Gaming at Boskone includes a variety of tabletop games, video games, game demos, and tournaments.

Boskone Gaming Schedule

  • Location: 2nd Floor, Harbor III
  • Game Room Hours:
    • Friday 2:00 pm – 12:00 midnight
    • Saturday 10:00 am – 12:00 midnight
    • Sunday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

FRIDAY

2:00 PM (free to the public)
Azul
Harbor III – Gaming · 50 min · Gaming
The king wants you to decorate his royal palace … Azul is a tile-placement game in which players compete for the highest score by claiming tiles and arranging them on their board to score points. Extra points are on offer for collecting sets of the same color of tile, or for creating particular patterns, while there are penalties for taking tiles that you’re unable to use. But every tile that you claim affects what your rivals can take next. You’ll have to make choices that help you without helping them too much! (mfg description)

3:00 PM (free to the public)
Lost Cities (card game)
Harbor III – Gaming · 50 min · Gaming
Use your cards to venture down expedition routes that take you to far-flung, mysterious corners of the Earth. Your goal is to plan the routes in such a way that they bring you the greatest possible fame. If you are especially daring, you will also wager on the success of your expeditions. But watch out: You are not the only one traveling! Which routes will you pursue and how much gold is it worth to you? Only the player who has collected the most fame at the end of the game will be the winner.

4:00 PM (free to the public)
Castles of Burgundy
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Fifteenth-century princes from the Loire Valley devote their efforts to strategic trading and building in order to bring their estates prosperity and prominence throughout Burgundy. Two dice set the action options, but the players always make the final choices. Trading, livestock farming, city building or scientific research — many different paths lead to the prosperity and prominence of the players. The many ways to gain victory points in this building game require careful thought and extensive planning ahead. The different estates ensure that no two games are alike and that the game remains challenging for a long time.

5:00 PM (free to the public)
New Game Demo: Space Chase
Brenda Noiseux
Harbor III – Gaming · 50 min · Gaming
Learn to play Space Chase, the latest tabletop offering from indie game company Almost a Game. In this cooperative game for 1-6 players, you and your crew are being tracked by a dangerous Hunter. Your only hope for survival is to find the nearest Extraction Gate and jump away to safety.

Boskone 57 memberships are required for programming after this point in the schedule.

6:00 PM
Ticket to Ride: USA 1910 Expansion
Harbor III – Gaming · 85 min · Gaming
Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure in which players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway.

6:00 PM
The Dark Manifold (Dungeons & Dragons 5E)
Matt Yancik
Harbor III – Gaming · 180 min · Gaming

For 3 to 5 players (sign-up at Program Operations near Registration). Players can choose from one of several pre-generated characters. The game will last approximately three hours. (A second running of this game occurs on Saturday night. People may not participate in both sessions.)

“Mother”, downtown to the densely packed metropolis of the City of Lost Souls, is a pit carved a half mile deep and half mile wide into the solid rock of the mountainous, snow-covered ringworld of Bjerg. Buildings, carved from solid rock, reach into the sky like cadaverous hands from the grave as, far below, denizens shoulder their way through dark, claustrophobic streets. Gravity shucks, organic trams suspended within gravity tracks that crisscross the pit, ferry citizens from one district to another. You, dear adventurer, are jostled awake from a dream to find yourself among a dozen other passengers on board a gravity shuck as it makes its way toward Central Station, nestled in the dark streets below. With no memory of who you are, or how you arrived, you struggle to piece together exactly what’s going on …

7:30 PM
Video Games 101
Bill Todd (M)
Harbor III – Gaming · 25 min · Gaming
Learn how to properly care for video games and their consoles. Let’s face it, video
games have been around so long that our grandchildren have no idea how to
properly use a cartridge-based system. In order to avoid mishaps and mistakes
that happen every year, I offer this course to parents and kids to learn how to
properly use the consoles and store the games, plus an explanation of the video
game rating system (not all games are made for children).

8:00 PM
DC Universe (card game)
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming

10:00 PM
Puerto Rico
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
The most critically acclaimed board game of the last 20 years, Puerto Rico continues to wow people with its brilliant mechanics. Each player employs different roles — mayor, captain, settler, trader, prospector, craftsman, or builder — to score the most victory points with their colony. Players can act on every turn of the game, allowing them to choose between shipping goods for points or building an impressive city. Players must manage their colonists, erect a variety of buildings, build up their plantation, and sell or ship goods. With dozens of options, Puerto Rico is a streamlined game that can be played in about an hour, and handles up to five players. (mfg description)

SATURDAY

10:00 AM
Demo & Play: Ultra Tiny Epic Galaxies
M. C. DeMarco
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Join Mary DeMarco for a demo and play Ultra Tiny Epic Galaxies — a game of intergalactic conquest for 1-5 players armed with dice and, optionally, tweezers. Known for being a big game in a small box, it now comes in an even smaller box.

