How is an RPG Book Made? (Alphastream Collaboration)
How is an RPG Book Made? (Alphastream Collaboration)
While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording Teos made with Scott F Gray, sharing the intricacies of the process for creating an RPG book. This recording appeared in two parts on the Alphastream YouTube channel and we are sharing it here for your enjoyment.
Contents
00:00 Intro
00:46 About Scott
04:15 Who this video is for
09:09 Starting with an idea
12:54 When is my idea ready?
26:53 What to know when I start writing
39:04 Understanding words per page
43:00 After writing and types of editors
01:02:22 Development
01:04:10 Sensitivity Reading
01:07:10 Proofreading
01:10:11 Layout
01:14:47 Initial Layout Design
01:19:05 Flowing Copy and Word Processor Choices
01:24:39 Art and Art Orders
01:36:46 Bleed
01:39:26 Rewriting After Initial Layout
01:45:27 Don't Write in Layout
01:49:24 Final Proofread and Layout
01:55:34 PDF vs PoD vs Offset Printing
02:11:25 Offset Printing and Timeline
02:15:20 Crowdfunding
02:18:55 Rising Tide on Manufacturing and Shipping
02:21:12 On Collaboration
02:26:27 Support the Show
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/
Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
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2:26:41
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2:26:41
The Beautiful Mess of 5E! (Gamehole Con 2025)
Gamehole Con 2025 and Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: The Beautiful Mess of 5E! (Gamehole Con 2025)
While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording of a panel at Gamehole con where Mike Mearls, Mike Shea, Shawn, and Teos discuss the many forms of 5E available both officially and through third party companies. We look at how D&D 5E was designed in a open way and how this impacts our hobby.
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/
Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
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59:39
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59:39
Brindlewood Bay’s Cozy Horror (MD 269)
Episode 269 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Brindlewood Bay’s Cozy Horror
Cozy on up with our review of Brindlewood Bay. Being an elderly widow, cutting to commercial, detailing our cozy home, and drawing on classic TV? Sign us up!
News: Eberron Forge of the Artificer, MCDM’s Summoner and Blackbottom, Cosmere Actual Play, and more!
Contents
00:00 Clue Advent and Alien Evolved
03:32 Player Goals First?
12:34 Crawford Perkins Critique and Praise?
16:45 Eberron Forge of the Artificer is Out
21:15 MCDM Releases Summoner
21:42 Fall of Blackbottom Adventure
23:40 Initiative D&D in NYC
26:10 Cosmere Actual Play
27:23 Jubensha Grows Internationally
30:47 Nominate Most Anticipated RPG of '26
31:43 Brindlewood Bay
32:16 Game and its Vibes
35:30 Elderly Widows as PCs
37:57 Game Play Basics
39:44 Why the GM Can Push Hard
42:33 Gear as Your Cozy Home
45:08 PbtA Moves
56:35 Maven Moves
58:45 Being a Keeper or GM
01:00:24 Clues and Void Clues
01:02:42 One-Shots vs Campaign
01:08:09 Shout-Outs
01:12:15 What Are We Gonna Do?
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/
Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
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1:13:00
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1:13:00
Can We Fix 1-Player Dragon Delves? (MD 268)
Episode 268 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Can We Fix 1-Player Dragon Delves?
While a full fix would take more work, we do quickly test a fix and find it is a ton more fun as we conclude our 1 DM and 1 Player adventure!
News: Daggerheart’s Big Expansion, Acq Inc Switches, D&D’s Digital Releases, Leaked Financials, and more!
Contents
00:00 Shawn is Horrified
02:46 D&D Version of Andor or Office?
11:18 Must Fun Single-Class Party?
15:18 Lorwyn First Light Released Digitally
20:32 Daggerheart New Expansion
24:26 Daggerheart PAX News
27:46 Acq Inc Switches to Daggerheart
30:48 Leaked 5E Sales Data
37:28 Free Fantasy Grounds
38:51 If RPGs Adjusted for Inflation
40:13 Temple of the Lightbringers
40:37 Stabracadabra
41:32 Crack the Sun for Draw Steel
42:12 Drakkenheart
43:00 Kickstarter Union Prevails
43:35 Baker's Doesn't Conclusion
44:07 Our Test So Far
46:59 1 on 1 Play as a Concept
55:25 Shawn's Proposed Changes!
01:04:21 Underground Jail
01:10:34 Yummy Mummy
01:14:29 Our New Solo Combat
01:25:48 When Mummy is Daddy
01:31:00 Facing Nibblecheeks
01:35:39 The Heroes We Made Along the Way
01:41:25 Final Thoughts
01:48:15 Shout Outs
01:52:04 What Are We Gonna Do?
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/
Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
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1:52:33
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1:52:33
Does 1 Player Really Work with Dragon Delves? (MD 267)
Episode 267 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Does 1 Player Really Work with Dragon Delves?
Shawn runs Teos through Dragon Delves and they find out whether the adventure’s rules for one player work. Spoiler: no, listener, they do not work!
News: Mighty Nein on Amazon, D&D Challenging for Netflix, Draw Steel Codex, 5E on Demiplane, and more!
Contents
00:00 FR Goodness
01:03 DnD Bologna Contestants - Die Egg Cup
02:32 DnD Press-On Nails
03:54 People Mag and DnD Wedding Cakes
06:17 What Should WotC Design?
18:01 Demiplane 5E Support
23:14 Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime
25:27 D&D on Netflix is Challenging
30:45 Draw Steel Codex
32:51 Codex Draw Steel Marketplace
33:32 Crack the Sun!
35:54 Amazon Warhammer 40k Shows
38:03 Baldur's Gate Adventure Jam Released
39:38 D&D Municipal Ethics Adventure
40:56 Beast RPG
43:55 Alpha Star Magazine
44:33 Darrington Press Seeks Creators
45:38 Dungeons of Drakkenheim for Daggerheart
46:20 DM and Player Gaming
50:06 Story So Far
52:00 Forest and Candy Trail
56:10 Investigating the Outside
01:07:05 Exploring the Interior
01:10:01 Taffy and Bugbears
01:14:22 Discussing 1 Player Combat
01:17:57 Secret Passage
01:22:10 Critical Hit!
01:33:57 Reflecting on 1-on-1 Combat
01:35:27 Saving Asger
01:39:23 Additional Thoughts
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/
Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
RPG veterans and game designers Teos Abadía and Shawn Merwin look at the game and the hobby of D&D from a variety of viewpoints: reporting the news, understanding the business, reviewing the products, and illuminating the design. Whether you’re a fan, a player, a DM, or a designer, Shawn and Teos cover topics of interest to you!