![[game pieces]](/themes/swa-2008/Webgroup2-1.gif)
Greetings and Goals
My wife found the news article in the Gazette about the Council of Five Nations convention this past weekend. I had heard of it, and the SWA, back in the early 80s so I thought I would check out the website. Sounds like the SWA has been going strong since its origins in the 70s.
I been into gaming since high school in the early 80s. At that time it was mostly D & D. That carried on into my service in the Marine Corps, where it expanded to a small variety of role-playing, board, and miniature games of the fantasy, science fiction, and historical variety.
Since an honorable discharge from the Corps, my gaming has been limited to collectible card and board games with family members. I was pretty much too busy for much else with college and then career. I did get into play-by-mail and play-by-e-mail gaming. Sometimes called turn based gaming. Other than collecting D & D material simply for reading enjoyment, turn based gaming has dominated my gaming experience.
Until this past summer ... when I went to Origins. The company I do my turn based gaming with is in the UK. They originally had a US branch of the company, but the person running it moved on to new professional opportunities so they've been working through other turn based gaming companies for those US players that still play by mail and have gotten those with internet connectivity to play directly through them. Anyway, in order to help promote the game in the US, the owner of the company, has been coming to Origins the past two years.
As a Father's Day gift, my wife made arrangements for me to go this year. I had a blast meeting the owner of the company. In addition I signed up for seminaries from Piazo and participated in a Titan Tournament. Of course, most of the fun was spent meeting the few other US players of the turn based game I play, talking about each other's experiences, and interfacing with the company owner.
The whole experience really charged me into gaming a little more at home and I hope to accomplish three things by joining SWA.
1) Get a little more gaming in. Hopefully a once a month type thing of half day or full day of gaming. Role-playing, board games, card games, minatures. Anything that is fun.
2) Networking with local gamers interested in car pooling and/or room sharing for a trip to Origins 2009.
3) Pomoting the turn based games I enjoy. Feel free to check out the company, Madhouse UK, at www.madcentral.com. The game I play is Dungeonworld, but they have several close ended and open ended games in several genres.
Feel free to contact me on any of the three goals above. Either on the blog or directly via e-mail. I'll be keeping a close eye on the Nov 15 game-a-thon for what will be offered.
Everyone have a good weekend and good gaming!!!
Greg
- Themes86's blog
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- 4335 reads
the Valley Games Titan reprint
Yes.
Someone had a copy of the Valley Games Titan reprint at the World Boardgaming Championships Titan tournament that I attended in August.
There are at least a few of us here in the Capital Region who should be receiving our copies very soon.
The next Titan game I run will probably be played on one of the new games. Even though I'm one of "those guys" that prefers the old design and illustrations.
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)Valley Game Titan Reprint
I liked the quality look of it, but my old game is still in great shape. I don't think I would run out and buy a new one. Hope to win a new one in a tournament, sure, but the older prints have held up well over the years.
Greg
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)Welcome / Titan
I noticed you played in the Titan tournament at Origins. I'm a big Titan fan and run it frequently at Game-a-thons.
I'm actually thinking of starting up a SWA Titan tournament soon, if there's enough interest.
Probably something like:
over an extended timeframe (6-12 months)
Run, all day, every other Game-a-thon to give people lots of opportunities to participate.
Most wins will advance to the final game (will probably only count the first 4-6 games per player)
Gotta figure out a prize.
Anyway, if you like Titan, you should get some chances to play it.
Oh, and welcome to the SWA community. I see Mike beat me to that one.
Nick
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)Titan at the Game-a-thon
Glad to hear there are others interested in Titan. It is one of the games I was hoping might make a showing at a game-a-thon.
A friend of mine gave me his copy of the game when we were discharged from the USMC. Didn't get a chance to play it before then, but I went on to learn how to play the game with my brother and cousin.
So when I was looking for other things to do at Origins, I was pleasently surprised to find they had a Titan Tournament. One of the reasons for the tournament was the prize. www.valleygames.ca had bought the license for the game and was putting out a new printing of it. It wasn't going to be available until GenCon, but the prizes of the tournament was a copy of the new game. There were six rounds of the game, the winner of each round getting a new copy of the game. Those six winners would square off in the finals and the winner of that got, in addition to the new printing of the game the one the previous round, a special set of 6 titan figurines.
I don't know if you've seen the new printing, but it is really nice. And the figurines looked sweet, too.
Each of the initial rounds were actually composed of two rounds. Ideally 36 players would start, the winners of each of six games, would go on to a second game to determine the winner of the round. Only 12 people signed up for our round so they decided on 4 people to a board with the second game being the three winners. I made it to the second game, but the other two players were real veterans while I was playing catch up. Still it was a lot of fun and I really learned a lot from the experience.
