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4th Wall: Thus begins our harrowing tales of Elder Scrolls lore. Originally this was part of our exclusive episodes on the 4th Wall platform and now it's free for all.
Insightful. World-Building. Spit-take inducing.Mark Day's videos serve as a digital gateway for many thousands of Burners, capturing that blurry edge where the default world ends and the playa begins. From his early days building tripper trappers and doing stand up comedy, to his controversial tinkering with AI art (think Dalmatians made of donuts), Mark has put 10,000 hours into his “24 Hours at Burning Man” videos.Andie Grace talks with this unique content creator to explore thresholds and multitudes. They discuss how to capture the moment and also experience it. They dive head first into the touchy subjects of consent, the ethics of documentation, and how “acculturation is an everybody thing.”He shares his sociology of being a Greeter at BRC. He talks creative process. He brings Scottish wit and clever curiosity to open-ended self-expression and the freedom to be your favorite version of yourself.https://journal.burningman.org/author/mark-dayhttps://www.youtube.com/markdaycomedyhttps://www.instagram.com/burner_videos LIVE.BURNINGMAN.ORG
In this episode of the Talk My Credo Podcast, the crew tackles a variety of topics ranging from political satire to cultural critiques, touching on the humorous mispronunciations of Ocho Cinco, the impact of the movie Sinners, and the "Christian" backlash surrounding Druski's mega church skit and their handling of the Buddhist monks' protest walk for peace. They discuss the misinterpretation of Jesus' teachings, the importance of engaging with different beliefs, and the role of accountability in faith accurately instead of performative behavior. The conversation also touches on the drama of Keith Lee's review of the trendy "tendernism" restaurant and its fallout, as well as the complexities of family relationships and narcissism. Tap in and lets get active!!*** CHAPTERS ***00:00 Introduction and Humor in Current Events02:30 Cultural Commentary on Weather and Lifestyle04:34 Discussion on Mispronunciations and Local Identity06:07 The Impact of Celebrity on Local Culture09:00 Exploring the Sequel Debate for 'Sinners'11:10 Audience Reactions and Expectations for Sequels13:36 Cultural Reflections on Historical Narratives16:02 The Role of Race in Film and Media18:46 Concluding Thoughts on Film and Cultural Identity25:12 World Building in Storytelling27:40 The Role of Humor in Church Culture29:49 Critique of Mega Church Practices33:37 The Intersection of Faith and Comedy36:46 The Importance of Community in Faith44:24 Peaceful Protests and Religious Responses51:40 Understanding Different Perspectives on Faith52:57 The Importance of Genuine Intentions in Ministry56:30 Critiquing Performative Christianity58:20 The Role of Accountability in Faith Communities01:00:12 Navigating Celebrity Influence in Social Media01:03:33 The Impact of Food Reviews on Local Businesses01:18:43 The Journey of Keith Lee01:20:38 Critique of Celebrity Culture01:22:45 Missed Opportunities in Business01:24:39 The Dynamics of Family Relationships01:27:25 Understanding Narcissism and Entitlement01:28:57 Navigating Personal Growth and Independence---------------
In this episode of The Corner of Story and Game, returning guest Brady Sadler joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about worldbuilding, creative identity, and what it looks like to grow into a maker who works across mediums. Brady has been on a prolific run with his novels, while also co-designing board games and helping launch a publishing company with his brother.Together, we explore how a story world evolves when it has to live in multiple forms, and how that process can reveal the shape of a creator's voice. If you are building a setting, a series, or a game, this episode is a grounded look at how to map the territory of “you” while still shipping work and staying excited.Quick note for context: this conversation was recorded in early December and sat on the shelf a bit due to technical issues. Since we recorded, Brady has release the book he talks about in the beginning of the interview.
