You’re stranded on an abandoned island with only you, five board games, four friends and one million dollars from a disheveled content creator. What five games do you bring?What games make gamers? Jack and Eric chat about what games are best to introduce people to the hobby and some common pitfalls games might have that would preclude them from this discussion.
Read moreGateway Games
What games make gamers? Jack and Eric chat about what games are best to introduce people to the hobby and some common pitfalls games might have that would preclude them from this discussion.
Read moreSolo Board Gaming in 2025
Eric and Jack chat about what solo gaming is like in 2025 and give recommendations on the best games to start out on your own.
Read moreHow To Build A Gaming Group
But like what do we even mean when we say something's our favorite game? Jack and Eric discuss that and more in this week’s episode
Read moreThe Purge!! (of Board Games)
But like what do we even mean when we say something's our favorite game? Jack and Eric discuss that and more in this week’s episode
Read moreJohn D Clair on Design, Mistborn, Stormlight and beyond - TCbH Interviews
Jack and Eric talk the inaugural BGG Hall of Fame inductees
Read moreThe Concept of Favorite Games
But like what do we even mean when we say something's our favorite game? Jack and Eric discuss that and more in this week’s episode
Read moreNick Brachmann of Leder Games on Ahoy, Conventions & SWARM - PAX Unplugged
Jack and Eric talk the inaugural BGG Hall of Fame inductees
Read moreBGG Hall of Fame Inductees
Jack and Eric talk the inaugural BGG Hall of Fame inductees
Read moreAITA?! Board Game Edition
Jack, Eric, and special guest John give their hot takes on whether people are overreacting to board game etiquette quandaries
Read moreBoard Game Components
Eric and Jack have chat about board game components, why they’re important and why the film American Tale deserves to be developed into a mid-weight Euro
Read moreLuck in Board Games
Jack and Eric discuss how luck affects board games
00:00 Intro
02:04 Games We've Played
16:18 2025 Luck in Board Games
56:58 1st Listener Question - Our take on how luck in board games has evolved?
01:03:43 2nd Listener Question - Only No-Luck games or Only Medium-Luck Games?
1:06:26 3rd Listener Question - Our thoughts on games that feature negative emotions?
2025 Board Game Industry Outlook
Jack and Eric discuss what 2025 will look like for the board game industry as we know it
00:00 Intro
01:23 Games We've Played
26:20 2025 Board Game Industry Outlook
01:04:49 Listener Questions
Teaching Games
Eric and Jack chat about our experiences and tips for teaching games.
00:00 - Intro
02:16 - Games we've been playing
20:41 - Teaching Games
58:11 - Listener questions
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Stolen Harmony (PAX U 2024 Wrap-up)
Eric and Jack sit down to talk about our experience and the games we played at PAX Unplugged 2024. You can watch the video for this chat on our youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/TX0A9JFHtak
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
River of Gold Designer Keith Piggott - TCbH Interviews
00:00 - Releasing a game at GenCon
04:33 - Did River of Gold start as an L5R Game?
09:25 - Working with an imprint of Asmodee
11:34 - Why no solo mode?
14:55 - Developing the linear aspect of the game
18:32 - Commercial pressures for success
21:24 - Motivation to become a designer
25:13 - What makes a good sell sheet & game pitch?
27:18 - Dream universe to adapt into a board game
31:34 - What's next for Keith & River of Gold?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
From root expansions to rulebooks with Joshua Yearsley of Leder Games - TCbH Interview
00:00 - Intro
03:42 - From editing to design
04:42 - What makes a good rule book?
07:53 - Why big floppy rulebooks?
10:15 - Root 4 a New Hope
11:42 - Big box for all your stuff?
14:57 - What's the pitch room like for Root content?
22:21 - What was the starting point?
25:50 - Clockwork & hirelings support
28:26 - Coolest part of the expansion?
31:06 - Reach and player count for new factions
32:31 - Long public development process
35:05 - Involvement in art direction
38:49 - What still needs development?
44:46 - What's the 3rd element of the expansion?
47:40 - What other games are cookin' at Leder?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Luthier and how publishing impacts game design with Dave Beck of Paverson Games - TCbH Interview (Copy)
00:00 - Intro
01:42 - Different approach than with Distilled?
04:21 - Did you always plan on publishing in addition to design work?
07:17 - How do publication concerns impact game design?
09:45 - What sets Luthier apart from other games?
13:19 - Was there hesitation over the complexity level?
17:11 - How much do you design for the catalog?
20:27 - Did the long public exposure impact development?
24:26 - How was working with Vincent Dutrait?
29:27 - How much did you dictate art style and aesthetic?
33:01 - Should luck and randomness be proportional to a game?
35:28 - Is randomness necessary for modern games?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
Nick Brachmann on being Senior Developer at Leder Games and Ahoy: New Horizons - TCbH Interview
The backer kit campaign for Ahoy: New Horizons launches November 14, 2023 here: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/fd610745-96dd-4289-839e-ac0757c468bd/landing
00:00 - Intro & genesis of the expansion
02:04 - What type of expansion is this
04:09 - New factions, same limitations?
04:46 - Solo considered?
06:09 - Approach to figuring out what to expand
08:15 - Smugglers in a 2 player game?
10:48 - What makes a good game developer?
13:14 - Leder & external designs
16:10 - ARCS internal pitch & development
20:41 - Role of market research & staying up on games
24:13 - Early transparency & impact on creativity
29:36 - Minnesota & Board Games
32:00 - What makes a Leder game?
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551
From FFG to Earthborne Rangers with Andrew Navaro - TCbH Interviews
Earthborne Rangers is the exciting new cooperative, open-world adventure game that I highly recommend. You can find our review here: https://youtu.be/uX91cv5H43M?si=m6WW_zI7V3BLKILx
00:00 - Earthborne Rangers background
05:25 - Inspiration for the setting
12:51 - 15 years with Fantasy Flight Games
21:27 - Creative director and leaving FFG
28:23 - Earthborne's commitment to sustainability
36:24 - How to teach and tutorialize games better
46:24 - Challenges designing an open world adventure
54:01 - Now and future Earthborne
Links:
Our Site - https://www.cardboardherald.com
Our Video Channel - https://www.youtube.com/TheCardboardHerald
Our Twitter - https://twitter.com/CardboardHerald
Our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9669551