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Illuminated Site of the Week
Today's Halloween! Due to a minor plague running through the office, and the massive cases of jetlag Phil and SJ will be sporting, our regularly scheduled Game Day has been postponed one week. Hopefully we'll still get to see some costuming. If not, we still have our memories of the previous years, 2006 and 2007.
The same factors which bumped our Game Day are likely going to slow down our email response time a bit. The imminent delivery of a certain boardgame has also provided some distraction, so be warned that our normally prompt replies may be paused as everyone helps unload a couple of pallets.
However, products from e23 don't require our attention for you to purchase -- and we have a few that are thematically "on target" for today:
-- Paul Chapman
Shh! . . . That? Did you hear that? No? Well, if you'd just - there! That! You must have heard that. Look, something just went Bump in the Night. Yes, it did. Yes. Look, fine, if you can't hear it, you go check. We'll stay here, in the light, near the guns, with the car keys, while you go out there and risk life, limb, and sanity to prove there's really nothing out there. It's Halloween, for cryin' out loud. We know what it's all about.
Why not go as the iconic Super Munchkin this Halloween? All you need is the Munckin Mask. . . well, some oversized shoes and weapons might help complete the picture as well.
But those won't give you any bonuses. The Mask will.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: There's Still Some Left
We're not out of horror for this halloweek just yet. No, no. We've still got stuff like Savage Worlds: Necropolis 2350. The idea is that it's the future, necromancers are making a mess of, oooooh, space, there's kind of a war going on, and best of all . . . we're losing! But come on, if it was easy, it wouldn't be interesting. Or scary. Or fun! And isn't that what Halloween (in space) is all about?
Don't care what your "key issue" is, nor whom you agree or disagree with. All that's important is that you go out and cast that ballot. Make your voice heard!
No, it isn't Election Day yet. However, most places have early voting centers available at very reasonable hours. Here in Austin, there have been volunteers working 7am to 7pm Monday through Saturday (and noon to 6 on Sunday!) during the two weeks before November 4. So there isn't any excuse there.
Some, myself included, have made the argument that due to the structure in the local area, or the electoral college, or whatever, one vote won't make a difference. However, if a butterfly can cause a hurricane, then why couldn't a single vote change an election?
(For me -- and this exposes my geekhood far too much -- it was revolving doors. See, I always use 'em, as they're marvelous pieces of technology; it would be an insult to Theophilus Van Kannel's highly evolved engineering brains to not use them. Voting in a democracy is the same thing -- a piece of highly evolved social engineering that would be a shame to waste.)
-- Paul Chapman
As we write this, it's Monday morning in Germany. The SJ Games crew lived through Essen Spiel and got a night's sleep. Today we're going to look at some Roman ruins. There aren't very many good Roman ruins in Texas.
We had a great time. We appreciate the hospitality of the Pegasus team, led by Karsten Esser and Andy Finkernagel . . . to Birger Krämer, our chief "minder," for making sure we did actually survive through the show . . . and to the more-than-a-dozen MIBs, and nearly 80 Pegasus volunteers, who were doing constant demos. We saw a lot of very happy games of Munchkin Quest, which is good for building up the creative energy to come back and work on the next MQ supplement. We have some baaaaaaaaaaad ideas for you.
We have also agreed to publish a United States edition of a great new Pegasus release, called Die Sterne Stehen Richtig, or, in English, The Stars are Right. We played it at Essen and liked it. The designer is Klaus Westerhoff; it's illustrated by Goomi. At some point soon, we'll have more to say, including a speculative release date and some images of the pretty graphics.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Yup. Cthulhu Again.
Get back here, you. Until November 1st rolls around, you're not getting away from this. So siddown, you! Trust us, you'll enjoy it. (Or you'll go nuts, which is basically the same thing.) What've we got? Oh, just a little something called CthulhuTech: Vade Mecum. It's a delightfully blasphemous tome full of new robots and monsters and monster-robots and robo-monsters and, look, it just sorta goes on like that for a while, okay? You'll love 'em. They're scary and cool. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
Sean Punch's second installment in his Action series has hit the electronic shelves of e23. These fifty pages cover what to do to with your characters, once they've been created using Action 1: Heroes.
