July 13, 2015: MIB Report: Cars Wars Crashing Into My Life

This is a story about how I got into a game. And I mean INTO it.

So, my first time playing Car Wars was 5th Edition. I liked the concept, but knew that previous editions had more robust customization. Plus it was hard getting people to get into the game. I hadn't played it since, but then I put money into the Kickstarter for Car Wars Arenas, getting the package that has Classic, Arenas, and the card game.

And then Steve Jackson Games did something I didn't expect. Car Wars was on sale all last month. A while into the Kickstarter campaign, they announced all proceeds from sales of their Car Wars merchandise and digital supplements throughout last month contributed towards Kickstarter stretch goals. "Well . . . Crap." I thought to myself . Something I just had a passing interest in, I suddenly found myself buying everything I could afford for it. The floodgates opened with that one little offer.

I wound up buying GURPS Autoduel, Car Wars Deluxe, Convoy, Mean Streets, the Wheelie expansion, ALL of the City Blocks, and a few others. I was hooked. I ate up all the background information the adventure supplements gave, plus the information from Autoduel. Being an Ohioan myself, I loved the story behind Midville and Crash City. Suddenly, I'm trying to think of how to fit the setting into my existing campaign, which grew from Supers to Infinite Worlds recently.

I can't wait for 6th Edition to come out, just because I want to see what happens next in the timeline! It's 2065 in my home campaign now. How has Autoduelling evolved since 2051? THIS is how you spark interest for a game, and I wish there were more deals out like it! I hope other companies take note, because I think I ended up doubling my contribution to the Kickstarter campaign again in supplements!

-- Justin Yoder