Pick Up and Deliver (Rattlebox Games- Network Feed)

Brendan shares his gameplay stats from July of 2024 and gets ready for August. Join us, won’t you?

• Top of the Stack, July 2024
  • NEW GAME – Terrors of LondonX
  • SHELF CLEARER – Space FreaksX
  • SOLO – Warp’s Edge✓
  • TRYING AGAIN CHOICE – Switch & SignalX
• Shelf of Opportunity
• Expand YourShelf
• Top of the Stack, August 2024
  • NEW GAME – Aquatica
  • SHELF CLEARER – Dastardly Dirigibles
  • NEW GAME 2 – Leaf
  • TRYING AGAIN CHOICE – Switch & Signal

What games have you been playing? Did you make your goal this month? Share your experience over at Boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares his thoughts about the definitions  of these two terms, and explains why they are somewhat outdated terms.

Brendan discusses the awesome feeling (in a board game) of not having quite enough resources to do what you want to do.

Brendan discusses some of the nuances and history of copyright and intellectual property and how that connects to the recent fracas about boardgame piracy.

In this episode, Brendan ponders the two kinds of gamers, people who play lots of different games (broadly) and people who play one game lots (deeply). Which type are you?

Brendan discusses the way that permanent decisions in games like Pandemic: Legacy affect the narrative experience of gameplay.

Games discussed: Gloomhaven, Pandemic: Legacy, Dead of Winter, T.I.M.E. Stories

In this episode, "On Being a Carebear," Brendan explores the nuance and emotions of being a carebear player.

In this episode, Brendan talks about the role of dice in games he enjoys, and how his attitudes toward those games have changed.

On this episode, Brendan discusses the recent snowfall in Chicagoland and games that make you deal with a deluge of problems or resources.

After a long weekend helping to officiate a swim meet, Brendan ponders how the vagaries of a swim meet has parallels to board games. Join us!

Brendan discusses what Vlaada Chvátil games he owns and enjoys, and why he likes them.

In this episode, Brendan talks about the vagaries of teaching and learning board games. How do you like to learn games?

Brendan discusses the basic economics of board game kickstarter projects and the two kinds of approaches most of these games fall into, as well as some observations about the landscape now.

In this episode, Brendan talks about his Shelf of Opportunity -- those games he owns but hasn't played yet -- and considers how a game ends up on that shelf. Join us!

Brendan talks about the delight (or agony) of being surprised when a game isn't what you expected it would be.

Brendan talks about games where you build a deck before you play -- deck "construction."

Brendan discusses the nature of collecting board games, why one might enjoy assembling a collection, and what it's like to be a collector... or rather, a curator.

Springing from a conversation on Board Game Geek about how to get your partner to play more games, Brendan talks about gaming with your partner, whether they want to game or not.

In this episode, Brendan explores the notion of value as we hold it in regards to games we own, houses we own, and in-game items we own.

Brendan offers some insights from this weekend of playing the deck-building game Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle.

Brendan has volunteered to serve as a guide for some newbies coming into the hobby. He reflects on the upcoming task.

Brendan continues his "Top Designers in My Collection" series, exploring Martin Wallace.

Brendan discusses the different kinds of reasoning games demand of us, and spends a bit of time thinking about the concept of deductive and inductive reasoning.

Brendan tries a new format we’re calling “Shootin’ from the Hip” in which he discusses a game in depth after having only played it one time. This episode’s game is Twilight Imperium – Rex: The Final Days of an Empire.

Brendan is preparing for an academic conference and thinking about what games he’ll bring to game night. What games would you bring for a group of academics who may or may not have played any hobby board games?

Brendan discusses another designer he enjoys who holds a prominent place in his collection. Today, it's Antoine Bauza.

In this episode, Brendan tells stories of five times his game experiences went wrong. A little bit of humor and a little bit of reflection help him recall these stories and discuss what can be learned from them.

Brendan discusses his gaming experiences at an academic conference last week. Not a deep episode, but a nice chat with a pal while out on a walk. Also, Brendan's "secret" to winning 7 Wonders.

