So I was going to just talk about how the “What I want to Buy from Gen Con” turned out. BUT since the 3rd Annual Gamers For Cures 24 hour board game marathon to benefit Turner Syndrome Society of the US is 2 weeks away, I figured I would make this a potpourri post of sorts.

So first, how did my top ten to buy at gen con turn out? Well, I did come home with an absolute ton of games and some were actually on my list! So one by one here goes…

Oh well here’s what Dice Hate Me Chris and I did. On our trip to Gen Con we mapped out what our path would be for when we got into the vendor hall Thursday morning. We tend to get  there right at 9 to stand around and get a good spot for the doors to open and get right in and run to where we want to go. I won’t bore you with the details about where and how long it took us to to the lap but I will say we were fairly successful with out map. Adam, however stayed in the room and slept in, knowing he really didn’t need to get anything that early or even at Gen Con at all really. (He’s a hell of a lot smarter then the rest of us really)

10 Trains– Well Turns out there wasn’t really limited copies there. But Chris and I got to AEG real early and real fast to pick this one up. Neither of us had played it but we had heard all the buzz and figured we needed to grab one! I knew I would like it, b/c hell, I am MR DECKBUILDING so I had to add it to the collection. Still love it today and glad I grabbed it. It also helps that I got the limited edition Indiana Gen Con map, and that the wife REALLY likes it as well. GREAT BUY!

9. Spyrium– Here is the first on our list that I ended up not buying. It wasn’t that it was too expensive or that I played it and didn’t like it. It was cheap enough and in good supply. I just never did grab it or play it. And of those I am only regretting that I haven’t played it yet. I am sure it’s decent so hell, if it bowls me over I will grab it eventually.

8. Bioshock Infinate/Krosmaster Arena.– Ok back when I came up with my list I was worried that these might be too overpriced for my taste. Well I didn’t end up grabbing either one of these. First Bioshock is still pricey and I like Paid Hat’s work but it’s turned into one of those try before I buy. It’s just such a ginormous game and so much to it, that I want to see if I will actually play it at all before I invest $70+ into it.  So I do still really want to try it out but haven’t even seen it on any table at all yet to even ask about it. Krosmaster is a different bird entirely. I went over to Japanime games’ boot to check it out. And they were kinda swamped so I just kinda hovered taking it all in. I knew throughout the weekend if I ended up wanting the base game I could grab it. BUT, while I was checking stuff out I was observing the people working the booth. Sometimes these are just volunteers others they are employees. Without naming names I will say the people I saw that day were big wigs in the company that were there helping out. And oh my God where they ALL complete assholes to everyone. They didn’t want to be there and it was showing BADLY. Snippy to the customers and not wanting to answer any questions or talk at all to people. How they were still making money is beyond me. I did get to chit chat with one of the workers at one point and he was actually pretty cool but the rest were schmucks. SO I thought, well everyone has bad days I will come back and talk to them later. So when I went around on Sunday, when I was talking to a TON of publishers about donations for the GFC charity event, I figured I would touch base with them. Who knows maybe they would be nice. Nope, not at all. Again I won’t name names, but the person was not very nice at all. I barely got eye contact, got a complete a-hole attitude and got a card thrown at me. At least I gave them my card but that was it. I also mailed them later about a donation (which they told me to do), and what do you know??? Nope not even a flipping peep back to say no. Thanks Japanime games, you got yourself on my do not buy list!

7. Dead Panic– This was the zombie version of Castle Panic that I was wanting to get for the family co-op zombie romp I wanted to do. Unfortunately it wasn’t on my initial map, and it was Sunday before I even stumbled upon the booth again. This is one of those I regret not getting. It looks good and it was reasonably priced.

6. Dungeon Roll– Well I did grab one of these real cheap at the con. Hell, by Sunday Mindes was practically giving them away at the booth. So I grabbed one at a nice discounted price b/c well I do love dice and do love me some dungeons! I am glad I got it but I am also upset that I haven’t played it yet to this day. Yeah I know I am slack.

5. Rialto and Brugges– Once I got to the con I decided these two were try before I buy. Why? I don’t know, don’t ask me. I love Feld A LOT, and know I will love em but figured it was a way to save my wallet money. Brugges sold out REAL fast so that didn’t upset me at all anyway. Rialto, as far as I know was there but I don’t remember seeing it much anyway. SO, to this day I HAVE played Brugges. And I did like it a lot. There are some crazy combo’s and I am not sure why they didn’t cap some of them when testing, b/c quite frankly some of them are broken as all hell. That doesn’t stop it from being a good game tho. I really want to play this more. Hopefully soon I can get to try it out again b/c there are some more strategies I would like to try out. I went heavy building and reputation and it didn’t work out well. Mostly, b/c I didn’t get many good buildings in my hand so I still would love to try it out again. As for Rialto, it’s still escaping me, and I haven’t played it yet, but still REALLY want to. No regrets about not buying it, but I bet one of these ends up in my hands sometime next year.

