The State of Games, Ep. 184: The One About Catching Up
It’s been awhile since we’ve gotten together, Dear Listeners, and there’s quite a lot that’s happened. We didn’t intend to wait this long for a recording, but life sometimes gets in the way. But, we’re back, and with lots of cool news, reviews, and more than a few personal stories to share. So kick back, relax, and enjoy – you’re with friends. Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 182: The One About Getting the Brand Back Together
Sometimes you just need a do-over. Dice Hate Me and Greater Than Games have been together since 2015, but that’s changing now. Dice Hate Me is independent once again, and it’s both scary and exciting. We talk honestly about what all of that entails – well, I talk honestly while TC grills me like Mike Wallace. But it’s all good – and good listening for all of you, Dear Listeners. Enjoy, and thanks for coming along for the ride for as long as you have. And if you’re new, welcome! Hope you like your podcasts with a touch of whimsy and randomness. Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 178: The One About New Editions
The old saying “sooner or later, everything old is new again” is very true in modern board games. With over 3,000 new titles being produced each year, it’s inevitable that some of them are going to be new editions of older games. And why not? There are tons of great games from the past that deserve a face lift or a chance to beguile a new generation of gamers. We’re here this episode to talk about the good, bad, and ugly of new editions – so settle in with your thoughts, Dear Listener, and see how closely they match ours. Read More 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 to listen in to find out! Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 160 – The One About Unplugging, Again
Sometimes our gaming podcast is less about games and more about experience. We hope you’ll indulge us a bit this time around, Dear Listeners, as we chat about what it was like to attend PAX Unplugged for the second year. Yes, we talk a great deal about the amazing food in Philadelphia, we debate the greatest cheesesteak, and we gripe about metal detectors, but we also try to convey the awesomeness that surrounds a convention that is now quintessential to the hobby. We hope to see you all there next year! Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 158 – The One About The Doctor’s Advice
There are certain creative leaders in the game design hobby that pop up from time to time with interesting nuggets of wisdom – Dr. Reiner Knizia is one such creative. With over 600 games and books credited to him over his career, he definitely has the experience and chops to lay down some knowledge, and a lot of that knowledge is extraordinarily valuable. On this particular show we decided to take a couple of his more recent – and infinitely intriguing – statements and break them down for discussion. Should you file them or flush them? Come on in and find out! Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 157 – The One About Just a Little Filler
Last podcast we pulled out all the intellectual stops and dove head deep into the rabbit hole of Game Theory. Judging from the listener numbers that wasn’t exactly what all you dear listeners wanted to hear. Oh well, at least we had fun discussing it! We wanted to get deep again with a chat about rules, if they’re getting worse in board games, and what we might do to fix them, but we decided to table that one for another time, return a bit to formula, and focus on something a little less… filling. Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 156 – The One About Mutually Assured Destruction
Most of the time on the podcast we’re just riffing on games we’ve played, or conventions we’ve gone to, or the best game with so and so mechanic, but occasionally we like to tackle something a bit heavier. This is just such a podcast. In this episode we brought in some extra brains from Matt Riddle to help us dive deeper into the math and rational thinking behind Game Theory. It wasn’t an easy topic to dissect but we think it was worth it. We hope you do, too. Enjoy! Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 154 – The One About the Top 5 Games EVER
We love when listeners get involved with the podcast and, because of comments and feedback from all of you, this podcast was magical. We’ve revisited our favorite games of all time occasionally but never within the context of a listener-curated list. And, oh, what an incredibly varied list it was! It just goes to show that all of you love so many different games in this hobby and that, dear listeners, is a truly wonderful thing. Happy listening! Read More Read More
The State of Games, Ep. 151 – The One About the Axis of Not Misrepresenting Your Product
When TC volunteers to handle an upcoming topic and tackle the show notes I never say no. Not only is it a welcome break for me but it’s inevitably like that ol’ box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get. This time around it ended up with all three of us talking about best and worst of game aesthetics for about an hour, but the conversation was far more engaging and encompassing than I expected. We start at the fall of the video game industry in 1983 and don’t let up until we’ve covered the latest all-flash and no-substance projects on Kickstarter. So break out your smoking jackets, it’s... Read More