The Arms Race

This is a long overdue article, much like everything else on our pretty relaxed (nonexistent) schedule of releasing content other than PNG Daily. It originally started as a five part series, which I’ve condensed down to a single posting with me speaking directly from my ass, with the possibility of additional postings.

The Gamemaster and Player arm’s race.

Come get some grids

Some of you may already be aware, but DnD Insider is up and running, and probably has been for awhile now.  This is news to me, because between the time of the launch of DnD 4th Edition and today, I grew so tired of waiting for the damn thing to launch, I forgot it ever exisited.  If you haven’t checked it out already, they are offering a free trial for you to tinker with.

To most hardcore fans of Shadowrun (The rabid, frothing at the mouth fundamental lunatics), the setting and spirit of Shadowrun and the 20-sideder mix like a vodka tonic with baking soda. However, there’s always a brave soul willing to weather a night of foaming vomit and try a conversion: the folks at this blog.  (Chemistry Disclaimer: I’m not actually sure that it would foam before or after ingestion, and I’m not wasting the booze to find out) I gave it a quick once over, and it actually looks like it could work pretty well.  Of course, there are some things I would do differently, but I think it’s a nice start.  I hope it works out for their group. 

PNG Audiophile – Don’t Panic

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Well it’s Friday, and you know what that means – it’s time for another PNG Audiophile.  In this two-hour long extravaganza, we talk about this Great Recession and how it will, or perhaps more likely won’t affect the future of … Continue reading →

Candy Cage Match – Two men enter, one man leaves

Run For Your Life, Candyman!

Publisher: Smirk and Dagger Games

MSRP: $29.95

 

 

 

 

I figure I’d make my debut post on PNG with a run down and review of one of my favorite board games, Run For Your Life, Candyman!  A game that basically amounts to a Candyland with a black box couldn’t possibly be that much fun, now could it?

PNG Daily 3/3/2009: Sure, Pick up a Sixer and Come on by

It’s all about the Grids in this daily today kids!

It is a known fact that the PNG Crew gets down with Cthulhu every Thursday night for our podcasts.  Our close friendship with the elder thing causes us to squeal in girlish delight whenever we see his visage in any form.  Fantasy Flight is preying on our weakness and announced a 6 pack of these adorable little mini’s hitting hobby and game shops near you in April.

Boardgame News has a heartwarming editorial up about a two player match between a father and daughter where it goes into what their strategies are.  The interesting part about this isn’t necessarily the editorial, but the fact that they were playing a game that requires three players with only two.  You can grab the alternate rules from BoardGameGeek.com here.  It’s the beauty of the Grids we so love in general, that we’re not confined by the directions in the instructions and are free to tweak them to make the games more enjoyable for us!  You could say that certain Pixels like Little Big Planet allow you ultimate freedom, but that’s still only to an extent.  There simply isn’t the space, time, or money to allow complete freedom in a video game.

This one is for all of you HeroClix fans out there.  TabletopGamingNews.com has a post up that points to a blog post over at SaveHeroClix.com that should give you hope.  Topps basically shut down Wizkids back in November of ’08 and left all of their properties in limbo.  The old brand manager took some of those employees, formed a new company called Pinata Games and has been trying to get Hero Clix from them ever since.  It appears that not only has Mr. Jake Theis almost clinched a deal for Hero Clix from Topps, but may have nabbed the rights for some other Wizkids IP not yet named.

Last part of this loooong daily post is a thanks to all of the new people swarming the site along with the commenters.  I hope you enjoy all the work we’ve been putting into the content and the constant refining of the site design by Jim Bradford and Logan Persons.   Please be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed that you will find to the sidebar on the right if you’ve been picking up what we’re putting down.

Outtie 5k.

Hey! Listen!

Another late night with photoshop and this is all I have to show for it.  What say ye?

Magic: The Gathering – Black/Red Sligh in Standard

Hello, everyone! You may remember me from various sources – my articles at StarCityGames.com in 2005 about U/W Mind’s Desire that eventually became the standardized combo deck during the PTQ season for Philadelphia, my articles about the R/G “Freshmaker” deck during Mirrodin block, or my articles about mono-blue in Standard when we ran cards like Chrome Mox, Relic Barrier, and Annul.

But if you don’t, I can’t say I blame you. I’m a never-was – I made three or four PTQ top eights in my past, never getting past the first round. I lost in the last round of GP: Oakland (Mirrodin-Mirrodin-Darksteel limited) to Ben Rubin where a win would have locked up a Top Eight slot and a draw would have ensured a Top Sixteen finish – and an invitation to PT: San Diego. I needed to win one of three matches at GP: Columbus (Mirrodin-Darksteel-Fifth Dawn limited) to make Day Two; I drew one and lost two.

I prepared exhaustively for GP: Boston (Extended), grinded at the local stores to get my rating above 1900 for two byes, and promptly went 0-2 because I didn’t test against Aluren and I kept bad hands against Reanimator.

My sole claim to Magic excellence was a 2025+ rating in Extended back when the ratings were separate. Most of you can’t even remember that, I’m sure – but rest assured, few players could pilot Thieving Magpies, Morphlings, and Faerie Conclaves to wins like me.

First Impressions: Star Wars Saga Edition

My suit's so tight!

Star Wars Saga Edition is the third edition of the tabletop RPG released under Wizards of the Coast since 2000.  First thing you’ll notice about this book is that it is square and will be dwarfed by all of your other tomes on your gaming shelf.  I have to give kudos for being bold with the shape of the book as it makes it a little more intriguing than they typical rectangular books, but I have to wag my finger at the fact they reused a lot of the art from previous editions.   That however, is one of only the few transgressions I could find reading through this rulebook.

PNG Audiophile: Unspeakable Words Playthrough & Review

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We done did it again.  You’ll find here in the soft underbelly of this post a recorded evening of madness, intrigue, and drunken e-mails that clocks in at about 42 mins.  We apologize for the quality as it was recorded off of … Continue reading →

Know About It! Red November Review

 

 

 

Publisher:  Fantasy Flight Games
Designers: Bruno Faidutti and Jef Gontier
Players: 2-8
Ages: 12+
Play Time: 1-2 hours
MSRP: $24.95

Grade: A –

 

 

 

The captain’s quarters are flooded, there’s a fire in the engine room, and one of your crew is stuck in a room flooded with high water.  You also have about 10 minutes before your sub is crushed but an angry giant squid.  This is just a small portion of the problems you have on your sub that could be overheating, losing oxygen, or about to be crushed by and sunk to the briny deep.  Welcome to Red November comrade, where how well you work with your crew determines if you all live or die.