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Iain & Jamie from The Giant Brain, and Oliver from Tabletop Games Blog bring you a fortnightly show featuring the best in Tabletop Gaming News
Episodes
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Welcome to Idle Thoughts our spin-off podcast where the team get together and talk about games they have played recently. This cast was formerly a patreon exclusive that we would occasionally share with the main feed, but it is now going to be a regular fixture of our release schedule. Patrons still get it early and extended, as we do for the Brainwaves cast.
This is a recording of our opinions about a bunch of games that we played when we met up recently in Glasgow to actually play some games together. We cover Overstocked, Swatch, Biblios, Valley of the Kings, Letterpress and Root!
Going to try something a bit different for the show notes here. I'll link to the companies for the KS games of course but for the ones that are actually out and you fancy buying we are providing Amazon Affiliate links (marked AL as usual). If you buy the game through one of these links we get a small cut.
Games that we talked about
Overstocked
Swatch
Biblios (AL)
Valley of the Kings
I can only find these two on the current Amazon listings. We would recommend Afterlife if you just want to try it out.
Afterlife (AL)
Deluxe (AL)
Letterpress (AL)
Root
Yeah we wouldn't recommend getting Root from Amazon, heard of counterfeits from there. You can get it direct from Leder Games site with a reprint coming pretty soon.
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
The deluge of news is finally slowing and the team takes a well deserved rest in the gardens, whilst still bringing you the latest information from the world of tabletop. This cast covers the Ennie Winners, Roll20 boom, Combat Wheelchairs, Asmodee going alone, Starfinder returning to Alexa and more! As the storm clouds gather overhead the team discuss the relationship between publishers and reviewers and where the line lies between reviews and paid content.
Headlines
Ennies announced
https://ennie-awards.com/2020-nominees_winners/
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/11/mork-borg-swedish-metal-role-playing-game
Roll20 reports covid RPG boom
Combat Wheelchair
AJ Le Brun Interview
https://giantbrain.co.uk/2020/08/12/meeting-of-minds-able-table-gaming/
News
AEG CEO John Zinser unwell
https://www.alderac.com/2020/08/03/statement-about-john-zinsers-health/
Asmofair
WOTC drops ACD
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/46274/wizards-coast-says-acd-distribution-no-longer-option
Alexa Starfinder RPG grows
https://www.engadget.com/amazon-alexa-starfinder-rpg-series-140029360.html?guccounter=1
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers
Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Shaun Newman
facebook.com/gamealotboardgames
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Metallic Dice Games
https://metallicdicegames.com/
Use code ROLLWITHBRAINS for 10% off and help support the cast
Outro
Captain Sir Tom Moore memorial mini
https://warlordgames.myshopify.com/products/nhs-tribute-figure
https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/News/nhs-tribute-miniature-from-warlord-games
Albacon
https://twitter.com/AlbaConRPG/status/1294348360007196674
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Excavating Iain Chantler out from underneath a huge pile of news the team are reunited and set about the latest developments in Tabletop gaming with enthusiasm (or at least workman-like efficiency). This episode we take a look at the Spiel des Jahres, Uk Games Expo Award shortlists, a whole bunch of financial news from across the industry, Mind Sports Olympiad. Also the return of RPG corner where the team uncovers tales of HORROR!
Headlines
Spiel des Jahres Winner announced
https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/en/aktuelle-preistraeger-2020/
UK Games Expo Awards
https://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/whats-on/show/awards-shortlist/
Board Game Sales Data
News
Time of Legends Update
Open letter to retailers from minority creators
https://medium.com/@cardsforallpeople/minority-gamemakers-open-letter-to-retailers-c9b7472f36b8
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/46150/minority-game-makers-urge-changes-big-box-retailers
Hasbro reports sales in Q2
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/46203/hasbros-total-gaming-sales-down-19-q2
Games Workshop thrives despite Covid
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/46227/games-workshop-shrugs-off-covid-shutdown
Mind sports olympiad
Book Events - Mind Sports OlympiadMind Sports Olympiad
RPG Corner
Update - Modiphius cuts ties with Adam Koebel
https://twitter.com/Modiphius/status/1287749933215502338?s=19
https://www.adam-koebel.com/blog
Lamentations invites Zak S in
Green ronin report
https://greenronin.com/blog/2020/07/10/ronin-report-july-9-2020/
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers: Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Outro
Super Mario Monopoly
Albacon
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com
Monday Jul 27, 2020
Monday Jul 27, 2020
On this special episode of Brainwaves we chat to two of the people behind Project Nisei, a fan run continuation of the Netrunner card game. Serenity, Community Manager, and Jonni, Design lead, join Iain and Iain to chat about the challenges of keeping a worldwide community going amidst the current crisis, how the game is continuing to evolve, their plans for forthcoming releases, and the best way for new players to get into this fantastic game of cyber criminals and the corps who hate them.
