System Shop

Episode 12: What is a Roleplaying Game?

In this foolish episode, we…. Wait, what is it we do here again? I… I can’t remember… we’ve got a long road ahead of us if we’re going to make sense of all this.(Seriously. It turns out we can’t even begin to answer this question without talking about the nature of storytelling, improv, kayfabe, the role of GM, the purpose of rules, being instructed to *break* those rules, what it means to “play”, the promises made when a game describes itself… this was meant to be a silly joke episode, dangit!)Freya turns her lovers into fighters. Violet collates a collaborative coventure. Freya is drawn to a new role. Violet explores the past pre-tense. Freya breaks free of her bindings. Violet imagines a world without imagination.*** Timestamps ***What’s new - 02:56Mailbag - 11:07Intro to the topic - 18:30History - 25:12Taxonomicon - 40:16Actual start of the taxonomicon - 41:06Just kidding, it’s a discussion of the spectrum between ‘board game’ and ‘improv theatre’ - 41:07Could this be the taxo- oh, no, now we’re talking about the nature of rules - 46:32Listen, I think we’re just not going to have a normal taxonomicon in this one - ?:??:!?Wait! A list of games in quick succession! This must be it! - 53:20Discussion about Wanderhome and Kishotenketsu and game Promises and- are we sure we actually know what this podcast is about at all? - 01:05:36Who’s Game is it anyway? (Discussion on the nature of GMs) - 01:21:08The Counterexampliad, whatever that means - 01:27:25Exclusive unlocked patreon content preview [*1]: international paper size deep dive - 01:31:51 to 01:33:17Design Dreams - 01:56:58We made it! - 02:12:59*** Design Dreams ***Two Truths And A Lie-FallParasocial InvestigationsDiararchaeologyRedaction RPGPBTA Chaos DraftCo-Op Adventure QWOPRPG: Rebus-Picto-Glyphs*** Games discussed ***D&D 3.5eHeavy GearD&D 1ePathfinder 1eEat the ReichUnravelStories from the GraveWildseaEberronGoGo GolfKagematsuTriangle AgencyHyboreaCoventry [*2]Tunnels & TrollsPasión de las PasionesIn Nomine Satanis / Magna VeritasVampire: the MasqueradeApocalypse WorldDogs in the VineyardWorld Wide WrestlingMonsterheartsA Song Of Ice And Fire RPGGenesysFellowshipMasksDo: Fate of the Flying TempleAvatar LegendsYazeba’s Bed And BreakfastTroikaMausritterGolden Sky StoriesSavage WorldsWanderhomeJourneymonAlas for the Awful SeaTransitLancerChuubo’s Marvellous Wish-Granting EngineSlugblasterInterstitialPitcrawlerTriangle AgencyMothershipCypherRuneQuest IIMonster of the WeekBrindlewood BayScherzandoLost KingdomBelonging Outside BelongingColostleFor Small Creatures Such As WeWreck This DeckHot Damn Deadly Alien Overlord Au Pair [*3]TackleboxFor The QueenOur Queen CrumblesThe Tragedy of GJ237BParanoiaToonMicroscopeI’m Sorry Did You Say Street MagicActs Of Evil [*4]“Messed Up Little Guy” [*5]Goblin CountryDream AskewBand of BladesArs MagicaEveryone Is JohnStar Trek AdventuresThis Discord Has Ghosts In ItGobloniaEverything Is TablesYour Body A LandscapeSpireDe ProfundisApothecaria*** Other media discussed ***Mass EffectThe Twilight Zone (and its ilk)Majora’s MaskFinal Fantasy Tactics AdvanceThe Elusive ShiftKriegsspiel [6]The Lord of the RingsBattleshipMastermindKiki’s Delivery ServiceStar Wars: Empire At WarFTLNierFinal Fantasy XIVFighting FantasyGrapefruit (Yoko Ono)FoundationUnwritten Earths SymposiumOctober: Ten Days That Shook The WorldSpyfallPacific RimDicey DungeonsCity of the Six MoonsWildermythPenny Arcade*** Notes ***[*1] This is a joke, we don’t have a patreon and if we did we’d serve you something better than this gag, probably.[*2] As you’ll discover when listening, this and several other entries on this list are debatably proto-RPGs. I’m giving them the honour of not being relegated to the ‘other media’ zone…[*3] Once again - I’m sorry, world.[*4] The author’s name is Paul Czege.[*5] By Grant Howitt. This is a paraphrasing of the game’s name, but delightfully, you will find it if you google this.[*6] Unlike Coventry, this one definitely goes on the ‘other’ list. Because it definitely is a wargame. It’s in the name.