Miskatonic University Podcast

This episode, Keepers Bridgett & Evan unpack the best ways to begin a scenario! We’re going to define what the means, things to consider, best practices, worst practices, and even provide you with some recommendations on authors who truly stuck the landing on a strong opener! Patreon Plug & Update Hey listeners! Did you know that MUP has a Patreon? That’s right! We do!  You can directly support the show, and our surrounding community, by becoming a Patreon! “Dr Weir’s Optometry and Travel Agency: Where you’re going, you won’t need eyes to see.” Submitted by iPwned Head over to patreon.com/MUP or click the patreon icon on the sidebar of our website. If you’re able to support us, we’d appreciate it! Patreon, we offer everything from exclusive backer only bonus content, Patreon only episodes, backer only hangouts, access to our backer only portal on Discord, and more! The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D  And thank you to our editor NATE for editing this episode.  Bridgett’s Pet Pick Shout Out Tonight, I’d like to shout out friend of the show, GroucyLenny and their cats, Lily and Camille, who are captured here with the caption– nefarious plan is to absorb all of the sun’s energy to destroy humankind. Wait. You guys are getting sun? I’m in Ohio. I haven’t seen the sun since October 2025. Can I join this plan?? Thanks for sharing with us, GroucyLenny! Main Topic Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Main Topic! Tonight, we’re going to unpack the best ways to begin a scenario! We’re going to define what the means, things to consider, best practices, worst practices, and even provide you with some recommendations on authors who truly stuck the landing on a strong opener!  From a storytelling perspective and from a game design standpoint, this is such an important topic that I don’t believe it is getting enough affection. It needs some love, so I’m happy that we’re slowing down to really explore the impact that introductory scenes and onboarding have on the rest of your game and storytelling experience! What is the beginning of the scenario? Is this… a roundtable of character introductions? What do you look like, name, occupation? Is this an opening scene? Is this worldbuilding? Why do we care about this topic? Arguably, the introduction, climax, and conclusion are the most essential and vital points of storytelling Essential things to establish? The world The vibe/genre/tone/expectation Your PC’s place and impact in the world Character connection Level of buy-in/care Good Examples: Sorrow in Tsvao by Bridgett Jeffries (begins with a team meeting) buff.ly/3AvlvAr Taken for Granite by Jade Griffin’s (begins with a car crash) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/379700/taken-for-granite Graham Walmsley’s Cosmic Dark Opening scenes for a campaign: Two-Headed Serpent drops you right in the action and sprays your face with blood, while setting up the central mystery of the campaign. HotOE lets you fool around at a party with some characters who later become important but it doesn’t do much to establish the plot. [As a counter-example, the start of The Haunting often flops because it’s geared towards new players and doesn’t immediately put them in the action.] Homework Dear listener, tell us of your favorite scenario start!  

This episode, Keepers Dave and Bridgett interview Gregory Geiger to discuss accessibility in game design. Recent Gaming – Patreon Plug & Update If you would like to support the podcast and engage with other backers, please consider backing.  So yes – please back us on Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup! Thank you to everyone who backed us and contributed to our longevity. We’re so thankful for all of you. Who we regularly see on… The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D  And thank you to our editor Nate for editing this episode. Bridgett’s Pet Pick Shout Out The Pet Pic channel is a community onto itself. On this channel, we post our beloved pets, fosters, pets of family members, and even wildlife shouting “go pods.” These animals, these pets, are members of our collective community. So when we lose a member of this community, one of our precious pets, we often grieve as a community. I’ve seen the recent pet loss guys. I just want you, and everyone who has ever lost, and will someday lose a pet to know, we’re here for you. We’re here for each other. Main Topic Links and stuff GregoryGeiger.com  TryingToDoBetter.com  https://papress.com/products/extra-bold https://www.bispublishers.com/type-tricks-user-design.html https://www.uxdesigninstitute.com/blog/accessible_design-inclusive_design/

