The State of Games, Episode 40 – The One About Unpub 3

It’s still a solo gig here on the ol’ State of Games, but I continue to get a little help from my friends. This time it’s not just Darrell Louder and TC Petty III – I went all the Delaware to gather a whole slew of game designers, players and publishers for a massive podcast party at Unpub 3! Read More  Read More

Dice Hate Me Game of the Year Awards 2012

Welcome to 2013, dear readers! It seems as though December blew through faster than expected, and the Dice Hate Me halls have been rather quiet during the holidays. However, things are back in full swing here at the HQ and just in time to ring in the new year with a look back at the best and brightest of 2012! The past year was incredible for the boardgaming hobby… and for Dice Hate Me. We travelled to a ton of conventions, meeting so many wonderful and enthusiastic gamers – and, of course, playing games! Last year about this time, I called 2011 the year of the Kickstarter. Well, 2012 absolutely blew that title away. It was an incredible... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 38 – The One About a Little “Guy Time”

The phrase “Winter Is Coming” can mean many things to many people, but around Dice Hate Me HQ that most commonly means that Monkey238 is up to her eyeballs in ballet duties. During this special time, she is typically holed up in a ballet studio somewhere teaching the best and brightest on how to be the premiere snow queen or sugarplum fairy. For poor old Dice, however, that typically means “fend for yourself” when it comes to games. Luckily, I had a November back-up plan to get in as much gaming as possible – and the gaming was superb. Lucky for all of you, however, is that Monkey still has enough time to play –... Read More

Gamers for Cures 24-hour Marathon Pictorial Recap

It’s been a busy November for gaming here at Dice Hate Me HQ, even though most of that gaming has occurred outside of the primary HQ. This past weekend while Monkey238 was hip-deep in ballet duties (it’s Nutcracker season, after all), I attended the 24-hour gaming marathon at The Gamer’s Armory in Cary, N.C. The 24-hour marathon is held each year to benefit Gamers for Cures, a charity organization dedicated to helping gamers give back to the community and to increase awareness for Turner Syndrome. My gaming buddy Dan Patriss spearheads this effort every year, and the guest of honor is his daughter, Lauren, who has Turner Syndrome.... Read More

SAGCon 2012 Wrap-Up

Every year around this time, it’s been a tradition to head to MACE, a North Carolina gaming convention that used to be held in High Point. This year they decided to expand, but also switched venues, moving the festivities to Charlotte. Instead of making the trek west, five local gaming friends and I gathered together at a Springhill Suites in a grand experiment we called SAGCon – SAG standing for Stay And Game. Although we didn’t have all the grand spectacle and amenities offered at MACE, it was still a great time, and we played 17 games over two days. Here’s a look at some of the more memorable experiences and my thoughts... Read More

Family Adventure Time! The Great Sweeping of Ammowan Guest Review

Today on Dice Hate Me, we are lucky to have another guest review from the multi-tasking master, Marc Specter.This time, Marc takes a look at a storytelling game, currently on Kickstarter, that is great for families and gamers alike. Enjoy! A few weeks ago Robert Burke put out the call offering the opportunity to give his newest game Gnomes: The Great Sweeping of Ammowan (on Kickstarter now: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/478379924/gnomes-the-great-sweeping-of-ammowan?ref=live), a try.  Always eager to be an early adopter, I replied and said I would love to give it a go.  By the next day I had received the file.  And it sat.  And it sat.... Read More

Your Own Private Idaho: A Kickstarter Quick-Look at Castle Dice

Hello, dear readers – feast your eyes on the very first Dice Hate Me video impression! Why the sudden introduction of video on your favorite written reviews site? Just hit play and everything will become clear. Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts on this grand experiment. Happy gaming! Chris    Read More

The State of Games, Episode 37 – The One About the Ghost Fleet and the Haunted Dungeon

We love this time of year – leaves falling, crazy-faced pumpkins appearing on every doorstep, and lots and lots of new games popping up in our local store, and on Kickstarter! For this episode, we wanted to capture a bit of that October game ghoulishness, as well as talk about the spooky spirit of Halloween. And what better way to do that than to run a little bit long on the podcast talking to four different people? So sit back, admire your finely-crafted Jack-O-Lantern and enjoy this holiday hodgepodge of game designers and publishers, talking up their craft. Read More  Read More

The Crowded Table: Fall 2012 Edition

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to another installment of The Crowded Table. Despite all the work that’s been piling up here at Dice Hate Me HQ, we’ve been able to squeeze in a surprising amount of gaming, including one weekend visit by Compounded designer Darrell Louder in which we fit in 23 different titles, all while working on some game design. We didn’t sleep much, but it was worth it. Below you’ll find four games that have graced our table in the past few weeks, a couple of which you’ll probably see pop up again on Dice Hate Me before too long. Enjoy! Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game There were a lot of overly-hyped... Read More

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