Someone on the show is a Trek fan... can you guess who?  When Star Trek: Expeditions hit the streets, the crew just had to review it.  Well, two of us did.  Does it do the series justice?

But up first: Hotness or Notness.  With Con season upon us, lots of new games are in the pipeline.  What are Russ, Craig, and Raef excited about, and what are they less than thrilled to see?

 All that and our other not-too-horrible segments including: 

 

The mulling mechanics segment returns!  This time we examine "What Makes a Euro?"  The lines seem to be blurring these days.  Can Craig, Raef, and Russ clear things up?  Or will they just make it even more confusing?

But up first, we're excited to get a chance to interview Teras Cassidy of Geek Nation Tours to learn how he started a niche business helping geeks get where they want to go.  

 All that and our other not-too-horrible segments including: 

 

The following are the contest finalists for the "RPG Song"  mentioned in Episode 80.

1.   Dusty Boots by Booka Shuade- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lejIbFnNcgk

I would choose this song for the RPG Deadlands because it has strong Western influences, it has slightly creepy-horror undertones and for some reason it really sounds Steampunky as well. As an added bonus it sounds super cool and makes me think of cowboys just strutting through some lonely, haunted Burg just looking for a fight. I think it perfectly suits Deadlands and should inspire people to make some great zombie-shooting Deadlands campaigns set in the Dusty old Wild West.

George K

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2.   Hi guys!

Thanks for a fantastic show! :-)

My choice is:

Nothing To Fear by Chris Rea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWHGqXY5jCk

I would use it in a World of Darkness - Hunter: The Vigil campaign, whereby the starting premise would be that a loved one of one of the player characters vanished under mysterious circumstances, and the trail leads the group to the Middle-East, including Istanbul and of course some ancient archaelogical site in the desert.

Best regards,

Jeroen V

The Netherlands

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3.   pirates of the Caribbean theme music by Hans Zimmer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttQjm-8OITE&feature=related

this music would probably for a game of rouge trader.I do not think that this is a very generic but very cool song to be listening to when thinking of any scenario. I always imagine this music playing when the engines kick in and the ship leaves a planet with its rouge trader at the bridge hands on hips with a bit of a grin with the rest of the party standing behind him.

on an off topic note I would rely appreciate if you could ask the listeners if there are any willing 40k role players in the Mansfield UK area who are willing to teach a me how to play. they can contact by private messaging me on Dakka Dakka under the user name sarge stokes. Thanks

from Jakob

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4.  D6 Generation,

I will nominate “Church of the Machine” by Symphony X (off the album Twilight in Olympus). I have often thought of creating an adventure with this song as inspiration. I would probably set it in a D&D-type universe, but I think it could be an adventure seed for a Sci-Fi setting just as well.

Here’s a link: http://youtu.be/eOkP706JaV8

Adventure Synopsis:

Strange half-animal, half-machine monstrosities are plaguing the countryside. The heroes (sic) must find and destroy the source of these twisted creatures. They must locate the portal to the Platinum Maze and then navigate the strange shifting maze where time and space bend and twist. At the center of the Maze is the Twilight Cathedral, which the adventurers must infiltrate or assault. After finding the source of the monsters, it must be destroyed.

As a D&D-type adventure, the source would probably be a power-hungry warlock (are there really any other kind?) who has made a pact with a Far Realm entity. Instead of unnaturally strange biology, this Far Realm entity’s perversion would manifest as a melding of technology with biological creatures.

Think of the possibilities: Sharks with lasers on their heads!!!!!

Love the show.

Thanks,

Kristofor N - “Runefang” on BGG.

P.S. Craig, feel free to chastise me for the incorrect punctuation on the song and album titles. :)

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Honorable Mention:

{RJG Really???Had to show you guys.}

Song:  Oops, I did it again (Britney Spears)  System:  Many systems possible. I will describe the classic fantasy setting.

Adventure:  {This has been formatted to fit your screen}

The climax could of course be something related to the princess seducing one or more of the characters. Maybe this leads to the characters being the target of several other victims of the princesses seduction or this leads to the princess doing something stupid afterwards, like sneaking off on her own after convincing her bodyguards to stay in the castle.

Of course, setting, gender and level of comedy can be adjusted to the gaming group. Paranoia system could be interesting, too, for example.

Tim H

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5.  Vladimir De Rosa   Greetings from Germany

Song: Winterborn

Artist: Cruxshadows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuLASvt3s5k

Deathwatch or Dark Heresy (if you like washing windows)

The Adventure:  Beneath the surface of an ice world, a regiment of

Valhallan veterans has encountered the malevolence of chaos.  Their

desperate call for help has reached the nearest Watch Station (or come

to the attention of an Inquisitor and his merry men) and the Kill Team

is dispatched to investigate.  Unnatural cold, plague zombies covered

in hoar frost, and an ancient relic requiring one sacrifice to unlock

and another to seal forever awaits them.  Oh and some dirty windows

too, just in case a window cleaner comes by.

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6.  

The song I'd suggest is "46 & 2" by Tool, which conjures visions of a Callidus assassin injecting herself with polymorphine, in order to infiltrate a Genestealer Cult on some infested world.  The brooding tones of Tool seem perfect for the 40k universe so, I think it would work great with the Dark Heresy system (keep in mind I haven't played any games of 40k roleplay, so I'm not sure if it'd be more appropriate in say, Rogue Trader).

Link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm38Ojh61lY

Thanks,

-Rob B

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Honorable Mention:

Aaron Gasbarro

Drowning Pool - bodies (let the bodies hit the floor)ittle more like this song. nuff said.

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7.  Ok guys, This may be the contest I have been waiting for. The song, Autograph's  Turn Up The Radio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLXnyY537c Everytime I hear this song I think of a spunky little radio named Turnip that must travel the land, giving the music to those in need and then ....... giving them more, but wait what kind of crazy role playing game would allow you to play as a common household item that must save the world from mind crippling silence, why it can only be Appliance Adventures.  http://rpggeek.com/rpg/3630/appliance-adventures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO_QntXc-c4

For Deathwatch

As much as we all like a good landslide, a deathwatch campaign should run a l

There you go, I hope everytime you hear the song you Don't Stop Believin" in that  little juke box that could and the great "Journey" to do battle against the Street Light People, but that is a tale for another day.    

Jim Shaw

Battletech!  A true classic that is near and dear to many gamer's hearts.  In episode 80 Raef, Russ, and Craig chat with Randall Bills, the man with more years on the Battletech project than he cares to admit.  Today Randall works for Catalyst Game Labs and he brings us up to speed on Battletech, Shadowrun, and Catalyst's new game universe, Leviathans.

After that, it's time to have fun storming the castle.  Stronghold blends euro mechanics with a war game theme: siege the castle!  Does this game appeal to all three hosts?  

 All that and our other not-too-horrible segments including: