Play in Public

If you're none too observant, there's now a big old picture over there on the right sporting a link to the Play in Public campaign.  No, further down than that.  Yeah, the one with "Where my meeples at?" on it.

This is such a good idea, I wish I'd got there first.

Not the amusing tagline, the idea.  I've discussed this with some friends before now, about how games and the social interaction generated by playing them is something society could benefit from, and how I'd like to bring it to more people.  The masterminds behind this campaign had that idea first (or did something with it quicker).

I'm not much of one for taking photos and throwing them up on the internet, so while the campaign actively encourages boastfulness, I'm unlikely to jump in on that action.  But now I know that when I'm taking my favourite games to play with my favourite gal in a drink-serving establishment that there are people doing similar all over the world, I'll feel like I'm part of something bigger, which is nice.

My top recommendations for games to carry around to play in public?  I have two:

• Devil Bunny Needs a Ham, since it's free, can be printed off cheaply and only needs some generic counters and is really easy to pick up, and;


• Hive because the pieces are robust and easy to clean spilled drinks off, you don't need a board, and there's a lovely new travel version that's just been announced.

Both of these games attract attention from passers-by, albeit for different reasons.  In Hive's case, it's because it looks so different from games most people are familiar with.  In Devil Bunny's case, it's because to the outside world it looks like you're making the rules up as you go along (at least, that's what I've been told).