Vox Republica: Podcast of The Cardboard Republic

Episode 135: Gaming Difficulty

Length: 1:03:41

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 dive into some recent game nights, talk about whether non-gaming topics that affect gamers are legitimate discourse, and then debate the differences in what difficulty means in regards to board games.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:14):

• Meduris by HABA
• Quartz by Passport Game Studios
• Stronghold by Portal Games
• Dark Gothic by Flying Frog Productions
• Morocco by Eagle-Gryphon Games

QUICK TOPICS - (20:08):

• We briefly address the notion that's been circulating on whether or not gaming conversation should include topics that affect gamers in the real world. That is, should gaming talk only be about games.

FEATURED TOPIC - (24:36):

• Difficulty in a game is a term thrown around regularly, but while it seems like an obvious definition at first glance, it isn't as universal once you start parsing it out. We dive into the various components that may go into what makes a game 'difficult', including
  • Iconography
  • Strategy depth
  • Complexity
  • Time Committment
  • Player Size
  • Theme
  • How much of the idea of difficulty is subjective?
  • What are our preferred difficulty levels?
  • Can difficulty change over time?
  • And, ultimately - does the quality of a game coincide with its difficulty?

PLUGS - (1:02:37):

• We previewed Trickster. No fooling!
• 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.

Episode 134: Teeny Santorini

Length: 1:01:47

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 recap some of their lighter games played and address some positive feedback for the hobby before being joined by Gordon Hamilton, the designer of Santorini.

GUESTS: Gordon Hamilton

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:40):

• Ra by Windrider Games
• Monsters in the Elevator by Yaya Play Games
• Talisman by Fantasy Flight Games
• Cable Car by Queen Games
• Tokaido by Funforge / Passport Game Studios

QUICK TOPICS - (20:12):

• We address the recent troubles surrounding Crash Games founder Patrick Nickell, including the reasoning behind recent Kickstarter efforts to keep the company solvent and the hobby community's reaction to his heartfelt personal explanation for said troubles.

FEATURED TOPIC - (27:05):

• What is Santorini, and how did it come to be? We sit down with the game's designer Gordon 'Gord' Hamilton, to ask all about Santorini's past, present, and future ambitions. We cover certain areas, including:
  • How long it actually took to get published
  • What the game's origins were
  • What surprised him about the game's Kickstarter campaign
  • How his day job as a mathematician affect his design ideas
  • The other themes (or lack thereof) that the game almost became instead of Santorini

PLUGS - (1:00:55):

• Did we mention we previewed Monsters in the Elevator? We did!
• We're also also raffling off a copy of Evolution: Climate 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 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, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

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

Episode 133: Gaming Predictions For 2017

Length: 56:30

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: A new year means different things to different people. For us, it means it's time for Erin and Ryan to sit down and make some predictions for what lies in store in 2017 regarding games and the games industry!

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:49):

• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle by USAopoly
• Taluva by Ferti
• Arkham Horror LCG by Fantasy Flight Games
• The Goonies: Adventure Card Game by Albino Dragon

FEATURED TOPIC - (19:21):

• It's 2017, which means it's time for all sorts of annual predictions about games and the gaming industry. Are they wild guesses or educated methodical extrapolations of notable trends in the industry? We'll see! But both Erin and Ryan dive into what some of those may be.
  • We also recap our 2016 predictions (see Vox episode 108 for the full rundown) to see how close we came during what can only be described as an unpredictable year.

PLUGS - (55:25):

• We reviewed Karuba!
• We're also also raffling off a copy of Evolution: Climate 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 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, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

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

Episode 132: Seven Dragons And A Treasured Year

Length: 1:03:28

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: The end of 2016 is fast approaching - not that we're complaining mind you. This week, after recapping some of the games we managed to play between the holiday rush, we briefly look back at how the CR has fared over the last year...and maybe drop a couple minor announcements about what lies in store for us next in 2017. After that we pull out the 2011 card game Seven Dragons for review. Because, well, dragons!

Production Note: Apologies on the audio quality for this episode - it appears to have recorded on the backup mic by mistake!

