An in depth look at games, gamers, and why we play
The podcast The Cardboard Herald is created by Jack Eddy. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
Jack and Eric discuss how luck affects board games
00:00 Intro
02:04 Games We've Played
16:18 2025 Luck in Board Games
56:58 1st Listener Question - Our take on how luck in board games has evolved?
01:03:43 2nd Listener Question - Only No-Luck games or Only Medium-Luck Games?
1:06:26 3rd Listener Question - Our thoughts on games that feature negative emotions?
Jack and Eric discuss what 2025 will look like for the board game industry as we know it
00:00 Intro
01:23 Games We've Played
26:20 2025 Board Game Industry Outlook
01:04:49 Listener Questions
Eric and Jack chat about our experiences and tips for teaching games.
00:00 - Intro
02:16 - Games we've been playing
20:41 - Teaching Games
58:11 - Listener questions
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Eric and Jack sit down to talk about our experience and the games we played at PAX Unplugged 2024. You can watch the video for this chat on our youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/TX0A9JFHtak
00:00 - Releasing a game at GenCon
04:33 - Did River of Gold start as an L5R Game?
09:25 - Working with an imprint of Asmodee
11:34 - Why no solo mode?
14:55 - Developing the linear aspect of the game
18:32 - Commercial pressures for success
21:24 - Motivation to become a designer
25:13 - What makes a good sell sheet & game pitch?
27:18 - Dream universe to adapt into a board game
31:34 - What's next for Keith & River of Gold?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
03:42 - From editing to design
04:42 - What makes a good rule book?
07:53 - Why big floppy rulebooks?
10:15 - Root 4 a New Hope
11:42 - Big box for all your stuff?
14:57 - What's the pitch room like for Root content?
22:21 - What was the starting point?
25:50 - Clockwork & hirelings support
28:26 - Coolest part of the expansion?
31:06 - Reach and player count for new factions
32:31 - Long public development process
35:05 - Involvement in art direction
38:49 - What still needs development?
44:46 - What's the 3rd element of the expansion?
47:40 - What other games are cookin' at Leder?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
01:42 - Different approach than with Distilled?
04:21 - Did you always plan on publishing in addition to design work?
07:17 - How do publication concerns impact game design?
09:45 - What sets Luthier apart from other games?
13:19 - Was there hesitation over the complexity level?
17:11 - How much do you design for the catalog?
20:27 - Did the long public exposure impact development?
24:26 - How was working with Vincent Dutrait?
29:27 - How much did you dictate art style and aesthetic?
33:01 - Should luck and randomness be proportional to a game?
35:28 - Is randomness necessary for modern games?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
The backer kit campaign for Ahoy: New Horizons launches November 14, 2023 here: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/fd610745-96dd-4289-839e-ac0757c468bd/landing
00:00 - Intro & genesis of the expansion
02:04 - What type of expansion is this
04:09 - New factions, same limitations?
04:46 - Solo considered?
06:09 - Approach to figuring out what to expand
08:15 - Smugglers in a 2 player game?
10:48 - What makes a good game developer?
13:14 - Leder & external designs
16:10 - ARCS internal pitch & development
20:41 - Role of market research & staying up on games
24:13 - Early transparency & impact on creativity
29:36 - Minnesota & Board Games
32:00 - What makes a Leder game?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Earthborne Rangers is the exciting new cooperative, open-world adventure game that I highly recommend. You can find our review here: https://youtu.be/uX91cv5H43M?si=m6WW_zI7V3BLKILx
00:00 - Earthborne Rangers background
05:25 - Inspiration for the setting
12:51 - 15 years with Fantasy Flight Games
21:27 - Creative director and leaving FFG
28:23 - Earthborne's commitment to sustainability
36:24 - How to teach and tutorialize games better
46:24 - Challenges designing an open world adventure
54:01 - Now and future Earthborne
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Freelancers is the new crossroads game from Plaid Hat Games. Timestamps are below, pre-order here: https://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/2023/03/30/announcing-freelancers-crossroads-game/
00:00 - Introduction & feelings leading up to release
04:26 - The Plaid Hat Way
06:10 - Starting Board With Life
11:00 - Freedom & flexibility in the design process
13:53 - What defines a crossroads game?
17:49 - Freelancers' art direction
21:32 - Setting
24:32 - Character creation
27:07 - Gameplay, saving & progress
30:08 - Emergent elements?
33:35 - Designing to player count
38:44 - The lost mechanical germ
42:25 - What caused this apocalypse
44:51 - What's on the horizon?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Prefer audio? Check out this interview on our pod channel. Also, go check out Tim and the rest of the BGHT team at: https://boardgamehottakes.com
00:00 - Intro
03:43 - Getting games played for the podcast
08:21 - Evolution of tastes
14:30 - Vested interest in recruiting gamers
17:58 - Gaming history starting with MTG
24:25 - Converting to board games
30:06 - Goals for the podcast
33:40 - Cost of content creation
41:16 - Other pursuits & passions (and movies!)
51:00 - Importance of theme and presentation
56:42 - Upcoming shows
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
00:52 - Distribution of Frosthaven vs. Gloomhaven
03:25 - Moving into a managerial role
05:19 - Fatherhood
06:16 - Frosthaven Design & Development
10:54 - Frosthaven a response to Gloomhaven or Jaws?
15:42 - Settling on a hefty MSRP and leftovers on the cutting floor
18:47 - Crimson Scales
21:13 - Gloomhaven RPG
25:45 - Card integration into the RPG
29:45 - Who is the market?
31:25 - World building?
34:08 - Evolution as a designer
37:57 - What's on the horizon?
39:42 - Most exciting part of the RPG
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
01:10 - Making war games more approachable
03:31 - Origins as a designer
06:01 - First pitch, first publish
08:25 - Mistakes as an early designer
10:55 - Developing a partnership with Trevor
14:08 - Did you know how big Undaunted would be?
18:09 - Fetishizing elegance
20:01 - When to work alone vs. co-design
22:42 - No solo in Stalingrad?
27:29 - Origins of Resist!
