{"id":10816,"date":"2019-05-08T17:52:14","date_gmt":"2019-05-08T17:52:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/?p=10816"},"modified":"2019-05-09T09:10:33","modified_gmt":"2019-05-09T09:10:33","slug":"etourvy-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/blog\/2019\/05\/08\/etourvy-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Etourvy 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Les rencontres ludopathiques<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cela fait maintenant 25 ans que, chaque printemps ou presque, j\u2019organise \u00e0 Etourvy, entre Champagne et Bourgogne, ma petite convention ludique personnelle, les rencontres ludopathiques. Ce qui \u00e9tait \u00e0 l\u2019origine une rencontre entre amis autour de l\u2019\u00e9quipe de Ludod\u00e9lire est peu \u00e0 peu devenu une petite convention ludique un peu \u00e0 part, sur invitations, r\u00e9unissant de vieux amis, des petites personnalit\u00e9s du monde du jeu, et souvent leurs familles. Quelque part entre salon professionnel et vacances entre amis, c\u2019est un \u00e9v\u00e9nement sui generis qui a maintenant pris son rythme de croisi\u00e8re.<\/p>\n

On me demande r\u00e9guli\u00e8rement pourquoi je consacre tant de temps \u00e0 l\u2019organisation de ces rencontres, d\u2019autant que j\u2019y ai moins le temps de faire tourner mes \u00e9bauches de jeux et de les pr\u00e9senter \u00e0 des \u00e9diteurs que des auteurs comme Antoine, Bruno, Th\u00e9o, Ludo et quelques autres. La premi\u00e8re raison est bien s\u00fbr que cela m\u2019amuse, et que j\u2019appr\u00e9cie d\u2019\u00eatre, pour une petite semaine, au centre de l\u2019attention g\u00e9n\u00e9rale. Une autre raison est sans doute que, m\u00eame si j\u2019aimerais avoir plus l\u2019occasion de faire jouer mes prototypes, cela me permet quand m\u00eame d\u2019entretenir pas mal de contacts, et de faire un peu ma promotion personnelle. Et puis, c\u2019est toujours agr\u00e9able aussi de faire plaisir aux amis. J\u2019ajoute que l\u2019organisation \u00e9tant d\u00e9sormais bien rod\u00e9e, cela me demande finalement assez peu de travail, moins en tout cas que, par exemple, le corsaire ludique de Roberto Fraga.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

J\u2019\u00e9tais un peu malade les premiers jours, mais tout s\u2019est n\u00e9anmoins d\u00e9roul\u00e9 comme pr\u00e9vu, sur un week-end s\u00e9rieusement prolong\u00e9 puisqu\u2019il a commenc\u00e9 pour quelques-uns d\u00e8s le lundi 29 avril au soir, et pour la plupart mardi ou mercredi. Nous \u00e9tions 140 participants cette ann\u00e9e, venus du monde entier mais tous log\u00e9s dans une dizaine de gites au milieu de nulle part, \u00e0 Etourvy et dans les villages voisins – M\u00e9lisey, Quincerot et Trichey.<\/p>\n

Je remercie bien s\u00fbr les \u00e9diteurs qui avaient fait le voyage,en esp\u00e9rant que je n\u2019oublie personne:
\nAbacus
\nAsmod\u00e9e
\nBlackrock
\nBlue Orange
\nCatch\u2019up Games
\nDays of Wonder
\nDjeco
\nDon\u2019t Panic Games
\nForgenext
\nGrrre games
\nHeidelb\u00e4r
\nHobbyworld
\nIello
\nLibellud
\nLui-m\u00eame
\nMatagot
\nOink Games
\nPixie Games
\nPurple Brain
\nRavensburger
\nRebel
\nRepos Prod
\nSand Castle Games
\nSpace Cowboys
\nSurfin\u2019 Meeple
\nTaiwan Boardgame Design
\nVan Ryder Games<\/p>\n

et ceux qui n\u2019ont pas pu venir mais nous ont envoy\u00e9 des jeux pour la table de prix:
\nCryptozoic
\nFantasy Flight Games
\nGigamic
\nKolossal Games
\nNorth Star Games
\nZ-Man Games<\/p>\n

