JiffyCon Community

Live-Action Game Weekend, Feb 11-12, Northampton, MA

2012-01-26T10:37:00.000-08:00

Live-Action Game Weekend
Modern Myths, Northampton, MA
February 11-12, 3-7pm (each day)

Akiko "finds" money in the strangest of places. She "finds" a bag of pearls under the table when she sets it for lunch. She "finds" a new inkstone under the futon when she folds it to clean the floors. Akiko "finds" coins in the teapot when she prepares tea.

In the darkness of the clean room, lights blinked a morse-code of loss and redemption. She opened her intralink to the Cyberspace and prepared for the long night of infiltration and virtual assault.

"There's smoke on the water it's been there since June / Tree trunks uprooted beneath the high crescent moon / Feel the pulse and vibration and the rumbling force / Somebody is out there beating on a dead horse / She never said nothing there was nothing she wrote / She gone with the man in the long black coat"

Residents of western Mass. – Interested in live-action role-playing (larp) but can't commit to a long-term game? Then the Live-Action Game Weekend is the venue for you! Three experimental one-shot larps to be run in eastern Mass. at Intercon L in March are playing in western Mass. as demos. Games are held at the upstairs Modern Myth space from 3-7 p.m. on February 11th and 12th.

Event is free. Bring a friend!

These games include:

Hykumonogatari Kaidankai [A Gathering of 100 Weird Tales] (a larp set in Tokugawa Era Japan where the villagers gather to tell about their encounters with local demons and ghosts.)

BloodNet (a larp adaptation of a video game about cyberpunk vampires)

Man in the Long Black Coat (a larp about an apocalypse that descends on a small town).

Enthusiasm and a desire to try something new are all that are required! We'll provide instructions, props and all else needed to play. Experienced or new rpg and larp players warmly welcomed.

Let us know if you plan to attend, and if you have any questions please email jiffycon@gmail.com.

A JiffyCon Live event.

Not-a-JiffyCon at Modern Myths on September 17th

2011-09-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

*apologies in advance for cross-posting*

Dear JiffyCon Adherents,

For all those of you who have been waiting in suspense about informal gaming this Saturday (September 17th), wait no longer!

We will be holding a no-frills, Not-a-JiffyCon playdate at the new attic space above Modern Myths* (http://www.modern-myths.com/) in Northampton, MA starting at 11 a.m.** (when the store opens) until whenever we are given the boot. Modern Myths thus earns the title of our sole sponsor and space provider.

* IMPORTANT: The landlord is waiting until the last minute to tell us if we are actually able to use the attic space in Modern Myths, but has guaranteed us an alternate space. Therefore, it's best that you watch for updates from us over the next few days. And when in extreme doubt, just check with the friendly folks at Modern Myths first and they'll know where we are.

**...and if the venue isn't Modern Myths, we'll try to start earlier at 9 a.m. if we can. Like I said, check for updates from us.

So, what does "no frills" mean?

Well, as opposed to the normal JiffyCons, we will not:

* be charging an entrance fee.
* formally organizing GMs into events. Sign-up sheets might happen
* pre-determining slots beforehand. We'll do that on-site, eyeballing the length of games, etc.
* providing childcare (though we wish we could!)
* providing snacks beyond rudimentary offerings from that of generous private donors (i.e. everybody who comes)
* organizing other outside fun things such as a banquet, a designer's breakfast
* having vendors present besides, of course, Modern Myths

We're talking about a space, some tables, some chairs, some great people and some great games, all for the cost of just showing up on Saturday.

The next official JiffyCon is, as stated earlier, postponed until next year, when a suitable regular venue presents itself to the organizing committee.

Thanks for your patience and we'll see those of you can make it on Saturday!

Important News about Jiffy in September

2011-09-06T15:33:00.001-07:00

Big changes for Jiffy in September! Due to some unforeseen circumstance, we won't be able to hold the full Jiffy that we'd planned, with banquet and kid care. If you have pre-paid for the event, we will refund your registration. We were very excited to have Jiffy at the Pushkin, and hope to do so in the future!

Instead, we are holding a Little Jiffy: a free game day where we will get together, play role playing games and board games, and possibly spend time together afterwards in a spontaneous and freeform way. The site will be in Northampton, MA, and the final details are being confirmed now, and we'll post information here as soon as possible.

Please let us know if you want to come! Many of the games scheduled for JiffyCon will be run! We're excited to have fun in a scaled down way, and hope to see you there.

To let us know you're coming email:

jiffycon[at]gmail.com

JiffyCon Pre-Registration Now Live!

2011-08-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

You may now e-mail jiffycon[at]gmail.com to secure YOUR space for JiffyCon Greenfield at the Pushkin, September 17, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In the e-mail, please tell us:

* Your name
* If you have any kids, and what their names/ages are
(If you told us this for JiffyCon Northampton 2011, we've got it)
* If you're a game designer and want to advertise at the con
* If you are interested in a potential post-JiffyCon banquet and if so, paying for a $20 ticket for the catering
* How you heard about us

If you tell us you're coming before September 7th, you get $2 off the $20 door price AND a free button with the JiffyCon monkey logo!

Running a game or volunteering for us? It's $5 off!

Sign up to run a game here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dF9PMjlUbmFDTkZ4a3JrYk1QYWszNVE6MA

Featured Games at JiffyCon Greenfield

2011-08-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

Our line-up includes some great indie titles thus far:

Tales of the Fisherman's Wife
Misspent Youth
Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies
Battle School, an Ender's Game hack of 1001 Nights
3:16 Carnage Among the Stars

...as well as board games on loan all day.

