Our strategy gaming expert interviews Joe Beard, creator of the Example of Play YouTube channel, exploring how passionate content creators are filling the tutorial gap in complex strategy games, from war games with steep learning curves to grand strategy titles that intimidate newcomers, examining the communication skills needed to break down complex mechanics into digestible lessons.

This episode provides an in-depth conversation with Joe Beard, whose Example of Play YouTube channel specializes in creating tutorials for challenging strategy games that often lack adequate in-game instruction. The discussion explores the technical writing skills needed to explain complex game mechanics, examines why small developers struggle to create comprehensive tutorials, and analyses the community role in helping players overcome intimidating learning curves. The conversation covers everything from the nostalgia of physical game manuals to upcoming releases like Europa Universalis 5 and Menace, while highlighting how content creators serve as bridges between ambitious game design and player accessibility.

<a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/criticalmoves/2094674/">Strategy Games Are Terrible at Teaching You Anythi | RSS.com</a>

Critical Moves Podcast – Episode 37 Show Notes

Episode Title: Strategy Games Are Terrible at Teaching You Anything
Hosts: Al, Joe Beard (Guest)
Episode Length: ~45 minutes

Episode Summary

Al interviews Joe Beard, creator of the Example of Play YouTube channel, in a comprehensive discussion about the challenges of learning complex strategy games and the community-driven solutions that have emerged. Joe’s channel specializes in creating tutorials for war games and strategy titles that often feature steep learning curves without adequate instructional support. The conversation explores how his technical writing background equipped him for explaining complex game mechanics, examines the practical challenges small developers face when creating tutorials, and discusses upcoming releases that have captured his attention. From Advanced Tactics Gold breakthrough videos to ambitious plans for Shadow Empire tutorials, the discussion reveals how passionate content creators fill crucial gaps in strategy gaming education while serving communities that major publishers often overlook.

The Tutorial Problem in Strategy Gaming

Learning Curve Barriers and Developer Challenges

Joe identifies a fundamental problem in strategy gaming where complex titles from small developers often lack comprehensive tutorials, creating significant barriers for new players. Unlike AAA studios with dedicated resources for instructional design, indie and small-studio war games frequently ship with minimal guidance beyond lengthy PDF manuals that fail to teach practical gameplay application.

The discussion reveals how this creates a vicious cycle where difficult-to-learn games receive mixed reviews citing confusion and inaccessibility, potentially deterring future sales. Joe argues that while small developers face legitimate resource constraints, poor initial player experiences can damage long-term commercial prospects through negative word-of-mouth and reduced community growth.

Community-Driven Solutions

Joe’s Example of Play channel emerged from recognizing this gap and attempting to create the tutorials he wished existed when learning challenging strategy games. His breakthrough came with Advanced Tactics Gold, an older strategy game lacking modern instructional design but featuring deep, rewarding gameplay mechanics that remained largely inaccessible to newcomers.

The success of these videos demonstrated significant demand for clear, structured explanations of complex game systems. Comments from players who had abandoned games due to confusion but returned after watching tutorials validate the community need for better educational content in strategy gaming.

Technical Communication and Game Education

Skills Transfer from Technical Writing

Joe’s college technical writing course, initially viewed as boring and unnecessary, provided crucial foundation skills for breaking down complex processes into clear, sequential instructions. This academic background in manual creation directly translates to his video tutorial approach, emphasizing logical progression and comprehensive coverage without overwhelming detail.

The comparison between writing user manuals and creating game tutorials highlights often-overlooked communication challenges in strategy gaming. Both require understanding complex systems deeply enough to identify core concepts, then presenting information in digestible sequences that build understanding progressively.

Video Structure and Engagement Philosophy

Joe’s tutorial approach prioritizes immediate engagement over comprehensive coverage, starting with actual gameplay rather than lengthy menu explanations or theoretical discussions. This philosophy recognizes modern attention spans while ensuring viewers quickly understand what they’re learning and why it matters.

His methodology involves minimal introductions, immediate action demonstration, and gradual complexity introduction rather than front-loading theoretical knowledge. This approach contrasts with common tutorial formats that lose viewers through extended exposition before demonstrating practical application.

The Nostalgia and Value of Physical Manuals

Big Box Gaming Era Documentation

The discussion touches on the lost art of physical game manuals, particularly the substantial documentation that accompanied strategy games during the big box era. These manuals served multiple functions beyond instruction, providing historical context, unit descriptions, and world-building elements that enhanced the overall gaming experience.

Joe specifically mentions Age of Empires 2’s manual sparking his interest in history, demonstrating how quality documentation could serve educational purposes beyond game mechanics. This suggests that reduced documentation in modern gaming represents not just instructional loss but also missed opportunities for broader cultural and educational engagement.

Digital Distribution Trade-offs

The shift to digital distribution has largely eliminated comprehensive physical documentation, replaced by PDF files that lack the tactile engagement and casual reading appeal of physical manuals. This transition represents broader changes in how players interact with and learn about games, potentially reducing the depth of engagement that physical documentation encouraged.

