Roleplay Rescue

What’s the point of solo roleplaying games? Why do it? And, frankly, how do you keep the game moving?If you’ve ever tried to play a role‑playing game solo, you know the feeling: the excitement of stepping into a new world, followed by the nagging question, ‘How do I keep the game moving when there’s no one else at the table?’This past week, I built a tiny experiment to solve that tension and today I’m sharing it with you.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:[email protected] Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/Additional ambient sound thanks to Tabletop Audio:Tabletop Audio - Ambiences and Music for Tabletop Role Playing Games Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This one's a reflection on the mental health side of my journey wherein I talk about the reflection that hitting 7 years of the show coincides with 5 years of healing since the mental health breakdown that I experienced in 2020.Here at the tail end of 2025, I’ve been reminded of the "Scanner" concept – because I had forgotten about it in all the hustle of the past couple of years – and it’s refreshed my sense of acceptance for the way my mind functions. That led me into thinking about some of the things that I do (or am returning to doing) that lean into the realities of being designed to move from interest to interest, soaking up everything I can. This is a breathless, wild-minded blast of ideas. Take it for what it is: the way my mind works.Thanks to Carl D, Wiebe, and Evil Jeff for the call-ins!Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:[email protected] Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 28th of November 2018, the 8 minute and 14 second Episode Zero of Roleplay Rescue was aired. Seven years of striving, failing, starting over, and asking: How can I run a game that is creatively engaging for my friends and myself, while managing the crippling anxiety and self-doubt that plagued my identity as the "world's flakiest GM"?This episode we dive into the manifesto that emerged from that struggle. Thanks to Anthony and Thorsten for the call-ins!Music by Jon from Tale of the Manticore.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:[email protected] Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week patron and regular listener, Alex from the UK, called in with a question about my approach of what he calls, "Player-Directed Goal-Driven Play". His specific issue is around whether this approach can work with shorter periods of play that are designed to be time-bound to fewer sessions than my own aspiration for 1-year plus long-form play. This episode is my answer to the question.Thanks Alex for the call-in question!Hope this is useful to others too.Game on!Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:[email protected] Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I found myself wandering back to Traveller - specifically, the current edition of the game published by Mongoose.Wandering is an inevitability in my hobby. My mind is constantly scanning for interesting things. I am curious by nature. This is the way I am.This week, Pioneer caught my attention again. It's a game about exploring the solar system. For me, the idea of a "For All Mankind" type of space exploration game in the near future sounds great. I downloaded the free book that's on the Kickstarter page:The Pioneer RPG: Explore the Solar System by Mongoose Publishing — KickstarterBut then I wanted to re-read Traveller Core Rules. My head was spinning about the Companion, which has points-build rules for characters. And then, just this morning, I landed upon The Borderland:The BorderlandWONDERING is part of my character. It's the most natural thing in the world to wonder.WANDERING is also part of my character. I find myself wandering, both physically and intellectually, most days.And so I wonder and wander.Cute.Roleplay Rescue Details:Voice Message:speakpipe.com/roleplayrescuePatreon:patreon.com/rpgrescue Email:[email protected] Bluesky Social:https://bsky.app/profile/ubiquitousrat.bsky.socialLogo and artwork by MJ Hiblen:https://www.patreon.com/MJHiblenART/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.