The Dice Tower

This time, we are recording in person at Dice Tower West (with some new mics!). We talk specifics about our new-ish venue for DTW, and then get more general with a chat about our convention strategies and planning. The Tale of Boardgaming Horror is one for the ages, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, Hula Hoops, and Crossovers.

00:47 - Dice Tower West: Back at the Westgate

04:20 - Julie's Drive West

08:35 - Eric at APAC

09:41 - Tom at GAMA Expo and The Grand Canyon

13:09 - Hot Games

14:16 - Convention Strategy

33:47 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

39:26 - Critter Kitchen

44:29 - Spooktacular

49:03 - Moon Colony Bloodbath

51:42 - Galaxy Children Explorers

56:09 - Lata

Questions? Tales of Horror? [email protected]

This time, we're talking sports, and how game designers can best emulate them. Plus, Horror, Hula Hoops, Roses, and Thorns.

00:59 - Announcements: Dice Tower West and East

02:04 - Sports Boardgames

20:10 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

25:48 - Charcuterie

30:24 - 1 A.M. Jailbreak

33:07 - Helionox Chronicles

37:47 - Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era

40:38 - Ostia

42:33 - Kingdom Legacy: Feudal Kingdom

Questions? Tales of Horror? [email protected]

This time, Eric gives an update on his Middle School Game Night before the gang launches into a discussion of how playing games for tangible prizes changes the vibe at the table. Then, we move on to a Tale of Boardgaming Horror, check the mailbag, and share some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.

00:48 - Announcements: Gamefound, Dice Tower West

02:33 - Update on Eric's Middle School Game Night

03:54 - Raising the Stakes

25:08 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

31:54 - Question: Boardgaming's Golden Age?

36:24 - Question: Collecting from a Single Franchise?

38:30 - Endeavor Deep Sea

41:45 - Portmanteau

45:21 - Lord of the Rings Adventure Book Game

48:58 - The Fellowship of the Ring Trick-Taking Game

51:19 - Jekyll & Hyde vs. Scotland Yard

54:54 - Stomp the Plank

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Questions? Tales of Horror? [email protected]

Tom complains about the cold before we all discuss forms of Table Talk. What just bends the rules, and what breaks the game? We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a couple of questions from the mailbag, and some new Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.

00:40 - It's cold in Florida

01:41 - Gamefound - SupportDicetower.com

02:11 - Dice Tower East and West

03:00 - Table Talk

25:07 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

31:31 - Question: Social Deduction Games (Where Am I, Blood on the Clocktower)

38:38 - Question: Screen Printed Meeples

44:49 - Little Alchemists

46:50 - Star Realms Academy

48:34 - Azul Duel

50:50 - Dr Jeckyl & Mr Hyde vs. Scotland Yard

53:28 - Rajas of the Ganges: Cards and Karma

56:47 - Unstoppable

1:00:07 - Catch the Moon

On board the Dice Tower Cruise 2025, Tom, Julie, and Eric run through their holiday gaming opportunities. Julie asks how we prefer to to vacation, and we end the show with a bunch of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops that we encountered on the ship.

00:44 - We're on a Ship

01:32 - Holiday Happenings

02:18 - Star Realms Rise of Empire

07:59 - Ito, Jackbox Games

09:28 - Hues and Cues

11:48 - Command of Nature

14:10 - Only Murders in the Building

17:55 - How Do You Vacation?

29:31 - My Father's Work

35:00 - Adventureland

39:38 - Cryptic Nature

41:09 - Beats and Cats

43:41 - Lure

46:20 - Bomb Busters

Julie and Eric spend some time recapping PAX Unplugged before all of us take a look at the year that was 2024. What was the easiest game to teach? The game that you'd best set aside a day to play? The Hoopiest Hula Hoop? All will be revealed, dear listener!

01:00 - PAX Unplugged Recap

14:03 - The Quiet House

16:49 - Star Trek TNG VCR Game

20:41 - 2024 as a Whole

29:25 - Best to Play at a Convention: Ito, Rock Hard 1977, Duck & Cover

31:40 - Best Theme: Rock Hard 1977, Mistwind, Kelp: Shark vs. Octopus

34:43 - Most Likely to be Gifted: Muppets Clue, Wicked

38:00 - Best Traveling Game: Seaside, Smug Owl, Ito

40:25 - Best Set Aside a Day For It Game: Tidal Blades 2, El Burro, Wandering Galaxy

