Alex Cutler and Peter C. Hayward break down the design process of Critter Kitchen: the lessons learned, the journeys taken, and the critters kitchened. Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!By AJ Brandon and Peter C. Hayward

John Zinzer and Mark Wooten explain what AEG is looking for, and go through many examples of published games that would be a great fit. Tune in to see if you have a game AEG is looking to publish! Email [email protected] to submit your game ideas to the company! Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.…

Welcome to this episode of Fun Problems, where Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon explore what makes an effective sell sheet, providing feedback on listener-submitted examples. Throughout the discussion, they offer actionable advice on how to improve clarity, visual hierarchy, and focus in order to capture the interest of potential publishers. Discord…

As we celebrate our 50th episode, we predict the next five years of the industry, including the growing role of AI in game design, shifts in game themes, and the potential impact of global economic factors on the industry. Note this was recorded before the massive "Liberation Day" tariffs bombshell. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: fun…

This episode kicks off our new series, featuring candid discussions about what it takes to catch the eye of top-notch publishers. Joe Wiggins explains what Allplay is looking for, and goes through many examples of published games that would be a great fit. Tune in to see if you have a game Allplay is looking to publish! Submit to Allplay here: help…

In this mini-sode, we touch on the importance of adaptability, using games like Robotopia to illustrate the 'follow the dog' philosophy. We teach focusing on fun and cutting unnecessary decision points to enhance game enjoyment. Whether it's co-design challenges or crafting concise mechanics, this episode dives into the nuances of aligning design c…

This episode explores product cohesion, perceived value, and market alignment to ensure your game stands out on store shelves and online platforms. Discover the importance of table presence, demo-friendly design, and crafting the perfect pitch that resonates with both publishers and players. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblems…

In this episode of Fun Problems, Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon revisit AJ's popular talk from his perspective as a retailer on factors (other than how 'fun' the game is) that can make or break a sale at retail stores. Peter and AJ also emphasize understanding the "last stage pitch"—how buyers get their friends to play—and offer insights into crea…

The best game design advice on the internet can be found at https://daniel.games/ – we can't recommend it highly enough! This is part 3 of a series where we explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Big thanks…

Peter and AJ embark on a journey through the intricacies of royalties, advances, and the challenges of managing income as full-time game designers. With transparency as their guiding principle, they discuss the importance of understanding money, navigating contracts, and planning for financial stability in an unpredictable market. Discord: https://…

Welcome to Fun Problems, where we dive into the challenges and joys of game design and podcasting. In this episode, hosts Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon are joined by special guest Alex Cutler to discuss the ins and outs of codesigning board games with another designer. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Fac…

In this special holiday edition of "Fun Problems," host Peter C. Hayward takes center stage to delve into the cultural nuances and underlying assumptions of beloved games like Go, Dominion, and Wingspan. Peter explores how culture and timing influence game success, challenging the popular notion of universal game design truths. This engaging episod…

Today is part 3 of a series where AJ and Peter explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!By AJ Brandon and Peter C. Hayward

Today is part 2 of a series where AJ and Peter explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!By AJ Brandon and Peter C. Hayward

Today is part 1 of a series where we explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick. This episode includes the importance of elegance in design, minimizing complexity, and understanding the social aspect of board games. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblem…

Join hosts Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon as they delve into the art of creating effective sell sheets for board games. This episode steps away from the usual design principles to tackle an essential aspect of game publishing. Using real examples from Peter's own collection of sell sheets, they illustrate what works and what doesn't, offering prac…

In this episode, we delve into the importance of numbers and their impact on gameplay. We explore how the concept of fidelity, or granularity, influences the design and experience of both board games and video games. Our discussion kicks off with a comparison between games like Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!, highlighting how different number s…

Peter and AJ explore the concept of genre within board games, comparing it to the well-defined genres found in films and novels. They discuss the challenges of applying traditional genre theory to board games, which often rely on mechanisms rather than genres to define them. The conversation touches on the importance of genre in other media, highli…

In this milestone episode, Peter revisits his popular theory on cooperative games, originally discussed on Gabe Barrett's Board Game Design Lab. He introduces a new type of co-op game that has emerged in recent years, expanding the original framework of limited communication and against-the-game co-ops. Peter and AJ delve into the intricacies of th…

In this episode, we're bringing you "unhelpful" advice on how to navigate the world of game development. Join us as we discuss our experiences, insights, and the quirks of the industry. Discover why having a brand as a designer matters, the significance of player interaction, and the importance of finding joy in the design process. Whether you're a…

Today we discuss Play Patterns from a number of different angles. What makes a fun play pattern, how to encourage them and more! Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!By A.J. Brandon and Peter C Hayward

In this episode, Peter and AJ dive deep into the essence of game design, focusing on the core principles that make a game fun and engaging. They explore the concept of "striving games" versus "accomplishment games" and emphasize the importance of incentivizing fun behaviors in game design. Peter shares his theory that game design is fundamentally a…

Today we talk about Foundational Games; what games are so foundational to the craft that all game designers need to play them. [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

