Beyond Solitaire

This week on the pod, Clarence Simpson (@stoichamster) of The Wolves, Merchants of Magick, and more, discusses the growth of his design career--and the design group, mentorship, and design competitions that have helped him along the way. If you're curious about how game designers get started, or interested in trying it yourself, this is the episode for you. Keep the Faith: https://www.backerk...

This week on the pod, Anthony Chatfield of Board Gamers Anonymous drops in to discuss gaming in the classroom, as well as his journal/conference on the subject, Board Game Academics. https://www.boardgamersanonymous.com/ Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's...

This week on the pod, Tim Clare (@timclarepoet) discusses his newly-released book, The Game Changers, which will come to the US next year as Across the Board. I truly enjoyed both the convo and book itself, which you can currently find at:  Amazon: https://a.co/d/4XSNcX3 Publishers: https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/across-the-board Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffd...

This week on the pod, Zenobia 2020 finalist Alison Collins drops by to discuss her game, Publish or Perish: Wiñay Kawsay, which is about the scholarship surrounding Machu Picchu. It is expected to be out from WizKids in Q1 2025! Preorder here: https://wizkids.io/ShopPublishOrPerishWK Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Beyond Solit...

In this episode, Dave Neale and David Thompson discuss their co-design, War Story, which weaves together story and game mechanisms to tell a story with branching pathways and plenty of player agency.  Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning...

This week on the pod, David Digby, designer of several solo modes and frequent collaborator with David Turczi, describes his work as a solo mode designer, as well as his other roles as a game developer and rulebook editor. https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Lea...

This week on the pod, designer Xoe Allred talks about how it uses the rules of gaming to subvert expectations and create social friction. Check out more of Xoe's work at https://knifebunny.com/ Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: ht...

This week on the pod, Geoff Engelstein speaks about his most recent project: Recovering a board game designed and pitched by Kurt Vonnegut, and ultimately getting it published. Available at Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kurt-vonneguts-ghq-the-lost-board-game-mars-international/1146300521?ean=0634240242076 Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University&a...

This week on the pod, I speak with Jay Carmichael (a.k.a. Three Minute Board Games) about his new design, Red Dust Rebellion, which is on the cutting edge of the COIN series in terms of both its mechanisms and its subject matter.  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and com...

This week on the pod, Dr. Torill Elvira Mortensen, a professor at Nord University, talks about her career as a scholar who studies games and about her focus on dark play and transgressive play. If you ever wanted insight into how researchers approach games about sensitive or upsetting subjects, she's one of the world experts.  https://www.nord.no/en/about/employees/torill-elvira-mortensen Eye...

In this episode, scholar Josh Fitzgerald discusses his recent work on Mexican board games preserved at the Library of Congress, as well as his interest in the representation of Mexico in video games and the preservation of games in museums. His university page: https://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/people/dr-joshua-j-fitzgerald Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-univers...

On this episode of the pod, Jason Carr (@maudineormsby) drops by to talk about GMT One and the effort that goes into building a better bot.  Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-to-eyeball Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be...

This week on the podcast, Dr. Cosima Werner of the University of Kiel discusses her work studying culture in the United States and Germany, and specifically her current project in which she examines whiteness within the board gaming hobby in Germany.  Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-to-eyeball Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored...

This week on the pod, Marceline Leiman, solo designer for Oceans, talks about her experiences as a solo game designer, what makes for a good solo mode, and what she learned studying game design at NYU. Find her at: https://marcelineleiman.itch.io/ and https://driftingrpg.wordpress.com/ Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-to-eyeball Bey...

SDHistCon is not only one of my favorite gaming conventions, but it is also a growing organization dedicated to promoting historical games to the broadest possible audience. Two of the current board members, Andrew Bucholtz and Joe Schmidt, join me this week to talk about why SDHistCon is so cool. (Disclosure: I am on the advisory board b/c I also believe in this mission.) Register for SDHistCon h...

(NB: This episode was recorded before Kenna's transition.) This week on the pod, Kenna Alexander drops by to discuss the growth of Coyote & Crow, her new game Ahu Tiiko, indigenous perspectives in gaming, and what it means to decolonize your games. Ahu Tiiko is on Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coyoteandcrow/ahu-tiiko-a-coyote-and-crow-expansion Eyeball to Eyeball:...

As the Democratic National Convention in Chicago draws near, Yoni Goldstein (@halfwayhoping) stops by to discuss his upcoming game about riots as the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Website: https://www.1968games.com/ Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-to-eyeball Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michiga...

The podcast is back for Season 9, and we are kicking off with a fantastic returning guest: Non Breaking Space! In this episode, he discusses several of his upcoming games and reflects more generally on how he uses games to start and continue interesting conversations.  Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-to-eyeball Beyond Solitaire is...

David Thompson is back on the pod with several of his co-designers for a discussion of what it's like to create games together, with tips for how to do it well.  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/co...

This week on the pod, Marco Arnaudo, aka marcoomnigamer, returns to discuss his most recent book, The Tabletop Revolution, and to discuss the tremendous innovations in board game design over the last few decades. Book link: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-tabletop-revolution/ Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Si...

This week on the pod, former Zenobia Award contestant Will Thompson drops by to discuss Winter Rabbit, his upcoming game that brings Cherokee folklore to life. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/941694206/winter-rabbit?ref=discovery SDHistCon has an online convention on June 8. Info can be found at sdhist.com  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for...

This week on the pod, Kai Jensen talks about her new role supervising game production at GMT. If you want to learn details about how games are physically made, this is the episode for you!  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www...

This week on the pod, Pete Pellegrino stops by to discuss his work on large-scale wargames at the Naval War College, as well as the wargames he has created for corporations and schools. Find Pete at: https://www.tabletophistory.net/about Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful...

This week on the pod, my colleague and fellow solo gamer Andrew Olimpi ( @Solitarius_games ) hops on to chat about gaming in the classroom, how to create tension and interest through play in the classroom, and a bit of solo gaming since we can't help ourselves.  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where...

This week on the pod, writer and game designer Calvin Wong Tze Loon (@ithayla) drops by to discuss the process of designing Mass Effect, which is a co-design with the legendary Eric Lang. Come to hear about Mass Effect, but stay to hear insightful commentary about using board games to create story. Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Thro...