Around the Table Q3 2021 by Fahy-Williams Publishing

Q3 2021 Making Your Retail Space A Safe Space TikTok: Is it for my brand? Creating A Culture Of Well-Being in the Workplace

A Gen Con Release from IELLO

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 1

8/30/21 9:39 AM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 2

8/30/21 9:39 AM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 3

8/13/21 3:59 PM

Storytellers at heart and nerds by nature... All the best holiday gifts for board gamers!

White Elephant Board Game Your family has always bonded over your annual “White Elephant” gift exchange. Last year little Rosie didn’t get the gifts she dreamed of, but that’s just part of the fun. Your goal is to enrich your personal collection without accumulating too much junk. In each exchange, you may acquire any number of new White Elephant cards, and the player at the end of the game with the lowest-scoring collection wins.

$19.

MSRP

4 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

Available Q4 2021 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 4

$11.99

MSRP

‘DICE’

‘PIXEL’

Visit atherisentertainment.com 8/13/21 3:59 PM

gin:

AROUND THE

Q3 2021

A Publication by the Game Manufacturers Association

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GAMA STAFF

PRESIDENT Stephan Brissaud IELLO VICE-PRESIDENT Andrew Chesney Chip Theory Games John Stacy Chris Materni TREASURER Gary Alaka EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR Gap Closer Games john.stacy@gama.org chris.materni@gama.org

Paul McGraw

Cynthia Tuck

EVENTS MANAGER

EVENTS COORDINATOR

paul.mcgraw@gama.org

cynthia.tuck@gama.org

SECRETARY Jeff Tidball Atlas Games & Gameplaywright DISTRIBUTOR CHAIR Sito Sanchez Peachstate Hobby Distribution RETAIL CHAIR Jennifer M. Ward Crazy Squirrel Games & Toys DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE Julie Ahern Greenbrier Games

Kelly Mignogna

Adam Ziegler

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

kelly.mignogna@gama.org

adam.ziegler@gama.org

Gregoire Boisbelaud COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR greg.boisbelaud@gama.org

Bee Zelda LIVESTREAM VIDEO HOST - ANIME & TABLETOP GAME PROGRAMMING

DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE Nicole Lindroos Green Ronin Publishing DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE Jeff Pinsker Amigo Games DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE Kylie Prymus Games Unlimited EMERITUS BOARD MEMBER Will Niebling KOPLOW Games

The Game Manufacturers Association

258 East Campus View Blvd Columbus, OH 43235 Phone: 614-255-4500 Fax: 614-255-4499 www.gama.org • media@gama.org Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 5

om 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 5

8/13/21 3:59 PM

AROUND THE

A Publication by the Game Manufacturers Association

Q3 2021

Features

Making Your Retail Space a Safe Space

TikTok: Is it for my Brand?

Creating a Culture of Well-Being in the Workplace

Pride is somthing to celebrate year-round

All sorts of people embrace the lightheartedness of the app 26

Workplace culture drives how everyone in your company operates and feels

Departments 5 GAMA Board and Staff

Contributors

9 Letter from the Executive Director

11 Letter from the President 11 Letter from the GRD Chairperson 62-65

New Products

72 GAMA News

Index of Advertisers

56 6 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 6

8/13/21 3:59 PM

Adverstories Tips and tricks to help retail stores sell games, written by the following companies Andrews McMeel Universal

Arcane Tinmen ApS

Atheris Entertainment

Attention Span Game Studios

AWEbase 68 Bezier Games

Capstone Games

28, 58

Czech Games Edition

ENHANCE Gaming

Floodgate Games

Iello 24 Indie Game Studios

Japanime Games

KTBG/Burnt Island Games

Leder Games

Lucky Duck Games

Magpie Games

MyHealthily 54 Origami Whale

Pegasus Spiele GmbH

Pine Box Entertainment

Rio Grande Games

Skybound Games

Smirk & Dagger Games

Steve Jackson Games

Around the Table © 2021 The Game Manufacturers Association Published by Fahy-Williams Publishing P.O. Box 1080, 171 Reed St. Geneva, NY 14456 P 800-344-0559 F 315-789-4263 To advertise, contact Amy Colburn at 315-789-6431 or email amy@fwpi.com.

66 Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 7

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 7

8/13/21 3:59 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 8

8/13/21 3:59 PM

FROM THE executive director

Dear friends,

Welcome to the Summer 2021 issue of Around the Table. I hope each of you are having a safe and productive summer. In this issue, Jeff Sorensen offers suggestions on “Making Your Retail a Safe Space” and Dawn Studebaker looks at ways of “Creating a Culture of Well-Being in the Workplace”. Both articles have tips on making your store or office a welcoming and supportive place for your team and customers alike. Dawn also discusses using TikTok to build your company’s brand. We hope you find these featured articles useful. As the magazine of the tabletop games industry, we want the publication to be interesting and have actionable information for you. As such we welcome submissions for articles for the magazine. If you have an idea for a story or something you would like to share, please send an email to Kelly Mignogna, Communications Manager with GAMA at kelly.mignogna@gama.org. Before I close, I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you that all GAMA members received two free badges for the annual Origins Game Fair. This year the convention is being held September 30 to October 3, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. You are welcome to use the comp badges ($75 value each) for your team to attend the convention or as prize support in your retail store.

For those attending the convention, make plans to come in early to attend the annual Trade Days @ Origins, which has been expanded this year to two days to help make up for not being able to have an in-person GAMA EXPO earlier this year. This free B2B trade show will be held on Wednesday Sept 29 and Thursday Sept 30 and features 16 peer-to-peer retailer seminars in three tracks: Diversification, Building Success and Post Pandemic Skills. In addition, there will be two Game Nights where you can demo games from leading publishers. Like GAMA EXPO, retail stores that participate in the premier presentations from publishers will receive a Retailer Appreciation box that they can take home with them. Lastly, all retailers and media members of GAMA will be allowed early access to the exhibit hall on Friday October 1 before the public is allowed in. For the list seminars, program schedule and how to get your free badges, please visit https://www.originsgamefair.com/trade-days Regards, John Stacy, Executive Director

CONTRIBUTORS Thank you to the following industry professionals for contributing their time and expertise to Around the Table! Please enjoy their articles throughout this issue. If you would like to contribute to future issues of Around the Table by suggesting a topic or writing your own article, please email media@gama.org. Dawn Studebaker spent 14 years in the retail space with eight of them in the game industry. She is a longtime advocate of shopping local and promoting community-based retail enrichment. With her broad knowledge of marketing combined with a strong portfolio of experience in social media, she finds joy in helping her peers improve and strengthen their marketing footprint.

Jeff Sorensen is the current president and one of the proud founders of Tabletop Gaymers. In the real world, he works for Iowa State University as the manager of their Web Development Services team. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop games since he was a teenager in the ‘80s and continues to do so today!

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 9

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 9

8/13/21 3:59 PM

Enhance your FAVORITE gameS with the coolest dice around. . .

AND CARRY THEM IN STYLE IN OUR dandy DICE BAGS! #PLAYSJGAMES dice.sjgames.com 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 10

8/13/21 3:59 PM

D Y N N y !

FROM THE president

FROM THE grd chairperson

Dear Members,

It’s an exciting time for GAMA and our membership. Recent changes to the bylaws introduce new voting membership levels and expand the scope of our trade organization to encompass even more of our industry’s professionals. Changes to the Board mean that we’ll see all membership levels except for our newer or communicating members have two voices on the main Board. This will help expand our connections and communications throughout the industry, hopefully continuing to build a base of cooperation and growth for all of us. Retailers will also see a change in how the Retail Division elects officers and Board members. The new guidelines will fit within the new bylaws and reflect the many changes within our division and industry and technology upgrades through the years. We’ll also have nominations open for the Power Retailer Awards soon. These four awards recognize the best and brightest our tier has to offer. We’ll open up nominations to everyone, including the general public, as soon as we can. Once you’re nominated, we’ll reach out for more information to give our judges a more in-depth look at your awesomeness. One of the best benefits of joining the Retail Division Officers is getting a chance to really take an in-depth look at the creativity, perseverance, and professionalism of all of you. I’m amazed every day at the ingenuity of my peers. Hopefully I’ll see you safely at Origins Trade Days in the fall. We’re working on a solid slate of retailer seminars, ranging from hands-on sessions to improve your bottom line to panel discussions to talk through some of the other important topics. I’ll be the one looking excited and exhausted in a Crazy Squirrel or GAMA shirt. Hopefully you’ll see all of your GRD officers at the show – please feel free to introduce yourself and let us know how we can better represent you. Enjoy this issue of Around The Table.

We are living a historical moment in GAMA’s 44 years of existence. Thank you for your trust and support. Propelled by the Board of Director’s initiative to embrace our values of inclusivity and acceptance and following our motto: “A game on every table, a table for everyone,” you have expressed your support to invite ALL actors of the game industry to our table -- I thank you for that. Of the votes, 93% were to accept this bylaw revision proposal – higher than I anticipated. It is extremely encouraging for the future of the association and the industry in general. The outcome of this vote is a great success, but a lot of work is still ahead of us. First will be implementing and structuring the six new voting membership groups (Creators, Media & Events, Production, Publishers, Retailers and Wholesalers) and then having each of them elect one Director-At-Large to represent them on the Board of Directors. You can read more later in this issue under “GAMA News.” I know the road ahead of us is paved with challenges (I am looking at you, inflation on freight costs), but we will tackle them all together as one. Be excellent to each other, Stephan Brissaud GAMA President The amended bylaws are available on GAMA’s website at https://www.gama.org/page/governing-documents

Jennifer M. Ward Jennifer@gama.org Retail Division Chairperson GAMA

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 11

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 11

8/13/21 3:59 PM

LOVE

Will Find Away

By Ian Birdsall Head of Marketing Floodgate Games

loodgate Games has a mission to create everlasting experiences through gaming. Since its founding in 2012, Floodgate has been committed to publishing innovative titles that offer unique gameplay and non-stop enjoyment. Upon its release, Sagrada quickly became the flagship title for Floodgate Games, and the standard bearer for the high-quality production and gameplay that the studio continues to produce. That very same year Hush Hush Projects released Fog of Love which continues to gain critical acclaim. Now Fog of Love and its expansions are joining the Floodgate Games lineup! Fog of Love is a romantic comedy as a board game -- it’s a two-player game where each player creates one of the characters in a relationship. These characters, with their own quirks and goals will meet, fall in love, and face several situations together to try to make their relationship work. Or not! Are you in it for the long haul, or are you just another heartbreaker? Playing Fog of Love is a rollercoaster ride of awkward situations, laugh out loud moments and challenging compromises. The right decision isn’t always what your character wants most, but might be better for the relationship. It takes two to make it work, and your partner has their own wants and desires to consider. Each turn you’ll be asked to stay true to your personal goals or sometimes choose to compromise for the good of the relationship. There are never any guarantees that your story will end with a “Happily Ever After.” After learning to play through the interactive tutorial love story, Sunday Morning Date, players continue through with three replayable Love Stories that explore different themes and relationships. Each love story has their specific scenario rules but the included scene cards in each can be played in any game, allowing you to replay and make your own unique story every time! 12 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 12

The fun end with the love stories already exist three Fog of Love and the team is excited even more stories explore. Already in content focusing on

doesn’t core game either. There expansions to Floodgate to develop

development is

LGBTQ relationships and a brand-new expansion: Love on Lockdown. This new love story explores the situations and challenges that we’ve all become familiar with over the strange events of the past year. The Floodgate Games team is ecstatic to bring you this and much more content for Fog of Love. Will you play as a farmer that’s adventurous and kind? Or a criminal that was first attracted to your partner’s fancy necklace? While the traits and features of your characters guide your decisions as you play, ultimately the choices you each make guide where the relationship will go. Whether or not you are a match made to last, each game will leave you with a story full of memorable moments and surprises. Fog of Love will be available from Floodgate Games in Q4 2021 along with the three existing expansions that add new and interesting elements to the core game experience. Contact your distributor to make sure you have this hit game on your shelves for the holidays. floodgategames.com

8/13/21 3:59 PM

COMING Q4 2021!

In VIVID MEMORIES, players will weave a tapestry of colorful threads in their minds by collecting fragments of childhood memories. Players are rewarded for cleverly creating connections to store these fragments while working towards building their own most precious memories. Vivid Memories features inspiring artwork that invokes the whimsy and wonder of childhood, a language-independent design, and many strategic paths to explore.

CONTACT YOUR DISTRIBUTOR FOR MORE INFORMATION MSRP $49.95 | SKU FGG-VIV

2-4

30-45

Players

Minutes

VIDEOS, REVIEWS & MORE AT

FLOODGATE.GAMES/VIVID

/floodgategames | floodgate.games

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 13

Ages 13+

8/13/21 3:59 PM

Don’t Get

COLD FEET

Andrew Russell Birkett Chief Storyteller, Atheris Entertainment

hen I started what would become Atheris Entertainment I had a dream to make a game that combined my passions for card games and automotive racing. Halfway through developing my automotive racing game, Holeshot Heroes, I pivoted and created the concepts and ideas that became some of the first games in our portfolio (Cul-De-Sac Conquest and Supernatural Socks) instead. Though I have yet to realize my initial dream, I have continued to grow my love for the board gaming hobby and am so proud of where that initial dream has taken me. I developed incredible friendships with folks in all facets of the industry from talented artists, incredibly creative game designers, fledgling publishers, driven distributors and the retailers who are on the front lines of making sure gamers get the right game for their groups and that new gamers are welcomed into the hobby.

