Steve Jackson's Blog, page 413

July 28, 2014: Now In Stores!

We've got some great stuff you should be seeing in stores any day now!



First up, we've got the Munchkin Board of Health , which you can see in our picture to the right. This is a double-sided board with spaces to track your level, and it's perfect for Munchkin Zombies , Munchkin Cthulhu , or both! It'll fold right up and fit in either box. And of course it has new cards!



Oh, and have you been missing Munchkin Fu ? Well, good news; it's back in print after over a year out of stock! Now you can kung fu fight with all your friends again!



And speaking of reprints, we've got a big one. It's been out of print for several months, and fans have been asking for it, so make sure to check your FLGS for a brand new copy of Munchkin Quest ! That's right, it's back in stores.



If you can't find these things in your FLGS, be sure to check out Warehouse 23. You'll find them all there, and all orders except the very smallest come with bookmarks and promo cards!



We're also bringing Munchkin Legends 2 – Faun and Games out to you in August, so stay tuned for that!



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Two Dungeon Crawls In One!



If you couldn't make it to a participating store that offered this year's Free RPG Day goodies, a few dollars and a download are all you need to rectify one of them. DCC RPG/Maximum Xcrawl Free RPG Day 2014 features two adventures – one for the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG and another for Maximum Xcrawl . Get it now from Warehouse 23, and start adventuring today!

July 27, 2014: Munchkin Fans, Grab Munchkin Dragons Now!

We're now officially out of Munchkin Dragons . What does this mean? Well, the easiest answer is: There are no more copies left to ship to our distributors. Once they run out, there won't be any more copies to ship to stores.



We currently have no plans to reprint this booster pack, so if you've got a Dragons -sized hole in your Munchkin collection we suggest you run to your local store and grab it now before resellers push prices to ridiculous levels. We may reprint this in the future (the entire run sold through in under one year, making this one of the fastest-selling boosters yet), but for now you have one last chance to get Munchkin Dragons before it vanishes from store shelves.



Now to decide whether or not we proceed with some of the other ideas that have been floating around the office. Who would like a Munchkin Unicorns booster?



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: The Crusades Comes To Mythic Europe



The Languedoc was the home of courtly love. Troubadours and trobairitz sang songs echoed by nightingales and faeries alike. Love, learning, and life flourished, but then the crusades came. The magi of the Provençal Tribunal are far from united in their response to the Crusade and any new magus or maga may make their own covenant without permission, choose their own relations with the mundanes, and write their own song.  Ars Magica: Faith & Flame is now available from Warehouse 23 .

July 26, 2014: Munchkin Pathfinder Developer Notes

Our famed Munchkin Czar, the inestimable Andrew Hackard, has compiled some notes and thoughts from the process he went through developing Munchkin Pathfinder .



I was the Munchkin Baron at the time, and my task on the project was to compile raw data for card ideas from the broad swath of Paizo's Pathfinder RPG catalog. They were incredibly generous, providing us with pretty much everything they had published for Pathfinder at the time. That meant I had my work cut out for me, though. I needed a research assistant, my friend Drew Cummings, just to get it all sorted.



In the notes, when Andrew says, "The challenge was figuring out what to leave out, not what to include," I'm proud to say that it's Drew's fault and mine that he had so much material to parse.



– Leonard Balsera



Warehouse 23 News: What You Don't Know Can Still Wipe You Out Of Existence



There's a hidden battle on the fringes of perception; it's not just lives at stake . . . it's reality. Join your guide Kenneth Hite as he introduces you to Project SANDMAN, the powerful irruptors, and more, in GURPS Horror: The Madness Dossier . This epic campaign setting is only a download away, and it's only available at Warehouse 23!

July 25, 2014: San Diego Comic-Con Is Now!

A few days ago, on a beautiful San Diego day, the doors to San Diego Comic-Con opened and tens of thousands of fans raced as fast as they could . . . to stand in line. Preview Night at SDCC is a madhouse rush of excitement as everyone tries to grab the exclusives, running from booth to booth in an attempt to score every single one of the amazing – and very limited! – doodads, trinkets, and awesomes that contribute to the fun of the convention.



At the booth – #4423 if you're at the convention and wish to join us – Kali and Miranda held down the dice table, showing off the Mars Attacks: Dice Game and teaching a lot of new gamers Zombie Dice and Chupacabra . When I walked by the booth at about 7pm on Preview Night the dice were rolling and tumbling every direction possible, so Andrew and I set off to say hi to some of our friends who are also working the convention this week.



