Best Knox Game Design Podcasts (2025)

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Knox Game Jam 2025 – Knox Game Design, April 2025 35:38

1d ago35:38

35:38

Five great games were created for Knox Game Design 2025. Thanks to everyone who attended the kickoff and created a game. Great job everyone! Reality Breach by Jeffry Reality Breach is a browser-based bullet hell game with an alternate reality theme and cell-shaded graphics. Players take on the role of a “Reality Architect” who must … Continue readi…

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Episode 194 - Mark Herman on "Wargames According to Mark" 1:11:58

1d ago1:11:58

1:11:58

This week on the pod, Mark Herman (@markherman45.bsky.social) drops by to tell us about his new book, "Wargames According to Mark," as well as his views on game design and the process of building a game. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsor…

1
Episode 193 - Eric Lang on Design, Activism, and Mentorship 1:08:32

8d ago1:08:32

1:08:32

This week on the pod, game designer Eric Lang (@ericlang.bsky.social) discusses his thoughts on game design, what makes projects exciting, the course of his long career, and how he's giving back. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Ce…

1
Episode 192 - Jason Matthews on Tariffs, GAMA, and Collective Action 53:02

15d ago53:02

53:02

If you care about the board game industry, then you've been worrying about tariffs. In this episode, Jason Matthews (@jasondcmatthews.bsky.social) talks about what they are, their potential consequences for publishers and hobbyists, and what we can decide to do about it. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb…

1
Episode 191 - Michelle Strayer on Wargame Analysis 55:08

22d ago55:08

55:08

This week on the pod, Michelle Strayer, a wargame designer and analyst at CNA, talks about how data for wargames is collected and how design teams ensure that what they collect is meaningful. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Centra…

1
Episode 190 - Lichao Zhu on the Linguistics of Games 1:04:46

29d ago1:04:46

1:04:46

This week on the pod, Lichao Zhu discusses several linguistics projects that look into the language we use when we play--and what that might mean. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning T…

1
Simulations – Knox Game Design, March 2025 23:05

1M ago23:05

23:05

What is a simulation? Are simulations games? A look at simulations such as SimCity, Micropolis, and Conway’s Game of Life. Links and Notes Demo source code – https://github.com/levidsmith/KnoxGameDesign/blob/master/simulations/conway/conway.c Micropolis source code – https://github.com/SimHacker/micropolis MicropolisJS – https://www.graememcc.co.uk…

1
Episode 189 - Ada Palmer on LARPing the Renaissance 1:22:00

1M ago1:22:00

1:22:00

This week on the pod, Ada Palmer (@adapalmer.bsky.social) speaks about her papal election LARP at The University of Chicago--but also about historical research, her work as a sci-fi author, and how both history and fiction can help us talk about today's world. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335…

1
Episode 188 - Amabel Holland on Cardboard Ghosts 1:01:44

1M ago1:01:44

1:01:44

This week on the pod, Amabel Holland drops by to discuss her new book, Cardboard Ghosts. We also talk about her excellent video essay work and upcoming games from Hollandspiele. https://www.youtube.com/@UCeCCgRim_uLg-clrSQGhQiQ Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Soli…

1
Episode 187 - Thomas Malaby on Anthropology and Gaming 1:08:28

2M ago1:08:28

1:08:28

This week on the pod, Thomas Malaby joins us to discuss his work as an anthropologist who studies gaming, specifically contingency (i.e. gambling!) and the formation of digital cultures. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Mic…

1
Episode 186 - Emily Knox on Book Banning 59:37

2M ago59:37

59:37

This week on the pod, Professor Emily Knox, an expert on libraries and book banning, discusses why people ban books, why books are targeted more than other forms of media, and what we can learn from that. She's also a gamer! Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitai…

1
Sockets – Knox Game Design, February 2025 18:57

2M ago18:57

18:57

New Game Releasing this month Check out the new game Shrine of the Forest God by Dustin, which will be released on Steam on February 28, 2025. Monthly Presentation How to create a simple client and server socket connections in Python to send network data. Demo of how to use socket code to implement a … Continue reading Sockets – Knox Game Design, F…

1
Episode 185 - Eric Zimmerman on Teaching Game Design 1:00:10

2M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

This week on the pod, Eric Zimmerman, a professor at NYU, talks about teaching game design, game design as an art form, and much more. Keep the Faith campaign: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games…

1
Episode 184 - Laine Nooney on the Apple II Age 1:02:39

2M ago1:02:39

1:02:39

This week on the pod, NYU professor Laine Nooney discusses their work on gaming and computer history, how we collect material artifacts that shed light on the digital past, and how to write about a computer system that for some has already entered the realm of myth. Also, they mention their journal, ROMchip, which is currently fundraising and which…

