The Game Design Round Table

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

BtC - Matthew Dunstan on Making and Nurturing Connections with Publishers 09/09/2025

BtC - Matthew Dunstan on Making and Nurturing Connections with Publishers In this episode of Behind the Cardboard, host Ellie Dix sits down with prolific designer Matthew Dunstan, co-designer of Battle for Boulders, to talk about the art of building and maintaining relationships with publishers. They explore why nurturing these connections is so valuable, strategies for starting relationships without prior contacts, and how to strike the right balance between persistence and pressure. Ellie and Matthew also share their own positive experiences with publishers and discuss how these relationships play a role even in self-publishing. A practical and insightful conversation for anyone navigating the world of game design. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/38144820

Season: RPG - Interlude: The Second Round Table 09/02/2025

Season: RPG - Interlude: The Second Round Table In this RPG interlude, hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron return to the table to revisit some of the big conversations from recent episodes. From the debate over whether RPGs are best enjoyed for combat or storytelling, to how “serious games” balance education and fun, they unpack listener feedback and expand on earlier ideas. The discussion also touches on the evolving structure of RPG categories and the dynamic relationship between designers and GMs. A reflective, thought-provoking round table that keeps the conversation going. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/38063705

BtC with April Mitchell on Sizzle Reels 08/26/2025

BtC with April Mitchell on Sizzle Reels In this episode of Behind the Cardboard, host Ellie Dix chats with game designer April Mitchell about the power of sizzle reels in pitching and promoting games. April breaks down what makes a great sizzle reel, from highlighting the right features to keeping things visually engaging. They discuss the do’s and don’ts of showcasing your game on video, along with practical tips for making your reel stand out. A perfect listen for designers looking to bring their games to life on screen. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37972515

Season: RPG - GM as Designer with Justin Alexander 08/19/2025

Season: RPG - GM as Designer with Justin Alexander In this episode of the RPG series, hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron are joined by Justin Alexander , a renowned game designer and thought leader in tabletop RPGs. Known for his influential essays and innovative GM techniques, Justin shares insights into the role of the Game Master as designer. They dive into how GMs can connect narrative ideas to mechanics, the philosophies behind crafting memorable RPG experiences, and the challenges new GMs often face. Whether you’re building worlds or running them, this episode offers practical tools and deep design wisdom. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37879510

BtC with Fertessa Allyse on Sell Sheets 08/12/2025

BtC with Fertessa Allyse on Sell Sheets In this episode of Behind the Cardboard, host Ellie Dix talks with game designer Fertessa Allyse, known for Wicked & Wise and Cascadia Junior. They dive into the world of sell sheets—why they matter, what to include, and how to craft one that grabs attention. Fertessa shares tips on outlining your game effectively, finding its unique hook, and blending your elevator pitch seamlessly into the design. Whether you’re prepping for a pitch meeting or just curious about the business side of game design, this episode is packed with practical advice. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37778545

Season: RPG - Interlude: Welcome to Willowbank 08/05/2025

Season: RPG - Interlude: Welcome to Willowbank David and Dirk go over David’s newest project, Willow Bank. Revolving around DnD, (for all of you DnD enthusiasts), they have a captivating conversation on the flaws of DnD and create a vein of discussion for these topics. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37687810

Season: RPG - Listener Question 07/30/2025

Season: RPG - Listener Question Today, Dirk and David come together to answer some listener questions from the Discord. Most of these questions surround RPG’s, although the discussions branch out into deeper waters, as the two of them dissect some of the themes brought up by various listeners. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37604890

BtC - Special Edition: Dominic Crapuchettes 07/23/2025

BtC - Special Edition: Dominic Crapuchettes In this special edition of Behind the Cardboard, host Ellie Dix sits down with legendary game designer and publisher Dominic Crapuchettes, the creative mind behind Say Anything, Wits and Wagers, and Evolution. They explore how Dominic captures a game’s intended experience, the role of playtesting when publishing, and the creative tension between designing for fun vs. marketability. Plus, hear the surprising story behind organizing the first US game convention. Packed with insight, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes stories, this is a must-listen for game design enthusiasts. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37515690

Season: RPG - Serious Games Pt.2 07/15/2025

Season: RPG - Serious Games Pt.2 Host Kathryn Hymes (@katehymes, ) is joined by renowned designers Jason Morningstar () and Randy Lubin (@randylubin, ) to explore the world of "serious games"—games designed for education, training, and social impact. They share unique game experiences, discuss the challenges of designing beyond entertainment, and debate the usefulness of the “serious games” label. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37416535

