Author Archives: Shane

Frankenstein Movies – Episode 291 – 5/30/2026

frankenstein movies shane plays podcast title 5-30-2026

Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #291 – 5/30/2026

Fellow movie buffs Chris Holmes and Stephen Clements join for an electrifying ambulation through the gothic corridors of over 30 Frankenstein movies, past and present. Chris and Shane disagree on the merits and content of the original Frankenstein novel. Shane has thoughts on spoilers and people expecting them to apply forever. There’s Iconic, and then there’s iconic. What Frankenstein movie was so bad that Stephen wished his heart would have stopped while watching it, and he begs all of humanity never to watch it? For you Mage: The Ascension fans out there, Dr. Frankenstein was a Son of Ether (and so were the Ghostbusters). Do Frankenstein movies play into our fear of being eaten? Stephen manages to invoke the old military urban legend of the Ether Bunny. Chris will sit through every second of a putrid, horrible movie that he despises at least twice. Chris saw a movie in the theater using Smell-O-Vision… in 2025. Stephen has super-strong (like, super-strong) opinions about Poor Things. Did we mention that Stephen has super-strong opinions about Poor Things?

Listen to the Shane Plays podcast on YouTube, iTunes, Google Play Music, Podbean and Stitcher (plus other fine podcast directories).

SHOW NOTES

Stephen Clements on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@stephen.clements

Frankenstein movies list we went into the podcast with:

1910 Frankenstein aka “Easy Bake Frankenstein” (according to Stephen 😀 )
1931 Frankenstein
1935 Bride of Frankenstein
1939 Son of Frankenstein
1942 Ghost of Frankenstein
1944 House of Frankenstein
1957 I Was a Teenage Frankenstein
1957 The Curse of Frankenstein
1958 The Revenge of Frankenstein
1958 Frankenstein 1970
1962 The Brain That Wouldn’t Die
1964 The Evil of Frankenstein
1965 Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter
1967 Frankenstein Created Woman
1968 The Astro-Zombies
1969 Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969 The Horror of Frankenstein
1971 Lady Frankenstein
1972 Flesh for Frankenstein
1973 Frankenstein: The True Story
1973 Blackenstein
1974 Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
1974 Young Frankenstein
1975 The Rocky Horror Picture Show
1981 Frankenstein Island
1984 The Bride
1985 Re-Animator
1990 Frankenstein Unbound
1990 Frankenhooker
1990 Bride of Re-Animator
1994 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
2012 Frankenweenie
2015 Victor Frankenstein
2023 Poor Things
2025 Frankenstein
2025 Dead Lover

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Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2nd Edition
Shane’s book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
Order on Amazon now:
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/

Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

Hey, YOU! Yeah, YOU! 😀😀 You can buy cool stuff and support Shane Plays Geek Talk with these affiliate links!

Humble Bundle
https://www.humblebundle.com?partner=shaneplays

DriveThruRPG.com
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=488512

Ken St. Andre Part 2 – Episode 290 – 4/30/2026

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Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #290 – 4/30/2026

The second of two interviews with game designer Ken St. Andre, this time focusing on his video game design history (see part one for discussion around his tabletop RPG design). Games discussed in this episode: Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan, Adventure Construction Set, Wasteland (without which there would be no Fallout), and Wasteland 2. Ken’s favorite Christopher Reeve Superman movie. One of Shane’s pet peeves with current superhero comic book stories (especially DC). The origins of storytelling. Did the Empire from Star Wars have a good side? What happened when Ken and Roberta Williams of Sierra On-Line offered Ken a job? What two classic 80s action flicks helped inspire Wasteland (one is sort of obvious, one might not be), and what does Daffy Duck have to do with it all? What does the Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes RPG have to do with Tunnels & Trolls, and what do they both have to do with Wasteland? Ken’s thoughts on being involved with Wasteland 2. Ken’s never-released superhero game version of Tunnels & Trolls called Power Trip. The most important rule in Tunnels & Trolls (as opposed to the most important principle). Watch out for snollygosters. Ken’s thoughts on power scale in superhero RPGs (think Batman and Superman in the same fight). Q&A with Ken based on questions submitted by Matt Barton of Matt Chat. Ken’s advice for game designers. What would Ken have done differently in his career? Cockroach population analysis. How Ken made it into the Hall of Fame.

Listen to the Shane Plays podcast on YouTube, iTunes, Google Play Music, Podbean and Stitcher (plus other fine podcast directories).

SHOW NOTES

Ken St. Andre Part 1 – Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode 288 – 3/8/2026
https://shaneplays.com/rpg-designer-ken-st-andre-part-1-podcast/

Ken St. Andre on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_St._Andre

Trollgodfather Press (Ken’s Publishing Company)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/9559/trollgodfather-press

Wasteland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_(video_game)

Wasteland 2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_2

Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan
https://mobygames.com/game/3398/tunnels-trolls-crusaders-of-khazan/

Adventure Construction Set
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Construction_Set

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Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

Hey, YOU! Yeah, YOU! 😀😀 You can buy cool stuff and support Shane Plays Geek Talk with these affiliate links!

