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Thursday, December 30, 2004
Because kids aren’t fleeing the CCG trend fast enough
Now Wizards is telling parents they are good for you. “The release quotes Dr. Helen Boehm, psychologist and author of Fearless Parenting for the New Millenium [sic] and The Official Guide to the Right Toys, who describes how the interactive, constructive play of trading card games can help build relationships and live-long [sic] strategic thinking skills.” (True to form, WotC has not yet made this press release available online.)
Monday, December 27, 2004
OgreCave columns: Getting things started
Yep, OgreCave’s throwing its hat into the ring, even if the hat’s actually a large iron kettle stolen from that settlement down the road. Our friend Tyler Sigman starts our columns off with the first installment of Parts is Parts, which will take a look at what makes games tick. The ball starts rolling in Intro and Spiel Freak-Out.
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Merry Christmas! Ronin Arts for everybody!
To celebrate the holidays, OgreCave and Ronin Arts have a present for you. Well, mostly Ronin Arts. Anyway, until the end of Christmas Day, you can follow this link to download a free PDF copy of the expanded, deluxe version of vs. Monsters (which made our Christmas Gift Guide, by the way). But at the end of Christmas Day, the offer expires, so grab your copy while you can. Happy holidays!
Friday, December 24, 2004
OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide 2004 - part 4
We know you’re out there: you true procrastinators that are counting on that special gift remaining untouched at the game store, waiting for you to finish just one more round of Halo 2 before you go get it. Well, in case that plan doesn’t work out, OgreCave’s fourth and final Christmas Gift Guide list of 2004 is here to offer a solution. This last list describes twelve downloadable game products, cutting the shipping time to mere seconds. So have a look, and get your shopping done, slackers.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Ghettopoly set to be destroyed; to be replaced with Stadiumopoly in urban-renewal program
The Smoking Gun hosts the Feds’ “complaint for forfeiture” of Ghettopoly, the Monopoknockoff that was pulled from Urban Outfitters stores earlier in the year. The title, while allegedly racist, is also perfectly legal. Methinks there might be more than the Hasbropoly behind all this Federal zeal; wouldn’t be the first time “indecency” had given the Justice Department a little goose this year. A goose that lays golden eggs, no doubt.
Monday, December 20, 2004
OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide 2004 - part three
The last minute panic-shopping may have set in, or perhaps you’re already eyeing game store shelves in anticipation of some gift certificate lovin’. In either case, OgreCave’s third Christmas Gift Guide list of 2004 is here to suggest the best gifts. This group describes Twelve Games Under the d20, the d20 System games we’d most heartily recommend adding to your holiday loot. Our final list, of downloadable goodies, will be along shortly for all you true procrastinators out there.
German newspaper on German games in America
Gamefest translates this German paper’s reflection on the Deutschenspielen craze in the US. Devoted Spielfreaks will find no surprises, but it’s got some nice historical notes, and it’s funny to see how national pride is the subliminal source of a couple of exaggerations. I mean, “group of gaming enthusiasts whose size has long since surpassed that of a ’subculture’ “? Hardly. On the whole, though, a smart and refreshing perspective.
Saturday, December 18, 2004
OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide 2004 - part two
For those of you still unsure what to buy your gaming buddies for the holidays, or perhaps plotting what to spend gift certificates on after the big day, OgreCave dutifully continues its Christmas Gift Guide lists of 2004. In this batch, we suggest Twelve Games Under the Tree (12 Games for Over $20) in the hopes of guiding your hard-earned cash toward the most enjoyable gaming experiences. Check back in the next day or so as we complete our quartet of lists and do our part to ensure a happy holiday season.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
When Greg Costikyan talks, ogres listen
And they don’t even have to sidetalk to do so. Although they might not have exactly listened by the time they post about it (did you know that many of your favorite OgreCave editors have little things called day jobs?), nor is the listening the sort that one does with their ears. But it does concern mobile games and the networking thereof, which we find pretty interesting irrespective of the esteemed Mr. Costikyan’s involvement.
OgreCave review: A Kringle in Time
Just in time for an epic holiday-themed adventure (other than Christmas gift shopping, that is), Demian has provided us with a review of A Kringle in Time by Cumberland Games & Diversions. This downloadable adventure for the Risus system gives new meaning to the term “Christmas slay,” and yes, I spelled that right. Read on, and you’ll see why.
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