Hello, and welcome to the weekly.
Scroll podcast brought to you by the adventure archive.
My name is Ryan, I just lost my name.
Hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm the Fearless profit.
Wonderful, good job and with us tonight we have a special guest.
It is hassium off on how you doing tonight.
Cassie, I'm doing great. Thanks so much for coming on the
show, excited to be here, so um, gosh, where do we even start?
So your cousin's out that every day.
Yeah, who are you? Who, how do we know you?
What do you what do you known for?
Oh my gosh, what am I known for now?
That is the age-old question, right?
I think most most notably in the tabletop RPG, G space, I'm known
for what crooked Roots, which is a folk or encounter collection
emphasis on encounter and not encounter.
I've noticed some confusion lately where everyone seems to
equate that to fight its there's like one fight situation in it.
It's mostly really, I say really interesting and unique sort of
social encounter moments that your party can have with weird
things in the woods. So that's what I'm most known
for I would say it has over Were like almost 10,000 downloads and
100, not 100, close to maybe a hundred five star reviews, so it
may seem pretty good. It was my first foray into the
tabletop RPG space. I developed it specifically for
5e, which I think has been part of the reason it's been so
popular, but it's also pretty system agnostic honestly,
because I didn't want to get wrapped up in mechanics, as much
as I wanted people to be able to tell Cole stories, so it's
pretty. It's pretty open if you don't
play IV, or if you play Pathfinder and I don't think
moving some of the small mechanic things over would be
entirely difficult ankle. Yeah, that's like a, it's a
really cool collection of like, you know, fairly creepy, you
know, would they would encounter is here.
We were. I think before young, we were
talking about the grow up, man, the group Miller, genuinely
terrifying. That concept has to come for
you. Yeah.
So the group, man, for those of you who have not read, what
crooked Roots is, sort of the like, serial killer monster of
being of the collection. It is the only stat block that I
developed for what crooked Roots.
It's not an amazing stat block, but I felt like I needed one
because this creature was a monster that is likely to attack
your party. It is made of Groats, oats and
mud and I think a little Haze in there too it's been a while
since I've read the description it came out in 2020.
The Collection came out in 2021 and he is very creepy.
He he he A bunch of fun Laura behind him and that lawyer makes
him want to make sure that people are clean and in doing
so, he might murder them to get their clothes off and clean
their clothes police. Perfect for people traveling
through the woods, they always put a fucking terrifying.
Like, you know, when I was reading where that is one of the
things like clear, like you said it was written for five easy.
But even when you read the group man, like outside of the stop
block, there's like Like I think you might take like d a psychic
damage for like one thing and that's pretty much it.
And, you know, even priests training, like you said, we were
talking. It was like there's not like it
feels really system agnostic since so much of it isn't like
whole set one shots or anything like that.
There's not really arcs necessarily to it as much as I
like you said like here's an encounter and you have some
really good explanations of like folklore and how to use folklore
and how things don't always have to have like an ending or an
answer or anything like that. And I thought it was just really
good. Kind of advice on how to run
Horror in general, which if all it is, is fighting stuff
five-year. Inevitably going to win
everything. So I think it really would take
the horror out without. So when I first got into
Dungeons and Dragons, the first thing I started Googling was
like, how to run horror and d and d, because I just really
like whore and I have since learned about other systems that
exist, please don't come at me other systems people.
I love other systems a lot. I've seen and I've since played
Call of Cthulhu, and a lot of whores focused, Systems.
But that said, one of the things that I came across was, as soon
as you give a monster, stop Block.
It's no longer scary. So, when I went into this
collection, I really wanted to take that to heart.
And while I did give one of my monsters establish and I have
someone streamed that encounter and I did watched it, get murder
eyes it. Like they I think it's built to
be still very creepy and confusing, and upset your
expectations in a way. That's interesting compared to
just like, oh, Being hunted by a monster with tentacles.
Like it's a lot more complex. It's not just like oh this is
deadly. It's oh, I don't know how to
deal with this type of situation.
That is truly horrifying. Yes.
That's that's what makes it scary.
Not that it's a monster. Just like, even if you have even
if your level 20, at the end of the day, if you don't know the
source of something that can be really spooky mean, not knowing
what I have heard that rule cause I don't reckon were what
back when I was playing 5e was looking up.
Up like they say, don't stat a God because exactly that it's
like, okay, it's killable now. Like, yep, your player
characters, will figure out how to kill a thing that has satsang
like, okay, well, well, and then just whore in general to.
Like, that's like the age-old thing is like, as soon as you
show the monster, the movies not scary anymore, you know?
Yeah, they're a couple months. There's a couple good movies out
there. Like I didn't I like Jeepers
Creepers, like the first one until they showed like the thing
and I was like, yeah, this sucks now.
And even Signs. I thought was like an amazing
movie until I'm Night. Shyamalan is William to share
with Julian. I'm someone that you know, it
was just like, well, alright, never mind you know we got
baseball, bats were cool now but but I guess what was also the
impetus for wanting to do folklore as like one of your
first forays as opposed to, you know, just an adventuresome.
So there's like two things and I would give that I've given this
answer quite a bit. So I'll mostly focus on the
second one. I think the first one is I asked
my players what they wanted more of In a survey and they said I
gave them a bunch of different genres to choose from and
overwhelmingly the consensus was they wanted more folk or in our
in our D&D game and then the other thing is I grew up in the
woods so it felt natural to me to sort of explore that aspect
of my Origins. So to speak, I told myself and
very many scary stories about what waited for me in the woods
if I stayed out tonight and too late at night.
And so it was pretty easy for me to pull on those threads a
little bit and The men because as a child it's so easy to
imagine what might grab you and I retain in the quite a bit of
that trauma that I gave myself. So I wouldn't say everything is
obviously inspired by being a child afraid in the woods at the
end of a dead-end road but quite a bit of it is you gave your
players a survey? Yeah, that's a great idea.
So I'm running a whore campaign. We are, we are in our third year
now and for a while I was like and I still check In with him
constantly. But it was a little a little bit
more systematic in my check-ins at the beginning because I was
playing, I was playing with new people, I never run games for
them before now we're like all great friends.
We have a better understanding of like, what our limits are.
And yeah, we're much more comfortable.
We don't necessarily need that system.
Systematic. Like, no, it's like a really
good idea when you're less familiar the party.
Yeah. Like so is it was a six-month
check in, he's just a Google doc with It's like we're issues.
Do you feel like your character isn't getting enough attention?
Is there an aspect of your character that you want to have
more attention, as they're part of your backstory?
You want to see pulled out? Is there something you want to
step away from? Now that you've encountered in
the game or that you have maybe it was something in your
backstory? You thought was fun, but now
that you've played it, you're like no I don't want to explore
that anymore. I'm done.
And then also it was what you want to see more of in the
campaign. What kind of enemies do you want
to see more of what kind of genres do you want to explore?
So it was, it was all of those. The items in, but it was still
like a pretty short survey, to be honest.
I know that sounds like a lot of questions, but that was pretty
much it. That was almost all the
questions and I had planned on doing that every six months, but
now I just like talk to them constantly and I think that's
something that I've gotten better out.
As a GM is just constantly communicating.
Like here's what I'm thinking, here's where I'm going, by the
way, I don't go to this area yet.
It's like you're over your underleveled.
I mean, you can go, but your underleveled and I'll think I
think you'll have more fun if you go to this other area.
So just being open and communicating. with them, I've
gotten a lot better at Well, it's like everything that you
sound like a very good DM. Like that actually all sounds.
Like I'm like, oh, that sounds awesome.
Like I think you taking surveys and like sending back cetaceans
but I think it's always just communication.
Write, I write a really good idea.
I might steal that honestly. Yeah.
I I told someone maybe about a year ago they said what are some
good collaborative, tabletop RPGs.
They were just asking and I was like, oh, I think honestly
there's some great ones and I listen to great ones, but if
there's a tabletop RPG that you I really want to play
collaboratively and without a GM.
Any of them can be. That way you can play.
You can, you can play D&D collaboratively.
I think there's even rules in the DM's guide for how to play
like, rotating DMS. It's very, very not the best
roles but I mean if you trust each other enough and you're
talking about your goals for each other and your characters
then it really comes naturally. Absolutely.
I mean, the 5e DMG might be one of the worst need the books ever
written but there is stuff in there.
There is stuff. It seems your pages of some
stuff. Yeah, it's optional rules that
probably should win the regular rules which is basically just
all the stuff that people don't like him for e and the death
glare, which is my favorite thing ever and 5e.
But is it campaign you're running fifth edition.
Like it's still like you're doing yep.
I'm running to and they're both of them are entering their third
year and both of our shit. Dude that's crazy.
I was running three and that was a lot.
But then I started publishing and I was like, all right, we
got it. We got to dial back only.
Me to take a step back here. Long campaign.
Yeah, well levels everyone. They are like a level 9 in both
campaigns. Now it's been, yeah, it's been
slow leveling, but they're really pure XP leveling that,
like, I recently, I guess who got his I've been almost a year
now, but I entered it. Two and a half year campaign,
and it was, it's a lot. That's a lot to do debt twice,
you know, especially in. Anywhere, like it is a game that
requires a lot of prep. So I mean, I'd the survey makes
a lot of sense to really, keep you going the right direction.
Yeah, without without my players being so open to collaboration
and especially with all the, like, this blew up.
When I say bleep, I mean, like my table top RPG Persona life.
Now, business sort of blew up in the middle of our campaign.
We had been playing together for a year, both campaigns when I
released my first table top RPG product but at that That point
we were already a lot like, extremely communicative and
collaborative, and we've only gotten more and more that way, I
think if everything fell on me to develop and my players didn't
have any part in it and didn't want to help and only just
wanted to see each other. This one time a week and we
didn't talk anytime else, then it would be stressful but
they've been great at meeting my needs and they don't want the
campaign to fall apart. So they're doing their best to,
you know, pull their weight, so to speak.
Hmm, that's awesome. While now, With 5th edition.
You know, we have an opinion will keep it to ourselves.
The most part. We've got shot really regularly
on the shuttle. I mean, I will to 100%.
Yeah, yeah, not bash on it. Listen just because it's because
I mean it's not let's call it critique but you.
So we you started after that transitioning into other cells
teams because you were also doing a reviews on your website
and stuff but a lot of your a lot of your game since then have
been solo games. So what was And of the impetus
to transition into kind of that space as opposed to, you know,
fourth edition. That's a great question.
I wanted to run other games I was I've been running fifth
edition for two groups for over a year.
I wanted to play other games, I want to run other systems but I
had already realized that I did not have the ability to run
three campaigns because I was running three and I had to give
one up so I knew I couldn't return to doing that even though
I did after a while I ran a short campaign of in In the
light of a Dying Star by Nature train, I think that's what it's
called, which is great. That's so fun.
But so I wanted to do something different but I also didn't have
the energy to prep something else and no one wanted to run
anything for me. So I was like, well I doubt that
it's um it's in my hands what can I do about this?
And I had come across the sealed library on Twitter which is a
solo tabletop role-playing game. I I didn't understand how that
worked but it used a Jenga Tower, which I found extremely
interesting, even though I wasn't sure I was going to be, I
was gonna have fun with the tabletop solo.
Tabletop role-playing game. I wanted to see what like this
Jenga Tower situation was all about and then I fell in love
it, just for me as a role. If someone who like loves
telling stories and role-playing, and isn't someone
who wants to be completely wrapped up in the crunchy
mechanics, it was a great like, Middle Ground where there was a
sense of randomness. Tension and just a small minor
tracking. It was it was great and I wanted
more immediately. So I thought that I would just
I'll review these solo games and I'll play these solo games and
then naturally, of course, to follow was, I have to write one.
