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Last week, you were asked to find and listen to any episode of The Game Design Roundtable podcast that struck you as especially interesting. The conversations that stemmed from your reflections were wonderful!

This week, you have been asked to listen to any episode of The Game Design Roundtable podcast that was recommended by a classmate in last week’s forum.

Before 11:59 pm on Friday, September 30th, post a reflection of your listening experience here. Include (1) the episode you listened to, (2) why you selected it, (3) what you learned, (4) who you would recommend check out this particular episode.

Then, before 11:59 PM on Monday, October 3rd, respond to at least two of your classmates. Remember to be conversational! (Did anyone take you up on YOUR podcast recommendation? What did you find surprising or interesting about the podcast they listened to? Does it relate to your own interests? Does this mirror your strengths as a game designer, or does it tap into an area that is outside of your expertise?)

Have fun!

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I took Gabrielle’s suggestion and listened to TGDRT # 214: Game Themes with Will Thompson. They talk about racial justice in themes. As Gabrielle talked about last week, the game Scramble for Africa presented an interesting social dilemma in that it was one of those games which subliminally encourage and romanticize racism, colonialism, and xenophobia.

I am currently taking the class Diversity and Inclusion, and one thing they teach there is how the dominant majority in any aspect of diversity usually don’t notice that their actions can be offensive, culturally misleading, or racist/sexist/etc. This podcast made me think about who the game design and writing team is. As we learned in this week Schell readings, who the team is in any given situation is very important. Their perspectives on history and the world affect the game’s theme and what it encourages people to think and do. If this game does not have some kind of sensitivity and historical specialist who can both corroborate the facts and history that the game is based on and make sure it is not sending the wrong message to kids and adults, then chances are the situation will become like this game, Scramble for Africa.

I never realized how many games were based on themes like this. My family comes from a colonized country, but living in America, and playing American games/watching American media, I guess society has kind of adopted the American Imperialist mindset, where we no longer recognize what these hidden messages are teaching us, that these subliminal messages have so much power over how society will progress. Both this podcast and that class have made me realize how important perspective is to any design, that design shapes minds and actions.

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Hey Valika!
You bring up such a good point! Diversity is essential in everything, especially things that can easily perpetuate certain ideals through implicit messaging. In my experience, the more complex the gameplay, the easier it is for an implicit message or idea to slip past the audience; the more focused a player is on their actions in the game, the less they’re paying attention to any subliminal messaging that may occur. Getting a diverse team with views that differ from the norm is important and helps spread messages other than “the American Imperialist mindset.”

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Hi Vallika!
Your response really got me thinking about the ethics of games, which I haven’t even thought about until now. Even classic games like Monopoly, which we associate with playing as a family or with friends in an enjoyable experience, can have insensitive themes behind them (like greed, corruption, and over-consumption through capitalism). There are also games like Risk, which is a strategy game that is supposed to deal with war and diplomacy, but may come across as insensitive or mimicking real issues in a trivial manner. I wonder now that we are more receptive to diversity and inclusion, if games will start reflecting society’s changing view of social issues.

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Hi Valika,

This podcast seems very interesting as racial justice is a theme spoken about in this episode. Specifically, how games portray these racial issues in games and sometimes even promote them. Sometimes these games are historically inaccurate, hence generating a misleading idea about a specific group of people. These games do not usually allow for members of the group being affected to take part of these projects. Hence, misleading to misrepresentation. In today’s world, I believe it is important to tell the true story about historic events so gamers have the right information when playing these games.

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Hi Vallika!
I am so happy that you chose my recommendation and that it provided you with valuable information! When I first listened to the episode, I was also really surprised by how many times I missed the hidden message of colonization in many games. As sad as it is, it seems almost normal for designers to romanticize this idea of colonization. What’s interesting about Scramble for Africa particularly is that not only does the game use the idea of colonization, but it misses so many key bits. of information from the perspective of Africans. I believe Thompson mentioned how Ethiopia was successful in fighting colonizers to keep their land, but that wasn’t discussed in the game. All the times that Africans were able to establish themselves over colonizers were not mentioned in the game. At the very least, if designers are going to use colonization as their base, they should make the games historically accurate and not represent people as weak individuals in need of saving.

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Hi Vallika!

I think your take on this podcast was really interesting. I think it’s very important for historically-based games to have a specialist to guide the story and overall game, like you mentioned. Colonial mentality is the ethnic or cultural inferiority we internalise as a result of colonisation. Our film, media, and entertainment perpetuates these messages in everything they produce, and often leave us with the subconscious belief that the cultural values of one community are inherently superior to another. In the news we consume, we constantly witness the damaging stereotypes put forth about certain communities. Now it is seen in games as well without proper knowledge and application of history in a game, it can be very inappropriate.

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Hi Vallika!

I actually listened to the same episode and really enjoyed it. One of your best points is that “who the team is in any given situation is very important,” because this stresses the need for diversity. A lack of that is certainly a problem in the gaming industry. Recently, major video game companies have been accused of sexism in the workplace. This is a direct result of a demographic that is not inclusive of minorities, both ethnically and according to gender.

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I think that game developers must tread the line of caution without making an imposing presence on a game. While many taboo topics are handled with a hero presence, I agree that the sexism of the game companies has seen a downward trend in support. Many major companies have to face the issue of handling their games from the inside out and Activision has its plate full.

