In this special episode, Vanessa joins Marty to talk about their trip to the Gamer’s Ranch in Missouri. They spent the weekend with a whole group of content creators including Our Family Plays Games, Man Vs Meeple, Grant Lyon, Tantrum House, Board Game Coffee, Blue Peg Pink Peg, Little Meeples, All the Meeples of the Rainbow and Danielle Standring. The event was put together by Inside Up Games, Eagle-Gryphon Games and games.shop/" title="">Queen Games.

Over the weekend we got to play lots of games, participate in group activities and make some content together. One of our highlights was a special Taste Buds where we introduced our international friends to grits. And we have a Carolina Reaper chocolate bar for people to try.

We hope you enjoy our overall and make sure to check out all the great content from the other outlets!

00:00:00Gamers Ranch00:06:15 Games and Activities 00:20:55 Taste Buds: Grits00:39:57 Taste Buds: Carolina Reaper Chocolate Bar00:50:26 Wrap up

The post RDTN Episode 287: Gamers Ranch Recap and Taste Buds w/ Special Guests first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

00:00:00 Intro 00:05:43 It’s in the Cards 00:09:00 No Grout Required 00:11:40 Gimme More! 00:17:45 If I can’t play Strike 00:23:40 Historical Game 00:28:22 “It’s Alive!” 00:33:37 Game Toppers LLC (Code:RDTN15) 00:36:41 Miniature Market 00:38:25 Portal Games 00:40:17 This Game has Bling 00:43:29 Best 2022 Portal Game We Played 00:48:10 Just the Two of Us 00:52:48 Pass the Advil 00:59:00 All Y’all Award 01:02:45 Game of the Year – Tony 01:07:28 Game of the Year – Marty 01:10:30 Outro

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most anticipated event of the year, the Squirelly Awards! Tonight, we gather to celebrate the very best in board games from 2022. This evening is all about recognizing the hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent of those who have made incredible contributions to our favorite hobby.

From the most outstanding designs to the most remarkable advancements in theme, components, and mechanics, we are here to honor the outstanding contributions of these individuals and teams. The Squirrelly Awards have become a symbol of excellence and recognition for those who have raised the bar and set new standards in their respective areas of expertise. Or that is what we tell ourselves.

We are honored to have some of the most talented, inspiring, and influential figures in the industry joining us tonight to celebrate these extraordinary accomplishments. So, let’s sit back, relax, and prepare to be dazzled by some of the most unforgettable performances and inspiring speeches of the year. Tonight, we come together to celebrate greatness, and we hope you enjoy the show!

The post RDTN Episode 286: 8th Annual Squirrelly Awards first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

Since we started heavily playing hobby games over 20 years ago, we see our tastes have drastically changed. We discuss how our preferences in games have changed over the years and why.

The post RDTN Episode 285: Changing game tastes over the years first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

00:00:33 Intro 00:04:10 Arcane Comforts 00:07:00 Meeple Design 00:08:40 Meeple Design Affiliate Code “RDTN10%” 00:09:19 Adulting 00:13:23 Discord 500 Members 00:15:00 Postal Fun 00:18:12 7 Wonders Edifice 00:25:34 Oreo Diet 00:27:58 Taste Buds 00:33:15 Portal Games 00:35:12 Joan of Arc – Draw and Write 00:44:40 Hoplomachus: Victorum 01:09:56 Game Toppers LLC 01:11:06 en.html" title="">Gosu X 01:21:35 Ahoy 01:35:31 Miniature Market 01:37:35 Outro

Lots of great games here and another long review but Hoplomachus: Victorum needed the discussion. When you deal with a Chip Theory Game, it is like an onion. There are so many layers and as you talk about it, you cannot help but pull them away one by one. But two things to mention in the blog, it is a solo only game and it is like all of their games, a bit pricey. But you get a lot of game and top notch quality with this. If you do solo game, then you need to see if you can get a test drive of this one.

