Spaghetti ConJunction 2b - 20th October 2018

TLDR: A one day, two game slot event in central Birmingham. Food on site and at your table. Great location, great people. Good selection of games. A really nice day out.

Spaghetti ConJunction  is the TTPRG convention I co-organise. It's a one day event at a gaming cafe - Geek Retreat - in Birmingham City centre.

It's based on the model trail-blazed by the wonderful Concrete Cow conventions in Milton Keynes. We promote the event and publish details of any games people say they intend to offer on the day, through Facebook, web-site and many other outlets in advance. But nothing is actually decided until the event. If you want to Referee a game, you turn up, put a sign up sheet on the table and wait to see if anyone chooses it. Nothing is pre-booked or guaranteed.

There are two differences between SCJ and Concrete Cow. Firstly we only have two game slots in day. Secondly, it's in the gaming cafe. So, though it's in the city centre and surrounded by loads of options, no-one actually needs to pop out to get food. It's a really great venue.

As usual I met up with my fellow organiser for breakfast at a nearby bistro. When the proprietor of Geek Retreat arrived I popped round and was gratified to find people already waiting outside. I then had 15 minutes to get in, stick up  the signage and sort out the sign up table and front desk. We book the entire top floor of Geek Retreat.

By the time I'd finished it was 10:00am and people started coming upstairs and it was a flurry of taking entry fees and issuing them their Tombola tickets. It's £3 entry but most people opted to buy a couple of raffle tickets as well and just pay a £5 note. Almost forty people came in and I was pleased to see a lot of new faces amongst the old familiar ones.

At 10:15 we did introductions and started signups. Referees had placed sign up sheets for their games on a table. We supplied blank sheets and pens but many referees provided their own.  Attendees had been perusing these before we started. Sign up was via lottery. Any new players were allowed to choose and sign up for their games first. This was a bit of a crush because we had so many new faces. Then the numbers from 0 through 9 were drawn in a random order. As each number was announced, anyone with a Tombola ticket ending in that number was allowed to come up and choose a game. We kept a list of the number order.

Five games were fully signed up with up to six players plus referee. One game ran with a smaller number, picking up  spare players and referees whose games didn't run. 2 or 3 sign up sheets didn't garner any players. This is perfectly normal. We like to have more slightly games offered than we need and it gives players a wider choice.

I was surprised to find that the signup sheet for my game seemed to have disappeared. However it turned out that, in my rush, I'd put out my afternoon sheet by mistake and someone had kindly put it in the pile of afternoon sheets. This left me without a game to referee. Instead of playing, however, I chose to spend the morning at front desk where I had a great time - allocating late-comers to games, sorting out the raffle tickets, counting the money, handling other admin tasks and posting about the convention on Social Media.


Games running included Dr Who AIT&S (Torchwood), I Love the Corps (Zombie Thomas the Tank Engine), D&D 5th Ed, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Is it a plane (with Player character Starships) and Heroquest Glorantha (offered in memory of Greg Stafford.)

There was a lovely atmosphere in the room. All the games seemed lively and happy and the acoustics seemed fine.

Many games seemed to over-run slightly but the constant stream of food from downstairs made sure everyone had had their lunch at the table. (Food is mainly burgers and toasted sandwiches.) So the slight extensions didn't cause any issues.

At 3:15 we had the raffle. As usual the donations from companies were extremely generous with the retail value of items of prizes being amazing total. We even had a copy of Zweihander - the massive update of Warhammer Fantasy - which was the thickest TTRPG hardback I've ever seen. A real coffee table book.

I'll admit I'm not a fan of raffles at conventions. Too often they eat into valuable gaming time. So I make sure the SCJ raffle goes at a fair click.

Then it was the afternoon signups. This happens in reverse order to the morning games - which is why we keep a list of numbers drawn.

There were more games offered in the afternoon than the morning and several of them only garnered one or two players. There was a bit of "horse trading" - great fun  "would you rather be psychologically tortured or draw your adventures"  - and soon we had half a dozen games going again.

One of them was mine - the simple introductory adventurer and rules from our forthcoming book to be sold in aid of Comic Relief. This was fun as always but due to some unfortunate rolling at the extreme end of the bell curve, the characters suffered a real mauling. But the players enjoyed it and were complimentary about the system. I know some changes to make, however.

As I was refereeing, I didn't keep a close check on what was running but I know it included:

Two D&D 5th Ed games, my d6 Hack D&D clone, Is it a plane?, a wierd West Scenario and Lamposts in Bloom (run using The Dead of Night). There was probably one other one I've forgotten.

What was lovely was that one popular D&D game was run by an experienced older referee of my generation. (Set in Pan Tang in the world of Elric.) The other equally popular D&D game was run by a young lady who I've never met before who was clearly less than half our age. I don't know details of this one beyond the smiling faces and rapt attention her players were giving her.

Games are due to end at 7:30 but most wrapped up at around 7:00pm. Mainly it seemed to be due to people heading for their trains. (The venue is a convenient walk from all three main Birmingham stations.) The big D&D 5th game from the younger Referee ran on and on (who'd've thought it?), not stopping until 7:50 - which gave us time to do the tidying up and some planning for next year.

Overall SCJ 2b was a great success. Small enough to be friendly, large enough to offer a good choice of games. I thought we had a good number of players for the venue and exactly the right number of games on offer. It's only two game slots so it might not be worth travelling a huge distance to get here - though it's a pretty convenient journey from most places. And if you're a referee offering a game, you're not guaranteed to get players. However, it's great venue, with a good selection of different systems, great referees and great players. A great day out.