Jonni
Serenity
Project Nisei
https://twitter.com/ProjectNISEI
Other things mentioned
Duelyst
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duelyst
Dave Hoyland vs. Kenny Wong match
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmrfrT1lYfI
Make Playing Cards
https://www.makeplayingcards.com/
Drivethrucards
https://www.drivethrucards.com/
Netrunner subreddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/Netrunner/
There you can also find the link to the Green level clearance discord
Calvin Wong
Monday Jul 20, 2020
Monday Jul 20, 2020
The HQ is on red alert as the news tubes fill up with more information than they can handle. Setting the interns on the problem Iain M and Jamie set about getting the podcast done to reduce the strain on the system whilst Iain C is lost somewhere in the piles of news! This episode we report on the return of Golden Bell to crowdfunding, Wizards having more employee troubles, Twitter Bans, Scrabble bans, deaths, awards and loads more!
Headlines
Golden Bell Studios launches crowdfunding site
https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/hkxaun/golden_bell_studios_is_starting_their_own/
https://www.thegrowingtreehouse.com/
Wizards Employee Troubles
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2020/07/dd-wotc-employee-quits-sparking-uproar.html
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2020/07/dd-wotc-issues-apology-community-demands-action.html
https://twitter.com/DungeonCommandr/status/1279208531103629312
Eric Lang twitter ban
https://www.facebook.com/eric.lang.1217/posts/10158245957480856
https://www.facebook.com/eric.lang.1217/posts/10158247949970856
News
Mythic Update
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1162110258/time-of-legends-joan-of-arc/posts/2893949
Episode 42
https://giantbrain.co.uk/2020/02/03/episode-42-parting-ways/
Jim Holloway has Died
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2020/07/the-bell-tolls-for-jim-holloway.html
Dice Tower Awards
https://www.dicetowernews.com/article/winners-13th-annual-dice-tower-awards-announced
Scrabble bans offensive words
Edinburgh Games Lab
Asmodee buys Libellud
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers: Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Metallic Dice Games
https://metallicdicegames.com/
Use code ROLLWITHBRAINS for 10% off and support the show!
Outro
Gamemaster Documentary
https://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/board-game/news/board-game-documentary-gamemaster-released
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Iain M thought he was going to have a nice relaxing time in the Brainwaves studios over lockdown but no! There is so much news that it is threatening to bury the entire HQ! Together the team dig into the giant piles to bring you only the best nuggets of news; CAH revelations continue, WOTC part ways with artist, Ennies deals with their own controversy, AI taking over and much, much more!
Headlines
Cards against humanity head ousted
https://www.cardsagainsthumanity.com/statement/
https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/30/21308708/cards-against-humanity-unionization-toxic-culture-chicago
Wizards of the Coast parts way with Magic the Gathering artist
Zak S Cast
https://giantbrain.podbean.com/e/episode-23-stranger-dice/
Ennies announced amidst Lancer controversy
https://twitter.com/Lancer_RPG/status/1277650899243077632
Meeting of Minds - Loke Battlemats
https://giantbrain.co.uk/2020/07/01/meeting-of-minds-loke-battlemats/
News
DMs Guild removes book from sale for provocative art
https://twitter.com/deathbybadger/status/1277920649055518725
AI set loose on Diplomacy
Alpha Go Episode
https://giantbrain.podbean.com/e/episode-40-wrapping-up/
Assembly Link
Tabletop Games Blog Link
https://tabletopgamesblog.com/
Marvel and Games Workshop Team Up
Tabletop Mentorship announces Micro-Grants
https://twitter.com/TabletopMentor/status/1278339936761139200?s=20
Stephen Buonocore to Step Down as President of Stronghold Games
http://strongholdgames.com/press-release-buonocorestepsdown/
Boardgamegeek acquires TabletopEvents
https://twitter.com/BoardGameGeek/status/1277615780998365184?s=19
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers: Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com
Monday Jun 22, 2020
Monday Jun 22, 2020
After the rose tinted glasses of episode 50 we put on the harsh specs of reality and dive into this week’s news. Together the team cover the cancellation of Origins Online, Wizards of the Coast banning cards and striving for diversity, Cards Against Humanity abuse allegations, Golden Bell tolling once more, Everything Board Games imploding and much, much more.
