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Archive for David Neumann, iOS News

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App Release: Stockpile

David Neumann
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In life you have to do a lot of things you don't f*cking want to do. Many times, that's what the f*ck life is... one vile f*cking task after another.
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Stockpile Released


The Stats:
From gallery of Neumannium

Compatibility: iOS Universal, Android, PC/Mac/Linux
Current Price: $5
Developer/Publisher: Digidiced UG
Download Size: 228 MB
Multiplayer: Asynchronous Online, cross-platform
AI: Yes
iTunes Link: Stockpile
Android Link: Stockpile
PC/Mac/Linux Steam Link: Stockpile(not available until September 21)
BGG Entry: Stockpile
VGG Entry: Stockpile


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Wed Sep 19, 2018 4:33 pm
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App News: Asmodee Digital Bringing More Than Just Carcassonne to Switch and Smash Up! Gets Awesome

David Neumann
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App News



From gallery of Neumannium

Asmodee Announces a Slew of Switch Releases
We learned a while back that Asmodee Digital was setting their sights on Nintendo's handheld console with an upcoming release of Carcassonne - Tiles & Tactics. Last night that was confirmed, along with confirmation that Asmodee will not stop until they have complete world domination. In other words, a bunch of other games are coming to the Switch as well.

Aside from Carcassonne which should arrive this holiday season, the Switch will also see ports of The Lord of the Rings Living Card Game, Pandemic: The Board Game, Catan (2007), and Munchkin, all coming in 2019.

Most of those games we've already seen either on Steam, mobile, or both. Munchkin is the odd man out, here, and we know that it will not be a one-for-one adaptation of the beloved/hated card game. Instead it will be a roguelike, card-based dungeon crawler set in the Munchkinverse. It actually sounds a lot better than the actual card game, but I'm not a fan of the card game. I know you're out there, though, and you're probably feeling the same way I felt when I realized the digital LotR LCG wasn't the same thing as the tabletop version. Don't worry, you probably won't get over it.

Of course, this is only what Asmodee announced yesterday. I'm assuming it's not the end of their Switch lineup, and if they announce anything else we'll bring it to you.

[Yes, Dave is aware that this is not iOS news and, therefore, violates the sacred promise made in the title of this blog. He, and all his ancestors, apologize vehemently -ed.]


From gallery of Neumannium

Smash Up Gets Awesome Level 9000 DLC
The digital version of Smash Up was released a while ago from Nomad Games Ltd (II) (and published by you-know-who) and yet we don't give it a lot of love. Part of that is the fact that I never bought it. To be honest, the cardboard version never really did anything for me, so the digital port was lost in the shuffle.

I know I'm the odd one here, though, as it has a ton of fans. Asmodee knows this, too, and today they added something we've been waiting for since the app released: more factions. Right now you can snap up 4 new factions by downloading the Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000 expansion which is available via DLC.

The Awesome Level 9000 expansion offers four new factions to add to the mix:

[company=396 wrote:
[/company]"]The Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000 expansion features 4 all-new distinct factions that you can mix and match to defeat your opponents. Mix & match them together or with the factions from the Base Set or any other Smash Up expansions to create exponential new combinations!

Killer Plants – Better deal with these guy fast, leave them alone and they’ll grow all over the place… like weeds! *rimshot*

Ghosts – Unlike just about every card game in history, Ghosts benefit from having less cards in your hand. Can you be immaterial?

Steampunks – Can’t leave a good base alone, the Steampunks will add new abilities to bases to help your strategies.

Bear Cavalry – What’s scary? A bear. What’s really scary? A cossack riding a bear! Bear Cavalry will use fear to drive opposing minions away to other bases.

Combine these groups into teams of two for various effects! Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000 also contains 8 new Base cards to compete over.
The DLC isn't listed on the iTunes page for Smash Up, so I'm not sure how much the expansion will cost you, but considering the app is only $4, I'm guessing in the $2 range?

Smash Up is available for iOS, Android, and PC at the links below.

- Smash Up for iOS Universal, $4
- Smash Up for Android, $3.50
- Smash Up for PC via Steam, $7


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Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:37 pm
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App News: C&C Ancients Arrives on Steam, Kahuna Comes to iOS/Android, and Love Letter Is In The Mail and more...

David Neumann
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From gallery of Neumannium

Commands & Colors: Ancients Comes to PC/Mac
The big GMT Games news around Gen Con was the deal they had recently struck with Playdek to develop their catalog. It was so big, in fact, that it was easy to forget that they weren't the only developer out there digitizing GMT titles. Another was HexWar Games (HexWar) who have been working on a digital version of Commands & Colors: Ancients for a while now. Today we get to see the fruits of their labor as C&C: Ancients has just been released on Steam for PC and Mac.

Blurb time:

HexWar wrote:
The game allows players to portray important engagements of ancient history. The battles focus on the historical deployment of forces and important terrain features on the scale of the game system.

The scale of the game is flexible and varies from battle to battle. For some scenarios, an infantry unit may represent an entire legion of soldiers, while in other scenarios, a unit may represent just a few brave warriors.

The command card system drives movement, creates “fog of war” and presents players with many interesting challenges and opportunities, while the battle dice resolve combat quickly and efficiently. The battlefield tactics you will need to execute to gain victory conform remarkably well to the strengths and limitations of the various ancient unit types, their weapons, the terrain and history.