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I had a tough time deciding which podcast episode to listen to; everybody highlighted the best things about the episode they listened to in their discussion post, so every episode sounded awesome! I finally decided to listen to Episode #224: “Scott Nicholson Talks Escape Rooms,” which Jaz and Drew recommended. I really love escape rooms, and I first want to talk about something I mentioned in one of my responses last week, which is the point Nicholson made about how sometimes escape room designers will slow time down for player enjoyability. Speaking from a game designer perspective (as well as someone who had just posted about time mechanics in games), this idea was fascinating to me. It makes so much sense and is something I had never considered before.
Speaking from the perspective of someone who loves escape rooms, though, the sanctity of my puzzle haven feels a little tarnished. I really do love escape rooms; I am both naturally inquisitive and very competitive, so a room full of puzzles literally built to be beaten in a certain amount of time makes me so happy. I’ve always been fine with the hints designers will give in their rooms because they usually aren’t too plentiful and don’t have to have a lasting effect on the room as a whole; they are just one hint for one puzzle, and the rest can be solved naturally. This slowed-down time handicap, though, tarnishes my past wins. Time is a major component of escape rooms, and the fact that designers can so easily manipulate such a fundamental part of the game makes it feel cheaper and less fun. I’m really struggling with it because I can so easily understand why you would want players to have a good time in your escape room and manipulate the timer so they can have a longer-lasting feeling of satisfaction when they think about the room. Still, I’m not too fond of the idea of winning when I actually failed the challenge put in front of me.
The rest of the podcast wasn’t as disappointing for me. The most intriguing part was Nicholson’s emphasis on the importance of narrative and consistency in escape rooms. There are two types of escape room players: players who don’t care about the story and just want to solve puzzles and players who wish to immerse themselves into a story and enjoy finding the pieces that connect the different puzzles. There will be plenty of times when designers create “pages and pages” of narrative that players will never even touch, but that’s okay. The deeper story is there for people who want to explore the world created by the escape room and for the designers to create a consistent experience that makes sense for all players. I think this can apply to all games; there seems to always be some deeper story for modern games that allow players to make deep dive analyses, strong theories, and well-informed wiki pages.

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I forgot to mention, but I recommend this episode to anyone who likes escape rooms/puzzles. I also think that it could be helpful for all of us because puzzles and problem-solving are important components of game making, and Nicholson brings a really interesting perspective to the topic.

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Hi Anna!
I won’t lie, I was going to choose this podcast before I read that you already chose this one for this week’s discussion! I personally really love doing escape rooms with my family, which is what drew me to this podcast episode. The point you made about the time handicap really stood out to me, because looking back, I’ve had time silently extended by the gamemaster in multiple escape room’s I’ve done (even by just 1 minute) so my group could finish the last puzzle and ‘win’ the game. It definitely feels good in the moment, but it makes you wonder if you really are a champion, or just a cheater. I also liked your point about game designers creating pages of narratives that will never be touched. I feel like escape rooms have a lot of red herrings, and it makes me wonder how much effort is put into these elements that mimic puzzles but are really just a shell of a puzzle in the game.

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Hi Anna! @Altay also chose this podcast this week and mentioned the bit about Indiana Jones. I wanted to mention both because you guys gave me such a well-rounded idea of what the podcast entailed, I couldn’t answer one without the other lol.
Like @Altay mentioned, when in escape rooms, I feel like I am in an alternate reality (i.e. movie or game setting). As such, the importance of consistency in the narrative is huge for me!! Nothing ruins the mood more than when you find a 21st century object in an escape room that is meant to be dated back to the 60’s. As someone who loves feeling immersed in the story, this would definitely ruin the game and thus experience. This definitely made me appreciate all the thought that goes into escape rooms!

Thank you both 🙂

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Hi Anna!
I also chose this episode because of past conversations in the forum about the mechanics behind escape rooms. I think Nicholson’s ideas were pretty eye-opening, and he brought up many points that I would have never thought about from a player’s perspective, your mention of slowed-timing being one of them. I totally agree with your opinion that slowed-down time isn’t as satisfying. Even though it may help you win, it doesn’t feel like you really won because you didn’t complete the original challenge within the allocated time. However, I do understand why gamemasters might do this for younger groups because I highly doubt they would dwell over an extra minute, as we all know how competitive young kids are. Escape rooms definitely are on the more complex and difficult side of gaming as they require every single one of your senses to be used, but I think that’s the best part.

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Hi Anna!

I just did an escape room this last weekend and I know what you mean. Using hints is less of a problem for me because I am the kind of player who loves the story, not JUST the puzzles. But anything more than a hint feels like someone is ripping open the story world of the escape room; like if you were a character in the Princess Bride, you wouldn’t get more time or even hints on how to fight the the villain and save the Princess, so you shouldn’t in an escape room either. Because of the time restraint, hints are a necessary evil but you’re right, adding time (unless there’s a specific reason) defeats the whole purpose. The time restraint is meant to give the player the same sense of anxiety and pressure that a real detective (or whatever character the game uses) would feel.

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Hi Anna,

I’m so glad you decided to listen to the podcast I choose last week! It’s so good right? I loved your discussion post about this, because you hit points that I didn’t even think of including in my post, especially the time thing. I completely agree, I absolutely HATE when the designers manipulate the time aspect. I feel like it completely ruins the entire thing, I’m extremely competitive too, and it literally ruins my mood when I found out the time gets altered. Like the hints and other stuff are fine, but the time is the most important part, in my opinion. I mean I’m trying to solve this complex puzzle during a specific time, and then the game designers completely take that away? That’s annoying. But, other than that I do think that the podcast was very entertaining and informative, regarding escape rooms.

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That’s really interesting. I’m not sure if I should be happy or sad with this fact because my group and I usually take up the entire time doing the room, meaning even with help we take way too long. I do think that it does make the entire process more enjoyable for people who have groups like mine. It would be way less fun if we only got halfway through the room before we were told to leave. I think it gives more casual groups a reason to come back. They were able to experience the fun of winning in this suspended disbelief that they completed it successfully. I’m sad that I’m in that category, but I do think that that’s the reason my friends and I have gone multiple times.