Je ne fais pas la liste des auteurs, parce qu\u2019il y a plein de gens qui le sont plus ou moins, qui sont l\u00e0 pour s\u2019amuser mais ont quand m\u00eame un petit proto qui traine, et tout \u00e7a. Je vais quand m\u00eame citer les illustrateurs, ou plut\u00f4t les illustratrices, parce qu\u2019elles \u00e9taient moins nombreuses – Maeva Kosmic et Christine Deschamps, des habitu\u00e9es, ainsi que Christine Alcouffe.<\/p>\n

Je remercie tous ceux qui ont aid\u00e9 \u00e0 l\u2019organisation, l\u2019\u00e9quipe ludique, ceux qui m\u2019ont accompagn\u00e9 lundi, ceux qui sont all\u00e9 faire des courses, ceux qui sont all\u00e9 chercher ou ramener des joueurs \u00e0 la gare de Tonnerre – en particulier Didier qui a d\u00fb se lever t\u00f4t dimanche pour que les russes de Hobbyworld ne ratent pas leur train. Je remercie Camille qui, les pieds solidement ancr\u00e9s au sol, s\u2019est occup\u00e9e des bi\u00e8res. Je remercie aussi toute l\u2019\u00e9quipe du foyer rural d\u2019Etourvy, c\u00f4t\u00e9 bureaux et c\u00f4t\u00e9 cuisine.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Il y a \u00ab\u00a0encore\u00a0\u00bb des services publics – pour combien de temps\u00a0?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Un \u00e9norme remerciement surtout aux pompiers et aux urgences de l\u2019h\u00f4pital de Tonnerre. Lorsque Manu a commenc\u00e9 \u00e0 se sentir mal vendredi soir, j\u2019ai fait le 15 et suis tomb\u00e9 sur les urgences de l\u2019Aube, d\u00e9partement o\u00f9 se trouve Etourvy. J\u2019ai expliqu\u00e9 \u00e0 mon interlocuteur que nous \u00e9tions, \u00e0 Etourvy, entre Chaource et Tonnerre. Sa r\u00e9action a alors \u00e9t\u00e9 \u00ab\u00a0C\u2019est au milieu de nulle part, \u00e7a\u00a0! Vous \u00eates plus pr\u00e8s de Tonnerre, mais je ne sais m\u00eame pas s\u2019il y a encore des urgences \u00e0 Tonnerre\u00a0\u00bb. Il y en avait, il les a contact\u00e9es. Elles \u00e9taient l\u00e0 vingt minutes plus tard et ont examin\u00e9 puis emport\u00e9 Manu. Tout s\u2019est bien pass\u00e9, et rapidement termin\u00e9.
\nIl reste que le mot qui fait peur, c\u2019est \u00ab\u00a0encore\u00a0\u00bb. On ne se demande pas s\u2019il y a des urgences \u00e0 Tonnerre, on se demande s\u2019il y a \u00ab\u00a0encore\u00a0\u00bb des urgences \u00e0 Tonnerre. On peut imaginer que des services publics disparaissent, cela parait presque naturel, on n\u2019imagine plus qu\u2019il puisse s\u2019en cr\u00e9er. Cela en dit beaucoup sur le syst\u00e8me politique dans lequel nous vivons, et sur le fait que nous avons int\u00e9gr\u00e9 comme presque naturelle une \u00e9volution qui ne l\u2019est absolument pas.
\nCe qu\u2019avait Manu n\u2019\u00e9tait pas bien grave, il s\u2019en serait sorti sans probl\u00e8mes s\u2019il avait fallu aller \u00e0 Troyes ou \u00e0 Auxerre et n\u2019aurait juste pas \u00e9t\u00e9 de retour \u00e0 quatre heures du matin. Dans une situation plus grave, cela aurait pu faire une sacr\u00e9e diff\u00e9rence, et j\u2019esp\u00e8re donc qu\u2019il y aura \u00ab encore \u00bb des urgences \u00e0 Tonnerre l\u2019an prochain. Du coup, je vais faire gr\u00e8ve ce jeudi pour la d\u00e9fense du service public.<\/p>\n

