Ancient Robot Games

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

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

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

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

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