Warning!  Danger, podcast listener, danger!

At the end of September, we will be permanently moving to our own hosting @ www.headgamespodcast.com .  For those of you on iTunes, we'll be shifting over in their internal servers, so you shouldn't be affected.  If you listen to this podcast through some other way linked permanently to Libsyn, please switch over ASAP.  We're trying to get you more content and the new site gives us that freedom.  Anyways, on with the Shnotes:

1. News
   1. Draconian GSL changing, WotC thoroughly chastised
      
   2. ENnie Award Winners (The rest at enworld.com)
      
   1. Best Fan Product - Gold: Animalball Games Podcast; Silver: Flames Rising Dot Com
   2. Best Writing - Gold: Changeling: The Lost, White Wolf Publishing; Silver: Trail of Cthulhu, Pelgrane Press
   3. Best Regalia - Gold: Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress: A Girls Guide to Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast; Silver: Hobby Games: The 100 Best, Green Ronin Publishing
   4. Best Game - Gold: Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition, Wizards of the Coast; Silver: Aces and Eights, Kenzer & Company
      
   5. Product of the Year - Gold: Changeling: The Lost, White Wolf Publishing; Silver: Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition, Wizards of the Coast
   6. Fan Choice Best Publisher; Gold: Paizo Publishing; Silver: White Wolf Publishing
   3. Parsec Awards Nominees
   1. Best Gaming Podcast:Brilliant Gameologists,CoH Podcast,Family Night,The Game Kennel,Out of Character,WoW Radio : Octale and Hordak vs The World
      
   4. John McCain Staffer disses gamers???
      
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
   1. Game Table Online
3. Main Bit
   1. What an awesome weekend!  Sales seemed up everywhere, many booths selling out
   2. New Games we played/bought
      1. Battlestar Galactica TBG
         
      2. Touch of Evil 
      3. Horus
      4. Serenity Adventures
      5. Antler Island
      6. FFG's Cosmic Encounter re-boot looks awesome, new "Tech Research" option, tentative holiday release 
      7. Pathfinder Beta
      8. Monsterpocalypse
         
      9. D&D Dungeon Delve
         
      10. Red November
          
      11. MMOs
          1. PotBS 
          2. Entropia 
          3. Star Wars Galaxies Card Game 
          4. Freaky Creatures
          5. Champions (I played this. The real time combat was fun, the graphics were great, and it controlled  great on a Xbox 360 controller)
             
   3. Gamers: Dorkness Rising
      
   4. Gary Gygax Tributes
      
   5. "The Sultan"
   6. No sign of Morton's List?
   7. Annoying ANNOYING panhandlers.
      

1. News
1. PAX East Coast in 2010!!!
2. DragonCon still doesn't consider Podcasts eligible for media credentials, despite many other cons doing so.
   
3. 2009 ENnie judges voting now open
4. GenCon exhibitor list with URLs from LivingDice.com
5. Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People out Monday/American McGee's Grimm Ep 1 out on GameTap now
6. WoW Recruit-A-Friend campaign....Are they seriously out to increase numbers even further? Or is this a way to get WotLK signups even higher?
   
7. Disaster Movie joins the SIDS crib of movies (Scary Movies 1-4, Not Another Teen Movie, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Superhero Movie, etc.) When questioned, writers claim "I learned it by watching Steve Jackson." Sad thing is, many of them were worked on by Jim Abrahams of KFM/Airplane/Naked Gun/Hot Shots fame. Even the names sounds like something an executive in Alpha Complex would come up with. </endbhzrant>
   
