All sorts of gamer geek goodness
Posted on: February 10, 2013
- In: gaming
- 16 Comments
this weekend was the game convention Marmalade Dog over at the local university. Run by the university gaming guild, a few hundred geeks take over the top floor of the student union and game till the cows come home (or till they kick us out on Sunday evening).
There was a TON of tabletop RPGs, a little bit of LARPing, a lot of Warhammer stuff (which I don’t understand, but it sure looks cool), a few gamer rig PCs set up, and plenty of good ‘ole boardgaming.
I ran Ticket to Ride, and thanks to a friend who also brought his set, we were able to run 2 games at a time, Europe and India proving most popular. I bought the new Africa map from one of the vendors, so I’m looking forward to playing that one, and seeing what its special twist is.
Ticket to Ride India
Ticket to Ride Europe
I suppose I should do a Ticket to Ride post some time? anyone interested in something like that?
There were plenty more games being played, here’s a few photos:
Axis and Allies
Kingsburg
Twilight Imperium was a big hit last year, I’m very surprised it didn’t get many players this year
Warhammer? I dunno, but it looked cool
they played Game of Thrones and I missed it? sadface.
There were plenty of vendors as well, selling games, D&D books, steampunk gear, and then there was THIS GUY, he had a 3-D printer with him, and it was printing! He was demo-ing making little tokens for games and miniatures stuff, and we got into this wonderful conversation about creative commons, and EFF. He said he built his rig for about $450, with Creative Commons plans off the internet, but apparently now you can buy the whole thing completely put together for about $500. He’s working on starting a MakerFaire here, and that would be beyond awesome. I told him to read Cory Doctorow’s Makers. How can you be into EFF and 3D printing and not have heard of Cory Doctorow?
here’s a closer up picture, because it really was that cool. This little well took about 2 hours to make.
Anyways, already super excited for more gaming. I don’t game enough. I’m always thinking to myself “I don’t have time for this. This takes too long. I’d rather be reading.” And then someone drags my butt to the table, and unfolds a board, and a little while later I’m thinking to myself “this is awesome! why dont’ I do this more often?”
16 Responses to "All sorts of gamer geek goodness"
February 10, 2013 at 2:24 pm
Not having been a gamer, unless you count chess or monopoly, which in this case I’m sure you don’t, so I have NO IDEA what any of these games are, how they work, etc.
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February 10, 2013 at 4:04 pm
What fun! We were introduced to Ticket To Ride by some friends and have now become addicted. Have USA 1910, India and Nordic Countries and try and run a game night every month or so. There is a local game store that runs open game nights every week, I want to go and learn some new games, including Race to the Galaxy and Netrunner.
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February 10, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Games are always welcome in my opinion, but I may be a tad biased on the subject. I’m one of those peeps who’s always on the lookout for a good new game, so reviews are fine by me.
With regards to Warhammer, as a Science Fiction and Fantasy peep, you may want to check out their range of books, but only if you’re in the mood for dark, dark, action-oriented pulp and the product of almost thirty years of on-going world building and development. Its usually well written, but it is pulpy. (Not a bad thing IMHO, though). Warhammer is all fantasy, set in a germanic medieval world and Warhammer 40,000 is best described as a bleak, gothic, medieval future jazzed up with science fiction tropes. Essentially, the humans of the future are afraid to further technology because of the inherent dangers of it and have willingly entered a continual dark age full of superstition and fear. Of course, there are tons of aliens, dark forces and other stuff threatening to tear it all apart. Its a bit testosterone laden at times.
Lotsa peeps like the Gotrek & Felix fantasy books, known for their sense of humour, and for the 40k stuff, well, there’s no easy starting point. And no, I’m not trying to sell you on them, just trying to inform.
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February 10, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Since we live out in the sticks, we don’t get to game often. But we have a pair of local friends who recently introduced us to Apples to Apples. And today my man played 2-man Munchkin with me to help pass some time as I am crippled recovering from ankle surgery.
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February 10, 2013 at 10:25 pm
I think that I would have been in 7th heaven at something like that as my wife rolls her eyes. I am so jealous of you we do not have anything that in my neck of the woods.
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7 | Jamie Gibbs (@mithrilwisdom)
February 11, 2013 at 1:29 am
I love it – a great mix of games (and Warhammer is awesome too; I’ve got a game coming up in April with a friend). The 3D printer mini looks awesome too 🙂
Jamie @ Mithril Wisdom
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February 11, 2013 at 8:45 am
I’m so grateful for shows like Table Top that are making an effort to show folks that these games need not be intimidating and that they are a great deal of fun. I hadn’t played any of these kind of games until recently as I didn’t know anyone else who did and they never seemed to make much sense when I was reading directions, but seeing it happen changes all that. I’d love to go to a gaming event like this.
I have a friend who likes Ticket to Ride and we plan to get together at some point so he can teach us how to play.
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February 11, 2013 at 10:15 am
ticket to ride is a great game to start with if you have never played a this-is-not-monopoly-or-clue-or-sorry game. There’s also an ipad edition and an xbox edition. it’s a lot of fun to play with people who are far away.
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February 11, 2013 at 3:45 pm
I got Ticket to Ride for the fam for Christmas. The kids aren’t into it though, so it hasn’t gotten too much playing time. (They are 8 and 5, so no surprise there, but they both love Puerto Rico.) Harder to game here because just the wife and I get a wee bit competitive…. I would enjoy seeing a game post from you. 🙂
As fer Warhammer, I used to play 40k back in the day. Lots of fun, but veeery expensive hobby. It also helps if one has craft skills, for all the painting and scenery building. I do not. Eisenhorn is the place to start with the books.
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February 11, 2013 at 11:34 pm
Cool! I love me some games. I’m co-hosting a blog fest on sharing your favourite game next week! Ticket to Ride is one of my favourites.
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February 12, 2013 at 11:32 am
awesome! if you’re doing guest posts on other blogs, please send me the link, I wanna talk TTR and other goodies! 😀
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February 12, 2013 at 5:41 am
Ticket to Ride is a lot of fun! Do you own the PC version (I reviewed it here – http://www.matchstickeyes.com/2013/01/22/all-aboard-ticket-to-ride-the-verdict/) as well? If so, we should play a match some time!
And I always enjoy reading about 3D printers. 😀
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February 21, 2013 at 9:53 pm
As an addendum, I just noticed the PC version is currently on sale for $3 at Amazon. 😀
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February 22, 2013 at 4:50 pm
with the added bonus that you can play against people from all over the world! SWEET!
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February 12, 2013 at 4:56 pm
I love Ticket to Ride, and in fact Scott and I have a whole bookshelf devoted to numerous board and card games crammed in every which way. 🙂
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the Little Red Reviewer 
February 10, 2013 at 8:48 am
Ticket to Ride looks like an interesting game. I love strategy games, especially those of world domination type games. Risk is one of my favorites but can go one for a few hours. Nothing like a snowstorm outside and sitting comfortably at home with a great board game, snacks and drink to pass the time with family and friends!
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