1
Episode 183 - Sreyashi Mukherjee on the Game World of Reality TV 1:01:36

3M ago1:01:36

1:01:36

This week on the pod, Sreyashi Mukherjee discusses her love of reality TV dating shows--and what they have taught her about consent, stereotyping, and gaming's "magic circle." Also, she and Greg Loring-Albright co-designed a game that is available here: https://gregisonthego.itch.io/food-for-home Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_ac…

1
Episode 182 - Daniel Newman and Marceline Leiman on the Indie Games Night Market 1:07:16

3M ago1:07:16

1:07:16

This week on the pod, Daniel Newman and Marceline Leiman drop in to discuss the Indie Games Night Market--which was a huge success at PAXU 2024--and also indie games in general. Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's…

1
Drag and Drop – Knox Game Design, January 2025 30:30

3M ago30:30

30:30

Explanation of how to implement drag and drop interface for games. Demos with source code include Unity (C#), MonoGame (C#), GameMaker (GML), and SDL (C). Links and Notes Demo source code – https://github.com/levidsmith/KnoxGameDesign/tree/master/draganddrop Unity – https://unity.com/ MonoGame – https://monogame.net/ GameMaker – https://gamemaker.i…

1
Episode 181 - Greg Loring-Albright on Keep the Faith 54:02

3M ago54:02

54:02

Welcome to the start of SEASON 10! I can't even believe it! This week, I'm speaking with Greg Loring-Albright about Keep the Faith, a light RPG that is about to be on Backerkit. It's being published through Central Michigan University and I'm writing the curriculum guide. Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8…

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Solitaire – Knox Game Design, December 2024 38:30

4M ago38:30

38:30

Overview of steps to create a Solitaire game in Unity. Links and Notes Demo source code – https://github.com/levidsmith/KnoxGameDesign/tree/master/solitaire OpenGameArt card front sprites – https://opengameart.org/content/playing-cards-vector-png OpenGameArt card back sprite – https://opengameart.org/content/colorful-poker-card-back Unity – https:/…

1
Episode 180 - Paul Wright and Liz Davidson on Foxes & Lions 55:10

5M ago55:10

55:10

For the Season 9 finale, Paul Wright and I discuss Foxes & Lions, a game we are co-designing about the Italian Wars. Are you into Machiavelli, Renaissance Italy, and political chaos? Then this is gonna be a game for you. Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly…

1
Episode 179 - Natalia Zwarts and Chris Gledhill on Gaming Ukraine 1:12:46

5M ago1:12:46

1:12:46

This week on the pod, Natalia Zwarts and Chris Gledhill discuss their scholarly work on a game that explores the possibility of peace in Ukraine, and the linguistic conclusions that can be drawn from recordings of players as they work through the conflict. Give to CLGS: https://giving.apps.cmich.edu/fund/9100111?fbclid=IwY2xjawG2oxNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAA…

1
Blender Normals – Knox Game Design, November 2024 8:50

5M ago8:50

8:50

Explanation of mesh model face normals in Blender, which are imported into Unity. Steps to show normals in Blender and how to flip and recalculate normals. Links and Notes Demo project – https://github.com/levidsmith/KnoxGameDesign/tree/master/blender_normals Blender – https://www.blender.org/ Unity – https://unity.com/ Podcast theme music – Ride b…

1
Episode 178 - Clarence Simpson on Growing as a Game Designer 54:17

5M ago54:17

54:17

This week on the pod, Clarence Simpson (@stoichamster) of The Wolves, Merchants of Magick, and more, discusses the growth of his design career--and the design group, mentorship, and design competitions that have helped him along the way. If you're curious about how game designers get started, or interested in trying it yourself, this is the episode…

1
Episode 177 - Anthony Chatfield on Board Game Academics 51:36

5M ago51:36

51:36

This week on the pod, Anthony Chatfield of Board Gamers Anonymous drops in to discuss gaming in the classroom, as well as his journal/conference on the subject, Board Game Academics. https://www.boardgamersanonymous.com/ Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly…

1
Episode 176 - Tim Clare on The Game Changers 1:18:33

6M ago1:18:33

1:18:33

This week on the pod, Tim Clare (@timclarepoet) discusses his newly-released book, The Game Changers, which will come to the US next year as Across the Board. I truly enjoyed both the convo and book itself, which you can currently find at: Amazon: https://a.co/d/4XSNcX3 Publishers: https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/across-the-board Keep the Fa…

