Author Archives: Shane

Let’s Play Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear #10

This episode: Finally on the road to Dragonspear Castle! We meet our camp and its characters (including a certain famous / infamous new NPC) and pick up some quests. More potential party members to choose from. We sing at a stone. Like, at the stone.

From developer Beamdog‘s marketing copy:

A major new expansion to Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition adds areas, action, and adventure to the original!

“Fate leads him who follows it, and drags him who resist.” -Plutarch

Though Sarevok is dead and his plan for war averted, peace eludes the citizens of Baldur’s Gate. A crusade marches from the north, seizing supplies, forcing locals into military service, and disrupting trade along the Sword Coast. A charismatic warrior known as the Shining Lady leads this army, her background shrouded in mystery. Can the rumors be true—is she, like you, the child of a god?

The closer you get to the Shining Lady, the more you realize your father, the dead Lord of Murder still casts a long shadow upon your path. Baldur’s Gate has put its faith in you, but you must determine whose interests you truly serve before you face the Shining Lady among the ruins of Dragonspear Castle…

Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear adds a new chapter to the Bhaalspawn saga. The events occurring between Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II are at last revealed in this 25-hour expansion pack for Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition.

D&D Out of the Abyss Notes #29

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This episode: The party goes on a camping trip through the Underdark with a bunch of myconids. Dangers and interesting encounters abound. Fostering a sense of drama and suspense for your players without being a jerk. A mysterious voice in the darkness.

This is an ongoing series of Shane’s notes, thoughts and tips for running the D&D adventure Out of the Abyss, which is the tabletop portion of the Rage of Demons story line.

Each video follows the most recent session with his group.

Escape Rooms! – Radio Show / Podcast Ep. 68

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Podcast for the Shane Plays radio show from 9/17/2016:
Escape Rooms!

Highlights: Geek news; Cat cosplay?!; Escape Rooms with Stephanie Straw.

Shane Plays airs on Saturdays at 1:05 PM Central on 96.5 FM The Answer in Little Rock. It can also be heard online at http://965fmtheanswer.com and on the Tune In Radio app and iHeart Radio apps. Call in at 501-823-0965 or tweet @ShanePlays during the show!

Listen to the Shane Plays podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music and Stitcher (and other fine podcast directories) after the live show.

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

Shane Plays is carried on Krypton Radio!
Krypton Radio is SciFi for your Wifi.
http://kryptonradio.com/

Direct Download:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/shaneplays/Shane_Plays_9-17-16_podcast.mp3
Listen Here via Embed:

SHOW NOTES

Show sponsor MegaWars game trailer:

NEWS ITEMS

DeLorean driver clocked by police at 88mph insists ‘I wasn’t trying to time travel’ | Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/14/delorean-driver-clocked-by-police-at-88mph-insists-i-wasnt-tryin/

Microsoft Solitaire Collection Reaches 100 Million Unique Users | Xbox.com
https://news.xbox.com/2016/08/31/microsoft-solitaire-collection-reaches-100-million-unique-users/

New Discworld Roleplaying Game coming from Steve Jackson Games! | EN World
http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3748-New-Discworld-Roleplaying-Game-coming-from-Steve-Jackson-Games%21#.V9ynpz4rK8p

GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/847271320/dungeon-fantasy-roleplaying-game-powered-by-gurps

D&D vs. Transformers and Bubble Wrap for National Toy Hall of Fame! You can vote!
http://www.toyhalloffame.org/

1st Look: ‘Power of the Daleks’ Teaser | Krypton Radio
https://kryptonradio.com/2016/09/07/1st-look-power-daleks-teaser/

Valiant Reveals Cat Cosplay Covers, And They Are Real, This Is Happening | Comics Alliance
http://comicsalliance.com/valiant-cat-cosplay-covers/

GUEST: ESCAPE ROOMS

Escape rooms with Stephanie Straw!

