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.

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iIn this episode of Type Speaks, Rae sits down with journalist and creator Quentin “Quinns” Smith, co-founder of Shut Up & Sit Down and host of Quinn’s Quest, to explore how storytelling, aesthetics, and criticism have evolved across two decades of games media. From the rise of short-form content to the resurgence of small, expressive indie titles, Rae and Quinns unpack how play, design, and culture intersect in the algorithm age, and why creativity thrives not in perfection, but in making the pot.

Quintin “Quinns” Smith is a journalist, critic, and creator whose work has helped shape modern games media. After co-founding Shut Up & Sit Down, one of the most influential board game platforms of the past decade, he launched Quinn’s Quest, an independent project exploring role-playing games, media history, and the aesthetics of play through research-driven storytelling and sharp cultural critique.

In this episode of Type Speaks, Rae sits down with game designer, publisher, and quilt historian Meguey Baker to explore the deep human roots of play, and why games are not an escape from reality, but a way of understanding it. From designing Apocalypse World to teaching through storytelling, Meg shares how tabletop games function as acts of connection, resistance, and care. She and Rae unpack the overlap between game design, graphic design, and experience design, how mechanics carry meaning, why constraints make play powerful, and why joy is not frivolous, but necessary.

Meguey “Mother of the Apocalypse” Baker is a tabletop role-playing game designer, independent publisher, and quilt historian whose work has significantly shaped modern narrative game design. Along with her partner Vincent Baker, she co-created Apocalypse World, the groundbreaking game that launched the now-widespread Powered by the Apocalypse system.

In this episode of Type Speaks, host Rae sits down with designer and independent creative Will Dove to explore the realities, risks, and rewards of building a self-directed design practice. From juggling the intensity of Auburn’s swim team with the rigors of design school to eventually walking away from agency life to go fully freelance, Will shares how constraint, burnout, and curiosity all shaped his path toward independence. He and Rae unpack the evolving culture of freelance work, the power of human connection and referrals, and why having agency over your time and creative decisions can fundamentally change your relationship to design.

Will Dove is a designer based in New York City whose independent studio practice centers typography, identity systems, and image-making across art, film, and music. A graduate of Auburn University’s graphic design program, his creative direction and design have supported clients including PepsiCo, the Golden State Warriors, and The Washington Post. Rooted in craft and driven by relationships, his work merges precision with instinct, proving that independence isn’t the absence of structure, but the freedom to build your own.

In this episode of Type Speaks, host Rae sits down with designer, artist, educator, and author Mitch Goldstein to talk about the mess, magic, and meaning of the creative process. From failing out of architecture school to finding his voice through design and teaching, Mitch shares how experimentation, risk, and reflection have shaped his multifaceted practice. He and Rae dive into what it means to learn by doing (and sometimes crashing and burning), why process matters more than perfection, and how creative work can stay playful, curious, and alive.

Mitch Goldstein is a designer, artist, and educator whose work bridges graphic design, photography, sculpture, and furniture design. A professor in the School of Design at Rochester Institute of Technology and author of How To Be A Design Student (And How To Teach Them), he brings over two decades of teaching experience at institutions including RISD, VCUarts, and MICA. His practice and writing explore the messy, human side of creative process, encouraging designers to embrace experimentation and the complexities of making.

In this episode of Type Speaks, host Rae talks with designer, writer, and educator Nolen Strals about punk, process, and the power of thinking through making. From hand-drawn flyers and DIY zines to branding cultural spaces and co-authoring a book on lettering, Nolen shares how his punk roots continue to shape his creative approach. He and Rae discuss his evolving process, from ballpoint sketches to full brand systems, and how writing, reflection, and curiosity keep his work sharp, thoughtful, and alive.

Nolen Strals is a designer, writer, and educator whose practice spans branding, lettering, and cultural design. A co-author of Lettering & Type and former partner in the Baltimore-based studio Post Typography, his work combines research, strategy, and visual craft for clients ranging from local breweries to national political movements. His essays on design have appeared in The Washington Post and beyond, and his teaching and mentorship continue to inspire designers to start on paper, trust their instincts, and stay connected to the communities that shape their work.