Rule of Carnage - Designing Better Miniatures Games
Glenn Ford
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Game designers Mike Hutchinson and Glenn Ford talk about how, why and if they design tabletop miniatures games. With discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Available episodes
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5 hours ago
Ep 65: Miniatures Game Design - The history of miniatures gaming.
In this episode Mike takes us through the history of miniatures gaming from its origins in the 1780s through to the 1970s. Its not only fascinating as a history lesson, but many of the games and mechanics he talks about have a lot to offer today. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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1 day ago
Ep 62: Miniatures Game Design - Uncertainty.
In this episode the guys talk about uncertainty. It may well be that uncertainty is an absolute necessity in the design of games, but what sort form should it take? Is it possible to create uncertainty by the means of complexity in a miniatures wargame, and if possible, is it a good idea? Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Mar 13, 2023
Ep 61: Miniatures Game Design - Turns and rounds.
In this episode the guys talk about turns, which players take during a game and rounds, which break up a game to allow elements to refresh and reset. They wonder if rounds are necessary, and what might replace them in your game. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Mar 6, 2023
Ep 60: Miniatures Game Design - Gaps in Games.
In this episode the guys talk about where games choose to leave gaps for their players to fill out, options to choose and the like. This sort of personalization seems to have died off with games becoming more professional products, they wonder if its something that we're now missing. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Feb 27, 2023
Ep 59: Miniatures Game Design - Rough terrain.
In this episode the guys discuss terrain, specifically rough terrain, specifically quite how much Glenn hates the standardized rough terrain rules. Rough terrain rules are often a fun sink in games, they chat about how and why games do this and what the alternatives are. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Feb 20, 2023
Ep 58: Miniatures Game Design - Unit engagement.
In this episode the guys discuss look into close combat engagement in tabletop miniatures games. When two units hit in close combat they tend to lock in their positions permanently until the combat is resolved. Mike's game Hobgoblin doesn't do this, which might be a bad idea or not, but it certainly creates interesting problems. Here they chat about what those problems are, why games avoid them and what they can do about them. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Feb 13, 2023
Ep 57: Miniatures Game Design - Abstraction.
In this episode the guys discuss abstraction. All games abstract parts of reality, arguably games are abstractions of reality, what you abstract, where and why will go a long way to defining your game. This is an examination of what it might entail. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Feb 6, 2023
Ep 56: Miniatures Game Design - Chaaarrrge!
In this episode the guys discuss some elements around special rules surrounding moving a unit into close combat engagement range, commonly known as charging. Should it have special rules or powers, or not, and what do the rules we attach to it mean or result in? Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Jan 23, 2023
Ep 55: Miniatures Game Design - Your questions answered, again!
In this episode the guys go through the comments sections on their videos and answer some questions from their fans. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Jan 16, 2023
Ep 54: Miniatures Game Design - Designing seasonal scenarios.
Since its around the holiday season, the guys chat about designing special seasonal scenarios, in particular, Christmas themed ones. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Jan 9, 2023
Ep 53: Miniatures Game Design - Ghosts of Christmas past.
In this seasonal episode the guys chill out a little bit for the holidays and chat about the games of their christmases past present and future. Games that they reminisce about and feel nostalgia for, games they're working on right now, and games that excite them coming up. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Dec 5, 2022
Ep 52: Miniatures Game Design - Granularity, complexity and crunch.
In this episode the guys talk about granularity, a term for the detail in a given game system, where it can help and where it can detract from a game. They also address crunchiness, the sense that a game has a lot to engage with, and why that might or might not be a good thing, how crunch and granularity are different from each other and how neither are the same as complexity. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Nov 7, 2022
Ep 51: Miniatures Game Design - How to collaborate.
In this episode the guys continue talking about collaboration, in particular some things to do or ways to be that can make you a good leading partner in a collaboration and then, a good follower. Collaboration is sometimes vital, particularly when starting out, and these tips can help anyone looking to work with a partner on a creative endeavor. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Oct 3, 2022
Ep 50: Miniatures Game Design - Our history of collaboration.
In this episode the guys start talking about collaboration. Specifically, they talk about their own history of collaborating, how they started working together on the highly successful Gaslands and where they found common ground. They then move on to talking about Skulljacker, a lost game that suffered from more poorly defined collaborative goals and guidelines. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4aK7uECh
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Sep 19, 2022
Ep 49: Miniatures Game Design - What we're working on volume two.
