Shows
So Very Wrong About GamesSVWAG Con ReportA chief misgiving Mark has about the con is that he is a terrible playtester. He was able to play two unpublished games, and while the designers were gracious he is seldom able to offer anything of much substance. "This game," he might say, "has cards. And other things." Past that, for some reason, when confronted with a prototype his faculties often fail him.01:48 AYURIS: Arborea (Dani Garcia, Alley Cat Games, 2023)Games Played Last Week:05:00 -Phantom Division (Pete Ruth & Mark Thomas, Phantom Horizon, 2026)14:38 -Westphalia (Amabel...
2025-07-291h 08
LudologyThinking Beyond Mechanisms Ep 20Erica and Sen welcome Sarah Shipp, guest host of the Thinking Beyond Mechanisms segment, to discuss cognitive load and addressing the impact of it through intentional design. Read Ludology co-founder Geoff Engelstein's article on the subject that Sarah refers to here: https://gametek.substack.com/p/grand-unified-gateway-theory
2025-06-2207 min
Space-Biff! Space-Cast!Space-Cast! #43. Unstuck in TimeIn 1956, not-yet-famous author Kurt Vonnegut unsuccessfully attempted to publish a board game. That game, GHQ, was then stored in a box for decades until designer Geoff Engelstein read about it in a biography and began the long process of restoring this historical artifact. On today's Space-Cast!, we sit down with Geoff to discuss how GHQ traveled across time, its surprising innovations, and what it might say about Vonnegut's efforts to contextualize his wartime experiences.
2025-02-201h 04
THE OMNIGAMERS’ CLUBThe Playlist - November 6, 2024It’s the playlist for November 6th, 2024. We discuss Kurt Vonnegut's lost board game, Pokemon TCG Pocket, Cyberpunk Red, Nekojima, Nawali, Throne and Liberty, and more.
Timestamps
News: 1:31
Video Games: 15:50
Board Games: 35:08
TTRPGs: 47:09
Topics Discussed
News: Pokemon TCG Pocket, GHQ, Mothership Month
Video Games: Throne and Liberty, Tears of the Kingdom, Still Wakes the Deep, Resident Evil 4, Xenoblade Chronicles, Octopath Traveller 2
Board Games: Nekokima, Nawalli
Roleplaying Games: CyberPunk Red, Thousand Year Old Campfire, Rogue Zone
Further Reading:
Beyond Solitaire: Geoff Engelstein on Kurt Vonnegut's Lost Board Game
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2024-11-061h 01
Beyond SolitaireEpisode 171 - Geoff Engelstein on Kurt Vonnegut's Lost Board GameThis 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=0634240242076Beyond 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/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulationsCheck out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/Sign up for an online game design class...
2024-10-071h 00
Think Like A Game DesignerGeoff Engelstein — Game Design Wisdom, Educational Insights, and Industry Advocacy (#68)Jeff Engelstein joins us today to share his expansive journey in the gaming world. An award-winning tabletop game designer, Jeff has crafted acclaimed titles such as Space Cadets, The Fog of War, Pit Crew, and Super Skill Pinball. Beyond game design, Jeff is an adjunct professor at the NYU Game Center, where he imparts his deep knowledge of game mechanics and theory. He has contributed extensively to the Dice Tower podcast series on the math, science, and psychology of games and has hosted the Ludology podcast, diving into the intricacies of game design. With a degree in physics and...
2024-06-201h 03
Board Game Design Lab4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff EngelsteinIn this episode, Geoff Engelstein and I chat about design theory and break down Geoff’s favorite examples and how they relate to designing games.
Geoff’s book about loss aversion can be found here: https://amzn.to/3rIgi7y
More info about the Tabletop Network Conference can be found here: https://www.tabletopnetwork.com
The post 4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff Engelstein appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.
2023-10-131h 27Podcast Archives - Board Game Design Lab4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff EngelsteinIn this episode, Geoff Engelstein and I chat about design theory and break down Geoff’s favorite examples and how they relate to designing games.
Geoff’s book about loss aversion can be found here: https://amzn.to/3rIgi7y
More info about the Tabletop Network Conference can be found here: https://www.tabletopnetwork.com
The post 4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff Engelstein appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.
2023-10-131h 27Design Theory Archives - Board Game Design Lab4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff EngelsteinIn this episode, Geoff Engelstein and I chat about design theory and break down Geoff’s favorite examples and how they relate to designing games.
Geoff’s book about loss aversion can be found here: https://amzn.to/3rIgi7y
More info about the Tabletop Network Conference can be found here: https://www.tabletopnetwork.com
The post 4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff Engelstein appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.
2023-10-131h 27The Board Game Design Lab4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff EngelsteinIn this episode, Geoff Engelstein and I chat about design theory and break down Geoff’s favorite examples and how they relate to designing games.
Geoff’s book about loss aversion can be found here: https://amzn.to/3rIgi7y
More info about the Tabletop Network Conference can be found here: https://www.tabletopnetwork.com
The post 4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff Engelstein appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.
2023-10-131h 27LudologyLudology 300 Celebrating the Love of GamesIt's a celebration! To mark the 300th episode of Ludology, Erica and Sen invite some of the past hosts (including co-founders Geoff Engelstein and Ryan Sturm, Scott Rogers, and Emma Larkins) to share some of their most impactful memories about the games they loved to play, create, and share with those around them. Please keep an eye out for the giveaways mentioned in this episode by following us on www.patreon.com/Ludology. Thanks for sticking with us for 300 episodes and here's to 300 more!
2023-05-2841 min
The Dice TowerAt The Table with Tom and Eric - Geoff EngelsteinThis week Tom & Eric bring Geoff Engelstein to the table! 3:24 - Getting to Know You 18:39 - The Big Question 27:16 - Viewer Questions 47:09 - One and One
2022-12-091h 00
At the Table with Tom and EricAt The Table With Tom and Eric - Geoff EngelsteinThis week Tom & Eric bring Geoff Engelstein to the table! 3:24 - Getting to Know You 18:39 - The Big Question 27:16 - Viewer Questions 47:09 - One and One
2022-12-091h 00
So Very Wrong About Games#235: Games, Games, GAMESWe apologize for the all-caps implied yelling, but really, given this volume we had to have a corresponding... uh, volume. The puns are also somewhat fishy--but those you can feel free to skip, jack. The nautical theme doesn't end with fishing, as the recent Crash Octopus (when compared with older titles that are comparatively crusty) shone. More specifically given that it's about an octopus and we want to minimize the yelling, it's a safe, low pod. Wait, no, that's the wrong family. If you wanna shop in latin... you mall, usque?I'll see myself out. 1:04...
