Go Play NW 2011: Full Circle

Go Play NW 2009 was the first big public unveiling of Microscope, so it was actually pretty nice to come full circle two years later and see Microscope running rampant at Go Play NW 2011.

It was ninja-like. I’d be walking around, chatting with people, and then I’d look over my shoulder and -boom- table covered in cards. Is that Microscope? Where did that come from?, I would ask myself.

I’m guessing any game designer will get what I’m about to say next: the first victory is enjoying playing your own game with folks, but the big victory is when the game exists without you. It doesn’t need you to hold its hand, or walk people through the rules, any of that stuff. You could launch the book in a rocket, to Mars, and those Martians could chill by their canals, watch the dim sun set, and play a nice game of Microscope. That’s the win.

As for Go Play NW in general, my only regret was that there were a lot of people I wanted to play with but didn’t get a chance. Don’t get me wrong, I played with a lot of different people. In fact there was only one person I played with twice in the whole weekend. Clearly the con just needs to be longer.

Oh, and ever wonder what Go Play NW looks like to someone who’s never been? Consult the Giant Fire Breathing Robot.