#Indie Boards & Cards

[whovian223]

Friday Night Shots - Friendship Killing Games

Friday Night Shots - Friendship Killing Games @PlayRenegade @Cephalofair @garphillgames @BitewingGames @IBCGames

It’s another Friday and welcome to the bar! Funny how nobody else seems to be in here, but it is raining out there pretty good. Always happy to have just my friends in the bar with me, hanging out on a Friday night. Who needs customers? It’s getting a bit warmer, and maybe the sun will come out soon? Not for almost a week, at least up here. Let me pour you a drink and we can talk about…

[thegaminggang]

Quest: Avalon Big Box Edition Nears End of Kickstarter Run

The Quest: Avalon Big Box edition will contain two games: the new Quest as well as a revamped deluxe Avalon.

[gloryhoundd]

GloryHoundd Reviews: Exodus Paris Nouveau by @IBCGames Exodus Paris Nouveau is a social deduction game for 4-6  players for ages 14+,  that is very reminiscent of it’s themed counterpart the Resistance.

[iamcinema]

IAC Reviews #002: Woodchipper Massacre (1988)

I’ve spotlighted this before, but I thought why not mention it again. It’s the pinnacle of cheesy, z-grade SOV horror, and by god does it need more attention. It was one of the earliest shot on video horror films I remember being tipped off to by The Cinema Snob during his early years, and after seeing a small clip, I knew I was in for something special if I was able to find it - and I certainly was.

Woodchipper Massacre in One Gif:

And boy, did they ever.

The film was Jon McBride’s second shot at film, having multiple hats as the writer, director, producer, editor, and one of the main characters. His first film, Cannibal Campout, was released the same year - which I’ll also get to eventually. However, Archive.org says this was made in 1987, but I’ll trust IMDb for this one. The film centers on three siblings (Jon, Denise, and Tom) in the woodland suburbs who are left in the care of their overly religious Aunt Tess while their dad is on a weekend business trip, and as you’d expect, shit begins to hit the fan after Tess pushes their buttons one too many times.

Much of the interactions with Tess and her disdain for “the kids these days” are quite self-aware and echo much of the negative criticism and stereotypes about horror fans; that they’re a bunch of degenerates who are raping, pillaging, murdering, and getting away with it all. In one of the earlier scenes with her, this is further cemented after she lashes out at the three of them after she catches them watching a horror movie - to which Jon says he can vouch for his friends who enjoy these movies, by saying that none of them have snapped or become serial killers.

I saw what you did there, Jon McBride. I’m onto you!

The film gradually becomes meta as shit when the trio begin to figure out what to do about their little predicament, and ask each other if this means they’re going to become spree killers themselves; referencing the San Ysidro shooting just four years prior. Yikes, that’s dark. It’s around the third act of the film where things begin to amp up, as we’re introduced to Aunt Tess’s son, Kim, an ex-convict who is briefly mentioned early on, where the stakes are raised and we’re left to wonder if our trio will get caught.

The acting here is fairly mixed, with it being either average given the production value or so bad it’s good.

It’s often hard to tell if the latter is intentional, given the dark humored nature of the film, or it’s purely accidental - which makes it all the more enjoyable. If I had to gauge things myself, I’d say that the strongest actors are that of Perren Page (Dad) and Kim Bailey (Kim), particularly on that of Bailey who does a great job of being a creepy scumbag - which makes it all the more sad that this was his only acting role. As far as things go on the opposite end of the spectrum go, I’d probably have to say Denise Edeal (Denise) claims this, as it’s hard to tell how much of the sometimes awkward chipperness is unintentional or not.

However, I chalk up much of the great campy bits to her one liners or scenes, and there’s a lot to go around across the board.

I’m probably going to get my horror card revoked for this, but I’m certain I’m one of the few horror fans that appreciates this cheesy gem with a fiery passion.

It’s a one of those pioneering, micro budget pieces that we should all tip our bloodstained hats to show respects for how far independent horror cinema has come - especially for SOV enthusiasts. Woodchipper Massacre isn’t perfect by a long shot, absolutely. There’s many areas where it falls flat and I understand where people are coming from when they say too many of these flaws are glaring or hard to overlook, but I’d be damned to say that should be completely written off across the board for this or not be given the time of day.

So if you’re looking for a rainy day popcorn flick to watch with your friends, consider giving this a whirl. It’s up on Youtube and you can get VHS or DVD copies of it on eBay, Amazon, or through Camp Motion Pictures - though they’re fairly expensive and out of print. But if you can find a physical copy, I’d recommend giving it a shot just for the bonus features like the commentary with Jon McBride and the cast interviews. I also highly recommend checking out Jon’s personal Youtube channel for more content - including pieces of the soundtracks to Cannibal Campout, BTS material, and personal vlogs.

Jon, if you’re somehow reading this - please come back. The indie community needs you!

RATING: 7/10

[mk1comics]

Here is our November STOCKS RISING report for the new comics: This listing is a summary of comic titles that we have gone back to publisher to order more  as your preorders roll in .. It's a good indicator of what is hot and worthy of a second look. Check it out and let us know if you would like to climb onboard any of these..

ANNIHILATION SCOURGE ALPHA #1  MARVEL COMICS       https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190786     Our November and December order forms have the  ANNIHILATION SCOURGE  event checklist included https://blog.mk1.co.nz/dec2019   - or check them out below! AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #33 (2099 crossover) MARVEL COMICS       https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190814 2099 crossover launch plus a new jumping on point for a Marvel series on the climb! 2099 ALPHA #1   MARVEL COMICS       https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190821Our November and December order forms have a 2099 event checklist included https://blog.mk1.co.nz/dec2019     - or check them out below! 

B B FREE #1 (OF 12) https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP191263   BOOM studios have published some of our biggest indie hits this year (ONCE & FUTURE and SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN) BATMAN #82 ACETATE   DC COMICS    https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/AUG190599 Admittedly we  underordered DC's Acetate covers - they were coming up for initial order as the NZ$ dollar was in free fall against the USD$. The dollar has stopped it's half a cent a week fall but hasn't had a significant rebound yet - so if you do want some of these cool covers best grab them quick! BATMAN GIANT #2    DC COMICS   https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190447  The new 100 page DC giants are off to a good start - reorders and order incrases across the board for these good value reads.. 100 pages.. $10.. nice. BATMAN WHITE KNIGHT PRESENTS VON FREEZE #1  DC COMICS https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190437  This one shot tie in to the CURSE OF THE WHITE KNIGHT story actually has more perorders than the main series.. Are we JOKERED out and in need of a chill pill? BLADE RUNNER 2019 TP VOL 01 WELCOME TO LOS ANGELES   TITAN COMICS         https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP192009 The Blade Runner comics are great reads and buzz is amping for the first collected volume, CAPTAIN MARVEL #12 MARVEL COMICS       https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190911  New storyline kicks off for this series - jump on it!

