BONUS INTERVIEW POST! ~ Doug Cook

Hello Dear Reader!

In this special BONUS edition of Red Earth Game Reviews, I am pleased to welcome the game creator Doug Cook!

Doug Cook is the owner, creator, and commander-in-chief of Funmaker Games. His first published game, Mimic, came out on the market in 2006 and debuted at the Origins game convention in Columbus, Ohio. I took some time with Doug recently to discuss not only his game, but the process that brought Mimic to the world!

REGR: Hi there Doug and thank you for sitting down with us today to discuss, well YOURSELF!

DOUG: Thanks, I'm happy to share my time with you, and well, discuss myself ( laughter )

REGR: So, why don't you tell the good readers a little bit about yourself, both professionally and otherwise!

DOUG: Well I'm happily married and raising my son in Wisconsin, where we make the great games of Funmakers! I'm a teacher and decided in addition to educating minds, I wanted to make something enjoyable and intensely fun as well! That's how Mimic came to be!

REGR: How did you get into the whole board game scene? Were you a gamer first or have you always been creating games?

DOUG: I started playing game I got for Christmas, but was often disappointed that I could not get enough people to play with me. I started creating small gaming groups, and out of that I found myself often creating new rules for existing games, and that led me to create MY OWN creations from scratch!

REGR: I won't ask what your favorite game is, but what's your favorite genre? Are you a hard-core role player or do you like the tactile decimation of your opponents miniature collection?

DOUG: I prefer boardgames with a medieval theme and games that require depth of strategy over luck. I like to be the one making choices, not following a dictated set of game mechanics

REGR: So you prefer to be the one in control of your gaming destiny?

DOUG: Yes, control of my destiny, or play of the game, or options for the player are what make the game more playable over and over again. I enjoy that and shun games that don't allow for that.

REGR: Your game, Mimic, debuted at Origins in Columbus, Ohio in 2006, Tell the readers how you got the idea for Mimic, and what the basic steps to publication and Origins you took.

DOUG: Mimic was the most peculiar start of an idea that I ever had. It was born out of the need to memorize terms for human anatomy while at the University of Minnesota. Soon, it morphed into a game that was far more strategic and fun to play, which became a marketable product. I had designed other games, but Mimic showed the most promise for the first game out.

I learned a lot as I went along. There's a tremendous amount of things you have to do just to get a game published. Between copyrights and dealing with printers, and packagers, you basically become a general contractor which can be fun yet challenging. And, on occasion, frustrating too.

Networking became the single most important thing to do as a small company. Usually, you are not blessed with the funds that a BIG BOX company is and meeting and talking with your contacts is a lot of work, but without those contacts, you most likely will not succeed.

I found that Networking is more investment in my company than it is a socializing affair. These people represent not just my suppliers, but the consumers as well and without them and their input and eventual output, I would have nothing to sell OR I'd end up with a lot of unmovable product.

REGR: Obviously, you did research before deciding to produce Mimic, what was the BEST advice you found during your research, and conversely, the worst?

DOUG: I went to the 30th anniversary convention of Origins and at one of the seminars, a mysterious message was waiting for us on the white board... the seminar leaders pointed out that it was not far from the truth.

REGR: What did the white board say?

DOUG: It said “ DON'T DO IT! “

REGR: That was the BEST advice?

DOUG: Well the seminar leader followed it up with the fact that unless you are able and willing to immerse your life in the pursuit of your dream... you just won't succeed. Its an all or nothing proposition.

REGR: Well then, what was the worst advice or counsel?

DOUG: Was to take out paper ads in magazines and newspapers. As a small company you don't have the funds to keep up with the BIG BOX companies. As a small company, the internet, your networked contacts, and conventions are your biggest asset. I won't say that I wasted money, but there were other things that the funds could have been spent upon that would have been a bigger benefit to me starting out. Word of mouth, contacts, online reviews like this are some of the more far-reaching and inexpensive tools in your arsenal that can really push a little company into the spotlight faster. With the advent of podcasting, your ability to advertise makes you a potentially world wide known company.

REGR: Sounds like you had a lot to go through just to make a game. What was more difficult, Creating the game in the first place, or getting it produced?

DOUG: Oh easy, getting it produced. Dealing with printers, and manufacturers. I, as the customer, was hand-holding them every step of the way, and basically riding them constantly to make sure every minute detail was accounted for. If I didn't keep an eye on everything, a lot of stuff could have gotten out the door. Then I would have had some serious quality issues and basically, a worthless product. It would have been like selling rotten fruit...no one is going to buy it no matter how good the idea of fruit looked on the drawing board.

