Matt Colville Blows Our Minds on MCDM and the TTRPG Industry! (MD 282)

Episode 313 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: James Introcaso on Crows, Draw Steel, and MCDM! Live from Gamehole Con! The incredible James Introcaso discusses the last six years at MCDM, including the creation of Draw Steel and Crows, plus insights into being a creator in the industry. (No separate News segment this week!) Contents00:00 Live from Gamehole!01:36 Excited for Dark Sun?03:16 If Universes Beyond is Most Poplular?05:16 Knitting Like the DMs Guild?08:30 James Introcaso and MCDM's Transformation12:12 Designing for Hope & Fear14:51 Advantages of Full-Time Employment16:52 Product Line and Enjoying Victories20:59 Crows RPG23:28 Crows Gameplay26:05 Motivation in Crows28:02 Crows as a Big MCDM Change31:03 Playtest and Revision Approach34:34 Adventure Design Rut?38:05 Stretching Crows and an OGL?40:18 Mechanics vs Narrative for New RPG?45:44 Playtesting Higher Levels?49:35 New RPGs and Flexibility?Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/ Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 312 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Remonstered! Keith Ammann Updates The Monsters Know What They’re Doing! Keith joins Teos to discuss his innovations for running great monsters, how 5.5 monsters have changed, and the best new and updated monsters! News: D&D and Magic Joining Union, PH 5.5 Errata, Star Wars and Dark Sun Previews, Project Lamordia Review, and more! Contents00:00 Rapping with Keith02:29 Sirrangia Update03:04 Is Turn-Loss Educational?11:25 D&D and Magic Joining Union19:42 Project Lamordia Launched24:14 5.5 PH Errata Update25:25 Star Wars and Dark Sun News29:46 D&D Staff DMing at Gamehole31:26 Ohlen Launches Malborn34:06 Encounter Organization40:53 Microscope 2E42:51 Threats of the Timescape44:33 Job Trail45:52 Keith Ammann47:45 Keith's Origin Story49:40 Why Books?53:50 Has Success Changed Keith's Game?56:55 What Remonstered Offers01:00:42 New Innovations01:07:56 Shenanigans01:17:56 Best New and Updated Monsters01:21:55 Monster Type Changes01:27:05 The Flumph and Alignment01:33:04 Where to Buy Keith's Books01:36:39 Shout-Outs01:41:11 What Are We Gonna Do?Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/ Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 311 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Best of Dragons of Stormwreck Isle and the 3rd Starter Set! 5E’s 3rd Starter Set brings fewer components, a lower price point, and all the dragons! See why we harpy about why this is ghoul enough for you. News: Free Warcraft D&D Adventure, D&D Professions and Factions in WoW, Lamordia Modern Ravenloft, and more! Contents00:00 Swim Any Day in November03:28 Designer Peer Group?12:05 Impact of Creator's Voice?20:24 Free World of Warcraft Adventure21:09 First Look at Wow Professions25:03 WoW Factions and Renown26:08 Ravenloft Project Lamordia27:40 October D&D Drops Review31:55 Disability Pride Dice33:03 Renegade Loses Wolf Gains Hasbro34:30 Critical Role Grunge Video Game35:00 WizKids Hiring Marketing35:43 Draw Steel Hooked on Crafting36:49 Blacksmith's Guild and Iridoss Campaign38:18 Dragons of Stormwreck Isle39:14 Product History43:33 '80s Tie-In46:30 Other 2022 Products48:12 Premise and Approach50:29 Personal Goals55:04 First Encounter Consequences01:04:12 Zombie Resurgence01:06:33 Quest Overviews01:09:44 Exploration Encounters01:13:13 Seagrow Caves01:15:47 Cursed Shipwreck01:20:01 Clifftop Observatory01:28:10 Conclusion01:32:42 Shout-Outs01:36:50 What Are We Gonna Do?Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/ Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 310 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Best of Dragon of Icespire Peak and the Essentials Kit! 5E’s second Starter Set brings huge innovation, from Sidekicks to Quest Boards and Initiative Cards! Our review is more fun than a mimic in a gnome home. News: Wizards Fires and Hires, Warcraft Monsters First Look, Dragonlance Book White Board, and more! Contents00:00 Sirrangia and Encounters02:40 Our Art Preference?10:30 Warcraft First Look: Monsters!14:08 LaTia Jacquise Departs Wizards17:23 Wizards Hires Celeste Conowitch19:20 Dragonlance Book Brainstorm22:24 100 D&D Novels Return25:40 Daggerheart and D&D at Lucca27:59 One Ring's Huge Backerkit29:52 Dragon of Icespire Peak31:39 Starter Set History36:59 What's In The Box?43:42 Digital Codes on DDB46:15 Other 2019 Products48:20 Premise and Approach58:20 Introducing Sidekicks01:00:58 Quest Board and First Quests01:13:09 Follow-Up Quests01:21:27 Other Locations01:25:39 Ending the Adventure01:32:51 Shout-Outs01:38:16 What Are We Gonna Do?Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/ Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.

Episode 309 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Creating Mistborn and the Cosmere RPG with Lyla and Lydia! Lyla Fujiwara (Cosmere RPG Director) and Lydia Suen (Cosmere Lead Designer) of Brotherwise Games join us to share what it took to create the Mistborn Setting for the Cosmere RPG! Learn about Plotweaver, time-swap adventures, freelancing, and much more! News: Warcraft 5E First Look, Draw Steel Encounters, Free Stuff, Jedi in 5E Star Wars, and more! Contents00:00 Best Podcast Ever03:01 Jedi in 5E Star Wars?12:02 Warcraft 5E First Look!16:05 DMAP Goes to Azeroth17:08 Seeker's Guide to Dread Demigods18:33 Draw Steel Encounters22:50 Building Cities Like Theme Parks25:16 Treska on RPG Freelancing27:41 Tomb of the Heretics for Shadowdark28:29 Eidolon: The Night Market29:26 Free Draw Steel Intro30:30 Creating Mistborn and Cosmere31:21 Lyla Fujiwara and Lydia Suen38:38 What is the Cosmere and Plotweaver?44:18 Record-Setting Crowdfunding Impact49:29 Types of Stories Cosmere Tells52:14 Plot Die and Character Goals59:21 Mistborn's Design01:01:32 Heroic and Invested Paths01:07:38 Kandra and Other Novel Options01:09:21 Managing All the Lore01:15:18 Adventure Design in Mistborn01:21:39 Time Swapping Two Eras01:30:05 What's Next for Mistborn and Cosmere?01:31:05 How to Design for Cosmere?01:38:54 Shout-Outs01:42:41 What Are We Gonna Do?Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/ Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.