Shane Plays Geek Talk
175 episodes - English - Latest episode: 28 days ago - ★★★★ - 8 ratingsA journey into the things we love: D&D / RPGs, tabletop games, wargames, video games, comics and comic books, Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, fan films, movies, TV, books, sci-fi, fantasy, more! Hosted by a fellow geek that supports and encourages geeks and our fandoms in all of their various splendor! Come along and get your geek on (or maybe even discover you inner geek)!
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Episodes
MASSIVE GEEKOUT With David Finn Of Signal Of Doom - Episode 275 - 3/29/2024
March 29, 2024 20:09 - 2 hours - 207 MBWide-ranging geekout with David Finn of Signal of Doom!! Lots of comic book and MCU chat (like, a lot). Pi Day. Doctor Who, old and new. Google Gemini vs. ChatGPT. Judge Dredd satirizes fascism but can tell multi-layered stories. Godzilla finally wins an Oscar. Godzilla as a metaphor. The essence of the Punisher. It’s been a while, but Shane rants a bit (and David loves it). The Krakoan X-Men scare Shane and David’s ready for the era to move on. Current Beast makes David pine for Dark Beast....
Greyhawk With Allan "grodog" Grohe - Episode 274 - 2/29/2024
March 01, 2024 02:20 - 2 hours - 168 MBDespite what you might think from its famous box art, Greyhawk (the first D&D setting published by TSR) isn’t just knights and chivalry… so what is it then? Major Greyhawk fan Allan T. Grohe Jr. aka “grodog” joins to fill us in on all the setting’s fantastic details! Also: Greyhawk is a setting with plenty of room to homebrew within the established details. Why the name Greyhawk? Some discussion of the Greyhawk novels (Gary Gygax’s and others). The Moathouse vs. the Temple… which is remember...
Strat-O-Matic Baseball with Champion Bill Meinhardt - Episode 273 - 1/31/2024
February 01, 2024 01:30 - 1 hour - 93.3 MBStrat-O-Matic Baseball might be one of the biggest games you’ve never heard of, and three-time champion William “Bill” Meinhardt joins to share his passion for playing it. How long has the game been around, and how many people play it? What’s the one mechanic Bill wishes was in this beloved game? Is there a link between Strat-O-Matic Baseball and Fantasy (Rotisserie) Baseball? Is there a link between Strat-O-Matic and tabletop roleplaying games? At its heart, what is the game of baseball? An...
Star Fleet Battles With Bill Barsh - Episode 272 - 12/29/2023
December 29, 2023 06:06 - 1 hour - 107 MBStar Fleet Battles is the Star Trek-based wargame that’s been in constant publication since 1979, leading to an expanded range of games and lore known as the Star Fleet Universe. SFB fan, expert, and contributor Bill Barsh of Pacesetter Games and Simulations joins to talk all about it and take us into the final frontier of wargames! Is SFB for wargamers, Trekkies, or both? Which SFB weapons do Shane and Bill most hate to be on the receiving end of? Speed is life. SSDs, phasers, and hellbores...
Stan Lee With Comics Creator Tom Scioli - Episode 271 - 11/20/2023
November 20, 2023 18:22 - 1 hour - 158 MBDiscover the real Stan Lee (not the public PR persona) and his story in Tom Scioli’s amazing I Am Stan biographical graphic novel. Plus: Simple comic book character design versus convoluted and complicated design. Working for the big comics companies versus being an independent creator. The one time Tom got a taste of the editorial dark side of comics. The indefinable magic of the monthly comic. A comic with a lot of issues doesn’t necessarily make money. The changing fiscal and distribution...
Zombie Bytes with James T. Wilson - Episode 270 - 10/23/2023
October 23, 2023 16:15 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBAll-around groovy geek and author Tracy Wilson (aka James T. Wilson) on his indie horror novel Zombie Bytes, also chatting about cool things like his involvement with the Star Wars costuming association the 501st Legion. The pain and timeline of writing a novel. What is “success”? What’s the real threat of a zombie apocalypse? Thoughts on when it was time to stop watching The Walking Dead. World War Z: the book versus the movie. Shane is currently into On Patrol Live. Shane confesses to a ...
