AGC Interview 22 (Indie Press Revolution, Hero Games, and Blackwyrm Publishing) (47:14)

Mags chats with Jason Walters (with occasional interjections from Dave Mattingly of Blackwyrm Publishing) about his roles at Indie Press Revolution, Hero Games, and Blackwyrm Publishing.


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Show links
Indie Press Revolution
Hero Games
Blackwyrm Publishing
Imaginary Friends Kickstarter

AGC News December 27th 2012 (34:35)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. Games Workshop dominates our headlines. Giochi Uniti comes to the U.S. Two Magic: The Gathering sets for the Return to Ravinica block. Power Rangers Action Card Game. Game Days for 'DC Deck-Building' extended through end of January. Marvel Deck Building Expansions For 'Legendary'. Three new games from R&R Games, including one from Reiner Knizia 'Mage Wars: Forcemaster vs. Warlord Expansion' due in early 2013. Battle of Five Armies Board Game announced, and FFG's The Hobbit Card Game now shipping! Table of Contents from Gygax Magazine's first issue announced! End of the line for Gamemastery. Paizo Price Hikes. Details from WotC about 1st ed. re-prints. Wil Wheaton hangs out on Google. 'Hordes: Gargantuans' for the Hordes miniatures game. 'Warmachine' Fiction from Pyr.
Indiegogo internationalizes! Kickstarters of Note: The Morrow Project 4th Edition! ZOMBIEPOX board game educated about vaccines!


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Show links
Space Hulk Teaser Video
Wil Wheaton Google Hangout
Morrow Project Kickstarter
ZOMBIEPOX (Tiltfactor).
ZombiePox Playtest Signup

RPG Buffet - Card & Board Game 2012 Report

Happy Holidays, all!  Mags here, with a run-down of this year's RPG Buffet Annual Card and Board Game Night.

First, I'd like to thank Colin Moore of the Louisville Game Shop for providing us with a place to gather and play.  Colin's hosted the Card & Board Game Night for seven years now, and we appreciate his hospitality. 

There were only six of us in attendance this year, but that turned out really well because we all played the same games.  Usually there are about a dozen or so of us, so we break up into groups to play different games.

First game up was Cthulhu Fluxx, from Looney Labs.  Disclaimer: I received a demo copy complimentary of Looney Labs for review.

Cthulhu Fluxx is a new release, just shipped in August to stores, so most of us had not played it.  This is a dark yet fun interpretation of the game. Some notes:

• Creepers are appropriately creepy. 
• There are UnGoals as well as Goals. UnGoals allow for everyone to lose the game, and even for Great Cthulhu to win it! 
• Some Creepers and Keeper have Doom points assigned on their cards, which can increase the chance of everyone losing. 
• The cards were clearly designed with input from people who love their Lovecraft, because the game does a fantastic job of working in Cthulhoid themes.  You see Goal and UnGoal cards named after stories (The Dunwich Horror, The Shadiow Over Innsmouth, etc.), cards named after things that you see in the stories (Secret Cultist, which lets you win the game if an UnGoal causes everyone to lose; Keepers like Reanimator, Drunk, and Dreamlands;  FBI Raids, an Action card which takes away all Keepers and Sleepers, etc.), and some downright funny cards (At Home With the Whatelys, a Goal, and Mistkaonic Study Group, a New Rule). 
• There are also some very powerful cards in this game. I won't spoil them for you, but when The Stars Are Right or Cosmic Instructions come into your hand, tread very carefully!

I think that Cthulhu Fluxx is probably the most intricate of the Fluxx card games precisely because you have so many additional rules and actions added in order to intergrate the Lovecraftian theme.  But, in classic Fluxx style, none of these additions are heavy-handed or weigh down the game at all, so whether your familiar with Fluxx or not, you just read the card's rules and go with the flow.  The one downside is, if you're not familiar with Lovecraft, the game probably loses some of its charm.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves Lovecraft or horror, or anyone who wants a slightly more challenging version of Fluxx to play.  Order it directly from Looney Labs, or via your favorite local gaming store.

We decided to play Oz Fluxx next. Disclaimer: I also received Oz Fluxx complimentary from Looney Labs to review.

Following Cthulhu Fluxx with Oz Fluxx was like a bright, cheerful day following a desperate, horrific night.  Even looking at the cards, with their merry designs and colorful pictures, was a bit of a mental shock after playing Cthulhu Fluxx. 

Fans of The Wizard of Oz are legion, so my first thought is that this is the version of Fluxx to use to introduce the non-gamers in your life to Fluxx--yes, even above and beyond the basic Fluxx game.  My second thought is, that's some really fantastic art!  Artist Michael Hays did an amazing job capturing both the whimsy and dark side of The Wizard of Oz.  I couldn't tell if he'd drawn for Fluxx games before (sorry, Looney Labs!), but his art for Oz Fluxx was so striking that I made it a point to go look up who the artist was.

Cards in this release are pretty much what you would expect from a Oz-themed Fluxx game.  You have Creepers like the Wicked Witch of the West and the Flying Monkeys, Keepers like the The Wizard, The Yellow Brick Road, and Toto, New Rule cards like Magic Shoes (click your heels three times to draw an extra card on your turn), and Goals like No Place Like Home (the player who has both the Dorothy and the Kansas Keeper cards on the table wins). 

In keeping with the light-hearted approach, Creepers are apparently not as powerful in this game as other Fluxx games.  From what I could tell, Creepers only have the effect of stopping you from winning--there doesn't seem to be any other mechanic assigned to them.  Oz Fluxx also apparently has more Goal cards than most other versions--31, as opposed to 29 for Fluxx 4.0, 28 in Cthulhu Fluxx, 25 in Pirate Fluxx, 21 in Zombie Fluxx, and 17  in Family Fluxx.  Only Pirate Fluxx has more Goals, with a total of 33.  It also only has 18 Keeper cards, so if my math is correct the number of ways to win has been reduced slightly.  That may mean for longer games, which is a bonus if you want to use it to keep kids occupied.

Oz Fluxx introduced a new mechanic--one also found in Cthulhu Fluxx--called Surprises.  If you're familiar with Magic: the Gathering, Surprises work like a bit like Interrupts: they're cards you can play when it's not your turn for one effect, or during your turn for a different effect. 

Oz Fluxx is another clear winner in the Fluxx line.  I think it's going to have wide appeal, wider than even Zombie or Pirate Fluxx.  It proves that there's plenty of steam left in the Fluxx line, too--there truly seems to be no end in sight for the adaptations they can do with this game.  I will say this: if you are a fan of Oz-derived works like the book or musical Wicked, or the L .Frank Baum books that came after the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel, you'll probably be a little disappointed in this game, as none of those works are referenced. This is a departure from Monty Python Fluxx, which referenced the show, the movies, and (IIRC) Spam-A-Lot. I imagine this is due to copyright and/or trademark issues. I also imagine it won't be that disappointing to an Oz fan.

Oz Fluxx was released in March, and is in available online and stores now.  Another great Fluxx game, especially good for the non-gamer in your life.

