The Game Design Round Table

Dan Fabulich from Choice Of Games joins Dirk and David to talk about the interactive fiction genre and the process of choosing an adventure that may or may not be your own.--------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Dan Fabulich - @choiceofgames, dan@choiceofgames.com, www.choiceofgames.com-----Episode Outline 0:00:31 - Choice of Games 0:01:43 - Interactive Fiction 0:05:58 - UI 0:23:30 - Gender and Choice 0:31:37 - Best Practices 0:42:57 - Other IF Developers 0:46:26 - Branded Properties 0:54:20 - Making choices matter---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Choice of Games http://www.choiceofgames.com/ Inkle Games http://www.inklestudios.com/blog/ A Dark Room https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a-dark-room/id736683061?mt=8 Device 6 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/device-6/id680366065?mt=8 San Franciso Interactive Fiction Meetup http://www.mee

This week Dirk is joined by game designers Jay Cormier and Sen Foong Lim of Bamboozle Brothers. Jay and Sen describe what it’s like working with a partner long distance, getting picked up by a publisher, and their process to designing tabletop games.---------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Jay Cormier - @bamboozlebros, http://www.bamboozlebrothers.com/ourgames.html Sen Foong Lim - @senfoonglim--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:02:20 - Belfort Design Process 0:03:27 - Starting Small 0:14:27 - After getting picked up by a publisher 0:18:10 - Getting Started 0:23:37 - Teamwork and Collaboration 0:27:12 - Disagreements 0:35:04 - Game Artisans of Canada 0:56:13 - Starting with theme or mechanics

Dirk, David, and Rob talk about the the importance of marketing. How important is it and how do the numbers compare between tabletop and the digital realm? And what’s the Wil Wheaton factor?----------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:56 - Marketing at Hasbro 0:08:20 - Marketing and conferences 0:12:18 - The differences between tabletop and digital marketing 0:21:01 - Data 0:26:54 - Pricing 0:33:38 - Theme and marketing 0:41:25 - Copycats and “inspired by” 0:51:43 - Marketing as independence 0:54:52 - Wil Wheaton gets his own bullet point

Harrison Pink returns to the show to talk with Dirk and David about playing games. This episode is all about what games our panel has been playing and how they have reacted as both players and designers.-----------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Harrison Pink - harrisonpink.com, @colonialpink, harrisonpink@gmail.com-----------------------Episode Outline 0:01:33 - Sir, You Are Being Hunted and stealth 0:09:12 - Splendor 0:28:26 - Diplomacy 0:39:56 - Neptune’s Pride 0:44:49 - Dune 1:01:16 - X-Wing Miniatures

In this week’s episode, Dirk and David take some time to talk about their current projects. Futbol Strategy is around the corner and David’s Knights of Puzzelot has launched - find out how the games are going and what else the two have up their sleeves for the future.-------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron-------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:20 - Futbol Strategy 0:11:30 - Knights of Puzzelot 0:24:03 - Dirk’s unrevealed project 0:26:18 - David’s deck building game 0:34:29 - David’s new project 0:42:28 - Design books

Nels Anderson joins Dirk and David to talk about the concept of “Push and Pull” style games and how it relates to game styles and gamer choice.--------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Nels Anderson - @Nelsarmensch, www.above49.ca, https://www.idlethumbs.net/terminal7, firewatchgame.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:30 - Push vs Pull 0:14:40 - Push/Pull and player choice 0:29:07 - Tabletop games 0:32:30 - Game responsiveness 0:40:35 - The illusion of choice 0:50:13 - Firewatch

This week Dirk, David, and Rob go over the process that leads up to experiencing the game. From first hearing about it and finally unboxing it, what matters the most to designers and players? And just how many of our regular panel are old-school D&D nerds? (Hint: all of them.)----------------------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 - Early announcements and Seafall 0:11:46 - Expectations and age 0:19:00 - Boxes and graphic design 0:34:32 - Opening the box 0:45:05 - Time to play the game 1:04:30 - Favorite new product memories

