Category Archives: Podcast
Space-Cast! #41. Wilmot’s Island
Dr. David King’s Wilmot’s Warehouse has been described as a magic trick, a miracle, and one heck of a fun time. On today’s Space-Cast!, we’re joined by King to discuss the ins and outs of his creation, along with how he began teaching game design, his breakout browser game Tiny Islands, and the role of failure and memory in making a board game worthwhile.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
Space-Cast! #40. Heading Flint
Politics! There’s no avoiding them. In today’s space-cast, we’re joined by John du Bois to talk about two of his designs that encourage political awareness and human empathy: Heading Forward, about recovering from a traumatic head injury, and Striking Flint, focused on the 1936 General Motors sit-down strike. Along the way, we cover topics ranging from triggers and spoons to the banning of Matteo Menapace from the Spiel des Jahres.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
Space-Cast! #39. Arcing
Ever heard of Arcs? Cole Wehrle has! Today on the Space-Cast!, we’re joined by the little-known indie designer himself to discuss Arcs from a few unusual angles: the debt it owes to trick-taking, the many literary inspirations behind the game, and its unusual development process. Also of note, some comparisons between Arcs and Brian Boru, a sidebar book recommendation, and Wehrle’s wariness of Balatro. Truly, we’re covering everything!
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
Space-Cast! #38. Leviathan Wakes
What’s that on the horizon? It’s a leviathan! This month on the Space-Biff! Space-Cast!, we’re joined by Justin Kemppainen to discuss Leviathan Wilds, the inaugural title of his new studio, Moon Crab Games. Along the way, we also spill tea about the ups and downs of working at a major studio after its acquisition by megacorporation Asmodee, the apprehensions of founding an independent imprint, and the inspirations behind a game about stabbing giants in their flashing weak points.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
Space-Cast! #37. Pax Relationships
In her second-ever appearance on the Space-Cast!, today we’re joined by Matilda Simonsson, designer of hand-crafted games Turncoats and Pax Penning! As we discuss her second hit, we also delve into why she decided to create an entry in the Pax Series, the difficulty of writing history, and how every single historical board game except hers is wrong to use coins as their primary form of currency.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
Space-Cast! #33. Gab on the Clocktower
How much work goes into a successful social deduction game? If Blood on the Clocktower is anything to go by, a whole lot. Today we’re joined by Steven Medway, designer of this long-awaited game about the improper use of timekeeping apparatuses, to discuss unreliable identities, player elimination, and how chaos fosters memorable stories.
Space-Cast! #32. The Mirroring of Jenna Felli
Jenna Felli is the well-known designer of some truly unique board games, among them Shadows of Malice, Zimby Mojo, Bemused, Dûhr: The Lesser Houses, Cosmic Frog, and The Mirroring of Mary King. Despite having designed some recognizable games, however, Jenna is appearing for the first time on today’s episode. Join us as we discuss chaos, identity, and authenticity in board games and in life.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
Book-Space! #24. Babel
Ever wondered what a translator’s life is like? R.F. Kuang’s Babel lends readers an accurate impression of higher education, British colonialism, and the magical powers of silversmithing. Join Brock, Summer, and Dan as we discuss this wonderfully dense and evocative book. Listen here or download here.
Next time, spider aliens! Courtesy of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time.
Space-Cast! #26. Voting for Women
Now that Tory Brown’s supernal Votes for Women has escaped into the wild, it’s time to sit down and discuss the important questions. Listen in as we chat about approachable “war” games, the importance of understanding one’s political opposition, and why Brown chose to include a guano magnate’s whining about Emmeline Pankhurst. As a bonus, we also delve into the game’s relevance today.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
Space-Cast! #25. Nonsense Words
What’s the difference between a puzzle and a game? Heck if we know. Today’s Space-Cast delves into two puzzle titles by designer Blaž Gracar: the 18-card microgame All Is Bomb and the pen-and-transparent-sheet game LOK. Listen in as we discuss both games, the value of nonsense words, and share some of our favorite puzzle recommendations.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
SPACE-BIFF! 