14 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 14

The board game industry is truly phenomenal. I have never had the pleasure of being involved with any industry as supportive, encouraging and filled with so many truly remarkably talented and determined people. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about – the friendships developed over an impromptu game before the exhibit hall opens, the connection with the companies in neighboring booths, the friendships developed at your FLGS, and of course the late-night connections made at Big Bar on 2 at Origins. The restarting of conventions finally allows us to meet once again face-to-face, restart long delayed gaming sessions and ultimately spend time around a table having fun once again. After such a horrendous year, we deserve the fun. And that’s what board gaming is all about – connecting, creating share experiences, and embarking on adventures that can

transport us away from the real world for a bit. My deep love for the industry and desire to see more unique and fun accessories for gamers is why I created a new division of Atheris focused on providing more products for gamers. One such product that I am really looking forward to is our nerdy board game socks. As a self-proclaimed sock aficionado, I love adding more board game apparel to my wardrobe. Cozy one-size-fits-most socks make the perfect gift for a gamer who already has it all. I’m looking forward to returning to conventions – I hope to see you there. If you have trouble finding me, I’ll be the one wearing the dice socks – I hope soon you will be too. Don’t get cold feet with our nerdy socks. Available early Q4 2021.

atherisentertainment.com

8/13/21 4:00 PM

On the case

Chasing down the perp in black and white

By Johanna Sadkovich, Sales & Marketing Executive - Pegasus Spiele

icroMacro: Crime City continues to fascinate gamers around the globe. The cooperative detective game has already been translated into 31 languages and won several prizes such as the As d´Or in France, Spiele Hit in Austria, and the Golden Geek Awards for Most Innovative Board Game and Light Game of the Year. MicroMacro: Crime City also won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) awards. Behind every great game, though, must stand a great mind. In this case, three! The team from the German design studio Hard Boiled Games, is comprised of three friends, Johannes Sich, Daniel Goll, and Tobias Jochinke, all sharing one passion: making great and extraordinary board games! But let’s take a step back and take a closer look at the game itself. In MicroMacro: Crime City, 1 to 4 players aged 12 and older visit Crime City, where crime never sleeps. Together they act as detectives on a mission to stem the ever-rising tide of criminal activity. Their investigations include not only discovering the crime scene, but also identifying the victim’s activities leading up to the moment of the crime. To do so, they must closely examine the huge city map as cluse could be anywhere in the vast metropolis. Maybe the victim met someone suspicious at the burger

stand? Or on the street? Or in their own house? In addition to a keen eye, players also need a sharp mind to uncover all the mysterious occurrences, fit them together, and identify the correct criminal from countless possible suspects. Publisher and owner of Edition Spielwiese, Michael Schmitt was fascinated by the game concept from the very first minute. “I grew up with several wimmelbooks [seek-and-find books] and loved them very much,” he said. “When Johannes introduced me to an early prototype, I was immediately excited. It’s the perfect continuation of that principle, because while previously most images of this type were static, MicroMacro art tells entire stories. Rarely has a prototype made me feel such a strong desire to make the game so badly. I consider MicroMacro to be the best game so far in the still young history of Edition Spielwiese.” When having a look at the huge city map (roughly 2 1/2 feet by 3 1/2 feet in size!) it isn´t surprising that work on MicroMacro: Crime City took several years. “The first vague idea came after SPIEL 2016 where we met and thought about a

game that is about a big total and many tiny details at the same time,” Johannes Sich remembers. “After that we started planning and it became increasingly clear that ‘solving optical puzzles’ would be best realized with a detective theme and that the ‘detailed world’ would probably be a city. In the end, the vision was clear: it had to be a large city in which clues could be discovered in various places, connections had to be made, and solutions had to be deduced.” In 16 cases of varying difficulty, players can prove their ability as detectives. But there is so much more to discover in Crime City! The design team is already working on new cases for the newly announced MicroMacro: Crime City 2 – Full House. Scheduled for release later this year, this standalone expansion includes 16 new cases where players will get to know the south side of Crime City. A little bit rougher, a little bit tougher, Full House ups the ante for experienced detectives and provides even more criminally good fun for everyone! MicroMacro: Crime City is in stores now! Available through distributors or direct from Pegasus Spiele. pegasus-web.com

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 15

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 15

8/13/21 4:00 PM

Contain the Oil. Save the Sea Life. by Curt Covert, Owner of Smirk and Dagger Games The SPILL SND 1008, $49.99, April 2022. Kickstarting Sept. 7, 2021

o-op games can be among the most difficult games to design well. They have to be constantly challenging, yet still allow players to break through and win with a carefully considered strategy. Moreover, they need to encourage teamwork where each player feels they have an active role in the decision-making process. The Spill, an upcoming release from Smirk and Dagger Games, absolutely checks those two boxes and does so with traffic stopping table presence and approachable game play that will make it a hit with a very broad audience. At the center of this suspenseful cooperative game for 1 to 4 players is a unique, 4-way dice tower standing 9” tall. The molded plastic tower represents offshore rig, DeepWell•4, which has ruptured and is spilling crude oil into the ocean at an alarming rate! Your joint task force must work together as a team to avert an ecological disaster... one which threatens to contaminate marine life and devastate the ecosystem. Over the course of the game, 60 oil dice will spill out of the tower onto the four quadrants of the game board, constantly creating new threats. In this way, it plays like a “reverse castledefense” game, where players sail the perimeter to contain the spill, remove what oil they can from the water and save the sea life. Asymmetric player abilities and communal resource cards, chosen before the game begins, provide the tools needed to deal with the emergency, while Weather dice complicate matters by adding new challenges that restrict movement, spill out more dice or increase the cost of operations. It takes coordination and

16 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 16

teamwork to win, as new oil dice are dropped at the beginning of every turn and the number of oil dice dropped increases over the course of the game. If the team can accomplish all three Win Condition objectives and remedy any potential losing conditions on the board by the end of a given turn - they win. Otherwise, the game will end when the 60 dice from the bag are exhausted or they are unable to correct one of the three losing conditions. With a theme and game play ‘vibes’ that will put one in mind of other great games like Pandemic, The Spill delivers edge-of-your-seat excitement right up to the final play yet has a rule set that won’t overwhelm more casual gamers. The difficulty can be adjusted for more a more hard-core challenge or softened for a more family audience. The game officially releases in Spring of 2022, but Smirk and Dagger will be Kickstarting the game on Sept. 7, with a retail friendly pledge level including a modest $5 deposit, 30-day prerelease delivery alongside backers and the premium version of the game at KS pricing. Upon release, the game will be supported with a retail demo guide available at https://www.smirkandlaughter.com/retailerresources as well as common core lesson plan that allow the game to be a launchpad for discussions on nature conservancy. With the breathtaking illustrations by Kwanchai Moriya, the kinetic energy of tumbling dice at the demo table and exciting game play, The Spill is poised to really clean up.

smirkanddagger.com

8/13/21 4:00 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 17

8/13/21 4:00 PM

e l u R

d o o h r o hb

g i e N r u Yo

in Fort! Joshua Yearsley, Leder Games

ort is a card game for 2 to 4 players. In Fort, you’re a kid; like many kids, you want to grow your circle of friends, collect pizza and toys, and build the coolest fort. Fort is based on the game SPQF, designed by Grant Rodiek (Cry Havoc, Imperius), — it was time for the kids to get brought to life by Leder Games’ developer Nick pets! Whether you want to play with dogs Brachmann along with the rest of the crew. or cats or both, the Cats & Dogs Expansion unlocks tons of We made Fort to be a shorter, simpler entry point new strategies and makes Fort even deeper. This little tuckbox to our catalog, while keeping the deep, interactive gameplay packs a big punch! Dogs are loyal. You can only play a dog if you we’re known for in Root and Vast. Fort is a deckbuilding game meet their needs, but they’ll give you a powerful one-time action “Atlantis Rising wasother a good game. Elf Creek with a twist — you can take cards from players!cooperative The kids and stick with you in your doghouse. At the end of the game, you don’t playtook with will go to your Yard,itwhere otherone. playersTheme, can it and made a great art,score tension, story,if you have the most dogs in your you’ll a ton of points befriend them. Even better, Fort keeps players engaged outside and excitement intertwine to make a game that stands out doghouse! their turn with the innovative Follow the Leader mechanic — Cats are fickle. If your Yard has the right cards, you’ll attract a crowded marked. ” playing a card of you can copyin parts of other players’ actions by a cat, giving you an ability that boosts your actions. Diversifying the same suit-asTom theirs.Vasel, The Dice Tower your deck will help you attract more cats, and denying your This game will look amazing on your demo table or sales rivals certain cards will help you protect your own cats! The counter. With iconic art by Kyle Ferrin (Root, Vast), every more cats you have at the end, the more points you score. card tells a story. Play Munch along with Rocket Bros to nab Leder Games is committed to forming long-term isrelationships one of the most captivating games I’ve some pizza! Tying this together, we include“[Atlantis double-layer Rising] player with our retailers. On our website, you’ll find a boards and thick, screen-printed wooden pieces. You and your ever played, filledRetailer with nail-biting tension moments Portal, where you can orderand our titles, check out of sell customers will also love how smoothly Fort plays. We made sure sheets and rulebooks, download media kits, and more! We’re triumph.” that the game’s card icons are clear, and include a handy icon working hard to keep making thoughtful, beautiful games where Zee Garcia, The Dice Tower reference sheet for every player that makes-learning easy. people can tell great stories through play, and we hope you’ll After Fort’s success, we knew just the expansion to make come along for the ride. 18 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 18

ledergames.com

8/13/21 4:00 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 19

8/30/21 11:42 AM

8/12/21

11:43 AM

(D282) l (D282) ck, D281)

Trade Days @ Origins

Visit originsgamefair.com/trade-days to register, and for seminar descriptions, presenter information, and Premier Publisher Presentation participants.

Retailer Peer-to-Peer Education Day

Retailer Registration

11 a.m.

Pre-Event Networking

1 p.m.

Publisher presentations will be held on Thursday, September 30, from noon to 10 p.m. plus … … Retailer Appreciation Box Pick-Up at 5 p.m. (for those who registered by September 1 and attended the publisher presentations) … Game Night (Short North A) at 8 p.m.

Noon

2) graphy skills

On Friday October 1 at 9 a.m., retailers and members of the media can enjoy early admission to the Origins exhibit hall – one hour before it opens to the general public.

SCHEDULE 10 a.m.

ce (D283)

Wednesday September 29, noon to 10 p.m., at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio. GAMA members can attend for FREE!

Café Model Branding (D281) Creation and modifying (D282) Working with schools (D283) Inclusivity Panel (D281)

Hands-On Social Media (2-hour block, D282) includes hands-on photography and videography skills

On Friday October 1 at 9 a.m., retailers and members of the media can enjoy early admission to the Origins exhibit hall – one hour before it opens to the general public.

reater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio.

Buying Beyond Tabletop (D281) Staff Management (D283)

Visit originsgamefair.com/trade-days to register, and for seminar descriptions, presenter information, and Premier Publisher Presentation participants.

s @ Origins

2 p.m.

eer Education Day

Integrating Sales Channels for E-Commerce (D283)

3 p.m.

Break

3:30 p.m.

Working with Collectible Cards (2-hour block, D281) Business Plan/Upgrading Business Model (D282) Hit by a Bus, Again (D283)

4:30 p.m.

Moving Your Store Panel (D282) Organized Play (D283)

5:30 p.m.

Kickstarter for Brick & Mortar (D281) Traversing the Gauntlet of New Releases (D282) What makes sense now? Panel (D283)

6:30 p.m.

Dinner on your own

8 p.m.

Game Night (Short North A)

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 20 GAMA house ad2.indd 1

8/30/21 10:01 AM 8/12/21 11:43 AM

:43 AM

Back in print 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 21

8/30/21 10:02 AM

“Atlantis “Atlantis Rising wasRising a good cooperative was agame. good Elf Creek cooperative game. Elf C tooktook it and made it and it a great made one. Theme, it aart, great tension,one. story, Theme, art, tension andand excitement excitement intertwine to make intertwine a game that stands to out make a game that sta in a in crowded a crowded marked.” marked.” - Tom - Tom Vasel, The Vasel, Dice Tower The Dice Tower

“[Atlantis Rising] is one “[Atlantis of the most captivating Rising]games is one I’ve of the m ever played, filled with ever nail-biting played, tensionfilled and moments with of nail-biti triumph.” triumph.” - Zee Garcia, The Dice - Zee Tower Garcia, The Dice Tower 22 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 22

8/30/21 10:48 AM

Best Cooperative Game

Best Artwork & Presentation

AVAILABLE NOW! 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 23

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 23

8/13/21 4:00 PM

LITTLE FACTORY

is coming out soon! Emma Recher, Marketing Manager

icture this, you have been traveling for some time and find yourself in the middle of a gorgeous valley. You don’t have a lot of money left but you can tell that the resources in this valley are so abundant that quite a lot can be done with them. Across from the wheat field, you are already imagining your windmill turning calmly with the wind. This sounds familiar, doesn’t it? You find yourself in an untouched land and decide to build it from the ground up, in your image and on your own terms. That’s because IELLO’s new strategy game, Little Factory, is Little Town’s younger sibling! Both games were designed by Shun and Aya Taguchi and illustrated by Sabrina Miramon. They are also both worker placement card games. In Little Town, players had to gather resources to begin their first building, then add another, and another, until a magnificent city is brought forth! The goal of the game was to show off one’s architectural skills. In Little Factory players explore their ability to become the best merchant. They start with very little money but a cornucopia of resources and they will have to demonstrate what they can do with them. Will they use grain to bake bread or feed the cows? It’s up to them to produce, sell, trade, block their opponents -- and earn valuable influence points! The illustrations are a nostalgic and well-executed nod to Little Town, creating a very similar universe that the whole family will love playing. Little Factory offers all of the best things of Little Town, with a cherry on top, and an alternative on how to cultivate the land. It is important to mention that Little Factory and its older sibling are both great card games to introduce young ones to the worker placement tabletop mechanic. Little Factory combines worker placement and resource management in one. It is easy to learn and will appeal to your strategic side. Of course, it 24 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 24

takes place in the wonderful universe of its predecessor, Little Town. Not only that, but it’s also a great game for beginners and experienced board game players of all ages! Little Factory, as is Little Town, is for 2-4 players aged 10 and older. Each game will last about 45 minutes. Little Factory has high replayability, and no two games will be the same! With its ultra-compact format, the game can be taken nearly anywhere. So, will you use your first resource to produce new ones, fund construction projects, or trade it with your opponent? Each player will have to choose their own unique path to victory wisely. But remember to take pleasure in stealing resources your opponents want and/or need! Little Factory MSRP $19.99 Release in October 2021

iellogames.com

8/13/21 4:00 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 25

8/13/21 4:00 PM

Making Your

Retail Space a

Safe Space

By Jeff Sorensen, Tabletop Gaymers

lthough June has passed, pride is something to celebrate year-round. Making your business a safe space is not only good for your community, but it is also good for business. Patrons who feel comfortable being themselves in your store, and recognize that diversity is a priority for you, are more likely to return in the future and support your business. But actions speak louder than words, so it is important that you show others in the space how they are welcomed and not just tell them. Here are a few tips for making your store a safe space for everyone!

