We would like to suggest another option while your lights, television, and refrigerator are off.  Forget the XBox and Wii and break out the board games.

Really show your support by keeping a couple candles lit and play the old school games you rarely get out.  Hey, you’ll also be saving some on your electricity bill and the kids will love eating all the ice cream before it melts.

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No related posts were found, so here's a consolation prize: Mark’s Guide To Throwing Your Own Game Night.

If you are in the area and want to join in the gaming fun, the convention is at Michigan University’s Bernhard Center.  Tickets are $1o for Saturday, $7 for Sunday, or $15 for both days.  For more information check out the official site at marmaladedog.com.

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No related posts were found, so here's a consolation prize: Mark’s Guide To Throwing Your Own Game Night.

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I usually only go out when invited, and I’ve relied on my current friends to introduce me to new people and friends throughout my life.  Now, with my girlfriend moving out of town for Law School, and most of my friends being busy with their own lives, I’m finding myself with a great deal of down time with nothing to do.

So, I’m turning over a new leaf.  I’m trying to branch out and find some new friends and new groups to hang out with, and yes, I’m actually going to get up and get out of the house.  But where to find these groups?  How to ensure they have the same interests I do?

Luckily, I found the website Meetup.com.  A site that allows you to put in your interests, and links you with groups in your area that have those same said interests.  Being a gamer, I located a group in my area that has a lot of other board game lovers and joined that, all for free.

Now I realize that this is only one option, and I’ll also be going out to the local game store on their monthly game night to try and find some others to hang out with, but both are good starts for me.

So if you’re like me, I would strongly recommend looking up Meetup.com, and see if your local board game store has a group you can get involved with.  You should also join BoardGameGeek.com and find some folks in your area there.  It’s another great site that we mention often.

Hope to see you out there.

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Not so surprisingly the actor who plays Hurley, Jorge Garcia, is one of my favorite actors to follow online.  He writes his own blog, “Dispatches from the Island,” where he posts his and his girlfriend’s day to day activities.  On a recent post, I was happily shocked, when he started talking about one of his favorite games to play when he gets together with a group of family or friends.

It seems Mr. Garcia is a huge fan of Werewolves, a great group game and one I think everyone should own.  He even gives some play tips, like trying to get at least eight people in a round, and a minimal walk-through on the goal of the game (kill the werewolves before they kill you.)  On top of that he mentions a few of the alternative Werewolf games that you might like to play.

I have to say, it’s a thrill knowing that someone famous has some of the same interests as you do, and while I’ve never been one to hold actors on a pedestal, it’s good to know that some are just gamer-geeks like the rest of us.

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We consider it something of a milestone to have our fifteenth episode.

Thanks to all our “fans” (if there actually are any) for all your support. It’s been fun and rewarding for me.

Retro Gaming Bonanza from Brian Stevenson on Vimeo.

We’re kind of hitting the groove in terms of getting videos out regularly, and we feel comfortable in our knowledge of the games.

We found that the reviews that get looked at and commented about the most are the most popular and newest games we review. I guess it makes sense, but at the same time why would people want to watch videos about games they already knew about?

When we originally started we wanted to do reviews of very off-the-beaten-path games and help people find gems they had never heard of. We still do that once in a while, but for the most part we want to feel like the 10-20 hours in video, editing, and posting aren’t being wasted so we tend to veer more towards the mainstream, if not highly ranked games.

Anyways, there were a lot of games we really wanted to talk about but knew that they wouldn’t hold up to a review on their own so we decided to do a retro games review revue.

Theses are all the older games we’ve been playing our whole lives, and ones that we remember from childhood that are still great games even now that our gaming vocabulary has increased.

We hope you enjoy.

We made a geeklist also, so feel free to comment there about any specific games. We’d love to hear your own experiences with these great old games.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/43035

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First of all, RSVP.  It helps the host out when they know more or less who’s going to be there.  If you weren’t invited but you “heard” about the game night (i.e. you hacked into someone else’s facebook account to see what they were up to, and noticed there was a game night) contact the host first.  Sure some people might be cool with just anyone showing up, but sometimes only certain people are invited because there’s a specific game that’s going to be played, or because you’re a bigger buzzkill than Buzz Killington.  The same goes if you want to bring someone along.  Unless the invite says “bring your friends, bring your enemies, bring your mom!” just get a quick okay from the host before you show up at the door with that smelly hobo you just threw a 5-spot so you could show up at the ball with a date.

Before you even set out for game night, make sure you’re dressed appropriately.  Most game nights you’ll probably want something comfortable because you’ll be sitting around playing games all night.  You don’t want to be adjusting your thong every two minutes in the middle of a round of jungle speed (trust me on that one.)  In the same token (or totem) don’t go in your pjs… especially if you sleep nude… unless its a pj party… well okay, don’t come nude even if its a pj party and you sleep nude… unless its one of ‘those’ kind of parties.

