a conversation with matt colville

When do we get the Koebel and Colville talk show?

Is the video skipping for anyone else, or is that just me?

It's interesting that they talk about the distinction between narrative and story...it reminds me of the current fashion in video game design, to focus on environmental storytelling and emergent narrative. That's so much of what all RPGs are about, particularly D&D--it's about emergent narrative. The story that emerges from the experience you have playing the game. The story that you share with others who play the game. This is why games like Minecraft and No Man's Sky developed such a strong fanbase even before they had any kind of quest or plot system added. It was all emergent narrative and environmental storytelling.

An example of story game is this drinking game i play with my mates where you go round in a circle and add a 3 words if what you've said doesn't make sense or you cant think of anything you drink.
A roleplaying game is the same in that its an unfinished book where shit is choatically thrown together, but theres actual moment to moment stakes in the narritive effected by those choatic elements.

Their conversation has the weirdest tone. They say completely opposite contradictory statements, nod their heads in agreement, then move on to the next topic. Is this truly what civilized discussion looks like? It's facinating.

You guys make some deep frigging cuts in this conversation. Harn, Traveller, Pendragon... dang!

Hey I'm super new to this whole rpg thing and you mention a lot of cool sounding books/games. Do you think you could list a few of your favourites or at least the mention worthy?

It's interesting to think Matt made his channel to make new Game Masters. I really only got interested in the game to be a Game Master.

I played 2 seasons to make sure I understood the rules, then took on the mantle. And I haven't taken it off since

Fantastic discussion guys! It was totally reminiscent of my college rpg group chitchat

My introduction to roleplaying games was Dark Heresy. But after that, it was (no joke) sitting down over a week during summer holidays and reading all three core books for AD&D2nd edition cover to cover twice.

Rule zero compromise:

Rule zero is a brilliant rule for the host. The host should always presume they can come up with something better for their table than the game designer. In a world with not enough rule zero for the host, every campaign would start with the example characters taking on the example campaign.

Rule zero is a horrible rule for the game designer. The game designer should always presume they can put something in the book better than what the host will come up with. In a world with too much rule zero for the game designer, every game of D&D or World of Darkness would be impossible to discuss with people outside the game, because you'd have no shared assumptions and would have to detail basic concepts, like whether you're using levels or skill points.


When this model is followed? The table has multiple options for each decision they feel they need to make. When rule zero is embraced by the designer and shunned by the host? The table has zero options, or perhaps one piss-poor one that the designer was sure the host would feel the need to improve on.

I believe one of the things that cause people to say a D&D game when someone talks about RPG also has to do with popularity redefining a term. Kind of like Band Aids aren't band aids. Vice Grips aren't vice grips. iPad isn't an ipad. The popular brand name takes over sometimes.

This is fascinating... this is the best RPGology discussion I've heard! Love these perspectives.

wtf this shaming of battle star galactic!! ITS EPIC

Storyteller all day everyday. Superior

Luke Crane conversation!!!

This is a conversation that should be heard around the world!

I don't like Matt's DMing style, I disagree with him about lots of things, but he's such a charismatic speaker I can't help but listen to every talk with him :)


Also Witcher racism is built on nationalism cleansings in eastern Europe, not on American racism. It should be weird for you :)

After watching several, hour to three hour interviews with Koebel and Colville together, I really don't like Koebel. I'd much prefer Colville be my DM. Koebel seems to be more rigid with his gaming ideologies, while Colville just wants to tell great stories, and have fun playing games. I don't understand what made Koebel so much of a stickler for rules. It really seems like his imagination is so limited, that I can see him solely using modules, and having no original ideas.

Am I alone in my perception of this dude. What am I missing with this guy? Why is he a big deal?

Fascinating.

About the last bit of the vid, you guys basically talked about specism.

I wish Colville could voiceover my lectures

love the open dialogue of d&d. love the concept of strongholds and wars. using the rules as the language to communicate. I'm working on guild masters guide to ravinia. to cover the 3 pillars of play but expand the concepts of being a hero and work with factions/allies

Take a shot every time they mention a different game...good luck.

Matt: "It's easy to be a DM."
Also Matt: Makes 100+ videos to teach us how to DM 😉
But thank you so much for making all those videos 😊

I finally understand Bladerunner. Glad i got quarantine bored and watched this old content.

I would love to see more of this, looking forward to check out more stuff on this channel

D&D Would feel too akin to Warhammer 40,000 if they including TOO much emphasis on resolving Mass Combat scenarios. I appreciate that Tactical war games are separate and developed independently, but influenced the creators of Early D&D enough to create our hobby.

hope you're alright adam, hang on in there man

Matt colville turned me into a DM, so well done I guess.

Nearly 2 hour interview with an add every 5 minutes...ugh

Shame we won't get more videos like this with Adam.

Isn't "Berk" from CP2020?

In this thread: What kind of DM are you?

My dear Adam… The rules are not that important!! Role playing is independent of the underlying rule system … I can run any story with any rule system, even without a rule system… U focus on the less important thing…

Hey there's a conversation between your ads, just thought you should know😁

Regarding the 90s RPG trend of authorial voice coming off as “I am a genius and every other RPG is shit,” I think Kevin Siembieda is among the worst offenders. That man is CONVINCED that his roleplaying games are the greatest of all time and that if you have any criticisms of the mechanics it’s because you’re too much of a filthy casual to enjoy True Gaming. Not coincidentally, I think his games are essentially unplayable.

You worked at the Sentry Box? In Calgary?

Main Character DM?,

There are so many RPGs referenced here that I've never heard of. I wish there was a list of all of them.