CRONE #1 (OF 5)    DARK HORSE COMICS   https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190258 Another indie launch to watch! DOLLHOUSE FAMILY #1 (OF 6)     DC COMICS            https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190439  The second title in the Hill House imprint - Joe Hill - plus the great writer/art team of  Mike Carey and Peter Gross!  Look for the first Hill House story to kick off this week BASKETFUL OF HEADS #1 (OF 6) 

FALLEN ANGELS #1 DX   MARVEL COMICS       https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190769 I think I chose the wrong X title from the 6 title relaunch to pair back numbers on - FALLEN ANGELS preorders have been high! FIREFLY STING ORIGINAL GN HC GRAPHIC NOVELS/BOOKS https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL191306 We ordered heaps - just not enough! GIDEON FALLS #18       IMAGE COMICS         https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190194- new subscribers are jumping on this great read ahead of the TV adaption. HARLEEN #2 (OF 3)   DC COMICS         https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/AUG190524  - lots of Stejpan Sejic fans plus lots of Harley fans equals lots of preorders! HARLEY QUINN & POISON IVY #3 (OF 6) CARD STOCK HARLEY VAR ED DC COMICS           https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190497 HARLEY QUINN & POISON IVY #3 (OF 6) CARD STOCK IVY VAR ED   DC COMICS           https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190498 Upping orders for these paired variants - very Cool! ISABELLAE HC VOL 02 DARK HORSE COMICS   https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL190410 The first volume was a surprise hit - it has that deluxe ARCHAIA Euro graphic novel feel!

LOKI #5  MARVEL COMICS       https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190903 Looks like this series is no longer a limited miniseries  - all early issues have sold out so far. Correction just received  some #1s back !

MONEY SHOT #1 (2ND PTG)  VAULT COMICS         https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP198506 Another indie buzz book sells out it's first printing super quick.. speaking of which..

SOMETHING IS KILLING CHILDREN #1 (a 5TH PTG!)                   COMICS               https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/AUG199036 SOMETHING IS KILLING CHILDREN #3                             COMICS               https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP191292

TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE BLACKEST NIGHT #1             DC COMICS           https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190468 TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE INFINITE CRISIS #1           DC COMICS           https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190469 TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE THE JUDAS CONTRACT #1        DC COMICS           https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/OCT190482Scott Snyder's Dark MultiVerse what ifs are on the up! X-FORCE #1 DX      MARVEL COMICS       https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190760 Trying to pick the hierarchy for the new Xtitles is hard - Fallen Angels and X-Force are winning the preorders so far (after X-Men of course)  - here's everything released so far http://www.mk1.co.nz/collections/dawn-of-x (Excalibur #1 kicks off this week)

UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY #1  IMAGE COMICS         https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP190027 I'm going to give a personal shout out to UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY #1 - I've read an early release copy and this IMAGE series by Scott Snyder and Charles Soule with very cool art by Daniele Orlandini  is the goods!  First issue hits the shelf next week.  I've ordered lots.. probably not enough.

[boardgametoday]

Stronghold Games Announces Stephen Buonocore to Step Down as President

Stronghold Games Announces Stephen Buonocore to Step Down as President #tabletop

Stronghold Games has announced that Stephen Buonocore will be stepping down from his role of President effective August 1, 2020. Buonocore founded the company in 2009 and served as President for most of that time.

Stronghold Games and Indie Boards & Cards merged in mid-2018 to form Indie Game Studios, where Buonocore continued in his role as President of Stronghold Games, as well as in the…

[theouterhavenprod]

Spies & Heroes in King Arthur’s Avalon

Spies & Heroes in King Arthur’s Avalon

Title: The Resistance: Avalon Players: 5-10, recommend 7 Type: Social Deduction, Bluffing, Party Time: 30 minutes Designer: Don Eskridge Publisher: Indie Board Games & Cards Release Date: 2012 Expansions: This is a stand-alone expansion of The Resistance. Overview In this medieval-themed, social deduction game, players take on the secretive roles of clueless heroes and hidden spies.  The heroes…

[diarynz]

Broken Pledge: Kiwi band gutted after PledgeMusic collapse

New Post has been published on https://diary.nz/broken-pledge-kiwi-band-gutted-after-pledgemusic-collapse/

Broken Pledge: Kiwi band gutted after PledgeMusic collapse

SWALLOW THE RAT

The central Auckland band’s guitarist say they never smelled a rat and PledgeMusic ‘seemed legit’.

A guitarist says his Kiwi band is among victims of a global music company’s collapse.

Brian ​Purington​ said Auckland band Swallow the Rat lost out after using PledgeMusic to get to the South by Southwest festival in Texas in March.

British company PledgeMusic was described as a “combination fundraising and retail portal for musicians” at all stages of their careers.

LAWRENCE SMITH/STUFF

Some fans of Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) have been complaining about PledgeMusic.

“Essentially we ran a pre-sale for a record. We got accepted to South by Southwest. We used Pledge Music to do a pre-sale to raise funds to go over there,” Purington said.

READ MORE: * Kiwi artists want brutal music industry to change * SXSW: Indie gaming in a sea of hipsters * Struggle to keep amps running in streaming world

“After reaching the goal … news started breaking about how much they owed everybody,” he said.

SWALLOW THE RAT

Swallow the Rat were left with a sick feeling after the PledgeMusic bankruptcy.

“Long story short, we never got paid.”

The guitarist estimated he and his three bandmates from the post-punk and Texan Psychedelia band lost more than $2000 — “not a terrible lot, but a lot to us”. 

​Purington said Swallow the Rat sold a record and shirts through PledgeMusic.

“We still fulfilled all the orders. We just took the cost on ourselves.

“People thought PledgeMusic was legit, man.”

He said he learned through the news about PledgeMusic’s failure.

“It’s pretty shocking … I think Cat Stevens is owed more from them.”

you charged my credit card on December 21st for $38.84 for Cat Stevens CD, you cancelled the project weeks ago, where’s my credit card refund?

— Pat Thomas (@PatThomas1964) February 25, 2019

US heavy metal band Queensrÿche have claimed PledgeMusic owed them $70,000.

​Purington wasn’t sure how many other locals bands lost out.

“Maybe we’re the only ones unlucky and dumb enough,” he joked. “I don’t see it ending well for us.”

He urged other bands to stick to more reliable crowdfunding sites, saying he’d previously used Kickstarter and IndieGoGo successfully.

In a note to “artists and fans,” PledgeMusic’s board said the company suspended operations.

“The company continues to work with outside counsel on the most appropriate next steps, and we will update you with those specifics as we get more information,” the board added on the remnants of PledgeMusic’s website.

In May, Variety magazine said PledgeMusic went bankrupt after a planned sale fell through.

Variety said co-founder Benji Rogers told artists: “I am sorry to say that the sale process that I have been speaking to you about over these last weeks and months for PledgeMusic was unsuccessful and that the buyers have withdrawn … I am truly sorry.”

Music manager and booking agent Fenella Stratton told Stuff it could be tough for independent artists but New Zealand had many “incredible resources” for local emerging musicians.

Stratton said there weren’t many local managers and new musicians approached her company Twice the Hype very often.

“Lots of them are super-talented but we already have one of the biggest rosters in the country.”

So managers turned some people down, to focus on giving the best service to existing clients, she said.

“You take on too many people and you spread yourself thin.”

Stratton said musicians starting out should try to use platforms that offered customer service.

Based on an initial assessment, Stratton said it didn’t seem PledgeMusic had the best business model.

She said the Music Management Forum (MMF) offered advice and mentoring for New Zealand musicians.

MMF said its members included The Naked and Famous, Tiki Taane, Shapeshifter, Broods, Marlon Williams and Sole Mio.

Stratton also said record labels could help up-and-coming artists with strategies on how to have an impact on platforms like Spotify and iTunes.

  Source link

[thegaminggang]

The Daily Dope #527 - Tabletop Gaming News for August 13th, 2020

Jeff shares news from Creative Assembly, Necrotic Gnome, Ravensburger, Modiphius Entertainment, Ganesha Games, Exalted Funeral, and more!

[stormyrecords-blog]

