JP: 0:32

Welcome to Whose turn is it Anyway, your board gaming podcast where we talk about board games and bring you into our gaming group where you've got a very special expansion pack episode and we've got Becky with us. Hi

Becky: 0:42

everyone. So

JP: 0:43

just me and Bex. We're going to talk about the full board gaming 2024 first ever event set in Torquay. Which we've just come back from yesterday. Yeah,

Becky: 0:54

absolutely. I finished unpacking all the games from the boxes. This very morning. Back in Yep, yeah, I sorted out straightaway, because I don't like to have bags everywhere. And I did take a lot of games did I like to have the variety? I don't like to think of myself going, Oh, I really wish I'd have bought such and such. So I take everything. You just

JP: 1:13

like to have your entire collection. Wherever you go. Yeah, that's it. Yeah. Yeah. Took a few I think it took what six games? Seven games. We'll talk about

Becky: 1:22

them. Six bags of

JP: 1:26

like getting from the car Kerley. Oh, do I have to say yeah, full board gaming. If you haven't heard of it. I mean, we did an episode last year with Matt Prowse so Matt Prowse is the organiser for full board. And if you want to hear more about then go and check out that episode where we chat with Matt. But Full board gaming is a residential gaming weekend holiday slash break mini break is probably the best way to describe it. Right? Yeah,

Becky: 1:53

it's it's really all encompassing. And that's the great thing about it. So that kind of inclusivity of stuff. I think I spent the grand total of about, I don't know, 15 more pounds the whole weekend. And that's because I decided to treat myself to a little Espresso Martini Cocktail, which, you know, skip to the end, I spilt most of it down myself but not on the games, which was more important. But yeah, that the fact that you you pay your money, and all your foods included. Everything's there. It's got amazing facilities, which I'm sure we'll come on to later. And it's yeah, a whole weekend of of entertainment for one set price, which I really like the appeal of that because you know exactly what it's, you know, you can budget you know what it's going to be? Yeah, he's like that.

JP: 2:39

He's like full board being that you get your breakfast, your main meal, all thrown into that price. And you might be thinking we might need some money for lunch, you probably do a little bit. But to be honest, I ate so much food, my lunch was like, I finally managed a bag of crisps.

Becky: 2:57

The only reason I did buy lunch was because I had a massage booked because the actual hotel that we were staying in, had a spa attached to it, which we'll definitely talk about later, because that was amazing. So because I had a massage book, through it sort of in the morning, I thought, well, I'll go be easy on breakfast because that I don't really want to be laying on my stomach with a massive full belly of fries. So I was actually very restrained. And I was sad about that. Because the first day the massage was cancelled, through no fault of the hotel at all. The person who was meant to be doing it wasn't able to go to work. So totally, totally fine. They received it the next day. All good. But yeah, so I didn't eat enough to last meeting that I could have done had I not planned it. Otherwise,

JP: 3:40

we I did. As far as I just thought, Well, if you've got breakfast included, and you may meal in the evenings included, I need to make this breakfast or last for gaming to do right. Which is exactly what I did. And yeah, it's it was great. It was great. The hotel we actually stayed at was the the TLH leisure resort. Okay? I've not stayed there before. It's actually quite confusing when you first turn up because there's four hotels, all kind of together in one massive mega complex. Right? Pretty much on the outside near the centre of Torquay

Becky: 4:17

for three minutes walk on the actual seafront. So it is right there in the heart of Torquay, you're not kind of stranded out in the middle of nowhere. It is right there. Absolutely.

JP: 4:25

And, you know, there's plenty of parking when we found them. There's lots of double car parks there as well. And yeah, it was a it's quite an old fashioned style building. It would

Becky: 4:36

have I had these like sort of flights of fantasy quite often walking down the staircases sort of picturing myself maybe like 1930s or 1940s and I could imagine like all the people sort of in their finery kind of wandering around because it would have been very very grand in its time I think yeah.

JP: 4:52

So there we go. That's that's the kind of hotel so facilities wise, which this is what made it different for other conventions like your your grid, cons or even expo or whatever, is the fact that you've got spa facilities, you've got pool facilities. There's a gym on site, there's there's entertainment, arcade

Becky: 5:13

machines, which I didn't manage to get you didn't you wouldn't fit in I walked past them, it was exciting. I love 2p machines, the pushing machine for maybe maybe our non kind of UK listeners, those kinds of machines where you fill them with sort of very low cost small coins and you've got like a pushing mechanic where you kind of thread more, in our case two pence coins in and it pushes them out. I just love

JP: 5:35

it. You just keep feeding those coins in. Yeah, maybe you get 40 P back. Yeah. And then you reinvest those coins to try and get this little key ring absolute, which is gonna move slowly to the edge. Yes, I spent 60 pounds 30 You

Becky: 5:49

spent about two quid for an hour of entertainment. I mean, where can you get that? It's quite brilliant. It's brilliant.

JP: 5:56

So yeah, so we've got loads of facilities, and I managed to check out the the swimming pool on the Sunday morning. Really glad I did. I was quite tired because I did a lot of gaming. So some late nights. And but I just thought now I've got to go and try these facilities out. I'll be gutted if I come back, chat on this podcast and go Yeah, can't be bothered. So I checked the cooler and I was really surprised like it has this Aztec theme.

Becky: 6:22

Really, it's really fancy.

JP: 6:25

The pools are but the Aztec temple at the one end of it and you swimming around and is really nice. And then there's a sauna, steam room. And I managed to go both and yeah, it's just first like it's either setting yourself up for a day gaming was great. But I just think I said this to my wife shell when I got back. I said, this is the convention I think you could come to. And she was like, What are you talking about? Why would I want to go? I said, Well, it's because you could come and enjoy the facilities of this hotel, which is exactly what Matt wants. Right? Yeah, he's that you can come and do come and play a game for two hours maybe. And if you want to Swan off and go shopping in Torquay, off you go. If you want to go and spend an afternoon in the spa, have a massages and treatments and off you go. And and I think you're quite fortunate Becky because you and Kerley, you're both gamers. So you both do it. And I know you enjoy some of these facilities as well. But I think you know, for my wife or some of the other kind of partners in the group. I can kind of see them going and actually for them to do their own thing as well.

Becky: 7:31

Yeah, definitely. And the the actual so the swimming pool in the sauna in the steam room really nice. I made the mistake of going on the first evening after a very, very, I mean, what was I thinking full. I've had a really busy week with work and it's kind of studying and stuff. And I had a massive meal and bearing in mind. I'm on a diet. So this was the biggest meal I'd allowed myself for a month and I had a starter, a main course. Big, massive queen of puddings dessert with custard, and then thought, Oh, I know what a great idea. I'll go and sit in a sauna and a steam room. I've never had anything drain my battery was cool. I mean, it was lovely. I had the best night's sleep I've slept really quite well was. So don't do that little tip. Don't have a massive, massive dinner and go and sit in a sauna. I mean, probably no one else is stupid enough to do that. But yeah, me and me and Jay Kerley's younger brother. We went in there. And it was like we both just were done. I said, I don't want to game anymore. I want to sleep. You

JP: 8:29

know, you came back and we're like, yeah, Becky.

Becky: 8:33

I was just, but it was that lovely kind of really pleasant. Just not exhausted, tired, because you've been running a marathon but just so warm and lovely. And just but the actual spa facilities, the actual massage and other areas is really swish like, really? You know, I would have reception. Yeah, I could compare that to some of the really fancy Disneyworld hotels actually, it was beautifully themed. Yeah, it was like bamboo stuff on the ceiling and lovely kind of Spa. Really nice. And the massage one of the best I've ever had actually really good. And I've had quite a few massages. I'm lucky enough to you know, enjoy a massage. And it was really good. Really, really good.

JP: 9:17

I yeah, I will definitely do like a back massage. Next month.

Becky: 9:21

I think they do other kinds of health care things like I don't know. facials and waxing. That doesn't sound like pleasant to me. Massage. Yes, please. Somebody ripping off the hairs on your legs. No, no fine for that. Thank you. That's not Yeah, that's not something I'm gonna do for fun, you know, for a treat on a weekend. But yeah, it was really lovely. Sort of surroundings. Just peaceful calm. Very nice. Very nice. Yeah.

JP: 9:46

So yeah, I mean that that's a little bit about facilities. We did something else during the week, but we'll come back to that. I think a little bit later. But I think we should talk about the game. Yeah. Because let's face it, you're listening to hear about

Becky: 10:01

you don't care about my non leg waxing I had.

JP: 10:05

So let's let's let's go and chat about the games. So yeah, we have played lots of games, I think between us. So who went to the convention? And so obviously, there's two. There's your husband, Kerley. We had Davey, we had Rob, we had Tambo from the podcast, the six of us that went, obviously from our gaming group extended as a few more people that were there, we had markers. We had Jay, Kerley's, younger brother. And and obviously, when we go to these conventions, we end up meeting people that we've now on the convention circuit. And you know

Becky: 10:49

what, that's one of my favourite things absolutely makes you feel like you've got kind of extended. I don't say extended friends, because it but it but it is. And I think even the people that are not the ones who are probably gonna listen a minute, I recognise that it's like, I know that face, I know that that person's face is familiar. And mean, clearly, we're talking about this this morning, because actually, we didn't play a lot of games together. We played quick, just skip to the end, play Ticket to Ride. And I did win, which was very nice. I mean, I have been playing it quite a lot. BGA you know, you've rinsed them. I didn't win. But I did beat but it was quite, you know, I'm only mentioning because it's quite rare to happen with the amount of games that we play. And so actually, we didn't play many games together. But you know what, he could have been playing something else all day, and I completely wouldn't have minded wandering around that hall, there would have been someone who I could have played a game with. And that's the really lovely wouldn't have been awkward. It would have been, it would have been fine. Yeah.

JP: 11:44

So I think a few shout outs before we kind of roll into the games we we see Joel and Claire, a lot. Most of the convention, Joel and Claire from the Devon dice podcast. So they're kind of good friends of ours. And we've had many kind of interactions and games with those guys. Not just in full board, gaming, but from previous convention. So it's nice to see them again. It's always good to see that we're seeing them in three weeks time.

