So Very Wrong About Games

The Holidays are upon us--Christmas very soon, Hanukkah is ongoing, Kwanzaa around the corner--but today on SVWAG, as it is on most days, we celebrate Festivus. On Mark's insistence, we forego the Feats of Strength, as the outcome would be certain and humiliating; O, but the Airing of the Grievances! Canadians have much to complain about, what with one mess of a fulfillment after another. And complain we do.AYURIS: Too Many Bones: Undertow 3m15s (Adam Carlson & Josh J. Carlson, Chip Theory Games, 2018)Games Played Last Week:-Mechanica 6m37s (Mary Flanagan, Emma Hobday, & Max Seidman, Resonym, 2019)-One Deck Galaxy 11m25s (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2020)-It's a Wonderful World 13m02s (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2019)-Yggdrasil Chronicles 17m35s (Cédric Lefebvre, Ludonaute, 2019)-Yokohama 21m09s (Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2016)-Cthulhu: Death May Die 21m56s (Eric M. Lang & Rob Daviau, CMON, 2019)-Res Arcana: Lux et Tenebrae 26m25s (Thomas Lehmann, Sand Castle Games, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Best of 2019 coming, just possibly not in 2019 29m09s-Wherefore art thou, Reavers? 30m12s Topic: Familiarity Breeds Contempt 31m01sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Perhaps it would be inevitable that there would be juvenile comments about the components in Catan: Starfarers. This is, after all, the gaming series that brought us endless unfunny remarks about wood and sheep. Perhaps the sculptors for the pieces knew what they were doing and, in turn, laughing at us. I suppose we must be thankful that Klaus Teuber remained high-minded--one shudders to imagine what the satirical outlook of, say, Vlaada Chvatil would have done with the same material.Games Played Last Week: -Street Masters: Aftershock 2m18s (Adam & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2019)-Big City: 20th Anniversary Jumbo Edition! 4m51s (Franz-Benno Delonge, Mercury Games, 2019)-Wavelength 7m46s (Alex Hague, Justin Vickers, & Wolfgang Warsch, Palm Court, 2019)-Warfighter: The Private Military Contractor Card Game 10m32s (Dan Verssen, DVG Games, 2019)-The Shipwreck Arcana 15m42s (Kevin Bishop, Meromorph Games, 2017)-Yggdrasil Chronicles 17m26s (Cédric Lefebvre, Ludonaute, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Tokyo Game Market 21m39s-Matagot Makes Pronoun Progress 22m00s-Spycon (Where Everyone Is a Spy) 23m46s-Warhammer Underworlds Digital 24m33s-Airship City in English 26m00s-Expanding Spheres of Influence 27m00s-Flotilla 29m07sFeature Game: Catan: Starfarers 30m08s (Klaus Teuber, KOSMOS, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are times when immediately upon finishing recording, one or both of our hosts immediately feel the tremendous regret of having forgotten The Thing. But, alas, the moment has passed, and they cannot now mention The Thing. The only redress available is this episode description, which sadly no one but you reads. We salute you, hyper-literate outlier!This week, The Thing is Wavelength--recently-released masterful filler and wonderful fodder for holiday gaming in mixed circles. Rest assured the host feel pretty stupid most of the time, but doubly stupid for neglecting to mention Wavelength.AYURIS: Sentinels of the Multiverse 1m45s (Christopher Badell, Paul Bender, & Adam Rebottaro, Greater Than Games, 2011)Games Played Last Week: -Amun-Re the Card Game 4m47s (Reiner Knizia, Super Meeple, 2016)-The King's Dilemma 7m41s (Hjalmar Hach & Lorenzo Silva, Horrible Guild, 2019)-Pandemic: Rapid Response 16m32s (Kane Klenko, Z-Man, 2019)-Yokohamma 18m10s (Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2016)-Street Masters: Aftershock 20m23s (Adam & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2019)-Gugong 21m51s (Andreas Steding, Game Brewer, 2018)-Barrage 25m29s (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019)-Warhammer Underworlds: Beastgrave 31m43s (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Award for Kane Klenko 33m22s-Rangers of Shadow Deep Deluxe 33m55s-Knizia does Legacy with My City 35m18s-Barkham Horror (sigh) 35m56s-Frosthaven 36m58s-Collectivism in Red Outpost 37m17s-Thank you for your support! 