My suggestion for aspiring game creators, join groups like the Game Publishers Association, and listen to them for a full year before you do anything. They have resources and experience that span over 30 years in the game and publishing industries. Its an inexpensive investment that will save you money, and quell a lot of frustrations.

I still love making games, obviously, or you wouldn't have a copy of Mimic right now, so perseverance is key. Listen to people that have already done what you want to do. Never give up, and work smarter, not harder. Creative thinking doesn't just apply to making the game, but to the actual production as well. Thinking out side of the box, or even WAY out of the box, can work for you, and if it does, who cares what other people think.

REGR: Did you have any troubles finding an artist for your game? Or did you make all the great pictures yourself?

DOUG: Artists are all over conventions. The trick is to finding one that clicks with your personality and style of working. I prefer conventions because I can actually meet them face to face and can tell if we'll work well together or not. This person has to be able to work with you and get inside your head in order to really show what it is you want people to see. Game graphics are often essential to a clear gaming experience. In the end, you get what you pay for. Go too cheap and it will show. Some people think they deserve more money than their particular talents are worth. Check their portfolios, see what they can do. Then make your choice. Get references as you would for any other employee you'd hire, because that's what they are, someone working for you. Sign a contract and be specific with who gets the rights to the image, and never pay until you are 100% satisfied with the work.

REGR: So its more than just a little photoshop work and a copyright line?

DOUG: Its a lot of work, but its worth it. My artist, Beth Trott, is a classically trained, award-winning, artist as well as a gamer herself. I think she has a wonderful ability to work with your ideas and wants to make the project as close to your original ideas and visions. She's willing to offer suggestions based on her abilities and training, but will never override your desires and vision to insert her own. Beth is great to work with and I'd recommend her to anyone needing an artist. She works in water colors that enabled me to make changes to the artwork that another medium would have made difficult or impossible. My ideas changed a lot and her flexibility made her ideal for my game creation needs. She worked well for me and we worked well together, THAT is what you need and want when making anything.

REGR: What was your biggest surprise at the conventions?

DOUG: I guess I was surprised by my ability to actually sell Mimic. You have to have a ringmaster like persona and get people to come to your booth.

REGR: So a pretty smile is not enough?

DOUG: No, people will just walk on by. You have to get to the people and bring them in. Once I did that things flowed and it was a more rewarding experience. When I first started attending conventions I was very surprised by people with booths that didn't interact with the consumers at all, so when I started my own booth, I made sure that was not the case. If you have difficulty with sales and socializing, find someone who does not. Being a leader is knowing both your strengths and your weaknesses. In the immortal words of Clint Eastwood, “ A man's got to know his limitations. "

REGR: What's the single best way to contact you for professional matters regarding Mimic, or contact information for publishers and manufacturers? Do your ringmaster skills extend towards mentoring?

DOUG: My website is the single best way to reach me, regarding my games or for mentoring. Helping another person into the game industry helps everyone. I was a gamer first and another good company means more fun for me. The Game Publisher's Association is an excellent resource and I recommend them as well. Podcasters are a new great way to get the word out about a game. Tom Vassal on Dice Tower is well followed, and the exposure you'll get is well worth a copy of your game. Tom is usually at the Origins convention, so make sure you get to him and get his take on things.

REGR: Any plans for the future you'd like the good Readers to watch for?

DOUG: Yes, we're hoping to come out with the expansion for Mimic which will allow four players to play, a solitaire style, and team play. ( printers see above ) After that we have two new Sudoku based games due in 2009. WE are also working on a game based on sea-faring, with pirates, commodities trading, and high seas adventure!

REGR: Ok, you're stranded on a desert island and all the rum is gone.....what three games would help you keep a hold of your sanity til you can find some sea turtles?

DOUG: Anything I make.... that counts as one. Card Football by CSE, and Kung-Fu Fighting by Slugfest Games ( of course with my own personal zombie ninja rules! ) and because 3 is not enough... Battlestations by Gorilla Games, which is a cross between a role playing game and a board game!

REGR: Awesome choices all! Well Doug, On behalf of all of us at Red Earth Game Reviews, we wish you well with your upcoming games and conventions and heartily thank you for this great time!

DOUG: I appreciate this opportunity and look forward to future reviews of the upcoming Funmaker Games as they appear on the market! I hope to see you all at Origins this year too!

Well everyone, that's a look at the man behind the games at Funmakers! I hope you enjoyed the bonus post and rest assured there will be more in the near future as well!

