Andrew B.
@swordcompass
🇨🇦 Creator, player, and GM in the TTRPG space. Creating stories of adventure through adventures with story. Freelance credits with Ghostfire Gaming, Wizards of the Coast, Norse Foundry, and others. SwordCompass.carrd.co Also: board games, sports, travel
I got to try out Bagged & Boarded board game at GenCon yesterday, doing a full playthrough in about 90min. Really really great game about collecting comic books. It has very intuitive mechanics and a great theme. Looks intimidating, but actually pretty simple. Way loghter than a euro.
So when I posted all the places you can get something I worked on at Gencon, I neglected to mention that Grim Hollow is also available at.... THE FREAKING DND TOWER OMG OMG OMG!
Jr. Designer: the problem is that people keep thinking owlbears are cute and want to adopt them! Sr. Designer: hold my Molson Canadian. (From the new Daggerheart book apparently.)
Cheers to Galaxy of Heroes for just leaving no dark corner of star wars untouched. (Apparently there are bunnies?!)
The Toronto Tempo inaugural season's bringing me great moments on a weekly basis. The first WNBA game I saw live was only a couple of years ago in Vegas. Before the Tempo existed. Now the Aces are here, in our building, playing our team! Surreal.
Free RPG day at 401 Games in Toronto! Snagged some interesting reading. :)
Heading out from UKGE early on Day 3. Snuck in a demo of Mariners board game with one of the designers. It wasn't on my shortlist but kinda blew me away. Unfortunately it's still pre-ks, so a long wait. Said my goodbyes, loaded my noble steed, grabbed a cornish pasty for the road and off I go!
UKGE day 2 continued: Walked around the show after, hit a few booths including En World before playing my one scheduled game - the fantastic D&D AL epic Flotilla of Fate. Had a great DM and it was really well run overall. After that hung out and chatted with folks - even a real live wizard.
Long day 2 at UKGE! Tried two board games: the wild "fantasy meets foolery" game of Shug, and Druids if Edora - a dice placement-ish game i've been meaning to check out.
Played demos of Night at the Zoo, 3 Kobolds in a Trenchcoat, and Train Porters. Enjoyed all of them, Night is sure to be a smash at Gencon. On the fence about Kobolds due to price.
Chatted with Ukrainian game designers who're behind Aridnyk and the upcoming 1984 game. I came for the former but loved hearing about the latter - super strong art and theme, and mechanics reinforcing the super dark tone. Apparently oppression is like bad.
More board games stuff from UKGE day 1! Checked out and picked up L'oaf and Steery. Both are the sort of small quickplay games you can pull out anytime.
UKGE Day 1... There was good buzz about the board game Railway Porters ahead of the con, and a good play video sold me on it. So it was my first stop in the morning. Massive line up and it sold out for the day very quickly. I grabbed a copy, going to try to get a hands-on play later.
UKGE DAY 1! Let's Gooo! Checking out Thee Kobolds in a Trench Coat at the FanCrafted booth
Helping my friends from Limithron set up the Pirate Borg booth at UKGE. Got to check out their sweet starter set as part of set up. So much stuff in it! Can't wait to explore the con properly over the next couple of days.
Made it to Birmingham ahead of UKGE! It's pretty meh. Everyone I know arrives tomorrow, and i'll perhaps avoid accosting strangers with "psst, got a board game?" and just hang out in my room. Tomorrow will head over to the con to help friends with booth setup.
After 3 amazing days of food, theater, and sights in London, I'm off to Birmingham for UKGE!
