Decision Space

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 games32:00- 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 [email protected]. This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com. Byeee!

Episode 266- Storytelling with Cole Wehrle Big day here for Pete.  In this episode he chats one on one with Cole Wehrle from Buried Giant Studios.  They talk a lot about player agency, emergent storytelling, and what it's like the make and play long, heavy games.     Timestamps 1:00- how Cole thinks about making games18:45- storytelling in games40:00- long heavy games49:30- agency and fairness59:20- fun1:04:30- learning rules1:14:00- designing historical games   Games Mentioned Oath, Root, Arcs, John Company   Preplanners Next week we are doing a deep dive on Bus!   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 [email protected]. This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com. Byeee!

Episode 265- Euro Games "Euro" has been used as a descriptor for decades and it is inarguable that its meaning has changed over time.  On this episode, the hosts try to hash out what the word means today and how that differs from the "old school" design philosophy.  Also, the episode ends with an unhinged exploration of what games in the BGG top 100 could conceivably be classified as Euros.   (also just a warning, Pete's dog wouldn't shut up during the recording of this)   Timestamps 3:00- defining Euros12:45- modern vs old school55:00- categorizing the BGG top 100   Preplanners Next week we are doing a deep dive on Bus!   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 [email protected]. This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com. Byeee!

Episode 264- Top 10 Games of All Time (2026) Part 2 It's the fiiiiiiinal countdown! We gush over how much we love the games that made our top 5 favorite games!  Some things have changed this year!  There are brand new releases on this list!  However, did the new hotness dethrone our old favorites? Timestamps 3:30- Medina8:15- Big Top11:00- Indonesia16:00- Broom Service19:15- Isle of Skye21:15- Unlock26:15- Lord of the Rings Trick-Taking Games31:30- Babylonia34:30- Santiago39:15- Cozy Stickerville44:55- Old King's Crown49:15- Root52:45- El Grande57:15- The Castles of Mad King Ludwig1:02:45- Nokosu Dice1:09:30- Tag Team1:14:15- Tikal1:19:30- Ra / Priests of Ra1:24:10- Root1:27:30- The Resistance   Preplanners Next week we discuss what the term "Euro game" means today!   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 [email protected]. This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com. Byeee!

Episode 263- Top 10 Games of All Time (2026) Part 1 It's time for the annual countdown of our favorite games!  In this episode we count down numbers 10-6.  What has fallen from the ranks since last year?  What are we hot on right now?  Listen and find out! Timestamps 8:55- Fives12:15- Lunarchitects16:00- Pax Renaissance20:00- Chicago Express23:30- Bus26:30- Incan Gold30:10- Modern Art35:10- Fox in the Forest38:20- Renature42:20- Skyrise46:50- Dune Imperium Uprising51:20- El Grande53:30- Lost Cities58:20- Fromage / Formaggio1:01:50- Ito1:05:40- My City1:09:00- Nokosu Dice1:13:00- Heat1:16:20- Arcs1:21:30- Keyflower   Preplanners Top 5 of all time is next week!   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 [email protected]. This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com. Byeee!