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Artwork for RTFM

RTFM

RTFM
Role-Playing Games
Game Design
Dungeons & Dragons
Tabletop Role Playing Games
Errant
Artistic Practices
RPG Mechanics
Mobile Frame Zero: Firebrands
Anal Wizards
Vice & Violence
Monsterhearts 2
Creativity
Vermis
Dark Souls
Rpgs
Role Playing Games
Social Media
RPG
Tabletop RPG Mechanics
Community Engagement

Maxwell Lander is an educator and photographer in eastern Canada. Aaron King is an editor and collage artist in the Midwestern US. They're both game designers, and together, they read RPG books, find the good bits, and discuss them critically. Welcome to RTFM.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes82Founded5 years ago
Categories
LeisureGames

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for RTFM

Latest Episodes

Praise him like you should! We're talking about Praise the Hawkmoth King by Sage the Anagogue, a PbtA game about teenagers, demons, and messed up sex. So yeah, there are some trigger warnings. (Praise the Hawkmoth King is coming to Backerkit on Octob... more

Welcome to the only RPG awards in the world: the Effies.

⁠⁠⁠Max Lander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aaron King⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ dig through RPGs of yore to bring you valuable nuggets of mechanics, lore, and strangeness. They read the fucking manual so that you don't hav... more

Due to scheduling issues, we've been unable to record a traditional episode of RTFM. So Aaron decides to literally read a fucking manual out loud: The Tome of NeverWorld by Erin Laughlin and Craig Sheeley.

⁠⁠⁠⁠Max Lander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠... more

We interview game designer Kali Lawrie of Gem Room Games, talking Letters to Sandra, fiber arts, and curation and archival work..

⁠⁠⁠Max Lander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aaron King⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ dig through RPGs of yore to bring you valuable nugget... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host

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Recent Guests

Kali Lawrie
Game designer at Gem Room Games
Gem Room Games
Episode: RTFM Interview: Kali Lawrie
Sam Leigh
A tabletop gaming designer
Episode: RTFM: Triangle Agency
Austin Walker
Host of Friends at the Table, designer of Realis
Friends at the Table
Episode: RTFM Interview: Austin Walker & Tyler Crumrine
Tyler Crumrine
Game designer and developer linked to Possible Worlds
Possible Worlds Games
Episode: RTFM Interview: Austin Walker & Tyler Crumrine
Daniel Kwan
Podcaster, game designer, cultural consultant, nerd
Asians Represent, Tabletop Games Industry
Episode: RTFM Interview: Daniel Kwan
Jay Dragon
Editorial Director at Possum Creek Games, known for games like Wander Home.
Possum Creek Games
Episode: RTFM: Monsterhearts 2
Sam Dunnewold
Host of Dice Exploder, where mechanics of games are analyzed.
Dice Exploder
Episode: RTFM: Errant
Dia LaCina
Game critic and Let's Play contributor
Independent
Episode: RTFM: Keep on the Borderlands

Hosts

Maxwell Lander
Co-host and educator with a focus on RPG analysis and design.
Aaron King
Co-host and editor, contributing insights on game mechanics and narratives.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 103 ratings
  • Brilliant

    Great podcast - they review a broad variety of ttrpgs with different themes and mechanics outside the norm. The podcast is a breath of fresh air. Gaming is experiencing a “golden age” of innovation and creativity and the hosts do a great job of telling the audience about the best of the best.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ArcticRon
    Canada5 months ago
  • I love this podcast and I want to specifically call out Aaron's introductions to the different episodes. They rock.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    trollmila
    5 months ago
  • Amazing

    One of the best podcasts about TTRPGs. highly recommend it to anyone who wants to hear about intelligent design and wild game concepts

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Snow Ocelot
    United Statesa year ago
  • :)

    That dream askew/dream apart episode had me taking notes on my phone feverishly. A good listening experience.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    worshipthesquid
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • nice

    great discussions, hosts have a good chemistry and go nicely in-depth analysing and discussing rules of various rpg systems. enjoy this one!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    fielddecorator
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some feedback indicates that critiques may miss the mark for listeners more familiar with traditional RPGs.
There are strong positive remarks about the hosts' chemistry and their ability to engage deeply with game content.
Listeners praise the podcast for its broad variety of RPG discussions that highlight innovative mechanics and themes.
General appreciation is shared for the unique perspectives offered by the hosts on both familiar and obscure RPG systems.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#234
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#180
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#226
Germany/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#98
South Africa/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#163
Finland/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

RTFM No Promises: Traveller
Q: What advice do you have for adapting Traveler's Lifepath stuff to other games?
He advises naming procedures, defining boundaries, and zooming in on character moments during gameplay to enhance narrative engagement.
RTFM No Promises: Traveller
Q: How do you handle the scaling of your prepped area?
Max shares his approach to planning his game sessions, emphasizing starting small and being flexible during gameplay.
RTFM No Promises: Traveller
Q: Are you using Classic Traveler? If so, why not a less militarized version?
Max explains that he enjoys the stories that can emerge from the militarized aspect of Traveler, seeing it as a fruitful narrative starting point.
RTFM No Promises: Traveller
Q: Why are you drawn to Traveler if you are going to ignore all its systems?
Max mentions that Traveler allows for improvisation which he enjoys, prioritizing narrative over strict adherence to systems.
RTFM Interview: Daniel Kwan
Q: Do you want to give us a longer kind of personal history, not of game playing, but of game design or games as something you semi-professionally or professionally interacted with?
Kwan shares how he first got introduced to tabletop games at a summer camp and his journey through game design, culminating in projects like Ross Rifles and Wandering Blades.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About RTFM

What is RTFM about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on the realm of tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), the discussions prominently feature in-depth analyses of a variety of RPG systems and mechanics. The episodes are marked by a blend of humor and critical appraisal, as the hosts engage with the texts, providing insights into character development, game design trends, and the evolving landscape of RPGs. Listeners can expect explorations of themes that range from imaginative storytelling to the challenges of game accessibility, with particular attention on the dynamics of both digital and physical formats. With a unique format that often includes guest designers and keen discussions of lesser-known titles, the content is tailored for enthusiasts who appreciate the nuances of game mec... more

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How many subscribers and views does RTFM have?

To see how many followers or subscribers RTFM has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to RTFM?

These podcasts share a similar audience with RTFM:

1. Yes Indie'd Pod
2. Dice Exploder
3. Talk of the Table
4. Between Two Cairns
5. Ludonarrative Dissidents

How many episodes of RTFM are there?

RTFM launched 5 years ago and published 82 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact RTFM?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on RTFM?

Recent guests on RTFM include:

1. Kali Lawrie
2. Sam Leigh
3. Austin Walker
4. Tyler Crumrine
5. Daniel Kwan
6. Jay Dragon
7. Sam Dunnewold
8. Dia LaCina

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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