Digital Ports
Another way to enjoy games digitally if your tech allows for it is through the digital versions of games. I’ve been playing a lot of Blood Bowl II, which is just a digital port of the Blood Bowl tabletop game. I’ve also been playing Gloom on my tablet, as well as one of my favorite digital implementations of a board game, Sentinels of the Multiverse. There are countless others, too, and new ones come out every week.
The great thing about these games is that you can usually play with/against friends or strangers, or, often, you can play against an AI opponent. For someone who is already kind of asocial, having AI opponents is a real draw. The disadvantage to these games is there is usually no chat window, so you have to find some other way to talk to the other players, like calling them or using Discord.
Video Conferencing
This one can be a little tricky. Not every game lends itself to a video-conferencing session. However, any game where there is no secret information can be fairly easily adapted. For instance, a group of my friends and I are playing Axis & Allies via Facebook Messenger. It’s a little tricky because one player has to have a copy of the game set up so that others can see it on their screens. The good thing about this set up, though, is that we don’t have to be online at the same time. Each player finds a time to talk to the player who is maintaining the board, and we take our turns when we can. It’s convenient for our differing work schedules.
Role playing games are especially easy to play through video chat. In fact, later this week, I’m going to be playing Glitter Hearts via Discord.
Socially Responsible Gathering
This one is a little riskier, but there are ways to remain socially-distant while gathering with friends. For instance, for our biweekly Dungeons & Dragons game, six of us meet on our friends’ porch. They have tables and chairs set up to be more than six feel apart so that we can enjoy each others company, as well as the game, without having to worry too much about whether we are safe. Your mileage may vary and we encourage everyone to stay safe, but this kind of gathering may be an option if you have the space.
Solo Gaming
Lastly, if you don’t mind giving up the social nature of gaming, there are many board games that can be played solo. I’ve played Death Angel, Arkham Horror, Imperial Assault (with the App), and the very appropriate (or inappropriate) Pandemic, all without another player. And lately, I’ve been playing Root with the Clockwork Expansion, which works surprisingly well. Mik over at Our Family Plays Games has a great video on the solo games he’s been playing, so you should check that out.
I’m sure there are many other ways to enjoy our hobby when circumstances keep us apart. What have you been doing during the pandemic to feed your gaming habit? Let us know in the comments!