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Victory Points - A Board Game Podcast artwork

Victory Points - A Board Game Podcast

Becca Scott·Hosted by Becca Scott and Jake Michels·37 episodes

ComedyInterviewsLeisureBoard game interviewsTabletop cultureStandalone episodesIndustry guestsCasual geek talkCompleted show

Becca Scott and Jake Michels are obsessed with board games. Becca's the host of How to Play and Game the Game, and now she's podcasting with Jake to talk about board games. They interview board game developers, artists, publishers, and other board game fanatics, to find out what they're playing, why they love games, and why gaming is important to them.

Why listen

Victory Points is for board game fans who like hearing the human stories behind tabletop culture, not just reviews and rankings. Becca Scott and Jake Michels talk with designers, publishers, performers, reviewers, and other gaming people about what they play, how games get made, and why shared play matters. It works especially well if you enjoy casual industry interviews with plenty of geeky side roads into RPGs, conventions, fandom, and game design.

Episodes

35 min
Aug 16, 2020Episode 4
Wild Wild Tech - How Does Animal Crossing's Black Market Reflect the Real World Economy?

We thought you might like this new podcast, Wild Wild Tech. Hear a preview episode here, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has captured the world's heart due to its cutesy animal neighbors, soothing island vibes, and unbridled capitalism? Hidden beyond Nook's Craney there's a black market emerging on the internet that involves the trafficking of certain characters, and bringing out the worst greed in some players. Joshua Rivera takes a visit to Jordan Erica Webber's island to see what the fuss is about the hit Nintendo Switch game. And we hear from Zach Reino about his crazy pursuit of virtual riches in the Stalk Market and of course his famed turnip jail. And we talk to Eric Peckham who dives into this virtual utopia to try and find out why it has been corrupted by our real-world faults. Follow Wild Wild Tech Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildwildtechpod/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildwildtechpod/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 min
Oct 1, 2019
News Bomb and Bread Crumbs: Farewell Episode

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59 min
Sep 24, 2019Episode 35
100 Games in 100 Days w/ David Guthrie

Anything is possible if you just start doing it. That's what Jake and Becca learn when they chat with David Guthrie aka "gameylannister" who recently achieved the lofty goal of playing BGG's top 100 games in 100 days. Sure, it sounds insane, but if you really stop and think about what it means to play a complex strategy game every single day for 3+ months... It sounds EVEN MORE insane.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

40 min
Sep 17, 2019Episode 34
Meeple People w/ Dean Donofrio & Erinrose Widner

Becca sits down with Dean Donofrio and Erinrose Widner, the co-creators of Meeple People, a webseries about a group of friends that love to board game. They discuss the goals of the series, the stereotypes about gamers, and how big a collection is too big a collection.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

58 min
Sep 10, 2019Episode 33
Taboo and Teburu w/ Patrick Kapera

Patrick Kapera, co-founder of Crafty Games, joins us to discuss the process of developing Mistborn House Wars (and Becca nerds out about Brandon Sanderson's fiction). We also talk about how hard it is for a game to become a breakout star at GenCon, and what the future of gaming trends may hold.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 7 min
Sep 3, 2019Episode 32
Moonrakers and Showmakers w/ Mark Streed

Mark of the Dice Tower joins Becca & Jake to talk about what it's like to review often unpolished prototypes as well as Mark's big leap to making DT videos full time. We also discuss our play-through of the new deck builder Moonrakers from IV Studio, and what a potential Hollywoodization of tabletop might look like.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 5 min
Aug 27, 2019Episode 31
The Bigger Picture w/ Scott Gaeta

The ultimate outlaw, Scott Gaeta, stopped by the studio to talk to Becca & Jake about his storied career in the industry, from game shop owner to marketing expert to groundbreaking publisher. They discuss what it takes to make a studio soar, how to choose the best games for your brand, and why it's important to have a vision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 3 min
Aug 20, 2019Episode 31
GenCon ReCon 2019

