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 These hard hitting questions were curated by a group of… one. Yes, Psydekick Larry came up with these questions all by himself. He also will speaks about himself in the third person on occasion. If you have any interesting or funny questions that you would like to submit to Psydekick Larry, write them down… and keep them to yourself until Psydekick Larry decides to make a reader’s Q&A issue. So without further adieu, let’s begin...
PsydekickLarry: Where are you from? And how long have you lived in Greenville? Katie: I have lived most of my life in Rome, GA and I moved to Greenville, SC for grad school in 2010. So I guess 10 years in Greenville. Wow, longer than I thought! PsydekickLarry: Give us 2 truths and a lie about yourself? Katie:: I've enjoyed scuba diving, bungee jumping, and skydiving. PsydekickLarry: What got you into the board gaming hobby? Katie: My grandmother gave me an early love for games. When I was kid, she taught me several games and played card games with me half the night while on vacation. As for modern games, my family received Dominion one Christmas and we wore that set out! From there it just snowballed. PsydekickLarry: What do you love about board gaming? Katie: There are a lot of things to appreciate about board gaming! Just to name a few: the social aspect of getting to enjoy time with friends and family; the challenge of figuring out what the best strategies are; enjoying nice design, art, and production; and of course, the thrill of winning! PsydekickLarry: What is your favorite board game and/or board game genre? Katie: Well since I am about to make my Top 10 board games video, I'll avoid spoilers and just stick to some of my favorite type of games! I really enjoy a good tile laying game. That is most likely my top, but I also love the "Follow" mechanic where one player picks something and everyone gets something as well. Multiple paths to victory is another thing that makes a great game! PsydekickLarry: What did you think when Ryan told you he was starting a board game company? Katie: When Ryan talked to me about starting Tantrum House we were engaged and he asked my opinion since it would be affecting my future as well. It sounded like it would be fun for Ryan and Will. I never dreamed it would get as big as it has or that I was going to join in! PsydekickLarry: When was the first time Ryan asked you to be in a video? And what did you think? Katie: It has been so long ago that I filmed my first video I can't remember when it was! Maybe season 2? Anyway, I do remember having to film for almost an hour for a 2 min video because I kept messing up and giggling about it! I was really flattered the first time they had me be in a video. I thought it would just be that one time or maybe an occasional thing though. I wouldn't have thought it was going to lead to a home studio! PsydekickLarry: What RPG race and class best describes you? (Human not allowed) Katie: Alright, of the races and classes I think I would be an half elf because I grew up in the country and ran out in the woods all the time. As for a class I would be maybe a Bard who specializes in crafting with a little rage thrown in there. So Skald, a bard/barbarian hybrid class. PsydekickLarry: Thanks Katie!  These hard hitting questions were curated by a group of… one. Yes, Psydekick Larry came up with these questions all by himself. He also will speaks about himself in the third person on occasion. If you have any interesting or funny questions that you would like to submit to Psydekick Larry, write them down… and keep them to yourself until Psydekick Larry decides to make a reader’s Q&A issue. So without further adieu, let’s begin...
PL: Hey Sara! Let’s get this interview started. Where are you from? Sara: I’m from Nebraska but have lived in Greenville, SC for 20 years now. And even though I grew up in Nebraska I’m still a city girl. I’ve never lived on a farm. PL: Give us two truths and a lie about yourself? Sara: My name is listed in the credits for a board game. I have completed shipping and logistics for a board game. My likeness was used in artwork for a board game. PL: Hmm… interesting… So what got you into the board gaming hobby? Sara: I have always been a Board Gamer. I grew up playing board games and card games with my great-grandma who had almost 100 games in her collection mostly from the 50s and 60s. Will and I started playing Catan, To Court the King, and many, many other hobby games every Monday night with our neighbor starting back in 2005. We still have game night EVERY Monday! PL: Wow! Your great-grandma was a board gamer? Nice! What do you love about board gaming? Sara: I love the community surrounding board games. I also love the mental challenge of a good puzzle. PL: What is your favorite board game and/or type of board game? Sara: Tile placement, dice worker placement, set collection, and games with 3D spatial elements. According to the Board Gamer profile quiz I am an Omni gamer. PL: What did you think when Will told you he was starting a board game company? Sara: Well it’s about time! Will is an entrepreneur, and I regularly jump wholeheartedly into his projects. PL: That’s awesome! When was the first time Will asked you to be in a video? And what did you think? Sara: I had actually volunteered to being in a video much sooner than I ended up starring in one. I knew that the board game community needed more female voices... But wow, were those first videos rough! PL: Maybe we should try to find some of these old videos… LOL! What is your favorite drink and snack while playing board games? Sara: Anything sweet. Will and I have a lot of "date nights" with coffee, cheesecake (or some other amazing dessert!) and a board game once the kids go to bed. PL: Alright, we’ve made it to the end. Now for the question that the whole team dreads. LOL! What RPG race and class best describes you? Sara: Elf Hunter/Rogue. Once in a while, I'll work on a team, but I usually like to do my own thing. Also, I have a very similar personality profile as Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior. PL: Thanks Sara!  It was 1990-something and I (Apprentice Dan) was still a fledgling gamer who loved playing games with the family even more than my Pirate Legos and watching Star Wars. Holidays meant family gatherings which meant time for games! With that in mind, I wanted to jump back and look at my top 5 childhood-games-that-are-still-super-awesome-but-that-I-never-play-anymore list. Have you played any of these games?! Do you have others that you think back and say, “Man, that was actually pretty fun”? Let us know over in Discord and let’s have some holiday reminiscing!