The Thanes return!JOIN OUR DISCORDHelp support the show by visiting our Patreon and find even more content on our Website!Intro/Outro Music “Jotunheim (Chiptune Version)” Courtesy of Rush CoilOriginal Composition by Serpent Sound Studios
The Thanes return!JOIN OUR DISCORDHelp support the show by visiting our Patreon and find even more content on our Website!Intro/Outro Music “Jotunheim (Chiptune Version)” Courtesy of Rush CoilOriginal Composition by Serpent Sound Studios
*Enjoy a preview of our new My Heroine Journey podcast:Are you ready for big mindset shifts, but don't know how to get started, let alone make it across the finish line?It's probably because you were never taught the real rules to the inner workings of the unconscious mind. Until now.Back for Part 2 of “Worldbuilding: How Your Mind Writes Your Story,” Megan and Kate are jumping right back into the foundational understandings you need to know to start building your dream kingdom from the inside out, including:The Universal Energetic Law of Focus and how to finally use it in your favor More prime directives of the unconscious mind and how to use them to write a new story A tried and true practice for starting to build the world you want from the inside out Scotland is calling! Join our APRIL 2026 Scotland Fantasy Tour HERE Want to explore the world of SJM with us? Become a PATRON and gain access to our entire Sarah J. Maas series collection! LISTEN to our new My Heroine Journey podcast and follow us here: APPLE / SPOTIFY / WEBSITE
After nine years, five seasons, and one massive cultural footprint, Stranger Things has officially come to an end — with the final episode dropping on December 31. And on Fantasy for the Ages, we couldn't let that moment pass without a deep, honest, spoiler-filled conversation.In this episode, Jim is joined by longtime Stranger Things fans and frequent FFTA guests Eric, Karri, and Roofmistress Leigh-a for a full roundtable discussion of Stranger Things (2016–2025). We're talking the entire series — the highs, the heartbreaks, the monsters, the music, the characters we loved, and the choices that sparked debate.Most importantly, we dive deep into Season 5 and the ending:• Did the finale stick the landing?• Were the character arcs earned?• Did the Upside Down mythology hold together?• What worked brilliantly — and what didn't?• Where does Stranger Things rank among the all-time great genre shows?⚠️ This is a FULL SPOILER episode — nothing is off-limits. If you haven't finished the series yet, bookmark this and come back after the credits roll.Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and Ring the Notification Bell! Join the discussion in the comments, tell us where Stranger Things lands for you, and come continue the conversation with us on Discord. If you want to help support the channel and keep Fantasy for the Ages going strong, check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges#StrangerThings #StrangerThingsSeason5 #StrangerThingsEnding #FullSpoilers #FantasyForTheAges #NetflixSeries #GeekDiscussion #TVFinale #GenreTV #FFTAWays to Connect with Our Guests:Eric Haan's Author Site: https://www.jakethedragontalker.comKarri on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/hathor46.bsky.socialRoofmistress Leigh-a on Three-Fold Talk: https://www.youtube.com/@MalkierTalks/playlists Ways to connect with us:Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @FantasyForTheAges@nerdculture.de Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim's Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim's Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening1:25 - Episode Explanation5:05 - Big Picture Reflections, and THAT ENDING!21:59 - Character Arcs29:34 - Villains, Horror, and Stakes40:07 - Worldbuilding & Lore44:03 - Emotional Payoffs / Iconic Moments53:06 - Critiques59:25 - Legacy & Final Verdicts1:06:23 - Conclusion & Wrap-up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/
In this episode I sat down with Russell Van Brocklen, a New York–based, state-funded dyslexia researcher with strong opinions about writing, world-building, and why so many Hollywood films collapse under the weight of their own unfinished scripts.Russell works with highly intelligent dyslexic students who are often written off early. His methods are bluntly effective. In one year, students struggling with basic literacy were producing graduate-level analytical writing. Russell wanted to explore these two points: 1. Worldbuilding for readability — how to keep complexity while still keeping the reader with you. 2. The “logic stress-test” — a practical way to catch plot holes and broken rules before the audience does. Central to his thinking is the idea of universal themes. Not vague ones, but precise, distilled ideas uncovered by relentlessly asking “why” until the real story shows itself. It's tiring work, and that's the point.We talked through character-driven world-building, using Star Wars as a reference point, and why a world should emerge from a protagonist's needs rather than decorative lore. We also dug into antagonists, not as moustache-twirling villains, but as conceptual opposition to the hero's goal. Get that wrong and the story leaks logic everywhere.Russell also uses AI extensively. Not to write for him, but to do the heavy lifting he'd rather not. Definitions, logic checks, thematic narrowing, idea pressure-testing. He treats AI like a lab assistant, not an author. His view is simple: if you can't improve on what AI gives you, that's not an AI problem. Oops.We wrapped up talking about craft, accessibility, and why structure isn't the enemy of creativity. Russell's perspective is shaped by his own experience with dyslexia and late fluency, and it shows. This is a practical, sometimes uncomfortable conversation about writing with intent, and why most stories fail long before page one.If you care about world-building, theme, or simply finishing what you start, this one is worth your time, even if I do say so myself.Episode page: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/breaking-scripts-building-worlds/Discussion: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/is-ai-a-cheat-code-for-better-worldbuilding/
In today's episode, Jim sits down with Dust Kunkel, the author of the dark fantasy debut Fly Stone, Fly, for a wide-ranging conversation about writing, influences, and the strange, brutal, deeply human story that's already turning heads.We start spoiler-free, getting to know Dust as a person and a reader—favorite books, movies, and inspirations—before diving into the origins of Fly Stone, Fly, why dark fantasy was the right home for this story, and how a debut novel ends up landing award attention right out of the gate.From there, we talk craft:
*Enjoy a preview of our new My Heroine Journey podcast:Do you find yourself ready for big change, but don't know why you still feel chained to same old habits, emotions, and beliefs? It's not your fault, you just haven't been taught the real rules to the world we live in.In this first part of their worldbuilding series, Megan and Kate lay down foundational understandings you need to know in order to conquer your world, including:The Universal Energetic Law of Free Will and why it's the key to freedomPrime directives of the unconscious mind and how they are dictating your lifeThe first step to choosing a new path and getting the rules of the world to work in your favor Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Worldbuilding Series!Support the showScotland is calling! Join the Scotland Fantasy Tour HERE Want to explore the world of SJM with us? Become a PATRON and gain access to our entire Sarah J. Maas series collection! LISTEN to our new My Heroine Journey podcast and follow us here: APPLE / SPOTIFY / WEBSITE
Let's take a quick look back at the top episodes of 2025, best reads and much gratitude for making the podcast top of the charts in many counties. A deep dive into Avatar: Fire and Ash with Production Designers Dylan Cole and Ben Procter and Set Decorator Vanessa Cole. This episode breaks down why Avatar is “live action by other means,” how practical builds and reference testing support performance capture, and how story + design influence each other throughout the process.Topics include the Ash People (volcanic wasteland inspiration, a bold black/white/red palette, and the idea of a village inside a burnt Great Tree trunk), the intricate craftsmanship of the Wind Traders (including 3,500+ feet of braided rope), and the evolving visual culture of the RDA. If you love production design, set decoration, worldbuilding, and behind-the-scenes filmmaking — this one's for you.