Spaghetti ConJunction 2b - FAQ

F.A.Q.

Spaghetti ConJunction F.A.Q.

1. What is it?

Spaghetti ConJunction is a one-day RPG convention to be held in Birmingham.

V2. When is it?

Spaghetti ConJunction 2b will take place on Saturday 20th October 2018

3. Where is it?

It will be hosted by Geek Retreat Birmingham, which is located at 38 The Priory Queensway, Birmingham

https://www.facebook.com/GeekRetreatBirmingham/

This is less than ten minutes’ walk from all three of Birmingham’s three train stations; less than five minutes from the nearest car park; and about a minute from the nearest bus stop (or thirty seconds if you run).

4. What time will it be on?

Geek Retreat Birmingham opens at 10am. The first game slot will run between 10:30am and 2:30pm. The second slot will run between 3:30pm and 7:30pm. This allows for an hour’s lunch break.

5. How much is it?

£3 for the day. This is to cover our costs, with all profits going to charity.

In addition, Geek Retreat is a café and will appreciate your custom. We actively encourage you to patronise the Geek Retreat.

6. Is there disabled access?

Unfortunately not in the upstairs playing area, which is only accessible by stairs. We can only apologise for any inconvenience caused.

7. Are you looking for referees?

We certainly are. Each game must have a running length of no more than four hours, have a beginning, a middle, and an end. This includes any time required for character creation, therefore GMs are encouraged to provide pre-generated characters where possible (unless you are planning to play an Indie style game where character generation is part of the game). Please send details of your game and if accepted, we will post its details on Facebook and Google+ pages.

When submitting a game please let us know if your game will contain mature content and will therefore be unsuitable for players under sixteen.

8. Are there any age restrictions?

Yes and no.

Whilst we seek to encourage role players of all ages, we ask that all attendees aged sixteen years and under be accompanied by an adult who is responsible for the child throughout the day. Any attendee older than sixteen is not required to be accompanied by an adult.

NOTE: Some games run at Spaghetti ConJunction may contain mature content. Such games will carry a ‘Mature Content’ advisory and we strongly advise that younger players do not sign up for them. Further, any GM who is running a game that is labelled as containing ‘Mature Content’ has the right to refuse entry to the game for players under sixteen years of age.

9. How do I sign up for games?

When you purchase your ticket you will be given a random ticket with a number on it. The last number (between one and ten) on this ticket will determine the order in which you can sign up for the games during the two slots.

Fifteen minutes before the start of the first slot random numbers will be generated between one and ten. When the number that matches the last number on your ticket is announced you will be able to sign up for the next slot. The numbers generated before the first slot will be noted and then used before the second slot, but will be read out in reverse order.

So for example, if the order of the numbers generated before the first slot is 4, 9, 1, 7, 10, 3, 6, 2, 8, and 5, and you were given the number 1, you would sign up in the third wave of signees before the first slot and in the third to last wave of signees before the second slot. This may seem complex and random, but as a sign up method, it is fair to everyone.

If you have never roleplayed before, are under 18 or if this your first Spaghetti ConJunction, then you will be awarded a bye that allows you to sign up for a game in one of the two slots before the numbers are announced. In addition, you will be allowed to bring another person to sign up with you in both game slots.

If, in advance of the convention, you offer to run a game in a slot which advertised on the website and for which you produce a sign up sheet on the day, then you will also be awarded a bye . This will allow you to sign up for any game in the other slot before the numbers are announced.

9. Why Spaghetti ConJunction?

• Because Birmingham does not have a dedicated roleplaying event and having been to lots and lots of conventions, the founders decided that it was a jolly good idea. Plus because we played great games at these events, we wanted to bring these great games to Birmingham.
• Because it is an utterly delightful play on words.
• Because Pookie is very proud of thinking it up.
• Because the previous Spaghetti ConJunctions were so much fun.

10. Who are you?

Simon Burley is the co-designer of Golden Heroes, the UK’s first superhero RPG, its sequel, Squadron UK, and The Comics Code RPGs, and as the author of Conventional Thinking, a two-part guide to conventions up and down this land, has been to more gaming conventions than any man would care to admit to. Simon admits to them all.

James Mullen is the designer of Blood & Water, the RPG about supernatural flatmates living together as well as other RPGs. He is a devotee of indie-RPGs and a well-regarded GM having run games at conventions up and down the country.

Pookie is a games reviewer and editor.

Between them they have over a century’s worth of gaming experience.

Spaghetti ConJunction 2b

Amongst (many) other things I list myself  as a convention organiser. I've been very dilitary in promoting out own. Luckily on of my colleagues is a genius at it.

In case anyone's missed it, Spaghetti ConJunction 2b is next weekend (20th October). Games on offer are:

MORNING

Totle: One of our Clerics is missing
GM: Simon Burley
Players: 2-6
System: The d6 Hack
Father Millwort has been kidnapped by a group of goblins. Nobody can work out why. He's a Holy Man, for sure. Very devout. But he's not a particularly high ranking or gifted member of the local clergy.
His superior - Deaconess Telesa - has tasked a group of brave adventurers - you - to recover the poor man. If you do, surely you'll be blessed of the Gods. She's promised to give you a benediction of her own should you succeed.
The d6 Hack is my lightweight D&D clone which only uses d6. It's been developed as part of the Role-Play Relief book to be sold in support of Comic Relief. Designed specifically to introduce new players into the hobby. This adventure is the introductory one I intend to publish in the book. Neither the system or adventure are anything innovative or clever. Just an old school romp run by an experienced and halfway decent referee. I'd really appreciate your feedback on the system and scenario. You will make your own characters as part of the session.
(Special bonus: as the adventure is likely to finish early, we’ll take any surviving characters up to second level and I’ll run a supplementary adventure written especially for SCJ 2b).

Title: Tomb Raiders
GM: Emily Bryan
System: Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition
Description: A level 1 D&D 5e game.
Fresh-faced and confident, this party of plucky adventurers have been hired to assist the once-great wizard, Cellini Hove, in retrieving a stolen magical item – a legendary staff passed down through the generations. Snatched many years ago by Cellini’s old wizarding rival, the item now lies with the thief himself, buried in his tomb. The greater earth elemental that bequeathed the staff to Cellini’s bloodline is displeased with the staff’s final resting place and has vowed to plague the land with natural disasters until the item is returned to its rightful owner. Though obstacles stand in their way, will the party be able to find and return the magical staff before it’s too late?
Players: 4-6
Notes: No relation to Lara Croft or the Tomb Raider series. Family-friendly, new-player-friendly, customisable pre-gen characters, and a souvenir for all players!

Title: Well of the Worm
GM: Andrew Delaney
System: Dungeon Crawl Classics
Description: In ages long past and best forgotten, the world was ruled by worms. Deep within dreaming jungles, and high atop monolithic temples, fell priests sacrificed the blood of man and his kith to the mammoth war-worms.
One wizard would return the world to the rule of the worm. From deep within the blood-soaked earth, calling upon the spirits of the slain and blood of the dying, rising from the moldering bones of fallen warriors, the war-worms have returned. Their foul Mother – last of her kin – births more crawling horrors with every passing hour.
The age of the worm is once more upon us. The call is sounded: Who will rise to purge the darkness?
Players: 3-6


Title: Why didn’t they ask Evans?
GM: Dave Elrick
System: Dr Who Adventures in Time & Space (Cubicle 7)
Description: In Cardiff two drug dealers are shot with suspiciously high-tech weapons. Sensing a chance to break the drugs gangs, the Police want to keep Torchwood from taking the case away from them, but they may not have a choice when more people die.
Meanwhile, two mysterious men in black are hunting for someone called Evans and their paths keep crossing the investigation. But who are they, are they on Torchwood’s side and who is Evans?
Play as Gwen, Ianto, Tosh, Owen and the irrepressible Captain Jack as they try to save Cardiff yet again
Players: Up to 5 players

Title: 28 Trains Later
GM: Christopher Dean
System: I Love the Corps
Description: Not a typical I Love the Corps game; this is Thomas the Tank Engine meets 28 Days Later! Set in the Isle of Sodor, in the modern day, can a group of people trapped inside Annie escape alive? A comedy survival horror.
I LOVE THE CORPS is a recently released tabletop role-playing game of action, horror and sci-fi. This single D6 game breaks down into 'beats' and 'scenes' to tell the story. Come and experience some visceral and disgusting horror, balls to the wall action and psychological madness, and see if you can keep your survivor alive to tell the tale!
Players: 2-6
Notes: this will be hilarious, but utterly disgusting, and potentially will ruin your childhood.
Not for kids.

Title: Space Fleet Arcadia
GM: Damien Jones
System: Is It a Plane!?
Description: It has now been confirmed: humanity is not alone in this universe. The ultimate test of survival has been issued. It will be up to you, your ship and your crew to lead our defence against the incoming extraterrestrial force and prove our species is worthy of greater things. May humanity’s tenacity carry you forward.
Players, you will be taking control of a spaceship, its captain/pilot and crew. You will have at your disposal their combined abilities; hyper-steel armour, a charismatic captain, rows of laser cannons, a legion of attack drones, or heavy-duty boarding crews.
We’ll be playing Is it a Plane!?. The system that uses doodles on laminated cards in place of dice rolls, and still offers all the chance for role-play of a conventional game! “Oh, but I can’t draw!” I hear you say, well fret not friend, because this is not required. If you can draw a line, you can draw a deadly laser barrage, and if you can draw a box dodging vague lumps, then your spaceship has narrowly escaped a treacherous asteroid field!
Players: 2-6
Notes: all ages



AFTERNOON

Title: Temple of the Twelve
GM: Emily Bryan
System: Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition
Description: A level 3 D&D 5e game.
The last worshippers of the ancient gods died out many generations ago and people had thought all relics of the religion had disappeared with them. When an oracle, dressed in ancient robes and haloed by a golden light, appears in the centre of The Windy Frog, it’s safe to say that the patrons of the old tavern are more than a little surprised.
He comes with a simple message.
“A great evil has taken residence in the Temple of the Twelve. It must be destroyed before it can bring an end to the peaceful lives you all know. For those with courage in their hearts and goodness in their soul, this will be a test with prizes greater than you could imagine. Riches fit for the gods themselves, glory and fame, a tale to pass onto all who will listen, and the secrets of the immortals lie within the temple. Defeat the evil within, and you will be rewarded.”
Players: 4-6
Notes: This is a funhouse-style dungeon crawl with twists and turns. Puzzles, trickery and combat aplenty. Perfect for new players looking to experience the varied madness of D&D or for veterans looking for a fun little journey. Family-friendly and hopefully a good laugh. A choice of customisable pre-gen characters will be provided for every player, along with a little souvenir at the end!

