Hey, and welcome to Episode 129. Origins Game Fair 2025 turned 50
this summer. To celebrate this milestone, the
Table Talk community came together for games, memories,
and gathering around the table for epic showdowns and sprawling
strategy games to light hearted laughs over party favorites.
This year's golden anniversary was a heartwarming reminder of
why we play. In this episode, we are sharing
the highlights of the games we explored, the amazing people we
connected with, and the unforgettable energy that only
Origins can deliver. Today, I've invited Chris
Preston to join me and return to the show and share our
experiences at Origins in Columbus, OH.
Chris. How are you?
I'm good, man. It's good to see you again.
It's always a pleasure. Yeah, it's been a year since you
were on the show. Has it been that long?
You said that earlier. You said last year.
And I was like, that was just a few months ago, wasn't it?
Yeah. It was, it was, it was like
August. I think it was like episode 9091
or something like that. Maybe it was 89, but it's been a
while. Doesn't seem like it's been that
long ago. I know, I know.
And it feels like origins was this past weekend, even though
it's been like 3 weeks. So yeah, crazy.
So yeah, I again, thanks for joining and I just want to talk
about our experiences and origins.
So I've got a few stats we'll talk about first, if that's
cool, and then we can get into the experience.
So according to Origins game fairs website, they had 19,171
attendees this year, which is an increase of 8% over the previous
year, which is kind of good. They had 410 exhibitors of which
one of them you worked for this year.
And then there were 8810 scheduled events.
And that was an increase of 26% from last year.
So what do all these statistics mean?
Here's here's the cool conclusion.
And I'm really excited about this.
Like, can you tell I am such a nerd?
Like, I don't think anyone else cares about this, but I do.
So I'm going to share it with you.
OK. So this means that Origins is
now the number 5 tabletop convention in the world.
And here's here's how it's calculated.
So last year in 2024, Essence Spiel had 204,000 attendees.
Sticking at #1 no big star, obviously #2 Gen.
Con with 71,000 attendees last year.
This year, because it has already come and gone, UKGE had
42,000 attendees. Wow.
Which I got. Really.
Yeah. I didn't know that was that big.
I had no idea. That one surprised me as well.
I was like, wow, man, that's that's a.
Just means we need to go over there sometime.
Yes. And we have, we do we really
need to last year's numbers PAX Unplugged was approximately
30,000. They don't keep track of
attendees stats like the other conventions, but OK, that's kind
of the number. And then 19,171 at Origins,
making it the fifth largest convention in the world, and
that is exciting. I believe it used to be #4
though, didn't it? I think it's just here in the
past few years that Pax U has started to surpass from what I
understand. So that's my understanding as
well as PAX used numbers have just skyrocketed.
I have not yet been to PAX Unplugged.
Yeah, same. It's a little far.
It's, it's not only is it far, it's like the first weekend of
December. And so it's between
Thanksgiving, it's right before Christmas where you have holiday
travel, right? It's kind of a mess, right?
So. Which I think they changed the
dates this year. It's still in between Christmas
and Thanksgiving, but it's in November instead of December
this year. It is.
So that maybe will help. Yeah, I think I would love to go
up to that one. I was talking to somebody.
Her name eludes me, so I won't try to get it wrong.
But she was saying that it has become a bigger one for a lot of
the bigger publishers, especially because #1
geographically it hits a different region and #2 it's not
5 weeks apart like Origins and Gen.
Con. So which, you know, if you want
to get into it, I'll go ahead and start on my negative note.
One of my like, one of my only disappointments of Origins was
yeah. Tell me about.
There were a lot of bigger or well known and well established
publishers that weren't there that I anticipated would be.
Now it's not the end of the world and I don't feel like I
missed anything without them there.
But from what I knew of Origins years ago, I expected there to
be a little bit more of a Gen. Con exhibitor hall feel, and it
definitely felt smaller and it felt like there were some
publishers that were missing a little bit.
Now, again, if that's my only gripe, then I think the con was
a success. From this conversation, I kind
of deduced that a lot of them have not necessarily pulled out
of Origins, but maybe aren't doing Origins every year because
it's so close geographically and time wise to Gincon.
They've kind of gone in on packs and Gincon to give a little bit
of separation there. So that's, that's an interesting
observation given the fact that the stats stay there were 410
exhibitors and that's up. So there were in fact more
exhibitors than there have been before.
Yeah, that that is very interesting.
And she even said that there were, I don't want to
overestimate the numbers, but there were a decent amount that
had to back out fairly last minute because of they didn't
get the stock in they needed to be able to be at the convention,
right. And so, you know, there, there
could be a plethora of reasons why some of them weren't there
this year. It could be the separation of
time and geography and packs you being more appealing that way.
It could also be the tariff situation or the shipping issues
that have, you know, there's a little bit of a backlog and
costs have gone up recently. So it's true.
All that to say, it's interesting that I, I do agree
that it's interesting that the numbers are up, but there were
also a lot of great exhibitors still.
There was just a good handful of publishers that I was kind of
surprised to not see there, knowing that Origins used to be
#2 in the country. Yeah.
And Yep, so. It's interesting.
So I want you to come back in August after Gen.
Con, because you're going to be a Gen.
Con, right? And that's the plan right now.
Yep, actually, we just kind of solidified that of this past
week. And and I will be a Gen.
Con. I think this will be an
interesting conversation after Gen.
Con to do a side by side comparison because we know
there's some big vendors that will not be a Gen.
Con this year. Yeah, that have already that
have already backed out and backed out months ago.
And I'm curious to see some of the non American ones, like
who's going to make the trip? Who's going to be here?
Yes, because I saw that Borden Dice is still going to have a
booth, which I'm really excited about.
They've become one of my favorite publishers in the past
year or two. And so that's cool that they're
still coming, but I am curious to see how that plays out.
I can confirm that there will be a team from Mosaic Games.
This is their this is their first Gen. con.
