Design Doc

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...

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...

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/

...

Just a quick announcement that we'll be skipping a release cycle for the Thanksgiving holiday. See you back in two weeks with a new episode!

In the meantime you might consider:

Joining the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Supporting Design Doc on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Picking up one of our games: https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Design Doc 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...

It's hard for us to make a hack that doesn't grow into a game of its own. In this episode, we talk about two playtests—one for a game variant, another for a new hack—and say what went well, what needs work, and how to keep small things small.

Links:

Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support Design Doc 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...

Endings are hard. The ending of a roleplaying game isn’t just the culmination of the story; it’s also when the themes and purpose of the game become clear. In this episode we talk about designing a conclusion that comes at the right time, conveys the right message, and still leaves room for all the improvisation of roleplaying.

Episode mentions:

Ready Player One—but just a brief mention this time, promise!

Mother! (2017 film written & directed by Darren Aronofsky)

Other Design Doc episodes mentioned:

Epilogues in Games (May 2025)

Find...

Is Design Doc a game design podcast? A saga about the challenges of making art for a living? A never-ending field trip? In episode 101 we talk about how Design Doc began, what it became, and what we hope it could become. Plus, dinosaurs!

Episode mentions:

Internet Shaquille video about short-form content - “I Posted a Short EVERY Day and THIS Happened!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvu3SDigoMA

Links:

Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Buy our games...

We conclude our discussion of Ready Player One with an updated review of the movie. In pondering this mid movie, we leave no stone unturned... and no critically-acclaimed director forgiven. Come for the movie critique, stay for the poetry!

Find part 1 of the discussion, Ernest Cline's Stinker (Part 1), here.

Find our original review of the movie on Patreon here.

Episode Mentions:

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013 directed by Tommy Wirkola)

Links:

Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patr...

We’re pulling an unaired episode from the archives this week! We talk about Ready Player One, the dystopian virtual-world novel that took the world by storm over a decade ago. We each completed the book independently, then came together in this conversation to share our thoughts with each other (and the world). In part 1 we discuss the novel, in part 2 we watch the movie and read an illuminating poem.

Links:

Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Buy our games: https...

Happy Design Doc episode 100! In this special episode, we take a field trip with our game Escape from Wonderland. Trapped in an amusement park with a half-finished game, we explore liminal spaces, shuttered VIP lounges, and mind-bendingly long queues. To escape Six Flags New England, we must first fix our broken larp.

Creepy circus music is ⁠Creepy Circus Music from Derek Fiechter & Brandon Fiechter on Soundcloud⁠

Roller coaster screams captured by Carrie, who can be found ⁠here⁠

Find Jill Bernard's Small Cute Book of Improv here

Find Thank You, Places in Philadel...

In an impromptu recording, we decided to take turns setting a 6-minute timer and sharing whatever topics came to mind. The result was a series of compressed design conversations and a snapshot of our current ambitions and troubles.

1 - Sandbox exploration (chicken)

2 - Questlandia audio drama (cow)

3 - Traits & Conditions accounting (duck)

4 - Making the bed (whale)

5 - Null result (seagull)

6 - Mud gallery (horse)

Links:

Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patr...

We're going back to the park and taking Wonderland with us! To get the game off the table and into the real world, there are a number of changes we'll have to make. We talk fanny packs, waterproof paper, coordinated outfits, and ditching friends.

You can listen to our previous episode about Six Flags here.

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: h...

Even after years of working together, there are times where we just can’t agree. The work grinds to a halt, and we end up frustrated and confused. When there’s a breakdown in collaboration, how do you diagnose what went wrong, repair the rift, and move forward together?

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...

In the early stages of a game's design, it's hard to even know what questions to answer. We've hit a turning point with Escape from Wonderland where we can see the shape of the game taking form. Big, abstract questions are getting small and specific. Now that the game has real structure, what comes next?

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.c...

After you’ve made the rules, you need to decide how you’re going to tell them. The right rule in the wrong order can make all the difference!

In this unscripted episode, we share our initial thoughts about how we want our next rulebook to start, how to include immersive writing without sacrificing clarity, and (for some reason) reminisce about spooky VHS covers we encountered as children.

