Games
How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
I know I’m going to totally date myself with this blog submission, oh well. When I listen to music, especially from bands that I’ve scene in play live, I can immediately visualize the band playing a particular venue. Lets take 1980’s hair bands like Aerosmith, Van Halan, Motley Crew, etc., I picture them playing a big loud stadium show with lots of pyrotechnic stuff going on. The hard rocking hair bands of the 1980’s look pretty sad playing at Busch Gardens or a lounge show in Atlantic City. Even though, many of the 1980’s rockers are doing the Six Flags tour circuit. Here some other examples:
Billy Bragg, Jazz musicians, Buddy Guy and Bo Diddly I picture at a small smokey blues bar.
In high school we use to go to all ages puck shows. So some how I picture bands like Black Flag, Dead Kennedy’s, The Exploited or even the Clash or The Replacements in an all ages club with 500 sweaty teenage kids slam dancing.
The Dead, Jimmy Buffet or Reggae Bands = Summer open out door music festival.
College Auditorium: REM, Beck, Police
Six Flags tour: Anybody from American Idol or who got there start on Disney
Vegas or Atlantic City show: 1960 Motown group, Elvis Impersonators
So what about games? Is there better or worse venues for games? What’s the advantage and disadvantages of different venues for gaming? And more import what is the recommend drink of choice at different venues?
Family game night at the house: Uno attack, Sleeping queens, saboteur, moose in the house, Cluzzle, Clue, Buffy the Vampire Hunter or California. The drink of choice is hot chocolate and cookies or popcorn.
Multi family game night at my house: Werewolf, Shadow Hunters, Saboteur, Wits and Wagers, Pit, Last Night on Earth, Cash n’ Guns
The basement of my mother’s house: There are some days I wish my wife, QueenPut would adopt me and I could become a 40 year virgin living in my basement on a diet of Doritos and Cherry Coke. Here I’d become a level 50 D&D cleric with lots of cool spells and stuff. I guess I’m dating myself again. I guess if I was a 40 year old virgin living in my mom’s basement in 2009, I’d probably be playing World of Warcraft not D&D.
You and one of best gaming buddies at their house or your house: This is the best venue for two player war games. The quiet atmosphere is perfect for a little hard core war gaming and little scotch on rocks.
Small private group of gaming friends (3 - 6) at somebody’s house: This is the perfect location for some classic multiplayer Ameritrash games like Ti3, Arkham Horror, Fury of Dracula, Warrior Knight or some newer games like Battlestar Galatica, Android and Conan. The recommended drink Bourbon and beers.
Medium size group of people (6 – 20) at somebody’s house: In this situation the big time Euros (Puerto Rico, Caylus, Agricola, Power Grid, Age of Steam) and filler games come out. You may see one or two Ameritrash games if people make prior arrangement to play.
Open gaming at a community center or public location: Short Euros, family games and card games. The gaming time at community centers are usually limited to 3 – 4 hours and the turnout is very unpredictable. You need games with easy rules because you may have a handful of new gamers show up and because time is limited you can be spending half your time teaching rules. I’ve gone to the open gaming night at a community center a few times. I even brought and played Arkham Horror once. But if I never have to play at community center again I’d be very happy.
Gaming at the local game shop: CCG and role playing game. Actually, I’ve never played a game at a local game shop. When I was kid my mother wouldn’t let because she was scared of the strange greasy smelly men. As an adult, I’m kind of scared of the strange greasy smelly men who hang out in dark game shops.
Regional Cons: This is a great venue for loud Ameritrash games. In a noisy room with beer flowing and Steve Avery pouring everyone Pina Colada it’s fun to roll dice and blow shit up. Battleball, Shadow Hunters, Thunder Road, Axis and Allies, Epic Duels, Wings of War and Descent were all big hits 3 or more plays each. Regional cons are great venue for longer games like Ti3 and Arkham Horror because everyone is there for the duration. You don’t have your buddy who plays 2 hour of Ti3 and than says he has to get home. The hot Euro games of week are also popular at these cons. Dominion and Small World were the big hits this year.
World Board Gaming Championship (WBC): War games and old school AH games. So you have an old crumbling copy of Civilization, Kremlin, Gangsters, Slap Shot or 1776 that nobody in your gaming ever wants to play with you. Here the perfect venue to find other people like you from around the world to play some 1970’s and 80’s style gaming. At WBC there are over 100 different gaming tournament. This year Malloc and me are running the Ti3 tournament.
Big cons and other cons like Essen, Gencon, BGG and Gathering of Friends. I haven’t been and I don’t have a huge interest in attending but I’d appreciate if other people put in their two cents.
