Beyond Solitaire

This week on the pod, Lichao Zhu discusses several linguistics projects that look into the language we use when we play--and what that might mean. Keep the Faith campaign: 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 Through Games and Simulations, where learning...

This week on the pod, Ada Palmer (@adapalmer.bsky.social) speaks about her papal election LARP at The University of Chicago--but also about historical research, her work as a sci-fi author, and how both history and fiction can help us talk about today's world.  Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Beyond Solitaire is p...

This week on the pod, Amabel Holland drops by to discuss her new book, Cardboard Ghosts. We also talk about her excellent video essay work and upcoming games from Hollandspiele. https://www.youtube.com/@UCeCCgRim_uLg-clrSQGhQiQ  Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan U...

This week on the pod, Thomas Malaby joins us to discuss his work as an anthropologist who studies gaming, specifically contingency (i.e. gambling!) and the formation of digital cultures.  Keep the Faith campaign: 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 Thro...

This week on the pod, Professor Emily Knox, an expert on libraries and book banning, discusses why people ban books, why books are targeted more than other forms of media, and what we can learn from that. She's also a gamer!  Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan...

This week on the pod, Eric Zimmerman, a professor at NYU, talks about teaching game design, game design as an art form, and much more.  Keep the Faith campaign: 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 Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be bot...

This week on the pod, NYU professor Laine Nooney discusses their work on gaming and computer history, how we collect material artifacts that shed light on the digital past, and how to write about a computer system that for some has already entered the realm of myth. Also, they mention their journal, ROMchip, which is currently fundraising and which is a great cause to support. Go enjoy ROMchip&apo...

This week on the pod, Sreyashi Mukherjee discusses her love of reality TV dating shows--and what they have taught her about consent, stereotyping, and gaming's "magic circle." Also, she and Greg Loring-Albright co-designed a game that is available here: https://gregisonthego.itch.io/food-for-home Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e72...

This week on the pod, Daniel Newman and Marceline Leiman drop in to discuss the Indie Games Night Market--which was a huge success at PAXU 2024--and also indie games in general.  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 Through Games and Simu...

Welcome to the start of SEASON 10! I can't even believe it! This week, I'm speaking with Greg Loring-Albright about Keep the Faith, a light RPG that is about to be on Backerkit. It's being published through Central Michigan University and I'm writing the curriculum guide.  Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing  Bey...

For the Season 9 finale, Paul Wright and I discuss Foxes & Lions, a game we are co-designing about the Italian Wars. Are you into Machiavelli, Renaissance Italy, and political chaos? Then this is gonna be a game for you.  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&ap...

This week on the pod, Natalia Zwarts and Chris Gledhill discuss their scholarly work on a game that explores the possibility of peace in Ukraine, and the linguistic conclusions that can be drawn from recordings of players as they work through the conflict.  Give to CLGS: https://giving.apps.cmich.edu/fund/9100111?fbclid=IwY2xjawG2oxNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdxwTfyHeJ_G366cXTnPqSfEmU_rGCY2cthqTHkM9hJWxzYT...

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...