Season: RPG - Serious Games Pt.1 07/08/2025

Season: RPG - Serious Games Pt.1 Host Kathryn Hymes (@katehymes, thornygames.com) is joined by renowned designers Jason Morningstar (bullypulpitgames.com) and Randy Lubin (@randylubin, randylubin.com) to explore the world of "serious games"—games designed for education, training, and social impact. They share unique game experiences, discuss the challenges of designing beyond entertainment, and debate the usefulness of the “serious games” label. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37338750

BtC - Sydney Engelstein on Delivering a Winning Pitch 07/03/2025

BtC - Sydney Engelstein on Delivering a Winning Pitch Ellie Dix sits down with Sydney Engelstein to unpack what makes a game pitch succeed — and fail. Sydney shares some of the worst pitches she’s witnessed, what separates a great pitch from a weak one (regardless of the game itself), and how designers can present themselves with confidence. They also explore whether physical prototypes are always necessary, how passion plays into the pitch, and Sydney’s own experiences as a game designer. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37277345

BtC with Danielle Reynolds on Preparing for Pitches 06/19/2025

BtC with Danielle Reynolds on Preparing for Pitches Host Ellie Dix sits down with Danielle Reynolds to dive deep into the art of pitching tabletop games. Danielle shares what draws her to the process, the essential skills designers need, and how to approach pitch decks (and their alternatives). They also discuss common prep mistakes and get to know Danielle beyond the pitch. Whether you’re new to pitching or looking to level up, this episode is packed with insight and practical advice. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/37078010

Season: RPG - Randy Lubin - RPGs in Organizational Settings 06/10/2025

Season: RPG - Randy Lubin - RPGs in Organizational Settings In this episode, we are joined by Randy Lubin, a well known game designer who has had experience in RPGs, Tabletop gaming, and Mega games. We will dive into the complexities of Mega games as well as what it means to develop games with big world thinking, such as political themes - bringing real world problems to the world of gaming. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36928270

BtC- Dave Neale on Identifying Potential Publishers 06/03/2025

BtC- Dave Neale on Identifying Potential Publishers Today, Ellie Dix and Dave Neale dive into the complexity of forming publisher relationships, as well as choosing the correct publisher. Taking a perspective from both experienced designers and beginner designers, creating a roadmap for finding and establishing these relationships based on many of the past experiences they both have encountered. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36829925

Season: RPG - Interlude: The First Round Table 05/27/2025

Season: RPG - Interlude: The First Round Table Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron look back on TGRT’s most recent topics, along with taking time to dive into many of the conversations brought up by Ellie Dix in BtC. Sharing thoughts about co-design and comparing the communities in tabletop and digital design, which Ellie has brought up with past guests. The two also look back on some of the bigger ideas brought up by conversations in their RPG season. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36717730

BtC - Isaac Vega on Self Publishing 05/21/2025

BtC - Isaac Vega on Self Publishing Today, Ellie Dix and Isaac Vega take a deep dive into what it means to self publish, both the struggles and the benefits. Touching on collaborating with others on projects, along with devoting your time and energy into being a publisher. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36653155

Season: RPG - Luke Hughes - Leadership RPGs 05/15/2025

Season: RPG - Luke Hughes - Leadership RPGs An in depth dive into the makings of Burden of Command, along with the strategies and tools used to create the realistic nature of the game. Conversations about using the right assets and tailoring your game in a way that it resembles the time period that it’s trying to convey. Luke Hughes, along with Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron, dissect the things that make Burden of Command so unique. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36581425

BtC - Richard Heayes on Protecting Your Idea 05/06/2025

BtC - Richard Heayes on Protecting Your Idea Ellie Dix is joined by Richard Heayes, former design director for Hasbro and current co-founder of 7pips. They discuss the ins and outs of trademarking, idea infringement, and the benefits of freely sharing your ideas. Topics include trademark law, game submission portals, when and how to share your designs, and why it’s important the game design community remains free. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36450830

Season: RPG - Ben Robbins on GMless Games 04/29/2025

Season: RPG - Ben Robbins on GMless Games Dirk and David are joined by Ben Robbins, designer of Microscope and many other narrative games. They discuss the play culture of Microscope, the differences between it and trad TTRPGs, and the ways games of Microscope can flourish or break down. Topics include expected participation, growing pains in trying new TTRPGs, and what even is an RPG? /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36351585

