Master Plan: The People's Podcast About Game Design

Ryan Macklin

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Thu, 25 December 2008
Master Plan #41: Further Thoughts on Advancement
To truly close out 2008, Ryan records one last show on Christmas Day. Inspired by a post from Rob Bohl (of the Independent Insurgency podcast), Ryan talks about more thoughts on advancement: as a way to flesh out a character post-creation, as a world-changing element rather than a character-changing one, as a ritual for marking points in time, and as a way to keep the game feeling fresh from a tactile perspective. They're short thoughts on this solo episode, but ones worth noting. Afterwards, he talks about some podcasts he's been on recently, the fact that he's now a part of the Dresden Files RPG team, and the game design book he's working on. Finally, you're treated to a unique sponsor quote. Happy holidays, Masterminds.

Links: Running time: 21:04 / File size: 14.5M

Discuss this episode on the forums: http://www.hmfy.com/masterplan/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=44
Direct download: masterplan_41.mp3
Direct download: masterplan_41.mp3
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 12:18 PM
Tue, 9 December 2008
Master Plan #40: Luke Crane on Advancement, Failure & Reward Cycles
On this year-end episode of Master Plan, Ryan publishes an interview he did with Luke Crane back at GenCon. They talk (or as much as one can talk when it's 8am & ones voice is completely shot) about thoughts on building advancements systems in games. Luke shares his thoughts on the subject with his building of Burning Wheel, and they drift to related topics like Failure & Reward Cycles. Luke, frankly, has a lot of interesting stuff to say, provided you don't mind the profanity & poor audio quality.

Also, it's the second anniversary of Master Plan. It's been two good years. Here's to a third.

Luke Crane:
Running time: 27:25 / File size: 18.9M

Discuss this episode on the forums: http://www.hmfy.com/masterplan/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=43
Direct download: masterplan_40.mp3
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 11:07 PM
Thu, 6 November 2008
Master Plan #39: Interview with Seth Ben-Ezra part 2, on A Flower For Mara
On this episode, Ryan & Seth finish up their interview on A Flower for Mara and designing an "American Jeepform" game. Due to necessity, Ryan's forced to be brief & only quickly mentions the Endgame 7th Anniversary party he'll be at and quickly congratulates Shaun & Kristin from This Modern Death.

Seth Ben-Ezra:
Other Games::
Other Mentions::
Running time: 18:05 / File size: 12.5M

Discuss this episode on the forums: http://www.hmfy.com/masterplan/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=42
Direct download: masterplan_39.mp3
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 10:13 AM
Wed, 22 October 2008
Master Plan #38: Interview with Seth Ben-Ezra part 1, on A Flower For Mara
Ryan talks with Seth Ben-Ezra on his latest game, A Flower For Mara. It's one of a new trend in the independent RPG scene, of taking ideas from the Nordic tradition of Jeepform and merging that with a Forge style. It's the first of a two-part interview, this half focusing on what Jeepform is and how this game came to be. Afterward, Jonathan Walton tells us a little bit about Bleeding Play, and Ryan talks a bit about submitting ideas for future episodes, October's Sponsor Quote, and an article on Kobold Quarterly.

Seth Ben-Ezra:
Other Jeepform:
Other Mentions:
Running time: 24:25 / File size: 16.8M

Discuss this episode on the forums: http://www.hmfy.com/masterplan/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=41
Direct download: masterplan_38.mp3
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 11:47 PM
Thu, 9 October 2008
Master Plan #37: Have Master, Will Plan 2 with Ken Hite
On a very late, very tired Sunday evening of GenCon, Paul Tevis & Ryan Macklin sit down with the ever-present Ken Hite to talk about the hobby, culture, GenCon, and all that good stuff.

  • [02:24] The banter has just begun
  • [04:29] Ken gives a brief on the vibe coming into & at GenCon 2008
  • [07:30] Talking about the Forge Diaspora, retailer numbers & casual gamer acceptance
  • [09:40] Throwing yourself into GenCon
  • [12:09] Ken's pinnacle moments, the ENnies & Where the Deep One's Are
  • [13:40] Ryan's pinnacle moments, playtesting
  • [15:45] Welcoming Ken to the extended IPR family
  • [16:03] Paul's pinnacle moments, Star Wars PTA
  • [16:50] Seeing people at GenCon & being inspired
  • [18:29] Paul is back in his wheelhouse
  • [20:02] Paul asks Ken the traditional "What'd you see?"
  • [20:23] Ken comments on the Mongoose Traveller
  • [21:04] ...and on It's Complicated
  • [22:37] Gamers and the Olympics
  • [25:15] Ken comments on Hot War
  • [26:12] ...and Sweet Agatha
  • [26:47] Tobias Wrigstad, Jeepform & American Jeepform: Under My Skin & A Flower For Mara
  • [27:44] Vincent Baker's In a Wicked Age... and Poison'd
  • [28:33] Ken on Don't Lose Your Mind
  • [28:50] Ryan on meeting Benjamin Baugh
  • [29:20] Ken on Qin
  • [30:18] The Atlantean Age for HERO
  • [30:51] Beating Sturgeon's Law
  • [31:30] Catalyst, Shadowrun & Classic Battletech
  • [32:50] Ryan on How to Host a Dungeon
  • [35:05] Ryan & Paul on This Just In...From GenCon!,Ken on the podcasting medium
  • [36:35] Ryan on The Continuum
  • [37:18] Ken further on podcasting as a medium, and on what to look for in RPGs, and the values of books that we might not play
  • [38:36] Hi, Jerry.
  • [40:20] Your gracious hosts ask the guest about his recent Tour de Lovecraft
  • [42:15] The trend of non-fiction gaming books
  • [47:21] Now, we're done
Links:

Running time: 48:02 / File size: 33.8M

Discuss this episode on the forums: http://www.hmfy.com/masterplan/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=40
Direct download: masterplan_37.mp3
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 8:15 PM