So that's that's sort of the the path I took was more.
So this was really fun. I want to create an experience
like this for someone else as well.
Well and then not only that concealed Library, you know,
Matt Sanders because he wrote the SRD or there, the SRD for
The Wretched which Christmas said and you happen to do like
one of the coolest things I've ever seen which was like a
hardcore in character RP of The Wretched, looked absolutely
amazing. What was that kind of experience
like because you don't really do things, you do things like 110%.
I think is Doesn't every time like the ProMaster, I'm liking.
The thing was amazing. Like, how is that experience?
Yeah, so just side note, that's one of the reasons I pulled back
on my d and e groups because they were getting the 110
percent, right? So, and I told them that I was
like, you know, I'm so happy. Like we have this campaign.
I love you all so much, but also it depresses me that I am
creating this art for you because it was like I was like
going above Above and beyond for them every week.
And I was like, I just wish there was a way we could capture
this or I could share this with other people because it does
feel like, like, I'm putting 10 to 20 hours into our.
Can't our sessions every week to make sure they're like magical.
And I just wish I could share this with other people and so I
don't get that anymore. But there's a fine, they
understand, but I just can't help it.
Whenever I'm doing something I just I have a vision and If I
have a vision, I can't not try to live up to that Vision in my
head and one night. I had already played the sealed
Library, which uses the same system as The Wretched and the
sealed Library, you play librarian trapped in a library
and you try to save Works before the Invaders come in and in The
Wretched. You play a essentially, an
astronaut on a salvage, ship in space, and there's an alien
trying to come in. So it's the same, it's the same
mechanics and you Jenga Tower in a deck of cards and tokens to
represent things. So I knew what it would look
like from a playing standpoint. So I felt confident enough that
I could pull, I could pull assets.
I could build the vision in my head and I wouldn't be surprised
necessarily by what the game had for me in terms of mechanics and
I was confident in my ability to tell a story because I've been
doing that for so long, with my players that I just would, I
just did it. You know, I just couldn't help
myself. No, it was, it was fantastic to
watch. It's just a really cool, you
know, cuz I have a lot of solo journaling games.
We've talked about myself, 100, talk about this, like individual
in ourselves. Like, I love so many of the, the
prompts and the games that people put out, but I don't have
a master's in writing, so it's a little bit more.
Difficult. I can't imagine sitting down and
doing that in the amount of time that you did.
Because I feel like it would take me so much longer to like,
and have to come back to it and do all those kind of things.
Do you think that? I mean, obviously, you are a
writer how much like prep went into doing that, and how much
was just you? This is literally me just doing
it like straight. That's a great question.
So how much prep went into it? I watched alien the day before.
Like the day of that morning, I watched it which I'd already
Watched it. I like I love that movie so
much, but I watched again and then why lie?
So prep outside of Designing, the overlays and the sound
effects and all in all of that, like outside of that, nothing
like I watched alien and then my husband whose great went and
pulled like names, he just built a list of potential names.
I could use if I created an NPC and I wanted a name.
So I had a list of names and then also a list of ship parts.
So he Like, here's some sci-fi terms for ship parts, so you can
pull from, if you just need something as you're playing
because when I played the sealed Library, I recalled getting like
a stuck when I needed to create an NPC named or when I needed
to, like, create a book title, like that kind of stuff, is what
took me up and slowed me down, and broke my immersion.
So I was like, if I have like, the stuff that I feel like is
going to trip me up for the live stream, then I won't get tripped
up and sure enough, that worked out pretty well.
I think I did end up using a name twice because I was live
streaming. I was also producing it at the
same time, so I was in charge of all of the, like, let's go live
and BRB and everything. So it will, there was a lot.
There was a lot. I was stressed out about, so
fortunately I think I did end up using a name twice but it still
was nice to have that list to pull from.
But other than that, I didn't have anything.
And I know I'm I totally understand coming from the
perspective of well, you know, I'm not a great writer and I
don't know if solo games are for me because I'm not a great
writer, I totally understand. Respect that it said, my husband
is a biologist, he loves solo games, So I think I think you
have to be gentle on yourself. You don't have to think you're
going in and going to tell an epic story.
You just have to tell something that is fun for you.
Yeah, I definitely think that's the, her live had to jump
playing those like, you know, like I just need to stop being
such a Critic of my own work, and just actually have a good
time doing this. Yeah, I I played, we talk about
this recent talking about thousand-year-old vampire.
And that was like, there's so many prompts and it's like, it's
fairly. Long and I'd are like halfway
through I'm like dude stop get out of your own head just right
near your in Nordic vampire in the 90s like you're fine.
Yeah. Yeah there's this hesitation I
mean I have it too especially if I think I'm going to publish
something online, I just like post a Google doc or whatever.
Like I want it to sound really good and I wanted to be
interesting and I want people to be excited about it.
But at the end of the day at the end of the day, I think it's
important. We tell ourselves know, we're
sitting down were playing a game and we should put the play first
and yeah. For fun.
Yeah, I'm supposed to be So, I see you've done a lot of solo
journaling stuff, but have you done a lot of, like, more solo
adventure games to IV, like, things like 12 years or marching
order or anything like that? No, I haven't.
It's been they've been on my radar as things I want to do.
I don't know if like dead belt would count because it's not
really a journaling game. It's more of like a tactical
solo exploration survival, they say survival horror but I don't
It's more just survive tactical survival.
I think kind of but it's not really solo journaling and now,
and they have a rival and a co-op option is really cool but
otherwise I'm more so drawn to the storytelling games and if
I'm gonna play like a game that requires tracking stuff or
that's less journaling, less storytelling, I think I'm more
drawn to like an in hand solo game, like with cards that you
can play make sense. Yeah, definitely that's yeah,
good. And then also, you know, going
from streaming The Wretched, right.
You also stream pretty regularly on your own channel.
You know. I don't remember when I started
watching it might a bit around or E.
I think it was a little bit before that though.
God, or is such a great game is good?
But how am I, how do you incorporate like, not only
writing and running like a million campaigns and all that,
but also having the time to like stream and then Then also how do
you like to feel like streaming helps you when some of your
writing stuff? Because I know you will work on
some your our time stream and things like that.
So kind of how do you incorporate that into account
what you doing right now? So I've moved away from doing
video games on stream I probably will continue not to do video
games on stream and less like it's a short one.
Like I really want to do firewatch I might I think that's
all you should. It's not very long, it's very
good. So I might do that one but no
more of these like 12 to 30 our game.
I just don't like that's something I want to sit down and
Do privately usually but otherwise I how do I find the
time? Ha ha ha.
I don't I just do it. I don't have time but nowadays
I'm more. So doing I I've done some
co-working streams where I just like talk about my process as I
type and/or work on something which those are fun.
I think some people get use out of especially in the early
stages, I was working on Tangled blessings before, I'd even
officially announced it and I had some people in chat that
they told me it was interesting to see how I was pulling assets
and where I was deciding things weren't useful and whatnot and
they pardon me and they still didn't know what I was working
on yet. That was fun for me to talk
about in verbalize why I was making decisions and then I also
do drawing streams which those are just those are just fun to
sit and show people what I'm working on.
They give me tips on what I need to fix.
Which isn't always the funnest. But usually does lead to a
better creation and then also, The what are the other ones I've
been doing? Oh, look, there's flow series,
have been a huge success and they're super fun for me.
Essentially, it's a very low-key.
I get usually, a physical addition of a tabletop RPG but I
have done Digital Editions as well.
And I have a little camera mounted above the tabletop RPG,
as well as on me. And we just talked about, we go
through the tabletop RPG. I know you mentioned, you'll
probably be doing clean spirit in a similar fashion after this,
which is very cool. But we just talked about The
mechanics, the rules, what's included?
And what we find fun about it, if it has a character creation
system or like if it's a World building game, we might like,
follow through on, part of that, we won't give all of it away,
but it's a really fun way to explore a game and chat about
it, and meet creators, because creators love to see their kings
talked about. So it's been a no.
Yeah. I mean, your flip through have
been really, really fun, you know, they're you've gone over
some stuff that we've gone over before we do a little bit more
like deep dive here. It's really nice to also get it
kind of in more like a bite-sized bit, especially when
you have like a bunch of games that I like more similar.
So those are, those are really fantastic to watch, so you
really do things. Yeah.
Mine are very, very casual just weird.
No deep Dives, which is fine with me and but I do value
people who do the Deep Dives, for sure.
Thank you. We needed that honestly so
allegation. So this this last question kind
of Transit not last question but this it kind of transitions into
the other thing we're talking about tonight which is your
tingle blessings, a lot of your solo games.
Use a terror mechanic or a couple like have used a taro.
What you know, I know like enemies this is a great game and
I know you talked about that a lot was that kind of inspiration
to use tarot and the kind of, or Have you always been into Taro?
And and kind of what was how did you get that into what you're
doing now? So anamnesis, was the reason I
bought a Tarot deck, 100%, I wanted to play, I've just
thought that was really cool. I've always wanted to collect
tarot cards but I'm not, I'm not a spiritual person.
I don't dude, even divination or anything like that, but I love
the idea of tarot cards. I just couldn't rationalize it
from a financial perspective, it's like, Oh, by these.
And then Touch them. They're going to sit on a shelf.
So anamnesis was like this permission to buy myself some
tarot cards. So I bought in a nieces that I
bought some tarot cards and I was I was working on a solo game
in early 2022, which it hasn't released.
I'm so it's a very long game so I'm still working on it and I so
I bought in a nice us' like sort of a research project because it
is a very successful solo game and I was just going to thumb
through it. I wasn't even going to play it
and then I Got open it up, out of the envelope, sat down with
my tarot cards just to, like see like how it works and it and
after two and a half hours past and I played the game and it was
amazing. It was an incredible experience.
I think it's an amazing game. It definitely deserves its
status as an incredible solo game and then the author Sam Lea
was holding an M nieces jam on it and if you don't know what a
jam is, it's just where people sort of all come together and
like a little Club on itch.io and agree to a set standard of
Thing and create either a game or art or something in that set
standard, and the set standard for the anamnesis GM was make a
game or make art, or make something inspired by an
analysis. And I joined not having any idea
what I was going to do. I at the time, did not have any
time because I was working on the sticker game, which is very
cool project, go check it up and then in the middle of the
sticker game, I took a week off of my day job because designing
games and playing games unfortunately is not my
livelihood. Hood someday, maybe hopefully
boo real world. And during that time, I was
supposed to be taking a break from everything.
So, the first three days of that vacation and we're supposed to
just be play video games, read a book, don't don't do any
creating don't draw. Don't don't write nothing just
and then I could and then this idea started poking me,
literally the Sunday evening before my vacation was supposed
to start. And it was what if you did a
magical school games that with the Anisa system?
That would be cool. Wouldn't that be cool?
What if what if we thought about that for three days and didn't
think about anything? What if we did that?
So that's what I did when I was supposed to be taking a break
from, I started doing art for it started, I started writing it
and then I had to go back to the soccer game and finish that
which is still took me a month after that, to finish the
sticker game. And as soon as that was done, I
was right back in to working on table blessings, but I have
since played a couple of Taro games since anamnesis.
Us when I which I played earlier last year, I just love them.
I think there's so much fun. I think I think solo games that
use a standard deck of playing cards you know if the king and
queen and Jack of Spades at all of that are very fun.
