Welcome back to my Gen Con 2010 Report. This is part 2. If you missed part one (covering Wizkids and Hydra Miniatures) you can check that out right here. Today we’ll be looking at Catalyst Game Lab and Flying Frog Productions and what cool stuff they had on display at Gen Con 2010!
CATALYST GAME LABS
Catalyst is holds the licenses to Shadowrun and Battletech, both owned now by Topps (from when they acquired Wizkids). Catalyst has had a rough go of it this past year due to some internal financial issues that seem now to have been resolved. But, their situation created a lag in product releases over the past year and really put the company in a bind. It’s hard to make money when you don’t release product, but it’s also hard to create product when you don’t have money. So it’s really something of a Catch 22.
But, thankfully, the worst seems behind them now and product is being released for both the Shadowrun RPG and the Battletech tabletop boardgame. Both venerable gaming properties have done well under the Catalyst banner.
Battletech has been around for over 25 years now, and has a very rich history both in game and out. Some of the latest products to come out are the cool new Hexpack game board (seen above) which create a versatile new playing surface on which your mechs can do battle, a new fiction anthology, and some Technical Readouts and Record Sheets to keep track of your mechs.
Maybe you like your Mech action a little more up close and personal. Well, has Virtual World Entertainment got the solution for you. Seen below are a series of linked Pods that serve as virtual Battlemech cockpits. You climb in and control your own Mech in combat with the other "pilots" in the linked up pods. It’s a pretty awesome experience. If you are ever somewhere that has these pods set up, do yourself a favor and check ‘em out!
Iron Wind Metals holds the license to produce Battletech miniatures and they do a pretty darn good job. Some of their latest products were on display including the new 3085 Lance Pack and a preview of some smaller scaled Mechs coming in 2011.
As someone who just dabbles in the Battletech world, I’m glad to see that Catalyst was able to work through their troubles, right the ship, and get things back on track and do what they do best: create great games! Here’s to another 25 years of Battletech!
FLYING FROG PRODUCTIONS
Flying Frog Productions is a maker of quality boardgames. Their first release, Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game, was a big hit in the boardgame world. It was followed up by the Growing Hunger expansion. Their second game, A Touch of Evil, was also very popular. Their latest game, due out by the end of the year is Invasion from Outer Space and it’s fully compatible with Last Night on Earth.
Instead of townsfolk defending themselves against a zombie horde, Invasion from Outer Space has you playing a group of carnies (such as the firebreather, the strongman or even Jo Jo the dancing bear!) fighting off Martian invaders which are very much inspired by Mars Attacks! And since the game is compatible with Last Night on Earth you can choose to mix things up and have the Martians attack the townsfolk or the zombies attack the carnival folk. Heck, I think you can even have the carnies and the townfolk go at it! I’m really looking forward to this game!
Be sure to come back tomorrow for Part 3 where I take a look at one of my favorite game companies, Fantasy Flight Games and their new hotness: Battles of Westeros and Dust Tactics and more!
Keep em coming Jeff. Its always cool to see what new gaming goodies are coming down the pike.
Have you, or are you planning on, stopping by the Alderac booth. I’ve always been a big fan of their work and was wondering what might be new from those folks. Not a big deal but if you could I would appreciate it.
I stopped by AEG, but didn’t cover them, sorry to say. The con was last weekend, so I can’t stop by again at this point
The two games from them I was most interested (City of Thieves and Dust Tactics) both moved to FFG, so that sorta took AEG off my radar. Sorry!
Good to see Catalyst has seemingly gotten past their financial troubles. Battletech is just too cool of a concept to not be on the shelves. It’s one of those games that makes me sit here and think “if only I had more money”.
Looking forward to Fantasy Flight tomorrow.