Episodes
-
We’re kinda useful but dorky!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:28:38
Holy howdy dear Play-Greaterians and other denizens of Podcast Land, we here at the Play Greater Podcast are back with another episode! We sure missed you last week, and we cannot wait to get into this latest episode with you! (Cause, as you surely know, anytime any one of you listens to an episode of the podcast, we are actually there listening with you too… Them’s the rules!)
Listen as one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul go slightly overboard with slightly overwrought bits artisanally crafted to be nonsensical without their visual components. In other words, we’re back, and we’re right on track for another typical episode! Hope you enjoy!
Check below for links and/or info mentioned in episode:
Curious about the Chesapeake Bay impact crater and would prefer an actual map instead of a theatre-of-the-mind thing? Check that out here! (it is likely that this is the EXACT article read by two of your hosts Paul!)
Can confirm, your hosts and their made-for-any-medium-but-radio bits are doofus-canoes. (It’s a technical podcasting industry term.)
Want to know more about the gestures that Paul and Christopher might be making? Check out more about those potential gestures here!
Want to read an interesting article about sea shanties? (how could you NOT?!) Check that out here! Want to get more pedantic? Do so here!
Want to read about Danny Kaye? We recommend learning more here!
Local St. Louis Eateries:
Salve Asteria
Meyou Tai Eatery
Cafe Natasha (in case it wasn’t noted before, though it is sadly now closed)
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
Stay awhile; play Compile!
-
Aaaaaaaaaand we’re back!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:17:02
Hello, hello and welcome back delightful and (hopefully) delighted Play-Greaterians! We’ve got one punchy episode of the Play Greater Podcast ready just for you. Listen as one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul banter their hearts away and make up for an entire month’s worth of lost banter! Woot woot!
Check below for links and/or info mentioned in episode:
If you’re around for PAX East, remember not to be shy and also to come say, “hi” to Paul Bender at or around the Greater Than Games booth. If you do, just like he said in the episode, he’ll definitely have presents in his pockets given to him by Christopher for the purpose of gifting to you! Come see us in booth #11097!
Legends of Sleepy Hollow errata pack lives here!
St. Louis Eatery Recommendations:
Stacked
FIRE Chicken
Do you pine to present the podcasters your piping-hot perspective? Do you quiver with questions for three of your kind-of-useful-but-dorky hosts? Do you know off the top of your head the episode(s) in which they talk about Legends of Sleepy Hollow? If so, send us a letter about it by following this artisanal hyperlink!
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!” (specifically to Paul Bender at PAX East!)
-
Missing episodes?
-
Merry… different episode!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 0:08:34
Howdy hey, denizens of podcast land! We here at the Play Greater Podcast are coming at you with a bit of a truncated episode this month. (I know… we are sad about it too. Hopefully, it’ll only be a one-off, so that we’re back with regular-length programming next month!)
Listen as one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul wax on and wax off about a handful of topics, included but not limited to: health, new employees, Defender’s of the Realm playtesting, tiks and/or toks, spirits and their requisite islands, and a compiled list of other topics!
We hope you enjoy this month’s different episode, and we literally cannot wait to chat more again next month!
Got big-butt feelings about something?! Oof… you can send us a letter about it by following this artisanal hyperlink!
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
Merriest of New Years!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:26:47
Welcome to a new year and to a new episode of the Play Greater Podcast! Listen as one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul pun their way through another episode, dabbing and air quoting into the microphone for added zest.
Fun Fact: Canonically, Spirit Island spirits have no butts.
Curious about Christopher’s Bender Brother Jabberwocky? Below is a key:
P’Bender = Paul Bender, eldest canonical Bender and two entire hosts of the Play Greater Podcast
A’Bender = Andrew Bender, second-eldest canonical Bender and wielder of Star Wars CCGs
J’Bender = John Bender, third-eldest canonical Bender and elusively rumored to be “around”
M’Bender = Matt Bender, youngest canonical Bender and professional audio doofus of this podcast
Do you want to ask one of your hosts Christopher to turn off his ears and turn on his mouth? Do you have a villain name for two of your hosts Paul? Do you have an opinion about ducks? Send us an individualized letter about each of these by following this artisanal hyperlink!
