I've talked before about starting up a monthly game night at my favorite local watering hole, Ypsilanti's classic Tap Room. So far, the only detail that we've (we being my wife and a few friends, including a few of the Tap Room's staff who want to make sure it's their night off so they can attend) gotten straight is that it will occur on Wednesday nights and will be at most once a month. Exactly what games will be played by whom with whom and for how long are all up in the air. It should be obvious that I plan on running at least one something each month, but there are plenty of other folks who have volunteered to run or host something (including +Donn Stroud). Now, a lot of the stuff that people want to play is boardgames and probably some card games, which is cool and all, but those aren't the sort of games that I'm looking forward to. And so, here's my wish list of games that I'm hoping to play at these shebangs. Maybe I'll run some, maybe I'll get to play, but whatever.
This one really shouldn't be much of a surprise to folks. It's been awhile since I've run DCC in public (GenCon anyone?), and I always have a blast with it. There's something about the confluence of DCC and booze that's like peanut butter & chocolate. Funnel adventures (especially with my Deck of Many Zeroes, which always features 52 unique 0-levels) are a great way to introduce folks to old schooliness. Also, most of the rules are pretty easy for folks to get a handle on at least in funnel games, which might be all we ever do. Or maybe just some short adventures like the two +Harley Stroh joints, Tower of the Black Pearl and Well of the Worm. Fun, short stuff like that to really show off the fun parts of gaming.
Lately, the idea of the OSR being things other than D&D clones has been gaining more traction, which is good, because I think that's a pretty lame distinction. D&D wasn't the only awesome game back in the day, and old schooliness should encompass RQ, Gamma World, Traveller and all that sort of awesome stuff that I dig from back in the day. Yeah, I know that's selfish, to want to include all the cool old stuff I dig, but it turns out that other people dig the same stuff too, so the discovery that there's a whole mess of old school Warhammer aficionados out there playing the edition that got me excited about wargaming back in the 80's and love the same classic models and grotty art that made me fall in love with White Dwarf and the idea of sending tons of 25mm warriors off to their demise. The idea of gaming with the open platforms that are WH3e and 40k1e, with (or even without) classic lead just makes my wobbly parts go all tingly. So, I'd really enjoy finding a few other folks interested in low point-value skirmishes with a round robin structure for GMing and scenario design. If it ever happens. Who knows. It'd be badass if it did, though.
Well, that's all I can come up with right now. I'm sure that I'll come up with a longer laundry list of games I want to work into the mix. Here's hoping it actually becomes a thing.
Dungeon Crawl Classics
This one really shouldn't be much of a surprise to folks. It's been awhile since I've run DCC in public (GenCon anyone?), and I always have a blast with it. There's something about the confluence of DCC and booze that's like peanut butter & chocolate. Funnel adventures (especially with my Deck of Many Zeroes, which always features 52 unique 0-levels) are a great way to introduce folks to old schooliness. Also, most of the rules are pretty easy for folks to get a handle on at least in funnel games, which might be all we ever do. Or maybe just some short adventures like the two +Harley Stroh joints, Tower of the Black Pearl and Well of the Worm. Fun, short stuff like that to really show off the fun parts of gaming.Arkham Horror/Elder Sign
I've never actually played these ones and am feeling like I'm missing out. I, of course, wouldn't be running it, but I'd love to play. So, pals of mine in SE Michigan, if you have a copy of either AH or ES and are willing to teach it to a group of drunken louts, let's hook it up.Call of Cthulhu/Trail of Cthulhu
While we're on the subject of Lovecraft-inspired gaming, lets talk about the classics and a pretty good reinterpretation of that classic. Game night rpg sessions seem to be ideal for the death or dementia outcomes that are commonplace in CoC-style games. I haven't had the opportunity to play CoC... ever. Nope, not once. I ran the hell out of it back in the 90's, but never once was able to play. That having been said, I'll gladly do either.Oldhammer
Lately, the idea of the OSR being things other than D&D clones has been gaining more traction, which is good, because I think that's a pretty lame distinction. D&D wasn't the only awesome game back in the day, and old schooliness should encompass RQ, Gamma World, Traveller and all that sort of awesome stuff that I dig from back in the day. Yeah, I know that's selfish, to want to include all the cool old stuff I dig, but it turns out that other people dig the same stuff too, so the discovery that there's a whole mess of old school Warhammer aficionados out there playing the edition that got me excited about wargaming back in the 80's and love the same classic models and grotty art that made me fall in love with White Dwarf and the idea of sending tons of 25mm warriors off to their demise. The idea of gaming with the open platforms that are WH3e and 40k1e, with (or even without) classic lead just makes my wobbly parts go all tingly. So, I'd really enjoy finding a few other folks interested in low point-value skirmishes with a round robin structure for GMing and scenario design. If it ever happens. Who knows. It'd be badass if it did, though.Car Wars
Remember Car Wars? Why isn't it still an awesome thing that geeks play all the time? Why don't I have any Hot Wheels cars with plastic guns from action figures glued onto them? Why do I have no idea how to actually play Car Wars? All I know about this game is that it should be ridicu-fun and I want learn everything I can from someone who already knows the score. While we're at it, I'd love to learn OGRE, too, and pretty much any of the microgames that Steve Jackson used to put out.Well, that's all I can come up with right now. I'm sure that I'll come up with a longer laundry list of games I want to work into the mix. Here's hoping it actually becomes a thing.