Steve Jackson's Blog, page 396

January 24, 2015: Nuremberg Toy Fair Time!

Later this month I'll be in Europe for the Nuremberg Toy Fair. I'm meeting our printer rep, David Blanchard with GPI, in Prague and then traveling to Nuremberg for the show. At the Fair we will meet with licensees to discuss ways in which we can work more closely together on manufacturing (and there will be discussions about new Munchkin expansions, but that's secret so I'll say no more). Also at the show I'll keep my eyes open for possible Newness That Needs A US Home and try not to get too overwhelmed with all of the excitement of being surrounded by toys.



The trip is certain to be productive, and with David as my traveling companion in Europe it will also be very enjoyable and unforgettable. David has already made it clear that he's got our travel plans under control and all I need to do is drag my brain along. After a few trips into China with him I trust him completely and am certain to work hard and relax all at once; one significant benefit to traveling with your print rep is the most insane of ideas can instantly lead to product and manufacturing discussions.



And besides, if things go wrong I'll get to poke fun at David a week or so later when we meet again in NYC for the New York Toy Fair. That's a show I know very well and am 100% ready to tackle with new surprises . . . not to mention the fun of watching our Munchkin World NYC event in action.



It's going to be several busy weeks between now and . . . well, between now and 2016.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Murder Is On The Menu



Looking for an interesting beginner Pathfinder adventures that's also gorgeous? Then your quest has been successful! Basic Paths: Murder a la Carte is a dangerous mystery, where unmasking the killer may be the least dangerous thing the heroes face. Adventure's a download away, from Warehouse 23.

January 23, 2015: John Hill

John Hill, creator of Squad Leader , died last week. Squad Leader was one of the cornerstones of modern wargaming, and it deserves to be on the table at every game convention.



I did not know John as well as I'd liked to, so I'll yield the floor to Gerald Swick at the Armchair General.



The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made online to the American Heart Association In Loving Memory of John Evans Hill.



– Steve Jackson



Warehouse 23 News: Get With The Program, With Goodman Games!



If you couldn't make it to Gen Con in 2014 but still want the latest and greatest scoop from Goodman Games, don't fear! Goodman Games Gen Con 2014 Program Book includes three new adventures, fiction, behind-the-scenes insight, and more. Thanks to Warehouse 23, this trove is just a download away!

January 19, 2015: Steve Jackson Games At PAX South

PAX South is right in our back yard, so how could we not show up? I'm sure plenty of you will be there too.



Josh, Keith, Rhea, and Stacy will all be there, and we'll be showing off our newest releases and talking to you about upcoming stuff. It is barely possible, just barely, that we might be induced to play a game. Or two.



Pax South runs January 23-25 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 200 East Market St., San Antonio, TX 78205.



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Bag That Buck!



Trophy Buck is a fast-paced dice game about hunting deer. Each of the 12 custom dice represent deer. You can push your luck to gain the most points, but don't startle them or you won't bag that 8-pointer.



Available from Warehouse 23 .

January 20, 2015: Munchkin Tavern Swag On Warehouse 23!

Did you miss the Munchkin Tavern at Gen Con last year and the year before? Well, now there's a way for you to at least get some of the swag that was available at the Tavern. This stuff has never been available outside of the Tavern before, and now it's up on Warehouse 23! Be warned, though: there's a limited quantity of each of these items. Once they're gone, they're gone!



2013 Munchkin Tavern Logo Pint Glass



2014 Munchkin Tavern Shirt



2014 Munchkin Tavern Tote Bag



2014 Munchkin Tavern Notebook



2014 Munchkin Tavern Pint Glass



Munchkin Tavern Shot Glass



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: A Horrific Adventure? In Your Dreams!



A visit to the Plateau of Leng takes a turn for the weird as the investigation leads the heroes to The Dreamlands, in a challenge that threatens all creation. What happens next is up to you in Age of Cthulhu 8: Starfall Over the Plateau of Leng , a high-stakes Call of Cthulhu adventure. Download it now from Warehouse 23!

January 21, 2015: Ride Into Western Adventure With GURPS!

Like a stranger without a name or a past, the current issue of Pyramid rides into town, looking to keep folks safe from less-than-fun gaming. Behold, a legend is born, and it is called Pyramid #3/74: Wild West !



This fearless issue showcases an in-depth guide to the Ashiwi, written by GURPS Hot Spots scribe Matt Riggsby. Gain insight into the history, religion, government, and more of this Native American culture, and use the full-color maps to keep it all organized.



For an adrenaline-charged look at the West, check out "Outlaws and Arrows," a mini-supplement to porting Warehouse 23.

January 22, 2015: No Munchkin Tavern In 2015

Steve Jackson Games regrets to announce that we will not be hosting a Munchkin Tavern at Origins or Gen Con in 2015. We have learned a lot from running the Tavern events the past two years and are looking forward carrying those lessons forward into future Munchkin events, like Munchkin World NYC!



Thanks to everyone who made the last two years of Munchkin Taverns so successful and so much fun. We're looking forward to seeing you at conventions this year!



