Steve Jackson's Blog, page 372

September 21, 2015: Sneak Peek At Munchkin Fu!

The Munchkin Guest Artist Editions have been giving us a fresh take on our Munchkin sets. After 12 years of requests from patient fans, we finally get to show off John Kovalic's version of Munchkin Fu in his Munchkin Fu Guest Artist Edition !




As a sneak peek, we're showing you John's initial sketches for Clown Fu and the Repeating Crossbow Crossbow Crossbow. Munchkin Fu has always been a very silly set and John is bringing it in spades. We're all very excited to see more of his work on this set, and none of us (especially John) can wait to get it out to all of you!



– Devin Lewis



Warehouse 23 News: What's New With GURPS? Just Axe Us!



Everything you wanted to know about being a GURPS Dungeon Fantasy barbarian but were afraid to ask is here, in  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Barbarians . New rules, options, templates, tools, power-ups, and more for wilderness wildmen are a download away, only from Warehouse 23!

September 20, 2015: Our Biggest Bash Ever For GURPS Dungeon Fantasy?

Sometimes you need to leave civilization behind and just bash monsters with an axe. For years, the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy line has helped you do just that. However, maybe you're looking for more options, more possibilities, more of everything. If your profession of choice is the barbarian, we've got you covered with more bashing possibilities than ever, thanks to GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Barbarians .



This supplement – penned by GURPS Martial Arts co-author Peter V. Dell'Orto – is your one-stop shop for those who chop. It includes variant templates, more lenses, lots of power-ups, new gear, and more. Whether you want to become a savage warrior, hone your skills as a sea raider, wield the power of Epic Smash, or don terrifying war paint, Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Barbarians will take your wilderness warriors to new and interesting realms . . . No matter what, you'll be ready for any big bash!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Ogre Shot Glasses, Almost Gone!



We have almost completely sold out of Ogre shot glasses on Warehouse 23 (down to only 18). If you want one, now is the time! You've played the game, now own the shot glass. You can order your very own at Warehouse 23.

September 19, 2015: Beware The Duck Of Doom!

With the holidays coming up, who would not want a Duck of Doom peeking out of their stocking? Though you may find him whilst roving the  Munchkin  dungeons, you can bring him home for your own holiday doom ritua--gift. Yes, gift.



Duck of Doom  comes with two Munchkin cards and has a SEKRIT zipper pouch which holds your Munchkin dice and tiny treasures. I have one sitting on my desk right now and . . . wait, is he looking at me? Did he just move? 



Never was Doom so cuddly! 



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Play Munchkin Zombies, With The Walking Dead Expansion!



Based on the hit comic book series, this 56-card expansion to Munchkin Zombies lets you show your favorite Walking Dead characters who's really in charge. The undead rule!



Do battle with malevolent living foes like Rick, Michonne, and Negan. Whack them with a deadly Katana or the brutal Lucille . . . take their stuff and shamble toward victory! Level up to become the most badass undead of all. Show the living that the world belongs to The Walking Dead. Requires  Munchkin Zombie to play. Now available on Warehouse 23!

September 18, 2015: Q & A With Ian McGinty

Today, we have a brief interview with Ian McGinty, the illustrator for the  Munchkin Guest Artist Edition .



Q: Ian, thanks so much for taking a few minutes to chat with us. Can you tell us a little bit about how your illustration style has evolved over your career?



A: Absolutely! My style started as a fairly basic copy-and-paste job of old newspaper comics: Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, Garfield, that sort of thing. I read them all and traced characters, cutting them out and pasting them on paper to make new stories. I didn't really think much about comics again until around high school when I got very into Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and SQUEE! comics; these were comics that had heavy lines and extreme angles, black and white art, and combined cute characters with extreme gore and disgusting monsters and all that awesome stuff. Later, working on properties like Adventure Time, Bravest Warriors, and Steven Universe really refined my art, taking it into a direction away from heavy inking and more focused on enhancing the color and designing unique characters. So, to quote a friend, I have a "natural talent of combining disgustingly cute and disgustingly disgusting."



