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New Treasures: Lords of Waterdeep

New Treasures: Lords of Waterdeep

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Lords of WaterdeepWell, the holidays are finally over and all the gifts have been put away. Unless you’re like me and you piled them all in the living room so you can gaze at them happily.

My family has started to complain, though. I asked for a lot of games, and consequently this year’s haul is a little harder to step over. I can’t help it — ever since I was a kid, I’ve equated the holidays with gaming. There’s just something joyful about gathering all your closest friends and family together for a friendly game of strategy around the kitchen table at Christmas. And then, crushing them all with an iron fist.

Of course, anyone can crush their opponents in a routine game, as I’m fond of saying (every time I lose, without fail, my friends tell me). It’s only the most challenging games, those that add those rare elements of intrigue and power politics, that yield a true sense of triumph.

Forget strategy — I want a game where I can play to my strengths. Backstabbing and subterfuge, that’s what I’m good at.

Which is why I’ve been so interested in Lords of Waterdeep, the new Dungeons & Dragons board game from Wizards of the Coast.

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Pathfinder Online Reaches $1,000,000 Kickstarter Goal

Pathfinder Online Reaches $1,000,000 Kickstarter Goal

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PathFinder Online-smallPathfinder Online, a next-generation massively-multiplayer online role-playing (MMORPG) fantasy game jointly developed by Goblinworks and Paizo Publishing and funded through Kickstarter, reached its ambitious $1 million goal with scant hours to spare late this evening.

The project had until approximately 7:00 pm Central time to reach its stated goal or receive none of the pledged funding. It passed that goal with some four hours to spare, and ended its campaign with $1,091,194 in total pledges.

Pathfinder Online is a fantasy sandbox MMO developed by Goblinworks, based on the Pathfinder RPG from Paizo Publishing. One of its unique features is the developer’s promise to use democratic “Crowdforging” to prioritize feature development. Some of the other highlights include no classes, a skill system that avoids grinding, player structures, and meaningful trade.

The $1,091,194 haul makes Pathfinder Online one of the 10 largest video game projects in Kickstarter history. The campaign attained one stretch goal (adding Gnomes), but fell short of the $100,000 goal that would have added an additional WizKids Pathfinder Battles pre-painted plastic miniature.

One of the most intriguing perks for supporters was The Emerald Spire superdungeon, a book packed with additional content from a who’s who of modern RPG superstars, including Ed Greenwood, Erik Mona, Frank Mentzer, James L. Sutter, Keith Baker, Jordan Weisman, Mike Stackpole, Wolfgang Baur, Rick Baker, and many others.

For complete details see the Kickstarter page.

New Treasures: The Haunted Land of Carcosa

New Treasures: The Haunted Land of Carcosa

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Carcosa-smallI’ve been enjoying the recent renaissance in retro-D&D gaming. For one thing, it’s brought back great memories of the adrenalin-filled dungeon crawls of my youth, without all the trouble and expense of getting a bunch of middle-aged gamers scattered across two countries back together around a table.

The first role-playing adventures, from Blackmoor to Descent Into the Depths of the Earth, were many and varied, but in large part they followed a similar theme: you crawled into a hole in the ground and killed stuff.

Sure, there were thrills and surprises aplenty — strange subterranean civilizations, weird magic and weirder creatures, and magical treasures of all kinds — but in general the concept wasn’t much different from the piñata. You hit things, and goodies fell out. To get a sense of those early dungeons, imagine wandering through an underground J.C. Penny’s where every cashmere sweater, discount steak knife, and toaster is enchanted and the floor staff have spears and a surly attitude, and you pretty much get the idea.

We thrilled to those early adventures, and at the same time we yearned for something closer to the fantasy novels we were reading. Gradually, the industry responded by producing more sophisticated products with cohesive storylines, real characters, and dungeons that made some kind of functional sense, and the old adventures — with their frog temples, endless magical fountains, and chatty vorpal blades — went the way of the dinosaur.

Of course, no sooner did that happen than we started yearning for the simple games of our youth. Go figure.

That in a nutshell is the story of the resurgence of OE (Original Edition) Dungeons and Dragons games like Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Labyrinth Lord, and even the recent first edition AD&D reprints. And now that they have arrived — and the marketplace has embraced them — compatible adventure modules have started to pop up as well. I’ve rarely seen any as ambitious and as well thought-out as Geoffrey McKinney’s Carcosa.

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Seize Control of the Galaxy with Eclipse

Seize Control of the Galaxy with Eclipse

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Eclipse by AsmodeeI spent the better part of last year trying to track down this game. I first heard about it via the excited chatter at BoardGameGeek, where it bubbled near the top of their Board Game Rank, displacing such beloved games as Settlers of Catan, War of the Ring, and Civilization.

And, of course, it was no longer available. Released in 2011, the first printing sold out in record time and what few copies were still in the channel were commanding $200 or more. Publisher Asmodee announced it would not be available again until the second edition (which fixed some minor gameplay and production issues) was ready in late 2012.

It was a long wait. And the temptation to spring for one of those rapidly vanishing first edition copies was strong – especially as the year rolled on and there was no sign of the new edition. But patience is its own reward, or something. Anyway, it finally arrived, and I now have a copy in my hot little hands.

