The Game Design Round Table

Dirk Knemeyer & David V. Heron
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Covering the full breadth of digital, tabletop, and role playing games, The Game Design Round Table inspires and educates aspiring and experienced game designers.

  1. Revisiting Civ 7

    15시간 전

    Revisiting Civ 7

    In this episode, host Dirk Knemeyer, a long-time game designer and industry veteran, sits down with co-host David Heron, known for his deep technical and design experience in digital games. They dive into the "crisis" surrounding Civilization 7, exploring how a legendary franchise took a "big swing that missed hard". The discussion centers on the "Test of Time" update, which attempted to address player disdain by removing civilization-locked transitions but instead exposed deeper issues of under-resourcing and "minimum viable product" design.

    58분
  2. Season: RPG - Exploring the Success Behind Neon Odyssey with Mikey Gilder

    6월 16일

    Season: RPG - Exploring the Success Behind Neon Odyssey with Mikey Gilder

    In this episode, hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron sit down with Mikey Gilder, the Chief Creative Officer of Avantress Entertainment, known for their hit actual play show Legends of Avantress and the massively successful $9 million+ Kickstarter campaign for Neon Odyssey. The discussion explores the intersection of actual play performance and "crunchy" game design, examining how the rise of shows like Critical Role has fundamentally shifted the way players approach tabletop RPGs. Mikey shares candid insights into the transition from hobbyist to professional publisher, the painful lessons learned while creating The Crooked Moon, and the philosophy of "inverting the pyramid" to provide players with more mechanical "buttons to press" while maintaining narrative freedom. Listeners will find a deep dive into the realities of high-stakes crowdfunding, including how to balance expensive merchandising like plushies and minis with the core integrity of the RPG book.

    1시간 1분
  3. Listener Questions, AI and the Future of Game Design

    6월 3일

    Listener Questions, AI and the Future of Game Design

    Host Dirk Knemeyer, a veteran in user experience (UX) design, is joined by co-host David Heron, a long-time game industry professional known for his work across major console evolutions and mobile free-to-play titles. In this episode, they dive deep into the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in game development, sparked by listener questions from their Discord community. The discussion explores the technical hurdles of AI memory and "drift," the ethical debates surrounding AI-generated art versus code, and the historical parallels between current AI fears and past technological shifts like the Luddite movement. Whether you're a developer or a curious player, this conversation offers a blunt, expert look at how AI might either disrupt or democratize the craft of making games

    56분
  4. Listener Questions May 2026

    5월 19일

    Listener Questions May 2026

    In this episode, host Dirk Knemeyer is joined by co-host David Heron to answer a series of deep dives from their community. The discussion explores the technical and philosophical underpinnings of game creation, ranging from the "Wild West" of QA processes to the evolving landscape of global publishing. The duo discusses why mimicking video games might actually be making your tabletop combat feel slow and uninteresting, the "heartbreaking" reality of survivor bias in digital publishing, and why educational games must prioritize fun to survive the scrutiny of "hyper-literate" young players who are used to the polish of modern hits.

    1시간 5분

  5. 5월 5일

    Design Talk - Exploring Claude with Dirk & David

    Join host Dirk Knemeyer and Co-Host David Heron as they discuss Dirk's transformative first month using Claude. Dirk, who previously avoided technical tools like the terminal, shares how he was "pill-popped" into AI-assisted programming to build a massively multiplayer online turn-based game from scratch. The conversation explores the sheer speed of AI development—achieving nine months of human work in a single afternoon—while also providing a grounded reality check on security flaws, AI hallucinations, and the future economics of game studios

    57분

  6. 4월 21일

    Design Talk - Buried Giant with Cole Werhle

    Join hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron as they welcome back Cole Werhle, the designer of hits like Root and Oath. In this episode, Cole details his major career move from Leder Games to founding Buried Giant Studios. He explains his unique business philosophy of making "fewer games more slowly" to focus on dense games and sustainable creative infrastructure. The conversation explores how digital playtesting revolutionized his design process, the development of his massive project Arcs, and his insights on why the board game industry should remain "small and homey" compared to the volatile video game market

    52분

  7. 4월 7일

    Design Talk - Exploring Nevaros with Raven Zachary

    Hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron are joined by Raven Zachary, a veteran tech executive and product leader known for his work in spatial computing, AI, and the internet industry. This episode explores the intersection of traditional game design and modern technology, focusing on Raven's new project, Navaros, a persistent browser-based game (PBBG). Raven shares how he utilized AI-assisted "vibe coding" to build a complex maritime exploration game without being a professional programmer, spending over 300 hours iterating with AI agents. Listeners will learn how to use AI as a "research assistant" to clarify mechanics and why iterative design is the key to mastering these new tools.

    59분

  8. 3월 24일

    Design Talk - NYT Games with Rohit Crasta

    Join hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron as they welcome Rohit Crasta, a longtime game designer and former lead designer of Wordscapes who now serves as a lead designer for the New York Times. This episode dives into the design philosophy behind the New York Times' latest social word game, Crossplay, and how it seeks to fill a gap in the market by offering a "pure," high-quality experience free from heavy microtransactions. The discussion covers the transition from casual mobile games to the NYT's unique "daily ritual" ecosystem, the technical hurdles of native app development over using game engines like Unity, and how social sharing tools like Wordle's grid revolutionized player engagement.

    1시간 9분
모두 보기(391개)

소개

Covering the full breadth of digital, tabletop, and role playing games, The Game Design Round Table inspires and educates aspiring and experienced game designers.

정보

  • 제작진
    Dirk Knemeyer & David V. Heron
  • 방송 연도
    2012년 - 2026년
  • 에피소드
    391
  • 등급
    무삭제판
  • 저작권
    ℗ & © 2019 The Game Design Round Table
  • 웹사이트 보기
    The Game Design Round Table

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