Know Direction Network

Latest Episodes:

13 Omens – The Bequeathed Actual Play: Part 01 Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

Meet the Salazars, estranged siblings meeting for the first time in a long time to hear their late father’s final will and testament. But they learn that they’re inheriting more than just the family heirlooms.

Recorded live at KeyCon 42 in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 16, 2026.

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Featuring

Thurston Hillman as the Game Master

Ryan Costello as “The Favourite” Eustice Salazar

Scott D Young as “The Doctor” Dr. Jonas Salazar

Jessica Redekop as “The Philanthropist” Dorothy Salazar

Michael Hofer as “The Caretaker” Alex Salazar

“Googley” Doc Wilson as “The Dropout” Josh Salazar

13 Omens – The Bequeathed Actual Play: Part 00 Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

In this prelude to The Bequeathed, a 13 Omens adventure from Paizo Inc, Thurston Hillman, Associate Publisher at Paizo, explains the 13 Omens mechanics, and the players introduce themselves and their characters.

Recorded live at KeyCon 42 in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 16, 2026.

Listen Now!(mp3)

Featuring

Thurston Hillman as the Game Master

Ryan Costello as “The Favourite” Eustice Salazar

Scott D Young as “The Doctor” Dr. Jonas Salazar

Jessica Redekop as “The Philanthropist” Dorothy Salazar

Michael Hofer as “The Caretaker” Alex Salazar

“Googley” Doc Wilson as “The Dropout” Josh Salazar

Know Direction Beyond 111: Gen Con Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

Alex and James go over all of the Starfinder news that came out of Gen Con 2026.

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Game Design Unboxed 149 – Jewel Box Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

In episode 149 of Game Design Unboxed, we talk with Zac Loveless, game designer and owner of Lovemore Games, about how anything can provide inspiration; for instance, a random Instagram post about beetles that was the catalyst for our featured game, Jewel Box.

Major topics include the differences between educational games vs. games you can learn from, the knowledge you gain from creating a themed game, how to decipher and apply playtest feedback, incorporating classic mechanics into something new, and “theme” collectors.

We also dig into how to come up with a name for your game, the origin behind Lovemore Games (as opposed to Loveless Games), symbiotic publisher/designer relationships, designing around a theme or mechanic before gameplay, and why butterflies are, in theory, the most well-liked insect.

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Featuring:

Zac Loveless – Guest

Danielle Reynolds – Host

Intrepid Heroes 192 – The Bandits (Hellbreakers Session 10) Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

When two Inner Sea superpowers go to war, the ripples are felt throughout the region. A group of intrepid heroes…or should we say intrepid rebels…. join a league of righteous freedom fighters to unshackle their people from the binds of infernal tyranny. Nefarious forces from without—and within—will do anything to stop these Hellbreakers.

Our heroes are tasked with canvassing the community and building the reputation of the Hellbreakers.

Cast:
Jason Keeley – GM
Rue Dickey – Nolastri
Isis Wozniakowska – Misera
John Godek – Thadeus (Tad)
Ron Lundeen – Augustus
Mark Woolcott – Flak

Pathfinder Hellbreakers Adventure Path Actual Play Podcast

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Game Design Unboxed 148 – PocketParks Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

In episode 148 of Game Design Unboxed, we talk with Jason Wong, the designer of PocketParks, a set-collecting card game featuring all 63 US National Parks, with gameplay inspired by Chinese Mahjong.

Jason has visited all 63 US National Parks (he has a water bottle full of stickers to prove it), and featured his own photography from those trips in the game. We talk about how noticing the similarities and differences in the parks inspired the game, drawing on Mahjong and classic games for mechanics, choosing what information to include on cards, and why he chose a tin for the packaging.

We also discuss using crowdfunding as a tool to understand your audience, the importance of getting outside for your mental health (did you stand up from your desk today?), why it is important to play published games, and how a game can inspire people to explore the real world!

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Featuring:

Jason Wong – Guest
Danielle Reynolds – Host

Intrepid Heroes 191 – The Community (Hellbreakers Session 9) Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Our heroes are tasked with canvassing the community and building the reputation of the Hellbreakers.

Cast:
Jason Keeley – GM
Rue Dickey – Nolastri
Isis Wozniakowska – Misera
John Godek – Thadeus (Tad)
Ron Lundeen – Augustus
Mark Woolcott – Flak

Pathfinder Hellbreakers Adventure Path Actual Play Podcast

Listen Now!(mp3)

Watch Now!(mp4)

Know Direction 312 – Gen Con 2026 with Alex Augunas Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

Alex joins Ryan and Rob to recap an eventful Gen Con that saw several new Pathfinder and Starfinder announcements, the debut of a new Paizo RPG, and Princess Donut announcing a flood brought on by a tornado. Join us live on Twitch.Tv/knowdirection at 9:00pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific, followed by a Patron’s Private Sanctum after show on the Know Direction Discord server.

Recorded live on Tuesday, August 11th on Twitch.tv/Knowdirection.

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Know Direction Beyond 110: Mystic Class Review Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Alex and James demystify Starfinder 2e’s premier divine, occult, and primal caster.

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Game Design Unboxed 147: Lava Run Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

In episode 147 of Game Design Unboxed, we talk with the designer of Lava Run, Louie Loops, whom listeners may also recognize as the professional crocheter and content creator behind the YouTube channel “Louie’s Loops” and Club Crochet.

Louie shares how childhood game-making and a creative challenge called “New Game” sparked his interest in design, and how he eventually merged his love of crochet with game design to create “craftable games.”

We discuss turning frustration into creative inspiration, balancing strategy and randomness, comeback mechanics, expansions, and what happens after a game is published. Louie also shares what it’s like to launch a game with an existing audience, market to non-gamers, and enter a new industry as a beginner after being an expert in his craft.