Podcast fans- I hope you are well on this Thursday evening! A few weeks ago, Kelly, Brian and I had the privilege to interview three remarkable people- renowned game designer Alessio Cavatore (Mordheim, Warmaster, Kings of War, to name a few) and Christopher McEleron and Neal Wilkinson from the american vicarious. Together, they created a project which is in part art installation, in part a LARP like theater, in part performance art, and in part one of the largest wargame style games you'll ever play- all focused on one of the more traumatic experience in recent American political memory- January 6th. In many ways, this episode was easily one of the heaviest we've done. That being said, I do think that the overall premise- that we as Americans need to have conversations about difficult topics- is important to explore, and what better way to do that than through an immersive gaming experience! Rather than explain the project further, I asked Chris and Neal to provide a description of the project. Give it a read, grab yourself a coffee, and fire up the episode. It was a good one! Please enjoy!

"Internationally acclaimed multi-media performance company the american vicarious presents Fight for America!, a mega-wargaming event that examines the gamification of American politics and the legacy of the January 6th Capitol riot. Created by artists Neal Wilkinson and Christopher McElroen, with game design by renowned designer Alessio Cavatore (Warhammer 40K, Bolt Action, Kings of War, Lord of the Rings), this immersive experience invites participants to step into the events of January 6, 2021—reshaping (or not) its outcome.

At the heart of Fight for America! is a massive 50’ x 50’ game board featuring over 12,000 hand-painted 28mm miniatures and a 15-foot-wide model of the U.S. Capitol. Led by a gamemaster in the form of Uncle Sam, up to 20 players take on roles in one of two factions: TEAM RED (protesters, both armed and unarmed) or TEAM BLUE (U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metro Police). As the game unfolds, strategic decisions shape the battlefield, forcing players to confront the question: What about America is worth fighting for?

Blending immersive performance with turn-based strategy, Fight for America! challenges players to navigate political extremism, uncertainty, and the escalating tensions of democracy itself."

http://www.FightforAmerica.games

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fightforamerica/fight-for-america

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Friends- this is a very special episode, as we're previewing and showcasing the work of Mark Fastoso of Mark's Game Room. He's put together a great video- in some ways, a prototype of where he sees his channel going in the future. I don't wanna ruin the surprise, but the movie "Glory", starring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes and others features prominently in the episode, as well as a miniature wargaming and a little bit of travel! Thanks to Mark for coming on the show to showcase all of this! It was a very moving episode. Enjoy! I've included a trailer for the show, as well as a link to Mark's Youtube page.

https://www.youtube.com/@MarksGameRoom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB_FPRsN0JU&authuser=1

20 Sided Gamified Listeners- if you’re a fan of this show and want access to 12 exclusive episodes that drop on the 30th of each month- shows that are orchestrated and designed by you, join the game at patreon.com/20SidedGamifiedPodcastLLC See you there, and don’t forget your dice!

https://patreon.com/20SidedGamifiedPodcastLLC

And, don't forget about our sponsor, BetterHelp! If you're interested in inquiring about what BetterHelp can offer you, please use the link below and get 10% off your first month!

https://betterhelp.com/20sidedgamified

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Friends- please enjoy our conversation with Uwe Eickert of Academy Games, publisher of some of the the finest historical board games on the market today. I absolutely love some of their titles, including Vikings 878 and 1775, the American Revolution. These games are perfect for the classroom, as their design philosophy prioritizes decision making with simple game mechanics. The conversation we had was pretty natural, and both Kelly and I agreed that we could have talked for hours longer. Have fun with this one, and be sure to check out the Academy Games website!

https://www.academygames.com/

20 Sided Gamified Listeners- if you’re a fan of this show and want access to 12 exclusive episodes that drop on the 30th of each month- shows that are orchestrated and designed by you, join the game at patreon.com/20SidedGamifiedPodcastLLC See you there, and don’t forget your dice!

https://patreon.com/20SidedGamifiedPodcastLLC

And, don't forget about our sponsor, BetterHelp! If you're interested in inquiring about what BetterHelp can offer you, please use the link below and get 10% off your first month!

https://betterhelp.com/20sidedgamified

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.