I look back on the past year – as so
many people do at this time of New Year’s resolutions – and
realize how much time I’ve poured into the Hobby Games Recce blog
(as opposed to my many neglected game projects). In February I
consolidated the LiveJournal Hobby Games Recce
blog and
Schweig’s Game Design Journal on Blogspot
into one entity, the weekly adventure gaming hobby blog you’re
reading now. Combining both blogs into one
took a great deal of time and effort in the beginning of 2014 – so
much that it impacted my overall game-related accomplishments
throughout the year. There’s still a
great deal of secondary housekeeping to do (mostly with internal,
self-referential links in older posts), but most of the traffic has
naturally focused on recent entries.
In reviweing 2014’s blog
content and statistics I find some notable numbers and posts:
Top 3 Posts by Views:
Top 3 Posts by +1s:
I don’t review game products; I
feature those I like in a positive light as related to my own
interests in gaming. I’m flattered with the high numbers garnered
by posts where I examine what appeals to me in a particular game or
broadly survey games within a certain theme. I don’t write Hobby
Games Recce material to rack up massive numbers of readers or their
approval; it’s a nice byproduct and one I greatly appreciate as a
writer and gamer, but my primary aim is to discuss issues relevant to
my experience of adventure gaming.
Top 3 Posts I Most
Enjoyed Writing:
1. “Historicon 2014 in Review”
“Organized Play Drives Sales”
reflects a growing trend I noticed playing a few X-wing miniatures
tournaments at the now sadly closed Friendly Local Game Store near my
home; it’s a sly sales strategy where organized events drive
interest and sales in a game, which fuels more releases, which are
carefully crafted as essential to success in organized play, thus
increasing sales. The article grew from my frustration as a player
using limited resources against tournament players who’d obviously
poured money into crafting a powerful force exploiting expansion
upgrades. “The Editor as Everyone’s Advocate” had been sitting
around on my hard drive for more than a year; I’m sometimes
cautiously shy about sharing memories of my West End Games days, and
it took me a while to track down and find the courage to contact the
original letter writer. The piece helps remind me what I liked most
about my job as editor...helping and inspiring others to bring their
work to publication. I always enjoy reporting on my experiences at
Historicon, as detailed in “Historicon 2014 in Review,”
especially since my son is growing old enough to participate in some
of Daddy’s gaming activities. An “honorable mention” goes to my
“Gaming Artifacts” series, where I revisit my youthful gaming
endeavors through some of the games and accessories I still cherish;
the latest one about the Thieves’ World boxed set made a
respectable showing in both page views and +1s.
Ultimately Hobby Games Recce reflects
my opinions of various games and hobby related issues. I’m grateful
those articles interest many readers – both occasional and constant
– and I will continue into the new year fueled by reader enthusiasm
and positive interaction. Thanks to everyone who followed, plussed,
shared, and commented on Hobby Games Recce during the past year; I
hope you’ll keep reading and engaging with these articles as I
continue exploring issues and developments in the adventure gaming
hobby.
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