Cards & Boards

By CHEE YIH YANG
alltherage@thestar.com.my

ONE of the questions that my group of boardgamer friends grapple with constantly is, “Where shall we play?”

We’ve got a very accommodative venue at a local kopitiam in a neighbourhood mall, but after nearly a year playing and eating there, the items on the menu are getting a tad boring for some of us.

That said, a “substitute venue” was found and the place we hang out at now has nice long tables that can be easily extended and power sockets to charge our laptops (essential when running Blood Bowl: Team Manager Card Game league sessions).

Unfortunately, good and accessible gaming spots are hard to find nowadays. Mage Cafe, a long-time stalwart in Damansara Jaya (near where the majority of my boardgame group members play and live) recently ended its business.

Granted, there are plenty of similar game cafes in the Klang Valley, but my group members don’t fancy driving to “faraway” areas such as Subang Jaya, where traffic is pretty nasty even on weekends.

This actually got me thinking; where do people usually play? Where are the other casual boardgamers and card gamers, since we only seem to meet the “hardcore” gamers participating in gaming events? Surely not everyone is playing at home, right?

The roamers

CK Au, co-owner of Cheras’ Boardgamecafe.net thinks that hanging out in “non-gaming places” is very common nowadays.

“Since 2007 till only recently, Boardgamecafe.net used to hold meet-ups every Friday night at a kopitiam in Cheras and we’d play till the wee hours of Saturday morning. I know of groups that play at other kopitiam and food and beverage outlets,” he said.

Au believes that the biggest benefit in playing at such F&B outlets is the essentially “free” gaming sessions as there are no hourly charges on players. As a matter of courtesy, his gaming friends order food and drink at the outlets, often throughout the night.

Another boardgame enthusiast Engku Nasrun also prefers to play at regular F&B outlets as food and drinks are available at all times.

“I prefer to game in public and (have actually) made many friends this way. Most of them were curious to find out what we were doing and they actually struck up conversations with us, tried the game and eventually became friends,” he said.

John Choong simply thinks that cafes and kopitiams always end up being more economical, especially for gamers who spend a lot of time playing and don’t want to worry about hourly charges.
Choong prefers to choose cleaner environments though, as he doesn’t like the smell of fast food joints, “As you will end up smelling like fast food eventually.”

“I used to hang out at Mage Cafe for the food and furthermore players do not need to pay to play if they bring their own games – as long as they ordered something to eat or drink,” explained Choong.
Playing in friends’ homes may be challenging too, due to timing and convenience (to other occupants of the homes).

Meanwhile, Janvier Soldat thinks that as long as the place is accommodating, he’ll be there gaming.
“The location should be convenient, and near to our homes. There should also be the option to have meals there, and of course, very comfortable seating,” he said. Cleanliness and hygiene are also big priorities for Janvier and his friends.

Another common reason for people playing in the likes of kopitiams and cafes would be because of the odd playing hours they might require, and the convenience.

The gameshop gamers

There are plenty of loyal players who return to gaming shops though. Kai De is one gamer who said that he won’t choose kopitiams as gaming venues.

“If we choose to game there, it might disturb others, since we always take a longer time finish up games,” he explained.

Another gamer who sticks to gaming shops is Laurence Wong, “I travel all the way through the Friday evening traffic from Damansara to Cheras for my fix of boardgames, so convenience isn’t so much an issue as it is something I do once a week only. (I’m not into playing at) F&B outlets as boardgaming really isn’t something you do while munching or slurping something,” he said.

Eric Tee, who runs Classroom Café, a boardgames and World of Warcraft Trading Card Game cafe in Subang Jaya would pick parking availability, opening hours and lastly F&B in the order of importance for choosing a gaming spot.

“I do think that it is indeed a good gesture to support the store you get your gaming materials from. More support means better service, more tournaments and (hopefully) better products in future,” he said.

“Secondly, I really dislike the stares non-gamers give when you are playing games in public. Lastly, I would feel shy and embarrassed to take up several tables of a coffee shop just for my gaming which will probably require three to four hours when the very same tables can very well be used to serve more customers,” said Tee.

Special events

While it does look like that card game shops will always have their special events such as pre-release and release parties, and tournaments, to ensure that card gamers always return, it does seem that boardgame cafes in general do need some new tricks up their sleeves to attract players.

 By CHEE YIH YANG

alltherage@thestar.com.my

I am sure I’m not the only person who wonders how long more will board games, trading card games (TCGs), living card games (LCGs) and their ilk be around.

