Episodes

  • Aster: Creating a brand new ancient-strategy game with Robert Gelb | Episode 38

    Aster: Creating a brand new ancient-strategy game with Robert Gelb | Episode 38
    Nov 11 2026
    We’re speaking with our very own Robert Gelb, co-host of the pod, to discuss his new upcoming game, Aster.

    Aster is an ancient space strategy game set in the ever expanding Solari universe, gifted to our ancestors by stellar travellers who sailed the stars on streams of sunlight. With your pieces representing your Skysails, Castras, and Asters you will travel the stellar map and lay claim to unoccupied areas of space on a board in a Seed of Life design.

    Gelb discusses the full three year design timeline - experimenting with pieces and new shapes, diving into geometrical patterns, building the lore of Aster, and finding enjoyment in others' fun!

    Show your support for Aster at:
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/midnighttradingco/aster-a-game-of-skysails-strategy-and-stellar-influence

    Or go to:
    https://midnighttradingco.com/


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
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    35 mins
  • A Nightmarish Solo Experience - DREAMESCAPE with Justin Morgan-Davies | Episode 37

    A Nightmarish Solo Experience - DREAMESCAPE with Justin Morgan-Davies | Episode 37
    Oct 14 2026
    In this episode, we are joined by BadCatGames CEO and founder Justin Morgan-Davies to talk about designing solo, narrative driven games and building games with theme first!

    BadCatGames is an award winning Scottish publisher and creative studio with incredible thematic games such as Gladiatores, Elemenz, and of course DreamEscape - their solo narrative driven adventure through a Lovecraftian nightmare! Justin also discusses their upcoming release, ZeeDice - a frantic, quick-thinking dice game - a riff on his first ever game Elemenz.

    So join in for discussions on Lovecraftian horrors, narrative game design, and building game mechanics around your theme!

    See more of BadCatGames at their website - https://badcatgames.co.uk/


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
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    43 mins
  • "The Adventure is This Way!" - Starting Handiwork Games with Jon Hodgson | Episode 36

    "The Adventure is This Way!" - Starting Handiwork Games with Jon Hodgson | Episode 36
    Sep 9 2026
    This week on the Ancient Robot Podcast, we are joined by Jon Hodgson, founder of Handiwork Games (Cold City: Hot War, a|state, Beowulf) a Scotland-based production company of tabletop games.

    Handiwork Games is now in its eighth year, starting as an experiment to see if a company like this could exist with full-time employees, offering job security and good working conditions - so far it seems it can!

    Tune in to listen to the guys talk about the inception of Handiwork Games, ENNIE wins, grand heists, and his past life working on the likes of The One Ring and the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game.


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
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    40 mins
  • Deduction in Game Design | Episode 35

    Deduction in Game Design | Episode 35
    Aug 19 2026
    New episode is out now! Dougal and Gelb sit down to discuss the presence of deduction across ALL games - not just where you’d expect!


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
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    34 mins
  • Designing Games with Accessibility in Mind with Alysa Thomas | Episode 34

    Designing Games with Accessibility in Mind with Alysa Thomas | Episode 34
    Aug 5 2026
    This week we are joined by Alysa Thomas to discuss accessibility in game design and how to assess your game to ensure you are producing a game with others in mind - using Alysa’s constantly evolving Accessibility Framework.

    See Alysa's Accessibility Framework here - https://a11yframework.s.gy/tabletop2026


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • Pocket Games to Play on the Go | Episode 33

    Pocket Games to Play on the Go | Episode 33
    Jul 22 2026
    In this weeks episode, the guys sit down to discuss pocket-sized games to take on your travels and entertain your friends no matter where you go!
    From trick-taking games, tile laying games, and even strategy games - there isn't any type of game that designers won't cram into your pocket.


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • 'Il Fantasma del Giallo' - Italian slasher films turned TTRPG with Laurence Phillips | Episode 32

    'Il Fantasma del Giallo' - Italian slasher films turned TTRPG with Laurence Phillips | Episode 32
    Jul 8 2026
    This week, Dougal and Gelb are joined by Laurence Phillips of Hardy Roach Games to discuss their new game ‘Il Fantasma del Giallo’ - a new TTRPG based on the proto-slasher, horror genre of 1960’s Italian cinema.
    This new game has everyone guessing who the killer could be, because it could even be YOU and you would have no idea! Laurence also goes into detail about writing systems with tension and suspense in mind and ways in which he has made his game a horror experience that GMs and players won’t forget! 💀

    👉 Find more of Laurence and his game at his website - https://hardyroachgames.co.uk/il-fantasma-del-giallo/


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
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    33 mins
  • Choosing (or constructing) the right system for your adventure with Jamie Heitler | Episode 31

    Choosing (or constructing) the right system for your adventure with Jamie Heitler | Episode 31
    Jun 24 2026
    Jamie Heitler joins with Dougal and Gelb to discuss his start in writing TTRPG adventures for various roleplaying systems - especially his favourite of the bunch Mothership - and choosing the right system for the story you want to tell!

    Find more of Jamie at his itch.io account under Windblown Vagrant - https://windblown-vagrant.itch.io/


    If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

    Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
    Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
    Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

    Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

    Music: Coffee Break by Sensho
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins