Shane Plays Geek Talk
Shane Plays Geek Talk is a hobbyist podcast hosted by Shane Stacks that explores the many corners of geek culture. Episodes cover tabletop role-playing games like D&D, board games and wargames, video games, comics, and science fiction and fantasy in film, television and books. The show also dives into fandoms such as Star Trek, Star Wars and Doctor Who, including fan films and other fan creations. It is a welcoming, enthusiast-driven program aimed at celebrating and encouraging geek interests of all kinds.
Episodes
Green Lantern & Lanterns TV Show - Episode 295 - 9/30/2026
Shane and fellow GL fan Bill Brackeen geek out on Green Lantern and the Lanterns TV show. Green Lantern trivia (Golden Age, Silver Age, and beyond). The two most well-known Green Lantern oaths and interesting variations. What is the real-life inspiration for the lantern concept? The many things a GL power ring can do besides make constructs. Thoughts on the Emerald Twilight arc (and some behind-th
CRPG / Video Game Gabfest With Matt Barton Of Matt Chat - Episode 294 - 8/31/2026
Professor Matt Barton of Matt Chat joins Shane for a gabfest on CRPGs and other things video gamey, plus a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. EverQuest and World of Warcraft still have players. What is Mr. T's connection to WoW, and are fools involved? A cruise through player activity stats for various MMOs, plus which MMO has (or had) the highest player base. Playing tabletop RPGs on a virtual tabletop versus in
Palace of the Vampire Queen: The First Ever D&D Module with Pacesetter Games - Episode 293 - 7/31/2026
Bill Barsh of Pacesetter Games holds forth on Pacesetter Games updates and the 50th Anniversary of Palace of the Vampire Queen, the first module ever published for Dungeons & Dragons. Palace of the Vampire Queen isn't just the first published D&D module; it's also the first published megadungeon. What are Pacesetter's plans for the 50th anniversary of Palace of the Vampire Queen? (hint: they're co
Video Game Dev Johnny Wood-Brooks and No One Left To Die - Episode 292 - 6/27/2026
Video game developer Johnny Wood-Brooks discusses his career and No One Left To Die, his new quirky retro indie video game. An update on his Classic Ultima Online project. An overview of his 20+ year career in video games, including Midway, Turbine, Standing Stone, and ZeniMax. How he got into the industry (and what method he used to "cheat"). What programming language is still surprisingly domina
Frankenstein Movies - Episode 291 - 5/30/2026
Fellow movie buffs Chris Holmes and Stephen Clements join for an electrifying ambulation through the gothic corridors of over 30 Frankenstein movies, past and present. Chris and Shane disagree on the merits and content of the original Frankenstein novel. Shane has thoughts on spoilers and people expecting them to apply forever. There's Iconic, and then there's iconic. What Frankenstein movie was s
Ken St. Andre Part 2 - Episode 290 - 4/30/2026
The second of two interviews with game designer Ken St. Andre, this time focusing on his video game design history (see part one for discussion around his tabletop RPG design). Games discussed in this episode: Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan, Adventure Construction Set, Wasteland (without which there would be no Fallout), and Wasteland 2. Ken's favorite Christopher Reeve Superman movie. One
John M. Ford with Victor Raymond - Episode 289 - 3/30/2026
The one and only, amazing, science fiction and fantasy writer, game designer, and poet, John M. Ford (aka "Mike") with Dr. Victor Raymond. A very quick Tékumel update. John M. Ford won a prestigious award for a Christmas card. In addition to his novel writing, he also wrote for RPGs, including Traveller, GURPS, Star Trek, Paranoia, and Ghostbusters. Paranoia is a joyful HOOT. John M. Ford's take o
Ken St. Andre Part 1 - Episode 288 - 3/8/2026
Historic RPG designer Ken St. Andre (Tunnels & Trolls, Starfaring, Monsters! Monsters!, Stormbringer, more) joins for this episode. The game that shall not be named. Is it wise to go into dungeons as an adventurer, or do you just need luck? The practicality of six-siders versus Platonic solids. The most powerful buttons in the universe. Who's tougher, the Romulans or the Klingons? Marbles were the
Heroes of Might and Magic (and Other Goodness) with Neal Hallford - Episode 287 - 11/24/2025
Neal Hallford joins to discuss his new book Heroes of Might and Magic: 30th Anniversary Retrospective. The history of HoM&M games is, in many ways, an "epic story" that tells the history of the video game industry and the related human drama in general. Since it's Neal, we also meander into other interesting things, including Planet's Edge, Betrayal at Krondor, and Dungeon Siege (including why the
