ÜberSciFiGeek – Page 155

Robots & Donuts: The Art of Eric Joyner

Robots and donuts, two staples in the life of a geek, are celebrated in Robots & Donuts: The Art of Eric Joyner, an oversized art book which will soon also be available as a limited edition hardcover that includes a signed-and-numbered tip-in sheet featuring an exclusive image not in the regular edition softcover. The brightly coloured, surreal art of Robots & Donuts is primarily defined as pop culture art, appealing to the average genre fan with a taste for retro style and subject matter, but Eric Joyner’s paintings have increasingly found their way into the collections of serious art aficionados. No doubt, nostalgia unites the low- and high-brow art communities:

In the years following World War II the major export from Japan wasn’t electronic equipment, but toys, specifically tin toys. Crafted in the shapes of submarines, planes, trains, cars, and horses, one of the most popular motifs were toy robots. Constructed in virtually every shape imaginable from the 1940s throughout the 1960s, they ranged in appearance from horror to science fiction characters. Today, these toys are not only fondly remembered by collectors but are being re-created for a whole new generation!

Capturing this period in history became a passion of painter Eric Joyner’s and in Robots and Donuts he celebrates this forgotten era with images marrying the metal creations with images plucked from his imagination. And, almost always, with donuts. (Why? Well, who doesn’t love donuts?) This book also features a look into Joyner’s painting style as well as a glimpse at some of his other non-robot themed artwork.

A sneak peek of the art in Robots & Donuts is available through a Flip Book and Preview at Dark Horse Comics’ website.

If you don’t have serious donut cravings — [insert Homer Simpson drooling here] — and a desire to play with your old Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots by the end of this captivating, 176-page book, then you may have to turn in your geek member card.

Order now at Amazon.com:
Robots & Donuts: The Art of Eric Joyner

Pre-order at Amazon.com:
Robots & Donuts: The Art of Eric Joyner (limited edition hardcover)

Robots & Donuts: The Art of Eric Joyner and Robots & Donuts: The Art of Eric Joyner (limited edition hardcover) are distributed by Dark Horse Books, a division of Dark Horse Comics. For more information on the book and its author, visit Dark Horse Comics’ ArtBooks Zone and the website of Eric Joyner.

Project Fiver: One Hobbit’s Journey

Project Fiver: Cast Lord of the Rings fan Melissa “Fiver” Kern as a hobbit extra in the upcoming The Hobbit film(s)

To: New Line Cinema / Wingnut Films

The goal of Project Fiver is to deliver a petition to Peter Jackson, New Line, and whomever takes the Directorship, asking that Melissa “Fiver” Kern be cast as a costumed hobbit extra in the upcoming film(s) of The Hobbit.

Melissa has done an incredible amount to promote Tolkien Fellowship with her groups, as well as the DragonCon and Mythic Journeys conventions. She has been an active member on TheOneRing.net, co-founder of ArmsOfMiddleEarth.com and member of numerous LotR-Related Moots, and Meet-Up groups in the Atlanta area.

Melissa has just been diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Essentially, it causes all the motor neurons in the brain to shut down, gradually making the muscles unable to function. Life expectancy is 3-5 years from diagnosis. (She’s had the disease for about a year already.) The disease progressively takes away movement and coordination. In September, she marched with fellow LotR fans in the annual DragonCon parade. Six months later, she is barely walking, and needs my help to climb stairs or get dressed.

Many in these groups have been asking what they can do to help her out and lift her spirits, and Project Fiver is my best answer.

It would be a simple matter for New Line to honor her with an Extra role in the Hobbit film, but it would speak volumes about their commitment to the fans of Lord of the Rings.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

For more information, visit Project Fiver: One Hobbit’s Journey.

The Project Fiver: Cast Lord of the Rings fan Melissa “Fiver” Kern as a hobbit extra in the upcoming The Hobbit film(s) Petition to New Line Cinema / Wingnut Films was created by Members of the Lord of the Rings Fellowship and written by Chris Kern (ProjectFiver@gmail.com).

