What would you like to see us play on Tabletop Season Three?

Posted on By Wil

Anonymous asked:

Second Season of Wil Wheaton Project. Yes or No? I hope SyFy channel has the foresight to keep it going.

So for those of you who don’t know, earlier this summer, I did 12 episodes of a silly comedy show on Syfy called The Wil Wheaton Project. It was basically The Soup for people like me who enjoy sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, as well as jokes about those things. If you’d like to see a bunch of clips from the show, they’re right here on my YouTube thing.

We’re officially on hiatus right now, and we don’t know if the network will order more episodes. I know that they liked us in a creative sense, but the ratings weren’t very good (ratings are generally not very good in summer, and while I don’t believe that ratings are as important as they once were, my opinion on the matter isn’t particularly important to the decision makers), but the people who did watch us really liked us. So I won’t know for a few more weeks, but until then, I’m on hiatus, which means I get to write more, play more games, and prep for season three of Tabletop, which goes into production in October.

Part of that preparation includes finding 20 games to play on the show, and as of today, I have eight (maybe nine) that are strong contenders.

What do you want us to play on the show next year? Would you tell me the game, the publisher, and why you like it?

Keep in mind the criteria for Tabletop game selection:

  1. Plays well with 4 people.

  2. Plays in under 90 minutes.

  3. Can be generally explained in about 5 minutes.

  4. Has a high ration of luck to strategy, so everyone has a chance to win the game.

  5. Looks great, has clear graphical design and photographs well.

  6. Is not something we’ve played before.

I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

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Comments (2,070)

  1. You should play Sentinels of the Multiverse! It’s a great coop game and it would be really fun to see you guys pretending to be superheroes

  2. Hi Wil, since you’re asking, I’ll throw in 3 sugs:

    A) Bang! or Bang Dice. Da Vinci Games. True, the card game shines at 5+ players, but theme plays well to casual gamers, and I think the tabletop audience would love it and see the potential for a Bang! game night.

    B) Fresh off Kickstarter and a CAH deathmatch finalist that Mike Selinker has said some kind words about – The Amberden Affair, Two Penny Games. This is a 2-4 player whodunnit with simultaneous play. Everyone is playing a footman serving dignitaries at a party, trying to fulfill orders, spread rumors and catch the imposter trying to poison the party guests.

    C) Last but not least, would love to nominate my design and 2013 published title, “What the Food?!”, Squirmy Beast Inc. It’s a cafeteria food fight to the death! (well, to the humiliation). Variable player powers, adjustable difficulty, and silly food combos. Again, like Bang! – 4 players isn’t the sweet spot (5-8 becomes even better), but as your show has fun personalities, the game would fit well, I believe. I would also of course, get everyone on the show a copy. 🙂

    Thanks for asking! LOVE the show – can’t wait for Season 3!

  4. cyclades, quantum, machi koro, boss monster, defenders of the realm ….. off the top of my head 😀

  8. Jamaica has my vote. Ca$h n guns as well. I hear the BANG! Dice game is pretty good too.

    7 wonders

  9. Dead of Winter creates a great narrative through the gameplay. You control a group of survivors in the zombie apocalypse during winter. The game focuses on the survival and interaction aspects as opposed to the zombie killing side. There are group and secret objectives with the potential of a betrayer. Check out some videos below.

    Watch it Played

    Board with Life

  10. King’s Forge – Published this month by Game Salute

    Ask them for the optional pretty board that they made along with it. It’s basically Elder Scrolls weapon crafting as a board game with dice. You spend dice to gather better dice then eventually roll those dice to try and craft something. But other people can try to craft the same item with higher numbers and steal the item away from you. Plays in less than an hour and max of 4 players.

  12. I thought of 1 more that might work Goa by Z-man games. It’s an auction game that plays up to 4. It might not qualify for the rules explanation restriction of 5 mins though.

  13. Cosmic Encounter – Greatest game ever made. It has literally infinite replayability, double crossing, lies and deceit, hilarious situations and rule breaking aliens! Brilliant!
    Dead of Winter – Surviving the zombie apocalypse in winter as a co-operative group, but with the potential for a traitor, secret objectives and George RR. Martin dice!
    Black Gold – Beautiful FFG game about exploring and drilling for oil, then exporting it to market to sell. Has a really interesting auction mechanic and some good push your luck elements. Shut up and Sit Down call it a Monopoly beater, and the one thing this game deserves is more publicity.

