In this interview, fun isn’t actually competing, but different types of fun and the way they interact with each other are being examined.
As a little thought experiment, which games pop into your head when you think about the thrill of danger?
Carl Robinson, designer of the hit game Kelp: Shark vs. Octopus, joins the show to discuss something that has been on his mind for quite some time, and that’s the way fun is discussed when examining board games. As a designer of a game that is a whole lot of fun, Carl has some great insights into this matter. And the discussion is well… it’s just fun. Enjoy!
Check out Carl’s work on BoardGameGeek and reflections on Bluesky.
Introductory Questions (0:00)
Carl’s early experiences with board games.
Introduction to this Episode’s Structure (12:38)
And why Carl has been thinking about this topic.
Here is the trimmed up sheet with the links and everything for all of the game’s Carl mentioned. It serves as a good extra set of show notes to link the BGG pages of the games (so you can all see credits on there), and it’s a fun look behind the scenes, of sorts.
Social Interaction and Fellowship (23:11)
Discovery (26:53)
Winning/Competition (37:07)
Comedy (49:00)
Application of an Ability (54:25)
Being Silly (59:31)
Relaxation/Immersion/Submission (1:09:46)
Discovery Revisited (1:22:08)
Sensation (1:26:47)
Failing/”Stupid” Games (1:34:48)
Power (1:41:08)
Fun in Kelp! (1:51:07)
Wrap-up Questions (1:59:52)
A text on Carl’s mind, what to look out for from him, and how thinking about the focus of this episode has impacted those particular projects.
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