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.
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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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Shane’s book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
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https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/
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PLEASE hook Ken up with Dirk from The Grognard Files!!! They don’t seem to understand the nature of Law and Chaos.
It would be a good show and will enlighten the listeners.
Also, The Skrayling Tree was a sequel to The Dreamthief’s Daughte, and is a fat superior book.
P.S.: I am disappointed that librarians have no secret handshake, or else they won’t tell me.
Sorry! The Dreamthief’s Daughter is FAR* superior.
I’m going to do part 2 of the interview with Ken soon. Do you have a comment or question you want to pass to him re Law and Chaos (or any questions and comments really)? Part of that episode will be listener questions.
If I’m not too late, I’d like to know what he thinks of alignment as attunement with cosmic forces, like in the Elric stories, back when there was only Law, Chaos, and Neutrality.
“or else they won’t tell me”
I suspect it’s that 😀 😀
I agree that the use of Wisdom was annoyingly dumb as was splitting Constitution and Hit points. I disagree on Luck being a good idea for an Attribute.
City of Angels is a remake of Wings of Desire a German film from the 80’s.
DIdn’t know that about City of Angels, thanks!