Le soleil et la neige<\/strong><\/p>\n

Je sais que beaucoup de joueurs regardent chaque ann\u00e9e les photos des rencontres ludopathiques avec curiosit\u00e9. Elles seront sans doute moins impressionnantes cette ann\u00e9e que l\u2019an dernier, car la m\u00e9t\u00e9o n\u2019a pas \u00e9t\u00e9 vraiment avec nous. Nous avons eu beau temps mercredi, mais tout le monde n\u2019\u00e9tait pas encore l\u00e0, et un peu de soleil vendredi apr\u00e8s-midi, bien qu\u2019il ait fait un peu frais. Il a plu toute la journ\u00e9e de jeudi, et il a m\u00eame neig\u00e9 un peu samedi. Les sportifs de service, Liesbeth Bos et Bruno (l’autre) ont quand m\u00eame trouv\u00e9 le temps de faire quelques escapades en v\u00e9lo.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Les jeux idiots en dans la pelouse ont donc \u00e9t\u00e9 moins nombreux qu\u2019\u00e0 l\u2019habitude. Concours de tir \u00e0 la sarbacane, Twister g\u00e9ant (dont j\u2019ai une id\u00e9e pour am\u00e9liorer les r\u00e8gles l\u2019an prochain), Brouhaha mais surtout, une fois de plus, une \u00e9tonnante invention de Laurent Escoffier, The Walking Mind, dont je vous laisse deviner les r\u00e8gles en regardant photos et videos. Oui, je sais, \u00e7a a l\u2019air un peu bizarre.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Le temps se pr\u00eatait plut\u00f4t mieux aux activit\u00e9s d\u2019int\u00e9rieur, et deux murder parties, ou petits GNs, \u00e9taient organis\u00e9es cette ann\u00e9e. S\u00e9bastien avait pr\u00e9par\u00e9 un sc\u00e9nario tr\u00e8s provincial, Tonton Cristobal est revenu, jou\u00e9 le vendredi apr\u00e8s-midi, qui a remport\u00e9 un grand succ\u00e8s et sera certainement remont\u00e9, \u00e0 Etourvy ou ailleurs. Le samedi, Isabelle a fait jouer un grand classique, Dieu est Mort, aux quelques personnes qui ne connaissaient pas ce petit chef-d\u2019\u0153uvre sign\u00e9 Croc – qui \u00e9tait d\u2019ailleurs l\u00e0 un peu plus longtemps que d\u2019habitude.<\/p>\n

Didier a remport\u00e9 le traditionnel tournoi de poker.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Bi\u00e8re et cocktails
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Grande innovation, nous avions \u00e0 l\u2019initiative de Camille des tireuses servant les excellentes bi\u00e8res d\u2019une brasserie locale, Thibord<\/a>, \u00e0 Palis. C\u2019\u00e9tait tr\u00e8s agr\u00e9able, et nous a \u00e9vit\u00e9 de trimbaler des tombereaux de bouteilles vides tous les soirs.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Autre innovation c\u00f4t\u00e9 boisson, le cocktail myst\u00e8re, pr\u00e9par\u00e9 par la joyeuse \u00c9quipe Ludique, dont les activit\u00e9s semblent d\u00e9marrer sur les chapeaux de roue. Pour ceux qui n\u2019ont pas tout not\u00e9, les ingr\u00e9dients \u00e0 trouver \u00e9taient :<\/p>\n

Mercredi soir :
\n– Tequila<\/span>
\n– Aperol<\/span>
\n– Jus de Goyave<\/span>
\n– Sirop de Fraise<\/span>
\n– Citron<\/span>
\nCocktail enfants:
\n– Jus de Poire<\/span>
\n– Jus de citron vert<\/span>
\n– Sirop de Myrtille<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeudi soir :
\n– Calvados<\/span>
\n– Jus d’Orange<\/span>
\n– Cr\u00e8me de M\u00fbre<\/span>
\n– Martini Rouge<\/span>
\n– Citron Vert<\/span>
\nCocktail enfants:
\n– Eau de Coco<\/span>
\n– Jus d’ananas<\/span>
\n– Jus d’orange<\/span><\/p>\n