Establish a Zero-Tolerance Policy

This can be one of the toughest things to do but it is also the most important and must be the first thing you do to create a real safe space. It is utterly important if you have a community area where your patrons can play games with strangers or, as I prefer, “best friends who haven’t met yet.” Let your patrons know that every individual is welcome and is to be treated with respect regardless of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, race, creed, religion, color, age, disability, national origin or any other factor used to

discriminate. Let them know that you have and enforce a zerotolerance policy and as part of that policy you will not tolerate discrimination, violence, harassment, hateful language or bullying of any kind. The tough part can be enforcement, but a zero-tolerance policy is only as good as its zero tolerance. One of the most challenging incidents that might happen is when a customer uses “hateful language” towards one of their own friends as a joke or as a slur that is not perceived as hateful to them. A well-known example is when someone calls someone or something “so gay” in response to something happening that they did not like. It usually seems innocuous to the offender (and often even the target of the term) but a closeted gay kid in the corner picks up on the intent loud and clear. When you or your employees witness or hear of an offense, take firm and decisive action. Explain your policy and kindly let them know that you hope they understand.

26 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 26

8/13/21 4:00 PM

Show Support for Diversity Enforcing a policy is infinitely easier if your patrons are aware of your policy in advance and recognize your support for diversity of all kinds. Put up artwork and posters that show your support for a diverse community. Highlight games that support diverse concepts or those that are written by diverse creators. Post your zero-tolerance policy in key locations such as your entrance and game play areas.

Hold a Fundraiser for a Charity Find a nonprofit organization that directly supports diversity or has a diversity mission – such as a local youth shelter, LGBTQIA+ community center, disability services provider, racial equity nonprofit – and have a fundraiser to support them. You can do this in any manner that suits you and is appropriate for your business.

• Ask your customers if they are willing to add 1% to their total purchase that day to support the charity. • Sell a special item such as a pin or button for your customers to show their support with all proceeds raised going to the charity. • Run a used game auction with half of each winning bid going to the seller and half going to the charity (of course, you can ask the seller if they would like to donate the full amount). • Organize a special game day event where all or part of the entrance fee is donated to a charity. Support the Safe Space Initiative Tabletop Gaymers – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is championing the visibility and inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community through tabletop gaming – is partnering with

GAMA to create a program to help retailers show their support for diversity and become a safe space. The program will feature a “starter kit” that includes policy templates, posters, window clings, brochures, buttons and enamel pins that can be sold for local fundraising. All the materials and designs will be made freely available to retailers who wish to make modifications or have the materials locally sourced. Part of the cost of the starter kit will provide funds for continued development and support of the program. To find out more about the program, view the draft materials, and to provide feedback on what would be most beneficial to you as a retailer, please visit www.tabletopgaymers.org/retail-safespace

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 27

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 27

8/13/21 4:00 PM

By Jillian Ross

miling, you stand in the center of your factory: The sweet sounds of metal clattering and engines rattling are warming your entrepreneurial heart. Your goal is to build diversified scoring and production engines in order to outrival the other factory owners. However, in the steam-filled air your biggest enemy is time because most machines and gears rust away quickly. So you are well advised to also produce rust proof chrome gears and invest in powerful chrome machines. To be successful, you must think carefully about when to deploy your engineers and when to turn your corrosion wheel. Whoever manages this best and scores the most points with their machines and awards wins the game.

Temporary engine-builder with several paths to victory Next up in Capstone Game’s “Big 4” end of year releases is Corrosion from Stefan Bauer. In another partnership with Deep Print Games, this game plays 1 to 4 players, ages 12 and up. Corrosion is beautifully illustrated by Dennis Lohausen and has a lot of components and pieces to unpack. You play as a group of engineers in a factory who make

machines by gathering resources like gears and steam. Put the machines and gears to clever use before your corrosion wheel is turned and your parts rust away! Actions, resources, machines, and engineers The main resources in Corrosion, gears and steam, are what you need to complete one-shot machines and chrome machines. Gears and steam are primarily produced by activating certain machines and performing the actions on engineer cards. There are 3 different types of gears: small, medium and chrome. Small and medium gears are spent to produce oneshot or turning machines while chrome gears are spent to build long lasting chrome machines. You can also produce chrome gears by spending 1 small or medium gear and consuming 1 steam. The all-female engineer team has different suits, grades and actions. There are three main suits: blue, green and orange. In addition, there are a gray suit and a wild suit among the qualified engineers. An engineer of the wild suit can be played to copy the action of a lower-grade engineer of any of the three main suits but not the gray one. However,

if you play an engineer of the wild suit on your turn, the other players can copy her action with a higher-grade engineer of any of the three main suits or wild suits. The grade 4+ engineer is considered the highest-grade engineer and therefore can copy 4 engineers! Be careful with your movements as players will be interacting with the cards you play and actions you choose. Each turn has 4 phases: 1. Maintenance 2. Main Action 3. Maintenance 4. End of Turn. Phases 1 and 3 are Maintenance phases in which you may perform secondary actions. In Phase 2, you may play 1 engineer from your hand or turn your corrosion wheel. Turning your corrosion wheel puts your machines to work and returns engineers to your hand. It also causes old gears and machines to rust. The end phase of the game begins when, at the end of a player’s turn, one or both of the following conditions are met: There are 3 or fewer markets left in the special point supply or there are 3 or fewer award tokens left in the award supply. Each game of Corrosion lasts around 60 to 90 minutes so plan wisely. Solo mode included! Corrosion has a solo mode included in the game where you get the chance to play against one of the other engineers. You play the game normally, but the engineer has a set amount of actions to take that you will perform yourself. Play against the engineer and set your own records by tallying up the score as usual! Availability Corrosion will be available in October and at Essen Spiel! Pre-orders are open now. capstone-games.com

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 28

8/13/21 4:00 PM

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 29

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 29

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Shooting for the Stars

he last time we spoke, I closed with a somewhat cryptic message about “keeping an eye on the starry skies” for our next announcement. That was a pretty good one, yeah? Anyhoo, here we are, and that meteor is quickly approaching in the form of the new edition of our beloved first release, Galaxy Trucker! That’s right, Galaxy Trucker is coming back with all new art, improved components, and streamlined gameplay. It also has a much more shelf friendly size and an even wallet-friendlier price of $29.95 MSRP. Note: I just got my hands on a production copy of this and let me tell you … I had a big smile on my face opening it and chuckled reading through the final rule book. This game is good and brings all of the happy memories back that we remember. This would be a great time to mention that Launch Kits for Galaxy Trucker are still available for preorder from your preferred distributor! Included are elements you may have become familiar with now from previous kits: Three (3) sellable copies of the game, a marked demo copy for your store, and a 1,000-piece puzzle of the fantastic new box cover artwork from Tomáš Kučerovský. REMEMBER! This is the best way to guarantee your store a demo copy of the game at launch, so reserve your launch kit NOW! Also, I am still going around and conducting store visits. I just got back from a few days in the Chicago

area where I visited a bunch of stores, and I am thrilled to see how retailers are getting along. It’s still a long road yet to travel for many of you, but I am glad to see things improving for many of you as traffic increases and we finally get back to in-person events. My travels have taken me to retailers in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee. I am slowly working on expanding out of the Midwest, so if you would like me to come visit you, please reach out to me directly or sign up through the CGE Retailer Facebook Group. Speaking about the Retailer Facebook Group, if you’re a retail store owner and not a member yet, it is never too late to join! That’s where we post a lot of updates on upcoming games, updates on restocks, etc. You can request to join here: https://www.facebook. com/groups/cgeretail If you EVER have any questions, or need anything, please let me know and I will do anything I can to help you or get you the information or what you need. In the meantime, stay safe, be healthy and keep an eye out for more discussions on new ways to explore and discover with CGE! Justin Sweigart CGE Retail Support Specialist justin@czechgames.com czechgames.com

30 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 30

8/13/21 4:01 PM CGE_Aroun

BUILD A SPACESHIP!*

EXPLORE THE GALAXY!**

EARN HUGE PROFITS!*** BECOME A

GALAXY TRUCKER! Age:

Players:

2–4

Time:

30 min

MSRP:

$29.95

*Spaceship will be made of sewer pipes and disassembled upon arrival. **Truckers may only explore Corporation Incorporated approved locations. ***Corporation Incorporated does not guarantee profit. Loss of cosmic credits or life is sole responsibility of the Trucker.

CGE_Around the Table_full page ad_Q3_2021_01.indd 1 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 31

19.07.2021 13:32 8/13/21 4:01 PM

Quest By Reid Conley, Freelance Writer

ear ye, hear ye! Introducing Quest, the newest social deduction game from Don Elkridge, creator of the popular game The Resistance: Avalon. If you’ve played Avalon, Quest will feel very familiar. Once again, the minions of Mordred and loyal servants of Arthur vie for the fate of Britain, but this time deduction and debate is quicker and supports a broader range of player counts. Quest also features a striking new art style by Weberson Santiago that brings a fresh and colorful feel to the Arthurian legends. Despite influences from previous games, Quest has exciting changes to the formula that make it an excellent game in its own right. Similar to other games of its ilk, Quest takes place over a number of quests. Players on a quest decide whether it succeeds or fails by playing the respective cards. It only takes one fail card to bring down a quest, so make sure the team you send is on your side, or the evil minions may sabotage it. If too many quests are unsuccessful, the minions win, but only after the loyal servants get one

32 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 32

more chance to sniff out the saboteurs in an epic finale. Agents of mischief and mayhem must keep their secrets carefully or risk being exposed and losing the game. Quest cuts down playtime significantly by streamlining the way teams are formed. In previous games, the leader selected a team, and every player got to vote on whether that team was acceptable. Instead, Quest gives the leader the final say. Once they choose a team for a quest, the debate is over. Your silver tongue is the only power you wield over the leader and who they select to go on quests. Time is of the essence, and this is hardly a democracy. Being clever and persuasive is the key to victory. In addition to removing the vote for teams, leaders can bestow magic tokens and amulets that add new layers of scheming and strategy to the game. Magic tokens force players to help quests succeed, and amulets grant the power to peak at other players’ roles to determine whether they are friend or foe. However, certain roles can ignore the power of

magic tokens and amulets, so be on guard; you can never be certain who to trust. If you only have a few friends on hand, worry not. Quest can be played with as few as 4 players! The game scales by adding specific roles depending on your player count. There are also optional roles that can be added to make Quest more challenging. You can use the recommended sets of roles, or you can mix and match them to your liking. With a vast array of roles at your fingertips, you can curate a game that suits your group’s playstyle and leaves the core experience intact regardless of how many people you can get around the table. This makes Quest one of the most flexible options in the social deduction genre and the most accessible option for smaller groups. Even those who don’t find social deduction games to their liking will be swayed by Quest’s streamlined ruleset and quick playtime. Quest has interesting new strategies and powers to discover whether you are journeying into social deduction games for the first time or are a battlehardened veteran.

indieboardsandcards.com

8/13/21 4:01 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 33

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Making Indie and Kickstarter Games More Accessible to Retail

he Independent Distribution Project, or InDiPro Games, started because there are a lot of great indie games out there and many of them don’t get a chance to shine just because they don’t have a distributor. InDiPro has two primary missions. The first is to curate a catalog of quality indie board games and get them into as many stores as possible, because they believe wholeheartedly that indie games help push gaming innovation and bring great new concepts to the table. They just need a little extra help to get recognized. The second is to build a personal relationship with publishers and stores alike, because gaming is about community and indie needs that community to survive. InDiPro came about because Will Carson of Attention Span Games had a handful of games out and most stores he approached informed him that they would be interested in picking up copies of his games if he were with a distributor. After finding out that the model for the bigger distributors doesn’t allow them to take risk on indie, he and a friend decided to shift things up a bit and focus on distributing Indie games. In late 2019 InDiPro approached several Pacific Northwest based indie publishers to collect an initial batch of games, including Cherry Picked Games (Conspire, Drink!, Far Away), Jason Buhlman’s Minotaur Games (Pirate Loot, Pathfinder), and Andrew Tullsen, formerly of Print and Play (Flick Wars). With that, they started making phone calls and going into as many stores as they could to make personal relationships and 34 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 34

get stores excited about indie. As the InDiPro catalog grew, more stores became interested, which in turn gave InDiPro more credibility with developers. Then came GAMA Expo 2020. InDiPro attended and was amazed by just how many stores they dealt with were at Expo as well. As each day passed the store owners/managers InDiPro had relationships with already, introduced them to other stores or called InDiPro over to a publisher booth to request they carry a game they were excited about. By the end of Expo InDiPro was working with several more publishers and stores. From GAMA, InDiPro was launched full bore into the pandemic, and like diving into a pool of molasses things slowed. While not growing at the projected pace, InDiPro’s personal relationships with publishers and stores alike kept things afloat through the hard times. While things were slow, indie publishers were still turning out new games and InDiPro’s catalog continued to grow. When stores started reopening, InDiPro had a plethora of new games for them to showcase. Now InDiPro has a catalog of more than 100 games, some more well-known than others, but all of them are games the people at InDiPro enjoy due to their innovation, creativity, or just plain being fun. If you would like to get involved with InDiPro games as a publisher or to create a wholesale account as a store, visit www. indiprogames.com or email info@indiprogames.com. indiprogames.com/attention-span-games

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 35

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 35

8/13/21 4:01 PM

LGBTQIA+ Representation and Gaming For a Good Cause with Japanime Games

GBTQIA+ representation means a lot to us at Japanime Games, and we’ve partnered with important causes to provide support while also providing great games and products that appeal to a diverse range of players.

