Steve Jackson's Blog, page 379

July 16, 2015: Announcements For November

We've got some cool new boosters and other small things coming in November!

Munchkin Christmas Lite



Kick down the door! Defeat the monster! Take the treasure! Munchkin has been a gaming phenomenon for fifteen years, and now we're giving you a great introduction to the game. Munchkin Christmas Lite is a standalone game, and can also be used as an expansion for existing Munchkin games!


Munchkin Kittens



The ancient Egyptians worshipped cats.



Which clearly explains what happened to them. Cats may be cute, but they've got teeth, claws and siege weaponry? Munchkin Kittens has 30 new cards that some of you may be allergic to. Don't be fooled . . . they're adorable, but deadly!



This is an expansion for Munchkin. It is not a stand-alone game. This is NOT a collectible or randomized set. Every Kittens pack is the same as every other.


Star Munchkin Cosmic Demo



Star Munchkin Cosmic Demo is a double-duty booster set! This pack contains 17 cards, balanced to let you use them as a quick rigged demo to get your friends into the space madness that is Star Munchkin !



This is an expansion for Star Munchkin. It is not a stand-alone game. This is NOT a collectible or randomized set. Every Star Munchkin Cosmic Demo pack is the same as every other.




– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Fear The Clown Wars!



This expansion to Star Munchkin , Star Munchkin 2 – The Clown Wars adds a whole new dimension to your Munchkin experience. This epic 112 card expansion adds cards like Ralph, the Wonder Dog and a new card type: Rooms. Now with the Bug race and Space Ranger class! Get yours now at Warehouse 23.

July 13, 2015: MIB Report: Cars Wars Crashing Into My Life

This is a story about how I got into a game. And I mean INTO it.



So, my first time playing Car Wars was 5th Edition. I liked the concept, but knew that previous editions had more robust customization. Plus it was hard getting people to get into the game. I hadn't played it since, but then I put money into the Kickstarter for Car Wars Arenas , getting the package that has Classic , Arenas , and the card game.



And then Steve Jackson Games did something I didn't expect. Car Wars was on sale all last month. A while into the Kickstarter campaign, they announced all proceeds from sales of their Car Wars merchandise and digital supplements throughout last month contributed towards Kickstarter stretch goals. "Well . . . Crap." I thought to myself . Something I just had a passing interest in, I suddenly found myself buying everything I could afford for it. The floodgates opened with that one little offer.



I wound up buying GURPS Autoduel , Car Wars Deluxe , Convoy , Mean Streets , the Wheelie expansion, ALL of the City Blocks , and a few others. I was hooked. I ate up all the background information the adventure supplements gave, plus the information from Autoduel . Being an Ohioan myself, I loved the story behind Midville and Crash City. Suddenly, I'm trying to think of how to fit the setting into my existing campaign, which grew from Supers to Infinite Worlds recently.



I can't wait for 6th Edition to come out, just because I want to see what happens next in the timeline! It's 2065 in my home campaign now. How has Autoduelling evolved since 2051? THIS is how you spark interest for a game, and I wish there were more deals out like it! I hope other companies take note, because I think I ended up doubling my contribution to the Kickstarter campaign again in supplements!



– Justin Yoder



Warehouse 23 News: Love Adventure Time? Adventure In The Land Of Ooo!



Your Adventure Time quest is now a dungeon crawl complete with new monsters, treasures, curses, and special portals. 



Munchkin Adventure Time 2 – It's a Dungeon Crawl! adds 90 cards and 12 special oversized Dungeon cards, perfect for  Munchkin and Adventure Time fans alike! Now available on Warehouse 23.

July 12, 2015: Dragons, Goblins, Brainworms, And A Baron!

In a world of magic and heroes, there will always be a hunger for new dangers. In praise of those protagonists and the problems over which they prevail, we proudly present a panoply of perils within the PDF pages of Pyramid #3/80: Fantasy Threats !



Thrill at David L. Pulver's dark take on Arthurian tropes, with the sinister Baron Vordag, a magic weapon that gives the Baron dominion over his domain and his knights of the Iron Table, and a secret that endangers his reign. The heroes can take on these foes personally (thanks to the GURPS stats), or engage him on the field of battle with GURPS Mass Combat details.



