Design Doc
Come along with Hannah and Evan in a living documentation of the game design process, from the first spark of an idea, to every disastrous surprise. It’s not an instruction manual, but a travel guide, with lots of unexpected stops along the way.
Episodes
January 7, 2026 • 50 mins
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...
Mark as Played
December 24, 2025 • 53 mins
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/...
Mark as Played
December 10, 2025 • 44 mins
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...
Mark as Played
November 26, 2025 • 2 mins
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 ipagh...
Mark as Played
November 13, 2025 • 55 mins
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/
Cr...
Mark as Played
October 29, 2025 • 50 mins
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 wri...
Mark as Played
October 15, 2025 • 43 mins
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 Disco...
Mark as Played
October 1, 2025 • 70 mins
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...
Mark as Played
September 17, 2025 • 91 mins
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 Di...
Mark as Played
September 3, 2025 • 117 mins
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 ...
Mark as Played
July 30, 2025 • 58 mins
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:
J...
Mark as Played
July 16, 2025 • 54 mins
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/t...
Mark as Played
July 2, 2025 • 40 mins
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://...
Mark as Played
June 18, 2025 • 44 mins
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...
Mark as Played
June 4, 2025 • 40 mins
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: ht...
Mark as Played
May 21, 2025 • 47 mins
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....
Mark as Played
May 7, 2025 • 52 mins
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...
Mark as Played
April 23, 2025 • 38 mins
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/...
Mark as Played
April 9, 2025 • 60 mins
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...
Mark as Played
March 26, 2025 • 45 mins
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 ...
Mark as Played
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