*** Links ***The term “ashcan edition” derives from quick, low-quality mockups used in the comics industry to quickly establish trademarks, and not intended to be read: something you’d take one look at, then thrown in the (tr)ashcan. In publishing, the term has shifted to mean early promotional materials. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashcan_comic Ironically, if you haven’t seen this xkcd, we may have overestimated your familiarity. https://xkcd.com/2501/ “Fafhrd”, of “Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser”, probably isn’t pronounced the way Violet valiantly attempted. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fafhrd_and_the_Gray_Mouser Violet quotes from The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia, by ludologist Bernard Suits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusory_attitude Freya only references webcomics if they’re at least 17 years old. https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/03/20/in-search-of-a-robust-cosmology *** Contact us! ***Thank you to everyone who has emailed into our mailbag - If you too have a question, idea, or interesting game you’d like to share with us, email systemshoppodcast@gmail.com*** Additional Credits ***Our intro music is "Magic Escape Room" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Bonus Episode: Freya's Contingency Con-Return

In this tradition-setting bonus episode, Freya debriefs about the mechanics and tabletop experiences of seven games she played, two she ran, and one she designed (!) at Contingency 2026, the UK’s premier seasonally skewed seaside TTRPG convention.As always, a massive thank you to all the GMs and players who make this con a highlight of my year ~TimestampsImmediate digression about competitive tabletop games - 0:07:04The Code of Steam and Steel - 0:13:35Tournament Arc - 0:22:42Guest appearance from my cat - 0:29:53Nibiru - 0:33:42Inhuman Game Jam - 0:38:51Phoenix: Dawn Command - 0:49:28Goblonia - 0:57:26Digression about games for actual toddlers - 1:05:20Demigods - 1:08:55Slugblaster* - 1:12:49Rivers of London - 1:14:42Break!! - 1:27:14Con Haul - 1:35:10Digression about settings where you’re just a lil guy - 1:38:32Wrap up & what we’d like to play again - 1:42:48Games discussedWildseaCosmere RPGShadowdarkBlack CodeBlack RuneThe Code of the Space Lanes (briefly)The Comics CodeBelonging Outside BelongingJourneyMonInterstitialThe We-nessWarhammer (briefly)WanderhomeVampire: The MasqueradeSpireThe SprawlThe PBTA genre in genre-alCall of CthulhuD&DPathfinderDelta GreenThe One RingDieAvatar Legends**Cypher System (2019 edition)Magnus Archives RPG (briefly)GenesysMouse GuardMausritterMythic BastionlandOther media discussedWarhammerMagic: the GatheringBattletech(Is Tarot “media”? Hmm.)Megaman: Battle NetworkYu-Gi-OhYu-Gi-Oh AbridgedThe works of Adrian TchaikovskyThe MindThe concept of the mechsploitation genreLeverageThat children’s memory game where you flip and match pairs of cardsBaby youtuber thumbnailsVarious other infant toys, sorry, we got stuck on A ThingRivers of London (the novels themselves)InscriptionIron Lung (briefly)Waters of Leith***Battlecon: War of IndinesMillennium Blades (briefly)Hollow KnightRoadside Picnic****STALKER Notes & Links* You may have noticed this section is short. There’s not much to say about Slugblaster! It’s good. More verbose and video-oriented reviewers have talked much about it already.** Mild spoiler warning in the final few minutes for some of the season premises (and a canon ship, ha) of Legend of Korra.*** I have now *finished* listening to Waters of Leith. It’s a fun and competent production… but despite the GM’s stated intentions, it doesn’t really engage with the anticolonialist antagonist in an interesting or nuanced way. Which is not great, considering it’s set in (a version of) the real world and names real locations, peoples, and cultural artifacts. **** Spoiler warning for a seminal 1970s sci fi story.Wolfram Alpha reports that the probability of at least one 4 on 4d4 is a bit over 2/3rds. https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=probability+of+at+least+one+4+on+4d4 “Nibiru” is an Akkadian term for “point of transition”. Nice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nibiru_(Babylonian_astronomy) Games For Crabs is running July 18th - 19th, 2026, in Sheffield (UK). https://gamesforcrabs.co.uk/ Toast Tea in Edinburgh is indeed a good café, and they are not - unfortunately - paying us.Violet will be at Conpulsion in April - https://conpulsion.org/ 