#5. Spoons -- Who doesn’t love frenetically passing cards around looking for 4 of a kind while also watching the silverware on the table to see when someone grabs it. The uninitiated player is usually so excited by 4 matching cards that they scream and grab at least one spoon as they send the others clattering about the table starting a chain reaction of grabbing and screaming akin to jumping on a trampoline filled with 1000 mousetraps (Check it out! https://youtu.be/ewGAmiLuYCw). For the grizzled vet, you feel a bit like Snake sneaking in on a covert mission of spoon grabbing hoping not to set off any alarms. You probably also had the same conversation about playing with steak knives next time. #4. Ma — This is the card game that many people only played once, but I LOVED. Here’s how this goes down. “Okay everyone, this is Ma. It’s played kinda like Uno, except you can’t talk unless you say ‘Pause.’ First player to run out of cards wins. Okay, go!” Inevitably, someone talks to ask a question and you hand them a penalty card for talking. If they’re really bright, they’ll talk and protest the penalty and gain another penalty. Then they see you’re serious and say “PAUSE!” The real fun is when someone wins! They secretly get to create a rule to add to the game based on cards being played. For example, whenever odds are played, skip one person. Or whenever red royalty is played, say “Dan is super awesome!” Now the rule maker is watching for someone to break the rule who then has to draw a penalty card. As you play, you start piecing together who played what card and what caused a penalty. Then you get to start snickering quietly at others who can’t seem to figure it out. By round 5, you’ve added in a handful of extra rules and only the sharpest will avoid spiraling into playing card pandemonium. My brother made a rule that whenever a prime number was played, you skipped a player. I didn’t know what prime numbers were yet . . . #3. Careers — Parker Bros made this as recently as 2003, but I have (to this day) the 1965 version. Even now, I still enjoy pulling this out with the wife and kids amidst the swirling sea of board gaming opportunities. It’s a typical roll and move game of its day but with a secret objective component. You’re going around a board, trying to make money, gain fame, and happiness. That might mean trying to climb a mountain and breaking your leg, or going to the moon and having the shuttle explode, but those are just minor setbacks to your career aspirations. You can draw Opportunity cards that would allow you to move straight to different careers rather than relying JUST on the roll. You also got to set your goals for how much money, happiness, and fame you were going to collect during the game. We would all probably have different goals and would try to pursue those goals during the game so you never really knew who was about to win. CV kinda sorta hits the spot, at least on theme, but the whole roll and move idea is just SO last century in the Pre-Catan era so I doubt there are any true modernizations. #2. Demon — Depending on your circles, you probably knew this game as Two-way Solitaire, Angel, Nertz, or you just played Dutch Blitz. It’s a speed card game with solitaire type rules but you’re all playing on community stacks in the middle. Playing with my sisters-in-law was super fun, but I also hated it because they had nails and that made for some bloody knuckles as you both sent phalanges flying toward a single pile . . . and they were faster than me so I lost AND had bloody fingers. If you REALLY don’t know what it is, check out Dutch Blitz. Taco Fight is a fairly recent Kickstarter that has a similar vibe and is a lot of fun too! #1. Spit — I’m sure this goes by many names, but it’s a simple trick taking card game with trump and bidding and all that good stuff. In round one, you had one card. Round two, two cards, and so on all the way up to 10 before coming back down. Each round you’d see trump and decide how many tricks to bid. If you were the last player that round, your bid simply couldn’t cause the total number of bids to equal the number of tricks. Someone always has to be wrong! If we went around the table and everyone else said zero on that first round, you COULD NOT say one as that would equal the one trick. You play your card in turn order and the winner takes the trick and correct bids score. The final round was a single card but you could only look at your opponent’s cards. I loved this game, in part because my brothers had the nerve to think their wives/fiancées needed to play so I was an odd man out for Hearts and Spades. Spit is essentially Rage, but way better because Spit