Merry Christmas!

Hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends . . . playing some games!

Courtier Now Available

My new game Courtier is now available at selected online stores, most notably Amazon. The word is that AEG sold out of them at BGG.Con in Dallas recently! Still plenty of time to get yours shipped before Christmas if you hustle.

If you're still on the fence, check out Tom Vasel's glowing review of the game. It sounds like he really enjoyed it--maybe you will too!

The Joy of Innovation

Picture by Ender Wiggins on BGG.

I'm sure that being especially creative or innovative can be a joyful experience. However, this post is about something much more concrete: the game Innovation by Carl Chudyk. I first saw this game being played at local cons. With somewhat clunky and unimaginative artwork/graphic design, I can't say I was very interested in exploring the game further. Soon after, I began hearing reports of the game's highly chaotic tenancies (more about this later). Yuck--moving on.

Fast-forward to just a few weeks ago. I noticed a link on BGN referencing a lengthy and detailed discussion of Innovation on The Long View podcast between Geof Gambil (the host) and W. Eric Martin. I'm not exactly sure what made me download this episode and listen to it, but I had some extra time in the car and decided to give it a go. I am so glad I did.

Eric spoke with energy and passion, claiming that he could play Innovation over and over again without tiring. They began to describe the game and speculate as to why it was such a mesmerizing game. They both noted the chaotic feel of the game, but talked about this being more like riding a roller coaster--a fun sort of chaos, and not without ways to control the flow. By the end of the podcast, I had resolved to give this game a real chance.

Last week I bought the game, and we have been enjoying it ever since. Basically, Innovation follows the rise of a civilization from Stone Age (e.g., The Wheel) to Information Age (e.g., The Internet), featuring over one hundred unique technological advances. Players slowly (sometimes not so slowly) work their way up the ladder of success, gaining achievements along the way. Cards come with a special power and a number of symbols. The symbols in a pile of cards can be spread out to give your civilization an extra boost. Check out Ender's comprehensive pictorial review on BGG for more information about how to play.

The game is chaotic, but it's the absolute best kind of chaos--controlled chaos. This is exactly what I want out of a game. Nearly all the games I have designed (and nearly all I own) feature this entrancing element. The excitement of not knowing what crazy card combination is coming next or what the unforeseen implications of a given strategy are going to be is what keeps me coming back. Carl Chudyk has turned a box with only two decks of cards into an unforgettable gaming experience. I highly recommend Innovation!

Games for Sale!

The time has come once again. Time to thin the herd. Here are some games I currently have up on eBay (for the next seven days, at least):

Hawaii - This is a really nice game with lots of great components and art. I enjoyed the first several plays. I really wanted to like this game, but something twisty happens with the strategy that I just rubs me the wrong way. I end up feeling like I'm moving little bits around to no purpose. No doubt, many people absolutely love this game--I'm just not one of them.

D-Day Dice - This one was the "big" Kickstarter blockbuster back in the day. They hit over $100K! I feel like Dr. Evil asking for "One MILLION Dollars." It arrived to my house in a giant box. And it was pretty fun (see my review) and clever, pushing dice games to the next level. I felt like part of something big. Then I just stopped wanting to play it. The final straw was when my Dad (a big D-Day buff) didn't care for it. I guess I don't either. Maybe it's right for you!

Surf's Up Dude - I got this one "free" at the Origins Board Room (only $20 to get in). The girls liked the playful surfing theme, but there's just not enough there to keep me coming back. If you're looking for a simple, light family game, this may be right up your alley. Fun fact: The publisher and artist for this game are the same people doing Family Vacation.

Kingsburg - This is probably an innovative game--nice use of dice for claiming resource locations. My girls (and even my wife) really enjoyed it (I've had this game for years). I just never quite figured out what the big fuss was all about. It's probably a little better with some of the expansions and add-ons now available. You should at least give it a shot if you haven't already.

Citadels - I was intrigued by this game, as several people said Revolution! reminded them of this game a little. It sounded like a nice friendly card game my family would enjoy. Turns out, it's got a lot of semi-random backstabbing (okay, I see the resemblance!), something my kids don't like without some serious mitigation. Your group might be different.

So there you have it. Click on any of the names above to see the eBay auction. Happy bidding!

Play Courtier Lite Free!

With Essen quickly approaching, AEG just released a sneak preview of my new game, Courtier, part of the Tempest series (actally #1 in that series . . .). Anyway, it's a lite version available for print-and-play. It contains something like just over half of the content of the full game, but it looks to be enough to help you get a feel for the game. Still on the fence? Well, try it out for yourself!

 

September was a crazy month. While I did manage to get some good design work in (I made an entire card game from scratch), I had no time of blogging about it. To make up for it, I'll offer you a quick look at some unfinished art from my upcoming Family Vacation. Progress is finally being made!

Finally, if you've read this far, you deserve to see one more little tidbit--more of a rumor really. Keep your fingers crossed for more news on this front . . .

Dominion Box Covered

As I mentioned in my last post (Making a Box for Dominion), my wife suggested that I use her Mod Podge and the labels from my leftover Dominion boxes to decorate the large box I constructed. Tonight, I did just that.

Making a Box for Dominion

Dominion is pretty much my favorite game. With the release of Prosperity I began to store all the cards in one box. Then came Hinterlands and, most recently the seventh expansion, Dark Ages. With the series winding down (only one expansion to go?), this was the time to build a new, more durable box. The following is a tutorial for building your own version.