This time, we are recording in person at Dice Tower West (with some new mics!). We talk specifics about our new-ish venue for DTW, and then get more general with a chat about our convention strategies and planning. The Tale of Boardgaming Horror is one for the ages, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, Hula Hoops, and Crossovers. 00:47 - Dice Tower West: Back at the Westgate 04:20 - Julie's Drive West 08:35 - Eric at APAC 09:41 - Tom at GAMA Expo and The Grand Canyon 13:09 - Hot Games ...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast This time, we're talking sports, and how game designers can best emulate them. Plus, Horror, Hula Hoops, Roses, and Thorns. 00:59 - Announcements: Dice Tower West and East 02:04 - Sports Boardgames 20:10 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 25:48 - Charcuterie 30:24 - 1 A.M. Jailbreak 33:07 - Helionox Chronicles 37:47 - Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era 40:38 - Ostia 42:33 - Kingdom Legacy: Feudal Kingdom Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com...
Feb 25, 2025•55 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Eric gives an update on his Middle School Game Night before the gang launches into a discussion of how playing games for tangible prizes changes the vibe at the table. Then, we move on to a Tale of Boardgaming Horror, check the mailbag, and share some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:48 - Announcements: Gamefound, Dice Tower West 02:33 - Update on Eric's Middle School Game Night 03:54 - Raising the Stakes 25:08 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 31:54 - Question: Boardgaming's Golden Age? ...
Feb 11, 2025•59 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast Tom complains about the cold before we all discuss forms of Table Talk. What just bends the rules, and what breaks the game? We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a couple of questions from the mailbag, and some new Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:40 - It's cold in Florida 01:41 - Gamefound - SupportDicetower.com 02:11 - Dice Tower East and West 03:00 - Table Talk 25:07 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 31:31 - Question: Social Deduction Games (Where Am I, Blood on the Clocktower) 38:38 - Ques...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast On board the Dice Tower Cruise 2025, Tom, Julie, and Eric run through their holiday gaming opportunities. Julie asks how we prefer to to vacation, and we end the show with a bunch of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops that we encountered on the ship. 00:44 - We're on a Ship 01:32 - Holiday Happenings 02:18 - Star Realms Rise of Empire 07:59 - Ito, Jackbox Games 09:28 - Hues and Cues 11:48 - Command of Nature 14:10 - Only Murders in the Building 17:55 - How Do You Vacation? 29:31 - My Father's Work 35...
Jan 14, 2025•54 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Julie and Eric spend some time recapping PAX Unplugged before all of us take a look at the year that was 2024. What was the easiest game to teach? The game that you'd best set aside a day to play? The Hoopiest Hula Hoop? All will be revealed, dear listener! 01:00 - PAX Unplugged Recap 14:03 - The Quiet House 16:49 - Star Trek TNG VCR Game 20:41 - 2024 as a Whole 29:25 - Best to Play at a Convention: Ito, Rock Hard 1977, Duck & Cover 31:40 - Best Theme: Rock Hard 1977, Mistwind, Kelp: Shark vs. O...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Eric is looking for advice from Julie and Tom about running a game night at his son's Middle School. How deep a hole has he dug for himself? Plus, a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a question from the Listener Mailbag, and a bouquet of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:47 - Dice Tower Winter Spectacular 02:24 - Tom's Anniversary Cruise, Audiobooks, and Subtitles 03:52 - 2025 Gamefound Campaign 04:27 - Eric's Middle School Game Night 23:58 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 28:28 - Listener ...
Dec 10, 2024•57 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric share some Thanksgiving recipes before launching into a discussion of how designers tackle the theme of cooking in games. We have a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror that pushes our Angry Button, and we close the show with a Thorn-heavy set of games played. 00:57 - Announcements: Dice Tower East, West, and Cruise 2026 02:22 - Thanksgiving Recipes 05:17 - Cooking Games 07:41 - Cooking: Press Your Luck (Quacks of Quedlinburg, Vegetable Stock) 09:55 - Cooking: Spatial Games (Licen...