Glitter Hearts A brand-new RPG designed by Greg Leatherman and published by Japanime Games, Glitter Hearts is one of our most exciting new games. It’s nspired by “magical girl” anime and set in a world of everyday people who transform into powerful superheroes that fight the forces of evil. You try to find the balance between your everyday life and heeding the call to save the world. This RPG is especially positive towards LGBTQIA+ individuals, allowing you to play as a character that’s truly unique! The rules are easy to learn and building your own character is a simple process of making choices that fit your vision, such as: • Your everyday identity • Your magical archetype • Your mystical connection And then choose your actions from there until you’ve built your hero! All you need to play is 3-6 players, some six-sided dice, and a few hours to play. We’re donating $1 of every copy of Glitter Hearts sold in 2021 to Tabletop Gaymers - a nonprofit organization that fights for the inclusion and visibility of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the tabletop gaming industry and community. Player’s Choice Sleeves Our Player’s Choice Powder Blue & Power Pink Card Sleeves (available in both YuGiOh and Standard sizes) display the colors of the transgender flag allowing you to protect your cards and show your pride at the same time! Player’s Choice sleeves are the go-to choice for collectors and gamers, more durable than other sleeves and available in a 36 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 36

range of popular colors as well as anime art varieties. During 2021, $1 of every pack sold goes toward supporting two very important causes: • The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQIA+ individuals. The organization works to save lives by providing support through free and confidential suicide prevention and crisis intervention programs on platforms where young people spend their time: their 24/7 phone lifeline, chat, and text. They also provide the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQIA+ youth, TrevorSpace.org. • The National Center for Transgender Equality is focused on civil rights for trans individuals, working to replace disrespect, discrimination, and violence with empathy, opportunity, and justice. This organization advocates to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people. We firmly believe that gaming is for everyone, and supporting these causes goes a long way towards making the world a better place! The games and accessories we publish for this initiative are available both online and at retailers nationwide - Glitter Hearts is set to release in September 2021, and the Player’s Choice sleeves are available now! You can read more about our initiative at: https://japanimegames. com/fr/pages/get-your-favorites-and-support-great-causes japanimegames.com

8/13/21 4:01 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 37

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Spooky Halloween Fun By Sean Jacquemain

rusty creak, a chilly breeze, a creepy moan and all things that go bump in the night. Intrepid ghost hunters have made their way to the spooky old house on the top of the hill, and it’s the player’s job to scare the courage out of them and send them running out the front door! Haunt the House is a game with a simple premise that people of all skill levels and ages can enjoy. Players are ghosts trying to lay down the right combination of Scare cards to spook ghost hunters. Each hunter has entered a room in the house and they all have a specific combination of Scares that will send them running (that’ll teach them for disturbing you!). Each turn, players lay cards down to rooms in the house. They can play face up to take advantage of the special power of the room—like the Attic that allows players to draw Scares from their discard pile, or the Dining Room that allows them to steal a Scare from another player. They can also decide to hide their strategy by placing Scare cards face down, creating some hidden information that only they know. Does that card contribute to scaring off the hunter? Only the ghost that played it knows for sure. When they feel the moment is right, they can yell ‘BOO’ on their turn and reveal all the Scare cards in a room to see if the right combination has been spent to terrify the ghost hunter and send them running. Every ghost that contributed to that 38 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 38

successful scare earns a reward, but the player who called the Boo gets to collect the hunter card, which is worth valuable set collection points at the end of the game. Haunt the House is a great introduction to the bluffing mechanism in games. Players are allowed -- even encouraged -- to put face down Scare cards in rooms that don’t contribute to scaring off the hunters. Knowing which cards have been placed is an advantage and bluffing is a critical tactic to learn in this game as well as so many others they’ll come across in the hobby. Like all Kids Table Board Gaming titles, Haunt the House has been specifically designed so that it can be played by younger or inexperienced players, but also enjoyed by more seasoned veterans of the hobby. There are a variety of elements that can be added or removed so that everyone can have the gaming experience they want. For a slightly more complex experience, Phantom cards can be added to the base game. These spirited cards grant new powers and point-earning opportunities to the standard experience. Halloween is a great time for people to try out this fast, fun, thematic game, but it would be a hit for players at any time of year. Put on a creepy face, practice your best spooky moan, and get ready to scare some hunters! Haunt the House is available for your FLGS now. kidstablebg.com

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Only the spookiest Ghost can call this house their home! AVAILABLE NOW FOR YOUR HALLOWEEN DISPLAY 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 39

8/13/21 4:01 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 40

8/13/21 4:01 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 41

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Trade Days @ Origins

GAMA members can attend for FREE. Join us at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio on Wednesday, September 29 and Thursday, September 30 for more than a dozen retailer-to-retailer peer education workshops, a series of industry seminars for publishers and game designers, two Game Nights (!!) to demo new games, and networking time with industry partners. Trade Days attendees are welcome to stay for the rest of Origins as part of their badge at no additional cost! Retailers that register before September 1 and participate in the Premier Presentations are eligible to receive a Retailer Appreciation Box from presenters to take home with them. Each GAMA-member company receives two complimentary badges as a benefit of membership. These badges also allow members early access to the Exhibit Hall on Friday, October 1. Please note – these badges are in addition to badges exhibitors receive for being part of the convention.

GAMA house ad1.indd 1 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 42

You must register in advance to participate in this program. For more information and to register please visit https://www.originsgamefair. com/trade-days. GAMA Member’s Lounge (D280) will be open throughout Origins to provide a space for networking, conducting business and hanging out during the show. Please note that this area is designated as alcohol free to provide an alternative to the Big Bar on 2 for industry members to conduct business.

8/12/21 8/13/21 11:43 4:01 PM AM

A modern classic found within Small Islands

By Az Drummond, Crowdfunding & Marketing Director for Lucky Duck Games

few courageous explorers have discovered a magnificent archipelago, far across the immense blue sea, filled with vital resources. As representatives of your clan, you have been chosen to explore these newly discovered islands, seek out natural resources and the temples of an ancient civilization, and bring back wealth and prestige for your clan from these many islands. Small Islands received huge praise from reviewers such as Rahdo and Zee Garcia (The Dice Tower) with its original release in 2018 and it is back now with an improved rulebook and new publication from Lucky Duck Games. Small Islands sees players setting sail to discover beautiful islands, unearth discoveries, and earn prestige. Each player receives a set of clan houses, a ship tile, flexible objectives cards, and — most importantly — Landscape tiles. At the end of the game, the player who has earned the most prestige by tactically exploring tiles, securing resources and completing objectives will win. Exploring The Islands Each turn players explore Landscape tiles that contain sought-after resources,

11:43 AM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 43

temples, ports and more to grow the size and number of islands. The map grows aesthetically as all players add to it together so the islands offer constantly changing choices. A simple-to-learn turn structure evolves slowly into more complex decision making and the variable round end timing keeps players engaged and on their toes with short-term planning. The game is highly replayable as players receive objectives that can be mixed and matched to customize their goals. Bonus tokens can also be used to alter the resources found around the growing archipelago creating a wonderful tension between competing player strategies. At the end of each round players will score their objectives according to their objectives and how they have chosen to place their clan houses. However, clan houses are not infinite so players need to plan when to use their limited number of houses across the various rounds to secure the most prosperous locations at the most beneficial moment.

Something Extra for Great Explorers Hidden inside the heart of Small Islands (look carefully underneath the actual box insert) there are two stacks of Great Explorer Cards that will allow you to explore the Small Islands in a different way. Players can “earn the privilege” of opening them and discovering their content by earning a certain number of Achievements found in the rulebook, or they can just tear it open and dive in! Small Islands also comes with a custom designer solo experience where players compete against “Alexis.” Alexis comes with a number of different cards which dictate the difficulty level and AI behavior to offer players a range of solo experiences. Small Islands is for 1-4 players and offers an incredible family game experience, with the option to add advanced and solo modes for experienced players. It will appeal to players who like tilelaying, set collection and variable player objectives.

8/13/21 4:01 PM

TikTok: Is it for m By Dawn Studebaker, Marketing, Social Media & Retail Consultant | Previous GAMA Board Member | Retail Advocate

t was nearly a year ago that TikTok started to blow up and become a household app spanning generations. Boomers, GenX, Gen Z and even some Gen Y showed up through their parent’s pages. This app is for everyone. Don’t tell me you are too old to be successful or too young. We saw all sorts of people embracing the lightheartedness of TikTok and who can blame us? We needed something happy to focus our energy on and lift our spirits. The world has been kind of heavy. Not all of TikTok is light, but that is easily rectified on your page. Scroll along to the next TikTok until you find something intriguing. So that got brands asking the big question: Will TikTok give me a new way to cut through the social media noise and draw revenues? The answer was an absolute yes. But it wasn’t just that simple. Brands had to understand how to create TikToks that work for them. Not as easy as one may think. TikTok realized that brands needed to understand this new way of doing social media and stepped in. Almost a year ago, they coined the phrase “Make TikToks - Don’t Make Ads.” This phrase shook all of us. What do you mean don’t make ads? In the great words of Ursula, the sea witch from The Little Mermaid, “It’s what we do! It’s what we live for!” So marketing directors and social media managers took a step back and listened. If you do this, it will pay off in big with exposure, a natural return on investment with your current fans. But the magic is in how fast you will gain new customers and fans if you stay relevant and consistent. So long as you embrace and understand the platform. Put in the work and change your approach to social media. Yes: I said to understand the social media platform that TikTok is. I did not say come in with a sound marketing plan. Understand the platform. What does that mean? First of all, TikTok at its core is a place to create short videos that inspire you or have meaning for the

content creator. TikTok is about expression, not sales. Fashion trends, comedy, hobbies, crafting and travel are all frequently viewed video topics. You can find famous people making fun of themselves and kids bored at home because they can’t leave the house due to a pandemic. The magic? With the shorter view time, enthusiasts can move on to the next “vibe” with a simple swipe up. Tiktok watched as brands tried to sell to the user and failed. The viewer is on to you and will leave you as quickly as they came. So TikTok revisited the motto to make sure brands understand why. The app is about user interactions. And if you capture that, you have success. This form of social media also works because it allows you to reach people that may not know anything about your brand or what your brand does and draw interest from new potential customers. You know, the social media magic bullet. And with the “For You Page” aka “FYP” cultivating what TikToks you are introduced to, the chances of gaining new customers is very likely and appealing to brands. It’s like a spin at a carnival on a prize wheel and getting the reward of finding new products and hobbies you must buy and start. Hence the catchphrase “TikTok made me buy it” or “Amazon made me buy it” trends on the app. I planted a garden because @ creative_explained (look them up on TikTok) came on my FYP and got me excited about plants. I have a black thumb. I do not garden. Well, I bought raised garden beds and threw money at Bonnie Plants faster than you could say summer. I have a lot more to learn – but now I have tomatoes. Now, how do brands find success? Well, we could talk about algorithms and all of that, but personally I think consistent content wins any conversation about

44 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 44

8/13/21 4:01 PM

r my Brand? algorithm. However, I am human enough to admit next month I could change my mind. That is how social media works. It is forever moving and changing. To be successful, you should post often and stay on-trend. Check out the trends by paying attention to the music, challenges or whatever appears hot. Yes, that means watching enough TikToks to identify what is hot and when to use it. TikTok moves fast. You have to move fast with it. Eventually, you will become the trendsetter with your brand. But for now, follow the trends and don’t be late for the party. Nobody likes a worn-out trend bandwagon. Next, TikTok is about engaging with your audience. They handed you tools like stitch and duet to encourage bringing your audience into your brand excitement. Look up “Fancy Like” to see tons of examples of the country singer Walker Hayes doing his Fancy Like Dance with everybody and anybody. It is the summer sensation. The song is catchy and the fun of watching groups of people do this dance is the magic. This dance is not difficult; it’s fun. It makes people feel good. He did what country music does. It relates to regular people. So the brand created a moment that the world embraced. It worked so well it captivated everyone from Hoda and Jenna to regular folk like you and me to do the “Fancy Like Dance.” It’s not polished marketing, nor is the dance. Just like the song implies, it is all engaging regular people. Game store owner Jamie Mathy saw success with his Bloomington, Illinois, game store. @RedRaccoongamesblm hit big with his second post with 127,000 views and 14,200 likes. The post was merely using a trending song and short hilarity of a generational “ice in your veins” pose. (Posted on May 2, 2021) This launched the channel with decent views and hitting big again with a “Water Leak” post on June 6, 2021. In the video, the staffer added Pokemon water energy all down the stairs. The moment was recorded and used for the post telling the manager

that water was running down the stairs. The manager’s reaction is priceless. This accomplishes telling a story of what you can expect at Red Raccoon Games while not making it an ad. It was pure entertainment. There is no other platform that hands you the keys to create fan interaction like TikTok. Your customers want to be seen and heard. It’s why the comment sections of TikToks are so popular. Create your TikToks with that in mind. A great example of that is the “tell me you are a (insert something here) without telling me you are an (inserted thing). I’ll go first.” TikTok trend was so popular. They are a call to engagement, not action, actual engagement. Every other social media platform measures your platform engagement and punishes you or rewards you accordingly based on success. TikTok just handed you the keys to succeed with that specific platform’s engagement. Take the keys. Let’s review what makes TikToks work for brands. Don’t tell us what your game, your store or your event has to offer. Make a TikTok showing us the experience. Make me want to buy it, go to it or experience it for myself. Most of all, create a TikTok that makes me want to share it with others through duets, stitches, or any other sharing tool on the platform. Embody FOMO (fear of missing out). TikTok should be entertaining, connecting and embody the vibe of your brand. TikTok can also allow you to create new vibes. That is the power of TikTok. And if you tried and it didn’t go well: Re-evaluate. TikTok is a platform that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 45

