Steve Jackson's Blog, page 155

August 31, 2021: Crowdfunding Focus: The Mother Road, Route 66

I saved The Mother Road, Route 66 , on Kickstarter earlier this month, promising myself that I would take a closer look at the campaign when I received the 48-hour notice. It turns out I should have looked closer when the project first landed in front of me, because this looks to be a great variant of one of my favorite press-your-luck dice games, Can't Stop  (mentioned in the Daily Illuminator way back in 2013, in this post).

The theme of The Mother Road, Route 66 is clearly mid-century Americana, making the game less attractive to those who prefer the abstract, unthemed design of the Can't Stop game, but the game's playmat, car tokens, chunky dice, and visual design mean that might appeal to an entirely different group who would otherwise skip the always-incredible Can't Stop .

The game's funding on Kickstarter, with the project coming to a close later today. Check it out now!

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: More Doodles!

More dungeons! More deadly! In  Deadly Doodles 2,  players doodle their way around new dungeons using the custom die to unlock magic doors, collect new loot, and fight more monsters. But watch out for cursed treasure! Order now on Warehouse 23! (This is an expansion for Deadly Doodles ; you must have this base game to play Deadly Doodles 2 .)

August 30, 2021: Munchkin Foam Unnatural Axe Preorders Open!

Munchkin has never been quite so . . . lifelike! We've teamed up with the folks at Gargoyle Studios to create a giant foam version of the iconic Unnatural Axe from the original Munchkin game. Some of you may have seen our Munchkin cosplay accessories around the office, but this is the first time we've done something like this at scale. We're excited to offer such a unique item for the truly munchkin-y munchkins and cosplayers out there. This is a preorder item and won't be shipping until November, so when preorders sell out, they're gone for a while: we don't know if or when we'll be able to do something like this again. As any cosplayers can tell you, making accessories like this is a challenge, so we're ecstatic to even offer this in a wider way. Hang it on the wall! Wear it to a convention! Kick down the door!

You can check out the scale and size in our recent #SJGamesLive stream to give you an idea of just how big this thing is! Preorder on Warehouse 23 now! Because when they're gone, they're gone! At least for now . . .

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: More For Your Dungeons

The Dungeon Fantasy Companion 2 adds to the Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game with more material from the quill of Dungeon Fantasy architect Sean Punch. Discover new magic items, monsters, and some unique adversaries to make your dungeony mayhem more memorable. Download it today from Warehouse 23!

August 29, 2021: Gaming At Mox Boarding House

Earlier this month, I spent a little time in Oregon visiting with friends. The global pandemic taught me that I can work remotely for a large part of the time, so I'm getting out when possible, working days from hotels and enjoying life during the off-hours.

In Portland, a few friends and I reserved the Rose Room at Mox Boarding House on a Saturday afternoon. We played games, enjoyed a fabulous lunch, and had the opportunity to sit and chat in peace. It was every bit as fun and relaxing as it sounds!

What did we play? Hero Realms , of course, as well as Yahtzee: Steal the Deal and Age of War , which made me regret that I didn't drag my copy of Risk Express along on the trip. Cold War: CIA vs KGB also found its way to the table when there were only two of us there, but I neglected to toss Star Wars: Empire vs Rebellion into my bag, so that was a missed back-to-back event. Maybe next time.

If you're in the Portland area and looking for a space to meet friends for games and a meal, I recommend taking a look at Mox Boarding House. The staff and location were equally amazing, and I will absolutely do this again the next time I am nearby.

Does your local game store also offer private gaming space? Please let me know, because I'd love to have some great game stores to visit when I'm on the road.

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: [Redacted]

They are all around us – secret conspiracies are everywhere. In Illuminati, 2nd Edition, you increase your wealth and power to take over the world until only YOU reign supreme. Now, this classic game of conspiracy and world conquest has been updated to include current events and up-to-date references! Order now from Warehouse 23!

August 28, 2021: Hack & Slash On Boing Boing!

Thank you to Gareth Branwyn for including our Hack & Slash game in the recent article, Getting little kids into tabletop gaming, at the Boing Boing site. Hack & Slash was created as a light, fast-playing filler game for everyone, so seeing the game make its way onto Gareth's list was a surprise and treat: target audience acquired!

Gareth writes:

"This is a great gateway game for fantasy roleplaying or more involved fantasy wargaming. It has many of the trappings of a dungeon delver, with orcs, trolls, dragons, caverns, treasures, and the all-important tavern."