Title: Frozen in Time
GM: Andrew Delaney
System: Dungeon Crawl Classics
Description: Eons-old secrets slumber beneath the forbidden Ghost Ice. Since the time of the Elders, the local tribes have shunned the crawling glacier, knowing it as taboo land that slays all who tread its frigid expanse. Now, the Ghost Ice has shattered, revealing hints at deeper mysteries entombed within its icy grasp. Strange machines and wonderful horrors stir beneath the ice…
Players: 3-6


Title: Lock, stock and two....... what?
GM: Simon Burley
Players: 2-6
System: Manifold
The East-End. And you owe a big one to Danny "two fingers" Henderson. Especially as he used to be Danny "three fingers". Your fault.
The only thing letting you keep your knackers - and other assorted bits - is your agreement to hit the Matt Brinks Safety Deposit Facility in London's Hatton Garden. If you can pull it off, it'll be the crime of the century.
A simple - OK, not at all simple - heist scenario requiring flexible thinking - and, possibly, morals - as things are almost certain to spiral out of your control in unexpected ways.
Manifold is my 2d6 multi-genre system where magic happens every time somebody rolls a double. Described as "the love child of GURPs and Paranoia" or simply "2d6 shennanigans". This adventure will be based in the contemporary, realistic setting of a British Gangster Movie. You will make your own characters as part of the session - and also collaboratively design elements of the setting.

Title: Lamp Posts In Bloom
GM: Robin Poole
System: Dead of Night
Description: A warm summer evening in middle England. Old friends gather for a barbecue and drinks. Secrets will be uncovered. Betrayals will be laid bare. Innocent people will die. And the lamp posts will come into bloom.
Players: 4-5
Notes: Modern day psychological horror with adult themes. (18+)


Title: Head of the Serpent
GM: Christopher Dean
System: I Love the Corps
Description: The private corporation, Chrysalis, have developed a devastating nanite-equivalent of a chemical weapon, which has been released against Corps marines. Before the weapon is used on Dominion worlds, an attack has been mounted on the Chrysalis HQ, based on one of the small islands dotting an Aquaworld.
You are part of this assault; the Destroyer squad. Your role... Mechanised Operations.
I LOVE THE CORPS is a recently released tabletop role-playing game of military action, horror and military sci-fi. This single D6 game breaks down into 'beats' and 'scenes' to tell the story of a United Colonial Marine Corps squad in 2450. Come and experience some visceral and disgusting horror, balls to the wall action and psychological madness, and see if you can keep your marine alive to tell the tale!
Do you love the Corps, marine? Only one way to find out.
Players: 2-6
Notes: This game will feature lots of bloody violence and all-out warfare. There was also be lots of opportunity thinking and strategic planning. It can be appropriate for younger players (horror will be just restricted to gore, which I can tone down if need be.


Title: Space Fleet Arcadia
GM: Damien Jones
System: Is It a Plane!?
Description: It has now been confirmed: humanity is not alone in this universe. The ultimate test of survival has been issued. It will be up to you, your ship and your crew to lead our defence against the incoming extraterrestrial force and prove our species is worthy of greater things. May humanity’s tenacity carry you forward.
Players, you will be taking control of a spaceship, its captain/pilot and crew. You will have at your disposal their combined abilities; hyper-steel armour, a charismatic captain, rows of laser cannons, a legion of attack drones, or heavy-duty boarding crews.
We’ll be playing Is it a Plane!?. The system that uses doodles on laminated cards in place of dice rolls, and still offers all the chance for role-play of a conventional game! “Oh, but I can’t draw!” I hear you say, well fret not friend, because this is not required. If you can draw a line, you can draw a deadly laser barrage, and if you can draw a box dodging vague lumps, then your spaceship has narrowly escaped a treacherous asteroid field!
Players: 2-6
Notes: all ages


Title: Chaos Exultant.
GM: David Gallico.
System: D&D 5e.
Description: The players have just about recuperated from their last adventure and are wondering what new opportunities await them. They have heard rumours through the cities "information channels" that a wealthy foreigner, Verkij Laanark, an exiled Pan Tangian nobleman is seeking to hire a party of adventurers for an unknown purpose. The morning after, a young slave boy arrives at their inn with an invitation from his master, the same Verkij Laanark, to visit him in his suite of rooms at "The Exquisite Oasis", the most luxurious (not to mention expensive) hotel in the entire city. He has a proposition for them which will involve undertaking a task on his behalf, for which not only will they be very well paid, but will provide an opportunity for them to strike back at the rulers of Pan Tang, the Demon Isle.
Players: 4-6 ideally. (I am willing to be flexible).
Notes: This scenario is set in the world of Elric of Melnibone, who features in a series of books by Michael Moorcock. However, it is NOT necessary to have read any of the books to enjoy this adventure.

DragonDaze 2018

Adventures of a Travelling Referee- Saturday 6th October 2018

Today I took my “Choose Your Adventure” set up to the DRAGONDAZE convention in Newport in South Wales.

DragonDaze is a “Games and Mini-ComicCon” rather than a dedicated TTRPG event. The RPGs are more like a bonus feature than central to the event.

Actually I’m not sure “Games and Mini-ComicCon” is a fair description of DragonDaze. It fills a Leisure centre so it’s not mini. There are games but there are also many other things - cosplay and music to name two - and I don’t think there are many comics at the event.

This weekend is part of the early autumn surge  in conventions. Apart from DragonDaze there is also Tekucon - a small one day convention in Birmingham devoted to the world of “The Empire of the Petal Throne” - and  Furnace.

Furnace is a dedicated residential 2 day TTRPG Convention in the marvellous Garrison hotel in Sheffield. Described as the “Olympics of RPG conventions” its a high quality event that all TTRPF players and referees should aspire to go to.