  14. Have you done ankh morpork? I don’t recall seeing it yet, but it plays extremely well with four.

  15. My top five (in no particular order) would be:

    Abyss (gorgeous, fun and strategic),

    Concept (original and quite funny filler),

    Koryo (very clever filler yet pretty simple),

    Ghost Stories (would have loved Robinson Crusoe but I guess it’s too long, Ghost Stories is nearly as much of a devil and the ghosts advancing around the tiles would have a nice cinematic touch),

    and Libertalia (because pirates, also with everyone playing with the same cards, you don’t have to explain all the special powers at once)

    Sorry if there are no american games on the list. TableTop is usually how I discover those, so…

    1. Forgot to mention the publishing companies. Asmodee for Abyss and Libertalia, Repos Prod for Concept and Ghost Stories, Moonster Games for Koryo.

  16. String Railway could work, there isn’t a huge amount of luck involved but it’s delightfully simple, ideal for four players, and looks amazing!

    Pandemic is my go to game to get people enthusiastic about the hobby and either one of the expansions would make for a brilliant sequel to your previous Pandemic episode.

    I would suggest Cards Against Humanity because it’s hilarious but I can see how that might be an issue…

  18. I think you guys should play Werewolf, or one of its variations such as Ultimate Werewolf. It’s not your typical Tabletop kind of game, but it would give the interplay between the four “contestants” lots of chance to blossom 😀

  22. Gauntlet of Fools (http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/129293/gauntlet-fools)

    The boasting part of the game almost DEMANDS trash talking (“Oh yeah? Well I can do that hopping on one leg, while blindfolded, AND without breakfast!”) Depending on what monsters come up during the dungeon part and what boasts players took, the game could be over in a couple minutes (in which case I’d recommend playing a second time) or could last for a while. BGG suggests half an hour, which seems about right.

  23. I’m a bit surprised no one’s mention this yet, but how about CAH’s cleaner cousin, Apples to Apples?

  24. “Epic Resort” by Floodgate Games
    The basic premise is that you’re running a resort for tourists, and superheroes, to relax and enjoy the resort attractions/amenities you’ve built. Worker placement, making money, upgrading the resort, etc. The twist is that monsters also attack the resort, forcing you in to a decision – do you ask the superheroes to protect the tourists, or do you let your VIP guests get some rest and let the monsters eat the tourists? Pretty fun game, brand new mechanics, and great artwork.
    http://floodgategames.com/Epic-Resort/

  25. 7 wonders? A second vote for ankh morpork, looks more complicated than it is…..could you do an ep of mini 2 player games? Along the quirkle/ 12 days format, play with different people? That could be fun (I vote for khet in that case! Don’t play with an engineer!) P.s. where’s my lootcrate? 😉

  26. Transparently, as part of Arcane Wonders, I’d love to see Sheriff of Nottingham, but in addition, as a fan of the show, I’d love to see Descent, Pathfinder the Adventure Cards Game: Skulls and Shackles, or Black Fleet as well. Thanks for engaging the community on this, you guys do a great job keeping you finger on the pulse of the hobby.

  28. I think Kill Doctor Lucky would go over well. It’s my favorite game you haven’t done yet.

    Unexploded Cow might work, but I know card games present logistical challenges. (When are you going to get your table rigged with those tiny cameras they use to televise Texas Hold’em?)

    Deadwood Studios, USA has so many opportunities for campy acting that it might be fun to do.

    And I want to put in a plug for another “Multiple Beer and Pretzels Games” episode, like Tsuro/Zombie Dice/Get Bit and Quirkle/12 Days. One of those per season is great fun.

  29. I recommend Bohnanza by Rio Grande Games. It’s a card/resource management game.

    It plays well with 4 people (that’s the size of one of my gaming groups). It plays in under 90 minutes (Board Game Geek says that it plays in 45, but we are very social in our gaming and beer drinking so it’s usually around an hour for us). Easily explained in 5 minutes or less, and the rules are very straightforward. There’s strategy in what cards you choose to keep, but a lot of it is just in the luck of the draw. The card illustrations are funny. For the show you might have to do some close up shots of the cards, but they are easily distinguishable from each other even from a bit of a distance. You haven’t played it on the show.

    If you haven’t played it off of the show, it’s probably because everyone looks at it and asks themselves “How much fun can growing beans be?” Answer: A lot. Partly because the trading mechanic gets you talking, partly because some of the pictures of the beans are hilarious, and yes, partly because you realize that you’re playing a game about growing beans. I like it because even after we’ve lost the interest of a gaming member or two in a longer game, we’re always up for Bohnanza to rejuvenate the game day or to wrap it up on a good all inclusive note.

