Shows / Pick Up and Deliver
Pick Up and Deliver
A brief podcast about hobby board games, recorded by English professor Brendan Riley on brief 15 minute walks around town. Join us for a stroll as we discuss mechanisms, gameplay, theory, and topics of the day.
Find show notes at RattleboxGames.com
Episodes
Pick Up and Deliver090: New Verbs in Game Design
Brendan talks about the idea of building a game around a “verb,” and of how those verbs can be used to expand the possibilities for where a game design can go…
Pick Up and Deliver089: Kickstarter Observations
Brendan shares some observations he’s made of interesting trends and tactics currently at work in some Kickstarter campaigns. Show notes: Dale of Merchants…
Pick Up and Deliver088: Q & A 01
Brendan answers some questions posted in the Pick Up and Deliver guild. Show notes: Pick Up and Deliver guild League of Six Vladimír Suchý Q&A thread on BGG…
Pick Up and Deliver087: Elitism in Board Gaming
Brendan talks about how we treat other gamers and people new to the hobby. What does it mean to be elitist? Show notes: Blue Peg Pink Peg episode #129 Shut Up…
Pick Up and Deliver086: Top of the Stack, September 2018
In this episode, Brendan talks about his game stats for August, including his 10x10 update, "out of the dust list," "shelf of opportunity," Show notes: Top of…
Pick Up and Deliver085: Multiple Discovery
Brendan talks about the phenomenon of multiple discovery or parallel creativity — the fact that multiple people can invent or create similar things at almost…
Pick Up and Deliver084: MftD - Gloomhaven
Brendan reports on a couple game stores he visited in and near Bowling Green, Ohio, then conducts a “message from the deep” episode on Gloomhaven. Show notes…
Pick Up and Deliver083: My Gaming Wishlist, part 2
Brendan discusses the second half of his current gaming wishlist. Show notes: The wishlist for you to review Glass Road Project: Elite League of Six…
Pick Up and Deliver082: My Gaming Wishlist, part 1
Brendan discusses his current top “wants” on his game list. https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/244707/top-want-list
Pick Up and Deliver081: What I've Been Playing, mid August 2018
Brendan talks about what he’s been playing in the first half of August, 2018. Games discussed: Werewords Ninjitsu! Onitama Roll for the Galaxy Race for the…
Pick Up and Deliver080: Hand Management
Brendan talks about the [toggle] gaming all-day game event, then spends some time talking about hand management games. Show notes: [toggle] gaming Android…
Pick Up and Deliver079: The Games Librarian
Brendan talks about his new role as the Games Librarian for [toggle] gaming, his local game group in Palatine, IL. What does it mean to be a games librarian?…
Pick Up and Deliver078: Message from the Deep - Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Brendan shares his thoughts after finishing the first collection from the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective line of mystery games. Sherlock Holmes…
Pick Up and Deliver077: State of the Podcast, August 2018
Brendan discusses the state of the podcast, what’s coming up for Pick Up and Deliver, and considers how things will go with the month ahead. Show notes…
Pick Up and Deliver076: Shootin' from the Hip - Altiplano
Brendan discusses his early impressions of the Renegade Games title from Reiner Stockhausen, Altiplano. Join us to find out how the game plays and what you can…
Pick Up and Deliver075: How Well Do You Know Your Gaming Partners?
Brendan ponders the question of finding the games your gaming partners love the most. How do you predict what other people like to play? Games mentioned…
Pick Up and Deliver074: Back Into Painting
Brendan talks about his history in the boardgame hobby a bit, and how he and his children have started painting miniatures again. Show notes: Warhammer 40,000…
Pick Up and Deliver073: Top of the Stack, July 2018
It’s the beginning of the month, so it’s time for Brendan’s end-of-the-month wrap up. What was played? What was bought? Did he make his Top of the Stack goal?…
Pick Up and Deliver072: Coin Flip on a Knife Edge
Brendan ponders the role of randomness in very closely-contested games.
Pick Up and Deliver071: Unusual Gaming Situations
In this episode, Brendan discusses gaming situations like travel, solo play, and asynchronous that he uses to amplify and expand his board game time. What…
Pick Up and Deliver070: Traveling
Brendan discusses the experience of traveling, playing games, and visiting game stores in the St. John’s area of Newfoundland, Canada. Show notes: Brendan’s…
Pick Up and Deliver069: Designer Spotlight - Richard Garfield
Brendan discusses the five games he own by prominent designer Richard Garfield (best known for Magic: The Gathering). Games mentioned: Magic: The Gathering…
Pick Up and Deliver068: Strange Stories
Brendan talks about board games with weird themes and thinks aloud about a few themes that have potential. Notes: Hamilton song clip, “Guns and Ships” The…
Pick Up and Deliver067: Story and Games
Brendan discusses story-focused games, the role of narrative in board game design, and thinks a bit about the intersection of the two. Notes: Sherlock Holmes…
Pick Up and Deliver066: Shootin' from the Hip - The Prodigal's Club
Brendan gives his first thoughts on The Prodigal’s Club, a new-to-him game he played for the first time recently. What do you do if you’re a young man in…
Pick Up and Deliver065: 4th of July special
On this, the birthday of the United States, Brendan reflects on some relevant themes for the fourth of July and some games that relate to them. Join us! Games…
Pick Up and Deliver064: Top of the Stack - June 2018
Brendan shares the games he’s been playing this month. He updates us on his 10×10, his Top of the Stack, his Shelf of Opportunity, and his Out of the Dust…
Pick Up and Deliver063: Art vs. Audience
Pick Up and Deliver podcast 063: Art vs. Audience Brendan asks what flexibility a game designer should maintain in order to maximize audience fun or exposure…
Pick Up and Deliver062: Component Psychology
Brendan discusses some of our thinking about which components to include in a game and how the components, box size, and ideas about how the production of a…
Pick Up and Deliver061: What Kickstarter is for me as a consumer
Brendan discusses his history as a Kickstarter backer and the games he's enjoyed therein. Games mentioned, etc: Brendan's Kickstarter profile (with a list of…
Pick Up and Deliver060: Shootin' from the Hip: Panamax
Brendan reflects on his recent first play of Panamax in the regular segment, "Shootin' from the Hip." Game mentioned: Panamax Have thoughts about Panamax or…
Pick Up and Deliver059: Kickstarter is for Other Stuff
Brendan wraps up his mini-series on what Kickstarter is for with an episode covering a variety of small things Kickstarter does or about how it works. Games…
Pick Up and Deliver058: Creative Preoccupations
Brendan discusses how some artists return to attractive ideas or techniques over and over, trying to find the edges and contours of those creative elements…
Pick Up and Deliver057: Kickstarter is for pre-orders!
