Save for Half podcast
Self-Improvement
Episodes
- Episode 67: TMNT & Other Strangeness by Palladium
We’ve all been there. A truck spills toxic waste, waste goes into the sewers, turtles are mutated into Ninja Fighting Warriors, and are then trained by a rat. Its an oft told tale, and this show the Halflings delve into that 1980s Palladiu…
- Found in the Ruins episode 14: Zombie Apocalypses
…or would that be Apocalypti? I forget my Latin, but one thing Doc Benny and Boom Mike don’t forget is how many varieties of zombie apocs there are out there! We discuss everything from the novel I am Legend to crazy-fast zombies of movies…
- Episode 66.5: Double NTRPG Show!
“What’s This?” You ask? No, probably you didn’t but work with me here! It’s the North Texas RPG Con 2026 Sideshow, double sized for 2 guests. That’s right, not only is BadMike “Satan” in the house, but also the God Emperor of NTRPG himself…
- Episode 66: Fantasy Wargaming, ed. by Bruce Galloway
Welcome to the first game review of 2026, and it’s a doozy. Fantasy Wargaming: The Highest Level of All, edited by Bruce Galloway, and published in 1981, is famous (notorious?) for clunky rules, odd premises, and far too much about how ter…
- Episode 65: Email Catchups
We really should check our email more often. As an example of this, we provide a show where we catch up with Fall 2025 emails and discuss our goals for the new year. What will we say? What will we plan? Why will you care? Find out in the f…
- Found in the Ruins episode 13: All of Us Are Dead
Welcome Wastelanders to lucky episode 13 of the Found in the Ruins podcast! This time around your bunker buddies are reviewing the 2022 Korean television series “All of Us Are Dead”—a series on a zombie outbreak and a high school’s reactio…
- Episode 64.5: Stuff!
The last episode (64) was about the Best of the Dragon , so it’s only right that this episode is about the Best of Stuff. What stuff? The stuff we decide to talk about of course! Our first cons, gaming styles, Combat vs. Role-Playing, and…
- Episode 64: Best of The Dragon Vol. 1
This episode is the Best of the Best that’s Best! Best what? Why Best of Dragon magazine, volume 1! This covers the run of Strategic Review and the first few Dragon magazines, as only your Halfling Horde of 4 can bring it to you! Languages…
- Episode 63: Brindlewood Bay RPG by Jason Cordova
It was MURDER! Then again, isn’t it always? The Halflings delve into the mysteries of murders, semi-lightweight Elder Gods, and worst of all small town book clubs! Join us if you dare for snooping old ladies, gardening, knitting, murder my…
- Found in the Ruins episode 12: Smackdown — The Omega Man vs. I Am Legend
Greetings Wastelanders! It’s the return of the FITR Zombie Smackdown! In this corner is 1971’s The Omega Man with “glistening” Charlton Heston in his Honkey Paradise. Machine guns, Halloween masks, and convenient lighting abound! In this c…
- Episode 62: Tall Tales B/X Wild West by Mark Hunt
Yew’uns better scoot a boot t’wards this here review of the Old West that once shot a man for snorin’ too loud… Save for Half! This episode we discuss Tall Tales, a B/X version of the Wild West as only the OSR can bring it to you. Guns, St…
- Episode 61.5: North Texas RPG Con 2025 Wrap-Up
It’s that time of year again! Your Fab Foursome (well, 3 anyway) discuss this year’s North Texas RPG Con and its gaming goodness. Danger! Excitement! Semi-open pools! And the answer to the question that baffles us all… Who put the doughnut…
- Found in the Ruins episode 11: RPGs of the Cold War
Your Post-Apoc duo Boom Mike and Doc Benny are joined once again by that guy who’s a little too fond of BBQ Pork; Doc Jared! We discuss growing up in the Cold War and our favorite RPGs from that period, notably Aftermath and Gamma World. N…
- Episode 61: Urban Knights RPG by C. Michael Hall
Insert Waka-chica/Waka-chica/Waka-chica > It’s time to hit the mean streets of San Francisco with Barnaby Jones and Police Woman to save Starsky and Hutch in Vega$! We’ve got the TV goodness of the 1970s with Urban Knights, a RPG based on…
- Found in the Ruins episode 10: Radio Nowhere by Lee Beard
Welcome to the Bunker, Wastelanders! This time your hosts with the mosts Boom Mike and Doc Benny talk with the Post-Apocalyptic author Lee Beard on her Young Adult book Radio Nowhere ; a viral apocalypse that was written well before Covid.…
- Episode 60: Fifty Years of D&D by MIT Press
Behold! We review a book, and it’s…a thing. Your Fab Foursome delve into this informative and controversial book of essays discussing various aspects of Dungeons and Dragons from 1974 to 2024—and beyond? Sit back, grab a cold one and join…
