DiceFestGames.com

Give the Gift of Ratings

2012-01-16T09:58:00.000-06:00

Continuing with Outrider's first birthday celebration, I'd like to ask for a gift from each of you that have purchased and played Outrider: Tell us what you think :)

Outrider's entry on sites like BoardGameGeek will not be assigned a ranking until there are 30 or more ratings (currently 16, so more than halfway there!). Having this rank would boost Outrider's visibility on the site.

If you've already Rated it there, consider rating it on Wargamevault or any of onebookshelf's sites, if you purchased it from there.

Love it or hate, I want to hear from you, you're always welcome to post comments at any of these sites as well as on this blog or Outrider's Facebook page.

-G, DFG

What's Your Favorite Outrider Vehicle?

2012-01-12T10:53:00.001-06:00

Continuing our celebration of Outrider's first anniversary, I have put up a poll at BoardGameGeek.com. Tell me what you favorite chassis is (out of the original eight), tell me what your goto setup is and best of all, tell me any great anecdotes you have ... clutching victory out of the jaws of defeat, that one devastating hit, that time your lightly armored Renegade stonewalled a ramming Muleskinner ... The greatest thing about the past year has been all those exciting moments that make this game fun and memorable.

The Poll is located HERE

-G, DFG

Eight New Ways to Hurt One Another

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Just a quick note this morning. I've uploaded the new vehicle blanks to the Bolt-Ons Page, you can find them HERE.

In brief, these builds are 'upgraded' versions of the existing eight vehicles, all with a significant boost to their weapon arc coverage. These builds even include a few new arcs never seen before, such as the coveted 180 degree arc that many have asked for from the beginning.

Introducing the Rustler:

Here's an example of one of the new blanks - The Rustler. The Rustler is built upon the Renegade chassis, but sacrifices a little speed to gain a much wider range of fire. Although all eight new vehicles bear some resemblances to their original cousins, they add a new dimension to play, as they give players new tactical options.

Game balance is maintained, as these new vehicles have less 'boosts' to their characteristics when compared to the original eight.

-G, DFG

Happy Birthday, Outrider!

2012-01-04T15:54:00.000-06:00

DiceFestGames is celebrating one year of runnin' and gunnin' by offering the Outrider Jumpstarter Bundle for Half Price. During the month of January, the bundle will be available for $4.99.

Other Outrider News

Work and playtesting are still continuing for the upcoming Auxiliary Weapon expansion (renamed 'Not So Passive Agression'). After that, the player toolkit, including some expanded maeuvers, a rapid fire dice, a evasive maneuver dice and a few other helpful bits will be available in this FREE expansion. Vehicle Set 3 - A double sized set, including eight vehicles will be published, once the artwork is complete.

Until next time ...

-G, DFG

Another expansion, another update(!)

2011-08-24T07:20:00.000-05:00

I feel like I'm making software. But I guess that's the nature of designing and publishing your own game out of your kitchen. This update relates direct to the vehicle bases themselves. Over a year of playtesting, seven months of sales and two (nearing three) expansions, it has dawned on me that there is a bit of what I have called 'Weapon Arc Bias'.

What is 'Weapon Arc Bias' and What Can I Do to Prevent It?

Well the first step is to stay calm :)

The Raider V2 - "How do you like me now?"

When creating the points system for balancing the vehicle bases, I think I over valued the small, fixed weapon arcs. When linked together on the same facing (Gunslinger) the +1 link bonus levels the costs, compared to a articulated arc (Renegade). Simply put, the Gunslinger's second weapon makes up for the lack of coverage/flexibility that the Renegade driver has when targeting. When you step down to a single fixed arc (Muleskinner/Raider) it's like you've lost alot - No link bonus and your coverage shrinks to um ... virtually nothing.

So What Happens Now?

Well, with secondary arcs playing a big role in the next expansion, I have tweaked the vehicles a bit. Essentially any vehicle that has a small, unlinkable, fixed arc has had it repaced with a fixed wide arc. So now the facing will have the same coverage as a linked facing (but not as much as an articluated arc) but not grant the +1 bonnus for paired weapons ... this feels more like one step down instead of two. This should open up some options for the Muleskinner, Tailgunner, Raider and others.

You Mean Someone Actually Chooses to Play as the Raider?

Hey. Some of us used to drive the Raider to work everyday ;)

You probably didn't recognize it without the Anarchy symbol

Better Late then never(?)

2011-07-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

Greetings all. As many of you know, the TJSS Tuner Card deck was slated for late May or early June release. Well, I fell incredibly behind on this deadline, but for good reason. I felt that the deck needed a bit more playtesting, as some of the cards still felt a bit out of balance ... the good news is the deck gained four more cards in teh process, not counting the three freebies that are already out there.

The deck adds 32 pieces of bolt-on equipment to boost your ride's performance and defensive capabilities, as well as range cards that can augment or outright replace the original range ruler - these cards have the added bonus of being able to stack and store with your exisitng cards. There are a few new tokens for tracking equipment effects as well as some +3 and +4 tokens to make those augmented bonuses a bit easier to track.

all this goodness is available for $1.99 from the Bolt-Ons page, or as part of the new Jumpstarter Bundle, which also includes the base game and the damage deck, together in one, big set.

Up next: the auxililary weapons deck, because no car combat game is complete without an oil slick and a flamethrower.

-G

Version update coming before next expansion

2011-05-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

I really tried to resist this, but the base Outrider rules are moving to V1.1. Outrider underwent a year of playtesting. I compiled loads of feedback from friends, gamers and myself to streamline the game to what it is currently. I also decided to make the game expandable ... and that's where it got a little complicated.

Don't Panic!

I know I'm being a little dramatic here, but this is a big deal ... I know games (even non-video) go through many versions in their lifetime. The changes are not that major ... just a few tweaks to make the expansions (esp. the upgrades and aux weapons) integrate a little better. So here are the changes:

Control checks. The player now only needs to match the difficulty number, not exceed it to successfully perform a set of maneuvers. I realized it was very confusing and a bit unintuitive to do it the other way. This also gives those D6 drivers a bit more of a chance (bless their hearts).
Firing while stopped. This now requires 1AP to be spent per shot, instead of 3 shots for the price of 1 AP. This also ties into the next bullet point
Unloading from a stopped position. I have played alot of Outrider games with alot of different people, including my 16 year old, who is a master of discovering the loopholes (He is an invaluable playtester for this reason). One of the first goals was to make this a game about driving and shooting ... not a game of artillery duel. Now when you spend 1 AP/shot while standing still, you will receive +1 for each attack token after the first. You can still wallop the other guy, but you can't dink him for 3 hits.

Personally, I think this cleans up a few areas in the game that were a bit ambiguous ... and when the Tuner Cards and Aux Weapons decks are out, I think you'll understand why these changes were made.

The new version will be uploaded to all the respective downloads sites this week, including this site. Thanks to all for contributing and I apologize if this inconveniences anyone. Please feel free to contact me at dicefestgames@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

-G

Tuner Card Samples

2011-04-25T14:59:00.003-05:00

With the launch of The Tejas Speed Shop Tuner Cards coming soon, I thought I would give a brief glimpse of how the cards will interact with your current dashboard.

Drafting the cards

How many cards of what type of cards is up to the host/group. Does everyone choose one upgrade at random? Do you choose the category of upgrade (Performance, defensive, etc), but still choose a random item? Can players just draft the cards they want? Are duplicates allowed? It's up to you. My playtest group tended to allow one upgrade per car per game, usually drafted by the players - allowing teams to choose upgrades that complimented each other - but part of the charm is figuring out new ways to use them in games. The only hard rule is that one of each type per car is really about the limit - and this is usually only used as a balancing mechanic for unbalanced groups/scenarios.

Attaching the Cards

The cards are simply placed behind the dashboard card they augment. The top portion of the card gives an 'at-a-glance' look at the upgrade. If needed, detailed rules are printed below the summary, along with flavor text and (text permitting) an image of the equipment.

example dash with tuner cards

Sample Cards

I've uploaded a few images of cutting room floor items. These are items that were a little too ... 'out there' to include in the base tuner set. But remember: joining the Tejas Speed Club is a lifetime membership - anytime the catalog is updated/expanded, you will receive the new items free of charge!

Enjoy!

-G

Tejas Speed Shop Announces South Location

2011-04-21T12:18:00.003-05:00

image courtesy TJSS Motorsports

Laredo, TX - TJSS Motorsports, the parent company of 'Tejas Speed Shop & Military Surplus,' a popular retailer of performance, motorsports and survivalist gear, announced the opening of a fifth location near Laredo, TX. "We see it as adding the fifth point on the Tejas star," said future site manager Santos Herrera, as he handed his signature, ornate cane to an assistant, breaking the ground for the new site with a shovel decorated with the retailer's trademark red, white and blue colors. The company's other locations include sites near Amarillo, Ennis, El Paso as well as the flagship store - a nine square-mile wrecking yard built on top of an abandonned Atlas missile silo near Abilene, TX. "The Laredo store will serve as a distribution node for our salvage and remanufactured products that come from Mexico," Herrera stated, declining to comment as to whether that salvage included military surplus. "We will bring performance and protection to South Texas along with the prices and service that has made [Tejas Speed Shop] famous."

