Friends at the Table is an actual play podcast hosted by Austin Walker. The podcast has been active since September 2014, and episodes are released weekly. The collaboration between the gamemaster and the players is a major component of the show, in contrast to many tabletop role-playing games where the gamemaster has total control over worldbuilding.
| Friends at the Table | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presentation | |
| Hosted by | Austin Walker |
| Genre | |
| Language | English |
| Publication | |
| Original release | September 2014 |
| Related | |
| Website | friendsatthetable |
Production
editThe show is an actual play podcast, but due to its heavy editing, the show is similar in presentation to a radio drama or audiobook.[1] Players on the show contribute to worldbuilding more than in many tabletop role-playing games, where worldbuilding is often left to the gamemaster.[2] The show has been producing episodes since September 2014, and releases episodes on a weekly basis.[3]
Cast
editSeasons
editThe show is split across two feeds: the main feed, which is accessible for free on the website and on podcast platforms, and a paid feed via Patreon. The main feed includes weekly episodes, which are split into seasons. The end of a season is marked with a "post mortem" episode, where the cast answers questions about the season.
Seasons one and two of the show were based on Apocalypse World.[6] According to Walker, he drew inspiration for season six from Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, Code Geass, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Aldnoah.Zero, and Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team.[7] Various other seasons of the show have drawn elements from many different tabletop role-playing systems,[8] including Dungeon World.[9]
| Season no. | Season name | Originally released | Systems used | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First episode | Last episode | |||
| 1 | Autumn in Hieron
(formerly Seasons of Hieron) |
September 12, 2014 | June 19, 2015 | Dungeon World
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective (holiday special) The Sundered Land (episode 20) |
| 2 | COUNTER/WEIGHT | July 15, 2015 | June 26, 2016 | The Sprawl
TechNoir (beginning episodes) Stars Without Number (faction game episodes) Microscope (faction game episodes) Kingdom (interlude) Mobile Frame Zero: Firebrands (finale) |
| 2.5 | Marielda | July 14, 2016 | October 14, 2016 | Blades in the Dark
The Quiet Year (beginning episodes) |
| 3 | Winter in Hieron | November 18, 2016 | June 28, 2017 | Dungeon World
Follow (holiday special)[10] Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective (holiday special) |
| 4 | Twilight Mirage | June 29, 2017 | September 10, 2018 | The Veil
Follow Scum and Villainy Futura Free (finale)[11] |
| 5 | Spring in Hieron | October 10, 2018 | September 19, 2019 | Dungeon World
The Quiet Year (finale) |
| 5.5 | The Road to PARTIZAN | October 3, 2019 | August 3, 2020 | Dialect: A Game About Language and How It Dies
Armour Astir: Advent Ech0 Dusk To Midnight Beam Saber Microscope |
| 6 | PARTIZAN | December 19, 2019 | February 5, 2021 | Beam Saber
Kingdom (holiday special) War in the Year 3000 (finale) |
| 7 | Sangfielle | March 11, 2021 | June 16, 2022 | Heart: The City Beneath
The Ground Itself (beginning episodes) Inhuman Conditions (episode 21) Anamnesis (episode 52) A Visit to San Sibilia (episode 56) |
| 7.5 | The Road to PALISADE | August 26, 2022 | January 20, 2023 | HOUNDs
Stealing the Throne Last Shooting Wagon Wheel Lancer Orbital Serious Reading My Way Upstairs & Downstairs City Planning Department |
| 8 | PALISADE | March 10, 2023 | TBA | Armour Astir: Advent[12]
Questlandia (Palette of Colors arc)[12] |
The Patreon feed consists of one main campaign (Bluff City) along other show formats and extras.
