Board Game News–Dec. 18, 2011

  • The BattlePlay web site posted an article about using the Plano 7771 fishing tackle box as gaming miniatures and parts storage.
  • Days of Wonder has released the Memoir ’44 campaign book Vol. 2.
  • Fantasy Flight Games announced the upcoming (1Q2012) Fortress America board game in which the United States must defend itself from three invading armies.
  • Steve Jackson Games is giving away a Munchkin Silver Piece with all Warehouse 23 orders while supplies last.
  • Z-Man Games announced the release of the board game Dungeon Petz.

Game Accessories News–Dec. 18, 2011

PC Strategy and Online Game News – Sept. 1, 2011

Miniatures Games News – August 29, 2011

  • Alternative Armies has released its Flintloque Starter Pack SSP04 Shilling Service – 5028 Bier & Bones for only 30 GBP.  This starter set includes a rulebook, dice, miniatures, and more.
  • Arcane Legions is looking for volunteers to help run demos at PAX  in Seattle.
  • Baccus 6mm has announced that work on Polemos S.P.Q.R., their first set of rules for the pre-gunpowder period, is nearly complete and will soon be off to the printers.
  • Catalyst Game Labs recently released Historical: Reunification War, Strategic Operations, and The Wars of Reaving for the Battletech game universe.
  • Dream Pod 9 announced that Scotty’s Brewhouse, home of several of their Gen Con Indy events, is selling the leftover t-shirts and mugs on their web site.  The shirts are $12, mugs $8.  Shipping adds $5 to the shirt price (not sure about the mug).
  • Furidion Games has announced it is closing its doors.
  • RedBrick Limited has announced the availability of Nations of Barsaive Volume Four in eBook and printed versions.  This book offers Earthdawn gamemasters and players an in-depth look at the troll raider clans that sail Barsaive’s skies.
  • SSDC is currently running a Battlelords special which provides the entire collection of Battlelords books in print and PDF versions at 20% off.

Card Game News – August 30, 2011

  • Interaction Point Games has received The Toy Man Award of Excellence, the eChoice Award, and The Toy Man Seal of Approval for its Knock Down, Drag Out game.  They also received an eChoice Award and The Toy Man Seal of Approval for Third & Long: The Football Card Game.
  • Level Zero Games reports great success at Gen Con and the availability of Node, their hacker game where players compete to dominate powerful corporate servers.  It’s priced at a very reasonable $18 with free shipping.
  • Sirlin Games is taking pre-orders for their Puzzle Strike Bundle and Puzzle Strike Upgrade Pack.
  • Star City Games is taking pre-orders for Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas Duel Decks.  Their From the Vault: Legends Singles are on sale.

Board Game News – August 29, 2011

Game Accessories News – August 29, 2011

10 Players Who Can Ruin a Game

At every convention, there seems to be a group of people who can manage to spoil what is otherwise a really pleasant game experience.  I doubt that any of them do this intentionally.  (If they do, we should make it a point of returning the favor.)  Here’s how to recognize them.