But there's just something inherently magical about using a
Tarot deck. I get that.
How's it going vibe to it? You know Vibes?
Yeah, well, I mean the other thing too is that you can theme
your chair like I have like what like six or seven tarot decks
and like, oh now I have so many in a year.
I have collected so many. Do I have permission to buy
these? Thank you.
And I just well, what's interesting too, is a lot of
solo. A lot of games will have like,
even the art can be more pulled into the prompts, so you can
really theme your A bit by having different styles of games
and whatnot but different tarot decks so exactly.
Yes. Thank you.
Should buy more tarot decks? You should I got one?
I have my one right here. You only have one.
I only have one well no I guess how come we didn't?
You send me some Yes I met it matters you tarot decks yeah
Medicaid 670 I only have eight right now so that's it so small
a Tarot cards. I'm going to use this was
something to tangle blessings but then you brought a sticker
game which is like it's out there like what?
How, like, how like, what did ya like talk about the sticker
given General, her People that don't know what it is.
I want to talk about it because it's so good.
It's so good. It's so good.
And it's so unique, it's so different.
So the sticker getting is a game with specific intentions.
It wants to help the player use the sticker hoard that they have
not found the perfect use for and put them, give them meaning
and put them to use in a journal that they can return to four
years and relive in adventure. It's a very it's very rigid in
With the adventure of the person can have because all of the
prompts it is a prompt driven game are recorded in audio with
the mattock sound effects and music and might I say good
mixing thank you very much and we hired three, vo artists voice
over artist to help Supply. Some additional additional
voices, do it to really drive home.
How good it was. I think we have a total of five
voices on it but it is a a game or because it is audio you can
turn it on. In a group of you can play it
like around a table and have your own little private
experience but like use the same stickers, but essentially it's
gosh. I like I know it sounds like I'm
rambling, it's a weird game. So it's hard to describe but
hold on. We're always rambling on the
show. Good Company.
So essentially the sticker game is set up.
As you are a, you, you are known for your Sticker Collection.
And this nebulous organization known as only the agency
contacts you and they say, hey, we know you have a large Sticker
Collection. Listen, we figured out how to
influence alternate realities. However, the only way to do that
is with stickers. I know it sounds crazy but it's
just how it is. So what's going to happen is
we're going to connect you with your guide and they're going to
walk you through how to use your stickers to influence another
reality, all right? And then so you'll be connected
to your guy. Guide and your guide walks you
through how to use your stickers and you find out that the
reality you're influencing is specific to a version of you.
So you're influencing your a you your alternate used reality with
stickers and surely nothing goes wrong in that process.
Side. I so it's a very, it's a very,
it's the game can take less than two hours for most people.
I think the audio recording is a total of like 57 minutes without
some buffer music. We added two minutes of buffer,
me but music to each track, so that like once you get a report
get a prompt, you'll be told to, like, find a sticker.
That means this or find a sticker.
That means this and while you're doing that music will play.
So it doesn't automatically. Going to the next track.
So when people download it it kind of looks like it's long but
it's really not but it's really cool.
It's really unique, I don't know any other game that's like that
and please go check. Yeah very cool.
It took some really cute really stands like on its own as like a
very unique experience that's like almost even outside of like
TT RPG like it's definitely tangentially related and like
he's feel weird saying it's a tabletop RPG so I've mostly said
it's an audio drama. Solo journaling a Experience is
sort of like how I framed it because there's, there's no dice
rolling. There's no stat tracking.
It's very, very simple in terms of like role play, right?
Yeah. But it's still, it's not a board
game. What kind of there, you know?
Yeah, it's the current, it's like, is it a LARP?
I don't know. It's in a very weird space, and
I love that for it. But yeah, I think it's like I
have hundreds of stickers, but I don't want to play the game
because I want to give up any stickers to do it.
Now, I made for you. I made it for you.
I don't want those hold on these horde than like a dragon or a
landlord, you know. Yeah.
No that's literally the only reason I haven't played the game
is because I have a ton of stickers and like the reason
they're not stuck to anything already is because I don't wanna
stick than anything. So like I've literally been
like, all right? How can I okay how many doubles
of the same sticker? Can I actually use and then
where can I find other stickers? And I've been stealing stickers
from places that people ask me if they can like can I cut
images out of a magazine? Can I do a collage?
Zh. Can I play digitally all of
these are valid? Can I draw my responses?
All valid, I think at the end of the day like you're not using
you have to come to terms with yourself.
Like you're not using your stickers like where they're at
right now they're not doing anything and you could use them
to create a really cool Journal that you would come back to.
And like remember like so my husband and I have talked about
how we played the game and like we agree.
It was hard it was hard to play because we didn't want to use
our stickers but like To get into it.
Once you like Get over the hump of using your stickers, it's
really fun to get creative with what you have in front of you
and we want to come back annually with the stickers.
We collect it cons and stuff and play again and see how our
experience changes. I know it's a tough.
It's a tough hurdle but you can't believe.
So listen, I completely agree with you that other people can
absolutely and should do that. But you're talking to someone
who will buy multiple copies of a book just to have one that
isn't Touched or like if it's you're supposed to write in the
book, like I will buy two, just like an right in one and then
have another one untouched. So I've done, I see why I
believe I understand. Ryan is the ultimate collector.
If there's a limited edition, he'll get it.
Oh, there's a 1 of 1. It's Ryan's gonna try to get
help. I have it.
I have it already. It's fine.
It was someone who played the sticker game using HTML and
gifts. And I will say that their
Journal is extremely cool. It's on the itch page.
If anybody wants to check it out the sticker game it Each page
they linked it. It's really cool.
There are kind of like spoilers in it but so that's another way
to play too. Yeah, well I mean even in the
rules of the game is specifically says like if you
really want to just draw sticker you know like so you know
there's a ton of a tester played verbally.
He just said, what kind of heat because he didn't want to give
up any stickers. He just said, what kind of
sticker he would use and he said, it was still an affecting
experience. Even though I technically didn't
give up anything, which is part the big part of the thesis of
the game. He still was like, It's, it was
still a lot. I he cried.
He cried at the end of it, so oh, yeah, that's awesome.
Yeah, I think, actually, I like, as much as I don't want to give
away the seriously think that like playing a game and like
part of that being giving up these stickers of The Horde is
actually that, I feel like there's something satisfying to
that, you know, it's cathartic of it.
Like actually, you have to create a new acronym for this
game. It's not teacher.
Yeah, it's great though. That's awesome.
So now now we're going to talk about the other thing.
Yes, no Robert actually happening right now, they're
under. So so talk about Tangled
blessings like what is this game?
That is successfully like what like how many hundred times when
it is it on crowdfunding now? Four hundred and ninety-nine
percent crap I'm sorry. What did you think?
It's gonna make That was me literally the night before.
I was like, I don't know if it's just a lot of money, I don't
know. Okay, tangle blessings.
It is a cursed Academy horror solo tabletop role-playing game
or Co-op, not Co-op, because your rivals, or 2 player
tabletop role-playing game. It is versatile in that because
there is a rival component. It's not, you're not, you're
still not tracking stats, it's very light on when you're not
rolling dice, it's completely dice.
Alice, it only uses a Tarot deck, but there is a rival
component and you are asked to go against each other quite
frequently narratively. Not in terms of like actual PVP,
there's like at the end of the game, there's some slight PVP,
but you just draw cards and whoever has the highest card
wins a certain thing. So in terms of like fighting,
not really it's more subterfuge and manipulation and deception
potentially. And hunting and cursing like
magical curses that type of thing, when it comes to the
Rival. But the elevator pitch is that
it's a magic Academy horror RPG for one to do one, to two
players that uses tarot cards to Reveal Your Fate.
You spend four years at an academy trying to survive ghosts
and every other horror thing that wants to track you down and
get bring you to the dark side. Ankle.
I'm really interested in it. So in it, usually, because I've
seen you since of a little preview.
Yeah, I think I think you all the, the, the Press copy of the
game. Yeah, which was really cool to
go through, obviously the name that I said today was told from
it, so you reference a lot in it, the matically dark Academia
and then you have these resources to talk about like
this like trouble past the dark Academia and Eileen know what
dark, Caki DV is so, could you kind of expand on that or any
less ignorant? Sure.
So dark Academia is, I think it's spawned.
It's still sort of like, developing as a genre.
It's starting to get very popular among younger adults.
MIT adults like early or late teens.
Early 20s space. Especially from a fashion
aesthetic standpoint, but I believe it started in Lit
Literature and the secret history, by Donna tartt.
I came out in the He's is like the dark Academia book.
There's a murder at a university and it's I think it's set in the
fall. /, winter. So it's got this very aesthetic
aesthetic. Oh my gosh.
I can talk aesthetic. Piece of it is like the setting
is a character and so you see a lot if you Google dark Academia,
you see a lot of that repeated you see like these eurocentric
universities you see white people.
Eating themselves and murdering other people in order to elevate
themselves, you see? Studying until you can't keep
your eyes open anymore. You see your health, your mental
health, just completely suffering, because you can't
take care of yourself in the way that you should.
These are all very consecutive things across multiple works.
That take place in the space. I think Dead Poets Society.
I feel like that sounds like it's also.
Yep. Okay, cool.
Exactly. If you Google dark Academia Dead
Poets, Society is definitely one of the things that pops up other
Works include ninth house or the more recent Equal to that which
is hell-bent isn't just so there's a, there's a bunch
there's some that come up that I will tell you that, I don't
really think that's dark Academia.
It's a bit of a reach. But whatever and then then
there's the fashion sense, aesthetic, part of it, where
it's just like wearing very preppy, but Autumn colored
clothing, so to speak. It's it's like, you know, you're
you're button up and your scarf and your cute little plaid
skirt. Yeah, that's true.
Yeah, yeah, your school Blazer, you know.
Oh yeah. So that's that's where it is.
And then so I started this like very inspired by dark Academia
and it was going to tingle blessings was going to lean more
realistic. There wasn't necessarily going
to be a magical component to it. But as I started researching, I
started coming across a lot of articles by people of color.
Just critiquing the genre as a whole and I listed those
articles in the game, and if you download the preview, you can,
You can take a look at the links are there to.
You can find the links. This is a very harmful genre to
people of color because universities and colleges have
been harmful to people of color for centuries.
So, and it's like obviously that like thinking about it now it's
obvious. But I wanted to make sure that I
address that as a white person who has benefited from a
university experience and so yeah.
I It's worth exploring. I think it's definitely
something we need to talk about more as a society.
Like segregation just ended right.
Like it wasn't yeah a long time ago so just can keeping that in
mind especially as we fantasize about our lives at magical
universities like keep in mind that this fantasy isn't even
possible for some people, you know?
And so then I wanted to, I wanted to make it a little more
further away from Real World and not Sorry that was more fun for
me to to make it more magical and less less.
Murdery was most. It's still murder e but it was
it was mostly just murdery before and now it's it's much
more magical murdery it's magical murdery which is funnier
honestly. Yeah.
Tinkle. Yeah.
So, um, what did you so dark acting is obviously the setting
for what you're doing and Taro. Obviously, we've already talked
about enemy system, great game. You use tarot lat, we have, you
know, ton of hair decks and stuff.
Like, now, when you were getting this at in your head, what about
it is what made it where you're like, I'm supposed to not do
anything. And yet I doing this for just
days and days and days and days and you can't get it out like
what made you want to turn this project into like this
crowdfunder specifically Lee. I wish I could tell you.