31:26 - Accuracy vs. sensitivity in historical games
37:14 - Design objectives with Stalingrad
44:54 - What media helps fuel your creativity
50:20 - Did research for a game every change your mind?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Radlands
02:21 - Dice Conquest
04:03 - Voyages
04:52 - Orichalcum
06:15 - Life Siphon
07:53 - Once Upon a Time
08:56 - Star Fighters Rapid Fire
10:47 - Kitchen Rush
12:38 - Twilight Inscription
14:45 - Dinosaur Island Rawr 'N Write
16:57 - Flamecraft
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Find out more at PC's site here: https://www.getpostcurious.com or watch our review of Adrift here: https://youtu.be/bNiYeftscXY
00:00 - First time with a booth
00:57 - A more robust lineup
02:21 - Panneling for puzzles at the con
03:04 - Audience awareness
04:21 - Upcoming projects
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Had to guerrilla shoot this at the airbnb, so please excuse the limited camera angle & dim lighting. The audio version of this interview is up on our pod channel.
00:00 - Intro
06:15 - Defenders of the Wild
16:43 - Design & Development in the KS Cylce
21:32 - Defenders of the wild
31:31 - Frustrations with projects?
35:22 - Pitching at PAX U 2022?
37:08 - Signature style
39:27 - Research to hone the design craft
47:06 - More creative sway on the end product?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
00:22 - What is this game?
02:10 - Card play & management
03:43 - Combat units
05:06 - Attacking
06:55 - Tactics & Strategy
07:22 - Final Thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Want to just listen to the review? Check it out on the podcast channel. Also you can check out the Jaws of the Lion Review here: https://youtu.be/0jYwmUwZ6uc
00:00 - Intro & Gloomy Review
01:36 - What is this game?
03:34 - Characters
04:30 - Bannerspear
05:51 - Blinkblade
06:46 - Deathwalker
08:18 - Outpost phase & base building
11:07 - Loot & Crafting
12:48 - Rules presentation
15:21 - Visuals & Narrative
16:23 - Finessing the system
18:41 - Final thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Response to new releases
02:49 - Development & production of The Fox Experiment
03:49 - Rawr & Write expansion
04:52 - "Family +" and the Pandasaurus Ethos
05:43 - Taking pitches at the con?
06:19 - Brew expansion
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Response to Onslaught
01:34 - Con hitting different with 2 giant titles?
02:28 - Future of Onslaught
03:16 - Production values
04:11 - What do you want to sneak in?
05:22 - Dream IP to set a game?
06:27 - Godrealm & other projects
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
01:12 - Pitches & Networking
02:57 - Original spark with Ahoy
06:06 - Status of ARCS development
12:27 - Is approachability over fetishized?
16:40 - Organization structure at Leder Games
19:10 - Can you still enjoy a con as a gamer?
21:23 - PATH & other upcoming projects
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
00:41 - Game Overview
02:26 - Taking Actions
05:53 - The Calendar & Game End
07:50 - Two Player & Lack of Solo
08:35 - Final Thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Coming to Kickstarter November 29th
00:00 - Intro
00:18 - Game overview
02:23 - How you get points
02:23 - what makes it compelling?
03:18 - A gimmick that (kinda) works
05:16 - Final Thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro, concept & scope
02:15 - Research & Teliaxu board
03:10 - Specimens
03:55 - Grafting
04:39 - Family atomics
05:15 - How it effects the game
06:16 - Tactical vs. Strategic
07:40 - Combining it all
08:16 - Final Thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Our kickstarter review of Total Mayhem is here: https://youtu.be/7v2QuHi5JdY
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Selecting Cards
01:23 - Addressing the stalemate
02:25 - The New Stuff (Table, Ladder & Coffin)
03:52 - Doing what expansions should do
05:00 - Final Thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - The Elephant-sized Canary Comparison
01:42 - Linear set collection
03:59 - Action system
06:19 - Theme
07:33 - Solo Mode
08:03 - Final Thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
01:06 - What is this game
02:41 - Scope & modernization
03:42 - Things I really like starting with initiative
05:02 - Character management
07:41 - Attacking, AC & modifiers
08:13 - Aesthetic & Presentation
09:04 - What didn't work starting with weird points optimizing
10:34 - A couple mechanical quibbles
11:32 - Final Thoughts & the cooperative elephant
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro
00:31 - Scope of the game
01:42 - Using cards
04:31 - The greatest joy of the game
05:40 - The crunch
07:06 - Final Thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - So you say you want a revolution
01:03 - Scope of the game
02:54 - Taking your turn
05:59 - What's in a theme?
07:21 - Final thoughts
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
00:00 - Intro & reactions to Ahoy at GenCon
02:14 - Ahoy's origins as Hyperspace Smuggler
06:07 - Pitching the game to publishers
10:53 - Early game inspirations
14:45 - Signing the game with Leder
18:11 - The internal development process
24:37 - Meeting a game on it's own terms
28:02 - Revolutionary approach?
29:40 - Future of Ahoy
33:18 - What's next for Greg?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Junk Drawer KS here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/junkdrawergame/junk-drawer
Our review here: https://youtu.be/IuyMZyWOWt0
00:00 - Intro
02:37 - Demo'ing at GenCon
07:29 - Design & development
10:44 - No player interaction = puzzle not game?
16:05 - Feelings on the campaign
23:37 - How KS has changed since the pandemic
29:40 - What's on the horizon?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Please note that there are prototype game images, gifs, and screenshots from the available rulebook that are all subject to change. Links to all the important stuff below.
00:00 - Intro
01:07 - Entry point into game design
02:36 - FFG / Z-Man vets forming Moon Crab
05:08 - Why not pitch?
07:21 - Leviathan Wilds = Shadow of the Colossus + Gloomhaven?
10:31 - How the AI Works
13:19 - Dungeon Crawl Trends
18:03 - Reward structure & the great fail-forward debate
23:02 - Transitioning from established to new IPs
28:35 - Visual design for the world
32:27 - Biggest iteration (so far)
35:58 - Future Moon Crab projects
Moon Crab Links:
Leviathan Wilds Rulebook: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VmXlouus0QL6wE2-DBEDhGq54fGPHRDFfgsMTa0maig/edit?usp=sharing
Leviathan Wilds TTS Mod: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2757524665
Our Links:
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Recorded this audio interview in anticipation of their Gamefound launch on February 15, 2022, back it here: https://gamefound.com/projects/draft/zxc58ag7firw48g1aggj8ue80qo
00:00 - Intro & Why switching to Gamefound?
04:33 - Risks in leaving Kickstarter?
09:47 - Revamping the game & getting Greg on-board
14:18 - Design ambitions for Uprising
23:06 - Anticipating backlash?
33:34 - Ambition to change minds
40:00 - Outro
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Megapulse just launched, go check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/orion-games/megapulse?ref=discovery&term=megapulse
00:00 - Intro & International Travel in 2021
04:20 - The Megapulse Mega Pitch
07:35 - How to convey momentum in a turn-based board game
10:44 - Rubber banding
14:10 - Scaling player counts
16:21 - Going full-time with Orion Games?