The biggest and best tabletop trade show in North America was a few weeks ago in Indy, and Becca tells Jake her hot takes in this rare host-only episode. Renegade Game Studios MIGHT be heavily featured. #TechnicallyNotSponsored Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 4 min
Aug 13, 2019Episode 29
House Rules of House Vorpahl

The incredible Amy Vorpahl, host, writer, actor, and podcaster, joins us this week to talk about her first forays in to writing her first published RPG adventures, and her experiences playing Mansions of Madness 2nd Ed from Fantasy Flight Games. Mansions of Madness 2nd EdTwin Sister Twin Sister (Podcast)8th Dimension AMY'S VR SHOW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 6 min
Aug 6, 2019Episode 28
Getting Taken to School w/ Scott Rogers

Scott Rogers is a professor who literally wrote the book on video game design, is a co-host of Ludology the podcast, and is the designer of Pantone and Rayguns and Rocketships. This week Scott takes Becca and Jake to school on his theories of table positioning, player placement, the decrease of violence in gaming, the toyetic joy of tactile game parts, and a quick dip into the Kennerspiel des Jahres award winning games Wingspan (2019) and The Quacks of Quedlinburg (2018). Ludology (Podcast)Rayguns and Rocketships Pantone Wingspan The Quacks of Quedlinburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 10 min
Jul 30, 2019Episode 27
The Legacy of Rob Daviau

Rob Daviau is a god amongst gamers. He is the originator of the Legacy game, designing such games as Risk Legacy, Pandemic Legacy, Betrayal Legacy, and a resume of board game design credits longer than a mile. He was kind enough to sit down with us and discuss his background, his interactive theater hobby, and his formalwear habits during air travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

57 min
Jul 23, 2019Episode 26
Backstory for Dayzz w/ Bladezz aka Vincent Caso

Vincent Caso, known for his role as Bladezz on The Guild, is an actor, writer, and roleplayer seen on Geek & Sundry's Vampire the Masquerade LA by Night, & We’re Alive: Frontier. Vince talks to us about his love of creating rich backstories for characters, and we discuss tips for how to navigate socially risky games without alienating your friends!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

58 min
Jul 16, 2019
The Magic Circle Abides w/ Jeff Cannata

Jeff Cannata, host of "DLC" the Video Game Podcast and Slash Filmcast, and the DM for the interactive live RPG show “The Dungeon Run” joins Becca and Jake for a discussion on all things tabletop. They delve deep into the social concept of The Magic Circle, explore the multi-layered codeword game "Decrypto" and geek out over Uwe Rosenburg's resume! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

56 min
Jul 9, 2019Episode 24
Fanthropology Deep Dive w/ Meredith Levine

Meredith Levine is a fanthropologist! She studies what makes a fan a fan, and how brands can better nurture relationships with their fandoms. She sits down with Becca & Jake to explain more about what fandom is and the benefits and connections it can bring. They also talk about everyone's favorite genre of gaming, "Slip of Paper in a Hat" games, (yes, that's definitely the best name for this genre) and how games bring us closer to others.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 13 min
Jul 2, 2019
Satanic Panic and Demon Dayz w/ Johnny Recher

Johnny Recher, a 2nd Assistant Director on big movies by day, is a tiefling loving role player by night. We catch up with him to chat about finding fellow gamers while working on the road, being entranced by the forbidden when raised around a "Satanic Panic," and our takes on Betrayal at the House on the Hill, what Fantasy Flight does right with the world of Lovecraft and the game Elder Sign, and Mysterium.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 1 min
Jun 25, 2019Episode 22
Who’s Gonna Pay? Content Creation and Burnout w/ Rob Manuel

Rob Manuel, of Indie Megabooth, joins Becca to discuss what it takes to become a content creator, who should foot the bill for making gaming content financially feasible, and how to avoid burnout, recently re-defined by the W.H.O.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr
Jun 18, 2019Episode 21
I Saw Design, And It Opened Up My Eyes w/ Anna Cecilia

