In episode 124 of Game Design Unboxed, we chat with game designer Serena Fadlun about creating games that increase human happiness and how she literally dreamed her career into existence when a vision of her future son inspired her to start designing. Serena shares how she blended her work experience (from translating top-secret movie scripts to a …

Follow us through the surprising evolution of the Know Direction Network’s Essence20 podcast. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check it and other amazing 80s-inspired out at Wordburglar.com. Although the host works for Renegade Game Studios, this podcast and the network that hosts it are…

Jason, John, and Ron talk about the recently announced Starfinder: Afterlight video game and what they hope it includes.. Listen Now! Watch Now!

Seemingly attacked by a stealthy droid, our heroes give chase! Join our Intrepid Heroes as they solve the mystery of the Murder in Metal City! Cast: Jason Keeley – GM Alex Speidel – Patsy Van Dyne Isis Wozniakowska – Voss Seltee Jocelyn Hamilton – Together in Electric Dreams (Dreams) John Godek – Xabi Fraglorious Rue Dickey – Whose Boughs Are Lit W…

Ryan returns as host of a new era of the Know Direction podcast. After talking about what’s been going on with the podcast and what to expect from its future, he speaks with Luis Loza about the latest hardcover for the Lost Omens line, Shining Kingdoms. Listen Now! (mp3)

The stars aligned for this one! Alex and James go cover-to-cover with the new Starfinder 2e Player Core for the 100th episode of Know Direction Beyond! Recorded live on Twitch. Listen Now! (mp3)

In episode 123 of Game Design Unboxed, we chat with game designer Mitch Wallace about how a wide range of hobbies and a YouTube rabbit hole led him into game design. He shares how his curiosity sparked idea after idea, and how the original concept for Art Society evolved through rounds of feedback to find a balance that’s not too much or too little…

Jason, John, and Ron talk about 3 things they really like about the Starfinder 2 GM Core. Listen Now! Watch Now!

A strange message beckons six strangers to Striving, an expansive megaplex city on Aballon, the planet of Machines. There, they gather in a neon-lit cafe, surrounded by androids and robots, to meet an old friend. The bartender brings them refreshments—and a holographic recording from their mutual acquaintance. “Greetings, friends! If you’re watchin…

In episode 122 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication, we talk with owner of MaKa Games and designer of License to Krill, Matthew Kambic, about how a pun inspired his debut game — and how he brought it to life with a custom plushie component. Matthew shares how his engineering background, early love of games, and deep dive into research…

Ryan writes a blog about building elaborate Essence20 characters. Charles needs a new character for a G.I. JOE RPG campaign. Together, they solve crimes. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check it and other amazing 80s-inspired out at Wordburglar.com. Although the host works for Renegade …

Jason, John, and Ron recap their Gen Con Experiences and Ron also shares some big news! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.

Welcome to Season 5 of Intrepid Heroes! Our new band of heroes will be taking on the Starfinder 2 adventure Murder in Metal City! Meet our Season 5 Intrepid Heroes: Jason Keeley, GM Alex Speidel Isis Wozniakowska Jocelyn Hamilton John Godek Rue Dickey Tim Nightengale Listen Now!(mp3)

In episode 121 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication, J. Evan Raitt shares how an infamously frustrating game first sparked his interest in design, which eventually led to a make-your-own-game elective in college and most recently to the creation of Shifting Stones. We talk about the theme being inspired by his fascination with traditi…

Logan Bonner and Jason Keeley take us on a tour of the latest Pathfinder 2e hardcover, Battlecry, and how it leads into the upcoming Pathfinder adventure path, The Hellfire Crisis. Listen Now! (mp3) From the Gen Con 2025 Starfinder Launch Panel, shared with permission.

Jenny Jarzabski, Mike Kimmel, Dustin Knight, Aras Yazgan, and Jessica Catalan (with special appearance by Thurston Hillman) of Paizo’s Starfinder team cracks open the pages of Starfinder 2e for reveals and more. Listen Now! (mp3) From the Gen Con 2025 Starfinder Launch Panel, shared with permission.

Multiple Essence20 Core Rulebooks boldly call Story Points “The Great Equalizer”. Ryan and Charles look at how this isn’t an exaggeration, and point out how this meta narrative control consumable can elevate the stories of your G.I. JOE, My Little Pony, Power Rangers, Transformers, and Welcome To Night Vale campaigns. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Le…

Starfinder designer Dustin Knight joins Alex and James as Starfinder 2e launched into the ether, becoming one with the cosmos. Recorded live on Twitch. Listen Now! (mp3)

Our heroes come face-to0-face with the creature causing all the problems on Absalom Station. Can they earn the victory and escape the ghost levels? Listen Now!(mp3)

Starfinder Creative Manager Jenny Jarzabski join Jason, John, and Ron to talk about all the cool Starfinder 2nd Edition things going on at Gen Con for today’s Starfinder 2 release! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.

In episode 120 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Pete Petrusha of Imagining Games about adapting the Eisner award-winning Image comic series, CHEW, into a Forged in the Dark foodie crime drama TTRPG! They discuss several delicious topics including the concept of meeting needs and answering questions with your game desi…

Ryan and Charles go through the contents and development of the latest Essence20 sourcebook for the G.I. JOE Roleplaying Game: Hawk’s Personnel Files. Anyone who preordered the physical copy from Renegade Game Studios can currently download the PDF. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check…

Jason, John, and Ron are all going to Gen Con next week! They share what they will be busy doing as well as what they look forward to the most! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.