Today we talk about How to get your game to the table FAST! Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!By AJ Brandon and Peter C. Hayward

Today we talk about The absolute best way to prototype either of has found-component studio! We talk about the strengths (and weaknesses) of the program, and why you should be using it. [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song! Se…

An unedited, one-take, no intro or outro episode! Enjoy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By AJ Brandon and Peter C. Hayward

Today we talk about when you need to cut rules, when the rules exceptions are worth it-as well as scarcity mindset and a bunch of other stuff! [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor…

Today we talk about Game State; how and when to track it, and how to consider it's use in game design. [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

What happened to Fun Problems?By AJ Brandon and Peter C. Hayward

Today we talk about the difference between kids games and kid friendly games, and the dos and don'ts for both! Breakout Con: https://breakoutcon.com/ If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: h…

Today we talk about the design and development of Peters recent time travel abstract strategy hit "That time you killed me". If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ…

Today we interview Alex Horne about how he designs the tasks in Taskmaster! There are many insights he has that directly apply to game design. If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) Taskmaster clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UgSDcHPgCc&t=257s funproblemspodcast@gmail…

Today we talk about how Serotonin and Oxytocin work, and how to make designs maximize these feel good chemicals! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) Taskmaster clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UgSDcHPgCc&t=257s Discord stream server link; https://discord.gg/P584nGE…

Today we have a very special episode where we play Inhuman Conditions, AJ's favourite game!! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks to Eduard Matei f…

Today we talk about how Robotopia was designed and developed, and all the lessons Peter learned along the way! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Fun Problems Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Big thanks…

Today we talk about how to generate dopamine, and how it affects us! What we call "fun" is just the release of chemicals in the brain, so let's dig deep today! Join us for a deep dive on this exciting new lens! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) funproblemspodcast@gmail.…

Today we talk about the dichotomy between a games structure, and it's content! Join us for a deep dive on this exciting new lens! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod A big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme …

Today we talk about Peters new model for creative endeavors IN PERSON! Hook is what catches an audiences interest, craft is the quality of their experience, and spirit is what stays with them afterwards. Join us for a deep dive on this exciting new lens! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to t…

Today we talk about Peters new model for creative endeavors IN PERSON! Hook is what catches an audiences interest, craft is the quality of their experience, and spirit is what stays with them afterwards. Join us for a deep dive on this exciting new lens! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to t…

Today we are talking to Shannon McDowell about her experience designing puzzles and escape rooms, and her research on cultural biases in games. Shannon's website: Shannonmcdowell.ca The Con she mentioned: Realityescapecon.com A video on her research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da3aubBtvYU If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for…

Today we are talking to John Brieger about his experience developing games and designing solo modes. Developing games takes a strong design and tunes it into a great final game. If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Johns Website: https://briege…

Today we are talking about the strengths and weaknesses of the format/medium of board games, when compared to video games, RPGs, movies, etc. There are some areas that board games can take great advantage of, and others that you should be wary of when designing. Jennifer's Twitter thread; https://twitter.com/Gaohmee/status/1396874873859756032 Peter…

Today we are talking to Jeff Fraser about his experience codesigning Cartouche, and touch on many other topics, such as rule book writing, the psychology of numbers, and more! Cartouche is coming to KS Aug 3, sign up to get notified when it launches here; https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/peterchayward/cartouche You can try Cartouche right now f…

Today we are talking about how to think about genres from new angles by considering the core of what makes games tick. We hope you enjoy! Cartouche TTS mod - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2545396343 0 Player game - https://youtu.be/N-BbgqOjIqk MDA original - https://users.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/MDA.pdf Extra Credits h…

Today we are talking about how to keep depth in your game without overwhelming players with complexity. We hope you enjoy! Steam curator page - https://store.steampowered.com/cur.../40748469-Fun-Problems/ Pitch Meeting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAhKOV3nImQ Newsletter - https://jellybean.games/funproblems/ Toby Macguire in the MCU (AJ's 3 fa…

Today we are talking about naming games. Specifically we work through naming an upcoming title! This is a bonus episode so it's a bit shorter and won't follow our usual format. We hope you enjoy! If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Facebook/Tw…

Today we are talking about onramping; how to get new players into playing and having fun as easily and quickly as possible. Our topics include everything from scenario design to rulebooks to component design and more! Jeff Fraser - jwfraser.ca If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email be…

Join us for an in depth conversation on game design! Today we are talking about board game terms; what they mean, and why they are important and useful. If you want to ask us a fun question, or contact us for any other reason send us a message to the email below. :) [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod A big thanks to Edua…

Join us for an in depth conversation on game design! Today we are talking about board game terms; what they mean, and why they are important and useful. Extra Credits https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics https://users.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/pubs/MDA.pdf The Characteristics of Games https://amzn.to/3v3zc56 …

Join us for an in depth conversation on game design! Today we are talking about board game terms; what they mean, and why they are important and useful. Peter's talk on the "shape" of the game: https://genesisoflegend.podbean.com/e/episode-181-the-shape-of-your-game/ Peter's talk on "blind/cold" playtesting: https://boardgamedesignlab.com/the-secre…