Becky: 0:35

Welcome to Whose Turn Is It Anyway, we are a podcast all about board gaming. I'm Becky, your returning first player taking the reins from the lovely Adrian. I'll be hosting the next three episodes. So without further ado, let me introduce today's other players we've got JP Hello there and Kerley

Kerley: 0:51

Hi everyone.

Becky: 0:52

How are we all today?

Kerley: 0:53

Yeah, really good. Thank you very tired from work and I didn’t get a very good night's sleep but feeling really good today really positive and looking forward to chatting about all day board games.

Becky: 1:06

It’s because you've missed your lovely wife, isn't it? Because she was away all weekend and now she's back?

Kerley: 1:09

No it’s because I've had such a relaxing weekend.

JP: 1:15

How much PC gaming? Have you been doing Kerley?

Kerley: 1:17

We don't need to discuss that.

Becky: 1:19

Is that why you’re tired?

Kerley: 1:22

No, actually, I went to bed at a reasonable time. But I was doom- scrolling. Oh, yeah. So yeah, like just could not drop off to sleep for some reason. So it was about 4am. And I was like, You know what? I've gotta be up at nine. I was obviously exhausted.

Becky: 1:37

It gets the best of us doesn't, I guess. How are you JP? Yeah, I'm pretty good this week. Yeah, it's been playing lots of games. No change. I know, but we've managed to get a few games in with my good wife. Which is an achievement. Yeah, that's an unusual thing. That's cool. Yeah, playing lots of games with Josh. We found a few games that are you know, quick to to get to the table and don't that, you know, overstay their welcome and, and kind of, you know, playing a few games after school and all that kind of stuff. So yes. Enjoying it. Good. Play. What have you been playing with Chelle, Chelle Patchwork. Oh, yeah. So the oh yeah, I saw the pictures you put up. Just picked it up. Yeah. I love it. Absolutely. digging it. I didn't think I would really like it. I really do.

Kerley: 2:22

I quite like it. I prefer Barenpark. If you're gonna go down, I probably would like Tetris type game. Yeah. Bear Tetris. Yeah, bear Tetris. But that patchwork kind of reminds me of that a little bit. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I liked Patchwork. But I think you really enjoyed the solo made actually. Yeah.

Becky: 2:38

Yeah. I've played it on Steam or whichever one it is. But it's still version. Yeah, a digital version. But it was. I think it hadn't been updated. So it was a bit sort of buggy and a little bit didn't really transfer well. But yeah, it was it was good. It was quite chill, we were playing over lunch. Mostly when Shell’s home and I'm working from home. We just lost bust it out over a cup of tea over lunch. It's quite nice. Yeah, good. Good timing. So a bit of housekeeping sort of podcast, updating kind of stuff. Many of you will know Ian from previous episodes, just to let you know, he's decided to take a bit of a step back from the podcast. So we all just want to take the time to say a big thank you Ian for all your hard work and time you've spent and maybe we'll be seeing him in some sort of special episodes if we ever do any in the future. So yeah, just to let you guys know you won’t hear his dulcet tones. He's still around. He's still around. Yeah, he's not he's not moving away anywhere. I think Ian's specialist subjects are Netrunner and Crokinole. And we've done those. Kicked him out. Yeah, we got rid of him. In all fairness, just thank you for supporting us mate. And we really appreciate it.

Kerley: 3:48

Yeah, thanks, mate.

Becky: 3:49

And the other little thing, we've just decided to tweak slightly, we've decided to change each person's kind of run to three episodes rather than four, just so that we can get round to the first players a bit quicker and make it not as onerous for everyone trying to think of four subjects because we can usually think of three. And then it's the fourth one that we can't think of one. Yeah, so we just want to keep mixing up a bit more. We just felt that was the right call to do and because you know, in reality, though, when we're doing four episodes each, you know, it takes us a year to get around us all really so it's kind of like last a long time is now do we cycle around faster and actually just freshen up the content a little bit. So yeah, give it a go. Right.

Kerley: 4:32

That's variety

Becky: 4:35

So straight into the next bit. So we're talking about hex, so JP, what games have you been playing? I've been playing as I said, playing a lot patchwork recently

Kerley: 4:48

Of which you had no information, zero, like because I literally picked it up yesterday. But I managed to again every time I do this segment, I always say I managed to get on the gaming rules channel again. And I think I think Paul Grogan is gonna get an injunction put against me because I keep turning up at his house and muscling my way on his on his live streams. But no, to be fair, it was his birthday. Not long ago, and he's hosting a games day and you wanted to kind of do a live stream of a particular game that has just been kind of launched on Kickstarter, which is Fighting Fantasy Adventures, which is a game designed by Martin Wallace, who many will know is designer of Brass and Australia and many, many other games quite well renowned designer. And many of you probably heard of Fighting Fantasy. I mean, you know if anyone's kind of read Deathtrap dungeon, or read House of hell, Ian Livingston, yeah, Steve Jackson and Ian Livingston books from the 80s. You know that that has a special place in my little nostalg heart, definitely. You know, as a kid, I grew up reading House of Hell. And it scared the crap out of me. But because it's a game book, where you, for anyone not familiar with it is, you know, typical book, you read from page to page left to right, right. And this is all numbered sections, and you decide if you go into different rooms, and you'll go go to 316, you go to 316, and like, your dead. And you kind of learn as you play these books, you'll learn to put your fingers in various pages, so that you can backtrack easily. So if you die, you go, I didn't really go that way. I went down this different corridor, whatever. But they were quite innovative for their time. And great fun. And yeah, they just got a good fond memory. So I was quite keen to give this new iteration a try and see what the hell it was all about. Because it's kind of a cooperative card game. How the hell are we going to make this work so so fighting fantasy adventures is, and we played a demo scenario, which won't be in the game, because obviously, it will spoil the game, if you were kind of played, what's gonna happen if you know you're gonna die, if you go this way, you're probably gonna already know what to do. So that was the demo scenario created for obviously, promoting the game. And the cards kind of represent the the map or the dungeon. So you're starting with one card. And there's four players and you're, you know, take on the the

JP: 7:25

you're walking into a spike trap, and like, well, one of us various different characters like you, they are the scout, or the warrior, or the mage, or healer. And you will get these kind of one time use cards very simple, quite basic, to be honest, and kind of how they work. And as a party, you would, you know, choose to venture north, northwest south east, and then you'll get a little hints like, oh, there's like a clicking sound over there, or there's a certain smell if you go that way. And, and you'll have encounter cards that will be paired against the room cards, that will basically give the flavour of what the hell's going on, or whatever, some of the choices that you make, when you kind of enter a room is not only which direction you want to go, just like the books, but also who's going to lead the party into the room. So you know, you want to send the scout in first, or you want to send the warrior in and whatever. And, and that can depend on what you find in the next room. You know, if certain people go in, there weren't spring traps, or certain people go in, they might sense, you know, there's a magic spell that's gonna happen, or whatever it might be. And just like the books, and it is quite old school, like it's quite faithful to the old school mechanics of the books, which is you can still go into a room and completely get murdered, and murdered by a certain body just because you chose poorly, you know. dead. And one of the quite the funny things isn't live, any of you die, or get knocked out, you have to sit quiet.