2022-10-251h 20LudologyGameTek Classic 281.5 - FPS FTW Part 2Continuing the previous GameTek Classic, Geoff returns to the subject of AI in first-person shooters. Last time, we learned that researchers had engineered an FPS AI that could beat the best humans. This time, Geoff dives into the different strategies the AI tried, how it shifted over time to prefer distinct strategies, and what we can learn from this.
2022-08-2805 minLudologyGameTek Classic 279.5 - FPS FTWIn GameTek Classic 275.5 - MENACE, Geoff discussed a simple machine that anyone can build that can learn how to play tic-tac-toe competitively. Here, Geoff continues the conversation, this time with modern researchers using a neural network to teach a machine to play a first-person shooter video game, and the tweak they needed to make to see their AI become competitive with human players.
2022-07-3105 minBeyond SolitaireEpisode 80 - Geoff Engelstein and David Thompson on Zheng HeFor the final episode of Season 4, Geoff Engelstein (@gengelstein) and David Thompson (@djackthompson) come on to talk about their upcoming game from GMT, which focuses on Zheng He, a Chinese explorer and courter,Beyond Solitaire is now 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/colleges/class/Centers/CLGS/Pages/default.aspxBIG NEWS: CLGS is now doing online game design classes that you can take from home, and the first offering looks fantastic...
2022-05-0949 minLudologyGameTek Classic 271.5 - HypergeometricGeoff runs us through the Hypergeometric and Binomial functions in a spreadsheet application like Microsoft Excel. Don't be intimidated by their names; they're actually pretty easy to use, and invaluable for game designers. You can find Geoff's GameTek newsletter on this subject here.
2022-04-1006 minLudologyLudology 270 - The Elite EightGil sits down for a one-on-one with game designer, teacher, and lecturer Marc LeBlanc to discuss some of his game design ideas, especially his 8 Kinds of Fun and the Mechanics/Dynamics/Aesthetics (MDA) framework. NOTE: Towards the end of the episode, Gil's mic cable started to get unhappy. Apologies for the static! SHOW NOTES 0m50s: Looking Glass Studios, Ultima Underworld II, Thief, System Shock, Defense of the Oasis, Heroes Welcome 4m30s: Marc's 8 types of fun: Sensation, Fantasy, Narrative, Challenge, Fellowship, Discovery, Expression, and Submission. 9m31s: Wildermyth
2022-03-201h 03LudologyLudology 268 - Pinball WizardGil and Sen are delighted to welcome Geoff Engelstein back to the show to discuss the making of his hit roll-and-write game Super-Skill Pinball. What calls did he make when designing the game, and how much did it change from his original vision? SHOW NOTES 3m29s: Take It Easy 5m38s: Limes 6m12s: Matt Wolfe joined us for Ludology 157 - Come Scale Away. Welcome To... 9m09s: Versailles 1919 25m58s: Yes, Games Magazine is thankfully still with us. Merchant of Venus 28m00s: Ares Project, the 1980 arcade game...
2022-02-2052 min
Roll For CritRavensburger + Gamefound, Warhammer Price Increases, Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest, Romance Board Game Draft (w/ Geoff Engelstein)Show Notes
News Roundup - Ravensburger Invests in Gamefound (5:52), Warhammer 40K Price Increases (12:54), Osprey RPG Announcements (21:20), Funko Games Disney Announcements (25:17)
Kickstarter Pickstarter - Bloc By Bloc: Uprising (31:30), Earth (34:11), Retrograde (36:53), Kingdoms Forlorn: Dragons, Devils and Kings (39:46)
Table Talk - IKI (46:35), Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition (51:53), Triumvir (54:16), Star Trek: Super-Skill Pinball (55:15), Nova League (58:44), ALIEN: Fate of the Nostromo (1:04:23), P for Pizza (1:07:39), Lost in the Woods (1:09:27), Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest (1:10:37), Marvel Legendary: Messiah Complex (1:22:12)
Board Game Game - Drafting Game - Romance Edition (1:26:46)
Follow Geoff Engelstein - @gengelstein on Twitter, Geoff's Books on...
2022-02-161h 42
One Stop Co-Op Shop276 | Geoff Engelstein Explains Blockchain And NFTs | with JasonJason sits down with Geoff Engelstein to discuss blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs. We do our best to talk about what's going on in layman's terms that gamers can understand. The short message is that blockchains and cryptocurrencies have a lot of potential, but that NFTs in their current forms are grifts that prey on the confusion surrounding them.
0:00 Intro
2:26 Geoff talks Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
6:36 Blockchain
24:30 Cryptocurrencies
37:39 NFTs
59:03 Environmentally Damaging?
1:09:31 Kickstarter's Move to Blockchain
Shelf Stories YouTube (with video of this recording) - www.youtube.com/shelfstories
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YouTube - www.youtube.com/onestopcoopshop
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2021-12-151h 15LudologyLudology 261 - Tinner's Tips and TricksGil and Scott are delighted to welcome Martin Wallace back to the show. Martin was first on the show on Ludology 46 - Getting Down to Brass Tacks back in 2012 with Geoff Engelstein and a very enthusiastic Ryan Sturm. In this episode, we catch up with Martin to see what he's been up to in the last 9 years. Martin is the designer of many well-loved strategy games, like Brass, Age of Steam (and all its related games, like Railways of the World), London, A Study in Emerald, AuZtralia, and A Study in Emerald. Technical note: Martin's...
2021-10-171h 05LudologyLudology 257 - All About That AceGeoff (making a one-off Ludology return) and Gil chat with Al Leonardi, designer of the legendary picture-book game Ace of Aces, and a legion of spinoffs using the same brilliant first-person system. SHOW NOTES 4m19s: Richthofen's War 8m18s: If you're interested about Ace of Ace's mathematical underpinnings, and its true nature as a hex-grid game, here's Geoff's article. 9m52s: There were two Star Wars games Al worked on: Star Wars: Starfighter Battle Book, and Star Wars Lightsaber Dueling (which was based on Lost Worlds, which we discuss later i...