For players, Action 2: Exploits has hundreds of ways to show off their heroes' skills on adventures. Cat burglary and parkour, remote hacking and hands-on surveillance, polite and not-so-polite social engineering . . . Sean has covered all the "cool moves" the proper thriller hero needs.
For the GM, Exploits supplies challenges for a whole team of heroes. There's advice on turning classic action-movie scenes into adventures that spotlight all the heroes, along with input on having cunning henchmen pull stunts of their own -- up to and including using WMD!
Add in Assistance Rolls and Duty advice, and a quick-and-dirty chase system and rules for speeding up combat, complete with new cinematic options, and you've got a GURPS release that everyone can use!
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: Psst, We've Got More Cthulhu Stuff
Hey, check it out! CthulhuTech is back. Again! It's like a bad penny, if bad pennies were made of puppy dreams and gave you a general feeling of satisfaction with the world when you picked them up. This is good news. Better news is the fact that we've still got plenty of October left to get in some robotical, tentacley, against-the-dying-of-the-light-raging good times. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
Back in July, we released the PDF version of GURPS Thaumatology. A few weeks later, we sent the file to the printer. During those weeks, fans found a few typos, which were corrected before the physical copies started rolling off the presses. And now, those full-color hardcovers are nearing your local game store.
In celebration, we've uploaded a couple of sneak peek pages. The table of contents and introduction chapter are already available. This new batch includes the index, a look at path magic in operation, some tips on using ley lines, and an overview of alchemy schools of thought. Watch for more previews of GURPS Thaumatology in the next week or two, and join in the discussion on our forums.
And look for the actual book to hit shelves before Thanksgiving!
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: Don't Go Sane Just Yet
We've got Call of Cthulhu LCG: The Mountains of Madness! Buy it and go crazy! Or go crazy and then buy it! We don't particularly care, as long as "buy it" enters into the equation. It's October, this is a Cthulhu product, the course of action here is clear, people. We want a piece of that crazy/buy action. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
During a signing session, a very happy fan gave SJ a cake, shaped like a pirate ship. This pushes the envelope of "awesome in cake form."
In other news, Phil spotted the newest Pitch Car expansion. It's too heavy to lug it back across the Atlantic, so we'll just gaze in admiration for the moment.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: What Are They Hiding Back There, Anyway?
Game masters . . . you can't trust 'em. With their . . . their notes, and their . . . plans and their . . . things! Always creeping around behind those screens, like the one included in Trail of Cthulhu: Keeper's Resource Book & Screen. What are they plotting? What do they know that we don't? Or do they know anything? Maybe they're just toying with us. Maybe they just want us divided, paranoid, and overusing ellipses . . . and italics. Then again . . . maybe that's what Halloween is all about . . .
What's in Munchkin Quest 2 -- Looking for Trouble? Lots of stuff!
First off, there are purple and orange pawns -- and counters and dice and other stuff -- so you can add a fifth and sixth player to Munchkin Quest. The more the merrier! (At least until it's time to divide the treasure.)
Treasure? Oh yes . . . there's more treasure: the Stab-A-Matic, the Handy Hole Grenade, and the Sledgehammer of Smackdown. These treasures, and many more, are guarded by monsters like the Napalm Slime and the Kommodo Dragon, as well as traps . . .
Traps? Oh, right, we forgot to mention the traps. But you really wanted a new way to get hurt and killed, right? Here it is. Axe Trap, Glue Trap, Rat Trap . . . Lots of fun, as long as it's the other guys stepping in them.
And there are Junky Passages. And stuff. Lots of stuff.
(Munchkin Quest 2 -- Looking for Trouble is currently at the printer, and is scheduled to be released in January. With stuff.)