Headlines
Origins Online Cancelled amidst mass walkout of guests over silence on American protests
Statement can be found on GAMA facebook page @TheGAMAOnline
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45895/gama-cancels-origins-online
Eric Lang Statement
https://twitter.com/eric_lang/status/1271095405644779521
Wizards of the Coast bans Racist magic cards
https://www.geeknative.com/73805/here-are-the-racist-magic-cards-wizards-have-banned/
https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Default.aspx
Cards against Humanity under fire
https://twitter.com/atheresastewart/status/1269310742450393089
News
Golden Bell Strike again
https://twitter.com/moregamespls/status/1270687206756233217?s=19
Episode 34 cast link
https://giantbrain.co.uk/2019/08/19/episode-34-golden-gnomes/
Everything Board Games implodes
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1941412327/everything-board-games-bi-monthly-digital-magazin
https://mobile.twitter.com/NDShipley/status/1273357515846189058
https://twitter.com/NDShipley/status/1273383596653457410
Diversity & Dungeons & Dragons
Kinderspiel announced
https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/en/aktuelle-preistraeger-2020/
Itch bundle breaks $8million dollars
https://itch.io/b/520/bundle-for-racial-justice-and-equality
Blades in the Dark Review
https://giantbrain.co.uk/2017/07/30/blades-in-the-dark-review/
CMON does P&P Foodies
https://www.cmon.com/news/foodies-print-play-edition
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers: Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Outro
New reddit!
https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgamediscussion/
Munchkin Disney
https://theop.games/2020/06/munchkin-disney-game-coming-soon/
Dobble Variants are on the way
https://twitter.com/ICV2/status/1270386811102101505?s=19
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com
Monday Jun 08, 2020
Monday Jun 08, 2020
Brainwaves Statement on the U.S. Protests
Hello everyone, before we get to the cast proper we wanted to take a moment to address how the Brainwaves team feels about the current situation in America. We feel that even though our voice is small, it is important to speak up when events like this occur.
As 3 white guys we will not pretend to understand what the black community has experienced worldwide during our lifetimes and for centuries beforehand. However we do stand with the protesters who are seeking justice for the killing of George Floyd and the countless other black Americans who have been unlawfully killed.
The United States is being run by a fascist who wants nothing more than to line his pockets and those of his rich, white friends. He doesn’t care about people, especially those who look different from him. We hope his rule is brought to an end in November. Our own country is being run by people who foster the fear of ‘the other’ to score political points, to divide, and make money. Whilst they have not quite sunk to the levels of the Trump administration, it is all too easy to imagine a scenario where they would.
For our own part we will be endeavouring to highlight the work of BAME UK designers more. We are conscious of the fact that we have not had a diverse range of voices on the cast or in interviews. We'll be striving to do better on that front over the coming weeks, months, and years. Our goal has always been to lift up smaller publishers and designers and we also need to add diversity to that goal. We, and games, are all made better by listening to and understanding diverse voices.
It is easy to feel powerless against what is happening in the US, and in the UK regarding Brexit, at the moment. We hope in our own small corner of the internet that we can do better, and that we can help lift up a diverse range of voices through our actions.
Black Lives Matter.
Show Notes
It’s our 50th episode! Before we break out the bubbly, the team bring you the choicest slices of tabletop games news from Magic competitions going digital to pintable trains. In a longer than normal cast, we look back on how the cast came to be, what the future holds, and chat about our experiences behind the scenes.
Headlines
Spiel des Jahres nominations out
https://www.dicebreaker.com/topics/spiel-des-jahres/news/spiel-des-jahres-2020-nominations
Wizards of the Coast announces major changes to M:tG competitive play.