It is a brain malfunction, to be completely honest.
I had other things, I wanted to do other things, I wanted to
focus on, I have a goal list that I'm supposed to stick to
and unfortunately, I have been medicated ADHD.
I've been unmedicated for years now.
I am officially diagnosed but, you know, I just, I've learned
to just push in where my brain wants to go, and I'm not going
to fight it, I think as much as it is a weakness, it's also a
strength. So I just go where Happy brain
juices and it was in pursuing tangle blessings and seeing it
through originally, I did not want to crowd fund it.
I wanted to crowdfund clean Spirit which I know you're going
to talk about in a little bit. But honestly, the timing seemed
kind of right to talk about magical school games for obvious
reasons that we don't need to necessarily like address.
So I was like, you know what? Let's just let's just crowdfund
Tangled blessings and I asked my patrons I have a paper patreon
and a private patreon Server, and I asked them, what do you
think I should? Do you all you all have already
seen Tangled blessings, they had all plates, not all of them, but
many of them had play tested. It, they had access to the play
test copy and they had already sent me their feedback.
And many of them were aware of clean the spirit and what that
was and have played through it as like, which what do you
think? I should pursue and
overwhelmingly most of them were like, Tangled blessings,
obviously. So that's why that was enough
for me and it was all, it was what I wanted to do.
So I was easy for me to just follow through on it.
And you're using crowdfunder, which is a newer site.
Have you 6 months, old, have you crowdfunded, you haven't cried?
But no other projects, right? So, this is your first
experience with. So you haven't used Kickstarter
and stuff like that. So what has been your experience
with crowdfunder? Is like a pretty new
crowdfunding space, but just in general, like, yeah, it's really
cool. I think more people should use
it. I think I should at some point.
Try Kickstarter, just to like get the kickstarter experience
with learning. Learn about.
So I can compare and contrast a little bit easier, but I already
know a few things that make crowdfunder more far more like
Superior to Kickstarter. One of those is the big one is
the actual spend or the actual like fundraise.
So you look at my page and right now, I haven't pulled out
because of course, I do, it's 7495 dollars.
That does not include fees that does not include shipping
Kickstarter. When you look at the total
raised, it includes shipping, if the Creator is charging you
shipping and it is So includes fees that Kickstarter will take
out later crowdfunder is showing this total with the fees already
removed and the shipping already removed because I am charging,
like a dollar on one of my projects.
So, the real, the real money raises over eight thousand
dollars. But that doesn't count towards
my actual goal which is extremely nice from a budgeting
standpoint. The other great point for
crowdfunder is I have access to like I think it's, he's the
president of the company. If I have an issue, I can
discuss. I sent him a message.
John Discord and he replies almost immediately like the
other night. I had a question at 11:30 p.m.
I did not think he would reply bam immediate reply.
I'm not going to have that kind of access on Kickstarter and I
don't want to bother someone so late at night but like he was,
he was finally, he was like, oh, yeah, let me take care of that.
No big deal. So that's been.
Yeah. That's been.
Well, that's that's an access, right?
Yeah. I just mentioned the president
company. Yeah.
And I mean, but he's like, it's no big deal.
So I messaged him a few weeks ago Accidentally locked myself
out of my account because I was stressed out about something, it
was completely user error. I was like, I'm so sorry to send
you a private message. I'm just too sad about this.
I don't know what to do. I don't know who to email and
then I figured out, I was like, oh my gosh, I figured it out.
I'm so sorry, never mind. And he's like, hey, you can
message me if you need to. I'm not like sensitive or
anything. Please.
If you have a question or whatever, please feel free to
message me. Some a big deal.
So like being like having having that access is I don't know if
we'll always have that, but I'm sure crowdfunder.
Well, at least always have someone available with whom.
I can speak to when I have questions.
I know I can schedule a call with someone and they'll walk me
through it. They'll look at my page, they'll
find like I had an issue with colons.
There is an issue with some of the coding.
And the colons with there was a space between the word and the
colon, it was driving me nuts, they logged on and they were
like here's how you fix that next time and it was great.
Like, I don't know it. I don't think that would happen
with Kickstarter. Again, I've never worked on
Kickstarter so I can't give an exact Like Apples to Apples, but
I kickstarter's huge. They don't have creators best
interest in mind. I'm crowdfunder is new, so at
least right now at can't say like forever, they'll feel this
way but they really want to woo us.
So they're going to go out of their way to make sure we're
having a good experience. The other nice thing is that
they don't keep my customers behind a wall with Kickstarter.
When you back a project, you are kickstarter's customer.
You are not the person whoever you're trying to get money to.
You're not there customer. They can't access your email.
They can't access like if they wanted to send you a like a
specific question that can only email you through Kickstarter.
Mmm. So that's a whole other piece as
well as like, you're paying directly to me, like, it's not
going to Kickstarter and then kickstarter's paying me, it's
going to my stripe or my PayPal, whichever one you want to use.
It's going to my business account immediately.
There's no middle man, which is extremely extremely nice and
that's the other nice thing about crowdfunder is you can
either do All or Nothing which I did do, but many creators are
doing no matter what. Like so if even if they don't
fund, they still get to take the money and then Adjust the
project that they're working on so I did All or Nothing, which
meant. Once I funded, which is funded
on day one. I clicked the fun button.
I get the money immediately, which means I've already in, so
I'm still getting money so when people back the project or they
so if they pre-order like a book or something or the digital
project, it goes straight into my bank account and I've already
been able to purchase. The supply is several of the
supplies. I need I'm getting quotes for
the book, so once I decide on the company, I want to get the
book from Originally I would I had a different, I had a certain
company in mind but we've raised so much money that.
Now I'm able to expand my options, I'll be able to pay for
proof and pay for it, physical proofs, like immediately instead
of having to wait until the money drops in my bank account
because it takes two to three weeks after a campaign closes on
Kickstarter before you even see that money.
So I have, it's been a great experience for me.
I know it hasn't been for everyone.
I think it does take an extreme dedication to marketing to be
successful in crowdfunder right now, just because there's no
built-in. Ants.
But if a lot of us go there, if we keep talking about it, if we
say it is a place to go if we make it one it can be.
It's just going to take a lot of work.
Yeah I think that's really very cool.
And yeah it seems like they tended to really trying to woo
the the Zemo crowd right now for sure.
Yeah. I think everyone's like how we
can find a new place to go? It's not Kickstarter.
Well absolutely. And you know, we've obviously so
I've backed a couple of kickstarter's in my day just
wanted to um, He's a lot of books behind you.
That I feel like we're pushing up of like 350, but like on top
of that like so and but we've also talked a lot of craters
about game found Kickstarter Indiegogo, you know, a bunch of
them and you know the problem is Kickstarter is so big that you
can pull in people that aren't necessarily Teeter BG people.
So it's always going to be hard transition to leave Kickstarter
and go somewhere else. Last year proved that when, you
know, You know did what kick-started dozen sucked and
started doing the whole like blockchain bullshit and all the
rest of that stuff. And a lot of people move the
project somewhere else and definitely weren't able to make
the funding goals that they were trying to get before
Kickstarter. And they some of them were able
to fund. So that's, it's really
disheartening and, and stressful.
I totally understand. It's just, if it's any time
transitioning, it's going to be difficult and it's suddenly
going to be hard for the people that are used to Kickstarter
money to transition. But you know, as you said, if
people are able to move to in Mass to a different platform,
it's going to be better for everyone.
But I can't even imagine having to be like I need this money to
do this, but also like, I'd like to do that.
It's a difficult choice. That like no one can be judged
for like at this point. Absolutely.
Yeah. But it's really good.
It's really, really great to hear good positive things about
crowdfunder. I mean, even just to say user
for someone who backs too many projects, you know, there are a
lot of factors on crowdfunder that It much more easy to
navigate, you know? I the one thing I was looking at
was pin project, been there are 20 different ones, but there was
a way that they were all linked together to fund like this
separate thing. So because if you put the Z
pissed, yeah. If you clicked inquest on
Kickstarter, you get stuff for five years ago, but crowdfunder
seems to have the resources, to keep it pertinent to what you're
doing to link things together, and to be a lot better.
So it's really good to hear that, you know, you're having a
good experience with it. Yeah.
For sure. And like I said, it's still new.
And I know right now they're in that like honeymoon phase of
trying to get everybody so I'm still be critical of it in terms
of like in six months from now or a year from now, we'll see
how things shake out. I have a very positive, I feel
very positive right now and I'm I'm optimistic I mean like I
said it's good PR to do. Yeah, kickstarter's Kickstarter.
We've heard nothing but bad things about game found.
You know people people really liked Indiegogo that we talked
to so it's good that they're armed.
I've heard some mixed things about Gamepad.
I've heard there's some very loud - people out there but I've
heard some some positive things from people who just aren't
screaming from the rooftops but yeah we'll see.
But maybe as you said, maybe maybe we'll get one and this
will be the one that actually sixth.
But speaking of the crowdfunder, you did actually take over into
Percent funded did I? Um yeah, so congratulations on
that way. You only have like two weeks
left to so but as a as a project not just like the content of the
project but talk about the tears that you can get on the project
like with people back, what can they actually get from you?
I'm looking to expect. Sure.
So there is the digital tier which is you'll get the digital
game over like a PDF but also you'll get an HTML version as
well as an Epub version. Those will be art free.
Why? I know there's a way to make
epubs with art but it just it, it'll be complicated for both of
us. So it's the Epub version and the
HTML version don't include art but I think the game is still
totally playable. You don't necessarily be the arc
but then they'll be the pdf version and there will be the
low res pdf version because having sometimes you just want
to play the game without having to struggle with the pages to
load. I've been very frustrated by
PDFs that are like 150 megabytes and I have a gaming computer and
even it struggles to get through.
Pages. So but then you'll also get all
the digital stretch goals which we have.
We're on our way to unlocking the last one.
The first one was winter break expansion so you'll get 20, I
think it's 22. New winter break expansion
prompts that you can just add into your game.
The second one we unlocked on Friday and that is gosh what it
do. That's the ending expansion, so
that adds 13 New Ending. So the game there's currently
three so you'll get 13 digital ones.
And then those 16 endings. Yeah nice.
Okay. But there's still open-ended to
so you can still like yeah spin, do it.
And then the next one, which we're like closing, I mean,
we're we've already raised its eight, it's at 8K, and we're
already basically at 7.5 K. So we're going to get there
before the end of the campaign. I didn't think we were going to
get there when I made this a stretch goal but it's like a
housing, a house expansion. So tangled blessings has this
really fun sorting feature. Where you use tarot cards to
find out which house you're going to live in, and
unfortunately, I could not really explore that in the base
game. The base game is 68 pages which
might not seem like a lot, but when you're trying to print a
book, it gets expensive, very fast and today those.
Yeah, and sixty eight sides. That's pretty much the max of a
Zine. If you're keeping it a Zine,
like a hard. It's not a Zine anymore.
It's we have to go. Perfect bound unfortunately go.
I love a perfect bound book, though.
God's myself. I'll say it doesn't.
Yeah, 100%. So I just like, I couldn't add
any more to the base game because like it's just, the
prompts are beautiful and long and they're full of inspiration,
but I couldn't add more. And so this expansion allows me
to expand each house. So each house will get at least
for sure. I haven't nailed down all the
specifics for this expansion yet, but there are five houses
houses in each one will get a 13 to 14.
I think it's 14. Actually prompts per house, so
that's five times 14 additional problem.
