AGC News February 1st 2013 (59:23)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. Chaosium's Lynn Willis and Upper Deck's Richard McWilliam pass. Barnes and Noble closings coming after a lean holiday season (other than geeky stuff, that is). Pick a new Monopoly Piece. Pandemic Second Edition! Arcane Wonders Mage War releases. Cryptozoic's ROFL! Z-Man getting Terra Mystica. The Mayfair Cavalcade (Catan expansion, Road Rally USA, and Five Points: Gangs of New York)! Asmodee's Serenissima and River Dragons! Gamewright's Forbidden Desert! The Fantasy Flight Cavalcade (Letters From Whitechapel and an updated Game of Thrones LCG). Cardfight!! Vanguard sneak preview events! Shadowrun plans! Champions Complete! The Return of D&D PDFs, and the networks issues that followed (Full Disclosure: AGC is a part of the DriveThruRPG Affliate Program). Numinera coming to video games! Bioshock Infinite HeroClix! The Kickstarter Free-For-All. Toy Vault making Firefly stuff (including games)! Can you really master games? ICV2's Notables for 2012.


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Show links
Lynn Willis' Call of Cthulhu Design Notes (Yog-Sothoth.com)
Monopoly Facebook Page
D&D Classics
FATE Core (Kickstarter)
Rebuilding ENWorld (Kickstarter)
Pathfinder Online (Kickstarter)
Funding The Dream Podcast
DiceCards (Kickstarter)
Deluxe Tunnels and Trolls (Kickstarter)
Cortex Plus Hackers Guide (Kickstarter)
Thematic FATE Fudge Dice (Kickstarter)
University of Louisville USLI High Powered Rocket Kickstarter
Complex Dynamics in Learning Complicated Games (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America)

RPG Buffet 33 (Second Helping: The Scion Campaign) (38:14)

It's an Second Helping edition, featuring a real second helping of White Wolf's Scion in the form of John's short campaign. Mags, Steve, Layne, Karen, John, Tanner, and Brandon participated, and are present for discussion.


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Show links
Scion (White Wolf)

RPG Buffet 32 (Witch Hunter: The Invisible World) (22:39)

It's an October-November combo shot, with Mags, Steve (the GM), Karen, John, and Brandon discussing Paradigm Concepts' Witch Hunter: The Invisible World. It was a repeat due to scheduling affecting the October game, and led to a repeat of Chili Night as well.

White Chicken Chili With Chickpeas And Chorizo (from Epicurious.com)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (to be divided)
6-8" segment chicken chorizo uncooked casing removed (if using cooked slice into thin segments and add with chickpeas)
1.5lbs. skinless bonless chicken breasts
3/4 tsp salt
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
2 tsp. cumin
2 chipotle peppers chopped and seeded (this will make it spicy, if you dont like spice only add one)
1/4 cup salsa
1 can diced no salt added tomatoes
2 cans chickpeas rinsed well and drained
2 cups great northern beans well rinsed and drained
1/2 cup washed dried and chopped cilantro (or parsley for different flavour)
Low Sodium reduced fat chicken broth (.5 cup... or more if making a soupy stew)

Preheat slowcooker to medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil. Add chorizo in managable sized chunks and brown. Remove chorizo with slotted spoon and place on plate over paper towels to soak up excess oil. Add chicken breasts (chorizo should leave some oil in pan but if extra oil is needed add an extra .5 tablespoon or so) brown chicken breasts, remove and place in a pot of boiling water, reduce heat to medim/low and cook at low boil for 12 min. Add remaining oil and once heated add onion and garlic over low heat saute until translucent and tender. Add chipotle and cumin and stir. When chicken is done cooking remove from pot and cool with cold water, shred chicken. Return chorizo to pot, stir, add chicken and salsa. Add rinsed chickpeas, great northern beans, tomatoes, desired amount of broth, half of reserved cilantro (or parsley)cover and simmer 1 hour on low. Add remaining cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.


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Show links
Witch Hunter: The Invisible World (Paradigm Concepts)
Witch Hunter: The Invisible World (Wikipedia)

RPG Buffet 31 (Transhuman Space) (21:29)

John leads the discussion this time for Mags' run of Transhuman Space, using GURPS Lite 3rd Edition, with Mags, Layne, Steve, Kae, and Brandon.


Stir-fried Beef and Snap Peas from SeriousEats.com

(NOTE: the grocery didn't have snap peas, so Mags used broccoli instead. Also, because we were feeding seven people, I used 2 lbs of steak and 4 packages of Maruchan ramen noodles and seasoning packets.) Toss a quarter pound of thinly sliced flank steak with half of the seasoning packet, then simmer the noodles just until they break apart (don't overcook them!). Drain the noodles and set them aside. In a large wok or skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil until smoking. Add the beef and cook without moving for about 1 minutes until well-browned. Toss the meat a few times. Add a quarter pound of snap peas and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add another tablespoon of oil, the noodles, the rest of the seasoning packet, a couple tablespoons of oyster sauce, and a bit of sugar. Toss until everything is well coated, then plate it up! Top with sliced scallions if your goal is to impress. :)


Asian Ramen Chicken Salad from About.com
Ingredients
2 -3 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts ( depending on the amount of chicken you like)
1 head cabbage, shredded or chopped (John used red and green cabbage)
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped (or to taste)
2 (2 1/2 ounce) packages slivered almonds
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 packages Top Ramen noodles or 2 packages other ramen-type soup
3 tablespoons oil

Dressing
3/4 cup vegetable oil or 3/4 cup canola oil
4 1/2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions
Prepare dressing and set aside. Smash noodles of Top Ramen (discard seasoning packets) and brown over medium heat in 3 tbs oil. Once noodles have begun to slightly brown, add slivered almonds. If you start to brown the Ramen and almonds at the same time, the almonds will burn before the Ramen browns. Once the ramen noodles have turned a dark golden brown, remove from heat and set aside. Combine cabbage, green onions, chicken and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Add the ramen/almond mixture and stir well. Add dressing and stir to coat.


