Transcript
Speaker: with the coachman D20 Radio. at Your game is rolled.
Speaker: How will We Roll Gaming is dedicated to spreading enjoyment of great role-playing games. We hope to bring you insights into games you may not have played, tips to be a better game master and player, and share us stories of momentous events at our tables.
Speaker: Every game is a new story to tell. I'm Daryl. I'm Nick. And here's Robert. And this is How We Roll.
Speaker: Welcome back to the How We Roll Gaming Podcast, everybody. Hope you are all doing well. As usual, I have Nick with me. Say hi, Nick.
Speaker: And Robert couldn't be with us. We brought in a pinch hitter. We brought in Stephanie, my lovely wife, a brand new GM herself.
Speaker: And ah she's been on on one or two of our RPG Glory Stories episodes, but... Just like she's graduated to GM, she is graduating to co-host with us this time.
Speaker: And I am thrilled about it. And we also have a very, very special guest that if you've seen the thumbnail, if you're looking on YouTube, we have Alex Damon from Star Wars Explained with us. Thank you for joining us, Alex.
Speaker: Absolutely. More importantly, we have Alex Damon from HyperDice with us for our purposes. But because we have Alex with us, we're going to dive into our housekeeping, get it out of the way really fast.
Speaker: So, as usual, our cross-promo, our shilling for more D20 Radio Network. So, if you enjoy discovering RPGs and hearing people dig into what makes them work, check out The Story Told. They cover a wide variety of tabletop games with discussions and reviews that go beyond just the rules to explore the stories, ideas, and experiences those games create.
Speaker: Story Told also features interviews with game creators and actual plays. So there's plenty to explore whether you're looking for a new game to play, want to hear from the people making them, or just enjoy listen to other gamers talk about the hobby we love.
Speaker: So if you're ready to add another RPG podcast to your rotation, go find the Story Told wherever you get your podcasts. Give them a listen, discover something new, and then come back to How We Roll Gaming for even more tabletop RPG goodness.
Speaker: Awesome. So we mentioned that we are joined by a special guest today, someone who has probably spent more time explaining Star Wars than most of us have been have spent thinking about Star Wars. And anybody who's listened knows that we think about Star Wars a lot.
Speaker: We have Alex Damon from Star Wars Explained and Hyperdice. But instead of just talking about the galaxy far, far away, we're pulling him behind the screen to talk about Star Wars.
Speaker: something a little different. Actually running that Star Wars inspired tabletop game on his new channel, Hyperdice. So we're digging into how he and Molly made the jump from D&D comfort zones into a completely different system, why they landed on Teens in Space instead of an official Star Wars RPG, and what it's been like hacking, tweaking, and discovering the game live while filming it for an audience.
Speaker: that's all That is a lot there. And let me tell you, as he as a viewer, I am loving the game, Alex. Thank you. I'm glad.
Speaker: I have had to pause multiple times each episode so far because I'm laughing so hard that I can't follow what's going on. I'm having so much fun.
Speaker: the second I had to go... had to rewind a couple times during the second episode because i just completely lost what was going on because of one or two jokes. i Yeah, i'm I'm really, really happy with how the response has been so far because, I mean,
Speaker: It was kind of a test campaign. i wasn't initially going to put these episodes out. We were just going to see if we liked doing it. But then we were having so much fun doing them and we were recording them anyway. And part of me was like, it's very silly. and I didn't know if people like.
Speaker: You know, we we've had such great Star Wars stories like Andor where they they treated Star Wars so, so seriously. And i love it. But I was like, I don't know if people are going to come into this expecting that. And it's the complete opposite.
Speaker: ah There's a great example that i always bring up that a lot of people imagine a when they think D&D, they think they think it's going to be at the Lord of the Rings. But more often than not, it's Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Speaker: yeah Yes. Yes. And I can tell you, Nick and Stephanie will agree, the energy at your table is exactly the energy that our group has every week.
Speaker: ah It is exactly the kind of just shenanigans and nonsense that we always get up to. ah i mean, I'm not saying that I spent an entire mini campaign mini campaignmpa playing Jackson.
Speaker: That's excellent. And we were on Cloud City. And at one point, we were at this big gala and Lando was there. And so I put on clothes like Lando's and tied a picture of Lando's face to mine.
Speaker: And I rolled my deception check and succeeded with a triumph. And so people thought there were two Landos at the gala, despite one having you big green ears. Yeah.
Speaker: yeah So yes, it is exactly the kind of game that we live for. So anybody else who doesn't like it, forget them. And again, like it it's a spectrum. Sometimes you can have you can have those silly campaigns, but then they have a lot of them do come from a heart-filled place. So there is a drama when it the drama is real.
Speaker: You can see when the characters buckle in. it Yeah, I completely agree in this. ah I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons for like 10 years, but this is my first campaign I've ever run myself. And it was shocking to me. Like we do in this season have character moments that made me gasp just because like we've we've established some things about each character that when they make a sacrifice even if it's kind of a silly one i like it it takes me by surprise so even if a campaign is not like deadly serious it can still yeah a lot of our rpg we have a series on this channel about rpg glory stories moments that we really enjoy and a lot of them come from games that yeah have very silly moments but
Speaker: when it's actually something that matters or to to the character or to the narrative overall, you can see like it it becomes that sort of, for a moment, everyone locks in and you're like, this is serious moment.
Speaker: One of my favorite writers, the the late Peter David, the way he put it once, he he did a lot of writing for comics and a bunch of tie-in novels and as well as ri as well as original novels.
Speaker: And he took over a pretty serious sci-fi comic for a while. And his first like three, four issues were like off-the-wall comedy. And he's like, yeah, that that is entirely by design, because once you've laughed with the characters, when something happens that's super serious later on, you're more invested in the characters.
Speaker: Huh. That's really smart. It makes sense. It makes sense. It's one of those, and I feel like some people have said, like, laughter is truly...
Speaker: beyond language and if you're laughing people will understand that's why you're laughing or you know contagious laughter so it does help get people to get invested even if it is like you yourself getting invested in the character yeah But starting off here, for anybody who hasn't seen it yet, tell us a little bit about Hyper Dice. What's the actual play? What kind of Star Wars story are you telling? I mean, we've already kind of suggested that there's some shenanigans going on. And what made you want to create it?
