Vox Republica: Podcast of The Cardboard Republic

Episode 095: The CR At Gen Con 2015 – Part 2

Length: 1:19:52

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: The Cardboard Republic goes to Gen Con! In part two of a two part series, Erin, Ryan, Dave, and Sean talk about what the hyped games and sleeper hits of Gen Con were, a rundown of various publisher info we saw, indie games of note, and what our favorite game of Gen Con 2015 was.

GUEST: David Gordon and Sean McNamara

QUICK TOPICS:

• A quick topic in a Gen Con recap? Don't be silly. Move along.

FEATURED TOPIC:

• The CR goes to Gen Con 2015! Here is a breakdown of the topics being discussed in Part Two:
  • 00:41 The New Hotness Games of 2015
  • 07:45 The Sleeper Hits of the convention
  • 21:07 Our mega recap of various publishers' new and upcoming games we saw first-hand in the hall
  • 1:04:43 Indie / upcoming games we checked out at Gen Con - plus a few we missed that you should keep an eye on anyway
  • 1:18:00 Ryan & Erin's favorite games of Gen Con 2015
  • 1:19:53+ Sleep

PLUGS:

• We are giving away a copy of NSKN's 4X game Exodus: Proxima Centauri and the Edge of Extinction expansion! From now through August 14th, check out the latest Cardboard Republic YouTube video to find out how to enter and win.

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 094: The CR At Gen Con 2015 - Part 1

Length: 54:13

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: The Cardboard Republic goes to Gen Con! In part one of a two part series, Erin, Ryan, Dave, and Sean talk about general Gen Con experiences, tabletop games of note, and what we got to demo.

GUEST: David Gordon and Sean McNamara

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Mysterium by Portal Games
• Codenames by Czech Games Edition
• Sheriff of Nottingham by Arcane Wonders
• Telestrations After Dark by USAopoly
• L5R Siege Clan War by AEG

QUICK TOPICS:

• A quick topic in a Gen Con recap? Don't be silly. Move along.

FEATURED TOPIC:

• The CR goes to Gen Con 2015! Here is a breakdown of the topics being discussed in Part One:
  • 00:30 Games We've Been Playing
  • 06:59 Gen Con 2015's growing attendance, the pros and cons of increased scope, and the first impressions from a Gen Con newcomer
  • 15:44 Tabletop games of note at Gen Con, including L5R Siege War, First Contact, Shayo, Polaris 3rd Edition, Clockwork: Dominion, Fading Suns, and Baker Street
  • 28:20 The Gen Con auction house (and how Kickstarter will eventually play into it)
  • 31:42 Games We Demoed (and the trials of doing so)

PLUGS:

• We are giving away a copy of NSKN's 4X game Exodus: Proxima Centauri and the Edge of Extinction expansion! From now through August 14th, check out the latest Cardboard Republic YouTube video to find out how to enter and win.

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 093: Ready Player Two

Length: 26:47

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: Erin and Ryan talk Gen Con, Gen Can't, and the pros and cons of two-player games.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Ninja Camp by Action Phase Games
• Stockpile by Nauvoo Games
• Heroes of Metro City: Sidekicks & Storylines by 3Some Games
• Ghost Stories by Asmodee

QUICK TOPICS:

• Not going to Gen Con? You're not alone. Get involved with the GenCan't movement! It's a fan-made celebration of gaming for all those unable or unwilling to attend the convention. This is complete with a number of contests and prizes. We're even donating to it ourselves with a King of Tokyo Draccus promo monster! Check out the GenCant website and follow the Twitter hashtag #gencant to follow along!
• For those who are heading to Gen Con, our Indie Cavalcade is going strong! If you’re at the convention, check it out and find some great games from up-and-coming designers.

FEATURED TOPIC:

• Two-Player games get a lot of hype, and for good reason. They’re accessible and a great option for couples and families, and they can help gamers hone skills that come up in bigger games.
• They’re also tricky for groups, though, and it’s usually not great when a game tacks on a two-player variant.