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
1. Reset Generation
   
3. Main Bit
1. GenCon!
1. What not to miss
1. The RAM
2. Alcatraz Brewery
3. Lucas Oil Field
4. The Segway Challenge
   
2. What to avoid
1. The lines
2. Food inside the convention hall
   
3. Things to make GenCon easier
1. Cheese Weasel's Con Game
4. Video Games at GenCon
   

1. News
   1. ENnie Award nominees
      1. Best Cover Art: Pathfinder #1, Pirate’s Guide to Freeport, Scion
      2. Best Interior Art: Pathfinder Classic Monsters, Changeling, Pathfinder #1, Solomon Kane
      3. Best Production Value: Aces & Eights, Campaign Coins, Changeling, Solomon Kane
      4. Best Writing: Changeling, Grimm, Monsters and Other Childish Things, Trail of Cthulhu
      5. Best Rules: Aces & Eights, Star Wars Saga, Trail of Cthulhu
      6. Best Adventure: DCC #50, DCC #51, Pathfinder #1, Pathfinder #8
      7. Best Monster/Adversary: Book of Unremitting Horror, Pathfinder Classic Monsters, Elder Evils
      8. Best Setting: City of Brass, Pathfinder Chronicles Gazeteer
      9. Best Supplement: Codex Arcanis, Hero High, True20 Companion
      10. Best Aid or Accessory: Campaign Coins, Pathfinder Harrow Deck, Hero Lab
      11. Best Miniature: D&D Icons Drizzt, Titania’s Fury
      12. Best Regalia: 100 Best Hobby Games, Confessions of a PT Sorceress
      13. Best Free Product: Changeling Quickstart, Pathfinder RPG Alpha, Shadowrun Quickstart
      14. Best d20/OGL Product: City of Brass, Codex Arcanis, Monte Cook’s WoD, Star Wars Saga, True20 Freeport
      15. Best Game: Aces & Eights, Changeling, Grimm, Monsters and Other…,Og, Star Wars Saga
          
      16. Product OTY:Aces & Eights, Changeling, Grimm, Monsters and Other…, Pirates Guide to Freeport, Solomon Kane, Pathfinder #8, Star Wars Saga
          
   2. E3 Highlites: Spore (more creatures than on Earth), Puzzle Quest: Galactix, Little Big Planet, Fable II (including Bard-killing goodness), Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir, Saints Row 2, Halo Wars, Final Fantasy XIII (on Xbox360 & PS3 - see Jared’s blog “Late to the Game”), Ghostbusters, Wolfenstein, Left 4 Dead, Portal: Still Alive, Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Xbox 360 Avatars, Mirror’s Edge, KotOR MMO
      
   3. Rock Band 2 Track List Out! 84 Master Tracks!! 500+ by year’s end!! Our favorites:
      1. Brian: Allman Brothers “Ramblin’ Man”, Foo Fighters “Everlong”, Kansas “Carry On Wayward Son”, Motorhead “Ace of Spades”, Survivor “Eye of the Tiger”
      2. Zach: Kansas “Carry On”, Motorhead “Ace of Spades”, Norman Greenbaum “Spirit In The Sky”, Rush “The Trees”, The Who “Pinball Wizard”
      3. Ben:Kansas “Carry On Wayward Son”, The Guess Who “American Woman”, Fleetwood Mac “Go Your Own Way”, Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away”, The Who “Pinball Wizard”
      4. Jason: Tenacious D, “Master Exploder”;The Who, “Pinball Wizard”; Blondie “One Way or another”; Alanis Morisette, “You Oughta Know”; Norman Greenbaum “Spirit in the Sky”
         
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
   1. The Decktet
      
3. Main Bit - Super-Heroes in Gaming: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
   
   1. What’s the appeal to play Super-Hero games? what makes a good one, a bad one? How do you translate comic book action into games?
      
   2. Super-Heroes in RPGs: Mutants & Masterminds, DC Heroes, Marvel Superheroes,Hero System: Champions
   3. Super-Heroes in VGs:City of Heroes, Freedom Force, Champions Online, Countless Batman/Superman/Iron Man/Hulk/”MechAssault or Gauntlet With Spandex” games, MK vs DC

We're switching to our own Feedburner RSS Feed over at our main site, www.headgamespodcast.com

Please check it out over there.  I posted up Episode #30 there, but can't put it here on the Libsyn site for another week due to MB restrictions.  Our interviews + the show are just too big for Libsyn/my wallet to handle over here.  But, you can find everything here, plus blog posts and gaming articles and even more interviews over at the new site.  Go there.  Seriously.  Go there and repoint whatever it is that you use to get this podcast. 