Q: Talk to us a little about re-illustrating a classic game like Munchkin .



A: Gotta say, one thing I'm very excited about is seeing my twists on the puns of Munchkin . The great thing about the monsters and weapons is the wordplay, and I was able to do my own take on them. Switching things up and messing with the already established cards was a blast, and I was able to contribute my OWN two cards, how cool is that?! [Editor's note: These will be available as promo cards early next year.] And that's what I'm really MOST excited about. I was able to make up a Curse card and a Monster card: Grin and Tonic will be affected by any player that has a drink on the table and the BEST, and this is amazing, is the Nexus Demon, a monster from my own comic and animated show, Welcome to Showside. The Nexus Demon has some amazing abilities I won't spoil for you now, but it was great to connect my own creator-owned material to Munchkin and SJ Games in general.



Q: You are the illustrator for the Munchkin comic books from BOOM! Studios. Did you find it easy to adapt your personal style to the world of Munchkin ?



A: I do actually, and more-so it's just plain fun! For the Munchkin comic books, I do go a lot more, hmm, "Looney Toons," I guess is the best way to describe it. I really stretch and manipulate the characters, go extreme on the facial expressions and play with the background elements a lot. Munchkin is inherently comedy, which is my favorite, and that gives me a lot of freedom to play, so to speak. I've never felt restricted doing the Munchkin comics, and that's extremely rare and extremely awesome. I do genuinely love the card game as well, which helps a lot, and I'm excited to be considered part of the mythos and family.



Thanks so much to Ian for his insightful answers. Keep checking back here for new information about the various  Munchkin Guest Artist Editions !



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Gloom: Unquiet Dead 2nd Edition - Now Even Gloomier!



In the Gloom card game, your eccentric family of misfits suffers the greatest tragedies possible before passing on to the well-deserved respite of death. Gloom: Unquiet Dead 2nd Edition includes 55 transparent cards that add morbid new Modifiers, Events, and Untimely Deaths to your copy of Gloom ! Now at Warehouse 23.

September 17, 2015: Smash Up A La Munchkin!

Tried My Hand At Taking R'lyeh With Half-sized Royalty And Owned It! How? Smash Up: Munchkin, Of Course!







I got my hands on a copy of Smash Up: Munchkin and I was blown away! Alderac Entertainment Group's (AEG) Smash Up has been a staple of my personal game library ever since my friend forgot his copy at my old job. I picked it up, played it, and have seen the game only go up with every new expansion. When I heard we were being blessed with a mash up of two of my favorite games I knew I was in for a treat and I was not let down!



To start off, I've never seen a crossover that embodies both games so perfectly. Keeping the simple, yet exquisite game mechanics that make Smash Up while adding monsters, treasures, and plenty of back stabbing to Munchkin-ify the game! Monsters get added to bases as they're played, making bases more difficult to score, but each monster is worth treasure to add to your hand. (Don't forget to share when someone else helps you take down a monster!)



My partner and I broke out the game for a couple rounds and couldn't put it down. She started off as Halfling Clerics and I chose Dwarven Thieves. Next thing I know, she has these itty-bitty minions all over the place while playing from her discard pile while my hand was filled to breaking point with my treasures, her treasures, and I had my pick of the treasure discards. On the turn I scored a base for that glorious fifteenth point, she snuck in a couple guys to grab first place and the winning point from me! Back stabbing indeed!



My favorite game that night was definitely mixing in different sets. Three of us got down in a setting mashup that would've dizzied even the most seasoned travelers! Going from Lovecraftian horror-parks to ancient tombs to exotic dojos to a treehouse and beyond. We had Halfling Princesses, Innsmouth Warriors, and, of course, Mage Wizards. The rumble was mind blowing with tiny princesses squaring off against crazed warriors and no one could possibly keep up with the magic user who was constantly emptying and rebuilding their hand of actions! We all reached 15 points on the same turn but, in the end, no one could stand up to the sheer will-power of my pretty, pretty princesses with their tiny minions!