Incredible Cosplay With Simple Tricks & Nonsense - Episode 269 - 7/16/2023
July 16, 2023 21:19 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBJohnny Havoc (John McDonald) and Newt (Rebekah McDonald) of Simple Tricks & Nonsense join to discuss their incredible cosplay. What does cosplay mean to them? The economics of cosplay, including material and labor. Cosplay includes the challenge of taking something two-dimensional and making it work practically in three dimensions. For people who create cosplay as art, cons are like their art galleries. It’s very OK to ask cosplayers to take a pic with them, truly. What famous movie quote ...
The Legend of Drizzt with Mike Witwer – Episode 268 – 5/30/2023
May 30, 2023 04:33 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBAuthor and D&D historian Mike Witwer shares the details on his newest book The Legend of Drizzt Visual Dictionary, which is not only chock full of goodness on everyone’s favorite drow but the Forgotten Realms in general (as Mike puts it, "the Drizzt books are the greatest tour of the Forgotten Realms that the setting has ever gotten"). Mike has several other projects going as well, including a sequel to Art & Arcana focusing on 5E, and a young adult novel featuring a historic game and a to...
Holmes Basic D&D, John Eric Holmes & Edgar Rice Burroughs with Chris Holmes - Episode 267 - 5/12/2023
May 12, 2023 19:27 - 1 hour - 77.1 MBChris Holmes has a unique historical perspective on fiction writer John Eric Holmes and Holmes Basic D&D, given that he’s JEH’s son. Chris is doing cool stuff in his own right, including his fantasy art and a day job where he gets to introduce kids to D&D. Chris’s posthumous RPG project with his father called Things Better Left Alone. How much did JEH make for creating the first D&D Basic edition? Chris and Shane have different approaches to playing with alignment. What is Chris’s favorite D...
Betrayal at Krondor 30th Anniversary & Fan Film Challenge with Neal Hallford - Episode 266 - 3/14/2023
March 14, 2023 20:46 - 2 hours - 134 MBHey there, friend! If you're into classic games and fascinating stories, you'll love our latest podcast episode featuring the multi-talented Neal Hallford. Join us as he shares insider details on the renowned Betrayal at Krondor CRPG, and get excited about the game's 30th-anniversary celebrations! This innovative game was truly ahead of its time, and Neal takes us on a journey to explore the bold choices that made it such a hit. Discover the game element that needed a makeover but ultimate...
They Came for the OGL: 3rd Party RPG Publishers Share Their Experience - Episode 265 - 2/9/2023
February 09, 2023 21:01 - 2 hours - 133 MBZach Glazar (Frog God Games), Bill Barsh (Pacesetter Games) and Levi Combs (Planet X Games) share the personal impact (here’s a hint: "existential threat") and professional impact that Wizards of the Coast’s recent OGL announcements had on them, and where they’re going from here. "Unprofessional" and "ham-fisted" is mentioned a lot by our guests. Third-party publishers have been publishing the strong stuff for 5E in recent years. Was WotC's final decision enough to get things back to what th...
OSRIC & The OSR with Allan T. Grohe Jr. - Episode 264- 11/30/2022
November 30, 2022 19:14 - 2 hours - 114 MBRPG developer and publisher Allan T. Grohe Jr. (aka "grodog") joins to talk AD&D retroclone OSRIC, the OSR, Black Blade Publishing, John Eric Holmes, and RPG goodness in general. Allan LOVES him some Greyhawk. The skills he learned tracking down early information on Greyhawk helped lead to his main non-RPG career. How active is the current AD&D 1E and/or OSRIC scene? What is Allan’s definition of OSR, and does he feel it’s important? The legal importance of OSRIC to the OSR community. ‘zines...
The Valley Out Of Time & Skeeter Green Productions - Episode 263 - 10/19/2022
October 18, 2022 19:41 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBSkeeter Green joins to talk RPGs, Skeeter Green Productions, the Independent Publishers Union of small RPG publishers, and his new Kickstarter. The Valley Out of Time is a series of 'zine-sized RPG adventures borrowing heavily from classic dinosaur art, books, and movies (think Frazetta and Harryhausen). Tips and advice for small RPG publishers from Skeeter’s seminar series with Zach Glazar. The chances of making a living working in the RPG industry full-time. Defining success. RPG authors v...
