Mon, 28 September 2009 Yes, can you believe it? Two BGBs in a week? I guess it's all those energy drinks... No, it's that I am getting ready to head out to Essen for Spiel this year and want to clear the backlog as much as I can. I also really want to get this show out, which I think is an interesting one in the Stories of Self-Publishing series. Tasty Minstrel Games is a new kid on the block and they have two new games on the way to debut at BGG.con. Hear about that, their path to publishing, and their exciting 2010 lineup on this show. And if you plan to be in Essen, I'd welcome the chance to meet up with BGB listeners! Please drop me an e-mail and let me know if you expect to be at the show. Essen Spiel experts who want to show me around are certainly welcome! ;) Heck, I'll take beer, food and travel recommendations (need to take a train from Frankfurt to Essen on Wednesday...) I have a press pass for the show and will cover it extensively in audio and probably video, too. Very excited to finally get there after longing to go for...oh...too long... Thanks again for downloading and listening to Boardgame Babylon. Show Notes free board games Homesteaders Rulebook Terra Prime Rulebook Homesteaders on BGG Terra Prime on BGGComments[0] |
Sun, 27 September 2009 The reliably interesting International Gamers Awards have been announced and, unlike nearly every other award this year, the top prize DID NOT go to Dominion. This juggernaut, designed by Donald X. Vaccarino (with Valerie Putnam and Dale Yu developing), has been swallowing up all the major honors this year but the IGAs went another way and again awarded Uwe Rosenberg for Le Havre, a deep, textured game unlikely to hit the table as frequently as its quick and approachable competition. Congratulations to Uwe and Lookout Games for their second win in a row (they also took it with Agricola last year). Le Havre is an undeniably terrific game, if a bit long for my taste. I’ve jokingly referred to it as “Agricaylus” but it does have a personality all its own. Although I would not play it with four or five, it is a terrific three player game full of interesting choices. While I am not crazy about the selection of promo buildings that are largely unavailable for direct purchase (an issue that has kept me from buying the game since the OCD will surely kick in), I quite enjoy playing it and, with my recent success getting my lovely wife to play Agricola, I’m hoping we can try Le Havre down the line, too. Maybe if we can get one for the Strategicon library… I appreciate the IGAs recognizing the longer 'gamer games' that simply don’t have a shot at winning a Spiel Des Jahres or even, it seems, a DSP or Tower. Heaven help them in any Origins award category, the nominees for which seem to be selected by a poorly informed psychic reading tea leaves. As sorry as I am to see great Martin Wallace designs like Automobile and Brass get edged out, it is terrific to see them in the running. The IGAs also give out a two-player award and it has gone to Day & Night by Valentijn Eekels and published by Mystics. I certainly look forward to trying the game out now that the IGAs have recommended it so highly (indeed, above fine games like Dos De Mayo and Kamisado). They give away awards for historical conflict games but you didn't expect to read about that here, did you? If so, I'd have to paraphrase the mighty Derk Solko, "Do you LISTEN to the podcast?!?" Congratulations to the winners and also to the IGA committee for such fine selections. More info on the IGAs and their voting process can be enjoyed here. Category: Blog Update -- posted at: 1:24 PM Comments[0] |
Sun, 20 September 2009  Boardgame Babylon is back with a great new volume of BGB's Q&A series. I'm honored to have another favorite game designer on the show and this time, it's the award-winning Jason Matthew - he of Twilight Struggle and 1960: Making of a President fame. Jason was good enough to join us for Gateway 2009 and agreed to sit down and answer some questions about his history in games, his ludography, his background and how it influences his game theme choices, and some of his design process with collaborators. I quite enjoyed his comments and I hope you will, too. Gateway 2009 was also my first convention running the Board Games department and I'm calling it a success despite a few mishaps here and there with scheduling. But we also replaced the old library with an awesome new library of great titles, adding some terrific events, ran a qualifier for the Rio Grande Design Contest and drove a 10% increase in turnstile attendance even in this still-in-recovery economy. I'll chalk it up as a success - largely thanks to an amazing staff of volunteers who put up with me (especially the wonderful Gayle Charboneau). I'll talk more about the show in an upcoming episode and reveal more about plans for Orccon 2010, where we will be honored to have Matt Leacock as our Guest of Honor and will host a couple of truly major events that I can't wait to reveal. Your feedback is GREATLY appreciated. Please send it to the link on the side, post here or on the BGG Guild for the podcast. Thanks for listening to Boardgame Babylon. Comments[0] |
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