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:36):

• Colony by Bezier Games
• SeaFall by Plaid Hat Games
• Karmaka by Hemisphere Games
• Queen's Architect by Queen Games
• Centauri Saga by Vesuvius Media

FEATURED TOPIC – (27:42):

• 2016 site recap! The CR has seen a number of aspects to the site added or changed over the last year, and since it's the end of the year and all, we figured now is as good a time as any to talk briefly about what those changes entailed, including:
  • New faces at the CR
  • A new review subset
  • The launch of our Patreon
  • A podcast collaboration
  • What the first few tasks may be for 2017

REVIEW - (42:00):

• Seven Dragons is a 2011 color-matching card game by Looney Labs. In this simple game, players take turns drawing and playing cards to a sprawling communal tableau, with every card placed containing 1-4 panels of different colored dragons. The goal in the game is to create a series of seven connected dragon panels all of the same color, while, of course, trying to prevent your opponent from doing the same thing. The end result is a simple game that's quick to play and even easier to teach, all while leaving a colorful dragon-laden mosaic on the table at the end each playthrough. That said, while it definitely works as a casual end of the night style game, it's probably not going to be the most memorable game for many players as a result. Seven Dragons may not be flashy or complicated - it could easily be billed as a card-based color dominoes with some action cards thrown in- yet we argue that it still has merit in the right settings.

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

The five primary dragons of Seven Dragons This is a valid placement because the two Black dragons match on one side Having two matching panels results in drawing a bonus card! The player with the Red goal wins for having seven matching panels touching The five possible Action cards in the game, and the poor Silver dragon stuck at their mercy The whole family together. Yeah, there's a couple layabouts, even in dragon clans...

PLUGS - (1:02:49):

• We reviewed Cash N Guns!
• We're also also raffling off a copy of Speechless 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 131: Online Communities

Length: 58:47

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: A primary reason that board gaming is such an entertaining hobby is that it fosters and encourages socializing with other people. To that end, this week Erin and Ryan talk about this year's BGG Con, then discuss some of the many online communities available to gamers.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:34):

• Fuju Flush by Stronghold Games
• Terraforming Mars by Stronghold Games
• Honshu by Lautapelit / Renegade Game Studios
• Ave Roma by A-Games
• Flamme Rouge by Lautapelit

FEATURED TOPIC - (20:30):

• This week is all about board gaming communities within the board gaming world, including the positives and negatives they each offer to the hobby. The primary ones :
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • BoardGameGeek
  • Instagram

PLUGS - (57:57):

• As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, 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, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

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

Episode 130: Gaming Slumps

Length: 52:55

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: The world has been a bit topsy-turvy of late, and that has us a bit distracted from our normal love of gaming. So, this week we talk about the idea of gaming dry spells, where other interests or other factors pull you away from gaming regularly - and why that's not necessarily a bad thing.

GUESTS: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:45):

• Ice Cool by Brain Games
• Mare Nostrum by Academy Games
• Dice City by AEG / Artipia Games
• Covert by Renegade Game Studios
• Joraku by Moaideas Game Design

QUICK TOPICS - (22:11):

• In light of a recent publisher snaffu, we dissect the sometimes nebulous role of gaming media in relation to publishers in terms of ethical boundaries of journalist versus marketer.
• We reflect the recent uptick in digital board game ports.

FEATURED TOPIC - (34:37):

• Most invested board gamers will inevitably go into periods where they go into a gaming slump. We explore (especially of late) some of the reasons why that happens and why it's also entirely normal.
  • How external factors can cause this, from time to energy to other things vying for your attention.
  • Why it's healthy to consider other activities or hobbies during these slumps.
  • Why you shouldn't feel guilty for having to step back now and then.
  • How Erin and Ryan are addressing their own genuine current board game slump.
    • As well as them musing on ways people can rekindle interest in games after such slumps.

PLUGS - (52:02):

• We're raffling off a copy of AssassinCon 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 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, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

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

Episode 129

Length: 44:01

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 our Extra Life special! In this episode, Erin and Ryan talk about their Extra Life 2016 gaming charity marathon efforts, including some of the more notable games played and the unique challenges running it this year brought.