  1. The Social Networker
    A Social Networker is easy to spot.  The Social Networker will start taking cell phone calls, text messages, and drive-by visits before the GM has finished explaining the rules.  They’ll interrupt the game every few minutes to take a call from the kids, text their buddy, or discuss where they’re going for drinks later that night.  They’re often the one who makes a one-hour game run 90 minutes.
  2. The Skunk
    You don’t have to spot The Skunk.  You’ll smell them long before that.  This person clearly doesn’t believe in daily showering, deodorant, or general hygiene.  Fortunately, these are relatively rare.  Unfortunately, they’re not extinct. 
  3. The Daydreamer
    The Daydreamer’s mind isn’t on the game you’re playing.  You can spot a Daydreamer by listening for phrases like "Oh, it’s my turn?" or "Wait, I’m the red one, not the blue one."  The Daydreamer is the one who’ll move your pieces around and not realize it until the next turn.  They can be frustrating, but are usually harmless.  (If I’ve had a rough night, I’m likely to be this guy…)
  4. The Enforcer
    The Enforcer listens intently while the rules are explained, and tries to read the rulebook quickly before the game starts.  If anyone, including the GM, forgets or tries to modify the rules, The Enforcer will step in.  The offending party will have to give in to The Enforcer’s demands or enlist the group to beat down The Enforcer’s will.
  5. The Expert
    The Expert signs up for an "introduction" game with months or years of experience playing the title.  As the game progresses, The Expert will regale you with stories of how different strategies allowed them to win in the past.  The Expert will use superior knowledge of the game to crush the players who are just trying to figure it out.  When the game is over, The Expert will often become the next kind of player… The Sore Winner.
  6. The Sore Winner
    The Sore Winner enjoys gloating after a victory.  They will tell the others around the board all the boneheaded moves they made that cost them the game.  They’ll explain how their strategy was destined to win, and yours could only lose.  They may even do a happy dance or pump their fist in the air.  Generally, they’re only a nuisance at the end of the game.
  7. The Sieve
    The Sieve has probably never mastered a game more complex than checkers, yet they will sit down to play Warhammer 40K or Axis and Allies.  The GM will constantly be explaining the rules to them, offering strategic advice, and practically playing the game for them.  If they manage to win the game, you’ll walk away feeling cheated.
  8. The Infector
    The Infector isn’t feeling well.  Their nose is running.  They’re sneezing.  They look like they haven’t slept for days.  Worse, they sneeze into their hand – then move the pieces on the game board around with the same hand.  Even if you walk away from the table without picking up the bug they’re carrying, you’re still likely to feel a bit queasy.
  9. The Comparator
    The Comparator has played a lot of other games like this one.  If another game has a nicer board, better playing pieces, a cooler box, better rulebook, neater way of handling something, or a different anything, The Comparator will tell you all about it… in detail.  Repeatedly.
  10. The Sore Loser
    Just as The Sore Winner makes it a point to explain how inferior your strategy and playing style are, the The Sore Lose blames you for his defeat.  The Sore Loser lost because the dice rolled better for you, or you cheated during a critical part of the game, or your poorly executed strategy ruined their ability to execute their perfect one.  The Sore Loser feels destined to win the game and cheated when they lose.

Know any other gamer types?  Post a comment. 

5 Ways to Make Your Event Easy to Find

Having attended many game conventions and played many more games at them, I’ve realized that one of the most frustrating aspects of the larger conventions like Origins and Gen Con is being able to actually FIND the game I’ve signed up for.  I don’t think I’ve walked away from a convention in the last 5 years without a ticket to a game I couldn’t locate.  That always leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth and a determination never to sign up for another event run by the same person or group.  I’m going to assume that this isn’t what GMs want.

With several years of convention experience under my belt, I present the following suggestions for helping players easily find your game events at a convention:

  1. Make your game mastering group visible, if you have one.
    Rogue Judges and Red Shirt Games are two groups that do this right.  When you step into the board game area, there is no mistaking where these two groups are.  Rogue Judges has a huge banner in their area (see image below).  Red Shirt has a large red shirt-shaped sign.  If you have a game with them, it would be hard to miss where it is.  I’ve had trouble finding games when the ticket says "Exhibit Hall A.  John Doe Gaming" on it.  If John Doe doesn’t have a sign up, or it’s not very visible, I’ll never find him.  And next year I won’t be signing up for any of his games because I wasted money on a ticket to one this year.

    S1050314
    It’s not hard to find a Rogue Judges game!

  2. Make the game table easy to find.
    Gen Con Indy 2011 had a great system for this.  In the board game room, each table had a brightly colored plastic tablecloth on it with a number affixed to it.  When you picked up an event ticket, it said "Red Table #12".  Stepping into the room, you could identify the tables with a red tablecloth and head toward them.  The numbers made it easy to find the specific table.  I can’t tell you how many games I’ve missed at conventions because I couldn’t find the table (since the ticket only said something like "Exhibit Hall E"). 

    S1050308
    Colored tablecloths and numbered tables make locating a game easier!

  3. If you’re running multiple events, post your schedule prominently.
    This is another area where Rogue Judges does an excellent job.  In their area, they post images of the game box, the game title, and a list of times they’re running that game.  If you have a really good experience at one of their games, you’re able to quickly find other games they’re running.  It’s extra work to set this up, but could result in your games being more well attended.

