Students and staff of Clarkson University created a k-12 board game called Energy Choices representing the choices we make in energy consumption and how it affects our wallets and lives.

It was created a few years back and is still in use. While you don’t make a tremendous amount of choices during the game, you do get to make some. When you pass a gas station, you must fill up according to your vehicle type, earning you negative carbon points. Pieces used to represent the players are d4s (for bicycles) and d8s (for cars).

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It only took Wizards of the Coast 7 months after deciding to revamp a GSL that angered the RPG industry to finally do it. The GSL allows you to use WotC material in order to create your own extensions that work with the material.

The new GSL [PDF] removed the contentious section concerning the old OGL. It basically lets you do what you want if you include small excerpts of unchanged content (you may extend the content) with proper legal attribution. You can’t use the GSL for products WotC considers offensive: extreme violence, nudity, sexual, racist, or offensive to any real-world people.

You can also cancel your relationship with the GSL, with time to sell off your inventory. More details here.

(source)

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Even the world of hobby games isn’t immune to business disputes and personality conflicts. So it is that the 3rd edition of Martin Wallace’s classic Age of Steam has been published by FRED Distribution under a cloud. Mr. Wallace claims trademark and copyright infringement by Winsome Games, the developer. An alternate version is being developed by Mr. Wallace’s own company, Warfrog, and published by Mayfair. This one will just be called Steam.

Age of Steam is a classic train game, requiring players to construct rail lines and deliver goods between cities. It’s known to be unforgiving of mistakes during play, but this is one of the factors that makes it a favorite of hardcore strategy gamers. With pent up demand, a small print run, and bonus maps of Barbados and St. Lucia included, the 3rd edition is already gone at the publisher level. If you want a copy, you’ll have to act fast.

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