What works in mystery RPGs?

FromThe Splatbook

Start listening View podcast show

What works in mystery RPGs?

FromThe Splatbook

ratings:

Length:

17 minutes

Released:

Jul 21, 2022

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

We had so much fun chatting last week we decided to release more of that conversation. John, Kyle, and Matt talk about their experiences with running mystery RPGs.Roll For TopicMap Crow YouTubeMap Crow Patreon

Released:

Jul 21, 2022

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (63)

Your favorite table top RPG design topics podcast

Skip carousel

Running Games in Middle Earth OR "Strider was a Hobbit": In this episode we discuss running your RPG in a canonical setting. We cover all the big ones, Middle Earth, Star Wars, and DragonBall Z. by The Splatbook
35 min listen
Difficulty in Games OR "What is the point of golf?": Kyle quizzes John about difficulty in games. What is the difference between difficulty, and likelihood? We spend an inordinate amount of time talking about sports. Sorry. by The Splatbook
49 min listen
Giant Monsters in Swords & Sorcery OR "When Elric Fights Godzilla": We discuss how to use Giant Monsters in your Sword and Sorcery game. by The Splatbook
35 min listen
Gaming Catch-Up OR "Hamlet vs the Hobbits": Kyle returns from Denmark and the Fastsval game convention and tells John all about it. Then they chat about The One Ring, and RPGs design topics! by The Splatbook
26 min listen
The Splatbook Podcast Launch!: Please join us in our new audio adventure! by The Splatbook
1 min listen
Convention Catch up!: Kyle and John chat about what they have been up to in their gaming lives. We discuss our recent Con experiences, Basic D&D, and everyone's favorite indie RPG - D&D 5e. by The Splatbook
43 min listen
What works in mystery RPGs?: We had so much fun chatting last week we decided to release more of that conversation. John, Kyle, and Matt talk about their experiences with running mystery RPGs. by The Splatbook
17 min listen
Evil Cults in the Post-Apocalypses OR "Have you heard the terrible news?": Kyle and John discuss cults in post apocalyptic games. We talk about real world examples, and the finest genre examples including: Mad Max: Fury Road, Fallout, Planet of the Apes, Gamma World and more! Kyle points out that Cthulhu cultists have access to an essential truth about the universe. After show chat is about why art is important to RPGs and an RPG artist that inspired us both. by The Splatbook
30 min listen
Actual Play! Swords PLURAL without Master SINGULAR: The summer of Actual Play begins today! We invited our good friend Chris Salzman on the show to help us try out Swords Without Master. by The Splatbook
36 min listen
Weird History Settings OR "Roll for Ghost Rocks": Kyle and John are joined by Andy Rau of Roll for Topic podcast. We cover what makes weird history work in RPGs, why "real" history struggles to find an RPG audience, RPGs as art, and hats. by The Splatbook
40 min listen
Kyle and John VS The OSR: Sailors on THE Starless Sea: Kyle and John talk about the Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure Sailors on the Starless Sea and ask: "Why is it so dang good?" They also answer a listener's question left via the Splatphone! Hang around for the cut-bitlets to hear in-depth discussion of Kyle's new cat. by The Splatbook
72 min listen
Quest of the Queen's Tears - Personal Appendix N: This week we go old school with a story from the influential author Lord Dunsany: The Quest of the Queen's Tears. Marvel at how John and Kyle can talk about a 3 page story for almost an hour. You can read the full text of The Quest of the Queen's Tears - link in the show notes. by The Splatbook
62 min listen
Spirituality in Fantasy Games OR "Wyverns are just trash dragons": Kyle and John tackle to topic of spirituality in fantasy RPGs. How do you make your spiritual characters more... spiritual? by The Splatbook
30 min listen
Pulp Adventures on Trains OR "Oh right, Trains rule!": We invite on Kyle's best friend Chris Salzman to discuss running games on, in, and around trains! by The Splatbook
37 min listen
