The Game Design Round Table

Latest Episodes:

#28: Scoring & Victory May 21, 2013

Show notes

The usual three-man crew discusses - debates, even - the ways in which we win games. The first half of the show is dominated by dissecting the pluses and minuses of victory points, whether they're inherently arbitrary, and if they might even be a sign of lazy design. In the second half our hosts talk specifics, analyzing how victory does (and could) work in 'Tomorrow' and 'At the Gates.'

#27: Board Game Design. With Martin Wallace May 16, 2013

Show notes

Dirk (the solo host for this week) sits down with acclaimed game designer Martin Wallace of Tree Frog Games. Martin's star-studded resume includes Railroad Tycoon, A Few Acres of Snow, Waterloo, and the Discworld licensed games.

#26: Puzzle Strike, Becoming a Designer, & More May 07, 2013

Show notes

A lengthy episode where Jon and Dirk cover a variety of topics. First, they discuss the superb 'Puzzle Strike', basically "'Dominion' done right." The conversation shifts to 'Magic' and the pluses and minuses of an immense learning curve. Our hosts then provide updates on their ongoing projects, and wrap up the episode with a realistic (some might say sobering) look at what it's like becoming - and being - a game designer.

#25: Information & Obfuscation Apr 30, 2013

Show notes

David Heron, Jon and Dirk noodle over the role of information and obfuscation in game design. Why does 'Persona 4' work when the BioWare games do not? And when can hiding info be GOOD for a game?

#24: Games and the Law. With Dave Fitzgerald Apr 23, 2013

Show notes

Trademark specialist and actual lawyer-type Dave Fitzgerald joins the show to discuss legal issues relating to games development. Topics covered include the difference between patents, trademarks and copyrights, what you need to set up a company and common mistakes made by developers.

#23: Magic, Drafting & Updates Apr 18, 2013

Show notes

Dirk shares his first 'Magic' drafting experience, and why the game and format now has its hooks into him. He and Jon then step back and evaluate the drafting mechanic and ponder whether the reason why it works is BECAUSE of a steep learning curve. They then go on to discuss the recent re-release of 'Age of Empires 2' and 'War of the Roses' before providing brief updates as to what's new with 'At the Gates' and 'Tomorrow'.

#22: Bioshock Infinite & Plaid Hat Games. With Colby Dauch Apr 12, 2013

Show notes

The team is joined by Colby Dauch, president of Plaid Hat Games, the developer behind Summoner Wars and the upcoming Bioshock Infinite board game. These games are discussed, as well as the story behind Plaid Hat's founding, Colby's approach to business and design, and whether or not the digital/tabletop convergence is real.

#21: Free to Play. With David Heron Apr 04, 2013

Show notes

New occasional co-host David Heron rejoins the show to analyze the impact of Free to Play (F2P) from a business and design perspective. The group discusses the philosophical implications of F2P, along with real life examples that include Banner Saga: Factions, World of Tanks and League of Legends.

#20: 'Tomorrow', Abnercon Games & Updates Mar 28, 2013

Show notes

Jon and Dirk are guest-free this week and provide an update on what they've been working on and playing. On the Kickstarter front, 'At the Gates' has wrapped up and 'War Stories' will soon be doing the same. A recent playtest of 'Tomorrow' and Jon's thoughts on a recent version of the game. They also discuss some of the games played at 'Abnercon', including 'The World Cup Game', 'Railroad Tycoon' and 'Mare Nostrum'.

#19: Diplomacy & Allan Calhamer. With Jim Burgess Mar 21, 2013

Show notes

With the sad passing of Allan Calhamer, Dirk and Jon felt it appropriate to honor his memory and the legacy left behind by his finest work: Diplomacy. They are joined by Jim Burgess, a distinguished member of the Diplomacy community. The crew discusses what's made it a gaming favorite for fifty years, a few ideas for improvements and what the future holds for the title.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Game Design Round Table

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected