Subject Matter: Table Top: Recent Episodes
Jordan and Steve
From the dungeons of Gloomhaven and the battlefields of Root, to the shores of Catan and the rails of Ticket to Ride, popular board games couch complex subjects within richly thematic gameplay. Millions of people find joy in the experiences that these games create, but what else do we get from playing them?
In this podcast, Steve Gotzler and Jordan Tynes explore the world of tabletop games with people who possess a deep understanding of the various themes, settings, systems, or content that we encounter in them. What does an economist think about while playing Monopoly? What about a quilter sitting down for a round of Patchwork? A planetary geologist and Terraforming Mars? Or a farmer and Agricola?
Steve, Jordan, and their guests consider how games communicate information about the variety of subjects they take up. They also ask how games can influence players’ feelings about each other, and the world that they inhabit. From the physical components strewn about the table, to the rules we share while playing, sit down for a round of playful discussion about the cultural relevance of tabletop gaming.
In this episode, SM:TT is joined by Philip Stern, a historian of the British empire, to play John Company 2nd Edition, a game about the rise and fall of the British East India Company. They discuss the colonial origins of the modern corporation, the complex historical relationship between public and private interests, and the capacity for games to dramatize how an empire happens.
In this episode, SM:TT is joined by Michael Goetjen, a musicologist whose research focuses on eighteenth-century opera and the music of Mozart, to play Lacrimosa, a game about Mozart’s final and unfinished composition: “The Requiem.” Together, they discuss the rumor mill of the 18th century music scene, the working conditions of classical composers, and the historical construction of Mozart’s persona as an “artistic genius.”
Happy International Women’s Day! — In this episode, SM:TT is joined by Lisa Tetrault, a historian of U.S. democracy, to play Votes for Women, a game about the struggle for women’s suffrage in America and the historic passage of the 19th amendment. They discuss the obstacles faced by social movements throughout history, the ongoing struggle for voter rights today, and the challenge of making complex historical events more accessible through games.
In this designer deep dive, SMTT talks with Banana Chan, co-designer of Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall and owner and co-founder of Game and a Curry. Banana talks about finding a way into the world of RPG design, what types of games inspired the development of Jiangshi and offers some advice for aspiring designers hoping to write their own RPGs.
Check out Banana's work: https://www.gameandacurry.com/
At long last, the first full-episode of season 2 has arrived! — SM:TT sits down with MIchelle King and Heidi Kim, scholars of Chinese history and Asian American literature respectively, to play Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall, a tabletop RPG about an immigrant family struggling against discrimination while trying to manage their family business in a 1920’s Chinatown. Along the way, they discuss the centrality of family in Chinese food cultures, the economic challenges faced by Asian immigrants in the twentieth century, and the potential pitfalls of pursuing the historical experiences of marginalized communities through play.
Jordan and Steve catch up with each other after some time away from your feeds. In this episode, they spend a while discussing the many layers of time in tabletop gaming.
The second of two Designer Deep Dives we recorded on the ground at GEN CON in August. In this episode, SMTT talks with designer Damon Stone. Damon tells us why Monopoly is the perfect game to rip-up and start again, and shares how he got started as a designer in the industry, eventually working on major titles such as Android: Netrunner and A Game of Thrones LCG. He also tells us about his latest project Ten to One, a strategic wargame about the Haitian Revolution, and discusses the capacity for games to educate their players by speaking against dominant historical narratives.Check out Damon’s body of work on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/48764/damon-stoneLearn more about Ten to One here: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/349773/ten-one
Check out the first of two Designer Deep Dives, we recorded on the ground at GEN CON this past August. In this episode, SM:TT talks with Jay Dragon of Possum Creek Games. Hear about Jay’s journey from LARP instructor, to tabletop designer, and now editorial director at Possum Creek Games. We hear from Jay about what’s new at Possum Creek, what Jay's excited about in tabletop right now, and Jay’s desire to make games more inclusive by telling stories that center those marginal spaces located at the edge of the map. Follow @possumcreekgames on instagram and @possum_creek on Twitter (X). You can also and check out their exciting new projects at their website: https://possumcreekgames.com/
New Casual Catch-Up episode is now available! Hear us discuss some of our favorite SMTT games from GenCon, and share other highlights from an epic week in Indy!
SM:TT is headed back to GenCon in a few short weeks! In this casual catch-up we chat about what we’ve been playing, and discuss the new games that we’re excited to preview at the con! If you’re attending the convention drop by our Trade Day session on Aug. 01 and say hi!
Welcome to Season 2 of SMTT! Join Steve and Jordan as they briefly review the first season of the podcast and get excited for the year ahead!
SM:TT is joined by Waleed Ziad, a historian and professor of Religious Studies, to play Pax Pamir: 2nd Edition, a game about geo-political conflict in 19th century Afghanistan. They discuss the politics of colonial archives, war games, and the possibilities for dismantling historical narratives by playing with them.
SMTT sits down with Brandon Pang, a critical care doctor at Boston Medical Center to play Critical Care, a game about practicing medicine in the ICU. They are also joined by Lakshman Swamy, an attending intensivist at BMC, and the game’s designer! Along the way, they discuss the challenges of dealing with COVID-19 in the ICU, evolving philosophies of care, and the deeply collaborative nature of work in the healthcare system.Check out Critical Care here: https://www.criticalcaregame.com/Follow Lakshman on twitter: https://twitter.com/laxswamy
SMTT is joined by archeologist, Bryan Burns, to play the game POTS! Along the way they discuss ceramics, the virtues of friendship, and the iconography of social life in Ancient Greece.
SMTT sits down with space anthropologist, Savannah Mandel, to take up "humanity's greatest project"... Terraforming Mars!
Check out Savannah's projects:
https://www.savannahmandel.com/
More info on Terraforming Mars:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/167791/terraforming-mars
In SMTT's first "Casual Catch-Up", Steve and Jordan discuss which games have caught their attention in the weeks leading up to their annual trip to GenCon!
Steve and Jordan play STRIKE!: The Game of Worker Rebellion with Chris Wike, a labor organizer with the United Steelworkers (USW). In this cooperative game, they attempt to outwit and outlast the tyranny of corporate rule by sustaining the movement, fighting back, and taking care of each other.
Welcome to Subject Matter: Table Top! In this episode, get to know your hosts and learn about why they started this podcast.
Jordan and Steve play Bee Lives with Heather Mattila, a biologist who studies the social behavior of honeybees. Together they race to dominate limited resources within a changing environment to see who will become the true Queen Bee! bzz bzz.