Keep them coming! you have until September 7th to submit your game here.

Pre-registration information will be up shortly.

A New Look for Jiffy

2011-08-06T06:27:00.001-07:00

This summer we held the JiffyCon Logo Contest. Our thanks and congratulations go out to David Berg from New York City for his wonderful Flying Monkey drawings and this JiffyCon logo, as well as creative doodles that we'll use for program materials. Also, to Epidiah Ravachol, for his Black Sabbath inspired poster, that he'll be adapting for our use to flyer the Pioneer Valley for JiffyCon in September.

Thank you so much! It's wonderful to have a new look for our 5th year of JiffyCon!

We need GMs!

2011-07-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

Calling all GMs and game designers: JiffyCon needs you!

As mentioned in the previous post, JiffyCon is coming to the Pushkin Gallery in Greenfied, MA on September 17, 2011. We need GMs of all walks and persuasions, from table top rpgs to board games, and beyond.

The deadline to sign up to run a game is September 7th.

Please sign up using our handy form found here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dF9PMjlUbmFDTkZ4a3JrYk1QYWszNVE6MA

JiffyCon Greenfield Announced -- September 17, 2011

2011-07-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE DATE - SEPTEMBER 17TH

JiffyCon will be returning to Greenfield on September 17th, tentatively located at the Pushkin in Greenfield, MA. In addition to a variety of independent role-playing games and board gaming, it will feature such glorious events as the Game Designers' Breakfast and the Dress-Anyway-You-Like Banquet.

Stay tuned for information about pre-registration and game-mastering events!

(We'll also be getting a new look on this website shortly... Don't be alarmed, but do be impressed when it comes).

Schedule for JiffyCon Boston, Saturday, June 25th

2011-06-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

JiffyCon Boston is almost here!

Sign up for both the morning and afternoon sessions will take place from 8:30am to 9am for each person immediately following their on-site payment of the $10 registration fee.

Want to preregister? Last minute questions? Mail jiffycon@gmail.com.

When & Where: JiffyCon Boston will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at the Unity Church in Davis Square, Somerville, MA.
Note: Most of the parking in Davis Square is limited to 2-hour or permit only. We strongly suggest you take the T to Davis Square.

Schedule
Doors open at 8:30am.
Sign up for Games: 8:30am to 9am.
Morning Session: 9am to 12:30pm.
Lunch Break: 12:30pm to 2pm.
Afternoon Session: 2pm to 6pm.
Doors close at 6:30pm.

Unlike at some previous JiffyCons, lunch is not included in the registration fee, but there are plenty of excellent places for lunch in Davis Square.

Morning Session

Combat Diaries
Revisit World War II with a system that emphasizes dramatic action and teamwork.
GM: Zeke
For 3-6 players.

Microscope
A collaborative game of sweeping story arcs covering the rise and fall of generations, empires, worlds, or you name it. We'll create a broad era to play (e.g. “humanity takes to the stars”, “the conquering of new continents in a fantasy world”, etc.), create pivotal events, and play out scenes from the lives of those whose fates are intertwined with the great changes afoot. Come with an open mind and a willingness to create a world together. Microscope was written by Ben Robbins.
GM: Emily Boss
For 2-4 players.

Polaris
Long Ago the People were Dying at the End of the World.
Come join the Knights Stellar and try to hold back the grinding decay of your once proud civilization. What will you sacrifice to maintain your people and your soul?
GM: Tom Russell
For 2-4 players.

Vampire Hunter: 2031 (Loom)
The Earth has become a bleak and blasted hell with humanity huddled in a few heavily fortified arcologies. Though the Vampire Wars are over, nothing has returned to normal and the constant threat of another outbreak looms over all possible futures. Then the rumors started, about vampires growing in number again, and behaving very differently then the bestial predators humanity had been fighting for over a decade. These vampires seemed to be organized and deliberate. Something has to be done!
You have been chosen to leave the arcology and find the source of this new threat. Your group of badasses, hardened by a hard world, will set-out to find and eliminate the source of this growing threat. You're not fighting for glory or fame or wealth, you're fighting for the chance of surviving one more day in a world dead-set against that outcome.
GM: Stephen A. Jarjoura
For 3-6 players.

Afternoon Session

Burning Hoopleheads
The lawless frontier of Nineteenth Century America played using the Burning Wheel RPG system.
GM: Christopher “Tewhill” Corbett
For 4-6 players.

FreeMarket
We are a society of functionally immortal, cybernetically modified, telepathic infovores. Our culture is centered on a reputation-based economy in which all basic needs—sustenance and shelter—are accounted for. If you wish to do more than just survive—if you wish to create, perform, build, or destroy—you must win the approval of your friends and the community at large. Our “community at large” is currently over 80,000 strong. It is contained in a Stanford Torus-style space station parked at the L5 Lagrange point of Titan and Saturn. Our habitat was designed to hold 40,000 comfortably. We’ve modified it to accommodate our expanding numbers. There are no laws in our society, yet there is also no crime and no death. So we think we’re doing a fair job. You are now one of us. Welcome to FreeMarket!
GM: Tresi
For 1-4 players.

The Last Van Hoern (Cthulhu Dark)
You've received a desperate sounding letter from an old college friend, begging you to come to his ancestral home in the hills of Worcester, MA. The letter intimates a terrible fate awaiting him, a horror that has haunted his family for a dozen generations, and if you can't help him then no one living can.
Do you dare risk your health, sanity, even your life to unravel the mystery of The Last Von Hoern?
GM: Stephen A. Jarjoura
For 3-6 players.