Sandeep Parikh Invites World of Warcraft Players to Participate in His Newest Project

from Effinfunny:

Hey all, I’m going to be directing a video for Machinima.com and for it we’re polling the one place with 11 million people that no else is polling, Azeroth, the world within the popular online role playing game The World of Warcraft. So if you play and are old enough to vote, please take two minutes to respond to the following questions (you may just hit reply if you get this through email, otherwise email effinfunny@gmail.com with the subject “Azeroth Poll”)

1) What is your race/class/level/professions in the World of Warcraft (NOT in Real Life!)

2) Who are you planning on voting for in the 2008 presidential elections (Obama, McCain, Undecided)

3) What is the number one most important issue to you when choosing a presidential candidate?

4) Would you be interested in a phone interview with Effinfunny/Machinima.com so you can sound off on your thoughts anonymously about this election? If yes, please leave us your name and number.

That’s it! Thanks! If you’re not a WoWer then go watch episode 5 of Neil (we’re so close to 100K views I can taste it!)

— Sandeep Parikh

Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition

Kermode Kids, a family-run company based in Kamloops, BC, Canada, brings their slogan, “Exploring nature, Expanding horizons”, to life with their inaugural game, Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition. This card game is a variant of the original Go Fish!, with 13 animals — Black Bear, Wolverine, American Badger, Mountain Caribou, Cougar, Grizzly Bear, Mountain Goat, Grey Wolf, Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Canada Lynx, Vancouver Island Marmot, and Elk — representative of the westernmost province of Canada taking the place of the usual fish. (One quibble this review’s playtesters had: where’s the national animal of Canada, the beaver?) The cards are illustrated by Chemainus, BC, artist Michael Hames and feature fun educational facts written by BC biologists about each of the game’s animals.

From the game:

“Wild British Columbia” — It is an image that visitors and residents alike embrace and hope to experience. Hiking through the fragrant, blossom-wrapped meadows of the high-country, kayaking alongside the mystical viewscapes of the Pacific Ocean, sitting in serenity among the majestic and primevel coastal forests: these are just a few of the wonderful and memorable vignettes that British Columbia has to offer.

From the wet and wild, west coast to the dry and dusty deserts, from the low-lying lakes and rivers to the high, rugged mountain peaks, this coastal province offers a wide range of homes to a wide range of animals. In fact, almost one third of all the black bears in Canada live in British Columbia! Often called the Serengeti of the North, northern British Columbia in particular is home to an amazing concentration of large mammals, like mountain sheep, bears, elk, wolves and caribou. In a country renowned for its wilderness, British Columbia is truly the jewel in Canada’s crown.

Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition supports 2-6 players, ages 4 and up, and is a fast and easy game to learn and play, with thick, glossy cards that will stand up to constant use. A suggested gameplay alternative, to slow down the lightning pace of the game and take greater advantage of the scientific information it contains, is to have the players read aloud the fact write-ups on their cards when they complete animal sets; children too young to read can substitute by making animal sounds.

Upcoming from Kermode Kids:
Old Maid! British Columbia: Bird Edition (November 15, 2008)

Which bird uses swim goggles to see underwater? And who puts glue at their door to keep unwanted guests out? Find out by playing Old Maid! British Columbia, featuring 14 members of British Columbia’s bird community. With 14 vibrant illustrations by a BC artist and 27 memorable fun-facts written by BC biologists, this card game will be a hit with adults and children alike. Each deck includes a “How to Play” card.

Both of these environmentally-minded games would make perfect British Columbian souvenirs, or inexpensive stocking stuffers and gifts to mail this holiday season.

Order directly through the Kermode Kids website.

Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition and Old Maid! British Columbia: Bird Edition are distributed by Kermode Kids, a division of KermodeKids Ventures Ltd.

Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show, Episode 17: Team Gorgeous Tiny

Go Team Gorgeous Tiny Go! When an evil monster steals the guest only one super team can save them! It’s Kiko and Friends to the rescue but will the team be able to come together to defeat the evil menace?

LucasArts and BioWare Reveal Star Wars: The Old Republic

from StarWars.com:

LucasArts and BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced the development of Star Wars®: The Old Republic™, a story-driven massively multiplayer online PC game set in the timeframe of the Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™ franchise. Star Wars: The Old Republic, being developed and published by BioWare and LucasArts, represents an innovative approach to interactive entertainment, featuring immersive storytelling, dynamic combat and intelligent companion characters.

In Star Wars: The Old Republic, players will explore an age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy. Players can choose to play as Jedi, Sith, or a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, defining their personal story and determining their path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way, players will befriend courageous companions who will fight at their side or possibly betray them, based on the players’ actions. Players can also choose to team up with friends to battle enemies and overcome incredible challenges using dynamic Star Wars combat.

“Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the most critically acclaimed Star Wars game in LucasArts history and a preeminent example of our company’s interactive storytelling heritage,” said Darrell Rodriguez, President of LucasArts. “For a long time, we’ve long wanted to return to the franchise in a grand way, and we felt that the best setting for it was an online world that would allow millions of people to participate in the experience together. We knew that the developer capable of working with us to deliver an engrossing story with a fully-realized online world was BioWare.”

“Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars — combat, exploration and character progression,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., “In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we’re fusing BioWare’s heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation — story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe.”

Added Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Co-Founder and Vice President Development Operations, BioWare and Vice President, Electronic Arts Inc., “Star Wars: The Old Republic is set roughly 300 years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic, a timeframe that is completely unexplored in the lore. BioWare has been able to add to the Star Wars history in developing the game’s story and has created an overarching narrative that players can enjoy, regardless of their play style. Our goal is to offer players an emotionally rewarding experience that combines the traditional elements of MMO gameplay with innovations in story and character development.”

Additional details on Star Wars: The Old Republic features, gameplay and release date will be announced at a later time. For more information about Star Wars: The Old Republic and to sign up for future product updates, please visit StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com.

Guyot Designs Squishy Bowls and Utensils

Guyot Designs, an outdoor products specialist, prides itself on being a holistic company, dedicated to creating functional yet beautiful designs that respect a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and corporate ethics. Their products are strictly eco-friendly, with the goal of being 100% recyclable and reclaimable, and are produced by fair and sustainable labour using the cleanest technologies possible; some of Guyot Designs’ products are even shipped without packaging to reduce waste and environmental impact, as part of their “carbon negative” initiative. They partner with independent inventors and designers to help them bring these unique and undiscovered products to the marketplace, then contribute partial sales proceeds to socially important causes like the Rocky Mountain Institute.

The company is probably best known for its innovative and award-winning Squishy Bowls. These space-saving bowls, made of flexible food-grade silicone that’s temperature resistant to 400°F, are designed to be collapsible, so they can be brought along anywhere without taking up much space, but always retain their shape. They’re available in four vibrant colours — Lime, Slate, Tahoe Blue, and Tomato — and are easy to clean, as they only require a quick hand wash with soap and water. (One review suggested turning the bowls inside out to lick them clean, but this proved to be a bit awkward and messy.)

Ideal companions for the Squishy Bowls are the Utensils, particularly the MicroBites size. These versatile 5-in-1 cooking, eating, and serving utilities consist of a spoon, fork, knife, spatula, and spreader, all in two pieces which ingeniously snap together. The Utensils are available in Celery, Mustard, and Tomato, and the MicroBites in Slate, Tangerine, and Tomato. They range from 6 to 9½ inches long and are made of a high-temperature nylon polymer that can withstand heat up to 450°F. They’re safe on Teflon and other coated cookware, can be easily boiled and wiped clean, and have specially long handles to keep your hands clean with deep pots or containers. As an added bonus, they have holes in the ends of the handles that enable them to be attached to packs with carabiners, which makes MicroBites convenient, lightweight tools to carry around at conventions such as Comic-Con.