With attention spans becoming shorter and shorter, and the greater acculturation of all things digital, will they still be popular in the foreseeable future?

An article by Forbes.com contributor Erik Kain titled “Are Boardgames Better Than Video Games caught my attention a few months back, where Kain responds to another article on Kotaku.com which suggested that board games were better.

In my opinion, there can’t be a definitive answer – though both articles mentioned that board game sales have actually been increasing, particularly since 2009 – but let’s give this debate a go anyway.

Broad gamers unite

Sales executive Kenny Chan, 29, fancies himself a “broad gamer”. From PC and mobile games to TCGs and the occasional board games, Chan indulges in all forms of gaming.

He feels that all in all, digital games often lack in interaction. Chan reckons that boardgames & TCGs are created to be more “social” – a given, since they always need more than one person to play the game.

“(Board games) always create conversations, as well as encourage healthy competition, interactions and cooperation between the players,” he said.

“Digital games, on the other hand, always strive to bring in the ‘social’ aspect of gaming by creating games that involves more than one player.”

For Chan, online games actually have a “lack of interaction” as everything is “masked” by a computer screen, with little cues to give away what the other players are feeling, how they’re reacting, or what they’re actually experiencing.

However, he reckons that board games require one to invest more time, though simpler board games can be more educational, especially games like Blokus, Ticket to Ride and Taboo.

Experienced players can then move on to more complex board games like Descent, Dungeons & Dragons, Risk and Smallworld.

“Board game cafes are great for those who want to play without owning the games, and these places also act as hangouts for young urbanites,” he added.

Teaching games

Edwin Wong, 50, owner of Imagine Games, thinks that as a whole, more people are playing board games – especially if we include those playing electronic versions.

“More and more people are discovering strategy board games and playing them as a form of social gathering,” he said.

He does concede that most people now prefer electronic games to “classic” board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, Clue and Risk; but at the same time, many are discovering “Euro” board games such as Catan, Forbidden Island, and KHET.

Wong is a proponent of using board games and other forms of non-electronic games in schools, universities and the work place to develop skills like critical thinking, strategy and tactics, logic and deduction, and teamwork and collaboration.

He recently helped Cempaka Schools organize THINKCON for the third year running.

Cempaka Schools students exercising their thinking in a game of Ingenious, while having a whole lot of fun and socializing with others at the same time.

“We started this over three years ago with Cempaka Schools as the main supporter, and it has been successfully used in their three campuses (Damansara, Cheras and the International Ladies College).

“We also have it as an extracurricular activity in HELP college, REAL International School, Taylor’s College, Garden International and Mont Kiara International.

“We hope to start in more schools this year. It starts as extra-curricular, and then it is integrated into classes,” he explained.

Among the companies that have used games in the work place for recruitment and team building are Patimas Computers, UOB Bank, Standard Chartered, and Sepang International Circuit.

“Over the last three years, every parent we spoke to told us that they very much preferred their children playing strategy board games to electronic games, and cited the social and interactive aspects as the most important reasons for their preference.

“Simply put, almost all the parents have told us they preferred to see their child painting miniatures and playing strategy board games over chatting online and playing electronic games,” said Wong.

Many of the Cempaka students found themselves "addicted" to Samurai, a game of strategy and tactics where players vie to be the warlord of feudal Japan by influencing nobles, clergy and farmers.

So are board games and the like really on the up?

Interestingly, Wong notes that the larger board game manufacturers are reporting declining sales for classic titles, though that could also be down to the fact that these games are already in many households.

“But board-gaming is certainly not on a decline; as the mass market is only beginning to discover these wonderful titles and sales have been growing every year for the last five to six years,” he added.

Wong is hopeful that playing board/miniature/card games as a social activity will never be replaced by electronic gaming and socializing, as “there is simply a point where the benefits of convenience is overtaken by the perils of social isolation.

“Human beings are social creatures by nature so the fear of loneliness will fuel the never-ending need to interact with others in a non-electronic sense.”

There is a fear that miniature gaming is something that is slowly going the way of the dodo, something that Wong readily admits.

“True miniature gaming will always show signs of being endangered, simply because of the lack of time to paint up a force.

“However, the industry has responded to this in the form of pre-assembled/primed miniature figures that can be played right out-of-the-box,” he said.

Game shops offer more than just the usual boardgames to their customers.

By CHEE YIH YANG

alltherage@thestar.com.my

GAME specialty shops have started to become more visible in Malaysia in recent years.