Or perhaps your heroes are more diplomatic? If so, they may be able to resolve the conflict of two warring goblin tribes occupying the same stretch of tunnels. (The dungeoneers' martial prowess can still be challenged by the fearsome goblin-devouring One Who Eats.) Or are the heroes mighty enough to face a gryndel, a species of deadly infectious monster of which the mythical "dragon" is an earlier part of its life cycle?



Sometimes the dangers are more social, like when PCs find themselves on the bounty board, where they might be hunted by other adventurers. Once free of that predicament, perhaps those dungeon-crawling daredevils can now take on a slew of new psionic threats (plus new monster prefixes) that follow in the tradition of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 1 and GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 14: Psi . And that's not all that's contained within this issue!



With Pyramid #3/80: Fantasy Threats, the greatest danger is missing out on this awesome issue! Pick it up individually, or subscribe to Pyramid today and get this issue plus the latest and greatest goodies for your GURPS game for months to follow!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Naval Wargaming Rules!



Yes, naval wargaming rules when you've got the right rules! With Grand Fleets: Third Edition Rulebook , you've got the rules you need for battleship battles, from the ironclads of the late 1800s to the giant vessels of World War II. Download a copy and set to sea today, with Warehouse 23!

July 11, 2015: A Litany Of Superheroes

Let me tell you about my latest video game obsession: DC Universe Online .



I downloaded it on a whim (it's free-to-play) and it languished in my Steam account for about a month before I got around to trying it. I booted it up and watched the intro video (which is quite good, and sets the tone nicely, giving a somewhat plausible reason why there are thousands of supers running around Metropolis and Gotham all of the sudden). Then it dumped me into the character creation system and, within five minutes, I was grinning like a fool, my eyes wide, as I tinkered and tweaked my first superhero.



When I got to Gotham, I started playing around in the actual game and my grin got wider. I could fly. I could shoot magical blasts from my hands and twirl a staff around skillfully. Most importantly (to me, at least), I could continue to tweak and tinker with my character's look, and make him look exactly how I wanted regardless of what gear he had equipped. I was hooked.



Since then, I've subscribed to the game. I've made thirteen (!) characters, including a magical gunslinger with a face full of stars, a Winter Soldier knock-off who works for Batman, an angel of death, and a villain named Dracula Man. Yes, he can do whatever a dracula can.



I can't remember the last time I had so much fun in an MMO. It's scratching an itch I wasn't even aware I had, and I'm happy to give this (free) game money to keep making me happy.



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Castellan Chosen As Mensa Recommended



Castellan  was recently honored as a Mensa Recommended game, a distinction only given to 15 games out of 60 applicants. In  Castellan, two players work together to build a castle. Wall and tower pieces link to form courtyards. When you finish a courtyard, you'll claim it with a Keep. Get your copy of this classic strategy game at Warehouse 23 today!

July 10, 2015: Smash Up Munchkin Preview At AEG Website

Last year we announced that Alderac Entertainment Group was working on a Munchkin version of their Smash Up "shufflebuilding" game, and over the last year Steve, Andrew, and John have been working closely with the AEG staff to assemble the finished game. 



Good news, everyone! The Smash Up Munchkin game is at print and if things go right (knock on wood!) AEG will release the game at GenCon next month. Hurray!!! The finished game looks incredible, with John's art and AEG's team blending and mixing styles to create images that clearly project the Munchkin silliness through the Smash Up visual lens. And you can see samples of the artwork, as well as get a peek at some of the gameplay elements, in this preview at the AEG website. 



I can't wait to see how Smash Up Munchkin blends with AEG's Pretty Pretty Smash Up expansion.



[Note: There will be advance copies of  Smash Up Munchkin at the AEG booth at Gen Con! -BE]



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Get Your Cavalry Captain Card Now!



Don't forget! Purchase any  Munchkin Core Set  or  Munchkin Deluxe Set  during the month of July through Warehouse 23 to get the free Cavalry Captain card, which was co-created with The Decemberists.

July 8, 2015: A Mars Attacks Expansion?

