I definitely plan on spending more time just playing/learning/teaching board games this year. I played A LOT of MtG last year, and while that was fun, I can play a lot of MtG pretty much anywhere. I don't think there was anything specific that I missed out on playing last year, but I also didn't look very hard. I'll be on the lookout for Mage Wars and Mage Knight this year, they both sound like a lot of fun, but also expensive and time-consuming so it'd be good to try them out before considering a purchase.
I would also like to see more tournaments this year, but I understand that it's hard to find games that are popular enough to have a core group of people that have played the game enough times to want to enter a tournament for it. I played in the Race for the Galaxy tournament last year, and it was a fantastic experience, but I don't think you can justify running a tournament for a group smaller than that one was (~20 people Friday, ~20 people Saturday, semi/finals on Sunday). I guess it would be cool to see tournaments for some of the new LCGs that have become somewhat popular recently, but that would probably be more on the creators of said games to organize. Seasons is probably a game you could run a tournament for if you could get your hands on enough copies. It's easy to learn and plays pretty fast, so you could get in a good number of rounds in a relatively short amount of time.
My favorite type of tabletop game to play at PAX is something that I can learn relatively quickly, so that if I think it's awesome, I can buy/borrow a copy and introduce all of my friends to it.
I would love to try to get a game or several together of star wars ccg. I plan on bringing my cards, so if anyone wishes to play let me know! I haven't played in such a long long time (probably 10 years), so I am rusty on the rules etc... but open to play if anyone is up for it!
There is also a Firefly card game that is supposed to be good. I think it's called "out to the black." Since it's a lot easier to carry a card game than a full board game, I might pick it up before Pax. What I've heard about it I have like--it's co-op, you play characters with special abilities and there are random interesting events. Has anyone tried it?
My awesome PAX table top exuberance was from last year. I got to actually work with Wizards of the Coast in their board game demos! It was so much fun to meet every one who came up to the booth as well as teaching people of all ages about the games. I was helping running the D&D Adventure games (Ashardalon, Ravenloft, and Drizzt) all three days and it was more fun than I can put into words. I remember one seating I had a Comander Riker on one side of the table and a Tom Baker Dr on the other, there were tons of kids who's parents were like I played D&D back in college this looks like so much fun, and even a couple who came to PAX for their honeymoon! I have so many memories that I will never forget from that weekend.
I am looking forward to returning to PAX this year. I'm going to be helping a local game shop demo the adventure games this year, so I won't be meeting as many people as I did last year, but it was so much fun I know I wanted to do it again.
I'll be bringing as many games as I can fit into a full-sized suitcase with me to PAX for the Thursday boardgame night. I'm thinking about loaning a few out to the board game library at PAX proper, but I'm wondering how safe it is. Could I expect my games to be returned relatively complete and intact, or should I expect loaners to be returned smashed to a pulp with half the pieces missing?
How does the library of games you can borrow get set up? Is there a list that is available of what games will be there?
There's usually not a full list available beforehand. It is set up as a bunch of games stacked on tables. You go in, grab a game, check it out with the staff (leaving your ID as collateral usually).
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I would also like to see more tournaments this year, but I understand that it's hard to find games that are popular enough to have a core group of people that have played the game enough times to want to enter a tournament for it. I played in the Race for the Galaxy tournament last year, and it was a fantastic experience, but I don't think you can justify running a tournament for a group smaller than that one was (~20 people Friday, ~20 people Saturday, semi/finals on Sunday). I guess it would be cool to see tournaments for some of the new LCGs that have become somewhat popular recently, but that would probably be more on the creators of said games to organize. Seasons is probably a game you could run a tournament for if you could get your hands on enough copies. It's easy to learn and plays pretty fast, so you could get in a good number of rounds in a relatively short amount of time.
My favorite type of tabletop game to play at PAX is something that I can learn relatively quickly, so that if I think it's awesome, I can buy/borrow a copy and introduce all of my friends to it.
PM me here if you're like minded.
Ex-Agent to the Stars, ex a lot of other things too.
Pax East 2011, 2012 Veteran. 2014 now loading.
I am looking forward to returning to PAX this year. I'm going to be helping a local game shop demo the adventure games this year, so I won't be meeting as many people as I did last year, but it was so much fun I know I wanted to do it again.