Steve Jackson's Blog, page 362

December 30, 2015: Munchkin Comic #12: Spyke And Flower Get The (Endless) Shaft

If Deck the Dungeons #1 merely whetted your appetite for


You can find issue #12 at your local comic book store, or if you are a sad human being, living far from such a store, you can find it online.



– Alain H. Dawson



Warehouse 23 News: Buying Friends With GURPS?!



If you're a GURPS Dungeon Fantasy gamer, it's dangerous to go alone. Fortunately, you've got help! GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 17: Guilds lets you join strange societies of sorcerers, duplicitous dens of thieves, caring cabals of clerics, and much more. Download it today, only from Warehouse 23!

December 29, 2015: 2015 Stakeholders Report Preview

I was terribly late with the 2014 stakeholders report. That's an embarrassing and painful fact I'll never live down. The year simply got away from me as I focused on tasks that kept games selling and staff paid. My delays in completing the report on time let all of you down and all I can do is say: That will not happen again.



As proof that I've gotten better at clearing time for the bigger things, I am happy to say that you will see the 2015 report early in 2016. How do I know this? Because it's (mostly) done. Once we make a last few last minute adjustments (we need to wait for final 2015 sales numbers and a few other bits of info) then we'll be able to release it to the world.



Our 2016 priorities are ambitious – Munchkin again gets a lot of attention, and we have staff dedicated to Car Wars and Ogre in 2016 – and I believe we're starting the year with more under control than we have in a long time. At the moment, we already have over a dozen new titles for the year at print and several more closing in on the final stages of design and development.



2016 is going to be a fantastic year.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: GURPS Groups Generate Great Gaming!



Join like-minded friends in GURPS . . . then go hunt monsters, build secret lairs, or explore the mysteries of the Knights Templar! All of this and more is possible with Pyramid #3/86: Organizations . Download it individually or subscribe today – only from Warehouse 23!

December 28, 2015: One Munchkin Guest Artist Edition Wasn't Enough!

So we're doing a second Munchkin Guest Artist Edition later in 2016, with art by Edwin Huang!



Having already worked with Edwin (illustrator of UDON Entertainment's Super Street Fighter and Archie Comics' Mega Man ) on Munchkin Skullkickers , we knew whatever he did would look fantastic. We've been more than thrilled with what he's delivered this time . . . and here's a sneak peek.



With Edwin's incredibly detailed artwork, the characters and humor shine through on every card. The sketches I've shared here, Friendship Potion and the Monster Enhancer Ancient, are wonderful examples of his work.



– Devin Lewis



Warehouse 23 News: What Do You Do When Your Master Is Blue?



Hold a cheerleading competition to brighten the Master's day! Because when the Master is sad, it's the minions that suffer most. Your job as foreminion is to gather the others, make the tallest tower with them, and climb to the top. Get your copy of Three Cheers for Master from Warehouse 23 today!

December 27, 2015: GURPS Year In Review: 2015

I'd call 2015 a productive year for GURPS . After two decades as GURPS Line Editor, I was given approval over new PDF projects and their art. This shortened the pipeline a bit, allowing us to exceed the "one single-author supplement a month" speed limit for the first time since 2012. (You may recall the " GURPS gap" from the end of 2012 to early 2014, which resulted from concentrating on Ogre .) Let's take a look at the results . . .



The year's frontrunner was GURPS Dungeon Fantasy . The core series got organized and added GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 17: Guilds . The enemy got stronger – or at least more disgusting – thanks to GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 2: Icky Goo joining the Monsters sub-series. And we launched two new sub-series, with GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Barbarians getting the honor of being the first "splatbook" and GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Treasures 1: Glittering Prizes removing any doubt that you can never have enough loot.



Not that hack 'n' slash got all the support! Other kinds of power-gamers will appreciate the new magic system in GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery no matter what flavor of fantasy they like, while GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses covers superhuman gifts suited to nosy heroes in any genre. Lovers of over-the-top mayhem set in the "real world" might prefer GURPS Action 4: Specialists and its redefinition of the action hero. And sensitive souls whose campaigns have a social dimension can balance the ultra-powerful and ultra-violent with GURPS Boardroom and Curia (tools for describing organizations) and GURPS Social Engineering: Back to School (a detailed look at teaching and learning).



It was also a good year for the not-quite-human. If the extraterrestrial is your thing, you can choose between the furry, mostly friendly race in GURPS Aliens: Sparrials and the scary stuff in GURPS Monster Hunters 5: Applied Xenology . For those who figure that monsters are usually our own creations, there's Transhuman Space: Bioroid Bazaar and Transhuman Space: Bio-Tech 2100 for Transhuman Space . And biotechnology is always just a lab accident away from GURPS Zombies: Day One , which spans every genre mentioned so far.