So why wasn’t  I going to Furnace? Simple.  I’m addicted to refereeing TTRPGs and there are so many high quality referees going to Furnace that you have to submit your games MONTHS in advance. It’s called “Conkrieg”. I missed the deadline. I could have gone as a player but that doesn’t interest me.

I’ve supported DragonDaze since it first started. It’s well organised and a great day out - especially for children. However, though the TTRPG offerings are excellent, there are usually a plethora of Referees and a shortage of players. It’s one where the local TTRPG community don’t support their local convention as much as they might. I thought I might not even get to Referee a game today.

As always, there were more games on offer than there were players to play them. And things were slow to get started. The games offered and scores on the doors (roughly) were:

Dr Who - played in a Star Trek game in the morning - full table of 5/6 in the afternoon.

Star Trek - small table (3-4?) in the morning. Table of 4/5 for something Travellerish in the afternoon.

Fantasy Trip - full table - 5ish in the morning, played in the Traveller game in the afternoon. 

Cthulhu - table of four in the morning (eventually) unable to referee in the afternoon due to the PA (see below).

Dark Heresy - table of two in the morning. No takers in the afternoon.

50 fathoms (savage Worlds pirates) - 2 players rising to 6 across the morning. Full table of 6 in the afternoon.

5th Ed D&D - three players rising to 6 across the morning. 8 players in the afternoon.

Tunnels and Trolls - no takers at all. Played in the Cthulhu game in the morning.

John Carter of Mars - only offered in the afternoon - full table of 5/6 players.

“Choose your adventure” - two one hour games. The Black Hack, 4 players. The Code of the Spacelanes (Firefly) - 5 players. 

This is all an improvement over previous years. Previously the TTRPGs were upstairs in hidden rooms. Last year, like today, we were up on a balcony overlooking the trade hall. A lovely space. Last year we shared it with some wargames tables. They weren’t in evidence today so it looked a bit bare.

The organisers have never really taken the TTRPGs in hand, just accepting any game offered. Then posting them on Facebook and encouraging people to book into games through Facebook. This wasn’t successful IMHO. This year I recommended no prebooking or arranged slots took place. I undertook to greet customers and point them at appropriate games - before taking any players into my own games. And I checked with all the refs before the end to make sure they were flexible on game length, numbers and casual  drop ins. As you can see, I think this worked well. And I’m proud of my contribution towards its success at the expense of my own refereeing.

I didn’t get time to visit the trade hall but it looked worth a visit. Cosplay was good, there were “celebrities”, the starship simulator, board games library  and  events announced like a SciFi quiz. So plenty to do - no Expo but better than your normal local convention. Attendance in the 1000-2000 range I’d guess. 

The only fly in the ointment was the fact that the Hall’s PA’s loudspeakers were on the balcony. The occasional announcement was liveable but the raffle and the cosplay awards ran on and made refereeing pretty much impossible. (Why do Cosplay organisers always SHOUT?)

  If you’re local and looking for a pleasant way to spend a day - is recommend it. I wouldn’t travel too far to get to it. If you’re a TTRPG player looking for a couple of good games, it’s probably worth the trip. If you’re a referee looking to offer games I wouldn’t recommend it. In fact I’m going to suggest to the organisers that they cut the Number of tables offered slightly and stick to well known games, IPs and returning referees. We’re beginning to get returning players from year to year and that’s nice. 

WynterCon 2018

TLDR: Wierd, eclectic event on grass under a big top. Stunning cosplay. Lots of one hour RPG games - which suits me as a referee. Not recommended for dedicated RPG players.


I don't know what WynterCon IS!

Their own blurb describes it as:

"The South Coast's largest community, family friendly, multi-genre, fantasy, cosplay and Sci-Fi event, all held under an all weather big top."

I first went five years ago when it was fledgling SteamPunk convention as part of a hopeful group of RPG referees. We got very little trade, being hidden away at the back of a rather spawning city centre community venue. I didn't go back for the second year, only to find that they'd re-organised the RPG offerings and had been overwhelmed with demand.

So I've been back for the three most recent ones. And had a great time every time. After the third event it moved out of the town centre and up the road to a local park where the event now takes place under a massive candy striped big top.

What they've done is to offer short one hour demonstration type games on an on demand basis. And the local community seem to just lap it up.

The basics:

WynterCon is a 2 day convention in Eastbourne on the South Coast. It runs from 10-5 on Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday. With its large range of eclectic offerings there's loads for people to see and do. Especially children for which there are several targeted craft activities and stalls.

So I guess it makes sense to have games which can fit into a relatively short day which you can do in between other events.

As with all 2 day events now, I arrange to travel down Saturday morning - even if it means getting up at stupid o'clock - stay one night in a cheap hotel or B&B, and travel back Sunday evening. This cuts costs significantly.

I tried using Facebook live to document my journey. This was seen by an old friend who contacted me en route and offered me a lift from the station to the event, saving sme a taxi fare. Excellent!

The "RPG zone" is right in front of the main entrance. Half a dozen tables offering 5th Ed D&D, One Dice (multiple genres), Mouse Guard, Pugmire, Star Wars and at least one other that I've missed. As well as my own "Choose Your Adventure" set-up which fits right in here. Because it's under a big top, you're playing on grass, which feels really odd. (There were Daleks in attendance but they were unusually placid.)