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
Well, look where you’ve found yourselves…
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:49:01
…in another episode of the Play Greater Podcast! Welcome to all of you Play-Greaterians and would-be Play-Greaterians; it is absolutely spiffing that you’re here! This episode is but the latest entry into the extended Greater Than Games cinematic podcast universe.
Listen, as one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul discuss left-hand-drive yaris preferences, tire-roundness percentage anecdotes, and altogether more automobile banter than might be expected. Hear, as your hosts proceed to pratfall into a chronometrical convention corrigendum. Marvel, as your hosts use intense and intentional grammatical goofery in the face of calendar clarity.
Check below for links and/or info mentioned in episode:
Looking for the 2 episodes from your hosts’ “other podcast” where Christopher tells his injury story? Check out the first episode here. Check out the second episode here. (Good memory Christopher!)
Looking for the GtG Booth Number at Pax Unplugged 2023? It was #2837!
Looking for holiday sales on the webstore? Get 25% off your purchase with HOLIDAY25 at check out! Shop here.
Wondering how many seasons there are of the show Fringe? Five.
Are you weighed down by queries and need some theories? Are you not sure what the point of your existence is and need someone to weigh in? Are you hung-up on hanging prepositions? Send us a letter about it by following this artisanal hyperlink!
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
Spoilers: This podcast was actually a dream the ENTIRE TIME!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:36:41
Howdy, howdy, and another howdy! Welcome one and all to this month's rendition of the Play Greater Podcasts. There’s one of your hosts Christopher, and there’s even two of your hosts Paul. Who could have guessed?! Who WOULD have guessed?! Who, in fact, might have guessed?! (Spoilers again: Probably you!)
Listen as your hosts begin with some B+ banter (getting higher marks from these shownotes than they anticipated) before jumping into some more serious topics.
On that note…
Content Warning: There is a tonally heavier segment dealing with serious world news which starts at 0:17:38. If you’d like to jump past this heavier segment and stick to the lighter segments full of jokes, skip to 0:32:25.
Jumping back into jokes, listen to riveting discussions of games and how to play them greater. Learn about the original hipsters of legacy components. And, hear yet another obligatory plug for the RPG Burning Wheel. (It's seriously that good!)
But, before we go any further, we must pause to ponder… Christopher climbed the Swiss Alps. It was upon these mountains that he recognized a righteous recommendation for all of you.
Christopher’s Righteous Recommendation: Watch “For All Mankind” on Apple TV (mistakenly referred to as being on HBO MAX on the air, due to Christopher misremembering which streaming service it was on).
If you have some righteous recommendations, radical reactions, or reasonable responses for these ribald rapscallions. Send us a letter about it by following this artisanal hyperlink!
And, remember…
Don’t jumpscare Jed!
Also…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
…and the Cascade in the Caucasus!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:39:39
Hey there, delightful and delighted denizens of Podcast Land! Welcome, welcome to the greatly anticipated (we assume) next installment of the Play Greater Podcast. In celebration of Essen Spiel 2023, this is the Germany episode! That's right, folks! For this episode, we've curated a list of all things German for our discussion today and made most certain to exclude anything not germane!
Are you at Essen Spiel 2023? Come to the Greater Than Games and Flat River Group booth: Hall 4, J110
For a complete explanation of the 90's sitcom referenced in this episode, click here!
Matt Bender’s fun memories from this summer include, but are not limited to: Shakespeare in the Park and getting to see a friend of his perform in the touring production of Wicked.
Artists recommendations from Paul:
High Kings
Stan Rogers
Archie Fischer
Artist recommendations from Christopher:
Frank Turner
The Decemberists
The Mountain Goats
Do you have a burning question for our hosts? Do you have a piping-hot, low-stakes hypothetical that’s been tearing your friend group apart? Do you have too much time on your hands and would like to send in a list of all St. Louis eateries previously mentioned on the podcast? Send us a letter about it by following this artisanal hyperlink!
And, please remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!” (especially if you’re in Germany this time!)
-
An Episode of Chronometric Chicanery
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:41:37
Hello and welcome lovely listeners, one and all! Thanks for stopping by this podcast of goofs, giggles, and gargantuan glee!
Listen as one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul spit facts with wild abandon, covering wide-ranging truths like: proper scoring system nomenclature, how-to correctly coup & crime, and the definitely-accurate-and-not-at-all-incorrect release date of this episode.
For those lovely listeners among you who came and said “hi” at PAX West… thanks! But, like, how’d you know, yo?
