The Dice Tower

Today, we focus on what designers should do when they've built a design on an existing game. How much borrowing is too much borrowing? We also look ahead to some upcoming events, share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and run through our latest batch of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:49 - Tom's Apology 01:25 - Dice Tower Cruise and Dice Tower East 01:52 - Tom's Catan Update: Seafarers 02:53 - Upcoming: Studio Move, Origins, Greece, College Visits 03:55 - Building Your Game on an Existing Design 32:41 - Tale of Boardgaming...

We kick off this episode with some chit-chat regarding the moving of Dice Tower HQ, some upcoming events, Tom's efforts to impress the chef at a Japanese restaurant, and the most played games at Dice Tower West. A listener question leads us to discuss the layout of rulebooks and how best to do so. We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and close the show with a typical wave of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:53 - Moving the Studio 03:14 - Upcoming Events 03:52 - Tom at Dinner 07:26 - Most Played Games...

This time, we are recording in person at Dice Tower West (with some new mics!). We talk specifics about our new-ish venue for DTW, and then get more general with a chat about our convention strategies and planning. The Tale of Boardgaming Horror is one for the ages, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, Hula Hoops, and Crossovers. 00:47 - Dice Tower West: Back at the Westgate 04:20 - Julie's Drive West 08:35 - Eric at APAC 09:41 - Tom at GAMA Expo and The Grand Canyon 13:09 - Hot Games<...

This time, we're talking sports, and how game designers can best emulate them. Plus, Horror, Hula Hoops, Roses, and Thorns. 00:59 - Announcements: Dice Tower West and East 02:04 - Sports Boardgames 20:10 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 25:48 - Charcuterie 30:24 - 1 A.M. Jailbreak 33:07 - Helionox Chronicles 37:47 - Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era 40:38 - Ostia 42:33 - Kingdom Legacy: Feudal Kingdom Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

This time, Eric gives an update on his Middle School Game Night before the gang launches into a discussion of how playing games for tangible prizes changes the vibe at the table. Then, we move on to a Tale of Boardgaming Horror, check the mailbag, and share some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:48 - Announcements: Gamefound, Dice Tower West 02:33 - Update on Eric's Middle School Game Night 03:54 - Raising the Stakes 25:08 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 31:54 - Question: Boardgaming's Golden Age? 36:24 - Question: Collecting from a Single...

Tom complains about the cold before we all discuss forms of Table Talk. What just bends the rules, and what breaks the game? We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a couple of questions from the mailbag, and some new Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:40 - It's cold in Florida 01:41 - Gamefound - SupportDicetower.com 02:11 - Dice Tower East and West 03:00 - Table Talk 25:07 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 31:31 - Question: Social Deduction Games (Where Am I, Blood on the Clocktower) 38:38 - Question: Screen...

On board the Dice Tower Cruise 2025, Tom, Julie, and Eric run through their holiday gaming opportunities. Julie asks how we prefer to to vacation, and we end the show with a bunch of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops that we encountered on the ship. 00:44 - We're on a Ship 01:32 - Holiday Happenings 02:18 - Star Realms Rise of Empire 07:59 - Ito, Jackbox Games 09:28 - Hues and Cues 11:48 - Command of Nature 14:10 - Only Murders in the Building 17:55 - How Do You Vacation? 29:31...

Julie and Eric spend some time recapping PAX Unplugged before all of us take a look at the year that was 2024. What was the easiest game to teach? The game that you'd best set aside a day to play? The Hoopiest Hula Hoop? All will be revealed, dear listener! 01:00 - PAX Unplugged Recap 14:03 - The Quiet House 16:49 - Star Trek TNG VCR Game 20:41 - 2024 as a Whole 29:25 - Best to Play at a Convention: Ito, Rock Hard 1977, Duck & Cover 31:40 - Best Theme: Rock Hard 1977, Mistwind, Kelp: Shark...

This time, Eric is looking for advice from Julie and Tom about running a game night at his son's Middle School. How deep a hole has he dug for himself? Plus, a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a question from the Listener Mailbag, and a bouquet of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:47 - Dice Tower Winter Spectacular 02:24 - Tom's Anniversary Cruise, Audiobooks, and Subtitles 03:52 - 2025 Gamefound Campaign 04:27 - Eric's Middle School Game Night 23:58 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 28:28 - Listener Question: Our Changing Review Perspectives 31:11...

Tom, Julie, and Eric share some Thanksgiving recipes before launching into a discussion of how designers tackle the theme of cooking in games. We have a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror that pushes our Angry Button, and we close the show with a Thorn-heavy set of games played. 00:57 - Announcements: Dice Tower East, West, and Cruise 2026 02:22 - Thanksgiving Recipes 05:17 - Cooking Games 07:41 - Cooking: Press Your Luck (Quacks of Quedlinburg, Vegetable Stock) 09:55 - Cooking: Spatial Games (License to Grill) 12:52 - Cooking: Dexterity (A La Carte, Piazza Rabazza)<...

