In which trends of the year just past are discussed, and the Ogre’s Choice Awards categories are announced. Post here on what you’d like us to consider for the best new game, ongoing game, innovation, and publisher of 2005.
Author: Mike Sugarbaker
Licensed product brings enormous company low; also, dog bites man
Reuters: “Britain’s Games Workshop Group Plc said full-year profit would likely fall short of expectations as interest wanes in fantasy battle games.” I suspect the generality of that statement is Reuters’, not GW’s, as the rest of the announcement focuses on the sagged-to-the-floor fortunes of the Lord of the Rings
Battle Of The Board Game Design Stars!
Because “discussion” is not as cool. Discussion is never as cool. Come on, people, I shouldn’t have to tell you that. The industry gathering Protospiel brings us an engaging virtual panel discussion of game design with industry luminaries James Ernest, Reiner Knizia, Tom Jolly, Bruno Faidutti, Alan Moon and more.
The characters prep the game
(Second in an ill-advised series of speculative posts about the future of D&D) The second thing people say to defend D&D against online gaming, after “there are people there with you,” is “I can create my character.” And, to D&D’s credit, you can. But all too often, players’ fun gets
Audio Report: Brian Isikoff of QuestWorlds
Plenty of chat about the upcoming worldless HeroQuest, plus holiday bits and lots of recently-played action. We weigh in on Race Day, Wings of War and plenty more. Discuss! Subscribe! Fly!
Just forget I said the W word
Or the M word, or, uh, I guess the O word. Here’s the point for discussion: how can the next version of the D&D rules take advantage of the fact that there are other players with you in the room, instead of just falling back on it as granted? How
Designing for the party
(This is the first of what may be a series of highly speculative posts about the future of D&D.) If you don’t read Mike Mearls’ LiveJournal, you have lately been missing some fascinating debate on the future of D&D. Basically, the elephant in D&D’s living room – World of WarCraft
Spycraft 2.0 plans revealed
Over on the AEG forums, Spycraft doyen Pat Kapera announces the general plan for Spycraft at its new home, Crafty Games. I can’t quite figure out if that company name is awesome or terrible… but it’s Christmas time, so I’ll pick awesome. Looking over that schedule, it reads like it’s
Actual Play, or: Primetime Adventures Playtest Report
Since the podcast is going to come late in the week, and I am tired of waiting to tell all about this in a podcast, here you go: I have played Primetime Adventures and damned if it ain’t just a Fun Machine. Details after the jump, although I don’t really
A glimpse behind the scenes at OgreCave
“Jeez, did we really not post for like seven days?” “Yup.” “Man. Those lists take a lot out of you.” “We’ll be done soon. That, and not a lot is happening out there.” “Not that we didn’t already talk about in a podcast, anyway.” “Yeah, um, we should maybe… do
Especially good if you are a smoker or play outdoors in fog
Via boingboing, Digg and just every damn body: Deflexion, a board game with mirrored pieces and little laser pointers embedded in the corners. Bounce the laser around the board to try to zap your opponent’s pieces on their backsides (hush). Some pieces are interestingly Icehouse-like. It’s even kind of affordable!
Audio Report: ’tis the season to listen to us talk
This week on the Audio Report, it’s some news about WotC firings that you know by now, plus some discussion (and previews!) of the Gift Guides. Please enjoy, and feel free to discuss the scandalous hint of a long-threatened and now finally upcoming Ogre’s Choice Award.
Wizards Makes Staff Changes With Incredible Amount of Corporate Doublespeak
WotC has fired several key staff members, including both the VP and senior VP of marketing, Hecatomb design lead Mike Elliott, and D&D brand manager Charles Ryan. I don’t know that the failure of Hecatomb is Elliott’s fault, really… but I guess his losing his job over it is predictable
Audio Report: SoCal 05 and True Dungeon in depth
We recorded this in a big hurry between SoCal and the Thanksgiving holiday… then, as always, I took a damned week to post it. But! It’s good. Listen, enjoy, and subscribe.
Finally, something that Dwarven Forge compares favorably with on price
BrickQuest: Master Maze with LEGOs.