Vox Republica: Podcast of The Cardboard Republic

Episode 145: Breaking Into Origins

Length: 59:29

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: This week, Erin and Ryan chat about their experiences from their first trip to the Origins Game Fair. They discuss things they saw, things they played, what they liked, and what they wished they had done differently. If you're an Origins regular, how did their time in Columbus compare to yours? And if you've never been, does their conversation make you want to? Just wondering...

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:22):

• Avenue by Aporta Games (BGG Link)
• Honshu by Renegade Game Studios (BGG Link)
• Shahrazad by Osprey Games (BGG Link)
• Exoplanets by Greater Than Games (BGG Link)

QUICK TOPICS – (16:42):

• Erin and Ryan discuss the rather unexpected news about the popular gaming furniture company Geek Chic going out of business.

FEATURED TOPIC - (23:19):

• We were Origins bound this year! Marking Erin and Ryan's first trip to Origins - albeit not at the same time - they cover a number of things pertaining to how they thought about the convention going up to it, what they did while they were there, and their thoughts of attending in retrospect. Areas included:
  • Reasons for attending
  • Attendance numbers for 2017
  • Highlights of various games played and seen
  • Events we got to partake in while at Origins
  • Pros and cons of the convention
  • and yes, even an inordinate amount of travel woes

PLUGS - (59:02):

• You can check out Ryan's written recap of his first Origins experience here!
• We're raffling off a copy of Honshu to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 144: The Magic of PoSplo

Length: 1:03:56

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: It's one look forward and another look back. With the summer convention scene vastly approaching, Erin and Ryan discuss their expectations for visiting Origins for the first tine. Then they dive into a review of Potion Explosion to reiterate just what makes the game so darn entertaining.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:22):

• The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire by Minion Games (BGG Link)
• Armageddon by Queen Games (BGG Link)
• Honshu by Renegade Game Studios (BGG Link)

QUICK TOPICS – (19:47):

• Origins is, like, super soon! And the CR is going! For the first time! We lay out what some of our expectations are and what we hope to do what we get there. If you're going here's hoping our paths cross!

REVIEW - (25:39):

• Based off the "Match 3" style of video games, Potion Explosion is all about making potions and causing explosions...hence the name. In this short 2-4 player game, each person is an apprentice wizard gathering ingredients to fill a series of potions, which is done by removing one or more marbles from the game's eye-catching dispenser tray. Completed potions are worth a variable number of points - depending on how difficult it is to complete - as well can be used to generate a number of different one-time effects throughout the game. Originally released by Horrible Games and subsequently picked up by Cool Mini or Not, Potion Explosion rose to rapid popularity in part because of an ideal blend of casual gameplay and tactile marble-plinking enjoyment. Tapping into both a person's desire for socializing through gaming and an innate love of pattern recognition, Potion Explosion delivers so well as a casual game as to have been one of the 2016 Socializer Laurel nominees. That said, as we elaborate, its magic won't work on everyone.
  • Also, you can check out Ryan's simple Potion Explosion trick for tray storage here.

(Note: if you don't see pictures below, you can view them via the RSS feed or clicking this link.)

The center marble tray where you gather magic ingredients (cleverly disguised as marbles) The game comes with a variety of colorful potions of different effects With all the necessary marbles, this potion is now ready for drinking Sets of potions are worth points and are a victory condition at the same time Several possible pulls could make for magical explosions. Which will you grab?

PLUGS - (1:03:07):

• Speaking of Honshu, we're raffling off a copy of it to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to either - or both if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 143: Dominant Strategies

Length: 1:04:35

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: Big money, big money, big money - stop! Nearly every game invokes some kind of strategy, and, generally, the more complicated the game, the deeper and more varied those strategies may be. Most of the time, this is all part of the game's appeal. But...what happens when not every strategy is created equal? What do you do when one particular path is so much better than the rest that it warps the entire experience. This week, Erin and Ryan discuss dominant (aka broken) gaming strategies, and what you can do about them.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:28):

• Yokohama by Tasty Minstrel Games (BGG Link)
• Zephyr: Winds of Change by Portal Dragon (BGG Link)

QUICK TOPICS – (19:30):

• Erin reflects on why it is she finds it so hard to play new games of late, and how that can be compounded by things such as the pressure of content creation, the added mental energy of learning new systems constantly, and even the paradox of having too many options to choose from.

