Gaming At A Distance

by Lindsay Schlesser May 22, 2020

by: Matt Ryan

With so many great ways to continue to consume board game content, we wanted to take a dive into some of the most creative and effective ways to keep your meeples moving during this tough time.

If I was asked six months ago why I love board gaming it would have been, "It creates a fun atmosphere where you can get together with your friends, or make new friends doing something that you love.” What sets this hobby apart from others was the tactile interaction of sitting around a table playing cards or rolling dice and laughing with other people.

Teaching Silver to a group of gamers at Origins 2019

Left to right: Ally, Matt, & Dan King aka The GameboyGeek

Now as we travel into the unknown future, we are excited to watch the industry adapt to the changes that are happening all around us. There is an incredible amount of content that is being moved onto an online format where we can successfully enjoy games together safely. Big thank you to all the people working diligently to make sure I can digitally roll a Nat 1, and still cringe at the result.

Webcam Gaming

There are many games that can be adapted to be played and all the participants need is a webcam. As you would imagine, this works well with trivia games. Thankfully there are communities of Ultimate Werewolf players who host games on Zoom. Werewolf Atlanta has a Facebook page you can visit to read the rules and sign up to participate. How cool is that? Here is the link if anyone wants to take a gander: https://www.facebook.com/groups/werewolfatl/

Image provided by Werewolf Atlanta

Text Based Gaming

For any of the older gamers out there, the feeling of playing Zork comes to mind. Luckily technology has come far enough that we can now capture all the emotions and feelings of various game mechanics on social media. Through social media we can connect with other gamers to play games we love. Our team at Bezier Games has started a Facebook Ultimate Werewolf group where you’re playing Ultimate Werewolf practically in real time! To participate, you are given roles in a private message from the moderator and post comments publicly to each day. You then cast your vote at any point during the day. The day will end at a specified time, votes are tallied, and someone is eliminated. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BezierGamesUltimateWerewolf/

App/Computer Board Gaming:

The board game industry has been working its way into this venue for some time. In the last three months we have seen a huge boom in content on existing sites that host board game content, such as Board Game Arena, Tabletop Simulator, Tabletopia, Steam, etc. This leaves out one of the greatest aspects of board gaming: seeing your friends reactions when you annihilate them at a game. But with the addition of a Zoom, Skype, Discord, or other video servers being freely available, it will allow you to see their tears of sorrow as you crush them into the ground.

There is also plenty of free play content coming out. The Silver App is available on Apple or Google Play stores for free now. And there may even be new cards added to the Silver App very soon… 😁

Click here to download on Apple’s iOS Store:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/silver-card-game/id1473134907

Google Play’s Store:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beziergames.silver

If you are looking for an amazing tile laying experience, try the digital versions of the Castles of Mad King Ludwig or Suburbia apps. These two apps are great for tile laying challenges with both single player and campaign modes.

Click here to download Castles of Mad King Ludwig on Apple’s iOS Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/castles-of-mad-king-ludwig/id1100292960?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Google Play’s Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobilecastles.castles

Click here to download Suburbia on Apple’s iOS Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/suburbia-city-building-board/id681966300

Google Play’s Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.suburbiagame.suburbia&hl=en

Virtual Conventions

This innovative concept has come out of necessity, and it is taking shape as it goes. Rolling out fun creative ideas like: a virtual convention hall, live Q & A with publishers, and streaming of demos and new products!! If you are going stir crazy and need to feel the rush of hundreds of fans gathered around the demo tables, check out:

Origins Online June 19th - 21st: https://www.originsgamefair.com/

Gen Con Online July 30th - August 2nd: https://www.gencon.com/online

Essen Spiel Online October 22nd - 25th: https://www.spiel-messe.com/en/

Interactive Reviewer Videos

Podcasts and video reviews have found a new and exciting way to also keep in contact with all of their fans by connecting via “play alongs”. Essentially these are games that you can play but all compare the final score and have a similar feeling to as if you had played together. Tantrum House has posted great content where you can play all kinds of new titles along with the team, and compare your score to theirs. It’s a great way to challenge your mind against other gamers you already know and love: https://www.youtube.com/user/tantrumhousegames/videos

Connecting with one another now is more important than ever and for us, board games have always been a huge part of that. We are excited to see the continued creative ways board gamers are playing & connecting safely. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay in the loop and let us know what you’re up to. Happy Gaming Villagers, may your sanitizer be strong...and your WiFi too!