Here are some links to some of the various sites mentioned in this interview!

http://home.comcast.net/~kyteel/index.html ~ Funmakers!

http://www.thegpa.org/ ~ Game Publisher's Association

http://www.originsgamefair.com/ ~ Origins Convention

http://www.bethtrott.com/ ~Beth Trott!

http://www.slugfestgames.com/ ~ Slugfest Games

http://www.gorillaboardgames.com/ ~ Gorilla Games

http://www.csegames.com/ ~ CSE GAMES

MIMIC

HELLO DEAR READER!

Put on your safari hats and grab your mosquito netting because we're going to play MIMIC - Safari Edition!

GAME DESIGNER: Doug Cook, Funmaker Games. Art By Beth Trott.

PLAYERS: 2 -3, 20-30 minutes, Ages 8+, Small pieces warning for the 3 and under crowd.

GAME BASICS: MIMIC - Safari Edition is a fast paced card-based strategy game. You place your cards in various patterns in order to rid yourself of score cubes. Be the first to rid yourself of score cubes and you win! Sound easy? Don't be fooled. The elegant play style belies the complexities that can challenge even ranked chess masters!

Exquisitely created artwork, ( Beth Trott ) highlighting animals of the African continent, are your path to victory! basing your plays off the Start cards, you forge continuous patterns of matching pairs. The game field is confined to a 7 x 7 size, and this causes you to 'bend' your patterns around corners and even other cards. Score cubes act as obstacles as the game progresses and like prime real estate..each open space becomes more valuable and potentially game-deciding! That's where the monkeys come in....

As if the ever changing game space was not challenging enough, now you have people able to alter how cards are played and how the board is filled! The game mascot, Affa, decorates your Power cards and helps you catch up if you are behind or to stifle the runaway gamer who's about to win! Use them wisely as you only get 5 per game!

GAME DISSECTION: Lions and Zebras and Monkeys...OH MY!

ART: Beth Trott's skills as an artist with a pulse on the gamer mind shines brightly again! watercolor art, once typically restricted to crafts and Victorian set movies, has found new power in Beth's hands. Mimic shines with her style and is an excellent addition to any bookshelf collection.

PRICE: 15.00$ This means you have change from the almighty Jackson! Now you can play a game with the kids and have a lovely portrait of Lincoln to adorn your wallet...which means there's a dollar menu somewhere calling your name...

REPLAY: Mimic is not a three hour game. Its a sit down and play a few games game. This makes it an ideal game for kids and impatient people. That being said its not a no-brainer game like Candyland. The fun of this game comes from the battle of wits that occurs when you try to outmatch your opponents! therefore... its highly replayable! Expect grudge matches from your defeated foes!

MECHANICS: Its a cardgame, its a strategy game, its a color/image matching game. It has cool lil cubes that mark your progress...this means that the typical gamer will be familiar with the inner workings of MIMIC but probably cannot site another game that combines them so smoothly. I played it once with a Viet Nam war vet and his friend. His comments on the game "This is a really elegant design." Then he and his friend each put down a 20$ bill to make it more interesting for them. after that I played with some children about ages 9 and 11. The 9 year old whipped her brother's but soundly. The mechanics are smooth.

FUN: LOTS! The ease of play with the depth of strategy means this is a game everyone can play and not feel bogged down by in a heavy set up or a limited play group. Its enjoyed equally by children and war vets of all ages.

GAMER PROFILE: Are you a man or a monkey?

CASUAL: This game is easily picked up by even strict non-gamers. Good to bring along to new places and to share with new friends.

ACTIVE: Buy it. Play it. Its a great game to bring to a restaurant when you just want to spend some time with friends and not leave right away because the food is gone.

GAMER: Gamers are notorious for increasing the standard mechanics of a game... while you will not need that... a good gamer could easily buy two copies of Mimic... and play on a giant 14 x14 grid.... this would also make you able to play with 6 people. More is always fun!

CREATOR: Excellent Art.... Elegant Design. Fun and Award winning. THESE are your goals as a game designer. MIMIC is an excellent example of how the art attracts customers first, then excellent gameplay makes them faithful buyers. Go to Origins and look for the Funmakers Booth... you'll see a GIANT banner of the cover art from a mile away.... and then watch as people work their way to see what its all about. Imitate this success.