Brendan discusses the Annie Jacobsen book, Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America. He reflects on how games can simulate the murky morality of this kind of activity, and whether that can be fun in a game.

Brendan shares his thoughts about what makes a game "burn your brain" and which games like that are his favorite ones.

Brendan shares his system for managing and tracking his gameplays, and introduces a new monthly segment, Top of the Stack. (Nod to Podcast of Nonsensical Gamers for their creation of this segment.)

Brendan discusses games he has that have elaborate components and what effect those components have on the experience of playing them. 

In this first of two part episodes, Brendan talks about the "free-rider" economic model and the nature of freemium programs, donor programs, and the relationship of content to cost.  In episode two, he'll talk about how the free-rider model can (or does) function in board games.

Brendan continues his discussion of the idea of free riders and how they appear in games.  He ponders the fact that games allow for a different moral or ethical code to come into play, and wonders if that alternate code makes free-riding something very difficult to include in a design.

Brendan shares a bit about the podcasts he listens to keep himself in the loop in the hobby.

Brendan provides his “hot take” on Sagrada, and then talks a bit about Area Control as a game mechanism.

In this episode, Brendan reflects on the nature of creativity and remix in the boardgame design sphere, and the games Insider and Werewords.

In this episode, Brendan talks about the way that theme and mechanisms integrate. In particular, he asks how the two go together in weird or unusual games.  Post your thoughts on our Board Game Geek guild ( https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/3269 ).

Brendan discusses the difficult process of making rulebooks work well and teach well. Part 1 - how to interpret comments about rulebooks.

Brendan continues his discussion of the difficulties of crafting a usable rulebook. In this episode he considers more closely the difference in what hard-core gamers and casual gamers want from rulebooks, and also the difference between the feedback you get from hard-core gamers and from casual gamers.

Games mentioned: Arkham Horror: The Card Game, Anachrony, Olympus
Have a comment about the episode? Join the conversation over on BoardGameGeek in our guild, #3269

Brendan brings to a close his discussion of rules writing and rulebooks, exploring a few different rule types and games that have them. Is your favorite rulebook in this list?

Games mentioned:

Queen games - Alhambra, Queen's Architect
Rex
Apocrypha: The Adventure Card Game
Cromlech (our game)
Dungeon Petz
Join us to discuss this episode on BoardGameGeek guild 3269, listen below, or download the file: 040: Rasslin' with Rules, part 3 (mp3)

Brendan discusses his game plays in April, reports on his last top of the stack and reveals the new one, and does a 10 for 10 update. Games! Games! Games!

Brendan’s Top of the Stack Geeklist
Games mentioned (other than those below): Potion Explosion, Welcome to the Dungeon, Roll for the Galaxy, Race for the galaxy, Mythos Tales
New to me games: Sagrada, Not Alone, Empires of the Void 2
Top of the stack and play report:

Concluded April top of the stack, April 2018:
– Ravenous River (played 4/30)
– Alexandria
– Crows Overkill (played 4/13)

Top of the stack May 2018:
– Alexandria
– Unreal Estate
– Stronghold (2nd edition)

The ten for ten is coming along. I’ve italicized the game(s) that we’ve made 10 plays of.

Gloomhaven (12)
Stuffed Fables (6)
Pandemic: Legacy Sn 2 (5)
Ex Libris (3)
Century: Golem Edition (7)
Terra Mystica (3)
Arkham Horror LCG (0)
Mottainai (0)
Roll for the Galaxy (0)
Via Nebula (0)

What do you do with games of which you’ve exhausted the gameplay?
Let us know over on BoardGameGeek in our Guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses games that are "punishing," either by setting up mean situations, a tight economy, or a brutal cooperative situation.  Join us to discuss the game on BoardGameGeek guild 3269.

In this episode, Brendan discusses how different aspects of our modern world have been "gamified" and what affect that has on our behavior, how we might understand the benefits and drawbacks of those changes, and what that says about game design.  Have thoughts on the episode? Post a comment in our BGG guild (https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/3269).

