Category Archives: Advice

Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan Interview

Advice, Podcasts, , ,

Episode 86 – Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan Interview

The prolific and talented Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan joins the lads for some gaming chat and excellent advice on writing scenarios. We cover the writing process, collaborating with others, creating specifically for convention games and why gaming books should be useful at the table, among other things. A lot of what Gar says makes perfect sense and our glorious listeners may wonder, as we did, why it’s not just this obvious for everyone – but that’s the mark of someone good at what they do – making it all seem to easy!

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Designing Scenarios

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Episode 83 – Designing Scenarios

Scenarios are what it’s all about! Thanks to glorious supporters on Patreon, The Smart Party have pumped out a couple of adventures – one whimsical from Baz and another more gritty from Gaz. This week the lads chat about the process of designing their own scenarios and some of the tips and tricks they’ve learned from their own writing and reading (and playing) other peoples’. Struggle to write your own stuff? Wonder what goes on behind the scenes? This podcast is for you!
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Teachers & Teaching

Advice, Podcasts,

Episode 78 – Teachers & Teaching

This week the lads are joined by educators Pete Atkinson and Neil Gow to talk about how teaching influences gaming, or vice versa. Is the noble art of pedagogy something that helps or hinders young minds when it comes to playing games? With a teacher of primary, secondary and further education on board, the assembled classroom discusses what lesson we can all learn.
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Satine Phoenix Interview

Advice, Podcasts,

Episode 77 – Satine Phoenix Interview

Community Manager of Dungeons & Dragons, co-creator of Maze Arcana (with Ruty Rutenberg) and all around great ambassador of D&D and gaming in general Satine Phoenix joins the lads for some great chat on D&D, communities, sending people to sleep, D&D around the world, gaming in a castle and all sorts. Strap yourselves in for some delightful conversation and heartfelt chat about our great hobby!
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New GM Advice

Advice, Podcasts,

Episode 71 – New GM Advice
(a.k.a. Your Job Is To Lose Every Fight)

How do you go about running your first game? Do you want to be a DM, GM, LM, Referee or Keeper? Perhaps you’ve played for years but never run a game, maybe you’ve never gamed at all, is could be you tried running games and didn’t really get on with it. Fear not! The Smart Party are here to help. The lads go through how to go about running your first RPG with everything from whether you should buy and adventure, to giving yourself enough credit and the minutiae of wee breaks. They’re super keen to know how you get on should you try a game – so let them know – and please do share with any friends you think might benefit from some sage advice.
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A New Campaign 2018

Advice, Podcasts,

Episode 66 – A New Campaign 2018

It’s the start of a glorious new year and the lads discuss what they’ve got for Christmas, how to start a new campaign, what new and exciting games they may be setting up for 2018 and other goodness. Do you remember Transhuman Space? That and more could be in the offing this year…

Give sacrifice to the Patreon fund, and we’ll keep attending great events, and recording more content for you, dear listeners. Both of you. At time of writing we’re at a sufficient level to get the boys writing a producing a fanzine – so in 2018 our loyal Patrons have even more to look forward to.

Check out their Facebook page. Find them on the Twitters: @the_smart_party or email the guys.

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Ken Rolston at The Kraken

Advice, Conventions, Podcasts,

Ken Rolston, known for his work on Elder Scrolls (Morrowind and Oblivion), Paranoia and many other gaming successes, joins us for a chat about all things game related. From his long and storied history in the hobby, producing an RPG, the state of the video gaming industry, RPG tips and stories, to many amusing anecdotes, Ken was a delight to chat to.

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Playing Up

Advice, Podcasts

Episode 57 – Playing Up
(a.k.a Player’s advice for players)

We have books full of gaming advice for GMs, but where is all the help for players? What can you do to help your fellow players out? Shouldn’t we all just be helping each other have a great time?

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New Year, New Ideas

Advice, Podcasts

Episode 22 – Taking Ideas From Other Games
(a.k.a New Year, New Ideas)

The tinsel is in disarray and the clammy grip of work clutches our hearts, but fear not, for The Smart Party are back with another Podcast! This week we talk about what we can glean from those gamey Christmas presents we got; how can boardgames inform our roleplaying style? What use are card games? Are games really all that different?

January is a lean month, becoming a Patreon can help us add a bit of cheese to the beans on toast we’ll be surviving on.

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Dragonmeet 2015 – Too Much Cthulhu?

Advice, Conventions, Podcasts

Episode 21 – Dragonmeet 2015
(a.k.a Too Much Cthulhu)

Dragonmeet took place in London Village last weekend, with over 1000 delegates, many of whom packed the seminar room to hear us discuss whether there was too much Cthulhu in gaming. As a live recording the sound is somewhat woeful, but hopefully you’ll enjoy some lively debate and laughs along the way.

You can help up recoup our train fare by becoming a Patreon if you wish, but we’ve already been, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t want to.

Find out about our fellow panellists and podcasters at Jackson Elias, they’re quite nice chaps for Cthulhu cultists and they’ve got some great content too!

18:00 – What Jackson Elias Would Do?

Two of the UKs finest podcast crews go head to head in this panel. Imagine the worlds most polite rap battle with less dancing and more tentacles. The Smart Party and The Good Friends of Jackson Elias lock horns over the perennial question: why so much Cthulhu in gaming, and is it for good or ill? Raise a glass with us as we toast the very best and worst in RPGdom.

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