Game On: Players and Pawns

Where to go...

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:32:42 PST

I've finally made a decision about the ol' Game On: Players and Pawns blog.

It's time to wrap it up here and move on to better digs, I think. The Game On legacy spans 3 years, most of them good, but a few of them a little rough. It's not with a little sadness that I release back into the wild from whence it came.

However! There is something new afoot. It's just getting started, but head over to http://boredsword.blogspot.com/ and have a look. I think, in the long run, we will have more fun over there.

So, from all of me here, to all of you out there who have followed along: Thanks! It's been an interesting ride. Now let's go check out the new thing. Come on along, you are all welcome there.

Catan 3D

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:35:26 PST

There are very few things that are better if done in 3D (film industry I am looking at you). However, some things are undeniably better when done in three dimensions. One of those things is the board game The Settlers of Catan.

Of course, if you have great gobs of money laying around unspent, you can opt for the official 10th Anniversary 3D special Edition from Mayfair Games at $380.00. If you can find it. Mayfair is out of stock and even eBay seems to be lacking in copies of the giant treasure chest version.

On the other hand, you could, instead, opt for something a little easier to acquire. Kotaku recently carried a story about one artist's 3D printable tiles which are all set and ready to go on whatever 3D printer you might have access to. They run about $20 a pop, so, given the number of tiles needed for the game it maybe isn't all that much more economical than trying to track down the official version, but it is a nice alternative. You can check out the pieces both on Kotaku and on the designers home site, Shapeways.

Saturday, November 12 is National Gaming Day at your library!

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:55:10 PST

We like board games. We like books. Therefore, it makes sense to combine the two. I give you National Gaming Day at your local library.

With over 1,200 Libraries participating there is more than a reasonable chance that your local atheneum is one of them. Board Games, RPGs and even some computer gaming will be going on in most locations.

If you are looking to do some Board Gaming then make sure to put Saturday, November 12, 2011, on your calendar now for National Gaming Day at your library.

Memoir '44 on Steam

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:50:44 PST

You've heard my co-hosts and I talk about the Commands and Colors system of games before on the show. You'll know, of course that these games include Battle Cry, BattleLore, Commands and Colors: Ancients and Napoleonics, and Memoir '44. Both GMT Games and Days of Wonder have done a fine job of bringing the system to life in an extremely playable way and really making designer Richard Borg's system shine.

Days of Wonder in particular has done some interesting stuff. From Battlelore's single figure expansions in molded plastic to Memoir '44's every growing list of Campaign Books and scenario expansions, both systems have created a truly unique gaming experience within the Commands and Colors line. Back in October, DoW took things one step further for Memoir '44 by bringing out a version for the Steam Gaming Platform.

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NaNoWriMo '11 - Part II

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:42:25 PST

Oh NaNoWriMo, how fond was our meeting, how bitter sweet our parting. Yeah, I know, we're only 7 days in to NaNoWriMo, but I've already failed it. I can't, apparently, just vomit masses of text onto a page without editing. I have to stop, I have to go back and correct or tidy or clarify. I can not just keep typing like a mad man and carry on and on. I know what the next bit is, but I can't stick it on paper until I've got it all worked out. So we part, not because I have lost the spark, but because I can't participate in the contest in the way in which they want. Herewith, the entirety of my entry for NaNoWriMo '11 (as unedited as I get. It needs it though.) :

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Reasons to Dislike Monopoly even More

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:42:29 PDT

Really, we know about Monopoly and I. Let me offer you these as reinforcements though:

Monopoly: Rapture Edition - Not what you think, unless you thought that first. I can NOT wait for the kerfuffle over this one.

Anglesey gets a local version - Talk about a narrow market. Apparently it is an island in or near Wales. Someone will clarify I'm sure.

Monopoly: The Aristocrats - Clearly fun for the entire family. Especially if you can't play properly.

Speaking of Islands, Man-Opoly probably isn't what you are thinking either. Narrow Market AND the potential for inappropriate jokes.

See, I hardly have to say anything. We all get it.

Click, Click, Bang, Bang.