The full line of Guyot Designs’ products includes the SplashGuard (Universal, Original, and Mini in multiple colours and image designs), Gription, Firefly, Bottles (surgical grade stainless steel that comes in four shapes and sizes: The Standard, Shorty, Commuter, and Backpacker — Insulated version coming soon), Lid, Squishy Bowls (Bowl & Cup Set, Medium Bowl, The Travel Shot), Utensils, MicroBites, and Spork. A stand-out is the Firefly, which turns your water bottle into a lantern, night-light, or reading lamp: “The Firefly’s design allows it to be used right side up, upside down, or hanging from the nearest handy branch. The unique replacement lid design contains integrated LED lights which spread a warm glow throughout the bottle. The variable light levels allow you to go from tent nightlight to nighttime trail lantern with the push of a button… the control is at your fingertip! The electronics are in a sealed compartment, so there’s no risk of water or juice gumming up the works! Compatible with all standard wide-mouth bottles sold through specialty Outdoor Retailers.” The Firefly uses 3 AAA size batteries; rechargables are recommended since they are more enviromentally friendly. (Hopefully a solar-powered Firefly 2.0 is currently in development to eliminate the need for batteries altogether.)

Guyot Designs offers long-life products with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Order now at Amazon.com:
Sports & Outdoors › Guyot Designs

Or order directly through the Guyot Designs website.

The items mentioned in this article are distributed by Guyot Designs and its associated Retailers and Distributors.

Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Last Hope for the Galaxy: From Tatooine to Dark Empire

Dark Horse Comics has published the absolute compendium of comics featuring Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, the 832-page tome Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Last Hope for the Galaxy: From Tatooine to Dark Empire. “Epic” is the word Dark Horse uses to describe the book, enthusing, “Luke Skywalker’s greatest adventures from over thirty years of comics are compiled in a single slipcased hardcover! A deluxe edition worthy of the hero who saved the galaxy, this massive volume follows Luke Skywalker on his journey from the moisture farms of Tatooine to the final days of the Dark Empire! Each story painstakingly selected from every Luke Skywalker comic ever published — from Marvel’s first issue to Dark Horse’s latest — this masterpiece collection is the ultimate portrait of one of the most widely known and widely loved heroes of modern mythology! All of the most exciting, most significant stories of Luke Skywalker are here in this breathtaking oversized hardcover. Never has there been a more magnificent assemblage of Star Wars comics, or a more perfect prize for any Star Wars fan!”

Includes:
“Luke Skywalker’s Walkabout” — Dark Horse Presents Annual 1999
“Falling Star” — Tales #15
“The Day After the Death Star” — Marvel UK Star Wars #97-99
“The Return of Ben Kenobi” — Classic Star Wars #10-11
“Crucible” — Marvel Star Wars #17
“General Skywalker” — Empire #26-27
“The Wrong Side of the War” — Empire #36-40
“My Brother, My Enemy” — Rebellion #1-5
“Riders in the Void” — Marvel Star Wars #38
“Splinter of the Mind’s Eye”
“Shira’s Story” — Marvel Star Wars #60-63
“Duel With a Dark Lady” — Marvel Star Wars #95-97
“Dark Empire”
“The Boy I Once Was” — Chewbacca #4

In honour of 2007’s 30th anniversary of Star Wars, Dark Horse Comics has also rereleased the highlights of their Star Wars comics line in the limited-edition hardcover Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection: “Since 1991, it has been Dark Horse Comics’ privilege to bring its readers monthly adventures set in that galaxy far, far away. It is to celebrate thirty years of Star Wars, and to thank our loyal readers that we present this twelve-volume collectors’ showcase of some of the finest graphic novel sagas ranging from one end of the Star Wars timeline to the other.” These commemorative books, with their matching black-matte-and-silver covers, inset with glossy, full-colour art panels, will be a focal point of any Star Wars library, so be sure to get them while you still can.

Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars titles are recommended for ages 12 and up.

Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Last Hope for the Galaxy: From Tatooine to Dark Empire and the Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection are distributed by Dark Horse Books, a division of Dark Horse Comics, in partnership with Lucas Books. For more Star Wars information, visit Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars Zone.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board

Dark Horse Deluxe has given the traditional Ouija, or spirit, board a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-style makeover, the end result being the stunning Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board.

What is more conducive to speaking to the spirits than a game board based on the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? In the tradition of the Sunnydale Hellmouth, through which countless entities gained entry, let voices from the other side move the planchette along the board, choosing letters and numbers to answer your queries. Follow in the footsteps of Willow and hone your witchy skills, learning to communicate with the beyond!*

*Game board for entertainment purposes only.

