Rulebooks

Rulebooks

Author: Pickaxe October 21, 2025 Duration: 1:17:48
So Very Wrong About Games
LeisureHobbies
As ever, we do not acknowledge one of the most pernicious false dichotomies in the rulebook space; whether rules should be strictly permissive (you can only do what the rules say you can) or strictly restrictive (you can do anything unless the rules say otherwise). I have never seen a rulebook forbid me from choking an opponent, nor have I see a rulebook give me permission to breathe. I will thus reject both models as being rather too simplistic. 01:28 AYURIS: Galactic Renaissance (Christian Martinez, Matagot, 2024) Games Played Last Week: 05:09 -The Guest (Arkaitz Caride, Devir, 2025) 10:48 -Cosmic Encounter (Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Bill Norton, Peter Olotka, and Kevin Wilson, Fantasy Flight, 2008) 16:04 -Firefighters on Duty (Konstantinos Kokkinis & Sotirios Tsantilas, Artipia Games, 2025) 22:10 -Deck of Spies (James Newman, Web published, 2021) 24:43 -Fishing (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2024) 29:27 -KINGs: TRICKTAKERs (Hiroken, Joyple Games, 2023) 36:11 -Gaslands: Refuelled (Mike Hutchinson, Osprey Publishing, 2019) 40:08 -Cockroach Poker (Jacques Zeimet, Drei Magier Spiele, 2004) News (and why it doesn't matter): 43:45 Burned available on Gamecrafter's Crowdsale 44:42 Claustrophobia 3rd edition, 1692, by Devir 46:33 Mystic Curling by Asmadi Games on Kickstarter 46:50 Amigo US is no more; No Thanks joining CMYK's Magenta line along with I'm Out 47:46 Voidfall expansion: Resurgence 48:27 Sidereal Confluence expansion: Proliferation 49:11 Winnie the Pooh: Serious Detective 49:39 Arkhipov Day: Oct. 27th. Celebrate Vasili Arkhipov and his having saved the human race! 50:29 Topic: Rulebooks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Mike Walker and Mark Bigney, So Very Wrong About Games digs into the world of hobby gaming with a blend of sharp critique and genuine enthusiasm. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair at a table where two knowledgeable friends are deep in conversation, dissecting everything from the latest releases to timeless classics. They believe that a bad game deserves a thorough examination just as much as a great one, applying that same level of detailed analysis to reviews, industry news, and broader gaming topics. This isn't about following trends or generating hype; it's about thoughtful discussion that respects both the listener's time and the context in which games are made and played. The dynamic between Walker and Bigney captures a fundamental truth about the hobby-that taking games seriously and having fun with them are not mutually exclusive. You'll find their approach both refreshing and deeply engaging, whether they're championing an overlooked gem or meticulously explaining why a popular title didn't work for them. Tune in to this Pickaxe-produced podcast for honest, substantive talk that treats the medium with the depth it often deserves, but rarely receives in casual conversation.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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So Very Wrong About Games
Podcast Episodes
Starting Over Your Collection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:57
Inigo: I am waiting for you, Vizzini. You told me to go back to the beginning. So I have. This is where I am, and this is where I’ll stay. I will not be moved. Brute: But the Prince gave orders — Inigo: — So did Vizzini…
Vantage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:40
"We don’t ask that you stop loving your fantasy world. We ask you stop paying money for the privilege to dream of it. If you want to read the [Harry Potter] books or watch the movies, consider buying second-hand or renti…
SVWAG Con Report [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:04
A chief misgiving Mark has about the con is that he is a terrible playtester. He was able to play two unpublished games, and while the designers were gracious he is seldom able to offer anything of much substance. "This…
#369: Take That [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:08
The purest juxtaposition that reveals the absurdity of "take that" effects can be found in many of your heavier games and some consims with cards. You gather the resources, marshal your forces, laboriously haul those tro…
#368: Shackleton Base [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:35
"Dear friend, if you wanna feel better Don't let the devil make you toss this letter If you've been crossed up by hoodoo voodoo A wizard or the lizard You got family trouble, man trouble, woman trouble No light through t…
#367: Set Up and Tear Down [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:54
It is remarkable to reflect on how much hobbies can demand of us, and certainly board gaming is no different. Setting aside the administrative, economic, and social burdens; we then have to spend so much time teaching, s…
#366: 7 Empires [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:23
Apparently the American custom of the "push present" can trace its roots to the Anglo-Indian tradition of the "baby bauble", although in the latter case jewellery is the more standard gift (instead of, say, boardgames).…
#365: Small Box, Big Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:55
Walker's approach to parenting eschews what he sees as the coddling endemic in other families. He believes in competition above all else, where newbs must be pwned and even babies must git gud. "L2P" is his family motto.…
#364: Pulling Levers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:27
"Because of the long-standing mutual enmity between Meany and Brown, Meany was named among the suspects in The Case Of Encyclopedia Brown’s Mangled Corpse. Meany denied the allegations. 'It’s true that Detective Brown an…
#363: The Social Contract [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:35
We generally frown on ad hominem here at SVWAG, ensconced as we are in our glass houses. In the case of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (known affectionately as "Ja-Jay" by no one), though, who wrote extensively about proper metho…

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