Great Big Table

Extra Life: Playing board games for 24 hours across three days to help sick kids

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:21:00 +0000

The Great Big Table / Saint Peter's Game Night Extra Life weekend is this weekend. We're playing 24 hours of board games across three days to raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

If you're up for some board gaming in service of Children's Miracle Hospitals and you'll be in the Southern Indiana region (Evansville, IN, to be exact) this weekend, then consider stopping by:

When:
October 19th, 6pm - 9pm CST
October 20th, 7am - 9pm CST
October 21st, noon - 8pm CST

Where:
Saint Peter's (Highland) UCC
7014 Darmstadt Road
Evansville, IN 47710

Phone: 812-867-5271
Email: stpetersdarmstadt@att.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stpetershighland

If you can't make it, please consider supporting one of our Extra Life teams.

Extra Life Teams:
We are coordinating two Extra Life teams this year. The first is affiliated with our Great Big Table board gaming podcast, greatbigtable.com. The second is affiliated with the monthly community game night that's hosted out of our church on the third Friday night of the month from 6pm - 9pm (and where our three days of gaming will be held this weekend).

Great Big Table Extra Life team: http://www.extra-life.org/team/greatbigtable

Saint Peter's Game Night Extra Life team: http://www.extra-life.org/team/stpetersgamenight

Many of our team members are raising money for Riley Children's Hospital in Indianpolis, Indiana. Many of the members of our church have a personal connection with Riley as they have had family or friends that have required its services.

Our own family owes a debt of gratitude to the staff and services of Riley when they saved our infant daughter's life with a cranial reconstruction surgery last Winter. Participating in Extra Life is our way of giving back to this amazing facility.

Good luck to everyone participating in Extra Life events this year and thank you.

Great Big Table podcast - Episode 003 - Finding a Game Group

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:35:00 +0000

It's been a long time coming (sorry about that), but we've finally been able to edit the episode that we recorded over two months ago. In this episode we talk about our new voice mail system (401-ItIsBig), about our Extra Life team, about some of our thrift store finds and flops and we run down some of the games we've played.

The Great Big Table Extra Life team page can be found at www.extra-life.org/team/greatbigtable . Please spread the word about what we're doing, join the team, support a team member or start a team of your own with your family, gaming group, co-workers, church, or friendly local gaming store.

All that and we harness the Internet to brainstorm ways to find, or create, gamers with whom to play more games.

So, saddle up and check out the show.

Some additional links from the show:

The Ted Talk (about the enthusiastic follower) that we discussed: Derek Sivers' How to Start a Movement.

Chris Norwood (aka Gamer Chris): gamerchris.com
Chris' Extra Life team: Exploring Games with Kids

Paul Owen's Man Overboard blog: paulowengames.blogspot.com

Jason Moslander's Games with Two blog: gameswithtwo.blogspot.com

Legends Family and Hobby Games (Vincennes, IN) facebook: www.facebook.com/legendsgames

Some of the games we talk about this episode include:

Battle Line
Can't Stop
Dixit
Dominoes
Double Discoveries (Trap the Cap / Game of Goose) - Out of Print, link goes to Board Game Geek page.
Eleminis
Got 'Em
Hike
Identik
Jungle Speed
Leader 1
Lost Cities
Monopoly Deal
Pit
Rallyman
The Resistance
Reverse Charades
Save the Whales - Out of Print, link goes to Board Game Geek page.
Say Anything
S'getti Scatter
Therapy - Out of Print, link goes to Board Game Geek page.
Times Up: Title Recall
Werewolf
Wise and Otherwise
Witch Trial - Out of Print, link goes to Board Game Geek page.
Wits & Wagers

Download the episode: GBT-EP003-Finding-a-Game-Group-Final.mp3

Subscribe to the podcast: via RSS
Subscribe to the podcast: via iTunes

This episode of the Great Big Table is released under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives 3.0 license.

The My favorite game console is a table and chairs image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike license by Daniel Solis. If you like the image, head over to Daniel's blog, danielsolis.com, and buy the t-shirt. If you buy a t-shirt, tell Daniel that the Great Big Table podcast sent you. Daniel has an amazing blog with many interesting thoughts about gaming. Check it out.

