Design Doc

Hannah sits down with rules editor and game designer Josh Yearsley (Root, Arcs) for a conversation about public playtesting. After more than a decade of editing rulebooks, Josh has developed a keen eye and intuition for playtest feedback. Josh talks about playtesting as a fluid conversation, incorporating feedback on a community scale, and staying true to your own voice when it starts to get lost in the shuffle.

Links to episode mentions:

Buried Giant Studios

Double Fine PsychOdyssey

Episode credits:

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost:⁠ ⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado:⁠ ⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Turtlebun links:

Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/h6JsahwgH (this link expires after 30 days—if you click and it's expired, email us!)

Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in touch:

Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠⁠

We're taking a short break to focus on finishing a game. See you back soon!

Links

Turtlebun Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/ajP36nzPb2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patreon:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Credits

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in touch

Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠⁠⁠

Evan and Hannah talk about two separate playtests—Evan’s playtest of the near-complete Escape from Wonderland, and Hannah’s playtest of the just-begun Seekers of the Thrice-Lost Crown. Both games went well, but surprises lurk around every corner, and sometimes someone has to die on the first turn.

Episode mentions

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2018)

Links

Discord:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://discord.gg/ajP36nzPb2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patreon:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Credits

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in touch

Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠⁠⁠

Hannah and Evan sit down for a rapid design session for Escape from Wonderland. In 30 minutes, they design an entirely new snow-themed park zone, complete with a gun-wielding Santa.

Turtlebun Links

Discord:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://discord.gg/ajP36nzPb2⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patreon:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Credits

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in touch

Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠⁠⁠

While Evan's away, Hannah reflects on the announcement that Hampshire College, an unconventional school founded in the 1970s, is closing its doors. It was flawed, idealistic, and not always what was promised. But it was a special place that encouraged weirdos to be weird, and paved our own winding path to game design.

Hampshire College Workers' Emergency Relief Fund

Help Hampshire workers faced with sudden job loss:

https://www.helphampshireworkers.com/

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/hampshire-college-workers-emergency-relief-fund

Turtlebun Links

Turtlebun Discord:⁠⁠ ⁠https://discord.gg/ajP36nzPb2⁠⁠⁠

Turtlebun on Patreon:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Turtlebun webstore:⁠⁠ ⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Credits

Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado:⁠⁠ ⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in touch

Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com

Instagram:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bluesky:⁠⁠ ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠⁠⁠