The Treehouse Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Once upon a time (well, in September 2022, actually), to celebrate The Treehouse’s fifth birthday, we had our first go at running a Megagame. You can find out all about what happened during our first run of Watch the Skies, and get an overview of what on Earth (and off Earth) it actually is, in our previous blog post here.
We came away from the previous experience exhausted, exhilarated, and bubbling with ideas for what we wanted to do ‘next time’. Perhaps, in retrospect, we had TOO MANY ideas for tweaks and changes, because it then took us over a year to get our ducks into anything resembling a row and announce the next game. But finally, the day dawned… our second run of Watch the Skies took place on Friday 26th January, and once again, it was a TOTAL BLAST.
This time, a reasonable proportion of those in attendance had played the game before, but no problem! We had plenty of plot twists and new mechanics the keep things fresh, not to mention some nifty new game components, and even a brand new type of team in the mix. Read on for some of the headline changes in this year’s game, some actual news headlines from the in-game newspaper, and lots of pictures to give you a feel for what went down.
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Ringing the changesWe gave a decent overview of how Watch the Skies works in our previous post, so rather than recapping all that, we’re going to jump straight in what what was different this time. Here goes…
Change #1: More goings on in spaceOne impression that we came away with from the last game was that the alien team spent a lot of the game off on their ‘moon base’ (in reality, one of our front rooms), a little separate from the main action of the game, and having to make their own fun. This time, we gave the aliens plenty to keep them occupied: an ‘anomaly’ to track down on the surface of Earth, some resource scarcity to deal with, and last but not least, multiple factions within their number with varying levels of compassion for humanity to add a little spice.
The players rose to this selection of challenges magnificently: meet the Aparians, sent to Earth to destroy a potential threat from another dimension… and possibly humanity at the same time.
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Change #2: An evil(?) corporationIn the original version of Watch the Skies there are three types of team: human teams, each representing the government of a nation of Earth, the alien team, lately arrived from outer space, and the global press, who disseminate knowledge within the game, communicating with whoever will give them good copy. This time, we added a fourth type of team: a global corporation, trading in technology and knowledge, with their own shadowy aims, almost certainly involving making a vast amount of money. Introducing… MILK Incorporated, headed up by two of our own team, James and Sam (yes, they both work behind our bar making coffees and milkshakes, in case you were wondering about the name!).
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Change #3: More cool spaceships and stuffI’ll mainly let the pictures do the talking here, but suffice it to say that Andy has been busy for weeks gluing, painting and laser cutting to make some super-nifty bits and bobs to pimp our copy of Watch the Skies. He even hand-painted some custom dice. We hope you enjoyed his efforts! He was sad that you didn’t get to use his ‘nuclear winter’ tracker, just so you know.
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Change #4: Cthulhu & friends!Given that we had lots of returning players this time, we needed a major plot twist to mix things up. We had no shortage of ideas for this, but we eventually decided to go Lovecraftian. The ‘anomaly’ the alien team had been sent to Earth search for and destroy had a strongly Cthulhu-esque flavour, and was proceeded by slimy creatures emerging from the world’s oceans and attacking coastal areas. This concept also let us whop out some awesome miniatures onto the main map… pretty cool, we hope you agree!
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There were a few more smaller tweaks (More science! Magnetic words! Multiple Twitter accounts!) but those are the headlines. If you have any ideas or suggestions for changes or features you’d like to see in a future game, please drop us a line.
In terms of what actually happened during the game, as we found last time, forty people playing a game all day generates a whole lot of stories! We’ll let the global media do the hard work for us - check out the eight issues of the in-game news paper, created by the press team live each round, in the gallery below.
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Before we leave you with some more pictures of the day’s antics, we wanted to wrap up by saying a huge ‘thank you’ to all the players who took part in Friday’s game. It truly does fill us with delight that there are 40 people willing to skip work to play a game with us all day, and we’re so grateful to you for having enough faith in us to make this kind of commitment!
