The Dice Tower
| The Dice Tower | |
|---|---|
| Presentation | |
| Hosted by | Tom Vasel, Eric Summerer, Zee Garcia, Sam Healey |
| Genre | Board Games |
| Created by | Tom Vasel |
| Language | English |
| Publication | |
| Debut | May 2005 |
| Provider | YouTube |
| Website |
www |
The Dice Tower is a weekly audio podcast about board games (and wargames) co-hosted by Tom Vasel. Originally, Vasel represented players who prefer designer games, while co-host Joe Steadman advocated for those who prefer wargames. Steadman left the show in May 2006 after the 50th episode. Vasel, hosting alone with occasional input from Sam Healey for a few shows, rearranged the format to include recorded segments by guest reviewers and players. Gradually Healey began to take a larger role and was eventually promoted to co-host. Healey has since left the show and has been replaced by the show's voice-over man, Eric Summerer.[1]
The show began in May 2005 and has evolved considerably over the years, but a few things have stayed reasonably consistent. It has stabilized in recent years as a variety show that features many contributors other than the two hosts, including hosts of other podcasts and prominent bloggers. Each episode of the podcast includes several regular segments and several occasional segments, both from Vasel and Summerer and also from their now numerous contributors.
Currently the show alternates from show to show with the final, main segment either being a discussion point, involving input from multiple contributors along with the hosts, or being their popular segment "Gaming Top Ten", where Vasel and Summerer provide their top ten games in a particular category. Most shows start with Vasel and Summerer discussing the games that they have recently played, followed by news from the boardgaming world. The podcast has also featured contests, where listeners can enter to win one or more games from a sponsoring company, and interviews and guest hosts from members of the board gaming industry.
Top-Ten Lists
The Dice Tower web site features past top-ten lists and Vasel's in-depth reviews of boardgames. Vasel is joined in many of Top Tens by Sam Healey and Zee Garcia. Until recently, Tom would also do Paid Previews for companies.
Board Game Breakfast
One of the more recent things from the site is the weekly video podcast Board Game Breakfast. This is a collection of segments from many collaborators.
Some of these contributors are:
- Tom Vasel - Host
- Chaz Marler of Pair Of Dice Paradise: Head In The Clouds board game editorials.
- Suzanne Sheldon: iOS and Android board game app reviews and KickStarter Update with news related to board game projects on KickStarter..
- The Discriminating Gamer: Reviews, sketches and songs with board game themes.
- Snakes and Lattes: Editorials from the perspective of the owner of a board game cafe.
- Scott Nicolson: The Ivory Dice Tower (now completed)
- Barry Doublet: Board Games Everybody Should...
- Board Game Knights: Board Game Reviews from Australia
- Whitleypedia: Pop cultural analysis of board games by eponymous host Jared Whitley
- Iain James of Open the Box Games in Component Moment: Highlighting games with great components.