In the early stages of a game's design, it's hard to even know what questions to answer. We've hit a turning point with Escape from Wonderland where we can see the shape of the game taking form. Big, abstract questions are getting small and specific. Now that the game has real structure, what comes next? Links: Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun Buy our games: https://turtlebun.com/ Credits: D...
Jun 18, 2025•44 min
After you’ve made the rules, you need to decide how you’re going to tell them. The right rule in the wrong order can make all the difference! In this unscripted episode, we share our initial thoughts about how we want our next rulebook to start, how to include immersive writing without sacrificing clarity, and (for some reason) reminisce about spooky VHS covers we encountered as children. Links: Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Support our work on Patreon: https://...
Jun 04, 2025•41 min
Story endings are hard! The epilogue of a game not only has to logically wrap up the story and tie up any loose ends—it’s also the moment to reflect on how your character has grown over many sessions, and a moment for you as the player to feel like the time spent playing was worthwhile. In this episode, we talk about what makes roleplaying game epilogues special, and how we're approaching epilogue design in Escape from Wonderland. Episode Mentions: Return to Oz (1985 film) Fortunately (1964 illu...
May 21, 2025•47 min
This week, we talk about the unpredictable mechanical swings that can happen between different versions of a game. Small tweaks to mechanics can trigger a cascade of unintended effects, causing the game design pendulum to swing from too many choices to too few and back again. We talk through examples of how we've managed these swings in Escape from Wonderland, and discuss our ongoing efforts to find the right balance. Links: Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Support our w...
May 07, 2025•52 min
We’re introducing a new dynamic to our latest roleplaying game! You all came to this amusement park as friends, but one of you started serving the park’s demonic forces. And things are about to get mean. How can characters become enemies while players remain friends? When the rules ask you to clash with you peers, care and consideration needs to be given to keeping the antagonism fun. Links: Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Support Design Doc monthly on Patreon: https://www.patre...
Apr 23, 2025•38 min
Hannah had to get a full time office job. Since then, finding the time and energy for creative work has been an uphill battle. In this episode, Hannah sits down with close friend and fellow game designer Joshua A.C. Newman to talk about life, art, and staying true to your values in trying times. Support Joshua’s work! https://www.patreon.com/joshua https://www.patreon.com/PunkPedagogy Links: Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun Website: http...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr
Hannah and Evan discuss Wonderland's first four-player playtest. When a playtest goes wrong, it can be tricky to diagnose the cause. How much is due to the rules, and what's connected to the more subtle influence of mood and flow? Links: Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Website: turtlebun.com Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Get in touch: Designdocpo...
Mar 26, 2025•46 min•Ep. 90
Slow and steady wins the race... but does it work in a one-session RPG? From what we've seen in Escape from Wonderland, not quite. In this episode, we discuss pacing in roleplaying games: from the moment players arrive at the table to leaving everyone feeling satisfied with the story's twists and turns. We dig into the challenge of building uncanny horror—where a slow burn creates the best dread—and whether it's possible to communicate that in a single sitting. Mentioned in this episode: Visione...
Mar 12, 2025•56 min•Ep. 89
Sometimes a secret is worth more than gold. But how do you make concrete rules for something intangible? Hannah and Evan talk about the secrets of Wonderland and what to do when the rules are out of step with the story. Links/Credits: Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Website: turtlebun.com Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Support Design Doc with a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc Get in touch: Designdocp...
Feb 26, 2025•53 min•Ep. 88
Even when things are going wrong for your characters, you as a player might feel rewarded by narrative twists and turns. In this episode, Hannah and Evan discuss the ways that games can reward both players and characters, and do some live game design about claw machine prizes... Links/Credits: Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Website: turtlebun.com Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Support Design Doc with a ...
Feb 12, 2025•45 min•Ep. 87
When people decide what art is worth looking at, they look for the very best. In a world that demands creative endeavors be perfect, how do we find the confidence to make and share our own art? Episode mentions: Olga Smirnova / Dutch National Ballet: https://www.operaballet.nl/en/dancers/olga-smirnova Toki Pona: https://tokipona.org/ A Mathematician's Lament by Paul Lockhart (essay): https://worrydream.com/refs/Lockhart_2002_-_A_Mathematician's_Lament.pdf The Jewish Wedding by Jovan Obican (lith...
Jan 29, 2025•55 min•Ep. 86
Is playtesting more of a science, or more art? How prepared should you be for a playtest if you're testing rules that might change on the fly, never to be seen again? In this episode we talk about playtesting our newest game, Escape from Wonderland, and how that went! Links/Credits: Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Website: turtlebun.com Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Support Design Doc with a coffee: htt...
Jan 15, 2025•53 min•Ep. 85
Our newest game, Escape from Wonderland, began as a hack of Questlandia. But what happens when the mechanics of an old game don't work with the story you want to tell? In this episode we talk about hacking games to do what we want them to do. Links: Support Design Doc on Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Find our games at: turtlebun.com Credits: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Get in touch: Designdocpod (at...
Dec 25, 2024•45 min•Ep. 84
We often ask ourselves, "Do we need a mechanic for that?" In our newest game, Escape from Wonderland, we want to encourage players to travel across a haunted amusement park. How can the rules create meaningful choices about the places they should and shouldn't go? And when is it better to lose that choice, and end up somewhere randomized or predetermined? Join us as we navigate these questions and arrive in unexpected places! Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun D...
