Design Doc
72 episodes - English - Latest episode: 19 days ago - ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsCome along with Hannah and Evan in a living documentation of the game design process, from the first spark of an idea, to every disastrous surprise. It’s not an instruction manual, but a travel guide, with lots of unexpected stops along the way.
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Episodes
The Founder Olympics
June 27, 2024 09:00 - 1 hourHannah and Evan face off in a battle of inspiration and ego to outdo each other's most founder ideas. Then, they set impostor syndrome aside and dilute those ideas down to something they'd both be willing to try. Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Jingle news by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/460424/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD...
Our Best Design Doc Ideas
June 03, 2024 09:00 - 53 minutesFrom Mood, Moments, Mechanics, Materials (MMMM) to "Be aware, be charming," our Design Doc conversations over the years have inspired some of our favorite game design ideas. We talk about the ideas that have had a lasting impact on our game design, and how we're incorporating each one into our most recent project. Show notes: Okay, Let's Redesign Noirlandia, for Mood, Moments, Mechanics, Materials Scopeful Optimism, for discussion of scope FLETs, for fiddly little end things Imperfect Inspira...
The Taste Talent Gap
May 03, 2024 16:35 - 49 minutesPublic radio icon Ira Glass has a famous quote describing the gap between taste and talent in trying to hone your creative work. When you start out, your tastes are always bigger than your skill. It's a frustrating gap, and one that causes a lot of people to give up. In this episode we talk about everything that plays a part in the taste-skill gap. From personal energy and health, to money, ability, mood, and your relationship to the project as a whole. We talk about how our changing tastes h...
Adapting a Text
April 11, 2024 18:32 - 41 minutesHannah and Evan talk about how to transform a beloved movie, book, or show into a game, using their latest project as an example: An adaptation of a 1779 book of cosmetic chemistry, The Toilet of Flora. EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ Toilet of Flora: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44276 OUR GAMES: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun GET IN TOUCH: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Join the Turtle...
Working around a Job
March 20, 2024 09:00 - 44 minutesIn a perfect world, we'd make a living just making roleplaying games. But sometimes, duty calls, and you've got to work around another job. In this episode, we talk about rolling with the punches in a moment when the creative work is competing with a new and time-consuming reality—that of a day job. FOLLOW/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Join the Turtlebun Discord! https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Get in touch! Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Design Doc intro/o...
Obsessions
February 21, 2024 14:20 - 48 minutesWhat’s the difference between a “theme” and an “obsession?” Inspired by a classic writing book from the ‘80s, we share our respective obsessions and talk about how they show up in our work, intentionally or otherwise. EPISODE MENTIONS: Learn how to play Go: https://online-go.com/learn-to-play-go Learn how to smell things (Introduction to Perfumery Kit or Perfumery Notes Kit from Perfumer’s Apprentice): https://shop.perfumersapprentice.com/c-58-educational-kits.aspx Writing Down the Bones (b...
Better Never Than Late?
January 11, 2024 16:56 - 51 minutesKickstarter stretch goals are notorious for getting project creators into trouble. Sometimes, they over promise content. Other times, they create financial strain. Often, it's all of the above. In this episode, we talk about Top Tracks, a stretch goal project we just completed that's so overdue... nobody even remembered it. CW: This episode contains a discussion of sexual harassment. EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Top Tracks! https://turtlebun.itch.io/damntheman (under Download Demo) Our games: turtl...
Designing Alone, but Not Lonely
December 18, 2023 22:18 - 29 minutesIn this episode, Hannah talks about the art of doing creative work alone. As part of a game design duo that normally does all creative work together, what does it look like to self-motivate on game design solo? From setting small, manageable goals and little rewards in advance to finding companionship in the work itself. MENTIONED IN EPISODE: Scavengers Reign (animated mini series) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21056886/ Health Minds App (available for free on the Apple app store and Google ...
Design Session: What Makes a Good Solo RPG?
November 15, 2023 15:59 - 43 minutesWe love making solo RPGs, but we don't always love playing them. In this episode we brainstorm ideas for a possible one-player version of Questlandia, and what would make us excited to play it. EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Join the Turtlebun Discord! https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Get in touch! Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtlean...
Will We Ever Finish Questlandia 2?
October 24, 2023 17:18 - 47 minutesThis month marks the sixth anniversary of Design Doc, a podcast that started as a "year-long" project documenting our progress redesigning our first roleplaying game. Six years later, we talk about the different directions we've taken, and what Questlandia 2 means to us today. EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Design Doc intro/ou...