Just to remind you guys this Mosaic Games, this is Palgan
from Bangalore, India, who I had, who I had on the show.
Yeah, he's coming. Him and his wife and two of his
staff members. I don't, I don't know.
He didn't tell me who they are, but there's four of them, a
contingency coming to Gen. Con.
So. So that's exciting.
I'll have to make sure and go say hey to him.
Make sure to listen to next week's episode, Episode 130.
I have a really frank conversation with the creative
director of Game Head Games, Paul Solomon.
OK. And we talked a lot about his
booth and what he's gonna be doing.
And so we'll make sure to go say hi to him as well.
So, so stay tuned for that one, but we'll save our conversation
about Jen Khan for a month from now because this is supposed to
be about origins. It is, yes, absolutely.
So you told me what your least favorite thing was.
What was Do you have a single favorite?
Thing whether that's. A game played.
A person met and experienced in the vendor hall.
Whatever I mean, other than getting to sit and play games
with Mr. and Mrs. Cajun Gamer themselves.
I mean. Because, you know, yeah, it's
hard to beat that, I mean. It's it is hard guys.
It's really hard to be playing a game with me and my wife, I'm
telling you. Yeah, I think the best thing
just overall for me was I got to see and meet a lot of people
that I've known online for years.
And you know, I don't live up around all these conventions
where there's small pockets of groups of people that get
together. I know that y'all usually have a
big group get together in geek way.
I haven't been able to make it up for that, you know, living in
Oklahoma, a little bit further away than that and I don't get a
meet and see a lot of these people that I see online very
often. I got to meet quite a few people
for the first time in person. So that was, I mean, that's
always exciting to get to say, hey, you actually exist in real
life. Yeah.
And then also just getting to see through some of the
conventions we've been to the past few years, we've built in
person relationships with a lot of the people that started
online. And so that is always a blast of
getting to, you know, we chat online and text periodically
throughout the year, but it's a blast getting to like hug each
other's necks and play a game and talk about life together.
And I think, I mean, overall, obviously I love games and I
play board games, right? You know, hey, that's why we're
here. But I think it's the people and
the connection with people that make the games so special.
And without that it's, you know, I mean, games would still be fun
without the relational aspect, but I think it just enhances it
and makes it more special and enjoyable.
Yep. I agree and I feel like that's
what everyone's the typical answer is the people, right?
I know for me that's my favorite thing is getting to see
everyone. Although I didn't get to I
didn't get to socialize as much this year.
The schedule was weird for for me, You know, I had, I had a
great time. So here's my favorite thing
about Origins and why we will go to Origins forever.
So the hotel we stayed at was not connected to the Convention
Center but was across the street.
OK. And it is infinitely closer than
any connected hotel in Indianapolis at Gen.
Con. Yeah.
I walked out of my hotel and I'm across the street and there I am
in the Convention Center. It was great.
Yeah, I love that. I love it.
Must have been nice. It was it was fantastic.
And and of course the hotel prices don't they're not as high
as they are in Indy. I mean, Gen.
Con, Gen. Con's got a bigger draw.
So naturally, but but yeah, that was that was the fun thing for
me. I really my favorite thing at
least wasn't fun. It was just.
Fantastic. Yeah, I'm interested to see how
that plays out. Obviously we said we'd hold our
Jincon conversation for later, but I saw Monday morning, as I
was getting ready and eating breakfast before I started the
drive back home, I saw a post where somebody said this was
their first origins and they were kind of evaluating their
thoughts and feelings versus Jincon.
And the comments section was all over the place, as they often
are. But a lot of people agreed and
supported for some of the same reasons you just said.
The hotels are cheaper. It's easier to stay closer.
The city itself, with the hotels and restaurants and Convention
Center, feels closer and easier to navigate and so.
North Market, The North Market is the single greatest feature
of origins, that it's right there in walking distance and
you can eat anything. Yeah, you know.
I'm kind of bummed we didn't get to experience any of that.
We stayed, it was 2025 minutes out from the Convention Center.
We, you know, we had a 20 minute drive in and out every day and
when it was time to go we got in the car and drove out and we
didn't really get to see an experience much downtown.
So I would like to do that next time if we can.
But but wise, we had to find a cheap hotel so we stayed in the
Dublin area on the northwest side of the city.
Yeah, Dublin's kinda. Yeah, it's.
Gonna fall on a bad drive. I won't comment on the drivers
in the Columbus area. Fuck off.
So talk to me about your experience working in the vendor
hall cuz you were with bitewing games correct?
So how did you get that gig? How did you enjoy that gig?
Tell me all about it. Yeah, so I was thinking after I
said my favorite thing in the con, my second favorite thing
probably was working the booth. We have gone to several
conventions now and worked with publishers to demo and teach
games. And I don't know what it is
about it, but I just love doing that.
I think it's a blast to being able to to teach a game and see
it click for somebody and see them get excited about it.
And you know, the responses, they're like, we gotta buy this,
you know, we gotta have this game and there's just something,
you know, fun and rewarding. And also being on the exhibitor
floor working a booth like that, it allows you to see and talk to
people more. And so there were a lot of times
that I got to see and and catch somebody's eye that I might not
have been able to catch otherwise because they just
happened to be walking by the booth.
PJ being one of those people, it taught you icore and sadly you
were not one of those people that fondled and decided to buy
them, and you were one of the rare ones.
But yeah, Bitewing was a new company for me.
I've heard of them and I've played a few of their games.
My gaming bestie, as I refer to him, who we were there together
you got to meet. Kyle, I did.
He he has backed a few of their games and so I've played some
with him. But one of the people that I've
met, actually his wife and I connected online several years
ago and they live in North Carolina and we've met them by
going out to Tantrum Con in January or February.
And depending on the year, they've changed the month a
couple Times Now there's some of those in person friends, like
we've stayed at their house with them when we go out or if we
don't get to stay with them, we go to dinner and hang out and
play games before or after the convention.