    S1050046
    Rogue Judges’ event schedule is easy to find

  4. Have table signage in place, even when you’re not running a game.
    Even though I run this web site and keep up to date on games that are being released, I still don’t recognize every game out there.  I may walk by a game in progress that looks interesting.  If there is a box visible, or a sign which shows the name of the game, I’ll be able to find and sign up for a future session.  The image below shows a table where three different events are run, with a sign describing each event and the planned schedule. 

    S1050044-fixed
    Signage makes it easy to see what is played on this table, and when.

  5. If you’re relocated, make it easy for players to find the new location.
    Convention organizers sometimes need to relocate games at the last minute.  Unfortunately, they don’t often do a good job communicating this to the players.  If your game was originally scheduled to take place in one location but has been moved to another, it’s a good idea to post a sign in a prominent place that lets players know where to find you.  To the extent that convention rules permit, placing a sign at the entrance to a game area you were supposed to be in can be a big help.

None of this is exactly rocket science, but it’s disappointing how many times a game is difficult or impossible to find.  A few simple changes would have made the location process much easier.

If you have additional recommendations, please share them in the comments.

RPG News – August 21, 2011

  • Holistic Design Inc. has announced plans to release their Noble Armada space combat game on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices as Fading Suns: Noble Armada.
  • Mongoose Publishing’s Out of Print Sale includes Paranoia: Stuff, RuneQuest I Main Rulebook, and RuneQuest Companion.  There are 64 items in the sale as of this writing.
  • Paradigm Concepts has put Witch Hunter: The Invisible World – Aztec Empire for sale on their online store.
  • Pinnacle Entertainment Group (PEG) has posted images of new Deadlands miniatures, information about changes in Savage Worlds Deluxe around damage and healing, a sneak peek at Agents of Oblivion, and more.
  • The Federation Commander web site has launched a YouTube channel in which they’ll talk about specific product lines, new product releases, and the actual contents of product boxes.
  • Radioactive Press has released their first pregenerated monster for Giant Monster Rampage 3rd Edition.  Monarch is available at RPGNow and Wargame Vault.
  • Random Encounters has released its micro-game Deniable Asset: Hiding in the Mosque for free download through their E-Store.  It’s a prelude to their upcoming Deniable Asset espionage game.
  • Palladium Books announced that Rifts: Vampire Kingdoms is now shipping.
  • Skirmisher Publishing has posted a thought-provoking entry on Gen Con 2011, in which they discuss how smaller publishers were treated this year, and how the company’s sales at Gen Con were 1/8 what they’ve been in past years.  It’s interesting reading.
  • Super Genius Games has released Codex Draconis: Red Tyrants of the Mountains.  This module is Pathfinder and OGL compatible, 25 pages long, and priced at $3.99.
  • Triple Ace Games released All For One: Paris Gothic in eBook form.
  • Avalon Games announced the release of Horror Show, a new RPG by Bedrock Games.  It’s based on terror movies and is described as perfect for one-shot adventures and full-length campaigns.
  • Evil Hat Productions posted pictures from the ENnie awards during Gen Con.
  • Green Ronin Publishing won three ENnies.  They’ve also released Mutants & Masterminds Threat Reports #32 and #33.
  • Margaret Weis Productions has announced Marvel Heroes, a family of RPG products based on the Marvel Comics universe.
  • Paizo has announced the release of a new Pathfinder novel, Master of Devils by Dave Gross.
  • Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) has released printable PDF maps for Ninja: Legend of the Scorpion Clan, announced the upcoming release of Nightfall: Blood Country and Thunderstone: Heart of Doom in October.
  • Night Of Mystery is offering a chance to win a free Murder Under the Big Top party to the the author of the best comment about why they’d like to throw the party.  See their site for full details.
  • Postmortem Studios released a preview of their upcoming Gosh, Spies! game.  Gosh, Spies! is a supplement for Agents of SWING that delves into the realm of children’s, tweens, and teens adventure fiction.
  • Rogue Games is taking pre-orders for Colonial Gothic: The Grimoire.
  • Arc Dream Publishing posted stories and photos about their Gen Con experience, including winning their first ENnies!
  • Inkwell Ideas has released a free Random Map Generator for Dungeonographer.
  • Machine Age Productions has released recordings of their Gen Con 2011 seminars.  The recordings include Things You Think About Games, The No-No’s of Game Design, Lessons from Indie Publishing, Design an RPG in an Hour, Game Design is Mind Control, and The Legal Rules of Gaming.  All these seminars are available in MP3 format.
  • The Eclipse Phase web site announced the release of Panopticon and the Eclipse Phase Core Hack Pack.

