Design Doc

Hannah Shaffer and Evan Rowland
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Come 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.

  1. Trapped in the Liminal Zone

    18 MRT

    Trapped in the Liminal Zone

    A discussion about how to design a liminal zone in a TTRPG leaves us trapped in an in-between place. Episode mentions: r/backrooms House of Leaves (2000 - Horror novel by Mark Z. Danielewski) The Last Unicorn (1982 - Animated movie based on 1968 book by Peter S. Beagle) Ultimate Haunted House (1994 - Point-and-click video game with art by Gahan Wilson) Play it on archive.org here. Links: Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/ajP36nzPb2 Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠  Where to buy our games: https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    55 min.
  2. Fatigue

    4 MRT

    Fatigue

    In this episode, we talk fatigue. Is fatigue something to conquer, or is it a warning sign on the way to a physical and emotional crash? Evan is tired, but we’ve got strategies! After years of learning what the burnout cycle looks like while working on a game, we’re eager to intervene before exhaustion gets the best of us. Episode mentions: Ever so briefly, The Witness (2016 video game, Jonathan Blow) Snowpiercer (2013 movie, Bong Joon Ho) Links: Join us on Discord! ⁠ https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Support our work Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Buy our games online: ⁠⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: ⁠⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: ⁠⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    48 min.
  3. The Path to a Question

    18 FEB

    The Path to a Question

    Game design questions can be longer and more complex than their answers. In this episode, we initially set out to do a live-design session tackling an issue from our latest playtest, but discovered that describing the question required revisiting nearly every other part of the game. Join us for a chat about Twilight rules, open-eyed investigations, and escaping a cursed amusement park. Links: We have a Discord! Come talk about Design Doc and Star Trek. ⁠https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Turtlebun on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Our games: ⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: ⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: ⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    56 min.
  4. Who Designs the Game?

    4 FEB

    Who Designs the Game?

    Who designs the game? Is it the players, who make decisions in real time at the table? The GM, who’s at the ready to suggest ideas or dole out consequences? Or the designers, who… well… make the game? In this episode, we talk about when and how to distribute control of the experience between the players, the GM, ourselves as designers, and random rolls of the dice. Links: Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/ApNfNvUk Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠  Check out our games: https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    56 min.
  5. A Year of Movies

    21 JAN

    A Year of Movies

    Hannah watched 51 movies in 2025. Not all of them were helpful for game design, but there was inspiration to be found everywhere—in the form of left-behind robots, edgy existential planets, sci-fi noir, and Mother. Mother? Mother! Follow along and find every movie mentioned in the episode here: https://letterboxd.com/hanbandit/diary/films/for/2025/by/added-earliest/ Watch movies through your library on Kanopy: https://www.kanopy.com/ More Links: Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠  Our games: https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    48 min.
  6. Epiphanies

    7 JAN

    Epiphanies

    Sometimes a design problem can't be solved in any straightforward way. You need an epiphany! That can't be forced, but it can be encouraged. Hannah and Evan talk about the epiphanies that shaped their previous games and how to attract those mysterious flashes of insight. Links: We have a Discord! Come talk about Design Doc and Star Trek. https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠ Turtlebun on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠  Our games: https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    50 min.
  7. Resolutions New and Old

    24-12-2025

    Resolutions New and Old

    As the year draws to a close we talk about New Year's resolutions. Hannah makes them every year, Evan does not. Hannah shares her elaborate system for setting goals of masteries, experiences, and skills. And together, we consider Turtlebun's upcoming year. Links: Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠  Buy our games: https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    53 min.
  8. Convention Dids and Didn’ts

    10-12-2025

    Convention Dids and Didn’ts

    Conventions are an opportunity for us to get our games in front of a bigger audience, and PAX Unplugged is our biggest show. The stakes feel high, and we have to balance our ambitious goals with practical preparations. In this episode, we talk about what we were proud of, what we wish we’d done differently, and how every year we get a little better. Episode mentions: Thoughtcrime Games - https://thoughtcrimegames.itch.io/ Elliot Davis - https://www.moreblueberries.com/ World Champ Game Co. - https://www.worldchamp.io/ Links: Public Guest 5: https://turtlebun.com/products/public-guest-5-notebook Worldbuilding Art Print: https://turtlebun.com/products/worldbuilding-art-print Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support Design Doc on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

    45 min.
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Info

Come 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.

Informatie

  • Maker
    Hannah Shaffer and Evan Rowland
  • Jaren actief
    2017 - 2026
  • Afleveringen
    114
  • Beoordeling
    Expliciet
  • Copyright
    © ONE SHOT Podcast Network Inc.
  • Website van aflevering
    Design Doc

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