I think one of the things many gamers, especially those who focus on one or two favourite TTRPG systems, don’t appreciate about our hobby is the multitude of choice they have. Even if all you play is D&D, for instance, there are a plethora of styles within the umbrella of D&D to suit almost any type of player. And if you step outside the bubble of any particular game system, the sky is literally the limit.
I was able to fire some questions at Jes Wade, a long-time creator of both D&D adventures and one-page TTRPGs, to get their take on the intersection of pop culture and gaming, and whether Nic or Nicolas really makes a difference.
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Brent: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Jes. For our readers not yet familiar with your work, please tell me a bit about yourself.
In my free-time (haha what is free-time?) I am a Twitch affiliate, primarily streaming Dead by Daylight, Beerio Kart, and monthly TTRPG charity one shots. I’m a cast member of a “Vampire the Masquerade” podcast: Fang Gang Podcast. I write silly, little one-page TTRPGs posted on Itch and adventures for the DMs Guild. For instance, Murder in Mossbank, which was featured in the 37th issue of Dragon+ Magazine, is a Platinum Best Seller. I also like to lift heavy things and put them back down. If I had to pick a wizard subclass it would probably be the necromancer because I like to deadlift so much.
B: What drew you into tabletop roleplaying games? What was your “hero origin story” in the hobby?
Loitering in Target with a latte in hand is a pastime of mine, and making it to the gaming section is a must. One visit, I noticed the D&D starter kit and told my partner that I think I might enjoy playing. After bugging a few rugby teammates of mine, Jackie stepped up to be our DM during our camping trip. Huddled around the campfire, we all shared one set of dice, drew up our own character sheets, and started playing in the “Mines of Phandelver”. I’ve been in love ever since.
B: How and when did you shift from player/GM to designing your first adventure or game? Was that gradual or did you jump in right away?
It took a few months before I decided to write my first adventure. Our group had taken a few turns with the DM seat and I had run a prewritten adventure. Liking it so much, I decided to write my own. It seemed natural to keep writing out my silly, little stories.
B: You’re releasing Uncaging Nicolas today on Itch.io. I’m at a gaming con and you’re about to run a table, what do you want to tell me that will make me sit down and play?
If you want a rules-lite system with lots of Nic Cage references and room for being goofy, this system is for you. If you want to run a serious game, this game might not be for you.
B: Does Uncaging Nicolas make a distinction between Nic Cage movies and Nicolas Cage movies? Or does it embrace the entire canon of Nic/olas Cage films?
Uncaging Nicolas doesn’t make a distinction between Nic and Nicolas Cage movies; it embraces the entirety of his film collection. Cage Masters (GM) and players can choose to use plots, quotes, and characters from one or the other.
B: Though Uncaging Nicolas is your first game featuring a pop culture icon, it isn’t your first time referencing these icons in your creations; Matt Daemon’s Deal and Dwarf “The Rock” Johnson’s Magical Sporting Goods Arsenal come to mind. What inspires their presence in your designs? Does the design idea or the icon come first?
The pun comes first, everything else follows. I wish I was kidding.
B: Uncaging Nicolas is a one-page TTRPG. What is it about the one-page design that appeals to you, both as a creator and a player/GM?
I love the simplicity of reading one piece of paper and knowing how the mechanics of a game works. Don’t get me wrong, source books are great and I love them for campaigns, but if I want a session or two of lighthearted fun with my friends, a one-page TTRPG just hits the spot.
B: Besides your impressive TTRPG creative catalogue, you are known for producing charity stream one-shots and events. Can you talk a bit about what brought you to connect charity and TTRPGs?
Outside of TTRPGs, my pants job is fundraising for a nonprofit, so it just made sense to connect the two. I ran a charity stream or two for a birthday but last year, in July, when abortion rights were under attack, I was inspired by ScrySociety and TTRPGifs to create my own. They both had amazing charity streams and events. Rolling for Reproductive Rights was a success and raised $1,700; by October 2022, I was hosting monthly charity streams on my channel with a new DM and cast each month.
B: You’ve produced a multitude of one-shot actual plays. In your opinion, what makes for a good one-shot, in terms of the game played, but also the players and GM?
Having a cast that is on the same page for what kind of adventure you’re having helps make a good one shot. If you have one player show up as Hotdog Chicken Nugget and another show up as Kalizan the Bloodthirsty Champion of Sword’s Edge there may be a bit of unnecessary back and forth during your session to figure out what the party should do next. In order to get on the same page, I suggest a session zero where folks can talk about the characters they’d like to bring, the tone of the adventure, and safety tools to use during the game.
B: As a designer, what other games out there right now excite you? What are you drawn to as a designer and as a player/GM?
Anything Grant Howitt puts out is bound to be a hit; Honey Heist and Crash Pandas are two of my favorite games to play. I love the silliness and the chaos they invite.
B: It may be too soon to ask, but any future projects coming up? Anything you can tease or talk about?
In terms of charity events…you can expect monthly one shots, of course, with at least five spooky themed games supporting March of Dimes during the month of October. As far as TTRPGs…I’ve started working on a wholesome TTRPG and another D&D murder mystery. More to come!
B: Thank you again for talking with me! Where can folks find you if they want to see what you’re up to?
My main hub is Twitter (I know, I know, I’m going down with the ship and then I’ll swim to a different platform.) If you’re interested in D&D adventures and supplements, you can check out my work on the DMsGuild, or find me on Itch.io for silly one-page TTRPGs. If you’d like to catch one of my TTRPG charity streams live, you can watch on Twitch. Otherwise, check out my Carrd to find everything else.
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Thanks again to Jes for the talk! Do grab Uncaging Nicolas as soon as it drops, you will make Jes (and Nic Cage, probably) very happy!
