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Episodes
Game Design Unboxed features interviews with tabletop game designers on specific games or series of games they have created. Listeners will learn where the initial idea for the game came from, how the game developed over time and where the game is now after being published.
Episodes
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
In episode 22 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication Danielle and Denice talk about some favorite moments and lessons learned thanks to season 1’s guest designers. As well as where they are in their current game design journeys. We say farewell to Denice from the show and about the show coming back in late Fall with a refresh for season 2!
Featuring:
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Denice - Host
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
In episode 21 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we speak with Vanessa Hoskins, our first RPG designer. The Know Direction Network’s own Vanessa talks about RPGs, Pathfinder, and writing part 2 of the Abomination Vaults. Her extensive credits and knowledge on RPGs will help listeners dip their toes into RPG design and gameplay! As well as learn how to get into the business.
Featuring:
Vanessa Hoskins - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Denice - Host
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Episode 20: Dinosaur Island
In episode 20 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Jonathan Gilmour, the designer behind Dead of Winter, Mental Blocks, Wasteland Express Delivery Service, Kids on Bikes, Dinosaur Island and so many other games and expansions! Jonathan is known for his ability to predict what themes or mechanics are going to be popular and become evergreens. Listen to him talk all things dinos and more!
Featuring:
Jonathan Gilmour - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Ben Moy - Host
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
In episode 19 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk about Bez Shahriari’s game Kittycataclysm. From trimming down the design to make a quicker playing game to interweaving cat puns into a mechanically solid design. We learn about deciding to balance versus leaning into the power of a card. As well as learning empathy for designers/publishers especially in relation to Kickstarter.
Featuring:
Bez Shahriari - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Denice - Host
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
In episode 18 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Maxine Ekl, the designer of Think Ahead, High & Low Poker, Dual Value Playing Cards, and Stripes! Maxine is one of the co-organizers for Chicago's Protospiel and co-owner of Clever Playing Cards. She’s a large fan of designing card games and her game Stripes even got the Dice Tower’s Seal of Approval! Maxine found that her game designs only got better after discovering Protospiels and local game design meetups. Learn how she started her own Protopiel and how patience is a virtue when it comes to taking a game from inspiration to publication.
Featuring:
Maxine Ekl - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Ben Moy - Host
Denice - Host
Wednesday Jun 16, 2021
Wednesday Jun 16, 2021
In episode 17 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Daryl Andrews designer of Sagrada, BOSK, 7 Summits, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Kodama 3D, Back to The Future Outatime and so many other games. Daryl shares his insights on going from hobbyist to designer thanks to an amazing local community of designers. Learn how he has worked with different design partners, themes, and mechanics becoming almost a swiss army knife of a designer. Daryl embodies the mentality of pay if forward and shows you how far you can go in the industry when you help support fellow designers.
Featuring:
Daryl Andrews - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Ben Moy - Host
Wednesday Jun 02, 2021
Wednesday Jun 02, 2021
In episode 16 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Ryan Costello the designer of Orphans & Ashes, LFG Storytime with Dick, and a writer for various RPGs. Ryan pitched, designed, and developed Orphans & Ashes for Blind Ferret Entertainment based on their webcomic series Looking for Group. He worked to capture the dark humor and quirkiness of the webcomic characters to build a game designed with the fans in mind. He learned many valuable lessons about manufacturing and creating realistic manufacturing timelines as well as how to curate a board game subscription box while working for Blind Ferret. Ryan has worked his way into the gaming industry starting with creating the Know Direction podcast that currently hosts this show to landing a job with Blind Ferret and now Laughing Dragon. Ryan is a hobbyist turned game designer you can learn a lot from.
Featuring:
Ryan Costello - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Denice - Host
Wednesday May 19, 2021
Wednesday May 19, 2021
In episode 15 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Josh Wood, a developer at AEG and game designer of Santa Monica, the Tiny Towns Expansions, and Cat Lady. Josh talks about the differences between developing and designing games as well as the heartwarming stories from Cat Lady’s design journey.
Featuring:
Josh Wood - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Denice - Host
Wednesday May 05, 2021
Wednesday May 05, 2021
In episode 14 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Erica Hayes-Bouyouris about her co-design BOSK by Floodgate Games. Erica shares her insights on how to find a good co-design partner and what it was like as a woman diving headfirst into game design with the Canadian “Big Dogs”.
Featuring:
Erica Hayes-Bouyouris - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Ben Moy - Host
Denice - Host
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
In episode 13 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Zachary Connelly on his game LOTS: A Competitive Tower Building Game. Zach speaks about designing his game with his son in mind. Plus, mistakes he made over various Kickstarters including the importance of having multiple people spell check your game. He also discusses how designing and redesigning games with component prices in mind can be a huge factor in if a game is going to be publishable. Learn more about being a hobby game designer/publisher from Zach in this episode of Game Design Unboxed.
Featuring:
Zachary Connelly - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Ben Moy - Host
Denice - Host
Plus, mistakes he made over various Kickstarters including the importance of having multiple people spell check your game. He also discusses how designing and redesigning games with component prices in mind can be a huge factor in if a game is going to be publishable. Learn more about being a hobby game designer/publisher from Zach in this episode of Game Design Unboxed.
Featuring:
Zachary Connelly - Guest
Danielle Reynolds - Host
Ben Moy - Host
Denice - Host