The Liminal Spaces of Six Flags
September 26, 2023 16:55 - 1 hourHannah and Evan talk about the strange designs and abandoned places of Six Flags New England, the latest of a series of research trips. Join them on a jeep ride in the Jurassic, through the ghost town of Crackaxle, and into secret corners filled with claw machines. SUPPORT OUR VISIT BACK TO SIX FLAGS HERE: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Discord: h...
"People Were Shorter Back Then" (Guest ep w/ historical interpreter Enzo!)
August 24, 2023 16:42 - 1 hourFormer historical interpreter Enzo joins us to talk about interpreting history! A few months ago we visited Old Sturbridge Village, an 1830s rural New England recreation village. We went as naive visitors, only able to guess at how it was run. Our guest today was kind enough to share his memories of working at the museum! We discuss what it was like interacting with pass-holder guests, being the groom in a historic wedding, and sneaking off to take smoke breaks away from the prying eyes of mo...
Old Sturbridge Village
July 28, 2023 09:00 - 53 minutesIn this episode Hannah and Evan describe their recent trip to Sturbridge Village, an 1800s recreation historical town. They talk about the value of on-the-ground research for creative projects, the peculiarity of animal habitats in fantasy places, and some dredged-up financial controversies paving the ye olde village streets. Episode mentions: Sturbridge Village: https://www.osv.org/ Jenny Nicholson video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9OhTB5eBqQ The Maze Runner (film): https://en.wikip...
Founder Energy
July 05, 2023 15:57 - 47 minutesWe talk about bringing confidence to our own work, including our recent scent-inspired game ideas. We're working on bringing that founder hustle without a toxic founder morality. Plus, we've got two new projects in the works inspired by olfactive poetry! 1:25 - Founder energy 13:58 - Project Gutenberg 32:32 - Pie Girl Episode Links and Credits Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod Mentioned in this episode Outsider Comics in Seattle - https:/...
Fish People
June 06, 2023 17:46 - 48 minutesIn a much-requested episode topic, Hannah and Evan talk about WORLDBUILDING. We narrow in on three worldbuilding faux pas we're trying to be aware of in our own work: Word swapping, "Fish People," and the dreaded authorial insert. Episode Mentions: Lincoln in the Bardo: novel by George Saunders Upload: comedy-drama series Episode Links and Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod Turtlebun Links Our other games: turtlebun.com Patreon: p...
Focusing on Focus
May 10, 2023 11:51 - 45 minutesHannah and Evan discuss their personal experiences and struggles with focus. A new kind of work requires long stretches of sustained focus, disrupting old routines and demanding new strategies. They delve into the challenges and rewards of dodging distractions and shepherding wandering thoughts. Timestamps: 00:55 - Introduction. The need to transition from sprint focus to something more sustained. 10:10 - Our different styles of focus and how we work together: Switching off the role of cheerl...
We're Writing a Novel
March 28, 2023 20:30 - 54 minutesHannah and Evan talk about what it's like to tackle a very different type of creative work—writing a novel! We discuss the fun parts and the challenges of being two people trying to hone in on a single narrative voice. Mentioned in this episode: 3-Act Structure: Abbie Emmons on YouTube Passing mentions: Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, Robert A. Heinlein, House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, Over the Garden Wall (Episode 5: Mad Love) Episode Links and Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ...
Packed With Care (Part 2)
February 16, 2023 15:31 - 1 hourHannah and Evan discuss the trials and tribulations of packing a "deluxe" edition of Questlandia and the ridiculous mishaps that ensued. They chat fancy boxes, missing fonts, and making creative use of a limited budget. Episode Links and Credits: Our Kickstarter for a poster print run of our one-page single-player RPG Public Guest 5 ends tonight, February 16th at 8pm EST. You can support the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/turtlebun/public-guest-five Design Doc intro/outro ...
Packed With Care (Part 1)
January 13, 2023 17:49 - 48 minutesHannah and Evan talk about the increasingly complicated logistics of packing and shipping games as small creators. In this episode, we talk all about packing and shipping. Where do you get bubble wrap when you need more than a roll, but less than a warehouse's-worth? What happens when a printer you've worked with for years really messes up, with no chance to fix it? All this and more in part 1, with part 2 to come. Episode Links and Credits The sticker makers we work with: https://stickernin...
Actually selling our games
December 23, 2022 02:44 - 52 minutesWe made the games, now we have to sell them. Hannah and Evan talk about something they're good at: making new games. And something they're bad at: confidently sharing those games with an audience that might like them. Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod Turtlebun links Questlandia 2nd Edition: turtlebun.com/products/questlandia Our other games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagr...
