Episodes

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On Location at OrcaCon (Part 1) [S3F5]

On Location at OrcaCon (Part 1) [S3F5]

S3E10 · · 24:58

In this week's Flashlight, we head to the OrcaCon tabletop games convention in Seattle! We hear about a bunch of cool projects, we spot a prominent state official, and Jake is flummo...

Writing Story for LARP with Andrew [S3E5]

Writing Story for LARP with Andrew [S3E5]

S3E9 · · 01:10:51

This week, we chat with Andrew from Legacies LARP about terrorizing the town as a fae abductor, depicting a demonic plague, and writing story for a long-running live-action role-play...

On Location at Howloween (Part 3) and a Midseason Update [S3F4]

On Location at Howloween (Part 3) and a Midseason Update [S3F4]

S3E8 · · 25:07

In this week's Flashlight, we're back on location one last time at the Howloween furry convention in Vancouver! This season, we're getting out into the community and asking people ab...

High-level Campaigns with Rob [S3E4]

High-level Campaigns with Rob [S3E4]

S3E7 · · 01:11:48

In this week's episode, we chat with Rob about order and chaos, recruiting a potato peeler, and running an epic high-level campaign. Rob shares a very controversial take on combat th...

On Location at Howloween (Part 2) [S3F3]

On Location at Howloween (Part 2) [S3F3]

S3E6 · · 29:30

In this week's Flashlight, we're back on location at the Howloween furry convention in Vancouver! This season, we're getting out into the community and asking people about their PCs ...

Special Guest Stars with Mike [S3E3]

Special Guest Stars with Mike [S3E3]

S3E5 · · 01:11:25

This week, we chat with Mike about killing your PCs' beloved animal companions, treating your players to cool hats with powers, and bringing in guest players for very special episode...

On Location at Howloween (Part 1) [S3F2]

On Location at Howloween (Part 1) [S3F2]

S3E4 · · 28:15

In this week's Flashlight, we're on location at the Howloween furry convention in Vancouver! This season, we're getting out into the community and asking people about their PCs and t...

TTRPG Publishing with David [S3E2]

TTRPG Publishing with David [S3E2]

S3E3 · · 01:29:11

This week, we chat with David about saving the whales, publishing your own game systems, and making a city feel corrupt, classy and discreet. David has built some very cool systems, ...

On Location at Oppegaard Meadery [S3F1]

On Location at Oppegaard Meadery [S3F1]

S3E2 · · 25:10

In the very first Flashlight of Season 3, we're on location at Oppegaard Meadery in Seattle! This season, we're getting out into the community and asking people about their PCs and t...

Actual Play with Austin [S3E1]

Actual Play with Austin [S3E1]

S3E1 · · 01:33:48

In the very first episode of Season 3, we chat with Austin about literal truckloads of cryptocurrrency, designing high-level enemies, and the importance of in-game downtime. Austin i...

Flashlight: Season 2 finale! [S2F8]

Flashlight: Season 2 finale! [S2F8]

S2E16 · · 20:40

In this finale Flashlight of Season 2, Jake is embarrasingly earnest, Reilly gives the listeners a lot of homework, and the sword makes a second ominous appearance. We plug our Patre...

Blending the Fantastic and Mundane with Lew [S2E8]

Blending the Fantastic and Mundane with Lew [S2E8]

S2E15 · · 01:06:34

In this week's episode, we chat with Lew about unsustainable character voices, mixing ABBA with Norse mythology, and the importance of buying in to the fantasy. Very minor spoiler al...

Dungeon Lore VII: Hasbro and the OGL controversy [S3F7]

Dungeon Lore VII: Hasbro and the OGL controversy [S3F7]

S2E14 · · 39:58

In this week's Flashlight, we talk about intellectual property, resolve to go to law school, and finally earn that explicit rating. You can tell that we record a few weeks in advance...

Building a new game system with Dennis [S2E7]

Building a new game system with Dennis [S2E7]

S2E13 · · 01:20:05

In this week's episode, we chat with Dennis about branching out from D&D, useful feedback on game design, and the tradeoff between generality and specificity. We're doing something a...

Dungeon Lore VI: Actual Plays and Peak D&D

Dungeon Lore VI: Actual Plays and Peak D&D

S2E12 · · 36:52

In this week's Flashlight, we talk the rise of actual plays, the incredible profitability of Wizards of the Coast, and the professionalization of a hobby. We get into both academic m...

Beginning Idol with Wolfgang [S2E6]

Beginning Idol with Wolfgang [S2E6]

S2E11 · · 01:05:01

In this week's episode, we chat with Wolfgang about the struggle of making it in showbusiness, the importance of embracing a system's genre conventions, and the deployment of feminin...

Dungeon Lore V: Playtesting and Pathfinder [S2F5]

Dungeon Lore V: Playtesting and Pathfinder [S2F5]

S2E10 · · 43:02

In this week's Flashlight, we talk about playtesting at scale, becoming a cult leader, and the development of D&D 3e and D&D 3.5e as well as Pathfinder. Reilly shares his philosophy ...

Live Action Role-Playing with Rex [S2E5]

Live Action Role-Playing with Rex [S2E5]

S2E9 · · 01:05:09

In this week's episode, we chat with Rex about being a mean satyr, the role of persuasion and compulsion in TTRPGs and LARP, and how to step out of your players' ways and let them te...

Dungeon Lore IV: Wizards, Pokemon, and Primal Order [S2F4]

Dungeon Lore IV: Wizards, Pokemon, and Primal Order [S2F4]

S2E8 · · 46:06

In this week's Flashlight, Reilly introduces some very special guests, Jake is intimidated by game store employees, and we discuss the meteoric rise of Wizards of the Coast. We also ...

Messy Entanglements with Erika [S2E4]

Messy Entanglements with Erika [S2E4]

S2E7 · · 01:16:21

This week, we chat with Erika about running a campaign using multiple systems, the upsides of metagaming, and worldbuilding at a table of dirty anarchist punks. Spoiler warning for S...