GUESTS: None*

*Although scheduled to include a small handful of live interviews during the Extra Life marathon taping, a series of unfortunate events prevented said people from attending. Alas.

FEATURED TOPIC - (1:37 / 32:01):

• Every year the CR participates in Extra Life, an annual 24 hour gaming charity marathon to raise money for sick kids within the Children's Miracle Network - in our case those at the Boston Children's Hospital. We discuss aspects of this effort, including:
  • Why we participate every year and how it helps both the cause and the gaming hobby as a whole.
  • How we plan it every year and keep it a manageable effort, including successes and where we can improve.
  • How people can donate to the cause.
  • Some of the 'events' we run during that 24 hour period.
  • Why we keep it to a rather modest campaign size.

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (05:12):

• Betrayal At House On The Hill: Widow's Walk by Avalon Hill
• Evolution: Climate by North Star Games
• The Blood of An Englishman by Renegade Game Studios
• Inis by Matagot / Asmodee
• Papa Paolo by Quined Games

PLUGS - (43:25):

• To celebrate the fall convention season, we're raffling off a copy of AssassinCon 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 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, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

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

Episode 128: America & Atmosphere

Length: 59:26

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 October, which means Halloween! Which means spooky things! Which brings us to the idea of gaming atmosphere. Why is it that exactly that board games struggle so hard to generate feelings of dread? What makes this medium, as opposed to movies, books, and even RPGs, so much more difficult? This week, Erin and Ryan parse over the possibilities behind it. Then, they venture back to the early American Frontier with a review of the dice allocation game Discoveries.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:39):

• Strife: Shadows & Steam by V3G
• Ahead in the Clouds by Button Shy Games
• Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation by Fantasy Flight Games

FEATURED TOPIC – (13:15):

• It's rare for a horror themed game to make you feel afraid, upset, or otherwise creeped out. Why is it that board games as a form of entertainment fare so much better at causing that to happen as opposed to movies, TV, or even classic RPGs? Some things we discuss to that end include:
  • What is it about them inherently makes this difficult
  • The difficulty of being surprised when you know what can happen
  • Outside influences such as lighting, music, and even scents can help set the mood
  • How whole genres of board games avoid theme as a primary goal to begin with
  • How app-enabled games may help going forward

QUICK TOPICS - (22:59):

• Erin makes an announcement about her participation in a new positive launching soon that'll focus on the positive things board gaming offers.

REVIEW - (25:35):

• Discoveries is a 2015 dice placement and dice manipulation game by Ludonaute & Asmodee Editions. Designed to be a lighter experience to their heftier title Lewis & Clark while maintaining a similar theme, this game does exactly that. In this dice rolling adventure, each player is a member of the famed Lewis & Clark Expedition. Their goal was to venture across the American Frontier through unexplored lands (to the Europeans anyway) and take note of everything they experienced, from the plants and animals, to interactions with the various American Indian tribes, to mapping out the land itself. This is represented by each player having access to a handful of resource dice that are rolled periodically. Through a series of turns, players allocate dice results to different actions as a means of befriending tribes as to claim their cards for more powerful action abilities, and / or complete journal cards to score VP. The goal is to essentially have the most complete (i.e. valuable) journal at the end of the game. With excellent artwork, simple rules, and a uncommon theme, Discoveries does a decent job conveying this game's purpose. That said, as we explore it, it's evident that much like the Expedition, Discoveries runs into its own share of obstacles.

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

The initial board layout The four possible die face results A pair of possible American Indian cards that can be acquired Blue chooses to allocate Journal results, completing both actions and generating 2 Mountain movement as well as 3 River or 3 additional Mountains This journal card requires either 2 River + 1 Mountain movement or 2 Mountain Does Red take the right bank, the left bank, or just their own dice? Hmm... Blue's tableau in action

PLUGS - (58:50):

• We reviewed The Guardians: Explore!
• We're also also raffling off a copy of Tides of Madness 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 127: This Funny Dude From Poland

Length: 1:17:11

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 we return from our fall mini-break refreshed and ready to go. We start off by chatting about a small handful of the many games played recently, chat about our recent past and future convention plans, and then sit down with Ignacy Trzewiczek, head of Portal Games, to talk about the processes he goes through when designing games.

