It happened again!

[draftermatt]

Some of the funnest times we've had with friends is when we get together and play board games.

I'm not into D&D and Risk, but Life, Scrabble, Monopoly, etc. good times.

[Bradester]

My best friend's brother and his wife got me into Settlers. That game on a Friday night with some pizza, chicken wings, and various adult beverages? Good times.

Their parents have card parties. Card parties! With the little finger sandwiches and chocolates shaped like playing cards. I remember my parents having those when I was very little. Sitting around, enjoying pie and coffee, and playing pitch.

I think the world would be a better place if more people had card parties.

[CaroPhoenix]

Samaliel - I actually had a guy (about my age) ask me & C what a board game was. Like he'd never played Monopoly before?

Bradester - My mom knows one other couple who plays bridge, so my mom & dad once a month have a bridge party complete with little sandwiches (decaf) coffee and candy bowls.

As for Settlers of Catan? There's a new version that just came out this week - Traders & Barbarians.

[Bliss]

BTW Am I the only sicko in earth who actually liked... hell, loved, Shadowrun?

[Kaylyn]

BTW Am I the only sicko in earth who actually liked... hell, loved, Shadowrun?

My husband and I were at Barnes and Noble last week and we were over in the gaming/comic section...we were looking to see if any of the 3.5 stuff had been marked down and I was looking for the Drizzt graphic novels (only have Homeland and Sojourn right now)...he glanced at a copy of Shadowrun and asked my opinion on it...I said I'd play it if he got it, as would everyone else, but he wound up putting it back.

I think he should get it, especially after our last Call of Cthulhu game...he's shaping the world to have an incredibly different future and his current plan is to run it as d20 modern, but Shadowrun might fit in very nicely.

[CaroPhoenix]

My husband has the original Shadowrun books. He also has some other rpgs that are no longer being made (and probably only last 6 months to a year to begin with. Anyone remember the Pendragon/King Arthur RPG?)

I was thinking about getting back into Vampire, but I was just recently told that Malkavians are no longer a race you can be. They're now Malkovians and are an offshoot of the Ventrue clan.

[Kheldarson]

I enjoy Shadowrun but haven't had a lot of time to play it compared to D&D. And I grew up playing board games with my family. Loved the Avalon Hill stuff. My brothers and I play the video games, but the old board and card games are still pulled out at least once a week. Current addition to family collection: Apple to Apples.

What's funny is none of their friends know how to play any of these games. My youngest brother goes over to a friend's house and comes back talking about the video games they played while there.

[pssorens]

Love shadowrun, Just didn't like the sudden twist to the universe when earthdawn went to a different company.

but heck I'm a dying breed now. I hear gaming store I think Rpg's, board games, and tabletop mini's.

[Primer]

About 15 years ago, 3 of my friends and I tried to teach ourselves how to play Bridge. We'd meet on Saturday afternoon, about once a month. It was fun, but I don't think any of us stuck with it.

[CaroPhoenix]

I think there are books that teach you how to play card games. Sometimes though, the explanations are really hard to understand.

Yeah, I love gaming stores (with the "old fashioned" games )

However, should this really bother me? Or am I letting this get to me. It just really pisses me off when people come in, look all around and then say "Where are the games?"

[Gurndigarn]

However, should this really bother me? Or am I letting this get to me. It just really pisses me off when people come in, look all around and then say "Where are the games?"

It's one of those petty annoyances that managed to get under your skin. Most of them aren't trying to be sucky: they just have an expectation that's not being met. While it can be irritating if it happens frequently, it also could be a chance to convert the heathen find new blood for the hobby. If you have the space, putting out displays of some of the games that might quickly catch the eyes, and when they ask about games, say "we don't carry electronic games. Have you ever played a game like [local favorite]? (Possibly followed up by "if you want to try it, the local gaming groups meet here on [XXXdayj], or I can show you the basics..."

You're not going to get all of them (probably not even most), but if you can turn one out of ten into a return call or sale, you will have saved the sinner helped out the bottom line. Board games have a nice markup, after all.

[Kheldarson]

However, should this really bother me? Or am I letting this get to me. It just really pisses me off when people come in, look all around and then say "Where are the games?"

Don't know if it's wrong to let it bother you; I know it worries me sometimes, but mostly because I had a far more traditional childhood. I learned all the board and card games; I was forced to be social. Now, kids just hole up.

But I don't think board games will die. Just the other day I watched three girls play "London Bridge". I haven't seen anyone do that in years, and I'm not that old.

[CaroPhoenix]

I never played "London bridge". However, I used to play "Oranges and Lemons" and I used to play double dutch & Chinese jump rope.

It has become an almost every Saturday (which is the only day I work at the Gaming Store) occurrence to have at least 1 group of kids or an adult with their kid coming in asking about electronics. I do mention that we sell board games, miniatures, D&D and other RPGs. I also make mention that they can just look around to see what catches their fancy. 10 times out of 10, they say no thanks and leave. It's sad.

I got my daughter the "Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Brown Bear - Panda Bear, What Do You See?" board games. Daughter loves the Brown Bear game. I'm proud of her! Next Saturday, I'm going to brag about her board gaming skills (which is basically: "She's slowly learning how to take turns and follow the directions!")

[Geek King]

I did find a couple of very entertaining boardgames at the con this year. I'd suggest The Great Space Race to anyone. It's very crazy, especially with more people. Plays a little like Robo Rally as far as planning turns ahead of time, with more than a bit of Demolition Derby thrown in and some random encounters.

We havn't finished a race yet. Every game so far has come down to last man standing.

Oh, and Shadowrun is a great resource, but I've always found the rules kind of clunky, especially for magic. I'd suggest an old copy of Cyberpunk if you can find it. The new 3.0 version has problems, though. Try to find an old copy of Cyberpunk 1 or 2, or the Cyber Generation book. Crazy Egor's may have a copy somewhere. If it's not in his store, contact them--they have some pretty incredible stuff in stock when they come to the cons, and that's just what they put in the truck!

[Samaliel]

I was looking for the Drizzt graphic novels

Drizzt. Graphic. Novels ?

It must be MINE !

I never heard of them ! They're probably not published around here, though. I might check if I can find those online... Yes, I'm a Drizzt fanboi, and proud of it. (No, I never played a Drizzt rip-off character... I wanted to play the real thing, that's why I became a GM.)

As for Shadowrun, I love the setting, but never actually had the chance to play the game, so I couldn't tell. Some friends told me they liked the Cyberpunk or Fuzion system better.

Idrinkarum > Well, most Vampire aficionados I know don't like the new Requiem settings and keep playing the Masquerade before Gehenna. Or you could still go for some Dark Ages game. And while I like Malkavians, I'm definitely a Gangrel guy.