RTFM: Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game
Summary
RTFM hosts Aaron King and Max welcome Sam Donald of Dice Exploder to discuss the 1988 TSR party game *Bullwinkle and Rocky*. They analyze its three modes, including a card-based narration game and a rotating GM system, noting its influence on modern story games. The group also debates the value of non-mechanical box components like plastic hand puppets versus the realities of manufacturing and crowdfunding.
Topics discussed
Introduction and host introductions
Guest intro: Sam Donald and Band-Aids & Bullet Holes
John Wick inspiration and the Bullwinkle & Rocky game
Game overview: Three-in-one structure
The Narration Game and fixed endings
The Everybody Can Do Something game mechanics
Stock characters vs. custom character creation
Purchasing the game at BreakoutCon
Initial play impressions and character cards
Playing the Goof Gas scenario and fixed endings
Design philosophy and genre expectations
The 'What is an RPG' section and text voice
The hand puppets: Expectations vs. reality
Narrator rotation and player confusion
Scene structure and GM facilitation roles
RPG design history and parallel evolution
Comparing to Dream Askew and Apocalypse World
The utility of the hand puppets in play
RPGs as toys and box set components
Manufacturing, DIY, and collector culture
Art vs. game design and collector mindset
Card design and flavor text examples
Pre-generated characters and customization
Learning to GM and the uncanny valley of play
Zeb Cook, Mark Major, and open-source versions
Lore, art, and drawing your own character
Outro: Dice Exploder, Kickstarter, and Discord
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