Spiraling Out of Control World Building Rough Draft Lost and Recovered Audio FileWelcome to the Zeppoverse A content creation Project of Many Projects. Visit the many dimensions of the Zeppoverse at this link collection page : https://solo.to/mrzeppo
Thank you to our sponsor World Anvil! Check out World Anvil to use their Worldbuilding, Writing, and Game Master tools for free! If you like what you see, use code "RAMBLE" at checkout for 51% off a yearly subscription! https://www.worldanvil.com/?c=2ToRambleBig thanks to the trio for coming on -- check out all of their channels here:https://www.youtube.com/@Jed_Hernehttps://www.youtube.com/@_jaredhttps://www.youtube.com/@Talking_StoryJed's interview with Ruocchio:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrJFQe0JXug&t=2662sJohn & Jakob's interview with Ruocchio:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIvnIFchyD0&t=2335s⭐️ Exclusive Book Club! Join/Support on Patreon
The Fifth Element is loud, strange, and completely confident in its own weirdness. This review looks at why the movie still works decades later: the energy, the phenomenal costumes, the sincerity underneath all the craziness. From Bruce Willis playing it as low-key as possible to Milla Jovovich turning innocence into power, it's a film that commits. Wildly imaginative and impossible to mistake for anything else, it's the kind of sci-fi that reminds you how fun big swings can be.
Crystal moderates a world-building in Horror panel at Gamehole Con 2024. Special guests include Jess Geyer, Rick Heinz, Jason Keech, and Matthew Orr, all writers in the area of horror. We talk about safety tools, how horror affects our storytelling, and how to approach horror with different types of players.
We know we're worldbuilding masochists – But when is too much really, really too much? Some of us try to do all our worldbuilding at the start of a project -- and some of us do it as we go. However you work, where's the line between worldbuilding that's helpful to you and worldbuilding that's become a way to evade actually writing? And, does that line change depending on what your own intentions and goals are? Often, it's important to consider the difference between the worldbuilding you need as an author in order to get the full scope of a project straight inside your own head and the worldbuilding that a reader needs in order to understand the story. If worldbuilding is an iceberg, just how much do you let float up to the surface, and how do you shape the worldbuilding that you put on the page? Worldbuilding often works best when it can pull double-duty, also serving to reveal character, communicate stakes, and set the atmospheric mood. We also talk about what you can do with the worldbuilding that doesn't make it on the page! Tolkien had his appendices, but writers today have all sorts of options: You can include them as bonuses for pre-order campaigns, put them on a blog or a Patreon, or, I dunno, make a podcast about them! [Transcript for Episode 170]
Join Ben from SCOPE and Cali from The Melanin Muses Podcast as they discuss the Star Wars Original Trilogy. In this episode we start with Star Wars Episode 4 A New Hope, and more importantly why it was nearly a total disaster. They discuss film history, strange inconsistencys throughout the franchises continuity, and Marcia's Lukas the editor who largely saved the first film, on this episode of The Return of the Movie Podcast. Subscribe to the channel and hit the bell to be notified of new videos!Subscribe to our Patreon for early and ad-free content: https://www.patreon.com/ScopeProductionsTake part in the conversation on our community discord:https://discord.gg/TdxdGJ5MZMSocial media and more: https://linktr.ee/ScopeNetworksChapters:Intro 00:00Personal Introduction to Star Wars 01:33Star Wars is for Kids? 03:30Themes & World Building of a New Hope 04:23A Theory about C3P0 05:22Future Implications 07:02|Droids are People 08:44Pacing 11:14Luke's Character Arc 15:46Act 2 Pacing 18:45Han Shot First 20:13Han Solo's Neck 21:39Leia Subverts Expectations 22:13 The Death Star Chase 23:32How Marcia Lucas Saved Star Wars 25:40 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
La question est fréquente : à partir de quand puis-je me lancer dans mon projet ? Mon monde est-il suffisamment développé ? Mais y a-t-il un risque inverse : trop développer son monde, au point que cela devienne contreproductif ? Où trouver le dosage ? Pour Lionel, l'horizon reste l'écriture de l'histoire, et donc créer un monde sans fin représente un problème. Il trace un parallèle fort entre la création des personnages, où l'on ne peut pas tout connaître, mais en avoir une connaissance suffisamment solide permet d'improviser quand c'est nécessaire. Estelle invite à penser aux grandes lois, aux grands systèmes, au degré de réalisme et surtout à prendre des décisions fortes et cohérentes. Le point de vue est un outil important pour faire jouer ignorance et découverte d'un monde imaginaire ; la documentation permet aussi de sortir des sentiers battus ! Mélanie parle de son expérience de traduction d'œuvres parmi les plus touffues en termes de worldbuilding, et met en garde les jeunes auteur·ices contre la tentation de vouloir absolument tout mettre dans son histoire, ce qui risque d'enliser la narration. Références citées - Brandon Sanderson, « Les Archives de Roshar » - Joe Michael Straczynski, Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer
This week Erin M. Evans, B. Dave Walters, and Treavor Bettis conclude their Revisit to Worldbuilding! Thank you to everyone who wrote in!Join our Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/writingaboutdragons Starring:Erin M Evans (Empire of Exiles, Brimstone Angels)https://bsky.app/profile/erinmevans.bsky.social B. Dave Walters (A Darkened Wish, Black Dice Society)https://bsky.app/profile/bdavewalters.bsky.social Treavor Bettis (Difficulty Class, Champions of Lore)https://bsky.app/profile/thetreavor.bsky.social Join the Discord!https://discord.gg/MdSVsfpTzu Buy Relics of Ruin!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Relics-Ruin-Books-Usurper-2/dp/031644104X Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relics-of-ruin-erin-m-evans/1143299833?ean=9780316441049 Check out B. Dave's Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bdavewalters Enroll in B. Dave's 14 Day Writer:https://www.theundisputedacademy.com/14-day-writer-home-pagePlay in a game run by B. Dave:https://ko-fi.com/bdavewalters/shop