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Show links
Transhuman Space (Steve Jackson Games)
GURPS Lite 3rd Edition (Steve Jackson Games/e23)
GURPS Lite 4th Edition (Steve Jackson Games)
GURPS Lite 3rd Edition Online Character Generator

AGC 171 January 7th 2012 (Looking Back, Looking Forward) (1:10:35)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. Happy New Year, in spite of the Mayans! The Buffet's Card/Board Game Night. Carol's ending Dresden, she swears. Mark contemplates starting some Doctor Who gaming. Looking back at 2012. Hobby gaming continued to grow financially. The game stores that thrive provide a place to socialize--Kentuckiana's local stores do! The (arguably) Golden Age of Kickstarter - variety, creativity, and impact for a long time to come. Wil Wheaton's Tabletop show (Geek and Sundry). The lack of PDFs for major game lines: D&D, Star Wars, The One Ring - the Crew hopes that certain publishers are just looking for the right digital solution. Print-On-Demand support. Gygax Magazine and continued interest in the retro-clone RPGs. James Raggi and the LotFP publishing empire! The Crew contemplates playing some old-school games. D&D Next still generating lots of excitement, while the Pathfinder Juggernaut rolls on. The RPG Buffet's Second Helping of Pathfinder, and Mags's Beginner Box is dusted off. A long, rambling discussion of the overt sexism in the hobby this year: James Desborough and rape, sexism in other parts of geek culture, cosplay harassment, "fake" geek girls, "chicks can't play Magic" (and Carol kicks butt), Mags puts a costume together for Mark, cleavage shots, groping at Gen Con and Conglomeration, a call to the listeners to step up, and a threat from Mark. Rape threats and the anonymity of the Internet. Touching on the Geek Social Fallacies, and how predators exploit them. If you're at a con and see harassment, go get the big guns. Carol's own incident. Respect your players--don't introduce dark plot elements unless the whole group agrees. Palate cleansing--what are we looking forward to in 2013? Carol: running a Changeling: the Dreaming Seven-Years-of-House-Rules LARP for the Buffet, and clings to hopes for a C:tD 20th Anniversary edition (Kickstarter, hear her prayer), FATE Core and Shadow of the Century, Gen Con 2013. Mags: MAGE MAGE MAGE! FATE Core and it going OGL, The Buffet's Year of World of Darkness, perhaps a trip to Origins, 13th Age, Night's Black Agents, Exalted 3e. Topics left? We can start over! Mark: FATE Core, Ogre 6th ed. (Mags wants to witness the arrival of the pallet), Gen Con and perhaps the Gutterskypes getting together, possible LotFP and retro-clone projects. Email Mags at the main AGC address (much to Mark's surprise), Carol is over email
so hit her up on Twitter or Facebook. Carol continues to edit projects, Mark and Mags prepare to nitpick. Feedback: a listener's experience with Transhuman Space. WE HAVE PRIZES! Mark contemplates a Monty Haul-style quiz show, and dodges NPR assassins. Happy New Year, y'all!


NOTE: At 34:10, Mags misspoke and said that James Desborough called Sarah Darkmagic am "odious little toad" alleged that he threatened her and her husband. This was incorrect, as she was confused about the people involved. The alleged threats were made by Garth Michael-Skarka (link). We apologize to Mr. Desborough for the error.


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Show links
Louisville Game Shop
Pet Shop Comics
Empire Comics
FATE Core Kickstarter
Tabletop, from Geek and Sundry
Fiasco RPG
Cards Against Humanity Pay-What-You-Want Holiday Pack (sold out)
D&D Next
Pathfinder
James Desborough and rape: Interview with Desborough here, summary here (RPG.Net).
Matthew Sprange's conversation with the person that posted the petition here
Cosplay harrassment at New York ComicCon
Rebecca Watson's Skeptic Elevator Incident
Anita Sarkeesian harassment
Summation of sexist incident at ReaderCon, the Amazing Meeting, and DefCon
"Fake geek girls"
Sexual assault statistics for American women (RAINN.org)
The Open Source Women Back Each Other Up Project & Gentlemen's Auxilary
Overcoming the Bystander Effect (Psychology Today)
Geek Social Fallacies
The RPG Buffet's Year of White Wolf web site


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark's Pick: Dresden Files RPG: Your Story (Evil Hat)
Carol's Pick: Project Ninja Panda Taco (Jennisodes)
Mags's Pick: Seven Leagues Roleplaying game of Faerie (Malcontent Games)


Promos
DriveThruRPG.com
Cory Doctorow's With A Little Help
Movie Meltdown podcast
Indie Plus Gamenight

AGC 170 January 4th 2013 (The Good, the Bad, the Gaming) (1:03:37)

With Mark and Mags. Mark and Mags discuss the notable games in the RPG collections: the oldest, the most obscure, and more. Also, Mark's new phone, prizes for an upcoming contest, and emails!

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Show links
Starships and Spacemen 2nd ed. (Goblinoid Games)
Advanced Fighting Fantasy Quickstart
Highlander: the Gathering fan-created supplement (Hank Driskell and John Gavigan)
It Came From the Late, Late, Late Show (TriTac Games)
Legacy: War of Ages (Battledfield Press)
The Legend of Yore (Visionary Game Design)
Essay: The Legend of Yore: A Fantasy Heartbreaker Story by Brennan Taylor
Night of the Ninja Reality Roleplaying Game (IIE Games Corporation)
Fireborn (Fantasy Flight Games)
Deliria: Faerie Tales for a New Millenia (Laughing Pan Productions)
RPG Buffet review for Deliria (reviews starts at 10:47)
Immortal: the Invisible War (Jikkarro Enterprises)
The World of Synnibarr (Wonderworld Press)
Monkey Ninja Pirate Robot (Atomic Sock Monkey)
RPG Buffet review of Monkey Ninja Pirate Robot (review starts at 13:50)
Cat: A Little Game About Little Heroes (John Wick Presents)
RPG Buffet review of Cat
M-Force for QAGS (Hex Games)
AGC 118: A-Hunting We Will Go
The Rolemonkeys M-Force Episodes
QAGS (Hex Games)
GURPS The Prisoner (Steve Jackson Games)
GURPS Callahan's Crosstime Saloon (Steve Jackson Games)
Nobilis 2nd Edition (a.k.a "The Big White Book") (Hogshead Publishing) - Wikipedia article
Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (TSR, Inc.) - Wikipedia article
Mage: the Ascension Tarot Deck (White Wolf Games Studio)
Mage: the Awakening Tarot Deck (White Wolf Games Studio)
Ravenloft Tarokka Deck (Arthaus)
Deck of Many Things (Green Ronin)
Fantasy Wargaming - Bruce Galloway, editor (Stein & Day Pub.) - Gronardgia article
More info on Bruce Galloway and the history of Fantasy Wargaming (Swords and Dorkery)
Gamemaster's Hold Music - Video (Sedna Games)
Gamemaster's Hold Music - MP3 Download (Sedna Games)
Achtung Cthlhu (Modipius Entertainment)
IronManMode.com Donate Page (note that the campaign has ended)
Child's Play Charity


AGC's DriveThruRPGPicks for this episode!
Mark: Knights of the Dinner Table #1 (Kenzer & Co.)
Mags: Necessary Evil Explorer's Edition (Pinnicle Entertainment Group)


Promos
Gamerati
Babylon Podcast (Far Point Media)

AGC 169 January 3rd 2013 (Kicking the Starter) (1:22:50)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Sandy (wow, this is late...). Disney buys Lucasfilm! What we're doing! Leopard Women, an attempt at Mistborn, and more Dresden! Plot variations! DriveThruRPG picks! Kickstarters we've supported. Mark the RPG Hoarder. Kickstarter is not a store! Powerchords, aka our main target tonight. A little glance at what makes a good campaign. Known names, a ready product, stretch goals, target dates. Last things, like Mark watching Cadfael and Elementary. Eureka. Warehouse 13. Revenge. Supernatural. The League. Enterprise. RPG Buffet's Year of World of Darkness!


