Shows
The Game Design Round TableSeason: RPG - Serious Games Pt.2Host Kathryn Hymes (@katehymes, thornygames.com) is joined by renowned designers Jason Morningstar (bullypulpitgames.com) and Randy Lubin (@randylubin, randylubin.com) to explore the world of "serious games"—games designed for education, training, and social impact. They share unique game experiences, discuss the challenges of designing beyond entertainment, and debate the usefulness of the “serious games” label.
2025-07-1526 minThe Game Design Round TableSeason: RPG - Serious Games Pt.1Host Kathryn Hymes (@katehymes, thornygames.com) is joined by renowned designers Jason Morningstar (bullypulpitgames.com) and Randy Lubin (@randylubin, randylubin.com) to explore the world of "serious games"—games designed for education, training, and social impact. They share unique game experiences, discuss the challenges of designing beyond entertainment, and debate the usefulness of the “serious games” label.
2025-07-0847 min
Linguistics CareercastEpisode #73: Kathryn Hymes“I’m happy for the winding path that took me to this work”
Kathryn Hymes is a technologist and computational linguist, currently serving as a director of product and innovation at Doctors Without Borders. Previously, she worked in leadership positions at multiple technology firms, most recently as the head of international product expansion at Slack and an advisor at Airtable. She holds an MS in computational and mathematical engineering and an MA in linguistics, both from Stanford. Her writing on language and technology has appeared in the Atlantic, Wired, and the New York Times. Kathryn is also a co-f...
2025-06-2449 minLinguistics CareercastEpisode #73: Kathryn Hymes“I’m happy for the winding path that took me to this work”
Kathryn Hymes is a technologist and computational linguist, currently serving as a director of product and innovation at Doctors Without Borders. Previously, she worked in leadership positions at multiple technology firms, most recently as the head of international product expansion at Slack and an advisor at Airtable. She holds an MS in computational and mathematical engineering and an MA in linguistics, both from Stanford. Her writing on language and technology has appeared in the Atlantic, Wired, and the New York Times. Kathryn is also a co-f...
2025-06-2449 minThe Game Design Round Table#330 Xenolanguage with Kathryn HymesThis week, Dirk and David are joined by Kathryn Hymes, co-owner of Thorny Games and former co-host of the show. Together, they discuss Kathryn’s new game Xenolanguage, a roleplaying game where players take the role of humans tasked with deciphering an alien language. They give their thoughts on designing GMless games, especially focusing on how to facilitate interesting experiences within the rules. Topics include an in-depth look at Xenolanguage’s design, the breadth in experience of GMless games, approaching the business side of GMless games, and what future games may look like in the field of language.
2024-11-1952 min
3W6 – Erzählrollenspiel, Storygames & Indie-Games3W6 Con 2024 with Kathryn HymesLive from this year's 3W6 Con we again invite all who participated and our guest of honor to talk about their games, glimmers and wishes for the next con.
2024-10-2333 min3W6 – Erzählrollenspiel, Storygames & Indie-GamesKathryn Hymes Interview about SignKathryn Hymes and Thorny Games are known for language-focused story-games, and in this episode she joins us to talk about Sign—the “almost” LARP they wrote for the Golden Cobra, and give us a sneak peek at what she’ll do and bring to the 3W6 Con in August.
2024-07-1752 min3W6 – Erzählrollenspiel, Storygames & Indie-GamesSpecial: Dialekt Actual Play bei 3PAktuell läuft die Vorbestellung für Dialekt bei System Matters. Das ist die deutsche Übersetzung des Erzählspielklassikers Dialect von Kathryn Hymes, unserer Guest of Honor bei der 3W6 Con 2024 und ebenfalls Autorin von Sign (siehe letzte Folge). Deshalb war Markus in seiner Rolle als Übersetzer des Spiels letzte Woche zu Gast bei 3P auf Twitch und hat gemeinsam mit Host Cassandra und Frank eine Runde Dialekt gespielt. Netterweise hat uns Cassandra den Ton zur Verfügung gestellt, so dass ihr das Actual Play auch hier im Podcast nachhören könnt. Kleiner Hinweis: Die Folge ist nicht ganz so detai...
