Upcoming Events

The Illimat Road Tour continues!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30th: WELL PLAYED in ASHEVILLE, NC

Well Played is a fantastic game cafe in Asheville, North Carolina. Jenn and I will be there from 7 PM to 10 PM teaching Illimat, and we’ll have Action Cats and Scott Pilgrim there as well. Plus, they make a surprisingly good grilled mac’n’cheese sandwich!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31st: THE ROOK & PAWN in ATHENS, GA

On Thursday, the Illimat tour continues at The Rook & Pawn. We’ll be there from 6 PM – 9 PM! I haven’t been to The Rook & Pawn yet so I can’t give food recommendations, but I’m looking forward to checking it out.

SEPTEMBER 1st – SEPTEMBER 3rd: DRAGONCON, ATLANTA, GA

Friday through Sunday I’m a guest at DragonCon in Atlanta. You can find me at the following events, and if you’re going to DragonCon you can get more details about them in the DragonCon app!

  • RAISING THE STAKES, Friday 5:30 PM. 
  • ALL ABOUT DRAGONS, Friday 7 PM
  • KEITH BAKER: WORLDS & GAMES, Saturday 11:30 AM
  • WORLD BUILDING 101, Saturday 2:30 PM
  • MONSTER ECOLOGY, Sunday 2:30 PM
  • MAD SCIENTIST GAME MASTERY, Sunday 4:00 PM
  • GAMING LIKE ROCKSTARS, Sunday 7 PM
  • THE GAMING CAFE, Sunday 8:30 PM

SEPTEMBER 7th: MYSTERY BREWING PUBLIC HOUSE in HILLSBOROUGH, NC

Join Jenn and I for beer and Illimat at the awesome Mystery Brewing!

I’ll post more events next week! If you have questions, post them below.

GenCon 2017 & Cassette Tape Challenge!

I’m currently in an ’84 Vanagon heading across North Dakota on my way to GenCon! I’ll be on the road for the next six weeks, visiting conventions and game cafes and demoing my latest games! I’m posting my Gen Con schedule below and I’ll let you know about my upcoming stops soon, but I do have a challenge for anyone going to GenCon. This old van I’m in has one way to play music: an old tape player. But as I live in the twenty-first century, I have no cassette tapes. If you’re coming to GenCon, have a cassette tape you can live without, and want to make the next six weeks more interesting for Jenn and I, give me a tape at one of my events!

Anyhow: Here’s where I’ll be at GenCon!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17

Due to slow travel and poor weather, I’ll be arriving to GenCon Thursday afternoon, and will only be at one event… but it’s a good one!

5 pm – 8 pm: LEVEL UP – Art Inspired By Gaming Reception

Thursday night Twogether Studios is teaming up with the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art as part of a month-long exhibition of art inspired by and from games of all sorts. Come to Cathead Press to learn to play Illimat and to enjoy some fantastic art! I’ll be there the whole time, but feel free to drop in any time over the course of the event.

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 18

10 am – Noon: SPPLCG DEMOS (Renegade Games Booth)

You can find me at the Renegade Games booth, giving demos of Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Card Game and talking about the game!

Noon – 1 PM: SIGNING AT THE ONI BOOTH

At noon, I’ll head over to the Oni Press booth. They will have twenty copies of the convention-exclusive Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Card Game that they’re planning to sell at this event (It’s going to be in very short supply). So if you want a copy and want me to sign it, show up early!

In the afternoon I’ll be playing games at a charity event organized by Worldbuilders. My table is already sold out, but there may be other tables still open!

4 PM – 5 PM: TABLETOP DESIGN – Make Fancy  Dumb Stuff!

Are you thinking about making a game that uses weird & unique materials but there is a voice in your head telling you to do something easier & simpler? Or even real people saying its way too complex or impractical? Stick with paper and plastic? Come hear from industry professionals who followed different paths and how those choices affected their games and sanity. Panelists include Jon Ritter of Lay Waste Games, WETA Workshop, and Jennifer Ellis of Twogether Studios!

