Best Peter C Hayward Podcasts (2025)

1
The Prince of Peace 52:28

Play Pause

1d ago52:28

52:28

The executive branch's ambitious prosecutors have made first strikes against familiar, yet evasive, foes. That means it's time to bring back John Yoo — legal scholar, gastronome, Eagles fan — to parse through the Comey indictment, jurisprudence regarding domestic terror, and the legitimation of using military force against Venezuelan drug runners. …

1
#71 - The problem with end game scoring (Game Feedback) Minisode 31:00

4d ago31:00

31:00

Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon dig into a common design problem: games that keep scoring until the end don't give feedback to players. They discuss practical fixes to give players earlier, clearer feedback and make learning faster and games more accessible. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Big thanks to Ed…

1
Free Speech, Rightly Handled 55:22

9d ago55:22

55:22

Steve Hayward is back with James and Charles after a few weeks away, and the trio sits down with Josh Hammer, senior editor-at-large of Newsweek, to talk about his murdered friend, Charlie Kirk. The gang discusses the Turning Point enterprise, the mission of its founder, and the ugly attempts by clickbait peddlers to contort the late-Kirk's message…

1
A Turning Point 50:10

16d ago50:10

50:10

James and Charles discuss the political assassination of Charlie Kirk and the disturbing implications it has for a country founded on certain inalienable rights. Sound from this week's audio: Utah Governor Stephen Cox announces the capture of the shooter. Photo: Dennis MacDonald / Shutterstock.com Please visit today's sponsor, Cozy Earth: CozyEarth…

1
#70 - An entire episode about taking an action 1:18:40

12d ago1:18:40

1:18:40

Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon break down action selection systems in games; why constraints and variance make turns interesting and how different systems (worker placement, dice placement, drafting, rondels, time tracks, menus and more) shape player decisions. The episode gives designers practical examples, trade-offs and tips from many published…

1
It's a Wonder Why They're Losing to This Guy 54:31

23d ago54:31

54:31

Steve Hayward is traveling abroad, so Ricochet co-founder Rob Long takes a break from his seminary studies to join James and Charlie in a discussion of worldly ways this week. The trio discusses property taxes, crazies with guns, and Bari Weiss's making a big deal over The Free Press. Plus, there's a comedian on trial in the UK, sustained outrage o…

1
#69 - Why We Are Ending the Podcast 42:53

19d ago42:53

42:53

Peter announces he’s stepping back from board games to explore new creative projects and explains why the podcast will be winding down. Plus a lot more fun than usual to make up for the downer announcement. Please suggest topics to cover before the show ends! Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Big thanks to E…

1
Burning Issues 55:36

30d ago55:36

55:36

This week's podcast starts out on a somber note, as this week's tragic news of the attack on Annunciation Catholic school hits unsettlingly close to home for one of our hosts. James, Charles, and Steve then chat with Will Chamberlain about next week's NatCon conference taking place in Washington, DC. The trio also weighs in on flag-burning. - Sound…

1
#68 - Listener Questions 1:10:17

1M ago1:10:17

1:10:17

Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon dive into emergent strategy, how to seed subtle interactions, and how to telegraph systems to players. They answer listener questions on market saturation, the future of board games, and personal careers in design. The hosts give detailed playtesting advice—solo testing, public and cold playtests, TTS tips, teaching …

1
Saddled In for Pain 1:03:55

1M ago1:03:55

1:03:55

Democrats have been worked up this week over congressional redistricting in Texas. But, hypocrisy aside, could this be a low priority for a party well into the double-digits in favorability? To get a sense of what the left ought to be doing instead, we welcome Ruy Teixiera back to the podcast to discuss the now-endangered liberal patriot. (Be sure …

1
#67 - Grab Bag Minisode 2 45:29

1M ago45:29

45:29

In this episode AJ and Peter dig into core game-design ideas: the difference between strategy and tactics, how scarcity and tough choices make games engaging, best practices for scoring and playtesting, and designing emergent combos that let players discover clever strategies. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected]…

1
Root Causes and Summit Highs 59:02

1M ago59:02

59:02

Noah Rothman returns ahead of Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin to give a foreign policy progress report of the president's second term. He gets into the fraught history of US-Russia negotiations, applauds the latest maneuvers in the Middle East, and applies a big-picture framing of the geopolitical status quo in response to the charge that colla…

1
Cradle of Civilization 52:35

2M ago52:35

52:35

In less than eighty years, the US has slipped from its baby boom heyday to a baby bust. Timothy Carney, author of Alientated America and Family Unfriendly, joins the Ricochet Podcast to discuss the implications and potential consequences of the nation's waning will to procreate. Steve, Charles, and James gab about the fuss over gerrymandering, appr…

1
Forever in Blue Jeans 51:08

2M ago51:08

51:08

Another workweek, another outrage, another Casual Friday. Lileks, Hayward, and Cooke remain (reasonably) laid back in the face of madman theory in action, tariff tranches, deadly predators, and pun-heavy advertisements. - Sound from this week's open: Sydney Sweeny promoting American Apparel jeans and Donald Trump explains how to escape from alligat…

