Category Archives: Podcast

Yaruki Zero Podcast #4: Japanese RPGs (Part 1)

May 4, 2009Japanese, PodcastEwen

ykz_004

In this episode I’m joined by Andy Kitkowski to talk about Japanese tabletop RPGs. This is sort of a general overview, and we’ll be returning to this topic in future podcasts to discuss various things in more detail. Our talk went on long enough that I’m splitting it into two installments. This time around we talk about how RPGs came to Japan, the Japanese TRPG subculture, and Japanese RPG design trends.

Yaruki Zero Podcast #4 (43 minutes, 23 seconds)

Show Notes

Meanwhile… The Super Games Podcast. Episode 12 is Andy’s interview about Tenra Bansho Zero.
Sword World, the foremost Japanese-made TRPG.
Record of the Lodoss War on Wikipedia. Originally featured in Comptiq magazine.
Lucky Star manga artist Kagami Yoshimizu got into RPGs through Lodoss War novels and replays.
In Episode 66 of Canon Puncture, Jason Morningstar talks about Fiasco.
Night Wizard, a game from F.E.A.R.
Ryuu Tama (Dragon Egg)
Alshard ff, a Final Fantasy-inspired TRPG, also from F.E.A.R.
Fusou Bukyouden, a wuxia RPG.
Tokyo NOVA, the first Japanese cyberpunk TRPG.

Next Time
In the second part of our discussion, we cover doujin/indie RPGs, some neat Japanese games we’ve seen, and localization issues.

This podcast uses selections from the song “Click Click” by Grünemusik, available for free from Jamendo.com. If you like the song, consider buying some CDs from Nankado’s website.

Yaruki Zero Podcast #3½: Slime Story Reading

April 28, 2009Podcast, randomSlime StoryEwen

ykz_00352

This is a special “bonus” podcast with a reading of the prologue of Slime Story: The Legend of Doug, a novel set in the same world as the Slime Story RPG I’ve been working on. The main character is an average teenage monster hunter named Doug, and in this chapter an ordinary monster hunting run becomes one of his most memorable ever when he runs into Rita, Los Banos’ #1 monster hunter and host of the Monster Show video blog.

If you want to read some more of the story, I’ve posted up a draft of Chapter 1: Saying Yes on DeviantArt.

Yaruki Zero Podcast #3½ (17 minutes, 59 seconds)

Next Time
For the next episode, Andy Kitkowski and I will be sitting down to talk about Japanese tabletop RPGs in general. Please comment if there’s anything in particular you’d like to hear us talk about.

Yaruki Zero Podcast #3: Interview With Clay Gardner

April 23, 2009games, Interviews, PodcastOVAEwen

ykz_003

The Yaruki Zero Games Podcast’s first interview is with Clay Gardner, designer of OVA: Open Versatile Anime. In this interview Clay shares his insights on the game’s development and publication, as well as his experiences interacting with the fans and his future plans for the game.

Yaruki Zero Podcast #3 (25 minutes, 34 seconds)

Show Notes

OVA is available in PDF form from RPGNow.
R. Talsorian Games did lots of anime games, and V-Max magazine.
Clay’s first favorite anime: Record of the Lodoss War
Battlemaster High, the freeform RPG thing that was the original inspiration for OVA’s system.
Dream Pod 9‘s Silhouette System was another influence.
OVA’s artists include Svetlana Chmakova, Dupuy J. Dee, Niko Geyer, Kelly Hamilton, Min Kwon, Lina, Chihiro Milley, Diane Michie Neill, George Panella, Allie Strom, Elly Susanto, and Hans Tseng
OVA has some errata. Check here for info on the upcoming revised version.
Infernal Funhouse’s RandomAnime.

Next Time
The next episode, #3½, will be a reading of the first chapter of Slime Story: The Legend of Doug, the novel I’ve been working on based in the same setting as the RPG of the same name.