We also loved all the personal touches that players brought to the game, from the USA team’s exceptional outfits, to the French team’s incredible assortment of snacks, to the Russian team’s set of Russian dolls featuring Russian leaders through history. These details really do bring the whole thing to life and create the setting for a memorable experience for everyone. Thank you so much for joining us, and we hope we’ll see you again… next time.
Finally, if you’ve got the Megagame bug and you can’t wait for us to gather ourselves together for another run, we highly recommend checking out Megagame Assembly for details of other games going on around the country, and even ways to get started with running your very own megagame.
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Starting in 2023, The Treehouse board game cafe will be expanding its offerings to include something quite special — our first ever live-action roleplaying game (or LARP, for short)! **LARP at the Treehouse: Changeling** will be a three-part event taking place on the third Sundays of January, February and March, kicking off with a free character creation session on January 8th.
This exciting game, of the variety known as “chamber LARP", comes to us from Jon Fry and Erin Marsh, local LARPers with a particular focus on making the game as accessible for newcomers as possible. Because we know there will be plenty of you who might not have taken part in a LARP before, we sat down with Jon and Erin and asked them a few questions about what to expect.
Photography: Oliver Facey
Please tell us about yourselves - what first got you into LARPing, and what are some of the games you've been involved with since then?
Erin: I first got into LARP as a drama student when a friend invited me to Empire LRP. I turned up in a t-shirt I’d mangled in a sewing machine and no real idea of what to expect having never roleplayed at all, but the atmosphere drew me in and there was no question of whether I’d be going back!
I now write plot for Empire, and am a frequent face playing NPCs at LARPs around the country. I’ve run both in person events and online larps both as half of Bobbit Worm Games and solo projects.
Jon: My introduction to LARP was actually a Changeling game! I’d done a fair bit of tabletop already, and something about the extra level of immersion - the potential for so many things to unfold at once - got me hooked. I organised a few games through my local group, and eventually made my way on to the Plot Team at Empire LRP.
Over the pandemic, when basically every game was on pause, I ran a short Changeling campaign for Erin and some friends, which eventually brought us full circle to thinking about running this game!
Photography: Kay Tee Chard
If you had to give an elevator pitch to attract new players into LARPing, what would you say?
Erin: At its core, LARP is about coming together with other people and exploring a story that none of you could tell alone. People come for lots of different reasons: wanting to act out a role; looking for something more immersive than tabletop or videogames; making music or other performances; crafting flashy costumes. But strip all of that away and there’s no feeling quite like your heartbeat racing as you wait to see the consequences of your actions, or just sitting back and bathing in the atmosphere of a group of people creating a world together.
For those who picture LARPing as wearing costumes in a field, please could you explain a bit about chamber LARPs - what do these involve, and what do players spend their time doing during a game?
Jon: The focus is generally on social interactions, which might be very political and strategic or just hanging out as your characters. There’s also space for very personal storytelling, one of the central themes of Changeling is having your life turned completely upside down by a magical, incomprehensible experience, and trying to make sense of what to do next.
That said, all those things are often possible in “field” LARPs too, so I suppose the biggest difference is that there are fewer rules, and no dramatic combat or spell-slinging. Problems are more likely to be solved with discussion, negotiation, and problem-solving.
Photography: Beth Dooner
Tell us a bit about the world of Changeling - what's the backstory here for those who don't know, and what made you choose this universe as the setting for this game?
Jon: Changeling is an “urban fantasy” game, with some horror elements. It’s a modern-day setting, with the addition of magical Fae creatures hidden from most of the world. The player characters are people who have been held captive in Arcadia (the Fae realm) and recently escaped. Their time away changes them - maybe they were turned into a bird and now have a beautiful singing voice, or were made to fight for sport and find themselves more aggressive than they were before. The game focuses on their attempts to get back to their lives, and facing the possibility of their former captors tracking them down…
Part of the appeal of this setting is that it’s very easy to prepare for as a player - it takes place in Sheffield, and all the characters have only recently escaped, so there’s not much world lore to learn.
What I like most about it is the potential to be quite bittersweet, profound, or plain silly - sometimes all at once.
Photography: Passed Wonder
Please could you say a little about what preparation would be involved for those who would like to take part in your game at The Treehouse.
