Tag: AndoCon

4 Gaming & Comic Experiences You Should Try Out – RPG Design Camp 2, LexiCon, Savannah Comic Con, and AndoCon

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I’m continuing to write about different RPG Kickstarter themes such as all of the campaigns originating in Georgia or all of the games use the Savage Worlds engine. For this column, I’m examining the RPG experience away from the table – conventions and camps. To continue the expansion of gaming, we need more stores, more online games, and more conventions so there’s a variety of experiences for every type of gamer and, consequently, we’ll attract more gamers. In turn, to support those games, organizations, and gamers we’ll need more product. To support that goal, these campaigns offer chances to play and create more RPG content!

 

Check out John McGuire’s The Gilded Age steampunk graphic novel on Kickstarter!

4) LexiCon – April 20 to 22, 2018
Ends on Mon, October 30 2017 11:59 PM EDT

“More Boardgaming Events, More Boardgames, More RPGs, More Games in the Library, More People and More Fun! April 20 to 22, 2018.

Come Join the Fun at LexiCon 2018  April 20th noon to 22nd at 6:00pm, Lexington, KY.

It’s LexiCon’s Fifth Anniversary. Hooray! LexiCon Tabletop Boardgaming Convention is one of the best regional convention in the country because:

  •  Great Attendees Like You
  •  Our Ginormous Library, 1,500 + games and growing
  •  Learn to Play events, of which there are many
  •  100 + Play to Win Games
  •  Lots and Lots of RPGs all day and night
  •  West Sixth Brewing featured Adult Social Gaming Night Parties
  •  Great Cosplay Contest
  •  Fantastic LARPing
  •  Lots of Great Vendors.
  •  We simply take over the Clarion Hotel Convention Center for the weekend and play tons of games and have fun!

Some highlights from last year:

  • Over 1,100 turnstile attendees last year.
  • Over 160 Scheduled Events including tournaments, board games, RPGs, LARPs, Cosplay and so much more.
  • National Qualifying Tournament for Settlers of Catan.
  • The Unsurpassed Nighttime Adult Parties, sponsored by West 6th Brewing and The Barrel House.
  • Prizes, prizes, and more prizes.
  • Lexicon gives away a ton of prizes throughout the weekend, including prizes for just showing up in any kind of costume.

Find up to date information here on our Facebook page.”

 

Egg’s Thoughts:

This is a growing convention. It’s well situated geographically (the two biggest North American gaming conventions are in Indianapolis and Columbus, both just shy of 200 miles from Lexington, Kentucky). They’ve positioned LexiCon in April while Origins Game Fair is in June and Gen Con is in August. Being ahead of those shows on the calendar and close by, LexiCon is like the local opening act to the big shows. With their track record of shows funded via Kickstarter (here), this seems like a safe bet to open up gaming season.

 

Support their campaign here.

 

3) Design Camp 2 – The Conversion! with Ben McFarland, Jason Sonia, and Brian Suskind
Ends on Wed, November 1 2017 4:53 AM EDT.

“We’re planning a short winter project to showcase the process of converting a D&D3.0 adventure to 5E & PFRPG while updating the design.

ARE YOU READY TO LEARN ADVENTURE DESIGN?

Maybe you are a GM who wants to create better encounters, deadlier dungeons or more creative adventures.

Or perhaps you are trying to become a Freelance RPG Designer and want to learn how to construct award-winning games.

Or you could be a gamer who just wants a cool adventure to run for your home game. No matter who you are…

RPG DESIGN CAMP is here for you!

This time we are taking an older adventure, the Silver Box, and letting you adapt, change and add to it to make it awesome!

In the Silver Box a thrilling encounter with highwaymen uncovers a missing artifact that hurls the PCs into an amazing adventure. The chase leads them on a woodland pursuit into a cave complex where the mystery only increases with the discovery of a pile of dead highwaymen. Who killed the thieves? And where is the Silver Box? From there the PCs follow clues to a nearby city and a series of thrilling urban encounters. Finally, in the conclusion, the heroes face off against the real thieves of the Silver Box in a dramatic shipboard battle in the city harbor.

Or does it? Your decisions can and probably will alter the adventure toward new directions.

  • Perhaps the whole adventure will take place in the cave complex
  • Perhaps the city will turn out to be under siege by a vampire hoard
  • Perhaps the conclusion will be atop a floating tower rather than a ship?

The options are limitless and the deciding factor is you! Don’t just run the adventure be part of the design process and choose the adventure!

What is Design Camp?

Design Camp is a collaborative experience where game designers and interested individuals share the process of RPG content creation– sometimes that means writing a supplement, or an adventure, or setting material, or, like this project, converting a manuscript from one game system to another.