So like they've become some, you know, really treasured friends
for us. He texted me out of the blue.
It was probably April, end of April, beginning of May.
And he was just like, hey, you want to come to Origins?
I'm working with Bite Wing, and they need some more people.
And I said I would love to, but I can't go by myself.
And we don't. We didn't have anybody that
would be able to watch the kids for Caitlin and I to go together
like we would have liked. But I just texted Kyle.
I was like, hey, you want to go to Origins and work with Bite
Wing, knowing that he likes the company already.
And so he talked to his wife. She was like, yeah.
And so we ended up getting on with them.
And, you know, it's really cool. I mean, for one thing, it makes
it affordable, right? Because you get a free badge
typically. Now, not all publishers have the
means or capability to provide what some of them have, but our
experience typically is minimally, you get a free batch
and sometimes a free game or two.
But a lot of publishers also pay by the hour.
So, you know, that just helps offset the costs and make it
affordable because without that hourly pay, it's like I couldn't
have afforded to go up to make the trip up there.
And right, even then, we didn't fully cover all of our travel
costs, but it made it doable for both of us.
And so, you know, you get a badge, you get paid a little bit
typically. I know they gave a free game
with the deluxe upgrades to and Pandasaurus.
We worked with it. Gen.
Con, the only time we've been in 22, we're working with them
again this year. They give two games and so nice.
So, you know, different publishers do different things.
There's some groups that will even potentially cover housing.
So if if you're interested in going to one of these
conventions, that's definitely the way to do it.
If you're willing to work a little bit during the day, which
I mean, if you call standard around teaching games work, then
we don't really agree on life. But so yeah, the problem was is
I didn't know a lot of the games really well, but I had played I
core once before the convention. I had played Cascadero once
before the convention. And those were the two games
that I ended up teaching spent we worked 4 hour shifts and I
did I Core 2 days and Cascadero 2 days.
And it was interesting because there were a couple of other
games that I had played once but didn't, you know, fully
understand the race but didn't know the rules well enough to
teach women by the last day. And being around the games, like
people would walk and say, hey, well, we don't have a lot of
time, tell us what all you have. And I was the only one standing
there and I got to give a quick 5 minute spiel of all of the
games at one time and managed to do OK with, yeah, managed to do
OK with a couple of them that I wasn't as familiar with.
But I don't know, I just, I really enjoy it.
It's, it's a cool way to get to know publishers and build
relationships and meet tons of people that you wouldn't get to
interact with otherwise, right Than just passing them in the
exhibitor hall. You know, Kyle had a great
moment. I don't know if you've ever
played Zevedas 7. Reiner can eat a game.
He's played it two or three times and unfortunately the two
groups he's played it with haven't played the game the way
it's supposed to be played. And it's funny because he and I
were just talking about this today, but that was one of the
ones he got to teach and the group loved it and they were
playing the game. So it's got a lot of negotiation
in it. The negotiation is a little bit
backwards. Instead of like buying something
from somebody or making promises, basically each
character has an ability and instead of that being your own
ability, you like rent it out to people.
Essentially. That's the negotiation is like,
hey, my ability would really be really beneficial for you right
now. So if you want to use it, give
me a little money or promise me a vote when I need it, you know,
so you can kind of barter and negotiate.
So he hadn't gotten to really experience the negotiation of
the game. And I was teasing him earlier.
I was like, man, you. It was so fun watching you just
immerse yourself with this group and get to play that game the
way it was intended. And he had a blast with that.
So, you know, it's just there's a lot, there's a lot to be said.
And one of the guys working there with Bitewing was one of
the designers of a few games they've put out recently, Bebop
and Shuffle and Swing. And it was cool getting to talk
to him. Looking at Bebop was out to demo
a day or two. And, you know, reading through
the rules and learning that game.
I always like to, to pick designers brains and say, hey,
I'm just like, this is an interesting different twist that
is backwards from some games. So why, how did that end up in
the game? Why did you go that way?
And you know, it's just, it's really cool to get to meet
people and talk to people that you may not get to otherwise.
Or if you do, it's going to be a brief interaction.
But we got to spend 4 days getting to know Nick, which is
one of the guys that started the company and Robert of the
designers talking about. We got to have lots of
conversations and get to know these guys a little bit.
And so there's a lot to love about working with a publisher
at Right and Right again. The people are what makes it
fun. And getting a free game and
getting to teaching. Games.
That's great. My first and only experience
working for a publisher on the Venter Hall floor was with Wise
Wizard Games. Yep, I remember.
You talking about that? Yeah.
What was that, 2023? I don't, I don't know it it
seems like a long time ago. Yeah.
So like, I have this affinity for that company because of that
experience. So I get it.
Yeah. I would say my, so my favorite
thing, and in my mind, the biggest draw to Origins is also
my biggest criticism of Gen. Con as well.
So what I love about Origins is that you get a you get a true
vendor hall. Like it it's it's it's
legitimate. Yeah. 410 exhibitors.
That's amazing. And then you've got open gaming
right outside the vendor hall. That you don't have to pay extra
for. And a games library that is open
to check out games. I mean, that is my absolute
favorite because that is what I miss at Gen.
Con. And I think Origins delivers in
a real way. And I love that.
My wife would say that is probably her favorite part.
She loved the games library. We checked out four or five
games from the games library that we went into the vendor
hall and purchased later because because we have to do that so.
Yeah, the games were there, an open gimmick, so oh God, they
were all play games. Panda, Panda.
OK and Mountain Goats is because we demoed it.
A word Z because we played. Where we played that.
We did, we played where it's E she loved it so we bought it.
I can't remember. There were a lot of it feels
like All Play was the dominant publisher of games that we
played a lot of at Origins this year.
And you know, I don't know if you noticed this just in general
at different conventions, whether it's Tantrum Con,
whether it's Tennessee Game Days, whether it's Origins Gen.
Con, whether wherever you are, there always seems to be 1
publisher that kind of comes to the top in terms of the games
that you play, right? When you play, when you play.
