Random Blatherings

 

Dan is at Archon!

2013-10-04 10:40:38 admin

Archon logo

Hello all! If you’re in the St. Louis area, the place to be this weekend is : Archon – a sci fi and fantasy convention held every year in Collinsville, Illinois, about 25 minutes from downtown St Louis.

This is the 37th annual Archon. It’s sure to be a good time. I’ll be trying to score a few interviews while I’m here. Stay tunes to the feed for more info!
Check out Archon’s homepage for more info

Posted in: Dan WhorlRandom BlatheringsTagged in: Board gamesgeekeryRPG Read more... 0 comments

Podcasts We Love!

2012-11-26 11:51:08 admin

A few weeks ago, I was generating the show notes for an episode of the Gamecast. I had just reached the point where I was adding the little button that asks our listeners to “rate and review us on iTunes”, when I realized that I don’t rate and review the shows that I listen to!

In the spirit of “support, support, support”, I decided to do just that.

I asked my co-hosts to do the same.  The following list of podcasts is not necessarily all of the shows that we listen to, but they are the shows to which we gave a 5 star rating.  We posted the ratings and reviews on iTunes to help support the shows individually.

I have compiled the following list, hoping to spread the word about some of these great shows.  I hope you find something you like.

If there are other shows that you guys think we should listen to, feel free to let us know in the “comments” section below.

 

2 GMs 1 Mic

– Great chemistry and engaging subject matter with an interesting format…and a dragon.  ‘Nuff Said!          -Dan

 

 

 

Action Nerds Go!

– This podcast’s knowledgeable and engaging hosts have free form discussions about a wide array of topics.  I didn’t realize it before I listened to this show, but, apparently, I too am an “Action Nerd”.  So with that being said, heed the call to arms…..

Action Nerds!  GO!                               -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

 

All Games Considered

– I looooove this show!  The hosts are well spoken and interesting.  They cover everything from tabletop war games to indie RPGs.  Also, unlike some other news casts…they actually play the games……RPG Buffet for the win!       -Dan

CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

 

Fat Man on Batman

– Kevin Smith is back again with a new podcast, and just like all of the other ones, it’s about something he loves….The Caped Crusader himself!  The Dark Knight returns in podcast form.  Every week, Kevin brings on a new guest to talk about The Bat, Mark Hamill, Paul Dini, and Adam West to name a few.   His love for the character may only be matched by the respect that he holds for those that are involved with the work.  I hope to see Christian Bale, or some of the other people involved with Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

Another great work presented by the Smodcast network!

Light the Bat Signal and keep on talkin’..                                -Bryan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Fear the Boot

– What else is left to say about these guys?  They’ve been around for a long time and have inspired countless game ideas.  With the evolution of the roster of hosts throughout the years,  they could literally start over from episode 1, re-discuss the topics, and have entirely different conversations.  All of which, I’m sure, would be stimulating, informative, and enlightening.  A must listen for RP gamers!

-Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Film Sack

– Scott Johnson and crew discuss movies.  While exploring the seedy underbelly of cinematic entertainment, they pin back the flaps, reach in, and pull out the good stuff.   Brilliant!!!  Film Sack has well spoken, knowledgeable hosts, and excellent production quality.  Hopefully, as long as Hollywood keeps turning out stinkers, tongue-in-cheekers, and box office sinkers, Scott, Randy, Brian, and Brian will be there to dissect them.           -Dan

– 4 guys gather to joke about the best and worst of Netflix Streaming. They’ll get you watching movies you hadn’t thought of since reading the back of the VHS in the local rental store, laughing your tuchus off, and yelling the trivia they can’t remember at your computer screen. I highly encourage a tour through their back catalog for your favorites. Heck, listen to all of ‘em, it’ll help with the rare inside joke.        -Mack
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

 

Gamerstable

– So much information and great banter packed into 30 minute episodes.  This is a great show with intelligent and informed hosts who care about the subject matter.  These guys do a fantastic job with production and really do their part to give back to the community.  Check them out!!

Openly Gamer Theatre – A fresh look at actual play podcasts complete with a vocal and ambient sound effects presented with rock solid GMing and a great group of role players!                -Dan

-This is my favorite RPG podcast!  This show has a large cast, full of knowledgeable and unique hosts, and as a result, you get quite a few differing opinions on the subject matter.  These opinions are thrown out rapidly, yet, somehow, they manage to stay cohesive!  Great show!                 -Tyler
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Happy Jack’s RPG Podcast

– A diverse collection of talented and funny hosts explore the table top RPG hobby in a round table discussion whose topics range from GM advice to beer snobbery.  All of this is presented with AMAZING sound quality and supported by an active and equally talented community.  College humor, amplified belching, and taint jokes….keep ‘em coming!                            -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Hollywood Babble-on

– Kev Smith and Ralph Garman’s show on pop culture, humor, lots of satire, movies, comics, and no shortage of obscurities.  The show is recorded live, and while recording, they post links to the media that is being discussed so that the audience can play along at home in real time.  A great show for those who like pop culture humor!   -Steve

Once a week, Kevin Smith brings his friend, Ralph Garman, a man of 10,000 voices, to talk about the ins and outs of Hollywood business, including movies, celebrities, music, with a sprinkle of nerd news and pop culture.   The conversation usually takes an adult and funny twist, with Ralph portraying some of my favorite characters, including, “McDonald’s Fry Girl”, “The Cosby Clown”, and “The Gay Ghost”. I recommend this podcast to anyone who enjoys Kevin Smith’s brand of dark, twisted humor.

