Tabletop Randomness

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 7:43 am

The orchestra I keep on the payroll will usually start my theme song.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:19 pm

There seems to be a number of workshop versions of Mansions of Madness. Do you not like any of them? Or is the issue trying to incorporate the app into play?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:46 pm

what I was hoping for was a way to mirror the app so my friends overseas could play along while I keep the map and other material on a FaceTime session or Skype. I think I can just use steam and join me or teamviewer though.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:13 am

Board Game League... CivVI...
Board Game League... CivVI...
Board Game League... CivVI...

I had a very full weekend of board gaming last week at the expense of my first CivVI weekend.
I really need my first CivVI weekend
But then, I never game or even like talk to people any more.

Board Game League... CivVI...
Board Game League... CivVI...
Board Game League... CivVI...

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 4:11 pm

UK PETA

The grimdark, battle-hardened warriors are known for their martial prowess – but wearing the skins of dead animals doesn’t take any skill.

Indeed, nothing on the bloody battlefields of Warhammer’s conflict-ravaged universe could match the terrible reality that foxes, minks, rabbits, and other living beings experience at the hands of the fur trade.
...
PETA has written to Games Workshop CEO Kevin Rountree asking that the leading British miniature war-gaming brand ban “fur” garments from all Warhammer characters. While we appreciate that they are fictional, draping them in what looks like a replica of a dead animal sends the message that wearing fur is acceptable – when, in fact, it has no more place in 2017 than it would in the year 40,000.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 4:46 pm

Fresh out of college at my first job, my employer gave us a charitable donation allowance of a few hundred dollars a year to donate as we saw fit. I initially put mine towards PETA because I was trying to impress some girl at work who was a major animal lover. Fortunately, I quickly realized that both the girl and the group were ridiculous a large portion of the time.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:01 am

i was in the mood for a puzzle game, and eventually came around to the realization i had never finished Portal 2, so.... good fun. this series is just satisfying to play - even though it's easier than, say, The Talos Project (where the star puzzles can be pretty thoroughly hidden).

it's feeling a little too drawn-out, though.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:25 pm

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the CIA uses board games to train officers:

In “Collection,” Clopper’s first CIA game, teams of analysts work together to solve international crises against a ticking clock. His second title, “Collection Deck,” is a Pokémon-like card game in which where each card represents either an intelligence collection strategy or a hurdle like red tape or bureaucracy.

For instance, a player could lay out a card to collect intelligence via satellite photos, but an opponent could block them by playing a “ground station failure” card. It’s meant to mimic situations analysts might run into in their actual work.

I thought this was interesting. Reminded me of trying to get through games like Dead of Winter or Robinson Crusoe:

Also speaking on the panel was Volko Ruhnke, who is an intelligence educator at the CIA and a freelance game designer. Ruhnke said he is particularly interested in one type of game: a simulation tabletop game to train analysts and help with analytic tasks. It could help forecast complex situations by forcing players to handle multiple scenarios simultaneously.

Ruhnke himself created a commercial board game to simulate the Afghanistan conflict and walk players through military, political, and economic issues in the region. It gives players “a much more dynamic understanding of the issues of modern Afghanistan,” Ruhnke said, adding that a similar game could be of use internally at the CIA as well.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:34 pm

https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame ... tant-plain?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:45 pm

I just opened this thread to post the same article. I knew Ruhnke worked with the CIA, but it was still a surprise to see his name linked to them in that piece.

Daveman · Post by **Daveman** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 2:50 pm

Smoove_B wrote:
Pokémon-like card game in which where each card represents either an intelligence collection strategy or a hurdle like red tape or bureaucracy.

"Aldrich Ames, use Waterboarding!"

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:04 pm

I think this is actually the second article to discuss Volko and his games in connection with the CIA (or least in connection with intelligence agencies in general).

Other active wargame designers (e.g. Brian Train and Mark Herman) have recently been profiled as visitors or even instructors at military academies or the Army War College.

I once helped James Sterrett do a presentation for officers at Origins, and he now does wargames at Fort Leavenworth.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:19 pm

Games Workshop finally realized it isn't 1997 anymore. They've announced that, starting in May, online shops will now be able to display pictures and descriptions of their products, and will be able to sell them via shopping carts. Until now, the only way to buy GW products on any site other than their own was to download a price list and telephone the retailer. What's next? Robot marriage?