The adventure we’re planning to convert is The Silver Box, formerly placed in the Iron Kingdoms setting, and covering a number of urban and wilderness locations with a variety of NPCs. We’ll discuss it more in updates.

How does Design Camp work?

We interact with backers through a Basecamp site on the internet (basecamp.com), using that site’s infrastructure to chat, email, host files and communicate. We also post here on Kickstarter to provide redundant communication for the project.

You’ll have a chance to pitch your own design elements during the process, and vote on submitted elements. If your element wins, you can work with designers to implement it, if you want, or you can leave it to us to make those proverbial donuts.

We work hard to make sure our process is fairly transparent and responsive to backers and their questions. In the end, we want you to understand and feel comfortable with the process of RPG design.”

 

Egg’s Thoughts:

Normally I post gaming campaigns and, more or less, let them speak for themselves. Sure, I put up some thoughts, but they’re just a quick review, but not so for RPG Design Camp 2. I missed the first one and I regret that. So, I want this one to fund, fund, fund so I can go! My shtick is wanna-lancing – I want to be a RPG freelancer – and this is not unlike getting to hear Wolfgang Baur and Dan Dillon‘s thoughts on 5e monster creation from which I learned a great deal.

I’ve shared the RPG Design Camp posts a few times and one of the questions I got was who are these RPGers? While I don’t know them enough to say hi at Gen Con, I did hunt down some biographical data from a few sources:

  • Ben McFarland – Due to its depth, I’m not going to try and summarize his resume. Instead, you can read it here.
    • A sample of Ben’s writing credits via DriveThruRPG can be seen here.
  • Jaye Sonia – From his Kickstarter bio:
    “I’m a proud Pathfinder RPG fan, a game designer, a writer, a traveler, and the proud creator of Rhune: Dawn of Twilight, as well as the co-creator of Bloodlines & Black Magic. I also own and operate Storm Bunny Studios.
    In addition to my own products, I’ve written for: Bazaar Magazine, The Shadowlands Campaign Setting, Kobold Press, Kobold Quarterly, Open Gaming Monthly, Open Design, Total Party Kill Games, and Wayfinder.
    I’m an avid gamer and proven creator; Bloodlines & Black Magic will be my third project on Kickstarter!”

    • A sample of Jaye’s writing credits via DriveThruRPG can be seen here.
  • Brian Suskind – From his Linkedin profile:
    • Game: Southlands (2014, Kobold Press, forthcoming) – Lead Designer
    • Game: Midgard Tales (2013, Kobold Press, forthcoming) – Designer
    • Game: Midgard Legends (2012, Kobold Press) – Designer
    • Game: Journeys – Bosun’s Booty (2012, Kobold Press) – Designer
    • Game: Journeys to the West (2012, Kobold Press) – Designer
    • Game: Dark Roads and Golden Hells (2011, Kobold Press) – Designer
    • A sample of Brian’s writing credits via DriveThruRPG can be seen here.

If their resumes (all of which are first rate) aren’t enough, let’s whet your appetite a bit more with two *free* (until this campaign ends) RPGs that’ll let you assess the quality of the product that they’ll produce:

I’m ready for this camp and I hope to see you there!

 

Support their campaign here.

 

2) AndoCon – March 9th-11th, 2018 
Ends on Thu, November 2 2017 9:00 PM EDT

“AndoCon 2018 is an Atlanta-based gaming convention focused on gaming and the geeky lifestyle.

What is AndoCon?

AndoCon is a 3-day gaming convention in Atlanta, Georgia. It will be held Friday thru Sunday, March 9th-11th, 2018 at the Atlanta Marriott Peachtree Corners. This is our fifth convention and we’re dedicated to making it bigger and better than the first four. And you can be part of that!

AndoCon focuses on gaming and the geeky life. We specialize in tabletop gaming of all sorts — board games, card games, roleplaying games – combining these with a variety of other events and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere to create an enjoyable experience for everyone.

If you’d like to attend, simply buy a badge and come game and hang out with us in March. Badge prices will go up after the Kickstarter. Plus, there are things you can get now through the Kickstarter that won’t be available later. Finally, by pledging to the Kickstarter, you can help build the AndoCon community now, which will make for a better convention for everyone later!

Thanks for checking out our Kickstarter. We hope to see you in March.

What Can I Do at AndoCon?

There are many ways to get your Ando on at AndoCon. Here’s just some of what’s going on. As we nail down more specifics, we’ll update this page and provide continued event announcements at AndoCon.org.

