Nick's con report

[ncmreynolds]

I'd been a bit reticent about confirming for ConDamned as I wasn't sure about the costs of travel, hotel and so on. However flying EasyJet to Schipol from 'London' Southend is just £60 so it was rude not to. For a scummy East Londoner like me it's easier to get to than Heathrow or Gatwick and I'd definitely fly from there again.

As has been said, Friday night's planned icebreaker wasn't necessary. Most people knew each other so just got down to the serious business of getting beered up and larey. I arrived a bit later at 2 Klaveren[1] than most so the beer and Captain[2] was already in full flow. I think the football was watched at some point and the bar staff were lovely, putting up with us until far later than they really should have.

Saturday lunchtime we all drifted slowly back and I was introduced to the mighty Uitsmijter[3], which I may have to try and replicate at home. Then there were some games.

Slot 1 : Sci Fi Beta Kappa

I've been meaning to catch Leo & Dan's creation for a while. I'm not a fan of comedy games[4] but make a point of getting involved in playtesting things if the opportunity comes up. We immediately left the scenario partially behind and decided to get arrested, break the wrong band out of jail and steal a chimpanzee, waistcoat and fez. No party is complete without a fez-wearing chimpanzee. It got very silly, Arno made Wendy blush and Mick's character suffered from 'performance issues'.

I think Leo went away with some positive feedback for the game from this, we came up with a couple of suggestions for mechanic and naming changes.

Slot 1.5: What you wish for

This is a very quick tour round the hopes and dreams of people in a bad situation. Ash's more upbeat response to the misery tourism of things like '"A penny for my thoughts". Which worked very nicely even if I did draw a blank at a few points. The artwork used for inspiration is lovely. I was the only one to stay in my rut and see that positively rather than chase my dream. I am not called the Sponge of Fun for nothing.

Slot 2 : Microscope

This was my pitch for the weekend as it's my current favourite low prep game. We went for the common first game choice of an apocalyptic setting, this time with the fall of man to a great plague. However the game palette lead it down the road of conspiracy and religious wars against the backdrop of a certain afterlife. The USA was excommunicated, new Pilgrims escaped to Greenland, the Catholic Church was shown to have been behind it all and finally God decided to reboot the world. She was persuaded to maybe take a little longer this time, perhaps seven days. Tijs made an excellent Pope. Twice. Wendy was of course God.

Then there was beer. Lots of beer. Also lots of Captain. Eventually the bar staff persuaded us to go home at stupid-o'clock. Again.

Slot 3 : The Skull of Akkarat

A third game written by somebody at the con, proof that the people there were from the 'creative' end of the hobby. This was Tijs & Tijs' structured freeform game of archaeology, greed and supernatural evil influence. Except by sheer luck of the draw nobody was turned truly evil so it got a bit less face-stabby than normal. We had a nice mexican standoff in the last scene where everybody except my character tried to stay up all night. They all thought one of the others was going to try and make off with the skull. While I just ruined them later.

Slot 4 : Microscope

Having heard reports of the first run, Max wanted a game so Rae offered it up. This was a bit more gonzo with talking crab pirates, mollusc based weapons of mass destruction and a deliberate mass extinction event just to kill 'Salty McGinty'. Beer may have influenced this game somewhat. Well it was the last slot of the con. It seemed popular so I'll definitely pitch it again through the con season.

Then there was even more beer and even more Captain. Until it ran out. So we moved on to other things including Amaretto. People drank things they don't normally drink. Fags were smoked by people who don't normally smoke. There may have even been some vomit. At some point Holland got knocked out in the football but nobody really cared.

ConDamned has demonstrated the principle that 'if you build it they will come', the Dutch Invaders were worried it wouldn't be a success but it was a resounding one. Epic hangovers were forged in the fires of gaming awesome.

It wouldn't have been quite the same without 2 Klaveren being really accommodating, feeding us yummy food and putting up with all our noise and idiocy until stupid-o'clock every night. I think it's pretty much the perfect gaming venue. At one point the manager was thinking of getting on her moped and going in search for some more Captain to serve us. We love her. I understand Mick may have proposed.

[1] Who I notice have a website http://www.2-klaveren.nl/
[2] Morgan's Spiced http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Morgan
[3] http://www.thedutchtable.com/2011/04/ui ... dwich.html
[4] ie. games written for comedy as opposed to comedy that spontaneously occurs in games