GenCon Exclusive Interview with Vincent Baker about Otherworlds RPG and Spellslingers

OTherworlds logo text with an image of an elf conjuring a spell in her hands

We sat down on the last day of the convention with Vincent Baker, the designer of Otherworlds and the recently kickstarted card game Spellslingers, to talk about his games and a forthcoming project. Otherworlds is a fantasy adventure with a mix of sci-fi elements while Spellslingers is a fast-paced card game for up to ten players. Plus exciting news about a new Otherworlds kickstarter!

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GenCon Interview with David Reid of MetaArcade

MetaArcade logo across a hex grid

We spoke to David Reid about his company’s new app Tunnels & Trolls Adventures. Available now on Android and iOS with plans to come to Mac and Steam, this new platform aims to provide players a means of playing through RPG scenarios in the classic choose your own adventure format, including stories submitted by the community for sale, complete with stock art and sound effects. We get to see how the Adventure Creator works and what a finished adventure looks like on the PC. Their initial release brings players digitized versions of some of the first choose your own adventure modules from the venerable Tunnels & Trolls RPG, from veteran writers including Michael Stackpole. The Adventure Creator is expected soon.

You can download Tunnels & Trolls adventures for free now on your mobile devices! Apple Store. Google Play.

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GenCon Interview with Ben Loomes of Syrinscape

syrinscape logo

At GenCon, we spoke with Ben Loomes to discuss the history of the Syrinscape platform and how GMs can use the service to bring customized sound effects, ambient soundscapes and background music into their games both around the table and online. We learned about pricing for the new Starfinder sound sets and a new feature that will allow you to trigger effects on other devices anywhere around the world.

You can learn more about Syrinscape here!

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GenCon Interview with Chris Birch from Modiphius

people on the bridge as it is in battle

We had the chance to interview Chris Birch from Modiphius at GenCon about the the new Star Trek Adventures RPG. He describes how the game duplicates the character-based narratives of the franchise by encouraging players to challenge their characters’ values and build their own crew of familiar faces as they explore the unknown. We also get updates on Achtung! Cthulhu and some details about the forthcoming Fallout Miniatures game.

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GenCon Interview with James Sutter of Paizo on Starfinder

In this interview at the very beginning of Gencon, when you could still find Starfinder for sale at their booth, James Sutter from Paizo answered some questions about how the rules in this new science fantasy role-playing game have been simplified to speed up play. He also explains how starships have been integrated into the game, the level of backwards compatibility designed into the system and some of the evolutionary developments that led from Pathfinder to Starfinder. Lastly, he also doesn’t not announce something you might be able to look forward to in before too long by way of an iconic adventure path.

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GenCon Interview with Monte Cook about Numenera 2 and Invisible Sun

Covers for Numenera Discovery and Numenera Destiny

While we were at GenCon last week, we had the chance to sit down with Monte Cook and get some more details about Numenera and Invisible Sun. In this interview, he discusses what the three new character types in the forthcoming Destiny will look like and how they might interact with the types from the core book, whose new incarnation will be called Discovery. We also asked him about how the cards in Invisible Sun will be used and hear about some of the other new products MCG brought to the convention.

Official Numenera 2 Announcement

Image TM and © 2017 Monte Cook Games, LLC

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Interview with Rob Stith of The Orpheus Protocol and Seraph Films

Aser and Megan had the chance to chat with Rob Stith from The Orpheus Protocol and Seraph Films about his Actual Play podcast, game system in development, and kickstarter that is currently running! You can find Rob on Twitter, on the Orpheus Protocol website, where you can find the in development rules for the game and listen to episodes.

*Note* The Orpheus Protocol is currently experiencing some problems with iTunes, so if you look for it there or in the iOS Podcast app, you’re going to end up with a podcast feed for Moron Gaming. You can access the episode by using a different app.

Rob is also one of the writers for The Nightmare Gallery, a horror film starring Amber Benson, where she plays a professor searching for the truth about a student who went missing three years earlier. The kickstarter is running through July 4! Please check it out for all kinds of cool rewards.

Outro Music:
Port_City_Music_-_29_-_Night_Terrors from ‘Silber Sounds of Halloween’
Freemusicarchive.org

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Interview: Untold: Adventure Awaits Kickstarter

All the components that come in Untold. There's a board, story cubes, cards, character sheets, and tokens.
All the components that come in Untold. There's a board, story cubes, cards, character sheets, and tokens.
I had the chance to talk to Michael Fox from The Creativity Hub about their new game Untold: Adventures Await, which allows you to build an RPG game out of Story Cubes. You can pull in any Story Cubes you want, and there are a lot of options out there already! The variety of cubes will make it easy for me to run the Batman hospital drama I’ve always wanted to try. But seriously, this looks like a great way to have an evening of wacky fun and you should check it out on Kickstarter!