Links:

Join the Turtlebun Discord:⁠⁠ https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠

Support our work on Patreon:⁠⁠ https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠ 

Buy our games:⁠⁠ https...

Story endings are hard! The epilogue of a game not only has to logically wrap up the story and tie up any loose ends—it’s also the moment to reflect on how your character has grown over many sessions, and a moment for you as the player to feel like the time spent playing was worthwhile.

In this episode, we talk about what makes roleplaying game epilogues special, and how we're approaching epilogue design in Escape from Wonderland.

Episode Mentions:

Return to Oz (1985 film)

Fortunately (1964 illustrated book, Remy Charlip)

So...

This week, we talk about the unpredictable mechanical swings that can happen between different versions of a game. Small tweaks to mechanics can trigger a cascade of unintended effects, causing the game design pendulum to swing from too many choices to too few and back again. We talk through examples of how we've managed these swings in Escape from Wonderland, and discuss our ongoing efforts to find the right balance.

Links:

Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz

Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun 

Buy o...

We’re introducing a new dynamic to our latest roleplaying game! You all came to this amusement park as friends, but one of you started serving the park’s demonic forces. And things are about to get mean.

How can characters become enemies while players remain friends? When the rules ask you to clash with you peers, care and consideration needs to be given to keeping the antagonism fun.

Links:

Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz

Support Design Doc monthly on Patreon: https://www.patr...

Hannah had to get a full time office job. Since then, finding the time and energy for creative work has been an uphill battle. In this episode, Hannah sits down with close friend and fellow game designer Joshua A.C. Newman to talk about life, art, and staying true to your values in trying times.

Support Joshua’s work!

https://www.patreon.com/joshua

https://www.patreon.com/PunkPedagogy

Links:

Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz

Patreon: ht...

Hannah and Evan discuss Wonderland's first four-player playtest. When a playtest goes wrong, it can be tricky to diagnose the cause. How much is due to the rules, and what's connected to the more subtle influence of mood and flow?

Links:

Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Website: turtlebun.com

Credits:

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/

Slow and steady wins the race... but does it work in a one-session RPG? From what we've seen in Escape from Wonderland, not quite. In this episode, we discuss pacing in roleplaying games: from the moment players arrive at the table to leaving everyone feeling satisfied with the story's twists and turns. We dig into the challenge of building uncanny horror—where a slow burn creates the best dread—and whether it's possible to communicate that in a single sitting.

Mentioned in this episode:

Visioneers (2008 film)

Links/Credits:

Patreon: patreon.com/turt...

Sometimes a secret is worth more than gold. But how do you make concrete rules for something intangible? Hannah and Evan talk about the secrets of Wonderland and what to do when the rules are out of step with the story.

Links/Credits:

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Website: turtlebun.com

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/

Support Design Doc with a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc

Get in touch:

Designdocpod...

Even when things are going wrong for your characters, you as a player might feel rewarded by narrative twists and turns. In this episode, Hannah and Evan discuss the ways that games can reward both players and characters, and do some live game design about claw machine prizes...

Links/Credits:

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Website: turtlebun.com

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/

Support Design Doc with a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc

When people decide what art is worth looking at, they look for the very best. In a world that demands creative endeavors be perfect, how do we find the confidence to make and share our own art?

Episode mentions:

Olga Smirnova / Dutch National Ballet:

https://www.operaballet.nl/en/dancers/olga-smirnova

Toki Pona:

https://tokipona.org/

A Mathematician's Lament by Paul Lockhart (essay):

https://worrydream.com/refs/Lockhart_2002_-_A_Mathematician's_Lament.pdf

The Jewish Wedding by Jovan Obican (lithograph):

https...

Is playtesting more of a science, or more art? How prepared should you be for a playtest if you're testing rules that might change on the fly, never to be seen again? In this episode we talk about playtesting our newest game, Escape from Wonderland, and how that went!

Links/Credits:

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Website: turtlebun.com

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/

Support Design Doc with a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc<...

