Every week, Now You Know recaps the Know Direction content of the past week, previews the Know Direction content of the week to come, and shares the thoughts on the state of the network from the director of operations, Ryan Costello.
Listener JoeCold joined the Know Direction Discord recently and asked about the status of Gamer’s Guide To Pathfinder. As I mentioned in my appearance on Presenting last January, the first podcast added to the site not produced by me was The Gamer’s Guide To Pathfinder, a topical show focused on Pathfinder mechanics. Sean and Barry produced 18 episodes 10 years ago before the show, sadly, poodfaded. It’s amazing to me that it left such an impact that a decade later, a new listener could discover them, and then seek out what happened to them.
Equally amazing, I can find the old episodes still intact on their own website, but I can’t find any correspondence between myself and Sean and Barry. We’ve changed servers since then, and went from message boards to Discord, so the messages were probably tied to a platform that I no longer have access to. What’s unfortunate is that I can’t even find their last names. I might even be connected with them on Facebook (which was still an emerging social media platform in 2012), but short of PMing every Sean and Barry on my friends’ list, I don’t even know how to track them down just to say hey.
However, in trying to track them down, I did come across this forgotten feedback in an e-mail from a “fan”.
Nothing like hearing that someone “really liked” your first episode, but thinks you’re an “imbecile” because of how you pronounce certain words.
I know I’ve been on both sides of critiquing other’s creativity, but it still fascinates me that someone can say they’re “not trying to be a jerk” but calls the person “foolish” in the same sentence. At least now I can look back on the gal of this e-mail and chuckle.
One other fun reminder this walk down Gamer’s Guide Memory Lane came across was the old intro to shows on the site. Before we called ourselves a network, we were “The 3.5 Private Sanctuary gaming shelf of podcasts for 3.5 loyalists and Pathfinder enthusiasts.” That being a reference to a recuing joke at the time about how obsessively I organized our shelf of 3.5 D&D books in a way that only made sense to me (but still makes perfect sense to me!)
Speaking of the Know Direction Network, here’s a recap of the content that came out in the last week:
Recap of March 14th to March 18
What happened last week on knowdirectionpodcast.com and twitch.tv/knowdirection?
Monday, March 14th
Podcast
Valiant Episode 31: In Which They Turn Some Keys
Knowing what we, the listeners, know about Qarnoz, there’s a wonder scene ripe with situational irony of the PCs saying goodbye to the chatty skeleton.
Article
Now You Know – Shout Out To Darran Caldemeyer
By Ryan Costello
I realize that a lot of my last few Now You Knows have been nostalgia-based, but last week I had to shout out to Darran Caldmeyer, who’s given up the Know Direction Network’s Official Countdown Correspondent.
Tuesday, March 15th
Podcast
Young and Adventurous 002 – Easy Mummy
When editing actual plays, I occasionally trim content that feels like it wanders too far from the point. It’s hard to be objective about what’s valuable content and what’s meandering when it comes to a mystery, though, because hindsight’s helping me pick up Scott’s clues in the edit that I missed during play.
Article
Fox’s Cunning – Intercalation Integration
By Dustin Knight
If you’re like me, you read this article’s title and thought “What the heck does Intercalation Integration mean?” Luckily Dustin’s subtitle, “How to use a game inside a game inside your game” totally cleared things up.
Wednesday, March 16th
Twitch
Precog Breakdown – Know Direction: Beyond LIVE!
Alex, James, and Vanessa look at how the Precog turned out in publication, point out some of the big differences, and give the class an overall shakedown.
Podcast
Presenting – Simone D Sallé
I love hearing from RPG editors, but Simone is the first technical editor I’ve listened to. Simone was a lively and informative guest.
Article
More Lore – Time Will Tell
By Scott D Young
For the time being! Which I guess in this case is Scott, writing about what the passage of time looks like from Earth and Golarion’s perspectives.
Thursday, March 17th
Podcast
Legend Lore 041 — Goblins
It’s been a long time since the inclusion of goblins as a core Pathfinder 2e ancestry sparked controversy, but Luis and Loren give the topic a solid look with the benefits of hindsight, while also showing how versatile goblins can be for 2e characters.
Article
Investing In: 7 Years of Critical Role
By Rob Pontious
I feel like I’m missing out on a major cultural touchstone for tabletop gamers, but I have little firsthand experience with Critical Role. Fortunately, Rob does a great job explaining the show’s appeal and impact from a personal perspective.
Friday, March 18th
Podcast
Know Direction: Beyond 67 – Precog Breakdown
Some interesting analysis of what sounds like a fun class that made some big choices that weren’t always intuitive.
Preview of March 21st to March 25th
Block 1 of our 2-block schedule.
Monday, March 21st
Twitch
Know Direction 272 Live – Book of the Dead Preview
Book of the Dead from the Pathfinder RPG line isn’t out until late April, but Luis and Vanessa received early copies of Chapter 1: Prayers for the Living. They preview the contents, and even build characters using the new options available in the chapter.
Podcast
Intrepid Heroes 082 – Livin’ It Up When We’re Goin’ Down
Our Intrepid Heroes take the fight to the restricted upper levels of The Crucible.
Article
Now You Know – Feedback Flashback
By Ryan Costello
You’d have to be an imbecile to miss this installment, my wonderful readers.
Tuesday, March 22nd
Podcast
Know Direction 272 – Book of the Damned Preview
This is our first preview episode, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Luis and Vanessa format it. We tend to linger on the early chapters of player-focused sourcebooks and then rush through later chapters. Hopefully getting an early chapter ahead of time will not only lead to solid episodes on their own, but will also make our breakdown episodes better.
Article
Eldritch Excursion
By Nate Wright
Nate Wright’s journal of flavour and mechanics.
Wednesday, March 23rd
Podcast
Game Design Unboxed 33: Century: Spice Road
Danielle speaks with Emerson Matsuuchi the designer of Century: Spice Road, Century: Eastern Wonders, Century: A New World and the Golem Editions published by Plan B Games. I’m not familiar with this series, so I’m looking forward to finding out all about it.
Article
Behind The Screens – Run An Inefficient Game
By Ryan Costello
A lot of GMing advice tries to streamline your game. But I’m here to tell you, my fellow GMs, that an overly efficient game burns through our Game Master bandwidth much faster, to everyone’s detriment.
Thursday, March 24th
Podcast
Digital Divination 52
John and Ron talk Starfinder.
Friday, March 25th
Article
Monstrous Physique
By Luis Loza
Luis makes monsters.
Now you know,
Ryan Costello
