Steve Jackson's Blog, page 370

October 11, 2015: MIB Report: Halloween Comes Early With Munchkin The Nightmare Before Christmas

As soon as I saw the box, the magical score by Danny Elfman began to play in my head. I was humming "This is Halloween" as I opened each stack of cards. I am a The Nightmare Before Christmas fan. What USAopoly and Steve Jackson Games have created is a game that will excite Munchkin fans and The Nightmare Before Christmas fans alike. The game play is classic Munchkin backstabbing and race to level 10 but with singing, demons, and Sandy Claws thrown in for good measure!



If you are already a fan, too, you have several holiday-themed boosters around your house, Munchkin Naughty & Nice , Munchkin Tricky Treats , Munchkin Holidazed , and the rest! I mixed those in with Munchkin The Nightmare Before Christmas and it was so much fun! The best part of this game was laughing at the winks thrown to fans of the film. All my favorite characters are there and each one has abilities that match their personalities from the movie!



I highly recommend Munchkin The Nightmare Before Christmas !



– Chelsea Surfus, MIB



Warehouse 23 News: In The Wilderness? Get Dressed!



With the roll of some dice, the wilderness comes alive! Enchant your descriptions with tables of flavorful details with GM's Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing System Neutral Edition . Getting back to nature is just a download away at Warehouse 23!

October 12, 2015: MIB Report: Tips On Running A Game To Hook New Players

Are you the Reader of Instructions, the Grand Pooba of Games, the Minister of All Rule Infractions? If so, then you've probably done a few game demonstrations in your life. Perhaps it was for your friends or at a convention; either way, you know this time is critical for new players! Honestly, you might think I'm being dramatic right now, but at this point you can share your gaming bliss or roll a frustrating critical failure.



So to help out, I've devised 4 simple steps to ensure happier gamers at your table.



Step One: Interactive Setup Up



Most people set up the game for everyone and then go into explaining the rules. This is a huge mistake. Dump the game out on the table and let your players get involved with the setup. This allows them to become familiar with what the pieces and cards are called before the game even starts. Give them a stepping stone to the rules.



Step Two: Linear Rules



When explaining the rules, I follow these steps: game theme, what you need to start, choices you make on your turn, effects of those choices, and how to win. No matter what the game is, I explain the rules in the same way each time because when you start to jump around, or get too detailed, you lose people's attention. You can even leave out obscure rules until you're a few rounds in and everyone's got the general idea of how the game works.



Step Three: Go First



Your players have just been assaulted with vast amounts of knowledge and some might be embarrassed to make the wrong move or maybe they're still unsure about what they're doing. Either way, you can easily take the stress off of them by going first. Take the time to walk the players through each step you make, and why you're doing it.



Step Four: Use Universal Terms



This is huge. Everyone has a name for something but if you're using rocks or some other item for currency, just say so. Then the player realizes what they should be doing with those items and can focus on other aspects of the game. Also, make sure not to use gamer lingo. Don't say VP, just say victory points or points to win the game. Later, once everyone has figured out the game, you can go back to using the rightful names for the pieces.



I hope everyone finds this helpful and you convert more people to your beloved hobby. If you're interested in learning more on how to demo games, visit http://thegloryhoundd.wordpress.com.



– Kat Rider, MIB 3339



Warehouse 23 News: We Can't Come Up With Anything Cooler Than "War-Lock"



Normally, we sneak in a pun or two into our descriptions. But Fifth Edition Fantasy #4: War-Lock has it right in the title: "War-lock." How can you not download this adventure? The fact that it pits the heroes against the armies of an arcane warlord (the titular "War-lock") is icing on the cake. The adventure awaits from Warehouse 23!

October 9, 2015: This Is Halloween! Munchkin Nightmare Before Christmas Now In Stores!

It's what you've been waiting for this Christmas . . . er, Halloween. Why not both? Revisit your favorite characters in Munchkin Nightmare Before Christmas . Now it can be found at your local FLGS!