Swords Without Master
Daring rogues, brawny warriors, dark magics, glory, treasure, and grave misfortunes. Swords Without Master is a sword & sorcery descendant of MonkeyDome in which you play rogues in the same vein as Fafhrd and Gray Mouser gallivanting and adventuring.
GM and Designer: Epidiah Ravachol
For 3-4 players.

About JiffyCon: JiffyCon is a one day mini roleplaying convention. Focusing on small-press, independently published roleplaying and board games, JiffyCon is a whole day devoted to nothing but having fun playing games.

JiffyCon Boston 2011: Saturday June 25

2011-05-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday June 25 is about a month away! We look forward to seeing you at JiffyCon Boston in Davis Square!

Sign up for both the morning and afternoon sessions will take place from 8:30am-9am for each person immediately following their on-site payment of the $10 registration fee.

Schedule
Doors open at 8:30am.
Sign up for Games: 8:30-9am.
Session 1: 9am to 12:30pm.
Lunch Break: 12:30pm to 2pm.
Session 2: 2pm to 6pm.

Games Currently Planned
• Burning Hoopleheads (Burning Wheel adapted for Deadwood)
• Combat Diaries
• FreeMarket
• The Last Von Hoern (Cthulhu Dark)
• Microscope
• Polaris
• Swords Without Master
• Vampire Hunter: 2031 (Loom)

Unlike at some previous JiffyCons, lunch is not included in the registration fee. But there are plenty of excellent places for lunch in Davis Square, and we will provide a list of our favorite restaurants in easy walking distance.

About JiffyCon: JiffyCon is a one day mini roleplaying convention. Focusing on small-press, independently published roleplaying and board games, JiffyCon is a whole day devoted to nothing but having fun playing games.

When & Where: JiffyCon Boston will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at the Unity Church in Davis Square, Somerville, MA.

Want to let us know you're coming? Register by emailing jiffycon@gmail.com!
Interested in running a game? GMs sign up here!

GMs for JiffyCon Boston June 2011

2011-04-12T19:10:00.000-07:00

JiffyCon returns to the Boston area on Saturday 25 June 2011, and we're looking for folks to run games! Deadline for signing up to run games is Saturday 11 June. You can sign up online here:

JiffyCon GM Sign Up

We will be back in Davis Square at Unity Church on College Ave.

Tentative Schedule:

Doors open at 8:30am.

Session 1: 9am to 12:30pm or 1pm.

Lunch Break: 12:30pm or 1pm to 2pm.

Session 2: 2pm to 6pm.

We have not yet determined if we're offering a pizza lunch as in previous years or instead making a restaurant map for Davis Square.

Entry Fee:

TBD, likely $10-15 per person, kids under 5 free

In past JiffyCons we've featured locally grown games like Time and Temp, Shooting the Moon, Misspent Youth, 1001 Nights, and Shock:Human Contact as well as games in development such as Tales of the Fisherman's Wife, Swords without Master, and board games like Mechaton. We love both the old school and the newfangled. Our attendees have come from far and wide throughout New England, and our attendance has steadily increased over the past three years. We couldn't have done it without the kind folks who GM, DM, and facilitate GM-less goodness.

A more general announcement is forthcoming, once we have a few games signed up and settle on lunch details!

Nordic Larp Talk

2011-03-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

Nordic Larp: Grassroots Expression and Playful Art

Markus Montola, School of Information Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.

Monday April 4, 2011

7:00 p.m.

Isenberg School of Management Room 137

Montola will discuss the unique Scandinavian live action role playing (larp) culture that has blossomed over the last decade. Players Immerse themselves in transmedia narratives that take place anywhere from insane asylums to medieval villages with animatronic dragons, from starships made from submarines to Strindberg productions. He will also distinguish the pervasive larp medium from theater, psychodrama and experimental art, providing illustrative examples of this grassroots form of expression.

WWW.UMASS.EDU/IMPULSES

Flier: https://udrive.oit.umass.edu/etorner/Montola_event.jpg?ticket=t_nzqtMAOm

Also Planned:

Speed Gaming Evening, Saturday April 7, 2011

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm

Northampton, MA

(spaces limited)

Four GMs are sitting at four different tables, and each of them has a different indie RPG. Players (quite possibly in groups of three or four) move between the different tables every 10-15 minutes. After an hour, the GMs switch up and new games are on offer. Everyone gets a "sampling" of what the game's about and how it works, before then moving on to the next one. It's a great way of exposing people to a large number of games over a short period of time!

For more information, please contact Evan Torner at etorner@german.umass.edu

JiffyCon Games, January 23, 2011

2011-01-21T08:23:00.001-08:00

Sunday, January 23rd is nearly upon us. We look forward to seeing you at JiffyCon Northampton!

Sign up for both the morning and afternoon sessions will take place from 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. for each person immediately following their on-site payment of the entry fees. The first session starts at 9:30.

After you have arrived and paid, put your name down for one game in each slot. If the game you wanted is full, go with your second choice. Trust us -- all the games will be fun! You can only sign yourself up; your friends must do the same.

If you have last minute questions, you can email jiffycon at gmail dot com. We'll answer emails received up to Saturday evening, Jan 22.

* Two additional all-day pick-up activities have been added to the schedule:

--Miniatures painting with PETE!