In this episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with transdisciplinary artist Stephanie Dinkins about AI as a container for preserving oral history, tradition, and the kinds of community knowledge that rarely make it onto the internet.Dinkins shares how a chance encounter with Bina48 in 2014 reshaped her practice. They discuss how this connects to her push for small, community-driven data that protects nuance and self-definition, especially for Black and Brown communities, against the homogenizing pull of large corporate models.They also cover Not the Only One as a “living archive” of family memory, the politics of access, privacy, and consent, and why Dinkins treats imagination (and hyperstition) as a practical method for building the AI futures we actually want.Monday's editorial (Beeple on Robot Dogs as Canvas): https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/beeple-on-robot-dogs-as-canvasChapters
Karch's empire of lies crumbles as bankruptcy threatens to expose the Merchant Tower's hollow victory. With only four days until the decisive vote at Harvest House, the Guildmaster arranges a secret escape route through the Old Quarter—but his newly empowered Captain Jasper has transformed from loyal servant into something far more dangerous. As Karch realizes he may have created a wolf he can no longer control, the desperate Guildmaster must secure his contingency plan without revealing the true depth of his tower's financial ruin.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr
Welcome to Event 2 of our Million Man March 30th Anniversary extended dialogue series: "Mentorship & World-Building."Thirty years after the Million Man March, we're asking: How do we mentor the next generation into liberation rather than conformity? How do we build radical brotherhood that includes ALL Black men across sexuality and gender expression?Hosted by Dr. David J. Johns, this conversation brings together Emmy Award winner Dyllon Burnside (Pose, P-Valley, creator of Burnside Artist Retreat), DC organizer Clarence Fluker, and artist Benji Coy.They explore what queer eldership offers ALL young people, how to mentor toward freedom instead of survival, and why Black queer men hold the keys to Black men's liberation. From refusing performative masculinity to living outside the binary, from creating brave healing spaces to "gentle parenting the adults," this conversation offers practical wisdom on building the world we need.This isn't about charity or saviorism. It's about mutual building, world-making, and teaching the babies how to be free.Resources Mentioned:Rashid Newsom - "My Government Means to Kill Me"Keith Boykin's booksBurnside Artist Retreat: http://www.burnsideartistretreat.orgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
What if students saw themselves not just as learners, but as world builders, empowered to design, problem-solve, and imagine new possibilities through playful learning? In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, hosts Dr. Cindy Burnett and Dr. Matthew Warwood dive into the dynamic potential of game-based learning and world-building with guests Stephen Slota and Trent Hergenrader. Together, they unpack how treating students as designers—rather than passive recipients of information—fosters creativity, critical thinking, and authentic engagement. Drawing from their experiences as educators and co-authors of The World Building Workshop, Stephen Slota and Trent Hergenrader share insights on leveraging narrative, choice, and playful contexts to deepen learning, regardless of technology access or subject area. The conversation explores the difference between true game-based learning and surface-level gamification, emphasizing the power of agency, narrative, and exploring “messy,” real-world problems. Listeners will gain practical insights on aligning classroom activities with learning goals, infusing creativity, and adopting a facilitator mindset. Whether you're game-curious or an experienced educator, this episode highlights how world building can transform classrooms—and help students make meaningful connections to their own lives. Guest Bios Stephen Slota Stephen Slota is an educational technologist, learning theorist, and interactive storyteller. He has directed major projects for organizations like CVS Health, Pfizer, and Arizona State University, where he explores how game mechanics and narratives can enhance engagement, creativity, and learning. A former high school biology teacher, Stephen Slota draws on years of classroom experience and research at the University of Connecticut to promote playful learning as a transformative tool in education. Trent Hergenrader Trent Hergenrader is an Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, and Director of the Center for World Building and Storytelling at Rochester Institute of Technology. He's the co-editor of "Creative Writing in the Digital Age" and "Creative Writing Innovations," and author of "Collaborative World Building for Writers and Gamers." Trent Hergenrader integrates fiction writing, role-playing, and collaborative design to help students view learning as a creative, participatory process. For more resources and to connect with the guests, visit theworldbuildingworkshop.com. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite platform and sign up for our Extra Fuel newsletter for more resources and inspiration. Visit FuelingCreativityPodcast.com for more information or email us at questions@fuelingcreativitypodcast.com.