- Found in the Ruins episode 9: Twilight 2000 with Shane
It’s time to look back at the nightmare that the year 2000 brought us. No, not Y2K; the inevitable war between the US and the USSR in Europe! Don’t remember that? Neither do we! Which is why “Bam Shane” from the Shane Plays podcast is here…
- Episode 59.5: Author Pauli Kidd
Yes! Our favorite Australian Game Designer is in the house! Pauli Kidd the author of several Dungeons & Dragons novels such as White Plume Mountain , Descent into the Depths of the Earth , and Queen of the Demonweb Pits joins your halfling…
- Episode 59: Wolf’s Head Tor by Pauli Kidd
This episode we celebrate 2025 by looking back…to 1979? That’s right, author, game designer, and all around excellent person Pauli Kidd has released her first setting and megadungeon for those wishing a taste of Old School goodness. We dis…
- Found in the Ruins episode 8: Smackdown—Dawn vs. Dawn
It’s a new dawn….of the dead? This time the Dyspeptic Duo of Boom Mike and Doc Benny talk the second movie smackdown of the show; Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (1978) versus Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead (2004)! Thrills, chills, shuttle buses…
- Episode 58.5: White Box Cyclopedia Kickstarter
What’s this? Not just another retro-clone, the White Box Cyclopedia takes an innovative path that moves the White Box to new heights of simplicity and adventure! Coming to a Kickstarter near you, the Fab 4 Halflings talk with the author Ja…
- Found in the Ruins episode 7: “Medic!”
If you’re stuck on Band Aid brand, cuz Band Aid’s stuck on you…then you’ll enjoy this episode of Found in the Ruins! Boom Mike and Doc Benny are joined again by Doc Jared for some discussions on medical treatment in the Post-Apoc, both how…
- Episode 58: Shadowdark RPG by Kelsey Dionne
Living up to our “modern games inspired by them” tag line, we’re covering a relatively new kid on the block (???) of the RPG scene, the Shadowdark game by Kelsey Dionne. This award winning RPG took Kickstarter by storm and marries Old Scho…
- Episode 57: Attack of the Humans by Rapport Games
Ever watch a bad Horror movie and say to yourself, “If I’d been there I’d have totally owned that monster!” Well, this month’s RPG is for you! Your Fab Four Halflings dive into a 1990 game that answers the question “Who knew Weekly World N…
- Found in the Ruins episode 6: The Guardians by Richard Austin
That’s right, it’s that decade where we loved to end the world, the 1980s! Specifically, it is 1985, the year that saw the first book in The Guardians series by Richard Austin published, helpfully named The Guardians . Your two favorite Wa…
- Episode 56: Wizard Van by James M. Spahn
As with most adventures, this RPG starts at a rock concert. While you wait, you chat with a fellow rocker dude in his tricked-out van with a wizard painted on it. Then, adventure ensues! Want to know more? Well, listen to your Fab Four Hal…
- Found in the Ruins episode 5: The Other Other White Meat
Let’s talk about something safe…Cannibalism! Like it or not, it comes up in virtually every Post-Apocalyptic tale you can imagine. Beyond the inevitable questions of “would you or wouldn’t you”, how do these tales treat the ramifications o…
- Episode 55.5: North Texas Gaslights
It’s August, and you know what that means…or should mean; it’s North Texas RPG Con wrap-up info time! But just so you don’t get too bored listening to con events, we’re also interviewing Stephen Miller of Battlefield Press! We talk the Gas…
- Found in the Ruins episode #4: Smackdown! Night vs. Night
It’s the first Smackdown episode of Found in the Ruins! In this corner is Night of the Living Dead, 1968 edition. In the other corner is Night of the Living Dead, 1990 edition. Who will win? Who will lose? Are both great? Neither? Only thi…
- Episode 55: Lankhmar 1985 by TSR
Here we have an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons product that’s Licensed to Pulp! Yes, it’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser’s city of Lankhmar, the home base of the two ne’er-do-wells from author Fritz Lieber’s fantasy stories of the mid-20th centur…
- Episode 54: D20 Future
Remember…in Space, no one can hear you roll a D20! Your Fab Foursome gather once again to delve into the jungle of D20 products to cover a book that promises all the future you can stand. Does it live up to the hype? Is it useful? Or is it…
- Found in the Ruins episode #3: Red Hordes!