And it seemed like all play this year.
And that probably had to do with the fact that we had several
friends doing demos at all plays.
Yeah, tables. And that that was helpful.
Well, I think that and they had about a bajillion demo tables
that they're booth. Yes.
I was talking to Joe, one of the all play guys, during Wednesday
setup time and I was like, hey, man, like how's it going?
You guys about done? He said, yeah, and he had this
concert. Look at his face.
He said the problem is, is we make a map and we set all the
tables up and then we say how can we fit about 10 more?
And they did. They had them crammed in there.
So I think you know one, they had so many tables for demo, but
they've also been cranking out games a ridiculous pace.
And they're all they're not all hits for me typically not that
they're bad games. I think they're usually solid
dreams. Yes, they're just not all
something I want to on in my collection.
But they're also quick to pick up, yes, easy to learn and they
don't take long to play. And so I think they're like kind
of that perfect convention game. Yeah.
Right. Yes, I agree.
They are pretty fantastic individuals and they seem to
treat their their demo, their contract workers on the vendor
floor well. At least that's what I have
noticed and I like that. I like that a lot.
So kudos to all play and keep it, keep it going.
You know, but we played a few other games, too.
We played well, you and Katie and Kyle and I.
We played Word Z and Chomp. Chomp.
And then Kyle and I played Vegas Strip, which we both really
liked. And while there are two player
rules, I don't think it's intended to be a two player
game. So we both were like, I want to
play this with more players. Yeah, which I've heard somebody
say 4 is kind of the sweet spot. It plays up to six.
But neither of our wives would enjoy the game.
So it's like we may never get to try it again.
But so I think I don't think there was another all play game
that we played. I think it was those three.
I'm going to look at my stats and make sure.
Yeah, do that and tell everyone what other games you and I
played, because I can't even remember.
Remember Chomp? I think it was just those two.
I think that's always you sat with us for a while.
We did one day, but I think that was all that we got to play
together. OK, you and Kyle got to play
Rococo, yes? So I've dedicated an entire
episode to this. So anyone listening, you can go
back and listen 1 of Gareth's favorite games.
You liked Rococo, didn't you? Didn't you like it at the end?
I thoroughly enjoyed that. Kyle didn't like it as much as
he anticipated. He has this problem where when a
game gets talked about and he sets expectations for it.
I mean, we all are guilty of this.
I'll say that because I've done the same thing.
Sure. He had his expectations a little
high for that game and they didn't quite live up to it.
OK. And it's funny that we're having
this conversation because he and I had a conversation earlier
today on the phone for a while and we talked about Rococo.
He loves Eagle Griffin games. He's a huge Vital Lacerta fan,
and his biggest gripe was his biggest gripe was one of the
things that I liked the most about it.
So it's funny is that it has the box size, it has the artwork, it
has the componentry and the look and feel of a Vital Lacerta
game, but it's just a step down enough in complexity that it
just doesn't hurt. Yes, and he I liked that.
I do enjoy a Vital Lucerda game on occasion, but I appreciated
how I it still gave me similar feels while just not being
impossible to succeed at. But that was his biggest
downfall of the game in his mind, was he would rather play a
Vital. He would rather the extra
complexity, sure. And I think he anticipated it
being a little more complex than it was.
And it just didn't quite hit for him as well as it did for me.
But I liked it and I can't wait to play it with Caitlin and
yeah, potentially own it at some point.
It is, it is truly a worthy game.
I agree with your assessment. So it it, it has the look and
the feel of a lacerda, but it's not so burdensome, right?
It. That's a great word.
Burdensome. It is really important.
I have said this on so many occasions on this show.
Almost every time in a conversation, I say this.
You've got to embrace the theme because the theme really informs
the gameplay. In particular this game, right,
Because it's a the whole idea of is that you're the dress
designer, so you need your lace, you need your thread, you've got
to purchase fabrics. You're going to, you know, I
mean, you played the game, but it and I've talked about an
entire episode Gareth and I did a couple years ago.
It's so good. It is so good.
I really feel as though I'm immersed in that French period
of fashion design, you know, and I like that.
I like that a lot. It was cool.
Let's go. What?
What else did you play, Excuse me, that you really enjoyed?
You got to give your stats. So I'm going to give my stats
real quick because I am an avid BG stats user.
My wife likes to give me a hard time that it's my hobby within
the hobby. Kyle and I got into Columbus
Monday evening and got to spend Tuesday playing games, and then
we play games at the hotel at night after we got back as well.
And so over the course of that Monday to Sunday, I'm making
sure that I don't have anything extra in here that shouldn't be
here. I logged 56 plays.
Yeah. Of 43 different games.
Wow. 32 were new to me. Wow.
And my favorite game that I played that entire week was one
that he brought from home. And I think you'll understand my
feelings on this. But we played it at the hotel
because we didn't want to take the time down to play it at the
convention. And it was the galactic cruise.
Yeah, that game is phenomenal, and it's another one similar to
Rococo. It gives me Lacerta Field.
I would say it's a little step up from Rococo, but still not
quite as burdensome. I liked that word.
You're welcome. As a typical Lacerta game, yes.
And ever since we played it, I have wanted to play it again and
it's one that I would love to own at some point.
Mm hmm. Budget being a thing, that is a
huge hindrance there. But also I can't pay the kind of
money for that game without Caitlin playing it and liking
it. So I need her to play it and
then we need some Christmas money and maybe we'll get a copy
at some point. But that game was great.
It was so good. Here's what.
I'm hearing from all that. Here's the take away.
You and Caitlin need to come stay here for a weekend or a day
before Gen. Con on your way to Gen.
Con and we could play Rococo, Angle and Cruise.
See, the problem is, is we'll be going to Gen.
Con from Louisiana, OK? And so that would be
considerably up. Wait.
Well, I mean, it's straight up I-55.
I'm just saying it's. A little.
I don't know. We'll see.
