# Episode 138: We Are All Gamers Old In Wickedness **URL:** \ **Category:** Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice\ **Created:** [1 August 2024 08:19 UTC](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369 "2024-08-01T08:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lordof1](https://discussion.tekeli.li/user_avatar/discussion.tekeli.li/lordof1/32/5_2.png) [@Lordof1](https://discussion.tekeli.li/u/Lordof1)\ **Post date:** [20 August 2024 18:32 UTC](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369/21 "2024-08-20T18:32:46Z")
Roger and Mike Don’t like The structure of haiku. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![BigJackBrass](https://discussion.tekeli.li/user_avatar/discussion.tekeli.li/bigjackbrass/32/4_2.png) [@BigJackBrass](https://discussion.tekeli.li/u/BigJackBrass)\ **Post date:** [20 August 2024 21:06 UTC](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369/22 "2024-08-20T21:06:48Z")
Now try a villanelle: _The villanelle consists of five [stanzas](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanza) of three lines ([tercets](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tercet)) followed by a single stanza of four lines (a [quatrain](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quatrain)) for a total of nineteen lines.[[21]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villanelle#cite_note-Strand_et_al._2001_p._7-21) It is structured by two repeating [rhymes](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyme) and two [refrains](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrain): the first line of the first stanza serves as the last line of the second and fourth stanzas, and the third line of the first stanza serves as the last line of the third and fifth stanzas.[[21]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villanelle#cite_note-Strand_et_al._2001_p._7-21) The rhyme-and-refrain pattern of the villanelle is:_ _Refrain 1 (A1)_ _Line 2 (b)_ _Refrain 2 (A2)_ _Line 4 (a)_ _Line 5 (b)_ _Refrain 1 (A1)_ _Line 7 (a)_ _Line 8 (b)_ _Refrain 2 (A2)_ _Line 10 (a)_ _Line 11 (b)_ _Refrain 1 (A1)_ _Line 13 (a)_ _Line 14 (b)_ _Refrain 2 (A2)_ _Line 16 (a)_ _Line 17 (b)_ _Refrain 1 (A1)_ _Refrain 2 (A2)_ _Here, “a” and “A” lines rhyme, and A1 and A2indicate two different refrains which are repeated exactly. It can be [schematized](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyme_scheme) as A1bA2 abA1 abA2 abA1 abA2 abA1A2.[[6]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villanelle#cite_note-aap-6)_ _The villanelle has no established meter, although most 19th-century villanelles used [trimeter](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimeter) or [tetrameter](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrameter) and most 20th-century villanelles used [pentameter](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentameter). Slight alteration of the refrain line is permissible._ ---
**Author:** ![RogerBW](https://discussion.tekeli.li/user_avatar/discussion.tekeli.li/rogerbw/32/3_2.png) [@RogerBW](https://discussion.tekeli.li/u/RogerBW)\ **Post date:** [21 August 2024 08:30 UTC](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369/23 "2024-08-21T08:30:42Z")
I have been known to commit sestina, though only under extreme provocation. ---
**Author:** ![jfs](https://discussion.tekeli.li/user_avatar/discussion.tekeli.li/jfs/32/29565_2.png) [@jfs](https://discussion.tekeli.li/u/jfs)\ **Post date:** [3 March 2026 16:02 UTC](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369/24 "2026-03-03T16:02:02Z")
Apologies if thread necromancy is frowned upon here, but I’m working my way through the IRTWD archives and just listened to this episode, and Roger and Mike’s first (?) experience of BITD. One of the things they said was that it wasn’t clear to them what they were supposed to do as players and rather than shout at the radio (metaphorically speaking) I thought I’d link to this article, by Iain Macallister, about his thoughts on how to play and GM BITD. [How to Play, and Run, Blades in the Dark - The Giant Brain](https://giantbrain.co.uk/2023/04/06/how-to-play-and-run-blades-in-the-dark/) I don’t agree with everything he says entirely, but I do think it’s a good indication of the mental gear shifts that more traditional players and GMs might have to be comfortable with to enjoy the game. I’d especially call out his reiteration of the player principles, namely: - **Embrace the Scoundrel’s life** - **Go into Danger, Fall in love with trouble** - **Don’t be a Weasel – _Make the relevant action roll_** - **Take Responsibility** - **Use your Stress** - **Don’t Talk Yourself out of fun** - **Build your character through play** - **Act Now, plan Later** And the oft quoted ‘drive it [your character] like you stole it’ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RogerBW](https://discussion.tekeli.li/user_avatar/discussion.tekeli.li/rogerbw/32/3_2.png) [@RogerBW](https://discussion.tekeli.li/u/RogerBW)\ **Post date:** [3 March 2026 16:21 UTC](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369/25 "2026-03-03T16:21:34Z")
I think Mike had played it before; I hadn’t, though I had read about it. All that “do wild and crazy stuff” doesn’t go well in my mind with a system that seems determined to make you fail often and punish you when you do. ---
**Author:** ![jfs](https://discussion.tekeli.li/user_avatar/discussion.tekeli.li/jfs/32/29565_2.png) [@jfs](https://discussion.tekeli.li/u/jfs)\ **Post date:** [3 March 2026 18:21 UTC](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369/26 "2026-03-03T18:21:51Z")
Ahh - that’s interesting. I don’t think it is a system that encourages you to fail - quite the opposite. In my experience, it’s one which makes it very easy for you to succeed, if you’re willing to pay the cost. But I do think it’s quite a different way to think about a game, both as a player and GM, hence the link to Iain’s post. [Previous page](https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/episode-138-we-are-all-gamers-old-in-wickedness/5369.md?page=1)