18:25 - French-Canadian Tabletop Gaming Scene
22:45 - COVID & Conventions
28:16 - Most challenging aspect of development?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Talking with one of my favorite designers of all time. I knew that he couldn't share much on Cyclades so I didn't press the issue but I'm glad we got the info we did!
00:00 - Quarantine impact on game design
05:52 - Prototyping & adapting to TTS
08:56 - Thoughts on Solo Gaming
14:34 - Authorial Intent & Fan Variants
19:30 - When to bring in other designers
23:09 - Trek 12
28:11 - Starting a design from theme, mechanism or component
29:20 - Competing with yourself?
33:47 - New edition of Cyclades
39:55 - Kingdomino: Origins
43:55 - Nicodemus
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Roll Camera's new expansion hits kickstarter this week! Check it out at these links: https://bit.ly/2VAFmNM & Keen Bean Studio: www.keenbean.studio
00:00 - Intro
01:56 - Unique considerations when doing it all yourself
06:40 - Why fly solo
10:30 - Studying games vs film
14:44 - Capturing the actual film industry
21:02 - Compromising theme for game design
29:09 - Going full-time & avoiding retail
34:59 - Fairly representing B Movies
41:15 - How bringing in a developer helped
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
The Light in the Mist is an exciting new puzzle game by Post Curious, makers of The Emerald Flame & The Tale of Ord. The kickstarter launches Sept 21 at this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/postcurious/the-light-in-the-mist
00:00 - Intro & scope of the game
06:04 - Why bring in a collaborator?
10:19 - The design process
13:24 - Why make something smaller
15:52 - Gaging the right level of challenge
22:21 - Non-linear structure & multiuse components
25:04 - Writing the story
30:56 - Post-kickstarter endeavors & The future of PostCurious
Other Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
You may know Eduardo Baraf as a game designer and owner of Pencil First Games, but may more will know him from his popular review channel Gaming With Edo.
00:00 - Intro
01:10 - Designer; Publisher; Content Creator
03:35 - Emphasizing smaller publishers
06:42 - Perception of reviewers
11:37 - Contacting publishers for reviews
16:46 - Ed & Ed Trash Games
17:42 - The spark to create games
22:30 - Switching creative focus from video to tabletop
29:04 - Inspirations & Aspirations
33:34 - Skulk Hollow Design & Development
37:43 - Preference for Collaborative Design
47:32 - Maul Peak & Solo
Links:
Pencil First - https://www.pencilfirstgames.com
Gaming with Edo - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpvwHi-2kifAtpvZ64gBv9A
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Potent theme delivery systems or sinister cash grabs preying on your nostalgia? Today we talk about licensed games.
Defining IP
Cynical cash grabs or a source of joy?
What makes something look promising or damning?
Games where fighting IPs are the platform (unmatched, Funko Battles, VS System)
IP Games in our collections
Lovecraft vs. the Mythos & Public Domain
Licensing & preventing games getting
Best/Worst that we’ve seen
What IPs are you dying to see?
LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
This was a great chat with Fertessa and a rare opportunity to dive deep with a full-timer at a game company. Wicked & Wise is live on Kickstarter August 10th, here's the link: http://weirdgiraffegames.com/WW17
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Staffer or Freelancer?
02:19 - Funco, Production & Prospero Hall
07:09 - History with tabletop games
11:44 - Alternate career paths
13:31 - Buy in from family?
16:10 - Pitching to Weird Giraffe
18:53 - Design & development of Wicked & Wise
19:45 - The problem with cooperative games
24:57 - Establishing Theme
26:29 - Design & Development sacrifices
29:28 - Inspiration to improve output?
34:20 - Day to day routine as a games producer
40:42 - Dream game with dream IP
LINKS:
Fertessa's Twitter https://twitter.com/fertessa
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
We've gotten it to the table, some of us more than once! Gonna talk through our opinions of the new release of this modern classic.
SHOW NOTES:
Hypecicles
-Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition
-MTG D&D
-Descent: Legends of the Dark
History of Kemet
Game 2012 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/127023/kemet
Ta Seti 2015 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/161842/kemet-ta-seti
Seth 2018 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/254543/kemet-seth
Blood & Sand KS 2020 - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/matagot/kemet-blood-and-sand
Our History with the game
Blood & Sand
-How many times we’ve played?
-Does it feel like the same game?
Highlights:
-How scaling powers are handled
-Balance
-Power trays
-Cosmetics (dem pyramids)
Low Points:
-Board design
-Rules wording
-Errata!? https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2694291/rulebooks-revision-available
Going over the history, the methodology (that we know of) and how much importance we should place on the BGG rankings & top 100. Come talk to us on discord: https://discord.gg/6nGJsA6NNp
Our notes for the podcast:
What is it?
BGG founded in 2000 https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/BoardGameGeek_History#
By 2001 they had rankings
Uses an undisclosed algorithm that seeds some votes and incorporates user ratings
Ratings are not about quality, necessarily, but about desire to play https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/ratings
10 - Outstanding. Always want to play and expect this will never change.
9 - Excellent game. Always want to play it.
8 - Very good game. I like to play. Probably I'll suggest it and will never turn down a game.
7 - Good game, usually willing to play.
6 - Ok game, some fun or challenge at least, will play sporadically if in the right mood.
5 - Average game, slightly boring, take it or leave it.
4 - Not so good, it doesn't get me but could be talked into it on occasion.
3 - Likely won't play this again although could be convinced. Bad.
2 - Extremely annoying game, won't play this ever again.
1 - Defies description of a game. You won't catch me dead playing this. Clearly broken
What do we know about the methodology for ranking?
30 ratings to be eligible for ranking, seeded with 100 votes of 5.5, and apparently more dummy votes are added the more rankings a game has: https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/ratings
Entropy?
Moderation to avoid false fraud votes
Past # 1 games
Tigris & Euphrates
Puerto Rico
Agricola
Twilight Struggle
Pandemic Legacy Season 1
Gloomhaven
Of the top 100 - Jack’s played 56
Jack’s most surprising game that’s not in the top 100 - Kemet
John’s most surprising game that is in the top 100 - Nemesis
Other cool stuff:
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01:46 Childhood expressions
04:36 Cartooning inspirations
08:20 Is being part of a studio restrictive?