Becky: 12:13

We've already got plans to see I see as I think we've

JP: 12:15

got some games sheduled as well. Looking forward to where we went for that now. Who else did we see?

Becky: 12:21

We saw Adam from punchboard. Yeah,

JP: 12:24

that was really one of my highlights. I think for me personally, was getting some games in with Adam. I didn't just get one I got a couple and really just kind of getting to know him as a gamer and having the banter with Adam. Loved it. So if you're listening, Adam, it was awesome to game with you. I'd love to do it again sometime. Soon.

Becky: 12:43

I really, you know, kind of respect his anything he recommends. I'm like, Yeah, you know what, I'm going to try that out because you're tuned in, aren't ya? He's, you know, I know he likes his Wargaming and stuff that isn't going to be my cup of tea. But you know, a lot of the other stuff that is recommended even stuff that isn't, you know, board games so he recommended this little kind of I played it on the Steam deck well Kerley's steam deck, and called Thomas Was Alone. And I've played this Yeah, it's just like a silly little. You play

JP: 13:11

the squares? Yeah,

Becky: 13:12

it reminds me of lemmings. You've got to get a thing from there to somewhere else on a level. Yeah. And it's the most basic premise. But the narration of the story, like you probably wouldn't if you just saw a little picture with like, no, he Yeah, he just recommended it. And I just, it made me check it out. And I instantly bought it was like seven quid or something. So I instantly downloaded it. Yeah. And I thought, yeah, he's, he's really good at recommending stuff for me, like not to me specifically, I'm sure. But yeah,

JP: 13:39

the narration in that game is what makes this because you're like, Oh, you're you're playing a red square. And then you meet these other characters are always, you know, a tall, thin one, I can maybe jump really high. And then you've got this big, big square that's really slow and heavy believe it's clear the blue square. And yeah, you're just kind of playing this game that you have to puzzle your way through. It's clever. It's a good guy. We could talk about that Thomas Was Alone. So yes, Adam we we caught up with, I think others. Paul Grogan from gaming rules. He was there all weekend, which was nice to see with his wife, Vicki, Vicki in the hotel, we had a little chat. So that was nice. Yeah, so that was great. And Paul's Patreon community, there's quite a few from from his kind of Patreon community there. So got to meet a few of those as well. So yeah, and I know that some of the team had game with many different people. Obviously, they're not here tonight. So apologies. We didn't need you because we didn't game with you. But you know who you are. If you're listening. So so there you go. Right, let's get on with the game specs. So I started off with a quick game of letter Jam. Nice, which Adrian bought to

Becky: 14:48

Dan Apsey's 24 hour mini marathon. And I instantly knew this is going to be a game for me. 100%. So I bought that. One quick caveat. I think if someone has any kind of letter issues, or dyslexia, or, I mean, I'm terrible at spelling, I have to say you can use your phone and stuff. So that might make it slightly more difficult, but not necessarily impossible. I think we were playing it a little bit incorrectly just kind of having a free for all. We're all on who was going to suggest the clues. But it was a really, I really like it. It's a really fun game of just scrabble plus, but no trouble because we all know my opinions on scrabble aren't particularly high. But yeah, a word game that is just really good fun game, you each have some letters, a word made up by the person to your left or right. You don't know what those letters are. Everyone else can see each one letter at what you know, at one time, and you have to make words up and say, Oh, well, I've got a five letter word that uses four different people, for example. And so it kind of gives you clues as to what your letter might be. And you basically try and guess each letter. And then at the end, you're trying to guess what the word is. Because when you playing with our group of people, you know that probably the four letter words perhaps might not be very family friendly, but you're the one that's picking the four letter words. It doesn't have to be like that. But it probably will be if you're playing with people like us

JP: 16:10

It's gonna happen. Yeah, yeah. Nice. Yeah, that's good. I enjoyed that. Nice. Yeah, I started the convention off with White Castle, which is published by Devir games. So White Castle comes in this tiny box, I say tiny, it's not tiny as in tiny epic into game here. It's quite small. It's quite a small box for the game you're getting out of it. So that's the surprise. Number one is if a poor white cast in your app is a lightweight game, no. And they did a previous one called Red Cathedral, which I had played last year, which I thought was great. For what you're getting for, it's really, really meaty kind of Euro kind of game. But yeah, White Castle, I actually think I prefer it. And it's a dice placement game is tight as anything, you get nine actions in the game. Wow, that's it. So on the left hand side of the board, you have these three bridges, you got red, and black and white. And on the right side, you have all these different action spaces, and I think you randomise the the colour dice, that would activate those actions and actions on cards as well as their variable. So again, every game is going to be completely different how it's set up. So on these bridges, you'll have five of each coloured dice, I think there's five, and three of them will sit on the bridge, and you will have a dice on the end like the top end and the bottom end, in the ascending order from you know, on six, so the D sixes. And really, your turn is take one of the dice that are on either ends of the bridge, place it onto the board. And what I really loved it loved about it, the simple kind of dice placement mechanic was, these action spaces have pit values. So if you're putting a four on a four, great, if you're putting a six, on a four, you get to money income, because that's different. If you put a two on a four, you paid two money,

Becky: 18:05

I see you've got that more modification, kind of simple, but it's bloody work. So

JP: 18:09

it's kind of like you know what, I'm gonna overpay as in over, put an overcharge dice under this space, because I need the money so that I can use maybe something else. And the other kicker is, is that if you use the dice on the left side of the bridge, the lower value dice, you get to activate your lanterns ability and on your player board. Throughout the course of the game, you're acquiring these cards, and they kind of put down into a row. And all you see is the collection of symbols in your lanten ability just lets you activate the entire row of stuff. So you're like, do that, do that get that move in there. So throughout the game, you just comboing and doing all sorts of cool nonsense, which I really enjoying games.

Becky: 18:50

Is it set collection? Or is it just random collection

JP: 18:53

of EPS but of coins, bit of something else? And yes, that's quite cool. And really, you've got kind of three economies in the game where you've got soldiers, farmers, and I think these artisans, I think, and the soldiers you're trying to put out into the fields, and you'll get benefits for putting them out the artisans you're trying to get into the White Castle and level them up through the castle. And if you level them up to the they're actually the action spaces you're putting the dice on, you can then acquire this card onto a playable which means then you can personally activate that ability anytime in the game. And then if you get another one that overwrites it that ends up going into your lanten area, which will then trigger different effects. So that was quite nice. And if you get into the top you get mega mega VPs and bonuses. And then you've got the farmers and they sit in the pastures on the left near the bridges and they will give you some my income. The end of the round. Providing there are dice still left on the bridge. So this adds a nice little. I know you've got lots of farmers on that top bridge. So I'm definitely going to use those dice. Yeah, so there's a little bit say mean but you notice interaction. And the fact that is nine actions. So you get nine actions in the game. No more no less. You're trying to it's an efficiency puzzle you're trying to squeeze in as much out of your game as possible to do what you can and now I just loved how long was again? Oh god. hour and a half Max.

Becky: 20:26

That's perfect.

JP: 20:27

That's perfect length of game for me now think you could maybe even less when we have to teach so Marcus is Marcus's game he did to teach did a cracking job. And yeah, I think when you know what you're doing you can bust down an hour nice and it's just don't don't don't do your foundation. Yeah, I'm so what a neat little game. I'm actually tempted to pick up a copy. Because it's that perfect travel size. crunch to it. Yeah. Yeah. And I managed to win. Yeah. Which is Marcus was stomping? Absolutely stomping it and I had managed to kind of go down the farmers route a little bit and got a lot back. So yeah, really enjoyed it really kicked off the convention and a really good good spirits.

Becky: 21:09

Nice. It started on a on a high. Yeah, I mean, it was such a popular game. So it wasn't quite the queue was around the block forever. And I didn't push into that one. So maybe you should. I'm trying to I'm glad it was worth it, I played a really, really great game of Art Society with Claire from I want to play Oh, it's such a. It's so good. And it was a really, like, even when we were totally like totaling up the scores. At the end. We're like, oh, I actually don't know who's got this. I love that. It was I got 80 and Claire got 81 It was so close. Yeah, it was a fantastic game. And so yeah, for anyone who hasn't seen that the box on its own, it's a beautiful box. It's got multi Layer box art. I mean, what other game was got that, hey, I don't think I know. Very, very simple premise, you've got a wall on your board. And you you in turn select pictures, the amount of which are the players plus one. So in a two player game, I'm say picking three different size pictures. Now you can see the back of these pictures, you don't know what kind of type they're going to be. And there's four types landscapes, portraits, industrial, and I don't know, red, green, blue. And, yeah, it doesn't really matter. The pictures are all funny, or, you know, maybe sort of like the Mona Lisa with the cowboy hat, you know, just the silly kind of sort of spoofs of actual real or just ordered mad art. So you're looking at the kind of frame the pictures have, and you're looking at the kind of picture is so might be a red, blue, yellow, or green type. And it might have a shell border, or a metal one or a wooden one. So you get points for putting frames next to each other, because that's pleasing to the eye. So you get like an extra little tiny, like a little one tile to fill in you little gaps because you get minuses if you know happen. Well, you get more points if you filled your whole map. Yeah, that's one of the end game sort of triggers. So the spatial of like, yeah, placings are important. So yeah, so some of them are like, three by four size. Some of them are one by three. It's very, very varied. And you can pick them on your turn. And then this is really interesting auction mechanic. So if out of the three that I've selected, I can think oh, no, only one of those is going to work for me. Because yeah, you get bonuses for matching frames, but you commit a faux par if you put similar pictures next to each other because that's boring, right? Who wants a portrait next door portrait? Allegedly? So if you can look at that we know well, yeah. So you pick the pictures blind, then you turn them over, and you need to get to see what kinds and frames they have. And if I'm looking at Oh no, well, only one of those is either going to fit in my frame, or the right kind, I'm going to bid highly. So you've got these little cards that are like a, like a little fan like auction board thing with one to 20 on. So if I really need a picture, I'm going to bid like 19 or 20. And whatever you bid, you know, depending on what you need, then you turn over your bids. And then that person gets to pick fast, simple, you just take turns like this back and forth, back and forth, filling your lovely wall, basically a wall. So the picture that you this is the kicker. So if you were very clever. I mean, I clearly wasn't getting this level of it. I'm just making nice pictures. But if you're really clever, the picture that gets left over goes to the museum. And that denotes how prestigious a picture type is. Right so your scoring at the end is dictated by what you don't pick. Yeah, so I was thinking about this the other night that afterwards maybe you should go really hard for a certain type at the start, which means it won't be in the in the museum or try and send a type to the museum really early on and then try and get I don't know this

JP: 24:59

but then everyone's gonna go for it. Yeah.

