TLDR: Steampunk convention. Ran games continuously for two days with the most AWESOME players you'll ever find. A real tonic!
Asylum - the biggest steampunk convention in the world. Four days over the bank holiday weekend in the historic city of Lincoln. I decided to give it a try with my "Choose Your Adventure" set-up. Unsure of how successful it'd be, I chose to go for two days (Saturday and Sunday) to dip my toe into the water and only pay for one nights accomodation. During Asylum accommodation is at a premium in Lincoln but I managed to bag a relatively cheap B&B.
The website promises oodles of events and, nearer the time, a packed programme spanning the entire city. The organisers were very accommodating and my two days of games were posted as events on the website. However, that was only from 10:00am to 5:00pm on each day. The room I was in closed for the night to allow - pretty stunning sounding - evening events to take place. None of these seemed appropriate to host a gaming table. The organisers suggested the Student Union as a suitable venue but this was not listed as an evening event on the web site. All other events were ticketed separately.
I did a load of plugging of my games on the convention's various Facebook pages and created a Facebook event for for evening game - which I decided to offer as a special one-off four hour game rather than the one hour demos I offer during the day.
So I got up stupid o'clock Saturday morning and arrived at the event about half an hour before it was due to start. I was personally welcomed by one of the main organisers and taken up the room. This was a large bright room in a University building. Around the outside were tables containing "The Great SteamPunk" exhibition of items people had built. The room was divided in half. One half was set up with rows of chairs for a variety of Steampunk related talks, the other had three large tables - one for my "Choose Your Adventure" display, one for me to play on and the third for general board games. There were volunteers designated to supervising the room.
10:00am came and there was the usual quiet start - or so I thought. Within half an hour I had a full table of people and we were off! Throughout the day I ran a total of 5 games. It was a good job I'd brought my own sandwiches for lunch because it seemed like I barely had a break.
The players were absolutely awesome. Steampunk aficionados just want to have fun. They also pride themselves on being splendid. I had combinations of people who'd played before, were interested who had never played, had played decades ago or who I just collared to sit down. Ages ranged from under ten to - I'd guess - people in their sixties. I managed to break through to some people who said "Oh, I couldn't play that, it's too hard" etc. But they were pretty much universally awesome.
The room was locked at 5:00pm so I popped over to the student union to check in. Only a couple of minutes walk. They hadn't heard of plans for me to run games in there that night but were very receptive. I had time to nip down to my accommodation to check in and get back in plenty of time. The student union had beer at student union prices and a pie and mash based menu. It was perfect!
I snaffled a table. Through a combination of advertising during the day and plugging the event on Facebook I got a table of five players. They voted to play "The Great Martian Tripod Race" and - again - we had a rollicking good time, lubricated by cheap beer.
Getting a taxi in Lincoln proved difficult, so I started walking to my B&B following my iPhone's instructions. However, I managed to snaffle a black cab half way back.
When I arrived on Sunday, the organiser told me I might have a slow start due to everyone being out watching the grand parade but he was wrong. Two guys arrived specifically wanting to try TTRPGs and, soon after they sat down, we began to get others and the table filled up. The day went by in the blur as people were stood around watching and then sat down to play as soon as a game finished. Every game I played was a Steampunk one and I was glad I'd taken the time to think up two new one hour adventures. As each group sat down I ran a different story to the one they'd been watching.
I took a lunch break and the last game finished at 4:30pm but, again, ran 5 games with eclectic combinations of universally awesome players. What was really nice was the way more experienced players supported those new to the games.
The Asylum was absolutely and totally a stunning success, for me. My Refereeing addiction was completely assuaged. I think I will seriously consider coming for all four days next year. I had people checking out my display and watching my games as I was running them. I think there's definitely the capacity for at least one more Referee with the volunteers in the room running an official booking system. There's the appetite for RPGs here.
But the best thing about the whole weekend was the people. The players were enthusiastic, engaged, imaginative, polite and just looking to have FUN!
Sunday, 26 August 2018
Monday, 20 August 2018
Grand Tribunal 2018
TLDR: "Grand" Tribunal Ars Magica Convention is far from Grand. Tiny, friendly convention offering far more than just Ars Magica. In terms of actual RPG gaming offers individual players a lot of bang for their buck. A hidden gem.
Grand tribunal is the official convention of the Ars Magica TTRPG. It has been running for 12 years in Cheltenham Spa.
All of this belies a slightly different picture. As Ars Magica - a magnificent game based around a highly detailed magic system and a quirky, fascinating world that grows out of it - has drifted into a backwater of popularity with a few highly vociferous supporters, this is actually a very, very small convention - possibly the smallest I attend - in a Community centre. I mean really small, less than thirty people I'd guess, dropping to 17 at one point during the weekend.
But this brings benefits and opportunities. It is massively welcoming and friendly. It's very accessible. There's a significant Norwegian attendance. It's no longer devoted solely to Ars Magica. There is at least one incredibly creative AM game offered in each game slot for the die hards, but other game systems are now offered. And though there are few games offered in each slot - 3 or 4 - the player experience is exactly the same as any other convention. Full tables of friendly creative players and experienced referees.
The convention is organised via personal contact, a mailing group and a massively informative and easy to use wiki-based web-site. Tickets are inexpensive. Cheltenham Spa has good transport links. Accommodation, whilst not the cheapest, is easy to find with a range of options.
The convention starts with an organised social meet-up, meal and optional board games on Friday night. I opt to arrive Saturday morning so that I only have to pay a single night's accomodation. The venue is a 20 minute walk from the rail station. There's a massive Tesco near the venue. You're advised to bring a packed lunch. So I arrived early, dropped in to Tesco, bought some supplies and whiled away my time in Costs coffee doing my RPGaDAY on my phone.
The first and last time I'd visited Grand Tribunal was in 2016. In 2017 it conflicted with my wedding anniversary - one of the very few things which trump RPG conventions. In 2016, the convention started with a bonding exercise where attendees got in a circle and held hands etc. Whilst this had a quirky appeal, thank god it didn't happen this time around. The convention started, as it always does, with a LARP/FreeForm game.
This is mandatory. All attendees are encouraged to take part. No other games are
scheduled for this slot. Clearly many attendees look forward to this game and come fully attired (or appropriately otherwise in the case of the wode-painted Briton). It is well planned and organised with roles distributed well in advance. I was a Georgian leather worker so my usual convention outfit of waistcoat and flat cap functioned as my outfit.
The story was creative, massively historically well researched, and based around the 17th Century spa developments in Cheltenham and proposals to dig a canal through nearby hills. This apparently disturbed the giant White Wyrm sleeping there which caused a rift in time. Cue the appearance of various medieval knights and wizards.
I was a local leatherworker concerned about the effect of developments on local businesses. I took full part. I poisoned the spas with tanning chemicals. Got the local Priest on side by promising to produce wrote erotic leather undies (his idea not mine). Became the bodyguard of a knight. Took part in the angry mob sacking the mayors office. Tried to be invited into the past where my superior leatherworking skills would earn me a fortune. Was banned. (Apparently blowing up the Mayor's office gets you a reputation.) Tried to redeem myself by betraying my firebrand cohort and trapping him in a fire he was setting at the local race course, got trapped myself and burnt to death. All in two hours.
Whilst I see the appeal of FreeForms, they're not for me and I've finally realised why. In a TTRPG, every player sees the whole story. It's just like watching a film or reading a book. In a FreeForm you're following your own storyline whilst others pursue theirs. No one sees the whole picture. It's more like real life. I like to know what's happening.
After the FreeForm the conventions officially started with introductions and a few words from myself and the other "special guest" Scott Dorward. Then there was a short, half hour, break for lunch. That's why you were advised to bring a packed lunch. There's a kitchen in the community centre and the organisers provide tea, coffee, doughnuts etc. Over lunch you have the option to order Fish and Chips for tea. Recommended.
There are two three hour game slots in the afternoon. The first slot had four games with allocation via limited presigns and numbers written on lolly pop sticks.
I finally got to run my Fireball XL5 game - though most players had never seen the series. (Apparently Norway never even got Thunderbirds. Criminal!) I had 6 players, and so had to co-opt an additional character in with the five "canon" crew of the XL5. He turned out to be a secret Space Fleet auditor reporting on the crew's performance. (I just LOVE the way my systems interact with player creativity to create unexpected storylines.)
The game was a blast. Huge, alien robot fleet heading to Earth with XL5 the "only ship in the sector". Chasing space criminals across space city in search of the only known sample of the mineral the robots were vulnerable to. Designing mechanisms to enhance the effect of that limited supply over a large area. A desperate race across space to acquire more. Battles with and inside robot battleships. A final climatic battle where a battered XL5 is forced to flee leaving their comrades aboard the captured robot battleship to be blown out of space. And the entire XL space fleet rising majestically through the rings of Saturn just in time. The option to have the cavalry ride over the hill had always been in my games but this is first time it's actually been used. And so very well.
I then played and was lucky enough to get into Scott Dorward's pulp Cthulhu game. I've never played in one of Scott's games. TBH I think I'd feel discomforted playing in some. He was offering "Lamposts in Bloom" at this convention. I think that one might mess with my mind - or I might undermine it by not brining the right attitude.
But Pulp Cthulhu is how Games of Cthulhu always seem to go when I run them, so it seemed worth a punt. And it was. The scenario was a simple "typical" Cthulhu scenario - scientist demonstrating his new wierd science machine at a cocktail party. Then the blizzard hits, you're all trapped and the buzzing starts......
But Scott, of course, know his stuff. Well prepared, good pregenerated characters. Starts off playing with simple elements but slowly sucks you into darker avenues. The "his head explodes" moment even caught me by surprise.
The system is "Basic Roleplaying" percentage based but seems to have fixed many of that system's problems. Characters who are "good" at stuff have 70-80% chances and you have the ability to push your luck or retry rolls with consequences. Fast moving, challenging and satisfying. It's easy to forget that this is a master Referee and expect it to be the standard all other convention referees should be held to.
After the second game, there is an hour's break for tea. Chips have arrived. I had to leave to check into my B&B but one of the organisers kindly gave me a lift so this didn't take long or cost me a taxi fare.
During the tea break was the bloody raffle. As usual there were more prizes than attendees. Some of them "quirky". The White Wyrm puppet from the FreeForm for example. Lots of European chocolate. As usual no-one had prepared for this and though they were told to draw the next ticket before choosing their prize, they chose to spend ages perusing the table and often forgotting to draw the nest ticket. Those of you who know me can probably guess that I was heckling. I'm here to PLAY.
After tea I ran my Blakes Seven game. Again I had six players. Jenna, Gan, Tarrant, Cally, Avon and Villa. Throw in Orac and Zen and it was really Blakes Eight. In the second most gonzo twist of the weekend, one of the players introduced a storyline which meant Jenna was really secretly Blake in disguise.
