NASAGA Conference board games

[Greg Koeser]

One of the things that I love about the NASAGA conference is not just
the wonderful key note talks, the energetic presenters, the sharing
and emotional people, and the invigorating atmosphere. It is that
there is always a conference within the conference. Although not all
professionals who love and use Games for Learning and show up to the
conferences have the enthusiasm of modern board/party games, there is
a subset of conference attenders who do.

For that subset of modern game lovers, these conference days, your day
starts at breakfast and a fabulous key note talk and always nice to
meet other NASAGAns. Then a day full of presentations, but unlike many
other conference presentations, they are not sit-down and listen
presentations, but interactive, game-playing / simulation-experiencing
sessions. I don't come to the end of the day tired, but invigorated
(though sometimes I use my lunch break to take a nap). There will be
an evening activity (welcoming session, sponsored game night, banquet,
etc) and many might think the conference activity is over then. But
that is when the "secret extra conference" takes place. This is when a
group of people find a room and bring out the latest in board/party
games and spend the next few hours having a fun time experiencing new
games/experiences and bonding with our fellow gamers.

So the biggest question that I have before any NASAGA conference is
who is bringing which games? If you are immersed in the modern board
game community, you will know that 2011 is turning out to be a very
good year for new games, and I hope to play some.
I'll bring (at least) the following:
- Quarriors (a dice-based, quick game)
- King of Tokyo (another dice-based, quick game)
- SpotIt (a quick, visual matching game)
- Telestrations (a sketching party game).

Join the modern board game night-time experience at the conference and
respond to this discussion with what games you think you will pack.
Greg Koeser