Origins 2014 Pictorial Recap

Greetings dear readers! It’s summertime once again, and we all know what that means – it’s convention season! One of our favorite conventions of the year is Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio. For the past three years, Dice Hate Me Games has had a booth at the fair, and it has always been an amazing experience. Of course, working the booth is only part of the fun at the convention; eating, drinking, and gaming with good friends makes the trip even more special.

So, without further ado, here is a pictorial recap of our adventures at Origins 2014. Enjoy!

Before heading out from DHMG HQ, Stephanie Straw sacrifices her fingers and thumbs to create a beautiful Brew Crafters prototype.

Before heading out from DHMG HQ, Stephanie Straw sacrifices her fingers and thumbs to create a beautiful Brew Crafters prototype.

This year, the Mini had to get an upgrade so we could load up all the games and goodies for the con!

This year, the Mini had to get an upgrade so we could load up all the games and goodies for the con!

Tuesday night Stephanie and I met up with Ruth, Tiffany, Darrell and TC to check out the empty booth. I have no idea what's going on in this photo.

Tuesday night Stephanie and I met up with Ruth, Tiffany, Darrell and TC to check out the empty booth. I have no idea what’s going on in this photo.

Our favorite little gaming spot at Origins is the Big Bar on 2 in the Hyatt. Here, TC acts creepy. Well, creepier than usual.

Our favorite little gaming spot at Origins is the Big Bar on 2 in the Hyatt. Here, TC acts creepy. Well, creepier than usual.

Sonne und Mond! I didn't get a chance to play, but the cards and art are amazing.

Sonne und Mond! I didn’t get a chance to play, but the cards and art are amazing.

Darrell is not too crazy about his roll in Wurfel Bohnanza. The dice version of the classic card game might just be better than the original!

Darrell is not too crazy about his roll in Wurfel Bohnanza. The dice version of the classic card game might just be better than the original!

 

Darrell's mini game, Bottom of the Ninth, got a ton of play at the con. He and Mike Mullins created the baseball game on a whim at PAX East and the game is already publish-ready.

Darrell’s mini game, Bottom of the Ninth, got a ton of play at the con. He and Mike Mullins created the baseball game on a whim at PAX East and the game is already publish-ready.

Matt Wolfe tries his hand at bat in Bottom of the Ninth.

Matt Wolfe tries his hand at bat in Bottom of the Ninth.

Since we had a huge group at the bar, we decided to break out Don't Get Eated from TC. Look for Don't Get Eated from Dice Hate Me Games on Kickstarter early next year!

Since we had a huge group at the bar, we decided to break out Don’t Get Eated from TC. Look for Don’t Get Eated from Dice Hate Me Games on Kickstarter early next year!

Don't Get Eated even has a spinner! And it's awesome.

Don’t Get Eated even has a spinner! And it’s awesome.

The seedy side of Origins After Dark at Char Bar.

The seedy side of Origins After Dark at Char Bar.

The double-sized Dice Hate Me Games booth!

The double-sized Dice Hate Me Games booth!

The Stronghold Games booth, home of our convention buddy and booth island partner Stephen Buonocore.

The Stronghold Games booth, home of our convention buddy and booth island partner Stephen Buonocore.

Our corner of the con in the exhibitor's hall.

Our corner of the con in the exhibitor’s hall.

A flurry of action in the booth playing Diner before heading out to eat on set-up day.

A flurry of action in the booth playing Diner before heading out to eat on set-up day.

An Origins tradition - BD's Mongolian Wok.

An Origins tradition – BD’s Mongolian Wok.

Late night Marvel Dice Masters with Darrell Louder. We wanted to get in some practice before our sealed booster draft tournament later in the week.

Late night Marvel Dice Masters with Darrell Louder. We wanted to get in some practice before our sealed booster draft tournament later in the week.

Launius!

Launius!

Our good buddy and leader of The Geek All-Stars, Dan Patriss, teaches Belle of the Ball in the booth on opening day.

Our good buddy and leader of The Geek All-Stars, Dan Patriss, teaches Belle of the Ball in the booth on opening day.

Darrell running demos of Compounded in the booth. That table was never empty.

Darrell running demos of Compounded in the booth. That table was never empty.

The Great Heartland Hauling Co. designer Jason Kotarski signs a copy for a fan. We sold out of the game in a day and a half!

The Great Heartland Hauling Co. designer Jason Kotarski signs a copy for a fan. We sold out of the game in a day and a half!

Stephanie throws down against a challenger in Angry Dice.

Stephanie throws down against a challenger in Angry Dice.

Diner!

Diner!

TC cuddles up with the Dice Hate Me Games floor cling - proving, once again, that I can't have nice things.

TC cuddles up with the Dice Hate Me Games floor cling – proving, once again, that I can’t have nice things.

Matt Riddle steals my seat in a game of Glass Road.

Matt Riddle steals my seat in a game of Glass Road.

An after-hours demo run of Brew Crafters! The game was played several time during the convention and the buzz was really high.

An after-hours demo run of Brew Crafters! The game was played several time during the convention and the buzz was really high.

Splendor! I wasn't exactly impressed by my first play of this game, but that may have been because of all the hype.

Splendor! I wasn’t exactly impressed by my first play of this game, but that may have been because of all the hype.

One of the cutest games of the con was Fun Farm. Several of us brought copies home. Here, Stephanie demonstrates her cat-like reflexes and Rain Man brain. It was pretty ridiculous trying to play against her.

