The Booster Pack Network

[[ Originally released as "The Booster Pack". This show has since been retitled "Booster Pack Throwback" ]]

Today we are joined for our first of two episodes with collectible game pioneer Tom Braunlich.

Tom, along with his design partner Rollie Tesh, designed 2 of the biggest CCGs in the 1990s: Decipher's Star Trek & Star Wars CCGs.

This episode Tom chats to Rands about how he came to be involved with gaming professionally & eventually shares how his pre-existing relationship with Decipher lead to the creation of the Star Trek CCG.

Be sure to subscribe wherever you're finding this episode because our follow-up episode will again be with Tom to talk about the creation of the Star Wars CCG & a little more Star Trek.

Find out about the new Star Trek virtual sets via:
https://www.trekcc.org/

Find the Star Trek CCG Continuing Committee on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/ContinuingCommittee/videos

Join the STAR TREK CCG discussion on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stccg/

~SPONSOR~:

https://www.categoryonegames.com/

(find classic CCG & TCG cards at Category One Games!!!)

THE BOOSTER PACK—

let us know feedback, topic suggestions or games you'd like to hear about via email or any of our social media (DMs are also open to anyone)

Video version of this podcast:
https://youtu.be/zK_94pNOPTU

Find CCG History:

https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory

https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available on video. Find the episodes via youtube.com/CCGhistory.


The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

or, email us—

[email protected]

CC BY [Music Credit: The Crypts — Rockin' Roman]

[NOTE: [[THIS EPISODE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR A 2022 GENCON TRIP. It is now kept in this feed only for archival purposes]] ]


In this very short, glasses-free Singles episode, shameless Rands brags about an upcoming trip to GenCon. Will you be there too?

Also, share your past GenCon stories with me!

EMAIL — [email protected]

Find @CCG History on socials:
https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory
https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available as video:
https://youtu.be/quSX6QLvvho

Full TBP series playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_c0a...

The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9



~SPONSOR~: @Category1Games

https://www.categoryonegames.com/

(find classic CCG & TCG cards at Category One Games!!!)

[[ Originally released as "The Booster Pack". This show has since been retitled "Booster Pack Throwback" ]]

On this episode Rands talks to Stephen Domzalski, the former Manager of Game Development for the Fleer Trading Card Company. During the first CCG craze of the mid-1990s, Fleer eagerly jumped into the game publishing world with the launch of 2 collectible games based on huge franchises—Marvel & Star Trek.

The Marvel game would become the Overpower CCG, which eventually expanded to incorporate DC characters. Meanwhile their Star Trek CCG would only involve characters from the original 1966 series & be in the market along side Decipher's ST:TNG CCG.

Stephen tell about all the behind the secrets of these games & shares his thoughts on what Fleer did right and wrong during their time as a CCG publisher.

Join the OVERPOWER group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/overp...

________________________________________________________
~SPONSOR~:

https://www.categoryonegames.com/

(find classic CCG & TCG cards at Category One Games!!!)

_________________________________________________________
THE BOOSTER PACK

let us know feedback, topic suggestions or games you'd like to hear about via email or any of our social media (DMs are also open to anyone)

Find CCG History:

https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory

https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available as a full video.
Find it on YouTube via https://youtu.be/HeuTtMw4lGk

The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

or, email us—

[email protected]



CC-BY**[Music Credit: The Crypts — Rockin' Roman]

[[ Originally released as "TBP: Rare Slot" — a Bonus Episode of the former "The Booster Pack Podcast" ]]

On this RARE SLOT episode of The Booster Pack podcast, Rands is joined by a veteran of hobby card game creation—Andrew Navaro.

For over 15 years Andrew worked with Fantasy Flight Games to produce several hobby card games inc. Android: Netrunner, Call of Cthulhu CCG/LCG, Game of Thrones CCG/LCG & many more.

However, at the start of 2020, Andrew founded  Earthborne Games to design, produce & publish a card game of his very own: Earthborne Rangers. 

Not only is Earthborne Rangers a unique game mechanically (PvE, Co-operative, open-world), it is also unique in the way it's being produced: As environmentally sustainably as possible.