new arrivals 8-25-17

stormy records13306 michigan avedearborn, mi 48126 313-581-9322 hi everybody!!we survived the eclipse and now a big hurricane is coming. whether having a blast with the moon and stars, or needing something to calm your nerves in a big storm - we have great new music for you all this week. we also finally made it to the proper release date of that MOGWAI promo 45 that costs $2 and gets you a coupon for $2 off the new lp when it comes out in sept. please ask for one at the counter. thank you!! in on friday aug 25th QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Villains double lp $26.99regular version or limited edition indie store only Boneface cover edition. either is a 2 lp set, 3 sides of music and an etching. as a bonus - each copy sold comes with a poster and sticker. cd also available - $13.99 Grosskopf, Harold: Synthesist LP $24.99Repressed; LP version. "Harald Grosskopf was in his early twenties when LSD 'blew [his] reality away,' as he recalls. Born in Hildesheim in 1949, he had previously drummed in fairly conventional rock bands, most recently for Wallenstein. Their label-boss Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser was fond of facilitating jam sessions for musicians on his Ohr und Pilz label, often supplying his 'cosmic couriers' with LSD (unbeknown to them, on occasion). In one such session, the drug inspired something of an epiphany in Grosskopf: 'There I was playing the drums when, in the midst of my euphoria, I realized that I had been imitating other drummers. Suddenly a voice spoke to me: stop trying to sound like Billy Cobham or Ginger Baker. From that moment on I felt liberated, free to drum without having to shine in a particular role.' Having discovered his own musical identity, Harald Grosskopf understood that a standard rock combo was not the ideal conduit through which to express it. Grosskopf: 'I was completely in thrall to electronic music and the total freedom that it offered. This was the music I wanted to create. I knew it would be a success, the energy levels were so high.' Grosskopf consequently left Wallenstein. 'I fell into a hole at first, wondering what I was going to do. So I sold my prized drum kit and used the money to buy a guitar, amp and echo device.' A few days later, the doorbell rang. It was Manuel Göttsching, on his way back to Berlin from a tour of France. They knew each other from Berlin's electronic scene and recording sessions for the likes of Ash Ra Tempel. Göttsching invited Grosskopf to sign up for his new project Ashra and the rest is history: Ashra (Grosskopf, Gottsching, Lutz Ulbrich alias Luul) released a series of successful albums in the years that followed. It was not until the summer of 1979, however, that he finally felt ready to release a solo album. Synthesist comprises eight instrumentals, recorded largely by Grosskopf on his own. His melodies, carried along by synthesizers and drums, were reminiscent of works by Berlin electronic friends such as Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, as well as those 'cosmic' sessions of the early 1970s -- yet each melody retains a unique timbre. Synthesist is thus regarded as a classic by electronic music enthusiasts all over the world, evoking a thrilling musical era of the past with equal capacity to excite today." --Christoph Dallach LOWE, ROBERT AIKI AUBREYLevitation Praxis Pt 4 LP  $24.99Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe's incredible experiments with Harry Bertoia's sound sculptures are here documented on this beautiful new edition for Demdike Stare's DDS imprint, coinciding with his appearance on Semtember 2017's issue of The Wire magazine. Lowe is something of a polymath; having started out as part of math rock outfit 90 Day Men and doom metal trio Om, he progressed to forge his own solo work (often under the Lichens moniker), as well as a whole slew of collaborations, including work with Johann Johannsson on scoring both Arrival (2016) and Sicario (2015), an acclaimed album with Ariel Kalma for RVNG Intl's FRKWYS series, plus active involvement in site-specific video art and sound installations. His most recent work under his own name has seen him release diverse music for Type, Latency, More Than Human, and, of course, DDS who have, with this album, presented what might just be the most beautiful Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe artefact thus far. In 2016, Lowe was commissioned by New York's museum of Arts and Design to contribute to a Harry Bertoia exhibition, which he undertook alongside video director Johann Rashid. He was asked to create sound recordings with Sonambient sculptures; metal rods and gongs that produce highly distinct, resonant sounds when struck, brushed, or touched. Beginning in 1968, Bertoia set up an eighteenth-century stone barn on his property in Barto, Pennsylvania, to house these sculptures and from which he would go on to record works for his highly collectable Sonambient label, as recently documented on Important Records' breathtaking box set (IMPREC 419CD, 2016) and reissue series. Lowe was given full access to the barn, beautifully filmed footage of which can be found on YouTube. Lowe's work with these sculptures is quite unlike anything you might have heard from those original Bertoia recordings. Instead of serendipitous improvisation, Lowe weaves his way through the sculptures on a path that was mapped out in advance, imbuing them with a more "composed" and arranged feel. As well as that familiar and distinct sound palette, he subtly manipulates and feeds in vocal layers that take proceedings into ever more ethereal and haunting dimensions. Mastered and cut by Matt Colton. VA: Avant Garde Is Happenin CD $15.99Full title: Avant Garde Is Happening Because Collaborations Are Happening As Long As The Desire To Interact Fuels Our Hearts We Will Find Swarms That Build Moments And Space To Shelter The Worlds That We Are. Released to coincide with the re-emergence of the festival at Schiphorst, Germany to celebrate "three days of utopia". The Avantgarde Festival is the legendary gathering of experimental music and performing arts brought to life by Jean-Hervé Péron (faUSt), Carina Varain, and friends. The festival was reborn in with the help of Jeanne-Marie Varain, who grew up with the Avantgarde Festival and curated its program in 2014, and Ines and Julia (MuD, Logotorium, Krarque Jamarić) who scouted several actions at the festival in 2013 and 2014, and decided to team up and figure out a new format that supports collaboration and at the same time is able to sustain itself. The CD features exclusive material from the likes of Nurse With Wound, faUSt, Qluster, Asmus Tietchens. Also features: V!V!V!, Haricot Massacre, Giardini, Ronny Wærnes, VED, Octopus Ride, EXO//ENDO, Dieter Bornzero Bornschlegel, Psykisk Tor-Tur, Blood Oath, Friederike Jäger, and Ernsthafte Angele-Genheiten. Packaged in a heavy board, mini-LP sleeve, complete with an inner sleeve. NURSE WITH WOUNDThe Swinging Reflective II 2CD  $24.99Follow up to 1999's The Swinging Reflective album. It features an array of Steven Stapleton's favorite releases that are either his own remixes of other artists, collaborations, or have been co-written with individuals who have worked extensively with Nurse With Wound. All tracks are remastered and some have been slightly or comprehensively remixed. Features: Colin Potter, Faust, Freida Abtan, Graham Bowers, David Kenny, Band Of Pain, Andrew Liles, Christoph Heemann, Aranos, Sunn O))), Lynn Jackson, Sand, Larson/Fritz Müller, and Blind Cave Salamander. Packaged in a heavy board, gloss laminated six-panel digipak. NILSEN, BJMassif Trophies LP  $22.99BJNilsen is a composer and sound artist based in Amsterdam. His work primarily focuses on the sounds of nature and how they affect humans. Recent work has explored the urban acoustic realm and industrial geography in the Arctic region of Norway and Russia. His original scores and soundtracks have been featured in theater, dance performances, and film. Celebrating 27 years as a recording artist, Massif Trophies is his first solo release for Editions Mego. In 2015, he set off on a month-long hiking trip in Gran Paradiso to explore the acoustic environments in the alpine landscape. Drawn to the monotonous and physical effort that mountains and high altitudes contribute, this became one of the main inspirations for Massif Trophies, reflecting upon the perception of the landscape during several hours of physical difficulty, let alone rapid weather changes, horizontal thunderstorms, and rock avalanches. Massif Trophies is also about the scope of details and perception of the path and the myth of the mountain as the accursed or sacred place. The five pieces contain narratives based on experiences and recordings from the trip. All source material recorded in Gran Paradiso, July 2015; Engineered at Odd Phasing and Echoes, Amsterdam NL; Photography by BJNilsen. Includes download card. Side Eyes: So Sick LP $19.99LP version. "So Sick, the debut album on In The Red Records by Southern California punk quartet the Side Eyes, raises interesting questions about nature versus nurture -- the eternal scientific debate about whether a human being's personality is predetermined by genetics or whether it's actually shaped by the environment one grows up in. Their lead singer, Astrid McDonald, is a fascinating test case. The 22-year-old Angeleno is the real-wild-child daughter of Go-Go's guitarist-songwriter Charlotte Caffey and Redd Kross singer-guitarist Jeff McDonald. How much has McDonald's notoriously fiery onstage presence been influenced by basic heredity and how much was her personality inspired by being raised by two legendary punk-pop icons? Similarly, how did growing up together as brothers in New Jersey affect the hard-driving musical attack of 22-year-old guitarist Kevin Devine and 20-year-old bassist Chris Devine? Much of rock history has been fueled by the unique familial dynamics and sibling rivalries of brothers in bands, from the Everly Brothers and the Kinks' Ray and Dave Davies to Redd Kross' Jeff and Steven McDonald. When the two Devines' aggressive approach is combined with 23-year-old San Diego native Nick Arnold's remorselessly throttling drumming, the Side Eyes end up as a powerfully controlled punk rock machine that blows past the sonic barriers of their past inspirations." AGGROVATORS, THEAggrovating The Rhythm At Channel One LP  $18.99LP version. The Aggrovators were one of Jamaica's finest session bands put together by the hit-maker from Jamaica, Bunny Striker Lee. The group would produce some of the hardest rhythms cut at the legendary Channel 1 studio. These tracks would provide the backbone to songs that were usually voiced over at King Tubby's own studio. These cuts here represent a selection of some of those fine rhythms selected together for the first time. The Aggrovators were a group of reggae musicians that usually featured Carlton "Santa" Davis on drums playing alongside Robbie Shakespeare on bass with other musicians added like Earl "Chinna" Smith on guitar and Tommy McCook, Vin Gordon, and Lennox Brown added for horn arrangements, with keyboard and organ duties normally left to Ansel Collins and Bernard "Touter" Harvey. Jamaican Recordings have compiled some great tracks recorded by this fantastic group of musicians and focused on those cut on Channel 1 studios to give you a feel of what those times were like. Dubs of songs from Johnny Clarke, Delroy Wilson, Paragons, Ossie Scott, Roy Shirley, and Pat Kelly. Ugly Things #45 MAG $10.99"On the cover: Q65, The Outsiders and the Dutch Beat Revolution, the stories of two legendary, rebellious bands from the Netherlands in the 1960s. Part 2 of The Uniques -- blue-eyed garage and soul from America's South. Plus The Left Banke, Texas '60s icons Neal Ford & The Fanatics, occult rocker Geof Crozier, German freakbeat from The Toxic, and demented San Fernando Valley punk rockers Puke, Spit & Guts. There are revealing interviews with Richard Strange of The Doctors Of Madness, and original Rolling Stones and Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky, and, in his own words, Victor 'Moulty' Moulton tells the poignant story of how he lost his hand yet fought on to become the drummer of successful Cape Cod band The Barbarians. We also take a peek at the personal acetate archive of John Entwistle and reveal the story of a New Jersey girl garage group that met and inspired The Stooges. Plus our acclaimed reissue and book review sections, fully-loaded and bursting with insights and information. cool local detroit happenings!! Blue Bird Stage Homecoming Celebration Saturday, August 26th, 2pm-4pmAn afternoon of storytelling, video installation, poetry, and music.  FREE - Detroit Public Library, 3rd Floor, 5201 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202 DETROITSOUND4: Detroit Sound DesignSaturday, September 9th, 8am-6pmA single day conference including panels, presentations, workshops, and an exclusive performance on the Blue Bird Stage. cost is $15 per person    tickets can be purchased through a link on the detroit sound conservancy websitedetroitsound.orgevent taking place at the  CCS Taubman Center, 460 W. Baltimore, Detroit, MI 48202 EL CLUB UPCOMING SHOWS  (most shows all ages - ticket will say all ages or not)remember - tickets are cash only. this saves us all the service charges!! win a copy of the new ACTRESS lp - enter to win a copy of the new actress lp when you buy tickets for the upcoming show at the el club!! your name will be entered for each ticket you buy - the winner could be you!! aug 25th actress with elysia crampton, snakepiss, john fm, and joey2lanes. sponsored by WCBN laetitia sadier source ensemble wed aug 30th $12the spits, screaming females  sat sept 30th $15touche amore fri oct 6th $25 MARBLE BAR (all shows 18 and over) tops fri sept 22nd $10cold specks wed nov 29th $10 Upcoming events at Trinosophes 8/26: Kenneth Green's Relativity 9/4: Nakatani Gong Orchestra9/9: Keir Nueringer9/16: Swell, Gjerstadt, Strom, Nilssen-Love9/19: Hans-Joachim ROEDELIUS! with Hydro Park and Dave Shettler9/22: New Music Detroit's Strange and Beautiful Music opening night with m usic by  Khemia Ensemble,  Juxtatonal: Jocelyn Zelasko and Bryan Hayslett,  YAK,  Joel Peterson (with Lisa Raschiatore clarinet, James Greer viola, Abby Alwin cello),  NewMusicDetroit (featuring  cellist Una O’Riordan) and  Rebecca Goldberg Related 9/23: Trinosophes present Ryan Jewell Duo at night two of Strange and Beautiful Music at The Max M Fisher Music Center . 10/10: Circuits Des Yeux10/26: Joel Peterson original score to silent classic   Der Golem  at Toledo Museum of Art  