| Show name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bluff City | The main Patreon campaign, released parallel to any ongoing main feed seasons. |
| Clapcast | A collection of bloopers and off-topic discussions cut from various episodes. |
| Live at the Table | Oneshots or short series played live, usually on a stream previously only available to Patreon patrons. |
| Tips at the Table | An advice show where the cast answers questions about roleplaying. |
| Drawing Maps | Austin Walker's show where he discusses preparations for games as a GM. |
| Gathering Information | A behind the scenes show where Alicia Acampora discusses specific aspects of the current ongoing season with other cast members. |
Reception
editThe podcast had more than 3,929 Patreon supporters as of July 2021[update].[13] The show was featured on iTunes in 2020.[14] Dan Neilan wrote in The A.V. Club that it is an "intimidating podcast to jump into" and a "bit overwhelming", but despite this the story had "rich, complex lore."[15] It was cited by The Adventure Zone GM Griffin McElroy as an inspiration for elements of that podcast's first campaign.[16]
Awards
edit| Award | Date | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discover Pods Awards | 2019 | Best Overall Podcast | Friends at the Table | Finalist | [17] |
| Audio Verse Awards | Instrumental Composition in a Production | "Spring In Hieron" by Jack de Quidt | Won | [18] | |
| Vocal Composition in a Production | "Tell Me" by Jack de Quidt | Won | |||
| Player Direction of a Production | Austin Walker | Won | |||
| Player in an Improvised Production | Ali Acampora as Hella Varal | Won | |||
| Improvised Production | Friends at the Table | Won | |||
| 2020 | Instrumental Composition in a Production | "RADIOSTATIC. HIATUS. REDSKY" by Jack de Quidt | Finalist | [19] | |
| "TANAGER. PERFECT. TOUCHPAPER." by Jack de Quidt | Finalist | ||||
| Player Direction of a Production | Austin Walker | Finalist | |||
| Cover Art for a Production | Craig Sheldon | Finalist | |||
| Improvised Production | Friends at the Table | Finalist |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Parker, Felan (June 29, 2016). Vossen, Emma (ed.). "The Power of Imagined Worlds: An Interview With Austin Walker". First Person Scholar. OCLC 5814711976. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ Stevens, Ryan (March 31, 2021). "How Friends at the Table Spreads Around Authorship". Discover Pods. Elite CafeMedia. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ Modak, Sebastian (July 24, 2020). "Amid a Pandemic and a Racial Reckoning, 'D&D' Finds Itself at an Inflection Point". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ Figa, Alenka (October 25, 2018). Brinks, Melissa (ed.). "Games for Your Ears: Our Favorite Tabletop Podcasts and Let's Plays". Sidequest. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ "Winter in Hieron 16: Is There Anyone Else?". Friends at the Table. March 24, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Jackson, Gita (August 13, 2016). "How Tabletop Games Make My Life Better". Kotaku. G/O Media. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ Wescott, Adam (September 30, 2020). "Interview: The Best Mecha Anime of 2020 is a Podcast—They Could Have Made Them Look Like Anything, but They Made Them Look Like Podcasts". Crunchyroll. Aniplex. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ St. James, Emily (April 3, 2020). "Beyond Dungeons & Dragons: A guide to the vast, exciting world of tabletop RPGs". Vox. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
- ^ White, Jordan (January 31, 2018). "'The Adventure Zone' Is a Dungeons & Dragons RPG Podcast That Breaks All the Rules". The Ringer. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
- ^ Walker, Austin (January 1, 2017). "Winter in Hieron: Holiday Special 01: Homes and Promises". Friends at the Table. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ Walker, Austin (August 10, 2018). "Twilight Mirage 64: Futura Free Part 1". Friends at the Table. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ a b Walker, Austin (May 3, 2024). "PALISADE 46: A Palette of Colors Pt. 1". Friends at the Table. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
For the finale, we are playing Questlandia 2nd Edition. This season we played Armour Astir: Advent with additional playbooks from Strangers in the Night and 106th Astir Squadron.
- ^ Carter, Chase (July 20, 2021). "Honey Heist and the Legacy of the One-Page RPG: An Interview With Tabletop Designer Grant Howitt". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ Abigail (September 3, 2020). "16 Best D&D Podcasts to Listen to With Friends". Robots.net. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ Neilan, Dan (October 22, 2018). "Horny 4 Horror Applauds the Practical Effects of the Stuff and Other '80s Cult Hits". The A.V. Club. G/O Media. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ "TRANSCRIPT The The Adventure Zone Zone - MaxFunDrive 2017". Maximum Fun. March 30, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Goldberg, Kevin (November 21, 2019). "Announcing the Winners of the 2019 Discover Pods Awards". Discover Pods Awards. Elite CafeMedia. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ "Congratulations to This Year's Winners: These Are the Winners of the 2019 Audio Verse Awards". The Audio Verse Awards. 2019. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ "This is the List of Finalists for the 2020 Audio Verse Awards". The Audio Verse Awards. 2020. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.