Becky: 25:00

But you can only go for them if they're going to fit on your wall. So it's really interesting mechanic. Yeah, off topic. I'd love to give this a go. I mean clay really enjoyed it. They have a copy as well. It isn't something that Kerley really enjoyed, because it's a bit puzzley for him he liked he liked And it does play really one or two players just as well as it plays a four players. Yeah, I can't imagine it any different at all other than maybe slight more contention but because you're using this bidding mechanic, it doesn't matter. Really, you know, it's all about no one can have more of a first say, because you've only got 20 numbers to pick so yeah, really good. The art works really fun on the actual board itself. Great game our game. Yes. Do it. Yeah, I

JP: 25:43

really enjoyed that. Yeah. Nice. Nice. Well, we I think we had a little little cheeky game of Just One we and that was quite nice, because we kind of pulled two copies of

Becky: 25:57

mega just one mega

JP: 26:00

one. And we were just waiting for dinner when we finished some of our games. And we had like a good kind of 30 minutes to kill before we work for dinner on the Friday night. Oh, yeah, we just pulled out so that was quite nice. I'm not gonna explain just one everyone knows what just one is. I'm sure by now we

Becky: 26:14

Just buy any of it. It's just just an

JP: 26:18

easy part you're going to to buy so that was cool. But when we got back we we got into this situation as you often do, conventions where you get odd number of people and you're trying to find a game to either split the group down etc. And, and we had a plan to play a specific game I'll talk about in a minute on that evening. Yeah, and we basically mean Kerley just kind of broke off into a two we played Hoplomachus remastered for for a good kind of hour and a half, two hours kind of Max, which is quite nice fun. He absolutely kicked my ass. I had it. The thing about Hoplomachus remastered if you don't know what it is, it's basically a gladiator. Basically, fighting skirmish game with big chips made by Chip theory games, basically all the all the units or chips on a neoprene mat. And it's it's not as complicated as too many bones. It's not as complicated complicated as many of their other games, it's on the simpler side. But it's quite rich for what you're doing. You've got a team of gladiators, and I was playing the Amazons, he was playing the Parthians. And it's basically a seesaw. So the best way to describe Hoplo is at certain points in the game, you feel like you're you're on it. And then that thing's gonna tip back and forth depending on what happens and and we were playing on the Coliseum side of the map. So the Coliseum is where your hero is chained up at the star, which means they're inactive, they can't move but they can be killed because they're literally in shackles. And you were trying to get crowd favour to set that hero free or do other things get help and all the benefits and stuff. And on the Coliseum mode is if you finish a crowd favourite track you unlock a chip a support chip for the other player, which they can put what's called a Sentinel, a big Archer dude on a pedestal or a kind of blockade onto the mat. So just as a new little dynamics the better you're doing you're fueling the other Yeah, exactly what I did at the start so I was like crushing it and the Amazons have a special tactic chip which they can deploy twice in one go which is quite a big deal because normally only gets to deploy one unit per hour to and so either hand on units on the board but he Yeah, I managed to kind of get going combat and I just made a stupid mistake my hero was I thought was safe and he just completely to give her a good big kick in yeah and that was that so I got to use my new shiny metal alloy dice though.

Becky: 28:50

I did actually notice them because now you've probably heard

JP: 28:55

and I thought I'll bring them because if a play hoplo then I want to play with the shiny dice I've got for Christmas they were lovely. They are so they're completely not needed.

Becky: 29:04

Just hold them in like a dice map because otherwise the company would just like put them well. wouldn't roll

JP: 29:08

well weirdly one escaped my hand by accident and took out the board and all the chips were kind of everywhere which is quite fun. Literally gladiators are falling over themselves are these dice rolls across the table. But yeah, you need ideally you need a good dice tower, which I've got. But I didn't bring it up on my other dice tray but yeah, you need to keep them there. They will damage your gaming tables that heavy. Wow, good fun.

Becky: 29:32

It's nice to have a link to one of my favourite games that we played him. I have played it once before it belongs to Joel from Devon dice and it's called igloo pop. Now this

JP: 29:46

What the hell will you play it?

Becky: 29:46

If you couldn't see it? You'd think that a lot of people are playing Maraccas because I'm sure we probably spoken about it on the podcast before but it deserves a second, third, fourth and fifth mentioned this game is fantastic but it's out of print. So I've got my little idea of making some kind of Blue Peter version. I'm gonna try anyway. It's it sounds silly and it is because it is really silly game but it's so much fun. You've got plastic igloos with tiny little glass beads in. The amount of glass beads is printed underneath the igloo, but you're not, you're not looking at that. So you have to pick them up, put your thumb on the number, and shaky, shaky shaky near your ear. And then you have to decide how many glass beads are in there. Okay, so you've got like cards around a bit like a, like if you're playing on I used to call it clock patience as a child, but like nine, nine cards around in a circle, and these include a clock face. Yeah. And they haven't got one to nine on them. One card might have four and five, one card might have 789, 1 card might have 12. One card might have 13 and 14, even if it goes that high, I can't remember. So you got random numbers. So you do a little mimic. You can't see this. But I'm kind of doing mimicking the shaky, shaky, shaky ear. And because everyone else is doing this, you do have to shake it right near your own ear. Otherwise, you can't hear how many beads you've got. And you know, you might even know anyway, so yeah, shaky shaky. So all that sounds like a 3or 4? I'm not sure. So then you're looking for the card, you place it on the card you put one of your little coloured don't tokens in it a little holder? And then you plunk this igloo on the card you think has the number printed on it? That is correct. Everyone takes turns in doing this? Well, you're doing it together. So you'll do one together, then you might pick another one. And if you don't like this, like, Well, I'm not sure about that number and you can put it back down and pick a different one. As long as there's more to pick. But the plonk all you igloos on and then you just look on the underneath of the igloo to see if people were right. And if you're right, you win that card. And if someone else was on there who was wrong, you win their little token? VP at the end, it's very nice. You win your own competitor? Yeah. Oh, yes. Competitive. It's very competitive. The glass beads in a plastic igloo is very, right. Yeah. So you win their token, which you can't spend for further goes. But it's VP and it's someone else's, which is quite nice. And you can tell who it is. So when I when Kerley is for example, it's like, oh, this VPS even more special. So yeah, you just keep basically playing until you've got no tokens left, nice. And then. So each card has got little Inuit picture on the front, either two children, one child, I don't think there's three. And that's how many VPs that can work. So some cards are more difficult to get because they've got maybe only one number on it. Whereas easier cards to obtain a one, two, we've got three different numbers on it. So you count how many little Inuit children on the cards, bizarre scoring method, and how many other people's tokens you owe and your own and your own. Because you say that you win them back. So it's just a silly little bit of fun. But oh, my goodness is so good. I need to recreate it again. You cannot buy

JP: 32:56

or you you all have smiles on your face. To help look over though, because I can't remember I think there might have been playing Hopko at the time or something. I know you were playing Kerley. I was playing something. And all you could do is is. And it was just swearing and banter and

Becky: 33:12

you all had a great time with it. Yeah, glass beads in a plastic igloo.

JP: 33:16

I mean, it's just brilliant. When you're going to 3d print,

Becky: 33:18

I'm going to try it's not going to be as good as the real thing. But you can't buy the real thing as soon as you can, or if they ever, or if I get an opportunity to buy the real thing. I absolutely will. But I might have to make a you know, terrible, you know, knock off the shelf version to play in the meantime.

JP: 33:38

sounded fun. It sounded great. So we kind of ended the Friday playing the game. I definitely thought I'd even get this played. And I wasn't even thinking about bringing in so we played a game around mine on the Tuesday beforehand. And Tambo said, Oh, why didn't you bring New Angeles to the convention full board? And I was like, yeah, that'd be quite fun actually. Because new and new monthlies if anyone has gotten the hasn't heard of it is it's a negotiation game. I call it the arguments simulator, because that's probably the perfect way to describe it. But New Angeles is a game all about negotiation is setting the Android netrunner universe, which is the reason why I picked it up to be honest, because I'm a huge fan of the Android net runner universe anyway. I love the world of the cyberpunk cyberpunk aesthetic. And in this game you player as CEOs of corporations and these are the corporations that you can play a net runner jinteki is one of the

Becky: 34:44

one that's like cargo doors, but it's not how the one one was like Waylander or something. Wayland, Wayland. There we go. That's because it's a David Gemmell character.