Erin: Not much! This isn’t a game which needs much advance thinking at all. We’re going to hold an informal meet-and-greet where we can help with any questions about the game or how to prepare for it, but it all really boils down to:
- Work out who your character was before they were taken by the Fae
- Decide how their time in Arcadia changed them
You can use those two points to fill out a short character creation form and begin to think about any extra things that would help you feel more like your character, like deciding what to wear (that could be costume you craft, or it could literally be a t-shirt and jeans), how they might approach people or what their goals for the future could be.
Here’s a quick example: Beth worked on grocery shop checkouts, occasionally nicking more exotic fruits to impress the still-life artist she had a crush on. She was taken to Arcadia when she got lost hiking in the Peak District. Whilst trapped, she whiled away an impossible amount of time picking gold and silver berries for the plate of the fae lord. Since returning, all food is dull and tasteless to her. She wants to find out more about the fae lord she served, and make him pick his own damn fruit.
Thanks to Jon and Erin for bringing this idea to the Treehouse, and contributing their wisdom to this blog! To book your Season Pass for LARP at the Treehouse: Changeling, check out the January event listing here.
On 23rd September 2022, The Treehouse ran a megagame. A month on from Watch the Skies, we look back at a memorable day full of highlights and chaos, and ask: what on (and off) Earth just happened?
The Treehouse is thrilled to be joining the ranks of many gaming stores and groups worldwide by entering into the Pathfinder Society! Read on more to find out more about this roleplaying campaign on an epic scale…
What do you do if being put on the spot to create makes you cringe but you want your happily ever after? This month’s agony aunt question has some advice for those seeking a narrative in their gaming. Read on for game recommendations that involve some storytelling for those who want to dip a toe in the water but don’t want to get in too deep - yet.
As we prepare to make a triumphant return to the world of Solken in our upcoming roleplaying season, our GMs have put together this handy primer to the world and its inhabitants.
Maybe you’re planning a low-key Christmas this year, or maybe you’re after a back-up in case the big get-together doesn’t quite go to plan. Great games for two players are always useful to have around in our experience. In our final ‘top five’ of the year, here are some of our current favourites…
Looking for games to engage a younger audience this Christmas? Presenting our top 5 family games, all chosen to entertain a range of age groups and spark some multi-generational family fun!
Got a geek in your life who's hard to shop for? Presenting our Top 5 Gifts for Board Game Geeks! The games in this list are all fairly recent releases or slightly obscure so it's unlikely they'll already own them, and they are also all VERY GOOD INDEED.
Looking for gifts at the smaller end of the spectrum? Presenting our top 5 stocking fillers, all packing a LOT of fun into a little box!
Thinking ahead to board games for Christmas but in need of some inspiration? Welcome to the first in a series of ‘top 5’ lists we’ll be providing throughout December!
Small box card games are exactly what they say on the tin… sometimes literally. These games are deceptively simple but really, size is all that many of them have in common. Read on to find out more about the microcosm of game themes, mechanics and enjoyment contained within these tiny packages!
Do you ever worry that you may be a little too competitive on game night? If this is a problem for you or the other players, or if you just want some more gentle game recommendations, check out Treehouse board gaming agony aunt Chella's third column, where she helps out a self-confessed 'board game bh'. (And just a heads up for those reading on a browser with a strict firewall that only the title uses stars in the word bh...)
With our roleplaying programme getting fully back up to speed later this month, we thought we would take the opportunity to introduce you to our team of professional Game Moderators. If you’ve ever been involved with roleplaying sessions at the Treehouse, there’s a good chance you’ll recognise at least one of these faces, but consider this an opportunity to properly get acquainted. We’ve asked each of them to describe themselves in their own words - enjoy!
OK parents and carers, it's the final countdown! It's the last gasp of the holidays before kids head back to their day jobs, and Team Treehouse are here to recommend a few 'sure to please' games for different age groups to end the season with a bang, not a fizzle.
