Decision Space

https://feed.podbean.com/decisionspace/feed.xml

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Episodes

Decision Space is a board game podcast about the decisions in games.

Episodes

Jun 18, 2025

Root: the Greatest Game of All Time?

Jun 18, 2025

1hr 47 min

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 219 - Root Deep Dive (part 1)

Buckle in for a long one! Pete and Brendan go DEEP on Cole Wehrle's Root. Did Brendan enjoy exploring Pete's favorite game? Is the Vagabond OP? Do the Cats suck? Is this game too hard to learn?

Timestamps

3:20- reviews

12:50- game background

18:14- basic rules overview

22:00- faction overview

34:30- the cards

36:00- battles

38:30- back to the cards

42:00- core decision space

54:00- marquise de cat

1:02:00- eyrie dynasties

1:12:10- woodland alliance

1:21:05- vagabond

1:31:25- table politics

1:36:00- final thoughts

1:43:20- plans for the future

Preplanners

Send up questions for an AMA episode through email or by joining our discord!

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

Rules Overview Music:
Way Home by Tokyo Music Walker https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060 Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/tokyo-music-walker-way... Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/pJThZlOuDtI

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!

Jun 11, 2025

Lifestyle Games (What We Talk About)

Jun 11, 2025

1hr 13 min

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 218 - Lifestyle Games

What we talk about when we talk about lifestyle games. Are they worth sinking all your time and money into? Let's discuss!

Timestamps

4:15 what is a lifestyle game?

30:00 what do we like about lifestyle games?

37:00 what do we dislike about lifestyle games?

52:00 can board games be lifestyle games?

1:02:00 designing lifestyle games today

1:08:00 do you miss having a lifestyle game?

Preplanners

Send up questions for an AMA episode through email or by joining our discord!

Next week is the first of at least two episodes deep diving Pete's favorite game of all time: Root!

Music and Sound Credits

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

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!

Jun 4, 2025

The Wow Factor of Games

Jun 4, 2025

1hr 4 min

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 217 - The Wow Factor

What makes you stop and say "wow" when playing a game? Listen to Jake workshop his newly patented "Six Kinds of Wow"!

Special guest Bill Collins!

Game Timestamps

3:00 Vivo

4:10 Anachrony

6:30 Cat in the Box

10:00 Yahtzee

10:30 Just One

11:20 Cryptid

12:00 Arcs

16:40 Jenga

18:30 Calico

19:00 Tichu

23:30 The Resistance

24:30 Princes of Florence

25:00 The Thing

26:00 Hearts

27:00 Dune Imperium / Dune Imperium Uprising

30:00 High Society

30:30 Tikal

31:00 Eclipse Second Dawn for the Galaxy

32:00 A Game of Thrones the Board Game

32:45 Food Chain Magnate

35:00 Magic the Gathering

36:30 Lords of Waterdeep

38:40 Innovation

39:00 Root

39:20 Scythe

40:40 Imperium the Contention

41:30 Twilight Struggle

44:30 Wavelength / Lacuna / Hot Streak

46:00 Return to the Dark Tower

51:30 Robo Rally

53:30 Cascadia

Preplanners

Game design discussion on balancing for player count hosted by Paul coming up soon?!

Also a double header of episodes about deckbuilding and the long awaited deep dive of Root!

Music and Sound Credits

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

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!

May 28, 2025

Innovation and Games without Guard Rails (Look Mom, No Hands!)

May 28, 2025

56 min

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 216 - Innovation and Games without Guard Rails (Look Mom, No Hands!)

Look mom, no hands! Brendan and Pete are diving into a discussion without guard rails (games) and then review Carl Chudyk's, Innovation.

Timestamps

Show Business - 0:00
Games without Guard Rails - 3:08
Innovation - 20:54

Games Mentioned

lost ruins of arnak, Keyforge, Magic: the Gathering, Tigris & Euphrates, Modern Art, Root, and Innovation

Preplanners

Game design discussion on balancing for player count hosted by Paul coming up soon?! Also, "wow" factor in games!

Music and Sound Credits

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

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!

May 21, 2025

We Played Hot Games at Geekway To the West! (Featuring Laughing Table Friends' Luke Williams and Jared Ingersoll)

May 21, 2025

1hr 6 min

SUPPORT ST. LOUIS TORNADO RELIEF EFFORTS HERE - https://foodcitystl.org/

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 215 - The Laughing Table Friends Played Hot Games at Geekway To the West!

