Here’s a quick roundup of my adventures at UK Games Expo 2017.
Friday
There felt like a long preamble before they allowed us all in at 11:00. A Spoons breakfast with the D101 boys set me up very nicely
Once unleashed there was some excellent shopping to be had and some memorable sights. The hall is big and very full this year, with lots going on. I succumbed to Mythic Rome, SF adventure, two sets of Q Workshop dice and a £5 copy of Gods of the Fall for some epic Cypher fantasy. A great haul that has been sequestered away in the boot of the car, so that I can schmooze without being too laden. I’ve bagged a real ale and sitting in the comfort of the Hilton Lobby amongst a large swathe of terribly nice older people typing away on my Asus Flip.
They only provide free wifi for guests, so connecting via my phone.
Conan 2d20 followed, which is timely as the new edition is being posted out by Modiphius as I type. I’m half expecting there to be a slip through the door when I get back to Sheffield. The game ran very smoothly indeed and plays well despite the slightly disconcerting clunk of the rules.
I ran a game of Symbaroum in the evening, which seemed to go well.
Despite parking in the East car park I lugged over a huge array of bling and banner to provide some visuals. It was to be my undoing later on in the evening as I had a long sodden walk back to car amongst screaming Take That goers as the heavens drown me and my Symbaroum box, banner and game. Trapped in the car park for half an hour watching the cars subside. Wet.
Saturday
I brought in a fellow lodger at my Air BnB this morning. He was to compete in a Star Wars Descent card game championship. It was nice to have some company and we shared some laughs before going our separate ways.
Cypher and the Ninth World always deliver a good game. After being guided to an overflow table I found myself with a nice group of players and we had a good game in the 10: tp 14:00 slot. I really do enjoy the simplicity of Cypher and the Ninth World is full of the unexpected and weird. I must run some more. Bagging a pristine copy of Gods of the Fall for a fiver has increased my chances of doing so and has opened me up to high powered heroic fantasy using the ‘Shift’ power up for the system.
The Adeliane concert in the evening was quite lovely. Strings and piano and a singer, ‘
Clarisse‘, provided a break from games but transported me away for a while nevertheless. It was a comparatively early night for a con weekend and as good as Gods of the Fall looked to be, this gaming god was quickly falling asleep.
Sunday
A rapid exit from the comfy AirBnB to get over to the NEC for breakfast and a spot of genteel typing before the halls opened. I’ve really enjoyed exploring the many delights of the voluminous NEC Hall 1 this year. Much treasure. This visit allowed me to meet the Shadows of Esteren team and say thank you for the concert and to pick up a copy of the singer’s CD. I also had a great follow-up chat with the prolific and talented Sarah Newton. We talked of her many projects and the prospect of many exciting books to come. I was intrigued by her research on the way the North was not Anglo Saxon and had linguistic links to where she lives in Normandy. You always learn something when talking to Sarah!
Schmooze in the hall finished with a yomp round with Pete, whose lightning strike on the stalls, put me to shame. I resisted the leather bound Cypher system rulebook, though at £75 it proved easy. Unlike an unpunched copy of SPI’s War of the Ring. I have a copy, so it would have been daft. Ah, but it gave me a warm glow to see it there.
And then off to the riotous conclusion: Julian Hayley’s smutty Penis & Sorcery degeneration, thanks in no ‘small part’ to Remi, Elina and Nick. Prior to play I rushed back to the trade hall to get myself a copy of Crypts and Things from the illustrious Newt of D101. I provided some rules support, but proved unnecessary really as the game descended into Peopolis. The two other players were extremely game for the craziness, so all good
Great to see so many friends and put some flesh to digital content. Cheers everyone, see you next time.
