Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Children of all rages. We have an opportunity. For over a decade folks have delighted in the faux horror and adventure of the wonderful pseudo world we call: The Arkham Files. Yet we've all seen it. While playing Elder Sign or Eldritch Horror at a local meet-up someone will come in to see what this "board gamin' thang" is all about only to be led to the scintillating fascination that is trading sheep or cave farming. We never see them again do we? They could have been knowing the unknowable or playing the nigh unbeatable, yet instead? Yep. They leave with a boring cube pusher or god forbid some awful "party" game. See also: Conversation in a box for those you don't wish to converse with.

I hate to say that a board games success today is a popularity contest but a board games success today is a popularity contest. That shelf at the store that only gives space to the Dice Tower top 100 "peoples choice" games for instance. Yet do you know the real tragedy of this? (Other than ZERO of our beloved games cracking the top 20) It's that only about 2,000 gamers ever vote in this yet it determines where that new clerk is going to immediately look now that they have to pry themselves away from their smart phone! You, yes YOU my friends and fellows in gamings ultimate highs and lows can make a difference!

You can make the fact that Eldritch Horror is only #23, that Elder Sign didn't even make the list, and that (I shudder to even tell you) L.o.t.R. and the Father of the Files Arkham Horror it's literally damned self were 76 & 77 respectively. I know, I know, I feel your pain. Like I said, I've been playing Arkham Files games for over a decade. *ahem*

Yet now, yes NOW friends we have a rare opportunity. An opportunity to send Catan back to the yawnsville that spawned it, an opportunity to say "Y'know, I just don't GET how Rummy meets trains and poker chips meets watching paint dry is beating so many other great games with such a distinguished (and played) pedigree." You see the Dice Tower people's choice top 100 is open for voting at their website: www.dicetower.com NOW, yet none of their 200,000+ subscribers have been told yet. Besides, as I said, only 2,000 gamers vote in it. Yet many stores base what gets shelf space on this woefully under sampled list.

So please, join me in making the Arkham Files the surprise hits of this years list! If we all band together we can even beat Pandemic! It's been #1 for years in a row for I do not know what reason. It's an okay game but it doesn't come anywhere near the longevity, variety, and story telling ability of anything in the files!

Join me in saving those who without your voice, may well be sentenced to Five Tribes! Help deliver those who have been cruelly tricked into thinking that Risk is so much better when it's a cartoon! I beg you, make your voice heard now and help save those who would love gaming if they knew it could be so much more like the Arkham Horror LCG and so much less like Dominion.

Vote with your minds, your hearts, and your conscience. By which I mean, of course, vote for all the Arkham Files games! (Also, yes, Descent 2.0 and Lord of the Rings could use some love too. I mean they're getting beaten by a game about making wine and another that uses mechs for taxis for crying out loud.......talk about the Horror.....)

Holy Wall of Text, Batman. Formatting. You need it. Also, I like Catan and while I think that Arkham is a fine game, it's really not something I'd give to a newcomer.

All that text and you didn't include a link.

10 hours ago, Eldan985 said:

Holy Wall of Text, Batman. Formatting. You need it. Also, I like Catan and while I think that Arkham is a fine game, it's really not something I'd give to a newcomer.

Sorry, I don't really know how to format here, but on the upside I don't come here often. You may be underestimating new comers if you think all they can handle is Catan. New folks really get into the story and characters and don't mind watching an "eight minute" vid that really gives them a solid grasp and the game is challenging to win, not difficult to play. They also tend to love the co-operative aspect. I've lost track of the number of occasions where I've watched someone "teach" their new pal Catan only to hear the all too familiar: "Oh, gee well at least you came close to beating me that go, right?" They didn't return. Funny that. Seriously, why do so many people think that everyone's stupid?

2 hours ago, mulletcheese said:

All that text and you didn't include a link.

OOps! Sorry about that. Most folk don't trust them so prefer to type them themselves. (Not that I blame them.) Here: www.dicetower.com

Then you just pick the drop down for top 10 & top 100 at the top of the page, (fourth in from the left) and it's the bottom selection: VOTE top 100, 2017. While you do have to make an account, I have been voting for "years" and have yet to receive any spam. The Dice Tower is really good about that. They also deal with a lot of BGG folk who hate it, so you can vote without worrying about unwanted e-mails. I didn't even get one for the annual kickstarter. That had to have taken a lot of restraint. Oooooor just a bunch of previous negative feedback. Either way mulletcheese, you're safe. Thanks for the help! Now if I could just get formatting with this processor down....

11 hours ago, xodarap said:

21 hours ago, Eldan985 said:

Holy Wall of Text, Batman. Formatting. You need it.

Sorry, I don't really know how to format here (...)

This little button wants to become your friend:

Give it a chance.

11 hours ago, tsuma534 said:

This little button wants to become your friend:

Give it a chance.

Well I'll be. It works now! Hey thanks tsuma534! To quote the great stand up philosopher Gene Hackman: "Uh, I hope I can still count on your vote...."

On 19-10-2017 at 10:27 PM, xodarap said:

Seriously, why do so many people think that everyone's stupid?

A lot of board gamers are elitist, card gamers usually more so.