UK GAMES EXPO 2013 3 WELCOME WELL HERE WE ARE AT THE BRAND NEW VENUE FOR THE 7TH UK GAMES EXPO. It’s been quite a year putting the show together and with so many participants, events and elements to incorporate, an entire new venue to map, not to mention simply figuring out what goes where, there S TAY ON TARGET have been times when the five of 04 DESIGNING THE X-WING us have wondered if we would ever MINIATURES GAME manage to make it all work. If it does work it will down to the hard work of R ETURN OF many dozens of volunteers, games 06 WOTAN GAMES masters, umpires and demonstrators LAURENCE O’BRIEN TELLS and we thank them all for their hard work. This show started back in THE tale 2006 with two or three of us and an idea (or possibly a nightmare). The BOA RD GAME fact that we have come this far is 08 RE-DESIGN testimony to that work. COMPETITION FOR BUDDING GAMES DESIGNERS We also thank the traders for coming on board and supporting this major R ICHARD BREEZE move to a location we hope will be 11 MY LIFE IN GAMES our home for at least the next few years. We especially thank our major T HE GAMES sponsors Mayfair Games, Fantasy Flight games, Asmodee and our 15 DESIGN CHECKLIST Associate sponsors, A1 Comics, THE DOS AND DON’TS OF Chronicle City, Coiled Spring, Creating A GAME Chessex, Surprised Stare Games and Triple Ace Games for their support EXPO GUIDE and for the contents of the goody 19 what’S GOING ON at THE EXPO bags. Finally we want to thank you the visitor, for without 2,000 and E XPO MAP more of you turning up each year 24 ALL THE EXHIBITORS IN THE PALACE in increasing numbers, without your AND KINGS SUITES support and enthusiasm for the annual carnival that is UK Games E XPO GUESTS Expo – well there would be no point. 27 FIND OUT WHO IS at THE EXPO So enjoy yourselves, play the games, THIS YEAR attend the seminars, watch the movies and if you like what you see SEMINA RS & CINEMA let us know. Likewise if there are ways 29 SCHEDULES FOR what IS GOING we could make it better tell us too. ON IN THE ARDEN SUITE E XPO EXHIBITORS THE UKGE TEAM 30 A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL OF THIS RICHARD YEAR’S TRADERS LAST yEAr WhEn C .A. SULEIMAN Tony’S SErvEr broKE 32 Q&A WITH ONE OF THE DENNING INFLUENTIAL WRITERS OF RPGS TONY INDIE RPG GAMES STop SAyInG My 33 FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN PLAY SErvEr broKE! HYAMS S TRANGE GOINGS ON 36 CTHULHU RAISES HIS UGLY HEAD MICK yoU CAn’T G AMES TO CUT pArK ThErE 37 YOUR TEETH ON PEARSON OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST PATRICK starter GAMES ThE A WARDS MAIn MAn 41 THIS YEAR’S NOMINEES ACROSS CAMPBELL SEVEN Categories JOHN HALL OF FAME KnEEL 15 THE INAUGURAL INDUCTEES FOR bEForE DODD THIS YEAR Cover by: SPONSORED BY printed in the UK by JON THE MAGAZINE HODGSON PRINTING COMPANY www.jonhodgson.com using only paper from FSC/pEFC suppliers programme www.magprint.co.uk design by MATTHEW COMBEN www.stegosaur.co.uk EVERYTHING ABOUT GAMES UK GAMES EXPO 2013 5 DESIGNING THE X-WING MINIATURES GAME Stay ON TARGET BY JAY LITTLE AS WITH MANY OTHER GEEKS AROUND THE WORLD, STAR WARS HAS BEEN “WORKING and scales. The ships needed to be large INCREDIBLY INFLUENTIAL THROUGHOUT MY LIFE. WATCHING THE MOVIES AS A enough to show off their detail, but small CHILD SPARKED MY IMAGINATION AND INVOKED A SENSE OF AWE. OVER THE WITH Star enough to be manageable on a tabletop YEARS, MY LOVE OF STAR WARS GREW AS I BECAME IMMERSED IN MORE AND when fielding an entire squadron. After MORE WAYS TO ENJOY THE SETTING. I CONSUMED STAR WARS BOOKS, ACTION WARS IS AN several rounds of prototyping, reviews FIGURES, VIDEO GAMES, BOARD GAMES, ROLE PLAYING GAMES, CARTOONS... and approvals, it was decided that THE LIST GOES ON. INCREDIBLE X-Wing Miniatures would be created at 1/270 scale. When I was asked if I’d like to design a see if these ideas were a step in the right opportunity. Star Wars miniatures game for Fantasy direction or if I was suffering from a mind WITH that With the scale settled, the media Flight Games, one that was meant to trick. The initial response was positive, so I department used 3D modelling software capture the excitement of the dogfighting kept refining the core concepts and slowly opportunity to create the level of detail required to between iconic starships like X-Wings started to add more and more details. really show off these starships. From these and TIE Fighters, I couldn’t say “yes!” fast ALSO COMES 3D models, steel moulds were built. once enough. Once given