The Opinionated Gamers

Well, I managed to make it home safely and have definitely returned to the domestic world of laundry, kids soccer games and assisting with homework.  While the homework is going on (on the other side of the kitchen table), I’ve got a quick minute to talk about some of the new games that I played this week – most importantly, the new 2F game planned for Essen 2012 release called Fremde Federn (loosely translated as False Feathers).

But, before I get into describing Friedemann’s new game, I wanted to talk a bit about the whole prototype scene at the Gathering of Friends.

Myself, Andrea Meyer, Friedemann Friese playing a traditional Scotch game...

Continue reading →

Well, my week here is just about up – I’m heading home today.  Not a lot of games being played today for me – it’s a bright sunny warm day, so I was a tourist this morning.  Had a nice 3 mile walk around Goat Island as well as the Canadian side to see the Falls from all sides.  Went to my favorite pizza place in Niagara Falls (Ontario) – Pizza Antica on Victoria St.  Well worth the 15 minute walk and the 50 cent toll to re-enter the United States (or should I say that it’s a 50 cent tax to leave Canada?)

Tonight is the Boardgamegeek.com admin dinner/annual meeting – so there will be a bunch of beer, wings and other fun foods.  Maybe we can get more tempura battered bacon like we had at the Pearl Street Brewery earlier in the week…

Continue reading →

Well, it’s a slower day around here.  The annual Tichu tournament is going on, and it feels like half of the convention is playing it.  It was actually hard for awhile to get a group together to play something other than Tichu.  Though, after the first few hours, the number of tournament players was cut in half and the room returned to its regular state

Continue reading →

One of the great traditions of the Gathering of Friends is the Prize Table.  It’s a scheduled event on the Saturday of each Gathering where the attendees get their names drawn out of a hat and get a chance to come up to the Prize Table area and choose a game to bring home.

The games on the Prize Table all donated by the attendees – each one bringing in at least one game to add to the “raffle”.  Many of the game companies that attend the Gathering donate multiple games – so many so that in previous years, there have been multiple rounds of game picking during the Prize Table

At this point in the week, the table is only about 1/3 full – but I thought it would be neat to show what is already up there.

The big ticket table – so far, Antiquity, Big Boss and Hotel Life are on this one

Sorry the pics are sideways! Trying to post quickly, and my phone can’t rotate the pics and post them!

until your next appointment

the Gaming Doctor

Thanks to everyone for the responses (public and private) to the few posts so far.  Here’s another set of pictures to show everyone what folks play at night at the Gathering,..  You’ll probably catch the theme here soon,..

Dungeon Star (a Japanese dice game) Continue reading →

Well I’ve had a few emails asking me what else is being played.  I think many people here would agree that there isn’t that much new going on.  At least, not a lot new from Nurnberg.

Santa Cruz from Hans im Gluck is here, and it’s been played a lot.  Also, there is currently a 1st & Goal tournament going on right now (R&R games).  Other new(ish) games here:

• Indigo
• Waka Waka
• Targui
• Bohnanza wurfelspiel
• Tanzen Wanzen
• Vegas
• Keltis Wurfelspiel
• Zooloretto Wurfelspiel
• Africana
• Pix
• Continue reading →