For those lovely listeners among you who would have liked to say “hi” but who now find themselves in temporal tumult upon listening to this episode… from PAX we may be gone, but come say “hi” next Con!
Looking for a picture of rad minis?! Look at the bottom of show notes!
Have a query, question, comment, complaint, or point of order? Send us a letter about it. Come on, send us a letter about it. Do it. Dooooooooo it. Like. Right now. Please? You may respond to the above whinging with a letter by following this artisanal hyperlink!
And, remember what one of your hosts Christopher said this episode…
Don’t you dare be shy; come say “hi!”
-
You came to say “hi!”
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:38:59
Greetings, you denizens of Podcast Land! Welcome to this LIVE Gen Con 2023 recording of the Play Greater Podcast. Last episode we could taste Gen Con in the air, but this episode we can taste Gen Con in the flesh!
Listen as some number of hosts talk about wide ranging topics like: inexplicably being in Indianapolis, the inherent mirth of milk tents, and real-life-exemplary-human-being Andy Arenson.
Want to know the copious details of what we did at Gen Con 2023?! As revealed later in the episode, we spent most of our time here!
Want to know in what episode two of your hosts Paul shared opinions about The Rings of Power? Frankly, so would we! If you happen to know and/or would like to ask a follow-up question, send us a letter by following this artisanal hyperlink.
And in case we haven’t said in a while…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
Meanwhile, whilst climbing in the alps…
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:15:35
We recorded another podcast! Holy smokes, folks, and welcome back to the Play Greater Podcast! Can you taste the Gen Con in the air?! We sure can, and we cannot wait to sink our teeth into a slice of proverbial Gen Con pie.
Listen as one of your hosts Christopher and at least two of your hosts Paul tear through introductory banter and news with wild abandon reaching a potpourri of podcastian postage and their popular pinwheel of prompts.
Looking for something referenced in the podcast? Find the mentioned info and links below:
Link License to Grill crowdfunding page? Boom! Right here. Link Penny Arcade License to Grill VOD? This time here. Link to that Torchbearer song they’re talking about? Play the video on this kickstarter page.(Oh hey there, you know that direct message Christopher references then says he’ll bring up later? He never brings it up later, and it bothers these show notes too.)
Awesome sea shanties Paul likes and also sings on a semi-frequent basis: Northwest Passage, Old Maui, Wellerman (yes, like the kids are singing these days, but he was a hipster about it before it was cool on TikTok), Santiana, Bully in the Alley, All for my Grog.
According to this peer reviewed wikipedia article, the AMX-10’s classification as a tank technically has been disputed… would you like to know more? (read in the TV propaganda voice from Starship Troopers)
Did you notice anything missing from the show notes? Have big, chaotic feelings or questions to share? Write a letter about it and send it in to us by following this artisanal hyperlink!
Well awe shucks now, thanks for all the listening, folks. It’s been a hoot and a half!
Oh! And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!” . . . to us at GEN CON! We're doing a live recording of this very podcast on this very same day this episode releases, and we'll be around all weekend in booths 1321, 1429, & 1521, and demo rooms 140 & 141!
-
It’s July!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:28:40
It’s genuinely July! An earnest welcome to this most sincere of monthly episodes!
Listen as our hosts barrel through the Intro-Slash-Banter Segment and GTG-News-And-World-Report Segment in order to spend maximum time on crowd-pleasing micro-segments like: pantomime, describing pantomime, observing a schedule adjacent to a microphone, and of course the community crunch along!
FYI, the Gen Con live recording of the Play Greater Podcast IS 2 hours long and will transpire on August 3rd from 3-5pm (Central).
Looking for something referenced in the podcast? Find the mentioned info and links below:
Christopher and Paul are doing a livestream with Penny Arcade to show off some new upcoming games!
“License to Grill” on July 12th from 3-5pm (Pacific)
“Defenders of the Realm” on July 13th from 3-5pm (Pacific)
Link for GenCon badge? That’ll be here! Link for Pax West badge? That’s right here!
Link to redbubble merchandise site that we don’t plug enough? We got it right here! (Thanks Russ!!!)
Link to a breakdown of every “Spirit Island Mega Event” reference in Play Greater Podcast history? No problem, right here!
