Note: Our audio is clippy as all get-out. Don't hate us. Or, rather, hate me. Jahmal is getting better at this, and I brought his quality down. Take me. Take me as tribute. I cut so much good stuff outta here. I’m a damn shame. Y’know why? Because I did a podcast of someone else’s a couple week ago, and my audio was too loud, and I bet she went back in time to change the sound levels on this. That’s definitely more likely than I just didn’t pay any attention when I recorded it.
I talked to a guy online who said he knew some people. I showed up at a guy’s apartment, and there were a bunch of guys there. One of those guys, if I remember correctly, was Jahmal. Now I don’t even talk to that first guy online anymore, but Jahmal, well, I still talk to him.
Jahmal is one of the best role-playing game DMs, game masters, judges, referees, storytellers, whatever, around. He has a unique, damn near patent-pending (or should be) way of letting each game session evolve with the interests, problems, goals, pains and pleasures of the players who show up to pretend to be other people and roll some dice (usually) to decide conflicts.
There’s a special high the right game with the right people can deliver, he says, as stories go directions and characters take actions and players think up things no one thought possible: “There are moments in games where folks are doing their thing … and this synergy happens, I hate that word, but this synergy happens, and we’re all in this new space, and we’re all there … and the light bulbs come on for everybody. And no one saw it comin' sittin' down that night.
“My high is only capped by the table’s high.”
In this one, we explore what role-playing games are, why rules in games are important, and the difference between drama and shenanigans. It gets deep into the details, but stick around …
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
> You need Jahmal’s Patreon page like a flower needs water. He shares play sessions with his son and others, has in-depth discussions with other game makers, and he shares his thoughts regularly on games and things that touch on them. Check out his Transformers post.
> Want to find a friendly game store in your neighborhood? Try this website.
> What’s a dice pool? Roll dem bones!
> There are a lot of games out there. Here are a few mentioned:
>>> Apocalypse World (“Rated ‘R,’” says Jahmal, for adults) and other games “Powered by the Apocalypse,” such as Urban Shadows, Monster of the Week and Monster Hearts
>>> Ars Magica
>>> Burning Wheel, which Jahmal loooooves
>>> Dungeons & Dragons
>>> Gamma World
>>> Mutant Year Zero
>>> Pathfinder
>>> Star Wars
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82: Elliot Kanshin Kallen plays the shakuhachi
81: James Gomes re-reads the spiritual classic Siddhartha
80: Kevin works on protecting kids from active shooters
79: M. D. Usher writes on ancient philosophy, animals and nature
78: Adam Toon philosophizes about the mind
77: David Doherty teaches sales
76: Mike Keller collects movies
75: James Gomes reads this one book again and again
74: Sam Chupp writes and creates role-playing games
BONUS! Dr. Jennifer Sperry writes on the high costs of veterinary care
73: Brendan is making a new podcast
BONUS! Joe Roetheli, PhD, talks about a honeycombed dental treat
72: Michael Strumsky conquered TV addiction
71: David Patterson translated Leo Tolstoy’s Confession
70: Ganesh loves cricket. Like, really loves it.
69: Who edits those internet videos? Nathan does
68: New to Neoclassical music? Dive in with Hipster Pug
67: Spiraling metal and wood: James Payne’s public sculptures
66: Escaping abuse and processing trauma: Pamela Topjian writes her personal story
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