We got the chance to chat with Jonathan over at The Loyal Subjects, and this was my first chance to hold their 8-inch tall vinyl Shockwave toy. Incredible! Andrew and I got to know Jonathan because of a shared business partner – both company's work with PSI for sales and fulfillment – and it's only at the trade shows where we really get solid chunks of time to talk about toys, games, and the business of toys and games. Still, even five minutes with Jonathan was enough to find out about some secret new stuff.


Kristin and Amber of Looney Labs were working away stickering promo cards and showing off the new Regular Show Fluxx game. The game looks gorgeous and if you're at all a fan of fun card games (I suspect that you are) then you really need to check this out once it hits store shelves.
After that Andrew and I separated for a bit, as he wandered over to indulge his need for movies at The Asylum while I chatted with the staff of 2000 AD and grabbed a couple of Judge Dredd collections I didn't already own. I also discovered that both Henry Flint and Jock would be signing at the booth . . . at the exact times that I will be in important meetings. See, guys, this is why I can't get cool signatures. At least the meetings are sure to be a lot of fun and very productive.



There's still days of this excitement left to go, so don't forget to visit us at booth 4423 if you're at the convention. And if you are not at SDCC this year then keep an eye on the SJ Games Twitter account and watch as the fun unfolds with our Steve Jackson Games at SDCC Facebook event page.  It would be better if you could join us at the show, but even if you can't be here you can at least get the latest news as the show is in progress.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Beware Of Unsanitary Conditions!



While fighting monsters and taking their stuff, you can keep track of your fellow munchkins with the Munchkin Board of Health   –  lest they leave you behind in the muck.  This double-sided game board comes with player tokens that give you special in-game bonuses, as well as 8 new cards.  Available from Warehouse 23 .

July 24, 2014: Where Did The Munchkin Messenger Bag Come From?

Our Munchkin Messenger Bag is available now (order from Amazon) and turned out beautifully. I say this as a bit of a bag snob; I own roughly a dozen messenger bags and backpacks (including one beautiful leather bag I bought from Sterling & Burke while I was in Washington, D.C. earlier this month). Sam's design work resulted in a sturdy, attractive bag that's custom-configured for Munchkin.  But where did the bag idea come from in the first place?



Off and on over the last few years, Steve and I have discussed the idea of a bag specifically created to carry Munchkin games and accessories, but the ideas kept falling apart as we tried to find a great place to manufacture a custom bag at a reasonable price. Last summer, when Sam and I stepped into the factory where the Ogre Canvas Bag was made, I instantly knew that this was the team we needed to create a special messenger bag for Munchkin games.



A week later, the last part of the puzzle came together when our partners at Amazon requested an exclusive Munchkin item. Acting fast, and using little more than my hand-waving abilities and mouth, I outlined the idea for the Munchkin Messenger Bag . My excitement for such a bag must have been infectious, since Amazon instantly agreed based solely on my description. Seeing the bag hit Amazon earlier this month was quite rewarding; less than a year after I stepped into that factory in China, our bag was finished and shipping to fans. 



I love this job.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Download A Whole Wild-West Town



01 Games' amazing cartographic skills are unleashed again on the world, this time in the form of the Wild West: Virtual Boxed Set . This set contains 10 blueprints plus a color map you can get only with this set. Don your 10-gallon hat and download it today, from Warehouse 23!

July 23, 2014: Kali Dugan, Events Director From The Great Northwest!

Hello to all my precious convention fans!  My name is Kali Dugan and I recently transplanted to Austin from the Great Northwest to manage conventions for SJ Games. You may see me showing off our latest games and super-secret exclusives at booths, or lifting large, awkwardly-sized boxes into my mid-size. Looks a bit like stuffing clowns into a VW . . .



I previously worked in the comics industry for a little less than a decade, and before that, the costuming fabric industry!  I've been rolling around geekdom for over half my life. And . . . I love it!



I enjoy a rousing game of MTG, a super greasy pizza, and a cold beverage. My favorite partners in "crime," King Mob and Spider Jerusalem, help me venture into the wonderful world of imagination! When I'm not running around on a convention show floor, you can find me in a corner, with my nose buried in a Terry Pratchett novel.



– Kali Dugan



Warehouse 23 News: Everyone Has A Secret In The Edge!



Some have a blood price already paid many times. And the adventures detailed in Over the Edge: Forgotten Lives - Six Over the Edge Scenarios are no exception.  Delve into the dark corners of Al Amarja island from the island's fascist rulers of the 1930s to the near-mythical past of Dr. Nusbaum.  Available in print or pdf from Warehouse 23 .

July 21, 2014: Munchkin, Foil, And A New Box

Back in May we posted a photo to Twitter showing off a new Munchkin foil box. 