In this episode the guys talk about some projects they're working on, Glenn's projects Crash T.V. (a co-operative game where players are forced into competing in deadly gameshows in a dystopian future) and Pitch and Yaw (an asymmetrical game of high seas pirate boarding actions) and Mike's Berserker (a solo game with little random number generation about chaining kills in a hell dimension). Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Sep 12, 2022
Ep 48: Miniatures Game Design - Why do we keep designing campaign systems?
In this episode the guys try to figure out exactly why they keep writing campaign systems for their games. Campaign systems are hard to playtest, tough to balance and rarely played, all of which are excellent reasons to never write another one, and yet write them they do. Why do they choose to do such a thing and why won't they ever stop? They're not really sure, but they're happy to talk about it irrespective. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Sep 5, 2022
Ep 47: Miniatures Game Design - Why we love Man O' War by Games Workshop.
In this episode the guys chat about what they like so much about Games Workshop classic game Man O' War. They try to figure out what clicks about this game despite its significant failings and why it holds a special place in their hearts, and a little bit about what that can teach us for our own designs. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Aug 29, 2022
Ep 46: Miniatures Game Design - Narrative Imperative.
In this episode the guys discuss putting plot armour on your games. When players are battling each other they will often do the "wrong thing" in narrative terms. Without wanting to restrict player choices game designers will want to guide and assist them in creating a satisfying story, how to do that is what this episode is all about. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Aug 22, 2022
Ep 45: Miniatures Game Design - Theme
In this episode the guys discuss theme in game design, firstly they spend a while discussing a more accurate and specific definition of theme than is generally used in the description of tabletop games, extending it to include conceit, background and genre. Having more clearly and usefully defined their terms they go on to discuss some elements involved in creating more thematic rules and, in turn, games. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Aug 15, 2022
Ep 44: Miniatures Game Design - Solo Mode and AI Design
In this episode the guys discuss designing solo mode systems and tabletop AI. They chat about the differences between creating a set of scenarios and systems for a pre-existing game or a whole bespoke solo mode system. In the later part of the chat they talk through some of the issues and possible solutions for designing an AI system for a game, whether as part of a bespoke solo system or to drop into an existing favourite game. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Aug 8, 2022
Ep 43: Miniatures Game Design - Activation Advantage
In this episode the guys talk about activation advantage, the powerful situation where one player has more activations than their opponent in an alternating activation system. They suggest a handful of possible ways of lessening its effects while alerting people to its problems. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Aug 1, 2022
Ep 42: Miniatures Game Design - Cards
In this episode the guys talk about using decks of cards for random number generation in your designs, they have a huge breadth of affordances and uses, despite being quite rarely used. They then go on to suggest some uses for cards other than just random number generation. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Jul 25, 2022
Ep 41: Miniatures Game Design - Shooting
In this episode Glenn presents the idea that most shooting in most skirmish games is basically not very good. He suggests that shooting is hard to make interesting and that a lot of games don't really bother, and that its almost always a long way from accurate as a simulation. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Jul 18, 2022
Ep 40: Miniatures Game Design - Template or Tape measure movement.
In this episode Glenn and Mike respond to a comment asking for their opinion on movement templates as opposed to movement based on measured distances. They talk about the use of templates in Gaslands and measurements in A Billion Suns and all sorts of other systems. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Jul 11, 2022
Ep 39: Miniatures Game Design - Hobgoblin List Building.
In this episode Glenn and Mike take a closer look at the army list building process in the game Mike is currently working on, Hobgoblin. As they do they talk about the nature of the designer and developer relationship, talk about defining the purposes of a design and consider who army building can or should work. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Jul 4, 2022
Ep 38: Miniatures Game Design - World Building.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about world building, creating a story to explain where your game is happening, and often why. They talk about why you might want to world build, what you should put in when you do and just a little bit about how to actually do it. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Jun 27, 2022
Ep 37: Miniatures Game Design - Cognitive Load.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk cognitive load and complexity budget. Complexity budget being the mental strain that learning your game puts players under and cognitive load the mental strain that playing it puts them under. They talk about good ways to lessen both and why you should care about them. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Jun 20, 2022
Ep 36: Miniatures Game Design - Damage modelling.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about representing damage in your game, whether forces should degrade with damage, how to note it and whether you should even have it at all. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Jun 13, 2022
Ep 35: Miniatures Game Design - Synergy and Emergence.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about synergy and emergence in games, hopefully with a few tips on how to engineer them into your designs. They suggest that synergy is something you want players to see so that they can engage with and enjoy building it and that emergence is an unseen bit of story building for players. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Jun 6, 2022
Ep 34: Miniatures Game Design - Inherent Truths.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about whether there are some things that absolutely must be true about miniatures games design, or designs. A lot is up for grabs here and there's not a lot that they conclude is sacred. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
May 30, 2022
Ep 33: Miniatures Game Design - Audience question time.
