Know Direction Network

Latest Episodes:

PaizoCon Online 2026 002 – Organized Play Update Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

Paizo’s Jessica Catalan and Shay Snow share what’s coming down the pipeline for Pathfinder Society and Starfinder Society.

Note, this was streamed live on May 23rd. We have since learned that due to a restructuring at Paizo, Organized Play plans have changed and, sadly, Shay Snow has been laid off. This seminar reflects Paizo’s Organized Play plans as of May 2026.

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PaizoCon Online 2026 001 – Welcome to PaizoCon Online 2026 Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

We kick off PaizoCon Online 2026 with Welcome To PaizoCon Online 2026. It’d be weird if it was anything but our first seminar, really. Paizo’s Dustin Knight and Ivis Flanagan join Know Direction’s Ryan Costello to talk about what PaizoCon means to them as Pathfinder and Starfinder fans turned TTRPG professionals, and what to expect from the Pathfinder and Starfinder fan’s comfort con this year.

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Intrepid Heroes 186 – The Escape (Hellbreakers Session 5) Jun 08, 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 flee from, and then return to a burning ship!

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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Know Direction Beyond 108: Looking At The Luminary Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Alex and James share their thoughts on the latest Starfinder class, The Luminary, currently in playtest.

Recorded live on Twitch.

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Game Design Unboxed 142 – Diplomacy: The Golden Blade Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

In episode 142 of Game Design Unboxed, we talk with freelance game designer Rosco Schock about his first published game, Diplomacy: The Golden Blade, released by Renegade Game Studios. The conversation focuses on the challenge of translating the “feel” of a classic, beloved strategy game into a streamlined and more approachable card game experience.

We also discuss the path from prototype to publication, finding the right publisher and timing for a licensed project, and balancing respect for a 60-year-old franchise while creating something new. Rosco explains how Diplomacy: The Golden Blade now serves as an on-ramp to the larger Diplomacy experience, why understanding a game’s unique selling points matters, and how patience and persistence pay off in game design. Plus, we learn what a game triathlon is.

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Featuring:

Rosco Schock – Guest

Danielle Reynolds – Host

Intrepid Heroes 185 – The Ruse (Hellbreakers Session 4) May 25, 2026

Show notes

Our heroes become pirates to gain needed supplies for the resistance!

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 141: Inkwell May 19, 2026

Show notes

In episode 141 of Game Design Unboxed, we talk with librarian and game designer, Lewis Graye, whose game design journey began after relocating to Syracuse, becoming part of the local tabletop scene, and participating in a game design contest at a wedding.

They share the story of Lewis’ first published design, Inkwell, and its unexpected path to publication, which began as a playtest mechanic that DVC Games expanded into a full game whose theme was inspired by the animated movie, The Secret of Kells.

The discussion continues into the use of historical, open source inscriptions for content, the importance of balancing gameplay so it stays fun without becoming overly cutthroat, adapting designs to publisher constraints like box size and component changes, how player experience can shift depending on the group, designing escape rooms, the importance of getting a playable prototype to the table early, and how the salt in the Syracuse water yields some pretty great game designers.

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Featuring:

Lewis Graye – Guest
Danielle Reynolds – Host

Intrepid Heroes 184 – The Ambush (Hellbreakers Session 3) May 11, 2026

Show notes

Our heroes run smack dab into an ambush in a warehouse!

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 Beyond 107: Tales Of The Vast May 08, 2026

Show notes

Alex and James look at the Starfinder second edition Tales Of The Vast Adventure Anthology.

Recorded live on Twitch.

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Game Design Unboxed 140: Wine Cellar May 05, 2026

Show notes

In episode 140 of Game Design Unboxed, we talk with Andrew Stiles, game designer and co-host of the podcast Tabletop Submarine, about how discovering GDU early in his design journey helped him better understand the tabletop space, and how a life reset during COVID (and a challenge to get a game signed in 6-months by his wife) sparked a career pivot into game design.

We talk about his first game, Wine Cellar, and how the inspiration came from his previous background as a sommelier, prompting him to lean into the “design what you know” mentality. Andrew talks us through key development decisions, such as scaling player counts, reworking card math, and how table space and visibility shape the player experience.

The episode also covers other topics, including the realities of breaking into the industry, the value of the UNPUB mentorship program, researching and targeting the right publishers, why smaller conventions are a great place to network for new designers, Board Game Arena (BGA) implementations, designing for non-gamers, and bad fonts that keep you up at night.