Personal Appendix N OR "If you have read the DM's Guide": Kyle and John are back! We talk about our own personal appendix N. What works of fiction have inspired us, and how they have influenced our games? Listen and find out! by The Splatbook
55 min listen
Actual Play! The Wizard's Grimoire with Brandon Carruth: Today we take the sword and sorcery game The Wizard's Grimoire by the Bakers. We had a great time playing this improv PbtA game, and we hope you enjoy it too! by The Splatbook
73 min listen
Actual Play! Moose Trip with Jess and Keeley: This week we are joined by Jess and Keeley for a game of Moose Trip - A game about moose who eat psychedelic mushrooms. We had a great time, and we hope you will too! by The Splatbook
54 min listen
Actual Play! Tunnel Goons with Shel Khan: We are joined by the amazing Shel Khan to play Nate Treme's OSR game Tunnel Goons. by The Splatbook
67 min listen
RPGs with Kids OR "Nobody reads the DMs Guide": Kyle is under the weather, so Tim Saucer stepped in and talks with John about playing RPGs with kids. by The Splatbook
41 min listen
Actual Play! Cthulhu Confidential w/ Matt Willson: This week we bring Matt Wilson on the show to run a game of Cthulhu Confidential - GUMSHOE 1-on1. by The Splatbook
60 min listen
Analysis of Swords without Master (spoiler: we love it): Kyle and John breakdown their thoughts on the actual play of Swords Without Master we released last episode. by The Splatbook
26 min listen
Actual Play! Prison Escape! with Chris Salzman: On episode of 97 of our sister podcast Roll for Topic, Chris and John designed a 1-page RPG: Prison Escape!. In this episode of The Splatbook, Chris joins John and Kyle to run the game. Enjoy! by The Splatbook
47 min listen
Melancholy In RPGs - The Neverending Story: What is that ringing sound!? Could it be... THE SPLATPHONE! Listener Jake recorded some thoughts on melancholy in RPGs. This prompted John and Kyle to enter the Swamp of Sadness, and discuss the topic through the lens of the film The Neverending Story. by The Splatbook
73 min listen
The Dark Muse - Personal Appendix N: John and Kyle discuss another entry in the the annals of their Personal Appendix N. For this episode John choose The Dark Muse by Karl Edward Wagner. This story is part of Wagner's collection Night Winds, which features his most famous character - Kane the Mystic Swordsman. Check the show notes for more about Karl Edward Wagner, Kane, and this story. Including a link to an excerpt from The Dark Muse. by The Splatbook
68 min listen
Kyle and John VS The OSR: Winter's Daughter: John and Kyle dig into one of their favorite OSR modules: Winter's Daughter by Gavin Norman by The Splatbook
42 min listen
The Gunslinger - Personal Appendix N: Roll for Topic's own Andy Rau joins Kyle and John to talk about the first book of the Dark Tower series: The Gunslinger. Will the podcast survive this titanic show down? by The Splatbook
110 min listen
Appendix N: Baldur's Gate 3: Kyle recruits a kindred soul to his party to discuss Baldur's Gate III. Andy Rau from Roll for Topic joins Kyle to breakdown the latest D&D video game. John takes the episode off, which is probably best for everyone. by The Splatbook
81 min listen
The Last Defender of Camelot - Personal Appendix N: In this episode John and Kyle talk about the Beatles, The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, The Twilight Zone, and OH YEAH, the actual story listed in the title of this episode. We also totally talk about RPGs a whole bunch. by The Splatbook
61 min listen
Holiday Spectacular!: John and Kyle wrap up 2022 with a discussion of what they are grateful for, what they learned, and what they are looking forward to in 2023. And then they sing! by The Splatbook
43 min listen
The Fortress Unvanquishable, save for Sacnoth - Personal Appendix N: Kyle finally tricks John into talking about the story The Fortress Unvanquishable, save for Sacnoth. After many attempts, John learns how to pronounce Tharagavverug and Wong Bongerok. Kyle compares the story to the Legend of Zelda, and points out that Leothric teaming up with Tharagavverug is kinda like Spiderman teaming up with Venom. Spoiler: We love this story. by The Splatbook
74 min listen

