Players create characters like James Bond, but play them like Maxwell Smart. He said he couldn’t write rules. I told him I couldn’t draw comics. We shook on the deal. SOLARIAN GAMES must be nearing completion. They are on their third editor and they politely asked me to stop writing! " -more to come from Mr. Rasmussen in future episodes!

 

 

   

Episode 32 Champions: Dayof the Destroyer and technomancer of Candy Mountain

Edwin, Bill and Lou are back from the North Texas RPG Convention!  We answer questions about whether we would want to be full-time game developers and what our favorite dungeons and traps are.  Then, we get into the feature segment talking about "Day of the Destroyer" - a Champions superhero adventure. 

Stay tune after the closing to hear an interview with Stefan Surrat about his latest Kickstarter bundle, "The Technomancer of Candy Mountain" and "Marvels of the Multiverse" -which both sound like amazing MCC/DCC products!

Here's the link to the KS (ending SOON!): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brimstonecradle/the-technomancer-of-candy-mountain-mcc-rpg?ref=75sly0

One Shot Episode 12 Skeeter Green and The Underlands

In this episode Luau Lou gets a chance to sit down with friend of the show, Skeeter Green who's about to launch his new Kickstarter project, "Underland" - an amazing adventure/system that builds a "connective" tissue between all your game worlds while introducing some great concepts and rules of underground exploration -this ain't just your daddy's dungeon, folks!  There's also a decent amount of banter about Kickstarter complications and other fun - all in (you won't believe this) less than 45 minutes! -A "This Ol' Dungeon" record breaker!

Get onboard for this wonderful Zine deal! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/science-wizard/underland-part-1-for-sandw-dcc-mcc-dandd?ref=discovery

Episode 31 Rappan Athuk 30-Day Challenge with Paladin Reizo

Now presenting Episode 31: an interview with EXTREME Dungeon Master, Paladin Reizo, who’s about to attempt another world-record of gaming by running through the megadungeon Rappan Athuk for 30 days straight!  You can sign up to help play or GM below, the event starts in June and is going to be continuously streamed for posterity’s sake.

We also handle some listener mail, discuss this epic dungeon for the main portion of the show, and even get into a little Geek Credit action at the end!

Be a part of the 30-Day Rappan Athuk challenge by using the following links:

The Website: Sign-Ups Will Start on May 1st. Website is still being worked on and will have constant updates as time goes on. https://paladinsarchives.com/

Paladin’s Twitch stream at: https://www.twitch.tv/paladinsarchives

Paladin’s LinkTree that has many other links to various social media such as Tik-Tok, Twitter, Youtube: https://linktr.ee/paladinsarchives

Paladin’s Discord Server (never expires): https://discord.gg/9BW3tFuMYp

One Shot Episode 11 with John ”Hambone” McGuire and 3, 2, 1 ACTION!

First off, I have to apologize – there is an echo in my mic on this recording.  I think I chased down the culprit for future recordings, but alas editing only made this recording marginally better.

 

That being said YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!  We have John “Hambone” McGuire from the Vintage RPG Podcast and designer/co-writer of the “3, 2, 1...ACTION!” RPG on to talk about what it is like designing a system as a small publisher and we get a in-depth look at his newest offering for that game, “The Holiday Action Double Feature.”

 

You can learn about the system and get the catalog of books at www.321actiongames.com.  You can see a live play (with the folks at) here: https://www.youtube.com/live/pSI7OltLJCQ?feature=share

 

And now that you’re jonesing to be a part of it, you can go back his Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johnhambonemcguire/holiday-action-double-feature

One-Shot Episode 10 Artist James Shields and M.A.C.E.

We got a chance to do a “One-Shot” episode where we (yes, Edwin and even Bill eventually makes it in!) sat down with artist and content creator, James Shields to talk about his offerings to the RPG publishing world AND his new monster book project: M.A.C.E. Kickstarting NOW!  What makes a good monster? How do you plan a bestiary to keep monsters new, interesting, and challenging without just adding more hit points?  You can checkout his Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeshields/monster-and-character-encounters?ref=discovery&term=James%20Shields

Episode 30 DCC1 Idylls of the Rat King

We got the band back together finally, folks! And what a great little module for us to finally sync up for! In this episode we delve into the original DCC#1: Idylls of the Rat King. We go through this early 2003 Goodman product and take care of some long-overdue listener mail.  It’s good to be back, baby!

Dont Tell Mom and Dad with Ben Mazzochetti and Ted Gilbert

Luau Lou here.  I have been waiting to do this episode for over a year.  As many of you know, I publishing a rule set called “The Dare-Luck Club,” themed around misfit adolescents out on adventures.  About a year into its run, I saw a product called “Don’t Tell Mom & Dad” on Kickstarter that just looked fantastic and was right in that same game-space.  Since then, I’ve been trying to track down that game’s creators, Ben Mazzochetti and Ted Gilbert to talk about their take on this genre, all the cool design features of their system, and just talk shop about the genre in general…And now it has happened!  Come hang with us and find out why YOU NEED to be playing these games!  You have got to check their book out.  Here’s their web page: https://www.donttellmomanddad.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donttellmomanddad/?hl=en and Twitter: https://twitter.com/donttellmomdad?lang=en