  • Play board games and card games
  • Play roleplaying games, including D&D Adventurer’s League
  • Attend game shows, courtesy of Florida Whammy Entertainment
  • Meet and game with our special guests
  • Shop the dealer room with games and other great stuff for purchase
  • Participate in gaming and geek life panels
  • Special events (TBD)
  • Attend a live recording of the NerdBurger Podcast, where you can even get on the mic and share your geekiness with everyone.

Why We’re Using Kickstarter

For three years, AndoCon got a great rate at its former venue, in part because we were new to the local gaming scene. We’ve grown, and that’s a good thing. But it also means we needed to find a new venue, which we have. And now that AndoCon is bigger than ever, the cost to rent space at a great venue is higher.

Additionally, being bigger and better incurs additional behind-the-scenes, organizational costs. And it costs money to bring back to AndoCon some of the great guests and events we’ve all enjoyed in the past.

Getting funds locked into place earlier is absolutely essential to being able to set up and run everything as smoothly as possible, which in turn will give you a better experience.

Special Guests

So who are these special guests we talk about? Here’s who we have on the slate right now. More will be added as we square things away with folks.

  • Kevin Lanzing, designer of the Flashpoint: Fire Rescue board game, recently featured on Wil Wheaton’s Tabletop series
  • David Lupo, designer of the Addictive Alchemy card game
  • Craig Campbell, designer of the Murders & Acquisitions RPG
  • Derek Kamal, designer of The Dig RPG and author of Homes
  • James Dawsey of Vigilance Press and creator of the Tianxia RPG
  • Jason Stone, board game designer, creator of (among others) Five Golden Rings
  • Marco Leon, designer of the Enter the Shadowside RPG
  • And more to come…

AndoCon prides itself on supporting local, indie game developers. Several of our special guests are from the Atlanta area.”

 

Egg’s Thoughts: 

I shared my thoughts on the campaign here and I did an interview with Ando Poore of AndoCon here. The short version is, I want to go!

 

To back this campaign click here.

For more information about AndoCon, click here.

 

1) Savannah Comic Con – February 24th and 25th, 2018
Ends on Wed, November 15 2017 8:00 PM EST.

“We want to bring a ton of great Comic Book Creators to Savannah Feb 24 2018 and put on a fun show for everyone!

We’ve been working on this event for quite a while now and YOU can help us bring Savannah Comic Con on Feb 24, 2018 [and Feb 25th too] from the planning and dreaming phase into reality. We’ve set a very low goal to cover the bare bones of putting a show together while still keeping the show very affordable for fans.

Update: All Vendor booths and Artist Alley rewards are now good for both days. While they last. After Kickstarter, more spaces will be made available at their regular price.
All VIP passes are now good for both days as well  🙂

We’re proud to say that our Year One Special Guests include:

Cory Smith (X-Men, TMNT)
Ian McGinty (Adventure Time, Welcome to Showside)
Eryk Donovan (Constantine, Eugenic)
Sanford Greene (Power Man and Iron Fist)
Wilfredo Torres (Jupiter’s Circle, The Shadow, Adventures of Superman)
Chris Giarrusso (G-Man, Mini-Marvels)
Jarrett Williams (Hyper Force Neo)
Tracy Yardley (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Samantha Glow
Justin Peterson
Rian Sygh (Rick and Morty)
Katy Farina (Steven Universe)
Aaron Conley (Sabretooth Swordsman)
Fred Stressing
Bob Frantz (Monty the Dinosaur)
Robert Pope (Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo)
Michael Lee Harris
Rashad Doucet

ALL GUESTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE”

 

Egg’s Thoughts:

Reason I’m interested in the show.

  • Award-winning artist [2015 Judges’ Choice Award – JordanCon Art Show and 2017 Best Space Scene – DragonCon Art Show] and Tessera Guild co-founder, Amanda Makepeace, has a table for the show.
  • Marvel artist and, more importantly, my buddy, Wilfredo Torres, is going to be there.
  • Downtown Savannah, GA is one of my favorite cities. It was established during the colonial period, yet it feels like SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) owns an absurd amount of downtown and that’s a win since so much of gaming (and comics) is driven by art and they have an eye for it.
  • As a vacation destination, I enjoy historic Savannah and putting a comic book convention and friends there screams good times!

 

Find their Kickstarter here.

 

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Want your RPG Kickstarter reviewed? Have some RPG wanna-lancer thoughts to share? Contact me here or on Facebook (Egg Embry) or on Google Plus (+Egg Embry).

 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to DriveThruRPG.com and Amazon.com.

Savage Worlds: Fast, Furious, and Fun! - Available Now @ DriveThruRPG.com

 

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Egg Embry, Wanna-lancer™

Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress

Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt or wall clock or ice tea glass!