JP: 34:56

Can you remember the other one? No, three letters together and the same? I see I know. And no NBN Okay. NBN NBN. So they like their news, Facebook, kind of dudes. And actually you get six corporations you get a The Melange mining and global sec, which is like security, so you got the six corporations all got their own specialities. They're not like completely asymmetric. But they're just got a little Billy bonus as in, they'll get capital money if certain things happen. So New Angeles is a city, it's based on where LA was but obviously in the future, and your job is to as corporations to make sure the city doesn't completely collapse under its own weight of cyber punky gangs, organised crime, the fact that you're having protesters from the people in different districts because you're using androids to produce and manufacture goods that you need to which the humans don't like, because, you know, they took our jobs and all of that. All suave trying to make money, because we're capitalists and we want to try make money. So VPS is what's called capital. And capital can be freely traded as a commodity to other players to help strong arm convince, get what the hell you want in this game. And really, the kind of premises is that you'll start the round the six rounds in the game, but you start the first two rounds, who kind of round one, round two, then there's a demand phase, and then three for demand, and then five, six demand. So at the start of the game, you know what the demand is going to be at the end of round two. And this card will just say like, there's a Olympics going on, and you need to fulfil, I'd know for credits, one energy three of this and two or whatever it might be. And in order to to basically get that demand, you're gonna have to work together with the fellow CEOs to make sure you're getting Android's in the right districts because all specialise in different resources. Clean up the city because some districts will have no power, someone I've gangs in there, you got to usher out with what's called the price EQ or preset a big security do robots that you move everyone out, move along? Terminate? Yeah, like move along, please. Also, while trying to not increase threat, right, so the threat is another track on the board, which basically goes to 25. If that threat goes to 25, we all lose, because the government comes in and basically says, Your shit. And we're going to run the city from now on, which is no good for corporations, because you're not going to make any money. Right. So we're gonna go bust. The crux of the game. The one of the things I really like about the game is the wind condition is you get dealt a card at the start. And that's your rival. So in order to win, it's not you need the most repays or capital, you just need to have more than a rival.

Becky: 38:01

So this is another player. But then you don't know that. Yeah,

JP: 38:04

well, you know, yeah, I don't know. I don't know who my rival like, who who's got me. Yeah, if you draw yourself, then you have to beat three other people in capital, because that can happen. But there's a sneaky special court and now called the Federalist, and the Federalist wants the government to come in. So there's a little bit of like, BSG. Yeah.

Becky: 38:26

Yeah, I like this. Just

JP: 38:28

like, so you kind of like, Yeah, I think we should do that, guys. That let's, let's do this. And you're trying to sort of sabotage but the clever bit about it is that the Federalist can only win if they get their capital to 25. So they have to help and make money up to a certain point. Yeah, then the stock tank. But yeah, make it wrong in the end. Yeah. And I'm really the kind of round structure is that you get an asset. An asset is like a person in the Android net runner universe. And the asset will give you an ability if you win them, and you're putting an offer down onto the board that says right, I think we should move free androids on the board. And then you can propose where you put them sound. I think we're putting down their their name and goes Yeah, great idea, JP. That's, that's fantastic. And then Kerley will go well, actually, I've got a counteroffer, I think we should do this. Maybe we should clean illnesses from from the districts. And we all got our own kind of secret investment card that says at the end of the round two, if the board state looks like this will get money, money, money, so you've got some sort of hidden agenda of what you're trying to do. But also our abilities will say every time you clean illness, you'll get capital or if you move Android, you get capital. So of course we want to do

Becky: 39:44

very, like convoluted but actually it

JP: 39:47

is first of all explained there's a lot going on, but it's quite simple at its core is that you're just like negotiating and bidding on voting on which offer goes through whoever wins the offer wins the asset. They get more power. They can do more cool stuff, and

Becky: 40:02

we've made me want to play it. It's to say

JP: 40:04

it's just it's so unique. Like it's just very, very different to anything that I own even to like Battlestar Galactica or unfathomable it's, it's that kind of game. But the negotiation is where it's hard. Yeah. Which means if you're not good at negotiation, you might have a crappy experience. And if it doesn't bring out the best in people, which is why I like it. Yeah. Because you really got to like, like hustle. And you really got to push your way in a muscle you're weighing and you're, it's like you're at a boardroom. And you want to be the voice that everyone's hearing,

Becky: 40:40

I think, maybe not for maybe new players to group. No. But it would be good for, you know, just cemented friendships. It's a good. Yeah,

JP: 40:50

we had a great game on the Friday night. And it was a great, perfect evening game as well. And Marcus was the Federalist. And he did a great job until he kind of revealed that he was the federal he did a little dance as well in the corner and the Federalists. And then it kind of didn't work, because we all just then basically didn't trust him. And we tried to do what we needed to do. But for me, it was my convention game. I definitely highlight for me because it's not been played for two years, maybe even a little bit longer. And it's just nice to get that game off the table. onto the table.

Becky: 41:26

I don't think I've heard anyone speak of it, or I haven't seen it much. So it's probably a group anyway. Yeah, we

JP: 41:34

played it twice before it. And we've never not enjoyed it. We've played with a six player. We played it a four player. Okay. I just think it sings at six. It needs six. Okay, it needs everybody took a while. Okay. It took I thought it'd be done in like three hours. I think it was more like four. The thing is for that day, it's because of the negotiation. So some rounds. Yeah. And actually some rounds will you'll have five assets, which is the most which will be a long round some rounds or three. So it's variable. But yeah, if you've got a real contentious point in the game where I think we should go left, I think we should go right. And you're arguing and yes, again, negotiate? Yeah, you're trying to, you know, if I, I'll throw you free capital, just back me. Do it. And yeah, and you can make non binding promises and all that. So yeah, you can you can absolutely do it. So yeah, that's the downside is it can take a while. So you do need a good afternoon, I think to play it, but I loved great fun.

Becky: 42:38

So going on to complete something completely different. I reckon we should talk about the food that was there because that's always on top of mind. Whenever we go somewhere. Yeah. So the food, I think was probably one of the highlights of of the weekend. Now. Maybe that's just because I like eating food. Maybe it's because I've been on a diet. So the I already told myself like this weekend's okay. Yeah, go. Yeah, go for it. It's totally fine. And I did, and it was, it was really nice. So it's not like the typical convention food, which is burgers and chips, pizza and chips. Maybe a sandwich. You know, it was proper, proper, proper dinners while you're on holiday in a buffet, right? Yeah, absolutely. We got there on Friday. And I think it served us like between six to eight, which is probably really helpful if you're in the middle of a game and you don't want to just go at it at whatever particular time. That's a really helpful thing. I think. I didn't really have very high expectations. Not gonna lie. No, I didn't either. It was surpassed and then some. So they had a Mediterranean, like salad buffet thing, which quite frankly, was a that was just your starter. That would have been, I would have been fine. Just having that. But I'm greedy. So then I queued up for my hot food. I'm just trying to think what I had the first night. I comment chips and gravy involved. Well, I put gravy on the chips because apparently northern high. That's why had delicious chicken leek and ham pie with the nicest puff pastry on top. Absolutely delicious. And I had chips and gravy because I'm a wrong'un. And that's fine.

JP: 44:21

No, but you're from the from the same.

Becky: 44:25

When you're in the south that's not looked upon very well. Is it but whatever what we do, yeah, that's fine. It was delicious. And that was enough. That was more than enough already. And then my little wandering eye went to the desert and it's like a queen of puddings. And I asked Tambo about what that was because he's a chef and I thought he'd known he's like, it's quite an old fashioned putting it and I was like, Yeah, I've heard it on bakeoff so we both have to Google it. And it's a delicious spongy cakey thing with jam and stuff. Then it's like a Meringue on the top. And then there was custard

JP: 44:59

basically, ah, big mess of dessert.

Becky: 45:02

But for people that don't like that sort of thing. There are also selection of gateau cheese was cheese yet cheese cakes. There was also a selection of cheeses and like Yeah, the other the other main courses was something like a A fish something and a vegetarian so that it really did cover everybody. I think the actual, you know, availability of stuff was great. There

JP: 45:27

was Yeah, I think if you go to these conventions, like if you're dieting or you're trying to eat healthfully, and then you think you've got this gaming weekend, and I won't say it's impossible sometimes, but you really have to go out of your way to make sure you stay on track with that. Yeah,

Becky: 45:45

we totally could have, I could have just had a lovely salad. There were Salamis and, you know, cold meats. I totally could have

JP: 45:53

choice. Absolutely. You can kind of go for as much or as little as you like, or, you know, stick to the healthier side. You think sod it, I'm gonna go for the whole 3 courses. I mean, you do what is all included in the price. So the mindset is like you're on an all inclusive holiday. So you know, fill yourselves up. That's how I attack it anyway. But you can absolutely just what you want, but yeah, you're right. The food was great. Absolutely. Absolutely

Becky: 46:16

delicious. breakfast in the morning. There were all kinds of, you know, traditional English cooked breakfast items. eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, tomato, you know, all of that. Lovely stuff. Fried bread hash browns. There was also some fruit. I did see some fruit. I mean, I didn't go near that. But it didn't look very appetising and nice. I saw people with yoghurts and dried fruits and all sorts of stuff. Apples juice, it was great. I mean, when I'm away somewhere that was fried breakfast or nothing for me personally, isn't it but there was a massive selection too hot drinks, teas, coffees, lattes, all that sort of stuff was help yourself. Self Service kind of thing. Really great. I really couldn't speak more highly about the food. It was fabulous. Really? Good.

JP: 47:04

Yeah. Yeah. Good value for money.

Becky: 47:08

I think the whole weekend was good value for money. When you consider I can't remember how much we paid now. But I think it worked out to about 144 pounds of you because I remember sending Kerley my 100. Because he booked it for

JP: 47:20

you for pound per person for two nights for meals, really. And obviously, access to the facilities, swimming pool, the gym, sauna.

Becky: 47:34

There's an arcade

JP: 47:35

can't get a premiere inn for half of that. And you don't get any of that. And you still got to buy a meal. So I just felt in tremendous value.

Becky: 47:43

What really was the actual convention space? Was I would guess maybe maybe not a ballroom because there was like a bollard like a ceiling holding. So maybe it was two rooms originally. I don't know if it was a was it a function room? Yeah, it would be it would do a really good wedding. For example, that kind of space. That kind of size was lots of tables, lots of comfy chairs. The lighting was good. Plenty of like windows and doors and stuff. It didn't feel cramped it it was perfect. It really was the perfect location for a nice calm. Yeah, I mentioned space. They had a bring and buy sale, obviously. So I was straight there and I bought a one pound thing. So you know, I actually think I was quite good at that. Yeah, that's and there was a games library. Yes, I buy I think Clifton Clifton gaming.