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 45

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Woodland Escapades R

oot: The Tabletop Roleplaying Game is a new tabletop RPG for ages 12 and up based on Leder Games’s award-winning Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right board game about conflict and power, featuring struggles between cats, birds, mice, rabbits, foxes, and more. In Root: The RPG, three to five players all take on the role of vagabonds, denizens of the Woodland who have been cast out of “civilized” society, whether by their own volition or by exile. Together as a band of outlaws, the vagabonds venture throughout the Woodland fulfilling jobs for the other denizens, having adventures, getting into trouble, and tipping the scales in the conflict between the factions. This game focuses on fun adventurous action and escapades, and on the meaningful, lasting backdrop of the Woodland and its war. The vagabonds get into big fights and stage cunning heists, and by doing so, they earn reputations with different Woodland factions. They might even choose to help a faction take control over clearings and win the War! From Board Game to RPG In the original board game, the Marquise de Cat’s troops try to hold the Woodland against the forces of the tumultuous Eyrie Dynasties—meanwhile a single Vagabond piece adventures and

the Woodland Alliance plots revolution. The different factions create an experience that makes players want to return to the game again and again! Root: The RPG isn’t just set in the wonderful world of the Woodland; it’s inspired at every level by Root’s delightful asymmetry and core mechanics. We’re huge fans of the board game, and we’ve spent the past few years building out a roleplaying game that allows players to step more deeply into the Woodland’s setting and politics. Want to know more about what happens as the Marquisate grows in power? Or what secrets and mysteries haunt those ruins in the forest? Root: The RPG makes time for all those questions and gives players an opportunity to spend dozens of sessions immersed in a setting that feels more real with every adventure. For Players New and Old Actual play podcasts and livestreams have made RPGs hotter than ever. Root: The RPG uses a format with which many players are already familiar—a band of adventurers roams the Woodland encountering enemies and mysteries in roughly three to four hours sessions— but offers a cutting-edge rules engine featuring adorable animals. We’re so excited to see many players try out Root: The RPG as their first (or second)

roleplaying game! At the same time, the game’s systems—a Powered by the Apocalypse engine similar to Masks: A New Generation and Monster of the Week—are robust. Gear, weapons, and resources matter in Root: The RPG, and the reputation mechanics mean that every adventure counts toward the broader politics of the setting. We’ve also given the gamemaster tools for creating adventures on the fly, reducing the amount of prep time needed to run a great session. By Wing and Paw! We’re so thrilled to release Root: The RPG early 2022, and we hope it finds a space at your store right next to the board game! Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right is a game that tells stories, and we’re so excited to give players a new way to experience the Woodland...and make a lasting mark on the War as vagabonds! Root art and logo © 2017 Leder Games. All Rights Reserved.

46 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 46

8/13/21 4:01 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 47

8/13/21 4:01 PM

Doomtown

Resumes in New “Weird West”

By Alex Wirges, Creative Director

s many gamers will tell you, the cancellation of a favorite product line is never fun. You’ve invested a lot of time and money into something you love, and that’s exactly what happened to the team at Pine Box Entertainment. Doomtown had first been cancelled as a CCG, and then as an expandable card game called Doomtown: Reloaded it again faced the same fate. When that day came in 2016, they refused to let their beloved game die without a double tap. The team at Pine Box Entertainment began formulating a plan to keep Doomtown around. At GenCon 2016, they approached Shane Lacy Hensley, creator of the Deadlands roleplaying game that Doomtown is set in, and found him receptive to Pine Box Entertainment’s stewardship of the Doomtown legacy. Fast forward two years, and Pine Box Entertainment partnered with Pinnacle Entertainment Group to launch and fulfill a Kickstarter for an expansion for Doomtown that added play options and new card types, plus bringing it closer to the Deadlands roleplaying game than ever before. Since then, Pine Box Entertainment has continued to expand and elaborate on Doomtown. Exploring legendary western towns such as Tombstone, Ariz., and Deadwood, SD. This has given them the resources and momentum to explore entirely new worlds and fantastic settings. In 2020, Pine Box Entertainment

announced 7th Sea: The City of Five Sails, an expandable card game set in the world of Théah from Chaosium’s 7th Sea role-playing game. Pine Box Entertainment is set to publish Bukana by Secret Garden Games, a Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition setting in the world of WakeSong, based on Filipino myth and legend. On July 8th 2021, Pine Box Entertainment released Moods of the Mad King: Revised Edition on their web store and through distribution with their partners at Studio 2 Publishing. Among all of these new projects and impending releases, Pine Box Entertainment still feels the draw of Doomtown. With a growing card pool and product from the earlier part of the run being harder to find, Pine Box Entertainment has renewed their focus on making Doomtown easier to get into with a revised base set. Set to launch on Kickstarter on August 17th 2021, Doomtown: Weird West Edition:

• is fully compatible with existing collections. • is a standalone product that can be played without current expansions. • adds new ways to play. • features rebalanced and clarified rules with a focus on new player accessibility. They’re also using this chance to breathe new life into the organized play scene - by embracing online play with an official platform and creating a set rotation for new players to jump on. Avid gamers, Pine Box Entertainment continues to work towards making games and worlds with the intent of telling inclusive stories and allowing players to influence the outcome of those stories through tournaments and organized play events. This tradition continues in Deadwood during the weekend of August 18th-22nd, when Doomtown players and Pine Box Entertainment descend on the town for another destination event chock full of tourney play and fun get togethers. pineboxentertainment.com

48 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 48

8/13/21 4:01 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 49

8/13/21 4:02 PM

What is

FLAMES of FREEDOM?

t is the eve of the American Revolution in 1776, and life is on the verge of drastic change. The Europeans shun folklore and witchcraft as the so-called Age of Reason is upon them, but there is something off about the world – something sinister, malicious and purposeful. No one truly knows its cause, not even the Indigenous Nations who have lived in this “New World” for many, many years. In Flames of Freedom, magic – with monsters, demons and mythological creatures – is real. It does not matter what your creed, color, culture, faith or gender is — all stand together in the war for survival. Your characters are the last line of defense for the innocent. Flames of Freedom is an American colonial horror role-playing game Powered by Zweihänder RPG. Intensely researched and developed by a diverse group of designers, this game explores cultures beyond North America’s European experience. We created this game with Black writers, cultural consultants and Indigenous scholars to be inclusive of those experiences while still portraying the horrific realities of war and the supernatural. Although the American Revolution is the backdrop to this game, your adventures will center around three genres: those of supernatural horror, occult mystery and high action. What follows are comparable experiences that inspired and evoked Flames of Freedom: SUPERNATURAL HORROR: Films like Brotherhood of the Wolf, Bone Tomahawk and Edge of the Knife have dark forces that evoke this style. In works of literature, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or The

50 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 50

Modern Prometheus and Bram Stoker’s Dracula are comparable. OCCULT MYSTERY: Video games such as Assassin’s Creed III and Never Alone, along with films such as From Hell, Sleepy Hollow and The VVitch share occult-like themes that match this play style. The works of Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Robert E. Howard’s Solomon Kane are of a similar tone and scope. HIGH ACTION: James Fenimore Cooper and Brian Wood’s comic book Rebels comes to mind. Films such as The Last of the Mohicans, The Revenant and the television series John Adams and TURN: Washington’s Spies are also comparable.

Ultimately, Flames of Freedom is an alternate history TTRPG that functions on the premise that everything you can imagine in the supernatural exists – from the lowly dandelion plant to a sleeping stone giant making her home at the base of the Appalachians and the spirits that haunt Williamsburg. Welcome to Flames of Freedom, where your grim and perilous tale hangs in the balance! Daniel D. Fox is the executive creative director of games at Andrews McMeel Publishing. He is notable for winning two gold ENNIE Awards for Best Game and Product of the Year with his dark fantasy hit Zweihander Grim & Perilous RPG. After a 16-year career in digital advertising, he now spends his days designing tabletop role-playing games and creating strategies to reach new audiences. amuniversal.com

8/13/21 4:02 PM

How Can the Steve Jackson Games MIB Program Support Your Store? Julie A. Yeager – Steve Jackson Games MIB Program Coordinator

or almost 25 years, the Steve Jackson Games MIB Program has been a network of enthusiastic volunteer representatives (more than 1,600 worldwide) to promote product awareness by introducing our games to people unfamiliar with them, especially through in-store demos/events and game conventions. Since we can’t send staff to every convention and Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS) in the country, it is up to the Men and Women in Black to be good-will ambassadors for Steve Jackson Games to the outside world. Furthermore, MIBs are already established members of their local communities, which gives them credibility and makes infiltration much easier (did we say too much?) We currently have an elite team of more than150 MIB Operatives sharing their love and knowledge of gaming with others, and we are always recruiting. This dedicated, year-round Demo Team helps organize and run game demos and events at: • Friendly Local Games Stores (MIB Store Liaisons) • Local/Regional Conventions • Libraries • Schools • Youth & Community Groups • Game Groups/Meet-ups What is a MIB Store Liaison and how do they benefit your store, you ask? A MIB Store Liaison serves as a local representative for Steve Jackson Games. • They get to know your team or staff. • They make sure you are aware of any new/upcoming Steve Jackson Games products. • They are available to run Steve Jackson Games demos/events (or help find sjgames.com

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 51

someone to do so). • They will relay any questions/ concerns/recommendations you may have regarding our product/programs back to the powers that be. Additional benefits to a store having a MIB Store Liaison include being able to provide additional support in the form of special promos/prizes for events, and having (or having access to) a broad range of Steve Jackson Games product knowledge. Would you like a MIB Store Liaison to assist with your Steve Jackson Games demos & events? Here are the next steps: 1. Submit a request on our website, or email us at volunteer@sjgames.com Upon receiving your request, we will check the database to verify if we have a MIB already in your area that is interested and available in serving as your MIB Store Liaison. 2. If we don’t already have someone in your area, we’ll then ask you, our retail partner, to help recruit a MIB Store Liaison. As you know, a regular customer can be a great asset - someone who already shops in your store, participates in your events, and is well acquainted with the Steve Jackson Games line of games. We’ll send you a recruitment flyer and MIB recruitment cards to help with the efforts and hopefully together we’ll find you one or more individuals willing to help in your store and/or region. • We look for individuals who love Steve Jackson Games and are friendly, fun and love teaching games to others! As part of the program, MIBs earn MIB Points (product credit) for each hour

they run demos/events for SJ Games products. These points can then be used to purchase additional SJ Games merchandise from W23. We are always looking to add more MIB Operatives to our ranks. Much of this recruitment is done from within our current MIB network, but we’d also like to ask our retail partners to help. If you have customers who you think would be a great fit please encourage them to check out the program by visiting our website to obtain more info or email us at volunteer@ sjgames.com. Thank you for your continued support! Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 51

8/13/21 4:02 PM

MYTHICAL MAYHEM:

A Danger The Game Fantasy Filled Expansion By Daniel Kim, Origami Whale LLC

f you’ve ever played Danger The Game you know it’s about more than what’s on the cards you place in front of you. It isn’t “what do I have?” it’s “what do I really have?” A series of increasingly defective clones doesn’t have to be of your clones after all, or even clones in the conventional sense; they could be increasingly bad imitators of a legendary musician or even increasingly corrupted clones of an allimportant hard drive. The game comes in a box, but what’s in the box is up to you. You create a character, the champion of a story, through two cards:

Skill: What can this character do? Tool: What does this character have? And it becomes easy to say what this character does, because this is your skill and your tool. This is why many of our fans tell us that Danger is a good way to get people into other role-playing games; because you set the story, you set the

52 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 52

stage, and you grab whatever you need from what’s around you in that story to do whatever you need to do. Role-playing games are just a progression from this, a bigger stage, a bigger story, but you still get to play your character.