Of course, they're still GW, and require that the minimum advertised price never be below 15% off standard retail (which drops them down to only one and a half times what comparable products cost, but hey.) Still, it's a step in the right direction. Then again, I don't know if their treatment of B&M retailers has improved, as they used to be draconian.

Now if we can just get them to stop rebooting their franchises every couple of years.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:24 pm

If it's working for Asmodee/Fantasy Flight, why not Games Workshop? Admodee has seemingly been effective at cutting off Amazon from selling their new games, forcing people to purchase from selected retailers at inflated prices (when you add shipping). It's crazy.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:47 pm

I've got gamer's block. I had a bunch of in-progress games that I wanted to polish off an get off of my SSD. Icewind Dale and Fallout 4 are done, Witcher 3 remains. I'm plugging away, but I'm not entirely in the mood for fantasy right now due to a crazy five-week D&D prep crunch that has me a little burned out. I'm not hating Witcher 3, but I'm also not wanting to focus on just that one game. I need a side game.

...and gamer's block rears its ugly head. I'm not in gaming burnout, so I'm not needing a break, I just can't figure out what I'm in the mood to pursue. Saints Row IV or Uncharted 3 on the PS4 are tempting, but so is Arkham Origins in the PC. Then again, I just finished Fallout 4 and have The Witcher 3 in progress, so I'm not sure I want a long or open world game, as I'm likely to find myself feeling bogged down. Maybe something short, light, and fun, but without swords and magic?

I hate my brain sometimes.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 2:19 pm

I get it. My kids keep encouraging me to try the new Zelda, but I have 0 desire to start a new 60 hour game.

Now Stardew Valley? That I keep playing.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 2:20 pm

So I guess recommending Magicka is right out.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 12:48 pm

So, the couple who invited me to an all-expenses-paid trip to GenCon a few months ago have also invited me to an all-expenses-paid trip to Fear The Con 10 in Saint Louis in a couple of months.

Looks like I'm going to be in for a busy summer!

As an aside, FTC is a free con with no door fees or event fees. If you're in the SL area, you may want to take a look.

My Fear the Con schedule as it stands:

Spoiler:

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed May 24, 2017 9:12 am

Looks like CMON is joining with Asmodee (and others) and instituting a pricing policy for their games:

Today, May 24, CMON, Inc. announced it has adopted a unilateral Minimum Advertised Pricing Policy (MAPP) that will go into effect on June 1, 2017. Along with the new policy, CMON has restructured its existing hobby distribution network in the U.S. effective immediately. By unilaterally imposing restrictions on minimum prices advertised by CMON’s new distribution network and retail partners, CMON products’ perceived value in the customers’ eyes will be enhanced, which is in the best interest of consumers and CMON’s partners.

...

The CMON MAPP will only apply to CMON branded products within the U.S., and products with a Minimum Advertised Price will appear on the current MAPP price list hosted on CMON.com. Adherence to the MAPP is non-negotiable for CMON product resellers, and will be strictly enforced by CMON to ensure the CMON brand maintains a high value in the consumer mindshare.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed May 24, 2017 9:26 am

"To see the price of this item, add it to your cart".

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed May 24, 2017 9:31 am

After seeing their games on Amazon for less than 50% of what the KS prices were, I more or less assumed this was going to happen.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed May 24, 2017 9:41 am

On one hand, I'm annoyed because I love getting things cheaper. On the other, this can only help the FLGS' out there. Our local game store is run by two of the nicest guys around, and I always feel a little twinge of guilt when I order a game online that I know they have in stock.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed May 24, 2017 11:36 am

I don't suffer from that, as the nearest FLGS is anything but L. Think a hundred mile round trip over country roads, or 200 if I want highways. Online retailers are my only option for buying games, so when they go up in arms against online retailers, I end up on the losing side. I know publishers hate online, but some of us only have online.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri May 26, 2017 3:15 pm

GameStop is apparently going to start selling board and card games now:

As seen on the GameStop website, board and card games like POOP In A Bag are now listed as being available starting June 2. iDigitalTimes reached out to POOP creator Blaise Sewell to ask about his game coming to GameStop. "Retail stores like GameStop are smart to adapt to where the market is and recognize how big tabletop gaming has become,” he said.

