Thanks to all of you who labor on this day so that the rest of us can enjoy a long weekend. This is an abbreviated news column as I enjoy Chill Mode after attending another terrific Strategicon convention; this time, the year-ending Gateway.
Essential Tuscany
The Tuscany Essential Edition hits the streets November 10th. According to ACD Distribution, it contains “three expansion modules to Viticulture that can be used in any combination: special workers, the extended board, and structures.”
Source: http://acddistribution.blogspot.com/2016/09/coming-in-november-from-stonemeier.html
New from Alderaac
Dice Tower News reports on four new titles coming from Alderaac Entertainment Group. First up: Eight Epics, a “cooperative dice game from Seiji Kanai, designer of the popular micro game Love Letter.” I played this last week and it’s quite a challenge. In Treasure Lair you are forming your party to go adventuring to find the greatest treasure you can, but … Each cache of treasure has different requirements in order to get them such as strength, or stealth, or even wilderness lore.” Next, there’s the expansion Dice City: By Royal Decree, that “will add a new trade board with dice for that board, new locations, and a new type of card called Queen’s Plans.” Finally, there’s Istanbul: Letters and Seals, an expansion that adds more tiles a few new mechanisms. couple new mechanics.
Source: http://www.dicetowernews.com/coming-soon-from-aeg-6/31227
Elements
From our friends at purplepawn.com: Element, “a strategy game for 2-4 players where each player is trying to surround their opponent’s Sage using Element stones,” will be available this December. “Each element has unique properties to block opponents in different ways, and elements on the board can be changed into different elements using a Rule of Replacement.”
Source: http://www.purplepawn.com/2016/08/rather-dashing-games-announces-element-for-december-release/
Inis
Now available for pre-order from Asmodee: Inis, a game in which up to four players will “colonize ancient Ireland, explore her terrain, and experience her great myths. To win, you must become chieftain over at least six opposing clans, occupy at least six different territories, or occupy territories where at least six Sanctuaries lie.”
Source: http://drafts.asmodee.us/en/news/2016/9/1/secrets-of-the-land/
Fantasy Flight-ing
Chee Yih Yang looks at Fantasy Flight Games announcements from Gen Con: the Mansions of Madness app, the Arkham Horror Living Card Game, and the collectible dice game, Star Wars Destiny. “If I had to wrap up the common big theme for the latest FFG games announced, it had to be the decidedly AI component that’s being put into them. … [including]other games in line of getting their own apps, include the much-loved miniatures skirmish game, Imperial Assault.”
Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-opinion/2016/09/03/ai-gaming-buddies-arkham-horrors-and-our-star-wars-destiny/
Upcoming Board Game Conventions
September 8-11. Buckeye Game Fest. Columbus, Ohio.
September 10-11. WashingCon. Washington, D.C.
September 24-25. Congress of Gamers. Rockville, Maryland.
October 8. Mid Meeple. Las Vegas, Nevada.
October 15-16. RetroWorld Expo 2016. Wallingford, Connecticut.
November 11-13. MEPACON. Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Visit casualgamerevolution.com for more convention listings.