In her second column, Treehouse board gaming agony aunt Chella responds to someone who read her first column “Help! I’m dating a gameplainer!” with a sinking feeling…
With most exotic destinations still largely off the cards for holidays this summer, we’ve put together a round-up of great travel games suitable to pack in rucksack, play on the beach, or hole up with on a campsite if our less-than-reliable British weather fails to cooperate.
Today we introduce a brand new feature to The Treehouse blog: an agony aunt column, in which the Treehouse team answer your questions, from serious to silly, on all topics board game-related!
Strange circumstances make you appreciate familiar things in a new way. As the centre of the online board gaming community since time began, BoardGameGeek has become easy to take for granted, but after hanging out with “The Geek” a whole lot of late, I wanted to celebrate what makes the site so special. Read on for tips to help beginners scratch the surface, some SUPER-geeky trivia, and how to harness BGG’s awesome power to let you pick the perfect game from The Treehouse library!
… Play on, but please stop eating the components, it’s not as sexy as you think it is. It’s a well-known fact that couples who play together… have more fun stuff to do in lockdown. Low player counts are where it’s at for most of us right now, and at a time when we all have limited options available for Valentine’s Day, we’ve been thinking about our top choices for turning games night into date night.
At a time when pretty much all of us have got more to deal with than usual as well as more limited resources for cheering ourselves up, it makes sense to tap into all the possible sources of enjoyment and delight available. Read on for a personal reflection on how board games have helped me through lockdown so far and why I think they’re such a powerful mood-boosting tool.
With family gatherings officially ‘a thing’ this year but pubs closed and parties off the cards, festive fun might need a bit of a helping hand this season. The good news is, board games are the best they’ve ever been and they’re here for us in our hour of need! Read on for our top Christmas picks for 2020…
Way back in March when the world was young, we put together a handful of posts covering various approaches to remote gaming. Now that we’re back in our boxes for lockdown 2, we thought it might be interesting to find out what the Treehouse team are playing at the moment and how. Come with us as we head out on a virtual tour of the Treehouse neighbourhood…
The nights are drawing in and there’s a smell of pumpkin spice on the breeze… it can only mean one thing: Halloween is nigh. For those looking for ways to get into the Spook Zone without throwing a party or leaving your house, board games are a great option. Here are our top choices for Halloween…
Looking for a social activity that’s basically COVID-proof? Allow us to present… two-player board games! If you’re lucky enough to live with at least one other person of a game-playing age and inclination, this is a fun thing you can do without the leaving the house, inviting anyone round, or (once you have the game), even spending money!
There’s no getting round it: this week’s new ‘rule of six’ has been bad news for party plans across the UK. But fear not - we’ve arrived on your doorstep half an hour early, clutching a big bag of board games to make everything better! Because everyone wants that person at their party, right?
The third video in our ‘quick teaches’ series covers family-friendly jungle bingo favourite, Karuba! On your marks, treasure seekers…
The second in our ‘quick teaches’ series introduces quick-thinking, fast grabbing game Cobra Paw! Fingers at the ready…
The first in a new series of ‘quick teach’ videos in which some of our crack team of Games Gurus introduce you to a game they’re excited about at the moment. This time featuring: The Crew - Quest for for Planet 9
Attention roleplayers, experienced and aspiring! If you’re currently craving adventure but are unable to get together with a group, expert Treehouse Dungeon Master Henry is here to help, with some advice on how to get started with online roleplaying platform Roll20…
Greetings couch-dwellers!
Today we’re talking to Treehouse Games Guru James to find out more about Tabletop Simulator, and why he would recommend it for new and experienced gamers alike…
After an update on the general state of play at The Treehouse during the Coronavirus lockdown, we discuss ways to play games online with people in other places, and shine the spotlight on Jackbox games as a way to have a virtual party, before wrapping up with some announcements on what's coming up over the next few weeks.
If you enjoyed this episode and would like to help support The Treehouse while we're closed, you can make a small contribution here.