FOR THE LADIES: You'll like this game. Its pretty and clever and fun. If you are a mom, you'll have a great game to engage the kids with instead of video games and TV shows that pander to a child's intellect...this will expand their decision making skills not hinder them. If your significant other is a big gamer... this will give you a chance to strut your stuff on an equal playing field. " Skill against skill alone " ~ Fezzik

ABOUT ME: I'm a Gamer, Game Designer, and above all, a good guy who loves sharing games with people! if you have any questions, write me at redearth72@gmail.com

EN GARDE!!

Hello Dear Reader!


I say...it would be ever so decent of you if you could pass the chardonnay and then of course... EN GARDE!!


GAME DESIGNERS: Another great card game put out by the Slugfest people! Geoff Bottone, Colleen Skadl, and Cliff Bohm. Art by the amazing Beth Trott! Art Direction by Cliff Bohm.


PLAYERS: 2- 6 people, ages 10+, there's some small glass jewels so keep the babies away!


GAME BASICS: Where Kung Fu fighting was full of slam-bang karate fighting, En Garde aptly embodies the suave, sophisticated, sword fighting of swashbuckling movies all over!


Each player gets a handy card and gem to keep track of your Poise, lose your Poise and well, most anything can kill ya! So keep your cool and learn to dodge! Each player is dealt cards that allow them to both attack and defend themselves in a smooth dueling style!

GAME DISSECTION: Inigo: You are using Bonetti's defense against me, uh?

Man In Black: I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.

Inigo: Naturally, you must expect me to attack with Capo Ferro.

Man In Black: Naturally, but I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro, don't you?

Inigo: Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa, ... which I have!

ART: The art in this game is by the classically trained Beth Trott, who, on top of being a fabulous artist, is a gamer gal herself! In many games you either have a game in which the art was a secondary consideration, or a game which would look better in a museum than it does on your kitchen table....Beth's art finds that elusive middle ground where the art adds to the quality of both the aesthetics and the gameplay! Cliff's layouts make the game art flow smoothly from cover to rules pages and cards.

PRICE: 20.00$ ! Don't get me wrong, I have lots of games way over the 20$ dollar mark, but I'm always most pleased with the ones that rock my socks for only a Jackson! I got mine at the convention in Ohio and along with two other games still spent less than 50.00$ I own the games and can play them with lots of people. Conversely... my kids and I saw Iron Man and paid about the same for 2 hours of entertainment and candy. You can see why I favor board games above other forms of entertainment!

REPLAY: Not as fast as Kung Fu Fighting yet still you could polish off a couple-three games in about an hour. The 2-6 player style allows you to gather your friends or have a couple of couples over and join you and your spouse for some swashbucklery! ( Maybe play a POTC movie in the back round .. for ambiance... Why's the rum gone?)

MECHANICS: Smooth. I think that best describes how the games flow from the good Slugfest people. The rules make the steps of play clear and there's an intuitive nature to the design of the cards themselves. This is a great asset when teaching the game to new people!

FUN: If you don't find yourself quoting lines from the Princess Bride while you play.... you either have not seen the movie or the game-gremlins have eaten your soul.... roll a D20 for a new gamer soul! Or go buy the movie! FAST!, so you can get back to playing the game!!

GAMER PROFILE : HELLO! MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA!....

CASUAL: Put down the crossword puzzle, turn off the internet games, click off the gameshow on TV and interact with your people over a nice game of swashbuckling!....

"ITS CULTURE!!" ~ Mama and Papa

ACTIVE: Its pretty. Its sophisticated. Its a game about sword fighting. Its affordable and fits in your Backpack O' Games .... need I say more? Ok but only because I like to talk....

GAMER: A game for Talk Like a Pirate Day to be certain! In fact, you could play En Garde!, Battleship, and Seafarers of Catan and have a whole nautical theme night....I mean seriously...have you ever thought about pirating? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts...

CREATOR: Buy it. Study it. Pay attention to the art, not just the obvious stuff like the good half-dried blood color of the art...but the consistent facial features like how the blonde girl's nose is the same in each picture she's in.... the consistency of the art means you put some effort into the design of your game. Then read the rules and note the progression of information. Some games just blast away with a bunch of items listed and then take nigh unto a coon's age to actually explain the point of the game or how to win. The game rules for En Garde! fit neatly onto a single sheet of folded paper. That saves you cost and that increases profit.... both are important for a game creator!

FOR THE LADIES: Smart women are EVERYWHERE! Most of the bright-minded women I know have a great smile and love kicking butt in boardgames! BE A BUTT KICKER!! Moreover this is again another game created with the talents of women! SOLIDARITY BABY! Show Colleen and Beth they are not alone! Besides.... who doesn't like a Lady Pirate? I mean REALLY!