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Hello, I’m glad you listened to the episode I recommended. It did highlight that escape rooms could cheat the timeframe by adding slightly more time to make sure that you manage to escape which is very disappointing. However, I think that something that should also taken into account is that you still managed to escape the room itself. Most places have a limit on the hints you can receive so were able to solve a puzzle that someone had setup. The accomplishment is still there. There is also the idea that, you could be able to escape it way sooner which definitely feels good. There are still escape rooms out there that don’t follow that time cheating, and make sure to make the escape room a challenging experience. There is a steam game that I really enjoy called Escape Simulator if you still want the experience of being able to solve puzzles in an escape room legitimately. There are user generated puzzles and ones made by the developer. The timer is within sight, so you are able to check it and make sure that it isn’t slowing down to allow you to actually escape on time.

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Hi Anna, that is a very interesting podcast. I really like escape rooms as well and find the aspect of racing against time as one solves riddles to be very fascinating. In fact, my middle school had made an escape room as well for the students to explore; it really is a great way to test a person’s critical thinking skills. With developers making it easier for the escapees, a win does not truly feel like a win. Rather it feels as if you just cheated the game. Nevertheless, it is understandable that people may want to fully explore the room and the lore. In this case, it does make sense that the time limit is not strictly enforced.

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1. The episode I listened to was #173: Game Design Axioms recommended by Vallika!
2.I selected this episode because as an engineering major, I tend to think of things methodologically and scientifically, and it was interesting how in Vallika’s response she mentioned how biology/science can frame certain axioms for game design. I wanted to learn more about if these axioms are really hard-and-fast rules, and if so, where does the logic behind them come from?
3. The first axiom I learned about was to never make a player lose a turn, because this causes the player to disengage from the game. I immediately started thinking about games where a turn is skipped, like Uno, and how this never really caused me to be disengaged. However, it doesn’t feel like a ‘timeout’ because it never really happens that multiple turns are skipped in a row. Also, one of the podcasters, Rob, discussed his experience working at Hasbro, and how it became engrained in him to not include losing a turn in a game. I wonder if at large game design companies, there is a list of hard no’s for game design. Another game design axiom was “Design for the Human Animal” which taps into human psychology and our human nature. Kathryn mentions, “think about what is easy for humans, what is hard for humans, and what is true for humans”, which is an idea that I think relates well to the concepts captured in the Schell readings. One idea is that the average person can only carry around 7 pieces of information in their mind at a time, which can lead game design principles (i.e. don’t give too much information to your players at once). Another axiom I learned from Dirk was to “Know who you are designing for”, and Dirk mentioned that game designers should get comfortable with failure. This is because he was making things that he was interested in, but it wasn’t what the audience was looking for. This really connected to this weeks Schell readings, and the idea of ‘loving your audience’. Lastly, a really interesting concept I learned about was getting qualified play-testers for your games. For example, don’t ask your game group because they may be biased in liking the same types of games that you(the game designer) like. A tip that Kathryn gives is to verbalize if a game isn’t meant for beginners or requires some previous exposure for the right game experience, to maybe reduce the pool of playtesters. A good way to survey for playtesters, according to Dirk, is to ask folks what are their 3 favorite games. I thought this was interesting, because I didn’t know that someone’s favorite game could reveal so much about them.
4. I would recommend this podcast to anyone who found the Schell readings interesting because there is a lot overlap with his lenses and these axioms. I’d also recommend this to anyone interested in science, math, or logic in general because it was interesting to hear from the podcasters what their specific reasoning for selecting their axioms were.

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Hey Maria,

I found your response really interesting especially when you mention that someone’s favorite game reveals a lot about them. When I take that into consideration and think about myself and my gamer friends, we all have different tastes in games. By that I mean, that we value some games more than others, depending on our interests and how we rank them. However, there are games that we all play and have in common, meaning an interest in commmon. It is interesting to think how one can express themselves though games as one chooses what games to buy in an online store or at your nearest Gamestop.

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Hi Maria!

I’m so glad you liked this episode! It was one of those things where they rules/”axioms” that should be obvious, but aren’t until someone points them out. The biology comment was really interesting to me because I never thought about how difficult it must be to gauge all the players’ differences not only in personality, but in biological capability, and to create something that is not only fun/actually playable in itself, but fun to play together (with people who have different personalities/physical capabilities). It blew my mind how much of that depth of designing has to be incorporated right from the start to ensure everyone has a fair shot to win the game.

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I am curious about this whole loose a turn aspect of a game. I think that the frustration behind losing a turn widely varies depending on the player, and that might be why it’s told to be avoided. Within uno, I would have to agree that I don’t feel very flustered because when I play the game, there are very low stakes, so skipping doesn’t feel like a huge deal to me, but I can see if I were to seriously trying to win, I would be frustrated at the idea of skipping a turn.

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The episode that I listened to was #197 Megagames with Ben Kanelos and Leslie Loy. Essentially, megagames are large-scale simulation games with up to 10 to 100 participants. These gaming sessions usually last anywhere from two hours to eight hours in total. In Megagames, players are encouraged to interact with each another as these games entail team activities. Megames contain elements of role-playing games, tabletop games, LARPs, and wargames. For an introverted person, this form of gaming can be very challenging as the hosts mentions due to their social abilities. However, for someone that is more outgoing, megagames can be a little less challenging due to their ability to interact with others. Since this podcast took place in 2018, meagagames were just emerging, just gaining popularity. Covid had not become a reality yet, hence not interrupting the growth of such activity. Four years forward, after Covid become a reality, megaagames are still prevailing, these taking place in the places like conventions around the world. Usually, megagames take place in larger cities as it is easier for a larger crowd to gather together to play. The idea of megagames is a cool concept as it can be a physical activity that many many players partake in.

