We are back! Wokingham Town Council is again inviting Eclectic Games of Reading to join us in a day of tabletop board gaming. The adventure takes place on Saturday 3rd February 2024. It doesn’t matter if you are already a fan of tabletop gaming or just curious, there will be something for all.
A great social occasion to meet like-minded people, we will have a selection of easy to pick up but very re-playable modern board games running all day. Including a selection of demonstrator led games that will appeal to adults and teens alike, and even some suitable for the younger family members.
For 2024 we are introducing taster sessions of Dungeons & Dragons. This world famous roleplaying game is 50 this year. Our local Dungeon Master Will will be guiding adventurers on a very short taster of how the game is played. Please note due to the open nature of the game and the ability and encouragement for players to shape the narrative, players for this session must be 13 years or over. More detail in the FAQ’s below.
Tickets will be on sale on Wednesday 3rd January, available from our TicketSource page.
www.ticketsource.co.uk/wokingham
Tickets are usually £4 a person for a half day (discounted group rates available)
For a limited period, Early bird bookings are £3 per person.
Once booked you will have access to a game sign up sheet. If there is a particular game you want to play, sign up in advance of the event. Sign ups are on a first come first served basis. We cannot guarantee you will always get your pick of game.
Games
Akropolis – The most talented architects in ancient Greece stand ready to achieve this goal. Build housing, temples, markets, gardens and barracks, so you can grow your city and ensure it triumphs over the others. Raise its prestige with harmonious planning that conforms to specific rules, and enhance it by building plazas. Ages 8+
The A.R.T. Project – You are part of the Art Rescue Team, with the aim of fighting against “The White Hand”, an organization responsible for many thefts of priceless works across the planet. Your team of specialists, the best in their field, will travel from Japan to Rio de Janeiro via Scandinavia in order to recover stolen works of art. Will you manage to gather, together, enough clues in the allotted time to stop this cultural looting? Ages 12+
CDSK is a trivia game that asks you to be honest with yourselves. How well do you know this subject? Too confident? You won’t go anywhere. Too careful? You’ll be crawling. But if you answer just right… you’ll zoom off to glorious victory!
Draw a card matching the space you’re on. Then move your piece as far forward as the difficulty you set… if you get the answer right! Ages 14+
After Us – Humankind died out decades ago, leaving behind mere vestiges of its time on Earth. As time went by, nature reclaimed land all over. In this resurgent world, apes have kept evolving. They’ve been gathering in tribes, growing, mastering human items, and advancing in their quest for knowledge. As the leader of such a tribe, you need to guide it towards collective intelligence. Ages 12+
Stomp the Plank – You are young and mischievous pirates. Try to steal treasures from captain Giraffe’s chest while accusing your fellow pirates. But be careful because if you get caught, you’ll walk the plank! For each treasure you manage to steal, your opponent will end up with a crate at the end of their plank…which might just tip over… The first one to fall loses the game! Ages 5+
Featherweight Fiasco – Everyone loves a good selfie and birds are no exception! These birds happily hop from wire to wire before immortalizing their poses in crazy and clever snapshots.
The game can be played in either classic or cooperative modes featuring different gameplay, in both modes players are trying to complete selfie cards by recreating birds poses. Ages 7+
Rauha – After millennia of sterility, life has sprung again on Rauha. As a venerable Shaman, one of its five worlds has been entrusted to you. Your powers are divine and allow you to shape the environment in order to turn this world into a cradle of life energy, keeper of serenity and harmony for the centuries to come. Ages 10+
ln Secret Identity, you must guess the hidden identity of your opponents while trying to make them guess yours. Will you be able to act both as a skilled informant and a sharp observer? Ages 10+
Vaalbara – On the subcontinent of Vaalbara, Neolithic era, your tribe sets out to explore uncharted lands in order to establish villages and expand your territory. Use the various talents of your tribe to optimize your development. Will yours be the tribe to unite all the tribes under your banner! Ages 10+
Dungeons & Dragons – Taster sessions of the table top role playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Learn the basics using 5th edition mechanics, dice and your imagination to become a hero. This might only be the start of your journey.
Players must be 13+
FAQs
Who can attend?