ABOUT ME: I'm a Gamer, Game Designer, and above all, a good guy who loves sharing games with people! if you have any questions, write me at redearth72@gmail.com

Tsuro

Hello Dear Reader!


Today we find ourselves venturing down the many winding paths of TSURO, The Game of the Path!

GAME DESIGNERS: Wiz Kids, Tom McMurchie Art by Shane Small Cathy Brigg

PLAYERS: 2-8 people, ages 8+, small pieces warning to keep the babies safe!

GAME BASICS: With an ornate board and cunningly simple yet interwoven designed tiles, topped off with nicely formed pawns Tsuro is an easy to see, fun to play tile-laying game. the Object is to create an ongoing path that leads you to safety and your opponents off the board!

This is a composite image of the various board elements. The dragon tile is added to the stack of path tiles and changes up the active player as it appears throughout the game.

The various pawns move along the paths and wind all over the firebird-board.

Sounds simple enough?....Deceptively so!

With each new tile, a new connection to an already larger path can be created and will possibly link you , or if you are wily, your opponents to certain doom!

GAME DISECTION: Paths to glory...paths to doom!

ART: Yes....there's A LOT of excellent art in this game. In addition to a beautiful board, box and pieces, the copy I purchased included a quasi-sumi ink drawing of a bamboo shoot. The feeling conveyed is that this is an ancient game, designed to reflect the path to higher knowledge. the art does its job very very well!

PRICE: 20.00$ or less! Another easy buy when you have some spare cabbage in your pocket! Its pretty and affordable and fun to play...think about the last thing you spent 20.00$ on....prolly won't last as long as this game....which brings us to..

REPLAY: 2-8 people.... not often you find a nice game that easily accommodates a large and small number of players, but Tsuro can. The ease of its game play allows for new gamers and younger gamers to easily join in a game without a steep learning curve to bog them down.

MECHANICS: Though the actual workings of the game are simple, the dynamics of the interlocking paths creates a subtle complexity that, even the sagest of players must take into account. For people who enjoy the tactile sensations that are afforded by board games, this game will satisfy most happily. The tiles, the pawns, and how they interact, fills that void that is often created by video games and other ethereal pursuits.

FUN: My daughter enjoys games that she can trump anyone older than herself in, and she has cackled madly in triumph numerous times with Tsuro. Its a good game for a miniature tournament, best out of five etc etc.

WHO ARE YOU? The Gamer Profile:

CASUAL: Push aside the doilies and books on Da Vinci, make room on the coffee table and play a couple of games. You'll be glad you did, especially if you enjoy mind exercise games and crossword puzzles, this is a nice way to take all that logic training and give it some outside-the-box ( all puns intended ) use!

ACTIVE: No dice, no luck, all brains and skill against skill alone. This will be a nice backpack game that let's you play games the way God intended ' sportsman like. '

GAMER: Use this game to prove to the nay-sayers in your life that boardgaming is dull and for geeks or nerds. Or, use it to level the playing field with your power-gamer friends! For the price its hard to beat!

CREATOR: Here's a game that is older than you might think. Originally created around 1979, but not published, it is reborn in 2006 and voila...gaming goodness. Make note of the artwork as well. It doesn't look like another colored-pencil quasi-historical portrait... it looks...exotic...and richly detailed... and that will get some people ( like me ) to buy it for that reason alone.

FOR THE LADIES: A lot of people jumped on the Feng Shui wagon, or decorated their home in neo-oriental styles... this game wil fit perfectly with many countries on the Asian mainland and Japanese islands. Its fun and thoughtful and if you prefer a non-violent game... this game will appeal to you.

ABOUT ME: I'm a Gamer, Game Designer, and above all, a good guy who loves sharing games with people! if you have any questions, write me at redearth72@gmail.com

CITADELS!

HELLO DEAR READER!

Today's review is on the city-building game CITADELS!

GAME DESIGNERS: BRUNO FAIDUTTI Published in America by Fantasy Flight/Silverline

PLAYERS: 2-7, ages 10+ , and about 20-60 mins of gametime. It has a few small pieces so keep the babies away!!

GAME BASICS: Citadels is a card game, whereby each player takes on a role as one of a series of influential city builders. You can build or use your special ability on your turn, collect your gold and prepare for the next round.

Sounds too simple??? Well there's more!

Each District has a color that will give bonuses to various Characters! The more bonuses you character can garner during the game, the more victory points you'll have at the end! The player with the most victory points wins!

Each player has a number as well. This designates the order each person plays in! One person acts as the King each round and calls out the numbers. The players, who choose their characters in secret, do not reveal themselves until their number is called!