This episode on MUP, Keepers Dave & Bridgett discuss Systemless Horror Game with creator Sarah Cole! Patreon Plug & Update If you would like to support the podcast and engage with other backers, please consider backing.  So yes – please back us on Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup! Oh! We have a new backer! Jason Wiebe! Thank you to everyone who backed us and contributed to our longevity. We’re so thankful for all of you. Who we regularly see on… The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D  And thank you to our editor Ben for editing this episode. Bridgett’s Pet Pick Shout Out Tonight I’d like to shout out … from JZ! Cowboy is the biggest of my cats and all muscle but such a sweet softie. They often have to run water at the vet to distract him from purring so they can listen to his heart and lungs. Main Topic Welcome to Sarah Cole. For those who don’t know you, please introduce yourself. How we got here Dave has opinions on systemless horror – we should do it more Dave backed Terminus and bought and consumed DH&D quickly Welcome! Let’s start with the most important question: https://www.patchworkfez.games/

This episode on MUP, Keepers Dave & Bridgett interview Justin Alexander on the Three Clue Rule and designing mysteries in gaming! Patreon Plug & Update We have a Patreon that is directly used to keep our podcast going, pays the bills, the hosts, the editors, and everything else needed to run a podcast. If you would like to support the podcast and engage with other backers, please consider backing.  So yes – please back us on Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup! Thank you!!! MJ Liz-Play Thank you to everyone who has updated their levels and is engaging with our new tiers. We’re so thankful for all of you. Who we regularly see on… The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D And thank you to our editor Gene for editing this episode. Main Topic 3 Clue Rule What is the 3 clue rule? How did you figure it out? What are the best applications of it? From backer CD: How can a keeper “translate” a published scenario into a node-based scenario Advice for modifying or “shoring up” existing scenarios using the 3 clue rule, node-based design https://thealexandrian.net/

This episode, Keepers Bridgett & Dave discuss mindful online gaming. Patreon Plug & Update We have new and updated Patreon tiers and benefits. If you would like to support the podcast and engage with other backers, please consider backing.  So yes – please back us on Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup! Thank you to everyone who has updated their levels and is engaging with our new tiers. We’re so thankful for all of you. Who we regularly see on… The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D  And thank you to our editor Equinox for editing this episode. Main Topic Let’s discuss mindful online gaming habits, perspectives, approaches.

This episode, Keeper Bridgett and Guest Keeper Evan Perlman discuss…wait for it…wait for it…waaaaaaait for iiiit… Tension in Storytelling. PART II! We’ll discuss what tension is, why it’s important, how to deploy it, and how to keep your players on the edge of their seat! We’ll also probably confuse “tension” and “suspense” because we’re professionals like that. Patreon Plug & Update Dear listeners– do you know that we have a Patreon? That’s right! We have a Patreon! How else do you think that we keep the lights on around here? Here at MUP we pay our editors, we pay our hosts, and we also pay plenty of hosting fees, site fees, software fees, fees, fees, fees, you get it! Patreon earnings help support our efforts and keep the showing running. What do you get? Over on our Patreon, we offer everything from exclusive backer only bonus content, Patreon only episodes, backer only hangouts, access to our backer only portal on Discord, and more!  If you would like to support the podcast and engage with other backers, please consider backing. If you’re already a backer, please take a look at the new levels and consider moving to the next level up.  Please back us on Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup! The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D  And thank you to our editor Nate for editing this episode. Main Topic Tension in storytelling Part II!

This episode, we return to our new segment titled, “Miskatonic University Debate Booth.” During these segments, the hosts will poll debatable gaming topics from our backers and then argue them! Our personal beliefs don’t actually have to align with our defense, but we climb these hills to die upon! Guest Host: Keeper Evan Perlman Patreon Plug & Update We have new and updated Patreon tiers and benefits. If you would like to support the podcast and engage with other backers, please consider backing.  So yes – please back us on Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup! Thank you Rob Wilson!!! Thank you to everyone who has updated their levels and is engaging with our new tiers. We’re so thankful for all of you. Who we regularly see on… The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D  And thank you to our editor Equinox for editing this episode.  Evan’s Pet Pick Shout Out I have recently learned that beloved friend of the show IPwned has a chameleon! Named Perceval! As a pet! Head over to the Pet Pick channel to see this little dude wielding a lightsaber and being incredible. What a good reptile. Main Topic Welcome back everyone to a new segment that we’ve titled the Miskatonic University Debate Club! During this segment, we’ve polled our patreon backers for topics that Evan I will argue to the best of our ability. The goal here is to demonstrate healthy argumentation, to have fun, to stretch our own debate skills, and most importantly to share valid perspectives to opposing topics in our industry!  Evan, are you ready to jump back in? Let’s go!