 

SATURDAY, August 19th

NOON – 3 PM: SPPLCG DEMOS (Renegade Games Booth)

You can find me at the Renegade Games booth, giving demos of Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Card Game and talking about the game!

3 PM – 4 PM: ILLIMAT – SOCIETY OF LUMINARIES SECRET MEETING

Are a Society of Luminaries member or considering membership? Do you like card games & secret societies? Lively discussion about the game Illimat as well as special surprises for members & friends!

5 PM – 6:00 PM: KEITH’S TRADITIONAL HOTEL HANGOUT

Every year at Gen Con I spend an hour in the lobby of the Hyatt, talking with everyone who stops by about whatever people want to talk about. Do you have questions about Eberron? Illimat? Gloom? The exciting life of a game designer? Then drop by and chat! This is entirely informal: show up whenever you like and stay for as long as you want. Maybe I’ll stay past six. Maybe I won’t. You never know.

That’s all for now, but watch this space – I may add more events on the fly!

Phoenix, Twogether and PAX!

EPSON MFP imageAugust has been a busy month, but expect to see more content here next week. When I get back from PAX I’ll be posting the first in a series of Imperial Dispatches: articles expanding the world and setting of Phoenix: Dawn Command. I’ll also have news about general plans for expansion and support of Phoenix. 

In the meantime, you can find Phoenix at PAX: West! We’ll be exhibiting with Blackbox in the ACT Theater. This is attached to the convention center, but you don’t need a PAX badge to get in! Phoenix will be available for sale in the ACT theater throughout PAX, and co-designer Dan Garrison will be demoing the game from 10 AM – 2 PM each day. If you have questions or just want to pick up the game, this is your opportunity!

In addition, Twogether Studios will be demoing our next game in the same space. It’s a traditional card game that takes about 20 minutes to play, and we’ll be revealing more information about it over the next few days!

If you’re attending PAX Dev or PAX West, I’m participating in the following events:

PAX Dev: Thursday 2:15 – 3:15, Grand III

HEROIC SACRIFICE AND UNEXPECTED TRAGEDY

Heroic sacrifice and unexpected tragedy create some of the most memorable moments in fiction. But how can you work these into a game if death means the end of the story? When designing a game, how do you balance risk and consequence with the format of an RPG, CRPG or MMORPG? Join Keith Baker (Eberron, Gloom), Chris Avellone (Planescape: Torment, Divinity: OS 2), and Dan Garrison (Phoenix: DC) for a discussion about how death, defeat, and sacrifice can be part of a compelling game experience.

PAX West: Friday 6:30 – 7:30, Sasquatch Theatre

PHOENIX: DAWN COMMAND

You’re the last hope of a world besieged by nightmares. You may not survive the battle… but you’re a Phoenix, and death makes you stronger. Phoenix: Dawn Command is a roleplaying game from the creator of Gloom and Eberron, combining card-driven mechanics with collaborative storytelling and a unique approach to sacrifice and character growth. Join creators Keith Baker, Daniel Garrison and Jennifer Ellis for a discussion of the setting, system, and the three-year journey to create this game.

That’s it! I hope to see you at PAX!

 

Phoenix and GenCon 2016!

EPSON MFP image

First of all, PHOENIX IS IN THE WILD! If you’re on Twitter, let me know (@Hellcowkeith) when you get your copy! For those of you who didn’t back the Kickstarter, we’ll be bringing Phoenix to Gen Con 2016! If you want to find Phoenix at Gen Con, here’s a few opportunities.

  • Blackbox will be selling Phoenix in the Kickstarter Room (Room 143, near the Exhibit Hall). Supplies are limited!
  • You can play a two-hour demo of Phoenix. This is a short scenario using pregenerated characters, but it’s a chance to dive in and give it a try.
  • You can create a character. This is a one-hour event that takes you through the process of developing a character and a wing. Character creation is one of my favorite parts of the system, and you get a Phoenix notebook as a takeaway!
  • We’re holding a seminar about Phoenix on Friday. We’ll be talking about the system, the setting, and the three-year journey to get it out!
  • And finally, I’ll be talking about Phoenix at the Q&A with Keith! This is a casual conversation, so I’ll also be talking about Eberron, Gloom, and what’s in development!

