Atlas Games
Top Ten Products: 2003
It's New Year's Eve, which is traditionally time for looking back at the year just past. I always like to crunch the numbers at year-end and see what did best for us in the year just past. Now that we have a blog, I even have a great place to post it!
As usual, stalwarts Lunch Money and Once Upon A Time dominated the charts. Given the continuing strength of both games, 2004 will be an exciting year, as we have plans to release follow-up products for both games. Most of the remaining slots were filled, as is typical, with new releases.
Ranked by Unit Sales
1. Lunch Money
2. Once Upon A Time
3. Dungeoneer: Tomb of the Lich Lord (2nd Edition)*
4. Dungeoneer: Vault of the Fiends*
5. Dynasties & Demagogues (d20)*
6. The Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary (d20)*
7. The Dork20 Deck (d20)*
8. Sacred Ground (d20)*
9. Land of Fire and Ice (Ars Magica)*
10. The Black Monks of Glastonbury (Ars Magica/d20)*
Ranked by Dollar Sales
1. Lunch Money
2. Once Upon A Time
3. Dungeoneer: Tomb of the Lich Lord (2nd Edition)*
4. The Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary (d20)*
5. Dungeoneer: Vault of the Fiends*
6. Dynasties & Demagogues (d20)*
7. Unknown Armies 2nd Edition
8. Land of Fire and Ice (Ars Magica)*
9. Sanctuary of Ice (Ars Magica)*
10. Crime & Punishment (d20)*
*Indicates a product new this year.
Look at how we haven't updated the blog!
Well, it's been a busy holiday. Pretty good all around, and my knee is feeling better. Looking back, we're pleased to see that sales for 2003 are up over 2002...looks like about 9% so far, and still a few days to go!
For now, though, I've got to get back to work. Man, the e-mail doesn't stop piling up when you're off for holidays...
Well, it's been a busy holiday. Pretty good all around, and my knee is feeling better. Looking back, we're pleased to see that sales for 2003 are up over 2002...looks like about 9% so far, and still a few days to go!
For now, though, I've got to get back to work. Man, the e-mail doesn't stop piling up when you're off for holidays...
Left Out
To pick up the spare, I'm filing a dispatch today, too. Yes, I saw Return of the King last night, when I wasn't playing cards for popcorn money. Don't get me started about movies, though.
Captions Are In
We have our winner in the Dork20 Caption Contest. In a way, though, you're all winners because you all get to enjoy the funny captions of your friends and fellow gamers. Unless, of course, your name is Robert Everson, in which case you're the actual winner.
Have a look at those captions right here. We received more than 165 entries, many with multiple (some with downright lots of) captions for your consideration. See for yourself, then let us know if you think any of them threaten John Kovalic's seat on the throne as King of Dork Tower. We will then have the caption tried and executed for sedition.
Iron & Silk & Paint & Pixels
You should know by now how much I enjoy the covers Kagan McLeod does for our Feng Shui books. He's now completed the trifecta with Iron & Silk, the new Feng Shui book due out early next year. The cover's available for perusal on our website. Soon, then, we'll formally announce the next Feng Shui book. I'll give you a hint, though: It starts with an "F" and rhymes with "ends of the dragon."
To pick up the spare, I'm filing a dispatch today, too. Yes, I saw Return of the King last night, when I wasn't playing cards for popcorn money. Don't get me started about movies, though.
Captions Are In
We have our winner in the Dork20 Caption Contest. In a way, though, you're all winners because you all get to enjoy the funny captions of your friends and fellow gamers. Unless, of course, your name is Robert Everson, in which case you're the actual winner.
Have a look at those captions right here. We received more than 165 entries, many with multiple (some with downright lots of) captions for your consideration. See for yourself, then let us know if you think any of them threaten John Kovalic's seat on the throne as King of Dork Tower. We will then have the caption tried and executed for sedition.
Iron & Silk & Paint & Pixels
You should know by now how much I enjoy the covers Kagan McLeod does for our Feng Shui books. He's now completed the trifecta with Iron & Silk, the new Feng Shui book due out early next year. The cover's available for perusal on our website. Soon, then, we'll formally announce the next Feng Shui book. I'll give you a hint, though: It starts with an "F" and rhymes with "ends of the dragon."