We went after Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space next.  I purchased this game myself at Gen Con 2011, and did a reading review of it in episode 131.  WOW.  This game was nominated for a Diana Jones award, and I can see why.  The details of the rules are in my earlier review, but we all agreed that this was a deeply creepy game, like Are You A Werewolf meets the movie Aliens.  It's slow, and intense, and the horror just builds as players get picked off one by one.  It was such a hit with us as we were playing it, that Colin ran to his computer to look up how he could order a copy into his store.  Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space is available in stores and online.  BoardGameGeek has a video review here.

Finally, the biggest hit of the night was Escape: The Curse of the Temple from Queen Games.  We played a demo copy that Colin had in his store, and I bought a copy that night.  Some of you may remember that this was originally a Kickstarter project from Queen Games.  This was hands-down the favorite game of the night. We've never played a board game like this, and we were all deeply impressed with it.  It's quick to learn, quick to play--ten minutes!--fun, simple but extremly challenging, and intense.   But it's intense in a different way than Escape From the Aliens in Outer Space is--as Buffet John described it, it's a "cardiovascular adventure".  The game is now available in stores and online. Someone at BoardGameGeek put together a great game play demo on YouTube, and I recommend you take a look at it. It retails for $49.99, but the components are high quality and obviously durable, so it's money well-spent.


Summing up: if I were give these to anyone for the holidays, I would rank Oz Fluxx as #1 of the games we played because of its wide appeal-- you can't lose if you give this game to your kid, your eighty-year old aunt, or your gamer friend.  If I'm only considering the gamer on my shopping list, on the other hand, I have no doubt they would be thrilled with either Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space or Escape: The Curse of the Temple.  Not to say that Cthulhu Fluxx isn't worth giving as a gift, but I think the other three games would appeal to a wider group of gamers.

AGC News December 6th 2012 (25:07)

With Mark and Mags. Kobold Quarterly Magazine ceases publication. TSR and Gygax disputes? Pathfinder deckbuilding game. A Few Acres of Snow, second edition. A victory for Khet! Pathfinder Ultimate Campaign! Champions Complete! Games Workship v Chapterhouse continues. Order of the Stick minis! Museum of D&D IndieGoGo! FATE Core at last! 50 Shades of Wha?


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Show links
Games Workship v Chapterhouse Documents (Archive.org)
Museum of Dungeons & Dragons (IndieGoGo)
FATE Core (Kickstarter)

AGC 168 November 23rd 2012 (I'll Take Potpourri) (1:07:07)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Stuff that already happened. Wow, I procrastinated in getting this together... Gaming experiences and such. Cards Against Humanity. Battlestar Galactica. DriveThruRPG. 1st and Goal revisited. Carol talks about Mermaid Adventures! Mark looks at the Word on the Street Expansion set. Carol takes a look at using Evernote for your game notes (with some mild cost possibly involved). The new Kindle Fires (or not so new by now). Mark has Megabyte Confusion. Mark got Pitford from Outland Arts, and What To Feed Your Raiding Party! Mags has news of a Looney Labs long-ended Kickstarter, and Oz Fluxx...


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Show links
1st and Goal (R&R Games)
Third Eye Games (Mermaid Adventures)
Word on the Street Expansion 1 (Out of the Box Publishing)
Best Apps And Cloud Services For Taking, Storing, and Sharing Notes (How to Geek)
Evernote
Evernote (Wikipedia)
Dropbox Automator (Wappwolf)
Ifttt
Pitford: Gateway to the Ruins (Outland Arts)
What to Feed Your Raiding Party


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:High Space Core Rules Beta (StoryWeaver)
Carol:Toypocalypse (Top Rope Games)
Mags:Nobilis: Antithesis, Minibook 1i (Eos Press)


Promos
BoardGamePodcasts.com
Ruthless Diastema

AGC News November 19th 2012 (25:51)

With Mark and Mags. Disney is not buying Hasbro. Man killed over Magic cards. Wildcat v Wizards and an eTCG patent. The Games 100 List. Cardfight!! Vanguard news. Evo Fury for Kaijudo. L5R Honor and Treachery. Rise of the Zombies. Nightfall: Crimson Siege. Hasbro wants to outfit your New Years party! Mage 20th is coming! Pathfinder's Mythic Adventures playtest. Wizkids introduces SwitchClix, and Fear Itself. Game Funders. Turn to 400 Fighting Fantasy Documentary Kickstarter! The Board Room!


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Show links
Wildcat's eTCG Patent (Google)
Happier New Years Game Nights (Hasbro/Facebook)
Game Funders
Turn to 400 (Kickstarter)
The Board Room, Washington DC

Mags-The-Axe School of GMing 6 (Choosing a Game System) (35:16)

Mags and Carol talk about choosing a game system, from genre and premise to particulars of your group, a word on generic systems, and other resources.


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Show links
The RPG Chart


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News November 8th 2012 (25:48)

With Mark and Mags. Hobby gaming looking better in a financial sense. Paizo Game Space beta. Board Game Exchange? Guildhall (AEG's Essen release). Robinson Crusoe from Z-Man. Carcassonne to Windows Phone! Boss Monster. Bioshock and Crysis boardgames! Zpocalypse. Rumble in the Dungeon! Scrabble Beatles edition? Outer Reach for Deathwatch. DC Heroclix goes to "No Man's Land." The Notable Kickstarter section: Mutants and Masterminds 10th Anniversary, and Ars Magica: Years of Conquest. Sundsvallsspelet an "explosive" game?


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Show links
Board Game Exchange
Boss Monster (Brotherwise Games/Kickstarter)
Rumble in the Dungeon (Flatlined Games)
Mutants and Masterminds 10 Year Edition (Green Ronin/Kickstarter)
Ars Magica: Years of Conquest (Black Chicken Studios/Kickstarter)

AGC Interview 21 (Lamentations of the Flame Princess) (1:28:56)

Mark talks to James Raggi of Lamentations of the Flame Princess about his most recent adventure releases (Death Love Doom, The Monolith From Beyond Space and Time, The God That Crawls, and The Magificent Joop van Ooms) and a bit about crowd-sourced funding.


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Show links
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
Death Love Doom
The Monolith From Beyond Space and Time
The God That Crawls
The Magnificent Joop van Ooms
LotFP Blog


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News October 13th 2012 (24:47)

With Carol and Mags. Steve Jackson's Warehouse 23 to promote local retailers! Catan World Championships. WizKids Lord of the Rings Dice Building. Clash of Cultures from Z-Man. Ticket to Ride Map Collection 3! Tabletop featuring Pandemic and Wits and Wagers! Pathfinder releases. Dragon Age Set 3! Robotech Genesis Pits! Cryptozoic tweaking WoW Qualifiers. Syracuse Game Designers' Guild!


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Show links
Steve Jackson Games request for Brick and Mortar Promo Materials
Warehouse 23
Catan World Championships (Livestream)
Tabletop (Geek and Sundry)
Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition (Kickstarter)
Onyx Path
RPG Golden Geek Awards Nominees for 2012 (RPG Geek)
Syracuse Game Designers' Guild

RPG Buffet 30 (Silver Age Sentinels CAGE MATCH!) (22:47)

For July and August, Mags, Kae, Steve, Misty, Louis, and Karen compare the Tri-Stat and d20 versions of Guardians of Order's Silver Age Sentinels!