2021-08-2241 minLudologyLudology 250 - Thanks for the Emma-riesOn a special milestone episode of Ludology, Gil Hova and Scott Rogers say goodbye to our beloved Emma Larkins, as she departs as a co-host after 50 amazing episodes. Geoff Engelstein drops by to check in on us. And we're also joined by new co-hosts Erica Bouyouris and Sen-Foong Lim! SHOW NOTES 05m02s: Emma has earned quite a few awards for her game Abandon All Artichokes: the Golden Geek Light Game of the Year, the American Tabletop Award for Early Gamers, and yes, the Parent's Choice Silver Award. 07m25s: Here are Emma's...
2021-05-1652 min
Laboratorium GierS03E08 - Geoff Engelstein - Games Lab podcast liveGeoff Engelstein is an award-winning table-top game designer, whose titles include Space Cadets, The Fog of War, Pit Crew, and The Expanse.
He is also a noted podcaster. Since 2007 he has been a contributor to the Dice Tower, the leading table-top game podcast, with a series on the math, science, and psychology of games. He has also hosted Ludology a weekly podcast on game design since 2011, and recently published GameTek, a collection of essays on Game Design.
Geoff has spoken at a variety of venues, including GDC, Pax, Gencon, Rutgers, and USC. He has degrees...
2021-04-1351 min
Board Gaming with EducationEpisode 128 - What We Can Learn About Life from Games with "GameTek" feat. Geoff EngelsteinIn this week’s episode of Board Gaming with Education, Dustin is joined by co-host Rodger Moore and guest Geoff Engelstein to talk about the interrelation between games and other aspects of our world. Join Dustin, Geoff, and Rodger on this discussion of board games for learning. Episode Topics Board Gaming with Education Introduction: GBL Conference - 00:00 Welcome Rodger Back to the Show - 2:34 Who is Geoff Engelstein? - 6:39 Geoff's Definition of a "game" - 8:52 The Magic Circle of Games - 5:51 Connecting Games to Life - 14:58 Rulebook Writing and Developing Skills - 17:42 Everyday Encounters with Psychology in...
2021-02-2252 minLudologyLudology 243 - Play Blall!Emma and Gil chat with Sam Rosenthal and Stephen Bell of The Game Band, known for their bizarre cosmic horror sports sim Blaseball. We discuss the unique feedback loop between Blaseball's fans and its creators, the benefits of apophenia, and how baseball was uniquely suited for this treatment at this moment in history. SHOW NOTES 7m00s: The score bug that Gil is referring to is the graphic that appears overlaid on most sports broadcast, showing the game's score and other vital stats. Gil also refers to external chest protectors that baseball umpires used to...
2021-02-071h 11
Professor Game PodcastGeoff Engelstein of Ludology Making the Best of Experiences | Episode 165Geoff Engelstein s an award-winning tabletop game designer whose titles include Space Cadets, The Fog of War, Pit Crew, The Expanse, and the recently-released Versailles: 1919 and Super Skill Pinball. He is an adjunct professor of game design at the NYU Game Center. Geoff has since 2007 contributed a Dice Tower podcast series on the math, science, and psychology of games and since 2011 hosted the Ludology podcast on game design. He has published the books on game design Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design, Achievement Relocked, and the upcoming Game Production and has spoken at GDC, Pax, Gencon, Rutgers, and USC...
2020-12-2135 min
One Stop Co-Op Shop176: Super Skill Pinball, GameTek, And Lots More With Geoff EngelsteinGeoff Engelstein stops by the show to chat about Super Skill Pinball 4cade, the roll and write sensation of 2020. Jason and Geoff also talk about GameTek and some of his other books coming out this year. Not only that, we get into psychoanalytic stage theory, colonoscopies, Monopoly, and a host of other random - but hopefully interesting to you - topics!
Shelf Stories YouTube (with video of this recording) - www.youtube.com/channel/UCnaZ7055IWOdm8XCJfFRDcw
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPCIkULbgzMEW612cSdUX7Q
Podcast - https...
2020-12-161h 17
Breaking Into Board GamesBreaking into Board Games Episode 130 - Geoff EngelsteinGeoff Engelstein joins us after five years to talk about how the industry has moved forward. Geoff has a breadth of insight and is an established author of books like GameTek, Building Block of Game Design, and his newest about Game Production. You can reach out to Geoff on twitter: @gengelstein Future Ian here: Apologies for Dan's track. Something seemed to go wrong with the audio, and I did my best to fix it. Please support our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/breakingintoboardgames Join our Discord! htt...
2020-12-0646 minLudologyGameTek Classic 238.5 - InductionGeoff discusses the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning, and its impact in board games and beyond. In this episode, Geoff discusses the games Clue/Cluedo, Mastermind, and Zendo. He also discusses dark matter, WIMPs, and Einstein's theory of relativity.
2020-11-2207 minLudologyGameTek Classic 234.5 - The Limits of AIHaving previously discussed relatively new advances in AI that allows computers to beat humans at games like Chess and Go, Geoff moves on to games in which AI will have a much harder time being competitive. What is it about these games that makes it so difficult to make a good automated opponent? 1m00s: Geoff introduced AlphaZero and AlphaGo in GameTek Classic 218.5. 1m34s: Codenames 3m18s: IBM's Watson 4m09s: Mysterium
2020-09-2706 minLudologyGametek Classic 232.5 - CharactersGeoff ponders a tricky question: how come we get iconic characters from video games, like Mario or Pac-Man, but none from board games?
2020-08-3007 minLudologyGameTek Classic 230.5 - Implicit vs. ExplicitGeoff muses on the difference between explicitly calling out the way a game system works, versus letting players implicitly discover how the players discover how the system works. Is one clearly better than the other? Tell us how you feel in the Ludology forums! Here's more information about Geoff's game Versailles 1919.
2020-08-0206 min
We Have ConcernsCockroaches Want an Audience and Make it 75% Boys (with Dr Kiki Sanford)Check out everything Dr Kiki Sanford is doing! Here is a link to her twitter: https://twitter.com/drkikiAnd her show, This Week in Science! https://www.twis.org/Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen.Here’s the iTunes link: http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns And here’s the Stitcher link: http://bit.ly/stitcherwhconcernsJeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboniToday’s stories were:Sent...
