Sunday May 17, 2026
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
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