Attention Economy and TTRPGs: Are We Krill in the Critical Role Pond?

Attention Economy and TTRPGs: Are We Krill in the Critical Role Pond?

Author: Josh Varty and Kristoffer Hansen November 21, 2025 Duration: 35:01

Hosts Josh and Kris tackle the Attention Economy and its uncomfortable role in the TTRPG space. From recognizing their place as "krill" in the same ecosystem as giants like Critical Role to debating whether the attention economy is "evil," they discuss how DMs can use its tricks—like rewarding quiet moments (the Mrs. Pots dinner scenario)—to keep players engaged and honor their time, without resorting to constant chaos. Plus, a tangent on Telltale's Dispatch and terrible modeling advice from grandmothers.


In No Plot, Only Lore, hosts Josh Varty and Kristoffer Hansen settle in for a conversation that feels like pulling up a chair at a familiar table. Their focus is the intricate, often messy, and deeply rewarding world of collaborative storytelling games, examining them not as rulebooks to be won but as frameworks for shared imagination. Each episode digs into the craft behind these experiences-how a setting’s history shapes a character’s decision, why a particular game mechanic fosters better stories, or what it means to build a narrative together without a predetermined endpoint. You’ll hear two seasoned practitioners reflect on the subtle art of being a player and a guide, discussing the tools and philosophies that transform a simple game night into a memorable saga. This podcast is for anyone who has ever gotten lost in a character’s backstory or spent more time discussing a campaign’s lore than actually rolling dice. It’s a thoughtful, meandering, and personal look at the stories we tell when we play, offering insights that resonate long after the session ends. Join Josh and Kristoffer for a deep, comfortable dive into the heart of why we gather to imagine together.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

No Plot, Only Lore
Podcast Episodes
The Problem With Progress: OPR's Sentient Bugs and Fan Backlash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:07
One Page Rules (OPR) started as a quick, simple alternative to Warhammer 40,000, but now it’s charting its own path with unique lore. The results? A minefield of mixed audience reactions.In this episode, we dive into the…
Cringe: Why Sincerity Still Matters at the TTRPG Gaming Table [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:03
Let’s talk about being cringe! Pretend play is an essential part of growing up and learning social roles and shit.This goes back to Piaget and Vygotsky - pretending is how we experiment and try on identities and learn em…
Bring out the Clowns: Humor and Jokes at the TTRPG Table [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:21
We was talking clowns and that got me on the ha-has. The Party as a Comedy TroupeMost D&D tables accidentally become improv comedy theater.“Every game starts as Game of Thrones and ends as Monty Python.”Long campaigns ki…