Herrera made news last year amid allegations of weapons trafficking and publicly denying that he once operated a large Mexican smuggling ring under the outriding pseudonym of 'El Cabron.'

Hit 'em where they hurt. Hit 'em when they're down.

2011-04-18T13:21:00.000-05:00

Somewhere in the Southwest ...

Zeek had the pedal pushed to the floor, but the bastard in the Interceptor was still pulling away fast. Slamming his car back down into third for some more torque, Zeek pulled his car left, stabbed the brakes to dip the nose and flicked the wheel hard to the right, squeezing the trigger as the car pitched and yawed. The twin fifties sparked up the pavement as they strafed low across the roadway. The Interceptor lurched and began to fishtail as it surrendered a chunk of tread from underneath. “Now where were we, you son of a ...” Zeek uttered out loud as he buried the accelerator and began to close the distance.

Dealin' Damage has arrived!

No one is foolish enough to brave the West Texas badlands unarmed or unarmored, but every Outrider knows that even too much armor isn't enough - there are too many compnents (including the driver) that can be taken out with a single, (un)timely shot.

Dealin' Damage adds a new level of detail to Outrider's damage track. Instead of just losing Armor Tokens, players can lose something crucial with each hit suffered. Tires blowout, engines sputter and stall, weapons jam and ultimately fail and your armor could shear off - taking parts of your car with it! Even the vehicle's driver isn't safe: one bullet could injure or outright kill the driver.

The Dealin' Damage Bolt-On contains rules, damage cards, targeted damage cards, critical effect cards as well as a set of smoke and debris markers.

Dealin' Damage is available for purchase through the Outrider Bolt-Ons page, WarGameVault, DriveThruRPG and Steve Jackson's E23 Site.

New Terrain, New Scenario, New Tools

2011-04-11T16:11:00.000-05:00

Greetings all, I have had some dirt-road tiles lying around and I finally picked them back up and reworked them a bit. These are meant to give you three grades of terrain - these new tiles being the trasition tiles from asphalt to unpaved terrain. These should give you a bit more flexibility in scenario desgin as well. Ive uploaded the new tiles to the files section of the Outrider page on BGG. They should be approved by the mods soon.

CREEK RUN - 4P SCENARIO

The Damage deck will be on sale soon (I know I keep saying this) but a few of the compnents will be made available free to players as part of a player's tool kit. This will include the debris tile, the smoke tile and the dust tile. The smoke and debris relate to specific damage effects, but the dust tile introduces a new mechanic for the dust kicked-up behind a moving vehicle (or in front of, if your driving backwards) effectively giving the player a bit of a smokescreen ability. This new way of handling dust/smoke will override the normal scenario rules regarding dust.

'til next time

-G

A new outlet for Outrider and a new expansion

2011-03-28T14:32:00.000-05:00

I've just spent a month (or two?) corresponding with some folks over at Steve Jackson Games, trying to get Outrider added to their E23 catalog. Well after patiently going back and forth, I finally received the publisher's contract, which I signed and sent off a few days ago ... so we should be days away from seeing Outrider on E23(!)

But That's Not All ...

One of the suggestions of the E23 crew, was to have more than one product available at launch, so I have been working to complete the first Outrider Bolt-On, to premiere with the luanch of Outrider on E23. I give you ... the damage deck:

a sample of damage deck cards

The deck is easily inserted into play - when you would normally remove an Armor Token, you draw a damage card instead and follow the instructions listed. The deck adds degrading effects to the game - cars can suffer from reduced attributes and bonuses and can be outright crippled by critical effects ... there's even a few near misses in the deck, giving the defender's a little hope when facing that last hit.

The deck will go live the same day Outrider goes live on e23, so stay tuned. The damage deck will also be available throught the Outrider bolt-ons page, as well as wargamevault and your other favorite online sellers.

Outrider is an Editor's Pick!

2011-03-22T14:17:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine posted the following pic to facebook today:

Outrider is the editor's pick of the month in KODT magazine 172. I'm trying to track down a copy at the local comic shop ... or I'll just break down right now and buy it online.

-G

Outrider Bolt-Ons Page Goes (Semi) Live

2011-03-14T09:11:00.000-05:00

I have been working through a production schedule (of sorts), trying to focus/prioritize what I want to work on next for Outrider.

I have put up the Outrider Bolt-Ons page as a sort of list of what to expect. Right now most of the links are greyed out, but hopefully I can work hard in 2011 and make most of them live (fingers crossed).

In the meantime, though, you can look through the content and see what's planned for Outrider. It includes futrure expansions for rules, vehicles, auxiliary equipment and senarios/terrain.

check it out and let me know what you think.

-G

Some Great User submitted content

2011-03-07T11:10:00.000-06:00

Greetings, all.

I've been receiving some great feedback and also some user-generated content. ShaunGamer, a BGG user has created some recolored variants of the base vehicles, including all four in Republic of Texas Ranger coloring (each with different call numbers - nice touch, SG). Click on the image below for the full size original, hosted on BGG.

Beware the Rotor-Squad!

On a related note, the Card-Art version of the four expansion vehicles (Raider, Renegade, Tailgunner & Trailblazer) are in the works.

here's a sneak of two, yet unfisnhed vehicles - can you guess which is which?

Outrider Videos

The first video is a brief assembled components overview uploaded to youtube and BGG by User Chugosh. The second is a video I found while searching for the link to Chugosh's video on YouTube ... It's a pitch video by BAE, trying to sell their 'Outrider' vehicle to the military. I always thought of making an 'Outrider' build for the game, I just hadn't settled on what it was going to be yet ... hmmmm

A few Scenario Variants posted on BGG

2011-03-03T10:46:00.001-06:00

greetings all,

Tired of Roadblock?

I have uploded a couple of variants to BoardGameGeek that use components from the base game.

The first is a three-player variant called Pony Express, it features a lone smuggler in an Interceptor, using a small town as a shortcut - only to find that local law enforcement is blocking the path.

The second is a large, six-player game called Border Run. This time, the Texas Rangers have their own agenda - destroy the makeshift bridge that Comancero raiders are using to enter the Lone Star state ... but they also have to divide their attention to stop a band of raiders who have already made it into the territory.

I hope you enjoy these variants and be sure to check the Outrider page on boardgamegeek for updates, variants and discussions.

'til next time

-G

Outrider goes 'Copper'

2011-03-02T08:13:00.000-06:00

now only silver, electrum, gold and platinum to go!

Just another brief note. As of the launch of the GM's Day Sale on Wargamevault.com, Outrider has achieved 'Copper Seller' status. Thanks to all of you who helped the game get this far ... you know who you are :)

March Fo(u)rth to Wargamesvault.com

2011-03-01T13:35:00.000-06:00

Just a brief update today. Outrider is part of the 25% off sale at wargamesvault.com, celebrating Mar. 4th, GM's day.

So if you've been on the fence, pick it up now!

Outrider for $7.49

with the money you save, I recommend the following Hot Wheels:

Enforcer

Sandblaster

-G

The Reviews are in.

2011-02-21T08:41:00.001-06:00

Greetings, all.

It's been a hectic month (give or take a week), It feels good to have a game out there in the public now. To all who have received a copy, I hope it hits your tables soon and I hope you enjoy it. Remember, this is a living document of sorts, so don't hesitate to send your suggestions/critiques. I'm new to many aspects of this (the papercraft aspect, forexample) so if you think you've found a way to do something better, let me know.

here's a sample for some of the review that have trickled in ...

"I found Outrider to fully meet my high expectations. The game really captures the feel of the genre, and there is a large element of tactical descision. The dice mechanic is simple and straightforward, but my favorite is the manuver card based movement system." - M. Heywood, via wargamevault.com

"I've been on the lookout for a vehicle game for some time and the system sounded really different. I kinda like the card maneuver system and the aspect of giving each card one of the four dices D6, D8, D10 and D12 to Weapons, Armor, Driver and Engine. Simple and works perfect." - M. Jensen, via wargamevault.com

"This game really scratches my Road Warrior/Death Race itch! An awesome Print & Play that captures fast car combat action with out getting overly complex or 'mathy.' This is my new go-to car combat game." - M. Holyoak, via BoardGameGeek.com

So, as you see, Outrider is a hit with guys whose name starts with M: a very specific demographic, but I'll take it.

