GoGames360 in The Woodlands, TX by Debra Hoenig Parizek

GoGames360 was held in The Woodlands, TX, Feb 8-10, 2019. ParDen Us Gaming was invited to be there with Dragon’s Lair North.

We held 2 gaming sessions. In the 1st session, 4 students at a nearby college sat down at my table and we played the students “recruited” by a nefarious organization scenario. We had a hilarious time as the characters learned that they had psychic powers and used them to defeat the bad guys then escape. The college students liked the game so much that they were going to convert their DnD group to our gaming system.

The 2nd session was an abbreviated one, a very short demo to show the game mechanics to one of the other “red shirts” and his family. They defeated the bad guys, too, and escaped. The scenario changes really force me to think on the fly.

Looking forward to more events this year! I’m really enjoying getting into the gaming community and being a GM.

Accomplishments 2018 by Debra Hoenig Parizek

I am very proud of the accomplishments of 2018.

We were at these in-person events:

• Introducing EVERYVERSE RPG at 8th Dimension Comics and Games

• International Tabletop Day @ Dragon’s Lair North

• Super Tom Con

• Free RPG Day @ Dragon’s Lair North

• Lair Con

• Hawaii Con

• Extra Life @ Dragon’s Lair North

Also, 2 podcasts: (click on the names to have a listen)

• Tome Traveler

• TSR Game School

Six of the in-person events and both podcasts were done by me. Not bad for the gal who had never been an GM before! Nor have I ever been interviewed!

In September, 2018, I was voted into the International Game Designers Network. Now that I am a full member, we can have EVERYVERSE RPG at more cons in the IGDN booth! We’re so excited about that! Our first con with IGDN support will be C2E2 in Chicago, March 22-24. If all goes according to plan, we will also be in the IGDN booth for GenCon — Saturday, August 3rd will be a landmark day!!

More Events By Debra Hoenig Parizek

On 8/25/18, Dragon’s Lair North Houston held its inaugural Lair Con. I was truly surprised by how many tables they fit inside the store between the shelves! It was well organized.

I was there for 6 hours – held 2 gaming sessions, discussed game mechanics with other interested gamers who did not have time to play, and sat in on a panel where they were talking about neighborhood game designers.

For the sessions, we played the same scenario as the previous events – teenagers “recruited” by a criminal organization because they had the potential to become hybrids with psychic powers. The first group did not escape and were compelled by the villain to begin training to become operatives. Here is a picture of our table and of the first group.

The second group escaped. Sadly, I got so caught up in the second session that I forgot to take a picture of those players.

Hawaii Con:

Despite the volcano and a hurricane that brushed the islands, Hawaii Con happened 9/14-16/18. Friend/artist/supplement developer, Jeremy Wilson, served as GM and vendor for ParDen Us Gaming. Here is a picture from the session in Hawaii:

Jeremy also helped get our basic rules and Paranormality books in a local game shop. Thanks, Jeremy!!

Taking It to the FLGS… and a Mini Con

The time had come for me to put on my big girl panties and become a GM. I was so nervous before the first one. The first event was a demo at 8th Dimension Comic and Games, (http://www.8thdimensioncomics.com), on March 3rd. See the Introducing EVERYVERSE RPG Event blog post.

The second event was at Dragon’s Lair North (http://dlair.net/houston-north/) on International TableTop Day, April 28th. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures. One guy in the group did not want his picture taken and another group member was a minor without an adult to give permission.

The third event was Mini Tom Con at Lone Star College, May 12th.

The fourth event was also at Dragon’s Lair North on Free RPG Day, June 16th.

The minor in this group is seated next to his grandfather who gave permission. We played a one-shot - developed by Chief Play Officer, Jim Poland - set in the near future on an Earth-like world, where the players woke as prisoners of an unknown organization, and no explanation for why they were being held. The last thing they could recall was being at a college frat party. I went in with a plan… which no group followed. Each group differed from the others in how the players approached the situation, forcing me to wing it as GM. Quite the exercise! However, GMing these groups has really opened my eyes to the beauty of EVERYVERSE RPG – the GM provides any setting, EVERYVERSE RPG provides the rules, and, together with the players, the group’s shared fiction is created. ~ Debra Hoenig Parizek, ParDen Us Gaming CEO

Introducing EVERYVERSE RPG Event

8th Dimension Comics and Games, http://www.8thdimensioncomics.com, hosted the introductory event for EVERYVERSE RPG in Houston, Texas.

We played a one-shot - developed by Chief Play Officer, Jim Poland - set in the near future on an Earth-like world, where the players woke as prisoners of an unknown organization, and no explanation for why they were being held. The last thing they could recall was being at a college frat party.

Perhaps, the nice(?) lady in the lab coat would be of help…?

This one-shot was also my initial outing as a GM.

We had a special visitor, too. Douglas, the guide dog, visited while his human played at another table. I think Douglas was prompted to visit by my late husband, the game designer, and one of my doggie walking clients who recently crossed the Rainbow Bridge, to help calm my nerves. Douglas and my recently departed doggie client are both black labs.

A good time… and a lot of snacks… were had by all. Even Douglas enjoyed a carrot.

Many thanks to Jeremy and Annie Bulloch of 8th Dimension Comics and Games for hosting. Please pay them a visit if you are in the area.

~ Debra Hoenig Parizek, ParDen Us Gaming CEO

9 Guys and Me

Early in 2015, I received a Facebook notification that my friend, Jim, had added me to a new group — Universe Savers Anonymous. That was a blast from the gaming past I had not heard in several years. It was how our gaming group referred to ourselves. Intrigued, I immediately IM’d him to inquire. Jim’s response was that he was setting up a Facebook group for a gaming reunion that would take place in June. His sons thought it would be a fun way to spend some vacation time.

Jim used the Facebook group to pass scenario and gaming system information to us. We sent our character sheets to him.

We played 19 hours over 2 days and an evening that weekend. Had a great time!

Above is a picture from that weekend of RPG fun. Kneeling - left to right:
Jason - 2nd generation player
Duane - 1st generation player
Andrew - 2nd generation player

Standing - 2nd row - left to right:
Josh - 2nd generation player
Cary - new player
Jared - 2nd generation player

Standing - 1st row - left to right:
Jim - 1st generation player, father of Josh, Jared, and Jason
me - author’s widow and 1st generation player
Rich - 1st generation player, father of Andrew and Ben
Ben - 2nd generation player

A day or so after returning home… it hit me! I had a product! Dennis, my late husband and game designer, had left behind the basic rules and 3 supplements plus seed ideas for adventure modules! He and I had wanted to get his game published while he was alive but that did not happen. I have wanted to do something with his work though he has passed and now that I had some knowledge of how to market online, thanks to a short time in network marketing, I could. I also found out that more supplemental information existed. Dennis and Jim had discussed aspects that I did not know about and Jim had saved that information, becoming archivist.

Two and a half years and a successful kickstarter campaign later, EVERYVERSE RPG basic manual and EVERYVERSE RPG Paranormality have been published. EVERYVERSE RPG Future History is nearly ready for publication. Two adventure modules are in development. Kickstarter backers and game enthusiasts are in the states and around the world.

Dennis would be pleased.

~Debra Hoenig Parizek, ParDen Us Gaming CEO