Gamers of all ages are invited to join Modern Myths painting expert Pete Serio as he offers an all-day minis painting clinic. We'll provide paints, brushes, and sample miniatures for you to practice on, or bring your own and learn tricks and tips from an expert. Pete will also have terrain and scenery-building materials on hand for anyone interested in learning to build cheap and easy terrain pieces. Pete will be on hand all day, with a break for lunch. All ages are welcome!

--Zygote Game Demos with the Creator

Jim Cambias from local Western Mass. game company Zygote Games (http://www.zygotegames.com/) will be offering pickup card games of Bone Wars and Parasites Unleashed during your moments spent outside of other gaming activities. Itching for something to do? Talk to Jim!

* Thanks to the support of our friendly local gaming and comics store Modern Myths, we CAN accept credit cards (Visa or Mastercard) in addition to cash for on-site Registration payment.

* Unlike at some previous JiffyCons, lunch is NOT included in the Registration fee. This is partially so we can enjoy the full 1.5 hour lunch break in downtown Northampton, which offers many different restaurants, cafés and sandwich/pizza places for any palate and budget. We will provide a list of places to eat within the vicinity at the convention, but you can also Google Northampton to see just how many options there are.

GAMES OFFERED:

Adults Only (18+)
The Anthropophagy Society
The trials and tribulations of a secret society of cannibals in the tranquil hills of Western Massachusetts. Members gather on a regular basis to tap their collective resources for potential new members, to identify potential threats to their anonymity, and to discuss local gossip. Typical small town New England stuff, only tastier.
GM: Julia Ellingboe
Min. Players: 4
Max. Players: 6

Annalise
A game of Annalise. A story of pain, hunger and redemption (and vampires). In space.
GM: Kat Jones
Min. Players: 1
Max. Players: 4

Esoterrorists--the Profane Miracles
Jonathan Bentley, millionaire financier, has recently returned from the dead. Is it a simple hoax or something far more sinister? As members of Ordo Veritatas, it's up to you to track down the clues and get to the bottom of this mystery. If it's a hoax, expose it. If it's the work of Esoterrorists, shut it down and make everyone think it was a hoax. A game for 3-5 players who want to give the GUMSHOE system a spin.
GM: Tom Russell
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 5

In a Wicked Age
Intrigue, murder and wantonness in a fevered struggle for the heart (and wealth) of the land's greatest beauty. A pre-loaded scenario using the Blood and Sex oracles.
GM: Evan Torner
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 4

Introduction to Apocalypse World
We'll play through a full 'first session' of an Apocalypse World campaign, including character creation and world building, to give players a chance to experience Vincent Baker's new diceless-for-the-GM RPG of conflict and desire among the ruins of civilization.

No previous AW Play required, we'll teach rules and provide materials. 18 and up only, expect some adult themes, including sex and violence, to be encountered in play.
GM: Jim Crocker
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 5

Rock of Tahamat
YOU ARE ROCK OF TAHAMAAT, SPACE TYRANT.

Except the rest of you. The rest of you are women and men of the Kaliste, suffering under Rock of Tahamaat's despotic rule.
GM & Designer: Vincent Baker
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 5

Swords Without Master
Daring rogues, brawny warriors, dark magics, a sword & sorcery descendant of MonkeyDome. What's not to like?
GM & Designer: Epidiah Ravachol
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 4

Shock: Human Contact
300 years ago, the Academy pulled civilization from its last fall, a catastrophic war of tribal and religious conflict, where diseases and machines were the weapons and most often only victors.

The Academy has replaced scarcity of resources with abundance of thought, and has turned its eyes to the stars. It applies its powerful rationalist philosophy to focus the faculties of the mind to explore, to understand, and to use new understanding to improve the lives of all those within its reach.
...
Earth past contains many accounts some recorded in writing or video, some only discovered archaeologically of exoduses to the stars precipitated by sociopolitical shifts in the life of Earth.

For the last three centuries, the Academy has been recording the bubblings of civilization on distant stars. Sometimes, recording the reinvention of radio, sometimes the encrypted cacophony of information networks. And sometimes something most likely a signal, but offering no clue to its nature.

The time has come to say hello.
(Inspired by Iain M. Banks, Culture and Ursula K. Le Guin, Ekumen novels)
GM & Designer: Joshua A. C. Newman
Min. Players: 2
Max. Players: 3

Young Adult to Adult (16+)
The White Lotus
In-progress hack of Vincent Baker's Apocalypse World to play Avatar: The Last Airbender.
GM & Designer: Shreyas Sampat
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 5

Inevitable
Inevitable is a satirical board game of post-apocalyptic politics. It represents a hybrid of the chance-based pleasures of roll-and-move games, the wheeling and dealing of negotiation-based games, the drama and tension of collaborative beat-the-system games, and the narrative richness of character-driven role-playing games.

In a world ravaged by apocalypse, humanity lives under the rule of HappyCOM-9, an all-powerful yet badly confused computer overlord. As the champion of one of the twenty most powerful factions in the City, your goal is to seize power from HappyCOM-9 in a terrifying, bloody Election. In order to succeed, you will need to best your opponents, avoid HappyCOM-9's defenses and shock troops, weather the twists and turns of cruel fate, and, uh, not die. Or at least not die too often.
GM: Jeremy Bushnell
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 5

Slayer of Dragon RPG
Tell the story of heroes in a world gone wrong. Tell the story of heroes using their fists and feet to literally beat back the forces of evil. Tell the story of bodies flying over rails, off cliffs, and on fire. Tell the story of Slayer of Dragon RPG: Second Edition.