Key Features:
-15 Scenarios from important engagements of ancient history
-Over 50 unique combat and command cards to simulate tactical and strategic choices
-Make strategic choices faithful to the era with chariots, archers, foot soldiers and mounted units
-Play as Syracusan, Carthaginian or Roman
-Three levels of AI difficulty
What the blurb doesn't mention is online multiplayer, which C&C: Ancients doesn't seem to have. I mean, I haven't downloaded it myself, but it looks to be a completely solo affair vs. AI which seems like an odd choice.

We do know that their is an iOS and Android version in final testing so we should see that hitting the App Store and Google Play in the not too distant future. The Steam version, on the other hand, is on sale for 30% off the regular price through next Wednesday.

- Commands & Colors: Ancients for PC/Mac via Steam, $14


From gallery of Neumannium

Kahuna Released Android, Updated on iOS
The iOS version of Kahuna released back in 2014 and, to be honest, fell completely off my radar. That's not a knock on the game, more a knock on myself for not being able to keep up with the slew of digital board games released in the past few years. A recent email has reignited my interest in this one, however, and if you're an Android user you should be excited as well. Kahuna just made the jump to Google Play.

Kahuna is a game where you build magic bridges between islands and...yeah, let's just blurb it.

[company=704 wrote:
[/company]"]Two priests – the wielders of Kahuna magic – compete to determine which of them has greater powers. With a select group of 12 uninhabited islands, they use their magical powers to build bridges linking those islands to each other.

Kahuna is easy to learn – but a challenge to truly master! Rivals use cards strategically to place bridges between the islands or remove opponent's bridges. As soon as the majority of bridges are conquered around an island, Kahuna marker stones can be placed on that island. The player who holds the most Kahuna stones after a round will score points. It’s all about clever placement of limited cards for maximum impact.

- Magical game for one or two players
- Easy rules for a fast game start
- Campaign mode for single players
- Turn-based multiplayer mode for two players
- Numerous Game Center achievements
- 12 AI opponents with different personalities and tactics provide varied challenges
- Based on the successful board game classic
- Available languages: English, German, Dutch
The game has fairly rave reviews on both the App Store and Google Play, so if Kahuna is your thing, don't wait any longer!

- Kahuna for iOS Universal, $3
- Kahuna for Android, $3


From gallery of Neumannium

Love Letter is Coming to Digital Courtesy of Nomad Games
While Love Letter is one of my favorite, quick card games, news this week of a digital version has me worried. I mean, the game is quick and social, so will a digital version do it justice? From the first screenshots we've seen from Nomad Games Ltd (II), the answer is yes.

Nomad wrote:
Love Letter is a game of risk, deduction, and luck for 1–4 players. Your goal is to get your love letter into Princess Annette's hands while deflecting the letters from competing suitors. From a deck with only sixteen cards, each player starts with only one card in hand; one card is removed from play. On a turn, you draw one card, and play one card, trying to expose others and knock them from the game. Powerful cards lead to early gains, but make you a target. Rely on weaker cards for too long, however, and your letter may be tossed in the fire!
That explains it better than I could. I didn't even know the princess had a name. Who knew?

The digital version of Love Letter will be out in October for iOS, Android, and PC/Mac. We'll try to see if we can uncover how multiplayer will work and more before its release.


From gallery of Neumannium

Stockpile Set to Launch Next Week
The folks at Digidiced UG have announced that their digital port of the Nauvoo Games' classic, Stockpile, will be making its appearance on the App Store next week, September 18. It will also be coming to Android on the very same day.

Digidiced wrote:
Stockpile is an economic board game that combines the traditional stockholding strategy of buy low, sell high with several additional mechanisms to create a fast-paced, engaging and interactive experience.

In Stockpile, players act as stock market investors at the end of the 20th century hoping to strike it rich, and the investor with the most money at the end of the game is the winner. Stockpile centers on the idea that nobody knows everything about the stock market, but everyone does know something. In the game, this philosophy manifests in two ways: insider information and the stockpile.

Both of these mechanisms are combined with some stock market elements to make players consider multiple factors when selling a stock. Do you hold onto a stock in hopes of catching a lucrative stock split or do you sell now to avoid the potential company bankruptcy? Can you hold onto your stock until the end of the game to become the majority shareholder, or do you need the liquidity now for future bidding? Do you risk it all by investing heavily into one company, or do you mitigate your risk by diversifying your portfolio?

In the end, everyone knows something about the stock market, so it all comes down to strategy execution. Will you be able to navigate the movements of the stock market with certainty? Or will your investments go under from poor predictions?

- The easy to follow tutorial guides you through the rules
- cross-platform play with all opponents
- ranked and casual games
- world ladder with GLICKO rating
- 6 optional combinable rulesets for unlimited replayability
- 5 AI opponents (easy, medium and hard)
- scalable game complexity
- play offline alone or with your friends/spouse
- asynchronous game with notifications
- fast ranked games for live experience
- 10 new quality avatars for your DIGIDICED collection
- Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (simplified), Japanese, Russian and Italian
I've been in the beta for a while now and Digidiced has done a great job with this one (as we would expect). Apart from the base game the digital version also comes with the Stockpile: Continuing Corruption expansion for free. You can split up and use the different modules from the expansion as you wish and did I mention it won't cost you an extra cent?

Stockpile will be available for iOS Universal and Android next Tuesday. Get ready.




From gallery of Neumannium

Carrier Battles for Guadalcanal Gets Another Update
The little war game that could, Carrier Battles for Guadalcanal, got another update a couple weeks ago and it slipped right by our very non-nimble fingers. This shouldn't come as a huge surprise as CBFG might just be the most updated game on the App Store. It's not bug-fixing, either. These are game-changing updates each and every time.

