Origins Game Fair 2014

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Zarathud
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Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Who else is attending the 2014 Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio from June 11 to June 15?

My hotel has been reserved, and my GM events have been submitted. This year Kobolds Ate My Baby will be returning in its full glory, so I may be gorging on silly RPGs.

This year I will be running TWO Venture Brothers Paranoia events, if they are accepted by the system:

Paranoia: My Friend Mark IV Returns - Thursday 6/21 8 AM (4 Hours)
The giant cybernetic warbot still doesn't like being guarded by Troubleshooters (the Venture Villains). In this darkly humorous dystopian world, Friend Computer will provide hilarious opportunities for your heroic clones to revisit a classic favorite mission guaranteed to be 110% fun, 16% safe and free* of Commie Mutant Traitors. Trust No One. Keep Your Laser Handy. No knowledge of the rules is necessary -- that would be treason!
The Thursday morning mission will be my own tweaks (to be written) on the classic mission Me and My Shadow Mark IV. What would be more fun guarding the Mark IV Warbot (a massive OGRE)? Doing it as the Monarch, Phantom Limb, Monstroso, Dr. Killinger, Baron Underbeit and Twenty-Four! Someone will engage in monologue while standing on their chair and referencing Facebook, or Markie will get sad. A sad warbot is not a pretty sight, especially when it outweighs and outguns you by, say, INFINITY.

Paranoia: Venture for the ORB - Friday 6/22 8 AM (4 Hours)
Troubleshooter Team Venture must secure a mysterious experimental device known as The Orb from the Commie Mutant Traitors. In this darkly humorous dystopian world, Friend Computer will provide hilarious opportunities for your heroic clones to sacrifice themselves multiple times to demonstrate their loyalty. Or frame others, and take credit for their termination. Trust No One. Keep Your Laser Handy. No knowledge of the rules is necessary -- that would be treason!
I had a blast running Friday morning Paranoia last year, even though the players completely ruined the gimmick for my transition into second half of the mission. Team Venture was having so much fun just running with the jokes referring to the "TAG Sale" episode and chasing down the Monarch, I saved the rest of the material for this year. A few players kept stalking me for the rest of the convention, talking up how much fun they had.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
paulbaxter
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by paulbaxter »

Much as I enjoyed it last year, I don't think we can make it work this year. We're looking at a very large home repair bill coming up, and we have to run out to CO for a wedding, so I doubt we can afford any other trips this year.
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RMC
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by RMC »

I might drive down for an afternoon on Saturday. I might bring my oldest with me, so she can see the hall, and spend a day with daddy.

Heck, if I can convince the wife, I might make it a family trip and take all my kids and my wife. Just to go through the vendor hall, and let them all see Origins.

But too far away of a date right now to commit.

But most likely I would just go for the vendor hall. I'll contact you closer to the date, and see if we can meet up for dinner/lunch if I make it down there.

Is Hep making it this year as well?
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

I will be packing hepcat in my luggage if necessary.

A day trip to see the vendor hall and try demos is a great idea. The kid could have sensory overload in the vendor hall, so just pay attention and be prepared to pick up a souvenir and head somewhere quieter. I took my wife's cousin to see the miniatures hall and then the arcade game room.

If you make it just for a day, the best deal for a casual day is the board game room.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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RMC
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by RMC »

Awesome. Are you guys doing Gen Con this year?

I got approval for this a while ago, so I am going with two friends this year. Which is why Origins will most likely be a day trip as well.
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

It looks like the Paranoia events at Origins this year will be on Wednesday, under my evil domain or require you to LARP. :ninja:
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by RMC »

Zarathud wrote:It looks like the Paranoia events at Origins this year will be on Wednesday, under my evil domain or require you to LARP. :ninja:
What are you larping as?
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

I'm going to LARP as hepcat. The miniatures painting is going well, now I have to update both adventures. Anyone else coming out to play this year?
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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baelthazar
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by baelthazar »

Zarathud wrote:I'm going to LARP as hepcat. The miniatures painting is going well, now I have to update both adventures. Anyone else coming out to play this year?
I might make it, but I'm not sure. Likely, I will go on Saturday.