Episode 11: Hunger feat. Roz Leahy

In this ravenous episode, Violet is joined by returning guest Roz Leahy as we* talk about hunger mechanics. Don’t get confused with cozy campfire cooking: we’re discussing the tension and drama of *not* getting the sustenance you need. Everyone’s gotta eat in real life, but what does it mean for our storytelling?How do you make ingestion interesting? Should there be benefits to “staying hungry”? Does it matter whether your tummy is half full or half empty? Are toothless hunger mechanics worse than none at all?And most importantly, why does mechanised hunger work great for vampires, but not so well for hunters, a grab bag of “beasts”, and *checks notes* mummies?Violet’s calamari hooks her on a white whale. Roz struggles to retain retainers. Violet snacks on a hunger bar. Roz hungers for punishment. Violet rates rational numbers. Roz has one square meal.TimestampsWhat’s new? - 0:01:18Intro to the topic - 0:11:16Content warning (eating disorders) - 0:29:41 to 0:30:49History - 0:34:37Deep dive on Vampire: the Masquerade et al - 0:51:27 to 1:04:59Taxonomicon** - 1:07:47Strong opinions about “usage dice”*** - 1:46:54 to 1:53:13Content warning (eating disorders) - 1:55:25 to 1:56:25Design Dreams - 1:56:36Wrapup - 2:09:44Design DreamsViolet - Expeditions & AnticipationsRoz - Truly Miserable Hunger: Trench Foot EditionViolet - Hungry Hungry HomunculiGames discussedCarved in StoneLeathersOD&DBluebeard's BrideHeartCastle Ravenloft/Curse of Strahd Vampire the Masquerade (in particular, 5th edition)MothershipBlack HackWilderfeastDelving DeeperBasic FantasyOSEHyperboreaChivalry and SorceryTravelerAD&D, specifically Wilderness Survival Guide, and Dark SunThe Morrow ProjectAftermath!GURPSRifts (briefly)Werewolf the ForsakenMage the Awakening and Exalted (briefly)Hunter: the Vigil D&D 3.5, 5eBeast: the PrimordialVampire: the Requiem, Werewolf: the Apocalypse, Hunter: the Reckoning, Changeling: the Lost (briefly)Mummy: the CurseMonsterheartsMasksApocalypse WorldTorchbearerRyuutama: Book of GastronomyGolden Sky StoriesLamentations of the Flame PrincessHis Majesty the WormErrantKnave (Briefly)MausritterDaggerheart (Beast Feast)Yes, ChefBakto's Terrifying CuisineAlgophiliaNechronica (Briefly)SpireSwyversOther media discussedArticles by Jay Dragon (see links below)Resident Evil & Stardew Valley (in the same breath!)It Has Come To Pass (painting by Sergei Lukin, 1958)Delicious in Dungeon / Dungeon MeshiLord of the Rings & The HobbitOutdoor SurvivalChainmail (briefly)The Complete Guide To Role-Playing Games (Rick Swan, 1990)Article by Merritt K (see links below)The Score (Thi Ngyuyen)Radical Uncertainty (John Kay & Mervyn King)Battle Chef BrigadeConsume MeFear and Hunger Notes & links* Well, not me, Freya. I’m writing the shownotes, but I wasn’t in this one!** …which does, as it happens, start with two more World (well, Chronicle) of Darkness games!*** We don’t strictly define “usage dice” in this section, though! Basically, instead of tracking item quantity / durability on a numerical scale, you roll a die of a certain size when you use it, and something bad (such as the die shrinking next time) happens if you roll badly. As Violet remarked when I was writing this comment, we *did* talk about usage dice way back in episode 1, so, long time fans will surely remember ;-) The official-ish website for ZiMo - Zine Month - doesn’t actually commit to when exactly Zine Month might happen, other than to clarify that it’s distinct from the two other things also called “Zine Month”. So, keep an eye out and solve their riddles three if you want to participate next year! https://iwanttoplay.games/zinemonth Jay Dragon articles:https://possumcreek.medium.com/a-dozen-fragments-on-playground-theory-684104bcb4abhttps://possumcreek.medium.com/the-game-left-unplayed-60062beaddedhttps://possumcreek.medium.com/rules-are-a-cage-and-im-a-puppygirl-69e8d569b2b6 The rather endearing life level index chart from Outdoor Survival:https://boardgamegeek.com/image/254292/outdoor-survival The Merritt K article no longer seems to be available, or at least neither of us could find it - sorry!