doesn’t make you smash tree branches against tree trunks because of the crazy extra cards they added in. It’s really a good life motto. “Don’t rage, spit!” Whether you’re breaking out the hottest games of the year, or pulling out some old favorites, we at Tantrum House hope you have a wonderful time connecting with those you love this holiday season! —Apprentice Dan  These hard hitting questions were curated by a group of… one. Yes, Psydekick Larry came up with these questions all by himself. He also will speaks about himself in the third person on occasion. If you have any interesting or funny questions that you would like to submit to Psydekick Larry, write them down… and keep them to yourself until Psydekick Larry decides to make a reader’s Q&A issue. So without further adieu, let’s begin Psydekick Larry’s interview with the one and only Will Meadows! PL: Where are you from Will? Will: I was born in Colorado; raised in the great state of Ohio; but have lived in South Carolina longer than anywhere else. PL: Give us two truths and a lie about yourself. (Let us know which one you think is a lie in our discord channel https://discord.gg/G3aJDb) Will: I’m a master of the martial arts; I can crochet like a pro; and I play volleyball like a beach bum. PL: What got you into the board gaming hobby? Will: When Sara and I had our first kiddo, our regular weekend outings came to a screeching halt. We now had better things to spend our time and money on. So we started looking for fun things to do from home. PL: In other words, kids turn you into broke homebodies? Will: Ha ha correct! We found out our neighbor was big into board games. So we started inviting him over on Monday nights. We would provide a meal, and he would bring the games. Over the years, more and more people got invited to our regular “Game Night”; and Monday nights at the “Tantrum House” (we had 3 boys under 5) became a staple. At this point, “Game Night” has been going strong for 15 years! PL: So that’s how you guys came up with the name of the company?! Will: Yep! Thanks boys!! PL: So when did you "join" Tantrum House? Ha! Will: I guess I joined Tantrum House when I signed the paperwork in order to form the original LLC?Ryan had inspired me to bring my game to Kickstarter; so I recruited a couple of friends that I’d always wanted to work with and we started the company. Our business plan was to leverage human capital, try and have razor thin margins with zero overhead, and learn as much as possible along the way. PL:What do you love about board games? Will: I love when there’s the challenge of playing an intensely competitive game that requires strategy, focus, and skill—but woven in between each turn is a warm and hilarious ongoing conversation between friends or even strangers. PL: Yeah! Or antagonizing your board game nemesis!! Or fighting with your board game enemy!!! Or hate drafting someone so they can’t get the one card they need!!!! Or blocking a person’s progress so they have no where else to go!!!!! Will: ………….uh huh. PL: Sorry. I got carried away. Please continue… Will: Then after the game, we all get the opportunity to share in the thrill of revealing/hearing the winning strategy, unveiling secret identities, or sharing in the victory if it’s co-op. It's almost more the after-game that I enjoy. PL: So what is your favorite game or genre of game? Will: I like so many different board games that it’s REALLY hard to just pick one. When pressed, I usually say “Don’t Mess With Cthulhu” because it’s such a beautifully simple game but it generates an incredible amount of excitement! PL: I agree! That game can become very tense and exciting. So you like social deduction games? Will: Actually, “Don’t Mess With Cthulhu” is one of the few social deduction games that I enjoy. My favorite genre is probably dice worker placement. I thoroughly enjoy games where you have to try and make the best decisions possibly based off of what you’ve been randomly dealt and what's available on the table. PL: What do you dislike about board gaming? Will: ...I don’t like bad sports and/or rules lawyer. PL: Oh we know! Everyone has experienced “Will’s rules”! LOL! Will: Haha! Since, for me, it's all about the enjoyment of the experience, there’s just no need for people to get all worked up. If you’re not here to have fun, then I’m not sure why you’re here! #boardgamesandchill PL: So what is your favorite snack and drink while hashtag board gaming and chilling? Will: It’s the same as when I’m not board gaming: coffee and cheesecake. (Have you heard the rumors about the "Coming Soon" Tantrum House coffee blend???) PL: WHAT?!?!?!? Will: Shhhhhhh! It’s a secret. PL: Will, you have made it to the end of the first ever Tantrum House newsletter interview; and I’ve got one more important question for you. It’s something that the whole Tantrum House family is wondering! The question is… “What RPG race and class would best describe you?” Will: Um...... PL: Take your time… We have all day… Look it up online if you must… Will: Okay, the online quiz I just took says “Adventurer.” PL: Not exactly a race and class… so let’s go with a centaur hunter. Yeah, that sounds adventurous. Let Psydekick Larry know what you think Will’s “Adventurer” RPG race and class should be on our discord channel (again that’s https://discord.gg/G3aJDb). Also let him know what RPG race and class best describe you (no humans allowed). P.S. If you are and avid RPG player, please don’t be offended if we make up something that doesn’t make sense or isn’t possible. Thanks for reading our interview this month. Next month, we will have another interview featuring Ryan Pilz. So until then… ALOHA!!!
While there's a bit of a learning curve with RPGs, it's well worth the effort. Here's what you need to know about being a beginner with tabletop RPGs.  What are RPGs? RPGs— Role Playing Games— are a combination of "choose your own adventure" story, board game, and theater. In this gaming experience, you enter a storyline as a fictional character and make decisions that ultimately impact the outcome. RPG tabletop games are an exciting alternative to traditional board games. Rather than just moving pieces around a board, you're strategizing, storytelling, and creating a unique experience every time. Why Play RPGs? The main reason to play RPGs is that it's fun to do so. Beyond that, RPGs also help you develop creativity and problem-solving skills. They're a great platform for socializing and getting to know people better and give you the opportunity to explore scenarios you wouldn't in real life. Playing RPGs can become an engaging hobby that stands the test of time. Types of RPGs There are lots of different types of RPGs to explore. While the focus here is on tabletop RPGs, this is also a common theme for video games and even live-action events (LARPing). Within the tabletop RPG world, some of the genres include:
Choose the Right Game The first step when starting to play RPGs is to find the right game for you. A beginner-friendly RPG game should be easy to follow while piquing your interest. Fortunately, many of the big players in the tabletop RPG realm have introductory games and starter kits for new players. Once you've chosen your game, take some time to yourself to understand it before inviting people to play. Read through the game and figure out the nuances that make it interesting. You should feel comfortable explaining the basics of the game before inviting people over to play. Finally, get everything you need to add to the experience. If you need a variety of dice, you can try D20 Collective to find a set that works for your game. Think of where you'll play, what music you can add to set the tone, and what other elements will create the ideal atmosphere. Choose the Right People RPGs aren't for everyone. Choose people who you know will engage in the game and are open to experiencing something new. If you don't have friends who are interested in playing the same genre of tabletop RPGs as you, reach out to local interest groups. Local game and comic book shops might already have gaming groups in place. Apps like MeetUp can help you connect with like-minded individuals. Set the Expectations If getting together for an RPG is going to be a regular occurrence, it's important to set and manage expectations so that everyone stays on the same page. These expectations may be game-specific or could pertain to the gathering itself. For example, discussing who is bringing snacks, and what will be provided is a non-game expectation that should be set in advance. You might outline a hosting schedule with a group of friends. These are things that you can figure out at your first gaming experience. You should also set some ground rules for playing. Here are some common examples:
Have Fun Remember to relax and have a good time. While RPGs can be emotional, they should come to an end with good spirits and camaraderie.
At TantrumCon 2020 we gave a select number of game designers the opportunity to pitch their board game concepts to our live studio audience and we've captured it here for you as well. The board game prototypes we covered include: Holi, Jurrasic Parts, Hedge Hogs, Pet, Tross, Anatolia, Wicked & Wise, Cracked Earth, Small Town, White Elephant, Marvelous Works, Fruit Fingers, Lord of the Things, Color Field, and Imperial Garden.
