Fun Problems
Board game design is a deep and often challenging pursuit. We explore all aspects of game design and the fun problems (and solutions) that come with it.
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Episodes
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon dig into a common design problem: games that keep scoring until the end don't give feedback to players. They discuss practical fixes to give players earlier, clearer feedback and make learning faster and games more accessible.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
Friday Sep 12, 2025
Friday Sep 12, 2025
Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon break down action selection systems in games; why constraints and variance make turns interesting and how different systems (worker placement, dice placement, drafting, rondels, time tracks, menus and more) shape player decisions.
The episode gives designers practical examples, trade-offs and tips from many published games, plus a publisher note about avoiding thematic overlap, to help you choose the right action system for your game.
Mathew Dunstan Elegance Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goONo66xVAs
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Peter announces he’s stepping back from board games to explore new creative projects and explains why the podcast will be winding down. Plus a lot more fun than usual to make up for the downer announcement.
Please suggest topics to cover before the show ends!
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
Friday Aug 29, 2025
Friday Aug 29, 2025
Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon dive into emergent strategy, how to seed subtle interactions, and how to telegraph systems to players. They answer listener questions on market saturation, the future of board games, and personal careers in design. The hosts give detailed playtesting advice—solo testing, public and cold playtests, TTS tips, teaching techniques, and how to use playtesters effectively—plus anecdotes and practical rules-of-thumb for aspiring designers.
Music, guest appearances, and candid conversation round out the episode as the hosts share honest industry insight and hands-on tips for creating and testing great games.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.com
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
Friday Aug 22, 2025
Friday Aug 22, 2025
In this episode AJ and Peter dig into core game-design ideas: the difference between strategy and tactics, how scarcity and tough choices make games engaging, best practices for scoring and playtesting, and designing emergent combos that let players discover clever strategies.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.comFacebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
Friday Aug 01, 2025
Friday Aug 01, 2025
The best game design advice on the internet can be found at https://daniel.games/ – we can't recommend it highly enough! This is part 6 of a series where we explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.comFacebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
Friday Jul 18, 2025
Friday Jul 18, 2025
This week, we explore the concept of 'childishly simple' games, and how it applies to creating elegant games that seem effortlessly simple but also offer depth.
Join us as we share personal anecdotes, dissect both successful and challenging game designs, and discuss the art of simplifying mechanics no matter the weight class of the game.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.comFacebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod
Friday Jul 11, 2025
Friday Jul 11, 2025
In this episode of Fun Problems, hosts Peter C. Hayward and guest Tim Armstrong dive deep into the world of game design and publishing. With AJ Brandon absent, Peter brings on Tim, a designer and friend, to explore how their processes differ as they discuss their 10-year journeys in the board game industry.
They unpack strategies for pitching to publishers, the value of sell sheets, and why specific design choices are made. Peter also highlights the challenges of maintaining passion in game design while avoiding burnout.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.comFacebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod
Friday Jul 04, 2025
Friday Jul 04, 2025
Join Peter and AJ as they take you behind the curtain to explore a week in the busy life of board game designers. They share their daily routines, challenges, and the creative processes involved in crafting engaging board games.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.comFacebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod
Saturday Jun 28, 2025
Saturday Jun 28, 2025
AJ Brandon, Alex Cutler, and Peter C. Hayward explore what makes an effective sell sheet, providing feedback on listener-submitted examples. Throughout the discussion, they offer actionable advice on how to improve clarity, visual hierarchy, and focus in order to capture the interest of potential publishers.
Sell Sheets: https://tinyurl.com/43r9h7dz
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: funproblemspodcast@gmail.comFacebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!