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Paper Labyrinths

Nic Tringali & Brendan McLeod

Paper Labyrinths is a podcast about overlapping disciplines of game design. Join Nic Tringali and Brendan McLeod as they have conversations with designers, artists, critics, and others whose work exists at the intersections of video games, analog games, and other forms of media.

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20 episodes
monthly
Avg 1 hr 6 min
English

Episodes 20

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Yesterday · 1 hr 19 min
Matt Carney on Ambiguity & Composition
We talk with Matt Carney about minimalist composition, ambiguity in storytelling, editing for games, and Boba Fett. Find Matt on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/deptofmeteors.bsky.social. Find his music on Bandcamp at https://silohomes.bandcamp.com --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
October 1 · 1 hr 6 min
Bruno Dias on Writing & Weird Fiction
We talk with Bruno Dias about the craft of writing for games, weird fiction, information theory, and indescribable horrors. Find Bruno on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/brunodias.dev), check out his portfolio (https://brunodias.dev/) and his very good blog (https://azhdarchid.com/). Bruno is the editor of the Game Narrative Reader: https://www.gamenarrativereader.org/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
September 1 · 1 hr 2 min
Alex Jaffe on Head-to-Head Games
Nic talks with Alex Jaffe about his recently-announced dungeon crawler card game, his long tenure on 2XKO, and the ephemerality of game experiences. Find Alex on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/blinkity.bsky.social) and follow his work at https://www.alexjaffe.games --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
August 1 · 1 hr 26 min
Ian Williams on Miniatures and Material Conditions
We talk with Ian Williams about his recently-announced book on miniature wargaming, the material conditions of craft, the power of nostalgia, and the impact of hydration breaks on association football. Find Ian on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/brocktoon.bsky.social) and follow his blog (https://stuckness.ghost.io/). "The Doodad Economy", which we references in the show, can be found here: https://stuckness.ghost.io/the-doodad-economy-why-your-analog-games-are-starting-to-feel-digital-and-also-why-thats-false/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com) https://paperlabyrinths.com
July 1 · 1 hr 6 min
Eve Golden-Woods on Creators & Contexts
We talk with Eve Golden-Woods about tabletop mechanics, the Book of Kells industrial complex, regency romance novels, and Ancient Babylon. Find Eve on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/evegoldenwoods.bsky.social) and on itch (https://evelorien.itch.io/), where you can download the award-winning ttrpg, The Creation of Wonder. --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
June 1 · 1 hr 14 min
Bria Davis on Crafting Communities
We talk with Bria Davis about Discord servers, Blaseball, passing on lessons learned, and eggs. Bria Davis ( https://bsky.app/profile/thevoidencore.bsky.social ) is Community Director at Young Horses ( https://younghorsesgames.com/ ). --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali ( https://blog.enceledean.com/ ) and Brendan McLeod ( https://brendanmcleod.dev ) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes ( https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/ ) https://paperlabyrinths.com
May 1 · 1 hr 3 min
Dr Holly Nielsen on Canon & Ambiguity
We talk with Holly Nielsen about Amberspire, games in historical contexts, citing sources, and the Whiggish nature of skill trees. Follow Holly on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/hollynielsen.bsky.social Amberspire releasing May 6! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3350750/Amberspire/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
March 31 · 1 min
No episode this month!
Sorry folks, but no ep this month - scheduling didn't work out to get a convo done on time. But weirdly enough, it DID work out with me and Nic in the same place at the same time, so please accept our phone-recording apology.
March 1 · 53 min
Chris Kindred on Cards & Crates
We talk with Chris Kindred about DJing, teaching game design, and hauntology. Follow Chris on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/chriskindred.com and find their work at https://chriskindred.com/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
February 1 · 58 min
Meredith Gran on Comics & Memories
We speak with Meredith Gran about nostalgia, sense of time and place, cartooning, and getting a project across the finish line. Follow Meredith on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/meredithgran.com Meredith's new game, Perfect Tides: Station to Station, is out now on Steam for PC and Mac, and coming soon to Switch. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2088810/Perfect_Tides_Station_to_Station/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
January 1 · 1 hr 6 min
Non-Breaking Space on Artifacts & History
