Episode 20: Post Game Wrap Up - Gen Con 2013

Stick a fork in it, Gen Con 2013 is done. Marty and I talk about a newbie's experience at Gen Con, mine. We discuss some of the games I got to demo, some of the people I talked to, and just the overall experience.

Game: Eldritch Horror Discussion	4:30
Game: What's He Building in There	14:30
Game: Gale Force Nine, Firefly	19:00
Gen Con Tip 1: Decide to go and commit	23:00
Gen Con Tip 2: Take a friend	26:45
Privateer Press: High Command	31:00
Dice Tower Experience	33:00
Gamers and Bikers come together	42:30
Gen Con Tip 3: You can always buy later	45:00
Fantasy Flight In-Flight Report	48:00
Catalyst Game Labs Interview	53:30
Close out	1:07:00

Since we recorded this podcast, Marty and I have had the opportunity to play Shadowrun: Crossfire Demo from Catalyst Game Labs and we are both looking forward to this one. Additional Interviews are in coming in Episode 21 so stay tuned, we will have it out shortly.

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$50 Cool Stuff Inc Gift Card: The Final Entry Method

We wanted to make our first contest very easy to do, the second a bit more challenging and now for the
pièce de résistance. Please fill out our survey at SurveyMonkey, be sure to include your email, and you will get your name in the hat again.

It is a short survey, we are talking less than 10 questions. Only one survey per email address please.

All contests end on August 31 at midnight EST. The winner will be drawn on September 2.

Don't forget to check out the other shows on the Dice Tower Network who are also running their own contests.

The Dice Tower

The Secret Cabal

Ludology

Not Just Another Game Podcast

OnBoard Games

The Cardboard Jungle

The Party Gamecast

Geek All-Stars

Good luck!

$50 Gift Card from Cool Stuff Inc. Contest: Entry Method #2

We wanted to make our first contest very easy to do. Just press a button and you have an entry. For our next entry method, we are wanting to expand our iTunes audience and to do so we need to get some more reviews. Therefore, to get another entry into the contest, follow these steps:

1. Goto our iTunes page 
2. Click on View in iTunes button, 
3. In iTunes click on Ratings and Reviews 
4. Write a Review. 

It doesn't have to be long, but we hope it's nice ;-)

Once you are done, email us at RollDiceTakeNames@gmail.com and give us your iTunes user name. We then can match your email address to the iTunes user.

All contests end on August 31 at midnight EST. The winner will be drawn on September 2.

Don't forget to check out the other shows on the Dice Tower Network who are also running their own contests.

The Dice Tower

The Secret Cabal

Ludology

Not Just Another Game Podcast

OnBoard Games

The Cardboard Jungle

The Party Gamecast

Geek All-Stars

Good luck!

5 Minute Initiative: Chaos & Alchemy

Chaos & Alchemy is a game designed by Michael Iachini and published by Game Salute. At this time of this writing, the game is live on Kickstarter

In the game, you play the role of an alchemist who is performing experiments in order to learn how to turn lead into gold. Experiments are in the form of cards that can be drawn during the game and can be played on your turn when you have successfully performed experiments.

Success or failure of an experiment is determined by rolling three dice and comparing the value of each die to the current value of the fortune die. If it is equal to or higher, that counts as a success, if not, it counts as a failure. Successes can be used to draw more cards into your hand or to play cards from your hand. Cards can be experiments that count towards the games goal of 10 points, they could be action cards that give an instant ability or they may be misfortune cards played on other players in order to make it harder for them to reach their endgame goal.

If doubles are ever rolled on the dice, the player will re-roll the fortune die giving a new value that future experiments must meet.

This is light, fast game that involves a lot of player interaction. As with any dice game, a certain amount of luck is involved, but sometimes it takes luck to succeed in a laboratory.

Here is my family's thoughts on the game.


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Star Date 1: Arrival at Gen Con 2013

So the adventure to Gen Con began 12 hours ago at the airport. Of course it was an uneventful flight, but for those that are familiar with the CLT airport, when you see that you are at Gate E##, you know that you will get plenty of exercise. This is fine, as long as the bees don't come back.

During the flight, talked to some gentlemen near me that were all going to Gen Con. One was coming to compete in the Dominion Tournament since he won the championship in Brazil. We had a nice discussion on the plane about the expansions of Dominion and how being down in Brazil, it takes awhile for games to get to them. Also got to talk to Edward Bolme and we knew someone in common, Lee Shelton. Amazing the small world in which we live. Either way, the whole section discussed AEG's new game Trains and the hopes of being able to snag a copy.


So, once settled in, I headed over to the convention center to get familiar so I would not be lost and understand how things work. First, don't get me wrong, but I have been in the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta so when I say this, I do have a frame of reference. This place isn't that big, so I was surprised and wondered how 40,000 people are going to move in this place. I shall see on Friday.

I was lucky enough to ride the coat tails of The Dice Tower and sit in a game of Eldritch Horror that is still in beta according to all the watermarks on the board. It was a pleasure to (name drops ahead) finally meet Tom Vasel, Zee Garcia, Chris Miller (Secret Cabal) and one more whose name escapes me at the moment. Bryan from FFG taught us the game and we lost the game. We had to play the hardest setting of course, but looking back, we could have won this game had we not missed one aspect of the Elder card, in my opinion.

About the game itself, it is a good game and I will write up some more later in a different post, but have a meeting in 6 hours so must get some rest. All-nighters are not in my skill set anymore.

Episode 19: The wait is over - Gen Con

Yes, the year long wait is over and Gen Con is on us. While many of the board gaming faithful will not be able to attend, it is estimated that there will be over 41,000 people in attendance this year. And here at RDTN, I, Tony, will be in attendance for the first time. It is scary, it is daunting, and I am clueless. So Marty spends some time giving me advice and how to prepare for Gen Con in the first part of the show. We then hear from others on what games they are looking forward to and then we smoothly transition into our Top 5 games. As always, our closing thoughts include various nuggets of wisdom and more importantly how to win the $50 CoolStuffInc Gift Card.

Gen Con Food Advice	4:00
Parking at Gen Con	6:10
Bags to take to Gen Con	8:20
At the Table	12:05
Our Gen Con Top Five	18:30
Closing Thoughts	56:00
CoolstuffInc Contest Reminder	01:02:00

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5 Minute Initiative: Dungeon Roll by Tasty Minstrel Games

One of our first blogs was on a Kickstarter called Dungeon Roll designed by Chris Darden and brought to market by Tasty Minstrel Games. The game arrived and Marty and I wanted to get a 5 Minute Initiative out quickly on this game after our initial plays. There is a great How To Play video out there and the rules are quick and simple. As I state in the podcast, you roll dice to set your adventurers, the dungeon lord rolls dungeon dice depending on the level of the dungeon you are on, defeat the monsters with your adventurers, and see if you want to go on with that level defeated based on what is left in your party of adventurers. Each player gets to go to the dungeon three times and whoever has the most experience points at the end of the third delve wins. Once again, the How to Play video does a great job of explaining, give it a watch.


Marty and I both enjoy this game as a filler and the theme really is a positive for this push your luck type of game. All dice games have down time, but since the dungeon lord is a different person and they have something to do, there is less in this game than in others in my opinion.

At this price point and the quality of the dice, these bad boys are solid, and with future expansions planned, this could be a good game to add to your shelves if you are looking for a Zombie Dice replacement.


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