Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/notes-on-play A game development log where I share the hardest game design problems, and share thoughts on the games I'm playing. My name is John Rudolph Drexler and you can find my games at catacombian.com © 2026 John Drexler 196ed9c7-01ec-5a84-ac71-cbb2b9be6112 yes en Thu, 21 May 2026 14:13:51 -0400 Thu, 21 May 2026 14:14:11 -0400 https://notesonplay.transistor.fm https://img.transistorcdn.com/PJO9QSbBeBiR5QFuHs17wPNXULhEk4cs0kXAJtwJ5KQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zZTNh/MjQxZGJhZThiNTMx/ZTdlZWM0NDA4ZmFi/ODVhZS5wbmc.jpg https://notesonplay.transistor.fm episodic John Drexler A game development log where I share the hardest game design problems, and share thoughts on the games I'm playing. My name is John Rudolph Drexler and you can find my games at catacombian.com A game development log where I share the hardest game design problems, and share thoughts on the games I'm playing. John Drexler No No 28 28 27: The trouble with abundance full d560cf00-390a-49f1-83d7-81ad133d321c https://share.transistor.fm/s/7fb043b6 I want to be generous, not chintzy with the coolest parts of my game. But that does not mean I should be generous with all the parts of my game. Brian Moriarty's talk linked here. 

]]> I want to be generous, not chintzy with the coolest parts of my game. But that does not mean I should be generous with all the parts of my game. Brian Moriarty's talk linked here. 

]]> Thu, 21 May 2026 14:13:41 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 772 I want to be generous, not chintzy with the coolest parts of my game. But that does not mean I should be generous with all the parts of my game. Brian Moriarty's talk linked here. 

]]> No 27 27 26: How board game distribution actually works full 7367e099-b132-40b5-b490-e8a710ce5b14 https://share.transistor.fm/s/9a02931c I learned a lot by calling some people up on the phone. Most notably: physics matters.

]]> I learned a lot by calling some people up on the phone. Most notably: physics matters.

]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 749 I learned a lot by calling some people up on the phone. Most notably: physics matters.

]]> No 26 26 25: I made my dream game, but something was wrong full cf19876c-9b89-45a4-81bb-b2286d5f92f0 https://share.transistor.fm/s/6d07c373 Canticle came to life, and to my exact specifications. But my exact specifications were wrong. Fixing it led to an explosion of great ideas.

]]> Canticle came to life, and to my exact specifications. But my exact specifications were wrong. Fixing it led to an explosion of great ideas.

]]> Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 882 Canticle came to life, and to my exact specifications. But my exact specifications were wrong. Fixing it led to an explosion of great ideas.

]]> No 25 25 24: Where do good ideas come from? full a3759370-a70f-4d59-ae1f-dc7f0aac9446 https://share.transistor.fm/s/9a60a5b5 Mark Brown made a great video about finding great ideas. And it made me wonder: where did my best ideas come from, and how do I set myself up to have more?

]]> Mark Brown made a great video about finding great ideas. And it made me wonder: where did my best ideas come from, and how do I set myself up to have more?

]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:10:29 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 539 Mark Brown made a great video about finding great ideas. And it made me wonder: where did my best ideas come from, and how do I set myself up to have more?

]]> No 24 24 23: Is Catacombian a designer, a publisher, or both? full bb4d04dd-e41c-44dc-b73f-59fd5194544c https://share.transistor.fm/s/cad37fba Brian Bornmeuller's talk at NYU Game Center helped me finally articulate a question I've been wrestling with: what is Catacombian Games, exactly? In this episode I map out the five layers of the board game industry — design, publishing, manufacturing, distribution, and retail — and share how I'm approaching 2026 like a product manager: setting clear experiments, defining success criteria, and actually measuring results. 

]]> Brian Bornmeuller's talk at NYU Game Center helped me finally articulate a question I've been wrestling with: what is Catacombian Games, exactly? In this episode I map out the five layers of the board game industry — design, publishing, manufacturing, distribution, and retail — and share how I'm approaching 2026 like a product manager: setting clear experiments, defining success criteria, and actually measuring results. 

