Friday, August 30, 2013

New Judge Dredd mini rules playtesting...

Looks like after Strategicon, we're going to be doing some playtesting for the New Warlord's produced Judge Dredd Miniature Games rulebook (Probably mostly ironing out costs for some of the vehicles.)

I've been looking through the playtest copy (xtra low res images), and the layout is pretty slick...

Not going to Gateway 2013?

If you're not going to be at Strategicon, here's something interesting to do tomorrow. If you're in San Diego and want to get out of the heat...head on over to Pair-a-Dice Games for:

 Local Game Designer Showcase
Saturday August 31st
Not going out of town this weekend? Looking for something fun and unique to do? Come by Pair A Dice Games this Saturday for our Local Game Designer Showcase. Play some great games with their designers. See and play prototypes of unreleased games.
Meet Jeff Bellinger, creator of Killer Bunnies and play his newest game.
Or Alex Bagosy, creator of Divided Republic and see his latest prototype. 
Play Joe Gabbard's Skyminers before it hits Kickstarter.
Plus other game creators like John White and his game Powerbotdice.
We will also have our library of other great locally created games for you to play, plus some fun door prizes.
So like I said, a very fun and unique day. Something new and as cool as the AC in our game room.


Saturday - Event August 31st
Start: 12PM - 4PM
Cost: Free


Pair A Dice Games
2020 Hacienda Dr., Suite A
Vista, CA 92081
1 (760) 940-0139
www.pairadicegames.com
Pair A Dice Games

Store Hours:
Saturday 10AM - 9PM

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Moving Ahead - Strategicon Incoming!!!

Alright, things seemed to have stabilized, I'm fully recovered from Gam3rCon and fully into working out again. We have Strategicon coming up this weekend, and let me tell you I'll be very happy to just play in games rather than run them. I love running games, but sometimes, you just need to play!!!

So there's a couple of games I'm really looking forward to at Strategicon. Chris Czerniak is running a Doctor Who Time War game, and Mike Olson is running an Atomic Robo game, if you were reading this blog last year, you know that Sean Ian and I got to playtest the Alpha version of Atomic Robo, we had a blast. I'm curious to see what was changed in the final version, and the boys are nearly 14 now, man time flies.

The boys also played Doctor Who for the first time with Chris, at Kingdom Con, hopefully they will rise the role-playing challenge and really shine this time.


Saturday, August 24, 2013

Store Spotlight - Sky High Comics - San Marcos, CA

Sky High Comics

625 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd
San Marcos, CA 92078
(760) 471-0649

Sky High Comics, a long time San Marcos Comic Book shop, was recently bought by the owner of Thou Shalt Game in Temecula. Friendly atmosphere and staff. I'm hoping to set-up some demos here, as this is pretty much on my way home.
Not huge, but not cluttered either.

Steve Jackson, Dominion, and more.

Pathfinder and other RPG Display

Some of the various games above the comic back issues

A lonely boardgame shelf, (though I understand many of the employees bring in their personal stock on occasion.)

Pop Art and Comics Books....mmmmm

Store Spotlight - Game Empire - San Diego, CA

Game Empire

7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Suite #306
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 576-1525
1-800-492-GAME (4263)



Game Empire is one of San Diego's oldest game stores, located conveniently in between the 52, 163 and 805. The store is large, with lots of game tables. It has undergone a recent renovation, replacing the old carpet, and opening up the store a bit more.

Now when you enter all you see is GAMES

More Games

New large arch....better lighting

Display cases were moved...opened it up a lot.

Store Spotlight - Our Playz - Oceanside


Our Playz

Address: 1401 S El Camino Real #1105, Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: (760) 721-3204

Our Playz is a newer game store, close to Camp Pendelton on the Corner of Oceanside Blvd and El Camino Real.

Our Playz is primarily a card store; it also has the more popular Board games, Games Workshop miniatures, and a few Role-playing games. Our Playz is also the only game store with Gundams...pretty cool.

Our Playz seems like a store with a lived in feeling, it's not perfectly tidy, or extremely organized, but it seems well loved.


Next to Earthgrown Market, so you can get your Healthy on!!

Outside

Overview

Pretty big store...

40k...Check

GUNDAMS!!!! Can't find those in any other SD Game stores

Is that an Ice Cream freezer? Yes, Yes it is...

Lots of gaming space including  a large screen TV.

