Panda's Talking Games
Queer gamers answering your TTRPG questions! It's like CarTalk, but for your tabletop role playing game. Campaign making a weird noise? One shot difficult to steer? Join pandas Phil Vecchione (Misdirected Mark, Gnome Stew, Encoded Designs) and Senda Linaugh (She’s A Super Geek, Gnome Stew) every Wednesday answering listener questions about playing, running, and designing TTRPGs.
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 51 minutes
- Episodes
- 308
- Years Active
- 2018 - 2025
PTG 400 – Pod Stars & Wishes and a Grab Bag
It’s episode 400! Show us how you…do 400 episodes? Phil and Senda reminisce a bit and talk stars and wishes for the podcast, then answer three shorter listener questions.
Bamboo Lounge for Patre…
PTG 399 – Culture of Collaboration
Show us how you create a culture of collaboration at the table! Or, show us how you make sure that everyone is getting their game needs met in balance at the table! Phil and Senda talk tools, like s…
PTG 398 – Culture of Critique
Show us how you get useful feedback as a GM or a player! Phil and Senda talk ways to get critique and what needs to be true to make it useful. Also, sometimes the game is fine but the brain weasels …
PTG 397 – When You’re Not Feeling It
Show us how you handle starting a game that’s lost it’s shine…or should you? Phil and Senda talk communication with your players and ways to approach a game that’s lost its shine between when you re…
PTG 396 – GM Manipulation via NPC
Show us how you avoid manipulating your players via NPC/GMPC (GMC)! Phil and Senda talk the actual question from last week: how to avoid unconscious (or conscious) bias in using your NPCs to communi…
PTG 395 – Don’t be Clever — Experiment!
Show us how you try new or risky ideas at the table! Phil and Senda tackle a single question that turns into two parts (so come back next week for the rest of the discussion). For this week: we diss…
PTG 394 – Check Ins
Show us how you handle mid-game check ins! Phil and Senda talk checkins: after session, four sessions in, going into a new arc, going into the end game, and when something goes wrong.
Bamboo Lou…
PTG 393 – Phil’s Prep Problem
‘Show us how you rebuild your game prep strategy when life throws you a curveball! Phil and Senda talk through Phil’s updated free time reality, how that’s been impacting his gaming, and what his ne…
PTG 392 – Our Most Important Areas for New GMs
Show us what three things are most important for a new GM to learn! Phil and Senda talk through what we think — do you agree?
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these and more at http:…
PTG 391 – What a Game Wants, What a Game Needs
Show us what you want from a rulebook! Phil and Senda tackle a question about what we most want to see in a rule book, for running a game or for potentially purchasing a game.
Bamboo Lounge for …
PTG 390 – Core Loops and Investment
Show us how you create an engaging core loop — as another part of your setting creation! Phil and Senda talk core loops and how they drive investment and character creation, and also how to get peop…
PTG 389 – Collaboration and Facilitation
Show us how you handle facilitation and collaboration at the table…and specifically, how do you make sure everyone stays involved! Phil and Senda are pretty passionate about this because it’s part o…
PTG 388 – Missing Games
Show us how you manage players missing games! Phil and Senda talk about what you may need to take into consideration, including length of absence, how key that character is to the story, etc.
Ba…
PTG 387 – Zeroing in on Session Zero
Show us your favorite things to include in your session 0! Phil and Senda are joined by invisible third panda Ryan Boelter (our editor) in celebration of their 100th show with us. Thanks Ryan!!
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PTG 386 – One Venti Iced Campaign, Please
Show us how you bring an iced campaign back from a long hiatus! Phil and Senda both have some experience with this. As usual this is a buffet, so some may be helpful for your specific situation or n…
PTG 385 – Tech at the Table
Show us how you manage tech at the table for players and GMs! Phil and Senda talk about everything except the monster in the corner (focus).
Bamboo Lounge for Patreon backers today! Find these a…
PTG 384 – Dear Pandas: Patterns of Behavior
Show us how you manage patterns of behavior at your table! We love games, and games require people, which means that sometimes you will run into a social dynamic that’s just not working. We do our b…
PTG 383 – Biting the Bullet Point
Show us how you prep for play vs. prepping for reading! Phil and Senda talk about the different ways we use prepared adventure materials, and things you may consider to make your prep work for you, …
PTG 382 – New and Returning Players
Show us your tips for new players — and for getting old players back to the table! Phil and Senda talk new players and players returning after a hiatus (for whatever reason).
Bamboo Lounge for P…
PTG 381 – GM Manipulation
Show us ho GMing is manipulation — or not! Or, how to make sure you’re not doing it by accident or for the wrong reasons. Phil and Senda talk when you might be subconsciously manipulating the table …