Have you ever wanted to get involved in running tabletop roleplaying games and thought “But I have no ideas!”? The Big Red Couch is designed to show exactly how easy it is to get from random notions that stick in your mind to playable concepts, all through the medium of the kind of casually weird spitballing that gamers engage in at the best of times. In every issue, the intrepid contributors to the Big Red Couch brave the noisome wonders of The Mystery Box to produce a randomly-selected seed idea, then return Some Time Later to share what they came up with and discuss how those concepts might work as games. If we can do it, anyone can: that’s the whole idea. Along the road, we discuss what RPG systems might work for implementing different concepts, together with reasons how or why. This frequently involves adaptation of systems from their original settings to the point where they creak under the strain.
https://hoarde.net/bigredcouch
Episode Sixty Six – We’re On The Road To Heck! Please Refrain From Impeding Our Progress!
Dedicated lawmen take a demon-hunting road trip through the cultural history of Route 66.
Heading into small-town New Zealand can be more about the journey than the destination.
The world is going to hell, and it’s annoying the magical community, who’ve come together to sort it out.
Naturally, they’re doing it in Central Park.
Two alien powers attempt to coax & lure Humanity into joining their respective faction.
Sure, sitting on a couch as it travels through the multiverse is dignified, or at least relaxed, but having to squeeze in between the cushions is much funnier.
Heat Death of the Universe
Gregorian Calendar
Doctor Who
Jermaine Clement
Flight of the Conchords
New Zealand Flag Referendum
Vexillology
Weet-Bix
Weet-Bix Tryathlon
QR Code
Dilbert
Henry Rollins
Zarkorr! The Invader
Battlefield Earth
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Space Mutiny
MST3K
Supernatural (tv)
Joe Friday
Dana Scully
The Men Who Stare At Goats
The Untouchables
Route 66
Will Rogers
Highway 61 – Ben mis-remembered the name as “Route 100” ~ T. Jones
Trailer for Highway 61
Satan & Bingo
Satan makes a deal
A Man For All Seasons
Here’s the bit I was trying to remember, and obviously mis-remembered ~ Craig
“What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? … And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you – where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws from coast to coast, Man’s laws, not God’s, and if you cut them down – and you’re just the man to do it – do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety’s sake!”
Santa Monica Pier
Eketahuna – Holy Crap! I’ve been there. Took a picture of the giant Kiwi in Eketahuna on a road trip to Wellington ~ Craig
Goodbye Pork Pie
Trailer for Goodbye Pork Pie
Shaker Run – there’s not a lot of information out there on this one, and the best summary I could find is from NZ on Screen. Craig remembers seeing it on the big screen. ~ T. Jones
Cook Strait
Runequest – this links to the Wikipedia page, because I’m genuinely not sure who the hell sells it anymore. there’s a 6th edition for sale here, but there’s also mention of another edition coming in 2016, based on the 2nd edition ~ T. Jones
Fate
Atomic Robo RPG
The World’s End
Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy
It Was A Mutual Decision
this is definitely the game Craig was thinking of, and may also be the one Ben was thinking of, as it seems to involve were-rats. the “Buy This Game” page has links to how it came to be and a play report, which, let’s face it, have to be better than Craig’s memory ~ T. Jones
Emily Care Boss – Black & Green Games
couldn’t find the “Emily Care Boss game with were-rats” game, and it might not exist, but I’m linking to Emily’s site anyway, because her games look really interesting, and because nobody can stop me. ~ T. Jones
Zombie Cinema
Ribbon Drive – this is probably the Avery Mcdaldno “Mixtape” game Ben mentioned ~ T. Jones
Episode 65 – An Unconventional War
The Dresden Files RPG
Wushu
Central Park
Ash vs. Evil Dead
Microscope
Here’s a link to kedamono’s idea (on the FtB forums)
With Friends Like These …, by Alan Dean Foster – best link I could find ~ T. Jones
Traveller 2300 / 2300 AD
Twilight 2000
Episode 62 – Big Red Couch
Bullwinkle