Steve Jackson's Blog, page 367

November 10, 2015: Munchkin Oz Dice Giveaway!

When you play Munchkin Oz , do you wish there was even more Oz in it? Sure, you've already got the Emerald City and the Yellow Brick Road and some poor witch done in by a house. But who could blame you for wanting more?



Warehouse 23 sure doesn't! And over the next month, they are giving away a special Munchkin Oz d6, with the ever-present Spyke on one face of a rich, (dare we say "emerald-like"?) green die. And this die is included with any physical purchase of $10 or more from Warehouse 23, between now and December 14, 2015.



So keep an eye out for flying monkeys, and score your Munchkin Oz d6 today!



– Scott Haring



Warehouse 23 News: A Kill-O-Meter . . . Powered By SCIENCE!



Don't you hate losing count in your Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe game? Now there's a perfectly scientific solution – the Munchkin Steampunk Kill-O-Meter ! With munchkins on one side and foes on the either, it's a most excellent tool to save those numbers without constantly having to recount. It comes with two special Munchkin Steampunk bonus cards, too! Now at Warehouse 23.

November 9, 2015: Katie Cook Draws Munchkin Cthulhu

Katie Cook is a relatively new addition to the Munchkin illustration family, but she made a big impression with Munchkin Love Shark Baby , and we knew there had to be more. There will be! You already know that Katie's Munchkin Kittens will appear this month. We haven't announced Munchkin Puppies , so you don't know about that one. Whoops! Darn leaks!



Working with Katie has been a joy, and Andrew and I even got to talk to her a bit at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto – in between the hordes of frothing fans, of course. So now she gets a BIG project, and we're gleeful about what she's done with it so far. Katie is illustrating the Munchkin Cthulhu Guest Artist Edition coming in 2016. For this set, she's using a slightly more realistic (yet still mercilessly adorable) style. We love it.




For example: Here's the original John Kovalic art for Curse! Backpack Eaten! Amazing, yes?



And here's Katie's squee-worthy rendition. Also amazing, yes? And very much its own thing. Go ahead, try not to squee. And that's just the tip of the tentacle!




The Munchkin Cthulhu Guest Artist Edition has 168 reillustrated cards, drawn by Katie. At the risk of inflicting Things No One Was Meant To Know, we'll soon be showcasing more of Katie's visions of the squamous horrors of Munchkin Cthulhu . Outside the world of Munchkin , Katie is the author of the IDW comic for "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and the creator of Gronk: A Monster's Story. Visit her site at www.katiecandraw.com.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Make Friends In The Future, With GURPS!



It's never been easier to make friends in the lab! With Transhuman Space: Bio-Tech 2100 , you get information and GURPS stats about all things biotechnological in the world of Transhuman Space . Download it today, only from Warehouse 23.

November 8, 2015: You Can Tell Games Are Doing Well Because . . .

. . . as part of the Gamehole Con activities, I had the chance to visit the new ACD warehouse here in Madison. And by new, I mean new within the past year and a half, because they outgrew their old one (which was already pretty big). The new one is a big, brilliantly lighted facility, FULL of shelves which are FULL of games. And busy with order fulfillment, even in the evening.



When you see a distributor expanding their facilities like that – and they're by no means the only one, just the only one I visited this week – you know the hobby they're serving is in good shape.



– Steve Jackson



Warehouse 23 News: Ken Hite Is More MAJESTIC Than Ever



Kenneth Hite's 1950s alien-invasion setting from Moon Dust Men continues with MAJESTIC Overwatch , the latest installment of Ken Writes About Stuff #3 . Download it individually, or get it (and more exclusive awesomeness) with a subscription – all from Warehouse 23!

November 7, 2015: Introducing Amber Cook, New U.S. Sales Manager!

I am the new U.S. Sales Manager for Steve Jackson Games. I started working in tabletop gaming in 2008 and have lost more of my house to board game storage each year since. My experience in the industry includes operations, marketing, licensing, and branding. I write about my personal adventures in gaming on my blog, The 100 Games Project. When I am not gaming, you can find me outside either hiking, biking, or sailing. I'm so excited to join the Steve Jackson Games team!



– Amber Cook



Warehouse 23 News: No One Needs Frenemies Like A Munchkin Player!



Munchkin Imaginary Frenemies is double trouble for your enemies. First, if you keep the blister pack unopened, you get +2 combat in your Munchkin game, which cannot be lost to curses, theft, or bad stuff. Once you open the package to get the cards, you get a bonus Treasure AND you get to sign the two Doors cards inside. Those are worth double for you! Get your Munchkin Imaginary Frenemies now, at Warehouse 23.

November 6, 2015: New Game Alert! We're Publishing I Hate Zombies

Do you hate disgusting zombies as much as I do? Well, you should!



I Hate Zombies is a fast-paced, frantic, and fun card game for 2 to 12 players in which two teams fight to control the world: the filthy, horrible zombies vs. the few surviving humans who are the only hope for humanity.



