Explore every episode of the podcast The Great Game
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63: Neverwood with Jack | 29 Sep 2026 | 01:11:24 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Once there was, and once there wasn't, a terrible haunted wood deep in a place outside time. A place where lost things go, and lost things stay, forever. Indeed, if even you wander off the path or lose your way, you must just find yourself in... the Neverwood... ... come hear about it with Jack! Play Neverwood in November 2026: get tickets More from Jack: www.ashtowngames.com The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 62: Watch the Skies: Legacy and Legends with Sam | 29 Sep 2026 | 01:23:14 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Do you believe megagame titles are best with colons? Have you always wanted to run a 12-hour, 3-games-in-a-row legacy megagame? Come hear from Sam who did just that earlier this year with a twist on the classic Watch the Skies formula. More from Sam: www.basenti.com The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 61: Becky (Background Briefing) | 30 Aug 2026 | 01:45:07 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Patrick got to talk with BeckyBecky Ladley from... well, megagames eveywhere. Hear about Becky's introduction to the world of megagames pre-WTS, the experience of being in the very first game of Watch the Skies, and how the megagame scenery has changed in the years since. You can see a full list of the games Becky has attended here, and you can read more about her design work (and other creative pursuits) on her blog. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 60: Tales of the Allfather with Ciaran and George | 30 Aug 2026 | 01:18:59 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We talk with co-designers Ciaran and George about their latest megagame, Tales of the Allfather - a narrative-focussed game about viking mythology, brewing beers, and good deaths! Check out Ciaran's work. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 59: Are you now, or have you ever been... with Andrew | 30 Jul 2026 | 01:02:55 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We talk with Andrew from Redding Megagames about his game Are you now, or have you ever been...? to hear about the first recorded use of 'Megagamers' as a team in a megame, and why facilitators should avoid lifts at the game venue. Get a copy of the game here. Read more about the game at the Megagame Assembly. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 58: Small Megagames with LJ | 30 Jun 2026 | 01:04:09 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We got to speak with LJ from the Megagame Coalition about her game Gathering Darkness, a triple threat in the megagame world - it's a prequel, it's a mini-megagame, and it's made for beginners! Note: LJ was cursed with allergies this recording, but was a trooper in powering through with us. Our helpful production staff made sure she was a-ok throughout. Note2: Patrick used this episode to start rubbing his beard a lot, creating a unique ASMR experience we may take to Patreon if the fans allow. Episode links: The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 57: Trenton (Background Briefing) | 31 May 2026 | 02:42:24 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Trenton takes us through his 3 arcs of megagaming, from his love of media/news teams (and giving copious feedback to megagame makers) to playing the role of secret-designer in his own game years later. Episode links: The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 56: Social Deduction with Justin and Ben | 29 Apr 2026 | 01:24:49 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We speak with Justin (Adelaide Megagames) and Ben (BK Game Design) about social deduction, traitors and hidden roles in the megagame world. Check out the referenced blog post by Tony, Sydney Megagamers, at the Megagame Assembly. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 55: What is a megagame, again? | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:56:15 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Warning: this episode uses a lot of generalisations and specifcially the words 'generally' and 'in general'. Listener discretion is advised. We revisit our very first episode, 5 years on, to understand what a megagame actually is. Come with us on this journey of discovery as we explore enjoyable panic, solitaire megagames and, finally, the single, true definition of what a megagame is. If you've never heard of megagames before, this is a really good place to begin! Some fun links for you to enjoy!