What is this?!?



You got your wish – it's Munchkin The Nightmare Before Christmas !



It's a ghoulish new twist on the classic game of Munchkin ! Arm yourself with a Vampire Teddy, Mayor's Badge, and Bat Hat, and charge into battle on Santa's Sleigh. Become a citizen of Halloween Town, Christmas Town, Thanksgiving Town, or Easter Town. Try to banish foes such as Oogie Boogie, Doctor Finkelstein, and Lock, Shock, & Barrel from Halloween Town once and for all.



You can play Munchkin The Nightmare Before Christmas on its own, or add it to other Munchkin games for more monster-mashing, treasure-grabbing action!



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: What Happens When Two Worlds Collide? Munchkin Panic!



Is Munchkin Panic cooperative or competitive? Yes! The cooperative gameplay of Castle Panic meets the competitive spirit of Munchkin , with the heroes fighting together to kill classic Munchkin monsters before the baddies destroy their castle . . . yet the good guys are working individually to get the most treasure and win the game! Munchkin Panic is fun, it's addictive, and it's waiting for you at Warehouse 23!

October 8, 2015: LEGO Dimensions: Exploring The Universe Brick By Brick

On Sunday, September 27th, LEGO entered the toys-to-life genre with the release of LEGO Dimensions on the Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox 1, PS3, and PS4.



For anyone unfamiliar with the genre (populated so far by Skylanders and Disney Infinity ), it is a mix of video game and physical toys. A peripheral device is typically plugged into your console and, using NFC technology, reads a chip inside the toys as they are placed on the device. The game works by loading whichever characters are on the peripheral device and displaying them as playable characters.



That was perhaps the most boring description of what turns out to be a very clever business model and a very engaging video game experience.



With LEGO Dimensions you have to purchase the base set at $99. It comes with the game, the peripheral device (in this instance called the Portal), three Characters (Batman, Gandalf, and WyldStyle from The LEGO Movie ), one vehicle (The Batmobile), and several hundred LEGO bricks.



You build the Minifigs and place them on their respective bases which are read by the portal and let you play with those characters in the game. Each character has its own special abilities and allow access to different parts of each level or open other worlds for you to explore.



Other than actually being able to use the LEGO figures and pieces in your own designs and creations, the second big difference between this game and its competitors is the interactivity with the portal. The device itself has three different sections, a central platform and two side areas. During the game, some villains or puzzles will cause these areas to light up and make you physically pick up the characters and move them to get them out of danger or to solve some of the environmental puzzles.



The main story takes approximately 10-12 hours to complete and lets you jump from world to world based on the various licenses that LEGO and TT Games have acquired. One minute you're fighting the Wicked Witch in Oz and the next you're the Doctor holding off the Dalek and Cyberman forces, all while trying to stop the main villain of the game, the Gary Oldman-voiced Lord Vortech.



Even after you've beaten the main game, there are tons of collectibles to run around and find, worlds to help rebuild after all the destruction, and secrets hidden in every corner.



That's all just the main game. Then there are more packs of LEGO figures you can buy that add new characters, new abilities, new vehicles, and all new levels to explore. The only downside to all of this is that if you want to experience every area and unlock every nook and cranny of the game, you will need to buy more packs. As far as I can tell, you don't need all of the packs, which, along with the starter, would cost north of $600, but you're still looking at right around $300.



And that's just in this first wave of content.



Considering the fact that I'm the one who bought a $300 LEGO Helicarrier that sits on my desk collecting dust and looking oh-so-pretty, I feel like I'm getting more than my money's worth with LEGO Dimensions.



– Devin Lewis



Warehouse 23 News: A Glittery Mystery!



When a group of soldiers disappear while supporting their fey allies in an ancient forest, it's up to the heroes to sort out what happened. Magic and murky meadows collide in  Fifth Edition Fantasy #2: The Fey Sisters' Fate – an adventure that's a download away from Warehouse 23!