Humble Bundle
https://www.humblebundle.com?partner=shaneplays

DriveThruRPG.com
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=488512

John M. Ford with Victor Raymond – Episode 289 – 3/30/2026

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Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #289 – 3/30/2026

The one and only, amazing, science fiction and fantasy writer, game designer, and poet, John M. Ford (aka “Mike”) with Dr. Victor Raymond. A very quick Tékumel update. John M. Ford won a prestigious award for a Christmas card. In addition to his novel writing, he also wrote for RPGs, including Traveller, GURPS, Star Trek, Paranoia, and Ghostbusters. Paranoia is a joyful HOOT. John M. Ford’s take on Klingons (including linguistics) is excellent and sublime, and it’s a shame it’s not Star Trek canon. “Realistic” space combat in science fiction. Reading a John M. Ford novel is a very rewarding exercise in inference. Recommendations on where to start in his bibliography. A brief digression into Harlan Ellison. Sweet memories of Mike (and Darklands, too).

Listen to the Shane Plays podcast on YouTube, iTunes, Google Play Music, Podbean and Stitcher (plus other fine podcast directories).

SHOW NOTES

John M. Ford on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_M._Ford

The Disappearance of John M. Ford by Isaac Butler
https://slate.com/culture/2019/11/john-ford-science-fiction-fantasy-books.html

Bibliography: John M. Ford on the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?226

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Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

Hey, YOU! Yeah, YOU! 😀😀 You can buy cool stuff and support Shane Plays Geek Talk with these affiliate links!

Humble Bundle
https://www.humblebundle.com?partner=shaneplays

DriveThruRPG.com
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=488512

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #4

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Gameplay of Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown.

Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is a story-driven survival strategy game in which the fate of the iconic starship is in your hands. Take the helm, manage the ship and resources, and make difficult decisions. Will you be able to bring home the ship and its crew?

Ken St. Andre Part 1 – Episode 288 – 3/8/2026

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Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #288 – 3/8/2026

Historic RPG designer Ken St. Andre (Tunnels & Trolls, Starfaring, Monsters! Monsters!, Stormbringer, more) joins for this episode. The game that shall not be named. Is it wise to go into dungeons as an adventurer, or do you just need luck? The practicality of six-siders versus Platonic solids. The most powerful buttons in the universe. Who’s tougher, the Romulans or the Klingons? Marbles were the collectible card game of their day. Diplomacy variants. Gary Gygax’s first introduction to Tunnels & Trolls. Dave Arneson’s contribution to Flying Buffalo Games. Ken’s impressions of Dave. Ken’s opinion on whether OD&D was an actual RPG. Ken told TSR’s lawyers, and I quote, “go piss up a rope.” Ken’s advice to game designers. Clever solutions in dealing with a Balrog. What is “stunting” in an RPG? Tunnels & Trolls on the MetaArcade app. Ken and Shane’s predictions about AI’s effect on the RPG industry. Mata Hari. Ken was a pioneer in solo RPG adventures (which Shane feels is important). What game of Ken’s does he think is better than Tunnels & Trolls? Some Elric discussion. The secret brotherhood of librarians (or lack thereof). A brief diversion into chicken psychology.

Listen to the Shane Plays podcast on YouTube, iTunes, Google Play Music, Podbean and Stitcher (plus other fine podcast directories).

SHOW NOTES

Ken St. Andre on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_St._Andre

Trollgodfather Press (Ken’s Publishing Company)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/9559/trollgodfather-press

Tunnels & Trolls
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnels_%26_Trolls

Starfaring
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfaring

Monsters! Monsters!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters!_Monsters!

Stormbringer RPG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormbringer_(role-playing_game)

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Like what you hear?
Support Shane Plays Geek Talk on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/shaneplays

Hey, YOU! Yeah, YOU! 😀😀 You can buy cool stuff and support Shane Plays Geek Talk with these affiliate links!

Humble Bundle
https://www.humblebundle.com?partner=shaneplays

DriveThruRPG.com
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=488512

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #3

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Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #2

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Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #1

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What advice would you give to a D&D 5th Edition player playing an Old School RPG for the first time?

1 Reply

100+ responses on a post asking just this question cover a wide range of advice, with several recurring themes emerging.

One of the clearest themes: it’s much more dangerous!

Also, is the DM obligated to balance encounters, gold pieces as XP, hirelings, THAC0, skip the backstory until 3rd level, squad tactics and party balance, and a lot more! What would YOU say?

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Demo Gameplay

Leave a reply

Gameplay of the Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Demo.

Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is a story-driven survival strategy game in which the fate of the iconic starship is in your hands. Take the helm, manage the ship and resources, and make difficult decisions. Will you be able to bring home the ship and its crew?

SHANE PLAYS

A journey into the things we love: Podcast + blog! Get your geek on or discover your inner geek: games, video games, RPGs, comic books, movies, TV, books, oh so much more!

Author Archives: Shane

Frankenstein Movies – Episode 291 – 5/30/2026

SHOW NOTES

Ken St. Andre Part 2 – Episode 290 – 4/30/2026

SHOW NOTES

John M. Ford with Victor Raymond – Episode 289 – 3/30/2026

SHOW NOTES

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #4

Ken St. Andre Part 1 – Episode 288 – 3/8/2026

SHOW NOTES

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #3

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #2

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Gameplay #1

What advice would you give to a D&D 5th Edition player playing an Old School RPG for the first time?

Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown Demo Gameplay