Subject:
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Re: Gaming at AFOL cons
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.gaming
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Date:
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Mon, 25 Feb 2002 05:36:54 GMT
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Viewed:
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1838 times
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"Frank Filz" <ffilz@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3C795506.B9FB9E3@mindspring.com...
> Christopher Weeks wrote:
> >
> > In lugnet.fun.gaming, Frank Filz writes:
> >
> > > One thing Steve Jackson asked was based on the response to the Pirate
> > > Game at BricksWest, was it even appropriate to have gaming at an AFOL
> > > con.
> >
> > I've been thinking about this since last summer's Brickfest, actually. • I don't
> > want to miss out on the other stuff, but I'm really there to play LEGO • games.
> > I think that the length of time that we played was on the border of • being too
> > little to justify the set up and take down time. So I think some • thought needs
> > to be given to how to keep the gaming space operating.
>
> Definitely. Of course we had intended a longer play time but my awful
> work schedule conspired against us. Clearly one thing to do is to not
> rely on a single person for the game. Even if folks wanted to wait for
> me to actually run the game, the setup could have been completed Friday.
Set-up for any game I have run takes a hideous amount of time. Currently I
am behind in building all of the elements for my pirate game even with
Egyptian two months away. Participants must build and prep before they leave
their house. We can log in to the newgroup and load update pictures of
structures, boats, and armies we are building.
Multiple game masters is a must or at least a room everyone can leave locked
and undisturbed
>
> I would also like to seriously suggest Brickfest change how the outlet
> shopping runs. Having everyone trek out to the store Sunday morning
> effectively kills Brickfest for Sunday.
This is why I would like to see Lego bring the bulk pieces and sets to a
dealers room. I volunteer to spend the time to help load the truck.
<Snip>
> > If everyone wants that, then maybe the answer is to have more than one • person
> > "running the gaming" so that they can take their unstructured time at • different
> > times and the game can go on for those that want to continue. Only a • few
> > things (like the session with Brad et al) would really strip the game of
> > players.
>
> Multiple GMs certainly would allow GMs to flow in and out. With a 12
> hour plus game session, that would even be necessary to avoid GM burn
> out. The key then is to get enough players to be able to support 3 or 4
> GMs.
I agree
> > > An involved game like the Pirate Game or Mike Rayhawk's BricksWest • Brick
> > > Wars scenario really requires the gaming to have a dedicated secure
> > > space (it need not be independently lockable at an AFOL con so long as
> > > general security covers the space). This allows setup to occur without
> > > delaying the start of the game, and allows the game to span multiple
> > > non-contiguous time slots.
> >
> > Agreed. Also, I'd like to see a central staging supply area, with -- • when
> > demand suffices, more than one game going on based out of the central • supply
> > pool. The whole thing secured appropriately.
>
> Hmm, do you foresee multiple simultaneous Pirate Games? Or were you more
> thinking of multiple simultaneous Brickwars games?
Most gaming conventions have tournaments for miniature events. Round robin
format, one game covers a four hour slot, multiple slots spread over the
whole weekend. Bring your own terrain and armies. List out armies and point
values before the convention. Someone in this group came up with a program
to compute point values for armies and since we are computer literate
utilizing this tool should be no problem. I need to search to see who came
up with this because it would be indispensible.
.>
> > > It is worth encouraging some less structured gaming. I think all the
> > > Brick Wars games at BrickFest have been less involved scenarios which
> > > could be quickly set up.
Pick-up games. Spur of the moment.
> > You mean, like a pile of elements that everyone can build from and then • just
> > fight?
>
> I was thinking of the Brickwars game I saw at Brickfest 2000 where there
> were a few scenery/structure items placed around, and everyone supplied
> their own armies (with perhaps a couple people supplying armies for
> those without).
That is an excellent way to get people involved.
> Of course Mike's scenario did have the advantage of pre-built armies so
> the only setup time was the actual play area setup, and then introducing
> players to their armies. A "bring your own army" scenario will require
> some amount of time to establish capabilities and points value followed
> by some balancing act to get the diverse armies into something of a fair
> scenario.
>
> > > There needs to be management of expectations for the gamers. Somehow
> > > Steve was expecting 25 players or so.
