Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Episode 170: Deprived of Moss

December 12, 2015 6:55 AM

What should you look for when revising a scenario? The Gaming Hut holds the answers. Cinematic technique, legacy and mortality all come out to play in the darkened space of the Cinema Hut as we delve into Robin’s powerful response to the documentary Hitchcock/Truffaut. Then Ken and Robin Recycle Audio, specifically more clips from Robin’s Q&A at FanExpo in Toronto. Men in black peer into the windows of the Eliptony Hut as we round up the career of sardonic Fortean investigator John A. Keel.
posted by graymouser (6 comments total)

One particular thing I enjoyed in the Gaming Hut this episode was the idea of ripping out the beginning of most pre-written adventures. That whole section was really great.
posted by graymouser at 7:00 AM on December 12, 2015

I have been dispensing, especially in one-shot or short duration adventures, with setting up the adventure at all. I set the scene ("You are in a small New England town. It is August, and that particular New England weather, both hot and airless, lies thick on the town square, where you are all having breakfast. X, describe your character and tell me how you know Y and Z." Once that's out of the way, and Y and Z have had their say, X gets to explain, over breakfast, how she had the most disturbing experience while walking the night before...."
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:02 AM on December 12, 2015 [3 favorites]

It's worth noting that, if this is your first exposure to Ken & Robin, it's not particularly typical. The long discussion of Hitchcock/Truffaut is only cursorily tied to gaming, and the recycled audio segments are rarely their best material. The section on John Keel was nice, and a bit more typical. There's nothing really wrong with this episode, but, if you start here, maybe give it a few more listens before you decide what you think of the series.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:23 AM on December 13, 2015 [1 favorite]

GenjiandProust, I started with this episode because I didn't realize we could add podcasts to Fanfare until yesterday. I was actually going to wander over to Fanfare Talk today to propose a group archive crawl, maybe at a rate of 2 episodes a week. I'll post a link here when I have it.
posted by graymouser at 5:59 AM on December 13, 2015 [1 favorite]

I proposed the archive crawl here.
posted by graymouser at 6:14 AM on December 13, 2015 [1 favorite]

I am several podcasts behind, but slowly catching up. I also love the idea of finally having someone to chat with about KARTAS. Thank you!
posted by seasparrow at 8:18 PM on February 7, 2016