Tom, Julie, and Eric discuss some Thanksgiving plans before reacting to some recent manufacturing trends in the boardgame industry, from environmentally friendly choices, to the insistance that every game have a custom insert. Our Tale of Boardgaming Horror is a case of mistaken identity, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:02 - Shipping in the Game Box 01:45 - Thanksgiving 03:22 - PAX Unplugged and Christmas Videos 04:03 - All the Kickstarters are Delivering At Once 05:53 - Production Trends: Giant Rulebooks 07:33 - Self-Assembled Multi-Layered Boards<...

This time, Tom looks forward to the CMON Expo, while Eric and Julie talk about their plans for PAX Unplugged. We discuss best practices for publishers when they know an expansion is coming. We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and close the show with a Spooky set of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:58 - Announcements: Dice Tower West, PAX Unplugged 02:55 - Tom at CMON Expo 03:52 - Planning for Expansions 32:00 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 40:28 - Flashback: Lucy 44:08 - Ghosts Can't Draw 48:26 - Cat...

Tom and Julie are back from Germany with stories to tell. We talk about the crowds, events, snacks, and games of Spiel before shuffling through a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror. And we close the show with some of our latest Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:02 - Back-to-Back WSBG and Spiel 06:10 - Crowds at Spiel 11:23 - Tom and Julie Together (Briefly) 13:33 - New Management Changes 17:28 - First Look Area 21:34 - Games at the Fair 25:24 - Dice and Mystics Meetup 27:07 - Punching Games <...

It's our Essen Preview show for 2024! This time, we look at the various games we're most excited to check out at Spiel in Essen. And when we're done with that, we dash through our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:49 - Asking to Bring Something Back 02:16 - Tabletop Together and BGG's Preview List 03:16 - Priorities 08:58 - Where Will We Be? 12:09 - 7 Empires 12:50 - 365 Adventures 14:01 - Ada's Library 14:50 - Apiary: Expanding the Hive 15:26 - Backstories: Alone Under the Ice 16:23 - Bone...

This time, Tom, Julie, and Eric tackle the world of print boardgame journalism by listing their favorite gaming magazines, past and present. Our new Tale of Horror only tells half of the story, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:10 - Announcements: World Series of Boardgaming and Spiel 02:39 - What Was Our First Podcast? 04:39 - Boardgame Magazines: Still a Thing? 06:24 - Is Print Superior? 09:53 - Early Titles: Wargaming, White Dwarf, The General 12:35 - GAMES Magazine 13:04 - Spielbox 13:26...

Tom and Eric learn that they've known Julie longer than they remember. Then, we discuss the ways local game stores recoup the cost of the play space they provide. We delve into a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and we close the show with our latest Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:44 - Announcements: Dice Tower West 03:06 - Tom, Julie, and Eric's First Meeting 03:56 - Table Space at Your Local Store 27:06 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 36:20 - King of Tokyo Duel 40:07 - Spotlight 43:34 - Vampire Village<...

Tom, Julie, and Eric remember their various Gen Con adventures, as well as looking back at some recent Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:00 - Announcements: Dice Tower West, Dice Tower District 02:43 - Gen Con - Keeping Your Voice vs. Getting Sick 04:04 - Gen Con - Attendence and Crowds 06:34 - Gen Con - Sprawling Events 09:58 - Gen Con - Games at the Zoo? 12:05 - Gen Con - Small Vendor Hallway 14:42 - Gen Con - Artwork and Plushies and Pins 19:03 - Gen Con - Too...

Tom, Julie, and Eric start looking forward to their next convention adventures now that Gen Con is done (though, since we're recording before Gen Con, we can't discuss anything that happened there just yet). We focus on the joy of playing older games, especially with players who haven't experienced them before. We delve into the Tale of Horror vault, as well as answer a listener question about how to pick what we play, and what to do when we choose poorly. Finally, we close the show with Roses, Thorns, Hula Hoops, and Advice for Eric. 00:48 - News...

Tom, Julie, and Eric look back at Dice Tower East, and look forward to Gen Con, including which events they'll be at, and what games they're looking forward to. And, pressed for time, they share a Rose, Thorn, or Hula Hoop that will be available at Gen Con. 00:49 - Who Is Julia Hern? 02:13 - Dice Tower East Recap - Events 10:35 - Dioce Tower East - Library Games 23:19 - Gen Con - Where We'll Be 37:47 - Gen Con - Games to See and/or Buy 38:25 - Rock Hard 1977<...

Tom, Julie, and Eric discuss the results of the Origins Awards, and share the nominees for The Dice Tower Awards' Game of the Year. Julie tells us about her trip to Origins (and Tom pines for ice cream), and we ponder the dos and don'ts of upgrading your boardgame pieces. Then, we finish the show with our Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:17 - Gen Con Plans (Booth 331) 02:29 - Origins Awards and Dice Tower Nominees 11:46 - Julie at the Origins Game Fair 29:33 - Upgrading Pieces 48:50 - Captain Flip 50:28...