the green light, I That lead to the next step, how to built, the first wave of production samples began designing X-Wing Miniatures with represent both the starships and their A SORT OF were manufactured and determining the unbridled energy and enthusiasm. pilots? This turned out to be more obligation” next level of detail – the colour and paint challenging than first expected. What schemes – began. Great, KID. DON’T GET COCKY... abilities or characteristics are inherent to a - Han Solo, Episode IV starship, and what unique abilities do the pilots bring to the table? how do ships As you can imagine, working with Star and their pilots interact? Wars is an incredible opportunity. With that opportunity also comes a sort of I also had to take into account a number obligation. Fans worldwide have high of key features of the Star Wars setting expectations when it comes to Star and the space battles we see in the hand, if the TIEs were too durable, player to “count” Focus icons generated “FEW THINGS a forward barrel roll. Ships with boost are Wars themed games and experiences. movies. how would astromechs like r2-D2 it wouldn’t feel right. by a dice roll. The player spends a incredibly nimble, and can dart in and out It doesn’t just have to look right, it has to come into play? What do shields need Focus token to change those icons into ARE MORE of engagements before the opponent feel right. to do? how do we represent different The combat system was heavily tested, successes on offense or evasions on knows what hit them. ordnance or weaponry like proton over and over, to strike that balance. defence. otherwise, without using Focus, gratiFYING After several sleepless nights, long torpedoes or ion cannons? both the attacker and defender have the those icons are considered blank! As for other favourite tricks or tactics? days, and nostalgia-triggered bouts of ability to influence the battle with strategic THAN Well, I guess we’ll have to square off in a inspiration, I had some concrete ideas LOOK at THE SIZE OF that THING! positioning and action selection. We I have YOU NOW! game of X-Wing Miniatures to find out. I could build from. Some of those first - Wedge Antilles, Episode IV wanted the system to reward smart play, - Darth Vader, Episode IV blasting ideas that laid the foundation for the tactics, and planning ahead, but still have YOUR CUE CREDITS design included the movement templates, Meanwhile, as I was working to answer that random element to build excitement Few things are more gratifying than manoeuvre dials and a modular approach those design questions, the production CONTROL, CONTROL. YOU MUST LEARN CONTROL! throughout the battle. blasting your opponent’s ships into OPPONENT’S It’s important to note just how much to kitting out individual ships to assemble and development team worked tirelessly - Yoda, Episode V oblivion while humming the Star Wars time and effort goes into creating a a squadron. to make sure X-Wing Miniatures would be NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS. theme or making pewpewpew sound SHIPS INTO game, especially one as demanding visually stunning. The media department With the starship model development - Han Solo, Episode V effects. I’m often asked if I prefer to play and rigorously developed as X-Wing I quickly assembled a prototype, eager to worked closely with Lucasfilm Ltd. to underway, the design continued to evolve. Imperial or rebel squadrons, or asked OBLIVION Miniatures. I’m fortunate to have been show my co-workers. I wanted to ensure the consistency and The core concepts expanded to include That random element came in the form of what my favourite ability / action / pilot WHILE able to lead the design. but X-Wing accuracy of the starship more dogfighting and miniatures elements the attack and defence dice. is from the game. Those are would not be the game it is without the © 2013 models. FFG obtained LuCASFILM like firing arcs, range bands, refinement of It’s easy to look at a game always difficult questions to HUMMING hard work of dozens of other people. In measurements directly LtD. & TM. the movement and manoeuvre systems, that uses dice and think it’s HEAR JAY LITTLE answer, because it’s like particular, Adam Sadler, Steve Kimball, from the actual models ALL RIGHTS and some of the special actions we heavily luck-dependent THE LEAD DESIGNER choosing which of my THE Star James Kniffen, Corey Konieczka and Jason RESERVED. OF STAR WARS: X-WING used in the movies, NO PArt OF wanted to make available. or chaotic.