One of the cutest games of the con was Fun Farm. Several of us brought copies home. Here, Stephanie demonstrates her cat-like reflexes and Rain Man brain. It was pretty ridiculous trying to play against her.

This was one of my favorite moments of the con - a couple of minutes before Ken Grazier proposed to his girlfriend Sam during a game of Compounded.

This was one of my favorite moments of the con – a couple of minutes before Ken Grazier proposed to his girlfriend Sam during a game of Compounded.

TC demonstrates VivaJava Dice for The Dice Tower.

TC demonstrates VivaJava Dice for The Dice Tower.

The heart of the booth!

The heart of the booth!

I got a big shock Friday night - a surprise 40th birthday party thrown for me at The Three-Legged Mare.

I got a big shock Friday night – a surprise 40th birthday party thrown for me at The Three-Legged Mare.

My awful/awesome friends! Probably one of my most memorable birthday celebrations.

My awful/awesome friends! Probably one of my most memorable birthday celebrations.

The amazing cake! Of course TC Petty III steals the spotlight, once again.

The amazing cake! Of course TC Petty III steals the spotlight, once again.

The Watch It Played card game, designed by Seth Jaffee. In the game, you're trying to create the most buzz around your board game videos. The humor in the game is great, with hilarious user names and video comments that anyone who is familiar with the hobby will find spot on.

The Watch It Played card game, designed by Seth Jaffee. In the game, you’re trying to create the most buzz around your board game videos. The humor in the game is great, with hilarious user names and video comments that anyone who is familiar with the hobby will find spot on.

Camp Khaki with designer Jason Kotarski. In the game, players are playing scouts on a retreat, trying to take pictures of nature and earn merit badges. There is a unique "messy card" mechanic that is a ton of fun.

Camp Khaki with designer Jason Kotarski. In the game, players are playing scouts on a retreat, trying to take pictures of nature and earn merit badges. There is a unique “messy card” mechanic that is a ton of fun.

Matt Riddle and Ben Pinchback join the Dice Hate Me Games booth to show off their real-time dice-rolling racing game, Monster Truck Mayhem. Mayhem did, indeed, ensue and the game drew a big crowd to the booth. Look for Monster Truck Mayhem from Dice Hate Me Games in spring of 2015!

Matt Riddle and Ben Pinchback join the Dice Hate Me Games booth to show off their real-time dice-rolling racing game, Monster Truck Mayhem. Mayhem did, indeed, ensue and the game drew a big crowd to the booth. Look for Monster Truck Mayhem from Dice Hate Me Games in spring of 2015!

Diner action with game designer Matthew O'Malley! Diner will be available for retail in September.

Diner action with game designer Matthew O’Malley! Diner will be available for retail in September.

Marvel Dice Masters tourney at the Big Bar on 2! All of us were really into it. Well, most of us, anyway.

Marvel Dice Masters tourney at the Big Bar on 2! All of us were really into it. Well, most of us, anyway.

Wizkids had some previews of the dice from the upcoming Marvel Dice Masters X-Men expansion.

Wizkids had some previews of the dice from the upcoming Marvel Dice Masters X-Men expansion.

New Bedford in the DHMG booth on Sunday morning. New Bedford will be on Kickstarter this fall!

New Bedford in the DHMG booth on Sunday morning. New Bedford will be on Kickstarter this fall!

It wouldn't be Origins without the plague bin over at the Chessex booth.

It wouldn’t be Origins without the plague bin over at the Chessex booth.

Caption this.

Caption this.

Playing Roll For It! at the Three-Legged Mare on Sunday night.

Playing Roll For It! at the Three-Legged Mare on Sunday night.

Blueprints at the Big Bar on 2. I still have yet to play this game, even though I ruined a copy with a glass of whiskey at Unpub 4.

Blueprints at the Big Bar on 2. I still have yet to play this game, even though I ruined a copy with a glass of whiskey at Unpub 4.

Fasttrack from Blue Orange Games! This classic dexterity game is the perfect bar game, and I highly recommend it for anyone's collection.

Fasttrack from Blue Orange Games! This classic dexterity game is the perfect bar game, and I highly recommend it for anyone’s collection.

Darrell decides that TC's face is a better canvas than the transparency sheets in Doodle Quest.

Darrell decides that TC’s face is a better canvas than the transparency sheets in Doodle Quest.

Doodle Quest was surprisingly fun and challenging. I wish I had picked up a copy at the show.

Doodle Quest was surprisingly fun and challenging. I wish I had picked up a copy at the show.

Stephanie hugs it out with a poofy Kaiju on our last day at Origins.

Stephanie hugs it out with a poofy Kaiju on our last day at Origins.

That wraps it up for Origins 2014. Hope to see you all at Origins 2015!

Related posts:

  1. The State of Games, Episode 66 – The One About Origins 2014
  2. PrezCon 2014 Pictorial Wrap-up
  3. Origins 2012 Photo Recap – A Publisher’s Perspective
  4. GenCon 2012 – A Pictorial Recap
  5. The State of Games, Episode 47 – The One About Origins 2013
Comments
2 Responses to “Origins 2014 Pictorial Recap”
  1. Paul Owen says:

    I gotta say, whoever decorated that birthday cake is a master.

    And the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the “Caption this” photo was “Dice bag lady.”

    Thanks for sharing all the photos!

  2. Agreed, that cake is amazing. The angry die with the birthday hat on the banner is a nice touch too.

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