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Show links
when A Kickstarter Fails, Does Anyone Get Their Money Back (NPR)
Accountability on Kickstarter (Kickstarter)
Kickstarter: Once Bitten, Twice Shy (RPG.net Forum)
What's Your Kickstarter Batting Average? (RPG.net Forum)
Powerchords (Kickstarter)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:Apocalypse Prevention Inc Savage Worlds Edition (Third Eye Games)
Carol:Cartoon Action Hour Season 2 Halloween Special (Spectrum Games)
Mags:Time Bomb (Adamant Entertainment)

AGC Interview 22 (Indie Press Revolution, Hero Games, and Blackwyrm Publishing) (47:14)

Mags chats with Jason Walters (with occasional interjections from Dave Mattingly of Blackwyrm Publishing) about his roles at Indie Press Revolution, Hero Games, and Blackwyrm Publishing.


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Show links
Indie Press Revolution
Hero Games
Blackwyrm Publishing
Imaginary Friends Kickstarter

AGC News December 27th 2012 (34:35)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. Games Workshop dominates our headlines. Giochi Uniti comes to the U.S. Two Magic: The Gathering sets for the Return to Ravinica block. Power Rangers Action Card Game. Game Days for 'DC Deck-Building' extended through end of January. Marvel Deck Building Expansions For 'Legendary'. Three new games from R&R Games, including one from Reiner Knizia 'Mage Wars: Forcemaster vs. Warlord Expansion' due in early 2013. Battle of Five Armies Board Game announced, and FFG's The Hobbit Card Game now shipping! Table of Contents from Gygax Magazine's first issue announced! End of the line for Gamemastery. Paizo Price Hikes. Details from WotC about 1st ed. re-prints. Wil Wheaton hangs out on Google. 'Hordes: Gargantuans' for the Hordes miniatures game. 'Warmachine' Fiction from Pyr.
Indiegogo internationalizes! Kickstarters of Note: The Morrow Project 4th Edition! ZOMBIEPOX board game educated about vaccines!


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Show links
Space Hulk Teaser Video
Wil Wheaton Google Hangout
Morrow Project Kickstarter
ZOMBIEPOX (Tiltfactor).
ZombiePox Playtest Signup

RPG Buffet - Card & Board Game 2012 Report

Happy Holidays, all!  Mags here, with a run-down of this year's RPG Buffet Annual Card and Board Game Night.

First, I'd like to thank Colin Moore of the Louisville Game Shop for providing us with a place to gather and play.  Colin's hosted the Card & Board Game Night for seven years now, and we appreciate his hospitality. 

There were only six of us in attendance this year, but that turned out really well because we all played the same games.  Usually there are about a dozen or so of us, so we break up into groups to play different games.

First game up was Cthulhu Fluxx, from Looney Labs.  Disclaimer: I received a demo copy complimentary of Looney Labs for review.

Cthulhu Fluxx is a new release, just shipped in August to stores, so most of us had not played it.  This is a dark yet fun interpretation of the game. Some notes:

• Creepers are appropriately creepy. 
• There are UnGoals as well as Goals. UnGoals allow for everyone to lose the game, and even for Great Cthulhu to win it! 
• Some Creepers and Keeper have Doom points assigned on their cards, which can increase the chance of everyone losing. 
• The cards were clearly designed with input from people who love their Lovecraft, because the game does a fantastic job of working in Cthulhoid themes.  You see Goal and UnGoal cards named after stories (The Dunwich Horror, The Shadiow Over Innsmouth, etc.), cards named after things that you see in the stories (Secret Cultist, which lets you win the game if an UnGoal causes everyone to lose; Keepers like Reanimator, Drunk, and Dreamlands;  FBI Raids, an Action card which takes away all Keepers and Sleepers, etc.), and some downright funny cards (At Home With the Whatelys, a Goal, and Mistkaonic Study Group, a New Rule). 
• There are also some very powerful cards in this game. I won't spoil them for you, but when The Stars Are Right or Cosmic Instructions come into your hand, tread very carefully!

I think that Cthulhu Fluxx is probably the most intricate of the Fluxx card games precisely because you have so many additional rules and actions added in order to intergrate the Lovecraftian theme.  But, in classic Fluxx style, none of these additions are heavy-handed or weigh down the game at all, so whether your familiar with Fluxx or not, you just read the card's rules and go with the flow.  The one downside is, if you're not familiar with Lovecraft, the game probably loses some of its charm.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves Lovecraft or horror, or anyone who wants a slightly more challenging version of Fluxx to play.  Order it directly from Looney Labs, or via your favorite local gaming store.

We decided to play Oz Fluxx next. Disclaimer: I also received Oz Fluxx complimentary from Looney Labs to review.

Following Cthulhu Fluxx with Oz Fluxx was like a bright, cheerful day following a desperate, horrific night.  Even looking at the cards, with their merry designs and colorful pictures, was a bit of a mental shock after playing Cthulhu Fluxx. 

Fans of The Wizard of Oz are legion, so my first thought is that this is the version of Fluxx to use to introduce the non-gamers in your life to Fluxx--yes, even above and beyond the basic Fluxx game.  My second thought is, that's some really fantastic art!  Artist Michael Hays did an amazing job capturing both the whimsy and dark side of The Wizard of Oz.  I couldn't tell if he'd drawn for Fluxx games before (sorry, Looney Labs!), but his art for Oz Fluxx was so striking that I made it a point to go look up who the artist was.

Cards in this release are pretty much what you would expect from a Oz-themed Fluxx game.  You have Creepers like the Wicked Witch of the West and the Flying Monkeys, Keepers like the The Wizard, The Yellow Brick Road, and Toto, New Rule cards like Magic Shoes (click your heels three times to draw an extra card on your turn), and Goals like No Place Like Home (the player who has both the Dorothy and the Kansas Keeper cards on the table wins). 