Make sure you pay your hosts.  Hosting a game night can get pretty expensive, and all they ask in return is a small donation for food, or for new games.  If you can’t afford it, then don’t just take other people’s food.  But seriously, you should fork over the money, because where else can you get so much entertainment for so little cash?  Most game nights, $5 or $10 is plenty, and if you’re host is asking for more than that, you may want to look for a different game night because they’re probably using all the money they’re taking from the guests to sponsor terrorist cells.

Okay, so you’ve RSVP’d, dressed appropriately, arrived, and paid your dues.  Now the fun begins!  When selecting a game to play, you are certainly allowed an opinion on which one to grab, but remember that everyone’s taste in games is different, and if you whoop people’s butts at Trivial Pursuit: Harry Potter Edition enough times, they’re not going to want to play with you anymore, even if they love the game.  Also, depending on the number of people, there may be several groups playing multiple games, or just one group.  Don’t pick a game that is going to leave one person out when everyone else is in on a game.  Often times, its better to wait a few minutes for another group to finish before starting a new game.  That way you can mix it up, and play with other people, and you’re not stuck with the same group all night.  Make sure you are playing a game that you want to play.  Its no fun when there’s one person who’s not really into the game, so if a group decides on a game that you won’t enjoy, just don’t play.  If this happens to you, be sure to go sit in a corner facing the wall, and curse loudly at the other people so everyone knows that you didn’t get the game you wanted to play.  Actually, don’t do that.  If you get left out of a game, just find a new one with another group, or wait for another group to finish playing.  If you do get stuck in a game that you don’t like, or don’t know, see if you can team up with another player, and have them show you how to play or show you a strategy that you didn’t know.

Once you’re in a game, stick with it until the end.  Even if you’re losing big-time, and there’s no possible chance for you to win, keep playing.  It sucks to be close to the end of the game, and you’re about to win, when the person in last place quits and the game is left unfinished.  Also, if you get screwed in a game, try not to take out your anger on the table/board/other players.  I know I’ve been a culprit of this many times, but it also sucks when you just made a play to put yourself in the lead and someone grabs the board, flings it out the window, and the pieces get scattered all over the place.  Not only does it suck to have to clean it up, it also often prematurely ends the game, and now nobody’s happy because the game is over.

Also, don’t be afraid to try new games.  Sure some games require a half-an-hour rules explanation before playing, but often times those are the most fun. Once you know the rules, the next time you play will be much easier, and you’ll be able to teach other people.

I hope this helps you get to your next game night in style, and helps it be a hit.  Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.  The other half is just battle.

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I’ve been having anywhere from 10-40 people at my house for years now in order to raid my closet of gaming goodness, and here’s the lowdown on what to expect, what to prepare for, and for how not to let yourself go insane with all the personalities, problems, and craziness that comes along with a ton of people invading your house.

I LOVE hosting game night.  It’s cheaper than going to the movies (sometimes, more on that later), it’s less likely to land you in jail than getting drunk, and it’s some of the best quality time I can think of with good friends.

Planning:

DO: Use Facebook is the place to invite.  You can get a guest count, and give good info for newcomers like address and phone number.  Make sure you know which of your friends frequent the site and send invites EARLY.  Some people don’t live on the internet and might only check things like this once a week.

DO:  Use Text for great, last minute, impromptu game nights.  It’s quick and easy for a small group to get in contact and meet up.  It’s very often that the impromptu last minute nights are better attended than anything I’ve spent time planning for.

DON”T:  Rely on the number of people formula, it doesn’t always work.  I’ve had three times more people show up than told me they were coming, and other nights when I thought there were going to be twenty and I ended up with four.  Stay flexible, and don’t lament the people who aren’t there, just enjoy the ones that are.

DO:  Make sure you have enough of these essentials on hand to be ready for the herd: Cups, Chairs, Paper Towels, Pens, Pads of Paper, and ESPECIALLY toilet paper.  Nothing can ruin a fun night worse than having to go to the store, so stock up!

DO:  Look at the setup of your house.  A lot of the time your everyday layout isn’t really the best for numerous tables to be played on.  Do you need to move the coffee table and put a higher card table in?  Should you plan to have extra tables in the garage?  Should you ask friends to bring extra chairs?  I know that my game nights are a little bigger than most normal ones out there, but ask yourself these questions beforehand to be prepared.

DO:  Clean the house!  No one wants to wade through your dishes, or smell the dirty cat box.  There may be a number of people that have allergies to dust and animal hair so do like we do, and try to make them as comfortable as possible so they’ll come back.

THE ACTUAL NIGHT

Refreshments:  This is probably the most difficult thing to figure out.  Do you provide a full dinner? Do you just have snacks?  If you plan on people getting food for themselves let them know, and schedule your start time at a logical time.  If you expect them to be fully fed ahead of time don’t ask them to be there at 5:00 sharp.  I like to provide food.  I usually will pick a location and order food ahead of time based on the number of people that will be there.  I’ve done Panda Express, Pizza, Costco BBQ supplies, and a ton of other things.  I’ve learned a few things though so here are my dos and don’ts on food service:

DO:  Pick something you enjoy.  It’s your house and your party.  Don’t get food you hate

DON’T:  Expect to make back the money you spend on it.  This was (IS) a hard one for me to swallow, no pun intended.  I have tried anything from donations to a $5 cover and it always seems that some people just won’t pony up even though they’re eating food and things.  Maybe my friends just suck, but I don’t think that’s the case.  Look at it this way.  If you recoup all but around 30-40 dollars from your cost you spent less than two tickets, popcorn and soda at the movies for the night.  Let it go!