4. Maximum Throwdown. This was an auto buy for me. Well, sorta an autobuy. I went to get it and then I heard it was going to be in the AEG night freebie box so I didn’t buy it. BUT I would have. I guess I kinda did since I did drop $40 on AEG night. Anyway, this game kicks ass. I have played it a ton of times and still LOVE it. It is just plain fun to throw cards onto a table. Bravo Tagmire well done on a great game buddy.

3. Pathfinder Adventure Card Game– I am pretty sure this was being sold at either 50 or 60 (I think 50 is accurate) at the con, with there also being the mini expansion pack being available at the con as well. So we kinda bypassed this one on day one with the big pass through mainly b/c the line was CARZY long, so we didn’t want to waste half of our day waiting in the Paizo line. They ended up selling out (IIRC) and I didn’t end up getting one there. I was a little upset about it, BUT once I got home a few weeks later I ended up getting it for something around $40 from a buddy of mine Dave who runs Games Well Played. He had a good price on the base game so I couldn’t pass it up! As with some Dungeon Roll, even thought I own it, to this day I am yet to play it. I am fairly certain that I will be getting a play of this in on the 24 hour Charity event in 2 weeks. I love the looks of this and am REAL glad I own it, and have heard nothing but great things about it. I am still not 100% sure if I can get the better half to play it with me but I am really hoping I can.

2. Space Cadets Dice duel— I made it a point to go say hey to everyone’s favorite game company owner, Steven Buonocore. He’s just the greatest guy and I cannot say enough about him. We ran over to the Stronghold booth and there was still a few left for sale so I grabbed one. I am glad I did but, as the theme is running here on the post, to this day I have not played it yet . That’s despite TC Petty having read the rules for what seemed like 10 hours one night. He had it in his hand and he kept “reading” every few mins as we hung out and chatted but he still never told us how to play haha. Oh well hopefully soon I can get a play in. GLAD to have gotten this one tho, I am real sure I will be getting to play this with family real soon, especially since the holidays are coming.

1. Ascension: Darkeness Unleashed– Sequel to Rise of Vigil. I made no bones that I wasn’t very optimistic about this one, mainly b/c I thought the base game was WAY too swingy. It was a bit of a let down for me. I knew I was going to play in the world championships so I figured I would see how I liked it there. WELL, I got to play it a bunch in the tourney, as I finished in the top 10 I got a ton of games in. I have to say after playing this many times, ITS REAL GOOD. And to be quite honest, the set makes sense now. I spoke to a few devs as well. It’s way crazy and OP b/c they kinda just wanted to have some fun with this one. They pretty much knew it would be an insane set and they were cool with that. What’s even more intriguing to me, is that since they knew it was crazy, what do they have in store for us next time that will ramp the craziness and swingy-ness back to normal? I can’t wait to see that’s for sure. (Actually I think I am more excited to see when Ascension Online will be released b/c I will be playing an absolute crap-ton of it, and can’t wait to see how high up the ladder I can get— There isn’t too many games I can claim to be one of the best players there is of. but Ascension is truly a game I know I am among the best there is). The good news? Well b/c of finishing in the tie for the top 8 tourney and basically being the LAST one excluded b/c of the weird way they handle tiebreakers there, they gave the tieing peeps a copy of the full block with the expansion included. Which is real solid, b/c I now also have a signed board saying 2013 World Championships by Mr. Ascension himself Justin Gary! I still love that I have this for sure.

1A. Lords of Waterdeep Scoundrels of Scullport– Here is what I still say to this day, was the biggest money blunder and marketing mistake of the WHOLE convention. Somehow WOTC didn’t have ANY of these for sale at Gen Con. WTF? How can you not have the most awaited product for one of the biggest games there is (And The Geek Allstars’ 2012 GAME OF THE YEAR)? They could have sold out and made an absolute killing on this one. They had all the buzz in the world at their fingertips and they totally dropped the ball on this one. Sure I got it about a week later and I love the hell out of the expansion, but still there is a black mark on WOTC in my eyes. They really have no flipping clue about customers and/or marketing. I have heard this is really kinda their way. Clueless and careless about the fan/customer. Luckily for them most of their fans buy their crap without even a blink and Magic will keep them rich for years. Oh well, Love the expansion not the company.

The game that was on my “To play” list b/c I didn’t think it would be there but ended up being my first purchase was “Firefly:The board game” by Gale Force nine. Boy oh boy is this game fun as all hell and thematic as hell too. It might be a little bit of a table hog and longish b/c of the teaching time, BUT it’s a great game and I am sure it will be in my top ten when the year is over.

So that was Gen Con, and again I am real sorry I am so slack and this was so late. Tomorrow marks my last trip to ATL for work so I will be home a bit more in the coming weeks. Will I post more? Eh prolly not, but I am missing it so I am going to sure as hell try and post more.

I will try and get a better post up about the 24 hour board game marathon, but for now here is a killer poster for it and please check out www.gamersforcures.com and www.gamersarmory.com for more info.

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