JP: 48:32

It was partly a better Clifton I think games in extra love that shop by the way, shout out to Clifton game shop really like it and absolutely. And I think some of Matt's own as well. Yeah, he brought along. I never actually went in the library. I could

Becky: 48:48

look around because we played Ticket to Ride. They actually had a couple of tables set up for things like Ticket to Ride so that was really nice as maybe like an icebreaker. I think just one was there when we first arrived. So that was really good. I just really had lots of people wearing high vis pink little, like little vest thing is that they will take that help. And they didn't come and invade. But they were totally available if you wanted some help or something, Matt just he just excelled himself. I hope he's really proud of the convention you put together because it was it was amazing. Yeah, just so good. So good.

JP: 49:22

It's quite nice to chat to him. Because how's it going? Matt? Has a you know, you're stressed though. Not really, as a kind of this this kind of written itself and I think because he put in all the groundwork, but

Becky: 49:35

he'd have it Yeah, he'd obviously put in a huge heat plan everything and it was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. It is a bit of a maze. I don't want this to sound like we're just blowing, you know, smoke or people. Yeah, I don't want to Oh, everything was fantastic. Be it quite frankly, it was it is a bit of a maze. But that's because it's such a large building. But actually one

JP: 49:54

thing hotels as well. Yeah. Which I think is thing that Matt said is that you know, obviously we didn't need the space. They have this convention gets more popular, let's say in 2025 he he's got the access of the other hotels if needed. Yeah. So if this becomes this Fast forward four years and you've got 200 300 people wanting to come, it can hold it Absolutely

Becky: 50:17

can Yeah, without doubt all this boules as well in the hotel in the

JP: 50:21

hotel living outside, is it the proper boules, I wouldn't say green because it was a blue floor arena.

Becky: 50:28

It was just amazing. Most people

JP: 50:31

just playing bowls. Oh actually want to go. Fancy that. She'll get past some games. I'll quickly talk about Voidfall, because I've talked about it a lot and new audience, you'll know what it is. But Paul Grogan had basically how Paul likes to attack conventions, is he likes to shedule all of the games throughout the whole weekend. Kudos to him. I can't do that. Personally. For me, I like the freedom of not knowing what I'm playing and figuring out when I'm there. But I do like to have one maybe two games booked in. That's not with our gaming group. It's nice to kind of game with others that I wouldn't, wouldn't normally kind of game with. So this was my, like, sorry, guys, I'm just gonna go off and do my thing for three hours. And yeah, we sat down Saturday morning, Paul wanted to play voidfall. And you've got to put yourself in his shoes where you think well hang on money, he plays all the games, but it's his job. And

Becky: 51:36

he probably doesn't play them for fun. He's playing them to review or teach or whatever. And I

JP: 51:41

know having spoke to him and know Paul quite well, is that there are certain games that he just wants to play like the rest of us. Yeah, he just doesn't get time. Because you know, constantly, there's other games on his table doing other things. So Voidfall, I think this might be his number one game ever. This mage Knight mage Knight, was talking about, I think it's either bloody clothes, or it might have picked it just so. So for him to get a game of it and just play in it. That's why he said, I want people to know what they're doing. I don't want him to do a teach.

Becky: 52:16

He doesn't want to get work you want to play.

JP: 52:18

Let me do my thing. And that's what we did. So we played our column. The scenario with one wormholes in the middle, I played it before, and I played his house asked around, and they have kind of a positive and negative ability in the fact that every cycle, you have to have to extra up key, that's the bad side, because you have to pay more of your resources to fuel your empire. But you also get to activate your fleet power cubes, which is what you use to basically deploy ships and stuff like that. So they were quite quite a simple ability, quite nice. And some of their cards had some some cool effects on as well. But yeah, it was, it's one of those games where I just lose myself in it, completely lose myself in it. And you were just looking at his hand of nine cards called Focus cards. And I've said it before the new card has three actions on there. So that's, you know,

Becky: 53:13

lots of things,

JP: 53:14

a lot of things you can do to seven. Yeah, I think that's right. And you're trying to sequence which cards to play, then that one and that one and do that. And that and that that puzzle for me is so juicy. And this game is heavy, guys, like this game is super heavy. But we have myself, Paul, Adam from punchboard. And Marcus came and joined

Becky: 53:37

us a nice mix of sort of fun, fun kind of advanced theory. But

JP: 53:41

you know, we just kind of got down to the crunch. And I had a really strong opening on the first cycle scored around over 50 VPS, which is a good first cycle score, I've got a feeling this tail is gonna turn the tail turn and cycle to it all fell apart a little bit because Adam had basically looked at the the cycle events and changed it to one that was like a four card cycle rather than typically get five or six actions or cards to play. And he put one as a four, which is really limiting what you can do. And then yeah, I just didn't quite sequence cycle too well. And so I have a lot of ground to kind of pull that but yeah, cycle free. got through it. And the scores are so close in between all nice though, isn't it? Yeah. Like I think between us all was about 20 points. And I managed to pit the wind by one point. Your weekend? Well, this is not normally how it goes. But yeah, I managed to pip the win by one point. So chuffed with that, because I was like I didn't even think I was in the running let alone managed to get the win, but I just love that game. I just think it's I've been waiting to move house so I can play more of it. Because it's been in a bloody car to move

Becky: 55:01

house because you want more.

JP: 55:04

Yeah, anyway, so I loved it. It was great to play with Paul and Adam and Marcus and yeah, many more things to come. And I didn't have to set it up on my own. So that was done. The bonus is the setup is so long.

Becky: 55:20

Yeah. Setting up those kind of games can take a long time. Yeah, so Kerley's brother, Jay played Twilight Imperium.

JP: 55:27

He was next to us.

Becky: 55:28

Oh, what are they? Well, nine hours they took but I think that was hampered by the fact that it hadn't been set up first and I think the person whose game it was hadn't actually either opened the box. They hadn't set the card. I mean, I've never played that game. Understandably because it's not at all but I have sleeved the cards. Kerley's card so I know a few of them there's Yes Yes there are. So I know the you know the enormity of that task All right, you have a bit of it I can glean a bit of you know what that looks like. So I think that took a long time. But the game takes forever anyway doesn't it? I think he enjoyed it but I kept looking at like what was he playing something else after beast? I think yes. With Tambo and I sort of looked across the across the hall and his face was just You could tell he he had like post T.I. yeah face of Yeah. Oh have done but I think he really enjoyed beast they all seem to really enjoy it that

JP: 56:26

is it is a condition that post T.I. that phase that you have when you fail because you've just been in a game for nine plus hours or nine hours and you finish and

Becky: 56:39

whether whether you've oh, maybe you just Yeah, it's almost kind of pointless. Come

JP: 56:44

back from like a night shift or something. You just need to relax or whatever. But yeah, it's mentally he was Jay was playing the the Emirates of Hacan there the space lions so basically as I call him the Del Boy of TI Del Boy being only fools and horses from those who are not from the UK, which is a great sitcom and you should watch it yes all right. I'm really

Becky: 57:11

send me all the hate you like no, that's absolutely.

JP: 57:14

That's the back of my box. Well,

Becky: 57:16

the only reason I don't like it, this is not gonna take very long a boyfriend at the time his brother had just got them all on DVD. So he gave the entire collection of videos VHS videos to my dad who watched them religious back to back if I ever hear that theme tune again. It will be pop God I mean, actually give me flashbacks. It's probably really funny. And you know, David Jason is fantastic. But if Yeah, that theme tune was all I heard through the through the living room seat, you know, floor, my bedroom ceiling. Oh, my God is watching it again. Oh, my God is watching it again. And again. Actually, I'm sure it's great, but scarred. You can have enough. It's an emotional emotionally scarred you. Yeah. I

JP: 58:03

mean, if you look over there, Becky, you'll see that there's my entire DVD DVD. Anyway, so

Becky: 58:11

Jay was playing as Del boy. Right. Yeah. So

JP: 58:15

he was playing this boy. And basically as what they do, they're space traders. And you just need to haggle with the other players. And if you play Emirates, well, you are. It's exhausting.

Becky: 58:25

Yeah, because Jay is quite an introvert. He's, you know, chatty in his job. He chats to the public and everything else. So I think it's for him to play with a large group of people that he doesn't know, which will be quite exhausting, but he looked like he was having a really great time of it. Actually. Yeah, I'm planning. Yeah, I'm

JP: 58:41

really glad he did. Because he loves ti doesn't. He loves the game. I surprised though. And he's like, oh, yeah, I'm playing ti Oh, are you playing with our dinner? Yeah. Oh, and yeah, personally, for me, I wouldn't play at conventions. I think just because of the length. Like, I played at home, but then I know that's why I'm playing and I'm at home which means I have the comforts of home yeah. So if it's like should we just have a break and have a bit of dinner or whatever we can Yeah, I'm not saying you can't at conventions course you can. But yeah, I think the take of nine to 10 hours of my convention to TI it's not being up for now. But once you're on that though, we had a nice little moment because we were playing voidfall J was playing TI and table next to that was Eclipse so we have like the biggest 4x space games all on the same three tables being played at the same time that was cool. That is pretty cool little video up on the socials so check that out but yeah, it's if any aliens were