From Misty: Zucchini Fries!
Cut zucchini into strips.
Whip a couple of eggs and dredge fries through it.
I actually had the zucchini in a ziploc because I cut the night before, so I dumped the eggs in and shook it.
Then dredged them through a bowl of flour, cracker crumbs (I didn't have any bread), and seasoning. I used salt, pepper, and some thyme.


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Show links
Silver Age Sentinels (Wikipedia)

RPG Buffet 29 (Pathfinder) (16:23)

Mags, John, and Louis discuss Louis' run of Paizo Publishing's Pathfinder!


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Show links
Pathfinder (Paizo Publishing)

RPG Buffet 28 (Ghostbusters RPG) (18:33)

Who ya gonna call? Mags, Misty, John, Layne, Louis, and Guest GM Mark, assuming you want to talk about West End Games' Ghostbusters!

Since the Ghostbusters movie is set in New York City, the RPG Buffet decided to feast on New York Cuisine.

After some debate, we settled on New York-style hot dogs for our entree. In the US, there's a lot of variation of hot dogs from region to region. The classic NYC hot dog is an grilled all-beef frank served with any of the following, including: sauerkraut, sweet relish, onion sauce, and/or mustard. When we did Dresden Files, on the other hand, we did Chicago-style hot dogs, which is a steamed all-beef frank on a poppy seed bun, served "dragged through the garden". That is, with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickled spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. Our international listeners can learn more about regional American hot dog variations here.

Because NYC also has a strong East European Jewish cuisine tradition, Becca was good enough to cook potato latkes for us. And to keep with the theme of the movie, Mags made green slime punch.

POTATO LATKES (from Epicurious.com)
1 pound potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 250°F. Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander. Spread grated potatoes and onion on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.

Latkes may be made up to 8 hours ahead. Reheat on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, about 5 minutes. Grating the potatoes, soaking them briefly in water, and then squeezing out the liquid (as we've done here) keeps the batter from turning brown too quickly.


GREEN SLIME PUNCH (from Easy-Punch-Recipes.com)
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) Lime Flavor Gelatin
2 cups cold orange juice
1 bottle (1 liter) cold ginger ale
ice cubes
1 pt. (2 cups) orange or
lime sherbet
1 lime, thinly sliced

Stir boiling water into dry gelatin in large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in juice. Cool to room temperature. Pour into punch bowl just before serving. Add ginger ale and ice; stir. Add scoops of sherbet. Serve!


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Show links
Ghostbusters (Wikipedia)

RPG Buffet 27 (Diaspora) (20:13)

Mags, Brandon, Louis, Kae, Steve, and John talk about the May play session of VSCA's Diaspora!

When it gets hot outside, the last thing anyone wants to do is go inside and heat up their kitchen. With temperatures topping 95 degrees F in the Louisville area, the RPG Buffet decided to do a salad bar for this month's meal.

You can start with a basic green salad:

Salad greens, rinsed and dried:
Lettuce torn into bite sized pieces, baby spinach, arugula, mixed salad greens, kale, etc.
shredded carrot
tomato slices or cherry tomatos
cucumber slices
bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly

...and then top it with whatever else you would like:

alfalfa sprouts, sunflower sprouts
artichoke hearts
sliced or diced onions
avocado cut into 3/4" cubes
olives, pitted, and sliced if desired
shredded red cabbage
sliced radishes
chopped fresh herbs, whole basil leaves
nuts: sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds (the peppered almonds we referred to are here)
dried cherries, cranberries or raisins
sun dried tomatoes
cooked sweet corn kernels
hard-boiled egg, chopped
crumbled feta cheese, soy cheese, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, etc.
crumbled tofu
cooked black beans, garbanzo beans or kidney beans
Fried cubes of tempeh, tofu, etc.
Croutons
cubed cooked chicken
cubed cooked tuna or salmon
cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces (or "bits)

...and have a variety of commercial salad dressings on hand. Serve with iced tea and/or lemonade, and crusty bread.

For dessert:
Steve's Fruit Salad

1 large Cantaloupe
4 bananas
1 cup orange juice
1 oz grenadine
1/4 vanilla extract

Cube cantaloupe and slice bananas into chunks, add OJ, grenadine, and vanilla extract. Stir to coat, then chill for at least an hour before serving.


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Show links
Diaspora (VSCA Publishing)

AGC News September 25th 2012 (38:23)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. Reaper's record setting Kickstarter! D&D Documentary funded! Tabletop promotion with hobby stores. Zoch Verlag games to US through Lion Rampant and Rio Grande. Deadfellas! Relic! Urbania and Catan Histories! Article 27. Indie RPG Awards! Numenera funding! ICONS to Ad Infinitum Adventures. Some D&D info. Designers and Dragons coming back via Evil Hat. Penny Arcade and 13th Age. Evil Beagle Games! X-Wing Minis due before Christmas. Sedition Wars. A shot at geek beer. Help Jesse Heinig!


Download 64kbps mp3 (18.4 MB)


Show links
Indie RPG Awards 2011 Results
Numenera
Fred Hicks post about Designers and Dragons
Designers and Dragons (Evil Hat Productions)
Designers and Dragons Facebook Page
Hoppy Dwarf Brewing Company
Hoppy Dwarf Brewing Company IndieGo
Jesse Heinig Chip-In

AGC Interview 20 (Mark's GenCon Interviews) (31:21)

Mark brings you his interviews from GenCon 2012! Sorry about the clipping in parts where Mark is talking.


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Show links
Nukotoys (Animal Planet Wildlands, Monsterology)
Animal Planet Wildlands (iOS App Store)
Monsterology (iOS App Store)
Third Eye Games (Mermaid Adventures, API, Wu Xing, Part Time Gods)
Eloy Lasanta's Blog
Inkarnate RPG Toolset
Inkarnate RPG Toolset (Kickstarter)
Hamster Press (Snapshot 1969, 16th Century City Maps,
Rise of the Underdark (Wizards of the Coast)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC Interview 19 (The Mags-the-Axe GenCon Interviews) (51:48)

Mags brings you her intervies from GenCon 2012! Look for Mark's interviews in the next few days or so.


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Show links
RPG.net
Curse The Darkness
Redbrick LLC
Eden Studios (Conspiracy X)
Sages of RPG


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC 167 August 23rd 2012 (To GenCon And Back Again) (1:42:57)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Mark's gaming group blew up (partially his fault) -- the moral is that groups need good communication! Adventures at the GenCon Auction! We're merging the news show with the main show this time. GenCon attendance looks to be up! Munchkin Pathfinder and Mars Attacks! Spy games, and Star Trek Catan is coming! Legendary, another Marvel card game! Seasons! Details about Fantasy Flight's Star Wars RPG! Mutants and Masterminds supernaturals! Art of Roleplaying Games, and some miniature mounts! DriveThru picks! More on the auction, then Carol talks about The Way Things Work boardgame. More GenCon discussion! Mags' Thursday and Mark's Saturday. A quick trip through registration. Mags the Stalker (but she didn't fangirl all over Wil Wheaton). Ascension. Smash Up! Paizo efficiency! A dozen dice cups. The Ram. "How do you find these people?!?" Mark's "hurry up and wait" GenCon. The GenCon Third Day voice. City of Horrors! Lack of podcasters? Lack of swag bag! Awards! Congrats to Haste and Role Playing Public Radio! The Nordic LARP controversy, here on AGC! Onyx Path Publishing. Promotional videos over the Exhibition Hall entrances. D&D Next Keynote! Regrets and looking forward. FlatCon! Kickstarters!


