Board Game Times

Aaron DeMaster of the Strong Tower Gamers group and Gaming Convention

It's been too long, but Clark is back with Episode 23! This episode he reaches just slightly beyond the confines of Chicago and up to our neighbors in Wisconsin. There he finds Aaron DeMaster of the strong Tower Gamers group and Gaming Convention.

Aaron talks about growing up in Wisconsin, catching the gaming bug and what led him and his friends to establish the Strong Tower Gamers group and start the Strong Tower Gaming Convention.

Clark also asks Aaron about setting up a brand new gaming convention and trying to find an identity and audience for the weekend, raising money for a new convention, planning events, and how the group's Christian values inform the weekend and their desire for inclusiveness while staying in the background of the convention.

Finally, Aaron answers the minigame questionnaire and Clark finds a kindred spirit... in gaming beverages!

Episode Information

The Strong Tower Gaming Convention is scheduled for September 16-18, 2022 at the Brookfield Conference Center in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Visit the Strong Tower Gaming Convention site at: https://strongtowergamers.com/

Register to attend the convention at: https://tabletop.events/conventions/strong-tower-gaming-convention

Some games mentioned during the episode: Golem; Grand Austria Hotel; Ginkopolis; Q.E.; Yukon Airways; Lost Ruins of Arnak; The King is Dead; Arkwright; Quacks of Quedlinburg; Cribbage; Meadow; Yokohama; Space Base; Ark Nova; Catan; Ticket to Ride; Dune: Imperium; Clank!; Dominion; Pandemic: Fall of Rome; Brass: Birmingham; Glory to Rome

Connect with the podcast!

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at 

Bert Schepler of the Bert.games website

Clark is back with a guest in Episode 22 and it's Bert Schepler of the Bert.games website!

Bert talks to Clark about his gaming life growing up in the Chicago area and how a desire to play every unplayed game in his board game library led to his growing online presence. Did he finish his wuest? Listen and find out...

You'll also hear how Bert approaches his writing, reviewing and interviewing for the site; how all that game playing led to a desire to try some game designing; why you may not want him to explain the rules; and the game he's been waiting to play for nearly a decade!

Episode Information

Visit Bert's site at https://www.bert.games/

Bert is on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bert.games/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ultimate.bert/

Connect with the podcast!

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes

Clark is embarrassed!

Episode 21 is late and Clark is embarrassed!

Not only is it late, but he also couldn't line up a guest. Doubly embarrassed!

So of course he decided to embarrass himself a bit further and record an episode about some of the games that are sitting on his shelf of shame! These are games Clark really wants to play but he hasn't gotten to the table for one reason or another. It's just one embarrassment after another! Clark forgives you if you just want to wait until the next episode when he has a guest...

Got some games embarrassing you on your shelf of shame? Share them with Clark at [email protected]. He promises not to make you feel bad about it!

Episode Information

Games mentioned in this episode: Return to Dark Tower; Grand Austria Hotel, Scout, Car Wars 6th Edition; Batman Gotham City Chronicles; Hostage Negotiator; The Prodigals Club; Star Trek: Fleet Captains; Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile; Forgotten Waters; Nemo’s War (2nd Edition); Kemet: Blood and Sand; Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy; Le Havre; On Mars; Power Grid; Maracaibo: The Uprising; Orléans

Connect with the podcast!

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes

Jay Bartelt, President of the 2022 Gaming Hoopla event and fundraiser

For the 20th episode of Board Game Times, Clark interviews Jay Bartelt. Jay is the President of Gaming Hoopla, a weekend gaming convention and fundraiser for cancer charities. This year's convention is scheduled from April 29 to May 1 at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Mundelein, Illinois.

Jay talks about his introduction to modern board gaming and diving deep into the hobby; how he got involved in Gaming Hoopla; and how his own battle with cancer makes the fundraising impact of Gaming Hoopla particularly meaningful to him.

You'll also hear about all the activities scheduled for this year's Hoopla (including a Pandemic tournament); what Jay thinks makes the weekend special; and why he likes "buttery" cards!

Episode Information

Some of the games mentioned this episode: Pandemic, Kingsburg, Antiquity, Super Mega Lucky Box, Yahtzee, Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write; Fleet: The Dice Game, Eclipse: Second Dawn For the Galaxy, Kingdom Rush; Gloomhaven, Sleeping Gods, Near and Far, Ark Nova, Quacks of Quedlinburg, Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Herb Witches, Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Alchemists.