Because we had six players all chewing the scenery - especially Cally's player revelling in the character and playing her really (really) effectively, - the simple "vs criminals" prologue - where the characters discover the actual plot - expanded significantly, and could almost have formed the basis of the whole session. But eventually I got the players to Mars. I had to drop lots of elements but, fortunately, this group had a direct approach and teleported straight into the Mars corporation headquarters. Throw in rolls where I was forced to keep introducing new plot elements to mess with them and they were virtually chased into the final location to avoid the missiles of the invading Federation fleet. With an appropriate combination of all of their abilities (including a "camera cuts away" scene involving corpses and Cally's TK abilities) they accessed the ancient alien installation. Cue Travis and Servellan appearing to reveal their evil plot and gloat appropriately. Of course the characters' only hope of escape rested on activating the ancient alien machine. Which turned out to be a planetary FTL system. Moving Mars. Space 1999 on steroids.
Basically, they traded in Liberator for a whole flipping planet.
Local taxis were all busy so I opted for the walk to my B&B. Trying to follow google Maps at night meant this took half an hour but I was in my room by midnight. It had been a great day.
Sunday was timetabled to start at 9:00am. In the daylight the walk up only took 20 minutes I so arrived early. Apparently EVERYONE else knew the early start was just a ploy to encourage people to arrive before 10:00am so I had some waiting to do.
When 17 people had trickled in, we started 3 games. One of these was my standard Code of Warriors and Wizardry adventure. After we started playing, more people began trickling in. This, of course, causes issues for the organisers but everyone is very co-operative. Whether the airy fairy lassez faire attitude of some attendees is result of the convention's coping mechanisms or not is a discussion for another time. However, we all coped. For me, I had six players but one had to leave early and just made a character to pass over to a late comer. Eventually I was asked if I could take a seventh player, which I did.
So we had an Orc noble with a magic halberd, a Human hunter (with a secret tail), Krunk (a Conan clone), a goblin burglar with magnetic powers, a fire wizard and small smelly Troll with power over the elements of the earth. They here joined, eventually, by s pregenerated burglar.
The first battle on the slavers' was crazy. I'll admit I virtually lost track of what was going on, what with most of the group being in the water at some point and swapping opponents all over the place. Both the rudder and anchor were broken.
To solve this, one player introduced the most gonzo plot element of the weekend. An old Pirate turned up, riding on sea turtle using his long white beard as reins. The hunter tried to lasoo his turtle so he holed their ship before having a change of heart. He guided their longboats to the nearest island.
During the Beach battle with the goblin "Coastal Clan" my die rolling meant, again, that I was forced to bring in more plot elements to challenge the players so the "forest clan" joined the battle followed, shortly, by a giant gobs sea serpent. Another battle where I virtually lost control of all the twists and turns.
Eventually, the characters were called to testify at a conclave of the Clans. Of course they tried to disrupt this with unwarranted violence, incensing the goblins and the island's volcano God. I was able to chase them to the scene of the scenario' climax.
Another short lunch break - bring a packed lunch.
In the afternoon I played in a Sci fi game. We were a salvage crew shot down on our way to assess a failed colony world. This used an adapted version of Basic Role Playing. Unlike Pulp Cthulhu the previous day, however, this had all the old failings of that system. If you were "good" at something, you only had 40% of succeeding at it. So most of your shots missed. And even when they did hit, the opponent had a chance to dodge. And there was no way to push things influence the result. This slowed the game down. Which was a shame because the referee, though young and inexperienced, was massively enthusiastic and had created a great world of ancient technology perceived as Magic.
The convention closes at 4:00pm. Most people chip in to help clear the hall. Any left is them invited out for more socialising and an Italian meal, but I opted to talk to the station.
Viewed from the outside, Ars Magica might not seem worth taking a punt on, being so small. But if you view it from the player perspective, it's just the same as any other convention. 5 games (plus a FreeForm) over two days, all games with full tables of enthusiastic players. The only drawback is the limited range of choices. If you're looking to play specific or popular systems, you won't find them here. If you just want to roleplay at a well organised and friendly convention where everybody knows your name, it really delivers. A bit of a hidden gem.
Grand tribunal is the official convention of the Ars Magica TTRPG. It has been running for 12 years in Cheltenham Spa.
All of this belies a slightly different picture. As Ars Magica - a magnificent game based around a highly detailed magic system and a quirky, fascinating world that grows out of it - has drifted into a backwater of popularity with a few highly vociferous supporters, this is actually a very, very small convention - possibly the smallest I attend - in a Community centre. I mean really small, less than thirty people I'd guess, dropping to 17 at one point during the weekend.
But this brings benefits and opportunities. It is massively welcoming and friendly. It's very accessible. There's a significant Norwegian attendance. It's no longer devoted solely to Ars Magica. There is at least one incredibly creative AM game offered in each game slot for the die hards, but other game systems are now offered. And though there are few games offered in each slot - 3 or 4 - the player experience is exactly the same as any other convention. Full tables of friendly creative players and experienced referees.
The convention is organised via personal contact, a mailing group and a massively informative and easy to use wiki-based web-site. Tickets are inexpensive. Cheltenham Spa has good transport links. Accommodation, whilst not the cheapest, is easy to find with a range of options.
The convention starts with an organised social meet-up, meal and optional board games on Friday night. I opt to arrive Saturday morning so that I only have to pay a single night's accomodation. The venue is a 20 minute walk from the rail station. There's a massive Tesco near the venue. You're advised to bring a packed lunch. So I arrived early, dropped in to Tesco, bought some supplies and whiled away my time in Costs coffee doing my RPGaDAY on my phone.
The first and last time I'd visited Grand Tribunal was in 2016. In 2017 it conflicted with my wedding anniversary - one of the very few things which trump RPG conventions. In 2016, the convention started with a bonding exercise where attendees got in a circle and held hands etc. Whilst this had a quirky appeal, thank god it didn't happen this time around. The convention started, as it always does, with a LARP/FreeForm game.
This is mandatory. All attendees are encouraged to take part. No other games are
scheduled for this slot. Clearly many attendees look forward to this game and come fully attired (or appropriately otherwise in the case of the wode-painted Briton). It is well planned and organised with roles distributed well in advance. I was a Georgian leather worker so my usual convention outfit of waistcoat and flat cap functioned as my outfit.
The story was creative, massively historically well researched, and based around the 17th Century spa developments in Cheltenham and proposals to dig a canal through nearby hills. This apparently disturbed the giant White Wyrm sleeping there which caused a rift in time. Cue the appearance of various medieval knights and wizards.
I was a local leatherworker concerned about the effect of developments on local businesses. I took full part. I poisoned the spas with tanning chemicals. Got the local Priest on side by promising to produce wrote erotic leather undies (his idea not mine). Became the bodyguard of a knight. Took part in the angry mob sacking the mayors office. Tried to be invited into the past where my superior leatherworking skills would earn me a fortune. Was banned. (Apparently blowing up the Mayor's office gets you a reputation.) Tried to redeem myself by betraying my firebrand cohort and trapping him in a fire he was setting at the local race course, got trapped myself and burnt to death. All in two hours.
Whilst I see the appeal of FreeForms, they're not for me and I've finally realised why. In a TTRPG, every player sees the whole story. It's just like watching a film or reading a book. In a FreeForm you're following your own storyline whilst others pursue theirs. No one sees the whole picture. It's more like real life. I like to know what's happening.
After the FreeForm the conventions officially started with introductions and a few words from myself and the other "special guest" Scott Dorward. Then there was a short, half hour, break for lunch. That's why you were advised to bring a packed lunch. There's a kitchen in the community centre and the organisers provide tea, coffee, doughnuts etc. Over lunch you have the option to order Fish and Chips for tea. Recommended.
There are two three hour game slots in the afternoon. The first slot had four games with allocation via limited presigns and numbers written on lolly pop sticks.
I finally got to run my Fireball XL5 game - though most players had never seen the series. (Apparently Norway never even got Thunderbirds. Criminal!) I had 6 players, and so had to co-opt an additional character in with the five "canon" crew of the XL5. He turned out to be a secret Space Fleet auditor reporting on the crew's performance. (I just LOVE the way my systems interact with player creativity to create unexpected storylines.)
The game was a blast. Huge, alien robot fleet heading to Earth with XL5 the "only ship in the sector". Chasing space criminals across space city in search of the only known sample of the mineral the robots were vulnerable to. Designing mechanisms to enhance the effect of that limited supply over a large area. A desperate race across space to acquire more. Battles with and inside robot battleships. A final climatic battle where a battered XL5 is forced to flee leaving their comrades aboard the captured robot battleship to be blown out of space. And the entire XL space fleet rising majestically through the rings of Saturn just in time. The option to have the cavalry ride over the hill had always been in my games but this is first time it's actually been used. And so very well.
I then played and was lucky enough to get into Scott Dorward's pulp Cthulhu game. I've never played in one of Scott's games. TBH I think I'd feel discomforted playing in some. He was offering "Lamposts in Bloom" at this convention. I think that one might mess with my mind - or I might undermine it by not brining the right attitude.
But Pulp Cthulhu is how Games of Cthulhu always seem to go when I run them, so it seemed worth a punt. And it was. The scenario was a simple "typical" Cthulhu scenario - scientist demonstrating his new wierd science machine at a cocktail party. Then the blizzard hits, you're all trapped and the buzzing starts......
But Scott, of course, know his stuff. Well prepared, good pregenerated characters. Starts off playing with simple elements but slowly sucks you into darker avenues. The "his head explodes" moment even caught me by surprise.
The system is "Basic Roleplaying" percentage based but seems to have fixed many of that system's problems. Characters who are "good" at stuff have 70-80% chances and you have the ability to push your luck or retry rolls with consequences. Fast moving, challenging and satisfying. It's easy to forget that this is a master Referee and expect it to be the standard all other convention referees should be held to.
After the second game, there is an hour's break for tea. Chips have arrived. I had to leave to check into my B&B but one of the organisers kindly gave me a lift so this didn't take long or cost me a taxi fare.
During the tea break was the bloody raffle. As usual there were more prizes than attendees. Some of them "quirky". The White Wyrm puppet from the FreeForm for example. Lots of European chocolate. As usual no-one had prepared for this and though they were told to draw the next ticket before choosing their prize, they chose to spend ages perusing the table and often forgotting to draw the nest ticket. Those of you who know me can probably guess that I was heckling. I'm here to PLAY.
After tea I ran my Blakes Seven game. Again I had six players. Jenna, Gan, Tarrant, Cally, Avon and Villa. Throw in Orac and Zen and it was really Blakes Eight. In the second most gonzo twist of the weekend, one of the players introduced a storyline which meant Jenna was really secretly Blake in disguise.
Because we had six players all chewing the scenery - especially Cally's player revelling in the character and playing her really (really) effectively, - the simple "vs criminals" prologue - where the characters discover the actual plot - expanded significantly, and could almost have formed the basis of the whole session. But eventually I got the players to Mars. I had to drop lots of elements but, fortunately, this group had a direct approach and teleported straight into the Mars corporation headquarters. Throw in rolls where I was forced to keep introducing new plot elements to mess with them and they were virtually chased into the final location to avoid the missiles of the invading Federation fleet. With an appropriate combination of all of their abilities (including a "camera cuts away" scene involving corpses and Cally's TK abilities) they accessed the ancient alien installation. Cue Travis and Servellan appearing to reveal their evil plot and gloat appropriately. Of course the characters' only hope of escape rested on activating the ancient alien machine. Which turned out to be a planetary FTL system. Moving Mars. Space 1999 on steroids.
Basically, they traded in Liberator for a whole flipping planet.
