MU Podcast 026 - Borrowing Walmsley

[Keeper Dan]

This week, we chat with Graham Walmsley, author of numerous Trail of Cthulhu scenarios, as well as the books Stealing Cthulhu and Play Unsafe, and the rules-light Lovecraftian system Cthulhu Dark.
We didn't have a side topic for this episode, but we do have a nice long conversation from an e-mail sent in by a listener.

Campus Crier:

Episode 26 has the first Shout-Outs for our listener sponsor program. Thank you all so much to all the community members that have helped us to cover outstanding expenses.

Card Catalog:
The Card Catalog for this episode is from our forums.
Maps, Mapping, and You. From Koakai

Then we have three more threads that supply a wealth of 1920's information for Boston from Logar.
Boston Map 1921
Boston Region 1922 - Hotels / Prices
Boston Region 1922 - Boarding room / Apartment prices

Main Topic:
This episode's Main Topic is the interview with Graham.
Please be aware that Graham uses some adult language in the interview. If you listen to the show in speakers with kids around, you might want to switch to headphones.

We talk a lot about Stealing Cthulhu and Cthulhu Dark. And we also hear about his upcoming Jon Pertwee 3rd Doctor source book for Cubicle 7's Doctor Who RPG. The full collection of books can be seen here.


We have an official sponsor for a number of episodes, starting with this one.

We would also love to hear your ideas for topics for us to talk about. Send us a note directly, or go to the Campus Forum with your ideas!

[Scriven]

Good show -- I thought Mr. Walmsley was an enthusiastic and entertaining guest. I'll be very interested to see how he chooses to elaborate on Cthulhu Dark in the future. I've gotta laugh, though -- given the disclaimer about the language, I expected to hear something like the inside of a steelworkers' tavern on Friday evening after a mass layoff. Honestly, I think I use harsher language driving home from church on Sundays with my wife and son.

[Dr. Gerard]

Good show -- I thought Mr. Walmsley was an enthusiastic and entertaining guest. I'll be very interested to see how he chooses to elaborate on Cthulhu Dark in the future. I've gotta laugh, though -- given the disclaimer about the language, I expected to hear something like the inside of a steelworkers' tavern on Friday evening after a mass layoff. Honestly, I think I use harsher language driving home from church on Sundays with my wife and son.

Yeah, and 'shit' is not even a swear word in England. We're just trying to be transparent about what listeners should expect to hear, and let them choose accordingly. I went crazy with sfx bleeps in the ASG interview, but I think it was a mistake. Better just to give warning.

[Keeper Dan]

That's my thought. No censoring on guests, just a head's up on possible content that parents might not want their kids to hear. I need to come up with a simple sound effect to play for that.

[Paul Fricker]

Yeah, and 'shit' is not even a swear word in England.

Nope, shit is a swearword here in England. Damn isn't though, but it appears to be taken as such in parts of the US?

On of the things I noticed while out at Gencon last year (for the first time) was how little the Americans swore at the gaming table. I got the impression that Americans were more circumspect in their use of language when in social situations, especially with people they don't know. I've not problem with that, in fact I found everyone to be really nice and friendly. Just an observation.

Paul F.

[Keeper Jon]

Goddamnit, where's Murf? I'm sure he'd have some fucking colorful language on this shit.

[Dr. Gerard]

Yeah, and 'shit' is not even a swear word in England.

Nope, shit is a swearword here in England. Damn isn't though, but it appears to be taken as such in parts of the US?

On of the things I noticed while out at Gencon last year (for the first time) was how little the Americans swore at the gaming table. I got the impression that Americans were more circumspect in their use of language when in social situations, especially with people they don't know. I've not problem with that, in fact I found everyone to be really nice and friendly. Just an observation.

Paul F.

Interesting! We are bizarrely prudish in our sensitivity to cursing, among other things. I really enjoyed Graham's thoughts about English apocalypse stories vs. US counterparts.

[Scriven]

That's my thought. No censoring on guests, just a head's up on possible content that parents might not want their kids to hear. I need to come up with a simple sound effect to play for that.

Yeah -- I was being glib, really. I appreciate and am a firm advocate for the voice and tone the MU Podcast has struck -- so very like the YSDC podcasts in that respect.

Regarding Cthulhu Dark, I have to admit that I'm still getting used to the idea of being able to "overturn" or redirect the course of play by challenging the result of another player's die roll. I like that mechanic and think it could lead to some great collaborative storytelling, but I also think it probably works best when there's a healthy amount of inter-player trust and collegiality within the group. I hoping to experiment with that a little more in the Secret Everest Expedition PBP we're doing here on the Forum.

[Keeper Dan]

I learned a lot about CD in that conversation too. I was mostly silent through that because I haven't played it in any way. While editing, I did think of maybe looking at the sanity mechanic of CD as a stability mechanic for CoC. Certain events would trigger a stability roll (my favorite part of Trail of Cthulhu), and that can help to determine if a character loses it. Maybe replace the idea roll with this.
My thought is that it would explain how NPC bad guys can have 0 san and still act like normal members of society while doing their nefarious work. PCs however, go to 0 san and are drooling basket-cases. A Stability roll can help balance that idea.
At first the character freaks out because there is some really weird stuff they're not equipped for. The die mechanic will naturally allow for better coping with it, but eventually there will be a snapping point. I think if the die was changed to a D8 or D10, it would make for a longer play of the character, and more in-line with the standard San progression of the game.
Thoughts?

[Dr. Gerard]

That's my thought. No censoring on guests, just a head's up on possible content that parents might not want their kids to hear. I need to come up with a simple sound effect to play for that.

Yeah -- I was being glib, really. I appreciate and am a firm advocate for the voice and tone the MU Podcast has struck -- so very like the YSDC podcasts in that respect.

Regarding Cthulhu Dark, I have to admit that I'm still getting used to the idea of being able to "overturn" or redirect the course of play by challenging the result of another player's die roll. I like that mechanic and think it could lead to some great collaborative storytelling, but I also think it probably works best when there's a healthy amount of inter-player trust and collegiality within the group. I hoping to experiment with that a little more in the Secret Everest Expedition PBP we're doing here on the Forum.

Heh, glad to hear it. The PvP failure mechanic is a tricky one, but so far I've found that it does just what I want it to. I find players tend to invoke it in special occasions, when they're inspired by a dark internal storyteller. When the failure narrative is truly interesting, other players seem more than happy to roll with it.

Dan, we should play us some CD.