This 10-minute party game was designed by Kevin Wilson ( A Game of Thrones , Sid Meier's Civilization , Arkham Horror ), with big, easy-to-read cards that were beautifully disgustingly illustrated by Robb Mommaerts. I Hate Zombies shambled to life undeath as a Kickstarter project with almost 4,000 backers, and it is the very first microgame from BoardGameGeek!



Read our press release. Don't tell the zombies.



– Samuel Mitschke



 



Warehouse 23 News: It Takes A Village . . . Maybe Even 14 Of Them



A veritable vault of villages await within the pages of GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops III , a collection of 14 Village Backdrops that includes all-new material. Download this trove today from Warehouse 23!

November 5, 2015: Come Say Hi At Gamehole Con!

Gamehole Con is a show for all types of gaming. All types, do you hear me? They expect about a thousand people for 2015. Everyone who's been to this con assures me that it's a very special event, friendly and well organized. Plus, Madison is amazing. So I'm going!



One of the things about GHC: they invite a LOT of game makers. Madison is very close to Lake Geneva, where so much started, and a lot of the best Gygax-era names come to visit. I'm expecting to see Ed Greenwood, Tim Kask, Frank Mentzer, Ernie Gygax, Jim Ward, and the creator of some of my very favorite Old Skool games, Tom Wham! Not to mention young whippersnappers like Matt Forbeck, Jonathan Tweet, Jenn Brozek . . . oh, go read the site.



Also John Kovalic, to whatever extent he's recovered from his recent surgery. I expect he will still have all the gall he needs. But I digress! There will be Brandy Alexanders, have no doubt, and we may very well create a Munchkin set while we are hanging out there, just because we CAN. This will be a rare opportunity to get a double-signed Munchkin shirt in one fell swoop. That sounds like a Munchkin monster already. Level 13 Fell Swoop. Of course, "Fell Swoop" also sounds like a Star Wars character, doesn't it? Maybe that's my Jedi name now.



Okay, back to Gamehole Con.



A unique event will be the con-within-a-con sponsored by The Game Crafter. Aspiring game creators will be able to learn a lot of things about prototyping, and a whole lot of other breaking-into-the-business stuff that I wish I had known 30 years ago, or even 20 or 10. And quite possibly some things that I wish I knew now. We shall see . . .



– Steve Jackson



Warehouse 23 News: Hiss And Hearth Dragons?



A gold dragon saved this village from the tyranny of a red dragon's reign. So where has the gold dragon gone, and what are the secrets were left behind? The mysteries await in the pages of Village Backdrop: Denhearth ; download it today from Warehouse 23!

November 4, 2015: Plan a Spooktacular Friday the 13th (of November!) With Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas!

Our partners at USAopoly have made this holiday season especially festive with the release of Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas ! Tim Burton's classic holiday film makes a richly spooky Munchkin experience, and at last count, 17 retailers are already planning in-store events next month on Friday the 13th.



Please check the list of participating stores below. If there's one close to you, please join the fun The stores will be handing out Munchkin promo cards and bookmarks, and if you've never played Munchkin , this is a perfect chance to try it out!



Otherwise, you can always host your own Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas event on Friday the 13th. Grab a copy of the game today, invite all of your friends to your house, and set the mood with festive treats and holiday music. Please share photos of your event with us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook using the hashtag #MunchkinNBC. Remember: Winning is everything! 



Game Depot, Tempe, AZ 


The Guild House, Bellflower, CA 


Brookhurst Hobbies, Garden Grove, CA 


Adventurer's Quarter, Arvada, CO 


Gamer's Gambit, Danbury, CT 


Gatekeeper Hobbies, Topeka, KS 


COMICS 2 GAMES, Florence, KY 


Parker, Banner, Kent & Wayne Comics and Games, Cornelius, NC 


The Spot, Newton, NC 


Elite Battlegrounds, Green Brook Township, NJ 


Rainy Day Games, Aloha, OR 


Dragon's Lair Comics & Fantasy, Austin, TX 


Ettin Games & Hobbies, Humble, TX 


Heroes & Fantasies, San Antonio, TX 


Victory Comics, Falls Church, VA


Let's Play Cafe, Monroe, WA 


Scalliwag Toys, Belleville, Ontario, CANADA 
– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Tell Your Own Story!



Grab the newest edition of Once Upon a Time , and have fun making an amazing story with the cards you play. The first person to use all his Story cards and Ending card wins! Get your copy from Warehouse 23 today!

November 3, 2015: We're Back Home!

Welcome to the new space for Steve Jackson Games! After the flood that closed our doors, we took the opportunity to renovate and create some beautiful, open-plan office spaces for our team to work in. It's good to be back! 



Yesterday, on November 2nd, we had so much fun hosting our Retailer Open House. Retailers from all over Texas joined us to toast our new space and enjoy food and drinks in the new setting. If you're a brick and mortar retailer and want to be invited to future events and opportunities, be sure to register with our Store Finder. Check out the great pics of our snazzy new interiors!



