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• Let's start with the much-maligned Origins Awards, and since GAMA has yet to report results on its site or the Origins site, I'll credit ICv2 for the Award results. Winners in the board game categories are:
-----• Best Board Game – Dungeons & Dragons: Conquest of Nerath Board Game, by Richard Baker, Mons Johnson and Peter Lee (Wizards of the Coast)
-----• Best Traditional Card Game – NUTS!, by Matthew Grau (WildFire LLC)
-----• Best Family, Party, or Children's Game – Get Bit!, by Dave Chalker (Mayday Games)
-----• Best Historical Board Game – Strike of the Eagle, by Brian Bennett, Uwe Eickert and Robert Żak (Academy Games)
• Chris Kirkman at Dice Hate Me Games offers a "publisher's perspective" on Origins 2012 in a photo-heavy report, with early looks at upcoming releases from DHMG, Clever Mojo Games, Nevermore Games, and more.
• That other Eric Martin (the one at the "Death of Monopoly" blog) writes about his weekend at Origins, including a mention of chocolate-covered bacon.
• BGG ad guy Chad Krizan offers his hit of Origins 2012: FlowerFall, the unexpectedly light game from Carl Chudyk that provides "a cool little area majority game with a dexterity element that introduces just enough randomness into each card play to add that fun factor".
• On his Thought Residue blog, designer Andy Looney of Looney Labs writes about missing Origins 2012 (due to it being held during the school year) and the end of The Big Experiment.
• In a general BGG thread on Origins, Jim Dietz of Jolly Roger Games posted this frank assessment:
jollyrogergames wrote:
It sucked, probably the most disappointing Origins for Jolly Roger in the 15-16 years the company's been attending.
At one point, there was a 30 minute segment when NO ONE passed by our booth. I don't mean stop and talk--I mean actually pass by down the aisle...at what is supposed to be one of the two big US Cons, that's really not acceptable.
If there's a bright side, it's that I had the chance to play a couple of demos and talk business with Ted Torgeson, Richard Launius, Jason Matthews. That was helpful--but something that could've been done with a few emails and phone calls rather than Origins.
• In that same thread, Travis Worthington of Indie Boards and Cards writes, "Origins has been on a 'race to the bottom' strategy for years already - it isn't working and doing more of the same isn't going to make it better." He offers a number of suggestions for GAMA.At one point, there was a 30 minute segment when NO ONE passed by our booth. I don't mean stop and talk--I mean actually pass by down the aisle...at what is supposed to be one of the two big US Cons, that's really not acceptable.
If there's a bright side, it's that I had the chance to play a couple of demos and talk business with Ted Torgeson, Richard Launius, Jason Matthews. That was helpful--but something that could've been done with a few emails and phone calls rather than Origins.
• Also in that thread, Todd Breitenstein of Twilight Creations, Inc. offers the following info:
Quote:
We have been attending GenCon and Spiel (As well as many other shows)for many years. We love Spiel for many reasons but, among them is the fact that Spiel is so much less work than GenCon.
You must understand that, unlike Spiel, GenCon, and all US conventions, have events far into the evening after the exhibit hall closes. The publishers are the ones who host those events. Trust me, it is a lot of work making these events happen...
Actually, this is the same reason that Origins is dying. As a company, we have seen diminishing returns on our efforts for many years now. We didn't go this year due to family obligations. Unfortunately, we didn't miss it at all. This is a real problem.
You must understand that, unlike Spiel, GenCon, and all US conventions, have events far into the evening after the exhibit hall closes. The publishers are the ones who host those events. Trust me, it is a lot of work making these events happen...
Actually, this is the same reason that Origins is dying. As a company, we have seen diminishing returns on our efforts for many years now. We didn't go this year due to family obligations. Unfortunately, we didn't miss it at all. This is a real problem.
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