DON’T:  Pick anything you have to spend a lot of time cooking yourself.  You’ll be in the kitchen all night and not playing games.  I found this out when I decided one time to make my famous home-made onion rings.

DO:  Use disposables.  I know it’s not Green, but the next day you’ll be thankful after you got to sleep at 3 AM the night before.

DO:  Have a bunch of easy low-cost alternatives at the ready.  There may be a ton of people you didn’t expect or food might not stretch as far as you thought it would.  Have Kool-Aid or Country Time Lemonade Mix available, and things like Totino’s Pizza Rolls or Bagel Bites.

DON’T:  Serve Sticky, gooey, or otherwise messy foods if you’re really anal about your games.  I like to keep them nice, but if a smudge is the price I got to pay to have a killer chicken wing, I’m okay with that trade-off.

GAMES

The games will take care of themselves.  People will shout out one they want to play, or bring one of their own.  Be gracious.  Even if you know that “Apples to Apples Bible Edition” sucks, try and seperate yourself and play a different game while helping them to find the right group to enjoy things.

I often have a few games that are on my agenda to play.  You know how often they actually get out on those nights?  A little less than never.  It’s okay.  If you want a night of your favorite games, just have your three or four favorite buddies over next time and you’ll be the Belle of the Ball.  The big nights are for loud, usually more party games, and for socializing more than hard-core in-your-face strategy.

A few last tips and things I’ve found to help you be the best host to your friends, and to have a bunch of fun yourself.

DON’T:  Turn on the TV!!!  Nothing ruins the game night worse than someone finding a movie they want to watch or finding your Guitar Hero Controller sitting out ready to be shredded on.  Don’t get me wrong I love those things too, but if I wanted to watch movies I would’ve had a movie night, not a game night.

DO:  Know the rules.  As the host and owner of the collections you will be called upon as the arbiter and end-all of disputes, and usually be needed to explain games you’re not even playing.  Knowing the rules to all the games will help you immensely.

and above all…….

DO:  BE FLEXIBLE!!!!!

So everyone wants to play Werewolf all night…….Great!  What if you can’t get more than four people over on time?  Use small filler games to pass the time while waiting for the rest.  No one is initiating a game?  Grab one from the closet and shout “The first four people over here get to play (insert name of game).  Do so with a couple other games that you know people will love.

I hope I gave a little insight for you.  As the host of “Arizona’s largest regular game night” I feel uniquely qualified to help you all out.  Happy gaming and if you’re ever in Tempe, AZ look us up.  We’re always down for a game.  If you have any questions, comments or other sggestions feel free to contact me.

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So you’re thinking about planning a game night and want to know some of the basics, eh?  Well, it’s really not that hard.  One might even say there’s no planning involved, all you need are friends, some games, and a place to play.

But that’s not enough for you, right?  You want the game night of all game nights.  The one that people will be remember and say on their death beds, “At least I was there.”  Well, if that’s the kind of game night you’re looking for, then look no further, because we at Games Overboard are going to lay it all out for you right now.

Of course the first thing you’ll need are friends to come over and play the games with you.  We know (from experience) that it’s hard to get an accurate count when planning a game night, so here are some tips:

1. Post your event on sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Game Board Geek, whatever.
2. Text anyone and everyone you want to come.
3. Make a count of the people who said they’d be there.
4. Divide that number in 2.
5. That’s the largest number of people you’re going to get.

Yes it sounds bad, we know, after a few years of doing this stuff for a few years, we know the formula.  So now you need to get games together, and this is why it’s important to know the number of people.

If you’re somehow unaware (you’ve been living in a cave your whole life, you’re parents refused to by you board games because of their devilish influence, etc.) board games have a recommended number of players.  So make sure you have:

1. Enough games for everyone to play something.
2. A good mix of games for people who like different things.
3. Some games that will last a long time, and some that are fast easy plays.
4. A few games that everyone knows and has played, and a few new games that you’ll have to explain to the crowd.

Following these rules will allow everyone to have a good experience, play some things they haven’t seen before, but allows them to play some things they’re comfortable with as well.

Now there’s one other aspect of a game night, the food and drinks.  It’s very important to provide your fellow gamers with something to eat, but there are some important things to keep in mind:

1. Avoid greasy foods like chips or chicken fingers.  You don’t want to smudge up the cards or get the game board all messy.
2. No sauces.  Ranch, honey mustard, hot sauce, all of these are a bad combination with the tokens and dice.
3. Avoid alcohol.  Yes a couple beers are fine with friendly game of Carcassonne, but on a game night you’ll want to keep it sober and spill free.

So what does that leave you?  We suggest hot dogs, sandwiches, Pringles, soda, and whatever other foods that are low on grease and high on ability for one-handed holding.

So there you go, you’ve got your friends, your games, and food.  Now go have fun and play some games.

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