Speaker: I'll start with the last question, I guess. i I've thrown this idea around for years. um it's It's kind of funny. like I did the same thing with Star Wars Explained where I was like, I think I could do a decent YouTube channel. And I dragged my feet for like three years and eventually started and then was mad that I didn't do it earlier.
Speaker: And basically the same thing where I was like, I think this would be fun. I think it would be a good idea. But just always feeling busy and I wasn't sure about running a game, but I was watching Dimension 20, which I've also kind of struggled to get into watching other people play D&D. I've tried a lot and i've watched Never Stop Blowing Up on Dimension 20.
Speaker: And that just it all like fell into place for me. And i like my brain opened up and I was like, oh, my God, I get it And that system, they were using ah their own kind of homebrewed version of kids on bikes.
Speaker: That system sounded so fun. it immediately sparked an idea in my head for a campaign that we're going to do. But I wanted to take a step back before that and just be like, but let's see if we can do this. I don't know if we have the right equipment. I don't know if we can make it sound decent.
Speaker: I don't know if we'll like doing it. So let's just try it. And so that that's what this first campaign has been is just us trying it out.
Speaker: um What were the other questions? Oh, just basically telling everybody a little bit about Hyperdice, what it is and what kind of story you're telling. Yeah. So I gathered a few friends, obviously ah Molly. Also, she has played Dungeons and Dragons here or there, but never done a full campaign. And she was like, let me see if I would like doing this for multiple sessions. And then i got... She looks like she's having a ball.
Speaker: She um I love the off the wall things that she says and does like. there's a moment in our second session where she just chooses to lose an item that I had given them. And so just to make things harder for everyone for no reason. and a trace ticket wouldn' it Her but bus ticket to the planet that you guys had to to get to the wheel or whatever. Yeah. yeah She needed a bus pass. And she was like, I lost it.
Speaker: And I was like, hey that you literally had a handout, the map in the first episode. Spoilers for those who haven't watched that yet. But she just hands it and just drops rob over her shoulder.
Speaker: Don't need that. And I'm just like that is and energy that I've seen before. That's very much every character i have ever played. didn't say that.
Speaker: didn know that that So you know yeah, but like that was kind of her testing things out. And then i got two more friends who ah Sarah is someone that is at my weekly game. And Jeremy is just a dear friend that He yes, ends everything as hard as he possibly can. And Ashton is the GM of my weekly game. So I figured if I needed someone to ask questions off of real fast, that he'd be right there to my left. So that's the group that we assembled. And we just had a session zero and i asked them.
Speaker: kind of what sounded interesting to them, what kinds of things they would want to do when they lean towards underworld Star Wars stuff. They kind of established the era they wanted to be in. So I left all of it up to the players and then we just started doing it.
Speaker: That's awesome. and But by the way, Jeremy is the reason most frequently that I have to pause. Yeah. That's not surprising.
Speaker: i He is why Stephanie made me stat out Anzelans as a playable species in the Fantasy Flight Edge Studio Star Wars RPG. Yes.
Speaker: Yes. ah I mean, it was always on the list of ones that we wanted to do. I knew that if we ever did one, you would want to play one, but like that really was that like that's what really got us to do it.
Speaker: She turned to me and said, I need those stats now. Yes. It's funny, like we started filming this last June and I mean, I knew that the the system we're using is very like it doesn't really take into account how strong a character should or shouldn't be. But even knowing he was a little guy, when we saw the Mandalorian and Grogu, it kind of was like a reminder of God, those guys are so small.
Speaker: Like we were still imagining him is twice the size he was, but it's like, no, he's so small. Just the tiniest little goblin. Yes.
Speaker: And molly i I am like drawn to, you know, the little critters like, you know, Grogu and then Zelens. and nubs and i just yeah i have to play an endellin
Speaker: i'm sorry nick you were gonna say something i was gonna say that ah it just similar thing uh the i i forgot how small the angelans were until i saw the mandolin grogu and they had the ship gag yeah it was like for sure that that that really like cemented it
Speaker: But yes, i actually, yes's next question. ah you and You've already like said that you and Molly had experience playing D&D, and one of your players is, you said, is it's both at the week of the game and runs it. So when you started thinking about doing a Star Wars actually play, what did you expect the game to look like?
Speaker: I guess i expected it to look kind of like this. Everyone that I asked to be involved I knew had a pretty solid understanding of star Wars. um Sarah used to write for 1138.com. Obviously Molly does the channel with me and I've had enough conversations with Jeremy and Ashton to know that they know mostly like if I just start describing something, they'll know what I'm talking about.
Speaker: So Yeah, I was kind of like wondering if this would be half tabletop, half like would I be explaining things middle of the game? And I decided I didn't really want to do that. And that's why it's a separate channel that we're just going to play and focus on yes anding one another and focus on the characters in the story. And then if something is unclear, then I can always do what I have been doing in the edit and show a picture of it or
Speaker: Describe it further that do something after the fact instead of kind of like doing it the middle of the game. and that that's Hearing all of the yes-anding that you mentioned, it I swear we're not stalkers. We're just fans of the channel.
Speaker: But i it reminds me that, oh yeah, you mentioned taking some improv classes a while back. so And that's the first rule of improv.
Speaker: Yeah, Jeremy... I've never done lessons with Jeremy, but he is He knows everyone at that improv theater. Ashton I took lessons with. um Molly took some lessons ah separately from me.
Speaker: But we are and we're all fans of improv. So like we know the deal and that's kind of what we wanted things to look like is just let's respect each other's realities and dive in like that.
Speaker: I mean, the the improv theater we go to they have an improvised D&D show where they play their characters and it's an ongoing story. so Oh, nice. yeah they're a very Obviously, that's kind of like the preferred way that... Again, it's it it's improv is great because it is a test of collaborative storytelling.
Speaker: now Now I want ah work to send me to Atlanta again, because it's been a couple of years, and look at their schedule to see if one of those shows is a night that I'm there.