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Hey Jose!
I’ve actually never heard of mega-gaming before, but it certainly sounds different from any gaming experience I’ve ever had. When you first mentioned LARPs, I actually thought of that one episode of Good Luck Charlie (LARP in the Park), where Teddy dresses to play one of these mega-games. I can see how this sort of gaming may be specific to an extroverted audience because it does require quite a bit of interaction and confidence. Thanks for sharing and teaching me something new!

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Hi Jose!

I’ve never heard about megagames before just like Gabby so this post was really interesting! I am an introvert myself and I can say that it does sound a little intimidating to me but it does sound really cool to participate in, especially in a large crowd or city. It’s like a board game but made bigger and immersing yourself into a world with dozens of players is a gaming experience like no other.

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This reminds me of MMORPGs. Are megagames in-person?

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Hi Jose, really interesting choice of podcast. The fact that these megagames are still taking place despite the pushback of COVID is amazing. I think megagames are a great idea, considering most gamers simply sit at home on their couch or chair and play on their console or PC. This allows people to be more physically active, something greatly needed in today’s day and age.

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This week, I took Jasmine’s suggestions and listened to TGDRT episode #224, Scott Nicolson Talks Escape Rooms. I selected this episode because I have previously talked about escape rooms in our forum when discussing the space aspect of mechanics. I, myself, am I huge fan of escape rooms, and I think they are a category of gaming that often goes untalked about. Usually, when you think about games, you think of the typical board, card, or video game, but escape rooms are actually one of the most complex gaming experiences someone could take part in.
As Nicholson explains, escape rooms utilize story and theme to the absolute max. Every single decision in a game room must contribute to the story as solving clues must give players some sort of hint as to how to solve the next clue. I also like how Nicholson talks about how. some aspects of escape rooms have double meanings, what you’re being told to do versus what you are actually supposed to do. I think this aspect adds to the escape room experience because, essentially, the room is one big riddle, and this further’s the. game complexity. as opposed to giving you the answers. Something I never really thought about was what players could learn from escape rooms, but Nicholson put it best when he explained how the entire process of the escape room is a learning experience. How do these numbers fall together? Why is the light dimmer in the corner? Why is the clock broken? All of these things are components of a “problem” that players must solve. Therefore, without really knowing it, players are working their brains and learning the room itself and how to escape it. I also thought it was interesting how Nicholson mentioned that escape rooms are one of the only games where everyone is working together while being physically together in one common space and not with different screens, cards, etc. It really furthers the sense of teamwork required to solve an escape room. I also thought it was pretty interesting how Nicholson explained that escape rooms are. the closest a player can be to their “avatar” because, in an escape room, you ARE the avatar.
I would recommend this episode to anyone who is an escape room fanatic or loves solving puzzle-like games.

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Hi Gabby,

I’m so happy you decided to listen to the podcast that I recommended last week, I hoped you enjoyed it! I also love escape rooms for the exact same reason, it’s all of my favorite aspects of games and puzzles in a real-life simulation. I totally found the reverse psychology in escape rooms to be really interesting, because I would be the type of person to overthink everything and ask the questions like “why is the clock broken?”. I never know how to differentiate between actual clues and just props to match the room, which is what the designers intended, and it was really cool to hear Nicholson really talk in detail about that.

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For this week’s podcast, I chose to listen to #244 on Matching Player Expectations with
Katherine Hines and David Heron which was recommended by Kattie. While listening to this podcast, something I found really interesting was the topic of toxicity, specifically in board games. Kathryn talks about bad player behavior that can lead to an unenjoyable experience for everyone. Toxicity comes from when player expectations are not met and that leads to them losing, and they believe it was unfair. This concept is something that never really crossed my mind when it came to playing games; the idea of toxic behavior. After listening to this podcast, it’s interesting to see how much it plays a role in tabletop games, such as Poker. Martin Kabrhel is a famous Czech poker player, who is very unpredictable and is known for his disrespectful table talk. One can see how this can ruin the experience for the other players around the table.

They also talk about what makes a game thematic for them and alignment between the theme and the game’s mechanics was introduced. This reminded me of Schells Lens #9: The Lens of the Elemental Tetrad. It’s important for the elements of the tetrad to work together to deliver the exact player experience that designers intend to.

This podcast elaborates on the importance of theme, which is also another lens Schell talks about: Lens #11: The Lens of Unification. Players want the theme to feel tangible and that can only be done if the elements are working in harmony. When done correctly, both mechanics and theme work interchangeably with one another in how they affect the player experience. Game themes are often one of the most memorable moments for players. They don’t remember so much the individual actions they took but rather the castle they helped raid; the city they built; or the ship they sailed. The theme becomes an invisible and inseparable framework for how we define the player experience. When combined with games-based learning; theme and content can help define and shape a memorable and applicable user experience.

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I forgot to add that I would recommend this podcast to those wanting to learn more about the effects of toxic gameplay and how game designers achieve feeling of a tangible theme for the players, which is us 🙂

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Hi Meeteeka! I’m so glad you enjoyed the podcast 🙂 Funny enough, I listened to the podcast you recommended as well.

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Hi Meeteeka!
I like your first point about toxic players; my family and friends can both be really competitive, especially when it comes to simple board games. I think what’s interesting is the line between competitiveness and toxicity. A lot of people believe being overly competitive automatically makes a player toxic, but I think that’s only part of it. For me, the most unenjoyable experiences in games were when one player a) actively hindered another person’s experience playing the game and b) consciously and repeatedly made pointed comments about another person’s ability to play. These actions can both stem from competitiveness, but when that competitiveness transforms into hurting another person’s experience, it becomes toxic.
I also really like that last point you made about how game themes are an “invisible and inseparable framework for how we define the player experience.” I think that’ll be crucial to keep in mind while we work on our final projects together!

