Overview
1243 Episodes
In this podcast, I talk about times we decided to reuse mechanics and times we chose to tweak mechanics into something new.
Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025
Inspired by this year's "Nuts & Bolts" column, I walk through how mechanics are created.
Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025
In this episode, I walk through the history of Magic and talk about how communicating with players has changed over the years.
Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025
This podcast is part three of three on my series about the 20 worst mechanics of all time, based on my talk at last year's MagicCon: Las Vegas.
Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025
This podcast is part two of three on my series about the 20 worst mechanics of all time, based on my talk at last year's MagicCon: Las Vegas.
Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025
This podcast is part one of three on my series about the 20 worst mechanics of all time, based on my talk at last year's MagicCon: Las Vegas.
Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025
This is part two of a two-part series on the aesthetic profiles. This time, I talk about Mel, the player who aesthetically appreciates mechanics.
Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025
When Richard Garfield first made Magic, he liked to say it was "a game bigger than the box." In this episode, I walk through what exactly that phrase means and the challenges of making a game that accomplishes this.
Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025
When Richard Garfield first made Magic, he liked to say it was "a game bigger than the box." In this episode, I walk through what exactly that phrase means and the challenges of making a game that accomplishes this.
Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025
In this podcast, I talk about the team that figures out what in-Multiverse Magic sets we'll be doing in the future.
Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025
This podcast is part one of a two-part series on the aesthetic profiles. Up first, I talk all about Vorthos, the player who aesthetically appreciates flavor.
Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025
This podcast is part three of a three-part series walking through the three psychographics. Today, I explore the psychological analysis of Spike.
Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025
In this podcast, I sit down with the creative lead for Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Lauren Bond, to talk about the worldbuilding and creative execution of the set.
Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025
This podcast is part two of a three-part series walking through the three psychographics. Today, I explore the psychological analysis of Johnny and Jenny.
Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025
In this podcast, I sit down with Tarkir: Dragonstorm Set Design Lead Adam Prosak to talk about the set's design.
Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025
This episode is part one of a three-part series walking through the three psychographics. I start today with exploring the psychological analysis of Timmy and Tammy.
Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025
In this episode, I walk through the vision design for Tarkir: Dragonstorm and talk about the evolution of the Dragon subtype and clan mechanics.
Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025
Many years ago, I would drive my eldest daughter to school, and occasionally, we did a segment called "Replies with Rachel" where the two of us would answer questions. I then did another segment with my youngest daughter Sarah called "Small Talk with Sarah" when I drove her to camp. Today, for the first time, I have both my daughters and all three of us answer your questions. I will note the audio quality for this podcast isn't my best, but I hope the content makes up for it.
Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025
Magic's very first set had a card type that no longer exists called interrupts. In this episode, I walk through all the cards of this card type in Limited Edition (Alpha).
Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025
In this episode, I explain the value of themes by going through the various teams that work on a Magic set.
Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2025
In this episode, I explain the numerous ways designers give feedback to each other by going through the entire exploratory design and vision design process.
Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2025
This is part three of a three-part series going over a talk I gave at MagicCon: Chicago 2025.
Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025
This is part two of a three-part series going over a talk I gave at MagicCon: Chicago 2025.
Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025
This is part one of a three-part series going over a talk I gave at MagicCon: Chicago 2025.
Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025
In this episode, I talk about my recent trip to MagicCon: Chicago.
Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025
This episode looks back at the design of Weatherlight, the third set in the Mirage block.
Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025
This episode looks back at the design of Visions, the second set in the Mirage block.
Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025
One of the truisms of game design: make sure your players enjoy losing your game. How do we do that? This podcast walks listeners through six key lessons.
Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025
Every year, my eldest daughter, Rachel, and I go to a convention dedicated to Broadway called BroadwayCon. It's interesting going to a convention from the perspective of a fan. In this episode, I talk about this year's trip, the things I learned, and apply my learnings to Magic design.
Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025
I do a lot of interviews. A question I often get is, "Why is Magic so good?" I have a lot of answers to that question, enough for a 30-minute podcast.
Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025
In this podcast, I sit down with Yoni Skolnik, the lead set designer for Aetherdrift, to talk about the design after it was handed off for set design.
Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025
I talk about the history of drawback mechanics, what they are, how we design them, and how they've changed over the years.
Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025
I recorded this podcast two years ago when I handed off the Aetherdrift vision design to the Set Design team. Hear my thoughts on Magic's latest set as it came fresh out of design.
Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025
In this podcast, I walk through the various reasons why we reprint cards at a different rarity.
Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2025
In this podcast, I talk about the history of the protection mechanic, starting from Limited Edition (Alpha) to present day.
Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2025
In this podcast, I walk through Magic's history to talk about how the use of creature types has changed over time.
Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025
This is another in my "Lessons Learned" podcasts where I talk about sets I led or co-led the design for. I walk through the various lessons I learned in leading the design of the set. This episode is about The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.
Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025
Almost every randomized booster product is designed to be drafted. To do that we have to build around what we call draft archetypes. In this podcast, I talk all about them.
Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025
In this podcast, I sit down with JC Tao, the lead designer of Innistrad Remastered, to talk about the making of the set.
Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025
In this podcast, I talk all about the design of Apocalypse, another set from the Invasion block.
Transcribed - Published: 3 January 2025
In this podcast, I talk all about the design of Planeshift, a set from the Invasion block.
Transcribed - Published: 3 January 2025
I gained a love of games from my father and a love of psychology from my mother. This podcast talks about how my interest in psychology has impacted me as a Magic designer.
Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2024
Part of writing a weekly Magic column involves writing card preview articles for new sets. In this podcast, I talk all about what goes into writing them.
Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2024
This is part two of my two-part series where I talk about the history of two-in-one cards.
Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024
This last fall, I wrote a two-part article about what I call "two-in-one cards," or "two-in-ones" for short. These are designs where more than one spell is represented on a single card. My dividing line is that each spell has its own name. There are a bunch of different ways we've made two-in-ones. This podcast talks all about their history. This is part one of two.
Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024
Variance is an important aspect of Magic design (and game design in general). In this podcast, I explain what it is and how we use it.
Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2024
There are two ways to begin a design: from the top down, where you start with flavor, and from the bottom up, where you start with mechanics. In this podcast, I talk about how these two design processes have evolved over time.
Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2024
My favorite metaphor for Magic design is that it's like running a buffet. I talk about where this metaphor came from and why I feel it's so accurate.
Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024
This is another history podcast where I explore how an element of Magic came to be and evolved over time. This time, I look into the history of drafting.
Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024
In this podcast, I talk about how to use brainstorming to come up with ideas.
Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2024
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