What’s it like to not be the library?

There are many factors that determine what games you get exposed to. Not the least of which are when you were born and where you live. If you were born in 1865, there’s a lot of games that you are never going to see.

But one that I am thinking about is who you know and play with.

Because, at least in my limited experience, it’s the person who does the research and buys the actual games that ends determining the groups library and what the group ends up playing. I’m sure there are groups where everyone is that person (which must make for some interesting arguments) but I’ve usually seen a max of two in a group.  

Here’s the thing. When I’ve been in gaming groups, I’ve been the obsessive compulsive who spent hours reading Boardgame Geek and studying rules and buying too many games. I was that guy.

Actually, I have to imagine that a lot of the folks who read a blog like this are that gal or that guy.

So I wonder what it’s like to show up on any given week and have no idea what your insane friend has dug up and how well they’ll be able to teach it.

Yes, there were the regular favorites like Ticket to Ride or Puerto Rico or Dominion or Palatinus (we had our quirks) but I regularly showed up with a new treasure to explore.

The downside was I had so many treasures that we didn’t replay a lot of them :/

I am sure that I will end up in another group, probably in the next stage of our lives, and if I end up being that person again, I’ll definitely reign it in more.