The Game Design Round Table

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

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

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

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

Dirk, David, and Rob are on hand to talk about two topics this week. First, the progress of Rob’s current Kickstarter: Funemployed 2nd Edition. He reviews how the Kickstarter is going as well as steps he took on the front end. Next, Dirk and Rob talk about their time at Boardgamegeekcon, a convention put on by the website of the same name. Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com Episode Outline 0:00:13 - Rob’s Kickstarter 0:09:12 - Setting up a Kickstarter 0:14:26 - Boardgamegeekcon 0:21:58 - Acquire 0:27:47 - Red7 0:34:15 - Hypoborea 0:38:47 - Tragedy Looper 0:45:57 - Mysterium 0:49:33 - Tesla vs Edison 0:56:27 - Artemis

Amy Jo Kim joins Dirk and David to talk about cooperative gaming and the move away from zero-sum game mechanics. Social and online gaming have shown time and again that players want to cooperate and work together rather than kill each other and constantly compete. Amy Jo offers her experience and insight into what makes cooperative fun, and how designers can make it compelling.-------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Amy Jo Kim - @amyjokim, www.shufflebrain.com, www.mvpdesignhacks.com----------------Episode Outline 0:00:26 - The cooperative revolution 0:04:35 - Amy Jo’s background 0:13:14 - Zero-sum games 0:23:28 - Mobile and free to play 0:35:48 - Balancing feeling special and teamwork 0:54:43 - Powerful mechanics in co-op 0:57:10 - Steps for a new designer

This week it’s a regular-sized show about micro-sized games when designer Chris Handy comes on to talk about his foray into the micro games market.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Chris Handy - @ChrisHandy, packogame.com---------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:01:05 - Micro games 0:07:54 - 20 Themes 0:14:10 - Traditional and Euro games 0:16:00 - Mobile and social games 0:30:00 - Trends in micro games 0:35:47 - Business aspects

Dirk, David, and Rob Daviau are answering questions this week on topics about board game design, publishing, translations, and more!-------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:43 - What existing game do you wish you had designed? 0:04:02 - What can Eastern and Western developers learn from each other? 0:09:37 - What game design phrases make you cringe 0:15:48 - How will designers grow if creators are not from the dominant culture 0:19:31 - Can you expand on the concept of player empowerment? 0:24:31 - Should I sell my game to a publisher? 0:32:36 - What are some examples of board games with great digital versions? 0:40:45 - How do you find the right artist at the right rate? 0:44:52 - Should I be worried about someone stealing my idea? 0:47:48 - When is the right time to reach out to a big-name developer? 0:50:59 - At what point do you translate your game?

Dirk and Soren are joined by strategy games enthusiasts Julian Murdoch and Dr. Bruce Geryk to talk about the current state of Offworld Trading Company. Julian, Bruce, and Dirk have all had time with the game and offer Soren feedback, ask a few questions, and figure out just what that robot voice is saying.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Soren Johnson - @sorenjohnson, designer-notes.com, offworldgame.com Bruce Geryk - @spacerumsfeld, www.wargamespace.com-------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:33 - The latest changes in OTC 0:03:44 - Impressions from Bruce and Julian 0:11:31 - Competition and fun 0:21:44 - The wargamer’s perspective 0:27:13 - New influences 0:31:34 - Belter 0:40:38 - Speed and the endgame 0:47:44 - Early access 0:50:39 - Innovative games 1:06:19 - Dates

It’s just Dirk and David today as the hosts catch up on each of their own projects. David has made some big changes and moved on to a new company in a new town, and Dirk details all of the different irons he has in the fire. Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Episode Outline 0:00:25 - David’s big changes 0:09:35 - Future plans 0:18:05 - Working face to face 0:21:34 - Moving to Boston 0:33:37 - War Stories 0:42:48 - Fútbol Strategy 0:55:05 - Tesla vs Edison 0:56:31 - Dirk’s mystery projects