Eclipse is a game of interstellar conquest and intrigue, meaning you move starships around a colorful board and blow stuff up. That’s really all I needed to know to want a copy more than life itself. But we have a little room left, so I’ll pad this out by copying some stuff from the back of the box.

Apparently you can play as one of several races. I’m guessing the chubby green guy, blue alien, and bald supermodel on the cover are just a few of the choices. I picture my race of supermodels conquering the galaxy in slender battlecruisers, crushing all opposition beneath their stiletto heels, and suddenly I understand why copies were going for $200. I mean, damn. Now I want two copies.

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New Treasures: Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea

New Treasures: Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea

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astonishing-swordsmen-and-sorcerers-of-hyperborea-smallBack in 2010, I attended Garycon II, a rapidly-growing game convention in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, held in honor of Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons. In my BG convention report I said:

One of the delights of the con for me was the discovery of Charnel Crypt of the Sightless Serpent, an adventure for the forthcoming Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea system by Gary’s Castle Zagyg co-author Jeffrey Talanian. A black and white staple-bound folio sold at a tiny table in the hallway for five bucks, Charnel Crypt reminded me of nothing so much as Dave Arneson’s original Blackmoor supplement, which first appeared in 1975 (and cost about the same.)

According to the program book Talanian was running players through the adventure in one of the gaming rooms, and I wished I’d had a chance to find them. He describes Hyperborea as “largely influenced by the fictional works of R.E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and H.P. Lovecraft.”

That I’d like to see. He promises the rules will see print this year.

I’ve been keeping an eye on Jeff’s website at North Wind Adventures ever since, and I’m happy to say my efforts were not in vain. Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea was released in October and proved well worth the long wait.

Astonishing Swordsmen was clearly created in homage to the original boxed edition of Dungeons and Dragons (what’s known as the OE version, circa 1974, by Old School Renaissance gamers), and the contents reflect this. The box is massive — it’s like Gygax and Arneson’s original release got a Charles Atlas bodybuilding makeover. I was ooooing and awwwing for the first ten minutes as I pulled it open.

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New Treasures: Dungeon Command: Curse of Undeath and Tyranny of Goblins

New Treasures: Dungeon Command: Curse of Undeath and Tyranny of Goblins

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dungeon-command-curse-of-undeath-smallBack in August, I made some excited noises about the new head-to-head skirmish game from Wizards of the Coast, Dungeon Command.

At the time, only two Faction Packs were available: Heart of Comyr, including a human ranger, halfling sneak, dragon knight, dwarven defenders, and copper dragon; and the Sting of Lolth, which contained the drow assassin, priestess, wizard, spiders, and umber hulk.

Now, if you’re like me, you probably wondered what a “Faction Pack” was, and how a “head-to-head skirmish game” might work. But that was really secondary, because all the cool toys packed inside were more than worth the money.

If you had to justify the purchase, you could do it on those alone — Dungeon Command components are fully compatible with the Wizards of the Coast games you’re already playing. The miniatures and dungeon tiles can be used with the D&D RPG, and the unique cards provided with each miniature can be used with D&D Adventure System board games like Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon, and The Legend of Drizzt.

dungeon-command-tyranny-of-goblins-smallYou don’t have to be an expert on head-to-head skirmish games to appreciate that they’re a lot more fun with a variety of miniatures. So I was intrigued to see the recent arrival of two new factions: Tyranny of Goblins, containing a complete goblin warband — including bugbears, wolf riders, a feral troll, and a hobgoblin sorcerer — and Curse of Undeath, which includes the gravehound, lich necromancer, and dracolich.

Dungeon Command features themed miniature factions designed to play as unified war bands. The game eliminates luck-driven mechanics in favor of player-driven skill, creativity, and quick thinking. Each faction comes in its own box, with a dozen miniatures, a set of unique cards, dungeon tiles, and the game rules.

I’m already hearing reports that the miniatures — and the new rules set — have found favor among roleplayers looking for a quick and refined combat system. Stay tuned for further reports as we experiment with the rules here at the Black Gate rooftop headquarters. Assuming we ever stop playing with the cool minis long enough to read the rules, that is.

Both Tyranny of Goblins and Curse of Undeath retail for $39.99. They were released by Wizards of the Coast in October and November, respectively.

A Brief History of Comics, Animation, and Video Games with Christy Marx

A Brief History of Comics, Animation, and Video Games with Christy Marx

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christymarxThis title is not the least bit tongue in cheek. Many of you might not think you’ve ever heard of Christy Marx.

Think again. She has had a long career developing content for a wide array of media and is rightly considered one of the most powerful and influential women in video games and comics.

Currently employed at Zynga, she began developing content for video games before the title “video game developer” even existed. Her first games were for Sierra Online, including Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail and Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood.

763653She’s also written scripts for animated shows including GI Joe, He-Man, and Jem and the Holograms (remember them? Christy created them.) She’s also written scripts for live-action TV shows including Babylon 5 and Twilight Zone.