The Quatermass Experiment with Toby Hadoke - Episode 286 - 9/28/2025
The Quatermass Experiment, the highly influential series considered the "birth of TV Sci-Fi", with Toby Hadoke (Quatermass Experiment megafan, Doctor Who megafan, special features do-er, author, and standup comedian… he just sits around and twiddles his thumbs, does Toby). Toby's written the definitive book on the first Quatermass Experiment serial! Some Doctor Who discussion. "Behind the sofa." T
Vampire Movies - Episode 285 - 8/29/2025
Sink your teeth into a slew of vampire movies from 1922 through 2025 that may or may not suck with returning movie lovers Chris Holmes and Michael Stewart (Save for Half podcast, Found in the Ruins podcast), plus we chew a bit on Stoker's Dracula novel. From England to Transylvania to Germany to Italy to Spain to Japan and beyond… those bloodsuckers are everywhere!! Which vampire flicks made us th
TSR & WotC Veteran Steve Winter - Episode 284 - 7/28/2025
TSR and Wizards of the Coast veteran Steve Winter (Steve achieved one of the longest tenures across both companies). Steve plays guitar. Steve likes Shadowdark RPG, and is also interested in Knave, Savage Worlds, and Cthulhu / horror games. Steve has a definite favorite version of D&D (he finds it elegant and intuitive). Deep character backstory doesn't equal plot armor. Sometimes we get too used
Twilight: 2000 RPG With The Found In The Ruins Podcast - Episode 283 - 5/15/2025
A RAD-SATURATED BONUS EPISODE! The Cold War gone hot! "Bam" Shane joins "Doc" Benny and "Boom" Mike on the Found in the Ruins podcast to execute maneuvers on the Twilight: 2000 RPG and reconnoiter other groovy post-apocalyptic stuff like PA books and movies. This is episode 9 of Found in the Ruins. Thanks to the FitR hosts for the invite! We had fun and soaked up some mad rads. Shane Plays Geek T
Comic Books, "New" Doctor Who 20th Anniversary, D&D 2024, and Tariffs - Episode 282 - 4/26/2025
Shane waxes eloquent (ok, he might rant mildly) on several aspects of the mainstream comic book industry including the direct market business model, variant covers, multiple characters with the same name, and constant status quo changes (plus the overuse of the word "iconic" these days, which isn't comics-related but Shane kvetches about it anyway). A mini-review and comparison of DC's Absolute Un
Banquet For Fools With Game Developers Hannah And Joseph Williams - Episode 281 - 11/26/2024
Game developers Hannah and Joseph Williams join to chat about their new "Dark Crystal"-like CRPG Banquet For Fools. Shane jokingly laments a missing element from the game, but Joseph promises they won't duck out from putting it in. Now that ten years have passed, how do they feel Serpent in the Staglands performed? Thoughts on Mechajammer (previously Copper Dreams) and the hopes versus the reality
Star Trek Video Games With Mat Bradley-Tschirgi - Episode 280 - 10/23/2024
Star Trek Video Games: An Unofficial Guide to the Final Frontier with author Mat Bradley-Tschirgi. There are a LOT of Star Trek video games and Mat had some hard decisions and set boundaries on what games to cover in his book (by the way, a "notable" game doesn't necessarily mean a good game). What is Mat's favorite and least favorite Star Trek game? Star Trek has one of the saddest stories of vap
RPG & Gaming Scholar Jon Peterson - Episode 279 - 9/27/2024
RPG and tabletop gaming historian Jon Peterson returns for a fantastic conversation on D&D and RPG history, and his related current books and projects. A new edition of Playing at the World and Dungeons & Dragons - the Making of Original D&D: 1970-1977 are on the shelves. D&D 4E has its hardcore fans. Jon has a seriously impressive collection of documents related to RPG history. Jon's first on-scr
RPG Designer Merle M. Rasmussen - Episode 278 - 8/14/2024
Merle M. Rasmussen, the man in the tux himself, joins to talk about the Top Secret RPG and his game design career. What was his first (mistaken) understanding of what D&D was? Memories of working at TSR. A no-nonsense discussion about the financials of his agreement with TSR for Top Secret. Financial lessons he has learned in his career. The perils of lead poisoning in making miniatures (and accid
Zombie Movies with Chris Holmes and Mike Stewart - Episode 277 - 7/22/2024
Shane, Chris Holmes, and Mike Stewart aka DM Mike (Save for Half podcast, Found in the Ruins podcast) shamble relentlessly through over 40 zombie and zombie-ish flicks in their inhuman hunger for horror. Plus a brief detour into the best on-screen Joker and multiple bad zombie jokes. True or false: Marcel Marceau starred in a zombie flick. What is Shane's most annoying zombie movie? What would you
