Hello Bonus Babies,

Rai returns for a finale. We sort of talk about games, but mostly we just talk. 

Here’s some stuff we talk about: 

• Monica’s computer
• Rai’s life
• Music of the 90s
• Monica’s book
• Onyx Path shop talk
• A better alternative to the “no fascists” rule
• Rai’s son and the Progress Pride Flag
• Fabula Ultima
• Dungeon Meishi
• Gay Final Fantasy

You can find even more nonsense in the extended cut.

And here’s some links for things referenced: 

• “Dragostea Din Tei” by O-Zone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnopHCL1Jk8
• 2018 Progress Pride Flag (Danial Quasar): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_flag_(LGBT)#/media/File:LGBTQ+_rainbow_flag_Quasar_%22Progress%22_variant.svg
• Fabula Ultima: https://www.needgames.it/fabula-ultima-en/
• Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meishi/Danjon Meishi): https://yenpress.com/series/delicious-in-dungeon

Rai’s social:

• Rai on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/raiasintended

Thank you everyone for sticking with us. We love you. 

Hello Bonus Babies,

I am so sorry for the huge delay – when it rains it pours. But here we are with the penultimate episode of Season Six! 

Today Monica gets together with Heather (her wife) to discuss one of their mutually shared core principles of game design: participation makes the game. If you remove players from play, you are denying them the chance to experience your game. We break down what this means as well as provide good and bad examples of designing for character creation, incapacitation, elimination, and replacement. We also discuss constructive self-entertainment vs. disruptive behavior and techniques for different designs and different styles of play. 

In your patron cut you’ll also hear: 

• The mystery of the brown fluff
• Live Morgana Updates
• Live Julia Updates

Important links from the show: 

• Fabula Ultima: https://www.needgames.it/fabula-ultima-en/
• “Bluebeard’s Bride AP” on The Story Told RPG Podcast: https://thestorytold.libsyn.com/bluebeards-bride-ap
• Heather’s socials:
  • @Snoutopus on Twitter and Bluesky
  • @plague-of-frog on Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/plague-of-frog

Hello Bonus Babies,

Today I’m joined by friend and colleague Alex Guerrero to discuss how video games utilize narrative and setting design to create a sense of wonder and mystery – and how you can bring that to the table in your own tabletop RPGs!

We discuss:

Good writing and pacing of lore

Creating and fostering mystery while running games

Supporting an action-RPG feel at the table

Using techniques from GMless gaming

Integrating social influence into games

Building lore for your game using other games

Also discussed in the extended cut: 

• Monica’s favorite GM sleight-of-hand and the judicious handling of “yes, but”
• Behind the scenes in trying to close the show
• WARNING: SPOILERS FOR GENSHIN IMPACT FROM 15:32 to 19:05. They’re called out with a musical bumper so if you don’t want the plot spoiled PLEASE SKIP AHEAD. 

We mention a lot of things we said we would link, so here are quite literally all of them: 

• “Are You Satisfied?” by Marina and the Diamonds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWywn51-B_I
• Ashikai https://www.youtube.com/@Ashikai
  (The lore analyst that Alex mentioned)
• Video games
  • Genshin Impacthttps://genshin.hoyoverse.com/
  • Honkai: Star Railhttps://hsr.hoyoverse.com/
• TTRPGs mentioned for Genshin-style play
  • Exalted Essencehttps://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/427275/Exalted-Essence
  • Godbound
    • Free edition https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/185959/Godbound-A-Game-of-Divine-Heroes-Free-Edition
    • Deluxe edition https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/185960/Godbound-A-Game-of-Divine-Heroes
  • AGE System https://greenroninstore.com/collections/age-system
  • Storypath System https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/431162/Storypath-Ultra-Preview-2023
  • Anima Primehttps://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/90234/Anima-Prime-RPG
• Other TTRPGs mentioned
  • Microscope https://www.lamemage.com/microscope/
  • The Quiet Yearhttps://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year
  • Spindlewheel https://www.teacabbage.com/spindlewheel
  • Blades in the Darkhttps://evilhat.com/product/blades-in-the-dark/
• Alex’s links
  • Twitter https://twitter.com/AFractalDragon
  • Itch https://fractaldragon.itch.io/
  • Tumblr https://letourswordsdecide.tumblr.com/

Hello Bonus Babies,

D is back in the studio with me today to deliver on our promise to discuss exceptions-based rules design. We talk about Exalted: Essence an awful lot, but also talk about Malifaux, Chronicles of Darkness, and some upcoming games. We talk about good examples of how to build strong exceptions and an equal number of bad ones, and point out games that don’t do this at all. 

