They are out here doing things I couldn’t dream of on a skateboard
11.03.2026 14:06
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They are out here doing things I couldn’t dream of on a skateboard
I keep thinking about how much Spooktacular overdelivered for me. I had zero expectations for it, but it was a delight. Its weight and level of asymmetry hit the sweet spot of “oh, you can do that?! That’s cool! Look what I can do!” without creating too much overhead.
So psyched for this!
Equitably true for board games.
Let me tell ya, this round has been extra weird for me, because my wife has had the Lindy West Poly Situation on her radar for years at this point, and seeing what felt like a very niche, para-social (somewhat by design!) thing that has been ruminated on in our house for a long time blow up is funny
Two lovely songs from two lovely artists. Their voices support each other’s so well.
Well, maybe this is slightly better because it’s **technically** press about her book, which is in part about her relationship?
Looking at that last sentence I just wrote, I don’t think it actually makes it any better.
And look, the conflicts between public facing evangelicals from all faiths and the Hitchens/Dawkins strain of New Atheism wasn’t the start of it, but it definitely set the tone for how the discussion has went since then.
Personally, I’ve been thinking for a while that it seems like almost everyone, regardless of affiliation, lowers their own intellectual standards when discussing religion. There seems to be no faster way to getting everyone to be reflexive and reactionary than to bring up religion.
Middle age is creeping up on me fast. I spent part of my lunch break telling my wife how I had a visceral negative reaction to seeing Eric Clapton in this live version of Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing,” and then when on a short rant about how Mark Knopfler’s guitar work proves Clapton’s a hack.
Cannot believe this show is making me confront the phrase “Billie Eilish Boomerang Idol.”
It was still a great premiere
Yeah, the QT-ing was wild. The thin skinnedness about criticism directed towards selling review copies also got comical. When another larger reviewer in the space is invoking Gamergate in a response defending the practice, it felt like the whole thing had kind of spun out into a weird pettiness.
I totally get that. The realities are so different now. It’s an easy stance for me to take when I have no skin in the game and am not trying to make something resembling a living doing that work.
It’s tough for me not to bristle at the idea of it, mostly because those standards and practices exist(ed) for a reason. Even if they were born out of an editorial environment that doesn’t exist anymore, a big part of me is always going to feel that those obligations and responsibilities still exist
Probably better than seeing Mt. Neal erupt
Cannot believe this ended with a notable board game reviewer invoking GamerGate when confronted with people criticizing the practice of selling review copies.
That separation can collapse in those larger outlets too with the wrong incentives (I.e. Jeff Gerstmann getting canned from GameSpot for being unwilling to change his review for a Kane and Lynch game because upper management was getting pressure from Eidos and caved like suckers).
There are expectations and responsibilities attached to being an editorial outlet, and it’s not gatekeeping to expect those outlets to live up to those expectations and responsibilities.
And here’s the thing; there’s absolutely nothing wrong with enthusiast media. I love a good podcast. But there’s a line between being enthusiasts and being an editorial outlet, and blurring that line creates a media environment that harms the hobbies we love.
At least the video game outlets (back in the day, at least) of note had distinct news/previews divisions and reviews divisions. It’s not like 2005 GameSpot was sending Brad to these publisher events and then having him review the games too.
Love that turtle.
It just feels like a non-stop barrage of feel bad stories around board games and board game media in the past month.
Man, the hits just keep coming.
Once again, I’m reminded how the erosion of editorial standards and move towards enthusiast press and away from a journalistic press (which includes criticism) has irreparably damaged the media ecosystem around hobby games.
I think the issue is that ethical editorial behavior should reinforce avoiding even the appearance of conflicts of interest. However small any potential profits are, selling your review copy pokes a pretty big hole in that.
A screenshot from Twin Peaks. An FBI agent driving in a car is saying "Diane, 11:30am, February 24th. I'm entering the town of Twin Peaks" into a dictaphone.
Happy 'entering the town of Twin Peaks' day to those that celebrate 🥳
guess what nerds
it's time for space trains
hollandspiele.com/products/ray...
There are other Pax games that I haven’t played, but I do hear good things about Pax Transhumanity. The rest, to my understanding, have varying level of Eklund’s funk on them, so your mileage may vary on how much of that you can stomach.
I think either Renaissance or Porfiriana would work well for that. Ren’s a bit more accessible than Porfiriana and has a much wider scope than Porfiriana or Pamir. Porfiriana is the most mechanically distinct one of the trio, though.
I’d recommend Ren, just because it’s a bit more accessible
I’m looking forward to the absolute trashing that I am sure Essen is about to get! There’s no way that you’re using the other meaning of the word convention, and no way that I’ll look like a fool for this later!