Greetings, Comrades! Today we discuss that great adversary of yesterday and today, the Red Hordes of Communism. For good or ill, they are the bugaboos of apocalyptic fiction and films from The People of the Ruins by Shanks to the movie rem…
- Episode 53.5: North Texas RPG Con 2024
Welcome to the traditional sideshow where we drag Mike Badolato on air to chat about the North Texas RPG Con this June! Well, we tried to get Gary Oliver but he’s a busy man, you know. We discuss hotel overflows, food trucks, a record numb…
- Found in the Ruins episode #2: Pulp Apocalypse Review
The 1970s and 80s were a time of apocalyptic fears, and what better way to promote them than through cheap paperbacks? That’s right, your favorite Wastelanders Boom Mike and Doc Benny discuss this time as reflected in the book Pulp Apocaly…
- Episode 53: Star Wars D6 from West End Games
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away… Ok, 37 years ago and not so far away the Star Wars RPG was first published by West End Games. We consider the game itself, the idea of dice pools, and answer that age-old question of why are there…
- Found in the Ruins episode #1: “What is a Post-Apocalypse?”
What’s this, you ask? It’s a side project podcast that covers Post-Apocalyptic books, games, movies, and what not. Hosts Boom Mike and Doc Benny take this first episode to introduce themselves and tell you their interpretations of the Post…
- Episode 52.5: Star Wars, 1977 Edition
Get ready True Believers for a first…a Prequel Save for Half! We’ll be reviewing the West End Games Star Wars D6 RPG in episode 53, but first we invite the Curmudgeon in the Cellar himself Tim Kask on to talk about 1977’s Star Wars and its…
- Episode 52: I6 Ravenloft by Tracy & Laura Hickman
You’ve heard of Christmas in July? Well, welcome to Halloween in January! Your Fab-lings start the new year with a ‘Bleh!’ with everyone’s favorite vampire Strahd in the original AD&D module I6: Ravenloft by Tracy and Laura Hickman. Thrill…
- Episode 51.5: Emails & 2023 Retrospective
It’s December, which means it’s time for the patented Save for Half year-end retrospective and email hot tub time machine! Well, DM Liz reads some emails anyway. Forgive our delay in getting to some of these emails, but we kept them in the…
- Episode 51: Gamma World 4E by TSR
What’s this? Your Fab Four covering Gamma World again? Keep patient True Believers, because this isn’t the Gamma World you remember from the late 1970s. This is the 1992 revamp of our favorite game of mutations and murderbots! New rules sy…
- Episode 50.5: Skeeter Green and his Productions!
A show literally months in the making! Your Fab Four Halflings sit down with Skeeter Green to discuss his RPG company Skeeter Green Productions, the Independent Publisher’s Union (#notaunion), and of course…new classes? We discuss all thes…
- Episode 50: RuneQuest by Chaosium
What’s this? A game of Bronze-Age fantasy that mixes ancient cultures from Sumeria to the Celts? A unique world steeped in legend named Glorantha? Guest host Game Master Ed to explain the actual play of this game? Madness! Yet your Fab 4 a…
- Episode 49: The Dare-Luck Club by Dandyline Games
Get ready to gird your Oomph and Marbles, as the kids in the Halfling Clubhouse lead you on a delve into 70s and 80s kids’ shows, both real and imaginary! This show we’re looking at Dare-Luck Club, published by Lou Hoefer and Dandyline Gam…
- Episode 48.5: Luau Lou vs. DM Corbett!
Grab your sombreros and get ready for a hijacked episode of Save For Half. This episode DM Corbett has taken over and brought in everyone’s favorite wacky sitcom next door neighbors, Luau Lou! What happened to the rest of the hosts, you ma…
- Episode 48: “D&D Honor Among Thieves” and NTRPG Con
Yes, we took the plunge so you don’t have to! The Fab Four watched the D&D: HAT movie and give our opinions; the good, the bad, and the Satanic! That’s right, Satan (AKA Mike Badolato) joins us to give his Infernal views on the film. Oh, a…
- Episode 47.5: GOZR CharGen Extravaganza!
Normally we do up our character generation sessions as extras for the Patreon supporters, but this one was so much fun we decided to make a Sideshow out of it and release it to the entire community! Not only are all 4 Halflings here for th…
- Episode 47: Killer by Steve Jackson Games
Sometimes we cover games that are truly artifacts of their time. This is one of those! Killer by Steve Jackson Games might be considered by some a proto-LARP, others would see it as “Cops & Robbers” for adults, and most others as a serious…
- Episode 46: Jolly Blackburn Interview
This episode the Save For Halflings are honored to interview Knights of the Dinner Table author Jolly Blackburn! Jolly doesn’t do many interviews, so this is a rare opportunity to get the inside dope from the gifted storyteller who recentl…
- Episode 45.5: 2022 End of Year Retrospective
It’s another end of year show, with emails and voice mails to answer. Many questions, many answers…and some even make sense! Take a listen and find out once and for all the answer to the burning question of, ‘Why did a big clown hit DM Liz…
- Episode 45: GOZR Sci-Fantasy by Random Order Creations
When it comes to modern games inspired by the OSR, there is ’70s Gonzo, and there’s ’70s GONZO. Welcome to GOZR, the Sci-Fi/Fantasy RPG where characters called Gooz learn about a world reshaped by catastrophe and sorcerous science. Danger,…