Beste Thinking Critically podcasts (2024)

1
Translation 1:02:35

4M ago1:02:35

1:02:35

Welcome back! I'm joined by fellow Englishman Austin, a.k.a. AC Whikcom, to discuss how to translate concepts and ideas into your TTRPG settings. Austin takes us through how to take those errant thoughts you have at 3am and turn them into publishable content worldwide, with a spattering of anecdotes throughout. We also criticise the language bloat …

1
Influence 57:54

7M ago57:54

57:54

It's my pleasure to welcome back to the show a previous guest from the Generations episode, Mikey! What I had intended to be a "how characters can influence the campaign" discussion, quickly turned into what makes us tick, where we get inspiration from, and the people who've supported us along the way. Listen for titbits on how to conscientiously c…

1
Generations 1:19:46

7M ago1:19:46

1:19:46

I'm joined once again by John from Double Fox Gaming, but this time, he's bought reinforcements! It's my pleasure to also host Glenn, Matt, and Mike to discuss the legacy of Dungeons & Dragons. The guys take us through five generations of play, and how the wishes of one character can have cascading effects decades later. We hear the epic parable of…

1
Immersion 1:03:47

9M ago1:03:47

1:03:47

We're back! And this time joined by Anya, a.k.a. La Lionne Cosplay, to discuss immersion in your TTRPGs. Anya shares her experience as a Pro-GM on ways to truly pull your players into the game, no matter the system or medium. 04:29 - Remote vs. In Person 12:41 - “Acting Is What You Do When You’re Not Saying Lines” 21:09 - Filling the Space 33:25 - …

1
Production 1:09:18

10M ago1:09:18

1:09:18

For this productive episode I'm joined by Sarah, CEO of Girls Run these Worlds, who's hear to share her knowledge and experience on how to produce top quality TTPRG content. No matter your reach or experience, there is always opportunity for growth and learning, so we cover some typical gotchas and best practice to help you get off the starting blo…

1
Ravenloft 1:06:02

11M ago1:06:02

1:06:02

John Gent, DM of our D&D one-shot from the RPGaming Faversham event, joins us to discuss everything and anything about his favourite Dungeons & Dragons setting. 03:04 - History of Ravenloft 21:42 - Responsive Bleakness 33:53 - Delineating "Depression" 42:43 - Integrating Ravenloft into your Campaign Find Thinking Critically online: Website: https:/…

1
Experimentation 1:04:25

11M ago1:04:25

1:04:25

I'm once again joined by Philippa Mort who previously joined us on the Aesthetic⁠ episode back in season 2. This time it's to chat about confidence and taking risks when it comes to experimenting with new systems, characters, and homebrew. Philippa shares her experience in MÖRK BORG & Mausritter, and the best ways to incorporate design features you…

1
Factions 1:24:47

12M ago1:24:47

1:24:47

It's my pleasure to welcome back to the show Josh, Lewanika, and Glen, the inimitable hosts of my sister podcast Tabletop Journeys. They share their wealth of experience with building engaging and interesting factions, enabling more engaging and rewarding settings! There's some odd video things going on in this one; every episode I learn something …

1
Burnout 1:04:37

12M ago1:04:37

1:04:37

We're back after a short, unscheduled break to discuss burnout with fan of the show and Warhammer sensei, Harry Cowdrey. Having both suffered from DM burnout in the past, as I'm sure most DMs have, we talk through what we can now identify as the early warning signs that it's about to set in. Prevention rather than cure is of course the solution tho…

1
More Live 29:34

1y ago29:34

29:34

Charity Donation Page: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/sl-gameon23 Charity Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/thinkcritdnd This episode was recorded live at the RPGaming Faversham event on 18th March 2023, organised by Boys from the Baltic Star. The first half was recorded with The Keeper of our Cult of Cthulhu TTRPG session moments before starting, …

1
Mystery 1:11:21

1y ago1:11:21

1:11:21

*Minor Outer Wilds spoilers in this episode* I'm joined by Michael K. Ross from The RPG Academy to talk how to design enthralling and fair mysteries, puzzles, and enigmas. Action 12 Cinema Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/therpgacademy/action-12-cinema 12-Hour Charity Stream for Naomi House: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/s…

1
Integrity 1:04:33

1y ago1:04:33

1:04:33

CW: Slavery I'm joined by Ben, Ewan, and Luke from the Boys from the Baltic Star Traveller stream to discuss some of the many different definitions of integrity in TTRPGs. Nothing is off the table as we share tips on building memorable heroes and villains with strong identities in logically consistent settings, along with the meta-topic of how to s…

1
Adventure 1:04:38

1y ago1:04:38

1:04:38

“I found them all. I won." Finally, I welcome George from our 'Dungeons, Dice, and Dudes' actual play podcast to discuss how to build adventures, and why it's important to define one. No matter if you're top-down or bottom-up, there always needs to be that call to adventure, a catalyst, and the form that takes can drastically alter the theme and di…