In this latest update we have:

Cyril Jarnot wrote:
Content

Weather:
- Weather is now part of the main rules !
- The landing penalty for landing in storm has been halved
- Air units won't land in storm unless forces by nightfall or endurance

Search & Intelligence:
- Scouts may be detected and intercepted
- Scouts which have successfully detected a TF will shadow the TF until forced by CAP, fuel or night
- New intelligence increase depending on shadowing, weather, surface radar, etc..
- The map shows only the latest observed position of enemy Task Forces
- Scout may report an approximative position of detected TF
- New Level 3 display for on-map TF
- When a battle occurs, TF intelligence increases to Level 3 instead of 4

Damage:
- A bit more chance for air units to be damaged vs destroyed
- No more endurance penalty for damaged air units
- A bit more risk of major fire for TRS

Miscellaneous:
- In an air to sea attack, there is more chance to target CV versus smaller carriers and more chance to target operative CV
- The air-to-sea factor of G4M/G3M has been reduced to zero when flying with the minimum of bombs
- The base chance of hitting land targets for bombers is 20% instead of 25%
- Escort ships of TRS may also bombard
- Better retreat management after surface battles
- B-26 do not carry torpedoes before Midway
That's not all, Cyril is also starting to explore other platforms meaning that iOS users might not be the only ones to have all this fun in the near future. We'll have to wait and see.

- Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal for iOS Universal, $7
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Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:11 pm
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App News: Onitama Arrives on Mobile and Scythe Releases on Steam

David Neumann
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In life you have to do a lot of things you don't f*cking want to do. Many times, that's what the f*ck life is... one vile f*cking task after another.
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From gallery of Neumannium

Onitama Now Available on Mobile
While Asmodee Digital is often in the news, today marks an especially good day if you're a fan of the little publisher that could. First off, we have the game I like to call "7 Wonders part 2" due to its lengthy beta phase and not-quite-as-long day count in the comments. That game is Onitama and it's out right now for iOS and Android.

Here's the blurb:

Asmodee Digital wrote:
Immerse yourself in an ancient Japanese setting and discover Onitama, an exciting, fast-paced strategy game! Onitama is somewhat reminiscent of chess and rather addictive with its dynamic game mechanic in which warriors face off so their master may win the game. Concentration and luck are the only weapons you'll have at your disposal! You'll need to fully master mind and body to defeat your opponents.

THINK STRATEGY!
Every opponent has four warriors and one elder at their disposal. The objective is simple: win the battle. To do so, you must either capture your opponent's elder or take their place in the temple arch. The game is easy to play, but you'll need time to become a true master. Although, not really... Onitama is the ideal strategy game for exercising your mind, as you'll have to think ahead about moves! The moves you're allowed to make are determined by five cards which are drawn at random, shown face-up, and shared between players. Each card corresponds to an animal and sets out a specific move that you have to follow. When you play a card, you must place it between you and your opponent and pick up the previously played card, and so on. This way, both players have the exact same chance of winning the game.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ANALYSIS…
The key to success in this simple, elegant type of combat is to stay calm and concentrate. The Shrine of Onitama is a sacred ground where foresight is necessary. Animal spirits will guide you on the perilous path and allow you to gain true wisdom. In short, it's an elegant and simple game that captures the essence of martial arts. The game design and calligraphy will make your gaming experience a unique and unforgettable one.

PLAY ON YOUR OWN OR WITH OTHERS
Play against the computer on your own, or against your friends. Fight duels on the same device using pass and play mode. Bored of beating your friends? Connect your Asmodee account and face the best players in the world online! You can also customize your game with new boards, pieces, and music, or get a pack of 16 additional cards by purchasing extensions.

FEATURES:
-Full game
-Solo (several difficulty levels vs artificial intelligence)
-Pass and play (unlock by connecting Asmodee account)
-Online mode
-Sensei's Path extension (20 new cards)
-Customize boards with new music (medieval and science fiction)
The game is free to download and play with IAP to unlock the Sensei's Path expansion as well as other themed skins for the game. Links to the game below:

- Onitama for iOS Universal, free
- Onitama for Android, free



Board Game: Scythe

Scythe Digital Edition Leaves Early Access, Now Available for PC/Mac
The digital version of Scythe is probably the most anticipated game to be coming from Asmodee this year behind only Terraforming Mars. If you've been waiting for the Stonemaier Games' epic tale of mechs and serfs to arrive on your laptop, you need not wait any longer. Today Scythe left Early Access and entered full release for PC/Mac.

Asmodee wrote:
Be the hero of one of the five factions – Saxony Empire, Crimean Khanate, Rusviet Union, Polania Republic or Nordic Kingdom – and become the richest and most powerful nation in all of Europa during these dark times! To assure the victory of your people, you will need to explore and conquer new territories, enlist new recruits and deploy your forces by building formidable and terrifying combat Mechs. Replay history in a fictional past full of mechanical engines and technology, where each choice you make will be critical. Choose your battles with care, because in Scythe, victory is achieved with and for the people!

