
Vox Republica 159: Gaming Predictions (And Omens) for 2018
01/18/18 • 70 min
Length: 1:10:27
Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode
Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!
We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.
Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!
DESCRIPTION: A new year means different things to different people. For us, aside from running screaming from 2017, it means it's time for Erin and Ryan to sit down and make some predictions for what lies in store in 2018 regarding games and the games industry!
GUESTS: None
RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (1:19):
- Altiplano by dlp games / Renegade Game Studios (BGG Link)
- Alien Artifacts by Portal Games (BGG Link)
- Deckscape - Test Time by DV Giochi (BGG Link)
FEATURED TOPIC - (18:59):
- It’s 2018, which means it’s time for all sorts of annual predictions and prognostications about games and the gaming industry. Are they wild guesses or educated methodical extrapolations of notable trends in the industry? We’ll see! But both Erin and Ryan dive into what some of those may be.
- We also recap our 2017 predictions (see Vox episode 133 for the full rundown) to see how close we came during what can only be described a garbage fire of a year personified.
PLUGS - (1:09:22):
- We’re raffling off a copy of Kokoro to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
- As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?
We’d love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.
Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.
Length: 1:10:27
Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode
Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!
We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.
Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!
DESCRIPTION: A new year means different things to different people. For us, aside from running screaming from 2017, it means it's time for Erin and Ryan to sit down and make some predictions for what lies in store in 2018 regarding games and the games industry!
GUESTS: None
RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (1:19):
- Altiplano by dlp games / Renegade Game Studios (BGG Link)
- Alien Artifacts by Portal Games (BGG Link)
- Deckscape - Test Time by DV Giochi (BGG Link)
FEATURED TOPIC - (18:59):
- It’s 2018, which means it’s time for all sorts of annual predictions and prognostications about games and the gaming industry. Are they wild guesses or educated methodical extrapolations of notable trends in the industry? We’ll see! But both Erin and Ryan dive into what some of those may be.
- We also recap our 2017 predictions (see Vox episode 133 for the full rundown) to see how close we came during what can only be described a garbage fire of a year personified.
PLUGS - (1:09:22):
- We’re raffling off a copy of Kokoro to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
- As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?
We’d love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.
Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.
Previous Episode

Vox Republica 158: What Even Is A Game?
Episode 158: What Even Is A Game?
Length: 58:09
Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode
Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!
We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.
Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!
DESCRIPTION: They say time flies when you're having fun, right? Well we must've been having a ton of fun, because 5 years have passed in a flash. That's right - The Cardboard Republic is now 5 years old! And this week, Erin and Ryan reflect on that fact, sharing some thoughts about the era when the started and what they hope for gaming in the future.
GUESTS: None
RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (0:48):
- Unlock! The Nautilus' Traps by Space Cowboys / Asmodee (BGG Link)
- Charterstone by Stonemaier Games (BGG Link)
- Bargain Quest by Jonathan Ying (BGG Link)
QUICK TOPICS - (19:38):
- We briefly expound on this being the final Vox episode of 2017 and some quick programming announcements.
FEATURED TOPIC - (20:26):
- What is the difference between a game and an activity? When it comes to deconstructing what makes a game a game, be it as a mental exercise, a means of categorizing one's free time, or a healthy discussion of game theory, there has to be a way of creating a clear definition. At least, in theory.
- In truth, it's not actually that simple.
- Erin and Ryan each share their own criteria on how to determine if something is a game or not and compare where they overlap.
- They also address potential situations where such distinctions can actually have ramifications for certain players.
PLUGS - (56:37):
- We’re raffling off a copy of Harvest Dice to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
- As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?
We’d love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.
Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.
Next Episode

Vox Republica 160: Escape the Podcast
Episode 160: Escape the Podcast
Length: 1:25:52
Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Download Episode
Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!
We post new episodes every other Thursday, with each episode being about 45 minutes long.
Vox Republica is proudly supported by our Patreon. Consider contributing today!
DESCRIPTION: 2018 may only be a month old, but that doesn't mean the hobby hasn't found itself stumbling over a couple notable mistakes by the publisher CMON. This week, Erin and Ryan dive into those issues, and gush about Charterstone, before diving into a lengthy discussion about what makes an escape room game challenging and memorable.
GUESTS: None
RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES - (0:27):
- Charterstone by Stonemaier Games (BGG Link)
- Five Seals of Magic by Mayfair Games (BGG Link)
QUICK TOPICS – (16:14):
- Within weeks of each other, noted publisher Cool Mini or Not found itself on the receiving end of two PR messes pertaining to two of their games. The first revolved around the inclusion of some tasteless tiles in their recent HATE campaign, while the second is an embarrassing (and abject) lesson to not rely on Wikipedia for all your research information, as has happened with their Rising Sun game.
FEATURED TOPIC - (32:48):
- It should come as no surprise to anyone at this point...but Erin loves escape room games. We've talked about it in passing a couple times already. But with well over a dozen titles in the small but growing genre, we decided to sit down and parse out what makes them so special. Topics include:
- What makes a fun escape room game (i.e. difficulty, player size, theme, etc.)
- The limitations of an escape room game as they currently exist
- What can break the experience
- How to get started with escape rooms
- How we'd like to see the genre row
PLUGS - (1:23:56):
- We recently reviewed Charterstone! (Spoiler Free)
- We’re raffling off a copy of Kokoro to a lucky Patreon backer. Consider donating today!
- As always, Cardboard Republic YouTube videos, Instagram pictures, and the BGG Guild are still ongoing. Subscribe to one or two - or all of them if you really love us. You do really love us, right?
We’d love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at [email protected]. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.
Audio Credits: Intro music track is "Swing!" by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.
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