Fun Problems

#87 The best design advice on the internet - Part 9

This is part of a series where we explore the game design blog written by Daniel Piechnick. Mathew Dunstan Discord Email Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#86 Careers in Board Games - Grab bag

Grab Bag episode! We go through a bunch of smaller topics, including careers in board games. The Bits Podcast with Peter Discord Email Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#85 The best design advice on the internet - Part 8

This is part of a series where we explore the game design blog https://daniel.games/ written by Daniel Piechnick. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#84 Board Game Fragility - Grab bag

Grab Bag episode! We go through a bunch of smaller topics, including development and how to make your game less fragile. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#83 The Three Pillars of Game Design

Peter has a new model that breaks down ALL OF BOARD GAME DESIGN! NOTE: Peter consistently uses "ergonomics" wrong in this episode! Ergonomics is the *reduction* of work; when he says he 'reduces ergonomics' that should be increases ergonomics (or reduces work). Sorry! Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#82 It took me a decade to get this interview with Elan Lee

Exactly 10 years ago AJ sent a message asking questions about the design of Exploding Kittens. Today he finally gets some answers from the LEGENDARY Elan Lee! Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com AJ's favourite artist: https://www.instagram.com/nicolettabaldari/ Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#81 Board Game Contracts

Board game contracts with special guest Zachary Strebeck! We talk through EVERYTHING board game contracts, including specific percentage numbers, what to avoid, what to look for. Everything, guys. It's EVERYTHING. You can find Zack here: https://legalmoveslawfirm.com/ Peter's checklist: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X... Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#80 Peter's Board Game Design Finances 2025

Ever wonder how much a full time board game designer makes? Today we deep dive into the money Peter has made from board game design over the years in total, in 2025 specifically, and broken down by how much money each board game made. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#79 Would Exploding Kittens Publish This?

Elan Lee explains what Exploding Kittens is looking for, and go through many examples of published games that would be a great fit. Tune in to see if you have a game Exploding Kittens is looking to publish! Visit https://www.explodingkittens.com/page... to submit your game ideas to the company! Fun Problems discord Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

#78 The Levels of Designer

Hosts Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon discuss how to give useful game-design feedback by matching your advice to the designer’s experience. They cover empathy, asking what feedback is wanted, sandwiching critiques, and focusing on tools and experience to help designers improve. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#77 Hooks and Introversion

Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon talk through a number of grab-bag topics, including how to be successful as an introvert and what makes a hook. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#76 The Best Design Advice on the Internet – Part 7

Episode 75 is on youtube only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqZnFTxZ6nM&list=PLlpOSsHmIZE9Q1V5UuzhrM3ZncMJVsnol&index=2 The best game design advice on the internet can be found at https://daniel.games/ – we can't recommend it highly enough! This is part 7 of a series where we explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#74 - How to Find, Build, and Run Playtest Groups

Hosts Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon walk through how to start, run and grow board game playtest groups; finding people, finding the right location, handling disputes, scheduling games, and balancing in-person vs digital testing. They share real-world examples (Toronto, First Play LA, ProtoTO), safety and inclusivity tips, troubleshooting for long/short games, and best practices for online playtesting tools and communities. https://www.breakmygame.com/ https://virtualplaytesting.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#73 - Regretisode

Peter runs through his regrets over the years from design choices, co-design pitfalls, self-publishing mistakes, failed Kickstarters, and the burnout that followed. Together with AJ they help turn this mistakes into actionable advice to avoid falling into the same traps. Episode starts at 12 min 30 seconds. Paranormal Detectives standalone expansion PNP: https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/249601/paranormal-detectives-2-print-and-play Elans Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElanLee Tim Ferriss podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qSUyCrk9KR69lEiXbjwXM https://www.printrunpodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#72 - Types of Fun

Peter and AJ dissect Daniel Piechnick's "types of fun" framework, exploring 13 varieties grouped into constructive, excitement, social, and emotional categories. They add personal insights, debate nuances, and more! Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#71 - The problem with end game scoring (Game Feedback) Minisode

Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon dig into a common design problem: games that keep scoring until the end don't give feedback to players. They discuss practical fixes to give players earlier, clearer feedback and make learning faster and games more accessible. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#70 - An entire episode about taking an action

Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon break down action selection systems in games; why constraints and variance make turns interesting and how different systems (worker placement, dice placement, drafting, rondels, time tracks, menus and more) shape player decisions. The episode gives designers practical examples, trade-offs and tips from many published games, plus a publisher note about avoiding thematic overlap, to help you choose the right action system for your game. Mathew Dunstan Elegance Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goONo66xVAs Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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#69 - Why We Are Ending the Podcast

Peter announces he’s stepping back from board games to explore new creative projects and explains why the podcast will be winding down. Plus a lot more fun than usual to make up for the downer announcement. Please suggest topics to cover before the show ends! Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!

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