More Episodes from The Splatbook

Skip carousel

RPGs and Internality: Jess returns to the show and we breakdown some of Wraith Curse of the Night Sword. Kyle claims that Jess is now his favorite game master, John is sad, but then we all talk about our therapists. by The Splatbook
58 min listen
ADHD and RPGs: Kyle and John talk about ADHD and RPGs. This very rapidly depends into absolute silliness. by The Splatbook
57 min listen
Game Design 101: Rules Platforms: Kyle and John do a deep dive into the "rules platforms". What are they? What makes them useful? or limiting? by The Splatbook
60 min listen
Re-Release: Running Games in Middle Earth: Please enjoy this re-release our first ever published episode! by The Splatbook
35 min listen
Actual Play: Wraith Curse of the Night Sword, Part 2: The Splatbook Players present: Wraith Curse of the Night Sword, Part 2. Being an actual play of The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Featuring Jess Rhiannon the Ranger "Telconiel", Kenny Webb as "Gorf" the dwarven story teller, John Corey as the Bardling "Ulfar", and Kyle Latino as The Loremaster. by The Splatbook
72 min listen
Actual Play: Wraith Curse of the Night Sword, Part 1: The Splatbook Players present: Wraith Curse of the Night Sword, Part 1. Being an actual play of The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Featuring Jess Rhiannon the Ranger "Telconiel", Kenny Webb as "Gorf" the dwarven story teller, John Corey as the Bardling "Ulfar", and Kyle Latino as The Loremaster. by The Splatbook
78 min listen
Kyle and John VS The OSR: The Enchanted Wood: Kyle and John honor the work of game designer Janelle Jaquays today by talking about one of John's all time favorite adventure modules: The Enchanted Wood, for SPI's DragonQuest RPG from 1981. by The Splatbook
71 min listen
We're back baby!: Kyle is back, refreshed, and ready to go! We discuss some wonderful email and Splatphone messages, and generally have a silly time. Happy 2024! by The Splatbook
66 min listen
What is the difference between two 8th level fighters?: Kyle is off hatching nefarious plans with the Cloud Curio Cohort, so Andy and Matt join John to talk about early RPG influences, and how they shaped the games we run today. by The Splatbook
85 min listen
Appendix N: The Apocalypse According to John Carpenter: With Kyle busy, busy, busy with the final Monstrous illustrations, John invites two former guests (Andy Rau, and Matt Wilson) to talk about three John Carpenter movies: "The Apocalypse Trilogy". Please enjoy this bonus episode. by The Splatbook
83 min listen
2023 is a wrap!: Kyle's dander is up about what he has been hearing about the MCDM RPG on the internet. We reluctantly wander into the "OGL Fiasco", and then review our gaming life for 2023 by The Splatbook
64 min listen
Game Design Corner - Wick and Wander: Our friend Ben Donaldson joins the show to talk about the game he is working on: Wick and Wander - A post-post-apocalypse pastoral punk PbtA card based table top RPG. Say that five times fast. by The Splatbook
65 min listen
WE TALK ABOUT TABLE TOP RPG DESIGN: It is finally here folks. We talk about Table Top RPG design, using Free League's Lord of the Rings Roleplaying for 5E as a lens for our discussion. by The Splatbook
74 min listen
Mail Bag!: Kyle and John answer a great email and a couple of juicy Splatphones. Check the show notes for a couple of important fundraisers! by The Splatbook
63 min listen
Monstrous Funded!: John and Kyle take a follow up splatphone message, talk about "play to lose" games, and celebrate the fact that Monstrous has funded! Whoo hoo! by The Splatbook
60 min listen
Splatbook Live(ish)!: This episode of The Splatbook was recorded on 10/1/2023 as part of Map Crow's live YouTube stream to promote the Monstrous Kickstarter. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it. by The Splatbook
58 min listen
I got a bad case of diegesis: Listener Ryan calls in a Splatphone that requires our full attention. What is Diegesis? Is narrative immersion possible? or even desirable in an RPG? John and Kyle discuss by The Splatbook
55 min listen
Wait, what?! there is a Blade Runner RPG?: Well, well, well... It turns out there is a Blade Runner RPG and no one bothered to tell John. We discuss the first Blade Runner film, and the new Blade Runner RPG Campaign Kyle just started. by The Splatbook
