Hasbro unveils new HERO QUEST project

 Hasbro has unveiled their fresh take on classic 1989 board game Hero Quest.

As related previously, Hero Quest was launched in 1989 as a collaboration between Milton Bradley Games (a subsidiary of Hasbro) and Games Workshop. The game saw a band of heroes braving a dungeon, depicted on a single board which would be adjusted with scenery into numerous different configurations. The game was a revelation at the time for its detailed miniatures and intricate scenery (particularly the impressive furniture). The game was a bestseller in both the USA and across Europe, although sales dropped off in 1992 and the game was cancelled after several expansions and a revised "advance" edition.

The new game is true to the original but has some updates to the gameplay to make it more streamlined and user-friendly. It has also removed any Games Workshop IP-derived creatures and characters to avoid potential legal issues, with "Chaos Magic" becoming "Dread Magic," Chaos Warriors becoming more generic "Dread Warriors" and Fimirs becoming a new race of aquatic monsters, the "Abominations".

The game has several improvements, such as using full plastic models for the doors (rather than card), plastic engraved dice and plastic bookshelves and fireplaces. The game will also allow players to play as either male or female versions of the four main characters.

The game is being crowdfunded via Hasbro's inhouse Hasbro Pulse Lab system. Players can preorder the base game for $99.99 or the "Mythic Tier" at $149.99, which includes additional miniatures based on the guy who gives the party its missions, Mentor, and the evil Witch Lord Zargon (who replaces Morcar, who is now a Chaos Lord in Warhammer). It will also include two full expansions based on the originals: Return of the Witch Lord and Kellar's Keep.

If the game exceeds its funding goal of $1 million, it will unlock additional bonuses like a new character class, the Warlock, and an entire new campaign book from original Hero Queste designer, Stephen Baker.

At this time of writing, the game had exceeded $200,000 in funding in less than 45 minutes, so it's quite likely the game will hit and then smash its goal.

Unfortunately, Hasbro Pulse does not ship directly to Europe, Asia or Australia, and only to Canada with hefty shipping fees. Given the absolutely titanic popularity of Hero Quest in many of those territories - and this is a British game in the first place! - that is disappointing.

Some fans have also expressed dismay at the price and the lack of any updated gameplay, noting that contemporary dungeon crawlers like Descent, Imperial Assault and, especially, Gloomhaven and Frosthaven have much more gameplay and many more ideas than Hero Quest at a cheaper price point.

More details should be released at Hasbro's virtual games event this weekend. They are currently targeting a late 2021 release date.

WayWord Sisters: A New Board Game Cafe for Dublin

My good friends Lada and Veronika are opening a new board game cafe in Dublin, Ireland, to be called WayWord Sisters. They are running a crowdfunding campaign via Fundit.ie as well as taking out traditional funding.

I've known Lada and Veronika for over three years. They are hardworking entrepreneurs with a lot of experience in hospitality, customer service and board games. They're also geeks of the highest order, and members of the online Song of Ice and Fire community. They once made an epic House Stark-themed sandcastle with Syrio Forel (well, Miltos Yerolemou who played Syrio on HBO's Game of Thrones), which is the kind of geek cred you can't overstate.

Please check out their crowdfunding page, the Facebook community and their Twitter feed, and if you're in Dublin once it's open, remember to swing by and look them up!

DEEP SPACE NINE fans crowdfund a new documentary

Fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine have crowdfunded a major new documentary about the series.

Ira Steven Behr, the executive producer, showrunner and lead writer on the show from its third season through to its end, has created a new documentary called What We Leave Behind (named after the DS9 series finale). The film will delve deeply into the show's origins, writing and creation and will feature contributions from all of the major players on the creative team and all of the actors, bar Avery Brooks (possibly for availability reasons).

One of the most interesting things about the film is a related, separate roundtable with the DS9 writing team, including Behr and Ron Moore, where they brainstorm a theoretical eighth season of the show.

Behr and his team asked for $150,000 to help finish and edit the film. They've now raised £215,000 and added extra stretch goals, including a live musical score and the possibility of adding extra interviews (hopefully including Brooks).

It's also been pointed out that the level of interest in the project this crowdfunding exercise raises could be used to bolster the case for remastering Deep Space Nine in high definition. CBS has so far remastered The Original Series, The Animated Series, all of The Next Generation and several movies (Enterprise was made in HD in the first place), but has held fire on DS9, citing disappointing sales of the TNG remasters. However, if the documentary raises a very large sum of money, that might convince CBS to take a look and may test-remaster a few select episodes (like they did ahead of TNG).

PILLARS OF ETERNITY II: DEADFIRE formally announced

Surprising no-one, Obsidian Entertainment have formally announced the development of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, the sequel to their successful 2015 isometric RPG.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire takes place on the Deadfire Archipelago, an island chain located far to the south of the Eastern Reach, the setting for the first game. The action kicks in when a long-missing god shows up, destroying your castle in the process, and then goes AWOL, leaving you to assemble a new party and follow a trail of clues leading to the Deadfire Archipelago.

Pillars of Eternity II has already been in development for a year, self-funded by Obsidian from profits from the first game. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched on Fig, a new service where crowdfunders can invest for a return of the proceeds.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire seems to be targeting an early 2018 release window.

HERO QUEST returns! Again!

After their previous crowdfunded resurrection of Hero Quest floundered on the shoals of iffy legal licensing rights, Gamezone Miniatures have returned with a new attempt. This time they are using Spanish crowdfunding site Lanzanos to fund the resurrected game.

In all other aspects, this is the same deal as their previous Kickstarter attempt: a new boxed set, with all Warhammer/Games Workshop-troubling lore and design references removed. The rules, spells, characters etc all remain the same, but the new version of the game will improve on the original in some respects: the cardboard scenery and obstacle markers will be replaced by plastic miniatures.

The campaign runs for another 23 days, but the game is already funded to the tune of 402% of its original goal. As more money is raised, more features will be added to the game (including extra cards, character sheets, models and so on). Assuming no more obstacles, the game should be available to buy at the end of this year.