Speaker: I know they're in the middle of it right now. We're going next Wednesday. oh nice. we just go to Atlanta. I mean... Well, yeah, there's that, but you know then we have to pay for it. Work doesn't pay for it. I don't think we've worked up enough funds to justify that as a work expense yet. True, true. Okay, fine. Fair enough. But Nick, I think I started to step on something you were going to say. ah i was i was going to say did that part of, as I said, like that's honestly kind of the preferred way that, because improv is collaborative storytelling, and that's what role-playing games are. Like,
Speaker: you you As a DM, you could have all the all the twists and turns written, you kind of need everyone else to put the steps in. Yeah, that's something I learned pretty fast.
Speaker: I did way too much prep in the first episode. i had like eight pages of notes and immediately they're doing things that I couldn't have predicted. So it's like, OK, I'm just like one page of notes is enough.
Speaker: And Tom just that that the tambour Dotsie lives on, even though they were very cool and handsome, that character. Yeah. And that's like ah beat the very first thing that happened is i wanted them to kind of build this NPC and build a relationship with them and have an attachment to them. And like Molly throwing an off the wall, he has a space tambour Tamagotchi.
Speaker: And like that, i guess slight spoiler, like it only gets more and more important to the plot. Just so so stupid, but then he fell in love with it.
Speaker: And I'm so glad that, again, indeed in this recent episode, you've revealed the pin of it. And I'm not even a pin guy, but I got to get one of those. but i that's That's something that I did too when I started GMing. as I would over prep. I would i would write modules the way pre-written modules looked because I thought that's what they were supposed to be.
Speaker: And now it's one of the campaigns that I run. i literally say the day of the campaign or of the session. It's like, okay, this is their objective today. Walk in the room, go. Yeah. And and just let them go.
Speaker: That's very much kind of how things changed is that my prep went from, i think I did this really up until session three, because I remember i was going to offer them all these choices when they got to Kessel.
Speaker: Like they they could have gone to the planet. I had... two other like storylines that they could have explored if they'd gone to the planet or there were two other ships they could have boarded or they could have done something completely different i don't know but i i put so much thought into all these different opportunities that they could have had and i was like what a waste of time that was if if there's if there's one thing that i've learned as a gm over the years it's it's the same as as most people say like
Speaker: The Sess and Prep does not survive first encounter with the players. The minute they see the plot threads, they will either start unraveling them or completely cut them and go and zig instead of zag.
Speaker: I.E. see our D&D hopeless situation warriors campaign. Yes. Or, you know, you can, you can check out our back catalog. We totally bypassed Nick's entire finale session for one of our campaigns.
Speaker: he He had put a big set piece in orbit over the planet just to show us how impressive the big bad's weapon was.
Speaker: And we we used Nick's arch nemesis of math and realized even even though it's a sheet of ice, enough of it would survive re-entry and wouldn't melt. If we push it into the planet, we can just totally basically nuke his base and
Speaker: and And so we did.
Speaker: So we completely bypassed everything that he had in store for us at the base and killed the bad guy. And there we were. yes But that's like, I've i've really loved seeing the yeah the problem solving on display that I'm like, oh, yeah, I never yeah once thought of that. And I should like in the second session when I'm trying to get them to go to the hangar to fight for the ship or if they had won it, that's where they would go. But like Ashton suggested going out into space and around and I was like,
Speaker: Oh yeah, you can totally do that. I never considered that as an option, but of course you can. That's sort of the fun of it. it's like You can come up with... like and Especially if they understand the setting. like Star Wars has established rules and stuff like that that they they can at least ask or choose about.
Speaker: but it was like They can come up with like the... Most of the time they don't want to do the straightforward approach. Yeah. Because they think that that's that's a trap.
Speaker: Yeah. And so they will go as we'll do some incredible mental gymnastics that will eventually get them to the solution. But I'm like, I would never have thought to do that. But again, I'm the one setting up the scenario.
Speaker: And I don't just say this because you are our guest. It does not show that you are a first time GM. I've been joking with Nick and Stephanie ah today as we prepped for the show saying, I call shenanigans on Alex being ah a first time GM.
Speaker: Because you are you are pulling out some advanced level a GM tools and and tricks just in these first three episodes. so I don't know what those tools and tricks might be. I'll take it back to one of my improv teachers, Ruben Medina.
Speaker: He's online. He's great. i I just remember when we had like a graduating class, he was kind of going through all of our strengths, and he... I feel like he gave me the confidence to start doing this, but he said that I was just good at knowing what an improv scene needed to move forward.
Speaker: And so I've, I've been thinking about him a lot. So thanks, Reuben. yeah but but point and One of the things that stood out to me was in, in the second episode when they were at the auction,
Speaker: unless i was Unless I was interpreting things wrong, you not only had the other factions decided going in, who was there, but it looked like you had their budgets too.
Speaker: ah Yeah. And also, I don't know what you were rolling... to see how they were bidding back and forth. But that that's some advanced stuff. Usually, ah even seasoned GMs like like Nick and I, we will be like, okay, well, we we want to get the auction to this point, so we have set ideas for what the other factions are doing. I liked the randomness that was going on. I liked the randomness. is fantastic stuff.
Speaker: And again, you even but made me Same scene, but pick it out. The fact that you were rolling behind the screen, that's a classic DM trick. You don't have to be rolling anything behind there.
Speaker: Sure. You don't have to be doing anything. As long as the players think you're doing something back there. so I should remember that because I was rolling all of those. And I think I edited out quite a bit of me just like I was genuinely rolling and being like, well, now they're bidding this much. Now they're bidding this much and like taking away from their budget. And I was like, this is taking a while. But I was that's what I had decided to do. And I went through with it.
Speaker: I liked it. I'm going to steal it at some point when I go to an au when I send players to an auction. But ah no, I liked it. it it was It was great because it added a randomness to it that you know the the other fact anything could happen with the other factions.
Speaker: yeah and it was I liked that. It also accomplished the intended effect for it. like Players were getting invested. they were like they were They were listening. I could just see their ears perk up every time you were rolling a dice. and it wass like They're thinking. They're like, OK, it's creating an art. it's and It's like a clicky. Ticking talk clock ticking ticking clock.
Speaker: right. Alex, what made you choose Teens in Space as the foundation for Hyperdice rather than using like one of the traditional or the official Star Wars RPG systems?
Speaker: That's probably the question that we get the most so far is like there there are like you could have done Western games. You could have done Fantasy Flight. You could have done the Star Wars 5e that people have made.