Also discussed in the extended cut: 

• Live, custom made, spooky beeps
• Even more on ASMR
• The weirdness of TikTok
• Anticipating a LARP
• Expectations for advances
• The intricacies of royalties and “the Bigolas Dickolas Moment”

Find D’s Choice of Games novel here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/seventh-sea-a-pirates-pact/

Hello Bonus Babies,

Today Monica sits down with friend and colleague Hiromi Cota to discuss how you can improve the accessibility of your tabletop RPG. We talk about making things accessible to folks with physical issues, but mental ones as well. We also talk about math a lot.

In the extended cut:

• More coping strategies for ADHD
• Monica’s style guide opinions
• Being ready to teach dice pools

You can find Hiromi and their work here:

• https://hiromicota.com/
• https://www.tumblr.com/hiromicota

Hello Bonus Babies,

Today Monica is joined by the hosts of the Malifaux podcast, Steampowered Scoundrels, to have a lively discussion about being small content creators in a niche field, being the microest of micro celebrities, having relationships with tabletop game designers, and a lot, and I really mean a lot, of talk about Malifaux. 

Don’t worry I also bring up Exalted at least once.

Also discussed in the extended cut: bad times at work and the Condescension Special; the authenticity of background noise and where to get the good misophonia; the story of Trixibelle’s lemon; war criminals, annoying women, and problematic content in long-term properties. 

Content warning that we touch on, but do not deeply discuss, some pretty messed up shit that our favorite games have included. 

• You can find the Scoundrels here: https://steampoweredscoundrels.podbean.com/
• The episode featuring yours truly here: https://steampoweredscoundrels.podbean.com/e/steam-powered-scoundrels-episode-22-ships-and-giggles/
• More information on Malifaux here: https://www.wyrd-games.net/malifaux

Place to find the Scoundrels:
Discord: https://discord.gg/KnFbYPdBn9%20

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steampoweredscoundrels

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtefactorsUnion

Good Things Happen Charity Event: https://fb.me/e/13rS4sbY1 and https://ko-fi.com/goodthingshappenmalifaux

Hello Bonus Babies,

Here’s another crossover with Mage: The Podcast. This time Danielle Lauzon joins us as we discuss the concept of design directives in games. Enjoy the energy a third party brings to these MTP/BXP crossovers.

You can find Mage the Podcast here.

Additional silliness in the extended cut.

Hello Bonus Babies,

Today Monica is joined by Exalted developer, Elliott Freeman, to break down their favorite (and least favorite) characters sheets: what works, what doesn’t, what they like to see, and so on. Favorites include Agon and Blades in the Dark, and the least favorites include some real stinkers.

You can find Mr Gone’s work here and here

Also discussed in the extended cut:

• Sleep and work schedules
• More details about Blades in the Dark
• Play aids as character sheets

Hello Bonus Babies,

Today Monica is joined by freelance author and designer, MJ Monleon, to discuss the ins, outs, and pitfalls of designing a competitive game. We focus mostly on traditional games like tabletop RPGs and card or board games and then wander off into the weeds of some of our favorite video games. 

We start off strong, then get very distracted. Expect the full strength ADHD experience: hand clapping, table slapping, chair squeaking and my inability to hold still and speak directly into the mic. If any of that is a deal breaker for you, skip this one. 

Also discussed in the extended cut: 

• the rules and secrets of BXP
• competitive D&D
• glitches in Elden Ring and being annoying in Magic
• hot topics for future episodes

Hello Bonus Babies,

Monica joins Terry on Mage the Podcast to workshop the design concept of individual magic(k) merits, as well as temporary merits and experience rewards in Mage 20th.

Join us for an interesting discussion on in-character benefits and experience design, plus all the weird stuff you’ve come to expect from Monica and Terry having a conversation.

Hello Bonus Babies,

Today Monica invites her friend, Jacqueline Bryk, to join her and discuss something she considers a blank spot in her traditional game literacy: LARP. We discuss what makes a LARP and LARP design principles as Jax gives a detailed 101 crash course. We also kick around designing our own together, for a bit. 

Also discussed in the extended cut: 

• Jax at MAGFest and Monica’s day job
• the implications of torture in games and the meddlesome Victorians
• headcanons for the Scarlet Empress and the Ebon Dragon
• online RPG discourse