IndieCon II - And This Time Its Personal

[Evilgaz]

Second IndieCon for me, and I was up for trying some more of the dirty left-field indie hippy stuff, because, as everyone knows, I'm Indie-curious.

We had a fairly trouble free trip in the Kenners Happy Sunshine Bus and arrived to lodge to find food waiting on the table and everything sorted from a lodge point of view. After eating we headed to the bar to see what shenanigans were occurring. There were plenty of people about and various lightweight games in evidence (such as Heroica and Jenga) alongside the traditional Baron.

It turned out that the Baron Munchausen ice breaker was so over-subscribed it required to separate games. There was a golden opportunity to get into one game next to Mick the Red and out him as French, but regrettably before I could manage this feat, Elina so to his shameful exit when he couldn't toast the Queen, due to an empty glass. Still, he could console himself with the French lager I bought him. As we all know find one Frenchman, you'll find more and so it was and due to my keen acumen I was able to identify the Garlic encrusted Ash (NimbyDagda) as a Gallic spy and get him removed from our august company. Had a catch up with some Pompey personalities and then headed back to the lodge for White Russians.

We'd arrived fairly late in the day on Thursday (7ish?), so there wasn't much to play on the boards and I'd slung up a couple of games for the first two slots of Friday, and jumped on Kenners game for the evening as it was going up to ensure a full day's gaming. So first up was Pendragon using Duty & Honour. I was short a couple of players for the game, as indeed a lot of games seemed to be over the weekend - with low prep hippy games it seems there's a lot on offer - but I headed back to the muster and rounded up a couple of strays to fill out the game.

Perfectly decent session, but seemed a bit flat. I'd had a nagging doubt since my BtQ game at Furnace that something was missing, and it bloody obvious looking back now, in that previous game I'd done a ship sheet but not brought the crew roster, and in D&H this time I'd forgotten to include the "Your Company" sheet with list of NPCs that are hanging round in the army. What a spoon. This would have given the players a wandering cast of extras to interact wherever they went and provided more opportunities so apologies to the players for that.

Th'afternoon was my first run out of a new Delta Green scenario using Hot War. An explosive in media res start saw the players diving into character and it was an intense two hour rollercoaster ride as competing agendas and rocky relationships saw an ebb and flow of action and conflict. At least, that's how I saw it - good set of players and a great, if short (two hour) session, so I was happy to see it seemed to work. I've said before I'd rather have a good two hour game than a mediocre four hour one, so I was happy to leave it where we did and get a good break between games - hopefully the players were too.

That evening was XII Legion, which regrettably we only had three players for. AK tried to round up some waifs and strays from muster, but there were no takers, so we ploughed on anyway. It was only an issue in that you're supposed to have an ally and an enemy in the group and with two others to pick from you get this weird situation where everyone hates the person that loves them. It didn't really come into the game though and we had a good romp through the future Germany and came back with an Eagle standard once lost in the Black Forest.

Friday morning I got play in Toad's much vaunted and ubiquitous Witch: The Road to Lindisfarne, and my first taste of structured freeform. The ever-generous Toad offered fine libations (we were allowed water) and we got stuck in. I'd posited at the icebreaker that the game would be similar to one of the scenarios I'd write for Delta Green (although probably with less Insects of Shaggi and 9mm Glocks) in that it would have strong characters and competing agendas and that would drive the meat of the game, and I think it proved to be true. Everyone was up for it and my belief that the alleged Witch was innocent was proved true, with us escaping and living happily ever after. I've not spoiled the end for anyone there - the game can play out wildly differently every time you play depending on what players choose to being into the game.

It's a good little game - there was at least one game of it running in every slot and it got a lot of air play. I struggled a bit with structured freeform, in that there were some scenes that seemed to drift or peter out and I'd like a way of calling them and moving on. I don't know whether this something that someone needs to shout up and say (although you don't want to trample on other people's scenes), or there's a way of mandating through rules, or pointing out through guidance? I found myself itching for my dice (or a card deck, or magnetic fish) to resolve some things as two or more players would talk themselves into an interesting conflict or stand-off and I was keen to see which way it would fall (with either option being good), but due to that lack of dice I'd didn't feel I got a satisfactory outcome - it felt like people backed away from the scene sometime for not wanting to push too much.

I think all that is how this structured freeform works though, and that's what I signed up for. Toad's done a bang-up job (from what I can tell) of Witch, the premise, characters and structure seem solid and we certainly didn't struggle for things to do. Recommended if you want to try something a bit that way out, but I personally don't think the freeform thing in general of for me. Solid session, with some good players.

Following that I ran Pendragon D&H again. That session was a bit more spicy, with some of the more fantastical elements of the setting being brought in by the players. A good tale, again lacking the mobile cast of NPCs which probably led to some flat bits, but that's my fault. The Saxons defeated the hapless Sir Edern and companions, but I think we had a good romp along the way and with beers flowing it was a pleasant afternoon.

Saturday evening was Dead of Night, with the reformed Mr Dorward presenting a "No children were harmed in the making of this scenario" session. I played a nutcase girl off the streets and the first hour or two of the session the Tension die stayed where it was and not a single roll was made as the players bounced off each other. Needless to say, one litre of spiced rum later it all started kicking off with a frantic end, which saw my character stepping over the corpse of Mick Red's to escape and freedom. High energy session - always good to get a bit of horror in on a Saturday night.