One aspect that I have noticed about the game is that players are using the game as an appraochable intro into wargaming. My wife has given me a 'told ya so,' becuase she mentioned this possible aspect to the game ages ago. I had noticed at demos that kids were attracted to the Hot Wheels we modded and nearly always picked it up instantly. I know from playing with my sons that alot of wargames can be a little overwhelming, and I hope that the game continues to be a alternative that gamer parents can use to bring their kids into the hobby.

Here are a few links to some reviews/sessions that so a great job of illustrating the in and outs of a game.

"A Battle With the Boy"
Father and Son go head-to-head in this roadblock scenario.

"Father vs. the Twins"
A father takes on his 8-year-old twins in this roadblock variant.

'til next time

-G

Outrider is unleashed!

2011-01-28T09:30:00.001-06:00

Part of this complete breakfast.

I tried to contain it, making as many last-minute touch-ups as I could, but the Wasteland Warriors of post CWII America could be contained no more!

As a birthday present to myself, I zipped all the core game materials and an intro scenario into one package and uploaded to the suite of onebookshelf.com store fronts (see the link below).

I want to thank the following:

First and foremost, I want to thank my wife and family. Thanks for encouraging me to follow this 'out of the ordinary' endeavour. Thanks for putting up with all my papers and so forth and thanks for explaining to others why a grown man needs SO MANY hotwheels with a straight face.

I also want to thank all those who playtested the game and helped demo the game at various comic shops, game shops and conventions - this input/feedback was invaluable in streamlining the game to what it is now.

I also want to thank the community of other gamers/enthusiasts, who contributed valuiable guidance, contributions and a forum for the game.

I won't spend much more time schilling for the game - I will spend the next few days (after a break) finding avenues for marketing the game (trying to get in front of faces that would likely play it) so don't be surprised if you see it crop up a time or two on various sites you visit.

The last favor I will ask is this: if you have purchased/played the game, please take time to review it or rate it - this could be at the site of purchase or at a forum, such as boardgamegeek.com

thanks again and happy motoring!

the link: Outrider: Fast and Furious Vehicular Combat

The New Face of Outrider

2011-01-20T11:09:00.000-06:00

I've been sketching for months, trying to come up with the 'splash' art for the center of the Outrider rulebook. What I wanted was a vehicle based on a muscle car, layered in riveted metal armor, brandishing machine guns in front of the driver, with something like an XM214 Minigun strapped to the passenger side fender. Slap on a diamond plate bumber with push bars, add some rust and some dust and viola:

Desert Raider or Grandma's Ford Fairmount? - You decide!

Okay, so it looks a little more like Starksky & Hutch's Gran Torino than I anticipated, but once you start covering up the grille and bumper with slabs of metal you pretty much end up with that '5 mph park bench bumper' look that was all the rage in 1974.All in all, I'm happy with it - it 'looks' the way I picture the vehicles in Outrider's setting looking. Take a look at a rough comp of the cover, car and all (right). I'm looking forward to uploading the game here in a week or so. I plan on celebrating my !?!th (ahem) birthday playing a game of 'Rider with a few friends and family. -G

Sneak Peek at the 2D Art

2011-01-11T14:17:00.004-06:00

I will be spending ALL of the remaining until launch, tweaking the artwork of the game. As it stands now, I am focusing on the four vehicles and terrain that will be included in the base game, which is essentially the pieces needed for the introductory ROADBLOCK scenario. I will release other vehicles, after launch as they are finished.

I struggled for a long time, trying to decide what style I wanted to use for the game. I tried building models in Sketchup, I tried photographing real cars, toy cars ... I finally decided to go back and use variations of the original pencil sketches that appeared on the original hand-drawn Outrider prototype cards.

At first I thought the sketchy nature of the images wouldn't work ... but after scanning them in and tweaking them (and coloring them) a bit in Adobe, I felt more confident in the look.

Here's a sneak peek

Gunslinger Sample Art

I'm still a little concerned about the asymmetrical, 'warpy' look of some of the original sketches ... but hey, whoever thought that any car would stay unscathed in the wastes?

The additional cars will be posted for free, after the game is up on BGG and other sites.

That's all for now ...

Outrider Nears Release and New Project begins

2011-01-05T09:12:00.002-06:00

Just a quick update: Outrider V1.0 will be released for sale on onebookshelf.com sites (rpgnow, wargame vault, etc) before the end of January '11. The release version will be a print and play product, consisting of cards, tokens, ruler and a few bits 2D terrain. This version will be cosmetically similar to the 'Wings of War' base game. The scale is unchanged, so the ability to convert to a 1/64th scale minis game is intact - in fact, there will be scenario packs including 3D terrain released later this year. Also in the works are a damage deck (for detailed damage) and an equipment deck for adding upgrades, additional weapons and auxilliary equipment to player's vehicles.

Also in the works ...

Development has begun in DFG's second release - Engage!

Engage is a game of Starship combat - capital ships skirmishing at sub-light speeds, much like you see in popular SciFi movies anf TV. Elements of the game include a simultaneous movement emchanic, as well as a very non-traditional, dexterity-based method of targetting/firing (well, non-traditional for this genre, anyway). Like Outrider, the focus is to keep the intensity and speed high, while maintaining a satisfying level of theme and strategy.

New Look and Next Appearance

2010-07-27T16:49:00.000-05:00

Version .63 is bringing many changes

Most of the changes are cosmetic, logistic and ergonomic in nature. I have been struggling with how to package and sell the game. Certainly, it will be for sale in electronic form on one of OneBookShelf's sites (Wargames Vault, RPGNow, etc...), but I have been working with how to sell it at demos and conventions. I have settled on a form that is completely comprised of cards and tokens, small enough to store in a tuck box, similar to the white, cardboard ones that you buy in comic shops/game stores (see the image at the left). Top-down images of the vehicles on the cards, a reduced amount of tokens needed to play and a new, three-segment range ruler, the game should be compact enough to carry to your local game night but the scale remains the same for those of us who want the full throttle minis experience.

Dashboards have been replaced with Dash Cards

because of the form factor of the packaging, The dashboards were not doable. I found away to replace the dashboard and the range ruler. The Dashboard will be replaced with individual Dash Cards. Arranged in front of the player, a set of four Dash cards will provide the same info as the Dashboard ... and in some have told me that the information is better arranged on the cards, when compared to the Dashboards. The cards will work better with the special equipment expansion that is coming after the initial release.

Here's some rough comps of the dash cards:

Here's a typical set of four cards as they might be arranged in front of a player

Outrider Continues Tour of Pre-Apocalyptic Texas

2010-06-15T16:19:00.001-05:00

With Abilene and Austin behind me, I was gearing up to host another demonstration in San Angelo. It will happen, but the owner of Specialties and I haven't panned out a good date yet.

I was a little bummed, though, that June would go by with no event, as it looked as if it would be well into July until Outrider could hit the tables in either San Angelo (or Abilene, again).

Apollocon To the Rescue!

A few days ago, I was contacted by the gaming coordinator for Apollocon 2010. I had contacted him a while back about possibly running a demo and renting an exhibitor booth. The booth didn't work out, as the con was pretty well booked, by the time I started inquiring (note to self for next year). He mentioned to me that he was interested in running a session of Outrider at one of the gaming tables - I had to provide him with a complete set of components for running the game. Needless to say that I'll be spending this week getting together a set of v.62 rules and components into his hands.

According to the scehdule, Outirder will be running from 10am - 2pm on Saturday, June 26th
For an added benefit, the game will go home in the hands of a lucky conventioneer ... I don't know if this will be a raffle or if there will be an Outrider competition of some sort.

Check out the convention's gaming schedule for updates ... and if your in Houston, attending, be sure to stop by and give Outrider a spin.

Outrider Playtest Marred By Car Trouble.

2010-05-31T20:46:00.000-05:00

Ironic, I know.

I drove all the way to Austin without a hitch. Got to the Protospiel convention without troubles. It all happened on the way back from lunch. My wife was on her way back to bring me some food and blammo ... the electrical system on our car goes haywire. We spent Saturday night and Sunday morning running around trying to get our car serviceable enough for a trip back to Abilene. Long story short: it had to be towed. I missed out on a good deal of the convention and I missed Steve Jackson. Oh well, there's always next year.

The Good News

Yes, there is good news in all of this. I did get in three solid sessions with some great testers and I spoke at length with a couple of reps from Steve Jackson Games, who were intrigued by the game and gave me some solid 'marketable' advice. Mostly ways to make the game economical to make, sell and appeal to a wider audience than just the semi-hardcore tabletop crowd. I may not make use of all of the suggestions, but they did have alot of common sense advice that will definitely be used.