Gameplay:

Asymmetry: every player starts the game with different resources (energy, coins, keen combat sense, popularity…), a different starting location and a secret objective. The starting positions are specifically set to contribute to the uniqueness of every faction and the asymmetrical nature of the game.
Strategy: Scythe offers players almost complete control over their fate. The only elements of chance apart from each player's individual secrete objective card are the Encounter cards, which players draw to interact with the citizens of newly explored lands. Combat is also handled by way of choice; no luck or chance is involved.
Engine Building:
Players can improve their construction abilities to become more efficient, build structures that improve their position on the map, enlist new recruits into their faction, activate mechs to dissuade opponents from invading and expand their borders to reap greater types and quantities of resources. This aspect creates a feeling of energy and progression over the course of the entire game. The order in which players get to develop their economy and technologies adds to the unique feel of every game, even when playing as the same faction several times.

Features:
-Official adaptation of the award-winning board game
-4X strategy game (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate)
-Customize the mat to sharpen your strategy
-Choose a specialty for unique games: Agriculturalist, Industrialist, Engineer, Patriot or Mechanic.
-Fight against two levels of AI and/or your friends in hotseat.
-Check out artistic genius Jakub Rozalski's retro-futuristic illustrations!
Scythe is currently available on Steam for PC/Mac and runs $20. I asked if a mobile version was still in the works and was given a stern "no comment". Read into that what you will.

- Scythe Digital Edition for PC/Mac via Steam, $20

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Wed Sep 5, 2018 11:15 pm
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App News: Noch Mal! Lands on Mobile, Digidiced Info Dumps on Stockpile and Indian Summer and more...

David Neumann
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Whitefish Bay
Wisconsin
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In life you have to do a lot of things you don't f*cking want to do. Many times, that's what the f*ck life is... one vile f*cking task after another.
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From gallery of Neumannium

Noch Mal! Comes to iOS and Android
The summer of 2018 will go down as the Summer of Roll-and-Writes with German Names Coming to Digital. Okay, that doesn't quite roll off the tongue as easily as I'd hoped, so maybe it won't catch on. Anyway, it should because we have another dice game to play on the go to go along with the already released Ganz Schön Clever.

This new digital release is a version of Encore! from Outline Development. This is a game where you roll dice, check off boxes and score points. Or something. I need to watch a 'how-to-play' video because I'm still having issues wrapping my head around it.

What I'm not having problems with is the app itself. Outline has made a shiny, polished dice app that will allow you to play the solitaire game or play a 2-player game by passing your phone to a friend. It will also replace either the dice or the scoring pad, making it a companion app for the physical version.

Noch Mal! is out for both iOS and Android right now.

- Noch Mal! for iOS Universal, $4
- Noch Mal! for Android, $4


From gallery of Neumannium

Digidiced Drops New Info on Stockpile and Indian Summer
With as often as we mention them, it feels like Digidiced UG is turning into the new Asmodee Digtial (more on them below). We can't go a week without some new info or a new title is announced from the German developer. This week they contacted us with some new info on two of their upcoming games: Stockpile and Indian Summer

From gallery of Neumannium


Stockpile is wrapping up its beta and should be out on our devices in September. While that's exciting, we also learned that the Stockpile: Continuing Corruption expansion will also be included on launch day and will be included in the main app. That means it's just there with no need to go buy it via IAP. Not only that, but we'll be able to pick and choose which modules from the app we want to use in each game. Not a bad deal. For the rest of what we can expect, read the blurb:

Digidiced wrote:
- True to the board game rules
- The game will feature the expansion Continuing Corruption as a free addon to the main game
- add single or multiple modules of Stockpile: CC to make every game different
- cross platform multiplayer (Android, iOS and Steam Linux, PC and Mac)
- new: dual user interface approach (different for mobile and desktop)
- local pass and play to play with your spouse/kids
- asynchronous ranked games with global ladder
- 3 AI difficulties for beginners and experts alike
- push notifications
- friend list and chat
- tutorial to easily learn the game
- languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Russian
They had me at cross-platform asynchronous play, the rest is just gravy. Look for Stockpile to land for iOS, Android, PC/Mac/Linux within the next month.

Indian Summer is also on the way and is getting ready to enter beta. I've not played this one at all, so I'm going to blurb the hell out of it right from the get-go:

Digidiced wrote:
Before winter makes its appearance, a particularly warm fall bathes the forest in a golden shimmer. During the Indian Summer, New England blossoms one last time. Treetops are ablaze with countless colors — a living rainbow, from green to orange to red. Slowly the first leaves are starting to fall. Meanwhile, our steps and the diligent squirrels rustle the colorful foliage.

On our walks through the woods, we discover all kinds of little treasures; we collect berries, nuts, mushrooms and feathers. We pause for a moment to watch the shy inhabitants of the forest before we set off towards home once again. There, a good book and a hot tea are already awaiting.

From gallery of Neumannium


Indian Summer is the second part of Uwe Rosenberg's puzzle trilogy following 2016's Cottage Garden, and this game is firmly geared towards experienced players. At the heart of the game are puzzle tiles with holes that are placed on individual forest boards to cover up treasures. When players get their hands on these, they gain more options and an edge over their opponents. All that counts in the end is to be the first to cover your forest floor completely with leaves.

Features
- True to the board game rules
- Beautiful artwork and design
- cross platform multiplayer (Android, iOS and Steam Linux, PC and Mac)
- languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Russian
- local pass and play to play with your spouse/kids
- asynchronous ranked games with global ladder
- 3 AI difficulties for beginners and experts alike
- push notifications
- friend list and chat
- tutorial to easily learn the game
Digidiced has done wonders with Uwe Rosenberg's other games, so I have no doubt they'll hit this one out of the park as well. No clue when we might see an actual release, but Digidiced usually doesn't run beta tests for too long, so I'd expect to see this on our iOS, Android, and PC/Mac/Linux machines by year's end.