 

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Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by:

Want your RPG Kickstarter reviewed? Have some RPG wanna-lancer thoughts to share? Contact me here or on Facebook (Egg Embry) or on Google Plus (+Egg Embry).

11 QUESTIONS ABOUT Gaming Convention AndoCon WITH Ando Poore

  By ,

When I first covered AndoCon for my Georgia-centric look at gaming-related Kickstarters, the reason it sparked my interest is something my editor at EN World, Christopher Helton, wrote about here. To keep the industry growing, more local conventions are needed. In the English-speaking world, the big gaming conventions are Gen Con (Indiana), Origins (Ohio), UK Games Expo (England), and, possibly, PAX Unplugged (Pennsylvania). In terms of geography, that does not cover as much ground as it could (no major gaming-only cons in Canada or Australia or California). Without major players dominating the local convention-ing market, that leaves room for regional gaming conventions to fill the void, and AndoCon is doing that handsomely. AndoCon‘s president, Ando Poore, agreed to talk about his con and what 2018 has in-store.

 

Check out John McGuire’s The Gilded Age steampunk graphic novel on Kickstarter!

EGG EMBRY – Thanks for talking to us about AndoCon. Let’s start with what is AndoCon? When did it begin? Where will it take place in 2018?

ANDO POORE – AndoCon is not just any gaming convention; we call it a Gaming Convention+. That is because in addition to the large open gaming space with free access to a vast game library, we also have special guests from the gaming industry, a schedule of fun-filled events and game shows, and even a dealer room. We threw our first event in 2013, and have been going strong ever since. Our 2018 event will be held at the Atlanta Marriott Peachtree Corners.

 

EGG – With that kind of history, why are you Kickstarting the 2018 convention? What makes Kickstarter a better choice than, say, a badge pre-sell?

ANDO POORE – We have done more traditional badge pre-sells in previous years. The reason for Kickstarter this year is that as we become more established in the community and start picking up steam, the costs to run the event start rising as well. Between the rental of the hotel’s convention space, bringing in special guests, and all of the materials needed, we wanted to ensure we had everything in line with plenty of time before the actual event. It also gives us a chance to offer some great perks to our attendees such as the fidget spinner and dice bag add-ons.

 

EGG – In terms of numbers, what kind of attendance does AndoCon generate?

ANDO POORE – In 2016, we drew the amusing number of 314 attendees. We’re still fairly small in terms of numbers, but people who come to AndoCon typically come away calling it their favorite convention because of the heart and spirit we keep at the forefront of our minds while putting on our event.

 

 

EGG – What’s the rough percentage breakdown at the con of board games, CCGs, and RPGs?

ANDO POORE – We don’t have an official CCG track or section – we tried in 2014 and it turns out our audience tend to not be that interested. Our board game room and RPG room this year will be the exact same size, so I guess that makes it a 50/50 split.

 

EGG – How many game publishers do you expect to attend? Guest creators?

ANDO POORE – We have a very loyal group of game designers that showcase their creations all weekend long. We’ve even had some of the Steve Jackson MIB stop in a few times. We maintain a list of our confirmed guests on our website, so check there for updates as we lock down more guests.

 

 

EGG – In terms of local support, what, if anything, does the local gaming shops and gamers do to help make this show a reality?

ANDO POORE – We have good friends in the local comic and game shops that support and sponsor real cash games. Stores across the metro-Atlanta area allow us to advertise our convention in their stores, and several of them have played host to game day events. They also have sponsored content and run tournaments at the convention.

 

EGG – Can you highlight one pledge level/backer reward that you think is the standout for the AndoCon Kickstarter?

ANDO POORE – Easy – the $225 badge and hotel room package. That means you are set for the whole weekend and all you need to account for yourself is food. Plus, anyone who stays at the hotel for the weekend will receive a goodie bag at check-in that has some AndoCon swag and a few coupons to local attractions like Medieval Times and The Escapery.

 

 

EGG – I’m a RPGer at heart, what RPG games are you planning for AndoCon 2018?

ANDO POORE – I’m sure it will come as no surprise that we will host D&D Adventurer’s League, and we’re talking to the GA Pathfinder Society as well. As several of the special guests are RPG designers, they will be bringing their own games to run. The RPG Track will have other scheduled games as well, and we will announce them as they are locked in.

 

 

EGG – Tell us a little about you and what was the game that changed you into a gamer?

ANDO POORE – Even as a young child, I loved playing board games, and family game nights were pretty common, though we mostly played things like Clue, Scrabble, Yahtzee, and Tri-ominoes. While I was in college, I was introduced to what I call my “gateway games” of Chez Geek, Apples To Apples, and Munchkin. From there, I was always asking for game recommendations, and buying up the games I enjoyed so I could teach them to my friends.

