The Village Square: January 26, 2015

This was a big week for us, we announced our illustrious Game of the Year awards. Then we celebrated 2000 followers of Twitter with a contest that started with two games and ended the day an additional three games graciously contributed by the publishers of our favorite games from last year! Make sure to go check it out.

Community Talk

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[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]Things are crazy around here! There’s hardly enough time to stop and chat.[/plain][/three_quarters][full][/full]

The Inquisitive Meeple Launches New Site

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]For those of you that are new to The Inquisitive Meeple, thank you for joining us. The Inquisitive Meeple is a blog that is dedicated to interviewing board game designers. It was originally started at BoardGameGeek.com and is now being moved here.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”]

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Approaching Board Game Review Blogs (Club Fantasci)

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]I have said it before, and I will say it again. This hobby is growing so fast, things will drastically change in how it’s marketed and yes board game publishers will at some point actually have to pay for marketing like every other business genre on the planet.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”]

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DFW Nerd Night Game Design Competition

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]We were shocked and humbled to receive more than 70 applications to participate in the DFW Nerd Night Game Design Competition! From the many come our 24 contestants… As the contest continues we’ll provide a personal introduction to many of our contestants, but for now please check out the list, and feel free to follow them on Twitter and cheer them on![/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”]

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Asmodee By The Numbers (BoardGameGeek News)

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]On Jan. 21, 2015, I published an article titled “Asmodee Has (Apparently) Acquired Ystari Games and Pearl Games“, with the article pointing out (courtesy of a head’s up from Swiss blog Gus and Co) that Asmodee had (apparently) done that thing I just said earlier in this sentence.

Given Asmodee’s recent activity along these lines … that conclusion would not be surprising — but it turns out that “acquisition” is not the right word based on responses to my questions from Cyril Demaegd at Ystari Games and Sébastien Dujardin at Pearl Games.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”][/fifth][full][/full]

Open Letter to Gamers & Making Friends (TGIK Games)

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]I want my fellow gamers to feel free to make fun of me, trash talk with me and feel free to have more interesting conversations than the weather and what we all do for a living…

Games make [building friendships]possible. I get to make friends with all sorts of people from all walks of life all over the world. This goes beyond the social interactions I have with people at game night, this speaks to cultivating connections to people whom I would otherwise never known existed. Games have a power to expand my social horizons to places I never though of before I got into the hobby.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”][/fifth][full][/full]

Obsessions, Disillusionments, Meaning (Big Game Theory!)

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]Alec Meer, over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun, wrote an interesting personal piece looking back on 2014 and thinking ahead about 2015. In the article, he touched on both his expanding life role as a father – a demanding reality I can sympathize with – as well as how games fit within the broader context of life pursuits and bring (or fail to bring) memorable value.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”]

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Headlines We’d Love to See (Clever Move)

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]As you’ve probably seen by now, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Green Bay Packersdeveloped a serious Settlers of Catan habit. The team’s habit is so strong that one players barred victory music because it would disrupt the Catan game. We thought this was a great story — not just because it was incredibly endearing, but because it brings a little more mainstream attention to board games. We wish that we would hear more stories that juxtapose professional athletes with board games. Here are a few headlines we wish we would see.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”]

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Breadth vs. Depth (Giant Fire Breathing Robot)

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]Somehow, I’ve come to view depth as a higher, or more noble form of gaming. Sure, a wide breadth is good, but knowing a game deeply and fully exploring it is the “right” way to be a gamer. That’s how you get the richest experience. Or so I thought. Maybe an equally rich experience can be gained by playing a wide variety.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”]

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Laying a Foundation For Fun (Games Precipice)

[fifth width=”80px”]–[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]We still think there is an opportunity to look at lesser explored areas of gratification in games so this month we’re going to look at Satisfaction. These are tasks, ideas and emotions that can provide a sense of fulfillment in gaming even if it may not lead players on the gigantic roller-coasters and thrill-rides we might ordinarily identify as “fun”.[/plain][/three_quarters][fifth width=”10px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”50px”]

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[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]Our brave adventurers are preparing to journey to the Dragon’s Peak, be sure to check in with them on Friday![/plain][/three_quarters][full][/full]

Dragon Slayer Roundup

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[/fifth][three_quarters][plain]Article: Game of the Year 2014

Contest: iSlayTheDragon 2K Giveaway[/plain][/three_quarters] [full][/full] [fifth width=”30px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”70px”][/fifth][three_quarters][plain] Review: Sheriff of Nottingham[/plain][/three_quarters] [full][/full] [fifth width=”30px”]–[/fifth][fifth width=”70px”][/fifth][three_quarters][plain] Review: Villainy[/plain][/three_quarters] [full][/full]