The Cardboard Herald

Check It Out! We got two tricky kids on to chat about their latest game Tricky Kids, published by Pandasaurus. We talk about their approach to games, what’s it like to co-design a game, and what’s coming next for them 

Baron Jon’s Trick-Taking Collection: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/trickytime/baron-jons-2025-card-game-collection/description

0:00 - Introductions and What We’ve Played This Past Week

7:47 - What Was the Process of Coming Together to Start Co-Designing?

14:56 - What Was The Design Process of Tricky Kids?

26:09 - What Was It Like Working With Pandasaurus?

32:09 - How Do They Approach A Game Where They Know They’re Working With A Co-Designer?

36:41 - How Does Danielle Approach Games She’s Designing That Are Licensed Compared To Independent Work?

41:50 - Why Is Steven Drawn to Designing Trick-Taking Games?

46:46 - What Games Would Danielle and Steven Point to As The Most Influential For Them?

52:13 - What Games Do Steven and Danielle Think An Aspiring Game Designer Must Play?

57:20 - Outro

Join us as Eric chats with Trey Chambers, designer of Harvest, Argent: The Consortium and Empyreal: Spells and Steam!

0:00 - Introductions and What We’ve Played This Week!

09:12 - How has Harvest Changed Between Editions?

16:02 - What’s It Like Rereturning to Work on the Expansions of Harvest?

20:11 - How Did Trey’s Journey Into Game Design Start?

22:50 - What Does It Feel Like to Get Your First Game Published?

27:13 - What Does It Feel Like to Get Your Second Game Published, and Working with a Publisher a Second Time?

31:25 - Trey’s Advice for Unpublished Game Designers

35:25 - Trey’s Top Games of the Last Year

43:38 - Trey’s Most Influential Games/Games that Trey thinks Beginning Game Designers Should Learn From

47:02 - What’s Next for Trey?

49:18 - Listener Questions!

53:00 - Outro!

So long Indianapolis, thanks for all the games! Scott, aka Boardgamingbud, and Eric chat about the games we played at Gen Con and the general vibe of the convention.

Jeremy Howard’s Post - https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/just-some-ole-racist-history-crap

Devir of North America’s Post -

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555679/a-message-to-the-community

0:00 - Introductions

2:00 - Favorite Games of 2025 (so far)

11:41 - Topic: Gen Con Wrap Up

34:30 - Who “won” Gen Con 2025?

1:00:06- Viewer/Listener Comments

1:09:26 - Outro

Losers always have it the best! They’re chucking out bullet bills and blue shells, while I’m grinding trick jumps in first to keep my lead. This week we talk about catch-up mechanics in board games and what we like about them.

0:00 - Introductions and What We’ve Played This Week

21:45 - Our Topic This Week: Game Balance

01:02:23 - Outro

There’s a lot that comes to mind when someones says “game balance” in reference to board games, and we’re here to talk about all of them. Jack and Eric discuss what they want from game balance, games that are good examples of it, and answer some questions from commenters about the topic.

0:00 - Introductions and What We’ve Played This Week

13:29 - Our Topic This Week: Game Balance

01:05:31 - Listener Comment #1

01:08:19 - Listener Comment #2

01:16:13 - Listener Comment #3

01:23:54 - Listener Comment #4

01:29:25 - Outro

Realm of Reckoning launches on kickstarter on June 24th, 2025 here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ivstudios/realm-of-reckoning

00:00 - Intro

01:36 - From animation to the tabletop

07:40 - Starting with theme or mechanics?

10:40 - Difficulty with commitment to bespoke components

14:30 - Honing the craft of making games

18:15 - Moving industry to a smaller pond

23:06 - Beginnings of Reckoning

27:28 - Upcoming cooperative deck builder

31:20 - When to start internal and external playtesting

36:06 - Navigating Tariffs

39:51 - Why not solo?

43:05 - Feeling challenged by other publishers?

47:51 - Admiration for small design

50:39 - Original themes and world buidling

56:20 - Coming down the pike?

Links:

Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com

Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald

Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald

Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551

Following our discussion a few weeks ago about IP-Based games, we’re talking about different ways games can exude theme, and the levers they can pull

0:00 - A Demonstration of Technical Difficulties

0:47- The Real Introductions and What We’ve Played This Week

20:00 - Topic: How Board Games Exude Theme

1:28:22- Listener Comments and Examples

01:39:25 - Outro!

You can find out more about the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmlZSX1YmTI

Links:

Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com

Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald

Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald

Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551

These games stay Based (on other intellectual properties). This week, Eric and Jack talk about board games based on non-board game Intellectual properties, and what we want to see out of them.

0:00 - Introductions and What We’ve Played This Week

10:43 - Topic: IP-Based Board Games

45:15- Listener Question: Why Are There So Many Lord Of The Ring Games?

53:27 - Outro!

Nick Murray of Bitewing Games chats with Eric about his kickstarter for Gingham and Gazebo, his thoughts on the tariffs and what it’s like being named Nick.

0:00 - Introductions and What We’ve Played This Week

13:38 - Publishing Gazebo and Gingham on Kickstarter

27:40 - Bitewing’s Relationship with Reiner Knizia

32:20 - What Work Goes into Setting a Kickstarter Up for Success

39:30 - Nick’s Thoughts on His Post About Tariffs

48:45 - What Is the Board Game Industry Going to Look Like a Year from Now?

55:28 - Stonemaier Games’ Lawsuit

01:02:48 - Bombastic Direct-to-Retail Release

01:11:25 - Listener Question - What’s It Like Being Named Nick?

01:41:13 - Outro!