The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 54: Vroom with Carl | 27 Feb 2026 | 01:20:57 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We spoke with Carl from Sydney Megagamers about the megagame of F1 racing that came to the wasteland. Learn about the art of broken economies, pizzazz and mad max style racing in Vroom. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 53: Rob (Background Briefing) | 30 Jan 2026 | 02:15:13 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Make friends before you need them. People are on the same team, not necessarily the same side. Want more wisdom? Listen along! The second in our background briefing series, a long meandering discussion with Rob Grayston, of East Midlands Megagames, about megagame logistics, project management, serious games and Warhammer 40K. Episode links: https://www.facebook.com/groups/620002656028053 https://www.stonepaperscissors.co.uk/ https://www.professionalwargaming.co.uk/ https://connectionsoz.wordpress.com/ The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 52: Megagame Initiative with Peter and Liam | 31 Dec 2025 | 01:01:00 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We connected with Peter and Liam from the Megagame Initiative (check them out online) to talk about about megagames have developed in Cape Town over the last few years. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 51: The Company Archives with NB | 25 Oct 2025 | 00:56:18 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Jack sat down with Non-Breaking Space games to talk about the John Company inspired megagame, The Company Archives. Read a player's experience of the game here. You can find more of NBS' work online at www.nbsp1618.games and check out the latest release, Cross Bronx Expressway. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 50: Raising Spirits with James | 04 Oct 2025 | 00:57:40 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Jack and Pat talk with James (Sydney Megagamers) on how he came to designing Raising Spirits, a mini-megagame based on the renowned social deduction game Blood on the Clock Tower. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 49: Ciaran (Background Briefing) | 20 Sep 2025 | 03:18:51 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server An experiment with the rambling, longer form, Patrick sits down with Ciaran (of The Generalissimo is Dead fame) to talk about what makes a megagame designer. This is the first 'background briefing' and looks at getting a deeper understanding of the people behind the megagame world. We did inevitably have a few audio bumps and bomps throughout, so apologies for those. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 48: Crossovers with Trenton and Scott | 06 Sep 2025 | 01:15:27 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Jack talks with Trenton (Megagame Coalition) and Scott (West Coast Megagames, certified 'megagame crazy') to talk about the crossover event of their Gencon 2025 Megagames Deephaven and Goblin City. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 47: The Lighthouse with Dave | 23 Aug 2025 | 01:07:29 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Jack talks with Dave, Sydney Megagamers, about his 2025 Megagame The Lighthouse. Check out the game (and buy it to run yourself) here: https://littlemegagames.itch.io/the-lighthouse The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 46: Last Turn Madness with Justin and Sam | 19 May 2025 | 01:04:13 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We finally got to sit down with some passionate Megagame aficionados (Justin from Adelaide Megagames and Sam from Basenti Games) and get to the bottom of Last Turn Madness - the good, the bad and the ugly! The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 45: This City Sucks with Chris | 22 Feb 2025 | 01:08:28 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server The gang talks to Chris from Melbourne Megagames about This City Sucks - a game about vampires, turf wars, real estate and auctions... and figuring out what the hell happened to the mayor! The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 44: Tales from the Scrapheap | 08 Feb 2025 | 01:22:11 | |
Keep in touch:linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation onour Discord server Jack and Pat delve into the dire archives for designs and concepts that landed in their scrapheap - not gone, not forgotten, but long-abandoned ideas that just didn't make it. The Great Game theme isBalrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made byJack McNamee | |||
| 43: Bound by Desire with Ben | 25 Jan 2025 | 01:02:50 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server We regroup with the Architect of Megagames, Ben of BKGameDesign, to tackle the romance-inspired megagame Bound by Desire. We talk about the secret to getting megagamers to a megagame, why Lady McStuffin' Face is so insidious, and just how dangerous romantic polyhedrons can be. Episode Links: Connect with Ben Attend Bound by DesireThe Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 42: Team Time - Councils | 11 Jan 2025 | 01:35:39 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server For the inaugural session of Team Time, Jack, Pat, Trenton and Ciaran hash out what's going on with councils in megagames and ask the question - do we really need 'em? Find Ciaran and Trenton over at the Megagame Coalition and True North megagame servers (and of course, at the Great Game server)! The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 41: Our 10 Years of Megagaming | 30 Dec 2024 | 00:43:29 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Just in time for the New Year, it's our self-indulgent, parasocial, bottle episode. Jack and Pat talk about what 10 years of megagaming has done to them. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 40: Megagame Bugbears | 20 Dec 2024 | 01:31:03 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server Are you down for some Agency Death? A bit of Player Lock? Maybe a journey into the Three Table Trap? Or do you just want to hear Jack further his vendetta against the English and their tea? Whatever you're here for, we've got it. We round out 40 episodes with a conversation about megagame bugbears and pet peeves - those things in the megagame world, community and design space, that just really grind your gears. The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 39: Touched by Darkness with Ben | 12 Oct 2024 | 01:13:56 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Join the conversation on our Discord server The Architect of Megagames, Ben of BKGameDesign, has arrived. We touched on Touched By Darkness (...) during the GenCon episodes, but now we get a full deep dive into the game, where it came from, and what makes it a perfect 'control's first megagame'. Episode Links:
