A day at Origins...

A few thoughts and pics from an afternoon at the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio last weekend...

The entrance to the trade show

1)  A very well-organized event and fairly large event.  Not as big as Toronto's FanExpo but more specifically a game-oriented convention.

Origins 2011 had a steampunk theme - amazing gear!

So much chaos.  AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!

2)  And I thought I was obsessed with gaming.  The crowd here definitely put me in my place.

Case in point:

I don't have an enormous Catan game...

...or a coffee table that doubles as a board game workshop.

3)  Asmodee Editions has some killer games coming out this year, including the great-looking Quebec which was explained to us by one its inventors from Montreal, as well as:

A new 12-player version of Dixit! 

A beautiful reprint of the very fun Evo.

4)  Um....  Rio Grande Games gives out free food in their free gaming room.

The very friendly Rio Grande games room.

5)  Wargamers and tabletop miniatures guys take their shit VERY SERIOUSLY.....

This one's called "Warlord in Wonderland".  SRSLY.

Double-click on this pic.  So awesome.

All hand-painted.

6)  I think I enjoy playing games with people I know.  It's very much a social thing for me amongst friends so I didn't end up joining in any games in the Board Room.  Maybe next year...

A very small view of the VERY LARGE Board Room with the massive games library at the back.

7)  Games are damn expensive at trade shows!  75 bucks American for Galaxy Trucker when I get it back home in Canada for 55.  Forget that.  I bought four games totalling 70 dollars.  And ONLY because I thought I wouldn't find them back in Ontario.  Vince and I grabbed a table in the Board Room and played a couple before we called it a day:

Water Lily - simple and devious.  Quite good.  Plays like 'Hedgehogs in a Hurry' meets 'Clans' but faster than both.

Climb - Vince aptly described it as "Twister but for your fingers!"  Yep that's pretty much it.

Overall, I'm very glad we went.  For only 5 bucks each, Vince and I were happy to wander around the entire convention for the day.  I think if I go again, I'd try to bring some other friends as well so we could take advantage of the open and organized gaming.

And Columbus is quite the beautiful city with very friendly people (despite their awful union-busting jerk of a governor).  We will definitely be back.

Next year....  I'm bringing a gaming entourage.