The Great Game: Recent Episodes
Patrick Doyle
Jack and Patrick talk about Megagames in the Australian environment - how it all started, how we do things down under, and how our players and designers find the world of megagaming.
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy.
Diving into some listener requested subjects, we regrouped with Paddy (of Running Hot fame - see episode 13 back in 2020) to talk about the art of running the same megagame over and over and over...
EPISODE LINKS:- Paddy is from Pennine Megagames- You can read more about Running Hot here
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
The Great Game enters a new continent as we meet with Javier, Uruguay Megagames, to hear how things are done down south.
From translating entire games to Spanish, to running one megagame a month (...!), we learned just much enthusiasm and momentum the team in Uruguay have!
Episode links:
- Learn more about Uruguay Megagames online, on Facebook and over at Instagram
- Join our communty and get in touch
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- Connect with the Brisbane Megagames community on Facebook and Discord.
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
We tackle Infinite Horizons, bushwalks and how Disney Land keeps you entertained... with Dave from Sydney Megagamers!
Episode links:
- Brisbane Megagames are back, check the out
- Check out the free rulebook to Infinite Horizons at the Megagame Assembly or reach Zane on our Discord (below)
- Join our communty and get in touch
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- Connect with the Brisbane Megagames community on Facebook and Discord.
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
We got into the weeds of tone and theme for megagames - what's good, what's bad, what role does tone/theme play in the success and 'fun' of a game.
To help navigate, we welcomed back recurring guests Nellie (Melbourne Megagames) and Chris (Very Large Huge Games).
Episode links:
- Adelaide Megagames
- Melbourne Megagames
- Join our communty and get in touch
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- Connect with the Brisbane Megagames community on Facebook and Discord.
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
We finally sat down to chat with John Mizon, SW Megagames, about the infamous, iconic and world-renowened megagame of sci-fi politics and paranoia - Den of Wolves. Listen along if you'd like to hear about the game, how it came to be, and why it's so damned popular (well, I mean, we tried to answer that question)
Episode Links:
- John is over running South West Megagames
- Buy Den of Wolves here
- Connect with, contact and follow us here
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
We were joined by Nellie (Melbourne) and Justin (Adelaide) to talk about how we got our start and how we got our different megagame communities to where they are today.
In what ended up being a disjointed wander down memory lane, we ended up with more of a 'slice of life' than a 'megagame communities 101' and covered lots of ground - getting started, the terror of venues, burnout and community building.
Epis
- Connect with Justin over at Adelaide Megagames
- Connect with Nellie and the team at Melbourne Megagames
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord, or send us an email
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- Connect with the Brisbane Megagames community on Facebook and Discord.
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The lads take a break from international (and domestic) VIP guests to spend some time on their entirely underqualified analysis of crunch in megagames. Ever got tired of the word 'crunch'? No? Well, you will today! Bonus: hear the lads rag on those damn Brits!
Got a guest you want to hear from? A subject or game you need covered? Want to call us out on some of our nonsense? Why not send us an email!?
EPISODE LINKS:
- Check out Jack's game here
- Grab a ticket (if you're fast!) for First Contact in Melbourne later in 2024
- Check out the Megagame Assembly calendar of 2024 events
- Read Tony's missive on play-believe and megagamer roles
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
Cosmic horror and good game design! We spoke to Johan from Gothenberg megagames about Event Horizon.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Connect with Johan at Gothenberg Megagames
- Get a copy of the Event Horizon megagame for your local group (publishing this weekend, 23/24 March 2024!)
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
A long awaited (and re-recorded) conversation with Ciaran from True North, talking about The Generalissimo is Dead - the megagame that inspired The Death of Stalin (or maybe the other way around?)
EPISODE LINKS:
- Connect with Ciaran and see more of his work
- Purchase The Generalissimo is Dead game pack
- Connect with True North Megagames
- Check out Jack's game here and, if you're in Brisbane in March 2024, check out the live launch
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
Tony (Dukes of Highland) schools the megagame community in megagame administration...!
We were lucky to welcome back Tony and Zane to chat about their experiences publishing megagames and getting their ideas out into the community. An insightful conversation with lots of good-practice nuggets on how to organise yourself and your megagame materials when looking at publication.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Learn more about Zane and VLHG at Very Large Huge Games
- Follow all Tony's megagame shenanigans over at Dukes of Highland
- Check out an example of Tony's megagame package rubrik at the bottom of this Gods of the Ancient World page
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
We spoke with Justin (Adelaide Megagames, alumni of Sydney Megagamers) and Tristan (Melbourne Megagames) about their revised run of So Say We All at the end of 2023.
The conversation goes into the game itself, the collaboration process of redesigning some elements, and the experience of megagame designer-turned-player.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Connect with Justin over at Adelaide Megagames
- Connect with Tristan and the team at Melbourne Megagames
- Shout-out to the Megagame Assembly's episode on Fae's Anatomy
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- Connect with the Brisbane Megagames community on Facebook and Discord.
