Age of Steam
A few days back, to burn some time before I met the wife at her parents' house, I stopped by Brentwood Mall for an hour or so. My motives weren't entirely innocent, because I also knew that what used to be our nearby friendly neighbourhood game store had moved into there — and everyone around here knows that poking around a game store is a good way to keep Matt occupied for a little while.
I browsed through some of the shop's game selection, idly picking up this or that game box, and reading the box cover game descriptions I'd read half a dozen times before, until the game which happened to be in my hand at one particular moment seemed odd. I knew it wasn't something unfamiliar to me, but why was it that the back of the box looked so foreign?
I flipped the box over to the front side. And then flipped it back again.
Wait a minute.
"Could this really be. . . . It is."
What I held in my hand was a brand new and still in shrinkwrap copy of Age of Steam.
"So?" you ask.
So.
Unlike other collectible hobbies which include hundreds of priceless relics, there are perhaps only four or five real holy grails in the relatively small world that is designer board games. One of them, probably the highest-rated and most loved of these out of print, limited edition, collectible, expensive, very difficult to acquire games is Age of Steam, the 2001 release by Martin Wallace. Age of Steam is the railroad game to which all previous railroad games were working their way up to, and which all subsequent railroad games have tried to emulate. It's so beloved by its fans that there are dozens of official and hundreds of unofficial alternate maps for it.
Some of the more recent expansion maps you can still buy in game stores here and there. But the problem is that you still need the base game components to play these maps, and the base game . . . well, lets say if you were going to bid on one on eBay right this minute, you'd be lucky to wind up paying less than $150 for even a used copy, and could be paying well over $200 for one in good condition or new.
And here in my hands, I held a brand new copy, still bearing its $59US/$69Canada retail price sticker. It's no wonder the back looked weird to me: I'd never actually seen the game in real life — only internet images of the front cover art.
And then what did I do? I put the game on the shelf and went home. Because it's nearly Christmas. Because I've got lots of games. Because I thought I should think about it a while. Because I'm a retard.
And because I wanted a stomach ulcer, apparently, because since that day I've done nothing but worry that somebody else would have bought the game, and I'd regret it forever.
So after asking a couple of coworkers what they'd do in a similar situation, and posting on a forum asking what I should do, and getting an overwhelming response to both queries saying, "Are you crazy? Buy the damn thing while you have the chance!" my resolve broke down and I went back to the shop, praying it was still there. It was still there, right where I left it. I caressed the box briefly, and then took it to the front of the store. What ensued was actually pretty funny.
Matt: I just need this, thanks. (Sets Age of Steam on the cashier counter.)
Woman Buying Gifts for Family: Ooh, is that a train game? Is it any good?
Matt: Yes, it is. It's kind of a classic, and a little hard to find. (Not wanting to mention just how hard to find it was until my transaction was complete and the game was safely in my hands.)
Other Guy in the Store: (overhearing the conversation) Oh? Which game is that?
Matt: (softly) Age of Steam.
Other Guy in the Store: Oh my God! They had a copy in here?!? Dude, if I'd seen that before you did, I totally would have bought it.
Matt: That's sort of what I'd been afraid of, which is why I came back for it.
Woman Buying Gifts for Family: Do you think my family would like it?
Matt: (Looking at the copy of Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers in her hands.) I'm not sure. It's a pretty heavy game and kind of unforgiving to new players. What you've got there, though, is probably the best of the Carcassonne games, and a safer bet as a gift. Anyone's almost guaranteed to like it.
Other Guy in the Store: Dude, isn't Age of Steam like really out of print?!?
Matt: (Cautiously eyeing cashier to make sure she doesn't hesitate ringing it up.) Uh, yeah.
Other Guy in the Store: For like a couple of years now, right?
Woman Buying Gifts for Family: Do you think they have another copy?
Other Guy in the Store: No way they have another copy. Doesn't it sell for, what, like two hundred dollars online?
Cashier: (Looking like she wonders if she's made some kind of mistake and the owner will crucify her later....) Um, here's your receipt. Thank you very much, and, uh, I guess tell your friends that you only could have found that game here at (game store name)? (sheepishly) Enjoy the game!
