Spitballing a Weekly Video OSR Review Show - Looking for Feedback

As I've mentioned on the podcast side of things, I'm looking to start a weekly video review show. Most of the feedback I've gotten is steering me towards recent OSR releases, but I want some additional feedback, thus this post.

Here's where I'm at in my mind right now:

- 15 to 20 minutes per episode

- 1 to 2 releases per episode - DCC Lankmar would be solo, but might cover 2 adventures per video

- once a week - release on Wednesdays perhaps

- occasional deep tracks reviews, perhaps digging a game out of storage

- probably Youtube, but I'm open to other options

- would love to have a second host drop-in, but I don't see Hangouts as an option anymore.

If you have thoughts/critiques I'm all ears :)

Alright, today was a rough one sciatica-wise. Time to watch football from bed and drug up...

State of The Tavern & The Tavern Master - A Look Back at 2019

Yep, we're in a New Year! Woot!

So, what did 2019 bring to all things Tavern?

Well, for the Tenkar's Tavern Discord Server (insert invite here) we are currently at 2283 members. The Common Room is active 24/7. Sunday mornings and Friday Nights we have roundtable podcasts that are recorded weekly with live audiences (RPG Breakfast Club and RPG Coast to Coast). We also have live weekly voice hangouts Tuesday Nights (Frog Chat) and Thursday Nights (Tavern Chat - yes, we are sticking with the change of night for 2020).

The Tenkar's Tavern Facebook Group has hit 2540 members. It is a lively place to hang out.  I never would have expected such numbers.  Thank you all.

The Tenkar's Tavern MeWe Group is chugging along with 575 members :)

The Tavern Chat Podcast had 365 episodes in 365 days (missed one day and double up the next day - ah well). Over 187k total plays since the podcast launched in the Spring of 2018.

The Tenkar's Tavern Blog hit an All-Time High in traffic in the Summer of 2019. Holy shit! Although I had planned to migrate to a new hosting service, that was put on hold for now. Still in the planning stage.

I also had an all-time high convention attendance in 2019. Total Con, Gary Con, NTRPG Con, Shire Con, and GameHole Con. Phew.

On a personal note, I ended the year with some minor but annoying health issues. Still fighting them (and HUGE sciatica flare-up today) but they are merely annoyances compared to what others are battling.

Again, thank you all for your support. Your support is the fuel that keeps me going strong.

Kickstarter - A System-Neutral TTRPG Adventure Designed by Backers

I am a huge supporter of Thom Wilson / Throwi Games for years now, and Thom's latest, A System-Neutral TTRPG Adventure Designed by Backers Kickstarter looks to be really cool.

In this Make/100 Project, backers will be able to pick the theme, antagonists, and some of the monsters in the adventure that I will custom-create for 100 people. Additionally, backers can sponsor art (including a custom cover piece by one of the artists I call on often for work), add additional pages, or back the project for the end result: a PDF adventure!

This is a very inexpensive Kickstarter to back. You can get the PDF for as low as 3 bucks.

Fucked Up Far West Kickstarter - You Can't Even Register on the Far West Forums and Gareth Won't Communicate via Kickstarter

Ah, Far West. I hardly know you after waiting over 8 fucking years. Yes, today is January 1st, 2020 and Far West is now over 8 years late. You really should listen to the video on the Kickstarter page. I just did. What promise. What a windbag of bullshit. Gareth is one of those creators that simply CAN'T CREATE when paid upfront. You need to pay folks like Gareth upon delivery. Few even remember the preorders on the Buckaroo Bonzai RPG (you might have expected Gareth to remove that page - I know I expected that) that predates Far West.

Now to put it simply, back in July Gareth told backers he was no longer going to use Kickstarter to communicate - it was simply going to be used to update material and such. If you wanted to talk about Far West, you would need to go to the Far West Forums, presumably so Gareth would be able to control the narrative and keep negative comments in check.

I figured after 5 1/2 months Kickstarter silence I'd register for the forums with a burner email and ask some questions. I mean, the forums are dead and even Gareth hasn't commented there in years. To my surprise, you can't even register for the forums, as you can see below:

I'm not sure if this is on purpose or not, but it is certainly "fucked up". It does keep negative comments on the forums side "in check" though.

Did I mention he's still Twittering?

