I’ve seen big groups of people playing board games, but I’ve never seen anything like PAX Unplugged. From the expo hall to the tournament tables to the vast spread of the Municipal Open Gaming Zone, I didn’t see more than a dozen empty chairs all weekend! The question leaps to mind: “What if they threw a board game night, and EVERYBODY came?”
PAX Unplugged was our first PAX ever, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for Dinogami, just in time for our Gunsword Kickstarter. The response we received was simply incredible, unlike anything we’ve experienced before. It seemed like everyone wanted to play! Even with the help of our support staff, Patrick and I were running games non-stop all weekend. We played with families, nurtured rivalries between longtime friends, and met many people we hope to keep in touch with for a long time to come. Some of you showed us brand new combos and plays emerging from a game we’ve been playing for more than a year! We saw huge attacks Dodged and counter-Dodged. We saw perfectly executed Subtle Steel repositions and canny Momentum management. We saw multi-turn 1-Health dances of death! And, as has become tradition, somebody beat me in a demo game with a 7-damage Empty Mind. I can NEVER land this attack! How do you all keep beating me this way!?
We want to extend our deepest gratitude for all your words of encouragement. It seemed that all kinds of players, from laid back tabletop buddies to tournament grinders, found something special to like about Gunsword. It was wonderful to meet you all!
It’s worth mentioning that Penny Arcade is a source of inspiration for us at Dinogami. There is something perfectly aspirational about the story of two best friends taking their creative hobby and turning it into a life’s work. Patrick and I have been reading the comic since forever, and we still toss jokes back and forth that we first read in Penny Arcade. Launching our Kickstarter at PAX felt a little bit like destiny. And Jerry, if you’re reading this: thanks for taking the time to talk to me. (Mike, I couldn’t find you. I will continue my search! Beware!)
I could fill another 5,000 words with stories of individual games and players. We spent every night reliving victories and defeats around the dinner table. Now we want to bring those battles to YOUR table! Spread the word! Upclick our hashmedias on social tagging! Check us out on Kicktraq, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! Every little bit helps! We can do it together!