]]> Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:33:37 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 868 Brian Bornmeuller's talk at NYU Game Center helped me finally articulate a question I've been wrestling with: what is Catacombian Games, exactly? In this episode I map out the five layers of the board game industry — design, publishing, manufacturing, distribution, and retail — and share how I'm approaching 2026 like a product manager: setting clear experiments, defining success criteria, and actually measuring results. 

]]> No 23 23 22: Steel vs. Soft full 61d473d8-7f5e-411d-864e-5576340791ac https://share.transistor.fm/s/d7fead7e A framework for deciding what needs to change next in a game prototype that I developed with my friend Walter Somerville. I used this recently to make some huge improvements to Canticle.

]]> A framework for deciding what needs to change next in a game prototype that I developed with my friend Walter Somerville. I used this recently to make some huge improvements to Canticle.

]]> Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 662 A framework for deciding what needs to change next in a game prototype that I developed with my friend Walter Somerville. I used this recently to make some huge improvements to Canticle.

]]> No 22 22 21: Why are there so many medieval games? full d3fcdb88-86c2-4ae7-81a2-5771968c2123 https://share.transistor.fm/s/eccac65b Games feel immersive and grounded when they are familiar and legible -- even from a distance. 

]]> Games feel immersive and grounded when they are familiar and legible -- even from a distance. 

]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:13:13 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 696 Games feel immersive and grounded when they are familiar and legible -- even from a distance. 

]]> No 21 21 20: Player experience is the guiding light full 798195d1-428a-4374-b917-1ad0fae4fd78 https://share.transistor.fm/s/c0b6b627 How do you give the emperor a sense of epiphany? How do you give the board a feeling of organic ideas-based growth? I picked the experience first, and designed around that.

]]> How do you give the emperor a sense of epiphany? How do you give the board a feeling of organic ideas-based growth? I picked the experience first, and designed around that.

]]> Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 652 How do you give the emperor a sense of epiphany? How do you give the board a feeling of organic ideas-based growth? I picked the experience first, and designed around that.

]]> No 20 20 19: The best game idea I've ever had full 3f2be5d5-d740-4018-9ce9-be7a21449707 https://share.transistor.fm/s/44e654c0 This is a game that takes place in the past and the present. And I've never been so excited to work on something. Many more updates to follow on future episodes.

]]> This is a game that takes place in the past and the present. And I've never been so excited to work on something. Many more updates to follow on future episodes.

]]> Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 612 This is a game that takes place in the past and the present. And I've never been so excited to work on something. Many more updates to follow on future episodes.

]]> No 19 19 18: Every prototype I made in 2025 full a3bb5885-9e60-425f-b34d-4a68a7b0ae13 https://share.transistor.fm/s/6c840bca 2025 was a creative explosion for me. Now it's time to focus up, and pick which prototype I will try to take to the finish line.

]]> 2025 was a creative explosion for me. Now it's time to focus up, and pick which prototype I will try to take to the finish line.

]]> Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 870 2025 was a creative explosion for me. Now it's time to focus up, and pick which prototype I will try to take to the finish line.

]]> No 18 18 17: Why my basketball board game failed full 46879f5c-0489-4c64-b6bb-0af4f642b3a2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fbed7cd1 I tried (and failed) to make a basketball board game. I came up with some ideas that I loved, but ultimately decided to set it aside. 

]]> I tried (and failed) to make a basketball board game. I came up with some ideas that I loved, but ultimately decided to set it aside. 

]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 711 I tried (and failed) to make a basketball board game. I came up with some ideas that I loved, but ultimately decided to set it aside. 

]]> No 17 17 16: How to learn a game full 9d0c3205-3c1e-4ed7-99e2-805513ea0c19 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1b3d9481 Try to lose. It's a faster and more effective way to learn.

]]> Try to lose. It's a faster and more effective way to learn.

]]> Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 528 Try to lose. It's a faster and more effective way to learn.

]]> No 16 16 15: Paying attention to "desire paths" full 6aca6c39-f564-4222-8cb6-f8bf9622f9bf https://share.transistor.fm/s/582f4cee Sometimes players show you exactly what they want to do. You can either fight them, or learn from them.