PC and Online Game News – August 21, 2011

  • 2K Games and Gearbox Software have announced the development of Borderlands 2.
  • Broderbund has its Hoyle Card Games 2012, Casino Games 2012, and Puzzle and Board Games 2012 on sale.  Each title is priced at $17.99.
  • There is a new Sylvari video posted for Guild Wars 2.
  • Matrix Games has announced the release of Field of Glory – Eternal Empire for the PC.  It’s described as a faithful reproduction of Slitherine’s popular tabletop wargaming system of the same name.
  • Paradox Interactive posted some details on its upcoming free-to-play Salem MMORPG.  Salem sounds like it has an interesting economic mechanism and a "permanent death" feature.
  • Sega has announced a pre-order incentive for their Xbox 360 game Rise of Nightmares.  Players who pre-order the game will receive an exclusive Mini-Zombie that will interact with the player’s Avatar on the Xbox 360 dashboard.
  • Shrapnel Games has announced plans to release Bronze as a "cardboard game".
  • Square Enix has released Drawin’ Growin’ for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.  It’s a casual game that involves a quest to return an island kingdom’s neglected flora back to its former glory.
  • Take 2 Games announced NBA 2K12.
  • Tecmo Koei has posted news for Ninja Gaiden 3, Dynasty Warriors 7, and Champion Jockey on their web site.

Wargame News – August 21, 2011

  • Celikan Jogos, a Brazilian game company, has released ECOnomia (a business themed game), Boolean (logic game), and Deterrence (superpower game).  Link goes to their site in Portuguese.
  • GMT Games has posted sample units for Next War: Korea, sneak peeks of Unconditional Surrender, and an FAQ for Infidel.
  • Histogame will be releasing the Friedrich Anniversary Edition in October to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Frederick the Great.  Pre-orders are being taken.
  • The League of Augsburg has posted a gallery of images of their upcoming Horse Command and Senior Commanders miniatures to be released later this year.
  • Multi-Man Publishing has issued a reprint of Guderian’s Blitzkrieg II.  It’s currently available for $160.00.
  • Victory Point Games has several titles ready for playtesting, including Nathan Hansen’s Battle of Armies expansion kit and a Franco-Prussian wargame.
  • Wargame Vault has added several new products recently, including War Memoirs: Corporal William Dale and the Boys of Stewart Town from Triple Oak Leaf Publishing, Monarch from Radioactive Press, and Two Hour Wargames’ 5150: Star Army.

Miniatures Gaming News – August 21, 2011

Card Game News – August 21, 2011

  • The Mage Wars web site proclaims their visit to Gen Con a huge success.  That’s hard to argue with.  Their booth was busy every time I passed by it, and the demo area in the board game room had a list of over 300 people who had signed up to try it.  Not bad for a game you can’t even buy yet!
  • The Shadowfist web site lists the winners of the 2011 Shadowfist events at Gen Con.
  • Wizards of the Coast is looking for a Senior Business Manager – Marketing.

