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

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)

—

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