Now being played at select conventions near you.
GM & Designer: Grant Gigee
Min. Players: 2
Max. Players: 4

Misspent Youth
Misspent Youth is about friendship, rebellion, and kicking ass. In the game, you play 12- to 17-year-old kids in a future world screwed-up beyond recognition by The Authority. The Authority is a villain that you create together at the start of the series, played (in this case) by the game's creator, Robert Bohl. So much fun, the fun-meter chip implanted in you at birth will go off, and the Morality Police will come looking for you.

For this session, you will play with the designer, Robert Bohl, who will come prepared with at least one playset for his own game, but who also is into making up the world on the spot with you, whichever you prefer.
GM & Designer: Rob Bohl
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 4

Steve Jackson Games
Munckin, Munckin Bites, Frag, Zombie dice, and Cuthulu Dice.
GM: Thomas Putney
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 6

Time and Temp
Time & Temp is a role-playing game about temp workers being sent through time to fix problems.

Why use temp workers? Temp workers are historically insignificant, have little impact on anyone else, and can be replaced tomorrow by another nameless face and no one would question why. They make perfect anachronous agents!

What's the worse that could happen if you fail? Reality ends.
Together, let's make anachronism a thing of the past!
GM: Tresi
Min. Players: 2

Max. Players: 4

Ages 10+

Harry Potter: The Missing Students
Something is wrong at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, students have gone missing for hours, sometimes days at a time. When they return they have no memory of what happened.

The new headmaster, Albus Dumbledore is leading the investigation and he needs you to remember. What happened to you? Can you find a way to unlock your memory?

GM: Alysia Bartok

Minimum players: 3

Maximum players: 5

Psi Run
They took your past. You got away. They want you back. Run!

In this game, you play a person with two important conditions - superpowers and amnesia. All you really know is something happened, and you need to keep away from the people chasing you long enough to figure out what, as well as recover your identity.
GM & Designer: Meg Baker
Min. Players: 2
Max. Players: 5

The Ziporatic Catastrophe
Act first, think later, as you and your companion try to stop The Ziporactic Catastrophe. You and a set of pulp clich√©s are all that stand between freedom and Evil World Domination. Ancient Artifacts! Malignant Masterminds! Intrepid Investigators! Hirsute Henchmen!

The system for this zesty pulp adventure is Sprit of the Century (FATE). Fudge Dice, prefab characters to choose from, and everything else needed will be provided. Just bring your zaniness, enthusiasm, and two swinging fists. (Storyteller reserves right to change all the rules; homebrew content may be high.)

GM: Manfred Gabriel

Min. Players: 3

Max Players: 6

Games for all ages (7 and up)
Dread House
Are you brave enough to spend the night in a spooky haunted house? Six brave teen-agers dare each other to test their courage and face down the ghosts, werewolves, vampires and more that stalk the rooms of the house on the hill. Players pull blocks from a Jenga Tower for their characters to explore and brave out the haunts. A game great for kids and adults to play together. (Ages 7+ generally, but under 7 is welcome with a helping older player.)
GM & Designer: Emily Boss
Min. Players: 3
Max. Players: 6

GM Sign Ups Open

2010-12-14T14:50:00.000-08:00

We've extended the deadline for signing up to run a game at JiffyCon. The signup form will be live until January 1. We'd love to have you and your game there!

Go straight to the online form to sign up:

JiffyCon GM Signup

And check out this post for more info:

http://jiffycon.blogspot.com/2010/11/gms-for-jiffycon-january-2011.html

Lowell PlayDate this Saturday!

2010-12-06T08:43:00.001-08:00

Go have fun with the Brilliant Gameologists this Saturday, Dec 11 for a Speed Gaming, Open Gaming and a Yankee Swap! Get to sample a dozen or so rpgs and board games, have a blast playing one or more in the afternoon, then give and get a gift to start your holiday season off right.

For more info see:
JiffyCon Community Blog: PlayDate: December 11th, Lowell

Brilliant Gameologist's Website: PlayDate December 11th!

or join their facebook page:
Brilliant Gameologists FB

Registration for JiffyCon January 2011 - NOW LIVE

2010-11-20T07:35:00.001-08:00

Half-day price now available!

Want to attend JiffyCon on January 23, 2011 in beautiful downtown Northampton, Massachusetts? Let us know you're coming!

Please e-mail jiffycon (at) gmail.com by January 9, 2010 with the following information:

• Name(s)
• E-mail Address (and/or best contact info)
• Number, name and age of any accompanying children
• If you're coming from far out of town and interested in accommodation information
• How you heard about us

This information will help us ensure the best possible convention experience for you!

Also join the event on Facebook.

-------------------------------------------
ABOUT JIFFYCON: JiffyCon is a one day mini role-playing convention. Focusing on small-press, independently published and role playing and board games, JiffyCon is a whole day devoted to nothing but having fun playing games.

WHEN & WHERE: JiffyCon will be held on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at the Dynamite Space in Thornes Marketplace in downtown Northampton, MA.

SCHEDULE:

Doors open at 9:00 a.m.
Sign up for Games : 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Session 1: 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Break: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Session 2: 2:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Entry Fee (pay at the door):
• $20 - adult, full-day
• $10 - adult, half-day*
• $5 - kids 6-17
• Free - 5 and under

* Afternoon preferred. Adults needing childcare pay full-day admission.