In addition to special abilities of the Characters, and the various colors, some Districts actually have special attributes in and of themselves, they usually cost more, but are always worth it!

GAME DISSECTION: Behind the Citadel walls...

ART: The Art of Citadels reflects heavy fantasy overtones. Its expertly illustrated with a flair for the dramatic and darkness of the middle ages. There's no munchkin city here....THAT being said despite the illustration quality art, its not too busy and does not distract from the game as can be the case in some creations. ( Oddly enough it wasn't the art that suckered me in this time...I just like the name CITADELS )

PRICE: Once again we hit that perfect number...20.00$! Citadels USED to come in a book sized box and had cardboard money and no special piece to designate the KING. NOW, for the SAME yuppie food coupon you can A: Get the game B: WITH cool gold plastic coins C: get the special wooden King piece D: get an expansion included called " The Dark City" and E: Get it in a much smaller box with a nice protective finish to it! Who says stuff devalues over time! This game actually got better!

REPLAY: This is the kind of game that doesn't take all night and can be included with a bunch of other does-not-take-all-night set of games. Fits in a backpack for easy travel. Once, while having over indulged in our regular set of games, we played a whole set of new games and CITADELS was the one we replayed the most that night.

MECHANICS: I've played a lot of card games. I once watched my father try and teach us all how to play Sheepshead and then watched him play four hands simultaneously because we were young and didn't quite get it.... This game is easy. You have two things to do on your turn and each of those only have two choices...your most difficult choice...will be deciding which character to be! With the addition of the new wooden King token...clarity of gameplay has improved as well for those who are easily confused. You know who you are. This game comes with various ways to play for the size of your gaming party as well. A nice feature alot of games don't always consider to make rules for traditionally, thus a whole set of house rules won't need to be created!

FUN: While I don't see the game leading to grand CITADELS tournaments in your house, you should have one or two people who's game night is made when they win and become the King of the Game! ( Maybe even find a nice Burger King Crown for said winner... ) I like this game for its variety of turn order and under-dog friendly mechanics!

WHO ARE YOU? The Gamer Profile:

CASUAL: If you think a good game is UNO or GO FISH and you think this is a card game too so I should like it...... maybe not. The game has some complexities that do not make it a no-brainer. What's that? You've been reading the reviews though, and you're starting to think maybe you'd like to graduate to the next level?? Good choice!! Jump right in!

ACTIVE: If you like fantasy novels, are a middle ages history buff, or just like fairy tales, pick up Citadels, while definitely not the sugary coated world of fairies and Ozzian munchkins...its got a good flavor of the Dark Ages where people still wore cloaks, and carried daggers..and not just to make a fashion statement.

GAMER: With the new included expansion and pieces, this should be a part of your collection. Great for a big group of folks, or a couple good friends. Maybe not everyone showed up for D&D night... citadels should be able to fill the void quite nicely, maybe it will even inspire you to more RPG greatness!

CREATOR: Though its not what hooked me...study the art of this game! Maybe your game is simple, but don't let that stop you from making it BEAUTIFUL As well! CITADELS lists 5 Illustrators and 5 Graphic Designers.... maybe your budget doesn't support that...but now you have a goal! Also, the recent upgrade proves that though you might not be able to produce game EXACTLY the way you like the first run.... a good game brings success and with that can come a new ability to show off your professionalism and business savvy.... and your loyalty to the people that buy the game and afford you your success!

FOR THE LADIES! Read a lot of historical fiction? Are you the OTHER other Boleyn girl? Or maybe the Boudicca of Wabash? Maybe the Disney Villains were always your favorite...Tired of games that are all about war and dice rolling? Give your darker side a bit of free reign...be cunning!, Be calculating! Give Citadels a go!

ABOUT ME: I'm a Gamer, Game Designer, and above all, a good guy who loves sharing games with people! if you have any questions, write me at redearth72@gmail.com

KUNG FU FIGHTING!!!

Hello Dear Reader!

I regret to inform you that...YOUR KUNG FU IS NO MATCH FOR MINE!!!!

Today's review is about the fast-paced, all-action, "hong kong cinema-style", card game...

KUNG FU FIGHTING!

THE GAME DESIGNERS: SLUGFEST GAMES! Geoff Bottone, Colleene Skadl, and Clifford Bohm. Slugfest Games is a self publisher, proving that you don't have to be under the BIG UMBRELLA to produce a high-quality, uber-fun game!

PLAYERS: 2 - 6, approximately 30 mins, ages 10 and up.