Local taxis were all busy so I opted for the walk to my B&B. Trying to follow google Maps at night meant this took half an hour but I was in my room by midnight. It had been a great day.
Sunday was timetabled to start at 9:00am. In the daylight the walk up only took 20 minutes I so arrived early. Apparently EVERYONE else knew the early start was just a ploy to encourage people to arrive before 10:00am so I had some waiting to do.
When 17 people had trickled in, we started 3 games. One of these was my standard Code of Warriors and Wizardry adventure. After we started playing, more people began trickling in. This, of course, causes issues for the organisers but everyone is very co-operative. Whether the airy fairy lassez faire attitude of some attendees is result of the convention's coping mechanisms or not is a discussion for another time. However, we all coped. For me, I had six players but one had to leave early and just made a character to pass over to a late comer. Eventually I was asked if I could take a seventh player, which I did.
So we had an Orc noble with a magic halberd, a Human hunter (with a secret tail), Krunk (a Conan clone), a goblin burglar with magnetic powers, a fire wizard and small smelly Troll with power over the elements of the earth. They here joined, eventually, by s pregenerated burglar.
The first battle on the slavers' was crazy. I'll admit I virtually lost track of what was going on, what with most of the group being in the water at some point and swapping opponents all over the place. Both the rudder and anchor were broken.
To solve this, one player introduced the most gonzo plot element of the weekend. An old Pirate turned up, riding on sea turtle using his long white beard as reins. The hunter tried to lasoo his turtle so he holed their ship before having a change of heart. He guided their longboats to the nearest island.
During the Beach battle with the goblin "Coastal Clan" my die rolling meant, again, that I was forced to bring in more plot elements to challenge the players so the "forest clan" joined the battle followed, shortly, by a giant gobs sea serpent. Another battle where I virtually lost control of all the twists and turns.
Eventually, the characters were called to testify at a conclave of the Clans. Of course they tried to disrupt this with unwarranted violence, incensing the goblins and the island's volcano God. I was able to chase them to the scene of the scenario' climax.
Another short lunch break - bring a packed lunch.
In the afternoon I played in a Sci fi game. We were a salvage crew shot down on our way to assess a failed colony world. This used an adapted version of Basic Role Playing. Unlike Pulp Cthulhu the previous day, however, this had all the old failings of that system. If you were "good" at something, you only had 40% of succeeding at it. So most of your shots missed. And even when they did hit, the opponent had a chance to dodge. And there was no way to push things influence the result. This slowed the game down. Which was a shame because the referee, though young and inexperienced, was massively enthusiastic and had created a great world of ancient technology perceived as Magic.
The convention closes at 4:00pm. Most people chip in to help clear the hall. Any left is them invited out for more socialising and an Italian meal, but I opted to talk to the station.
Viewed from the outside, Ars Magica might not seem worth taking a punt on, being so small. But if you view it from the player perspective, it's just the same as any other convention. 5 games (plus a FreeForm) over two days, all games with full tables of enthusiastic players. The only drawback is the limited range of choices. If you're looking to play specific or popular systems, you won't find them here. If you just want to roleplay at a well organised and friendly convention where everybody knows your name, it really delivers. A bit of a hidden gem.
Saturday, 28 July 2018
Convivial Steampunk convention July 2018
"Choose your Adventure" is back on the road!
I've never been to a Steampunk convention before. The July "Convivial" is one of a number of events of that name held around the country on different dates. This one was in New Malden in Greater London. It was held over two days, Saturday and Sunday. Looking at the cost of a hotel in the area, it seemed sensible for me to just dip my toe into the water and treat it as a day trip this first time. (Sorting the trains out took some finagling but I eventually managed to beat even the Split Ticketing websites on cost and flexibility.)
The convention seems to be knowing celebration of the great British Eccentric with events such as Teapot Racing, Tea Duelling, Worseminton etc.
So I got up stupid o'clock in the morning and travelled down to London. The route and connections are actually very straightforward once you've done the journey. The event is close to New Malden station and is based in a Church and a pub over the road (or vice versa).
I was based in the middle of the trading area in the main church hall, surrounded by a dozen or so stalls. Amongst the clothes and other Steampunk items, there was a table full of crystals and - next to each other - a stall selling knitwear octopi and a stand with half a dozen live snakes for people to hold. Eclectic.
The Church Hall was directly adjacent to the main body of the church where music acts were "setting up". The noise level gave me concerns that - once they started playing - I wouldn't be able to hear any players I might get. I suggested to the organiser that I move to the Foyer of the hall but he said I could over to other part of the event in the the pub if I wanted.
The Pub.
I moved right over!
The actual event was in the function room upstairs and seemed full so I set up on a table in the main part of the pub. Getting interest was intermittent but I did get to run three games:
Two parents and a son played through my standard "The Evolution of Species" introductory scenario. This was fun as always with the son's character whipping up an ambulatory flame thrower at the end which ended up killing as many hostages as bad guys.
This climax was watched by a couple of people who I corralled into an immediate game. As they'd seen the climax of my usual scenario, I brought out one of the two new ones I'd thought up for this convention. "One of our Dinosaurs is Missing". I thought: evil scientist, shrink ray, kidnapped Brontosaurus. No problem. I wasn't expecting the character's souped up automobile leading a Godzilla sized Brontosaur on a chase across the Home Counties before luring it into an unstable quarry via a "Thelma and Louise" style leap. One of the players bought the game and bought me a drink.
Then it was a long wait until, just before the end, I had a young couple play through "Evolution of Species" again. In a rare turn of events, they did as asked and took evidence to the Police instead of trying to sort matters out themselves. This gave them Police back-up and they resolved the final battle extremely well - capturing the bad guy and converting his Frankenstein-type creation to their side. They bought me a drink as well.
Because of my positioning, I didn't see much of the rest of the event - though there was some good mass ukulele playing in the beer garden. The costumes were great as you'd expect with a predominance of Pith helmets and Khaki due to the weather. Everyone was very friendly and though I only had three games I had a lot of interesting chats.
Was it worth it? The jury's out. Maybe thinking a bit more about the position of my table would help and if we can build up a repeated presence, people might start expecting it and looking for it. But it's competing in a convention jam-packed with myriad other events. There was a lot of waiting about but the three games I played were - as always - so much FUN that it just about made up for it. One to go to if it fits a gap in my diary, I think, but as a one day visit. Not worth paying for a hotel yet, for me.
I've never been to a Steampunk convention before. The July "Convivial" is one of a number of events of that name held around the country on different dates. This one was in New Malden in Greater London. It was held over two days, Saturday and Sunday. Looking at the cost of a hotel in the area, it seemed sensible for me to just dip my toe into the water and treat it as a day trip this first time. (Sorting the trains out took some finagling but I eventually managed to beat even the Split Ticketing websites on cost and flexibility.)
The convention seems to be knowing celebration of the great British Eccentric with events such as Teapot Racing, Tea Duelling, Worseminton etc.
So I got up stupid o'clock in the morning and travelled down to London. The route and connections are actually very straightforward once you've done the journey. The event is close to New Malden station and is based in a Church and a pub over the road (or vice versa).
I was based in the middle of the trading area in the main church hall, surrounded by a dozen or so stalls. Amongst the clothes and other Steampunk items, there was a table full of crystals and - next to each other - a stall selling knitwear octopi and a stand with half a dozen live snakes for people to hold. Eclectic.
The Church Hall was directly adjacent to the main body of the church where music acts were "setting up". The noise level gave me concerns that - once they started playing - I wouldn't be able to hear any players I might get. I suggested to the organiser that I move to the Foyer of the hall but he said I could over to other part of the event in the the pub if I wanted.
The Pub.
I moved right over!
The actual event was in the function room upstairs and seemed full so I set up on a table in the main part of the pub. Getting interest was intermittent but I did get to run three games:
Two parents and a son played through my standard "The Evolution of Species" introductory scenario. This was fun as always with the son's character whipping up an ambulatory flame thrower at the end which ended up killing as many hostages as bad guys.
This climax was watched by a couple of people who I corralled into an immediate game. As they'd seen the climax of my usual scenario, I brought out one of the two new ones I'd thought up for this convention. "One of our Dinosaurs is Missing". I thought: evil scientist, shrink ray, kidnapped Brontosaurus. No problem. I wasn't expecting the character's souped up automobile leading a Godzilla sized Brontosaur on a chase across the Home Counties before luring it into an unstable quarry via a "Thelma and Louise" style leap. One of the players bought the game and bought me a drink.
Then it was a long wait until, just before the end, I had a young couple play through "Evolution of Species" again. In a rare turn of events, they did as asked and took evidence to the Police instead of trying to sort matters out themselves. This gave them Police back-up and they resolved the final battle extremely well - capturing the bad guy and converting his Frankenstein-type creation to their side. They bought me a drink as well.
Because of my positioning, I didn't see much of the rest of the event - though there was some good mass ukulele playing in the beer garden. The costumes were great as you'd expect with a predominance of Pith helmets and Khaki due to the weather. Everyone was very friendly and though I only had three games I had a lot of interesting chats.
Was it worth it? The jury's out. Maybe thinking a bit more about the position of my table would help and if we can build up a repeated presence, people might start expecting it and looking for it. But it's competing in a convention jam-packed with myriad other events. There was a lot of waiting about but the three games I played were - as always - so much FUN that it just about made up for it. One to go to if it fits a gap in my diary, I think, but as a one day visit. Not worth paying for a hotel yet, for me.
Monday, 23 July 2018
Continuum 2018
TLDR: excellent long running, well organised, quirky (in a good way) residential convention. Superb organising committee, lovely, amiable fellow attendees. Only ran 3 out of 8 game sessions to small groups. My games don't match the demographic. But all three games were great. Played 4 in fun games. A win! Should be put on every year.
Continuum is a long running, well organised and successful residential convention in Leicester. It runs from Friday afternoon until Monday morning (Monday is checkout only). As well as TTRPGs it also offers "FreeForms" (sort of LARPS, I think) a small trade hall and a range of seminars. And drinking. It runs once every two years - in the years which are even numbered. It is based in student accommodation at Leicester university.
Because of its long history, the convention has a unique character and a number of traditions, both explicit and covert. It has a large number of Runequest/Gloranthan/Cthulhu games on offer. However, the choice is widening and becoming more eclectic. You still don't see much standard fare in the vein of D&D 5th etc. though.
Booking is done in advance via the website. You pay for the convention and accommodation up front. Spaces are limited - 160 - and it does sell out.
You can offer to run TTRPGs when you arrive at the event itself but the organisers prefer that you submit games in advance so they can promote them on the website, check they've got enough etc. In order to encourage this, you get a free advance sign up in a game you want to play for each game you submit. This is well managed by the convention TTRPG games Tsar, the excellent and personable Keary. There are 8 game slots - 2 on Friday and 3 each on Saturday and Sunday.
Despite the broadening tastes and offerings at Continuum, I'm aware that my games don't match the demographic and expect to struggle to get sign ups. If you're desperate to referee, offering a game set in Glorantha, or a Runequest variant or a Cthulhu game should garner interest, provided it's something new. (This crowd have played all the classic stuff.)
Shortly before the event I discovered that I wasn't at work Monday morning and so was able to change my booking from 2 nights (Friday/Saturday) to three. Basically I paid a £30 supplement to play one extra game.