Jake alongside fellow Laughing Table Friends members Luke Williams (first time on the pod!) and Jared Ingersoll (returning guest) talk about the fun we had at Geekway To the West 2025. We break our discussion into three awards: best new to me game, best single play, and best moment. We save some time at the end to talk about a few of the other games of note that we played.

Timestamps

Show Business - 0:00
Geekway Overview - 4:06
Game of the Con - 5:58
Favorite Single Play - 20:53
Best Moment - 37:19
Other Games - 48:29

Games Mentioned

Games mentioned - Downfall of Pompeii, Bomb Busters, The Gang, El Grande, Inis, Santiago, The Resistance: Avalon, Molly House, Spectre Ops, Hot Streak, Black Forest, Soda Jerk, Fishing

Preplanners

Game design discussion on balancing for player count hosted by Paul coming up soon?!

Music and Sound Credits

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

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!

May 14, 2025

Top 10 Games of All Time (5 to 1)

May 14, 2025

1hr 19 min

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 214 - Top 10 Games of All Time of All Hosts in 2025 (5 to 1)

We finish off our top 10 lists, counting down from 5 to 1!

Timestamps

0:00 - Show Business
The Resistance - 3:35
Imhotep - 5:38
Dune Imperium: Uprising - 9:09
Keyflower - 12:30
El Grande - 15:40
Isle of Skye: From Chieftan to King - 22:12
Nokosu Dice - 26:00
6 Nimmt - 29:22
Unlock - 34:20
Babylonia - 38:06
Ra - 43:47
Incan Gold - 46:52
Haggis - 50:32
Broom Service - 52:25
Tikal - 55:10
Priests of Ra - 59:50
Root - 1:02:24
The Resistance - 1:11:22

Preplanners

Next week's episode will finish counting down our four hosts' top 10 games of all time!

Music and Sound Credits

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

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!

May 7, 2025

Top 10 Games of All Time (10 to 6)

May 7, 2025

1hr 24 min

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 213 - Top 10 Games of All Time of All Hosts in 2025

All four hosts are here to share the first half of our top 10 games of all time lists. That is Paul, Pete, Jake, and Brendan counting down games number ten through six of our lists.

Timestamps

0:00 - Show Business
4:05 - Modern Art
6:32 - Imperium deck builder
9:53 - Wonderlands War
13:46 - Civolution
17:05 - My City
21:57 - Age of Innovation
25:49 - Miyabi
28:52 - Broom Service
32:25 - BattleCON
37:56 - Inis
42:48 - Lunar Architects
46:35 - Nokosu Dice
50:58 - Cascadia
53:12 - The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
57:53 - Warsaw: City of Ruins
1:00:47 - Challengers
1:05:23 - Tigris and Euphrates
1:10:15 - The Resistance: Avalon
1:14:45 - Specter Ops
1:17:34 - Magic: the Gathering

Preplanners

Next week's episode will finish counting down our four hosts' top 10 games of all time!

Music and Sound Credits

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

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!

Apr 30, 2025

Cooperation, Communication, and Vantage with Jamey Stegmaier

Apr 30, 2025

1hr 3 min

Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.

Join our active and welcoming Discord community,

Join the crew today! (Decision Space Patreon), or

Leave us a review wherever you find this podcast!

Episode 212 - Cooperation, Communication, and Vantage with Jamey Stegmaier

Jamey Stegmaier, disc golf enthusiast, omni gamer, and president/CEO of Stonemaier Games, drops by the show to talk about communication in cooperative games with Pete and Jake. We also discuss the upcoming vantage, informed by a playtest session of the game.

Referenced Links

Vote for Decision Space for the Golden Geek Award (please) -
Jamey has discussed the impact of U.S. tariff policy several times now on the Stonemaier Games blog (like about how they are suing the president) and on CNN.

Timestamps

Show Business - 0:00
Main Topic - 4:19
Vantage - 45:03

Games Mentioned

Vantage, Codenames, Sleeping Gods, Forbidden Desert, Pandemic, Concordia Venus, Just One, Blob Party, Mechs vs Minions, Gloomhaven, Shadows over Camelot, Time Stories, Hanabi, The Crew, The Mind, Captain Sonar, Guards of Atlantis 2, Decorum, Lord of the Rings: the Trick Taking Game, Smitten, Mysterium Park

Preplanners

Next week's episode will begin counting down our four hosts' top 10 games of all time!

Music and Sound Credits

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

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!