Know Direction Network

By Know Direction Network

Know Direction Network episodes

May 08 Know Direction Beyond 107: Tales Of The Vast
Alex and James look at the Starfinder second edition Tales Of The Vast Adventure Anthology.
Recorded live on Twitch.
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49 min
May 05 Game Design Unboxed 140: Wine Cellar
In episode 140 of Game Design Unboxed, we talk with Andrew Stiles, game designer and co-host of the podcast Tabletop Submarine, about how discovering GDU early in his design journey helped him better understand the tabletop space, and how a life reset during COVID (and a challenge to get a game signed in 6-months by his wife) sparked a career pivot into game design.
We talk about his first game, Wine Cellar, and how the inspiration came from his previous background as a sommelier, prompting him to lean into the “design what you know” mentality. Andrew talks us through key development decisions, such as scaling player counts, reworking card math, and how table space and visibility shape the player experience.
The episode also covers other topics, including the realities of breaking into the industry, the value of the UNPUB mentorship program, researching and targeting the right publishers, why smaller conventions are a great place to network for new designers, Board Game Arena (BGA) implementations, designing for non-gamers, and bad fonts that keep you up at night.
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Featuring:
Andrew Stiles – Guest
Danielle Reynolds – Host
38 min
April 27 Intrepid Heroes 183 – The Undead (Hellbreakers Session 2)
When two Inner Sea superpowers go to war, the ripples are felt throughout the region. A group of intrepid heroes…or should we say intrepid rebels…. join a league of righteous freedom fighters to unshackle their people from the binds of infernal tyranny. Nefarious forces from without—and within—will do anything to stop these Hellbreakers.
Our heroes face off against giant undead bats!
Cast:
Jason Keeley – GM
Rue Dickey – Nolastri
Isis Wozniakowska – Misera
John Godek – Thadeus (Tad)
Ron Lundeen – Augustus
Mark Woolcott – Flak
Pathfinder Hellbreakers Adventure Path Actual Play Podcast
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50 min
April 21 Game Design Unboxed 139: Side Effects
In episode 139 of Game Design Unboxed, we chat with Jade Shames and Ben Bronstein, co-founders of Pillbox Games and co-designers of this episode’s spotlight game, Side Effects.
They talk about how a mental illness–inspired card game idea (later titled Side Effects) sparked their collaboration and company, the power of bold visuals, why skeletons make perfect models, the balance between realism and accessibility, adjusting setup rules for varying player counts, and being innovative when it comes to product design for your games.
They also discuss homebrew variants, the all-too-familiar and disturbing medical side-effect warnings in commercials, and the hope that, if a misprint or typo occurs in print, it might become a collectible one day!
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Featuring:
Jade Shames and Ben Bronstein – Guests
Danielle Reynolds – Host
39 min
April 15 Know Direction Beyond 106: Galactic Ancestries Review
Alex and James share their thoughts on the latest Starfinder 2e hardcover: Galactic Ancestries.
Recorded live on Twitch.
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1 hr 9 min
April 13 Intrepid Heroes 182 – The Journey (Hellbreakers Session 1)
When two Inner Sea superpowers go to war, the ripples are felt throughout the region. A group of intrepid heroes…or should we say intrepid rebels…. join a league of righteous freedom fighters to unshackle their people from the binds of infernal tyranny. Nefarious forces from without—and within—will do anything to stop these Hellbreakers.
Our heroes begin the journey west and run into trouble!
Cast:
Jason Keeley – GM
Rue Dickey – Nolastri
Isis Wozniakowska – Misera
John Godek – Thadeus (Tad)
Ron Lundeen – Augustus
Mark Woolcott – Flak
Pathfinder Hellbreakers Adventure Path Actual Play Podcast
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Watch Now!(mp4)
36 min
April 07 Game Design Unboxed 138: Song Survivor
In episode 138 of Game Design Unboxed, we chat with Edwin D. Benton II, Founder and CEO of Doin’ the Most Games, about how his journey into game design stemmed from an addiction to app games like Words With Friends and a frustration with their limitations. This inspired him to build his own inclusive, slang-driven app where players could contribute words from around the world, a mindset that evolved into the world of tabletop card games, which were gaining popularity at the time.
We talk about the spontaneous vacation sing-along moment that sparked Song Survivor, his playtesting process (from parties with friends to blind tests), his passion for designing for players with disabilities and specific cultural groups, hiring experts, packaging for mass market (why box size matters), and leveraging celebrity endorsements (and how to get them).
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Featuring:
Michael Mihealsick – Guest
Danielle Reynolds – Host
0 min
March 30 Intrepid Heroes 181 – The Gathering (Hellbreakers Session 0)
When two Inner Sea superpowers go to war, the ripples are felt throughout the region. A group of intrepid heroes…or should we say intrepid rebels…. join a league of righteous freedom fighters to unshackle their people from the binds of infernal tyranny. Nefarious forces from without—and within—will do anything to stop these Hellbreakers.
Meet our heroes as they join the rebellion and begin their first mission!
Cast:
Jason Keeley – GM
Rue Dickey – Nolastri
Isis Wozniakowska – Misera
John Godek – Thadeus (Tad)
Ron Lundeen – Augustus
Mark Woolcott – Flak
Pathfinder Hellbreakers Adventure Path Actual Play Podcast
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Watch Now!(mp4)
54 min
March 24 Game Design Unboxed 137: A Place for All My Books
In episode 137 of Game Design Unboxed, we chat with freelance game designer and developer for Druid City Games, Michael Mihealsick who shares industry insights from years of working for multiple companies, taking on freelance projects, and continually refining his game design craft.
We discuss the rise of cozy game design and what that means for different players, the niche book-collecting concept featured in this episode’s game highlight, “A Place for All My Books,” and how ditching a victory point tracker allowed for a competitive game to still feel safe and inviting.

Other topics in this episode include how games can adopt an audience or become a lifestyle experience, the feeling of being “typecast” as a designer, the definition of laundry day and frankenstein in game designer language and artwork differences for the same game in different countries.
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Featuring:
Michael Mihealsick – Guest
Danielle Reynolds – Host
49 min
March 16 Intrepid Heroes 180 – The Finale (Murder in Metal City Session 14)
The exciting conclusion to Murder in Metal City!
Join our Intrepid Heroes as they solve the mystery of the Murder in Metal City!
Cast:
Jason Keeley – GM
Alex Speidel – Patsy Van Dyne
Isis Wozniakowska – Voss Seltee
Jocelyn Hamilton – Together in Electric Dreams (Dreams)
John Godek – Xabi Fraglorious
Rue Dickey – Whose Boughs Are Lit Within (Boughs)
Tim Nightengale – Dexter Rayne
Starfinder 2nd Edition Actual Play Podcast
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59 min