Killer bees! A gross gravid mound! Charity station meltdown! It all comes to a head in the penultimate episode of the season! Listen Now!(mp3)

In episode 119 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Ann Journey about what inspired her to create a game about going back in time to see the dinosaurs, rather than bringing them here to the modern day and age. (Because that never goes well!) They talk about revisiting and combining concepts and mechanics from previous gam…

Carlos (you know, the game dev?) Cabrera, the project manager of Renegade Game Studios’ Welcome To Night Vale RPG joins Ryan to talk about the development of the project, why Essence20 was the right system to bring the cult and occult radio drama to the tabletop, and how the new cross-compatible options can influence other Essence20 settings. Liste…

John and Ron talk about the top Science Fiction/Fantasy properties that they would like to see converted to the Starfinder 2e system. Surprise, there is no overlap between their lists! Also, a much needed update on Ron’s new chickens! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.…

Alex and James talk Starfinder 2e playtest adventures and GMing Starfinder 2e. Listen Now! (mp3)

Our heroes encounter some informative hespers who warn them of the beast that awaits! Listen Now!(mp3)

In episode 118 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Pat Marino, game developer and Director of Hobby Games for The Op about capturing the excitement of the Cuphead video game in a unique tabletop experience that resonated with existing fans and the board game community. They explore what it takes to work with licensed IPs…

Ryan and Charles talk about how the new Transformers Roleplaying Game Transformers ONE Sourcebook can transform your Essence20 game. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check it and other amazing 80s-inspired out at Wordburglar.com. Although the host works for Renegade Game Studios, this po…

Ron is off this week. John and Jason talk about some of the games released for Free RPG day, including Starfinder 2nd Edition’s Battle for Novarush! Listen Now!

Our heroes meet adventurers who were pulled in from the Plane of Wood! Listen Now!(mp3)

Alex and James crack open the first Starfinder 2e hardcover, and the first Starfinder hardcover since Mechageddon, the Starfinder Galaxy Guide. Listen Now! (mp3)

In episode 117 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with game designer Simon Weinberg about his journey from reviewing terrible games to realizing just how tough it is to make good ones. He shares lessons from navigating the publishing world like understanding a company’s catalog before pitching, being patient during the long …

Ryan and Charles talk about the Essence20 panels and announcements at RenegadeCon 2025. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check it and other amazing 80s-inspired out at Wordburglar.com. Although the host works for Renegade Game Studios, this podcast and the network that hosts it are not a…

With just 8 weeks left until the release of Starfinder 2, RPG freelance author John Godek, Paizo Senior Game Designer Jason Keeley, and Dungeon & Dragons Designer Ron Lundeen discuss what Starfinder 1 adventures to play now! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.…

Our heroes head down to Charity Substation to prevent a reactor meltdown and come face-to-face with an transdimensional maw! Listen Now!(mp3)

In episode 116 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with game designer Leonie Grundler about what inspired her nature-themed tableau builder, Biome. They discuss how inspiration can come from the worst places – like being laid off from a tech startup and catching COVID – how binge-playing Wingspan sparked the idea for the game…

Ryan already convinced Charles that the My Little Pony Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook is a great buy for any Essence20 players. Now he explains why MLP CRB Chapter 10: Conflicts is required reading for every Essence20 Game Master. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check it and other amazi…

John, Ron, and Jason talk about all the cool Starfinder 2nd Edition news that was announced at PaizoCon this past weekend! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.

Our heroes crash a “Cultist PTA” meeting and run afoul of a vampiric academic! Listen Now!(mp3)

In episode 115 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with game designer and co-founder of Lost Boy Entertainment, Cameron Ring, covering everything from the value of short form video and social media marketing in the tabletop industry, to the importance of making games you find fun. Danielle and Cameron talk about Lost Boy Ente…

The Essence20 roleplaying system turned 3 years old this year (technically). Ryan tells Charles about the wild early days of how the system came to be. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check it and other amazing 80s-inspired out at Wordburglar.com. Although the host works for Renegade Ga…

John, Ron, and Jason give an overview of Paizo’s latest release for Starfinder 2nd Edition – the Galaxy Guide! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.

The Starfinder 2e drought is over, Alex and James have new content to cover! They share their thoughts on the mechanic and technomancer classes from the Tech Class Playtest. Listen Now! (mp3)

Our heroes safely subdue a grossly mutated Spike and bring the squox and her kits back to their home. Listen Now!(mp3)

In episode 114 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Ace Ellett, half of Bluefish Games – the company he and his wife Anna founded as a result of their love for escape rooms and puzzles. Danielle and Ace talk about what went into the fictional world of Hincksville and the character Bluefish created as a mechanism to drive …

Ryan is joined by new Upshift cohost Charles Cushman in an episode intended to establish his credentials, but quickly turns into two hours of fond memories of and accomplishments within G.I.JOE from the last 25 years. Listen Now! (mp3) Featuring Letter From Snake Eyes part 4, generously provided by Wordburglar. Check it and other amazing 80s-inspir…

John and Jason talk about the new Mechanic and Technomancer classes for Starfinder 2e that were released this week for the Tech Class Playtest! Listen Now!