61 min listen
Appendix N: Baldur's Gate 3: Kyle recruits a kindred soul to his party to discuss Baldur's Gate III. Andy Rau from Roll for Topic joins Kyle to breakdown the latest D&D video game. John takes the episode off, which is probably best for everyone. by The Splatbook
81 min listen
The RFTCon Splatacular!: This week John talks almost non-stop about the games he played at RFTCon! They were all amazing, and Kyle is sad he could not be there. by The Splatbook
65 min listen
Mr Latino Goes to GenCon: Kyle goes to Gen Con and talks about all the amazing stuff he saw, and heroes he met. John pitches some ideas for an upcoming James Bond RPG one shot, and Kyle shares an email from a fan - his mom! by The Splatbook
55 min listen
Choosing a creative pursuit: Listener Gabe sent John and Kyle a Splatphone so thoughtful, we based this entire episode around it: How do you choose a satisfying hobby or creative pursuit? by The Splatbook
53 min listen
Appendix N: The Dark Tower Showdown: Kenny and John spoil the sh$t out of The Dark Tower. The WHOLE THING. John fails to convince Kenny that he is wrong about the ending, Kyle takes Kenny's side and John gets sooooo angry. Then John thinks it might just be that he is broken. by The Splatbook
44 min listen
Cloud Curio Interview: Kyle and John are joined by some of his Cloud Curio collaborators, Amber and Kenny! We discuss their recent trip to Origins, projects they are working, asking strangers for eggs, and the impending launch of Monstrous! by The Splatbook
72 min listen
Post Game: Alice is Missing: Kyle is recovering from Origins fatigue, so Jess and Brandon step in to save the day. We talk about a recent session of Alice is Missing we all participated in. Enjoy this post game discussion of this excellent "silent RPG". by The Splatbook
44 min listen
PAWFTT: Murph! joins us to discuss Play AWay From The Table (PAWFTT!). Kyle tries to make PAWFTT a thing, Murph! enables him, and John is powerless to stop it. by The Splatbook
60 min listen
Life after 5e: Hello comrades! Kyle and John bust out the soap boxes and ask: What is with all the new games? And why can't we talk about the creative aspects of these new games, instead of business moves? Spoiler: Because social media and capitalism ruin everything. by The Splatbook
75 min listen
Our Favorite RPG Quotes: Kyle and John exchange and discuss some of their favorite passages from RPG books. Call us on the Splatphone! Send us an email splatbookpod@gmail.com! by The Splatbook
68 min listen
Game Design 101: Play, Toys, Games, and Sims-Oh my! by The Splatbook
93 min listen
GM Tips: Player Vacations: What do you do when part of your game group takes some time off? Try new games? Try new ways of playing old games? John and Kyle discuss. by The Splatbook
58 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Mutant Musings Episode 39: Mullets and Tight Pants are Timeless: You heard it here first by Mutant Musings Evolution
68 min listen
Convention Catch up!: Kyle and John chat about what they have been up to in their gaming lives. We discuss our recent Con experiences, Basic D&D, and everyone's favorite indie RPG - D&D 5e. by The Splatbook
43 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 249 – “Rock God Of ... I Forget” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
56 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 333 – “Doof Of A Kid” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
65 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 221 – “Renting Mega Pizza” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
81 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 336 – “Murder Most Fowl” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
61 min listen
Episode 83 - A BRIEFCASE FULL OF BEYBLADES: Matt, Wheels and Meehan gather to lament the loss of Happy Salmon’s fish bag and talk about other board game ‘updates’ that ended up worse than the originals. We’ve also been playing plenty of party games, continuing our adventures in Avatar... by Dicebreaker Podcast
107 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 309 – “'Leave Eevee Alone!', I Cried” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
