Iteration 219 - Tech vs Magic

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We start this week's iteration off with a talk about what it means to play and improvise, from a philosophical perspective. Josh recounts some more adventures from Dwarf Fortress. Ryan downloads some new mods for his Minecraft world, and is inspired to ponder the difference between magic and technology.

Iteration 218 - Magic and Blood

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We start the podcast off with talking about the adventures we have personally had in video games this week. Josh plays Dwarf Fortress and rebuilds his old fort, getting tips from Ryan on better defences. Ryan plays Minecraft with the Thaumcraft mod, and experiences video game bliss. And another review from Zoey, this time of the film the Road to El Dorado. And this movie inspires our main topic this week, which is blood magic, and how magic always seems to cost something. We ask why it should cost anything to use magic, and if you were designing your own world, what choices should you make as to the cost of magic?

References and Recommendations:

The Road to El Dorado: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138749/

Iteration 217 - Succession and Transition of Power

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Esquimalt to get a new TV studio space, so the entertainment industry in Victoria is expanding! We talk a bit about the return of the Necromancer class into Diablo, and about how we think a company decides which content to monetize, and which content to make free. Ryan achieves all the achievements for Samhain in the Secret World. Zoey reviews Alice and Wonderland, with a little help from her dad. And for our main topic, well we just couldn't resist the US election, so we try to put a storytelling slant on it. We talk about voting systems like the electoral college. We talk about how power is gained, held, and maintained in our fantasy realms.

References and Recommendations:

Tres Laughin with Josh TreLeaven: https://treslaffin.blogspot.com

Made You Look Media: https://vimeo.com/madeyoulookmedia

Iteration 211 - Cracking Cleverness

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In this iteration, Josh and Ryan concoct a plan to become more clever, and we learn how to make a hero look clever, as opposed to being really truly smart. But first, we talk about Halloween impending, and we compare Red Riding Hood with Goldilocks. Josh talks about people-watching, and how it might help one's writing. Then Josh plays Dwarf Fortress, Pandemic, and Dungeons & Dragons. Ryan plays The Secret World, and watches Disney's Cinderella and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and comes to an interesting strategy for Dorian Grey to beat his condition.

References and Recommendations:

Join us at Roll for Initiative once every month! http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/

Iteration 208 - Flavourloft

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We open this week's iteration with a tale of the largest pearl ever discovered in all of history. Then we talk a bit more about Stranger Things having a second season. Then we argue over what makes a movie a B Movie. We talk a bit about our adventures in Dwarf Fortress. And Ryan delves into the literature of the world of Ravenloft, and explains further why he thinks Ravenloft calls to him as a setting. And our main topic is actually a bunch of little tips and tricks to improve storytelling, inspired by Ryan's readings in Ravenloft.


References and Recommendations:

Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959 film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFN-y5AB6fs

Iteration 200 - Magic with Personality

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We start with a discussion about why we think movies bomb at the box office. Then Ryan and Zoey review Finding Dory (2016 film). Josh reports on Love and Friendship (2016 film). Then Ryan points out all the plot holes in Men in Black 3.

Then we talk about how summoning monsters from other planes works, on a technical level, and the variants in which you can summon the same version of the monster every time. And we conclude with a discussion about intelligent or semi-intelligent magic items, and how to deal with them as players, DMs, and storytellers.

References and Recommendations:

Finding Dory (2016 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2277860/

Love and Friendship (2016 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3068194/

Lindybeige: https://www.youtube.com/user/lindybeige

Iteration 196 - Optimal Number of Murder Suspects

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We start off with a bit of talk about the theatrical and storytelling nature of boxing, in light of the passing of Muhammad Ali. For our main topic this week, Ryan watched Calling Doctor Death, and we wonder whether there's an optimal number of suspects for a murder mystery on film or in books. Then in the course of this, we invent a setting for a Western in which every citizen is required to have killed someone.


References and Recommendations:

Cookie Clicker: http://orteil.dashnet.org/cookieclicker/

Calling Dr. Death (1943 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035706/

Iteration 192 - Inexplicable Wrong Decisions

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Ryan starts us off with a thought about how dreams might be more real life than real life. Whoah. Josh and Ryan relate their adventures in Minecraft, both of us having taken on the hardest boss in the game: the dreaded Wither. Ryan recaps his takings from Free Comic Book Day. From there we smoothly segue into a discussion about Marvel's Civil War series, and the inciting issue, and where we both fall on the issue of precognitive justice. And for our main topic, we talk about the deal that Peter Parker made with the devil about trading Mary Jane for Aunt May to live again.

Iteration 183 - Schooling Wizards (and Fighters)

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In this iteration of the Simulationist Podcast, we gush about Wizards of the Coast's new addition to the Dungeon Master's Guild list of available IP: Ravenloft! Ryan shares some of his brainstorms for new adventures and realms set in the misted lands of Ravenloft. We talked about some cross-over ideas between The Addam's Family, Ravenloft, and Harry Potter. Another quick conversation about brain-swapping and how we would do a modern version of Frankenstein. We talk a little bit about Minecraft, its latest update, and Josh's work on villages. Ryan recounts his time playing Marvel's Avengers Alliance.

This week's main topic is about how eduction works in a fantasy D&D setting. How are schools founded, how they operate, and what they do for your player and backstory. A bit of conversation about certain technology, and how schools might foster technology and thus change your campaign world. And then we go on a tangent about Star Trek, and a bit about how education works in a modern day campaign or a futuristic fictional world.

