The Game Design Round Table

Return guest Harrison Pink stops by to catch up with Dirk and David and let us know what he’s been up to. Harrison recently moved to a new studio and is working as a world designer on the next Mafia game. He also had the opportunity to travel to China to talk at their GDC conference. He talks about designing for open world games, lessons he’s learned about what players want, and his international travels. Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Harrison Pink - @colonialpink, harrisonpink@gmail.com, blog.harrisonpink.com Episode Outline 0:00:37 - Harrison’s new digs 0:02:56 - World designing 0:08:10 - Team culture 0:14:47 - The Mafia series 0:27:42 - Lessons learned 0:30:20 - Other activities 0:36:51 - Talking at GDC China

Dirk, David, and Rob tackle more listener mail in this week’s episode. We had a lot of great questions come in from our listeners that cover royalty free assets, distribution for board games, and some more from Dirk on Tesla and Edison.---------------------------------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-------------------------Episode Outline 0:01:11 - How do you know when the mechanics are done? 0:10:53 - Not using regular distribution 0:22:25 - Using royalty free assets? 0:33:01 - Do you have any recommendations on finding royalty free assets? 0:41:37 - What are some clever design decisions that were used to cover up flaws? 0:45:50 - Can you comment some more on Tesla and Edison as people? 0:51:12 - Asymmetric design between two players 0:59:40 - Rules-based programming

We’re back! Dirk, David, and Rob are here again to talk about game design after a flurry of activity and travel. David is knee-deep in Star Trek Timelines and Rob is pleased with the success of Pandemic Legacy. Meanwhile, Dirk was invited to the laboratory of Thomas Edison thanks to the work he did with his game Tesla vs. Edison.---------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:34 - Star Trek Timelines 0:07:02 - Game pacing 0:17:49 - Risk Legacy and Pandemic Legacy 0:27:48 - Expertise, failure, and learning 0:35:53 - Edison Innovation Foundation 0:47:59 Chronicles 0:48:00 - Disruptor Beam

Dirk and Rob sit down with game designer Isaac Childres to talk about his self-published and Kickstarted game Gloomhaven. Rob seems to have found the game he’s been looking for all along and has plenty of questions for Isaac, who has published several games on his own and appears to be looking at a hit with Gloomhaven.--------------------------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com Isaac Childres - @cephalofair, cephalofair.com--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:19 - Gloomhaven 0:06:43 - Retirement mechanic 0:14:06 - Inspirations for Gloomhaven 0:27:40 - Publishing 0:33:12 - Previous games 0:42:51 - Publishing lessons learned 0:50:23 - Upcoming games

Dirk, David, and Rob get together to talk about what happens when the game has shipped and there’s still more to do. Post-launch support can come in the form of features that were originally left on the cutting room floor, expansions to existing content, or continuations of a line with new product. All three of our panelists have experience with expansion content across different industries and share their insights with the listeners.-----------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:51 - Content at the end of the game design 0:08:03 - Business models and design 0:23:51 - Expansion design for tabletop 0:31:51 - Who’s doing expansions right? 0:38:27 - Map expansions

This week Dirk and David are joined by game designer Alex Kevern. Alex has followed the path from gamer to designer and brought several different games to market with a myriad of publishers. He offers his experiences dealing with different publishers as well as modifying themes for games and working on Kickstarter.-----------------------------------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Alex Kevern -@alexwithideas--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:16 - Alex’s background 0:03:54 - Daxu 0:11:17 - Changing themes 0:16:05 - World’s Fair 0:24:50 - Kickstarter 0:27:45 - Expansions 0:34:01 - Gold West 0:39:46 - Working with publishers 0:46:12 - Future projects

Rob is back from vacation and it’s time for some more listener mail. Is it possible to play a game that is fun but not good? Should you share your ideas with people before publishing your game?-------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:36 - Pitching to publishers 0:16:52 - Fun games that aren’t good 0:25:44 - The goals of game design 0:32:18 - How much do you share an idea before publishing? 0:40:47 - How do you take on choices in design?

Dirk and David talk to game designer David Somerville about his game Trove and experiences publishing his first game. David shares his insights as far as community management, how to hand things over, and pitching your games. Other David shares that he really, really wants to be a cave.----Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron David Somerville - @thisistrove------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:18 - Dave’s background 0:02:31 - Trove: The Crystal Caverns 0:13:04 - Staying current while designing 0:15:21 - Getting set up with a publisher 0:26:20 - Earlier games 0:39:18 - Advice 0:51:28 - Pitching your game

We’re back! After a brief hiatus due to the craziness of Gen Con the crew is back to tell their stories and get caught up on all the new developments. Dirk, David, and Rob talk about Gen Con, the new collaboration between Dirk and David, and answer a little bit of listener mail.------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:05:48 - Seafall update 0:09:16 - Chronicles 0:22:51 - Star Trek 0:30:26 - Gen Con 0:40:09 - Return on investment vs artistic statement

Dirk and Rob sit down with game designer Daniel Solis to talk about his background with card and microgames. Daniel’s games can be played all over the world and he shares his experiences with international publishers as well as crowdfunding and print-on-demand.---------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com Daniel Solis - @DanielSolis, http://danielsolisblog.blogspot.com/------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:26 - Daniel’s background 0:07:01 - Card counts 0:11:10 - Sharing ideas 0:15:27 - Playtesting 0:18:31 - Kigi 0:22:04 - Publishers in different regions 0:33:39 - International legal matters 0:39:49 - Royalties and crowdfunding 0:53:58 - Upcoming projects