Outrider is Changing Again

Isn't that what this blog is about? Alot of reaction I got from players at protospiel, including the SJG employees was focused on a few areas that don't seem to fit with the elegance and quickness of the core concepts (such the card maneuvers, the dice mechanics) ... the main culprits were the collision system (again), loss of control mechanics, the HUGE amount of modifiers that have crept into the system and the Skill Point system. I'm not saying these pieces will be removed, but they certainly will be streamlined. Although a typical game hovered around an hour, alot of people commented on how 'slow' the game felt at times. I have some solid ideas for quickening the pace:

Collisions will be simplified ... again. I'm thinking of digging thru some older rules and resurrecting a simplified system
Loss of control checks will be quicker to resolve and less 'harsh' in some instances
Alot of the current modifiers will be removed, leaving mainly the vehicle characteristics as the only source of modifiers
The driver check system will be removed, but most other skill point mechanics will remain the same

That's about it for now, check your mailboxes soon for Outrider v.61!

T-Minus Four Days and Counting

2010-05-25T19:14:00.002-05:00

Friday, May 28th marks the beginning of Protospiel South, a gaming convention devoted to playtesting and prototyping board, card and tabletop games.

I will be attending Protospiel South 2010, with Outrider v.60 in tow. I hope this version proves, through testing, to be the final revision. I feel there will be no more major revisions beyond this point. I hope to be able to shift my focus to creating artwork, working on the graphic design and producing prototypes to be shopped around to various publishers. I am also working on creating a small pre-printed four player set that I plan on selling at game cons and at a few local comic/game stores.

The public demos will continue, as long as the local game stores will allow. The next public demo will be at Specialties, a toy and game store in San Angelo, TX. Details are still being hammered out at this point, but it will likely be sometime in June. This will be followed by another appearance at Premier Comics in Abilene, TX.

Thanks again to all the playtesters that have helped shaped this game into a much better game than I had imagined ... We've come a long way from hand-drawn cards and coffee-stirrer rulers.

Two New Vehicles Debut at Protospiel

At present, there are seven basic builds included in the rules. I recently gave a rundown of these vehicles on this blog. I've always been a bit nagged by the fact that I don't have an eighth build - it would help round things up for printing purposes. The two current candidates for the eighth slot are:

The Trailblazer

The Trailblazer distills several strong elements from other cars. Articulated front arc - check. Rear arc - check. Handling Bonus - check. Firepower Bonus - check. The Trailblazer could become the ubiquitous Outrider vehicle. It's a great, versatile build ... so good in fact, that I fear that NO ONE would EVER choose to use another build.

Jarhead

The other build is a bit experimental. The Jarhead represents a ex-military vehicle retrofitted for Outriding. Featuring an overlapping articulated primary arc and secondary arc, the Jarhead can pack quite an offensive punch when the arcs line up on the same target. Essentially a rolling gun, I'm curious to see how well it works in practice.

For more information on Protospiel South 2010, follow this link:

http://www.protospielsouth.com/

To Ram or Not To Ram ... ?

2010-05-19T10:35:00.000-05:00

You can't have a game of vehicle combat and not include rules for collisions/ramming; Not matter how hard you try, collisions will occur. Some due to poorly planned maneuvers and others due to reckless players who WANT to run into things(!)

The reason I am writing this post, is to present to you (the playtesters and the curious) my NEW thoughts on ramming and explain WHY these decisions were made.

First off, I want to stress that ramming has changed many times during the development of Outrider, possibly more than any other aspect in the game. The central reason for most of the tweaks was to find a simple way to replicate a complex situation.

A few requirements I have put on collisions, in order to 'fit' with the 'feel' of Outrider

Quick resolution: Collisions & Rams should be resolved in ONE (1) opposed roll.
Pseudo-Simulation: Although Outrider is far from realistic in terms of physics, I wanted collisions to feel plausible. Some early concepts had vehicles moving too much or too little
Balanced: From early on, I didn't want any single aspect to be game-breaking. If Ramming became absolutely superior to shooting, what appeal would their be in building a gun-centric build. I wanted every aspect of the car to be important and a potential cornerstone to a winning build.

Given those self-imposed requirements, I present the latest treatise on collisions. The newest concept added to collisions, is to create three separate collision types that are a mixture of ARMOR + (Attribute). This makes different vehicles better at performing certain types of impact maneuvers. Here is a brief rundown of the collision types.

Boxed in

Not really a collision, but rather a set of circumstances that prevent a collision. effectively, Boxed-In is a rule stating that a stopped car cannot initiate a collision with it's first maneuver card. This is to prevent players from spamming each other with new collisions after a loss of control of other collision.

Clipping

Clipping is a new maneuver that is used either to evade a potentially damaging collision or to spin an opponent without the risk of taking damage. The driver’s skill and the vehicle's handling are important factors in this type of collision.

Ramming

Ramming is used when the desired result is all-out destruction to the target car, regardless of the damage done to one’s own vehicle. Putting the pedal to the floor, the speed of the engine lends dangerous momentum to the crash. Ramming is nothing more than an intentional collision. It is a no-holds-barred maneuver that will result in damage for both of the vehicles involved. Ramming is a desperate but powerful maneuver.

Blitzing

With a quick slap of the fender to put them off their stride, the attacker strikes while the guns are in the foe’s belly. Blitzing is similar to a clip maneuver … with guns! Blitzing is a new brutal combo of reckless driving and gunnery maneuvers that can spin out and damage the target vehicle. This maneuver was created to answer the age old playtesting question: Can I fire my guns while ramming? Now the weapon die can be used in collisions.

Incidental Collision

Whenever a pile up occurs, cars are going to scatter and incidental hits are sure to happen. Whenever a vehicle is repositioned, due to a collision or other event, and it is pushed into the area of influence of another vehicle, an incidental collision has occurred. Incidentals have been happening more and more in games. Most incidentals end with all vehicles involved coming to a halt at the point of impact with no damage - usually because the displacing event is likely to have absorbed the damaging momentum ... and because its just easier to pick up and move on, game-wise ... well okay that isn't always true - see the next bullet point ...

Colliding with Obstacles and Terrain

Terrain elements can be involved in collisions. In most cases, colliding with objects and structures will inflict zero, one or two points of damage and bring a vehicle to a dead stop at the point of contact with no rolling necessary, depending on the type of terrain impacted. Some smaller objects will inflict no damage at all, but may still stop a car. There are many obstacles that may trigger special effects. Terrain specifics will be covered by special rules included in the scenarios rules as the properties of certain elements may change from scenario to scenario.

Any ideas or thoughts on collision mechanics? I'd love to hear them.

-G

Playtesting, Weapons and Damage ... Oh my!

2010-05-14T10:25:00.001-05:00

I know I promised info on weaponry, but I wanted to take a moment and discuss they public demo of Outrider that occurred this past Saturday, as a lot of changes came out of those seven sessions. We had a few surprises at the event. After listing the demo in the community calendar, we drew a few interesting guests. The local paper sent a reporter and photographer to event - the resultant article has generated a good amount of interest. We even had people from Reveal Entertainment (a game/toy company in Abilene, TX) showing up, thinking that the event was a public demo of one of the company's products that they had not heard of ...

There are some changes to be made based on that extended demo. Most of the changes will come to the way that collisions are handled, as the present rules are a real bog, even to players that are familiar with the game. It helped me tremendously to see new players come to the table with no prior experience and see what areas they struggled with. I came away with absolute areas to focus on.

But enough of my yakking ... we've talked cars, not it's time to talk GUNS, GUNS, GUNS!

Weapons in Outrider

Over the course of the game's development, the weapons have gone through many changes. In the game's humble beginnings, there was no mention of the weapons, other than a firepower stat and a weapon arc. Later incarnations yielded specific mentions of 'parodied' weapons (i.e.TYN-E10 'Tiny Gun' standing in for the M134 Mini Gun, etc.). When secondary arcs were added, the idea that ALL arcs were the same gun seemed counter intuitive.

The feedback I received from play testers was wonderful. I'll admit - I don't know squat about real ballistics and Hollywood and video games have skewed our perceptions. We've come to believe that the mini gun and the shotgun are unbeatable relics - not to belittle them, by any means. I just had the ranks 30 cal/50 cal/mini gun/cannon floating in my head all throughout development and I received LOTS and LOTS of emails, making cases as to why one weapon would outperform another.

Well, after taking that knowledge and spending some time building models to match the various builds, it occurred to me that there was no need to move into a more detailed direction - in fact taking a step back to the abstract may be better. I can simply give my car a WEAPON rating and then model it the way I want. Let's say I have a WEAPON rating of D12. I could say it was a 30mm Auto Cannon strapped to the roof or maybe it's twin M2 50 cals on the hood ... get the idea? The arcs (primary and secondary) stay the same, but it grants the player a little leeway in modeling the vehicle. It also allows one model to be used for multiple builds.