Becky: 59:41

watching from above like oh my god what they love it. So going from space to another sort of space adjacent thing. I got my first game of terraforming Mars the dice game. Yeah, obviously not my first game of terraforming Mars. But yeah, the dice game. Really cool. Really enjoyed that. A very quick dice. So yeah, you're rolling dice, you get to pick certain colours of dice which have got three sides of one symbol. So if that's common symbol, two sides of another symbol, what's uncommon and then only one face of a D six, which is so rare. Not the amount of times I rolled these rares. It's like rolling sixes all the time when I actually wanted the uncommon or the common you just like, oh, god to stop rolling second is unbelievable. Yeah. Yeah, really fun and not at all similar to TI other than, you've got resources and tags, sort of but not really tags because the sides of your face the dice you want. Yeah, you've got to put oceans out. So often you get things when you do. But basically, you've got your sort of production phase. So in order to have production, you've got to play the cards and you need certain dice faces and then that gets you more dice. Isn't it dices more dice next time, you can always do like a support action, which is pick any dice and roll it or change the face of a dice by spending another dice, or pick up a card or spending a die. So you've got a sort of finite resource of things. But you can spend those to get more cards out or you can turn if you got most of the symbols you need. But you just need one thing. You can roll a dice just hope it's uncommon, or for me know, even if I want the common one. I'm gonna roll the rare one. But yeah, it probably took I don't know. I probably less than an hour's about an hour probably because it was a bit more with a teach but about an hour's game. You definitely can't do a Terraforming Mars game in that time. I really liked it it did it. Scratch the same itch as Terraforming Mars the main game? No. But maybe it would if we didn't have all the expansions. Because I think that game is made by the expansions we have. Not we have but I don't think I'd like it as much with just the base game. No. So maybe isn't as nice small box. It isn't a million pounds compared to Terraforming Mars plus, plus plus million expansions and shiny tokens. Really good game really enjoyed it. Yeah, I liked it. And the only other new game I played was rolling heights. Really loved that. Actually, once I got into it. Yeah, I was a bit kind of on the fence for a little while, because I couldn't really see the point of anything. Like you can see the point. But I couldn't see why we even here. I couldn't see how, how things would play out. Yeah. But I really liked the idea of rolling these very beautiful kind of crystal and a pink coloured meeples into a box. And then you get points depending on the how it's been like that game pigs in... Pass the pigs. So you're rolling, thingies. Rolling little meeples? are they standing up now? Are they laying flat on their back because they're lazy workers, or not lazy, I'm sorry, they're exhausted workers, you've probably been working them too hard. So they're either flat when they're standing on the feet sort of head up, which is very keen, hardworking or lying on their side, which is the most common way of rolling them. And then you get half the amount of resources for them. Yeah. And it's kind of like a reminded me a little bit of quadropolis. So you're taking tiles and putting them on a map sort of

JP: 1:03:13

whatever. Yeah, the tiles are there they're blueprints for for the plans for the building. Yeah.

Becky: 1:03:19

And when you roll your little meeples you get resource like steel or concrete or glass or whatever. Which are these kind of like little Lego. They remind me of little one. Yeah, no, no, I call them one as

JP: 1:03:32

a single tower uses one little was stud on the top is

Becky: 1:03:37

a good name. That's not what I call them. But one little stud on the top perfect and they either clear or blue or grey or whatever to represent. What steel glass whatever. Yeah, and that looks actually really cool. When you playing it. You get all the stuff getting all these little skyscrapers clearly was building Nakatomi tower was one of his like nine little little pips around Hans Gruber.

JP: 1:03:59

All the way down. Yeah.

Becky: 1:04:01

I nearly bought that game. Well, I tried to buy that game. In Essen. I'll did yeah. But it was like 65 quid or something. And they were doing it. I think they were doing it on sale somewhere and I missed out but I really liked it. Would I spend 65 pounds on it? I'm not sure. No, I but only half of what you would have had if you hadn't

JP: 1:04:18

don't think I would. I was at the same boat. Really. I enjoyed it. I liked the the mechanics of rolling meeples I think that was fun. Yeah, it was fun. I think you know every time you roll it and it's got that because it's the same designer done that. Yeah. So that that push your luck mechanism is John D. Claire cube right I didn't know that until we started playing. Oh, and that I got a bit more interested to be really fun. And it's it's quite fun for everyone else as well. honest. And now I can see why because you've got this pass the pigs meeple rolling kind of vibe going on. But you have the push your luck element of cubitos, which is still probably going to get this wrong, but if you ever get you know, obviously you're rolling your vehicles, let's say there's 10 of them. And five of them are on their back and five of them either stood up on the side. You then kind of go right half of my dudes or more than half of my dudes are working and half of them are not on now. Do I want to rerolled these exhausted dudes, because if they're all on their backs again, I bust you get a Lesson To watch your disappointment when when they roll exhausted again. Yeah, I think for me, I don't know if it's because it's our first game probably. So should cut some slack. But I felt that wit 4 players, because we were allowed to take our go. And immediately the next player would would take their go, you can rock start rolling your, your meeples. So everyone else was kind of just waiting to kind of take their turn. And then obviously once you roll, would you figure out what the positions are any go on stopping now? You then just waiting. So I just want to go? Yeah, I felt like compared to the vetoes, which was more simultaneous play. Yeah. Which I understand this can be done that way,

Becky: 1:06:10

you know, and it's a lot higher level of game, isn't it? Yes, he was. Yeah, that that waiting is? is quite true.

JP: 1:06:17

Little real life is just a bit quick. Yeah, maybe

Becky: 1:06:19

it's because most of us were learning, maybe, perhaps you do need that little bit of extra time. Once you've seen what your resources are going to be for the next time you then have got a bit more time. All right. Do I buy that bit of blueprint then? Or do I? So maybe that's useful, but I think you're right, absolutely right on a four player that is a little bit too long. I

JP: 1:06:40

think for three might just sit three, I

Becky: 1:06:42

think would be the sweet spot. Yeah. Yeah. But I enjoyed it.

JP: 1:06:45

I thought it was a good fun game. And you know, he's got that nice progression to it with the board. Like when you start it's like it's really like bland and nothing out of the like when the game gets going. And then these buildings get built and that sky rises come in. And he's the actually it looks quite like pleasing. This bloody city, guys. So now I would absolutely play again. Yeah. And you pull it off done. Yeah, we did. Yeah. So I would absolutely give it another go. And yeah, I can imagine the puzzle is going to be quite different every time.

Becky: 1:07:18

Yeah, and you get different kinds of I think one of the points at the end were whoever's got the highest building in the sector now. Consequently, forgot to even look I mean, I saw them being put out at the start the game so it wasn't because no one had explained it to me. I just did. I just thought about it completely and was then hooked on my little personal goals that I had. So yeah, I think I would enjoy it more on a second playing. I think it's quite rare for me to absolutely love a game on the first play because I'm usually not understanding what what the point of it Yeah, so actually, that would be really good. Second, I would like to

JP: 1:07:52

100% I played I'll talk about it very quickly because we give it another talked about Reykholt before on our Uwe Rosenberg podcast episode I managed to get me in Tambo at a two player game, it was quite one of these weird moments where it was actually three player and then there's an opportunity for someone else to go and play a new game. And we just thought we'll just play to play we find and I've been wanting to play Reykholt because I've never played it before. We're interested to hear your opinion about this. Yeah, and it's over in it. What else can you say? I quite enjoyed it. I thought it's very simple, lighter fare than maybe what I'm used to with some of his others like Ora et Labora or you know grip look of earner and all the others. But it's it's got what I really liked about it is the VP track is the tables. Yeah. And it's really it's really pleasing. Like, right, you can once gain the stuff off the table, just get past it basically, but get a load of stuff. But then you have to pay all the other kind of vegetables and cauliflower, lettuces and tomatoes, because of course it's it's all very product, but it's Icelandic greenhouse farming or something. Yeah. And yeah, you're obviously getting these greenhouses worker placement and it's fast. Yeah, already. Frank gone. You're done. Bang, bang, bang next round. Okay, how many rounds seven? Are we done in like 40 minutes?

Becky: 1:09:24

It's a great game, isn't it? I really enjoyed it. Yeah, I really enjoyed my players. So

JP: 1:09:27

it's a nice kind of light over a game if you like vegetables.

Becky: 1:09:33

And who doesn't like it guys.

JP: 1:09:35

But now I thought it was pretty good. And we only play till I'm sure it's better with three or four actually a bit more contention. A bit more options on the board and space and stuff like that. But very quickly, I played Beyond the sun afterwards, and we had Rob Tambo, myself and Joel from Devon dice jumped in as well. And that that was a really nice game I really enjoyed Beyond the sun a lot actually. The more I play it the more I'm I'm enjoying it. It looks awful. Actually, I don't I don't have to say like if for me, it doesn't look anything like you look at the board and go

Becky: 1:10:17

It doesn't seem to me. I mean, okay, it's about space. So it's space, and I like space stuff, but not generally in games or sci fi. The board is very utilitarian,

JP: 1:10:28

clean and boring. Yeah.

Becky: 1:10:31

It's very, like a modern, like, if you're gonna design like a, I don't know, a film about space travel in set in 50 years, and everything's white and clean and smooth. It's like that, isn't it? Yeah,

JP: 1:10:44

I mean, I really love the playable the playable, white, layered, clean looking, I really like that. But the board doesn't look the same as that the board just got this planet, which is probably a but and then loads of rectangles are where the the cards go. So like appealing wise, you're looking and going. But the game itself is really good. Because it's basically tech tree, the board game is what everyone calls it. So if you like tech trees, you'll love this. Because you start the game, there's four levels or tiers of tech that you can go down, start with level one, your research, it's all worker placement. So you research access level two, and then you you'll draw from a deck of level two research cards, and then you pick one, that's the right colour that you've sprung off, put that down, that's a no action placement work placement spot, you get abilities, and then it kind of spirals out, like sprawls out the board evolves as you play, which is really nice, because it's always different. Even the positions where the cards are, where they come how you access them the games different every time. And on your player board, you've got dice. But these dice aren't traditional dice, you don't have a roll these, they're just used for resources. So if you've got one side, it's like a supply crate. And they all nested in these columns on your board. And through actions, you can turn the supply crate into a population like a little dude, oh, because it's sort of like an upgrade. Yes, kind of. Okay, they're basically it's a way of managing resources quite cleanly in the game. So you can spend a turn of supply crate into a population in which he used to research or you can turn supply crates into ships that goes on this exploration board, which is a sideboard of planets and, and things and it's a bit of an area control, totally interaction kind of puzzle that's going on in there where you put ships with different power, which the chips have like powers from one to four, hence why it's a six sided dice. And you can then go and colonise these planets and get those benefits and VPS. So it's a really pleasing game, it plays on the two hours, as well as quite on say, it's not like but it's not heavy, it's not beautiful in the Midway, probably slightly less than midway, maybe. But maybe in May, I've got the expansion for it. We're leaders of the new dawn. And it's my second play of it. We played literally before for board when we before we came to this convention, and it doesn't add loads to it, which is why I actually quite like it. Because it's not like certain expansions where it like adds another half of rules and adds a lot of weight to the game. This really all it's doing is that you got more technology cards, shuffle those and you won't even know that they were based on that. Okay, so you forget about that. And more events are same, you wouldn't even know doesn't matter carry on the differences that adds us as leaders, which you get domestic and military leaders. So you've got at the start of the game, you do a snake draft, and you pick one domestic and one military, so you go round and then back again. And those leaders just give you abilities in the game,

Becky: 1:13:56

So you havn't got to learn an entire new rules, or whatever. So it's

JP: 1:13:59

kind of like, okay, you military leader, my other ship that has one extra power on it is the token goes on the board. That's it. Another leader might be that as an investment track, they have at the end of every turn, you move a token down and anytime during your turn in future. You get the stuff on to the token and reset it like they're not mad crazy bonds or stuff, but I really liked what it added. Because it's that just the level of variety that it added to the game. But me being me, Rob's first game of this Tambos second game Joels played alot BGA

Becky: 1:14:32

you played it with all the expansions, didn't you? You went straight, straight. Yeah. And actually,

JP: 1:14:37

I actually played with the advanced boards as well. We wanted to play with the advanced boards for so long and you can't make some mat. And Rob was like dad throw it and it'll be fine. And I'll tell you what, for Rob's first game, he crushed it.