So, if you live in a house, whatever house you get assigned,
you'll be able to pull some prompts from that deck.
So every time you play there's this there's a ton of
opportunity for diversity if you get these expansions.
So that's just the first tier. That's just the $15 here you
back at the $15 here. You get all of this digital
stuff so good for you. Then there's the $5, tier, which
is the physical copy of the game.
You get all the digital stuff as well as we unlocked a digital.
Not a digital, a physical stretch goal of stickers.
So you'll also be getting a sticker sheet with your houses.
The houses are really fun and we, one of our stretch goals was
to hire an artist to do house crafts.
So, we'll be turning those house crafts.
Once she finishes those up into a sticker sheet and ship those
off, and then the next one, which I don't know if they're
even going to be left when this episode ships where we at now
we're at four remain. Anning graduate student Deluxe
limited edition boxes for our remaining, and once they are
gone, they are gone. They are extension, essentially
little experiences only buy it if you like want an experience
of opening the box having a personalized, wax-sealed
acceptance letter to this Academy.
You get a candle that is thematically scented so that you
can burn it as you play and feel like you're at the Academy,
you'll get a to two-sided. This one will have a map of the
campus and that a sample schedule and the other postcard
will have some generated generating tables to make it
easier to generate students and faculty on the spot.
Now keep in mind the map and the generating tables, those are in
the base text, you just the postcards make it easier.
So you don't have to flip back and forth to get to those
tables. If you want them in a certain
year, you can just like, prop it open and then have your stuff
over here and all of that is to just give you more inspiration
as you play the game and then there's the visiting Scholars.
It In this is for people who just are really excited about
the project. It's it's really for people who
just want to throw money at the project at the end of the day
it's a hundred dollars but you can get your name printed in the
notable alumni section of the game.
I'm putting together a survey as we all know I love surveys will
wear. It will walk you through helping
you pick a title and that type of thing so that you can be
known by like esteemed Doctorate of the mystical Arts.
Thank casting off, win like that.
Be your title in the notable alumni section.
I will also be signing those books and you get the stickers
with that as well. So, so Ryan's obviously getting
The Graduate Deluxe, it says limited edition.
So you know, that's what is the same.
But the candle once, once these candles are gone and I'm working
with delft candles, which is an amazing company, it's owned by.
Let me read her bio because she, She is been incredible.
It's owned by celinda. She lives in Decatur, Georgia.
And of candles is proudly. Queer owned.
Latina owned and women-owned. So I'm very I'm very proud and
thankful that she's on board. She approached me with the idea
and we immediately set to making the boxes a real.
Oh she approached you with the idea.
That's awesome. Yeah so cool dude.
This is an awesome project like this.
Congratulations on the success of this project.
Like it seemed he really, really super cool.
Yeah, that's my nerve. I will say I'm nervous about
That I'm nervous people who say it seems I'm just like but is
it? But it is, it is super cool.
We actually got to read it already actually.
Yeah, so is cool. So I like that, I'm very
sensitive to that. I like I don't want to over
promise, I don't want people to think this is some like, I don't
know. I just don't want them to think,
it's something. It isn't at the end of the day,
right? So it is a solo role playing
game with prompt. So, be a ton of extra problems.
You play with tarot cards, it's an experience that you Actually
have control in making, but I think you could make a really
cool experience with it. That's why take at least, you
know, at least, because it's a soldier yelling game of people
don't like it. You can't blame it on their
writing. Yeah, it's your fault.
You didn't like it actually. Hey.
And you know what? Honestly self-aware, serve you,
right worse? Worse case scenario.
You don't have stickers for the sticker.
You you know? Like that's yeah.
So yeah. The very last question that I
want to ask about is you are an adult Award-winning designer.
So you want the designer of the Year, from the game, her Awards.
How was, how was that experience wild?
So yes. So I won the designer of the
Year award from the game hers Awards.
I have recently come out as non-binary not that that matters
much to them or anybody else, but just for the sake of
conversation and it was interesting watching it because
they forgot to say my name is when they were Like going
through the people who are nominated for it.
I was surprised, I wasn't necessarily surprised, I was
nominated. I was surprised.
I made it to finals, and then, I was surprised I won.
So they forgot to say my name during the when they were
listening, people who are nominated, which I was fine.
Like, honestly, I was not necessarily paying that much
attention. I was like, it's just cool to be
here. I like, oh well.
And then then they said I won. And I was like, what reality are
we living in again? Is so it was, it was really
cool. I did get the award recently.
I don't have it with And reach, but it's really cool.
I to be completely honest, I don't think they know what that
word is, but I'm still happy to have want it.
Because I know the people who voted for me, knew what they
were voting for, and they think I deserve it and that's what
matters. Yeah, definitely.
Yeah. Now, I don't know.
Did you do the award break like immediately?
Yeah. Like what happened?
Yeah, so I just got it in the mail, literally last week.
I got it on Friday and we had all me and my friends.
Local friends had planned on going and getting drinks to
celebrate Tango blessings because it funded and we got our
stretch goal. All, I'd add new stretch goals,
but we got all of our stretch goals, hit on that the day of
launch. So we're like let's go.
Let's go celebrate let's go get drinks.
So I brought the award with me because they knew I'd want it
and they were happy for me and I wanted them to see it.
So I pulled it out of its box sounds like it's in this neat.
Let me take a picture of it while we're here because this is
a cool location and I was holding it and then I just threw
it forward and it's a Glass piece and luckily, the glasses,
honestly pretty solid. So the base just broke off.
I had to buy a lot of hot glue recently for Tangled blessings
stuff. So I just used that I had it out
already so I just use that. It's you know, if you look close
it's not a clean job but, you know, it's on a shelf, it looks
fine from the low. It looks great.
You can't see the consequence. See that now, that was a
statement, you're not defined by your accomplishment, it's all
the time. Ernie, that's why you'll need
it, you know, that's what you do.
So so we talked about Tango blessings and crowdfunder, you
know, you can find that on crowdfunder does it have like a
special? It's just crowdfunder.com sliced
and blessings. Yeah, and I think it's important
to say it's crowdfunder. Just are so cro wdf.
UND are not, ER, it's hard to find Googling it, but if you
Google tangle blessings, you'll find my itch page.
Go to the itch page and off of the drive-thru RPG page because
the drive-thru RPG page. They don't let you put links to
anywhere. Where else?
So go to the edge page and the itch page links directly to it.
If you can't find it or you can go to my website, Cassie moth
when.com. And I actually I have added it
to the homepage so you should find a link to it right at the
top there. There you go.
And then what is what's the address?
Very good speech too. Oh gosh, it's like tape.
I don't know. It's like it's not Tangled.
Les Binks.com. Let me see.
Let me see, let me see what I can feel.
Like I'm not logged in on this browser.
Yeah, just find me on it and then you'll find it.
It's not hard to find as you guys see Pages for it's Cassie.
Hyphen moth, win dot h. .I oh, there we go.
We got its kind of your cool logo, flashing different.
Colors. And it was very cool.
So and then there's still 13 days left to back Tango
blessings. We definitely recommend it.
It's a really, really cool game. I'm very excited to get the
limited edition with the candles and everything is of course
that's what I was gonna get. But Cassie listen, it's been
super great talking to, you know, watch the stream for a
while and it's really nice to have you on and actually get to
conversate about all this stuff and we're super excited to go
through clean Spirit. But um, thank you.
So, Much for being here. Thanks so much.
Have a great. It was great to meet you all.
Yeah, good to meet you too. So if you're in chat, stick
around, we are going to go through clean spirit and if
you're listening on podcast, will probably split this into
two episodes if we remember to do that.
So just click on the next episode.
But again, thank you for being here and we will be back
shortly. Hello, and welcome to the
weekly. Scroll podcast brought to by the
adventure. Archive, my name is Ryan and I'm
Hunter, because I have a funnier name right now.
And if you are still here, we were just having an interview
with Cassie Martha, win and has a Canadian game hers designer of
the year. Yeah, she was great.
It was awesome to talk to her. I've got her stream for quite a
a while and just a very nice person who does not know how to
not do things 110 percent, which is yeah.
Yeah. So next we are going to be going
through one of her games. It's called clean Spirits, a lot
of cases games are so low during games or sometimes like you can
have another player with it too but this one of the games that
has like a little bit more mechanic for group play which is
really neat. So this is the one we're going
to go over plus as someone who obsesses about Hyperlinks and
layout. As soon as I saw this one, it
just hates a pretty like, yeah. If that's your thing which we
all know what you're thinking. It's a pretty good example of
like, how to do that. Well, yeah, absolutely.
So we'll talk about that. So let's, let's fucking do it,
let's just kick it. Transition.
Boom. We did we transition?
Here we go. So this is let me get this.
Let me get this lovely. Get this little guy off the side
here. We're not doing Zemo today.
I don't remember. Oh, I just see it.
Well, I mean, listen. Yeah, we'll probably do some
Morgan but that stuff later. But anyway, so here is clean
spirit. So Cassie as far as I know, did
all the art. I remember her actually working
on this piece on stream. There might be B, I don't think
there's another artist I think all of it is her assets and
argues for a mission Barn, fentanyl paper assets by free
pick the washi tape Vector created by raw, pixel and
paperclip designed by somebody else.
So, this is clean spirit. It's an interesting game about
cleaning. It is an interesting game about
cleaning and like, yeah, I kind of really appreciate the world
get into it but like the, like, Emotional aspect of like leaning
out a place or something and like reading space and like it's
funny cuz but way more gonna go through it.
Like, they're all on different moods and like and like kind of
Vibes to this and they are all really like fitting make sense.
I'm like, oh, it's very clever. You got me like and you know
talking to the sticker game. Another one is like well this is
odd and Incredibly clever. So it really still fits in that
that's definitely Cassie space. Yeah.
Oh hardcore. Yeah, and we talked to I'm a
sticker game Fox dude, like it's so different.
I didn't even know how, like, just listen to the first 10
seconds of the clip you to be like, oh this is a different
experience and I've had before like you said like really
thoroughly done and a little bit weird.
It definitely like a really good place to be in and I enjoy it.
It kind of lives in the emotional space that I think of
like Adam bass games and that's exactly.
Yeah exactly. Like that's what I read through.
It sounds like man. Man, I was like I wonder if I
wonder if Cassie goes to Adam best stuff because I feel like
they both like there's a you know, I love killing monsters of
Sword but there's like this deeper underlying emotional
experience. You can have with a lot of the
stuff a lot of games like this. That like yeah that's definitely
strikes a lot of time and this definitely is on very similar
cord. Yeah.
This is a feel like God I also that's like the highest
confident that we can go on the show.
By the way, is, if we're like much very out of vast, like,
it's like, that's all this is about.
But I just feel like the catharsis that you can get from
this game is really fantastic and we like a lot of the game is
like very light like even just looking at this page are looking
at now. So we flip from the cover art to
just the interior page of the credit and stuff.
It's got a very light theme it's got like colors it's designed to
look like a like a day planner with tabs on the side everything
like that but you could really you could really fuck people up
with this game like you can really lean Henley and a lot of
the problems in it. It are like pretty heavy so you
know, you could, you can make this an experience that you want
to make in a bunch of different directions and now we'll read
the game, explain why but starting with the front page
here. So here's all the credits
including the patrons for Cassie's Patron.
Her dope-ass moth logo here but on the side every on the side of
every goddamn page lesson. So honestly this this is going
to be right up there with like the nines easy for layout,
depending on what we do for this.
But on the side of every page, there are a series of TAPS.
