Holiday Music in Beloit

We’re about to get slammed with snow here in Beloit, so I spent some time this morning putting up the Christmas lights, trading out bicycles for sleds, and making sure the snowthrower is in working order. I also ordered tickets for the Beloit Janesville Symphony Orchestra‘s “Home for the Holidays Family Spectacular.” The concert is held December 20 at 2 PM, although we’ll start with a pre-show brunch with Santa at noon.

You can order tickets through the website, but if you call the ticket office instead (608-313-1200), the price for the concert and brunch together drops from $38 to $20 for adults and from $14 to $7 for kids. Come out and join us if you can.

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Games as Art

As we hurtle toward the monster consumer frenzy that is Black Friday, I thought I’d take a step back and mention three different efforts to create tabletop games that qualify as art.

At TAGIE last week, I met a USC graduate student named James A. Taylor. He’s creating a board game as part of his studies at the School of Cinematic Arts. It’s called The Gentlemen of the South Sandwiche Islands. One of James’s professors is Henry Jenkins, the former director of the MIT Comparative Studies Media Program. Jenkins gives James space on his blog to explain the game and the great deal of thought that’s gone into it.

While James is creating the game as art, he also wants his art to be played and enjoyed. To that end, he’s started a Kickstarter page devoted to raising money to allow him to self-publish a short run of 500 copies. I don’t normally recommend starting a company to push a single game, but since James is essentially selling the game directly to those who pre-order it via Kickstarter, it makes sense in this case. However, if there are any publishers out there who might be interested in helping bring such a game to the wider market, I’d guess that James might be willing to chat.

James’s efforts remind me of those of Lincoln Stoller and his games. Lincoln uses games to explore ideas rather than to entertain. Often these come in the form of one-off installations that couldn’t be commercially produced, but they’re fascinating to play with either way.

(Lincoln also interviewed me for The Learning Project a couple years back, which I’d forgotten about. If you want to read what it’s like to hold a very personal conversation with me when I’m exhausted but running on adrenaline in the middle of a show, be sure to give it a read.)

For a game that pushes the boundaries of game design but was always created with publication in mind, take a good look at Project Donut, from Jared Sorensen and Luke Crane, two rockstars of the indy RPG scene. If you hurry, you can still get in on the beta program and grab a free copy of the PDF. The actual game will go on sale in March, 2010.

Novels for 2010

The fine people at Angry Robot have announced the release dates for both Amortals and Vegas Knights, my first two original novels. Amortals should be out in the UK and Australia in April 2010 and in the US and the rest of the world in June 2010. Vegas Knights is slated to hit the UK and Australia in June 2010 too, with the US/rest of the world release in July. Combine that with the release of my upcoming Guild Wars novel sometime next year, and it’s shaping up to be an amazing summer.

Now I just have to finish writing them.

Games On Demand

One bit of advice I gave people at TAGIE was to limit their risk with new games, especially when starting out. Rather than blow five figures on a short run of games through a traditional printer, try a POD (print on demand) service first. You’ll learn more about what you’re doing, and you won’t be out nearly so much money.

Even if you’re just coming up with a prototype for your games–for playtesting or for pitching to a publisher–POD makes a lot of sense. You can create a fairly professional-looking product for a small total cost. Large runs are better for when you go into full production and can be confident you’ll sell thousands of copies. Otherwise, print only as many as you need and keep the numbers as low as you can.

I’ve mentioned TheGamecrafter.com before. They had some space in a booth at ChiTAG, and the materials looked good. This isn’t top-quality material, but it’s just fine for limited runs. TheGamecrafter.com people have been courteous and speedy about answering any of my questions every time too, which is always a good sign.

If you’re looking for better quality, although without the slick, web-based interface, check out Superior POD instead. They can produce standard wargaming chits and chipboard game boards, for instance, and their boxes come in full-color, unlike the white corrugated materials that TheGamecrafter.com uses. They don’t offer game components like pawns, but I’m told they’re hoping to do so soon. My old pal Jeff Valent runs Superior POD. He’s been involved with games forever and understands the hobby as well as anyone.

I’ve not tried either of these services personally, but I will the next time I get the chance.

What a Card

Bill of Rights Card.jpg At this year’s Gen Con, my pal Dan Tibbles of Bucephalus Games gave me the birthday present he’d been threatening me with for months. I had no idea what it might be, and when he handed me my very own card for his company’s game Bill of Rights, he caught me by surprise.

I had the chance to play the game with Anthony Gallela at PAX, and it’s lots of fun. In the game, you take the part of someone involved in the Constitutional Convention, and you struggle with the other players to push through the version of the Bill of Rights that your character would like best. Each player has a card that secretly defines his or her positions on various issues. While the game comes with several of these cards, there was room for more, so Dan printed up a special set of promotional cards featuring famous game designers. The six cards feature James Ernest (Lone Shark Games), Andrew Looney (Looney Labs), Mike Selinker (Lone Shark Games), Mike Stackpole, John Zinser (AEG), and me.

You can get the cards from any of the people shown on the cards. I have a whole carton of them. Hit me up for one at a show or a signing, and I’d be happy to share.

TAGIE/ChiTAG Report

I had a fantastic time at the TAGIE/ChiTAG conventions this weekend. I drove down on Thursday morning and made it in time to join the panel on “Design and Development,” moderated by my friend Mike Gray of Hasbro. It’s always a kick to join Mike on one of these panels because I remember sitting in the audience of one of his panels when I was starting out, over 20 years ago.

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Off to TAGIE and ChiTAG!

Later today, I’m off to TAGIE (the Toy and Game Inventor Expo) held down at Navy Pier in Chicago. Assuming rush-hour traffic doesn’t devour me alive, I should be on my first panel at 11 AM on “Design and Development,” moderated by the ever-excellent Mike Gray.

Tomorrow, I have two panels. The first, “Online and Interactive,” starts at 10 AM, and the second, “Meet the Inventors,” is at 2 PM. That night, I’ll be at the TAGIE Awards ceremony at the Adler Planetarium.

On Saturday, I’m part of the “Ask an Expert” sessions. I hope to find some time to wander around ChiTAG (the Chicago Toy and Game Fair) too before I head home. That part of the weekend is open to the public at very reasonable rates ($5 for kids and $10 for adults), so if you’re in the area, stop by and check out it. And if you see me, be sure to say hi!

The Emperor’s Weekend

My son Marty has the titular role in the KFAD production of The Emperor’s New Clothes. The play runs this Friday and Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM at the First Presbyterian Church in Beloit. If you live in the area, come on out and join us in watching Marty parade around stage in his long johns!