Games currently planned:
In a Wicked Age
The Anthropophagy Society (table top)
Tales of the Fisherman's Wife
Misspent Youth
Human Contact
Psi-Run
Annalise
Dread House
Slayer of Dragon

In past JiffyCons we've featured locally grown games like Time and Temp, Shooting the Moon, Misspent Youth, 1001 Nights, and Shock:, games in development that such as Tales of the Fisherman's Wife, and board games like Mechaton. We love both the old school and the new fangled. We offer games for kids as young as 8, games for a general audience, and games strictly for adults. Our attendees have come from far and wide throughout New England and the Middle States, and our attendance has steadily increased over the past three years. We couldn't have done it without the kind folks who GM, DM, and facilitate GM-less goodness.

Want to run a game? Sign-up before December 15, 2010.

GMs for JiffyCon January 2011

2010-11-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

JiffyCon returns to Western Massachusetts on January 23rd, 2011, and we're looking for folks to run games. Deadline for signing up to run games is December 15. You can sign up online here:

JiffyCon GM Sign Up

We have a fabulous new space in Thornes Marketplace's "Dynamite Space" in beautiful downtown Northampton, Massachusetts.

Schedule:
Doors open at 9:00 a.m.
Sign up for Games : 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Session 1: 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Break: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Session 2: 2:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Entry Fee:
$20 adults, $5 kids 6-17, 5 and under free

In past JiffyCons we've featured locally grown games like Time and Temp, Shooting the Moon, Misspent Youth, 1001 Nights, and Shock:, games in development that such as Tales of the Fisherman's Wife, and board games like Mechaton. We love both the old school and the new fangled. We offer games for kids as young as 8, games for a general audience, and games strictly for adults. Our attendees have come from far and wide throughout New England and the Middle States, and our attendance has steadily increased over the past three years. We couldn't have done it without the kind folks who GM, DM, and facilitate GM-less goodness.

Games currently planned:

In a Wicked Age, The Anthropophagy Society (table top), Fisherman's Wife, Misspent Youth, Human Contact, Psi Run, Annalise.

Look here for more details soon, and see you in January! (And in Lowell at the Brilliant Gameologist's Playdate, too!)

PlayDate: December 11th, Lowell

2010-11-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

Join us on December 11th at Middlesex Community College, Lowell, MA for a day of games- try something new or reconnect with a favorite with new people, this is a day of fun and games.

Timeline- 11:30-6:00:

11:30-12:00 Registration, check in, coffee, mingling

12:00-1:30: Speed Gaming- Rotate stations to learn about the RPG and Board Games offered. 5-10 minutes per game, hopefully you’ll meet your dream game!

2:00-5:30 Open Gaming: Each RPG will last between 2-4 hours. There are plenty of board games and gm’less games to fill the extra time so we hope you’ll get to “date” a few choices!

5:30-6:00 Yankee Swap! Bring a gift (regifting is ok! Just something someone else may like!) and let's get in the mood for the holidays!

Games:

RPG’s

List coming soon! Do you want to run something? GM's still needed- contact us ASAP!

Board Games

Along with the RPG’s will be a collection of board games including Dominion, Race for the Galaxy, Zombies!, Settlers of Catan, Carcassone, Ticket to Ride, Pillars of the Earth, Puerto Rico, Agricola, Word on the Street, Say Anything, Apples to Apples and many more!

Location:

Middlesex Community College Lowell- cafeteria

33 Kearney Square, Lowell

Address/ Directions

Parking:

MCC has a parking garage- the Lower Docks Garage off of Warren Street with a walkway to the MCC building. There is also on-street parking, but it is limited. The address for parking is 44 Kearney Square, Lowell

Registration:

Please register ahead of time so we know how much coffee and breakfast items to get and how many games to prep!

Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/brilliantgameologists Event page!) OR
Meetup- Role Playing Fellowship of Greater Boston

Admission: $5 plus donations for the snack table! ALSO- Tis the season! Bring a game that can be donated to a homeless shelter or Toys for Tots!

Comment / Questions

Post in the comments here, ask us on twitter, or email us! If you have any questions, need a place to crash the night before, or want to run a game, email away!

Go to BrilliantGameologists.com/Mailer and sign up for the mailing list

PlayDate Lowell: October 16th!

2010-10-05T05:34:00.000-07:00

Join us on October 16th at Middlesex Community College, Lowell, MA for a day of games- try something new or reconnect with a favorite with new people, this is a day of fun and games.

Timeline:

11:30-12:00 Registration, check in, coffee, mingling

12:00-1:30: Speed Gaming- Rotate stations to learn about the RPG and Board Games offered. 5-10 minutes per game, hopefully you’ll meet your dream game!

2:00-6:00 Open Gaming: Each RPG will last between 2-4 hours. There are plenty of board games and gm’less games to fill the extra time so we hope you’ll get to “date” a few choices!

Games:

RPG’s

List coming soon! Do you want to run something? GM's still needed- contact us ASAP!

Board Games

Location:

Middlesex Community College Lowell- cafeteria

33 Kearney Square, Lowell

Address/ Directions

Parking:

MCC has a parking garage- the Lower Docks Garage off of Warren Street with a walkway to the MCC building. There is also on-street parking, but it is limited.

Registration:

Please register ahead of time so we know how much coffee and breakfast items to get and how many games to prep!

Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/brilliantgameologists Event page!) OR
Meetup- Role Playing Fellowship of Greater Boston

Admission: FREE but we ask for a $5 donation to partake in the snack table, or bring enough snacks to share with the group! Our costs at BG are significant, so additional donations are always welcomed and go towards our web hosting fees.