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:10:23 PDT

Then, in keeping with the last post, I came across this bit of silliness.

Yes, Bang!, the Spaghetti Western game is coming to an electronic device near you. Bang! is all about hidden roles and take-that style game play. Things happen at different ranges depending on where you are sitting at the table and it's the Sherrif's job to take out the Outlaws before they send him home in a pine box. Fortunately he has a couple of Deputies to help him, but unfortunately there is a Renegade who wants nothing more than to be the last man standing. Everyone get's a character to play and it is ridiculously fun the more people you add.

And strangely, I think it would work rather well as an electronic version of itself, with only one exception. Table banter. Half the fun is trying to fool people about what role you have, or reacting to the Dynamite being passed around the table or just generally kibitzing on the game itself.

If you are interested, you can check out more at the Bang Video Game website.

iPad Board Gaming

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:56:30 PDT

Gizmodo carries an article under the headline iPawn Interactive Pieces Bring iPad Board Games To Life. Essentially it's about gaming pieces you can use to interact with your iPad rather than just your sweaty little fingers.

That's all well and good, but it does sort of beg the question: Is this how you REALLY want to play board games? Especially when you then consider the GameChanger attachment. We all know that various, more traditional, Board Games have made the jump into the electronic world and done so successfully. Are we prepared, though, for an almost totally digital transition for most games?

For example, would you be pleased with a Digital Version of Arkham Horror on your iPad? It would certainly make some of the background activity, adding monsters, moving tokens around, generally keeping up with the mechanics of the game, easier. You could, with some effort one imagines, play with 6 of your friends on an iPad, but would it be worth doing? Is this the future of Board Gaming?

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Gamma Swirled

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:22:38 PDT

In this post I talked about running Gamma World for the kids on Halloween. How did that go you may ask? Read on...

Happy Halloween

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:06:49 PDT

Over on BoardGameGeek they have a small thread of board game themed Jack O'Lanterns. In observation of Halloween I give you some of my favorites. You can find some not included in the thread by following this search.

NaNoWriMo '11

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:15:51 PDT

Here we sit on the eve of October 31st. Halloween. 'Tis a frightening day full of scary bugaboos and things hidden around corners and under beds. And yet, it isn't Halloween that's got me worried. It's Nation Novel Writing Month.

Blood on the Game Dice

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:05:22 PDT

Snowgum Films is carving out a little geek niche for themselves and their latest offering, Blood on the Game Dice, seals the deal. How do you tell when your players should go their separate ways? Here's a hint: about 5 minutes before this happens:

After you've enjoyed that, be sure to check out the other offerings from Snowgum Films, including the completely wonderful Run Rincewind Run and the upcoming epic Troll Bridge, an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's short story of the same name featuring Cohen the Barbarian. Can't wait to see the finished film.

To Boldly Click...

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:55:04 PDT

Heroclix, one time purveyor of all things inexpensive, collectible and clicky has gone away. But then it came back again and, under the auspices of NECA, has seen a bit of a rebirth. Beginning with the relaunch of the original Heroclix line of Superheros they've been producing new clix for a variety of properties.

Along with the rebirth of the Marvel and DC line of Clix, WizKids has managed to acquire licenses for Lord of the Rings Clix, Halo Reach Action Clix, Streetfighter Heroclix, Gears of War Heroclix and even Star Trek as well as launching the Heroclix Online website. All in all, they are certainly making it look as if they are back for good.

Among the offerings for the Star Trek IP, which includes the games Star Trek: Expeditions (a stand alone game designed by Reiner Knizia) and Star Trek: Fleet Captains is the latest installment in the franchise, Star Trek Heroclix: Tactics.

Tactics promises to be a ship-to-ship combat game with players selecting various ships from the Federation and Klingon Empire to pit against one another. Starters will come with 4 ships and boosters will be single ship boxes. There are, at launch, 28 ships in the set. The game is scheduled to come out in February 2012.