We continue to flesh out our universe! Buy Stars Without Number here! Buy The Perilous Void here! We have a Patreon! What to support us? Click HERE! You can find us on: Instagram Bluesky Youtube You can also email us at chaosenginepod@gmail.com We have a Discord now! Feel free to stop by if that interests you! Check out our friends: Pretending to be People! Stories & Lies Sorry, Honey I have to Take This Tabletop Talk Wilderspace Gaming Doomed to Repeat The Great Old Ones Gaming Negative Modifier Chaos Springs Eternal The Black Flare Podcast 9mm Retirement Radio Suffer Not
Polo tends his rooftop garden while orchestrating a political chess game across the fractured Craft Guild. With only four captains remaining after Karch's tower invasion, he dispatches Esmer to the isolated mines to secure Captain Havor's vote for Rogers, while Quinto ventures into the sulfur-choked Craft District to personally sway Bertram at the Tower. Every captain holds a vote, every vote determines the guild's future, and both sides know that persuasion may require more than words.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr
This binge compilation contains 5 episodes.Episodes included:1. The Sword (December 01, 2025)2. The Drunk (December 02, 2025)3. The Captain of Three (December 03, 2025)4. The Betrayal (December 04, 2025)5. The Last Order (December 05, 2025)---Episode 1: The SwordWelcome to Season Five!!
Story structure is what makes us love stories in the first place. We love a nice set of bookends. We root for characters who save cats. A hero's journey "there and back again" resonates with the human psyche. In this episode, Clare and Hannah talk about several kinds of story structures, including Three-Act, Five-Act, Chiastic, Save the Cat, and the Hero's Journey. Some of the books we mention in this episode:The Heroine's Journey by Gail CarrigerSave the Cat! by Blake SnyderScreenplay by Syd FieldThe Writer's Journey by Christopher VoglerThe Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph CampbellYou can pick up these books and many more at our Bookshop.org affiliate link. You can support your favorite nerdy mother-daughter podcast, get a discount on your purchase, plus support independent bookstores everywhere! Thank you!We'd love to hear your thoughts! Click here to send us a text message!Support the showWe provide links and other resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through and purchase, the price of the item is the same for you. In fact, most of the time you'll get a discount! But the company gives us a little somethin' somethin' to say “thanks” for sending you their way! This helps you enjoy the website and the podcast EVEN MORE by eliminating intrusive advertisements. Thanks for clicking! Theme music: “Splanchnics Riff” composed and performed by Clare T. Walker Clare is an independent author who would love it if you checked out her books! If you like exciting thrillers featuring an “everyman” hero who rises to his or her full potential in the face of peril—-you might enjoy The Keys of Death. It's a veterinary medical thriller about a small-town animal doctor who gets tangled up in a whistle-blowing scheme against a big biotech company. Or, if you prefer shorter fiction, try Startling Figures, a collection of three paranormal urban fantasy stories.
Fei-Fei Li is a Stanford professor, co-director of Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, and co-founder of World Labs. She created ImageNet, the dataset that sparked the deep learning revolution. Justin Johnson is her former PhD student, ex-professor at Michigan, ex-Meta researcher, and now co-founder of World Labs.Together, they just launched Marble—the first model that generates explorable 3D worlds from text or images.In this episode Fei-Fei and Justin explore why spatial intelligence is fundamentally different from language, what's missing from current world models (hint: physics), and the architectural insight that transformers are actually set models, not sequence models. Resources:Follow Fei-Fei on X: https://x.com/drfeifeiFollow Justin on X: https://x.com/jcjohnssFollow Shawn on X: https://x.com/swyxFollow Alessio on X: https://x.com/fanahova Stay Updated:If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends.Follow a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFollow a16z on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zFollow the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXFollow the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details, please see http://a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated:Find a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Podcast on SpotifyListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This week Erin M. Evans, B. Dave Walters, and Treavor Bettis continue to Revisit Worldbuilding! Lots of Tangerinos wrote in with their questions and there are plenty more to answer next week!Join our Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/writingaboutdragons Starring:Erin M Evans (Empire of Exiles, Brimstone Angels)https://bsky.app/profile/erinmevans.bsky.social B. Dave Walters (A Darkened Wish, Black Dice Society)https://bsky.app/profile/bdavewalters.bsky.social Treavor Bettis (Difficulty Class, Champions of Lore)https://bsky.app/profile/thetreavor.bsky.social Join the Discord!https://discord.gg/MdSVsfpTzu Buy Relics of Ruin!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Relics-Ruin-Books-Usurper-2/dp/031644104X Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relics-of-ruin-erin-m-evans/1143299833?ean=9780316441049 Check out B. Dave's Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bdavewalters Enroll in B. Dave's 14 Day Writer:https://www.theundisputedacademy.com/14-day-writer-home-pagePlay in a game run by B. Dave:https://ko-fi.com/bdavewalters/shop
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Looking for a cozy, witchy holiday romance with world-building that feels like slipping into a warm sweater? Today I'm sitting down with debut author and longtime video-game writer Morgan Lockhart, whose background explains exactly why her book feels so immersive and magical.In this episode, we chat about her 20-year career in game writing, the pivot back to her “first love” of books, and how A Spell for Midwinter's Heart blends cozy romance, magic-light vibes, and real-world emotional stakes. If you love Hallmark holiday romances but wish they had a touch of witchy charm, this is the perfect entry point into the cozy-paranormal space. We also dig into her craft, world-building, burnout, motherhood, and the comforting wave of cozy stories readers are reaching for right now.