I hung around after that as the Pompey lot started turning up (Mick only plays games in lodges you see, so that's where we were) and food was provided and the booze flowed. It was a bizarre evening at times, but good to hang out and chat with some more folks, meet some new people and get the lowdown on some more games.

Sunday morning I was supposed to be in a game with Indie Pete, but he'd tried it earlier in the con and it didn't really work (being half-baked Jason Morningstar stuff) so he'd let me know it wasn't running and I'd had to plump for something else - I saw my opportunity to get in on a James Mullen game (criminally I'd not been in one of his games ever) and so signed up for Remember Tomorrow, which also included that arch-hippy Magus (Piers) and the geographically astute Steve "you Northern bastard Gaz" from Glasgow.

Good session, including James' (probably best in the world) Gecko impression. I mean, its no War Goose, but it was uncanny. The game had some elements I liked (like mechanics and a way of winning ), but I was less convinced by things like, if you want to get to do something it requires someone else targeting you, and the loser of a conflict narrating the other guy's success. Had a thoroughly nice time with some very civil chaps and everything, but the game's not really for me.

For my final game I brought out the DG / HW mash up again and had another strong set of players. Took a little while to get people up to speed on how the system works and you push the agendas, but that's perfectly fine and after all the point of trying something new at a convention. The scenario is probably going to be run by one of those guys in the future and Dutch Brenda promised me a game of Hot War for Conception, so I'm sure she'll prove she's not weak and be bringing that with her for next year Great way to round off the convention, another short, punchy game and its gee-d me up sufficiently to write another scenario for the same setting / system combo I think.

In between all the games we managed to squeeze in a game of Shadow Hunter, which was an okay little board game where you work out who's the hunted and whom the hunter, although I was bemused that I couldn't work out what was going on at first. Then it turned out Fricker and Robin had been reading the cards wrong and giving incorrect answers, and suddenly it all started making sense.

Overall a good con, with no bad games, laid back pace and everything smoothly organised by the usual suspects. Well done to the organiser posse!

Would I recommend it?

Well, there are lots of games going on, although the majority are clearly hippy ones, so you've got to be willing to try something new. I didn't bring any Savage down and I know Toad's been craving it, but fortunately he was able to get in one of Mark's games, so I look forward to hearing how that went. It just goes to show there's "normal" games being run too.

I was happy to try some new things, but its confirmed that there are certain styles of games that I'm not that bothered about, but equally I'm happy to give a go as a one-off and fill a few hours with. So if you're going to head for the coast next year, I reckon you need to go with an open mind about what you're going to play and take it as it comes. If you're looking to run / facilitate some games for the first time at a con, I reckon its a good environment to do so, with a forgiving crowd on the whole and the nature of the hippy games is that you support other players in their actions etc.

While Conception is a long standing and extremely popular convention, the less frenetic pace of IndieCon appeals more and the availability of lodges makes it a good option for folk who can't get to the former convention. The range of games is (understandably) more experimental and collaborative type than traditional, although there is a mix, but its something to be aware of.

Well worth a look for someone getting into the convention, wanting to try different games or have a go at being more of a facilitator or GM.

It was fantastic to meet some new faces and game with another raft of gamers, and I had a great time. I'd expect to be back next year (if Kenners gives us a lift )

All that remains is for me to give heartfelt thanks to the organisers, players, GMs, facilitators, lodge buddies and others for some awesome times - its impossible to remember and name check every single one of you - but I love you all man (or woman), and to announce this year's IndieCon Awards (apologies to those who's names I'm not sure of! ):


Best Gecko: James Mullen
Most French: NimbyDagda
Most Urbane Hippy: Magus
Most Prolific New GM: Ooooooooshie
Country With Most Attendees: Holland
Most Likely To Not Show Up: GrahamW
Best Proponent for Movember: KaiserJez
Most Likely to Kill Mick Red in a Forest: Pip
Most Disillusion With Morningstar: IndiePete
Most Promising War Goose Impersonator: Elina
Best New Game: Witch - The Road To Lindisfarne
Least Likely to Kill Under-Age NPCs: Scott Dorward
Most Likely to Be Converted to Savage Worlds: Toad
Best Advert for Scottish Education System: Glasgow Steve
Most Outrageous Abuse of Narration Rights in Defeat: Julian "I'm Jesus Christ" Cryptkeeper

[dr_mitch]

For what it's worth, I know that one of the players in your BtQ Furnace game went out and bought the rulebook right afterwards. So you must have done something right.

[The Crypt Keeper]

I've calmed down and sobered up a bit now and have now realised my mistake in as much I'm apparently not The Messiah but just a naughty boy instead

[Evilgaz]

For what it's worth, I know that one of the players in your BtQ Furnace game went out and bought the rulebook right afterwards. So you must have done something right.

Thanks dude, none of the games have been disastrous or anything, they've just not been really zinging. Now I've identified something I can sort out to make them that bit better, I'm feeling better about myself.

[Silhouette]

I thoroughly enjoyed Hot War/Delta Green, it was the game of the con for me

[Shane]

I thoroughly enjoyed Hot War/Delta Green, it was the game of the con for me

Agreed! That was a great game!


Shane

[Basacag]

D&H was good for me mate. I should have been running but no sign ups so it was a bonus game, especially as my old muckers Martin and Goober were playing.