Comment / Questions

Post in the comments here, ask us on twitter, or email us! If you have any questions, need a place to crash the night before, or want to run a game, email away!

Go to BrilliantGameologists.com/Mailer and sign up for the mailing list

JiffyCon Boston June 26, 2010

2010-06-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

JiffyCon Boston
June 26, 2010
Unity Church
Somerville, MA

JiffyCon Boston Facebook Group

Download our flyer.

ABOUT JIFFYCON: JiffyCon is a one day mini role-playing convention. Focusing on small-press, independently published and role playing and board games, JiffyCon is a whole day devoted to nothing but having fun playing games.

WHEN & WHERE: JiffyCon Boston will be held on June 26, 2010, at Unity Church, 6 William St, Somerville, MA

Games:
Houses of the Blooded - Epic struggles for empire and power.
Misspent Youth - Rise up against the Man in an F*'ed up future.
Spacerpunk - Adventure and trouble running gigs from world to world.
Mountain Witch - Samurai battle a mysterious enemy and each other's betrayal.
Dust Devils - High noon in a haunted old West.

Schedule:

8:30am-9am: registration, signup, coffee
9-1: morning session
1-2: lunch break
2-6: afternoon session

REGISTRATION: Just $12 including lunch!

Snacks, beverages and lunch are provided. Local game designers and authors are on hand to run and play their games. Games are available for sale.

Fit some quality gaming into your busy schedule!

GMs WANTED: We are looking for GMs for JiffyCon Boston on June 26. Email dev at dev-dot-purkayastha-at-gmail if you want to run a game.

Other Questions: Email Dev at dev-dot-purkayastha-at-gmail.

We look forward to seeing you at the gaming table soon!

Play Date, June 5, Lowell, MA

2010-05-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Join the Brilliant Gameologists on June 5th at Middlesex Community College, Lowell, MA for a day of games- try something new or reconnect with a favorite with new people, this is a day of fun and games.

Timeline:
11:30-12:00 Registration, check in, coffee, mingling
12:00-6:00 Open Gaming

Games:

Board Games
Along with the RPG’s will be a collection of board games including Dominion (with both expansions), Race for the Galaxy (also with expansions), Zombies!, Settlers of Catan, Carcassone, Ticket to Ride, Pillars of the Earth, Puerto Rico, Agricola, Word on the Street, Say Anything, Apples to Apples and many more!

Location:
Middlesex Community College Lowell- cafeteria
33 Kearney Square, Lowell

Address/ Directions

Parking:
MCC has a parking garage- the Lower Docks Garage off of Warren Street with a walkway to the MCC building. There is also on-street parking, but it is limited.

Registration:
Please register ahead of time so we know how much coffee and breakfast items to get and how many games to prep!

$5 Admission plus we will be collecting game donations that we will gift to a local charity that helps homeless shelters, so bring a gently used game appropriate for kids! If you bring some snacks to share or a few games, the registration may be waved.

Contact and Registration:
Go to BrilliantGameologists.com/Mailer and sign up for the mailing list

Email us at gameologists@gmail.com and let us know you are coming! If you have any questions, need a place to crash the night before, or want to run a game, email away!

JiffyCon Boston 2010: June 26

2010-05-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

JiffyCon Boston 2010 is coming soon: June 26! The venue is Unity Church in Somerville, MA in the heart of Davis Square.

GMs wanted! Contact Dev if there's a game you'd like to run for the morning or afternoon session: dev.purkayastha@gmail.com.

OurCon, April 23-25, 2009, Amherst, MA

2010-03-24T11:41:00.001-07:00

The Game Hobbyists League at UMass Amherst are hosting their annual convention, OurCon.

The Theme for the con this year is "Celebrating the Games of the Valley". A special invitation has been extended to JiffyCon GMs and players, to come show off the many small press and independent games that have been written and published here in western Massachusetts, as well as other favorites.

There will be a Game Design Panel discussion on Saturday with local game designers. The full schedule will be announced soon.

Role playing games will be run Friday night, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon/evening. If you'd like to sign up to run a game, contact Emily at [emilycare at gmail dot com].

Visit the Facebook page here:
OurCon 2010

Directions can be found here:

http://www.umasshotel.com/location-contact/

Parking information is here:

http://parking.umass.edu/index.php/generalinfo/visitorparking
http://parking.umass.edu/index.php/generalinfo/garageparking

Maul Con III, March 5-7

2010-03-04T08:51:00.001-08:00

MaulCon has gone underground. So underground that the slacker running it did not get around to making up this web site until the last minute. It is also underground in the sense that it will be happening below street level, in Worlds Apart Games in downtown Amherst. MaulCon II was about the size that could fit cozily in Worlds Apart Games, and the rent is much better.

The rent is so much better that we MaulCon III is a FREE event to attend! That's right, you can just come on by and enjoy the gaming. Worlds Apart would not mind if you were to donate $5 or buy something.

Below is the schedule of role playing games. In addition to that, we have access to Worlds Apart's board game library of over 100 games including Dominion, Antike, Galaxy Trucker, Settlers, Axis and Allies, Ticket to Ride, and much more!

Friday, 6 PM to 10 PM
JellyGlobs: Hold The Line!
GM: Aaron Jensen
Push your opponent off the board in this simple game of luck and strategy. Presented by Empire Earned Games.
www.empire-earned.com

Misspent Youth, Part 1
GM: Robert Bohl
Play the part of rebellious youth in a dark future. Will you defeat the authority or will you succumb to the Man? Part 1 of a three part story through the weekend. You can play in a single session or all three.