Stephanie on Twitter: @insertstrawhere

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_room
An escape room is a physical adventure game in which players are locked in a room and have to use elements of the room to solve a series of puzzles and escape within a set time limit. The games are physical versions of “escape the room” video games. Games are set in a variety of fictional locations, such as prison cells, dungeons and space stations, and are popular as team building exercises.

NEXT WEEK: SPA-CON

Live remote from Spa-Con in Hot Springs, AR!

Spa-Con Website

D&D Out of the Abyss Notes #28

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This episode: More horrid madness revealed in Neverlight Grove. The party commits the cardinal sin in D&D and splits the party. Myconid movement rates vs. gelatinous cube movement rate. The Dread Beagle of Doom appears. Does a party member… attack the demon lord Zuggtmoy?!

This is an ongoing series of Shane’s notes, thoughts and tips for running the D&D adventure Out of the Abyss, which is the tabletop portion of the Rage of Demons story line.

Each video follows the most recent session with his group.

Let’s Play Sword Coast Legends Story Mode #26

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This episode: We continue storming the lair of the Dragonbloods, finally kit Jarhild out, and disarm about thirty million traps.

This a let’s play of the single player campaign of Sword Coast Legends.

Set in the lush and vibrant world of the Forgotten Realms, Sword Coast Legends offers an all-new way to enjoy the time-tested magic of playing Dungeons & Dragons as a shared storytelling experience. With a deep narrative developed by a team of long-time industry veterans and a partnership with Wizards of the Coast, the single player campaign of Sword Coast Legends brings the world of Faerûn home like never before.

https://swordcoast.com/

Transformers The Movie 30th & Comics Creator Tom Scioli! – Radio Show / Podcast Ep. 67

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Podcast for the Shane Plays radio show from 9/10/2016:
Transformers The Movie 30th & Comics Creator Tom Scioli!

Highlights: Transformers The Movie 30th anniversary; Transformers vs. G.I. Joe creator Tom Scioli; Star Trek 50th.

Listen to the Shane Plays podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music and Stitcher (and other fine podcast directories) after the live show.

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

Shane Plays is carried on Krypton Radio!
Krypton Radio is SciFi for your Wifi.
http://kryptonradio.com/

Direct Download:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/shaneplays/Shane_Plays_9-10-16_podcast.mp3
Listen Here via Embed:

SHOW NOTES

NEWS ITEMS

Star Trek 50th Anniversary! Star Trek broadcast it’s first episode “The Man Trap” on September 8, 1966. Shane tells his favorite Star Trek joke.

New Star Trek Continues episode is out! E07 “Embracing the Winds”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMasSzFXaKQ

Shane Plays review of D&D adventure Storm King’s Thunder
https://shaneplays.com/dd-storm-kings-thunder-review/

GUEST: TRANSFORMERS & TOM SCIOLI

We celebrate the 30th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie and talk with Tom Scioli of IDW’s insanely cool Transformers vs. G.I. Joe maxi series.

Transformers: The Movie (30th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray] releases September 13th
https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Movie-30th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B01GU82O9U

Transformers: The Movie (1986) on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Transformers:_The_Movie

http://www.tomscioli.com/

@tomscioli

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe at Transformers Wiki
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers_vs._G.I._Joe

NEXT WEEK: ESCAPE ROOMS

Escape rooms with Stephanie Straw!

@insertstrawhere

DC Rebirth Review #7: 9 Comics (Spoilers)

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Review of 9 DC Comics Rebirth related books with SPOILERS:

Supergirl: Rebirth #1
Supergirl #1
Batgirl & The Birds of Prey #1
Deathstroke #1
The Hellblazer #1
Suicide Squad #1
Suicide Squad Special: War Crimes #1
Blue Beetle: Rebirth #1
Cyborg: Rebirth #1

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_Rebirth –
DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth is intended to restore the DC Universe to a form much like that prior to the “Flashpoint” storyline while still incorporating numerous elements of The New 52, including its continuity. It will also see many of its titles move to a twice-monthly release schedule, with all titles releasing at US$2.99.