Speaking of Hepcat, where is he? I don't think I've seen him around here lately. Is he alright?
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Let's just say that hepcat is taking a break.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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baelthazar
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by baelthazar »

Give him my best then!
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LordMortis
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by LordMortis »

Zarathud wrote:Let's just say that hepcat is taking a break.
Ahem,

Hepcat is taking a break.

How much are rooms at Origins? If you park offsite and drive in (and out) how much is parking? It's probably too late to plan to go this year but theoretically money gets less tight next year and I used to really enjoy open board gaming there. Crazy to pay so much to open board game for a weekend but there is something about being so far away from your responsibilities that makes it so much sweeter of a weekend for gaming.

(A friend and I used to run a killer Paranoia LARP before LARP was much of a term, really. But it was soooo much work to prepare for that even after enlisting the help of four other people to help prepare, we still burnt out on it.

The best part of the game is that we pretty much let 20 players run wild and just with about a half dozen scattered NPCs. I was a wandering game master and my co GM sat at a desk and handed out clones from the PLC and the game ran itself and we just sat back and listened to the stories emerge on their own.)
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by RMC »

I will be there with bells on. Well not really bells, but clothes.

And I will be there from Thursday - Sunday if anyone wants to meet up. I will be dressed up as an Ohioan. :)
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Isgrimnur »

RMC wrote:I will be dressed up as an Ohioan.
So, decked out in OSU gear?
It's almost as if people are the problem.
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Origins is pretty reasonable. Double bed rooms are $125-150 next to the convention, with online deals about $75 further out. If you reserve 1 year early, rooms can be around $100 per day. Parking is $10-15 per day at nearby lots -- there's a web parking lot locator. You can get the $20 board game room ribbon and hang there the entire convention, and the local food district is decent.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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RMC
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by RMC »

Isgrimnur wrote:
RMC wrote:I will be dressed up as an Ohioan.
So, decked out in OSU gear?
Kent state grad here. So I wear none of that schools gear. :)
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Origins event registration goes live on Monday, 5/19.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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RMC
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by RMC »

And registration went smooth. I got into almost everything I wanted to, and it is a very nice and easy process.

Very excited about going this year. Anyone else from here going?
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Finishing my last packing. Since hepcat isn't driving there this year, I have to bring the Family MEGA Suitcase in case I want to buy something. Looking forward to trying out Burning Suns and King's Forge.

And Paranoia...once again, I am pretty sure that I have 2 sessions of material for one morning. The other I'm pretty sure will stretch to cover the necessary time. Next year, I'm switching over to two adventures I've run years ago to great success -- the Stealth Train and the Cafeteria adventures. I still get a chuckle out of hentzau wandering around my dining room with his hands out in front of him, looking for the Train.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Enjoyed the Empire of the Burning Suns, Kings Forge and Damage Report demo. Had a great time running Paranoia, and an awesome run as Pwinky the Royale trying to become King Torg's successor in Kobolds Ate My Baby. Until RMC decided as huh? the Kobold took me down to help him in exhile at the Wall. Most of the party died as the result of a Pony Vengeance rainbloom. The first 42 deaths in the Kobold Random death chart was based on deaths in Game of Thrones. Today, Eclipse!!
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Waiting for my plane back. Bought some Bones Pathfinder minis, Mage Wars Fire expansion, Star Realms, gifts for the family and Another Big Expansion for Galaxy Trucker.

Krosmaster Arena is coming out with a simpler "kid friendly" edition by year end. D&D Dragon Wing minis look awesome. Found out more about the Pathfinder Card Game plans.

Empire of the Burning Suns looks sweet if they can make the icons intuitive. It's a very interesting take more like Twilight Imperium than Eclipse using an order selection mechanism. Really had fun with Kings Forge, a dice-rolling game which uses dice as resources and competition to build a number of items, with ties broken by the "best" roll or item won. Tied for second in Eclipse where attacking RMC would have been fun but netted me zero points. We had a crazy militarized galaxy where the only player attacks happened on the last 2 turns. The weak players couldn't steal anything and the 4 powerful players were in a peaceful standoff -- and 3 players built monoliths. I took the center but no one attacked it because I was too scary, and couldn't risk an attack that weakened my hold on it.