I have high hopes for it. Those of you who have listened to the show or kept up with the blog will know that I have a soft spot for Star Fleet Battles and the, sadly now defunct, Star Wars Miniatures Starship Battles. On the one hand SFB fed the appetite for a really crunchy, detailed set of miniature rules that was an exercise in careful planning as much as it was fun to play and on the other hand, SWMSB was glorious in its ability to get down to the nitty gritty of ship-to-ship combat that was fast fun and frequently furious while keeping actual game play pretty light. Even though I know this won't probably be the case, I hope Star Trek: Tactics finds a comfortable home somewhere in the middle of these two. There is plenty of opportunity for WizKids to fill a niche here and I hope they make the most of it.

Pathfinder Beginner Box

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:29:10 PDT

Someone almost slipped this by me, but I caught it just in time. The Pathfinder Role Playing Game from Paizo has sat atop the mighty pillar of D&D alternatives for some time now. It's a good system, taking it's cues as it does from D&D 3.5 and then fixing the problem areas, and is justifiably popular with the gaming public.

One of the few difficulties with Pathfinder, though, has been the rather extraordinary price of it's Core Book. At $50 it seems a little daunting to pick up if you are just trying it out or merely curious to see what they have done with the system. Even noting that it contains both player and GM specifics and is therefore essentially 2 books in 1 doesn't quite take the sting off.

Good news though for those who want to get a taste of the system and learn how to play. Paizo recently released a Pathfinder Beginner Box that helps ease the transition into the system. It's much more reasonable to try this out, at about $35, than it is to sink the money into the full system. You get a book for players, a book for GMs, the usual assortment of pre-gen characters, some character markers, dice and, genius of genius, one of the excellent, reusable, double sided flip mats. It's hard to go wrong with that combo.

Board to Book - The Readers of Catan

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:50:18 PDT

Settlers of Catan by Gadl on Flicker

The now classic Board Game, Settlers of Catan has been around for years and is credited with reshaping the landscape of board gaming, especially in America, for a host of players. In Germany, where the game was first developed, it has a massive following. So massive, in fact, that for years there has been a novel about the game available. It's in German of course, but today the Huffington Post has an article announcing the release of that book into English. I can't say the little promotional video that comes with the article does it any good, but if you want to know the 'history' of Catan, this is your ticket.

On a Turtle Endlessly Swimming Through the Stars...

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:04:56 PDT

Discworld, as you may know, is a delightful series of novels by Terry Pratchett. If you haven't read them and you have any sort of interest in the fantasy genre, gaming tropes, real life or human nature, you should. Having said that, it is worth noting that there are two new board games out that are based on Terry's novels.

The first is from Treefrog Games and is called, simply enough Ankh-Morpork. It is set in the main city of the Discworld and involves both area control and hidden roles. It seems the ruler of the city, Lord Vetinari, has died (or has he?) and there is a power vacuum to fill. Players take on the roles of various city leaders and the Captain of the Watch, Sir Samuel Vimes and attempt to wrest control of the city from the other players.

It is worth noting that there are actually three versions of Ankh-Morpork, standard, collectors and deluxe. Depending on how much you'd like to plunk down you can get extra fancy bits ranging from actually wooden coins to sculpted playing pieces.

The second game is Guards! Guards! from Z-Man Games and is again set in Ankh-Morpork. the great book of magic, The Octavo has been stolen and with it the 8 most powerful spells ever created. It is up to you to find them with the assistance of 8 of the city's several guilds. He who returns the most spells to the Librarian (an orangutan) of Unseen University will win the game. It's cut throat, of course (CMOT Dibbler not withstanding) as each guild gives the players a special ability with which to hinder the other players.

So, if you are a fan of the Discworld and all it has to offer, or you know someone who is, take a look at these. They both come from companies with a good track record of games published. Even if you aren't into Pratchett's world, these should be good, solid choices for your gaming dollar.

One Possible Future - D&D 5e Box Sets

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:57:50 PDT

Over the years Dungeons and Dragons has taken a number of innovative steps in it's transition from the game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson way back in the early 70's to it's current incarnation. Admittedly, not all of them have been welcome innovations. Depending on who you are and what 'style' of game you grew up playing, your least favorite version varies and I'm not going to rehash that here or explain once again why 4e just doesn't work for me. To each, his own.

