Game Sessions: 2018 Preview – Ten by Ten(ish)

Setup

It is probably a good thing that I didn’t set any specific gaming goals for 2017 – I played the least in several years by pretty much all ways of counting plays (sessions, games, times per game, etc.). I started the year with the simple, “I will get more organized, pare down, and do and share more in 2017 in a way that increases the enjoyment of the hobby for my friends, my family and myself.” Since this goal isn’t quantifiable, it is hard to measure my success, but I think I can say confidently that I failed. However, I did get a lot more D&D played, which was a good thing.

This year I am looking at a “Ten by Ten(ish)” goal, which last year I knew I couldn’t commit. Although I don’t ever cheat at the game table, I will cheat on this goal right off the starting space.

Round 1: The Real Goals

Ultimately, I really want to play more:

1. Playtests of original designs.
2. D&D 5E.
3. RPGs other than D&D.
4. Newly acquired games.
5. Old games that I haven’t played in ages.

Round 2: The Ten(ish)

I call it “Ten(ish)” because I am applying a house rule to “ten plays of the same game” by allowing for categories to meet other goals. You’ll see what I mean as I go along. In order of preference:

1. Mutineers: An original card game that has several solo and 2 player playtests done.
2. Work in Progress: An original board game still in concept-to-prototype conversion.
3. D&D 5E: 10 in-game days, which basically equates to 10 sessions.
4. Pandemic Legacy: Season 2
5. Charterstone
6. Near and Far
7. RPGs other than D&D: 10 plays in any combination. (Top of list: Sign, Dialect, Call of Cthulhu, Fate, Genesys, 13^th Age).
8. Ticket to Ride: 10 games of any maps in combination. A bit unusual, but we are plying the France map to learn some geography of a country we like to visit.
9. New Games: 10 different games on my order list or “Shelf of Shame” other than ones specifically listed here. (Top of the list: Ethnos, Pandemic: Iberia, Exit the Game, Power Grid: First Sparks, Sail to India, Skyway Robbery, Colosseum)
10. Old Games: 10 different games that have been in my collection and neglected for 15 or more years. (Top of the list: Starfarers of Catan, Advanced Heroquest, 221B Baker Street, Battle Masters)  

End Game

Hopefully, I can meet this goal. Although I have cheated in using categories, that doesn’t necessarily make it easier to succeed.

Your Turn

What do you think about annual gaming goals? Do you set some for yourself? Do you usually meet them? Do you modify your behavior to meet a goal when it is contrary to what you really want to do (e.g., play a game on your “shelf of shame” instead of a game you really want to play)?