Our newest game, Escape from Wonderland, began as a hack of Questlandia. But what happens when the mechanics of an old game don't work with the story you want to tell? In this episode we talk about hacking games to do what we want them to do.

Links:

Support Design Doc on Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Find our games at: 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:<...

We often ask ourselves, "Do we need a mechanic for that?" In our newest game, Escape from Wonderland, we want to encourage players to travel across a haunted amusement park. How can the rules create meaningful choices about the places they should and shouldn't go? And when is it better to lose that choice, and end up somewhere randomized or predetermined? Join us as we navigate these questions and arrive in unexpected places!

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www...

We're taking a week off to recharge! We'll see you back in two weeks with a new episode of Design Doc. Rest easy.

Sincerely,

Hannah and Evan

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/

Support Design Doc with a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc

Get in touch:

Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com

Turtlebun Discord: https://discord...

We recently realized that we’ve drifted apart not just from our games community, but from our community at large. Now, in a world where the future feels uncertain and dire, we're asking ourselves: how do we reconnect?

Escape from Wonderland has just one week left on Kickstarter. You can read more and back the project here.

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/

Support Design Doc on Patreon: Patreon: pa...

The Kickstarter for Escape from Wonderland is LIVE! Support the game here!

How do you know when a game is ready for Kickstarter? How far along should it be before bringing it to the world? In this episode, we talk about the delicate balance of presentation—slick, but not *too* slick; done, but not *too* done. We explored how crowdfunding has changed for small creators now that big, well-resourced companies are bringing their games to Kickstarter too. When faced with a rising standard of "doneness," should we try to match them, or pave our own scrappy way?

The first conversation we've had about cover design in games! We discuss how book covers are often the first thing people see of our games, how a well-designed cover can stick in someone's memory, and how a great cover isn't just about first impressions—it can make you want to pick up a book again and again.

And a special thanks to our editor, Rob, for letting us know that yes, Scholastic Book Fairs do still exist. Link here: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com

Covers mentioned:

The Martian Chronicles (Link to cover, art by Mi...

One of the hardest lessons in game design is coming to terms with the fact that many of our favorite ideas will remain unrealized. In this episode, we explore the games we may never complete, our lingering dream of bringing them to life, and how accepting their incompleteness might help us face the reality of death.

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/

Support Design Doc...

Evan and Hannah try playing their new game with a very rough draft of the rules, in a cross between a playtest and design session. New ideas and new questions abound as they explore uncharted territory.

To follow along with the design, Questlandia character sheets and reference rules can be downloaded for free here:

https://turtlebun.com/pages/downloads

Questlandia can be purchased here:

https://turtlebun.itch.io/questlandia-second-edition

https://turtlebun.com/products/questlandia

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun<...

We're joined by public historian and musical improviser Alanna Shaffer to discuss real-world amusement park horror and Dippin' Dots scams at Dorney Park.

Alanna shares thoughts about story vs plot, new character drives, and everyone's personal breaking point after a day with no water. To see Alanna and Thank You, Places in person, check out their monthly improvised musical every last Thursday of the month at Tavern on Camac!

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/<...

We continue our design of a creepy amusement park game, starting with the question, "What does bad behavior look like in an amusement park?" In this episode, we begin with a lot of questions, and end with a roadmap to a first playtest that includes character weaknesses, theme park-related goals, and an unreliable park map filled with skulls and crossbones.

To follow along with the design, Questlandia character sheets and reference rules can be downloaded for free here:

https://turtlebun.com/pages/downloads

Questlandia can be purchased here:

https://turtlebun.itch...

How can you use simple rules to create a complex setting? In the second part of this live design series, Hannah  and Evan take a swing at world and character mechanics. To create a spooky, surreal environment, they’re forced to come up with new ways to approach worldbuilding and character design.

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Support Design Doc with a one-time tip: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abr...

What makes a game hack manageable in scope and size? Hannah and Evan delve back into game design to create a creepy amusement park Questlandia hack on the fly. They begin by brainstorming moods, moments, mechanics, and materials for a spoooooky game. From doppelgangers to malevolent crowds to corn dogs, they end with a wealth of ideas for the next design session.