Vendredi soir:
\n– Rhum Ambr\u00e9<\/span>
\n– Caf\u00e9<\/span>
\n– Amaretto<\/span>
\n– Sirop de Canne<\/span>
\n– Cr\u00e8me fleurette<\/span>
\nCocktail enfants:
\n– Jus de Pomme<\/span>
\n– Limonade<\/span>
\n– Sirop de Framboise<\/span><\/p>\n

Samedi soir (de l\u2019avis g\u00e9n\u00e9ral le meilleur cocktail):
\n– Tequila<\/span>
\n– Rhum Ambr\u00e9<\/span>
\n– Ginger Beer<\/span>
\n– Sirop de Framboise<\/span>
\n– Citron Vert<\/span>
\nCocktail enfants:
\n– Jus d’orange<\/span>
\n– Schweppes<\/span>
\n– Sirop de fraise<\/span><\/p>\n

C\u2019\u00e9tait une excellente id\u00e9e, et l\u2019on remettra certainement cela l\u2019an prochain.<\/p>\n

J\u2019ajoute que Krzysztof avait apport\u00e9 de Pologne une bouteille de ma vodka pr\u00e9f\u00e9r\u00e9e, la Jarzebiak, qui a malheureusement \u00e9t\u00e9 enti\u00e8rement bue avant que j\u2019ai pu y toucher. J\u2019attends que les coupables se d\u00e9noncent et m\u2019en d\u00e9gottent une autre bouteille pour l\u2019an prochain.<\/p>\n

Petites nouvelles du monde du jeu<\/strong><\/p>\n

Des auteurs, des \u00e9diteurs, des illustrateurs, quelques agents ou distributeurs, et beaucoup de joueurs. Immanquablement, on a parl\u00e9 du petit monde du jeu, des gros qui grossissent et de ceux qui maigrissent, de ceux qui se marient et de ceux qui se s\u00e9parent, et des plans \u00e0 trois ou plus qui compliquent un peu tout. Dans tous les cas, il y a du mouvement, beaucoup de mouvement, au point que certains ne savent plus tr\u00e8s bien o\u00f9 ils sont. Oui, je sais, cela doit avoir l\u2019air un peu myst\u00e9rieux, mais je ne peux ou ne veux pas trop entrer dans les d\u00e9tails, \u2018autant que j\u2019ignore sans doute les d\u00e9tails les plus importants.<\/p>\n