12:35 Using art to get people into the game
14:31 Translating the abstract
19:18 Oath's visual identity
23:12 Oath's Worldbuilding
30:56 Fort's visual identity
31:56 How do you organize your day?
37:41 Impact on & advice for the next generation
40:30 What makes the Leder team so special
44:37 Art for engagement
47:59 Fort Cats & Dogs
51:05 Capturing animal personalities
54:08 Grounding Oath with animals
Talking about the different forms conflict can take in games. Come talk to us on discord: https://discord.gg/6nGJsA6NNp
Come talk to us on discord: https://discord.gg/JZYZHUgqGR
I can easily answer no to "are expansions bad?", but it's much harder to answer if they are good. So John and I talk it through.
00:11 Who are you and what are you doing here?
01:59 - Acceptance of game design theory in academia
05:59 - Getting into board games
08:38 - Did you want to design board games right away?
11:07 - Start with theme or mechanics?
11:37 - When did you know when Distilled was something special?
14:59 - Concerns about an alcohol focussed theme?
16:47 - Overcooking a game
20:37 - Luck vs. skill
23:48 - Other designs in the works?
26:32 - Targetting kickstarter
TASTY LINKS:
Richard Garfield Lecture - https://youtu.be/av5Hf7uOu-o
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Tackling the what, when, and how of trimming down the game collection. Also here are the links to the other stuffs:
New Gale Force 9 Dune - https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/06/new-dune-board-game-coming-later-this-year.html
Terraforming Mars - Ares Expedition kickstarter fire - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/strongholdgames/ares-expedition-the-terraforming-mars-card-game/posts/3224358
Fort - Cats & Dogs - https://ledergames.com/products/fort-cats-dogs-expansion
Come talk to us on discord: https://discord.gg/JZYZHUgqGR
Jen makes an excellent subject matter expert due to PARKS having the dopest insert ever.
Check the vid version here: https://youtu.be/tLnnELnfliA
Games to play over a nice warm cup of Joe. (or Tea, I guess. If you must...)
02:31 - Azul: Summer Pavillion
03:37 - Sagrada
05:23 - Splendor
07:33 - Harbour
10:38 - Istanbul
12:49 - Cartographers
15:02 - Crystallo
19:02 - Carcassonne
21:32 - Terraforming Mars
23:27 - Jaipur
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J. Arthur Ellis is the co/designer of Forgotten Waters, Raxxon and more. It was great to talk to one of the OG Dougs who joined the PHG team, now developing their digital products.
01:14 - Entry into Plaid Hat Games
03:45 - Tackling Summoner Wars 2.0 as a fan
05:49 - PHG's Goals with Summoner Wars 2.0
09:47 - Web based vs. Installed Applications
13:04 - Transition from web guy to game designer
14:30 - Raxxon
15:54 - Collaborative Game Design
19:58 - Asmodee to Independent
25:17 - Changes to Summoner Wars 2.0 most looking forward to
31:03 - Scope for Summoner Wars vs. Ashes
34:54 - Physical versions of digital solo content?
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This is a long one, fam. Mainly because there was some really great conversation about the nature of games, collection, and getting them played. Though spoilers and timestamps below, I'll have this up on the podcast channel soon.
04:44 - Santorini
08:46 - Rise of Tribes
11:45 - Dungeon Mayhem
14:17 - Kingdom Builder
16:59 - Century Golem Edition
21:20 - 7 Wonders Duel
25:56 - Parks
31:44 - Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
36:57 - Carcassonne
42:11 - Audience Picks
43:36 - Dune Imperium
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Kyle & I recorded this video podcast & originally published on his channel as Episode 1 of "If Shelves Could Talk". Go check out his channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiDT1qNRYXxeWVsJ4jnF42g?feature=emb_ch_name_ex
03:50 - Marco Polo II
07:00 - Mafia De Cuba
10:50 - Terraforming Mars
12:55 - Dune Imperium
19:15 - Wingspan
23:45 - Ethnos
28:30 - Spirit Island
35:10 - Small World
39:15 - Lords of Waterdeep
"Onion Capers" Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Because there are so many games, and we haven't even scratched the surface of playing all of them. Still resetting up the studio post-flood so forgive the weird camera angles.
01:24 - Why this list?
03:49 - Kingdom Death: Monster
06:10 - 1977 SPI War of the Ring
09:29 - Lords of Vegas
11:47 - Cuba Libre
13:15 - Sekigahara
14:30 - Star Wars Rebellion
16:10 - Suburbia
18:03 - Food Chain Magnate
20:24 - Agricola / Caverna
22:20 - Fan Pick - Small World
23:47 - Fan Pick - Arkham Horror LCG
25:09 - Fan Pick - Twilight Imperium
26:38 - Fan Pick - Concordia
27:39 - Memoir '44
Big thanks to people who submit their own picks. You can find their channels here:
Give Pause Hobby: https://www.youtube.com/user/Dea7hfrog
Dice & Dragons: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCsWuE13J_UW-Ge1jdxVLew
Board Game Hot Takes Podcast: https://boardgamehottakes.com
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Ian has his hand in a lot of pies, but currently it's mostly this oceanic one, Kingdoms of the Deep: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/galacticraptorgames/kingdoms-of-the-deep
02:40 - Vibe Check
04:08 - Pitched as a sequel?
07:31 - 75 minutes to design... how long to develop?
11:29 - Breaking games in the best sort of ways
13:09 - Why not include the intended expansion in the base game?