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Show links
GenCon
Krab Jab Studio Facebook (Art of Roleplaying Games)
Horse, Character Mount Marker Kit (LITKO Game Accessories)
The Way Things Work Boardgame (Amazon)
International Playthings LLC
Alderac Entertainment Group (Smash Up, Thunderstone Advance, Legend of the Five Rings)
Onyx Path Publishing
The Gamers: Hands of Fate Kickstarter
Man-Made Mythology (Kickstarter)
Numenera (Kickstarter)
Dungeons and Dragons: A Documentary (Kickstarter)
Truth and Lies (Kickstarter)
Perils of the Surface World (Kickstarter)
Horror on the Orient Express (Kickstarter)
Shadowfist: Combat in Kowloon (Kickstarter)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:Grimtooth's Traps (Flying Buffalo)
Carol:Victorian Lost (White Wolf)
Mags:GUMSHOE Bundle (Pelgrane Press)
Also:Fiasco: Lightning Bolt! (Bruhaha Games)
Maschine Zeit Adventure Bundle (Machine Age Productions)


Promos
Yog Radio
d6 Generation

AGC 166 August 14th 2012 (12 Big Angry Damn Review Shows) (1:30:31)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Carol still in the satellite office. Non-smooth titles. Mark's jury duty experience. DriveThruRPG picks! And codes! Shaintar review memories. Reviews! Mags reviews House of Cards (look for it at Games on Demand at GenCon!). Carol talks about Candycreeps. Mark messes up the theme of the reviews with 1st and Goal. Mags closes the reviews with the Mistborn Adventure Game. Mags' highlights for GenCon this year. Mark shows a couple of Kickstarters, including one affecting GenCon. Carol has something to mention as well...


Download 64kbps mp3 (43.3 MB)


Show links
House of Cards (Parenthesis Press)
Parenthesis Press
Candycreeps (Green Fairy Games)
Candycreeps Development Diary and Play Ideas
1st and Goal (R&R Games)
Mistborn Adventure Game (Crafty Games)
The Gamers: Hands of Fate Kickstarter
Pajara Games' World War III Kickstarter
Pajara Games
Numenera (Monte Cook)
Monte Cook Science Fantasy Post


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:Delta Green (Pagan Publishing)
Carol:Shaintar: Legends Arise Beta Guide (Reality Blurs)
Mags:Hocus Focus: A Dresden Fiasco (Evil Hat Productions)


Promos
Ruthless Diastema
New Style

AGC News August 14th 2012 (27:10)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. The Kickstarter kerfuffle. More financials. World of Warcraft TCG sneak previews! Spartacus! Quarriors expansion. The One Ring off PDF? Chances to play Mistborn with Brandon Sanderson at GenCon! Champions Complete and Monster Hunters! Hostile Work Environment. A cold Pathfinder setting. Games Workshop growing profit. Chaosium contests, and why people play!


Download 64kbps mp3 (13.0 MB)


Show links
French Language Chistopher Tolkien Interview (Le Monde)
English Translation of Le Monde Christopher Tolkien Interview
Larry Correia (Monster Hunters Inc.)
Two Beginning Roleplayer Contests (Chaosium Inc.)
American Journal of Play PDF Articles (Pick the first article, Play and Mate Preference: Testing the Signal Theory of Adult Playfulness

AGC Extra - Alex Flagg unboxes the Mistborn RPG

We've got a Big Damn Review Show coming up soon, and one of those reviews will be Mags' take on the new Mistborn RPG from Crafty Games.   As a supplement to that review, here's Alex Flagg doing an unboxing of the softcover/retail edition of the game.

AGC 165 August 4th 2012 (And The Winner Is... 2012 Edition) (1:35:42)

With Carol and Mags. Carol and Mags discuss this year's awards outlook!


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Show links
ENnie Awards
Diana Jones Award


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News August 3rd 2012 (23:30)

With Mags. Wil Wheaton is a GenCon media guest (and Tabletop as well). Merchant of Venus cooperation! Barnes and Noble up less than 1% after Borders closing. The Google Nexus 7. 4Kids Entertainment bankruptcy news. Monopoly: the Godfather Edition! Cryptozoic Summer Tour! Animated Bella Sara! Dixit Jinx! DC Comics Deck Building Game! Yu-gi-Oh!, Magic, and Pokemon news! Warhammer 40K 6th Edition! Pathfinder NPC Codex! Some interesting HeroClix to celebrate a Comic-Con documentary. HeroClix Assassin's Creed. WizKids withdraws products from the Origins ballot. Geek Battle!


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Show links
Tabletop (Geek and Sundry)

AGC Interview 18 (FandomFest Special) (1:19:25)

Carol and Mags bring you interviews from the FandomFest/Fright Night Film Fest in Louisville, Kentucky, back in late June!


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Show links
Fright Night Horror Weekend/FandomFest
FandomFest Blog
Louisville Gaming Club (Meetup)
Louisville RPG
Louisville Story Gamers (Meetup)
Card Board Gamers
Dry-Erase Starship Maps (Blackwyrm Publishing)
Inkstained Succubus Productions
Brooks and Sparrow
Hostage Entertainment (Mob Ties)
Mob Ties Blog
Mob Ties (Board Game Geek)
Mistborn RPG (Crafty Games)
Mistborn RPG Hardcover Info (Crafty Games)
Mistborn RPG Quickstart
Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson)
Spycraft 3.0 (Crafty Games)
Ten Thousand Bullets (Crafty Games)
Spellbound (Crafty Games)
Hobomancer (Hex Games)
Larry Elmore
Some of Larry Elmore's Magic: the Gathering work (Wizards of the Coast)
Louisville Board Gamers (Meetup)
Matt McCloud's Blog (FandomFest)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

Retro-Clone Rundown!

Hey there, AGC fans!  It's Mags.


It occurred to me that the AGC Crew has mentioned several retro-clones on the show, but never really outlined which retro-clones are drawn from what material.  So, I thought I would provide an outline of what's out there.


The below is taken, with some light editing, from RetroRoleplaying.com and Wikipedia:

What 's a retro-clone? 

The OGL has allowed fans to recreate the rules of older, out-of-print editions of the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game. These are usually called "retro-clones" because they are "clones" of the rules to older ("retro") editions of Dungeons and Dragons (or, as the authors will refer to it in the material for legal reasons, " the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game"). While no retro-clone is an exact copy of an earlier game, they generally are close to identical in play. 

