Tag Archives: Keith Baker

Episode 80 – What’s in Your Closet?

skeletons-in-your-closet-demotivational-poster

If you’re a gamer and a geek, then undoubtedly you’ve amassed a grand collection of wondrous treasures, from boxes and books to cartridges and discs.  While some of these items may be considered mundane or even relics of geek ages long past, we all know that it goes against our very nature to part with such great gifts of enjoyment, even if we’ve never taken the shrink wrap off yet!  Join us this week as we delve into our geek closets and discuss games of all types – purchased, played, and otherwise.  Clear off the table, charge up those controllers, and for God’s sake read some damn instructions as you prepare for a brand new episode of Monkey in the Cage!

Continue reading

Share

Why Halflings Aren’t Hobbits

Bilbo Baggins

For decades, the image of Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin were the sole representations of what a hobbit/halfling was.  Naturally, this characterization became the standard for the original run of Dungeons & Dragons canon.  From the player character race and art to the wealth of literature (R.A. Salvatore’s Regis in particular), the traditional, simple, furry-footed eating machine gamers had grown to love remained the standard.  The early nineties saw a slight shift in the characterization, but it was in the year 2000 that gamers saw one of the greatest shifts in demi-human representations, courtesy of D&D 3rd Edition.  The world survived the Y2K scare, but forever after, Hobbits and Halflings were no longer synonymous.

Continue reading

Share

Where Are We Now? – Maps, Tabletop RPGs, and You

As I’ve been working through the backlog of Gamerstable podcasts, a recent episode on maps in gaming really got me thinking of their importance and impact on me.  While I am definitely no cartographer, I think that, when given enough time, motivation, and printer ink, I can churn out some decent gaming maps.  Not only do I try to make the maps aesthetically appealing, I definitely make a concentrated effort to provide a utilitarian tool for my players as well.

Continue reading

Share

Episode 42 – Favorite Books

Let’s face it.  If it wasn’t for books, we could hardly classify ourselves as geeks.  From the stacks of tomes in our tabletop roleplaying libraries to the shelves lined with everything from history to science fiction, if a geek is anything, they are well read.  Join us this week as we discuss our favorite books and authors, as well as the works that have been most influential on our creative minds.  Be sure to grab your custom bookmark, set aside those reading glasses, and put that awesome book back on the shelf (just for a bit!) as you settle into that comfy reading chair and listen to a whole new episode of Monkey in the Cage!

Continue reading

Share

Episode 40 – Post San Diego Comic-Con 2012

Another Comic-Con has come and gone, and the Monkey in the Cage crew is WORN OUT!  Even with back-up and thorough planning, tackling the awesomeness that descends on San Diego every year proved to be more challenging and rewarding than ever, and we weren’t even on the floor (legitimately)!  Join us this week as we are once again joined by our favorite intern, Jared the Intern, and artist/illustrator extraordinaire Dennis Salvatier to recap all of our experiences outside of the convention center.  Gas up the Batmobiles, throw back a couple of beers, and don’t let those zombies get you as we talk SDCC 2012 on a brand new episode of Monkey in the Cage!

Continue reading

Share