-- Paul Chapman
PS - SJ and Phil have a printer prototype of this set at Essen!
Warehouse 23 News: Quick! Get A +2 Sanitation System Of Rat Repelling!
You think a dragon is scary? Of course you don't. You've got a +3 Keen Flamberge of Reptile Annihilation. Magical and ancient though a dragon may be, it still falls down if you stabinate it in the head enough times with a level-appropriate weapon. If you're looking for something that'll really send characters screaming to the hills, check out Plague. Yes, an enemy that you can't see, can't stop, and, most terrifying of all . . . can't stabinate. Terrifying? Truly. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
All the news that's fit to munchkin out to . . .
Munchkin now has its own news queue: www.sjgames.com/munchkin/news/ While some posts will duplicate the Daily Illuminator -- especially announcements of new Munchkin products -- it will feature more hard-hitting journalism focusing on Munchkin, Munchkin Quest, and anything Munchkin-related. Or just more bad jokes and card previews, who knows? Check it on the regular way, or subscribe to the news feed here.
In other news, Munchkin Quest has gotten a website make-over. More cool photos, easier navigation, and more wiggly do-dads -- in general, pages worthy of the effort Phil, SJ, and the dev team put into the game. Surf over and marvel at the new design.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: Nobody Expects The Knights Who Say "Pining For Spam"
But they should. Because Monty Python Fluxx has fallen through a crack in space-time and is now available for purchase to the well-meaning but slightly puzzled occupants of this corner of the multiverse. Now you actually have a good excuse to make Monty Python jokes non-stop while you play a game. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
If you're looking for SJ in Essen, here's his official signing schedule:
- Thursday: 3pm to 5pm, Pegasus booth, Hall 6.
- Friday: 1pm to 3pm, Pegasus booth, Hall 12.
- Saturday: 3pm to 5pm, Pegasus booth, Hall 6.
If you're a MIB, there's a Secret Signing Session just for you -- ask your Cell Leader for details!
And we have a lot of games, including the Munchkin Sixth German National Championships -- both the last two qualifiers and the tourney, the Deluxe Illuminati Championships, and the Munchkin European Championships! And many, many demos.
If this were all Birger and the gang had going on this weekend, it would be impressive. But wherever Phil and SJ go, they bring prototypes and playtest sets of games at all stages of development. Look for them in the Pegasus booth at all hours. I'd tell you what they're bringing, but a couple are so new, they don't even have proper names yet.
And Essen is the official worldwide first release of Munchkin Quest! We air freighted 150 copies from the factory to Essen. If you don't happen to be in Essen, you have NO chance at these. If you ARE in Essen . . . well, all we can say is, don't be the 151st one to bring us your gold pieces.
-- Paul Chapman
As of Tuesday noonish, Phil and I are on our way to Spiel Essen. This huge game fair runs Thursday through Sunday. We're going to play a LOT of games - our games, Pegasus' games, who knows what other games. Games. Woo hoo games.
I'm looking forward to jet lag, losing sleep, aching feet, stiff signing hand, and incredibly expensive euros. Okay, actually, those are the things I am NOT looking forward to. But I'm going to see some friends I haven't seen in a long time, and even meet some friends I've never met in the real world. And I'm going to play a lot of games. Woo hoo games.
And we're going to release Munchkin Quest. Woo hoo MQ.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Mmmm . . . Canned Sky
Serenity Adventures might be just what you think it is. It might be a collection of adventures for the Serenity RPG. It might also be a bag of wasps, but this is very unlikely. So go with the sure bet, assume that it's the adventure thing, and place an order today. That way, if it actually is a bag of wasps, you'll get a fun surprise! And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
Every so often, we get an email that goes something like this:
"I'm running a Munchkin tournament at an upcoming event. Do you have any rules for this?"
Now, the answer is "Yes." And thanks to the wonder that is e23, now you can have them too -- for free!
The Munchkin Tournament Rules are just what you need if you're playing or running an organized event, or if your gaming group took "backstabbing" a little too far last time you played . . .