Screenwriter, producer, and musician Michael Box (Echo Eterna) joins Tiberius to talk indie filmmaking—from writing dystopian, neo-noir, and horror stories to producing on a budget and building creative teams. Michael shares the origin of his new project “Speak Easy” (a music-driven dystopia where self-expression is illegal), how ADHD fuels his creativity, and why leadership and collaboration matter as much as camera gear. Stick around for Math Corners (film budgeting math!) and Heart of a Lion (leadership in action).Discussion Points• What a screenwriter vs. producer actually does on a film• Why Michael loves dystopian, crime, and horror stories• The concept behind “Speak Easy” and writing music for the film's band• Making movies in Ohio and the realities of indie funding• Crafting story: starting with concept → characters → worldbuilding• On-set collaboration, rewrites, and checking ego at the door• ADHD as a creative superpower (focus, hyper-fixation, and systems)• Practical math on set: budgets, gear, and light/aperture ratios• Leadership for filmmakers: communication, conflict resolution, and integrityBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tiberius-show--3352195/support.
A new chapter begins as we build our world for Stars Without Number! Buy Stars Without Number here! Buy The Perilous Void here! We have a Patreon! What to support us? Click HERE! You can find us on: Instagram Bluesky Youtube You can also email us at chaosenginepod@gmail.com We have a Discord now! Feel free to stop by if that interests you! Check out our friends: Pretending to be People! Stories & Lies Sorry, Honey I have to Take This Tabletop Talk Wilderspace Gaming Doomed to Repeat The Great Old Ones Gaming Negative Modifier Chaos Springs Eternal The Black Flare Podcast 9mm Retirement Radio Suffer Not
Thank you to our sponsor World Anvil! Check out World Anvil to use their Worldbuilding, Writing, and Game Master tools for free! If you like what you see, use code "RAMBLE" at checkout for 51% off a yearly subscription! https://www.worldanvil.com/?c=2ToRambleTo get book 1 of the Sun Eater series using our affiliate link, click here: https://amzn.to/4jgkeBJBook 2: https://amzn.to/4hSbgcBBook 3: https://amzn.to/4iQ9xprBook 4: https://amzn.to/42dJemh Book 5: https://amzn.to/3Z0UtxqBook 6: https://amzn.to/45bgmwvBook 7 "Shadows Upon Time" https://amzn.to/4pxQQK8⭐️ Exclusive Book Club! Join/Support on Patreon
What if history, but dragons?
This binge compilation contains 5 episodes.Episodes included:1. The Board and the Blade (November 24, 2025)2. An Obstacle Removed (November 25, 2025)3. Alard's Homecoming (November 26, 2025)4. The Rock and the Wind (November 27, 2025)5. The Road West (November 28, 2025)---Episode 1: The Board and the Blade
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2 Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson Some games just stand out from the pack, and with its episodic anime structure, QTE-heavy cutscenes and South Asian religious inspirations, there is nothing quite like Asura's Wrath (CyberConnect2, Capcom, 2012). A quintessential flawed game that everyone should try, Asura's Wrath overcomes its bad combat and dated approach to player engagement by just simply being cooler and more hype than basically every other game. Listen in to find out more! Guest info: Nick (he/him) and Will (he/him) of Friday Night Gamecast * Check out Friday Night Gamecast https://fridaynightgamecast.buzzsprout.com/ * Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/fngcpod.bsky.social * Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fridaynightgamecast/ TIMESTAMPS * 0:00 Title Card * 0:27 Introductions * 5:17 Our Histories with Asura's Wrath * 11:16 Top-Level Thoughts * 19:44 Story Setup and Worldbuilding * 28:47 Episodic Anime Structure * 37:03 Presentation and Spectacle * 43:48 More QTEs Than You Can Shake a Stick At * 51:33 Action Gameplay * 1:14:00 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations * 1:17:26 Friday Night Gamecast * 1:20:28 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous * 1:22:32 Spoiler Section- Hype Moments, The Gohma and the Demigods * 1:46:55 Spoiler Section- Asura's Revenge & Epilogue Music used in the episode is credited to Chikayo Fukuda. Tracks used: Main Theme, Furious, Orphan Wolf Legend - Fang, One Who Spins Ideas, Option, Asura's Wrath, In Your Belief, Trembling Belief Catch Dave on Geeks & Grounds all of November and December for a deep dive into Final Fantasy X: https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/ Social Media: BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/ Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures
Malka Older makes a life at the crossroads of our existing and future worlds. Between research into the sociology of organizations, on-the-ground work in humanitarian aid and disaster risk reduction, and acclaimed writing of speculative and science fiction, Older brilliantly, beautifully, uncommonly lives the great paradox in front of us all: to hold at once the two truths of lived experience and imagined future. Origins Podcast WebsiteFlourishing Commons NewsletterShow Notes:the immigrant sensibility (05:00)belonging (07:20)exile (09:00)Danielle Allen's theory of justice (15:00)A Paradise Built in Hellby Rebecca Solnit (16:00)Malka's work in the international space (16:20)Global Voices (19:15)Where are you REALLY from? (19:40) The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (20:30)'Great Asking' (22:30)Positionality (23:00)Mu - unask the question (23:20)the opportunity in disaster (27:10)2004 Boxing Day Indian Ocean Tsunami (31:00)psychological distance (34:40)Malka's book ...And Other Disasters(35:30)the importance of improvisation (43:00)David Whyte - the conversational nature of reality (46:30)Malka's book Infomocracy (49:00)the adjacent possible (53:45)The Crisis of Narration by Byung-Chul Han (59:15)The Sociological Imaginationby C Wright Mills (59:30)what does it mean to flourish? (59:45)the generative narrative of our time (01:08:30)Lightning round (01:02:00)Book: The Lord of the RingsPassion: Hearing a new languageHeart sing: Global VoicesScrewed up: relationshipFind Malka online:WikipediaArizona State ProfileLinkedInLogo artwork by Cristina GonzalezMusic by swelo on all streaming platforms or @swelomusic on social media