Brendan dives head first into the current conversation about the paintings of Jakub Rozalski, the artist for Scythe. Does the history of copyright and the changing nature of creativity complicate the accusations that Rozalski has traced portions of his work?

BoardgameGeek thread https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1990146/truth-behind-art-jakub-rozalski
The reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/8i5acm/seems_like_jakub_rozalski_isnt_very_truthful/
Let us know what you think over on BGG in guild 3269 (Brendan dives head first into the current conversation about the paintings of Jakub Rozalski, the artist for Scythe. Does the history of copyright and the changing nature of creativity complicate the accusations that Rozalski has traced portions of his work?

BoardgameGeek thread https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1990146/truth-behind-art-jakub-rozalski
The reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/8i5acm/seems_like_jakub_rozalski_isnt_very_truthful/
Let us know what you think over on BGG in guild 3269 (Brendan dives head first into the current conversation about the paintings of Jakub Rozalski, the artist for Scythe. Does the history of copyright and the changing nature of creativity complicate the accusations that Rozalski has traced portions of his work?

BoardgameGeek thread https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1990146/truth-behind-art-jakub-rozalski
The reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/8i5acm/seems_like_jakub_rozalski_isnt_very_truthful/
Let us know what you think over on BGG in guild 3269 (https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/3269)

Brendan introduces a new segment: “Message from the Deep,” a response to a game I’ve played many times focused on aspects or elements of the game I find particularly interesting. This week, it’s Star Wars: Rebellion.

Star Wars: Rebellion
Twilight Imperium 4
Note: Star Wars: Rebellion is my number 5 game as of the end of 2017.
Have thoughts on this Message from the Deep? Drop us a line at our guild: https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/3269

Brendan returns to the “Shootin’ from the Hip'” format to discuss a new game he played, Pulsar 2849. It’s a thinky brain-burner! Tune in to learn more about the game. Find show notes at http://rattleboxgames.com/category/podcast/pick-up-and-deliver/

Brendan asks whether, and how, a games-maker can tackle difficult historical ages in which terrible things happened. In this case, how can you make a game out of colonizing North America and still have respect for the people who lived there first?

Show notes:

Endeavor
Freedom: The Underground Railroad
Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses his process for culling his collection and the reasons one might cut a game out of the collection. Join us for the conversation!

Games discussed:

Warhammer 40k
Legends of Andor
Twilight Imperium, 3rd Edition
Cards Against Humanity
Arkham Horror
Cthulhu’s Vault
Castle Panic
Pandemic: Legacy, season 1
Mythos Tales
Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

Brendan talks about the way that games do, or don't, make it clear to the player what you need to do to win.

Games mentioned:

Munchkin
Star Wars: Rebellion
Agricola
Tzolk'in, the Mayan Calendar
Anachrony
Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games.

Want to spoil the whole thing for yourself? Check out the whole list. https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/233763/my-top-50

Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games.

Games discussed:
40 – Loop, Inc art by (Kwanchai Moriya)
39 – Shakespeare
38 – Onward to Venus
37 – 7 Wonders
36 – Five Tribes
35 – Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
34 – Betrayal at House on the Hill
33 – Lemuria
32 – Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle
31 – Olympus

Want to spoil the whole thing for yourself? Check out the whole list.

Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games.

Games discussed:

30. Via Nebula
29. Galaxy Trucker
28. Arctic Scavengers
27. Castles of Mad King Ludwig
26. Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia
25. AquaSphere
24. Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
23. Agricola
22. Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game
21. The Networks
Want to spoil the whole thing for yourself? Check out the whole list.

Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games.

Games discussed:

11. A Feast for Odin
12. Mottainai
13. Trickerion: Legends of Illusion
14. Elysium
15. Orléans
16. Terraforming Mars
17. SeaFall
18. Dungeon Lords
19. Legacy: Gears of Time
20. The Arrival
Want to spoil the whole thing for yourself? Check out the whole list.

Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

In this episode, Brendan offers up his opinions on ten games from his current Top 50 games.