Links/Credits:

Website: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/

Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado...

Hannah 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/XD4WVDjvbz<...

From 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 Inspiration

Kudos Conundrum

Numbers Hide Everything

...

Public 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 have made our recent work all the...

Hannah 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...

In 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/outro theme by Pa...

What’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 (book by Natalie Goldberg)

Synecdoche, New York (film)

The...

Kickstarter 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: turtlebun.com

Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun

Join the Turtlebun Discord! https://discord.gg...

In 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 Play) - https://hminnovations.org/meditation-app

EPISODE LINKS...

We 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/turtleandbun

Design Doc...

This 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/outro theme by Pat King

Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com...

Hannah 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: https://discord.gg/XD4...

Former 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 modernity.

Thanks again to Enzo for sharing his time and knowledge...

In 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:

Turtlebun links:

We 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://outsidercomics.com/

Project...

In 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: patreon.com/turtlebun<...

Hannah 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 cheerleader, having a plan and holding to routines; setting boundaries with friends, family, ourselves.

18:17 - Switching to long-form...

Hannah 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 Pat King

Design Do...

Hannah 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 theme by Pat King

Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com...

Hannah 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://stickerninja.com/

Design...

We 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: instagram.com/turtleandbun

Discord: https...

Hannah 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

Hannah 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

Hannah 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

Hannah 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.

Perfect 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

Hannah reads you a game ideas to-do list for 30 minutes.

What'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.

In 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

How 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

It'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

In 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

We'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.

We 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

We 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.

Hannah and Evan shoot the shoot about games, being in the weird middle space of a project almost being done, and launching lucrative YouTube careers.

Hannah 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

Hannah 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

We 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

We 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

We 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

We 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:

Music:

In 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

Its purpose, the act of creation. Its destiny, unknowable. Today's episode is about a bike on skis.

Character creation in Questlandia 1 lasted two hours. Character creation in Questlandia 2 is five minutes. What changed?

Intro/Outro music: by Pat King

The 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.

Questlandia 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.

Questlandia 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

We 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:

We try redesigning Noirlandia, one of our other roleplaying games, in one hour!

Who 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!

We'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?

After playtesting Questlandia's new kingdom and character creation, it's time to test some scenes! Bartholomew the anxious city planner and Quincy the cast out justice-bringer will have to make some hard choices. Choices that begin with a cat and end with a geological anomaly.

Intro/Outro theme music - by Pat King

Welcome to Kingdom Knot, where our people keep vigil over the void at the edge of the world. Something has emerged from that void—a creature for which we have no words, of which we have no memory. For now, we will call it...a "cat."

Music credits:

Alanna Shaffer joins us to talk about how, even when telling made-up stories, we can be aware of biases in the way we talk about history. Whose stories get told? Whose get left behind? And what's our responsibility to our fictional worlds?

Mentioned reading:

Why are our worlds turning out horrible? After playtesting at Metatopia, we talk about how the framing for worldbuilding can exaggerate societies to cartoonish levels. Maybe we can learn from the original Questlandia?

It's Trans Awareness Week. A short bonus episode about trans allyship, education, and creating better gaming spaces.

We talk about acknowledging—and embracing—the inherent politics of game design.

Intro music credit. New Ages 1 from Little Big Dog Ears.

http://opsound.org/artist/littledogbigears/
http://opsound.org/info/license/

In September we met for a mini Questlandia retreat. We talked about how our intentions for the game have shifted in the current political landscape and introduced an unfolding guidebook that will sit at the center of play.

How do you keep making things when life throws the unexpected your way? We're learning what that looks like now.

A good GM can step up to manage social dynamics at the table. But in Questlandia 2, there is no GM, so the rules we write need to do that work. How can we keep the excitement and ideas flowing without leaving quieter players out of the fun?

What happens if a player achieves their big character goal in the very first scene of the game? We found out.

With no GM, players in Questlandia 2 are responsible for framing their own scene types. As a result they animate objects, make holy voyages, and befriend a sentient wall.

Good games are often built on an avalanche of bad ideas. We talk about the worst ideas we've had so far, and how to turn them into something useful.