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
An a special double-episode, we sit down with Rob Grayston from East Midlands Megagames to talk about the 2023 International Megagame Survey.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Read the full report on the International Megagame Survey over at the Megagame Assembly website - Part 1, with Part 2 on the way shortly.
- Learn more about Rob and East Midlands Megagames
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- Connect with the Brisbane Megagames community on Facebook and Discord.
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
To kick off 2024 (although this definitely could have been recorded in 2023...) we got to chatting with the newly formed Adelaide Megagames.
Kaity, Justin and Monte walk us through the origins of this new group and how they came to run Watch the Skies as their third game at the end of 2023.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Learn more about, and connect with, Adelaide Megagames
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
Tea and biscuits at the end of the world. Quaint.
Pat had a chat with Zane and Chris from Very Large Huge Games about their Aftermath event, which saw over 150 players in London simulate the post-collapse world of the UK.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Find out more about Very Large Huge Games
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
In the ancient world, amongst gods and armies, even the humblest can make a name for themselves. Just watch out for that Spartan Hole!
Jack and Pat discuss Gods of the Ancient world with megagame designer Tony, from the Dukes of Highland megagame society. We delve into Tony's origins in megagaming, how Gods of the Ancient World came to be, and launch off on numerous tangents about design and player inventiveness.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Find out more about the Dukes of Highland
- Buy Gods of the Ancient World
- Check out the Gods of the Ancient World trailer
- Connect Adelaide and Melbourne Megagames
- Check out Jack's game, The Thief, The Witch, The Toad and the Mushroom
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
Blood, lies and regicide - does it get any more megagamey?
Pat speaks with Jack about God Emperor's origin, design process and legacy.
This episode is relatively spoiler-free and delves into the design of God Emperor and how its different mechanisms work.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Listen to Jack speak about God Emperor with the Megagame Assembly
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord (and get tickets to God Emperor on their website!)
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
Grab a cup of tea, ready your seventeen rulebooks, and secure your fishing rights - we've got a special treat this episode.
Pat and Jack sat down with Tom, Chris and Zane from Very Large Huge Games to talk about First Contact and learn just how easy it was to run their 200 player megagame of politics, aliens and biscuit distribution.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Get your ticket to First Contact: 2035 at Very Large Huge Games
- Listen to the gang talk about First Contact on the Megagame Assembly Pod
- Listen to Zane talk about Megagames on the Megagame Assembly Pod
- Check out everything Melbourne Megagames online
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook and Discord
- Connect with Sydney Megagamers on Discord
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
A little late to publication again, Patrick and Jack sit down to sort out the biggest problem facing the Megagame community since last turn madness - player death. We delve into the reasons for death in games, the different ways it is sometime portrayed, and ultimately solve EXACTLY how death should work in games to come.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Check out everything Megacon at https://megacon.org.uk/
- Check out everything Melbourne Megagames online
- God Emperor in Sydney!
- Roleplaying, Negotiation, Death and Nukes - a blog by Jim Wallman
- Everybody Dies by BeckyBecky
- Assassinations in Megagames
- Barracks Emperor the Megagame
- A Good Death - death in LARPs
- Find us at The Great Game on Facebook
- The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
- The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
A slightly late episode recorded late 2022 with Leon (Melbourne Megagames) and Jef. The team speaks about Crisis in Elysium - run by Melbourne Megagames in November 2022 - and debriefs on the design, the day, and the vibe of getting back to in-person games again.
EPISODE LINKS:
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Check out everything Melbourne Megagames online
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Find us at The Great Game on Facebook
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The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
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The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
A lost episode of the Great Game, recorded in May 2021 and dusted off 18 months later for your listening pleasure.
Patrick and Jack sat down Nellie, Tristan and Theo from Melbourne Megagames to talk about It Belongs in a Museum, the first megagame run in Australia (and perhaps the world!) since the start of the COVID era, and a rollicking adventure story of treasure hunters and greedy museums.
EPISODE LINKS:
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Check out everything Melbourne Megagames do on their Facebook
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Sign up for Crisis in Elysium, being held in Melbourne on 12 November 2022
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The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
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The Great Game Theme:Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
Patrick and Jack (Click and Clack?) sat down with Trenton Greyoak for a long overdue look at Deephaven - a megagame legally distinct to Dwarf Fortress! The conversation took us to a lot of nitty gritty about this story-driven, roleplay-heavy game - from maps to random tables to wooden block towers (entirely not Jenga).
This is our last formal episode for this crazy 2020 seasion of The Great Game. We're hopeful to return in 2021 with more megagame goodness.
EPISODE LINKS:
- Trenton can be found at the Megagame Coalition (and on their discord)
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Our third and final conversation from OMG Con, we spoke with Patrick Rose and Glenn about their experiences (as designer and player, respectively) of the online version of Running Hot. At the time of publishing this episode, Running Hot has been run twice - it's a politico-corporation adventure game of the pre-cyberpunk future.
