Listen now (24 min) | Origins Game Fair concludes with George Beznik from Gen1400 Gaming talking about their worker placement game Hastilude, Rainbow Quest a nonprofit board game promoting LGBTQ+ diversity and history, and a fundraising program for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals called Extra Life.

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Listen now (23 min) | The Origins Game Fair discussions continue with Christopher Chan volunteer for Unpub, Spencer Reichley with BudStuff Games, Tray Green of Hillary's Toy Box, and Chrys Sellers of Hectic Electron Games.

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Listen now (21 min) | Season 5 continues the Origins Game Fair discussion with Matt Mundy of Sea Cow Games, Absurd Adventure Games, Jordan McLaughlin of Rookie Mage Games, and Matthew Ryan of Envy Born Games.

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Listen now (19min) | Josh Rosing of Lone Colossus Games, Andrew Looney from Looney Labs, and True Dungeon volunteer Andrew Surber discuss gaming.

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Listen now (19min) | Season five starts at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH with Branden Webb and Elliott Hedrick of Amtgard, the world-wide LARPing organization.

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Listen now (26min) | In their fourth season finale, our heroes reflect on the complexities and achievements of their journey in game design. They discuss their experiences making 'Thirst,' and share their insights and aspirations. What happens next changes everything. Read the transcript.

Things discussed on this episode:

• 00:15 - Reflecting on Our Game Design Journey
• 01:32 - Thirst Game Development Updates
• 03:25 - Future Plans and Strategic Goals
• 10:08 - The Never Ending Story
• 16:01 - What we've been playing

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Listen now (42min) | Our heroes in the final interview of the season clamber before Isaac Vega of the Rose Gauntlet Foundation, who shares his 13-year journey in the board game industry, transitioning from a game designer to a publisher. The Rose Gauntlet Foundation's mission is to foster diversity and inclusivity within the gaming community. He offers insights into the financial and strategic aspects of game publishing and emphasizes the importance of passion and message in game design. Read the transcript.

Things discussed on this episode:

• 00:00 - Introduction to Isaac Vega
• 00:35 - Founding Rose Gauntlet Entertainment
• 00:59 - Nonprofit Initiatives and Community Outreach
• 02:23 - Big Gay Dinner and Inclusivity Efforts
• 04:32 - Game Design Journey
• 05:20 - Early Gaming Experiences
• 06:45 - Current Projects and Game Preferences
• 08:52 - Rose Gauntlet's Publishing Philosophy
• 13:08 - Advice for Aspiring Game Designers
• 16:00 - Budgeting and Marketing for Games
• 23:17 - Rose Gauntlet Foundation and Events
• 24:46 - D12: The Q&A Game

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Listen now (50min) | Our heroes encounter Sabrina Culyba, a seasoned game designer and founder of the studio Ludoliminal. Culyba shares her journey from designing digital games to creating board games, emphasizing her passion for experience design. She speaks about her first published game, Diatoms, and imparts a crucial lesson: the importance of crafting memorable experiences, whether digital or analog. Culyba's narrative includes nostalgic moments of her early gaming influences, such as Sailor Moon and the societal fears surrounding D&D, underlining the diverse paths and inspirations that shape a game designer’s career. Read the transcript.

Things discussed on this episode:

• 00:00 - Introduction to Sabrina Solba
• 00:15 - Starting Ludoliminal
• 00:37 - Collaborations and Team
• 00:57 - Passion for UX and Playtesting
• 01:35 - Early Gaming Memories
• 02:32 - Journey into Game Design
• 03:10 - Influence of Sailor Moon
• 03:40 - Learning Programming and Web Development
• 03:59 - Choosing a University
• 04:49 - Reflecting on Dungeons and Dragons
• 05:23 - Sailor Moon Reboot
• 06:51 - The Role of UX in Game Design
• 21:35 - Current Status and Future Plans for Diatoms
• 31:01 - Plug
• 32:01 - Deep Dive: Game Design and Storytelling
• 33:19 - RPG Choices: Paragon or Renegade
• 34:31 - Fantasy Preferences: High vs Low
• 34:39 - Favorite Game Characters: Heroes and Villains
• 36:27 - Overrated and Underrated Games
• 37:54 - Cheat Codes and Fun Questions
• 38:59 - Gaming Preferences and Personal Insights
• 42:47 - Nostalgic Gaming Memories

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Send us stuff, contact us, get merch, news, and more at https://designthinkinggames.com/