Another great game from Ed Baraf. Enjoy the review, the furniture, and check out the links below the video.
Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ebaraf/gempacked-cards
iOS app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gempacked/id963590007?mt=8
by 
Posted in Reviews
Tagged board games, card games, Ed Baraf, Gaming Table, Gem Packed Cards, Kickstarter, The Siblings Trouble
Kickstarter Page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/subquark/mint-tin-mini-apocalypse
The rules as on BoardGameGeek:
A simultaneous 2 player game of surviving the apocalypse all in 5 to 10 minutes.
It’s a nice day in Meepleton. You & friends are enjoying the day without a care in the world . . .
BOOM! Transformers blow, cars crash, people fall to the ground unconscious. Phew! You’re wobbly but okay.
RAWR! Nearby a giant, heinous monster wreaks havoc!
Get your friends to the school’s forgotten fallout shelter.
Game Setup
Dump out tin, choose a color, place 4 meeps laying down & 1 standing on your side of tin.
Grab matching dice.
Tin is the Fallout Shelter (FoS).
Stand monster a few inches from FoS with green die behind it, 6 facing up.
Place 2 white supply boxes between the FoS & nefarious monster.
Game Play
Get your meeps to their feet, stay on yours, secure the FoS, get 1 supply box & seal the FoS!
Your actions are on 7s & you need 1 standing meep to help your single meeps or to knock down others.
FoS holds a max of 7 meeps.
Start game & roll your dice. Standard game is simultaneous rolling, not turn-based.
On a 7 you can:
What about the monster?
Three game modes – Decide before you start: UHOH or OMG or CRA-CRA!
by Posted in Reviews
Tagged board games, boardgames, David Miller, Kickstarter, Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse, monster, tabletop
In our continuing effort to meet the needs of more people you get a video AND a text review. They both have the same content, more or less, so pick your format!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/necrovirus/necrovirus-customizable-zombie-game-with-boardcraf
Look at this. Would you look at this? That’s a lot of plastic. 3d printed plastic. This, all of this, is NecroVirus. And there’s a 31 page pdf of rules.
Look at this!
Before I get into this I want to back up a little. We here at S&M are huge fans of Zpocalypse and Zpocalypse Zmergency. Now, on the face of it NecroVirus looks like Zpocalypse on a calorie intense diet and weight lifting program. But it’s not. It’s really not.
In NecroVirus you have different mission cards that set up specific scenarios with specific win conditions. For example you might need to fiind four survivors and get to the Cathedral within 15 turns. That’s as simple as I can put it. Create the world, complete the mission. How complicated can I make it? Well I don’t have to. Like I said there are 31 pages of rules. And it’s not that it’s impossible to figure out it’s just it feels like a larger, more insurmountable obstacle.
“Something can’t be ‘more insurmountable.’ – It’s either surmountable or it’s not.
Eric-Wonderfalls
He’s right, but the point is: obstacles.. I would really love diagrams in here that were “anatomy of a character card” or “anatomy of an event card”. Just a quick reference so I know what means what on the cards. And then also give me the additional 31 pages of rules. I feel important for me to state that following the instructions as written makes the game seem more complicated than it is. And there are small issues such as the order of actions in the rules book do not match the order of actions on the starter button.
Huh? What’s that? Yes, enough of rules. I started out by saying “look at all this stuff”. So much glorious 3D printed plastic. You get a great selection of different types of buildings in various states of disrepair. You get character pieces with their character names printed on them. There are zombies, and food tokens, and weapons and other supply tokens; little boxes in which to put the tokens for when you scrounge.
There are some issues with this setup. In the review copy we received you can see some of the issues with 3D printing. There are parts on some of the buildings that didn’t form quite right or some that have little strands of plastic that one assumes aren’t supposed to be there. Additionally, all of the zombies we received are the same color, which isn’t a problem for other games like this, but in the missions we did players control zombies to attack the player to their right. You can see how quickly and insanely confusing this can get especially once all players have placed 7 zombies on the board.
