Welcome to what I consider one of the most important episodes in our show's history.
Today we have with us a man who has literally revolutionized the way we conceive investigative role-playing games. A designer who for over three decades has continued to push the boundaries of what an RPG can be and do.
Robin Laws, joining us directly from Toronto, is the creator of the GUMSHOE system - that brilliant mechanism that finally solved the problem of failed clue rolls, making investigative games truly playable. But this is just one of his innovations.
He's the man behind Feng Shui, which brought Hong Kong action cinema to our tables. He's the creator of Hillfolk, a system so revolutionary in its narrative approach that it won the prestigious Diana Jones Award in 2014.
He co-created Over the Edge, contributed to King of Dragon Pass, wrote for Pathfinder and Warhammer, and has a bibliography of novels spanning from science fiction to fantasy.
But above all, Robin Laws is a thinker. A game design theorist who has codified principles that we all take for granted - from player types to narrative structures.
Creative Director at Pelgrane Press, podcaster, writer, and most importantly, a man who after forty years in the industry still has the same passion as day one.