It is build goals playing, start in and Sparks, and every page
has these tabs, and you can click on every tab on every page
to go to that section. Talk about fucking navigation
tools, I mean, and for a 40-page book, like it's great to have.
I feel like that anything about that bigger bigger need
something at least like this, but I like I Of this so so much,
it's not even funny. It's very, very cool.
There's also like I think you were talking about.
It's like supposed to look like a day planner and like because
the little tab he's on the side. You're like yeah it's like a
little planner you know. Just know.
That's us, that's us trying to, but we're just peeked out of the
top of the scene here. So anyway, yeah, exactly.
Like it's a it's so good. I really loved it.
And not only that not only that, let's look over here.
Let's open this bar. Do we have?
Yep there's bookmarks baby. So as far as navigation tools
just good good fucking job Cassie.
This is really fantastic. This really hits me right in
right in the heart. Love it so much.
So, what is this game? What is this game?
So, we're getting into a table of contents here, which is 0.
It's hyperlinks. It is also hot air expands into
a hand. There we go.
So we're talking about intro, safety mood build goals actually
playing the game, the start of the end and Sparks for the game.
And throughout this, if you listen to podcasts land again,
it's got this day planner Vibe like there.
It looks like Post-It note stuck to it or pieces of tape stuck to
it, or things stuck to it. So, the entire lighter all the
way through is meant to look. Like a day planner.
So getting going in the game here.
I do have this in spreads which, you know, Is the thing I'm a
page guy you know that but I feel like this bull spreads guy
every time you and ideas every time it's like oh no I prefer to
look this is how I'm going to look at when I have it so yeah
but I don't know I don't know I would like a couple more pieces
in here that like you need to experience this spread is a
spread. Yeah well that's another reason
I did it and plus it's also not like super widespread either
like the pit like it's a pretty narrow thing but just the the
layout of it was like the tab on the side and tabs on the side or
tabs on the top and tops inside. I feel like This is one that
does maybe in spreads and it fits the page well.
So anyway, how connected? Are you with your space?
How carefully have you talked to treasured item into a safe?
No, cook how haphazardly have you stacked, your books, stored,
your clothes are adorned, your walls are space to say a lot
about us. The things we care about the
things we don't, and the state of our mental health, the state
of our wallets spaces can say a lot.
About the characters we play in role-playing games to clean
spirit, is a game that seeks to capture the sense of Discovery
and mindfulness that cleaning and organizing can Inspire play
this. Aim to explore, it matters to
your character and their companions.
So in this game will work both alone and with your fellow
players to achieve cleaning goals.
The rules mechanics are friendly to role-playing beginners and
the game can be completed in one, three, to four hour
session, depending on the number of players and how much you role
play. We're going to get into the
different parts. So I'm not going to say that.
But yeah, here's another, here's a great art piece here on the
side. It looks like the like a space
station with like an opening hatch in it.
Which is dope with some like plants crawling up the side.
Edit, which immediately tells you.
This doesn't. It isn't just like your house,
you know. Yeah.
There's a little intro here on the side, some writing, we're
not going to go through that by the book, read it, but it's just
a nice kind of like intro into, you know, the fiction that could
be part of the game if you want it to be.
And then we get to the welcome of just like, you know,
continuation of what is this game?
And what are we doing? So it says let's chat a while.
Leaning while fun for some is never easy, prepare some snacks
and Your Favorite Beverages argue over the type of music
that best fits your group. Adjust the lighting until I one
is mildly uncomfortable, allow our pet or conversation topic to
steal the show. Remember you were about to play
a game and now we're ready to dig in.
So, one of the things I like about this game that, I guess
it's just kind of hitting my head right now, is the catharsis
does remind me the sticker game a little bit?
Where the sticker game is about like using your stickers and
letting go of them and actually taking something And this game
is about cleaning stuff up and putting things away and finding
things and then and then deciding what to do with them.
So there's a certain level of catharsis that seems to be
across a lot of her games, which is cool.
So what do you need to play this game?
Several tokens, like coins exercise Rox button, something
like that. You need 16 sided die and a way
to track your goals and notes. If you desire, but don't start
until you discuss your tone. Agree on the world, agree on a
dwelling, agree, on group goals and personal goals.
So that's how to set the game up.
So a lot of the game is More about.
I think the most of the zine is as a setting it up.
Yeah. It seems like yeah.
So their Styles apply. You can play with a GM, you
don't need a GM. But if you do want someone to
just kind of like guide you through the game, you can but
how what I read it, how I would play and I think the intention
is, is to play as a group, like, it's GM list, but you can, if
you want, but I would go GM. Let's just like a group
narrative game. This is definitely Falls
distinctly on the opposite spectrum of the osr.
Directly into just narrative storytelling game.
Yeah. Yeah.
If you're new to role-playing games, Hello, I set up a little
corner for you with your lovely window, lighting.
So it's got like the kind of like if you never played a game
for here it is this one be a bad intro into tabletop role-playing
games. At least the The Narrative side
of the space. So yeah.
So important notes, safety tools?
We love talking about safety tools, here on the show, use
them, if you're like, fuck safety tools, fuck you.
And then, you know, I should have awareness of saving Tools
in space, you know? Yeah, exactly.
This have awareness of your players to like it's dumb.
It's just not. It's done.
Lots, at least have address them in some fashion, even if it's
not overtly because you played with the same group for a long
time, but honestly, we talked about it, like the game looks
light. It feels light, it can be very
heavy. How much like we said out of
assets and you can use skim this game could make you cry very
easily. Oh yeah, so cleaning can feel
therapeutic. But can also reveal upsetting
truths discuss was off limits or what can be explored.
Cassie talks about the teacher RPG.
Safety tool kit, from Kennesaw and Lauren Bryant monk.
There's a link here. Does it link out?
It does. Look at that directly to that,
which is always great to see and there's a soon as you Here,
clean spirit and cleaning game. You're going to think of Marie
kondo. Who recently on Twitter said
she's had three kids and is basically given up on trying to
keep stuff tidy. So listen, haha, I'll have a
good excuse. If the queen herself, can't do
it. You are fine.
It's okay. You're allowed to be messy.
The quote, is that the objective of cleaning is not just a clean,
but to feel happiness, living within that environment.
Listen, what brings me joy. Is making my place feel lived in
like my wife loves things to be not just a way, but away in a
basket on a shelf and I have terrible ADHD in object
impermanence. So if I don't have my fucking
face, looks good right next to the sink.
I'm never going to use it your name real ever use it.
So Mom, what forever do I recently?
Let me tell you what real quick. I recently started using retinol
use it bro I'm telling you like shit slaps.
It's for anyone out there moisturize, what feeling joins
you. So this is a mood section within
his, so it's picking a tone. So, emotions are powerful.
Story, drivers talk to each other, about feelings and moods.
You want to explore cleaning can create competitive and jovial
environments. So there's a whole list here of
tones. You can do I like a little put a
little slip of paper with some, with some tape, on it humorous,
Dreadful peaceful, Tinder hopeful, relaxing, gleeful
hateful, you know, like what's crazy We talked about this over
and over again. Like this could just be your
house, it could be like a fantasy place in your
neighborhood if you want that setting to be real.
This could literally be going to like a burnt-out keep that your
party is coming back to after an adventure.
Like this is your space that you have owned, right?
And in between your adventures, you go back to just chill out,
drop your gold off and it's destroyed and now you have to
clean up the entire place. Like there's such a variety that
you can do in this it's super Interesting.
There is a another kind of writing a bubble here with some
more. Let's talk about a barn and you
know, the family's artifacts and stuff again by the book read
that, you know, it's a great little piece of writing but
we're not going to read through it too much.
A lot of really great like little mini narratives scattered
throughout all this and they're like, yes I'm over.
That one's kind of like the Brenda Barton was kind of having
for some reason for me, you know.
Eddie. So yeah, I mean you're it's a
burnt. Like that's exactly the same
like the go into a burnt-out space and like, really being
able to pull stuff out. Like she don't mean again, she's
creative writer, she's a great writer.
So definitely how they make of recommend, reading threes
through when you get to it. So now we're on the build
section, which is again, setting up the game a little bit more.
So clean Spirit, fits where you need it, it can be at the start
of a new campaign, it can be a mid campaign episode, it can be
wrapping up a story and saying goodbye.
By even and there are hyperlinks in line hyperlinks on time
hyperlinks. Listen, the height of luxury,
you know, there we go. So start from nothing before you
can clean. You'll need to agree on a few
things. With your fellow players, the
section of guides you roughly through creating a world
character dwelling and a little history about your group unless
you have all the time in the world.
I'm, you want to limit this to about 20 minutes and there is a
word cloud on the next page to help you get going.
So there's a list here. You know, when you look at this
list what is the first thing that jumps out at you like
three? Just three words.
Cyber initiative, science fiction, desert island science
fiction desert island go. I am.
I am just as such a basic fucking bitch because fantasy
Kingdom and like, ended up drugs, like, jumps out of me,
but, you know, I'm obviously the fantasy boy here, but there's
great ones. Teleporters technology, dance
fashion, it's a great set. It's a great list of order to
have to get. You think it really is a fit
where you need a game like you really?
Yeah, you can definitely I could very easily see this like you
Have like a longer term campaign.
You have like players really bother him like man, I could
really see that. Like yeah, you're great defeat,
you know, your party's great to feed their this just structure
their helmets. Like you go back you you know,
clean out home to rebuild for the future and that being like
you play this. It's a heavier fucking episode
and like I could see the hitting really hard really well, a lot
of groups. Yeah, I mean, when I, when I
picture this game, That's exactly how I picture it is.
Have is being heavy as fuck, like, obviously, you can do it
as light as you want and make this like fun.
And like, you know, do a whole thing, not that being heavy as
in fun. That's just, I think the kind of
fun that we enjoy, but I am. That's what I immediately go to
is like, how can I fuck these people up?
You know what I mean? Like, yeah, how can I make him?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So talk about characters.
So for your characters you need names, pronouns General,
understanding of your Origins, a secret.
The size of which is up to you likes, interests, Hobbies
relationships, things like that. So, one of the things you need
is dynamic relationships, and that's the next thing, it's try
to give relationships to each character within your group work
together. Decide what's appropriate.
So who do you look up to who to turn to for Comfort?
To have you been romantically involved to somebody?
What a, who do you? Wish you were closer with.
So, a lot of great prompts to build the interpersonal
relationships because you're not just like five strangers in a
space cleaning, I guess you could be, but, you know, It, I
think it hits harder when you all know each other and have
some connection, your character does not until I'm actually
planning like a little mini campaign coming up for a dips.
And I'm like one of the big time starting them as like villagers,
you know. And I might, I might destroy
their Village and use this we go.
Yeah. Yeah.
You're gonna clean out home. Tell me about these people that
you were close to, you know, that's such a great way to also
use this like that, what talked about, like, kicking off a
campaign that way. But like, I'm just, like, World
building your, your, like, your home and the people, you know,
and then going from there, that's a great way to start it.
Mmm. Especially with what I know.
I had ups. You know what I mean?
Like, you're like, yeah, you know, your kind of chased, right
week. Yeah, totally.
It's all thing is, like, you're pursued for having power.
So, yeah. So it's a great way.
Like, you could, I mean, how many times did they do them Star
Wars? It's like imagine if Luke went
back to like Uncle Ben's place and had to like clean that place
out. Yeah.
After Like the smoldering corpses were outside like that's
what this could be used for. Nice.
There. You have what?