[caredogstips]

How Pandora, Bandcamp, and others plan to change your listening garbs

Streaming services were once decreed a death knell for the music business. But those very fellowships converged upon South by Southwest( SXSW) this month to try to mold the industry in their imageand, in the process, save it.

As these platforms, Web works, and apps jostled for ground in Austin, Texas, they likewise battled with an existential crisis: Forget royalty payouts or the perils of free on-demand listeningit is about to change shoppers are entitled, ever-changing buyers whose needs and challenges alteration like a playlist on shuffle. How do you consistently dish that inconsistent gathering?

For decades the music economy could lean on its superfans. Theyd spread the word with sidekicks, splurge for merch, and buy different publications of the same record. But yesterdays obsessive importation vinyl fetishist is increasingly becoming todays monthly Spotify subscriber.

Yesterdays obsessive import vinyl fetishist is increasingly becoming todays monthly Spotify subscriber .

At a SXSW panel, former Rhapsody exec Jon Maples mourned the decline of these big spender, who used to buy a lot of content. And now they get it for a define cost of 10 bucks a few months.

Increasingly, he spoke, Spotify and its fortune are more about whats next than observing bands and songs to explore and obsess over. The good information, he remarked, is the data shows you have more various forms of listening than ever before.

Marisol Segal, who helped launch Rdio in 2010, blamed streaming music business. You establish technology in this realm and its flow like a technology companionship, she remarked, and thats acquired her check out from the Internets buffet of services.

And thats the audience to observe. The names and the music manufacture are watching very carefully what prototype harvests the most fund, Pandoras Chief Product Officer Christopher Phillips told the Daily Dot. We allwant to pay artists more fund. Its not clear what simulation works best.

If there was a consensus coming out of the SXSW void, that was it.

A crowded sandbox

Pandora isnt sweating the uncertain times. It has a plan.

Ramon Ramirez

Were with them in the morning, at work, in the workout, at nightpeople invest a lot of occasion with the app, Phillips remarked. The median customer, he answered, wastes 22 hours a month streaming Pandora.

With that in its pocket, Pandora can move into stumping for creators and leading head-to-head with Spotify. Phillips said the 16 -year-old streaming monstrous is on the eve of debuting more bells and whistles, too: In the last year, its acquired international opponent Rdio, concert programme Ticketfly, and the predictive algorithms of Next Big Sound.

Phillips supposed Pandora is also haunting direct treats for its own on-demand representation. At SXSW, Pandora booked the Gatsby and livestreamed performances from trending and diverse identifies like Young Thug, Yacht, and Troye Sivan. In terms of curating exciting notions, thats a big tastemaking win.

But their sandbox continues crowded and contentious.

Its not a one-app-wins-all occasion .

Its not a one-app-wins-all happen, Phillips suggested, before memorandum the chasm between Pandora and Spotify: certainly does restrict, and if you want that see, you have to pay.

Not everyone agrees. Spotify consumer are able to access a vast library and torrent anything with the services offered free, ad-supported model. Overwhelmingly, the majority of members of Spotifys usersas numerous as 75 percentare fine with this version.

( Its been, well, messy. On Monday Spotify announced it contacted 30 million paid subscribersjust as it set a $30 million lawsuit with the National Music Publishers Association for unpaid royalties during SXSW .)

If other services are successful over the long run to keep the ability of free on-demand, well have to address that, Phillips pronounced. But we repute the creator got to go require more.

A most perfect confederation

Music is a consumers tournament. If youre a clique or creator, that entails constructing an audience is trickier than ever. Ten years ago youd upload four tracks to Purevolume or Myspace and badger your Facebook friends to hear a prove.

Now you need a niche.

Bandcamps community-driven bazaar is where you probably want to start. Like SoundCloudwhich is reportedly in financial tribulation, planning a subscription streaming service, and unlike its past did not invest in a high-profile pop-up concert venue at SXSWBandcamp is vast acres of mp3s.

At Bandcamp we consider a somewhat different point of view, Bandcamp Chief Curator Andrew Jervis said during the Ephemeral Now board. We feel that the master should be a little bit more in control, and as a love you pay them directly.

Jervis said that over at Bandcamp, CD sales were up 10 percent, vinyl auctions up 40 percentage, and cassette sales 50 percent last year. Were clearly identifying people want to buy something tangible, Jervis said.( Indeed, vinyl marketings outpaced streaming service income in 2015, according to recent data released by the Recording Industry Association of America .)

Ramon Ramirez

Bandcamp has a social networking angle, too, where one can follow friend love and revel in niche recommendations. Jervis said this model accountings for 20 percentage of Bandcamps total sales. And such matters, Jervis maintained, because theres a disparity between the number of seasons something gets streamed and when it actually goes purchased.