“Sekhem” appears to be etymologically related to words for “power” and “form”, with connotations along the same lines as mana / chi / your life force of choice. Googling it in 2026 provides a long list of new-age healing businesses…. Followed by the White Wolf wiki. Disclaimer: I am not an egyptologist.Content warningsGiven the subject of this episode, we discuss:- Eating disorders- The biology and physiology of starvationNotable instances are logged in the timestamp section.Contact us!Thank you to everyone who has emailed into our mailbag - If you too have a question, idea, or interesting game you’d like to share with us, email systemshoppodcast@gmail.comAdditional CreditsOur intro music is "Magic Escape Room" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Episode 10: Monster Taming feat. Imogen Gingell

In this genre-defining episode, Violet and Freya are joined by fiancée of the show Imogen Gingell to talk about bringing a beloved videogame genre to the tabletop. How can you faithfully capture the themes while adapting mechanics to a new medium? How do you make each little guy mechanically unique and full of personality, without losing track of your travelling zoo? We explore how different games answer these questions - including, of course, Imogen’s upcoming JourneyMon, on Kickstarter right now!Freya builds buzz for her broadcasting bees-ness. Violet dabbles with disobedience. Imogen reflects on symmetry. Freya draws a circle, then a blank. Violet bundles babies in her backpack. Imogen opens a box of dogs.Check out JourneyMon on Kickstarter now!journeymonrpg.comFunded in seven hours, and (at time of press) well on the way to our second stretch goal! Campaign ends on Thursday, November 27th 2025.TimestampsWhat’s new? - 0:03:25Tabletop Scotland - 0:11:03Mailbag - 0:15:36Intro to the topic - 0:23:37Mechanics & design questions - 0:33:27History - 0:56:44Digression about 00’s homebrew forums - 1:08:21Taxonomicon - 1:13:55Design Dreams - 1:55:59Wrap up - 2:13:02Design DreamsViolet - PokémOSR, Squires & SpiritsFreya - Isekai Ecologists, Everyone Is MonImi - JourneyMon!Games DiscussedEberronCosmere RPGJourneymonMythic BastionlandMonsterheartsStonewalkers (Cosmere adventure path)Escape From Riedra (Eberron adventure path)Fall of MagicCity of WinterDelveMicroscopeArmour AstirMasksDaggerheartApocalypse WorldD&DOSR (in general)RunequestShin Megami Tensei TTRPGBig Eyes, Small MouthCute And Fuzzy Cockfighting Seizure MonstersPokéthulhuPokemon Tabletop AdventuresPokémon Tabletop UnitedPokémon 5ePokérollPokeymanzMonsters TailMagimonstersAnimon StoryMonsters And Other Childish ThingsMonster of the WeekPocket Monster of the WeekLancerEveryone is JohnLasers & FeelingsKids With CrittersHow To Train Your Mutant Fire DogGenepalsConvocation PrimeBones DeepForeverDexTransitWilderfeastOther media discussedArkham Horror (card game)Game SoupEscape This PodcastPokémon*Final FantasyDigimon**Dark SoulsBattletech (the tabletop wargame)His Dark MaterialsMegami TenseiDragon QuestCritical DittoThe Adventure ZoneMicrosoft ExcelBattletech (the videogame (2018))***Ben 10Jojo’s Bizarre AdventurePokemon: Too Many TypesWhat Beats RockWorld of WarcraftLet’s Learn EverythingDecktamerMy Card Is Better Than Your CardEncounters of the Spooky KindCassette BeastsJade EmpireMy Trainer is Dumb?!Disco ElysiumInside OutMonster HunterDungeon MeshiNotes and links* we make it 25 minutes before naming Pokemon…** …and it took us 42 minutes to namedrop Digimon!*** I got the year wrong, clearly I’m not a True FanProZD’s Q&A about his home Pokemon TTRPG -https://youtu.be/pndtlIKl0Qw?t=272 One youtuber’s report from the front lines of Pokemon: Too Many Types - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjoLQvj7lAE I couldn’t find the Chansey Death Stranding game again. I’m moderately confident that it wasn’t a fever dream.Contact us!At systemshoppodcast@gmail.comAdditional creditsOur intro music is "Magic Escape Room" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Episode 9: Mapmaking feat. Roz Leahy (Part 2)

