Narrative Control – Episode 25 – Gaming on a Budget

Hi and welcome back to Narrative Control. This week we’ve got guests… guests who like us are broke but still want to game. So we’re going to talk about how to get your game on during this tough economy.

Hosts: Sean Nittner, Justin Evans
Guests Hosts: Shaun Hayworth, Kristin Sullivan

Length: 22:35

Show Notes

[00:29] Introduction to the show: Gaming while broke with guests Shaun Hayworth and Kristin Sullivan from This Modern Death.
[00:57] Editing issues. Trying to keep these shows in the 20 to 25 minute range.
[01:19] A short episode (number 26) will follow this one about PDF vs. print media.
[01:47] This Modern Death Promo
[02:22] Kristin introduces the show for us. Our normal introduction… only longer… and with sniping.
[03:40] Money spent on microphones (and maybe kids) prevent us from having a lot of money to buy gaming books
[04:10] Some game systems are expensive to get into: White Wolf, Shadowrun, Dark Heresy.
[04:37] Even some indie games are expensive. Burning Empires is beautiful but it can set you back.
[05:51] John Wick talks about how games really haven’t gotten that much more expensive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clmdJy0GJms&feature=channel_page

Starting at the bottom: What free games are out there

[06:36] Dan Bayn’s “Wushu”. Core game and Matrix supplement: http://www.bayn.org/wushu/freebies.html Free settings on Saberpunk.net: http://wiki.saberpunk.net/Wushu/WorldsAmpSettings Wuxalted, an Exalted Wushu adaptation: http://www.voidstate.com/rpg/Wushu-Exalted_Rules_1.5.pdf Wuxalted Redux Wiki: http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Wuxalted_Redux
[06:57] Rob Bohl’s “Misspent Youth”: http://misspentyouthgame.com/
[07:02] Spirit of the Century SRD: http://www.faterpg.com/dl/sotc-srd.html Shadow over Yesterday: The 2.5 Version: http://zork.net/~nick/loyhargil/tsoy2/book1–rulebook.html The 3.0 Wiki Version: http://tsoy.crngames.com/
[07:35] Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 SRD is still available: http://www.d20srd.org/
[07:58] Ben Lehmans “XXXXtreme STREET luge”: http://swingpad.com/dustyboots/wordpress/?p=235
[08:08] Four Color System (the old Marvel RPG mecahincs): http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=50837&it=1
[08:20] Development on the Forge: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/
[08:33] 24 Hour RPG submissions: http://www.24hourrpg.com/ (Click on “Entries”). Game Chef: http://game-chef.com/index.shtml
[08:49] Jared Sorenson’s challenge to create and market a game in 30 days on the Story-Games forum: http://www.story-games.com/
[10:07] Getting in during the development process. Play-test games.

What about spending a couple bucks

[10:22] Houses of the Blooded. FIVE BUCKS for the PDF: http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16617&cat=0&page=1
[10:48] Going to local conventions at game stores… like Good Omens Con: http://www.goodomensgames.com/index.php/con/
[11:17] Many game stores do demos of games.
[11:25] International Dungeons and Dragons day: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20050726x

Sources for old games

[12:02] Buying from convention flea markets, Ebay, local used book stores.
[12:54] Old games work looking at again: Castle Falkenstein and James Bond.
[13:26] Good deals on Fred Hick’s blog. Check it out here: http://drivingblind.livejournal.com/ Some other designer blogs not mentioned in the podcast:
John Wick: http://wickedthought.livejournal.com/
Vincent Baker: http://www.lumpley.com/
Paul Tevis: http://gameslinger-enterprises.com/
Jason Morningstar: http://gameslinger-enterprises.com/
Ben Lehman: http://benlehman.livejournal.com/
[14:08] Shaun’s pearl of wisdom: Pay attention to the internet.
[14:45] The Ashcan front: http://www.ashcanfront.net/
[15:20] Game chef anthologies:
[15:43] Another $5 John Wick Game: Wilderness of Mirrors: http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16756
[16:23] Very cheap… sometimes free PDFs on http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/ and http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/
[17:13] Repurpose existing games into something else.
[17:30] Lots of reasonable indie supplements. Roanoke for $10: http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=20794&it=1
[17:43] Listen to podcast about games: http://www.rpgpodcasts.com
[18:22] Borrow from your friends. Pass books around your circle of gamers. Should we take good care of our books?
[19:57] Shaun’s method of getting over the new-book feel.
[20:50] Pimping all of our forums and such. Kristin’s Brain Place: http://babe.thismoderndeath.com

Links

Not mentioned in the show, but very useful is John H. Kim’s list of free games on darkshire.net: http://www.darkshire.net/jhkim/rpg/freerpgs/

Direct Download: NC_Episode_025.mp3

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