We had a lot of fun creating Mars Attacks: The Dice Game last year. I wrote about the creation of the game last fall, and one of the ideas that Sam, Randy, and I kept discussing throughout the game's development was the need for an expansion. Need may be too strong a word, but as we ran demos throughout the summer convention season we kept coming back to new card and mechanic ideas for an expansion.



Many of the new ideas we have written down for an expansion involve Martian robots, giant bugs, and flying saucers. When we started playtesting Mars Attacks: Ten-Minute Takedown one of our design goals was to step away from the game's production with a new die design that could also fit into the dice game's future. 



We do not yet have a final expansion design for Mars Attacks: The Dice Game , but based on the game's sales strength it looks like I need to corner Sam and Randy soon. It's time to take our rough concepts to a completed form. After all, everyone wants new weapons to use when destroying mankind, right?



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Gain GURPS Growth, Gentle Gamers!



Becoming a GURPS GM is easier than you think! The finest place to start is How to Be a GURPS GM , the best-selling supplement that boils down the options, decisions, and possibilities to something easy to manage and fun! Insight is just a download away, from Warehouse 23!

July 9, 2015: Welcome (Back) Alain!

Old-time fans may remember the name Alain H. Dawson. She was our Art Director in the late 1990s and was responsible, among MANY other coups, for bringing us Chez Geek and for hiring Phil Reed to be her replacement after she was promoted to Managing Editor. Alain was also my boss when I transitioned from a brief stint in the marketing office (which was actually Steve's office closet – really!) to the editorial division.



I am very pleased to announce that Alain is back in the fold! She has joined us, working as the Munchkin Licensing Manager. She's going to be our liaison with our third-party publishers such as Boom! Studios and USAopoly, taking a lot of the routine back-and-forth off my plate so that I can focus on the bigger picture and get some more time for design work. And our partners should see faster responses, since Alain has nothing distracting her!



It's always nice to reconnect with old friends, and it's doubly nice when we can do it in a way that is a win for everyone involved. Thanks to Alain for stepping in, and welcome back to the Steve Jackson Games family!



– Andrew Hackard



Warehouse 23 News: Take Down Worlds With Mars Attacks: Ten Minute Takedown



Mars Attacks: Ten-Minute Takedown is a fast-playing dexterity game of Martian aggression and global destruction. Flick the custom die from your flying saucer at the Earthling cities, and claim their points as you destroy them. Easy to learn and a perfect party game, only $9.95 at Warehouse 23!

July 7, 2015: Star Munchkin 3 Includes Something Special: "Bonus Card Inside!"

Many, many years after the release of Star Munchkin 2 we're finally ready to ship Star Munchkin 3 to stores! This new 112-card tuckbox expansion is on a boat and headed toward our primary warehouse, and after reviewing the official announcement we posted in February it turns out that we forgot to share one detail about this new expansion.



The first printing of Star Munchkin 3 includes a bonus card! We plan to remove this bonus card from later printings, so if you're at all interested in the card we recommend contacting your favorite local game store today and asking to pre-order Star Munchkin 3 . If you do not know where your local store is please check our store finder, and to make life as easy as possible for your retailer (and to guarantee that your pre-order is from the first printing) you can find the necessary specifications – official title, UPC, and stock number – on the Star Munchkin 3 page. 



To celebrate the launch of this new expansion for Star Munchkin we're also bringing back the Space Ships booster. PEW! PEW! It's a great summer for sci-fi hilarity!



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Zombie Dice Brings Back The Dead!



Now back in stock,  Zombie Dice ! Only $13.13, it's a quick and easy game for gamers and non-gamers alike. The 13 custom dice represent victims. Push your luck to eat their brains, but stop rolling before the shotgun blasts end your turn! Get it now on Warehouse 23.

July 6, 2015: Two Munchkin Reprints!

We recently posted a list of Munchkin boosters and expansions that are expected to go out of print this summer. That's valuable information for those of you who would like to avoid after-market prices, but there is a flipside to the entire "out of print" situation: Sometimes, when there's enough demand, we send out-of-print items back to store shelves.



It's reprint time! 