2020-07-3152 minLudologyLudology 230 - Design Re-VerbEmma and Gil invite award-winning game designer, teacher, and not-scholar Sharang Biswas to the show to discuss verbs in games. What actions do we actually perform when we play a game, what actions do they represent, and how does that impact the game experience? You can find Sharang on Twitter or on the web. Here is his itch.io store. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains references to sex and sexuality. Show Notes 2h31m: Sharang teaches at The International Center of Photography (Bard College), and at Fordham University. 3m05s: We...
2020-07-261h 26LudologyLudology 229 - Hit the Deck!Emma, Gil, and Scott go back to a topic that Ryan and Geoff discussed earlier in the show's history: Deckbuilding! With all that's changed (including Emma having designed a deckbuilder), what has changed, and what have we learned? 0m41s: The episode that Ryan and Geoff did was Ludology 119 - Deck the Halls. 0m46s: Dominion (which did come out in 2008) 2m39s: StarCraft: The Board Game, which is generally believed to be the first game with an in-game deckbuilding component (if we assume that Magic: The Gathering's deckbuilding component is technically not "in-game," but is part...
2020-07-121h 01LudologyGameTek Classic 228.5 - Fairness and Bag-BuildingGeoff uses an interesting bag-building example to discuss how a mechanism that is designed to be fair and equitable to all colors in the bag winds up favoring a single color over time. This example has incredible significance to our hobby, and our world. You can reach out to Geoff via Twitter or email (geoff@ludology.net).
2020-07-0506 min
Always Player One: A Solo Board Gaming PodcastEp 4 - This War of Mine & Games with a dark/problematic themeIn this episode we share our thoughts on This War of Mine both as a game and as a tool to raise an important issue. We then use that as a jumping off point to look at games with darker or more problematic themes in general. If games use problematic themes is it the designer's responsibility to ensure it is handled with care or are all themes fair game for any and all titles? Find out what we think and join in the conversation.
Listener Questions: This episode we think there are many talking points raised so we...
2020-06-191h 11LudologyLudology 226.5 - CounterfeitingGeoff discusses the phenomenon of counterfeiting in game production. How prevalent it it, and how badly does it affect game publishers? Here's the ICV2 interview he mentions.
2020-06-0706 minLudologyGameTek Classic 224.5 - Game Balance and AIGeoff ruminates on the limitations of using AI to balance games. Why can't we use machine learning to fully balance a game experience, and finally make a game that everyone on BGG will find perfectly fair on the first play? SHOW NOTES 1m17s: For more on this subject, check out our two GameTek episodes on AlphaGo : GameTek Classic 218.5 Alpha Zero, and GameTek Classic 222.5 Alpha Zero, Part 2. 2m00s: Geoff's game The Expanse. 5m29s: The fantastic trading game Sidereal Confluence (which will soon have a new edition!) 6m18s: League of...
2020-05-1008 minLudologyGameTek Classic 222.5 - Alpha Zero, Part 2Geoff continues the discussion about Alpha Zero, this time pointing out the impact a self-learning AI can have on an established tournament meta, like Magic or Hearthstone. Show Notes: 0m47s: More info about Agent57, the DeepMind AI that can beat humans at 57 different Atari 2600 games. 1m52s: The Ares Project, Geoff's first published board game (designed with his son Brian) 2m15s: More info about the Halifax Hammer strategy from A Few Acres of Snow. 2m29s: The current list of banned cards in Magic: The Gathering. And, the current list of...
2020-04-1206 min
Test Coast GamesVirtual Events Report, April 2020We bring you a Virtual Events Report with content accessible from wherever you are. Tabletop.Events is hosting a digital protospiel con.The Vancouver BC game store, Magic Stronghold is taking their Magic the Gathering events online. Find out more at their Facebook page. Past TestCoast guest Scott Rogers is sharing daily challenges for "Pantone the Game on Facebook and Twitter.Storm Chaser Games is sharing daily challenges of their game "Medium" on Twitter.Asmodee has made some of their more family friendly games available as Print and Play files. Titles include games and demo from popular series...
2020-04-0700 minTest Coast GamesSpecial: How to Stay Connected During a PandemicA panel of friends comes together to discuss how best to stay connected during this global pandemic. Featuring Nick Angiers, Mark Ellis, Marcel Perro and Mark Yuasa.TestCoastGames-panel-001-stay-connected.mp3We discuss a number of tools and topics including:BoardGameArena Tabletop Simulator Tabletopia Tilt 5 Vorpal Board Teburu Twitch.tv TCTC Virtual Convention Discord GenCon / GenCan’t Origins / NoriginsVancouver Playtest Group GAC virtual meetup groups Nerdlab / Mastermind Groups Tokaido DigitalBooks by Geoff EngelsteinGametek Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design
2020-03-2500 minLudologyGameTek 220.5 - Quantum ComputingGeoff welcomes Dr. James Wootton, quantum computing expert and one of the people behind the digital game Hello Quantum, which is made to teach its player about the fundamentals of quantum computing. Here is Dr. Wootton's blog. Here is the Quantum Information Science Kit (QISKIT) blog Dr. Wootton mentioned. If you're technically inclined, here is Dr. Wootton's GitHub repository. And if you want to take a quantum computer out for a spin, here is the cloud-based service Dr. Wootton mentioned.
2020-03-1521 min
The Secret Lives of GamesThe Tricks of the Toolkit with Mark Brown (Game Maker's Toolkit)Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit joins us to talk about the process behind his excellent series on game design. We discuss his recent video on randomness - diving deep on input/output randomness - as well as roguelike progression, and much more! Things we discussed: Game Maker's Toolkit How (And Why) Spelunky Makes its Own Levels The Two Types of Random Michael Brough's Imbroglio "brog" Characteristics of Games Playing at the World Sid Meier's Psychology of Game Design Geoff Engelstein's "p...
2020-02-281h 23LudologyLudology 219 - Professor Scott's Wild RideProfessor Scott Rogers joins Gil and Emma once again! This time, we're discussing Scott's time as an Imagineer designing games and experiences for Disneyland, and his subsequent work designing VR attractions. It's a fascinating topic, with a surprising amount of overlap into any kind of game design! Show notes: 05m45s: More info about Disney Play here. 08m06s: Scott is right, sportscaster Al Michaels was indeed traded for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. 18m16s: Ludology 189 - Missing Selinker, wherein Mike Selinker shares a funny story testing Sorcerers of the Magic Kin...