In this episode Glenn and Mike answer questions from comments left by viewers of their YouTube channel. More of it is about D4s than is probably usual in life, but that's just how the pyramid tumbles. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
May 23, 2022
Ep 32: Miniatures Game Design - Dice Mechanics.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk dice mechanics, how dice can be controlled, moderated and modulated in your game. They even talk about some of the odd and interesting uses dice can be put to other than just random number generation. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
May 16, 2022
Ep 31: Miniatures Game Design - Terrible rules.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about some rule that often come as assumptions in the world of miniatures gaming but that probably shouldn't be assumptions anywhere, or even anything anywhere. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
May 9, 2022
Ep 30: Miniatures Game Design - Game or Process.
In this episode Glenn and Mike get quite philosophical and ramble on about the line between game and process, what makes something one or the other, when a game is a puzzle and when a puzzle is a game. They try to relate it back to narrative miniatures games and the difference between sit forward and sit back gaming, but they might not really have succeeded. It might all just be an example of process podcasting. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
May 2, 2022
Ep 29: Miniatures Game Design - Activation and Initiative.
In this episode Glenn and Mike chat about activation and initiative systems, beginning with the differences between IGOUGO and alternating activations. They discuss the many, varied and fascinating ways to decide the order of player activations and that of their units. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Apr 25, 2022
Ep 28: Miniatures Game Design - Psychology.
In this episode Glenn and Mike chat about psychology effects in miniatures games, fear, terror, disorder, panic, frenzy and all sorts of methods for simulating the psychology of troops on the tabletop and removing control from players. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Apr 18, 2022
Ep 27: Miniatures Game Design - Something out of Nothing.
In this episode Glenn and Mike investigate how to make something out of nothing in your designs. Chaos over control and turning everything up to eleven rather than shutting down the fun. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Apr 11, 2022
Ep 26: Miniatures Game Design - Dice Pools.
In this episode Glenn and Mike take a deep dive into dice pools, methods for controlling the spread of probability within a game's design. They talk about how pools work and the different dice that might be used in them. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
playlist_add
Apr 4, 2022
Ep 25: Miniatures Game Design - Victory Conditions.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about victory conditions, what form they might take, what they're for and if you really need them or not. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Mar 28, 2022
Ep 24: Miniatures Game Design - Bloat.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about bloat in games, what it is, how to recognise when its creeping into your games and how to stop it. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Mar 21, 2022
Ep 23: Miniatures Game Design - Features and Flaws.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about flaws in games, how to recognise them, when to accept them and the ways in which they can become some of the best and most popular features in your game. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Mar 14, 2022
Ep 22: Miniatures Game Design - Gaslands RnD: Resilience
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about some recent tinkering and testing that they've been doing in relation to some possible alternative version rules tweaks for Gaslands, in this case for the making cards more resilient and able to finish races more consistently. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Mar 7, 2022
Ep 21: Miniatures Game Design - A Billion Suns: Warzone.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk the recent release of a new set of contracts for A Billion Suns, the Warzone contracts, built to encourage massive battles with gargantuan spaceships. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Jan 10, 2022
Ep 20: Miniatures Game Design - Gaslands RnD: Evades
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about some recent tinkering and testing that they've been doing in relation to some possible alternative version rules tweaks for Gaslands, in this case for the Evade rule. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Dec 20, 2021
Ep 19: Miniatures Game Design - Gaslands RnD: Wipeouts.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about some recent tinkering and testing that they've been doing in relation to some possible alternative version rules tweaks for Gaslands, in this case for the Wipeout phase. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Dec 13, 2021
Ep 18: Miniatures Game Design - Luck and Skill.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about luck in games and how it aligns, or sits contradictory to, skill. They discuss types of randomness, and to a degree types of skill and chat a little about why tabletop miniatures games are so obsessed with luck. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Nov 29, 2021
Ep 17: Miniatures Game Design - Hobgoblin, development diary.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about Mike's project Hobgoblin, particularly the design principles that have been developed for it since their last conversation on the subject. They talk a bit about design principles in general, while applying them in practice to a live design. In the second half of the chat they engage in a live development discussion for the game. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Nov 15, 2021
Ep 16: Miniatures Game Design - List Building and Metas.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about designing list building for tabletop miniatures systems. They discuss the strengths and weaknesses of a faction system, why people like asymmetry in the options and the thorny issue of netlists. They then go on to get into the world of Metas and tournaments, how to keep the meta of your game healthy and what the important points to get right for your community are. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Nov 1, 2021