I was still at work on the Friday. So I missed the first game slot and arrived well in time for the second session. I bought some supplies for my room from the Tesco express next to the station. There's an Asda 10-15 mins walk from the event but it's best to come supplied.
However, like an idiot I'd missed the instructions for the printing and bringing my own signup sheets. Though I'd submitted games for Friday Evening and Saturday morning, the sheets for those slots were already up when I arrived. There were no sign up sheets up for my games. I borrowed a pen and quickly wrote up a handwritten sheet for my Saturday morning game. But it looked rubbish next to some of the other sheets. And people had already signed for games in that slot so I didn't hold out much hope of getting players. A friend advised/forced me not to put up a last minute hand written sheet for my Friday game so I signed up for a game of Lady Blackbird.
I checked into my room and attended the opening ceremony. For tea I ate sandwiches etc I'd brought from Tesco. The accomodation is student rooms. They don't have TV sets and are basic. But they're clean with free wifi and there are shared kitchens. There are no pots and pans, crockery or cutlery but there is a Microwave. If Continuum were every year, I might have remembered this and bought some microwaveable meals from Tesco. I also dropped off some games in the Bring and Buy.
My evening game turned out to be a good choice. I've heard people raving about Lady Blackbird at convention after convention. I've downloaded it and tried to read it but have never understood it. It was expertly run by Rae - the Wyntercon games Tsar. There was a full table of excellent, fun, players. I played the Amazonian bodyguard. This version of the game tended towards the Steampunk but when one player forgot this and referred to security cameras - suddenly we had a demon-based security system. There were a couple of things that didn't suit my personal tastes. Some people had played the game before and were replaying it. Though it's supposed to be repayable and different every time, I don't think there's enough variation to enable this to happen successfully IMHO. I also found the mismatch between players with experience and those without a bit jarring. The second was the habit that some players (Lloyd, the excellent Expo Games on DemandTsar) seem to have developed of deliberately introducing complications into a game to make it more fun. I'm old school and think complications should come from poor choices, the dice or the Referee. Oh, and there was only one member of staff on the bar.
But these are minor moans. Fun players, excellent referee, good game. (I still think it deserves expansion and publishing in a more detailed, printed, commercial version). An excellent session and I now know that I could run this game if I was asked to by a convention Games Tsar.
The bar is stocked with some real ales especially for the convention, is open until 2am and full of gaming luminaries. So it's tempting to stay up but I chose to try to get to sleep before midnight.
Overnight I had a brainwave. I used my iPad to download my game descriptions from the convention website, and quickly produced some typed signup sheets with added convention logo and appropriate other images. I emailed these to the accommodation front desk and they printed them for me. Free. Wow! My concerns about not getting sign ups because of grotty handwritten sheets were allayed. My shower wasn't working but I got some great technical advice from the front desk ("give it some welly!") that did the job. Good work all round.
Breakfast is included and does the job but is basic.
My morning game didn't get any sign ups so I grabbed the last place in Phil Masters' steampunk GURPS game. Then something unfortunate happened. Just about every other player who'd signed up for the game crossed their name off at the last minute. I don't think it was seeing my name on the sheet! I think what had happened is that someone had stuck up another game they fancied and they all decamped en masse with minutes to go. Not very good manners if you ask me. We scraped together three players and Phil ran the game. Great setting, good GM, well prepared. As usual the GURPS character sheets were rammed with information which must have been a nightmare to produce but made playing the game easy. I played the Amazonian second in command (a trend?) Despite all of this, however, I think this has finally cemented my view that GURPS is not the game for me.
Phil, however, delivered a good game. Upon being given my character sheet my eyes fell upon the words "Bomb Gun". Of course I got to unleash this to destroy an airship in the game's climax - so I call that a win.
Lunch was more Tesco sandwiches (I'd stocked up).
For the afternoon I had three players sign up for my "Orville" rip off. Using my Manifold rules but that's irrelevant really. One of the players was Marcus Rowland. This was like a classic White Dwarf contributor meet up! This was fun as always. I just run a straight Star Trek scenario - blatantly ripping off two classic episodes - and watch the TTRPG players dismantle it.
We had the ship's Captain (a sentient cloud of Flies), a prototype Android weapons officer and Kevin - from Tech. support. They were initially extremely successful. They went in and out quick and completed the first mission perfectly, short cutting the scenario. Then things went belly up on the follow up mission. They lost the ship, 277 out of 300 crewmen and the prototype android. Technically they completed the mission but the inquiries will drag on for years....... Great fun with great players.
In the evening, I sampled the food from the on-site kitchen. The Continuum "main Hall" is basically the students' hall of residence cafeteria. The kitchen is set up to provide students with cheap meals. As such, in past conventions there have been some complaints about the quality of the food and some effort has been made upgrade it. Not that successfully I'm afraid. My (£6.95) meal was a limited portion of beef chilli on a plate full of rice, new potatoes and boiled broccoli. Not enough sauce/chilli to cover the otherwise dry ingredients. Warm, filling, not overly expensive. Some people got pizzas or went out for other meals. I don't blame them. There's a two hour gap between afternoon and evening games so there's load of time to do this.
For the evening game I had three players sign up. I ran Paul Baldowski's scenario from his award winning "Trail of the Wendigo" book, but using my Manifold rules rather than his Cthulhu Hack. When asked for a reason why their characters were driving In the Canadian wilds, the players decided that they were two Mounties bringing in a fugitive. A classic trope! It was made even more perfect by the meta overlap. The two Mounties were two guys who were friends and had come to the convention together. The female grifter was a charming young lady who'd been providing table after table with homemade cake through the day. They weren't exactly playing themselves but it was close.
Despite only having three players again, I loved this session. It is a slow build horror story with a really really sick theme. Because they were Mounties, rather than say a family group, this turned into more "The Wicker Man meets Assault on District 19" than "Hostel" with a brutal final scene which flirted with a TPK.
During the game Keary checked in with me. I love the way he goes around and checks in with and talks to every Referee. Every. Single. One. And because I'd run two games, he gave me drinks tokens for two free drinks. This convention pays you in beer. Unfortunately, the bar was starting to run out of some beers.
I went to bed before midnight again.
I got up and checked my signup sheet for the morning game. No players. I had breakfast - functional again - and went to my room to collect my gaming stuff expecting to come down and have to find a game to play in. In the short gap, I'd garnered three players!
This was a playtest of my d6 Hack rules being developed as part of Role Play Relief. I offered the players a choice between the old White Dwarf investigative scenario "Plague from the Past" and Dyson Logos' "Goblin Gully". It being early morning after the night before, they chose to twat goblins rather than use their brains.
The game went well, good classic low level D&D with no obvious difference through just using d6's. Lots of great tactical interplay between the goblins and the party. Many goblins slaughtered but the chief and a couple of other survivors escaped with their treasure
Amazingly I still had some food left from my shopping burst on Friday so lunch was more cold stuff from Tescos. (I could have kept it fresher in the fridge in the kitchen.)
In the afternoon I'd pre-booked into the latest instalment of Martin Pickett's "Victorian Colony of Mars" series. I first met Martin when he wrote and ran "The Great Martian Tripod Race" for my The Code of Steam and Steel game. He's now converted the scenarios set in that world to Manifold. This was the first time I've PLAYED my game. And Martin has adapted the rules for Steampunk as you would do to produce a sourcebook. Both of these things made this session special for me.
Martin had chosen to run the game in a seminar room in one of the houses up the road from the main convention hall. It's quiet and a good place to play but - for me - too far away from the hustle and bustle of the convention (and the bar). We also had players trying to deliberately introduce complications again (see above). And we DID resolve things through auditing the bad guys' accounts rather than high adventure.
But we went from "Carry On Airship Police" at the a start, to being a really effective team, efficiently stopping the wrong doing and individually rounding up two key figures from each faction almost automatically. And all the players were awesome - especially Simon Beaver*. As author of "Stiff Upper Lip" - a FATE game set in the era of British Adventuring (get it printed Simon!) - his immense historical knowledge leant massive verisimilitude to our Law Officer'd actions.
* there were at least THREE "Simon B's" at the convention!
I attended the closing ceremony. Apparently there's going to be a questionnaire coming out. I hope EVERYONE votes to make it an annual event.
For tea I ate the canteen food again. It's easy to get. This was basically a roast turkey dinner and was much more acceptable than the previous night's efforts.
By this time the convention was winding down and most people had gone. The bar was out of most draft beers so I was on cider but had two staff on - now it was quiet - rather than the single harassed guy when it was busy Friday night. Go figure.
My game - based on Fireball XL5 - garnered no players, again. I think I need to retire it, unplayed. It's just too niche. By this time there was one space left in one game - the Great Gloranthan Duck Race game. An RPG based on Wargames rules played on a kind of snakes and ladder board set on the Runequest world of Glorantha and played for laughs as various crews - mostly non human - vied to win a boat race by any means necessary , unnecessary and just downright funny. Not exactly in MY wheelhouse but a pleasant way to end the convention. There was a traditional end of convention sing song somewhere else but we were too busy playing to go.
Was it worth the extra £30 for that game? That's debatable. But it WAS worth it through making the Sunday much more relaxed. I could concentrate on enjoying the event, get a good nights sleep and pack at my leisure rather than worrying about checking out, carrying all my worldly goods around with me for the afternoon and rushing to catch the last train home, as I do at so many events. If you can stay until Monday I thoroughly recommend it
Continuum is a superior residential convention. It has no drawbacks and some truly excellent features. We don't have enough residential TTRPG conventions in this country. We NEED to have Continuum every year.
Continuum is a long running, well organised and successful residential convention in Leicester. It runs from Friday afternoon until Monday morning (Monday is checkout only). As well as TTRPGs it also offers "FreeForms" (sort of LARPS, I think) a small trade hall and a range of seminars. And drinking. It runs once every two years - in the years which are even numbered. It is based in student accommodation at Leicester university.
Because of its long history, the convention has a unique character and a number of traditions, both explicit and covert. It has a large number of Runequest/Gloranthan/Cthulhu games on offer. However, the choice is widening and becoming more eclectic. You still don't see much standard fare in the vein of D&D 5th etc. though.
Booking is done in advance via the website. You pay for the convention and accommodation up front. Spaces are limited - 160 - and it does sell out.
You can offer to run TTRPGs when you arrive at the event itself but the organisers prefer that you submit games in advance so they can promote them on the website, check they've got enough etc. In order to encourage this, you get a free advance sign up in a game you want to play for each game you submit. This is well managed by the convention TTRPG games Tsar, the excellent and personable Keary. There are 8 game slots - 2 on Friday and 3 each on Saturday and Sunday.
Despite the broadening tastes and offerings at Continuum, I'm aware that my games don't match the demographic and expect to struggle to get sign ups. If you're desperate to referee, offering a game set in Glorantha, or a Runequest variant or a Cthulhu game should garner interest, provided it's something new. (This crowd have played all the classic stuff.)
Shortly before the event I discovered that I wasn't at work Monday morning and so was able to change my booking from 2 nights (Friday/Saturday) to three. Basically I paid a £30 supplement to play one extra game.
I was still at work on the Friday. So I missed the first game slot and arrived well in time for the second session. I bought some supplies for my room from the Tesco express next to the station. There's an Asda 10-15 mins walk from the event but it's best to come supplied.