Role-playing game publisher Matthew Finch was  the initial author of OSRIC 1.0, which was afterward taken up by Stuart Marshall and released to the public in 2006 as a retro-clone of the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1977–1989). The release prompted another game designer, Daniel Proctor, to write and release Labyrinth Lord in 2007, a more complete retro-clone of Dungeons & Dragons B/X (1981–1982). The following year, Finch announced the release of Swords & Wizardry, ostensibly a simulacrum of the original Dungeons & Dragons game (1974–1977), and the retro-clone movement was pretty much launched.

Most retro-clones have free PDF versions and most have nicely bound printed copies available for a very reasonable price. 

0e (Original Edition) RetroClones

EDIT: A listener pointed out that we neglected to list Lamentations of the Flame Princess, a 0e like RPG focused on "weird" role-playing.

MicroLite74  is Microlite20  (a trimmed-down, sub-miniature version of the Primary Fantasy SRD rules that has been designed to be quick and easy to play) that has been rewritten to recreate the style and feel of the 0e edition from 1974 (a.k.a the White Box). It takes the popular, very rules light 3.x Microlite20 and reshapes it to feel like 0e using Microlite20 rules as the base. There are two supplements, Ancient Auguries and Wary's Grimoire. Ancient Auguries adds an assortment of optional rules. Wary's Grimoire adds much of the material from the 0e supplements including more character classes and higher level spells.

A special note about MicroLite74: the author is offering a special MicroLite74 package as part of a fundraiser.  He has medical bills exceeding $110,000USD due to cancer in the family, so if you're able to donate, please do so.

Swords & Wizardry  is an OGL retro-clone of the 0e version from the mid-1970s, the same edition Microlite74 is loosely based on. Sword & Wizardry is handy for complex spell and monster descriptions for use with Microlite74 as well as a game in and of itself. There are two versions of this game. One uses just the material from the three original 0e booklets and the other uses selected material from the 0e supplements.

B/X, BECMI and Retro-Clones

The Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game is loosely based on the so-called B/X edition of D&D from the early 1980s. There are a number of minor tweaks like ascending armour class and separation of races and classes.

Labyrinth Lord was written and edited by Daniel Proctor and published by Goblinoid Games.  It's more closely based on the so-called B/X edition of D&D from the early 1980s (a.k.a the "Red Box"). Some minor changes have been made for compliance with the OGL and copyright law.  However, there are a few differences between the two games. Rather than being released in separate Basic and Expert boxed sets like the version of D&D that it emulates, all of LL's rules are contained in a single volume. Another deviation from the source material is that characters can advance to 20th level (the 1981 Expert set only included levels up to 14).  LL includes most of the same monsters, spells, and magic items as classic D&D, except for those designated as "product identity" by Wizards of the Coast. In some cases, these have been replaced with similar alternatives.

Dark Dungeons is based on the one volume "cyclopedia" version of BECMI edition. Like the "cyclopedia" version, this is a complete game in one volume allowing characters to advance through 36 levels and then try to become an immortal. Unlike most retro-clones, Dark Dungeons includes rules for high level characters with strongholds, mass combat, other planes, immortals (i.e. "deities"), and even includes rules for fantasy space travel.

B/X Companion is intended to be the third volume designed to complete the work begun with Tom Moldvay's Basic Rules and continued in the Dave Cook/Steve Marsh Expert Rules, both published in 1981. Both promised a "Companion" volume that would conclude the series.  Instead TSR (and Frank Mentzer) re-wrote and re-published a five volume series (BECMI) that, while certainly interesting, failed to deliver on the promise of those earlier works. This is an attempt at producing the promised B/X Companion.

Companion Expansion is another attempt at producing the "third book" of the B/X version.

1e and Retro-Clones

Labyrinth Lord: Advanced Edition Companion is a supplement for the Labyrinth Lord game (see above). It is allows the use of the array of advanced character possibilities from the first edition rules, and first edition monsters and magical items. All character class options from the Labyrinth Lord core rules and the Advanced Edition Companion book are cross-compatible.

OSRIC (Old School Reference & Index Compilation) is an OGL version of the first "advanced" edition of D&D from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first edition of OSRIC was designed to be just something that would allow publishers to legally publish OGL materials compatible with 1e. The second edition of OSRIC is much more complete and is written with both players and publishers in mind. More than a dozen distinct publishers have produced dozens of OSRIC-compatible adventure modules and supplements.

2e and Retro-Clones

For Gold and Glory contains all the information from the three core books of the 2nd edition of the world's most popular RPG, minus the optional rules.  It's also organized in a much better fashion than the original.

Myth & Magic is another remake of the 1989 Second Edition Rules, and recently had a successful Kickstarter project. (NOTE: No free PDF version)

Other Games

Double Zero is based on the 1983 Victory Games superspy RPG James Bond 007. It's developed by Berin "Uncle Bear" Kinsman.

Dragons at Dawn is a retro tribute to the very first fantasy gaming system pioneered by Dave Arneson. Dragons at Dawn is purportedly consistent with Arneson’s original, largely forgotten methods of play developed roughly in the period 1970-1973.

Four Colors System clones TSR's original 1985 Marvel Super Heroes game.  This one's from Phil Reed of Ronin Arts.

GORE (Generic Old-school Role-playing Engine) clones Chaosium's Basic Role-Playing rules, the base system for RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer and several other classic-era RPGs.  (For comparison, Chaosium offers free Quick-Start versions of Call of Cthulhu and its current edition of Basic Role-Playing, but these are free-as-in-beer, not open under the OGL.)

Legends of the Ancient World is a rules-light clone of Megagaming's The Fantasy Trip -- complete in seven pages. The game is a free PDF, but the publisher sells solitaire adventures for it similar to the ones Metagaming produced for TFT. Science fiction (Time and Space) and old west RPGs (Untamed West) based on these rules are also available as free downloads.

Mini Six is a fast and flexible rules system that encourages cinematic play. It's based on the D6 system from West End Games that was created in the 1980's for their edition of Star Wars. The free 8 page PDF includes OGL rules for fantasy, modern, and science fiction settings.

 Mutant Future  After Labyrinth Lord, Daniel Proctor wrote Mutant Future, which uses variant Laybrinth rules but captures the post-holocaust setting of TSR's Metamorphosis Alpha/Gamma World.

Spellcraft & Swordplay From veteran game designer Jason Vey, whose previous work includes All Flesh Must Be Eaten and Castle and Crusades, S&S is a re-imagining of Oe D&D with the original Chainmail combat rules based upon the 2d6 Man to Man table retained and expanded, and has been described as an interesting What If style of game  (NOTE: No free PDF version.)  (EDIT: A listener has let us know that there is a free version of Spellcraft & Swordplay.  You can download it here)

ZeFRS:  David "Zeb" Cook's 1985 rules for the TSR Conan roleplaying game return in clone form as a generic sword-and-sorcery RPG complete in one volume. Trample the jeweled kingdoms of your own world beneath your sandals!

AGC Review 7 (Carcosa and Isle of the Unknown) (23:53)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Mark looks at Carcoa and Isle of the Unknown from Lamentaions of the Flame Princess. Also, there is an interview with Fitz from Game Knight Reviews and Geoffrey McKinney (the author of these books) that with any luck is embedded below.




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Show links
Carcosa (Lamentations of the Flame Princess)
Isle of the Unknown (Lamentations of the Flame Princess)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


Promos
Game Knights

AGC Interview 17 (Project Ninja Panda Taco) (28:38)

Mark, Carol, and Mags talk to Jenn from the Jennisodes about gaming and her game Kickstarter, Project Ninja Panda Taco.


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Show links
Project Ninja Panda Taco (Kickstarter)
Writer Next Door (John Adamus)
Jennisodes


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News June 25th 2012 (33:06)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. A new edition of 40K! Hans im Gluck to Z-Man Games (and Alliance Distributors) in the US! AEG going in-store first. Romulan Empire! World of Warcraft TCG news. Memoir 44 Equipment Pack! 13th Age! Spiderkiller! Games Workshop concerns about 3D printing. 10,000 print run for Ogre! HeroClix 10th Anniversary set. Steve Jackson (UK) and Ian Livingston gaming top tens!


Download 64kbps mp3 (15.9 MB)


Show links
13th Age (Pelgrane Press)
Clive Thompson on 3-D Printing’s Legal Morass (Wired)

AGC News June 14th 2012 (29:36)

With Mark and Mags. Origins Awards results! Games Workshop Games Day in Chicago! Farewell to NeonCon! Hello again to Agent 13! Doctor Who card game coming, as well as Dungeon Fighter and a Troyes sequel. Penny Arcade Munchkin cards! Sewer Pirats. One more Marvel card game. Munchkin Kill-O-Meter. Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small. 3012! City-State of Tempest! The return of Crude: the Oil Game! The 5E playtest begins! Game Chef! Marvel Heroic Roleplaying heads into Civil War! Map in Pathfinder comics (but an end to minis to distributors, but there's this elaborate fix...). Merit Badges and Kickstarters.


Download 64kbps mp3 (14.2 MB)


Show links
Games Day 2012 (Games Workshop)
Game Chef 2012 Finals
Deadlands Noir (Kickstarter -- Hours Left at Time of Posting)
Nystul's Infinite Dungeon (Kickstarter -- Already Closed)


(An aside from Mark for anyone who sees these show notes: Someone wanting to do a gaming related podcast could do much worse than covering the Kickstarter/IndieGoGo/crowdfunding front. It seriously needs some dedicated coverage, in my not-so-humble opinion.)

AGC 164 June 5th 2012 (Seven Years and Some Weeks?) (1:35:46)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. Mark's 7 year spite troll? Games out in 2005, courtesy of Mags! Missed the ENnies deadline (but we think it's all Jennisodes this year anyway). Deliria memories and other thoughts of the last few years. Shepherd's Pie! Anyone have a copy of the Hellas actual play? Fandom Fest! Avengers! Gaming! ConGlomeration considerations. DriveThruRPG Talk! Games for first time gamers! Some fun stuff left over from New Years!

From Mags, about that Shepherd's Pie: I never bother with the Bisquick topping, figuring that the dish is carb-heavy enough. :) The recipe is over at Emily B. Jones's blog


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Show links
Jennisodes
AGC Additional Content
Fandom Fest
Game Knights
Completely Comics


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark:American Artifacts (Hex Games)
Carol:Amaranthine (Machine Age Productions)
Mags:Imperial Mysteries (White Wolf)
Also Check Out: Hobomancer (Hex Games)


Promos
Fringeworthy (Tri Tac Games)
RPGPodcasts.com

Mags-The-Axe School of GMing 5 (ConGlomeration 2012 Gamemastering Seminar) (2:15:16)

From ConGlomeration 2012, Mags, Sean Patrick Fannon, and various members of the RPG Buffet lead a freeform seminar on solving GMing issues.


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Show links
ConGlomeration


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


Promos
Completely Comics
Voices of Tomorrow
Game Knights

AGC Interview 16 (The Mecha Combiners Kickstarter) (47:17)

Mark speaks with Chris Perrin and Mark Reed from Heroic Journey Publishing about future plans for the Mecha RPG, the Mecha Combiners kickstart, and a few other things, while dodging internet glitches.


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Show links
Mecha Combiners (Kickstarter)
Genesis of Aquarion (Wikipedia)
Elemental Clash
Heroic Journey Publishing
Mecha


Be sure to check out Gamerati!

AGC News May 15th 2011 (46:26)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. RIP M.A.R. Barker. Court defeats "Amazon Tax" law. A battle of distributors. GenCon's 2012 charity! A mass market edition of Dixit! Once Upon A Time 3rd Edition! Tsuro of the Seas! Mage Wars plans. Lord of the Rings Card Game Hobbit expansions. Mayfair TV ads! SLA Industries on the way to the silver screen? Over The Edge system going OGL! Signal Fire releases. Rise of the Underdark. Star Wars X-Wing! Ogre 6th Edition crushes Kickstarter! The softening of Cthulhu.


Download 64kbps mp3 (22.3 MB)


Show links
M.A.R. Barker (Wikipedia)
Once Upon A Time (Atlas Games)
Tsuro (Calliope Games)
WaRP System (Atlas Games)
Ogre 6th Edition (Steve Jackson Games/Kickstarter)

RPG Buffet 26 (Cat) (27:21)

In an last-minute emergency change of game for April, Mags ran John Wick's Cat RPG for Kae, John, Steve, and Layne! Plus, wine tasting, folks (stay after for Layne's reviews)!

No specific recipe as such for April, because circumstances didn't really allow us to cook. So the Buffet decided on a tapas approach, with Mags bringing chicken salad, quinoa salad, crackers, and a sandwich platter from CostCo, John providing cheeses and wine, Layne provided assorted chocolates and wine, Steve bringing wine and fresh fruit, and Kae bringing fresh veggie platters and soda.

You can see our recommendations for a wine-and-cheese supper in the show notes from AGC Episode 54 in June 2007. If you're interested in how we Louisvillians approach finger sandwiches, take a look at this recipe for a local favorite: Benedictine spread.


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Show links
Cat (John Wick Presents...)

RPG Podcast Listener Survey

The 2012 RPG Podcast Listener Survey is up and available. It's your opportunity to help us take the pulse of the podcastosphere :). Check it out here: 2012 RPG Podcast Listener Survey and thanks for listening!

AGC 163 April 30th 2012 (ConGlomeration 2012) (41:52)

With Mark Kinney and Carol, and our special ConGlomeration 2012 guests Carinn Seabolt and Sean Patrick Fannon (Gaming Guests of Honor) and Michael Williams (Author Guest of Honor). Michael Williams answers our tradtional first question (writing DragonLance novels and working with Pacesetter). The Dragonlance experience, his other work, gaming in education, and Mark has to ask about Pacesetter. Moving over to Sean and Carinn: DriveThruRPG developments and Print on Demand. Silvermeet Studios. Shaintar: Legends Arise and Shaintar: Legends Unleashed, and the Shaintar fantasy setting in general. Audience questions: Writing to electronic formats? Other media?