2024-07-032h 27
The Allusionist192. Word Play part 2This episode, and the next couple of episodes, are about word games! Today, Joshua Blackburn recounts how his sons' uninspiring English homework led to him inventing the language quiz game League of the Lexicon; and Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu of Thorny Games explain how they make topics like language loss and deciphering alien language into creative play. Get the transcript of this episode, and find links to more information about the topics therein, at theallusionist.org/wordplay2. Word Play part 1, featuring Leslie Scott from Oxford Games, is nine years down your podfeed....
2024-04-0944 minThe Game Design Round Table#311 Innovating Themes with Anna AnthropyDirk and Kathryn Hymes meet this episode to talk with Anna Anthropy, digital and tabletop designer known for her prolific work with non-traditional themes. They discuss Anna’s career in game design, and her path into becoming an educator. Topics include why violence is an attractive game element, dealing with releasing art and it no longer being one’s own, one page games, and the absence of sex as a theme or topic.
2024-02-2752 min
Ruolo Per GiocoD4Shots - Dialect - Le Porte di TannhauserOggi giochiamo a Dialect!Dialect è un gioco Masterless in cui si gioca la nascita, crescita e morte del linguaggio di una comunità isolata di qualche tipo, chiamata Isolamento.Tra gli scenari proposti dal gioco noi abbiamo deciso di giocare "Canto la Terra Elettrica", nel quale giocheremo un Isolamento di robot lasciati sulla terra dagli umani, da lungo tempo partiti per altri pianeti. Abbiamo giocato a Dialect di Kathryn Hymes e Hakan Seyalioglu https://narrattiva.it/it/shop/libro/dialect/ Sigla: La Marcia dei Campanelli di Emanuele Segato (aka Lillo/Lillobot)
2023-11-163h 12
The Ludogogy PodcastKathryn Hymes on LanguagesFor the last few years, Thorny Games has masterfully crafted tabletop RPGs and LARPs that explore the power and playfulness of language. But their creations go beyond mere gameplay; they are a testament to the boundless potential that lies within language itself. With each game, Thorny Games offers us a remarkable opportunity to perceive the world anew through the mesmerizing lens of communication. Thorny Games, based in Washington, is Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu, who, with mixed backgrounds in design, maths and linguistics, are Gen Con veterans and multiple Game of the Year award winners. We have 50% of...
2023-05-1934 min
Inside The Table: A Tabletop RPG Talk Show11. Chamomile & LavenderAfter a week off (curse you, Pax Pox...), your co-hosts return, this time to discuss pitching Tabletop Games, both to players and to the world at large.
But first, Marley talks about his experience attending PAX Aus, along with seeing panels, celebrities, and talks about the sheer number of TTRPGs he played while he was there...
Cole, on the other side of the planet, talks hanging with AshenWorks and playing fun games in person. They've also been getting into commentating for MLE Esports GG and using Word of the Day to expand their vocabulary. Also...
2022-10-271h 48
Tomtit & Baobab: A Bee-Inspired PodcastWelcome to the FamilectWith T&B every day is a BEE-day! This episode we preach to the COIR about LINGUAL, AUGUR in a new age of pirate speak, and explore the fascinating phenomenon that is "home slang". (Our Wild Card segment is inspired by Kathryn Hymes' article "Why We Speak More Weirdly At Home", which you can read in full here.)
2022-10-1742 min3W6 – Erzählrollenspiel, Storygames & Indie-GamesKathryn HymesDialect co-designer Kathryn Hymes joined us for an insightful and inspiring discussion about her design process and how her background in math and computational linguistics plays into it.
2022-07-0600 min
Future of StoryTelling (FoST)Thorny GamesKathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu, the cofounders of Thorny Games, discuss inventing games as children, play as an integral part of being human, and designing games that allow players to co-create the story.--© 2022 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherExecutive Producer, Carolyn MerrimanProducer, Sarah VitakAssociate Producer, Luke Gernert
2022-04-2131 min
Beyond SolitaireEpisode 72 - Kathryn Hymes on Games about LanguageThis week's special guest is Kathryn Hymes, who talks about her work for Thorny Games, a publisher dedicated to making games that explore language. Check out Thorny Games' work at https://thornygames.com/. 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.aspxAll episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com/Enjoy my work? Consider getting me a "c...
2022-03-1443 minThe Game Design Round Table#270 Listener Questions January 2022Once again, Kathryn Hymes joins Dirk and David for another round of listener questions. The discussion starts with a thorough examination of how to best grow an audience for a game when starting at zero. Other conversations cover the new hot genres in games, consent and session zero conversations for board games, and what the cohosts look for with their personal gaming choices. Finally, the talk wraps up with a discussion on purposefully or accidentally toxic players in all gaming mediums and different solutions for those issues.