Anna Cecilia, a graphic designer, comedy writer, and font-lover joins Jake for a discussion on Agricola, Dream Phone, and the perception of being a Basic Board Gamer. They also dive into design with an examination of artistic choices in games, tv shows, and life!Anna Cecilia's WebsiteAgricola Electronic Dream PhoneAbstract: The Art of Design Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 10 min
Jun 11, 2019
High Voltage Situations - Chelsea Schwartz on Tabletop Event Creation

Chelsea Schwartz is HIGH VOLTAGE. As a tabletop community builder and event producer, Chelsea has a finger on the pulse of all things tabletop happening in SoCal. She catches us up on what's hot, and we chat about Disney's Villainous, Thanos Rising, and the scandelous sexy maid card game, Tanto Cuore. Follow Chelsea on Instagram - @UncoolRockstar High Voltage Radio Hour - https://open.spotify.com/show/231yxwGVjhypW7w7fFsreg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 2 min
Jun 4, 2019Episode 19
Let's Suffer... as Friends! with Gina Devivo

Gina Devivo, a host, RPGer, and crafting expert loves brutal, story based co-op games. She walks us through a few of her favorites, like Kingdom Death: Monster ("Kiddy Em") and Camp Grizzly, and we talk about some of her iconic role playing characters on her shows at Geek & Sundry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr
May 28, 2019
Coming Out of the Geek Closet w/ Kellen Laker of BGB

Board Game Barrage "red tank", Kellen Laker, joins Becca and Jake to talk about the games Cosmic Encounter, Innovation, and why we like games that involve beating up your friends. Then they really get into it with why every nerd should be unabashed about their nerdness, and how this can be a big life step for many. boardgamebarrage.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

55 min
May 21, 2019Episode 17
Deck Building and Song Building with Laser Malina-Webber

Laser Malina-Webber of the band The Doubleclicks was kind enough to come by and talk games with us before heading out on tour for their new album, "The Book Was Better." We talk about Clank! In Space!, Kodama, the Tree Spirit, and what it's like for a geek-themed band to hit the road. Listen to The Doubleclicks here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

59 min
May 14, 2019Episode 16
The Basics of On-Base Gaming with Lizzy from BG Spotlight

Lizzy Funkhauser of Board Game Spotlight talk with Becca and Jake about Roll and Write games, Engine builders, and what it was like to become a gamer on an army base.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 1 min
May 7, 2019Episode 15
Experience Points with Xander Jeanneret

Becca, Jake, and Xander dive into what it's like to slip into the skins of many different role-playing characters. They also discuss their feelings about battle co-op games, including Power Rangers: Heroes of the Grid. Kickstarter Library Bards album: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/librarybards/the-library-bards-new-album-bombarded Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 2 min
Apr 30, 2019Episode 14
Using Your Platform for Lawful Good

Becca and Jake talk to Havana about how she got into twitch streaming and built a caring community, the responsibility she feels as someone with a platform to foster an atmosphere of kindness and learning, and what it was like to grow up with parents who owned a video game store. Plus, why everyone should love codenames as much as we do.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

49 min
Apr 23, 2019
How Did Things Get So Dicey?

Becca and Jake talk to Paula Deming about her sketch comedy youtube series "Things Get Dicey!" about one woman's board game addicted trials and tribulations. They also talk about TALES OF ARABIAN NIGHTS from Z-Man Games.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

55 min
Apr 16, 2019Episode 12
Grandaddy of Card Crafting

Becca and her brand spanking new co-host Jake Michels talk to their guest John D. Clair about how he went about crafting new ways to think about game development. John is the designer of games for AEG such as Space Base, Mystic Vale, and Edge of Darkness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

53 min
Apr 9, 2019Episode 11
Anything You Can Game I Can Game Better

Becca and actress and interactive storytelling writer Kristie Krueger talk about why we love to mess with our friends heads when playing Social Deduction games. They also discuss what it's like for Kristie to work at an esports and board game bar, where her gaming knowledge is often underestimated because of her gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