I hope to see you there!

My GenCon Schedule

 

EPSON MFP imageWe’re closing in on the finish line for Phoenix: Dawn Command development, and artists Rich Ellis and Grace Allison surprised me with a portrait of my own for my birthday… which seems like an appropriate image as I prepared to set out for GenCon.

As Phoenix is still half a year away from release, we’re not doing extensive Phoenix demos at GenCon… Ace marshal Jeremiah Shepersky is running six sessions of Phoenix at GenCon, but they filled up very quickly. However, if you have questions about Phoenix or would like to see the prototype, come to my hangout on Saturday!

So, without further ado, here’s all the places you can find me at GenCon!

THURSDAY, JULY 30th

8 PM – 9 PM: THIS DORKINGTON LIFE

Hosted by the Damsels of Dorkington, “The Damsels & Friends tell their most epic, hilarious, & butt warming tales from their nerdy lives.” I will be telling a story and hanging out.

FRIDAY, JULY 31st

NOON – 1 PM: BUILDING GAMES IN THE GARAGE

“You’ve got a great idea for a game but how do you put together a prototype to find out if it works? First-hand advice on ways to make a game a reality.” Other panelists include James Ernest, Paul Peterson, Matt Forbeck and JT Smith. They know stuff.

1 PM – 2 PM: CREATIVE CHARACTER DESIGN

“Every game has a story. Every story has characters. Heroes are defined by their villains. How do you create compelling, thought provoking characters? Learn how with this panel of experts.” I’ll be discussing this topic with Andrew Peregrin, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan and Bryan Tillman.

3 PM – 4 PM: TITANSGRAVE Q&A WITH WIL!

“Join a lively discussion with Wil Wheaton, Ryan Wheaton, Chris Pramas, & others, discussing the creation of Titansgrave RPG for the RPG Show!” This year I had the opportunity to help create Titansgrave: The Ashes of Valkana. I’ll be talking about it with Wil Wheaton, who’s just this guy.

4 PM – 5 PM: THE DOWN LOW ON THE DOWNLOAD

The creator of Fluxx & the creator of Gloom discuss the ins & outs of hosting their new podcast, The Download.” Andy and I will actually be recording an episode live, and talking with one another and with anyone who shows up about whatever topics arise!

5 PM – 6 PM: THE VERY GLOOMIEST AFTERNOON TEA PARTY

“Join the anti-festivities as we mix Gloom, Cthulhu Gloom, Fairytale Gloom, and Munchkin Gloom for maximum despair. Depressing promos for all. BYOT to compete for the coveted Gloomiest Teacup Trophy.” The event starts at 4 PM, but due to the Download I won’t show up until five.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1ST

3 PM – 4 PM: ATLAS GAMES TELLS YOU HOW TO MAKE AWESOME RPGS

We like roleplaying games. Join us & fellow travelers including Keith Baker, Cam Banks, Robin D. Laws, John Nephew, & Jeff Tidball to talk about making great RPGs.”

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM: HANG OUT IN THE HYATT!

This one isn’t a GenCon Event – it’s an entirely informal thing I like to do. From 4:30 to 6:30 I’ll be hanging out in the lobby of the Hyatt. I plan to talk about Phoenix: Dawn Command, Eberron, Gloom and anything else people want to discuss. It’s completely informal – stop by any time and stay as long as you want!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 2ND

11 AM – NOON: WORLD DESIGN

“What’s the first step in creating a new world for fiction or gaming? We’ll look at the questions you need to answer & the different approaches you can take.” I’ll be tackling this topic with Brannon Boren, Lynne Hardy and Elsa Sjunneson Henry.

 

Phoenix & Gloom at Emerald City Comicon

I’m going to be at Emerald City Comicon this weekend demoing Gloom and Phoenix: Dawn Command. If you’d like to be in a Phoenix playtest, follow this link to find the available times! Otherwise, you can find me at the following times and places.