1
#66 - The Best Design Advice on the Internet – Part 6 1:11:37

2M ago1:11:37

1:11:37

The best game design advice on the internet can be found at https://daniel.games/ – we can't recommend it highly enough! This is part 6 of a series where we explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod Big thanks…

1
Weaving Together European Conservatism(s) 1:00:01

2M ago1:00:01

1:00:01

At 750 episodes, the Ricochet Podcast is ready to accept the responsibilities that come with joining the ranks of august institutions and fellow pillars of Western Civilization. To that end, our princely hosts, James, Charles, and Steven, convene with Ellen Fantini of The European Conservative for a digital roundtable on her magazine's unique effor…

1
Murder on Sesame Street 1:02:22

2M ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Hardly a week passes without an event happening that compels one to wonder what it means for the contemporary right. It just so happens that this week, Matt Continetti, author of the indispensable book about the right, is able to join us to discuss the latest intraparty quarrels over Jeffrey Epstein, the One Big Beautiful Bill, foreign wars, and th…

1
#65 - How to make a (DEEP) Childishly Simple Game 1:29:09

2M ago1:29:09

1:29:09

This week, we explore the concept of 'childishly simple' games, and how it applies to creating elegant games that seem effortlessly simple but also offer depth. Join us as we share personal anecdotes, dissect both successful and challenging game designs, and discuss the art of simplifying mechanics no matter the weight class of the game. Discord: h…

1
A Super Summer Podcast 55:20

3M ago55:20

55:20

James, Steve, and Charles reconvene after an Independence Day break to catch up over some thoughts on the One Big, Beautiful Bill, Ketanji Brown Jackson's professional disorientation, and the latest dead end on getting to the truth about the twisted villain Jeffrey Epstein. The trio also discusses the newest superhero would-be-blockbuster that's be…

1
#64 - Helpful Advice with Tim Armstrong 1:27:46

3M ago1:27:46

1:27:46

In this episode of Fun Problems, hosts Peter C. Hayward and guest Tim Armstrong dive deep into the world of game design and publishing. With AJ Brandon absent, Peter brings on Tim, a designer and friend, to explore how their processes differ as they discuss their 10-year journeys in the board game industry. They unpack strategies for pitching to pu…

1
#63 - A Week in the Life of a Game Designer 1:01:21

3M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

Join Peter and AJ as they take you behind the curtain to explore a week in the busy life of board game designers. They share their daily routines, challenges, and the creative processes involved in crafting engaging board games. Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me Email: [email protected] Facebook/Twitter: @FunProblemsPod…

1
#62 - Audience Sell-Sheets 3 1:11:47

3M ago1:11:47

1:11:47

AJ Brandon, Alex Cutler, and Peter C. Hayward explore what makes an effective sell sheet, providing feedback on listener-submitted examples. Throughout the discussion, they offer actionable advice on how to improve clarity, visual hierarchy, and focus in order to capture the interest of potential publishers. Sell Sheets: https://tinyurl.com/43r9h7d…

1
Decision Day Smackdowns 59:48

3M ago59:48

59:48

Even bunker-busters dropped on a major enemy can't top the news cycle for a whole week these days, but James, Charlie and Steve get to that along with today's Supreme Court decision drop. They're joined by Manhattan Institute president Reihan Salam to discuss New York City voters' decision to let Zorhan Mamdani turn America's largest city into a hi…

1
The Find Out Phase of Diplomacy 1:01:10

3M ago1:01:10

1:01:10

The Iranian regime is receiving an education of sorts this week, and while we await President Trump's decision on the extent of America's role in busting up the nuclear site at Fordow, the Free Press's Eli Lake (and host of the Breaking History podcast) returns to educate us on why surgical involvement in Iran fits with the "America First" agenda t…

Peter C Hayward Podcasts

1
Fun Problems

AJ Brandon and Peter C. Hayward

51
The Ricochet Podcast

Ricochet

1
The Prince of Peace 52:28

1
#71 - The problem with end game scoring (Game Feedback) Minisode 31:00

1
Free Speech, Rightly Handled 55:22

1
A Turning Point 50:10

1
#70 - An entire episode about taking an action 1:18:40

1
It's a Wonder Why They're Losing to This Guy 54:31

1
#69 - Why We Are Ending the Podcast 42:53

1
Burning Issues 55:36

1
#68 - Listener Questions 1:10:17

1
Saddled In for Pain 1:03:55

1
#67 - Grab Bag Minisode 2 45:29

1
Root Causes and Summit Highs 59:02

1
Cradle of Civilization 52:35

1
Forever in Blue Jeans 51:08

1
#66 - The Best Design Advice on the Internet – Part 6 1:11:37

1
Weaving Together European Conservatism(s) 1:00:01

1
Murder on Sesame Street 1:02:22

1
#65 - How to make a (DEEP) Childishly Simple Game 1:29:09

1
A Super Summer Podcast 55:20

1
#64 - Helpful Advice with Tim Armstrong 1:27:46

1
#63 - A Week in the Life of a Game Designer 1:01:21

1
#62 - Audience Sell-Sheets 3 1:11:47

1
Decision Day Smackdowns 59:48

1
The Find Out Phase of Diplomacy 1:01:10