It isn't particularly warm - which is why all my photos show me in a thick wooly jumper rather than my usual waistcoat. It was also pouring down with rain and the big top isn't 100% watertight so you have to be careful where you position your table to avoid the occasional drip. It's a unique experience.

Saturday I ran four games:

- the Great Airship Robbery. (Steampunk) The party managed to save about one half of one airship.
- One of our dinosaurs is missing. (Steampunk). Some great ideas and puns which really fleshed out this scenario for future run outs. But I can't mention them without giving spoilers.
- Fireball XL5 - carnage, complete carnage. When Professor Matt Matic's EM pulse device took out the Fireball crew's jet bikes rather than the planetomic missile aimed at Earth, Venus was forced to sacrifice herself and Fireball to physically intercept it.
- One of our Clerics is missing - my intro Scenario from the upcoming Role Playing Relief book. Played using The Black Hack rather than my d6 Hack. You get a lot of returning players at WynterCon and this group had played my usual TBH intro scenario in 2017. The party were very successful but pushed things a bit too far and their fighter got turned into a pin cushion in a goblin ambush.

In between all of this I had my photo taken with numerous great Cos Players - the main one being a REALLY impressive Thanos.

After a slow start the RPG zone was really busy.

When the convention shut down at 5:00pm, rather than return to my B&B for the night, or take part in unstructured socialising, I visited the local games cafe - Mana Gaming - to try and drum up an evening game. However, due to the poor weather there were very few people there and I hadn't had a big enough run up to promote a game and drum up players myself. It was an excellent venue and I ate there rather than elsewhere in town. And they try to invite me into a board game and card game. Now that I've found the place and made contact, I will be back next year and I will find players for a game.

Sunday seemed to be even busier than Saturday. Despite being an hour shorter, I ran five and a quarter games (see below).

- The Evolution of Species (Steampunk meets Harry Potter). The RPG organiser brought two Potter Heads to me. Early teen girls in robes with wands. I adapted my standard steampunk game, setting it in a Steampunk technology University. Just as they were being squelched in the climax we grabbed a passing family to join in and play the cavalry coming over the hill.
- One of our Dinosaurs is missing (Steampunk) - my friend's family. Great fun but I felt the dice forced me to needlessly torment his daughter.
- Superheroes vs. Dinosaurs (Superheroes) - a family with two hyperactive young sons who sat down, started playing and told me - 5 minutes in - that they only had 15 mins due to an appointment at the Light Sabre training. I mean I'm good and I think I handled it very well, wrapping things up satisfactorily - but it felt wierd. I felt sorry for a lady who was also playing the game whose session I thought had been needlessly disrupted. So.......
- I ambushed two young teenage girls and inveigled them to the table to give the woman a full game. A totally female table (except for me) running a completely female party. We did my standard TBH intro. They pursued a fleeing goblin straight through the dungeon to the last room. But the scenario delivered as always.
- Then the two Potter fans returned with a friend for more "Steamwarts" fun. I swear I might actually publish this setting! A version of "One of our Dinosaurs is missing" where one of the characters imploded. My second all female party of the day.
- The day finished with a final run through of my standard TBH dungeon with one of the players telling me 30 mins in that they only had 10mins left.

I love WynterCon. It's weird and eclectic and the only convention where EVERYONE does what I usually do alone. And it had an audience that craves these short form games.  So it's a good place for a refereeing addict to get a fix. If you're local and seeking a fun day out - especially for the kids - it's worth a visit. I wouldn't recommend it for dedicated RPG players.

Concrete cow 2018.2

TLDR: Concrete Cow RPG convention. Twice a year. Milton Keynes. Well organised. Great games. Essential. Should be part of everyone's convention calendar. Numbers seemed to be down which is a shame.

I've written about Concrete Cow more times than any other convention. It's held in a Community Hall, in Wolverton, a suburb just outside Milton Keynes, twice a year. The Hall is on a high street near the station next to a Supermarket, food outlets etc. It's a perfect location

I've done it so many times, it's now routine. Though you're not bound to it, you're asked to tell the organisers which games you want to offer in advance so they can list them on the website. Which I did.

Then I caught my usual train. As always, with no preplanning, bumped into Pookie my fellow Spaghetti ConJunction organiser. We chatted. The 90 minute journey from Birmingham was pleasant. We arrived in good time. £5 entry (profits to charity). If you're offering to run a game in the morning, you put down a sign up sheet you've made. There's a good template on the website (recommended but not required) and blank ones are available on the day to make a hand written sheet.

Normally there's time to nip next door to the supermarket to buy some supplies but I just spent my time chatting to old mates. This included James, the other SCJ Mavern, so we had a committee meeting. I was disappointed to see numbers seemed to be down on previous events. 40-50 people I'd guess. There were three traders.

Just before ten o'clock is signups. This is random via ticket. There is no prebooking. Nothing - the exact games offered, who plays in what - is decided until the day. It's the fairest system I know. But you do have to be prepared to take pot luck.

Games offered tend to be outside the mainstream - no 5th Ed, Pathfinder etc - but still accessible. Pulp Cthulhu for example. You're taking pot luck and there doesn't seem to be a pattern as to what runs and what doesn't. But there are more than enough games offered to cover the players there and all of them look to be at least good. At least a third are offered by what I'd rate as "top" Referees. So you'll definitely get into a game you'll enjoy and probably get into one game on the day which will be memorable.

The morning game is three and half hours. Against all logic and expectations, I got a full table of 6 players for my d6 based old school run out of the rules and scenario from the forthcoming "Role Playing Relief" book we're writing. (To sell in aid of Comic Relief. Copies coming soon.) The table spanned from an RPG newbie to some very crusty and experienced old hands. Yes, they decided to set the party up as a gang running a collection racket, who worshipped the Goddess "Moolah", but they were all determined to have fun. The rules were basically validated but I learnt a lot.

Lacking supplies I availed myself of the free tea and coffee in the kitchen during a comfort break.

There's an hour's break for lunch. I was going to the supermarket to buy a meal deal as usual but bumped into Steve who was going for chips and tagged along. He also showed me the plates and cutlery in the kitchen we're allowed to use. So lunch became a very pleasant experience. I'll do that again.

Afternoon sign ups go in reverse order to the morning. If you went last before, you're first now. It's very fair.

My "East End bank job goes sideways"using my own multi-genre rules - garnered three players. Enough. At least two of them were southern lads (Luton) with appropriate accents and all three brought the fun.

This was another new scenario for me. Though from one viewpoint it seems cheeky, I used the "players design the scenario" approach. Rather than prepare a detailed bank vault, for example, I asked the players to each give me two security features and I added two secret ones. They seemed fine to go with this approach and it went well.

As I'd half expected they sunk their teeth into the heist element and side-stepped the secret Cthulhu "bait and switch" bit. There was very little combat, most of it was resolved by intimidation and stunt driving. Turned out to be an enjoyable puzzle solving session with lots of great gags but very little jeopardy. I enjoyed it and they certainly seemed to. I'll run this one again.

There is a third game in the evening but experience has shown that staying for it isn't cost effective for many reasons. So I left just after the raffle (great prizes, good chance of winning, for charity, buying tickets very recommended).  Pookie did as well. Pleasant joumey home.

As an RPG convention Concrete Cow is simply flawless. Understated excellence. Should be on everyone's essential annual calendar. TWICE! You'd need to have a good reason NOT to go in my opinion. For me it's up there with Expo and the best of the Garrison cons. Which makes the drop in numbers surprising and a bit upsetting. The next Concrete Cow is in March 2019. Let's all go and give the old  girl some support, eh?

Fantasticon 2018

TLDR: Fantasticon is a quirky science fiction convention. Along with seven of my usual one hour demonstrations I ran two "live roleplay" sessions on stage. Not one for dedicated TTRPG players but fun. THE GOLDEN GRAIL TAVERN craft bar is a real discovery.

Fantasticon is a Science Fiction convention organised by a book publishing company. I first went to it two years ago with my "Choose Your Adventure" set up. I was put in a side room then. Last year I went back and was given a table in a prominent position and got a lot more play. Both of these events were in Hull. I'm called "Mr RPG" on the website. It tickles my ego so I keep going back.

This year it was moved to a leisure centre in Cleethorpes for some reason. This is blooming miles from Birmingham where I live. However as always, I try to economise and arranged to travel up at stupid o'clock Saturday, stay at a cheap B&B overnight and travel back on Sunday.

The convention always has a series of events on stage. Apparently in my feedback from last year I'd suggested doing a live role play. I then promptly forgot about it. The organiser contacted me two weeks before the convention offering me a slot on stage. I accepted. This then became TWO, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

When I got off my train on Saturday morning, I was greeted by sunshine beaming down on Cleethorpes' wonderful sandy beach. It was picture postcard English seaside. It was glorious! I elected to walk up the promenade to the leisure centre. 20 minutes trailing a heavy bag but a lovely walk.

When I arrived I found that the games room was actually a squash court set off the side from the sports hall where much of the convention was taking place. No black soled shoes allowed. No food. No drink. Luckily my brown soled crocs were deemed acceptable.

Fantasticon is - and appears - incredibly ramshackle but packs in loads for people to do. Laser Tag. Nerf Wars. Escape Room. Retro Video games. Up to date video games. Dr Who actors. Daleks. Craft Ales. Traders. And loads of stuff I've probably missed.

The "games room" alone boasted my Choose Your Adventure setup, two tables of boards games, Magic, Zombiecide and two different "Elite" RPGs. (No-one's yet explained to me why there is Elite Encounters AND Elite Dangerous).

It was a bit off putting telling people to take their shoes off as they came in. But despite that the room was soon busy.  At one point every table in the room was busy. I ran three games one after the other, mainly with new players though there were some with experience:

- Cthulhu Hack - TPK when they decided to try to take the thugs guarding the warehouse head-on.
- The Black Hack. A lovely Scottish family. Mum, dad, two daughters. "Please rescue our children" "Whut's innit fer us?" Stereotypes are sometimes true. They rescued the children but not until one of them had been half roasted.
- The Black Hack again. Started with one interested player and me shamelessly press ganging people from the hall. This time the children were successfully rescued.

Then was time for the Live Role Play. The events were behind schedule. So I sat and watched two fantasy authors being interviewed by a very refined lady who I think was a crime author. This was very nice but there were loads of other events going on around in the sports hall and I thought the acoustics didn't serve the panel well.

There were microphones on stage. I had a hand held radio mike. I'd been asked to run the game for three players. The characters had been preselected via internet vote. I had NO audiovisual backup. Critical Role this wasn't! There wasn't even a table on the stage. We sat an empty chair between each of those with the microphones and I put the laminated character sheets, pens and dice on those.

I'd prepared handouts for the audience with copies of the character sheets on and a grid in case anyone wanted to map the dungeon. Then we were off!

I gave out the handouts and we got three volunteers from the audience. A bloke and a teenage boy who'd wanted to try RPGs and a mum who had no idea about them. I'll admit I played it like an ham, striding up and down in front of the stage, speaking clearly and loudly into the mike. I had no problem with the acoustics! (The rest of the hall may have had the problem!)

