World Boardgaming Champs. 2012: July 30, Lancaster, PA, USA

[RobEng]

http://www.boardgamers.org/
Yes this is a year away but I am jazzed about the possibility of attending this one. For the last few years, the WBC has conflicted with GenCon and GTO responsibilities. GenCon is moving to a later in August which means I am free to go!

The WBC features gaming like most cons but all of the game events are organized to determine the best players of the game titles. In addition to the straight up tournaments for game titles there is a team competition and I want to build as many GTO 4 person teams as we can to represent and dominate! You can see the rules for the team competition at http://www.boardgamers.org/teamrules.htm. If you are interested in being part of Team GTO, reply to this post and note the game titles that you would consider yourself as a top notch player. A list of the games that they featured in 2010 can be found at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc10/champs.htm. Personally I would say I excel at Advanced Civilization but could hold my own in Tigris & Euphrates, Ticket to Ride, Titan, Settlers of Catan, Can't Stop, Ra, Power Grid or Caylus. sliceydicey was saying that he would excel at 1960, Agricola, Dominion, or RoboRally.

[Yoper]

I hope that you can make it. If you do end up going, contact me and I will be sure to help guide you through the experience.

I will be GMing the History of the World event this year. And yes the team tournament is a great time.

[RobEng]

Does GMing prohibit you from being part of a team competition?

[rockismyreligion]

Rob, get me guys for Revised.

[RobEng]

Rob, get me guys for Revised.

Yoper,
I see that you have played this event before. Do they play Revised or 1942? It looks like their could be some crusty conservatives there so they may even be playing 3rd edition.

[zery]

Rob,
I am interested. Would like more info on this. My game: Acquire

[RobEng]

Rob,
I am interested. Would like more info on this. My game: Acquire

I am not sure what info I have for you as I have never been to this event but I do know some people who have attended. I am assuming that it is a competitive con so people are less interested in trying out new games and more interested in playing games they know. I may be wrong there.

As far as the GTO teams, I thought it would be fun for those GTOers attending to form up teams for the team competition. It would be some multiple of 4, we would wear GTO shirts to represent, and try our best. I was hoping to have 3 teams where we could distinguish them either by the GTO colors or by regions that we draw players from. As Acquire, Axis, Battle Cry, Tigris, RoboRally and Vegas Showdown are WBC featured games that we host, I would want to try and get at least one of our players in each of those events.

[Yoper]

I haven't been around in a while, but I will try to check in and answer any question one might have about the WBC.

The A&A event is played with Revised and a modified VC scoring sytem:

http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbkex11/a&apge.htm

There was actually a GTO player that came in third last year:

http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/a&apge.htm

I talked to him briefly after the event (since I wasn't there for the tourney, it is now a Pre-Con) but I don't remember his GTO nickname.

Understand that there are certain major differences between playing here and playing in a ftf tournament.

1) Game time limits- The games are limited to 4.5 hours. It can end sooner if you reach the automatic win conditions or your opponent concedes, but with good players the games normally go the full time. The corollary of this is the need for the players to keep the game moving so that a reasonable number of game rounds are played during that time. I would generally implore the participants to get in a minimum of 5 rounds.

2) The VT Scoring System- The scoring system used at WBC is a modified VC system that I came up with because of my dislike for the OotB VCs. The current GM continues to use this system.

3) A lot of A&A in a short timeframe- This isn't usually an issue with hardcore players, but you are guaranteed (if you want) to play at least three games, and if you advance into the single-elim rounds you could be playing a full five rounds. Two on Saturday and then three on Sunday. It may not seem like a lot but that second day can be a really wear you down.

Does GMing prohibit you from being part of a team competition?

Because GMs are volunteers, they don't put restriction on participation. I personally chose not to participate in the A&A event while GMing (except to fill in if there was an odd number) only because I had a lot of paperwork to do and rules questions to answer while running the event.

While you can play in and even choose the event that you are GMing to be your team event, I would think that that would seem a bit weird. While the quality of the GM is very high at WBC, some may still look at such a situation as a little off. You would have to have earned a good reputation to ward off the speculation of the players, especially newbies who might think that this is some kind of inside fix going on.

WBC is a quality event in the main part because of the convention staff and the volunteer GMs. They do a fantastic job of keeping the focus on a certain number of good event instead of a free-for-all convention like Origins or Gen Con.

To balance that, they have worked hard to give the attendees an amazing open gaming room that includes a vast game library for one to check out and play new games. Plus, there are always people looking to play just about any game you can think of.

[RobEng]

Thanks for the bump on this topic Yoper. My personal finances have gotten a little tighter since I came up with this idea so a lot may depend on how things shake out in the coming months. Even if I don't go, GTO players could still form teams and I am willing to help coordinate that.

Do you know when the registration deadlines are? I could not find it at their website. Depending on that date, we should probably set a commit date for interested parties to step up or back out.

[speedcrayzy]

According to jbetz, one can register upon arrival. Who is going?

[RobEng]

I am afraid things have been to crazy here at the GTO offices for us to break away for this. Next year!!!

[RobEng]

If anyone needs a reservation, I have one for the Continental Inn across the street from the WBC. I will need to cancel by Friday.