Hey, everyone! This is my first post in the new Change-up category and my first big post in a long time. I originally wrote this as one long piece but it was just too massive. So I’ve broken it into three parts. As always, leave comments and let me know what you think!
Originally, I was going to write a post about GenCon. I’m still planning on writing that post. However, while writing about GenCon, I felt the need to write about tabletop games. GenCon is a tabletop gaming convention, so the inclination to write about board games is pretty inherent. But I found myself talking about why tabletop games are awesome. Not any specific game, mind you, but the concepts and benefits of playing these games in general. So that’s what I’m going to do here since that topic isn’t limited to GenCon. And because it’s easier, I chose a Q&A format using some questions I’ve heard before.
What do you mean when you say “tabletop games?”
A lot of times I mean a board game. However, “tabletop” is an umbrella term.
This takes the idea of a miniatures game and makes it more affordable.
Board games: Monopoly, Scrabble, and Risk are all pretty classic board games. They’re also fairly simple.
Newer board games: Then take a game like Descent, it’s a dungeon delve. 2-4 players are adventurers while one player is the dungeon overlord. Some people have said it’s like D&D but a little lighter and there’s no true storyteller.
Roleplaying Games: This is where D&D falls, along with Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Edge of the Empire, and many other roleplaying games. Players create characters. The game master runs the show, creates the story, and make sure the players are challenged but not crushed.
Card Games: Sometimes games are a mix of card/board games, where both elements are used. Essentially, if the board is nice but unessential, I would call it a card game. Notable card games right now are deck builders like Legendary, Ascension, and the classic Dominion.
A cool game made possible by Kickstarter! No board, just cards. Cards represent dungeon rooms and you build rooms to trap incoming adventurers!
Miniature Games: I’m currently into the X-Wing miniature game because I like Star Wars, I like Fantasy Flight, and the system is really cool. Miniature game may have a board, they may have cards, but the focus will be on strategic placement and the minis themselves. These are usually combat-centric games.
Miscellaneous: I probably missed something. Maybe a hybrid of what’s here or something else.
So, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, that’s what I mean when I say “tabletop game.”
Why are tabletop games awesome?
They are. They just are. Are we done? No? It’s a common question and I’ve heard it a lot. And before I found my own selection of great games, I would ask this same question.
Okay, let me break this into two sections. But first, I’ll go ahead and say a little something. A big part of the enjoyment (for me) comes from the human element. Playing with other people, being engaged with them, and sharing in an experience. I love video games, movies, and watching television. However, few of those experiences have compared to the interaction involved with a tabletop game.
Existing relationships.
I don’t know how common this is, but I’ve had the same group of friends since high school. So I’ve known my core group of friends for a little over ten years (when we started) and a few even longer than that. We’ve added people and dropped a couple, but for the most part our group has maintained a stable base that occasionally annexes and exiles people as necessary. It’s really not as extreme as it sounds. Nor is it really as organized. Anyway, we had the college split and all ended up back in (relatively) the same area.
My point is that I’ve known these people for a long time. A seriously long time. And some hangouts are better than others. Sometimes you can just drink and chat and have a fantastic time. Other times, you find yourself staring at your friend and saying, “so, you want to watch something, or do something, or maybe just keep staring at each other?”
Enter tabletop games.
Whether the game is cooperative or competitive, the people in the room are now engaged in a group activity. You can still joke and talk about common interests (like normal), but now there’s something engaging keeping the night moving along. You’re experiencing something new (whether the game itself is new or not) and creating another memory or shared experience. It adds fun and a common goal to a night that might have just ended with subpar television and long strings of silence.
New frienships.
While I was at GenCon, I had the privilege of attending the evening author events. And I thought this was a really awesome thing. And it was. But you know what? Sometimes it’s hard to connect with new people. It can be difficult to find a topic that actually goes somewhere. Let’s say that on your right side, you have an author you really admire. Then, on the left side, you have an author you don’t really know. How do you strike up a conversation? Games are great for this. GenCon had an author game night and it was a blast. And during the author bar night, people started pulling out tabletop games again. It a natural ice breaker for people who don’t know one another.
A common interest can easily spark new friendships.
Have you ever played an ice breaker game? Maybe during your first day of school, in a class, or at work? I usually find them to be terribly uncomfortable.
A board game can be an ice breaker. Everyone at the table now has a common goal. They have something to talk about, laugh about, and ask questions about. Once there’s some comfort, people are willing to tell jokes, stories, and generally open up in a way that they wouldn’t after a cold introduction. You get to know each person, not just their profession, who they are and what they like.
And if the game has a theme like Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, or something else, you can open another big door into shared interests.
This is the end of part one. Please let me know what you think and I’ll see you on Friday for part two!