Getting the Players Together...

September 5th is the pre-prep side of 2020 / 21 Board Game Day!

This is the BGD's soft open, where everyone can get together the virtual links / contacts needed to play our games online. What I'm planning on doing is setting up a Discord site with the invite code being:

https://discord.gg/JZNpHMK

All you have to do is download the app, create a (free) account, then follow the link. From there, you will find ever-developing information about...

Board Games

The STEAM site is my go-to location for board gaming. I have also opened an account on Boardgame Arena. 

Role Play Games (RPGs)

I use the following sites:

Roll20 (primary)

D&D Beyond

Current games: 

Kids on Bikes RPG: : My Science Project meets Whiz Kids

Kids on Bikes RPG: Ulao Drifts: Labyrinth meets Something Wicked This Way Comes 

Conventions

Many conventions have gone virtual. In August, Gen Con provided FREE passes that allowed participants into the site to interact with events, shops, and conferences.

Down south, Dragon Con is kicking off a virtual weekend: https://www.dragoncon.org/virtual

Origins Game Fair has cancelled its plans, including the plan to open a virtual board game site in October.

Into the Maze

Along with tabletop gaming, there's all the other fun stuff that folks are into. If you are interested in one of the below items and are looking for co-creators and fellow artisans, please use this site (or a connected one) to meet and greet.

Art: Anyone into artwork or art development for games (anything tabletop)?

Board Game Design: Do you have an idea stewing around, but lack the resources / people to try it out?

Crafting / costuming: Into cosplay, foam weapons, LARP or other such stuff?

Model Painting: Paining figures, dioramas, or environments?

Shut Up & Sit Down (review site). Any other sites that you would like to have on the blog?

THIS WEEKEND:

First-Ever GEN CON Community Gaming Weekend

Gen Con is kicking off the first weekend of community gaming on Labor Day weekend, Sep 4-6. They heard your feedback from the community survey and from Gen Con Online — you want to play games, but you aren’t sure how to connect with folks, and the opening gaming area they ran during Gen Con Online didn’t accomplish what they needed to. So they’re trying something new.

If you swing by our Discord (must be 13+ to open an account), you’ll find information on running and playing games during our Community Gaming Weekend. There’s a whole calendar you can use to keep track of the games you’re playing and running and a reminder system to make sure you don’t miss something you’re scheduled for.

Gen Con08/20/2020

First time in Discord? Check out our brief Discord guide: https://www.gencon.com/gen-con-online/discord Please note that our Discord is currently undergoing some revamp while we transform into a community space. Many of the channels are Read-Only.

[2:30 PM]

START HERE #welcome-and-rules - Our Code of Conduct and rules. #news-announcements - News and announcements from the Gen Con team.

[2:31 PM]

--

DISCUSSIONS Topic-specific discussions channels. Please note that advertisements and product placement are not welcome here, but if someone is asking where they can find a specific item or want to share something cool they’ve found, that’s fine! We want to share in your excitement.

#streaming-announcements - Announcements from Gen Con's Streaming team at Gen Con. 

#gencontv - Discussion and announcements about our Gen Con TV channel. 

#genconstudio - Discussion and announcements about our Gen Con TV channel. 

That's about it for now.

Game on!

-Dave

Dusting off the site...

 Hello gamers!

The hot days of August are beginning to reach their end and school is right around the corner. The WJ Niederkorn is observing social distancing and community safety processes, including a 'no fly zone' policy for the community room.

Still, folks are beginning to ask about this season's Board Game Day.

Here's where Board Game Day stands as of this posting:

• I've taken part in some virtual game conventions this Summer and have jotted down some ideas.
• I'm looking at trying out a VIRTUAL, bi-monthly Board Game Day on Saturdays.
• I'm researching a number of hosting options
• For notifications: This blog, Podcasting, Email newsletters, and the library Facebook page.
• For gaming: Twitch, Steam, Zoom, Teams, Roll20, and D&D Beyond
• I'm jotting down conventions that are moving into the virtual realm.
• I'm also looking to YOU for suggestions, concepts, and advice.

So, with all of that, I'm going to aim for Sept 5th as a kind of 'kick off party' for the Board Game Day. This is to gather everyone together, get / share contact information, and set up whatever site accounts we will have to use to make this happen.

I'm also looking at Sept 19th as being the first 'all in' day. This is the day that we pick up the stragglers and jump into the gaming!

More to some soon!

-Dave

MORE Print and Play

Hello all!

On my last post, I introduced five or six print-and-play games that you can find (FREE!) on the Board Game Geek website. You'll need to set up an account to access the Files section of each of the games listed in order to print them out.