We'll let you know when they go live and whatever else we learn about from Digidiced (which always seems to be a lot).


From gallery of Neumannium

Pandemic Makes It to the Big Screen
When we visited with Asmodee Digital at Gen Con, we noticed an icon for Pandemic: The Board Game listed as an upcoming release. This seemed odd because we've been playing Pandemic on our iPad since 2013. Today we figured out what it was there for. Pandemic has gone live on Steam for PC/Mac.

I haven't tried it on my laptop yet, but from the video it doesn't appear to be much changed from its mobile predecessor. There's still no online multiplayer and no AI, so you're stuck with playing solo or hotseat with multiple characters. I don't mind--I prefer my coops solo--but it remains to be seen how the Steam community will respond to that.

You can pick up Pandemic on Steam right now for $10.

- Pandemic: The Board Game for iOS Universal, $5
- Pandemic: The Board Game for Android, $5
- Pandemic: The Board Game for PC/Mac via Steam, $10
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Fri Aug 24, 2018 5:34 pm
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App News: Exodus: Proxima Centauri Prepares for Launch, Asmodee Surprises with King and Assassins, a Few More Gen Con Tidbits We Forgot and more...

David Neumann
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In life you have to do a lot of things you don't f*cking want to do. Many times, that's what the f*ck life is... one vile f*cking task after another.
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Board Game: Exodus: Proxima Centauri

Exodus: Proxima Centauri Arrives on Steam Tomorrow
Offworld Games, best known for their Tolkien-less take on Reiner Knizia's The Confrontation (which worked despite the dearth of Gandalf, much to their credit), has announced that their next board game port, Exodus: Proxima Centauri is set to arrive on Steam tomorrow.

This is one I haven't played, but sounds like it's right up my alley. A 4X sci-fi game? Yep, sign me up. Here's the blurb:

offworld wrote:
Fight for dominance in the epic, empire-building game of Exodus: Proxima Centauri.

Exodus: Proxima Centauri is a 4X board game by NSKN games, featuring an original universe where players eXplore new planets using ships and technologies, eXpand their empires via research and colonization, eXploit their opponents tactically and politically, and eXterminate anyone who stands in your way. Each decision has lasting effects on game play, making every match unique and challenging.

Offworld Games has taken this classic title and adapted it for all channels of digital game play. Every piece of the game has been formed into a seamless and intuitive design, easy to use and learn for both desktop and mobile players. We aim to not only provide the awesome board game experience of Exodus: Proxima Centauri, but to expand upon it in ways only the digital medium allows. We want playing Exodus to feel immersive, like players are commanding from the bridge of their capital ships or debating in the High Council chambers, with access to all the tools they’ll needs to make informed decisions while subverting their opponents.

The game features original artwork and scenery, boasting fully-rendered ships and interiors with beautiful spacescapes for an immersive player experience. Customizable skins and characters allow players to show off their accomplishments throughout the game and highlight their skills as fleet admirals to politicians.
I told you it sounded awesome. The digital version will have AI for solo play as well as asynchronous online multiplayer. Online multiplayer will also be cross-platform, which is important because it's coming to both PC and Mac tomorrow, but will also be heading to iOS and Android later this year.

The price on Steam will be $15 and you'll be able to buy it at the link below once it goes on sale, sometime tomorrow.

- Exodus: Proxima Centauri for PC/Mac via Steam, $15




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Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:34 pm
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App News: Handelabra Tackling Aeon's End and Spirit Island, Nomad Working on Quartermaster General, Gem Rush Arrives on Steam, The Draugr Hits the App Store and more...

David Neumann
United States
Whitefish Bay
Wisconsin
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In life you have to do a lot of things you don't f*cking want to do. Many times, that's what the f*ck life is... one vile f*cking task after another.
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Microbadge: statelyplay.com
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From gallery of Neumannium

Handelabra's Next Two Projects Revealed
While Handelabra Games Inc. has been busy of late with updating One Deck Dungeon with the Forest of Shadows expansion, don't think they're planning on getting rest any time soon. In fact, with their upcoming projects they'll be busier than ever. Today we learned that Handelabra is currently working on a port of Indie Boards & Cards' cooperative deck-builder, Aeon's End, and should have a digital version released in 2019.

That's not all, however. We also learned that they've signed a licensing deal with Greater Than Games, LLC to bring Spirit Island to our touchscreens. They haven't even started work on Spirit Island yet, but still plan on releasing it before 2019 gives up the ghost.

Both projects are still in their infancy (Spirit Island is still just a twinkle in Handelabra's eye), but we'll stay on top of this and keep you in the loop if/when any new news about these two projects goes live.


Board Game: Quartermaster General

Nomad Games Bringing Quartermaster General to Digital
Last we heard from Nomad Games Ltd (II), they were shaking the dust of Talisman: Digital Edition off and were planning on seeing the world! In blog terms that means they're bringing Mystic Vale, Cat Lady, and Space Base to digital. That's not the end of what Nomad has up their sleeve, however, as today we learned that they're also bringing Quartermaster General from Griggling Games, Inc. to digital as well.

Having not played Quartermaster General, it's blurb time:

Nomad Games wrote:
Quartermaster General is a fast-paced game that puts YOU in command of the major powers of the Second World War. In Quartermaster General, supply is crucial to keep your armies and navies fighting; destroy your enemies' supply lines and their forces will surrender!

