Free-range thoughts about design, writing, and play
Gamers love gadgets. Gamers love games. It should be no surprise that gamers want to combine these loves, and a new product just launched on Kickstarter to do that. But is the ePawn Arena for real, or is it just another tabletop white elephant?
When I saw the Kickstarter for Rikki Tahta’s new game Melee, a herd of thoughts stampeded through my brain. “He created Coup! I love Coup!” came first, followed by “Will my wife notice me backing yet another Kickstarter?” and “What will I do if a big box of games arrives in September?”
As I mentioned in my last blog post, I’ve been traveling around and doing some consulting for the last few months. I didn’t have a lot of time to write blogs or manage the group, but it seemed to get along just fine without me. We’re now at 200 members and growing, so the question…
This blog has been dormant for too long! I’m happy to report that despite the six months of travel that kept me away from the keyboard, the San Marcos Board Gamers are going strong and meeting several times a month. I also had the chance to pick up some tips about gaming from the Headingley…
It was a dark and scary night! The convention function room was silent, waiting for the little girl’s response. She hefted the mike, put a steely look on her face, and firmly told the villagers, “I am NOT a werewolf!”
September is here! And while it may still feel like summer down here in Central Texas, the seasons are changing and fall is on the way. Which leads me to wonder: why don’t games do more with slow changes like seasons?
I enjoy new games, but it takes years to properly appreciate a classic. I recently had a chance to renew my love affair with Acquire, and it reminded me that when you get a game design right, it’s timeless. It can also be like a British superspy, but we’ll get to that. Sid Sackson‘s masterpiece…
That was fast! It seems like just yesterday that I was setting up a meetup group, but this week the San Marcos Board Gamers complete their first year as an organization! “Organization” is a strong word, of course. We don’t really do anything formal, and I for one would like to keep it that way….
Exactly 6 months ago, I hit the “go” button and launched the Meetup group for the San Marcos Board Gamers. How have things stacked up in this time? Well, the headline says it all: “Not bad.” A few days ago, we passed the 50 member mark — thanks for joining, Stephanie! We’ve met at least once…
Pandemic is one of my favorite games, and for good reason. It’s one of the first and best cooperative games, with a strong theme that puts you in the role of fearless scientists trying to save the world from horrible diseases. It’s easy to learn, hard to beat, and has brought more than its share…