14:30 - Carla Kopp telling it like it is
17:53 - How do you make actionable advice based on this "pitch"
21:38 - Podcasting
24:39 - Getting jaded to games & taking the blue pill
29:28 - Gravitation Games
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Video version here: https://youtu.be/XqBaGBbvIKk
Find the sister vid on games we loved at first play here: https://youtu.be/ttlq_N0zWCE
01:30 - Methodology for curating the list
03:25 - Pandemic: In The Lab
05:31 - Champions of Midgard: Dark Mountains & Valhalla
07:47 - Lords of Waterdeep: The Scoundrels of Skullport
10:52 - Concordia: Salsa
13:39 - Telsa Vs. Edison: Powering Up
17:01 - Viticulture: Tuscany Essential Edition
19:56 - Spirit Island: Branch & Claw
23:28 - Caverna: The Forgotten Folk
26:15 - Root: The Underworld Expansion
31:24 - Terraforming Mars: Prelude
Go check out GIVEPAUSE Hobby here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiDT1qNRYXxeWVsJ4jnF42g?feature=emb_ch_name_ex
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Because I know the best games. Also, I know how to spoil the best games so here is the list of my top 10 for your convenience. Originally published as a Casual Friday video here: https://youtu.be/6GCWMI--E7I
01:12 - # 10 - Clans of Caledonia
02:36 - # 09 - Set a Watch
04:33 - # 08 - Everdell
05:43 - # 07 - Tiny Towns
07:02 - # 06 - Marvel Champions
08:25 - # 05 - Wingspan
10:03 - # 04 - Terraforming Mars
11:43 - # 03 - Pax Pamir 2nd Edition
13:03 - # 02 - Gloomhaven
14:52 - # 01 - Spirit Island
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Holidays are a time to observe the squishy stuff. Here's the top 10 games for reasons beyond what we normally quantify in board games. Originally published as a casual Friday video here: https://youtu.be/PBv5quyBZP4
00:51 - Santorini
02:11 - Dragon Dice
03:51 - 7 Wonders Duel
05:13 - The Lord of the Rings
06:58 - Root
08:21 - Cartographers
09:01 - Eldritch Horror
11:49 - Eclipse
13:18 - The Grizzled
15:18 - HeroQuest
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Find out more about the Zenobia Award here: https://zenobiaaward.org. Watch the video version of this interview here: https://youtu.be/UmrC1FdGHZ8
01:04 - What is the Zenobia Award?
03:01 - How'd they get involved
04:47 - Why limit the scope to historical games?
10:50 - Hope to expand the genres of historical games?
14:41 - How do you measure outcomes?
16:29 - Backlash
20:41 - Navigating authenticity and tragedy when making historical games
23:01 - Where's the money coming from?
24:52 - What can the average gamer do to create a more inclusive hobby?
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I talk with Tom Young of Nomad Games, publishers of many popular digital adaptations including Fury of Dracula on Steam now.
00:19 - Response to Fury of Dracula
02:08 - How did you start with Nomad Games
03:48 - Nomad's relationship to Games Workshop
06:19 - Goalposts for development
09:05 - How going digital changes a game?
11:14 - Surprising challenges with adapting Fury of Dracula
16:17 - How to manage music
19:30 - Market research in the digital realm
23:39 - Partnering with publishers of the physical games
29:07 - Dream game to adapt
30:30 - Mac & mobile availability?
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Covered a ton of ground on this one, including a surprising amount of details about Root's upcoming expansion and reflections on Oath, as well as some tidbits on Void Lich & tinkering with Vast 3. Recorded Dec 3rd (the day after my studio flooded), audio version will go on the pod channel Dec 16th. Find the official Leder Games Woodland Warriors Discord Channel here: https://discord.gg/EnJwxZKkKm
00:24 - How is quarantine impacting work at Leder HQ
06:05 - What makes for an ideal playtester?
10:32 - Oath - Can early public feedback compromise creative integrity?
15:19 - Oath - What was the original spark?
22:00 - Oath - Points of contention between the two of you?
24:34 - Oath - Sacrifices to make for a better game
24:34 - Root - Scrapped alternate win conditions
29:17 - Evolution of Leder's company identity
34:44 - Void Lich - A Leder take on Twilight Imperium style factions
44:05 - Vast - Tinkering with Vast 3
46:58 - Root - Scope of the new expansion
49:37 - Root - Minor Factions & Drafting
54:02 - Root - Adding rounds to a boundless game
01:00:09 - Root - Rats & Badgers; the two new factions
01:07:05 - Root - Balance becoming exponentially more difficult?
01:14:06 - Root - Clockwork expansion 2 & a Big Box?
01:19:56 - Oath & Root - Release & Launch windows
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I welcome Elizabeth Hargrave, designer of Mariposas, Tussie Mussie and Kennerspiel winner Wingspan to the show.
01:01 - Getting started in game design
02:39 - How has your life changed since Wingspan's release?
04:53 - Design lessons learned?
06:04 - Success, access and guilt
08:14 - Why use naturalist themes
12:27 - Game influences
14:05 - Weilding a platform for activism
22:02 - Backlash to Wingspan?
24:34 - What most excites you about Oceania?
27:37 - Favorite bird yet to include in Wingspan?
27:40 - What's on the horizon?
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Grant Lyon has been a professional comedian for years but is now making his game design debut with Curmudgeon by 25th century games.
01:19 - What is Curmudgeon?
03:02 - Did you account for hurt feelings in the design?
06:15 - Tumbling into the tabletop gaming universe
09:53 - Interest in designing strategy games?
12:48 - Gatekeeping in games vs. comedy?
16:24 - Do you take games on the road with you?
17:50 - If you could play any game with any comedian...
19:53 - How grueling is self-promotion?
21:04 - Vulnerability, bombing, and playtesting
23:26 - Pitching & the road to publication
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Friend of the show Andrew Birkett comes on to talk about Atheris' upcoming gamer blanket kickstarter.
02:00 - Why break into merch?
04:21 - Character design for the blanket
12:34 - Jack rants about inclusion
14:51 - Different hurdles in a clothing kickstarter?
17:36 - Atheris Entertainment and comics
21:25 - The challenge with rulebooks
24:03 - Upcoming Atheris GAMES
27:17 - Swaddle tech
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00:11 - 10 Years of Catacombs
01:17 - What is Catacombs Monster Pit?
04:32 - Worried about brand confusion?
07:06 - Taking on different tones & settings?
10:39 - Working on a solo dexterity game?
11:49 - Development of Monster Pit
13:51 - What is the killer feature of the game to you?
15:41 - Why does Elzra need to kickstart?
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John is back on the show and we come up with the irrevocably indisputable list of the greatest cooperative games of all time.
00:53 - Why we are doing this list
06:40 - Flashpoint Fire Rescue
07:37 - Journeys in Middle Earth
09:24 - Descent: Road to Legend
10:58 - Pandemic Legacy
12:32 - Magic Maze
14:57 - The Grizzled
18:32 - Mysterium
22:11 - Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
25:43 - Fan Pick - Marvel Legendary
29:01 - Fan Pick - The Mind
30:12 - Fan Pick - Eldritch Horror
33:21 - Marvel Champions
38:09 - Spirit Island
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Since the 90s, Dan Yarrington has worked in just about every aspect of this hobby. We dive into his history, how the industry has evolved, the rise of kistarter, Starling Games, and their upcoming release, Flourish.