Et puis, on a quand m\u00eame surtout jou\u00e9, et parl\u00e9 des jeux, en particulier de ceux qui viennent de ou qui vont sortir. Trop occup\u00e9 \u00e0 courir en tous sens, \u00e0 g\u00e9rer mes 140 invit\u00e9s et ma dizaine de gites, je n\u2019ai, comme d\u2019habitude, pas tellement jou\u00e9, et jou\u00e9 \u00e0 surtout \u00e0 des jeux assez brefs. En revanche, j\u2019ai pas mal tra\u00een\u00e9 entre les tables, discut\u00e9 avec les joueurs, demand\u00e9 ce qu\u2019ils pensaient de telle ou telle nouveaut\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Quelques grosses boites magnifiquement illustr\u00e9es soigneusement \u00e9dit\u00e9es, qui avaient d\u00e9j\u00e0 fait un peu de buzz, \u00e9taient tr\u00e8s attendues. Quelques joueurs particuli\u00e8rement consciencieux m\u2019avaient demand\u00e9 si on pourrait y jouer \u00e0 Etourvy. Elles semblent toutes \u00eatre tomb\u00e9es un peu \u00e0 plat. Je ne vais pas donner leurs noms ici, mais les joueurs les plus au fait de l\u2019actualit\u00e9 les reconna\u00eetront sans difficult\u00e9 sur les photos.
\nLes parutions de plus en plus nombreuses, notamment en ce qui concerne les gros jeux qui durent quelques heures, ont peut-\u00eatre rendu le public plus exigeant, et surtout le public assez technique et inform\u00e9 que l\u2019on peut croiser \u00e0 Etourvy. Cela ne suffit pourtant pas \u00e0 expliquer cette relative d\u00e9saffection. Il me semble que nous avons peut-\u00eatre l\u00e0 un effet pervers de la floraison r\u00e9cente de jeux tr\u00e8s ambitieux vendus essentiellement, mais pas seulement, sur Kickstarter. Sur kickstarter, en effet, on n\u2019ach\u00e8te pas vraiment un jeu, on ach\u00e8te une promesse de jeu. Du coup, le vendeur soigne plus le plumage que le ramage (comment vais-je traduire \u00e7a en anglais?). Les nouveaut\u00e9s sont superbement illustr\u00e9es, et grouillent d\u2019id\u00e9es fort bien mises en avant, mais il leur manque parfois une derni\u00e8re phase de d\u00e9veloppement, celle qui consiste \u00e0 revenir \u00e0 l\u2019essentiel, \u00e0 supprimer tout ce qui est lourd ou simplement inutile. Sur kickstarter, plus donne toujours l\u2019impression d\u2019\u00eatre mieux, et cela d\u00e9teint sur les gros jeux publi\u00e9s de mani\u00e8re plus classique, qui sont promus \u00e0 l\u2019avance comme s\u2019ils ne devaient pas rester bien longtemps sur le march\u00e9. Beaucoup de ces jeux auraient eu besoin non pas de trois ou quatre extensions, mais bien d\u2019une \u201cflexion\u201d – mais voila, enlever tout ce qui encombre et ne sert \u00e0 rien, ce n\u2019est pas un stretch goal aussi sexy que douze figurines et leurs r\u00e8gles sp\u00e9ciales.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Du coup, les jeux les plus jou\u00e9s \u00e0 Etourvy, ceux qui ont \u00ab\u00a0fait le buzz\u00a0\u00bb ont \u00e9t\u00e9 ceux qui ont \u00e9chapp\u00e9 \u00e0 cette tendance, des trucs plus modestes et plus rapides. Le succ\u00e8s de la semaine est incontestablement Res Arcana, de Tom Lehmann, parce que c\u2019est un excellent jeu poids moyen qui prend la t\u00eate (donc pas trop mon style), mais aussi parce que Cyrille en faisait la promotion avec sourire et constance. Beaucoup de jeux assez rapides comme Farben, Tokyo Highway, Dany ou Draftosaurus, n\u2019ont cess\u00e9 de tourner sur les tables – m\u00eame s\u2019il y a encore eu quelques cingl\u00e9s pour encha\u00eener les Terraforming Mars jusqu\u2019\u00e0 7 heures du matin.
\nIl n\u2019y a pas que les nouveaut\u00e9s \u00e0 Etourvy. J\u2019apporte toujours 1000 ou 2000 jeux plus anciens, pris un peu au hasard dans ma collection. Chaque ann\u00e9e, un ou deux d\u2019entre eux ressortent sans que l\u2019on sache trop pourquoi et tout le monde se met \u00e0 y jouer. Cette ann\u00e9e, ce furent Linko et Fantasy Realms.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Bien s\u00fbr, avec beaucoup d\u2019auteurs pr\u00e9sents, et quelques \u00e9diteurs, la moiti\u00e9 des tables \u00e9taient souvent occup\u00e9es par des jeux qui n\u2019existent pas ou pas encore, et dont je ne sais gu\u00e8re que ce \u00e0 quoi ils ressemblent sur les photos. Il y a les brouillons que l\u2019on essaie d\u2019am\u00e9liorer, et les vrais protos que l\u2019on essaie de placer. J\u2019en avais apport\u00e9 une dizaine, mais je n\u2019en ai vraiment fait tourner que quatre, Trollfest et Vintage qui cherchent des \u00e9diteurs, ainsi que Lifestyles et Reigns qui en ont trouv\u00e9. Je n\u2019ai pas de photo des parties de Vintage et Reigns, si quelqu\u2019un en a pris\u2026..<\/p>\n

Voila, je crois que j\u2019ai dit l\u2019essentiel, mais si vous pensez que j\u2019ai oubli\u00e9 un truc qui m\u00e9rite d\u2019\u00eatre dit, signalez-le en commentaire ou envoyez-moi un mail, je corrigerai.<\/p>\n

Et \u00e0 l\u2019ann\u00e9e prochaine.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The ludopathic gathering<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

