You are hereEpisode 115: The Stars, Our Dicetination
Episode 115: The Stars, Our Dicetination
115: The Stars, Our Dicetination Release Date: Nov. 15, 2010 Running Time: 117 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version - MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options |  |
Deep space is our dwelling place. We grok the new dice game Alien Frontiers, racing to set down roots on a strange new world.
News & Notes: Die Burgen von Burgund, The Games Bible, LED d20s
The List: Alien Frontiers
Back Shelf Spotlight: Net Runner
Game Sommelier: 5 games to play with a friend recovering from surgery
Complete Show Notes continue after the break.
News & Notes
Die Burgen von Burgund Link
The latest game in Alea's numbered Big Box series.
The Games Bible Link
Hundreds of diversions for every social situation under the sun!
Critical Hit Light Up LED d20 Link
Roll a 20 and this die lights up. That is 17 kinds of awesome!
Hasbro Shelves Heroscape Link
Heroscape has been discontinued, despite a large and active fan base.
Hasbro Announces Battle Cry Anniversary Edition Link
A new version of the Richard Borg classic with twice as many scenarios and new art.
Spiel-a-thon 2010 Register Now
Friday, November 19 1:00 - 4:00 PM
BoardGameGeek Con Dallas, TX
Irving Lecture Hall DFW Westin
The 4th annual fundraiser for The Spiel Foundation is coming soon.
We're looking forward to a great event full of fun and games.
The List
Alien Frontiers Official Site | BGG
Roll and place dice combinations to gather resources and launch colonies before your fellow spacefarers can claim more territory than you.
Authors/Titles Mentioned
Asimov: Foundation, Caves of Steel
Bradbury: The Martian Chronicles, Illustrated Man, Dandelion Wine, Farenheit 451
Burroughs: John Carter of Mars , At the Earth's Core
Heinlein: Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon is a Harsh MIstress, Time Enough For Love
Herbert: Dune
Lem: Cyberiad, Solaris, His Master's Voice, Fiasco
Pohl: Gateway, Heechee Rendezvous, Mars Plus
Van Vogt: Slan, The World of Null-A, The Voyage of the Space Beagle
Back Shelf Spotlight
Net Runner BGG
An old-school Collectible Card game that combines creative game mechanics with a great cyberpunk theme.
Play In-Person Link
Play Online Link
The Game Sommelier
The Challenge: 5 games to play with a friend recovering from surgery
Next Challenge: 5 games to pair with movies for a game/movie night
Mail Bag
David "Gooberhound" Siskin's GeekList Link
David assembles an ongoing "watch-list" of game titles each year. His taste in games reaches far and wide, so his list is a great way to keep up with titles both hyped and obscure!
Congrats to Brian Mayer! Link
Brian won 2nd prize in the Interational Game Photography contest held in Cordoba Spain!
Miscellany
Music credits (courtesy of IODA promonet) include:
Star Lounge by Denis Rusnak buy the track
Sci-Fi and The Moonburners by The Greaseballs buy the track
Sci-Fish by Flow buy the track
In the Stars by John Daly buy the track
Stars by Tamarind buy the track
Headful of Stars by The Black Sorrows buy the track
Stars Fell on Alabama by Harry Allen buy the track
I'm sure there are some goofs in there somewhere. Let us know if (when?) you find one!
I want Alien Frontier so bad. I wish I had a time machine and I could go back and sign up for Kickstarter when the opportunity arose.
I "umm"ed and "ahhh"ed at the time (postage costs were so high) but now I live in regret. It sounds awesome.
Interesting question around whether building ships is a must. I liken it to Roll Through The Ages - I've been playing in a competition online, over at Yucata.De, and I've tried out a few strategies where I do not go for lots of cities but just focus on building stuff fast with the limited dice. The accelerated game end conditions for 5 developments mean that you can 'go out' before other players have finished building their uber-dice pools.
Maybe there are similar possibilities in Alien Frontiers. If only I had a copy to try it out on.
Hey, great show and kudos for covering Netrunner. Still my favourite CCG.
Where so many others games were just Magic rip offs, Netrunner was a distinct entity with - imnsho - a far cooler theme. I loved the different ICE programs and the neat little tricks the runners could pull. And the variety of damage that could be applied - physical ('meat damage') and mental ('brain damage'). I'm off to get my set out now and play a few hands again. thanks for the reminder!
I may even try out the online version.
Hey wasn't there going to be a link to the online Dominion site as well?
Sorry for the delay in responding. Between traveling to BGG Con, running the Spiel-a-thon, recording the next show and then traveling to Minnesota for 5 days for Thanksgiving, I am in serious catch-up mode!
Looks like the second printing of Alien Frontiers is on target for early 2011. You won't have to wait too long for you chance to get a copy!
You may well be right about the building ships strategy. It's probably just the most obvious strategy for people just learning. The field generators are a strategy I'd like to test the next time I play. I haven't seen them used much, but I think they could have a huge impact on how colonies are fought over.
I saw a used copy of Netrunner at the Flea Market at BGG Con and nearly snarfed it up, but then I remembered I still have two decks plus some boosters waiting at home. I wish the rules had been a little more straightforward during the CCG heyday. It might have stayed in print longer if it had been easier to learn out of the box.
Finally, Dominion links.
Play online here.
Info on the Dominion league here.
Actually, I've heard the opposite suggested- that Netrunner played so well out of a starter box that you didn't really need to get into the collector swim if you didn't want to. I only have a starter set found in a used bookshop and have always felt that I have a complete enough game. That rulebook is dense going though; I grant you that.
I totally agree. The starter decks are very playable without any additions. I think I said that in the show.
I have never been a Mr. Suitcase when it comes to collectible anything. Dave has enough collector's genes for the both of us! I like getting a few boosters with CCGs just to have a little variation. In fact, I am pondering which ones to add to my Game of Thrones living card game set. I definitely don't want them all!