63 min listen
Episode 123: Roll Player Adventures, Aqua, Buru, Steam Power & so much more!: What an adventure we have today! Just Patrick & King Scott are joined by Navigator Lana & "Dung Merchant" Will Brown! We've got a ton of recent plays followed by an 8-bit breakdown of narrative adventure game, Roll Player Adventures! We look ... by The Level Up Board Game Podcast
122 min listen
500. Stoneburner, Episode 1: 500 EPISODES! Join James and a bunch of returning favorites as they take on a new game: Stoneburner! by One Shot
73 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 220 – “This Show Title...IS A FRAUD!” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
71 min listen
FourPlay Episode 4: The Garfield Video Game: This week Joe, Chris, Kyle, and Dave discuss Nintendo's new integrated network, Kojima's "mind-blowing" reveal, the possibility of Fallout 4, and our first experiences with the Playstation 4. Dave reminisces on Naughty Dog's Uncharted 3, while Kyle... by The Free Cheese
98 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 201 – “Weedle Was The Lesser Of Four Weevils” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
73 min listen
Episode 25 - A Party Divided: An Original Dungeons and Dragons Adventure by Sneak Attack!
48 min listen
Pokemon GO Trading Cards Are HERE! - Shadowless Podcast EP#132 by Shadowless Podcast: A Pokemon Podcast
81 min listen
Episode 75: Overflowing with Bottles by A Grim Podcast of Perilous Adventure
68 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 174 – “Brian Ibbott: The Gateway Drug” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
79 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 287 – “Green Does Not Turn Into Purple At Night!” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
73 min listen
The Legend of Retro episode 10: Jay, Chops and Ethan talk about how comic inspired video games can be amazing and also terrible. Dinosaurs with guns and leather jackets, do we need to say more about this week's Retro Relapse? All this and more on this week's episode of The Legend of Retro. by The Legend of Retro
82 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 302 – “OPEN my gifts Charles” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
74 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 228 – "Cheeky's Pre-Christmas Wrapping is FRAUDULENT!" by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
75 min listen
99.8 - Tokyo Greatness: Kept you waiting, huh? We certainly have a lot to talk about this week, starting with catching up on the games everyone's been playing. Rob got a chance to beat Witcher 3, Caitlin gushes over Until Dawn, Mike plugs another podcast with The Last Story, a by RPGFan's Random Encounter
118 min listen
Navigating the Digital Underbrush: We Looked Under the Internet... by Don't Look Under the Internet
69 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 311 – “El Casual For Life” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
62 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 258 – “This Is A Title For The Podcast” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
67 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 248 – “You've Just Joined The Kiss Army” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
65 min listen
Proof The Jericho Bridge Ghost Exist: Noah, JJ, and Cat interview Sarah about several of her horrifying hauntings she experienced. Sarah provides the gang a digital copy of what she claims is a spirit on the Jericho Bridge. This is one super scary episode that you do not want to miss!... by Real Hauntings Real Ghost Stories
37 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 190 – “Cheeky and Terrywolf are the same person!” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
70 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 233 – “Sneasel Marks the Month of Love" by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
74 min listen
Pokémon GO Podcast Ep 168 – “Keep Calm and Pokémon On” by Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom
69 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

What works in mystery RPGs?

What works in mystery RPGs?

Description

Titles in the series (63)

More Episodes from The Splatbook

Related podcast episodes