I came back from Norway more than a week ago. And yes, it took me more than a week to get back on my feet. MidWinter turned out to be one of the most unlucky conventions I have ever been. The very first night in Norway I got high temperature, fever and soon after, in the morning it was f… clear – I have a flu.

Flu doesn’t work with snack bar food.

Flu doesn’t work with running demos at convention.

Flu doesn’t work with Norwegian weather. I felt super bad and yet, I was pushing it hard, everyday trying to be as long as possible at convention and run demos.

When I got home it was payback time.

***

Norway

The city and the area from what I managed to see during the first day is absolutely beautiful. It is exactly as you’d imagine Norway. Amazing small port city and green land with huge rocks, strong wind… The moment we landed, I knew I am in Norway and I loved it.

If you like to do sightseeing and board gaming in one weekend, visiting MidWinter is awesome option for you.

Norwegian folk. I mean Vikings.

Not all of them has a beard. And they are not fierce warriors. They are extremely friendly and kind people. Don’t have beards. Don’t hold axes. Are smiled, funny, and super kind.

Games

Selection of games was crazy. I have to say – most conventions I’ve been has a club library available. Here it was different – it was just games brought by geeks. And I have to say it – every single geek brought best games from his or her collection. From the hottest new games (X-Com, Imperial Assault) till the old great games (Imperial, 7 Wonders), from light games (Bausack, Splendor), till heavy beasts (Through the Ages). So many great titles. I was walking next to the library and I saw one title after another that I’d love to play.

If not this stupid flu…

Prices

Prices in Norway are highest in Europe. Considering the fact that I am from Poland, one of the poorest countries in Europe… You get the point. For a price of sandwich I could get dinner in Poland.

At one point I was really shocked – I was talking with Einar, chief of MidWinter and he said: ‘Games are very cheap, we buy a lot of them.’

That was a first time in my life when I heard a gamer saing ‘Games are cheap.’

That shows you level of prices of other products in Norway, huh? 🙂

Tournaments

There was crazy amount of tournaments and crazy amount of participants. Tournament for Imperial Settlers had 22 players, biggest in the world so far! People played tournament of King of Tokyo and Quirkle and PitchCar and Bausack… At casual conventions like that, with just free gaming so many tournaments is something unique.

I have to mention super fair play atmosphere during tournament of Imperial Settlers. I already posted about it on Instagram and Twitter – players were super friendly, were helping each other with rules, were supportive to their opponents. Let better player win was a motto, but let us play in a friendly way was even more important. Great approach.

If only the flu

MidWinter is a small convention held in a small beautiful city. I strongly recommend you to check flight tickets, look for good price or promotion and consider visiting a Norway. This is a stunning place you can visit and enjoy. And play some board games too.

I am super sad I had flu and I was not able to enjoy the convention in 100%. I hope to come back to MidWinter. It is definitely a place I want to come back! These are definitely people I want to meet again and play with them some cool games!

P.S. Probably I infected half of the population of the Norway with my flu. I am sorry.

Photos

Haugesund is a small municipality, only 73 km². The population is 34,619, giving the municipality a population density of 509 people per km².

The town is situated on a strategically important sound through which ships could pass without traversing heavy seas. In the early years the coastal waters off Haugesund were a huge source of herring, and the town grew accordingly. Despite being barely a village back then, King Harald Fairhair lived at Avaldsnes, very close to…

OK, let’s face it. I never heard about Haugesund and I don’t know anything about this city. And yet, I am about to go there this week!

***

It all began at Essen 2014. Bunch of cool guys from Norway gave me a tshirt with their club logo and took a picture with me. I was recognizing them from previous years, this was bunch of loyal gamers who were  visiting Portal Games every year.

They told me they do convention in Norway and that would be cool if I visit them some day.

‘When is it organized?’ I asked.

‘February’ they said.

‘You must be kidding me! Norway in February? Do I look like a fan of freezing temperatures?’ I replied.

‘It’s called MidWinter con. But trust us, it’s not that cold in Norway in February!’

I was rolling with laughter.

‘Guys we stay in touch, but chances that I’ll come are low. Just like temperatures in Norway in February.’ I said.

***

And here we are 3 months later – tomorrow I have flight to Haugesund. Flight is on 6 AM, I will have to get up 2 AM to get to airport. Doesn’t sound like fun. Low temperatures in Norway doesn’t sound like fun neither.

And yet, I am going to Haugesund.

Super cool gamers convinced me that this will be hell of a fun weekend. Believe it or not, I am sure, they are right. It’s gonna be fun. Norway, I am coming!

Portal Games is a company and as you guys know I am CEO of this company. I do business and I try to become billionaire. But besides that, besides trying to make huge money every day, I am trying to have fun. And I have to admit that this part about having fun is much more successful so far.

So once a while I try to make jokes, mock players whom I like (and know that they have sense of humor and won’t feel  offended). Like yesterday, when I was making fun of Tony from Rolling Dice and Taking Names who said that he sold his copy of Robinson Crusoe, because the game was all about problems with food, with wood, with wounds and beasts and that there is no moment of break from overhelming despair. So I designed a card for him.

Hello Tony! I don’t now how you’ll do it, but you better undone that deal… @DiceAndNames #episode57 pic.twitter.com/azvSgaO3or

— Portal Games (@trzewik) January 29, 2015

I mention this as an introduction to the joke I made to Willie Hung at BGG.con 2014. And since Willie mentioned this in his yesterday’s blog post I think it is a great moment to read about his adventures with Portal Games and him dealing with me…

• First part of the story
• Second part of the story
• Third part… ok, there is no third part. But you never know, you know… Maybe someday… 😉

Players sometimes ask me what soundtrack I recommend to listen to when they play one of my games, like Stronghold or Robinson Crusoe. I am known as thematic designer, my games are all about story and engagement of players and soundtrack seems like obvious choice.

Well, it is not.

I don’t play with soundtrack.

When I was playing RPG games I was all about building atmosphere and building tension and I was using music like a madman (or rather like DJ). I was changing songs and CDs all the time, I was playing slow music, fast music, epic music, depending on scene, depending on scenario I had everything earlier prepared – whole OST with different songs for each part of scenario. I was crazy.

Today when I play board games, I don’t use any music, I just focus on rules, games mechanism and I don’t want to be distracted by any soundtrack. OK, except the moment when I play X-Wing. You just can’t play it without OST, right?

Being that said…

Last week I watched Ricky Royal video dedicated to Voyage of the Beagle. And I have to say, little, subtle trick Ricky did struck me like a bolt. Ricky did not use a soundtrack. He used sound effects.

Play from 5:18 to see what I am talkin’ about. In a split of a second the theme is build. The same trick in his second video. Watch at 3:06

I think I am still not for soundtrack and music when I play board games. But such a special effects here and there… That would be freaking awesome. Watching these movies, hearing these sounds I felt like I was there. It was just a subtle touch, but hell, it worked!