This binge compilation contains 5 episodes.Episodes included:1. The Loremaster and the Crown (November 17, 2025)2. Four Guildmasters (November 18, 2025)3. Safe Houses (November 19, 2025)4. The Missing Piece (November 20, 2025)5. The Long Walk (November 21, 2025)---Episode 1: The Loremaster and the CrownWant to experience The Thieves Guild without ads? Want exclusive member-only episodes? Want updates from showrunner/writer Jake Kerr?Then join our Supporter's Club! You can find more information here:https://www.spreaker.com/podca...━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Summoned to the highest chamber of the Seat, Kray faces a tense interrogation from Wilhelm, Crown of Gaotteland, about his true motives. With maps spread across the war room table, the dwarf must carefully navigate between truth and deception.Episode 2: Four GuildmastersWant to experience The Thieves Guild without ads? Want exclusive member-only episodes? Want updates from showrunner/writer Jake Kerr?Then join our Supporter's Club! You can find more information here:https://www.spreaker.com/podca...━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The aftermath of the council vote is seen through the eyes of the four guildmasters, from Ralan's urgent escape to Polo's rage over the results, to a surprising turn of events that Quinto discovers.Episode 3: Safe Houses
This week Erin M. Evans, B. Dave Walters, and Treavor Bettis Revisit Worldbuilding! Lots of Tangerinos wrote in with their questions and there are plenty more to answer next week!Join our Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/writingaboutdragons Starring:Erin M Evans (Empire of Exiles, Brimstone Angels)https://bsky.app/profile/erinmevans.bsky.social B. Dave Walters (A Darkened Wish, Black Dice Society)https://bsky.app/profile/bdavewalters.bsky.social Treavor Bettis (Difficulty Class, Champions of Lore)https://bsky.app/profile/thetreavor.bsky.social Join the Discord!https://discord.gg/MdSVsfpTzu Buy Relics of Ruin!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Relics-Ruin-Books-Usurper-2/dp/031644104X Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relics-of-ruin-erin-m-evans/1143299833?ean=9780316441049 Check out B. Dave's Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bdavewalters Enroll in B. Dave's 14 Day Writer:https://www.theundisputedacademy.com/14-day-writer-home-pagePlay in a game run by B. Dave:https://ko-fi.com/bdavewalters/shop
In this Mere Mortals book review, I dive into Secret Weapon, the 12th entry in the Alex Rider series, but not a traditional one. Instead of a full-scale mission, Horowitz delivers seven short, fast-paced stories set early in Alex's spy career. It's action-packed, easy to consume, and offers small bursts of worldbuilding without fundamentally shifting the universe.(00:00) - Welcome & Book Intro (01:17) - What Makes Secret Weapon Different (02:39) - Horowitz's Intentions Behind The Stories (02:53) - High-Paced Nature of the Book (05:27) - Will I Re-read It? Probably Not (05:55) - Worldbuilding at the Margins (07:16) - Overall Enjoyment & Final Take Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
It's time to talk about Cults, what they are, how they have always been part of the Warhammer World, and how to write them. This is a Purity Seal Episode, so strap in as the Under the Hive of Madness crew takes a bit of a dive into the weird world of Cult activity! Under the Hive of Madness is a Warhammer 40k Podcast diving into the Horror and Grimdark elements of the setting, so expect some adult themes, adult language, and more than a handful of Khorney Jokes!“I heard you can fly after the 5th meeting...” Email the show! UndertheHiveofMadness@gmail.com Join us today on Discord! Under the Hive of MadnessMERCH!Become a Patron. Find our cast through LinkTree Underthehiveofmadness.com
Are you repeating the same writing mistakes without realising it? In this episode, writing coach and author Suzy Vadori reveals the biggest errors she sees in authors, and how to avoid them.Join Richie Billing and Suzy Vadori as they explore Suzy's journey from businesswoman to bestselling YA fantasy author and coach. We dive into her unique approach to character creation, immersive world-building, and the crucial missteps that hold writers back.In this episode, you'll learn:Why so many authors struggle with character arcs and how to fix them.Practical world-building strategies that bring your setting to life without slowing the story.The top three mistakes authors make when switching from business mindset to creative craft.How Suzy's coaching practice and author experience provide clarity, structure and growth.How to build your author brand and writing career from the ground up.Whether you're working on your first novel or deep into your series, you'll walk away with actionable advice.✍️ More from Suzy Vadori:Website: https://suzyvadori.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzyvadori/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzyvadoriauthor/✍️ Join our community & writing tools:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshedWebsite and writing classes: https://richiebilling.com/
World Building Done Right This week on If You Give A Dad A Podcast, Jared sits down with Nicholas Keating Casbarro — the creative mind behind the sci-fi epic Vitalerium: Descent into the Void. From crafting deep universes and morally gray heroes to turning his vision into both a novel and comic series, Nicholas shares what it really takes to build a world that feels alive. They talk about: The origins of Vitalerium and its futuristic setting How Nicholas balances storytelling across books and comics The challenges (and rewards) of indie sci-fi creation Why world building is at the heart of every great story If you love sci-fi, storytelling, and creative passion, this episode's for you.