October 7, 2015: Announcing Guest Artist Editions Of Munchkin Cthulhu And Super Munchkin!

Remember when we started talking about the Munchkin Guest Artist Editions ? We've already told you about Ian McGinty's Munchkin Guest Artist Edition, Len Peralta's Star Munchkin Guest Artist Edition, and John Kovalic's Munchkin Fu Guest Artist Edition . . . now it's time to tell you about two more!




If you want a little cute with your Cthulhu, you'll love Katie Cook's Munchkin Cthulhu Guest Artist Edition ! Out in June 2016! Fhtagn! You might remember Katie from her illustrations in the Munchkin Love Shark Baby booster and the upcoming Munchkin Kittens .



And then in August 2016, Art Baltazar, of Tiny Titans fame, will bring you a brand new Super Munchkin Guest Artist Edition !



Stay tuned! There are lots more of these to tell you about.



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Ready For The Munchkin Deluxe Experience



Time to upgrade your Munchkin game? Munchkin Deluxe is the same hectic Munchkin action you love, but also includes 12 pawns with plastic stands and a 20"x10" mounted gameboard, so you can track your levels while you stab your friends in the back! Now available on Warehouse 23.

October 6, 2015: Talking About The Daily Illuminator

We've set up a new subforum for discussion of the Daily Illuminator . Each post gets its own thread. You can also click on the "Discuss This Post on the Forums" link right under this post (if you're not reading this on our website, sorry). We're always interested in hearing from our customers and fans!



Warehouse 23 News: Spyke Is Here . . . Vinyl-ly!



For the record, we think you'll love the Munchkin Vinyl Figure from Funko. Let Munchkin mascot Spyke (and the included exclusive Munchkin card) be part of your gaming round table, so it's all for fun and fun for all! He's available in original Color, Glow-in-the-Dark, and Dopple varieties . . . and he's waiting at Warehouse 23!

October 5, 2015: MIB Report: What Makes A Great FLGS?

Friendly Local Game Stores, otherwise known as FLGS, are an amazing part of the gamer community! My FLGS is where I added my very first game to my collection, and It's also been a big part of my adult life as it has become a place for me to meet people with a like mind. Honestly, now that I have all these games I really need more people to play with.



So upon my quest for the perfect, unicorn-like game store I began to notice something quite odd. I would walk into some of the most upscale FLGS only to be accompanied by the sound of crickets. I sat down to watch the staff restocking the shelves and quickly realized what was missing.



The Community of Gamers.



The Community of Gamers isn't something that just appears overnight. Much like a new-born game it needs to be fostered and cared for. It needs to be mercilessly advertised and dropped into the hands of everyone that enters that door! "Come play games at our store!" might get old but as I think back to my favorite game stores, those are the ones I loved playing at the most. There I always feel "in the know" as they tell me about upcoming events and games released next month.



It's what makes my FLGS not just good but amazing, and I hope to see more stores filling up in the future with the uprising of the Board Game Revolution.



Find out what else I think makes a FLGS great at https://thegloryhoundd.wordpress.com/



– Kat Rider, MIB 3339



Want to find your own local FLGS? Go to our Storefinder!



Warehouse 23 News: Get All Decked Out For Autoduelling Excitement



Fast-paced autoduelling excitement? It's in the cards! With Car Wars: The Card Game , you'll unleash machine-gun barrages, flamethrower ferocity, and missile mayhem on your opponents . . . before they do the same to you! Don't let your fun get lost in the shuffle; drive on over (virtually) to Warehouse 23 today.

October 4, 2015: More Zombies For Your Buck? It's A No-Brainer!

October is here . . . and with it comes a chill in the air! Get in the Halloween spirit by checking out the ultimate gaming guide for the restless dead: GURPS Zombies . But the spooky season is a time of surprises, so here's one for you: Pick up GURPS Zombies in October from Warehouse 23 and – with coupon code GURPSZOMBIES2015 – get a free PDF copy of GURPS Zombies: Day One !