Aside from its obvious gaming use, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board makes the perfect accessory for Buffy cosplayers; add a few candles and crystals, and the scene is set to play Willow Rosenberg, resident witch of the Buffyverse’s Scooby Gang. Propped up on a shelf, the board would also make a gorgeous backdrop for a display of Buffy collectibles.

The effort Dark Horse put into making the Buffy Board an exceptional product is especially evident in the planchette, whose gold-and-black pressed board construction is far more solid and attractive than the flimsy plastic planchettes often packaged with spirit boards. Its smooth rubber feet glide well over the board’s surface, and have greater durability than the felt pads on cheaper models. Recognizable Buffy icons, such as Buffy’s Claddagh ring and Slayer’s Scythe, subtly adorn the board and its elegant box, and the instruction sheet included is — naturally, for Dark Horse Comics — designed as a page from a comic book, with all-new art and very amusing expository dialogue from characters Willow, Dawn, and Xander.

Recommended for ages 14 and up.

Order now at Amazon.com:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board is distributed by Dark Horse Deluxe, a division of Dark Horse Comics. For more Buffy the Vampire Slayer information, visit Dark Horse Comics’ Buffy Zone.

Asmodée Loses an Accent and Gets a Refreshing Change with a New Logo

from Asmodee Editions:

When does a logo change? When it no longers reflects the reality of its company. This was the case of the old Asmodée logo — with its old dragon scales inherited from the old RPG roots of Asmodée and its distinctively French accents, this logo no longer quite reflected this company has recently become:

Asmodee is now open to all sorts of games (from the light-hearted party gane to the strategy game, that’s without talking about licences, collectible card games and miniature games) and to players of all ages (the fabled 9 to 99), and is closer than ever to people with a presence at conventions throughout the year.

And mostly, Asmodee, through its branches across the world (Belgium, Germany, Spain, U.S.A.) is now planning and acting like a world leader when it comes to gaming. This is why we needed to no longer talk one language, but many of them — removing our “frenchy” accents to have a more universal “Asmodee” which can be read (and pronounced).

This is our new and improved logo, more fun and now with 100% more smiles, more open to the world, which is closer to what is Asmodee and what it wants you to discover.

Star Trek Featured in This Week’s Entertainment Weekly

from Entertainment Weekly:

After 10 often dismal movies, Star Trek had turned into a pop culture punchline. Even people who’d built their entire careers around Trek could see the writing on the wall. “Star Trek,” says Leonard Nimoy, “had run its course.” But director J.J. Abrams believes he can make the franchise cool again. This week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly has the inside scoop on Abrams’ surprising, idealistic odyssey, which could become next summer’s multiplex juggernaut.

“I don’t think people even understand what Star Trek means anymore,” says Abrams, who saw the first Star Trek film in 1979 with his father at a theater on the Paramount lot. But he feels no warm-fuzzy nostalgia about it. In fact, Abrams can sum up his regard for Trek in two words: Galaxy Quest, the 1999 hit starring Tim Allen that satirized Trek with painful precision. “It’s so ridiculous, so accurate, so sophisticated, it spoils the Star Trek universe,” he says. Plus, at heart, Abrams is still more of a Star Wars guy. “All my smart friends liked Star Trek,” he says. “I preferred a more visceral experience.” Which is exactly why he accepted Paramount ’s offer in 2005 to develop a new Trek flick; creatively, he was engaged by the possibility of a Star Trek movie “that grabbed me the way Star Wars did.”

Abrams says he was also drawn to the project because he believed in — and wanted to evangelize — Trek’s unabashed idealism. “I think a movie that shows people of various races working together and surviving hundreds of years from now is not a bad message to put out right now,” says Abrams. That ethos may seem cornball to an America darkened by a decade’s worth of catastrophe, but after an election season that has seen both presidential nominees run on “hope” and “change,” Star Trek just may find itself on the leading wave of a zeitgeist shift — away from bleak, brooding blockbusters and toward the light. “In a world where a movie as incredibly produced as The Dark Knight is raking in gazillions of dollars, Star Trek stands in stark contrast,” Abrams says. “It was important to me that optimism be cool again.”