The music for this episode is "Vox vs. Uke" by unreal_dm (featuring Mind Map That!) and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. You can hear more of unreal_dm's wonderful music creations at ccmixter.org/people/unreal_dm.

***Great Big Table is a late-night conversation between two Midwestern geeks with dreams of world domination through board games. It's not a great plan, but it's our plan and we're sticking to it. Join as we plot to put a meeple in every pot- or at least on every table. We slipped the bonds of our robot masters, so the only opinions represented here are our own. We are however in league with Amazon, so a percentage of every purchase made through our links goes into our onshore accounts (thanks!). Some games have been provided by publishers for review while we picked up others for a buck or two at a thrift store or yard sale. Others are from our own collections or games we played with friends and strangers. Our church also received donated games to its community game collection from Legends Family and Hobby Games. All of which are disclosed as such in the podcast. Give yourself a pat on the back if you've made it this far. You should be proud of yourself for reading all this small print- we are!

Upcoming Show Topic: Finding Other Gamers

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:48:00 +0000

A tip of the hat to guild member, Art V. (pirateart on BGG) for this upcoming show topic.

So you've just discovered hobby board games and you are now hooked. Maybe you are lucky enough to play with your significant other, spouse or roommate or maybe now you want to expand social circle of hobby game players.

How do you go about finding those other players?

If you are a veteran gamer that now plays with a regular group, how did you go about finding other players?

Any suggestions, tips, or tricks for our next episode?

Update: The episode that partially resulted from this discussion is here: Finding a Game Group

Great Big Table podcast - Episode 002 - Good Games with Kids

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:24:00 +0000

It's been a heck of a week filled with three kids with strep throat, but Great Big Table hosts Jim and Adrienne have persevered and were able to carve out enough time to record our longest episode yet.

Sorry about that.

Really.

It shouldn't happen again.

This week we cover games that work well with kids and some tips for raising gamers. We still have listeners (I know, right) and they were kind enough to join in the conversation.

Also, Jim details all his victories over the last couple of weeks.

It's a short list.

And we talk about why scary movies are best to view with Jim, point out that Elmo is the best fantasy artist in the world, and hack a Fisher Price game to make it truly awesome.

Like we said. It's been a heck of a week.

Here is the Kickstarter link to Tsuro of the Seas. It is funded and has a couple days left, so get in on those stretch goals.

Also, we were mistaken that Story Realms currently has a Kickstarter campaign. They are in the development phase of their design and hope to have a campaign before the end of the summer. They are looking for playtesters, so check out Escapade Games' project page.

Finally. here's a link to the post "The Positive Benefits of Gaming with Kids" from the Growing Up Gamers blog that we mentioned in the episode.

So, now it's your turn.

What do you think? What makes a good game for kids?

What games would you cross off our list?

What games would you add?

What are your tips for raising gamers?

What do you see as benefits? What are your drawbacks?

Let's continue the conversation here.

Some of the games mentioned in this episode include:

Barnum Crackers
Blokus
Bug Out
Button Men - Available for download from Cheap Ass Games' site.
Carcassonne
Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers
Catan: Junior
Catch the Match
Chore Wars - Get loot drops for taking out the garbage!
Doggie Doo
En Garde
Eleminis
Fealty
Flash Duel
Flash Point Fire Rescue
Forbidden Island
Froggie Boogie
Go Away Monster
Lego Heroica
Hopp Gallopp - Out of Print, link goes to Board Game Geek page.
Hula Hippos
Incan Gold
Kids of Carcassonne
Kill Doctor Lucky
Liar's Dice
Los Mampfos - Hard to find in the US, link goes to the Board Game Geek page.
Lords of Waterdeep
Mad Magazine Game
Magic Labyrinth
Mille Bornes
Minotaurus
Monopoly
Monopoly Deal
Oh Gnome You Don't!
Pitchcar
Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
Save Doctor Lucky
Scrabble
S’getti Scatter - Out of Print, link goes to Board Game Geek page.