Games discussed:

10. Last Will
9. A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game
8. Anachrony
7. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
6. Brass: Lancashire
5. Star Wars: Rebellion
4. Dungeon Petz
3. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
2. A Study in Emerald
1. Android: Netrunner

Want to spoil the whole thing for yourself? Check out the whole list.
Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

Brendan starts a series of podcasts about Kickstarter — what it’s for, why we use it, why it works, etc. This time, he explores the original mythology of Kickstarter, namely that Kickstarter is for dreamers.

Have something to say? Join the conversation over at Boardgame Geek in our guild, #3269.

Brendan gives the update on his May experience with his Top of the Stack and 10 for 10. Want a spoiler, check out the list here: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/235177/my-2018-top-stack-list

Let us know how your May went — join the conversation in our guild over on BoardGameGeek, guild 3269.

Brendan continues his discussion of Kickstarter, this time exploring the idea that the popular crowdfunding platform is for pre-orders from established companies.

Show notes:

Previous Kickstarter episode (54)
Batman Chronicles
HATE
Arcadia Quest (was the game I was trying to think of from CMON)
Companies mentioned: Stonemeier games, Monolith games, Mythic games, Mantic Games, CMON
What do you think Kickstarter is for? What are your experiences with big or small kickstarter games?

Join us in our Boardgame Geek guild to discuss it! #3269

Brendan discusses how some artists return to attractive ideas or techniques over and over, trying to find the edges and contours of those creative elements. Join us!

Games discussed:

Prowler’s passage
World’s Fair 1893
Sentient
Which designers do you find returning to the same ideas to explore them anew? Which designers are always blazing new trails? Let us know on our guild, #3269.

Brendan wraps up his mini-series on what Kickstarter is for with an episode covering a variety of small things Kickstarter does or about how it works.

Games Brendan mentioned:

Burgle Bros
Paperback
HATE
Teramyyd: Earthsphere
Have thoughts on the episode? Join our conversation in our Boardgamegeek guild, #3269.

Brendan reflects on his recent first play of Panamax in the regular segment, "Shootin' from the Hip."

Game mentioned: Panamax

Have thoughts about Panamax or other stock market games? Join the conversation over at our Board Game Geek guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses his history as a Kickstarter backer and the games he's enjoyed therein.

Games mentioned, etc:

Brendan's Kickstarter profile (with a list of all project backed)
Miskatonic School for Girls
Castle Dice
Goonies: The Adventure Card Game
A Study in Emerald
The Agents
Gloomhaven
What is the best Kickstarter you've backed? The Worst? What do you use it for? Let us know in the guild, #3269.

Brendan discusses some of our thinking about which components to include in a game and how the components, box size, and ideas about how the production of a game shapes how we understand it.

Games discussed during the podcast:

The Grimm Forest
Cromlech
In The Loop (no BGG page yet)
Elder Sign
Century: Spice Road
What games have you played that have a disconnect between what they look like and how they play? What was it that shaped that disconnect for you?  Let us know in our BoardGame Geek guild, #3269.

Pick Up and Deliver podcast 063: Art vs. Audience

Brendan asks what flexibility a game designer should maintain in order to maximize audience fun or exposure. 

Show notes:

Work In Progress thread for Something Wakes in the Forest
Discussion thread regarding demon question
Have thoughts on this topic? Drop by our BoardGameGeek guild, #3269.

Brendan gives his first thoughts on The Prodigal’s Club, a new-to-him game he played for the first time recently. What do you do if you’re a young man in Victorian England who already has everything? Try to get rid of it, obviously.

Games mentioned:

The Prodigal’s Club
Last Will
Moxy Fruvous “The Lowest Highest Point” is from Live Noise
What’s your experience with this game? Do you like complex games like this? What does this remind you of? Drop in to our guild (#3269) and let us know what you think!

On this, the birthday of the United States, Brendan reflects on some relevant themes for the fourth of July and some games that relate to them. Join us!

