Sunday, August 28, 2011

Gamerati


Gamerati.com is a new website that, as near as I can tell, hopes to be ICV2 for the tabletop game industry, with daily compilations of gaming news on the website, as well as emailed to subscribers.   The site incorporates the already exiting Game Cryer review and the War Pig Radio pod casting sites and I’m not quite certain if those sites will get incorporated into the Gamerati site or if the Gamerati page will just serve as a landing page directing readers with the individual sites remaining ..  I don’t see any direct links from WarPig or Game Cryer back to the Gamerati main page.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Preview Nights Program

Regarding last week's post on preview events, I received an email this week form Dan Yarrington of GameSalute.com touting their Preview Nights program, which has one successful event under its belt so far.  Approximately ninety store participated in the first event, a launch for the Eminent Domain boardgame.   Store that sign up for the event receive a demo copy of the game approximately three to four weeks ahead of release and get listed on the Preview Nights website. Looks as if the Eminent Domain launch also included special promo cards limited to those stores participating.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Demo Games and Why There Aren't More.

Demo games are something most stores are always looking for.  Unfortunately, only a few companies have developed demo programs to which stores have ready access.  Mayfair Games’ Demo to Demo program, which I’ve mentioned in other columns,  comes to mind, as do the deep discounts offered on demo games by Fantasy Flight Games and Days of Wonder (75% off MSRP if I recall correctly).  Other companies, such as Looney Labs, have a demo program for new products: pre-order a display and get a demo copy along with it, and probably have a program in play allowing stores to buy deeply discounted demo copies.  Unfortunately, few companies publicize their programs to stores and the demo programs only deal with games made by the company limiting stores to the selection of only a certain set of games.  This makes sense, of course. Why run a demo program for products you don’t make?  It also makes it harder for smaller companies, without the capital to invest in a demo program to get their products into the hands of retailers.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Monday, August 8, 2011

Sword and 'Board Games

out of Poplar Bluff announced this morning they are shutting down.  No mention of any problems over the weekend but this post appeared on  their Facebook page today:
It pains me to announce that Sword & 'Board Games will be closing the doors and shutting down. I appreciate what everyone has done to help our shop be the success it was. I wish you all happy gaming and adventuring, and I'm sorry we couldn't have things work out.

Friday, August 5, 2011

New LCG Packs from FFG

Expected in September
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FFGMEC06
LotR: LCG: The Dead Marshes Adv. Pack
$14.95 SRP

FFGWHC24
WH LCG: Realm of the Phoenix King Battle Pack
$14.95 SRP
After scouring the Emyn Muil for signs of Gollum, the heroes of Middle-earth follow his trail south. Now Gollum takes desperate risks to elude the heroes in a realm of treacherous fens and mires.

The Dead Marshes is the fifth and penultimate Adventure Pack in the Shadows of Mirkwood cycle for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game. The hunt for Gollum draws to a close ... unless he finds his way to escape once and for all. The Dead Marshes introduces 60 new cards, including a Quest featuring the new, scenario-specific Escape mechanic that allows players to experience how slippery Gollum can be!

Will your heroes succeed in their long hunt? Or will they lose sight of their quarry while being hounded by monsters under the shadow of Mordor?
The glorious city of Lothern prepares for war, the High Elves ever vigilant of their borders. Woe to any enemy who invades the realm of the powerful Phoenix King...

Realm of the Phoenix King is the second Battle Pack in The Capital Cycle for Warhammer: Invasion The Card Game! With half of its 60 cards (three copies each of 20 unique cards) devoted to the ancient and powerful defenders of Ulthuan, Realm of the Phoenix King is an invaluable Battle Pack for players of the High Elf faction. Additionally, players of other factions will find a variety of useful tactics, units, and support options.

The Empire’s most gifted engineers bring the mighty Clockwork Horse to the battlefield, while the Dark Elves’ Spawn of Kintearer strikes fear into the hearts of his foes. Meanwhile, thousands of Skavenslaves serve as shock troops for the verminous horde, and the Wood Elves’ Stag of the Sacred Glade charges forth from the forest, barreling through enemy defenses!

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FFGCT14e
CoC: Conspiracies of Chaos Revised Ed.
$14.95 SRP

FFGCT48
CoC: Curse of the Jade Emperor Asylum Pack
$14.95 SRP
Secrets and mysteries abound in a classic Asylum Pack, which is emerging from the shadows to crawl back into the light.

Conspiracies of Chaos, the fifth Asylum Pack in the Forgotten Lore cycle of expansions for Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game, returns! Conspiracies of Chaos reintroduces to the Living Card Game environment this intriguing Asylum Pack, updated to the 60-card per pack format (3 copies each of 20 unique cards). The included cards have been updated to incorporate the most recent FAQ. In addition, the text on a number of cards has been altered from its original printing, adjusting for game balance and rules clarity. Among Conspiracies of Chaos’ features are six faction-specific conspiracies. Conspiracies are story cards that players can play from their own decks and win to further their goal of claiming three stories.

The six conspiracies included within Conspiracies of Chaos play into one of each faction’s particular strengths. Also featured are an assortment of characters that thrive in a world of conspiracy–characters that grow stronger when a conspiracy is in play. In addition, this Asylum Pack also includes support cards and events that can wildly alter the tempo of the game.
The Great Old Ones' insidious reach continues to spread and Curse of the Jade Emperor, the second Asylum Pack of the Ancient Relics cycle, follows the tendrils of evil into the Far East.

Prepare for restless dead, secret societies, and unholy artifacts! Ancient Relics is based on the theme of the global influence of the Ancient Ones and their cults and moves the action from H.P. Lovecraft's dread-filled New England to the wider world. In Curse of the Jade Emperor players will find exotic, yet hauntingly familiar characters and tales, pulled from the myths and legends of ancient China. The Middle Kingdom's undying past collides with a present made all the more uncertain through the interference of diverse otherworldly actors. The pull of China is strong and in Call of Cthulhu it attracts academics from Miskatonic University, eager to study the history and artifacts of one of the world's oldest civilizations. The forces of law and order also come to do battle with some of the world's deadliest criminal organizations.

Curse of the Jade Emperor also follows Ancient Relics' over-arching theme of artifacts with great and terrible power reoccurring throughout history. Pack your bags for a voyage to the Orient in Curse of the Jade Emperor!