In fact, it was over an intense few games of Blokus that I met the woman that I married. Teaching board games became one of the biggest aspects of my social life in college. Gaming is an integral part of my life.

 

EGG – Why did you create a gaming convention?

ANDO POORE – It actually wasn’t on purpose! After I graduated college, my wife (then fiancée) and I threw semi-monthly gaming parties at our apartment just for fun. But in 2009, a two-day gaming party ended up with two out-of-state guests (coworkers of mine from different offices) and we had a blast. For the next few years, we’d pick one party per year to be “AndoCon”, as a joke – almost a parody of conventions. The idea to make it a real thing came suddenly in 2012, after my wife and I staffed MomoCon for the first time and saw what it was like behind the scenes of a convention. So in 2013, we rented a small conference center in Kennesaw, GA, and packed it to overflowing. We made a big splash in the Atlanta gaming scene, and we have tried our hardest to live up to the promise of our debut year.

 

 

EGG – Any parting thoughts? Where can we find out more about AndoCon 2018?

ANDO POORE – If there’s one thing I want people to know about me, it’s that looking across a room packed full of gamers having fun is one of the biggest joys in my life. It’s not always easy, but I genuinely love giving the Atlanta gaming community a place to get together and do what they love. That’s why I do this, and that’s why I’m doing everything I can to make AndoCon 2018 as special as possible. We’ll be posting the guest list and event schedules on AndoCon.org as they are locked in. And of course, our Kickstarter campaign will be open until November 2nd at 9:00 PM, so please get your badge at its cheapest price!

Egg, thank you for your thoughtful questions, and I look forward to seeing you at AndoCon in March!

 

To back this campaign click here.

For more information about AndoCon, click here.

 

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Want your RPG Kickstarter reviewed? Have some RPG wanna-lancer thoughts to share? Contact me here or on Facebook (Egg Embry) or on Google Plus (+Egg Embry).

 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to DriveThruRPG.com and Amazon.com.

Savage Worlds: Fast, Furious, and Fun! - Available Now @ DriveThruRPG.com

 

* * * * * *

 

Egg Embry, Wanna-lancer™

Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress

Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt or wall clock or ice tea glass!

 

* * * * * *

 

Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by:

Want your RPG Kickstarter reviewed? Have some RPG wanna-lancer thoughts to share? Contact me here or on Facebook (Egg Embry) or on Google Plus (+Egg Embry).

 

4 RPG Kickstarters From gaming Georgia You Should Back – AndoCon, Heavy Metal Thunder Mouse, Demons, and Dangerous Places

  By ,

The same day that I noticed the Kickstarter for AndoCon 2018 in Atlanta, I read that the Heavy Metal Thunder Mouse RPG Kickstarter was also based out of Atlanta, and, while talking with David Silva of Metahumans Rising recently, it turned out he’d been in Georgia for 17 years (he’s in Vegas now). That got me to wondering, are there enough tabletop games/products on Kickstarter to warrant an article about my state? You’ll have to judge for yourself, but here’s a sampling of what gaming Georgia has to offer on Kickstarter.

 

4) Dangerous Places: Illustrated cards to inspire adventure by Steven and Amanda
Ends on Fri, October 27 2017 9:53 PM EDT

“A set of 30 5″x7” two-sided illustrated cards. Minimalist art and prompts help you quickly create engaging stories and RPG side quests.

Draw a card to create a story-rich adventure in an instant

Sample Front and Back of card. High res versions of all 3 prototype cards below
Sample Front and Back of card. High res versions of all 3 prototype cards below

Over 30 beautifully illustrated cards to inspire new adventures. The fastest way to get lost in a story world of your own design. We just give you a little creative spark.

  • Quickly create side-quests or ad-hoc campaigns by using the Mysteries and Conflicts on the back of each card
  • Dangerous Places cards allow you to “render” new areas so that your player characters can actually wander outside of your planned adventure.
  • Lay out the cards in a grid to rapidly create a world map
  • Or just use the art to give life to your own adventures and writing”

 

Egg’s Thoughts: 

“You can download free high res samples of our prototype cards here:

Those samples give you a solid idea of what is being offered. Each card has several high level ideas for adventures. They’re system agnostic and broad enough to spark a variety of quests. As a quick GM tool, they’re an interesting asset and worth exploring if those samples moved you.

 

Find their Kickstarter here.

