News Bits: 11/18/2013

This week's NEWS is a little light, unless you follow the rabbit holes in the first link (which is what I did...):

Board Game Geek posts Essen coverage [Link] Here's a list of the videos in one spot. I'm not gonna lie: I've come away with more than a few games added to my wishlist after watching some of these. I'm very grateful for this service since I was unable to attend.

News Bits: 10/28/2013

News! This week was the big game fair in Essen, Germany. I'm sure we'll be getting more news this week. And I'll pass along what I find out to you.

Essen, Essen, Essen! [Opinionated Gamers, MetaGames] This week was the world's largest board game fair in Essen, Germany. As much as I would have loved to go, alas! I was stuck at home. However, several writers for the Opinionated Gamers blog were able to be there, and they have detailed their experiences (some are more about the games than others). Also, James from the MetaGames blog has been posting periodic tweets about games from Essen and usually posts fuller reviews on his blog a little later. And I will be watching for more news as it's revealed this week. (And be sure to check out the GeekBuzz list on BGG.)

News Bits: 7/15/2013

Exactly one year ago I started writing a weekly news post for iSlaytheDragon. When Futurewolfie initially suggested that I write a news column for our blog, my thought was, Isn't this what W. Eric Martin is for? And I continue to ask myself that same question now, albeit much less frequently, thanks to all of you. It's been exciting to see our weekly news post grow from a tumbleweed witnessed by a few faithful readers into one of our most-read and discussed posts of the week.

So, to all of you who have been with me since the beginning (and those who are just joining us), thank you. Your energy and enthusiasm has kept me going despite the frequent questions of identity and utility.

But enough of this. The NEWS:

News Bits: 10/22/2012

Last week was Essen. This week is the news. Check it out!

Essen, Essen, and More Essen
You must be hungry, because the big buzz on the Internet (at least in our small niche of it...) this past week was Essen. I, unfortunately, didn't get to go, but there are lots of great people who did. Check out the links below for some of their coverage. The biggest surprise for me from Essen? Escape: The Curse of the Temple topped the Geekbuzz list on Board Game Geek for the entire fair. Hands down. No real competition. Really...? My guess would have been Tzolk'in (which took the second spot).

FDQ: Conventional Thinking

So, the world’s largest hobby gaming convention is currently going on right now. And I’m not there. Essen Internationalen Spieltage. Or, simply Essen, for short. The show is conveniently named for the city it takes place in: Essen, Germany. That goes a long way in explaining why I’m not there – in that it’s a long ways away. To be exact, Essen is 4,389.4 miles from where I live. It is simply cost and time prohibitive for me to attend.

Having said that, I’m not sure I’d attend even if I had more adequate resources to do so. Sure, Essen is THE gamer’s gaming place to be. No doubt, it is the most influential and commercial of all of the industry's events. And yes, there will be innumerable things to do and hot new releases and insider information and great sales and nearly 150,000 fellow gamers! But that’s all too much for me.

I prefer the smaller, generally regional conventions and gatherings with less hustle and bustle. There’s a greater chance to do what you want and when. There’s more opportunity to meet one-on-one with game designers and publishers. Cost isn’t sky-high, access isn’t crazy, schedules aren’t overwhelming, elbows aren’t jabbing, and they smell better, too. Furthermore, the big conventions are rather irrelevant for me. I’m not a card carrying member of the “Cult of the New.” And new releases, of which there are far too many for me to keep track of and let alone buy, are a central focus of Essen and other big shows. I’m not even that keen on GenCon and Origins, the American counterparts to Essen (though still not nearly as large). But given their geographic proximity to me, it is an option I will always keep open if it ever becomes available. I’m not arguing it wouldn’t be a good experience. I’m just too laid back to press it.

What about you? Ever been to, or plan on attending, Essen? Do you think it’s personally worth all the hype? What about other big conventions? If so, which ones are accessible and worth the effort? Or is your gaming life content with less grander fare?

News Bits: 10/15/2012

Today is @Futurewolfie's birthday, so be sure to wish him well on Twitter (or in the comments). And with that bit out of the way, here is this week's news!

Essen Spiel Convenes in Germany
The big news this week is that the annual Spiel convention will take place in Essen, Germany (sounds tasty). For those of you who, like me, are unable to attend, Board Game Geek has a preview of what to expect up on their website. Honestly, it's a lot to wade through, and I'm just waiting to follow what those who attend the fair will vet for me.