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Unwritten Earths Symposium

Unwritten Earths Symposium
Game Design
Tabletop Rpgs
Role-Playing Games
Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Swords Without Master
Tabletop RPG Design
Discord
Spiral Bound Books
Patreon
Dread
Indie Games
Ritual
Tabletop Role Playing Games
Playtesting
Kickstarter
Community Building
Tabletop Role-Playing Game Design
Game Mechanics
Worldwide Wrestling
Conventions

Welcome to the Unwritten Earths Symposium! In each episode, tabletop RPG designers Nathan D. Paoletta and Epidiah Ravachol try to trick each other into designing a game they wouldn't otherwise make.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes46Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesHobbiesLeisure

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Artwork for Unwritten Earths Symposium

Latest Episodes

We welcome long-time friend and crackerjack game designer Gregor Hutton to the show! This far-ranging discussion includes his games (3:16 Carnage Amongst the Stars, Remember Tomorrow), all the ways we work on games while not Working On A Game, keepin... more

YouTube

In this episode we get fancy and talk about the aesthetics of truly-true game mechanics. The same probabilistic outcomes and mechanical functions can be served by many different styles of rule. We talk about different ways to appreciate the form of a... more

YouTube

It's finally time for us to seriously address the elephant in the room for truly-true roleplaying games: fun. We talk about how hard it is to describe fun, what elements of gameplay (can) lead to or combine to create fun, and why "make it fun" isn't ... more

YouTube

In this episode, we carefully consider our words in order discuss the different purposes served by creating abstractions with your game rules, and how word choices can both result from and drive game design. Remember, 90% of game design is naming thi... more

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Recent Guests

Jim Crocker
Guest mentioned as part of the convention playtest group
Episode: Plus Expenses #118
Gene Koo
Guest mentioned in sit-down conversations about playtests
Episode: Plus Expenses #118
Vincent Baker
Guest, designer of Dread and related games
Episode: The Origins 2026 Interviews Episode
Shel Kahn
Artist, game creator, and art director for Swords Without Master
Swords Without Master
Episode: The Shel Kahn Episode
Nat Barmore
Longtime role-playing game designer and co-creator of Dread
Episode: The Nat Barmore Episode

Hosts

Nathan Paoletta
Host of the show, co-designer of tabletop RPGs
Epidiah Ravachol
Co-host of the show, co-designer of tabletop RPGs

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 10 ratings
  • A great listen

    These guys are what is great about podcasting — they knowledge and joy they bring is so refreshing

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fix autorefresh
    United States3 months ago
  • Excellent podcast

    Two excellent hosts and very knowledgable about all things to rpg. And always fun to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Peter Harr
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Smart, thoughtful hosts with deep RPG industry knowledge.
Perfect for indie designers seeking practical, real-world advice.
Coaches designers to ship, not stall. Great hands-on insights.
Hosting duo keeps conversations fresh and grounded.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Enter the Symposium
Q: Can I share a story with you that happened very recently?
Epidiah recounts an experience at a local gaming store where he signed copies of his game and met a fan who didn't know it had an author, highlighting the need to recognize game designers.
The Coffee & Game Design Episode
Q: From what has been asked over there, which one do you want to talk about?
They discuss the difference between self-promotion and community engagement, emphasizing the importance of context in promotional efforts within game design.
The Groundhog Day Episode
Q: What have been your most productive constraints, either to constrain your design or to constrain the players during play?
Constraints are a vital part of game design and can originate from various external factors such as assignments or financial limitations.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Unwritten Earths Symposium

What is Unwritten Earths Symposium about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A design-focused show where two tabletop RPG designers bounce ideas, critique mechanics, and share real-world publisher experiences. Episodes center on how prompts, naming, and lightweight rules influence play, with frequent deep-dives into playtesting, collaboration, distribution, and community feedback, all delivered through a candid, collaborative duo dynamic that often threads in convention experiences and indie publishing journeys.

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Which podcasts are similar to Unwritten Earths Symposium?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unwritten Earths Symposium:

1. Tabletop Book Club
2. Dice Exploder
3. RTFM
4. Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff
5. My First Dungeon

How many episodes of Unwritten Earths Symposium are there?

Unwritten Earths Symposium launched 2 years ago and published 46 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Unwritten Earths Symposium?

Recent guests on Unwritten Earths Symposium include:

1. Jim Crocker
2. Gene Koo
3. Vincent Baker
4. Shel Kahn
5. Nat Barmore

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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