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Hi Meeteeka! It’s interesting to hear about factors that contribute to toxic behavior. It kind of reminds me of test-taking. If someone is in the room distracting the test-takers, it would affect their ability to concentrate. Maybe that’s sort of what the poker player Martin Kabrhel was attempting to do. It’s underhanded and should be called out, though I’m not sure whether it should still be allowed. It’s not mentally healthy for the players, but in my opinion it’s really the dealer/referee/group’s call.

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I listened to the “Diving Into Cards as a Simplifier” episode, because it seemed interesting given my history with card-style games, and other games that use cards. I have played games like Magic: the Gathering, Settlers of Catan, and Exploding Kittens, all of which involve the use of cards to some extent. I learned that, as the name suggests, cards can make complex ideas and concepts in games seem much simpler. This is because cards offer a physical, tangible object that acts as a representation of a specific item. For example, in the game that Aran Koning developed (the person being interviewed in the episode), Stacklands, he talks about his process for designing the card mechanics for the game. His idea was to have different types of cards, like resource cards, building cards, creature cards, etc., that each have different meanings. Furthermore, the meanings and usages of the cards change depending on how you “stack” them. Koning gives the example that there are “human” cards, and “berry bush” cards, which individually serve different purposes, but when you stack the human card on top of the berry bush, that means the humans are “gathering the berries.” Without the physical representation that the cards offer, it would be difficult for players to visualize that humans are gathering berries.

I think this is true for all card-based or related games. Magic: the Gathering for example relies solely on cards as the base for the game. Cards can either be creatures, lands, or spells. In order to play one of these cards, the appropriate amount and type of land cards must be “tapped,” meaning you turn the cards sideways for the duration of the turn. Creature cards also get “tapped” when they are attacking. Turning the cards sideways like this indicates that the card is “tapped,” which lets players know that that card cannot be used again until the next turn. Without cards, this would be very hard to visualize, as players would have to remember mentally what cards can or cannot be used at any given time. Cards offer a physical play space, which makes viewing and understanding the game much easier, especially when parts of the game are inherently complicated.

I would recommend that anyone who likes to play card-based games should check out this episode. Even if you like to play Uno, Go Fish, or other basic card games, this episode does a great job dissecting why and how cards make games inherently easier to understand and play.

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Hi Dalen!
You’re so right about it being confusing without physical cards to explain the process; I read that bit about “gathering the berries” about three times, and the only way I could fully grasp it was to visualize stacking cards on top of one another. I also love card games (though my favorites usually don’t stray from the basic deck), and I’m glad I got a new depth for my love of cards through this!

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I listened to episode #267 recommended by bunbun. I also found it interesting that launching a project on the same day as a larger project is a tactical move for funding. I generally think of release dates in the realm of movies. In that area, it’s strongly advised not to release movies the same time as a large one because everyone will flock towards the more popular option as opposed to yours, but this is flipped around in the kickstarter world. When a large project is launching, people are more likely to look around at other projects that need backing, and that makes it a very smart move to launch at this time, so that you can capitalize on the influx of eyes. It was also really interesting to listen to their discussion about the success of different game in the kickstarter world. They went in and talked about why tabletop games found much more success than digital games, and the answer is somewhat obvious. The main concerns are the lack of resources, but regardless, it was a very interesting discussion.

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I listened to episode #252: Board Game Production and Operations with Nicole Cutler as recommended by Meeteeka. This topic was particularly interesting to me because I’m curious about how board game productions work nowadays. I assumed that board games don’t turn as much profit as it does back then since there are ways to play board games through digital means like computers and consoles. It’s interesting how Nicole always recommends new creators to pitch their board game to a publisher. I’ve always thought that it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to pitch it to one since they would give you a bad revenue split, but it makes sense since they know what to do, and how to get the game out there. It’s very nice how Nicole gives recommendations on what to do if you’re a new creator. If you were thinking about getting into the board game industry, I would recommend listening to this podcast.

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Hi Drew,

You mentioned that you assumed board games wouldn’t turn as much profit nowadays. I’m curious to know if that’s true because phone apps, for example, are widely accessible by anyone with a device and a Wifi/mobile connection. Companies save on manufacturing costs, and they can also push in-game “microtransactions” that can be purchased with a single click. However, board games have certainly declined in popularity as technology has advanced. And the initial selling price of an app is almost certainly less than that of a physical game. From a business standpoint, I’m interested to know how classic board games like Monopoly are performing on modern devices.

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Hey!
This was honestly another burning question I had when listening to any of these episodes. Once I realized that they were talking about board games and not video games, I was also wondering how in god did they ever make any money. A visit to any local Walmart/target can show you how much these board games sell (rarely, its always the same ones on the shelves) and allow you to gauge how much money can be made. This episode was pretty informational and I actually took the time to listen to it because I am a very business-minded person so thanks!

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I chose to listen to #214 – Game Themes with Will Thompson, game designer and co-owner of the gaming company Absurdist Productions. I believe Jose recommended it, and his summary sounded really interesting so I took a chance on it. One of the most interesting parts of the episode took place in the first ten minutes — the discussion of why colonialism is so popular in games fascinated me. Essentially, Thompson stated that colonialistic ideals are nothing new, and aren’t unique to games. He specifically cited its prevalence in early American media, from 19th-century novels and 20th-century Westerns, to the first board games, which drew inspiration from real-life wars. Often, these wars were a result of colonialism (or attempted colonialism).

This conversation reminded me of the storyline from Far Cry 3, an open-world video game that was widely accepted and acclaimed upon its 2012 release, but recently has been the subject of some controversy. In it, the player plays Jason Brody, who, along with his friends, has been kidnapped by psychotic warriors while vacationing on an indigenous island. Jason escapes captivity, and his main mission is to liberate his friends.