1
Worldbuilding 58:53

1y ago58:53

58:53

This episode I'm joined by Harlen Ogni, DM of previous guest Aaron's Games and prolific worldbuilder, with a staggering 250,000 words on World Anvil! Harlen joins me to to chat about our approaches to worldbuilding and what drives us to put pen to paper. 02:52 - Catharsis 13:22 - Letting Go of Your World 31:34 - Environmental Storytelling 46:03 - O…

1
OGL 1:18:40

1+ y ago1:18:40

1:18:40

The sky is falling! It's my pleasure to welcome back Matthew Perkins to discuss this months HOT TOPIC: the "leaked" snippets of the alleged OGL 1.1. Disclosure: this episode was recorded on 7th January, we are not lawyer or legal experts, and neither of us have any official affiliation with WotC or Hasbro, nor any familial connection to Christopher…

1
Spells 1:06:27

1+ y ago1:06:27

1:06:27

This mystical episode I'm joined by Jack Weighill of Dice Average RPG to discuss the minutia of the magical. The way WOTC have designed spells is an interesting insight into how they view D&D and how they suggest it should be played. Jack takes us through the best and worst spells, with some interesting surprises that you might not have thought of!…

1
#48: Film and Thinking Creatively 1:19:22

1+ y ago1:19:22

1:19:22

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Ty Burr about film and thinking creatively.They discuss:•The origin of his interest in movies and why he wanted to become a critic.•His favorite movies and directors.•The factors that go into a movie review. •The importance of subjectivity in art and enjoying the experience.•How smart phones are sculpting …

1
#47: The Leak 1:10:02

1+ y ago1:10:02

1:10:02

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Robert Crease about science, politics, and the importance of building trust between scientists and the public.They discuss:•The origins of his interest in philosophy and science.•His book “The Leak: Politics, Activists, and Loss of Trust at Brookhaven National Laboratory” and why he decided to write it.•Wh…

1
Variety 55:37

1+ y ago55:37

55:37

This episode I'm joined by Ty Moore from Adventure Slang productions to talk about variety and diversity in TTRPGs. We discuss how having an open mind and trying different systems affects not only your approach to playing TTRPGSs, but also the lens through which you view them. 02:22 - Diversity Aided Design 06:15 - Different Approaches to TTRPGs 15…

1
More Community 1:01:21

1+ y ago1:01:21

1:01:21

This very special episode I'm joined by Greg Tito and Shelly Mazzanoble, hosts and producers of the official Dungeons & Dragons podcast: Dragon Talk! They take us through how recording their podcast and writing their new book, Welcome to Dragon Talk, has shaped their D&D experience and shown them all the wonderful ways we interact as a community! 0…

1
#46: The Science of Longevity 1:25:24

1+ y ago1:25:24

1:25:24

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Steven Austad about the science of longevity.They discuss:•How he became interested in science and ended up in longevity research.•Why we age.•His recent book "Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us About Living Longer Healthier Lives."•Scaling laws, metabolic rate, and the longevity quotient. •Longevi…

1
Branding 1:03:50

1+ y ago1:03:50

1:03:50

Part 3 in our Marketing for TTRPG Creators Series Webinar sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjBv3TgGVtqTdIfU3az6Izhw-p0_QlIf_Z5fW2iYBIWEw7zw/viewform Zack from Applewhite Games returns to the show to discuss the value of 'the person behind the logo' and how everything you do affects your reputation. 03:08 - How Branding Differs fro…

1
#45: Tornado of Life 1:08:53

1+ y ago1:08:53

1:08:53

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Jay Baruch about critical thinking in the ER.They discuss:•How he became interested in science and medicine.•The importance of using stories to communicate information.•How writing can help you to refine your understanding and spark creativity. •Why his book “Tornado of Life” is written in a particular sty…

1
Process 1:00:27

1+ y ago1:00:27

1:00:27

This week I'm joined by friend and table mate Sam Henry to talk about our processes used for playing D&D, and how we use our professional backgrounds to improve our experiences. 05:21 - A Process Oriented Approach 15:46 - Difference Between Players and DMs 20:04 - The D&D Machine 27:46 - Character Creation 43:06 - Getting into Character 52:41 - Flo…

1
Quality 1:02:00

1+ y ago1:02:00

1:02:00

This week I'm joined by Cyle Durkee from Play-Nerd Allies and Foundation for Inclusivity in Gaming, to talk about how to have a quality gaming session. Running a TTRPG is more an art than it is science, and as such involves several layers of nuance and considerations. The tail end of the show is dedicated to how to have those sometimes awkward, gam…

1
#44: Who's Counting? 1:21:27

1+ y ago1:21:27

1:21:27

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with John Allen Paulos about mathematical thinking.They discuss:•How he studied a number of subjects and then eventually settled on mathematics as a major.•Mathematics as a way of thinking.•The Monty Hall problem.•The concept of scaling and how it leads to size limitations in biology.•The Prosecutor's fallacy a…

1
#43: Curious Minds 1:47:09

1+ y ago1:47:09

1:47:09

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Perry Zurn and Dani Bassett about the science and philosophy of curiosity.They discuss:•Growing up as twins and their respective interests in science and philosophy.•Why they decided to coauthor the book "Curious Minds."•The concept of complexity and emergence versus reductionism.•Network science and curio…

