Okay, the first Boardgame Babble-on is now available on Talkshoe.com. It's a pretty freewheelin' discussion between Aldie, Dave Gullett (Davebo), and Sourwyrm about games, play styles, and things you can do on the 'Geek. I promise the next one will link to a specific subject and I will invite guests to speak on specific subject. Even so, I hope it's fun to hear. You can find it here...

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=52245&cmd=tc

Thanks for downloading and listening to Boardgame Babble-on...

I've now scheduled a volume of Boardgame Babble-on, the interactive companion podcast for Boardgame Babylon. I'm hopeful that I can get some listeners and friends to join the show for a chat.

Okay, for the first volume of Boardgame Babble-on, I'm hoping for a very general talk about some subjects from recent shows: Demise and Rise/Ascent and Dissent, latest games and disappointments, recents conventions and my excitement about finally attending BGG.con this year - and anything else the callers would like to discuss, really. Let's see how it goes. Hopefully this isn't so late that we lose the East Coasters.

Here is the link for the show: http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=52245&cmd=tc

Like many on BGG.com right now, I have tried out the interesting web site called Talkshoe.com and I would like to give it a try for a companion podcast with Boardgame Babylon called Boardgame Babble-on, where I will host a show with participants calling in to talk about a recent BGB show.

While we do not need to directly tie to only one BGB show, I was hoping to somewhat do so and have this be a chance for people to talk back on subjects we discuss on the regular show.

Would this be of interest to people? Please respond in this space and if it seems like a few people will show up, I'll schedule the show one night PDT. I'd love the chance to connect with BGB listeners.

Thanks for downloading and talking about Boardgame Babylon.

P.S. Some have asked what cake my wife made for my birthday this year. Feast your eyes on this one!

As I've hinted about for quite some time, here is the first in the follow-up series to the award-winning Demise and Rise of the Friendly Local Game Store series, where I interviewed a group of former and current game store owners in an attempt to understand the challenges faced by those that provide a place to buy and play games that is accessible to locals.

Now, I've reached out to many of the Friendly Online Game Store owners to get a chance to hear their side of the story. They continue to be successful and expand (thus the Ascent) and also be controversial from the perspective of some gamers (the Dissent) who feel they are ruining the chances for FLGSs to survive in a world of narrowing margins, high rents, and fractured interest in things non-digital.

But at the same time, FOGS provide an opportunity for gamers to have access to thousands of older or obscure games that FLGSs can't carry, a chance for those in remote areas to get games, and - the controversial part - to get games at a huge discount with free shipping on large order. Does this help the industry as a whole since more games get out there? Or are the FOGS lowering the perceived value of games and making it harder for gamers to stomach paying retail prices for games at a FLGS?

On this volume, I speak with Tom Powers - the owner and operator of Boards and Bits, one of my favorite online retailers and one of the most vocal FOGS owners on Boardgamegeek.com, whenever someone brings up the FLGS vs. FOGS subject. Tom was kind enough to answer some questions about his business, how he got into it, what he thinks about the recent 'price-fixing' Supreme Court decision, and the whole FLGS vs FOGS conflict. I think you'll find his responses candid and interesting.

More are on the way, too, although I will be posting a couple of shows from the Gateway 2007 before I get around to the next one.

We welcome your comments and feedbackIf you have not done so, please join us in the Boardgame Babylon Guild on Boardgamegeek.com and add your comments to the discussion there. Joining will also make you eligible for Boardgame Babylon contests in the future and you can also find a nice image gallery of pictures of Boardgame Babylonia there, too!

Thanks for downloading and listening to Boardgame Babylon.

Show Notes

Boards and Bits - a great selection of domestic and int'l games at great prices.

Boardgamegeek.con - I will finally be there this year ;)

Strategicon - Two shows from Gateway 2007 are on the way

As I returned from Gateway 2007 this Labor Day weekend, I received the terrible news: Franz-Benno Delonge of TransAmerica, Big City, Dos Rios, and Hellas fame has died at only fifty years of age. Cancer was the reason and as one who has lost a close loved one to the same disease, I feel for the Delonge family and the good Judge's friends. Remember that you can always make a contribution to great organizations like the City of Hope to honor someone who has passed away in hopes that others in the future will have a stronger chance against this horrible disease.

While news of Delonge's passing has tempered the weekend a bit, I did spend most of it away at Gateway 2007 and it was a terrific event. The Live Action Wiz-War event was a smashing success with excellent attendance and although a couple of our props didn't make it down to the event, people had a great time. Our qualifying round lasted quite a while but the final game was over quickly due to a critical risk taken by one of the wizards and the fact that another player had the right card to take advantage of it. Classic Wiz-War, people kept saying.

I had a great time showing off new Z-Man titles like R-Eco and Duel in the Dark. Owner's Choice was also a big hit and I keep liking it more the more often I play it. Even had a chance to play it with Tom Jolly, who was disappointed that he couldn't find it in the dealer room and was trying to get mine from me in trade. Nothing doing, Jolly (I was able to saying that cavalierly since he'd already recorded a podcast for me).

Played great games like Shogun, Yspahan, R-Eco, Poker, tons of prototypes and, yes, even a game of Star Wars: Epic Duels. Sigh. At least I had a couple of glasses of Guinness in me to dull the pain.

Tons of shows are on the way. I have at least two show's worth from Gateway 2007, including the Q&A session with Tom Jolly (which I'm calling Stories of Self-Publishing, Part 2 since he talks a whole lot about it) and snippets from Protospiel West's event at Gateway - a chance for designers and playtesters to come together (and a very well-attended event!) This is in addition to a couple more shows I have in the can in a new series I meant to announce last week. Alas, I got too busy with work and life leading up to Gateway so you'll just get a whole lot of Boardgame Babylon over the next couple of months.

Thanks for downl...er...reading Boardgame Babylon.