    Spread the word! Grow beans!

  31. 1) Villainous Vikings
    2) Quantum
    3) Shadow Hunters
    4) Compounded

    These are in no particular order!

  32. Well, one thing you guys haven’t had on Tabletop yet is… me!

    😀

    🙂

    🙁

    I feel like Camel Up!, Hanabi, Space Cadets Dice Duel, and Libertalia would all be good contenders!

  40. Space Cadets or Space Cadets Dice Duel would be fantastic for the show. Lots of interaction and laughs.

  41. Sheriff of Nottingham by Arcane Wonders

    It is an absolute blast to play and so easy to learn. Never the same game twice!

  43. Jupiter Rescue, by Twilight Creations, is a great cooperative game that plays in about an hour and seats 4 players REALLY well. You’re rescue robots trying to save the bumbling humans from the alien tentacle monsters invading from all sides. Highly recommended!

  44. Heroes Wanted from Action Phase Games – humorous superhero combat game where characters are created with an adjective and noun card (Furious Fury, Fancy Beard, Danger Giraffe) which all feature unique powers/abilities (a bit like Smash-Up). Also includes party game/roleplay style ‘quirks’. Rulebook includes ‘first game’ recommendations to keep it simple, too.

    Dead of Winter from Plaid Hat Games – zombie survival game where players have a co-operative objective and their own selfish objective that could cause tension and suspicion among the players, but there may also be a traitor in the ranks. Along with fleshed-out characters and unexpected storytelling events that lead to even more tough decisions, it oozes theme and functions like a quicker-playing BSG.

    Relic Expedition from Foxtrot Games – extremely easy to grasp game about jungle exploration and monkey pacification. Always fun when you get to land three panthers on a single player in one go.

  45. I’m sure the newest and hottest will get plenty of mentions, so here are few that are fantastic games that would show well that might not be on your radar.

    Flash Point Fire Rescue by Indie Boards and Cards – Fun co-op with simple and clear instructions and graphic design.
    For something more mellow, have you looked at Tokaido by Antoine Bauza and published by Funforge? Board and cards are simple and would show up well.
    Eight-Minute Empire: Legends by Red Raven would be nice for a filler/multi-game session.

    Why no Forbidden Desert by Gamewright yet? I figured it was a sequel you’d be sure to show.

  46. Wow. I waited a day to answer and now there are 1339 comments ahead of mine! Since I’m obviously not going to read through them all, my suggestions are probably already suggested, but here goes:

    Puerto Rico — One of my fav games of all time
    Agricola – always wondered about this one
    Dominion – played it once and loved it.
    7 Wonders – looks cool
    RoboRally – I hear about this a lot but not even sure it is still in print.

    and Kill Doctor Lucky. I want to see how the game play is on this before I buy it. Looks fun.

  49. Games running 90 min or less:

    Red Dragon Inn (SlugFest Games) – This is a prime pick, and I am surprised you haven’t done it yet. Hilarious characters and fun game. I can see the players really getting into character. Must use a plush rabbit prop for whomever gets to be the wizard!

    Puerto Rico (Rio Grand Games) – This would be a good one for Tabletop. Everyone seems to like it.

    Summoner Wars (Plaid Hat Games) – Strategy Deck Building game, can be played with teams of two. It’s fun and reminds me a bit of chess with a deck building aspect.

    Stone Age (Z- Man Games) – Looks like a fun game and I would like to see it played

    Innovation (Asmadi Games) – It’s card game with an estimated 30 min playtime. I haven’t played it but I saw some people playing it before and it looks interesting.

    Drunkquest (Loot Corps) – Have always been curious about this one since I saw it on kickstarter. Not sure if the players drinking makes good television, but you can always pretend! Estimated 20 min playtime.

    Longer running Games:

    Firefly: The Game (Gale Force 9) – As everyone else has said, but I think this game might run a bit long.

    Order of the Stick Adventure Game (Ape Games) – Who doesn’t love Order of the Stick? This also might run long

    Vampire: Prince of the City (White Wolf) – It’s a longer game, but I would like to see it played.

  50. Would really like to see maybe even just one episode, even if it has to be a two-part episode that features a popular but not-so-introductory strategy game (realizing this violates your criteria at the beginning). Want to sink my teeth into a game that isn’t over with in 45 minutes, but not sure where to start. As your fan base is maybe getting more experienced with gaming, this is something to experiment with?

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