Coming later this year are reprints of:



Munchkin Marked for Death - This 17-card booster pack offers not only more cards for your Munchkin games, but also acts as a stand-alone demo set. Have you wanted to teach your friends Munchkin without overwhelming them? Marked for Death is the answer!


Munchkin Holiday Surprise - Set to return in September, this boxed expansion set brings out of print Munchkin boosters back to shelves in a single box. We know that many of you enjoy themed games for the holidays, and this box shuffles nicely into Munchkin to make your game sessions just a little more merry. Cheer not included.
We're constantly reprinting Munchkin games and expansions so that there are few (if any) shortages, but it's sometimes important to point out specific reprints so that none of you rush out and spend all of your money on eBay. Watch for both of these to reach your favorite local game store this fall! If you're still looking for a local game store please check our online store finder.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: GURPS Really Is Super!



Look! Up on the screen! It's a book! It's a guide! It's . . . downright super! GURPS Supers is your genre guide to super-heroic gaming, with rules, options, insight, and more you need to bring your four-color campaigns to life. Download it today, from Warehouse 23, before a criminal mastermind beats you to it!

July 5, 2015: All Hail 20 Years Of The Kromm Regime!

My first email to Sean Punch (a.k.a. "Dr. Kromm" – or just plain "Kromm," as I refer to him most of the time) was in February of 2000, right after I'd taken over as editor of Pyramid magazine. At that time – over 15 years ago – Kromm had already been the GURPS line editor for nearly five years.



Today, I still edit Pyramid (among other duties), and Kromm is still the GURPS line editor. During that time, GURPS has seen the transition from Third Edition to the award-nominated Fourth Edition (which he co-authored), and the RPG market has both grown in public perception and metamorphosed a few different ways. GURPS itself has transformed with the times, and supplements in recent years have covered tactical gunplay, social interactions, impossible spaceships, and much more.



For folks considering GURPS , one of the strengths I push is that the Fourth Edition has been around for 10 years, with no signs of switching to something new anytime soon. That means new supplements can cover fresh ground, rather than making you rebuy umpteen revised versions of older books. That strength also has an ace up its sleeve: Sean Punch, who has served as the lynchpin of GURPS for two decades. Very few games have as consistent and brilliant a "voice" as GURPS does with Kromm. That secret weapon has ensured a unity and cohesiveness in GURPS .



Kromm is a study in contradictions. He's intelligent, but eminently accessible. He has a command of hard science, but he delights in monsters and dragons. He understands the needs of realism, but he knows that games must be fun. He has a mastery of the English language, but his writing and editing is inviting and unpretentious. Somehow – boggling my very brain – he speaks both English and French.



He's written dozens of supplements (over 40 from my math), covering zombies, action-movie gaming, meta-gaming constructs, dungeon-crawling, and much more. He's directly edited about the same number of supplements, and comprehensively reviewed pretty much every manuscript that bears the GURPS name. (I'd wager just about every GURPS author this millennium has experienced the hefty Word document from Sean when he reviews a first draft, with insight on everything from organizational trouble spots to game-mechanical flaws to gamer-essential omitted info to punctuation problems . . . he's that exhaustive.)



He's also eminently accessible. He answers innumerable questions on the GURPS forums, he's meticulous about responding to email, and he's just plain nice. (I heartily recommend meeting him at a convention sometime if you can!)



I've long said that – if an editor is any good – you don't know it. It's almost certainly a bad sign when someone is reading something and thinks, "Gee, someone edited the heck out of this!" But Sean has been involved with nearly every GURPS item for decades, and his presence is like oxygen; undetectable when present, but immediately noticeable if it were missing.



I'm proud to call Sean Punch a co-worker and a friend, and I'm grateful he's helped to ensure one of the best darn RPG systems ever continues to earn its place in the Hall of Fame of gaming goodness. It's been an honor and a privilege to work with him for the past couple of decades, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the next decades bring. All Hail Kromm!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Let Us Help You Summon The Great Old Ones!



Become a cultist trying to summon a Lovecraftian horror with The Stars Are Right , the Origins-nominated strategic card game. Supplement your efforts to bring about the end times with free downloadable symbol counters and scoring tracks. Get it all from Warehouse 23 today . . . because tomorrow might not come!