2020-02-231h 16
LudologyGameTek Classic 218.5 - Alpha ZeroGeoff discusses Alpha Zero, a neural net that can play Go, Chess, and Shogi better than anyone in the world. It defeated the best AI in those respective games (each of whom had previously defeated the best humans in the world) with only a few hours of training. What does this spell for the future of AI, and the future of game design?
2020-02-1606 min
LudologyLudology 218 - Building Games, Bit By BitEmma and Gil welcome Geoff Engelstein and Isaac Shalev back to the show to discuss their new book Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design. This is a reference of board game mechanisms that any designer, new or experienced, can use to look up different tools they can use to solve problems in game design. Games and other things mentioned in this episode: 19m30s: Kraftwagen Glen More Francis Drake Egezia High Rise 19m39s: Opinionated Gamers article on time track vs. one-way track Patchwork Thebes Tokaido Tutankhamen 22m13s: Impulse ...
2020-02-091h 07
LudologyGameTek 213.5 - The Incan Gold ExperimentBack in Ludology 185, Geoff brought up a thought experiment. What if someone rethemed Incan Gold to a firefighting game? Would people play any differently? Dr. Stephen Blessing (@cognitive_gamer) of the University of Tampa took up the challenge, and with the help of research assistant Elena Sakosky, designed and ran the experiment that Geoff proposed. In this GameTek, Dr. Blessing and Sakosky join Geoff to discuss their findings. Did players take more risks if they felt, thematically, that lives were on the line? If you'd like to hear more of Dr. Blessing's work, l...
2019-11-2434 min
LudologyLudology 212.5 - Naked Baby PhotosIn this special episode of Ludology, recorded live at GrandCon 2019, Gil and Geoff go back in time to recount their earliest game designs. Were they as embarrassing? Were they any good? What is Gil's infamous action mechanism, and was Geoff able to capture the essence of the Battle of Cannae for a school assignment? We also take some live listener questions at the end.
2019-11-1057 min
LudologyBiography of a Board Game 208.5 - Space CadetsScott takes a peek at the history of the frantic real-time co-op game Space Cadets, designed by our own Geoff Engelstein, his daughter Sydney Engelstein, and his son Brian Engelstein.
2019-09-1508 min
Het Ludieke Gezelschap - Bordspel PodcastHLG 73: SpellenmaakgildeAflevering 73 "Spellenmaakgilde" van Het Ludieke Gezelschap, dé Nederlandse bordspel podcast. De eerste echt nieuwe aflevering na de vakantie. De scholen beginnen weer. Ook wij zitten daarom in de schoolbanken: We interviewen Arjan van Houwelingen over zijn Spellenmaakgilde, een platform voor spellenmakers in Nederland. Hij geeft ons tips waar we op moeten letten als we van plan zijn zelf een spel te ontwerpen. Michiel behandelt daarnaast een presentatie van Geoff Engelstein over Loss Aversion. We begrijpen nu eindelijk waarom we staatsloten kopen ;) 00:00 Intro / 00:34 Welkom / 04:36 Gespeeld: Serengeti - A Race for Life (Hall-13), Near and Far (Red Raven Games), V...
2019-08-281h 26
So Very Wrong About Games#79: Would Have Done at GenConWhat is gaming other than an outlet for vicarious experiences and thrills? To enjoy the simulacrum of killing, adventure, high finance, and impressing feudal lords? We can thus assert with great sincerity that ours shall be the very best GenCon coverage, in that we didn't go. Why trust the easily-misled first hand accounts? We know from both philosophy and science that sense data deceives. You can put your faith in our reflections, completely unbiased by any experience.AYURIS: Kemet 1m15s (Jacques Bariot & Guillaume Montiage, Matagot, 2012)Games Played Last Week: -Kemet 3m57s (Jacques Bariot...
2019-08-0655 min
The Game Design Round Table#218 Geoff Engelstein and Isaac Shalev: Building Blocks of Tabletop Game DesignDirk speaks with game designers Geoff Engelstein and Isaac Shalev about their co-authored book, Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: an Encyclopedia of Mechanisms.
2019-07-2342 min
The Clockwork Game Design PodcastBuilding Blocks of Tabletop Game Design – interview with Geoff Engelstein and Isaac ShalevI can’t believe I went this long without interviewing one of my biggest game design theory heroes, Geoff Engelstein. Together with designer, game design writer and fellow game design podcaster Isaac Shalev, they’ve written a book that seems like it might be kind of a big deal in this field. To quote a bit of […]
2019-07-1058 min
LudologyLudology Episode 200 - Auld Lang... Engelstein?After 200 episodes, Geoff has decided to step back from Ludology to focus on game design and book writing. So we've gathered previous co-hosts Ryan Sturm and Mike Fitzgerald, as well as future co-host Emma Larkins and future contributor Professor Scott Rogers, for a big slam-bang going away party! You'll continue to hear Geoff with his GameTek segment every 4 weeks. And if you'd like to stay in touch, follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gengelstein
2019-05-191h 03
So Very Wrong About Games#67: Good Games that Induce PainSummer is here, friends and neighbours, and with it comes a a thickening of the blood that prompts torpor. We here at SVWAG are part lizard, you see, and so we must budget additional time to sun ourselves and slough off our scales. At any rate, we will be shifting to a summer schedule but still releasing an episode every week--though the magic of segment-swapping. How can such wizardry be true? The secrets are revealed herein!AYURIS: Mage Knight 2m10s (Vlaada Chvatil, WizKids, 2011)Games Played Last Week: -Imperius 5m36s (Grant Rodiek, Kolossal Games, 2018)
2019-05-1458 min
The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 240: Scouting Geeky Tours & Teaching Game DesignGeoff Engelstein, Professor of Gaming, is in the 3rd Chair. In this episode we sit down with Geoff and learn how he goes about teaching a college level course on game design. But first, we catch up with Teras Cassidy of GNT on how he and his team scout out new locations for Geek Nation Tours. Danger: You may learn something this episode! All that plus: - Total Fan Girl - Do You Ever Notice - App of the Ep - & More If you'd like to discuss the show with us and others in our forum thread: . The following fine organiza...