Garmy Strong!!!               -Bryan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Indie Talks

– Ben Gerber is a man of many talents and many projects.  This show explores indie gaming from the perspective of an indie game designer.  The host is a font of knowledge on the topic, a good speaker, a skilled interviewer, and has a knack for understanding game mechanics that makes for some fantastic game reviews.  It’s all packaged in a show with very good audio quality that functions beautifully as a platform for getting the word out on new games and game systems.

Great Job!           -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

The Instance

The best World of Warcraft news and commentary this side of the bleeding edge. Scott, Dills and Turpster guide you through the cake of this week’s WoW, without making you read every blue post or data-miner’s forum, and do so with the flavor of their own perspectives, the filling of their experiences, and a nice frosting of funny. Is it a cupcake? Is it a doughnut?

No: it’s the Instance.                      -Mack
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

The Jennisodes

– An awesome show with a catalogue of episode containing interviews the who’s who about the what’s what of the gaming community and geek culture…

…and pandas.  Great show!         -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff

– Kenneth Hite and Robin D. Laws get together and talk about a countless topics, including but not limited to, gaming, game theory, politics, history, current events, even the correction of real world problems through time travel.  A very cerebral podcast, but what else would you expect from intellectual heavy hitters such as Hite and Laws?  Great Show!  One of my favorites!   -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Metagamers Anonymous

– A brilliant show with well-spoken, and informed hosts.  Centering around immersive play, Met-Anon explores the RPG hobby with an eye toward the experience rather than the mechanics.  With fantastic production value, and the added bonus of an interview series that includes some of the biggest names in the gaming community, this show NEEDS to be in your playlist.            -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Monkey in the Cage

– The hosts of this show are funny and a little weird, and the chemistry is perfect!  Every episode is like sitting down with a group of friends.  Their informed commentary on gaming and geek culture shows a deep love for the subject matter.  This is definitely one of my favorite podcasts and I hope that as long as there are geeks…..there is a Monkey in the Cage!                      -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Monsters of the Shattered World

– A throwback to the radio dramas of the 1930s, the show follows an explorer/scribe writing home to his patron about his exploits and encounters while away.  Great production value!  Solid story lines!  Very fun!       -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

 

The Morning Stream

A nerdy conversation to replace bad talk radio and commercials during your morning commute. Whether talking about current events, doing a regular interview, or taking a listener call, Scott and Ibbott leave no joke in the barrel. A special treat: you’ve never really felt the Stream hot and fresh until you’ve watched it live and dived into the tadpool. I highly recommend it if you have the morning off.                        -Mack
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

The Moth

-Short stories told live without notes. You know the best stories you ever told your friends around a bar table or campfire, or maybe the stuff you only ever told somebody alone, close, late at night? Well, these are the best of those, stories that make you laugh, cry, or get mad, but all of which make you grow. Careful: you never know which story is gonna touch you deeply, but eventually one will.                                         -Mack
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Penn’s Sunday school

– Penn Jillette and Michael Goudeau discuss show business (old and new) and the human condition from the skeptic’s perspective.  Throw in a roster of fantastic guests, such as, Gilbert Gottfried, Billy West, George Takei, and Monkey Tuesday, and you have a show that SHOULD NOT BE MISSED!          -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Planet Arbitrary

– Several podcasts are distributed through this feed, all of which are great!  Topics include, video game news, game reviews, comedy, current events, game nostalgia, you name it!  Planet Arbitrary is a great effort by the cast, presented in various formats by a group of knowledgeable and well-spoken hosts.  GOOD SHOWS!        -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Postcards From the Dungeon

– An absolutely amazing show!  PFTD is a creative look at the hobby that we all know and love.  The hosts have found the perfect mix of news, tips, gaming stories, and banter, giving the listener more RPG inspiration than any one show should be able to give.  They’ve stoked the fires of my own gaming creativity numerous times since I discovered the show!

Thanks Guys!!!                 -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Radiolab

Everything you never knew you needed to know, but do, presented in a way to make the complex accessible to the lay. Start with an idea, then. ask smart people about it. Use the right questions, and you just might have some remarkable revelations. Edit for sound, and you’ve got Radiolab. Enjoy.                 -Mack
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Role Playing Public Radio

– Ross Payton and Tom Church deliver a great show with a nice mix of content and banter.  This show is one of my favorites, and they earned every carat of the Gold Innie awards for best podcast.  Congrats guys!  Keep ‘em coming!       -Dan

-I cannot say enough good things about this show and it’s hosts.  Ross Payton has an approach that allows him to get things done, not just in podcasting, but in his other ventures as well.  I love the topics.  I love the banter.  Ross and Tom just really seem to “get it”.

