September 22 1999 RussCon Report

Happy autumn!

13 people, including 3 new folks Gina, ChrisH, and MindyH.

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Laser Quest, Damn It:

So far William and JP are the only ones to confirm interest in LaserQuest. WendyWhe and, one assumes, JeffF are also interested. With me, that makes 5. We need more! It's a fixed fee to rent the whole place for ourselves. If we get 20 or more people, it's a pretty good deal. Last time it worked out to around $13 a person. Email me if you are interested in playing Laser Quest for a couple hours some Monday evening in the next few weeks! Tell me if there is a Monday you cannot do it. Otherwise JeffF is going to start thinking he should have taken the train stamps instead of the Laser Quest prize at the Puffing Billy tournament...

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Foosball Table Only $800:

On the incredibly slim chance someone actually wants a genuine arcade foosball table for $800, KevinH's sister wants to sell one.

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Game Results:

Pit 7 Fred 6 William 4 KevinH 2 RussW 0 Bob -2 Marty -4 Tim -6
GrandNationalDerby 4 MindyH 3 Bob 1 KevinH -1 ChrisH -3
AufHellerUndPfennig 4 RussW 3 Fred 1 JP -1 William -3
Elfenland 4 Marty 3 Daniel 1 Gina -2 Tim -2
ZirkusFlohcati 4 Marty 3 Tim 1 Daniel -1 Gina -3
Metropolis 4 Harry 3 JP 1 Fred -1 RussW -3
AufHellerUndPfennig 3 Bob 2 ChrisH 0 William -2
LostCities 2 Harry 1 RussW -1
JumboGrandPrix 5 Marty 4 Bob 2 William 0 Tim -2 ChrisH -4
Bluff 6 William 5 RussW 3 Tim 1 Bob -1 Marty -3 ChrisH -5
Bluff 6 ChrisH 5 Bob 2 RussW 2 Marty -2 Tim -2 William -5
Fight 5 RussW 4 ChrisH 2 Tim 0 William -2 Marty -4

Pit is allegedly a classic game from 1904. Tim brought his new deluxe edition which comes in a snazzy metal box. The game involves frantic trading, just like being a commodities broker, but sillier. It's fast, ridiculous and sort of fun. "Ring the damn bell!"

I still dislike Metropolis. Others like it. I wish I liked it.

For you statistics mavens, Jumbo Grand Prix is actually the first RussCon game that starts with the letter J, which surprised me. Now only X & Y are unrepresented. You can amuse yourself by thinking of what games have started with each of the other letters... some are not easy to think of! Only 2 digits are represented by RussCon game titles, but it shouldn't be hard to figure out which digits and which games.

Hey, that makes me think of a contest: The first person to email me a list of 24 RussCon games starting with each letter from A to Z (except X & Y) gets to usurp the throne from the normal Devil, and taunt them as well. Bonus for getting the 2 digits also: you may dance the Mocking Jig on their grave. Plus of course there's the usual fame and glory. Winners agree to permit their likeness to be used for promotional purposes. All tax liabilities are the responsibility of the winners. Judges' decision is final. Offer void where prohibited. Sorry, Tennessee.

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Evening's Soundtrack:

Genesis, Wind & Wuthering
Marillion, Seasons End
U2, October
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
Jeff Wayne, The War of the Worlds

Forever Autumn.

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Rank ratings:
 1.0000 Harry (2)
 1.0000 MindyH (1)
 0.5000 Fred (3)
 0.2963 RussW (7)
 0.1600 Bob (6)
 0.1111 KevinH (2)
 0.0000 Daniel (2)
 0.0000 JP (2)
-0.1000 Marty (7)
-0.1034 William (7)
-0.2174 ChrisH (6)
-0.3333 Tim (7)
-0.8333 Gina (2)

New Win ratings:
 1.0000 Harry (2)
 1.0000 MindyH (1)
 0.3333 Fred (3)
 0.2000 Marty (7)
 0.0741 RussW (7)
 0.0000 ChrisH (6)
-0.0345 William (7)
-0.1200 Bob (6)
-0.2222 KevinH (2)
-0.2333 Tim (7)
-0.3333 Daniel (2)
-0.3333 JP (2)
-0.3333 Gina (2)

Harry is the Devil! Newcomer Mindy pulled a Brady Maneuver (playing just one game and winning it), but one must play at least 2 games to be the Devil. Fred is Vice-Devil. Russ & Marty are Co-Vice-Vice-Devils.

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"If we go to Louisiana again, we have to get back earlier."
"Does that mean we have to leave later?"

Marty & William (who was unusually inexplicable this evening),
quoted at Bob's request

Russ