Seven Dragons
Ship Ahoy! - Hard to find in the US, link goes to the Board Game Geek page.
Sorry! Sliders
Ticket To Ride
Tsuro
Uno
Uno: Roboto
Wallamoppi
Werewolf - A cheap basic set, Ultimate Werewolf - All the bells and whistles
Wise and Otherwise

Download the episode: GBT-EP002-Good-Games-with-Kids-final.mp3

Subscribe to the podcast: via RSS
Subscribe to the podcast: via iTunes

This episode of the Great Big Table is released under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives 3.0 license.

The My favorite game console is a table and chairs image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike license by Daniel Solis. If you like the image, head over to Daniel's blog, danielsolis.com, and buy the t-shirt. If you buy a t-shirt, tell Daniel that the Great Big Table podcast sent you. Daniel has an amazing blog with many interesting thoughts about gaming. Check it out.

The music for this episode is "Vox vs. Uke" by unreal_dm (featuring Mind Map That!) and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. You can hear more of unreal_dm's wonderful music creations at ccmixter.org/people/unreal_dm.

***Great Big Table is a late-night conversation between two Midwestern geeks with dreams of world domination through board games. It's not a great plan, but it's our plan and we're sticking to it. Join as we plot to put a meeple in every pot- or at least on every table. We slipped the bonds of our robot masters, so the only opinions represented here are our own. We are however in league with Amazon, so a percentage of every purchase made through our links goes into our onshore accounts (thanks!). Some games have been provided by publishers for review while we picked up others for a buck or two at a thrift store or yard sale. Both are disclosed as such in the podcast. Give yourself a pat on the back if you've made it this far. You should be proud of yourself for reading all this small print- we are! Again. Sorry about the length on this one. It shouldn't happen again.

Great Big Table podcast - Episode 001 - Good Games for Couples

Wed, 16 May 2012 19:21:00 +0000

It's a bit late, but we're back in the saddle with Episode 1 of the Great Big Table podcast!

In this episode, we learn that we have listeners and, not only that, but they have offered feedback and contributed our first audio segment.

Yeah, we're as shocked as you.

We also discuss what traits make up good, and bad, games for couples. Then we dive into our list of games that have worked for us, as a couple, and may work for you.

Some of the games mentioned in this episode include:

1960 Making of the President
Balloon Cup (out of print, so here's the Board Game Geek page for the game)
Battle Line
Carcassonne
Carcassonne: The Castle
Cathedral
Haba Bear Dominos
Haba Bock-Springen (Jump-A-Sheep) (out of print, so here's the Board Game Geek page for the game)
Haba Catch Me Game
Jaipur
Lost Cities
Pandemic
Puerto Rico
Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
Rook
San Juan
Small World
Sorry Sliders
Therapy
Ticket to Ride
Tobago
Zooloretto

Adrienne also found that the Mazes and Monsters DVD is available from Amazon. Enjoy the horror, folks. Enjoy the horror.

Download the episode: GBT-EP001-Good-Games-for-Couples-final.mp3

Subscribe to the podcast: via RSS
Subscribe to the podcast: via iTunes

This episode of the Great Big Table is released under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives 3.0 License.

The My favorite game console is a table and chairs image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike by Daniel Solis. If you like the image, head over to Daniel's blog, danielsolis.com, and buy the t-shirt. If you buy a t-shirt, tell Daniel that the Great Big Table podcast sent you. Daniel has an amazing blog with many interesting thoughts about gaming. Check it out.

***Great Big Table is a late-night conversation between two Midwestern geeks with dreams of world domination through board games. It's not a great plan, but it's our plan and we're sticking to it. Join as we plot to put a meeple in every pot- or at least on every table. We slipped the bonds of our robot masters, so the only opinions represented here are our own. We are however in league with Amazon, so a percentage of every purchase made through our links goes into our onshore accounts (thanks!). You should be proud of yourself for reading all this small print- we are!

Episode 1 Delayed

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Our Games for Couples show will be delayed a week due to family illness.

No big deal. Now it will be a week better than before.

It should be recorded tonight, edited by Sunday and out by the end of Monday.

Plan on it.

