Thread by @GailSimone

Okay, I have another twitter warning.

This one is about pron. Serious, serious gaming pron.

Again, mute me if you don't want to see the splendor that arrived at my #MagicPorch.

Because GOOD LORD.

1/

Okay, so, some of you may remember a couple weeks ago, I said VERY INNOCENTLY, "Huh, those Dicemaster games look cool, has anyone played them? Should I get one?"

For those unfamiliar, they look like they play a bit like MTG or Heroclix, but with dice.

That's it.

2/

So, the lovely and wonderful @TheCraftingMuse from @wizkidsgames sends me a note, basically, hey, would you like us to send you a sample to try?

WHY YES, @WIZKIDGAMES, I WOULD LIKE TO TRY YOUR DICE PRODUCT.

3/

But first, quickly, why I love @wizkidgames, and Heroclix. I have told this before so this is abbreviated. But when my son was just a little guy, I think six or so, we bought him a Sheltie pup. Smart as hell, but barked a lot.

At the time, we were all collecting heroclix.

4/

That dog, Static, was a big part of how I ended up in comics, but that's another story. He barked. If left outside, he bared the whole time. Great dog, but barked. And he was devoted to my son, they were inseparable.

One day he got left outside while we were away.

5/

Long story short, someone poisoned him. It was very touch and go, the vet called us at 4:00 am to say he wasn't going to make it. But he did. He survived. That's sad, but he came out okay.

But my SON could not understand how ANYONE could do that.

6/

I was upset, we were all upset. I told some comic friends, just venting. @MarkWaid, who had never even MET my son, got online, and found a collector who was selling his Heroclix collection...EVERY SINGLE DC HEROCLIX.

He bought it and sent it to my son. With a note.

7/

The note said, "I just want you to know that not everyone out there is mean," and a lot of other encouraging things.

I mean, out of nowhere. It was incredible.

The dog survived and lived a very long life. And so, Heroclix, BIG deal to us.

8/

So, I already love them, and in the past, they have been very kind to me, they sent some cool stuff when I tried YouTube (spoiler: I sucked at YouTube), and they just have been lovely all along and I am very fond of them.

Then along comes @TheCraftingMuse.

9/

She asked me to go to the website and tell me what looked interesting. I am bad at this because even if I just pick one tiny thing, it feels like I am overstepping and being greedy. So I told her the kind of stuff we like and asked her to choose what to send as a 'sample.'

10/

She goes out and hand-picks stuff she thinks I would like.

For a 'sample.'

11/

So a couple days later, this shows up on my #magicporch from @wizkidsgames. Four boxes so big I could barely fit them in the car.

12/

So here we go...let's show some of this stuff!

13/

Some games!

Tower of London looks so cool, too!

14/

Oh, here are the open boxes.

15/

There was a planet, but this guy ate it.

16/

It goes on and on, all our favorite games; Pathfinder, Starfinder, D&D, Heroclix...

So when the ‘sample’ won’t all fit on your table...!

Seriously, as someone who has always loved games but used to be dirt poor, this was like the best Christmas ever. GLEEEEEE!

18/

You guys. THIS ISN’T EVEN ALL THEY SENT.

:)

Check this video which sorta shows the amount of stuff!

19/

And I was supposed to hold back on these but I just got the okay to show them...So they aren't in the photos.

BUT LOOK!

Next tweet!

20/

BRAND NEW SPIDEY CLIX!

Wahooo! With Spider-Gwen! Yayyyy!

21/

Okay, here's the thing. I'm not really a collector. When I bought comics even as a kid, I read them to tatters and put them in a stack. I don't collect things to have a 'complete' collection.

It's the same with game stuff.

22/

When I get this stuff, I instead think about the fun I have had with friends and family and at cons, getting gaming gear and just playing, just enjoying how these games transport you.

You can BE that elf, that web-slinger, that monster-hunter, for a while.

23/

And you get to bring the people you like or even love along with you, you're sharing it. So many hobbies are solitary 96% of the time.

I love that this kind of gaming is most fun shared.

24/

Anyway, during quarantine, gaming has been a lifesaver. We may be stuck at home, but for a while, we're on the Nostromo, or at Arkham University, or Tatooine.

It's been a very lovely distraction where most useful.

25/

There are tons of free resources out there, most of my hardcore friends are playing rpgs and other games online and MAN, it's come a LONG way. Playing D&D this week online with friends was a blast.

26/

Just saying, it's a very lovely way to spend a few hours where when something is awful, you can hit it with a mace. :)

Hope everyone finds the time to have some fun and be social, especially now, as best we can.

27/

I really, really want to thank @TheCraftingMuse and @wizkidsgames for the endless hours of good times we are going to have with all this tremendous stuff.

Also, Vee, THIS IS A BIG SAMPLE. :)

You are the best and I am VERY GRATEFUL.

28/

From the heart, Heroclix is a blast. They've sold three quarters of a billion figures, I just learned. YIKES.

If you are interested, they have a TON of simple starter sets that come with rules, maps, figures and tokens for DC, Marvel, Star Trek and more.

Wizkidgames.com

Get a game, or get your old games out, try to put together a little game night, even with just two people, or online.

You'll be surprised how much you will look forward to it.

Anyway, THANK YOU and happy gaming, you nerds!

end/

Aw, the lovely @TheCraftingMuse wrote and kindly asked me to remember to send people who are looking for their games to their friendly local game stores to support the network of stores out there.

Pretty classy. Thanks again, @wizkidsgames!