Pick Up & Deliver 856: Shelf of Opportunity Update
Transcript
Welcome to Pick Up and Deliver, the podcast, where I pick up my audio recorder as I step out for a walk and deliver an episode to you while I stroll around. I'm Brendan Riley. 
[ Intro music ]
Well, good morning listeners. It is an incredibly humid day here in suburban Chicago. The sky is sort of gray overcast, which is not the most pleasant, but you know, it's reasonable, reasonable weather. It's very humid though, like my little notes paper that I have in my hand is already getting a little wobbly. I've been outside about a minute and a half, so if I sound out of breath or hot, it's because it's incredibly warm out today. Or at least it's very humid. So. So it's not going to be very productive. All right. 
Well, I was thinking about what I should talk about with you today. We're halfway through the year, which I often use as an opportunity to reflect on a variety of different things, such as my shelf of opportunity or my progress in completing things for the year, that sort of thing. Uh. So in asking myself which what I should talk with you about, I thought I would do a shelf of opportunity review, but I have done that in the past, and I feel like just talking about the games again isn't going to be that interesting. So I've divided them into categories. So my shelf of opportunity is, uh, roughly one hundred games or so. It might be a little, little shy of that, but what I thought I would do is over the course of the next half hour or so, I'll go through the games and I'm going to have them put into categories and talk a little bit about why each game is in a in the category it's in. 
Part of this connects with the conversation that I'm going to have at some point in the future about games that I've gotten out of the dust and why they get dusty in the first place, and also why I talk about them or don't talk about them. This was an idea. You can find it on the Boardgamegeek forums in our guild number 3269, which you can find as a show a link in the show notes. There's an idea or a conversation Gabriel Edge put into our forum in response to my commenting about the out of the dust or the dustbin episodes where I go back and I say, here's the games I got out of the dust in the last few months and what I thought of them. His suggestion was to talk a little bit about, broadly speaking, in my game experience, why they are or aren't getting to the table, why are these games getting dusty and what do I think about them? I do find myself. 
This list will help me think a little bit more about the idea of the collection size, what size is appropriate? Because even though every year I say my goal is to have the collection get smaller, every year it gets bigger. It is currently, I think, as big as it has ever been. Six hundred and forty four at last check, which is partly because I got a bunch of games from a friend and I'm trying to decide what to do with them. At least a couple of them are going on the trade pile, and those will leave the collection again, but I mark them as owned while I have them. And so anyway, just thinking about that as well. 
So I've gotten this divided up and these aren't in any particular order except to say the most recent games acquired on my shelf of opportunity. Everything I've gotten since always Orloj the Prague Astronomical Clock and later is not being considered because it's just the reason it's on my shelf of opportunity is because it's brand new. I just got it. But everything else here has been on here at least a month and a half, maybe two months. And so I'm going to talk about, all right, 
the first half, there's a bunch of games that are on my shelf of opportunity because I collect, I have them, I purchase them to collect them, not to play them. Let's say I won't ever play them, but it's not high priority for me right now to get them played. These are games I bought because they were amusing looking. They were on a theme or an idea. They fit my collection somehow. So like for example, Titanic, the board game, I have that because I collect Titanic games. The cattlemen. Oh, that's also true of Raise the Titanic, uh, the cattlemen and outdoor survival I have just because they look, they're amusing. The cattlemen just looks silly. It's like a game from the seventies. Outdoor survival is like a solo adventure game, but it's also from the eighties, I think. So I have that one. Starship Troopers, same, same thing. It's more of a novelty and amusing old game than something I'm particularly excited about. And I do have the game survive, which later became survive. Escape from Atlantis almost without change. And I found the original edition at a goodwill. Um, I it's not playable right now. I have to 3D manufacture a few of the pieces. Reminds me. I need to get that done. 
I have two games that I got because a friend found them and then, uh. Rob. Hey. Thanks. Rob found them. And they're interesting as objects, but they're awful. They're like games made by, um, regressive politicals, uh, to make a political point. And they have imagery on them that's offensive and racist. So they are academic objects of study. That's political asylum and public assistance. And I have a number of, uh oh, and I also have stocks and bonds, which I got specifically because it's a 3M bookshelf game, I might end up giving that one away or trading it away, but right now I picked it up. I'm like, oh, that's interesting at least. Uh, and then I have three. I have Audubon bird spotting-opoly gone birding and birding game. These all look like bad bird games, but because I like birding. 
