diff --git a/content/posts/too-many-games-2024/index.md b/content/posts/too-many-games-2024/index.md index 1609763..5fb979d 100644 --- a/content/posts/too-many-games-2024/index.md +++ b/content/posts/too-many-games-2024/index.md @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ --- -draft: true +draft: false title: "Too Many Games 2024 Retrospective" aliases: ["Too Many Games 2024 Retrospective"] date: "2024-06-25" @@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ summary: "In which I drive to Philadelphia and try to play a bunch of games." ### Thursday #### Driving there -My packing checklist made sure I didn't miss anything I needed, so as soon as I got on the road it was a genuinely enjoyable trip. I had a bunch of artificially flavored sports drinks, beef jerky, raisins, I was good to go. +My packing checklist made sure I didn't miss anything I needed so as soon as I got on the road it was an exceptionally enjoyable trip. I had a bunch of artificially flavored sports drinks, beef jerky, raisins, I was good to go. -The drive in was really exceptional. It took about six and a half hours, but in light of the *multiple* 10-14 hour white-knuckle hauls I've had to undertake, it was a dream. The weather was warm but not sweltering, and frequent cloud cover and light rain kept the temperature mostly within reason. The real highlight of the drive was a really tiny boat on a trailer named "Toot Toot". Good luck out there, Toot Toot. +It took about six and a half hours but in light of the *multiple* 10-14 hour white-knuckle hauls I've had to undertake it was a dream. The weather was warm but not sweltering and frequent cloud cover and light rain kept the temperature mostly within reason. The real highlight of the drive was a really tiny boat on a trailer named "Toot Toot". Good luck out there, Toot Toot. #### The Lodgings -I thought my friends booked an AirBnB, but they just booked a regular BnB, some secluded farmhouse well into the rural outskirts of Philadelphia. The farmhouse has wireless, hot water, a fridge, and air conditioning so I can't complain. We picked up our badges and got some food, nothing interesting to note. +I thought my friends booked an AirBnB but they just booked a regular BnB, some secluded farmhouse well into the rural outskirts of Philadelphia. The farmhouse has wireless, hot water, a fridge, and air conditioning so I can't complain. We picked up our badges and got some food, nothing interesting to note. {{< gallery >}} @@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ I thought my friends booked an AirBnB, but they just booked a regular BnB, some {{}} -Later in the evening I saw a deer, I think a white tail doe, just around dusk that first day which was a real treat. +just around dusk I saw a deer, I think a white tail doe, which was a real treat. {{< figure src="day1_white_tail_doe.jpg" @@ -39,12 +39,13 @@ Later in the evening I saw a deer, I think a white tail doe, just around dusk th >}} ### Friday -The tabletop offerings didn't really line up with my schedule, I wanted to spend the evening mostly with my friends while we had the time and all the games stretched well past 6PM. We rocked around the merch hall, I grabbed a few gifts, and we killed a little time before the one Friday panel that caught my eye. +The tabletop offerings didn't really line up with my schedule, I wanted to spend the evening mostly with my friends while we had the time and all the interesting games stretched well past 6PM. I signed up for one game which was pitched to me as "everybody dies at the end": Ten Candles. + +After that, we rocked around the merch hall, I grabbed a few gifts, and we killed a little time before the one Friday panel that caught my eye. #### Character Study, Writing, and Creation This panel was hosted by panelists who introduced themselves as Rachel and Guinevere. I wasn't fast enough to catch all of their social media details but you can find Guinevere [here](https://www.instagram.com/nightsongcosplay/). - -The panel was really solid. Rachel and Guinevere were enthusiastic and knowledgeable and made a point of treating writing and narrative-building as an exercise in fun that anyone can engage in, which I found refreshing. A full reproduction of their presentation would probably not be in good taste, but here's the short version. +The panel was really solid. Rachel and Guinevere were enthusiastic and knowledgeable and made a point of treating writing and narrative-building as an exercise in fun that anyone can engage in which I found refreshing. The core thesis ended up being very straightforward: learn your character. The most important detail is motivation: what do they what, why, what are they willing to do to get it? Only marginally less important, and now in no particular order: - Who are their allies? What (dis)qualifies someone for this status? @@ -83,8 +84,8 @@ I woke up early and saw a white-tail buck grazing down by the stream on the edge caption="This one didn't get scared at any point, he just grazed himself into the forest and out of sight." >}} -#### The Audobon Museum -I did a bit of shopping for museums and the bummer was that most of the big ones are in the city center proper meaning parking and ticket prices were exorbitant. To my absolute delight, I saw that the Aubudon museum and estate were closer to the lodgings than even the convention center, had free parking, and a $7 dollar admission. Sold. +#### The Audubon Museum +I did a bit of shopping for museums and the bummer was that most of the big ones are in the city center proper meaning parking and ticket prices were exorbitant. To my absolute delight, I saw that the Audubon museum and estate were closer to the lodgings than even the convention center, had free parking, and a $7 dollar admission. Sold. {{