Gen Con online
https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/News/gen-con-online-registration-to-open-1-june-2020
News
Boardgame design lab hires J.R. Honeycutt
https://mobile.twitter.com/BGDesignLab/status/1268505651522740224
Ticket to Ride Print and Play
https://print-and-play.asmodee.fun/files/tickettoride/Ticket-to-Ride-Stay-at-Home-A4_en.pdf
Aquelarre RPG now coming out in English
https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/News/aquelarre-rpg-out-now?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=news&fbclid=IwAR36vxnSIpoRNLacCsxqRkNxw1b80uXhrovIpSfxYJfSAhp2dygGkSLTYkE
Retrospective
Meeple People Podcast
https://soundcloud.com/user-434999721
First Player Token
https://twitter.com/1stplayertoken?lang=en
Unlucky Frog
We’re Not Wizards
https://werenotwizards.podbean.com/
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers: Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com
Monday May 25, 2020
Monday May 25, 2020
Iain C is having some outside time in the Brainwaves garden, leaving Jamie and Iain M to get on with the business of the cast. This week we cover convention cancellations, Avengers’ board game night, BGG Geek Game store, Spartacus returning, Hot Zones for free and more. In Brainstorm we discuss the possibility of a silver lining to all the convention cancellations: are release schedules going to get a little more spread out?
Headlines
Coronavirus cancels conventions
Uk Games Expo
https://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/virtually-expo/
Tabletop Scotland
https://tabletopscotland.co.uk/tabletop-scotland-2020-cancelled/
Essen
https://www.spiel-messe.com/en/covid-19/
Gencon
https://www.gencon.com/press/updates-gen-con-covid19
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45767/gen-con-officially-cancelled-2020-over-covid-19-concerns
Play boardgames with the Avengers
Boardgamegeek announce new geek store- Geek Game Shop
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2432453/announcing-geek-game-shop
News
FFG takedowns follow up
Pandemic Hot Zone
https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/pandemic-hot-zone-north-america/news/pandemic-hot-zone-print-and-play-demo
Spartacus returns
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45726/spartacus-returns
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers: Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Outro
Breaking Bad Monopoly
https://twitter.com/joindicebreaker/status/1259778023789867009?s=19
The Child Monopoly
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45730/baby-yoda-monopoly
Godzilla Monopoly
Guardian article about DnD
James Wallis head of UK Games studio
https://twitter.com/JamesWallis/status/1262323767910502400?s=19
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com
Monday May 11, 2020
Monday May 11, 2020
It’s time for the most coveted prize in the boardgame award season calendar, The Golden Brains! These coveted prizes are only given out on this cast to categories of our own devising, number two will shock you. Of course we still have time to bring you the best in tabletop gaming news: comic relief DnD, Wingspan sweeps awards and picks up some controversy, Frosthaven rocks Kickstarter, Asmodee takedowns, Union negotiations and much more! In our Brainstorm we look at the thorny subject of boardgame categories and ask if it is time that things are shaken up.
Headlines
Comic Relief goes Dungeon Delving
https://twitter.com/comicrelief/status/1255814860102828033?s=19
https://tiltify.com/@comic-relief-plays-dungeons-dragons/crplaysdnd
BGG announces Golden Geek Awards 2019
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2421320/14th-annual-golden-geek-awards-winners-2019
Frosthaven takes eleventybillion dollars
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45687/frosthaven-kickstarter-raises-nearly-13-million
News
Hasbro gets lift from lockdown
https://www.wsj.com/articles/monopoly-maker-gets-a-big-lift-from-lockdown-11588169873
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45666/hasbros-total-gaming-business-up-40-q1
Kickstarter Union announces negotiated settlement
https://twitter.com/ksr_united/status/1256382357311012871
Steamforged Games offer to retailers
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45652/steamforged-offers-retailers-40-affiliate-sales
DM’s Guild giving 100% of royalties to Creators until 17th May
https://twitter.com/RPG_EmeraldS/status/1257248719449268224
https://www.dmsguild.com/special.php
Asmodee Humble Bundle
Asmodee takedowns
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2415261/asmodee-ffg-seem-be-taking-down-all-ffg-games-tts/page/3
Patreon Shoutouts
Exec Producers: Lucky Sparrow Gaming Cafe
Our Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain
Outro
Huge bet on Rock, Paper, Scissors
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/500-k-bet-on-rock-paper-scissors-1.5543533
Our Links
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegiantbrain
Twitter: @thegiantbrain
Instagram: giantbrainuk
Facebook: The Giant Brain
Website: giantbrain.co.uk
Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com