For 25 years now, more or less every spring, I hold in Etourvy, between Champagne and Bourgogne, my own boardgame convention, the ludopathic gathering. It was originally a small friendly meeting of about thirty people more or less involved with one of my first publishers, Ludod\u00e9lire. 25 years later, it is an international event, invitation only, in which I try to mix old and new friends with people from the boardgaming world, often with their families.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m often asked why I spent so much time and energy in preparing this gathering, almost all by myself. The fact is that I\u2019m so busy dealing with daily organizational stuff that I much fewer time to discuss business and pitch my prototypes than other designers such as Antoine, Bruno, Ludo, Th\u00e9o and a others. Of course, the first reason is that I have fun with it, and that I enjoy being, if only for one week, the focus of everyone\u2019s attention. Another reason is that, while I would like to have more time to playtest and show my game prototypes, it nevertheless helps me keeping in contact with the boardgaming world, and it is a kind of self promotion. It\u2019s fun for everyone, it\u2019s also fun for me, even when it\u2019s tiring. Also, after 25 years, the organization has become very smooth and almost automatic, requiring much less work than, for example, Roberto Fraga\u2019s Corsaire Ludique.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I had caught a cold and was a bit ill in the first days, but then everything got back in order. It was a very long week-end, which started for a few one of us on Monday night, and for most attendees on Tuesday or Wednesday. There were 140 people accommodated in a dozen different places in Etourvy, right in the middle of nowhere, and in the nearby villages, M\u00e9lisey, Quincerot and Trichey<\/em><\/p>\n

Many thanks to all the publishers who took part, that is – I hope I don\u2019t forget anyone :
\n<\/em>Abacus
\n<\/em>Asmodee
\n<\/em>Blackrock
\n<\/em>Blue Orange
\n<\/em>Catch\u2019up Games
\n<\/em>Days of Wonder
\n<\/em>Djeco
\n<\/em>Don\u2019t Panic Games
\n<\/em>Forgenext
\n<\/em>Grrre games
\n<\/em>Heidelb\u00e4r
\n<\/em>Hobbyworld
\n<\/em>Iello
\n<\/em>Libellud
\n<\/em>Lui-m\u00eame
\n<\/em>Matagot
\n<\/em>Oink Games
\n<\/em>Pixie Games
\n<\/em>Purple Brain
\n<\/em>Ravensburger
\n<\/em>Rebel
\n<\/em>Repos Prod
\n<\/em>Sand Castle Games
\n<\/em>Space Cowboys
\nSurfin\u2019 Meeple
\n<\/em>Taiwan Boardgame Design
\n<\/em>Van Ryder Games<\/em><\/p>\n

And the ones who could not join but sent us games for the prize table:
\n<\/em>Cryptozoic
\n<\/em>Fantasy Flight Games
\n<\/em>Gigamic
\n<\/em>Kolossal Games
\n<\/em>North Star Games<\/em>
\n<\/em>Z-Man Games<\/em><\/p>\n

I won\u2019t make a list of game designers, because many attending gamers were mostly here to play and have fun, but are also wannabee designers with one or two prototypes up their sleeve. I will, on the other isde, list the game artists, because there were only three, two regulars, Maeva Kosmic and Christine Deschamps, and a newcomer, Christine Alcouffe.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many thanks to all those who helped me with all the practical stuff, the \u00c9quipe Ludique, those who helped me with the shopping, those who went to the Tonnerre station to catch people or drive them back, and especially Didier who woke up early on Sunday so that the Russians could get their train, and then their plane. Many thanks also to Camille who, feet solidly on the ground, took care of the beer. Many thanks, of course, to the whole team of the Etourvy city, both in the office and in the kitchen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s \u201cstill\u201d a public health service – for how long ?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Many thanks also to the emergency services at the Tonnerre hospital. When Manu started feeling bad on Friday night, I called the emergency services and got someone in Troyes. I explained that we were in Etourvy, between Tonnerre and Chaource. The officer\u2019s answer was \u201cWow, that\u2019s in the middle of nowhere. I\u2019m not even sure there\u2019s still an emergency ward in Tonnerre\u201d.\u00a0 Well, there was one, he called it, and twenty minutes later they were here, they examined Manu and they left with him. Everything went well, and he was back in the middle of the night.<\/em>
\nThe frightening word, however, is \u201cstill\u201d. The question is not whether there is an emergency ward in Tonnerre, it is whether there is \u201cstill\u201d an emergency ward in Tonnerre. We can imagine old public services closing and disappearing, we cannot imagine new ones opening. The fact that such a problematic trend feels normal, almost natural, tells a lot about the political system we are living in.
\n<\/em>Anyway, Manu\u2019s problems were benign, and it would not have been dramatic if he had to go to Troyes or Auxerre. The only difference is that he would not have been back at 4 am. In more dramatic cases, however, the extra distance could have made a difference. I hope there will \u201cstill\u201d be an emergency ward in Tonnerre next year. This decided me to go on strike next Thursday for the defense of public services?
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sun and Snow<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I know that, every year, hundreds of gamers browse the photos from the ludopathic gathering. They are probably less impressive this year than last one, because we were not very lucky with the weather. Wednesday was really nice, but only half of the attendees were there. We had some sun on Friday afternoon, but it was cold. Thursday was rainy, and we even had some snow on Saturday afternoon. Despite this, the two sport addicts, Bruno Cathala and Liesbeth Bos, managed to go for a few bike rides in the countryside. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There were fewer big outside games than last year. We had a blowpipe contest, a giant twister (but I must improve the rules for next year) and the usual. Like last years, Laurent Escoffier came with a really innovative idea – the Walking Mind. I let you look at the pictures and videos and guess the rules.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The rainy weather, on the other hand, was not a problem for inside games. On Friday afternoon, S\u00e9bastien had organized a small parochial larp, Uncle Cristobal is back (from America, of course). It was a hit and will certainly be played again, in Etourvy or somewhere else. On Saturday, isabelle held a classical Murder Party scenario, God is Dead. The author, Croc, was also here.\u00a0 Didier won the traditional poker tournament.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Beer and cocktails
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

There was much innovation this year with the drinks. Thanks to and cocktails Camille, we had draft beer on tap, made by a local brwer, the brasserie Thibord<\/a>. It was really good, and it was a relief not have hundreds of empty bottles to remove every night.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Also, the \u00c9quipe Ludique prepared every night two mystery cocktails, one for adults and one for kids. Tracking the ingredients was really difficult. For those who didn\u2019t keep track, the ingredient were:<\/em><\/p>\n

Wednesday night :
\n<\/em>– Tequila
\n<\/em>– Aperol
\n<\/em>– Guava juice
\n<\/em>– Strawberry sirup
\n<\/em><\/span>– Lemon<\/span>
\n<\/em>Kids cocktail:
\n<\/em>– Pear Juice
\n<\/em>– Lime
\n<\/em>– Blueberry syrup<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Thursday soir :
\n<\/em>– Calvados
\n<\/em>– Orange juice
\n<\/em>– Blackberry cream
\n<\/em>– Red Martini
\n<\/em><\/span>– Lime<\/span>
\n<\/em>Kids cocktail:
\n<\/em>– Coconut milk
\n<\/em>– Pineapple juice
\n<\/em>– Orange juice<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Friday night:
\n<\/em>– Amber rhum
\n<\/em>– Coffee
\n<\/em>– Amaretto
\n<\/em>– Sugar cane syrup
\n<\/em><\/span>– Cream<\/span>
\n<\/em>Kids cocktail:
\n<\/em>– Apple Juice
\n<\/em>– Lemonade
\n<\/em>– Raspberry Syrup<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Saturday night (the best cocktail imho):
\n<\/em>– Tequila
\n<\/em>– Amber rhum
\n<\/em>– Ginger Beer
\n<\/em>– Raspberry syrup
\n<\/em><\/span>– Lime<\/span>
\n<\/em>Kids cocktail:
\n<\/em>– Orange Juice
\n<\/em>– Schweppes
\n<\/em>– Strawberry syrup<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

It made for a great team game, and we will do it again next year.<\/em><\/p>\n

Also, Krzysztof had brought from Poland a bottle of my favorite vodka, Jarzebiak. Unfortunately, it was drunk before I could even touch it. I hope the culprits will confess and manage to get another bottle next year.<\/em><\/p>\n

