Escapist Expo 2012: A Brief Pictorial Wrap-Up

Traditionally, the bulk of gaming con season has ended around the first of September, typically with the party and parade of passioned freaks at Dragon*Con down in Atlanta. Over the past few years, however, a few local cons have started springing up just before or after the string of big shows, extending the seasons for a lucky few. Thankfully, Durhamites are now one of those lucky few as we now have The Escapist Expo in mid-September – a smallish, PAX-like affair with video games, board games and more than a few costumed geeks. This was the Expo’s inaugural year, and it was a rousing success; we gathered together with over 2,000 of... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 9 – The One About Getting Kickstarted

The State of Games, Episode 9 is fitted, fueled up and ready to fly. Time to kick the tires and light the fires! Can you all guess what this episode is all about? I’ll give you a hint – it’s not about motorcycles. It’s about making some money and playing some games. Awww, yeah. Read More  Read More

The Table Ahead – Dice Hate Me in 2011

A new year is upon us, dear readers, and with it the promise of a slew of new gaming goodness to grace our tables! 2010 was a fantastic year for gaming – and, indeed, for Dice Hate Me – but 2011 is shaping up to be even better. In this column, I wanted to share a few things with all of you about the upcoming year – the games I’m most looking forward to, those already out that are planned to become part of the Dice Hate Me games library, and some of the things you all can look forward to on the site in the coming months. Think of this less of a “state of the union” and more of a “state of things to come.”... Read More

Playing in Public: Winning Friends with a Fireball to the Face

PiP campaign Facebook page. Click to view and "like" “When you want to watch your favorite sport, or go out to a bar/restaurant, do you have trouble finding friends that want to go with you?  Probably not.  So why is it so hard to find people to play our favorite board games with us?  Wouldn’t it be better if we could find someone to game with whenever we wanted instead of having to game on the limited schedule of our game group or local board game store?  What is keeping us from pursuing our hobby as frequently as most other hobbies are pursued? Where are all the other gamers?” The above excerpt is from the Play... Read More

Shenanigans on a Sinking Sub

It’s dark and cold on the old sub, and the sides creak from pressure while a bulkhead springs a leak. Fire spreads in the engine room and the crew scrambles, snuffing it as the reactor heats up. Hope seems lost until a hand cranks the emergency release and the sub surges along, peaceful for a moment – and for just a moment, the gnomes on board celebrate. Yes, gnomes. Red November is a delightful, cooperative board game from Fantasy Flight Games that pits you and up to seven of your companions in a frantic race for survival aboard a sinking sub with a gnomish crew. The whimsical theme and quality components bring levity to hectic and often... Read More