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The official podcast of GamersWithJobs.com, the GWJCC is our way of providing a podcast that feels like you are hanging out with friends after a long day in the office. We strive for smart, in-depth discussions about the latest games and gaming-related news, as well as light, playful tangents. We're always thrilled to talk about the new hotness, explore fun and strange indie gems, and revisit games old and new.
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Stakes make stories breathe. We sit down with Jon Cohen - writer, host, and designer behind Tale of the Manticore and One Shot in the Dark - to explore why consequence beats comfort, how a hybrid format turns solo play into gripping audio drama, and what it takes to build a one-shot that actually ends in one sitting. Jon walks us through the creative risks, the craft, and the quiet discipline that keeps a polished episode shipping every 10 days without losing the sting in its tail.
We also talk about One Shot in the Dark, John’s rules ultra-light dungeon crawl where cards prompt the map you draw, four hapless adventurers push forward through three levels, and a final boss waits at the end. It’s emergent narrative with real replay value and a surprisingly welcoming on-ramp for kids and new players.
If you're interested in checking out One Shot in the Dark it can be found here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/366526/one-shot-in-the-dark
Likewise, Tale of the Manticore is here: https://www.taleofthemanticore.com/
Contact us at:
EMAIL: [email protected]
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/rolltosavepod
WEBSITE: https://rolltosave.blog
HOSTS: Iain Wilson, Steve McGarrity, Jason Downey
BACKGROUND MUSIC: David Renada (Find him at: [email protected] or on his web page).
TITLE, BREAK & CLOSEOUT MUSIC: Xylo-Ziko (Find them on their web page).
Chapters
1. Clay, Cards, and Character Deaths - an Interview with Jon Cohen from Tale of the Manticore (00:00:00)
2. Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:00:09)
3. John Cohen Checks In (00:00:30)
4. Mithras vs OSR Pace (00:01:28)
5. Keep on the Borderlands Nostalgia (00:02:28)
6. Finding the Right Table (00:03:11)
7. LARP Oddities & Boundaries (00:05:24)
8. Tale of the Manticore: Craft & Cadence (00:06:35)
9. The Hybrid Format Explained (00:08:11)
10. Season One: BX Love Letter (00:09:06)
11. Season Two: Urban Grit and Horror (00:10:29)
12. Season Three: High Fantasy with Teeth (00:11:11)
13. Stakes, Death, and Better Stories (00:13:07)
14. 5e Safety vs OSR Danger (00:15:18)
15. Glorious Deaths and Player Mindsets (00:17:41)
16. Ignoble Ends and Low-Fantasy Brutality (00:19:56)
17. One Shot in the Dark Overview (00:20:54)
18. Prompts, Mapping, and Emergent Narrative (00:22:05)
19. True One-Shots and Time Respect (00:24:45)
20. Paranoia, Chaos, and Design (00:26:20)
21. Power Creep, Dopamine, and Taste (00:29:09)
22. Fragility as Fun (00:31:28)
23. Where to Get the Game & Expansions (00:33:42)
24. Teaching Kids RPGs Simply (00:36:37)
25. Tutorial Design and Starter Sets (00:39:13)
26. Examples of Play: Proto-Actual Plays (00:42:24)
27. Performative APs vs Real Tables (00:45:11)
28. Spotlight, Consent, and Player Types (00:47:10)
29. Let People Play Their Way (00:50:16)
30. Closing, Links, and Clay-O-Rama (00:53:00)
31. Outro, Back Catalogue, and Ratings (00:55:26)
69 episodes
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