For the reason that begin of the Magpie Video games Curated Play program in March, we’ve got been studying, taking part in, and rising collectively, and it has been fairly superior! Our GMs have run classes of Masks, City Shadows, Bluebeard’s Bride, and extra, and we’ve been thrilled to promote out session after session, bringing GMs and gamers collectively again and again. We’re additionally thrilled to see new gamers making an attempt out new video games, and even making an attempt roleplaying for the primary time!

However we all know that the actual success of this system is constructed on our superior GMs. Every session, they present up prepared to assist their teams inform unbelievable tales, a lot of them operating wildly completely different video games from week to week.

We determined to test in with certainly one of GMs, Simon Moody (who has been with us since we launched this system) to get his perspective on the Curated Play Program and study extra about what acquired him to the place he’s as we speak!

So Simon, inform us somewhat bit about your self! Who’re you outdoors of gaming?

I put on a variety of hats each in and out of doors of the gaming world! Though I do loads of issues that aren’t associated to gaming, a variety of them are nonetheless influenced by it. I’ve been a performer, educator, and storyteller for years, all of which impacts my work as a recreation designer and a GM. I’m a co-founder and co-director of Enkindle Storytelling, a manufacturing firm centered on creating socially accountable, narrative-focused live-action occasions like LARPs. I’m honored to be a voice actor for a queer sci-fi & fantasy audio drama sequence referred to as The Penumbra Podcast. I additionally spend a variety of time within the kitchen – I’ve been moving into pickling at house for the final 12 months!

What’s your background in GMing? What was the primary recreation you ever GM’d? What’s your favourite?

I realized about RPGs in center faculty however I didn’t play a “conventional” RPG till just a few years later. An older child at my faculty began operating what he referred to as “Speaking Adventures” for me at recess, which had been easy diceless story video games – he’d narrate a scene, I’d inform him how my character responded, and he’d add issues. My first GMing experiences had been operating these for my family and friends; it wasn’t till highschool and the recognition of third Version D&D that I began operating video games conventionally. In school, I began gathering and operating video games from the primary massive wave of contemporary indie video games (like Canines within the Winery and Shock: social science fiction), which completely modified how I checked out roleplaying. I really like operating any recreation the place gamers have instruments to have an effect on the reality of the sport’s fiction, uplift one another, and push the drama and narrative ahead with minimal GM affect. I’m biased however to that finish, a few of my finest roleplaying experiences in years have come from MCing Pasion de las Pasiones as a result of everybody instantly is aware of the tropes and what buttons to push to make the sport sing!

How would you characterize your GMing model? Do you could have any inspirations?

At any time when I GM, I exploit a variety of the talents I picked up as a instructor and an improv actor. A instructing colleague gave me the expression “Be the information on the aspect, not the sage on the stage,” which is core to my GMing model. As a result of the sport is a dialog, I really like asking questions and utilizing these solutions to construct the story. If I needed to decide a phrase for my model I’d go along with “collaborative.” In any case, I might inform you what legend your character’s heard in regards to the haunted fort you’re touring to, nevertheless it won’t be one thing you as a participant are fascinated by! When you inform me what it’s, I do know it’s one thing you wish to discover and I can construct to that expectation. Stylistically, I’ve grown keen on utilizing the visible language of movie and TV to assist set scenes – it actually evokes a way of house that helps construct everybody’s immersion within the story.

What’s been your favourite factor that you simply’ve seen in a session of the Curated Play Program?

I do know it’s trite nevertheless it’s onerous for me to select anybody factor! I’d say a latest reminiscence was a recreation of Masks the place the gamers had been coaching in a “Hazard Room” simulation and took an in-game lunch break earlier than the state of affairs’s second half. Throughout that scene, they had been capable of discuss their methods, share weaknesses and vulnerabilities, encourage one another, and have messy teenage moments in a context that felt very pure. As an MC, I used to be capable of take extra of an observer position as a result of everybody was nudging the scene alongside so nicely and setting one another up for their very own moments to shine. All I needed to do was ask probing questions, whereas the gamers supplied their very own issues!

When you might play a TTRPG with anybody on the planet, who wouldn’t it be and why?

This can be a little bit of a bizarre reply however I’d actually like to share a recreation desk with an arts-and-crafts YouTuber named TheCrafsMan. He’s fairly non-public so his entire on-line persona is a funny-looking puppet. He’s acquired an extremely soothing presence and distinctive expertise in making all types of issues, from resin jewellery to customized motion figures. He is at all times full of excellent life recommendation and positivity so I think about it could simply be just a few hours of healthful and comfy storytelling. I’d like to see what somebody with such a artistic thoughts and in depth skills would convey to the desk, even when I used to be speaking with a puppet the entire time.

And eventually, what’s a recreation that you’d like to GM however haven’t had the possibility to to date?

I’m a sucker for tactical fight and video games with a little bit of meat on their mechanical bones, however I’ve been extra fascinated by seeing how indie video games sort out that problem than taking part in a few of the massive names with that form of gameplay. To that finish, I’ve been following Ajey Pandey’s BOLT and would actually like to sink my enamel into the way it frames crunchy motion by a narrativist lens. After all, my gaming schedule is tied up in streams, the Curated Play Program, and private commitments, however I’m hoping to take a while to see it in motion for myself quickly!

We’re so excited to have Simon with us as a Curated Play GM! He actually has a love and fervour for what he does, and we expect it reveals in each session he runs for us. Thanks, Simon!

If you wish to take a look at certainly one of Simon’s classes or any of our different Curated Play video games (with our different superior GMs) head over to https://www.magpiegames.com/cp-session and take a look at our newest schedule releases!

We hope to see you there!