This post, I have even MORE print-and-play games! As before, I have to give a big 'ole shout out to the Shut Up and Sit Down podcast for introducing me to this facet of tabletop gaming.

First up, the game Agent Decker is a card building game where you work to use your skills (as reflected by the cards in hand) against the mechanisms that stand between you and your target. It might require a number of combat cards to defeat a guard, or a few stealth cards to sneak past a security camera.

The game The Cleaner is just that: you are a 'cleaner' for a mob family who is attempting to clear up a crime scene before the police arrive. The funny thing about this little gem is that you don't always have to get the place spotless, as each remaining crime scene element that is left may be overlooked by the police (there is a dice roll that the police make against each element that is left behind).

In Sprawlopolis, you build a city and attempt to create a winning score based upon how many 'linked' card elements you have managed to put together.

Finally, Under Falling Skies is a soon-to-be-released board game that is currently a free print and play! The mother ship is coming down and it is dropping drone ships like the Space Invader that it is! Meanwhile, you are building up the Earth's defenses and shooting those pesky drones out of the sky!

Game on!

-Dave

Print and Play Games!

Hello everyone!

Hope you are fairing well during this time of isolation. I've been bumping around some of the other sites and have found the below FREE, PRINT & PLAY board games. The primary location for these games is the Board Game Geek (B.G.G.) site. To find the files attached to each game, you will have to create an account (it's free).

These are SOLO games, although multiple print-off's can provide a table-full of gaming!

If you are a bit of a crafting gamer, then you might find a craft project in these games. Hand-craft boards, create play pieces, embellish cards, and card stock some 3-D landscapes.

The attached files are suggested from the Shut Up & Sit Down podcast on print and play games.

First up is RAGING BULLS from Nicolas Guibert and Mark Tuck.

• Here's the link to the 2-page play sheets
• Here's the link to the Raging Bulls Rulebook (1 page)

Next is DEEP SPACE D-6 by Tony Go / Tau Leader Games.

• Here's the link to the 4-page play sheets
• Here's the link to the Deep Space D-6 Rulebook (2 pages)

Pinball is the game and Super-Skill Pinball 4-Cade is the name, by Geoff Engelstein / WizKids.

• Here's the link to the Carniball rules and playsheet (4 pages)

In BARGAIN BASEMENT BATHYSPHERE, it's not if you make it to the bottom, it's if you know when to turn around! By Scott Slomiany.

• Chapters 1-3 (38 pages)
• Chapters 4-7 + bonus unlock-able maps (29 pages)

If you build a grocery store, customers may show up in SUPERMARCHE by Ryan Mayes.

• Instructions (12 pages)
• Game Boards (2 pages)
• Tokens (1 page)
• Cards (8 pages, card fronts and backs)

You play as the artificer Isodoros attempting to prevent doomsday in UTOPIA ENGINE by Nick Hayes.

• Game sheets (3 pages)
• Official Rules (12 pages)
• Full Color Adventure Sheet 1 (1 page) You MAY have to right click / save for this sheet to work
• Adventure Sheet 2 (1 page)You MAY have to right click / save for this sheet to work
• Playsheet with Charts (1 page)

Mr CABBAGEHEADS GARDEN, where you play Mr. Vernon Cabbagehead who just wants to be left alone to grow a blue-ribbon garden! Created by Todd Sanders (with some very retro art!)

•  Card File 1 (6 pages)
•  Card File 2 (6 pages)
• Rules and Tokens (5 pages)
• Compact Score Sheet (1 page)
• NOTE: MANY more files at the above Mr Cabbageheads Garden B.G.G. page for expansions! Just check the Files tab and log into your account.

Get hypnotized into the mythical card game of CRYSTALLO by Liberty Kifer.
Note that this is BOTH a free print-and-play game and also a purchasable card / crystal game.

• 8-card layout ( pages)
• 9-card layout ( pages)
• Rulebook ( pages)

Game on!

-Dave

Family Board Game Day at Niederkorn, Feb 2020

Hello gamers!

This Saturday (2/15/2020) is Family Board Game Day at the W.J. Niederkorn library. The theme for this month is "Courtly intrigue and noble pursuits".

We are running the standard four game in this months spotlight:

Love Letter
Sangrada
Dominion
Kingdomino

We have some returning games (as per requests):

Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle 

(planning on doing Year 2)

Dwar7s Fall

Dwar7s Winter

As normal, we will have some snacks and plenty of seating!

Game on!

-Dave