45:13 - Easiest Teach/Learn: Cat Horror Costumes, Pixies, Ito

46:50 - Bonus Heavy Euro: Civolution

47:16 - Wanted to Play but Didn't: Power Grid Outpost, Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Duel, Paella Park, Pagan: Fate of Roanoke, Daitoshi

50:18 - Hoopiest Hula Hoop: Ziggurat, Slay the Spire, Panda Panda

53:51 - Sharpest Thorn: I Am Done, Clash of Galiformes, Unlock Kids

57:31 - Rosiest Rose: Star Wars Unlimited, Wyrmspan, The 7th Continent

59:22 - Anticipated for 2025 - Raas, Azul Duel, All My Books, The Elder Scrolls, Galactic Cruise

Next Episode: January 14th, 2025

Tales of Horror? Questions? [email protected]

This time, Eric is looking for advice from Julie and Tom about running a game night at his son's Middle School. How deep a hole has he dug for himself? Plus, a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a question from the Listener Mailbag, and a bouquet of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.

01:47 - Dice Tower Winter Spectacular

02:24 - Tom's Anniversary Cruise, Audiobooks, and Subtitles

03:52 - 2025 Gamefound Campaign

04:27 - Eric's Middle School Game Night

23:58 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

28:28 - Listener Question: Our Changing Review Perspectives

31:11 - I Am Done (Quick Mention)

37:56 - Point of View

41:05 - The Smurfs Hidden Village

45:17 - Cottage Garden

47:19 - Distilled: Africa and Middle East

50:32 - Penguin Party

Questions? Tales of Horror? Send to Tom at [email protected].

Tom, Julie, and Eric share some Thanksgiving recipes before launching into a discussion of how designers tackle the theme of cooking in games. We have a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror that pushes our Angry Button, and we close the show with a Thorn-heavy set of games played.

00:57 - Announcements: Dice Tower East, West, and Cruise 2026

02:22 - Thanksgiving Recipes

05:17 - Cooking Games

07:41 - Cooking: Press Your Luck (Quacks of Quedlinburg, Vegetable Stock)

09:55 - Cooking: Spatial Games (License to Grill)

12:52 - Cooking: Dexterity (A La Carte, Piazza Rabazza)

16:28 - Cooking: Real Time (Wok Star, Kitchen Rush)

19:05 - Cooking: Set Collection (Burger Up, Morels)

21:33 - Cooking: More from Tom (Mamma Mia, Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy, Hibachi, Comsumption: Food and Choices, Sweet Mess, Wok and Roll, Wild Gardens)

27:38 - Cooking: Favorite Mechanisms

29:14 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

34:44 - Witchdom

38:15 - Witchcraft

41:28 - Worms: The Board Game

44:32 - Crossbows & Catapults: Fortress War

47:12 - Refuge

49:09 - Civolution

Tom, Julie, and Eric discuss some Thanksgiving plans before reacting to some recent manufacturing trends in the boardgame industry, from environmentally friendly choices, to the insistance that every game have a custom insert. Our Tale of Boardgaming Horror is a case of mistaken identity, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.

01:02 - Shipping in the Game Box

01:45 - Thanksgiving

03:22 - PAX Unplugged and Christmas Videos

04:03 - All the Kickstarters are Delivering At Once

05:53 - Production Trends: Giant Rulebooks

07:33 - Self-Assembled Multi-Layered Boards

11:08 - Puzzle vs. Folded Boards and Other Board Trends

13:23 - Environmentally Friendly Choices: Stickers

15:13 - Bands and Paper Wrap Around Cards

17:18 - Paperboard Inserts

21:09 - Rewood

23:56 - Kallax as a Measure of Size

25:48 - Plastic Inserts

33:56 - Plastic Wrap on Punchboards

35:26 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

41:00 - Lords of Vegas

45:59 - EXIT Advent: The Missing Hollywood Star

48:32 - The Coldest Night

52:26 - Arbolito

55:04 - SETI

58:14 - Kronologic Paris 1920

This time, Tom looks forward to the CMON Expo, while Eric and Julie talk about their plans for PAX Unplugged. We discuss best practices for publishers when they know an expansion is coming. We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and close the show with a Spooky set of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.

00:58 - Announcements: Dice Tower West, PAX Unplugged

02:55 - Tom at CMON Expo

03:52 - Planning for Expansions

32:00 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

40:28 - Flashback: Lucy

44:08 - Ghosts Can't Draw

48:26 - Cat Horror Costumes

53:27 - Vampire Nights

58:06 - The Thing

1:02:58 - 8-Legged Peacock