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: It Was Nice While It Lasted
Unlike the last two things we showcased here, Exalted: Legacy of the Unconquered Sun is not scary. Unless someone is wielding it and coming at you full tilt, because the box is quite large. But otherwise, it's just a board game of high adventure and very big swords. Maybe you could try playing it in the dark? That's sure to kick up the terror level a bit. Or just make you stub your toe a lot. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
October 19, 2008: It's The End Of The World, But Not Yet
In 2019, the Global Extinction Awareness System (GEAS) releases a report, predicting the likely extinction of humankind in 2042. No single factor will spell our doom; instead, GEAS has identifed five "super-threats." Individually, they're a danger. Together, they'll tip us into oblivion.
Nightmare? Plot of a new SF novel? Warnings from a time traveller?
Nope, just a new online game, run by the Institute for the Future, and designed by Transhuman Space Toxic Memes author Jamais Cascio. Use blogs, wikis, and Twitter accounts to describe "yourself" of 2019, and how you're dealing with the super-threats. Together, the players will be suggesting and critiquing strategies for overcoming them, eleven years before they're identified.
The game is called Superstruct, and is running until November 17, 2008. A panel of celebrity judges will chose their favorite participant, but the entire human race could benefit.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: Oo! Oo! More Horror Stuff!
Hey-hey, two in a row! Look, it's the Hunter: The Vigil - Dice Set . This is totally another horror release, because you could only ever use these dice for Hunter. No other game. That would mean that these are just normal dice that happen to be attached to a horror game. No, these are horror dice, and if you use them for anything else, a ghost will come out of your mailbox and eat you. These dice are for celebrating scariness. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
October 18, 2008: Illuminated Site of the Week: Pole Positions
Nothing good explodes out from under the polar ice caps, and make no mistake, when the members of the International Polar Year program go in search of knowledge, it will explode. Have they never read Don A. Stuart or H.P. Lovecraft? Ignore these initials at your peril. We were particularly taken with the notion that they're going to delve for dirt on the buried Gamburtsev mountain range, also called the "ghost peaks." The BBC has the story.
-- Ben Edmans
Warehouse 23 News: Alright, We're Back On Track!
Whew! Finally, another horror-based product. This is October, after all. We should be showing you things like Savage Worlds: Savage World Of Solomon Kane - Traveler's Tales. Just look at the cover! Some kind of . . . bone golem . . . thingie. It's terrifying! And inside the book itself? Why, we daren't even speak of it! Mostly because we want you to buy the book, but also because its frightening contents are quite frightening! And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
October 17, 2008: Best Munchkin Display In The World
As much as we love talking about Munchkin here on our site, the place where the covers and blurbs do the most good is on the shelves of your friendly local game store. But boring racks don't excite anyone . . .
With that in mind, we're searching for the Best Munchkin Display in the World!
Email a photo of your display, in all its glory, to me at marketing@sjgames.com. (And no, you don't need to be a retailer to send in the photo, but you'll need the store owner's permission!) Be sure to include your physical location address, shipping address, website, and contact information -- email and phone number would be best. Please name your photos appropriately -- [your store's name].munchkin.display.jpg is perfect; Photo_092508_003.jpg is likely to get lost.
We'll review them all, and choose two awesome stores to each receive a copy of Munchkin Quest before the main shipment hits stores. We'll also toss in a handful of whatever promo bits we've got available. Of course, the dedicated Munchkin promoters will be revealed in a Daily Illuminator!
Submit your photos before Monday November 3. We'll review the entries, and announce the winner -- and ship the copy of Munchkin Quest! -- the following week.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: Lie To Your Friends
It's okay, because all your lies will be completely true. They'll probably even thank you for it. After all, they did ask for the lies in the first place. That's the magic of The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen. If you don't know what we're talking about, just jump through that link and see for yourself. If you do, you should still follow the link, as this new edition features all kinds of fun new ways to insult the French. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
Actually, these items have already arrived in the hands of our distributors, and many of you have already seen them on the shelves of your favorite local retailer. To the rest of you: Look at this!