PLUGS:

• Our Stockpile giveaway is almost over! Don't miss out on a chance to invest in this game.
• Cardboard Republic YouTube videos are still happening! Subscribe! You may even be rewarded for doing so...hint hint.
• Also at Gen Con, Ryan will be part of the Battle of the Board Game Networks event. If you're around Friday night, come watch him and other gaming media folks make fools of themselves for your benefit - and maybe win some games!

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 092: Can I Make A Suggestion?

Length: 41:28

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: Erin and Ryan talk about suggesting games for other people. What factors are important when you’re recommending a game to someone for the first time? And...what happens if they don’t like it?

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Elder Sign by Fantasy Flight Games
• Stockpile by Nauvoo Games
• Darkrock Ventures by Gamelyn Games

QUICK TOPICS:

• The new Magic: the Gathering board game
• The launch of our new YouTube channel

FEATURED TOPIC:

• When you play enough games, people starting asking you for recommendations. How can you make ones that they will enjoy?
• How to make good game suggestions?
  • Our quiz can help!
• What factors to consider when making your recommendation?
  • Length
  • Weight / Type
  • Theme
  • Rules
  • Audience
  • Experience

PLUGS:

• We now have a Cardboard Republic YouTube channel! Feel free to subscribe!
• For those heading to Gen Con, we're spearheading the Indie Cavalcade, a thorough list of where you can find games to try by people who don't have their own booths.
• Also at Gen Con, Ryan will be part of the Battle of the Board Game Networks event. If you're around Friday night, come watch him and other gaming media folks make fools of themselves for your benefit - and maybe win some games!

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 091: Arkham’s Finest - An Interview with Richard Launius

Length: 48:20

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: Erin and Ryan talk via phone to Richard Launius, the designer behind Arkham Horror, Elder Sign, Defenders of the Realm, and more.

GUEST: Richard Launius

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Suburbia by Bezier Games
• North Wind by Z-Man Games
• Darkrock Ventures by Gamelyn Games
• Seven7s by Eagle-Gryphon Games
• Francis Drake by Eagle-Gryphon Games
• Thunder Alley by GMT Games

QUICK TOPICS:

• This week's review is Hyperborea by Asmodee

FEATURED TOPIC:

• Richard Launius talks about designing Arkham Horror, the pitfalls of being a designer on Kickstarter, and ways the game industry has changed since he first publishedgy no longer line up?
• Special shout out to Ravenwood Castle in there, too!

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 090: Min Maxing Vs Thematics

When you sit down to play a game, is your first instinct to find the most optimal strategic path to winning, regardless of what the game is thematically attempting, or do you try to play within the spirit of the game?

Length: 42:26

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: Erin and Ryan talk about the adventurous idea that is 504, the most recent wave of game industry controversies, their light week of gaming before going into the hands-on philosophy of playing with, versus playing against, the game.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Murano
• North Wind

QUICK TOPICS:

• Much ado about nothing regarding a poorly researched Telegraph article about gaming
• The announcement of 504
• Board Gaming Financial Turmoil Troubles
• We reviewed Lift Off!

LENGTHY TOPIC:

• Breaking A Game Vs The Spirit Of The Game
  • Not always mutually exclusive
  • AKA the Min/Maxer vs The Roleplayer
    • Similarities to RPG tendencies
  • They each have their strengths and weaknesses
    • What happens when theme and strategy no longer line up?
    • What does the happy medium look like?
  • Many parallels to traditional Euros Vs Ameritrash
  • Who is drawn heavily to one side or the other?
    • Designers compared to developers?
    • Strikers or Tacticians compared to Socializers or Immersionists?

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 089: Eduardo Baraf

The focus on our June Indie Spotlight game, Lift Off, continues to roll on. And what's better to that end than hearing about how the game came to be straight from the designer himself.

