Running prize pool total

I should probably try to find a neater way of saying that. :)

Still, with a confirmation of the final prize support list from Wizards of the coast, we're now at $6600 total in prizes and auction items. 

This is amazing, humbling, and generally awesome.

The Remote Raffle is also up and running, 

For just $1.30 a ticket, you get a chance to win a prize pack worth (at time of writing) $360. You don't even need to be there on the night! 

Hit the link below to buy some tickets.

https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=235169&embed=235169

CPT Aus 2015 - THANK YOU!!!

For those who weren't there last night, or who missed it when we read things out, here's a list of people we'd like to officially thank for helping make the night the resounding success that it was.

Brian at Qwertees

Jenn and CAH team at Cards Against Humanity

Emma at Global Gear

Chris and Johnny at Brotherwise Games

Crystal from Crystalsidyll

Lola at Turtle Beach

 The amazing folks from Greater Than Games; Paul, Chris, Adam

Nick at Good Games

Matt from the Enigma Room

Luke from the Sons of Obi Wan

Ed, Ryan and Andrew from Uppercut Games

Al from Senyac Games

Will Hungerford from Privateer Press

Julia from Asmadi Games

David from Grail Games

Jackie from Jackie’s Crochet Creations

Andy from Sweet to the Bone

Miriam for the Cthulhu beanie

Adam Strang for his PAX Pass

Joel for the mechanics and questions for the best round EVER!

Super huge thanks to:

James & Cato from Games Lab, for giving us a home for the event 

Wil at Hasbro for giving us such great support 

Jamie Dillion, the Child’s Play boss lady, for helping crystalise the event and for liaising and with supporters

Erick and Brian for the hugely generous donation of PAX Merch!

Owen, Shayne, David, Kwaizy, and Fatsoda for helping organise the event

TofuSama, Lamiroire, Goldfish, and Andrew for being the best minions a fella could ask for

ALL OF OUR ATTENDEES for getting into the spirit of the night and digging deep to help sick kids and their families.

Our home

Time for another story.

Games Laboratory is the FLGS you would build in your dreams, if your dreams were my dreams and what the heck are you doing having my dreams, they're my dreams dang it! Get your own dreams!

*ahem*

Located on Little Lonsdale Street, Games Lab is three levels of awesome. First, there's a games store with several tables for playing and a great selection to choose from. There's also a refreshment fridge, snacks, and even lockers for temporary hire.

Above that is an events space, where many, many people could gather to play Magic:The Gathering, Warmachine, or any other game you care to name. It's also a great place for a trivia night, just by the way. 

And below them both you'll find the Alchemist's Refuge. A comfy, welcoming bar with a fantastic choice of boutique beers, furniture that comes straight out of the better sort of gentlemen's club, and an expertly-curated games library to play as you sip a brew.

In case you're thinking all this is just "oh, he has to say that, they're the venue", you should all know that last PAX Aus weekend, I spent not only the day of the event at Games Lab, but most of the following day, the Sunday night after PAX closed, and even the Monday after that at Games Lab. Also, the one time I went down to Melbourne to see a Tripod show and spent ages at Games Lab. It's a great place, is what I'm saying.

James and his crew know games, know how to engage people about and with games, and are super supportive of Child's Play Trivia Australia.

It really is everything you could want in a games shop, a place where hardcore alpha gamers can puff their chests at each other, where dubious other-halfs can be sucked in with a gateway game, and where curious newbies can have their horizons expanded and their minds blown.

Really, you should just go there.

http://gameslaboratory.com.au/

Our major sponsor

As part of the wider content we can include on the website, we thought we'd share some stories from the history (all 26 months' worth) of CPT Aus.

Our first story is the epic experience we've had with our major sponsor: Wizards of the Coast.

Before last year's event, I'd not really had much experience with contacting prize supporters. All the other trivia nights I'd run had either been on behalf of the Social Club at work - and so all the prizes were bought - or on behalf of people who were managing the prize scrounging themselves, and so they just needed me to write questions and be the MC for the night. I had no idea what to expect, and just sent a whole bunch of emails to the kinds of companies I'd like to see the wares of on offer at a trivia night.

Making contact with Wizards was a straightforward process, and the speed with which they responded to me was genuinely surprising. A few emails back and forth - including a couple to Jamie from Child's Play because reasons - and I was talking to the amazing Will. From the get-go he was enthusiastic and positive, with great ideas to elevate the night and generosity of prize support that saw us with SDCC exclusive Magic cards and a signed set of three 5th Edition D&D rule books to auction. The auction items alone accounted for 1/4 of our funds raised last year. Coupled with the giveaway Magic sample decks, masses of Nerf, and general great vibes and game tweak suggestions, the contribution of Wizards to the event cannot, and will never be, overstated.

In short: Wizards care about the community, they care about supporting the event, and they care about giving attendees the best possible experience. We're very lucky, and extremely grateful, that they're our major sponsor.

More things!

After teasing they would hook us up, we're stoked to officially announce that Sons of Obi Wan are giving us a great package of prizes for the night.

We'll have 5 double-lesson passes, so you and a friend can head to the Jedi temple and try your hand at saber training.

We'll also have a couple of t-shirts and hoodies, so you'll look good doing it!

You should all check out Sons of Obi Wan, and see the good things they do. Not only are they an excellent place for fun and fitness. Not only are they a temple of Star Wars fandom of epic proportions. Oh no. They also do amazing things for charity. Not enough? Fine! How about special needs classes? Like a class tailored for kids on the Autism spectrum? Huh? Yeah. I thought you'd like that. 

Seriously, these guys do great things, and if you're in the area - even in passing - you should check them out.