June 2023 Update: Awesome
I’m off to Awesome Con this weekend. It comes on the tail of a cherry extravaganza from a tree in my backyard. There has been pie, and cobbler, and smoothies, cherries on ice cream, and cherries on my breakfast cereal. I’m feeling pretty awesome about all of it.
In this newsletter:
Game Updates
Upcoming Events
Miscellaneous media
Critter of the month: Zebra Swallowtail
Game Updates
The Fox Experiment
The Fox Experiment is wrapping up its print run and Pandasaurus is hoping to start delivering games to Kickstarter backers in late summer. They may also have some copies at GenCon. And then it will be available in retail stores this September! It’s probably not too soon to tell your favorite store that you’d like a copy.
Undergrove
My design work for Undergrove is mostly done and work has started on the art and graphic design. Expect a Kickstarter in October. I am really excited about this one — a couple of playtesters have said it’s now their favorite game out of my designs. And that was without the beautiful art that has started coming in from Beth Sobel.
Wingspan
Stonemaier has released packs of “vision friendly” cards that you can buy. They have larger text and clearer icons (but drop the fun facts at the bottom to make room).
For a few days over this weekend, Monster Couch is playtesting changes to their Online Mode for Wingspan on Steam. Through June 19th, 3 PM CET you’ll find the Playtest button in the game’s storefront, below the screenshots carousel. Monster Couch has a Discord server you can join which probably has more information.
Upcoming Events
DC’s Awesome Con is this weekend! I’m doing 2 completely separate events there:
Friday night at 7:45 I’ll be on a panel in the Science Fair called Fungus Among Us, in my capacity as the president of the Mycological Association of Washington.
Saturday from 1:30 to 4:00 I’ll be in the board games area. I’ll bring copies of all my games for people to try, including Fox Experiment and Undergrove. I’m happy to sign things.
If you’ll be at Awesome Con with some friends and you want to test the Google Doc version of Undergrove rules for me (i.e., learn without me teaching, from the document that the graphic designer will be working from next week), shoot me an email and we can set up a specific time on Saturday.
I’m not going to Origins or Gen Con.
Miscellaneous media
I did a chat with Jamey Stegmaier about the design and development process for Wingspan.
Jamey revealed that I put a note in the millionth copy of Wingspan. We still haven’t heard from anyone that they got it.
I was on the podcast Ludogogy.
I made some depressing charts about how few women have been nominated for the Spiel des Jahres and Dice Tower awards. (And if your game shelf resembles those charts, here’s a huge list of games designed by women.)
I went to go see David Kwong’s awesome show The Enigmatist at the Kennedy Center. Fun fact: he also plays Wingspan!
Apparently Wingspan is also a hit over at the Great American Baking Show.
And Seth Bond Perry made a cute cartoon:
Critter of the month: Zebra Swallowtail
These gorgeous butterflies are a summer delight in the woods around DC. This one took a break from constant fluttering just long enough to have its picture taken. That red! Those tails! So awesome.
You’re awesome too —
❤️
Elizabeth