Gateway 2017 Recaps
Sept 12, 2017 21:12:34 GMT -8
Post by IPlayWrong on Sept 12, 2017 21:12:34 GMT -8
BTW: I put my con-related photos up on Imgur.
Here is how my con went:
Friday
I got to the hotel around 11:30 a.m. and went to go check how my friend was doing. He was running a board game (Xia) slot at 12 noon. He had three players show up so good for him.
2pm: Accidental Rebels w/ kurtpotts
I was in the first one so I was excited to return to SW Traveller. I ended up with the Ewok
Jedi so this was going to be GOOD.
The Setup: A mystery person is kidnapping children to train them as Siths. We are to go to Nar Shaada ('Space Vegas'), infiltrate the Bounty Hunter tradeshow / corporate retreat and meet our contact Jizzy Stardust, who is performing at the conference.
As a group, I think we did pretty well. We meandered a bit while trying to get to Jizzy, but figured out what was going on and took care of business.
Favorite thing that happened: (tie) having to fight/parlay my way past a Jedi temple guard and my Jedi sliding down a 10 m garbage chute, force jumping into the air, somersaulting, activating the lightsaber and diving to attack the garbage chute monster thing guy.
Saturday
9am: Prime Directive - Modiphius Star Trek Adventures
We had six players for this game. I chose Mr. Molor, Klingon Chief Medical Officer, who believes that humans need to be protected so me and my Klingon dagger became fast friends.
Crew: Human Captain, Andorian XO, Trill Engineer, Betazed Security Chief, Human Helmsman.
This game was kind of a blur. I was told the mechanics are Fate-like and I started to get the hang of things as we went. There's Momentum, Dedication, Threat, etc. But we had fun exposing the Romulans for being the traitorous bastards that they always are. Unfortunately, we ran time and we had to cut the ship-to-ship combat scene short.
Favorite thing that happened: Totally stabbing an enemy and then justifying it as collecting a "blood sample" for further analysis.
2pm: Mission ImBARDable - 5E DnD, ran by cadave and stork
Six players in this one. We were all Bards and I chose the Sage Bard.
Other Bards: Noble Bard, Criminal Bard, Entertainer Bard, Charlatan Bard and one I am forgetting.
This was a different type of 5E game for me in that it was more of social/espionage game that had the feel of a sandbox. We had clear mission objectives but the means to accomplish those objectives were completely up to us. I tend to be more of a follower/passive player so I struggled a little bit at the beginning. It was also the first time I have ever played a bard.
I am still shocked that we made through without any combat of any kind, but I must say I had more fun than I thought I would with this group of raconteurs. Also, two gold stars to cadave and stork for the props and prep for the game. From the scroll, the multiple maps and the spell cards (that we got to keep), great job guys!
Favorite thing that happened: We had decided to do a "gig" in the local tavern to increase our "rep" with the Duke. So watching Joey come up with a epic poem on the spot was pretty great.
Podcast recording: What can I say? I got to chat with Tomes and mook in addition to enjoying Happy Jacks Live. 'Nuff said.
Sunday
9 am: Heroes of Cityopolis: Revenge of the Boomerangatang, SW Superheroes, ran by lowkeyoh
I was GunMan!, who could make any gun I could think of in about 10 minutes. My son was also in this game and he played Terry Dactyl, who had a magic amulet that conveyed Dino powers (shape shifting into different kinds of dinosaurs and also the ability to summon Dino-minions [four max]).
This game with Superheroes was Super-FUN. lowkeyoh was a very energetic GM and that energy transferred to the players as well. There was plenty of action and it moved fast but I didn't feel (to me) like it was rushed. In addition, I learned some tricks that I will be stealing for use in my SW home game. lowkeyoh ran an "AMAZING" game.
Favorite thing that happened: Our group had a side conversation about all of the gun-based appliances that we had at the secret hideout: gun phone, gun garage door opener, gun toothbrush, etc.
2 pm: In Defense of House Stark: GURPS (Yeah!), run by mook
I was really, really looking forward to this one. Confession: I've never watched Game of Thrones. I knew that I would be seeing it eventually, so I have buying the Blu-Rays every Black Friday. So once I found out that I got in, I started the GoT binge. I got halfway thru S5 before the con. So and big thank you to mook for making me watch this great show.
I chose Ser Jarden Manderly, a Westerosi knight with the worst "guarded secret" of all the characters. The setup was pretty simple: there has been a kidnapping and we need to get the Stark girls. The adventure had all the trappings of the show: mystery, a prelude to war, past mistakes coming home to roost and Wildfire!
I loved this game and I had a great time with all of the players. Also, his prep was top shelf again. The is the 2nd Gurps game I played with mook and I look forward to my 3rd.
Favorite thing that happened: We had discovered that the baddies were moving the girls and we were able to setup an ambush. After a quick skirmish with some of the low-level guards, I went to charge the main group of three "lords". During the charge, the identity was revealed of the first combatant and I think I went #1 and #2 during the reveal. It was the absolute last person you want to fight one-on-one from the show.
So good!