If you are a fan of Root, then be sure to check out Ahoy. You might hear that it is a streamline version of Root, but that isn’t fair. The game has asymmetric powers like Root and different win conditions like Root, but that to me is where the similarities end. To be honest, it is simpler to play and that is the strength in my opinion.

If you get the chance to play 2 player card games like Ascension or the other 1000+ games similar to it, okay maybe not that many, look into Gosu X. The style of the game was very captivating to me and one I want to keep exploring with the different decks in the box.

Joan of Arc, a different draw and write for sure and maybe if you haven’t played one of these games in awhile because they were all the same, give this one a read and see if it can find a place on your shelf. It has similar mechanics, but the score sheet might be different enough to catch your attention.

Thanks for listening

The post RDTN Episode 284: Hoplomachus- Victorum, Joan of Arc – Draw & Write, Gosu X, Ahoy, 7 Wonders – Edifice first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

00:00:33 Intro 00:04:42 News about Sponsors 00:06:15 RDTN Game Contest – Discord 00:11:45 Podcast Truth 00:13:37 Blank Slate 00:16:40 Dice Manor 00:21:48 Tantrum Con Reflections 00:25:48 Velonimo 00:32:15 Taste Buds – Special Edition 00:54:27 Happening at Restoration Games 01:04:12 Portal Games 01:06:49 Star Wars Deck Building Game 01:13:27 captains-cge00065.html" title="">Starship Captains 01:30:05 Miniature Market 01:31:47 Blazon 01:37:55 Game Toppers LLC 01:39:18 Outro

There is a very special Taste Buds in today’s show and we hope you enjoy it. We are visited by the team from Restoration Games and believe it or not, they wanted to do this. So we were very happy to oblige them. And even after all of that, they still were willing to talk to us about the happenings in their studio.

We reflect on Tantrum Con and the games we got to play while at the show. What a great Con and not saying it because it is local, but because they do an amazing job putting this Con on.

Thanks for listening and all the support.

The post RDTN Episode 283: Star Wars Deck Building Game, Blazon, Starship Captains, Dice Manor, Velonimo, Blank Slate, Special Taste Buds first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

00:01:25 Intro 00:04:15 Portal Con 00:07:11 DVRs exist 00:09:40 Dealing with Inserts 00:17:39 Retrograde 00:23:47 Tantrum Con 00:26:25 Taste Buds 00:32:25 Game Toppers LLC 00:34:00 Atiwa 00:46:10 Portal Games 00:47:10 Lofoten 00:54:15 Bamboo 01:07:00 Miniature Market 01:08:01 Beer & Bread 01:14:12 1815: Scum of the Earth 01:24:56 Video Games 01:34:45 Outro

Keeping with the theme of the show, this blog was generated with ChatGPT:

As an AI language model, I don’t have the ability to taste drinks, but I can provide a review of the board games mentioned based on their gameplay and mechanics. (You have no idea what you are missing)

Atiwa: Unfortunately, as of my knowledge cutoff of 2021, I couldn’t find any board game with this name. It’s possible that Atiwa is a newly released game or a lesser-known game that I’m not aware of.

Lofoten: Lofoten is a strategy board game that revolves around fishing in the Lofoten Islands in Norway. Players compete to catch different types of fish and earn points. The game has beautiful artwork and the gameplay is engaging, with players having to plan their moves and make strategic decisions. However, the game can be quite long and complex, which may not be suitable for casual players. (It kind of missed the mark here)

Bamboo: Bamboo is a fun and lighthearted board game that involves growing bamboo and feeding a hungry panda (nope). Players take turns growing bamboo and completing objectives to earn points. The game has simple mechanics and is easy to learn, making it suitable for families and casual players. However, the gameplay can become repetitive after a few rounds. (Pretty good with this one)

Beer and Bread: Unfortunately, as of my knowledge cutoff of 2021, I couldn’t find any board game with this name. It’s possible that Beer and Bread is a newly released game or a lesser-known game that I’m not aware of. (But you should get to know it, solid game)

Overall, while I couldn’t find information on Atiwa and Beer and Bread, Lofoten and Bamboo seem to be enjoyable board games with unique gameplay mechanics. However, like any board game, their enjoyment may vary depending on personal preferences and playing styles. (Even a computer can be P.C. – and yes that was bad what I just typed)

The post RDTN Episode 282: Bamboo, Lofoten, 1815-Scum of the Earth, Beer & Bread, Atiwa, Retrograde first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

In this episode, we list some games that are good entry points into historical games. The goal was to suggest games that are easy to learn and under one hour.

