The Game Design Round Table

Sometimes a game design just goes off the rails. Scope creep, overly-ambitious ideas, a loss of focus… these can be devastating to any project. Dirk, David, and Rob Daviau talk about how a game can get off the right path and what can be done to get it back on track.----------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:17 - Seafall 0:03:38 - Design by committee 0:18-14 - Assessing the state of a game 0:32:25 - Big games vs small games 0:42:23 - Patching and hot fixes 0:50:38 - Examples 1:00:03 - Advice for getting out of the ditch

The title of "writer" can span from creating conceptual direction to creating dozens of iterations of the same lines of character dialog. Guest developer Harrison Pink joins Dirk and David to talk about the role in the gaming world.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Harrison Pink - @colonialpink, harrisonpink@gmail.com, blog.harrisonpink.com----------------Episode Outline 0:00:55 - The role of a writer 0:14:54 - Expectations of game writers 0:26:29 - Writing for tabletop 0:37:56 - Writing a pitch 0:47:20 - Writers and marketing 0:52:58 - Board games

Dirk and David are joined by Karla Zimonja of the Fullbright Company to talk about Gone Home, the challenges and benefits of working on a small team, and the transition of going from AAA game development to a small, independent studio.--------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Karla Zimonja - @zusty, www.fullbright.company----------------------------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:31 - Fullbright Company history 0:02:51 - Gone Home development 0:09:59 - Plot and setting decisions 0:20:58 - Karla's background 0:38:14 - Gone Home's team 0:42:50 - Workflow

Dirk, David, and Rob get together to talk about conventions. Gen Con is the star of the show as the trio talk about tips for both gamers and game designers. Everything is covered from talking with publishers to packing your bags the smart way.-------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:01:12 - Gen Con 0:23:55 - Tips for attending conventions 0:41:45 - The big hits at Gen Con 0:53:41 - Favorite conventions

This show is all about the listeners! The mail bag is full and it's time for Dirk and David to answer your questions on game design, the industry, and the types of games they love the most.------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron @DavidVHeron--Episode Outline 0:00:46 - Do you see Eurocentric themes as a problem in game design? 0:09:27 - What games have made you feel empowered? 0:13:54 - What are the advantages and disadvantages of fantasy themes? 0:18:46 - What are you top five games to play? 0:25:25 - Do you consider player action rate during design? 0:31:54 - What is the status of female game designers? 0:54:42 - What's your ideal, unlimited-budget game? 0:56:58 - Should I patent my rules?

Jon and Dirk talk to game designer and TGDRT regular Soren Johnson about his upcoming game, Offworld Trading Company. His real time strategy economic game is currently in beta. Soren talks about the state of the game and the challenges he has in front of him.--------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Soren Johnson - @sorenjohnson, designer-notes.com, offworldgame.com Jon Shafer - atthegatesgame.com, contact@conifergames.com, @jonshaferdesign-------------------------------------Episode Outline 0:02:56 - "The Sid Way" 0:08:59 - The inspiration for OTC 0:20:41 - Gameplay 0:35:35 - Sound design 0:39:15 - The exploration phase 0:47:04 - Current challenges

Ananda Gupta joins Dirk and Soren to talk about Dynamic campaigns. Series like Total War and XCOM merge tactical battles with larger strategic campaigns - what do these games do well, and what challenges seem to be omnipresent?------------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com Soren Johnson - @sorenjohnson, designer notes.com, offworldgame.com Ananda Gupta - @agauntpanda-----------------Episode Outline 0:00:28 - Ananda's background 0:04:38 - Dynamic Campaigns 0:08:05 - Crusader Kings II 0:10:35 - Pacing 0:15:40 - XCOM 0:31:54 - Wargame 0:35:57 - Rise of Nations 0:46:49 - Offworld Trading Company 0:52:11 - Rise of Legends 1:06:34 - Imperial Struggle

Dirk, David, and Rob get together to talk about the betrayal as a game mechanic. Betrayal can bring out the worst in people - yelling, table flipping, and even physical violence. So why does it still get into so many games, and what makes it a compelling mechanic?---------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Rob Daviau -@RobDaviauGamer, rob.daviau@ironwallgames.com-----------------------------Episode Outline 0:00:28 - Betrayal! 0:04:41 - The mechanics 0:12:34 - Betrayal at House on the Hill 0:29:46 - Risk 0:36:36 - The most dastardly of betrayals 0:43:39 - Bang! and Werewolf 0:54:40 - Seafall

Friend and co-founder of The Game Design Roundtable Jon Shafer stops by to talk about the status of his game At the Gates. Learn about the importance of tribes, one of Jon's new features that adds replayability and personality to the game. Dirk, David, and Jon talk about how far the game has come and what's coming up in the future.----------------------------------------Contact Information Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Jon Shafer - atthegatesgame.com, contact@conifergames.com, @jonshaferdesign--------Episode Outline 0:01:15 - Impressions of At the Gates 0:03:58 - Recent changes 0:17:16 - Player choice and game duration 0:21:16 - Clans 0:34:44 - Unit health and healing 0:43:01 - Personality 0:50:23 - Migration

Dirk, David, and Harrison Pink get together to reminisce about the games that they enjoyed in their youth. Check out the extensive list below - how many did you play?---------------------------------------------------------------------------Contact Information 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 - Monopoly 0:08:56 - The Game of Life 0:13:18 - Risk 0:23:11 - Crazy Eights 0:26:03 - Clue 0:30:14 - Scotland Yard 0:35:40 - Mastermind 0:39:25 - Mousetrap 0:41:50 - Fireball Island 0:47:27 - Dark Tower 0:48:54 - Trivial Pursuit 0:52:24 - King's Quest 0:59:19 - Ultima Online