Games mentioned:

A Few Acres of Snow
Small World
Monopoly
Diplomacy
Axis and Allies
Freedom: The Underground Railroad
Legendary: Marvel
Love Letter
Wok on Fire
Hanabi
Episode music: “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Phillip Sousa, recorded by the US Army Band

Epidose photo: “Fireworks” by Jorgan Kesseler

What ideas do you associate with the 4th of July? If you’re not from the US, what is your country’s version of this holiday, and how do you celebrate it? Drop by our guild, #3269, over at BoardGame Geek and let us know!

Brendan shares the games he’s been playing this month. He updates us on his 10×10, his Top of the Stack, his Shelf of Opportunity, and his Out of the Dust plays. Lots to track!

Lists:

My Top of the Stack entry
My Shelf of Opportunity
Out of the Dust list
Games mentioned:

Robinson Crusoe
Unreal Estate
Crazy Karts
Roll for the Galaxy
Terra Mystica
Inoka
Through the Ages: a New Story of Civilization
Altiplano
Shipyard
Trickerion
The Resistance
Have thoughts on the episode? How did you do on the top of your stack? Let us know over at BGG guild #3269.

Brendan discusses story-focused games, the role of narrative in board game design, and thinks a bit about the intersection of the two.

Notes:

Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective
Legacy of Dragonholt
Mythos Tales
T.I.M.E. Stories
Scythe
Dead of Winter
Where do you see the line between gameplay and narrative? Do you prefer a game that yields play to story, or the other way? Which game represents the best implementation of narrative into gameplay that you’ve encountered? Drop by our guild and let us know! Guild #3269.

Brendan talks about board games with weird themes and thinks aloud about a few themes that have potential.

Notes:

Hamilton song clip, “Guns and Ships”
The Prodigal’s Club
Ladies and Gentlemen
Titanic: The Board Game
The Sinking of the Titanic
Ponzi
Ponzi’s Scheme by Michael Zuckoff
Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory by Ben McIntrye
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
What are some stories you think would make for interesting reading? What are your favorite weird game themes? Drop by our guild, #3269, and let us know what you think!

Brendan discusses the five games he own by prominent designer Richard Garfield (best known for Magic: The Gathering).

Games mentioned:

Magic: The Gathering
Roborally
King of Tokyo
Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
Bunny Kingdom
Android: Netrunner
What are your favorite Garfield games? Stop by our guild #3269 and let us know!

Brendan discusses the experience of traveling, playing games, and visiting game stores in the St. John’s area of Newfoundland, Canada.

Show notes:

Brendan’s account of the visits to the game shops in St. John’s.
Agricola: Farmers of the Moor
Kokoro: Avenue of the Kodama
Elder Sign
Tsuro
Onirim
Friday
Hostage Negotiator
Tides of Madness
InBetween
As You Like It
Tokaido
Pursuit of Happiness

In this episode, Brendan discusses gaming situations like travel, solo play, and asynchronous that he uses to amplify and expand his board game time.  What tricks do you use?

Brendan ponders the role of randomness in very closely-contested games.

Brendan talks about his history in the boardgame hobby a bit, and how he and his children have started painting miniatures again.

Show notes:

Warhammer 40,000
Zombie '15
What got you into the hobby? Are there aspects of the hobby you used to do that you don't do anymore? Have they cycled back?

It’s the beginning of the month, so it’s time for Brendan’s end-of-the-month wrap up. What was played? What was bought? Did he make his Top of the Stack goal?

Show notes:

July 2018 Top of the Stack report on Boardgamegeek
My Shelf of Opportunity
Altiplano
Crazy Karts
Raptor
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2017)
Rampage
Coimbra
Podcast of Nonsensical Gamers
How was your month? What should we call the list of first play games? (“New to me” games is a fun list.)

Brendan ponders the question of finding the games your gaming partners love the most. How do you predict what other people like to play?

Games mentioned:

Sagrada
Pandemic Legacy: Season 2
Barenpark
When have you found the perfect game for your partner to play? When have your predictions gone astray? Let us know over in BoardGameGeek guild #3269.

Brendan discusses his early impressions of the Renegade Games title from Reiner Stockhausen, Altiplano. Join us to find out how the game plays and what you can expect.

