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
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
You may have noticed this, but we like Reiner Knizia. Like a lot! He’s Robert’s favorite and second favorite designer after all!
This week on the show, in celebration of all things Knizia, we break the rules and go off script to talk about the genius of Knizia’s auction trilogy. What makes Modern Art, Ra & Medici so special? So different? Should these three games be his “auction trilogy?” Robert, Steve & Evan endeavor to fi...
It’s been said that “all good things must come to an end.” And it's true! If it wasn’t I would still be in college. But how those good things come to an end can vary wildly - especially in board games!
So how do designers pick a way to end the game? How do those decision change the game feel as a player? Should all games end the same way? Evan, Steve & Robert plan to find out on this week’s show!
Games are full of aids, references and prompts for how to play, but how can a game imply things without being in your face about it?
Forget the player aid, this week Steven, Robert & Evan talk about the implicit rules of the games we love!
(Thanks to Peter McPherson for the question!)
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
A mysterious stranger walks up to you. You are nervous. They present you with a bouquet of roses.
Are you still nervous? Intrigued? Terrified? Romanced?
First impressions can be everything! With board games they can even be the difference between a second play and an unfinished first play… but what makes a first impression impress?
This week on the show, Robert, Evan & Steve along with special guest Nick Murray from Bitewing Ga...
Elegance is a fancy word for fancy people, but does that translate to board games? We’ve heard reviewers use it, we’ve seen the backs of boxes use it and heck, we’ve maybe even used it to describe a favorite game… but what does it actually mean? Better yet… what actually makes that game “elegant?”
Steve, Robert & Evan aim to answer just that on this weeks episode!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at c...
It’s game night. Your friends are all gathered around and you stare in wonder and excitement at your shelf of games. What are you going to play? An old favorite or the new and shiny hotness?
Come to think of it, you’ve played your old favorite 20 times but you still want to play it more. Why? What makes that game repayable? Good question (or at least we thought so)!
This week on the show Evan, Robert and Steve talk all things relia...
Some call it the “X factor,” some call it the “it factor” and others call it the “toy factor!”
But where do we draw the line between practical, cool and just a plain ol’ toy?
Join Robert, Steve, Evan and special guest host Zac Dixon from IV Studios (Moonrakers, Veiled Fate, Fractured Sky) as they look at the toys that make up our favorite toys – board games!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardph...
Tastes change! Old favorites just feel old and shiny new games can feel… well shiny and new, but what causes those shifts? What makes that old staple fall out of favor?
Join Robert, Steve and Evan as they look at our ever-evolving tastes and the reason for these shifts are front and center on this week show!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
“No luck gameplay,” “strategic decisions,” and “no luck!” are all common phrases on both Kickstarter and BGG store pages for some of our favorite games!
But why is that? Why is there a stigma around luck in games? Should there be? Is luck a boon in game design or a bust?
Join Robert, Steve and Evan as they roll the dice on how we perceive luck in games!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphiloso...
Does a mechanic a board game genre make? We talk about how a game is a “deck builder” but does that actually answer the question of what genre the game is? Or is it merely one of the mechanics that makes up the game?
This is certainly sounds like a weird philosophical question the Cardboard Philosophy boys would tackle…
Join Steve, Robert and Evan as they discover that classifying games by genre is sometimes easier said than done!
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