 

3) Demons: The 9th Circle of Hell UNLEASHED!!! by Award Winning Games
Ends on Tue, October 31 2017 11:59 PM EDT (Ends on Halloween… I see what they did there…)

“A card based, role playing, kingdom building, adventure game with dice. The best of everything all under one apocalyptic roof!

Key Features:

A high fantasy in-depth adventure for gamers and non-gamers alike.1-8+ players best with 2-6. Playtime: Customizable -Standard game is 60-90 minutes otherwise.

50 unique instances to explore, all with their own story and game dynamics. A real adventure in a box! Your adventure will include, but is not limited to: Angry Yeti’s, Fire Breathing Spider Kites (see Jorogumo, the Yokai from Japanese mythology), and a whole plethora of horribly gruesome ways to die.

Takes less than 5 minutes to set up and learn.

Unlimited re-play value! The starting keeps will change your opening play style, the random instances really mix up the middle, and the demon lord changes the end goal, story, and win conditions. A high fantasy adventure that will keep you coming back for more.

Also including some of the most horribly interesting traditional demons from history!There’s even one that comes in riding a crocodile carrying a hawk! …sadly the crocodile does not have laser beams on its head.. Yet. Stay tuned for the next expansion! Agares 2.0

Semi-competitive or Cooperative. Can be played semi-competitively (Kind of like Gimli and Legolas during the Battle for Helms Deep) Or full on co-operatively.. where if your teammate is not doing well.. you should probably help them or you’re all probably going to die.

It’s customizable. You can make it harder or easier, longer or shorter, and expand it as you see fit and even change up the rules to give the game a different feel. So stay tuned for lots of great extras. I’m even currently working on a way to extend your campaign, so after you beat back the forces of hell and save the world.. you can push through the gate into the fiery underworld and bring the fight to them!”

 

 

 

Egg’s Thoughts: 

This ends on Halloween, that’s how on point Aaron Antonich of Award Winning Games [the company name is prediction over track record] is with this game. Is this “card based, role playing, kingdom building, adventure game with dice” right for you? That’s a lot of ground to cover but, you can check out an early version of the game rules here and decide if they are right for your table.

 

Find their Kickstarter here.

 

2) Heavy Metal Thunder Mouse by Shoreless Skies Publishing
Ends on Thu, November 2 2017 11:22 AM EDT

“An RPG of Mice and their Motorcycle Clubs

Heavy Metal Thunder Mouse (HMTM) is a tabletop roleplaying game where you and your friends make your mice, found your club, and hit the streets. These are mice with the gusto to build their own motorcycles and set off into an intimidating world where they are outsized, but never outclassed.

HMTM uses the rules of Fate to tell stories about the drama of city mice and their motorcycle clubs. It’s an RPG that works best with 2-5 players (plus the GM). It’s fit for episodic play (sessions last about 3-4 hours) and epic campaigns!

Your stories are set in Thunder City, USA, a fictitious city of the real world. For small creatures existing in a place which doesn’t belong to them, these stories will be filled with the drama of their lives, and the trouble, both inside and outside, of a biker gang. Will your gang be Robin Hood-like doers of good, springing cheese from unwatched refrigerators and delivering it to needy widows, or will you be thugs and thieves exploiting the weak? Your mouse, your bike, and your gang all belong to you and the stories you tell at your table.

Thunder City & Its Gangs

Thunder City is home to the only mice in the world who have figured out combustion engines. Since that time they’ve organized themselves into clubs and gone about their business, often bumping into one another in conflicts over cheese and territory. There are:

  • The Spanner Murine Motorcycle Club: The finest mechanics and the most arrogant gang in the city. They’re snooty little mice but they can back it up, or so they say.
  • The Asphalt Avengers: If speed had a fan club it would be these crazed rodents. Their whole club life is based around the next incredible kick, and not much else. It’s high a velocity life for them.
  • The Bardlings: Not all clubs are about territory and “business”; some simply want freedom from the usual mouse’s life of scrounging and fretting. So the Bardlings are just that, strumming their matchbox guitars and beating thimble-sized bongos late into the night.
  • Plus the Ocho Necro, The Wailing Sisters, and more!

Besides the mice, there are territorial felines, chipmunk toughs, crabby crabs, Old Jerry (the graying German Shepherd who guards the ever-important docks), and a whole city full of colorful critters ready to add drama to your stories. With these wheels in motion there is no choice but fun and adventure and gang life.

The Rules of Fate

Mechanically, HMTM uses a slightly modified version of the rules of the Fate Core system. Aspects and fudge dice are still key here, but the character sheet has been modified to look more like a playbook that you might see in a Powered By The Apocalypse game (check out the mockup here). In addition, the rules for Factions (by Mark Diaz Truman) have been adapted to fit this murine setting and applied to tiny motorcycle clubs. The result is a game that will be totally familiar to Fate players, but with a few twists that feel fresh!”