38m22sTopic: Fillers and Holiday Gaming 38m55sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Black Secret was an expansion to Ghost Stories where you played as vicious, frenetic shoppers trying to ascertain what were the best hidden deals on Black Friday. I think. If nothing else, one can appreciate the fact that online shopping might one day prevent the trampling deaths that accompany this uniquely retail "holiday." The end of brick and mortar retail will surely be a great loss, and one that hurts our hobby a great deal, but come on--that inevitable b-roll of crazed bargain hunters year after year is a psychically damaging indictment of our culture.Games Played Last Week: -Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan 2m27s (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, Hans im Gluck, 2019)-Catan: Starfarers 7m39s (Klaus Teuber, KOSMOS, 2019)-Neuroshima Hex! 3.0 11m39s (Michal Oracz, Portal Games, 2006)-Caylus Magna Carta 14m59s (William Attia, Ystari Games, 2007)-Vindication 20m56s (Marc Neidlinger, Orange Nebula, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Ticket to Ride with Alexa 22m23s-So Much Sakura Arms! 24m56s-Christmas Card Roll-and-Write from Dice and Ink 27m48s -The King is Dead (Long Live Osprey Publishing) 28m33s-Fantastic Factories 29m28s-Warning: Chinese New Year Always Wins 30m08sFeature Game: Last Bastion 31m28s (Antoine Bauza, Repos Production, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walker introduces a new feature, the LIGHTNING ROUND. Destinies are determined and legends are forged in the lightning round, or at least they could be if it were not merely the pretext for his trolling. Someone should translate "I'm not saying, I'm just saying" into Latin so he can make it his family credo. AYURIS: The Voyages of Marco Polo 2m00s (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, Hans im Gluck, 2015)Games Played Last Week: -The Menace Among Us 5m06s (Jeff Gum, Smirk & Dagger, 2019)-Wayfinders 9m18s (Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Pandasaurus Games, 2019)-Paranormal Detectives 12m41s (Szymon Maliński, Adrian Orzechowski, & Marcin Łączyński, Lucky Duck Games, 2019)-Barenpark: The Bad News Bears 17m44s (Phil Walker-Harding, Lookout Games, 2019)-Modern Art 19m54s (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1992)-Gaia Project 21m41s (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017)-Wavelength 25m13s (Alex Hague, Justin Vickers, & Wolfgang Warsch, Palm Court, 2019)-Babylonia 29m56s (Reiner Knizia, Ludonova, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Don't you know that Scott Pilgrim is the best fighter in the province? 33m01s-Uwe Rosenberg tries some fairies 33m31s-Excellent SVWAG website: https://tekeli.li/svwag/ 34m09s-Car Wars again, and again 35m42s-Hollandspiele Sale 37m11s-Canadian fulfillment woes: Reavers of Midgard, etc. 38m43sTopic: Worker Placement 41m22sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sorry, people, no episode this week. Mark explains why.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We puzzle over the practices and intentions of game designers this week as though we were archaeologists trying to divine the practices of ashen Pompeiians. Why did these authors insert this mechanism into their artifact? Was it a mating ritual? Was it an obeisance to some vengeful, long-dead god? Was it to shoehorn in player interaction? Or was it to placate a Kickstarter audience? Oh, sorry, that one is redundant with the obeisance to a god thing. Also the mating ritual thing, if you think about it.Games Played Last Week: -Wavelength 1m12s (Alex Hague, Justin Vickers, & Wolfgang Warsch, Palm Court, 2019)-Carcassonne: Gold Rush (Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Gluck, 2014)-Unmatched: Battle of Legends 12m56s (Rob Daviau, JR Honeycutt, & Justin D. Jacobson, Restoration Games, 2019)-The Menace Among Us 15m41s (Jeff Gum, Smirk & Dagger, 2019)-Barenpark 19m19s (Phil Walker-Harding, Lookout Games, 2017)-Vindication 20m41s (Marc Neidlinger, Orange Nebula Productions, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Fallout: Shelter--from promotional money-sink to... ? 30m39s-Wiz-War NINTH 31m50s-Inis in SPAAACE 32m27s-Hansa Teutonica Big Box MIA at Spiel 33m43s-DEI: Divide et Impera 34m17s-Titan is, actually, kinda BIG 35m35s-All the best to Chad Jensen 36m53sFeature Game: Cloudspire 37m44s (Josh J. Carlson, Adam Carlson, & Josh Wielgus, Chip Theory Games, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You can replace the Mark and Walker voices with lovingly-rendered miniatures with the SVWAG Host Minis add-on, which you can have for $35, but only if you pay for it before you know what they look like and before you know the content of the episode. You can also buy the SVWAG playmat, metal coins, realistic resources, microphone first-player marker, and custom insert. This is a free podcast that can cost you a zillion dollars. Decide now, though!AYURIS: Root 2m02s (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2018)Games Played Last Week: -Warhammer Underworlds: Beastgrave 3m41s (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2019)-Era: Medieval Age 8m23s (Matt Leacock, eggertspiele, 2019)-Ghost Blitz 12m03s (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2010)-Menara 13m23s (Oliver Richtberg, Zoch Verlag, 2018)-Unmatched: Battle of Legends 14m01s (Rob Daviau, JR Honeycutt, & Justin D. Jacobson, Restoration Games, 2019)-The Menace Among Us 19m38s (Jeff Gum, Smirk & Dagger, 2019)-Hit Z Road 22m01s (Martin Wallace, Space Cowboys, 2016)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Infinity Defiance defies innovation? 