Speaker: um I have played D&D enough to know that like that would have been too many rules for me to understand to do it quickly and the way I think I would have wanted to GM. I've played Fantasy Flight. I think it's a great system. I don't know the dice that well yet. And again, I just didn't want to be spending a lot of time like talking about what does this role mean?
Speaker: what I didn't want to be doing a lot of dice math, I guess, in the middle of everything. um But it's because I watched that Never Stop Blowing Up on Dimension 20, and I just saw how fun that system was. And I know what our second campaign is going to be, and ah and it's going to be basically based off of Never Stop Blowing Up. So I was like, I should familiarize myself with Teens in Space and Kids on Bikes first.
Speaker: And on top of that, I... No, go ahead. Oh, I just like, if I had gone with D&D or Fantasy Flight, I think I would have had to really read some books and learn a lot before we could even get started.
Speaker: And I was just kind of like, I'm ready to start this and I'm going to do like, Teens in Space is that big. I can read that. It's like that. It's a short little break. Again, like there's again like there's nothing against against that, but as someone who is basically a big fan of the fantasy fight games, I have to be one of those guys. And I'm probably one of those guys in the comments that asked you.
Speaker: Oh yeah. It's a perfectly valid question. Yeah. So that would be what drove you to make that decision to choose that one. I mean, it's more accessible to you, more accessible to your audience. Because nobody's going to want to sit down and buy Heavens to Murgatory. How many Star Wars RPG books do you have on the shelf in there, Daryl? All Versus a five-page PDF type thing. That makes perfect sense. That second self is all Star Wars material.
Speaker: i mean that makes perfect sense that's second self is like sort material Wanting a rules-like system is totally valid. But we we will gladly invite you to join us for an FFG game sometime. that's I've played it two or three times. I actually have my own dice. I have that book.
Speaker: I just need to learn it. And also, i've I've been telling people... The first two campaigns are going to be kids on bikes based, maybe three, because we'll probably go back to these characters. But like i have we already shot a one shot that's going to come out ah right around Halloween.
Speaker: Completely different system. so i want to like And that was on purpose. It's a new cast, new system. And I wanted to make it clear, like our plan is to not do the same thing every single time.
Speaker: And I would like to learn the FFG system and and run that. And like Star Wars is having an official D&D collab, and we'll probably look into that too.
Speaker: We would be glad help you learn. you are Into the list of people listening in our plan and our future plans, because that sounds like our actual plans.
Speaker: We will be glad to help you learn the FFG system. And i I know you mentioned a few weeks ago watching, ah we are we are friends with Nate who runs Tabletop Empire, that you watched his video. By the way, he was very excited that you shouted out watching his video on I mean like I watched his stuff on FFG quite a bit when I was like considering what system did I guess that was over a probably 18 months ago but like I've it looked at his stuff i I think that it's great I really like the the character art and stuff especially for um their new season that they just started it looks awesome oh yeah as a new GM in the FFG like
Speaker: gaming i understand i mean it is daunting and nick and i nick is my co-gm on that game and half of the time i'm like okay i don't know what i should do here you know i'm handling mostly of the mechanical yeah it's like i'm running the story nick is you know doing the mechanics of it so i mean but i but again you've you've and She's being modest here, but she's pretty great on the player side, mechanics-wise.
Speaker: Yeah. She's had some of the some of my most fun moments in in the entire game with her creativity and some amazing dice rolls.
Speaker: Yeah, i I am afraid that if if we got Stephanie and Molly at a table together as players, that Star Wars Armageddon would have them.
Speaker: Let chaos reign. i mean, I would love to see it. It would be it would be a beautiful, chaotic Armageddon. I'm just saying that I'm the one running that, I don't think, I think I'll need to to stock up for like five months of ah a Vaderade.
Speaker: Yes. ah for For the uninitiated Vaderade, is Caterade with vodka? I have that all the time at Dragon Con.
Speaker: Specifically blue Gatorade in Nick's case.
Speaker: ah So once sinces so once you did settle on Teens in Space, was there anything that you realized that you might need to change or add or reinterpret to make it feel like Star Wars?
Speaker: I think a lot of the ship mechanics that changed how the ships work and just kind of swapped it out with whatever I decided to do.
Speaker: We also added um some additional rules like the the um actually rule, which does happen a few times that if any of the players correct me on a Star Wars fact, then they can take a ah little bonus gym.
Speaker: um But no, for the most part, I think I just stuck with that system and its base rules. Honestly, I probably forgot a lot of them and need to reread it. So as long as you don't have so as long as you don't send them to Jakku and they have to name the sheriff, you're fine. Yeah.
Speaker: You know, it it just occurred to me. i know at Rebel ScumCon you got back to the to the gaming section a little bit. Did you happen to get back there while they were playing Lasers and Feelings?
Speaker: No, I have heard of that system. um I think I looked into it a little bit when I was looking around at options. that That was the brief time that I was back there.
Speaker: I sat in on a little bit of a game of that, and we were all of the PCs were in Zellens.
Speaker: And what little I got to play, it was a blast. I had to get back to work actually working the con. But oh it that just popped into my head that that would be another fun rules-like system that could be easily adapted to Star Wars.
Speaker: Because it was done. Make it so. Uh-oh.
Speaker: I thought we lost Nick for a second there. No, bud.
Speaker: We were having a bit of electrical problems at my place. Oh, so so you're why I keep getting slight little you member disconnected, member reconnected notices from Zencaster.
Speaker: Is Group Zero haunting the game room again? Most likely. Probably. okay
Speaker: Nick, I think you have the next one. I do. Yes. ah How much of... The hybridized version of the system did you have figured out before, sir, you you mentioned that the biggest thing was the ship based mechanics, but was there anything else that like did you specifically tweak going into the first session or had to tweak on the fly?
Speaker: I don't really think so. um I can't remember tweaking anything from the system itself because it is so light to begin with.
Speaker: i I honestly based like the first episode kind of around all of their major mechanics, like having the um split decision. that's from the book itself.
Speaker: So no, I don't really remember they having to. I did find it. I haven't read the the system itself, but the split decisions, the the few the times that I've seen them so far have been very intriguing. Yeah. and I thought that was a great idea to kind of like have everyone lock something in without discussing and then just see what happens. I think that's really fun.
Speaker: It's a sort of counterintuitive to usual usual tricks and tools in in gming like usually there's a timer or a countdown in order to make that but it still relies on players still able to have a moment to outside of game discuss as well as internally discuss so having a snap decision adds a little bit more to that when it's like someone must choose and it must be chosen maybe i Actually, now that I think about it, I may have tweaked things a little bit by having them write down what they're going to do. I think that was just to for sure lock in what they said they were going to do instead of like if someone hears, oh, well, I'm going to do this and then maybe they would change what their initial idea was. So I think that was a slight tweak.
Speaker: Honestly, that's a that's a great tweak because it means that they can't coordinate as well as they would normally do. So when they make the decision, it truly is like, my character is doing X, and here's what's going to happen.
Speaker: So the character can't be like, well, they're doing X, I can do Y. like They could also do X.
Speaker: And speaking of tailoring that session to everybody's strengths, and weak that that was another... classic GM move that you were doing at the auction, putting items in the auction that were specifically meant to make them want to waste their money. I mean, intrigue them in the auction. Yeah. yeah they It's not just a part of, it's just a narrative device from auction and story. It's like, they're supposed to be tempted. It's like,
Speaker: You're given this much amount of money should be expecting. Like, well, there might be something that's important to you or something important to your past or a future storyline or just greed. Mm-hmm.
Speaker: Or because it's shiny. Yeah. Well, all of that stuff I actually had in the first session, that was all, like, scattered around the vault where they got the box. Yeah.
Speaker: after they ah killed their their friend. Oh, that's fun. It's reincorporating from that scene because they didn't have time to look around the ball. Yes. Like if they had looked around the room, they would have found all that stuff. But since no one looked around, I was like, all right, I'll just pick it up and use it in session two.
Speaker: mo Molly didn't look at her at her her at her timer once.
Speaker: No, that that's that's great repurposing ah as as a GM. So again, any any doubts that you had about your ability to GM?
Speaker: for Forget it. You're doing awesome. Thank you.
Speaker: So there's a big difference between playing an RPG with friends and creating an actual play that people are actually going to want to watch. So how did filming Hyperdice change the way you approach the game?
Speaker: Good question. I don't know that it did that much. like i Molly and I are used to having cameras around. so And also our initial idea for this was not It was like, we're just testing it.
Speaker: So no pressure, everyone. be goofy. We're just going to figure out if we can record this. And it went well. But I think because we weren't like treating it as if, okay, this is going to go out online and everyone lock in. And we were just being our goofy selves. And so I don't know that it has had a big effect And ah future after the first session, we were like, OK, maybe we will put this out.
Speaker: So even even after that, i think we're just focusing on having fun at the table and knowing like clearly are. again, we again, we we can't help but gus because we're like, we're having fun watching you guys have fun.
Speaker: And I think that's the important part is that to to not worry about like the final product, so to speak, like that there is part of me that wonders about that where I'm like.
Speaker: Eventually, we're going to have a session where maybe we're just not clicking, but like we're going to have to put it out because it'll be important to the plot or what have you. Oh, well, like that's just how it's going to be. But those sessions happened. Yeah, they do. That's that's realistic. There are some sets that are like, OK, things happen and they're good things, but they're also the ones that if you didn't write down what happened, that most we would forget. But it will be important later.
Speaker: Right. And so that that's kind of in the back of my mind, but I don't really think It has felt like a big difference just because cameras are on like we own. I'm editing everything very heavily. You know we'll record for like two or three, two and a half to three hours.
Speaker: And then I cut that down to ah today. Our third episode came out. That's our longest episode. um The rest of them are. but like an hour and a half hour 40 which that's what kind of where i want it to be and asf yeah so if it gets boring i just cut it out unlike unlike most gms you have the ability to be like nope that's not what you said that is not what you did because you can go back you're like i can pull the tape if you don't believe that that's what you said or that's what you did because you on this date at this time at
Speaker: this minute marker, you said this. So get out of here with that. That is true. is it I don't think we've... but but it does It does keep you guys before August.
Speaker: But it's also the fact of like the most popular live plays currently it is like a critical role in something that to have like large reduction values.
Speaker: Massive, like basically just that since for lack of a better term. So like there is a, it's, again, it's fun seeing that you're very much is theater of the mind and the players.
Speaker: And it that's really where like, that's the heart of it is. Yeah. ah we but We did, Molly is very into like production design and if she knew from the start that this was going to be our first season, she probably would have made me do a lot of things differently. But immediately the, the one shot with it, we filmed like a week and a half ago.
Speaker: um It looks so much better. Yeah. I don't really mind. It's for Halloween, so we have to put up the Halloween decorations. We have to move this plant because that just does not look so well. The lighting is so much better. Everything looks way better. So I hope people will be excited. The homebrew, you know, this is just, you know, five people sitting around playing a game and we just happen to be recording it.
Speaker: I mean, I like that aspect of it. That it's not overproduced. That's kind of the vibe we want to go for because I feel like that's sort of a thing that I feel like as much as like ah critical rules grade amazing but that level of production value being some people's introduction can turn some people off.
Speaker: it is like And that's just not our group either. We're not all glitz and glamour and flash and stuff where you know when we do it's it's because it's like this is like a big moment or it's like we want it to be a big moment it's like yeah it's usually theater of the mind and just ah rather around around the small table or in in lazy boys yeah A lot ofqua of ours was just like, Molly was like, we have other lights. We have better lenses. Like, let's use them. I i seem to recall her once saying something about, ah no, we had to invest in in better cameras just for the channel in general. it's like Because I wasn't going to have trash licking cameras.
Speaker: Well, she has a photography background and like, yeah i I know very little about, I can point a camera at something and I can hit record. That's about the extent of my knowledge, but she knows how to light things. She knows lenses and aperture and all that stuff.
Speaker: If you look back in our past catalog of this particular podcast, I have not appeared on camera until today. And I not set this up myself. Mick has been a My Little Pony avatar. Yes.
Speaker: And at one point he was a squirrel. Yes. Yeah, but it it sounds like you would be like me. Well, okay, this camera looks like it can do everything that I want it to do, and it's the right price. Let's go. Yeah, I'm i much more ah focused on price.
