With Origins 2006 just around the corner, I've been compiling my rough draft want list. This is the stuff that I'll be on the lookout for while scavenging the vendor hall.
First up is WizKids' Pirates, which I first discovered at Origins 2004. Hard to believe it's already two years old, but then, this past year has been a fast one.
Pirates recently reignited my interest with the most recent two expansions, South China Seas and Davy Jones Curse. South China Seas introduced the Asian-themed ships of the Jade Rebellion faction, which are far more colorful and interesting-looking ships than the usual three-masters. They also include the historically intriguing Korean Turtle Ship design, so big bonus points for including something Korean in the mix.
The Davy Jones set adds in sea monsters, which is a big step towards moving Pirates into a fantasy world. Prior to the monsters, I think the most fantastical thing in the game was the keyword "ghost ship," which is far more boring in play than you'd hope.
Anyway, their website is currently touting two exclusive ship models, both gigantic 10-mast juggernauts. The one I want is a convention exclusive, the 30 point Jade Rebellion beast pictured above. That is definitely on the Origins hit list.
The other one is a Cursed vessel you get for sending in 12 wrappers from the Davy Jones Curse set. Which just pisses me off, because this is exactly the reason why I entertained a long time practice of keeping card/game booster wrappers. And of course, nobody has offered such a rebate in years upon years. So as soon as I liberate myself from the terrible habit of keeping trash, these bastards go and resurrect the concept.
I'll also be on the lookout for GF9's awesome Pirates terrain and playmats. I almost ordered them online already, until it occured to me that I might be able to score a convention sale price.
This is an easy one: a second edition of the Zombies!!! board game. Zombies!!! was a nice little game that grew into a big meaty game, and the rules and cards from the first edition have been revised and superceded by all the expansion sets. So it will be nice to get a revised edition that plasters up the cracks in the original set.
The best part is that the second edition promises to come in a box big enough to hold all of the existing Zombies!!! expansion sets. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm hoping this is no exaggeration. I, of course, have all the expansion sets... plus a couple bags of extra zombies figures (because I hate to run out during an especially big match.) So I would love to be able to consolidate the mess. Are they including Zombies!!! 4 in this as well? Because that was not exactly an expansion, but a stand-alone "sequel" that was compatible with the other sets.
Also, the new box comes with female zombies figures. Nice!
They've been working on this one for years, but the revamped, re-ruled Deadlands Reloaded RPG tome is finally out from Pinnacle. (Or are we supposed to call them Great White Games now? Sounds like a tax dodge to me.)
I'm not a role-player, but I am interested in the Deadlands universe... so if I buy this, it will be more for a good fiction read than for any kind of gaming. My chief draw here is for any sidebar mentions of Doomtown, the Deadlands card game that I still adore, even if I haven't played it in two years.
Speaking of that, Mike and I do plan to participate in the Doomtown World Championships again... although I'm so rusty I'm just going to drag my trusty ol' Whateley deck out of retirement and field that one again. I can probably play that one in my sleep, and I may have to.
I'll also be bringing along every earthly piece of Nintendo portable I own, figuring that the Nintendo booth will have some kind of downloadable something to hand out. Maybe this will be the year I talk Mike into a Pokemon sealed deck tourney.
Here's the part that could get me ejected from the premises: when I ask the Vs. System guys why they can't release a simple rules encyclopedia that explains the rules behind each keyword. I'm always a little surprised that Marvel/DC Vs. has done as well as it has, since the expansion rules are always completely obscure and difficult to find in summary. The game has a huge barrier to entry, both in keyword mechanics and in deck building.
This list is all fine, but the true excitement comes in demoing a brand new, unexpectedly cool game. Sometimes these finds turn out to be duds (Creepy Freaks), sometimes they're in their dying throes (7th Sea), and sometimes they're unreservedly awesome (Chrononauts)... but there's nothing quite like a knock-your-socks-off game demo.
