Decision Space

Episode 271- Hand Management

Pete and Brendan dissect one of the most ubiquitous mechanisms in tabletop games: hand management.  What kinds of puzzles can a hand of cards present to players and what makes it so timelessly satisfying?

 

Timestamps

3:00- defining hand management
18:00- why we love hand management
29:00- types of hand management
36:15- trick-taking and ladder climbing
42:45- hand management as a core mechanism
57:30- hand management as a support mechanism

 

Games Mentioned

love letter, dominion, enchanted plumes, concordia, el grande, scout, haggis, fox in the forest, inis, race for the galaxy, arboretum, seer's catalog, hanabi, lost cities, battle line, hanamikoji, fantasy realms, 6nmmt, 7 wonders, twilight struggle, frosted blooms, gloomhaven, modern art, arcs, magic the gathering, keyforge, mind bug

 

 

Preplanners

Look out for the long awaited deep dive of Old King's Crown!

 

Music and Sound Credits

Thank you to Hembree for our intro and outro music from their song Reach Out. You can listen to the full song on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQuuRPfOyMw&list=TLGGFNH7VEDPgwgyNTA4MjAyMQ&t=3s

You can find more information about Hembree at https://www.hembreemusic.com/. 

Thank you to Flash Floods for use of their song Palm of Your Hand as a sting from their album Halfway to Anywhere: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fE6LrqzNDKPYWyS5evh3K?si=CCjdAGmeSnOOEui6aV3_nA

Intermission Music:
music elevator ext part 1/3 by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/467243/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bell with Crows by MKzing -- https://freesound.org/s/474266/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

hammer v2.wav by blukotek -- https://freesound.org/s/337815/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

 

Contact

Follow and reach us on social media on Bluesky @decisionspace.bsky.social.

If you prefer email, then hit us up at decisionspa@gmail.com.

This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com.

Byeee!

Episode 270- Interview with Phil Walker-Harding

Paul sits down for a wonderfully insightful discussion with game designer Phil Walker-Harding.  Last week's tier list episode should have you primed to get into this man's head!  They discuss game inspiration and how to design in ways that can heal game related trauma.

 

Timestamps

1:45- how Phil got into design
10:35- design philosophy
25:30- balancing games
36:30- what Phil likes to play
45:00- inspiration from games
54:15- design process
1:06:00- negative experiences games
1:19:30- what's Phil working on?

 

 

Preplanners

A classic 'what we talk about' on hand management is up next!

 

Music and Sound Credits

Thank you to Hembree for our intro and outro music from their song Reach Out. You can listen to the full song on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQuuRPfOyMw&list=TLGGFNH7VEDPgwgyNTA4MjAyMQ&t=3s

You can find more information about Hembree at https://www.hembreemusic.com/. 

Thank you to Flash Floods for use of their song Palm of Your Hand as a sting from their album Halfway to Anywhere: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fE6LrqzNDKPYWyS5evh3K?si=CCjdAGmeSnOOEui6aV3_nA

Intermission Music:
music elevator ext part 1/3 by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/467243/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bell with Crows by MKzing -- https://freesound.org/s/474266/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

hammer v2.wav by blukotek -- https://freesound.org/s/337815/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

 

Contact

Follow and reach us on social media on Bluesky @decisionspace.bsky.social.

If you prefer email, then hit us up at decisionspa@gmail.com.

This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com.

Byeee!

Episode 269- Phil Walker Harding Tier List

Paul gets to rate every game in the prolific catalogue of his favorite designer: Phil Walker Harding.  He's joined by Brendan and the Dice Tower's Chris Yi for this monumental task.  

 

Timestamps

8:30- Archaeology the New Expedition
12:00- Dungeon Raiders
15:15- Pack of Heroes
19:00- Sushi Go / Sushi Go Party
28:45- Sushi Roll
34:15- Cacao
41:00- Imhotep / Imhotep the Duel
49:15- Barenpark
54:15- Gizmos
58:15- Gingerbread House
1:00:00- Llamaland
1:02:30- Silver and Gold
1:04:30- Explorers
1:06:00- Tetris
1:08:15- Monolyth
1:11:30- Scribbly Gum
1:12:15- Super Mega Lucky Box
1:14:00- Snakesss
1:15:30- Don't Fall For It
1:17:30- Planted
1:19:15- Pass the Party Food
1:20:15- Dungeons and Dragons Edge of the Realms
1:21:15- My Shelfie
1:23:15- Tanis
1:24:30- Yummy World: Party and Picnic Palace
1:25:45- Busy Beaks
1:27:30- All In Predictions
1:31:15- Tropicalia
1:33:45- Museum Suspects
1:36:15- Cities / Cities USA
1:41:15- Neoville
1:43:00- Cloud City
1:45:45- Misfit Heroes
1:47:30- Spellbook
1:50:00- Adventure Games: The Volcanic Island
1:53:00- Summer Camp
1:55:30- Wombat Poo
1:57:30- Wrath of Fire Mountain
1:59:30- Oh No, Volcano!

