muskrat_john ([info]muskrat_john) wrote,
@ 2006-05-18 11:57:00
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Current mood: busy
Current music:iTunes Party Shuffle

Mag*Blasty goodness!
Dig this:

Uncovered scenes from original Star Wars - "Biggs' Return"

I particularly love the discussion of economics and politics towards the end...

***

All of which puts me in mind Mag*Blast, which is nearing completion.

It really is a joy to work with Fantasy Flight, especially developer Robert Vaughn. Fantasy Flight's putting out some amazing-looking games, and though Mag*Blast is taking quite a bit longer than I thought it would, I think the results are worth it. It's been like working with the Cadillac of Art Departments...

Bonus: they even call me "inimitable." Score!

I had a very dry joke for two cards - "Space Dock" and "Super Space Dock." "Super Space Dock" would have been exactly the same drawing as "Space Dock," but now with a sign on top, reading "Buffet."

Dry humor. James Ernest dry. Far too dry for an in-your-face game like Mag*Blast.

Still, there'll be plenty o' small gags throughout. I threw a tiny TARDIS into the "Time Flux" card at the last minute, for example.

It's interesting to see that the new edition will be genuinely new - the card list seems quite streamlined from the last release. Some cards are missing entirely, and some are brand new. Mag*Blast has always (if you'll pardon the pun) been a blast to play, but without seeing the new rules, or how some of the cards are now played, I have to say it looks like it'll be even faster and more furious than before.

As always, towards the end of a project, I find myself really getting into a groove, and wishing it could just go on and on.

Fortunately, this time, it won't. Because I'm jonesing for the new deck to be done and printed, if only to start playing it again.

I was given a lot of leeway in the art, which was a ton of fun. Especially with the races, which I was allowed to create. But what really makes the cards sparkle is the top-notch graphic design job on them. Honestly, it would make anybody's work look good. Great graphic design is a much-undervalued commodity. Fantasy Flight has it in spades

Anyhoo (that was for YOU, Scott "Sketchbook of Secrets and Shame" Bateman), here are some cards from the new edition..


(The small sign on the Super Dock says "Lowest Prices on Death Sticks," btw...)


A few races I came up with, on their flagships. Not sure what their names will be yet.






...and a couple of ships: a Minesweeper and a Fighter.


****

Wanna know how much I love Warpcon?

I just subscribed to [info]irishgaming.

Honestly, I feel like I know everyone there already...


(19 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Mag*Blast
[info]corwinofamber
2006-05-18 05:27 pm UTC (link)
 
*SIGH* Yet another game that MUST BE MINE! (My bank account hates you, I'll have you know...) :D
 

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Mag*Blast
[info]captaingeek
2006-05-18 05:29 pm UTC (link)
Same here. One of these days, John, you'll go too far. 8-)

Of course, at that time i will be right in line. 8-)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Mag*Blast
[info]muskrat_john
2006-05-18 10:33 pm UTC (link)
If it's any consolation...

...this game totally ROCKS!

:-)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Mag*Blast
[info]captaingeek
2006-05-18 10:41 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, but you don't count as an unbiased opinion.

Not that that has stopped me in the past.

Still got to get My Dwarves Can fly.

Darnit, John!!! Why do you have to be so talented?

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Mag*Blast
[info]muskrat_john
2006-05-18 10:45 pm UTC (link)
No, no...TOTALLY unbiased.

That's why I leapt at the chance, when offered the illustration gig.

Seriously, this is a fun, classic game that's a total hoot!

(I was also offered Junta, once, but couldn't possibly have fit it into my schedule. I'm still aching about that one...)

Fanboy mode off, now...

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Mag*Blast
[info]captaingeek
2006-05-18 10:48 pm UTC (link)
I've seen this in my FLGS but never picked it up. Now that there's going to be an edition with YOUR art, it's definitely going into the Crates O' Games. 8-)

(Reply to this) (Parent)
The pleasure's all mine!
[info]colinospearkeep
2006-05-18 06:47 pm UTC (link)
I love giggling like a little kid when I get art in for WORK ;).

Rob Vaughn
Developer
Fantasy Flight Games

(Reply to this)


[info]k_kinnison
2006-05-18 08:27 pm UTC (link)
I have allready said this game must be mine. Dont need to do it again.

*twitch*

*convulse*

AAAAAH! IT MUST BE MINE!!!!!

I still remember playing this game during an intermission at the first Mechwarrior Dark age world championships... with a person from Japan, Germany, and Italy. Well all knew what "Ka-pow!" ment

(Reply to this)


[info]scottbateman
2006-05-18 08:49 pm UTC (link)
Heh heh heh heheh, you said "anyhoo."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]muskrat_john
2006-05-18 10:32 pm UTC (link)
Huh-huh. Huh-huh.

Can you recommend a good mike for the Mac? I'd like to record that Belle and Sebastian story for you...

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]scottbateman
2006-05-18 10:35 pm UTC (link)
Pretty much every Mac has a built-in mic (on a laptop, it's that little hole by the upper right corner of the screen); its sound quality is pretty okey-dokey.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]muskrat_john
2006-05-18 10:42 pm UTC (link)
Really?

Nothing that's affordable, yet produces a superior sound?

I think I see a teeny hole on the LOWER right hand of the screen...

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]ntlespino
2006-05-18 09:41 pm UTC (link)
GROAN. The minesweeper just had to be a hoover, innit.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]muskrat_john
2006-05-18 10:31 pm UTC (link)
I'm afraid so...

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]clivec
2006-05-19 12:28 am UTC (link)
Hooooleee freaking crud, I can't believe that scene from New Hope!

The actually re-added a version of it for the audio book, so to actually see it played by the real characters was bizzare.

With the four "crazy kids" at the canteena, I was half expecting to go off and solve the mystery of the haunted canteena out at anchorhead.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]scaryjim
2006-05-19 02:28 pm UTC (link)
It made it into the novelisation of the movie as well - discussion on the relevant post at [info]ps238principal. It was really weird, having read it as a kid, to see it acted. Curiously, the dialogue on the film sounded exactly how I heard it in my head all those years ago... ;^)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]tarpo
2006-05-19 07:29 am UTC (link)
That smogsquare guy really looks like a Steve or a Claude to me..


I had a point to this reply but I lost it somewhere.. I love the art even though part of me wishes the minesweeper was sweeping up a 2 and a 4 as well ;)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]scaryjim
2006-05-19 02:30 pm UTC (link)
Smogsquare? You mean the pink cubey one? I thought that was a floating gelatinous cube, personally - which would definitely be scary ;^)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]tarpo
2006-05-20 03:35 am UTC (link)
It looks more purpley grey to me.. Not only would a flating gelatinous cube be scary.. it ATE SOMEONES EYES!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(19 comments) - (Post a new comment)

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