Whew! Another long episode in which we talk about recent games, such as Manhattan Project, Treehouse, Edo, Guidhall, and Courtier. We also answer quite a few user questions, where we talk about almost getting sued, why we keep expansion boxes, which side of Merchants of Venus is better, and what to do if you want to publish a game. Finally, we end the episode with our top ten "Games that Have Stood the Test of Time" - games that are just as relevant today as they were when they were published.
In episode 31, we delve into the cyberpunk world of Android Netrunner to bring you a walkthrough and review. Then Tony digs up news about upcoming releases that are topping peoples Christmas lists. We follow the news up with a discussion on Gateway games to break your friends and family in during holiday vacations. We wrap up the episode sharing how good and bad pacing makes or breaks a tabletop session.
A mega episode, jammed full of all sorts of stuff! First, we talk about some recently played games, such as Copycat, Spellbound, Escape, and Robinson Crusoe. The Chief talks about Kickstarter, Brian about Looping Louie, the Snakes and Latte guys about trivia, Mark about Ravinca, Greg about another gaming stores, and the Pirate Cast guys about expansions. We have a tale of horror, a musings on GameSalute, some SUPER exciting news, and special report from BGG.con. Finally, we end the show with games that only we seem to dislike - everyone else loves them!
Do you read boardgame blogs? I mean, besides this one? :)
My friend Jeff Myers is a boardgame blogger, and he joins me on this episode to talk about the subject, both as a reader and an author.
In some ways, I think blogging is a lost art...and the literary form has only been around since the late 1990s. Perhaps that's because they've developed along with the Internet during that same time period. Though they started out as humble web-logs by quirky, individual authors who wanted to write about something, they exploded into the commercial and professional media world who displaced those private authors.
Except that they didn't.
While the New York Times, Huffington Post, Daily Beast, Wall Street Journal, and even consumer products such as Coca-Cola and Volkswagen have things they call blogs (and I guess they are), the blogs boardgamers care about are still around. I'm talking about individual authors with their personal point-of-view, writing style, and a talent for giving us good stuff to read. It's about the boardgames, yes, but it's as much about the author. You find a few you like, you subscribe to the blogs, and (hopefully) give the blogger some feedback.
Yes, you read the number correctly. This is one of our "classic" episodes, redone and remastered for your listening pleasure, with commentary from Tom. In this show, Tom and Joe are joined by a host of guests who all give their opinions on what 2006 holds for gaming. Were they right, wrong? Listen to the show to find out. Tom and Joe also give their top ten board games from the 80's decade.
In episode 30, we're happy to announce that we're now sponsored by Myriad Games and Game Salute! Jamie breaks Spartacus: A Game of Blood and Treachery out of the library for a walk-through and review. Tony digs up the juiciest gaming news for us to drool over. Jamie hosts a discussion called No Game Left Behind where the founders discuss ways to revitalize older games. To wrap things up Brian hosts the bi-weekly tabletop discussion on encounter design.
In our most interview-heavy show ever, we invite over thirty people to come on our show at a live broadcast from BGG.con! The catch? Each person has only two minutes to speak. From designers to publishers to convention hosts to gaming enthusiasts, it's a fun time of laughter, talk about games, and more!
Greg Pettit must enjoy talking about meta topics on my podcast as much as I do. After helping me on my shows about game themes (for grown-ups or otherwise!), he told me he'd been thinking about the value of a boardgame. Not boardgaming, the entire hobby, but an individual title. And not in a strictly dollars & cents way, but more of a holistic, personal value of an individual game. Ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? It might be good background for Greg's thoughts in this episode.
In the first of what will become an annual event, we, along with our contributors, give a Holiday Gift Guide for games that you can get for 2012! We give advice for the best Children's Games, Family Games, Party Games, Stocking Stuffers, and Strategy Games. Give it a listen or forward it to your favorite uncle so he knows what to get you!
Games around the globe. We report back from our latest adventure in Europe, covering the International Spieltag in Essen, Germany and filming a travelogue in Belgium.
In this episode, we take a look at 1969, Villagers and Villains, and a couple tales of Horror! We answer questions about signs of a hardcore gamer, and what to do with people who are rules crazy. We end the episode with a list of our ten worst games of all time!
In this episode, our contributors come out in full force! Mark Zielinski talks about Dark Vengeance, Brian looks back at the Great Dalmuti, Steve Avery talks with Richard Launius, Greg heads to Las Vegas' gaming stores, James talks about a better BGG, and Matt Bush talks about playing board games on your own. We also review the Casual Game Insider magazine, as well as Coup, Marvel Legendary, and We Didn't Playtest This: Legacies. We also talk about BGG.con, Secret Santa, Top 100, and Nothing Personal. A tale of horror shows up, and we finally end the show with the answer to the question - is it better to crush an opponent, or have a close score? Whew!