The Real Scoop on John's Knee
Oddly enough, John's got a lot of swelling in his knee after his surgery for a torn miniscus yesterday, but he doesn't actually seem to be in much pain. In fact, I don't think he's taken any pain medicine yet, other than what he got in the IV at the hospital yesterday. I'm having a hard time keeping him sitting down with an ice pack on his knee ... he keeps wanting to pack more orders!
Oddly enough, John's got a lot of swelling in his knee after his surgery for a torn miniscus yesterday, but he doesn't actually seem to be in much pain. In fact, I don't think he's taken any pain medicine yet, other than what he got in the IV at the hospital yesterday. I'm having a hard time keeping him sitting down with an ice pack on his knee ... he keeps wanting to pack more orders!
All Quiet in the Office
It's pretty quiet here today...since Will is home sleeping in, after going to see the midnight screening of The Return of the King with the Fantasy Flight crew. I, on the other hand, got to stay home last night, and keep my knee elevated after some outpatient surgery (what they call an "Arthroscopic Meniscectomy"). On the bright side, this knee is not keeping me from using a computer, so I get to log in to the blog and share some exciting product news: In March we'll be publishing Greg Stolze's long-rumored Unknown Armies novel, Godwalker. The official word, which has already gone out to distributors, is as follows...
Godwalker
An Unknown Armies Novel by Greg Stolze
The synergy of contrary combination …
No one’s all that sure what to make of the Freak, except that it’s a powerful fleshworker and the mortal incarnation of the Mystic Hermaphrodite, which can change its gender and appearance at will. People who try to find out much more than that usually die dramatically.
It’s all a roll of the dice …
So when two chaos mages work the odds with their unborn child in a play to depose the Freak as godwalker, it’s tantamount to throwing themselves in the path of the cosmic train. But chaos has a way of taking care of its own, and reality has ripped itself asunder for much less.
What will you risk to change the world?
Hardcover, Stock No. AG6009
ISBN 1-58978-051-5, MSRP $27.95
Shipping to Distributors in March 2004
It's pretty quiet here today...since Will is home sleeping in, after going to see the midnight screening of The Return of the King with the Fantasy Flight crew. I, on the other hand, got to stay home last night, and keep my knee elevated after some outpatient surgery (what they call an "Arthroscopic Meniscectomy"). On the bright side, this knee is not keeping me from using a computer, so I get to log in to the blog and share some exciting product news: In March we'll be publishing Greg Stolze's long-rumored Unknown Armies novel, Godwalker. The official word, which has already gone out to distributors, is as follows...
Godwalker
An Unknown Armies Novel by Greg Stolze
The synergy of contrary combination …
No one’s all that sure what to make of the Freak, except that it’s a powerful fleshworker and the mortal incarnation of the Mystic Hermaphrodite, which can change its gender and appearance at will. People who try to find out much more than that usually die dramatically.
It’s all a roll of the dice …
So when two chaos mages work the odds with their unborn child in a play to depose the Freak as godwalker, it’s tantamount to throwing themselves in the path of the cosmic train. But chaos has a way of taking care of its own, and reality has ripped itself asunder for much less.
What will you risk to change the world?
Hardcover, Stock No. AG6009
ISBN 1-58978-051-5, MSRP $27.95
Shipping to Distributors in March 2004
California is MUCH warmer than Minnesota!
GenCon SoCal was this weekend, as you may know, and though attendence seemed low compared to the number of exhibitors and games being run, Atlas Games, combined with Steve Jackson Games and Dork Storm Press, managed to come out ahead! Kudos to the dedicated Special Ops demo team members who helped make it happen ... Paul Tevis spent an insane amount of time at the booth, Merwin helped us take down after the con, Darren Miguez jumped right in and even joined the Dungeoneer tournament, and Adam Casabarian got some good Lunch Money demos in. All of them picked the Dungeoneer rules up quickly and did a great job teaching it to customers. Thanks to all of you!
More con report later ... John is having (what we're told is minor) knee surgery today so it's time for me to put on my caring and concerned hat.
GenCon SoCal was this weekend, as you may know, and though attendence seemed low compared to the number of exhibitors and games being run, Atlas Games, combined with Steve Jackson Games and Dork Storm Press, managed to come out ahead! Kudos to the dedicated Special Ops demo team members who helped make it happen ... Paul Tevis spent an insane amount of time at the booth, Merwin helped us take down after the con, Darren Miguez jumped right in and even joined the Dungeoneer tournament, and Adam Casabarian got some good Lunch Money demos in. All of them picked the Dungeoneer rules up quickly and did a great job teaching it to customers. Thanks to all of you!