Reaper's Dungeon Dwellers RPG with Joseph Wolf - Episode 262 - 9/24/2022
September 25, 2022 19:19 - 1 hour - 66.9 MBJoseph Wolf of Reaper Miniatures talks Dungeon Dwellers, Reaper’s old-school style RPG using modern design. Also: some ReaperCon chat. Joseph has some interesting RPG design highlights, including Forgotten Realms, Deadlands, and Blood of Heroes. Love it or hate it, 5E is very successful at what it does. Which Dungeon Dwellers came first, the minis or the RPG? “Tolkien Orcs” versus “Warhammer Orcs.” Super quick hot takes on Rings of Power. Shane freely admits to and doesn’t apologize for bein...
Champions RPG with George MacDonald - Episode 261 - 9/9/2022
September 09, 2022 16:04 - 2 hours - 115 MBChampions superhero RPG co-creator (and HERO Games co-founder) George MacDonald with guest co-host Michael Stewart (Victorious RPG creator; Save For Half and The Crusader podcasts co-host). The origins of Champions from the why, to the playtesting to the launch and beyond. Was the initial reception to Champions disappointing or encouraging? George came out of wargaming and his RPG mechanics reflects that. Did early players prefer to play licensed characters or their own superheroes? Crunchy ...
Terrain-Tronics: DIY Gaming Terrain Electronics - Episode 260 - 8/15/2022
August 15, 2022 23:26 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBDafydd Roche of Terrain-Tronics doesn’t just want to make cool terrain, he's helping DMs and GMs bring delight to their players with easy DIY gaming terrain electronics for D&D and other RPGs. Game terrain as part of the storytelling. Theatrical D&D. The no-solder wire wrapping technique is good enough for NASA! Pretty soldering jobs versus ugly soldering jobs. Smart ways to compete with big business as a small business. Shane does his usual thing of getting into the business reality behind ...
Grindhouse Cinema With Levi Combs of Planet X Games - Episode 259 - 7/18/2022
July 17, 2022 22:35 - 1 hour - 71.5 MBGrindhouse cinema with RPG publisher and cinephile Levi Combs. What is Grindhouse, and why is it called that? The market forces that led to the rise of Grindhouse theaters. Gritty movies, violent movies, Foreign movies, exploitation movies, Kung fu movies, BRUCEsploitation movies, more! New York City as a character in movies. Sho'nuff, The Shogun of Harlem can chew scenery on a level with Darth Vader. What’s Levi’s favorite fight scene in any movie, period? Is the first Friday the 13th movie...
Mongoose and Meerkat with Author Jim Breyfogle - Episode 258 - 6/17/2022
June 17, 2022 18:55 - 1 hour - 66.1 MBThrilling fantasy stories of the swashbuckling duo Mongoose and Meerkat with author Jim Breyfogle. Adventure fiction as opposed to “pulp” fiction (and what exactly does “pulp” mean, anyway). Who is Jim’s number one favorite writer from the past? Shane’s dirty little secret when it comes to Robert E. Howard’s fiction. Robert A. Heinlein was both amazing AND sketchy. Fair Witnesses are cool. The Odyssey Writing Workshop. Some love for CIRSOVA magazine and its publisher P. Alexander. Shane P...
JAQ: Journey Adventure Quest - Episode 257 - 5/27/2022
May 27, 2022 04:44 - 1 hour - 78.1 MBJAQ: Journey Adventure Quest is the new drafting board game with resource management, cool mechanics, challenging monsters, fun lore, and multiple paths to victory. Jesse Stacy, Tommy Noel and Brandon Beam from Triceratops Games join Shane to talk all about it (and demonstrate some actual play)! Also: Why the name Triceratops, wait until you hear about the artist, shout-outs to favorite board games, reminiscing on the early days of Magic: The Gathering, and of course more. Shane Plays Geek...
Comics Artist Brian Shearer - Episode 256 - 5/12/2022
May 12, 2022 23:00 - 1 hour - 91.2 MBComics artist (and self-described art hobo) Brian Shearer has worked on such high-profile properties as Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Doctor Who as well as his own creations Gunship Thunderpunch and William the Last. How did Brian become a professional artist? Tips for creators to build an audience online. What’s the line you have to cross on a late crowdfunding project fulfillment before Shane gets annoyed? Working on G.I. Joe pages while with your wife in the delivery room. SDCC and many oth...