All in all, Smash Up: Munchkin stands well on its own and it blends beautifully with other expansions. The monster mechanic is a little jarring when mixed with non- Munchkin bases as they're generally harder to score. However, once others start playing out the treasures they claimed, you remember why that extra power is worth sacrificing!



– Josh Surfus, SJ Games Store Support



Warehouse 23 News: You Don't Have Maps?! Get Lost!



You'll never get lost again in the world of Maelstrom Domesday , thanks to the Maelstrom Domesday Map Book . Use the maps, charts, and plans to bring your games to life, or just let your heroes (or your mind) wander. Download it today and always know where you are, with the help of Warehouse 23!

September 16, 2015: This New Pyramid Is Enchanting!

Magic is in the air with the latest Pyramid, as we look at new mystical wonders and innovations you can add to your GURPS game. Discover what rabbits we've pulled out of our hats with Pyramid #3/82: Magical Creations !



This issue provides two featured articles with cutting-edge support for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy : Assistant GURPS Line Editor Jason "PK" Levine's expanded rules for brewing potions, and Antoni Ten Monrós' guide to bringing the recent GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery into Dungeon Fantasy as the sorcerer template.



This issue also offers a slew of new magical items from David L. Pulver, rules for relics in GURPS Monster Hunters , a look at magical musical instruments, and more. (And we'd be remiss if we didn't point out the gorgeous cover from Brandon Moore . . .)



This Pyramid is a collection of magical creations that are sure to summon something new to your GURPS games. Download it into your virtual library individually, or subscribe to Pyramid today and get it plus more months of unbelievable info for GURPS !



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Get Your Just Deserts?



Sword-and-sorcery meets Persian mythology and desert adventure with Sorcerers of Ur-Turuk – a complete RPG that promises countless escapades amid the endless sands. Adventure is just a download away with Warehouse 23!

September 15, 2015: Announcements For January

Look what's coming in 2016! Our very first Munchkin Guest Artist Edition of 2016, with artwork by Ian McGinty. Also, Munchkin Hipsters will be available at hobby stores nationwide!

Munchkin Guest Artist Edition



Celebrate 15 years of Munchkin with special Guest Artist Editions!



Ian McGinty, known for his work on the Munchkin and Adventure Time comic books, starts us off with a bang! McGinty illustrates the classic Munchkin game, giving us a fresh look at the Gazebo, Net Troll, Shrieking Geek, and the other 165 cards in the box.



This Guest Artist Edition includes completely re-illustrated game cards, a gameboard featuring Ian McGinty's Munchkin art, and male and female standies for each player.






Munchkin Hipsters



We were munchkins before it was cool.



Hipsters adds 30 new cards that will let you defy The Man while wearing your Knit Cap and sipping on your Nonfat Soy No-Whip Skinny Half-Caf Fair Trade Ventitré Mocha Latte. Even though it's so last year, you can fight the Indie Band using your Artisanal Chunky Black Glasses and go up a level when you Reject the Conventional.



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Live Like It's 1086!



The classic game Maelstrom is back – revised, rewritten, and better than ever! Maelstrom Domesday puts your heroes in the roles of supernatural investigators in Anglo-Norman England. Stop the world's descent into anarchy . . . or die trying! Download it today from Warehouse 23.

September 13, 2015: Unleash A New Magic System For GURPS!

In some campaigns, magic isn't a matter of skill so much as an innate ability you can access quickly, safely, and reliably. That magic is known as sorcery, and now – with GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery – you can summon its potential to your GURPS games.



This supplement reveals a system where magic is treated as a power, with individual spells represented as modified advantages. This allows for a balanced, logical framework that's easy to tweak. In addition to the core system, Sorcery includes over 50 sample spells, plus guidelines for improvising minor effects on the fly, rules for enchanting objects, and advice for players and GMs alike.



With GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery , it's never been easier to unleash the power of magic! Download it today from Warehouse 23, and conjure new excitement to your GURPS gaming table.



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: The Overlord Awaits!



Your Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG heroes must explore strange ruins, ancient missile silos, and unusual transports if they're to save the world . . . or destroy it! Strange experiences await with Dungeon Crawl Classics #87: Against the Atomic Overlord , a download away at Warehouse 23.

September 14, 2015: Star Munchkin Guest Artist Edition Preview - Len Peralta

The run-up to Munchkin 's 15th anniversary continues with another sneak peek at our Guest Artist Editions ; today, we're showing you a "before and after" preview of Len Peralta's Star Munchkin Guest Artist Edition !



With the original John Kovalic version of one of the nastiest monsters in the set, the Space Probe, it's a perfectly reasonable drawing and no one has any illusions about what will be happening next. Len's version somehow made it more and less ambiguous at the same time. I thought the tentacle was the most squicky part of the entire picture until I looked closely at the tip of the probe. Ick ick ick! Well done, Len.



This is only one of 168 cards in the Star Munchkin Guest Artist Edition , all of which have entirely new art by Len Peralta. This game will be hitting stores in March of 2016. Keep watching the Daily Illuminator for more news about the Guest Artist Editions . . . there's still a lot left to announce!



– Andrew Hackard



Warehouse 23 News: Leave No Pockets Unturned



Never again worry when the heroes search a fallen villain! Conjure interesting trinkets, jewelry, and adornments with just the roll of the dice, thanks to I Loot the Body . This treasure is a download away at Warehouse 23!

September 12, 2015: The Walking Dead: An Appreciation

I was not an early fan of Robert Kirkman's comic opus The Walking Dead . In fact, I came to it several years into its run, after hearing that AMC was working to turn it into a TV series. (You may have heard about it.) Being a "dive in the deep end" guy, I picked up the first 48-issue collection and a couple of the subsequent hardcover collections. After a couple of false starts, I plowed through the first compendium in a marathon reading session one weekend and I was hooked.



From the buzz surrounding the book, I thought I knew what I was getting when I read it. I couldn't have been more wrong.



First of all, this is an amazingly gory comic. Going with black-and-white line art lets Kirkman and his talented artists (Tony Moore for the first several issues, Charlie Adlard for the bulk of the run) get away with a FAR more graphic story than they could if they had to color every decaying walker and bloody injury. It also gives the comic a more timeless feel, like a classic movie.



Most important, however, is that this is a story about people, not zombies. The worst violence committed in the story is by living people against each other; humans can be creatively savage in a way that zombies can't hope to match. The moral dilemmas faced by our heroes over the course of the story are compelling and far more subtle than they might first appear. What's more, it is frequently unclear whether our heroes are making the right choices, morally or tactically . . . and in this world, actions have permanent and critical consequences. The Walking Dead doesn't shy away from the implications of a world in which zombies are not just a mortal threat, but a potential lethal weapon to use on your enemies.



All of these are why I was thrilled when our partners at USAopoly said they wanted to create an expansion for Munchkin Zombies based on The Walking Dead comic book. This worked especially well since the conceit of Munchkin Zombies is that the players are the zombies . . . so every human character was a potential "monster" for this expansion. And with the permission of our partners at Skybound to take art directly from the comic, this set has much of the same feel. You'll need Munchkin Zombies to use Munchkin Zombies: The Walking Dead , but I think it's worth it. I hope you do, too!



– Andrew Hackard



Warehouse 23 News: Wendigo-ing Gets Tough . . .



Kenneth Hite reveals the secrets of an enigmatic creature within the pages of Hideous Creatures: Wendigo – and they're chilling. Download this meaty morsel individually from Warehouse 23, or get it as part of the Ken Writes About Stuff #3 collection!