During a game of Quartermaster General, you will play one or more countries on either the Axis or Allied team, and try to score as many Victory Points for your team as you can. After 20 rounds of play, the team with the most Victory Points wins the game. You earn Victory Points by occupying the starred Supply Spaces on the board, or as indicated on the cards.
Quartermaster General plays 2-6 and games last 90 mins on the tabletop. I'll assume they're much shorter on a tablet. One thing we're not sure of is the online multiplayer. I'm assuming it will be there, but not sure if Quartermaster General is well suited to asynchronous play or if Nomad will implement it, something they haven't done with their flagship title, Talisman.

We'll have a bit of time to figure all that out, as development is just getting underway and we shouldn't even expect any more news about the game until early 2019. We do know that they're targeting iOS, Android, and Steam. We'll pass along anything else we dig up.


Board Game: Gem Rush (Second Edition)

Gem Rush Arrives on Steam
The past couple years I've kind of fallen in love with Victory Point Games. Where, once, I would have not played a VPG game poo-pooing the subpar components, now I've come to realize that their library has the best collection of cooperative/solitaire games on the market. Not only that, but over the past few years they've gone from clam shell pizza boxes and paper maps to some of the prettiest games you'll find.

My love for VPG has reared its head by backing just about everything they've thrown on Kickstarter for the past couple of years. One of their latest was a game I knew nothing about but backed solely because I could play it solitaire and it had the VPG label on it. That game is Gem Rush (Second Edition), a game about tunnel digging dwarves.

VPG wrote:
You are a dwarf and dwarves dig; it is a matter of pride and honor. But very few can join you among the ranks of the best. In a magical mine, pickaxe in hand, you race together or separately to claim the prestige your skills can earn.

Since its discovery, the King has been anxious to delve ever further and explore the magical properties in this mountain's incredibly gem-rich region. Answering the call, the best among the dwarves are ready to explore them. This is what Dwarves thrive on -- an absolute Gem Rush!

You alone, or with up to six of your friends, can play Gem Rush as competing or cooperating dwarves in a magical mine. Using your special skill to advantage and through the clever positioning of the rooms you clear and claim for the King, you must navigate each room's special ability through the clever acquisition and use of Gem cards.
While this is all exciting, you're not here for cardboard, but digital and that's when I drop the news that Gem Rush is now available for PC/Mac/Linux on Steam.

The digital version of Gem Rush is a fairly faithful recreation of the cardboard version, right down to the graphics. It even fails to provide AI for solo play, but you can still use the solitaire rules to play just as you would at your lonely game table.

There is both asynchronous online and hotseat multiplayer and more:

VPG wrote:
Features
-Leverage more than 60 room abilities
-20 unique player skills adorned with dwarven poetry
-Competitive, cooperative, and solitaire game modes (1-7 players)
-Online and hotseat multiplayer options
-Play a quick game and watch the action unfold, or play an asynchronous game where you only need to take one turn per day
-Faithful adaptation of the Gem Rush board game, programmed by the designer
The game is currently on sale through August 13, so you can pick it up until then for $9.

- Gem Rush for PC/Mac/Linux via Steam, $9



From gallery of Neumannium

Solitaire Title, The Draugr, Comes to iOS
The Draugr is a print-and-play game from Todd Sanders that you can find as Micro Game #2 on the Geek Store. You can also find it on the App Store for iOS Universal.

BGG wrote:
The Draugr, reanimated dead imbued with magical powers, have come to the region of Trøndelag seeking to corrupt the town of Stjørdal. Only you, a lone revenant hunter, can protect the town and slay they who walk again.

Armed with limited supply of holy water and iron spikes you enter the town square and prepare for the coming onslaught.

The Draugr is a solitaire game, designed by Todd Sanders, playing in about 20 minutes.

To win, you must slay 4 of the 6 Draugr. If at anytime during Phase 1 all 7 Townspeople, or more than 7 of the cards (a combination of Townspeople and Locations) are corrupted you lose.
Creepy, eh? The digital version also includes an expansion, a suggested card layout for first time players, as well as 3 optional rules to make the game even harder to win. It also has creepy music, but you were expecting that, right?

The Draugr is available right now for iOS Universal.

- The Draugr for iOS Universal, $2


Board Game: Feudum

Feudum Possibly Making Way to Digital in 2019
Feudum recently wrapped up its Kickstarter campaign and is currently available for preorder, but we're more interested in what the creators mentioned back in July. Basically, they're looking to find someone who can bring Feudum to iOS, Android, and PC/Mac/Linux in 2019.

Blurb time!

[company=27876 wrote:
[/company]"]Blimey! You and your blokes have been banished and stripped of everything but a few shillings and table scraps. Undaunted, you journey to a strange land to reinvent yourself and reclaim your honor. Will you farm the earth, fight as knights or finagle your own feudums?

Feudum (latin for fiefdom) is an economic medieval game of hand and resource management for 2-5 players. With many strategies at their disposal, players optimize four actions per turn in attempt to score the most victory points over five epochs.

Each player controls several medieval characters that roam the countryside tending farms, taxing towns and taking outposts in effort to rise in power.

But that’s only the tip of the behemoth's horn! You will also compete to acquire coveted feudums, which increase your membership status in one of six guilds. But beware! Feudum owners must pay homage to the king through military service or face the charge of disloyalty.

