Rob Daviau

#243 Rob Daviau Minimizes Ongoing Negative Effects

Design Axioms

Series


Rob Daviau returns to the show to talk with Dirk and David about his design axiom: minimize ongoing negative effects for players to remember. They discuss why party games and heavier games might get away with these ongoing negative effects while other games get bogged down by them. Rob mostly uses his own work as examples, discussing Mountains of Madness, Betrayal Legacy, and Seafall.

Episode Outline

01:09 Understanding what Rob means when he says ongoing negative effects

06:55 When and how Rob developed this insight

09:44 The “reverse bell curve” of game genres that get away with ignoring this axiom

14:07 Discussing older games that have tricky mechanics to remember

24:30 How games can mitigate the effects of breaking this axiom, or even benefit from it

30:26 Some examples and stories from some of Rob’s own games about breaking this axiom

39:16 Discussion on legacy games, including Seafall, Betrayal Legacy, and Pandemic Legacy

53:21 Advice on designing board games at this point in time

In this Episode

Rob Daviau - @robdaviau, robdaviau.com
David V. Heron - @davidvheron
Dirk Knemeyer - @DKnemeyer

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