Maybe pulpits need to do a better undertaking of tying things together, Jervis said. If you put your music on a streaming service where there is no option to buy youve missed your 500,000 opportunities.

He persisted: These companies that want to offer everything to everyone at the same duration cant have everything at the same age because they havent constructed that community.

Beyond the album

For followers online, BitTorrent incites heated, homely memories of using its haul protocol to plagiarize books from the Pirate Bay. But the company was at SXSW remixing the future of distribution.

At BitTorrent that symbolizes repurposing albums as downloadable Bundles. The fellowship worked with masters like Thom Yorke, Moby, and Raekwon to deliver licensed artwork via peer-to-peer filesharing. Attack an Internet underground of BitTorrents 170 million useds, chairman of content programme at BitTorrent Straith Schreder told the Daily Dot, and youll find an gathering as a musician.

What is an album after the Internet? What is a label after names ?

BitTorrent calls its pay-gated Bundle a direct-to-fan publishing programme. Here, parties and creators retain 90 percentage of incomes, plus the digital metrics like email addresses needed to organize a base.

Think about a wrap or a flow as something thats much more akin to vinyl: It can hold anything. It can be music, it can be art, it can be liner greenbacks, Schreder announced, drawn attention to another business quandary: What is an book after the Internet? What is a label after names?

Among the big hounds, Pandora can also make a strong case for being the most artist-friendly. Its new AMP( artist marketing programme) assistance for party gives analytics and helps indie creators upload music to its servers. Phillips said that with Pandoras recent expansion, its become one large-hearted A& R patronize. And he used to say necessitates it can organically feed the ecosystem through its various dispensaries, in addition to solving problems like getting beings out to shows.

We use humen for excellence, machines for proportion, Phillips said. We repute the combination is what matters.

Remixing the future

SXSW 2016 brought with it a reenergized focus on live music and reaching passive listeners go out on a Tuesday. Video-production apps like Baeable exist to document and stash live footage, then present it virtually the channel an ESPN app presents scores. Music startups like Festivus, Jamwar, Mixd, Tipcow, and Tunesmap too work to augment the live route( and indicated up to schmooze at SXSW ).

Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, and Mazdas Hype Hotel invested in orchestrating must-see times, then saving that footage to package and stream subsequently.( Samsung, MTV, and even McDonalds, of the all-day breakfast sandwiches, did so as well .)

Ramon Ramirez

At the Spotify House, videos touted upcoming original webseries, including information from Snapchat king DJ Khaled. At YouTubes pop-up warehouse down at the Coppertank, its nascent YouTube Music app was on display for a three-day private concert succession. The busines tracks your streaming wonts and beams in tailor-made playlists, and its tremendous digital library is something of a trump card.

Its not streaming; you have to go and do it .

The YouTube concert by Future was downright crucial: expertly curated as a pivotal showcase for one of raps most dominant krakens. I left wanting to immediately stream his live act of subversively political chant March Madness, which represents I fell hook, pipeline, and sinker.

But of all the ideas trying to convert streaming followers into an IRL economy, Jukelys was the most amusing: Netflix, but for concerts.

With a monthly subscription one gets access to a bank of tickets. You can theoretically go out every night of the month, and use it for any of the 17 cities the service operates in. You can upgrade to a plus-one alternative, and sometimes there are private members-only testifies.

Its not streaming; you have to go and do it, Jukely Head of Business Development Sarah Weiss told the Daily Dot.

Thats the rob, determining new music by having to go and see it: We are trying to encourage people on the discovery area, Weiss replied. In that practice, the industrys virtually come full-circle in the interrelationship with streamingalmost.

But big music streaming is an inevitable example, BitTorrents Schreder imagines. The real question for everyone in townfrom the exec at YouTube, Spotify, and Pandora flexing their muscle with private concerts and open rails, to new minors accompanying meetings like Your Music Startup Sucks that may or may not be here next yearwas how do you change its own experience of listening?

How do we move that meaningful? Schreder alleged. How does that become part of the idiom of streaming?

For now, at the least, the jurys still out.

Illustration by Max Fleishman

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[geekandsundry]

https://geekandsundry.com/watch-game-the-game-coup-playthrough/

Each week, Game the Game host Becca Scott is joined by amazing guests to breaks out the hottest, newest, and best board games to play!  Bribing their way to power guests Jeff Weisen, Erica Lamkin, and Lee Manning join Becca Scott for Coup by Indie Boards & Cards. Watch to see who survives to ...

[consimworld]

Mark D. @ The Boardgaming Life

[whovian223]

It’s week 3 of our weekly look through the Boardgame Geek Top 100 to see what games I’ve played and which ones I may be interested in playing.

Last week I got educated about Dominion, maybe even enough to try it again some day.

What will this week bring?

Maybe a treatise on train games?

You got that in you, Dave? (let’s see if he reads this…)

I picture Dave like this.

Let’s see if he even sees this…if so, I’m sorry.

Anyway, this week there are a lot more that I’ve played, and some good stuff in here.

And some…well, not so good stuff. At least for me.

So let’s get started!

#80 – Roll for the Galaxy (Rio Grande Games) – 2014

Designers: Wei-Hwa Huang, Thomas Lehmann

Artists: Martin Hoffmann, Claus Stephan, Mirko Suzuki

Roll for the Galaxy is the dice version of Lehmann’s Roll for the Galaxy, but it is so much more than that.

No screenshots of the app yet, so have to make do with boring pictures of the tabletop game

Each player will get a set number and type of dice depending on their starting world development that they choose at the beginning of the game. These dice will then be rolled and secretly used to activate actions.

You get points based on the points on the tiles that you build, whether they are developments or worlds that you colonize (just like the card game) but you have to assign dice to these tiles on your player sheet. Each tile takes the number of dice equal to the point value to put them into your tableau. If you don’t build it in one shot, those dice are trapped until you do.

When you assign your dice, you have to choose one action to activate (Explore, Develop, Settle, Produce and Ship). You can use any die to activate an action, but all subsequent dice assigned to that action have to actually have that action’s symbol (there are ways around that, of course).

If somebody else chose an action that you have dice for, you get to use those dice as well, but if nobody did, they go back into your cup.

I really like this game a lot, and it’s a shame that I haven’t played it since 2017. It just hasn’t come out to the table since then and the one guy who owns it hasn’t been to our game day in quite a while.

I have played some games on Boardgame Arena, though, which is nice.

Here’s hoping I do get it to the table again soon!

#79 – Russian Railroads (Z-Man Games) – 2013

Designers: Helmut Ohley, Leonhard “Lonny” Orgler

Artists: Martin Hoffmann, Claus Stephan

Two entries in a row with Hoffmann & Stephan art!