In keeping with the light-hearted approach, Creepers are apparently not as powerful in this game as other Fluxx games.  From what I could tell, Creepers only have the effect of stopping you from winning--there doesn't seem to be any other mechanic assigned to them.  Oz Fluxx also apparently has more Goal cards than most other versions--31, as opposed to 29 for Fluxx 4.0, 28 in Cthulhu Fluxx, 25 in Pirate Fluxx, 21 in Zombie Fluxx, and 17  in Family Fluxx.  Only Pirate Fluxx has more Goals, with a total of 33.  It also only has 18 Keeper cards, so if my math is correct the number of ways to win has been reduced slightly.  That may mean for longer games, which is a bonus if you want to use it to keep kids occupied.

Oz Fluxx introduced a new mechanic--one also found in Cthulhu Fluxx--called Surprises.  If you're familiar with Magic: the Gathering, Surprises work like a bit like Interrupts: they're cards you can play when it's not your turn for one effect, or during your turn for a different effect. 

Oz Fluxx is another clear winner in the Fluxx line.  I think it's going to have wide appeal, wider than even Zombie or Pirate Fluxx.  It proves that there's plenty of steam left in the Fluxx line, too--there truly seems to be no end in sight for the adaptations they can do with this game.  I will say this: if you are a fan of Oz-derived works like the book or musical Wicked, or the L .Frank Baum books that came after the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel, you'll probably be a little disappointed in this game, as none of those works are referenced. This is a departure from Monty Python Fluxx, which referenced the show, the movies, and (IIRC) Spam-A-Lot. I imagine this is due to copyright and/or trademark issues. I also imagine it won't be that disappointing to an Oz fan.

Oz Fluxx was released in March, and is in available online and stores now.  Another great Fluxx game, especially good for the non-gamer in your life.

We went after Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space next.  I purchased this game myself at Gen Con 2011, and did a reading review of it in episode 131.  WOW.  This game was nominated for a Diana Jones award, and I can see why.  The details of the rules are in my earlier review, but we all agreed that this was a deeply creepy game, like Are You A Werewolf meets the movie Aliens.  It's slow, and intense, and the horror just builds as players get picked off one by one.  It was such a hit with us as we were playing it, that Colin ran to his computer to look up how he could order a copy into his store.  Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space is available in stores and online.  BoardGameGeek has a video review here.

Finally, the biggest hit of the night was Escape: The Curse of the Temple from Queen Games.  We played a demo copy that Colin had in his store, and I bought a copy that night.  Some of you may remember that this was originally a Kickstarter project from Queen Games.  This was hands-down the favorite game of the night. We've never played a board game like this, and we were all deeply impressed with it.  It's quick to learn, quick to play--ten minutes!--fun, simple but extremly challenging, and intense.   But it's intense in a different way than Escape From the Aliens in Outer Space is--as Buffet John described it, it's a "cardiovascular adventure".  The game is now available in stores and online. Someone at BoardGameGeek put together a great game play demo on YouTube, and I recommend you take a look at it. It retails for $49.99, but the components are high quality and obviously durable, so it's money well-spent.


Summing up: if I were give these to anyone for the holidays, I would rank Oz Fluxx as #1 of the games we played because of its wide appeal-- you can't lose if you give this game to your kid, your eighty-year old aunt, or your gamer friend.  If I'm only considering the gamer on my shopping list, on the other hand, I have no doubt they would be thrilled with either Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space or Escape: The Curse of the Temple.  Not to say that Cthulhu Fluxx isn't worth giving as a gift, but I think the other three games would appeal to a wider group of gamers.

AGC News December 6th 2012 (25:07)

With Mark and Mags. Kobold Quarterly Magazine ceases publication. TSR and Gygax disputes? Pathfinder deckbuilding game. A Few Acres of Snow, second edition. A victory for Khet! Pathfinder Ultimate Campaign! Champions Complete! Games Workship v Chapterhouse continues. Order of the Stick minis! Museum of D&D IndieGoGo! FATE Core at last! 50 Shades of Wha?


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Show links
Games Workship v Chapterhouse Documents (Archive.org)
Museum of Dungeons & Dragons (IndieGoGo)
FATE Core (Kickstarter)

AGC 168 November 23rd 2012 (I'll Take Potpourri) (1:07:07)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Stuff that already happened. Wow, I procrastinated in getting this together... Gaming experiences and such. Cards Against Humanity. Battlestar Galactica. DriveThruRPG. 1st and Goal revisited. Carol talks about Mermaid Adventures! Mark looks at the Word on the Street Expansion set. Carol takes a look at using Evernote for your game notes (with some mild cost possibly involved). The new Kindle Fires (or not so new by now). Mark has Megabyte Confusion. Mark got Pitford from Outland Arts, and What To Feed Your Raiding Party! Mags has news of a Looney Labs long-ended Kickstarter, and Oz Fluxx...


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Show links
1st and Goal (R&R Games)
Third Eye Games (Mermaid Adventures)
Word on the Street Expansion 1 (Out of the Box Publishing)
Best Apps And Cloud Services For Taking, Storing, and Sharing Notes (How to Geek)
Evernote
Evernote (Wikipedia)
Dropbox Automator (Wappwolf)
Ifttt
Pitford: Gateway to the Ruins (Outland Arts)
What to Feed Your Raiding Party


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:High Space Core Rules Beta (StoryWeaver)
Carol:Toypocalypse (Top Rope Games)
Mags:Nobilis: Antithesis, Minibook 1i (Eos Press)


Promos
BoardGamePodcasts.com
Ruthless Diastema

AGC News November 19th 2012 (25:51)

With Mark and Mags. Disney is not buying Hasbro. Man killed over Magic cards. Wildcat v Wizards and an eTCG patent. The Games 100 List. Cardfight!! Vanguard news. Evo Fury for Kaijudo. L5R Honor and Treachery. Rise of the Zombies. Nightfall: Crimson Siege. Hasbro wants to outfit your New Years party! Mage 20th is coming! Pathfinder's Mythic Adventures playtest. Wizkids introduces SwitchClix, and Fear Itself. Game Funders. Turn to 400 Fighting Fantasy Documentary Kickstarter! The Board Room!


Download 64kbps mp3 (12.4 MB)


Show links
Wildcat's eTCG Patent (Google)
Happier New Years Game Nights (Hasbro/Facebook)
Game Funders
Turn to 400 (Kickstarter)
The Board Room, Washington DC

Mags-The-Axe School of GMing 6 (Choosing a Game System) (35:16)

Mags and Carol talk about choosing a game system, from genre and premise to particulars of your group, a word on generic systems, and other resources.


Download 64kbps mp3 (16.9 MB)


Show links
The RPG Chart


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News November 8th 2012 (25:48)

With Mark and Mags. Hobby gaming looking better in a financial sense. Paizo Game Space beta. Board Game Exchange? Guildhall (AEG's Essen release). Robinson Crusoe from Z-Man. Carcassonne to Windows Phone! Boss Monster. Bioshock and Crysis boardgames! Zpocalypse. Rumble in the Dungeon! Scrabble Beatles edition? Outer Reach for Deathwatch. DC Heroclix goes to "No Man's Land." The Notable Kickstarter section: Mutants and Masterminds 10th Anniversary, and Ars Magica: Years of Conquest. Sundsvallsspelet an "explosive" game?