However, like an idiot I'd missed the instructions for the printing and bringing my own signup sheets. Though I'd submitted games for Friday Evening and Saturday morning, the sheets for those slots were already up when I arrived. There were no sign up sheets up for my games. I borrowed a pen and quickly wrote up a handwritten sheet for my Saturday morning game. But it looked rubbish next to some of the other sheets. And people had already signed for games in that slot so I didn't hold out much hope of getting players. A friend advised/forced me not to put up a last minute hand written sheet for my Friday game so I signed up for a game of Lady Blackbird.
I checked into my room and attended the opening ceremony. For tea I ate sandwiches etc I'd brought from Tesco. The accomodation is student rooms. They don't have TV sets and are basic. But they're clean with free wifi and there are shared kitchens. There are no pots and pans, crockery or cutlery but there is a Microwave. If Continuum were every year, I might have remembered this and bought some microwaveable meals from Tesco. I also dropped off some games in the Bring and Buy.
My evening game turned out to be a good choice. I've heard people raving about Lady Blackbird at convention after convention. I've downloaded it and tried to read it but have never understood it. It was expertly run by Rae - the Wyntercon games Tsar. There was a full table of excellent, fun, players. I played the Amazonian bodyguard. This version of the game tended towards the Steampunk but when one player forgot this and referred to security cameras - suddenly we had a demon-based security system. There were a couple of things that didn't suit my personal tastes. Some people had played the game before and were replaying it. Though it's supposed to be repayable and different every time, I don't think there's enough variation to enable this to happen successfully IMHO. I also found the mismatch between players with experience and those without a bit jarring. The second was the habit that some players (Lloyd, the excellent Expo Games on DemandTsar) seem to have developed of deliberately introducing complications into a game to make it more fun. I'm old school and think complications should come from poor choices, the dice or the Referee. Oh, and there was only one member of staff on the bar.
But these are minor moans. Fun players, excellent referee, good game. (I still think it deserves expansion and publishing in a more detailed, printed, commercial version). An excellent session and I now know that I could run this game if I was asked to by a convention Games Tsar.
The bar is stocked with some real ales especially for the convention, is open until 2am and full of gaming luminaries. So it's tempting to stay up but I chose to try to get to sleep before midnight.
Overnight I had a brainwave. I used my iPad to download my game descriptions from the convention website, and quickly produced some typed signup sheets with added convention logo and appropriate other images. I emailed these to the accommodation front desk and they printed them for me. Free. Wow! My concerns about not getting sign ups because of grotty handwritten sheets were allayed. My shower wasn't working but I got some great technical advice from the front desk ("give it some welly!") that did the job. Good work all round.
Breakfast is included and does the job but is basic.
My morning game didn't get any sign ups so I grabbed the last place in Phil Masters' steampunk GURPS game. Then something unfortunate happened. Just about every other player who'd signed up for the game crossed their name off at the last minute. I don't think it was seeing my name on the sheet! I think what had happened is that someone had stuck up another game they fancied and they all decamped en masse with minutes to go. Not very good manners if you ask me. We scraped together three players and Phil ran the game. Great setting, good GM, well prepared. As usual the GURPS character sheets were rammed with information which must have been a nightmare to produce but made playing the game easy. I played the Amazonian second in command (a trend?) Despite all of this, however, I think this has finally cemented my view that GURPS is not the game for me.
Phil, however, delivered a good game. Upon being given my character sheet my eyes fell upon the words "Bomb Gun". Of course I got to unleash this to destroy an airship in the game's climax - so I call that a win.
Lunch was more Tesco sandwiches (I'd stocked up).
For the afternoon I had three players sign up for my "Orville" rip off. Using my Manifold rules but that's irrelevant really. One of the players was Marcus Rowland. This was like a classic White Dwarf contributor meet up! This was fun as always. I just run a straight Star Trek scenario - blatantly ripping off two classic episodes - and watch the TTRPG players dismantle it.
We had the ship's Captain (a sentient cloud of Flies), a prototype Android weapons officer and Kevin - from Tech. support. They were initially extremely successful. They went in and out quick and completed the first mission perfectly, short cutting the scenario. Then things went belly up on the follow up mission. They lost the ship, 277 out of 300 crewmen and the prototype android. Technically they completed the mission but the inquiries will drag on for years....... Great fun with great players.
In the evening, I sampled the food from the on-site kitchen. The Continuum "main Hall" is basically the students' hall of residence cafeteria. The kitchen is set up to provide students with cheap meals. As such, in past conventions there have been some complaints about the quality of the food and some effort has been made upgrade it. Not that successfully I'm afraid. My (£6.95) meal was a limited portion of beef chilli on a plate full of rice, new potatoes and boiled broccoli. Not enough sauce/chilli to cover the otherwise dry ingredients. Warm, filling, not overly expensive. Some people got pizzas or went out for other meals. I don't blame them. There's a two hour gap between afternoon and evening games so there's load of time to do this.
For the evening game I had three players sign up. I ran Paul Baldowski's scenario from his award winning "Trail of the Wendigo" book, but using my Manifold rules rather than his Cthulhu Hack. When asked for a reason why their characters were driving In the Canadian wilds, the players decided that they were two Mounties bringing in a fugitive. A classic trope! It was made even more perfect by the meta overlap. The two Mounties were two guys who were friends and had come to the convention together. The female grifter was a charming young lady who'd been providing table after table with homemade cake through the day. They weren't exactly playing themselves but it was close.
Despite only having three players again, I loved this session. It is a slow build horror story with a really really sick theme. Because they were Mounties, rather than say a family group, this turned into more "The Wicker Man meets Assault on District 19" than "Hostel" with a brutal final scene which flirted with a TPK.
During the game Keary checked in with me. I love the way he goes around and checks in with and talks to every Referee. Every. Single. One. And because I'd run two games, he gave me drinks tokens for two free drinks. This convention pays you in beer. Unfortunately, the bar was starting to run out of some beers.
I went to bed before midnight again.
I got up and checked my signup sheet for the morning game. No players. I had breakfast - functional again - and went to my room to collect my gaming stuff expecting to come down and have to find a game to play in. In the short gap, I'd garnered three players!
This was a playtest of my d6 Hack rules being developed as part of Role Play Relief. I offered the players a choice between the old White Dwarf investigative scenario "Plague from the Past" and Dyson Logos' "Goblin Gully". It being early morning after the night before, they chose to twat goblins rather than use their brains.
The game went well, good classic low level D&D with no obvious difference through just using d6's. Lots of great tactical interplay between the goblins and the party. Many goblins slaughtered but the chief and a couple of other survivors escaped with their treasure
Amazingly I still had some food left from my shopping burst on Friday so lunch was more cold stuff from Tescos. (I could have kept it fresher in the fridge in the kitchen.)
In the afternoon I'd pre-booked into the latest instalment of Martin Pickett's "Victorian Colony of Mars" series. I first met Martin when he wrote and ran "The Great Martian Tripod Race" for my The Code of Steam and Steel game. He's now converted the scenarios set in that world to Manifold. This was the first time I've PLAYED my game. And Martin has adapted the rules for Steampunk as you would do to produce a sourcebook. Both of these things made this session special for me.
Martin had chosen to run the game in a seminar room in one of the houses up the road from the main convention hall. It's quiet and a good place to play but - for me - too far away from the hustle and bustle of the convention (and the bar). We also had players trying to deliberately introduce complications again (see above). And we DID resolve things through auditing the bad guys' accounts rather than high adventure.
But we went from "Carry On Airship Police" at the a start, to being a really effective team, efficiently stopping the wrong doing and individually rounding up two key figures from each faction almost automatically. And all the players were awesome - especially Simon Beaver*. As author of "Stiff Upper Lip" - a FATE game set in the era of British Adventuring (get it printed Simon!) - his immense historical knowledge leant massive verisimilitude to our Law Officer'd actions.
* there were at least THREE "Simon B's" at the convention!
I attended the closing ceremony. Apparently there's going to be a questionnaire coming out. I hope EVERYONE votes to make it an annual event.
For tea I ate the canteen food again. It's easy to get. This was basically a roast turkey dinner and was much more acceptable than the previous night's efforts.
By this time the convention was winding down and most people had gone. The bar was out of most draft beers so I was on cider but had two staff on - now it was quiet - rather than the single harassed guy when it was busy Friday night. Go figure.
My game - based on Fireball XL5 - garnered no players, again. I think I need to retire it, unplayed. It's just too niche. By this time there was one space left in one game - the Great Gloranthan Duck Race game. An RPG based on Wargames rules played on a kind of snakes and ladder board set on the Runequest world of Glorantha and played for laughs as various crews - mostly non human - vied to win a boat race by any means necessary , unnecessary and just downright funny. Not exactly in MY wheelhouse but a pleasant way to end the convention. There was a traditional end of convention sing song somewhere else but we were too busy playing to go.
Was it worth the extra £30 for that game? That's debatable. But it WAS worth it through making the Sunday much more relaxed. I could concentrate on enjoying the event, get a good nights sleep and pack at my leisure rather than worrying about checking out, carrying all my worldly goods around with me for the afternoon and rushing to catch the last train home, as I do at so many events. If you can stay until Monday I thoroughly recommend it
Continuum is a superior residential convention. It has no drawbacks and some truly excellent features. We don't have enough residential TTRPG conventions in this country. We NEED to have Continuum every year.
Adventures in Roleplaying
Simon's adventures in Role playing.....
I don't have a home group or regular game but am just off 7 solid days of RPGs. Here's how the first four went:
I recently ran a couple of TTRPG sessions for colleagues at my school as part of "wellness sessions" on training days. A member of staff asked me to run more so I agreed to run three sessions during three lunchtimes in the last week of school
I decided to run my Steampunk rules "The Code of Steam and Steel" and my standard introductory scenario "The Evolution of Species".
The teacher who'd ASKED for the games couldn't make Monday but said she was free from Tuesday onwards. On Monday only two people turned up. They made a Lord and a Spy. We had enough time for them to be briefed on the disappearances across London and start some investigation.
Tuesday the third teacher joined us. She made an ex-hunter with a Steam Rifle - with maximum score in Steam Rifle. The group tracked clues to sewer grate near one of the disappearances and were attacked by giant mechanised rats. With the aid of the experienced Hunter they fought them off.
Then one of the players used a double to introduce a new plot element of the bad guys' secret stock of explosives going off, creating a hole the characters could use to track them. The session ended with them finding the villain in his lair.
Wednesday, the original player who'd asked for the game was busy and couldn't make it so I was down to two players again. We fought the climactic battle but with the Hunter as an NPC with that massive Steam Rifle the battle was a bit easy.
I enjoyed the games. The people I played with were great. But there weren't enough players, there wasn't enough interest and there isn't enough time in school. So I won't try to set up an ongoing TTRPG group.
Thursday the Birmingham Central Roleplayers moved from Ladywood - which is inconvenient to me - to Selly Oak, just down the road. So I threw some games into my bag and travelled down. Though I thought I was on time, the room was full when I got there and almost everyone was already playing their on-going games. There was another Referee new to the group looking to run D&D 5th. He had one player. I joined them and we played a two player low level D&D adventure. The Referee was excellent. He's gone from self teaching himself the game to a massively clever and experienced referee in a matter of a few months. He's running regular sessions of D&D 5th for home groups and at venues like Geek Retreat - where he's run for up to 14 players at once.