Yeah, so I totally don't feel any regrets about taking it home now. Although I have to admit, I can't bring myself to actually take the shrinkwrap off just yet.
I browsed through some of the shop's game selection, idly picking up this or that game box, and reading the box cover game descriptions I'd read half a dozen times before, until the game which happened to be in my hand at one particular moment seemed odd. I knew it wasn't something unfamiliar to me, but why was it that the back of the box looked so foreign?
I flipped the box over to the front side. And then flipped it back again.
Wait a minute.
"Could this really be. . . . It is."
What I held in my hand was a brand new and still in shrinkwrap copy of Age of Steam.
"So?" you ask.
So.
Unlike other collectible hobbies which include hundreds of priceless relics, there are perhaps only four or five real holy grails in the relatively small world that is designer board games. One of them, probably the highest-rated and most loved of these out of print, limited edition, collectible, expensive, very difficult to acquire games is Age of Steam, the 2001 release by Martin Wallace. Age of Steam is the railroad game to which all previous railroad games were working their way up to, and which all subsequent railroad games have tried to emulate. It's so beloved by its fans that there are dozens of official and hundreds of unofficial alternate maps for it.
Some of the more recent expansion maps you can still buy in game stores here and there. But the problem is that you still need the base game components to play these maps, and the base game . . . well, lets say if you were going to bid on one on eBay right this minute, you'd be lucky to wind up paying less than $150 for even a used copy, and could be paying well over $200 for one in good condition or new.
And here in my hands, I held a brand new copy, still bearing its $59US/$69Canada retail price sticker. It's no wonder the back looked weird to me: I'd never actually seen the game in real life — only internet images of the front cover art.
And then what did I do? I put the game on the shelf and went home. Because it's nearly Christmas. Because I've got lots of games. Because I thought I should think about it a while. Because I'm a retard.
And because I wanted a stomach ulcer, apparently, because since that day I've done nothing but worry that somebody else would have bought the game, and I'd regret it forever.
So after asking a couple of coworkers what they'd do in a similar situation, and posting on a forum asking what I should do, and getting an overwhelming response to both queries saying, "Are you crazy? Buy the damn thing while you have the chance!" my resolve broke down and I went back to the shop, praying it was still there. It was still there, right where I left it. I caressed the box briefly, and then took it to the front of the store. What ensued was actually pretty funny.
Matt: I just need this, thanks. (Sets Age of Steam on the cashier counter.)
Woman Buying Gifts for Family: Ooh, is that a train game? Is it any good?
Matt: Yes, it is. It's kind of a classic, and a little hard to find. (Not wanting to mention just how hard to find it was until my transaction was complete and the game was safely in my hands.)
Other Guy in the Store: (overhearing the conversation) Oh? Which game is that?
Matt: (softly) Age of Steam.
Other Guy in the Store: Oh my God! They had a copy in here?!? Dude, if I'd seen that before you did, I totally would have bought it.
Matt: That's sort of what I'd been afraid of, which is why I came back for it.
Woman Buying Gifts for Family: Do you think my family would like it?
Matt: (Looking at the copy of Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers in her hands.) I'm not sure. It's a pretty heavy game and kind of unforgiving to new players. What you've got there, though, is probably the best of the Carcassonne games, and a safer bet as a gift. Anyone's almost guaranteed to like it.
Other Guy in the Store: Dude, isn't Age of Steam like really out of print?!?
Matt: (Cautiously eyeing cashier to make sure she doesn't hesitate ringing it up.) Uh, yeah.
Other Guy in the Store: For like a couple of years now, right?
Woman Buying Gifts for Family: Do you think they have another copy?
Other Guy in the Store: No way they have another copy. Doesn't it sell for, what, like two hundred dollars online?
Cashier: (Looking like she wonders if she's made some kind of mistake and the owner will crucify her later....) Um, here's your receipt. Thank you very much, and, uh, I guess tell your friends that you only could have found that game here at (game store name)? (sheepishly) Enjoy the game!
Yeah, so I totally don't feel any regrets about taking it home now. Although I have to admit, I can't bring myself to actually take the shrinkwrap off just yet.