BtC - Mandela Grandon on Co-Designing 04/22/2025

BtC - Mandela Grandon on Co-Designing Ellie Dix is joined by Mandela Grandon, designer of Glasgow, Overstocked, and The Shakespeare Game. They talk about the benefits and process of co-design, the difficulties in working with another person, and how to even get a co-designer. They also discuss the finer points, like how to address experience gaps, outline goals and partnership structure, and when it doesn’t work out. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36259585

Season: RPG - Cosmere RPG with Andrew Fischer 04/15/2025

Season: RPG - Cosmere RPG with Andrew Fischer The season of RPGs starts off with flare! Dirk and David are joined once more by Andrew Fischer, here to discuss his experience designing the Cosmere RPG. They discuss the difficulties in adapting the expansive work of Brandon Sanderson, the unique mechanics developed for the system, and the difficulty in bridging the gap between readers new to RPGs, and experienced gamers with no knowledge of The Stormlight Archive. They also discuss introducing narrative mechanics to a crunchier system, what Andrew has learned from this project, and what’s next for him. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36147040

BtC - Rikki Tahta on Designer Community 04/08/2025

BtC - Rikki Tahta on Designer Community In this episode, Ellie chats with Rikki, creator of Coup, The Chameleon, and Melee, about his inspiring journey in design. He highlights the importance of process and how a supportive community has influenced his path. They discuss what makes the design community unique and the benefits of connecting with fellow creatives. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/36048670

Season: RPG - Prologue 04/01/2025

Season: RPG - Prologue TDGRT kicks off its first season on RPGs with a discussion on Dirk and David’s experiences, and where they want to take the season from here. They talk about the pros and cons of modern Dungeons and Dragons, and alternative styles of game design that better suit different genres of play. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35955170

BtC - Adam Porter on Playtesting 03/25/2025

BtC - Adam Porter on Playtesting Ellie Dix is joined by Adam Porter, designer of Kompromat, Pikoko, and Doodle Rush. Together, they discuss the playtesting process, why it’s so important, and the biggest mistakes people make while playtesting. Topics include tracking confusion during sessions, structuring how and what feedback is given, and being a good playtester. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35862555

Civ Series Finale Part 2 - Civilization VII 03/18/2025

Civ Series Finale Part 2 - Civilization VII Dirk and David continue their discussion in part 2 of TGDRT’s Civilization Series Finale! They dive into many of the systems that didn’t work for them, and what they wish had been done instead. Topics include religion and trade, the problems with Civ VII’s map generation, and the costs associated with stripping away flavor in favor of starker mechanics. They also talk about what’s next for TGDRT, and wrap up the Civilization series. Most importantly, is David actually done with Civilization games? /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35741730

BtC - Scott Rogers on Prototyping 03/11/2025

BtC - Scott Rogers on Prototyping Ellie Dix is joined by Scott Rogers, designer Alien: Fate of Nostrodomo, Pantone the Game, and Marvel Villainous and writer of many books on game design. Together, they discuss how to build the prototype for a game, how to decide whether to continue with a design, and what makes a prototype attractive for publishers among other topics. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35622435

Civ Series Finale Part 1 - Civilization VII 03/04/2025

Civ Series Finale Part 1 - Civilization VII The time has finally come; Civilization VII is out! After many hours with the game, Dirk and David come together to share their thoughts on the game. Did it live up to the hype? How does Civ VII stack up to previous games? Will David ever play another Civ game again? All these questions and more on part 1 of 2 for TGDRT’s Civ Series Finale. Topics include the power of the butterfly effect, the loss of narrative and flavor, troubles with map generation, and the sum effects of the new systems. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35518715

BtC - Naming Games with Peter Hayward 02/25/2025

BtC - Naming Games with Peter Hayward Ellie is joined by Peter Hayward, designer of games such as Robotopia, Fiction, and That Time You Killed Me. Ellie and Peter discuss not only the process for naming a game, but also how names affect pitching and publishing, naming your prototypes, and how the process works for indie and mass market titles. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35413585

Civ Series 10 - Listener Questions 02/18/2025

Civ Series 10 - Listener Questions Civilization 7 approaches! As we prepare to share our thoughts on Civ 7, we answer another round of listener questions. Topics include Dirk and David’s ideal Civ game, how to approach kingmaking in multiplayer games, and why diplomacy in Civilization is often so underwhelming. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35324925

BtC - Sen-Foong Lim on Motivation 02/11/2025

BtC - Sen-Foong Lim on Motivation This week on Behind the Cardboard, Ellie is joined by Sen-Foong Lim, ENNIE winner and designer of Mind: MGMT, Corpse of Discovery, and The Revenant Society. /episode/index/show/tgdrt/id/35233860

The Game Design Round Table

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