I'd forgotten just how much fun a simple low level adventure can be. There was bugger all fighting but lots of tricks and traps to solve as we were caught in an ancient tomb. "The penitent man shall pass" sort of thing. A good adventure with a superior Referee.
I don't have a home group or regular game but am just off 7 solid days of RPGs. Here's how the first four went:
I recently ran a couple of TTRPG sessions for colleagues at my school as part of "wellness sessions" on training days. A member of staff asked me to run more so I agreed to run three sessions during three lunchtimes in the last week of school
I decided to run my Steampunk rules "The Code of Steam and Steel" and my standard introductory scenario "The Evolution of Species".
The teacher who'd ASKED for the games couldn't make Monday but said she was free from Tuesday onwards. On Monday only two people turned up. They made a Lord and a Spy. We had enough time for them to be briefed on the disappearances across London and start some investigation.
Tuesday the third teacher joined us. She made an ex-hunter with a Steam Rifle - with maximum score in Steam Rifle. The group tracked clues to sewer grate near one of the disappearances and were attacked by giant mechanised rats. With the aid of the experienced Hunter they fought them off.
Then one of the players used a double to introduce a new plot element of the bad guys' secret stock of explosives going off, creating a hole the characters could use to track them. The session ended with them finding the villain in his lair.
Wednesday, the original player who'd asked for the game was busy and couldn't make it so I was down to two players again. We fought the climactic battle but with the Hunter as an NPC with that massive Steam Rifle the battle was a bit easy.
I enjoyed the games. The people I played with were great. But there weren't enough players, there wasn't enough interest and there isn't enough time in school. So I won't try to set up an ongoing TTRPG group.
Thursday the Birmingham Central Roleplayers moved from Ladywood - which is inconvenient to me - to Selly Oak, just down the road. So I threw some games into my bag and travelled down. Though I thought I was on time, the room was full when I got there and almost everyone was already playing their on-going games. There was another Referee new to the group looking to run D&D 5th. He had one player. I joined them and we played a two player low level D&D adventure. The Referee was excellent. He's gone from self teaching himself the game to a massively clever and experienced referee in a matter of a few months. He's running regular sessions of D&D 5th for home groups and at venues like Geek Retreat - where he's run for up to 14 players at once.
I'd forgotten just how much fun a simple low level adventure can be. There was bugger all fighting but lots of tricks and traps to solve as we were caught in an ancient tomb. "The penitent man shall pass" sort of thing. A good adventure with a superior Referee.
Monday, 9 July 2018
Summer StabCon 2018
This weekend brought a choice of two conventions.
The first of these was the excellent LongCon. This is a weekend where you can play one game that lasts the whole weekend. An excellent concept and a great alternative to the usual 4 hour slots of most events. Held at the almost ubiquitous Garrison Hotel in Sheffield, it should be an essential.
BUT the alternative is the long running StabCon in Stockport. Though primarily a board gaming convention, StabCon has strong RPG element. Once you're acclimatised to it, it's like being a member of a family. I couldn't not go.
Friday night I always play in an ongoing Savage World's campaign, currently a pulp/Dieselpunk just prior to WW2 series of adventures. The wonderful inventive Referee always tries to start at 7pm and always fails. We finally got going sometime after 8 and had some great espionage in pre-War Vienna. However, we were all tired and it was very hot, so we wrapped it up before a fight scene, rather than playing into the early hours. You can do this sort of thing in ongoing campaigns at a twice yearly convention like StabCon.
Saturday morning I tired to kill two birds with one stone - playtest my "d6 Hack" rules (D&D using just 3d6, for new players, for inclusion in the Comic Relief book) using an investigative scenario from an old White Dwarf I'd always wanted to play. We had the full suite of 4 character classes (two warriors).
I dropped the adventure down from mid to low level. But this proved a bridge too far. A more straightforward scenario would have suited the players' style and we had virtually a TPK.
But the rules worked - well, according to the players.
I now need to decide if I'm going to continue to offer this particular scenario at Continuum. I reckon if I give the characters an extra level, the more experienced demographic of that convention should cope. I hope.
Straight into my version of "The Orville" TV series. This was a romp from the get-go, using the Manifold rules naturally. Original characters created. The intrepid security chief and the grizzled old space hand were Human . The Engineer, Doctor and Captain were all different sorts of lizard humanoid. And the security officer looked just like the Devil. The Captain was brilliant. A kindly creature seeking consensus from her crew before proceeding. The old space hand - lots of experience very little talent - was in the pilot's chair. They were soon on to run from the Krill with their ship in tatters. After much fun and insanity, involving the energy barrier at the edge of the Galaxy (6 times), a Mirror Universe, a God, Demigods and Madness, the last two sane characters fled the ship in escape pods before it disappeared into the Spacial
Manifold. Technically close to another TPK but everyone was just laughing at the insanity, so I went with it.
In the Saturday evening at Stabcon I've sort of defaulted to running Manifold horror games. But my ideas for horror are few and far between. At the last minute I decided to run an scenario from the award winning "Three Faces of the Wendigo" which Paul Baldowski had kindly given me at Expo. I used Paul's own entry in the book because it was the best one and he is one sick puppy. I used Manifold rather than TCH (sorry Paul). I had virtually the same table of players as for the Orville game and they got to see the same rules used completely differently. Oddly only one character fatality this time.
I may stop forcing myself to offer horror at StabCon and only go for it if I'm in the right mood.
Apart from my games, there were loads of Board Games being played, naturally, and several RPGs in each slot. I really should look at these so I can report them. I know Dr Bob was running some military Sci Fi, but there were plenty of other RPGs being played.
Roll on Sunday!
The first of these was the excellent LongCon. This is a weekend where you can play one game that lasts the whole weekend. An excellent concept and a great alternative to the usual 4 hour slots of most events. Held at the almost ubiquitous Garrison Hotel in Sheffield, it should be an essential.
BUT the alternative is the long running StabCon in Stockport. Though primarily a board gaming convention, StabCon has strong RPG element. Once you're acclimatised to it, it's like being a member of a family. I couldn't not go.
Friday night I always play in an ongoing Savage World's campaign, currently a pulp/Dieselpunk just prior to WW2 series of adventures. The wonderful inventive Referee always tries to start at 7pm and always fails. We finally got going sometime after 8 and had some great espionage in pre-War Vienna. However, we were all tired and it was very hot, so we wrapped it up before a fight scene, rather than playing into the early hours. You can do this sort of thing in ongoing campaigns at a twice yearly convention like StabCon.
Saturday morning I tired to kill two birds with one stone - playtest my "d6 Hack" rules (D&D using just 3d6, for new players, for inclusion in the Comic Relief book) using an investigative scenario from an old White Dwarf I'd always wanted to play. We had the full suite of 4 character classes (two warriors).
I dropped the adventure down from mid to low level. But this proved a bridge too far. A more straightforward scenario would have suited the players' style and we had virtually a TPK.
But the rules worked - well, according to the players.
I now need to decide if I'm going to continue to offer this particular scenario at Continuum. I reckon if I give the characters an extra level, the more experienced demographic of that convention should cope. I hope.
Straight into my version of "The Orville" TV series. This was a romp from the get-go, using the Manifold rules naturally. Original characters created. The intrepid security chief and the grizzled old space hand were Human . The Engineer, Doctor and Captain were all different sorts of lizard humanoid. And the security officer looked just like the Devil. The Captain was brilliant. A kindly creature seeking consensus from her crew before proceeding. The old space hand - lots of experience very little talent - was in the pilot's chair. They were soon on to run from the Krill with their ship in tatters. After much fun and insanity, involving the energy barrier at the edge of the Galaxy (6 times), a Mirror Universe, a God, Demigods and Madness, the last two sane characters fled the ship in escape pods before it disappeared into the Spacial
Manifold. Technically close to another TPK but everyone was just laughing at the insanity, so I went with it.
In the Saturday evening at Stabcon I've sort of defaulted to running Manifold horror games. But my ideas for horror are few and far between. At the last minute I decided to run an scenario from the award winning "Three Faces of the Wendigo" which Paul Baldowski had kindly given me at Expo. I used Paul's own entry in the book because it was the best one and he is one sick puppy. I used Manifold rather than TCH (sorry Paul). I had virtually the same table of players as for the Orville game and they got to see the same rules used completely differently. Oddly only one character fatality this time.
I may stop forcing myself to offer horror at StabCon and only go for it if I'm in the right mood.
Apart from my games, there were loads of Board Games being played, naturally, and several RPGs in each slot. I really should look at these so I can report them. I know Dr Bob was running some military Sci Fi, but there were plenty of other RPGs being played.
Roll on Sunday!
Monday, 4 June 2018
UK GAMES EXPO 2018
I’m known for going to lots of conventions and writing memoirs of my visits. These can sometimes be long and rambling, but upon returning for UK Games Expo 2018, I realise I’ve actually got enough material to write a whole flipping book. So I’m going to try and write tersely – and it’ll still be very long.
TLDR: I flipping loved Expo 2018. It was just a little bit bigger and better than previous years but it was BETTER.
UKGE is the UK’s biggest Tabletop Games Convention and the third biggest in the world. It’s rather special and takes a lot of planning – from everyone involved. For some people the prep starts 12 months in advance. For me it starts 6 months ahead when we’re asked to submit any RPGs we wish to run.
I have always “Iron GMed” Expo – that is run RPGs in every slot of the official RPG “track”. ((I’m an addict. I have a problem.)) So I submitted 8 games.
My plan was to have my multi-genre game “Manifold” finished and published by the event, so I submitted 8 games of that in 4.5 different genres. Two of my great mates – Kevin Rolfe (another Expo stalwart) and Martin Pickett (first Expo, I think, but an experienced convention GM) also submitted Manifold games. ((John Dodd – the RPG supremo - thought this was a bit of overkill and asked us to reduce the number of games for this new system.))
My games virtually booked out in advance. Then REAL LIFE rose up and hit me. My convention attendances were curtailed for a few months and the work on Manifold had to be shelved. I moved Heaven and Earth to be back on the scene for Expo. Though Manifold wasn’t ready to be submitted for the Expo Awards (my original plan) I submitted my other recent game – The Code of Warriors and Wizardry – on a punt. There were so many games submitted for the Awards this year that – for the first time – the judges produced a shortlist. And my little game was listed as one of the Best RPGs! ((But because I’d had to submit my RPG’s 6 months in advance I wasn’t actually down to run any games of my Award-nominated game at the event – no-one was.))
((Two weeks before the event it became clear that I would be needed at home on the Friday evening, so I contacted the organisers to cancel my game in that slot. And posted far and wide on Social Media.))
This year, open gaming on the Thursday prior to the official event was back – as was the option to collect tickets on Thursday to miss the queues. So Thursday evening, I travelled over to the NEC. I grabbed a Subway meal and sat doing “Hi’s and Goodbyes” with loads of mates as they passed by. I picked up my tickets and scouted out the Hilton. I’ve always tried to help out the RPG “yellow shirt” volunteers by going straight to the hotel Concierge to fix issues like lighting/heating in RPG rooms. This Thursday I was enquiring about how early we could check in and how early the game rooms would be open. Then I went back to the NEC Hall 2 for the Open Gaming. There was a huge queue!