John Kovalic, Chris and Dan signed my Kobolds Ate My Baby book, along with 3 GMs. Always zany fun. Picked up a set of dry erase plastic kobold meeples.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by RMC »

Just got home. Crazy fun with the z man! Recovering at home with the wife and kids. Bought the kids a game, a lots of little things.

Really wanted to kill z in eclipse but just could not pull the trigger. Hopefully next time I can get him..
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Still at airport...wife and kids are going to kill me...should have bought more tribute! Still, lots of fun and very tired!
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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Zarathud
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Re: Origins Game Fair 2014

Post by Zarathud »

Survived, leg intact. I am amazed how quickly 4 1/2 days of gaming can fly by.

My Friday morning Venture Brothers group who abandoned the ORB to the mercy of the Illuminati secret society to save their own hide. RMC was hot with the dice while playing Dermott's awesome ninja powers, resulting in a few moments where Brock the knife-wielding maniac was upstaged. Dr. Venture was played by a game designer who rocked the role by taking pills, blaming everything on his father, mugging for the camera and complaining while going to doom. Not surprisingly, he ran low on clones at the end. Dean and Hank were played to be the ineffective buffoons we love. Dean pushed the Orb up a hill then rolled it back down to crush Phantom Limb's head. Orpheus played lots of shadow tricks and monologued, while the Commie Mutant Pete White compiled an impressive series of notes recorded on the camera to great effect, summarizing the session and making Dr. Venture look incredibly guilty. My other Venture Brothers group wasn't quite as fun, despite being able to play as the Venture Villains guarding the Mark IV Warbot (basically, an OGRE).

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It's not a convention without costumes! What do you wear with chain mail undergarments?

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I dragged poor RMC to play his first game of Kobolds Ate My Baby! Midnight Massacre. Hopefully, his poor ears will forgive me for the rolling shouts of "ALL HAIL KING TORG!" by 100 people in the session. The first 42 rolls on the Kobold Random Death Table were inspired by deaths in the Game of Thrones books. RMC's kobold "huh?" forced my awesome kobold "Pwinky" (Rider of Chickens, Burner of Books, and Bearer of Torg's Dead Body) to accompany him to the Wall, along with the Giant Kobold who ate the Mushroom of Growth. He single-handedly took out our most effective fighting kobolds, which resulted in most of us getting pecked to death by a roaming chicken while the Ice Wolf Road-kill devoured one kobold and made sweet love to the other. Luckily for her, the affections of the Wolf protected her from the Pony Rainbloom that took out the rest of the party. If the random encounter didn't finish her off, the requirement of a "live kobold" to complete the magic spell would have been a problem. This is RMC, unaware of his fate:

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The next morning, I stood alone in the life-size King of Tokyo play area.

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hepcat and I played a game of Super Dungeon Explore. He played the wimpy thief, but I played the Druid. Well, the Druid's BONDAGE BEAR! Who needs magic when you look this FABULOUS and HUGE! This game set was beautifully painted by a regular at Rogue Judges.

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A photo of someone else's game of Empire of the Burning Suns which I really enjoyed and now regret not backing even though the price was pretty steep. I'm a sucker for space games, and this prototype will look amazing once the cut-outs become miniatures. My Peaceful Xenomorphs of the Void not only sound cool, but they were quite bizarre. I really envied RMC's Roaming Robot of the ??? empire's potential ability to build anywhere.

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The last turn of our game of Eclipse. I was the White Manufacturers, while RMC was Yellow (Humans?). While he reduced his neighboring empire to 1 hex, he was pretty weak and I could have stomped him. Breaking the stupid peace treaty saved him from my wrath, since it wasn't worth fighting him when still I had to hold the Galactic Core and 3 monoliths. The Green Planta was left to build a very protected position, and the Blue technologists cranked out 15 VPs of tech alone, then rushed into monoliths, too! The Black Humans got aggressive and took some big risks that paid off but wasn't quite enough.

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"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
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