Variant: How important is theme?

The Baby is the gamer, the kitten is the theme.... ok, so it was hard to find a representative image for "theme"

A lot of players make the “theme” of a game a central focus of their discussion.  Some games, like Battlestar Galactica, have a very strong theme. If it wasn’t about hidden cylons and the struggle of mankind, the game wouldn’t make much sense.  The theme is integral to the enjoyment of the game. On the other hand, some games have very light theme. One of the lightest is Lost Cities. Those cards could really be about anything. All that matters is the suits and the numbers. So how important is theme to your enjoyment of the game?

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PAX is upon us!

Penny Arcade Expo

This year’s Penny Arcade Expo is less than a week away, and if you follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our podcast, you know that GFBRobot will be there. I personally am near bursting with excitement and anticipation, not only for my first PAX, but also to meet the folks I’ve been working with for the past two months. Join me after the jump to learn what I’m most excited about seeing and doing at PAX Prime 2010.

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Get fun Robot swag and meet Timmy at PAX!

In case you couldn’t tell, we’re at PAX in Seattle! Not only that, but as I’ve mentioned on the podcast, Think Geek sent along their mascot, Timmy, to enjoy the show with us:

While walking around the show floor, if you see this handsome gent:

That’s me! Andrew! Stop me and ask for some stuff, or to get a picture taken with Timmy! We have GFBR buttons, posters, stickers, bookmarks, etc, but we also have a VERY limited amount of Geek a Week trading cards by Len Peralta, courtesy of Think Geek. The Geek a Week cards will be a bit harder to come by, you’ll need to win those somehow. All the other stuff is while supplies last. Just remember, if you see the blue fauxhawk, the nerd van dyke facial hair, and the GFBR shirt featuring Adam Levermore’s awesome design, you’ve got the right guy! Our contributor Dylan, and Rob from the podcast, will also be prowling the floor with a tiny bit of the GFBR swag as well, so say hi to them if you see them in their shirts, too.

Also, my luck is your luck! While cruising around Seattle I picked up some Dunny 2010 figures, and got a couple duplicates of Esther Kim’s Ice Cream design. The first two people to ask for them get them, so be sure to ask if you see me!

Podcast Episode 30: Actor and professional badass Michael Muhney talks Veronica Mars, soaps, lightsabers, and Whedon

Actor Michael Muhney calls in to talk about his experience working on fan favorite Veronica Mars, and Andrew outs himself as a soap geek as they discuss Michael’s work on The Young and the Restless. Hear what it was like to audition for (and come a hair’s breadth away from landing) the male lead in Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse. And make sure to listen as the conversation turns to Michael’s work with the NO H8 campaign, and his tireless efforts to fight pancreatic cancer. This is a great interview, guys, so be sure to check it out and let us know what you think.

Michael Muhney’s page, for info on his career and his cancer charity efforts: http://michaelmuhney.com/pancreatic_cancer_research.htm

Run time: 1:26

Music courtesy of Manny Jasus (http://farfromclose.com)

News: More Games On the iPad

More iPad games continue to roll into the App Store. Most recently, Medici has arrived. Codito Development has announced numerous board games coming to the App Store, including most recently, Through the Ages here.

As it turns out, this is making me want an iPad. I’ve had no interest, really, since I already have a smart phone, a laptop, and a PC. However, so many board games have been arriving on the iPad, that I almost want it simply as a gaming console. Not enough to actually buy one. Just enough to fantasize about one being misdelivered to my house, and then when I report it, the true owner saying, “That’s ok, keep it.  I’ll just get another one.”

Errata: Where to Start?

Today we take a look at a non-gamer’s query. Yes, even the non-gaming heathen is welcome at Errata.

Curious asked, “I’ve been reading your site and am getting more and more interested in board games. I’ve played Battleship and Monopoly when I was a kid, but want to see some of these non-kid games. I’m especially interested in games I can play with the family. My kids are in high school, and some family time around the table playing a game would be great.” (slightly edited from the e-mail)

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Podcast Episode 29: Spanky’s Links, Jeannie gets on a soapbox, reader mailbag

Our first reader mailbag! And Jeannie hops up on a soapbox to rant about all the ads in comics these days. Spanky wraps the show with some awesome links and info about some good custom pieces on the toy scene.

Links:

Dragon*Con = http://bit.ly/c9vtla
Marshall Custom Series = http://bit.ly/a6wFFx
NYCC = http://bit.ly/djPP4b

Run time: 1:05

Contains coarse or explicit language.

Recap: Dixit & Roll Through the Ages First Impressions

This week, I was able to get my board gamer’s hands on Dixit and Roll through the Ages.  Dixit won the Spiel des Jahres this year, and I was eager to open her up. If you’ve played Apples to Apples, you get the gist of Dixit. Each player receives a set of six unique, but whimsical cards depicting thoughts, emotions, or evoking ideas. The extremely original and stylized art is what makes Dixit so great. Each round the narrator chooses a card and gives a hint. He needs to be vague enough that not everyone gets it, but not so vague that no one does.

Gameplay of Dixit was surprisingly fun. It easily beat Apples to Apples for originality. If everyone is appropriately vague in their description, the player should have one or two cards in his hand that could theoretically fit the narrator’s remarks. And it is interesting to see what each player selects. Almost every round was followed by discussion of the cards, or laughter at too obvious clues. Initially, I was worried that the need to be just vague enough would make the game a challenge for some players, but our group had no problems. I’m looking forward to playing again, and I could see this making a debut as a party game. It has components only for up to 6 players, but it could easily be expanded to accommodate a large group.

Click through for more as I tackle Roll Through the ages, and try a new strategy with Puerto Rico.

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Are violent video games bad for kids? Here’s why one mom doesn’t think so.

Beth Winegarner

Author Beth Winegarner doesn’t think violent video games are going to cause your kids to kill themselves, or others. Sure, if you’re reading this site, there’s a good chance you agree, but what about the people who don’t? If you got here by searching for something like “Are violent video games dangerous?”, click through after the jump to read why this thoughtful and dedicated writer thinks the answer is a resounding “No”.

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Getting Started as a GM: Part 3, It’s Full of People!

So we’ve thought about how we want to run a game, and we’ve thought about the sandbox we want our players to play in. Now what? Now you have to fill it up! Not only with stuff, that’s the easy part. You have to fill it with people, and that can get a bit trickier. But speaking of tricks, I’ve got a few to keep you from getting overwhelmed. Read on the hear my secrets.

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