Cardboard Philosophy

Episode 015 - What Makes A Game ”Too Long?”

We’ve all been there. Everyone sitting down to dive into a board game, excited at the prospects before us. After 3.5 hours the dreaded sentence is uttered “this game is too long.” But what makes something too long? What makes it too short?
This week on the show, Steven, Evan and Robert aim to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Aquashpere - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/289223/aquasphere
Bullet - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/307305/bullet
Castles of Burgundy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/84876/castles-burgundy
Just One - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one
Kanban: EV - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284378/kanban-ev
Gloomhaven - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174430/gloomhaven
Great Western Trail - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/193738/great-western-trail
Magic: the Gathering - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/463/magic-gathering
My City - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295486/my-city
Mysterium Park - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/301767/mysterium-park
Pipeline - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256730/pipeline
Project Elite - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171726/project-elite
Rapido - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/357/excape
Twilight Imperium 4th Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition
Vinhos - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42052/vinhos
 

Episode 014 - Creating Randomness In Games

From the flip of a card to the roll of a die, there is a lot of randomness in games! But is all randomness created equally? Why do some things feel more random than others? Is one form of random number generation better than another?
This week on the show: Steve, Robert and Evan are getting random and diving deep into all the nitty gritty of what makes generating random numbers tick! And, most importantly, what makes them fun!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Amsterdam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/314582/amsterdam
Arkham Horror: The Card Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/205637/arkham-horror-card-game
Baldur's Gate 3 - https://baldursgate3.game/
Bora Bora - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/127060/bora-bora
Castles of Burgundy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/84876/castles-burgundy
Catan: Event Cards - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/20038/catan-event-cards/images
Dice Realms - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/288080/dice-realms
Dungeons & Dragons (5th edition) - https://rpggeek.com/rpg/17181/dungeons-dragons-5th-edition
Gloomhaven - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174430/gloomhaven
Lone Wolf - https://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/4192/lone-wolf
Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251661/oathsworn-deepwood
Orongo - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/165556/orongo
Quacks of Quedlinburg - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244521/quacks-quedlinburg
Ra - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12/ra-
Rapido - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/357/excape
Roll for the Galaxy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/132531/roll-galaxy
The Game of Life - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2921/game-of-life
Thunder Road: Vendetta - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/342070/thunder-road-vendetta
Wavelength - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/262543/wavelength
Xia: Legends of a Drift System - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/82222/xia-legends-drift-system

Episode 013 - Boxed In

At some point in all of our lives here at Cardboard Philosophy - we’ve been called squares. So today, we lean into it by talking about the squarest part of our hobby – box sizes!
What is the perfect box size? Why so much empty space and are boxes really the optimal way to store games? All of that and so much more on this week’s show!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Avocado Smash - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/261831/avocado-smash
Banagrams - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/27225/bananagrams
Bitewing - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/48453/bitewing-games
Brass: Lancashire - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/28720/brass-lancashire
Buttonshy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/26991/button-shy
Chicken! - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/371535/chicken
Concordia - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/124361/concordia
Eagle-Gryphon Games - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/597/eagle-gryphon-games
Foundations of Rome - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284189/foundations-rome
Gussy Gorillas - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/335864/gussy-gorillas
Hot Lead - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/339924/hot-lead
Jordan Draper - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/89147/jordan-draper
Kallax - https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/kallax-series-27534/
Kanban - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/109276/kanban-drivers-edition
Pax Pamir: Second Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256960/pax-pamir-second-edition
Pumafiosi - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338364/pumafiosi
Rapido - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/357/excape
Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root
Soda Smugglers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338353/soda-smugglers
The Great Zimbabwe - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/111341/great-zimbabwe
Ticket to Ride - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209/ticket-ride
Twilight Imperium: 4th Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition
Tokyo Metro - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/235344/tokyo-metro
Tokyo Tsukiji Market - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/257198/tokyo-tsukiji-market
Zombie Dice - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/62871/zombie-dice
Zoo Vadis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368061/zoo-vadis

Episode 012 - What Makes A Game Heavy?