That’s not saying that there is a glaring lack of boardgamers and card gamers in the country. Judging by key events held (mostly) in the Klang Valley, there is a decent following here.

However, one thing that many will wonder is – how do the these shops keep their respective communities and fans active? What makes them come back to the same places, again and again?

Why people hang out

There’s certainly more than one thing in common for most boardgame hangouts and establishments. Firstly, the sense of belonging is reinforced by more than just being merely retailers and sellers of interesting and varied card and boardgames.

“The big difference is that we’re not just interested in selling, but also to actually build a community and teach younger players some skills. What players find in our shop is a tight-knit community where everyone helps each other out. Our regulars make it a point to come back every week,” said David Lian, co-owner of Warp Space Games (facebook.com/warpspacegames) in Old Klang Road, Selangor.

According to Comics Mart (facebook.com/pages/Comics-Mart-Midvalley/141820782516010), which is based in Kuala Lumpur, the things that maintain the interest of their regular patrons include being a convenient meeting ground for people of common interest, as well as a rather handy “daycare centre” for kids while their parents shop!

The owners also said that they often do well during lunch, with gamers indulging in “quick fixes” before heading back to class or work.

There are also some shops that pair games with other interests such as reading. Boardgame Depot (facebook.com/BGDepot) in Bangsar, KL, does this.

“People come over to the store mainly because there’s a wide range of board games and novels here. It’s always nice to have intellectual hobbies and our visitors usually come here for that. Additionally, they also appreciate the warm and homely atmosphere décor,” said owner Lucas Tho.

He even goes as far as to say that customers indulge in boardgames in order to break away from their addictions to electronic games such as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games), Angry Birds and even the latest craze, Draw Something.

“The warm and homely atmosphere we have is also another plus,” said Tho.

Making it regular

Some gaming communities thrive on routine. Jeff Au’s BoardgameCafe.net (http://blog.boardgamecafe.net/) group, which regularly meets on Friday nights, has seen his group grow from strength to strength. It started as a casual boardgame group that assembled regularly in the local kopitiam, but Au is now running his very own shop in Cheras, KL.

“We still keep very much to our regular Friday evening sessions, as that’s a good time for the working gamers to drop by and play. Public holidays give us opportunities to run longer sessions and explore more specialised forms of boardgaming such as the 18xx series (railway-building game) or even more lengthy boardgames such as Twilight Imperium 3,” said Au.

The BoardgameCafe.net also holds seasonal and semi-regular events. Au and his merry band of boardgamers have done annual “boardgame retreats”, where gamers and their families are invited to play boardgames in a resort or outstation setting. He is currently exploring the possibility of holding another retreat this year.

Newbies and pros

Other shops address accessibility and making sure upstart gaming fans are given the most convenient start. As miniature gaming has taken hold in Warp Space Games, Lian and his partners are innovating new ways to make it more accessible.

“We don’t want newbies walking in and feeling out of place at all. We’ve developed several programmes to help them get started in the hobby. For example, our upcoming Manufactorum Primaris Hobby Camp will be held during the school holidays and will feature three days worth of hobby and gaming time, while letting campers take home their own armies,” he explained.

Comics Mart also does pretty much the same thing, and addresses a much wider range of games, from role-playing games, to trading card games, boardgames, miniature games and deck-building games. What’s working for them are regular events, which will be publicised via Facebook. These include tournaments, demos and league games.

At the end of the spectrum, some think a more large-scale competition will draw the people in. Imagine Games has been promoting boardgames and miniature gaming for a number of years now, and its founder Edwin Wong will once again be having a Settlers of Catan competition, the Malaysian Catan Qualifiers. The winners of this competition will earn a trip for two to the United States in September, where they will represent the country for the World Catan Championships.

This event kicked off on April 1 across 14 official stores and 10 tournament centres in five states. In a unique format, the qualifiers will take place every weekend from April to June, so Catan fans can just pop by to learn the game, observe others, or play in as many official matches as they wish.

According to official organiser Imagine Games (http://web.mac.com/imagine newszine), the decision to use this more open format aims drive a fun and friendly celebration of this classic boardgame.

“We look forward to getting an entire nation excited about discovering and playing Catan over the next three months!” remarked Wong.

* Chee Yih Yang is already thinking of season three for his own Blood Bowl: Team Manager Card Game league. More tweaks! E-mail him at yihyang@gmail.com if you have comments, questions, hot gaming news and tips, and trading lists and deck ideas, for both Magic and World of Warcraft.

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