Author | Joseph L. Selby

The Selby Invitational

October 2, 2010

If you’ve browsed my website (and specifically the Inkwell), you will have noticed that I’ve done some work with D&D. I love me some role playing games. RPG play is highly regionalized. There is a reason D&D was born in Wisconsin. The epicenter of fanatical role-playing is the Midwest. Sure there are groups out here on the East Coast, but nothing like back there. It’s just all over the place.

So, my favorite and most prevalent hobby took a bit of a hit when I moved from Missouri to New Hampshire. Role playing out here? I’ve had a little bit here and there, but nothing like when I lived in St. Louis (and if I had gone to Kansas City, good lord, that would have been endless RPGing).

When I first moved out here, my girlfriend-now-wife was still back in St. Louis. She didn’t come out for another month and a half. She was looking for various things she could do to introduce and acclimate herself to her new home. Among the list was meetup.com. She found a board game night hosted at a local Borders just a block and a half from our apartment. She suggested I go and scope it out for us. I like board games. My friend Luke had introduced me to such exciting games as Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride (I had only previously been exposed to lame games like Monopoly). This could be awesome! But I expected it to be three or four losers who got together and played a game once a week.

Boy was I wrong. RPGs:Midwest::Board Games:Northeast. Wow! Twenty people showed up that night! There was ticket to ride, settlers, carcasonne, and a bunch of others I had never heard of. I knew Germany made board games, but do they do anything else? Most of my friends out here I met at board game night. It has been a great experience. Mondays have moved to the Holiday Inn as Borders slowly dies. 35 people show up every Monday where we play Thurn and Taxis, Imperial, Brass, Quirkle, Small World, Ra, Dog, Tichu, and so many others.

Now, once a quarter, Jen and I like to host our closest friends at our home for a seasonal meal, get together, board game party. Today is our quarterly Selby Invitational! There will be do-it-yourself nachos, chicken chili, rice krispy treats, hot apple cider, root/beer, seasonal coffees, and games games games. Telestrations, Cyclades, Conan, Quirkle Cubed, Trigon, and on and on and on. And it will be the first time in our new home! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Jen loves to host people. I love to play games. We both love food! This is going to be a good day.

Joseph L. Selby

games, personal life

5 responses to “The Selby Invitational”

Ted Cross

October 3, 2010

I miss how huge D&D was back in the 80's. I loved it, and it was big in Arizona where I lived. My book came out of my love for D&D and the fact that I never liked any of the official D&D novels. I wanted something more realistic, and since no one would ever provide it, I wrote it myself. I wish Wizards of the Coast would allow themselves to publish a D&D-style novel that isn't shared-world. I believe gamers would like my book.

Reply
Joseph L. Selby

October 4, 2010

While I tend not to want to work in any setting that isn't of my own creation, if I had the opportunity to write in the city of Dyvers in the Greyhawk setting, I could probably be convinced.

The trick with WotC is that they understand the impact those novels can have on their properties. They are very strict with what happens in the stories and how the stories are written. Given that they have so many authors working in a shared setting, that kind of control is necessary.

I personally don't like books that read like role playing games. The weakest parts of Brandon Sanderson's MISTBORN novel, I thought, was when the story turned to building "the team." It's a classic RPG-turned-story trope where the characters are introduced and we see their differences and what makes them cool. It reminds me of too many starts to campaigns where you walk into the tavern and introduce yourself.

While a few of my stories have groups of characters, I will always have one or two be the primary main characters.

Reply
Nate Wilson

October 6, 2010

I've never played D&D (okay, maybe once with my cousin), but I do love the board games. Maybe it's because I'm from the Northeast.

You're probably already aware of Unity Games, especially since you live most closer to Boston than I do, but in case you're not… It's held every February, and it's basically 400+ people all playing board games. Good times.

Anyway, I hope your Invitational went well this past weekend. Sounded like a blast!

Reply
Joseph L. Selby

October 6, 2010

I do know about Unity Games but I've never been. I don't know why. I should go. I think it's because I have such a frequent outlet that I don't have to pay for. But still, I should go sometime. I think it'd be fun.

The invitation was a great success. Telestrations was a huge hit. I bought it for this one and I don't think people ever stopped playing it. It's a great party game.

Reply
Nate Wilson

October 6, 2010

If you have a regular outlet for your gaming, the main thing Unity has going for it is the vast array of games available to play. You can try games you've been wanting to try for ages, games your group doesn't have yet, and games you've never even heard of.

Speaking of which, I'd never heard of Telestrations before, but based solely on the boardgamegeek photos, it'll be part of my next game buying binge. Thanks!

Reply

The Selby Invitational

5 responses to “The Selby Invitational”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply