The Artificer's Portal – Details, episodes & analysis

Join Pat and Andrew as they talk to Andrew Zhu, creator of Avrae, a discord bot designed to help you and your friends play D&D online. Zhu is an expert in language-based AI and has found a way to use ttrpgs as a testing ground for AI performance. In this episode, you can hear him answer the many questions brought up by Pat and Andrew regarding the efficacy of AI, how it can help DMs run their games, and what the future looks like for AI in the realm of game-playing and storytelling.

Guest: Andrew Zuh. You can follow him by going to Zuh.codes

Discussion Topics: Using AI to run TTRPGs as a game runner, creating random encounters and outcomes of interactions, the efficacy of AI in story telling and game management.

Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether you are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Andrew’s Episode with the Company’s Founder here.

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.

Join Pat and Andrew as they talk to Anne the Gnome, an all out DM and D&D enthusiast who uses AI art to help tell the stories and design the characters used in her games. Anne is known by her audience on TikTok for using prompts she either makes up for herself or gets from her community and imputing them into the Discord AI art software called MidJourney, to get these illustrations.  In this episode, she shares the benefits and realistic expectations people can have when they use AI art software to create and share their own ideas. She also weighs in with the guys on topics like, what impact AI art will have on the value of creators and their work, and how the D&D community feels about using AI art software….she also knows a lot about mushrooms.

Guest: Anne the Gnome. You can follow her on TicTok @annethegnome

Discussion Topics: Using AI art bots to recreate our imagination in roleplaying games, The Impact of AI in the value of Art and Artists, the TTRPG Community’s reaction to using AI art.

Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether you are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Andrew’s Episode with the Company’s Founder here.

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.

Join Pat and Andrew as they Talk with Braden Herndon, the creator of LegendKeeper, about digital content tools for TTRPGs, how game masters use world building tools to prep for a game, tracking consistency during or after a game, and how world building can be collaborative during the game.

Guest: Braden Herndon from LegendKeeper; @adventurebeard on twitter.

Discussion Topics: Are world building wikis the best way to deliver digital TTRPG content? What effect do they have on DM prep?

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.

Join Pat and Andrew as they continue a discussion they had about the future of Book Publishing in the TTRPG space with the legendary book publisher Wolfgang Baur, CEO of Kobold Press. In part two of the discussion, our hosts go toe-to-toe with Wolfgang to discuss the merits and pitfalls of books in the digital age for TTRPGs. Decide for yourself which side wins.

Guest: Wolfgang Baur from Kobold Press; @monkeyking on twitter

Discussion Topics: Does the future of Tabletop Role-playing Games include books?

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.

Join Pat and Andrew as they discuss the future of Book Publishing in the TTRPG space with the legendary book publisher Wolfgang Baur, CEO of Kobold Press. In this two part discussion, our hosts go toe-to-toe with Wolfgang to discuss the merits and pitfalls of books in the digital age for TTRPGs.

Guest: Wolfgang Baur from Kobold Press; @Monkeyking on twitter

Discussion Topics: Does the future of Tabletop Role-playing Games include books?

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

Join Pat and Andrew as they discuss their lack of creativity and their growing dependence on tools that can help inspire both a player and GM during a game to better describe their actions, environments, character looks, and many other things. With the help of their guest, David Shulman, they tackle the topic of how digital tools that make it easy to access descriptive boxed text and how these tools are changing the way we play tabletop role-playing games.

Guest: David Shulman from dscryb.com @dScrybBoxedText on twitter

Discussion Topics: Can Creative Gameplay be Supplemented by Technology?

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

Join Pat and Andrew as they discuss the benefits and drawbacks of DMs for hire with Devon Chulick from startplaying.games. They touch on the value of looking for group and scheduling tools while making sure to cover how technology is changing tabletop role-playing games.

Guest: Devon Chulick from Startplaying.games and Total Party Chill @devonchulick on twitter

Discussion Topics

• Looking for Group
• Game Masters for Hire
• Scheduling and Starting Games

Credits

• Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song
• Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording
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Before you subscribe, get a quick intro to Pat and Andrew as they talk through the inspiration and genesis of The Artificer's Portal. 

Every two weeks, Pat and Andrew interview an interesting and influential artificer that is building digital tools for role-playing games, asking questions that dig into their tool's effect on roleplaying games and how they are changing the way we play.

Join Pat and Andrew as they talk to Gunnar Holmsteinn from Quest Portal, and get his “hot take” on the importance of actually seeing your character as you play TTRPGs. Gunnar and his team at Quest Portal, have found a way to help players organize their games and characters and help them generate custom portraits of their characters that they can use to illustrate what they look like to the rest of the party. This episode also continues the ongoing conversation the guys like to have about using tools like video conferencing to contribute to the immersion that characters feel when playing their games.

Guest: Gunnar Homsteinn from Quest Portal. You can follow him on Twitter @questportal_app or questportal.com.

Discussion Topics: Video Conferencing for Immersion, Character Portrait Generation

Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether you are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Andrew’s Episode with the Company’s Founder here.

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.

Join Pat and Andrew in part 2 of their conversation with Chris Eddie from AlchemyRPG. In this episode, you can listen to them talk about methods of measuring Immersion and debate as to whether or not "ease of use" and fun are the same thing. Towards the end they also discuss the impact that different tools like audio chat, video calling, and digital avatars can have on the relationships you build when playing ttrpgs online.

Guest: Chris Eddie from AlchemyRPG. You can find him on Twitter @chrisjeddie.

Discussion Topics: Digital Technology's Effect on Immersion and Fun.

Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether your are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Anderw's episode with the company's founder here.

Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.

For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.