Visit the Gaming Hoopla website for the full schedule, ticketing and badge information: https://tabletop.events/conventions/2022-gaming-hoopla

Connect with the podcast!

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes

(L to R) Kent Lambert, Assistant Director of the Hack Arts Lab, and Ashlyn Sparrow, Assistant Director of the Weston Game Lab, located in the University of Chicago's Media Arts, Data, and Design Center.

For the 19th episode of Board Game Times, we take a trip to Hyde Park and a new oasis of gaming and creativity at the University of Chicago: The Weston Game Lab and it's makerspace sibling the Hack Arts Lab.

Clark gets all the facts about the labs from Ashlyn Sparrow, the Assistant Director of the Weston Game Lab and Kent Lambert, the Assistant Director of the Hack Arts Lab. Kent and Ashlyn tell Clark how the labs were created and set up, what it's like to create a lively gaming space inside a serious academic environment, and they walk listeners through a trip to the lab.

Of course, we'll also hear about Ashlyn and Kent's experiences in gaming, their goal to create weirdness, and we play a two-hander for this episode's Minigame questionnaire!

Episode Information

Some of the games mentioned in the show: Catan; Spades; Agricola; Seven Wonders; Imhotep; Magic: The Gathering; Wingspan; Scythe; Betrayal at House on the Hill; Fog of Love; Fiasco; Coup; Werewolf; Avalon; Jaws; Oath; Gloomhaven; Spirit Island; and Parks.

Visit the Weston Game Lab on the first floor of the John Crerar Library at 5730 S Ellis Avenue. Online at: https://arts.uchicago.edu/explore/initiatives/media-arts-data-and-design-center-madd-center/weston-game-lab

The Hack Arts Lab: https://arts.uchicago.edu/hack-arts-lab-hal

The Media Arts, Data and Design Center: https://arts.uchicago.edu/explore/initiatives/media-arts-data-and-design-center-madd-center

Connect with the podcast!

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes

Jason Volt, founder of Facebook's Chicago Board Game Group

Happy New Year! Clark is back from a holiday break with our 18th Episode of the Board Game Times Podcast: Our guest this episode is Jason Volt, founder of the Chicago Board Game Group on Facebook.

Clark talks to Jason about his formative years as a gamer and what led him to start the group which now has over 800 members. Jason talks about how he's traveled the road from young Warhammer Fantasy gamer -- and expert distance estimator! -- to a lover of modern Eurogames.

Jason also shares the trials and tribulations of finding a regular gaming group of his own and how founding the Chicago Board Game Group helped him finally find his tabletop players group. You'll also learn how you can become a member and help the group grow, what Jason thinks is his most irksome gaming trait, and where and when the next group meetup is happening.

Separately, Clark makes a revision to his year-end list of top gaming experiences and he shares big news: he's starting a job in the board game industry!

Episode Information

The Chicago Board Game Group on Facebook is at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1496640373827546

Connect with the podcast!

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes

Clark Bender (in Elf form) of the Board Game Times podcast

It's the end of the year so for the 17th episode of Board Game Times we figured we'd give the guests a rest and make host Clark Bender do all the work!

This episode Clark talks about some of his top games and gaming experiences in 2021 and -- instant Karma -- he has to answer the minigame questionnaire all on his own! Discover Clark's worst gaming traits, why a certain green beverage is always at his side, and generally listen to his discomfort as he talks about himself for an entire episode!

Thanks to all who have listened in 2021. Here's to a fantastic new year! The podcast will resume in early January -- this time with guests, thank goodness!