But she got her start writing for comics, bringing strong women to life frame by frame with works that include The Sisterhood of Steel.

Her current series, Amethyst, will have another issue out in the next few days.

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The Observer on Why Board Games Are Making a Comeback

The Observer on Why Board Games Are Making a Comeback

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star-trek-catan-smallWe’ve been on something of a Star Trek kick recently, and I see no reason to change that now. So when I stumbled on this article at UK news publication The Observer, echoing many of the comments in my recent post on The Paris Fashion Week of Fantasy Games on the ongoing surge of high-profile SF and fantasy board games, I was delighted to see that the game used to illustrate it was the new Star Trek Catan from Kosmos/ Mayfair Games. Based on the worldwide hit Settlers of Catan, it looks like it offers plenty of Federation action to tide fans over until the May release of Star Trek Into Darkness.

The article itself is worth a read. Here’s a snippet.

Before video games (bear with me here, kids) – and as impossibly archaic as it might sound – there were “board” games: things made with card and glue that required imagination and literal, rather than virtual, interaction… it’s worth noting that the modern video-games market actually owes much to these board games. Visit any video games development studio and you’re likely to spot shelves piled high with colorful boxes sporting unfamiliar names, used for inspiration and lessons in good game design.

If you’re looking for a holiday gift for that gamer in your life, I included more than a few in our recent Christmas Gift List.

But there’s lots more to be found — check out our recent Games posts, for a start. Or just make a trip to your local games store. And hurry — this is the new Golden Age of tabletop gaming, and you don’t want to miss it.

The Black Gate Christmas Gift List

The Black Gate Christmas Gift List

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a-guile-of-dragons[Apologies in advance for not being politically correct enough to call this the Black Gate Holiday Gift List. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, kindly ignore this post. Or use our suggestions to buy something for yourself, we won’t tell anyone.]

If you’re a Black Gate fan, we already know a lot about you. You’re almost certainly a fantasy devotee, well-read, with impeccable taste, and accustomed to the natural adoration of your peers. Pretty close, right? And you’re probably also a procrastinator who puts off Christmas shopping until the last minute, and ends up buying Wal-Mart gift certificates on December 24.

You can do better than that. In fact, we’re here to help you. Here’s a handy list of the best fantasy books, movies, games and comics of the season, with a link to a recent review, courtesy of the editors and staff of Black Gate magazine. We have gifts for every price range, from $5 to $150. Good luck, and happy shopping!

  1. A Guile of Dragons, James Enge ($17.95)
  2. The Bones of the Old Ones, by Howard Andrew Jones ($25.99)
  3. American Science Fiction: 9 Classic Novels, edited by Gary K. Wolfe ($70)
  4. Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection ($149.98)
  5. Lords of Waterdeep, Wizards of the Coast ($49.99)
  6. The Weird, edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer ($39.99)
  7. Epic: Legends of Fantasy, edited by John Joseph Adams ($17.95)
  8. A Throne of Bones, Vox Day ($4.99)
  9. Three Parts Dead, Max Gladstone ($24.99)
  10. Books To Die For, edited by John Connolly and Declan Burke ($29.99)

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Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition on Sale Tomorrow

Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition on Sale Tomorrow

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baldurs-gate-enhanced-logoOver ten years ago, at GenCon 1998, I came across a tiny booth in the Grand Hall manned by a very friendly group of software developers from Edmonton, Alberta. They were promoting an upcoming game called Baldur’s Gate and boy, did it look terrific. Traffic in the booth was slow and they seemed grateful for the company — so much so that when I finally left, they handed me part of their display, a giant mock-up of the retail box. To this day it occupies a place of pride in my office.

When Baldur’s Gate was released in November 1998, it quickly became one of the most acclaimed computer role playing games in history. It put those friendly Edmonton developers, an outfit named BioWare, on the road to stardom, and over the next decade they came to dominate the industry with titles like Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Baldur’s Gate, with its splendid story, characters, and revolutionary (for the time) Infinity game engine, still occupies a special place in the hearts of modern gamers. It was released for Windows 95/98 and doesn’t run well on modern machines — so for most of us, Baldur’s Gate is a distant memory, like those late nights playing Dungeon Master on an Amiga.

All that is about to change. A small start-up named Overhaul Games launched by two ex-Bioware employees, co-founder Trent Oster and lead programmer Cameron Tofer, has spent the last two years working on Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, a complete re-write of the original title for modern platforms. The new version boasts over 400 enhancements — including new high-res cinematics, an enhanced interface, improved multiplayer, core game improvements & bug fixes, higher level cap, over six hours of bonus quests & new adventures, new party members, and much more. It includes both the original game and the 1999 expansion pack, Tales of the Sword Coast.

Best of all, the game has been optimized for modern platforms, including the iPad and Android tablet. I for one can’t wait to sit down on the couch and play Baldur’s Gate on my iPad. You can see more details, including screenshots and a gorgeous trailer, at the Overhaul website.

The PC version of Baldur’s Gate is priced at $19.95; it will be available for download this Wednesday exclusively through the new Beamdog digital distribution platform. iPad and Mac OS editions will be sold through the Mac App Store in November; release date for the Android version is TBA.