The Gathering – Heading Home

Early flights (no delays), Prize Table acquisitions, A finaltrip to Denise’s for ice cream

Shel and I got up VERY early to catch the first leg of thetrip home – Columbus to Chicago, and I’m writing this on the plane from Chicagoto San Jose.  No delays yet, andgiven our bad luck with planes in the past year, I’m happy so far.

The Prize Table (of which I have a few audio snippets onthis week’s podcast) went quite smoothly this year, as they speeded up theprocess.  First picks were forgames such as the Risk Black Ops game, a Carabande with Action Set, the specialFunkenschlag that John and Scott mention on the audio snippets, and the Ticketto Ride Nordic Countries game that you still can’t get over here.  The “official word” is “NO COMMENT”about it getting published stateside. We’ll just have to wait and see what Days of Wonder does…

The game itself, as I said before, is quite solid and fairlynasty.  I would have taken one asmy first pick if one was still available (all 3 were taken in the first 10picks, however).

Funniest moment: Dale Yu’s name was called in a group and heSPRINTED to the front, snatched up the last Funkenschlag, and just keep onrunning, holding the box in the air triumphantly.  VERY fun, even when repeated to show how everyone shouldreact with enthusiasm.

What did we get off the table? well, I was about middle ofthe pack in the name draw, while Shelley was ¾ of the way through.  I was surprised that Aquaretto wasstill available when I heard my name, so that was acquisition #1.  I will be sure to report on what acombined playing of Zooloretto and Aquaretto is like soon. 

Shelley sent me up when her name was called and I’d had myeye on a copy of Big Points, the game with some Tutankahmun-like qualities thatShel and I had enjoyed.  It wasplaced on the tables late, and I think people hadn’t seen it when they perusedthe games.  Also (and a bigsurprise) it was placed on the 2 for 1 table, meaning you got two games off thetable at the time of your pick. Well, I took that and an old copy of Reiner Knizia’s Mole Hill (a cute2-player which I think is out of print). I would have been completely satisfied with my choices if they stoppedthere….

But we each got a second pick – running back through thenames called in reverse.  I snaggeda copy of Fischmarkt (haven’t played it, but Rick Thornquist says he enjoyed itlast year when it was a new Essen release).  It’s a Clementoni and hasn’t made it into an English version(I think).  Finally, for my lastpick I found a used copy of In The Shadow of the Emperor.

Scott Alden was able to get his desired copy of the Japaneseversion of Loopin’ Louie.  He’sright, the box is quite cool and the stickers are different.  No, I’m not feeling the need to seek outthis version too!

Other memorable prize table items: Someone had created Femoclay animals for Agricola, there were coasters for glasses with meeples oneach, a copy of We The People, a copy of Agricola delivered as soon as Zev haspublished it, etc.  BTW, we broughta shrink-wrapped copy of Thebes, a copy of Kunst Stucke, and a copy of JKLM’sScottish Whisky Race (all of which were taken on the first pass through thenames).

One final trip to Denise’s for ice cream was all we had timefor (Shelley hadn’t been yet).  Ienjoyed a cup of White Gold (butterscotch ice cream with cinnamon/caramelswirls) and Chocolate Peanut Butter. Then it was back to the room to pack for travel.

A fun Gathering overall.  I enjoyed the games, the people, and the blogging andpodcasting.  In fact, except forthe great time had with friends new and old, I’d say I enjoyed the podcastingand blogging more that the games at times.  Maybe I’m getting old, grumpy, and set in my ways, but Ijust wasn’t impressed by many of the new crop of Nuremburg games thisyear.  Maybe the companies aresaving more games for the Essen push and publicity, but when the best game ofthe convention is a prototype that’s now scheduled for an Essen 2008 releasefrom Eggertspiele, I may need to just fall back on familiar titles.