Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication

GDU 032 - Pipeline

In episode 32 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Ryan Courtney the designer of Pipeline published by Capstone Games. Ryan created an amazing business simulation about the refinement of oil and how it has been a part of the government-controlled energy sector. He talks about making his design incredibly thematic but needing to refine the design to get the time and difficulty down to make it into the product you can currently purchase. Also, how it took many no’s from the publisher before they decided to sign Pipeline. This game went through a lot of changes to become the success that it is now so check it out!

 

Featuring: 

Ryan Courtney - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 031 - Blinks System

In episode 31 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Move38's Founder & CEO Jon Bobrow about the Blinks System. His system was created as a mash-up between a toy, video game and board game using electronic hexagon tiles that each hold a single game. Each tile will train the others in the system to learn that specific game. Jon has worked with outside designers and his internal team over the past 2+ years to create tons of fun games that can be played using this system. Their most recent Blinks Party Pack will be on Kickstarter starting February 22nd as well as another print run of their initial system. Go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/move38/blinks-party-games/ to back their Kickstarter! 

 

If you’re interested in designing your own game for the Blinks system, consider coming to a Game Jam hosted by Move38 in partnership with Tabletop Gaymers on Saturday, March 12 from noon to 6pm in Long Island City, NY. Or purchase a development kit on their website!

 

Featuring: 

Jon Bobrow - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 030 - Summit

In episode 30 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Conor McGoey, the founder of Inside Up Games as well as the designer behind Summit, Vault Assault, Gorus Maximus, and more! Summit was not only his first published game but it had a competitive, cooperative and solo mode attached to it. Learn how he turned the success of this game into a company. 

 

Featuring: 

Conor McGoey - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 029 - Savage Sisters

In episode 29 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Graham Gentz, a writer and designer on "Savage Sisters." He also performs with 9th Level Games as "Fomo" the kobold puppet. Savage Sisters was designed by Adriel Wilson and uses the Polymorph RPG system designed by Chris O'Neill. Learn more about the Polymorph system and what makes Savage Sisters unique in the RPG world!

 

Featuring: 

Graham Gentz - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 028 - CULTivate

In episode 28 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Austin Foss (Pops) and Jenna Radtke (Bejou) otherwise known as part of the Pops & Bejou team and the designers of CULTivate. Pops & Bejou started as a friendship formed in college that turned into a publisher at the beginning of COVID-19. CULTivate was the first of the games this company is looking to put out as a gateway game with great art and an interesting theme. Learn about their marketing plan of contacting smaller instagram accounts, sending playtest kits over the pandemic and how waiting made their Kickstarter better. Plus, enjoy the puns and humor hidden in this puzzle, pattern-building, take-that game!

 

Featuring: 

Austin Foss (Pops)  - Guest 

Jenna Radtke (Bejou) - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 027 - Fire Tower

In episode 27 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Gwen Ruelle, one of the designers of Fire Tower and co-owner of Runaway Parade Games. Gwen talks about taking her love of cooperative game elements and using it to make a fire tower burning game of winds changing and friends working to outlast each other. She speaks about the inspirations for various expansions including fire hawks that use burning branches to scare their prey into traps. From making the decision to self-publish, to signing their first external designer’s game hear about the journey of Runaway Parade Games and their original hit Fire Tower!

 

Featuring: 

Gwen Ruelle - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 026 - Raccoon Tycoon

In episode 26 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Glenn Drover, owner of Forbidden Games and designer of Raccoon Tycoon. A game that has players buying and selling goods from a marketplace, doing quick actions, and set collecting adorable animals and their railroads. Glenn was inspired by Catan and Monopoly wanting to create a gateway game that could eventually make its way from Kickstarter to Target shelves and he did! Listen to Glen’s years of industry experience in both tabletop games and videogames in this episode!

 

Featuring: 

Glenn Drover - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 025 - Medium

In episode 25 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Danielle Deley and Nathan Thornton about their game Medium, an improv-inspired party game that helps players sync minds and search for words that link together to score points. It’s a game that’s as fun to lose as it is to win. Listen to Danielle and Nathan’s interesting marketing idea and how playing games at work turned these two into game designers.

 

Featuring: 

Danielle Deley - Guest 

Nathan Thornton - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 024 - Sleeping Gods

Episode 24: Sleeping Gods

 

In episode 24 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Ryan Laukat, the designer and illustrator of Sleeping Gods, Above and Below, Near and Far, and more. Ryan is the co-owner of Red Raven Games as well as a triple threat of game designer, artist, and storyteller. In this episode, he discusses how art and media play a huge role in his game design. From inspiring him to giving him a visual road map of where an open-world game like Sleeping Gods might lie. Learn more about how to build a narrative-driven game from Ryan!

 

Featuring: 

Ryan Laukat - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 023-Greece Lightning

In episode 23 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we kick off season 2 talking with Kathleen Mercury, an educator, and board game designer. Her first published design Greece Lightning started with her decision to co-design with Mark Sellmeyer on his space-themed game about black holes. This game developed into a push-your-luck, roll-and-move race in an Ancient Greek regatta. She references the importance of playtesting and how one of her students helped solve a flaw in her design. Plus, her sister's assistance in adding the right amount of mythology to the game. This episode is filled with humor and insight so check it out!

 

Featuring: 

Kathleen Mercury - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host