Design Doc

Latest Episodes:

Your Kickstarter Questions (Mostly) Answered Jun 18, 2019

Show notes

We asked on Twitter what you wanted to know about running a roleplaying game Kickstarter. Now, we're answering your questions. From self-promotion to self-care, what to say when there's nothing to say, and pretending we know anything about taxes.

Show notes:

Design Doc Intro/Outro theme by Pat King
Additional music: New Ages 1 by Little Dog Big Ears

Okay, Let's Redesign Noirlandia May 21, 2019

Show notes

We try redesigning Noirlandia, one of our other roleplaying games, in one hour!

We Still Don't Know Who the Junk Poets Are Apr 16, 2019

Show notes

Who are the Junk Poets and what do they add to Questlandia? We go over what we know, what's still missing, and how they could make a GMless game easier to play!

Finding the Game's Emotional Core Mar 13, 2019

Show notes

We've finished the first two playtests of Questlandia and something is still missing. In this episode we talk about how to hone in on the emotional core of the game. What stories does this game want to tell and how do we make sure it tells them?

Playtesting Progress Part 2: The Spinning Mountain Feb 21, 2019

Show notes

After playtesting Questlandia's new kingdom and character creation, it's time to test some scenes! Bartholomew the anxious city planner and Quincy the cast out justice-bringer will have to make some hard choices. Choices that begin with a cat and end with a geological anomaly.

Intro/Outro theme music - by Pat King

Playtesting Progress Part 1: Knotty Business Jan 31, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to Kingdom Knot, where our people keep vigil over the void at the edge of the world. Something has emerged from that void—a creature for which we have no words, of which we have no memory. For now, we will call it...a "cat."

Music credits:

Design Doc Intro/Outro theme written by Pat King
Also featuring New Ages 1 by Little Dog, Big Ears

Make-Believe History Jan 11, 2019

Show notes

Alanna Shaffer joins us to talk about how, even when telling made-up stories, we can be aware of biases in the way we talk about history. Whose stories get told? Whose get left behind? And what's our responsibility to our fictional worlds?

Mentioned reading:

Whoops, It's a Dystopia Dec 12, 2018

Show notes

Why are our worlds turning out horrible? After playtesting at Metatopia, we talk about how the framing for worldbuilding can exaggerate societies to cartoonish levels. Maybe we can learn from the original Questlandia?

It's Trans Awareness Week (Mini Bonus Ep) Nov 19, 2018

Show notes

It's Trans Awareness Week. A short bonus episode about trans allyship, education, and creating better gaming spaces.