Day One puts the pieces of Zombies together to present eight campaign frameworks for fighting (or fleeing) hordes of walking corpses. Battle against zombies in a fantasy apocalypse, protect humanity from the truth by being one of the "Men in Black" of Zeta Force, gain superpowers that will ultimately turn you into a zombie, or partake in one of the five other settings.



With a free copy of Day One for the worlds and GURPS Zombies (in hardcover or PDF) for the rules, Warehouse 23 has everything you need to build a campaign that will test and terrify your players. But hurry; this scary deal is only available in October, so use the coupon code above today!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: When Zombies Attack, Humanity's Odds Get Dicy . . .



Unleash your inner shambling dead with Zombie Dice , the fast-paced game where you push your luck to eat as many brains as you can before you get shotgunned by vengeful victims. With a set of Zombie Dice and 10-20 minutes, you can unleash your own private apocalypse. Undead antics are awaiting your order, with Warehouse 23!

October 3, 2015: MIB Report: Gen Can't 2015

It seems like everyone had an amazing time at Gen Con 2015 this year, but as you know, not everyone could attend. I was one of these lonely gamers salivating over their twitter feed when I came upon a great community of people going to Gen Can't. Apparently Gen Can't is a celebrated community of gamers who poke fun at their lonely gaming weekend away from Gen Con. They post pictures of solo campaigns and hilarious game spoofs. However, you don't have to post pictures to join the community; they run games and drawings from their site.



So you have a chance to win some awesome loot that would normally only be available at Gen Con! To say the least, I was sad I didn't get to attend Gen Con, but I was super happy to make a few friends and to find a vibrant community of gamers.



Find out what my favorite Gen Can't games were at http://gloryhoundd.com/.



– M.K. Rider, MIB 3339



Warehouse 23 News: A New Era Of Munchkin Greatness!



Unleash the power of gear-grinding SCIENCE! (all caps, with at least one exclamation point) with Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe . The greatest era that never was comes to life, with art by Phil Foglio and all-new gaming goodness from designer Steve Jackson. This exciting set comes with 168 cards, a gameboard, and 12 pawns with stands; all that's missing is you! (And we hope you find you soon . . .) Get it today from Warehouse 23!

October 2, 2015: We're Off To SPIEL!

We're excited to attend the International Spieltage convention, aka SPIEL, in Essen, Germany this year! I'll be heading there with our Director of Sales, Ross Jepson, to check out what's going on in adventure game publishing on a literally global scale.



One of the reasons why we love SPIEL so much is because it gives us an opportunity to talk to all of our excellent translation partners, update them about new releases, make plans for the upcoming year, and brainstorm new and better ways of working together. Our relationships with companies like Pegasus Spiele, Edge Entertainment, Raven Distribution, Hobby World, and Black Monk allow us to reach markets across the world and make our games into international bestsellers. We're grateful for them, and it's always nice to get the chance to tell them so in person.



We have some incredible things to show them this year, too. We're extremely happy with how our Munchkin Guest Artist Editions are coming along, and we plan to make them available for translation as soon as we can. Along with new games like Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe , new boosters like Munchkin Undead , and the return of revered favorites like Car Wars: The Card Game , we hope to provide our partners a lot of great games for our fans across the pond.



If you happen to be at SPIEL this year, and you see us there, feel free to say hello! Or hola! Or bonjour! Or . . . you get the idea.



--Leonard Balsera



Warehouse 23 News: See What You've Been Mything!



We've got the magical majesty of the amazing Ars Magica game. We've got Ars Magica: Mythic Locations , chock full of amazing locales and situations for your legendary heroes. Really, all that's mything is you! Pick up Mythic Locations in hardcover or PDF, from Warehouse 23!