Here's more from our trip to Origins this year.  Ben, Zach and Brian sit on the floor and chat with Andy Looney of Looney Labs.  Find his games and more @ www.wunderland.com

1. News
1. Origins Award Winners
1. Miniatures Rules of the Year: Classic Battletech
1. Beat: Forces of WARMACHINE: Pirates of the Broken Coast
2. Miniature or Miniatures Line of the Year: Titanius Fury
1. Beat: George R.R. Martin Masterworks - Premium Miniature Line, Bronzeback Titan, HORDES: Evolution Miniatures Line
3. Collectible Card Game of the Year: Legend of the Five Rings
1. Beat: The Spoils (Good!!!)
4. Historical Board Game of the Year: Age of Empires III: The Age of Discovery
5. Non-Fiction Publication of the Year: Hobby Games: The 100 Best
1. Beat: 40 Years of Gen Con, Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress: A Girl's Guide to the Dungeons & Dragons Game, No Quarter Magazine
6. Fiction Publication of the Year: Astounding Hero Tales
1. Beat: The Orc King (R.A. Salvatore)
7. Game Accessory of the Year: Call of Cthulhu Dice Set
1. Beat: Dungeon Life: Bendy Walls, Gamemastery Flip Mat: Tavern
8. Roleplaying Game Supplement of the Year: Codex Arcanis
1. Beat: Pirate"s Guide to Freeport, Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords
9. Roleplaying Game of the Year: Aces & Eights
1. Beat: Grimm, Solomon Kane
10. Traditional Card Game of the Year: Zombie Fluxx
1. Beat: Cutthroat Caverns, Infernal Contraption, Race for the Galaxy
11. Board Game or Expansion of the Year: StarCraft: The Board Game
1. Beat: Pillars of the Earth, Kingsburg, Last Night on Earth, The Zombie Game
12. Hall of Fame Inductees: R. A. Salvatore, * Vampire: The Masquerade (White Wolf Games), * Paranoia (Mongoose Publishing)
    
2. Goodman Games DCC Clearance Sale: 50% off all 3.5 modules (Xcrawl NOT going 4E)
3. Rock Band 2 Coming in September!  The Who coming!
   
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
1. Saga - www.playsaga.com
   
3. The Main Bit
1. Origins!
2. Interviews
1. Reiner Knizia,Andy Looney,Marc Anticole,John Tintera,Nicolas Logue
3. Games We Played/Got
1. Yetisburg,ETI,Gangster,Bacchus' Banquet,Demon Hunter RPG,Paranoia RPG,Terrorwerks,Say Anything,Catan,Cutthroat Caverns
   
4. Games We Want to Buy After Seeing the Prototype
1. Monty Python Fluxx, Martian Fluxx, High Noon Saloon, Monsterpocalypse

The Doctor of game design was kind enough to sit sown and endure our fanboy nature to answer some questions at Origins this year.  We talked about a variety of subjects and he surprised us with his candor and even some of his answers!

Nothing fancy today as I'm busy packing for Origins.  Check out the Origins Photo Hunt on our site!