Munchkin Booty
Kill the monsters. Steal the treasure. Make your buddy walk the plank.
Munchkin Booty brings the greatest gold-grabbers in history -- pirates! -- to the world of Munchkin. Use your Silver Long Johns to beat the Lobster Mobster, drink your Demon Rum to fight off the Viking Kittens, and defend yourself with the Cutlass (or Cutlad, for the gents) against the Prince of Whales. But watch out for Sharks!
Plunder the seven seas as a Pirate, Naval Officer, or Merchant. Taunt your foes with your horrible Accent -- British, Spanish, Dutch, or French. Equip your Half-Galleon with a Crow's Nest and Figurehead. But above all . . . level up!
Munchkin Booty is a stand-alone card game, fully compatible with Munchkin.
Boxed game with 168 cards, rules, and die. Stock #1459, ISBN 978-1-55634-783-2. $24.95.
Chibithulhu Plush
Cute. Cuddly. Sanity-blasting.
There are many versions of Cthulhu, and Munchkin Cthulhu features plenty of them. But the cutest of all is Chibithulhu, so we chose it to be our first plush toy.
This 10"-tall soft and huggable plush figure features huge, adorable eyes, a loving heart on the chest . . . and Cthulhu's trademark tentacles. It's made of all-new materials, and is machine washable.
Of course, this toy includes a special rule, which will help you during Munchkin Cthulhu games.
10"-tall plush figure. Stock #9402, ISBN 978-1-55634-781-8. $19.95.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: What Is Halloween?
Halloween is sea shanties. Halloween is swinging from the rigging. Halloween is hoisting the Jolly Roger, setting sail, and stabbing anyone who has something you want. Wait . . . no, that's Munchkin Booty. What is Munchkin Booty? Something you can buy, right now, from Warehouse 23. It's also a great excuse to run around the house screaming "Arrrrrr!" And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
There's a copy of Munchkin Quest for auction on eBay! And now, you have less than a day left to bid.
Actually, this Daily Illuminator was posted at midnight, Central Time, on Wednesday October 15, which gives you, at most, 15 hours. If you're reading this later in the morning, you've got much less time . . . and if you waited until after 3pm, you're too late.
This auction will put a genuine copy of Munchkin Quest in your hands, nearly a month before it hits shelves. The proceeds will go to Child's Play, a charity that makes video games available to hospitalized kids. It's a win-win!
Update: The auction has, of couse, closed now. In the end, the final bid was $213! Wow!
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: The Chibithulhus Are Here!
The Chibithulhus are here! The Chibithulhus are here! The Chibithulhus are here! The green and pink Chibithulhus are here! And isn't that what Halloween is really all about?
Richard Garriott, also known as Lord British, is in space now, headed for the International Space Station. This is something he's wanted to do all his life. He's the son of U.S. astronaut Owen Garriott. Richard wanted to be an astronaut too, but his vision was too poor to qualify for the space program. Well . . . he found another way to get up there. Here's his mission blog.
I've known Richard for a loooong time, ever since we were active together in the SCA. I don't see him all that often any more . . . most of the last few times have been either at game conferences, or on airplanes headed to game conferences. It makes me very happy that he's finally living his dream.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Bad Dark Evil Fell Sinister Terror Scarey
One need only look at the title to fully understand what this book is about. Changeling: The Lost - Night Horrors: Grim Fears. Look at all those scary words! Something grim, horrible, and fearful is going to happen! At night! We don't know what, exactly, but it has us all so anxious that if we were to shake anymore, we'd vibrate right through the molecules in the floor. But in a good way. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
After far too long, the PDF edition of Ogre Miniatures is available on e23. This project has been under way for years, but after I'd finished compiling my errata and change list, the whole thing got pushed to the back burner because redoing the photos would have been a huge project. So we decided to scan it and release it in PDF, instead. But that meant that instead of just correcting errata and adding new stuff, everything had to be collected on new pages, with links added from the old pages . . . and it had been so long since the original compilation that there were a lot of NEW ideas to add . . . It was a job.