So if you are interested in these style of games, check out our list and please suggest some that we missed!

The post RDTN Episode 281: Do historical games suck for beginners? first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

00:00:37 Intro 00:06:35 Goblin Vaults 00:13:15 Mahjong 00:17:28 Galileo Project 00:26:25 Motor City 00:30:50 k-town.com/" title="">Fun K-town 00:33:36 Bacon Hotdogs 00:35:03 Taste Buds 00:40:21 Portal Games 00:41:10 Robotech: Reconstruction 01:02:31 Game Toppers LLC 01:03:45 Marvel: Age of Heroes 01:24:46 Miniature Market 01:25:45 Chained Echos 01:30:49 Video Game Discussion 01:34:45 Outro

Welcome back to another interesting discussion on board games, video games, and whatever else we can think of. This episode backs down the length, you are welcome. But we still do not shy away from our recent games and hope we can intrigue you in possibly playing them.

Not gonna sum them up like I normally due in the post, you need to listen. That is right, got to put a little skin in the game to find out if they were games that we enjoyed.

The post RDTN Episode 280: Marvel:Age of Heroes, Robotech-Reconstruction, Galileo Project, Motor City, Goblin Vaults first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

00:00:35 Intro 00:06:21 The Break Up 00:07:29 The Adult Channel 00:08:36 Pets 00:12:50 Health Care 00:16:55 Taste Buds 00:26:42 Portal Games 00:26:25 Nidavellir: Idavoll 00:32:28 Game Toppers 00:33:23 John Company 01:20:50 Miniature Market 01:22:52 The Great Split 01:29:47 D&D Onslaught with Nick Yu 01:59:03 Hickory Dickory 02:06:12 Video Game Discussion 02:13:23 We are done

We are back for another year or that is the plan at this time. And to get things going, we are going to give you one of the longest discussions of a board game on RDTN. A little story about this, we had no intention of doing that. We thought and it was an incorrect thought that we could knock it out in ten to fifteen minutes. We had no plans to go into the details of the rules. But when we started talking, the thoughts and opinions just keep coming. And for that, you get are longest review on the game John Company. It will not happen again.

Hate I missed the Hickory Dickory game night, stupid work. Hope Marty is able to get that to the table because I really do want to see this game in action. One thing he says in his discussion is that people would stop by the table and ask about the game. In all fairness, that happens more often than not, but they don’t call out the game, just simply ask what we are doing or playing. They don’t point out specific parts to what is on the table.

Nick Yu, co-designer of D&D Onslaught, then joins Marty for a discussion of his game. Stupid work again causes me to miss a game. Okay, 2023 is not starting off great for getting games in. So another game I hope to see in the future weeks. Love a good dungeon crawler and looking at my game shelves, it is obvious. Be interesting to see how it compares to the ones I already have.

The Great Split, if you enjoy I split/you choose games, get a play in of this. If you will be at TantrumCon at the end of February, maybe we can get a game in. Fun game and always good when a game gives you opportunities to try out different strategies and still be competitive.

Be sure to check your emails to see if you were a winner in our 10th Anniversary Contest. We are missing about 10 responses from some winners. Thanks to all that entered and congrats to those selected.

The post RDTN Episode 279: John Company, Onslaught, Hickory Dickory, The Great Split, Nidavellir: Idavoll, Taste Buds first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.

Production issues, transportation problems, inflation, and the pandemic have all have a dramatic impact on the business of tabletop gaming. Will it get any better in 2023? Watch/Listen for our thoughts.

The post RDTN Episode 278: Will tabletop gaming suck in 2023? first appeared on Rolling Dice & Taking Names.