What to do when you're sick of your game
November 10, 2022 18:06 - 49 minutesHannah and Evan discuss how to repair their relationship with a game they've spent a year struggling to complete. Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod Mentioned in this episode: Microscope RPG by Ben Robbins. Turtlebun links Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz
FLETs (Fiddly Little End Things)
October 05, 2022 16:28 - 52 minutesHannah and Evan talk about the fiddly little end things that make a project go on, and on, and on much longer than you expected. Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod Turtlebun links Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz
Dispatch from an on-time timeline
September 09, 2022 19:43 - 56 minutesHannah and Evan salvage an episode about being on time with an upcoming game, and publish it in a world where they were not on time. Intro/outro theme by Pat King.
Imperfect Inspiration
July 21, 2022 17:32 - 55 minutesPerfect media is untouchable. Hannah and Evan talk about looking to flawed, goofy, broken movies and books for creative inspiration, instead of looking to our favorites. Content: Intro/outro theme: by Pat King
Bad lo-fi game ideas to study or relax to
May 28, 2022 00:25 - 32 minutesHannah reads you a game ideas to-do list for 30 minutes.
Underdressed and over-diced
March 16, 2022 14:49 - 56 minutesWhat's the right tone for the rules of a roleplaying game? Evan and Hannah talk about casual versus formal writing, and how small word choices exploded into rewriting the mechanics of Questlandia.
Kudos Conundrum
January 24, 2022 23:49 - 53 minutesIn this episode, Hannah and Evan talk about the self-consciousness that comes when you grow up and are told you must make things for serious reasons. How does one escape that self-doubt? Enter...bad comics! Enter...fanfic! Intro/outro theme: Pat King Design Doc on twitter: https://twitter.com/designdocpod Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun
Rekindling the Flame
December 27, 2021 23:38 - 43 minutesHow do you reignite the passion for an old project? Hannah and Evan talk about returning to Starship UltraLux and strain to apply a spaghetti metaphor. Check out our 2021 retrospective on Patreon! Happy New Year! :) Intro/outro music: Pat King
A Cat in the Lap and Other Good Things
December 02, 2021 18:41 - 43 minutesIt's easy to overlook the little things that are going well when there's no big exciting game or runaway success to chase. Hannah and Evan talk about appreciating small victories, daily routines, and high gravity days. Some games: https://turtlebun.com/collections/all-products Some nano games: https://turtlebun.com/collections/all-products/products/nano-game-bundle Episode intro/outro music by Pat King
Numbers Hide Everything
November 08, 2021 20:25 - 51 minutesIn this episode Hannah and Evan chat about their honest expectations and secret hopes for the latest Kickstarter campaign. What do the numbers mean and why is it so hard to talk about money? Intro/Outro theme: by Pat King The Questlandia Kickstarter campaign ends November 18th. Link here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/turtlebun/questlandia-updated-and-expanded
The Episode Before the Kickstarter
October 19, 2021 12:00 - 45 minutesWe've had seven years to think of a good pitch for our game. Now, we're Kickstarting Questlandia again, and we're finally figuring out the pitch that feels right. In this episode we talk about the approaching Kickstarter for a new edition of Questlandia, and just how hard it is to find a genuine voice when speaking to an online void. The Questlandia updated and expanded edition Kickstarter launches October 20th. Sign up to be notified when the campaign goes live here.
Resist the Urge to Fill Negative Space
September 24, 2021 00:11 - 45 minutesWe haven't had a deadlined project in a minute. But now it's time for a deadlined project again... How do we incorporate that work without letting un-deadlined projects slide? How does anyone not just fill the negative space? Intro/outro music: Pat King Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/9umUykHVAQ Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun
The Work of Games Is Not Just Making Games
August 31, 2021 16:50 - 56 minutesWe just finished a year-long project, and have a little time to plan our next steps! The work of what happens in-between is just as important as the work of making a new game. We brainstorm about future projects, how to sell the books we've already made, and making a new company and new website. Design Doc Intro/Outro theme: Pat King Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz
Shootin the shoot
May 27, 2021 10:00 - 42 minutesHannah and Evan shoot the shoot about games, being in the weird middle space of a project almost being done, and launching lucrative YouTube careers.