Dirk, David, and Rob are back to answer more listener questions about budget, toolsets, and more.------------------------------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com Episode Outline 0:02:12 - Budget for art and assets 0:06:29 - Marketing and Kickstarter 0:21:18 - Meaningful early game moves 0:40:17 - Toolsets for game development 0:49:13 - Feedback for feedback

This week, Dirk and David chat with Meg Jayanth to talk about her experiences as a writer in the games industry. Meg’s prose is probably most well known in the story-heavy gameplay of 80 Days on mobile devices and Sunless Sea on the PC. Meg shares her background, what it’s like to create oodles of content characters may never see, and the benefits of working in pajamas.-----------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Meg Jayanth -@betterthemask, www.megjayanth.com------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:18 - Meg’s background 0:08:17 - Samsara game 0:15:14 - Content that characters may or may not see 0:36:18 - Writing processes 0:42:41 - Working remotely 0:47:16 - Current projects

Dirk, David, and Rob get together to confirm that no person is an island, especially when it comes to game design. Collaborating with others can be challenging but also rewarding, sometimes allowing partners to bring out the best in each other. David describes his collaborations at work while Dirk and Rob talk about collaborating with others and the importance of eating with your coworkers.----------------------------------------------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:01:18 - Collaboration 0:08:10 - Opinions on interface design 0:13:30 - A Dirk/Rob case study 0:22:24 - Working on your own 0:27:10 - Collaboration tools 0:38:42 - Equality in collaborations 0:49:28 - Types of projects that work well with collaboration

Jamey Stegmaier stops by to talk to Dirk and David about his previous games as well as the upcoming and hotly anticipated Scythe. Scythe’s evocative art and theme have piqued the interest of the boardgaming community. Jamey fills us in on how the game came about and what the players can expect in terms of mechanics and gameplay.-------------------------Contact Info Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Jamey Stegmaier - http://stonemaiergames.com/, kickstarterlessons.com, @jameystegmaier----Episode Outline 0:01:18 - Making the jump to full-time game designer 0:06:18 - Viticulture 0:14:48 - Kickstarter and content 0:18:09 - Kickstarter and non-US customers 0:21:31 - Treasure chests 0:24:54 - Scythe 0:31:51 - Scythe’s art 0:36:58 - New players and describing actions 0:50:22 - Game length 0:56:27 - Combat in Scythe

Dirk, David, and Rob get together to answer questions sent in by you, the listeners!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:26 - What are your thoughts on the 4X genre and game length? 0:06:51 - Have sculpts become a commercial crutch for poor game design? 0:12:38 - Is the popularity of tabletop gaming related to the rise of digital games? 0:17:41 - What board game has replaced another game for you? 0:21:01 - What game has lost its luster as time went on? 0:24:02 - What game do you wish had never been released? 0:27:45 - What’s the most glaring flaw you’ve seen in a game? 0:33:10 - What other podcasts do you listen to? 0:37:01 - What game do you wish you could play more often? 0:38:39 - What are you thoughts on paid beta programs? 0:41:02 - What do

Dirk and David are joined by game designer Isaac Shalev of Kind Fortress Games and the podcast On Board Games. Isaac shares some of the insight he has gleaned about the Kickstarter process, publishing games with a cultural story to tell, and how to make players attack each other.

Dirk, David, and Rob talk about all of the primary forms of feedback that developers have at their disposal. Reviews can be educational, helpful, or downright depressing. Playtesters can offer amazing insight or unwanted suggestions. Listen in to find out how to balance the good with the bad.------Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:17 - Feedback and reviews 0:15:57 - The context of reviews 0:21:39 - Previous game reviews 0:27:35 - Guided recommendations 0:33:06 - Feedback from playtesters 0:47:00 - What makes a good playtester

Former host and Game Design Roundtable co-founder Jon Shafer stops in to talk about At the Gates. Jon’s been hard at work adding features, taking out features, and polishing the game. Progress moves ever forward as the game becomes the game that Jon set out to make.---------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Jon Shafer - www.atthegatesgame.com, @jonshaferdesign, jonshaferondesign.com, jon.shafer@conifergames.com------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:01:58 - Making changes in development 0:06:56 - Clans 0:11:57 - Developing the clan mechanic 0:14:36 - Other changes to the game’s original design 0:19:44 - Storytelling 0:22:57 - Diplomacy 0:26:46 - Romanization 0:36:08 - Test groups 0:39:51 - Food and player pressure

Dirk, David, and Rob take a moment to check in on their respective projects. Rob details his long and illustrious career as the head of marketing for his game company while David checks in with an update on Star Trek Timelines. Meanwhile, Dirk’s Kickstarter for Tesla vs. Edison is ready to go live and the question of shipping costs rears its ugly head.--------Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:33 - New York Toy Fair 0:08:22 - New roles and marketing 0:14:38 - PAX and Star Trek Timelines 0:23:24 - Star Trek Timelines demo 0:43:47 - Tesla vs. Edison

Dirk and David talk to Randy Hoyt of Foxtrot games about the art of publishing board games. Randy talks about his preference of publishing over designing, the role a good publisher can play in the success of a board game, and the releases of Foxtrot games.------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Randy Hoyt -@foxtrotgames, www.foxtrotgames.com, contact@foxtrotgames.com, @randyhoyt------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:15 - Foxtrot Games 0:08:14 - Refining a game’s design 0:10:09 - Themes 0:13:01 - Publishing vs designing 0:27:42 - Changing a game’s theme 0:32:25 - Getting designs to publishers 0:47:36 - Where Foxtrot fits 0:56:05 - Future projects