Dec 05
I recently wrote about what I called fully asymmetric board games. Fully asymmetric games can be great fun, but design challenges abound. A vast amount of playtesting needs to be done to balance the factions; otherwise you end up with a game that’s “solved” pretty quickly by playing one particular faction. Games with limited asymmetry …
Nov 07
One of the interesting trends in board game mechanics is asymmetry. Asymmetry simply means the different players have substantially different capabilities. In extreme cases, the different sides even play by completely different rules. Asymmetric games require smart design effort and significant playtesting to ensure game balance. For players, though, asymmetry can be more fun, allowing …
Jul 25
I’ve bought into more than my fair share of board games on Kickstarter. I’ve begun to back off on using Kickstarter, except for relatively known companies or developers. Just for kicks, and went back and analyzed the board game Kickstarters I’ve been involved with, to check out who’s delivered, who hasn’t delivered, and how long …
Jul 12
Eric Klein and I have lamented on the podcast that hardware Kickstarters often show up extremely late, or fail to deliver. I’ve cut back on Kickstarter quite a bit, but still help fund the occasional board game. I’ve been disappointed on occasion, mostly due to over eagerness or improper expectations, but my delivery ratio has …
May 31
Emily and I swing into the parking lot, naturally finding a spot on the top floor of the Hyatt Airport parking garage. We’d already unloaded luggage, boxes of games for the flea market, and a massive suitcase full of games for playing. We headed into the con area, making our way towards the registration desk. …
May 26
I’ll be up to my armpits in board games this weekend, attending one of the Bay Area’s best tabletop gaming conventions, Kublacon, held at the San Francisco Airport Hyatt. I’ve been attending this particular con for more years than I care to recount. My two daughters took part in the Kublacon Kids room since they …
Jan 28
If you play board games at all, you may have heard of Pandemic Legacy. Based on the co-op game engine from the original Pandemic, Pandemic Legacy offers a new take on board games: the board game as story. (Note: you may find very light spoilers about the game, but nothing substantial is revealed). The game …
Oct 04
Podcast: The Board Gaming Explosion
Our recent PAX podcast got me thinking about how relatively wonky, hobbyist board games have penetrated the mainstream. So this podcast focuses on the second big explosion in board gaming (the first occurring in the late 90s). This isn’t a discussion about specific games, but how board games (and even tabletop RPGs) have penetrated the public …
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