Show notes:

Altiplano
Orléans
Have you had a chance to play Altiplano yet? Let us know what you thought over on BoardGameGeek guild #3269.

Brendan discusses the state of the podcast, what’s coming up for Pick Up and Deliver, and considers how things will go with the month ahead.

Show notes:

[toggle gaming] community Facebook page
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Gloomhaven
Shear Panic!
Where should the podcast be going? What should we be doing differently? What should I add? Let us know over at BoardGameGeek, in Guild #3269.

Brendan shares his thoughts after finishing the first collection from the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective line of mystery games.

Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders and Other Cases
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Carleton House & Queen's Park
Have you played this or other mystery games like it? What is your favorite? Let us know over on BoardGameGeek in guild #3269.

Brendan talks about his new role as the Games Librarian for [toggle] gaming, his local game group in Palatine, IL. What does it mean to be a games librarian?

Show notes:

[toggle] gaming
Blood Rage
Via Nebula
Are you part of a group that has a shared library? What kinds of things should we watch out for? Let us know over on BoardGameGeek, in guild #3269.

Brendan talks about the [toggle] gaming all-day game event, then spends some time talking about hand management games.

Show notes:

[toggle] gaming
Android Netrunner
Legendary Marvel
Bohnanza
A Study in Emerald (1st edition)
Something Wakes in the Forest
What is your favorite Hand Management game? What games do you think sit on the border of hand-management country? Drop by our guild on Board Game Geek #3269 and let us know!

Brendan talks about what he’s been playing in the first half of August, 2018.

Games discussed:

Werewords
Ninjitsu!
Onitama
Roll for the Galaxy
Race for the Galaxy
The Grimm Forest
Five Tribes
A Study in Emerald
What games have you been playing lately? Let us know over on BoardGameGeek guild #3269.

Brendan discusses his current top “wants” on his game list.
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/244707/top-want-list

Brendan discusses the second half of his current gaming wishlist.

Show notes:

The wishlist for you to review
Glass Road
Project: Elite
League of Six
Collapsible D: The Final Minutes of the Titanic
Victorian Masterminds
Raids
Gen7
Gizmos
What games are on your wishlist? Pop over to our guild, #3269, and let us know!

Brendan reports on a couple game stores he visited in and near Bowling Green, Ohio, then conducts a “message from the deep” episode on Gloomhaven.

Show notes:

The Stacked Deck game store
Frogtown Hobbies
Gloomhaven
Have you played Gloomhaven? Do you think it holds up to the hype? Why/why not?
Join us over in our BoardGameGeek Guild #3269.

Brendan talks about the phenomenon of multiple discovery or parallel creativity — the fact that multiple people can invent or create similar things at almost the same time.

Zombicide
Last Night on Earth
Gen7
“I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut”
Gil hova writing about creating The Networks
Have you wrestled with this problem? What do you do to help get over the hurdles it throws in your way?
How do you maintain your creative energy when the thing you were working on seems to have been made by someone else?
Drop by BoardGameGeek guild #3269 and let us know!

In this episode, Brendan talks about his game stats for August, including his 10x10 update, "out of the dust list," "shelf of opportunity,"

Show notes:

Top of the Stack
10x10 update
First plays this month
Out of the Dust
Want List update
Shelf of Opportunity
What have you been playing this month? Pop over to boardgamegeek and let us know in our guild, #3269!

Brendan talks about how we treat other gamers and people new to the hobby. What does it mean to be elitist?

Show notes:

Blue Peg Pink Peg episode #129
Shut Up and Sit Down thread I like
Dice Tower top 10
Have you encountered elitism in your game experience? How do you deal with it? Do you feel this impulse yourself?

Drop by Boardgamegeek guild #3269 and let us know.

Brendan answers some questions posted in the Pick Up and Deliver guild.

Show notes:

Pick Up and Deliver guild
League of Six
Vladimír Suchý
Q&A thread on BGG
Cosmic Encounter
Do you have questions you’d like answered? Swing over to Boardgamegeek guild #3269 and join the conversation!