Gaming Accessories News – August 21, 2011

Board Game News – August 21, 2011

  • Blue Panther LLC has a $9.99 Knockdown Dice Tower – Value Edition product, and two new Print-On-Demand (POD) wargames:  Hamel and Allenby Blitzkrieg.
  • Cheese Weasel Logistics says that they’re planning to go to Gen Con a day early in 2012 to start their ConQuest program for those who arrive early.  Their iPad app is coming along.
  • Cryptozoic Entertainment has posted some additional computer desktop wallpaper images based on their Food Fight game.
  • Dice Games.com has released the original LCR (Left Center Right) game for iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod touch).
  • Eagle Games is taking pre-orders for BuyWord, a game of words in which players pay cash to buy letters and form words to sell at a profit.
  • Evertide Games has posted updates on their Nottingham, Hellas, Drug Lords, The Thing, and other titles.
  • Fantasy Flight Games is hiring for the position of Organized Play Associate.
  • Grognard Simulations, Inc. is launching a coupon program that provides a discount on the price of a game.
  • Mayfair Games has posted news about the WWCC or World Wide Catan Championship coming up in September 2012 in Valley Forge, PA.
  • Smarts Co. has released several new boardgame titles, including CatSmarts, ClassicRockSmarts, ElvisSmarts, RedWineSmarts, and ZombieSmarts.
  • Treefrog Games has posted images of some of the pieces included with the deluxe version of Ankh-Morpork, a Discworld-themed game based on the novels of Terry Pratchett.
  • Zombie State Games has posted a free PDF that adds depth to Zombie State by including diplomacy elements.

Free Downloadable Damage and Control Tokens

space-sampleRocketship Games has released its "Damage and Control" set of printable PDF tokens for use with a variety of games.  The tokens can be mounted on 25mm figure bases or chits for durability.  Available sets include skulls, explosions, foot combat, and space combat.  The tokens are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Pathfinder Advanced Players Guide in PCGen

logoThe PCGen (open source RPG character creator) now contains the seventh and final update to the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide OOC Data Set.  This is a release intended to deliver the most current fixes for the Pathfinder APG data set.  The file also patches the Pathfinder Role Playing Game Core Rulebook and Bestiary. 

New Itar’s Workshop Products

Itar’s Workshop has added three new terrain products:  Bedroom Furniture, Rectangular Table with Chairs, and Two Wheel Cart.

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Spotlight: TSHIRTBORDELLO

Tshirtbordello first caught my attention at Origins 2011.  The shirts in their collection were unique designs that didn’t resemble the others I’ve seen at conventions in the past.  For example, consider the following:

android-r2-shirt-l1_thumb_400x300

To me, this was an amusing design on a couple of levels.  It’s a Star Wars parody, but at the same time it’s poking fun at the Android/iOS rivalry.  (It doesn’t hurt that I dislike the heavy-handed, tight-fisted control Apple places over the iOS platform.)  I had to buy one.

A similar shirt combined Star Wars and Doctor Who references into a single image:

r2d-who-and-cyb3r-s1

Another parodies sports and Battlestar Galactica in one design:

cylon-raiders-lg_thumb_400x300

One shirt is sort of a statement on itself and gaming at the same time:

achievement-unlocked-s1

Tshirtbordello also does posters, mugs, glasses, and caps with various designs.  For example, consider the glass below, which features artwork from the fictional Overlook Hotel where Jack Nicholson’s character in The Shining went insane:

Overlook-Glass-lg_thumb_400x300

Aside from the fact that Tshirtbordello’s stuff tends to be very clever, another thing that I like about them is that their prices are more reasonable than some of the t-shirt vendors seen at conventions.  For example, the glass above is $9.99.  The shirts are typically priced at $14.99.  The stuff is all good quality as well.  My "Death Star" t-shirt has been worn and washed many times and still looks as good as the day I bought it.  They use heavy-weight Gildan and Anvil 100% cotton shirts for men and American Apparel and Bella shirts for women.  With exceptions based on their inventory, they offer shirts in sizes from small to 4X (larger sizes cost a few dollars more).

On the company’s web site, they routinely post specials where their products are offered at significantly reduced prices.  At the time of this posting, for example, you can pick up the women’s version of my Android shirt for $9.99, a Winchester Tavern glass (Shawn of the Dead reference) for $4.99, or the South Park "Coon and Friends" t-shirt for $9.99.

Tshirtbordello is one of those sites I’ll be keeping an eye on here at Gamer Hotsheet.  As they offer new specials or add interesting products to their line, I’ll be mentioning them here in the Gaming Accessories news area.

Note:  I did receive a free poster from Tshirtbordello at Gen Con 2011.  The editorial content of this article was NOT influenced by that gift.  I really do like their products and believe that they are some of the more interesting designs I’ve seen.