SVWAG Con Report

SVWAG Con Report

Author: Pickaxe July 29, 2025 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 He was able to play two unpublished games, and while the designers were gracious he is seldom able to offer anything of much substance.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 game," he might say, "has cards. And other things." Past that, for some reason, when confronted with a prototype his faculties often fail him. 01:48 AYURIS: Arborea (Dani Garcia, Alley Cat Games, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 05:00 -Phantom Division (Pete Ruth & Mark Thomas, Phantom Horizon, 2026) 14:38 -Westphalia (Amabel Holland, Hollandspiele, 2019) 23:33 -Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020) 27:19 -Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2021) 33:25 -Rise & Fall (Christophe Boelinger, Ludically, 2024) 38:15 -Space Cadets: Dice Duel (Geoff Engelstein and Sydney Engelstein, Stronghold, 2013) 43:06 -Outlive (Gregory Iliver, La Boite de Jeu, 2017) News (and why it doesn't matter): N/A 45:22 Topic: SVWAG Con Report Chef Ashlee: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068315809451 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy 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

So Very Wrong About Games
Podcast Episodes
#356: Endgame Scoring [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:57
Tiebreakers are arguably a kind of endgame scoring. I respect the fact that they are invariably necessary (I mean, if for no other reason than if they're omitted some smartass like me will complain). That said, clearly i…
#355: Rise & Fall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:22
When is a thing like another thing? Is Albedo like Core Worlds? Is Cat Blues like Rummy? Is Through the Desert like Go? Is a nudge as good as a wink to blind bat? Are all Roll & Writes inferior to Roll a 6, Win a Cookie?…
#354: 20th Century Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:42
People have favourably described our physical appearances as "borderline tolerable" and "just short of hideous", and that was just our mothers. In light of this, we put ourselves forward as candidates for all manner of g…
#353: Rebirth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:40
In logic, conditionals are always true if the antecedent is false. You can't falsify the conditional if the conditions aren't met. For example, if Mark can bench 500 pounds, then vinegar tastes like cotton candy. Rest as…
#352: Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:27
I was donating blood while wearing my Transformers Converse shoes, and two different phlebotomists commented positively about them. "We have won the cultural argument," I said, deliberately burying the lede that demograp…
#351: Flexing New Muscles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:49
As is readily apparent from the show's subject matter and our general presentation, we here at SVWAG are stone-cold jocks who excel at the sports and are thoroughly ripped. We trust the launcher and never ever skip leg d…
#350: Beyond the Horizon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:21
Despite the welcome relative absence of anthropomorphic animals this week--aside from some sundry ducks in Lorcana--we see a lot of animals and various critters this week. We eschew sacrifices to a dodgy snake in Imperiu…
#349: A Plowful of Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:58
While we hate to confirm your most reductive of preconceived notions, snow removal in Canadian cities is no joke. The fleet of vehicles required to allow for daily life in even a small Canadian city after major snowfall…
#348: SETI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:45
Colour nouns are essentially arbitrary; how one decides to chop up the visible spectrum of light is a matter of contingent taxonomy. Some languages have one noun for both blue and green, for example. English has a word f…
#347: How Expansions Can Fail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:26
Our upcoming convention, July 25th-27th 2025, is in its planning stages! We have a venue but nothing much else yet. Not even a name! Suggestions welcome. Mark quite likes So Very Wrong About Games Fun Times Good Vibes On…