The Tabletop Takeaway: A Board Game Design Podcast
Join game designers Ananda Guneratne, Charlie McCarron, and Trevor Muller-Hegel as they analyze published games from a game developer's perspective. Each month, they pick a new game mechanic and three games to play in that genre. Each episode is 20 minutes of pure game design nerdiness!
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 27 minutes
- Episodes
- 103
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
43. Three Sisters
How can you create tension between waiting for bonuses and actively pursuing them? What are the benefits and drawbacks of action bonuses? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie reap their rewards in Three Siste…
00:22:50 |
Wed 28 Aug 2024
42. That's Pretty Clever
Can you incorporate player interaction into a roll-and-write? How do you encourage players to engage with all scoring categories? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor serve up some insights in That's Pretty C…
00:26:19 |
Wed 21 Aug 2024
41. Probability Farming Games
Why should the active player gain a special bonus? What sorts of choices can you give players after rolling dice? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor talk about Probability Farming games.
00:24:37 |
Wed 14 Aug 2024
40. Space Base
What are some ways to manipulate probability space? How can players benefit from complicated triggered effects during other players' turns? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie deploy their thoughts about Spa…
00:17:37 |
Wed 07 Aug 2024
39. Machi Koro
How can take-that mechanics benefit from randomness? What other dimensions can you add to a simple number line? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda roll dice and take coins in Machi Koro.
00:19:51 |
Wed 31 Jul 2024
38. CATAN: Cities and Knights
What makes progress cards feel better than development cards? How do you get opponents to work together for the good of all? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor settle the score in Catan: Cities and Knights.
00:26:16 |
Wed 24 Jul 2024
37. Hidden Movement Games
What should happen when a hider is found? Should hiders have a goal besides avoiding capture? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie talk about Hidden Movement.
00:23:49 |
Wed 17 Jul 2024
36. Captain Sonar
How can you use attacks to reveal information? Do players need complex roles on a team? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda listen for the enemy in Captain Sonar.
00:27:05 |
Wed 10 Jul 2024
35. The Stifling Dark
What does hidden movement look like when the hider is also the seeker? How can light be used as terrain? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie shine a light on The Stifling Dark.
00:20:41 |
Wed 03 Jul 2024
34. Scotland Yard
How much information do players need to find a player that is hiding? What should you reveal? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor search for Mister X in Scotland Yard.
00:21:23 |
Wed 26 Jun 2024
33. Live at Protospiel Twin Cities
Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor hold their first-ever live episode as a panel at Protospiel Twin Cities, discussing three prototypes.
00:54:06 |
Wed 19 Jun 2024
32. Storytelling
What makes storytelling games different from role-playing games? Why are stories so memorable? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda talk about Storytelling games.
00:22:18 |
Wed 12 Jun 2024
31. In This World
Can games be creative tools? Do games always need a winner? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie craft realities that never were in "In This World".
00:21:31 |
Wed 05 Jun 2024
30. Wing It
Do goals need to be unambiguous? How do card combinations encourage creativity? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor ad-lib silly solutions to ridiculous problems in Wing It.
00:13:30 |
Wed 29 May 2024
29. Once Upon a Time
How do interrupts keep players engaged? What do goals look like in a game about telling a story? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda struggle to control the narrative in Once Upon a Time.
00:20:21 |
Wed 22 May 2024
28. Pattern Recognition
What skills are transferable across pattern recognition games? What makes a competitive puzzle different than a solo puzzle? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor review pattern recognition games in this bonus…
00:19:21 |
Wed 15 May 2024
27. Factory Funner
Do hex-based tile placement games actually need hexagonal tiles? Should players be penalized for recognizing patterns the fastest? How do you make players care about other players' boards? Ananda, Ch…
00:16:39 |
Wed 08 May 2024
26. Ricochet Robots
How much room is there for special rules cases in real-time games? How do you create complex interactions from simple rules? Join Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda for Ricochet Robots.
00:13:57 |
Wed 01 May 2024
25. Set
What sorts of puzzles work well for pattern recognition games? How do you introduce perception-based catchup mechanics? Do skill-based games need progression? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie draw lessons…
00:19:23 |
Wed 24 Apr 2024
24. Deckbuilding Games
Do deckbuilders need any choices besides which cards to add? What are the differences between drawing from a deck and drawing from a bag? In this bonus episode, Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie talk about…
00:25:59 |
Wed 17 Apr 2024
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