Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication

GDU 042 - Aeon’s End Legacy of Gravehold

In episode 42 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Sydney Engelstein, one of the designers to take on the challenge of continuing on the Aeon’s End game line! Listen to Sydney discuss the original game, her involvement with the past and current expansions as well as her favorite one she’s worked on, Legacy of Gravehold! We talk about dreams inspiring pieces of the games as well as what made the Aeon’s End games stand out as a deck builder against its competition. Learn how to take over a game line from the original designer and make compatible expansions to a cooperative deck building game!

 

Featuring: 

Sydney Engelstein - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 041 - Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall

In episode 41 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Banana Chan a designer on the culturally inspired game Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall. Listen to learn more about how a culture can inspire different design choices from how dice work in the system to adding spirit paper as a component. This game aimed to capture the immigrant experience of the time with a horror twist. Listen to how Banana works to balance out her character's motivations and dreams for the game. As you play, these dreams become covered up as players transition from a family to Jiangshi (hopping vampires). This episode is packed full of storytelling/RPG advice as well as what it means to design a game with representation in mind. 

 

Featuring: 

Banana Chan - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 040 - Canvas

In episode 40 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Jeff Chin and Andrew Nerger about their game Canvas which was a component first design. Inspired by translucent cards Jeff and Andrew worked to get creative prototyping this beautiful entry-level game that is now being distributed globally. Even the game box being designed to look like a hanging painting was considered when manufacturing this game. Learn tips on prototyping unique components, finding artists on Reddit and resources on how to run a Kickstarter from the co-founders of Road to Infamy Games.

 

Check out their current Kickstarter for Globetrotting at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roadtoinfamy/globetrotting?ref=profile_saved_projects_live

 

Featuring: 

Jeff Chin - Guest

Andrew Nerger - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 039 - Cheer Up!

In episode 39 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Chris Rio the designer of Cheer Up! published by Cheer Up Games. He talks about designing a creative way to make a word game that removes the flaws of the games he saw already on the shelf. Also, how he’s made his branding pop out compared to its competitors. He touches on culling the words on the cards as times change as well as avoiding pop culture references to avoid aging the game.  

 

Featuring: 

Chris Rio - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 038 - Slingshot Maneuver

In episode 38 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Josh Kaplan a youtube reviewer and abstract game designer. Josh discusses having a game in print and selling out in a month and what happens to your game when a publisher’s company hits hard times. Plus, tips on how to pitch to publishers you already have a relationship with on the media-side of the industry.

 

Featuring: 

Josh Kaplan - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

 

GDU 037 - The Night Cage

In episode 37 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Christopher Ryan Chan, one of the co-designers and the illustrator of the Night Cage published by Smirk & Dagger Games. We discuss creating a narrative when designing a horror themed board game using mechanics and art to create a feel that adds to the gameplay. Also, knowing who your demographic is can help shape your game design.

 

Featuring: 

Christopher Ryan Chan - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 036 - Cascadia

In episode 36 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Randy Flynn about his design Cascadia published by Flatout Games. This tile-laying puzzle  game of building habitats and expanding your wildlife has become so popular that it has been printed in various languages. Randy talks about his experience developing the game with Flatout’s Collab program and growing as a designer through it. 

 

Featuring: 

Randy Flynn - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 035 - Phantom Ink

In episode 35 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Mary Flanagan about her co-design Phantom Ink published by her company Resynom Games. She speaks about her experience starting on the video game side during the “.com boom” in the early 90s to transitioning to tabletop games. Mary is an artist, designer, business owner and so many more things. She designs based on feel which compliments her co-designer who focuses on the mechanics first to build fun games like Phantom Ink and others. She also talks about her experience being a woman in a male dominated industry and how she intentionally hires female artists and others in order to add more diversity to her games and the industry as a whole.

 

Featuring: 

Mary Flanagan - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 034 - Synchronized

In episode 34 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Amelie Le-Roche a co-designer and artist of Synchronized published by her company Zerua Games. Amelie talks about how they took a suggested theme and turned it into a game. How the “fun” was there from the initial playtest which motivated them to continue working on the game and using Kickstarter to make it a reality. Learn about this uniquely themed memory game and how to get the most out of your box design! 

 

Featuring: 

Amelie Le-Roche - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host

GDU 033 - Century: Spice Road

In episode 33 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Emerson Matsuuchi the designer of Century: Spice Road, Century: Eastern Wonders, Century: A New World and the Golem Editions published by Plan B Games. Emerson talks about one lighting in a bottle game Century: Spice Road, plus designing two follow up games that were both standalones as well as could be combined into a heavier weighted game. This design challenge was something that was both difficult and rewarding for him. See how he introduced new players to popular mechanics in his Century games. 

 

Featuring: 

Emerson Matsuuchi - Guest 

Danielle Reynolds - Host