Rule of Carnage - Designing Better Miniatures Games

In Episode 113 the guys has been contemplating using a range of mechanics that are common to boardgames but unusual in minis games. They thought other people would like to contemplate it also, so they decided to record them doing so as part of what will hopefully be a series of conversations beginning with Deck Building.

In Episode 112 Mike has been getting some feedback on his recent game Flagstone, specifically some interesting feedback on the length of the game. It has been mentioned that the game is lots of fun, but too short, which has led Mike to wonder, what exactly is the perfect length for a game? Can it be too short?

In Episode 111 Glenn has been considering what we mean by the social contract in tabletop games. Quite a lot actually. When we play games we need to understand and agree to what degree we expect the game to offer us different social relationships and perspectives, but they very rarely actually tell us.

In Episode 110 Mike has been playtesting Pacific Command, and he's been doing it solo mode, as much playtesting is, and has developed a set of rules for doing that. So he's been wondering, is a solo mode that you use for playtesting the same as one you should present to your players? And if not, why not? So the guys chat about that.

In Episode 109 Mike has been working on his latest game, Pacific Command, and there have been some last minute developments. He and Glenn talk about them.

In Episode 108 the guys have been thinking about a range of ways to focus the attention of your game, Simulation VS Emulation, Abstraction VS Detail and Diegetic VS Non-Diegetic. All of these are ways of focusing your players to they pay attention to the parts of your game you want them to, and all are well worth thinking about.

In Episode 107 the guys have decided its a good time to tell you all about some of the things they're working on, including a very special announcement of a project they're very proud of.

In Episode 106 Part 2 the guys have been considering the fact that sometimes they need to decide whether a game should be a minis game, or a card game or something else. Well, Glenn does, Mike just makes it into a minis game anyway. But if you're making the same considerations Mike has some reasons for why you might go one way rather than another.

In Episode 106 Part 1 the guys have been considering the fact that sometimes they need to decide whether a game should be a minis game, or a card game or something else. Well, Glenn does, Mike just makes it into a minis game anyway. But if you're making the same considerations Glenn has some reasons for why you might go one way rather than another.

In Episode 105 part of Mike's process is to create small games and prototypes with the purpose of breaking them down into other games like some sort of Cronus of game design. Glenn doesn't really do this, but they chat about it here.