Cardboard Philosophy
Welcome to Cardboard Philosophy! The board game podcast where we talk about nothing serious, seriously. Every episode we roll a die and are randomly assigned a discussion topic about niche, deep board game topics - and have at it! Like the show? Have a question you want to ask? Let us know at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Episodes
This week on the show we are throwing down with an age old question – why? But we aren’t throwing down with it, how is!
In this episode we talk about how the why we do what we do in games differs from the how we do it and how that impacts the end result!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Check out Robert’s latest games on Kickstarter - https://w...
We love a good verses episode here at Cardboard Philosophy! Which is exactly what we are diving into this week! Genres verses mechanisms! Which is which? How do we separate them and how do these two words affect the games we know and love? Plus, we put our money where our mouths are and actually use some of these new definitions in the real world!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up ...
We’ve talked in the past about the communal focus the whole table can get when playing a board game. But is that communal focus a requirement to play a game? Can designers help nudge us toward that state of “buy in” or is it just something magical that happens once in a while?
This week on the show, Steve, Rob and Evan attempt to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardb...
We buy games for a lot of reasons. To have fun with friends, to discover a new designer or enjoy a mechanic we don’t currently have represented in our collection. But could there be… another reason? One that goes down to the very root of human nature? Are we maybe buying promise more than just the hot new cardboard offering at our FLGS?
This week on the show, Steve, Rob and Evan attempt to find out!
Some would say that points make the board gaming world go round! A lot of our favorite games all come down to a contest of having the most points… but what do those points tell us about the game? More to the point… what to they tell us about the players and the session? Are more points really always better?
This week on the show, Steve, Rob and Evan attempt to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the sta...
We did a mini-con! It was invite only, and only 3 invites were sent out. We had guest travel over 5000 k/m to join in the fun… so what better way to commemorate this than a bonus pod!
Please enjoy this recap of our time together for Cardboard Con 2024. And thanks for being a listener of Cardboard Philosophy. It’s been a great year, can’t wait to continue this into 2025!!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the st...
We say the word “play” a lot in board gaming. “Wanna play a game” usually initiates the game nights that got us into the hobby in the first place… but what is play?
That’s a big question. So big we’ve enlisted the help of The Dice Tower’s Chris Yi to make sure we cover all the ins and outs of play… and the Treaty of Versailles!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardboardphilosop...
Theme and setting are both terms that get thrown around a lot in board game discussions – often as synonyms. But are they actually the same thing? If not… what makes them different?
This week on the show Evan, Robert and Steve are all diving into the weird and wonderful world of Theme VS Setting!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sourc...
How far is too far in board gaming? No, I don’t mean collection size… and no, I don’t mean how far would you travel to play one… I mean subject matter!
How far is too far? Is there a too far? Is there anything fully off limits for publishers or players?
This week on the show, Evan, Robert and Steve try to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.c...
In a rare continuation on the previous week’s topic – this week we’re talking immersion!
But what is immersion in a game? Is it a Scrooge McDuck style dive into a swimming pool of board games? Or is it something more design based? More player based? I’m sure curious to know what Robert, Evan and Steve dredge up from the depths of philosophy on this one!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit ...
Books, movies, TV shows, slam poetry, art – there are a lot of artistic mediums out there; but what makes board games unique among the lot?
Are they better geared to a specific type of storytelling? Or are they bad for story telling full stop?
This week on the show, the dynamic trio of Steven, Robert and Evan endeavor to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardboardphilo...
“I just can’t wait to be king!” We all know that catchy musical number from the hit 1994 musical “The Lion King.” But Simba wasn’t able to become king on his own. It took a bit of king making from his evil uncle Scar.
Just like the Disney animated classic; board games have king making too (just usually less inspired by Hamlet). How do designers leverage king making? Is it a feature of a design or more of a bug?
This week on the sho...
In board gaming, collections can range anywhere from 1 to 1001 (anything after 1001 will cause an explosion). With such a wide swath of options there has to be a perfect number, right? A “goldilocks zone” if you will?
Today on the show Robert, Evan and Steve endeavor to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Abomination - ...
Perhaps it’s Evan’s Irish heritage or the secret ancient amulet beneath the studio, but we’re big fans of luck at Cardboard Philosophy. We’ve talked a lot about it over the last year too!
We’ve talked about how the luck can feel and how it’s generated. This week, we’re talking about both of those things as well as why it’s used the way it is by designers! I know, don’t even say it.
We’re just really lucky.
There ain’t no party like a board game party!
But board games to take to the party? There is a whole world of party games, but where is the line between “game” and “party game?” Never ones to back down from a challenge, our brave hosts Evan, Robert and Steve endeavor to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Every game is a chance for a designer to pull another trick out of their sleeve. But for a lot of designers, that new trick can often feel like the same trick with a new coat of paint.
Not to say that’s a bad thing, it’s one of the things that keep us coming back for more! But what are some of these tricks? How do designers keep them fresh? Why do we like them so?
This week Evan, Steve, Robert and special guest Aaron discuss just t...
If it’s been a while since you’ve listened, you may need to catch up on past episodes! That can be a bit time consuming, but worth it if you like the show.
If it’s been a while you’ve been in first place… well… that can be challenging to fix!
Catching up in games can be like climbing a mountain, but designers have catch up mechanics up their sleeves to help. But are these mechanics necessary? Do they help build skill or just make t...
Our hobby is constantly evolving! Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.
Euro-games are frequently at the center of this discussion. Are they getting too complex? Too solitaire? Are they even good any more?
This week on the show, Evan, Robert and Steve chat about the shifting euro landscape, the past, the future and how we feel about it all (and if it’s all just in our heads)!
If you’ve been around the internet for a while; you’ve probably seen a debate around whether something is art or not.
Are video games art? Is modern art, art? Is Taylor Swift’s music art?
But what about board games? Are they art? Better yet; who is the artist? The player the artist or the designer?
Evan, Robert and Steve endeavor to find out together on this week’s show!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up a...
At the center of gaming is… well, gaming. It’s kinda in the name.
But around the sweet, gooey center that is gaming a whole world of external factors exist!
How do those factors effect our experience with games? Can a good game get ruined by bad factors and vise versa? This week on the show, we plan to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
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