During this extra-long episode, Andrew leverages his years of experience producing games to help us better understand what choices TCG / CCG publishers & players can make so this hobby can be produced in a less-wasteful manner.

_______________________________________________________________
EARTHBORNE RANGERS

https://earthbornegames.com/

https://www.facebook.com/earthbornegames/

https://www.instagram.com/earthbornegames/

https://twitter.com/earthbornegames

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/earthbornegames/earthborne-rangers/
_______________________________________________________________
CCGHISTORY

Find @CCG History  on socials:
https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory
https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available as video podcasts:
https://www.youtube.com/ccghistory

Full TBP series playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_c0a...

EMAIL — [email protected]

The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9
_______________________________________________________________



[Music Credit: Dan & Forget the Whale - Man Outta Town]

[[ Originally released as "The Booster Pack". This show has since been retitled "Booster Pack Throwback" ]]

On this episode Rands is joined by lauded Dungeons & Dragon's author & worldbuilder Steven E. Schend. Steven's time in collectible trading card games was short but impactful—he designed the Blood Wars CCG in 1995 at TSR.

However, Steven's history with tabletop gaming runs a lot deeper! He & Rands discuss his long history with D&D & how he went from editing RPG books to creating his own CCG.

Steven also tells a very unique story about one of the most intriguing chapters of hobby gaming history—the purchase of D&D publisher TSR by Wizards of the Coast.

Follow Steven on twitter:
https://twitter.com/StevenESchend

Visit Steven's website:
https://steveneschend.com/

Ask Steven questions via the Candlekeep Forums:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3802

Hire Steven as an Editor via Reedsy:
https://reedsy.com

________________________________________________________
~SPONSOR~:

https://www.categoryonegames.com/

(find classic CCG & TCG cards at Category One Games!!!)

_________________________________________________________
THE BOOSTER PACK

let us know feedback, topic suggestions or games you'd like to hear about via email or any of our social media (DMs are also open to anyone)

Find CCG History:

https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory

https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available as a full video.
Find it on YouTube via https://youtu.be/VwgXJer46cg


The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

or, email us—

[email protected]



CC-BY**[Music Credit: The Crypts — Rockin' Roman]

[[ Originally released as "TBP: Rare Slot" — a Bonus Episode of the former "The Booster Pack Podcast" ]]

[[[The Booster Pack's interview with SCRYE magazine founder JM White can be found elsewhere on this podcast feed or via YouTube: https://youtu.be/1P0OvkUrFVo]]]

On this bonus episode of The Booster Pack podcast, celebrated author John Jackson Miller walks us back through the pages of history to share his story as Directorial Editor of the world's most popular collectible card game magazine—SCRYE.

He also tells us about all the work & effort that went into creating the definitive guide book & price list book for english CCGs for their first decade—"SCRYE's Collectible Card Game Checklist & Price Guide".

_____________________________________
JOHN JACKSON MILLER

Find John on the socials:
https://twitter.com/jjmfaraway
https://www.facebook.com/johnjacksonmiller
https://www.instagram.com/johnjacksonmiller

John's personal site with stories about all his work:
https://farawaypress.com/

John's comic book history website:
https://www.comichron.com/

You can support John's comic book historian work via Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/comichron
_______________________________________________________________
CCGHISTORY

Find @CCG History  on socials:
https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory
https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available as audio podcasts:
https://pod.link/1553640008

Full TBP series playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_c0a...

EMAIL — [email protected]

The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

[Music Credit: Dan & Forget the Whale - Man Outta Town]

[[ Originally released as "The Booster Pack". This show has since been retitled "Booster Pack Throwback" ]]

On this episode of The Booster Pack, Rands talks to tabletop game designer Matt Hyra.

Matt's stories with collectible games actually start even before the very first one—Magic: The Gathering—is released. Since those days he has worked on several CCGs, including the much-loved VS System TCG—and was even responsible for a special start-of-game-rule that many collectible trading card games still use to this day.
 
Matt is also known for dozens of other games designs, so join jus as he shares many stories & design wisdoms!