OPEN LATE!!!! 



Friday, August 23, 2013

Judge Dredd Minis Demo - At Ease Games

I will be running a Judge Dredd Miniature Game demo @ At Ease Games in Poway, on Sunday 25 August 2013. The demo event will run from 2:00pm to 4:00 pm, though if there's enough interest I can run for longer.

Judge Dredd Miniatures is a skirmish based game with a robust campaign system and some wickedly sweet minis. If you're familiar with Judge Dredd you should be playing this game.

Judge Dredd

www.mongoosepublishing.com/us/miniatures/judge-dredd.html

http://ateasegames.com

12373 Poway Rd.,
Poway, CA 92064. 
858-679-3273

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Store Spotlight - Pair-a-Dice games - Vista CA

As part of my update for the Store Spotlights, I'm going to be updating the pictures, these are old pictures, and will definitely need updating.

Pair-A-Dice Games is located just off I-78 in Vista, in the In-n-Out Burger complex.

The store has puzzles, board games, role-playing games, CCGs, CMGs, and much much more. Rob has been expanding his used book section and it has now expanded into a second set of shelves, if you're looking for out of print games, there's a good chance Pair-a-dice has what you're looking for.

With a game room that fits 10 tables, you can usually find some sort of game going on in the evenings. From Magic the Gathering and Monsterpocalypse, to Pathfinder Society and RPGA, it's the only game in North County. Check the calender on their Event Calender.

The store is located in a brand new 3800+ sq.ft. store, complete with private gaming room, and what's to be the largest game room in San Diego (per Rob's claim.) Exciting times are coming to the San Diego Game Scene!


This is the view you get as you walk in....

 
The Front Desk

 
still stocking up...looking down toward the GW stuff.

 
collectibles corner

 
 Looking down the aisles...

 
Looking down the aisles...

 
New Chess display cases...

 
The Game Room...lots of space

 
The miniature terrain storage area....the shelves above nearly go to the ceiling!

 
The RPG Table!! Only thing nicer would have been "The Sultan" maybe one day

Looking into the (Semi) Private RPG Room

Store Spotlight - At Ease Games - Poway, CA

At Ease Games is located at
12373 Poway Rd. Suite A&B
Poway, CA 92064
ateasegames.com

Ron Kent is the owner of At Ease Games. This is Ron's second game store, as he was co-owner of Dwarf Mountain Games in Clairemont Mesa in the 90s.

The primary focus of At Ease Games, is miniature gaming, with full product lines for Warhammer, Warhammer 40k, Malifaux, WarMachine, Infinity, and more.

Ron had custom 4'x6' tables made specifically with wargaming in mind, each table having a themed set of terrain to go along with the GW tiles.

Pathfinder Society runs monthly (first Saturday I believe). There are events constantly being run at At Ease Games, check out their website or Facebook to see what's going on today!

At Ease Games will be joining Pair-a-dice in the Free RPG Day event this year on June 6th. A Welcome addition.

Here's pictures of the store.








Store Spotlight - Villainous Lair - San Diego, CA

Reorganizing the page, thus all the Store Spotlights will become individual pages.

Located in Normal Heights at:
3342 Adams Avenue
San Diego, CA

The parking kinda SUCKS because it's Adams Avenue. The store has got to have the most character of any of the San Diego game stores. There's plenty of cool decor in the store, statues, artistic scrolls, and the faux stained glass back wall...Also there's a mascot in the store, a red iguana named Tiamat. The store is located in Normal Heights between the 805 and 15.

Stop by sometime and check out the store, the staff is really friendly, and nerdy! It's right across the street from Lestat's Coffee shop, right down the street and across the street from their comic book shop, Villainous Lair Comics.

Villainous Lair Gaming Storefront, note the gargoyles looking out from the upper alcoves



Store owner Alison Flynn (sitting down left)

The RPG alcove, with super comfy looking chairs. Reserve a spot for free by calling.

Games Workshop wall

Looking to the back of the store, while Magic players get their game on.

RPG Wall (right side)

RPG Wall (left side)

Warhammer 40k table set-up for the Opening Day


Awesome stained-glass style back wall (right)

Awesome stained-glass style back wall (left)

Looks like a pretty happening Grand Opening to me!

TV, and more artwork scrolls on the wall

More decor

Scroll decor in the RPG alcove

more scrolls in the second alcove