DelveCast » Delve

Alex DuFault and Nathan Ainsworth

Join your hosts Alex Dufault and Nathan Ainsworth as they Delve into the mechanical side of games and gaming with an exploration of the choices designers make when creating your favorite games. They cover a broad spectrum of gaming, from boardgames to RPGs with interviews with up and coming game designers and pros alike. More info at delvecast.com

  • 17 December 2021, 12:00 pm
    5. Kobolds Really Love Thai Salad | Total Pebble Knockdown

    As Delvecast comes to a conclusion, we post here the first episodes of Total Pebble Knockdown with links. If you like what we did here, come join us over at totalpebbleknockdown.com and subscribe to the podcast feed at https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown.

    On this episode of Total Pebble Knockdown:

    * Shortly after we released an episode discussion the possibility of a new D&D edition, word came down that we will be getting a new edition of D&D in 2024. Thanks to the folks on our Discord server, we could have a deeper Discord Discussion on that topic. Is this D&D 6E or is it more like 5.5E? What kind of changes could we be looking at? Let’s talk about that.

    If you want to see the D&D Celebration Live where they announced this, we have a link with the time code available right here – https://youtu.be/sxb8xiDU5Kw?t=29434

    Check out the IGN article we sighted as well – “New Version” of D&D Coming in 2024 – IGN

    If you are interested in the changes made to the Ranger in Unearthed Arcana we mention, you can find some quick points on it here – dnd 5e – What are the biggest changes between UA Ranger and PHB Ranger? – Role-playing Games Stack Exchange and a more in-depth article here – Analyzing D&D 5E’s Unearthed Arcana Revised Ranger | Mundangerous

    * The last time we did a Crit Think, we asked how long we were spending in dungeons, but we did not get to discuss why shopkeepers would set up their businesses in those dungeons. Some of these scenarios might make sense, but others just don’t. Perhaps there are actually good reasons to have your shops in a dungeon. Let’s think a little bit more critically about that.

    * Okay, so does anyone else think it’s weird that you can get slashed 15 times with a broadsword and just recover all your hit points by scarfing down a few meatball subs? Yeah, we’re still confused about that too, so we’re going to talk about that in One More Thing.

    https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown/episodes/5–Kobolds-Really-Love-Thai-Salad-e18ibie

    Full Shows on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown

    Website: totalpebbleknockdown.com

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

    E-Mail: [email protected]

    Discord: https://discord.gg/9zfS6Bxz

    1 hour 2 minutes
  • 16 December 2021, 12:00 pm
    4. Lost in a Technicolor Hell Dimension | Total Pebble Knockdown

    As Delvecast comes to a conclusion, we post here the first episodes of Total Pebble Knockdown with links. If you like what we did here, come join us over at totalpebbleknockdown.com and subscribe to the podcast feed at https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown.

    On this episode of Total Pebble Knockdown:

    * Inspiration Points are one of those mechanics that can get overlooked while playing D&D. Similar systems exist in other games as well, but how do we get better engagement with those systems? A suggestion from our Discord server leads us to ask that very question.

    * While your party is battling hordes of goblins in a dungeon, do they ever lose track of time? What kind of effects can time have on your party from both a narrative and mechanics standpoint? Is there a way to keep track of time in game? And also, how would YOU build a time system into an RPG? We do a little critical thinking to explore this subject.

    * It’s such a simple concept, but it conveys so much information. We examine the concept of “tapping” in card games, what it is, how it works and why it solves a problem that could have been MUCH more complicated.

    https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown/episodes/4–Lost-in-a-Technicolor-Hell-Dimension-e17ttfc

    Full Shows on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown

    Website: totalpebbleknockdown.com

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

    E-Mail: [email protected]

    Discord: https://discord.gg/9zfS6Bxz

    1 hour 18 minutes
  • 15 December 2021, 12:00 pm
    3. Cultural Curators | Total Pebble Knockdown

    As Delvecast comes to a conclusion, we post here the first episodes of Total Pebble Knockdown with links. If you like what we did here, come join us over at totalpebbleknockdown.com and subscribe to the podcast feed at https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown.