We'll see what we can do. But yeah, that's what you need
to do because, because then we can introduce that, introduce
Caitlin to games that you've gotten to play.
And if she loves it, and I understand that if the wife
loves it, then you're going to love it too.
You're going to get to play it all the time.
So I get it. Galactic Cruise is amazing.
It was fantastic. We.
Purchased the small box expansions and the deluxe bits
from Kenton Keys booth at Origins.
Yeah. So they're really.
Really nice dudes they. Are and I'm hoping to have them
on the show. Oh, it'll be cool sometimes
sometimes this year they were busy.
I gave them my card, I told them about the podcast and I'm like,
guys, I don't know, we'll see. Hopefully we'll hear from them,
but. I stopped in their booth real
quick one day just to because I had seen them.
They've been at Tantrum Con the past two years demoing Galactic
Cruise, and every year I talked to him like, we're going to come
try it this year, and we've never had the time.
Yeah, we've. Well, we've never taken the time
to do it, all right? But it's hard, you know?
Sure. And so I told him, I said, you
know, we've seen you guys at Tantrum Con and I've had
intentions the past two years and I finally got to play it
this week and holy cow, this game's good.
I wish I could buy it, but I can't right now.
And they gave me the the cockpit and the engine.
They're not enamel pins. They're acrylic, Yes.
And I was like, Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
And if you've played the game, you'll understand the joke.
And I'm a nerd. I laugh way too hard at it.
But they're like and. I already know what the joke is
because you're I know what you're going to say.
The engine and the cockpit are free and we have, what are they
called, rooms. Yeah, they're like the
compartments. Yeah, the rooms for the shuttle,
you can purchase those separately.
And if you've played the game, the cockpit and engine to start
a new shuttle are free, free. But you have to buy the rooms to
build out your shuttle and have space for your passengers.
That is right. I was like, Oh my gosh, that is
amazing. So.
So here's another thing, another strategy or tip for you if you
want to get Galactic cruise on a tight budget, and I'm speaking
from experience, is take some of the games on your shelf that you
haven't played in three or four years and sell them at your
local game store or, or at a consignment sale at Origins.
Yeah, Katie and I or. A virtual flea market.
Katie and I made over $300 in sales of the consignment sale at
Origins. See, I didn't even know the
consignment sale was a thing. So here's the tip.
If you go to Origins, there is a consignment sale that I don't
even know where it was John and Sarah.
I can tell you where it is. They're board gaming duo on
Instagram and they're friends that we've had on mine that we
hang out at conventions now. They did it and they did pretty
well, but they said it was like off the path and not super
convenient to anything else at the convention, which is a
bummer. But but yeah, I wish I had known
about that because we definitely would have gone through it.
I didn't have anything that I was ready to put in it yet
because between tantrum con and token con, shout out to my local
Oklahoma City con. We sold everything that was on
our coal pile at the time. And they go.
Not quite so. Katie and I, because we try to
play our entire collection a minimum of once every year.
Yes, right now. Right now we're at 69.8%.
That's insane. We tried to do that last year
and we failed, so we turned it into play it all in two years.
That's fair. And we're still at 71%.
Well, but I think your collection is bigger than.
Mine it could be, you know. You know.
I don't know. You got a big collection too.
I got to see it last year in person.
It's not small. No, but we try to hover at about
200 to 300 games. We're right there in that range,
you know, we don't want to exceed 300 because that's just,
it's just too many games. Too much play, Yeah, agreed.
So we sold a bunch of games at our local game store here in
Springfield and use the store credit to buy the base game of
Galactic Cruise. Nice, that's cool.
And all we had to do was buy the upgraded bits and the two
expansions at Origins. So I basically had the whole
Kickstarter for a lot less. There you go.
Except for that neoprene mad. I have to say I'm not a big fan.
Really I have only played on the neoprene mat, so I'm curious as
to. Well, yeah, I don't like the
holes in the neoprene mat. See, that's why Kyle, I was
surprised he brought it because he doesn't typically love
neoprene mats for games. But he brought it and I said,
are we using the mat? And he said yeah, and that's why
he liked it is because of the holes that yeah, set and hold
the things. I don't like it.
I don't think it rolls up very well.
It's. That's fair.
I love neoprene mats. I just think it could have done
without the holes or make the board dual layer so that things
fit and you save the but that's OK.
That's another. That's an entirely different
conversation. That's all different
conversation. We're off track, yeah.
Oh yeah, that's OK. Yeah, I think y'all wanted to
hear about origins, right? Is that what we're here to?
So that was my favorite game that I played throughout the
week. OK.
And again, it was at Origins, but not technically at the
convention, but they were there so it counts.
Oh yeah, and. There were a lot of people
buying that game and there were a lot of people playing it in
the gaming area. Now I will say that open gaming
area, I want to give a special shout out.
I have no clue if he listens to your podcast or not, but Kevin,
also known as Berkey from Game Toppers, partnered with Origins
and made game mats. Not only Origins branded game
mats, but game mats for the specific tables that the
Convention Center puts in the open gaming area because they
are oddly shaped, they are long and they are skinny.
Yes. And those mats made playing
games in that hall so nice. And I say that because most of
the conventions we go to are more you check out games and
play them. That's there's the exhibitor
hall. If it's there is a minor focus,
but you're there to play games and hotel and Convention Center
tablecloths aren't the greatest, especially for games.
And they get crummy and dirty. And by the end of the weekend
it's, you know, you're like shaking them out to be able to
play a game on it. And these Matt, I mean, they
were just, they were so nice. And murkies are really special.
He's a great dude and he and I had a really cool personal
moment at the end of the convention that almost left me
in tears, so I won't get into that story.
But if you've never gotten to meet him and talk to it, if
you're at a convention where he is at, he is somebody you need
to talk to and become friends with because he's just a
genuine. Well, challenge accepted because
it sounds like it. And yeah, those mats were
amazing. And I mean, he makes, I mean,
their company makes incredible products.