More con report later ... John is having (what we're told is minor) knee surgery today so it's time for me to put on my caring and concerned hat.
Are You in Southern California?
If you are, I hope you'll be stopping by Gen Con So Cal at the Anaheim convention center this weekend!
Our intrepid Tenured Editor, Michelle Nephew, is out there helping hawk the Atlas wares, and coordinating a team of Special Ops demo-licious experts in their mission to teach games like Dungeoneer, Once Upon A Time and Lunch Money to gamers. Rumor has it she even has a cache of Lunch Money: Sticks and Stones playtest cards from the latest round of playtesting. (A new revision of the cards has just arrived here at the office, in her absence.)
Also appearing at our booth throughout the show is Thomas Denmark, fearless Dungeoneer designer; and it is rumored that John Kovalic, illustrator of Dork20 (among many other illustrious titles!) will be passing through this weekend as well.
Come on by and check it out!
If you are, I hope you'll be stopping by Gen Con So Cal at the Anaheim convention center this weekend!
Our intrepid Tenured Editor, Michelle Nephew, is out there helping hawk the Atlas wares, and coordinating a team of Special Ops demo-licious experts in their mission to teach games like Dungeoneer, Once Upon A Time and Lunch Money to gamers. Rumor has it she even has a cache of Lunch Money: Sticks and Stones playtest cards from the latest round of playtesting. (A new revision of the cards has just arrived here at the office, in her absence.)
Also appearing at our booth throughout the show is Thomas Denmark, fearless Dungeoneer designer; and it is rumored that John Kovalic, illustrator of Dork20 (among many other illustrious titles!) will be passing through this weekend as well.
Come on by and check it out!
Lunch Money:
Sticks & Stones
Sticks & Stones will break your bones
and names will all be taken.
Lunch Moneyâ„¢ is an exciting, fast-paced, multi-player card game that combines dark, psychological images with the raw dynamics of a merciless street fight. Lunch Money: Sticks & Stonesâ„¢ adds even more pain and mayhem to the dark, frenetic world of Lunch Money.
This long-anticipated 55-card expansion set is designed to be mixed in with the original Lunch Money card game. New weapons like Chunk, basic attacks like Spank and Evil Eye, defenses like Backlash and Hide, and specialty cards like Tantrum, Cooties, and Wedgy make Sticks & Stones a necessity for every Lunch Money fan.
Come out, come out where ever you are.
Single Deck: Stock No. AG1102, MSRP $9.95 (US), ISBN 1-58978-050-7
Display Box (contains 10 decks): Stock No. AG1103, MSRP $99.50 (US), ISBN 1-58978-049-3
Designed by Charlie Wiedman, Photography by Andrew Yates
Shipping to Distributors in March 2004
Sticks & Stones
Sticks & Stones will break your bones
and names will all be taken.
Lunch Moneyâ„¢ is an exciting, fast-paced, multi-player card game that combines dark, psychological images with the raw dynamics of a merciless street fight. Lunch Money: Sticks & Stonesâ„¢ adds even more pain and mayhem to the dark, frenetic world of Lunch Money.
This long-anticipated 55-card expansion set is designed to be mixed in with the original Lunch Money card game. New weapons like Chunk, basic attacks like Spank and Evil Eye, defenses like Backlash and Hide, and specialty cards like Tantrum, Cooties, and Wedgy make Sticks & Stones a necessity for every Lunch Money fan.
Come out, come out where ever you are.
Single Deck: Stock No. AG1102, MSRP $9.95 (US), ISBN 1-58978-050-7
Display Box (contains 10 decks): Stock No. AG1103, MSRP $99.50 (US), ISBN 1-58978-049-3
Designed by Charlie Wiedman, Photography by Andrew Yates
Shipping to Distributors in March 2004
Two Card Game Contests Have Begun!
Atlas Games is excited to announce two contests beginning now on our website. In each contest, participants have a chance to win a free Atlas Games product!
Dork20 Caption Contest
In our Dork20 Caption Contest, visitors are asked to supply a new quote or caption for an illustration by Dork Tower creator John Kovalic. The funniest, most surprising, and possibly weirdest captions will be featured on our website. Everyone who submits a caption becomes eligible to win a free copy of the new Dork20 Deck. Hurry on over to our website to see the picture and submit your entry. Captions must be received by the time we get into the office on Monday, December 15th.
