Design Doc – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Design Doc

Hannah Shaffer and Evan Rowland

Arts

Leisure

Frequency: 1 episode/27d. Total Eps: 122

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.

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Apple Podcasts

🇨🇦 Canada - design
09/08/2026
#86
🇨🇦 Canada - design
08/08/2026
#75
🇨🇦 Canada - design
07/08/2026
#63
🇨🇦 Canada - design
06/08/2026
#52

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun
38 shares
https://www.patreon.com/joshua
1 share
https://www.patreon.com/PunkPedagogy
1 share

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RSS feed quality

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Score global : 38%

Publication history

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Designing a Spooky Game (Part 3): Mr. Bones' Wild Ride

Episode 75

Wednesday, August 21, 2024 • Duration 41:02

We continue our design of a creepy amusement park game, starting with the question, "What does bad behavior look like in an amusement park?" In this episode, we begin with a lot of questions, and end with a roadmap to a first playtest that includes character weaknesses, theme park-related goals, and an unreliable park map filled with skulls and crossbones. To follow along with the design, Questlandia character sheets and reference rules can be downloaded for free here: https://turtlebun.com/pages/downloads Questlandia can be purchased here: https://turtlebun.itch.io/questlandia-second-edition https://turtlebun.com/products/questlandia Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Support Design Doc with a one-time tip: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz instagram.com/turtleandbun

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Designing a Spooky Game (Part 2): The Setting

Episode 74

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 • Duration 47:04

How can you use simple rules to create a complex setting? In the second part of this live design series, Hannah and Evan take a swing at world and character mechanics. To create a spooky, surreal environment, they’re forced to come up with new ways to approach worldbuilding and character design. Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Support Design Doc with a one-time tip: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz instagram.com/turtleandbun

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Designing Alone, but Not Lonely

Episode 65

Monday, December 18, 2023 • Duration 29:34

In this episode, Hannah talks about the art of doing creative work alone. As part of a game design duo that normally does all creative work together, what does it look like to self-motivate on game design solo? From setting small, manageable goals and little rewards in advance to finding companionship in the work itself. MENTIONED IN EPISODE: Scavengers Reign (animated mini series) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21056886/ Health Minds App (available for free on the Apple app store and Google Play) - https://hminnovations.org/meditation-app EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Join the Turtlebun Discord! https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Get in touch! Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Design Doc on Twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod

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Design Session: What Makes a Good Solo RPG?

Episode 64

Wednesday, November 15, 2023 • Duration 43:56

We love making solo RPGs, but we don't always love playing them. In this episode we brainstorm ideas for a possible one-player version of Questlandia, and what would make us excited to play it. EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Join the Turtlebun Discord! https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Get in touch! Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Design Doc on Twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod

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Will We Ever Finish Questlandia 2?

Episode 63

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 • Duration 47:14

This month marks the sixth anniversary of Design Doc, a podcast that started as a "year-long" project documenting our progress redesigning our first roleplaying game. Six years later, we talk about the different directions we've taken, and what Questlandia 2 means to us today. EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod

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The Liminal Spaces of Six Flags

Episode 62

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 • Duration 01:42:15

Hannah and Evan talk about the strange designs and abandoned places of Six Flags New England, the latest of a series of research trips. Join them on a jeep ride in the Jurassic, through the ghost town of Crackaxle, and into secret corners filled with claw machines. SUPPORT OUR VISIT BACK TO SIX FLAGS HERE: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod

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"People Were Shorter Back Then" (Guest ep w/ historical interpreter Enzo!)

Episode 61

Thursday, August 24, 2023 • Duration 01:06:11

Former historical interpreter Enzo joins us to talk about interpreting history! A few months ago we visited Old Sturbridge Village, an 1830s rural New England recreation village. We went as naive visitors, only able to guess at how it was run. Our guest today was kind enough to share his memories of working at the museum! We discuss what it was like interacting with pass-holder guests, being the groom in a historic wedding, and sneaking off to take smoke breaks away from the prying eyes of modernity. Thanks again to Enzo for sharing his time and knowledge with us! Episode links: To learn more about Old Sturbridge Village, visit their website here: www.osv.org Turtlebun links: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Join our Discord! discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod

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Old Sturbridge Village

Episode 60

Friday, July 28, 2023 • Duration 53:33

In this episode Hannah and Evan describe their recent trip to Sturbridge Village, an 1800s recreation historical town. They talk about the value of on-the-ground research for creative projects, the peculiarity of animal habitats in fantasy places, and some dredged-up financial controversies paving the ye olde village streets. Episode mentions: Sturbridge Village: https://www.osv.org/ Jenny Nicholson video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9OhTB5eBqQ The Maze Runner (film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maze_Runner_(film) Turtlebun links: Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun We have a Discord! https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod

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Founder Energy

Episode 59

Wednesday, July 5, 2023 • Duration 47:02

We talk about bringing confidence to our own work, including our recent scent-inspired game ideas. We're working on bringing that founder hustle without a toxic founder morality. Plus, we've got two new projects in the works inspired by olfactive poetry! 1:25 - Founder energy 13:58 - Project Gutenberg 32:32 - Pie Girl Episode Links and Credits Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod Mentioned in this episode Outsider Comics in Seattle - https://outsidercomics.com/ Project Gutenberg - https://www.gutenberg.org/ The Art of Perfumery by G. W. Septimus Piesse (1857) - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/16378/16378-h/16378-h.htm Turtlebun links Our games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Twitter: twitter.com/turtleandbun Instagram: instagram.com/turtleandbun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz

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Fish People

Episode 58

Tuesday, June 6, 2023 • Duration 48:36

In a much-requested episode topic, Hannah and Evan talk about WORLDBUILDING. We narrow in on three worldbuilding faux pas we're trying to be aware of in our own work: Word swapping, "Fish People," and the dreaded authorial insert. Episode Mentions: Lincoln in the Bardo: novel by George Saunders Upload: comedy-drama series Episode Links and Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Design Doc on twitter: twitter.com/designdocpod Turtlebun Links Our other games: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz

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Design Doc – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Design Doc – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other42

Discord5

Patreon3

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other42

Discord5

Patreon3