The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 38: The (Second) Gencon Episode with Forrest, Trenton, Scott and Tony | 09 Oct 2024 | 01:15:34 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Tony, the Duke of Highland, takes us to Gencon 2024... again! Part 2 of 2. Make sure you check out episode 37 of the Great Game to hear the first 5 interviews. 01:20 - Forrest, Gods of the Ancient World 18:50 - Trenton, Grimvale Ventures 30:05 - Scott, Goblin City 55:15 - Tony, It Belongs in a Museum Want to know more about Scott's CANDI? Check out the PBEM gang over at OMEGA. You can find all of these amazing people over on Discord, on both the Megagame Coalition and the Dukes of Highland servers. While you're there, why not join our Discord server?! The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 37: The Gencon Episode with Ben, Pinto, Tony, Riley and Josh | 06 Oct 2024 | 01:18:09 | |
Keep in touch: linktr.ee/greatgamepod Tony, the Duke of Highland, takes us to Gencon 2024. Part 1 of 2, in which we hear from a bunch of interesting people about their megagames! 01:47 - Ben, Touched by Darkness 11:28 - Pinto, Pantheon 22:00 - Tony, It Came From the Skies 39:20 - Riley, Jungle (Philly Megagames) 57:46 - Josh, Crucible of Nations You can find all of these amazing people over on Discord, on both the Megagame Coalition and the Dukes of Highland servers. While you're there, why not join our Discord server?! The Great Game theme is Balrog Boogie by the Diablo Swing Orchestra The Great Game logo was made by Jack McNamee | |||
| 36: The Megagame Coalition with Riley and Trenton | 28 Sep 2024 | 01:12:11 | |
Do you know what the opposite of a piggyback is? Neither do we. We spoke to Riley and Trenton from the Megagame Coalition about... the Megagame Coalition! Established as an umbrella organisation that connects and supports megagame groups all across North America, we spoke about how the Coalition game to be and how GenCon has been such a driving force for the American megagame scene. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 35: Megagames Argentina with Pedro and Yaguaretè | 14 Sep 2024 | 01:03:31 | |
We venture south again, chatting with the Megagames Argentina gang about what their experience in the megagame world has been and how they're bringing megagame design to the homeland, its culture and its history. EPISODE LINKS: - Learn more about Megagames Argentina - Open Veins of Latin America, an important book and inspiration for Aceleración Constante - The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/earth | |||
| 34: Megagame Re-Runs with Paddy | 31 Aug 2024 | 01:05:57 | |
Diving into some listener requested subjects, we regrouped with Paddy (of Running Hot fame - see episode 13 back in 2020) to talk about the art of running the same megagame over and over and over... EPISODE LINKS:- Paddy is from Pennine Megagames- You can read more about Running Hot here - The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy | |||
| 33: Uruguay Megagames with Javier | 17 Aug 2024 | 01:04:45 | |
The Great Game enters a new continent as we meet with Javier, Uruguay Megagames, to hear how things are done down south. From translating entire games to Spanish, to running one megagame a month (...!), we learned just much enthusiasm and momentum the team in Uruguay have! Episode links:
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| 32: Infinite Horizons with Dave | 03 Aug 2024 | 01:02:29 | |
We tackle Infinite Horizons, bushwalks and how Disney Land keeps you entertained... with Dave from Sydney Megagamers! Episode links:
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| 31: Tone and Theme with Nellie and Chris | 18 May 2024 | 01:09:25 | |
We got into the weeds of tone and theme for megagames - what's good, what's bad, what role does tone/theme play in the success and 'fun' of a game. To help navigate, we welcomed back recurring guests Nellie (Melbourne Megagames) and Chris (Very Large Huge Games). Episode links:
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| 30: Den of Wolves with John | 04 May 2024 | 01:02:59 | |
We finally sat down to chat with John Mizon, SW Megagames, about the infamous, iconic and world-renowened megagame of sci-fi politics and paranoia - Den of Wolves. Listen along if you'd like to hear about the game, how it came to be, and why it's so damned popular (well, I mean, we tried to answer that question) Episode Links:
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| 29: Megagame Communities with Nellie and Justin | 20 Apr 2024 | 01:24:59 | |
We were joined by Nellie (Melbourne) and Justin (Adelaide) to talk about how we got our start and how we got our different megagame communities to where they are today. In what ended up being a disjointed wander down memory lane, we ended up with more of a 'slice of life' than a 'megagame communities 101' and covered lots of ground - getting started, the terror of venues, burnout and community building. Epis
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| 28: Crunch in Megagames | 06 Apr 2024 | 01:10:12 | |
The lads take a break from international (and domestic) VIP guests to spend some time on their entirely underqualified analysis of crunch in megagames. Ever got tired of the word 'crunch'? No? Well, you will today! Bonus: hear the lads rag on those damn Brits! Got a guest you want to hear from? A subject or game you need covered? Want to call us out on some of our nonsense? Why not send us an email!? EPISODE LINKS:
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| 27: Event Horizon with Johan | 23 Mar 2024 | 01:25:44 | |