So, another great Strategicon made so much better by all the Happy Jackers and I got to say a quick hello to Mr. Venable to boot. Life is good.
Here is how my con went:
Friday
I got to the hotel around 11:30 a.m. and went to go check how my friend was doing. He was running a board game (Xia) slot at 12 noon. He had three players show up so good for him.
2pm: Accidental Rebels w/ kurtpotts
I was in the first one so I was excited to return to SW Traveller. I ended up with the Ewok
Jedi so this was going to be GOOD.
The Setup: A mystery person is kidnapping children to train them as Siths. We are to go to Nar Shaada ('Space Vegas'), infiltrate the Bounty Hunter tradeshow / corporate retreat and meet our contact Jizzy Stardust, who is performing at the conference.
As a group, I think we did pretty well. We meandered a bit while trying to get to Jizzy, but figured out what was going on and took care of business.
Favorite thing that happened: (tie) having to fight/parlay my way past a Jedi temple guard and my Jedi sliding down a 10 m garbage chute, force jumping into the air, somersaulting, activating the lightsaber and diving to attack the garbage chute monster thing guy.
Saturday
9am: Prime Directive - Modiphius Star Trek Adventures
We had six players for this game. I chose Mr. Molor, Klingon Chief Medical Officer, who believes that humans need to be protected so me and my Klingon dagger became fast friends.
Crew: Human Captain, Andorian XO, Trill Engineer, Betazed Security Chief, Human Helmsman.
This game was kind of a blur. I was told the mechanics are Fate-like and I started to get the hang of things as we went. There's Momentum, Dedication, Threat, etc. But we had fun exposing the Romulans for being the traitorous bastards that they always are. Unfortunately, we ran time and we had to cut the ship-to-ship combat scene short.
Favorite thing that happened: Totally stabbing an enemy and then justifying it as collecting a "blood sample" for further analysis.
2pm: Mission ImBARDable - 5E DnD, ran by cadave and stork
Six players in this one. We were all Bards and I chose the Sage Bard.
Other Bards: Noble Bard, Criminal Bard, Entertainer Bard, Charlatan Bard and one I am forgetting.
This was a different type of 5E game for me in that it was more of social/espionage game that had the feel of a sandbox. We had clear mission objectives but the means to accomplish those objectives were completely up to us. I tend to be more of a follower/passive player so I struggled a little bit at the beginning. It was also the first time I have ever played a bard.
I am still shocked that we made through without any combat of any kind, but I must say I had more fun than I thought I would with this group of raconteurs. Also, two gold stars to cadave and stork for the props and prep for the game. From the scroll, the multiple maps and the spell cards (that we got to keep), great job guys!
Favorite thing that happened: We had decided to do a "gig" in the local tavern to increase our "rep" with the Duke. So watching Joey come up with a epic poem on the spot was pretty great.
Podcast recording: What can I say? I got to chat with Tomes and mook in addition to enjoying Happy Jacks Live. 'Nuff said.
Sunday
9 am: Heroes of Cityopolis: Revenge of the Boomerangatang, SW Superheroes, ran by lowkeyoh
I was GunMan!, who could make any gun I could think of in about 10 minutes. My son was also in this game and he played Terry Dactyl, who had a magic amulet that conveyed Dino powers (shape shifting into different kinds of dinosaurs and also the ability to summon Dino-minions [four max]).
This game with Superheroes was Super-FUN. lowkeyoh was a very energetic GM and that energy transferred to the players as well. There was plenty of action and it moved fast but I didn't feel (to me) like it was rushed. In addition, I learned some tricks that I will be stealing for use in my SW home game. lowkeyoh ran an "AMAZING" game.
Favorite thing that happened: Our group had a side conversation about all of the gun-based appliances that we had at the secret hideout: gun phone, gun garage door opener, gun toothbrush, etc.
2 pm: In Defense of House Stark: GURPS (Yeah!), run by mook
I was really, really looking forward to this one. Confession: I've never watched Game of Thrones. I knew that I would be seeing it eventually, so I have buying the Blu-Rays every Black Friday. So once I found out that I got in, I started the GoT binge. I got halfway thru S5 before the con. So and big thank you to mook for making me watch this great show.
I chose Ser Jarden Manderly, a Westerosi knight with the worst "guarded secret" of all the characters. The setup was pretty simple: there has been a kidnapping and we need to get the Stark girls. The adventure had all the trappings of the show: mystery, a prelude to war, past mistakes coming home to roost and Wildfire!
I loved this game and I had a great time with all of the players. Also, his prep was top shelf again. The is the 2nd Gurps game I played with mook and I look forward to my 3rd.
Favorite thing that happened: We had discovered that the baddies were moving the girls and we were able to setup an ambush. After a quick skirmish with some of the low-level guards, I went to charge the main group of three "lords". During the charge, the identity was revealed of the first combatant and I think I went #1 and #2 during the reveal. It was the absolute last person you want to fight one-on-one from the show.
So good!
So, another great Strategicon made so much better by all the Happy Jackers and I got to say a quick hello to Mr. Venable to boot. Life is good.