But it's finally done. Thanks go to everybody involved: to all the forum-dwellers who commented on the new material as it was created, to Phil Reed for new record card graphics and Ogre Miniatures Lite layout, and to Nikki, Monica, and Fox for struggling through the various stages of layout and PDF creation on what turned out to be a far more complex project than planned.
For those who have the first edition and don't want to pay for the revisions: You don't have to. The Ogre Miniatures Update is available as a separate freebie.
And, if you hadn't noticed: the long-awaited Ogre Ninja miniature was released as an early celebration of Ogre Minis version 1.1.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: What Were We Talking About?
So we mentioned craters the other day, and how your enemies should be in them. You might have known what we were talking about. Or you might have thought we'd lost what little was left of our fragile psyches. Here, get started on this whole giant robots thing with Classic BattleTech: Starterbook - Wolf & Blake. It will fill you with the sort of reassurance that can only come from a 50-foot-tall weapon of mass destruction. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
VixenTor Games is offering custom dice towers for only $150 -- that's 50% off. Sure, it's expensive, but take a look at some of the designs (I like the Haunted Tower). A custom dice tower is the perfect accessory to the Sultan Gaming Table that Paul talked about last month. If you're gonna build the ultimate game room, you may as well go all out. But hurry, the sale ends on October 18.
For those of you who are like me (on a budget, that is), the Deluxe Dice Towers -- priced at $40 -- offer a nice blend of attractiveness and affordability.
-- Phil Reed
Warehouse 23 News: Why Do You Hate Halloween So Much?
Well you clearly don't love Halloween as much as you should. Otherwise you'd already own a copy of A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game. It's a game about monsters, see. And this is October. It is your civic duty to give us money in exchange for games with monsters in them this month. In fact . . . we're not even that picky. We just want you to give us stuff. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
October 11, 2008: Pre-Release Munchkin Quest Charity Auction
Munchkin Quest -- the Munchkin boardgame.
Child's Play -- Penny Arcade's charity, providing geek toys and video game consoles to kids in hospitals.
eBay -- wait, you probably know this one already.
Put 'em all together, and you get the Pre-Release Munchkin Quest Charity Auction. Yes, you have a chance to get your hands on Munchkin Quest even before it hits our warehouse, and make a contribution to a very good cause.
If you miss this auction, MQ will be in stores in mid-November or thereabouts. If you're looking for more Child's Play auctions with a Munchkin flavor, a pair of Chibithulhu Plush, signed by both the PA creators, will be available for bidding at their annual Charity Dinner Auction. Look for tickets and more information on their site next month.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: Big Robots Are Not Enough
You need trucks and tanks and artillery pieces and satellites and boats and, and, and . . . you need Classic BattleTech: Tactical Operations. Because you need to make sure those nasty people on the other side of the map find themselves living in a crater before the day is out. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
At this year's World SF convention, in Denver, I was interviewed by Howard Tayler, Brandon Sanderson, and Dan Bacon for their podcast, Writing Excuses. Yep, it was three on one. But I enjoyed it.
The interview posted Sept. 7, and I am only now telling you about it.
If you are interested in writing professionally, though, you should not start there. You should go back to #1 and listen to them ALL. There's some good stuff here.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Meh, We Shoulda Made A "Ludography" Joke
If you're looking for a massive, brown, yeti-like creature, look no further than Labyrinth: Plush Ludo! What, that's not enough? What if we told he can summon rocks by howling? Just think about how often that would come in handy! "Oh no, however shall we close this boulder-sized hole in the ground?" And there you are, ready with a solution. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
A few days ago I mentioned a new game, Climb!, and pointed to the publisher's website. In that DI entry, I commented that the site is only in French. Well, it just so happens that there's an English language version of the site. Thank you, Christian, for pointing out the English language Le Scorpion Masqué website to me.