46 min
Apr 2, 2019Episode 10
Stained Glass and Space Folding

Becca and director of Maple Games Daryl Andrews talk about the game selection process for major publishers and what being a "Euro Game" really means.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 2 min
Mar 26, 2019Episode 9
Competition in the Blood

Today Becca and her guest, comedian James Katica, hash it out about competitiveness in friendly gameplay. Sure, you bring your war face if you’re in a tournament setting, but what happens when you take winning a little too seriously in your friendly gaming group? They will explore these boundaries and tell you when you’re being too much.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

45 min
Mar 19, 2019Episode 8
Knights, Cons, and the OP-dom

Becca's guest, Ross Thompson is the Marketing Manager at the OP, formerly USAopoly, founder of Kingdom-Con, a Table-Top Gaming Convention in San Diego, and active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Ross and Becca discuss marketing in gaming, social media's role, and of course SCA. Seriously nerdy stuff.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

58 min
Mar 12, 2019
How MTG Changed the World

Becca and guest Jimmy Wong (actor, gamer, YouTuber and musical artist) talk about the profound influence of Magic: The Gathering on the gaming industry, other one on one combat games like Roxley games' Dice Throne Season 2, and his love of the storytelling campaign game Gen7 from Plaid Hat Games. Jimmy is known for Video Game High School and the Command Zone podcast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 13 min
Mar 5, 2019
Cthulhu Wars and Friends with Game-efits

Becca and guest Ash Minnick gush about their love of epic style games. Give us those big luscious figurines! They also talk about how to subtly combat those mansplainers at your table, and what about gaming with each other they love.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 1 min
Feb 26, 2019Episode 5
Crime and Mystery Games with James Hudson of Skybound

This week on Victory Points, Becca and guest James Hudson sit down to discuss murder-mystery cooperative deduction games. James is the new Senior Director of Tabletop Games at Skybound Entertainment and co-created The Grimm Forest. They dive into what Skybound is up to next, and why gamers get such a thrill out of solving crimes together. Oshi the dog makes an appearance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

45 min
Feb 19, 2019Episode 4
Sideshow Gets Their Game On

Today on Victory Points; Ruel Gaviola, writing contributor to Geek & Sundry, iSlaytheDragon, and Tabletop-Test, and the podcast The Five By spends his birthday discussing "Court of the Dead: Mourner’s Call" with Becca. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

59 min
Feb 12, 2019
The Many Hats of Ivan Van Norman

Ivan Van Norman is a renaissance man. He is the creator of the children’s book The ABCs of RPGs, creator of the zombie themed RPG game Outbreak Undead and owner of the media publishing company Hunters Entertainment. This week on Victory Points Ivan sits down with Becca to talk about his new book The ABCs of D&D, balancing parenthood, gaming and his business ventures and the pros and cons or crowdfunding for table top games.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

38 min
Feb 5, 2019Episode 2
We don’t need no stinkin symmetry!

Becca and guest David Aaron Zuckman discuss asymmetrical mechanics in games like Root, by Leder Games. David dives into how he created Overlords of Infamy and it’s current explanation Kickstarter, Misery Loves Company.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr 5 min
Jan 29, 2019Episode 1
Women in Gaming & Conquering the Twilight Imperium

In the inaugural episode of Victory Points, Becca talks with Jake Michels about why Twilight Imperium might be the perfect game. She also talks with friend Brittanie Boe aka Bebo about what it means to be a female tabletop gamer.WE’RE ALIVE FRONTIER TRAILER SEASON 1 TRAILER:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UZ70IPoLFgBEBO’S BOOK:https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Everything-Tabletop-Games-Book/Bebo/Everything/9781507210628 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 min
Jan 27, 2019
Introducing: Victory Points

Becca Scott is obsessed with board games. She's the host of How to Play and Game the Game, and now she's podcasting about board games. She interviews board game developers, artists, publishers, and other board game fanatics, to find out what they're playing, why they love games, and why gaming is important to them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Listening context

Casual listening
Best for: commutes, housework, long drives, evening listening
Tone: conversational, enthusiastic, geeky, casual

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