Calling all gamers: Rice hosts 11 hours of play time to kick off National Games Week

Calling all gamers: Rice hosts 11 hours of play time to kick off National Games Week

BY B.J. ALMOND
Rice News staff

Do not pass “go” and do not collect $200.

But do go to Room 129 in Herring Hall Saturday, Nov. 19, between 1 p.m. and midnight if you’d like to monopolize the fun at Rice’s game day.

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In anticipation of National Games Week (Nov. 20-26), Rice is offering 11 hours of fun and games to give students, faculty and staff a chance to get to know each other better. Everything from board games, card games and role-playing games to computer, video and console games will be available for play throughout the day, and participants can come and go at their leisure. Pizza and other refreshments will be provided to ensure that diehard players aren’t running on empty.

Game selections will accommodate all skill levels —from easy to complex. Chess, Halo 2, Smash Brothers, Apples to Apples, Settlers of Catan, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Carcassonne, Puerto Rico, D&D, Star Wars, Munchin and Scrabble are just some of the many games that will be available. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to bring their own games too. Some lucky participants will go home with prizes such as video and board games, T-shirts or a Voq Professional Phone.

Associate Dean of Engineering Tony Elam, a game guru who has collected more than 5,500 games from around the world, will offer the “Crokinole Challenge” during the day. Crokinole, a game that requires dexterity as well as strategy as players flick discs in hope of getting them to land on high-scoring positions on the board, is one of Elam’s favorites, and he said he will give a “very nice prize” to anyone who can beat him.

Rice alum Steve Jackson ’74, who designed such popular games as Illuminati, Car Wars, Ogre, and the “Munchin” Series for Steve Jackson Games, is expected to stop by for some game play.

Fondren Library’s Electronic Resources Center, FASTWARP (the student gaming club) and Elam are hosting the private gathering, courtesy of Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman, Jay Tummelson of Rio Grande Games, Steve Jackson Games, Horizon Games and Microsoft. Reservations are not required.

For more information, visit http://is.rice.edu/~pound/games.