RPG Designer Bruce Nesmith - Episode 255 - 4/15/2022
April 15, 2022 18:34 - 1 hour - 99.6 MBRPG designer Bruce Nesmith discusses his career as a TSR veteran (Ravenloft 2E, Gamma World 4E, Dragonlance), Elder Scrolls Skyrim lead designer, and now novelist. Bruce’s first day at TSR was an experience, to say the least. What does he consider his biggest achievement while at TSR? Bruce’s opinion of TSR under Gary Gygax versus Lorraine Williams and what he considers TSR’s “glory days”. What was his job description as lead designer on The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim? Why did Oblivion have a big...
Staged Heroism RPG - Episode 254 - 3-25-2022
March 25, 2022 16:49 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBRPG designers John Kennedy (Star Trek Adventures, Stargate 5E) and Sharene "Madfishmonger" Gilchrist (Capers, Vast Kaviya) join to talk their new Staged Heroism RPG: A Comedic RPG of Super-Heroics, Super-Villainy, and Failure at its Best inspired by shows like The Venture Bros. Plus: Designing not to fail forward, but to embrace the fail. The Roger Rabbit style of gameplay. Flashback scenes as a game mechanic. Venomous monarch butterflies. Where did Sharene get her nickname? Cops raiding a V...
Comics Writer Paul Kupperberg - Episode 253 - 3-11-2022
March 11, 2022 19:07 - 1 hour - 79.3 MBComics writer Paul Kupperberg is the very definition of prolific! He has written 1,400 comics over 4 decades, wrote for and was the editor of the Weekly World News, wrote Mad Libs, and is still staying busy writing books and novels. Paul’s credits include the Doom Patrol, Peacemaker, Vigilante, and the first comic book miniseries (1979’s World of Krypton), as well as being the writer who killed Archie (after simultaneously marrying him off to both Betty AND Veronica). Also: In the real world...
The Wit & Wisdom of Troll Lord Games - Episode 252 - 2-4-2022
February 04, 2022 20:51 - 1 hour - 98.6 MBStephen Chenault aka the Troll Lord of Castle & Crusades publisher Troll Lord Game joins to talk about what’s new with C&C and some wise principles he uses to run TLG that have helped them tremendously while other companies have encountered severe disruption during COVID. Plus: Steve has to do daily battle with Skynet for sales. The perfect timing of the emergence of crowdfunding for TTRPG companies. Steve’s honesty when asked if he’s ever considered giving up. Dissecting the current massive...
RPG Artist Jeshields & Uncommon Monstrosities - Episode 251 - 11-19-2021
November 19, 2021 19:08 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBA cool project to make 3D-printable RPG miniatures from Jeshield’s art. Plus! How did he build his RPG stock art business as the main part of his income? What was the RPG that influenced him to become an artist, and what piece of its art impacted him the most? Straight talk on the financials of the RPG art business. Comparing an artist website versus Patreon vs DriveThruRPG. The importance of a rate sheet. Beware the mighty werefrog! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #251 - 11/19/2021 Like w...
D&D History: Game Wizards: The Epic Battle for Dungeons & Dragons with Jon Peterson - Episode 250 - 11-9-2021
November 09, 2021 18:53 - 1 hour - 74.8 MBGaming historian Jon Peterson works through the unhappy but fascinating drama of Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, and TSR to bring us the facts of it all regarding the two most important personalities and the most important company in RPG history. The legal battles over royalties and ownership of Dungeons & Dragons and TSR itself. What is a game, legally? The Eggbert Incident and its effect on TSR’s financials. Inflated number reporting and lavish expenditures. Gary Gygax walks into the ambush at S...
Horror Chat and Found Footage Movies - Episode 249 - 10-27-2021
October 27, 2021 15:54 - 1 hour - 107 MBWriter and “horror bottomless pit” Mark Pellegrini joins for a great horror movie discussion. Essential found footage movies. What makes found footage different from other types of movies? Horror franchises that forget their roots. Horror films adapted to TV series. Overlooked horror gems in the slasher genre. Analog horror. Halloween Kills, what makes Michael Myers scary, and how the Halloween franchise went way off the rails before the 2018 restart. The Burning versus Friday the 13th versu...