00:59 - Humble origins in the 90s
06:20 - Dipping toes into publishing in the 00s
13:17 - The impact and evolution of kickstarter
26:48 - The rise of Starling Games
32:02 - The "Flavor-ware" of Everdell
35:25 - Player age & safety clarifications
42:02 - Finding the right theme & non-traditional themes
52:55 - Criticisms of games being overproduced
61:01 - COVID, Social distancing and social responsibility
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John comes back and this time we talk through two games we've recently played together, Skytear & Gates of delirium. But more than that, we talk about the nature of games as hobbies, adapting video game genres, integration of theme, and occult angles.
SKYTEAR
00:00 - What is a MOBA?
02:39 - The ambitions of Skytear
06:13 - Gameplay
09:23 - Highlights & Impressions
17:37 - Final thoughts
GATES OF DELIRIUM
23:58 - Overview (The scope of evil)
28:38 - Highlights & Impressions
34:19 - Final thoughts
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T is one of the coolest people in the industry. Also, don't sleep on Miyabi.
02:02 - Starting at HABA
04:01 - The eye opening experience of toy fairs
07:57 - Comparing US & European markets
16:34 - Balancing for age differences
24:23 - The twists and turns of age ratings
30:17 - Testing impacting US releases
34:27 - Perceptions & Game Night Approved line
38:21 - Cultural bias and "developmentally appropriate" activities
43:53 - HABA's kindergarten
46:22 - Retroactive dismissal
49:35 - Marketing games in a COVID world
57:55 - The serendipitous timing of a new flip & write
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As usual I take on a topic and then talk about what I've been playing.
00:01 - More interpretive solo games
03:13 - More combative area control games
04:53 - Better victory conditions
06:10 - Stop gatekeeping components
07:51 - More solo games for kids
New games added to the playlist -
09:41 - Terraforming Mars
11:29 - Sagrada
13:53 - Marvel Champions
15:48 - Catacombs Cubes
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Following up our Pendulum conversation released a few days ago, I talk with Jamey about the upcoming expansion to Tapestry.
00:31 - Nature of Plans & Ploys
01:38 - The development cycle
03:58 - Reacting to Tapestry's criticisms
06:51 - Consumer or playtester?
12:04 - New mechanics in Plans & Ploys
13:51 - Civs, Tapestries, Synergy & Balance
21:21 - Partnering with community members
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Vowl is on KS right now, find it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cameronart/vowl-the-game-of-letters-gone-astray
00:44 - Why debut with a word game?
02:35 - Self publishing vs. pitching to publishers
03:35 - Rad scoring system
06:08 - Early ambitions for Cameron Art Games
07:14 - Future design focus
08:31 - What happens if you don't fund?
10:28 - Advice for other new creators who haven't gotten this far
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I sit down with my good friend & Platypus Con manager John Foster to talk through our respective top 5 area control games while we explore what the mechanic even is in the first place.
Timestamps (SPOILER WARNING)
04:25 - John's 5 - Diplomacy by Email
05:36 - Jack's 5 - Kemet
07:23 - John's 4 - Plague Inc.
09:11 - Jack's 4 - Blood Rage
11:44 - John's 3 - Tyrants of the Underpants
13:47 - Jack's 3 - Ethnos
17:31 - John's 2 - Battle for Rokugan
22:31 - Jack's 2 - Root
26:30 - Audience Pick - Chaos in the old world
28:10 - Audience Pick - Inis
30:17 - Audience Pick - El Grande
31:01 - Audience Pick - Cthulhu Wars
32:01 - John's # 1 - Cthulhu Wars
35:48 - Jack's # 1 - Game of Thrones 2nd Edition
You can find Matt Halowell's Cthulhu Wars review and all kinds of other stuff here: https://thematiccircle.wordpress.com. Thank you to everyone who responded on twitter.
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05:00 - Doing away with a need to consume
06:25 - Appreciation of what you own
08:00 - Getting rid of games
08:42 - Selling
09:51 - Trading
11:48 - Donating
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I have a chat with returning guest Jamey stegmaier, all about their Fall 2020 real-time strategy game release, Pendulum.
01:24 - Do realtime elements undermine strategy?
04:26 - Overall course of play
08:27 - Diving headfirst into high fantasy
11:05 - How was the game pitched?
13:13 - Evolution throughout development
14:49 - Curbing audience reaction
20:34 - COVID 19 & Stonemaier
26:33 - Cracking the real-time game solo conundrum
29:31 - Personal life affecting game priorities
32:35 - The mythic "Stonemaier Coop Game"
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Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Some helpful tips for anyone looking to get started & what i've been playing.
01:14 - Try Before You Buy
01:56 - Think about what you like about games
03:37 - Look at solo focussed reviews
04:42 - Join a community
05:15 - Don't give up after 1
06:08 - What I've been playing
07:05 - Caverna
09:46 - Flamme Rouge
11:24 - Set a Watch
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Following up with a bit more solo talk for your brain.
01:09 - What makes a good solo game?
01:27 - Type 1 - Multiplayer Solitaire
03:02 - Type 2 - Automated Opponents
04:53 - Type 3 - Cooperative Games
Games I've been playing:
06:38 - Gloomhaven
08:18 - Viticulture
09:58 - Animal Kingdoms
HOT LINKS: Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
*Note, you get images of many spirit boards in the video version on youtube right here - https://youtu.be/AFzxRMMVd-E * We get some nitty gritty on the design and development of the upcoming Spirit Island expansion, and to know how Eric made such a bold leap from that to the 15 minute realtime spacial dexterity puzzle "For Science".
01:00 - What's been going on since the Jagged Earth Kickstarter?
04:07 - Spirits left on the cutting room floor?
07:44 - Iterating spirits during development
16:30 - Are you "spirit cursed"?
18:32 - Design, testing and balance changes
23:03 - Making major powers cinematic
31:00 - Involvement in the digital adaption
36:05 - What is For Science!
39:16 - What makes an "Eric Reuss" joint?
42:23 - Still designing & pitching games?
45:11 - Expectations of being the "Spirit Island" guy
48:44 - What genre of game would you most like to design next?
HOT LINKS:
Jagged Earth KS - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gtgames/spirit-island-jagged-earth
For Science! KS - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zonedout/for-science
Spirit Island Digital - https://www.handelabra.com/spiritisland
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Rita’s next project The Emerald Flame will be hitting kickstarter May 27th, so we thought it was a good opportunity to get down and deep into her prior box of madness, The Tale of Ord. There are spoilers abound, so you are warned, but if you haven’t had a chance to play, don’t worry too much as TTOO is likely to never be produced again. Follow the kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/postcurious/the-emerald-flame
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
As promised, here's our casual stream of consciousness on solo games # 1 except now in audio form so you can mow your lawn or whatever.