    On this episode of Total Pebble Knockdown:

    * Myst got a full-on re-imagining recently. Alex and Nathan remember when they played the original game that came out… almost 30 years ago!? How old are we!? Myst • Cyan

    * Why do we see so many recreations of classic games? Is it related to us being old?

    * What is the difference between remasters, remakes and reboots? We give some explanations, examples and recommendations.

    * Recently Alex played the Beta for Diablo 2: Resurrected. What category does this fall in and what could they have done differently?

    * Tabletop RPG editions can be a tricky concept for the uninitiated. We go over what they are, investigate a timeline of D&D and Warhammer 40K and speculate about what they could do for a theoretical 6th Edition D&D.

    https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown/episodes/3–Cultural-Curators-e17i4si

    Full Shows on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown

    Website: totalpebbleknockdown.com

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

    E-Mail: [email protected]

    Discord: https://discord.gg/9zfS6Bxz

    1 hour 16 minutes
  • 14 December 2021, 3:00 pm
    2. Peasant Railgun in a Bag of Holding | Total Pebble Knockdown

    As Delvecast comes to a conclusion, we post here the first episodes of Total Pebble Knockdown with links. If you like what we did here, come join us over at totalpebbleknockdown.com and subscribe to the podcast feed at https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown.

    On this episode of Total Pebble Knockdown:

    Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game recently finished a highly successful Kickstarter. Will this bring Avatar fans into tabletop gaming? Will the TTRPG crowd welcome it as their own? How much air can you realistically bend? Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game by Magpie Games — Kickstarter

    * We have occasionally backed some Kickstarters. How long does it usually take for those to fulfill and should we actually grab that alpha key?

    * The Angry GM had notes for RPG players and our forum was awash with comments. What makes sense for new players and what did we feel required pushback? The expert and the novice weigh in. Memo to the Players #1: Taking Action | The Angry GM

    * Psychonauts 2 came out and, for someone who uses the Twitter handle “Psitanium”, that’s a big deal.

    * What is the difference between streaming and playing games? Why might you decide to avoid certain games? What is the value of immersion? How much work does streaming truly require?

    https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown/episodes/2–Peasant-Railgun-in-a-Bag-of-Holding-e178lq7

    Full Shows on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown

    Website: totalpebbleknockdown.com

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

    E-Mail: [email protected]

    Discord: https://discord.gg/9zfS6Bxz

    59 minutes 17 seconds
  • 13 December 2021, 3:00 pm
    1. The Bless of Ignorance | Total Pebble Knockdown

    As Delvecast comes to a conclusion, we post here the first episodes of Total Pebble Knockdown with links. If you like what we did here, come join us over at totalpebbleknockdown.com and subscribe to the podcast feed at https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown.

    On this episode of Total Pebble Knockdown:

    * Something seems really sketchy about Roblox, by which we mean everything. A discussion jumping off from the Kotaku article by Luke Plunkett on the game’s player economy. “It’s Shocking Just How Shady Roblox Actually Is

    * Can we imagine a terrible world with microtransactions in tabletop gaming? A mind experiment we probably should not have done.

    * Being competent is a real chore. A discussion on the curse that is being good at your job. Should be just be bad at things?

    * Yes, Nathan played Boyfriend Dungeon and got all the hearts. Oh, and a cat can turn into brass knuckles. SPOILER WARNING for the ending of the game.

    * What’s the difference between rogue-likes and rogue-lites? We compare and contrast while discussing Hades and Curse of the Dead Gods.

    https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown/episodes/1–The-Bless-of-Ignorance-e178lpt

    Full Shows on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/total-pebble-knockdown

    Website: totalpebbleknockdown.com

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

    E-Mail: [email protected]

    Discord: https://discord.gg/9zfS6Bxz

    56 minutes 38 seconds
  • 31 May 2021, 11:00 pm
    Delve 300 – The Last One.

    And so we come to the end… This is our very last episode and we took the opportunity to basically explain how Delve works, if it ever did. This is sort of a peak behind the curtain of where we’ve been and where we go from here. We give some final thoughts, advice and shout outs to everyone who helped us get here.