Deal of the Day - Defining A Galaxy (Historical look at WEG Star Wars RPG)

Holy shit! I can't believe I almost missed this Deal of the Day. Its a look at West End Games Star Wars RPG and the influence it has had on the Star Wars IP. Defining a Galaxy is on sale for 2.38, regularly 7.95 in PDF. Print is 9.99 if you want the PDF with it.

In the late 1980s, Star Wars was becoming a fading memory. The movie trilogy had concluded. The comic books and novels were winding down. The action figures had run their course. As the franchise celebrated its tenth anniversary, there was a new ride at Disneyland and … not much else. Not until a small hobby game company released Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game and The Star Wars Sourcebook. And suddenly the galaxy began to expand. 

This is the story of how a group of dedicated fans and gaming professionals helped pave the way for the Star Wars Expanded Universe — as told by one of the original architects! This book explains how material created for roleplaying games helped shape the Star Wars universe — and continues to influence it to the current day.

Yep, that is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep the taps flowing and the beer cold here at The Tavern.

Kickstarter - Holy Symbols Jewellery for your Fantasy RPG Campaign

I love it when a Kickstarter tells us which license they are operating under, and then when you go to the actual license, you see they are directly in violation.

Case in point - the Holy Symbols Jewellery for your Fantasy RPG Campaign Kickstarter. It uses gods directly from closed (not OGL) content from WotC.

DISCLAIMER
This KS is not sponsored by Wizards and is subject to the Fan Content Policy

So, where can one find the WotC Fan Content Policy? I'm glad you asked because here you go: https://company.wizards.com/fancontentpolicy

Let me find the relevant section:

That means we ask you follow these rules: 

• One word: F-R-E-E. You can use Wizards’ IP (except for the restrictions listed in #3) to make Fan Content that you share with the community for free. Free means FREE:

• You can’t require payments, surveys, downloads, subscriptions, or email registration to access your Fan Content;

• You can’t sell or license your Fan Content to any third parties for any type of compensation; and

• Your Fan Content must be free for others (including Wizards) to view, access, share, and use without paying you anything, obtaining your approval, or giving you credit.

But, you say, they are charging you on Kickstarter! That is correct. They are also offering a
subscription service.

But hey, it might not even fund. If it does, I'm guessing WotC will shut it down.

A fun way to close out 2019.

OSR Christmas, Day Three - Santa Opens the Rest of his Bag

I bet some of you thought I forgot about OSR Christmas Day Three. While life in The Tenkar Casa has gotten horribly busy (and I seem to have sinus issues that simply won't go away, I am here today with OSR Christmas Day Three :)

Below is the final listing of gifts. Any mistakes / omissions are mine and mine alone. Those receiving gifts have  5 days to claim their gifts (unclaimed gifts will be regifted ;) Cut off to enter the gift-giving for this post is January 3rd, 2020 at midnight. Gifts should be awarded the following day. Unclaimed gifts will be awarded on January 10th, 2020.  No, we are not wrapping up before the end of the year. Ah well, close ;)



Today's Gift Pool:

2 - Moon Wizard OSR Patchs by Thad Moore


1 - James Mishler Games "One of Everything" in PDF
       (19 titles in all)


From MonkeyBlood / Glynn Seal
 1 - The City of Great Lunden hardback plus Map Sets and Pregen
Character Cards (Print - Ships Worldwide)

 1 - HandyMaps Towns & Villages (Print - Ships World Wide)

 1 - Midderlands PDF

 1 - The City of Great Lunden PDF

Note - FOUR separate gifts from MonkeyBlood


From Genius Loci Games

1 - Pyramid of the Lost King (at cost Print on Demand)
2 - New Class Options (PDF)


From Roan Studios

Full Roan Studio (pdf) collection on Drive Thru RPG (15 titles) 
ALSO - an 8.5 x 11 (A4) custom map or character illustration (value $150 US)

1 - Far Realms and Sea of Stars (PDF) Harbinger Games

From BRW Games

1 bundle - Hard Copy & PDF of Castle of the Mad Archmage, plus the expansions; Level 3 East, Musicland, and Bitterbark's Circus. (note - ships US Only)

From Tenkar's Tavern / The Tavern Chat Podcast

2 - $10 DrivethruRPG Gift Certificates

Remember, comment before midnight, January 3rd for your chance to be gifted. You have five days to claim your gift.   Huge thanks to all who have donated.

Yes, there are affiliate links above. Affiliate links keep the taps flowing and the lights on at The Tavern. As always, I thank you.

Yes, I will address emails received and not yet answered tomorrow :)