 

 

Preplanners

Soon we will do a tournament of the best games of the early 2010's!

 

Music and Sound Credits

Thank you to Hembree for our intro and outro music from their song Reach Out. You can listen to the full song on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQuuRPfOyMw&list=TLGGFNH7VEDPgwgyNTA4MjAyMQ&t=3s

You can find more information about Hembree at https://www.hembreemusic.com/. 

Thank you to Flash Floods for use of their song Palm of Your Hand as a sting from their album Halfway to Anywhere: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fE6LrqzNDKPYWyS5evh3K?si=CCjdAGmeSnOOEui6aV3_nA

Intermission Music:
music elevator ext part 1/3 by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/467243/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bell with Crows by MKzing -- https://freesound.org/s/474266/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

hammer v2.wav by blukotek -- https://freesound.org/s/337815/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

 

Contact

Follow and reach us on social media on Bluesky @decisionspace.bsky.social.

If you prefer email, then hit us up at decisionspa@gmail.com.

This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com.

Byeee!

Episode 268- Geekway Convention Plays 2026

Jake and Pete recap the best weekend of the year: Geekway to the West!  They discuss their favorite new plays, old favorites, and also give first impressions of some hot new titles.  

 

Timestamps

17:00- Feya's Swamp
21:50- Dark Pact
28:10- Market Fresh
34:40- I'm the Boss
38:45- Auf Teufel Komm Raus
43:00- Lowenherz
51:30- John Company Second Edition
59:00- Broom Service
1:03:30- Oath
1:09:30- Tikal
1:15:30- TRICKTAKERs, Skull Queen, Daytime Minutes
1:18:00- Indonesia
1:19:30- Guards of Atlantis II, El Grande, Big Shot
1:22:00- L'Oaf

 

 

Preplanners

We've got a tier list episode in the works!

 

Music and Sound Credits

Thank you to Hembree for our intro and outro music from their song Reach Out. You can listen to the full song on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQuuRPfOyMw&list=TLGGFNH7VEDPgwgyNTA4MjAyMQ&t=3s

You can find more information about Hembree at https://www.hembreemusic.com/. 

Thank you to Flash Floods for use of their song Palm of Your Hand as a sting from their album Halfway to Anywhere: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fE6LrqzNDKPYWyS5evh3K?si=CCjdAGmeSnOOEui6aV3_nA

Intermission Music:
music elevator ext part 1/3 by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/467243/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bell with Crows by MKzing -- https://freesound.org/s/474266/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

hammer v2.wav by blukotek -- https://freesound.org/s/337815/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

 

Contact

Follow and reach us on social media on Bluesky @decisionspace.bsky.social.

If you prefer email, then hit us up at decisionspa@gmail.com.

This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com.

Byeee!

Episode 267- Shared Infrastructure Games and Bus

Time to deep dive the new hotness... from 1999.  In this episode we do a deep dive on Splotter's first major hit Bus and discuss other shared infrastructure games.  Why are we drawn to these crowded, brutal logistics puzzles?

 

Timestamps

 

3:00- shared infrastructure games
32:00- Bus deep dive

 

Other Games Mentioned

Barrage, Brass Birmingham, Medina, Keyflower, Food Chain Magnate

 

Preplanners

Geekway to the West 2026 recap is coming soon!  Also, Paul is going to take us through a tier list of his favorite designer: Phil Walker Harding!

 

Music and Sound Credits

Thank you to Hembree for our intro and outro music from their song Reach Out. You can listen to the full song on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQuuRPfOyMw&list=TLGGFNH7VEDPgwgyNTA4MjAyMQ&t=3s

You can find more information about Hembree at https://www.hembreemusic.com/. 

Thank you to Flash Floods for use of their song Palm of Your Hand as a sting from their album Halfway to Anywhere: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fE6LrqzNDKPYWyS5evh3K?si=CCjdAGmeSnOOEui6aV3_nA

Intermission Music:
music elevator ext part 1/3 by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/467243/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bell with Crows by MKzing -- https://freesound.org/s/474266/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

hammer v2.wav by blukotek -- https://freesound.org/s/337815/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

 

Contact

Follow and reach us on social media on Bluesky @decisionspace.bsky.social.

If you prefer email, then hit us up at decisionspa@gmail.com.

This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com.

Byeee!