Comics & Comicsgate With Preston Poulter - Episode 276 - 4/29/2024
Preston Poulter of Pocket Jacks Comics joins to talk comic books, the current status of his Comicsgate trademark lawsuit, and his reasons for pursuing it. Plus the economics and challenges of self-publishing comics, some tabletop RPG chat and we learn what a pocket jack is. Shane gets upstaged during the bad joke of the week. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #276 - 4/29/2024 Like what you hear? Supp
MASSIVE GEEKOUT With David Finn Of Signal Of Doom - Episode 275 - 3/29/2024
Wide-ranging geekout with David Finn of Signal of Doom!! Lots of comic book and MCU chat (like, a lot). Pi Day. Doctor Who, old and new. Google Gemini vs. ChatGPT. Judge Dredd satirizes fascism but can tell multi-layered stories. Godzilla finally wins an Oscar. Godzilla as a metaphor. The essence of the Punisher. It's been a while, but Shane rants a bit (and David loves it). The Krakoan X-Men scar
Greyhawk With Allan "grodog" Grohe - Episode 274 - 2/29/2024
Despite what you might think from its famous box art, Greyhawk (the first D&D setting published by TSR) isn't just knights and chivalry… so what is it then? Major Greyhawk fan Allan T. Grohe Jr. aka "grodog" joins to fill us in on all the setting's fantastic details! Also: Greyhawk is a setting with plenty of room to homebrew within the established details. Why the name Greyhawk? Some discussion o
Strat-O-Matic Baseball with Champion Bill Meinhardt - Episode 273 - 1/31/2024
Strat-O-Matic Baseball might be one of the biggest games you've never heard of, and three-time champion William "Bill" Meinhardt joins to share his passion for playing it. How long has the game been around, and how many people play it? What's the one mechanic Bill wishes was in this beloved game? Is there a link between Strat-O-Matic Baseball and Fantasy (Rotisserie) Baseball? Is there a link betw
Star Fleet Battles With Bill Barsh - Episode 272 - 12/29/2023
Star Fleet Battles is the Star Trek-based wargame that's been in constant publication since 1979, leading to an expanded range of games and lore known as the Star Fleet Universe. SFB fan, expert, and contributor Bill Barsh of Pacesetter Games and Simulations joins to talk all about it and take us into the final frontier of wargames! Is SFB for wargamers, Trekkies, or both? Which SFB weapons do Sha
Stan Lee With Comics Creator Tom Scioli - Episode 271 - 11/20/2023
Discover the real Stan Lee (not the public PR persona) and his story in Tom Scioli's amazing I Am Stan biographical graphic novel. Plus: Simple comic book character design versus convoluted and complicated design. Working for the big comics companies versus being an independent creator. The one time Tom got a taste of the editorial dark side of comics. The indefinable magic of the monthly comic. A
Zombie Bytes with James T. Wilson - Episode 270 - 10/23/2023
All-around groovy geek and author Tracy Wilson (aka James T. Wilson) on his indie horror novel Zombie Bytes, also chatting about cool things like his involvement with the Star Wars costuming association the 501st Legion. The pain and timeline of writing a novel. What is "success"? What's the real threat of a zombie apocalypse? Thoughts on when it was time to stop watching The Walking Dead. World
Incredible Cosplay With Simple Tricks & Nonsense - Episode 269 - 7/16/2023
Johnny Havoc (John McDonald) and Newt (Rebekah McDonald) of Simple Tricks & Nonsense join to discuss their incredible cosplay. What does cosplay mean to them? The economics of cosplay, including material and labor. Cosplay includes the challenge of taking something two-dimensional and making it work practically in three dimensions. For people who create cosplay as art, cons are like their art gal
The Legend of Drizzt with Mike Witwer – Episode 268 – 5/30/2023
Author and D&D historian Mike Witwer shares the details on his newest book The Legend of Drizzt Visual Dictionary, which is not only chock full of goodness on everyone's favorite drow but the Forgotten Realms in general (as Mike puts it, "the Drizzt books are the greatest tour of the Forgotten Realms that the setting has ever gotten"). Mike has several other projects going as well, including a se
Holmes Basic D&D, John Eric Holmes & Edgar Rice Burroughs with Chris Holmes - Episode 267 - 5/12/2023
Chris Holmes has a unique historical perspective on fiction writer John Eric Holmes and Holmes Basic D&D, given that he's JEH's son. Chris is doing cool stuff in his own right, including his fantasy art and a day job where he gets to introduce kids to D&D. Chris's posthumous RPG project with his father called Things Better Left Alone. How much did JEH make for creating the first D&D Basic edition?