Harrison Pink joins Dirk and David to talk about what motivates both players and developers. Is it the journey, the destination, or the sweet, sweet Steam achievements at the end?------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Harrison Pink - harrisonpink.com, @colonialpink, harrisonpink@gmail.com-----------------------Episode Outline 0:00:58 - Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation 0:09:42 - Telltale Games and extrinsic rewards 0:12:40 - Chocolate covered broccoli 0:31:15 - Authorial intent 0:46:34 - Can design be extrinsic or intrinsic

Dirk and Soren talk to Double Fine’s Brad Muir about streaming the development process and interacting with fans. Listen in on how to walk the fine line between listening to your fans and still steering the ship while working in an open development environment.--------------------------------------- Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Soren Johnson - www.designer-notes.com, www.mohawkgames.com, @sorenjohnsonBrad Muir - @mrmooear, brad@doublefine.com------------------------------------- Episode Outline 0:00:58 - Streaming at Double Fine 0:10:24 - Civ IV’s early access 0:17:03 - Unexpected benefits 0:31:15 - Other streaming developers 0:37:11 - Kickstarter and fundraising 0:49:31 - What’s next for Double Fine 0:52:30 - Soren’s project

Dirk, David, and Rob get down to the nitty-gritty about prototyping their game concepts, both on the digital side and the tabletop side. What does a good prototype look like, and more importantly: how is one actually made?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com, David Heron - @DavidVHeron, Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, hello@robdaviau.com------------------------------------------- Episode Outline 0:00:58 - Working with the family 0:09:36 - Resolution and detail 0:15:46 - Digital prototyping 0:23:28 - Prototyping a licensed game 0:27:30 - Prototyping different components 0:42:22 - Playing prototypes

Dirk and David take a moment to discuss the games they’re working on and the challenges they face when trying to bring new game concepts to life. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:49 - War Stories 0:06:33 - The Knights of Puzzleot0:15:15 - David’s side CCG project 0:29:30 - New CCG mechanics and approachability 0:35:01 - Futbol Strategy

Dirk, David, and Rob get together to discuss the perceived value in infinitely replayable games. Where did this notion come from? The trio discuss collectible card games and Minecraft alongside normal tabletop games to get to the bottom of infinity.-----------------------------------------------------Contact InformationDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comDavid Heron - @DavidVHeronRob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, hello@robdaviau.com--------------------------Episode Outline0:01:22 - What is the origin of the “infinite game” concept?0:07:04 - The Cult of the New0:13:40 - CCGs0:22:04 - Game exploits and replayability0:30:58 - Expansions0:39:44 - Short and single-play digital games

Dirk and David talk to veteran designer Julian Gollop about his career in gaming and his Kickstarter for a remake of his classic game Chaos Reborn. The trio discuss the roles of both user and procedurally generated content as well as Julian’s plans for his remake of Chaos Reborn.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact InformationDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comDavid Heron - @DavidVHeronJulian Gollop - @julian_gollop, www.chaos-reborn.com-------------------------Episode Outline0:02:02 - Chaos Reborn and its Kickstarter0:12:20 - Social elements in games0:16:42 - Chaos Reborn gameplay0:33:58 - Procedurally generated content0:52:58 - X-COM0:59:48 - The future of Chaos Reborn and early testing

Ryan Dancey joins Dirk and Soren to talk about tabletop RPGs and Pathfinder Online. What’s the cross-section between MMOs and traditional RPGs? Listen in to find out how Pathfinder took the helm from D&D and what their plans are for their upcoming MMO.--------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comSoren Johnson - www.designer-notes.com, www.mohawkgames.com, @sorenjohnsonRyan Dancey - @rsdancey--------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline0:00:21 - Ryan’s background0:03:18 - Ryan and game design0:08:20 - The Pathfinder roleplaying game0:21:10 - Do MMOs hurt tabletop RPG sales?0:30:05 - Pathfinder online and Kickstarter0:39:49 - “Theme Park” games vs. sandbox games0:55:28 - Combat vs. relationships in RPGs

Rob Daviau returns to the show to talk to Dirk and David about playtesting and the challenges of getting good feedback. Are core gamers good playtesters? How much playtesting is necessary? The show concludes with a discussion on the covenant between games and their players - how many playthroughs are “enough”?-------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comDavid Heron - @DavidVHeronRob Daviau - @RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------Episode Outline 0:00:46 - Playtesting Seafall0:09:45 - Playtesting and CCGs0:19:22 - Prototypes0:36:45 - Getting the right feedback0:39:10 - The creativity in boardgames0:45:58 - Shorter experiences