That link:
www.Atlas-Games.com/dork20
Holiday Storytelling Contest
To celebrate the spirit of the holiday season and the return to print of the ever-popular card game Once Upon a Time, we're also hosting a Holiday Storytelling Contest. Using eight Storytelling cards from the game you must write a story about some holiday theme that culminates in one of the game's Happily Ever After cards. Not so fast! You can only use those cards currently presented on our special contest page. Follow the link below to see them for yourself. Stories must be received by Wednesday, December 17th. See our site for complete details.
That link:
www.Atlas-Games.com/story-contest
We're very eager to see what sorts of zany and imaginative entries the world's game-players will send in to us, so don't be shy!
Atlas Games is excited to announce two contests beginning now on our website. In each contest, participants have a chance to win a free Atlas Games product!
Dork20 Caption Contest
In our Dork20 Caption Contest, visitors are asked to supply a new quote or caption for an illustration by Dork Tower creator John Kovalic. The funniest, most surprising, and possibly weirdest captions will be featured on our website. Everyone who submits a caption becomes eligible to win a free copy of the new Dork20 Deck. Hurry on over to our website to see the picture and submit your entry. Captions must be received by the time we get into the office on Monday, December 15th.
That link:
www.Atlas-Games.com/dork20
Holiday Storytelling Contest
To celebrate the spirit of the holiday season and the return to print of the ever-popular card game Once Upon a Time, we're also hosting a Holiday Storytelling Contest. Using eight Storytelling cards from the game you must write a story about some holiday theme that culminates in one of the game's Happily Ever After cards. Not so fast! You can only use those cards currently presented on our special contest page. Follow the link below to see them for yourself. Stories must be received by Wednesday, December 17th. See our site for complete details.
That link:
www.Atlas-Games.com/story-contest
We're very eager to see what sorts of zany and imaginative entries the world's game-players will send in to us, so don't be shy!
After years of waiting...
It's almost time to let the cat out of the bag.
For years, people have been asking us to do sequels and expansions for Lunch Money, our most popular game. Well, in 2004, we're finally going to do BOTH!
We're polishing the sell text for the first of the two -- an expansion deck of 55 cards, entitled Lunch Money: Sticks and Stones. This deck can be shuffled into a regular 110-card deck of Lunch Money. New cards bring new mechanics into the game, and the added cards also make it easier to accomodate larger groups of players.
We are planning to have Sticks and Stones available in time for the the GAMA Trade Show in March.
More details and vital statistics to follow soon...
It's almost time to let the cat out of the bag.
For years, people have been asking us to do sequels and expansions for Lunch Money, our most popular game. Well, in 2004, we're finally going to do BOTH!
We're polishing the sell text for the first of the two -- an expansion deck of 55 cards, entitled Lunch Money: Sticks and Stones. This deck can be shuffled into a regular 110-card deck of Lunch Money. New cards bring new mechanics into the game, and the added cards also make it easier to accomodate larger groups of players.
We are planning to have Sticks and Stones available in time for the the GAMA Trade Show in March.
More details and vital statistics to follow soon...
Visit the Sacred Sea Dragon Shrine
We're pleased to announce the release of Sacred Ground 2, the next in our Campaign Sites series. You'll recall that this series of softcover sourcebooks began with Robin Laws's Seven Strongholds back in the day and was last continued with Sacred Ground earlier this year. Now, with Sacred Ground 2, we give you four more culturally diverse holy sites ready to use in any fantasy roleplaying campaign. Each site comes from a different, accomplished author—Adam Bank, Chris Jones, James Maliszewski, or Rick Neal—and features complete, compelling characters, new deities, new magic, and a vivid setting you can visit once or install permanently in your game setting.
Get a look at four pages from Chris Jones's exotic, reverent, and mysterious sea-dragon shrine, Hai Shen Gong, by coming by www.Atlas-Games.com and clicking on the Sacred Ground 2 link. Download the Sacred Ground 2 preview PDF and then drop us a line at the EN World messageboards or on our own forums. We eager to hear your thoughts!