Betrayal at Krondor 30th Anniversary & Fan Film Challenge with Neal Hallford - Episode 266 - 3/14/2023
Hey there, friend! If you're into classic games and fascinating stories, you'll love our latest podcast episode featuring the multi-talented Neal Hallford. Join us as he shares insider details on the renowned Betrayal at Krondor CRPG, and get excited about the game's 30th-anniversary celebrations! This innovative game was truly ahead of its time, and Neal takes us on a journey to explore the bold
They Came for the OGL: 3rd Party RPG Publishers Share Their Experience - Episode 265 - 2/9/2023
Zach Glazar (Frog God Games), Bill Barsh (Pacesetter Games) and Levi Combs (Planet X Games) share the personal impact (here's a hint: "existential threat") and professional impact that Wizards of the Coast's recent OGL announcements had on them, and where they're going from here. "Unprofessional" and "ham-fisted" is mentioned a lot by our guests. Third-party publishers have been publishing the str
OSRIC & The OSR with Allan T. Grohe Jr. - Episode 264- 11/30/2022
RPG developer and publisher Allan T. Grohe Jr. (aka "grodog") joins to talk AD&D retroclone OSRIC, the OSR, Black Blade Publishing, John Eric Holmes, and RPG goodness in general. Allan LOVES him some Greyhawk. The skills he learned tracking down early information on Greyhawk helped lead to his main non-RPG career. How active is the current AD&D 1E and/or OSRIC scene? What is Allan's definition of
The Valley Out Of Time & Skeeter Green Productions - Episode 263 - 10/19/2022
Skeeter Green joins to talk RPGs, Skeeter Green Productions, the Independent Publishers Union of small RPG publishers, and his new Kickstarter. The Valley Out of Time is a series of 'zine-sized RPG adventures borrowing heavily from classic dinosaur art, books, and movies (think Frazetta and Harryhausen). Tips and advice for small RPG publishers from Skeeter's seminar series with Zach Glazar. The c
Reaper's Dungeon Dwellers RPG with Joseph Wolf - Episode 262 - 9/24/2022
Joseph Wolf of Reaper Miniatures talks Dungeon Dwellers, Reaper's old-school style RPG using modern design. Also: some ReaperCon chat. Joseph has some interesting RPG design highlights, including Forgotten Realms, Deadlands, and Blood of Heroes. Love it or hate it, 5E is very successful at what it does. Which Dungeon Dwellers came first, the minis or the RPG? "Tolkien Orcs" versus "Warhammer Orcs.
Champions RPG with George MacDonald - Episode 261 - 9/9/2022
Champions superhero RPG co-creator (and HERO Games co-founder) George MacDonald with guest co-host Michael Stewart (Victorious RPG creator; Save For Half and The Crusader podcasts co-host). The origins of Champions from the why, to the playtesting to the launch and beyond. Was the initial reception to Champions disappointing or encouraging? George came out of wargaming and his RPG mechanics reflec
Terrain-Tronics: DIY Gaming Terrain Electronics - Episode 260 - 8/15/2022
Dafydd Roche of Terrain-Tronics doesn't just want to make cool terrain, he's helping DMs and GMs bring delight to their players with easy DIY gaming terrain electronics for D&D and other RPGs. Game terrain as part of the storytelling. Theatrical D&D. The no-solder wire wrapping technique is good enough for NASA! Pretty soldering jobs versus ugly soldering jobs. Smart ways to compete with big busin
Grindhouse Cinema With Levi Combs of Planet X Games - Episode 259 - 7/18/2022
Grindhouse cinema with RPG publisher and cinephile Levi Combs. What is Grindhouse, and why is it called that? The market forces that led to the rise of Grindhouse theaters. Gritty movies, violent movies, Foreign movies, exploitation movies, Kung fu movies, BRUCEsploitation movies, more! New York City as a character in movies. Sho'nuff, The Shogun of Harlem can chew scenery on a level with Darth Va
Mongoose and Meerkat with Author Jim Breyfogle - Episode 258 - 6/17/2022
Thrilling fantasy stories of the swashbuckling duo Mongoose and Meerkat with author Jim Breyfogle. Adventure fiction as opposed to "pulp" fiction (and what exactly does "pulp" mean, anyway). Who is Jim's number one favorite writer from the past? Shane's dirty little secret when it comes to Robert E. Howard's fiction. Robert A. Heinlein was both amazing AND sketchy. Fair Witnesses are cool. The Ody
JAQ: Journey Adventure Quest - Episode 257 - 5/27/2022
JAQ: Journey Adventure Quest is the new drafting board game with resource management, cool mechanics, challenging monsters, fun lore, and multiple paths to victory. Jesse Stacy, Tommy Noel and Brandon Beam from Triceratops Games join Shane to talk all about it (and demonstrate some actual play)! Also: Why the name Triceratops, wait until you hear about the artist, shout-outs to favorite board game
