Rattlebox Games- Network Feed

Brendan ponders the question of finding the games your gaming partners love the most. How do you predict what other people like to play?Games mentioned:SagradaPandemic Legacy: Season 2BarenparkWhen have you found the perfect game for your partner to play? When have your predictions gone astray? Let us know over in BoardGameGeek guild #3269.

Brendan talks about his history in the boardgame hobby a bit, and how he and his children have started painting miniatures again.Show notes:Warhammer 40,000Zombie '15What got you into the hobby? Are there aspects of the hobby you used to do that you don't do anymore? Have they cycled back?

It’s the beginning of the month, so it’s time for Brendan’s end-of-the-month wrap up. What was played? What was bought? Did he make his Top of the Stack goal?Show notes:July 2018 Top of the Stack report on BoardgamegeekMy Shelf of OpportunityAltiplanoCrazy KartsRaptorBuffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2017)RampageCoimbraPodcast of Nonsensical GamersHow was your month? What should we call the list of first play games? (“New to me” games is a fun list.)

Brendan ponders the role of randomness in very closely-contested games.

In this episode, Brendan discusses gaming situations like travel, solo play, and asynchronous that he uses to amplify and expand his board game time.  What tricks do you use?

Brendan discusses the experience of traveling, playing games, and visiting game stores in the St. John’s area of Newfoundland, Canada.Show notes:Brendan’s account of the visits to the game shops in St. John’s.Agricola: Farmers of the MoorKokoro: Avenue of the KodamaElder SignTsuroOnirimFridayHostage NegotiatorTides of MadnessInBetweenAs You Like ItTokaidoPursuit of Happiness

Brendan discusses the five games he own by prominent designer Richard Garfield (best known for Magic: The Gathering).Games mentioned:Magic: The GatheringRoborallyKing of TokyoVampire: The Eternal StruggleBunny KingdomAndroid: NetrunnerWhat are your favorite Garfield games? Stop by our guild #3269 and let us know!

Brendan talks about board games with weird themes and thinks aloud about a few themes that have potential.Notes:Hamilton song clip, “Guns and Ships”The Prodigal’s ClubLadies and GentlemenTitanic: The Board GameThe Sinking of the TitanicPonziPonzi’s Scheme by Michael ZuckoffOperation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory by Ben McIntryeEndurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred LansingWhat are some stories you think would make for interesting reading? What are your favorite weird game themes? Drop by our guild, #3269, and let us know what you think!

Brendan discusses story-focused games, the role of narrative in board game design, and thinks a bit about the intersection of the two.Notes:Sherlock Holmes, Consulting DetectiveLegacy of DragonholtMythos TalesT.I.M.E. StoriesScytheDead of WinterWhere do you see the line between gameplay and narrative? Do you prefer a game that yields play to story, or the other way? Which game represents the best implementation of narrative into gameplay that you’ve encountered? Drop by our guild and let us know! Guild #3269.

Brendan gives his first thoughts on The Prodigal’s Club, a new-to-him game he played for the first time recently. What do you do if you’re a young man in Victorian England who already has everything? Try to get rid of it, obviously.Games mentioned:The Prodigal’s ClubLast WillMoxy Fruvous “The Lowest Highest Point” is from Live NoiseWhat’s your experience with this game? Do you like complex games like this? What does this remind you of? Drop in to our guild (#3269) and let us know what you think!

On this, the birthday of the United States, Brendan reflects on some relevant themes for the fourth of July and some games that relate to them. Join us!Games mentioned:A Few Acres of SnowSmall WorldMonopolyDiplomacyAxis and AlliesFreedom: The Underground RailroadLegendary: MarvelLove LetterWok on FireHanabiEpisode music: “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Phillip Sousa, recorded by the US Army Band Epidose photo: “Fireworks” by Jorgan KesselerWhat ideas do you associate with the 4th of July? If you’re not from the US, what is your country’s version of this holiday, and how do you celebrate it? Drop by our guild, #3269, over at BoardGame Geek and let us know!

Brendan shares the games he’s been playing this month. He updates us on his 10×10, his Top of the Stack, his Shelf of Opportunity, and his Out of the Dust plays. Lots to track!Lists:My Top of the Stack entryMy Shelf of OpportunityOut of the Dust listGames mentioned:Robinson CrusoeUnreal EstateCrazy KartsRoll for the GalaxyTerra MysticaInokaThrough the Ages: a New Story of CivilizationAltiplanoShipyardTrickerionThe ResistanceHave thoughts on the episode? How did you do on the top of your stack? Let us know over at BGG guild #3269.

Pick Up and Deliver podcast 063: Art vs. AudienceBrendan asks what flexibility a game designer should maintain in order to maximize audience fun or exposure. Show notes:Work In Progress thread for Something Wakes in the ForestDiscussion thread regarding demon questionHave thoughts on this topic? Drop by our BoardGameGeek guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses some of our thinking about which components to include in a game and how the components, box size, and ideas about how the production of a game shapes how we understand it.Games discussed during the podcast:The Grimm ForestCromlechIn The Loop (no BGG page yet)Elder SignCentury: Spice RoadWhat games have you played that have a disconnect between what they look like and how they play? What was it that shaped that disconnect for you?  Let us know in our BoardGame Geek guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses his history as a Kickstarter backer and the games he's enjoyed therein.Games mentioned, etc:Brendan's Kickstarter profile (with a list of all project backed)Miskatonic School for GirlsCastle DiceGoonies: The Adventure Card GameA Study in EmeraldThe AgentsGloomhavenWhat is the best Kickstarter you've backed? The Worst? What do you use it for? Let us know in the guild, #3269.

Brendan reflects on his recent first play of Panamax in the regular segment, "Shootin' from the Hip."Game mentioned: PanamaxHave thoughts about Panamax or other stock market games? Join the conversation over at our Board Game Geek guild, #3269.

Brendan wraps up his mini-series on what Kickstarter is for with an episode covering a variety of small things Kickstarter does or about how it works.Games Brendan mentioned:Burgle BrosPaperbackHATETeramyyd: EarthsphereHave thoughts on the episode? Join our conversation in our Boardgamegeek guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses how some artists return to attractive ideas or techniques over and over, trying to find the edges and contours of those creative elements. Join us!Games discussed:Prowler’s passageWorld’s Fair 1893SentientWhich designers do you find returning to the same ideas to explore them anew? Which designers are always blazing new trails? Let us know on our guild, #3269.

Brendan continues his discussion of Kickstarter, this time exploring the idea that the popular crowdfunding platform is for pre-orders from established companies.Show notes:Previous Kickstarter episode (54)Batman ChroniclesHATEArcadia Quest (was the game I was trying to think of from CMON)Companies mentioned: Stonemeier games, Monolith games, Mythic games, Mantic Games, CMONWhat do you think Kickstarter is for? What are your experiences with big or small kickstarter games?Join us in our Boardgame Geek guild to discuss it! #3269

Brendan gives the update on his May experience with his Top of the Stack and 10 for 10. Want a spoiler, check out the list here: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/235177/my-2018-top-stack-listLet us know how your May went — join the conversation in our guild over on BoardGameGeek, guild 3269.