Episode Times:

01:30 Games I kept returning to in 2021

06:23   Games that impressed me after one play

12:08   Games I want to play more

17:08   Games I HAVE TO get to the table

21:35   Top gaming experiences of the year

31:00   I subject myself to the minigame questionnaire

Games I mentioned in the episode:

Gloomhaven; Brass: Birmingham; Furnace; Architects, Paladins and Viscounts of the West Kingdom; Space Base; 7 Wonders Duel; Legacy: Betray at House on the Hill; Cthulhu: Death May Die; Camel Up; The Quacks of Quedlinburg; That Time You Killed Me; Golem; Beyond The Sun; El Grande; Lancaster; Ra; Chicago Express; Concordia; Alexander Pfister games – Maracaibo, Great Western Trail, Boonlake, Blackout: Hong Kong; CloudAge, Expedition to Newdale;  Dune: Imperium; The Lost Ruins of Arnak; Isle of Cats;

Drew Lovell and Courtney Hartley, husband and wife owners of Bonus Round Game Cafe (Courtesy: Bonus Round Cafe Facebook pages)

On the 16th episode of the podcast, Clark talks to Drew Lovell about opening a board game café. Drew is the co-owner of the Bonus Round Game Café along with his wife Courtney Hartley. The Café opened in 2018 and is located just south of Wrigley Field on Clark Street in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.

Drew talks about the couple's long-time plans to open a board game café and the rigorous process they went through thinking about financial issues, finding the right location and thinking about the kind of atmosphere they wanted to create.

The pandemic cast a long shadow on small businesses like the café. Drew talks about the challenges caused by being forced to temporarily close for nearly a year, finding other business models just to survive, and looking for ways to recover from the effects on their community and the café's bottom line. Drew also takes the minigame questionnaire in which we find out why he likes an unusual game piece involving a balloon, why he loves games with little or no downtime, and the importance of effective rule-teaching!

Episode Links

Bonus Round Game Café is located at: 3230 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60657

Bonus Round Game Café's website: https://bonusroundcafe.com/

Reserve a time at the Café: https://www.exploretock.com/bonusroundgamecafe

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes

Jason Brooks, designer of Legacies and owner of Brookspun Games

For the 15th episode of the podcast Clark talks to Jason Brooks, owner of Brookspun games and creator of the new board game Legacies. Legacies was Kickstarted in 2019 and is going out to backers soon.

Jason talks Clark through the entire development process of Legacies: from coming up with the design to playtesting to his decision to self-publish via Kickstarter. Then you'll hear about the entire process of Kickstarting, manufacturing and fulfilling the pledges for Legacies.

Clark also asks Jason about the inspiration for his epic new game, why he chose to publish the game himself and he asks Jason to name the things he did right and wrong throughout the process. Finally, in the minigame questionnaire, Jason invokes his inner rules lawyer and picks the game he most wants to recommend for others to play.

Episode Links

The Kickstarter page for Legacies: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brookspungames/legacies

The Brookspun Games webpage: http://brookspungames.com/

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes

Mary Couzin, CEO and founder of People of Play and the Chicago Toy & Game Fair

In the 14th episode of Board Game Times, Clark talks to Mary Couzin, the CEO and founder of People of Play (POP) which hosts the annual Chicago Toy & Game Fair on Chicago's Navy Pier. This year's event is virtual and Mary fills Clark in about all the planned events -- including scheduled times to pitch your invention to gaming executives! -- and how you can participate.

Mary is a champion for the toy and gaming industries and People of Play exists to recognize innovators in the industry and to find and promote new talent. It's both for consumers and those working in the industry. In our interview, you'll hear how a trip to Essen SPIEL inspired Mary to start the Chicago Toy & Game Fair in 2003, why she's a champion for the toy and gaming industry, and how she hopes to raise the profile of the people and businesses in gaming to the level of other entertainment industries.

Mary also talks about the need to increase the diversity of those working in the industry overall, the importance of play for kids (even at your show booth!), why we need to have more gaming at schools, and you'll hear about a game she owns that she will never open!

Episode Links

The People of Play website: https://peopleofplay.com/

Register for POP Week 2021 events, including the chance to pitch to industry executives! (Monday 11/15 - Friday 11/19): https://www.chitag.com/2021-innovation-conference

The 2021 Chicago Toy & Game Fair(Saturday 11/20 and Sunday 11/21): https://www.chitag.com/2021-fair

Learn about and RSVP for the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards: https://www.chitag.com/2021-tagies-toy-and-game-awards

Visit POP's education focused site: https://www.playineducation.com/

You can contact Mary with questions at: [email protected]

Send your feedback, questions and suggestions to Clark at: [email protected]

Visit the Board Game Times site at https://www.boardgametimes.com and like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/boardgametimes