Level Up: Advanced 5E RPG & Kickstarter Realities - Episode 248 - 10-15-2021
October 15, 2021 17:28 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBLevel Up: Advanced 5th Edition is the new RPG that adds depth and options to your 5E experience but avoids unnecessary complexity! Lots of love for the exploration pillar. Rethinking classes while keeping their core concepts. Meaningful decisions every time you level up. Modular heritage design. The journey can be the adventure. More! The dynamics, behind the scenes, and fiscal realities of Kickstarter campaigns. Stretch goal economics. Stretch goal fever. The U vs the hockey stick. Kicktraq...
RPG Artist Ed Bickford aka Metal Robot - Episode 247 - 9-23-2021
September 23, 2021 18:42 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBEd Bickford aka Metal Robot is a tabletop RPG illustrator, syndicated cartoonist, comic book artist, and an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer. Ed’s great to talk with and he’s very open in sharing honest thoughts on the hopes and trials of creators in the trenches. The business side of being a professional artist. Your art style finds you. Some tips for writers also apply to artists. The current state of mainstream comics. Five Nights at Freddie’s is totally (ok, not really) bas...
Chiptunes with Matt Lister aka Cobra Commander - Episode 246 - 9-1-2021
September 01, 2021 19:50 - 1 hour - 83.7 MBMatt Lister aka Cobra Commander joins to talk chiptune music, retrocomputing, and some classic G.I. Joe and Transformers. Trackers, hardware, and sound chips, oh my! What is MIDI (and can MIDI be chiptunes)? PAL, NTSC and electron guns. Atari 2600 game development and racing the beam. Yars’ Revenge had very tricky programming. Behold the Casio XW-PD1 Trackformer, aka the Millennium Falcon, and grovel before its amazingness. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #246 - 9/1/2021 Like what you hear...
Tékumel Revisited with Victor Raymond - Episode 245 - 7-31-2021
July 31, 2021 19:29 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBTékumel is a deep setting with published fiction, multiple tabletop RPGs, a miniatures wargaming scene, and more. We revisit this fascinating science-fantasy world with Tékumel Foundation president Victor Raymond. Learn how Tékumel and the Empire of the Petal Throne are so much more than just the "first RPG setting published" (and its creator Professor M.A.R. Barker is a fascinating character). Different versions of Tékumel RPG games. What is the important role the Tékumel Foundation plays? ...
Jack Vance, The Dying Earth & Dungeon Crawl Classics with Julian Bernick - Episode 244 - 7-14-2021
July 14, 2021 18:26 - 1 hour - 77.1 MBRPG Designer Julian Bernick on Jack Vance’s The Dying Earth book series and the new Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG setting based on it. Why is it such a cool world to read about and play in? How much influence did The Dying Earth have on Gary Gygax and D&D? Hint: a lot. What was DCC’s design philosophy and what was the thought behind its extra dice types? Long-form Lovecraftian poetry. How to say grognard. More! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #244 - 7/14/2021 Like what you hear? Support Shan...
D&D Veteran David "Zeb" Cook Interview - Episode 243 - 7-1-2021
July 01, 2021 18:19 - 1 hour - 88.1 MBZeb Cook’s RPG design history includes such important highlights as the “Expert” portion of B/X D&D, AD&D 2nd Edition, Oriental Adventures, Planescape, Star Frontiers, and more! He’s also had career highlights in video games including City of Villains, Fallout 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online. Did you know AD&D 2nd Edition had a significant playtest effort (and why wasn’t the armor class system changed then)? Whose idea was it to have the first wilderness adventure, why were there dinosaurs i...
FASERIP Tactics - Episode 242 - 6-21-2021
June 22, 2021 21:03 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBFASERIP Tactics is the tactical superhero miniatures game based on the rules from the classic TSR Marvel Superheroes RPG. Developer Ned Leeds shares the amazing and incredible feats this game brings to the table! It's monstrous fun, and it's FREE. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #242 - 6/22/2021 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays Shane Plays Geek Talk is carried on Krypton Radio! Krypton Radio is SciFi for your Wifi http:/...
ACE: Awfully Cheerful Engine RPG with Russ Morrissey of E.N. Publishing - Episode 241 - 5-29-2021
May 29, 2021 19:11 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBThe new Awfully Cheerful Engine (ACE) RPG with Russ "Morrus" Morrissey of E.N. Publishing. ACE is an action-comedy RPG inspired by a frightfully cheerful game from the 80s that’s quick and fun to play. Plus: A Level Up Advanced 5E RPG project update. Giant monkeys punching giant lizards. Sketch comedy writing. Sea Monkeys. How to watch Eurovision. It's awfully contentful! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #241 - 5/29/2021 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https:...