-- Phil Reed
Warehouse 23 News: Queen "Anathraxa?"
Wow. There's nothing else that can be said to sell a book like Savage Worlds: Slipstream. Yeah, we could mention the jet packs or lion-people, but - pffffft - who cares? There's an evil villain named Queen Anathraxa! This might just be the best setting ever. (Plus, it means we don't have to spend a lot of time thinking up a better advertisement. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?)
The competition to create outrageously huge pumpkins is turning into an arms race, with advanced cultivation techniques and careful genetic selection.
Why stop here? Splice in some Venus Flytrap genes and create a pumpkin that can defend itself . . . and turn its attackers into instant fertilizer.
Pumpkinthulhu!
-- Steve Jackson
. . . Miniatures, that is! The Anima line features quite a few excellent miniatures, and while you can certainly use them to play the equally excellent Anima Tactics war game, they also make for just plain neat-o fantasy minis. Or you could just eat 'em. Eating lead is fun. And isn't that what Halloween is all about? (Disclaimer: Lead is not tasty. Do not eat lead. Warehouse 23 and Steve Jackson Games do not endorse, condone, or otherwise encourage the ingestion of metal miniatures.)
Every now and then a game comes along with very creative game mechanics. Climb!, by Le Scorpion Masqué, appears to be one of those games with extremely creative game mechanics. According to W. Eric Martin's Boardgame News review:
"Climb! includes a deck of 42 cards, each of which has one to three color-coded holes in it. Each color matches a digit – black is for the thumb, blue the index finger, green the ring finger, and so on – and the cards come in three levels of difficulty, with the holes getting smaller with each jump in skill level. The holes represent the holds embedded in a climbing wall, and your challenge is to make your fingers climb the holes in the cards from base to summit."
Take a look at the photos in the review. I'm impressed! This is one of the best examples that I've seen of "mechanics match the theme." Climb! is on my (long) list of "Games to Try at Essen."
-- Phil Reed
(Note: The Le Scorpion Masqué site is in French. Fortunately for me, the game is in both English and French.)
Warehouse 23 News: The Very Silly Advertisement With The Exceptionally Long Title
The B-Movie Card Games line is, without a doubt, the single greatest achievement the human species has ever attained. You should buy one of the sets, not out of some self-gratifying need to amuse yourself, but rather to own a piece of cosmic history. When alien archeologists dig up our remains, they will find these relics and say, "Truly, this was the peak of their culture." It will also help us celebrate the long-held practice of extreme exaggeration of obvious falsehoods on the part of advertisers. And isn't that what Halloween is all about?
Once a week -- sometimes more -- the dev team sits down to discuss our current projects and upcoming games. Many of these discussions involve new Munchkin supplements, which shouldn't surprise anyone, but we also spend quite a bit of time on completely new games. What I love most about these meetings is the interaction between the dev team members. Randy, for example, always looks for ways to break the game, while Steve looks for ways to better tie the theme to the mechanics (and sometimes toss out a mechanic in favor of a more thematic mechanic). I think Will's in the meetings just to argue with me and tell me when my ideas are bad. I would be upset with him if he wasn't right a lot of the time.
Development meetings are fun.
-- Phil Reed
Warehouse 23 News: Your Family Misses You
Must every game you play involve knights and wizards slaying dragons and taking their stuff? Or space marines and psis killing aliens and taking their stuff? Or investigators and cultists slaying absolutely nothing at all because they've all long since gone mad - mad! - from discovering the true nature of the universe? Must they all? Of course they mustn't. So break out Ticket to Ride. Why? Your gramma can play it, your children will get it, your family will be a family again. And isn't that what Halloween's all about?
Yes, it's that time again. Time for the production department to dive into craft projects as we prepare for another convention trip. The smell of glue, the cutting of paper, the folding and twisting and mutilating of cardboard until all of the various bits and pieces turn into game prototypes . . . I love watching game prototypes come together. (Especially since I'm not the one in the trenches dealing with the actual craft portion of the process.)
