Episode 23.2 - Stillfleet (Interview)

The tabletop world has been shaken by a leaked draft of D&D's new Open Games License, a set of rules that defines how users can create new content around the system. The legal questions are a bit complex so we invited our friend Chris, a lawyer who specializes in entertainment and games law, to shed some light. We talk about specific language, how unique this document may or may not be, and about the landscape going forward with this new OGL. Chris can be found online at @NYGameLawyer (Note: This was recorded in the middle of an evolving situation, and there have been and will be more developments coming.) Initial article by @lincodega: https://gizmodo.com/dnd-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-1-1-open-gaming-license-1849950634 Wizards of the Coast's response: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl

Having returned from H'rabdin, space slug in tow, Mike sits down with Wythe and Ethan to talk about the genesis of Stillfleet. They have a wide-ranging conversation about the optimism of games, creating a world out of bits and pieces, and about creating a playful space for people to engage with ideas that may be overwhelming.  Stillfleet is available on stillfleet.com, and is currently live on Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wythe/the-stillfleet-core-rulebook). They can be found on Twitter @stillfleet (Disclaimer: Mike is a long-time friend of one of the designers and is a backer of the project)

We enter the world of Stillfleet, a game where fantastical alien races work for The Company on an ancient/futuristic space station called Spindle. It's a vast and colorful world where the wonders of the far future are within your grasp, but with a strong undercurrent of weird biology and corporate intrigue. Join our crew of sentient salamanders, winged monkeys, and unsettling psychic practitioners of Hell Science as we seek... a space slug. And as an extra special treat, we play with two of the designers of the game, Wythe and Ethan! Stillfleet is available on stillfleet.com, and is currently live on Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wythe/the-stillfleet-core-rulebook). They can be found on Twitter @stillfleet (Disclaimer: Mike is a long-time friend of one of the designers and is a backer of the project)

Mike opines about the aesthetics and themes of cyberpunk while Samara digs deep into the Forged in the Dark system in our review of CBR+PNK.  CBR+PNK and Mind The Gap (the specific run setting) are by Emanoel Melo (@emanoelmelo on Twitter) and available on itch.io here. The Forged in the Dark system is based on Blades in the Dark by One Seven Design.

We jack into a cyberpunk world as we try out CBR+PNK, a one-shot game based on the Forged in the Dark system. Our runners are sent out in one last job to deliver an important package. But all is not as it seems.... CBR+PNK and Mind The Gap (the specific run setting) are by Emanoel Melo (@emanoelmelo on Twitter) and available on itch.io here. The Forged in the Dark system is based on Blades in the Dark by One Seven Design.

This week we delve into the high-stakes world of competitive bocce. No, you read that right. We try out Sports are Just Numerology, a quick game with an intriguing central mechanic. We also expose just how little Samara and Mike know about sports.  Sports are Just Numerology is by Ben Roswell (@roswellwrites on Twitter) and is available on itch.io. 

We've created our tavern, told some tales, now we try to puzzle out how we ultimately feel about Stewpot.  The zine that Samara references is called Synthesis, by Riley Rethal (@rileyrethaI on Twitter). It can be found on itch.io here.  Stewpot: Tales from a Fantasy Tavern is by Takuma Okada (@takuma_okada_ on Twitter) and is available for purchase on itch.io.

This week, we become adventurers retiring to run a tavern in a small fantasy town. Samara and Mike are joined by special guest Jared as they prepare exotic foods, serve drinks, and gather round the hearth for this unique game. Come in and stay a while at Trip's.  Stewpot: Tales from a Fantasy Tavern is by Takuma Okada (@takuma_okada_ on Twitter) and is available for purchase on itch.io. 

Our adventures have brought us to this point. Mike and Samara debrief on their time spent soaring through the skies. We consider participatory worldbuilding, how to inhabit characters, and the impact that a good aesthetic can have on a gameplay experience.  Lady Blackbird is designed by John Harper (@john_harper on Twitter) and is available for free at ladyblackbird.org

We take a journey into the Wild Blue Yonder for a tale of high adventure amongst sky pirates. Will the debonair Lady Blackbird and the goblin pilot Snargle find a way to free their crew from the depths of the imperial cruiser Hand of Sorrow? Mike, Samara, and special guest Scott explore this beautifully crafted world of  romance, action, and sky squids. Lady Blackbird is designed by John Harper (@john_harper on Twitter) and is available for free at ladyblackbird.org