D&D Out of the Abyss Notes #27

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This episode: Neverlight Grove continues. Just how welcoming is this whole Garden of Welcome thing, anyway? Monsters with legendary abilities are fun (for the DM, anyway). And hey, who doesn’t love a good wedding?

This is an ongoing series of Shane’s notes, thoughts and tips for running the D&D adventure Out of the Abyss, which is the tabletop portion of the Rage of Demons story line.

Each video follows the most recent session with his group.

Invisible Sun RPG With Monte Cook Games! – Radio Show / Podcast Ep. 66

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Podcast for the Shane Plays radio show from 9/3/2016:
Invisible Sun RPG With Monte Cook Games!

Highlights: Geek news; Monte Cook Games COO Charles M. Ryan talks their innovative new Invisible Sun RPG.

Listen to the Shane Plays podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music and Stitcher (and other fine podcast directories) after the live show.

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

Shane Plays is carried on Krypton Radio!
Krypton Radio is SciFi for your Wifi.
http://kryptonradio.com/

Direct Download:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/shaneplays/Shane_Plays_9-3-16_podcast.mp3
Listen Here via Embed:

SHOW NOTES

NEWS ITEMS

Star Trek Fan Film Guidelines Response: Join the new Fan Film LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN! | Fan Film Factor
http://fanfilmfactor.com/2016/08/23/join-the-new-fan-film-letter-writing-campaign/

World of Warcraft’s New Level Cap Hit in Less Than 6 Hours | Gamespot
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-of-warcrafts-new-level-cap-hit-in-less-than-/1100-6443162/

Nintendo slaps Metroid 2 remake and 500-plus fangames with takedown orders | Polygon
http://www.polygon.com/2016/9/2/12770344/nintendo-slaps-metroid-2-remake-and-500-plus-fangames-with-takedown-orders

The Awesome Way The BBC Looks To Be Reviving The Lost Doctor Who Episodes | Cinemablend
http://www.cinemablend.com/television/1551109/the-awesome-way-the-bbc-is-looks-to-be-reviving-the-lost-doctor-who-episodes

GUEST: MONTE COOK GAMES

Monte Cook Games COO Charles M. Ryan joins to talk about their innovate new premium RPG Invisible Sun.

Invisible Sun Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montecookgames/invisible-sun

From http://www.montecookgames.com/team/:
With over 20 years in the games industry, Charles M. Ryan has created or contributed to nearly every class of tabletop game—board games, card games, trading card games, miniature games, and roleplaying games—and he’s garnered awards and recognition for game design, editing and development, fiction, and graphic design. As a businessman, he’s worked in every tier of the market, from running his own independent publishing firm, to serving as Hasbro’s global brand manager for Dungeons & Dragons, to heading up marketing at the UK’s Esdevium Games, one of the world’s largest game distributors. Charles served as Chairman of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design, the professional organization of the games industry, from 1997 through 2001. He’s also the author of the well-reviewed novel The Mason of New Orleans.

NEXT WEEK: TRANSFORMERS & TOM SCIOLI

We celebrate the 30th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie and talk with Tom Scioli of IDW’s insanely cool Transformers vs. GI Joe maxi series.

Transformers: The Movie (30th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray] releases September 13th
https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Movie-30th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B01GU82O9U

http://www.tomscioli.com/

@tomscioli

Tranfomers vs. G.I. Joe at Transformers Wiki
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers_vs._G.I._Joe

D&D Out of the Abyss Notes #26

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This episode: Neverlight Grove begins. The myconids are acting bizarre, but is that sinister or just normal for them? Shane struggles as DM to present a race that is innocent and doesn’t have a concept of ethics and morals while at the same time presenting factions. Does a gelatinous cube eat plants and fungus?

This is an ongoing series of Shane’s notes, thoughts and tips for running the D&D adventure Out of the Abyss, which is the tabletop portion of the Rage of Demons story line.

Each video follows the most recent session with his group.