2022-01-261h 01
Global Class PodcastWhy leaning into small scale is key for successful international expansion | Kathryn Hymes | Fmr Head of Int’l Product, SlackIn this episode we are excited to welcome Kathryn Hymes, former Head of International Product Expansion for Slack. Prior, Kathryn held product leadership roles at Nextdoor and Facebook and currently runs Thorny Games, a company that builds games at the intersection of language and crytography.
In our conversation, Kathryn offers some awesome insights into a vast number of topics: from how to be successful entering new markets (a hint being not to launch and leave, but to build for sustainability and scalability), the importance of curiosity, energy, passion and understanding a functional cross-section of the business in b...
2021-12-2252 min
The Purpose Made PodcastKathryn Hymes: The 'Great Resignation’ Misses the PointIn today’s episode we chat to the wonderful Kathryn Hymes. Kathryn is a computational linguist, co-founder of Thorny Games, and a writer whose work on language, technology, and music has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times and more recently Wired.On November 1st 2021, Kathryn wrote an article entitled, the ‘Great Resignation’ Misses the Point, as around the world, people are quitting their jobs in record numbers and bosses are scrambling to figure out why. The phrase itself, originated in early May, at a time in which Professor Anthony Klotz, warned that “The Great Resignation is comin...
2021-12-1327 min
What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny MomsSo What Are We Doing This Summer?Our kids’ summer plans keep evolving– for the better and the more confusing. We fill out forms. Then we get emails saying "Forget the old rules, and fill out these three new forms indicating you agree with these new rules." Then things change again.To be clear: thank you, camps and programs and town pools. We're not blaming the people who are most certainly doing their best to keep up, and to give our kids the most typical summer experience possible. But we're all building the plane while we fly it, and figuring out the new rules for...
2021-05-2641 min
Past PresentEpisode 280: Gas Panics and the Colonial Pipeline Cybersecurity BreachIn this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the gas panic triggered by the recent cybersecurity breach at Colonial Pipeline. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: A cybersecurity breach at Colonial Pipeline caused panic, prompting motorists to line up at service stations up and down the East Coast. Natalia, Niki, and Neil all drew on historian Meg Jacobs’ work, and Natalia referred to Dan Taberski’s podcast Surviving Y2K. In our regular closing feature, What’s Ma...
2021-05-1837 min
Exolore: facts-based fictional worldbuildingBuilding (Thorny) Games with Kathryn HymesGame designer and computational linguist Kathryn Hymes joins us to talk about the games she's created and her process for making it happen! HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Kathryn Hymes is 50% of the indie studio Thorny Games, where she makes games about language and cryptography. She is a multiple time Indiecade Finalist and Award Winner, has spoken at GDC, and delivered keynote addresses at gaming conferences. She is also a co-host of the Game Design Round Table podcast and a 2016 GenCon Industry Insider. Follow her on twitter at @chicalashaw...
2021-05-0654 min
A Beleza da Vida - A Autoestima do Paciente Oncológico05. Pelo sim, pelo não"Pelo sim, pelo não”. Este é o tema do Episódio 05 da série de Podcasts "A Beleza da Vida – a autoestima do paciente oncológico". No diálogo com a dermatologista oncológica, Dra. Giselle Barros, vamos aprender dicas preciosas: como lidar com a perda dos cabelos e dos pelos que vão embora durante o tratamento oncológico, como cuidar do novo visual e nos preparar para quando o tratamento terminar. Aprendizados que iremos guardar por toda a vida! Agradecemos por você estar conosco e por nos ajudar a divulgar!
Apresentação: Vera Golik e Hugo Lenzi / Rep...
2020-12-0744 min
LudologyLudology 239 - Words at PlayEmma and Gil welcome Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu to the show to discuss the impact of language on play, and how to design games that revolve around the building, modification, and demise of a language. SHOW NOTES 2m52s: Here's the Kickstarter for Thorny's new game Xenolanguage. 6m45s: Among Us is a social deduction digital game that, after a quiet two years on the market, suddenly blew up on Twitch and is now extremely popular. US congressional representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made headlines when she played the game live on Tw...
