As some of you might know back in 1980’s when I was in my 20’s I owned a store that sold comic books, baseball cards, board games Mostly Avalon Hill and VERY EARLY PC games (Sid Meyer’s Pirates flew from the shelves). The store closed in 1991 but the baseball league that was founded at the store in 1987 has continued on and until I got my current job where I worked on third shift and then second shift I was part of a mostly board gaming good that has met continually on a weekly basis since about 1979.
For 25 or 30 years I have had people from my game group I should attend The Total Confusion Gaming Convention which takes place annually in Massachusetts. Those requests predate the internet, they started while Avalon Hill was still making games under their own banner. They predate Magic the Gathering and they certainly predate the online version of Dynasty Baseball which I run my leagues on.
Oddly enough there was always a reason why either couldn’t or didn’t go. I frankly can’t remember them at this point but I never managed to get there.
Meanwhile Total Con has done just fine without me and now boasts of being the largest gaming convention in New England. It’s on its 38th year and will take place Feb 25th-Feb 28th at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlborough, MA the same place where Pintastic NE was last year and will be in April
Well I’ve now been at my current job long enough that have extra vacation days to spare, I don’t have a big wedding anniversary to keep days in reserve.
Furthermore I have friends who live under 10 minutes from the Hotel who keep offering me a place to say for Pintastic NE that I regularly turn down because of the 24-7 aspect of the event. But while I’m sure there are some overnight games that take place in people’s hotel rooms the convention’s game rooms are NOT 24-7 so there is no reason why I can’t drive down the road to crash and be back by by 9 or 10 to play. That saves several hundred dollars.
In short the time constraints and the cash constraints that might have held be back in the past don’t seem to be there this year.
So it seems this year I will be attending the Total Confusion Convention and playing some games.
I notice that the old Milton Bradly Game Dogfight from 1962 my youth will be played there and I note that what I consider one of the greatest board games ever made Advanced Civilization (which predates and I suspect inspired the PC game) will be played. There are three spots left but as it takes 8 hours and starts at 8 AM on the first day I’m debating if I can make it.
In addition to the hundreds of game events they have open gaming and a large game library that you can access to play. (I highly recommend Kremlin btw) hey also have a large game library
I’ve decided to take two games of my own but not have them “Official Events”
Source of the Nile
It’s 1820 and you are leading an expedition to the unknown wiles of Africa. Map the blank board as you Combat unknown diseases, wild animals, dangerous terrain and natives and raiders who may or may not be friendly on your expedition. Survive and return to England to publish your finding (earning VP and making your map permanent) and equip anew. Play as an Explorer, Geologist, Zoologist, Missionary, Doctor, Ethnologist, Explorer, Botanist or Reporter. Different professions earn points in different ways.
Solo to up to six players
Source of the Nile
It’s the golden age of piracy. Sail the seas of the Caribbean or the gold coast or around the horn and Madagascar. Raid shipping and towns, take on cargos and sell them at friendly ports (or at a pirate haven). Upgrade to a better ship or take a captured ship as your own and celebrate with drunken debauchery, but watch out for warships on the prowl, rivals who wish to supplant you or as your fame grows beware of the King’s commissioners sent by the crown to hunt you down. Take advantage of pardons and take care of your ship but don’t forget to keep your crew happy or you might be marooned. Retire wealthy or strive to be the most notorious pirate on the Spanish main.
Solo to up to four players
My plan is to play both of them solo while allowing people to join in if they wish. I may also take a copy of Dynasty Baseball to demo it and recruit players for our face to face league in Fitchburg.
But either way I’ll be there. Hope to see you too, there is more to life than politics and arguments..
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