Let’s talk about the space issue too. This is not a small setup. You’re going to need a big table or a friend with a big table. And you’re going to either want to leave this setup or make sure you have enough room for storage if you have the 3D version. What? Ah, yes. You can also just do a 2D print and play version, which would reduce storage issues considerably.
But why would you want to?! Look at this! It’s an entire 3D apocalypse city with these great buildings where the little strands of plastic I complained about before actually resemble rebar or support beams in these once cared for, but now dilapidated buildings. And sure all of the zombies we received were the same color, but you can paint them to match the colors of the characters. Or, if you are 3D printing your own then print them in different colors yourself.
Look at this!
Gameplay! There are different missions with different setups, by the idea of each is basically the same. Don’t get bit, and get to the safety point before the set amount of turns while also meeting the win conditions. Survivors have four action points they can spend to move, scrounge for goods, or kill zombies. Players control zombies and attack the player to their right with those zombies. I’m still not sure how I feel about that. I almost think I would prefer some sort of AI where zombies are moved indepebdently of this player attacking that player. But it may just be that I’m not used to this, and you may really like that direct conflict. Oh, and you use d20s to help resolve conflict. Yay dice!
So, that’s NecroVirus. But the Kickstarter for this isn’t just about this game. It’s about Boardcraft. The point is to create a service and community where players can design their own characters and scenaros. You don’t have to be limited to zombies, you can create share and print fantasy related gaming pieces and characters.
I don’t have a 3D printer, though I would love one, so if you want to send me one please feel free to do so, but I love the idea of BoardCraft. They want to create a world and provide a framework and tools where gamers are using the same jumping off point and then see where it goes from there. Boardcraft envisions people creating their own rules and expanding the worlds and . most importantly sharing.
To get the game as you see it here in front of me will cost you $250 US on the kickstarter. That’s a little rich for my blood. Maybe you go for the $25 print and play. Maybe you enjoy that. Then, maybe you want to updrade to 3D. Maybe you start one building at a time. Maybe you work your way up to a full 3D version.
Is the full version 3D version of NecroVirus worth $250 to me? No. I can’t spend that much all at once on one game. Can you? Do you want to? Because if you do, what I see here, is the opportunity to allow a game to completely overtake your life. You have all of these building and roads and characters, what do you do next? Well, you probably want to paint all of it. Let’s face it, you are probably angry about all the changes to Warhammer and have thrown all of that away or handed it all to your younger sibling. You need to start again and if you spend $250 on THIS you are going to make sure it’s worth it.
Again, would I pay for all of this? No. Unless my wealthy reclusive eccentric uncle who lives in a perfect replica of NORAD in the wilds of New Hampshire dies and leaves me an inheritance.
Maurice?
Would I play this again? In a heartbeat. This is fun. After you get past the whole learning curve thing and I’d probably house rules some of it. The thing is you could completely write your own rules and just use these pieces and characters as your template.
Do I love the idea and approach of BoardCraft? Creating tools and a community for tabletop gamers? 100%.
Take a look at the link below.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/necrovirus/necrovirus-customizable-zombie-game-with-boardcraf
I didn’t even mention the tanks!
Tanks!
You’re welcome!
by Posted in Reviews
Tagged BoardCraft, community, Kickstarter, NecroVirus, zombies, Zpocalypse
Posted in Reviews
Tagged board games, boardgames, Eduardo Baraf, Kickstarter, storytelling, The Siblings Trouble
Today we are joined by Ed Baraf who is launching a Kickstarter for his new game, The Siblings Trouble. From the BGG page:
The Siblings Trouble is a card-driven, cooperative, storytelling game inspired by finding the mysterious places in your backyard.
The Siblings Trouble boils down all the core elements of an RPG (storytelling, exploration, discover, treasure, encounters, etc) into a fun-to-play narrative romp with your family or friends.
This is a 30 minute narrative game you can play as an ice-breaker, in-betweener, or as a way to introduce storytelling and adventure games to new players. This is not a simplified, beginner version of Dungeons and Dragons. It is an experience unto itself which leverages the fun of pen and paper games and lets players have quick, fun adventures together.
