Community

I love the gaming community.

I've been part of it since I started attending Beyond Monopoly in York in 2006.

Since then I've made gaming buddies in York, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Newcastle.

Plus loads of friends from around the country that I see at conventions.

This weekend I went to AireCon for the second time.

First time as a punter, not an exhibitor.

We were looking to see what they do well so we can make Tyneside Games Expo as amazing as possible.

We spoke to most of the exhibitors, pitching the show to them.

Lots of them were people I knew.

Or friends.

From UKGE, Tabletop Scotland, or our first AireCon.

Plus there were loads of people from Newcastle Gamers there.

And various other friends too.

I love that feeling, walking the halls and bumping into so many people I know.

And I even got to playtest my new game idea.

Jeremy thought it was excellent.

On it's third play!

I think it has potential.

I'll be trying it out again today with Joe of Word Dungeon fame.

Another gaming buddy.

Thurospiration

Dan Thurot writes excellent reviews.

I follow him on Bluesky.

Where he asked for designers to explain why Roll and Move games suck.

Lots of answers about lack of player agency.

How it's associated with old games like Monopoly, Clue(do), etc.

I'm more concerned about the theming.

When I answered the question, it gave me an idea.

I quickly knocked up a sheet using a hex grid from the internet.

And took it with me when I met up with my buddy Joe, the designer of the excellent Word Dungeon. 

We tried out my loose idea.

Tweaked it.

Tried it again.

He had some great ideas.

So I've knocked up another version.

Very rough and ready prototype

Hoping to meet up with him again next week and maybe try it again.

Roll and move.

Who'd have thought!

Split

Four ways!*

Back in December I went part-time in my day job.

I now officially work 4 days a week.

Monday's "off".

I use my Mondays to work on Eurydice Games.

And Tyneside Games Expo.

A convention that I took over with 4 friends.

It ran for the last two years in Gateshead.

Under the name Northeast Tabletop Expo.

New team.

New name.

Hopefully we can build on its previous successes.

We're getting exhibitors signing up already.

Ticket sales coming soon.

Meanwhile Gal4Xeon continues gain followers.

And we're shipping FlickFleet rewards this week.

It's a busy time. 

*Family, Eurydice, Tyneside Games Expo, and day job.