Becky: 1:14:49

He loved it. He was he was telling me how great I think it would be he he said I hate the tech tree and I really liked this.

JP: 1:14:55

Yeah, he absolutely crushed it. And I could tell the game was clicking with him because certain games he plays he gets frustrated. But this is like our this is making sense. I can actually I can see. I can do this. I can do that. And he had so many chips on the board. He was playing at home the fraction named of the red ones, and they're very strong. In the military, and because he's playing the advanced board, there's two trigger points on your player board that when you reveal one of your production tokens, which comes off like these discs that will sit in your board. When you reveal a certain one, it will trigger a bonus, which will do bloody great big, powerful thing can't remember what it did. But he did a lot of stuff. He was like, Oh my God. And he was just hired so many chips on the board that you just couldn't even contest with him. And he crushed it. He got like 63 points, which is a cracking score for your first ever game playing on the advanced boards and the expansion. So yeah, he did. Well,

Becky: 1:15:51

I had a similar experience. So me and Claire played Ark Nova marine with the marine expansion. Yeah. Now Claire had never played Ark Nova before. I think Joel is quite happy that he didn't have to do the Teach.

JP: 1:16:03

Yeah. So do you teach my wife? So?

Becky: 1:16:04

Yeah. So we played? Yeah, all over with Marina expansion. And I'm going to pretend that it was because of the quality of my teach. Which, which is good. Yeah, I'm sure. But I did win. But only by four points or so good game that it was great. We stayed so together, like, you know, the one person didn't shoot one person to pull a little bit more than they know, but it was great. She also made an absolute blinder with that I was so impressed with someone's first like, even for not someone's first game over and over. But especially considering this was her first game. She absolutely got it. And we had a great game of that night. And that's another I think game. That's a perfect example of Yeah, the expansion does a couple of little bits. But actually, you don't need to sit and learn 50,000 new, more rules, you just don't see a good sign

JP: 1:16:55

of expansion, isn't it when you can throw it in? And you said the same with the latest Arnak one, right? You just throw it in? Yeah. And you're like, Okay, we can just play because you already know salutely It's just more started a

Becky: 1:17:09

couple more things a bit more variation. Yeah, it changes some of your base abilities on your cards, but because Claire had never didn't understand the cards in the first place, because because she'd never played. It wasn't like, oh, so this is different. It just she played an absolute blinder we're beginning. Yeah. And we had real fun, and we've really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it. She said she enjoyed it. I hope she did. And we really enjoyed it. Yeah. I don't care about a zoo. She had loads of pavilions all over her house because she had got the we did the draft like you meant to with the kind of changed base cards of your actions. And her build action, she could pay. I think on level one, she could pay three extra money for a pavilion to be added just randomly. So she just had like pavilion city. So her zoo was like free range monkeys was one of the first card she got out pavilions everywhere. So we had this like, nice little, like, idea about these just monkeys just wandering around us didn't

JP: 1:18:06

notice it because you got the lovely or the 3d printed the pavilions, or you didn't we bought them. Anyway, they look awesome. I didn't notice on Claire's board. She's got a lot of pavilions

Becky: 1:18:18

explains it. And it's annoying because my Well, it's not annoying. But one of my sort of what they what they called your kind of end game, the point of what you're meant to try to do, you get to the end to the end game goal. The bright line was have pavilions and kiosks and I got I would have got points for buildings really simply asked, of course you don't know that when you're picking your draft. And that's the kind of point isn't it? Yeah. So Claire had about a million pavilions and I had three. But yeah, it was such a good game. And I'm so impressed that she actually got a positive score. Yeah, for you first, her first unbelievable when I play the game, I don't know. Couple of weeks ago got minus 45. One play this game loads. So she played with it absolutely blind. So yeah, pretend it was because of the quality of my teach. But she's clearly very, very, very good at those kind of games. Now, we're getting real good fun. It's really fun now nice. One thing that we did that kind of really broke up the I don't want to say the monotony because it's brilliant, isn't it that brilliant? The brilliant monotony but I think you can get maybe like, you know, non balm for sitting down playing, playing games for hours. It was really nice that we all got together a lot of Paul's gaming rules. Patrons went and played 10 pin bowling, which I bought inside the hotel because the hotel so massive, they've got four lanes of 10 pin bowling. So we yeah, we got together and played as a massive group, didn't we? It was it was like 17 of us or something like that. Pretty much filled. We were Yeah, I tried to work it out. Yeah, there was four on each type team apart from us, which was a 5. Yeah. And we had a lady called Deb's I don't know if you listening. So it was really nice to meet you. Never before never, never bought before. And yeah, did did a very good job. did a very good job. Rob, who had bowled before almost broke the lane because it's stuck on his thumb for whet far near the ceiling than you'd expect and landed.

JP: 1:20:14

It was funny. It was funny. He did it twice but one time And everyone was watching. Yeah. And then the Oh, you heard as the ball released out of his thumb socket thing.

Becky: 1:20:24

Yeah, kind of

JP: 1:20:27

like Dambusters with a bouncing bomb going all the way down the lane. So funny. Yeah, he's Oh shit.

Becky: 1:20:34

We had a really good good time playing playing bowling, which is really nice. Like a game of bowling balls to recall it but no, it's not supposed to play. We haven't gone Bowling for a long time. But I really enjoyed it.

JP: 1:20:47

I think it's again, it's that convention space of you can just quickly nip off and have a game and 10 pin bowling for 40 minutes, and then jump back into a game

Becky: 1:20:57

so you can leave your game set up on the table. Even all your games are in that room and you know, it's absolutely fine. Yeah, I really liked that. That kind of it felt very, I don't wanna say secure like the doorman or something. But one of that similar sort of thing happened where you end up sitting at the same sort of tables for your breakfast and in the evening, and the only time I changed that a little bit was when I came down to breakfast on the Sunday morning. You guys hadn't got up yet so I sat next to him and we had a good chit chat while we're eating our breakfast but that's the only time I didn't sit at my not quite assigned seat but you know that kind of thing. Same thing happens creatures of habit though aren't there? Yeah, but it felt really nice. We all left us games and stuff. Yeah, next door table. I would have been happy leaving my laptop and phone down there to be honest, it just felt really Yeah.

JP: 1:21:46

Anyway, we left his phone. He lost it somewhere but then someone found it got returned to him. Yeah.

Becky: 1:21:52

Yeah, so the bowling alley was in the hotel underneath the the boules arena

JP: 1:21:59

Yeah. blew the whole arcade was underneath the boules that area wasn't it so you kind of went downstairs and then yeah, just oh my gosh, the bloody arcade here. But yeah, it's just just nice. I just really really enjoyed that and I did would worry a little bit of thinking or maybe it's going to cut into my Saturday gaming time. Not like there's enough fricking now as the game because you know, we've got enough in but I did think oh, maybe this will take too long. And then I want to get back gaming now is 40 minutes. Yeah, it was great game. Okay, it's not that long is it? And it did you right it broke, broke the evening. And it was just something different to do. It was nice to do around, stretch your legs a little bit, and then pop back and carry on. Yeah, so my final game of the convention was Lorenzo il Magnifico. So again, another one I brought one is a play I have not played for a while. Lorenzo is a beautiful mid slightly heavier than mid weight. Euro game beige as beige can be set.

Becky: 1:23:05

It's got Renaissance colours and swirly bits, it's very easy. But it does

JP: 1:23:09

vary. florally kind of patternt to it. Nice nice greens. It's got a nice green.

