

RPG Design Panelcast
Jason Pitre
The best panels and seminars about analog game design & publishing.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 26, 2022 • 1h
Episode 320: Resonant Theming for Greater Emotional Impact in Board Game Design
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Sarah Shipp, Kathleen Mercury, Eric Slauson.
How do designers get their themes to reverberate across the hobby? By adding depth, shape, and clarity to their themes. Let's talk about how to avoid muddy themes and create games that sing.

Feb 20, 2022 • 1h 3min
Episode 319: Feminist Worldbuilding
Recorded at Metatopia 2020
Presented by Misha Bushyager, Elsa Sjunneson, Kristen Roberts
Explicitly feminist world-building will consider all the ways that traditionally domestic tasks and arts enrich your setting and shape your characters. From textiles to food, child-rearing to death rituals, considering the ways these details fit together will make for deeper, richer game experiences. These principles apply across all game forms

Feb 7, 2022 • 1h 1min
Episode 318: Transformative Larping
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Chance Feldstein, Erika Skirpan, Jessica Comstock, Jon Cole.
Generally, "transformative" games teach skills, facilitate personal insights or shadow work, or otherwise have a significant impact on your non-gaming life. What makes a LARP game transformative without sacrificing fun and other important elements?

Jan 29, 2022 • 1h 2min
Episode 317: Different Traditions of Indie Publishing
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Jason Pitre, Fiona Geist, Darren Watts, Viditya Voleti.
Indie game publishing is a strange craft and the design communities approach the process differently. In this panel, we will explore the similarities and divergences in publishing approaches from a Story Game, Sworddream, Trad and OSR perspectives. Let's share our knowledge and get weird.

Jan 22, 2022 • 1h 6min
Episode 316: How to Make and Sell RPG Adventures
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Graham Walmsley, Christopher McGlothlin, Darren Watts, Lynne Hardy, Alex Helms.
It's almost a truism that it's very hard to make RPG adventures, scenarios and modules that will sell unless you're talking about the very biggest games. Is that really true? Let's share some tricks and tips on this panel!

Jan 16, 2022 • 59min
Episode 315: Jewish Games
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Dr. Jessica Hammer, Christopher Hall.
What does it mean to design games from a Jewish perspective? We have recently seen several games that center on the Jewish experience, like Rosenstrasse, Keeping The Candles Lit, Dream Apart and Mud. In this session, we'll look at key Jewish texts to see how themes and ideas from Jewish culture can inform your design. All texts will be provided in English; please come prepared for a vigorous conversation.

Dec 18, 2021 • 1h 3min
Episode 314: Forged in the Dark Designs
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Charles Simon, Justin Ford, Pamela Punzalan, Erik Bernhardt, Nychelle Schneider.
Forged in the Dark designers share their secrets! A diverse panel of up-and-coming indie designers inspired to create by Blades in the Dark who have variously playtested, engaged with fellow Forged in The Dark fans, and kickstarted projects comes together to discuss their inspirations, design challenges, and successes.

Dec 12, 2021 • 58min
Episode 313: Should Games Make You Feel Bad?
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Tam Myaing, Doug Levandowski, Roberta Taylor, Jessica Creane.
As designers we strive to make games "fun", but they can also be a vehicle for other emotions, such as fear, sadness, disgust, shame, etc. From Brenda Romero's Train to Marc Gertz's Imperial, we will explore several games that intentionally or unintentionally make you feel bad

Nov 27, 2021 • 1h 3min
Episode 312 - Economics and Trade as Design Elements
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Jason Pitre, Rob Donoghue, Emily Dresner, Kenneth Hite
The 100 GP Pearl: Economics and Trade as Design Elements. Economics and trade have long been foundational elements of game design, from the hyperinflation of dungeon pillaging to the free traders of Traveller. In this panel, we discuss how these aspects can be used as the foundation for game mechanics and procedures. Don't make me quote the rules of acquisition at you

Nov 22, 2021 • 1h 3min
Episode 311: New Editions
Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020
Presented by Russell Collins, Brennan Taylor, Meguey Baker, Greg Stolze.
Was your game imperfect when it was released? Has it changed over time? Have you? We'll explore why (and how) you can update your game for the 2nd, or 3rd, or 4th, edition