Richard Francis-Jones is one of Australia's most distinguished contemporary architects. As Design Director of fjcstudio, he leads the design of the practice's most significant projects, recognized nationally and internationally for their architectural excellence and contribution to the public domain. Richard has been the recipient of numerous international architecture awards, including World Building of the Year (World Architecture Festival), multiple WAF Office and Exhibition awards, the AIA International Architecture Award, the RIBA International Award, the NZIA Architecture Medal, the International Public Library of the Year Award (Danish Agency of Culture), and multiple International Architecture Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. Projects under his direction have been published widely in leading Australian and international architectural journals and books. In addition to his practice, Richard has contributed significantly to architectural discourse. He was editor of Content, a critical review of architecture published by UNSW Press, and Architecture Bulletin. He has written extensively on architectural theory, most recently publishing Truth and Lies in Architecture (2022). In 2008, he was Creative Director of the Australian Institute of Architects National Conference and has convened numerous architectural forums and events. Richard's leadership at fjcstudio is defined by a design philosophy grounded in site-specificity, cultural sensitivity and a deep commitment to sustainability and the public good. Under his direction, the studio continues to shape some of the most thoughtful and impactful architecture in Australia and internationally.More form Richard Francis-Jones Website: https://fjcstudio.com/ YouTube: @francisjonescarpenterstudio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fjcstudio More from us: Website: www.adppodcast.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/adppod_ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/architecture-design-photography/id1447381737 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qTtT0lpXkVGyksEkN57VS
In this episode, Dialogue Doctor Coach Laura Humm sits down with author Liz Woodiwiss. They look at a Call to Action scene Liz has written and discuss how to make world building more engaging by leading with emotion. For more on the craft of writing, check out https://dialoguedoctor.com/ To join the community, come to https://www.patreon.com/JeffElkins
So, you've decided it's time to turn up the heat on your worldbuilding. Maybe you're writing a full-on romantasy, or maybe it's a smaller component of your overall plot, but if your characters are getting down and dirty, how do you make sure they're getting their freak on in a way that reflects the culture they exist in? Guest Nia Davenport joins us to explore all the angles -- and positions. When we're thinking about the culture of sex (and sexy cultures), there's a lot to unpack, particularly because of our own society's various hang-ups, preconceptions, and puritanical history. So how have social forces exerted pressure on ideas about the expression (and perhaps exhibition) of desire within your invented world? How can you use your characters to challenge or subvert conceptions of promiscuity, chastity, gender roles, and power dynamics? [Transcript for Episode 167] Our Guest: Nia "N.E." Davenport is an award-winning Science Fiction/Fantasy author who writes stories that blend magic, mayhem, and deadly heroines. She attended the University of Southern California and studied Biological Sciences and Theatre Arts. She also has an M.A. in Secondary Education. She teaches English and Biology to amazing students. When she isn't writing, she enjoys vacationing with her family, skiing, and being a huge foodie. She's an advocate for diverse perspectives and protagonists in literature. You can find her on Twitter @nia_davenport, or on Instagram @nia.davenport, where she talks about binge-worthy TV, killer movies, and great books. She lives in Texas with her husband and kids.
Production Designer Kasra Farahani breaks down Fantastic Four'- First Steps's retro-futurist language: the Baxter Lab's white-with-primaries palette, dimensional-printed mosaics, and a New York that's two-thirds period, one-third future. We cover Yancy Street's realism (40 storefronts), early-color playback graphics, and how the art department's graphics threaded into marketing. Perfect for designers and cine-nerds hunting practical methods and color/finish logic.
The host of the Null comes forth!JOIN OUR DISCORDHelp support the show by visiting our Patreon and find even more content on our Website!Intro/Outro Music “Jotunheim (Chiptune Version)” Courtesy of Rush CoilOriginal Composition by Serpent Sound Studios