At The Table with The Dice Tower - Where Do Boardgames Come From?
The Dice Tower
Tom is busy moving the studio, so Julie and Eric invite Robert Geistlinger from Arcane Wonders (and also Julie's husband) to join in a discussion about boardgame production. Where do the materials that go into our games come from? What do you look for in a manufacturer? And why doesn't everybody print their games in Cleveland? And of course, we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:52 - Where's Tom? and Who Is Robert? 03:08 - Announcements: Dice Tower East and Dice Tower Cruise 03:55 - Game Production: Why We're Not Discussing Tariffs 05:27 - Where Does the Material Come...
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Where Credit is Due
The Dice Tower
Today, we focus on what designers should do when they've built a design on an existing game. How much borrowing is too much borrowing? We also look ahead to some upcoming events, share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and run through our latest batch of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:49 - Tom's Apology 01:25 - Dice Tower Cruise and Dice Tower East 01:52 - Tom's Catan Update: Seafarers 02:53 - Upcoming: Studio Move, Origins, Greece, College Visits 03:55 - Building Your Game on an Existing Design 32:41 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 39:33 - Roaring 20s 43:42 - Mystery of the Abbey 50:30 -...
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Life, The Universe, and Everything in the Rulebook
The Dice Tower
We kick off this episode with some chit-chat regarding the moving of Dice Tower HQ, some upcoming events, Tom's efforts to impress the chef at a Japanese restaurant, and the most played games at Dice Tower West. A listener question leads us to discuss the layout of rulebooks and how best to do so. We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and close the show with a typical wave of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:53 - Moving the Studio 03:14 - Upcoming Events 03:52 - Tom at Dinner 07:26 - Most Played Games at Dice Tower West 12:50 - Dice Tower East and Dice Tower Cruise 13:23 - Rulebook...
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Western Expansion
The Dice Tower
This time, we are recording in person at Dice Tower West (with some new mics!). We talk specifics about our new-ish venue for DTW, and then get more general with a chat about our convention strategies and planning. The Tale of Boardgaming Horror is one for the ages, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, Hula Hoops, and Crossovers. 00:47 - Dice Tower West: Back at the Westgate 04:20 - Julie's Drive West 08:35 - Eric at APAC 09:41 - Tom at GAMA Expo and The Grand Canyon 13:09 - Hot Games 14:16 - Convention Strategy 33:47 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 39:26 - Critter Kitchen 44:29 -...
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - GOOOOOOAL!
The Dice Tower
This time, we're talking sports, and how game designers can best emulate them. Plus, Horror, Hula Hoops, Roses, and Thorns. 00:59 - Announcements: Dice Tower West and East 02:04 - Sports Boardgames 20:10 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 25:48 - Charcuterie 30:24 - 1 A.M. Jailbreak 33:07 - Helionox Chronicles 37:47 - Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era 40:38 - Ostia 42:33 - Kingdom Legacy: Feudal Kingdom Questions? Tales of Horror? [email protected]
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Upping the Ante
The Dice Tower
This time, Eric gives an update on his Middle School Game Night before the gang launches into a discussion of how playing games for tangible prizes changes the vibe at the table. Then, we move on to a Tale of Boardgaming Horror, check the mailbag, and share some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:48 - Announcements: Gamefound, Dice Tower West 02:33 - Update on Eric's Middle School Game Night 03:54 - Raising the Stakes 25:08 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 31:54 - Question: Boardgaming's Golden Age? 36:24 - Question: Collecting from a Single Franchise? 38:30 - Endeavor Deep Sea 41:45 - Portmanteau...
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Talk At The Table
The Dice Tower
Tom complains about the cold before we all discuss forms of Table Talk. What just bends the rules, and what breaks the game? We share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a couple of questions from the mailbag, and some new Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:40 - It's cold in Florida 01:41 - Gamefound - SupportDicetower.com 02:11 - Dice Tower East and West 03:00 - Table Talk 25:07 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 31:31 - Question: Social Deduction Games (Where Am I, Blood on the Clocktower) 38:38 - Question: Screen Printed Meeples 44:49 - Little Alchemists 46:50 - Star Realms Academy 48:34 - Azul Duel...
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Buoyant Breakfast 2025
The Dice Tower
On board the Dice Tower Cruise 2025, Tom, Julie, and Eric run through their holiday gaming opportunities. Julie asks how we prefer to to vacation, and we end the show with a bunch of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops that we encountered on the ship. 00:44 - We're on a Ship 01:32 - Holiday Happenings 02:18 - Star Realms Rise of Empire 07:59 - Ito, Jackbox Games 09:28 - Hues and Cues 11:48 - Command of Nature 14:10 - Only Murders in the Building 17:55 - How Do You Vacation? 29:31 - My Father's Work 35:00 - Adventureland 39:38 - Cryptic Nature 41:09 - Beats and Cats 43:41 - Lure 46:20 - Bomb Busters
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Looking Back at 2024
The Dice Tower
Julie and Eric spend some time recapping PAX Unplugged before all of us take a look at the year that was 2024. What was the easiest game to teach? The game that you'd best set aside a day to play? The Hoopiest Hula Hoop? All will be revealed, dear listener! 01:00 - PAX Unplugged Recap 14:03 - The Quiet House 16:49 - Star Trek TNG VCR Game 20:41 - 2024 as a Whole 29:25 - Best to Play at a Convention: Ito, Rock Hard 1977, Duck & Cover 31:40 - Best Theme: Rock Hard 1977, Mistwind, Kelp: Shark vs. Octopus 34:43 - Most Likely to be Gifted: Muppets Clue, Wicked 38:00 - Best Traveling Game:...
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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Mission: Middle School
The Dice Tower
This time, Eric is looking for advice from Julie and Tom about running a game night at his son's Middle School. How deep a hole has he dug for himself? Plus, a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, a question from the Listener Mailbag, and a bouquet of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 01:47 - Dice Tower Winter Spectacular 02:24 - Tom's Anniversary Cruise, Audiobooks, and Subtitles 03:52 - 2025 Gamefound Campaign 04:27 - Eric's Middle School Game Night 23:58 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 28:28 - Listener Question: Our Changing Review Perspectives 31:11 - I Am Done (Quick Mention) 37:56 - Point of View...
info_outlineTom, Julie, and Eric discuss some Thanksgiving plans before reacting to some recent manufacturing trends in the boardgame industry, from environmentally friendly choices, to the insistance that every game have a custom insert. Our Tale of Boardgaming Horror is a case of mistaken identity, and we close the show with some Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.
01:02 - Shipping in the Game Box
01:45 - Thanksgiving
03:22 - PAX Unplugged and Christmas Videos
04:03 - All the Kickstarters are Delivering At Once
05:53 - Production Trends: Giant Rulebooks
07:33 - Self-Assembled Multi-Layered Boards
11:08 - Puzzle vs. Folded Boards and Other Board Trends
13:23 - Environmentally Friendly Choices: Stickers
15:13 - Bands and Paper Wrap Around Cards
17:18 - Paperboard Inserts
21:09 - Rewood
23:56 - Kallax as a Measure of Size
25:48 - Plastic Inserts
33:56 - Plastic Wrap on Punchboards
35:26 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror
41:00 - Lords of Vegas
45:59 - EXIT Advent: The Missing Hollywood Star
48:32 - The Coldest Night
52:26 - Arbolito
55:04 - SETI
58:14 - Kronologic Paris 1920