Mythical Mayhem is a tribute to the fantasy worlds often presented in these games, but it is also a tribute to the games themselves. The signs on the backs of the cards are replaced with a more thematic banner and color motif but some mechanics and tools were added to create a bridge into those larger worlds. First, there is the d20, a roleplaying staple, which adds some luck and variability to some of the cards in the deck for example: So, you’re facing off against a dragon. Is it a fire or an ice dragon? Maybe an acid dragon or a Chromatic dragon! Don’t know what a dragon is? Then the bestiary will help players, especially those new to fantasy, envision creatures of fantasy worlds. Finally, we added an epilogue system to the game. Now the reckless adventurer doesn’t just leave when their quest is done, but something from their story will follow them into the next: Did you offend a dwarf? Well maybe you go into your next adventure with hobbled kneecaps. Did you befriend a bard? Maybe now people see your wobbly gait as a confident swagger. Maybe you end up with the venomous fang of a basilisk or a baby griffin that keeps digging up gold! The judge for that round decides on what carries over, which teaches two valuable lessons to the intrepid campaigner: Actions always have consequences; also, always suck up to your GM. origamigames.com

8/13/21 4:02 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 53

8/13/21 4:02 PM

5 Questions to ensure that your healthcare coverage is working for your small business

ealth insurance is a big benefit with a big cost attached to it. Picking the plan can be frustrating, overwhelming and confusing. The result for all your troubles: An overpriced plan that you and your employees don’t really understand. At this moment, you may be thinking one of two things: “oh my gosh, this is me!” or “wow, I’m so glad I chose GameManufacturersHealthcare.com as my complete healthcare coverage solution.” If you unfortunately feel yourself gravitating to the first thought, your next question should be, “what should I do now?”. Ask these 5 questions to help ensure that your healthcare coverage is working for your small business. 1. Do the benefits that the provided plan is offering meet the needs of your employees? Investing in your employees’ health and happiness through the benefits your small business offers is an investment in your human capital. If your employees — who help the company run every day — are healthy or have the means to maintain their health, then the company is ultimately healthier, more productive and more successful. Remember, insurance, like everything else, is not one size fits all, no matter how much someone will try to sell you on that dream. You need a certain flexibility of benefits that offers options for employees to customize their coverage as much as possible to their needs. 2. Do your employees completely understand the full extent of the benefits that are offered to them? We all can recall a situation when we were confused and overwhelmed about a new concept. Chances are you were extremely frustrated especially if there was a deadline involved. This is a natural emotion, but it should not be the norm when buying healthcare coverage for you and your employees. Let’s be honest, health insurance will not be the most exciting purchase you ever make, but it is one of the most important ones. An easyto-use and understandable digital platform makes research easy and confusion over insurance a thing of the past. Make sure that your employees understand what is being offered so they can use their benefits to the full extent and make informed decisions. No one likes surprises when it comes to their money or their health. 3. Does your healthcare coverage have strict in-network restrictions? Many health insurance plans restrict how and when you can obtain care. In some instances, you cannot see the doctor of your choosing without jumping through hoops. This can be very stressful. A small, restrictive network poses more limitations than ever before. Before committing to a health insurance plan for your small business, make sure that the network meets the needs of your employees; better yet, do away with in- and out-of-network 54 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 54

constraints and find a plan that offers quality coverage anywhere. As a member of GAMA, you have GameManufacturersHealthcare. com on your side to help you find these types of options. 4. Does your coverage include a team to help you save on your healthcare expenses? Healthcare coverage is an extremely important decision to make. To appropriately evaluate which plan is right for you, there are a few early steps that are essential to making sure the plan you select is the right fit for you and your employees. Luckily for you, we already talked about the importance of understanding your personal healthcare needs and imploring your employees to do the same. Next you should look to find an insurance expert that is in your corner and that will offer you unbiased advice, education and ongoing support throughout the year. As an employer you want to ensure you aren’t overextended by providing the best benefits for your company. Trust the plan and program that steps in and makes sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. 5. Do you have accessibility to telemedicine with your current plan? Telemedicine is a foundational piece of what healthcare coverage will look like in the future. After the crazy year we have all had, everything is virtual. Why not see a physician virtually as well? You may even have access to telemedicine physicians and not even know it! That’s why having someone to show you how to use it is imperative. Telemedicine offers quality healthcare 24/7 at just the click of a button. It is convenient and accessible, sometimes without the large cost attached to a single office visit. You can even get access to extended specialist and referring physician services. Stick with the times and make sure that your health insurance provider is giving you the most up to date benefits to save on your healthcare costs while reducing your insurance claims. As you move through life, it is important to always ask questions. Questions further understanding, understanding motivates action, and informed action achieves success. Ask the right questions and save on your health insurance today. It is never acceptable to settle for less, especially when it involves you and your family’s health! gamemanufacturershealthcare.com

8/13/21 4:02 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 55

8/13/21 4:02 PM

Creating a Culture of

Well-Being in the Workplace

By Dawn Studebaker, Marketing, Social Media & Retail Consultant | Previous GAMA Board Member | Retail Advocate

orkplace culture drives how everyone in your company operates and feels. It is essentially the living, breathing spirit of your mission statement combined with the vibe the workplace embodies. Creating and nourishing this vibe will help you recruit stronger applicants, keep employees longer and generate effective employees. But it takes work. So don’t think this will be an overnight fit. Creating a culture of well-being is applied to your business in a few steps, but the work is continual. Luckily, the longer you do this the more it becomes the way of life for your business and less like work. Step 1: Create your Vision Your vision should be the foundation of how you do business. It should define how you lead your team as well as how you treat employees and customers. Here are some questions to help you identify your vision. You are not limited to these singular ideas: Go deeper and be creative.

a. What values do you want your company to live? b. Do you have values you want to embody as a company? c. What purpose or meaning does your work provide? d. How do you want employees to interact at work? e. Where will employees spend most of their workdays: In the office, at home, or a combination? f. What programs are attainable to help support your team? Step 2: Consider your Team So many times an improved work environment is judged solely on hard work and results – but don’t overlook the power of employees feeling that leadership and co-workers have their backs. When you bring team interests, hobbies, and passions into the work environment you create a cohesive and enjoyable workplace. Doing this allows team members and leadership to learn from one another. It creates a cohesive team that is vital for most businesses but is especially helpful when working with creative teams.

56 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 56

8/13/21 4:02 PM

that these programs need constant attention and Step 3: Get Feedback adjustments. This can occur due to changes in The best way to accomplish this is to Have snack areas loaded the workplace as well as the world. survey or talk to as many employees with fresh fruits and healthy food. During the pandemic shutdown, as possible. Do not leave out Have you ever been so excited about an idea or many companies had to adjust their leadership. Often, management project that you forgot to eat? Having nourishment plans to keep employees healthy teams get left behind because on hand allows staff to be creative without sacrificing physically and mentally while they are implementing the new their health or well-being. maintaining work standards. Many processes, but this is all the more companies started over with entirely reason to include them. Create a space to refresh, unwind or spark new workplace well-being models and Now compile a list of things creativity. Try creating a space that allows staff to play continue to re-evaluate how to best that you hear so you can dive into games. Corn-hole, foosball, and ping-pong are some help employees come back to work. the information you received. This list of the top games companies with sedentary staff helps you parse the feedback and create a choose. Get people up and moving. Part of the measuring success process starting point for the next steps. is making sure your programs are not Sometimes we don’t know what to ask outdated. Here is a list of trending items that to start the conversation. We suggest heading rank high for employees as of July 2021 according to the internet. There is a lot of information out to MetLife Employee benefits trend study and Best Money there with one quick search (try starting with “spark well Moves Blog: being at the workplace”). • Employee Assistance Programs • Paid time off Step 4: Define your New Culture of Well-Being • Insurance benefits You now outlined your plan and have a direction you want • Behavioral/mental health services to go. It’s time to document the culture you want for the business. • Critical illness insurance Remember to look back and make sure you aren’t missing key elements to support your mission statement combined with the feelSome of the most well-received “little things” added to good empowerment we all want for and from our teams. Connecting employee enrichment programs according to Builtin.com: the two business ideologies can have powerful results for your • Flexible hours business. • Comfortable work areas • Make areas to get creative juices flowing away from the desk Step 5: Implement Your Ideas • Snacks and drinks on hand It’s time to set your ideas in motion. Regularly communicate • Hybrid work models about the initiatives, and don’t miss the opportunity to be excited. • Mental health lunch and learns This communication step is one of the most often overlooked steps when creating a new culture. FloQast’s cloud-based accounting company has a game room Look for multiple ways to get the word out – posters, set up to help with creativity. Video games, board games, and even emails, and events to help your employees benefit from these corn-hole can all be accessed to blow off steam or take your ideaprograms. Everyone from the top down must support the new generating sessions to the next level while being active. culture or it will fail from the start. Make sure it is programs Equally important and often overlooked is a safe place for and culture that your leaders believe in. It is hard to utilize new introverts to decompress. Some staff need a moment to decompress programs if your boss isn’t using them. Without their support, after meetings, high-level deadlines, or simply brain-draining it is counterproductive in the effort of creating a culture of welltasks. Create a room that is completely quiet. Maybe if a room being. isn’t possible, some sort of way to give employees a way to have uninterrupted work time. Step 6: Measure your Success Whatever you do to improve your workplace culture, make sure Evaluating the success is a step that should not get overlooked. it reflects who you are as a company. You won’t regret it. Revisit the program and re-survey your team to see if it is working. Look at productivity, employee retention rates, and This article has sourced ideas directly from WebMD Health Services, overall satisfaction. Many companies that are currently successful Corporate wellness magazine, and Builtin.com in implementing a culture of well-being in the workplace report Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 57

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 57

8/13/21 4:02 PM

By Jillian Ross

he Industrial Age is starting to boom. You are in need of more workers for your factories, and you also need more workers to build railroad tracks to expand your railway network. This, in turn, will enable you to deliver the goods from your factories to cities with high demand. But do not forget to earmark goods for fulfilling profitable public contracts because when the connection to Trieste is made your net worth is all that matters.

Back to the Beginning From the mind of 2017’s Lignum creator, comes the wonderful new game, Imperial Steam. Alexander Huemer has been crafting and fine-tuning Imperial Steam for 3 years. Alexander introduced us to it during Spiel 2019 in the beforetimes. Now, the time has finally come for the release. Coupled with beautiful artwork from Andreas Resch, Imperial Steam combines the worker placement mechanic with logistics and business operations resulting in a wonderful, strategic experience that Capstone was founded upon. This worker placement and network building game plays 2 to 4 players in about 120 minutes. Imperial Steam is a highly strategic yet accessible economic and logistics game that sees you making difficult decisions as you manage your business’s operations while navigating fierce competition to ensure your victory! Impetus of Design Imperial Steam is inspired by Austria’s Southern Railway, conceptualized by Franz Xaver Riepl. By 1830, Riepl, a geologist and ironworks engineer in the Austrian Empire, had announced the concept of a railway line to connect Vienna with Trieste in the south, 58 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 58

running through diverse regions along the way. This “Southern Railway” would provide easier access to popular destinations, vineyards, coal mines, industries and forests. Beyond the obvious economic ramifications, such a connection to the Mediterranean Sea could have political and military importance, as well. Fun Mechanics in Imperial Steam Your task is to build a railway from Vienna through Austria’s mountainous terrain to Trieste on the Mediterranean Sea. Your workers have three experience levels: The more experienced they are, the more goods they will produce in your factories. Aside from workers, you will also need the help of engineers to traverse your railway over the mountains and rivers that dominate the terrain. As you craft your railway network to Trieste, it is up to you to determine which cities your trains will pass through. Which cities are the most valuable to your strategy? While you are preparing for building factories and hiring more workers, will your opponents beat you to your destinations and reap the benefits of each city for themselves? Your locomotives that travel your network can also be upgraded to carry more goods and more passengers. The more

passengers, the more money your business earns. However, you need goods to deliver to your contracts which will yield more riches for yourself. As you build your network and factories across Austria, the value of your business will rise. However, you might find yourself low on money, and this is where Alexander Huemer gives you a tough choice. The higher the value of your business, the more money you will earn from selling shares of your business to shareholders. There is a catch: Each shareholder that you have sold to for that precious cash infusion during the game will take 10% of your total score at the end of the game! Unique Game Ending There are two ways in which a game of Imperial Steam can end: After eight game rounds or when a player has connected their railway to the city of Trieste on the Mediterranean Sea. Connecting to Trieste is important for earning the victory points associated with your completed contracts. If Trieste has not been connected by the end of the game, all ingame contracts are worthless! That means completed contracts do not earn player’s victory points and incomplete contracts do not penalize player’s victory points. Regardless of how the game ends, the shareholders for each player show up demanding 10% each of their respective scores. Whomever has the most points at the end, wins. Availability Pre-orders are open now. Featuring a brilliant meshing between traditional worker placement games and business logistics, Imperial Steam will be available at Spiel in Essen and your FLGS this Fall! capstone-games.com

8/13/21 4:02 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 59

8/13/21 4:02 PM

Not Your Average Train Game

ne of the biggest limitations of both train and subway games is that you typically can’t have all players lay track directly between two locations. The number of players able to create a direct route is either forbidden or limited, which means that there’s a race to be the first player to set up a specific route. But what if that limitation was removed? The 2D constraints of most boardgames make this difficult at best. The solution was something that hadn’t been done before in any game, really: Transparent track tiles. By making the backgrounds of tiles transparent in Maglev Metro, it is possible for multiple tracks to run side by side, assigning one track color to a “lane.” Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that if you want to have curved track on either a hex or square tile: The track that curves on the “outside” needs to be able to curve back on the “inside.” This required another solution: create pairs of colors that could be turned around

180˚ to be on one side or another. Two colors share the middle two lanes, and two colors share the outer two lanes. This enables up to four tracks to exist together on a single space (in the case of Maglev Metro, a hex-shaped space). The next unique aspect of Maglev Metro is the incorporated engine building mechanics. Every time you drop a passenger off, you place it on a player board, enhancing some aspect of your train or track-building capabilities. Each player starts with a limited number of actions for each of those abilities, and they can enhance those abilities as they chose, with an option to make the abilities better, or to allow them to be used as other actions. The balance between making your actions more efficient and making your overall turn more efficient is one of the game’s most intriguing decision points.

by Ted Alspach

After solidifying solid mechanics and many avenues for different strategies (ensuring lots of replayability), the components themselves became a large focus. From the recessed, dual sided map player board to the beautifully weighted metal subway cars, to the gloriously thick station tiles - Maglev Metro started to become more than just a game, but a beautiful and tactile gaming experience. The pieces feel wonderful in your hand and several players have said that it feels like they are playing with “the upgraded components,” when really everything comes in the retail box! Once you start playing, you’re immediately hooked by the fast turns and each passenger delivery opens up new abilities for you to use on future turns. With all of the premium hightech components and unique gameplay mechanics, Maglev Metro truly feels futuristic. With many more maps and expansion ideas in the works, gamers are making sure to get on board with Maglev Metro now! beziergames.com

60 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 60

8/13/21 4:02 PM

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 61

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 61

8/13/21 4:02 PM

Corrosion from Capstone is a sublime temporary engine builder for advanced and expert players. With profound player interaction and varying start conditions, it invites you to explore new ways of scoring each time you play. info@capstone-games.com

Tidal Blades from Skybound is the Worker Placement and dice management board game that raised over $700k through Kickstarter! Many brave contestants have signed up for the tournament, but only a handful will be chosen to join the Tidal Blades. (SKU 4249, MSRP $60.) Matt Faulisi, retail sales manager, mfaulisi@skybound.com

With Spy Connection from Pegasus Spiele, players accept secret missions and build a secured network of reliable agents to safely complete the objectives. The activity of rival spies can make the job harder as they prioritize working through their own backlog of assignments! It’s available now, shipping from the U.S.! New web shop for retailers: www.pegasus-web.com Facebook: @pegasusspieleglobal