01:20 - Why should you play solo games?
09:17 - Why I'm playing more solo games
10:28 - Wingspan
11:27 - Root
12:43 - Shadows of Kilforth
13:49 - Everdell Bellfaire & Spirecrest
14:59 - Clans of Caledonia
16:55 - Tiny Towns
17:42 - Spirit Island
20:10 - Solo plans for the future
HOT LINKS: Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Tuomas and I talk epics, Tolkien, and Kalewala: Tale of Sampo, launching April 13 on Kickstarter.
01:16 - What is the Kalevala?
04:01 - How pervasive is the Kalevala in Finland?
06:16 - What makes this an ideal setting for a game?
08:40 - What is the overall flow of the game?
12:06 - What stage of completion is the game?
13:44 - Experience as a game designer
15:33 - Kalewala vs. Kalevala
17:31 - Unique challenges publishing from Finland?
19:30 - Action items moving forward?
23:05 - Hidden movement and approachability
28:37 - What is the killer moment in this game?
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Walking through 13 years in 13 minutes. Lots to unpack here, would love to hear your thoughts.
Link to vid for visual companion: https://youtu.be/86-CyHYv5Sg
00:42 - Foundation of Asmodee
02:32 - The Age of Acquisition
04:56 - Worldwide Distribution & PAI
05:38 - Recent Layoffs
06:34 - Component Replacement
09:25 - Plaid Hat Goes Indie (Again)
10:19 - Price Hike
10:52 - Where Does That Leave Us?
HOT LINKS: Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com Our
Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Talking about the hot new entries in the Gloomhaven series, and about the changes from then to now with the founder himself, Isaac Childres.
01:02 - COVID Impacts on Frosthaven
04:21 - The Gloomhaven phenomenon and managing expectations
09:31 - Prepping for Jaws of The Lion Retail Release
12:31 - Unique challenges in JoTL Design & Development
17:20 - Design approach to Frosthaven
24:11 - Could Frosthaven become the new, definitive edition?
29:05 - Unique approaches to characters
31:46 - Legacy elements
35:14 - Changes to campaign structure?
37:48 - Adjusting to “boardgame celebrity” status
41:57 - Open ended city building in Frosthaven
46:24 - How do the seasons & weather affect the game?
48:14 - Fail forward games?
50:20 - Most challenging aspect in designing Frosthaven
53:17 - If you weren’t the “Gloomhaven guy”
56:28 - Expanding the 3 pillars of Gloomhaven
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald\
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
A bonus episode to keep you company during your social distancing. Thank you to Platypus Con for bringing up Mike Selinker. We’ll have a regularly scheduled interview next week.
03:30 Introduction
08:20 - Finding the fun in your games
10:20 - What is elegance?
12:40 - The long process of designing Apocrypha
15:00 - What are my game’s 3 things?
16:40 - Vetting your games
21:30 - What I look for in a designer
22:50 - Q: Once you have an idea, where do you go from there?
34:00 - Q: What about when a game design is cost prohibitive?
38:40 - Q: Do you ever work on video games?
41:15 - Q: How do you reduce setup time on games?
46:45 - Q: Can you tutorialize a board game?
50:10 - Q: Advice for breaking into the industry?
53:40 - Q: How protective are you as a game designer?
To watch us have this chat with supporting imagery, check out the vid here: https://youtu.be/Ntv_TCtH4Fs
I spend some time talking about Plaid Hat's shocking separation from Asmodee and their plans for the future.
00:45 - How long has splitting from Asmodee been in the cards?
04:50 - Saying goodbye to friends and IPs
06:48 - The early spirit of Plaid Hat Games
12:28 - Colby & Isaac
17:40 - Plaid Hat Ideals
24:57 - Jerry Hawthorne's next project
30:07 - Did staff know about the separation?
31:52 - What does "a crossroads game" mean now as opposed to 2012?
33:18 - Forgotten Waters Overview
38:12 - App integration in Forgotten Waters
43:23 - Summoner Wars 2nd Edition Development
49:39 - New Summoner Wars factions
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Keith Baker of Twogether studios gives a presentation on World Building.
01:45 - Introduction - my history in gaming
02:26 - WOTC buying TSR and origins of Eberron
08:10 - Core elements of Eberron, how to build a world from there?
13:40 - Setting Eberron apart
15:45 - How does a setting affect the mechanics?
22:30 - How different systems empower you to tell different stories
28:15 - Phoenix Dawn Command discussion
34:25 - What is the story we're trying to tell?
40:00 - Handling travel 44:43 - Fan interpretation of content
47:30 - Playing your class
52:15 - Eberron minis
54:15 - Cause for the day of mourning?
58:45 - How to tell original stories with pre-con books
62:00 - Designing worlds and environments for the story you want to tell
Thank you to Platypus Con, find out more about Alaska's biggest tabletop gaming convention here: http://www.platypusgaming.org OTHER HOT LINKS: Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
I chat with designer Michael Dunsmore about his new gig with John Brieger Game Development Studio. Thank you to Platypus Con, find out more about Alaska's biggest tabletop gaming convention here: http://www.platypusgaming.org
OTHER HOT LINKS:
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
01:17 - Humble beginnings with Fresco
05:25 - Opening a game & comic shop
07:33 - Joining Keymaster Games
10:41 - Partnering with 59 Parks
13:43 - PARKS: Nightfall
14:51 - Expanding an already cohesive game
17:58 - More divergent gameplay?
20:25 - PARKS: Memories
24:14 - The biggest hurdle in development
27:16 - Running Iron
31:27 - Firebreak
32:18 - Australian wildfires impacting direction?
33:47 - What makes Keymaster unique?
HOT LINKS: Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
I talk with my friend, game designer and Winsmith Games co-owner, David Smith. You can find David’s debut game 10 Gallon Tank on kickstarter RIGHT NOW.
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
This interview was from a bit back (speaking of which, I recommend you check out the video channel for tightly produced video interviews released typically much earlier than the podcast). Anyway, it was a great conversation about Tapestry BEFORE it came out. I have a feeling that our conversation would have been a whole other thing if it were post release (though equally as pleasant, I’m sure). Anyway, hope you dig it.