Nov 26, 2024•57 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric discuss some Thanksgiving plans before reacting to some recent manufacturing trends in the boardgame industry, from environmentally friendly choices, to the insistance that every game have a custom insert. Our Tale of Boardgaming Horror is a case of mistaken identity, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:02 - Shipping in the Game Box 01:45 - Thanksgiving 03:22 - PAX Unplugged and Christmas Videos 04:03 - All the Kickstarters are Delivering At Onc...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Tom looks forward to the CMON Expo, while Eric and Julie talk about their plans for PAX Unplugged. We discuss best practices for publishers when they know an expansion is coming. We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and close the show with a Spooky set of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:58 - Announcements: Dice Tower West, PAX Unplugged 02:55 - Tom at CMON Expo 03:52 - Planning for Expansions 32:00 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 40:28 - Flashback: Lucy 44:08 - Ghosts Can't Draw ...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Julie are back from Germany with stories to tell. We talk about the crowds, events, snacks, and games of Spiel before shuffling through a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror. And we close the show with some of our latest Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:02 - Back-to-Back WSBG and Spiel 06:10 - Crowds at Spiel 11:23 - Tom and Julie Together (Briefly) 13:33 - New Management Changes 17:28 - First Look Area 21:34 - Games at the Fair 25:24 - Dice and Mystics Meetup 27:07 - Punching Games 27:34 - ...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast It's our Essen Preview show for 2024! This time, we look at the various games we're most excited to check out at Spiel in Essen. And when we're done with that, we dash through our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:49 - Asking to Bring Something Back 02:16 - Tabletop Together and BGG's Preview List 03:16 - Priorities 08:58 - Where Will We Be? 12:09 - 7 Empires 12:50 - 365 Adventures 14:01 - Ada's Library 14:50 - Apiary: Expanding the Hive 15:26 - Backstories: Alone Under the Ice 16:23 - Bone Wars...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Tom, Julie, and Eric tackle the world of print boardgame journalism by listing their favorite gaming magazines, past and present. Our new Tale of Horror only tells half of the story, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:10 - Announcements: World Series of Boardgaming and Spiel 02:39 - What Was Our First Podcast? 04:39 - Boardgame Magazines: Still a Thing? 06:24 - Is Print Superior? 09:53 - Early Titles: Wargaming, White Dwarf, The General 12:35 - GAMES Mag...
Sep 17, 2024•59 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Eric learn that they've known Julie longer than they remember. Then, we discuss the ways local game stores recoup the cost of the play space they provide. We delve into a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and we close the show with our latest Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:44 - Announcements: Dice Tower West 03:06 - Tom, Julie, and Eric's First Meeting 03:56 - Table Space at Your Local Store 27:06 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 36:20 - King of Tokyo Duel 40:07 - Spotlight 43:34 - Vampire ...
Sep 03, 2024•58 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric remember their various Gen Con adventures, as well as looking back at some recent Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:00 - Announcements: Dice Tower West, Dice Tower District 02:43 - Gen Con - Keeping Your Voice vs. Getting Sick 04:04 - Gen Con - Attendence and Crowds 06:34 - Gen Con - Sprawling Events 09:58 - Gen Con - Games at the Zoo? 12:05 - Gen Con - Small Vendor Hallway 14:42 - Gen Con - Artwork and Plushies and Pins 19:03 - Gen Con - Too Many Things to Do 21:59 - Gen Co...
Aug 20, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric start looking forward to their next convention adventures now that Gen Con is done (though, since we're recording before Gen Con, we can't discuss anything that happened there just yet). We focus on the joy of playing older games, especially with players who haven't experienced them before. We delve into the Tale of Horror vault, as well as answer a listener question about how to pick what we play, and what to do when we choose poorly. Finally, we close the show with Roses, ...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric look back at Dice Tower East, and look forward to Gen Con, including which events they'll be at, and what games they're looking forward to. And, pressed for time, they share a Rose, Thorn, or Hula Hoop that will be available at Gen Con. 00:49 - Who Is Julia Hern? 02:13 - Dice Tower East Recap - Events 10:35 - Dioce Tower East - Library Games 23:19 - Gen Con - Where We'll Be 37:47 - Gen Con - Games to See and/or Buy 38:25 - Rock Hard 1977 40:13 - Horrified: World of Monsters ...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric discuss the results of the Origins Awards, and share the nominees for The Dice Tower Awards' Game of the Year. Julie tells us about her trip to Origins (and Tom pines for ice cream), and we ponder the dos and don'ts of upgrading your boardgame pieces. Then, we finish the show with our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:17 - Gen Con Plans (Booth 331) 02:29 - Origins Awards and Dice Tower Nominees 11:46 - Julie at the Origins Game Fair 29:33 - Upgrading Pieces 48:50 - Captain F...
Jul 09, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Eric congratulate Julie on her successful move, which leads to a discussion on keeping your collection to a reasonable size (so you don't have to move as much). We run through the nominees for the Spiel des Jahres (Germany's Game of the Year awards), answer some questions from the mailbag, and share our recent Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:53 - School Schedules 02:17 - Con Schedules - Gen Con Booth 331 04:46 - Julie's Move: Transport Logistics and Culling Strategy 21:47 - Spiel des J...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Tom recounts his trip to BGG Spring, and Eric reviews the Dungeons and Dragons show in New York City. We act out a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, attempt to help answer a listener question, and close the show with our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:47 - Summer Events 05:26 - Dice Tower District 06:09 - Tom at BGG Spring 13:22 - Eric at Dungeons and Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern 18:23 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 26:53 - Listener Question: Unexpected Children 41:40 - Agueda 44:0...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie and Eric run through some of their plans for Dice Tower East and Gen Con later this summer before taking a look at the year that was 2004, which was inexplicably 20 years ago. We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, answer a question from the mailbag, and round up our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:48 - Events at Dice Tower East 03:04 - Gen Con Plans 05:36 - Looking back at 2004 - 20 Years Ago 21:23 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 28:52 - Listener Question: Digital Game Implementat...