10:00 AM
Video Games 101
Bill Todd (M)
Harbor III – Gaming · 25 min · Gaming
Learn how to properly care for video games and their consoles. Let’s face it, video
games have been around so long that our grandchildren have no idea how to
properly use a cartridge-based system. In order to avoid mishaps and mistakes
that happen every year, I offer this course to parents and kids to learn how to
properly use the consoles and store the games, plus an explanation of the video
game rating system (not all games are made for children).

10:30 AM
Wingspan
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
You are bird enthusiasts — researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors — seeking to discover and attract the best birds to your network of wildlife preserves. Each bird extends a chain of powerful combinations in one of your habitats (actions). These habitats focus on several key aspects of growth: Gain food tokens via custom dice in a bird feeder dice tower; lay eggs using egg miniatures in a variety of colors; and draw from hundreds of unique bird cards and play them. (mfg description)

1:00 PM
Guru of the Game Tournament
Bill Todd (M)
Harbor III – Gaming · 355 min · Gaming
The games: Ticket to Ride (1910), DC Universe Card Game (base), Wingspan, Puerto Rico.

Four games in 5 hours. Tournament starts at 1 pm. Please be in the game room by 12:30 pm. If I call your name and you are not in the room, you will not be allowed to play. Please be prepared to play all 4 games. Quitting the tournament gives a huge advantage to the other players at your table, so please stick with it.

Each game will end in 60 minutes, regardless of whether or not the game is actually over. You earn points based on how you placed. First place gets 10 points, 2nd gets 9, and so on. The top 4 winners get to pick prizes off the table. Once you pick a prize, you own it. You may trade your game(s) for others; however, due to hotel regulations, you cannot sell your game on hotel property. You can ask for help from other players but they are not required to tell the truth. You can ask Bill, who is neutral, but he will not play your game for you.

This is open to all, but you should have a working understanding of the games. Please attend a scheduled demo or see Bill if you need a quick refresher on a particular game.

6:00 PM
The Dark Manifold (Dungeons & Dragons 5E)
Matt Yancik
Harbor III – Gaming · 180 min · Gaming
For 3 to 5 players (sign-up at Program Operations near Registration). Players can choose from one of several pre-generated characters. The game will last approximately three hours. (This is a second running of this game, the first is on Friday night. People may not participate in both sessions.)

“Mother”, downtown to the densely packed metropolis of the City of Lost Souls, is a pit carved a half mile deep and half mile wide into the solid rock of the mountainous, snow-covered ringworld of Bjerg. Buildings, carved from solid rock, reach into the sky like cadaverous hands from the grave as, far below, denizens shoulder their way through dark, claustrophobic streets. Gravity shucks, organic trams suspended within gravity tracks that crisscross the pit, ferry citizens from one district to another. You, dear adventurer, are jostled awake from a dream to find yourself among a dozen other passengers on board a gravity shuck as it makes its way toward Central Station, nestled in the dark streets below. With no memory of who you are, or how you arrived, you struggle to piece together exactly what’s going on …

7:00 PM
Catan: Starfarers
Harbor III – Gaming · 170 min · Gaming
It’s the year 2700 and you’ve been selected to compete for the prestigious title of Ambassador to the Galactic Council. Not just anyone can become ambassador—you must earn fame and glory by leaving the known universe behind. Delve deep into the unknown, discover new solar systems, meet new extraterrestrial lifeforms, and use your diplomacy so they will aid you with their powers. As you explore the space in between, you’ll encounter wormholes, merchants, pirates, and more. All of this is made easier with the right upgrades to your ship. (mfg description)

10:00 PM
Lords of Waterdeep
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Waterdeep, the City of Splendors — the most resplendent jewel in the Forgotten Realms, and a den of political intrigue and shady back-alley dealings. You take on the role of one of the masked Lords of Waterdeep, secret rulers of the city. Through your agents, you recruit adventurers to go on quests on your behalf, earning rewards and increasing your influence over the city. Expand the city by purchasing new buildings that open up new actions on the board, and hinder — or help — the other lords by playing Intrigue cards to enact your carefully laid plans. (mfg description)

SUNDAY

10:00 AM
Clank: In Space
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Burgle your way to adventure! Evil Lord Eradikus has all but conquered the galaxy. You and your fellow thieves have challenged each other to sneak around his ship and steal his most precious artifacts. Along the way you’ll recruit allies and snatch up extra loot. One false step and Clank! Careless noise draws the attention of Lord Eradikus. Hopefully your friends are louder than you are so you can make it to an escape pod and get out alive! (mfg description)

10:00 AM
Making Indie Games
Brenda Noiseux (M), Carlos Hernandez, M. C. DeMarco, Merav Hoffman, Cat Scully
Marina 3 · 50 min · Panel
Come hear what it’s like to make indie games from different corners of independent gaming (digital, tabletop, RPG, etc).