00:52 - Plans to grow Stonemaier
03:23 - Feelings on the precipice of Tapestry
04:34 - Origins of the game - Sculpts informing mechanical decisions
06:37 - Controversy over Tapestry price
13:11 - Design & Development - What is the killer feature of the game
16:29 - Most surprising thing to come out of blind playtesting
17:57 - The conflict between gamer Jamey and designer/publisher Jamey
19:11 - How have you evolved as a designer?
21:14 - Reflections on Charterstone
26:19 - Planning the Tapestry rollout and media schedule
27:10 - Tapestry rulebook & becoming the Apple of boardgames
30:00 - Any plans for a Stonemaier cooperative game?
32:04 - Reserving content for expansions
35:13 - How is Stonemaier preparing for a potential Tariff war?
38:42 - What are you doing for fun these days?
41:10 - Making time for fun outside of work
43:14 - How / When / Where can people find Tapestry?
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
ErinRose and Dean are the wonderful creators of this awesome show. Meeple People is an ongoing comedy-drama webseries about a group of board gamers.
00:40 - Respective roles on the show
02:55 - Are the characters based on real people?
04:36 - Joining a group in life and the show
05:38 - What makes this hobby a good platform for drama?
07:36 - Elevator pitch for the show
08:41 - Why such short episodes
10:32 - Why handheld camera work?
12:08 - Production catastrophes?
14:32 - Writer / actor from the get-go?
16:02 - Funding and payoff
18:43 - Dean's gaming origin story
19:58 - Laughing with VS. Laughing at nerds
23:12 - Inherent inclusion of the hobby
25:49 - Capturing authenticity
HOT LINKS:
Meeple People Show - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGr8Indoors
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Missed our video interview with Dustin Freund, designer of The Ghosts Betwixt? Time to catch the audio on our podcast feed and learn more about how this game is the culmination of a creative soul.
00:20 - Why "Innocent Traveler" Games?
01:23 - It all starts with Electronica
03:08 - Overview of The Ghosts Betwixt
10:34 - The audacity to say "I can make a board game"
15:21 - Putting creative work out there
18:46 - Who do you rely on to stay resilient?
22:18 - Steps to take for a relaunch
24:05 - What makes boardgames the right platform for this story?
HOT LINKS:
The Ghosts Betwixt KS - http://kck.st/2kOQfsT
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Board Game Design Lab’s Gabe Barrett comes back to the show to talk about his newly launched kickstarter, Hunted, a 2-game solo adventure. Check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gabebarrett/hunted
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Our interview with Ruins of Mars designer Don Riddle
03:19 - Thematic resonance in Ruins of Mars
05:08 - Why a rondel?
10:59 - From custom MTG Maker to Game Designer
16:54 - The help of local / online game design communities
19:57 - Solo mode?
20:32 - Killer feature of the game
21:59 - Biggest challenges during development?
23:44 - One skill aspiring designers must hone
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Sorry for the weird processed audio quality on my track. Had a snafu during recording that's all fixed now. Peter's audio sounds great though, so I hope you dig it!
00:31 - Origins of Tiny Towns
03:49 - Always strive to be a game designer?
06:18 - Pitching to AEG
10:56 - Development of Master Builder & Town Hall Variant
15:13 - Do you have a favorite building?
16:44 - Designing for player experience?
20:55 - Tiny Towns Fortune (upcoming expansion)
23:49 - Players who struggle with spacial reasoning
25:28 - Hard earned lessons in game design
27:50 - Highlights of Success
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Our chat with Carte Rouge designer Khiara Foss. Check out our video review of Carte Rouge here - https://youtu.be/TAYMwWZHdMk, and the kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/enigmaemporium/carterouge
00:40 - What is Carte Rouge?
02:05 - What should people expect going into this?
04:51 - Particular challenges in the design process?
08:30 - Collaboration at Enigma
11:02 - Major obstacles?
13:42 - Preparing for Kickstarter launch day
17:27 - What does Enigma have coming after Carte Rouge?
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Our interview with Rob Daviau, co-designer of Unmatched, Pandemic Legacy, and everything.
00:37 - Managing multiple game projects at once
03:34 - Creating whole cloth vs working from a pitch
08:14 - Food, artisanship, and creativity
15:57 - How do publishers pitch games to you?
18:45 - Revisiting shelved projects
21:06 - Stop taking games so seriously
23:11 - Death May Die
24:45 - Pandemic Legacy development, and Pandemic Legacy Season 3
30:33 - Resolving conflict with co-designers
32:47 - Bringing in outside help to work on a design
35:55 - Critics, good games, and credibility
40:33 - Unmatched; unique aspects of resurrecting your own game
45:56 - Dream IP for Unmatched?
47:15 - Resurrecting Heroquest
50:09 - Fireball Island: Spider Springs Expansion
HOT LINKS:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
I talk with Dan Letzring and Nicholas Yu, creators of Adventure Tactics, a new cooperative board game inspired by classic tactical RPGs like Final Fantasy Tactics. Originally published as a video interview which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/3973q4N0pI4
01:12 - Inspired by Final Fantasy Tactics?
04:40 - Overview of the Game
07:18 - Campaign & Story
08:27 - Characters & Their Classes
09:46 - Ideas on the cutting room floor?
13:38 - Failing forward
18:00 - Player time investment
20:44 - Maintaining tension
24:04 - Simultaneous release expansions
26:19 - Minis & Art Direction
29:32 - What excites you about the game?
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
In case you missed the video on our YouTube channel, here is the audio from my interview with Jerry Hawthorne of Plaid Hat Games. Original vid here: https://youtu.be/5P9jnyi9yDE
Timestamps:
00:27 - What is Aftermath & The Adventure Book Series
04:39 - Aftermath - Theme’s, Universe, and Campaign
12:11 - Future Aftermath content plans
13:53 - Current state of Plaid Hat
17:06 - The Nuts & Bolts of Aftermath (Mechanics)
21:40 - Rulebooks & Reflections
23:42 - Physicality & App Integration
28:13 - Mice & Mystics Movie
32:41 - Origins of Mice & Mystics
37:31 - Impact of Fatherhood on Creativity
41:44 - Aftermath - Animal Inspiration & Characters
44:41 - Mechanics in service of story
49:09 - Heart & Soul of Plaid Hat
Other hot hot hot links:
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Frequent guest host Luke takes some time to talk with Keith Matejka abotu Thuderworks Games, Gen Con Releases and most importantly, about Cartographers; the upcoming Flip & Write in the Roll Player universe.
Thanks for listening, here are some hot links for you to check out:
Thunderworks Games - https://www.thunderworksgames.com/
Our Site - www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.