SIEGE - Video Gaming conference in Atlanta

I am currently attending SIEGE 2013, the videogaming conference in Atlanta.  This is a nice little conference, aimed at providing good information for members of both the video gaming community, as well as academics (students, college programs, technical schools, etc).  I am here with a colleague (a member of the computer science faculty from Columbus State University, like my self), and with a half dozen students.

We are having a great time, but I wanted to comment on the number of boardgaming activities.

First, there is, in the exposition hall, a person who has set up a booth with a large (250+) collection of board games as a library for people to play during the conference.

Second, there have been some programming tracks that deal specifically with boardgaming and non-digital game design.  I attended one on design, which was pretty good, but the conversation of the panel was dominated by a bloviating primate one opinionated commentator who really didn't have much to add to the conversation, except redundant comments about the (in my opinion) poor designs from his game company and his own experiences.  However, on the whole, perhaps it is because I don't like the games his company publishes.  Okay, there is goodness for everyone, and I don't have to poo poo because it is not my particular brand.

Third - I participated in an Academic Roundtable, which was for professors who teach gaming and game related topics (I teach classes in simulation, gaming, as well as supporting computer science topics).  The conversation turned to the use of non-digital game design in the class room to teach a number of different principals, as well as the use of serious gaming as an education tool.

Fourth - I played some boardgames with my students last night, and will do so again tonight.  Last night we played 6 Nimmt!  and had a great time (by the third play, there was cursing and yelping going on - a good sign in 6 Nimmt).  Following up on that, we played Settlers of Catan.  The nice fellow who brought the boardgame library to the conference let us use his 10th anniversary version of the game, which I have to admit is visually amazing!