It’s an exciting time for Games Overboard.  More specifically it’s an exciting time for me.  I have been submerged in the world of old technology for the last few years.  I work as a repair technician for musical instruments.  Our industry hasn’t really changed much in the last……. couple centuries.  Well, recently I dove headfirst into the world of the technologically elite.  I got a Droid.  No, not the robot, although that would be even cooler by any standard.  I got a smart phone, and boy is it changing what I’m doing with games overboard.

I started looking for apps for the phone, and the first thing I found, or rather found me was that my phone automatically linked my Gmail and Facebook contacts.  I can see and communicate with the people from both areas instantly.  I can also post on the wall of the GAmes Overboard group and on my personal wall instantly.

I further delved into the realm of instant updates when I got the Bettr Flickr app (I think I paid $1.99 for it).  I can set it up to post pics directly to the Games Overboard Photostream, so you amy have seen a ton of new on-site pics over the last week.

Add to that the ability to Tweet from the phone,  and that about rounds it out.

But WAIT!  THERE’S More.

My favorite thing I’ve found is that I can actually capture video from my phone in decent resolution and with the Free YouTube App upload on the Go.  I’ve already uploaded three short clips to youtube.  and I’m calling the mini-casts “Overboard on the Road”

I can also record my plays and look up info using the boardgamegeek applications, so I can keep a running count of the games I play.  I’m hoping to integrate a real time feed that tells the last ten games I’ve played.

It’s a little overwhelming how connected I am now, but I’m really enjoying it.  Let me know of any other apps I need to get or ways that I can reach out to you even more. I love gaming, and I love our Fans, so let’s hear from you

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Rare doesn’t even begin to describe the recent purchase of the Nazi Luftwaffe game “The Eagle Defense Game” (or Adler Luftverteidigungs Spiel in the original German.)  As this is possibly the only remaining copy of the game, purchaser Alan Goldsmith has to consider himself a lucky man.

The game, created by a Luftwaffe officer, challenges players to defend the Fatherland from swarms of RAF fighters and bombers.  Purchased for the sum of £600 ($900US) the game will find its way into the House on the Hill Toy Museum of Stansted.

While I’ll appreciate the rarity of this game and the purchase, I think above all it shows us just how creative the Germans have always been in board game creation.  Another similar game, The Eagles Dog Fight Game, was also produced in 1941 and had a similar goal.

Both games will be displayed in the museum this year as a tribute to the 70th anniversary to the Battle of the Bulge.

Source:  Cambridge News

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While I’ve never played World of Warcraft (the closest I’ve gotten was the Leroy Jenkins video) I thought this was worth sharing.  What if the addicting MMORPG were a real-life game with the goal of being a better husband?

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3. Monopoly The Movie?

Yes, you read that correctly.  According to the AMC news feed a film version of the classic game Monopoly is in the works.

It looks like Ridley Scott (of Alien and Black Hawk Down) is slated to direct the film which plans to release sometime in 2012.  (A surer sign of that year’s prophesied Apocalypse.)

Now I do love my board games, and I’m a big movie fan too, but this one I can’t seem to get my head around.  While I can only see the film taking place on the New Jersey streets highlighted in the game, what can the plot of this film entail?

Immediately I picture films like Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition) and Glengarry Glen Ross and the corporate shinanigans that occurs in both.  However, I would expect a film based on “The World’s Favorite Family Game” to have a family-friendliness that neither of those films holds.

Overall I’m just confused about this news.  What are your thoughts?  Let us know in the comment section below.

Sources:  AMC, Worstpreviews, Filmofilia

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I loved playing with LEGOs® when I was a kid, and if I had the time, money, and space I’d still be playing with them today.  Well now I can combine my love of board games with my love of LEGOs®.

LEGO has recently announced that it will now sell the board games they’ve built and had available in Europe to the U.S. market.  I’ll be looking up some reviews first to see which are the best games, but I have to say, I’m pretty excited about this.

Source:  The Brothers Brick, LEGO

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I’ll admit that as far as board games go, I’m a late bloomer. I only really started playing games in the last few years (when I met Brian.) Now, of course, I’m an avid player of all types of gaming.

One of my recent favorites is the game Tichu.  We have a review in the can on that one and it should be up soon.  It’s a great game and the only real drawback is the need for four people.  We can always seem to get three or five people together, but rarely the foursome.

Another great game we’ve played lately is Power Struggle.  I like this game for the simple reason that the more corrupt your company, the lower the morale of your workers, the better off you are.  Having worked for companies large and small, it just strikes a chord with me.

The last game that currently finds itself in my current favorites, is one that will most likely always be in that category.  That game is Carcassonne.  Whether playing with two people and just a base set, or have five of us and every expansion we can get our hands on, it’s a great game.  Every time you play it’s a little different, and everyone has a unique strategy.

So what are your favorite games?  Is there anything you would have to have with you on that proverbial desert island?  Let us know in the comments below.

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As I recently mentioned, I’m working on updating the look of Games Overboard.  So I just wanted to drop a quick note about the update and ask for some feedback from all our viewers and readers.  I’ve got a test site up and running with what I’ve been able to cobble together so far, and I’d like to know what all of you think.