May 28, 2024•56 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Eric quiz Julie about her recent trip to the Tokyo Game Market, including some of the games she brought home, before moving on to a Tale of Boardgaming Horror and our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:49 - Dice Tower East and Large Dexterity Games 02:27 - The World Series of Boardgaming 03:49 - The Universe Explained with a Cookie 04:42 - Julie at the Tokyo Game Market 30:48 - Acorns 32:38 - Shiki no Tabi 34:06 - Space Macho 37:25 - Do You Need To Go? 38:57 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 4...
May 14, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie and Eric begin by recapping their recent travels, including Julie's trip to The Gathering of Friends and Eric's family trip to Washington DC and Philadelphia. Tom recalls the recent 36-hour marathon on the video chanel, which leads us into tips for playing several games in a row. We have a pretty darn horrific Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and finish the show with our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:43 - Playing Games All The Time? 02:40 - Jack Vasel Memorial Fund Auction (link below)...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Tom, Julie, and Eric discuss the pitfalls of April Fools gags before highlighting the highs and lows of bargain hunting. We confront a listener-submitted dilemma from the mailbag, and we share some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:45 - Cruise Hype and an Unexpected Musical Rant 02:21 - April Fools Annoyance 12:12 - Bargain Hunting 29:25 - Question: Avoid the Game or the Person? 36:05 - Spark Riders 3000 42:36 - Primal: The Awakening 45:56 - Blueprints 48:30 - Cryptid Cafe 50:49 - Epp...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric revisit last episode's question about auction games by looking at their favorite auction mechanisms, and look forward to Julie's and Eric's events at Dice Tower East. We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and run through our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:23 - Staying Up Late and Dice Tower West 03:29 - Looking Forward to Dice Tower East 07:00 - 36-Hour Marathon 08:07 - Auction Mechanisms 33:32 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 37:52 - Xylotar 41:17 - The 7th Citadel 49:3...
Apr 02, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast This time, we are LIVE at Dice Tower West 2024 in Las Vegas in front of a convention audience to discuss our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops, pit three games in a Vegas-themed Showdown, share a Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and take questions from the audience. 01:04 - News for Dice Tower West 2025 03:17 - Games Tom Taught 04:26 - Eric Plays Wyrmspan 05:52 - What's Julie Been Doing? 07:33 - Way Too Many Cats 11:38 - Shipwrights of the North Sea: Redux 13:45 - Paris: La Cité de la Lumière 17:27 - Mr....
Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Tom, Julie, and Eric share their excitement for Dice Tower West. Tom and Eric have been playing Collectable Card Games with their kids, while Julie played games in a castle. We share some industry news about the former designers at Prospero Hall, as well as a Tale of Horror that leads to a discussion about Math Trades. And we close the show with our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:45 - Dice Tower West and our Live Show 04:34 - Hot Games at DTW 09:51 - Tempest Workshop 13:19 - Playing CCGs with...
Mar 05, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Tom, Julie, and Eric remember their gaming habits in college. Also, we look at the motivation for a publisher to "rescue" a failed crowdfunding campaign. Eric gets worked up with a Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and we share some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:33 - Dice Tower West and Live At The Table (Saturday 3/9 at 1pm) 04:33 - "Rescuing" a Crowdfunding Campaign 27:01 - Our Gaming in College 40:25 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 45:26 - Wordcraft 49:21 - Expressions 52:54 - Maps of M...
Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast This time, Tom, Julie, and Eric look back at the work of the Prospero Hall design studio, as well as answering a question about travel games, and presenting a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror. Plus, those Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:31 - Popular Games on the Dice Tower Cruise 03:31 - Waiting to Get New Games 06:35 - The Work of Prospero Hall 27:05 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 32:08 - Question: Travel Games 39:20 - Dominion (app) 42:11 - Santa's Workshop 42:36 - Anotheer Christmas Romance Mov...
Feb 06, 2024•1 hr•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Recorded in the main dining hall on the Oasis of the Seas, Tom, Julie, and Eric discuss games they played in the pre-cruise event and first few hours of sailing, and also share advice on giving feedback to game designers after playing their prototype. 00:41 - Recording in Person?!? 02:07 - The Vale of Eternity 03:40 - Pre-Cruise Gaming and Taking Over Public Spaces 04:58 - Vaalbara 07:58 - Cheers to the Governor 13:55 - Diced Veggies 17:28 - Ready, Set, Bet (briefly) 17:41 - Mamma Mia 18:21 - Bl...
Jan 23, 2024•37 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast 