Anyway, I would certainly would support Titan Tournament and would, after a game-a-thon or two, offer to run a couple of the rounds based on your suggestion. In fact, I was toying with the idea of offering to run a Titan game, but I didn't want to jump in over my head to quickly. I know the game reasonably well, but I would want to get the rules under my thumb more.
For those that might be interested in the game, but aren't going to run out and buy the game, a pdf copy of the rules can be found here: http://www.milwaukeerumble.com/colossus/TitanRules.pdf
I found the link on the Wikipedia entry for the game.
Greg
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)Welcome!
Always good to see a new face in these parts. Traffic is usually pretty slow on the boards, except for game-a-thon info. There is often a good mix of events at the monthly meets: board games, some RPG, and historical minis.
Thanks for posting the link for MadCentral; I'll be checking them out. I used to do a fair share of PBM games, but I hadn't heard of them, they look interesting.
I've recently started a DnD 4e game and am looking for another couple of players. We usually play once (sometimes twice) a month at the Studio in Schenectady on Saturday nights. Our next session will be November 1 (or perhaps the 8th--negotiating with the wife over that now) and you (and anyone else reading this) are welcome to join us. My e-mail is feralkoala@hotmail.com if you'd like to drop a line.
Once again, welcome, and hope you can shake some gaming time and join us for game-a-thon!
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)Thank you for the Hospitality
Thank you for the welcome, Mike! I will definately be looking as games develop for the game-a-thon.
Before the US branch of Madhouse was disolved, they advertised in Dragon Magazine in the late 90s. That is how I first got into Dungeonworld. When that branch disolved and they serviced their non-e-mail US players through other US PBM companies, they really didn't advertise in the US. They relied on the internet and advertising in UK and European gaming periodicals.
In the past two years, with the company owner coming to Origins, they have been trying harder to recruit US players. At this past Origins, he interfaced with the company that produces Knights of the Dinner Table and they are now advertizing in there comic book. So they will be getting more exposure.
There are oportunities to try free play characters in a couple of their games and Dungeonworld modules, so feel free to check it out.
Thanks for the invitation. I am shying away from 4th edition. So I will politely decline. I will not get into my personal reasons why as I have seen debate on that can become quite ... pasionate ... and would rather not cause that to happen here.
Beyond that I look forward to meeting you in the future and hope I have sparked some further activity here on the SWA website.
Good gaming.
Greg
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)I signed up for a free game
I signed up for a free game of the Borderlands module of Dungeonworld. I recognized the name of one of the principals of the company (Steve Tierney), although I am blanking as to the exact connection--no doubt some older PBM game. Anyway, a few of their offerings looked interesting, so I am glad you pointed them out.
Lets hope we can get Nick to deploy the "big board" for Titan
No worries on 4e, there are certainly valid reasons for not liking it. The arguments do start to get rather heated. There are a couple of groups that play 3/3.5 at game-a-thons, including some RPGA people that run sanctioned events. While they might rotate in some 4e material, I think they still plan on doing 3.x events. And there is a group called the FCS gaming league that is also staying with 3.5.
Mike
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)Brokenlands Module
Glad to hear your giving it a try. I think you will enjoy it. If you run into an elven warrior maiden named Kerzara, that is me. Also, sign up for the yahoo group to see the role-playing side of the game if your interested.
The 'big board'? I might be missing that reference. Perhaps a reference to the Valley Games printing? Either way, I am sure it will be fun.
Excellent. To tell the truth, I wouldn't mind playing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd edition. As long as it was a good story and fun.
Greg
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)the "Big Board"
A couple of friends of mine, and I, photocopied our Titan set and put the pieces on poker chips. We also enlarged the boards. The "Big Board", I usually refer to it as the "deluxe" version.
See link below - That's my game, you should have a chance to play on that board if you want.
http://boardgamegeek.com/image/180819
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)Sweet Board
Now that is a sweet board! Lots a love put into that. It would be an honor to play on that one. Even if I get my a$$ handed to me. LOL
Greg
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)Re: Welcome again
Im another SWA guy who plays Titan dilligently. Im not the best player, but I do love the game. I attend as many SWA functions as I can. I consider myself a big supporter. And if we did do a Titan tournament I would be all up in it.
Welcome again, we hope to see you at some more SWA Game-A-Thons and events.
BTW, my name is Ralph.
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)Pleasure To Meet
Glad to hear all the Titan support. Hope to see you in a game soon. Or any other game. It was good hearing how well the Council of Five Nations went and I look forward to attending next year. Also, attending a few monthy game nights.
Greg
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