Game weight has been a discussion in board gaming for as long as Board Game Geek has been on the internet! Today, this topic is usually based on how much the latest Kickstarter box will weigh during shipping, but in yesteryear it was all about that difficulty. Crunch. Brain chew.
This week on the show Steve, Robert and Evan flex their brains to talk about why we like brain flexing in games. We'll cover everything from what makes games heavy to how that impacts the player experience.
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Age of Steam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4098/age-steam
Agricola - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31260/agricola
Barrage - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251247/barrage
Game of Thrones: The Board Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/103343/game-thrones-board-game-second-edition
Go - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/188/go
High Society - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/220/high-society
Imperial Steam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338760/imperial-steam
Kanban - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284378/kanban-ev
Lisboa - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161533/lisboa
Pax Pamir: Second Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256960/pax-pamir-second-edition
On Mars - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/184267/mars
Orango - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/165556/orongo
Rex: Final Days of an Empire - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/104363/rex-final-days-empire
Space Empires 4X - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/84419/space-empires-4x
Spirit Island - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/162886/spirit-island
Trismegistus: The Ultimate Formula - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/281442/trismegistus-ultimate-formula
Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition
Vinhos - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42052/vinhos
Warhammer 40,000 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2162/warhammer-40000-third-edition
Wonderlands War - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/227935/wonderlands-war
Yellow & Yangtze - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244114/yellow-yangtze

Episode 011 - Should We Listen To Reviewers?

This week on the show we review our thoughts on reviewers… or more specifically… should we really care what they say? Or shouldn’t we? Does length of time in the hobby matter? And who are these people anyway?
I don’t know, I just write these episode synopsizes. I leave the philosophizing to Evan, Robert and Steve!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Ankh: Gods of Egypt - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/285967/ankh-gods-egypt
Brass: Birmingham - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/224517/brass-birmingham
Castles of Burgundy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/84876/castles-burgundy
Cards Against Humanity - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50381/cards-against-humanity
Concordia - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/124361/concordia
Cubitos - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/298069/cubitos
Everdell - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199792/everdell
Furnace - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/318084/furnace
Guillotine - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/116/guillotine
High Society - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/220/high-society
Hot Lead - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/339924/hot-lead
Magic: The Gathering - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/463/magic-gathering
Meeples & Monsters - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/336851/meeples-monsters
Medici - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/46/medici
Monikers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/156546/monikers
Orongo - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/165556/orongo
Pipeline - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256730/pipeline
Rex: Final Days of an Empire - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/104363/rex-final-days-empire
Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root
Spirit Island - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/162886/spirit-island
Stephenson’s Rocket - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/204/stephensons-rocket
Wingspan - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan
Yellow & Yangtze - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244114/yellow-yangtze
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Before you Play - https://www.youtube.com/@BeforeYouPlay
Board Gems - https://www.youtube.com/@BoardGems
SpaceBiff - https://spacebiff.com/

Episode 010 - Are House Rules Good? (Feat Austin Harrison from IV Studios!)

House rules are everywhere from the tables of aspiring game designers to the most casual of hobbiests.
But why? Are they a way to give a game more of the player’s personality? To fix broken mechanics? And when does that fun little rules twist change the game enough to become something more than what is printed on the box?
This week Steve, Robert and Evan dive into the topic of house rules with special guest Austin Harrison from IV Studios (Moonrakers, Veiled Fate, Fractured Sky).
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
 
Cites and Sources
 Blood on the Clocktower - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/240980/blood-clocktower
Botswana/Wildlife Safari - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari
Bridge - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2181/bridge
Bristol 1350 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/308989/bristol-1350
Crazy 8s - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/11017/crazy-eights
Euchre - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6901/euchre
Go Fish - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7682/go-fish
Hearts - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6887/hearts
Hollywood 1947 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/370621/hollywood-1947
Game of Thrones Board: The Board Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/103343/game-thrones-board-game-second-edition
Inis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/155821/inis
…I should have known that! https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/277779/i-should-have-known
Just One - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one
Monopoly - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1406/monopoly
Moonrakers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270239/moonrakers
Nick Bentley tweet https://twitter.com/Nick__Bentley/status/1632859582581075968?s=20
Ra - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12/ra
Salem 1692 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/175549/salem-1692
Schotten Totten - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/372/schotten-totten
Space Base - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/242302/space-base
Tortuga 1667 - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/218530/tortuga-1667
Twilight imperium (4th ed) - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition
Uno - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2223/uno
 

Episode 009 - What Is Player Interaction?

