Around the Hearth

Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks all four editions of one of the most important modern supers TTRPGs, Mutants & Masterminds. Jay and Lowell talk about the core elements of the game-- what has remained the same and how the powers system has shifted over time. They then cover the publication history of the game and how each edition rolled out, followed by talk about how M&M has dealt with media, genres, and a few IPs. The episode then wraps up with a general discussion, where *spoilers* Lowell talks about why this has become his favorite trad-leaning supers game and his most embarrassing convention story.
Mutants & Masterminds 4e Kickstarter (running through March 5, 2026)
The Play Fearless Greatest Crits Zine Kickstarter (Jay's project running through March 1, 2026)
Muses of Play (Mad Jay and Sarah Doom's new podcast project)
Mutants & Masterminds System Guide for 3e
RPGs I Like: Mutants & Masterminds, 2e (Part One)
RPGs I Like: Mutants & Masterminds, 2e (Part Two)
If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe.
Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world.
Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast.
Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community.
You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG.
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @[email protected]
00:00 Intro
01:13 The Pitch
09:34 Gaming History
17:53 Comics & Media History
25:53 Thoughts

Since almost the beginning, game publishers have supplemented games with pre-generated dungeons, scenarios, and campaigns. Some of these have becomes touchstones among players: Isle of Dread, The Enemy Within, Masks of Nyarlathotep, and beyond. But sometimes you don't want to run that system; would like to swap the scenario over to another genre or setting, or don't want to commit to a two-year campaign outline. Rich Rogers- veteran of many Star Wars adaptations and beyond- and Lowell Francis talk about some tactics for adapting these stories and along with questions, comments, and input from community members. This is part of our Open Hearth series of community RPG talks.
Against the Dark Conspiracy
Auspicious Beginnings
Strangers in Prax
Fear of a Black Dragon
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @[email protected]

In our fourth episode of Roll for Mutation, we look at one of the most important post-apocalyptic games, Apocalypse World. We consider both the impact of PbtA and the depiction of "the Apocalypse" in AW-- and how it differs from other contemporary games. Hosts Lowell Francis and Marc Majcher cover the short but rich history of AW and its long tail. We talk about what Apocalypse World is, where it fits in gaming history, our experiences playing it, and our general thoughts about the game.
References
Tabletop RPG Design in Theory and Practice at the Forge, 2001–2012: Designs and Discussions
Designers & Dragons Volume 4 The 2000s
Apocalypse World: Burned Over is kinder and much angrier
The Daily Apocalypse
+1 Forward: A Podcast Powered by the Apocalypse
Apocalypse World Burned Over Kickstarter
Rascal Interview with Macolm Craig
For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History.
Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/.
Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community.
You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG.
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio
00:00 Introduction: Apocalypse World
03:30 What It Is
13:26 Publication/Gaming History
25:19 Media Context/Influences
32:23 General Thoughts

What makes a good city in a role-playing game? People, places, factions, rumors? We're going to be talking about that and bringing together your insights. This community discussion ranges widely but includes: tools for building cities, techniques for making cities feel alive, mapping, citybook resources, and more. While we don't follow my outline, you can see my planning doc here. 

Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @[email protected]

As the first installment in a series of episodes on improv tools at the gaming table, Ian & José are joined by Karen Twelves, the author of Improv for Gamers, to discuss how players can make and receive meaningful offers in TTRPGs.
Timecodes
0:04:37 Pick your Poison
0:24:25 What's an Offer?
0:31:17 Creating Offers and Listening for Them
0:36:53 Formal and Informal Ways to Offer
0:46:30 Offers that Endow Others
0:51:02 Nuancing Improv's Rules of Thumb
0:57:15 Prepping for Spontaneity
1:01:09 Ending Scenes
1:06:57 The Pressure to Make Something Happen
1:13:50 Pearl of Wisdom
1:16:10 Outro
Karen's Work
https://karentwelves.com/
Improv for Gamers
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon!
Our actual play podcast can be found here
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Our info:
Email: [email protected]
Music: https://lloydeaves.bandcamp.com/album/a-different-kind-of-hex