They're very good quality. And so, but yeah.
I want to talk about Tavern Wire games.
We check out their booth. So they've got a game that's
going to be launching on Kickstarter later this month.
It's called Vine. And they were selling, Yeah,
they were selling like it wasn't really prototypes.
It was, I don't know how to describe it.
It feels like a prototype but basically they were selling like
these pre made copies of the game.
I saw. I saw that box somewhere.
I had to look it up so I knew. What you're talking?
And so it's a tile laying game where you draw 2 tiles from the
bag and you're creating a vine, right?
And so you take one of the tiles and you put it on your vine.
So you're growing your vine and then you give the other one to
an opponent who has to take it and put it on their bind.
And then the play continues cool around and you're trying to grow
beans and you get victory points for the number of beans that you
have and you can harvest them and that's how you get the
points. It's a really great game.
And it comes in this beautiful green velvet bag.
And the bag is what yes, it is. It's really incredible.
And I'm hoping I got to talk to both Bobby, the designer and
David. I can't remember David's last
name, but he's like the great. He's like the art artist of the
game. Interesting.
So he's pitching the game to my wife and I and does not mention
that he's the artist at all. Like he's just like, I thought
he was a contract worker. So so we we listen to the demo,
hear the pitch, then I'm like, hey, I really, they're like,
well, the designers over here. And I'm like, I really want to
talk to him. I want to get him on the show
because this game is so cool. And then when I finally get to
talk to him, he tells me that David was the artist.
And so I ran over the David and gave him hell.
And I'm like, why didn't you tell me that you were the artist
of this game? You got to talk that up because
this game is worthy. So I want to mention that be on
the lookout for the Vine by Cavern Wire Games.
You can find that cavern Cavern Cavern Wire games on Instagram.
It looks neat. It's pretty cool.
That was a great moment for me as well.
So I really enjoy talking to them.
And, you know, yeah, so I did a lot of networking this year.
That just kind of the interesting thing about being a
podcaster as opposed to your typical, not normal, typical
standard content creator. A lot of my friends who are
content creators on Instagram and other social media, they
schedule a lot more meetings. They have more pitches.
Being a podcaster, it's really more about relationships and
it's more organic and Origins just really fit that well and
gave me the opportunity to continue to nurture
relationships that I already have established and establish
new ones and I really enjoyed that probably more than
anything. That's cool.
Yeah, yeah. We didn't get a check out a lot
of the smaller booths, unfortunately.
We did have a lot of fun demoing some games though.
We spent a lot of time in the Hachette group and we demoed
quite a few games, which if you were there or familiar with
Hachette, it's a lot more than just them.
They've got a whole list of companies that they usually have
smaller publishers that they're they're demoing and selling for.
They had one of the favorite games that I demoed was Pina
Colada Ice. I don't know if you've gotten to
play that one yet. You know anything about that
one? I mean, I'm, I'm aware that it.
Exists so #1 the theme is random and cute, it doesn't really
matter at all but I grew up our family played Yahtzee all the
dadgum time and I. I will still play a game of
Yahtzee to this day, but at its core pina colada I says Yahtzee.
You get 3 rolls on your turn, but the role objectives will
vary game to game. And there's this grid of 4 by 4
cards laid out on the table that have various role objectives.
So two pair or three of a kind, four of a kind, a full house, a
straight, you know, so and, and they're kind of a mixture.
Some of them have specific numbers like you need 2 twos and
two fours or all evens, all odds, you know.
And so at its core, it's got so you're trying to hit those
objectives. If you hit an objective, you get
a place one of your player pieces on it.
And the player pieces are all various drink shaped glass like
glasses that you would find, you know, a pina colada or a mojito
or a beer. So why in Cosmopolitan Martini,
those types of glasses, so like each player has a unique shaped
glass that is their pieces that are their pieces whatever.
And if you complete one of the objectives for the first time,
you're going to place one of your glasses on it and you score
the points for it immediately. Some of the objectives have
multiple spots to claim. Some only have one.
And now the goal of the game is either to be the player with the
highest amount of points when somebody has placed all of their
all six of their glasses, or if you can manage to connect 4,
essentially claim 4 objectives in a straight line, horizontal,
vertical diagonal, you win the game immediately it's over.
And so it just, it was an interesting challenge and I got
real close and couldn't roll what I needed to get it.
But but it was really interesting because by the end
of the game, you later rounds you're seeing, OK, well, they're
getting close and I need to block them, but I also need to
roll this objective over here so I have a chance.
And so while its core is Yahtzee, there was a lot more
strategy. It was just it was really, it
was really enjoyable. So that one was fun.
I think the second the game that surprised us the most, and I'm
speaking a little for Kyle here because sometimes he loves games
like this and sometimes he doesn't.
It's like Kyle is here on the pile.
It's like he's here. Have you tried Beeno?
No. Okay, so Beeno is it's been
around longer than I thought it had and I've primarily seen it.
Ryan from one board family talks about it online a lot and runs
tournaments in the Atlanta area for Beeno and he and his family
are huge fans of it. Well, they had a booth there and
the last day toward the end of the hall hours, we snuck over
there because I was like, we need to go try this because I've
heard it's a lot of fun. It's so take Crocodile and air
hockey and put them into a flicking game.
So the board is a soccer field and you're flicking the ball
trying to score a goal like air hockey.
OK, but there's metal pegs that are set up in front of the goal,
the net, and you've got to like flick it through and around
them. And I mean, it's not, you know,
it's not galactic cruise or AV Tel Lacerta game.
But if you're a fan of of flicking games, dexterity games
or you're a soccer fan, it's definitely one to check out.
Because it was just, I mean, we were laughing and we were having
so much fun with it. And the really interesting thing
is if you seeing the board online so many times, I just
assumed the edge of it was, you know, like a hard plastic or a
wood or something. Sure.
But it's like a, an elastic band.
So you can like play the edge and try to, you know, bounce it
off the edge. OK.