Now we have it. So um, yeah.
Shout out your like actually my I'm like, oh, I also like, I
feel like have tangentially related to what we just said.
Like, if you have a group that like my group is very, very
video game me, right? And I want to play apps with
them and I think they have the capacity for it, but I need them
to buy in more. Like this is a great way.
It's like you guys are gonna help me write this like
narrative and it's going to be like a little bit of a rougher
episode but You were going to write parts of this narrative
and then I'll help them by in more, you know?
Oh, my God whispering a little bit because they're in this
apartment, I want them to hear this at the plan, you know,
that's what's up, you know? And it's just for those who
don't know, adults out of this is a game that eventually we'll
talk about like, more in-depth on stream.
But is the game that Hunter is, you know, kind of working on on
his social change form so much over the past, even two months,
so crazy. But yeah, maybe maybe one day
we'll talk about our games on But yeah, that's a great way to
kick it off. So talk about the characters you
don't have to have a fully fleshed-out character and
exactly what on Earth is this talking about.
This could be a way to really help develop your character and
the dynamic relationships they have with the party to kick
something off. The next thing you want to do is
create your dwelling. You roll a 6-sided dice on each
of the lower the list below and choose what your group likes.
So there's location population, dwelling.
Yeah. So a large body of Water
mountains crater things like that population to be isolated
rural dense crammed anything and then dwelling could be 0.
It says population changes frequently.
Could it just got all murked you know?
So yeah and dwelling Cottage cave, space cruiser stronghold.
I really like all of the variety of problems that Cassie uses to
to make sure that you know this isn't like you can use this in
any space at any time, you know the answer.
Was to keeping it, you know, modern or pure question of
energy, which is great. So the next thing is supposed to
do is map your dwelling. Before you start the game.
Everyone must have a comfortable understanding of the layout.
Just a rough sketch is totally fine.
A dwelling is much more than just lay out.
Consider these questions as a group what rooms are sections?
Does it contain what objects and Furniture there?
How many layers does it contain dozens of heating or cooling?
What kind of bathing facilities? I was food prepared.
Basically, like, don't just draw a map, like, explain how the
space is. I slipped in, you know, and and
make sure people understand that if they leave this room, they're
going to hit the kitchen. And if they leave this room,
they're going to go. So, you know, because I can
imagine in gameplay, like people leaving to go to different areas
together and stuff like that, too.
It's good idea to have an understanding of what it is even
if it's just a quick rough sketch.
Yeah, tell you on sticky notes, like sketch out, you know, where
to us square and divided it up, you know.
Yeah, I can imagine again if this got a physical Edition and
it came with a good day, planner the cool things that you could
send with it like personalized, Keynotes and pins and stuff like
that. To keep it all organized and
then talk about the state of the dwelling.
Why are you cleaning? There can be many answers to the
questions but figure out why. So maybe you need a fresh start.
Maybe important company is visiting, which is the only
reason I clean. The location has been abandoned
passive taken over things like that.
You need to take a stock is applies.
You know, the it is a burned-down husk that you're
coming back to. Yeah, I'm like that.
So then you want to talk about your Our goals, the obvious
goals of cleaning is to have a clean space but cleaning is just
stage for more interesting things to happen between a
characters. So you wanna talk about timing
decide. Why the cleaning needs to be
done right now and how long you have to do it?
Whatever reason makes sense to you, you have a limited amount
of time to clean the command an hour, a day, a week or even
longer but it should be a set period of time.
So that there is like any time you put a timer on things, it
can keep the pace moving forward.
Instead of just being you know. Superfluous.
So, regardless of your in-game reason, you only ever have
enough time to complete to group goals and to personal goals, and
we'll get into group goals and personal goals in a second.
And the tip is, you can solve personal and group goals in
whatever order you want. But the game wraps up better.
If you end it with a group goal and to replace personal goal and
why this time matter is, because as you role play, you may have
trouble finding reasons to keep your character involved and a
timer. It can also, you know, give you
that the sense like I said, so creating personal goals is
really interesting. It's It's multi-level here.
It's not just as a group, you're cleaning, there's things that
you should be doing individually as well as trying to accomplish
things as a goal. So we're throwing together
traditional goal-setting techniques out, the window avoid
goals, like all clean, my bedroom are all help wash
dishes. Leave having an abstract thing.
Honestly that can just hurt a little bit more or or encourage
emotional investment is better to have.
So you want to pick or create three goals.
There's a list here, it isn't. It almost looks like jump out at
you. Um, let's do.
Sorry. I was I'm going to be honest.
I was looking at group goes. I think prove yourself to
yourself is a great one, you know, really good one, as really
good ones are pretty heavy one. But, like, I can do this, I, I
can like, yeah, I feel like, I feel like, I mean, we'll get
into more to group goes to, but I feel like group, got the
personal goals, feel heavier to me than the group goals, you
know? Like as a group, I don't have
your kind of, like, cleaning the space, whatever, personal goals.
Like, I mean, accepting that things are out of your control,
saying goodbye for giving someone a, Apologizing for
hurting someone, there's a lot of heavy shit in the personal
goals. Say goodbye those are really
good one like yeah. Like yeah there's because I'm
now I'm now applying this to like that teacher game that it's
like, oh saying goodbye Mike. This is like they're going to
leave home, you know. Yeah dude.
That's that's such a good way to start it.
This is such a good way to start a campaign.
Is literally just being like you, you come over like, even if
even if it's just used just survived on it.
Ack. Yeah and now you need a help
clean up and leave because there's nothing left for you.
That's so good. And so heavy and such a great
way to do World building. So I'm stoked for that session,
dude. Well, I mean I'm not even but
like I'm stoked to hear you are play report on it.
Yeah, it's really cool. So creating grumbles of this
guy. If you don't you lost, I tell
you. Thank you.
So create your group goals. Your group will need three goals
before you start the game. So you have three personal and
three group but you Have to accomplish to group and then to
personalize each to finish the game.
So your group will need three goals where you start the game,
don't select a goal like it, get mud off, the wagon and said,
pickles are abstract and hard to measure.
Maybe goal is to pay respects to the dead or maybe a group needs
to improve your social standing in the neighborhood discuss.
What's best for that? And then, as a note, the game is
designed to help you complete whatever goals you create
matter, what they are. So avoid setting goals that are
too lofty, like you want abstract goals, but you want
them to be able to be a I'll play store, you're going to but
can play forever, right? Right.
Um, so any of the group goals jumped out of you, what was I
just saying, I lie, I think honoring someone was a good one,
you know, finding lost items once again.
Like I already, I am. So in a space for this now,
Mike, I know how I'm using, is some time looking for things
that fulfill that yeah, really think we're really of great
memories to. I'm thinking like, destroyed
Hometown, like he say, like reliving these Like moments in
this space, you know, like, I think that there's like a
happier space for. This is why he's very positive
way. They use this game.
The like, I'm like, how can I decimate?
Those guys were broken. Listen, this is how it works.
So I think one of the one, like, honor someone's great repair
broken searches is great. But like, you know, there's the,
the personal goal of like saying, goodbye, but I think
even as a group go like having something like, you know,
basically, like I don't even know how you could say it but
basically, like getting the space.
Like in a condition to be able to let it go and and know it's
going to be okay or to like fun like wrap it up, is it would be
a great group goal to just be like, okay.
Like I feel like I guess it is still just a personal goal,
she's already got it covered. So anyway, yeah, this is a good
repair broken structures. Discover what needs restocking?
I mean, these are I feel like against these are a little bit
less abstract, you know, specifically like repairing
something that's broken or revitalizing plans is a little
different than Learning how to say, goodbye, you know, but
here's a, here's a cool piece of, you know, full-page art,
here is a bunch of low. I am models, you know, you got a
little, got a little squirrel with his glasses on got some
birds and inside is this, you know, kind of like birds nests
space with this own little, like, mushroom lamp, with the
lights on and buttons on the wall and stuff.
Obviously, a pocket watch on the wall is a clock.
That's cute. It's got this, you know, magic,
you know, rope stuff around it, it's great, I Gene Tierney,
quote, I knew I could not cope with the future unless I was
able to tourist ReDiscover the past.
So all right we're getting into playing the game now.
So throughout the game you'll make progress starts on page 34.
You can click that and you'll gain tokens tokens represent and
track your motivation, which I think is such a great mechanic
to use. Like you have to stay motivated
to clean in the space and that's great.
Absolutely, completing a personal goal, personal goals
will always cost. A player 3 motivation tokens to
complete players must choose. Between using their motivation
to complete the group goals or their own.
And when a player turns in motivations to complete a goal,
a few things should happen. One, the player should announce
that they're about to check out one of the goals to the
pleasure, describe how they would like to see it through.
And three of the group of the GM agree, to the proposed scene and
role play begins. It kind of reminds me of a
little tiny bit of microscope. And if you played microscope,
but it's kind of a microscope. I just got to tell if it's like,
it's like, it's literally like, a world-building to.
Like, I've let her use it to build a world to play games, and
I don't know other people that do that, but you can build out a
timeline. You can go from like epic scenes
to, like, literally, literally individual interpersonal scenes
to help build out of world. This reminds me a little better
that where it's get this like proposed because in that is the
same way. Like, you save, like you take
this character role you take this character role.
I'm not sure how the scene is going to play out that What
we're trying to figure out and then you just do it.
I really like this idea of just like, okay, this is the go like
to accomplish. This is how I'd like to do it.
Let's role play it and just see kind of what happens and it's a
really neat way to do it. So as a player is completing
their goal, a lot of character to be the star of the scene if
possible find ways for characters to support them.
So there is a little blurb here on the side.
I think this is a good one to read.
How about? So, I was you be gentle because
I and Chris, right? So go for hitting him, some Jen.
No but I have enough motivation. I think I'm going to work on
completing one of my goals. Sokaya says, you still have all
your goals left, which do you think makes sense?
For the story is, considering my goal to apologize to the
character Chris is playing. Would you be up for that?
Kind of seeing Chris Pratt says that would be an interesting
scene to explore. I can't promise my character
will accept your apology. I'm ready to be heard.
She knows how fucking heavy. She's about to cry.
So the other thing too that got added to this section here, from
a legal perspective, is at the top.
Now, instead of just on the side, there are two tabs, so
there is a player sheet. When you click on that tab, it
takes you to the players sheet. And then on the, on the right
side, there's a make progress tab which takes you to the To
the page that describes how progress is made just fucking
good fucking job. Like, it really is a good job,
like great. Like I would honestly set this
up as an example of people when they're, like, laying out their
book on ways to navigate it easier because you can easily
like we said, convert this to a physical book.
Oh, totally. Yeah, I'm sure be expensive to
have like personalized tabs and stuff in it but I mean it does
require funding this work. So so Game.
So completing a group called group goal, motivation requires
changing on the number of players.
So two players group goals cost, three motivation, three, it's 54
at 75. It's 9 and 6 Plus costs eleven
motivation so a three-player game.
Requires a players pay five motivation tokens total to
complete a group goal in the five motivation tokens.
Could in Theory come from one person, but ideally everyone
will work together. So you can accomplish a group
and personal goals in any order. Once motivation tokens are
collected for a Group goal, decide together how that
manifests in the narrative. For example, if one of your
group goals is, reduce tension, turn in the required motivation
tokens. And describe how you would like
to do that. Have a conversation.
Once you agree on a scene or role play it.
And after finishing, in first group goal, you'll encounter
something unfortunate. So, there's another little blurb
here on the side for how a group goal could go do, do you want to
read that one too? Are you gonna just go past
again? Yeah.
