RPG Design Panelcast

Episode 366: Teaching How to GM

Recorded at Metatopia 2023

Presented by Bill White and Avery Rosen

This panel discusses the theoretical, pedagogical, and practical implications of trying to teach people to run tabletop RPGs as GMs. We're interested in understanding the best practices, the pitfalls, and the contexts in which "teaching people to GM" in any kind of formal way is even possible. We survey the role-playing landscape in order to understand how the technological and cultural shifts of recent years have affected the way people learn to run games.

Episode 339: Designing Rewarding Game Experiences

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2021

Presented by Beth Rimmels, Sen-Foong Lim, Gwendolyn Marshall.

As a GM or game designer, you can produce a rewarding or disappointing experience for players. Regardless of genre, game or goals, what your design focuses on and how it conveys that determines how it will be received. We'll discuss how to create satisfying experiences whether you're trying to scare players, create thought-provoking frustration, or make players feel like heroes

Episode 280: No Gods, No Masters, No GMs

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020

Presented by A.C., Jay Dragon, and Viditya Voleti.

Being a GM is hard; like, really hard. Having nobody willing to fill that role has been the downfall of many a game group. But there is an alternative! GM-less roleplaying games are getting more and more popular, and this panel is here to discuss why.

Episode 273: Running Games on Roll20

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020

Presented by Chris O'Neill, Stephanie Bryant, Warren Morrison, Walt Ciechanowski.

Roll20 provides players and GMs with a popular virtual tabletop for games. How can you best take advantage of it as a player, a designer or a publisher? Our experts and power-users will bring you up to speed on the service.

Episode 253 - Holding Space for Teens

Recorded at Metatopia 2019

Presented by Meguey Baker, Caleb Stokes, Clark Valentine, Edward LaValley.

Teenagers bring innovation, creativity and hard questions to the game table. Our panelists will talk about how to hold space for everything that makes gaming with them magical.

Episode 251 - Creating Mysteries in RPGs

Recorded at Metatopia 2019

Presented by Kenneth Hite, Betsy Rosenblatt, Darren Watts.

Mysteries are among the hardest genres to run successfully in tabletop games. How can designers structure stories to meaningfully involve players, guide them to clues and help them put them together to solve a crime without spoonfeeding them? How can GMs control pacing to duplicate the feel of classic whodunits?

Episode 209 - Let Go of the Reins

Recorded at BreakoutCon 2019

Presented by Tracy Gibbons, James D'Amato, Bianca Zelda, Daniel Kwan with moderation by Victoria Rogers

You don't need to prep for hours to run a fun game that everyone will enjoy. GMing doesn't have to be a daunting experience. This panel will talk about ways to let go of the reins and give everyone at the table a chance to collaborate and create the story together.