The scenario was "The Delian Tomb" by Matt Colville run using The Black Hack rules. I've run this dozens of times and - as you'll see - had run it twice already that morning. So I knew it backwards. That, and the fact that players roll all the dice, meant it went incredibly well. Far better than I could have hoped. The characters, alas, took no damage at all. However, we had a stunning climax where the Bugbear tried to use one of the captive children as a human shield. When this failed he threw the boy at the fighter, intending to make a run for it. Rather than catch the child, the fighter (played by the mum) stepped aside and let him crash to the floor so she could stop the bugbear. Cue one broken neck and dead child.

We bashed through it all in 40-50 minutes. At the end I was buzzing. I got some great feedback, not least from the organiser who was incredibly ebullient, demanding more in all future conventions. The audiovisual guy was also incredibly complimentary and is keen to offer more AV support next year.

After the live roleplay, I was hit by an anticlimax. The games room was dead and I felt drained. So I did what I've never done before, I went to the craft ales bar.

They're called THE GOLDEN GRAIL TAVERN. Look them up on line. They are amazing. All off the craft ales come in bottles which are full pints. Uniformly £3.50 per pint. Ludicrously good value. As a lightweight lager drinker I chose a cider rather than an ale and my head was soon buzzing. It hit me like a rocket.

At this point the Scottish family came back looking for a Star Wars game. So I ran my total rip off of the first Star Wars. Mos Eisley. Cantina. Rebels smuggling out defecting Imperial scientist. Looked like we were going to have a TPK until an imperial walker pilot decided to defect. Great fun.

I had a second pint of Cider. I knew I was drunk. The daytime event wound down and the evening musical event started. The piratical comedy duo Jollyboat etc. Then one of the traders decided to cover the tab at the craft ale bar for the evening!

I'd swapping texts with my wife all day. Upon hearing about the open bar - and how I was already feeling - she told me to get out of there. So I made my excuses and walked out as a woman with an acoustic guitar and the voice of an angel was serenading a captive crowd. "Take a bottle with you" they said.

So there I was, 8 o'clock on a sunny evening strolling along the seaside swigging rocket fuel cider following my iPhone maps. Put in the wrong postcode. My phone died. Had to be escorted to my B&B by a lovely old lady on a mobility scooter.

Morning was a proper B&B home cooked full English breakfast. And I strolled up the promenade to the leisure centre again as the sun beamed down. Paradise!

We started off with my blatant Star Wars rip off again. Best moment the player playing the renegade taking out a thug in the cantina with a blaster shot, catching his falling drink as the shot ricocheted off the wall to take out a thug fighting another character. Great fun!

Then a dad turned up with a gaggle of five preteens - mostly his with some friends. So we had a six player TBH game. It turned out the father had  played my usual scenario at Fantasticon in 2017 so I played a much abbreviated version of Dyson Logos' The Goblin Gully. The dad was really into it and I had to try and tone down him ordering the kids around and draw out their (usually better) ideas. Much much fun with smart goblins and a rope bridge. Cue one dead hobbit. (I let the boy play a captured goblin).

Then it was time for my second live roleplay. My own Steampunk rules - The Code of Steam and Steel. My own "The Evolution of Species" scenario I'd run dozens of times before - half a dozen at The Asylum Steampunk Convention the previous weekend. Again I had handouts with the three characters chosen by
Internet vote. The start was delayed again, not least by the audio-visual guy setting up a "Go Pro" to record it.

To be honest I found this session harder going. The fact that I have to roll dice in opposition to the players slowed things down. I also failed to draw in the players as much. A scenario which is fun around a table proved complex on stage. Then, I rolled high and they didn't. This meant that their characters had to use the cheating rules to win by devious and unheroic means. And I killed the dog. If I do it again, I'll probably use "one of our dinosaurs is missing" as the scenario. And get another volunteer to roll for the bad guys.

But I sought audience input - one of them introducing a gratuitous T-Rex. And the feedback I got at the end - some recorded - was universally good. I tried to get some feedback from the players but they'd already been collared by a YouTube channel. I await the link with interest. I think it's going to be more balanced than they would have given me.

After the wind down, (no cider this time but I bought a present from the Ale Bar for my wife) I got in one more game. This was a general SciFi game. I was going to run my usual rip-off of the Star Trek episode The Doomsday Machine but I think one of the players' dads had played it before and told him all about it. So I substituted a cut down version of my Fireball XL5 scenario. "You're the only ship in the quadrant. Delay the unbeatable alien invasion fleet until support arrives". My die rolling continued to be immense. But the players refused to give up. When a critical roll left them with  a ruined hulk of a ship, they threw themselves across space to board and co-opt an alien battleship. Then then used this as a Trojan horse and go all Independence Day and introduce a virus into the alien fleet. Job done.

I just had time to be interviewed by the YouTube channel before starting my four hour journey home to Birmingham.

Seven Tabletop games. Two live roleplays. I'm waiting on two YouTube links and a video of one of the roleplays. I've got a handful of feedback videos to upload somewhere.  I'd call the weekend a success. I've carved a slot for myself at this convention. Not sure I'd recommend it for general TTRPG players. But it's a great, friendly, inclusive and eclectic way to spend a weekend.

And the REAL discovery is THE GOLDEN GRAIL TAVERN. Every convention with a
Iicence should invite them along. Most won't though. Their drinks area cheaper and better than those sold in venue so they won't allow them in. Shame.