Brendan shares some observations he’s made of interesting trends and tactics currently at work in some Kickstarter campaigns.

Show notes:

Dale of Merchants Collection
A Thief’s Fortune
Nanty Narking
What campaigns are you backing? Have you seen anything interesting or noticed cool new techniques? Pop over to boardgame geek guild #3269 and let us know!

Brendan talks about the idea of building a game around a “verb,” and of how those verbs can be used to expand the possibilities for where a game design can go.

Show notes:

Shipyard
3G summit
Dungeon Petz
Pursuit of Happiness
…and Then We Held Hands
Fog of Love
Alchemists
[redacted]
Euphoria
Through the Ages
Anachrony
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Deadline
What are some verbs I missed? What else are we trying to do? Pop over to our guild, #3269, and let us know!

Brendan shares what he's been playing during the first half of the month.

Show notes:

Colony
Axis and Allies
Azul
Bärenpark
Sagrada
Gloomhaven
TIME Stories: Brotherhood of the Coast
Arkham Horror LCG: The Dunwich Legacy
What have you been playing lately? Pop over to Boardgame Geek guild #3269 and let us know!

Brendan gives his early reactions to a new game from Iello publishing, RAIDS.

Show notes:

Elysium
Raids
Tokaido
Have you had a chance to play RAIDS? What do you think of it? Swing over to our BoardgameGeek guild, #3269, and let us know.

Brendan talks about games that use digital assistance and the old VHS game Nightmare. What makes an interactive game like this fun, and how would a new game that worked this way function?

World of Yo-Ho
Detective: Modern Crime Story
Alchemists
Dark Tower
Return to Dark Tower
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Klingon Challenge
Nightmare!
Escape: Curse of the Temple
Paranoia
What elements did Brendan miss? What would you want to see in an interactive game of this sort? Join us over on Boardgame Geek guild #3269 and let us know what you think!

Brendan discusses solo games he enjoys a lot.

Show notes:

Friday
Onirim
Castellion
Hostage Negotiator
The Lost Expedition
What solo games do you enjoy? Pop over to our guild, $#3269, and let us know!

Brendan shares his current wishlist and recent Kickstarter interests. Join us to drool over games that are coming!

Show notes:

View the current wish list
Artemis Project
Nanty Narking
A Thief's Fortune
The Dale of Merchants Collection
Favor of the Pharaoh
What's on your Wishlist? Which games are you jumping out of your pants to buy?

Brendan updates the listening audience on his Top of the Stack challenge and his 10 x 10 challenge. Join us.

Top of the Stack
Colony
Nightmare!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer the Board Game
Moa
The Expanse
Student Bodies
Synod
What's on the top of your stack? Hop over to Boardgame Geek guild #3269 and let us know!

Brendan discusses his plans for the upcoming Protospiel game development conference.

Games discussed:

Something Wakes in the Forest
Hearts
Scythe
Have you been to a game design / testing conference? If so, tell us about your experiences a bit over at our BoardGame Geek guild, #3269.

Introducing a new segment, the Board Game Sommelier, in which Brendan pairs games with other popular media to recommend an evening of entertainment. This week's theme, HORROR.

Our recommendations for thematic pairings:

Desperation throbs, like an infected bite, throughout Dawn of the Dead and Dead of Winter.
Want to be a real bastard to your friends? Viciousness infects the heart of both Land of the Dead and City of Horror.
Sometimes we want a little haunting in our lives. Johnny Depp's Sleepy Hollow and the Flying Frog Productions creepfest A Touch of Evil both do this well, colonial style.
Tension doesn't get much higher than during the high-stress middle of Alien and Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space.
Do you delight in being suspicious? The Thing and Dark Moon both dare you to be paranoid.
What games and films would you pair to promote a horror-filled evening? Let us know in our Board Game Geek guild, #3269.

Brendan answers more questions from the Boardgame Geek guild, #3269.

Question: how do you organize your game shelves? Take a look at how I organize my game shelf.
Question: Expansions, yay or nay? Here’s a list of the expansions I own.
Pop over to our Boardgame Geek guild and ask your questions! #3269.