In our fourth episode of Roll for Mutation, we look at one of the most important post-apocalyptic games, Apocalypse World. We consider both the impact of PbtA and the depiction of "the Apocalypse" in AW-- and how it differs from other contemporary games. Hosts Lowell Francis and Marc Majcher cover the short but rich history of AW and its long tail. We talk about what Apocalypse World is, where it fits in gaming history, our experiences playing it, and our general thoughts about the game.

References
Tabletop RPG Design in Theory and Practice at the Forge, 2001–2012: Designs and Discussions
Designers & Dragons Volume 4 The 2000s
Apocalypse World: Burned Over is kinder and much angrier
The Daily Apocalypse
+1 Forward: A Podcast Powered by the Apocalypse
Apocalypse World Burned Over Kickstarter
Rascal Interview with Macolm Craig

For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History.

Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/.

Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community.

You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG.

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio

00:00 Introduction: Apocalypse World
03:30 What It Is
13:26 Publication/Gaming History
25:19 Media Context/Influences
32:23 General Thoughts

What makes a good city in a role-playing game? People, places, factions, rumors? We're going to be talking about that and bringing together your insights. This community discussion ranges widely but includes: tools for building cities, techniques for making cities feel alive, mapping, citybook resources, and more. While we don't follow my outline, you can see my planning doc here.

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

As the first installment in a series of episodes on improv tools at the gaming table, Ian & José are joined by Karen Twelves, the author of Improv for Gamers, to discuss how players can make and receive meaningful offers in TTRPGs.

Timecodes
0:04:37 Pick your Poison
0:24:25 What's an Offer?
0:31:17 Creating Offers and Listening for Them
0:36:53 Formal and Informal Ways to Offer
0:46:30 Offers that Endow Others
0:51:02 Nuancing Improv's Rules of Thumb
0:57:15 Prepping for Spontaneity
1:01:09 Ending Scenes
1:06:57 The Pressure to Make Something Happen
1:13:50 Pearl of Wisdom
1:16:10 Outro

Karen's Work
https://karentwelves.com/
Improv for Gamers

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

Our info:
Email: adifferenthex@gmail.com
Music: https://lloydeaves.bandcamp.com/album/a-different-kind-of-hex

Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks at two related RPG systems. First Godlike, the World War II supers game that leans into realism and consistency. Second Wild Talents, the evolution of the systems from Godlike which can follow that history or be recast into a generic supers RPG. The hosts look at what both games do, their place in the history of gaming, and the influence of related comics media. They wrap that up general discussion, including what what's weird and what they dug.

If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe.

Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world.

Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast.

Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community.

You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG.

Thanks to Rich Rogers for the edit of this episode.

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

00:00 Intro
01:10 The Pitch
09:34 Gaming History
17:00 Comics & Media History
21:44 Thoughts

In this episode host Lowell Francis is joined by Kieron Gillen and Cat Rambo to talk about recent games, plans for future games, current writing projects, and more.

Kieron Gillen
Newsletter: buttondown.email/KieronGillen/
Comics: bindings.app/shelf/1FLv6kLb
Website: www.kierongillen.com
@kierongillen.bsky.social on BlueSky

Cat Rambo
https://www.catrambo.com/
Wayward Wormhole Workshop
@catrambo.bsky.social on BlueSky

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

00:00 Introduction​
01:52 Kieron Gillen & Mythic Bastionland
11:42 Cat Rambo & Villa Encantata (still in design)
19:53 Lowell & Rapscallion
30:31 Upcoming Publications & Giving Me Life

In this episode host Lowell Francis is joined by Michael D. and Alun R. to talk about the ups and downs of "funny" game mechanics, a modern approach to traditional fantasy, and facing down what feels like inescapable doom. They examine light rules for sitcoms, new rules with an old feel, and a game that puts you on the losing side of a war.

Please note that we will not be releasing any more episodes in December, but look for our upcoming annual Games of the Year episode dropping at the start of 2026!

Going for Broke
Grimwild
Band of Blades

Panda's Talking Games
Viva La QueerBar (English)
Viva La QueerBar (Deutsch)

Lowell's Dumb Honkai Star Rail Returning Player Code

Michael
https://kpopandrpgs.itch.io/
KPOPandRPGs on social media or @kpopandrpgs or Michael D on Discord.

Alun
https://gallusgames.itch.io/
@gallusgames or Alun R on Discord
@gallusgamesar.bsky.social on BlueSky

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

00:00 Introduction
01:55 Michael & Going For Broke
16:10 Alun & Grimwild
29:24 Lowell & Band of Blades
49:19 Giving Me Life

Note: we had some audio issues with this recording (apologies)! In our third episode of Roll for Mutation, a look at the history of Post-Apocalyptic TTRPGs, we bow in abject obeisance Friend Computer and the incomparably perfect TTRPG Paranoia from West End Games and then Mongoose. We consider the different editions and how we live in a phenomenal time which sometimes necessitates updating. But of course it never actually changed, since the Computer tells us that it has always been that way. Hosts Lowell Francis and Marc Majcher cover the extended history of the game and how it desperately raced to keep itself contemporary. We talk about what Paranoia is, where it fits in gaming history, our split experience playing it, and our general thoughts about the game.

References
Paranoia on Wikipedia
Paranoia on RPG Geek
RPGNet Interview with James Wallis, Grant Howitt & Paul Dean
The Toothpaste Disaster
Designers & Dragons Volume 2 The 1980s

For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History.

Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/.

Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community.

You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG.

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio

00:00 Introduction: Paranoia
00:45 What is it?
09:28 Gaming History
21:10 The Media Context
28:47 Our Thoughts