That is what this forum was designed to accomplish. We have Todd and Suzanne
to thank for this venue, lets use it.
> > It might take a more dedicated pirate fest to field those numbers since • there
> > would be fewer distractions. I'd also expect BricksWest to • substantially
> > increase the turn out next year. These numbers might be easily • attainable
> > given an event at a game con rather than a brick con.
Game visibility at small conventions would significantly increase the
possibility of attendance at a brick gathering.
> I would guess that expecting more than say 10% of the attendance in a
> particular game is wishful thinking unless the event is game specific
> (i.e. at PirateFest I think we could count on at least 50% participation
> in the "big game").
I have written rules for one idea involving an ongoing pirate game in which
players can leave and come back intermittantly. If a player leaves, his
ships will be harbored in a safe port, pirate or imperial, then the player
can come back later and play again. Score is kept with treasure and ships.
> > > I would also like to see a dedicated LEGO gaming con.
> >
> > Cool! So when ya' going to put it together?
>
> Well... Unfortunately I'll have to re-build my contacts since I will
> soon be on the West coast. I think an East coast LEGO gaming con would
> still be possible. Doing it in NJ might make it attractive to the NELUG
> Brickwars contingent, and is certainly convenient to most of the known
> Pirate Gamers on the East coast. If you folks put it together, I'll try
> and make it. I won't be supplying quite so many ships, though clearly
> packing for a gaming con would allow me to bring a good sized fleet,
> Steve Jackson brought 20-30 cutters in his luggage, it would be easy to
> bring 10-15 cutters and several larger ships, I brought 4 cutters, a
> class 2 (The Green Menace), and a class 7 (The Red Seas Barracuda), but
> no extra goodies, to BricksWest and didn't even use half of my big box.
>
> At one time, someone was floating the idea of a Pacific Northwest
> PirateFest so perhaps there's enough players out there...
>
> > > One way to do this
> > > might be to have it in conjunction with a normal SF or gaming con. Such
> > > a con would have a full track of LEGO gaming (including a panel or • two).
> >
> > But the big game cons (Gen Con, Origins, etc.) are probably too big to • work
> > with on such a project and I wonder if small cons would draw enough • AFOLs out
> > for travel. I wonder what kind of turn-out I could get with such a • dual-track
> > event here in New Jersey?
Stephen Gabriel has run Lego Pirate Wars at GenCon several times and it
would be nothing to run continuous Lego events in the miniatures room. There
is always open space and tables in the minis hall. As far as seminar times
and space, I am sure there is enough room to hold those events. You fill
out an events registration and turn in it in the the GenCon staff.
<snip>
> Steve specifically
> commented that he was bummed that the train free play was scheduled up
> against the Pirate Game. He was also interested in trying out Brickwars
> and he attended a variety of sessions. He doesn't talk much about his
> LEGO collection, but it is clear that he is a true AFOL and not just a
> gamer finding a neat set of props. I suspect that as he becomes more
> involved with the AFOL community he will be drawn more out of his shell
> (Hi Steve!). He's also clearly busy running his company and promoting
> its products so we are competing for a limited amount of free time.
I think we should ask him to play and help us publish the rules to the
BrickWars game.
> Frank
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Gaming at AFOL cons
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| (...) I was specifically refering to a relationship in which a LEGO gaming area was set aside for the whole con and games were kept running in all 14 timeslots. I know I could just register as a judge and run anything (I've done it many times), but (...) (23 years ago, 25-Feb-02, to lugnet.gaming)
| | | Re: Gaming at AFOL cons
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| (...) If pre-build islands and such are available, Pirate Game setup can be done in an hour. Player setup can be done in another hour or less. (...) That would be cool. I doubt TLC will go for it yet. If they do anything of the sort, I would expect (...) (23 years ago, 26-Feb-02, to lugnet.gaming)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Gaming at AFOL cons
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| (...) Definitely. Of course we had intended a longer play time but my awful work schedule conspired against us. Clearly one thing to do is to not rely on a single person for the game. Even if folks wanted to wait for me to actually run the game, the (...) (23 years ago, 24-Feb-02, to lugnet.gaming)
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