FEATURED TOPIC - (33:08):

• Some games, try as they might to offer a wide variety of strategies, run into a problem of having one path to victory that wins a disproportionate amount of the time. We deconstruct what this may mean for that game, and for games overall. Areas of discussion include:
  • Is it still a dominant strategy if you can beat it?
  • Are they a flaw or a feature of a game?
  • How does this differ from, you know, a normal strategy?
  • Are there any upsides to their existence in a game?
  • What can a designer do to correct these imbalances? What about a publisher? Or a player for that matter?

PLUGS - (1:58:37):

• We previewed Path of Light and Shadow, as well as Ursa Miner!
• We're raffling off a copy of ZooScape to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 142: Gaming Speculation

Length: 59:17

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: It's one thing to excitedly find a rare or popular game in a thrift store. But have you ever bought one there with the sole purpose of turning around and selling it? It's capitalism at its most basic, but what are the possibilities and pitfalls of going down the road of gaming speculation? This week Erin and Ryan dive into flipping games for profit.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:28):

• Yokohama by Tasty Minstrel Games (BGG Link)
• Zephyr: Winds of Change by Portal Dragon (BGG Link)
• Path of Light And Shadow by Indie Boards & Cards (BGG Link)
• New Angeles by Fantasy Flight Games (BGG Link)

FEATURED TOPIC - (22:13):

• You've probably heard of people flipping houses - buying them for one price in the plans of reselling them for a higher price later on. But people resell items all the time, including games. We investigate various ethical areas (and problems) revolving around game reselling and game speculation. Areas we explore include:
  • thrift store / yard sale finds
  • how to price out games
  • games to look for if you want to make a profit
  • capitalizing on the window between Kickstarter fulfillment and retail distribution
  • taking advantage of Kickstarter exclusives
  • review copy flipping
  • and more!

PLUGS - (58:37):

• We previewed the aforementioned Path of Light and Shadow, as well as Ursa Miner!
• We're raffling off a copy of ZooScape to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 141: Science Is Your Friend

Length: 1:06:45

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: Science is your friend! With Earth Day and the unprecedented March For Science taking place recently, this week Erin and Ryan talk about science in gaming and recommend some titles that do an excellent job conveying real world scientific concepts.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:05):

• Ursa Miner (Coming Soon!)
• The Big Book of Madness by IELLO (BGG Link)

QUICK TOPICS - (07:42):

• When is the best time of the year for gaming? As New Englanders our snap reaction almost always is winter time, what with it being cold and snowy outside. But...is it really the best time of the year? We discuss.

FEATURED TOPIC - (13:38):

• Science! It's fun! It's informative! And it's essential to understanding more about how the world works, from the cells in our bodies to the molecules in a distant star, as well as pretty much everything in between. Like many, we've noticed in recent years the odd rise of science dismissal (and even denial) on the rise, culminating in the recent March for Science in D.C, where scientists the world over felt the need to demonstrate in defense of the very notion of science and scientific pursuit. These are strange times... In honor of that, our focus topic in this week is to celebrate and highlight specific games that do an excellent job teaching real science concepts while also being fun. There's a whole bunch out there, but we provide some suggestions that you should check out in areas such as:
  • Aerospace
  • Biology & Microbiology
  • Chemistry
  • Medicine
  • Physics
  • Zoology
  • And more!

PLUGS - (1:05:08):

• Dann reviewed the digital version of Paperback!
• We're raffling off a copy of Overseers to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 140: On The Case!

Length: 1:09:09

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: It's been a busy and chaotic month or so, between new digs, new gigs, local conventions, and localized pathogens. But we're making up for that now! This episode Erin and Ryan discuss the Granite Game Summit and review Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures!