Comics Artist Brian Shearer - Episode 256 - 5/12/2022
Comics artist (and self-described art hobo) Brian Shearer has worked on such high-profile properties as Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Doctor Who as well as his own creations Gunship Thunderpunch and William the Last. How did Brian become a professional artist? Tips for creators to build an audience online. What's the line you have to cross on a late crowdfunding project fulfillment before Shane gets
RPG Designer Bruce Nesmith - Episode 255 - 4/15/2022
RPG designer Bruce Nesmith discusses his career as a TSR veteran (Ravenloft 2E, Gamma World 4E, Dragonlance), Elder Scrolls Skyrim lead designer, and now novelist. Bruce's first day at TSR was an experience, to say the least. What does he consider his biggest achievement while at TSR? Bruce's opinion of TSR under Gary Gygax versus Lorraine Williams and what he considers TSR's "glory days". What wa
Staged Heroism RPG - Episode 254 - 3-25-2022
RPG designers John Kennedy (Star Trek Adventures, Stargate 5E) and Sharene "Madfishmonger" Gilchrist (Capers, Vast Kaviya) join to talk their new Staged Heroism RPG: A Comedic RPG of Super-Heroics, Super-Villainy, and Failure at its Best inspired by shows like The Venture Bros. Plus: Designing not to fail forward, but to embrace the fail. The Roger Rabbit style of gameplay. Flashback scenes as a g
Comics Writer Paul Kupperberg - Episode 253 - 3-11-2022
Comics writer Paul Kupperberg is the very definition of prolific! He has written 1,400 comics over 4 decades, wrote for and was the editor of the Weekly World News, wrote Mad Libs, and is still staying busy writing books and novels. Paul's credits include the Doom Patrol, Peacemaker, Vigilante, and the first comic book miniseries (1979's World of Krypton), as well as being the writer who killed Ar
The Wit & Wisdom of Troll Lord Games - Episode 252 - 2-4-2022
Stephen Chenault aka the Troll Lord of Castle & Crusades publisher Troll Lord Game joins to talk about what's new with C&C and some wise principles he uses to run TLG that have helped them tremendously while other companies have encountered severe disruption during COVID. Plus: Steve has to do daily battle with Skynet for sales. The perfect timing of the emergence of crowdfunding for TTRPG compani
RPG Artist Jeshields & Uncommon Monstrosities - Episode 251 - 11-19-2021
A cool project to make 3D-printable RPG miniatures from Jeshield's art. Plus! How did he build his RPG stock art business as the main part of his income? What was the RPG that influenced him to become an artist, and what piece of its art impacted him the most? Straight talk on the financials of the RPG art business. Comparing an artist website versus Patreon vs DriveThruRPG. The importance of a ra
D&D History: Game Wizards: The Epic Battle for Dungeons & Dragons with Jon Peterson - Episode 250 - 11-9-2021
Gaming historian Jon Peterson works through the unhappy but fascinating drama of Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, and TSR to bring us the facts of it all regarding the two most important personalities and the most important company in RPG history. The legal battles over royalties and ownership of Dungeons & Dragons and TSR itself. What is a game, legally? The Eggbert Incident and its effect on TSR's fina
Horror Chat and Found Footage Movies - Episode 249 - 10-27-2021
Writer and "horror bottomless pit" Mark Pellegrini joins for a great horror movie discussion. Essential found footage movies. What makes found footage different from other types of movies? Horror franchises that forget their roots. Horror films adapted to TV series. Overlooked horror gems in the slasher genre. Analog horror. Halloween Kills, what makes Michael Myers scary, and how the Halloween fr
Level Up: Advanced 5E RPG & Kickstarter Realities - Episode 248 - 10-15-2021
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition is the new RPG that adds depth and options to your 5E experience but avoids unnecessary complexity! Lots of love for the exploration pillar. Rethinking classes while keeping their core concepts. Meaningful decisions every time you level up. Modular heritage design. The journey can be the adventure. More! The dynamics, behind the scenes, and fiscal realities of Kickst
RPG Artist Ed Bickford aka Metal Robot - Episode 247 - 9-23-2021
Ed Bickford aka Metal Robot is a tabletop RPG illustrator, syndicated cartoonist, comic book artist, and an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer. Ed's great to talk with and he's very open in sharing honest thoughts on the hopes and trials of creators in the trenches. The business side of being a professional artist. Your art style finds you. Some tips for writers also apply to artists.
