Origins Game Fair 2014

[Reelman]

Event submission is open for Origins Game Fair 2014 in Columbus, OH June 11-15.

I am GMing or CO-Gming 12 events this year, including 6 Palladium events listed below:

Ro no Raggy I'm a Dog Boy
Wednesday 6/11/2014 1:00 PM
4 Hours
Rifts
Join Shaggy, Scooby, and the gang as they join the Coalition and fight those magic using Really Rottens!
8 Players

Darkness Beckons
Wednesday 6/11/2014 7:00 PM
4 Hours
Rifts: Chaos Earth
Some believe that the Earth must be destroyed to stop the demon hordes and save mankind. NEMA doesn’t agree but can they act in time to save Earth.
8 Players

Here be Monsters
Friday 6/13/2014 7:00 PM
4 Hours
Rifts
The coming of the Rifts brought all manner of Monsters to Earth, now your band of heroes must defeat them or die trying.
6 Players
Join the greatest martial artists of all time as they combine their mystical powers to defeat forces of darkness.

Kung Fu Hero
Saturday 6/14/2014 9:00 AM
4 Hours
Heroes Unlimited
Join the greatest martial artists of all time as they combine their mystical powers to defeat forces of darkness.
8 Players

The Hunted
Saturday 6/14/2014 7:00 PM
4 Hours
Beyond the Supernatural 2
Forces of evil have risen from the shadows to shatter the Lazlo Agency. Can the remaining agents strike back and turn the tide before its too late.
8 Players

Reaper Madness
Sunday 6/15/2014 10:00 AM
4 Hours
Dead Reign
So you want to join the Reapers and hunt Zombies, well you took the training and swore the oath, now all you need to do is earn your merit badge.
8 Players

All events are submitted and approved. This years theme is Monsters! Hope to see some other MAs running events at Origins this year. Origins is also a great minis con and Robotech Tactics would go over huge if any one is looking for a great venue to demo the game.

[ingexthefuryhunter1]

Relman please get us a swag request if you want company support so we can start the process

[Reelman]

Just two weeks til Origins and I am prepping like a madman. Dwarven Forge is built, just a few details to shake out and it will be ready for Here Be Monsters play test on Saturday. Character prep continues on all other games.

[zyanitevp]

Just two weeks til Origins and I am prepping like a madman. Dwarven Forge is build, just a few details to shake out and it will be ready for Here Be Monsters play test on Saturday. Character prep continues on all other games.

Good luck and have fun!

[Reelman]

Well day 1 is in the books. Both my games went well and my evening Chaos Earth game sold out. Hard to judge based on Wed attendance and buzz but the con seems to be off to a good start. Always great to see old friends and sling dice with them. Dealer Hall opens tomorrow and a couple non palladium events to run. More to come tomorrow.....

[zyanitevp]

Cool Reelman! Good luck! Hope the swag helps! Please make sure you send us feedback!

[Reelman]

Wow day 2 is already over no PB games on the schedule today, CoGMed Numenera in the morning session and Hollow Earth Expedition this evening. Tomorrow a couple of D & 3.5 games with another GM buddy and then Rifts with miniatures in the Dwarven Forge! Hit the dealer hall this afternoon sadly it looked a little sparse year. Thursday attendance seemed pretty good. Swag is always appreciated and the folks in my Wed games were really excited to get a copy of a recent Rifter. Time for some sleep, more to come tomorrow.

[Reelman]

Day 3-5 Update:

Ran Rifts in the Dwarven forge with minis Friday night to much success and excitement. Saturday morning brought Hero's Unlimited game Kung Fu Hero, the most fun game for me and the most voice taxing. I was a little nervous as I don't run HU much if at all but everything went great and the players really got into the characters.

Saturday afternoon, I ran a couple of kids games I did Kickstarters for Robot Turtles and Monster Crabs. Just before Monster Crabs was to start one of the Origins hall captains came to our room and told me my game had been "Upgraded" and I was to come with him. Not being sure what this meant, I initially resisted asking how my players would find the game with a last minute relocation, he left another hall captain at the table to direct the players to the Con suite where the game would be held. I recalled a couple other members of my gaming group having games "Upgraded" so I went along. Anyway, when I arrived at the Con suite, another Origins worker took me to a table in the suite, introduced me to one of the artist guest of honor and said they had one additional guest would be right over. She brought over a lovely young woman who introduced herself as Alaina. Shortly after my other 3 players arrived and I explained the rules(its a kids card game invented by 2 little boys that combines rock, paper, scissors, the card game War and Monster Crabs of course) and we played for the next hour. I explained the background of the game, where the players could get it and that our time was up, I thanked everyone for was playing and collected the cards. As I was packing up the other players began asking Alaina about the TV show Supernatural, Stargate, and Smallville. Still being totally clueless who she was I asked for a picture with her and the game, she agreed, we took the picture and she thanked me for my time and running the game and said she intended to get it for her children. I went back to the room for my next game and picked up my con book and began flipping thru trying to find her. Sure enough, there she was, the Media Guest of Honor Alaina Huffman star of the show Supernatural. I guess I should watch more TV, anyway, she was very nice and genuine and everyone enjoyed the game with her.

After my brush with fame, I wandered the dealer hall with a couple of friends from my home gaming group and then shared a nice sit down dinner with them before my game that evening.
Saturday evening I ran BTS2 - The Hunted for a mix of newbies and experienced Palladium players but not BTS. They had a good time and managed to survive and rescue their Lazlo Agency teammate from the forces of darkness.

Sunday brought packing up and one final game, Dead Reign - So you wanna be a Reaper. Voices and bodies were tired and as a Sunday norm, players drug in in waves for one last chance to sling dice, no one was on their best game but we had fun slaying zombies and dying valiantly before hitting the dealer hall for one last pass. Picked up some dice, a couple of boffer swords for me and the little man, and some Miniature Building Authority 25mm Middle East buildings that I have been coveting for some time now. After that, I said my goodbyes to the crew and friends and some how managed to make it home before I fell asleep.

Attendance seemed steady if not up just a bit, that is always hard to judge from my POV as I am normally hidden behind my shield slinging dice. Dealer Hall seemed light but Origins allowed vendors to rent Con space outside the dealer hall and run events and sell products so that may explain it a bit. The miniature hall was certainly the smallest, heard a couple of reasons for that but that portion of the gaming hobby is not so much greying as it is passing away.

All in all, Origins was a great con this year, amazing players, great times hanging out with old friends and making new ones, enjoyed some excellent grub at the North market and even picked up a couple of new toys.

For my 6 Palladium games, I had 36 players which is not a shabby fill rate average of 6 and most were slated for 8 players, a couple for 6. All of them enjoyed copies of the Rifter and various books for winning Outstanding player, I also placed a few copies of the Rifter on our groups prize table. Several were surprised the Rifter was still published, all were directed to the web store and I noted the Spring Cleaning sale. Thanks to Kevin, Alex, and The MA Coordinators for assisting with the swag, enhancing the con experience and helping to spread the love. Now to catch up on sleep and plan for Origins 2015!