Interaction! All games are built on a foundation of interaction… well, most games.
With multiplayer solitaire style games becoming more and more popular, how do you define interaction? At what point does something make the jump from solitaire to interactive? What makes interaction anyway?
Evan, Robert and Steve dive into this and more on this week’s show!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Age of Steam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4098/age-steam
Barrage - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251247/barrage
Brass - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/224517/brass-birmingham or https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/28720/brass-lancashire
Codenames - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/178900/codenames
Decrypto - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/225694/decrypto
Inis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/155821/inis
Just One - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one
Moonrakers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270239/
Mysterium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181304/mysterium
Pictionary - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2281/pictionary
Rising Sun - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/205896/rising-sun
Taj Mahal - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/475/taj-mahal
Terra Mystica - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/120677/terra-mystica
The Great Zimbabwe - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/111341/great-zimbabwe
Through the Desert - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/503/through-desert
Thunder Road: Vendetta - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/342070/thunder-road-vendetta
Twilight Imperium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition
Veiled Fate - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/315695/veiled-fate
Wingspan - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan

Episode 008 - Why Doesn’t EVERYONE Love Board Games?

We LOVE board games!
We love them so much we talk about them and what makes them tick on a weekly basis! But we’ve noticed a weird trend in society which begs the question - why doesn't EVERYONE love board games?
This week on the show Evan, Robert and Steve try to get to the heart of the issue! Is it a lack of minis? Too much beige? Or is there something deeper afoot?! Only one way to find out!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Botswana - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameversion/644366/japanese-edition-2022
Cards Against Humanity - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50381/cards-against-humanity.
Cascadia - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295947/cascadia
Catan - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13/catan
Drawful - https://www.jackboxgames.com/drawful/ or https://www.jackboxgames.com/drawful-two/
Euchre - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6901/euchre
Heat: Pedal to the Metal - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/366013/heat-pedal-metal
High Society - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/220/high-society
Hot Lead - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/339924/hot-lead
Just One - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one
Life - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2921/game-of-life
Monopoly - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1406/monopoly
Moonrakers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270239/moonrakers
Pokemon Trading Card Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2165/pokemon-trading-card-game
Rising Sun - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/205896/rising-sun
Schotten Totten - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/372/schotten-totten
Scrabble - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/320/scrabble
Through the Ages - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/182028/through-ages-new-story-civilization
Through the Desert - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/503/through-desert
Whale Riders - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/305761/whale-riders
Zoo Vadis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368061/zoo-vadis

Episode 007 - Multiple Paths To Victory

You are on a long and winding trail and you come to a fork in the road, but unlike most forks, this one has 36 different tines! All the tines lead to the same place – a cabin filled with modern euro games… which path do you take?
This week on the show Evan, Robert and Steve choose which path to take and get to the nitty gritty of multiple paths to victory! Why do they work? When don’t they work? And the biggest question of all – are they fun? Evan would also like to make it clear that he should have mentioned Carnegie at some point because it’s a good game in his opinion.
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
AquaSphere - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/159508/aquasphere
Backgammon - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2397/backgammon
Bora Bora - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/127060/bora-bora
Castles of Burgundy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/271320/castles-burgundy
Chess - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171/chess
Crokinole - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/521/crokinole
Go - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/188/go
Great Western Trail – https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/341169/great-western-trail-second-edition
Guards of Atlantis II - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/267609/guards-atlantis-ii
Magic: The Gathering - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/463/magic-gathering
Oceans - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/232414/oceans
Pipeline - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256730/pipeline
Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root
Schotten Totten - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/372/schotten-totten
Stroganov - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/323156/stroganov
Terra Mystica - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/120677/terra-mystica
Tigris & Euphrates - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42/tigris-euphrates
Yellow & Yangtze - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244114/yellow-yangtze

Episode 006 - Is There A Right Way To Teach A Game?

Today on the show, the boys celebrate making it to 6 episodes without a single table flipped by digging into the mystery and magic of “the teach!” Or more specifically - what separates a good teach from a bad one?
We’ll find out how they approach teaching and the reason a good teach is good and a bad teach is… well, generally a good way to have a bad time!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up at cardboardphilosophypod@gmail.com!
Cites and Sources
Age of Steam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4098/age-steam
Anachrony - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/185343/anachrony
Botswana/Wildlife Safari - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari
Bus - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/552/bus
Captain Sonar - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171131/captain-sonar
Cat Blues - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/363/cat-blues
Dune: Imperium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/316554/dune-imperium
Heat: Pedal To The Metal - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/366013/heat-pedal-metal
High Society - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/220/high-society
Just One - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one
Mosaic: A Story of Civilization - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/329551/mosaic-story-civilization
Monikers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/156546/monikers
Pax Pamir: Second Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256960/pax-pamir-second-edition
Ra - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12/ra
Rapido/Escape - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/357/excape
Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root
Stephenson’s Rocket - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/204/stephensons-rocket
Through The Desert - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/503/through-desert
Twilight Imperium: Forth Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition
Wavelength - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/262543/wavelength