But the doors actually opened before the published time of 8:00pm and we were able to march in past a sea of gaming tables. It turned out half the queue was for the Bring and Buy! They were directed one way whilst we waited less than 5 minutes for the organisers to clear out the last few exhibitors from the Press Conference. They just couldn’t stop hawking their wares. Then I was in and sat at a table.
As always I was attending as a “billy no mates” with no wing-man. But I set up a Code of Warriors and Wizardry sign and soon attracted a table of players. One couple just wanted to play for one hour and then go over to join in a Legend of the 5 Rings game, but once playing they didn’t want to leave. I ran the scenario from the book for an Illusionist and Specialist Spearman from a Travelling Show, alongside a renegade Elf Noble and a Dwarven Archeologist with time bending powers. The characters and their players were wonderful and we all had a great time. I caught a late train home.
The following morning I travelled in by train. I grabbed a Subway Breakfast and watched the wave of humanity streaming past on their way to the Expo. More “Hi’s and Goodbyes”. Then I went over the Hilton and – as a designated “Room Captain” asked the Concierge to open up my room. ((I then ran into the magnificent Jude – RPG floor manager – who told me that only Expo Staff could open the rooms so they could control who went in and out – to stop people hogging them for Open Gaming. An improvement over previous years.))
I set up in my room. I had a full table of players. ((My players and then myself tried to rustle up some water for the table from the Hotel, but Jude came up to ask us not to do this.)) The first game was to be the Fantasy scenario from the Manifold rulebook. However, I explained to them about the award and they all agreed to play The Code of Warriors and Wizardry instead. The same rulebook scenario I’d run Thursday night. This time for Three pregens (Blood Leech, Female Warrior, Mystic Monk), alongside the more bespoke Goth, Dwarf Tinkerer and one of the lost race of Dinosaur people - who had…. Time bending powers. It was a fun game with a superior group of players who made some extremely good tactical choices but also got themselves into a few scrapes. ((Everyone enjoyed it but I was self-critical feeling that I wasn’t fully “match fit” and allowed some players a bit more spotlight than others at times.)) The player playing the Dinosaur character, told me he was in my Superhero game that afternoon and I was able to collar him for a secret mission. (I normally grab the first player to the table.)
If you run enough games you get free accommodation and food vouchers for lunch. (I run far too many.) So in the break between games I went down to get my lunch – which the yellowshirts had collected for us (superb!) – meet my room-mate for the weekend – my mate Kevin Rolfe – to see if we could check in early. And it all went swimmingly well. This year RPGs start an hour earlier, giving a two hour break for lunch. A little bit better but better. So I had time for lunch, to check in and to have a business meeting.
The afternoon was the Superhero scenario from the Manifold rulebook with the players playing erstwhile protégés having to track down the senior (but aging) Superheroes who had mentored them. Deathchance (Deadpool-clone), Ruse (Gambit-clone), Professor Thought, White Dragon and “Edna” (she looks like a little old lady but fights like Black Widow), had a great time. ((It was a little investigation-heavy and I’d chosen very experienced player and GM run the secret mission which he over-egged slightly. I’d travelled light to the event for Friday and not brought supplies. So I crumbled and bought myself a pint of beer. FIVE POUNDS!))
After the game, I ran to the station to get home for my urgent errand. I’d noticed that, although the game slots were four hours, most games were clocking in at around three and a half and everyone seemed happy with that.
The next day my wonderful wife gave me a life to the hotel with my slightly heavier bags (possibly clanking with beer bottles). Though I’d missed staying at the hotel the previous night, I didn’t want to miss out on the hotel breakfast. The Hilton Breakfast is very, very good and I sat with two more of my mates (Chris Dean, a fellow game designer) and Dan Marriott (a superb convention GM at his first Expo – and owner of a very fine hat). I also “hi’d and goodbye’d” several other friends. Because I’d had a coffee at home before travelling in, I could only manage four courses. ((I found out that, though I’d cancelled my game the previous night well in advance, the players had all still turned up. Fortunately my Social Media blitz had allowed other referees in the room to let them know what had happened.))
The first game of the day was the Science Fiction scenario from the rulebook. I didn’t keep a note of all the characters but we had a family of four – a mum and dad and two teenage boys. The quieter one created and played Arnold Rimmer – really well. The more hyperactive one made an alien with “nuclear exploding powers”. The mum made a Space Monkey. There were two other – more typical – RPG players who turned up to play and one of them made a very competent Ship’s Pilot. The adventure was an absolute hoot, though keeping play balanced across the players was a GMing challenge. There were many great moments, but for me the standout was when Arnold Rimmer caught the NPC gang boss and Space Monkey using two of the few Escape Pods to run away. The characters’ unarmed freighter was under assault from a fully armed alien cutter. Rimmer didn’t try to stop the escape. He simply called up the bridge and suggested the Captain roll the ship so that the Escape Pods could be used as missiles against the aliens. Ace!
A brilliant two hour lunchtime with loads of Networking. Then the afternoon was my second Manifold superhero scenario. The table included another two mates – Jess and Gary Winter-Riley who organise the ConQuord convention in Bristol. Gary created a Superhero called “Infinity over Null” who had……. Time bending powers. (The theme of the convention?) He (it?) was joined by “Dr Smith”, Photon, Packrat, “The Aussie”, and Bat Bing (“Wings of Steel!”) in their attempt to escape from under the heel of the fascistic “Parliament of Heroes” who had taken over the world. Much fun with standout moments being “Infinity over Null” dropping all the characters into Null Space. And, Dr Smith being knocked out but Pack-rat using his nanites to infiltrate her cybernetic limbs to keep her fighting as some kind of drone.
Tea was the only meal not provided as a reward for GMing, but I grabbed some toasties from the superb artisan booths right outside the event. More networking and “hi’s and goodbyes”.
The evening game was my mysterious occult Manifold one set on a Jumbo Jet. It was great to have Steve at the table. He seems to play in one of my games at every convention we’re at together. Great guy. I can’t give any details of this game. I’m really proud of the set-up. But it ran as well as ever and it was lovely to see the moment when the penny dropped and a player worked out what was going on. There was also, as always, some extremely deep debate about the nature of Freedom and Sin which came dangerously close to blasphemous at times. Thing were well oiled by me enjoying a few sneaky beers – possibly not from the bar.
Sunday morning I was able to manage a full five course breakfast and snaffled a banana for later. Didn’t bump into any mates, alas.
Then it was my Manifold Firefly scenario where the villains from the series get together to hunt down the crew. Though it was fully booked, the rigours of Expo had taken their toll. Three players failed to turn up – when players book as a couple and drop out as a couple, it leaves a big hole. And two of the remaining three players were exhausted from playing in “the Dark Room” until 2am that morning. They chose to play Saffron, Badger and Patience – not the toughest group to take on Mal and his mates. After much fun and searching, and thinking up and discarding various plans, they basically ended up with a typical double cross like Patience tried to pull way back in episode 1 of the series. TPK. Fun but TPK.
Remember my game was up for an award? I didn’t hold out much hope – it wasn’t being played at the convention – apart from my two games – and both other contenders had stalls in the trade hall. But I was asked to delay my afternoon game to go over to the main stage for the award ceremony. I used the 2 hour lunchtime to browse the trade hall. It was bloody fantastic. Bright, lively, easy to navigate, loads going on. The cosplay was magnificent. I’ve been to a ComiCon recently and was struck by the contrast. I found the ComiCon to be drab and commercial and aimed at taking money from the punters and expecting them make their own fun. Expo is about giving punters a fun experience first and selling them stuff second. There are ComiCons virtually every month across the country. Can’t we do the same with Game Expo’s?
I went to the award ceremony and – as expected – didn’t win anything. ((I rushed back to my game only to find that neither the players or RPG team had been informed I’d been asked to delay my game and lost half the table of players.)) I had three players for my Dr Who game, a couple and a young man who wanted to play but who said his parents would be along to collect him before the end of the game. All three agreed to start. Because of the late start, they used pregens. (A shame. The male half of the couple had been planning to make and play William Hartnell. Not the first Doctor - the actor. I would have LOVED that!) So we had an Ice Warrior, a student timelord and a 1960’s hippy confidence trickster. The younger player told me he’d stepped in to run a game of The Code of Warriors and Wizardry as part of Games on Demand when Lloyd was short of GM’s. When his parents came to collect him, his dad thanked me for Golden Heroes and Squadron UK and the fun they’d brought HIM. Wow! Two generations of fans.
After they left, the couple continued alone. They were totally outpowered by the “big bad”, but out-foxed it and came up with a clever solution to the scenario I’d never seen before – and I’ve run it countless times. Obviously with only two players the game wrapped up two hours early and I offered to take the couple down for request a partial refund but they said they’d enjoyed it and it wasn’t necessary.
So I packed up and set off home a bit early.
Two last things:
1) I’ve put in double brackets above things that didn’t work perfectly at Expo. This is for full disclosure and honesty and not to criticise anyone or the event. In an event this size there are bound to be glitches and you’ll see that these were all fairly minor and easily resolved.
2) I’d been asked to be “Room Captain” for my room. It turned out I was down to be “Iron Room Captain” and do it for the whole weekend. Though the role is a minor (but useful) one, I found it stressful. I was so busy playing my game that I missed a group of players without a GM in my room. I felt bad about that. Then there was one group – against the run of play – that over-ran by almost three quarters of an hour, which meant, theoretically, I couldn’t leave the room. (Of course I found a way around it.) I may not volunteer for the role next year. If I do, it will be for a limited number of sessions.
Final thoughts? Expo has always been good but this year felt brighter, happier and even better organised. I need to think seriously about what I want out of 2019. Is there any point in putting a game in for an award if you’re not trading in the main hall to promote and support it? Do I REALLY need to run 8 (9 if you count Thursday night) RPG games? I probably need some time off to enjoy (eg.) The Dark Room or maybe run some Games on Demand. ((The price of beer at the event and especially in the Hilton remains immorally high.))
But despite all the stress in the run-up and disruption to my plans at the event, Games Expo 2018 made me HAPPY.
TLDR: I flipping loved Expo 2018. It was just a little bit bigger and better than previous years but it was BETTER.
UKGE is the UK’s biggest Tabletop Games Convention and the third biggest in the world. It’s rather special and takes a lot of planning – from everyone involved. For some people the prep starts 12 months in advance. For me it starts 6 months ahead when we’re asked to submit any RPGs we wish to run.
I have always “Iron GMed” Expo – that is run RPGs in every slot of the official RPG “track”. ((I’m an addict. I have a problem.)) So I submitted 8 games.
My plan was to have my multi-genre game “Manifold” finished and published by the event, so I submitted 8 games of that in 4.5 different genres. Two of my great mates – Kevin Rolfe (another Expo stalwart) and Martin Pickett (first Expo, I think, but an experienced convention GM) also submitted Manifold games. ((John Dodd – the RPG supremo - thought this was a bit of overkill and asked us to reduce the number of games for this new system.))
