Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Gaming News and other assorted Mischief

So Game Fans, it’s been a busy weekend after Gencon (and though we didn’t make the show we’ll cover some interesting things that we heard about from the show) and Twitch has some interesting news for the rest of us as well.  First up, Gencon news


Gencon News

We’re going to take a scattered approach to this, but it’s relevant to our personal interests around the office.  First up, our friends at Zombie Orpheus Entertainment are partnering up with Dead Gentlemen to produce a number of shows and media ventures by gamers, for gamers.  The combined efforts should bring a lot of scripted programming to the marketplace and they are a wonderful bunch of mammals who do good work.  You can find them all over creation on Twitch, Youtube and other social media platforms.  It’s our sincere belief that Masters of the Metaverse on Hyper RPG is one of the best RPG actual play shows that doesn’t feature Dungeons and Dragons.  You can find them most Monday Nights on Twitch TV here. (Congratulations on your Awards, guys, you earned them)


Fantasy Flight Games is swinging for the fences with their IP licensing game.  With the announcement of the Fallout Boardgame for Quarter 4 of 2017, FFG is pushing into another IP that has the potential to make a box load of cash.  Their Star Wars releases however caught our attention.  With the release of the 30th anniversary of the original Star Wars Role-Playing Game (from West End Games), FFG is pulling the past of one of their major IP licenses into its future.  Oh, and there’s that Star Wars Legion game.  Featuring unpainted, unassembled miniatures and a tight rules set, Legion looks like it could make a big splash in the Miniatures gaming landscape.  Time will tell, but it looks positive.  


The other big FFG news we’re personally interested in is the release of the Legend of the Five Rings Living Card Game.  I blame Clan War for getting me started in Miniature Gaming, and i have enjoyed both the Legend of the Five Rings Card Game for several of its editions, and i played at least two editions of the RPG.  When the IP was purchased last year (I think?) i was curious to see how it would go, and everything i have seen makes me curious about this release.  According to FFG, their first Organized Play event for it was their largest ever, and i hope this is a breath of new life into a long lived setting.  I can’t wait to pick up my set in October (the 9th is the official in store release date).  


Modiphius Entertainment had a lot of fun showing off their Star Trek RPG and i heard the Demo seats for the Fallout: Wasteland Warfare minis game were hot tickets.  I am glad they had a good showing, and i want to see more info as we get closer to the release date later this year.  


Paizo ran out of Starfinder core rulebooks on day 1 of the show, which means either they didn’t pack enough books, or the fans are extremely excited for this new game.  (I’m betting it’s the latter).  


Harebrained Schemes showed off their Multiplayer Beta for Battletech and everything i have heard from the show says it’s a hoot.  Huge fan of the studio and their games (safe and speedy travel to everyone who went from Gencon to Gamescom).  


Speaking of Battletech, Catalyst Game Labs showed off a bunch of new and exciting things for all of their games (special shout out to the new Master of Orion game).  I’m liking the new logo for Battletech, and there are a few interesting new directions and releases.  The full release of the Battlemech Manual as well as a new Technical Readout should prepare a new player for getting into the game around the end of the 3rd Succession War (which is where most of us in the 80s started).  Also shown off are two new boxed sets, a Beginner’s box (featuring new plastic versions of previously Unseen battlemechs), and a new starter box featuring more detailed rules and more battlemechs.  Taken as a group, these products signal a new starting point for new players to get into the game before adding in the more complex rules from Total Warfare.  The only book we’re really missing to make this a full start is a 3rd Succession War Historical, and that would bring the game full circle to its starting point.  


There are tons of other games and companies that showed things off and i am certain that there are other sites and blogs that attended the show with more coverage.  If you’re interested, be sure to check them out and find out more about what’s going on with your favorite game.  


Twitch News

So, we saw our first look at Games of Divinity on GeekSpace TV.  I love the idea behind the studio, and i enjoy what i’ve seen so far.  Aside from a couple of minor technical whoopsies, the broadcast went off without a hitch.  Games of Divinity is a 3rd edition Exalted actual play stream that has a cast i deeply enjoy watching.  It’s a very comfy stream and if you’re curious about Exalted, this a great place to get started.  They broadcast Friday nights at 6 PM PST.  If you missed Episode 0, check back through their VOD to sort of catch up with what’s happening.  


Season 3 of Death From Above starts this Friday the 25th.  The Timeline has jumped forward, and we’re steering into the Clan Invasion of the early 3050s.  In the immortal words of JR, “Business is about to pick up.”  This season features a new GM, new characters and theoretically a whole new cast.  Catch them live, Friday night at 6 PM, PST, or on VOD or on the Youtubes at Hyper RPG.  


Those are the stories that jumped out at us for the Weekend, and if we missed something you thought was cool, send us a note and we’ll see if we can figure out some more info about the news.  That’s our Gencon wrap up, Game On, Game Fans.  


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