However, people have recently noted that the island’s natives act as quest givers. Critics have noted that this system makes natives appear helpless because they constantly ask Jason, a Caucasian man, for help. More importantly, Jason can singlehandedly take over enemy bases across the map, expanding his territory by taking over native locations. I remember a recent uproar on Twitter where people questioned why the game is written in a way that seemingly exploits indigenous peoples. The lead writers did respond to these concerns, and it’s an interesting discussion if anyone wants to look into it more.

I think it is also interesting how Thompson and podcast host Kneymeyer acknowledged a recent public shift in which colonial themes are viewed as less acceptable, which seems accurate in the Far Cry comparison. In Thompson’s case, he said games with colonial themes were just fun when he played them growing up, and it was not until he became an adult and a game designer that he began to think more about those themes, and how they might influence players. I would definitely recommend anyone to look into this podcast (as well as the Far Cry controversy), as it is eye-opening.

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by Archive.
• This reply was modified 3 years ago by Archive.

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Hi Evan! I learned a bit about colonialism in a previous class. Indeed, it’s less acceptable now. Thompson’s case reminds me of the professor playing monopoly with his daughter. I think it’s good that people are taking a closer look at themes; maybe there will be some advancement in education from it.

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I decided to listen to episode #221 – “Nikki Valens Talks Eldritch Horror”. This episode was recommended to me by Kwabena. I decided to listen to this episode because I’m a huge fan of horror video games and the horror genre in general. I’ve played a few games inspired by eldritch horror, but other than that I don’t know much about this sub-genre. Because of this, I wanted to listen to this episode to learn more.
This episode spoke on the foundational elements of horror games and how these elements were applied to the Eldritch horror genre. For instance, Valens speaks on the importance of distilling dread and disgust into the players. “Disgust” is specifically important for Eldritch horror, as the genre largely consists of huge, gruesome creatures. Then, Valens says that he created a sense of “dread” in players by foreshadowing dark events/disasters. Further, I found Valens’ decision to change “Eldritch Horror” from a ‘player vs. all’ board game to a ‘cooperative player’ game very interesting. In the horror genre, developers/writers typically seek to create as much danger or vulnerability as possible. Making the game a cooperative team effort allows the players to feel more “safety” than they otherwise would have. This is meaningful because although it is important to make horror feel scary and “unsafe”, it is just as important to balance these “scary” elements with lighter elements. In this way, Valens was able to make a successful horror board game.
Those who like the horror genre should definitely check out this episode. But, the board game “Eldritch Horror” is much more than just a horror game. This episode offers great insights on balancing and weaving narratives into board games. Because of this, I would also recommend this episode to people who like unconventional story-telling board games.

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Hey!
In all my ideas about game design, for some reason, I never thought about horror games as much as I thought I did. This episode that you talk about really puts into perspective what goes into making a good horror game and why they actually scare people properly. I really like how they mention using “disgust” and what that effect does to the player of the game. However, what I did not expect was the idea of throwing in a lighter element to balance it out. Looking back, I guess every horror game/movie has some lighthearted moments that put the player or watcher at some ease before scaring them with some form of jump scare or another form of terror. Overall, great recommendation Kwabena!

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Hi Jaskaran, thanks for your comment! I definitely agree. The importance of “lighthearted” moments in horror games reminded me of an article I read for my research proposal. The article argued that survival horror was rooted in the perseverance of the hero, and thus these “lighthearted” moments of peace are essential to the horror experience.

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Hi Julia! When you mentioned how the game mechanics chose to incorporate a ‘cooperative player’ strategy, it also made me wonder whether this choice was purposely selected to reinforce the game’s overall theme? I have never played so I can’t be too sure but such a big decision like that, as you mentioned, typically goes against the common horror strategy.In other words, maybe the game’s overarching message is “you can’t do it alone?” and as such, chose those mechanics? Thanks for your post!!

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Hi Kattie! This is a really good point. I never thought of the game’s overall theme, but “you can’t do it alone” would make a lot of sense for the cooperative nature of the game. It’s interesting that horror games (such as this one) often have really inspirational messages.

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Hi!
I decided to take on Altay’s suggestion and go listen to Episode #63: Theme. This episode is definitely a better way to understand how the theme of a game is really the backbone of it and how a good theme leads to a good and enjoyable game. This falls in line with what Dirk talks about for a big chunk of the podcast along with what Rob talks about. I really enjoyed Altay’s recommendation and found it was really informational about the idea of how a theme works with the rest of the gameplay. My favorite part of this specific episode was actually towards the end where they talk about what a theme actually is. Ironically, after talking about theme the entire episode, they actually go on to define it at the end. Some people describe theme as a sort of story or gameplay but they go on to describe it as more of a literary theme, going as far as calling theme as “what it feels like,” it being the game. Overall, this episode was pretty good and I definitely recommend it to anyone that would like to learn more about the theme as a whole and how it works with the gameplay/mechanics to make it more enjoyable.

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Hi Jaskaran,

I am glad you decided to listen to this podcast episode! This episode offers more insight as to what a game’s theme could be. We have previously defined it as what a game is about, but perhaps the definition is not set in stone, and can fluctuate based on the perspective of each player. Defining a theme by thinking about what it feels like being in the game offers immersion to the players and gives them unique individual perspectives and opinions about what the game’s true meaning and intention is.

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For this week’s discussion post, I decided to follow Altay’s recommendation and listened to Episode #63: Theme. Dirk and Rob mainly discussed the foundation of a memorable and impacting theme, as well as how that connects to a game being successful and pleasurable for the players. I actually found this episode to be really enjoyable and actually quite information, even though I thought I knew a good amount of game design theme from Schell’s book, which is actually why I chose this episode. But, they actually surprised me with some parts of the episode, especially the way that they defined theme, which was actually towards the end of the episode. Instead of it being like a moral or a specific connection to life, it was more of a feeling or an inkling for the game, and it can really be anything, which I thought was really interesting to think about. But, I would definitely pass this episode on to people who are interesting in the background of a game’s theme, the difference between game theme and literary theme, and/or people who really just want to know more about theme and its relation to the game’s mechanics.