Pyramid supported all of the above, too. If you're into games with a fantastic edge, you'll want to check out #3/75: Hero's Jackpot , #3/76: Dungeon Fantasy IV , and #3/80: Fantasy Threats for killing and looting; #3/78: Unleash Your Soul and #3/82: Magical Creations in general; and #3/81: Horrific Creations if you enjoy a little darkness. Fans of the more futuristic will want #3/79: Space Atlas and #3/85: Cutting Edge . And of course some issues are useful no matter what you're doing, like #3/77: Combat , #3/83: Alternate GURPS IV , #3/84: Perspectives , and #3/86: Organizations .



Did you miss any of that? Well, you can buy digital products on Warehouse 23 even while we're on break! "I will be a completist" makes a fine New Year's resolution!



– Sean Punch



Warehouse 23 News: Space Thieves . . . In MY GURPS?!



An alien race of fun furry kleptomaniacs could be creating mayhem for your GURPS game . . . but only if you pick up GURPS Aliens: Sparrials ! Download it now and start learning about them instantly . . . only from Warehouse 23.

December 26, 2015: Highlights From The Munchkin Crusade

Our friends at Pegasus Spiele, publisher of the German version of Munchkin , run an annual series of tournaments called the Munchkin Crusade . After approximately 40 events held at stores and other venues across the country, their National Championship concluded on November 14th in Essen, Germany, the same city that hosts the Internationale Spieltage (SPIEL) convention every year.



This year, 28 players, all of whom had won at least one event during the Crusade, converged in Essen to battle it out for the title of Champion. Pegasus staff told me the competitors created a "sea of bookmark fragments." I've watched the Munchkin tournaments during SPIEL before, so I can believe it -- the German fans are some of the most hardcore Munchkin players I've ever seen. According to Pegasus, at least one participant made an emergency Warehouse 23 order with express international shipping just to be prepared with accessories and other munchkinly tricks. (Naturally, we approve.)



The final round of the tournament had a bit of a surprise in it as well. Sebastian and Sina Meuer, a married couple, both ended up making it to the end, and ended up taking first and second place! We offer them both our sincere congratulations.



It's always fun to get reports of Munchkin being played all over the world, and we thank our friends at Pegasus Spiele for all their help in making that happen.



(Pictured in the photo, from left to right: Christian Horn (5th place); Sebastian Meuer (1st place); Sina Meuer (2nd place) with their son Joshua; Markus Theunissen (3rd place); Maksim Karabasov (4th place))



– Rhea Friesen



Warehouse 23 News: Dogfight In Space!



Aim for the tailpipe of the spaceship in front of you . . . but keep an eye on your six! Engage in exciting space combat between smaller vessels, with GURPS Spaceships 3: Warships and Space Pirates . It's a download away, only from Warehouse 23!

December 25, 2015: Holiday Themed Games

Have you played Munchkin Christmas Lite yet? As a relative newcomer to Munchkin , I'm enjoying the simplicity and speed of play with this small version of the classic game. I'm picking up copies for the kids in my family who haven't yet played Munchkin yet as an introduction to the game. For the families with multiple kids, here are the other holiday-themed games I'm picking up this season to share:



• Twelve Days by Calliope . With gorgeous art by Echo Chernik and game design by James Ernest & Mike Selinker this game teaches some set collection over the course of 12 rounds of gifting and re-gifting.



• Spot it! Holidays by Blue Orange . Everyone loves Spot It! and there are tons of ways to play. A great choice for families with a wide range of ages since the 6 year olds are often faster than Grandma.



• Holiday Fluxx by Looney Labs . A simple version of the classic game featuring holidays from Halloween to New Years with beautiful painted artwork by Ali Douglass.



• Happy Holidays! by North Star Games . A light-hearted game of figuring out what bizarre gifts your family will choose as their favorite and least favorite on their turn as the gift recipient.



Any of these games are great choices for gamers and non-gamers alike. They'll work as stocking stuffers or as an activity at one of your holiday parties to help you avoid the dreaded antler ring toss - because it's not a good idea to start throwing things at your loved ones' heads during the holiday season.



– Amber Cook



Warehouse 23 News: Season's Greetings From Warehouse 23!



Happy holidays from all the Munchkins at Warehouse 23! We hope your days are filled with loot and loved ones.

December 24, 2015: People Are Talking About Deck The Dungeons #1

The holiday issue of the


No, really, they're saying it's funny, loot-tastic, and backstabby, just like Munchkin should be.



Here's a preview page from Comic Vine, with a sneak peak inside. And check out this review from BigComicPage.com.



– Alain H. Dawson



Warehouse 23 News: Create Your Own Apocalypse!



The Munchkin Apocalypse Blank Card Set is ideal for creating your own doomsday scenario! Each pack comes with 10 each of blank Door, Treasure, and Seal cards. Add your own flavor to the end of the world! Available exclusively from Warehouse 23.

December 23, 2015: Friday The 13th's Never Been So Lucky!

I had an amazing time this year on Friday the 13th as USAopoly and Steve Jackson Games released Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas ! Many stores around the United States celebrated the event by hosting a game night to teach players how to play the newest edition to the Munchkin family.



