The Adventure Zone: Setup - Dust
February 22, 2018 1:43 PM - Subscribe

Travis takes the wheel as we create our characters for our next mini-arc, The Adventure Zone: Dust! We're playing the supernatural RPG Urban Shadows this time around. Listen in to get a brief primer on the game, our characters, and the unincorporated, Wild West-inspired town of Dry River.
posted by Tevin (21 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'm actually really digging the potential for this one! I also straight-up laughed out loud at the haunted doll. Even when they're trying to play it a little straighter, there's still room for goofs.
posted by DoctorFedora at 4:32 PM on February 22, 2018


I've wanted a Travis-run Weird West campaign since they first started talking about what comes after Balance and I am so in.
posted by jason_steakums at 6:35 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


It seems like they've known what settings they wanted to use since they commissioned the new podcast album art. The only question is whether Justin's campaign is going to be spaceships or Sherlock.
posted by theodolite at 6:52 PM on February 22, 2018


This episode made me happy in so many different ways. Especially at the end where Travis was like we can talk about the rules as we go along I was like ugh Travis that was such a good call I could kiss you. The funny and weird and delightful thing about this episode is that I feel like I got to know the four of them better as people in this one hour? It seemed to have some kind of different energy than other AZ or Mbmbam episodes, I guess because Travis is not usually in the driver’s seat. It’s not really that people were acting differently from usual but there was something that seemed I dunno a little less performative?
posted by bleep at 7:32 PM on February 22, 2018


"Fleshes, Fangs & Furs" is such a good line and does so much to build out the world and its inhabitants.

Ugh, this whole arc is so profoundly my thing that every single episode and line might as well start with "slimepuppy, ..."
posted by slimepuppy at 1:53 AM on February 23, 2018


Travis did a great job as DM before in the donor episodes.
He seemed the most interested in DMing out of the three of them. (Though I'm looking forward to Justin's given how much he was not interested in DMing) Also, he's always built these elaborate back stories for his characters in a way that I think would work out very well as DM.

Oh, having them already exist as a team! Yes!
That's exactly what we've all been saying in these threads. We don't need an origin story episode, get straight into the adventure.

I like his rule of, if you say something weird to an NPC they're going to react like you've said something weird to them. I think it forces the funny to come from the characters and their behaviour and it's exactly this rule that encouraged Taako to become Taako really. Like Justin wanted to say or do something and Griffin ensured that happened, which meant it had to become part of Taako's character.

All in all I think a lot of this intro episode bodes well for the arc.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 2:58 AM on February 23, 2018 [3 favorites]


Time to fancast! Griffin's character is definitely, absolutely a hairier Lin-Manuel Miranda. I'm picturing Kelly Marie Tran for Clint's, and Justin in a sheet with a monocle for Justin's.
posted by zeptoweasel at 5:32 AM on February 23, 2018 [7 favorites]


Griffin: Adrian Pasdar, in a grey suit, but with a wig, one werewolf arm and one fang.
Clint: Yunjin Kim, in a black dress, with like, a black cardigan on top and a black scarf and like, lots of dusty black layers.
Justin: Justin in a sheet with a monocle.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 6:44 AM on February 23, 2018 [3 favorites]


The only question is whether Justin's campaign is going to be spaceships or Sherlock.

My money's on Sherlock. I've watched some of his Polygon videos and he really seems to like mystery-solving games.
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:01 AM on February 23, 2018 [1 favorite]


I just realised that Arby McDonald has a single werewolf arm. I wonder if that was an inspiration?
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 9:53 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]


Clint: I've never really played a magic user before...

Oh Clint. Ohhhhhh Clint...
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:27 PM on February 23, 2018 [5 favorites]


Yeah, I laughed out loud at that
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:15 AM on February 24, 2018


I enjoyed this way more than I expected and am looking forward to next week.
posted by nubs at 8:21 AM on February 24, 2018


Time to fancast!

When Griffin explained the decision to make his character Latinx, he said something like "He's idealistic and public-minded, so that made me picture him as...", and I was almost certain the sentence would end "...Jimmy Smits". So that is my fancast, I guess.

Also I am looking forward to this one a lot, and I can't wait to see all these characters interact.
posted by rollick at 10:58 AM on February 24, 2018 [1 favorite]


So far, I like the world of Commitment the best, but I did not fall in love with those characters as readily as I fell in love with the group in Amnesty. I continue to think that Powered by the Apocalypse is a good system for the gang and I hope they stick with it and get better at using it to make fun stories.

Also, if you're going to play a horror wild west game and you're NOT playing Deadlands, you can miss me. And no, I'm not interested in exploring how problematic the depiction of Native Americans are in Deadlands (although honestly, I don't remember it being too terrible, probably something that could be brought up to 2018 standards). Playing cards for initiative! Poker chips for experience!
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 12:55 PM on February 24, 2018


Also, if you're going to play a horror wild west game and you're NOT playing Deadlands, you can miss me.

While I love Shane Lacy Hensley's work, and have had HUGE fun running Deadlands Reloaded, I think his systems are too explicitly tactical (in particular being designed for and dependent on having lots of minis on the table) for them to be the best choice for an actual play podcast. They shine because of their ability to play through battles rapidly, spectacularly and flexibly, rather than because they directly facilitate narrative gaming. I say this as someone whose go to system is always Savage Worlds, so that's not a knock against the amazing systems that the Deadlands lineage of games has brought us.
posted by howfar at 1:50 PM on February 24, 2018


You're right, of course. Maybe what I really mean is it's impossible to run the ideal Actual Play podcast set in a horror wild west world because Deadlands doesn't lend itself to such things. Also, cool to meet someone else who digs Savage Worlds, I've always been a fan of GURPS-style games like that. I used to have the Savage Worlds rulebook and Deadlands: Reloaded, but lost them both in a house fire.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 4:39 PM on February 24, 2018 [1 favorite]


Old and Busted: Barry Bluejeans
New Hotness: Flint Chittles
posted by Rock Steady at 7:43 AM on February 27, 2018 [5 favorites]


I’m holding out for the clutch appearance of Boop Strongly.
posted by slimepuppy at 12:09 PM on February 27, 2018 [2 favorites]


My 7 year old co-listener said if he played with them he would be a professional nutcracker named Snick Hackenstein, and with an extemporaneous combo like that I fear we may have over McElroy’ed him.
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:12 AM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]


Sounds like one very cool baby!
posted by bleep at 12:03 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]


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