]]> Sometimes players show you exactly what they want to do. You can either fight them, or learn from them.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 614 Sometimes players show you exactly what they want to do. You can either fight them, or learn from them.

]]> No 15 15 14: Games are not stories full d8eae454-6f94-46a2-8319-1bbfe8e3fc9f https://share.transistor.fm/s/e0a90cbc Games don't need written narrative to be great games. The best stories in games are the ones that organically emerge from the gameplay itself.

]]> Games don't need written narrative to be great games. The best stories in games are the ones that organically emerge from the gameplay itself.

]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 584 Games don't need written narrative to be great games. The best stories in games are the ones that organically emerge from the gameplay itself.

]]> No 14 14 13: Less is more in simulation games full 153366c6-9da9-461e-aa23-44d76c56c002 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8d75fcb1 Most games simulate some real world scenario. So how do you decide which parts of the real world to represent in game mechanisms? This is where the real artistry of game design comes to light.

]]> Most games simulate some real world scenario. So how do you decide which parts of the real world to represent in game mechanisms? This is where the real artistry of game design comes to light.

]]> Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 639 Most games simulate some real world scenario. So how do you decide which parts of the real world to represent in game mechanisms? This is where the real artistry of game design comes to light.

]]> No 13 13 12: Problem-centered design full 7e9892ea-0ab8-443a-b378-6f4cffc744fa https://share.transistor.fm/s/453eb888 Between each iteration of my game, I'll have dozens of ideas. But which do I actually implement? I find it extremely helpful to break my ideas down into problem statements, and then focus on just solving the most important problems. Here are some examples of how this works for me. [link to play game] [link to original conference talk]

]]> Between each iteration of my game, I'll have dozens of ideas. But which do I actually implement? I find it extremely helpful to break my ideas down into problem statements, and then focus on just solving the most important problems. Here are some examples of how this works for me. [link to play game] [link to original conference talk]

]]> Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500 John Drexler John Drexler 643 Between each iteration of my game, I'll have dozens of ideas. But which do I actually implement? I find it extremely helpful to break my ideas down into problem statements, and then focus on just solving the most important problems. Here are some examples of how this works for me. [link to play game] [link to original conference talk]

]]> No 12 12 11: Distribution is harder than making things full a5574232-7504-41ff-a150-2e003f2ffa54 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8d794c02 I've got a great game with great reviews. So how the heck do I get it onto shelves? Here's everything I've tried.

]]> I've got a great game with great reviews. So how the heck do I get it onto shelves? Here's everything I've tried.

]]> Fri, 24 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 585 I've got a great game with great reviews. So how the heck do I get it onto shelves? Here's everything I've tried.

]]> No 11 11 10: A board game with hundreds of players full 3f3d989e-efee-4dda-9751-fb91c91f94bb https://share.transistor.fm/s/13b19762 Play the new prototype with us by joining our discord! I built a game that feels like a board game, but is secretly a social game that requires collaboration, deception, and communication.

]]> Play the new prototype with us by joining our discord! I built a game that feels like a board game, but is secretly a social game that requires collaboration, deception, and communication.

]]> Fri, 17 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 478 Play the new prototype with us by joining our discord! I built a game that feels like a board game, but is secretly a social game that requires collaboration, deception, and communication.

]]> No 10 10 9: Managing the player's cognitive load full 66c0e6b0-c6e9-4919-8dce-24808f026557 https://share.transistor.fm/s/898d065c How do you communicate complex rules to players? It's worth thinking about what kind of complexity you're communicating, how you communicate it, and when you communicate it. This episode has a couple examples of how designers solve this problem.

]]> How do you communicate complex rules to players? It's worth thinking about what kind of complexity you're communicating, how you communicate it, and when you communicate it. This episode has a couple examples of how designers solve this problem.

]]> Fri, 10 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 683 How do you communicate complex rules to players? It's worth thinking about what kind of complexity you're communicating, how you communicate it, and when you communicate it. This episode has a couple examples of how designers solve this problem.

]]> No 9 9 8: AI is horrible at game design full a5d7fc62-985d-4fe4-9986-be77ca8c18a1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/75b2fa15 LLMs excel at churning out sugar free vanilla paste. That's great when you're writing code. And it's awful when you're doing creative work.