Sewell feels his and other party games are to thank for the renewed interest in tabletop gaming. "This era of "party games" really kicked off with Cards Against Humanity and as more people play casual games like POOP and Billionaire Banshee they're opening the door to a whole world of more complex games too,” he said. “People want human interaction and in a world full of screens and devices, tabletop games are here to the rescue."

I wonder if they'll be buying used board and games for $2 as well?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri May 26, 2017 3:58 pm

Trying to set up a Mumble server to talk with my kids over the LAN while we game.

What does every #()$&# application assume that you are an IT pro? After an hour, I still haven't got the faintest idea what I'm supposed to be doing. What is wrong with a menu option that says, "Start LAN server"?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri May 26, 2017 5:00 pm

I gave up and just used Discord. It isn't going to be as low-latency as Mumble (which can be entirely local - Discord routes through the internet), but all I had to do was set up free accounts, add the kids as friends, and click start. There was no pages-long 'getting started' document full of networking protocols and command line silliness.

I get that some people with professional networking experience want that kind of control, but it needs to be user-friendly with the gritty control under the hood.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri May 26, 2017 5:09 pm

We use TeamSpeak at LAN parties and I find it to be easy to use. Probably doesn't help you now, but maybe in the future.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 30, 2017 2:18 pm

Every summer I look at my board gaming collection and purge a whole bunch, swearing I'll do better in the next year...only to find myself every June looking at a pile of games I need to get rid of. Here's hoping 2018 is better...

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Tue May 30, 2017 8:37 pm

GameStop To Pivot Towards Board Games

(They claim B&N introduced boardgames a year ago, but I know I've bought board games from B&N stores maybe as far back as 5-10 years ago from them, including one or two exclusives like "Party Playoff")

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue May 30, 2017 9:17 pm

What? When I said it last Friday (a few posts up) it wasn't news?

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Tue May 30, 2017 9:34 pm

I have been doing pretty good this year. Partially because many of my late Kickstarters are arriving, and I still have games from last summer to get on the table. Plus, I've realized many games I want are conquest/control oriented with an economic or diplomatic mechanic. I have those games unplayed -- like Scythe and Cyclades -- because explaining them is a drag and few will like them as much as I do. Do I need Terraforming Mars or Inis? Maybe, but not right now before I've played them.

The family is traveling a lot this summer, so I may get my chance to catch up.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed May 31, 2017 9:18 am

I have only backed/bought two games this year and the only risk I am taking is Gloomhaven. Powerships is the other one and that is using the system from my favorite racing game (Powerboats). If Gloomhaven doesn't work for me I doubt I will have any trouble unloading it.

My restraint is assisted by the fact I never play any board games.

I need to get back to Mechs vs Minions to finish the campaign so I can sell that at BGGCON.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 2:17 pm

I'm sure this is going to work out awesome for fans of Asmodee published games:

Asmodee North America, which handles North American business operations for Fantasy Flight Games, Days of Wonder, Asmodee, Z-Man Games, Plaid Hat Games, and Catan Studio, has signed an exclusive multi-year hobby channel distribution agreement with Alliance Game Distributors, effective August 1, 2017. As a result of the change, ANA will no longer sell its lines (except for Catan, which was already exclusive with Alliance) to the rest of its hobby distribution roster, ACD Distribution, GTS Distribution, PHD Distribution, and Southern Hobby Supply, after that date.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 4:42 pm

Smoove_B wrote:I'm sure this is going to work out awesome for fans of Asmodee published games:

Oh you son of a b@%$^, you tricked me into hygiene!

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 4:45 pm

Huh. Well, that's good. I'll...go back and fix that.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 4:51 pm

You'll not get me twice. For all I know, that link leads to information on soap use.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 5:51 pm

Think of it then as GenCon preparation.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:21 pm

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jun 08, 2017 12:47 pm

Whoa...Seafall is on sale for 25 bucks on Coolstuff. Is it worth it for even that price?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:13 pm

Small Box Games is giving away free copies of their excellent game Omen in a drawing. To enter, you have to repost an image on social media. details here.