Once a guild member, you will dutifully play your part in a progressive economic cycle, whereby the farmer ships goods to the merchant who equips the alchemist, who invents black powder, which arms the knight, and so on.

If you run your guilds wisely, maintain control of key locations and adapt best to changing events, you will be victorious. Unless, of course, you starve, get sidetracked by sea serpents or develop an unhealthy interest in fermented grapes. Long live the King!
Sounds good to me, but the digital plans are still just that: plans.

[person=77297 wrote:
[/person]"]3. Feudum App development in 2019 is a real possibility. I am in talks with a major app development firm that would make Feudum playable on any iOS, Android, PC, Mac or Linux device across every platform. Stay tuned!
Still, that's better than nothing. As usual, we'll let you know if we hear anything going forward.




From gallery of Neumannium

Czech Games Confirms Leaders & Wonders Expansion for Cardboard and Digital
Not a lot to say about this one because, at this point, there just isn't much news. That said, Through the Ages is, by far, my most played board game app ever, so any news about it is big news (to me).

Designer Vlaada Chvátil wasn't at Gen Con this year, but I did manage to talk to Czech Games Edition head honcho, Petr Murmak instead. He mentioned that they're currently working on fine tuning the long-awaited Leaders & Wonders expansion for Through the Ages and are planning on bringing it to both our tabletops and touchscreens in 2019. They're currently using the app to playtest new cards, which is pretty cool.

Petr said we won't have any more info until early 2019, but it's good to know that there's more TtA goodness on the way.

- Through the Ages for iOS Universal, $10
- Through the Ages for Android, $10
- Through the Ages for PC/Mac via Steam, $15
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Thu Aug 9, 2018 4:39 pm
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App News: GMT and Playdek Form Partnership to Bring GMT Catalog to Digital

David Neumann
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From gallery of Neumannium

GMT Games and Playdek Form Strategy and War Game Partnership
The folks at GMT Games have been teasing a major announcement in their monthly updates for the past few months. All that teasing ends today as we can finally announce that GMT and Playdek have signed a major deal to bring a bunch of GMT's vast library to our screens.

What does this all mean? Well, for starters it means that we'll be seeing Labyrinth: The War on Terror, 2001 – ? on Steam for PC/Mac before the end of 2018, and it will be on iOS and Android in 2019. We'll also see its expansion, Labyrinth: The Awakening, 2010 – ? released on digital, but after the base game's release.

From gallery of Neumannium


That's not all! We'll also be getting a digital version of Imperial Struggle and our first digital game from the Series: COIN (GMT). Yes, COIN is coming to our iPads! They're still tight-lipped about which COIN title we'll see first, but we should see it and Imperial Struggle both in digital form by the end of 2019.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Future collaboration will include more COIN titles and games from other GMT series as well [please, oh please, digitize 1846: The Race for the Midwest -ed.]. As for platforms, we know that they'll be targeting PC/Mac as well as iOS and Android devices. Will it be tablets only? We managed to talk to Playdek CEO, Joel Goodman, and asked him that very question (as well as a few others).

iOS Board Games: When did this come about? If Labyrinth is due out in the next 6 months, you must have been working on this for a while now. Curious how long you and GMT have been sitting on this.

Joel Goodman: We knew that Labyrinth would be our next game with GMT for about a year now, but the idea of forming a partnership with GMT to build a digital strategy game business came out of some meetings I had at GDC this year. We were looking for opportunities to collaborate in this space, and came away thinking, "Why don't we just do this with our friends at GMT?". They have an incredible depth of IP created by world class designers, and we have the ability to bring it into the video game realm.

iOSBG: When you mention a “partnership” between Playdek and GMT, what does that entail? How is the “partnership” going to play out for both fans of GMT and Playdek?

JG: First, everyone knows how incredible the games that GMT releases are. Gene Billingsley has one of the best senses of product that I have ever seen and really knows his games, his customers, and this genre. He and the team are critical in helping us form a product plan, as a digital team like ours has a limited capacity to what we can take on. Ultimately, it is up to Playdek as to what games will get slated in over the years, but that decision is arrived through collaborative discussions with GMT.

iOSBG: The partnership is described as “long term”. What does that mean? Do you see yourself porting GMT games for the foreseeable future or is this a “we’ll make x games in x years and sort it out after that” kind of thing?

JG: As of now, we see this as a very long term strategy for both sides. We don't have an end date to the partnership, and believe me we could do this for the next 20 years and still not make a dent in the GMT catalog! As in all partnerships, we will adjust and modify things as we go, where games that we currently think we will be making 3 years from now might not get made, and games we haven't considered could easily find their way to the development line.

iOSBG: Last year Asmodee took over publishing duties on several Playdek titles. Is this going to continue with any of the GMT titles, or will Playdek/GMT be publishing them?

JG: Our publishing deal with Asmodee that covers some of our previously released titles is separate from this business. They are taking those titles forward within their Asmodee Digital group, and we will continue to support those products. Playdek will be publishing the games in this new GMT business.

iOSBG: What’s the first COIN game you’re thinking of porting? C’mon, you can tell me. Liberty or Death: The American Insurrection, right? Right?

JG: No comment right now ?, but it is great to hear what the fans prefer. We have for the most part narrowed it down to two titles, with one coming first and the other following second. But time will tell!

iOSBG: Are we going to see an iPhone version of Twilight Struggle? For that matter, will we see phone version of any of these upcoming titles or is Playdek going to focus more on bigger screens (Steam and tablets)?