EPISODE LINKS:
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Climate Crisis on 1 November
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Red Planet Rising, coming in December
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The Megagame Makers 2021 schedule
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Paddy is from Pennine Megagames
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Glenn is from Megagame Texas
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You can read more about Running Hot here
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Our second 'studio' recording from OMG-Con 2020, we sat down with Peter Nixon and Becky Ladley to talk about As Thou Commands, a new design from Peter that looks at medieval worldbuilding and politcs. The game was playtested at the con and our conversations delves into it from a designer perspective, to the player experience, and far beyond.
EPISODE LINKS:
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Peter Nixon is from The Megagame Coalition
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Becky can be found at BeckyBecky's blog and Facebook page
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The Megagame Assembly podcast and recent blog on traitor roles
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
The first of three interviews from our coverage of the 2020 Online Megagame Conference (OMG Con), we sat down LIVE with Mark and Merle (from the National Security Decision Making game) and Cody (Megagame Coalition) to discuss the Cuban Missile Crisis!
EPISODE LINKS:
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NSDM on Facebook
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NSDM OMG Con Panel
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NSDM Youtube Channel
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The Megagame Coalition
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
A whopping double-episode for our ten-episode anniversary, we sat down with Zac (returning, Brisbane Megagames), Stefan (Magic Coffeehouse, Megagame Coalition, OWL League creator) and Ed (Reading Megagames) to talk about the epic 2-week megagame that was The OWL League.
The group talks about the design and admin of the game, the different player perspectives, and what a 'legacy' megagame might look like for future seasons of the OWL League.
EPISODE LINKS:
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Patreon page for Project Nexus
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OMG Con 2020
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Megagame Assembly survey on megagames and ticket pricing
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Stefan over at Magic Coffee House
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The OWL League online presence
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The OWL League 2020 opening ceremony video
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Dave Harmon's Black Rock Outpost online mafia game
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Patrick takes to interviewing Jack, Zac (returning to the podcast) and new guest Jason, delving into a post-mortem of the recent playtest of Dark and Stormy Night, our home grown online megagame. The discussion veers around the technical and design obstacles we faced and the team discusses what we've most learned about the online space for megagames.
Episode Links:
GenCon Online (where you can find Den of Wolves, Draft Night, Lucidian Online, talks on the State of Megagames, and so much more!)
Czar of the South - upcoming megagame playtest in Brisbane
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Jack and Patrick are joined by John (KiwiGameDesign and Reading Megagames) to discuss the world of online megagames, the challenges and opportunities ahead, and the design process for John’s new online game – the Anubis Heresy.
Episode Links:
Online Megagames of GenCon 2020 by the Megagame Coaltion
The Art of Not Being Governed (inspiration for Relics of the Fall)
Reading Megagames
Kiwi Game Design
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Jack and Patrick are joined by Stefan (Megagame Coalition and Magic CoffeeHouse) to talk about all-things online megagames. Discussion focussed on the potential of online megagames and delves into Stefan's upcoming online game, OWL League.
Episode Links:
The Megagame Coalition and their Online Megagame Convention
Magic CoffeeHouse
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Patrick turns the table on Jack, interviewing him (and his co-designer, Zac) about the 2019 megagame - We Are Not Alone. The lads discuss the game's design process and the departure from its inspiration, the classic Watch the Skies.
Episode Links:
International Women&NB Megagame Network - Discord
The OWL League - online megagame coming this June
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Jack and Patrick explore the megagame design process from their perspectives and delve into inspiration, organisation and the importance of knowing when and how to bring in collaborators.
Episode Links:
Megagames in the Future - an online symposium by True North Megagames
A Dark and Stormy Night - Second Playtest
The OWL League - online megagame coming this June
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Patrick interviews Justin and James from the Sydney Megagamers about their experience in designing their first megagame, a sci-fi game of political intrigue based on Battlestar Galactica - So Say We All.
Episode Links:
A Dark and Stormy Night - Second Playtest
Megagames in the Future - an online symposium by True North Megagames
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Jack and Patrick talk about their experiences in getting started running games - how to find a game to run, how to put a team together, and how to deal with venue crises. A few tech issues this episode, so some sections needed to be re-recorded.
Episode Links:
Free megagames from the Megagame Assembly and Megagame Makers
Purchase Watch the Skies from Jim Wallman, Stone Paper Scissors
Purchase Den of Wolves from John Mizon, Horizon Megagames
God Emperor, which is FREE until 30 June 2020!
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Jack and Patrick chat with Nellie (Melbourne Megagames) about the inaugural run of Watch the Skies, the challenges and successes of setting up megagames in a new city, the lessons learned along the way, an alien baby fiasco, and the future of Melbourne Megagames.
Episode Links:
Purchase Watch the Skies from Jim Wallman, Stone Paper Scissors
Melbourne Megagames on Facebook
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy
Jack and Patrick talk about Megagames in the Australian environment - how it all started, how we do things down under, and how our players and designers find the world of megagaming.
The Great Game Theme: Balrog Boogie, Diablo Swing Orchestra
The Great Game logo by Jack McNamee using Logo designed by Jack McNamee using Earth Vectors by Vecteezy