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This is a crosspost from our sister show Ugly Talk!  Go subscribe if you haven’t already.

This is a panel from Gen Con 2017. Travis talks about Ludonarrative Dissonance (Fludonarrative discobiscuits if you’re hungry).

If you’ve been in the video game blog-o-sphere at some point, you have heard of LND (I’m not typing out the entire word you can’t make me). But is it necessarily the pejorative term as its become in video game circles. Listen to this panel from Gen Con that gives the answer: NO. Most of all if anything LND is a feature most Tabletop GMs and Players are intimately familiar with, but haven’t realized there was a term for. As such, listen in, learn a thing (maybe), and speak up if you have questions. Welcome to Herding Cats: Ludonarrative Dissonance and Players. (Dammit you tricked me into writing the full things again…)

Do you want to take part in a playtest of Gobblin’: The Goblin RPG? Send an email to thedrunkandtheugly@gmail.com

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You can watch a video of our live play at Gen Con 2017 here!

At the end of Gen Con 2016, we were contacted by Mage Company Games asking if we would review one of their games.  We said yes and took them up on their offer to receive a free copy of Carrotia in exchange for doing a review.  In June of 2017 we finally received the game, and during Gen Con 2017 Matt, James, Travis, Kevin, and friend of the show Clayton played it during off-time at the convention.  You can listen to our first impressions and our actual live attempts to understand the rules and finally play the game.

Our collective takes in summary:

  • We found the game incredibly chaotic and incredibly complicated for what it’s trying to achieve.
    • The need for multiple timers as well as limited turns and access to pieces in order to build the requisite mazes was hectic and unintuitive.
    • The deterministic nature of moving through the pathways towards the exit once the maze was constucted was fairly dull.
    • The random birds placed on the board and their effects led to some level of strategizing, but ultimately the birds didn’t pose much threat as they continually just ran into walls.
    • The rabbit abilities are wildly varied and unbalanced.
    • Neither the main rules nor the errata rules we were sent had any hard or firm victory condition.
  • We were impressed by the level of production value that went into the game and the amount of custom pieces that came with it.
    • We love the art style the game goes for.  We may have picked this game more or less because of the box art.
    • The tiles and player cards are sturdy and well-constructed.
    • Every bird has a custom die that makes it easy to see which one is moving where.
    • 3 hourglasses of differing lengths was intriguing even if ultimately it was pointless.

Despite the high production values and lovely art, we would not recommend this game.  It’s rated for ages 8 and up and we as a group of twentysomething adults were confused and frustrated by its rules, and ultimately we didn’t feel like we had any control over what happened.

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dk mode james bond at gen con

Things may be very wrong in the world, but at least we still have Gen Con.  This year we demoed a few games, attended many panels and hosted a few, and played and ran many, many games.  Join us as we begin our 12am recounting of events and James smashes down some fried rice into a greasy pile.

 

During this wrap-up we talk briefly about our new game Gobblin’, a game about being goblins in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.  If you’re interested in playtesting this game, please shoot an email to thedrunkandtheugly@gmail.com

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In: Curse of Innistrahd, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Ed

Again. They take, and take, and take. The so called cultured and all they hold dear. Her hands quivered as she held her wounds, willing them with what little conviction she maintained to close. They feared the mountain so they forgot it to lull themselves to sleep. Her breathing was quick and stained with tears. And still the chance for vengeance was denied them. She wanted to escape, flee the world a hawk upon the wind. But he was there. Calm as ever. The stony face of the cliffs. And as he lit a flame with the will of the world, she knew she would be fine. To depart for now, but in his affirmation… Maybe they could change something. The forest closed in, never betraying the hunters just out of sight.

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In: Rogue Trader, Warhammer 40k

The Brilliant Resolve has beaten their bitter rivals to the surface of the planet Reign, and after some ordeals with a forcefield and waves upon waves of minions willing to die for that forcefield, have finally entered the planet’s facilities.  Much to their dismay, Faydra Ramirez and her crew had to part with their weapons and be calm and orderly as the owner, Dalbec, led them through the facility.  As the tour dragged on and the crew found themselves deeper inside, Faydra received a communication that their guide may not actually be who he claims.

Another day, another Dalbec.

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