Boardgame Players Association Newsletter March 2016
March 8, 2016
Last Call | Rate Increase | Elections | Memorial | Scheduled Open Gaming | Commercial Demos | Lodging | PBEM | Social Networking

LAST CALL FOR 2016 EVENTS: Less than a week remains in the Annual game of "Chicken" to see who can be the last to claim a GM slot without seeing their event dropped altogether. GMs are reminded to make their memberships current AND submit an event form by March 15. At that time events without a satisfactory GM claim will be replaced by those events from the Alternate list for which we have a satisfactory event form on file with a current GM commitment. You can now claim any qualifying OPEN event by completing the required event form after reading the GM Guidelines linked from the start of that event form. Check the current GM commitments and requested start times on the Orphans page.

32 Century Events currently without a 2016 GM commitment include: • Agricola • Attack Sub • Auction • Battles of the American Revolution • Britannia • Castles of Burgundy • Conquest of Paradise • Dominant Species • Evolution • Five Tribes • Formula Motor Racing • Ingenious • Ivanhoe • King of Tokyo • Liar’s Dice • Lost Cities • March Madness • Mister Madison’s War • Navegador • Paths of Glory • Princes of Florence • Ra; The Dice Game • Rail Baron • The Russian Campaign • Settlers of Catan • Squad Leader • Stockcar Championship Racing • Superstar Baseball • Titan • Twilight Struggle • Tzolk’in • Victory in the Pacific.

10 Eligible Trial events lacking a 2016 GM commitment include: • Adel Verpflichtet • Battle Cry • Commands & Colors Napoleonics • Innovation • Le Havre • Leaping Lemmings • Monsters Menace America • Race for the Galaxy • Roll for the Galaxy • Union Pacific.

Event forms for additional events seeking Alternate status to fill any of these vacancies and/or troll for Sponsor support will still be accepted until March 15. Now is the time to step forward if you want to see a WBC event. With 42 eligible events teetering on non-appearance there will most likely be numerous Alternates chosen to fill the gaps. Only those with GM commitments on hand from current members will be considered.

As always, if an event has no one willing to run it, it doesn’t deserve to be at WBC. Next Tuesday the procrastination ends and the WBC 2016 schedule is set in stone.

REGISTRATION RATE INCREASE: Only three weeks remain to beat the next scheduled price increase for Sustaining and Tribune level memberships for WBC 2016. Rates increase $10 on April 1. See the Membership Form to get your best price now.

ELECTION TIME: It is once again time to elect three members to three-year terms on the BPA Board of Directors. This year's election features three incumbents and two challengers vying for three seats. Get all the information on our Election page. As usual, voting is effortless and takes only a moment thanks to the electronic ballot. Voting will remain open until June 15. All members (any paid attendee of WBC for more than one day is considered a member) are urged to vote since validation requires sufficient membership participation.

SUDY EULOGY: The BPA Memorial page now includes our remembrance of Kevin Sudy who we tragically lost last month far too soon. Join us in recalling some of his gaming exploits on our Memorial page.

SCHEDULED OPEN GAMING RETURNS: The much improved facilities at Seven Springs allow us to expand this feature in a big way with emphasis on individual demos and Scheduled Open Gaming opportunities all week long. If you've ever bemoaned the difficulty of finding like-minded gamers to play what YOU want to play, this is your chance. Merely commit to providing the game in question and playing at a specified time in the designated Demo area in the Exhibit Annex and we will reserve your table plus advertise your game on the printed, web, android and rotating schedules for all to see and even provide signage for your "game event". The catch? You must commit to it in a timely fashion; i.e., now.

Requirements:

  • Must be a Sustaining or Tribune member before June 1.
  • Must submit details to conventiondirector@boardgamers.org before June 1.

Details should include:

  • Name of published game (limit one game); non-published games must be handled as Commercial Demos
  • Start Time and length of game (even hours only; no half-hour starts; i.e., 7 PM, not 7:15 or 7:30)
  • Type of table; 6' rectangular or 5' round (or if either is acceptable, indicate so)
  • Rate your game as A (expert), B (played previously or read rules) or C (will coach) insofar as experience level of players sought

You must surrender the table promptly to the next user before the next reserved time slot.

Limits:

  • Multi-player games only—must accommodate a minimum of three players;
  • One reservation slot per person; second requests will be honored on a space available basis only after all other primary requests have been fulfilled;

All requests are based on availability. First come, first served. 

Suggestions:

  • Submit multiple start times in case your first choice is unavailable;
  • The longer your requested time slot, the less your chances of getting a reservation; and
  • Avoid high usage time slots (e.g., slots on Tuesday evening have less chance of acceptance).

