Ludonarrative Dissidents Season 4 Pre-Launch Live Episode 0 and Mothership: Wages of Sin Review
Summary
Ludonarrative Dissidents hosts a pre-Kickstarter live stream for Season 4, announcing new formats like live book reports and a Discord-based book club for non-game literature. The hosts discuss their design-focused analysis approach and share personal anecdotes, including a conversation with chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. They preview upcoming review candidates such as *Wages of Sin*, *316*, and *Daggerheart*, while also teasing a potential live play of the obscure RPG *Psych*.
Topics discussed
Welcome to Season 4 and Kickstarter launch hype
Gareth's absence and presentation upgrades
Show format: deep analysis and lighthearted tone
Past episodes and the Outlaws of the Water Margin game
Vivisection style and the Psych game premise
Psych lore: time-traveling dinosaurs and Kickstarter rewards
Ross's gaming history and the 'perfect system' debate
Abstract game design with Hikaru Nakamura and Leclerc
Linguistic corrections and Twitch chat interactions
Live episode structure and book report segment details
Book club concept and Homoudens discussion
Improvisational theater influences and Of Game Design 2nd Ed
Backer rewards, Discord access, and digital shipping
20th anniversary plans and candidate book lists
Specific book picks: 316, Daggerheart, and Critical Role
Horror RPGs: Fear Itself and Grave Looting mechanics
Wages of Sin: Introduction, bounties, and presentation
Wages of Sin: Campaign frameworks and prison setting
Wages of Sin: GM advice and complexity for new players
Wages of Sin: Final thoughts and sample bounty entries
Closing remarks and future guest episode plans
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