It’s the latest episode of Pocket-Sized Play, the Gauntlet’s premiere actual play podcast! We’re playing the fantasy RPG Beyond the Wall by John Cocking and Peter Williams at Flatland Games, and it’s the start of a short campaign. That’s right—expect ten or so more of these to come!
Thanks to returning guest Saffire Rainbo, and as always to Timothy Bennett and Tor Droplets. Folks can find Beyond the Wall at http://www.flatlandgames.com/btw/.
http://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/pocket-sized-play/beyond-the-wall-001-the-red-fir-forest
ooooooh, yes!!! Been waiting for this one! Will post after listening!
ooooooh, yes!!! Been waiting for this one! Will post after listening!
That was so great! I’ll have to check out Beyond the Wall, hadn’t heard of it previously but seems neat. The episodes really breeze by with such gripping AP. Everyone was great, as usual! Glad it’s every week now, every 2 weeks was rough hah!
That was so great! I’ll have to check out Beyond the Wall, hadn’t heard of it previously but seems neat. The episodes really breeze by with such gripping AP. Everyone was great, as usual! Glad it’s every week now, every 2 weeks was rough hah!
…and you’re hitting the LeGuin as well. Good job.
Excellent pacing. I love the descriptions, the intro, the delving into the village details. I think you guys made the right choice in number of episodes allocated to the game.
The pacing allows you to explore the Story Game sensibilities of BtW. Village creation as a collaborative effort was excellently demonstrated by this sort of AW-like first session: following the characters around, witnessing a day in their lives.
Nice climactic ending. Looking forward to the fight!
…and you’re hitting the LeGuin as well. Good job.
Excellent pacing. I love the descriptions, the intro, the delving into the village details. I think you guys made the right choice in number of episodes allocated to the game.
The pacing allows you to explore the Story Game sensibilities of BtW. Village creation as a collaborative effort was excellently demonstrated by this sort of AW-like first session: following the characters around, witnessing a day in their lives.
Nice climactic ending. Looking forward to the fight!
Great episode! Solid world-building in the beginning.
Great episode! Solid world-building in the beginning.
Timothy Bennett and Tim B I am looking into the system now. It seems like it’s OSR married to some AW concepts with lifepaths as in from BW? Is that accurate?
Timothy Bennett and Tim B I am looking into the system now. It seems like it’s OSR married to some AW concepts with lifepaths as in from BW? Is that accurate?
Fraser Simons Functionally, yes, though I don’t think it was the designers’ intent (based off interviews I read). The intent was zero prep play, which is enabled by playbooks (a la AW) that have a randomized lifepath system. Personally, the lifepaths feel more OSR (Gygaxian actuarial tables) than BW, though I appreciate both for the same reasons. I think the reason why the games share design concepts is…the concepts work! 🙂 Great observations.
Fraser Simons Functionally, yes, though I don’t think it was the designers’ intent (based off interviews I read). The intent was zero prep play, which is enabled by playbooks (a la AW) that have a randomized lifepath system. Personally, the lifepaths feel more OSR (Gygaxian actuarial tables) than BW, though I appreciate both for the same reasons. I think the reason why the games share design concepts is…the concepts work! 🙂 Great observations.
The LP tables are meant to be random, but I don’t think the world would break if you pick the ones that interest you to make your character, sort of like BW.
From my first reading it felt almost like an attempt to reach a middle road between OSR and Story Games.
If Adam and Sage took their love of D&D and started from AW , moving it toward D&D (Story games towards OSR) to make DW, then BtW feels as if they started from OSR and moved it toward Story Games. Blew my mind away.
That’s my take on it, in any case. YMMV.
The LP tables are meant to be random, but I don’t think the world would break if you pick the ones that interest you to make your character, sort of like BW.
From my first reading it felt almost like an attempt to reach a middle road between OSR and Story Games.
If Adam and Sage took their love of D&D and started from AW , moving it toward D&D (Story games towards OSR) to make DW, then BtW feels as if they started from OSR and moved it toward Story Games. Blew my mind away.
That’s my take on it, in any case. YMMV.
Haha, oh yes, I heard tell of these tables! That totally makes sense. And kind of interesting because BW is the opposite of zero prep play hah. I was really compelled by life paths initially, earlier versions of my game had them in there. But with the earlier versions I had drifted so much from AW that new players who weren’t familiar with OSR or AW we’re just completely overwhelmed so I streamlined a lot more.
Really interesting system I put it on my drivethru wish list ! I think I’ll find the system enticing and elegant in its approach. Happy you guys brought it to the table. I tagged you both initially because I had a feeling it was Tim B, but perhaps was you? Curious who wanted it to hit the table.
Haha, oh yes, I heard tell of these tables! That totally makes sense. And kind of interesting because BW is the opposite of zero prep play hah. I was really compelled by life paths initially, earlier versions of my game had them in there. But with the earlier versions I had drifted so much from AW that new players who weren’t familiar with OSR or AW we’re just completely overwhelmed so I streamlined a lot more.
Really interesting system I put it on my drivethru wish list ! I think I’ll find the system enticing and elegant in its approach. Happy you guys brought it to the table. I tagged you both initially because I had a feeling it was Tim B, but perhaps was you? Curious who wanted it to hit the table.
Fraser Simons bringing BtW to the table was all Tim B. I’m continually amazed at the number of fantastic games Tim B knows about. And he has a feel for what works in the context of our AP too. He just has great instincts.
Fraser Simons bringing BtW to the table was all Tim B. I’m continually amazed at the number of fantastic games Tim B knows about. And he has a feel for what works in the context of our AP too. He just has great instincts.
He’s the Anakin Skywalker of AP. Woo woo! 🙂 yeah the more I’m looking at the system the more I like it. Might have to pick it up sometime!
He’s the Anakin Skywalker of AP. Woo woo! 🙂 yeah the more I’m looking at the system the more I like it. Might have to pick it up sometime!