So those are games I've collected to collect games. They're not there on my shelf of opportunity because I keep track of if I've played them or not. But most of these I'm not really that motivated to play. 
Next up, I have some games that I acquired because of the theme. I think they're really interesting looking with regard to the theme, and I would like to play them, but I'm not. You know, all of these games are games I would like to play in various ways, but the whole point of this division is why haven't I played them? And so these ones are games that I like the theme, but they just haven't gotten played yet. One is Panic Station. This one also has been Not easy to play because it has pretty bad reviews online, although some people really like it and it's it's got prominence. Like it's not rated really horrible. There's a lot of games that are rated worse. Uh, this is a game sort of one of the first games I'm aware of that really tried to be the thing, the board game. That was before we had Dark Moon, which is kind of like Battlestar Galactica, the board game, but essentially the thing. And then after that, since then, we've had the thing infection at outpost thirty one, we've had who goes there and we've had the thing, the board game, all three of which again operate on the same, basically are building off the same story. Panic station is the game I'm talking about. 
Uh, the game Teramydd Earthsphere is a pirate, uh, airship game, which I just haven't gotten around to trying, in part because it's got these minis that it came with, but they're not assembled, so you have to glue them together. And I just finding the time to do that has been hard. I do also have the 3D model, so I could print all the models for the game, but that will take time as well and effort, and I just haven't made the time or effort. I do have the game though. So it's Teramydd Earthsphere. 
I have the pursuit of happiness, which I think sounds really fun, but I haven't found anyone who's like, yeah, I want to play that. So I just have the game. It's just sitting unplayed. The Princess Bride adventure book game just looks like a bit of silly fun. Again, I haven't found a time when it would fit. Mysterium Park and Deception Murder in Hong Kong are both games that I bought for theme because I was using them in a class and I've learned how to play them. I've taught them many times, but I've never actually played them myself. Mysterium Park is just like regular Mysterium, but a little shorter. And murder deception in Hong Kong. I have played, but I have not played since I bought a copy. 
Grimwood is a small card game that's themed around escaping from a dark forest looks fun. I just haven't had a chance to play it. And Monster Expedition is a small spin off game of Richard Garfield's Monster Carnival. I have played Monster Carnival now, but I haven't played Monster Expedition yet. So those are games that I have are acquired mostly because of their theme. They sound interesting for that way. 
Next up is a bunch of games that I have because of designer pedigree or game pedigree. What I mean by that is for designer pedigree, this is a designer that I. I really like their games and I know this is a game they made, so I want to try it. The other one, the game pedigree is the other way. This is the game I've heard is pretty interesting or good and I really wanted to try it. And so I acquired it in various ways, often through trades or through discount purchases. 
Most of these games, very few of these games were actually purchased at full price, although a couple of them were actually were they one of these games, Joan of Arc Orleans roll and write was purchased. That's designer pedigree. I like the guy who designed Orleans. It's not Rüdiger Dorn, huh? His name is not coming. Stockhausen. Reiner Stockhausen. I like the designer of Orleans, Reiner Stockhausen. I really like Altiplano. I really like Orleans. So I've. Orleans. I've gotten everything for. I just want all the new Orleans things comes out, I buy it. 
Martin Wallace, of course, is my favorite designer and so I have Moonga invaders, Liberté and Steam and Last Train to Wensleydale. These are all Martin Wallace games I've acquired in various levels of discount or trades, in part because I really like Martin Wallace. I want to try different games. He's designed the game infamy. I got on a clearance shelf, partly because it's designed by Travis Chance, who I first encountered what he designed, heroes wanted. He's been the lead designer at. He was the lead designer at indie Boards and Cards for a while, and then I believe he went to Colossal Games. I'm not sure where he is now, but I still see his name pop up here and there and I've enjoyed his designs. 