Tell us a little bit about yourself! When did you start getting into games?
So, I’m Michael Fox, I’m a game designer, sometime publisher, podcaster and occasional writer. I’ve run my own site (called The Little Metal Dog Show) and an accompanying podcast for the past eight years or so where I get to interview all manner of folks from the tabletop industry. For now though, I’m currently working with The Creativity Hub over here in Belfast, Northern Ireland, helping them make games that are not only great to play, but also have a bit more meaning under the surface.
I started getting into games as a kid with the classic nerd titles – Hero Quest was a major influence on me. I’d play it myself with solo rules that I ‘developed’ – basically, making stuff up as I went along, stuff that felt right from a story point of view. That morphed into actual rulesets for other games, and then I grew up, discovered music and girls, and forgot about games until around 2000. I stumbled across a tiny game store in Sydney, Australia, saw the kinds of things on offer there, and was kind of hooked. From then on… well, it’s all been cardboard and meeples and dice.

Continue reading Interview: Untold: Adventure Awaits Kickstarter

Interview: Ether Wars

Ether Wars promo image. Shows the game with a nebula in the background

We got the chance to talk to Burning Games and Ether Dev about their new Kickstarter for Ether Wars. This game didn’t fund last time, but have made some changes to make it more appealing to players! We talked to them about the original game, and are really excited to see them to re-launch with Burning Games!

1) Give us the ‘elevator pitch’ for Ether Wars. What sort of games is it similar too, and what’s the setting like?

It’s a sci-fi game of area control and worker placement with a twist: all your troops are represented by dice. You must place, move and roll the dice to defeat your opponents and obtain 5 pieces of Ether, the mythical power source. It has stunning art and nuanced and addictive gameplay.

2) It’s really great to see Burning Games and Ether Dev working together, how did this come about?

A couple of years ago we were demoing FAITH in a big even in our hometown. The developers of Ether Wars happened to be doing the same, and we had a chance to exchange plays and ideas. Some months later, when their game failed to meet the goal on Kickstarter, we decided to try to bring it back at the right time, which is now!

3) You’re halfway funded with 24 days left, how does that feel? What kind of feedback have you received?

A Kickstarter campaign is one of the most exhilarating things you can do, this side of bungee jumping. Backers are very enthusiastic and always eager to help, and their feedback has been very positive. We have polished the game following their advice and it really shows. Now we have to keep spreading the word and make sure as many people as possible hear about the game to complete the campaign in style.

4) What changes have you made that you think will help Ether Wars fund?

The main change is that now the English and Spanish editions are completely independent. Before, each card had info on both languages, which was a huge turnoff for many players. Apart from that, we have tweaked the graphic design and overall style of the game, and have implemented our logistical knowledge (gathered with FAITH) to lower the costs and the Kickstarter goal.

5) Do Ether Wars and Faith: the Sci-Fi RPG share the same artists/art director? We see a similar aesthetic.

Many people ask us that, but funnily enough there is no connection at all between the games. They were born apart and brought together by serendipity well after the main art was created for both. I think we may share similar sources of inspiration, though. Don’t we all?

6) Are there any plans for future expansions for the board game? Any possible tie-in with FAITH?

If Ether Wars is successfully funded we will definitely keep creating content for it. The final word is the developers’, though, and we will heed their vision for the future of the game. As for FAITH tie-ins, it’s unlikely at this point. We will create boardgames based on that Universe, but they will be tailor-made to ensure that they fit in the lore of the game.

7) If this venture is successful, do you plan on future partnerships with local or international game designers as publishers?

Yes, this is something we really want to do, find games that suit our brand and give them a fair chance in the market.

8) Where can we see or play a demo of the game?

Undead Viking did a very nice overview of the main mechanics of the game and thinks its the perfect entry point for everyone.

9) What is your personal favorite mechanic or aspect of the game?

Battles are super fun and very physical. Opponents throw their dice (oftentimes a handful of them) and count the dots. Some of the dots are blank to begin with but can be powered up, event cards can be used at any time, the faction’s special abilities may be triggered… there are several mechanics that add tension to a fight, and it’s definitely our favorite part of the game.

10) What are your reward levels?

We have kept things simple: you can select the English edition or Spanish edition of the game. And of course there’s a bulk-order option!

11) Any thing else we should know about Ether Wars?

It’s a fantastic game that will hook all your gaming group in seconds. Also, it’s a passion project by two incredibly committed gamers and we think their efforts deserve to be brought to reality.

12) Could you tell us about a stretch goal you’re particularly excited about?

We have announced the first few, and the most interesting of them are the Ether Gems, a Kickstarter exclusive goal. Ether is such an important asset that it deserves to be special on the table!

13) Where can we find you on Twitter or Facebook, or anywhere else on the web?

We welcome everyone to our social media- Twitter and Facebook.

You can find Ether Wars on Kickstarter and add it to your own collection!

Interview with Jonathan Tweet about Clades, the Evolutionary Card Game

We sit down with Jonathan Tweet to talk about Clades, an educational card game to teach children (and adults!) a little bit more about evolution. We’re also joined by Jeromy French.

You can find Clades on Kickstarter until December 6, 2016. You can find more information about the game and Grandmother Fish at the Grandmother Fish website. You can also follow Jonathan on Twitter!

Outro Music:
Port_City_Music_-_29_-_Night_Terrors from ‘Silber Sounds of Halloween’
Freemusicarchive.org
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