The Game Design Round Table

Latest Episodes:

#118: A Seafall Review Feb 10, 2015

Show notes

Dirk, David, and Rob talk about the current state of Seafall and its latest strides toward completion. Rob is excited about the progress of the game and shares a look at what can happen during a player's turn as the details of the game come into focus.--------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com------------Episode Outline 0:01:33 - Bill of materials and sizing 0:11:46 - Changes along the way 0:16:46 - A turn in Seafall 0:29:36 - A reader question

#117: Chatting with Robin D. Laws Feb 05, 2015

Show notes

Roleplaying game and novel writer Robin D. Laws joins Dirk and David to share his experience as a designer and writer in the gaming industry. Robin shares his methodology, how writing for the two media compares, and his upcoming work.---------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Robin D. Laws - @robindlaws, kenandrobintalkaboutstuff.com------------------Episode Outline 0:00:24 - Robin's background 0:03:11 - The Gumshoe system 0:11:59 - Establishing a voice 0:20:20 - Gumshoe licensing 0:26:03 - Recommendations on systems 0:28:46 - Robin's novels 0:36:26 - Design process 0:38:59 - King of Dragon Pass 0:44:38 - The future of D&D

#116: Buying and Selling with Soren Johnson & Scott Hamden Jan 27, 2015

Show notes

Soren is back with forum member and early Offworld Trading Company playtester Scott Hamden to talk with Dirk about the current state of the game. Offworld Trading Company is taking form as it prepares for early access on Steam and a wider user base for even more feedback.--------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Soren Johnson - @sorenjohnson, designer-notes.com, offworldgame.com, idlethumbs.net/designernotes Scott Hamden - indczn@gmail.com------------------------------------------------------------- Episode Outline 0:00:22 - Current state of the game 0:03:04 - Scott's experience with OTC 0:05:38 - Stages of alpha and graphics 0:09:31 - Soren's involvement in the art process 0:13:59 - Watching the process as a fan 0:20:15 - Tweaking game values 0:34:53 - Buying and selling of stocks 0:42:39 - Multiplayer games 0:48:38 - Feature count 0:57:13 - Playtesters and forum interaction 1:04:19 - Upcoming milestones

#115: Talking with Chelsea Howe Jan 22, 2015

Show notes

Dirk and David are joined this week by Chelsea Howe, game design veteran and current employee at EA. Chelsea brings her experience to the show after working in a wide range of environments from large publishers to small game jams and independent projects.---------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Chelsea Howe - @manojalpa, www.manojalpa.net--------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:17 - Chelsea's background 0:08:16 - The mechanics of humor 0:10:52 - IP opportunities 0:13:43 - Why F2P big license games may not work 0:29:37 - Video gaming demographics 0:31:29 - Game james 0:34:50 - Quality and quantity of games 0:40:04 - Working at different sized companies 0:48:37 - Are we all designers?

#114: Back to the Mail Bag Jan 13, 2015

Show notes

Dirk, David, and Rob are back to answer more of your questions! This week's questions cover digital integration, international design decisions, and the role of 3D printing.-----------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:52 - How do you feel about apps integrated with board games? 0:19:50 - What possibilities would you like to see in those games? 0:22:33 - Will this lead to un-playtested games? 0:29:08 - What about a hybrid microgame? 0:33:44 - What roles will exist for people with international experience? 0:42:18 - Do you think game companies will become more global? 0:43:45 - What impact do you think 3D printing will have on tabletop? 0:49:44 - How have you seen asymmetry done in games?

#113: Trekking Along Jan 06, 2015

Show notes

Dirk and David are at the helm this week to talk about all things Star Trek. David's upcoming game uses the Star Trek universe to tell a wide variety of stories with a wide cast of characters. But with a fan base as enthusiastic and demanding as Trekkies (or Trekkers), how do you respect the source material while making a game fun?------------------------------------------------------Contact information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron--Episode Outline 0:00:45 - Star Trek roots 0:06:23 - Differing Trek series and fans 0:19:28 - Building a game for every captain 0:32:38 - The Star Trek story 0:39:39 - User research 0:53:18 - Alpha testing 0:56:02 - Star Trek appeal

#112: 2014 in Review Dec 30, 2014

Show notes

Dirk, David, and Rob look back at 2014. Rob's Kickstarter leads the way with a great success story and a view into just how crazy his life became this year. Dirk and David share their big moves from the year and look ahead to what's coming. Finally, Dirk says some nice things about Michael Hermes, who may or may not be writing these show notes (and sounds like a swell guy).------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:53 - Rob's Kickstarter 0:08:10 - Dirk's Kickstarter 0:15:19 - David's move 0:27:16 - Dirk's year in review 0:35:10 - Seafall 0:41:07 - David's board games 0:45:21 - Rob's teaching 0:50:03 - Conquistador Games 0:51:54 - The Game Design Roundtable

#111: Game Design and Education with Erin Hoffman Dec 23, 2014

Show notes

Dirk and David sit down with game designer and writer Erin Hoffman to talk about her extensive background in game design for education,interacting with the users, and some deep talks on the role of art in games.----------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Erin Hoffman - erin@makingwonder.com, @gryphoness--------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:17 - Erin's background 0:01:50 - Umberto Eco and art 0:16:44 - Interfacing with users 0:20:59 - Staying connected 0:28:34 - Designing for kids 0:33:56 - Lessons learned 0:41:05 - Learning styles 0:48:59 - Sense of Wonder

#110: The Science of fun with Nicole Lazzaro Dec 16, 2014

Show notes

Is there a formula for fun? Nicole Lazzaro joins Dirk and David to talk about what makes games fun, deliver a brief dive into neuroscience, and compare the concept of fun and gaming addiction.----------------------------------Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Nicole Lazzaro - @nicolelazzaro, www.4k2f.com-----------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:01:34 - The four keys to fun 0:13:18 - Depth 0:29:22 - Tabletop 0:39:32 - A primer on neurology 0:50:50 - Free to play

# 109: Susan McKinley Ross and Idea Duck Dec 09, 2014

Show notes

Dirk and David are joined by game designer Susan McKinley Ross, creator of Qwirkle and other well-received board games. Susan shares her expertise in color and tactile game design, the process of writing rules, and how she came to be an award-winning designer.------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Susan McKinley Ross - @ideaduck, www.ideaduck.com--------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:15 - Susan's background 0:01:54 - Tactile elements and color 0:07:15 - Qwirkle 0:24:55 - Design and development 0:39:22 - Illustrations and rules 0:41:40 - Susan's process 0:49:30 - Other projects 0:54:16 - Working with a spouse

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