Yeah, I missed your call back that starts going up and down
and rereading sir. And parts because I'm like, I'm
now I'm not see your. I see the wheels rolling, I see
the wheels turning ideas. Mike.
Okay. Okay, okay.
Okay. So, yeah, let's see that all.
Yeah. Why don't you be Vincent?
And well, I was just going back and forth in this.
Yeah, we have tokens in the pool to complete the goal.
How do we cross off reduce tension?
Randall says, we can't just cross it off.
We need to decide how we want to reduce tension, whatever
characters got into a pillow fight.
I guess I'll be best to um, I like that.
Which character should start it? Danny says, well, my character
was fluffing, the throw pillows. So I feel like it makes sense.
If he starts it Vincent again, this sounds fun and it matches
our light-hearted tone. We discussed earlier.
Let's role play it out. I'd like that the difference
between by love how light hearted this example is if I'm
just like in the darkest place in the world right now but like
okay so they might find some Bodies is like the bad thing is
really really you know. And I like that it's a
Counterpoint to the the player goes above it which was a little
bit earlier you know. It says like I'm ready to be
hurt. Like I'm trying to apologize and
they might not accept it. And then it's like let's do a
pillow fight. Like it just again she does a
really really, really good job of expressing that the game can
be as tonal as you want it to be.
Which is, which is a really, which is really, really, really?
Yeah, this can go but Bunch different ways and I have friend
who played much different games than me and they would do where
they would wear this very differently.
Yeah, yeah, listen. Again, we are we're fucked up.
People. You and I you and I you and I
are like how bad can make these people.
Yes, I mean, he's personally for me, like, I'm like, looking for
a way to get some newer role players to buy into character
and like, I'm like, okay, well you're gonna make characters,
they're just like you. So you can feel more emotionally
attached to them and then I'm going to decimate them
emotionally and this is how I'm going to do it.
So 100%, I mean, again my goal for this would be for people
Able to cry like in a fun way. Yeah, no it's not like I want
them to feel bad. I want them to feel, you know,
yes, that's exactly what it is. Yeah, I mean, it's again, it's
one of the reasons we love out of Essa stuff like there's so
much emotion in their in their gameplay and stuff and You know
when we can also get like you know, cyber metal and that her
knowledge and stuff like that to where you get, you know, the
other aspect of it but a lot of the games that are especially
you know, more music-related, they're meant to make, you just
feel shit. Absolutely more people need to
feel stuff. Listen, staggering stop being
fucking NPCs like don't just float through life.
You only get one feel shit, you know.
All right. So dealing with something
unfortunate. So we talked about this earlier.
After the first goal is met, you have to Deal with something
unfortunate. So what does that mean?
So something unfortunate happens after you complete a group goal
but only the first time pick a table that matches the tone of
your game. Roll, a 6-sided dice, and check
the table to see what unfortunate event with your
group must deal with work together to solve it.
So let's go through the four tables and you just roll 46 and
we'll do one for each one. So first is the mot so there's
mild challenging demanding in a possible.
So for mild, nothing will be lost.
In the issue is easy to overcome.
So roll a D6 for me when so an object is too heavy to move.
Even Magic. Why does your group want to move
it? Who left it there and does it
still serve a purpose? Good one.
Hold on. Okay, so the second one is
challenging. It is easily solved but it might
take longer. So a to know that you're off
three, you are off a little bit. You're like, oh sorry.
So look through Zoom who this is, right?
There's a group disagreement, what causes it?
Why is it? Such a big deal?
Do you compromise and how do you handle the conflict?
That's a good one. That's a great one.
Yeah, so the third level is demanding.
Someone may lose motivation and time, but problems are still
solvable and you hit, you got the two again, so demanding
events. Slowly everyone in the group
comes down with the same illness.
It's actually really like this one.
This is the one that I really enjoyed magic or healing items.
Don't seem to cure it. It doesn't seem like finding,
but it's an outbreak of some sort.
How do you care for each other? While you whether this temporary
illness and what do you think? Caused it?
All players lose any motivation to have collected.
So that's this is I feel like demanding and a possible or
where I'm at with a lot of these things.
And then the last one, the last one is impossible.
Yeah, so it says lose motivation and time and the problem may end
the game in possible events are better for one shots as they can
lead to disheartening endings and death.
So three again, there's a structure collapse was it a
storm poor construction or sabotage?
What area? Is gone.
How much damage is done any cleaning?
You've accomplished is likely ruined, how does the group
react? So yeah, this is brutal and this
is one of the ones like a lot of them say it may be time to end
the cleaning but the impossible ones are ones that are really
really liked a lot. So the first one is someone in
the group is charged with a crime.
It's a second. One is you receive upsetting
news someone you know has been deeply hurt and may not make it
on the third one. Yeah, the fourth one of fire
starts and burns unnoticed for a while how much of the space is
destroyed the fifth when you've had a good run, but it's time
for someone to leave the group and then the Last one is
settling, your dwelling becomes uninhabitable why so those are
those are really really great ones.
Yeah. So how to make progress every
time you make progress, quote unquote, this capital M p--, you
are awarded one motivation token.
You cannot gain more than one motivation.
Token at a time quote unquote. Because there are alternate
rules players can make progress by asking another character.
A moving question, helping another character, with one of
their goals offering a solution to the problem.
Deepening, the shared history getting lost in thought it's
kind of like if inspiration. He was good.
Like it's basically if you advance the story in a way you
make someone feel something. Boom here's a token and then you
use those for your personal and group goals.
So these are narrative moves while you get a motivation
token. When you make progress, a real
word should be moving the story forward.
So it's it's the moves were made along the way.
So next we get into the character sheet which is pretty
straightforward. There's a whole side of
relationships origins. The Secret likes and interests
hobbies to write on the right, you can write out their three
group. All's you can write any three
character goals, their tips on the sheet 2, so build a detail.
So yes, when you can create excuses, the next page is the
page that and that's where the player type takes you.
The next one is the make progress, tab takes you to this
page. So it's how you can make
progress and how you can get motivational tokens.
So that's great. And then with like five pages
left, we actually get to playing the game.
So a lot of Game is set up and obviously we were talking about
playing the game too but this is how it goes.
So we you know, we love numbered lists on how to play games.
So it says well yeah so one this is more of like a recap than
like just getting to it since we already did the setup.
So one create goals to set the scene 3, take turns attempting
to make progress for gain motivation. 5 used motivation,
accomplished groups and personal goals, group, goals and personal
goals. Six encounter, an unfortunate
event after one group was completed, seven finish more
goals and eight, create a conclusion, and that's it.
So, before the game starts, tell each other where you are in your
dwelling, you can start a senator Hall basically pick
where you're going to start and then you can start by going
around in a circle and keep that format if you like or just make
it a conversation. So good way to start is I'm like
it madlib sitting or standing in location, I'm alone with my
companions. I look around and see describe
what you see. The first thing I'm going to do
is fill in the blank. So if you prefer talking in the
third person, you can, there's an example set up, which is
great and then ending the game, this is just wrapping up and
then we're about done. So, wrapping up the game, the
game ends, when you have completed two group goals and
each player's, completed to character goals or personal
goals, you may discover internal struggles, that hinder your
progress, and that's okay. When the game ends, take a few
minutes to reflect On the group, do you feel closer to have a
better understanding of what's important?
Have you learned something new? And I do like both optional
rules. So between the scenes is the
first one. Some players find difficult to
remember, when they should gain motivation tokens, or that
awarding them shows play. If you find this to be the case,
consider a between the scenes rule, a player can say and seen
whenever they feel like characters and made progress
once, and seen has been said, this scene should be treated
like a Fade to Black, and you can actually discuss who earns
motivation? Ins be kind and don't use this
as an excuse to interrupt roleplay.
So don't just like shut someone up by saying.
Yeah. And then the second optional
rule which I like sometimes I think like I would use sometimes
and I like it, it's a great role but if you or your fellow
players get caught up in a long scene feel free to reward
everyone in motivation token and said trying to decide how and
when each person makes progress, well, Ivy do it.
I would definitely use that rule.
Like I 100% if they, if they are peed and they were all like,
yeah, oh, they're 100% of reward them for that, you're right.
This is like if inspiration was actually good, there's a whole
page here of Sparks. So there's adjectives types.
You know, there's acquired via formerly owned by and then
there's thought starters for like, if you're sitting like
what assert, like where you're sitting, what a surface could
be, what a sleeping surface is cooking accessories.
So it's a great whole page here of Sparks, there's a ton of
them. And, and that's, that's the
game. Yeah.
Well, the coal, like, you could do this as a standalone.
This could be like a kind of almost minigame I cancers
earlier, but like all the cool fucking Project, we just went
through. Like I'm like, I'm all full of
ideas now, you know? Yeah.
It's really good again. Like Cassie does like make them
feel so bad. Yeah, like I feel, I feel like a
lot of games just hurt and good ways and there's a lot of
catharsis to it. She writes, it was really great
talking with her. So again, if you're listening in
Pakistan and you definitely want to click on either, we'll
probably just keep this linked into into one episode.
So you'll probably have a 4 because this was a pretty quick
go through. We're still figuring out what we
want to do for for Zine scoring. We're gonna have a conversation
with that, but I feel like maybe sometime in March, we should
maybe do like a Zine recap, maybe even through all of last
year and do like you just a quick like, threescore thing
when we figure it out. I, I'd, I would love to do that.
Yeah, I think, you know exactly what to do basically like our
second, our second re-review special because we did one with
the last time we change up some rules.
So, this is what I think we going to revisit when we we talk
about that. But that's clean spirit.
I mean Cassie, you know, I hope she keeps putting out good
stuff. I'm excited to tangle We did, we
already got to go through it because we are content creators,
and it's super worth having. So, highly recommend going and
checking out her stuff on the edge.
Check out our webpage, where she not only does this stuff.
She also does like game reviews and read-throughs to check out
our stream for the flip throughs.
Definitely somebody keep an eye on here and then teach RBG space
and that's it. So you can find us at let me
kick. You can find us at VDOT weekly
dot scroll for our Instagram. I'm gonna say I'm gonna update
it. I'll get it one day.
Maybe. B and then Twitter on weekly
underscore scroll. And you can definitely find all
of our vods on YouTube at the adventure archive.
I don't know if you saw it. We recently rebranded.
Did you see David? You logo?
Yeah, the adventure archives, a new logo.
We wanted to move away from Dyson dragons and all that kind
of crap because we're pretty much not 15 anymore.
So it's a cleaner logo. I that I didn't realize it.
It's kind of it fits a little bit in with Tito.
You have to take a Black and White theme it looks really
cool. And who runs our game on
Thursdays and Jess, who is also a member of the group.
They did a really amazing job with the logo looks fantastic.
So great job for them so you can check that out at the adventure.
Archive do us a solid go sub to us.
We're climbing up into the mid 650s hoping to hit 1000 Subs,
this year. Maybe get you to partner.
So that would be great if you could do that and then you can
find our podcast anywhere you listen to it but that's all I
got buddy. Very well, cool.
All right off, we will see you all later this week tomorrow.
Aeroplane betrayed him with Micah.
Yeah. And then I think Friday, we're
chat with the meal Boven. About the electric on Friday
morning fucking excited. Yeah Friday.
Yeah, yeah. And then we're going to do a
flip through the election archive issue.
One. So you'll definitely want to
check that out. But you guys all have a
wonderful night and we will see you next time.
Bye. Well.