So it's, it was a lot of fun. It was a really cool game and
and I mean I figured it would be enjoyable to try, but we had way
more fun with it than either of us expected.
The game that we the first game we played in all of Origins.
Not a new game by any means. We played bonsai.
That game is so good that. Game is a lot of fun, So good.
Like how did we not play this? Well, I know how we haven't
played it. There's just so many games out
there. Too many games, not enough time.
But bonsai was the game that we started or with playing it at
four players. And it was just this, I was
like, this puzzle is amazing and there's so many ways to score
when you're building out your bonsai tree.
And I love tile placement, so I'm in.
Yeah, that game was, that game was really incredible.
And I was glad that we got to play that.
So. Yeah.
And we played that at Games Library.
We played that at. Tantrum.
Yeah. This past January, and I think,
you know, we've played so many puzzly tile drafting, tile lane
games like that, that after a while some of them all feel the
same. But the cool thing about bonsai
is there was like very little restrictions to how you created
your bonsai, which number one thematically makes sense, but
also it could look so stupid as long as you're having fun and
scoring points, right? Like there's it's just because I
think mine was all like super like, you know, wonky looking.
But excuse me, I think the game was great.
My bonsai tree only grew this way like it didn't grow up or
out. It was like, I'm going to the
right. Yeah, that's funny.
I don't know what to say about that.
So what are the things I do enjoy about Origins?
Now this. This vendor is a Gen.
Con and other conventions, but it's Queen games.
OK. So Queen Games is the only
vendor whose booth is not in the vendor hall.
It's right outside the vendor hall.
And it's brilliant because across from their booth or all
the tables where they have their scheduled events, learn to plays
and everything like that. And it's just amazing.
And I'm a huge fan of Queen Games.
In fact, we were reorganizing our shelves yesterday and we're
like, I want all the Queen Games together.
And so we managed. So how many Queen Games games
games do you have? You know, that is a really good
question and I'm going to turn around for just one second.
I have 9 queen games OK in my do.
You OK? So I'm curious, this has been a
hot button topic OK the past couple years in the hobby.
Do you have any of the Steffenfeld City Collection
games? I have one.
You have one. Which one do you have?
I have Marrakech. I love Marrakech.
That's my favorite one that I've played.
Really good. Of that series, I know there's a
lot of people that aren't the biggest fan of Queen games
anymore because of a lot of major production issues and
seeming lack of customer service care and follow up with those
issues. And people have spent a lot of
games on the Stephenfeld City Collection.
Sorry, a lot of money on the Stephenfeld City Collection
games and they've arrived with some major issues and the
complaints and requests for replacements are often ignored
and not heard. Interesting.
It's. Interesting.
I'm indifferent on Queen games. I don't own any of their games,
I've enjoyed most of the ones I've played.
But it's interesting hearing how much you like them as a
publisher and all of the drama that I've read and heard from
people online. So.
So I think. I didn't know if you had any
experience within that. And.
Seeing any of that yourself? My my experience with Queen
games is very pleasant. Also, it's a long relationship.
OK. My wife when we were dating,
right, And we just celebrated 16 years of marriage.
Oh, happy anniversary. Yeah.
That was back in April though, so.
To be fair. Oh.
Well, but yeah, happy. Belated anniversary so.
She had queen games. She brought into the, you know,
the marriage essentially. And so we've been playing.
So I've been playing queen games since marriage 1617 if you count
engagement and if you count dating.
So for 18 years I've been playing Queen game.
They've been around for a while. A long time and so I just love
their games and most of the games I have are old.
You know, we picked up old London Bridge at the end of the
weekend on Sunday. I haven't been.
Super achieved, didn't they? They did, they did.
And it's been around a while. It's been a game I've been
eyeing for a long time, but I didn't really know a lot about
it and I'm like, check it out. I think Katie and I have played
like 5 or 6 times its Origins because it's just such a good
game and good at two players. So that's a real, that's a real
bonus. Again, my only experience with
the city collection is Marrakech.
I haven't you. Didn't backing on Kickstarter
did. You I did not know so because I
think a. Lot of the gripes come with the
deluxe editions. Sure.
And some of the stuff, yeah. And Kyle has gone in on a lot of
those games and he's got some gripes.
And I don't know, it's just interesting because they're
still selling a ton of games at conventions, they're still
running successful Kickstarters, and there's still people that
really love their games, but there's a lot of people that are
really angry right now. Well, I I that's interesting.
I'm glad to hear that. So that's, you know, something
to consider. I'm really hoping to get Rachel
from queen games or one of another team member to come on
the show because they've got a really interesting story.
I'm not going to say much about it, but I learned it origin just
about some of their successes and survival skills through
everything that's going on and just I was I'm like, I need
y'all to come on the show because this is this is cool.
I think it's a great story worth telling because I hope, I hope
that Rachel or one of her team is able to come on the show and
talk about that, that. Would be great.
So I was really excited about that and that was cool.
Yeah, they had games. I played a new to me queen game.
Oh yeah. At Origins, that was one of my
favorite games that I played out of the library, OK.
And that is the game that you've talked about and really enjoy.
And we even talked about it at Origins, and that is Daba Walla.
That game was so much fun, and they had some killer deals on
their games. And I'm kind of in this place
where I'm trying to not buy a whole lot unless I know that we
like it or it's kind of a guarantee.
They had it for $25, yeah, and I was so tempted to buy it, but
somebody said that it's not the best at 2, and since my wife and
I tend to do most of our gaming at two players, I decided not to
buy it without her playing it. Sure.
But I was tempted. But anyway, I really like Double
Walla. That was one of my favorite
games is that I played out of the library.
We love Polyamino games. We have a ton, we play a ton.
And I just thought the flow of the game was so unique and how
you're stacking the tiles and I don't know, it was really
interesting and it really stood out.
And I was shifting. To my, but I decided not to.
Now you and Caitlyn have to come over and add Baba Walla to the.
