Behind the Scenes

While I may be quite on the twitter/email front please be assured things are happening behind the scenes.

The UKGMN was essentially offline for the last two months as I was moving house and resetting up internet. But we’re back up and running and I’m making the way we distribute content better and more consistent than before. Twitter has been up and running for a while now and Google+ is working well too. Facebook however is proving trickier and re-establishing the archive is causing problems too. Please bear with me and if you haven't already go and like our pages! That’d be amazing of you!

Facebook
Twitter
Google+

This is a Google+ Test

If you can see this google+ peeps then my test worked :)

Temporary Front Page Issue

The app which provides the front page news feed has decided to stop updating. As a temporary measure we have tried switching the feed the app is using to the Google+ Feed to see if the app is objecting to the Pipe.

If this fixes the problem, great, but it does mean that you will now be directed to our google+ page before going to the article you clicked on… Not ideal…

However, as always, all the other feeds work including Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Our Archive.

We hope to have this fixed soon, sorry for the inconvenience.

***Update*** This did not fix the problem. We have now switched from Tint to Rebelmouse in the hopes of getting the front page working again. It is not currently possible to fix the blank space above the news feed but if it updates that’s better than nothing!

The UKGMN Team.

Huge Site Update

Lots of things have changed around here recently.

First up, the site is getting an overhaul, some pages are still under construction and may change in the next few weeks. Google discontinuing Google Reader basically brought the site to a standstill in July but that has been fixed now and we're proud to have close to fifty blogs in the network.

The front page, now powered by Tint offers an atheistically pleasing magazine style layout for our latest content along with a nice widget displaying our latest tweets (with the option to tweet us right from the home page)

I’ve also overhauled the Daily Digest page, this is now the portal to the news pages. Content has been subdivided into three main areas of interest which can be accessed by clicking on the buttons on the news page or by using the navigation bar at the top of the page. The news page now features a larger events and twitter feed, a top stories feed and a video player showing the latest uploaded video.

The page also features an FAQ with a full list of member sites and information on how to become a member.

I'm also working to include industry news from UK companies and developing new pages to allow UK Publishers to have some free adspace and direct links to their stores. You can see the individual pages for Board Game, RPG and Miniature News, each with their own individualised feeds and twitter widgets, along with the store pages for Miniatures and RPGs. These will continue to grow in the coming months. All adspace on the UKGMN is free of charge to UK companies and will always remain so, our goal is to help the hobby grow, we are entirely non-profit. The board game publishers page is still under construction but feel free to contact me if you want space on that page.

In addition to the overhaul you can now follow the UKGMN news feed via twitter facebook or google+. Also, if you missed an article you can check out our archive which logs each post by our members by date.

The Clubs section of the site has been revised and additional clubs have been added. As before the list can be viewed by County by using the navigation dropdown at the top of the page. 

The members sections of the site has also recently been updated, if you are a member and have any changes you want to make to your bio or any additional social networking you want to add, now would be a good time to let me know. If your bio isnt on there please contact me and I'll send you an email with the info I need to get you up and running.

Finally I'll leave you with another call for clubs and stores and conventions, please get in touch with me at ukgamingmedianetwork@gmail.com for free adspace, no strings attached.

UK Games Expo 2013

News about UK Games Expo 2013 – the UK’s largest Hobby Game Convention. Friday 24th,

Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May 2013, Hilton Metropole, NEC Birmingham

Now in its 7th Year, UK Games Expo aims to be the premier event in the UK where all aspects of the tabletop gaming hobby are represented under one roof:

• Card Games
• Boardgames
• Role-playing Games
• Miniature Games
• Family games
  

The goal is to create a fun event which will appeal to families and the general public as well as the
enthusiast. You arrive, you wander around the trade stands, try out any games you wish, sit in on the seminars or join in with the tournaments.