    You can follow Alex and Nathan on Twitter, as well as the show itself at DelvePodcast.

    Stop by our shiny new rocky Discord server and say hello!

    We are on iTunes & Google Play! Please rate, review and subscribe wherever you get finely crafted podcasts like this one!

    And yes, we do indeed have a Patreon featuring some extra content. Thank you to our Shiny! level patrons: Bonnie Ainsworth.

    That’s it, this was the last one, go follow us on our upcoming new show over at Total Pebble Knockdown to see the shenanigans we get up to from now on.

    You can get a Direct Download of the show, or listen below!

    https://ia601508.us.archive.org/34/items/delve-300-the-last-delve-final/Delve%20300%20-%20The%20Last%20Delve%20%28final%29.mp3
  • 24 May 2021, 11:00 am
    Delve 274 – Well, That’s Right

    Back on episode 2 we took preconceptions about roleplaying and dispelled them, with an experienced player explaining the basics to a novice. Now, on this penultimate episode, we flip that around and have that same experienced player ask what the novice has learned in the last 6 years. However, if you’ve learned anything about that novice, you probably have an idea how well that worked out.

    And a quick link to Delve Episode 2 for your convenience!

    You can follow Alex and Nathan on Twitter, as well as the show itself at DelvePodcast. Make sure you follow along to join in on all the topics!

    Stop by our Discord server and say hello! Join us in chat, on one of our live shows, or let us know about something you’d like discussed on the show. Big thanks to Drunk Paul for helping us get to a Level 1 Discord server!

    We are on iTunes & Google Play! Please rate, review and subscribe wherever you get finely crafted podcasts like this one!

    Check out our YouTube page for more Delvecast projects in video form!

    We are also on Twitch. Join us for DelveCast Live on the first Saturday of each month and also check out Alex’s live play channel.

    If you have questions for us or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at [email protected].

    And yes, we do indeed have a Patreon featuring some extra content. Thank you to our Shiny! level patrons: Bonnie Ainsworth.

    You can get a Direct Download of the show, or listen below!

    https://ia601502.us.archive.org/5/items/delve-274-well-thats-right-editted/Delve%20274%20-%20Well%2C%20That%27s%20Right%20%28editted%29.mp3
  • 17 May 2021, 11:00 pm
    Delve 273 – Past Life

    So your character is dead. Now what?  In what will be the last of Nathan’s monologues, he talks about his recent revisiting of Spiritfarer and how it informs character development after the characters are already dead. With the new update adding Lily into the storyline, we get a better understanding of how characters still resonate in a narrative after they are gone. Let’s discuss how that applies to you.

    You can follow Alex and Nathan on Twitter, as well as the show itself at DelvePodcast. Make sure you follow along to join in on all the topics!

    Stop by our Discord server and say hello! Join us in chat, on one of our live shows, or let us know about something you’d like discussed on the show. Big thanks to Drunk Paul for helping us get to a Level 1 Discord server!

    We are on iTunes & Google Play! Please rate, review and subscribe wherever you get finely crafted podcasts like this one!

    Check out our YouTube page for more Delvecast projects in video form!

    If you have questions for us or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at [email protected].

    And yes, we do indeed have a Patreon featuring some extra content. Thank you to our Shiny! level patrons: Bonnie Ainsworth.

    You can get a Direct Download of the show, or listen below!

    For more on Spiritfarer, check out the Psitanium Mine on the game.

    23 minutes 40 seconds
  • 10 May 2021, 11:00 pm
    Delve 272 – The End of the Campaign

    As we near the end of Delve, we look at how you end a campaign, something that you may never have actually done. Why do campaigns end? And if you could end a campaign, what would you want to do for your characters and story? We do a few thought experiments of what the end of a campaign should be on this episode of Delve.

    You can follow Alex and Nathan on Twitter, as well as the show itself at DelvePodcast. Make sure you follow along to join in on all the topics!

    Stop by our Discord server and say hello! Join us in chat, on one of our live shows, or let us know about something you’d like discussed on the show. Big thanks to Drunk Paul for helping us get to a Level 1 Discord server!