Russian Railroads is a game that breaks my brain, though part of that is because I tried to figure it out on Boardgame Arena a few times.

It never really made that much sense to me, but I think I have an inkling of what’s going on in the game.

I’m just terrible at optimizing actions.

Needless to say, I’ve never played it on the table, though it has shown up at a couple of game days in the last year or so.

There’s just been something else I wanted to play instead.

Essentially you’re trying to build the best railway network in Russia (I assume, based on the name).

From BGG:

“The development of simple tracks will quickly bring the players to important places, while the modernization of their railway network will improve the efficiency of their machinery. Newer locomotives cover greater distances and factories churn out improved technology. Engineers, when used effectively, can be the extra boost that an empire needs to race past the competition.”

There are three tracks that you’re trying to extend, but you’re also trying to make them good tracks, as well as doing other things. There are multiple paths to victory (so they say) and like most games where that’s the case, I always found myself doing a little of everything and thus falling way behind.

I wouldn’t mind trying this once just to see if I can wrap my head around it when I can physically manipulate the pieces.

However, it’s not that urgent.

If I never get the chance to play it, I won’t be that heart-broken.

Fans of the game, tell me why I should play this as soon as possible.

And then maybe I’ll do it.

#78 – Codenames (Czech Games Edition) – 2015

Designer: Vlaada Chvátil

Artists: Stéphane Gantiez, Tomáš Kučerovský, Filip Murmak

I’m not big into party games for some reason. Maybe I’m just an anti-fun guy, I don’t know.

Codenames is a party game in that there are two teams of multiple players and they’re both trying to make contact with their agents by using the clues that the clue-giver on the team says to try and identify the words on the table that match their agents.

A number of cards with words are laid out in a 5×5 grid. The clue-givers on each team have a layout of which cards are their agents and which ones aren’t. They give one-word clues and say how many of the cards they are referencing with that clue.

The other players have to then try to guess, but if they choose one of the opposing team’s agents, they their turn ends and that helps the other team because they have fewer agents to identify. If they choose an innocent bystander, their turn just ends.

If they choose their own, then they can keep guessing. If either team accidentally chooses the assassin, they lose.

The starting team has 9 agents to identify while the other team has 8.

Whoever identifies all of their agents first wins!

Codenames is a fun little game but it’s not something that really grabbed me that hard. I’m not that great at deduction games and I am a terrible clue-giver in this one. I haven’t played it since 2016 (back when I was less diligent taking pictures, as I couldn’t find one!) and I have no aching desire to do so either.

Of course, it’s moved on now with multiple variations of the same thing (Marvel, Disney, etc), including a 2-player cooperative game!

So many Codenames, so little time.

#77 – Architects of the West Kingdom (Renegade Games Studios/Garphill Games) – 2018

Designers: Shem Phillips, S J Macdonald

Artist: Mihajlo Dimitrievski

On the other hand, how about one of my Top 10 games played of all time?

Yeah, that would be Architects of the West Kingdom, a game that I’ve reviewed here (and people really seem to gravitate towards it as it now has my second-highest view count on this blog)

Blue didn’t build much, I see…

Go check out the review if you want to know how to play, but why do I like it so much?

I love the “place workers to get resources and the more workers you have there, the more you get but somebody might come and capture all of them to weaken you again” mechanic (say that 3 times fast!). I love the apprentices and how they work to make your actions even better, or at least help you build more buildings.

I love the Black Market and how Virtue can get you points but also can affect whether you can either build in the Church or visit the Black Market (though come on, in reality if you are too virtuous to visit the Black Market you would find a way to get somebody to go for you).

Everything just goes together so well and it’s a blast to play. And it doesn’t even take that long either.

The University adornment gets you a new building card and 2 more points! The Smithy adornment gets you three stone immediately and also 2 more points.

I only have one play of the game with the Age of the Artisans expansion, but I think it will make this game go up even higher in my esteem (if that’s possible).

After you’re done reading this review, go try a game of this however you can. See if you think I’m right.

Because I am.

#76 –Marvel Champions: the Card Game (Fantasy Flight Games) – 2019

Designers: Michael Boggs, Nate French, Caleb Grace

Artists: N/A

I first (and only) played this game at OrcaCon in January and while it ain’t no Marvel Legendary it is kind of fun in its own right.

It’s a totally cooperative game where you all play a Marvel hero (I believe there are 4 in the basic box?) that will be teaming up with other heroes to defeat the nasty villains and their schemes.

The base box comes with Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Spider-Man, and Iron Man but you can buy multiple expansion packs with new cards, new heroes, new villains, and stuff like that.

It was a fun game and I liked how it scales based on the number of players (basically each player draws a card from the villain deck at the end of their turn and has to face what happens, so fewer players means that fewer cards come out.

I just have a thing about Living Card Games (LCGs). I don’t want to be constantly buying new stuff, even though I do like that you know what the new stuff will be rather than buying random Magic: the Gathering packs.

The Marvel Champions packs seem to just add new scenarios and heroes and stuff. I don’t think they add cards for the original heroes (though maybe they do? Somebody please tell me).

The other LCGs that I took a look at, namely Arkham Horror: the Card Game, while you can play with the suggested decks it also has deck customization options as well. I don’t want to construct a deck before each scenario/story and that along with having to buy more and more stuff to get the varied content has just turned me off to the whole concept.

However, as a standalone experience, Marvel Champions was a fun game to play and I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to play it again.

LCGs just don’t really appeal to me in general as far as playing multiple times.

Somebody tell me what I’m missing.

#75 – Aeon’s End (Indie Boards & Cards) – 2016

Designer: Kevin Riley

Artists: Gong Studios, Stephanie Gustafsson, Scott Hartman, Daniel Solis

Aeon’s End is a cooperative card game where you are trying to defend a town from ancient evil (or maybe just evil in general).

You will choose a Nemesis which will come with its own card deck and then up to 4 players.

There are a couple of interesting-sounding twists to this.

First, there is no shuffling. When you discard your hand, you choose the order it goes in. When you are out of cards, you just flip your discard pile over and start playing again. So you know exactly what cards are coming and when.

Secondly, who acts first, second, etc, is completely randomized. The bad guys could go twice in a row, or maybe it will end up being in order.

Who knows?

From the app, since I haven’t played this before

I have only played the Steam version of Aeon’s End and I know I’m having a devil of a time trying to figure out how to play this and win. I know the basic rules (or can pick them up again, as I haven’t played in a while), but I get my ass kicked every time I play.

It’s starting to hurt.

I wouldn’t mind trying this on the table once, especially with somebody who’s played it before and can coach me.

Because otherwise, there’s no way to win.