All that being said, I still have a ranking system that helps players visualize the construction of their vehicles. The lists below denote the range of possible weapons a WEAPON die could represent.

Small Arms & Light duty Machine Guns

This class includes infantry-level weapons that have been modified by Outriders to be vehicularly-mounted.
The most common type of weapon found on Outriders’ cars, due to their cheap cost and wide availability.
Weapons in this category would include modified SMGs, Assault rifles and the occasional belt fed machine gun like an M1919 or M60 (pictured).

Medium Duty and GP Machine Guns

Any that requires a bipod on stanchion usually qualifies. This is a hard class to define. Typically, it ccould be represented by doubling up on MG-42s or FN MAGs or distilling that firepower into one weapon that doesn't go up in caliber, but way up in ROF, like the M134 (pictured). I've found more mini gun minis than possibly any other weapon for modding cars.

Heavy Duty MGs & Anti-Vehicle Weaponry

This class includes weapons that cross the line from anti-personnel to anti-vehicle classification. The bigger calibers of this class equal increased armor penetration. This is where Ma Deuce resides (M2 Browning). Which to rank higher, the M134 or the M2? This issue has been one of the longest ongoing debates. As impressive as the M134 is, I think it's gotten it's fair share of pub from movies and games. So I thought I'd show the M2 Browning a little respect ... I mean it was/is used as AA, AV and used to be mounted in the wings of fighter planes(!) Other weapons in this class would include the M85 (pictured), DShK, NSV/Kord MGs.

Heavy Ordinance & Friggin’ Artillery

A class of large, weapons more at home on tanks, the explosive shells of these weapons can shred through just about any vehicular armor with ease. This is sort of a catch-all category for stuff that would likely blow a car-sized object up with one hit. Well in our fantasy universe, it takes six! This class may be the most open to interpretation of all, as it can include things such as the M242 Bushmaster (pictured), the M230 Vulcan all the way up to 120mm cannons used on tanks. Ive even had a few players model their cars with missiles/Rocket Pods (below) to represent this grade of armament.

Yes, but what does it all mean?

All and all, at present, I'm just encouraging players to model cars the way they like and just let the vehicle bases and dice allotments govern the details. If they want to switch from game to game, all it takes is a card and dice swap and the same model can go from fast attack vehicle to Rammin'Stein and still be 'legal' to play. The speed and the fun factor have always been at the center of this design. Some people want high levels of ballistic detail and other just want to roll dice NOW!

I'm not claiming that Outrider is a simulation (far from) but I think it works in a way that many can understand, while still holding a bit of tactical depth that can keep veteran players interested.

NEXT UP: Collisions and ramming and why I hate them (lol)

Outrider Vehicles: A Breakdown

2010-05-05T11:16:00.008-05:00

With the (local) public debut approaching this weekend I thought I would give a brief rundown of some of the concepts present in Outrider, focusing on the vehicle builds and weaponry choices.

Outrider's Rides

My love of cars is at the core of Outrider's design. I wanted to create a system that allowed players to start with a template and then customize it. Currently in Outrider, there are only seven vehicle builds but almost daily I think of ideas for more. Below is a list of those basic vehicles and a brief description of each.

Raider: Jack of all Trades

Raiders are the the most common vehicle to be encountered in the Southwestern Wastes. The reason is simple: They're cheap to make and they're fairly balanced and durable. With no complicated automation and with only one main weapon anchored in a fixed-forward position, there's little to go wrong.

Vehicles Used: Any. Raiders can be made out of Dune Buggies, Trucks, although many are built out of old passenger cars, trying to camoflage themselves as townie/civilian vehicles. That can make them very dangerous to the careless traveller.

Pros: Extremely well balanced attributes. Raiders are fast, nimble, tough and dangerous.

Cons: Due to their simplistic construction, Raiders typically are left offensively blind on the sides and to the rear. Smart Outriders can use this to their advantage - But beware groups of Raiders - they can cover their blind spots well.

Renegade: Scourge of the Southwest

Most Renegades began their Outriding existence as Raiders. Over time, weight (and armor) was shed to make a faster, better handling vehicle with less punch, but more flexibility. Bandits, Highwaymen and militias alike keep more than a few Renegades around to use as a go to vehicle for strike and fade situations.

Vehicles Used: Most Renegades are scratch-built rail-jobs (dune buggies) or stripped-down passenger cars; although it's very common to see one built from the remains of a truck and military GP.

Pros: Renegades are quick and their excellent handing can make improbable feats of driving seem easy. The wide frontal sweep of the Renegade's weapons can be extremely deadly.

Cons: Renegades sacrifice armor in favor of speed/agility. A solid hot from even a light weapon can devastate a Renegade fast. A lot of 'Riders will put inexperienced drivers in Renegades, thinking the crisp handling will save them.

Interceptor: Pavement Predator

Most Outriding jobs involve making runs across the desert wastes. It's advantageous to use the highways, when you can - and Interceptors own the highways. Capable of break-neck speeds, drivers of Interceptors always seem to be one step ahead of their opponents. Some superstitious 'Riders claim they can outrun bullets. Most law enforcement agencies employ Interceptors. Some smugglers have been known to use Interceptors for super fast runs.

Vehicles Used: A lot of Interceptors are pony cars, sports cars and perhaps the occasional exotic.

Pros: Fast. If equipped properly, can maintain an edge over other vehicles.

Cons: Lack of weapon hard points. High speeds can lead to many losses in control if too many risky maneuvers are performed back to back.

Gunslinger: Badlands Drifter

Outriders live a brutal life. The unspoken terms on any Outriding job is that someone will probably be killed during the run and if you want to get paid, that someone ain't going to be you. Gunslingers are built with for one purpose: deal death and deal it quick. Typically wielding twin-linked weapons on its front fenders or on it's flanks, Gunslingers evokes the image of a grizzled gunfighter standing, hands hovering over his pistols ready to draw. Some even look like mini attack copters on wheels.

Vehicles Used: Gunslingers are almost uniformly made up of muscle cars and street rods, as a certain reputation must be upheld. Although occasionally other vehicles will crop up as Gunslinger builds.

Pros: Powerful positive capability. Gunslingers can drive and shoot with he best of them. Paired with the right driver, Gunslingers can hit hard and get away quick.

Cons: Gunslingers share the same type of weaknesses as the Interceptor and other fixed-weapon builds. The vehicle has a large blind spot and can't handle hug amounts of punishment - but if you strike first, that may not be a problem.

Linebacker: Swiss Army Knife on Wheels

So many attempts have been made to make a truly versatile vehicle. Most of those attempts have been left smoldering and rusting in the West Texas sun. The Republic of Texas Linebacker is one the few versatile builds that has worked well enough to generate copycats. Originally developed as a backup for Texas Ranger Interceptors, the Linebacker has come into its own as a frequent one-car army. Brandishing the twin front guns of an Interceptor/Gunslinger, the Linebacker adds a rear-firing weapon to deter chasers and to help close-up its fixed-weapon blind spots.

Vehicles Used: Texan Linebackers are typically made from large sedans or small to midsized SUVs. Linebacker copies have used large, antique cars, (mini) vans and various types of wagons.

Pros: Multiple hard points and as durable as any truck.

Cons: Slower than most other builds, the Linebacker also tend to be a bit unforgiving in demanding driving. Many drivers are lulled into the assumption that versatility means doing a lot at once - this is a bad trap to fall into with such a heavy vehicle.

Tailgunner: Battin' Cleanup

Tailgunners are a vehicle that was born out of necessity. A large percentage of Outriding jobs involve escorting a convoy of some sort. At a minimum, any convoy needs one vehicle to lead and one to tail or 'sweep.' It became clear quickly that riding in that sweep position was very dangerous. Outriders had to find a way to protect their six and still be able to defend the convoy if necessary. Turning the primary weapon backwards and aiming the secondary towards the front, Tailgunners are the ultimate escort vehicle.

Vehicles Used: 99% of all Tailgunners are pickup trucks of some variety. It's possible to modify a SUV or van to serve as a Tailgunners and quite o few station wagons have shown up, mimicking the Tailgunner build.

Pros: Wide rearward-sweep keeps enemies off your tail. Tailgunners make great support vehicles and can be brutal with the right parings.

Cons: The Tailgunner sacrifices any formidable forward firepower to sustain a large weapon at the rear. Like other truck builds, the Tailgunner tends to be slow and has sluggish handing

Muleskinner: Beast of Burden

Muleskinners are by far the most important of all other vehicles. That's because they are built to haul (and protect) cargo. As to what that cargo is ... is not always your business but it needs to get there safe(!) The downside to all this is that Muleskinners are often the target if attack and if spotted, will usually draw the attention of unwelcome guests. To this end, Muleskinners have been built to outlast other vehicles, since they typically cannot out run or out gun them.

