August 10, 2024: New Hotness And Classic Choices: Gen Con Booth Sales Saw Both

What do you bring to a convention? Logistics can be tricky even for attendees, but I had no idea how complicated they could be for exhibitors until I started working at Steve Jackson Games. There are the practical concerns, of course – the booth structure itself, shelving, the POS system – but the most important element is merchandise. Our team did a great job of selecting a range of games and merchandise for Gen Con, and our fans responded in a big way:

Our Box of Astonishments were a smashing success at Gen Con, with all of our boxes selling out by Saturday. One customer purchased several over those 3 days! Apparently people like a bit of mystery at conventions and are willing to take a chance (or two, or three) on blind boxes.
Groo: The Game generated a lot of excitement at our booth, with comic book fans in particular snapping up copies of this fun card game. How many people . . .

[more]

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August 9, 2024: Part 4: Everyone Deserves A Seat At The Table

One of my core beliefs as CEO of Steve Jackson Games is that everyone deserves a seat at the gaming table. The world of tabletop games is a place where people from all walks of life can come together, share experiences, and create memories. It is imperative that our games reflect the diversity and inclusivity that define our global community.

Creating inclusive games starts with listening to our audience. We are committed to understanding the needs and desires of our players and designing games that resonate with them. This means not only including diverse characters and stories but also ensuring that our games are accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or experience level.

A big initiative we have undertaken recently is making our games more accessible. This includes designing rules and mechanics that are easy to understand and ensure that our games can be . . .

[more]

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August 8, 2024: Trivia Answer: Four For Four!

Those who saw our previous trivia question were asked: Which four releases from Steve Jackson Games have exactly four characters in their titles?

Drum roll, please . . .

• Ogre – the award-winning asymmetrical tactical game of futuristic cyber-warfare!

• Toon – the classic RPG of animated mayhem!

• Frag – the "first-person shooter" experience as a tabletop boardgame!

• Foes – the downloadable STL files to bring skeletons, orcs, and octopi to your gaming table!

And the bonus question: Which product had fewer than four letters, and why am I not counting it? That would be G.E.V., for Ogre . . . it's only three letters, but six characters.

-- Steven Marsh

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August 7, 2024: Saving Soles

I've talked in the past about the joys of walking. We're in convention season, and that quite possibly means a bunch of "left foot, right foot, repeat as necessary" for a bunch of you. Do you have a show – or other summertime feats of feets coming up – coming up? Then make sure your shoes are up to the task! If your tootsies ache after a five-minute walk, they're gonna be miserable after a weekend at a con.

Speaking from experience, I recommend you get some heavy-duty insoles or similar support mechanisms for your footwear. My feet are flatter than my singing voice, so I tend to buy fairly aggressive inserts, in an effort to give my soles the same arch relief that my wittiest remarks have. (Will my editors let slide two pun-metaphors in the same sentence? Yes, yes, they will.)

Anyway, it's good to troubleshoot your toes before you're crying at a con. Take care of your feet, . . . [more]

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August 6, 2024: A Dream Of Silence

I'm admittedly late to the party when it comes to Baldur's Gate 3, but better late than never, as they say. I've quickly fallen in love with the game's engaging plot, its incredible design, its truly open-ended mechanics, and its iconic characters. Especially its characters. Especially one character.

Yes, it's Astarion. How did you know?

While most fans meet The Pale Elf by way of playthroughs or actual play livestreams, game designer Abigail Corfman has given players an entirely new experience with her text-based game A Dream of Silence. This solo adventure offers an intriguing – and heartbreaking – twist in the tale of Astarion, in which you try to help him escape from . . . well, I don't want to give too much away. Suffice it to say that if you enjoy stories driven by drama and mystery, you'll enjoy this one. I've played through several times to try . . .

[more]

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Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule

The file from Austin will go to the Phoenix Project. August 10, 2024: New Hotness And Classic Choices: Gen Con Booth Sales Saw Both What do you bring to a convention? Logistics can be tricky even for attendees, but I had no idea how complicated they could be for exhibitors until I started working at Steve Jackson Games. There are the practical concerns, of course – the booth structure itself, shelving, the POS system – but the most important element is merchandise. Our team did a great job of selecting a range of games and merchandise for Gen Con, and our fans responded in a big way: Our Box of Astonishments were a smashing success at Gen Con, with all of our boxes selling out by Saturday. One customer purchased several over those 3 days! Apparently people like a bit of mystery at conventions and are willing to take a chance (or two, or three) on blind boxes. Groo: The Game generated a lot of excitement at our booth, with comic book fans in particular snapping up copies of this fun card game. How many people . . . [more] Share this post! August 9, 2024: Part 4: Everyone Deserves A Seat At The Table One of my core beliefs as CEO of Steve Jackson Games is that everyone deserves a seat at the gaming table. The world of tabletop games is a place where people from all walks of life can come together, share experiences, and create memories. It is imperative that our games reflect the diversity and inclusivity that define our global community. Creating inclusive games starts with listening to our audience. We are committed to understanding the needs and desires of our players and designing games that resonate with them. This means not only including diverse characters and stories but also ensuring that our games are accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or experience level. A big initiative we have undertaken recently is making our games more accessible. This includes designing rules and mechanics that are easy to understand and ensure that our games can be . . . [more] Share this post! August 8, 2024: Trivia Answer: Four For Four! Those who saw our previous trivia question were asked: Which four releases from Steve Jackson Games have exactly four characters in their titles? Drum roll, please . . . • Ogre – the award-winning asymmetrical tactical game of futuristic cyber-warfare! • Toon – the classic RPG of animated mayhem! • Frag – the "first-person shooter" experience as a tabletop boardgame! • Foes – the downloadable STL files to bring skeletons, orcs, and octopi to your gaming table! And the bonus question: Which product had fewer than four letters, and why am I not counting it? That would be G.E.V., for Ogre . . . it's only three letters, but six characters. -- Steven Marsh Share this post! August 7, 2024: Saving Soles I've talked in the past about the joys of walking. We're in convention season, and that quite possibly means a bunch of "left foot, right foot, repeat as necessary" for a bunch of you. Do you have a show – or other summertime feats of feets coming up – coming up? Then make sure your shoes are up to the task! If your tootsies ache after a five-minute walk, they're gonna be miserable after a weekend at a con. Speaking from experience, I recommend you get some heavy-duty insoles or similar support mechanisms for your footwear. My feet are flatter than my singing voice, so I tend to buy fairly aggressive inserts, in an effort to give my soles the same arch relief that my wittiest remarks have. (Will my editors let slide two* pun-metaphors in the same sentence? Yes, yes, they will.)* Anyway, it's good to troubleshoot your toes before you're crying at a con. Take care of your feet, . . . [more] Share this post! August 6, 2024: A Dream Of Silence I'm admittedly late to the party when it comes to Baldur's Gate 3, but better late than never, as they say. I've quickly fallen in love with the game's engaging plot, its incredible design, its truly open-ended mechanics, and its iconic characters. Especially its characters. Especially one character. Yes, it's Astarion. How did you know? While most fans meet The Pale Elf by way of playthroughs or actual play livestreams, game designer Abigail Corfman has given players an entirely new experience with her text-based game A Dream of Silence. This solo adventure offers an intriguing – and heartbreaking – twist in the tale of Astarion, in which you try to help him escape from . . . well, I don't want to give too much away. Suffice it to say that if you enjoy stories driven by drama and mystery, you'll enjoy this one. I've played through several times to try . . . [more] Share this post! Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule		Latest Videos You are the 641st covert operative here today. (30002391 since August 1, 1995)