Wow really positively surprised of Finch being excited about Mork Borg. That's really nice, seeing most retroclones people tend to look down on MB. For me it's a sign this guy know what's what and sees the potential for the osr.
Ben I appreciate all you have done. I've played since 1979 and surprisingly not known any of these people existed. After hearing about so many deaths from aging in this hobby it makes me appreciate life even more. So many of these creators are or were near my age and it is so inspiring to see what they have created and the people who inspired them. Thank you so much for carrying the OSR torch into the future. My current favorite game is Castles and Crusades but I am surrounded by people caught up in the 5E furor so my only choice is 5E. I think many GM's I orbit feel that way because it is so much harder to get players excited about anything other than 5E.
Great interviews. So many great people. Jeff Talannian is a top notch guy and fantastic creator. I'm excited to hear Matt Fitch is going to publish Swords and Wizardry under Mythmere. I know there's a ton of love for a certain OSR system right now and I've bought all the core books and several adventures but I still prefer Swords and Wizardry.
Timestamps for each question: 0:22 - What are you working on right now? 3:05 - What is the hardest part of writing and publishing RPG material? 6:22 - What recent RPG project has you the most excited? 11:33 - What is your personal Appendix N? 15:39 - What is your favorite adventure of all time?
I love all these folks. Such inspiring creators, and they all give help and advice freely. You've got to get Casey Christofferson and Skeeter Green next time!
Great content here! Jaquays revisiting her Central Casting character creation is big news! It's a great system but hard to find and I totally agree on some of the contents needing an update. Thx for the video!
Last year I read C.A. Smith's Averoigne Chronicles, part of original Appendix N, as well as the inspiration for module X2 Castle Amber. Great weird stuff. And I've only read Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, but it was one of the best fantasy series I've ever read, and I'd recommend anything he wrote based on that alone. And all gamers owe it to themselves to find Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series. I'd also add R.A. Salvatore, for those who don't know yet, plus Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series, and Storm Constantine's Wraeththu series. The old Thieves World anthologies are really good, too, as are the Witch World books by Andre Norton. That's about 0.01% of my Appendix N.
Answers to the Appendix N question: Books: Watership Down The Lord of the Rings All The Seas of the World The Garrett P.I. Series Authors: Richard Adams J.R.R. Tolkien Fritz Leiber Robert E Howard Clark Ashton Smith H.P. Lovecraft Michael Moorcock Jack Vance Karl Edward Wagner Abraham Merritt Edgar Rice Burroughs Isaac Asimov Guy Gavriel Kay Glen Cook
So excited to hear Jenell Jacquays is rebooting the central casting series. I love those books. I hope she can recapture the weird while maybe making them a touch more functional and up to date.
This is an excellent series of interviews, thanks for sharing. Great to hear from Jenell Jacquays! Distribution continues to be a common challenge among even the most esteemed OSR game designers. If it's any consolation, distribution and costs are a problem across the entire publishing industry, even outside of RPGs. My assumption around "marketing" is reaching new audiences - people who aren't currently playing their games. But these folks seem to mostly know their audience, what those readers like, and how to reach them.
I wish I could teleport over there. I miss face to face tabletop. My friends at high school were involved with game development as playtesters, they would travel to game shops after hours and meet the local equivalents to these guys (I think the dude who made Aftermath played with them?), and now I really wish I could have done that too, because I get ideas for my own games, but understanding the perils of game balance is important and playtesting gives you the experience to see the pitfalls. I think being able to buy games in person is hugely important, too. For one thing, they changed the delivery rules here so a signature was no longer required, and game books i purchased were just chucked from the vehicle at the house, denting their corners. But there's also that thrilling atmosphere that you cannot get from buying things online.
Easily done when people are positioned together. You end up feeling like you've taken up enough of "their time" as a group already that you don't want to keep bugged them by interviewing the other person!
You found my favorite developer, and asked them the question I requested (which I imagined asking to that particular develop, Mr Gillespie), so I couldn't be happier! Thanks Ben! :D
Help me make more content like this by supporting the channel on Patreon: bit.ly/QBPatreon
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Love the title "ambushing". I can just imagine Ben running around the con with a mic and shouting questions at people lol
Great video!
Yes, but he only gets surprise on a 1-2 on a d6!
Thanks for everything Ben. Your channel is one of the absolute best in the scene
Dude! How did I miss you? I'd would've loved to meet you!
-Glen Hallstrom
Ol' Man Grognard
Wow really positively surprised of Finch being excited about Mork Borg. That's really nice, seeing most retroclones people tend to look down on MB. For me it's a sign this guy know what's what and sees the potential for the osr.
Ben I appreciate all you have done. I've played since 1979 and surprisingly not known any of these people existed. After hearing about so many deaths from aging in this hobby it makes me appreciate life even more. So many of these creators are or were near my age and it is so inspiring to see what they have created and the people who inspired them. Thank you so much for carrying the OSR torch into the future. My current favorite game is Castles and Crusades but I am surrounded by people caught up in the 5E furor so my only choice is 5E. I think many GM's I orbit feel that way because it is so much harder to get players excited about anything other than 5E.
Great interviews. So many great people. Jeff Talannian is a top notch guy and fantastic creator. I'm excited to hear Matt Fitch is going to publish Swords and Wizardry under Mythmere. I know there's a ton of love for a certain OSR system right now and I've bought all the core books and several adventures but I still prefer Swords and Wizardry.
