Ted Alspach: The Anticipation of the Gathering of Friends, Part 2: Research

Many of the observations I’ve made in Part 1 regarding expectations were decidedly spot-on, causing several readers to ask whether this truly was going to be My Very First Gathering of Friends. I assure you I haven’t attended before. But I’ve done a ton of research online to the point where I received a personalized note from a technician at Google asking me to “cut it out, dude.”

In that vein, I thought I would share some of the most helpful online Gathering articles so the non-lazy BGN readers can dig around for additional details. These articles/podcasts/videos/photo essays were chosen because they provide insights into the Gathering of Friends itself, instead of just being about the games.

It’s probably obvious to most people out there, but the number one resource is Rick Thornquist’s Gathering Report from 2006 right here on BGN.

Rick’s thoroughly-detailed coverage even includes two great video segments that are tremendously well done and produced, especially since they were done onsite, with supposedly less-than-professional equipment. I’ve viewed these several times, to the point where they’re now gamer porn. Pausing and rewinding on the good parts, like new games in action or the long, smooth pans of the prize tables is wrong and I know it, but I just can’t help myself.

(pause to review videos “just one more time")

The better of the two is the Day 4 video, which includes a nice overview of the facilities, lots of games-in-action, the aforementioned prize table pan, and the Spiel Des Afternoon coverage (I’ve slow-mo’ed the winning Friedemann Friese dexterity game entry in action—it’s pretty dramatic that way), and ends up with a werewolf game in progress (with an unidentified player asking “So who do you think the werewolves are?” which is of course exactly the sort of thing a werewolf would ask). Some of the people you’ll see live: Frank Branham, Andrea Meyer, Larry Levy, David Fair, Dale Yu, Mik Svellov, Joe Huber, Scott Tepper, Ward Batty, Friedemann Friese, Mike Siggins, Daniel Karp, Ava Jarvis, Christine Simundson, Valerie Putman, Stephen Glenn, Henning Kropke, Warren Madden and Marty Hoff. All in all, the single most useful Gathering “preview” I’ve seen.

The Day 9 video contains coverage of the flea market (not all that exciting), more gaming, and the prize table prep/giveaway. The “rush” of gamers into the flea market is amusing. Other people you’ll see live: Karl-Heinz Schmiel, Chris Kovac, Randy Cox, James Miller, Alan Moon, Scott Alden and Derk Solko.

Rick’s written reports dive into the next level of detail, with spot-on commentary on the games, the activities, and of course the people, really drawing you into the Gathering itself. Rick talks about Thurn and Taxis quite a bit on the day 2 report (this is of course before it was even nominated for the SDJ), and has a comment that elevates it above most of the other games at the gathering: “Most everybody I talked to during the day was singing the game’s praises and every one of the few copies here was busy all during the day. For me, this one is a keeper.” Rick doesn’t always have the best taste (I mean, Taj Mahal isn’t a *bad* game, but…really, Rick), but he’s got a good track record with standout games at conventions/shows, for instance, the 2005 Essen Caylus pick.

You can read through all of Rick’s 2006 Gathering reports in order, and it’s very entertaining as Rick adds lots of fun personal details and anecdotes throughout. It makes me giggle to read the reports that start, “after waking up, I…” but that’s not a criticism, it’s a good giggle thing. Really. The 2006 reports from Rick are indeed fully comprehensive and paint a very detailed picture of the event, the games, and the people. A must read. Amusing out of context quote: “due to my ineptitude…I flubbed it.”

Rick has been doing these reports since 2002, but despite my Googling, I couldn’t find any traces of the 2002-2005 versions. It appears GameFest took them down (off of the old GameWire). I asked Rick if he still had them lying around, and he promptly shot me the 2004 and 2005 versions, with promises to get me the 2002/2003 ones shortly. I asked whether he could repost them to BoardGameNews, and he said he would, so hopefully they’ll show up under the Convention Reports link on BGN in the near future. Amusing out-of-context quote: “The wheels fell off the bus.”

Next on my list is Ed Rozmiarek’s Gathering of Friends 2004 picture gallery which is kind of an illustrated trip report. Lots of people (clearly identified) playing all sorts of games (also clearly identified) makes this an educational tour of the 2004 Gathering. Amusing out-of-context quote: “Angela is ready to capture Thursday night’s group.”

Brian Bankler’s reports are 90% impressions of games. Good stuff in there covering 2005 and 2006. Amusing out-of-context quote: “Whoever comes in 2nd gets eaten.”

In Doug Garrett’s Garrett’s Games and Geekiness Episodes 11 and 12, Doug (and Shelley in episode 11) talk about games and his impressions of his Very First Gathering. Episode 12 is interviews with a whole bunch of recognizable gamers. Amusing out-of-context quote: “We’re going to do some things besides play games.”

BGG’s Gathering coverage is almost entirely Geeklist based. Among the better ones:

Eric Brosius’s Favorite 2006 Gathering Experiences covers games and some interesting events. (The story about why Siena is in the list is pretty funny.) Amusing out-of-context quote: “It’s like traveling at 99% of the speed of light.”

Randy Cox’s unique “What a difference a week makes (GoF effects 2006)” geeklist talks about the impact of the Gathering on games played that are tracked on the ‘Geek. Amusing out-of-context quote: “Lookie there, ma!”

Back to BGN, Ava Jarvis’s There and Back Again: A Gathering of Friends Report, Part 1, cleverly and effectively written in the 2nd person, is perfect for people who are either attending their Very First Gathering of Friends or are hoping to score an invite in the future. Amusing out-of-context quote: “Stand on shaky chairs on a shaky table and use the little chains.”

Scott Nicholson’s Photo Essay complete with detailed voice over for each image is a complete trip report in itself. Amusing out-of-context quote: “It’s the story of two young merchants…in Outback Mountain.”

Recent Studies show that Gathering Exposure is Potentially Detrimental

What would research be without a survey or two? To make sure I hadn’t missed anything I surveyed hundreds of local gaming buddies who were *not* going to the Gathering of Friends, and asked them for their comments regarding the fact that yes indeed, *I* was soon going to My Very First Gathering of Friends. The responses:

1. 15% planned on strangling me if I didn’t just “shut up already about the Gathering.”
2. 14% admitted to hating me. Even more now than before.
3. 13% were praying that I would get hit by a bus before March 30th (and not just the Splotter Spellen kind of bus, either).
4. 12% were hoping that this was the year Alan was going to make the “special” Kool-aid for attendees, finally putting an end to this whole Gathering madness.
5. 10% were in total denial.
6. 9% said they would be my bestest friend ever if they could attend as my wife. Note: my wife refused to take the survey, but still responded independently that I should just “shut up already about the Gathering.”
7. 8% made fun of Ohio because it is round on the ends, etc.
8. 7% claimed they didn’t care that I was going and that they weren’t, then burst into tears.
9. 6% put their hands over their ears and shouted “la la la la la.”
10. 4% vowed to never speak to me again unless they needed to borrow a game or desperately needed a fifth for El Grande.
11. 2% had never heard of the Gathering of Friends. Coincidentally, these people all lived together under a rock in a cave far far from the civilized world.

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