Check out the article today, and then find Hack & Slash at your favorite local* game store! If your local store doesn't stock Hack & Slash , you can find it today at our online store, Warehouse 23, or at the ever-ubiquitous Amazon.

– Phil Reed

* You don't know your nearest game store? Search our store finder today!

Warehouse 23 News: Dare You Touch The Death's Reaper?

Things often aren't as they seem in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy , and that's especially true with the offerings of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 6: 40 Artifacts . This supplement includes dozens of unusual magic items, from one-shot trinkets to senses-shattering weapons. They say that power corrupts, but you can prove them wrong . . . with this download from Warehouse 23!

August 27, 2021: Subscribe To The Steve Jackson Games Newsletter

Would you like to receive information on new games, special events, and important news? Subscribe to our newsletter and you will start receiving a few emails every month where we highlight the latest games and expansions, and (at times) direct you to our crowdfunding campaigns.

The newsletter is just one way to stay in touch with us. For other options, including links to our various social-media channels, visit this page on our site.

Subscribe to the newsletter today!



Warehouse 23 News: Clean Air, Sparkling Water, And Zombies?

Welcome to Black Lake, California! Enjoy your stay in this idylic small town, but beware! Mystery is afoot with phones stuck on busy signals and a suspicious van cruising the streets. And then the dead begin to walk . . .  Get your copy of GURPS Zombietown, U.S.A.  from Warehouse 23 today!

August 26, 2021: Munchkin Promo Booklet Kickstarter Ends Today

We've made it to the end of the Munchkin Promo and Bookmark Booklet Kickstarter, and it has funded beyond our wildest expectations! Thank you all so much for the incredible support throughout the campaign. Hopefully all the extra stretch goal promos show our gratitude to the backers; we are super thrilled to be able to add lots of extra cards and bookmarks. You still have time to back – the campaign closes this afternoon. The giant Munchkin d10 Level Die is a limited item and those pledge tiers may or may not be sold out already by the time you read this, but check back just in case someone changes their pledge at the last minute. You may get a chance at it! 

But even if you miss out on the d10, don't make that mistake with the books. These are fun little add-ons that give you access to promos you may not have owned; all you need is some blank cards to add to your game. You can see some of the contents in action during our #SJGamesLive stream from last week. Get your pledge in while there's still time! 

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Magic, Expanded

With GURPS , the realms of the weird can always get weirder. GURPS Thaumatology is your guide to magic beyond the classic GURPS Magic system, ranging from minor tweaks to enhance the flavor to radical overhauls that do things decidedly different. Even more than most supplements, this best-seller is magical . . . and it awaits your download from Warehouse 23!

August 25, 2021: Ogre Battlefields Restock

For a time, it looked like we were almost completely out of the Ogre Battlefields expansion. This heavy box – loaded with two double-sided gameboards, several counters, and scenarios for use with the maps and counters – isn't on our reprint list, so we had thought it was going to be unavailable for quite some time.

But then, thanks to the "magic" of multiple warehouses, we uncovered a pallet of sealed copies of Ogre Battlefields and we're now comfortable the expansion will be available for a little while longer. If you want more content for your Ogre Sixth Edition or Ogre Designer's Edition game, then now is your chance to get a copy of Ogre Battlefields .

You can find Ogre Battlefields at our online store, Warehouse 23, or at Amazon.com (where you can get free U.S. shipping with your Prime account). 

Retailers, you will not find the Ogre Battlefields expansion in your distributor's warehouse. This is one of a number of direct-only titles we have added to our catalog over the last few years. If you would like to add this to your store's shelves, please email retailers@sjgames.com to discuss opening a direct sales account with Steve Jackson Games.

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Get Your Doodle On!

In Deadly Doodles , 1-4 players simultaneously draw paths through a dangerous dungeon. Draw cards, draw a path through your dungeon, and rack up points! Collect loot and fight monsters . . . or run away screaming! Can you defeat the dragon for the big score? Only one way to find out. Order now on Warehouse 23!

August 24, 2021: What To Reprint

Out of Print. This is one of the most frustrating phrases a board gamer can hear. Whether you've just played a game you've never heard of at a convention, or a member of your gaming group has brought out an old favorite, finding out that it's out of print can be very upsetting. Without getting too deep into the minutiae of the boargaming industry, figuring out how many of a game to print is hard. If you order too few, fans will miss out. And ordering another print run is risky; demand might have disappeared by the time the reprint arrives. But if you order too many, you risk actually losing money on a title. (Plus, you then need somewhere to store all those copies!) Often, it doesn't make financial sense to keep a game in print if the demand just isn't there. Most companies move on to newer, shinier games – revisiting old games only when enough time has passed (or an interesting reason, like a license or anniversary, comes around). Sometimes, however, there's proof of enough demand to do another printing of a long out-of-print game. With that in mind, are there any Steve Jackson titles, game or accessory-wise, that you would like to see return for another printing? Let us know in the forums!