This podcast uses selections from the song “Click Click” by Grünemusik, available for free from Jamendo.com. If you like the song, consider buying some CDs from Nankado’s website.

Yaruki Zero Podcast #2: Anime and RPGs

April 14, 2009anime, PodcastEwen

ykz_002

Ewen talks to himself about the relationship between Japanese animation and role-playing games at length. What do people mean when they say “anime” in the first place? What kinds of anime RPGs already exist, and what kinds could exist?

Yaruki Zero Podcast #2 (31 minutes, 24 seconds)

Episode Outline
1. Introduction
2. Perceptions of Anime
3. The BESM Paradigm
4. “System Does Matter” and Anime
5. Anime Fans and RPG Fans
6. Closing Comments

Show Notes

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Anime cons include gothic lolita, Asian Ball-Jointed Dolls, etc.
Comiket, Japan’s largest doujinshi event.
Other anime RPGs: OVA, RandomAnime, Tinker’s Damn
BESM 1st Edition. Mark C. MacKinnon is a huge Amber Diceless Roleplaying fan.
The UnSpeakable Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
The Arianrhod RPG from F.E.A.R.
Anime-inspired indie RPGs: Panty Explosion, Bliss Stage, Bounty Head Bebop, Misery Bubblegum, Seiyuu
Dramacon by Svetlana Chmakova, Scott Pilgrim, by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Next Time
The next episode will be an interview with Clay Gardner, creator of OVA: Open Versatile Anime.

This podcast uses selections from the song “Click Click” by Grünemusik, available for free from Jamendo.com. If you like the song, consider buying some CDs from Nankado’s website.

Thoughts on Podcast #1

April 9, 2009musings, PodcastEwen

On the whole I would cautiously call my first attempt at podcasting a success. Granted, I think maybe six people actually listened to it, most of whom are my friends, but then the first one wasn’t terribly relevant to anyone who isn’t already familiar with my stuff. And, I haven’t made any real effort to advertise it at all except for mentioning it on Twitter and my LiveJournal, something I won’t get into doing until I’m more confident that this will be a regular thing. It was fun and not too terribly time-consuming to do, and after listening to the result a couple times, I think I’m off to a good start. One listener even complimented my voice. O_o

I’m going to sit down and do some planning before I get too carried away, not to mention get some advice from the very small number of people I know who actually do media type stuff. Removing some of the sources of distracting noises (Trillian and my squeaky chair) will help, and I need to look into music for bumpers (I’m thinking of using this song; nice and relaxing) and some other things.

I don’t really want to commit to having a regular “broadcast partner”, but I definitely do want to get other people to join in and talk about stuff. I like being able to babble on by myself without any worries about the logistics of assembling multiple people, and no matter what I’ll be doing that at least part of the time, even if I’m not confident about keeping up with the Paul Tevises of the podcasting world (in terms of being a good solo podcaster). On the other hand, I’m very interested in talking to people with different perspectives on gaming. Of course, whether in person or over Skype, I need to work out the technical stuff for actually doing that, and recruit people to talk to.

Some tentative ideas for future shows:

Anime and RPGs. A solo show where I blather on about the intersection of Japanese animation and role-playing games.
My group’s experiences with D&D4e.
Something about how RPGs have changed over time.
Maid RPG. A lengthy discussion of the game, ideally involving Andy K.
Japanese TRPGs. A long discussion of the Japanese tabletop scene. Again, getting Andy involved would be essential.
I want to talk to my friend Tim about the freeform role-playing scene that flourished at his middle school.
Likewise, I want to talk to Guy about the gaming scene in Israel, and how he interfaces with the online RP scene.

Yaruki Zero Podcast #1: Opening Remarks

April 8, 2009musings, PodcastEwen

ykz_001

This is my first attempt at a podcast, basically a dry run at talking into a microphone. In this installment, I give a quick summary of my “career” as an RPG gamer, from playing Robotech back in the 7th grade up to the present, and a bit about what I’ve been working on.