The test site is at geek-girls.com (a domain name I purchased years ago and never figured out what to do with.)  So if you could jump over there and take a look at what’s up so far.

I’d love any feedback from you, so if you could comment below and tell me what you think.  Now, I’m not done, but at this point I’d like to see if you can see anything I should have that I don’t.

One note, I will be putting a “Featured Review” section on the far right sidebar, but the code doesn’t seem to want to take.  Other than that, what do you think.  What color scheme should I use?  Is there something I should have but don’t?  Please comment below, and thanks ahead of time.

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I got a bit curious this afternoon and thought I’d look up the largest board games ever.  First I did what anyone looking for a record would do; I went to the Guinness World Records site and searched there.

OK, I’m not going to get into basic design theory, search engine optimization, or site architecture, but suffice it to say that Guinness’ site fails on all fronts (much like me and Stratego, but that’s a different story.)  I didn’t find out what the largest board game was there, but I did find out they’re releasing a board game of their own.

So then I googled it (yes, that’s a verb and needs no capitalization.)  There I found a story about a guy in Canada who built a giant board game that has indeed been classified as “The Largest Board Game.”  From the description he created a gargantuan Monopoly board with local street and place names.

This still wasn’t really what I wanted, so I continued my search.  I found an article from August about a Green Bay Packers Game.  One about a life-sized Candyland game in San Fransisco, and something called “Galaxion” that claims to be “the largest commercially available board game.”  (Um, hate to break it to your guys, but “Railroad Tycoon” has you beat.)

I even found an article about Ken Fonarow who sold his board game collection for $150,000.  Granted he had over 20,000 games, that’s still amazing, and where did he keep them all?

I even came across Scott’s post talking about his biggest change being that he’ll shorten his videos.  Again, still not what I’m looking for.

“So, what is it you’re looking for?” you ask?  Well, I want to know what the largest board game is that I can buy?  I mean the one with the largest playing space?  Is it “Railroad Tycoon?”  Am I wrong and is it “Galaxion?”  Or do I have to get as many “Carcassonne” base games as I can and find a football field somewhere?

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I recently got this email from one of our followers in the UK:

Hey guys,

I was just watching your review for “Dominion” and decided to come over to your website. I was wondering if you could help me out, I’m at University in Lancaster in the UK and I recently created a 2 player card game called “Convicts”; I was inspired by “Lost Cities”.

All the people who have played it have really enjoyed it and I was wondering what would be the best next step? I can’t find any games conventions that happen in England but then again, I don’t really know where to look. Can you help me out?

Thanks, James

Having gone through the rigamarol ourselves in the past here was our advise to James:

Hi James,

Great job creating your own game.  Is the basis of the game based off the “Prisoner’s Dilemma?”  We do love “Lost Cities,” so it definitely sounds like something we’d like to get our hands on.

About publishing, you do have a few options there.  You can use a service like The Game Crafter which we covered before to self-publish.  This would require you to self-promote as well.  Having recently completed my degree I know how much time a University student has so that may not be a viable option for you.

You could try contacting a big publisher, like Hasbro, to see if they have any interest.  One thing to note with these guys is that they make most of their money off of their standardized games (Monopoly and such) and aren’t very willing to look into new games unless you really pitch well.

Your third option is to find a smaller publisher, like Rio Grande, Mayfair, or North Star, and pitch your game to them.  Most have a way to contact them through their websites, and they might be willing to fly you out to pitch it to them (if not, try Go To Meeting to do it online.)  Better yet, find a publisher locally.  I’m not aware, offhand, of any publishers in Lancaster, but there has to be at least one.

Whatever you choose to do, let us know.  I’d love to do a story on you and how you worked through creating and eventually publishing a game.  On that note, how did you come up with the game?

Hope that helps, and please feel free to ask for any additional help.  I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on a copy of the game, once published, to do a review on myself.

Good Luck and Thanks for Watching,

Mark Miller

Marketing Director — Games Overboard

But we know there may be some other options out there for James to follow.  We have a lot of watchers here, and we know that some of you have published your own games.  Some of you may even be interested in helping James publish his game.

So do you have any additional advice for James?  Can you help our fellow board gamer out?  Please leave a comment below or contact us here and we’ll follow up with James.

Thanks to everyone.

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If you’ve ever had the opportunity to play with the Microsoft Surface you’ll know that the system in unique in many ways.  It’s multi-touch, can detect physical items placed on it and interpret what they are, and it’s beautiful.

Having had an opportunity to play Chess and Checkers on one a few months ago, I immediately foresaw the possibilities of the Surface on gaming.  Looks like I wasn’t the only one.

D&D on the Microsoft Surface from CrunchGear on Vimeo.

And that’s just D&D.  Think about a Catan or Power Grid built for the Surface.  The possibilities, the maps, the ability to implement alternative rules or use expansions all built into the system are endless.  Add onto that the ability to continue using real dice, figurines, and meeples, well, I have to say I’m very excited about it.

Now if only I knew how to program, I’d be building my own collection tomorrow.

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