1
Episode 175 - Alison Collins on Publish or Perish: Wiñay Kawsay 48:21

6M ago48:21

48:21

This week on the pod, Zenobia 2020 finalist Alison Collins drops by to discuss her game, Publish or Perish: Wiñay Kawsay, which is about the scholarship surrounding Machu Picchu. It is expected to be out from WizKids in Q1 2025! Preorder here: https://wizkids.io/ShopPublishOrPerishWK Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3…

1
Episode 174 - Dave Neale and David Thompson on War Story 57:20

6M ago57:20

57:20

In this episode, Dave Neale and David Thompson discuss their co-design, War Story, which weaves together story and game mechanisms to tell a story with branching pathways and plenty of player agency. Keep the Faith: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central…

1
Episode 173 - David Digby on Solo Mode Design and Dev 59:03

6M ago59:03

59:03

This week on the pod, David Digby, designer of several solo modes and frequent collaborator with David Turczi, describes his work as a solo mode designer, as well as his other roles as a game developer and rulebook editor. https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/ffdefab3-adb6-48aa-8335-797e720c58a1/landing Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by …

1
RPG Battle Damage – Knox Game Design, October 2024 25:32

6M ago25:32

25:32

Analysis of how battle damage is calculated in role playing games (RPGs). How damage is calculated in traditional table top RPGs using dice rolls. Statistical analysis of outcomes of various dice combinations. Calculation of battle damage in the video game RPGs Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior) and Final Fantasy along with verification of damage outcom…

1
Episode 172 - Xoe Allred on Non-Hierarchical Games 49:22

7M ago49:22

49:22

This week on the pod, designer Xoe Allred talks about how it uses the rules of gaming to subvert expectations and create social friction. Check out more of Xoe's work at https://knifebunny.com/ Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful…

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Episode 171 - Geoff Engelstein on Kurt Vonnegut's Lost Board Game 1:00:47

7M ago1:00:47

1:00:47

This week on the pod, Geoff Engelstein speaks about his most recent project: Recovering a board game designed and pitched by Kurt Vonnegut, and ultimately getting it published. Available at Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kurt-vonneguts-ghq-the-lost-board-game-mars-international/1146300521?ean=0634240242076 Beyond Solitaire is prou…

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Episode 170 - Jarrod Carmichael on Red Dust Rebellion 58:55

7M ago58:55

58:55

This week on the pod, I speak with Jay Carmichael (a.k.a. Three Minute Board Games) about his new design, Red Dust Rebellion, which is on the cutting edge of the COIN series in terms of both its mechanisms and its subject matter. Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations…

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NFTs – Knox Game Design, September 2024 17:40

7M ago17:40

17:40

Overview of how to use NFTs (non fungible tokens) in games, including how to mint tokens, specify trait values, and using OpenSea API to read NFT data into a game. Demo of Unity RPG game using NFTs for equippable weapons. Links and Notes Blockchain RPG demo – https://github.com/levidsmith/KnoxGameDesign/tree/master/blockchain/BlockchainRPG OpenSea …

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Episode 169 - Torill Elvira Mortensen on Transgressive Play 1:07:36

7M ago1:07:36

1:07:36

This week on the pod, Dr. Torill Elvira Mortensen, a professor at Nord University, talks about her career as a scholar who studies games and about her focus on dark play and transgressive play. If you ever wanted insight into how researchers approach games about sensitive or upsetting subjects, she's one of the world experts. https://www.nord.no/en…

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Episode 168 - Josh Fitzgerald on Games of 19th Century Mexico 59:11

8M ago59:11

59:11

In this episode, scholar Josh Fitzgerald discusses his recent work on Mexican board games preserved at the Library of Congress, as well as his interest in the representation of Mexico in video games and the preservation of games in museums. His university page: https://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/people/dr-joshua-j-fitzgerald Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www…

1
Episode 167 - Jason Carr on Solo Modes at GMT 1:06:33

8M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

On this episode of the pod, Jason Carr (@maudineormsby) drops by to talk about GMT One and the effort that goes into building a better bot. Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-to-eyeball Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through G…

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Episode 166 - Cosima Werner on Inclusion and German Gaming Culture 1:02:38

8M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

This week on the podcast, Dr. Cosima Werner of the University of Kiel discusses her work studying culture in the United States and Germany, and specifically her current project in which she examines whiteness within the board gaming hobby in Germany. Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-…

1
Blockchain for Game Development – Knox Game Design, August 2024 51:50

8M ago51:50

51:50

Proof of concept demonstration on how to implement a blockchain to track game currency and purchase of game items. In this demonstration, the blockchain is created in PHP on a Fedora Linux virtual machine running in Virtual Box. The block chain is pulled into Unity through C# networking code. Regular expressions are used to parse … Continue reading…

