In a continuation of the “Why do we love games” articles I spoke to Patrick Siebert, someone pretty serious about his gaming and a regular on the board game group. He co-hosts a real fun video blog on gaming called Just Got Played and is elbow deep in Siege of Verdan a new strategy game due to be released later this year. I’ve been chatting to Patrick for some time now and despite being American he does have a decent sense of humour and obviously a good Irish first name so he’s not all bad. Once the Teleport technology is in Beta we plan to get him to attend one of the Knavecon’s until then I asked him a few quick questions to see what he’s all about. Best read with the correct accents. Enjoy.
Patrick what’s your earliest memory of gaming.
How did it all start for you? I was the youngest of 4 kids and my brother was 7 years my elder. My first memory was of a war game spread out all over our kitchen table. I want to say it was Richthofen’s War , but I could easily be wrong about that I was five and instantly in love with the stories my brother spun about the game as I watched older kids struggle for victory.
What’s big in your gaming life at the moment?
Well Siege and Just Got Played of course, but other than my own stuff, I would say I am wrapped up in Pandemic Legacy like everyone else, and I have taken a shine to a game called Toast! and Operation Faust at the moment.
What is it about gaming that you love the most?
I love to sit down with people and truly interact with them, put my phone down , and give someone my attention even if it’s just for a little while. It helps, that with little exception, people in the tabletop community are usually very intelligent, and very supportive. I think board gamers are some of the greatest people in the world.
You’re big into your gaming. Want to let the nice people know about just got played and Siege ?
Yes, I host a game review channel with Brian Fiore called Just Got Played. We try to focus on unpublished and Kickstarter games. The little guy is really fighting to get noticed in the game world right now, we feel it is important that they get free, fair and honest reviews no matter how small the project. So please watch Just Got Played; you may get to see something you otherwise would have missed. We are 100% ourselves on the show and our humor can be a little…offensive, so enjoy that.
I have also created a board game that I will be bringing to Kickstarter on February 26, 2016, called Siege of Verdan. I truly love this game and how it works, even if I hadn’t created it. Each player starts the game with nothing more than a ruler (each with different individual abilities), a capital city, and a few resources from the state they occupy. They draw a hand of cards and spend resources to get explorers (move quickly and can traverse water), scouts (move quickly and have a little combat strength), Merchants (increase resources and allow trade between players), and diplomats (allow trade and enforce sanctions), military units that will wage war against your opponents, military units and capital city), spies and assassins that can eliminate individuals that oppose you – all while the Kings spoils track clicks down. This is just a quick “blurp” but the game tells an amazing story every time it’s played. Just great fun.
What’s your favorite style of game?
Wow, another tough one. I like deep games that offer lots of player options. It needs some luck to, not a lot, just enough to make things interesting.
What’s the secret to a good nights gaming?
Great relationships! If you love the people you are with you can have fun playing almost anything. Free booze helps too.
What do you think is the next big thing in gaming?
I think we will see an increase in scenario/campaign based games, Time Stories, legacy style games, even Imperial Assault are already getting lots of attention and are doing well. I also think you are going to see a little uptick in slightly more complex party games, I predict more drunk people playing games!
What does 2016 hold in store for you?
I could go on forever, Siege of Verdan will be published, Just Got played will continue bringing you mildly humorous and very offensive reviews of great games. We will be going to conventions like Dice Tower Con, Gen Con, and Prototype Con and doing interviews and meet more great people in the industry. I will also be giving away my “designer” underpants (I have a pair of boxers shorts I had lots of game designers sign.) So that will be given away in some charity someplace. I would love to get a campaign of Imperial Assault going. I also recently got a fortune cookie that said I will be drugged and left for dead on the side of the Road in Mexico, so I am really looking forward to that. What about you, what are you looking forward to?
Games wise, I’m looking forward to a stack of games as yet unplayed and the first Knavecon of the year. That and wealth, happiness and Power.
Thanks Mr P. Talk to you soon
Victor Gannon Games 
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