What is important to note though is that it is getting close to time for Wizards of the Coast to once again launch a new edition of D&D. It certainly feels as if it is about time for a change. 4e has been around, either in development or as an actual product, since 2005. That makes the system nearly 7 years old already, 4 if you merely count from the release of the Core Books. 3.0 barely made 3 years and 3.5 made a measly 2 or so. It seems clear that 4e has had an unusually long life cycle under WotC's stewardship.

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Interview With Peter Lee About the Legend of Drizzt Board Game

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:37:05 PDT

There have been a number of adventure board games that have come out recently from Wizards of the Coast based (sometimes loosely) on the Dungeons and Dragons brand. The latest of these is the Legend of Drizzt Board Game. If you'd like some insight on the game the Diehard GameFAN website has an Interview With Peter Lee of Wizards of the Coast About the Legend of Drizzt Board Game. In the interview they discuss some of the design decisions and talk about what is actually in the box. I haven't picked up any of these games yet, but it was an interesting read none-the-less.

G4TV - Gears of War 3 Contest

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:26:06 PDT

Well this is kind of cool. Some of you will know that there is a video game called Gears of War 3 (okay, a LOT of you will know that.) What you may not be aware of is that there is also a board game version. And now you can enter to win both the video game, the board game and a poster of same. Head over to G4tv and enter the Epic Gears of War 3 Giveaway! - G4tv.com for you chance to win. It's a 'today only' kind of thing, so you probably ought to hurry. Also, there's a signed Gold Retro Lancer as part of the deal.

Dear Best Buy and Chase Bank - Part IV - End of the Saga

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:00:18 PDT

Well folks, they've finally done it. My Best Buy pre-order of the SW:TOR CE has been removed.

Guess I have to come up with Plan B now.

Thanks Best Buy! Thanks Chase Bank! You suck!

Reaper Miniatures: Mice in Spaaaaaace!

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:57:57 PDT

The Reaper Miniatures :: OnlineStore has some cool new stuff for those of you running an alternate universe Mouseguard campaign. Or just RP'ing mice in space. Or those of you who just like miniature mice. Whatever your case may be, these are pretty cool. Space Mouslings: Terror on Planet X runs about $30 for the set. If nothing else the whole set would make a nice center piece for your gaming table.

Tidying Up

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:58:39 PDT

In case some of you haven't noticed yet, I've been tidying up around the blog. One of the reasons for this is the fact that we are swiftly coming up on a number of Game On anniversaries. Mostly, though, it was just some tidying up that needed to be done.

Yes, this is a Stormtrooper
Anniversary Cake

One of the anniversaries marks the first off air period for Game On and the beginning of the transition to the blog that it has become. Another of the anniversaries marks the change from Andy to Kat and yet another is the actual marking of the first episode of Game On, although admittedly that is in early December. Why do I know these?

Your D&D Related Music Video of the Day

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:03:57 PDT

MC Frontalot has been busy. Got a new album coming out and everything. This is, apparently, the lead single off the new album and it has a curious mix of D&D and Pop Rock. Lots of dice rolling in 'Critical Hit' in combination with life as a pop star. Enjoy your listen. MC Frontalot - Critical Hit [OFFICIAL VIDEO] - YouTube:

'via Blog this'

It's a Gusher! Catan gets Oil.

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:03:28 PDT

Want to bring your Settlers of Catan game up to modern specs? Or maybe you just dream of being an oil magnate on your own little island. Either way the lovely folks who make Catan have put out a free expansion that brings oil springs to your table. Download Catan: Oil Springs and check it out.

The ESSENce of Gaming

fiddleback@d20radio.com (Brian Casey) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:02:53 PDT

Okay folks, here's the deal. You can have your Comic-Cons and your GAMAs and your GenCons. You can even go to BlizzCon and PAX and whatever other convention of like minded people you care to name. If you are a board gamer though, there is only one con you care about and, for my money, it is the only place to be. Essen.

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