Brendan discusses story-focused games, the role of narrative in board game design, and thinks a bit about the intersection of the two.

Notes:

Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective
Legacy of Dragonholt
Mythos Tales
T.I.M.E. Stories
Scythe
Dead of Winter
Where do you see the line between gameplay and narrative? Do you prefer a game that yields play to story, or the other way? Which game represents the best implementation of narrative into gameplay that you’ve encountered? Drop by our guild and let us know! Guild #3269.

Brendan gives his first thoughts on The Prodigal’s Club, a new-to-him game he played for the first time recently. What do you do if you’re a young man in Victorian England who already has everything? Try to get rid of it, obviously.

Games mentioned:

The Prodigal’s Club
Last Will
Moxy Fruvous “The Lowest Highest Point” is from Live Noise
What’s your experience with this game? Do you like complex games like this? What does this remind you of? Drop in to our guild (#3269) and let us know what you think!

On this, the birthday of the United States, Brendan reflects on some relevant themes for the fourth of July and some games that relate to them. Join us!

Games mentioned:

A Few Acres of Snow
Small World
Monopoly
Diplomacy
Axis and Allies
Freedom: The Underground Railroad
Legendary: Marvel
Love Letter
Wok on Fire
Hanabi
Episode music: “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Phillip Sousa, recorded by the US Army Band

Epidose photo: “Fireworks” by Jorgan Kesseler

What ideas do you associate with the 4th of July? If you’re not from the US, what is your country’s version of this holiday, and how do you celebrate it? Drop by our guild, #3269, over at BoardGame Geek and let us know!

Brendan shares the games he’s been playing this month. He updates us on his 10×10, his Top of the Stack, his Shelf of Opportunity, and his Out of the Dust plays. Lots to track!

Lists:

My Top of the Stack entry
My Shelf of Opportunity
Out of the Dust list
Games mentioned:

Robinson Crusoe
Unreal Estate
Crazy Karts
Roll for the Galaxy
Terra Mystica
Inoka
Through the Ages: a New Story of Civilization
Altiplano
Shipyard
Trickerion
The Resistance
Have thoughts on the episode? How did you do on the top of your stack? Let us know over at BGG guild #3269.

Pick Up and Deliver podcast 063: Art vs. Audience

Brendan asks what flexibility a game designer should maintain in order to maximize audience fun or exposure. 

Show notes:

Work In Progress thread for Something Wakes in the Forest
Discussion thread regarding demon question
Have thoughts on this topic? Drop by our BoardGameGeek guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses some of our thinking about which components to include in a game and how the components, box size, and ideas about how the production of a game shapes how we understand it.

Games discussed during the podcast:

The Grimm Forest
Cromlech
In The Loop (no BGG page yet)
Elder Sign
Century: Spice Road
What games have you played that have a disconnect between what they look like and how they play? What was it that shaped that disconnect for you?  Let us know in our BoardGame Geek guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses his history as a Kickstarter backer and the games he's enjoyed therein.

Games mentioned, etc:

Brendan's Kickstarter profile (with a list of all project backed)
Miskatonic School for Girls
Castle Dice
Goonies: The Adventure Card Game
A Study in Emerald
The Agents
Gloomhaven
What is the best Kickstarter you've backed? The Worst? What do you use it for? Let us know in the guild, #3269.

Brendan reflects on his recent first play of Panamax in the regular segment, "Shootin' from the Hip."

Game mentioned: Panamax

Have thoughts about Panamax or other stock market games? Join the conversation over at our Board Game Geek guild, #3269.

Brendan wraps up his mini-series on what Kickstarter is for with an episode covering a variety of small things Kickstarter does or about how it works.

Games Brendan mentioned:

Burgle Bros
Paperback
HATE
Teramyyd: Earthsphere
Have thoughts on the episode? Join our conversation in our Boardgamegeek guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses how some artists return to attractive ideas or techniques over and over, trying to find the edges and contours of those creative elements. Join us!

Games discussed:

Prowler’s passage
World’s Fair 1893
Sentient
Which designers do you find returning to the same ideas to explore them anew? Which designers are always blazing new trails? Let us know on our guild, #3269.