Speaker: yeah and That's our plan for when we start our our actual plan. Exactly. We're not going to be around the table. Just for the price. wait We might talk.
Speaker: we might talk we're We're going to talk. yeah we're we're goingnna We're going to talk. But you've described this as an experiment in a lot of ways. So what have you learned from actually doing it that you couldn't have learned from planning it?
Speaker: That's a good question. I think just the GMing aspect of it that there I think I watched a couple videos and I read some stuff that I was. I just don't think there's any substitute to actually doing it.
Speaker: i like Like I said, being way too prepared for some sessions and learning how to just roll with what my players are going to do, because I am someone Something I'm really liking about this is that it's forcing me to let go of control. I think I'm kind of a controlling person, or I like to feel like I'm in control of a situation and being able to just like let go of that and be like, I have i have no idea what you're going to do. i think that's good for me. again like great easy
Speaker: like I've talked with a personal therapist about this. like It's like, i when I went... started out DMing before even I met Daryl and Steph and our main group as a whole. i I wanted to be a GM because I wanted to get control because I felt out of control in my life.
Speaker: In fact, it helped me recontextualize that. I needed to be in the situation where I'm out of control, but I'm in a safe environment.
Speaker: Yeah. And that makes me feel much I can help me be more flexible in real life. Yeah. That's a great perspective. Like, I think that's exactly what I'm feeling is that normally if I'm in a situation where I'm like, I don't know how this is going to go, it'll give me a lot of anxiety. But this is kind of like, oh, I don't know how this is going to go. like it's fun. Exactly. i You get a little like, and it's helped me like, okay, think about this like,
Speaker: It's just a new, a group of new players that I've never talked with before. It's healthy of anxiety and talking with people I've never met before. It's like just be able to roll with the punches. Yeah.
Speaker: Cause again, it's, you it's with friends. It's with people I know in an environment it is controlled and safely. So I don't, as much as I like, I have control here, but it's like, I'm willing to like, let it go. Yeah.
Speaker: And that's one of my favorite things when I'm running a game too, is like what is someone going to bring to the table that I didn't but even remotely consider would happen?
Speaker: And how can I use that to make the story better for everybody?
Speaker: Because like, and and give Hilo pets for me. um I think he settled back down to it.
Speaker: I'm surprised that none of our zoo has jumped into Stephanie's camera yet. They're both curled up on your side of the couch right now. Gotcha.
Speaker: ah The only animals here are stuffed. ah stuffy animals like it in our walking dead campaign one of our players was playing a doctor who to try to get another player out of some trouble with the mob said like oh no no i'm i'm trying to work on on some kind of cure or vaccine for for this this whole this whole walker thing and they said okay you have you have 48 hours And so he started working on it and got into a situation where he was with Nick's character and basically was told, okay, test it on on that person.
Speaker: Test it on Nick's character. And he did. And now there's a whole new strain of Walker. think there was Death Number 4.
Speaker: Yeah, that i Nick has died three times in that campaign. But I mean, it' it it's Walking Dead. So you the that the system is is built around high casualties, and I'm i'm surprised that there haven't been more.
Speaker: if if ah if i if if there there was an in if there If you were hosting the post-show The Talking Dead, I'd be the most frequent would guest star.
Speaker: Yes. would be on the couch a lot. You would be why you know Chris Hardwick could no longer say who from the cast was on.
Speaker: Nick. Yep. Now that you've actually played and filled filmed day and completed Hyperdice, has the experience changed how you think about RPGs in general?
Speaker: And even the idea of a Star Wars game, as events you youve mentioned that you thought that since we've seen such incredibly rich and honestly very grounded stories like Andor and very fun and popularly received stories like the Mandalorian and Grogu, how does filming Hyperdice and seeing the How does that make you feel about what a Star Wars story is
Speaker: I've always been someone who just likes Star Wars and like every story I will give it a shot. So I have experienced the most serious Star Wars stories all the way down to like the weirdest stuff that legends had to offer back in those like late 70s, early 80s comics. So I don't know. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: yeah yeah i've I've read those books. I grew up with them. I've always been used to like the weird side of Star Wars. I've also always loved like the robot chicken specials.
Speaker: and That's kind of how I view Hyperdice is like it it's not canon, obviously, but like I would say it kind of exists in my mind in like a robot chicken part of the universe.
Speaker: I always liked how a how the creators of, uh, the Lego free maker advancers described, like some of the parts of our stories may have happened, but probably some of the other parts didn't. And, but I think lego a lot Lego Star Wars universe is a good comparison. Like we kind of fit in the Lego Star Wars side of things where it's like maybe some of this stuff happened and some of these characters exist. um But this is a way sillier version of what actually happened. And also we cuss a lot more. it Did it happen like this?
Speaker: Maybe. Kind of. Yeah. Yeah. From a certain point of view. From a certain point of view, yes. Well, if you want, when you revisit these characters, feel free to borrow one of our our favorite recurring goofy-ass bits, which is the Empire has an entire hollow channel that's just Palpatine cackling.
Speaker: Yes. And it it's the Palpatine cackling channel. It's one of our many enduring bits. Yes. So feel free to use the Palpatine cackling channel because I'm stealing the Tamburgachi. Oh, wait, wait. You already called... called dibs? Oh, I was so... I was going to call dibs.
Speaker: I call dibs on social media or on commenting on the video, Nick. Sorry. It's to be scaled time stamped. You both can use it. It's it's fine.
Speaker: It's fine. It's it's out in the the TTRPG Star Wars universe now. Yes, it is. So it's you know up for anybody to use. If it fit in my campaign, i would use it. Who knows? Maybe... you know, maybe they'll find one on this new planet that they're that they're heading to that, you know, in one of the two weeks.
Speaker: It will absolutely fit in Rebel Yell. Oh, yes. It will.
Speaker: Yes, yes. Okay, so you've ah taken something that started as an idea for a game and turned it into something you're putting in front of an audience. Yes.
Speaker: What do you hope people take away from Hyperdice, whether they're already into Star Wars um RPG players or have never played an RPG before? Are you hoping that this like you know lights a fire or sparks interest for TTRPGs or you know something like that?
Speaker: Mostly I just hope people laugh. Like that's our our main goal was to sit at the table for a couple hours and make each other laugh. So i hope people enjoy watching it. But like the bonus that I've seen people commenting is we've already had someone make fan art, which is crazy.