Becky: 9:02

So you can't add in, because you’re dead. So you can die. Okay, now, many of you can die along the way. And you can, as we did get into a bit of a situation where I had to sacrifice Well, we had to sacrifice somebody or someone had to press this button or interact with something. And I decided I was I'll do it, and ended up basically disappearing into the void of nothingness. And then the guys kind of mourned me for all of 10 seconds and then decided to soldier on to the next room of which the major was the the key character you needed. And, and off they went, and they managed to beat the baddie up, and then got to this chest in the end, and it turned out because we didn't have all the coins. We didn't win. And it was, you know, again, very faithful to the books, but if you take the game for what it is, because like mechanically it is basic. It's it's not doing anything like you know, Gloomhavens or Frosthavens or your Descent or anything, that is it's quite stripped back. But if you get the right group with the right banter, and you take it for what it is and have a laugh with it, it's a like a beer and Crisps kind of game you know, it's lightweight, it's it's pretty chill, it's funny, and yeah, if you get that right group I can I can totally see a place for it but if you're coming at it from I want a die-hard dungeon crawler, it is not that whatsoever sounds more like Clank Catacombs rather than, you know, Frosthaven. You take pieces and it's a fun kind of silly joke, you know, jovial thing rather than a serious… The combat is pretty, you know straightforward you've got a skill level the baddie have got a skill level and because it's there's four of you, you can decide if you want to gang up on one or spread against multiple enemies. And you kind of compare your skill with their skill. And if they've got more, they'll get basically a modifier on you know, the dice rolls to the difference of between yours and their skills. And so you're literally just chucking dice, you know, you can spend luck to reroll dice, and you have a certain amount of luck that you can spend. But yeah, you are just dice chucking in kind of a basic sense, but So it's not using an app or anything else. It's cards and dice. No, cards and dice, and it feels old school. So the the actual campaign, it’s called score campaign one, comes with five scenarios, and they're based off the books. So you've got Deathtrap Dungeon, one of my favourites, I love that book. You've got Forest of Doom, part one and two, Warlock of Firetop Mountain or something like that. I forget if that's the first one, I probably butchered that. So apologies. And there's another one I cannot remember. But again, I think their idea is that they'll use the source material, or from the books and put them into this system. So anyone that kind of live through that will probably enjoy these. But if you get coming at it from a fresh and you're thinking it’s 2023 and I'm expecting some up to date, mechanics, you might be disappointed for what it is. It’s not the game for you.

Kerley: 12:10

Out of interest, is Ian Livingston involved at all because I know he did do a couple of talks at the UKGE so he is still around them active and everything.

JP: 12:17

I don't know if he's been consulted on I know the IP, they've got the licence to use the IP. So I imagine they'll be involved in some capacity, but I think it is and the system is new. And the way that the cards and how you interact with everything how you fight the baddies, but obviously all the source material which is going to be transposed into this

Kerley: 12:36

It’ll be interesting to see how it goes. Because that seems quite niche to me. Yeah. Apart from the nostalgia element. So I wonder how much of that will

JP: 12:44

Yeah, I think if you take it as like, an exit escape room kind of mentality. So if you buy an unlocked box or an exit box, there's a there's a certain Well, in an exit box, there isn't really any replayability because once you've figured out you're the identical one have you not been at but you pass it to someone say go to either, obviously with these, there's a certain amount of replayability because you'll die until you figure out the best path through the game. Once you've figured the best path out, you might not want to play that scenario again. So again, if you if you attack it with that mentality that you would do the scenarios, and you know, figure the path through and just have fun with it

Becky: 13:25

sounds like it'd be a really good sort of like either end of the night or start of the night. You know, if you've got loads of you together for let's say you did some other hobbies of the board gaming because you you know, because you're crazy or whatever. And then you thought oh well actually most of us in this group like a bit of a game that sounds like it'd be a really good kind of it was fun. And I say get the right people and you're gonna have a blast with it. It's yeah, just laughing and now you fell into a trap you know it's just you know, take it for what it is it's done pretty well was pretty good. I enjoyed it. Okay, good. Find that on that well by the time this is released, the Kickstarter might be over. But sure it'd be there for for late pledges and things if it if it funds. So yeah, it's on Kickstarter. comm check it out. Nice. Nice one. Kerley how about you what you've been up to?

Kerley: 14:13

Well, I've been playing a few games lately, but stuff that I've played loads time before Terraforming Mars, played a bit of Earth played a bit of water, water debriefs, and they but the one I wanted to talk about was cabana. I've only played it once Previous to this, this occasion. And I really enjoyed it. But this one was kind of a bit of a turn a corner for me because the very first time I played it was seven player. Okay, and it's not a game that gets better with the more players in my opinion. Yeah, I think for us, we played it as a five. Yeah, it was five and that for me was a perfect number. Yeah, you could probably do last maybe four or five is a sweet spot with that game for me. But it just felt really good. Really satisfying. You know, it does help I want of course, but you know,

Becky: 15:01

it was it was I don't remember. No. It sounds

Kerley: 15:07

really good fun, really satisfying. The first time you play any game, but I would say this one in particular. You feel like because you've never played it before. You don't know the best thing to do straight away. Well And

Becky: 15:25

even if I know what I'm meant to be doing,

Kerley: 15:27

it's just a by the nature of it,Caverna I mean, we've talked about it before, probably, but it's just a matter of, it's a worker placement, in essence and you building up your farm and you've got cave, you can dig out and add things to and everything else. But the biggest part of it is, is that every term, a new work placement space is open. And that's all well and good. And that makes a great game mechanic makes it really interesting for us to have random to a degree within certain majors, you know what we'll come up to in turn one and three, or whatever it is, and then four and six, but you don't know the exact order. But if you've played it before, you've got a decent idea of what's going to come up. So therefore, you can plan for that. For an example, there's one that gives you lots of VPS for the amount of you have to help me out, is it what it before, or is only used for a very specific purpose. So you might go, Well, I'm not going to take all that all because Ashley is no good to me. But then that space comes down to go God, you know, flipping JP grabbed all that earlier on, and now he's won the game because he got 20 victory points. It

Becky: 16:27

didn't happen. No, it didn't.

Kerley: 16:30

You know, I mean, so I think it's one of those games that after you've played it once or twice, it really kind of takes a couple of levels up. So that's definitely how I felt with it. Really interesting. Really good. Really good, fun, really close game as well, between me and J and

Becky: 16:46

I was up there. Yeah, I

Kerley: 16:47

remember. Yeah,

Becky: 16:48

I was not.

Kerley: 16:51

It's difficult in the first

Becky: 16:53

game. I played it before. That was your first game. It was never covered. Okay, I got a much better score. The first time I played when I knew literally nothing about it. Oh, sorry. Yeah, it was it does make a tougher first play. Yeah, I think because of that. Yeah. I don't know what the space. So it was very good. I have to say it's sort of saying, Oh, guys, you know, I know that there's a car that's gonna say, for example, you know, I don't think in necessarily mentioned the author thing, but it was like, well, there's a card that's got whatever, whatever.

Kerley: 17:33

Which is why I brought it up, because I found that very helpful. Yeah. I don't like someone else for gaming me, but someone just say, by the way, nudge, nudge.

Becky: 17:42

These are, these are the kind of action spaces that are coming up in the next few rounds. You might want to think about,

Kerley: 17:48

yeah. Okay. So I think that's a really good idea. So kudos on him for some really good advice and really good teaching method, I thought. And, you know, it looks like I've played it before, but I've only played it once. And it's not an uncomplicated game. So I definitely needed a little bit of a refresh on it. So yeah, it was much appreciated. Tambo. Thank you. But yeah, so that's, I don't know it's got potential actually for me, like proper up that great game. So yeah,

Becky: 18:13

I'd like to quickly say

Kerley: 18:16

yeah, you can call it Agricola as Agricola if you want to wind up JP that is. It's Agricola if I wind up JP. What's the other one so much one grew up with? Troyes. Troyes. Oh, Troyes. Troyes. Troyes. Yeah. Troy is? Orly-on Orleans. Yeah, so yeah, it's up there for me. Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I found it. I find, you know, where Mitzi is, but I find Agricola bit too tight for me. Yeah, it's not it's just for me. And I know some people like that puzzle. For me, I feel like, almost like I'm being penned in, like, you know, you can't have that thing that you're actually building towards. So well, what do I do then? Well, we, you know, people like the kind of all having a segue, whereas I like to see my grand plan laid out.