Brendan continues his discussion of Kickstarter, this time exploring the idea that the popular crowdfunding platform is for pre-orders from established…
Pick Up and Deliver056: Top of the Stack, June 2018
Brendan gives the update on his May experience with his Top of the Stack and 10 for 10. Want a spoiler, check out the list here…
Pick Up and Deliver055: Kickstarter is for dreamers!
Brendan starts a series of podcasts about Kickstarter — what it’s for, why we use it, why it works, etc. This time, he explores the original mythology of…
Pick Up and Deliver054: My top 50: 10 - 1
In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games. Games discussed: 10. Last Will 9. A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural…
Pick Up and Deliver053: My top 20-11
In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games. Games discussed: 11. A Feast for Odin 12. Mottainai 13. Trickerion…
Pick Up and Deliver052: My Top 30-21
In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games. Games discussed: 30. Via Nebula 29. Galaxy Trucker 28. Arctic…
Pick Up and Deliver051: My Top 40-31
In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games. Games discussed: 40 – Loop, Inc art by (Kwanchai Moriya) 39 –…
Pick Up and Deliver050: My top 50 - 41
In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games. Want to spoil the whole thing for yourself? Check out the whole…
Pick Up and Deliver049: Opacity and Transparency
Brendan talks about the way that games do, or don't, make it clear to the player what you need to do to win. Games mentioned: Munchkin Star Wars: Rebellion…
Pick Up and Deliver048: Culling your collection
Brendan discusses his process for culling his collection and the reasons one might cut a game out of the collection. Join us for the conversation! Games…
Pick Up and Deliver047: Ethical History in boardgames
Brendan asks whether, and how, a games-maker can tackle difficult historical ages in which terrible things happened. In this case, how can you make a game out…
Pick Up and Deliver046: Shootin' from the Hip - Pulsar 2849
Brendan returns to the “Shootin’ from the Hip'” format to discuss a new game he played, Pulsar 2849. It’s a thinky brain-burner! Tune in to learn more about…
Pick Up and Deliver045: Message from the Deep: Star Wars Rebellion
Brendan introduces a new segment: “Message from the Deep,” a response to a game I’ve played many times focused on aspects or elements of the game I find…
Pick Up and Deliver044: Gamify Your Life
In this episode, Brendan discusses how different aspects of our modern world have been "gamified" and what affect that has on our behavior, how we might…
Pick Up and Deliver043: "Punishing" games
Brendan discusses games that are "punishing," either by setting up mean situations, a tight economy, or a brutal cooperative situation. Join us to discuss the…
Pick Up and Deliver042: The Curious Case of Jakub Rozalski
Brendan dives head first into the current conversation about the paintings of Jakub Rozalski, the artist for Scythe. Does the history of copyright and the…
Pick Up and Deliver041: Top of the Stack May 2018
Brendan discusses his game plays in April, reports on his last top of the stack and reveals the new one, and does a 10 for 10 update. Games! Games! Games!…
Pick Up and Deliver040: Rasslin' with Rules, part 3
Brendan brings to a close his discussion of rules writing and rulebooks, exploring a few different rule types and games that have them. Is your favorite…
Pick Up and Deliver038: Rasslin' with Rules, part 1
Brendan discusses the difficult process of making rulebooks work well and teach well. Part 1 - how to interpret comments about rulebooks.
Pick Up and Deliver039: Rasslin' with Rules, part 2
Brendan continues his discussion of the difficulties of crafting a usable rulebook. In this episode he considers more closely the difference in what hard-core…
Pick Up and Deliver037: Theme and Mechanisms
In this episode, Brendan talks about the way that theme and mechanisms integrate. In particular, he asks how the two go together in weird or unusual games…
Pick Up and Deliver036: Area Control, also Sagrada!
Brendan provides his “hot take” on Sagrada, and then talks a bit about Area Control as a game mechanism.
Pick Up and Deliver035: These are the pods I hear I hear...
Brendan shares a bit about the podcasts he listens to keep himself in the loop in the hobby.
Pick Up and Deliver034: Remix and Creativity OR How to Stay Classy
In this episode, Brendan reflects on the nature of creativity and remix in the boardgame design sphere, and the games Insider and Werewords.
Pick Up and Deliver033: Free-Riders, part 2
Brendan continues his discussion of the idea of free riders and how they appear in games. He ponders the fact that games allow for a different moral or ethical…
Pick Up and Deliver032: Free-Riders, part 1
In this first of two part episodes, Brendan talks about the "free-rider" economic model and the nature of freemium programs, donor programs, and the…
Pick Up and Deliver031: Overproduced?
Brendan discusses games he has that have elaborate components and what effect those components have on the experience of playing them.