Speaker: was not expecting that. I was the first step few seconds of the third episode. That was pretty Like I wanted to shout that out because I i was blown away that Someone did that. Someone else commented and and made a post on our channel.
Speaker: And it was just like, hey, this is a piece of art I've been thinking about for a while. And watching Hyperdice kind of lit the fire under me to like finally finish it. It had nothing to do with Hyperdice. It's just like it it made someone want to be creative. And so that felt awesome.
Speaker: that I've seen some people saying... That's honestly a great feeling. Yeah. yeah Inspiration can strike. like yeah Like you said that you you've mentioned that you thought that, oh, I waited too long to do this because I wanted to do this and it's taken off. it's like Some people just need that like little puss of seeing things.
Speaker: ah well yeah i mean that's I would say that this got sparked because of Never Stop Blowing Up. yeah So Dimension 20 is what like pushed me to finally do this. So yeah, it's nice to see like that chain of inspiration.
Speaker: <unk> I've been trying to create a role-playing group for for for years before even I met these two lovely people. and it's like Don't lie to the man.
Speaker: We are not lovely people.
Speaker: Well, and you said... But it's yeah, the inspiration has gone back since I've read books and it's like I've been interested in stories and I want to tell stories and I want people to experience stories and it's like it just keeps on going around the line and it's like, or me it's just like a like a big old snowball picking up everyone and bringing them to life.
Speaker: That's a bad metaphor. That's a bad metaphor. i like it. I like the snowball metaphor. That kind of went off the rails somewhere, but it's all And Nick, you you mentioned you know wanting to start an RPG group to get a feel a semblance of control.
Speaker: Looking at our group, sometimes I have to kind of hear Bane in my head. Do you feel in control? Honestly, no. That's kind of the best part. It started as like, I want to control things, but now I've learned to let go of control.
Speaker: i mean Where's the last time I had to leave leave the room and scream into my pillow? um Not so. They all set off the fire alarm in the in the school.
Speaker: Yes. So that we could escape from Inquisitors. No, the Grogu Mini was after that. Oh, yeah. But he didn't run off the screen. Yes, he did. Oh, he did? Okay.
Speaker: And he came back cradling a bottle of vodka. Okay.
Speaker: But, you know, it it's a great... It's a great, great vibe. I love watching the show. It's kind of like Stephanie said. I'm really digging the feel that it's like we're sitting at the table with you guys watching you play. And that's something that that I find missing from a lot of actual plays. And some of them can't help it because geographically they're not in the same place. Yeah. So they have to play online. I get like
Speaker: ah yeah like We can't ignore the fact that Critical Role is sort of the blueprint for a lot of actual plays that are popular because of their production value and their... It's a 500-pound elephant in the room?
Speaker: Yeah. But the main factor is that it's like... It doesn't... It feels like... Like we just stepped in it's like... We just want to observe. it's We don't feel intrusive.
Speaker: We don't feel like we're... doesn't feel voyeuristic. It feels like we're just like for this there to watch some people play the game. It's like, that's cool. That's interesting. We're hanging out and we're watching a really fun game.
Speaker: that's And that's honestly how how your son got into role-playing with our group. ah He came there, not necessarily of his desire to see the game, but he was there, he observed, and then Start in-sitting and closer.
Speaker: In-sitting and closer. Ask questions. Suggested things. Roll the couple die. And now he's up there as one of my top players. Yep.
Speaker: What were you about to say, Alex? Oh, the the whole idea of being at a table was important to me because I've played D&D online before. Like we were in the middle of a campaign when COVID it happened and then had to shift to Zoom.
Speaker: And I just like, it it felt different and i have nothing against shows that have to do that because of geographic reasons. But like, just I had trouble with it because we did the same thing during COVID. And even now that, you know, we're in person, there've been, you know, games where I've not been able to go for one reason or another and had to do, you know, join via audio and, It's hard. You're just, you're not as engaged in the game. It's easy to, you know, pick up your, I mean, yeah, you can do it sitting at the table, but pick up your phone and start doing something else or zone out watching TV and just not be as engaged in the game.
Speaker: And we had issues where people couldn't judge like a, personal versus in character conflicts. Like, like, yeah, we'd get frustrated with each other because you don't have that visual reference, reference to see each other because we weren't at that point where we had cameras on our stuff. We were just like, well, we didn't want to upgrade to like, to like do all camera stuff. So we just wanted to be vocal, but like, yeah, sometimes in character arguments can sound like real arguments.
Speaker: Yeah, I do think we've wanted the it was a moment. I do think we might do some online stuff at some point, like try it out for one shots, because there's tons of people I'd love to play with who aren't local. And it's just not realistic. But like, I want the core show to be friends that we're comfortable playing with and that we're at a table together.
Speaker: And if we do, we're now that we're planning on doing a doing an actual play, we're going to have the cameras involved because that's and as a way of connecting with the audience as well as making it feel honest.
Speaker: And before letting you go, what other elements of the game have have really stuck out to you as being the best or most memorable so far?
Speaker: Like moments or... Just in general. I don't want you to necessarily give any spoilers because this episode will drop the same day as episode four, so you'll only be halfway through. So no spoilers, but just in general, what stood out to you the most about about the game? The experience is probably what we're... but like Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah. Big what? The experience. The experience. Oh, yeah. i would I think watching the table... grow and come together and get better as a team, like in in universe as characters, but also as players. Like, I really like our first three episodes, obviously, but I keep joking with my friends because they haven't seen all this stuff. I've been editing it for over a year and I'm like intimately knowledgeable about everything that happens.
Speaker: And they're like, man, I forgot what happened in sessions one, two, and now three. And I'm like, those are my least favorite of the season. I really enjoy them. But like four, four is the one that I remember um there being a jump up. And like all of us, I feel like we all just knew what this campaign was. And we were constantly making one another laugh.
Speaker: like it I don't know that I edited much out of that one. So that was really fun. Like one, two, three I had in my head is like, this is, i knew what those sessions would be before I started filming.