This show is a powerhouse!        -Tyler
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

RPPR Actual Play

– This is a fantastic actual play podcast with diversity in both games and GMs, a great group of role players, and good sound quality.  This is easily one of the best on the web!                          -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

 

RPG Circus

– Content, content, content!  This show is non-stop material from bumper to bumper, and the hosts bring great topics to the mics show after show.  It’s a fantastic effort with solid production quality delivered by well-spoken hosts.  I’m extremely happy that I found this one! -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

 

Shark Bone

– Funny, extremely informative, and inspirational!  The concept for this show is based on extracting game ideas from movies.  Take notes because these guys bring SO many RPG ideas to the mics SO fast, that you won’t have time to ponder them.  Love the format! Love the show! A must listen for GMs with hungry brains!          -Dan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Smodcast

You want a podcast?  You got a Smodcast.  This was Kevin Smith’s inaugural podcasting effort with his producer, and friend for life, Scott Mosier.  I’ve been listening since the beginning, and this is the funniest thing I have ever heard in my life….hands down.  It’s absolute perfection.  It’ll make you laugh, cry, think, and feel like you not only know these guys, but that they’re your two best friends.  The show is beautifully put together, and with Kevin’s weed smoking antics and Scott’s deadpan delivery the chemistry is amazing.  If you’re not listening, do yourself a favor and start ….NOW!               -Bryan
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Tell ‘em Steve Dave

-The Jersey boys are back again!  Walt Flanagan, Bryan Johnson, and Brian Quinn are Tell ‘em Steve Dave.  Having been friends with Kevin Smith for years, they have many stories to tell.  The laughs ensue with many yuks and some hot button topics.  Walt’s outlook and attitude has inspired me!

I love this podcast!

I hope everything works out after hurricane Sandy.

Congrats on Comic Book Men, and thanks for the free funny!    -Bryan

– When a dude like me wants to listen to a good podcast, I listen to Tell ‘em Steve Dave on the Smodco Network.  This is one of the only podcasts that I listen to that I will give 5 stars.  It’s got a little something for everyone.  Great show!         –Steve
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

This American Life

-Host, Ira Glass, and a wonderful team of producers tell you the stories you need to hear with a little dramatic style and keen editorial insight.  Important perspectives abound, and though each episode is itself pretty focused and stays on target, each episode tends to be on a different topic. The Thanksgiving episodes have long been background listening in my house, and I actually consider their episodes on Banking and governmental Monetary Policy to be a service to the US.                            -Mack
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

Wait Wait, Don’t Tell me

The weekly news quiz show. Join a revolving panel of comedians for an irreverent look at the week’s events. A good brush up on current events both trivial and topical, I always fill the weekend news doldrums with this fresh perspective.   -Mack
CLICK HERE to read more reviews of this podcast, or write one of your own.

 

 

A special thank you to all of these shows for filling the hours with entertainment and our hearts with inspiration.

 

 

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A Few Words on Absenteeism

2012-08-14 13:15:54 admin

 

 

For both those of you who missed  us, I apologize for the recent inactivity.

The last couple of weeks have been a perfect storm of setbacks and obstacles.   Not including changing schedules at both jobs, it began with a software malfunction in which an entire episode of the Gamecast sounded like it was being played on an old cassette player that had fallen in a toilet.

There was no saving it, the recycle bin thought it was delicious.

At this time, I was also making a lot of changes to the website.  Due to my own technological ineptitude, this process was quite a daunting task.  My family had planned a vacation, and I had hoped to complete the change-over before we left…no such luck.  After a couple of days of rather involved preparation for our sabbatical,  we finally made our exit.

We drove to Indianapolis and spent the rest of a beautiful day just wandering around downtown with big plans for the following day.  Those plans were cut short by a phone call shortly after we checked into our hotel telling us that one of our dogs was extremely ill.  By unanimous decision, we repacked the van and made the mad dash home through dark of night, lightning, thunder, a torrential downpour, all the while, beating back sleep by playing road games and having some very silly conversations.

 

Penny is doing fine now.

I have since changed our recording software ( I just need to learn to use it), and we have a new episode ready for editing, and, as you can see, I’ve finished the website.  The next episode should be up Monday, August 20th.

With the ashes of the last two weeks still smoldering, we should be able to settle into a rhythm once again.

It is said that from the ashes, rises the phoenix.  While I don’t know if CarpeGM.net will be able to rival the majesty or magic of that mythical bird, I think we’ve at least attained the stature of a cool looking chicken.

-Dan

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Fear the Boot Cameo!

2012-05-28 11:37:05 admin

My step-son and I attended Fear the Con 5, hosted by Fear the Boot,  which was a fantastic experience.  We had not registered for any games but that community is one of the best in gaming, they made sure that we were involved in something entertaining during every block. I will delve into this experience a little deeper at a later date, however, I wanted to announce that their latest episode (Episode 266 – Vivid Storytelling) is posted.  This episode was recorded live at the convention, and I was able make a comment on air about their topic….  Ok, so it’s more like being a scene extra than a cameo, but I’m still stoked!

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