2020-11-291h 10
The Vintage RPG PodcastKathryn Hymes on XenolanguageThis week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we chat with Kathryn Hymes of Thorny Games about Xenolanguage. Thorny Games makes games about language (see the rather sublime Dialect for example) and their latest effort, currently on Kickstarter, draws inspiration from Arrival, Contact and “The Story of Your Life” to create an experience that is about first contact with an alien species, but also about learning to see the world differently. And the game mechanic centers on a talking board!
2020-11-0227 min
The RPG Academy: Show and TellShow & Tell # 79 – Xenolanguage
https://therpgacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Show-and-Tell-79-Xenolanguage.mp3
Hello and welcome to Show & Tell # 79 – Xenolanguage
In this episode Tom sits down Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu of Thorny Games to talk about their latest RPG, Xenolanguage. The minds behind the award winning game Dialect are continuing their study of language through RPGs with this exciting new game.
Find out more about Thorny Games: https://thornygames.com/
Enjoy!
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!! ~Tom
Follow Tom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeskarTom
E-mail us at TheRpgAcademy/Gmail.
Follow us on twitte...
2020-10-1931 min
Protean City ComicsAppointed Issue #1Episode Notes
A quick content warning: This issue and the next contains conversations pertaining to cults and emotional manipulation.
Introduction voiced by Peter DeGiglio
Intro theme and outro music was composed by Jim Malloy
Dialect: A Game About Language and How It Dies was written by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu and Published by Thorny Games
This podcast is created thanks to the financial support of backers on Patreon
Join us at in our Discord or follow us on twitter @ProteanCity
Subscribe to Protean City Comics on iTunes or anywhere podcasts are found.
...
2020-05-0651 minProtean City ComicsCase File: The Church of the AppointedEpisode Notes
A quick content warning: This issue and the next contains conversations pertaining to cults and emotional manipulation.
Introduction voiced by Peter DeGiglio
All music was composed by Jim Malloy
Dialect: A Game About Language and How It Dies was written by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu and Published by Thorny Games
This podcast is created thanks to the financial support of backers on Patreon
Join us at in our Discord or follow us on twitter @ProteanCity
Subscribe to Protean City Comics on iTunes or anywhere podcasts are found.
Join...
2020-05-0628 min
Character Creation CastCharacter Evolution Cast E18: Enhancing Your Games with GamesThis is our 18th episode of Character Evolution Cast, and we’re here to talk about making your gaming experience better by adding MORE GAMES!Announcements
Descent into Midnight Kickstarter
https://dimrpg.io/ks
Princess World Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1706590045/princess-world
Decuma Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goldenlassogirl/decuma
Leave us reviews in any, or all, of these places:Character Creation Cast on Apple Podcasts (The best place to leave reviews for us)https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/character-creation-cast/id1363822066?mt=2&ls=1Character Creation Cast on Podchaser...
2020-02-241h 13The Game Design Round Table#225 Round Table on Thematic Games #1Dirk and David speak with former cohost and friend of the show Kathryn Hymes. Together, the three of them discuss important questions and lessons learned from the first four episodes in the Designing Thematic Games series.
2019-10-291h 00
Friends at the TableThe Road to PARTIZAN 01: Dialect Pt. 1Welcome to the Road to PARTIZAN, an interlude connecting Twilight Mirage to PARTIZAN, our next full season (where we’ll be playing Beam Saber by Austin Ramsay) which will begin later this year! On that note, please know that though there is one spoiler for the way a couple of Twilight Mirage factions end up, there are no spoilers about major Twilight Mirage characters or their arcs anywhere throughout these episodes. The Road to Season 6 started with a desire to try out new game systems before we committed to one for a full season, but after thinking abo...
2019-10-032h 49
Scene PlayEpisode 31: Song's Canaries - UnrestrainedWhere we get a wedding, a plot, and an invasion
We played Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu
Find their other work here (http://thornygames.com/)
The Music is by Tucker Lemos and performed by Tom Benz
The Cover art is by Ariel Chu
Caroline was Clover
Henry was Captain Holden James
Ryan was Mud (Billy) Special Guests: Caroline Weinberg, Henry Lane, and Ryan Taylor.
