In this episode of Type Speaks, Rae sits down with writer, YouTuber, and longtime games critic Quintin Smith (Quinns) for a wide-ranging conversation about play, culture, criticism, and the wonderfully weird worlds we build through games. From the shifting norms of reviewing video games, board games, and TTRPGs to the evolution of horror games, game-lore obsession, and the influence of streaming culture, Rae and Quinns explore how players engage with design, and how critics navigate communities that are passionate, protective, and sometimes a little spicy. They dig into why role-playing games feel so personal, how “made-for-Twitch” jump-scare horror shapes the market, the strange state of children’s games and platforms like Roblox, and why educational design deserves as much aesthetic care as any entertainment medium. They even manage to discuss Auburn’s beloved Aubie, TikTok algorithms, Jim Henson, and which mermaid powers best reflect one’s creative soul.

In this episode of Type Speaks, Rae sits down with designer, educator, and creative entrepreneur Diane Gibbs to explore how curiosity, play, and lifelong learning shape a sustainable creative practice. From rediscovering illustration through cut-paper experiments to navigating the worlds of surface design, teaching, and independent business, Rae and Diane unpack how designers grow, adapt, and keep creating with joy, even when the rules need to be broken. They also dig into Diane’s journey through Auburn, her work on the children’s book Victor and the Vroom, and why embracing process over perfection unlocks unexpected possibilities.

Diane Gibbs is a designer, illustrator, and professor at the University of South Alabama, where she has taught for over twenty years. She is the founder of Creatives Ignite (formerly Design Recharge), a long-running interview series for creative professionals, and operates her own design studio specializing in branding, web design, and illustration. Her work spans client collaborations, surface pattern design, coaching, and community-building within the creative industry.

In this second episode with game designer and quilt historian Meguey “Mother of the Apocalypse” Baker, Rae dives into the deep connections between game design, graphic design, and the human need for play. Together they explore how games aren’t an escape from reality but a way of understanding it, and why joy, curiosity, and creativity are powerful tools of connection and resistance.

Meguey shares how tabletop RPGs evolved from notebook worlds to online play, how mechanics carry meaning, and why accessible, DIY design matters. Rae and Meg also unpack invisible design in everyday life, color psychology, trend forecasting, and how the internet reshapes who gets to create.

Featuring the co-creator of Apocalypse World and the Powered by the Apocalypse system, this episode is perfect for anyone interested in design, storytelling, or making things that help people connect.

Listen to Type Speaks anywhere you get your podcasts.