Marvel's MCU Phase 4 Begins! - Episode 240 - 5-21-2021
May 21, 2021 22:19 - 1 hour - 86.4 MBOn scarlet sorcery and heroic wings, Phase 4 of the MCU has arrived! What did Shane and friends of the show Richard McBain and William Brackeen think of WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? Are they excited for Phase 4 in general? Plus! An overview of everything currently on the MCU’s Phase 4 slate! Tune in, True Believers! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #240 - 5/21/2021 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays Shan...
Zack Snyder's Justice League - Episode 239 - 3/31/2021
March 31, 2021 22:41 - 1 hour - 106 MBAfter years of denials of its existence, the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League is here! Comedian and friend of the show Michael Brown joins Shane for a deep dive on Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon’s versions of the movie. Is one better than the other? Does it mainly come down to fun vs gravitas? Green Lantern and Aquaman digressions. Mike is a true Aquaman fan. Shane tries and fails to do a ghastly Joker laugh. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #239 - 3/31/2021 Like what you hear? Support Shane...
Level Up: Advanced 5E RPG Sneak Preview - Episode 238 - 3-19-2021
March 19, 2021 20:51 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBLevel Up: Advanced Fifth Edition RPG is coming and Russ “Morrus” Morrissey of E.N. Publishing provides a sneak preview! A5E is an expanded version of 5E, adding more depth and options yet still backward compatible with 5E. Among lots of other cool stuff, the exploration pillar gets much love, a revamped heritage and culture system is coming, monster signs appear, and get ready for combat maneuvers! Plus: The Awfully Cheerful Engine RPG. Shane and Russ are excited for Zack Snyder’s Justice Le...
Geek News Cavalcade - Episode 237 - 2-22-2021
February 23, 2021 00:17 - 1 hour - 82.4 MBIt’s a veritable cavalcade of geeky news goodness! All Your Base 20th anniversary, WandaVision, Chinese CRPGs, The Burning Crusade for WoW Classic, McDonalds Pokemon scalper frenzy, Babylon 5, Red Dwarf, Day of the Dead TV series, Batman: The Animated Series, Godzilla vs Kong, The Snyder Cut, Fan buyout of DC Comics?, Spawn expanded comics universe, Dragonlance, puppet D&D and more! Plus: Shane rants a bit about DC Comics and event based comics in general. Press play! Shane Plays Geek Talk...
Most Anticipated Geek Movies of 2021 - Episode 236 - 1-18-2021
January 18, 2021 22:52 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MBIt’s the fifth annual team-up with Arkansas talk radio legend Dave Elswick for our Most Anticipated Geek Movies of 2021! What made the cut? How did our picks from last year hold up? Dave and Shane’s thoughts on Wonder Woman 1984. Dave’s theory on The Empire Strikes Back. Ed and Elizabeth Warren. Dave thinks Shane looks like Jerry Garcia. Press Play! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #236 - 1/18/2021 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shane...
The Elusive Shift: How Role-Playing Games Forged Their Identity with Jon Peterson - Episode 235 - 12-22-2020
December 22, 2020 16:47 - 1 hour - 83.2 MBJon Peterson discusses The Elusive Shift, his newest in-depth book about role-playing game history. The importance of fanzines to the hobby and researching its history. Where did the term “role-playing game” come from? The history of “roll-playing” vs “role-playing”. Letting the dice tell the story vs GM fudging. Some dice history. Platonic solids and the nature of reality. What was Gary Gygax’s design reason for saving throws? The three types of wargamers. A D&D cookbook. Orc bacon. Bonus b...
OSR Gaming & Frog God Games - Episode 234 - 12-11-2020
December 11, 2020 20:05 - 1 hour - 92.1 MBWho are Frog God Games? The current state of OSR RPG gaming and some OSR history. Recommendations on trying out OSR games. North Texas RPG Con. Large cons versus intimate cons. Con special guest invitation criteria. Economics of RPG conventions. Economics of the RPG industry. RPG archaeology. Tavern brawls. A cool story about a lost piece of D&D and Gary Gygax history. Michael “Bad Mike” Badolato and Carl Heyl join. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #234 - 12/11/2020 Like what you hear? Sup...