Is the world ready again for Trek’s optimistic vision of the future? Some involved with the film suspect the presidential election may have a dramatic effect on how Star Trek will be perceived. “This is a franchise that offers hope for unity — and so does Barack Obama,” says Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock. “When this movie comes out, and Obama is president, hopefully there will be some parallels.” Perhaps, but the elder Spock knows that moments of unity can be fleeting. “My only regret is that the movie can’t come out sooner,” Nimoy says. “I think the world could use it. Don’t you?”

While Nimoy will be putting on his ears to play a wizened Spock in the new Star Trek, don’t expect a cameo by William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Last month, the 77-year-old actor posted a video on YouTube, complaining about being left behind, and chastising Abrams, even though Shatner’s Kirk died in Star Trek Generations (1994). “I brought him back to life in one of my books, very easily,” Shatner tells Abrams in the video. “I’m just sorry that I’m not in your wonderful movie.”

Abrams has seen the video, of course. “I don’t know how my life has become a thing where William Shatner talks to me through YouTube,” Abrams tells EW. “I was such a huge fan of his, but we wrote a scene for him in the movie and it didn’t feel right. And he said to us — he said publicly — that doing a cameo didn’t interest him. Which I totally appreciate. But we did try.” EW tried to reach Shatner, but he declined to be interviewed. Through a spokesperson he said, “I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to be involved in the Star Trek universe at this point.”

You can read the full Entertainment Weekly article at Star Trek: New Movie, New Vision.

The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow

If you’re having a party with a spooky theme, and are looking for a game that a large group of people can play, The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow from Asmodee Editions makes for a howling good time. The premise of this murder mystery-style game is simple: townsfolk versus werewolves. As the box states, “The small town of Miller’s Hollow has become infested with werewolves. The townsfolk must take immediate action and eradicate this menace before they are all devoured… Who are you? Werewolf or townsperson? You will secretly receive a character card. Once you know your identity, you are all under the control of the game moderator. You’re a werewolf — Your goal: By night, devour villagers. By day, try your best to “pass” as an honest citizen. You’re a townsperson — Your goal: To discover the werewolves and to persuade the other players to eliminate them (while avoiding being suspected yourself). Your task is a difficult one! Fortunately, certain villagers have special abilities: the Fortune Teller, the Hunter, the Witch… They will help you to fight the werewolves.”

There’s an expansion pack, New Moon, available to make The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow more complex. 36 event cards add exciting, random twists to the game, and there are 5 new characters: the Defender, the Elder, the Scapegoat, the Piper, and the Village Idiot. Game variants introduced in the New Moon rulebook include Moonlight (play outdoors in a magical ambiance), Community of Hamlets (up to 200 players at the same time), Harvest Festival (with strange alterations to the abilities), Double “You” (the villagers have double personalities), The Writing’s on the Wall, The Black Death, and Lycanthropic Fascination.

The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow supports 8-18 players, ages 10 and up. Game length: 20-30 minutes.

As a less-scary alternative for younger party guests, Asmodee Editions offers Wooly Bully, a colourful tile game for the entire family, ages 7 and up, that pits sheep against wolves. 2-4 players take on the role of shepherd and try to safely fence in as many sheep as possible, hindering opponents by preventing their flocks from becoming fully enclosed and placing wolf tiles near their fields. Tiles with hunters on them are used to foil the hungry wolves. Each of the four shepherd groups are clearly marked by colour — black, blue, red, and yellow sheep, each with slightly different shades of grass — and the sheep also have patterns on their fleece to help those players who don’t see colours well. These visual clues add a great deal to the beauty of the game’s art, as well as making tile identification easy for young players. There are a number of rules, but they are fairly straightforward; after a round or two with adult help, smaller children will be able to happily play on their own. Average playing time: 30 minutes.

Order now at Amazon.com:
The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow
The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow: New Moon, Expansion #1
Wooly Bully

Or order directly through the Asmodee Editions website.

The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow, New Moon, and Wooly Bully are distributed by Asmodee Editions (US), a subsidiary of Asmodee Editions (France). For more information on Wooly Bully, visit the official game website at Wooly Bully.