2018-06-2100 min
Geecko on the AirKami Kami: Diari di design 1.01Loris Casagrandi di Designdrill ci parla di Kami Kami, il gioco col quale partecipa alla 200 Word RPG Challenge 2018. In questa puntata spiega come gli è venuto in mente di scriverlo e che cosa si nasconde sotto al cofano del gioco. Scaletta: [00:18] Presentazione e premessa [01:08] Fonti d’ispirazione [02:56] Il processo creativo [06:13] Come si gioca [10:02] Parti migliorabili [12:18] Saluti finali Link: Loris Casagrandi (Designdrill) Kami Kami Kami Kami (versione estesa) kami (Wikipedia) Dialect (Kathryn Hymes e Hakan Seyalıoğlu, 2018) Playlist dedicata a Dialect (Giù l...
2018-06-1812 minScene PlayEpisode 30: Song's Canaries - UnderbramblerockWherein the Canaries find a new home, Trinity becomes more guilty, and Clover helps to build some bridges.
We played Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu
Find their other work here (http://thornygames.com/)
The Music is by Tucker Lemos and performed by Tom Benz
The Cover art is by Ariel Chu
Caroline was Clover
Henry was Captain Holden James
Ryan was Mud (Billy) Special Guests: Caroline Weinberg, Henry Lane, and Ryan Taylor.
2018-06-1400 minScene PlayEpisode 29: Song's Canaries - The LeechWherein Trinity is rightly accused, Ryan plays mean characters, and Clove is sad
We played Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu
Find their other work here (http://thornygames.com/)
The Music is by Tucker Lemos and performed by Tom Benz
The Cover art is by Ariel Chu
Caroline was Clover
Henry was Captain Holden James
Ryan was Mud (Billy) Special Guests: Caroline Weinberg, Henry Lane, and Ryan Taylor.
2018-05-3100 minScene PlayEpisode 28: Song's Canaries - A Hybrid Watership/Airship MedleyWherein we meet Captain Flapjack briefly, Captain Flapjack's son even more briefly, and also the protagonists.
We played Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu
Find their other work here (http://thornygames.com/)
The Music is by Tucker Lemos and performed by Tom Benz
The Cover art is by Ariel Chu Special Guests: Caroline Weinberg, Henry Lane, and Ryan Taylor.
2018-05-2400 min
Geecko on the AirThe Last Child: Diari di design 1.01Antonio Amato di Mammut RPG ci parla di The Last Child, il gioco col quale partecipa alla 200 Word RPG Challenge 2018. In questa puntata spiega come gli è venuto in mente di scriverlo e che cosa si nasconde sotto al cofano del gioco. Colossus, citato nella puntata, è un gioco di ruolo di Antonio attualmente in corso di sviluppo. Scaletta: [00:31] Un’idea scartata [01:36] Eureka! [03:30] Premessa e ambientazione [04:49] Come funziona [06:47] Le meccaniche [08:27] Fonti d’ispirazione [09:03] Quali temi nasconde Link: The Last C...
2018-05-2310 minScene PlayBONUS: Song's Canaries - You'll Never be Good Enough to Catch UsWhere Henry promotes class warfare, Ryan references a lot of movies, and Caroline displays a shocking level of arrogance
We played Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu
Find their other work here (http://thornygames.com/)
The Music is by Tucker Lemos and performed by Tom Benz
The Cover art is by Ariel Chu Special Guests: Caroline Weinberg, Henry Lane, and Ryan Taylor.
2018-05-1700 min
Bored GhostSupplement 013: DialectThis is a brief overview that lays out the rules summary of Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu. Purchase a copy here at Thorny Games. Recommended number of players: 3-5 players, Play time around 2-4 hours. To play you'll need: Index Cards (20-30), Writing Utensils, The Language Deck (Printable from the PDF or available for purchase from the publisher), A Surface to play on. Dialect is a GMless game where your will play an isolated community. You will grow a language based on your commonalities and that language wil...
2018-05-0207 minThe Game Design Round Table#179: Elizabeth LaPensée; indigenous self-determination in game development.Description In this episode, Elizabeth LaPensée joins Kathryn and Dirk and they discuss indigenous self-determination in game development and how a destructive pattern of colonialism is being addressed. --------------------- Elizabeth LaPensée - elizabethlapensee@gmail.com, elizabethlapensee.com Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, artana.com, dirk@artana.com --------------------- Episode Outline 0:11 Welcome Elizabeth - Background 1:35 Elizabeth's voice and perspective as a game designer 3:07 Themes of culture; How does this impact Elizabeth's making of games 7:46 In the game Invaders, can a player win? Or is it inevitable that they will die? 9:09 How do Grandmother-mechanics fit in...