COMMERCIAL DEMOS & PLAYTESTS: To alleviate crowding in Open Gaming, unauthorized exhibit tables will NOT be allowed to monopolize tables. Monitors will be tasked with strict policing of commercial efforts including prospective game designers who set up displays to troll for P500 backing. While you are free to Open Game anything you like, you will NOT be allowed to monopolize tables with displays that are not being actively played. Instead, designers/publishers are urged to register for FREE scheduled demos in the Exhibit Annex demonstration area. To be included in the schedule, you must be a current Sustaining level or higher member and register your demo before June 1st. Multiple or long demonstrations are allowed on a space available basis. Contact conventiondirector@boardgamers.org for additional information. Include alternate times and type of table desired (either 5' rounds or 6' x 30" rectangulars) as well as boxart files containing the title of the game for display signage. Reservations will be made on a first come, first served basis. Submit requests on our Demo Form.

WBC LODGING: As happens every year, the hotel is sold out for most prolonged stays. There are exceptions. If you come early for a short stay, there are still vacancies to be had and cancellations occur all the time because people reserve early and worry about attending later. That is why we are considering a No Cancellation policy in the future. However, there are alternatives. Start by calling the hotel at 1-866-437-1300 and checking the dates you are interested in. If currently unavailable, ask to be put on the callback list for the inevitable cancellations.

However, the availability of condominiums, chalets and cabins on property as well as rooms in nearby Hidden Valley and elsewhere means that there is still lodging to be had. The reservationist can direct you to it. We encourage those who would benefit from the enhanced accommodations of a condo to make the switch (especially if you will have access to a car). The reservationist at 1-866-437-1300 can give you more details on the various options available including nearby offsite lodging.

HIDDEN VALLEY: We are pleased to provide both hotel and condo reservations in the neighboring property of Hidden Valley at a special discounted rate as overflow housing through the same Seven Springs reservation system. Since these are outside shuttle service range, they are not recommended for those without their own transportation.

RESERVATION SCHEDULE: WBC has a long history of early sellouts, even though our room block at Seven Springs is substantially larger than past guarantees. Nevertheless, to ensure that our guests have adequate opportunity to make reservations, rooms will be reserved only on the following schedule.

  • as of Feb. 1, 2016: Stays of 4 nights or more;
  • as of May 15, 2016: Stays of 2 nights or more; and
  • as of June 15, 2016: Single Night stays (hotel rooms only).

CONDOMINIUMS: A wonderful feature of Seven Springs is the availability of nearby condominiums on the property that can be rented for stays of two days or more once reservations are accepted for stays of that duration as per the above schedule. These are available in varying sizes of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units for the daily rate of $129 per bedroom. Those who can group together with friends and family to cohabit these units will find these accommodations most welcome given their inclusion of kitchens and common living room areas that can enhance your visit - especially for those considering extended stays. While having access to a car is recommended for condo rentals, it is not required as free shuttle service is available on property around the clock. 

Even when the hotel website lists no vacancies, condo/chalet/cabin rentals are available. Call 1-866-437-1300 to speak to a reservationist about the options. The reservationists are available to answer your questions and will even recommend nearby unaffiliated housing. For those willing to orchestrate their groups into multi-bedroom condo units, this represents a great opportunity for group bonding and sharing that could enhance your convention experience more than the typical hotel room stay and was a major reason we chose to have WBC here. Multi-bedroom condos are rented to one individual who is responsible for payment for all bedrooms in that unit. Individuals getting together to share a condo, need to elect one amongst themselves to handle the payment for the entire group. 

PBeM NEWS

DIPLOMACY: The third BPA PBeM Diplomacy Tournament will commence about March 22. All players will play three concurrent games. See the details at http://diplomacywwi.weebly.com and enter by contacting DiplomacyDayM@cox.net by March 12. 

PRO GOLF: BPA’s PBeM events—like those of WBC itself—are nothing if not diverse. Proof of that pudding can be found in the Seventh BPA PBeM Pro Golf tournament to commence, appropriately enough, on April 1. See the details at http://www.nktelco.net/bdmonnin/pro_golf_PBEM_2016.html. To enter contact bdmonnin@nktelco.net. 

Remember…all of the above PBeM fun is free to current BPA members. Others may qualify with a $10 Email membership in the year the event starts. All multi-day paid attendees to WBC are current BPA members for the balance of that calendar year. You need not keep your membership current in order to finish a PBeM event. Players may join the BPA throughout the year. See the BPA Terms page for details.

BPA members who would like to see an email tournament for their favorite game are encouraged to step forward as the GM of such an event. BPA does not run tournaments. Rather, we are an organization of gamers lending support to one another so such events can happen. No one cares as much about your hobby as you do. Get involved. See the requirements to host a BPA email tournament at abovethefields.com/top_pbem/

SOCIAL NETWORKING: Keep up with WBC electronically by joining the World Boardgaming Championships (WBC) Facebook group and the BPA_WBC Twitter Page. You can also easily find us in the Boardgame Geek Forums  under Gaming Related, Conventions, WBC.

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