Speaker: But I think that's the same with any campaign. It takes. Yeah. two or three sessions before everything like comes together and like Steph as our newest GM I felt that this most recent one was probably your favorite oh no the next one is I love it it ah what I've got going on in it I think mainly based on what happened in the previous one like you are yeah we
Speaker: We got so much out the last one. And I think that that would be like the one, because you've seen where the characters have sort of crystallized. Yeah. So I think, yeah, I think it takes a couple episodes, a couple episodes, couple of sessions before everybody is like, oh, okay, this is what I'm doing with this character. This is how play them. Because everyone's still sort playing it out, like trying, trying, like if they're going to do a voice or not going to do a voice, but they're going play it this way that way.
Speaker: Well, session four was kind of like... ah so When I was planning out everything, the campaign, session four was initially like my idea for the season finale when I didn't know like this is going to go out. And after the first three sessions and after they had built up so much stuff of their own and injected everything into what I had ah initially conceived, I was like, no, scrap that. I'm just going to do that next.
Speaker: And we'll go from there. So like four is where I really, really started to improvise with the overall season, because that I think just like jumped everything up into being a little more.
Speaker: not just chaotic, but like the stakes are higher. And then after that, it's just like we're yes anding each other, but we're also yes anding the previous session more than I did for the first three episodes. Honestly, that does put us back into like our current D&D campaign called the Hopeless Situation Warriors.
Speaker: is It is started out as supposed to be like a fun, like I want to run it a 5e mini campaign.
Speaker: We're going to like level 20, so we're not even halfway through yet. Yeah, it quickly run out went off the rails. But it's it's still got fuel. It's got fuel, and everyone's very excited. we click We quickly intentionally ran it off of Nick's rails.
Speaker: Yes. To the point where they were having so much fun, and I was having so much fun. was like, fine. Fine.
Speaker: We're going to see this through to the end. Yeah.
Speaker: Well, Alex, I want to thank you once again so much for joining us. We've had a lot of fun talking with you, and we're really glad that you took the time to come on and and talk about Hyperdice and the process behind it. i We signed up for the Patreon last night so that I could...
Speaker: watch episode three to prep for today because I wouldn't have had time between work and now and now I can go watch episode four now that you have episode four. That's my intention too.
Speaker: have to i felt I need to watch episode three. I have to finish episode three. I have to watch episode 3, Daryl. Oh no, I have to watch episode 3 again?
Speaker: oh no. have to finish episode 3 and then i am now am able to watch episode 4 because I am now on the Patreon. ah Thank you both.
Speaker: ah Thank you for for creating this. We're willing to like put out the money to want to see it.
Speaker: but that's yeah we We've got we got plans. And I'm trying to day yeah e Everybody listening or watching, go check out Hyperdice and of course Star Wars Explained, the the best Star Wars YouTube channel out there. i don't watch any others anymore. Honestly, if honestly when whenever I need a refresher on things...
Speaker: Spoiler to all my players. I check out Star Wars Explained. Yeah, I've i've learned a lot just because I was a Star War, I liked Star Wars, you know, when it came out.
Speaker: And it wasn't until going on 25 years now that Daryl and I've been married that I've become a star, really into Star Wars and learning more about it and everything. So I've actually learned a lot watching and listening to, you know, Star Wars Explained. So, yeah. That's awesome.
Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I can't count the number of times that I walk into Nick's house on Saturday for our, one of our weekly sessions and said, have you watched this week's video yet?
Speaker: It's either a yes or a no. And usually the no's like plan to do it after this session. yeah Yeah. That is our Saturday tradition. We get up, we have our coffee and we watch Star Wars Explained.
Speaker: We have just enough time from the time that it drops until we have to leave to head to Nick's house to watch. Yes. So. And it just depends on if I'm running a Star Wars session that day. If so, then yeah, just to help me get into the mood.
Speaker: Good. <unk> glad that helps. but But there will, of course, be links to both in the show notes. And you're always welcome back anytime you would like to come back. um And we we might tap you on the shoulder.
Speaker: even sooner than you think, because Nick's mentioned it a couple of times. So we're letting the cat out of the bag for the first time officially on the actual show that we're planning to start doing some actual plays next year in 2027. We're, we're planning our schedule out. We would love to have you and or Molly on, uh, bring some more,
Speaker: some fresh chaos to our to our games. You could even extend that to your to your fellow players as well. They seem like lovely people as well.
Speaker: and They're fine. And do not feel that you would be locked into having to play Star Wars. If you want to shenan and shenan again in other systems, we're going to be running a bunch of different systems in our actual games.
Speaker: we are our system Our first system is not going to be. but We might release a test episode. We're not saying what that one is yet, Nick. Yep. But we but ah we we intend to explore many different systems of different types, different vibes, different genres.
Speaker: And since we do have you as a guest here, we're going to try to maintain a good impression and we're going to skip our traditional end of show ritual of bullying Nick.
Speaker: Yes. we We typically, you know, end up ah just, we naturally flow into bullying Nick. So thank you again for joining us. And with that, we've once again reached the part of the show where I say,
Speaker: deep breath as I go into shill mode, head over to howwerollgaming.com, your central hub for everything How We Roll Gaming. You'll find details on our current campaigns, our full podcast archive, plus quick links to our merch store and all our social channels so you can stay connected wherever you hang out online.
Speaker: If you're looking to support the show directly, the best way is through Patreon at patreon.com slash howwerollgaming.com. We've got membership tiers starting at just $2 a month with perks ranging from special recognition in our Discord community to on-air credits and exclusive discounts in the merch store.
Speaker: And while you're supporting us, you can also help the show at no extra cost by using our DriveThruRPG affiliate link when picking up your next tables words picking up your next tabletop goodies.
Speaker: And finally, we want to hear from you. Of course, since we want to ask ask go to tackle topics you'd like to see us show, or a legendary RPG glory story of your own to share, drop us a line anytime at podcasts at howwerollgaming.com.
Speaker: We read everything, and your message might just end up in the show. So until next time, keep rolling, keep experimenting, and may the force be with your imagination.
Speaker: I'm Daryl. I'm Nick. I'm Stephanie. And this is how we roll.
Speaker: This episode of the How We Roll Gaming podcast is copyright 2026, How We Roll Gaming, LLC. All games and associated intellectual properties are copyrighted their respective owners, and How We Roll Gaming makes no claim of ownership by discussing them here.