2018-07-242h 44The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 240: Scouting Geeky Tours & Teaching Game Design Geoff Engelstein, Professor of Gaming, is in the 3rd Chair. In this episode we sit down with Geoff and learn how he goes about teaching a college level course on game design. But first, we catch up with Teras Cassidy of GNT on how he and his team scout out new locations for Geek Nation Tours. Danger: You may learn something this episode! All that plus: - Total Fan Girl - Do You Ever Notice - App of the Ep - & More If you'd like to discuss the show with us and others...
2018-07-242h 44
Water Values PodcastTWV 128 – How the Internet of Things Affects (and Will Affect) the Water Sector with Geoff EngelsteinGeoff Engelstein of Mars International brings his tech experience to a discussion on how the internet of things (IOT) affects the water sector and where he thinks the IOT will affect the water sector. Many of us have heard of the IOT but not many have a great handle on its significance. Geoff explains what IOT is, how it is used in the water sector, and what applications make sense for its future use in the water sector.
2018-07-1700 min
Water Values PodcastHow the Internet of Things Affects (and Will Affect) the Water SectorGeoff Engelstein of Mars International brings his tech experience to a discussion on how the Internet of Things (IoT) affects the water sector and where he thinks the IoT will affect the water sector. Many of us have heard of the IoT but not many have a great handle on its significance. Geoff explains what IoT is, how it is used in the water sector, and what applications make sense for its future use in the water sector.
2018-07-1739 min
We Have ConcernsRice Guys Finish LastHow you behave in Starbucks may reveal something about whether your ancestors grew wheat or rice. That’s the conclusion of a new study in China, which finds that people descended from wheat farmers—who largely rely on themselves—typically drink coffee alone, whereas descendants of rice growers—who must work with their community to build complex irrigation fields—tend to sip in groups. Jeff and Anthony wonder where Pumpkin Spice Latte drinkers came from.
GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns
Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swingin...
2018-05-3021 min
Garrett's Games and GeekinessGarrett's Games 607: Pit Crew and Terraforming Mars ExpansionsShelley and I get two excellent Stronghold Games to the table! Pit Crew from Geoff Engelstein and Terraforming Mars, both the Hellas & Elysium board expansion and Venus Next expansion by Jacob Fryxelius
2018-02-1733 min
Game Store ProphetsEpisode 152 – A Completely Different PageDaniel and I start off this episode talking about International Tabletop Day – bringing up his son’s first board game purchase, my opportunity to get a new game to table, and some of what made ITTD great this year. As such, a facebook post with a number of confused comments from other gamers that didn’t even know that International Tabletop Day was a thing reminded us that you can’t just assume that everyone is on the same page.
We reference a couple things in this episode:
The Kotaku article featuring the folks at the Bodhana...
2017-05-0859 min
The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 212: The Expanse Board Game Preview & Assault of the Giants ReviewGeoff Engelstein is back in the third chair! Geoff takes a break from instructing the next generation of game designers to let us know what he's been up to including a preview of his latest game, "The Expanse Board Game" based on the SyFy series. Later we review Assault of the Giants, a board game set in the Sword Coast of Dungeons and Dragons. All that plus: - Total Fan Girl - Do You Ever Notice - App of the Ep (Ticket To Earth) - & More If you'd like to discuss the show with us and others in our forum thread...
2017-05-013h 15The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 212: The Expanse Board Game Preview & Assault of the Giants ReviewGeoff Engelstein is back in the third chair! Geoff takes a break from instructing the next generation of game designers to let us know what he's been up to including a preview of his latest game, "The Expanse Board Game" based on the SyFy series. Later we review Assault of the Giants, a board game set in the Sword Coast of Dungeons and Dragons. All that plus: - Total Fan Girl - Do You Ever Notice - App of the Ep (Ticket To Earth) - & More If you'd like to discuss the show with us and others in our forum thread...
2017-05-013h 15
The D6 GenerationD6G Lost Chapter Book 141: Geoff on VRWe run into Prof Geoff Engelstein at Dunk'n Donuts. Turns out when he is not instructing college students on the finer points of game design he's exploring the realm of Virtual Reality. We catch up with him and get his read on the current state of the tech.
2017-04-3035 minThe D6 GenerationD6G Lost Chapter Book 141: Geoff on VRWe run into Prof Geoff Engelstein at Dunk'n Donuts. Turns out when he is not instructing college students on the finer points of game design he's exploring the realm of Virtual Reality. We catch up with him and get his read on the current state of the tech.
2017-04-3035 minGame Store ProphetsBonus Content – Geoff EngelsteinThe board gaming community is great for a number of reasons. One of them is that all sorts of people that are big names in the industry are often also incredibly approachable and kind. So when I discovered that Geoff Engelstein, designer of games like Space Cadets, Fog of War, and Dragon & Flagon to name just a few, lived within a short drive of me, I knew I had to get him on the show. After a criminally over-long stretch of time, I finally got that interview scheduled and recorded to share with you folks.
In this e...
2017-04-2741 minGame Store ProphetsBonus Content – Geoff EngelsteinThe board gaming community is great for a number of reasons. One of them is that all sorts of people that are big names in the industry are often also incredibly approachable and kind. So when I discovered that Geoff Engelstein, designer of games like Space Cadets, Fog of War, and Dragon & Flagon to name just a few, lived within a short drive of me, I knew I had to get him on the show. After a criminally over-long stretch of time, I finally got that interview scheduled and recorded to share with you folks.
In this e...
2017-04-2741 min
Creators Cast101 - Board Games - Geoff & Bryan EngelsteinFather and sun duo Geoff and Bryan Engelstein join the show to talk about the nitty gritty awesome nerdiness of board game designing. To learn more about Geoff check out his own podcast Ludology (http://www.ludology.libsyn.com/)where he analyzes board game mechanisms.
