Ken St. Andre Part 2 - Episode 290 - 4/30/2026

About this episode

The episode features a second interview with game designer Ken St. Andre, focusing on his video game design history and various games he has worked on.

The second of two interviews with game designer Ken St. Andre, this time focusing on his video game design history (see part one for discussion around his tabletop RPG design). Games discussed in this episode: Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan, Adventure Construction Set, Wasteland (without which there would be no Fallout), and Wasteland 2. Ken's favorite Christopher Reeve Superman movie. One of Shane's pet peeves with current superhero comic book stories (especially DC). The origins of storytelling. Did the Empire from Star Wars have a good side? What happened when Ken and Roberta Williams of Sierra On-Line offered Ken a job? What two classic 80s action flicks helped inspire Wasteland (one is sort of obvious, one might not be), and what does Daffy Duck have to do with it all? What does the Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes RPG have to do with Tunnels & Trolls, and what do they both have to do with Wasteland? Ken's thoughts on being involved with Wasteland 2. Ken's never-released superhero game version of Tunnels & Trolls called Power Trip. The most important rule in Tunnels & Trolls (as opposed to the most important principle). Watch out for snollygosters. Ken's thoughts…

People in this episode

Host: Shane Stacks

Guest: Ken St. Andre

Topics covered

• video game design
• tabletop RPG
• storytelling
• superhero games
• game design advice

Keywords

• Ken St. Andre
• Wasteland
• Tunnels & Trolls
• game design
• superhero RPG

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan, Adventure Construction Set, Wasteland, Wasteland 2

Books & works: Superman, Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes, Power Trip

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