We're pleased to announce the release of Sacred Ground 2, the next in our Campaign Sites series. You'll recall that this series of softcover sourcebooks began with Robin Laws's Seven Strongholds back in the day and was last continued with Sacred Ground earlier this year. Now, with Sacred Ground 2, we give you four more culturally diverse holy sites ready to use in any fantasy roleplaying campaign. Each site comes from a different, accomplished author—Adam Bank, Chris Jones, James Maliszewski, or Rick Neal—and features complete, compelling characters, new deities, new magic, and a vivid setting you can visit once or install permanently in your game setting.
Get a look at four pages from Chris Jones's exotic, reverent, and mysterious sea-dragon shrine, Hai Shen Gong, by coming by www.Atlas-Games.com and clicking on the Sacred Ground 2 link. Download the Sacred Ground 2 preview PDF and then drop us a line at the EN World messageboards or on our own forums. We eager to hear your thoughts!
Stocking of the Lich Lord
The good blokes over at Ogre Cave have put together a list of games under $20 that make great gift ideas for gamers' stockings. Both of our Dungeoneer releases have been recommended, and we're delighted to be on a list with so many other great games. And trust me, your Dungeoneer decks really will fill out a nice stocking. Heck, I've got my copy of Vault of the Fiends in my sock right now... Perhaps I've said too much.
The good blokes over at Ogre Cave have put together a list of games under $20 that make great gift ideas for gamers' stockings. Both of our Dungeoneer releases have been recommended, and we're delighted to be on a list with so many other great games. And trust me, your Dungeoneer decks really will fill out a nice stocking. Heck, I've got my copy of Vault of the Fiends in my sock right now... Perhaps I've said too much.
Atlas Adds to its Ads
Thought we'd give everyone a heads up about upcoming ads and such ...
Look for Dork20 ads in BOTH December's Dragon and Dungeon magazines, a Dungeoneer ad in Games Quarterly for the first quarter of 2004, and a Penumbra Campaign Styles ad in the PDF adventure A Matter of Family. A Matter of Family is a Mutants & Masterminds Superlink release written by Chris Aylott (of Dynasties and Demagogues fame) working with Ronin Arts, available through www.RPGNow.com .
Also, you may have recently noticed the Stilt-Walker out-take from Ancestral Vault in the Sept./Oct. issue of Campaign Magazine, an interview about licensed properties with Atlas' own Michelle Nephew at www.GamingReport.com , and a Penumbra banner ad on www.EnWorld.org .
And, since we have your attention, we thought we'd mention that Dungeoneer: Tomb of the Lich Lord and Dungeoneer: Vault of Fiends just hit the #1 and #2 spots for www.warehouse23.com 's top sellers ... whoo hoo! Once Upon a Time came in at #4 now that it's back in stock, and the new Unknown Armies To Go campaign sourcebook grabbed the #6 space.
We've been busy, busy, busy!
Thought we'd give everyone a heads up about upcoming ads and such ...
Look for Dork20 ads in BOTH December's Dragon and Dungeon magazines, a Dungeoneer ad in Games Quarterly for the first quarter of 2004, and a Penumbra Campaign Styles ad in the PDF adventure A Matter of Family. A Matter of Family is a Mutants & Masterminds Superlink release written by Chris Aylott (of Dynasties and Demagogues fame) working with Ronin Arts, available through www.RPGNow.com .
Also, you may have recently noticed the Stilt-Walker out-take from Ancestral Vault in the Sept./Oct. issue of Campaign Magazine, an interview about licensed properties with Atlas' own Michelle Nephew at www.GamingReport.com , and a Penumbra banner ad on www.EnWorld.org .
And, since we have your attention, we thought we'd mention that Dungeoneer: Tomb of the Lich Lord and Dungeoneer: Vault of Fiends just hit the #1 and #2 spots for www.warehouse23.com 's top sellers ... whoo hoo! Once Upon a Time came in at #4 now that it's back in stock, and the new Unknown Armies To Go campaign sourcebook grabbed the #6 space.
We've been busy, busy, busy!
Inside the Law, Outside the Box
Ken Hite has reviewed Crime & Punishment in the most recent edition of his much beloved column, Out of the Box. Ken only reviews products that pass muster, so we're delighted to see Keith Baker's book on the law included in this outing. Read for yourself, and then let us know what you think.
Ken Hite has reviewed Crime & Punishment in the most recent edition of his much beloved column, Out of the Box. Ken only reviews products that pass muster, so we're delighted to see Keith Baker's book on the law included in this outing. Read for yourself, and then let us know what you think.
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