We talk with Non-Breaking Space about expressive play, mechanics of scale, hidden information, and librarians. Non-Breaking Space (https://www.nbsp1618.games/) is the designer of Cross Bronx Expressway (https://www.gmtgames.com/p-953-cross-bronx-expressway.aspx), a competitive city-builder that simulates urban and societal development in the South Bronx between the years 1940 and 2000. He is also the designer of The Archivist's Dream (www.nbsp1618.games/session/the-archivists-dream), a hybrid RPG-megagame adaptation of Wehrlegig's John Company, a game about the rise and fall of the British East India company.) Listen to the episode of End Notes that Brendan mentions here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endnotes-cross-bronx-expressway/id1840058034?i=1000726985016 --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Dec 1, 2025 · 1 hr
Andrew Shouldice on Maps & Manuals
We talk with Andrew "dicey" Shouldice about teaching game development, making maps, managing projects, and the joy of the game manual. Andrew Shouldice is the creator of TUNIC (http://tunicgame.com). Follow him on social media (https://bsky.app/profile/dicey.bsky.social) and check out the PICOSteveMo game he made with his partner, King Stephen, out now (https://dicey.itch.io/king-stephen) --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Oct 1, 2025 · 1 hr 12 min
Sophie Abromowitz on Comedy & Mystery
We talk with Sophie Abromowitz about stage comedy, worldbuilding through systems, FROMSOFT games as detective stories, and the origin of the hot dog. Follow Sophie on Instagram (https://instagram.com/soph.abromowitz) and check out her portfolio at https://sophieabromowitz.cargo.site/ HOT STREAK is available from CYMK games: https://www.cmyk.games/collections/games/products/hot-streak Read Sophie's short story JAN IS IMPORTANT on Joyland: https://joylandpublishing.com/fiction/jan-is-important/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Sep 1, 2025 · 1 hr
Joannes Truyens on Secrets & Lore
We talk with Joannes Truyens about burnout, secrets, narrative confusion, and Michael Crichton technotrillers. Follow Joannes on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/playthroughline.com) and read their blog at https://playthroughline.com/ Play Neurocracy 3.0 at https://neurocracy.site/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Aug 1, 2025 · 1 hr 52 min
Cameron Kunzelman on Writing & Academia
We talk with Cameron Kunzelman about Magic the Gathering, writing for different kinds of audiences, the conditions of producing things, and xenomorphs. Follow Cameron on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ckunzelman.bsky.social) and listen to his shows at Ranged Touch (http://rangedtouch.com) Preorder his next book, Everything is Permitted (https://tinyurl.com/buyCMRN) --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Jul 1, 2025 · 59 min
Brian Bucklew on Big & Small Numbers
We talk with Brian Bucklew about the joy of collaboration, outer space, Jenga, and water. Follow Brian on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/unormal.bsky.social). Caves of Qud is available now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/333640/Caves_of_Qud/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Jun 1, 2025 · 1 hr 20 min
Jason Grinblat on Words & Bugs
We talk with Jason Grinblat about the joy of bugs, extrapolative narration, system suspense, and milk. Follow Jason on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/jfg.land). Caves of Qud is available now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/333640/Caves_of_Qud/ --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
May 1, 2025 · 59 min
Megan Carnes on Tarot & Musicality
We talk with game designer and composer Megan Carnes about generative music, scoring games vs film, and making use of the tools you have at your disposal. Follow Megan on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/magmacranes.bsky.social), Bandcamp (https://megancarnes.bandcamp.com/), and Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/magmacranes). --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by … Megan Carnes! (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Mar 31, 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
Grace Benfell on Faith & Narrative Tension
We talk with Grace Benfell about faith, narrative tension, and god's favorite princess, Shadowheart. --- Follow Grace on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/gracemachine.bsky.social), at her website (https://graceinthemachine.com/), on her podcasts (https://www.patreon.com/c/thesaferoom/about) and The Imaginary Engine Review (https://www.tier-review.com/). --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com
Mar 1, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
Gareth Damian Martin on Dice & Storytelling
We talk with Gareth Damian Martin finishing projects, making a dice-driven game, and butting up against audience expectations and desires. Find more about Gareth at their website (https://jumpovertheage.com/) or on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/jumpovertheage.com). Citizen Sleeper 2 is out now (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2442460/Citizen_Sleeper_2_Starward_Vector/) --- Paper Labyrinths is hosted by Nic Tringali (https://blog.enceledean.com/) and Brendan McLeod (https://brendanmcleod.dev) Our theme music is by Megan Carnes (https://www.megancarnesmusic.com/) https://paperlabyrinths.com

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