My Word with Douglas E. Welch

Wizards of the Coast have already launched their “Stay at Home, Play at Home” free gaming resource for the Dungeons & Dragons system. But while you’re getting your campaign in order — and if you already have access to a 3D-printer — you can take your remote gaming to the next level with these free printable models created by artist Miguel Zavala.

1

To make your shut-in days (weeks and months) a little bit more entertaining and fun, WotC has set up a “Stay at Home, Play at Home” section of their Dungeons & Dragons website. There you can find tons of free online tools to assist you in your games: how to play materials, free basic rules, campaigns, encounters, and even activities and coloring books for younger kids. They also have a resource section for ways to play D&D remotely.

While we’ve had to hit the snooze button on conventions and game groups, that doesn’t mean you can’t play with friends and folks from around the world. Do it virtually! Here’s a few sites to help keep you entertained with game-y goodness AND hanging out with other gamers from the comfort of your own couch!

Oleg Dolya (last seen here for his amazing procedural medieval city-map generator) is back with a wonderful procedural one-page dungeon generator that produces detailed, surprisingly coherent quickie dungeons for your RPG runs (it’s an entry in the monthly challenge from /r/procedural generation).

As we all come to terms with the new rules about staying inside,, people are turning to online pub quizzes, bingo events and Netflix streaming parties to keep social while socially distancing

.
And if you’re looking for something else fun to try, you can now play Cards Against Humanity online with your mates. Welcome to 2020.
The popular game, which really brings out the worst in people, can be played on Playingcards.ioio and is fairly simple to set up; create your own virtual room via a link you can pass to your pals, where everyone can see the game in real time and join in.

11 Nintendo Switch

This is the latest gaming console from Nintendo. If you have people who eat, sleep and drink Mario and Zelda in your household, this is next gaming console for you — and it’s portable, too. Games currently available for the Switch include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey.

Introducing Nintendo Switch, the new home video game system from Nintendo. In addition to providing single and multiplayer thrills at home, the Nintendo Switch system can be taken on the go so players can enjoy a full home console experience anytime, anywhere. The mobility of a handheld is now added to the power of a home gaming system, with unprecedented new play styles brought to life by the two new Joy-Con controllers.

PLAY ANYWHERE

Home Gaming System

At home the main unit rests in the Nintendo Switch dock, which connects the system to the TV and lets you play with family and friends in the comfort of your living room.

On-the-Go

Lift Nintendo Switch from the dock and instantly transition to handheld mode for on-the-go gaming. By sharing Joy-Con, players can go head-to-head while away from home. You can also enjoy the same great games in tabletop mode by using the included stand to prop the system up.

New Play Styles

Remove the detachable Joy-Con from either side of Nintendo Switch for more play styles:

One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
Two players can each take one
Multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options (additional Joy-Con sold separately)

Slip a set of Joy-Con into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

Bring together up to 8 Nintendo Switch systems for local face-to-face multiplayer.

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs

While I was intrigued by the Amazon Echo, I couldn’t really make a case for buying one. That said, when a friend offered me their Echo Dot, which they didn’t want, I quickly jumped for it. I had been wanting to play around with the technology and see what it could do.

So far, for me, the Echo Dot has been used for listening to music from Pandora.com, providing weather and commute traffic info for my wife and sun each morning, game playing with Jeopardy, Lie Swatter, Sing Quiz and Screen Test Movie Quote Quiz and it also interferes with the Etekcity switches and Hook I mentioned earlier in the Gift Guide. I have been very happy with my Dot and, knowing what I know now, I probably would spend my own money to get one — perhaps to expand Alexa into other parts of the home.

The new Echo Plus looks neat due to its added capabilities as a smart home hub for many available systems.

09 Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Dot

You can save a few dollars if you want to buy a couple of Echo units or by buying factory refurbished units.

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs

Check out these “Crows on a wire” tops, cases, sleeves and much more!

Available only from DouglasEWelch.com/shop

Click to view this entire collection and buy today!

View my entire portfolio