A few weeks ago we posted another pic to Twitter showing the back of the new box.



Responses both times were favorable, but the most popular response was a question: "Where can I get this shiny new box?"



This new Munchkin foil box is an alternate version of the core Munchkin game, specifically intended for mass market sales. We created this new box in consultation with several of our partners and the great sales team at PSI. Instead of the two-part box we've been using, this is a one-piece, hinged box with modifications to the graphic design. The new box back has been completely reworked to be as friendly as we could make it and is intended to give prospective buyers a quick overview of the game.



The contents are exactly the same as the Munchkin box many of you already own, so there's no need to rush out and grab one unless you desperately want the box itself. We may play with some special variations on this foil box in the future, but the standard version shown in the two tweets is different only in that the box design has changed . . . and it's shiny.



And as the first tweet said: Foil isn't magic.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Get On The Bus!



Before all those tasty brains get away, but beware those kids are packing.  Zombie Dice 3 - School Bus is the latest expansion for Zombie Dice .  No more do you have to shuffle on the ground and scramble for brains, but you might not like the ride.  Available from Warehouse 23 .

July 22, 2014: New Journals At Warehouse 23!

Did you know that writing something down helps you remember it? It's true. Typing it doesn't have the same effect, nor does repeating it like a mantra throughout the day or tattooing it on the backs of your eyelids. (Okay, maybe that one works pretty well.) (Please don't tattoo anything on the backs of your eyelids. It's not a good idea. We're sorry we even mentioned it.)



Anyway, where was I?



Oh yeah! Journals are cool. These journals are doubly cool because they have fantastic artwork from Munchkin , Chez Geek , and Illuminati on them!



Check it:



Chez Geek Journal


Eye in the Pyramid Journal


Illuminati Journal


Munchkin Treasure Hunt Journal


Munchkin Apocalypse 2 Journal
– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: A JagdPanther?! RUN!



Wait; this is a good JagdPanther . . . specifically, it's JagdPanther #7 , another vintage installment of Steve Cole's classic wargame magazine. Travel back to 1974 with reviews, variant rules, strategies, and more. Your trip to the past is a download away, from Warehouse 23!

July 20, 2014: Thank You To Kristin And Andy Looney!

While our offices were closed over the 4th of July week I visited Washington, D.C. with my wife, Gina, where we stopped at Ford's Theatre, spent time exploring the American History Museum, located some fantastic Oz books at Second Story Books (I still want a Munchkin Oz game), and even got a chance to attend the elaborate fireworks display right on the National Mall. Overall it was a great week in the nation's capital, but there was one treat that I'm sure many gamers would have loved:



Gina and I visited the Looney Labs offices and then attended Kristin and Andy Looney's game night at their home. Yep, we joined in on the fun and sat down to play Forbidden Island , Panic Lab (Ow, my head! Let's play again!), and TransAmerica . . . not to mention all of the other games that were going on around us at the time.



I cannot thank Kristen and Andy for making us feel so welcome while at the Looney Labs office, and for inviting us to game at their home. This is why I love the game industry so very much: There's friendly competition between companies, but in the end all any of us really care about is making and playing great games.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: An Island Of Adventure



If one system-free table of encounters is helpful, 17 would be just awesome. Encounters gives you just that! Designed for Swords of Kos Fantasy Campaign Setting, this product can be an inspiration for many campaigns and worlds. Download it today from Warehouse 23!

July 19, 2014: Crowdfunding Focus: The Battle For Hill 218

I first played The Battle For Hill 218 at BGGCon way back in 2007. A two-player card game representing a WWII battle, Hill 218 really grabbed me, so much that I just had to buy a copy right there at the con. Since then I've played a dozen or so times, and each time I sit down and teach it to someone new I'm reminded exactly why I bought the game in the first place: This is one seriously fun game in a tiny package!



The Battle for Hill 218 has been unavailable for some time now, though, so over the last few years I've been unable to encourage more people to "go buy the game!" Aw, but I wanted to share the game with others.



All of that has changed and now Chad Ellis has started a Kickstarter project to bring The Battle For Hill 218 back into print. Hurray! Take a look at the project page and then jump in and back the game; it's only $12 for a copy and all of us – yes, even you! – can use more great two-player games in our collections. (Bonus: it's already funded!)



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: They're Cute Little Girls. And They Like To Beat People Up.



Button Men is a quick-playing dice game in which players take turns capturing each others' dice. But it's not as easy as you might think. In this elegant fight system, small dice mean speed, and large dice mean strength. Each package features a young female character (such as Faith and Temperance) and comes with one rulebook and two pin-back buttons. Players must supply their own dice. Available at Warehouse23 .