One Shot Test Kitchen – Details, episodes & analysis

The tabletop world has been shaken by a leaked draft of D&D's new Open Games License, a set of rules that defines how users can create new content around the system. The legal questions are a bit complex so we invited our friend Chris, a lawyer who specializes in entertainment and games law, to shed some light. We talk about specific language, how unique this document may or may not be, and about the landscape going forward with this new OGL.

Chris can be found online at @NYGameLawyer

(Note: This was recorded in the middle of an evolving situation, and there have been and will be more developments coming.)

Initial article by @lincodega: https://gizmodo.com/dnd-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-1-1-open-gaming-license-1849950634

Wizards of the Coast's response: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl

Having returned from H'rabdin, space slug in tow, Mike sits down with Wythe and Ethan to talk about the genesis of Stillfleet. They have a wide-ranging conversation about the optimism of games, creating a world out of bits and pieces, and about creating a playful space for people to engage with ideas that may be overwhelming. 

Stillfleet is available on stillfleet.com, and is currently live on Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wythe/the-stillfleet-core-rulebook). They can be found on Twitter @stillfleet

(Disclaimer: Mike is a long-time friend of one of the designers and is a backer of the project)

We have finally come home from the cozy town of Coral Gardens, and we have a lot of thoughts. Samara and Mike discuss worldbuilding games vs "tradtional" RPGs, the value of a game throwing you curveballs, and games as escapism.

Cozy Town is a Sword Queen game by Jamila R. Nedjadi (@temporalhiccup on Twitter) and is available at https://temporalhiccup.itch.io/cozy-town.

Welcome to our cozy little town! Mike and Samara are joined by special guest Kate as we create a thriving little village where everyone looks out for each other. Join us for a warm fuzzy time in our precious welcoming community. 

Cozy Town is a Sword Queen game by Jamila R. Nedjadi (@temporalhiccup on Twitter) and is available at https://temporalhiccup.itch.io/cozy-town. 

Off of our gameplay session of Spoken Magic, we discuss the highs and lows. Samara and Mike have a wide-ranging conversation about the nature of language, the dissonance between narrative and mechanic, and how the game shifts between the grounded and the metaphysical.

Spoken Magic is made by Dylan Grinder and can be purchased at https://anarisis.itch.io/spoken-magic.

Words have power, and this week we speak magical phrases as a trio of adventuring mages who journey across the land to find themselves. What dangers and wisdom awaits?

Spoken Magic is made by Dylan Grinder and can be purchased at https://anarisis.itch.io/spoken-magic. 

We've emerged from the dangers of the forest after playing Trophy and talk about how we feel. We discuss the interplay of joint authorship, the nature of horror gaming, and Mike's opinions on French cinema.

Trophy Dark is made by Jesse Ross and is available on DriveThruRPG and trophyrpg.com.

The forest is dark and full of terrors. This week, we play Trophy Dark, a mind-bending game about doomed treasure hunters and a forest that seeks to protect itself from all invaders. Will our players survive, or have their minds and bodies broken? And in the end, will they be claimed as a trophy?

Trophy Dark is made by Jesse Ross and is available on DriveThruRPG and trophyrpg.com. 

She's a product manager living in Brooklyn about to wed the love of her life. However, she's got to survive her off-kilter sidhe grandmother who has come back from beyond the divide! Hijinks ensue as we take on Our Mundane Supernatural Life, a warm and fuzzy 2-player game by Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon. 

Our Mundane Supernatural Life is available at https://storybrewersroleplaying.com/ourmundanesupernaturallife/. 

So that was a thing. Did Umlaut live up to their lofty ambitions of letting us live out our metal dreams? Or is the shine on this game a bit dulled? Mike and April-Lyn do a deep dive on what didn't work for them while playing. 

Umlaut: Game of Metal is made by Rich Stokes and is available on DriveThruRPG (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/79824/Umlaut-Game-of-Metal).