Daniel Solis

Hello, all! I don't usually share personal news on this channel, but I think this will be relevant to your interests. Effective December 31, 2012, I am resigning from my position as Associate Creative Director and Digital Director at Third Degree. I started as an intern in 2004 and I've learned so much about being a creative in the fast-paced ad business, especially serving credit unions. It's been an enriching experience with more talented people than I can count. During those years, I was "art director by day, game designer by night," without either job interfering with the other. On the contrary, working for an agency gave me the security to pursue a game design hobby, while the hobby's community gave me experience in social media that I could bring back to the agency. There was synergy, as ad people on TV like to say. Unfortunately, that dual-career lifestyle eventually started wearing on my mind and body. Signs of burnout were evident to all... e...

Take care and have fun with your friends, family and fellow gamers! (Many thanks to Kari Fry for the karicature!)

We're on the road for the next several days, on our way to Durham . Our internet might not be up yet for a few days after we arrive, so posts will be a little less frequent, too. Re: The Thousand-Year Game Design Challenge, it's unfortunate timing that our move begins the same day as the last day of entries. But hey, that's how things happen. I'll post a round up of entries as of the 30th tonight and a later round up with the entries as of the 31st. That post will come as soon as we have internet access again. Re: Game Design: I'll tinker with some stuff for For The Fleet as well as other games in the lab while we wait for internet access. There is no shortage of stuff to work on, so I suspect there will be plenty of new developments to discuss. Wish us well on the long drive! We'll see you in North Carolina!

I don't know how she puts up with me. :P

A married couple talks about the games they play and enjoy. Find more posts like this here . Megan The rules for basic play in Pandemic took about 20 minutes for me to learn, but comprehension of the goal and how to start and end were pretty easy to see. I've only ever played with just the two of us, and during the first two games we forgot a key rule (reminded ourselves of the rule we forgot after the first time, but neglected a different rule the second time around...oops). I think we'll need to keep the rule booklet on the table for a while yet. While I'd say there are several steps-per-turn in Pandemic, the constant collaboration amongst players keeps it interesting through the whole game. And with two players, it's fun to try and determine the two best roles to play to make it through the game. Playing Pandemic is sort of like getting a group together to defeat a game of Risk already in play (but instead of armies and cannons, you have to worry about diseas...

My wife Megan and I often play board games at cafés around town. Playing at home is a very different experience than playing in public. We've come across some particular points of etiquette that we sort of took for granted. A friend's recent Facebook update mentioned a couple of rude board gamers sitting next to her at a coffee shop, so I thought we could share some tips. #1: Pick the right place. Indoors: Look for an establishment that has comfy chairs, a welcoming atmosphere and lots of idle chatty patrons. Local cafés are our favorite spots, but a pub could work, too. Once you get there, choose a table that has enough room for your game and any food or drinks you have ordered. It's worth noting that public libraries frequently host game nights for local chess clubs. Ask your library if they'd host a general game event, too. Outdoors: Public parks frequently have chess tables for your use. Be careful, though. Choose a safe place to gather where you won't ...

Starting next week, and continuing intermittently, Megan and I will share our thoughts on games we play. Not-quite-reviews from an active married couple who love playing all sorts of games. Generally we'll focus on games we actually enjoy, so these will all be pretty positive. Currently on the docket: Last Word Word on the Street Pandemic Marrakech Jungle Speed Carcassonne Catan Card Game ZOMBIES!!! Race for the Galaxy 3 Stones Blokus Rumis We're curious. What would you like to see in these features?

Megan Getting married was certainly the biggest personal event of 2010. If we could survive organizing this event while also planning a move to a new house, a trip to Seattle and publishing HBR all at the same time, we can survive anything. Speaking of which, just a split second after the above photo was taken a tornado siren started blaring in the background. No worries, just a drill. Here are the pics and vows . Seattle And then there was the honeymoon in Seattle, where we saw the sights, heard the sounds, met the people, and ate everything we could fit in our eager stomachs. We're eager to return soon to absorb every inch of that lovely city and its colorful characters. Pics here . Happy Birthday, Robot! With the help of more people than I can count (but at least 110 ), I published my first game. For as much time as I once spent trying to design RPGs, then board games, it's funny that my first game would be an odd off-shoot of both species. As usual, you can find...