Fun Fact: Christopher recommends fermented shark. Christopher loves fermented shark. If you would like to become best friends with Christopher at conventions, bring him fermented shark… so that he makes happy faces!
Also, we are now the canonical apex predator of deer. Your move now, deer.
Care to crunch along with Christopher’s mischievous mastications? Check out this episodes’ snack here!
Wondering what the legally distinct “zorrm” looks like? Check it out:
A relic of a time gone by!
Matt Bender’s Final Words: lickety-split, lugubrious
Finally, do you have a question or request? Send us a letter about it. Do it. I bet you won’t. You may respond to this goading with a letter by following this artisanal hyperlink!
Anyway, thank you for listening!
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
Welcome to the Mark-isode!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:42:40
Oh hi folks! Can you believe it’s already time for a brand new episode of the Play Greater Podcast? We certainly can’t… but we’re pumped that we’re wrong! So, buckle in for another bonanza of boisterous banter with one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul!
Join our intrepid hosts on this podcast journey: Hear about hitherto unknown holidays, discover as exclusive deals become inclusive deals, and learn of the long-anticipated campaign for the upcoming title “License to Grill”!
But that’s not all! You’ll also get to meet marvelous mister Mark and ride his epistolary ferry of chronological letters. Finally, before the journey's end, you’ll get to feel the unreal zeal of our whimsical and topical wheel.
All this and MORE in this latest installment of the Play Greater Podcast!
Do you find yourself with a burning question for one or two of your hosts? Has Mark’s postal prowess piqued the interest of your quarrelsome and querying nature? We hope so! Send us a letter about it! You may do so by following this artisanal hyperlink!
As always, thank you for listening!
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
Are you too shy to say “hi”?
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:32:47
The Play Greater Podcast might be for you! Only here can you get your monthly dose of one of your hosts Christopher and two of your hosts Paul. Mavericks in the field of pantomime podcasting, these hosts live to bring you only the finest of visual radio moments.
This episode starts off with some of the usual banter and goofs. You might even hear a story or two. But! Most notably, this month we received more letters than ever before in Play Greater Podcast history. Great job and keep it up! Our hosts are most happy!
In our questions section this month, as well as discussing many important topics, we learned that there’s essentially no difference between Ed McMahon and Vince McMahon. Who knew?
This episode we also welcomed a special guest to spin the Wheel of Topics for us. You’ll never be able to guess this guest… so you’ll have to listen to find out!
Can’t get enough of our hosts and their groundbreaking pantomime podcasting? Join us again, first thing next month!
Do you have questions for our hosts to answer? We hope so! Send them to us by following this artisanal hyperlink!
As always, thank you for listening!
And, remember…
Don’t be shy; come say “hi!”
-
Have we got some April Fools for you…
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:14:36
That’s right folks! Your very own April Fools are back: Christopher and Paul, the hosts of this very podcast! They’re here with an entirely new sixth episode, bringing banter, tomfoolery, and complex feelings about the handling of Lord of the Rings lore in mass-media.
Taking a break from tomfoolery, there’s also a sober segment about social injustice and about what we can all do to help those most affected.
Specifically, in the letters segment this month, there was a reference to an article about the unjust, anti-trans laws being passed in Missouri. That article can be found here.
If you’d like to help support those affected in the St. Louis metro area; or if you are in the area and need support yourself, there’s a resource for you here.
If you’d like to help support mental health and suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ+ youth; or if you or someone you know needs this type of support, there’s a resource for you here.
We take these things very seriously. We hope you do, too.
Later on in the letters segment, there’s a spoilery discussion about the Rings of Power series on Amazon (Starting at approximately: 0:36:15). If you want to avoid spoilery type of things in that segment then we would recommend skipping ahead! (Skip ahead to: 0:54:08)
Finally, if you find yourself with a query and/or question OR if you just want to help our hosts avoid mail-less melancholy next month, this handy dandy form is for you!
More tomfoolery and jerryfoolery to come! (And, hopefully, fewer praline precans...)
-
Merry March! Did you miss us?