 

Egg’s Thoughts: 

I’m a fan of the Mouse Guard comics and RPG, and I’ve reviewed Vasty Wilds because it had an art style similar to David Peterson’s work, so Heavy Metal Thunder Mouse – mice on motorcycles using a variant FATE engine – was always going to pique my interest. The concept is fun and whimsical enough that, like Craig Campbell said in the Kickstarter video, “I’m, frankly, a little upset I didn’t come up with the idea first.” I think you know that your collection will not be complete without this game on your shelf!

 

[Egg’s Note – “Was that a mouse on a motorcycle?”

Every time my father farted, that was his joke. I needed to put that one down for my history’s sake and because it’s been rattling around in my head since I saw this Kickstarter. You’re welcome.]

 

Find their games on DriveThruRPG here.

Find their Kickstarter here.

 

1) AndoCon 2018 by AndoCon (It’s an Atlanta gaming convention)
Ends on Thu, November 2 2017 9:00 PM EDT

“AndoCon 2018 is an Atlanta-based gaming convention focused on gaming and the geeky lifestyle.

What is AndoCon?

AndoCon is a 3-day gaming convention in Atlanta, Georgia. It will be held Friday thru Sunday, March 9th-11th, 2018 at the Atlanta Marriott Peachtree Corners. This is our fifth convention and we’re dedicated to making it bigger and better than the first four. And you can be part of that!

AndoCon focuses on gaming and the geeky life. We specialize in tabletop gaming of all sorts — board games, card games, roleplaying games – combining these with a variety of other events and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere to create an enjoyable experience for everyone.

If you’d like to attend, simply buy a badge and come game and hang out with us in March. Badge prices will go up after the Kickstarter. Plus, there are things you can get now through the Kickstarter that won’t be available later. Finally, by pledging to the Kickstarter, you can help build the AndoCon community now, which will make for a better convention for everyone later!

Thanks for checking out our Kickstarter. We hope to see you in March.

What Can I Do at AndoCon?

There are many ways to get your Ando on at AndoCon. Here’s just some of what’s going on. As we nail down more specifics, we’ll update this page and provide continued event announcements at AndoCon.org.

  • Play board games and card games
  • Play roleplaying games, including D&D Adventurer’s League
  • Attend game shows, courtesy of Florida Whammy Entertainment
  • Meet and game with our special guests
  • Shop the dealer room with games and other great stuff for purchase
  • Participate in gaming and geek life panels
  • Special events (TBD)
  • Attend a live recording of the NerdBurger Podcast, where you can even get on the mic and share your geekiness with everyone.

Why We’re Using Kickstarter

For three years, AndoCon got a great rate at its former venue, in part because we were new to the local gaming scene. We’ve grown, and that’s a good thing. But it also means we needed to find a new venue, which we have. And now that AndoCon is bigger than ever, the cost to rent space at a great venue is higher.

Additionally, being bigger and better incurs additional behind-the-scenes, organizational costs. And it costs money to bring back to AndoCon some of the great guests and events we’ve all enjoyed in the past.

Getting funds locked into place earlier is absolutely essential to being able to set up and run everything as smoothly as possible, which in turn will give you a better experience.

Special Guests

So who are these special guests we talk about? Here’s who we have on the slate right now. More will be added as we square things away with folks.

  • Kevin Lanzing, designer of the Flashpoint: Fire Rescue board game, recently featured on Wil Wheaton’s Tabletop series
  • David Lupo, designer of the Addictive Alchemy card game
  • Craig Campbell, designer of the Murders & Acquisitions RPG
  • Derek Kamal, designer of The Dig RPG and author of Homes
  • James Dawsey of Vigilance Press and creator of the Tianxia RPG
  • Jason Stone, board game designer, creator of (among others) Five Golden Rings
  • Marco Leon, designer of the Enter the Shadowside RPG
  • And more to come…

AndoCon prides itself on supporting local, indie game developers. Several of our special guests are from the Atlanta area.”

 

Egg’s Thoughts: 

A part of this article is built on an idea my editor at EN World, Christopher Helton, shared here.

“…a thriving local/regional gaming scene supported by thriving, growing conventions means that there are going to be more gamers in an area. More gamers is always a win. It means more people to potentially game with, as well as more customers for the industry. More customers means that the industry has more money to play with when it comes to making things for all of us. Conventions, gamers, customers, and publishers. All of this is interrelated, and more of one thing leads to more of another.“

Every Kickstarter featured in this post are Georgia games or Georgia products or a Georgia gaming convention. Singularly, these are games worth checking out. Collectively, these are opportunities to grow the local gaming community, to be the answer to Christopher Helton’s call to action. My hope is that sharing space in an article will start not just the subjects of this post but the wider gaming world to think locally and work to increase the size of the gaming table! There are topics to discuss and ideas to share and, maybe, the chance that we can try some face-to-face support that will raise all ships.