My games virtually booked out in advance. Then REAL LIFE rose up and hit me. My convention attendances were curtailed for a few months and the work on Manifold had to be shelved. I moved Heaven and Earth to be back on the scene for Expo. Though Manifold wasn’t ready to be submitted for the Expo Awards (my original plan) I submitted my other recent game – The Code of Warriors and Wizardry – on a punt. There were so many games submitted for the Awards this year that – for the first time – the judges produced a shortlist. And my little game was listed as one of the Best RPGs! ((But because I’d had to submit my RPG’s 6 months in advance I wasn’t actually down to run any games of my Award-nominated game at the event – no-one was.))
((Two weeks before the event it became clear that I would be needed at home on the Friday evening, so I contacted the organisers to cancel my game in that slot. And posted far and wide on Social Media.))
This year, open gaming on the Thursday prior to the official event was back – as was the option to collect tickets on Thursday to miss the queues. So Thursday evening, I travelled over to the NEC. I grabbed a Subway meal and sat doing “Hi’s and Goodbyes” with loads of mates as they passed by. I picked up my tickets and scouted out the Hilton. I’ve always tried to help out the RPG “yellow shirt” volunteers by going straight to the hotel Concierge to fix issues like lighting/heating in RPG rooms. This Thursday I was enquiring about how early we could check in and how early the game rooms would be open. Then I went back to the NEC Hall 2 for the Open Gaming. There was a huge queue!
But the doors actually opened before the published time of 8:00pm and we were able to march in past a sea of gaming tables. It turned out half the queue was for the Bring and Buy! They were directed one way whilst we waited less than 5 minutes for the organisers to clear out the last few exhibitors from the Press Conference. They just couldn’t stop hawking their wares. Then I was in and sat at a table.
As always I was attending as a “billy no mates” with no wing-man. But I set up a Code of Warriors and Wizardry sign and soon attracted a table of players. One couple just wanted to play for one hour and then go over to join in a Legend of the 5 Rings game, but once playing they didn’t want to leave. I ran the scenario from the book for an Illusionist and Specialist Spearman from a Travelling Show, alongside a renegade Elf Noble and a Dwarven Archeologist with time bending powers. The characters and their players were wonderful and we all had a great time. I caught a late train home.
The following morning I travelled in by train. I grabbed a Subway Breakfast and watched the wave of humanity streaming past on their way to the Expo. More “Hi’s and Goodbyes”. Then I went over the Hilton and – as a designated “Room Captain” asked the Concierge to open up my room. ((I then ran into the magnificent Jude – RPG floor manager – who told me that only Expo Staff could open the rooms so they could control who went in and out – to stop people hogging them for Open Gaming. An improvement over previous years.))
I set up in my room. I had a full table of players. ((My players and then myself tried to rustle up some water for the table from the Hotel, but Jude came up to ask us not to do this.)) The first game was to be the Fantasy scenario from the Manifold rulebook. However, I explained to them about the award and they all agreed to play The Code of Warriors and Wizardry instead. The same rulebook scenario I’d run Thursday night. This time for Three pregens (Blood Leech, Female Warrior, Mystic Monk), alongside the more bespoke Goth, Dwarf Tinkerer and one of the lost race of Dinosaur people - who had…. Time bending powers. It was a fun game with a superior group of players who made some extremely good tactical choices but also got themselves into a few scrapes. ((Everyone enjoyed it but I was self-critical feeling that I wasn’t fully “match fit” and allowed some players a bit more spotlight than others at times.)) The player playing the Dinosaur character, told me he was in my Superhero game that afternoon and I was able to collar him for a secret mission. (I normally grab the first player to the table.)
If you run enough games you get free accommodation and food vouchers for lunch. (I run far too many.) So in the break between games I went down to get my lunch – which the yellowshirts had collected for us (superb!) – meet my room-mate for the weekend – my mate Kevin Rolfe – to see if we could check in early. And it all went swimmingly well. This year RPGs start an hour earlier, giving a two hour break for lunch. A little bit better but better. So I had time for lunch, to check in and to have a business meeting.
The afternoon was the Superhero scenario from the Manifold rulebook with the players playing erstwhile protégés having to track down the senior (but aging) Superheroes who had mentored them. Deathchance (Deadpool-clone), Ruse (Gambit-clone), Professor Thought, White Dragon and “Edna” (she looks like a little old lady but fights like Black Widow), had a great time. ((It was a little investigation-heavy and I’d chosen very experienced player and GM run the secret mission which he over-egged slightly. I’d travelled light to the event for Friday and not brought supplies. So I crumbled and bought myself a pint of beer. FIVE POUNDS!))
After the game, I ran to the station to get home for my urgent errand. I’d noticed that, although the game slots were four hours, most games were clocking in at around three and a half and everyone seemed happy with that.
The next day my wonderful wife gave me a life to the hotel with my slightly heavier bags (possibly clanking with beer bottles). Though I’d missed staying at the hotel the previous night, I didn’t want to miss out on the hotel breakfast. The Hilton Breakfast is very, very good and I sat with two more of my mates (Chris Dean, a fellow game designer) and Dan Marriott (a superb convention GM at his first Expo – and owner of a very fine hat). I also “hi’d and goodbye’d” several other friends. Because I’d had a coffee at home before travelling in, I could only manage four courses. ((I found out that, though I’d cancelled my game the previous night well in advance, the players had all still turned up. Fortunately my Social Media blitz had allowed other referees in the room to let them know what had happened.))
The first game of the day was the Science Fiction scenario from the rulebook. I didn’t keep a note of all the characters but we had a family of four – a mum and dad and two teenage boys. The quieter one created and played Arnold Rimmer – really well. The more hyperactive one made an alien with “nuclear exploding powers”. The mum made a Space Monkey. There were two other – more typical – RPG players who turned up to play and one of them made a very competent Ship’s Pilot. The adventure was an absolute hoot, though keeping play balanced across the players was a GMing challenge. There were many great moments, but for me the standout was when Arnold Rimmer caught the NPC gang boss and Space Monkey using two of the few Escape Pods to run away. The characters’ unarmed freighter was under assault from a fully armed alien cutter. Rimmer didn’t try to stop the escape. He simply called up the bridge and suggested the Captain roll the ship so that the Escape Pods could be used as missiles against the aliens. Ace!
A brilliant two hour lunchtime with loads of Networking. Then the afternoon was my second Manifold superhero scenario. The table included another two mates – Jess and Gary Winter-Riley who organise the ConQuord convention in Bristol. Gary created a Superhero called “Infinity over Null” who had……. Time bending powers. (The theme of the convention?) He (it?) was joined by “Dr Smith”, Photon, Packrat, “The Aussie”, and Bat Bing (“Wings of Steel!”) in their attempt to escape from under the heel of the fascistic “Parliament of Heroes” who had taken over the world. Much fun with standout moments being “Infinity over Null” dropping all the characters into Null Space. And, Dr Smith being knocked out but Pack-rat using his nanites to infiltrate her cybernetic limbs to keep her fighting as some kind of drone.
Tea was the only meal not provided as a reward for GMing, but I grabbed some toasties from the superb artisan booths right outside the event. More networking and “hi’s and goodbyes”.
The evening game was my mysterious occult Manifold one set on a Jumbo Jet. It was great to have Steve at the table. He seems to play in one of my games at every convention we’re at together. Great guy. I can’t give any details of this game. I’m really proud of the set-up. But it ran as well as ever and it was lovely to see the moment when the penny dropped and a player worked out what was going on. There was also, as always, some extremely deep debate about the nature of Freedom and Sin which came dangerously close to blasphemous at times. Thing were well oiled by me enjoying a few sneaky beers – possibly not from the bar.
Sunday morning I was able to manage a full five course breakfast and snaffled a banana for later. Didn’t bump into any mates, alas.
Then it was my Manifold Firefly scenario where the villains from the series get together to hunt down the crew. Though it was fully booked, the rigours of Expo had taken their toll. Three players failed to turn up – when players book as a couple and drop out as a couple, it leaves a big hole. And two of the remaining three players were exhausted from playing in “the Dark Room” until 2am that morning. They chose to play Saffron, Badger and Patience – not the toughest group to take on Mal and his mates. After much fun and searching, and thinking up and discarding various plans, they basically ended up with a typical double cross like Patience tried to pull way back in episode 1 of the series. TPK. Fun but TPK.
Remember my game was up for an award? I didn’t hold out much hope – it wasn’t being played at the convention – apart from my two games – and both other contenders had stalls in the trade hall. But I was asked to delay my afternoon game to go over to the main stage for the award ceremony. I used the 2 hour lunchtime to browse the trade hall. It was bloody fantastic. Bright, lively, easy to navigate, loads going on. The cosplay was magnificent. I’ve been to a ComiCon recently and was struck by the contrast. I found the ComiCon to be drab and commercial and aimed at taking money from the punters and expecting them make their own fun. Expo is about giving punters a fun experience first and selling them stuff second. There are ComiCons virtually every month across the country. Can’t we do the same with Game Expo’s?
I went to the award ceremony and – as expected – didn’t win anything. ((I rushed back to my game only to find that neither the players or RPG team had been informed I’d been asked to delay my game and lost half the table of players.)) I had three players for my Dr Who game, a couple and a young man who wanted to play but who said his parents would be along to collect him before the end of the game. All three agreed to start. Because of the late start, they used pregens. (A shame. The male half of the couple had been planning to make and play William Hartnell. Not the first Doctor - the actor. I would have LOVED that!) So we had an Ice Warrior, a student timelord and a 1960’s hippy confidence trickster. The younger player told me he’d stepped in to run a game of The Code of Warriors and Wizardry as part of Games on Demand when Lloyd was short of GM’s. When his parents came to collect him, his dad thanked me for Golden Heroes and Squadron UK and the fun they’d brought HIM. Wow! Two generations of fans.
After they left, the couple continued alone. They were totally outpowered by the “big bad”, but out-foxed it and came up with a clever solution to the scenario I’d never seen before – and I’ve run it countless times. Obviously with only two players the game wrapped up two hours early and I offered to take the couple down for request a partial refund but they said they’d enjoyed it and it wasn’t necessary.
So I packed up and set off home a bit early.
Two last things:
1) I’ve put in double brackets above things that didn’t work perfectly at Expo. This is for full disclosure and honesty and not to criticise anyone or the event. In an event this size there are bound to be glitches and you’ll see that these were all fairly minor and easily resolved.
2) I’d been asked to be “Room Captain” for my room. It turned out I was down to be “Iron Room Captain” and do it for the whole weekend. Though the role is a minor (but useful) one, I found it stressful. I was so busy playing my game that I missed a group of players without a GM in my room. I felt bad about that. Then there was one group – against the run of play – that over-ran by almost three quarters of an hour, which meant, theoretically, I couldn’t leave the room. (Of course I found a way around it.) I may not volunteer for the role next year. If I do, it will be for a limited number of sessions.
Final thoughts? Expo has always been good but this year felt brighter, happier and even better organised. I need to think seriously about what I want out of 2019. Is there any point in putting a game in for an award if you’re not trading in the main hall to promote and support it? Do I REALLY need to run 8 (9 if you count Thursday night) RPG games? I probably need some time off to enjoy (eg.) The Dark Room or maybe run some Games on Demand. ((The price of beer at the event and especially in the Hilton remains immorally high.))
But despite all the stress in the run-up and disruption to my plans at the event, Games Expo 2018 made me HAPPY.
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