The Game Deflators E394 | Building a Tabletop Hit with Odd Family Games

John and Ryan chat with Odd Family Games about Herdvana’s origins, design choices, indie challenges, and the future of tabletop gaming.

00:00 Introduction to Odd Family Games and Hervana 01:42 The Concept and Development of Hervana 06:45 Gameplay Mechanics and Strategy 09:49 Expansions and Additional Features 13:35 Art Style and Visual Development 18:52 Kickstarter Experience and Manufacturing Challenges 23:12 The Journey to Kickstarter Success 24:46 Playtesting and Game Development Insights 27:33 Inspiration from Other Games 30:02 Future Plans for Herdvana 31:23 Navigating the Indie Game Industry 32:57 The Enduring Appeal of Tabletop Games 36:53 Advice for Aspiring Game Developers 41:02 Supporting Indie Games and Community Engagement 44:27 Outro Video

John and Ryan sit down with Andrew and Thane of Odd Family Games to dig into the creative spark, design philosophy, and indie hustle behind their breakout tabletop title, Herdvana. The conversation traces how a simple family dinner‑table idea grew into a fully realized game world, why the team focused on a specific emotional experience for players, and how they shaped Herdvana’s visual identity.

The group explores the realities of indie manufacturing and distribution, the player feedback that reshaped the game, and the classic titles that influenced Andrew and Thane as designers. They also break down the current state of the indie tabletop scene, why physical games continue to thrive in a digital‑first world, and what advice they’d give to first‑time creators. The episode wraps with how fans can best support Odd Family Games as they continue to grow.

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Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18