Attending PAX East and want to know who is exhibiting at what tables? We’ve been given the list of exhibitors in the tabletop hall, which currently do not show up in the Guidebook app, the only version of the program and show’s floorplan available.

The tabletop booths will be along the right (north) edge of the space, near the skybridge. From the main Queue Room entrance on up to the Lenovo Legion PC Room, the following companies will have a presence in the tabletop hall:

  • Gamewright, Q-Workshop, Asmodee NA
  • Compleat Strategist (local game store), Steve Jackson Games
  • Battleground Games & Hobbies (local game store), Level Up Dice, Fun to 11, Tectonic Craft Studios
  • CMON, Wyrmwood Gaming
  • Burning Wheel, Japanime/Global Games Distribution, Greenbriar Games
  • Modern Myths NY (“local” game store), Armor Class 10 Shirts
  • Pandemonium Games (local game store), Crit Success, Dragoon/Lay Waste Games
  • Atlas Games, United States Professional Mahjong League
  • Drinking Quest, Aviary Games, SFR
  • AdMagic
  • Greater Than Games
  • Foam Brain Games (“local” game store)

Although the PAX 2017 program book that appears in the Guidebook app doesn’t break down the tabletop hall, PAX’s Tabletop Manager has said that this year a detailed map of the tabletop area will appear in the program.

CT FIG—Dragoon Expansion

CT FIGIt’s always awesome to get to hang out with Lay Waste Games. Once again they were showing off Dragoon, this time at the CT FIG Mid-Year Event in Newington, CT at the Tabletop Shop. While they weren’t showing anything new, I did happen to get a bit out of them about an upcoming Dragoon expansion.

Soon, it seems, we’ll be able to play Dragoon with 5 or 6 players, and these two extra player characters won’t be dragons. The Barbarian and Rogue will indeed allow the game to handle up to 6 players, but can be used as a replacement for a dragon in a game with any number of players. What can these new characters do?

The Barbarian will play very similarly to a Dragon with the exception that it levels up during play. Its level will dictate what cards it can play, and when. The higher the Barbarian’s level, the better cards it’ll have at its disposal.

The Rogue plays completely different. Instead of a cave, the Rogue will have 9 tunnels that it places around the map during play that serve as both his means of claiming as well as swift transportation. Each tunnel will have a hidden trap on the underside of the tunnel tile that will be revealed when the tunnel gets destroyed.  Another different aspect to the Rogue is that it doesn’t use cards. Instead, the Rogue will have around six pieces of equipment, of which only a certain number of items can be equipped at a time.

Different pieces of equipment can give the Rogue new abilities or modify its abilities,when equipped. An example given was a Grappling Hook that changes the Rogues’s movement from 1 to 2 spaces. As long as it’s equipped the Rogue must move two spaces. Another example is a Poison Dagger that can help the Rogue defend against Dragons and the Barbarian. Swapping equipment will take an action, so playing to Rogue will require a bit more planning on the player’s part.

Dragoon is an amazing game, and if this expansion sees the light of day I can only see it becoming more exciting.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

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CT FIGYesterday I had the pleasure of attending, and judging at, the first annual Connecticut Festival of Indie games, hosted by Geek Fever Games at Elm City Games in New Haven, CT. Jason Miceli of GeekFever served as MC and organizer, while Matt Loter of Elm City Games (and Prettiest Princess Games) was the overly enthusiastic, yet charming, host.
The day was full of gaming, with loads of indie game developers showing off their designs to a building full of attendees. Every nook and cranny was filled with booths, and a lot of laughter good times were had all around. It was hard to believe when 4:00pm rolled around and it was time for the judges to meet and pick their favorite games in each category. It took about an hour of deliberation, but the winners were announced shortly after 5:00pm.

Best Artwork:
Dragoon, Lay Waste Games

Best 1st Impression:
Moon Quake Escape, Pair of Jacks

Most Innovative:
Depths of Durangrar, Creative Cove Games

Most Spirit:
Oh My Gods, Gameworthy Labs

Best in Show:  
Dragoon, Lay Waste Games

Best in Show runner-up: Guardians of AsunDur, DPH Studioz
Best in Show runner-up: Grab the Booty, Counter Meta Games
Best in Show runner-up: Originz the Superpowered Card Game, Flavor Faction

I’d like to congratulate all the winners. Competition was tough, and there was a lot of great games shown at the festival. CT FIG was a huge success, and I can’t wait until next year’s festival to see what it brings.

I’ll have some more coverage of what I saw at the show soon, so keep a look out.

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Kickstarter Preview—Dragoon

Having just seen Dragoon at PAX East this year, Lay Waste Games was kind enough to send me a review prototype to give the game a whirl and then send back to them. I managed to get a 4-player game in with my 3 oldest kids (9, 8, and 5) and we had a great time laying waste to villages and ruthlessly attacking each other.

Before I get started here, let me state that Dragoon is already funded. If you pledge at the $45 level then you’re going to get a copy as soon as they’re manufactured. Right now the team at Lay Waste is working on stretch goals, and they’ve already hit a few!

On to the game.

In Dragoon you’re a dragon working towards earning 50 gold. You can do this my claiming villages to earn tribute, destroying villages, fighting other dragons, or stealing from dragon caves of a thief’s treasure hoard. Each round starts with villages populating on the board, then the dragons take their turns, and then villages pay tribute. It’s very quick to pick up, very fluid in it’s flow, and damn ruthless. My kids and I kept going at each other to steal each others’ gold and were destroying villages out of spite so no one else could claim them.

A good time was had by all, and in the end it only took around 45 minutes to set up, learn, and play.

I’ve been having a good luck streak with games lately, and Dragoon certainly sits near the top of what I’ve played. I’d make sure you get a pledge in and guarantee yourself a copy.

A preview copy of Dragoon was provided by Lay Waste Games, then sent back to them. A promise of the final product was made by Lay Waste Game.

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PAX East—Lay Waste Games

header_imageLay Waste Games was showing off Dragoon, a game that’s currently in the Kickstarter process. The game is already funded, but there’s still stretch goals to unlock.

The game is beautifully minimalistic, and it’s an art direction that the team originally wasn’t going to go with. It’s a good thing they did, because it really is something to see. The pieces are pretty amazing, too. While the dragons look to be wooden or resin, they’re actually pewter. Solid, heavy, and totally amazing feeling.

DragoonThe goal of Dragoon is to amass 50 gold in your cave before the other dragons do. You get gold by destroying villages, forcing villagers to pay tribute, or by stealing it from other dragons. The whole game is supposed to last 30-60 minutes, and should be easy to learn. I was really impressed with what I saw, and am eager to try my hand at the game.