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Something's Brewing Underground



Visit Wellswood for its amazing subterranean lake, stay for its warm hospitality, and poke around because of the noble's increasingly burdensome taxes and rumors of dwarven plots. All this awaits in Village Backdrop: Wellswood , just a download away from Warehouse 23!

November 2, 2015: Interview With Len Peralta - Guest Artist For Star Munchkin

I got an early peek at the Star Munchkin Guest Artist Edition featuring Len Peralta's illustrations and, Wow! It's come a long way since the first sketches we looked at. The different artistic styles of John Kovalic and Len Peralta make the set stand apart from earlier versions. I reviewed a previous interview and wanted a more in-depth look at where Len gets his style . . . and he was kind enough to oblige!



What is your favorite card from the set?



Augh! Are you trying to Sophie's Choice me here? I love them all. I did have a lot of fun drawing the different "grenades" though. They were variations on the same art, only they had different effects. Like vomiting, or flash blindness. I had a ton of fun drawing those. I also have to say my personal "Peralta" set exclusive cards are pretty sweet too. (You'll have to pick up the set in the Spring to see what they are! I'm very happy with them!)



Did you play Munchkin before working with Steve Jackson Games?



We have a bunch of Munchkin sets yes, but we don't get to play it as much as we'd like. I did know, however, that the moment I was introduced to the game at Dragon Con several years ago, that I had to make it a part of my life. And now with my work on Munchkin The Guild and Star Munchkin , it's REALLY a part of my life!



What have you worked on before with Steve Jackson Games? What was that like?



The only set I've had the fortune to work on before was Munchkin The Guild in 2012. It was a small set, but I had such a blast working on it, I had to do more. I really enjoyed drawing an entire Munchkin set though. And I've made more than a few overtures to Andrew and Phil to work on more. So hopefully, you'll see more from me in the future. When I work on full sets, I get in this "zone" and I'm completely immersed in it. Working on Star Munchkin was challenging, but it was a lot of fun. It went by too quick though, and I would love to experience more game creation! (This is a hint in case you didn't notice, lol.)



Tell us about your Geek a Week project. What inspired it? Have you learned or grown as an illustrator from it?



I'm a collector at heart and I spent a great deal of time collecting Star Wars Trading Cards and Wacky Packages growing up. So the idea of "collecting" the world's greatest geeks and making a collectible piece of memorabilia seemed like a great idea. I've learned so much as an illustrator working on that project. It shows on how drastically different the cards look from Season 1 to Season 5. I did a lot more digital painting in season 5 and really tried to push myself as much as I could. I'm hoping to do that again as I get ready to start working on Season 6 in the New Year.



What other projects are you working on?



I am looking forward to working on two comics. The first is for BOOM! Studios . I'm doing a special issue of the Munchkin comic that coincides with the release of Star Munchkin in the Spring. That will be really special because not only did I get to draw the comic, but I wrote the script for it as well, which is something I haven't done in quite a long time. Then after that, I am tackling all the duties on Issue 2 of a comic called We Are The Depaysement which is about a real Japanese rock band that is called to play the moon. It's as weird as it sounds. I'm also preparing my online store for the holidays. For the past 3 years, I've been offering a service where I draw customized holiday cards for your family. It's been fairly successful and I look to do more this year. After that, hopefully more games!



What do you see yourself doing next?



After this interview? I'm looking to celebrate my birthday on October 29. And then maybe catching my Cleveland Cavaliers as they make a run to the NBA Finals in 2016. No big deal.



– Rhea Friesen



Warehouse 23 News: Challenge Your GURPS Perspectives



Look at your GURPS games in a whole new way with Pyramid #3/84: Perspectives . Turn your heroes into GURPS Mass Combat units, discover the horrific secret of Father Cohen, look at campaigns that are ultra-long or short, and much more. Download it individually or subscribe today – only from Warehouse 23!

November 1, 2015: Why Aren't You Addicted To Google's Newspaper Archives?

As a fan of the toy and game industry, one of my favorite pastimes is digging into the history of toys and games. Over the years, I have read dozens of books and hundreds of articles about the business. Over the last year or so, I've found the Google News Archive Service to be the best online resource for exploring the past. There are so many archived newspapers waiting to entertain and educate me that I'll never get through them all!



To unwind, I've been collecting and sharing some of my discoveries at my toy site, BattleGrip. For anyone interested in a sample of what you can find in the archives, I present five recent random finds:



A 1982 Review of the Dark Tower Boardgame


More on Strawberry Shortcake from the Early Eighties


SBA Comments on "Careers for Girls" in 1990


"Big Rush on Critical Assignment Arms"


Twister and the Tonight Show?
These barely scratch the treasures hiding in those Google newspaper archives, so I suggest taking a little free time to visit the webpage and run a search or two. Trust me, the past is highly entertaining and loaded with surprises.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Peak Your Interest?



The Shudder Mountains are so challenging for heroes, you might say they're the summit of scariness! Get three short encounters set in this terrain with Dungeon Crawl Classics #83.1: Tales of the Shudder Mountains . Download it today from Warehouse 23!