The Siblings Trouble is influenced by Miyasaki, The Goonies, The Hardy Boys, and even Pikmin. It is about Grabbing a backpack, a sandwich, that monster you call a “sibling,” and heading out into the wilderness, leaving the comfort of home at your back.
What inspired The Siblings Trouble?
The Siblings Trouble was inspired by the nostalgia for being a kid and going on an adventure.
What mysterious things did you find in your backyard as a kid?
One of the coolest things I ever found near my backyard was a gigantic piece of rose granite about the size of a bowling ball. That was awesome.
You have a 15 year background in making video games. What design aspects or approaches, if any, were you able to bring to tabletop games? Are there elements of tabletop design you are able to carry over into video game design?
Ultimately, the best training you can have to make something is to make stuff. In video games, I spent 15 years making complex stuff with lots of people. You learn so much from doing things a to z it is hard to quantify. For me, it is less about design and more about the ability to be a producer and put together a project.
Who is this game for?
You can look at this from two angles
– The game is for people who like telling stories. People who are nostalgic for childhood.
– The game is filler for core role-players. Something different for Game night storytelling, or introducing your kids to playing characters.
What do you want people to get from or a take away from The Siblings Trouble?
Honestly, I hope people have fun telling stories and touching their childhood again. For kids, I hope they enjoy imagining themselves in the fantastic.
It appears to be quite a bit different from Lift Off! Was that intentional?
No, not really. They game from completely different inspirations.
What was it like developing this on Tabletop Deathmatch?
Well, the game wasn’t developed on Tabletop Deathmatch, that was more about experiencing what is like to be on reality TV. It was strange and wonderful experience.
What experiences did you bring to The Siblings Trouble from developing and funding Lift Off?
Good question, as far as the actual game development there wasn’t a whole lot, but now that I’m running another Kcikstarter a TON. Your first Kickstarter is a massive learning experience. It is actually super cool to be able to leverage that again.
What are your hopes for The Siblings Trouble?
I hope we can fund and people can play. I hope they enjoy themselves and share with others.
Where can people find out more information? How can they help?
by Posted in Interviews
Tagged board games, boardgames, Ed Baraf, Edo, Kickstarter, Lift Off, Siblings Trouble
Oh crap! It’s unicorn poo.
One of our family favorite story telling card games, Gloom, will have a Fairy Tale edition of the game out in May of this year.
Remember when i told you how excited I was for Extra! Extra! Well, somehow I missed Penny Press.
Mayfair Games has relaunched their Cones Of Dunshire Kickstarter. They have reduce there goal from $300k to $125k. $400 gets you a game. If I remember correctly you had to pledge $500 the first time around, so that’s something…
More info on the forthcoming Magic The Gathering Board Game.
Thunderbirds are go for a board game!
by Today we are joined by Will Stateczny of Topwise Games to discuss his recently Kickstarter-funded game Monkeys Need Love Too. In the interest of full disclosure I did back this Kickstarter.
You mention in your Kickstarter video that games like Munchkin and Killer Bunnies inspired you to make Monkeys Need Love Too. What made you choose the theme?
If I remember right (it’s been 7 years since MNLT was first created), I believe it was just purely from my imagination. A lot of the times my best ideas come when I’m not even thinking about them. I like to think of myself as a very creative and imaginative person.
How did you get connected with artist Rick Menard(artist for Monkeys Need Love Too)?
I actually found Rick Menard on a website called Freelanced.com. It’s a site where you submit a job, people with those trade skills offer their services for the job, and you then choose who you’d like to work with. Rick was one of about 25 illustrators/artists who submitted their services. I visited his website and found his previous illustrations to be right in line with what I had envisioned in my head.
What was the Kickstarter process like for you?
I would say it was a grind. The only reason I say that was that I had to work the entire length of the campaign to get every single backer. I unfortunately didn’t have the luxury of getting my name out via conventions as most game companies do before firing off their Kickstarter. So because of that, I was up late almost every night working social media and searching for new avenues of advertising and backer acquisition.
Will you use it again?