Uh, Kraftwagon, Vegas Showdown, Pret a Porter and Pan AM are all games again that I've in Chicago Express are all games that I've acquired based on their pedigree or their reputation, but I haven't played any of them myself. Um, but I'm looking forward to. So that is designer slash game pedigree. So the next section of games I call only so much time for crunchy. And the main thing here is I feel like all of these games have a fairly robust rulebook that I'm going to have to tackle before I can play them. 
And so these are games that I've had trouble getting onto the table because I just haven't taken the time, but also a combination of that plus How exciting they are to be able to bring out and say, hey, I want to play this game. You know, there's only so many times I can say, hey, I want to play this game. Like, I try to do that at least once a month at toggle. My ideal schedule would be twice a month. But part of helping run the group is I have a lot of obligations to other things. We also tend to use that time to do play testing. 
And so the combination of those things makes it pretty hard to get new crunchy games to the table. I also like to replay my old crunchy games that I enjoy. So those things together are tricky. So these are games that I have had difficulty getting to the table. So founders of Gloomhaven, Tekenhu obelisk of the sun, Imperial Diplomacy, homesteaders, Cooper Island, Salton Sea, Horseless Carriage, Teotihuacan, city of the gods, and Starship captains. Uh, my next category is games. I love the idea of them, and I'm excited to play them, but they're hard to schedule because they are big games. All right. 
We're cutting Diplomacy out of that previous one and putting it in here. These are games where I love the idea of them, but they're hard to schedule because they're big games they take. They often have a huge player count and they're tough to play. Diplomacy is one. Okay, so those are diplomacy. New Angeles. Merchant of Venus. Orleans. Stories and Stationfall. Merchant of Venus. I have on there because it's supposed to be very long. So that's why it's hard to schedule. And Orleans stories I have in there because it's a campaign game. And so you'll want to play it with a group of people over time. Now there's other games later that are campaign games that I have in a different category. This Orleans Stories is specifically here because like my wife isn't particularly fond of Orleans. So Orleans Stories is not going to be a game she and I are going to play right now.Next, we've got the second half of the love the idea hard to schedule category. This is love to. I love to love the idea. Hard to schedule small games. 
I have a number of games in my shelf opportunity that are games you play with a small player count and I have them there. They haven't gotten played because they're hard to schedule and generally they're hard to schedule and not games my wife really wants to play. So these are games. If I want to play them, I have to find a time to play a two player game with somebody who isn't my wife, who also would be interested in these games. 
So the first one is one more thing. This is a role playing game themed around basically around Colombo. One player plays a sort of absent minded but very clever detective. The other player plays a conniving but charming villain. The idea is you are supposed to role play a series of scenes that together make the most interesting television episode of Colombo that you can. It's the goal. Caverna cave versus cave. This is a two player version of the Leave a Rosenberg game. Caverna. I picked up the big box on sale. And so it's the big box of Caverna Cave versus cave. And I would like to try that at some point. Witness this one's hard to schedule. It's four people, not two. But it's hard to schedule because you have to schedule with people you're really comfortable with because you have to whisper in their ears, which is a hilarious and weird thing to do. A witness is a four four player game where you're whispering in people's ears the whole time 
Freedom, the Underground Railroad, plays two to four. I haven't played it because it's hard to schedule emotionally. It's going to be a game. You could almost put this in the game, a category of game I own because it is important academically. But so Funny Friends is a Friedmann Friese game that I think looks really amusing and actually plays like six. The hard to schedule part here is again, it's about sex and drugs and relationships and you're doing that with the other players in various ways. It's silly and weird, but also my level of comfort at which I want to be at a table with other people and be like, yeah, my character has sex with your character. I don't know. 
Uh, and then Ahoy is a game that is asymmetrical. It looks interesting and amusing. I do want to play this one. This maybe could have gone into other categories, but again, hard to schedule like route because it's complicated and small. So I love the idea. Hard to schedule small. All right. 