Vehicles Used: Muleskinners are made from vans, delivery/moving trucks and the occasional armored car. Station wagons, SUVs and similar vehicles have been used to draw less attention.

Pros: Tough as all get-out, Muleskinners can live through things that would have destroyed other vehicles.

Cons: Slow, Mushy handling. The Muleskinner has a limited fire arc as most of it's interior and exterior have been devoted to armoring and cargo space ... leaving no room for weapons, ammo or the automation needed to provide good coverage.

Well that covers the vehicles in the base game (stay tuned for more!). As promised, I will be covering weapons in the next post (as this one ran a bit long).

Gearing up for upcoming events

2010-04-27T14:37:00.006-05:00

First off, let me say that I want to sand off the tips of my fingers, because they are encrusted with dried super glue. Over the last week I have converted about twenty (20) die cast cars to battle-worthy status. I've also been busy printing, cutting and gluing multiple sets of player components - I plan to have enough components on hand to accommodate six to eight players with ease. And then there's the scenery - Three or four buildings, tons of road segments and many 1/64th scale pump jacks, sheesh!

In all serious though, I'm very excited about this ... I think it is going to be a blast. Here's the scenarios I plan to be running May 8th:

Scenario One: Roadblock

THE GIST: Munday, TX. Places like this used to be speedtraps ... now they're deathtraps. Two Republic of Texas Rangers (ROToRs) have setup a trap for any Outriders desperate enough to pass through this particular section of old SH 277.

THE TEAMS: The Outrider team consists of a Muleskinner (hauling precious/illegal/dangerous cargo) and a Gunslinger riding shotgun. The ROToR team has one Interceptor and one Linebacker.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Outrider team must get the Muleskinner past the roadblock for a win. The ROToR team must destroy the Muleskinner for a win.

Scenario Two: Hold The Fort

THE GIST: Presidio County, TX. Radio KESO is a pirate tejano station operating somewhere near the Mexican border. A ROToR task force has learned that the station has been operating under the control of a cartel of smugglers known as the Comanchero. The station has been aiding the operation by transmitting coded messages into Old Mexico. A small ROToR force has been sent to take the rogue station off the air … permanently.

THE TEAMS: The Comanchero team is represented by the Inhabitants of the building (see rules below) and at least one vehicle of the player’s choice. The ROToR strike force is comprised of at least two vehicles of the player’s choice.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Rangers win by eliminating the building and any guarding vehicles. The Comancheros win by eliminating the ROToRs.

Scenario Three: Black Gold

THE GIST: Somewhere near Midland/Odessa, outriders have been hired to protect a small oil field from a Comanchero raiding party. The raiders are set on destroying the pump jacks, bringing the oil production to a halt. As long as at least one pump can keep the black stuff flowing, the outriders will have earned their pay.

THE TEAMS: There are two guarding outriders, using any vehicles of their choice. The outriders have been supplied with off-road conversions as part of their compensation from the field owners. The raiding party consists of three vehicles that can be any combination of Raiders and Renegades.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Outriders must defeat the raiders before the four pump-jacks have been destroyed. The raiders win if they can destroy all four pumps.

I'm anxious to see what the turnout will be ... I hope to see you there.

Next post, I'll be giving a brief rundown of some of the vehicles and weaponry in Outrider.

Outrider Assaults Abilene

2010-04-12T14:54:00.002-05:00

Attention all Road Warriors ... Join us for:

When: Saturday, May 8th, 10:00am - Close
Where: Premiere Comics, 3458 Catclaw Dr. Abilene, TX

This is your chance to playtest OUTRIDER, a new post-apocalyptic car combat board game that's being developed right here in Abilene, Texas!

No gear is needed to take part - we will provide what you need to play - just show up with a willingness to run and gun with some of the surliest characters in the Southwest!

Questions? Contact aquila.prime@gmail.com if you need additional info.

Scrap Metal Review

2010-04-09T13:57:00.002-05:00

I've always been a fan of car combat games. I enjoy many variations from I'76 to Twisted Metal to Mario Kart (okay, maybe that's pushing it a little). But there are a alot of pioneering car combat games that were specific to consoles. RC Pro-Am, Rock n' Roll Racing and Twisted Metal. The list goes on and on. These games did alot to shape then conventions of Battle Racing. In fact, alot of the ideas present in RC Pro-Am still resonate in car combat games today.

Enter Scrap Metal (SM) from Slick entertainment. SM is a top-down battle racing game from slick studios that is one of many recent arcade releases that makes no secret that it is a homage to great top down racers from the past. Just like Shadow Complex from Chair entertainment billed itself as a spiritual successor to Super Metroid, SM takes alot of cues from Rock N Roll racing and other console racers, right down to the metal soundtrack and the odd blend of junk cars with future tech. Now throw in some archetypal characters and special abilities and you're good to go!

Like many recent throw-back type titles for the Xbox 360, SM is a beautifully rendered 2.5-D game, meaning that although it uses 3-D graphics, the game play is essentially restricted to a 2-D plane. Unlike the isometric look of some older racers, SM (sort of) reminds me of the top-down look of Super Off-Road or the Micro Machines series of console games.

The control scheme seems to be the most debated issue of the game. The game offers you two options: The R/C type option, where your vehicle is controlled like a remote-controlled car or the 'drive by wire' option where the direction is relative to the screen - up makes you head to the top, left to the left hand edge and so on - the left stick controls both direction and speed. I'm personally more of a fan to the R/C option, as the stick controlling both acceleration and direction is a bit too abstract to me, although I will admit that it does make shooting easier in a lot of instances.

Your upgrade options are really good throughout the game. The are item pickups on the track (nitros, etc) and depending on your rank at each race's end, you'll receive upgrade points to spend on all the usual aspects - Guns, engine, armor and so on. You will also win new vehicles as you progress, that you will store in your garage.

I've seen alot of negative reviews regarding the fact that there are only 4 slots for storing cars and there are SO many cars to be had. I can't comment, becuase I haven't played ALL the way through, although I will say that there may be too many variants ... I know that sounds odd ... but ut does seem like some of the builds are a bit disposable. You just use them for one particular race or mission and then move on to something else ... it can be frustrating after you have invested points into upgrading a vehicle. That's kind of an odd approach, since there are already special vehicles you will be provided with (on the track) for certain scenarios - things like construction machines, etc.

Where Scrap Metal depart from the norm is the amount of races/missions/challenges. Each of the tracks in the game can be revisited multiple times, each time the rules and conditions will be different. Sometimes it's a race ... the next time a demolition derby ... the next time an escort mission of sorts, where you have to protect a certain vehicle for 3 laps. Add to that boss battles and SM certainly treads some new ground not seen in previous arcade-style racers.

So all in all, I think SM is a good effort. I'm not sure I rate as a 1200 point title. It feels like an 800 pointer to me, but I'm stingey. If your still on the fence, wait until it crops up as the deal of the week (likely) or perhaps it will be discounted in the future (likely a long time from now?)

but don't just take my word for it ... here's what the professionals are saying:

Tom Price, Team Xbox (IGN) - 7.7/10

Justin Calvert, Gamespot - 6.5/10

Outriding in real life?

2010-04-08T16:41:00.003-05:00

I know some people can take or leave a game's setting/theme but I've always been a fan of RPG elements in a game, as well as tons of plastic bits. I'm a true Ameritrasher, for sure.

Anyways, when designing the game, the pseudo old west elements and the parallel elements like a American civil war just sort of wrote themselves. One element that I purposely stayed vague on was the 'how' aspect of the setting. How did we get here? Nuclear conflict? Bilogocal warefare? some natural distaster akin to an ice age or asteroid impact? What exactly would it take to make people strap guns and armor to their cars?

Just take a look at this photo:

The truth is that Outriding is going on now. There are people who make a living driving armed and armored vehicles across dangerous desert highways.

It's going on right now in Iraq. Kind of old news, I guess but lately I've been doing alot of surfing, looking for pictures of vehicle armor and vehicle weaponry and I came across alot of articles pertaining to this. Essentially, private companies are hiring security details to protect their delivery convoys as they make their way from city to city, delivering supplies to private contractors.

Just search for civilian gun truck (or just gun truck) and you'll hit on lots of links to images and articles about these security details or 'Road Guard'

The image I posted above come from this flickr collection.

Convention Schedule

2010-03-24T17:01:00.004-05:00

I'm trying to put together a list of conventions that will feature a table playing Outrider. Not all of these are confirmed. Personally, I am trying to make game-specific conferences in Texas, but I can't do one EVERY weekend. My friend and playtester Mike has volunteered to run a table out of state - Actually he volunteered before I had even considered playing at cons. So without futher ado ...