THIS EPISODE IS ALSO ON YOUTUBE:
youtube.com/CCGhistory

Check out some of Matt's card game designs:

Vampire: The Masquerade — Rivals:
https://renegadegamestudios.com/vampi...

Matt's recent Deck-Building Games (Transformers / My Little Pony / Power Rangers / GI Joe)
can be found via https://renegadegamestudios.com/

DC Comics 10th Anniversary KickStarter—
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

~SPONSOR~:

https://www.categoryonegames.com/

(find classic CCG & TCG cards at Category One Games!!!)

THE BOOSTER PACK—

let us know feedback, topic suggestions or games you'd like to hear about via email or any of our social media (DMs are also open to anyone)

Find CCG History:

https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory

https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

or, email us—
[email protected]

[[ Originally released as "TBP: Rare Slot" — a Bonus Episode of the former "The Booster Pack Podcast" ]]

On this episode of the Rare Slot, Rands discusses the history & future of cooperative (or solo) modes in collectible trading card games with game designer Brett Schofield.

These modes (often called "Player vs Environment" or "PvE" modes) are something that have been quite a rarity in the world of collectible trading card games to date.

Brett offers a brief history of these types of collectible games & also offers his perspective on why PvE could become an important element of TCGs/CCGs in the future.

If you enjoyed this conversation please subscribe via your fav podcast directory.

Also, let me know what other TCG topics you want to hear about in the future or what your thoughts on the PvE in TCGs are via email or social media:


CCGHISTORY—
Find Rands/CCGhistory via socials:
https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory
https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available as audio podcasts:
https://pod.link/1553640008

Full TBP series playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_c0a...

EMAIL — [email protected]

The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

BRETT'S LINKS—
The Librarians Adventure Card Game:
https://www.everythingepic.us/the-librarians

On Kickstarter (Late Pledges available):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/everythingepicgames/the-librarians-adventure-card-game

Brett's Blog:
https://gamingwithbs.wordpress.com/

Some snake or something once said "...And Now For Something Completely Different".

Well, on today's show things are a bit different. On this super-sized "Singles" episode, Rands discusses a brief history of collectible trading card games based on other media properties & why the future of them might be vastly different from the past.

If this is your first "Singles" episode, it is just Rands talking on the topic—no guests or co-hosts; just Rands, a mic & some probably fallible opinions.

If you like this kind of show, please subscribe & let us know to help more episodes get made!
If you don't, please send your suggestions or feedback via any of these links:

email us—

[email protected]

Find CCG History on socials:

https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory

https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available on video. Find the episodes via youtube.com/CCGhistory.


The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

[[ Originally released as "The Booster Pack". This show has since been retitled "Booster Pack Throwback" ]]

Magi-Nation Duel & The Spoils TCG—you'd be hard pressed to find two Trading Card Games more different.

One is a kid-friendly Pokemon-esque franchise with relatively simple gameplay. The other presents a hard-hitting world of mature humor & was one of the most competitively-focused TCGs ever.

While they seem like they don't have much in common on the surface, in fact, they were actually crafted by the same group of people.

On this episode we are join by a key designer from that group: Josh Lytle. Josh was an early designer for Magi-Nation (both the card game + Gameboy game) & was the Lead Designer for The Spoils TCG. 

We discuss Josh's origins in gaming (Nintendo fans get ready!) & some never-before-told stories from behind the scenes on MND & The Spoils!

This is some fascinating further reading about the history of Magi-Nation, 2i & the people who worked on it it—

Making Magi-Nation Gameboy by Patrick Meehan:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yvllsoTLr_xLH18-bAxbfoAsI0Ct-2d-2i8mFvOtzNk/



~SPONSOR~:

https://www.categoryonegames.com/

(find classic CCG & TCG cards at Category One Games!!!)

THE BOOSTER PACK—

let us know feedback, topic suggestions or games you'd like to hear about via email or any of our social media (DMs are also open to anyone)

Find CCG History:

https://www.facebook.com/CCGhistory

https://twitter.com/CCGHistory

This show is also available on video. Find the episodes via youtube.com/CCGhistory.


The listener survey for The Booster Pack podcast:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZG95TR9

or, email us—

[email protected]