However here at Game Depot Arizona we turned it up a notch and made it into a " Munchkin Extravaganza"! Not only did we have two tables full of Nightmare Before Christmas munchkins battling it out but we also decided to celebrate Christmas a little early. By unveiling Munchkin Christmas Lite and leaving no table in the store empty! At this point you're probably thinking things couldn't get better but we also knocked out one of my long term munckinly goals for the year.



We were able to teach a whole new generation of little munchkins; as tiny gamers flocked into the store to battle Snotty Dragons and Nightmareish Trolls in Munchkin Treasure Hunt . The intensity and fun rivaled that of International Tabletop Day and I'm happy to say I turned Friday the 13th into a very lucky day for many players as we raffled off 2 Plush Tentacles and the winners walked away with a special prize pack!



After seeing the huge success of the night it makes me super excited to see the USAopoly and SJ Games union continue with Marvel Munchkin !!! I really can't wait for the next big event!



For more fun with GloryHoundd visit www.gloryhoundd.com.







 - By Kat Rider, MIB 3339



Warehouse 23 News: Free Hugs!



But what's that smell? Oh NO!



Are you a lonely zombie wanting to express yourself? Grab the Munchkin Zombies Guest Artist T-Shirt to show the world your tender, gooey side . . . before you eat theirs. The shirt also has a special rule for Munchkin games! Available exclusively from Warehouse 23.

December 22, 2015: Get Into The Holiday Spirit With The Munchkin Comic Deck The Dungeons #1!

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? Do you have Munchkin fans on your list? (It's only fair to include yourself.) If so, we have the perfect stocking stuffer for you! Boom! Studios has come out with a special Christmas issue of the


The comic is 32 full-color pages of Munchkin fun. It comes with an exclusive holiday-themed Munchkin card, and can be easily rolled up to slip into a stocking or fight off aggressive carolers.



If you want proof of how cool this issue is before you spend your hard-earned cash, check out this review from BigComicPage.com.



And remember: Always listen to the talking door knocker.



– Alain H. Dawson



 



Warehouse 23 News: Welcome To The Lands Of The Nile.



No longer do the old gods of Egypt rule the lands of the Nile; Christians and Muslims hold sway now. Ars Magica: Lands of the Nile has everything you need to explore the vast deserts of Egypt and the lush valley of the river. Travel to Cairo and visit the ancient tombs, or tour the Christian country of Nubia. Available from Warehouse 23.

December 21, 2015: John Kovalic Introduces Munchkin Zombies, Illustrated By Greg Hyland

Watching the varied, talented, terrific creators complete their Munchkin Guest Artist stints in anticipation for 2016's 15th anniversary of Munchkin has been, well, humbling, to say the least . . . by which I mean, "DANG, why can't I draws that gud?"



COMPLAIIIIIIIN!



I'm keeping my eye on my pal Greg Hyland in particular. Twelve or so years ago, when Munchkin Fu was first being discussed, I was far too busy to work on it (there was at least one other major Munchkin deadline looming, and – I believe – a Chez Geek one, as well). So I suggested Greg take over FU.



BRAIIIIIIINS!



This was selfish, on my part, because I had adored Greg's work for some time, and wanted to see more of it!



ENTERTAIIIIIIIIN!



Greg draws the classic superhero parody comic, Lethargic Lad , and as far as I'm concerned, it's near-perfect. We've been pals since I got him to contribute some backups to the Dork Tower comic book, and he even joined me on one of my favorite covers ever. (Ed. note: That would be Dork Tower #16.)



LEGERDEMAIIIIIIIIIIIIN!



For the Munchkin Guest Artist series, Greg was tabbed to take on Munchkin Zombies . And I couldn't be more thrilled with the results.



FREE REIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGN!



Munchkin Zombies is a game near and dear to my (undead) heart. In its early stages. I took a big ol' chunk of time (rare, with most Munchkin deadlines) to tackle proper character design for the the zombies' look. Read all about it in next February's Munchkin Book .



ARCAAAAAAAAAAANE!



So I was chuffed that Greg was offered one of my favorite Munchkin games to re-imagine. And boy, has he hit it out of the park (Gravedigger's Shovel, +5). The unique look I created for the Munchkin Zombies got turned on its (often dismembered) head by Greg, who, frankly, goes places I would never go. Apparently he has the guts for it. Lots and lots of guts…as well as the odd arms, legs, and, of course, braiiiiiiiiins. The viscera is visceral.



BLOODSTAIIIIIIIIIINS!



Greg's Babysitter looks far more frightened, as she probably should, than mine ever did. But his Girl Sprout could take you quicker than you could say "Thin Mints." It's an honor, and just a touch scary, having talented artists take on the cards you are known for. But I'm too busy laughing my butt off (HEY! That should be a card) at Greg's magnificent takes.



Time for some CHAMPAIIIIIIIIGN . . .



– John Kovalic



Warehouse 23 News: Use The Power Of SCIENCE!



Munchkin Steampunk: SCIENCE! Dice lets you add the power of random number generation to your Steampunk world. Comes with six dice and four new cards for Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe . Check your Friendly Local Game Store for this and other Munchkin gear!