Summer 2020 Update

Wowza! Has it really been so long since I posted last? Time flies when you're playing the same game over and over and over and over... Well, before I get to that, I'm going to start at the most recent news and work my way backward, because it's the most recent news that I'm most excited about!

One of the benefits of backing a Canadian Kickstarter is that you end up being one of the first ones to get it! I believe that international shipping is taking place for this one in the new few weeks, but mine showed up at my door unannounced this week! I was finally able to read through the rules this morning and get in my first play!

The rules were definitely more complex in this one compared to Goblivion, but after playing my first game, I think the extra brainpower was worth it.

In Goblivion (see the full review here) you build your deck by training peasants and/or defeating monsters. You use your cards attack power to recruit and fight. Wealth/resources you have make up your health.

Dinoblivion steps up the deckbuilding mechanic with even MORE variety. You have several resources to balance: food, babies, capture dinosaurs, and attack power. You build your deck by acquiring cards from the two decks using these different resources. 

The standard game is a one vs. one game where you're vying to be the most successful prehistoric clan. In the solo game, there are some enemy cards added to the deck that throw a few proverbial wrenches into your plans. If you don't defeat them with attack power and variety of resources, they make you run through your jungle deck more quickly (which, in solo mode, is basically your health). I'll get into more details when I get in some more plays and write my full review, but it was a lot of fun!

This was my best play of the game. My workar (worker? I believe there is a unique language in this game that is closely related to English) can activate two action cards, so he pulled out his hatchet and also released six little dino buddies to attack the enemy. My pet tigar also helped.

I didn't think I was going to, but I managed to win this first game! There are four difficulty modes for solo play, so I'll be sure to try the more difficult ones as well! These are the dinosaurs I had to defeat in order to become the lord of the jungle!

Alright, so, Dinoblivion, super exciting! What else have I been up the last few weeks? 

Noble Pig Games has decided to put the pause button on our big game Donisi in favour of working on a smaller Kickstarter first: Dungeon Bounty. We released a free print 'n' play version of this (click here and sign up to get it!), but now we're working on making a full art version with some updated rules. I don't want to give away too much until Aaron gives me the go ahead, but I'll try to drop some hints here. All you need for Dungeon Bounty is a standard deck of playing cards, but Aaron is currently making a custom deck with artwork that reflects the game. We have also been hard at work at tweaking and revamping the co-op and versus modes so that they can both be played with only one deck of cards and add to the variety of the game. The tentative Kickstarter date is November 10, so keep your eyes peeled for the pre-launch page and any additional information. Thanks to the almost 240 of you who have already signed up for the mailing list and tried the game. Your feedback has been invaluable!

In other fun news, we went to the mountains with our cohort family for six days and more gaming happened than expected!

• My friend Clarked picked up Lost Cities: The Board Game and we played a few games. He BLEW me away by like triple score in our first game, but I came back to win in the second (by only five points).
• Even more awesome, he also purchased Cartographers (which I wanted to buy, but he grabbed it off the shelf first) and we snuck into two games of this between hiking and rafting. I beat him both times - both by only one point! The second game was a come from behin win. Wow, very tense games!
• On the four hour drive there, I planned out the first chapter of my children's garden-themed RPG, inspired by Cloud Dungeon. Families will work together to cut, colour, and plant a garden, all while learning about the needs of plants! My beautiful wife is going to do the art for the game!
• On the four hour drive home, inspired by playing Cartographers, I worked on the basic system for a new roll 'n' write battle game. Aaron and I have worked on it a bit since then and it will probably be our second Kickstarter, after Dungeon Bounty and before Donisi.

So, there you have it! I've spilled the tea on my life!

Did I use that phrase correctly? Am I still young and cool and hip?