Chiptunes with Matt Lister aka Cobra Commander - Episode 246 - 9-1-2021
Matt Lister aka Cobra Commander joins to talk chiptune music, retrocomputing, and some classic G.I. Joe and Transformers. Trackers, hardware, and sound chips, oh my! What is MIDI (and can MIDI be chiptunes)? PAL, NTSC and electron guns. Atari 2600 game development and racing the beam. Yars' Revenge had very tricky programming. Behold the Casio XW-PD1 Trackformer, aka the Millennium Falcon, and gro
Tékumel Revisited with Victor Raymond - Episode 245 - 7-31-2021
Tékumel is a deep setting with published fiction, multiple tabletop RPGs, a miniatures wargaming scene, and more. We revisit this fascinating science-fantasy world with Tékumel Foundation president Victor Raymond. Learn how Tékumel and the Empire of the Petal Throne are so much more than just the "first RPG setting published" (and its creator Professor M.A.R. Barker is a fascinating character). Di
Jack Vance, The Dying Earth & Dungeon Crawl Classics with Julian Bernick - Episode 244 - 7-14-2021
RPG Designer Julian Bernick on Jack Vance's The Dying Earth book series and the new Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG setting based on it. Why is it such a cool world to read about and play in? How much influence did The Dying Earth have on Gary Gygax and D&D? Hint: a lot. What was DCC's design philosophy and what was the thought behind its extra dice types? Long-form Lovecraftian poetry. How to say grog
D&D Veteran David "Zeb" Cook Interview - Episode 243 - 7-1-2021
Zeb Cook's RPG design history includes such important highlights as the "Expert" portion of B/X D&D, AD&D 2nd Edition, Oriental Adventures, Planescape, Star Frontiers, and more! He's also had career highlights in video games including City of Villains, Fallout 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online. Did you know AD&D 2nd Edition had a significant playtest effort (and why wasn't the armor class system cha
FASERIP Tactics - Episode 242 - 6-21-2021
FASERIP Tactics is the tactical superhero miniatures game based on the rules from the classic TSR Marvel Superheroes RPG. Developer Ned Leeds shares the amazing and incredible feats this game brings to the table! It's monstrous fun, and it's FREE. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #242 - 6/22/2021 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays Shane Pl
ACE: Awfully Cheerful Engine RPG with Russ Morrissey of E.N. Publishing - Episode 241 - 5-29-2021
The new Awfully Cheerful Engine (ACE) RPG with Russ "Morrus" Morrissey of E.N. Publishing. ACE is an action-comedy RPG inspired by a frightfully cheerful game from the 80s that's quick and fun to play. Plus: A Level Up Advanced 5E RPG project update. Giant monkeys punching giant lizards. Sketch comedy writing. Sea Monkeys. How to watch Eurovision. It's awfully contentful! Shane Plays Geek Talk Epi
Marvel's MCU Phase 4 Begins! - Episode 240 - 5-21-2021
On scarlet sorcery and heroic wings, Phase 4 of the MCU has arrived! What did Shane and friends of the show Richard McBain and William Brackeen think of WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? Are they excited for Phase 4 in general? Plus! An overview of everything currently on the MCU's Phase 4 slate! Tune in, True Believers! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #240 - 5/21/2021 Like what you
Zack Snyder's Justice League - Episode 239 - 3/31/2021
After years of denials of its existence, the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League is here! Comedian and friend of the show Michael Brown joins Shane for a deep dive on Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon's versions of the movie. Is one better than the other? Does it mainly come down to fun vs gravitas? Green Lantern and Aquaman digressions. Mike is a true Aquaman fan. Shane tries and fails to do a ghastly Jo
Level Up: Advanced 5E RPG Sneak Preview - Episode 238 - 3-19-2021
Level Up: Advanced Fifth Edition RPG is coming and Russ "Morrus" Morrissey of E.N. Publishing provides a sneak preview! A5E is an expanded version of 5E, adding more depth and options yet still backward compatible with 5E. Among lots of other cool stuff, the exploration pillar gets much love, a revamped heritage and culture system is coming, monster signs appear, and get ready for combat maneuvers
Geek News Cavalcade - Episode 237 - 2-22-2021
It's a veritable cavalcade of geeky news goodness! All Your Base 20th anniversary, WandaVision, Chinese CRPGs, The Burning Crusade for WoW Classic, McDonalds Pokemon scalper frenzy, Babylon 5, Red Dwarf, Day of the Dead TV series, Batman: The Animated Series, Godzilla vs Kong, The Snyder Cut, Fan buyout of DC Comics?, Spawn expanded comics universe, Dragonlance, puppet D&D and more! Plus: Shane ra
Most Anticipated Geek Movies of 2021 - Episode 236 - 1-18-2021
It's the fifth annual team-up with Arkansas talk radio legend Dave Elswick for our Most Anticipated Geek Movies of 2021! What made the cut? How did our picks from last year hold up? Dave and Shane's thoughts on Wonder Woman 1984. Dave's theory on The Empire Strikes Back. Ed and Elizabeth Warren. Dave thinks Shane looks like Jerry Garcia. Press Play! Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #236 - 1/18/2021 L