In this conclusive episode, we round off our discussion of mapmaking. How can random map generation both add and remove meaning in a world? Is verisimilitude in tension with playability? Do spaces need to generate conflicts?Violet re-orients her priorities. Freya turns on the worm. Roz breaks the annual silence. Violet goes loopy. Freya goes flat-out. Roz throws shade on the dark. Violet’s ideal excludes idylls. Freya enjoys a beach episode. Roz edinburrows through Edinborough.We will be at Tabletop Scotland!In Edinburgh *this weekend* (5th - 7th September). Say hi if you spot us! Freya says if you spot her in her white JourneyMon t-shirt and enthuse about your favourite companion monster, she’ll give you a bag of monster munch.Check out Roz’s stuffRoz’s portfolio can be found here - https://rozleahy.carrd.co/Her Philip K Dick podcast, Chicks with Dick, can be found in your preferred podcasting place.TimestampsMap-related news - 01:03The ever-popular taxonomicon - 13:38…including but not exclusively extended discussions of…The Quiet Year - 17:20Seas of Sand - 44:37Wanderhome - 1:03:38Mappa Mundi - 1:10:21Spotlighting some games that we found through a keyword search on itch.io - 1:19:27Design Dreams - 1:38:00Surprise! Actually it’s a discussion about real world architecture - 1:38:01Okay, now Design Dreams - 1:43:41Wrapup - 2:10:11Design DreamsViolet: Spiral School, Blobworld, Urchins Under Adventurefication, Border Loopers, Gold Rush God GameFreya: Isekai Leyline Wizards, Turns & Tides Games discussedKeep on the Borderlands (“very slight spoiler” warning around the 1 hour mark)On Mighty ThewsSwords Without MasterIn A Wicked AgeBeyond the Wall - Further AfieldMicroscopeThe Quiet YearI’m Sorry Did You Say Street MagicYour Cool City Needs A Food SupplyDelveDawn of WorldsBottled SeaUndying SandsUmbraRiseMothershipThe Vast in the DarkSeas of SandDark SunMausritterD&D (took us a while to mention it this time!)WanderhomeJourneymon (took us a while to mention this, too!)RyuutamaUnder Hill, By WaterMappa MundiHeartBad MapsWorld In Your HandSock PuppetsA Show of HandsYour Body a LandscapeWalking to FranceWisher, Theurge, FatalistMy Bad GalaxyInto The OddDelta GreenDOGS (which may or may not be in the Vineyard)Cosmere RPGOther media discussedPseudoregaliaMajora’s Mask (specifically the 3DS remake)Blue PrinceHarvest (2024)Conan the BarbarianLord of the RingsThe Domesday BookSeeing Like a StateInvisible Cities (Violet tried not to talk about it, but successfully failed)Hello Future MeVictoria 3Small World (board game)CarcassonneCivilization: New DawnDwarf FortressFlatlandPlanet ZooDark SoulsCitizen SleeperTress of the Emerald SeaMagic: The GatheringDiabloZelda: Breath of the WildSkyrimThe Logical Journey of the ZoombinisTalismanCaptain SonarZelda (in general)BloodborneHobbit Tales From The Green Dragon InnHand of FateAdvance WarsDelicious in DungeonLil’ GuardsmanHundreds of BeaversToo Many Cooks (cw: surprise horror)Late Shift (2025)InisNotes and linksThe National Underground Asset Register appears to require an account to access its beta form - https://portal.nuar.uk/ Restrictions breed creativity in the WTF game jam - https://itch.io/jam/wtfjam2025/entries Watabou’s generators on itch are just one of the many map-making tools out there - https://watabou.itch.io/ If you find the post about the guy getting stuck in the backstage of a hotel, send it to Roz because she can’t find it and it’s driving her crazy.Isekai is a truly prolific genre of anime and manga about protagonists who get magically transported to other worlds. But you knew that, you weeb ;-)Contact us!At systemshoppodcast@gmail.comAdditional creditsOur intro music is "Magic Escape Room" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/