2017-09-2136 minThe Game Design Round Table#175: Listener Mail August 2017David, Dirk, and Kathryn dive into the digital mailbag and take a shot at some listener questions. Topics include Kickstarter Cancellations, design organization and ways to pitch a game. --------------------- Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, artana.com, dirk@artana.com --------------------- Episode Outline 0:20 Everyone thinks it has been a good week. 0:26 Some listener comments 0:36 Listener Michael Hopkins - Kickstarter Cancellations 3:18 Q: Glen Slagel - Do you go back through old notes? 7:17 Q: Tristen Angeles & Ryan Sumo - How do you organize your design? 15:02 Q: Aaron Wilson & Trevor Willis - Pitching a...
2017-08-1736 minThe Game Design Round Table#174: Mo Turkington and LARPsIn this episode, Mo Turkington from Unruly Designs joins Dirk and Kathryn to discuss LARPs and specifically chamber LARPs focused on women in WWII. The conversation also touches on the roles LARPs can have in understanding social privilege. --------------------- Mo Turkington - unrulydesigns.com, moyra@unrulydesigns.com Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, artana.com, dirk@artana.com Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com --------------------- Episode Outline 0:14 Mo introduced and background 0:49 What is a LARP? 2:02 How does the idea of a LARP fit into Nightingales? 4:18 What attracts Mo to the subject of historical LARP? 8:53 As a designer how do you approach the...
2017-08-0444 minThe Game Design Round Table#173: Game Design AxiomsDirk, Kathryn, and Rob get together for the much anticipated game design axioms episode. Listen as they share their their top design principles.---------------------Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, dirk@artana.com Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com Rob Daviau - @robdaviau---------------------Episode Outline 0:06 Greetings 0:22 Rob has a sultry voice 0:41 Kathryn and Rob are on the show together for the first time 0:57 Game design axioms 1:23 Axiom - Rob - Never make a person lose a turn 5:26 How Rob's experience at Hasbro contributed 6:45 Axiom - Kathryn - Design for the Human Animal 8:20 Heuristics - Group info and decisions in 3's 8:58 What...
2017-07-2839 minThe Game Design Round Table#170: Ross CowmanThis week, Dirk and Kathryn talk with Ross Cowman, owner of game design studio Heart of the Deernicorn. They discuss the game Fall of Magic.---------------------Ross Cowman- @rosscowman, www.heartofthedeernicorn.com Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, dirk@artana.com.---------------------Episode Outline 0:00:19 - Ross’ background 0:01.08 - Origin of company name 0:02:22 - company name SEO 0:02:57 - Origin of Fall of Magic 0:10:40 - Talking about a turn of the game 0:22:37 - What opportunities and difficulties have come from the game? 0:27:16 - What's next? 0:29:16 - Overseas reception of the game 0:33:22 - Translation of the game
2017-06-1538 minThe Game Design Round Table#168: Emily Care BossThis week, Dirk and Kathryn welcome veteran game designer Emily Care Boss to the show. Emily has a long history in designing RPG games and making tools available to players to challenge their views and expand their gaming horizons. Some of her games encourage players to examine uncommonly represented topics, such as romance and sexuality.--------------------- Emily Care Boss - @emilycare, www.blackgreengame.com Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, dirk@artana.com---------------------Episode Outline 0:00:19 - Emily’s background 0:03:25 - Tabletop games and sexuality 0:15:40 - Emily’s catalog 0:25:56 - RPG and game theory
2017-05-2539 minThe Game Design Round Table#166: John HarperDirk and Kathryn are joined this week by designer John Harper, the mind behind Blades in the Dark. John’s transition to full-time developer has been helped by his fans that support him via Kickstarter and Patreon - this following allows him to fully concentrate on his multi-disciplinary craft and continue to release free, hackable material.---------------------John Harper - onesevendesign.com, @john_harper---------------------Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, dirk@artana.com Episode Outline 0:01:41 - Blades in the Dark 0:10:51 - Growing in tastes as a designer 0:20:49 - Supporting yourself with indie work 0:27:34 - Game de...