So there's three games that. We have to play.
Here's the problem. Sure, if we come, we have
children. I got room.
You can come to us too. I already extended that invite.
I'll have our camper trailer set up and cooled off and ready.
For you, you in fact did extend that invitation and.
That's my ongoing offer with gaming friends.
It's like, hey, we've got a camper in our driveway, you got
somewhere to. Sleep, you know, so we've, when
you stayed with me, we had the guest room in the basement.
We've now moved everything upstairs.
OK. So it's a lot easier on our
guests and that that that creates that big room is now a
space. So if your kids aren't wanting a
game and they don't want to sit in the room with mom and dad
playing board games, there's a whole room they can hang out and
just do stuff. So we reconfigured the way our
guests experience at the OOB hostel.
Hostel, yeah. That's great.
Well you know Springfield IL is not a destination, but by God
I'm trying to make it 1. Hey, it was a destination for me
last spring. Well, it's a great you're going
somewhere, it's a stop point, you know, it's a waste.
It made it. It made it great.
I was like, hey, what are you doing this night?
I'm driving through. You want to hang out?
I will feed you and play games with you.
That is what I will do. That's true.
And have a good. Conversation.
Absolutely. So, so yeah.
So is there anything else about Origins that you want to share?
I don't know. I'm still trying to parse my
thoughts of OK, I definitely think everybody should go to
Origins absolutely at least one time.
Yes, to experience it because like you said, it's such an
interesting middle ground between we usually try to go to
BG Spring and hopefully BG Fall usually every year because it's
three, 3 1/2 hours from us. Their shining star is the board
game geek library, which is just insanely massive.
I mean, I think, and I'll say Origins had a really big
library. BGS is like twice that size.
Sure, it's just massive. And so, you know, that con is
all about check them out, play them, check them out, play them.
You know, how many games can you get in a weekend?
Yes, the convention in Oklahoma City token Con is similar.
They don't have, I mean, it's it's a good sized library for a
small local 3 day convention. And they're always changing it
out every. That's the interesting thing
with them is it's different every year that they don't just
keep adding to it. Yeah, they'll take some games
out, put some new ones in. They've always got good hot
games, but there's a small vendor hall there as well.
But it's you check games out and you play them like that's the
goal of that convention. I love it.
And then you've got and then you've got Gen.
Con. I think that's geek way too.
Primarily, yes. It's a library and it's a
library. Win, but it's play to win, yeah.
Yeah, play to wins is their thing, which is, I mean, it's a
similar idea, right? You check out a game, you play
it, you just hope you get to take a copy home you.
Got it buddy. And but then you've got Gen.
Con that while there is open gaming space available, there is
the library and Lucas Oil, but you have to pay for it, which.
Yeah. I have mixed feelings on that.
Whatever it is, what it is, they've got to pay to be able to
use the space. Yes, it's not cheap and but you
go to Gen. Con for the vendor hall, right?
Like that's that's why people go there's game releases, it's the
vendor hall. Same thing from what I
understand, Essen, it is a shopping trip.
And so Origins is right there in between where it's got a great
presence for both. And again, I know I started with
my negatives saying that there were some publishers I wish had
been there. There were still there were
still plenty of publishers to see there.
I mean you could have demoed games all day every.
Day. All day.
Still probably not demoed every game that was in the hall.
Yep. Absolutely.
So don't, don't mishear me there.
It still was a great vendor hall.
It just, I think I was expecting a little bit more than it was.
So that's, that's fair. That's.
Fair. So but then it had a good sized
library and it had open gaming and I loved that they were right
there next to each other. And so while I don't know that
Origins is going to be in every year for me, partially just
because of the time of year, the distance, I mean, Indianapolis
is hard to get to as it is. And then Origins two extra
hours. Right, right.
It's definitely one that I would like to go back to and it's one
that I recommend everybody try at least once because it hits
that sweet spot really well. And I think my favorite thing
just convention wise is I'll never forget.
I think it was the Saturday of Gen.
Con and Caitlyn and I were walking and I turned around to
look at something and I turned back and she's gone.
Because there's just, I mean, you're, you're here, right?
And you're packed in. You're shoulder to shoulder even
at its busiest. Origins was.
Not Origins was not like that. And while I don't mind that
briefly at Gen. Con because it's like there and
you can still get out of it easily.
And when we worked last time, and this time we're working the
morning shift so we don't have to fight the running of the
nerds, as they call it. Right.
That, I think that was the thing for me with Origins, is it hit
that sweet spot well. It never felt overwhelming.
It never felt daunting. Agreed.
And it was just so if, and that was a lot of people in that post
that I mentioned that Gen. Con was just too big and too
much for them. And Origins gave them a similar
exhibitor hall, but less people, less overwhelming.
And so if you struggle with social anxiety, you're Uber
introverted and you want to get that feel, Origins is, is one
that I recommend going to because you're going to get a
lot of the big name. Publishers.
You're gonna get a good gaming library and a chance to play
games, but you're not gonna be packed in like sardines at the
peak hall hours it is. It's less crowded and less
intense and but it's also. 60,000 less people.
So I mean it makes it's. True, it's true, but I, I would,
I would agree with that assessment completely.
Yeah, I think Origins hits the sweet spot.
It's perfect. It's a great way to kind of work
your way in and experience Columbus as well because it's a
great city. So yeah.
So Chris, thank you so much for sharing all of your experiences
and observation. I'm glad we got to hang out.
I'm glad we got to play games at Origins.
Absolutely. Good to see you again.
Guys. Remember to like and subscribe.
We are at 78 subscribers. We're trying to get to 100 by
October. So help me get there.
I'm not sure. Next, next week, episode 130
with Paul Solomon. We've got a few more things
coming up before Jen kind of Chris is going to come back.
You're going to come back and we're going to talk about Gen.
com. We're gonna we'll do our
comparison and that'll be great. So thank you once again.
And guys remember, be kind to each other and play more games.