Episode 220: A Fair Review of Origins 2026

Episode 220: A Fair Review of Origins 2026

On this episode, Quarex and Ben give our unvarnished—but still pretty positive—opinion about our time at Origins 2026. Whether we're yammering about our travel and lodging, the badges and event tickets, the Your Origins 2026 app, the apparent volunteer staffing shortage, the ticketed events we did, the layout of the exhibit hall, the new games we tried out, or the people we got to play with... we're letting you know what we think. Stick around for the end of the episode, where Ben and Quarex discuss the heart and spirit of Origins, and what 2027 is already looking like it's shaping up to be. We also used Origins to release our new sistercast: All Year I Dream About Game Reviews [https://shows.acast.com/all-year-i-dream-about-game-reviews], coming to a podcatcher near you! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 219: Even More Exhibit Hall Interviews from Our 2026 Travels

On this interview episode, Ben, Quarex, and Ben interviewed designers at conventions earlier this year! * Stuart from Warcradle Studios [https://www.warcradle.com/], who was showing off Armoured Clash [https://www.armouredclash.com/] at Adepticon! * Yochai from Cairn Press [https://cairnpress.ink/], who designed Cairn 2e [https://cairnpress.ink/#about-cairn], records the Between Two Cairns [https://betweentwocairns.com/] podcast, and is hosting Between Two Cons [https://betweentwocons.com/] the weekend this episode releases! * Sean from Relic Blade Studio, the engine behind the Relicblade [https://www.relicblade.com/] miniatures game! * Matt Fantastic from Forever Stoked Creative [https://www.foreverstokedcreative.com/], former GAMA director, and current director of Unpub [https://www.unpub.org/]! Check out Matt's latest game, GOAT [https://tacocatgames.com/product/goat-greatest-of-all-time/] from Dolphin Hat Games! You won't want to miss it! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 218: More Exhibit Hall Interviews from the Origins Exhibitor Hall, Part 2

On this episode, it's chatting from the Origins exhibitor hall about RPGs and merch! * Kelly with Red Raccoon Games [https://www.redraccoongames.net/], who was the lead at the Origins Merch Booth on Saturday! * The better of the two interviews we conducted with Gabe and Le of Weird Place, publishers of Fluff 'n' Fury [https://www.weirdplace.net/products/fluff-n-fury-official-core-rules] who were demoing their new game Chaotika [https://www.weirdplace.net/products/chaotika-ashcan]! * Alan from Tuesday Knight Games [https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/], publishers of the Mothership RPG [https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/pages/mothership-rpg], the explosive social deduction game Two Booms and a Room [https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/products/two-rooms-and-a-boom], and their latest offering... Fatherfog [https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/products/fatherfog0e]. Check them out! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 217: Exhibit Hall Interviews from the Origins Exhibitor Hall, Part 1

On this episode, it's chatting from the Origins exhibitor hall about board games and components! * David from Intersection Games [https://intersection.games/], who was showing off Flip Draw: Mondrian and Concrete Canvas, currently available for preorder! * Alyssa from Brooke and Joy Games [https://www.brookeandjoy.com/], who was showing off their new game Speed Swap Chaos [https://www.brookeandjoy.com/collections/consumer/products/speed-swap-chaos] and the rest of their upcoming games [https://www.brookeandjoy.com/collections/consumer]! * Paul from Limiting Factor Games [https://www.limitingfactorgames.com/], whose are non‑magnetic, non‑slip Dynamaps dungeon tiles are great for tabletop mapping! * Emily from Pink Hawk Games [https://www.pinkhawkgames.com/], who was showing off Pirates of the High Teas [https://www.pinkhawkgames.com/piratesofthehighteas] and demoing Super Chonk [https://www.pinkhawkgames.com/superchonk] and Good Kitties [https://www.pinkhawkgames.com/goodkitties] with Ben Jones... sign up to be the first to know when they come to Kickstarter in late September [https://get.pinkhawkgames.com/?v=B]! * An unnamed person definitely doing something Probably Illegal [https://probablyillegal.com/] under Ohio state law. (Probably.) ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 216: An App-etizer for Origins 2026

On this episode, Quarex and Ben are previewing Origins at the speed of GAMA! The following is a list of things that we talk about... * The security and metal detector FAQ [https://www.originsgamefair.com/security-metal-detector-faq] that was released between recording this episode and releasing this episode! * The exhibitor hall map, both text searchable [https://www.originsgamefair.com/exhibitor-resource-hub ] and not [https://www.originsgamefair.com/show-map ]! * Order some emergency dice [https://www.originsgamefair.com/emergency-dice ] from Black Oak Workshop! * Our live podcast recording on Thursday night [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule/3362 ]! See the man behind the mask challenging the fool who left the championship belt in Iowa! Check out the latest games, like: * Golden Goal [https://www.allplay.com/board-games/golden-goal ] from All Play at Booth 2300! * Wispwood [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/445044/wispwood ] from Czech Games Edition at Booth 1903! * Carnuta [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/457386/carnuta ] from Repos Productions at Booth 2218! * Five Card Spud [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/464154/five-card-spud ] from Marmot Card Games... at booth undetermined. * DNUP [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/432456/dnup ] from Asmodee at Booth 2300! * Cyberpunk Legends [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/450672/cyberpunk-legends ] from Night Crew Games at Booth 2301! And check out past, current, and future friends of the pod who are exhibiting like: * Pink Hawk Games [https://www.pinkhawkgames.com/ ] at booth 1404 * The XP Network [https://xpnetwork.com/ ] at booth 1904 * Ink Splot Games [https://www.facebook.com/inksplotgames/ ] at booth 1905 * Uloomi Games [https://www.uloomi.com/games ] at booth 2507 * Archania Workshop [https://archaniaworkshop.com/] at booth 1212 * Retro Plus Games [https://www.retroplusgames.com/games ] at booth 1312 * Prime Chaos Glass Studios [https://www.primechaosstudios.com/] at booth 1711 * Saving Throw Pillows [https://www.savingthrowpillows.com/ ] at booth 2023 * Long Pack Games [https://www.savingthrowpillows.com/ ] at booth 1528 * Crime No Crime [https://crimenocrime.com/ ] at both 1321 * Browncastle Games [https://www.browncastlegames.com/ ] at booth 2811 * Goodman Games [https://goodman-games.com/] at booth 1807 * Pizza with a Fork Games [https://goodman-games.com/] at booth 2206 * Tuesday Night Games [https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/] at booth 1604 And check out events and special events like: * The Other Guys [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule#?query=Kevin%20Rank&filter_liked=0&day_id=&eventtype_id=&startdaypart_id= ] (D&D) * Builders of Baldur's Gate [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule#?query=Builders%20of%20Baldur's%20Gate&filter_liked=0&day_id=&eventtype_id=&startdaypart_id=] (Wiz Kids) * Train Game Potluck [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule/4243] (Train Gamers Association) * Fellowship of the White Star [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule#?query=Rosebud&filter_liked=0&day_id=&eventtype_id=&startdaypart_id=] (Rosebud) * Piracy and Law of the Sea [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule/6287 ] (seminar) * Punish Your Players with Landscape Science [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule/7559] (seminar) * Meet Mike Pondsmith [https://www.originsgamefair.com/special-guests ] (Cyberpunk!) * Taskmaster LA [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/schedule/7942 ] (special event) * The Magic of Erica Carlson [https://www.originsgamefair.com/erica-carlson ] (special events) To say nothing of Pin Bazaar, Barley's pint glasses, and all the food North Market has to offer. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.