My GoD sessions...

[Andrew Cooper]

Hello Game Designers!

GenCon gets kicked off tomorrow night and I'm stoked.  One of the things I'm doing is manning the Games on Demand table for a single session on Friday and for two sessions on Saturday.  Here's the list of games I can currently run and have been preparing myself (downloading materials and such) to be able to run: The Shadow of Yesterday, Capes, Dogs in the Vineyard, FATE, Great Ork Gods, and The Pool.  The games that I have read and can at least be knowledgeable enough to get all excited about are Burning Wheel, Universalis, With Great Power, and Sorcerer.

Here's the thing.  I can think of at least a dozen games off the top of my head that people might show up wanting to play that I can't even run a short, simple session.  This makes me sad because I really, really want to 1) offer the gamers what they want to play and 2) represent your game well for you (even if that means just knowing what it's about and being excited about it). 

So, my thinking is this.  I've got late Wednesday evening, all day Thursday, After hours Thursday, and Friday morning before my sessions at the GoD table start where I can improve my ability to be a large blob of protoplasmic enthusiasm about your game and how it is the coolest thing EVER.  I can see myself doing this in several ways.

1.) If you have a game that is simple enough (I'm thinking specifically about Unistat here) that I can play it a time or two and know it well enough to offer it among my list of games I can run, I want to sit down with you and learn.  This can be after hours or during your time away from the Booth or whenever is convenient to you.  If you want me to be able to run your game at the GoD table during my sessions there and you contact me, I'll make time to sit down with you and learn your game.

2.) Some games are a little too complex to learn in a sitting or two and then be able to immediate run it for strangers and still do them justice.  However, if you have any marketing material or something that will explain what your game is about and what makes it so cool, I'd totally love to have it so that I can at least be conversant about your game.  Then when some gamers come along to the table and ask about "Modern Supernatural Horror games" I can say, "Well, I don't know it well enough to run it but you really, really want to check out Sorcerer.  It's da bomb!  Go down to the Forge booth and bug Ron Edwards until he runs a demo for you."  Once again, if you contact me I'll make time to see you and you can infuse me face to face with your enthusiasm about your game.  I will be down at the Forge booth a good bit getting roped into demos for this purpose.

3.) If your game is on my list of games I can run and you have materials that might make my sessions of your game better and/or more appealing; like cool artwork, custom character sheets, player handouts, pre-made scenarios, etc etc.  Then I'd love to have that stuff at the table.  This is not me trying to score some free swag.  I'll gladly return the stuff after Saturday.  Now, I've done some of this myself.  If the material is on your website for your game (and your game is on my list above) I've likely downloaded it and printed it off.  But if you have new stuff that isn't there, then obviously I don't have access to it.

Anyway...  I'm not trying to be annoying here.  I just really want to compliment and help out our Indie designers as best I can.  You can bet that I'll be directing players to the Forge booth every chance I get.  I simply want you designers to know that I am here to help pimp your game to the best of my ability and I want to have the same (or at least close to the same) enthusiasm for your game as you do.

[Jason Morningstar]

Andrew, I can hook you up for The Roach and Drowning and Falling easily.  There should be demo-age on Wednesday night and the Bully Pulpit team can get you up to speed on both games.  I also have character sheets, demo materials, etc.  Find me and remind me what's up!

[Kat Miller]

I can hook you up with With Great Power Playables.  I'll keep a folder in that box that has the G.O.D Paperwork and instructions.  In that folder will be everything you need to run a 4 player With Great Power Game, including cards.
-kat