Sam Sleney & Zach Cox (Orbital Blues) ep. 274

Sam Sleney & Zach Cox (Orbital Blues) ep. 274

From TABLETOP TALK - Third Floor Wars by Craig Shipman

April 11, 2026 · 1h 5m · Season 1 · Episode 274

About this episode

Craig Shipman interviews Sam Sleney and Zach Cox about their game Orbital Blues and its development process.

A lone harmonica rattling through a ship hull; a frontiersman whistles his sad song as he shoulders his laser rifle; an ad plays over the speakers of an empty outpost in a sandy desert, two suns glaring overhead. These are the scenes of Orbital Blues, a lo-fi, sci-fi romp through the furthest frontier imaginable. Today, we sat down with Sam and Zach, the co-creators of the game, to discuss their relationship, the conversations and execution that led to the game’s development, and all the nitty-gritty of how these games are getting made. We talk about their unique approach to writing, the beautiful design decisions they make, and how they involve the community. They also talk about Outlaws and Corporations, their new expansion that’s hitting shelves now. To find Orbital Blues, Afterburn, and all their other great work, check out their website: https://usa.soulmuppet-store.co.uk/pages/orbital-blues And if you wanna back the Outlaws and Corporations Kickstarter, check it out! https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/soulmuppet/orbital-blues-outlaws-and-corporations?ref=home-page Don't miss Orbital Blues Month here: https://www.backerkit.com/c/collections/orbital-blues-month See more…

People in this episode

Guests: Sam Sleney, Zach Cox

Topics covered

  • Orbital Blues
  • game development
  • sci-fi games
  • community involvement

Keywords

  • lo-fi
  • sci-fi
  • expansion
  • Outlaws and Corporations

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Afterburn, Orbital Blues, Outlaws and Corporations

Books & works: Orbital Blues, Tales of the Manticore⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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