Here Come More Sporadic Updates

I've just changed jobs, which dramatically changes my schedule. Until I adapt to the new schedule, my updating here may not hit my one post per week goal.

Once I've adapted to the new schedule, of course, things should return to normal. Well, as normal as things get around here.

Interviewed

Collin David, a friend of mine who blogs for Collectors' Quest mentioned to me about a year ago that he'd be interested in interviewing me for that blog.

Scheduling proved problematic - not surprising, when you consider we're in different time zones and I don't get home until after 7pm Pacific time (where I reside).

Well, we finally got the interview together, and it's been posted on the Collectors' Quest Blog in two parts.

Part One
Part Two

Finally Home

I'm home, and I've got a lot to say about GenCon this year. But I'm totally exhausted, so it'll be a day or two before I can assemble my thoughts into a coherent whole.

Look for a post later this week.

Done For Now + Google Analytics

Okay, the dust should be cleared. You'll notice a new - and hopefully more readable - look.

As part of the change, I also added Google Analytics.

I actually added Google Analytics last week - before the major changes. Because I was curious about who was reading and how they were finding me.

I knew that Mike and Brian were reading, but I had no idea what else was out there.

Truth be told, I still don't know what else is out there, but I've got a much better idea than I did before. I'm getting between fifteen and twenty hits per day. It doesn't sound like a lot, but I expected two to three hits per day at the most.

It seems that complete strangers outnumber people I know by a considerable amount.

So, to those of you I don't know, welcome. I hope you like what I have to say.

Last Week

Those of you who monitor my games played on the Geek may have noticed an oddity last week: A Wednesday with no games played.

On Wednesday, February 28th, all areas North of Seattle got hit with a sudden snowstorm. For this area, any snow is unusual. More than two inches is downright rare.

We got six inches. At least one regular attendee of our Wednesday festivities got a foot and a half.

Normally, I'd have just hung out and played solitaire games or something similar. Last Wednesday was a bit odd on several other fronts, however:

Our annual mortgage inspection was on Thursday, so the apartment needed more cleaning.
My wife's grandmother passed on Monday, so she flew out to Colorado on Tuesday morning. I was scheduled to fly out on Thursday, and needed to find both a ride to the airport and someone to house-sit (the person who usually house-sits for us had a foot and a half of snow).

I did make an appearance at Game Night and played one game: High Roll. Three of us each rolled a die. High Roll won.

I don't think there's an entry on the Geek for High Roll. Or, if there is, it's under some other name.

So that's why there's no games played for last week.

Shilling

I really love The Geek. It's the best community website in which I participate.

But it's a fear of mine that I'll be perceived as a shill.

See, I'm reasonably active on the Geek. But I'm very active in the Asmodée forums on the geek, because these are the game I have a personal involvement with.

I'm up-front about my involvement. I also try to rate the games fairly - I don't inflate the ratings I give games published by Asmodée just because I like the company.

So I decided to support the Geek. I actually decided a few months ago, but I wasn't able to financially commit.

There are people out there who will see my badge and assume that Asmodée bought it for me. I'll know better. People who poke into my profile might figure it out - I'd never posted on any of Asmodée's games prior to 2005, as I didn't start working with them until that point. I registered on the Geek in 2003.

My Collection

I spent a chunk of yesterday updaing my collection on the Geek.

I started alphabetically at the beginning of all the listings on BoardGameGeek, and got through the letter A. It took me all night.

My goal is to eventually update through all the letters of the alphabet. Then I plan to go through and rate all of them.

I have 212 games listed in my collection at present, and I know that some are missing (including several HeroScape expansions).

That's a lotta games.

I Lied/What I'm Going To Do Here

Okay, I lied. It's really not fair of me to point you at a mostly-locked blog. This isn't going to be a terribly active blog, however.

My name is Eric, and I like talking about games. Board games. Card games. Role-Playing games. If it's a hobby-market game, I've almost certainly heard of it. And the odds are better-than-average that I've played it. And there are decent odds that I own it (and even better odds that at least one of my friends does).

I've worked as an editor and playtester for several games. I have playtest credits in Paranoia XP, Bloode Island XPG, and several others. I have editor credits for the English version of Dungeon Twister and its first expansion (so far). I have credits in several (as yet) unpublished games, as well. Including at least one that I'm writing myself.

I also host a weekly board game night with an average draw of eight to ten with an average age of 30 - not the biggest game night on Earth, but it makes me happy. I also participate regularly in another game night with a similar draw and a younger demographic (average age of about 22).

I've run leagues and tournaments for several collectable card games. I've run leagues and tournaments for several board and miniature games, as well.

I've been to both GenCon and Origins as an Exhibitor - paid by a manufacturer to demo their products. Because they had faith in my ability, I suppose. Or my skill.

I tell you all of this so you get an idea of my qualifications. I'm not going to paint myself as The Expert, and I readily admit that there are many people out there who have more experience or a better grasp of rules for Game X than I do. But I feel that I am qualified to discuss games.

And that is what I plan to do, here. I plan to discuss what makes a good game worth playing. And yes, we'll look at bad games, too. I'll occasionally post reviews of games and spend time detailing what I see as the strengths and weaknesses of these games.

As I'm going to be talking about what is Good, Bad, Fun and Not Fun I do feel that it is important to state that any and all posts contained herein contain my opinion, which cannot be bought. I'm not posting here as a representative of any company, past or present.

I hope you like talking Game. I do.