Gaming: A Personal Retrospective

I Love Games!

by Bill Todd

Ah, games. They are a part of everyone's life, even if they don't realize it. They come in many forms, some easy, some hard, some physical, some intellectual, some for enjoyment, some for sport, some for prizes.

For most, games are fun, to be played amongst the company of friends and family. I'm sure most of you reading this can remember playing Monopoly, or Sorry!, or Parcheesi with your family when you were kids. Games have come a long way since many of us were kids, though.

Some games have been redone for a new look. Others have been retired. Still, more and more new games pop up on the market every year. They just aren't the household games you're used to.

Think back to high school or college. Not much money to go around back then, but you still wanted to have fun. You'd meet someone who has a cool game. Once you found out where they bought the game, you'd pay the place a visit, and you'd kick yourself for not knowing about the place sooner.

The rule of thumb in a hobby store that sells games: if the game is in Toys 'R' Us, they won't carry it (with an exception or two, like Chess, for example). I remember the first time I had walked into one. I had never before heard of Steve Jackson Games, Cheapass Games, Avalon, West End, etc., etc., etc.

You look through the games that those companies put out and ask yourself where you have been all this time. I'm not saying the classics are bad; heck, I still play them. It's just that the classics can get to be predictable if you play with the same crowd over and over.

The games you'd run into at that specialty store are anything but predictable. For instance, take a game like Talisman. I played the second edition, and I had all 5 expansion sets. Talisman is a medieval board game, where characters use magic, brains, or brawn to fight their way to the top and attempt to retrieve the Crown of Command.

Despite the layout of the board, which you would be familiar with in short time, the game never plays the same twice. Even people who play the same pattern over and over again cannot do it in this game. This is because the board can stop them just as well as you can.

Or take a game like Car Wars. Design your car, put it on a track, and the last car moving wins.

This was the best car simulation game ever devised for paper. Even if you used the same track over and over, the cars were always different, never designed the same way twice.

Today, there are even more games out.

Gaming and SF Conventions

There are also more conventions to try them out at. Almost all science fiction or anime conventions, not to mention actual gaming conventions, have a game room.

For instance, if you live near Boston, there are two back-to- back conventions in January. One is Arisia, which has a packed game room. The other is Vericon, which is, primarily, a gaming convention.

Arisia is a science fiction convention catering to broad interests but, originally, games were not a main draw. Now, games hold a place in the program. This is because, as Arisia started inviting companies to demo their games, people wanted to try them out.

Vericon is an interesting mix of college interests. Primarily it is billed as a gaming convention. And yet, you will find people coming from all backgrounds to see and talk with the guests of honor: writers, artists, game innovators.

For those in the game rooms, it's even more special as they may get the chance to play against the guests of honor. I have had the opportunity and pleasure to do so on some occasions. I have played against T. Campbell (author), Phil Masters (designer for SJ Games), and against the owner of Cheapass Games.

These weren't planned. It was just a case of people showing up to play a game. It doesn't matter if you win or lose, just that you played. The thrill of playing against the person that designed the game is a rare occasion, and one I highly suggest if you get the chance. The truth is: you never know who'll you run into, or who you might play against.

And that's the fun of a convention. Even if you only spend an hour in the game room you still stand a great chance of finding a new game you like, or of playing an old favorite.

Who knows, you may even walk into a tournament. Wiz Kids, which produces HeroClix, MageKnight, and Mechwarrior, often runs games and possibly a tournament if they are at a convention.

Even if you're not the biggest fan of games in the world, you're sure to find something interesting in the game room.

And we're planning on having a great game room at Noreascon 4. Plan to bring your favorite games, your enthusiasm, and join us in Boston in September 2004.

In the meantime — if you have suggestions of things you'd like us to include in gaming, please let us know at program@noreascon.org!