Will and Sara recap their Essen Spiel 2019 first-timer experience and Will shares one of his most favorite moments of the convention.
The Tantrum House crew got together with Peter Vaughan from Breaking Games to play the new Dwellings of Eldervale board game that's coming to Kickstarter soon. In this video, they chat about their experience playing a prototype version of the game. Note: All shown components are prototype and do not reflect the final production.
Melissa and Sara attended the 2019 Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio and had an opportunity to talk with lots of publishers and check out all kinds of new games!
Melissa and Kevin go to CMON Expo 2019!! They look at Giant Gizmos, Foodies, Sugarblast, and interview Eric Lang and Michael Shinall about Bloodborne the Board Game.
Melissa and Sara travel around to different booths at PAX Unplugged. Check out all the cool games and publishers!
Druid City and Skybound Games with Walking Dead Something to Fear Soaring Rhino with Pirate Tricks Pandasaurus Games with Dinosaur Island and more Thunderworks Games with Dual Powers CMON with Song of Ice and Fire Game Toppers Bezier Games with Werewords Burnt Island Games with Endeavor and In the Hall of the Mtn. King Grand Gamers Guild with Artemis Project Smirk and Laughter with And then there were Stars USAopoly with Harry Potter Codenames Kevin looks at more than 20 board games launching on Kickstarter the 2nd half of July 2018.
Listen in for the details on our contest which ends July 20, 2018. A winner will be picked randomly from the comments! For 10% Discount Code on our Etsy T-shirts visit: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TantrumHouse?coupon=SUMMERSALE10 Board games coming to Kickstarter the 2nd half of July 2018: July 16 Madeira and Zhanguo July 17 Vanguard of War July 17 Eldrich Century July 17 Thunderstone Quest July 17 Game to pick a game July 18 Dragon Dice July 19 Escape Plan July 23 Game I'm not allowed to talk about yet... July 23 Knights of Glory July 24 Artemis project July 24 War of Supremacy July 24 Moonshiners of the Apocolypse July 27 Scavenge July 30 Build a Cure July 30 one night ultimate supervillains July 30 Terminus Breach July 31 HyGround Tiles July Creepers July Exchange July Trogdor Board Game Tantrum House interviews Smirk and Dagger, Thunderworks Games, Grey Fox Games, HABA, Alderac Entertainment Group, Daily Magic Games, and Czech Games Edition at Origins Game Fair 2018.
Tantrum House was live on location at Origins Game Fair 2018. In this episode, they get a QuickLook at games coming from Indie Boards and Cards, USAoplopy, White Wizard Games, and Kosmos.
Tantrum House was live on location at Origins Game Fair 2018. In this episode, they get a QuickLook at games coming from Brain Games Publishing and Deep Water Games.
Melissa interviews Shawn at CMON Expo 2018 about Blue Moon City. A reprint with new art work and minis of the popular game - Blue Moon City by Reiner Knizia.
Melissa interviews Shawn at CMON Expo all about Gizmos.
Kevin and Melissa recap their experiences at CMON Expo 2018!
While at Origins we got in a SUPER quick interview with Ross Tompson from IDW Games and he gave us a glimpse at several of their newest board games. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Orphan Black, Outpost Siberia and Planet of the Apes are all available or coming soon!
While at Origins we had a chance to check out a couple of IDW's games, including the new Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty's Trail. Here's a real quick look at what the game is about.
While at Origins 2017 we had an opportunity to interview Sarah Erickson from Renegade Game Studios and get a Quick Look at a new board game coming to the market soon: Flipships
(Sorry the volume is bad - we had mic issues). Melody from Smirk & Dagger drops it like it's hot when she gives the rundown on their entire lineup of board games in under 3 minutes! It's a feat to be witnessed.
While at Origins we had an opportunity to interview the designers behind the brand new Spoils of War game from Arcane Wonders. Here's a Quick Look at everything inside the box and some of the thought behind it!
While at the Origins Game Fair we got a Quick Look at a game that will be coming out next year. It's called Tower of Madness, and it's being published by Smirk and Dagger. It's a cthulhu themed kerplunk style game with lots of cool dice and cards to fill it out. Looks like its going to be a blast!
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Welcome to the House!Tantrum House is a board game media group that seeks to provide the best reviews, kickstarter previews, and family-friendly hobby-hype possible! 
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