The second of two interviews with game designer Ken St. Andre, this time focusing on his video game design history (see part one for discussion around his tabletop RPG design). Games discussed in this episode: Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan, Adventure Construction Set, Wasteland (without which there would be no Fallout), and Wasteland 2. Ken's favorite Christopher Reeve Superman movie. One of Shane's pet peeves with current superhero comic book stories (especially DC). The origins of storytelling. Did the Empire from Star Wars have a good side? What happened when Ken and Roberta Williams of Sierra On-Line offered Ken a job? What two classic 80s action flicks helped inspire Wasteland (one is sort of obvious, one might not be), and what does Daffy Duck have to do with it all? What does the Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes RPG have to do with Tunnels & Trolls, and what do they both have to do with Wasteland? Ken's thoughts on being involved with Wasteland 2. Ken's never-released superhero game version of Tunnels & Trolls called Power Trip. The most important rule in Tunnels & Trolls (as opposed to the most important principle). Watch out for snollygosters. Ken's thoughts on power scale in superhero RPGs (think Batman and Superman in the same fight). Q&A with Ken based on questions submitted by Matt Barton of Matt Chat. Ken's advice for game designers. What would Ken have done differently in his career? Cockroach population analysis. How Ken made it into the Hall of Fame.

Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #290 - 4/30/2026

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SHOW NOTES

Ken St. Andre Part 1 – Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode 288 – 3/8/2026
https://shaneplays.com/rpg-designer-ken-st-andre-part-1-podcast/

Ken St. Andre on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_St._Andre

Trollgodfather Press (Ken's Publishing Company)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/9559/trollgodfather-press

Wasteland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_(video_game)

Wasteland 2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_2

Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan
https://mobygames.com/game/3398/tunnels-trolls-crusaders-of-khazan/

Adventure Construction Set
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Construction_Set

Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2nd Edition
Shane's book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/