ACD Games Day

Last night, after the kids’ dance lessons and soccer practice, I drove up to Madison, Wisconsin, for the ACD Games Day. I arrived late at an exhibitor’s dinner that the ever-amazing John Kovalic put together for the poor souls not invited to the retailer’s banquet. I had an excellent meal at the Hong Kong Cafe with folks from Fantasy Flight, PSI, Margaret Weis Productions, White Wolf, Impressions, Steve Jackson Games, and more.

Afterward, I rolled out to the Marriott Madison West, where ACD hosted the official event. Although it’s been remodeled in the last year, it always brings back memories of the Capital City Comics Distribution shows that used to be held in the exact same place, about 10 years ago.

I wandered around the demo hall and got washed out fast in a game of Walk the Plank, played versus John Kovalic, Bill Bodden, Lory from Pegasus Games, and a couple of ladies from ACD. It’s a nifty little card game like plays like Hearts but with pirates, which makes it that much more fun. I chatted with a few more people (like Oscar Garza of White Wolf, Ross Jepson, one of the Brians from Fantasy Flight, and Ed Evans of All Things Fun) and made a quick appearance in the hospitality suite. Then I meandered back down the highway toward Beloit and my bed.

Play This Thing!

If you’re a gaming omnivore like me, be sure to check out PlayThisThing.com. It features daily bits about all sorts of games that don’t qualify for mainstream coverage (e.g., things you’d see in electronic gaming print magazines). Manifesto Games, which is run by Greg Costikyan and my fellow Alliterates member Johnny Wilson, stands behind it, and you can expect their same dedication to alternative games (including the tabletop variety) at PlayThisThing.com.

Face Front!

I’ve been sucked into the social vortex known as Facebook. It’s been great for linking up with friends and even playing Scrabble with a long-time friend I’ve known since I was 2. Join me if you like. Here’s my badge:

Cell Phones?

I’m looking for a new cell phone service. I have US Cellular, but it drops calls when I walk through the house. Anyone local to Beloit out there have any recommendation? Mostly I’m looking at AT&T or Verizon right now. Thanks!

Gen Con in 5 Minutes

SlateV has a five-minute feature story about gamers from this summer’s Gen Con. It’s a little heavy on the costumed folks, but since video is a visual medium, I can’t blame them for going with the stuff that looks so interesting.

Look for my pal Ken Hite speaking in one part of it. That bit was filmed during the “40 Years of Gen Con: The Attendees” panel that I sat on along with Ken, Robin Laws, Randy Porter, and Dave Arneson. Ken seemingly speaks in sound bites, although always eloquent and incisive ones.

I also spotted two other people I know well in the video: game designer Christopher Lawrence as a zombie, and the Gen Con-shirted guy with muttonchops (anyone know his name, please?) who worked the door at the screaming-new, infamous Spy Bar (more about which I’ll blather soon).

1DS

I just got back from my wife and I dropping the kids off for their first day of school. Our eldest is now in third grade, and the quadruplets just started kindergarten, so this is a huge day for us all. The school has four separate kindergarten classes, so each of the quads is in a class alone, off to face the world on his or her own.

Every day with these kids is a treat that amazes me in a new way. As I often say, I don’t know how it happens: I stay the same, but they keep getting taller.

No matter what the calendar might say about solstices, summer is now officially over. We had a great one, and I miss it already, but I can’t wait to see what the next year brings.