Becky: 19:11

It's more competitive. And it has a different feel. Even though it shares 60% of the DNA. We're converting a feels completely different. Little dogs in agriculture. You don't you don't build dogs. Yeah, they have a good purpose, to be fair, but I enjoyed both and I can totally see. There's a space for both of them. Like I don't think we talked about this a new episode that we think Fern I played cavern at this stage. We thought Werner replaces it. It might replace it in your what you think is better. I don't feel that it's the same. No, it has a different furnace, a different purpose of

Kerley: 19:51

considering that Agricola. And I understand this as personal preference for curricula for me is one of the games that I liked the least out of all games I've ever played. Which sounds damning. I can see it's a good game. It is so not for me. It's unreal. Yeah. Winning it because it's contentious. Yeah same with Barrage There's two two games. I tried once again to give me AP, which sometimes it's just a matter of I've got to play them Like Pipeline was one I really wanted to like they just gave me too much a piece on my right Agusta how they were not marked as the same. Yeah, just too much apt. And overly contentious games. Yeah. So you know, it's just hey, look, I totally appreciate the fact it's me. But everyone's got their preferences. Yeah, definitely. Those two are not for me. So, so Agricola, one of the games that I like the least of all games, I've played to Agricola which is almost the same game being up there in the top five, probably.

Becky: 20:49

See, I disagree with you JP. I think that Caverna completely eradicate the need for agriculture in my in my industry,

Kerley: 20:56

you got to be a bit careful with that, because JP does own Agricola you know?

Becky: 21:00

I'm not saying it's a bad game. It's a fine game, but I, I totally wouldn't bother owning both just because, yeah, Caverna, I think is cooler. And it's got dogs. Yeah, I liked it a lot. I did like it. I did. But Caverna was much better. And for me, there's not enough in it to be bothered to own both. Yeah. And it's not That's not normal for me it I'd normally own all of everything if I could. So actually, I wouldn't bother buying it Agricola. No, I mean, that's fair. I mean, I probably wouldn't buy both. But yeah, the reason why I like Agricola though, is actually the cards, and the puzzle that you get at the start of the game and the setup. Whereas in Caverna is the same. It's the same board layout, it's the same rooms, nothing changes, other than your strategy and how you do it. So for me, I like the fact that you've got your occupations and you've got your improvements, and you've got to make the best of that.

Kerley: 21:51

I liked that. I didn't find them overly balanced. That's my problem with it. I felt like some were really powerful, and others were really weak. So I kind of feel like you right? I did like the card element. But for me, I was looking at him like, well, you know, other people repeat some really powerful ones. And I've got really rubbish ones here.

JP: 22:07

I might do that. You don't know all the strategies in the game

Kerley: 22:10

Yeah, maybe that is the case, but I certainly felt they weren't terribly balanced. That that was my overriding feeling.

JP: 22:19

That's all good, we've all got our opinions.

Becky: 22:22

So me, I have had a very few busy days lately of non gaming actually for you. So I spent a long weekend with past and current work friends in croyde, which is a beach town in Devon. Yeah, lots of hot tub, relaxing, eating and drinking with a great bunch of girls. That was really nice. And then I came back on Sunday, only to leave again to drive to Birmingham on Monday morning to go and see Iron Maiden, the maiden the maiden. It was amazing. Loved it. Yeah. So I just got back this afternoon, and I'm feeling very tired. Now you did a pop. I don't have tinnitus, thankfully, but I'm not surprised. I don't because it was very loud.

Kerley: 22:58

And it was the rest of the week and your resources. No,

Becky: 23:01

livid guide. Booger, yeah, stupid difficult. my toothbrush had a change of clothes. So I was an absolute mess on the way it's because I've been away with the girls first and I keep a bag that's always packed for you know, in case my lovely husband wants to surprise me go oh, we're going away for the weekend, darling. So I've just got a little bag that I just pick up and just pull away. It has

Kerley: 23:25

been getting rather

JP: 23:28

Yeah, that bag

Becky: 23:29

that because I taken that with me at the weekend and then brought it home and thought oh, I'll sort all that out. And then just grabbed it again, not thinking that I'd taken all the stuff out such as might well have my toothpaste ashes in I'm watching your finger. Yeah. So when Yeah, so I had to walk around the next day looking like the walk of shame. You know, wearing the clothes that look around. Well, not quite that bad. But yeah, wearing the clothes, it was suitable to go to a you know, my main gig is not close. It's suitable to walk around the doors. Really? There we are. Yes, I did. I had great fun. Yeah, it was brilliant. You getting back into gaming? I'm sure. Oh, yeah. Yeah, there'll be plenty of things coming up. So on that note, into our main segment So pull up a chair, a stall a poofy or whatever other emergency chairs you have wherever you can find and let's talk about all day board gaming days. So what we're calling it hex sausage rolls. So I've mentioned sort of stalls and poo phase because that can be one of the very first problems on it, you know, fitting everyone in and making sure there's enough space for everything sort of reminds me of Christmas Day evenings, where you're either got loads of extra people in your house cluttering it up, and you've got to go and find the deck chairs or whatever, or you're squeezed into someone else's house and you know, you're sitting on your furniture, living room. So I think Tambo had a great idea about this, which I have definitely nicked since he uses an ironing board as extra table space. I have to say that's the most action my ironing board. I'm not gonna lie. But yeah, I've definitely nicked that and it's a it's a useful one it is it

JP: 25:13

only suitable for games that are really long like flame craft. I'm gonna say oh, no, only for the main board, but nothing else.

Kerley: 25:26

bedside tables to player

Becky: 25:28

one on each edge. He uses it as like a sideboard doesn't need to put like the bits on or whatever science it's a really clever idea. Because it raises up and down you can have any height you desire. So listen as you can have, it's a journey. This isn't you have to do. So what are we counting as an all day gaming event? What do we think kind of qualifies? qualifies it centre day?

Kerley: 25:49

Yeah, you're gaming it?

Becky: 25:50

Yes. Well, that could be about any game you play. So I think it's really important that it's been pre organised.

Kerley: 25:58

Well, I think I think you've got two main ones for me. And that's like, personal ones that we do. Like, and they also do things like events, big events. Yeah.

Becky: 26:07

So I've written on my little, you know, very small, few little notes here that they're all laughing at me for having. So it's usually for like an occasion, isn't it? Yeah, centering around something or someone

Kerley: 26:17

doesn't have to be when that is when it tends to be for sure.

Becky: 26:21

And I've written here food is normally a consideration. It's normally mandatory. Yeah. When you're when you've got around for that can be, it can be quite a big part of it. How are you going to fit it in what you're gonna have? Yeah, maybe that's just me, that's more about me concerning myself more about food. For me, like an all good all day kind of gaming session. It's is it's kind of like you either Stein, mid morning, sometimes maybe starting right? In the morning, as long you, you've gotten what you want to do. And it will just be gaming kind of non stop until everyone's had enough. Or usually, you know, in the evening at some point or even after midnight, if you get in sort of see what you've got planned. You know, how your other family members feel about whatever you mentioned all day gaming sessions, I tend to think in someone's house. Yeah, I would rather than a convention because for me if it's like somewhere else, like a con, it's a commercial. It's in a different part of my brain. I was

Kerley: 27:22

thinking more of the Do you remember the one that we did in Exeter? Way? Whatever. The

Becky: 27:28

Devon weekend? No, the one Oh, the village hall.

Kerley: 27:33

Yeah, but that was an all day gaming event? I think. Yeah. It wasn't a call. No, no,

Becky: 27:37

that was that's what obviously that was a gaming day. Yeah. So that kind of counts doesn't? Yeah. I think normally you decide beforehand what games you sort of likely to play? And your numbers become really important that don't you do if you me? Well, yeah, yeah. And I would like a little kind of, I mean, maybe I wouldn't kind of organise it to within an inch of his life, like you might choose? Well, exactly at 905. Yeah, never never goes to plan. But it's, it's yeah, people sometimes have to work in shifts don't know if you can have people that come in, in the morning or in the afternoon. But actually, that can be a really useful tool. Yeah. So if you're there, burning your brain about how you're going to fit people in and whatever. Sometimes having the option of of half day for some people might dovetail beautifully into the games you're gonna play. Yeah. Yeah,

Kerley: 28:26

I think what I did one time, which worked really well, was we had a main table like a game scripted like you did, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. And then we set up another table to like, W on

Becky: 28:38

the board. Yeah, bring

Kerley: 28:39

bring, bring your own games and all that? Well, we feel like, you know, one of the things I was gonna say was, we've got those fold out tables, which are really well placed in tables, which worked really well. It's kind of like a backup table, really. So set those up with a few chairs, and, you know, play what you like, kind of scenario.