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Hi Jaz,

I am glad you took the recommendation and listened to this episode! It offers further insight on what goes on behind the scenes to make a game enjoyable. I am glad you were able to learn more about theme, and how it can be described through a feeling that the game makes a player experience. This leads me to believe that the theme of a game could hold a different meaning to different people, based on how they interpret it.

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Hi Jaz. I liked your analysis of this episode of the podcast, and I think you provide valuable insight into theme. We were always told in High School English that a literary “theme” cannot just be an idea or a singular word, but it has to be a central lesson that the text portrays. For example, the theme of “The Little Engine that Could” is, when you put your mind to any task, it becomes much easier and possible as long as you persevere. But, it sounds like this episode does a good job of breaking that “rule” down, at least when it comes to video games. I personally do think a theme can be an abstract concept, like “world peace” or “war.” Especially since there are so many different types and facets of games. Flash games, for example, are not likely to feature heavy or super specific themes, because they are meant to be played quickly, in an arcade style. For them to have themes that are too specific would draw away from the gameplay and style of the genre. Theme is very important when it comes to game design, because it influences how a developer designs each little detail of the game they are making.

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I listened to episode #214 which discusses Game Themes, and was recommended last week by Jose. This episode takes a different approach to the concept of game themes than that of Schell’s book, which discusses it in a mechanical sense (at least of what we have read so far). The Game Design Roundtable takes an approach mostly from the perspective of the player, who the theme is expected to resonate with, and discusses game themes that might be seen as undesirable or offensive & ultimately how game designers should approach this. In the board game “Scramble of Africa,” the perspective of the story is told from a colonial perspective that ignores the experiences and feelings of indigenous Africans. What the episode highlights is that African colonialism still has severe, lasting effects, and that the board game fails to take alternate perspectives into account, thus limiting its prospective playerbase and leading to its cancellation. From this episode, I learned that game designers collaborating and communicating with their prospective audience is one of the most effective ways of ensuring a game resonates with its audience. I’d recommend this to those who are interested in the social side of game design & what parts of games might compel (or repel) a consumer to choose that game.

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Hi Kwabena! Honestly, I was completely shocked/appalled at the idea of a “Scramble of Africa” board game. I can’t believe that anyone would think that is a good idea. I completely agree with the Game Design Roundtable that this game would ignore the experiences and feelings of indigenous Africans. Game designers need to think about what their game says to players, and how this theme may resonate with the audience. Even if this game was technically “fun”, the premise and theme would completely stop me from purchasing it. This sounds like a very interesting episode discussing the sociological side of video games!

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I selected episode #63 Theme, recommended by Altay. I selected it because I wanted to learn more about the topic. I learned that theme has to be interpreted. It’s similar to the gap between player’s experience and developer’s intentions. I was also surprised to learn that elements that don’t work with the theme can be overlooked, if there are shiny bells and whistles. The game can still be enjoyable. They talked about brainstorming one theme and then connecting it to another and then another, until they’ve come up with a game idea. For a game with a “distrustful” theme, they said you could hide certain aspects, and have innocent actions seem sinister and vice versa.
I recommend this episode to those who enjoy looking at the overall picture of a game.

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Hello,
That’s really interesting to hear about how there are elements that don’t work with the theme can be overlooked. I’ve always thought that if I saw something that didn’t make sense, it would take me out of the immersion. Like if I was playing a Soccer-esque game, and the ball wasn’t a soccer ball but a bowling ball, I feel like my immersion would be severally halted. Personally, I feel like it can be kind of obvious when a developer doesn’t have an over-arching theme in the beginning of the video game’s production. Like for the game Kingdom Hearts, I still have no idea what the main story is, but I understand all the side stories.

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I chose to listen to the podcast recommended by Meeteeka: #252 Board Game Productions and Operations with Nicole Cutler. Meeteeka’s description about how the different roles interact with eachother on a board game design team were very interesting because I love learning about different team dynamics. The differentiations between the role of a creative and a project manager also reminds me of the Meyers-Briggs Instrument we learn about in my Dynamics of the Workplace class. Perceiving-type people (which could be related to creatives) can be less organized so to create a productive team you also need Judgers (which could be PMs), since they prefer structure. It was really cool to be able to apply my major (Labor & Employment Relations) to this.

After listening, I would definitely recommend this podcast for people who are just now being introduced to all-things-game-design. Or, if you’re just interested in board game design in general. To be honest, I know this is going to sound silly but, I didn’t realize how hard it could be to financially launch a game. Since I personally don’t play a ton of games, it’s easy for me to think big name games like GTA, Life, COD, Monopoly and Battlefield where I don’t really see them running into the money issue. In fact, how many offshoots of Monopoly and Life are out there at this point?! Too many! I was completely excluding “kickstarters,” so this adds to my list of things to think about in team dynamics. In other words, I hadn’t even put two-and-two together that some game design teams may not even be able to AFFORD a project manager. This would certainly put stress on a team to deliver the best product. A potential solution that Nicole Cutler suggests is using a project management system. This way, the team can at least be aware of the appropriate steps to take and things to watch out for. Nicole also opened my eyes to the fact that once you invest in something, there’s no going back. Thus, she teaches us that you can always invest more, so it’s important to be mindful about when/where to spend. For example, she talks about calculating accurate shipping costs and how inflation could hugely impact your projected numbers depending on how long it took to develop the game. On the other hand, if you over-print copies of your game you also risk jeopardizing future funds for resources.