25m35s-Beyond Humanity: Colonies has glowy bits 28m30s-Vengeance: Director's Cut 30m35s-Small World of Warcraft 31m16s-Blacklist Games' Hour of Need 32m54s-More Teotihuacan (with better titling) 35m11s-More Karl-Heinz Schmiel with Tribune 36m26sTopic: The Cost of Upgraded Components 37m46sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fatherhood is the overall theme of this week's episode. Imagine Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle, except with the father played by Vladimir the Great and the son by Svyatopolk the Accursed. "When you coming home, dad?" asks the Accursed, to which the reply is "I don't know when. But we'll get together then, son." And then, the son allegedly murders several of his siblings in a vicious power struggle. Just like in the song! Folk music of the seventies is more bloodthirsty than many people recall. Remember that Cat Stevens song about the wars of the Diadochi? It was even better than his acoustic rendering of the murder of the Romanovs.Games Played Last Week: -Letter Jam 4m01s (Ondra Skoupý, CGE, 2019)-Codenames: Duet 8m22s (Vlaada Chvátil & Scot Eaton, CGE, 2017)-Spirit Island 9m57s (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2017)-The Crusoe Crew 13m02s (Shuky, Makaka Editions, 2019) -UGO! 15m28s (Ronald Hoekstra, Thomas Jansen, & Patrick Zuidhof, IELLO, 2013)-Carcassonne 17m49s (Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Gluck, 2000)-Undaunted: Normandy 20m56s (Trevor Benjamin & David Thomspon, Osprey Games, 2019)-Cloudspire 23m14s (Josh J. Carlson, Adam Carlson, & Josh Wielgus, Chip Theory Games, 2019)-Era: Medieval Age 26m42s (Matt Leacock, eggertspiele, 2019)-Terraforming Mars 31m26s (Jacob Fryxelius, Stronghold, 2016)-Ulm 32m15s (Günter Burkhardt, R&R Games, 2016)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Pharaon Afterlife Prepping 34m19s-Patreon Content Galore 35m34s-Scared by High Frontier 4 All 36m01s-Square Off NEO & SWAP 38m07s-Valkyrie Outrage 39m34s-Francis Tresham Obituary 41m33sFeature Game: Rurik: Dawn of Kiev 43m10s (Stan Kordonskiy, PieceKeeper Games, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SHUX has passed, but the memories have not. Your hosts give a final rundown of some of the goings-on during the august October event.Mark asserts that no one is less competitive than he, no one by a long shot, he is much less competitive than you and if you disagree he will fight you. Unless you are a child or infirm, in which case he will still fight you out of a grudging sense of duty and respect, but he will pull his punches. Some of them. Editorial note: the hosts neglected to repeat that Air, Land & Sea was a review copy received from the author. They apologize for the oversight.Added SHUX dig: The Quacks of Quedlinburg 2m18s (Wolfgang Warsch, Scmidt Spiele, 2018)AYURIS: Yellow & Yangtze 5m38s (Reiner Knizia, Grail Games, 2018) and Tigris & Euphrates (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997)Games Played Last Week: -Durance 8m05s (Jason Morningstar, Bully Pulpit Games, 2012)-Aftermath 10m33s (Jerry Hawthorne, Plaid Hat Games, 2019)-Mysthea 13m09s (Martino Chiacchiera & Marta Ciaccasassi, Tabula Games, 2019)-Guards of Atlantis II: Tabletop MOBA 15m57s (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2020?)-Blood on the Clocktower 19m19s (Steven Medway, The Pandemonium Institute, 2019)-Sine Tempore 27m43s (Luca Bernardini & Andrea Colletti, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2018)-Air, Land & Sea 33m27s (Jon Perry, Arcane Wonders, 2018)-Mr. Lister's Quiz Shootout 35m24s (Uncredited, Big Potato, 2015)-SiegeStorm: Siege Mode 38m34s (Kamil 'Sanex' Cieśla & Marcin Świerkot, Awaken Realms Lite, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Barrage Expansion 40m50s-Erica Bouyouris' Scott Pilgrim and Steven Universe Offerings 42m16s-Calico Cuteness 44m13s-Arkhipov Day on October 27th 44m29sTopic: Competition and Competitiveness 44m53sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices