Lizard and Lunk

The continuing GURPS adventures of eight men who really should find better uses for their time.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Origins, Day 4

Games Played:
None. This was just a quick drive-through with Henry so he could see where Daddy has been for the last three days, and so he knows what he can look forward to when he's a couple of years older. Heck, next year he could be big enough to handle the Kids' Room for a few hours -- but since we live just a few miles up the street from the event, it's easier for him just to have a normal Saturday until he's old enough to do the real events instead of doing time in the kiddie lockup.

But as for this year, he enjoyed some of the hard work that the event-runners put into their miniatures, such as the very accommodating Ghostbusters people who let Henry hold Mr. Stay-Puft:

 


He also liked this undead dragon from the dragons-siege-the-castle game, though his expression is a bit quizzical here:
 


And finally, he enjoyed solving the maze in the big Alice in Wonderland game:
 


(I was very proud that he never strayed from my instructions that he not touch anything unless he was invited to do so.)

So long, Origins. See you next year.

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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Origins, Day 3

Games Played:
Smallworld (a very interesting take on a type of game that doesn't interest me much),
Pandemic once again (still excellent),
Martian Fluxx (the jokes are nice, but sadly, it's still Fluxx), and
Castle Panic (a good game, but too simple to play with my friends and too complicated to play with my son).

Games Won:
Smallworld (how nice of those veteran players to give a first-timer like me such good advice!). Also, our group defeated the Castle Panic game itself, but I had the lowest score out of the four of us. Frankly, this is a game that requires teamwork first, then punishes it later.

My play of Castle Panic was a full-length demo at the booth; it included me, the demonstrator, and two other guys I didn't know. We were halfway through the game before I realized that the demonstrator was actually Justin De Witt, the game's designer -- and I probably wouldn't have realized it at all if the other people working at the booth weren't making a bit of a fuss.

Just plain forgot to take any pictures today -- even though that learn-it-from-the-designer moment might have been a good time to remember to take out the camera.

Game-playing at Origins is over for me this year, though I'm taking Henry down tomorrow morning so he can see the trade room.

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Friday, June 25, 2010

Origins, Day 2

Games Played:
The Stars Are Right (too much of a brain-bender),
Zombie Dice (light, quick and fun),
Power Grid: Factory Manager (unsurprisingly, a bit dry),
Pandemic (I love this game and never get to play it), and
Dominion (not my thing -- too Magic-like).

Games Won: Pandemic and Dominion.

And I'm not positive, but I believe this is one tricked-out version of Agricola.

 


 


 


 

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Origins, Day 1

Out of the whole group, it's just me here -- they're all more RPGers and video gamers these days (at least the Columbus ones), leaving me as the sole board gamer.

Anyway:
Games Played:
Nuns on the Run (excellent),
Elk Fest (twice, just for quick-and-easy Mayfair ribbons),
Family Business (ditto),
Catan Dice Game (Roll Through the Ages is better).
Knight me, Mayfair booth!

Games Won: Zero.

And even though there is no such thing as a good photograph taken in convention-center lighting (especially with an iPhone):

The nice people with whom I played Nuns on the Run:
 


Ghostbusters game!
 


 


 

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Friday, June 18, 2010

Let Me Sum Up

18 Jun 2010-

As it stands, there have been few updates this last couple of months, but not because there was no gaming, just because there was too much other stuff going on (end of the school year, the previously-mentioned black belt tests, etc.). I would explain all of our happenings in more detail, but there is too much... let me sum up.

In Bruce's adventure with the Yellow Sign, the PCs went to the next town to find out that they were too late once again. The center of the town was a war zone, and we waded in to sort things out once again. After we reached the clean-up stages, we discovered that the bard and her partners had headed to a nearby city to try their luck there (third time's a charm and all that), and we set off in pursuit once again. We arrived in the city to discover that her production was in progress, but not yet at the point where the baddies had materialized, so we decided to crash the show. Combat ensued, with a gateway opening in the playhouse that let in half an alien lake and an entire alien monster. After a major battle, the bad guys were dead, the critter from the other dimension was gone, and the city was saved. You're welcome.

The next week(s), Brian took over running the game, and our PCs were summoned to come to a remote meeting with a potential employer. We gamely trotted out there, only to discover a melee already in progress. Although both sides looked a bit sketchy (a minotaur on one side and orcs on the other), we joined the side fighting the orcs- we just don't like them. It turns out that we chose well (which was good, since we would otherwise have slain the good guys, which would have been awkward), and had made a good first impression on our employer, a prince from a neighboring country. He wanted us to investigate the strange behavior of his father, who had become rather loopy recently, and who was potentially possessed. He gave us a contact in the capital, and off we went.

We met the contact in a park, and were then promptly jumped by were-rats, who tore Kevin into shreds before we could eraticate (sorry, couldn't resist) them. Anyway, we resurrected Kevin and went to see the king, posing as demon investigators. Many things were suspicious about the king, but the giveaway was his deer-like odor, and the presence of deer fur in the blankets- someone had put a polymorphed deer in the king's place. Our revelation of the status of the impostor led to the subsequent revelation that nearly all the other things in the room were demons- what fun! A huge fight ensued, with yours truly (as Khavi) getting two beautiful morning star hits in on the lead demon's skull, and Jeff's half-giant finishing the job. Although I had to leave on that glorious note, the rest of the party also did well, and the remaining demons were finished off.

And that, in an incredibly fast and anti-climatic denouement, is likely the last adventure for this party. As often happens, the group started talking about a new campaign, people got some ideas going in their heads, and now we're all busy creating new characters. Whether it's our new Supers campaign or our new Fantasy campaign, the next campaign update will feature all new characters!

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Two boots to the head!

Three cheers for newly-minted blackbelts Bill and Bruce!

 

 

 

 
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