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Show links
Blackwyrm Publishing (Trajan's Arch, Vine)
DriveThruRPG
Silvermeet Studios
Reality Blurs (Shaintar)
Pinnacle Entertainment Group Forums


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


Promos
Game Knights podcast

RPG Buffet 24 (QAGS Actual Play)

Yes, we know it's out of order, and technically not actually a podcast. We did, however, promise an actual play of Hex Games' QAGS, and here it is, the RPG Buffet's run by Hex Games' Colin Thomas. Mags made this episode 24, so that's why it is how it is. I encoded it as a nearly 120 megabyte mp3, and now it's available to those who dig the actual play and/or wanted to see how QAGS works!

You'll find the link to the file over in the Additional Content section of the All Games Considered site. Enjoy!

RPG Buffet 25 (Eclipse Phase) (12:56)

Note that Episode 24 is the soon-to-be-made available actual play file of the QAGS game from episode 23! That's why this is episode 25.

Brandon ran Eclipse Phase for the RPG Buffet, as discussed by Mags, Brandon, John, and Louis!

In belated honor of Saint Patrick's Day, the RPG Buffet decided to prepare Corned Beef & Cabbage for supper. Misty is the Buffet's Keeper of the Pressure Cooker, and prepared the meal using this recipe from Miss Vickie's Guide to Modern Pressure Cookery:

Corned Beef with all the Fixings

Step One: The Meat
A corned beef brisket with the spice packet, choose either a flat or point cut, allowing at least 1/3 lb, or a more generous 1/2 lb, per serving
3 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
include the seasoning pkt, or a make a suitable spice blend
16 ounces of a stout or a similar full-flavored beer, or other combinations flavoring liquids such as beef broth or wine with water

Discard the packing brine and rinse the meat well, trimming off any visible fat. Lay the meat with the fattiest side up on the cooking rack in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Add spices and the flavoring liquid, and enough cold water to just cover the meat.

Lock the lid in place. Bring to 15psi over high heat, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting to stabilize and maintain that pressure. Cook 50 minutes. Remove from heat and use the natural release method before opening the lid. A corned beef will have a natural pinkish-red color after cooking. This does not mean it isn't done. Nitrite is used in the curing process and this fixes the pigment in the meat and gives it the distinctive color. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and cover it with foil and a folded towel and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the meat to absorb its natural liquids, and it will continue to cook itself at the same time.

Test for doneness; the meat should be "fork-tender", meaning that a fork goes through it like its soft butter. If you can easily pull up a sliver of meat with a fork, it is a good indication of doneness. The internal temperature should be at least 160°F. If necessary, return to pressure for an additional 10 minutes and repeat the natural release, but do not overcook or your corned beef will be dry and stringy.

Step Two: The Vegetables

While the meat is resting, its time to cook the vegetables. Include at least 1lb of assorted vegetables per serving, increase as you like to add variety, stretch your budget, and for planned leftovers. Choose from a variety of root vegetables like carrots and parsnips, red or white boiling potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, boiling or yellow onions. Cut the pieces to a similar size -- I like hefty 2 inch chunks -- so they cook uniformly.

Use any variety of cabbage cut into thick 2-3 inch wedges, or use Kale or Brussels sprouts instead.

You can also add any type of cut hard winter squash, sweet potatoes, or any other veggies your family likes.

Discard all but 1 cup of the cooking broth. Place the cut root vegetables in a large steamer if you have one. Alternately, just put the cooking rack in the pressure cooker and add the cut root vegetables. If your pressure cooker is large enough, add the cabbage wedges on top of the cut root vegetables. Lock the lid in place. Bring to 15psi over high heat, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting to stabilize and maintain that pressure. Cook 4 minutes. Remove from heat and use the quick or cold water release method before opening the lid. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from pressure cooker and put the root vegetables and cabbage in separate serving bowls.

Alternatively, steam the cabbage separately using a second pressure cooker, or wait and cook them after the root vegetables are done. You can also steam cabbage wedges in a covered regular pot in about 15 minutes.


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Show links
Eclipse Phase (Posthuman Studios)

AGC 162 March 20th 2012 (Dear Gamemaster) (55:01)

With Carol and Mags. Missing someone? The girls conspire over sushi. Carol gets a Buffet lunch franchise. The Buffet's upcoming games. Carol gets Pan's Labyrinth. Just in time for Valentine's Day, the ladies ponder character sheets as love letters to the GM. Comments about character backstory. Life doesn't start at the tavern. The evolution of character sheets. Respecting the gamemaster's time--give an executive summary, not a novella. Layne likes to give the GM rope. How ignorance, normalcy, and downtime can inspire adventures. How do you decide PCs need a sense of normalcy? Dealing with Mary Sue-ism in characters. GMs love connections to the other PCs. It's not just the GM's story. Don't make the GM do too much homework. Another comment from Facebook. Explaining Mary Sue-ism in detail. Lesbian stripper ninjas who try to get the game to revolve around them. Every character should get a moment to shine. Raiding Mags's bookshelf: QAGS, Cold City, Blowback, and what each game does to encourage players in giving info to the GM. Email us your suggestions! Listener feedback. Also, any content creators who worked for the now-defunct Guardians of Order should contact Steve Wieck at DriveThruRPG.


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Show links
Executive Summary (Wikipedia)
Birka (Wikipedia)
The Dresden Files RPG (Evil Hat Productions)
Mary Sue (Wikipedia)
"A Trekkie's Tale", by Paula Smith (the story that gave us the term "Mary Sue")
QAGS 2nd Edition (Hex Games)
Cold City (Contested Ground Studios)
Mags's reading review of Cold City
RPG Buffet playtest review of Cold City
Blowback RPG
Contact forms for Steve Wieck at OneBookShelf (which owns DriveThruRPG.com)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mags & Carol:Strange Dead Love (White Wolf)


Promos
Rolling 20s
BaltiCon Podcast
Game Knights podcast
Solid Symbols

AGC News March 16th 2011 (26:47)

With Mark, Carol, and Mags. Hobby game growth! Purple Pawn survey! Creative Play charity event coming in April. Barnes and Noble growth. Some glances at how games are doing. Yu-Gi-Oh! suit settled. Marvel Super Hero Squad TCG coming. Steve Jackson Games doubles down on dice games! Killer Bunnies! Dixit: Journey. Cryptozoic keeps on rolling... Talk of top five RPGS. Dungeon Crawl Classics release coming! Dystopian Wars. The 2012 Windhammer Prize is coming! An Ascension Proposal...


Download 64kbps mp3 (13.8 MB)


Show links
Purple Pawn Game Industry Survey Report (pdf)
Creative Play Project
Chronicles of Arborell
Windhammer Prize (Arborell)
An Ascension Proposal
The Proposal (Youtube)

AGC 161 March 10th 2012 (Occupy Big Damn Review Show) (1:12:04)

With Mark Kinney, Carol, and Mags. A show recorded in December (secret arctic base?), when the Occupy theme was more relevant. Mark's Android and Mags' cat. Black Friday. Carol's culinary adventures. Carol's Dresden Update. The Gutter Skypes did in fact finish SLU, and what Mark's local group will do next. DriveThruRPG picks! The reviews begin! Escape From the Aliens in Outer Space! The Mutant Epoch! The Hellas Action Deck! Remnants and Edge! Fortunes Fool! Roller Girls Vs! Mark needs a rap name.