2017-03-0355 min
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Gaming PodcastRDTN Episode 107: The Fog of War interview with Geoff Engelstein and BGG Con RecapTony McReeWe had the opportunity to sit down with Geoff Engelstein to talk about his new game The Fog of War, published by Stronghold Games. We are all aware of Geoff’s […]
The post RDTN Episode 107: The Fog of War interview with Geoff Engelstein and BGG Con Recap first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2016-11-291h 27
Seven QuestionsSeven Questions Episode 7: Gaming General Knowledge with Geoff Engelstein and Kaarin EngelmannIn this episode, Jason is joined by Geoff Engelstein, designer of games such as the upcoming titles The Fog of War and The Dragon and Flagon and co-host of Ludology, Kaarin Engelmann, designer of one of Jason's favorite games (Rise and Fall), assistant convention director and webmaster for the World Boardgaming Championships, and recurring panelist Tom Jones. The panel talks about gaming general knowledge such as "What is a wargame?" and "What is a Euro?" (even "what the heck is a waro?"). The trivia game is a little more brutal than normal, with a penalty for a "predictably wrong" a...
2016-08-012h 08
LudologyLudology Episode 133 - The Crying GameA little window into dinner time at the Engelstein household: Young Brian asks the question "Can a board game make the players cry?" and he ends up on a podcast. So can they? Mike, Geoff, and Brian explore what makes people sad, and whether board games can do that - and how that affects their status as 'art'. Duration: 56:13
2016-07-2456 min
LudologyLudology Episode 130 - All of UsMike and Geoff are pleased to welcome Suzanne Sheldon and Sydney Engelstein to discuss the topic of diversity and inclusion in gaming. Duration: 1:49:42
2016-06-121h 49
Flip the TableEpisode 87: Hello Kitty with Geoff EngelsteinIn perhaps our most adorable episode yet, we're joined by Geoff Engelstein, co-designer of Space Cadets and co-host of Ludology to play the Hello Kitty Best Friends Game! Players race to Kitty's house for a fun slumber party while collecting stickers from their friends. Does togetherness truly bring happiness, or does this one belong in the litter box? Also: Geoff Engelstein! That's fun!
2016-02-121h 07
The Who, What, Why? Game Design PodcastS12.E01 :: Dexterity and Dice Aboard the StarshipSpace Cadets, designed by Geoff Engelstein and his kids, is a series of games set in a cartoon Star Trek-inspired universe. The series consists of two games with expansions: Space Cadets & Space Cadets Dice Duel. Space Cadets is a coop game where players must work together to solve small dexterity puzzles in an effort to complete an overarching mission objective. Each station on the ship is given its own dexterity task like flicking a disc, playing Memory, or finding small Tetris shapes in a bag. There are more than this list. Players have to be cautious of a core b...
2015-11-1855 min
The Who, What, Why? Game Design PodcastW3.E07 :: Who, What, Why and Geoff EngelsteinWho, What, Why presents our seventh episode of Designing Games with Game Designers which features Geoff Engelstein, designer of Space Cadets, Space Cadets: Dice Duels, and the forthcoming Survive: Space Attack! In this episode we use the themes and mechanics found on the cards in Unpub, the card game from Doug Levandowski and J.R. Honeycut. Geoff's three themes and mechanics were world wars, time travel, holiday, role playing, trading, and auctioning/bidding.
In an effort to bring more content to our listeners, we have subtracted the game design segment from the end of our episodes and ar...
2015-11-1108 min
LudologyLudology Episode 114 - The Butterfly EffectMike and Geoff talk CHAOS! Mike loves it in his games. Can he convince Geoff of its charms?
Duration: 1:04:37
2015-10-181h 04
The D6 GenerationD6G Lost Chapter Book 95: Comic Book TV ShowsProf. Geoff Engelstein, game designer and Dice Tower contributor, joins us in the third chair!
Geoff joins us to talk TV shows based on comic book shows, past and present.
2015-04-2844 minThe D6 GenerationD6G Lost Chapter Book 95: Comic Book TV ShowsProf. Geoff Engelstein, game designer and Dice Tower contributor, joins us in the third chair!
Geoff joins us to talk TV shows based on comic book shows, past and present.
2015-04-2844 min
The Secret Cabal Gaming PodcastExpress 01: Geoff Engelstein's Game Day, What's On Our Gaming Radar, Our RPG Sales PitchesThe seeds of your fundraising commitments are already yielding fruit! It's the Secret Cabal Express! The Express is a shorter version of the main show but with some content that wouldn’t normally fit into a full length episode. The founders just returned from Geoff Engelstein's Game Day and we discuss the games we played and why Buonocore now owns a pair of purple socks. Then the gang talks about what’s on their gaming radar. And finally, they give their RPG sales pitches
2015-01-071h 10
LudologyGameTek Classic 84 - Your Brain On ShogiIn this classic GameTek, Geoff discusses brain imaging studies on shogi players.
For images relating to this story, check out Geoff's blog entry on BoardgameGeek.
Duration: 06:58
2014-07-2006 min
LudologyGameTek 74 - EndingsIn this classic GameTek, Geoff discusses the importance of endings, and the difference between "the experiencing self" and "the remembering self."
One of Geoff's favorites!
Duration: 06:06
2014-02-1606 minThe Game Design Round Table#65: Real-Time. With Geoff EngelsteinDirk and Jon are joined by Geoff Engelstein to talk about his work, design philosophies and podcast. How do you create a real-time tabletop game? What makes inspirations special? How important is theme compared with mechanics?---------------------------Contact InformationJon Shafer - @JonShaferDesign, www.JonShaferOnDesign.com, Jon.Shafer@ConiferGames.comDirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, Dirk@Knemeyer.comGeoff Engelstein - @GEngelstein, www.ludology.net, geoff@ludology.net---------------------------Episode Outline0:03:30 - Real-time tabletop games0:12:29 - Inspirations0:16:22 - Wargames0:24:52 - User experience0:29:59 - The road to tabletop0:33:22 - Designing with your kids0:43:58 - Future projects0:49:31 - Theme & learning1:01:46 - Kickstarter
2014-02-031h 14
LudologyLudology Episode 73 - Icon of ClarityRyan and Geoff are joined by JVMF-auction winner Chaz Marler, to discuss the use of icons in games. Why use icons? What games have useful icons, and others not so much? And what is Geoff's suggestion for the Dice Tower musical episode?
Duration: 01:17:28
2014-01-261h 17
Push Your Luck PodcastPush Your Luck Ep 18: GENCON Day 2Eric talks about his Day 2 meeting various publishers and attending panels. Highlights include interviews with Geoff Engelstein from Ludology, Fantasy Flight Games In-flight Report, Game Salute and Alderac Entertainment Group. Eric also reviews Freedom Underground Railroad, Three Little Pigs, Kanzume Goddess and Ninja Dice.