The loss of manual reading as part of the gaming ritual reflects changing consumer expectations and development priorities, where immediate playability often takes precedence over comprehensive documentation or educational content.

Upcoming Games and Community Anticipation

Shadow Empire: The Tutorial Challenge

Joe identifies Shadow Empire as his “white whale” – a complex, multi-layered strategy game combining war gaming, city building, economics, and politics without adequate learning support. Despite positive Steam reviews, the game’s hundreds-of-pages manual and steep learning curve create significant accessibility barriers.

His planned comprehensive tutorial series for Shadow Empire represents the type of ambitious educational project that passionate content creators can undertake when developers cannot. The upcoming DLC provides an opportunity to reintroduce the game with better instructional support, potentially expanding its audience significantly.

Europa Universalis 5: Returning Complexity

Joe expresses enthusiasm for Europa Universalis 5’s reported return to complex mechanics after some criticism that recent Paradox titles oversimplified their systems. This trend toward restored complexity aligns with his channel’s focus on games requiring detailed explanation and instruction.

The anticipated complexity of EU5 represents significant tutorial opportunities, both for Joe’s channel and the broader strategy gaming education community. Paradox’s large fanbase ensures substantial audience interest in comprehensive learning materials for their flagship grand strategy franchise.

Menace: Sci-Fi Tactical Evolution

Joe’s excitement for Menace stems from its developer’s track record with Battle Brothers and the game’s combination of his preferred mechanics: turn-based tactical combat, RPG character development, and persistent strategic layers. Published by Hooded Horse, the game represents high-quality indie strategy development with proper publishing support.

The game’s description as combining XCOM-style squad tactics with broader strategic elements appeals to players seeking depth without overwhelming complexity. This balance between accessibility and sophistication represents an ideal target for tutorial creation.

Content Creation Philosophy and Community Impact

Teaching Methodology and Scope Limitations

Joe emphasizes teaching fundamental mechanics rather than optimal play, recognizing that his role involves providing building blocks for player experimentation rather than advanced strategy guides. This approach acknowledges both his limitations as a player and the diverse learning needs of his audience.

His experience with detailed criticism from expert players taught him to focus on accessibility over mastery, serving players who need basic understanding rather than those seeking advanced optimization techniques. This philosophy ensures broader audience utility while maintaining realistic content creation goals.

Community Feedback and Video Evolution

Player comments requesting specific topics or clarification help shape Joe’s content direction, creating responsive tutorial series that address actual learning needs rather than assumed requirements. This community feedback loop ensures his videos address real confusion points rather than theoretical gaps.

The evolution from single comprehensive videos to focused topic-specific episodes reflects lessons learned about viewer attention spans and information retention. Breaking complex games into digestible segments improves learning outcomes while reducing production complexity.

Industry Trends and Publishing Support

Specialized Publisher Roles

The discussion highlights how publishers like Hooded Horse support complex strategy games that mainstream publishers might avoid, enabling developers to pursue sophisticated designs while receiving professional marketing and distribution support. This specialized publishing model serves niche audiences effectively.

Joe’s mention of multiple War Game Design Studio titles demonstrates how focused publishers can maintain consistent quality standards while serving dedicated communities. This approach contrasts with mainstream publishing strategies that prioritize broad market appeal over depth.

Developer-Community Collaboration Opportunities

The conversation suggests potential for closer collaboration between developers and community educators, where tutorial creators could provide feedback during development or create official instructional content. Such partnerships could address accessibility concerns while leveraging community expertise.

Joe’s willingness to contact developers about featuring their games demonstrates how content creators can serve as bridges between developers and players, potentially benefiting all parties through improved game accessibility and expanded audiences.

Contact & Links

Joe Beard’s Example of Play: https://www.youtube.com/@ExampleOfPlay

Episode Verdict

This interview successfully illuminates the crucial but often overlooked role that community educators play in strategy gaming accessibility, revealing how passionate individuals fill gaps that resource-constrained developers cannot address. Joe Beard’s technical writing background and methodical approach to tutorial creation demonstrates that effective game education requires specific communication skills rather than just gaming expertise. The conversation highlights broader industry tensions between design complexity and accessibility, showing how community-driven solutions emerge when commercial interests cannot fully serve niche audiences. Joe’s enthusiasm for upcoming releases like Shadow Empire’s DLC and Europa Universalis 5 reflects the ongoing need for educational content in strategy gaming, while his philosophy of teaching fundamentals rather than optimization provides a sustainable model for community educators. The discussion effectively argues that strategy gaming’s continued health depends partly on passionate community members who bridge the gap between ambitious game design and player understanding, serving as unofficial ambassadors for complex titles that might otherwise remain inaccessible to interested but intimidated players.

Next Episode: Get Ready For Heroes of Might and Magic Olden Era

Discover more from Critical Moves Podcast

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Strategy Games Are Terrible at Teaching You Anything (Ep.37)