GUESTS: Ignacy Trzewiczek

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:49):

• Clank! by Renegade Game Studios & Dire Wolf Digital
• Inis by Asmodee Editions / Matagot
• The Guardians: Explore by Reihon Games
• Roll Player by Thunderworks Games

QUICK TOPICS - (26:06):

• We chat about the next Granite Game Summit in a few weeks - Halloween Edition. If you're in the area, consider coming on down!
• Ryan explains The Pantheon of Meeples.
• Oh, and there's our first meeting of Board Game Club!
• We recap some of the highlights from the 2016 Boston Festival of Indie Games, including memorable games and our presentation of one of the Figgie awards.

FEATURED TOPIC - (38:32):

• With a dozen or so memorable, well-received games under its belt and a self-assured designer at the helm, it's crazy to think that Portal Games is less than a decade old. The biggest reason for their success rests with the fundamental design philosophy of Ignacy Trzewiczek that board games should be an experience when played. He's stated numerous times in public and on his own blog the importance of this focus in everything they create. Today we sit down with him to go into that idea in more detail, include areas like:
  • How important Robinson Crusoe was to Portal's initial success and instant reputation.
  • Why theme for him always comes before mechanics.
    • And where that philosophy came from
  • The purpose of his Board Games That Tell Stories blog
    • Both his first and second books emerged from it
  • How his background in GMing RPGs influenced First Martians
  • Why he keeps a journal on most games he play
  • What his two most influential games are on his design process

PLUGS - (1:16:16):

• To celebrate Ignacy's participation and the Halloween season, we're raffling off a copy of Tides of Madness 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 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, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

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

Episode 126: The Art Of The [Preorder] Deal

Length: 1:03:20

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: Attempting to get back to a normal length podcast after August's heavier episodes, this week Erin and Ryan talk about some recent Patreon happenings - including an announcement about it - and then they dive into a discussion on how much you need to know about a game before you order it. After that, the days is rounded out by a review of Avalanche at Yeti Mountain.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (01:43):

• Codenames: Pictures by Czech Games Edition
• Looting Atlantis by Shoot Again Games
• Prospectus by Mr. B Games
• Discoveries by Ludonaute / Asmodee Editions

QUICK TOPICS - (24:12):

• We chat about a couple of our recent Patreon happenings, including our past milestone goal progress and our plans for the next one.

FEATURED TOPIC – (27:08):

• How much do you need to know about a game before you buy it? With Essen approaching, it's not uncommon for people to purchase games from limited markets with little or no information about them. We ponder some of the implications of this approach including:
  • The scale from impulse purchasing to meticulous research, and how there's room for both
  • Why sometimes it can be difficult to do research ahead of purchasing it
  • How do preorders fit into one's game planning?
  • Where impulse buying really thrives

REVIEW - (41:33):

• Avalanche at Yeti Mountain is the latest title from Green Couch Games, a company who focuses on engaging little games that are visually appealing and as portable as they are easy to teach. In this snow-capped expedition for 1-5 players, a number of crazy engineering students decided that what skis were really missing to make them ultra cool were rocket boosters. So they went out and made some. Unfortunately, all of the rocket noise from their testing has attracted the wrong kind of attention, both in the form of the mountain's resident yeti, and a pending avalanche. Your goal is to either be the first one to the bottom of the hill by playing a card each round to speed yourself along, or simply being the last one to survive the avalanche. It's a quick and chaotic game with an amusing premise, but we look at whether that's enough.

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

The rocket ski card for the Purple..er..Yellow...er...Green player? With the card played matching their space, Purple can activate their rockets to leap ahead and still move four spaces The various cards found on Yeti Mountain Yellow has made an unexpected friend this turn It's all downhill from here The avalanche is about to spell the end for Orange It's a photo finish!

PLUGS - (1:02:07):

• We reviewed Dark Dealings!
• We're also also raffling off a copy of Flag Dash 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.