Download 64kbps mp3 (12.4 MB)


Show links
Board Game Exchange
Boss Monster (Brotherwise Games/Kickstarter)
Rumble in the Dungeon (Flatlined Games)
Mutants and Masterminds 10 Year Edition (Green Ronin/Kickstarter)
Ars Magica: Years of Conquest (Black Chicken Studios/Kickstarter)

AGC Interview 21 (Lamentations of the Flame Princess) (1:28:56)

Mark talks to James Raggi of Lamentations of the Flame Princess about his most recent adventure releases (Death Love Doom, The Monolith From Beyond Space and Time, The God That Crawls, and The Magificent Joop van Ooms) and a bit about crowd-sourced funding.


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Show links
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
Death Love Doom
The Monolith From Beyond Space and Time
The God That Crawls
The Magnificent Joop van Ooms
LotFP Blog


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News October 13th 2012 (24:47)

With Carol and Mags. Steve Jackson's Warehouse 23 to promote local retailers! Catan World Championships. WizKids Lord of the Rings Dice Building. Clash of Cultures from Z-Man. Ticket to Ride Map Collection 3! Tabletop featuring Pandemic and Wits and Wagers! Pathfinder releases. Dragon Age Set 3! Robotech Genesis Pits! Cryptozoic tweaking WoW Qualifiers. Syracuse Game Designers' Guild!


Download 64kbps mp3 (11.9 MB)


Show links
Steve Jackson Games request for Brick and Mortar Promo Materials
Warehouse 23
Catan World Championships (Livestream)
Tabletop (Geek and Sundry)
Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition (Kickstarter)
Onyx Path
RPG Golden Geek Awards Nominees for 2012 (RPG Geek)
Syracuse Game Designers' Guild

RPG Buffet 30 (Silver Age Sentinels CAGE MATCH!) (22:47)

For July and August, Mags, Kae, Steve, Misty, Louis, and Karen compare the Tri-Stat and d20 versions of Guardians of Order's Silver Age Sentinels!

From Misty: Zucchini Fries!
Cut zucchini into strips.
Whip a couple of eggs and dredge fries through it.
I actually had the zucchini in a ziploc because I cut the night before, so I dumped the eggs in and shook it.
Then dredged them through a bowl of flour, cracker crumbs (I didn't have any bread), and seasoning. I used salt, pepper, and some thyme.


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Show links
Silver Age Sentinels (Wikipedia)

RPG Buffet 29 (Pathfinder) (16:23)

Mags, John, and Louis discuss Louis' run of Paizo Publishing's Pathfinder!


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Show links
Pathfinder (Paizo Publishing)

RPG Buffet 28 (Ghostbusters RPG) (18:33)

Who ya gonna call? Mags, Misty, John, Layne, Louis, and Guest GM Mark, assuming you want to talk about West End Games' Ghostbusters!

Since the Ghostbusters movie is set in New York City, the RPG Buffet decided to feast on New York Cuisine.

After some debate, we settled on New York-style hot dogs for our entree. In the US, there's a lot of variation of hot dogs from region to region. The classic NYC hot dog is an grilled all-beef frank served with any of the following, including: sauerkraut, sweet relish, onion sauce, and/or mustard. When we did Dresden Files, on the other hand, we did Chicago-style hot dogs, which is a steamed all-beef frank on a poppy seed bun, served "dragged through the garden". That is, with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickled spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. Our international listeners can learn more about regional American hot dog variations here.

Because NYC also has a strong East European Jewish cuisine tradition, Becca was good enough to cook potato latkes for us. And to keep with the theme of the movie, Mags made green slime punch.

POTATO LATKES (from Epicurious.com)
1 pound potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 250°F. Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander. Spread grated potatoes and onion on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.

Latkes may be made up to 8 hours ahead. Reheat on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, about 5 minutes. Grating the potatoes, soaking them briefly in water, and then squeezing out the liquid (as we've done here) keeps the batter from turning brown too quickly.


GREEN SLIME PUNCH (from Easy-Punch-Recipes.com)
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) Lime Flavor Gelatin
2 cups cold orange juice
1 bottle (1 liter) cold ginger ale
ice cubes
1 pt. (2 cups) orange or
lime sherbet
1 lime, thinly sliced

Stir boiling water into dry gelatin in large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in juice. Cool to room temperature. Pour into punch bowl just before serving. Add ginger ale and ice; stir. Add scoops of sherbet. Serve!


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Show links
Ghostbusters (Wikipedia)

RPG Buffet 27 (Diaspora) (20:13)

Mags, Brandon, Louis, Kae, Steve, and John talk about the May play session of VSCA's Diaspora!

When it gets hot outside, the last thing anyone wants to do is go inside and heat up their kitchen. With temperatures topping 95 degrees F in the Louisville area, the RPG Buffet decided to do a salad bar for this month's meal.

You can start with a basic green salad:

Salad greens, rinsed and dried:
Lettuce torn into bite sized pieces, baby spinach, arugula, mixed salad greens, kale, etc.
shredded carrot
tomato slices or cherry tomatos
cucumber slices
bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly

...and then top it with whatever else you would like:

alfalfa sprouts, sunflower sprouts
artichoke hearts
sliced or diced onions
avocado cut into 3/4" cubes
olives, pitted, and sliced if desired
shredded red cabbage
sliced radishes
chopped fresh herbs, whole basil leaves
nuts: sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds (the peppered almonds we referred to are here)
dried cherries, cranberries or raisins
sun dried tomatoes
cooked sweet corn kernels
hard-boiled egg, chopped
crumbled feta cheese, soy cheese, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, etc.
crumbled tofu
cooked black beans, garbanzo beans or kidney beans
Fried cubes of tempeh, tofu, etc.
Croutons
cubed cooked chicken
cubed cooked tuna or salmon
cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces (or "bits)

...and have a variety of commercial salad dressings on hand. Serve with iced tea and/or lemonade, and crusty bread.

For dessert:
Steve's Fruit Salad

1 large Cantaloupe
4 bananas
1 cup orange juice
1 oz grenadine
1/4 vanilla extract

Cube cantaloupe and slice bananas into chunks, add OJ, grenadine, and vanilla extract. Stir to coat, then chill for at least an hour before serving.