Becky: 1:23:18

Yeah, burgundy colours and gold kind of vibe is

JP: 1:23:21

the Italian Renaissance period set in Florence. And you all kind of plays these houses. And we had a great time Adam joined us from punchboard We played a five player rarely played five players but Adam was with us and we're now on a corporate everyone that's all play. And and yeah, you're gonna have these house. Play as a house of family members. And the way I like to describe this game all teachers game is that you have three family members that are very prestigious, and they're represented by your coloured cylinders with dice colours on the top representing the power of the dice that are rolled. And then you have poor cousin Timmy. Yeah, remember this? I have played this. Yeah, he's a wooden cylinder that has a zero on top because he's useless. And

Becky: 1:24:09

everyone's got one of those in the family that is a bit different from I don't want to say useless. No, but is it kind of needs a bit of support the odd one out

JP: 1:24:18

Yeah. And that's Timmy. You can use any name but as the name I was using for the teacher, I don't know why it kind of went down well, so it's good. And the whole kind of purpose of is that you roll these dice at the start of the round, which corresponds to the the black, the white and the orange dice related to the three prestigious family members. And then Timmy Timmy is obviously a zero. But you saw I always feel sorry. For you servants you spend servants is a resource to bump the power of the dice and you have I mean everyone who's kind of seen Lorenzo or has played Lorenzo will notice that these four bloody great big towers on the board of which to have four cards stacked vertically on each tower. And each tower is kind of themed around territories and characters you can buy this in the blue one territory is a green characters are blue buildings yellow and ventures are purple. So buildings are what you'd expect buildings to be yet VPS are building them and they help with resource conversions, stuff like that. ventures are more endgame scoring, but you get some really sweet initial benefits often end game scoring. Yeah, I don't know why. That's pretty cool. And I we play with the expand, I always find the expansion was Lorenzo. I mean, I play these bunch of every game but Lorenzo, I don't think I could do it without, because I'd miss the house powers that you have. And I love the game before the game, because you have an auction that you kind of bid for the houses. So it's not like oh, you randomly deal amount and that's what you've got, you could do that. But you have these tiles where you go, right, there's the five houses, the tiles underneath, there are random set of resources that go from really awesome loads of stuff to the top, which is burger roll. And if you really want the house power, which is what Kerley did, he went on me, I'm one of them, he went straight to the top. So you got like two things. But they got the house. But no one could outbid him. And if you went to the bottom, you get loads of things. But if someone goes above you, then you've got immediately move and do what you need to do. And I just love that little game before the game and then you get your houses and off you go. And I Rob was playing, I could see early game, he was getting quite frustrated with Lorenzo and I know what is a spicy bastard of a game. It's a it's quite tight. You know, it's if the dice and the dice were rolled pretty crappy. In the first two rounds. We had a one one and a three, which is the stole four, which means you need a lot of servants. And it's yeah, if you're not played before, it's hard to know how to get the stuff to free yourself up to get the cards that you need, etc, etc. But I think we all got going and yeah, played really well. I kind of went down a strategy of not going for purple cards, I got excommunicated, twice was impossible. Yeah. Well, you can do it because I kind of you have a faith track that you need to kind of get faith. In order to get so many that ends around two, four and six, you have to spend that faith and devote that to the church. If you don't do that, you get excommunicated. And there's a penalty of a negative effect that happens. The first one I did. And the second one I chose not to do because it was like now, because sometimes you don't care depends on what your strategy is. And the third one, I did care, but I just couldn't, couldn't get for that

Becky: 1:27:49

You really wanted to be faithful, but you couldn't.

JP: 1:27:52

I couldn't quite manage it. So solder. And I just went down to what's called a yellow strategy, which is get a load of buildings, find ones that turn resources into VPs and just spam just go for that. And it worked quite well until your husband came with his nonsense end game scoring. And he picked me by three points like no

Becky: 1:28:15

end game scoring, I reckon he must have like an internal notebook that's writing. got five, because he's very good at picking when he enters the game as well if it's in his control, so he's definitely already worked or that he must have an internal notebook. Yeah,

JP: 1:28:29

he did really well. In fairness, he managed to go I think, late game card with some abilities out the discard pile and just ended up netting like another 10 points or something. But I love Lorenzo. I just it's a joy for me to play it every time. I think of any ever I have one bad game of it, where I felt a bit crap when I finished and gone. thing go my way. And it can like a lot of cutthroat euros. But I just generally I just liked the puzzle that it presents on those towers and the fact that you know, the different dice values to get from 135 and seven, from the lowest position to the highest position, the fact you've got to pay money, if that's how it has occupied the fact that you can't send two of your prestigious family members in the same tower but Timmy can go in because he's not. Because you know, what is the sneaks? Yes, the seven is fine. And that whole matrix of right but I need that card and am I gonna get my family member to be a five and now it's a bloody one. In what do you prioritise? It's just really meaty, crunchy stuff and it's nice little engine builder with the cards that you run. Yeah, love it.

Becky: 1:29:46

I remember enjoying it when I first played and that was a long time. I think I'd only enjoy it more now. Yeah, to get another go. Yeah. Kerley was very kind to me. And let me have a little takes you back. See, when we were playing Terraforming Mars, which was the last game that we played.

JP: 1:30:00

Yes, we'd left anyways, we just you were setting out we had to go. So yeah, it's nice that you got to

Becky: 1:30:06

me, Kerley Jay and Tambo, and it was probably the best sort of resource game I've ever had. But that was because About halfway through the game, we were drafting for cards at the start, which I think we don't have to do. But I think that we always play like that. And I had just randomly loads of tags because I hadn't been collecting them that was just by the by. And I got so fixated on when I saw my first four, I picked one and gave you the three. And Kerley was like, ah, could you give me that? And I was like, Why, what? And he showed me on my little face, because it was the card Miranda, I think Miranda resorts that gives you money production for every earth tag you have. And I was like, Look, I just did, and bless his little heart and he had lots of earth tags too. He's like, have it back, give me the other card. And I was like I didn't win. But he didn't win either. by quite a lot. He came in last position, which has never happened. Never ever happens. Yeah. Nice. J one. I was close behind, then t then Kerley. Okay. Yeah. But if he had have had that Miranda results card, I think it's been different. So he was very, very lovely. Yeah. But I had like, income of 60 odd at the end, and I never have that my incomes. Feeling. Yes, yes. I'm definitely going to try and do that again. But I always try and do it.

JP: 1:31:32

I did it once and I didn't win, but I had loads of money.

Becky: 1:31:35

I was like, I've got 61, 60 The gold cubes in my little, little section to start with. I thought I can buy all the cards if i want, vistas unknown to me. But yeah, it was a really good game. Nice way to end the weekend. Something that we all knew how to play. Yeah.

JP: 1:31:56

What time do you finish?

Becky: 1:31:58

I think we packed up about half five o'clock ish so you but

JP: 1:32:03

there's still plenty of people there

Becky: 1:32:05

was there was still some people that yeah, we might have left a bit earlier than that. But yeah, it was a roundabout that sort of time. Yeah, there were still people there.

JP: 1:32:10

Yeah. So a lot of people were staying the Sunday night as well. Which meant they can get the full full day of Sunday, which I don't blame them. I think if I didn't have work, my thought about doing that. But I get to the point where these conventions where by Sunday, I'm ready. I love gaming. I love it. You just get to a point. I think I've played lots of stuff. It's been great. I'm tired because of our late nights. early mornings, early mornings. And actually not not as late as song because on the Saturday evening, I think Joel Davey and a few others all banded together and played castles of Burgundy till 3:30am which was you know, hardcore moment. And I think I slept off to bed about half 11 or something that night. I think God

Becky: 1:33:02

I think I was in bed by nine o'clock. Honestly, that really food and then the and then the sauna stupid. Yeah, I was I was in bed. Just after nine o'clock. I was I'm done. I'm just done. But that's one of the bonuses of being an adult isn't you can say, but lovely time. I'm going to bed now. And that's all cool. And if it's not worse, just toughen it. Yeah.

JP: 1:33:31

Exactly. There's something for everyone. I think, you know, this convention is coming by next year, and the dates are already out. We'll put the dates in the show notes actually, for for next year. I think we're using the same hotel and they're going to be doing the exact same place. I'll definitely be keen to return 100 I'm thinking it's just the timing of it, as well as like you've just had Christmas. And you get to look forward to convention. That's literally the end of January. It's nice, isn't it? Yeah. Normally it's like you. January sucks, and I've got to get through January. You know if you can kind of get this booked in maybe as a Christmas present. Perfect Christmas present for literally perfect get it booked in come down to talk even if you're miles away, come and like visit. It's a really good convention train station,

Becky: 1:34:18

about 10 minutes walk. Yeah, so really accessible, I would say. And I don't want to use that whole trope of whole bring your wife who doesn't like gaming. Bring your husband who doesn't like gaming. You know, if you've got a partner who doesn't enjoy gaming, but might like to walk down the promenade of Torquay might like to do bowling might like to have a nice spa experience or not, or just, you know, wander around the southwest. We've got a lot of nice things down here. It's great, really, really great. Opportunity. Yeah,

JP: 1:34:51

and I definitely encourage you to come and try it out. You know, I can only see this convention getting bigger. Yeah. 100% 100% Yeah, getting bigger, more popular. You know, we were lucky to kind of get in, you know, as it's no

Becky: 1:35:06

Yeah. And it was some prizes. They gave Well, yeah. Prizes for winning the bowling. Yeah, I think there was some Catan was given us as a prime as a prize for media posting like that, yeah, but I think that's a great idea to sort of help promote the event and get the word out. Because this is such a great, great opportunity. Yeah. Yeah, I will, as long as it fits in with my life. And even if it doesn't, I'll try and make it fit in with my life. I will definitely be going again, which I think Matt's looking at maybe the you know, some of the venues is great. around the country so it's not always going to full board gaming is not always going to be in Torquay. I think there might be you know, I think he was looking at in the northwest, you know, Blackpool, any kind of around that area. But I think just keep keep an eye out for it. Go and follow him on social media. We'll put all the links and stuff in our show notes. And yeah, just keep close to the convention. Maybe you put it in the in the calendar. See what happens. Yeah, I guess that about wraps it all up. I think we've had a fantastic time. Everybody enjoyed it. Yeah. I love the fact that you can just finish playing what you want to play and then go to bed. Perfect. Yeah. You can't do that. When you're, you know, miles away from the game in areas. Can you? Yeah, I think everyone had a brilliant time and lots of different reasons. And that's really nice. Yeah.

JP: 1:36:28

100% 100% Great stuff. Well, we'll we'll leave it there. And we just want to get in Thank you for listening in to our Expansion Back Episode. We're really glad to have covered the full board gaming event for 2024. And, yeah, if you want to kind of get in contact with the show, all the details are in the shownotes as they always are. And if you want to support the show, we are on Kofi spelt K O F I. And all of that support helps if you want to become a member, we even as a one off it all helps us to try and prove our show and improve the equipment that we use, etc, etc. So we appreciate everyone that does that. Other than that, we'll be back again for another episode at some point very very soon. And whose turn is it? Matt's Turn