Becky: 28:56

Spaces is a consideration. Yeah, I think, ideally, it's in the same room, would you agree?

JP: 29:02

Ideally,

Kerley: 29:04

it doesn't have to be I've done it both ways.

Becky: 29:06

I would say, you know, I'll tell you, not really, I don't think it matters to me if I'm gaming, and I can see someone else game because for me, I'm locked into the game. I don't really, you know, the peripheral vision and hearing, everything's gone. I'm blocked everybody out. I'm literally, it doesn't matter if I'm in a different room or not. Because you're all in the same place, you know, the house or venue? For me, it would not matter, necessarily, but I would prefer it that everybody's in the same room. Okay, so then you're all join together, but

Kerley: 29:42

you don't. I'm not saying you do it for the socials. But it's more of a consideration for you.

Becky: 29:46

Yeah, I think it is. So when we played a Crokinole tournament in someone's house now, okay, this is different because it's a tournament, and there was three separate locations, the tables that worked really well for the tournament. But you did feel like, if you were in one room with one little group, then you kind of maybe it's fear of missing out. I don't know what's going on. I like it. I think you're right, clearly I really like it for the kind of social aspect. So if everyone can't be to get to that when you go to a work meal, when you've got one massive table, you end up only talking to the people that you've turned up with because you're sitting next to a bar under the table. You may as well have not gone out with a whole group of people because you're not going to talk Up to the people the other end because I'm really too far away.

Kerley: 30:23

The only thing I would say to that is by the nature of the way we do is usually different people signed up to different rotation. Yeah, that is a way at least you like, if you go out for a meal, you're likely going to be stuck with those people that all night. Yeah, so that's the upside is our phone all day, you probably can play with everyone.

Becky: 30:40

And that could be you know, something that we're talking about leading nicely into what do we think are the key ingredients for a good, a good, successful long day gaming event? I think you're right, having that. Maybe not sign up to games you want to play particularly, but having that mix up of personnel can be really, really useful, I think, for me or planned. Yes, you know, because it's me. But then, you know, when I when I kind of organised game days, or gaming sessions, that kind of last a day, I'd usually got not a theme in mind, but I'll either go I want to play for play again only. Because that means I can then get some of the games that have been sat on the shelf for a long time, that don't see the light of day as much as other games, whatever reason, we've all got those kinds of games. And it means I can just bring those out. Now if you start to get to five player, five people, you gain your menu of games shrinks as soon as you get to five players plus, right. And if you get over five, then it's not non existent. Because there are games there, you're starting to gain territory and all of those things. So I think for me the when I say plan, I mean, what do you want to play? Like? Are we going down that like games party games, five, or you trying to get some some of the crunchy stuff that you you know, you want to be playing and getting off off the shelf? Because that'll dictate who's gonna turn up? So you want to people when you want numbers or you want and obviously spaces, then a factor? Can you run two tables or three rooms or whatever? Yeah, so for me, I only have really space for one I could I could run more in fairness, we

Kerley: 32:21

talked about it before, but I don't remember you ever actually

Becky: 32:24

doing you know, only a second table. The reason why I don't for me, it's either because of shells here, then I'll be gaming in the dining room, I'll be gaming in the living room, she's got nowhere to go. Because she doesn't, unless she unless she leaves or just stays in the kitchen making teas, which would be amazing, but wouldn't happen. Equally. So. So yeah, I tend to just focus around one table and I'd probably get like a max four or five in or like you said Becky more if the shifts if people there's half a new switch to see out and now I have a running order of games. Well, that's the

Kerley: 32:56

thing like four is almost all games, right? Yeah. Aside from pi games, five, you can what? 25%? Yeah, those go? And that 75% of those go? And then six players? I mean, God, hardly any even less? Yeah, hardly any. So yeah, I do understand what you mean, I tend to go from numbers, and then just plan around that. Whereas your one I think does definitely works both ways. Yeah. But like you said, the key ingredient there is

Becky: 33:23

it's what's your purpose for it is your purpose to socialise with as many people as possible get loads of food in and out of that party atmosphere, which usually around a birthday makes perfect sense, right. But if it's kind of not around an event, anything, I really just want to play mid weight, Euro games, like Lorenzo and Coimbra, and these things, I don't play so much. So I'm just gonna do a day of that. So I think it's really interesting how you've talked about playing games that you don't normally play. So I think that having a knowledge of most of the games that you're gonna be playing, and pretty good knowledge of everybody, other than otherwise, you're spending a lot of the day during the teach and during the learn again. So I remember something that Adrian mentioned, where he was playing a, like an all day event. And sort of, I'm not saying everyone had to sign up to say they would do this, but the expectation was that everybody was going to learn the game properly, and have done the research and watch the teachers and watch the tutorials online and stuff. And I think if everybody signs up to that, that's great. But I think then you're always going to have maybe one or two people that don't research it quite that level. And then they're going to make everyone else really annoyed for everyone else bothered. So I suppose it's, yeah, I guess if everyone's in the same expectation kind of category, then it's fine. But if you've got differing opinions of whether you should learn it beforehand, or whatever, that could cause a bit of strife and it was a perfect

Kerley: 34:43

segue into one of our old episodes, I think, wasn't it? The expectations around Yeah, but no, no, I totally agree. What I would say is if you're being expected to learn four or five games that's never gonna happen. No, you're gonna you're gonna be ready. Well, that was the point so I think and this might be what JP men So correct me if I'm wrong, but for me it's the games that we have played before but we haven't played for ages is what you usually play like Lorenza Like Coimbra like the these games that most of us have got three or four plays under our belt and Okay, over five years, maybe but yeah, it's probably you know, six months at least since we've played before, but yeah, I don't think there were very many games that I'd never played your last event. I'm just trying to think what we played.

Becky: 35:27

No might have been one. Yeah, you know, possibly Skymines or something. But yeah, that wasn't there. Yeah, I think there's that social contract at least, that if you're gonna sign up for something, and I think if you're the host, and your mindset is I'm doing this game day to to crack through as many games as possible. You don't want to be teaching them all. Right. Yeah, I agree. And I think it just depends on and again, like a chef who's putting together a menu for a restaurant, it's the same thing. It's like, who's the guests? Who's calibrated the day, haven't you? Yeah, like, what, what kind of day do you want? And then who do you think is going to come to that day? And who do you think's going to enjoy it? And, and like you say, the game choice that you pick will dictate who's gonna turn

Kerley: 36:14

around, it's actually a good shot. It's maybe, you know, one new game, rather than you know,

Becky: 36:19

I think if you hadn't, well, I can't think of much worse day where everything is new games. I mean, God,

Kerley: 36:26

yeah. It does depend on the complexity for me. So there were a couple of games that were new, but actually, the complexity level wasn't very high. For example, Clank Catacombs Yeah. First time we played it was there. And beyond the sun. Yeah. First time we played it was there. And I don't remember what else we play, but I get the feeling. And there was one other maybe but yeah, they were new games to me, but because the complexity wasn't too high. It was okay. But yes, I do. I would say but when you're talking about mid heavy euros, then yeah, for sure.

Becky: 36:53

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if we had a 30 day, which would probably put you to we're gonna attend. Exactly, sorry, retail. You know, your games look spectacular. I just don't have the brain. I don't have the brain or the or the dedication. And that's my fault. Not his absolutely my fault. Not his. His games beautiful. We're getting Kerley to play another one.

Kerley: 37:20

On the stream. The other day was very nice to see him. He seemed like a very nice gentleman. He just seemed like a lovely man. But yeah, yeah. Yeah, not for me. I used just got all right, the one I've played was not for me.

Becky: 37:36

And you're playing Weather Machine. So yeah, and we'll see if that one takes or whether or not that

Kerley: 37:42

if that one is a write off, you're gonna definitely was trouble trying to get me to play.

JP: 37:47

Lisboa is my only final wildcard. I mean, come on, you're gonna like this, Bob. Anyway, let's not talk about a whole episode of that. Let's leave it there

Becky: 37:55

on a complete opposite retail, a certain kind of vibe. I think having some filler games are really, really good shout. Yeah, I think that it's a vital ingredient in a successful day. If you've got two tables running, maybe not if you've only got one table, because you're all gonna be playing something together. But if you've got two, two tables that are, you know, playing at the same time, they will definitely not finish except at the same time. Almost certainly. Anyway. So having something such as Oh, I don't know, we've mentioned them a load of times, just one scout. Just something quick that you can put down quickly that no one's going to be massively invested in. If you need to read juggle, so catch the time and match finishing the game and we'll go right Can we switch and do whatever Yeah, no, that's really important ingredient I think to to add or have that in your backup plan.

Kerley: 38:44

My next birthday might actually be more your way. Get a few games in, but I'm trying to get through Yeah. Rather than going for the usual as many people as I can fit in the door.

Becky: 38:55

It's many people can fit in the kitchen. Yeah. So packed kitchen was it was packed. Yeah, it brings his cakes, and, like carvery that he brought this ties into my next two which are inextricably linked. So really, it's ideal if you've got someone who enjoys hosting, and I am certainly that person. I really like even if I didn't play the games, I really liked everyone everyone around I like kind of being vicariously involved in the banter of the game. And you know, I like making the teas and coffees and all that kind of I like the fun of it. And I think it's good I mean me and kind of make a good couple in that way because his favourite place to be in the world is his own home. And my favourite place to be in the world is my own home too. But I like people coming into my home and I like them feeling welcome so

Kerley: 39:41

I'm not that bothered Yeah.

Becky: 39:45

He doesn't mean that it means a little bit. But I love having people into my space and making them feel welcome. And so that you know, doing an all day gaming event is like my ideal sort of jam really, for that and having food breaks mixed in with that. I'm not saying the host should have to cook everything. I'm saying that now because it's very important because I didn't want to cook everything. But yeah, when Tambo came around and bought these little carvery rolls and his brownies that was like a chef by the way, if you people are wondering where he's getting all this like carvery from he's not he's not going to the like the local Toby Carvery and like robbing all of the food Our he literally works as a head chef so naturally he'll always leftovers. Yeah, I thought I think he'd kind of provisioned for bringing stuff around and more than likely got bought all the baps and stuff. It was brilliant. So that is good food is the key part like, like, if you're, if you've got someone around for, I don't know, let's just say 10 o'clock in the morning till one, one in the morning, the next day, let's just say that as a rough time, like, if you will come into my house, I would feel I have some sort of duty to at least organise some food wherever that is putting food on for people that's coming in, over that's pizzas, whatever it might be cooking, etc. Or getting some forms, you know, some food delivered, whatever it might be, we need new think about it, because like we're gonna get hungry. You can't not eat. Yeah, I don't think it's on the host necessarily to like, pay for the food provide the food in that way. It could be a case of right everyone, you bring in a dish or pizza or whatever.

Kerley: 41:19

I think that's fair, I would say it's a little bit different. So for example, with your TI gay used to make somebody dinner, and you kind of thought, Okay, well, it's not that long a day. So let's not do that anymore. That was that would be where the differences. So you say six to eight hours, which for me doesn't count as an all day event? No. So but when you're doing 13 hours, because our events are usually what 1030 till 1130, for argument's sake. So about 13 hours, I think there probably is a little bit of responsibility on the house. Whether it's what you said it might be everyone bring a dish it might be. I don't mind going out and buying four or five pizzas and then goes are some pizzas. We'll cook them up. If you don't want them. Don't fancy them. Get yourselves but there they are. That's my that's my box tech for my responsibility. Yeah. But I think as you've got two meals for me, it'd be I'll provide everyone with something if you don't like it, don't have it. And then you guys

Becky: 42:14

bring your snacks and sandwiches or whatever you want to take for the rest of the day. Yeah,

Kerley: 42:18

I think that's usually the way I've done it.

Becky: 42:20

Yeah. And I agree with that. And I think as the host, you've got to kind of consider you want to be playing the games. Yeah. So you don't want to be cooking a roast dinner now back probably and fighting around for two hours cooking. Pizzas always good show. It's as easy as buying on the oven. And you can take your turn. Yeah. And then, you know, the oven starts beeping, the smoke comes out. Oh, no, I need to go. So yeah, it's kind of like quick food or easy food. But like I say we I've had Twilight Imperium days where I've done a shepherd's pie. Yeah. Must have been feeling good, because then I think I'll do that anymore. I mean, maybe that was in the early days where I was or, you know, the honeymoon period. Right? Yeah, I can't. There's all these people that really knew that clearly is great.

Kerley: 43:05

That's definitely

Becky: 43:07

a shepherd's pie. Really.

Kerley: 43:11

Maybe if I give us a rubbish food, maybe you won't come back

JP: 43:14

It just depends. Like sometimes. If you've got the time, you can prepare a lot of it before even people turn up. And all you got to do is put something Yeah,

Becky: 43:24

I'd say just the right mix and sort of snack kind of selection is important. Do you want snacks that you eating at the table? So therefore they need to be one hand snacks, not to drippy, greasy, greasy or powdery or whatever? Or are you going to have like designated pitstops for for snowing most

Kerley: 43:46

people are fairly acquainted with what's kind of a decent way to go from which one is

Becky: 43:50

this about? How to think you know, are you going to get people to bring stuff to share? Or are you going to have? Yeah, do you need to get balls? And that's the sort of thing that I always forget. It's like, Oh, we've gotten a faux Oh, no, we haven't got enough. I don't know, that sort of thing. Mugs in our house is not a problem. So we've got we've got a bit of a mug collection issue. Really? Yeah, I think having like I think JP, your role, isn't it? You'll make the first batch of tea and coffee. And it's then it's free reign and help yourself, everybody. But don't wait. Don't Don't expect me to be offering you cups of tea every two minutes. I don't certainly don't wait for one going out yourself. Yeah, absolutely.

Kerley: 44:24

I think that's fair enough. Yeah. can be quite overwhelming if you need to keep doing that every five minutes.

JP: 44:29

So I was put off as a kid, like when I was growing up with making tea, because my parents would ask for four cups of tea every evening. And I'd be the one to make it. Yeah, and I I've been burned out on making tea. Now 42 And I don't want to do it. I don't even like making it anymore. I don't mind doing the old one. But when it's like kind of a tea, you can have a tea you can have a tea, you know, say I'm not doing it. Yeah, the provider

Becky: 44:59

you know, the tea making facilities and they're all there. You know,

Kerley: 45:02

we're all is Yeah, we all know each other well enough by now. And I think that's

Becky: 45:06

interesting. Isn't that something we haven't touched on is if you're having an all day gaming event where perhaps you don't know all the people? I mean, I don't think I'd want one of those. My house is too important to me to invite any old Tom Dick or Harry in it. They're nice. They can come around. If someone else knows someone, that's fine. If I don't know them, I'm good with that. But I think if you perhaps, let's just say you used to meet in a games shop or something, and then that cancelled. And then you said, Oh, what was our I've got a big enough dining room, would you do it and my house, then anybody who's random could just turn up? I don't think I'd like that.

Kerley: 45:44

I'm not sure we would either. But I am open to new people. But I would say meeting them beforehand, and knowing them a little bit would be a prerequisite for me, or at least one at a time into a known grip. Like if it was like, us three. And then somewhere? Well, I mean, you know, look at Adrian was new ones. When Rihanna where we are drowned, you know,

Becky: 46:09

random at some point.

Kerley: 46:11

But I think, you know, a drip rather than the flood is always Yeah, you know, and with an all day gaming event, all of that, that's, it's not the right scenario. But if you are going to do it, maybe just one

Becky: 46:25

yeah, you can tell how much I liked someone by how much effort I then put in to either my appearance and be the appearance of my house.

Kerley: 46:32

The Queen coming?

JP: 46:33

No, I can tell how much you like someone is if they make it onto your cup of tea and coffee, list that list in your cupboard, you have it inside your cupboard.

Becky: 46:42

I do have that in the inside.

JP: 46:43

Genius, right? Like you never have to ask, Are you one sugar you two sugars? It's like you just open the door and it's there. Don't tell Becky she's big enough.

Becky: 46:54

Coming from Kerley.

JP: 46:58

Everyone should have one. Yeah,

Becky: 46:59

I think it's a useful, useful addition. relation. So talking about, you know, having lots of random and invade your house and being force fed to make teas and coffees for everyone. What else can go wrong? What? What are the pitfalls?

JP: 47:12

I think the pitfalls are and I fall into this trap. Every time I run one, is I always think you can get more games and then you can actually get in. So for some reason, even though I kind of I sit and work it all out ago, right? That game is a two hour game and set up about a half hour tear downs about you know, half hour. And then that'll start and then and I'll work it out. And then other No, it's either because you're all in or kind of day game state where all relaxed, then maybe we have a bit more banter. We have a bit more chat. Maybe the games take longer. We're not as especially as the day goes on. We get tired. Yeah. Maybe we're not as hyper focus to be efficiently getting through that. But every time Yeah, is. Just be prepared that maybe your plans won't go to plan. Yeah. If you think you can play five games in a day new and end up playing three. It doesn't matter. Yeah, at the end of the day, but maybe prioritise the ones you really want to play. It's gonna say that you say you do play them and you're like, Oh, I didn't get to play that one I really wanted to play and then yeah, so I think

Becky: 48:16

I've got that as you know, sort of tempers come for a bit have a stressful games first. And then the easy ones later. Because if you're playing a game that needs a lot of consideration and thought you're right after you've been playing games for eight hours, that is not going to be your ideal game for

Kerley: 48:31

24 hour booking event is definitely one planning. Yes, yeah.

Becky: 48:35

And that's where you can use those kinds of skills, isn't it? Think about what you're going to play. And like you said, those games can drag on and mess up your time slots and stuff, which is where you need your fill again. And

JP: 48:45

also you forget, we had Terraforming Mars five player forgot how long it was. Just forgot how long that game goes on. For five play in my head. I was like, we'll have this done in two and a half hours. No, you won't. Oh, yeah. Like, I just got it wrong. Got it completely wrong. Yeah.

Kerley: 49:01

Easy done. Yeah, it can work both ways. But it's usually it goes all along.

Becky: 49:04

Yes, that's it, isn't it? So yeah, I think having too many players to that sort of six mark is really difficult, isn't it? Because you've got almost going to certainly have to have to game to three players. Because that can be great. That can work really nicely. But it is going to change the dynamic of the game. And yeah, if someone hasn't learnt the games fully, or it's a bit more prone to that kind of analysis, paralysis of oh, I don't know what to do all this that that can really make the game struggling a lot longer. And I'm speaking about myself quite politically, so I am speaking about myself in Yeah, I mean, I, I'm the one that's most prone to, or don't know what to do for the best. So it's usually my fault if the games have lasted too long.

JP: 49:42

The other thing that springs to my mind is like, is the host the one that's laying on the smorgasbord of games that are to be played or the people arriving bringing games. Yeah, because what can happen is if I bring three games to a session, Curley brings three games, the host is already thinking I've got four games to play and then Becky bring another three. Suddenly, you've got this collection of 2025 30 games you don't want to play them all. So then who's the plane you get into that awkwardness of right? What should we play next and your secret go play my I really want to play mine because I brought this now one thing Can the same but we're a bit polite and British. And go No.

Becky: 50:25

Mind. Yeah. But then you spend half an hour wafting about and you don't manage to get

Kerley: 50:31

project manager JP nice kick into action because in my opinion, you go down to vote, you got two choices. Really? Yeah. You either dictate because it's your event, right? Yeah. So if they want to do an event, I put on one or did until it got cancelled for Davey's birthday. Seems like I'm you know, I haven't got that much room at home. Do you mind doing it? Yeah, that's fine. And obviously in that scenario, he would get to bleed on what he wanted to do with the game. Yeah. But if it's for my birthday, then maybe the Your other option is to just save right, who's come in four or five of us will play at least one game from everyone. Yeah. One game. Yeah. And that's, and that can work as well. Obviously, it might be the need to have a chat about what type of game you want to so I'm thinking midway Euro, or something along those lines, just to say, you know, don't bring on just one, you know, because that would be the wrong always bring just one. Well, it wouldn't be enough people and things like that. I do. I mean, yeah. So yeah, I think those are the two routes you can go down.

JP: 51:29

But again, it's that what what trap can you fall into? It's just not setting the hate to use a contract. But it's that I may have make it clear to everyone like what what's happening like, I'm we're playing these games I really want to play. Come and play them with me. Oh, people have good time. Or like you're saying, everyone bring something? Yeah. And we'll make

Becky: 51:50

either have a complete free for all, or have quite a beautifully organised.

JP: 51:56

Yeah, list that you'll never get through. Because you realise that Terraforming Mars takes for four and a half hours at five.

Becky: 52:03

So what would your top recommendation be for a successful event? Then JP? Number one, do this thing. And you'll have a great time. Sounds like,

JP: 52:13

yeah, for me, it's the planning. I always feel good to have a games day and you get to the end and you're tired. And you like, played five games. That was like we played this. We played that we played this. And we did that is brilliant. And getting to the end, and everyone's had a great time. For me. That's job job done tech ticking the box. And we always kind of get to that conclusion, even if the plan goes slightly awry. Yeah. But yeah, it's there's no secret sauce. No. I think for me, it's just, you know, I like to curate a list. And I like to play the games I want to play. And that's just the way I do it. I like the fact that everyone's events are different as well.

Becky: 52:52

Yeah. That makes it just, it's their flavour of the thing is, there's no right or wrong way. It's just, yeah, it's cool. And the fact that everyone kind of puts their own spin on how they want to curate that day, or how they want that data to work. So yeah, no magic spells for me. Just very hard work and planning that you love. I love it. It's great. Kerley, what's yours?

Kerley: 53:19

Very similar, really, I mean, but I would say probably provisioning. So making sure you've got enough tables, enough chairs, and little bit of grab for everyone, you know, it just makes for a much more welcoming environment go into. So for example, and I mean, I know where we're kind of talking about our events, really. But one of the things that was really big stickler for me to go into new gaming days, and things like that is just this fear that I'm gonna get there. And there aren't going to be enough tables or enough chairs or anything else, so that I just end up standing up with more games and the corner. But yeah, yeah. 100% 100%. And, you know, that's why I always like, stupid stuff, like not being a part of the car and stuff. I know, it's not relevant to what we're talking about, necessarily. But that is something that is really on my mind, why

JP: 54:02

does stress me out? Yeah, the car parking and stressing that there's not a park and I'm like, the

Becky: 54:08

referral thing that just starts the day off, doesn't it? Yeah,

Kerley: 54:10

yeah. And like I said, like, you know, making sure you got enough tables for the people that are coming and all that kind of stuff. That's really the main things that everyone's got to see, everyone can chill out, make a cup of coffee, and it's like, right, now we can make a nice plan. So it's just starting off on the right foot by having everything that you need.

Becky: 54:26

Yeah, I'm I'm is I'm gonna have to, because I'm the host. So I'm allowed that first player takes. I'm going to say, lower your expectations a little bit. For things like JP was saying, you might have four games, you definitely are going to play all of these. Don't make that the be all and end all of whether you've got a successful event happening completely. Are you having a nice time. And if you're not having a nice time, change it so that you are so don't make it so hyperfocus that you've got to you know, make sure that you absolutely stick to your schedule and you're basically beating people and making them take their goals quickly. And they're not having fun because you've got some headmaster telling them what to do dictator that's no fun, is it? Not any fun? And you can, you know, avoid a bit of that by segwaying into my second point, having those little tiny filler games that can take either five minutes or half an hour depending on how many rounds you want to play. Because then somebody He's always got something to do. So then you never going to be sat around waiting for whoever it is to finish their turn or their game or whatever. So if you've got stuff like, I know I've mentioned it so many times really about just one or Scout, or I don't know, splendour or assault, just something that you're not going to get massively invested in, if it stops after five minutes, but you could stretch it out half an hour if you needed to. Yeah, that's my

JP: 55:47

be prepared to change your plans. Yeah, I think good of the group

Becky: 55:51

and the people. So anyone else got anything to wrap up?

JP: 55:54

I think anyone who hasn't done it, you know, if any of our listeners are thinking, I'll really want to host one, but haven't done it then. Because they think it's the next big thing, whatever, I'll just say, do it, give it a go keep it small, maybe not do all day, maybe do half a day. And you know, think I'll try two or three games and just say go. And I think you know, it's a good way of getting to know people as well, because it's the time in between the games, which is equally as important as the games themselves. So it's like you say, the socialising the chit chatting when you get in the food. And when someone's inevitably tearing down the game and boxing which we may or may not like, Get away, get away from it. Don't touch it. It's just Yeah. And it's those moments that are can be equally as important and really valuable and precious.

Becky: 56:39

And that's all that's good for us because we're extroverts. But if you're an introvert, don't let that put you off, I would say because there's always something you could busy yourself with doing. That's all thoughts about all day boardgaming. Time at four, would you rather. So bit of one that kind of relates basically to what we've been saying? Would you rather have snacks and drinks and refreshments at the table. But everyone gets analysis paralysis, so therefore they're taking ages to take their go? Or no snacks, no drinks, nothing. You just sitting there and playing. But everyone's going to be really speedy and the game's gonna go through?

Kerley: 57:26

Well, there's a key point with that is, can you have drinks and food away from the table? The second is we're talking about potentially dehydration and things that aren't going to have to go with well,

Becky: 57:38

sustenance games taking two hours, let's say,

Kerley: 57:41

I think they think oh, you're well AP is a bit of a bugbear of mine. I don't mind people taking the time of the turns. But I dislike it and myself because I dislike the feeling it gives me when I get AP and frankly, when you're looking at a turn based games, and some games do this better than others, but where other people haven't got anything invested in your turn. It can really ruin a game if someone gets really bad AP.

Becky: 58:04

That's why it mixes because you also like having snacks at the table.

Kerley: 58:08

I would say I'd rather not have snacks and food and drink at the table. No, because AP really I'm not saying it bothers me. But I think it can ruin a game. It can when it can and but I understand it happens. But as long as you if it's not every turn, I don't really care. But if it's every single turn, I think at one point in unfathomable it was a turn like it was taken 45 minutes to get back to me because people were just like me and are in between like, and there's just Yeah, it was getting frustrating. And they come through in a what is a very good game. So I don't know if it's a really interesting question, but I would definitely lean towards

JP: 58:48

no AP Yeah, so the second option then so the is it just no food at the table or no food in the house.

Becky: 58:55

You're not allowed to drink or anything. So you've got to be sitting at the game. Just playing for two hours. No, no snack. Oh,

JP: 59:02

no step snacks or drinks. I can last two hours.

Becky: 59:05

All right, now we're changing it to 404

Kerley: 59:08

If we're talking about no drink for four hours, then we're talking about potentially you know,

Becky: 59:13

you're not going to die if you don't do that for a while you got to remember

Kerley: 59:16

who you're talking to 4.4 litres of drinking a day, you know, so you're talking to the wrong person for that option. I would still go option two. But I would have

Becky: 59:27

I'd get to the end of the game

Kerley: 59:33

before the sharp

JP: 59:35

and off I go that's that's me. I think yeah, I hate AP as well. It's soul destroying

Becky: 59:40

snacks are so vital when you're also trying to

JP: 59:44

be like, you know, healthy and

Becky: 59:47

time very nice. Like

JP: 59:49

I used to a lot and the gaming table. And I've tried to cut it out. So yeah, for me, I'm going for dehydration.

Kerley: 59:57

If it was if it was only snacks and you could still drink it wouldn't even be close. wouldn't even be close. But because you include drinks within that. Yeah, it is it's a lot closer. That's what

Becky: 1:00:09

Andrew Pepsi Max Kerley wouldn't Yeah, exactly. Yeah,

JP: 1:00:13

Other soft drinks are avaialble

Becky: 1:00:17

Pepsi Max. Oh, come on now. Oh, sorry.

JP: 1:00:20

You've got Coke Zero Caffeine

Kerley: 1:00:26

coke for zero caffeine. Pepsi Max for caffeinated.

Becky: 1:00:30

Yeah, science is Yeah, behind the scenes. So you're both going yeah, we're

JP: 1:00:38

going dehydration hydration but games are fast and they're slick and we're

Becky: 1:00:42

afraid Mini Milks for me too important in my game and Mini Milks and Bombay Mix, That's usually you call me. So I've got it's gonna happen anyway. I'm playing you might as well be.

Kerley: 1:00:55

Yeah, to be fair, it's not about second prize. If you're gonna take your time at least give me a chocolate bar

JP: 1:01:00

yourself, but they do. A good one.

Becky: 1:01:10

So penultimate turn guys. So Kerley, what have you got coming up? On the board? Game locker?

Kerley: 1:01:15

Well, I've got a few bits and bobs coming up. Mostly new games. We've got Hallertau tomorrow, which I'm quite looking forward to giving a go, why not?

Becky: 1:01:28

Buy? What's that kind of game?

Kerley: 1:01:30

So I might be wrong here. Is it an Uwe? It isn't eBay. It's an Uwe because all games at the moment are rephase JP JP goes through little, you know, cycles to go on.

JP: 1:01:39

I go on Discovery missions. For months. Yeah, I kind of find a game I go, or is that designed by? I can't that was really interesting. What else they do? Yeah. Then try another one and go. That was really interesting. What else? And then. Yeah, kind of like to like pioneer, shall we say I'm like to pioneer and try these things. That's why

Kerley: 1:02:01

so yeah. So yeah, I'm looking forward to that. That's tomorrow. But I'll give a brief shout out to I am looking forward to Darwin's Journey, which I don't actually know much about. But the theme of it just interests me so interested to give that a go. And although I've got issues with it, and I don't know whether I'm gonna like it will give a little littleness to JP and giving Weather Machine ago, so I'm giving a lesser game a little bit of a pop.

JP: 1:02:28

I've done I've managed to convince him. I did say I was up for it, I just sign up for it willingly.

Kerley: 1:02:37

It's like, if you put an event on the side of the game, I'm not going to sign up. But if you say, clearly given us the game and other go, let's give this one go on that day of sign up. Because it's you and we play our games. And I make sure that I play games that other people you know, give them all a chance. I will. I will go

JP: 1:02:54

karts, right because I said he cannot write all games from one designer off because of that is the reason why I'm doing and then he plays this way. And he hates it. And then he will write the or games from that designer. It's

Kerley: 1:03:05

more likely I will write it. Yeah.

JP: 1:03:08

There's a lot riding on this game

Kerley: 1:03:10

I will say Vital was a lovely, lovely guy. And I know his games. Extremely popular. So I know it's me.

JP: 1:03:15

But yeah, and that's fine. If you don't like them, there's nothing to say that. You know, it's the end of the world. But I just I would love to, you know, because you do like heavy games. It's like Becky, I'd understand. You don't like heavy games full stop. So I'd say don't even bother.