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Show links
Diaspora (VSCA Publishing)

AGC News September 25th 2012 (38:23)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. Reaper's record setting Kickstarter! D&D Documentary funded! Tabletop promotion with hobby stores. Zoch Verlag games to US through Lion Rampant and Rio Grande. Deadfellas! Relic! Urbania and Catan Histories! Article 27. Indie RPG Awards! Numenera funding! ICONS to Ad Infinitum Adventures. Some D&D info. Designers and Dragons coming back via Evil Hat. Penny Arcade and 13th Age. Evil Beagle Games! X-Wing Minis due before Christmas. Sedition Wars. A shot at geek beer. Help Jesse Heinig!


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Show links
Indie RPG Awards 2011 Results
Numenera
Fred Hicks post about Designers and Dragons
Designers and Dragons (Evil Hat Productions)
Designers and Dragons Facebook Page
Hoppy Dwarf Brewing Company
Hoppy Dwarf Brewing Company IndieGo
Jesse Heinig Chip-In

AGC Interview 20 (Mark's GenCon Interviews) (31:21)

Mark brings you his interviews from GenCon 2012! Sorry about the clipping in parts where Mark is talking.


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Show links
Nukotoys (Animal Planet Wildlands, Monsterology)
Animal Planet Wildlands (iOS App Store)
Monsterology (iOS App Store)
Third Eye Games (Mermaid Adventures, API, Wu Xing, Part Time Gods)
Eloy Lasanta's Blog
Inkarnate RPG Toolset
Inkarnate RPG Toolset (Kickstarter)
Hamster Press (Snapshot 1969, 16th Century City Maps,
Rise of the Underdark (Wizards of the Coast)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC Interview 19 (The Mags-the-Axe GenCon Interviews) (51:48)

Mags brings you her intervies from GenCon 2012! Look for Mark's interviews in the next few days or so.


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Show links
RPG.net
Curse The Darkness
Redbrick LLC
Eden Studios (Conspiracy X)
Sages of RPG


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC 167 August 23rd 2012 (To GenCon And Back Again) (1:42:57)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Mark's gaming group blew up (partially his fault) -- the moral is that groups need good communication! Adventures at the GenCon Auction! We're merging the news show with the main show this time. GenCon attendance looks to be up! Munchkin Pathfinder and Mars Attacks! Spy games, and Star Trek Catan is coming! Legendary, another Marvel card game! Seasons! Details about Fantasy Flight's Star Wars RPG! Mutants and Masterminds supernaturals! Art of Roleplaying Games, and some miniature mounts! DriveThru picks! More on the auction, then Carol talks about The Way Things Work boardgame. More GenCon discussion! Mags' Thursday and Mark's Saturday. A quick trip through registration. Mags the Stalker (but she didn't fangirl all over Wil Wheaton). Ascension. Smash Up! Paizo efficiency! A dozen dice cups. The Ram. "How do you find these people?!?" Mark's "hurry up and wait" GenCon. The GenCon Third Day voice. City of Horrors! Lack of podcasters? Lack of swag bag! Awards! Congrats to Haste and Role Playing Public Radio! The Nordic LARP controversy, here on AGC! Onyx Path Publishing. Promotional videos over the Exhibition Hall entrances. D&D Next Keynote! Regrets and looking forward. FlatCon! Kickstarters!


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Show links
GenCon
Krab Jab Studio Facebook (Art of Roleplaying Games)
Horse, Character Mount Marker Kit (LITKO Game Accessories)
The Way Things Work Boardgame (Amazon)
International Playthings LLC
Alderac Entertainment Group (Smash Up, Thunderstone Advance, Legend of the Five Rings)
Onyx Path Publishing
The Gamers: Hands of Fate Kickstarter
Man-Made Mythology (Kickstarter)
Numenera (Kickstarter)
Dungeons and Dragons: A Documentary (Kickstarter)
Truth and Lies (Kickstarter)
Perils of the Surface World (Kickstarter)
Horror on the Orient Express (Kickstarter)
Shadowfist: Combat in Kowloon (Kickstarter)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:Grimtooth's Traps (Flying Buffalo)
Carol:Victorian Lost (White Wolf)
Mags:GUMSHOE Bundle (Pelgrane Press)
Also:Fiasco: Lightning Bolt! (Bruhaha Games)
Maschine Zeit Adventure Bundle (Machine Age Productions)


Promos
Yog Radio
d6 Generation

AGC 166 August 14th 2012 (12 Big Angry Damn Review Shows) (1:30:31)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Carol still in the satellite office. Non-smooth titles. Mark's jury duty experience. DriveThruRPG picks! And codes! Shaintar review memories. Reviews! Mags reviews House of Cards (look for it at Games on Demand at GenCon!). Carol talks about Candycreeps. Mark messes up the theme of the reviews with 1st and Goal. Mags closes the reviews with the Mistborn Adventure Game. Mags' highlights for GenCon this year. Mark shows a couple of Kickstarters, including one affecting GenCon. Carol has something to mention as well...


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Show links
House of Cards (Parenthesis Press)
Parenthesis Press
Candycreeps (Green Fairy Games)
Candycreeps Development Diary and Play Ideas
1st and Goal (R&R Games)
Mistborn Adventure Game (Crafty Games)
The Gamers: Hands of Fate Kickstarter
Pajara Games' World War III Kickstarter
Pajara Games
Numenera (Monte Cook)
Monte Cook Science Fantasy Post


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:Delta Green (Pagan Publishing)
Carol:Shaintar: Legends Arise Beta Guide (Reality Blurs)
Mags:Hocus Focus: A Dresden Fiasco (Evil Hat Productions)


Promos
Ruthless Diastema
New Style

AGC News August 14th 2012 (27:10)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. The Kickstarter kerfuffle. More financials. World of Warcraft TCG sneak previews! Spartacus! Quarriors expansion. The One Ring off PDF? Chances to play Mistborn with Brandon Sanderson at GenCon! Champions Complete and Monster Hunters! Hostile Work Environment. A cold Pathfinder setting. Games Workshop growing profit. Chaosium contests, and why people play!


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Show links
French Language Chistopher Tolkien Interview (Le Monde)
English Translation of Le Monde Christopher Tolkien Interview
Larry Correia (Monster Hunters Inc.)
Two Beginning Roleplayer Contests (Chaosium Inc.)
American Journal of Play PDF Articles (Pick the first article, Play and Mate Preference: Testing the Signal Theory of Adult Playfulness

AGC Extra - Alex Flagg unboxes the Mistborn RPG

We've got a Big Damn Review Show coming up soon, and one of those reviews will be Mags' take on the new Mistborn RPG from Crafty Games.   As a supplement to that review, here's Alex Flagg doing an unboxing of the softcover/retail edition of the game.

AGC 165 August 4th 2012 (And The Winner Is... 2012 Edition) (1:35:42)

With Carol and Mags. Carol and Mags discuss this year's awards outlook!


