January 22, 2025: Bandai Announces Gundam Miniatures Game

A new year always means new games, but it isn't usually this literal. If you missed it, on January 6th Bandai announced a new miniatures game. They haven't revealed a release date, but they have shared a teaser video and promo images that have gotten a lot of people excited.

Miniatures fans have been looking at the Gundam model kits that Bandai produces for years, wondering what the company could do if they decided to make minis. Now that we've seen this preview, the most interesting difference between the larger mecha model kits and these miniatures is the size and complexity. The minis will be cast in a single color of plastic and will not be posable. The tradeoff for that simplicity will likely be reduced prices compared to the larger models.

The other interesting thing about the Gundam Assemble model line is that they will also tie into the upcoming Gundam Card Game as . . .

[more]

Share this post!

January 21, 2025: Help The Internet Archive Keep It Clean

For decades, the Internet Archive has performed a valuable service by preserving our history.

Recently, SJ Games ran into a situation where we could have had beef with the IA. We do not WANT beef with the IA. But we found literally hundreds of PDFs of our games – the same ones we sell – posted on the IA, many organized neatly by game system or "Steve Jackson Games."

Not a pretty sight!

Long story short, the IA depends on volunteers to do its work, and clearly some of those volunteers have run up the black flag and gone a-pirating. This is not the fault of the organization as a whole. But it makes them look bad!

The IA is cooperating with us fully in removing pirated material as we find it. But there are a few things you can do to help them keep it clean . . .

- If you run across copies of professionally-published game material there, especially in PDF, it's probably not legit. . . . [more]

Share this post!

January 20, 2025: Calling All Agents: Pre-Order Last Shot Today

As a secret agent, you've been part of some history . . .

March 11, 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the General Secretary of the Communist Party and leader of the USSR.

June 12, 1987: In a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, United States President Ronald Reagan exhorts Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!"

November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall falls, reuniting the city for the first time since 1961. While preceded by the fall of communism in Poland and Hungary, it is a potent symbol of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

December 25, 1991: The Soviet Union formally dissolves, bringing an end to the Cold War.

Or does it? Your handler has just let you know that you need to tie up loose ends – and avoid becoming one yourself. Will you make it out of the cloak-and-dagger trade alive?

In Last Shot, you take on the role of a secret agent in the waning days of the Cold War. . . .

[more]

Share this post!

January 19, 2025: Who Goes First, Gamers' Choice!

I recently posted about how games determine who goes first. Of course, this doesn't account for the myriad ways that players can decide that all-important question.

I mentioned that rules for some games say "roll to see who goes first," but players can decide to use something other than six-siders. In the world of randomization, rolling dice, flipping coins, or rock-paper-scissors are obvious choices. For those who prefer high-tech variations, there are any number of randomizer apps on your device of choice. Chooser! seems to be a quick and fun option where each player puts a finger (presumably one of their own) on the device's screen, and the app will select the "winner." Chooser! can even pick multiple winners . . . perfect (for example) to determine which two out of four players are on the same team.

If you would rather not rely on a randomizer to decide who has the first turn, . . . [more]

Share this post!

January 18, 2025: The Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 3D Printer: Best Beginner's (Or Expert's!) Resin Printer: Part 2

The Saturn is also self-leveling and self-adjusting. This is truly a plug-and-play printer. It works well with the Atlas Vulcan resin that we recommend with our STL sets, though if I was doing very high-res prints, I might want to use the spendy but very good resin I use with the Phrozen Sonic Mini; it gives superb prints at 8k, and the Saturn is capable of 12k.

I'm not going to say it's the only printer you'll ever need, because technology is always advancing. My Ender 3 was amazing when I first got it; now it's in a box in the attic. But the Saturn will certainly take care of your gaming print needs into the foreseeable future; it'll always be "good enough." And it's fairly cheap in the US . . . $400, ballpark. If you've been looking at some of the STL files we are selling on Warehouse 23, like CARnage or Foes – or my favorites, the 3D components for Wiz-War – this . . .

[more]

Share this post!

Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule

The vacant scenario perverts the flaming dog. January 22, 2025: Bandai Announces Gundam Miniatures Game A new year always means new games, but it isn't usually this literal. If you missed it, on January 6th Bandai announced a new miniatures game. They haven't revealed a release date, but they have shared a teaser video and promo images that have gotten a lot of people excited. Miniatures fans have been looking at the Gundam model kits that Bandai produces for years, wondering what the company could do if they decided to make minis. Now that we've seen this preview, the most interesting difference between the larger mecha model kits and these miniatures is the size and complexity. The minis will be cast in a single color of plastic and will not be posable. The tradeoff for that simplicity will likely be reduced prices compared to the larger models. The other interesting thing about the Gundam Assemble model line is that they will also tie into the upcoming Gundam Card Game as . . . [more] Share this post! January 21, 2025: Help The Internet Archive Keep It Clean For decades, the Internet Archive has performed a valuable service by preserving our history. Recently, SJ Games ran into a situation where we could have had beef with the IA. We do not WANT beef with the IA. But we found literally hundreds of PDFs of our games – the same ones we sell – posted on the IA, many organized neatly by game system or "Steve Jackson Games." Not a pretty sight! Long story short, the IA depends on volunteers to do its work, and clearly some of those volunteers have run up the black flag and gone a-pirating. This is not the fault of the organization as a whole. But it makes them look bad! The IA is cooperating with us fully in removing pirated material as we find it. But there are a few things you can do to help them keep it clean . . . - If you run across copies of professionally-published game material there, especially in PDF, it's probably not legit. . . . [more] Share this post! January 20, 2025: Calling All Agents: Pre-Order Last Shot Today As a secret agent, you've been part of some history . . . March 11, 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the General Secretary of the Communist Party and leader of the USSR. June 12, 1987: In a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, United States President Ronald Reagan exhorts Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!" November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall falls, reuniting the city for the first time since 1961. While preceded by the fall of communism in Poland and Hungary, it is a potent symbol of the collapse of the Soviet Union. December 25, 1991: The Soviet Union formally dissolves, bringing an end to the Cold War. Or does it? Your handler has just let you know that you need to tie up loose ends – and avoid becoming one yourself. Will you make it out of the cloak-and-dagger trade alive? In Last Shot, you take on the role of a secret agent in the waning days of the Cold War. . . . [more] Share this post! January 19, 2025: Who Goes First, Gamers' Choice! I recently posted about how games determine who goes first. Of course, this doesn't account for the myriad ways that players can decide that all-important question. I mentioned that rules for some games say "roll to see who goes first," but players can decide to use something other than six-siders. In the world of randomization, rolling dice, flipping coins, or rock-paper-scissors are obvious choices. For those who prefer high-tech variations, there are any number of randomizer apps on your device of choice. Chooser! seems to be a quick and fun option where each player puts a finger (presumably one of their own) on the device's screen, and the app will select the "winner." Chooser! can even pick multiple winners . . . perfect (for example) to determine which two out of four players are on the same team. If you would rather not rely on a randomizer to decide who has the first turn, . . . [more] Share this post! January 18, 2025: The Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 3D Printer: Best Beginner's (Or Expert's!) Resin Printer: Part 2 The Saturn is also self-leveling and self-adjusting. This is truly a plug-and-play printer. It works well with the Atlas Vulcan resin that we recommend with our STL sets, though if I was doing very high-res prints, I might want to use the spendy but very good resin I use with the Phrozen Sonic Mini; it gives superb prints at 8k, and the Saturn is capable of 12k. I'm not going to say it's the only printer you'll ever need, because technology is always advancing. My Ender 3 was amazing when I first got it; now it's in a box in the attic. But the Saturn will certainly take care of your gaming print needs into the foreseeable future; it'll always be "good enough." And it's fairly cheap in the US . . . $400, ballpark. If you've been looking at some of the STL files we are selling on Warehouse 23, like CARnage or Foes – or my favorites, the 3D components for Wiz-War – this . . . [more] Share this post! Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule		Latest Videos You are the 324th Secret Master here today. (30347659 since August 1, 1995)