Ep 15: Miniatures Game Design - Campaigns.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about designing campaign systems for tabletop miniatures games. They talk about linear, branching and map campaigns with or without a strong narrative. They also talk about progression systems, their problems and a range of solutions and whether or not your game needs them. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Oct 25, 2021
Ep 14: Miniatures Game Design - Catch Up Mechanics.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about catch up mechanics, popular in board games but traditionally absent from tabletop skirmish miniatures games. Why is this the case, and should you consider changing it for your design? They talk about the very clear catch-up mechanic in Gaslands and the possible presence of one in A Billion Suns. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Oct 15, 2021
Ep 13: Miniatures Game Design - The Challenge.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about the results of their various attempts to meet a challenge that Mike set back in Ep 06. Glenn designed a game based on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson while Mike based his on City of Glass by Paul Aster. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Too Weird To Live here:
https://1drv.ms/w/s!Ak821k-rhLdkqFf8zkNhvx18PNIo?e=Ib5nt3
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Oct 9, 2021
Ep 12: Miniatures Game Design - Playtesting.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about playtesting, what it is, how to do it and who to do it with. Playtesting is one of the most vital parts of any game's development and needs to be tangled with at some point, and sooner rather than later. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Oct 2, 2021
Ep 11: Miniatures Game Design - Combat Phases.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about the combat phase, if you actually want to include such a thing or not, what it might consist of if you do and what it might look like if you don't. They'll discuss things you can do to make your combats interesting and effective rather than just two bunches of models kicking each other in the shins until they're raw and bloodied. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Sep 29, 2021
Ep 03: Miniatures Game Design - From Notebook to Product.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about the process of going from a first idea through development to a prototype and then to getting a product out into the world. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Sep 29, 2021
Ep 02: Miniatures Game Design - What we're working on.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about what it is that they're currently working on and might be releasing in 2021. Once they're done with that they engage in a brutal Pitch Battle with a set of five ideas each to be shot down or thumbed up. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Sep 29, 2021
Ep 01: Miniatures Game Design - What it is that we make.
In this episode Glenn Ford and Mike Hutchinson talk about firstly, what the podcast series is about and then, at some length, what the hell a tabletop miniatures game is. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Jul 17, 2021
Ep 10: Miniatures Game Design - Hobgoblin.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk Hobgoblin, the game that Mike was pitching when Gaslands got picked up, a fantasy mass battle game. Neither of them have really looked at Hobgoblin in a few years but Mike has gotten interested in it again, in this episode they talk through what the game needs and start in on some development. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Jul 3, 2021
Ep 09: Miniatures Game Design - A Billion Suns.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk A Billion Suns, the hit game from Osprey that Mike designed and Glenn developed, specifically some of the parts that are most unusual, interesting and that they're super proud of along with some behind the scenes stories of development. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Jun 18, 2021
Ep 08: Miniatures Game Design - Scenarios.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about Scenarios, the basics of designing basic ones and some elements of designing more advanced one, they then discuss why scenarios aren't as popular as maybe they deserve to be. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Jun 5, 2021
Ep 07: Miniatures Game Design - Movement, Terrain and Line of Sight.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about movement rules and how they interact with terrain and then in turn how terrain interacts with Line of Sight. They discuss true line of sight as opposed to abstract line of sight and squad as opposed to unit movement and all manner of other things. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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May 22, 2021
Ep 06: Miniatures Game Design - Theme.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about theme, setting, genre, fluff, whatever you want to call the none-gameplay background parts of a game. Both how it integrates with designing games and then in the later half of the podcast a little about why skirmish games have such a limited range of topics. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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May 8, 2021
Ep 05: Miniatures Game Design - Deployment.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about deployment, including chats about terrain deployment, unit deployment, deployment zones from the more standard versions found in most games to the weird and wonderful. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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Apr 24, 2021
Ep 04: Miniatures Game Design - The Rule Of Carnage.
In this episode Glenn and Mike talk about catch-all rules such as the legendary Rule of Carnage itself along with a discussion on rules as written versus house rules and edge cases. Glenn and Mike are the developer and designer respectively of games such as Gaslands, Gaslands: Refuelled and A Billion Suns and here they talk about how, why and sometimes if to design tabletop miniatures games with discussions, tips, reviews and interviews.
Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com
Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games
Take a look at the podcast as a video on YouTube: Rule of Carnage - YouTube
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