Links from the episode:
Tabletopia
Tabletop Simulator on Steam
Jackbox Party Pack
This week Team Treehouse have been experimenting with playing board games using Zoom as a fun way to (virtually) spend time with friends and family in other locations. Here are the findings of our research…
Although The Treehouse is currently closed, our mission to help people have fun together through play is alive and well! Read on for some suggestions on how to keep on gaming during these strangest of times when connecting with people is more challenging and important than ever before.
Hey everyone, welcome back to The Treehouse blog! This month we’re talking to Jenny, one of our crack team of Games Masters, about why everyone should try roleplaying, regardless of gender, and about what to expect from her upcoming season, Ms Havelock’s School for Girls.
After a trip to King's Crossing, the team brew up a potion of excitement for Quacks of Quedlinburg, relate their favourite moments in narrative gaming, and then get as evangelical as they ever have about a game that isn't even in the game library.
The Treehouse
Quacks of Quedlinburg on BoardGameGeek
Nemesis on BoardGameGeek
T.I.M.E. Stories on BoardGameGeek
Gloomhaven on BoardGameGeek
A game can be many things - a board on a table, a ball in a field, or even just a story. But can a game be anything?
After a perfect storm of randomness, the team enthuse about Dice Forge, set hypotheticals for two-player games, and become one another's Muse.
The Treehouse
Dice Forge on BoardGameGeek
Timeline on BoardGameGeek
Go on Wikipedia
Onitama on BoardGameGeek
Twilight Struggle on BoardGameGeek
Muse on BoardGameGeek
After a trip through time, the team carefully balance their views of Tokyo Highway, fail to solve the problem of hype, and discuss the perfectly imperfect Dominion.
The Treehouse
Tokyo Highway
Stonehenge and the Sun
Gen7
KeyForge
Dominion
After a mixup with head office, the team get cozy with Ex Libris, get frugal with a cheap-to-free board game collection, and get positively warlike with 7 Wonders.
The Treehouse
Ex Libris on BoardGameGeek
Secret Hitler
Wibbell on BoardGameGeek
Monikers
7 Wonders on BoardGameGeek
After a PR disaster, the team fall in love with KeyForge, give some tips on the best family games for Christmas, and gamble their docks away in Port Royal.
The Treehouse
KeyForge on BoardGameGeek
Port Royal on BoardGameGeek
When I was first getting into board gaming, there was a lot I didn’t know. Even more than that, I didn’t know there was anything to know! I was having fun playing one game, then I’d move over to another. It never really occurred to me that there was a whole world connecting all these games to one another.
After a tour through victory, the team discuss strategy and lasers in Khet, recall their experiences with escape rooms, and guests Ruth and Andy Haigh bring us deep underground in Sub Terra.
Links:
The Treehouse
Khet on BoardGameGeek
The Great Escape Game
Sub Terra on BoardGameGeek
Even if I did have magical telekinetic board gaming powers, I wouldn’t know how to use them. Sure, I could cheat at games, cause havoc with components, and shuffle every deck of Dominion at the same time, but I wouldn’t make any friends doing it. And without friends, board gaming isn’t much fun.
After a touching father-son moment, the team sing the praises of Century: Eastern Wonders, interview megagame designer Jon Gracey, and guest game guru (and local astronaut) Joe Bernard brings in the surprisingly sleek Small World.
Links:
The Treehouse
Century: Eastern Wonders on BoardGameGeek
Jon Gracey on Twitter
Small World on BoardGameGeek
My job is fun. I don’t mean that I have fun doing my job (although I do), but rather that I am in the business of fun. After a year of working at the Treehouse, I’ve helped hundreds of customers find the games they need at any given moment. It really is the best part of my job, but it’s far from easy.
After an emergency call from the leaders of the world, the team discuss the adorable area control game Bunny Kingdom, give some tips on teaching games to the uninitiated, and guest game guru Jenny Garner brings in Patchwork.
The Treehouse
Bunny Kingdom on BoardGameGeek
Patchwork on BoardGameGeek
As we approach our first birthday, some of our staff have decided that recommending and teaching games to customers in the cafe just isn't enough of an outlet for their games-related enthusiasm. So, they've decided to create both a brand new blog and a Treehouse podcast to share their thoughts on all things games-related with the world.