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Saving The Universe Is Black And White . . .



. . . but sometimes it's in color, too! The Star Fleet Battles: Module R4 SSD Book has 80 pages of starship charts for Star Fleet Battles . You can get it in a classic black and white version, or a handy that makes gameplay even easier. Download either (or both!), today from Warehouse 23.

January 17, 2015: Starting Work On The 2014 Stakeholders Report

In Steve's report last year (posted here), he inserted a single line that has my mind spinning: "Yes, that means that Phil will write the report for 2014." 



If you've never read Steve's annual report, you've been missing out. Since the first report in 2004 (read it here), Steve has shared a huge amount of information and insight into the company with all of us. This year marks the first time that the report has fallen to someone else. I'd be lying if I said that the report will be easy to write – Steve's an entertaining writer and a very tough act to follow – but, as I review the year and prepare my thoughts. I find myself incredibly humbled that Steve would trust me with such an important (and public!) responsibility.



I'm going to do my best to make the 2014 report as valuable as the decade of reports Steve has posted, but please understand that there is only one Steve Jackson. I'm going to do everything I can to approach the level of quality that Steve constantly (and effortlessly, I'm jealous of how easy he makes it all look) brings to his work.



While you wait for me to finalize the report, go back and read through the previous reports. They really are quite entertaining and offer a special look at the progression of the company over the past decade.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Leave Your Board At Home!



Because in Tile Chess , the pieces are the board! Each tile represents a chess piece, and as you play, you create the board.  



Get it today from Warehouse 23 and add in Knightmare Chess for more chaos!

January 18, 2015: You Want How Much For Fury Of Dracula?

If you've never played the 2005 edition of Fury of Dracula then you have been missing a wonderful game. One player is Dracula, the Vampire; the other players chase him across Europe, trying to locate and destroy the Vampire before he wins the game. If you're thinking it sounds like a more advanced version of Scotland Yard , you're not too far off. As one reviewer on Board Game Geek states:



"This is Scotland Yard with something actually happening between the turns where Mister X reveals himself. This is Scotland Yard with rats, thieves, assassins, wolves, bats, stormy weather, wild horses, hired scouts and all sorts of flavorful Gothic stuff."



None of this is at all a bad thing . . . but there is one very bad thing about Fury of Dracula these days: It's terribly expensive! At some point when I wasn't watching the game went out of print, and it is such a fantastic game that the price has continued to climb. I hope Fantasy Flight Games reprints this very soon; $200 to $300 is way too much for the game, even as awesome as it is! 



I'm happy that I picked up my copy about seven or eight years ago.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Call The Exterminator!



A master wererat and his minions hold the city in fear. Do you have what it takes to enter the Den of the Wererats ? Dungeoneer:  Den of the Wererats  takes you to a new adventure filled with cutthroats, thieves, vermin, and shapeshifters. Play it as a stand-alone game or add it to any other Dungeoneer set for more dungeon-delving fun. Grab a copy from Warehouse 23 today.

January 16, 2015: Get Stronger With Limitations

GURPS makes it easy to craft awesome abilities and design the character of your imagination. But sometimes you need a little more assistance to get your hero just right. Limitations can help, scaling back too-powerful gifts to better fit the campaign, provide hooks for story possibilities, or just to get desired abilities a few character points cheaper. GURPS Power-Ups 8: Limitations can help you do all that as it expands on the GURPS Basic Set .



This supplement collects all of the limitations introduced since the Basic Set , re-examines existing limitations, provides insight on pricing or adjudicating new limitations, and other tricks of the trade. Written by GURPS Power-Ups 4: Enhancements mastermind Jason "PK" Levine, Power-Ups 8: Limitations is your one-stop shop for finding the power in your limitations. And it's a download away, only from Warehouse 23!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Going Down?



Feng Shui: Elevator to the Netherworld - The Inner Kingdom Sourcebook will take you to the four different levels of the Netherworld. Go from hardware to supplies and sporting goods, then all the way to the gates of hell itself. Just be careful because the Inner Kingdom can turn into a free-fire zone at any time! After all, it is the key to time travel and time travel is the key to the secret war. Available in print or PDF from Warehouse 23 .

January 15, 2015: Announcing The Dopple Spyke Figure!

Need someone to take the blame when you stab your buddy in the back?



Look no further! The new Munchkin Vinyl Figure from Funko will keep all the orcs at bay, will ruin miniatures gaming, and probably won't spontaneously combust! Huzzah!



Unlike the original color Vinyl Figure and the glow-in-the-dark Vinyl Figure, the Dopple Spyke figure comes in the two-tone color scheme that the original printings of Munchkin were printed in, as a nod to the game's history. It'll also be available at your friendly local game store in May!



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Enter The Gladiator!



The newest class in Munchkin Legends , the Gladiator, these guys actually get tougher when their lives are at stake.  Add Munchkin Legends 3: Myth Prints  for new monsters to fight, treasures to gain and dozens of new jokes.  Available from Warehouse 23 .