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (02:01):

• Terraforming Mars by Stronghold Games (BGG Link)
• Sagrada by Floodgate Games (BGG Link)
• The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire by Minion Games (BGG Link)
• World Monuments by Queen Games (BGG Link)
• Mexica by Super Meeple / IELLO (BGG Link)
• Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures by Space Cowboys (BGG Link)

FEATURED TOPIC – (18:54):

• April 2017 saw the first multi-day attempt of the Granite Game Summit in Nashua, NH, and we were front and center for attending! Yes, after a couple one-day events in 2016, the troupe at G2S decided to try their hand at a 3-day con. We recap our thoughts and experiences from the inaugural event.

REVIEW - (30:22):

• The original Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective first burst onto the gaming scene in 1981 and has circulated in some form ever since. Yet an updated reprint in the last couple years gave rise to renewed interest in the classic game by a whole new generation of gamers. This recent standalone expansion (Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures) is a continuation of that trend. It contains six updated cases from the original West End Adventures expansion, as well as four brand new cases in the form of the Jack the Ripper series, which unlike any past cases, are all tied together and have a cap on how many actions you can take.
• In this narrative-driven game of mystery solving, each playthrough consists of a single case upon which players must collectively solve. To do this, everyone takes turns moving about Victorian London gathering story clues, interviewing witnesses, and inspecting crime scenes, all in the hopes of figuring out the whodunnit before Sherlock does (at least in theory). Prepare to be taken all over London as you chase leads and deal with dead ends, each of which is represented by storybook elements read aloud that correspond to the people and places you decide to visit. The combined effect is a co-op based literary puzzle that will appeal to those who love solving mysteries or those who appreciate a well-executed thematic setting (though not necessarily both groups at the same time). With an abundance of flavor and plenty to explore, Consulting Detective provides ten story-centric sleuthing experiences definitely worth checking out, even if playthroughs can take longer than advertised, can ony be played once, and can be a little clunky on exposition in some instances. Well, so long as you just give up on trying to best Sherlock and enjoy the world it presents to you at your own pace.

(Note: if you don't see pictures below, you can view them via the RSS feed or clicking this link.)

Everything you need to run a Consulting Detective scenario Running around London looking for clues! Thanks to the handy directory, we found Emmet Ogden lives at 83 EC (East Central district) Scouring East London to catch Jack the Ripper 10 Scenarios equals a many, many hours of worthwhile gaming

PLUGS - (1:08:24):

• We're raffling off a copy of Overseers to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to either - or both if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 139: Con Budgets

Length: 51:22

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: Gaming conventions are pretty fun. But not every con is for every gamer. With an ever-growing list of conventions to attend and only so many resources to devote to attending them, how do you decide which conventions to devote your efforts to? This week, Erin and Ryan explore how you can properly prepare to attend them while comparing and contrasting their approaches to con budgeting.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (03:38):

• Defenders of the Last Stand by 8th Summit
• Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures by Space Cowboys

QUICK TOPICS - (13:42):

• We spoke last time of convention season beginning in earnest, so we thought this time around we'd share a reminder of which cons we're definitely going to be at over the rest of 2017.

FEATURED TOPIC - (19:24):

• How do you budget for attending a game convention? Just like taking a vacation, there's only so much time, money, and effort to devote to conventioning. To that end, we dive into a number of topic areas, including:
  • How do you figure out cost?
  • What are the benefits of booking a hotel through the convention? What are the downsides?
  • How far ahead do you book?
  • How do you decide if it's worth it?
  • Why you don't need to go to every convention
  • Determining the type con that's right for you! (We go into length at this one in Episode 74)
  • Tips for budgeting and monitoring your cash flow

PLUGS - (48:03):

• Be sure to check out the website to celebrate all of the 2016 Laurel winners!
• We're also also raffling off a copy of The Blood Of An Englishman to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 138: Havens Of Gloooooom

Length: 58:46

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: Laurel season is in full swing. Yet somehow we manged to fit in a bunch of new games and a trip to PAX East to kick off convention season. Ryan recaps his PAX trip, and then he and Erin sit down for an enlightening chat with Gloomhaven designer Isaac Childres to learn some interesting tidbits on what it took to make such a massive game.