1. News
1. Spore Creature Creator Demo released
   
2. Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm coming to XBLA
   
3. Eve Online new expansion allows Players to take sides in War, determine future of in-game events
4. New GSL from WotC
   
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
1. Traitor Recycling Studio releases blind-test version of new RPG, Android: http://android.caligrean.com/index.html
   
3. The Main Bit
1. What big things are happening at Origins?
1. Origins Games Fair "Open to Public"
2. BD's Mongorian "Omgwtf" BBQ!
3. Krema Peanut Butter
   
2. What are we doing as a podcast?
1. Live Broadcast
2. The Photo Hunt & T-Shirts
3. Interviews
1. Reiner Knizia
2. Andy Looney
   
3. What games are we going to play?
1. Paranoia
2. NSDM
3. Duel In The Dark
4. Kingsburg, dammit
5. Year of the Dragon, dammit
   
6. Ticket to Ride tournament
7. Kingdom Hearts
8. Demon Hunters
9. What's New With Andy Looney
10. CABS Boardgame Ribbon
11. Battlecry

1. News
   1. Origins Exhibitor List with URLs
      
   2. Scrye Player's Choice Awards
      
   3. Big changes coming to M:TG
      
   4. The Dice Tower Game Awards
      
   5. Age of Conan boob problem
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
1. Djarhun
   
3. Main Bit
1. Indiana Jones and the Quest for More Money
1. LEGO Indiana Jones
   
2. RPGs
1. Adventure! d20 - Sword & Sorcery (White Wolf),Hollow Earth Expedition - Exile,Treasure Hunter - Emerald Press
   
3. Board/Card Games
   1. Exploration
      
   1. Lost Cities, Lost Valley, Anno 1503, Africa, Expedition, Source of the Nile (1979), Age of Exploration, Goldland, Tikal, Java
      
   2. Horror
      
   1. Arkham Horror, Fury of Dracula, Betrayal at the House on the Hill
      
   3. Fantasy
      
   1. Doom / Descent, War of the Ring, Runebound, Talisman
      
4. Video Games-How the "Adventure" genre evolved. From text-based to the more modern incorporation of AG ideas into other genres.
1. Text Based (Infocom)
   
1. Zork, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
2. Legend Games
1. Gateway,Champions of Xanth
3. Lucas Arts-light-hearted and fun adventures that encouraged exploration and trying various things.
   1. Full Throttle, Monkey Island, Sam & Max, Maniac Mansion and Day of the Tentacle, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
4. Sierra-This set of games was characterized by the incredible ease in which you died.
1. Kings Quest, Police Quest, Space Quest, Quest for Glory- Hybrid RPG
5. Funcom
1. The Longest Journey Series
6. Pulp MMORPGs
1. Age of Conan

1. News
   1. Meet Jared
   2. Origins Event List & Exhibitor List out!  Paizo the biggest company going
   3.  Monte Cook didn't quit RPGs after all - joins Paizo
   4. Wormhole - Printable, constructable mini game 
   5. Wizards in at GenCon I'm getting Harry Dresden's autograph! -Jason 5/20/08 10:28 AM
      
   6. Penny-Arcade Game ("On The Rain-slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One"), Blood Bowl, & Ticket to Ride on XBL
   7. Jake Gyllenhaal to star in movie version of Prince of Persia (and in related updates, 280315/1000000 signatures on the Stop Uwe Boll petition.)
   8. The Cars self-titled album out next week for Rock Band DLC (topless Phoebe Cates not included).
      
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
   1. Trackmania (Nations Forever edition) - zomgwtfbbq this game is FREE ($40 version includes 6 other vehicles and track types with unique graphics)
      
3. The Main Bit
1. Grand Theft Auto IV
1. GTA IV Ads removed
2. Niko Belic's voice has something else to say
   

We recorded Episode #26 last night with special guest awesome guy Jared.  You'll hear him again in Ep. 27.  I'll edit it sometime this weekend in between eating grilled meat and drinking finely crafted brews.  It's Memorial Day...lay off.  Meanwhile, back at the link cave...

E3's rapidly shrinking floor plan
Stephen Colbert for President in the Marvel Universe
Tales of an ex-Jack Sparrow

We have a sponsor!  Our May sponsor is Sinister Adventures!  We've got some cool stuff coming up for Origins and GenCon to be announced here soon.  Check out the post on our site about possible HGP t-shirts.  The next episode will be the return of Gaming's Biggest Detractors!

The Shnotes, they are a-changing...

