The Great Game

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We talk with Arc from New Zealand who has been designing a megagame - Aotearoa: Contact and Tiriti - about the decades-spanning colonisation of modern New Zealand. We talk about the immense research Arc undertook for the game and how he's tried to keep it focussed on history and learning.

You can best find Arc (as ArcKnight) at the ⁠Aotearoa Megagames discord here⁠.

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What do the decline of the roman empire, hex maps and counters, wholesale meat pies and pinatas have to do with one another? And what is a picaresque strategy game? Dillon's here to clarify.

Check out Housewar, Mechanics are Easy and Bluesky for more from Dillon, check out some of his games at megagames.fyi, and join the Aotearoa Megagames discord here.

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Once there was, and once there wasn't, a terrible haunted wood deep in a place outside time. A place where lost things go, and lost things stay, forever. Indeed, if even you wander off the path or lose your way, you must just find yourself in... the Neverwood...

... come hear about it with Jack!

Play Neverwood in November 2026: get tickets

More from Jack: www.ashtowngames.com

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you believe megagame titles are best with colons? Have you always wanted to run a 12-hour, 3-games-in-a-row legacy megagame? Come hear from Sam who did just that earlier this year with a twist on the classic Watch the Skies formula.

More from Sam: www.basenti.com

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patrick got to talk with BeckyBecky Ladley from... well, megagames eveywhere. Hear about Becky's introduction to the world of megagames pre-WTS, the experience of being in the very first game of Watch the Skies, and how the megagame scenery has changed in the years since.

You can see a full list of the games Becky has attended here, and you can read more about her design work (and other creative pursuits) on her blog.

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We talk with co-designers Ciaran and George about their latest megagame, Tales of the Allfather - a narrative-focussed game about viking mythology, brewing beers, and good deaths!

Check out Ciaran's work.

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We talk with Andrew from Redding Megagames about his game Are you now, or have you ever been...? to hear about the first recorded use of 'Megagamers' as a team in a megame, and why facilitators should avoid lifts at the game venue.

Get a copy of the game here.

Read more about the game at the Megagame Assembly.

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We got to speak with LJ from the Megagame Coalition about her game Gathering Darkness, a triple threat in the megagame world - it's a prequel, it's a mini-megagame, and it's made for beginners!

Note: LJ was cursed with allergies this recording, but was a trooper in powering through with us. Our helpful production staff made sure she was a-ok throughout.

Note2: Patrick used this episode to start rubbing his beard a lot, creating a unique ASMR experience we may take to Patreon if the fans allow.

Episode links:

⁠Megagame Coalition⁠

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trenton takes us through his 3 arcs of megagaming, from his love of media/news teams (and giving copious feedback to megagame makers) to playing the role of secret-designer in his own game years later.

Episode links:

Megagame Coalition

Midwest Megagames

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Keep in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/greatgamepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We speak with Justin (Adelaide Megagames) and Ben (BK Game Design) about social deduction, traitors and hidden roles in the megagame world.

Check out the referenced blog post by Tony, Sydney Megagamers, at the Megagame Assembly.

The Great Game theme is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balrog Boogie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by the Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Great Game logo was made by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jack McNamee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