Pick Up And Deliver

Brendan asks whether, and how, a games-maker can tackle difficult historical ages in which terrible things happened. In this case, how can you make a game out of colonizing North America and still have respect for the people who lived there first?Show notes:EndeavorFreedom: The Underground RailroadHave something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

Brendan returns to the “Shootin’ from the Hip'” format to discuss a new game he played, Pulsar 2849. It’s a thinky brain-burner! Tune in to learn more about the game. Find show notes at http://rattleboxgames.com/category/podcast/pick-up-and-deliver/

Brendan introduces a new segment: “Message from the Deep,” a response to a game I’ve played many times focused on aspects or elements of the game I find particularly interesting. This week, it’s Star Wars: Rebellion.Star Wars: RebellionTwilight Imperium 4Note: Star Wars: Rebellion is my number 5 game as of the end of 2017.Have thoughts on this Message from the Deep? Drop us a line at our guild: https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/3269

In this episode, Brendan discusses how different aspects of our modern world have been "gamified" and what affect that has on our behavior, how we might understand the benefits and drawbacks of those changes, and what that says about game design.  Have thoughts on the episode? Post a comment in our BGG guild (https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/3269).

Brendan discusses games that are "punishing," either by setting up mean situations, a tight economy, or a brutal cooperative situation.  Join us to discuss the game on BoardGameGeek guild 3269.

Brendan dives head first into the current conversation about the paintings of Jakub Rozalski, the artist for Scythe. Does the history of copyright and the changing nature of creativity complicate the accusations that Rozalski has traced portions of his work?BoardgameGeek thread https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1990146/truth-behind-art-jakub-rozalskiThe reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/8i5acm/seems_like_jakub_rozalski_isnt_very_truthful/Let us know what you think over on BGG in guild 3269 (Brendan dives head first into the current conversation about the paintings of Jakub Rozalski, the artist for Scythe. Does the history of copyright and the changing nature of creativity complicate the accusations that Rozalski has traced portions of his work?BoardgameGeek thread https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1990146/truth-behind-art-jakub-rozalskiThe reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/8i5acm/seems_like_jakub_rozalski_isnt_very_truthful/Let us know what you think over on B

Brendan discusses his game plays in April, reports on his last top of the stack and reveals the new one, and does a 10 for 10 update. Games! Games! Games!Brendan’s Top of the Stack GeeklistGames mentioned (other than those below): Potion Explosion, Welcome to the Dungeon, Roll for the Galaxy, Race for the galaxy, Mythos TalesNew to me games: Sagrada, Not Alone, Empires of the Void 2Top of the stack and play report:Concluded April top of the stack, April 2018:– Ravenous River (played 4/30)– Alexandria– Crows Overkill (played 4/13)Top of the stack May 2018:– Alexandria– Unreal Estate– Stronghold (2nd edition)The ten for ten is coming along. I’ve italicized the game(s) that we’ve made 10 plays of.Gloomhaven (12)Stuffed Fables (6)Pandemic: Legacy Sn 2 (5)Ex Libris (3)Century: Golem Edition (7)Terra Mystica (3)Arkham Horror LCG (0)Mottainai (0)Roll for the Galaxy (0)Via Nebula (0)What do you do with games of which you’ve exhausted the gameplay?Let us know over on BoardGameGeek in our Guild, #3269.

Brendan brings to a close his discussion of rules writing and rulebooks, exploring a few different rule types and games that have them. Is your favorite rulebook in this list?Games mentioned:Queen games - Alhambra, Queen's ArchitectRexApocrypha: The Adventure Card GameCromlech (our game)Dungeon PetzJoin us to discuss this episode on BoardGameGeek guild 3269, listen below, or download the file: 040: Rasslin' with Rules, part 3 (mp3)

Brendan discusses the difficult process of making rulebooks work well and teach well. Part 1 - how to interpret comments about rulebooks.

Brendan continues his discussion of the difficulties of crafting a usable rulebook. In this episode he considers more closely the difference in what hard-core gamers and casual gamers want from rulebooks, and also the difference between the feedback you get from hard-core gamers and from casual gamers.Games mentioned: Arkham Horror: The Card Game, Anachrony, OlympusHave a comment about the episode? Join the conversation over on BoardGameGeek in our guild, #3269

In this episode, Brendan talks about the way that theme and mechanisms integrate. In particular, he asks how the two go together in weird or unusual games.  Post your thoughts on our Board Game Geek guild ( https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/3269 ).

Brendan provides his “hot take” on Sagrada, and then talks a bit about Area Control as a game mechanism.

Brendan shares a bit about the podcasts he listens to keep himself in the loop in the hobby.

In this episode, Brendan reflects on the nature of creativity and remix in the boardgame design sphere, and the games Insider and Werewords.

Brendan continues his discussion of the idea of free riders and how they appear in games.  He ponders the fact that games allow for a different moral or ethical code to come into play, and wonders if that alternate code makes free-riding something very difficult to include in a design.

In this first of two part episodes, Brendan talks about the "free-rider" economic model and the nature of freemium programs, donor programs, and the relationship of content to cost.  In episode two, he'll talk about how the free-rider model can (or does) function in board games.

Brendan discusses games he has that have elaborate components and what effect those components have on the experience of playing them. 

Brendan shares his system for managing and tracking his gameplays, and introduces a new monthly segment, Top of the Stack. (Nod to Podcast of Nonsensical Gamers for their creation of this segment.)

Brendan shares his thoughts about what makes a game "burn your brain" and which games like that are his favorite ones.

Brendan discusses the Annie Jacobsen book, Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America. He reflects on how games can simulate the murky morality of this kind of activity, and whether that can be fun in a game.