Download 64kbps mp3 (34.6 MB)


Show links
Jungle Jim's International Market
Holly Jolly Fiasco Playset (Board Game Geek)
Escape From The Aliens In Outer Space (Cranio Creations)
The Mutant Epoch (Outland Arts)
Hellas Main Page (Action Deck)
Outrider Studios (Remnants and Edge)
Fortunes Fool (Pantheon Press)
Pantheon Press Bundle
Roller Girls Vs (Hex Games)


Be sure to check out Gamerati!


AGC's DriveThruRPG Picks for this episode!
Mark: Savage Worlds Horror Companion (Pinnacle Entertainment Group)
Carol:101 NPC Grudges (PFRPG) (Rite Publishing)
Mags:Skeptic's Guide to Conspiracies (F+W Media)


Promos
Canon Puncture Show
The Weird Show
The Flashing Blade

RPG Buffet 23 (QAGS) (26:56)

Colin Thomas joins RPG Buffet regulars Mags, Steve, Louis, and John to talk about Hex Games' QAGS and a little other game talk. The mentioned 4-hour actual play will be additional content coming up, not something in the actual feed. So keep an eye out, and we'll let you know when it's available!


In January, the RPG Buffet did one of their favorite meals: breakfast for supper! In a twist, Mags decided to provide the fixin's for Bloody Marys. Bloody Mary bars are becoming popular in area restaurants, and for folks hosting breakfasts and brunches in their homes, so consider having one of your own.

Building Your Own Bloody Mary Bar
First, get a good vodka. There are some top shelf vodka producers like Tito’s Handmade (Texas) and 13th Colony (Georgia). You can also kick things up a notch by infusing your vodka. Lemons and limes add a citrus-y kick while fresh jalapenos lend heat. In general, most infusions take less than a week for the flavors to develop, although more creative blends (such as bacon-infused vodka) will take more time. In a pinch, you can buy vodka already infused--Mags recommends Absolut's Pepper vodka.

Of course, you want a good quality tomato juice, since this is the base for your Bloody Mary. Mags likes V-8, for its fuller flavor. V-8 also offers a hot and spicy version, for people who really want heat in their Bloody Marys. And many folks like some orange juice and bitters mixed in.

Other things to consider having at your Bloody Mary bar:
Tabasco
Worcestershire Sauce
Red wine vinegar
Dijon mustard
Celery salt (can also be used to rim the glass)
Black pepper (some people like to rim the glass with a mix of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper)
Garlic powder
Horseradish
Clamato (for "Clammy Mary")
Old Bay Seasoning (something else to rim the glasses with)
Pickled asparagus
Pickled okra
Pickled green beans
Pickled baby carrots
Boiled shrimp (for garnishing a "Clammy Mary")
Celery stalks
Lime and lemon wedges
Olives, a variety of stuffed and pitted
Bacon (strips, or crumbled)
Beef jerky or pepperroni sticks

As you can see, you can get as simple or elaborate as you like. For a simple Bloody Mary bar, just have on hand some chilled vodka, a good pre-mixed Bloody Mary mix (also chilled), and three or four add-ins (such as tabasco sauce, lemon wedges, celery stalks, and beef jerky). Your guests will have a great time. Don't forget plenty of ice!

Here's the ingredients for Mags's favorite Bloody Mary:
5 oz. good tomato juice
1 1/2 oz. fresh orange juice
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Tabasco
1-2 drops Angostora bitters
Freshly ground black pepper or 1 piquin chile, crushed
Pinch of sea salt
3 oz. 90 proof or better tequila
2 celery sticks with some leaves, trimmed to fit glasses (optional)
Crushed ice

February was Black History Month in the US, and Mags's has long threatened to cook Soul Food for the Buffet. Instead of hitting them with chitlins, Mags presented a supper of favorite dishes originating from Africa:

Chicken & Groundnut stew
5- to 6-pound chicken, cut and chopped into 12 or more pieces
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 cup peanut oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
5 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped and puréed with a food mill
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup dried ground shrimp
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon finely grated ginger root
1/2 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
6 cups boiling water
1/4 cup coarsely crumbled dried anchovies, (available in Asian markets)
2 whole fresh hot chillies, each about 3 inches long
1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup cold water beaten to a smooth paste
12 large fresh okra, washed and stemmed, or 12 frozen okra
6 hard-cooked eggs

Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Combine the salt and ground ginger, and rub the mixture evenly over each piece of chicken. In a heavy 5- to 6-quart casserole, heat the oil over moderate heat until it is very hot but not smoking. Brown the chicken in the hot oil, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, turning the pieces frequently with tongs and regulating the heat so they colour richly and evenly without burning. As they brown, transfer the pieces to a plate. Discard all but about 1/4 cup of the oil remaining in the pan and drop in the chopped onions. Stirring frequently and scraping the browned particles from the bottom of the pan, cook the onions for about 5 minutes, until they are soft and translucent. Add the puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, ground shrimp, garlic, ginger root, red pepper and white pepper. Raise the heat to high and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stirring constantly, pour in the boiling water in a thin stream and add the dried anchovies and the whole chillies. Return the chicken and any liquid accumulated around it to the casserole, and turn the pieces with a spoon until they are evenly coated. Cook uncovered over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter paste and the okra, and continue cooking uncovered until the chicken is tender and the dark meat shows no resistance when pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife. Add the hard-cooked eggs and simmer 4 or 5 minutes or until the eggs are heated through. Serve the stew at once, directly from the casserole or mounded attractively in a heated bowl or deep platter, accompanied by as many garnishes as you like.

Garnishes can be 1/2 cup finely chopped onions; 1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple; ½ cup coarsely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts; spiced okra; avocado salad with ginger; fried plantain cubes, diced ripe papaya or diced tomato salad.


Fufu (from whats4eats.com)
4 to 6 servings
White yams -- 2 pounds
Butter -- 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper -- to taste

Place the unpeeled yams in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the yams are cooked through and tender. Drain and let cool somewhat. Peel the yams, chop them into large pieces and place them into a large bowl with the butter, salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until very smooth. Alternatively, put the yams through a potato ricer and then mix with the butter, salt and pepper. Place the fufu into a large serving bowl. Wet your hands with water, form into a large ball and serve.

To eat fufu, pull a small ball of mush off with your fingers, form an indentation with your thumb and use it to scoop up stews and other dishes. Or place large balls in individual serving bowls and spoon stew around them.


Ethiopian greens (from Betumi.com)

1 lb. Green Kale, chopped fine
1 Medium Onion, finely minced
1/2-1 tsp. Garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. Ginger, ground
1/2 tsp. Tumeric
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1 Jalapeno Pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Water
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

Steps:
1) Saute onion in oil until clear.
2) Add garlic and spices.
3) Cook 3 minutes.
4) Add chopped kale.
5) Add water.
6) Cover and cook kale until tender (about 30 min.)
7) Add jalapenos and cook for 5 min. on low heat.
8) Add more salt to taste (serves 6).


Pineapple, Ginger, and Chili Salad
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
25 g (1 oz) fresh root ginger, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
1/2 a cucumber, cut into same size chunks as the pineapple
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Mix together all the ingredients and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes. Serves 4.


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