Roleplay Rescue

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.

Episode 6: Playing Well With Others — The Art of a Long-Running Table

How do you keep a six-player campaign going for six years without burning out? John McNally joins Che to talk about what makes a table thrive over the long haul — regular attendance, genuine fellowship, and players who show up for each other, not just for loot. We dig into the qualities of good players (listen more than you roll, engage the shared world, not just the mechanisms), how vulnerability can deepen your GMing without spilling into real-life drama, and the "mask" that separates in-character emotion from out-of-table relationships. From backyard Friday Night Fantasy sessions to knowing when newer players don't need perfect rules to tell great stories — this is the wrap-up episode, and it's about the people at your table, not the game itself.

Thanks to Jon for coming on the show!

Game on!

Roleplay Rescue Details:

Voice Message:
speakpipe.com/roleplayrescue

Patreon:
patreon.com/rpgrescue

Email:
roleplayrescue@pm.me

Blog
roleplayrescue.com

Bluesky Social:
https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.social

Logo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:
https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.

Episode 5: Faith at the Table — Religion, Belief, and the Spiritual in RPGs

What happens when your real-world faith walks through the door of your game? Alex Marsh joins Che for a conversation that goes deep — from how D&D's cleric class handles the divine to Ars Magica's unflinching take on medieval Christianity and RuneQuest's living paganism. Along the way, Che opens up about his own journey from atheism to Orthodox Christianity and how that shapes the way he builds religion into his worlds. No superficial flavour text here — this is about making faith feel real, messy, and woven into the bones of your setting. Pentacles optional.

Thanks to Alex for coming on the show!

Game on!

Roleplay Rescue Details:

Voice Message:
speakpipe.com/roleplayrescue

Patreon:
patreon.com/rpgrescue

Email:
roleplayrescue@pm.me

Blog
roleplayrescue.com

Bluesky Social:
https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.social

Logo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:
https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.

Episode 4: Finding Your Table — Building a Gaming Club That Lasts

How do you grow a tabletop community from twenty strangers into seventy-one paying members with two regular game nights? Brian McKay joins Che to share how the Northside Adventure Gamers Association in Brisbane pulled it off — incorporating as a nonprofit, securing a permanent home in a state school library, and running tables across everything from D&D 5e to Cthulhu to Dungeon Crawl Classics. Plus: managing player flow between tables, keeping table identities intact, and why finding your own space changes everything about how people show up at the game. This one's for anyone who's dreamed of building more than just a campaign — this is about building a home for other players too.

Big thanks to Brian for coming on the show!

NAGA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NorthsideAdventureGamers

NAGA Public listing of games: https://public.naga.net.au/

NAGA website to log in and book games: https://login.naga.net.au/index.php#

Game on!

Roleplay Rescue Details:

Voice Message:
speakpipe.com/roleplayrescue

Patreon:
patreon.com/rpgrescue

Email:
roleplayrescue@pm.me

Blog
roleplayrescue.com

Bluesky Social:
https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.social

Logo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:
https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.

Episode 3: Solo Skirmish — Where Wargaming Meets Roleplaying

Ever wished you could scratch that RPG itch without rounding up a whole group? Jason joins Che to explore how skirmish wargames like Five Parsecs from Home bridge the gap between solo tabletop gaming and full roleplaying. From programmed enemy "AI" that frees you to focus on your own character, to persistent worlds and character development in a lighter package — this is a conversation about what happens when the old wargaming DNA in RPGs resurfaces as something you can play alone at your kitchen table. Perfect for busy schedules, quiet nights, or sparking ideas for your next campaign.

Game on!

Roleplay Rescue Details:

Voice Message:
speakpipe.com/roleplayrescue

Patreon:
patreon.com/rpgrescue

Email:
roleplayrescue@pm.me

Blog
roleplayrescue.com

Bluesky Social:
https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.social

Logo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:
https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Conversations, a short series of podcasts in which I welcome a guest who brings their own topic of interest and we have a chat. The recordings are done in under one hour, barely edited, and released without fanfare.

Episode 2: Steal This Idea — How to Create Original Worlds Without Losing Your Mind

What does it mean to "steal" from your inspirations instead of copying them? Pat Mullen joins Che to unpack Baudrillard's concept of simulcra and pastiche, arguing that mature creators should adapt rather than imitate. From adapting Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest for a Star Trek campaign to building worlds that feel organically lived-in rather than assembled from IP fragments, this conversation digs into how research, historical accuracy, and deep immersion create authenticity. No pastiche, no shortcuts — just worlds that breathe.

Big thanks to Patrick Mullen of GURPStalk for coming on the show.

Game on!

Roleplay Rescue Details:

Voice Message:
speakpipe.com/roleplayrescue

Patreon:
patreon.com/rpgrescue

Email:
roleplayrescue@pm.me

Blog
roleplayrescue.com

Bluesky Social:
https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.social

Logo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:
https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.