Saturday, 12 PM to 5 PM
Sign in Stranger
GM: Emily Care Boss
Earth has made first contact, and there is a huge universe of aliens out there. Play some of the first humans to leave earth, founding a colony on a strange new planet. Uses a "mad-libs"-like mechanic to generate truly unusual environments and beings.

Misspent Youth, Part 2
GM: Robert Bohl
Play the part of rebellious youth in a dark future. Will you defeat the authority or will you succumb to the Man? Part 2 of a three part story through the weekend. You can play in a single session or all three. Saturday, 6 PM
Deathfest at Hampshire College
MaulCon is sharing a weekend with Deathfest, the greatest exposition of role playing, hillarity, and death in the Valley. It is a free event at Hampshire College's Franklin Patterson Hall. Come with us to Deathfest, then come back to Worlds Apart afterwards for... Saturday-Sunday Overnight, After Deathfest Until Dawn and Beyond
Deathfest Aftergaming
After Deathfest, come back to Worlds Apart Games for a night of realizing that gaming is totally better than sleeping. Check out Worlds Apart's selection of over 100 board games available for your playing pleasure.

Sunday, 12 PM to 4 PM

Slayer of Dragon
GM: Grant Gigee
2-4 players
A ragtag band of would-be heroes in Qing Dynasty China react to the brutal slaughter of children in Matisi Village by the new governor. In Slayer of Dragon RPG, you make the story happen! Fight great injustice with kungfu powers! No experience is necessary, and rulebooks will be provided. http://standarddeviation.cx/.

Misspent Youth, Part 3
GM: Robert Bohl
Play the part of rebellious youth in a dark future. Will you defeat the authority or will you succumb to the Man? Part 3 of a three part story through the weekend. You can play in a single session or all three.

Hope to see you there!

PlayDate Feb 27 Lowell, MA

2010-02-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

Join us on February 27th at Middlesex Community College, Lowell, MA for a day of games- try something new or reconnect with a favorite with new people, this is a day of fun and games.

Timeline:

9:00-10:00 Registration, check in, coffee, mingling

10:00-1:00 Game Slot 1

1:00-2:00 Lunch Break

2:00-6:00 Game Slot 2

Games:

Still accepting GM applications!

Game Slot 1

Combat Diaries

Mutant City Blues (Gumshoe System)

Mouse Guard

Game Slot 2

Houses of the Blooded

Shab-al-Hiri Roach

Zombie Cinema

Board Games

Along with the RPG's will be a collection of board games including Dominion (with both expansions), Race for the Galaxy (also with expansions), Zombies!, Settlers of Catan, Carcassone, Ticket to Ride, Pillars of the Earth, Puerto Rico, Agricola, Word on the Street, Say Anything, Apples to Apples and many more!

Location:

Middlesex Community College Lowell- cafeteria

33 Kearney Square, Lowell

Address/ Directions

Parking:

MCC has a parking garage- the Lower Docks Garage off of Warren Street with a walkway to the MCC building. There is also on-street parking, but it is limited.

Registration:

Please register ahead of time so we know how much coffee and breakfast items to get and how many games to prep!

$5 Admission plus we will be collecting game donations that we will gift to a local charity that helps homeless shelters, so bring a gently used game appropriate for kids!

Contact and Registration:

Email us at gameologists@gmail.com and let us know you are coming! If you have any questions, need a place to crash the night before, or want to run a game, email away!

Welcome to JiffyCon

2010-01-30T18:00:00.000-08:00

JiffyCon is a series of role-playing and other gaming events held in Massachusetts. Happening two to four times a year, held in Greenfield, the Boston area and other parts of the state.

JiffyCon was founded in 2006. We support local, independently published games, have a sociable, growing community, and many of our events are family friendly.

We are working with other local gaming events to bring our games to you in more places, with even more friendly faces.

Information about upcoming events will be posted here. We hope to game with you sometime soon!

JiffyCon Community

Live-Action Game Weekend, Feb 11-12, Northampton, MA

Not-a-JiffyCon at Modern Myths on September 17th

Important News about Jiffy in September

JiffyCon Pre-Registration Now Live!

Featured Games at JiffyCon Greenfield

A New Look for Jiffy

We need GMs!

JiffyCon Greenfield Announced -- September 17, 2011

Schedule for JiffyCon Boston, Saturday, June 25th

JiffyCon Boston 2011: Saturday June 25

GMs for JiffyCon Boston June 2011

Nordic Larp Talk

JiffyCon Games, January 23, 2011

GM Sign Ups Open

Lowell PlayDate this Saturday!

Registration for JiffyCon January 2011 - NOW LIVE

GMs for JiffyCon January 2011

PlayDate: December 11th, Lowell

Timeline- 11:30-6:00:

Games:

Location:

Parking:

Registration:

Comment / Questions

PlayDate Lowell: October 16th!

Timeline:

Games:

Location:

Parking:

Registration:

Comment / Questions

JiffyCon Boston June 26, 2010

JiffyCon BostonJune 26, 2010 Unity ChurchSomerville, MA

Play Date, June 5, Lowell, MA

JiffyCon Boston 2010: June 26

OurCon, April 23-25, 2009, Amherst, MA

Maul Con III, March 5-7

PlayDate Feb 27 Lowell, MA

Welcome to JiffyCon

JiffyCon Boston
June 26, 2010
Unity Church
Somerville, MA