GUESTS: Isaac Childres

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:27):

• Gloomhaven by Cephalofair Games
• Explorers of the North Sea by Garphill Games
• Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures by Space Cowboys
• Planetarium by Game Salute

QUICK TOPICS - (18:16):

• Con season has begun in earnest! Ryan recaps his experience at PAX East 2017.

FEATURED TOPIC - (26:51):

• What does it take to make a fully immersive fantast-based legacy-style dungeon crawler? That alone sounds tiring. But that's Gloomhaven in a nutshell. We sit down with sole designer Isaac Childres to find out how did this mammoth game came to be. Topics included:
  • How it was decided what went into a 21 pound game box
  • The inspiration behind creating the world of Gloomhaven
  • Where in the design process the legacy aspect was added
  • Whether Issac was the kind of kid who held the page of a CYOA book or not
  • The lessons learned of running such a massive Kickstarter game and how it differed from his first game.
  • How he went about the extensive playtesting necessary for a game of this size
  • What's next for the world of Gloomhaven
  • And more!

PLUGS - (58:12):

• We're also also raffling off a copy of The Blood Of An Englishman to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 137: Award Season

Length: 1:14:03

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: It's award season all over the place, including in the game world. Which, naturally, includes our own - second only to the Oscars, really. To kick that process off, this week Ryan and Erin chat about gaming awards and discuss the nominees for the 2017 Laurels! We also mention a handful of notable games played and an example of gaming news in the real world.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:19):

• Freedom: The Underground Railroad by Academy Games
• The Oracle of Delphi by Tasty Minstrel Games
• Escape the Room: Secret of Dr. Gravely's Retreat by ThinkFun
• Tin Goose by Rio Grande Games

QUICK TOPICS - (22:31):

• Calling back to that whole idea of gaming not pretending the outside world doesn't exist, we briefly mention the latest stunt by the Cards Against Humanity crowd, involving Secret Hitler and Congress.
• No gaming awards would be complete without discussing the Golden Geek awards. We briefly provide our thoughts on the 15 Game of the Year titles and make our predictions on who we think will win.

FEATURED TOPIC - (30:37):

• Continuing the talk about gaming awards, our featured topic this episode focuses on the 2016 Laurel nominees. We delve into how each of the games ended up as an archetype nominee and why they fit their category so well. You can check out the full list here.

PLUGS - (1:13:23):

• We're also also raffling off a copy of The Blood Of An Englishman to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.

Episode 136: Creating A Gaming Cafe

Length: 1:02:45

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.

Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!

DESCRIPTION: What does it take to create a board game cafe? It's something many of us dream about doing, but aside from the desire to do it and a lot of hard work, what else is required to get such a dream off the ground? This week, Erin and Ryan invite on Kathleen Miller of the upcoming House Rules Cafe to get the details. There may also be some talk about games and the 2016 Laurels.

GUESTS: Kathleen Miller

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:46):

• New York Slice by Bezier Games
• Islebound by Red Raven Games
• Ponzi Scheme by Tasty Minstrel Games
• One Deck Dungeon by Asmadi Games

QUICK TOPICS - (16:22):

• It's that time of the year again. We are happy to announce the nominees for the CR's 2016 Laurels - our nominees for the 2016 games of the year. You can check out the full list here, and stay tuned in a couple weeks when start rolling out the winners!

FEATURED TOPIC - (18:40):

• Kathleen Miller and her crew are in the process of creating House Rules Cafe in Hudson, New York, deciding to take the brave steps that so many gamers dream about doing. We explore not only why she wanted to take on this endeavor, but what she plans to make this gaming cafe as accommodating as possible. Topics include:
  • How her background in the service industry prior to creating the cafe shaped her planning
  • The central tenants she insists for her cafe with regards to openness and inclusivity
  • How nebulous the whole definition of a 'gaming cafe' can be
  • What products and services she plans to offer and how it compares to other gaming cafes
  • Her current Kickstarter perks being offered to future potential patrons
  • Who she hopes to entice into her store and why she isn't planning to cater solely to gamers for her business
  • The difference between a milkshake and a frappe. (Such things are important.)
  • And more!

PLUGS - (1:02:13):

• We reviewed the digital version of Colt Express!
• We're also also raffling off a copy of Grifters to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?

We'd love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.