Kerley: 1:03:31

My favourite games is my exact by far. Exactly. There's not even close. Like my top three is probably not even Terraforming Mars anymore. If I was honest. I would say probably god, that's a question I really considered. Probably a macaroni trick. Carry on.

Becky: 1:03:47

Wow, then TM. Oh, it's back in then.

Kerley: 1:03:51

Yeah. But it's been Yeah, Mindclash is my favourite. Yeah, so

Becky: 1:03:57

it's a little bit starstruck when you were to be honest with you may I was fanboying over David Turzci,

Kerley: 1:04:03

he's my favourite designer, I would say yeah. Because even those games are heavy. They they just compete with me. They just make sense. They gel No, yeah. So I can just go right I understand what's going on now and get into the flow of it. And yeah,

JP: 1:04:17

that's no different to me though. Like the Lacerda like some of them. I don't know how and I go. Oh, like it makes sense. And the wheels start turning and everything and Matrix moment Yeah, it's a strange I finally tell you how why that maybe some designs fit with certain people click with some just a really abrasive and just I can't I can't get tuned in with this like a different frequency.

Becky: 1:04:43

Yeah, totally. So JP, what have you got coming up?

JP: 1:04:46

So weirdly, I don't have lots and lots and lots of events. Because I know shock shock harbour but now I purposely I've been trying not to over commit myself and lock myself in my house constantly playing games, which I know I'm making it sound like torture. It's not. But as we were kind of saying earlier, I think I'm trying to make myself a bit more available and, and three to, you know, responses, kind of ad hoc gaming events or any are fancy doing a seminar free this night and those kinds of things. But yeah, things I'd like to get to the table things that we've been talking about. And clearly, you've got a few in your shelf of opportunity slash shames the secrets, whatever you want to call it. Oh, sorry. That's not the team that I'm quite keen on. So we talked about Paladins last episode with Adrian, he just played it. And I was thinking, oh, yeah, I forgot all about this game. And I think we're gonna get that hopefully soon. I'm looking forward to that. Viticulture World. We played, which is the Co-op expansion. We played the first intro scenario. And that was a good night. Yeah, actually went better than I thought. Not that I thought I'd go, like bad or anything, but I didn't know if anyone would enjoy it in that way. So I'm just intrigued to see what the other continents kind of bring to

Kerley: 1:06:15

us to go to the next one.

JP: 1:06:20

I do not agree with this statement. Busy.

Becky: 1:06:26

I think I'm permanent whenever

Kerley: 1:06:29

you're free.

Becky: 1:06:31

It's yeah, I don't know. Yeah.

JP: 1:06:34

Yeah. And then I think the other one was fine. And you

Becky: 1:06:37

know what, it is fine, but it's just stupid. To me, it's stupid. It's just not thing. It doesn't work. I don't care. Sorry, Jamie. And it worked. The game as a whole is a good game. I just really hate that. That little little mechanic in there. That just

JP: 1:07:02

we know you did an episode where you ranted about it for 15 minutes, then you bought it? Are you you are both Thanks. Thanks. But now we're doing the Asia continent in trade treaty. Twister game.

Becky: 1:07:18

How does that is it still grape growing? Or is it Oh, yeah, mechanically,

JP: 1:07:21

you're doing the same thing because it was a cheese expension. Yeah, that's, that's an older expansion. But it's still competitive. But you just making cheese as well as wine you compare. It's

Kerley: 1:07:30

really the same game. It's just different spaces. And you can upgrade the spaces to get more actions and make it more efficient. It's

JP: 1:07:35

just it's alien to play because I'm used to playing that game guarded cards a secret. I don't want anyone to know what I'm doing. And it's the opposite. It's like, right, well, this is what I've got on my hand, guys. Has anyone got Oh, yeah, that'd be really useful for me. Can we trade? And then it's interesting. It might, it flips it on its head, like, massive. It

Kerley: 1:07:54

seems weird to be like, right, close. I've got I haven't gotten the lay of the land as far as my NGO. So I need help. Yeah, well, can you guys you can anyone help me with that on

JP: 1:08:02

my engine?

Becky: 1:08:03

A little cooperative? There's no, I don't mean a cooperative game. I mean, like, when lots of people work together in order to, to like, like, an actual shop sort of thing. Yeah. But that's,

JP: 1:08:13

that's kind of the vibe is you're trying to prestige, right? Yeah, we're all like family members or building prestige for our wines together. And we have to work together to get that prestige up to a certain level. And, you know, the intro scenario kind of helps you along. It's a bit guided in such a way you now have free procedure because we like you, which thankfully, we probably

Kerley: 1:08:35

needed some we've done it anyway. But it would have been a lot tighter. Yeah.

JP: 1:08:39

And we were trying to learn the system and learn how it all works. But yeah, this next one is probably not going to hold our hands so much. So thank you for that. And the last thing I will say, just because Curley just showed me a picture, and he's completely reminding me we need to do it, which is Twilight Imperium. It's been a while, but we said we'd do it for player. And I'm quite keen for that, actually, because the last ones we've done have been quite large player accounts, have not played a four player for a while, and it probably shrinks the game to like, five hours. Now it's not less is more manageable. And yeah, quick turns. All that kind of I'd definitely be up for that. Yeah. So and it's been a while so I feel rejuvenated from

Kerley: 1:09:23

the way our gaming group actually works. So this is a little bit of an insight is if there's a game that someone else owns, or you don't have that you want to play with and the official request, and then you get a priority, you can say yes, so JP, Can I request a four player?

Becky: 1:09:36

Yes, you can. I will organise that momentarily once we finish recording, but anyway, Becky, have you got Well, me and Kerley have got a week of annual leave coming up that we actually have got off at the same time. Yeah. Which is unusual for us. It's good. So I think I'd like to get a few things off of the shelf of job opportunity secrets. Yeah. Well, behind this a secret box,

Kerley: 1:10:01

everything of everything that's been used.

Becky: 1:10:05

So things like Photosynthesis, would really like to try and get out. Play Port Royal again, and actually use some of the expansions and mentioning that. I want to say a massive thank you to our listener Pete who send me the expansion. It's gonna be doubly pleased because promotion which is really kind of am I was really touching it was really nice. So thanks, Pete When you use that card, I'm going to Well, good because I'm going to win definitely. or something. Yeah, I'm sure you will, you know, if I rip these cards up maybe we'll

JP: 1:10:41

put them on the PC and you've

Kerley: 1:10:43

worked our asses against lately you've

Becky: 1:10:46

had a little bit of a run all the runs No, wait. Well. I have a few a few games that I've been pleased with actually. Which is which has made a nice change. Yeah, just so small kind of not just to play games, but just little bit like you said just a little bit more ad hoc. Oh, do you know what? Anyone fancy playing this tonight? Yeah, that'll be good. And it's my birthday. So who knows what I'll get? Well, I already got flame craft on my birthday. So I know what I got. But yeah, maybe I don't know what the future holds. It's exciting, I

Kerley: 1:11:20

guess I mean, new for the shelf of opportunity.

Becky: 1:11:23

Our final turn is now upon us and we are going to wrap up and award victory points and day I think we're all going to share a victory because it's all a lovely birthday gaming event. So we played lots of party games and no one's won the whole groups one we don't like ties do we? Okay, when

Kerley: 1:11:40

on tie breakers.

Becky: 1:11:41

I also don't know. Okay, we're just gonna skip. Gaming day there's to be no strife or arguments. If you've enjoyed the show, please please try and recommend it to someone who you think will also like the show. Get the word out there and send us some stuff in see tell us about your amazing boardgame days you've had and what you think makes the best board game we really like to hear it when you tell us stuff. We're on all the socials, Facebook, tick tock all of the things so well. Yeah, it's all on the show notes if you want to come and speak to us or get in contact with us at all. We'll be back again in two weeks with another episode so until then.