2.22: Play in Public Campaign...join us...join us...

Man, did I call it.  Limited internet access while I was away, and then some things went wonky--I never thought AT&T wouldn't permit me to buy another day of access.  Anyhow, this post is late, as I wanted it up the first week of August.

So, you may have guessed that I enjoy boardgaming.  I enjoy the simple fun that classic games and many modern games provide.  I enjoy the challenge to myself and my opponents.  Most of all I enjoy the social aspect of gaming--it is a meeting place, an even playing field.  Thanks to my parents I was exposed to some classic boardgames, but it's taken a far larger number of people to expose me to the boardgames I play currently--from family and friends, all the way to the numerous people in the BGG (boardgamegeek.com) community.  This has become a reflexive hobby, as I now expose and share multiple facets of this hobby with my own friends and family.

But boardgaming is such a niche hobby.  This past weekend GenCon was held in Indianapolis, Indiana; over 125,000 gamers were gathered into one place with the purpose of celebrating our hobby.  Last month was Origins in Ohio, and several other conventions are held across the country--there can't be a lack of gamers.  Unfortunately, this is the case.  For a number of years I had a "convention family," the people I would visit with every year and at every convention I went to.  There aren't a lot of gamers; worse, there aren't a lot of people outside the hobby that are aware of this enormous event that occurs every year.

Our hobby needs more exposure, plain and simple. 

Kevin E. Schlabach of siezeyourturn.com has suggested a Play in Public campaign aimed at exposing more people to the hobby.  There are a lot of reasons, and I will admit that some of them are purely economic (ie, they have to do with money), but I'll sum it up by saying that it's good for our hobby.  I'll be pushing this at least through August.

If you want more information, read this excellent piece written by Kevin.  If you don't read it, I'm coming for you.  Whatever, Lucioman, you don't scare me!  You're one of those non-athletic, overweight, downright wimpy gamers!  Okay, let me advise you, read this article.  Somewhere around here I have a photo of me at a Shotokan tournament, wearing my gi, kicking a good friend full force in the balls.  Now, GO READ THE DAMN ARTICLE!  (I really need to find that picture.)



I'll be planning some time to be in public playing a game, and I'll post that here.  Further threats to follow.

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I plan on posting again later this week in order to get back on schedule.