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Show links
ENnie Awards
Diana Jones Award


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News August 3rd 2012 (23:30)

With Mags. Wil Wheaton is a GenCon media guest (and Tabletop as well). Merchant of Venus cooperation! Barnes and Noble up less than 1% after Borders closing. The Google Nexus 7. 4Kids Entertainment bankruptcy news. Monopoly: the Godfather Edition! Cryptozoic Summer Tour! Animated Bella Sara! Dixit Jinx! DC Comics Deck Building Game! Yu-gi-Oh!, Magic, and Pokemon news! Warhammer 40K 6th Edition! Pathfinder NPC Codex! Some interesting HeroClix to celebrate a Comic-Con documentary. HeroClix Assassin's Creed. WizKids withdraws products from the Origins ballot. Geek Battle!


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Show links
Tabletop (Geek and Sundry)

AGC Interview 18 (FandomFest Special) (1:19:25)

Carol and Mags bring you interviews from the FandomFest/Fright Night Film Fest in Louisville, Kentucky, back in late June!


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Show links
Fright Night Horror Weekend/FandomFest
FandomFest Blog
Louisville Gaming Club (Meetup)
Louisville RPG
Louisville Story Gamers (Meetup)
Card Board Gamers
Dry-Erase Starship Maps (Blackwyrm Publishing)
Inkstained Succubus Productions
Brooks and Sparrow
Hostage Entertainment (Mob Ties)
Mob Ties Blog
Mob Ties (Board Game Geek)
Mistborn RPG (Crafty Games)
Mistborn RPG Hardcover Info (Crafty Games)
Mistborn RPG Quickstart
Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson)
Spycraft 3.0 (Crafty Games)
Ten Thousand Bullets (Crafty Games)
Spellbound (Crafty Games)
Hobomancer (Hex Games)
Larry Elmore
Some of Larry Elmore's Magic: the Gathering work (Wizards of the Coast)
Louisville Board Gamers (Meetup)
Matt McCloud's Blog (FandomFest)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

Retro-Clone Rundown!

Hey there, AGC fans!  It's Mags.


It occurred to me that the AGC Crew has mentioned several retro-clones on the show, but never really outlined which retro-clones are drawn from what material.  So, I thought I would provide an outline of what's out there.


The below is taken, with some light editing, from RetroRoleplaying.com and Wikipedia:

What 's a retro-clone? 

The OGL has allowed fans to recreate the rules of older, out-of-print editions of the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game. These are usually called "retro-clones" because they are "clones" of the rules to older ("retro") editions of Dungeons and Dragons (or, as the authors will refer to it in the material for legal reasons, " the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game"). While no retro-clone is an exact copy of an earlier game, they generally are close to identical in play. 

Role-playing game publisher Matthew Finch was  the initial author of OSRIC 1.0, which was afterward taken up by Stuart Marshall and released to the public in 2006 as a retro-clone of the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1977–1989). The release prompted another game designer, Daniel Proctor, to write and release Labyrinth Lord in 2007, a more complete retro-clone of Dungeons & Dragons B/X (1981–1982). The following year, Finch announced the release of Swords & Wizardry, ostensibly a simulacrum of the original Dungeons & Dragons game (1974–1977), and the retro-clone movement was pretty much launched.

Most retro-clones have free PDF versions and most have nicely bound printed copies available for a very reasonable price. 

0e (Original Edition) RetroClones

EDIT: A listener pointed out that we neglected to list Lamentations of the Flame Princess, a 0e like RPG focused on "weird" role-playing.

MicroLite74  is Microlite20  (a trimmed-down, sub-miniature version of the Primary Fantasy SRD rules that has been designed to be quick and easy to play) that has been rewritten to recreate the style and feel of the 0e edition from 1974 (a.k.a the White Box). It takes the popular, very rules light 3.x Microlite20 and reshapes it to feel like 0e using Microlite20 rules as the base. There are two supplements, Ancient Auguries and Wary's Grimoire. Ancient Auguries adds an assortment of optional rules. Wary's Grimoire adds much of the material from the 0e supplements including more character classes and higher level spells.

A special note about MicroLite74: the author is offering a special MicroLite74 package as part of a fundraiser.  He has medical bills exceeding $110,000USD due to cancer in the family, so if you're able to donate, please do so.

Swords & Wizardry  is an OGL retro-clone of the 0e version from the mid-1970s, the same edition Microlite74 is loosely based on. Sword & Wizardry is handy for complex spell and monster descriptions for use with Microlite74 as well as a game in and of itself. There are two versions of this game. One uses just the material from the three original 0e booklets and the other uses selected material from the 0e supplements.

B/X, BECMI and Retro-Clones

The Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game is loosely based on the so-called B/X edition of D&D from the early 1980s. There are a number of minor tweaks like ascending armour class and separation of races and classes.

Labyrinth Lord was written and edited by Daniel Proctor and published by Goblinoid Games.  It's more closely based on the so-called B/X edition of D&D from the early 1980s (a.k.a the "Red Box"). Some minor changes have been made for compliance with the OGL and copyright law.  However, there are a few differences between the two games. Rather than being released in separate Basic and Expert boxed sets like the version of D&D that it emulates, all of LL's rules are contained in a single volume. Another deviation from the source material is that characters can advance to 20th level (the 1981 Expert set only included levels up to 14).  LL includes most of the same monsters, spells, and magic items as classic D&D, except for those designated as "product identity" by Wizards of the Coast. In some cases, these have been replaced with similar alternatives.

Dark Dungeons is based on the one volume "cyclopedia" version of BECMI edition. Like the "cyclopedia" version, this is a complete game in one volume allowing characters to advance through 36 levels and then try to become an immortal. Unlike most retro-clones, Dark Dungeons includes rules for high level characters with strongholds, mass combat, other planes, immortals (i.e. "deities"), and even includes rules for fantasy space travel.

B/X Companion is intended to be the third volume designed to complete the work begun with Tom Moldvay's Basic Rules and continued in the Dave Cook/Steve Marsh Expert Rules, both published in 1981. Both promised a "Companion" volume that would conclude the series.  Instead TSR (and Frank Mentzer) re-wrote and re-published a five volume series (BECMI) that, while certainly interesting, failed to deliver on the promise of those earlier works. This is an attempt at producing the promised B/X Companion.

Companion Expansion is another attempt at producing the "third book" of the B/X version.

1e and Retro-Clones

Labyrinth Lord: Advanced Edition Companion is a supplement for the Labyrinth Lord game (see above). It is allows the use of the array of advanced character possibilities from the first edition rules, and first edition monsters and magical items. All character class options from the Labyrinth Lord core rules and the Advanced Edition Companion book are cross-compatible.