These are the main elements:

• Tournaments and Championships in the most popular game systems (Xwing – win a Trip to USA. Warmachines. Warhammer 40K. Settlers of Catan UK Championship, Yu-gi-oh. Flames of War. Field of Glory. Carcassonne UK Championship. Dominion. Netrunner National Finals.Malifaux. Blood Bowl, Dust Tactics./ and many others)
• Newest games and releases on show AND PLAYABLE
• Large trade fair with 80+ Traders in 2000 sqm of trade space
• Family Zone - lots for the kids to do
• Authors and artists
• 120+ Roleplaying Games to play over 3 days.
• Participation and Demonstration Games - No need to know the rules or book in advance –JUST WALK UP AND ASK TO JOIN IN!
• Costumed Groups
• Guests
• Seminars and Talks
• Cinema on Saturday Night showing 2 movies
• Space for Open Gaming and Roleplaying Games
• Game Ambassadors in blue shirts - if you are new, on your own or just lost ask them and they will help.
  

UK Games Expo IS open to the public. You can book in advance (online tickets Easter 2013) OR just turn up and pay on the day.

WHEN?

UK Games Expo is on 3 days in May. The next show is Friday 24th, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May 2013. The main show with all the traders and the family zone and costume groups is on SATURDAY and SUNDAY. These are GREAT for everyone as EVERYTHING is going on. Families bring your children! FRIDAY is a games day in the same hotel. Anyone can turn up, find a table (or book into a Roleplaying game) and play. Although they may attend with adults, it is NOT ideal for younger children under 10 as there are no specific activities organised for them. To use these rooms you need a ticket covering the relevant day.

WHERE?

The show at the NEC Hilton Metropole

WHO?

Who runs UK Games Expo? It is organised by 5 main guys who are keen - call it fanatical – games players who wanted to run the UKs best games convention (Richard Denning and Pat Campbell who founded the event, Tony Hyams who with Richard is the director, Mick Pearson who runs the volunteers and John Dodd who is the power behind anything Roleplaying. We also rely on a host of volunteers of which there are too many to name here. All are UNPAID volunteers who help run the event because they like it to succeed. None of us are paid by UK Games Expo for running it. (Though we might get the odd free game out of it ;-) )

Who comes to UK Games Expo? In 2012 we had 2800 unique visitors and

4000+ attendances over the weekend. This includes many gamers of all types but also a large number of families and children. It is open to all and NOT restricted.

HOW?

How do I find out more and how do I book up for it? www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk Our website has extensive information on all aspects of UK Games Expo. You can read up on where the convention is, about hotels and travel to it, about ticket prices (and from Easter you are able to book online) and all about the companies who attend and what games they will be bringing. There are details about the Family zone, Seminars, Author and Artists and much more. Just get reading.

HOW MUCH

Entry fees (Gives access to all the Trade Halls and Open Gaming areas)
SINGLE DAY TICKET: Adults £8, Child (10 to 15 years) £5. Family £20.
TWO DAY TICKET: Adults £14, Child (10 to 15 years) £9. Family £35.
THREE DAY TICKET Adults £18, Child (10 to 15 years) £10. Family £40.
FRIDAY ONLY TICKET Adults £5, Child (10 to 15 years) £3. Family £10.
FAMILY TICKET admits 2 adults and 2 children.

Children under 10 go free. Some Tournaments and specific events have additional charges – see website.

Contact:
Richard Denning Richard@ukgamesexpo.co.uk

Loka: Mantic and River Horse Kickstarter Success

British design company River Horse Games has teamed up with UK based miniature company Mantic games to design a chess variant set in a fantasy kingdom.

Complete with dice based combat and innovative terrain features Loka builds on Alessio Cavatore’s earlier game Shurro (see our video interview with Alessio here).

The Kickstarter has already surpassed it’s goal and so Loka will be a reality, but as always with these projects, more backers means more stretch goals and more cools stuff. So if Loka sounds like your cup of tea then go back it now…

Mantic Games has already seen great success with previous Kickstater campaigns such as Dreadball. Its great to see two UK based companies working together and being so successful. Congratulations guys!

Want to know more? Here is Alessio to tell you about Loka in his own words.

Running out of Steam - Hasbro Retires a Monopoly Piece Forever

Hasbro recently ran a facebook vote to determine which Monopoly piece would be forever consigned to the vault. Watch the video below to see who lost... *Hint* it wasn't the race car, because that's the best one!!!

So the iron is gone forever, it probably wont change the game, despite the mirade of editions to come out over the years Monopoly has changed very little and altering the playing pieces will have little effect. Still it's interesting to see which way the public voted. Of course with the Iron gone the world needs a new token, with a choice of Robot, Ring, Cat, Helicopter and Guitar, find out which one the people chose by visiting the link