Ludology

Sen and Erica welcome Sarah Shipp as the host of the Thinking About Mechanisms segment. This episode, Sarah talks about social distance as one of the main differentiators between video games and tabletop games.

Once again, Sen catches a wild game designer at Origins 2024! This time, he captures Josh Derksen of Lynnvander Games and gets the chance to talk about Josh's work. In particular, Sen is interested in the campaign modes that Josh has devised for several miniature battle systems. What started out as a fan mod (Heroes of the Aturi Cluster for X-Wing) has lead Josh to design campaign modes for Star Trek Dominion and BattleTech Alpha Strike alongside the other projects Lynnvander has their hands in.

Sen met with new designer but veteran writer Nathan Long (several Warhammer novels, the screenplay for Guyver: Dark Hero, and the scripts for the Wastelands and Bardstale video games) at Origins 2024. Sen had the opportunity to play Nathan's game, Shanghai Noir prior to this so he wanted to discuss how to build narrative in games. 

Sen speaks to David Gordon at Origins 2024 before all of his games hit shelves in 2025. From Monkey Palace to Floristry, we chat about David's entry into game design and what the future holds for this international man of mystery. Did any of it come true one year later?

In this episode of Pros and Cons (where we talk to game industry professionals at conventions), we go back to AnimeNorth 2024 where Sen chats with TTRPG designer and writer, Daniel Kwan about anime, wuxia, martial arts, combat and his project that JUST FUNDED on Kickstarter in 2025 - Wandering Blades!

While Erica is on vacation, Sen takes the opportunity to speak with Daniel Newman about how his love of trick-taking games lead to the inception of the Indie Games Night Market. If you're interested in selling your games at this year's IGNM at PaxU 25, please check apply at www.newmillindustries.com/ignm

Erica and Sen welcome Sarah Shipp, guest host of the Thinking Beyond Mechanisms segment, to give her take on how we can combat anti-intellectualism using games with intentional design. Sarah has started to provide transcripts for her segment on her blog, available at https://shippboardgames.blogspot.com   

Erica and Sen discuss some of the games from their childhoods that featured electronic components heavily and wonder if, in this day and age when smartphones are ubiquitous, the hobby is ripe for another wave of games that are facilitated by quirky little bespoke electronic devices.

Erica and Sen welcome Sarah Shipp, guest host of the Thinking Beyond Mechanisms segment, to discuss cognitive load and addressing the impact of it through intentional design. Read Ludology co-founder Geoff Engelstein's article on the subject that Sarah refers to here: https://gametek.substack.com/p/grand-unified-gateway-theory

This episode, Sen and Erica talk to Simon Ennis, professional filmmaker and avid boardgamer, about his most recent release, "The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop", that features game designers, reviewers, and community members alike. Check out the trailer for The Hobby as well as the IMDB listing. Erica and Sen will be at the June 18th showing of The Hobby at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto, ON, Canada along with Elizabeth Hargrave, Daryl Andrews, and Eric Lang. Find Canadian show dates in Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, Hamilton including select Q&A sessions with Simon and Elizabeth Hargrave. https://www.route504pr.com/the-hobby

In their final segment, Steph Campbell talks about using TTRPGs at home or in the classroom to teach social studies. Sen and Erica thank Steph for their dedication to the use of games in education and wishes them all the best with TTRPKids in the future!

Erica and Sen recorded this episode live in March 2025 at BreakoutCon in Toronto, ON, Canada. They spoke with guests Helaina Cappel (Publisher, Kids Table Board Games and Burnt Island Games) and Daniel H Kwan (Designer, Ross Rifles and Wandering Blades) about what makes a game "Canadian", advice for Canadian designers and publishers in the current economy, developing a Canadian identity and community as games industry creatives, and more! 

Erica and Sen welcome Sarah Shipp, guest host of the Thinking Beyond Mechanisms segment, to discuss how designers might approach the dreaded human factor we call "Analysis Paralysis" or AP.

Erica and Sen welcome Dekan Wheeler to the show to talk about his work at UltraPro, making accessories for many of the hobby's most beloved games. We discuss card sleeves, digital calipers, bead towers, diamond corners, Delicious in Dungeon, and more! Note: Dekan has since moved on from UltraPro and is now a brand manager at Critical Role. Congrats, Dekan! We'll have to have you back to talk about the ins and outs of that position!

Erica and Sen welcome guest host Steph Campell on this week's installment of TTRPGKids. In their segement, Steph talks about the power of writing and journaling in TTRPGs and how writing in game can positively impact writing in the classroom.

Sen and Erica talk with Ellie Dix about her work in making corporate games. Whether they're to increase brand recognition or for team building and training purposes, Ellie describes her process when designing games outside of the hobby sphere.

Erica and Sen welcome Sarah Shipp, guest host of the Thinking Beyond Mechanisms segment, to talk about events in game design. Sarah talks about how to use well-designed events to provide variety, increase challenge, change up the narrative, and more when it comes to design a tabletop game.

Erica and Sen welcome Matt Leacock to talk about one of the hobby's staples - Pandemic. First published in 2008, the Pandemic system has been expanded and used to fight viruses, rising tides, Elder Gods, and now - the forces of evil that seek the One Ring. They talk all things Pandemic, from it's ideation to its many iterations, from fighting back chain reaction of diseases on Earth to fighting back hordes of orcs and other minions of Sauron in Middle Earth. 

This week, special guest host Steph Campbell discusses the importance of why learning should be fun and how TTRPGs can bring fun to what can be a very complex situation.

Erica and Sen talk to Matt Gubser, modeler and comedian, about his work in the tabletop industry and the shift from traditional to digital modeling techniques.