OSRIC (Old School Reference & Index Compilation) is an OGL version of the first "advanced" edition of D&D from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first edition of OSRIC was designed to be just something that would allow publishers to legally publish OGL materials compatible with 1e. The second edition of OSRIC is much more complete and is written with both players and publishers in mind. More than a dozen distinct publishers have produced dozens of OSRIC-compatible adventure modules and supplements.

2e and Retro-Clones

For Gold and Glory contains all the information from the three core books of the 2nd edition of the world's most popular RPG, minus the optional rules.  It's also organized in a much better fashion than the original.

Myth & Magic is another remake of the 1989 Second Edition Rules, and recently had a successful Kickstarter project. (NOTE: No free PDF version)

Other Games

Double Zero is based on the 1983 Victory Games superspy RPG James Bond 007. It's developed by Berin "Uncle Bear" Kinsman.

Dragons at Dawn is a retro tribute to the very first fantasy gaming system pioneered by Dave Arneson. Dragons at Dawn is purportedly consistent with Arneson’s original, largely forgotten methods of play developed roughly in the period 1970-1973.

Four Colors System clones TSR's original 1985 Marvel Super Heroes game.  This one's from Phil Reed of Ronin Arts.

GORE (Generic Old-school Role-playing Engine) clones Chaosium's Basic Role-Playing rules, the base system for RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer and several other classic-era RPGs.  (For comparison, Chaosium offers free Quick-Start versions of Call of Cthulhu and its current edition of Basic Role-Playing, but these are free-as-in-beer, not open under the OGL.)

Legends of the Ancient World is a rules-light clone of Megagaming's The Fantasy Trip -- complete in seven pages. The game is a free PDF, but the publisher sells solitaire adventures for it similar to the ones Metagaming produced for TFT. Science fiction (Time and Space) and old west RPGs (Untamed West) based on these rules are also available as free downloads.

Mini Six is a fast and flexible rules system that encourages cinematic play. It's based on the D6 system from West End Games that was created in the 1980's for their edition of Star Wars. The free 8 page PDF includes OGL rules for fantasy, modern, and science fiction settings.

 Mutant Future  After Labyrinth Lord, Daniel Proctor wrote Mutant Future, which uses variant Laybrinth rules but captures the post-holocaust setting of TSR's Metamorphosis Alpha/Gamma World.

Spellcraft & Swordplay From veteran game designer Jason Vey, whose previous work includes All Flesh Must Be Eaten and Castle and Crusades, S&S is a re-imagining of Oe D&D with the original Chainmail combat rules based upon the 2d6 Man to Man table retained and expanded, and has been described as an interesting What If style of game  (NOTE: No free PDF version.)  (EDIT: A listener has let us know that there is a free version of Spellcraft & Swordplay.  You can download it here)

ZeFRS:  David "Zeb" Cook's 1985 rules for the TSR Conan roleplaying game return in clone form as a generic sword-and-sorcery RPG complete in one volume. Trample the jeweled kingdoms of your own world beneath your sandals!

AGC Review 7 (Carcosa and Isle of the Unknown) (23:53)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Mark looks at Carcoa and Isle of the Unknown from Lamentaions of the Flame Princess. Also, there is an interview with Fitz from Game Knight Reviews and Geoffrey McKinney (the author of these books) that with any luck is embedded below.




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Show links
Carcosa (Lamentations of the Flame Princess)
Isle of the Unknown (Lamentations of the Flame Princess)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


Promos
Game Knights

AGC Interview 17 (Project Ninja Panda Taco) (28:38)

Mark, Carol, and Mags talk to Jenn from the Jennisodes about gaming and her game Kickstarter, Project Ninja Panda Taco.


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Show links
Project Ninja Panda Taco (Kickstarter)
Writer Next Door (John Adamus)
Jennisodes


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News June 25th 2012 (33:06)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. A new edition of 40K! Hans im Gluck to Z-Man Games (and Alliance Distributors) in the US! AEG going in-store first. Romulan Empire! World of Warcraft TCG news. Memoir 44 Equipment Pack! 13th Age! Spiderkiller! Games Workshop concerns about 3D printing. 10,000 print run for Ogre! HeroClix 10th Anniversary set. Steve Jackson (UK) and Ian Livingston gaming top tens!


Download 64kbps mp3 (15.9 MB)


Show links
13th Age (Pelgrane Press)
Clive Thompson on 3-D Printing’s Legal Morass (Wired)

AGC News June 14th 2012 (29:36)

With Mark and Mags. Origins Awards results! Games Workshop Games Day in Chicago! Farewell to NeonCon! Hello again to Agent 13! Doctor Who card game coming, as well as Dungeon Fighter and a Troyes sequel. Penny Arcade Munchkin cards! Sewer Pirats. One more Marvel card game. Munchkin Kill-O-Meter. Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small. 3012! City-State of Tempest! The return of Crude: the Oil Game! The 5E playtest begins! Game Chef! Marvel Heroic Roleplaying heads into Civil War! Map in Pathfinder comics (but an end to minis to distributors, but there's this elaborate fix...). Merit Badges and Kickstarters.


Download 64kbps mp3 (14.2 MB)


Show links
Games Day 2012 (Games Workshop)
Game Chef 2012 Finals
Deadlands Noir (Kickstarter -- Hours Left at Time of Posting)
Nystul's Infinite Dungeon (Kickstarter -- Already Closed)


(An aside from Mark for anyone who sees these show notes: Someone wanting to do a gaming related podcast could do much worse than covering the Kickstarter/IndieGoGo/crowdfunding front. It seriously needs some dedicated coverage, in my not-so-humble opinion.)

AGC 164 June 5th 2012 (Seven Years and Some Weeks?) (1:35:46)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Mark's 7 year spite troll? Games out in 2005, courtesy of Mags! Missed the ENnies deadline (but we think it's all Jennisodes this year anyway). Deliria memories and other thoughts of the last few years. Shepherd's Pie! Anyone have a copy of the Hellas actual play? Fandom Fest! Avengers! Gaming! ConGlomeration considerations. DriveThruRPG Talk! Games for first time gamers! Some fun stuff left over from New Years!

From Mags, about that Shepherd's Pie: I never bother with the Bisquick topping, figuring that the dish is carb-heavy enough. :) The recipe is over at Emily B. Jones's blog


Download 64kbps mp3 (43.8 MB)


Show links
Jennisodes
AGC Additional Content
Fandom Fest
Game Knights
Completely Comics


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:American Artifacts (Hex Games)
Carol:Amaranthine (Machine Age Productions)
Mags:Imperial Mysteries (White Wolf)
Also Check Out: Hobomancer (Hex Games)


Promos
Fringeworthy (Tri Tac Games)
RPGPodcasts.com