The Summer Trip - Don't Leave Gaming Behind!

Got back from visiting family. Took photos of rocket butts. Here's how I didn't leave gaming behind. At least, not entirely.

Dat @$$. Saturn V display at the Apollo center of Kennedy Space Center.

Reading

We all have stuff we've been meaning to read, but just haven't had the time.

Guess what?

Bring something to read. It doesn't matter if you're taking a plane, car, or train - you're going to end up spending hours sitting with reading or looking out the window as your options.

Game books are the obvious choice. I brought a couple and - while I didn't finish either book - I did make progress in them both. Be careful in your selection. Digest sized is easier to pack than a big hardcover. And don't take anything you'd miss or can't replace. No first runs of long out of print classics from defunct companies. Luggage gets lost. Things disappear.

The two game systems I brought were FATE Core System and the Mothership boxed set. Reading the FATE rules is a first step towards running a future campaign using Tachyon Squadron. Bringing the Mothership boxed set was a mistake. It's a little too big to comfortably fit in my messenger bag and it split my reading time between them. Bringing FATE Core System and leaving Mothership at home would have allowed me to concentrate on and finish the one book.

I did finish the couple of non-fiction books I brought along. I count both of these towards gaming because much of my non-fiction reading ends up being research for upcoming campaigns. Books with a smaller footprint are better and bring nothing you can't easily replace.

The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande is a niche title about using checklists as an organizational tool. Checklists aren't the best choice in all scenarios, but they do serve to make sure that no steps are overlooked while executing a process. Recommended, but not for everybody.

The Middle Ages: A Graphic History by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel covers a period that too many folks assume they know everything about. It's an excellent overview for somebody new to the topic. In my case, it helped me see how everything fits together as well as giving me new insights into the period. Some folks might find parts of it too "woke" for their tastes, but those folks are wrong. Strongly recommended.

Something else to consider is a cheap paperback novel. A quick, light read might be welcome between more challenging material. I ended up not doing this, but it's an option I'm keeping in mind for next time.


What NOT To Pack

Accept that you'll be away from your gaming collection. Don't try to stuff your entire collection into your luggage. It's just a bad idea. Process that and move on. And plan accordingly.

My wife packed our copy of Bohnanza in case the family got restless, but we ended up not playing it. Carefully consider these kinds of options. Only bring a board or card game if you know you'll end up playing it. Otherwise, it will just be dead weight in your luggage.

I was tempted to bring a miniature, a small wet palette, a couple of brushes, and a few paints. It all didn't make the cut due to space limitations. It's just as well, there wasn't enough light in the place we were staying. My advice is to only consider this if you're really into miniature painting and know that you'll have the time and a suitable location to paint.

The forbidden boop. Nose of the orbiter Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center.

What To Do?

Visit a gaming related location in the area. This normally means a game store. However, a little research may yield a big surprise. I found out that the Warsenal shop is located a short distance from where we were staying. It was short visit, but buying some MDF terrain straight from the source was a novel experience.

Watch a movie. There were a couple of times when I found myself with time to kill and access to a TV. I used the time to for a couple of old favorites: I suspected that my testosterone levels were low and hoped to absorb some through osmosis by watching Predator (1987) again. I also sought inspiration for eventually running Mothership in Alien (1979).

The rest of the time? We had obligations, but enough free time to take the kids to see some of the sights. Otherwise, touch grass. Or sand. Or try to boop the nose of a space shuttle orbiter (it was out of reach). Or lick a rock from the Moon (also out of reach).

They call these things get aways for a reason. Relax for a bit.