After a long break, Conversations With… returns with an interview that has been in limbo for a long time. Back in August I invited Cody And John of Game On! With Cody And John to be interviewed for this blog. They accepted and we proceeded to play email tag for a couple of months. The first set of answers finally arrived and I promptly got too busy to compile my responses. In the mean time I thought of some new questions for them. So I sent them. And we started email tag again. Here is the first set of questions.
I’m joined this time by John Richard and Cody Jones of Game On! With Cody & John. Game On is one of my favorite gaming focused podcasts. Each show John and Cody cover a game in depth along with numerous other smaller reviews and segments on gaming. Their style is relaxed and fun. So let’s get to the questions.
Tom: What makes a great game?
John: A game that makes you think without making you OVERthink. In other words, a game that rewards optimal strategy, but doesn’t overly punish those who don’t play with optimal strategy. And, any game that you talk about weeks later is definitely a good one!
Cody: A game that produces great experiences and memories and keeps you coming back to the table.
Tom: What makes a good player, both rpg and boardgame?
John: Someone who is conscientiously invested in the outcome of the game, but not so invested that they lose sight of the social fun of playing the game.
Cody: RPG: Willingness to go with the story and let the GM run his or her game. Board Game: A humble winner and a gracious loser, and someone who balances “it’s just a game” with a meaningful, quality approach to gaming.
Basic social skills are a plus in both domains. 🙂
Tom: What is/are your current hot game(s)?
John: Founding Fathers, Runewars, Tichu
Cody: Lately, I’ve been playing the games that launched my gaming hobby – my old mistresses Talisman (with expansions), Magic: The Gathering, and D&D. I’m a sucker for nostalgia.
Tom: Who are your favorite game designers?
John: Christian Leonhard/Jason Matthews, Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson
Cody: Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson, Gary Gygax
Tom: What is the best thing about doing Game On!?
John: Interacting with fans! Getting free review copies of games is nice, too, but getting e-mails and voicemails from listeners is the best!
Meeting fans at conventions that listen to the show – that’s when it really sinks in that we do have listeners!
Tom: What is the most surprising thing about that has happened as a result of Game On!?
John: The fact that we haven’t run out of things to talk about. For me and Cody, the show is basically an extension our friendship, so it’s cool that after 2 years of podcasting, we’re still best friends!
Cody: That we’re still doing it! What started as a crazy thought on the road home from Origins 2008 is now a popular gaming podcast. Who knew?
Thanks for the interview guys. It was a lot of fun.
Please visit http://gameonpodcast.com/. It is an awesome podcast on gaming.
Go Forth And Game 
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