When a village sees me coming to protect it, they start setting up their wills and everything because they know they’re going to die.

#74 – Patchwork (Lookout Games) – 2014

Designer: Uwe Rosenberg

Artist: Klemens Franz

Patchwork is a 2-player tile-laying game where you are trying to fill a grid (quilt) with a bunch of different misshapen pieces of cardboard (fabric). You are collecting buttons that will then enable you to take one of up to three pieces that are available to you (depending on how many buttons they cost).

At the end of the game, your points will be the number of buttons you have minus points for any missing squares on your grid.

I have to say that tile-laying “Tetris-shaped pieces” games don’t really do a lot for me.

When I first (and only time) played it on the table back in March 2016, I didn’t really care for it that much.

I don’t like spatial puzzles and this was the ultimate in spatial puzzles.

Then I played the app.

Wow, man, I fell in love with it.

Sure, I still suck at it and probably will never win a game.

But I decided that it didn’t matter. I really really like it.

So much so that I have finally bought a copy (when 401 Games is able to get it to me).

I’ll be able to let you know more a little later whether the game on the table holds up or not.

I’m really looking forward to it, actually.

#73 – Agricola – Revised Edition (Lookout Games) – 2016

Designer: Uwe Rosenberg

Artist: Klemens Franz

It’s a Lookout Games/Uwe Rosenberg/Klemens Franz twofer!!!!!

Yes, we have another Uwe game with Klemens art but they couldn’t be any more different.

Agricola is the first of Uwe’s many “place workers (family members) somewhere to get something, and then don’t forget to feed them at the end or bad things will happen” games (For some reason I have trouble shortening these descriptions).

In it, you’re running a family farm, trying to build up your farmhouse, raise many sorts of animals and plant your crops.

Each round an additional space opens up for you to place your worker, where you can get resources, food, animals or crops to then sow in your plowed fields.

At the end of a certain number of rounds, you have to have enough food to feed all of your family members.

Don’t worry, nobody dies. You just have to beg for food (and lose points).

Might be more fun if somebody did die.

It would be an Ameritrash game then!

I have never played this game on the table, but I have played the app of the original version (this revised edition came out in 2016).

I’m honestly not really sure what the Revised Edition does.

I really don’t enjoy this game that much. The idea of feeding your family is ok (and has been done in many games since) but it’s a very punishing game.

I have never been able to figure this one out. I have played its sister game, Caverna, and it’s much more pleasurable to me (though I still haven’t played it in a long time). Caverna isn’t quite as punishing with the feeding mechanism and that makes me feel less trapped.

I’ve played this on the app recently and unfortunately it still doesn’t agree with me.

Sorry to you fans.

#72 – Troyes (Pearl Games) – 2010

Designer: Sébastien Dujardin, Xavier Georges, Alain Orban

Artists: Sébastien Dujardin, Xavier Georges, Alain Orban, Alexandre Roche

I played this game once on the table but have played many games on Boardgame Arena since then.

This is a dice rolling and drafting (kind of) game where you are managing your own section of the population of this famous city (pronounced “Twah” for those uninitiated). This population is in the form of dice depending on what regions you have your people stationed: Religious, Civil or Military.

You roll your dice and then the first thing everybody has to do is beat off invasions using some of their dice.

Remaining dice are then used to do various actions around the city (or out in the countryside where you may use them to cancel bad stuff that’s sitting out there). You can even buy your opponents’ dice because you need more and you don’t want them to have them.

That can be a mean thing.

It’s a game I enjoy but don’t love, and I haven’t had much of an urge to get it to the table again (not that I could without buying it, as I don’t think anybody I know has it anymore).

It’s fun enough, though, and I’m always willing to play an asynchronous game on BGA, but it’s not something I’m burning to play again any time soon.

I do like the dice drafting mechanics and how you can place your workers in a bunch of different areas to make actions more efficient (as well as possibly get points for them at the end of the game).

I really like how you can buy other players’ dice too.

Overall, I think it’s worthy of its spot in the Top 100 even if it wouldn’t be in mine (well, maybe it would since I’ve only played something like 350 games, but you know what I mean).

#71 – Battlestar Galactica: the Board Game (Fantasy Flight Games) – 2008

Designer: Corey Konieczka

Artists: Kevin Childress, Andrew Navaro, Brian Schomburg, WiL Springer

And now we come to almost the ultimate hidden traitor game, a game that sounds so cool that I really want to play it.

Sadly, I never have.

And it’s not for lack of opportunity, because I have seen it being set up at conventions and stuff.

It just intimidates the crap out of me, partially because of the deduction aspect and partially because it can take 2-3 hours to play. Every time I’ve had the opportunity, something has just told me “no, you need to leave yourself open to other stuff” and I back away slowly.

Maybe I’m a Cylon in disguise and I just don’t know it?

It’s a semi-cooperative game because you are trying to get the Humans to safety, but some of you (at least one, I think, and perhaps more than one?) are Cylons hidden for years without even knowing about it, programmed to doom humanity.

Do you hide the fact that you’re a Cylon or do you just go balls to the wall and try to kill everybody?

Those sound like exciting decisions.

If I ever get back to a con and I see this being set up (or if it’s a scheduled game), I need to sit down and play it.

Scratch that itch, fulfill that dream, kill that human get the humans to Earth.

Crap, that was supposed to be a “delete,” not “strikethrough”

I have revealed myself.

Run for your lives!!!!

So we’ve reached the end of another week. I’ve played 6 this week with one on Boardgame Arena and one on Steam (also an iOS app if you don’t count the Revised Edition). Not too bad.

That makes 13 that I’ve played “officially” (on the table) out of the bottom 30. Almost 50%

Will that go up or down next week?

I guess you’ll have to tune in and find out.

What do you think of these games? Love them? Hate them? Good enough for Cylons but not you?

Is there something I really need to play in there?

Let me know in the comments.

Posts in this Series:

#100-91 #90-81 #80-71

Boardgame Geek Top 100 - Played or Play? 80-71 #boardgames @riograndegames @Zmangames_ @FFGames @czechgames @PlayRenegade @garphillgames @IBCGames It's week 3 of our weekly look through the Boardgame Geek Top 100 to see what games I've played and which ones I may be interested in playing.

[thegaminggang]

February Brings Kodama 3D from Indie Boards & Cards

Kodama 3D tasks the players with growing and maintaining their own three dimensional trees in order to beautify the forest.

[thegaminggang]

The Daily Dope #426 - Tabletop Gaming News for January 16th, 2020

Jeff shares the freshest gaming news from Stronghold Games, Modiphius Entertainment, 505 Games, Indie Boards & Cards, Daily Magic Games, and more.