Space-Biff! Space-Cast!

Not many board games are as mysterious as City of Six Moons. Is it a puzzle? A working board game? A grift? To answer those questions and many more, today we're joined by Amabel Holland to discuss her oddest title yet, the joys and perils of translation, and her recent efforts to preserve board games that have fallen out of fashion.

By now you've likely heard of Vantage, the ambition first-person exploration game about surviving and thriving on an alien planet. For today's Space-Cast!, we're joined by Jamey Stegmaier to discuss the eight-year inception, development, and eventual appearance of this wonderful and strange artifact. Along the way, we discuss Vantage's inspirations, how design constraints can engender greater freedom, and games within games. 

Michael Yang, the designer behind the innovative lane-battler card game Compile, joins the conversation to share insights into his journey of game design during the pandemic. He discusses the emotional rollercoaster of pitching his game and the heartbreak of navigating publisher challenges. From unique gameplay mechanics to the creative inspirations drawn from programming, Yang emphasizes the importance of meaningful design. The impact of family connections through gaming and the excitement of physical ownership in gaming culture also feature prominently.

Hot Streak! Off-brand mascots and gambling degeneracy have never been more in fashion. For today's Space-Cast!, we're joined by Jon Perry to discuss his mascot-racing board game, its connections to the digital collection UFO 50, and the particulars of adaptation and artistic medium. Now that's a mouthful!

Is Jono Naito-Tetro a designer? A collective? A publisher? ALL OF THE ABOVE? On today's Space-Cast!, we sit down with Jono to chat about a wide range of exciting titles. From the creative crime-sleuthing of Here Lies to the garbled transmissions of Signal and the unexpected antagonists of Scream Park, join us as we dig into what makes DVC Games one of the most exciting independent publishers operating today.

Join Jo Kelly, game designer known for the innovative "Molly House," as she delves into the challenges of creating a game centered on queer joy and the complexities of betrayal. Discover why betrayal is a pivotal mechanic that reflects historical stakes faced by the molly community. Jo shares insights on the evolution of gameplay, from initial prototypes to the final design, emphasizing the importance of emotional depth and community. The conversation explores how joy transcends mere victory points, encapsulating the richness of authentic experiences.

The Illuminati! Aside from being a cabal of lizard-people who rule the world through the United Nations, they are now also the topic of a board game, Pax Illuminaten. On today's Space-Cast!, we're joined by designer Oliver Kiley to discuss three very different histories of this secret society.

In 1956, not-yet-famous author Kurt Vonnegut unsuccessfully attempted to publish a board game. That game, GHQ, was then stored in a box for decades until designer Geoff Engelstein read about it in a biography and began the long process of restoring this historical artifact. On today's Space-Cast!, we sit down with Geoff to discuss how GHQ traveled across time, its surprising innovations, and what it might say about Vonnegut's efforts to contextualize his wartime experiences.

 On today's Space-Cast!, we're joined by Pako Gradaille to discuss his recent board game Onoda, about the Imperial Japanese officer who continued to wage the Second World War for nearly thirty years on the island of Lubang. Along the way we discuss why Gradaille was drawn to Hiroo Onoda, how board games can express alienation and discomfort, and both the necessity and perils of ambiguity in art. 

Dr. David King's Wilmot's Warehouse has been described as a magic trick, a miracle, and one heck of a fun time. On today's Space-Cast!, we're joined by King to discuss the ins and outs of his creation, along with how he began teaching game design, his breakout browser game Tiny Islands, and the role of failure and memory in making a board game worthwhile.