SATURDAY, March 28th

11 AM – 2 PM: Gloom, More Gloom and Phoenix. I’ll be in the Board Game demo area in the level 2 corral. Come try the prototypes of Fairy Tale Gloom or Munchkin Gloom, or see what Phoenix is all about.

7 PM – 9 PM: Q&A With Keith Baker. Join me for an informal discussion of Gloom, Eberron and Phoenix: Dawn Command. Bring questions! Or cookies! This is a casual Q&A – you can show up at any point and stay for as long as you want. This event will take place in the Level 3 A/B Lobby (near the back escalators on the third floor).

SUNDAY, March 29

2 PM: Prototyping Tabletop Games. Do you have an idea for a card or board game, but you don’t know how to make it? This workshop will discuss prototyping tools and techniques.

I hope I’ll see you there!

Upcoming Appearances: Gamestorm & ECCC

Here’s a quick head’s-up as to where I’ll be in the next few weeks and what I’ll be doing there.

From March 20-21st I will be at GAMESTORM in Vancouver, WA. Here’s my schedule of events:

FRIDAY, March 20

11 AM: Fear Of The Unknown. I’ll be participating in a panel discussion on invoking horror in RPGs, along with Jess Hartley, Anthony Pryor, Gwendolyn Kestrel and Scott Woodard.

12 PM: Game Mastering Tips. A panel with me, Rhiannon Louve and Andy Collins. Just what it says on the tin.

SATURDAY, March 21

9 AM: Let Your Players Do The Work. A panel on collaborative gaming, with myself, Gwendolyn Kestrel, Andy Collins and Rhiannon Louve.

11 AM: Phoenix: Dawn Command Q&A. Co-creator Dan Garrison and I will answer any and all questions about our card-based RPG. This is an unofficial event, so I’ll be announcing the location on Twitter (@Hellcowkeith) and Facebook Saturday morning.

12 PM: Building Your Own RPG World. Where do you start? How deep is too deep? What’s the value of drawing on our world vs unique and alien ideas? Andy Collins, Anthony Pryor and I will cover these topics and more in a two hour workshop.

2:30: Phoenix: Dawn Command. I’ll be running a three-hour demo of Phoenix. This is a four-person event and you’ll have to sign up in advance, but people are welcome to come take a look even if the table is full.

In addition to this, Phoenix co-creator Dan Garrison will be running sessions of Phoenix: Dawn Command at 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. These are also four-person sessions, and you have to sign up in advance.

From March 27th-29th I will be at EMERALD CITY COMIC CON. My schedule there is more fluid, and I will be running Phoenix: Dawn Command demos throughout the weekend. We’ll be setting up advanced signups using the Phoenix: Dawn Command mailing list, so join that if you’d like to be informed about demo slots.

In addition to that, I have a few concrete events:

SATURDAY, March 28th

11 AM – 2 PM: Gloom, More Gloom and Phoenix. I’ll be in the Board Game demo area in the level 2 corral. Come try the prototypes of Fairy Tale Gloom or Munchkin Gloom, or get an overview of Phoenix!

7 PM – 9 PM: Q&A With Keith Baker. Join me for an informal discussion of Gloom, Eberron and my new RPG Phoenix: Dawn Command. Bring questions! Or cookies! Or both! This event will take place in the Level 3 3A/B Lobby (near the escalators on the third floor).

SUNDAY, March 29

2 PM: Prototyping Tabletop Games. Do you have an idea for a card or board game, but you don’t know how to make it? This workshop will discuss prototyping tools and techniques.

That’s it! Post below if you have questions about any of these events.

Games at JCC5: It Takes Two

The wood paneled game room on the JoCo Cruise is luxurious. It’s not just the bottomless cauldron of coffee or the terrible pizza on demand, but the truly luxurious experience of being able to find fellow players to join in on a game at nearly any hour of the day or night. The early risers start conquering kingdoms over breakfast, the afternoon and evening gamers overflow to other floors of the ship, and late night gaming morphs into morning. There’s more people checking to see what the maximum number of players are for a game than struggling to find the minimum. Luxurious, right?