]]> LLMs excel at churning out sugar free vanilla paste. That's great when you're writing code. And it's awful when you're doing creative work.

]]> Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 592 LLMs excel at churning out sugar free vanilla paste. That's great when you're writing code. And it's awful when you're doing creative work.

]]> No 8 8 7: Escape the mind palace full 7629333f-7f38-47a4-af67-14e9f1b3d97d https://share.transistor.fm/s/8688d47b A game is only a game if it is playable. It is so hard for me to resist the temptation to retreat to the "mind palace" where my game devolves from a playable, testable, living thing into a mere thought experiment. Here's how I avoid that temptation. Also, here is the link to my video of rapidly prototyping in Figma. 

]]> A game is only a game if it is playable. It is so hard for me to resist the temptation to retreat to the "mind palace" where my game devolves from a playable, testable, living thing into a mere thought experiment. Here's how I avoid that temptation. Also, here is the link to my video of rapidly prototyping in Figma. 

]]> Fri, 19 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 637 A game is only a game if it is playable. It is so hard for me to resist the temptation to retreat to the "mind palace" where my game devolves from a playable, testable, living thing into a mere thought experiment. Here's how I avoid that temptation. Also, here is the link to my video of rapidly prototyping in Figma. 

]]> No 7 7 6: Letting players decide the victory condition full 4a6c593e-54f7-49e1-b6d9-5bbddb41b225 https://share.transistor.fm/s/7424e590 My white whale (one of them, at least) is to let players decide how they want to win, and even decide whether it's a cooperative or competitive game. I haven't cracked it yet. But I got a lot closer last week.

]]> My white whale (one of them, at least) is to let players decide how they want to win, and even decide whether it's a cooperative or competitive game. I haven't cracked it yet. But I got a lot closer last week.

]]> Fri, 12 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 582 My white whale (one of them, at least) is to let players decide how they want to win, and even decide whether it's a cooperative or competitive game. I haven't cracked it yet. But I got a lot closer last week.

]]> No 6 6 5: Suspension of disbelief is a skill full 1e581f4c-a94d-42f5-bb62-1764dc346aaa https://share.transistor.fm/s/c4f14fb2 There are two voices in your head. You don't know which is correct, but you do know that one is more useful. 

]]> There are two voices in your head. You don't know which is correct, but you do know that one is more useful. 

]]> Fri, 05 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 523 There are two voices in your head. You don't know which is correct, but you do know that one is more useful. 

]]> No 5 5 4: High energy, low ego full 45bd7625-5daf-4ce8-bcc8-6559878ffae2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e02bf1dc Everything I learned at my first game conference. Buy Colossi now.

]]> Everything I learned at my first game conference. Buy Colossi now.

]]> Fri, 29 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 805 Everything I learned at my first game conference. Buy Colossi now.

]]> No 4 4 3: The prototyping machine full e22c3059-9bb5-455d-861a-8b667123bc4f https://share.transistor.fm/s/c0c450bf You can play "Hot Takes" in The Social Game right now!

]]> You can play "Hot Takes" in The Social Game right now!

]]> Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 491 You can play "Hot Takes" in The Social Game right now!

]]> No 3 3 2: Kill your darlings full 9395b9c1-c537-4820-aa26-9526f76b24c7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/33bcfec6 When you love something, but it's confusing as heck.

]]> When you love something, but it's confusing as heck.

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:31:47 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 579 When you love something, but it's confusing as heck.

]]> No 2 2 1: What happens when you can't test a game full 6bc50462-a349-496c-8d84-65a410801b41 https://share.transistor.fm/s/37a06d34 Links: The Social Game, my work podcast where we talked about this, and Videos of the event.

]]> Links: The Social Game, my work podcast where we talked about this, and Videos of the event.

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:28:35 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 595 Links: The Social Game, my work podcast where we talked about this, and Videos of the event.

]]> No 1 1 0: Intro full da4cea6c-9201-4747-abe6-8c4d433baef8 https://share.transistor.fm/s/42581b9c Test test. 

]]> Test test. 

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:27:15 -0400 John Drexler John Drexler 58 Test test. 

]]> No