In Holi [hoh-lee] from Floodgate Games, players gain joy by throwing color on the boards (higher levels are worth more points), getting color on others, and from collecting sweets. Play your color pattern cards cleverly, climb up at the right time, and spread the most joy! https://Floodgate.Games/Holi

The setting for Flames of Freedom from Andrews McMeel Universal is the dawn of the American Revolutionary War in 1776. A tangled web of conspiracy and supernatural horror spans North America. Despite the differences of creed, color, culture, or gender – all stand together against the coming darkness. Your heroes are destined for greatness … or death. sales@amuniversal.com

Danger The Game Expansion offers a new selection of cards and a new card type to choose from to devise your best rescue plans and save the day once again! origamiwhalegames.com

62 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 62

8/13/21 4:02 PM

It can be hard picking the right gift for the gamer in one’s life. Loved ones may not know what games they like, which they have, and what they’ve been meaning to buy. Board gaming accessories like these beautiful dice socks from Atheris Entertainment make the perfect gift. One size fits most. Andrew@atheris entertainment.com

Small Islands from Lucky Duck reinvigorates the tile-laying genre as a gorgeous family game. It has the depth to appeal to more advanced and solo gamers, too. Discover an incredibly versatile and enjoyable title that has so many hidden secrets, even under the box insert itself! luckyduckgames.com

KHÔRA - Rise of the Empire You are the ruler of a thriving city in Ancient Greece. It is up to you to develop it faster and better than your opponents! Every round you can decide what to improve on Philosophy, Legislation, Culture, Trade, Military ... Each will shape the future of your City! Make good use of each roll of the dice, collect taxes, send your army to colonize foreign lands, unlock achievements... and make sure your City will shine throughout Greece! An intense race to development game! MSRP $57.99 iello.com

In Crack the Code from Indie Game Studios, you and your team of hackers work together to move marbles into specific sequences. However, you can only see your teammate’s marbles and have limited communication and action cards. You’ll need teamwork and hacking expertise to succeed. (Hacking knowledge is neither included nor actually required.) indiegamestudios.com Squadron Strike from Ad Astra shares a Sequence of Play with X-Wing, plus more detailed ships and greater play variety. With fully supported 3D movement and firing arcs helped with a smartphone app, your space combat players can elevate their game with Squadron Strike. Made in the USA, it’s available now! adastragames.com design@adastragames.com 608 AD ASTRA

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 63

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 63

8/13/21 4:02 PM

You’ve begged and pleaded with your parents and finally ... it’s time to get a pet! This expansion to Fort by Leder Games adds two modules: Dogs and Cats. At the end of the game, score points for having the most dogs in your doghouse and each cat you’ve attracted. Use one module, or both! ledergames.com

Arcane Wonders Furnace, the next game from Smartphone Inc designer Ivan Lashin, is an engine-building Eurogame. Players take on the roles of 19th-century capitalists building their corporations and aspiring to make as much money as they can by purchasing companies, extracting resources, and running an efficient engine! arcanewonders.com

Hack & Slash from Steve Jackson Games is a quick game in which your guild of adventurers is ready for anything: battles, rescues, and the “liberation” of whatever pays the most. Choose a quest and roll the dice! You may win fame, and even recruit a new comrade. Or you may fail, and slink back to the Tavern. retailers@sjgames.com

Get your adventuring party together and explore the realms with the ENHANCE RPG Adventurer’s Bag. It was specifically designed to help DMs and players of any tabletop RPG take everything they need to their next session. From dice, minis, books, maps, and snacks, the ENHANCE RPG Adventurer’s Bag can carry it all. enhancegaming.com

Glitter Hearts is an actionpacked RPG in a fun-filled world of everyday people who transform into powerful superheroes that fight off the forces of evil. Find the balance between your character’s everyday life and heeding the call to save the world with a heroic character that is uniquely you! https://japanimegames.com marketing@japanimegames.com

Imperial Steam from Capstone is a highly strategic yet accessible economic and logistics game. Players make difficult decisions as they manage their business’s operations and navigate fierce competition to ensure victory! info@capstone-games.com

64 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 64

8/13/21 4:02 PM

The Night Cage from Smirk & Laughter is a cooperative, horror-themed, tile placement game that traps 1-5 lost souls within an otherworldly labyrinth of eternal darkness. Equipped with nothing but dim candles, you must work together to explore the maze and escape, while passageways disappear behind you. (SND 1007 $44.99.) https://www.smirkandlaughter.com/ the-night-cage Based on the Root: A Game of Woodland Might & Right board game and officially licensed by Leder Games, Magpie Games’ Root: The RPG brings the tales of the Woodland to your RPG table! You play vagabonds, outcasts from the normal society, fighting for money, justice, and freedom. magpiegames.com

Based on military Challenge Coins, these three double-sided metal coins from Attention Span Games replace an entire seven-polyhedral set for TTRPGs. Simply give the coin a spin (like a top) then stop it with a pencil (or anything else) to mark your result. Never lose a die under the couch again! ASG Dice Coins MSRP: $25 https://indiprogames.com/ catalog/dice-coins/

Galaxy Trucker returns with all new art, streamlined gameplay, and improved components! Build your best spacecraft and rocket across the cosmos on a chaotic galactic adventure, in the pulse-pounding re-launch of this goofy family-friendly classic. https://boardgamegeek. com/boardgame/336794/ galaxy-trucker

Double Your DEF with Dragon Shield Double-Sleeving Products for Japanese Size Cards! After Konami’s rule change in YuGi-Oh! last year, many players have requested premium quality options for double-sleeving. Here they are from Dragon Shield: Perfect Fit Toploaded or Sealable, and Outer Sleeves. Get them from GTS Distribution. dragonshield.com

Moods of the Mad King: Revised Edition from Pine Box Entertainment is a microgame for two to four players. They’re playwrights in the court of The Mad King who demands a play to suit his mood, but his mood is ever-changing. His propensity for beheadings has the playwrights stealing secrets from each other and from those close to the king to create the perfect play. www.pineboxentertainment.com

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 65

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 65

8/13/21 4:03 PM

Art Decko

the fine art of deck-building

rt Decko is a deck-building game set in the world of high-stakes art collecting. Designed by Ta-Te Wu, it was originally self-published as Promenade. This limited print run sold out in just a few hours. Rio Grande Games brings this new version of the game to life with updated art and graphic design. Art Decko features paintings from five styles of art — Art Nouveau, Pop Art, Renaissance, Surrealism, and Impressionism. These styles include original pieces of art commissioned just for this game from five well-known board game artists, including Kwanchai Moriya. These beautiful works give each genre an attractive and distinctive look. During the game, the players will collect paintings, acquire funds and decide which of their precious works will be exhibited in the local museum. Every card that goes into their deck will score points at the end of the game. The game has a unique market mechanism that keeps the players engaged even while not on their turn. Each time a painting is bought or exhibited, the value of all paintings of that genre goes up. This market valuation applies to all players, not just the player who made the transaction. Exhibiting a painting in the museum gives that genre a big boost, but the card is removed from that player’s collection and no longer scores at the end of the game. Even the money cards acquired by the players will have some value during final scoring. Just buying money cards is not enough to do well. If you acquire too many money cards, the value of the money plummets and forces an early end to the game. The players must keep their portfolios balanced to succeed. Each player starts with an asymmetric starting hand of 10 cards, including five money cards plus five random paintings. The paintings represent the players’ initial collection on which they must try to build their fortune. The money cards also have special powers that may only be used by removing the card from the player’s deck.

Each turn of Art Decko requires that players make difficult choices. Players have two simple actions on each turn, but it is rarely easy to decide. Plan for the future by taking more gold cards? You need more money because the painting cards become more expensive to obtain later in the game. Buy a painting from a gallery to add to your collection? That might cause the galleries to be refilled with new cards that your opponents are seeking to expand their collection. Art Decko is a fun, new twist on the deck-building games that will look great on your table. The rules are fast and easy to learn. The collecting and economic features of the game make it unique. The game challenges players to seek out and make the right moves to earn their fortunes. Art Decko is coming to game stores everywhere starting in October 2021. For more information on these or other Rio Grande Games titles, please visit our website: www.riograndegames.com. Ken Hill, Production/Marketing Manager, ken@riograndegames.com. riograndegames.com

66 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 66

8/13/21 4:03 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 67

8/13/21 4:03 PM

Contracted to be AWEsome

f you’re already using AWEBase, you know that it’s an online software platform that helps creative companies (like game publishers) work with artists, writers and other freelancers. You know that AWEbase also helps you exchange feedback with your creators, while still managing your projects’ budgets and deadlines.

If you use different types of contracts (such as one for artwork and another for writing), AWEbase has you covered. You can maintain any number of different templates and retire templates that are out of date or no longer in use. Rest easy knowing your team has the most current contracts they need.

But have you discovered what AWEbase can do for contracts? One of the challenges of being a game publisher is dealing with freelancer contracts. Since so much of what you do relies on the work of outside contractors, contracts are both an essential part of your business, and the source of endless potential headaches. Managing contracts can mean tracking which type of contracts to use for which projects, making sure the project and freelancer information in the contract is current, and filing the signed contracts when they eventually make their way back to your office. You can relieve those headaches by using AWEbase’s contract system.

Totally Digital Signatures When you create an AWEbase contract, you affix your own digital signature to it. When you send it to the freelancer, they can digitally sign it without ever leaving their web browser. Once the contract is signed, AWEbase emails PDF copies of it to both parties for their records. As you can see, an AWEbase contract is purely digital. There’s no paperwork to put in the mail, nothing to lose in the shuffle, and nothing to file.

Easy Contract Templates The heart of the AWEbase contract system is the contract template —a fully-customizable framework containing all your favorite legal language. When you’re ready to finalize a job with a freelancer, just click the button, and AWEbase will generate a contract by filling the template with the details of the project and the freelancer (which are already in the system).

68 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 68

The Power of AWEbase Digital, auto-filling contracts are just one of the ways that AWEbase makes running your creative business easier.

To learn more about the power of AWEbase, visit www.awebase.com.

AWEbase is free to use for organizations with limited contracting needs and charges a per-user fee for companies with more substantial volumes. Third party contributors have access to AWEbase at no cost. Try it today by visiting awebase.com.

CMY

awebase.com

8/13/21 4:03 PM

AWEbaseGAMAad.pdf

10/25/20

1:14 PM

AWEbase

CMY

CREATIVE ENTERPRISE TOOLS BY ENTERPRISING CREATIVES Start your free account today at www.AWEbase.com

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 69

8/13/21 4:03 PM

BEYOND FUN AND GAMES

How games and puzzles can help build and strengthen cognitive functions across age groups by Garima Sharma, Head of Tabletop and DTC, Skybound Entertainment

n the last edition of Around the Table, there was a very thoughtful article by the team at Cape Fear Games about building executive function through gameplay. That piece got me thinking about my initial years in the tabletop community, when I’d go looking for card games, puzzles and board games that helped practice cognitive skills for my niece. She was hyperactive and always hungry for the next mental challenge. It was incredibly fun to play some of those games with her. Interestingly, the same games would yield different experiences with my friends and peers, showing variances in input processing, logic and reasoning. Over the last few years, I’ve spent some time trying to understand the connection between cognitive skills and gameplay. We’ve all heard the advice to flex our mental muscles daily – some do it through Sudoku, some through crossword puzzles and some of by arguing with our parents. Whatever works, right? Family humor aside, what does flexing our mental muscles really mean? Well-developed games can help us practice skills like social engagement, as well as cognitive and executive functions Attention, Memory, Logic and Reasoning, Auditory and Visual Cues, and Processing

Speed - through a variety of gameplay. At Skybound Tabletop and our strategy imprint Druid City Games, our catalog of games supports many of the above functions through the gameplay. Pebble Rock Delivery Service Premise: Pebble Rock Delivery service is a lightweight pickup and delivery game for gamers and their families. Plan your routes well, manage your cargo carefully and watch out! A hungry shark and a band of pirates have taken up in these waters and are always looking for unsuspecting delivery boats. Age range: 8+ Play it for: The game helps practice logic and reasoning skills as players navigate choppy waters to deliver cargo. They must make operational decisions within a fairly quick timeframe – which also helps strengthen how efficiently they process data to make accurate decisions. Barnyard Roundup Premise: Barnyard Roundup is a card game about collecting the most animals by bluffing, baffling and out-guessing your friends. Score the most points and win the game Age range: 8+ Play it for: This game helps players stay engaged, build out attention time span as

well as logic and reasoning skills by asking the right. Pitchstorm Premise: Pitchstorm is a party game that puts you in the position of an unprepared writer pitching movies to the world’s worst executives. (AKA, your friends.) Age range: 8+ Play it for: The game helps with building creative thinking, evaluating ideas and pitching your thoughts to a larger group. Trial By Trolley Premise: In Trial by Trolley, one player is on an out-of-control trolley speeding toward a fork in the tracks. Everyone else splits into two teams and must use their wits and their cards to convince the Trolley Driver to spare their lives! Age range: 13+ Play it for: This game helps players demonstrate quick thinking, analytical reasoning and being able to make your case effectively in high-pressure situations. Skybound Tabletop is a division of Skybound Entertainment focused on developing games that feature immersive stories, innovative gameplay and exceptional production quality. Checkout our games on store.skybound.com or reach out to our Retail Manager, Matt Faulisi (mfaulisi@skybound.com) . skybound.com

70 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 70

8/13/21 4:03 PM

P O T E L B A T D N U SKYBO TIDAL BLADES PART 1: HEROES OF THE REEF Worker placement and dice management board game with high strategy and depth set in an immersive high fantasy water world! Suggested Age: 14+ Number of Players: 1-4 Play time: 60-90 minutes

TRIAL BY TROLLEY Trial by Trolley is a party card game that takes the classic Trolley Dilemma and turns it all the way to eleven. Suggested Age: 14+ Number of Players: 3-13 Play time: 15+ minutes

