Here’s What You’re In For, Noble Audient
The Big Red Couch is not a podcast with topical game reviews, or reliably deep engagement with the throbbing pulse of modern tabletop roleplaying game culture.
No: We’re still playing 1st Edition Shadowrun (when we Shadowrun,) as a matter of preference, and only one of us has played either of Pathfinder or 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons.
(For a more detailed discussion of what we are into, see here.)
What the Big Red Couch represents is a collection (or possibly cabal) of ‘individuals’ from New Zealand who have a wide-ranging engagement with tabletop gaming, popular culture, and the ability to express themselves because nobody’s confiscated their microphone yet.
We’ve been gaming for ages, and discussing daft ideas inspired by television, comics, film, music and anything else that might spark something for longer still.
This podcast represents an attempt to harness the sheer, untapped electric power of our imaginations and our willingness to carry a conversation Over The Line, and to use those powers for good.
DISCLAIMER:
Seated upon the Big Red Couch, we do not monitor our language, nor the themes that we use.
We do, in fact, use all of the swears.
You have been warned.
The core function of the Big Red Couch is to hear a group of friends each contributing ideas for how a given concept might be used to inspire some tabletop roleplaying, either as a one-shot or a longer campaign, and how/why given systems might work for that purpose.
The Denizens of the Big Red Couch
Ben
Chief Brony-in-Residence, Ben provides alternative perspectives on popular culture and games we might not otherwise have heard of from his secret undersea lair, defended by a monstrous clawed beast and an army of animate cartoon figurines.
Craig
Of piratical semblance and demeanor, Craig devotes himself to a monastic lifestyle in the careful curation of maps and visually-displayed information, though these days that often involves less “Here’s A Pretty Picture” and more “Oh My God I Hate Python So Much”. He goes on occasional pilgrimages around the world to conventions, which culminated in him moving to the United Kingdom, where he currently resides.
This in no way makes scheduling the podcast a bloody nightmare ~ T. Jones
This whole thing is his idea.
Thaddeus “Testulon” Jones
Mysterious Site Admin & devoted follower of P-Funk. He likes it when we pretend that nearly-comprehensible spambots are human.
Former Couch Denizens
Tonya
Chief Soundwave Wrangler and Person In Charge of Actually Doing Things, Tonya’s past-life involves fighting crime alongside a badger imbued with the Enochian Secret Word in the docks of far away places.
After many victories, she volunteered to retire in order to learn how to use Audacity so that the podcast could happen.
[Edit by Tonya]- This is utter bollocks. I have never met a badger that you can prove. I have removed the word “unspeakable” from Kevin’s description of me because now you will always wonder where it went.
Kev
On the run for crimes against language, Kev is sheltered by the Big Red Couch.
In return, he badtouches words. This is not an even trade.
[Edit by Tonya] He has yet to notice that we have been using him as Teaboy in Residence. No one else touches the kettle.
Tanja
Adventurer and Mistress of Derring Doo, owner of Tea Drinking Trousers.
Tanja likes to feel responsible for the agonies of self doubt we experience every time a new card is drawn, so we pretend she drew the card even when she’s not here.
Gulo T
Wandering Mustelid adventurer, Gulo T is occasionally available for chewing ideas into shape for easy digestion.
We salute em for eir efforts and try to keep our fingers out of the carnage.