I. News
II. Free Game of the Fortnight
III. The Main Bit

Hey folks...

We've been thinking about new ways to get the word out about our show and let you show us off to all your friends, co-workers, relations, enemies and small children.  The easiest way might just be a really kickin' t-shirt!  I've got a basic mock-up ready and you can check out the front, the back and also the design we're using, courtesy of Nikki, one of our loyal listeners.

So, tell me.  You willing to buy an HGP t-shirt?  If we get enough responses, we'll make them and put them up for sale.  If nothing else, we're going to make these for ourselves to wear at conventions like Origins, GenCon, ChattaCon and any others we end up at.

1. News
1. Fight Klub: Decipher is back and they're either geniuses or completely insane
   
2. GenCon Event Tickets & True Dungeon Tickets now on sale!
3. Shadows Over Camelot Expansion - Merlin's Company
   
4. Still Alive available as Rock Band download 
   
5. Strong Bad comes to the Wii from Telltale Games
   
6. Call of Duty Real-Time Card Game
   
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
   
1. Dr. Who CCG
3. Main Bit
1. Games We Haven't Played in Forever But Dug Out of the Box (and why...all will be decent games but force us to explain why they are shelved)
   
1. Union Pacific
   
2. Castle (Serge Laget / Bruno Faidutti) - the twin game to OFuA/Citadels 
3. Tigris and Euphrates
4. Modern Art
5. Shark
   
6. Scotland Yard
7. Settlers of Catan
8. Torres

Hey folks...

We had a great guest lined up for an interview this week about D&D 4th Edition until the dreaded NDA reared it's ugly head.  We hear that the NDA will be featured in the new Monster Manual along with classic monsters Bloodsucking Lawyer and the evil Can't Take a Joke. 

So, we've postponed the interview until our Worldwide D&D Day Special Episode coming up on June 7th.  D&D 4th Ed premieres on the 6th of June and we'll have some quick feedback as well as that interview.  On the 7th, we'll all be at Dr. No's Comics and Games playing the new D&D and recording our session.  If you're in the Atlanta area that weekend and want to come hang out, we'll see you there!

1. News
1. On the Passing of Gary Gygax & Barron Vangor Toth
2. D&D 4th Ed Previews Up on Web
3. Paizo's New Pathfinder RPG: 3.5 Lives!
4. Zach's MomoCon report
2. Free Game of the Fortnight
1. Peep Wars
   
3. The Pulling Report
1. What event started the ball rolling?
1. Bink Pulling (1982)
2. Dieites and Demigods
3. James Dallas Egbert III
4. Mazes & Monsters
5. Jack Chick
6. The Schnoebellen Articles
1. Straight Talk on D&D
2. Should a Christian Play D&D
2. Patricia Pulling
1. Her response
2. Advocate for Children or Bent on Revenge?
3. Influence on Court Cases, Law Enforcement
3. Mike Stackpole and the Pulling Report
1. Patricia Pulling
1. BADD - Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons
2. Darren Lee Molitor
3. Law Enforcement Questionairre
4. The Necronomicon/Lovecraft
5. An Expert?
2. Sam Hoyer
3. Sean Sellers
   
4. Dr. Thomas Radecki
5. Larry Jones & File 18

We've got Episode 23 ready to go, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow to post it.  With April Fools going on all over the Netterwebs, it might be better to hold off.  To tide you over, I've got some gaming related April Fools jokes:

Blizzard:
New WoW Class - The Bard!
WoW Comes to Console Gaming!
The Diablo Pinata - Complete with Replica Weaponry!
Tauren Marines in Starcraft II!

Hello Kitty Online brings you to...The Island

LoTR Online - The Battle of Amon-Hen

Just a quick heads-up.  We got Episode #23 recorded and then realized that we picked too broad a subject and didn't do it real justice.  We've got a much better plan for the re-do and we'll get it up this week.