How to Compare Roleplaying Games
April 06, 2021 19:01 - 45 minutesHannah and Evan talk about the quest to thrive in the shadows of the world's most popular RPGs. An episode about how to compare every roleplaying game to the big ones, for the good. https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun Intro/Outro theme by Pat King Addtl music: New Ages 1 by Little Dog Big Ears
Deluxe Edition
March 16, 2021 17:58 - 1 hourHannah and Evan discuss the trials and tribulations of offering a "deluxe" version of a game on Kickstarter. How do you balance the quality, the complexity, and the pressure to compete with mass-produced games? Theme song by Pat King Editing by Jeff Stormer of Party of One Podcast
Everything Old Is New Again
February 02, 2021 10:00 - 46 minutesWe sold out of Questlandias, and have decided to revamp it for the next print run! We talk about returning to our first game with both appreciation for what it is, and an intention to improve it. Theme song by Pat King Editing by Jeff Stormer of Party of One Podcast
Scopeful Optimism
January 12, 2021 15:52 - 56 minutesWe talk about what makes a game's scope big or small, why Q2 has taken so long, and all the projects we've made in the meantime. Support Design Doc on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun
Designing a Game Design Workday
September 28, 2020 17:21 - 57 minutesWe talk about how we've redesigned the structure of our workday, because boundaries around work are important even when—and ESPECIALLY when—it's work you love. Design doc intro/outro theme: by Pat King Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun
The Games You Want to Make, The Life You Want to Live
July 31, 2020 18:55 - 32 minutesWe sit down for an unplanned recording of Design Doc when Evan says something sad. Note: This episode discusses the toll that work can take on physical and mental health. End of episode donation notes: The Okra Project - https://www.theokraproject.com/ Black Mental Health Alliance - https://blackmentalhealth.com/ Bail Fund List - https://bailfunds.github.io/ Music: Design Doc Intro/Outro theme by Pat King New Ages I by Little Dog Big Ears
Burnout
May 07, 2020 16:30 - 40 minutesIn this episode we talk about completing a project that made us our own worst bosses and what it's like coming back from burnout. Link to re-launched Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun
The Ski Bike
March 31, 2020 19:40 - 9 minutesIts purpose, the act of creation. Its destiny, unknowable. Today's episode is about a bike on skis. Design Doc intro theme by Pat King. Intermission and outro music, New Ages I by Little Dog Big Ears.
Breaking up with Character Creation
December 17, 2019 18:24 - 1 hourCharacter creation in Questlandia 1 lasted two hours. Character creation in Questlandia 2 is five minutes. What changed? Intro/Outro music: by Pat King
When to Add Ghosts to Your Game
October 22, 2019 19:39 - 46 minutesThe junk poets are changing again. This time, maybe in a spoooooky way. We talk again about the junk poets as GMing tools and making them less corporeal, but more present than ever. Design Doc Intro/outro theme: Pat King Intermission music: New Ages 1 by Little Dog Big Ears Design Doc on twitter: @designdocpod
When No One Is the GM, Everyone Is
August 23, 2019 12:56 - 44 minutesQuestlandia 2 is a campaign game with no Game Master. Without a designated person in the GM role, that responsibility must be distributed among all players. We talk about how the Junk Poets can support every player in the GM role.
The UltraLux Bait-and-Switch
July 24, 2019 16:28 - 36 minutesQuestlandia 2 has been delayed. Now, we're releasing an entirely different RPG first. We talk about—and try not to apologize for—how timelines and business have to adapt to design difficulties. Design Doc intro/outro theme: by Pat King
Your Kickstarter Questions (Mostly) Answered
June 18, 2019 13:05 - 1 hourWe asked on Twitter what you wanted to know about running a roleplaying game Kickstarter. Now, we're answering your questions. From self-promotion to self-care, what to say when there's nothing to say, and pretending we know anything about taxes. Show notes: Design Doc Intro/Outro theme by Pat King Additional music: New Ages 1 by Little Dog Big Ears
Okay, Let's Redesign Noirlandia
May 21, 2019 01:03 - 1 hourWe try redesigning Noirlandia, one of our other roleplaying games, in one hour!
We Still Don't Know Who the Junk Poets Are
April 16, 2019 13:00 - 48 minutesWho are the Junk Poets and what do they add to Questlandia? We go over what we know, what's still missing, and how they could make a GMless game easier to play!
Finding the Game's Emotional Core
March 13, 2019 22:40 - 46 minutesWe've finished the first two playtests of Questlandia and something is still missing. In this episode we talk about how to hone in on the emotional core of the game. What stories does this game want to tell and how do we make sure it tells them?