My next category is a big one. These are games that are that I own. Here's why I own them. And then they've been hard to play for a variety of reasons, but really just low priority, in part because I picked them up in a way. Like I didn't drop sixty bucks on these games. I dropped three bucks or five bucks, or I got them free. It lowers them on my priority list. We've got five points. Gangs of New York Volke, space freaks, circadian first Light adventure Games, The Dungeon, Pandora Merchants, fallen Angel, Penny arcade, Rumble and Relay, Sid Meier's Civilization Second Edition, Rome and Roll Thunder Alley hand to hand combat Top Gun strategy game. Rocket Ville, Viceroy DoCoMo Fire and axe A Viking saga lost legacy. The Starship Ice cool two root birds of balance. Bird Call G-Shock. Honor of the Samurai Arcana cover your assets and Tiny Giants moving furniture. All of those are games that I either got at the thrift store for like three dollars or I got them in trade, or I got them for free. 
But Brendan, you ask if you got them in trade, why aren't you excited about them? Didn't you trade for them? Sure I did, but often my trades are focused on, you know, I do them in the math trade. And sometimes I'm trading away games that have very little value. And the question then is how do I what games can I get in exchange for these games that I think have very little value? And so I often will mark anything I'm even moderately interested in as a trade possibility for this game that I don't want anymore and has very little value. So I don't remember what I traded for fire and acts of Viking Saga, but whatever it is, I thought it was roughly equivalent in value. And I'm interested in trying fire and acts of Viking Saga, but it's low on my priority list. So games that have gotten trade are that way. 
Next up, solos I haven't gotten to yet. I do have a couple solo games. I don't buy a ton of these, but I have a couple of them. Uh, pulp romance, Gloomhaven Buttons and Bugs and Warhammer Quest, the adventure card game. Now that third one, I think you could play in groups, but I suspect I will end up playing it solo. And so those are games I want to play at some point. I've gotten them in solo. They're solo games and I just haven't gotten around to it. 
Next up, we have games. Someday we'll get to it. These are games that are campaign games of some sort. I will probably play them with my usual group who plays campaign games, but that group is pretty small. In fact, I only have one group where we usually play campaign games, and the option for playing that is pretty limited. But these don't go bad. So I've got Zombie Kidz Evolution, this one. I don't know who I'll play this with. I might end up soloing this just because it's it doesn't fit the other categories. But then we have Clank legacy acquisitions incorporated the rise of Queensdale. The gloom of Killingworth and Jurassic World legacy. All of these games are excited to play Jurassic World legacy. Maybe is my top excitement on that list, but I'm also very interested in Clank and Rise of Queensdale. 
All of these games are tricky to get to the table because their campaign games. And then I have a few games that I would put in the genuinely eager and excited category. So these are games that I'm really excited to play. If anybody at my board game club says, hey, I'd really like to try one of these, I'd be like, absolutely, I'll bring it next week. I'm very excited for it. Uh, I just, you know, for various reasons, haven't gotten to the table. Uh, and those are Arkham Horror third edition, high Rise perseverance, castaway Chronicles, episodes three and four, vampire the Masquerade, vendetta fame, her story, and the Druids of Adora. 
So these games, if I wasn't allowed to have the genuinely excited or top of my excitement list for my shelf of opportunity, These games would all end up in some of those other categories, like Druids of Adora would go into too much crunchy, only so much time for Crunchy or Arkham Horror third edition would go into the love to play but hard to schedule big games category. That's kind of where I land on those. Uh. And finally, I do have a few games that are still pretty new, so I haven't I'm not categorizing them yet because I haven't, I don't think they've been on the shelf long enough to be, to need categorizing and categorization. That is Orloj the Prague Astronomical Clock. Recall, Fantastic factories, Dragon Fire Chronicles of Crime, fourteen hundred Nidavellir and danger danger. So that's I've covered my shelf of opportunity, giving you an update. Organize things in a different way, which hopefully makes them more fun. 
I'd love to hear from you. What game? What are your top games? You know, I said games I'm most eager to play that have been on the shelf a little while. What are some of your top games games you're most eager to play on your shelf of opportunity? Share those thoughts with me over on Boardgamegeek and Guild 3269, and maybe the other members of the guild will chime in as well. We can have a whole. We can have a whole group conversation about which games we're most excited to play and why. Well, that's about it for me today. I want to say thank you for joining me on my walk, and I hope that your next walk is as pleasant as mine was. Bye bye. 
[ Exit music ]
Brought to you by Rattlebox games.