by Will Brasher
Saturday shift write up time!It still amazes me on how quickly 8 hours goes when you are enjoying yourself.
I happened to be reasonably early in for my shift, as usual, and this time round donated the following classic...
...The Game of Life, seems to me it's just the right level of nostalgia for some of our visitors, memories of that wonderful spinner noise taking people back to more innocent days. I saw it played a few times on my shift, it's one of those games you don't really need to teach as it's pretty self explanatory and not complex at all. It's all there, box is a bit battered but all the buildings and other pieces seem to be there. Result.
You'll have to excuse me this week, I'm not feeling my usual chirpy self, stuff going on in life should be left at the door when you go to work but sometimes it's all a bit much and it sneaks in to your day, tried to hide it yesterday but I'm paying for it today.
Two collages this week to cover the day, started asking people if they'd rather I take pictures just of the games of if they'd like to be in it, didn't ask everyone this but enough people were happy to photographed and don't they all look happy? The two dashing guys in the later Wallamoppi picture even asked for a link to my blog. Perhaps I need to print a QR code sticker that can be scanned that links to it? Should be easy enough, I might look into that this week.
Here we go...
Start off with a couple of classics, Onitama and Santorini. Plenty of these as usual, quick teaches, fast plays, interesting strategy, a great starting point for many a new gamer.
Next I spied a group of 4 setting up Everdell and gave them a brief run through with the rules then stayed with them whist they did a run through with hands on show of the first season, by that time I could leave them to it. It was gratifying to see them stick to it. Seems it got too much for them in the end as they only played up to the end of Summer and then changed games, they may have chosen something a bit weightier than they expected. The idea of getting them to do open hands for a short period came from watching... Youtube Video...I'm quite happy to learn from a pro!
Lovely group of four that I got playing Azul, it seemed to fit the bill quite well for what they were asking for... they played through twice so must have enjoyed it, you'll see later on had them playing Loopin' Louie as a palate cleanser then some Battle Sheep too.
Catch the Moon gets it's usual look in a few times too, as does Hamsterrolle, and doesn't this group of 4 look very excited to play? A table of 10 from a family youngest being 7? I got them playing a combination of TEAM3 PINK&TEAM3 GREEN, 3 teams of three, swapping it up as they go and getting tham all to race to do a level 1 card. They just kept on going on this too, another success. I did pass them Wavelength too but they didn't get around to playing it although it certainly got it's look in later, there was a table of 12 I got on it, followed up with more TEAM3 PINK&TEAM3 GREEN!
A quick two game set up with more Battle Sheep and Cobra Paw too, both played and enjoyed immensely by two young ladies looking to try some new games. Blokus hit the tables a few times as did Carcassonne, funny story, I showed them my tattoo, told them it was the first game I got a special lady in my life to play and that I had got her a purple set and she jokingly said that her chap had never done anything so romantic, popped back later just as he finished her 24 point city so I was like 'Romance isn't dead!', how we all chuckled (and I got a high5 from the chap). Other classic were out there, they just didn't need me to teach them. I saw multiple games of Catan and Pandemic as per usual. No teach required though.
The three guys playing Men at Work, originally asked for Junk Art but as it's on our want list not on our shelves, they were quite happy with Men at Work though, still need to try this out myself, looks like a hoot!
A full group of 7 for Just One and a group of three for some Color Brain: Disney Edition pretty much wraps up my first half.
Time for a cautionary tale...
Two ladies were playing Catan, one knew it, the other not so much. I volunteered to assist to get the rules down and one of them warned me they had had a bad experience with 'someone like me' in a store previously.
This person had asked them what they like and they had said Tokaido so the chap recommended Azul. Turns out it was a new game back then and the chap was probably just falling for the 'hotness' and not really looking for giving them what they really wanted. Tokaido is, at heart, a peaceful set collection game nothing like Azul. Thinking on this I would probably ask a few more questions (which the chap may have done) and tried to feel out the clients a bit better. Begs the question, how many people in my short time have I misjudged and ruined their day? That's kind of the thing you shouldn't dwell on.
Anyhow, I heard them earlier say they fancied Carcassonne but the romantic couple I mentioned earlier were playing it but when they had finished I popped it on their table for them and left them to it. I saw them at the end of their visit and asked them if I'd restored their faith in helpers like me and they agreed I had, at this point I mentioned my love of Carcassonne and showed them my tattoo. Job done.
Back to business...
Not much to mention here, lots of repeats, man I need to mix it up more!
Plague Inc.: The Board Game action, twice. One of these was a set of regulars and on the table opposite, Pandemic was being played. I've started putting these two games side by side on the wall, just coz! I might take my facemask from Plague Inc.: Armageddon in next week and wear it when teaching these games...
Sagrada played by a delightful trio and the last game on the list not yet mentioned was a suggestion for Rhys and co... an oldie but a goodie, first time on the blog, Skull.
That's all for this week, over 30 games in 8 hours? That's only one teach every 15 minutes... does that seem like I'm spending enough time with everyone? I think it's about right, I do also tidy the wall, have a 20 minute break and just wander socialising in that time. Seems pretty good to me!
Special plans for Monday, I'll be at work in the afternoon on a 'project' tell you all about it Tuesday!
Don't forget... Some people choose to see the ugliness in this world. The disarray. I choose to see the beauty. To believe there is an order to our days, a purpose. (Yup still watching Westworld, just finished Season 1... Oooo, so good)