The Unofficial List of Conventions featuring Outrider:

ICON: The Idaho Convention for Boardgamers

When: April 9th & 10th - 2010, open at 9:00am daily
Where: The Idaho Falls Activity Center, 1575 N Skyline, Idaho Falls, ID
How Much: $15 if purchased online before April 1st, $20 at the door
What to expect: When I last spoke to Mike, he mentioned running a Roadblock scenario as an introduction to the game, with Hold th Fort games for those who stuck around. The convention features a Bingo card, you get stamps for playing a variety of games. Outrider could be on the card ... so good luck!
Status: As far as I know, this is confirmed

For more information or to register, visit the Icon 2010 site.

While Mike is introducing gamers to Outirder in Idaho, I will be schilling it to Texans at ...

ChimaeraCon 2010

When: April 9-11th, hours vary each day
Where: San Pedro Village Event Center, 9926 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, TX 78216
How Much: Weekend passes are $20 preregistered and $25 at the door. The website also offers single day options as well as family bundles
What to expect: I plan to run basic introductory scenarios, like Roadblock but I am currently brainstorming a large scale 'Hold the Fort' sceanrio based around the post-apocalyptic ruins of the Alamo. Where better than San Antonio, right?
Status: Update 3/30. Well, scratch the ChimaeraCon. I never received a response from the organizers and thus, I have formed other holiday plans for the previous weekend, which means I wont have the time off (and, ahem, money) to travel back to back weekends.

Be sure to check out ChimaeraCon 2010 for more details

Texicon 2010: Where the West Begins

When: Friday, May 21st at 2:00pm - Sunday, May 23rd at 5:00p,
Where: Sheraton Hotel, 1701 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, TX
How Much: $35 Online and $40 at the door for a weekend pass
What to expect: Again, numerous (if possible) quick games of Roadblock, used to teach the game. With more than a month between this and the former convention, I'm sure I can come up with a cool Cowtown scenario for the folks in Fort Worth ... although it was a fort at one time, right? hmmmm.
Status: Scratch another one. By the time the organizers had gotten back to me, I effectively had to be put on a waiting list for a table.

Website: Texicon 2010

Protospiel South 2010

When: Friday, May 28th - Sunday May 30th, hours vary each day
Where: The Best Western Atrium North, 7928 Gessner Drive, Austin, TX
How Much: $15 -$30, depending on the number of days and if pre-ordered
What to expect: This is purely a playtesting convention. So in order to play Outrider, I will have to play other things. I think non-designers are welcomed, to help test but this seems a little different from the other cons listed. Reoresentative from nearby Steve Jackson Games will be in attendance to give design, prototyping and marketing advice ... I'm not sure how big they'll be on something superficially simliar to Car Wars, but oh well ... Depending on how much I get to play, I'm sure I'll limit it to starightforward scenarios, so the rules can be judged without any special rules floating on top.
Status: Pretty much confirmed. I have already spoken to the organizer, I just have to get off my butt and register.

Website: Protospiel South 2010

Outrider on BGG

2010-03-16T14:03:00.000-05:00

I finally took a plunge of sorts and decided to post Outrider on BGG. I struggled with the idea, becuase it fely a bit premature - the game is not quite finished yet. Beyond just finishing out the rules I have alot of polishing up to do, mostly in the form of artwork, layout, design, etc ... visual stuff mainly, as I am sort of a perfectionist about that kind of stuff.

The reason I wanted to go ahead and post it was born out of the response I have gotten to the game from the BGG community. So many ideas, playing pieces and photos have poured out from fellow geeks. I felt it deserved a place where that stuff could gather.

Also I hope to get the game more visible to the type of people who would enjoy it. Along those lines, I am getting more excited about taking it 'on tour' at some conventions throughout the year. The goal? I'm not sure really. At one time I was fixated on web publishing it for sale, but I guess I kind of want to gauge the reaction to it. Maybe I can preprint a few sets to take with to cons, in case there's some immediate interest in having a copy.

Anyway, I hope to get some plays in of my own and put up some session reports and upload some photos of gameplay and a few posed shots of components and vehicles.

-G

New day, new rules, new components

2010-03-02T15:15:00.000-06:00

I am really trying to slow the 'featuritis' that is creeping into this game, I promise! One of the core goals of this project is to keep it as rules-light as possible. That being said, there have been some great ideas that have surfaced on the table and via feedback from play testers.

I am being very goal conscious about what I feel is a necessary change. I don't want the rules to bloat, but there are a few areas that I think need some (semi) major tweaks. Most of these ideas surfaced during some recent expansion testing. I began to realize that I needed to 'future-proof' the base rules a bit, so that the expansion equipment and weaponry didn't rewrite ALL of the established rules.

Addition of Primary and Secondary designation to weapon arcs

First, we're making a small sacrifice in complexity to address a fairly big issue. A lot of people like the simplicity of the rules, but feel the detail (in regard to weaponry) is a bit too abstracted for simplicity's sake. I was purposeful in the level of abstraction I was adding when I first started creating the basic mechanics, focusing on the basic concept of the game: a sort of 'point-and-shoot' game car combat game with no detailed ballistics system and a big weapon die representing a big, rather generic arsenal.

Things changed over time and as the game evolved, the idea of populating slots with specific weapons became more desirable. On the first few plays, people really liked the lack of detail for learning purposes, but have frequently called for a way to add detail later, without altering to core concepts too much. Well since I have been working on expansion equipment/weapons in the form of a deck of cards, I figured I would develop these ideas together.

Starting now, every vehicle base that has more than one weapon arc will have one arc indicated as the Primary. The Primary arc will be the hard point associated with the allocated WEAPON die. The Secondary arcs will become a default small arms attack; think of it as the vehicle having a 'free' AKM-60 mounted at the second (and third) hard point. The secondary arcs will still receive the FIREPOWER bonus associated with the vehicle.

Vehicles with two arcs on the same facing (Interceptor, Gunslinger, etc) will be able to fire-link their forward arcs. If both arcs can draw a bead on the same target, a player may call a fire-linked shot at the time of attacking. The secondary arc lends an additional +1 to the primary weapon's attack roll. Player can still only nominate one attack per successful attack maneuver, but now strategic positioning will yield different effects, depending on the vehicles used.

This functionality is not thoroughly tested yet. I'm not sure how this will all balance out, or if it will balance at all. This takes a bit of a sting out of some of the multi-arc vehicles and perhaps adds too much punch to others. One of the goals has always been to make maneuvering important. Moving a vehicle to just the right position makes all the difference, especially when you can make all the variables lean your way for the roll. It was done to make this a game of moving vehicles, as opposed to a thrilling game of stationary turrets outlasting one another.

All of that said this move is being made so that when the auxiliary equipment comes down the pipeline, it will be a more seamless fit. Some weapon/equipment cards will take the place of the secondary arcs, replacing the backup weapon. The cars will become MORE customizable and new combos can/will be created. I can't wait to see what kind of odd combinations emerge. I seriously need to start brainstorming some more defensive equipment, for I fear that there will be some very nasty builds out there.

While we're talking weapons, I wanted to throw out an experimental rule. Currently we in the alpha-testing set are allowing multiple shot tokens to be used at a standstill. A player can, as a series of actions, place multiple attack tokens next to a stopped vehicle or next to a stop maneuver. Each attack token costs 1 AP and adds 1 to the total difficulty. On a complete success, the player can make ONE attack roll, with a +1 for each extra attack token - this represents the driver shooting on full auto. On a failed roll, the driver has gotten overzealous and emptied the clip! This is similar to a 'loss of control' for shooting. The flipside of the attack token is being remade into a 'click' token. A player must spend an AP (at no added difficulty) to reload. Think of it as shifting gears for your gun. It's working out pretty well so far and it seems to add a little more detail without breaking the game.

Taking the frustration out of repeat failed driver rolls

Ever had a game where it felt like you were driving in slick mud the entire time. I've had quite a few lately. I've also heard of test games were every single driver ended the turn spun-out and stopped.

The handling rules were intended to be a limiter of sorts, so that you had to do a little planning while constructing your next series of moves. The main focus is to make a distinction between 'strike and fade' builds and heavy hitters.

Where it has broken down is in the fact that my projected math isn't panning out in reality. I figured that half of failed driver rolls would result in loss of control. That's largely true, but I'm learning that half is a lot(!) I have tweaked it in a few ways

Easy turns are now 1 point difficulty moves, just to air out the maneuvering a bit

Loss of control tables have changed to infuse more SLOWED results - a player will not get to achieve everything planned, but will not be stopped and sideways as frequently
Some activities (like shifting gears) will simply cost an AP, but add no difficulty

Contact me and let me know what version you're currently fielding

Version .57 is on the drawing board currently and contains the changes mentioned above. If you want to upgrade, let me know.