The Elusive Shift: How Role-Playing Games Forged Their Identity with Jon Peterson - Episode 235 - 12-22-2020
Jon Peterson discusses The Elusive Shift, his newest in-depth book about role-playing game history. The importance of fanzines to the hobby and researching its history. Where did the term "role-playing game" come from? The history of "roll-playing" vs "role-playing". Letting the dice tell the story vs GM fudging. Some dice history. Platonic solids and the nature of reality. What was Gary Gygax's d
OSR Gaming & Frog God Games - Episode 234 - 12-11-2020
Who are Frog God Games? The current state of OSR RPG gaming and some OSR history. Recommendations on trying out OSR games. North Texas RPG Con. Large cons versus intimate cons. Con special guest invitation criteria. Economics of RPG conventions. Economics of the RPG industry. RPG archaeology. Tavern brawls. A cool story about a lost piece of D&D and Gary Gygax history. Michael "Bad Mike" Badolato
Asunder RPG with Adam Lawson & Robert J. Schwalb - Episode 233 - 11-25-2020
Asunder is the dark fantasy RPG (powered by the Shadow of the Demon Lord system) set in a dying world with no metal where humans have transformed plants and insects into living weapons. Adam Lawson and Robert J. Schwalb join to discuss! How long is the average tabletop RPG campaign (the answer may surprise you)? What's it like to make an RPG for the first time compared to what you THINK it will be
Tékumel: The Empire of the Petal Throne & M.A.R. Barker with Robert Alberti - Episode 232 - 11-13-2020
Tékumel: The Empire of the Petal Throne is known as the first published tabletop RPG setting, but began long before that in Professor M. A. R. Barker's imagination. It's a rich and exciting world matched by a fascinating creator! Bob Alberti (Tékumel expert, author, and friend of Professor Barker) tells us all about this important part of RPG history. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #232 - 11/13/202
Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon: Fan-created Final Episode - Episode 231 - 11/2/2020
The unproduced final episode of the 80s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon now exists thanks to superfans Ryan Nead and Marshall Hubbard and is receiving widespread praise! What was involved? How long did it take? Why did they do it? Why do they love the D&D cartoon so much? Is it an energy bow, a lightning bow, or a plasma bow? The final episode in other media. Ryan has a DeLorean. Shane Plays Geek Talk
The Kill Journal with Adam Lawson - Episode 230 -10/23/2020
Writer, director, and producer Adam Lawson (Snakes on a Plane, Escape the Night, The Eighth, TableTop) joins to talk The Kill Journal, a horror graphic novel about survivors of supernatural slashers who band together to get revenge. Which version of Michael Meyers is the most frightening? Michael vs Jason. What does Adam think of "newer" horror movies? Ed and Lorraine Warren. RPGs as spectator ent
Inktober with Jake Parker - Episode 229 - 9/30/2020
The hugely popular Inktober drawing challenge with creator Jake Parker. When did Inktober start and how large has it grown? What are people saying about how Inktober has helped them? Advice from Don Bluth. How do you say Mignola? Shane wants to be a cartoonist. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #229 - 9/30/2020 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shane
Good Strong Hands RPG with NerdBurger Games - Episode 228 - 9-25-2020
Good Strong Hands RPG ("A darkly whimsical game about saving your fantastical world") with indie developer Craig Campbell of NerdBurger Games. RPGs gone virtual. The importance of cons to the RPG industry. How is RPG design like architecture? Sad scenes in geek movies. The butter burger. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #228 - 9/25/2020 Like what you hear? Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon! ht
RPG Sketches - Episode 227 - 9-20-2020
10 playful sketches chock full of D&D and RPG mirth and good-natured skewering, written by Shane Stacks and performed and edited by the Morrus' Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk podcast crew (Russ Morrissey, Peter Coffey and Darryl Mott)! Sketches include comparing sanity check fails, "invisible" bank robbers, a certain gazebo, the lack of variety in the post-apocalypse, having cows in dungeons, GMs sa
Darklands - Episode 226 - 8-22-2020
Darklands! The cult classic open-world RPG from 1992 that lets you adventure in the Holy Roman Empire during the 15th century… or rather, 15th Century Europe as people believed it to be at the time! Darklands broke a lot of CRPG ground, still has fans, and influenced games like Baldur's Gate and the Elder Scrolls. Fellow fans Matt Wirkkala and Keith Hiorns join. Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #226
UFO News Explosion: Art Bell Tribute 2 - Episode 225 - 8-14-2020