(It'ly is how people from Philadelphia say it...much like Ant'ny)

I'm back and getting into the groove of things.  We're recording our next show Monday, so expect it sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday.  Here's some links to keep you occupied:

MMORPG Learning Curve Graph

In Memoriam Gary Gygax:

Wonder what the 1st Ed D&D stats of presidential candidates are?  Wonder no longer!
5 Things we learned from D&D
The NY Times gives a flowchart on how D&D affected nerddom.

All right, look here in a few days for our next exciting episode!

Buon Giorno!

Brian here...my wife and I are currently touring Italy (Rome and Florence), so there won't be a podcast episode until we get home.  In the meanwhile, you can check out my travel blog over at sparkybuzzed.livejournal.com

Thanks again for listening to our show and we'll be back soon with more great stuff!  Ciao!

This one gets a bit heated towards the end.  Lots of roleplaying talk and video game news.

News:
GenCon Files for Chapter 11
Lucas vs GenCon

Game Developer's Conference
Portal 2?!
Still Alive on Rock Band!
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed vid
New Indiana Jones game (in addition to LEGO: Indy)
Telltale Games making episodic game for Wii (Not Sam & Max)
SOE founds scholarship for female game developers to The Art Institute - $10k + Internship

GDC Awards

Christine Schneider of Germany wins Paizo's RPG Superstar

Free Game of the Fortnight:
Comendium of Free RPGs 

Sidebar:
Stephen Colbert in WoW?

Main Bit: Roleplaying woes

Episode #21 Shnotes:

News:
4th Edition OGL to be released in 2 parts
Free RPG Day Sponsors

Free Game of the Fortnight:
Pokethulhu 3rd Edition

Atlanta Game Fest
HGP Geek List (includes all games talked about on this episode)
Game Fest South

ChattaCon
Jennie Breeden
Nigel Sade
Beer!

Here's our interview with Jennie Breeden from The Devil's Panties webcomic @ Chattacon!

Welcome to all our new listeners from Chattacon!  This is our site...no, it's not the greatest.  But, you're hear for the podcast, not for a pretty site.  I hope.  Anyway, check out the past shows and we'll have a new one up this weekend about Atlanta Games Fest and Chattacon!

Hey folks...

Big, big mistake on my part.  The mp3 of the Festivus episode included the raw audio from our recording, not the edited version.  So, for academic curiosity, you can see what our pre-game conversations are like and keep the previous version.  For the sake of people who would actually like to hear what we meant to put up (especially without the swearing) here's the real deal.  Again, music included in this ep. is by Jonathan Coulton.  The first song is "Podsafe Christmas" and the second is "Chiron Beta Prime." 

Hey folks...

There was some weird issue with Episode #19.  Looks like there's an extra 20 minutes of silence at the end of the file.  Nothing secret hidden in there, it's just a mistake.  The show seems to end correctly right around 57 minutes.  Let me know if there are any other problems.

News:
Activision & Blizzard/Vivendi merge
Child's Play Charity
Decipher ends the Star Trek CCG
Successor to Robert Jordan
Terry Pratchett has Early On-Set Alzheimer's

Holidays in Nerd-dom:
Everquest/EQ II - Frostfell
Tabula Rasa - Seasonal Holiday Observance
World of Warcraft - Feast of Winter Veil
Kringus @ PVP Online
Star Wars Galaxies - Wookiee Life Day

Free Game of the Fortnight:
Zombies Over Camelot

Game Reviews:
Rock Band
Culdcept Saga

Coming up before New Year's...our Festivus Airing of Grievances & Holiday Gift Guide!

Merry Christmas to all of our listeners out there!  Also, Happy Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Eid, Festivus, Winter Solstice and Hogswatch.  If I missed your particular winter-holiday-of-choice, well, then happy that as well.  Anyway, have a great time today, enjoy family and friends and live it up.  Tomorrow our last episode of the year goes up with a special Festivus edition cast posting sometime this week before New Year's Eve.  Holla.