The Dice Tower Awards Nominees for 2011 have been released.

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:45:00 +0000

The Dice Tower is one of the granddaddies of the board game podcasts. Tom Vasel, Eric Summerer and a revolving cast of contributors do a really good job of exploring the board game hobby with a variety show type of feel. It is funny, informative, poignant, interesting and all around fun. It's a good show, you should check it out.

Over the past few years, the Dice Tower has been attempting to leverage the experience of its various contributors in order to create a set of board gaming awards that relevant to the majority of hobby gamers. Think of it as an American Spiel Des Jahres.

This year's list of award nominees has just been released. After looking over the list, I am sure that at the very least I'd like to try every game that is nominated as every game on the list that I have already tried is really good. Without experience with the others (yet!), I'd say that you owe it to yourself to check out your local game groups and friendly local game stores to see if you can try them out.

Good luck to the nominees and thank you to the Dice Tower crew for creating and going through the work of playing and deciding on awards for these great games. You're helping the board game hobby and we, at the Great Big Table podcast, appreciate.

For those that listen to the show, we'll definitely be discussing games from the list that we have played, like Forbidden Island, Rallyman, Bears!, and Train of Thought in future episodes. At some point, we'll also discuss the impact that awards have on the board game hobby.

***Great Big Table is a late-night conversation between two Midwestern geeks with dreams of world domination through board games. It's not a great plan, but it's our plan and we're sticking to it. Join as we plot to put a meeple in every pot- or at least on every table. We slipped the bonds of our robot masters, so the only opinions represented here are our own. We are however in league with Amazon, so a percentage of every purchase made through our links goes into our onshore accounts (thanks!). You should be proud of yourself for reading all this small print- we are!

Great Big Table podcast - Episode 000 - Introductions

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:44:00 +0000

It's Episode 0 of the Great Big Table podcast! It'll knock the cardboard out of you!

The Great Big Table podcast is finally off and running. Show hosts, Jim and Adrienne Jones introduce themselves and talk about what their planning to do with the podcast (pretty standard fair really).

Find out why Adrienne needed Therapy and how Jim found the most amazing sandwich shop (twice!). Learn about the Evansville game (Jim swears) of Clabber, why you should be playing Wise and Otherwise if you're single and looking to get hitched, and why hitting a front desk bell with tyrannosaurus arms makes it hard to be Spock.

Some of the games mentioned in this episode include:

Apples to Apples
Buckaroo
Call of Cthulhu Role Playing Game
Carcassonne
Car Wars
Crack the Case
Curses (or, as we like to call it, "A Plague of Curses)
Dungeons and Dragons
Ghosts! by Milton Bradley
Kill Doctor Lucky
Mille Bornes
Mousetrap
Monopoly
Pitchcar
Qwirkle Cubes
Say Anything
Scattergories
Taboo
Talisman
Therapy
Things: Humor in a Box (aka The Game of Things)
The Ungame
Wise and Otherwise
Wits and Wagers

Download the episode: GBT-EP000-Introductions-final.mp3

Subscribe to the podcast: via RSS
Subscribe to the podcast: via iTunes

This episode of the Great Big Table is released under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives 3.0 License.

The song used in this episode is The Music of You by Jim's Big Ego and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share Alike 3.0 License and is used with permission of the artist. Hear more of their music at bigego.com and if you buy something, tell them that the Great Big Table podcast sent you. Jim’s Big Ego is kind enough to share their music and we’d like to return that kindness.

The My favorite game console is a table and chairs image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike by Daniel Solis. If you like the image, head over to Daniel's blog, danielsolis.com, and buy the t-shirt. If you buy a t-shirt, tell Daniel that the Great Big Table podcast sent you. Daniel has an amazing blog with many interesting thoughts about gaming. Check it out.

***Great Big Table is a late-night conversation between two Midwestern geeks with dreams of world domination through board games. Join as we plot to put a meeple in every pot- or at least on every table. We slipped the bonds of our robot masters, so the only opinions represented here are our own. None of the titles mentioned in this episode were provided by the manufacturers, but we will note such relationships where they exist. You should be proud of yourself for reading all this small print- we are!