It’s been a while since we wrapped on regular Know Direction content. Now, a few of our blogs will be coming to a close, and one of our podcasts is wrapping for the season.
After six years, the Know Direction Network’s first staff blogger, Alex Augunas is taking a break. Between Iconic Design, Guidance, and Gibbering Mouth, Alex has written more words for the site than any other staff member, myself included. He’s shared creative ideas, useful advice, and constructive arguments useful to Pathfinder and Starfinder enthusiasts, and tabletop gamers of many stripes. When Alex joined us, he was but a student. Literally, he was still in post-secondary school. Now he’s working full time at a job that he describes as “really intense for the past few months”. Although he’s shuttering his blogs for the time being, Alex isn’t going anywhere. He’ll continue to contribute to the network as a co-host of Know Direction: Beyond, and create Hero Forge builds to Hero Forge Tuesdays on Know Direction’s Facebook page.
Loren Sieg’s Dear Dovah Queen and Bend The Knee blogs were both insightful reads and wonderful networking tools. One of the network’s objectives is to give back, and that includes sharing the spotlight with members of the community and contributors to the hobby. However, for the better part of a year, Loren’s been focusing on her studies, and I’ve been handling the Bend The Knee logistics, reusing her old questions with a new panel of guests. Unfortunately, the logistics have been harder for me to manage lately, and Loren still doesn’t have the time to return to her blog. Loren remains a network board member, and will continue to appear in Legend Lore with Luis Loza.
On a less permanent note, Game Design Unboxed wraps its first season as of next episode. It returns in a few weeks, but with a slight difference. Instead of three rotating hosts, Danielle Reynolds will be GDU’s only host starting with season 2. While Ben Moy’s exit was effective as of a few episodes ago due to details of his behaviour regarding women in the tabletop industry coming to light, Denice is leaving of her own volition, which she’ll explain in next week’s season finale.
You might be wondering why Adventurous didn’t receive this kind of sendoff. That’s because Adventurous’ future is less certain. If we determine the show is officially over, I want to at least send it off with an out of character farewell. Between issues outside the podcast, the fact that it’s a 1e podcast when most of the cast has moved on, the scattershot of different directions the cast has moved on to, and general logistics of scheduling, Adventurous has been somewhere between on a hiatus and just fading away. Network burnout rearing its head again doesn’t help.
I’ve always attributed August burnout to Gen Con, since the preview-to-review period is our busiest time of the year. Given the pattern repeats here without Gen Con, maybe it’s just an August thing. Well, in the past we’ve given the staff a break after Gen Con by way of a Guest Blogger Takeover, so that’s exactly what we’re going to do again this year. From August 30th to September 10th, we’re handing the Know Direction Network’s blog space over to industry veterans and influencers. They can share their experiences, get on soap boxes, or just talk about their love of the hobby. We’ve already started recruiting guest bloggers, but if there’s anyone you’d like to hear from or who you think deserves the spotlight, let us know!
Recap of August 9th to August 13th
What happened last week on knowdirectionpodcast.com and twitch.tv/knowdirection?
Monday, August 9th
Article
Recall Knowledge – Path Finding: The Next Generation
By Ryan Costello
In a highlight of my vacation, I ran my daughters’ first RPG. I planned on talking about the experience in this week’s Recall Knowledge, but I decided to put it off for a few installments while I cover more timely topics.
Tuesday, August 10th
Podcast
Digital Divination 036 – The Evolutionist!
John and Ron talk about the Evolutionist, Starfinder class design and the playtest process.
Wednesday, August 11th
Twitch
Know Direction 256 Live – BattleZoo Bestiary PreviewKnow Direction 253 – The Lore of Lost Omens: The Mwangi Expanse
Stephen Glicker and Mark Seifter tell us about the BattleZoon Bestiary, a book we thought was going to be the end point of last year’s RPG Superstar, but turned out to be the starting point of something huge.
Patreon
Patron’s Private Sanctum 0024
If you love Know Direction Network logistics, this is the Patron’s Pricate Sanctum for you!
Podcast
Game Design Unboxed 21: Abomination Vaults
As Scrip put it on the Know Direction Discord server: “Game Design Unboxed meets Pathfinder??? What is this, a crossover episode?!”
On a personal note, one of my favourite perks of my role at Know Direction is helping others make awesome things happen. I am so proud of Danielle for what she’s accomplished with Game Design Unboxed, and was thrilled when she asked me for recommendations for her first RPG guest. Vanessa absolutely deserves the spotlight for her prolific accomplishments in the industry, and any way I can thank her for what she’s brought to the network, I’m happy to do it.
Thursday, August 12th
Podcast
Know Direction 256 – BattleZoo Bestiary Preview with Mark Seifter and Stephen Glicker
We start the episode talking about how we don’t do blatant crowdfunding promotion interviews anymore. I have to admit, I was still there would be a few inflatable flailing arm tube man moments during this interview. Instead, we got two authors passionate about the projects they’re putting out and excited to see where things go next. Really glad we did this episode.
Article
Something Creates – A Creature Companion
By Andrew Sturtevant
Andrew follows up on Alien Archive 3’s Creature Companion rules to create a cute companion for your Starfinder game.
Friday, August 13th
Patron
Private Sanctum 26
Two Patron’s Private Sanctums this week? Yep! We had three Know Directions in a row, and then I was on vacation, so we had some Private Sanctums to get out there. That, and it was requested that we put our Private Sanctums out sooner after the episodes they’re recorded with.
Podcast
Intrepid Heroes 066 – Possessed!
You know how there’s a high risk of drowning when you try to save someone from drowning because they’re in such a panic they’re a danger to themselves and their saviour? That’s the gist of the latest episode of Intrepid Heroes.
Article
Bend the Knee Heightened – Intrepid Characters and Settings
For our final instalment of Bend The Knee Heightened, we spotlight the cast of Intrepid Heroes with a classic question about favourite characters and settings.
Preview of August 16th to August 20th
This is back to Block 1 of our 2-block schedule.
Monday, August 16th
Podcast
Troubles In Otari Part 1, Episode 4
There’s one thing I know for sure about this episode of Adventure Series: That was definitely a ghost!
Article
Recall Knowledge – A Few Farewells
It’s never fun to say goodbye to good content.
Tuesday, August 17th
Podcast
Legend Lore 032
Paizo developer Luis Loza and fan Loren Sieg cover a Pathfinder 2e rules or lore topic in every episode.
Article
Fox’s Cunning by Dustin Knight
Dustin offers expert insight and helpful tools to enhance your game.
Wednesday, August 18th
Twitch
Know Direction Beyond 61 Live – The Evolutionist
Just waiting on guest confirmation to officially announce the episode.
Podcast
Presenting – Gamers Making Games: Scott Young
John talks with Paizo freelancer Scott D Young.
Article
Behind The Screen by Ryan Costello
I offer insight to my fellow GMs about running games that are inclusive and fun, because different people play the game for different reasons.
Thursday, August 19th
Podcast
Valiant episode 22
This episode got delayed due to an untimely computer crash.
Article
Investing In by Rob Pontious
Rob shares what he loves about the RPGs he’s been playing lately, and why you should check them out.
Friday, August 20th
Podcast
Know Direction Beyond 61 – The Evolutionist
The KD:B team talks about The Evolutionist class, currently in playtest!
Article
Monstrous Physique by Luis Loza
Luis makes monsters.
Now you know,
Ryan Costello
