Since this site has always been the hodgepodge that is things I do, it should come as no surprise that I change the rules of what goes here. As such Tabmail related stuff is on my new site: PopTopPaladin.com
Also because I’m incapable of doing things without reviewing them, I signed up for Pley which is basically Netflix (DVD) but for Lego sets, and have started my own little review site at TopBrick.net
Apologies on the lack of updates in the game and tab space, but I’ve been busy. I’m currently finishing up the first version of the newly designed armor, and trying to get it done for AAC – hopefully I can make it, as I love AAC. I’ll be there with the Nerdfit crew, and we’ll also be heading to Alternicon in Boston sometime in November.
But minor stuff aside – HOLY CRAP Boston FIG. We had entered for their showcase a few months back after missing another contest, but not only did we advance but we got to go to the showcase, and if I have one complaint about that – it’s that I was too busy to check out anything outside of our table (I the video game developer/major didn’t even see a video game)
We had some great playtesting and feedback – and while I’ve done various playtesting amongst groups of people – it’s a far different environment than a quiet sit-down, and if anything I prefer it. You really figure out what of your game you can say to draw them in more, and what parts you don’t need to have because if it’s too hard to explain when they can just as easily pick up and leave – you really get down into what you need to do for your game.
Another thing which my compatriot was beaming about was how much the art was complemented (we didn’t get the Figgy award, but then we didn’t have a sign up thing/code/any real sort of planning (we actually had to rush to get a tablecloth), but it was enough that both of us are excited to bring something next year which means good for me because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to steal Chris away from his animations to do my tabletop art.
There’s some changes to the game that we’ll be doing based on feedback, and some others things we wanted to add, but stay tuned. I also have an email list so feel free to email jernandrews@gmail.com to be added for when the game is released (although it’ll be here too)
So CaH’s Tabletop Deathmatch entries for 2014 is ending today (oh and it’s my birthday) I’ve submitted all 4 of my in progress games (which now all have pages), and over the course of the week and weekend I hope to get some more playtesting, and some more images up of the various games.
Since it was my birthday though I went and got myself 2 presents. 1 was a shiny GameCrafter prototype of my newest project Chimera Battle Royale, and even though the art is programmer art – I think it makes the game a lot more something I can put in front of more people to get some more testing. (the other gift was some more board games and scotch)
I’ve not forgotten my other games though, and I also have good news. While the game Chris and I were working on didn’t get into the Flux Capacity challenge, we made some changes that we felt the game needed (but were against Flux’s rules), and we put the game into the Boston FiG competition. The game is currently in the second round!
Cascade is likely my most finished project – but that’s also because I want to continue to refine my other projects a bit more to make them stronger games overall.
Anyway I’ll be starting my own little review column for board games (since why not) on Nerdfit either next week or two, and I’ll likely crosspost. As Nerdfit is a little lacking in Tabletops – I promise to start slow and begin with some classics before I start seeking out the newest games from the big names, or the best from the indie and KS markets. Look forward to Tabletop Workbench here or at the main site Nerdfit.com. (You can also read the anime articles – but fair warning that’s a comedy column, whereas Workbench will be a more serious review column)
So minor update before the spring season reviews kick up:
I am still every week discussing why anime is broken.
I’ve added 2 new pages discussing some recent board/card games I’ve been working on. One is Death By Cards which is sort of an absurdest storytelling game. It’s meant to make you tell stories that you normally thought you would never hear. Because the cards are open-ended and their usage is intended to be whatever ‘makes sense’ considering the context you can end up with a lot of moments like – what have we done?, and did I just say that?
The second game is a drinking game, about punching people and drinking to get mana. (I swear the 3rd game I mention is family-friendly.) Punch Drunk Magic is a game where to win you need to block other players, to do that you must kill monster and defeat challenges, and to do that you need magic – which is where drinking comes into play. (There is of course rules for those not wishing to partake)
Death By Cards is at this point ‘done’ and my current action is to finalize the design, and then get a full print – and continue to playtest and make sure the rules are solid. Punch Drunk is still at an alpha stage and over it’s few playtests it’s changed (and simplified!) quite a bit. Hopefully I’ll be comfortable with it’s design later on this year to start getting all the art and printing it needs to go forward.
I’m also working on an untitled 3rd game for a contest for The Flux Capacity over at The Game Crafter (which the aforementioned games are being built/developed/printed on.) To those who enjoy game design I urge you to check out their site as there’s a truly liberating feeling in knowing that you, yes you can actually make a board game.
In chainmail news I’ve made a new weave, and will also post that along with some string and leather weaves I’ve recently been toying with. I’ve got some updated images of the whole armor piece (including a head piece) which hopefully once some other stuff settles down I can post here. I hope (since I apparently have been drafted) to have the new armor design ready for Connecticon since I will be doing an unrelated panel there.
Anyway stay tuned for that, and in the following week expect the seasonal reviews in full-force.
First on the Tab Front – I’ve fixed all the gallery pages, and will soon have some more updates with the new WIP Arms, and the Finished Cape in fully glory. View galleries here. I’ve also added a new weave which really I should have had a while ago. Double Flat Tabscale using 5/16 rings.
As you (and my Google Search hits) may have noticed this site no longer has spirit reviews. It’s been clamoring for it’s own place and I’ve finally given it one at Honest Booze Reviews. The site has been ‘soft-launched’ right now all I’ve got left is to make the site look pretty and the launch proper will began with weekly content on wine, beer, and spirits.
Finally as mentioned above I’ve begun writing a weekly column on anime back over at Nerdfit which has been upgraded (again). Those fans of my normal reviews will certainly like the content, and the style is a little less ADD and depressing, and more trying to fix the broken sham that anime is. You can read “I Hope Nippon-Sempai Notices Me.” Here at Nerdfit.com every Friday.
Cheers mates.