    We are on iTunes & Google Play! Please rate, review and subscribe wherever you get finely crafted podcasts like this one!

    Check out our YouTube page for more Delvecast projects in video form!

    We are also on Twitch. Join us for DelveCast Live on the first Saturday of each month and also check out Alex’s live play channel.

    If you have questions for us or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at [email protected].

    And yes, we do indeed have a Patreon featuring some extra content. Thank you to our Shiny! level patrons: Bonnie Ainsworth.

    You can get a Direct Download of the show, or listen below!

    https://ia801505.us.archive.org/9/items/delve-272-the-end-of-the-campaign/Delve%20272%20-%20The%20End%20of%20the%20Campaign.mp3
  • 3 May 2021, 11:00 pm
    The Last Delve Live

    Yes, this is the last live episode. We are in the home stretch now.


    On this episode we discuss candidly the things we enjoyed and things we didn’t like so much in the last 6 years of Delve. We also give a preview of our new website, the content of Total Pebble Knockdown and some of our merchandise. We also go into what we have learned, if anything.


    ALSO: DC enjoys seasoning; Salt may be missing for awhile; Seagoat lives in the future; Paul needs to get to the beach in a month; Craeve makes some unexpected merchandise options; Alex forgot some episodes; Nathan is confused about Count Chocula; and Delve gets TPK’d.

    You can follow Alex and Nathan on Twitter, as well as the show itself at DelvePodcast. Make sure you follow along to join in on all the topics!

    Stop by our Discord server and say hello! Join us in chat, on one of our live shows, or let us know about something you’d like discussed on the show. Big thanks to Drunk Paul for helping us get to a Level 1 Discord server!

    We are on iTunes & Google Play! Please rate, review and subscribe wherever you get finely crafted podcasts like this one!

    Check out our YouTube page for more Delvecast projects in video form!

    We are also on Twitch. Join us for DelveCast Live on the first Saturday of each month and also check out Alex’s live play channel.

    If you have questions for us or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at [email protected].

    And yes, we do indeed have a Patreon featuring some extra content. Thank you to our Shiny! level patrons: Bonnie Ainsworth.

    You can get a Direct Download of the show, or listen below!

    https://ia801502.us.archive.org/9/items/the-last-delve-live/The%20Last%20Delve%20Live.mp3
  • 26 April 2021, 11:00 pm
    Delve 271 – The Hero’s Journey, Stage 3, Return

    As we come to a close in our Delve journey, we look at the Hero’s Journey laid out by Joseph Campbell. How does this apply to our show? More important, how does this apply to some of the prevalent fiction and mythology you have actually heard about? And what can it all mean in gaming? These questions and many more partially answered on this episode.
    In this episode, we finally reach Stage 3: Return. They say you can never go home again, but actually you kind of have to so you can complete the hero’s journey. How does the trip home affect the hero and their homeland? More importantly, will there be a giant eagle?

    You can follow Alex and Nathan on Twitter, as well as the show itself at DelvePodcast. Make sure you follow along to join in on all the topics!

    Stop by our Discord server and say hello! Join us in chat, on one of our live shows, or let us know about something you’d like discussed on the show. Big thanks to Drunk Paul for helping us get to a Level 1 Discord server!

    We are on iTunes & Google Play! Please rate, review and subscribe wherever you get finely crafted podcasts like this one!

    Check out our YouTube page for more Delvecast projects in video form!

    We are also on Twitch. Join us for DelveCast Live on the first Saturday of each month and also check out Alex’s live play channel.

    If you have questions for us or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at [email protected].

    And yes, we do indeed have a Patreon featuring some extra content. Thank you to our Shiny! level patrons: Bonnie Ainsworth.

    You can get a Direct Download of the show, or listen below!

    https://ia801405.us.archive.org/25/items/delve-271-the-heros-journey-phase-3-return-editted/Delve%20271%20-%20The%20Hero%27s%20Journey%2C%20Phase%203%2C%20Return%20%28editted%29.mp3
  • More Episodes? Get the App
© MoonFM 2024. All rights reserved.