Conventions, Morning After Rules and Notes on the Setting

2010-02-26T15:11:00.000-06:00

Outrider at convention tables?

Just got in another great playtest session in last night. I taught my friend Bill to play and loaded him up with an armfull of cards, tokens and various other paper bits. He's going to teach/run some games at an event he and his college-days buddies have dubbed 'Geekend'

More than one person has commented on the teachability of the game. Some have said that newcomers can learn the basics in less than ten minutes. I didn't originally envision Outrider at conventions, but the ideals of creating rules that are quick to learn, quick to play that deliver a satisfying amount of detail and enjoyment are certainly in line with the makings of a great tourney/con style wargame - and these are all ideals that I am purposely trying to work into Outrider.

I'll post specifics of upcoming convention / group play here when I get more specifics form the various event/group directors. At present I am formulating plans to demo the game at some cons over the course of the year.

'Morning After' Rules

After a round of playtesting last night, I am left with a few new situations that will be addressed in upcoming rules revisions

How to treat an ATTACK card that is the point of impact in a collision.
Rules surrounding making multiple shots from a standstill (i.e. spending all available APs on shooting, not moving.
Softening the difficulty of some maneuvers (Easy turns should be ... easy!)
Along with maneuvers, the loss of control results will be tweaked - the intent was to make failed driver rolls end in incomplete actions more than loss of control, but the opposite seems to happen more often
Rethinking the AP cost/Difficulty of actions such as shifting gears, attack tokens, etc.

Those are the current items on the drawing board. I'm really excited as to how the game has evolved so far. It feels close.

Notes on the game's setting

I have received some requests to explain the game's setting, as I make reference to things in the flavor text and scenarios that assume a bit of understanding on the part of the players. Being a lover of theme, even in non-rpg games, I wanted to create a backstory for Outrider. There are many car-combat games out there (board and video) and I wanted to distill elements that I loved into one game.

The year is 20xx. America has suffered the devastation of a second civil war. The conflict spread worldwide as various nations and interests in the world worked agasinst one another to preserve/destroy the influence of both the Corporate States of America (CSA) and the remnants of the United States of America (a collection of successionists). More than a decade after the 'War of Corporate Agression,' the world is struggling to function at a pre-information age level. With isolationist ideals at at all time high most individuals and remnants of government are very protective of their own interests.

The base game begins in the New Republic of Texas, an idependent state that has kept itself neutral in these years of reconstruction. Although the state's political ideaologies align with the successionists, the lucrative petroleum deals it holds with the corporate states would too valuable to lose. Most of Southwestern North America has regressed to a vast wasteland of desert, with a few shanty towns and centers of industry that are governed by some flavor of martial law or frontier justice.

The three factions represented throughout the base game are:

The Outriders

Outriders are mercenaries that are hired to be the guides, protectors or couriers through this brutal environment. Outriders are typically displaced Texan, US and CS citizens desparately eeking out a living anyway they can, even if it takes them outside the law (which it usually does). Anyone who wants discreet passage or parcel accross the wastes will seek the services of an Outrider as well as those who need someone to raise a little hell - No job is out of the question, if the price is right. At some point most Outriders operating in Texas are scouted by both the Rangers and the cartels. Some join one, some the other but most stay self-employed.

The New Republic of Texas Rangers

The Republic of Texas Rangers, or ROTORs as they are more commonly referred to, act as both the law enforcement and military for the Republic of Texas. They exist only to protect the inerests of the republic. Known to employ and often recruit Outriders, they by no means officially endorse the occupation of Outriding, as they often seek out and destroy Outriders when a conflict of interest arises. The ROTORs are currently engaged in a campaign to eliminate the influence of the Comanchero that is present in Texas and the southwest.

The Comanchero

The Comanchero are a group of Outriders on the payroll of a huge Central American smuggling cartel. Comancehros are frequently used to do the dirty work of the cartel within the US, Texas and CSA territory that borders the wastelands. At times they can form shaky alliances with freelancing Outriders, but once a common goal is achieved, the alliances dissolve (usually ending in violence).

A glimpse into Outrider's future

2010-02-18T13:37:00.000-06:00

I currently have the base Outrider rules distributed to about three separate groups, not including the games I have been running. Next week, my friend Bill will take the rules and some prototype components (I am lending him some of my duplicates) with him to his annual 'Geekend' pilgrimage to Tennessee, where he'll get the chance to see how teachable it is to a (semi) large group.

All that being said, I'm getting a bit impatient with myself. There's so much I want to add, but at some point I just need to be set realistic goals.

I feel pretty confident in the basic rules. I want to make them complete and presentable enough to upload them as a full game to BGG. At one time, I had aspirations of self-publishing through a venue like the wargame vault, but I find myself really drawn to the current PNP movement on the geek.

Taking a break from obsessing over the base rules, I started revisiting some old ideas that I want to introduce into the game. These expansions will address many of the frequent questions I get about the game.

DEALIN' DAMAGE

The most basic expansion to the game is the addition of the damage deck. The premise is this: Anytime you would normally tick off a point of damage on the damage track, you will draw a damage card instead. A good portion of the cards will simply be 'Take a point of damage' but there will be detailed damage as well (i.e. damage that targets vehicle dice/attributes directly). There will be a few lucky miss type cards and maybe one or two catastrophic damage cards. I'm going to introduce the initial deck into my games later in March(?) or so. Stay tuned for files.

PASSIVE AGRESSION

The most frequent question I get is: 'Where are the oil slicks/caltrops/mines/etc?' I haven't forgot the passive weapons - they were intended to be a part from the start. Passive weapons will be maneuver cards. When you move, you will lay down slicks/etc as you move. Each passive weapon card will remain on the table until crossed by a vehicle. Obviously each passive weapon will have its own unique effects.

NOT-SO PASSIVE AGGRESSION

The passive weapons are actually part of a as-yet-untitled equipment deck. At the beginning of a game, players will agree to draw special equipment cards utilizing any agreed upon system. Currently untested, it should be possible for custom effects to be achieved by stacking certain equipment. All of the equipment won't strictlybe offensive or defensive. Some of the current plans include:

Engine upgrades, including Super/Turbocharger(s) and NOS bottle
Handling upgrades like an off-road lift kit
'Special' equipment like Fuzzy Dice, Dashboard Mary and a Pine-Scented Air freshener (don't laugh, they may be more powerful than you think)

But there will be plenty of blatantly dangerous stuff too:

Flamethrower
Rockets
Saws, blades, ram plates and all sorts of collision nastiness
and much more (stay tuned)

These (and lots of others not mentioned) are still in a conceptual stage. I really want to introduce them, but I want the base game balanced out first.

Next post, I will touch on some of the fluff elements to the game - mostly regarding the setting and exactly why this is all happening.

-G

Welcome to DFG.com

2010-02-16T16:02:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the temporary home of DiceFestGames.com. I haven't had time to put together a site, so this blog will have to serve my needs for now.

My name is Gregg Lewis-Qualls and I've been gamer of all stripes for many, many years. Recently I promised myself (and others) that I would get off my rear and do something creative in 2010. I have been kicking around a few ideas for board, card and tabletop games for many years - some even have their roots in the games that friends and I used to play in high school (that's the late eighties/early nineties for those playing along). Impressed by the rise of web-based publishing, I've decided to make a go of it.

The projects so far:

OUTRIDER

Outrider is a post-apocalyptic wargame set in (you guessed it) the semi-near future. Decades after the second American Civil War (CWII) - a conflict that spread across the globe - The wastelands of Middle-America give rise to a martial civilization not unlike the American Old West. Anyone seeking passage or parcel across the wastelands can hire Outriders, rugged mercenaries who pilot heavily armed vehicles built to withstand the punishment of the wastelands.

Players take on the role of Outriders, making their living running and gunning along the desolate, desert highways. Using a mixture of card and dice mechanics as well as wargame inspired play, Outrider gives the players a high level of detail and customization over their vehicles, while keeping the play intense and fast (as a game about cars with guns should!). Outrider is a miniatures-based game that uses cards and counters that can be printed and made with common, inexpensive materials as well as having possibly the largest range of inexpensive miniatures - 1/64 scale diecast cars.

Engage!

My second work in progress is a space combat sim. Still in early stages of development, this game will feature simultaneous movement mechanics and highly detailed 'helms' that will allow players to use dice and cards to represent customizable shipboard equipment. The play will be closer to a naval conflict as opposed to dogfighting as the focus is on capital ships skirmishing at sublight speeds.

TBA Dungeoncrawl

I'm also in the brainstorming stages for a dungeoncrawl 'Ghost hunter' type game that will focus around bidding-style mechanics for resolving actions/attacks.

That's all for now, I'll be posting updates as the come down the pipe.

-G