Dec 11, 2024•43 min•Ep. 83
We're taking a week off to recharge! We'll see you back in two weeks with a new episode of Design Doc. Rest easy. Sincerely, Hannah and Evan 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 coffee: https://ko-fi.com/designdoc Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz instag...
Nov 27, 2024•2 min•Ep. 78
We recently realized that we’ve drifted apart not just from our games community, but from our community at large. Now, in a world where the future feels uncertain and dire, we're asking ourselves: how do we reconnect? Escape from Wonderland has just one week left on Kickstarter. You can read more and back the project here. Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/ Episode edited by Rob Abrazado: https://robabrazado.com/ Support Desi...
Nov 13, 2024•40 min•Ep. 81
The Kickstarter for Escape from Wonderland is LIVE! Support the game here! How do you know when a game is ready for Kickstarter? How far along should it be before bringing it to the world? In this episode, we talk about the delicate balance of presentation—slick, but not *too* slick; done, but not *too* done. We explored how crowdfunding has changed for small creators now that big, well-resourced companies are bringing their games to Kickstarter too. When faced with a rising standard of "donenes...
Oct 29, 2024•44 min•Ep. 80
The first conversation we've had about cover design in games! We discuss how book covers are often the first thing people see of our games, how a well-designed cover can stick in someone's memory, and how a great cover isn't just about first impressions—it can make you want to pick up a book again and again. And a special thanks to our editor, Rob, for letting us know that yes, Scholastic Book Fairs do still exist. Link here: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com Covers mentioned: The Martian Chronic...
Oct 16, 2024•54 min•Ep. 79
One of the hardest lessons in game design is coming to terms with the fact that many of our favorite ideas will remain unrealized. In this episode, we explore the games we may never complete, our lingering dream of bringing them to life, and how accepting their incompleteness might help us face the reality of death. 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://robab...
Oct 02, 2024•41 min•Ep. 78
Evan and Hannah try playing their new game with a very rough draft of the rules, in a cross between a playtest and design session. New ideas and new questions abound as they explore uncharted territory. 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...
Sep 18, 2024•59 min•Ep. 77
We're joined by public historian and musical improviser Alanna Shaffer to discuss real-world amusement park horror and Dippin' Dots scams at Dorney Park. Alanna shares thoughts about story vs plot, new character drives, and everyone's personal breaking point after a day with no water. To see Alanna and Thank You, Places in person, check out their monthly improvised musical every last Thursday of the month at Tavern on Camac! Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun De...
Sep 04, 2024•59 min•Ep. 76
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/page...
Aug 21, 2024•41 min•Ep. 75
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...
Aug 07, 2024•47 min•Ep. 74
What makes a game hack manageable in scope and size? Hannah and Evan delve back into game design to create a creepy amusement park Questlandia hack on the fly. They begin by brainstorming moods, moments, mechanics, and materials for a spoooooky game. From doppelgangers to malevolent crowds to corn dogs, they end with a wealth of ideas for the next design session. Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.co...
Jul 25, 2024•48 min•Ep. 73
Hannah and Evan face off in a battle of inspiration and ego to outdo each other's most founder ideas. Then, they set impostor syndrome aside and dilute those ideas down to something they'd both be willing to try. Links/Credits: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Jingle news by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/460424/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Get in touch: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WV...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 72
From Mood, Moments, Mechanics, Materials (MMMM) to "Be aware, be charming," our Design Doc conversations over the years have inspired some of our favorite game design ideas. We talk about the ideas that have had a lasting impact on our game design, and how we're incorporating each one into our most recent project. Show notes: Okay, Let's Redesign Noirlandia, for Mood, Moments, Mechanics, Materials Scopeful Optimism, for discussion of scope FLETs, for fiddly little end things Imperfect Inspiratio...
Jun 03, 2024•54 min•Ep. 71
Public radio icon Ira Glass has a famous quote describing the gap between taste and talent in trying to hone your creative work. When you start out, your tastes are always bigger than your skill. It's a frustrating gap, and one that causes a lot of people to give up. In this episode we talk about everything that plays a part in the taste-skill gap. From personal energy and health, to money, ability, mood, and your relationship to the project as a whole. We talk about how our changing tastes have...
May 03, 2024•49 min•Ep. 70
Hannah and Evan talk about how to transform a beloved movie, book, or show into a game, using their latest project as an example: An adaptation of a 1779 book of cosmetic chemistry, The Toilet of Flora. EPISODE LINKS/CREDITS: Design Doc intro/outro theme by Pat King Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ Toilet of Flora: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44276 OUR GAMES: Website: turtlebun.com Patreon: patreon.com/turtlebun GET IN TOUCH: Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Join the Turtlebun...
Apr 11, 2024•42 min•Ep. 69
In a perfect world, we'd make a living just making roleplaying games. But sometimes, duty calls, and you've got to work around another job. In this episode, we talk about rolling with the punches in a moment when the creative work is competing with a new and time-consuming reality—that of a day job. FOLLOW/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/outr...
Mar 20, 2024•44 min•Ep. 68
What’s the difference between a “theme” and an “obsession?” Inspired by a classic writing book from the ‘80s, we share our respective obsessions and talk about how they show up in our work, intentionally or otherwise. EPISODE MENTIONS: Learn how to play Go: https://online-go.com/learn-to-play-go Learn how to smell things (Introduction to Perfumery Kit or Perfumery Notes Kit from Perfumer’s Apprentice): https://shop.perfumersapprentice.com/c-58-educational-kits.aspx Writing Down the Bones (book b...
Feb 21, 2024•48 min•Ep. 67