GAME BASICS: You are a kung-fu master! Unfortunately so are all your opponents! Each player gets a CHI CHART card and crimson glass jewel ( nicely provided ) to mark your CHI level! After that each player gets 7 cards, a draw pile and discard pile area are created and the mayhem begins!!

Using the various cards available, you can assault your fellow Kung Fu masters with straight attacks, combo attacks, weapons, and unconventional weapons like tables chairs and umbrellas!!

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! In the classic Kung Fu tradition, various styles emerge and you may adopt those as well inflicting even MORE Chi damage to your opponents! Ahhh...but beware...for every stance has an opposite that can inflict great damage upon you as well!!

GAME DISSECTION: SECRETS OF THE KUNG FU MASTERS!!

ART: As always...I can easily get suckered in by one of two things in a game....great art...or lots of lil pieces.... and ART is what drew me to the Slugfest Booth at Origins. My friend Doug and I sat down with Cliff and played a quick round of KUNG FU FIGHTING, and for me it was an instant purchase! The artist responsible for luring me in is a man named Peter Nguyen, under Clifford Bohm's art direction....they make a smash-bang team!

PRICE: 20$ Its a nice number for a game. If I were to break it down by the number of times I have played this game....let's see....carry the one...divide by PI....give back one kadan to honor the Hebrew God....and this game cost me about 25 cents per game.... and is much more satisfying than just about anything else I can buy for 25 cents nowadays.

REPLAY: Lots and Lots!! Its not a three hour game. This is a good game for playing with a few people before a big night out or while your personal Game Master of Triskelion is setting up a world for you to crawl through. Doug and I played it later on in the the open hall of Origins and in the hotel room along with the other games I bought from Slugfest...which will also be reviewed at a later date!

MECHANICS: VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD..with some twists! The stances give you bonuses for using certain attack enhancements, the attack enhancements can be stacked numerous times to turn your basic kick into a FAST, FLIPPING, WILD, SPINNING, KICK! ...and each time you add the appropriate bonuses! The game play is balanced and not rigid in that you can attack anyone at the table...not just someone next to you....or if you are extremely confident in your Kung Fu....two people at once!

** HOUSE RULE ALERT!!! ** Doug and I played this game and on one occasion one of us just got kung-fu hammered to near death in the first go, and promptly died the second attack! SADNESS! Undaunted though, we quickly invented the ZOMBIE NINJA RULE!! Whereby we come back at half CHI and can only use basic attacks!! This added an under-dog effect which we both enjoy and promote often! And yes....sometimes Zombie Ninjas win!

FUN: MORE FUN THAN CAN FIT INTO AN OCTAGON! Yes, really! It has three of my favorite game qualities...Simple. Pretty. Cool.

WHO ARE YOU? The Gamer Profile:

CASUAL: I doubt that gramma will play it with you. But if your Dad is like mine and watched alot of karate movies, and even took classes..... Its very possible that you could get him to drop a couple roundhouse-kicks on you, even if he's typically a non-gamer. My boy has played this with his friends and they all learned in about ten mins and played for an hour the first time out of the box... that was when they were 11.

ACTIVE: Going camping? Throw it in the back pack and practice your Bruce Lee Huuaaaaaaaa! Its affordable and small packaged so its not going to be in the way. You might even learn valuable bear-fighting moves in the process!

GAMER: By this point in the article you should have already logged onto slugfest games website and bought it and read about the upcoming expansion.... if not... roll a natural 20 or you lose one level and are weakened for one game day. Head to your local game store and buy a copy.... thus supporting your local economy and purifying your negative gamer levels for not already owning this! If you have no local store, log into slugfest games website and you can snag a copy from the good people at Paizo via the website.

CREATOR: One very interesting point.... my copy of KUNG FU FIGHTING was made in the USA. This is unusual as alot of games get published in other countries, most commonly China. I know with the current fuel prices alot of work is coming back to the states and that means that you can probably support the home economy and save money, time, and possibly someone's job. I wouldn't call it patriotism, but having pride in one's own country is not to be discouraged either.

FOR THE LADIES: One of this game's creators IS A WOMAN! Colleene Skadl. I met her at the conventions too, as well as an artist for another of Slugfest's games, Beth Trott. Kung Fu might not be your first choice, but supporting your fellow women in the gaming world has its perks too! YOU GO GIRL!

ABOUT ME: I'm a Gamer, Game Designer, and above all, a good guy who loves sharing games with people! if you have any questions, write me at redearth72@gmail.com

Aye, Dark Overlord!

