Design Doc

Conventions are an opportunity for us to get our games in front of a bigger audience, and PAX Unplugged is our biggest show. The stakes feel high, and we have to balance our ambitious goals with practical preparations. In this episode, we talk about what we were proud of, what we wish we’d done differently, and how every year we get a little better. Episode mentions: Thoughtcrime Games - https://thoughtcrimegames.itch.io/ Elliot Davis - https://www.moreblueberries.com/ World Champ Game Co. - https://www.worldchamp.io/ Links: Public Guest 5: https://turtlebun.com/products/public-guest-5-notebook Worldbuilding Art Print: https://turtlebun.com/products/worldbuilding-art-print Join the Turtlebun Discord: https://discord.gg/XD4WVDjvbz⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support Design Doc on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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) gmail (dot) com Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

Endings are hard. The ending of a roleplaying game isn’t just the culmination of the story; it’s also when the themes and purpose of the game become clear. In this episode we talk about designing a conclusion that comes at the right time, conveys the right message, and still leaves room for all the improvisation of roleplaying. Episode mentions: Ready Player One—but just a brief mention this time, promise! Mother! (2017 film written & directed by Darren Aronofsky) Other Design Doc episodes mentioned: Epilogues in Games (May 2025) Finding the Game's Emotional Core (March 2019) 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: 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 Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

We conclude our discussion of Ready Player One with an updated review of the movie. In pondering this mid movie, we leave no stone unturned... and no critically-acclaimed director forgiven. Come for the movie critique, stay for the poetry! Find part 1 of the discussion, Ernest Cline's Stinker (Part 1), here. Find our original review of the movie on Patreon here. Episode Mentions: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013 directed by Tommy Wirkola) 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: 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 Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

Happy Design Doc episode 100! In this special episode, we take a field trip with our game Escape from Wonderland. Trapped in an amusement park with a half-finished game, we explore liminal spaces, shuttered VIP lounges, and mind-bendingly long queues. To escape Six Flags New England, we must first fix our broken larp. Creepy circus music is ⁠Creepy Circus Music from Derek Fiechter & Brandon Fiechter on Soundcloud⁠ Roller coaster screams captured by Carrie, who can be found ⁠here⁠ Find Jill Bernard's Small Cute Book of Improv here Find Thank You, Places in Philadelhpia Experience Houdini's Great Escape The ⁠circular piano keyboard patent⁠ The ⁠⁠Brock360 Circular Keyboard⁠⁠ Previous Six Flags episode include Roleplaying in the Park and The Liminal Spaces of Six Flags And more 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: Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost: https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode edited by (and spooky laugh 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

We're going back to the park and taking Wonderland with us! To get the game off the table and into the real world, there are a number of changes we'll have to make. We talk fanny packs, waterproof paper, coordinated outfits, and ditching friends. You can listen to our previous episode about Six Flags here. 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: 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 Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠

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: 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 Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠ Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com