UFO reports are increasing rapidly and the official discussion of UFOs keeps flying higher with everyone from U.S. Senators to UFO lobbyists to the previous lead singer of Blink-182 pushing for answers. Lots of UFO news. Some space news. Art Bell trivia. Trump quotes about UFOs. Mars is being noisy. Are stars disappearing in droves? What does Kurt Russell have to do with the Phoenix Lights? Shane
Mythological Figures & Maleficent Monsters for 5E - Episode 224 - 7/16/2020
Mythological Figures & Maleficent Monsters for 5th Edition with Russ Morrissey and Mike Myler. A veritable cornucopia of real life and legendary figures for your game! Hair fuses. American mythology. Knights joust a lot. Jesus as a stat block? The real Peter Pan is kind of creepy. Ra Ra Rasputin. Cryptids. Skunk Apes. Numenera comes to D&D. The Far Side is back (kind of). Hudson the ASBOdog. Shane
Scare Package & Horror Movies with Aaron B. Koontz - Episode 223 - 7/8/2020
Producer, writer, and director Aaron B. Koontz of Paper Street Pictures talks horror movies and the new horror-comedy anthology Scare Package. The financial realities of the film industry. The project management aspect of filmmaking and the necessity of crazy instant decisions. Making credits cool. Chasing your dreams. Working with John Bloom (Joe Bob Briggs). Rad Chad is rad. Dreams of zombie Jas
Star Trek Discovery Revisited (and Picard) - Episode 222 - 5/30/2020
Shane has made no secret that he's been disappointed with recent Star Trek offerings. Now he revisits Star Trek Discovery and takes a look at Picard with returning guest Brent Bristow to find out what he thinks now! Also: they sink their teeth into a little Dark Shadows chat. Podcast version of the live Shane Plays Geek Talk radio show from 5/30/2020 Shane Plays airs on Saturdays at 1 PM Central o
D&D History: Return to Blackmoor - Episode 221 - 5/16/2020
RPG historian and filmmaker Griffith "Griff" Morgan returns for a follow-up show on Secrets of Blackmoor: The True History of D&D now that the documentary has been released. Dave Arneson, the Blackmoor Bunch and Gary Gygax. Shane is a nerd when it comes to RPG-related fiction. Early game balance. Griff demonstrates some really excellent and atmospheric spontaneous DMing. Are DMs the most important
How To Be A Good DM (And How To Know If You Are) - Episode 220 - 4/25/2020
Shane's advice and tips for DMs / GMs, plus a foolproof method for knowing whether you're good at it. A different take on rules lawyers. Fantasy races and alignment discussion. Podcast version of the live Shane Plays Geek Talk radio show from 4/25/2020 Shane Plays airs on Saturdays at 1 PM Central on 101.1 FM The Answer in Little Rock. It can also be heard online at http://1011fmtheanswer.com. Cal
RPGs by Email - Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode 219- 4/18/2020
Tom Hise (the GM for Shane's Villains & Vigilantes / Mighty Protectors superhero RPG campaign) joins to share about running a rich tabletop RPG by EMAIL. He's done it for 10 years. Also: why Tom loves V&V and their mutual love for Astro City. Podcast version of the live Shane Plays Geek Talk radio show from 4/18/2020 Shane Plays airs on Saturdays at 1 PM Central on 101.1 FM The Answer in Little Ro
Bryan Edward Hill - Episode 218 - 4/11/2020
Comics writer (Batman & The Outsiders, American Carnage) and screenwriter (Ash vs Evil Dead, Titans) Bryan Edward Hill joins to talk his work, videogames in the pandemic, being a creator and still enjoying other people's creations, respectful online dialogue, Miami Vice, his movie Zone 414, and more... including a special appearance by his Batman voice. Podcast version of the live Shane Plays Geek
Forgotten Realms: The Border Kingdoms with Ed Greenwood & Alex Kammer - Episode 217 - 3/28/2020
Ed Greenwood and Alex Kammer discuss The Border Kingdoms, their new Adventurers League compatible Forgotten Realms sourcebook. A preview of two new character backgrounds. How the Forgotten Realms has grown over time and become a unifying D&D setting. Ed's original Forgotten Realms map. Paperclipomancy. Podcast version of the live Shane Plays Geek Talk radio show from 3/28/2020 Shane Plays airs on
Competitive Gaming! - Episode 216 - 3/14/2020
The competitive fighting game scene with Arkansas Fighting Game Network coordinator Maxx and friend of the show / competitive gamer Nicholas aka Swiggs. What's it about all about? What are the most popular competitive fighting games? How the heck do you get started? Can you win money?? Plus: what the heck is Yoshimitsu? Tune in, baby, TUNE IN! Podcast version of the live Shane Plays Geek Talk radi
Recommended
CBS Radio Mystery Theater | Old Time Radio
Solved Murders - True Crime Stories
紐約鳥｜New York Aperture
The Swerve Podcast: Obscure Topics | Conspiracy Theories
The Bread and Banter Podcast
The Church of What's Happening Now: The New Testament
Busted Open
Deadline: White House
Crickets Corner
History of the Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco
Fox news
K-Drama Obsessed Mamas | Beyond “Just One More Episode!”