 

 

Find their Kickstarter here.

 

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Signal Boost: 

My gaming preference is RPG. That said, I want to shout out some other non-RPG gaming Georgia projects.

 

The 1998 Deck : Hip Hop Playing Cards by The 1998 Deck ( Hip-Hop Playing Cards )
Ends on Sun, October 8 2017 12:57 AM EDT.

“The 1998 Deck is a deck that merges nostalgic 90s hip-hop with a deck of playing cards. Play poker with the Gods of Rap!

Hey Guys!

Thanks for taking the time to take a look at my little project! This is The 1998 Deck. It’s a deck of cards that marries nostalgic 90s Hip Hop to your favorite card game. My name is Khia Jackson, I’m a graphic designer based in Atlanta. The first leg of this project has already been completed, and I’ve been truly floored by the positive responses and the love that it has elicited from all parts of the world. The 1998 deck is a 4-part series that uses legendary Hip Hop artists as it’s imagery, but still follows the size and layout guidelines of official poker cards.

I’ve created The Biggie Deck (see the video). Now i’m trying to mass produce The Nas Deck. In each of the decks the legendary rappers shift their position and the artwork evolves. So, when the series of 4 is finally completed, Biggie Smalls will be the King of ‘Spades’, ‘Clubs’, ‘Diamonds’ and ‘Hearts’; all with different coloration and design variations. This deck was created with Spades players in mind. In this iteration of the deck, Nas leads as the power card when he becomes the King of Spades. However, because this deck follows standard guidelines, it can be used for any of your favorite card games. 

Here is where I need your help! I need money to produce the deck and to get it shipped. I have exhausted over 300 hours of design work to create the Biggie deck alone! This project is a true labor of love. I’m pushed by my passion for the project and fueled by the people who have told me they’ve used my artwork to unwind after a stressful week.

WHY 1998?: I had to figure out how to narrow down amongst the all of the legendary artists in hip hop. It was clear to me that the biggest rivalries in Hip Hop’s history had to be illustrated. After all…card games are a battle. One day I ran across an old Magazine cover. It had Foxy Brown, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill and Lil Kim on it. Perfect! I’d wanted it to be within the Biggie / Tupac era and I needed to find four powerful women for all my queens. I told myself whatever year was on the spine of that magazine would underline the deck. And so, The 1998 Deck was born.”

The Jay Z Deck - Our Stretch Goal
The Jay Z Deck – Our Stretch Goal

 

Find their Kickstarter here.

 

 

The Hobby Equipment Organizer – THEO by Impudent Mortal
Ends on Sun, October 15 2017 9:59 AM EDT.

“Impudent Mortal has redefined hobby organization with a system for all of your tools, paint, and bits that is both modular and mobile!

 

Say hello to The Hobby Equipment Organizer, or as we like to call it, THEO! 

We know that staying organized isn’t the easiest and not all of us have large enough hobbies areas. So we came up with a solution that not only keeps you organized and saves space, but is also modular so it can grow with you, and mobile allowing you to take your hobby wherever you’d like to go!”

 

Find their Kickstarter here.

 

 

Not quite Georgia but David Silva was here for nearly two decades, so…

Metahumans Rising RPG Redux by House Dok Productions
Ends on .

“Metahumans Rising is a tabletop role-playing game (RPG) embodying the drama, creativity and action of the superhero genre.”

Guardian - Granddaughter of the World War II hero American Steel, she carries on his legacy.
Guardian – Granddaughter of the World War II hero American Steel, she carries on his legacy.

You can read my interview with Dave Silva here.

 

You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPG here.

You can support this Kickstarter campaign here.

 

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Want your RPG Kickstarter reviewed? Have some RPG wanna-lancer thoughts to share? Contact me here or on Facebook (Egg Embry) or on Google Plus (+Egg Embry).

 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to DriveThruRPG.com and Amazon.com.

Savage Worlds: Fast, Furious, and Fun! - Available Now @ DriveThruRPG.com

 

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Egg Embry, Wanna-lancer™

Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress

Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt or wall clock or ice tea glass!

 

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Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by:

Want your RPG Kickstarter reviewed? Have some RPG wanna-lancer thoughts to share? Contact me here or on Facebook (Egg Embry) or on Google Plus (+Egg Embry).