Telltale Games’ Harrison Pink joins Dirk and David to talk about the difference between designing by instinct and using analysis and data. Can a designer ever be fully intuitive or analytic? The trio explores this topic through character development in The Walking Dead as well as Tales From the Borderlands.------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact InformationDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comDavid Heron - @DavidVHeronHarrison Pink - @ColonialPink, harrisonpink@gmail.com------------------------Episode Outline0:00:43 - Intuitive vs Analytical Design0:09:04 - The Walking Dead and choices0:18:25 - Experience and its impact0:22:58 - Poker and feel0:40:15 - Adapting to new player roles0:49:26 - Borderlands and greed

Jon announces that he’ll be retiring from the podcast in order to focus fully on At the Gates. Piggybacking on this topic, he and Dirk discuss workflow, where AtG is at now and highlight what’s next for it. Dirk finishes up the episode by sharing his plans for TGDRT going forward.---------------------------Contact InformationJon Shafer - @JonShaferDesign, www.JonShaferOnDesign.com, Jon.Shafer@ConiferGames.comDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com---------------------------Episode Outline0:01:10 - Jon’s Last Ride0:03:52 - Work Patterns0:09:42 - Splitting Attention0:22:32 - The Impact of Art0:30:21 - Future of At the Gates0:41:15 - Travel & Convention Plans0:45:24 - Marketing0:51:43 - The Future of the Podcast

Jon, Dirk and David discuss the idea of players as designers within the context of house rules, modding and optional rules. Other topics covered include: how much control should players have? When are house rules bad? How much creative control over the core game design should developers give out?---------------------------Contact InformationJon Shafer - @JonShaferDesign, www.JonShaferOnDesign.com, Jon.Shafer@ConiferGames.comDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comDavid Heron - @DavidVHeron---------------------------Episode Outline0:00:38 - House Rules0:07:20 - Modding0:17:48 - Tabletop Games0:30:30 - Optional Rules0:38:55 - Our House Rules0:43:58 - Allowing for Player Creativity0:55:40 - Opening Up the Design Process1:03:35 - From Modder to Designer

Soren joins Jon and Dirk to discuss transparency: what a game does and does not reveal to players. The discussion ranges from unpredictability in deckbuilders like ‘Dominion’ and ‘Ascension’, to fog of war in ‘Civilization’, ‘At the Gates’ and ‘War Stories’, to the need to memorize past actions in games like ‘El Grande’. They wrap up with a lengthy discussion about the transparency problems Dirk and Soren have with the baseball sim ‘Out of the Park’ and why Jon still loves it all the same.---------------------------Contact InformationJon Shafer - @JonShaferDesign, www.JonShaferOnDesign.com, Jon.Shafer@ConiferGames.comDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comSoren Johnson - @SorenJohnson, www.Designer-Notes.com, www.MohawkGames.com---------------------------Episode Outline0:00:24 - What IS Transparency?0:13:50 - Deckbuilders0:18:02 - Fog of War0:26:12 - Dirk’s Games0:31:15 - Replayability0:38:18 - Memory0:45:35 - The Designer’s Preference0:50:04 - Out of the Park Baseball1:12:00 - Designing

Rob joins Jon and Dirk to discuss phases (the early game, the late game, etc.) and ‘pivot points’, which are moments when focus shifts from one aspect of a game (such as economic engine building) to another (scoring points). Some of the titles brought up during the conversation include Chess, Monopoly, Dominion, Lords of Waterdeep and Zimbabwe, the game that got Rob thinking about this topic.---------------------------Contact InformationJon Shafer - @JonShaferDesign, www.JonShaferOnDesign.com, Jon.Shafer@ConiferGames.comDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comRob Daviau - @RobDaviauGamer, Rob.Daviau@IronWallGames.com---------------------------Episode Outline0:00:22 - Pivot Points0:15:00 - Pacing Point of No Return0:21:20 - Chess0:27:14 - The Designer’s Perspective0:34:35 - Game Phases0:42:00 - Pivots in Mechanics