Main Topic: Environmental Storytelling

Every location bears scars. These might have been left by human occupation, entropy, natural disasters, or something altogether more eldritch. Whatever the cause, places have their own stories to tell.

But just how does environmental storytelling work in fiction and gaming? What turns seemingly random items into a non-linear narrative? And how might we use these techniques in our own games?

We touched on related matters when we discussed haunted landscapes with Heather Miller in episode 304.

Our Guest Host

This episode we’re delighted to welcome Alex Sun back to the Good Friends! Alex is a scenario author and co-host for RPG Reanimators, a podcast that first dissects scenarios into their base components and then reanimates them with new ideas. The podcast also offers tips and resources for GMs and players alike. You can also find him on actual plays as both a player and gamemaster on the Into the Darkness channel and the RPG Reanimators YouTube channel.

Links

Things we mention in this episode include:

• “Environmental Storytelling: Creating Immersive 3D Worlds Using Lessons Learned From the Theme Park Industry” by Don Carson
• Call of Cthulhu and Detective Fiction, with Heather Miller
• Blade Runner RPG
• Fallout
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
• Carved From Brindlewood

• Conspiracy theories
• “Cause and Effect” from Star Trek: The Next Generation
• “Environmental Storytelling: A Critique” by Noah Chidoub
• BioShock
• The Division
• Come and See (1985)
• “The Colour Out of Space” by HP Lovecraft
• “The Red Tower” from Teatro Grottesco by Thomas Ligotti
• Wyrd and Other Derelictions by Adam Nevill

• “UNLAND” from Fear’s Sharp Little Needles
• D&D
• Elfs
• Dark City (1998)
• The Alexandian
• Public Access
• The Between
• RPG Reanimators panel at A Weekend With Good Friends

News

A Weekend With Good Friends returns!

Player signups for A Weekend With Good Friends are currently open, but you need to act soon if you want to register for any games.

A Weekend With Good Friends is, of course, the online gaming convention organised by our lovely listeners, hosted on The Good Friends of Jackson Elias Discord server.

We shall be recording live episodes of the Good Friends during the convention, with Ross Bryant on the 12th of June and Zach Reeves on the 13th. See the panels page for more details.

Key dates for the convention are:

• GM signups: 29th April – 13th May 2026 — GM signups
• Player signups: 21st May – 4th June 2026
• A Weekend With Good Friends: Friday 12th June – Sunday 14th June 2026

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