Asunder RPG with Adam Lawson & Robert J. Schwalb - Episode 233 - 11-25-2020
November 25, 2020 22:36 - 58 minutes - 53.2 MBAsunder is the dark fantasy RPG (powered by the Shadow of the Demon Lord system) set in a dying world with no metal where humans have transformed plants and insects into living weapons. Adam Lawson and Robert J. Schwalb join to discuss! How long is the average tabletop RPG campaign (the answer may surprise you)? What’s it like to make an RPG for the first time compared to what you THINK it will be like? The “Dread to GURPS” scale of RPG crunch. Shane has one of Robert’s sweaty custom leather...
Tékumel: The Empire of the Petal Throne & M.A.R. Barker with Robert Alberti - Episode 232 - 11-13-2020
November 13, 2020 19:16 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBTékumel: The Empire of the Petal Throne is known as the first published tabletop RPG setting, but began long before that in Professor M. A. R. Barker’s imagination. It’s a rich and exciting world matched by a fascinating creator! Bob Alberti (Tékumel expert, author, and friend of Professor Barker) tells us all about this important part of RPG history. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #232 - 11/13/2020 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/sh...
Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon: Fan-created Final Episode - Episode 231 - 11/2/2020
November 02, 2020 20:14 - 1 hour - 98.6 MBThe unproduced final episode of the 80s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon now exists thanks to superfans Ryan Nead and Marshall Hubbard and is receiving widespread praise! What was involved? How long did it take? Why did they do it? Why do they love the D&D cartoon so much? Is it an energy bow, a lightning bow, or a plasma bow? The final episode in other media. Ryan has a DeLorean. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #231 - 11/2/2020 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! htt...
The Kill Journal with Adam Lawson - Episode 230 -10/23/2020
October 23, 2020 20:50 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBWriter, director, and producer Adam Lawson (Snakes on a Plane, Escape the Night, The Eighth, TableTop) joins to talk The Kill Journal, a horror graphic novel about survivors of supernatural slashers who band together to get revenge. Which version of Michael Meyers is the most frightening? Michael vs Jason. What does Adam think of “newer” horror movies? Ed and Lorraine Warren. RPGs as spectator entertainment. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #230 - 10/23/2020 Like what you hear? Support Sha...
Inktober with Jake Parker - Episode 229 - 9/30/2020
September 30, 2020 14:48 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBThe hugely popular Inktober drawing challenge with creator Jake Parker. When did Inktober start and how large has it grown? What are people saying about how Inktober has helped them? Advice from Don Bluth. How do you say Mignola? Shane wants to be a cartoonist. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #229 - 9/30/2020 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays Shane Plays Geek Talk is carried on Krypton Radio! Krypton Radio is SciFi for you...
Good Strong Hands RPG with NerdBurger Games - Episode 228 - 9-25-2020
September 25, 2020 21:33 - 1 hour - 60.4 MBGood Strong Hands RPG (“A darkly whimsical game about saving your fantastical world”) with indie developer Craig Campbell of NerdBurger Games. RPGs gone virtual. The importance of cons to the RPG industry. How is RPG design like architecture? Sad scenes in geek movies. The butter burger. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #228 - 9/25/2020 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays Shane Plays Geek Talk is carried on Krypton Radio! Kry...
RPG Sketches - Episode 227 - 9-20-2020
September 20, 2020 20:14 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MB10 playful sketches chock full of D&D and RPG mirth and good-natured skewering, written by Shane Stacks and performed and edited by the Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk podcast crew (Russ Morrissey, Peter Coffey and Darryl Mott)! Sketches include comparing sanity check fails, “invisible” bank robbers, a certain gazebo, the lack of variety in the post-apocalypse, having cows in dungeons, GMs saying yes, quiz show initiative, and more! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #227 - 9/20/2020 Like...
Darklands - Episode 226 - 8-22-2020
August 22, 2020 20:09 - 1 hour - 70.3 MBDarklands! The cult classic open-world RPG from 1992 that lets you adventure in the Holy Roman Empire during the 15th century… or rather, 15th Century Europe as people believed it to be at the time! Darklands broke a lot of CRPG ground, still has fans, and influenced games like Baldur’s Gate and the Elder Scrolls. Fellow fans Matt Wirkkala and Keith Hiorns join. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #226 - 8/22/2020 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patr...