Punching Cardboard (podcast)

Welcome to Episode 55, the Director's cut. Yup, this is a long one. To be fair, We are covering the mammoth known as Arkwright, and we devote well over an hour to this beast alone. We also drink a little Jameson and sew a few quilts just to keep ourselves honest. Might be a rant in there too (just a little one).

TIMER:

02:40 -- Jameson
05:10 -- You mean there's more football!?
08:53 -- Patchwork (review)
20:32 -- Refusing to buy Star Realms expansion
25:20 -- Arkwright (review)

Direct download: PCP_055_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:27pm PDT

Hello and welcome to 2015, Punching Cardboard style! Well, an approximation of our style as we are admittedly a little off our game after this holiday break. I mean, we're hustling all over the place, trying to make the plays, but it's like the balls taking funny hops or something.

Anyway, forgive the extra long rules explanations as we delve into a couple of mid-weight, short-playing games: Akrotiri and Lagoon: Land of Druids.

TIMES:

02:40 -- Redbreast 15 Year-old Irish Pure Pot Still
08:48 -- Game Trayz
18:00 -- Akrotiri (review)
53:00 -- We Will Play Kill Shakespeare and Other Tales
59:35 -- Lagoon: Land of Druids (review)

Direct download: PCP_054_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:45am PDT

Well, it's that time of year, the time when everyone climbs all over everyone else to get their Top 10 lists up and running. We're no different here at the PCP, so we have some lists for you too. However, we are different enough to put a little spin on the exercise. So,  mainly because we've yet to play all the major 2014 releases, here are the top games we played for the first time in 2014.

Yeah, bet you didn't see that coming.

Of course, rather than keep it simple, we throw other lists at you first: Disappointments, games that need to be played more, honorable mentions. In other words, we talk about a lot of games in this one. Help you somebody!

GENERAL TIMELINESS:

08:20 -- What We're Doing
09:00 -- Friendless Stats
10:48 -- Disappointments
26:27 -- Need More Plays
44:35 -- Honorable Mentions
64:17 -- The Top 10 Games We Played For the First Time in 2014

Direct download: PCP_053_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:09pm PDT

Over two long play sessions we've decided the fate of post-war Germany five times over, and we've survived to tell the tale. Just how good is Histogame's Wir Sind Das Volk!, and can it rise above GMT's cold war competition? Can these game designers take the ridiculous and make it sublime? Will we come to grips with the whisky is rated? Why is the sky blue?

Join us on this magical journey back to the middle of the 20th Century and find out. Mostly.

SHOWTIMES:

00:42 -- BenRiach 10 Year-old Curiositas
02:57 -- Ratings: Theirs, Ours and Everyone's
09:30 -- Wir Sind Das Volk! (very full review)

Direct download: PCP_052_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:47am PDT

We're a little low-key early on in this one, but there's nothing like Feld mechanics to raise the temperature of a discussion. Come along to a quiet little city on the Zwin. Or even better, join us for some Dim Sum in 1960s New York City.

TIMESCAPES

03:05 -- When Things Go Bad #2
06:50 -- Jim plays Uwe, WHA????
21:38 -- Temporum, a brief note
24:45 -- Setup? This is about setup???
28:45 -- The Feld Throwdown begins
30:30 -- Featuring the Bruges Expansion (review)
53:05 -- Expansions?
60:45 -- Chinatown (review)
76:10 -- Age of Steam
83:00 -- Lethargy Incorporated

Direct download: PCP_051_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 10:56am PDT

Episode 50! A Milestone. We've got special guests and previews of secret upcoming games by all-star designers and marching bands and . . . well, none of that really. Just Jim and Eric pontificating about some games they've played. But that's what you came for, right? Right? Hello?

THE TIMES (ARE A CHANGIN')

01:35 -- What to put under the tree
07:30 -- How could we forget Imperial Settlers?
08:35 -- Meh (Five Tribes)
13:12 -- Meh 2 (La Isla)
19:49 -- And fill the stockings too.
21:25 -- La Granja (full review)

Direct download: PCP_050_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:05pm PDT

You do not mess around with Sandra. If she wants something, she wants it now, and you hop to. And don't try impressing here with your fifth upgraded part when she's only interested in the first three. She doesn't have time. Just make sure you're working enough shifts and pushing those cars through in a timely order to facilitate the Automotive Revolution.

But if you want an escape you can always go to Greenland. In 1200 AD. Find yourself a fine Norse woman and settle down a while. Watch out for sharks.

TIMELINE:

01:23 -- Auchentoshan
03:38 -- Productive Gaming & the Sheriff of Nottingham
10:43 -- More Castles for the Mad King
14:40 -- Twilight Imperium III forever, and ever, and ever. . . . 
18:20 -- A Word about Streamlining
19:40 -- Kanban: Automotive Revolution (review)
38:26 -- Greenland (review)

Direct download: PCP_049_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:54am PDT

And here we are, on the last episode of our first season. Welcome. This, I believe, is also our longest episode as well (something I could look up, but if you've been listening, you know . . . ).

We discuss many, many things in this episode, including a trip to Stonemaier Games' Design Day event, United Airlines' complete incompetence (Save one beautiful soul) and a bunch of games played. Long reviews of Panamax and Castles of Mad King Ludwig included for your listening pleasure.

We do rant and ramble a bit, but we think some of it is quite entertaining, and Jim's story of his journey back from St. Louis ends with hope for us all.

THE TIMES:

3:15 -- Stonemaier Design Day
8:05 -- Horse and Pony Show
14:00 -- RANT! De-icing and the redemption of humanity
23:00 -- Asmodee: The New Electronic Arts?
25:00 -- More St. Louis Shout-outs.
28:30 -- Eric plays Brass and Cosmic Encounter
31:10 -- The Ty Wyman Memorial Cup, Race 2 (Thunder Alley)
33:07 -- Review: Panamax!
68:00 -- Review: Castles of Mad King Ludwig
91:25 -- Queen Corrects Greed MSRP

Direct download: PCP_048_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:59pm PDT

You wanted it. We promised it. Then you waited for it. And now it is here! The COIN series comes to the Punching Cardboard Podcast. And this episode is so big that good ol' T.C. returns to help carry the weight of this series.

We discuss some other games as well, and yeah, well, for the better part of an hour: COIN!!!

TIMES

3:20 -- Our never ending Kill Shakespeare update
8:03 -- Our Machi Koro impressions
10:49 -- What's been on our tables
11:30 -- Panamax 1st impression
16:32 -- Munchkin Deluxe? not really
17:20 -- Segue
19:08 -- A little Cosmic Encounter
20:05 -- How to Concentrate in Vinhos
22:25 -- COIN series featuring Fire in the Lake

Direct download: PCP_047_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 8:35pm PDT

We spend some time with some lighter fare and end up running all over the place in this episode. Kickstarters delivered late. Over-priced games. Greed. GreedSushi Go wrongly compared with 7 Wonders (I mean, come on!). Games where red cards win. More 7s. Games with shoddy components. Etc.

TIMELINE:

9:05 -- quick take on Trains: Rising Sun
10:52 -- IDW bungles Kill Shakespeare
21:50 -- Greed (Queen games bungles)
33:50 -- Card Drafting (7 Wonders, Seasons, etc.)
50:57 -- Red7
52:20 -- She didn't realize it was Carl Chudyk
54:34 -- Back to Red7

Direct download: PCP_046_final.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:04pm PDT