0:00 - Start
14:59 - Interview with Geoff Engelstein
19:46 - Rules explanation for Freedom the Underground Railroad
29:32 - Fantasy Flight Games In-flight Report
1:53:48 - Game Salute State of the Union
2:57:48 - Interview with AEG
Follow Eric on twitter 'duckizz' so that you can enjoy the videos and pictures of GENCON 2013
Leave us comments and questions at our guild...
2013-08-163h 08
The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 128: Creating Comics & Sentinels of the Multiverse Detailed ReviewGeoff Engelstein returns to join us in the third chair! Geoff is curious about what Craig has been up to writting the comics for Wild West Exodus. So he spends a segment grilling Craig on just what it takes to create a new comic series.
Later we dive into the heroic co-op: Sentinels of the Multiverse. Just how does this comic book hero game work and why is it so darn fun?
All that and our other not-too-horrible segments including:
- Total Fan Girl
- Do You Ever Notice
- The Hollywood Minute
- News
- & More
If you'd like to di...
2013-07-023h 08The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 128: Creating Comics & Sentinels of the Multiverse Detailed ReviewGeoff Engelstein returns to join us in the third chair! Geoff is curious about what Craig has been up to writting the comics for Wild West Exodus. So he spends a segment grilling Craig on just what it takes to create a new comic series.
Later we dive into the heroic co-op: Sentinels of the Multiverse. Just how does this comic book hero game work and why is it so darn fun?
All that and our other not-too-horrible segments including:
- Total Fan Girl
- Do You Ever Notice
- The Hollywood Minute
- News
- & More
If you'd like to di...
2013-07-023h 08
LudologyLudology Episode 53 - PAX LudologicaThis special episode of Ludology is a recording of a game design panel Geoff particiated in at PAX East 2013, in Boston. The topic was "Impact of Video Game Design Techniques on Board Games".
Joining Geoff were Christopher Badell, designer of Sentinels of the Multiverse, Colby Dauch, designer of Summoner Wars, Matt Morgan, writer for Wired GeekDad, and Russ Wakelin of the D6 Generation.
Duration: 1:05
This episode of Ludology is sponsored by Relic Expedition, currently on Kickstarter!
2013-04-071h 00
LudologyGameTek Classic 52 - EntanglementIn this classic Gametek, Geoff talks about Entanglement, Quantum Mechanics, and why our intuition about probability can be woefully incorrect. One of Geoff's favorite episodes!
Duration: 09:00
This episode of Ludology is sponsored by Relic Expedition, currently on Kickstarter!
2013-03-3108 min
LudologyLudology Episode 52 - Let's Make a Deal!This episode Ryan and Geoff tackle games that feature negotiation, either as a designed-in feature, or a by-product of the player interactions. What features make for a great negotiation game? What types of player experiences can they engender? Can Ryan get Geoff to agree to anything?
Duration: 1:13:10
This episode of Ludology is sponsored by Relic Expedition, currently on Kickstarter!
2013-03-241h 13
LudologyLudology Episode 49 - The Joke's On You!Ryan and Geoff are joined by guest Zack Johnson, designer of the online game Kingdom of Loathing, to discuss the use (and misuse) of humor in games. How is humor used in games? Are there special considerations for making a game funny? Is Geoff capable of telling a joke?
Duration: 58:40
2013-02-1058 min
LudologyLudology Epsiode 40 - Games TeachRyan and Geoff are joined by special guest Giles Pritchard to discuss the use of games in the classroom. Both Ryan and Giles teach kids ages 8-11, and have extensively used games to augment the traditional curriculum.
Geoff has taught no one, and is happy to moderate and share embarassing stories about his childhood.
In addition, Ryan discusses his new venture Games Teach, which is designed to spread the use of games by creative teachers, and is launching on Kickstarter on September 18th.
Duration 1:22
2012-09-181h 22
The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 96: Ares Project Interview & Eclipse Detailed ReviewGeoff Engelstein joins the D6G crew as our third chair. Geoff has contributed the GameTek segment to The Dice Tower podcast for five years, and co-hosts the new podcast Ludology, with Ryan Sturm. Along with his son Brian he designed The Ares Project, released in 2011 by Z-Man Games. Geoff has been involved in the gaming hobby for close to 40 years, and considers himself an 'omni-gamer', enjoying wargames, euros, RPGs, miniatures, and everything game-related.
This episode we check out the new 4x space conquest game Eclipse. What does it bring new to the genre?
But up first: We ask Geoff to...
2012-01-313h 54The D6 GenerationD6G Ep 96: Ares Project Interview & Eclipse Detailed ReviewGeoff Engelstein joins the D6G crew as our third chair. Geoff has contributed the GameTek segment to The Dice Tower podcast for five years, and co-hosts the new podcast Ludology, with Ryan Sturm. Along with his son Brian he designed The Ares Project, released in 2011 by Z-Man Games. Geoff has been involved in the gaming hobby for close to 40 years, and considers himself an 'omni-gamer', enjoying wargames, euros, RPGs, miniatures, and everything game-related.
This episode we check out the new 4x space conquest game Eclipse. What does it bring new to the genre?
But up first: We ask Geoff to...
2012-01-313h 54
LudologyEpisode 24 - State of The Game Hobby, 2012A bit of a departure for Ludology, as we take a more topical look at the state of the gaming hobby as we move into the new year.
To give a business perspective, Ryan and Geoff are joined by industry insider Stephen Buonocore of Stronghold Games. Ryan believes we are at a 'fulcrum', trading quality for quantity, and is concerned for the future. Do Geoff and Stephen agree? And what does all this have to do with the movie industry?
2012-01-221h 15
LudologyEpisode 21 - Innovation vs ReinterpretationIt's Thanksgiving in the USA, so everything is bigger than usual. In this supersized 90 minute Ludology, Ryan and Geoff tackle the question of innovation in games. Where does innovation come from? What games are innovative and which build on existing mechanics? Is it possible for a game to be too innovative?
Plus Ryan and Geoff reveal their picks for the most innovative game of the modern era. Do you agree?
2011-11-271h 28