KIMJOY’S MAGIC BAKERY A sweet co-op card game we’ve cooked up with your favorite British baker! Players must work together to bake as many treats as they can for the colorful creatures of the forest. Suggested Age: 8+ Number of Players: 2-5 Play time: 15-30 minutes

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 71

8/13/21 4:03 PM

GAMA

news

GAMA Board of Directors Updates

Andrew Chesney new GAMA Vice President, Kylie Prymus joins board as Director at Large During the July 15 board of director’s meeting, Andrew Chesney of Chip Theory Games was confirmed as the new vice president and will serve out the remainder of former VP Chris Spivey’s term. Spivey stepped down earlier this summer due to work demands. Before assuming the VP duties, Chesney served as a director at large on the board having been elected to that position in 2017 and reelected in 2019. His shift to VP opened the remainder of his term as a director at large, which was filled by current GRD Vice-Chair Kylie Prymus of Games Unlimited in Pittsburgh, Pa. Prymus will continue to serve on the GRD board while completing Chesney’s term, which will expire in September when we next hold board of director elections. New Board of Directors Elections With the adoption earlier this month of new governing documents for GAMA, the board has adopted the following timeline to add new at large directors to the board. The new bylaws reconfigure the board to be comprised of two representatives from each of the six voting membership groups: Creators, Media & Events, Publishers, Production, Retail and Wholesale. As per the bylaws, six new members (one from each of the six voting membership groups) will join the board this year

and the remaining six directors will be seated next spring. To accomplish this in a timely manner, the board adopted the following schedule for adding the new board members. To view the election special membership meeting timeline, please visit https://www.gama.org/page/membership-types. Following the results, the new board will convene and select their officers. Election Special Membership Meeting Timeline • August 16 – Deadline for candidates to declare for six vacant seats on the board of directors. Declared candidates will be able to provide a headshot, short bio and statement which will be posted on GAMA website and on the electronic voting ballot. • September 1 – Special Membership Meeting commences – ballots will be sent to respective voting membership groups with the candidates running for the at large seats on the board. • September 15 – Special Membership Meeting closes. • September 16 – Results of the election are announced during the September 16 Board Meeting. Following the results, the new board will convene and select their officers. (Continued on page 74)

72 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 72

8/13/21 4:03 PM

Your Adventure Begins with With thousands of 5-star reviews across their line of RPG bags, cases, gaming enhancements, and accessories, ENHANCE Tabletop Gaming products are established fan-favorites that are guaranteed to be critical hits in your stores. ENHANCE offers practical and innovative solutions to make gaming more enjoyable for tabletop RPG gamers, board game enthusiasts and trading card collectors. The premier tabletop gear brand is enjoying enthusiastic growth in their loyal fanbase, so this is an excellent opportunity to take a look into the backstory and unique features of their expanding line of specialized gaming gear and accessories. Before ENHANCE brought the Adventurer’s Bag to market, DMs and players in need of a bag that could “carry it all” had to make do with generic travel cases. This solvable and unnecessary half measure inspired ENHANCE to approach the challenge with a clear mission: Deliver on what their team’s own passionate RPG players wish for in the perfect RPG travel bag. By creating designs that their team loved, they became innovators in a space that demanded such innovation, and showcased how thousands of hours spent playing RPGs can be justly warranted — are critical — to the “insider’s perspective” that makes ENHANCE a success with RPG players around the globe. Word-of-mouth will bring DMs and players to your stores, as they too will want to gear up with the only bag to be featured in TechnoBuffalo’s Best Dungeons and Dragons Accessories list for 2021: “If you’re going to play at someone else’s house or you’re going to a gaming convention, you’ll want to keep your scrolls and potions organized … the Adventurer’s Bag will carry all … and anything else you might need to slay any dragon ...” enhancegaming.com

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 73

To earn such praise, ENHANCE devoted exceptional attention to detail in how their bags and gaming accessories are manufactured. Elemental to the brand is for each product to embody a level of craftmanship that not only delivers on rigorous durability expectations, but also appeals to players as investments that directly add value to their RPG adventures and characters. Spacious and customizable loot compartments, dedicated character inventory and accessory pockets, questready premium textiles and materials, innovative gameplay enhancements, and their emblematic ancient bronze metal accents that fall in theme with fantasy RPG games all offer everything needed to bring your characters to life during every journey through the ages. With invigorated passion, ENHANCE has spent the last few years expanding its popular line of tabletop gear to further cement the brand as the elite maker of quality RPG bags and accessories. Their growing catalog, all of which is backed by an industry-leading 3 Year Warranty, specializes in catering to players of tabletop RPGs, trading card games, board games, puzzles and miniature figure war games. With each new product, the team forges their dream gear into this realm and gets to see a passionate community of players equally fall in love with the design. ENHANCE aims to provide accessories that enlighten gamers, elevate their game and facilitate excellence across all genres. By ENHANCE Gaming

Q3 2021 • AROUND THE table 73

8/13/21 4:03 PM

GAMA

news

(Continued from page 72)

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES Voting Members are businesses that have voting privileges in addition to the benefits received by the Communicating Members. There are six Voting Membership groups: Creator Businesses significantly engaged in creating the intellectual property underlying tabletop games, including game designers, developers, producers, artists, and graphic designers. Publisher Businesses significantly engaged in bringing to the marketplace tabletop games and/or gaming accessories that will ultimately be offered for sale to consumers, whether sold by the publisher or by others.; Wholesalers; Retailers; Media & Events; and Production. Wholesaler Businesses significantly engaged in the purchase and resale of tabletop games between other businesses. Retailer Businesses significantly engaged in selling tabletop games published by other companies to the general public. Media & Events Businesses significantly engaged in promoting tabletop games and tabletop game-playing to the general public.

Production Businesses significantly engaged in the physical manufacture of tabletop games and/or tabletop game accessories. Join now and receive a 50% discount through December 31, 2021. Voting membership is $300 annually. Communicating Members have access to the education benefits of GAMA, and receive the newsletters and emails sent out by GAMA; they do not have voting privileges. Join now and receive a 50% discount through December 31, 2021. Communicating membership is $100 annually. Committee Volunteers Needed The new bylaws create several new committees that need volunteers to help them support the membership. The new committees are: • Code of Conduct Committee This committee deals with issues related to the Code of Conduct and the conduct of association members, with rights and responsibilities that shall be set forth in a policy approved by the Board of Directors. This committee may be chaired by any member of the Board of Directors and must have at least one individual from each Voting Membership group. We have several openings on this committee, specifically from the Creator, Media & Events and Production divisions.

The GAMA Horizons Fellowship is a six-month accelerator for prospective and newly established tabletop game creators and retail store owners. It was recently created by GAMA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee to help address the needs of communities that have been historically underrepresented in the tabletop industry. The Fellowship will connect participants with industry professionals who will serve as mentors and peer coaches and will provide access to grants and resources essential to developing and sustaining successful business relationships. The first cohort will launch in October 2021 and conclude at GAMA Expo in Reno, Nev., held from March 14 to March 18, 2022. To learn more visit www.gama.org/page/Horizons.

• Appeals Committee This committee deals with issues of membership appeals of suspensions and expulsions, with rights and responsibilities that shall be set forth in a policy approved by the Board of Directors. This committee must have at least one individual from each Voting Membership group. Board Members may not serve on this committee. This is a new committee, and we need members from each of the six voting membership groups to serve. • Membership Committee This committee deals with issues of membership applications and definitions, with rights and responsibilities that shall be set forth in a policy approved by the Board of Directors. This committee may be chaired by any member of the Board of Directors and must have at least one individual from each Voting Membership group. This is a current standing committee and needs someone from the Creators and Production groups, so those members interests are represented. • Diversity & Inclusion Committee This is an established committee that is looking for help with its Training Team to create and develop educational material and programs around diversity & inclusion for the industry. If you would like more information on serving on one of these committees, please contact John Stacy at john.stacy@gama. org or call 614-255-4500 x101

Horizons Fellowship Program

October 2021 to March 2022

74 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 74

8/13/21 4:03 PM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 75

8/13/21 4:03 PM

Konami allows Double-Sleeving in Yu-Gi-Oh! How do you sleeve up now?

n Nov. 17, 2020, the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! dueling changed forever. Konami, publishers of the game, released Version 2.1 of the Official KDE-US Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game Tournament Policy. With it came many updates to the rules, clarifications, and additions, including to Section IV – Tournament Play Subsection G. What changed? As written on the official Konami blog: “The change many have been asking for – double sleeving is now allowed! What does this mean? Duelists may use one additional clear sleeve when sleeving their Decks. There are some specific requirements for doing this, so read through the section carefully before you start re-sleeving everything.” Prior to this rule change, Konami forbid the practice of “double sleeving.” This meant that players were relegated to using suboptimal sleeves with fewer design choices when deciding on what motif or color to sleeve their decks with, particularly when it came to art sleeves.

By: Ian Spiegel-Blum, Art Director, Arcane Tinmen

Many art sleeves look great, but lack in the area of “shuffle feel.” (Dragon Shield offers a wide range of Japanese card game size art sleeves that are printed in the sleeve itself instead of on top of the sleeve, meaning our sleeves have the exact same shuffle feel as our regular sleeves. Just a reminder.) Not only did players have fewer sleeve choices, but their cards simply weren’t as protected as they could have been. Card games are expensive and Yu-Gi-Oh! is no exception. When you are shuffling close to $1,000 in cardboard, you understandably want to use the best card protection possible. Your cards might be mini, but you want your defense to be MAXED. With the double sleeving rule change, players can double their DEF by using the new Dragon Shield Clear Matte Outer Sleeve over a regular Japanese size sleeve. Many players choose to use Dragon Shield toploading and Sealable Perfect Fit Inner Sleeves, too, for one more layer of protection. Perfect Fit Sealable sleeves offer full four-edge

protection without glue. They protect cards against fingerprints; smudges; and, in some cases, water. Sleeve your cards in Perfect Fits first, then place those inside regular Japanese card sleeves before putting it all in a Japanese size Clear Outer Sleeve. With three layers of protection, your cards are sure to remain in fantastic condition regardless of how often they are played. Dragon Shield currently offers more than 25 colors of Japanese size sleeves in Classic or Matte texture in addition to our Art Sleeves, Perfect Fits and Outer Sleeves. We are constantly looking to expand our Japanese line of products with new sleeves and other accessories, so keep an eye out in the coming months for some exciting new announcements. In the meantime, we encourage you to take advantage of the new rule to ensure your cards shuffle smoother and your deck is protected further. We’ll see you at the dueling table.

76 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 76

arcanetinmen.com

8/13/21 4:03 PM

DOUBLE YOUR

DEF

FULL

4-EDGE PROTECTION!

AT-13051 | MSRP: $ 4,49

AT-13251 | MSRP: $ 6,50

AT-13352 | MSRP: $ 7,99

PERFECT FIT CLEAR

PERFECT FIT SEALABLE CLEAR

OUTER SLEEVES MATTE

DOUBLE-SLEEVING MADE PERFECT DRAGON SHIELD PERFECT FITS IN JAPANESE SIZE AND NEW OUTER SLEEVES FOR AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF PROTECTION.

Available from GTS Distribution 2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 77

8/13/21 4:03 PM

INDEX OF advertisers Company............................. website

adverstory page

ad page

Ad Astra Games................................ adastragames.com.........................................................78 Andrews McMeel Universal.......... amuniversal.com........................50.................................. 8 Arcane Tinmen ApS......................... arcanetinmen.com.....................76................................77 Arcane Wonders............................... arcanewonders.com......................................................75 Atheris Entertainment................... atherisentertainment.com........14.................................. 4

Any Ship... Any Universe... Fully 3D!

Attention Span Game Studios.... indiprogames.com/attention-span-games ........................................................34................................35 AWEbase............................................. awebase.com...............................68................................69 Bezier Games.................................... beziergames.com........................60................................61 Capstone Games.............................. capstone-games.com..........28, 58..........................29, 59 Czech Games Edition...................... czechgames.com........................30................................31 Elf Creek Games............................... elfcreekgames.com.................................................. 21-23 ENHANCE Gaming............................ enhancegaming.com.................73.................................. 3 Floodgate Games............................. floodgategames.com.................12................................13

Printed in the USA!

Iello...................................................... iellousa.com ...............................24 ........Front Cover, 25

Available NOW!

Japanime Games............................. japanimegames.com.................36................................37

Sells to Your Former X-Wing & Armada Players

Indie Game Studios........................ indieboardsandcards.com........32................................33 KTBG/Burnt Island Games............ kidstablebg.com.........................38................................39 Leder Games..................................... ledergames.com.........................18................................19 Lucky Duck Games.......................... luckyduckgames.com................43.......Inside Front Cover Magpie Games.................................. magpiegames.com.....................46................................47 MyHealthily....................................... gamemanufacturershealthcare.com ........................................................54................................55 Origami Whale.................................. origamigames.com.....................52................................53 Pegasus Spiele GmbH.................... pegasus-web.com.......................15....... Inside Back Cover Pine Box Entertainment............... pineboxentertainment.com......48................................49 Rio Grande Games........................... riograndegames.com.................66................................67 Skybound Games............................. skybound.com.............................70................................71 Smirk & Dagger Games.................. smirkanddagger.com.................16................................17 Steve Jackson Games.................... sjgames.com................................51................................10 Ultra Pro Int. / Playroom.............. ultrapro.com.............................................................. 40-41 Upper Deck........................................ upperdeck.com.....................................Back Cover, Insert

To advertise, contact Amy Colburn at 315-789-6431 or amy@fwpi.com www.adastragames.com Available through Distribution or Direct

AROUND THE

Issue ®

Deadline October 1

Mailing Date November 5

A Publication by the Game Manufacturers Association

78 AROUND THE table • Q3 2021

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 78

8/13/21 4:03 PM

The wide world of gastronomy awaits!

A cooperative kitchen experience played in real time! New web shop for retailers with shipping from the US and dedicated customer service.

Order now at pegasus-web.com!

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 79

8/30/21 9:41 AM

2021_AroundTheTable_Q3.indd 80

8/30/21 9:42 AM