1
Chaos 1:01:04

1+ y ago1:01:04

1:01:04

This episode I'm joined by the eponymous Aaron of Aaron's Games! Although not the first published, this episode was the first recorded without any preparation notes, in the spirit of the episode topic! Aaron and I discuss the inherent nature of TTRPGs, and how what some might consider "chaos", others would say is improvisation. Through character an…

1
#42: The Importance of Public Health 1:18:52

1+ y ago1:18:52

1:18:52

In this episode, Patrick is speaking with Donna Bean about the importance of public health.They discuss:•How she came to find herself working in public health.•Higher education and the uniquely American problem of crippling student debt.•Her experience with the US Peace Corps.•Her experiences as a public health nurse in Alaska.•How her childhood ex…

1
More Mistakes 1:02:36

1+ y ago1:02:36

1:02:36

Minor 'Lost Mine Of Phandelver' spoilers in this episode. This week I host Derrick from the How Not To DM podcast (HN2DM), to once again talk about all the glorious mistakes we make! the most value from these kinds of discussions, however, is not what to avoid, but what can be learned. We are all beginners at some point, and so we share our experie…

1
Experimenting 1:06:34

1+ y ago1:06:34

1:06:34

This episode brings us Nick from the Hidden GMs Podcast to talk about experimentation in TTRPGs. We discuss the benefits of trying different systems and how they can positively impact how you run your current game. No matter what game you play, everything is dependant on the trust between the players and the GM. One way you can experiment in your D…

1
#41: How to Stay Smart in a Smart World 1:30:52

1+ y ago1:30:52

1:30:52

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Gerd Gigerenzer about how to stay smart in a smart world.They discuss:•Origins of his interest in science and why he chose psychology.•Why he chose to write his most recent book, “How to Stay Smart in a Smart World.” •How he prefers the strategy of teaching how to think versus nudging.•Artificial intellige…

1
Extinction 54:54

1+ y ago54:54

54:54

Once again I welcome Lucas Zellers, a.k.a @SparkOtter, as we continue our theme from the Monster episode. We discuss a critical topic as Lucas takes us through his new project: Book of Extinction. The book gives game statistics and lore for D&D 5e, alongside real-world history for some of the world’s most famous extinct animals. The project comes a…

1
Writing 59:09

1+ y ago59:09

59:09

I'm once again joined by Bart Wynants (a.k.a. @critographer), this time to talk about how to write TTRPGs. As with many tasks, mind set and habit formation is of upmost importance for success. Bart suggests embodying different 'roles' when writing TTRPG content: The "Architect" for big picture, macro level structure. The "Builder" for content creat…

1
History 58:38

2y ago58:38

58:38

This episode I'm joined by Andrew & Vesna Gronosky from Shewstone Publishing, who leverage their extensive knowledge to discuss the implications of having a "history" in your TTRPG setting. The different lifespans of races can have a profound impact in their culture and what they consider important enough to record; what happened "a long time ago" …

1
#40: Partial Truths 1:29:41

2y ago1:29:41

1:29:41

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with James Zimring about partial truths and how fractions can distort our thinking.They discuss:•Origins of his interest in science, why he chose medicine, and his current research interests.•How he first became interested in philosophy of science and how this eventually lead to his book “What Science is and Ho…

1
Canon 1:00:18

2y ago1:00:18

1:00:18

This episode features Eli Royall from the We Play RPGs podcast family! We discuss how to establish canon in your setting, and the implications of having a standardised fiction. The second problem is how to communicate this to players and bridge that player/character divide; when a character has lived in the world for 50 years, how can the setting a…

1
Flavour 57:27

2y ago57:27

57:27

This spicy episode I'm joined by Fruits from The Homebakery to talk all about flavouring our D&D campaigns. A large portion of the show is spent discussing the different classes and their subclass options, and how their baggage inherently affects the flavour of player characters. We then move on to introducing food and drink into your campaign, and…

1
Motivation 1:06:42

2y ago1:06:42

1:06:42

Once again I am joined by long time friends of the show and the inimitable hosts of Tabletop Journeys: Josh, Lewanika, and Glen. Their enthusiasm for TTRPGs is infectious and it's such a delight to provide a platform for their passion and talents. This episode about is what galvanises and moves us, as characters, players, and storytellers. It's int…

1
New 1:04:21

2y ago1:04:21

1:04:21

Welcome back! Season 4 opens with a self-indulgent, naval gazing look at the new player experience through the eyes of one my players: Matt Street. Matt joined my homebrew campaign in session 0 way back at the beginning of 2019 with his Tortle sorcerer A'Therin Trolldoor. Since then, over six chapters we've lost two players, four PCs and several NP…

1
Mythology 1:06:18

2y ago1:06:18

1:06:18

For the season final I'm joined by Ramji, DM of The 4th Culture, an Asia-based TTRPG show which focuses on global voices and set in an Asian-influence homebrew world. We discuss global mythology and it's impact on TTRPGs, such as it's inherent euro-centricity and how this has affected published settings and games around the world. At it's core, D&D…

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