Hello dear Reader!

Today's Gamer review has me looking at "Aye, Dark Overlord!" A game brought over from the good people of Italy!

The Games Designers: Fabrizo Bonifacio, Massimiliano, Enrico and Chiara Ferlito teamed up with artist Riccardo Crosa and Paolo "Spot" Valzania and created one of the more...fantastic party games.

The Publishers: Stratelibri and Counter franchising.

Players: 3 or more, and the more the merrier! Playtime: 60 minutes or more

Game Basics: The premise is simple as can be.... YOU..are the Dark Overlord Rigor Mortis. The other players are your faithful-but-not-so-reliable underlings and henchmen.

You, as Rigor Mortis send out your minions to obtain the unattainable thinga-ma-bob of doom, only to have them return empty handed. This is a common happening yet it provides you with mild entertainment as you listen to their pathetic and often extremely improvised excuses!

Your team mates, play the goblin henchmen and must come up with the best possible excuse as to why the mission failed!

BUT HOW??

Its in the cards!!

The Hint cards aid the minions by providing them with ideas for a viable excuse in three different ways!

1: The Picture.... it says a thousand words all by itself and can spur on a minion to buck-passing glory!

2: The Title... for people who need more than a 1,000 word picture...a snazzy title to jog your mind into Overlord-dodging action!

3: The Word-Picture. Details for people who are detail-oriented.

These cards are meant to give you the muse of inspiration to extricate yourself from the dreaded " Withering Glare " from the Dark Overlord!

THESE ARE WHAT AWAIT YOU WHEN YOU DISAPPOINT THE DARK OVERLORD!

The "Withering Glares" progress in severity and the game ends when someone obtains a 3rd Glare.

We like to play the game with a small score pad.... to keep track of who is the best glare-dodging minion, but that's optional for you.

( Optionally, if you are the Dark Overlord, you can toss treats to the good minions)

There is one more set of cards to aid game play. these are the Pass and Block cards.

Played in conjunction with the hint cards,or to interrupt another player they can shift the momentum away from your fellow minions in order to get on Rigor Mortis' good side. ( Not that he has one...but just in case )

GAME DISSECTION: The guts and the glory!

ART: The game is based off characters in a comic book (Rigor Mortis) and therefore retain that same excellent style! I will admit that while at Gencon 2006, this is what got my attention. I'm a sucker for comic art and this style adds a good light-heartedness to the game.

PRICE: 20$ !!! Its less than four people to a movie!! Its less than a dinner for two! Its one yuppie-food-coupon's worth of kitchen table goodness! I got mine for 15$ at the convention and so I'm still all jazzed!

REPLAY: This is a game that is made for people who like to make up stories and laugh. This is for friends and family that like good stories or jokes. So needless to say, if that's your group... you'll be sure to keep this one handy. Buy a couple copies... so the cards don't wear out.

MECHANICS: 1Overlord + Many Minions = Hours of Fun. Its a card/storytelling game. There are cards to help you think, cards to help you pass the buck, and cards to help you get ahead. The hardest part is having other minions boo you before you're finished with your reason for failure.. strict Overlord's will discourage this....that's what the Interruption cards are for. Peanut Galleries are not tolerated!

FUN: Obviously if your story-telling skills are lacking, you might not enjoy this game as much as some, but if you have role-played, been in a school play, or have been to a family reunion, you should hold your own and laugh about ten times as much as you would playing any other game.

WHO ARE YOU? The Gamer Profile:

Casual: Anyone from Gramma Jo to lil Matt should be able to join in the fun, even if they don't usually play any games other than Go Fish or yell at the TV during Wheel of Fortune.

ACTIVE: This is a great game for a regular group of friends. Especially if you're in need of something different, or just don't feel like setting up a multi-pieces game. Shuffle and ago and laugh.

GAMER: This should be in your back-pack of goodness, right next to your favorite dice bag. Its great in the living room and you could prolly play it in the car on your way to the conventions. Competitive gamers should have appropriate crowns for the Overlord and Minions badges to denote rank.

CREATOR: Buy it for the art, study it for the fun factor. Its a solid party game, that is worth a good study. Its not from Germany too, help support your game making brethren in Italy!

FOR THE LADIES: This is just a fun fun fun game! If you have children who tend to be full of mischief....perhaps its not wise...because they will just learn new ways to create stories as to why they didn't clean their rooms.

ABOUT ME: I'm a Gamer, Game Designer, and above all, a good guy who loves sharing games with people! if you have any questions, write me at redearth72@gmail.com