Timestamps for each question:
0:22 - What are you working on right now?
3:05 - What is the hardest part of writing and publishing RPG material?
6:22 - What recent RPG project has you the most excited?
11:33 - What is your personal Appendix N?
15:39 - What is your favorite adventure of all time?
Man, I have been meaning to watch this since you put it up. Seeing Jennel was heartbreaking.
I love all these folks. Such inspiring creators, and they all give help and advice freely. You've got to get Casey Christofferson and Skeeter Green next time!
Under Illefan was the base for the best campaign I ever did. I really enjoyed your interviews of experienced game designers.
Great content here! Jaquays revisiting her Central Casting character creation is big news! It's a great system but hard to find and I totally agree on some of the contents needing an update. Thx for the video!
RIP
Last year I read C.A. Smith's Averoigne Chronicles, part of original Appendix N, as well as the inspiration for module X2 Castle Amber. Great weird stuff. And I've only read Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, but it was one of the best fantasy series I've ever read, and I'd recommend anything he wrote based on that alone. And all gamers owe it to themselves to find Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series. I'd also add R.A. Salvatore, for those who don't know yet, plus Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series, and Storm Constantine's Wraeththu series. The old Thieves World anthologies are really good, too, as are the Witch World books by Andre Norton. That's about 0.01% of my Appendix N.
Good to see Clark Ashton Smith getting the love he deserves
Always nice to see Guy Gavriel Kay getting some love.
Answers to the Appendix N question:
Books:
Watership Down
The Lord of the Rings
All The Seas of the World
The Garrett P.I. Series
Authors:
Richard Adams
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fritz Leiber
Robert E Howard
Clark Ashton Smith
H.P. Lovecraft
Michael Moorcock
Jack Vance
Karl Edward Wagner
Abraham Merritt
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Isaac Asimov
Guy Gavriel Kay
Glen Cook
So excited to hear Jenell Jacquays is rebooting the central casting series. I love those books. I hope she can recapture the weird while maybe making them a touch more functional and up to date.
RIP
Fantastic video! Thanks for letting us “see behind the curtain” of creators and game publishers
This is an excellent series of interviews, thanks for sharing. Great to hear from Jenell Jacquays!
Distribution continues to be a common challenge among even the most esteemed OSR game designers. If it's any consolation, distribution and costs are a problem across the entire publishing industry, even outside of RPGs.
My assumption around "marketing" is reaching new audiences - people who aren't currently playing their games. But these folks seem to mostly know their audience, what those readers like, and how to reach them.
9:30 aw hell yeah Dan Simmons shout-out
I'm happy Janelle is excited about Dark Tower. The kickstarter finished today and they made a ton on it.
I wish I could teleport over there. I miss face to face tabletop.
My friends at high school were involved with game development as playtesters, they would travel to game shops after hours and meet the local equivalents to these guys (I think the dude who made Aftermath played with them?), and now I really wish I could have done that too, because I get ideas for my own games, but understanding the perils of game balance is important and playtesting gives you the experience to see the pitfalls.
I think being able to buy games in person is hugely important, too. For one thing, they changed the delivery rules here so a signature was no longer required, and game books i purchased were just chucked from the vehicle at the house, denting their corners. But there's also that thrilling atmosphere that you cannot get from buying things online.
My favorite game convention! Always have a good time at NTRPG Con!
It sounds so funny when Americans pronounce Mörk Borg 😁
I was painting new Hero Quest when you posted about playing Hero Quest with all those legends. :)
Really cool interviews! Thanks a lot!
Thanks for the interviews! Fantastic stuff
Very cool to see the thoughts on these creators and get a feel for how their process is influenced and explained.
This is really great content! I need to attend this con someday.
I like that this is structured like a Lindybeige video.
Funniest comment
Great content! Dang, I'm sad I missed the con this year. I only live about half an hour away, but the schedule just didn't work out this year.
Amazing video! I normally watch to find OSR modules I can convert to 5E but this was awesome!
Some real giants in this video.
Zothique is underrated, and probably always will be.
Fantastic video. Thank you!
Thank you for making this video!
Fantastic idea for a video, and well-executed!
Great interviews!
lol, I'd like to see that native South African, animal-themed RPG Dr. Scott has to show.
Wow so flipping cool!
He's back!!!!!
Looks like some really interesting stuff.
Was very nice meeting you at Matt's "fake" table. I hope you had fun. Any plans on some kind of a "con roundup" video?
Okay, is *no one else* weirded out by how similar Ben and Greg Gillespie's voices are???
Really? Lol
Love seeing all of the OSR personalities, props for getting Greg Gillespie on there!
Did you just interview the person sitting next to Rebecca Heineman and not even ask Heineman a question? 😃
Easily done when people are positioned together. You end up feeling like you've taken up enough of "their time" as a group already that you don't want to keep bugged them by interviewing the other person!
Is Dr. Scott Robinson by chance related to Tim Robinson? The similarity is kind of uncanny.
You found my favorite developer, and asked them the question I requested (which I imagined asking to that particular develop, Mr Gillespie), so I couldn't be happier! Thanks Ben! :D
My pleasure!
@@greggillespie5814 I love your work! I hope the trip to Texas was a good one :)
I love Texas! I’ve been coming since 2012 and I’m a diehard Cowboys fan (oh, the pain lol).
What con is this?
North Texas Con