JG: Making complex board games work on mobile phone devices is quite a challenge, with the limited screen space available and varying levels of graphics strength. That is an ongoing internal discussion right now, and as we get closer to each product release, we will announce the supported devices for each platform. As for platforms, we plan on supporting PC/Mac via Steam, iOS and Android.

So, there you have it. We can all look forward to a bevy of heavy, strategic titles from GMT to flood the App Store, which is all I've ever really wanted.
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Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:00 pm
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App News: Isle of Skye Released for Android; iOS Still On the Way

David Neumann
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From gallery of Neumannium

Isle of Skye Released for Mobile
Yesterday we learned that Digidiced UG had added another game to their growing list of "games under development", Stockpile. At the time we wondered how they'd pull it off while still developing both The Castles of Burgundy for next year and Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King for later this year. Turns out they had already cleaned their plate of one of those titles and today we get a shiny new app to show for it.

The Isle of Skye released today for Android where you can currently download it for $5. The iOS version appears to either be stuck in Apple gauntlet hell or maybe is just taking a little longer to percolate through their servers. In other words, it's not out for iOS yet. Here's the mandatory blurb:

[company=35232 wrote:
[/company]"]Five clans are fighting to rule over the Isle of Skye. Only the chieftain who develops the best clan territory and trades wisely will be king!

When leaving your castle, build up the Isle of Skye by adding green hills, perfect beaches and mountain ranges. Raise livestock, produce precious whisky, build forts and ships... Expand your territory tile by tile, pay to keep hold of your tiles or sell them to an opponent for the price you've set... Tile price setting, purchases, sales, and structures are the key to becoming the ruler of the Isle of Skye!

Every game is different and will see you developing different strategies and tactics! With changeability and easy to learn rules, Isle of Skye is the perfect game for all types of players.

Features:
• Both simple and tactical game mechanics, adapted from the award-winning Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King board game by Andreas Pelikan & Alexander Pfister
• 1 to 5 players
• Play in single-player with challenging computer opponents, against your friends in local multiplayer, or face clans from all over the world in online mode!
• Choice of objectives: Select 4 of 16 different objectives for a unique gameplay that changes every time
• Learn the rules with our Interactive tutorial or even watch games of the top players on your device!
• Take your time in asynchronous game mode with push notifications and never miss a turn.
• See fabulous illustrations by Klemens Franz, which make for a true Scottish atmosphere!
Sounds good to me! [This is what Dave writes when he hasn't played the game and has no idea how to comment -ed.]

You can nab it for Android at the link below and I'll try to remember to update this post when the iOS link goes live.

- Isle of Skye for iOS Universal, $5
- Isle of Skye: The Tactical Board Game for Android, $5


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Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:06 pm
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App News: Stockpile coming to digital via Digidiced

David Neumann
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In life you have to do a lot of things you don't f*cking want to do. Many times, that's what the f*ck life is... one vile f*cking task after another.
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App News



Sorry I've been away for so long, folks. Started a new job and still trying to get used to the new schedule. Also, it's been fairly slow. That ends today and, hopefully, we'll be getting all sorts of fun news through Gen Con. Stay tuned!

From gallery of Neumannium

Stockpile Coming to Digital
The last time I posted we talked about Digidiced UG bringing the Stefan Feld classic, The Castles of Burgundy to digital in 2019. Of course, we're still waiting for their digital version of Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King which is currently in beta. Today we learned that those aren't the only two games they've been working on. They've also been hard at work to bring the Nauvoo Games' economic gem, Stockpile to life.

Blurb time:

Digidiced wrote:
In Stockpile, players act as stock market investors at the end of the 20th century hoping to strike it rich, and the investor with the most money at the end of the game is the winner. Stockpile centers on the idea that nobody knows everything about the stock market, but everyone does know something. In the game, this philosophy manifests in two ways: insider information and the stockpile.

First, players are given insider information each round. This information dictates how a stock’s value will change at the end of the round. By privately learning if a stock is going to move up or down, each player has a chance to act ahead of the market by buying or selling at the right time.

Second, players purchase their stocks by bidding on piles of cards called stockpiles. These stockpiles will contain a mixture of face-up and face-down cards placed by other players in the game. In this way, nobody will know all of the cards in the stockpiles. Not all cards are good either. Trading fees can poison the piles by making players pay more than they bid. By putting stocks and other cards up for auction, Stockpile catalyzes player interaction, especially when potential profits from insider information are on the line.

Both of these mechanisms are combined with some stock market elements to make players consider multiple factors when selling a stock. Do you hold onto a stock in hopes of catching a lucrative stock split or do you sell now to avoid the potential company bankruptcy? Can you hold onto your stock until the end of the game to become the majority shareholder, or do you need the liquidity of cash now for future bidding? Do you risk it all by investing heavily into one company, or do you mitigate your risk by diversifying your portfolio?
It's a really fun and quick game of stock market mayhem that doesn't take itself too seriously. Here's what we know so far. It's coming for iOS, Android, and PC/Mac/Linux. It will have both online and pass-and-play multiplayer as well as 3 levels of AI for solo play. It will also have the ability to replay games so you can see just where you screwed up.

From gallery of Neumannium


We also know that the beta will be starting at Gen Con, but you can sign up now. Head this way and see if you can be one of the lucky ones. I'll be at Gen Con and will try to get some hands-on time with the app there and, hopefully, get some video of it in action. We'll see!
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Tue Jul 17, 2018 5:22 pm
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