Space-biff! Space-cast!

The politics of the Spanish Civil War are complicated — which only makes it all the more impressive that Alex Knight's Land and Freedom distills them so elegantly into a three-player scrum for control of the Second Republic. Today, Alex joins us to discuss the genesis of his game, including how he solved the semi-cooperative problem with a silk bag, evolving the card-driven formula so popular in wargames, and the factional politics behind the gameplay. 

Dan Bullock is one of a handful of  up-and-coming  wargame designers determined to do things a little differently. Today, we sit down to chat about some of his games, including No Motherland Without, 1979: Revolution in Iran, and the yet-unpublished Blood & Treasure. Sadly, this was recorded before I'd played Bowie. Although maybe that's a good thing, since otherwise that's all we would have talked about.

Now that Tory Brown's supernal Votes for Women has escaped into the wild, it's time to sit down and discuss the important questions. Listen in as we chat about approachable "war" games, the importance of understanding one's political opposition, and why Brown chose to include a guano magnate's whining about Emmeline Pankhurst. As a bonus, we also delve into the game's relevance today. 

What's the difference between a puzzle and a game? Heck if we know. Today's Space-Cast delves into two puzzle titles by designer Blaž Gracar, the 18-card microgame All Is Bomb and the pen-and-transparent-sheet game LOK.  Listen in as we discuss both games, the value of nonsense words, and share some of our favorite puzzle recommendations. 

Like everybody else, Jon Perry and Dan Thurot have been playing Marvel Snap. Unlike everybody else, Jon Perry has designed games such as Time Barons, Scape Goat, and — more relevantly — Air, Land, & Sea. Listen in as we discuss lane battlers, Marvel Snap, the perils of porting digital games to tabletop, and much more. 

Once again we're joined by Amabel Holland. This year, we discuss her forthcoming freebie game Watch Out! That's a Dracula!, along with legacy games, textually queer games, and a transition in the tone of her work.

After a bit of a pause, the Space-Biff! Book-Space! returns to discuss natural magic vs. orderly magic, crusty old wizards vs. vigorous young witches, and Naomi Novik's Uprooted.

Have you ever gone mad pursuing a parent's ambition? That's the topic of T.C. Petty III's My Father's Work, a game of intergenerational trauma, weird science, and scaring off your loved ones. Also an app.

Today on the Space-Cast!, we're joined by Matilda Simonsson, designer (and crafter) of Turncoats. Listen in as we discuss the inspirations, production, and implications of a game that seems ten times its size.

Come to hear about Jeff Warrender's The Acts of the Evangelists, stay for the rambling discussion about New Testament scholarship. Or don't. Stay away, all ye who fear extended chats about religion, independent publication, and games as devotion.

Everybody knows psychics aren't real. What Mind MGMT presupposes is... what if they are? Join Brock, Summer, and Dan as we discuss Matt Kindt's graphic novel, including professional conspiracy theories, non-professional relationship advice, and our mutual bewilderment when people say they don't like the art.

In the midst of a time of social unrest, one game dares to investigate the polarities of popular protest. That game is Bloc by Bloc by T.L. Simons and Greg Loring-Albright. For today's episode, join Dan, T.L., and Greg as we discuss how their game offers both contradiction and clarity in politics, violent and nonviolent disobedience, popular expropriation, and the danger of having an uprising stolen from under your feet.

For the first time ever,* game designer, instructor, writer, and overall wizard Geoff Engelstein appears on a podcast to discuss a trio of his games, along with some insider baseball. Join us as we discuss getting an author's permission to treat a protagonist like a doofus, what it's like to gamify a peace conference, and why "gravity" is one of the greatest gaming metaphors of the decade. (*Not the first time ever.)

What goes up must come down. That's the proposition of James Naylor's Magnate: The First City, the modern Monopoly that sees its housing boom through to the inevitable bust. Today, James joins Dan to chat about real estate development, game development, and what makes Humbleburg more of a "first" city than the many counter-examples that are undoubtedly popping into your head.

Nearly seventeen hundred years ago, a bunch of theology nerds were called together to answer one simple question: what is the nature of God? Their answer has shaped the way we've thought about the divine ever since. That's the topic of Amabel Holland's Nicaea, plus an irreverent twist or two. Today, Amabel joins us to chat about orthodoxy,  heresy, and the politicking that happened in between the extremes all those years ago.

Andy Weir got famous writing about a man stranded in an isolated environment who uses science and pluck to solve his way out of danger; in Project Hail Mary, he flexes his authorial talents to their limit with a novel about a man stranded in an isolated environment who uses science and pluck to solve his way out of danger. Join Brock, Summer, and Dan as we discuss Ryland Grace's portentous name, watching aliens poop, and how Weir blends hard and soft science fiction to tremendous effect. 

There's something dangerous in those bushes over there. A sabre-tooth tiger? A handful of poisonous berries? Nope, it's designer Peter Rustemeyer, here to chat about the origins, development, and history of Paleo, the 2021 winner of the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres.

Ever developed a robust opinion about the possibility of intercourse with a robot? And we're not talking about conversation here. Neither had Summer,  Brock, or Dan. Good thing we read Autonomous by Annalee Newitz! Now we're bubbling over with perspectives on robo-love, pharmaceutical monopolies, and how to make pharma pirates seem boring.

For today's "podcast," our topic of discussion is everything about Mind MGMT by Sen-Foong Lim and Jay Cormier. Over the course of a single episode, we discuss Sen and Jay's psychic powers, origin stories, and the process of designing, iterating, and activating latent psychics — sorry, I mean adapting Matt Kindt's comic series.

This week on the Space-Biff! Space-Cast!, we're joined by Ryan Laukat to discuss his latest game, Sleeping Gods! In the process, we also discuss open-world video games, open-world board games, and how to adapt the former into the latter.