I will definitely use Kickstarter again, but I plan on building up my company’s name a little better before I do so I have a somewhat easier campaign next go around.
What are your hopes for Monkeys Need Love Too now that your Kickstarter is funded?
I think my hopes for Monkeys Need Love Too, or any game that I plan to put out for that matter, will always be the same. I would love for it to be that one that just takes off like wildfire and gains popularity at an exponential rate. I got word from a lot of people at the last convention I attended, including the convention manager, that they heard nothing but good things from those that had visited the booth. That gives me great encouragement that I’m doing something right.
I know you don’t want to reveal to much about your next project, A Bad Day For Donuts, but it looks like it will be a board game…? What made you want to do a board game instead of another card game?
I didn’t want to limit myself to just one type of game. When you limit yourself, you reduce your potential customer base. As of now, the only common theme that all our games will have is that they are intended to make you laugh, whether it be by the flavor text, the artwork, or just how the game is played. Aside from that, I don’t plan on restricting myself to one specific type of game.
Where did you come up with the name “Topwise” and what are your hopes for Topwise Games?
Topwise comes from growing up watching the Simpsons. Most Simpson fans will know exactly what I’m talking about and where the reference comes from. My hopes for Topwise Games are to become a self-sustainable gaming company. Right now my day job is a great one and it pays the bills, but I’m a gamer at heart and would love to both design and sell games full time while also having more free time to spend with my family and get a good night’s rest each night.
Other than Munchkin and Killer Bunnies, what games inspire you?
Fluxx has been a good one lately. What The Food?!? is actually a fan favorite right now in my household. Carcassonne is one that my wife and I like to play together. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The range of games is actually quite large. My friends and I are avid MTG and D&D gamers when we can get together. I’ve also built my own crokinole board to play on and plan on making a carrom board and wall-mounted chess board before the year is over. You have to have a wide range of games to play if you want to create games yourself. And it’s not only just about what games you play, but also about the variety of people you play with. You can play a game a hundred times with one person and then learn something completely new as soon as a new player sits down.
What do you think makes a good game?
In my opinion, the main component to a good game is if everyone walks away happy. If you’ve achieved that goal, you’ve got a winner. You’ve also got to keep the game flowing. I have many friends who can’t stay focused on a game if they aren’t constantly involved. It was a lot easier to stay focused when everyone didn’t have a smartphone that they needed to check every 10 seconds. That’s why I’m not a big fan of playing games where you’re constantly having to reference something in the rulebook. It just slows down the pace of the game.
What do you look for in a gaming experience?
Again I’m looking for a game where I can walk away happy, whether it be by winning the game or by having a good time with the people I’m playing with.
What games are you playing right now and what games are you excited about?
I’m currently playing my game (of course), What The Food!?!, Magic, D&D, Tichu, and a few others on a regular basis. I’ve got about 10 kickstarter games that I’m backing that are still live, and another 24 that have successfully funded that I can’t wait to play. One of the live ones that I’m psyched about is Dumpster Brawl by my good friend Dave Killingsworth. I got to play this one night up at WaCon and it was a pretty cool game.
If you were a monkey, what kind of monkey would you be?
I would probably be one of the super tiny monkeys that you can get as a house pet. They always amuse me when I see them at the zoo and they seem very entertaining when you see them on tv. Plus you never know exactly what they’re thinking. I think I possess that similar trait.
The Kickstarter for Monkeys Need Love Too is over, but you can preorder your own copy at http://www.topwisegames.com/online-store/
Simpsons Rubix Cube from Jack Stocker on Vimeo.
by Info on Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars Armada and XCOM
Kickstarter stuff I am excited about: Peptide, Operation F.A.U.S.T., Monster Mansion, Goblin’s Breakfast, and of course Cartography
Paizo is hiring
ExtraLife is happening
In case you missed it, I have a youtubes
by Posted in News
Tagged Cartography, Extra Life, Fantasy Flight Games, Goblin's Breakfast, Kickstarter, Monster Mansion, Operation F.A.U.S.T., Paizo, Peptide, Star Wars Armada, XCOM
