The State of Games, Ep. 170 – The One About the Best Things of 2019
It’s hard to believe that another year of gaming has passed, but here we are! It’s been a bit of a strange year for us here at Dice Hate Me – a bit less gaming, busier schedules – but we were still able to play so many of the thousands of amazing titles that came out, and a few great blasts from the past. In this podcast we’re presenting our usual Discoveries and Games of the Year, but we’re also spicing it up with some special one-choice categories... Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 169: The One About Toyetics
It’s a Christmas miracle – we’re back before the holidays with a new episode! The topic of toys as games and games as toys is one we’ve touched on a bit in the past on the podcast, but we thought it would be fun to dig a bit deeper. Plus, it’s particularly timely since ol’ Saint Nick will be dropping tons of toys down chimneys in a few days. So relax and get ready to reminisce about some of your favorite playthings from the past – and... Read More
The 2019 Dice Hate Me Holiday Gift Guide
Seasons Greetings, Dear Readers! It’s time once again for that favorite seasonal tradition – the 9th annual Dice Hate Me Holiday Gift Guide! I can’t believe it’s been nine years that I’ve been sharing my tabletop favorites for Santa’s sleigh, but here we are – and I’m so glad you’re here to celebrate the season with me. I’ve collected another great batch of gaming gifts this year – some ordinary, many unconventional – for all your family... Read More
The State of Games, Episode 168: The One About Getting Our Groove Back
Once again, it’s been awhile Dear Listeners. We’ve missed you, but we definitely haven’t forgotten about you. Darrell, TC, and I just needed a little break to enjoy the fall, with some time away from the table and conventions. Feeling like we needed a jump start to get our gaming motors running we turned to the best source of boundless energy and enthusiasm we know – Richard Launius. So settle in, we’ve got a lot of games to cover. And don’t... Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 167: The One About What We Did This Summer
We love recording The State of Games, but there are times when our hectic schedules don’t make it easy to make time for the podcast. This summer has definitely been one of those times. We’ve all been stretched thin by new jobs, heavy projects, and just a little bit of board game burn out. But we’re finally back and re-energized after seeing so many people and playing so many games over four conventions. So settle in and get comfy – we’ve got a lot... Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 166: The One About Spoilers
Spoilers are a huge part of our modern culture, and many of us avoid them at all costs. It’s easy to recognize the aversion in blockbuster screen media, and even in the hottest TV shows, but does that culture automatically translate to the board game hobby? In this episode, we dive deep into what sort of spoilers are accepted, which are not, and how best we all might tackle them as consumers and reviewers. We also spoil a couple of parts of Avengers: Endgame, so maybe make... Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 165 – The One About Grinding Some Gears
Every so often on the podcast we dig a bit deeper and get a bit more serious with our topics. This time around what was going to be a simple rant session evolved into a deep discussion about depression, anxiety, mental health nuances, and online bullying. Don’t worry, we still talk about board games and the hobby, but we didn’t want to pull any punches when it comes to issues that affect not only those of us on the podcast, but our family and friends in the industry... Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 164 – The One About Unpub 9
It’s hard to believe that for nine years now, game designers have been gathering to bravely put their unpublished prototypes in front of total strangers and asking for them to help make everything better. It seems like just yesterday that I was traveling to Dover, Delaware to attend Unpub 2 at a small Fraternal Order of Police Lodge where there was just a handful of designers and attendees huddled around some beat-up tables, freezing half to death. And, now, over 2,000 people... Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 163 – The One About Telling Stories
Sometimes we play games that have a certain synergy that set our podcasting minds in motion. Recently that was Arkham Horror and Modern Art. Both games allow for fantastic storytelling but produce that environment in very different ways. We love games that tell stories, but we love telling stories about those games on the podcast even more. And, so, we present to you our discussion about what types of games that tell stories, which are the most successful, and whether we ultimately... Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 162 – The One About a Promising Future in Sales
From time to time here on the podcast we let TC take over the reins and dip into his ever-growing bag of industry insights and wistful shower thoughts. This time around, we take another look at past subjects like the possible market and Kickstarter bubbles, but also dig a bit deeper into what it means to sell a game and what it means to sell a product. Are board games that are created and marketed solely as products a good or bad thing for our industry? You’ll just have... Read More