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Episode 165 - Marceline Leiman on Designing Solo Modes 1:00:51

8M ago1:00:51

1:00:51

This week on the pod, Marceline Leiman, solo designer for Oceans, talks about her experiences as a solo game designer, what makes for a good solo mode, and what she learned studying game design at NYU. Find her at: https://marcelineleiman.itch.io/ and https://driftingrpg.wordpress.com/ Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/centra…

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Episode 164 - Andrew Bucholtz and Joe Schmidt on SDHistCon 1:03:28

8M ago1:03:28

1:03:28

SDHistCon is not only one of my favorite gaming conventions, but it is also a growing organization dedicated to promoting historical games to the broadest possible audience. Two of the current board members, Andrew Bucholtz and Joe Schmidt, join me this week to talk about why SDHistCon is so cool. (Disclosure: I am on the advisory board b/c I also …

1
Episode 163 - Connor Alexander on Coyote & Crow 56:20

9M ago56:20

56:20

This week on the pod, Connor Alexander drops by to discuss the growth of Coyote & Crow, his new game Ahu Tiiko, indigenous perspectives in gaming, and what it means to decolonize your games. Ahu Tiiko is on Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coyoteandcrow/ahu-tiiko-a-coyote-and-crow-expansion Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.back…

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Episode 162 - Yoni Goldstein on Chicago '68 50:08

9M ago50:08

50:08

As the Democratic National Convention in Chicago draws near, Yoni Goldstein (@halfwayhoping) stops by to discuss his upcoming game about riots as the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Website: https://www.1968games.com/ Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/eyeball-to-eyeball Beyond…

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Episode 161 - Non Breaking Space on Games as Communication 59:14

9M ago59:14

59:14

The podcast is back for Season 9, and we are kicking off with a fantastic returning guest: Non Breaking Space! In this episode, he discusses several of his upcoming games and reflects more generally on how he uses games to start and continue interesting conversations. Eyeball to Eyeball: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-univers…

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Exploring NES Memory – Knox Game Design, July 2024 14:35

9M ago14:35

14:35

Demonstration of how to use the FCEUX emulator memory tools to determine the memory location of in-game variables, such as number of coins. How to set a breakpoint with the Hex Editor to find the 6502 assembly code that is executed when a memory location is changed. Analysis of assembly code for awarding an extra … Continue reading Exploring NES Me…

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Jumping – Knox Game Design, June 2024 34:22

10M ago34:22

34:22

Comparison of jumping statistics from various characters in classic platformer games. Analysis of states in jump cycles. Demo of implementation of jump for a 2D platformer game. Links and Notes Demo Code – https://github.com/levidsmith/KnoxGameDesign/tree/master/jumping FCEUX – https://fceux.com/web/home.html Podcast theme music – Ride by Pocketmas…

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Episode 160 - Trevor Benjamin, Roger Tankersley, and David Thompson on Co-Design 1:13:12

11M ago1:13:12

1:13:12

David Thompson is back on the pod with several of his co-designers for a discussion of what it's like to create games together, with tips for how to do it well. Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out h…

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Episode 159 - Marco Arnaudo on The Tabletop Revolution 58:58

11M ago58:58

58:58

This week on the pod, Marco Arnaudo, aka marcoomnigamer, returns to discuss his most recent book, The Tabletop Revolution, and to discuss the tremendous innovations in board game design over the last few decades. Book link: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-tabletop-revolution/ Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan Universi…

1
Episode 158 - Will Thompson on Winter Rabbit 45:54

11M ago45:54

45:54

This week on the pod, former Zenobia Award contestant Will Thompson drops by to discuss Winter Rabbit, his upcoming game that brings Cherokee folklore to life. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/941694206/winter-rabbit?ref=discovery SDHistCon has an online convention on June 8. Info can be found at sdhist.com Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored…

1
Flood Fill Recursion – Knox Game Design, May 2024 26:01

11M ago26:01

26:01

Overview of recursion and an explanation of a simple flood fill algorithm. Example demo in MonoGame with C# code. Links and Notes Demo Code – https://github.com/levidsmith/KnoxGameDesign/tree/master/floodfill MonoGame – https://monogame.net/ Podcast theme music – Ride by PocketmasterBy Knox Game Design

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Episode 157 - Kai Jensen on Production at GMT 59:52

11M ago59:52

59:52

This week on the pod, Kai Jensen talks about her new role supervising game production at GMT. If you want to learn details about how games are physically made, this is the episode for you! Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and …

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