Some news from the gaming world<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

There were designers, publishers, artists, a few agents or distributors, and dozens of players. Of course, we discussed what\u2019s happening in the boardgaming world. Who is getting fatter, who is getting thinner. Who is getting married, who is getting separated, who is involved in some strange threesome. Anyway, things are moving in many directions, and a few people don\u2019t even really know where they are. Yes, I know, this must sound a bit mysterious, but I can\u2019t or don\u2019t want to go into details – and anyway, I ignore most details<\/em><\/p>\n

Miost of the time, however, we played and then discussed games, either the games just published or the ones soon to be. Too busy running around managing my 140 attendees and ten gites, I didn\u2019t play that much and played only short games. On the other hand, I walked between the gaming tables, and often stopped by to ask players what they thought of this or that new game.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There were a few big box games, gorgeously illustrated and published, which had already made some buzz. Hardcore gamers were waiting for them, and had even asked me if they will be available to play in Etourvy. It looks like they all fell a bit flat. I won\u2019t give their names here, but the most dedicated players will easily recognize them on the pictures.
\n<\/em>With more and more games published every year, especially big games hours-long games, players might have become more demanding, and especially the informed players who attend my gathering. I think, however, that there\u2019s more to it. I\u2019m afraid we are witnessing a perverse effect of the recent wave of ambitious games sold mostly, but not only, on kickstarter. One doesn\u2019t buy a game on kickstarter, one buys the promise of a game. As a result, the look and art of a game seems more critical to its success than its actual gameplay. New games have great art, nice components, lots of exciting design ideas, but they sometimes lack the last and most important part of development, the trimming down, the removal of everything heavy or unnecessary. On Kickstarter, more always seems to mean better, and this now also affects the heavy games published in a more traditional way, which are promoted as if they were intended to stay more than a few months on the market. Many of these games arrive at once with three or four expansions, when what they would have needed is a compression. The problem is that \u201clet\u2019s remove everything superfluous\u201d is not a stretch goal as exciting as \u201clet\u2019s add a dozen miniatures and their special rules\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As a result, the most played game in Etourvy, the games that \u201cmade the buzz\u201d were those that are not affected by this trend, which means lighter, faster and less ambitious games. The main hit was undoubtedly Tom Lehmann\u2019s Res Arcana, because it is a great middle weight brain burner game (which means not realy my kind of game), but also because Cyrille was promoting it in a constant and nice way. The other games which were always playing were even lighter, games like Farben, Tokyo Highway, Dany or Draftosaurus. There were a few mad players anle to play one Terraforming Mars after another until seven in the morning, but they were not that many.
\n<\/em>Etourvy is not only new games. I always bring 1 or 2 thousand games more or less randomly taken from my library. Every year, one or two of these older games stand out for no obvious reason and are played by almost everyone. This year, these were Linko and fantasy Realms.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Of course, with so many game designers and publishers around, many tables were often playing non-existing games, of which I know nothing more than what can be seen on the photos. There are drafts we are working on and trying toimprove, and nice looking prototypes we are pitching to potential publishers. I had brought a dozen, but only played four, Trollfest and Vintage which are looking for publishers, Lifestalys and Reigns which have found one. I have no picture of Vintage and Reigns being played, but may-be someone took one.<\/em><\/p>\n

I think that\u2019s all. If you think I forgot something which deserves to be told, plese say it in the comments or email me.<\/em><\/p>\n

And see you next year!<\/em><\/p>\n

[envira-gallery id=”10482″]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Les rencontres ludopathiques Cela fait maintenant 25 ans que, chaque printemps ou presque, j\u2019organise \u00e0 Etourvy, entre Champagne et Bourgogne, ma petite convention ludique personnelle, les rencontres ludopathiques. Ce qui \u00e9tait \u00e0 l\u2019origine une rencontre entre amis autour de l\u2019\u00e9quipe … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[398,4],"class_list":["post-10816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-events","tag-etourvy","tag-rencontres-ludopathiques"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2HNOP-2Os","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10816"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10832,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10816\/revisions\/10832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}