Length: 53:13

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: This week's episode has Ryan sit down with Lift Off and Siblings Trouble designer Ed Baraf to discuss how the game was created, the experience of getting it made, and what lies in store next for Pencil First Games. Before that, though, we get a little reminder about the relative complexities of Gateway Games.

GUEST: Eduardo Baraf

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• 7 Wonders
• Lift Off!
• Loop, Inc.

QUICK TOPICS:

• Just a few days left in the Lift Off game giveaway
• Also, there's our written Q&A with Ed as well.

LENGTHY TOPIC:

• Interviewing Ed Baraf
  • What led to the creation of Lift Off?
    • Its inspirations and challenges
    • The coining of 'alieneeple'
  • Lessons learned of a new designer
    • Designer focal points
    • Retrospectives on self-publishing
  • Future plans for Pencil First Games
    • The announcement of design on GemPacked
    • Is there potential for second printing and / or Lift Off Expansion?

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 088: Con Season Anticipation

We're smack dab in the middle of summer convention season, and lots of new games are everywhere. Which ones have caught our attention? Let's find out.

Length: 27:49

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: From Unity to Essen, PAX East to BGGCon, convention season is a year-round endeavor. Yet we're smack dab in the middle of the most active part of the year, with dozens upon dozens of new games being unveiled. With Origins behind us and Gen Con ahead of us, Erin and Ryan share some of their top games they want to check out this summer.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Lift Off!
• Loop, Inc.
• Baseball Highlights 2045

QUICK TOPICS:

• We reviewed Samurai Spirit

LENGTHY TOPIC:

• The new games of summer 2015
  • Which games of conventions prior had a game or two of note?
  • Which games of Origins and Gen Con 2015 are on our radar.

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 087: The Problem With New Hotness Hype

The new hotness. It's a very real effect in the gaming hobby, and it has exploded right alongside the interest in gaming. But what type of effects does it truly have, and who is driving it?

Length: 33:50

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: After recapping a handful of the 2015 Origins winners, Ryan and Erin discuss whether the positives and negatives of gaming hype, including the inherent issues of new hotness blindness and how diversifying game coverage can help.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Cash N' Guns
• Yggdrasil
• Suburbia
• Tzolk'in
• Lanterns

QUICK TOPICS:

• We go over a few of the Origins 2015 winners

LENGTHY TOPIC:

• The nature of 'new hotness' hype
  • Are there positive aspects? If so, what are they?
  • What factors drive the new hotness effect?
  • The effect on the normal consumer
• Gaming media's role in driving hype
  • What are our motivations behind hyping games?
  • Do we have an obligation to cover more than the top titles?
  • Why does media have a tendency to focus on such a small percentage of games?
    • Is this good or bad?
  • The lack of diversification (in multiple ways)

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 086: MegaGames

Imagine a game that's one part model UN, one part LARP, and one part classic tabletop RPG. That's pretty much what you get with a MegaGame. We recently took part in one, and we're here to tell you all about it.

Length: 42:40

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: Ryan and Erin start off with a recap some of their more recently played games before they and guest Mackenie Cameron to dive into the world of MegaGames. Mack recently ran one in Boston called Watch The Skies, which Erin got to partake in. Combining elements of simulation games, wargames, LARPing and pen & paper RPGs, they and 50 or so other people gathered for the event. We share what it took to get that off the ground and how it all turned out in the end.

GUEST: Mackenzie Cameron

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Watch The Skies
• Volt
• Suburbia
• Magic: The Gathering - Modern Masters 2015
• Mascarade
• Castles of Burgundy

QUICK TOPICS:

• We reviewed Modern Masters 2015
• Our June Indie Spotlight game is Lift Off!

LENGTHY TOPIC:

• Attending a MegaGame
  • What even is a MegaGame?
  • How does it function, and ware the requirements for participating?
  • How Watch The Skies differs from other MegaGames
• What it takes to run a MegaGame
  • How Mack got involved with them
  • The level of preparation required
  • Lessons learned from the inaugural run
  • Determining the amount of leeway for players
  • How to encourage dynamic storytelling

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.