81 episodes
Designer Notes Idle Thumbs
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- Leisure
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4.8 • 103 Ratings
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Why do we make games? Every designer has a different and very personal answer to that question. Soren Johnson, founder of Mohawk Games, sits down with noted designers to find out by examining their careers as a whole.
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Designer Notes 81: Jake Solomon - Part 2
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Jake Solomon, best known for the XCOM reboot and Midnight Suns. They discuss his first, failed attempt at XCOM, why 75% does not mean 75%, and how many copies of XCOM he sold at Power Gamer in Glen Burnie, MD. This episode was recorded on April 26, 2023.
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Designer Notes 80: Jake Solomon - Part 1
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Jake Solomon, best known for the XCOM reboot and Midnight Suns. They discuss how much money he had to give back to Accenture, how to animate multiple units at the same time, and why Sid suddenly started golfing so much. This episode was recorded on April 25, 2023.
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Designer Notes 79: Trent Kusters - Part 2
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, best known for the strategy game Armello. They discuss why Armello has so much output randomness, whether they fudge the odds, and how to turn off a Game-as-a- Service. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2023.
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Designer Notes 78: Trent Kusters - Part 1
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, best known for the strategy game Armello. They discuss how he faked his way into games journalism, how to sneak risky ideas past licensors, and how to make games feel big. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2023.
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Designer Notes 77: Cole Wehrle
In this episode, Soren interviews tabletop designer Cole Wehrle, best known for his work on Root, Oath, Pax Pamir, and John Company. They discuss whether John Company is satire, how the East India Company was like QWOP, and the importance of German postal rates. This episode was recorded on March 22, 2023.
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Designer Notes 76: Tanya Short
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Tanya Short, co-founder of Kitfox Games and best known for her work on Moon Hunters and Boyfriend Dungeon. They discuss why her parents had to get a second phone like, how she accidentally made a roguelike, and whether Moon Hunters should have combat. This episode was recorded on March 23, 2023.
Customer Reviews
Love this pod
I was wondering when you’d interview Jake Solomon! I’ve listened to other interviews with him and he mentioned you, so I was wondering why he hadn’t been on.
Quality conversations
Soren manages to balance more technical questions with broader and personal ones such that the podcast is entertaining and relevant for a broad audience. A pleasure to listen to.
Great interviews with some games industry legends
Very thoughtful and in-depth interviews with many of the greats of the field. I love that Soren, as a peer of his interviewees, is not afraid to sometimes be a bit critical of their past work while getting deep into how they made it succeed. I would go so far as to call it indispensable for anyone who cares about game design and development in general.