Cosmic horror and good game design! We spoke to Johan from Gothenberg megagames about Event Horizon. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 26: The Generalissimo is Dead with Ciaran | 09 Mar 2024 | 01:18:05 | |
A long awaited (and re-recorded) conversation with Ciaran from True North, talking about The Generalissimo is Dead - the megagame that inspired The Death of Stalin (or maybe the other way around?) EPISODE LINKS:
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| 25: Publishing Megagames with Tony and Zane | 24 Feb 2024 | 01:10:41 | |
Tony (Dukes of Highland) schools the megagame community in megagame administration...! We were lucky to welcome back Tony and Zane to chat about their experiences publishing megagames and getting their ideas out into the community. An insightful conversation with lots of good-practice nuggets on how to organise yourself and your megagame materials when looking at publication. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 24: So Say We All with Justin and Tristan | 11 Feb 2024 | 01:15:18 | |
We spoke with Justin (Adelaide Megagames, alumni of Sydney Megagamers) and Tristan (Melbourne Megagames) about their revised run of So Say We All at the end of 2023. The conversation goes into the game itself, the collaboration process of redesigning some elements, and the experience of megagame designer-turned-player. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 23: International Megagame Survey 2023 with Rob | 25 Jan 2024 | 02:07:53 | |
An a special double-episode, we sit down with Rob Grayston from East Midlands Megagames to talk about the 2023 International Megagame Survey. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 22: Watch the Skies with Adelaide Megagames | 07 Jan 2024 | 01:10:52 | |
To kick off 2024 (although this definitely could have been recorded in 2023...) we got to chatting with the newly formed Adelaide Megagames. Kaity, Justin and Monte walk us through the origins of this new group and how they came to run Watch the Skies as their third game at the end of 2023. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 21: Aftermath with Zane and Chris | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:57:30 | |
Tea and biscuits at the end of the world. Quaint. Pat had a chat with Zane and Chris from Very Large Huge Games about their Aftermath event, which saw over 150 players in London simulate the post-collapse world of the UK. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 20: Gods of the Ancient World with Tony | 04 Dec 2023 | 01:40:02 | |
In the ancient world, amongst gods and armies, even the humblest can make a name for themselves. Just watch out for that Spartan Hole! Jack and Pat discuss Gods of the Ancient world with megagame designer Tony, from the Dukes of Highland megagame society. We delve into Tony's origins in megagaming, how Gods of the Ancient World came to be, and launch off on numerous tangents about design and player inventiveness. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 19: God Emperor with Jack | 17 Mar 2023 | 01:03:07 | |
Blood, lies and regicide - does it get any more megagamey? Pat speaks with Jack about God Emperor's origin, design process and legacy. This episode is relatively spoiler-free and delves into the design of God Emperor and how its different mechanisms work. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 18: First Contact with Tom, Chris and Zane | 04 Mar 2023 | 01:15:52 | |
Grab a cup of tea, ready your seventeen rulebooks, and secure your fishing rights - we've got a special treat this episode. Pat and Jack sat down with Tom, Chris and Zane from Very Large Huge Games to talk about First Contact and learn just how easy it was to run their 200 player megagame of politics, aliens and biscuit distribution. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 17: Death in Megagames | 16 Feb 2023 | 01:27:16 | |
A little late to publication again, Patrick and Jack sit down to sort out the biggest problem facing the Megagame community since last turn madness - player death. We delve into the reasons for death in games, the different ways it is sometime portrayed, and ultimately solve EXACTLY how death should work in games to come. EPISODE LINKS:
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| 16: Crisis in Elysium with Leon and Jef | 15 Jan 2023 | 01:03:45 | |
A slightly late episode recorded late 2022 with Leon (Melbourne Megagames) and Jef. The team speaks about Crisis in Elysium - run by Melbourne Megagames in November 2022 - and debriefs on the design, the day, and the vibe of getting back to in-person games again. CORRECTION: we incorrectly noted the creator of Crisis in Elysium. Crisis was designed by John Mizon, of SW Megagames. EPISODE LINKS: - Check out everything Melbourne Megagames online - Find us at The Great Game on Facebook - The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy - The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra | |||
| 15: It Belongs in a Museum with Nellie, Tristan and Theo | 15 Oct 2022 | 01:04:30 | |
A lost episode of the Great Game, recorded in May 2021 and dusted off 18 months later for your listening pleasure. Patrick and Jack sat down Nellie, Tristan and Theo from Melbourne Megagames to talk about It Belongs in a Museum, the first megagame run in Australia (and perhaps the world!) since the start of the COVID era, and a rollicking adventure story of treasure hunters and greedy museums. EPISODE LINKS: - Check out everything Melbourne Megagames do on their Facebook - Sign up for Crisis in Elysium, being held in Melbourne on 12 November 2022 - The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy - The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra | |||
| 14: Deephaven with Trenton | 11 Nov 2020 | 01:10:10 | |
Patrick and Jack (Click and Clack?) sat down with Trenton Greyoak for a long overdue look at Deephaven - a megagame legally distinct to Dwarf Fortress! The conversation took us to a lot of nitty gritty about this story-driven, roleplay-heavy game - from maps to random tables to wooden block towers (entirely not Jenga). This is our last formal episode for this crazy 2020 session of The Great Game. We're hopeful to return in 2021 with more megagame goodness. EPISODE LINKS: - Trenton can be found at the Megagame Coalition (and on their discord) The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy | |||