THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE!

Watch the video with Andy Looney as he breaks down the new rules and twists to Fluxx:The Board Game. Fluxx: The Board Game hits stores on Friday July 26th!

The Bob & Angus Show!

7.06: Wool in Your Ears

Bob’s hearing problems interfere with a report on Catan Histories: Settlers of America.  Angus praises the mysteries of Alchemistl

The Bob and Angus Show

The Bob & Angus Show 7.05: Laugh Track

Bob installs a laugh track in the studio.  The newsrams would like to offer you a job as a Rocket Jockey.

13th Age Fantasy RPG Now Available for Pre-Order

Retailers can now preorder 13th Age, the new fantasy roleplaying game from the lead designers of 3rd and 4th edition D&D,  through their favorite distributor to guarantee special pricing and discount. Retailers who participate in the free Bits and Mortar program can also offer customers who buy 13th Age a free PDF download of the finished game, so they can start playing right away.

Ever since Pelgrane Press –who made a strong showing at last year's ENnie awards –announced the first 13th Age playtest in March 2012, buzz has been building for the new game by designers Jonathan Tweet and Rob Heinsoo. 13th Age mixes d20-rolling, dragon-slaying, treasure-hunting fun with innovative story mechanics. The result is a game that encourages creative homebrewing and epic storytelling from players and GMs.

After successful demos at multiple conventions and enthusiastic reviews on Forbes.com. EN World and RPG.net, 13th Age is being mentioned in the same breath as D&D Next and Pathfinder. With no new competitive products on the horizon, this looks like a very good time to check out 13th Age. More info is available at www.13thAge.com.

The Evolution of Fluxx: The Board Game

Original content from Looney Labs

By Bianca Ruffin and Andy Looney

In exciting news from Looney Labs, Fluxx: The Board Game hits stores on July 26th!

Based on the popular card game, Fluxx, the board game can be enjoyed by two to four players, in 20 to 40 minute games, and with simple game play it keeps the same sense of crazy chaotic fun, adds a bit more strategy and delivers everything you'd expect from a board game based on Fluxx.

Fluxx: The Board Game was created by Andrew Looney, designer of the Fluxx card games. Andy’s goal in designing a board game was to build on the card game by extending the action with a dynamic game board made up of tiles that can change location as you play. So the original “draw one, play one” rule now becomes “draw one, play one, move one,” and of course this changes as the game is played.

Players begin their journey through the ever-changing landscape of Fluxx: The Board Game on the start tile. Each player has three wooden pieces and can use their designated number of moves to either move their pieces or move the board itself. Two pegboards are also included to track new rules and the number of goals needed to win.

Since table space is now at a premium, new rule cards no longer pile up in the middle of the table as they do in the card game. The number of draws, plays and moves per turn are tracked on that pegboard along with three brand new rules: rotating a tile; uprooting a tile; and tile wraparound. This lets players discard cards and simply shift the position of corresponding pegs, making it easier for all to see the current rules in play. The other win pegboard has a space to hold the stack of goal cards, and a peg to track the number of goals needed to win.

Unlike the card game, where the game ends when someone meets the current goal, in the board game, you need to collect a certain number of goals before you win. One reason the board game is more strategic, is that winning the goal that’s in play only gets you partially to victory. While just about everything in the game is subject to change, including the color of the pieces you control, one thing that can never be taken away is a goal card you have claimed.

But how do you claim a goal? Each of the eight board tiles feature four spaces on which your pieces can be moved. Three of these spaces contain an image of one of the classic Fluxx keepers, the fourth contains an octagon holding space or in two cases special portals that add an extra twist to the game. To claim a goal you must maneuver your pieces to the two icons indicated on the topmost goal card stacked on the win pegboard. It takes anywhere from three to six goals to win the game and collected goal cards remain in front of you, the way you would display a keeper in the card game. As soon as you have the number of goals needed, you win!

As for the portals, these are two spaces that form the endpoints of a magical secret passage. Move one of your pieces on to a portal and the piece instantly moves to the other portal space. Since board game tiles can move, portals provide strategic opportunities for players to get their pieces where they need to be to win the next goal card.

The differences between the board game and the popular card game are a combination of subtle and conspicuous. In having tiles and portals to contend with, an entirely new element is layered into game play. Add to that an easier way to track rule changes and a fresh new look, the board game promises engaging, quality time with your friends and family.

Looney Labs was founded in 1997 by Andy and Kristin Looney, former NASA space engineers. To learn more about games they’ve published and their fan club, visit looneylabs.com. You can also find Looney Labs on Facebook and Twitter.