References and Recommendations:

DM's Guild: http://www.dmsguild.com/

Mistipedia: http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Main_Page

The origins of the Academy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy

Aaron Swartz (the guy whose name I couldn't remember): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz

Iteration 181 - Primordial Alphabet Soup

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We start by discussing the sport of boxing, and Josh gives his thoughts on his first boxing lesson. We talk about the evolutionary origins of play and sport. Then we turn to a weird tangent about drinking milk and playing sports. Then why do we eat so much of animals but so rarely ever drink animal blood? Then we talk about evolution, how it works, and what it means for making simulations. And will humans ever go extinct? Finally, Ryan rants about how people don't think enough.


References and Recommendations:

James Naismith, the inventor of basketball: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Naismith

Vibrating Football Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJI9sFJ9RXQ

Iteration 180 - Quests for Holy Grails

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We talk a bit about seafood, then a bit about the movie Deadpool. We get a little bit excited about the upcoming Lantasy convention in Victoria. Then we talk about the games we've been playing. And Ryan watched the 1981 film Excalibur. And that becomes our main topic. We talk about the divine mandate of kings, and how that leads into grail quests.

References and Recommendations:

LANtasy: https://www.lantasy.com/

Excalibur (1981 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082348/

Roll for Initiative: http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/

Iteration 173 - Princesses vs Fairies

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We start the podcast off with some talk about the holidays and the magic of Christmas. Then, since we both saw Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens. We discuss a few of our other exploits in gaming, fiction, and storytelling. Then we go off an a digression about the weirdness of the Twelve Days of Christmas song. And for a final topic, we pit Princesses against Fairies in a battle to the death.


References and Recommendations:

Justice League: A New Frontier: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0902272/

Iteration 172 - Flirting with the Dark Side of the Force

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This episode does not contain spoilers for Star Wars Episode VII. But before we get to the topic of Star Wars, we talk about The Martian. We talk about the movie Kick-Ass, and get into an argument about Ryan's parenting style. For our main topic, we discuss the mantras of the Jedi and the Sith, and whether or not the Sith is actually the better philosophy than the Jedi.

References and Recommendations:

The Martian (2015 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/

Kick-Ass (2010 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1250777/

Iteration 171 - Heroic Sacrifices

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A tale of two sevens: Final Fantasy 7 and Star Wars 7. We spend a bit of time at the top talking about our worries about whether or not Star Wars Episode VII will suck. Then we talk about the remake of Final Fantasy VII, and the changes it makes from previous versions. Josh plays Paradise Bay. Josh expresses his disappointment about The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon and Amy getting back together. And for our main topic, we talk about heroic sacrifices. 

References and Recommendations:

Inspector Gadget minus Gadget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6MR14mFtIw

Iteration 170 - Fantasy Marches and Parades

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We join Josh and one-cake-filled Ryan for talk about our favourite games, Dwarf Fortress, Minecraft, and others. Josh talks about watching and performing standup comedy. Does a parade count as a simulation for our purposes? Sure, why not! Then we take a weird tangent about the nature of art and spirituality, on account of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. We speculate on the origin of birthday candles. And for our main topic, we discuss parades, and how a parade or festival can shed light on a fantasy setting. And using parades and festivals and other traditions in stories.

References and Recommendations:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1985966/

The Great Modron March: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17302/The-Great-Modron-March-2e?it=1

Iteration 169 - How Villains Die

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In this iteration of the show, we discuss Nanowrimo, the Grey Cup, and Captain Jack Sparrow. Plus Ryan's weird dream creatures. And for our main topic, we discuss epic death options for the villains of our stories.

Iteration 168 - The Infinite Palette of Character Creation

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In this episode: we brainstorm some chalk ideas for Minecraft, enthuse about the shows we've watched, and the games we played. We talk about the kinds of computer code that is going to bring about the Singularity. Ryan likes Pacific Rim (2013 film). And for our main topic, character creation and the infinite palette, we talk about extremely non-standard characters, defining the limits of what counts as a character.


References and Recommendations:

Vikes Improv. https://www.facebook.com/VikesImprov/

Pacific Rim (2013 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/

Tri-Stat Role-playing system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-Stat_dX

Iteration 167 - The Flourishing Desolate Wasteland

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In this episode: Link (from Legend of Zelda) now has a sister. Fallout 4 released, but Josh and Ryan play their old games instead. Wooly Mammoths. What happens to whale bodies when they die in the ocean? "I prefer the radium." Space Monks. We even get into the bioethics of setting up shop in a so-called wasteland that might actually have life in it.

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Iteration 165 - Clone Club

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In this iteration, we talk about the Halloween that just happened, and mutant chicken trees. Ryan favourably reviews The Man With the Iron Fists film. We talk about our plans for National Novel Writing Month. Ryan comes up with a conspiracy theory on time travellers leaving old coins in his tip jar. Which leads to our main scenario, we invent a scenario in which we discover temporal duplicates of ourselves.

The Man with the Iron Fists (2012 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1258972/

National Novel Writing Month: http://nanowrimo.org/

Iteration 164 - Mascots, Faces, and Figureheads

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We start off by arguing whether or not movie theatres will still exist in ten years. Then we talk about our hopes for Star Wars Episode Seven. We talk about improv, video games, comic books, and more video games. Ryan rants about how much he hated the film adaptation of Ouija. And for our main topic, we talk a bit about having a personality who represents an adventuring party, or any other group really.

References and Recommendations:

Whale Rider (2002 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298228/

Atlantis (2001 animated film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230011/

Dracula (1931 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021814/

Ouija (2014 film) (Ryan actually did not recommend): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204977/

IF Con: http://ifconvictoria.com/

Come and join us at Roll for Initiative Victoria: http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/