In just a couple of weeks Steve and I will leave for Essen, Germany, where we'll spend four days surrounded by happy gamers. (And where I'll probably buy so many games that I find myself trying to fit more into my suitcase than it was designed to carry.)
-- Phil Reed
Warehouse 23 News: Warehouse 23 Top Ten
Warehouse 23 has posted an updated Top 10 Page for September. Check it out, and see what all the cool kids are buying . . .
We've posted the rules (in PDF) for Munchkin Quest. If you want to start learning the game before it hits stores, and we know that you do, then this is the tool you have been waiting for. I'm especially proud of the component list and the organization of the rules. (Hey, is that a glossary? With page references? Awesome!)
-- Phil Reed
(Postscript from SJ: Phil is ALLOWED to be proud of the glossary and the rules org, because the glossary was his idea and largely his writing. The rules organization, as published, bears little resemblance to my original draft, and the change is all for the good. Will and Randy also contributed a great deal to this part of the development.)
Warehouse 23 News: Surprisingly Euclidean
The Call of Cthulhu: Official Dice Set isn't just scary. The Call of Cthulhu: Official Dice Set isn't just cool. It's scary cool. We wouldn't suggest you let your gaze linger upon them too long, however, lest you find yourself driven mad - mad! - by their swirly, squiggly bits. Mad!
October 3, 2008: One Munchkin Quest Case . . . In My Office!
Munchkin Quest, as you know, is the project that has eaten our brains (and time) for several months. Once you hold the box in your hands, and look at the amount of stuff inside, I'm confident you'll understand why this has been such a massive project for us. The good news is, we're almost at the end of the process. A single case of Munchkin Quest, as you can see in the photo, was delivered to us and immediately broken apart and distributed to those who most need a copy right now. Even though that case looks huge (which it is), it only holds six copies of the game.
Munchkin Quest, on the boat and slowly making its way to our warehouse, is the game that's going to give our shipping guys some exercise. Sorry, guys, but all that stuff requires a big box.
-- Phil Reed
Warehouse 23 News: Ooo, A Blasphemous Tome. Fun!
Halloween draws nigh, so it's time to start checking under the bed and in the closet for the stuff you don't believe in for the other 11 months out of the year. Or, you can just give in to the madness. We don't mind either way. We will, however, recommend Call of Cthulhu: The Klarkash-Ton Cycle if you're looking for some good old-fashioned nightmare fuel.
Maker Faire -- that collection of battlin' robots, flinging homemade catapults, and dancing soda sprays -- is coming to Austin in about two and a half weeks. At least a couple of folks from the office will be in attendance, but what to see?
If you've attended a Maker Faire in the past, let us know what exhibits are "can't miss." Is LN2 ice cream really worth the hype? How far back should we stand from the Eepybirds? Will cluster computing create Skynet?
If you're one of the 400 or so exhibitors, why not plug your activity/ware/act over in our "Geeks Rule!" forum?
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: Genurai? Samuenie?
Legend of the Five Rings: Legend of the Burning Sands. Yes, children, it's samurai vs. genie time. Scherezade ain't got nothin' on this.
This is playtest night, and from all the way down the hall I can hear the ringing cries:
"Doom!"
"You're all doomed!"
"DOOOOOM!!"
We haven't announced this game yet, and all I'm going to tell you about the title is that it's not Doom.
But it's definitely a bit of a departure from anything we've done before. And it's fun.
-- Steve Jackson
In honor of National Scary Things Month, we're going to try and sell you the Munchkin Cthulhu: Cultic Combativeness T-Shirt now. Buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy! You know you want to, so just do it. Doooooo it. Come on. On. Give in. Come oooooon. You only live once, y'know. Unless . . . uh, yeah, unless you buy this shirt. Then, who knows? You might live again! That could be all horrory and stuff. Buy our scary shirt already!
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