But we don’t live our lives on cruise ships, and it’s often a challenge to find enough people to play your favorite game on the spur of the moment. Over the last few years, Jenn and I have built up a roster of games we enjoy playing with just two players… and when we helped plan the gaming track on JoCo Cruise 5 this year, we put together the “It Takes Two” Event to share some of these games with our fellow Sea Monkeys. A stellar group of Helper Monkeys, volunteers and game designers abducted from vacation made the whole event possible by teaching these games.

We wanted to share the list of games from the event both for those Sea Monkeys who attended but couldn’t remember the name of a new favorite… and for anyone else who’s interested in learning a new two player game.

Do you have a favorite two player game that’s not on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

CASTELLAN

Two players work together to build a castle… but each player wants to seize control of the best courtyards. In Castellan each player uses a set of castle walls and a deck of cards that determines what pieces can be played; the challenge is to claim the most territory by the time the castle is complete. A typical game of Castellan lasts 45 minutes.

COSMIC WIMPOUT

Invented nearly 40 years ago, Cosmic Wimpout is a classic press-your-luck game using five custom dice. It’s simple and easy to learn, and can be played in under ten minutes; the design allows even a losing player a last hope for a come-from-behind victory. While the basic game is very simple, there’s an assortment of variant rules that add complexity; some of the more popular rules can be found here.

GUILLOTINE

It’s the French Revolution, and everyone’s trying to get a head… or as many of them as possible. Each day there’s a line of nobles heading for the guillotine; you want to use your tricks to rearrange the line to ensure that you end up with the best nobles in your basket. Will you manage to end up with the head of Marie Antoinette, or will you be stuck with the heads of the lowly piss boy – or worse, the beloved Hero of the People?

HIVE

In this strategy game, players shape a board as they place their insect forces, achieving victory by surrounding an opponent’s Queen Bee. Each piece has its own unique move; for example, soldier ants can scurry to any position on the edge of the hive, grasshoppers leap over opposing forces, and beetles clamber over other pieces and immobilize them. It’s a simple and elegant game, and the pocket version is very portable – but it’s certainly a game that makes you think. A game of Hive generally takes 10-20 minutes.

JAIPUR

In Jaipur you assume the role of a trader seeking to amass wealth through careful trading of goods and camels. On your turn, you can either claim goods from the market in the middle of the table, or sell goods from your hand… but you can only hold onto a certain number of cards at a time. Will you hold out to try to get the most valuable combinations, or buy and sell as quickly as possible? Will you invest in camels or ignore the mangy creatures? Jaipur is a simple, fast game but has enough strategy to make every round unique.

LOONEY PYRAMIDS

Looney Pyramids are a set of versatile tools that can be used to play a vast assortment of games. There’s even a handy searchable community wiki where you can find instructions for over 300 different two player Pyramid games that vary in complexity and length of play. With so many games to choose from, you’re sure to find something you enjoy! At It Takes Two, Kristin Looney taught people to play IceDice, Launchpad23, Treehouse, Pharoah and Pink Hijinks.

LOST CITIES

In Lost Cities two explorers compete to explore the farthest reaches of the unknown. The deck of cards is divided into five suits – one for each of five expeditions – and it’s up to each player to decide which exotic locales to explore. Every card has a value, and once you play a card of a particular expedition – a 5-point arctic exploration card, for example – you can’t play a lower value card. As such, it is a game of strategy and patience as you try to decide which expeditions you want to commit to, and how long you should wait for the right card before committing to a journey.

PAIRS

A “new classic card game,” Pairs is simple, fast and fun. It uses a unique deck, and beyond basic Pairs there are many variants you can try depending on the experience you’re looking for and the number of players you have available. At It Takes Two, designer James Ernest taught the two-player bluffing game Regent; you can find rules for Regent and nineteen other variations here.

SPLENDOR

A huge hit in the JCC5 game room, Splendor place you in the role of a Renaissance gem merchant struggling to gain prestige. Gather chips and invest in valuable mines as you hope to lure nobles to sample your wares. While Splendor supports up to four players, it is an excellent game for two.