I mentioned before I had no clue how difficult it was for smaller-scale games to be funded. I think this was the biggest takeaway for me because I didn’t grasp the issues game designers today face. By only considering big-budget games, I held a very skewed perspective so this was huge for me to start thinking more like a game designer.
Aside from this, I also learned about Nicole’s “hand-off” approach. This allows designers and developers to have the space and free-reign to do their own thing without butting heads. This also mitigates unnecessary “tweaking” by the other party that, ultimately, the developer or designer would have corrected anyway. Hence, it allows the other to focus on the true big issues.

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Hi Kattie! I really agree with the point you made about utilizing different types of people for different purposes. Specialization is an important part of any organization, without which peoples’ job would be unclear and there would be lots of redundancy. When everyone has a specific role, lots more can get done, and communication actually becomes easier. If everyone is doing the same thing or is not sure what they are supposed to do, things are less likely to get done.

I also like your point about using different types of people to collaborate on a project. I agree that if someone is more creative but less organized, it would be a good idea to have someone who is more organized to help in that area. However, I would just be careful with Meyers-Briggs test results, because the actual Meyers-Briggs “official” test is not necessarily backed by scientific evidence. I remember learning that it was created by 2 people who were interested in learning about differences in personality types, but was not necessarily created with science in mind. That’s not to say it’s not a helpful tool, it’s just not the best when it comes to using it as support for a claim. I’m not sure how the test itself became known as the “end-all be-all” of personality type assessments, but just take it with a grain of salt.

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For this week’s podcast, I took Altay’s recommendation and listened to Episode #63: Theme. I chose this podcast because I wanted to learn more about themes in games and how one can spot a theme in a game. The theme is the most important aspect of the game, as it gives you the main message. Without being able to understand what a theme is, a designer is missing out on the core of the game and cannot properly develop a quality game. In the podcasts, the speakers defined the theme to be the abstraction of the game: what the player is pretending to be. For instance, in a farming game, the theme would be farming.

Overall, I would not recommend the podcast as I did not learn much, and much of the information was already known to me.

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I think that although theme can be a very simple and basic topic, there a lot more that goes into it. I didn’t personally listen to this podcast, but maybe they could have talked about how to develop and create said themes in order to make it a better listening experience for the viewers.

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The podcast episode I listened to was episode #224, “Scott Nicholson Talks Escape Rooms,” picked out by Jaz. Jaz has a love for puzzles and problem solving, as do I, and talked about the process behind escape rooms, specifically issues that creators come across. While listening, I learned that a reason why people enjoy escape rooms is because they allow one to feel like they are in a movie or game setting themselves. A comparison to Indiana Jones is brought up, and how someone may watch and enjoy an Indiana Jones film and feel the desire to be placed in similar puzzle solving situations (without the danger factor, of course). Game rooms nowadays are becoming increasingly popular because they involve cooperation and teamwork amongst friends.

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Hi Altay! This episode sounds really interesting because I also love escape rooms and puzzles. I completely understand the concept that escape rooms make someone feel like they’re in a movie/game because the times I’ve been in an escape room I can’t help but think how similar it is to a video game. This is what makes it the most fun for me. I think a major element is that there is no real “danger factor”, so we can experience these “fantasies” without risk of harm.

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I think that even a simple game like the escape room completely describes a perfect game, in an effort to help those scared they can recieve extra time and aid but that is the same policy in most games. Every gamer is different and their tendencies and judgment can be all over the place. The fantasy of escaping the room is what every game designer dreams of, creating a situation where people can imagine and be elsewhere.

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I chose episode #252 after Meeteeka recommended it due to playing board games often with my family. The amount of board games my family has played throughout our lives has a had a profound impact on the way I look at games. I learned a lot of information through this video. The main information Nicole describes is how creating a balance in an ecosystem as best as you can. In a game where dinosaurs are hunting eachother, she wants to avoid situations where new players would get swarmed by veterans. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to learn about the balancing of an environment and how finding the right space for game elements. Learning the cost trade off is also very important because at the end of the day the game design’s team focus is to create an environment where gamers will purchase it. Making the extra step to create wood based dinosaurs versus plastic would make gamers appreciate the price point better. Nicole teaches us that the game developers must be working in a manner where the designs speak more than the sales of games.

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My family and I also used to play a lot of board games when I was younger, so I was also interested in this podcast. The thought of balancing a game to make it fair to all players is a pivotal part in creating a game, but I feel like that can get tricky with a board game. I think that games back in the day used to take the extra step, such as wood pieces instead of plastic, but nowadays the people producing these games seem to care less about details such as this, but I think it’s a very important part of board games.

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I chose to take Jaz’s selection on the podcasts, which was Episode #224: “Scott Nicholson Talks Escape Rooms”. I’ve only been to one escape room in my life, but it was a very fun and thrilling experience, so I figured I would give this podcast a listen. There is a lot of very interesting information on escape rooms in this podcast, but a few main points caught my eye in particular. I really like the part in this podcast where Scott Nicholson talks about the themes in an escape room, and how vital it is to have a good theme to keep the players entertained. An example Nicholson used for this is he had an escape room that was a bunch of teams trapped in a speakeasy, and the only way they would be allowed to stay is if they completed all the puzzles within the hour. When Nicholson was talking about all of his past experiences in developing games and using them to create escape rooms, it really resonated with me how much talent it really takes to do something like this. He mentions they designed the rooms through documents, which is one of the lens that Schell had mentioned in chapter 26. They would talk about story, narrative, puzzles, challenges, and other vital things in developing one of these escape room on the documents. I would recommend this podcast to anyone who simply has a taste in puzzle games at all, it really was an eye opening podcast into the world of puzzle games.

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