2017-05-0539 minThe Game Design Round Table#165: Listener Mail April 2017Dirk, Harrison, and Kathryn dive into the mailbag once again to answer your game design questions. Is it really that difficult to get published in North America from other markets? What’s life on the digital side like when it comes to publishing? And what can you do when you (inevitably) get stuck?.---------------------Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, dirk@artana.com Harrison Pink - @gilespink, harrisonpink@gmail.com, harrisonpink.com Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, thornygames.com.---------------------0:00:24 - The difference between design and development and getting stuck 0:06:05 - Publishing from non-American or European markets 0:10:04 - Linear narratives 0:16:03 - Ga...
2017-04-2033 minThe Game Design Round Table#162: Listener Mail February 2017Dirk, David, and Kathryn Hymes are here to answer your questions. This week they go over replayability, ambitious ideas, and the differences between design and development.---------------------Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, dirk@artana.com David Heron - @DavidVHeron Kathryn Hymes - www.thornygames.com.---------------------0:01:04 - Replayability and value 0:16:06 - Trimming game length 0:26:39 - IP creation and long-term goals 0:31:19 - The difference between design and development
2017-03-0936 minThe Game Design Round Table#156: Kathryn Hymes and Thorny GamesThis week Dirk is joined by new co-host Harrison Pink and guest Kathryn Hymes of Thorny Games. Kathryn brings a unique perspective to the tabletop world with games that take on the challenges of linguistics and the evolution (and death) of languages. She explains how Thorny Games takes on the challenge of games light on mechanics and heavy on intellectual stimulation. --------------------- Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer, www.artana.com, dirk@artana.com Harrison Pink - harrisonpink@gmail.com, @colonialpink Kathryn Hymes - @chicalashaw, www.thornygames.com --------------------- Episode Outline 0:03:31 - Sign 0:14:34 - Dialect 0:28:32 - Games light on mechanics 0:33:56 - Games...
2016-12-0557 min
Talk the Talk268: Dialect (featuring Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu)Are dying languages worth saving? That's the concept of a new game that allows players to explore language creation, language community, and language death, all in the course of an evening. Heavy concepts. How does it work? Linguist Daniel Midgley talks to the game's creators, Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu, on this episode of Talk the Talk.
2016-11-0845 min
BACKSTORY21. Hakan SeyaliogluWhat happens when you publish your own game from scratch? How do we welcome new players to the table? Game designer Hakan Seyalioglu on game publishing, community building, and the beautiful collision of the obvious and the unexpected.
Thorny Games
Big Bad Con
Old Friends
Juggernaut
Games within Games
Morgan Stinson and Joe Greathead's Fedora Noir will be available soon!
Roses and Thorns
Mouse Guard
Dread
The Prisoner GURPS
Kathryn Hymes on Backstory
Games on Demand
CAT
The Quiet Year
2016-10-1300 min
Legal MovesCreating storytelling games with Thorny Games' Kathryn Hymes and Hakan SeyaliogluIn this July episode, I talk with Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu from Thorny Games about the business of making story-based games. Whether it's a game about developing your own sign language or making first contact with extraterrestrials, Kathryn and Hakan have a lot of insight into this up-and-coming genre of games. Join us as we bridge the gap between tabletop and RPG games, and discover more about ourselves in the process.
2016-06-2047 min
BACKSTORY9. Kathryn HymesGame designer and computational linguist Kathryn Hymes shares her love of locksmithing, larpspotting, and the incredible power of play. Is this the golden age of gaming? We certainly think so.
Thorny Games
Star Wars RPG by West End Games
The Battlestar Galactica Board Game
Games on Demand
CAT
Sign
The Golden Cobra Challenge
Big Bad Con
Dialect
Conlanging
J Li
Jason Morningstar
Metatopia
Xenolanguage
"Stories of Your Life" by Ted Chiang
"The Dispossessed" by Ursula LeGuin
Notre...
2016-04-2800 min
Gauntlet CalendarGWMD - Dialect The Heart Part IIGauntlet Wednesday Morning Drama is a series I run for the Gauntlet Community. Like all games of the Gauntlet, it’s open table, everybody can join – just check the calendar. This is the second session of Dialect, a game by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyahoglu about language and how it changes in isolation.
1970-01-012h 59
Gauntlet CalendarGWMD - Dialect The Heart Part IWe play Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalioglu. This is part of the Gauntlet Wednesday Morning Drama series in which I play story games with the Gauntlet community. Everybody can join through the Gauntlet Calendar.
1970-01-012h 40