STAR REALMS

This science fiction game blends the deckbuilding feel of Ascension with the direct conflict of Magic: The Gathering. Assemble and improve your fleet of ships and bases, and hold off your enemies until you have the power to crush them. It’s fast and simple, and each of the four factions within the game enhance a different style of strategy, allowing you to pursue different paths each time you play.

News From The Bermuda Triangle

I’m currently on a boat in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle as part of the JoCo Cruise. Jenn Ellis and I are demoing Phoenix: Dawn Command, and having a lot of fun with that. I’ll be writing much more about Phoenix once I’m back on dry land, but here’s a sneak peek at some of our art, courtesy of Grace Allison and Rich Ellis

(C) 2015 Twogether Studios, LLC

(C) 2015 Twogether Studios, LLC

Phoenix aside, there’s a lot of other things going on today… despite being out in the middle of the ocean, I felt that I had to assemble an internet server from twine to get the word out about them. So without further ado…

GEEK-A-WEEK

This week, I’m honored to join a long line of luminaries that artist Len Peralta has featured on his Geek-A-Week series. Geek-A-Week is a podcast with a twist – in addition to discussion, Len produces a trading card of each of his guests. Past guests include Neil Gaiman, Guillermo Del Toro, Molly Lewis and many more. Take a look and a listen here!

UNEARTHED ARCANA: EBERRON

Wizards of the Coast has a new online feature sharing various ideas for D&D Fifth Edition, and the first installment deals with Eberron. The article includes possible ways to handle three of Eberron’s unique races, an option for implementing the artificer as a wizard subclass, and a way to implement Dragonmarks. I’m always excited to see any support for Eberron, but as you read the article bear in mind that this is draft material. Quoting the article itself:

These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not fully tempered by playtests and design iterations. They are highly volatile and might be unstable; if you use them, be ready to rule on any issues that come up. They’re written in pencil, not ink.

The upshot of this is that your opinion matters. These aren’t final mechanics – they are ideas. Do you like the artificer as a wizard subclass, or would you prefer to see something that is more closely modeled on the 3.5 artificer? Are you comfortable with warforged “wearing” armor, or would you rather see something like the old adamantine/mithral body feats? Post your thoughts, here or anywhere else, and let people know what you like or dislike; it could make a difference for the next stage in Eberron’s development.

And now I’m going to get back to the serious business of being on a cruise!

Back From ChariD20!

CCDD2014-3

Elisa Teague, Kirk Thatcher, David Nett, Keith Baker, Jason Charles Miller, and Cig Neutron!

This weekend I was in Los Angeles for ChariD20, a charity roleplaying event raising money for Reach Out And Read. This is the fourth time I’ve developed and run an adventure for ChariD20, and it was the best year yet. The participants were fantastic, the games went well, and we raised twice as much for the charity as we did last year.

Each session was only two hours long, and it was an interesting challenge for me to develop a two-hour adventure that still felt like a complete story – especially knowing that many of the players wouldn’t be familiar with the rules. I’m happy with the outcome. Donors: I need to make a few edits to the adventure based on play and then it needs to be approved by Wizards of the Coast before I can pass it on to you. So it’s going to be a little while before you get it, but I hope that it will be in your hands by the end of the month.

John Rogers invokes the power of the Silver Flame!

John Rogers invokes the power of the Silver Flame!

If you’d like to see how it went down, the recording is online at the CCDD website. If you missed out, you can still donate until November 12th; if you donate at least $10 you can watch the sessions and get a copy of the adventure as soon as it’s approved!

Thanks as always to Satine Phoenix and Matt Mangini for organizing the event, to fellow DM Matthew Mercer for taking on my story, and to our awesome players: John Rogers, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jessie Pridemore, Kyle Vogt, Grant Imahara, Dodger, Mandy Morbid, Zak Smith, Joseph Scrimshaw, Ivan Norman, Cig Neutron, Kirk Thatcher, Elisa Teague, David Nett, Jason Charles Miller, Orion Acaba, Marisha Ray, Jenna Busch and Neal Fischer. And most of all, thanks to everyone who donated to Reach Out And Read!