11:00 AM
Play Mistborn!
Joshua Bilmes
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Game on! A semi-cooperative resource-management game, Mistborn: House War is set during the events of Mistborn: The Final Empire, the first novel in the bestselling fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson. Join Brandon’s agent Joshua Bilmes for a special demo of this fun new board game!

11:00 AM
New Game Demo: Negocios Infernales
C. S. E. Cooney, Carlos Hernandez
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Negocios Infernales is a GM-less storytelling RPG of magic, courtly intrigue, and Faustian bargains. In an Inquisition-Spain-like setting, each player will take on the role of a wizard who has made a deal with the Devil (actually aliens; long story) in order to gain frightening magical powers to try to save their kingdom. Powered by an innovative character- and narrative-creation system that uses a unique deck of 54 cards, the game is designed to be extremely rules-light, making it friendly to RPG newcomers and a breath of fresh air for experienced gamers.

12:00 PM
NMBR 9
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Challenge your mental acuity and test your dexterity with this puzzling game of strategically placing tiles for one to four players. In every game of NMBR 9, players build their own displays by stacking number tiles that match cards drawn from a deck. Tiles higher up your stack score more points, but be careful how quickly you build upwards. Tiles of each number have a unique shape, and no part of a tile can overhang without a tile directly beneath it, so cleverly lay a solid foundation and plan ahead before you begin stacking. Whoever builds the best display before the deck runs out wins! (mfg description)

1:00 PM
Bang the Dice Game
Harbor III – Gaming · 50 min · Gaming

2:00 PM
Century: Spice Road
Harbor III – Gaming · 110 min · Gaming
Introducing Century, three exciting and wonderfully addictive stand-alone, mixable games. Each title is set in a different centuries, from the 15th to the 17th, and depicts the major trading systems and routes of these eras. While quick and easy to learn, the Century trilogy will fully engage even the most strategic players. Discover the beauties of the spice trading road and its colorful markets via the amazing artwork of internationally renowned artist Fernanda Suárez. Wrap your mind around simple and pure game mechanics combined with a touch of deck-building that lead to endless strategies and decisions. Century Spice Road is truly an outstanding game. One you will play over and over again! (mfg description)

* * *

Game Room Information

Guru of the Game Tournament Rules

The games: Ticket to Ride (1910), DC Universe Card Game (base), Wingspan, Puerto Rico.

4 games in 5 hours. Tournament starts at 1pm. Please be in the game room by 12:30pm. If I call your name and you are not in the room you will not be allowed to play. Please be prepared to play all 4 games. Quitting the tournament gives a huge advantage to the other players at your table, so please stick with it.

Each Game will end in 60 minutes, regardless of whether or not the game is actually over. You earn points based on how you placed. 1st place gets 10 points, 2nd gets 9, and so on. The top 4 winners get to pick prizes off the table.

Once you pick a prize, you own it. You may trade your game(s) for others, however, due to hotel regulations you cannot sell your game on hotel property.

You can ask for help from other players but they are not required to tell the truth. You can ask Bill, who is neutral, but he will not play your game for you.

This is open to all, but you should have a working understanding of the games. Please attend a scheduled demo or see Bill if you need a quick refresher on a particular game.

Game Room Rules

  • No swearing, fighting, or cheating is allowed. You will be asked to leave if caught.
  • No arguing with the judge. Please your case, but the judge’s rule is final.
  • Games marked as prizes or placed on a shelf marked ‘prizes’ are not to be opened.
  • You are free to pick any game not designated as a prize and play it in gaming. You may not take the game into another room or outside the game room.
  • Remember, these games belong to other people and they are being loaned. Please respect the games and return them in the condition they were in when you took them off the shelf.
  • If you damage a game, you bought it.
  • Please clean up after yourself. You can eat and drink but don’t spill anything.

Video Game Area Rules

  • No swearing, hitting, or cheating.
  • There are no memory cards to save games.
  • Please do not throw the controllers or damage the equipment.
  • The volume is set. Please do not change the volume.
  • No food is allowed in the gaming room. You may bring in drinks bought from the hotel, but keep them off the floor and at least 5 feet away from any game.