This event is open to anyone as long as they are respectful of their other gamers and the games they are borrowing. We anticipate a mixed group of all ages and as such please do not use foul language. Children under 14 years old must have a parent or guardian in attendance.
We will not tolerate any discrimination to anyone because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
We welcome visitors with disabilities and/or SEN needs. Wokingham Town Hall has a lift and step free access and we would be happy to talk in advance to try to support other needs. We welcome feedback from residents particularly those that might improve inclusivity and access to our events.
If you are unwell, please do not attend and get in touch with the event organisers.
What do the age ratings mean?
Age recommendations are commonly an indicator of at what age would a child understand the mechanics enough to enjoy the game. Sometimes it can reflect on the themes or how they are presented to be either appealing or suitable for a particular age group.
For D&D we are limiting this to over 13 years old as it is possible to have a mixed group of adults and teens playing, and one of D&D’s strengths is how open it can be as a game and how much the players influence the narrative. Players will be reminded to work with the Dungeon Master to ensure content is suitable for all at the table. D&D mechanics can also be complex and this allows the Dungeon Master to craft a scenario that touches on a selection of mechanics suitable for the understanding at the table. Parents are welcome to play alongside their teens. If the parents aren’t interested in playing, they are also welcome to observe.
I really want to play this particular game. Can I?
We can’t guarantee that everyone will be able to play every game they wish to. All the demo games will have sessions available for advance sign up so please do consider that if one of those is on your list. There will be a small selection of other games from Eclectic Games’ own games library available.
Eclectic Games also run their own gaming events so do have a chat to them if you would like to find out more.
Please bear in mind that the closing time listed for the events is the time we need to close the doors and not the time to finish playing your game. Games staff are sometimes working the next day (or are volunteering to help) and need to get home so please make sure that you have finished playing and tidied up well before your session time ends. Please also be mindful of this when starting games towards the end of the evening, staff will be happy to advise on options for games that will fit how much time is left of a session.
We love board games but none of these demo games are appealing to us. What can we do?
Eclectic Games will have a walk in presence on the day where anyone without a ticket but with a curiosity or passion for games can get advice. Pop along and make use of their knowledge. They also do other events and open play from the shop in Reading all through the year.
Are refreshments available?
Water is always available, please bring reusable bottles if you can.
There are a number of local outlets in town where you can purchase snacks and lunch.
Please do not bring into the Town Hall:
Alcohol
Food with nuts in it
Very messy and smelly food
Please be considerate of your food and drink choices while playing and do make use of the facilities in the building for washing hands.
We would very much appreciate it if you clear up rubbish. It doesn’t matter if it is yours or not, it is part of the community effort to keep the environment pleasant for everyone, staff included. If you are throwing away an unfinished drink, please pour the liquid down the sink before putting the container in the bin. We also have recycling facilities so please do take advantage of these.
Where is the Town Hall?
The Town Hall can be found in the centre of Wokingham. It is the large triangular Gothic building with a clock tower and on a Saturday is surrounded by Wokingham Market. The main entrance can be found on the side opposite WHSmith.
How can I get there?
There is no dedicated parking for the Event, however public car parks are available around the town centre. Details on parking options are available on Wokingham Borough Council’s website. www.wokingham.gov.uk/parking-and-transport/parking-and-permits/find-a-car-park/
The nearest car parks are Cockpit Path which is located off Denton Road RG40 2HD and Denmark Street which is located off Denmark Street (RG40 2BB). Wokingham Railway Station (RG40 2AP) is a short walk away and local buses serve Broad Street. Other car parks are available.
There is limited disabled parking in certain car parks and in signposted bays around the Town Hall.
I played this great game and I’d like to get my own copy. What do I do?
Eclectic Games in Reading are our games partners for this event. There will be copies of the demonstration games for sale on the day. For other games and game advice please visit them at: www.eclecticgames.co.uk or at the shop (5 Union Street, Reading, RG1 1EU)
I need more information about the event!
For info about the venue, ticketing or the event in general please contact Wokingham Town Council on 0118 974 0889 or artsandculture@wokingham-tc.gov.uk
If you have a specific query about a specific game you might do best to get in touch with Eclectic Games directly. https://www.eclecticgames.co.uk/