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:16:17 Hey there, denizens of Podcast Land! Welcome back to the greatly anticipated next installment of the Play Greater Podcast. This time ‘round the horn, I bet you’re wondering if we’re changing things up. But, why on earth would we do that?! We’re coming at you with just as much Christopher and an equivalent amount of Paul, hosting and bantering away. Our audience killed it this month, sending in a metric cavalcade of letters (not to be confused with an imperial cavalcade of letters). As a special thank you for all of your hard work scribbling letters for us, here’s some non-fiction book recommendations courtesy of our humble hosts: The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe by David M. Perry and Matthew Gabriele Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke India: A History by John Keay China: A History by John Keay The Spice Route: A History by John Keay Dynasty by Tom Holland Persian Fire by Tom Holland In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan If your fingers itch to write us a letter or if you find yourself with a burning question that demands an answer, this handy dandy form is just what you need!
Until our next rendezvous, you dashing denizens of Podcast Land! -
A new episode just for you! Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:45:39
This here episode of the Play Greater Podcast comes to you piping hot off the editorial press! To counterbalance last month’s extended banter segment, this episode begins with a mere smattering of truncated banter… But! Have no fear! There is still banter a-plenty sprinkled throughout the episode for your listening pleasure.
In the GTG News and World Report(s) section, we also annouce and drop some info about this thing. And other games! Get hype!
Our delightful (and hopefully delighted) audience came through this month with a truly astronomical amount of letters. So thanks to all you scribes and scriveners out there in Podcast Land… we love your insatiable curiosity this month!
Next month, if you, dear listener, find yourself with any curiosity that you wish were satiated by one of your hosts Christopher and/or two of your hosts Paul, submit your question(s) with this handy dandy form.
During the course of answering letters, Christopher mentioned a fabled Gathering of Heroes in times long past… we thought there was info online about that historical event, but only this GTG forum thread, in which the link to a photo is long lost to the sands of internet time. Good news: long-time friend of ours Russ had photos!
Also, for the record, Russ is great! (Though not pictured in any of those photos.)
There were also topics… found on a wheel… a wheel of topics one might say… listen to this episode if you’d like to learn more about this most topical of tires!
Until next month's thrilling episode!
-
Happy New Year from GTG to you!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:27:59
This third episode of the Play Greater Podcast starts off with, frankly, too much banter. But here we are! It's not entirely unexpected.
In the GTG News and World Reports segment, we mention that a GTG game was covered in an article in... US News and World Reports! Check it out!
Christopher did a couple of livestreams last month with the Penny Arcade people. One about Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition (including new content from the upcoming Rook City Renegades) and one about Spirit Island (including the Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs). Very cool!
Then we answer questions! Submit more questions for us with this form!
We also spin the Wheel Of Topics a few times and manage to talk about a couple topics.
See you next month!
-
We're back! Back again!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:06:56
The Play Greater Podcast is back, this time with a similar amount of Paul Bender and Christopher Badell as the last time! But not the exact same amount — just fairly similar. Paul talks about his home! Christopher talks about a cave! They also talk about what Greater Than Games has been up to in the last month. AND! They spin a wheel? Indeed! The Wheel of Topics, in fact! Is that catching on yet? It's part of our logo now, so we're obviously leaning into it. Fingers crossed. (We also talk about TikTok. You're welcome/we're sorry.)
Join us for another episode, first thing next month! Do you have questions for us to answer? We hope so! Send them to us by following this artisanal hyperlink! And, as always, thank you for listening!
-
A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer!
Show Notes:
Run Time: 1:01:32
Welcome to the first episode of our new podcast: the Play Greater Podcast, featuring your hosts, Christopher Badell (designer of Deck Building: The Deck Building Game) and Paul Bender (lead story developer for Galactic Strike Force)! They both also happen to be founders of Greater Than Games, and have helped bring many hit games to the market, including Sentinels of the Multiverse, Sentinel Comics: the Roleplaying Game, Spirit Island, and more!
Join them on this exploratory first episode! Savor its many segments, from banter, to news, to the fabled Wheel of Topics! What secrets might they divulge? Listen and find out!
Content Warning: At the 50 minute mark, Paul tells a story that you might want to skip ahead by 55 seconds if you don't want to hear a story about a gross thing involving a baby and vomit. Consider yourself warned.
If you'd like your questions to be read in a future episode of the Play Greater Podcast, submit a question using this handy form! And thanks for listening!
-
As of December of 2021, Greater Than Games is now a part of Flat River Group!
Christopher wrote about it here on the GTG website.
Paul and Christopher did a livestream on the GTG YouTube channel, which was plagued by video quality issues, but the audio survived well, and is available here to you as a podcast episode!
- Show more
