Downtime Chat - allowing for social interaction in board games (Topic Discussion)

<p>Waiting for your turn is very common in board games. One person has all the fun while everyone else just watches. Too much waiting is often described as a flaw in game design, particularly when players have nothing useful to do and gradually lose interest in what&#39;s happening. Modern board games tend to avoid downtime, yet waiting isn&#39;t necessarily wasted time. Sometimes it gives us something to think about, sometimes it leaves us with nothing to do, and sometimes it gives us something that a game cannot provide on its own: a chance to talk.</p><p><strong>Read the full article here:</strong> <a href="https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2026/09/15/downtime-chat-allowing-for-social-interaction-in-board-games-topic-discussion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2026/09/15/downtime-chat-allowing-for-social-interaction-in-board-games-topic-discussion/</a></p><p><strong>Useful Links</strong></p><ul><li><em>Filip Wiltgren</em>, “Down Time vs. Dead Time in Sequential Games”, <em>Game Developer</em>, 2015: <a href="https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/down-time-vs-dead-time-in-sequential-games">https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/down-time-vs-dead-time-in-sequential-games</a></li><li><em>Brass: Birmingham</em> review: <a href="/2023/04/01/brass-birmingham-deluxe-saturday-review/">https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/04/01/brass-birmingham-deluxe-saturday-review/</a></li><li><em>Five Tribes</em> review: <a href="/2020/08/08/five-tribes-saturday-review/">https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/08/08/five-tribes-saturday-review/</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Music</strong></p><p>Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>)</p><p>Lazy Aftermoon by | e s c p | <a href="https://www.escp.space">https://www.escp.space</a><br><a href="https://escp-music.bandcamp.com">https://escp-music.bandcamp.com</a></p><p>Forest by | e s c p | <a href="https://www.escp.space">https://www.escp.space</a><br><a href="https://escp-music.bandcamp.com">https://escp-music.bandcamp.com</a></p><p><strong>Support</strong></p><p>If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the