– Devin Lewis

Warehouse 23 News: All Roads Lead To . . . Where Are We?!?

Think of it as your weirdness away from weirdness. GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Encounters 1: The Pagoda of Worlds is a ready-to-use locale for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy . This location (complete with maps) presents secrets and details ready to start adventure for dungeon delvers, including the possibility of traveling to other realms. Your passport to adventure is just a download away from Warehouse 23!

August 23, 2021: Do The Impossible With The Girl Genius Sourcebook And Roleplaying Game!

No mad scientist worth their salt knocks on the door of the impossible – they just barge right in! In this spirit, we proudly present the Prerelease Edition of the long-awaited Girl Genius Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game . . . now available from Warehouse 23.

This complete standalone RPG – a proud member of the Powered by GURPS family – lets you forge your own tales in the universe of Phil and Kaja Foglio's beloved Girl Genius comics and graphic novels. Details and secrets of the setting! Stats for famous (and infamous) characters! Rules for creating your own gaslamp fantasy campaigns!

"Wait a minute . . . Prerelease?" you might ask. Indeed! (Thunder crashes ominously.) The plan is as follows: Soon we shall launch a Kickstarter for the hardcover version of this volume. You can be among the first to hear about it by clicking this link and then on "Notify me on launch" in the top-left corner.

After the Kickstarter ends, we'll tweak the PDF and then update it for all prerelease buyers with the latest version (including our usual snazzy jump-to bookmarks). So if you buy now, you'll guarantee  yourself the best-possible version of the PDF in the future, and get a fully playable version you can enjoy now!

Adventure! Romance! Mad Science! With the Girl Genius Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game , the future is closer than ever.

– Steven Marsh

PS from SJ: This book has been in preparation a long, long time. I am incredibly excited to finally release it into the wild. And yes, WILD is the appropriate term for this one. If you aren't familiar with Girl Genius, then you're missing one of the best webcomics ever. By geeks, for geeks, about a geek who is going to rule the world with SCIENCE! Indeed, I approve of this program.

Warehouse 23 News: Grab A Slice!

Cowabunga, dude! Take on the role of your favorite "heroes in a half-shell" as you fight Bebop and Rocksteady and grab their loot! Munchkin Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles combines the gameplay of Munchkin with the beloved characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. Order now on Warehouse 23!

August 22, 2021: Manufacturing Delays

In addition to freight troubles (see this Daily Illuminator post), game publishers are also facing manufacturing delays related to the global pandemic. By way of example, we have an upcoming new game that Steve designed that has been in manufacturing since the start of this year. Only now, eight months later, are we getting to the point where the game can move from manufacturing to the long journey across the ocean to our primary warehouse. 

And this is not a game with a lot of parts.

One Roll Quest (not yet announced, so you're not reading this now), is a light dice game that gives you the chance to play an entire adventure with a single roll of the die. It's a filler title, intended to hit the table before everyone has arrived for game night, and everything regarding this game demonstrates how the global pandemic has impacted making games. We playtested this well over a year ago, with the game moving from playtest to the art and production process in March of 2020. 

In addition to highlighting the struggle many publishers are facing while dealing with the ramifications of the pandemic, One Roll Quest also illustrates a shift in the distribution of some games. One Roll Quest is a direct-only release, and will be available on Warehouse 23 once we receive the shipment. The game is not currently scheduled for a wide release, but will be joining Gelatinous , many releases for The Fantasy Trip , and the majority of the Pocket Box games in our direct-only catalog. 

At the current rate, we should see One Roll Quest in Warehouse 23 before the end of the year. Maybe. With freight issues the way there are, it is possible the game slides into 2022. All we can do is adapt to an ever-shifting environment and do our best to keep our heads above water.

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Boom, There It Is!

GURPS Magic: Artillery Spells is an expansion for GURPS Magic that adds 50 new spells, all designed to tackle large numbers of foes. Whether you're facing an irritated rat horde or the skeletal legions of hell, these spells will let you deal a lot of damage all at once. We sell Artillery Spells down at the digital store . . . known as Warehouse 23!