The Prize List! by Matt Winberry

Our sponsors are the lifeblood of our events. The following is a list of the prizes that you can walk away with at our event! Check back often, as this page will be updated frequently between now and Game Day. Don't have your tickets yet? Get them here!

Asmodee Games
Dark, Darker, Darkest
Elysium
Hit Z Road
Nations
Room-25
Werewolves: The Pact

Action Phase Games
Kodama
Ninja Camp

Art's Ideas/Giant Jenga
Giant Jenga (x6)

Calliope Games
12 Days
Double Double Dominoes
Roll For It! Red & Purple
Roll For It! Deluxe
Thieves!
Tsuro
Tsuro of the Seas & Veterans of the Seas
Ugh!

Cheapass Games
Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... (x3)
Brawl: Bennett, Chris, Darwin, Hale, Morgan, Pearl
Deadfall (x3)
Deadwood Studios, USA
Get Lucky
Give Me the Brain
Kill Doctor Lucky (x2)
Stuff and Nonsense
Unexploded Cow

Daily Magic Games
Mana Surge (x2)
Swinging Jivecat Voodoo Lounge
Valeria: Card Kingdoms (x2)

Game Company No. 3
Oh My God There's an Axe in My Head!

Iello Games
Kenjin
The Three Little Pigs

Mayfair Games
1844/54 Switzerland/Austria
Barbarossa
Catan Traveler Edition
Global Mogul
London
Catan Histories: Merchants of Europe
Murano
Revolution

Meeple Realty
Prizes still TBA

Renegade Game Studios
Lotus

Slugfest Games
Gambling? I'm in!
Red Dragon Inn
Red Dragon Inn 2
Witch Doctor Natyli
Zariah the Summoner

Tasty Minstrel Games (TMG)
Bomb Squad Academy
Bottlecap Vikings
Eminent Domain: Battlecruisers
Flip City
Orleans

USAOpoly
Game of Thrones Clue
Harry Potter Clue
Lift It
Munchkin Marvel
Nefarious
Star Trek Panic (x2)
Star Trek Risk
Star Trek Trivial Pursuit
Tapple 10 (x2)
Telestrations After Dark
Wonky (x2)

August 22 Pre-PAX Update!! by Matt Winberry

Hey everyone! Planning is coming along quite well for the Top of the World event next Thursday. We're ahead of where we were at this time this spring, so here's a few tidbits:

One of the main sources of feedback we constantly get is that the raffles take too long. All things considered, this is a good problem to have, because it means we're giving away LOTS of prizes! Our team discussed many ideas for this, including automation, moving the time, splitting up the drawings, and other things. We decided that we definitely need to move the time frame up, so we will start this no later than 9:00 this year. Not only will this get it over with faster, but it will allow you to potentially get your winnings on the table that very evening if you so choose. We decided against automation, because the human cost of pro-bono development of custom software (hours) didn't justify the end result (MAAAYBE we save 5 minutes). Therefore, we're going to tackle things much like we did in the spring: Lightning quick drawings with multiple people engaged in getting the games to the winners. Our goal is to get the entire thing done in under 30 minutes. Also, we will still have "guaranteed win" tickets, but we are going to insure a more equitable split between these prizes and the prizes in the general drawing. That means that, depending on the total number of prizes we end up having, there might be a cap on the number of guaranteed win tickets.

Speaking of prizes! There's not a whole lot to share... yet. We want to make sure that our donors are 100% "in" before we say anything, but we can list a few who are locked in. You'll see some usual suspects here, plus a few more. This, of course, is subject to change, but at this point, we feel confident that we will be receiving donations from the following:

  • Calliope Games
  • Cheapass Games
  • Daily Magic
  • Game Company No. 3
  • Japanime Games
  • Indie Boards & Cards
  • Mayfair Games
  • Renegade
  • Slugfest Games
  • USAOpoly

Again, lots more in the hopper. We'll be revealing these as things become more clear. Look for the first detailed prize list to be posted here sometime later this week.

Yes, there will be vegetarian food this time.

Clearing things up: Exactly who is hosting this event? by Matt Winberry

There has been some confusion as to exactly who is hosting this event, so here's what's up. FTW Events, a fully incorporated federal 501(c)3 charity organization in good standing, is the offshoot of Dawgsled Events, the organization that hosted the original TableTop Day on Top of the World event back in 2013. This event coincided with the original TableTop Day, put together by the Los Angeles-based company Geek & Sundry, in March of that year. After this first event, we teamed up with another group of people, and we co-hosted the first Pre-PAX event, the second TableTop Day event and the second Pre-PAX event. After that, we parted ways, with FTW Events (still Dawgsled Events at the time) hosting the 3rd TableTop Day event and, most recently, as FTW Events, the Top of the World Board Game extravaganza on ECCC weekend this past April. The other organization was the sole host of last year's Pre-PAX event, but they opted not to host an event at the Columbia Tower this year. FTW Events has stepped in and taken over this event and will own it moving forward.

We're only 15 tickets away with 48 hours to go! by Matt Winberry

Hey everyone! Our campaign to sell 50 of the "kickstarter"-class tickets is 70% complete! We just need to sell 15 more tickets, and this event is a go. We need to get this done by Wednesday the 10th. If you know you're coming, get your tickets now! They'll be cheaper, and you'll be all set!

PS: For those of you playing Pokemon GO, there are 2 PokeStops accessible from the Club. We'll make sure to keep those lit up with lures all night.

Scaling Back and Scaling Up! by Matt Winberry

Announcing the anxiously awaited launch of this year's Pre-PAX board game extravaganza atop Seattle's Columbia Tower!

No doubt about it--2016 was a tough year for us. We faced a lot of internal adversity, and while we're eyeing 2017 as our year to come back with a vengeance, we want to keep the momentum going on this great event in 2016! Therefore, the theme this year is one of "Scaling Back and Scaling Up". We're not reserving as much room atop the tower this year, but the amenities in the space we have are going to be a step up. Since there's less space, the base ticket will be $20 more expensive than last year, but the dinner offering will be greatly expanded. You will not be going hungry!

Many, many more details are still to come, but by now, you know the drill. However, much like a Kickstarter, we need to raise enough cash in the first two weeks to insure that this event will happen! Therefore, we're putting the first 50 tickets on sale for a reduced rate. We MUST SELL THEM by August 10th, or we may have to pull the plug (and issue full, 100% refunds to anyone who already has tickets). Therefore, if you KNOW you're coming, please get your tickets now!

Also, FTW Events is now officially a 501(c)3 charitable organization! Any and all monetary donations (for raffles, silent auctions, or just donations in general) are 100% tax deductible. Also, a portion of your admission is tax deductible. We will figure out the total amount and have tax receipts available at the event.

Much, much more to come soon!

Parking/Transportation for and getting to the Top of the World! by Matt Winberry

For those of you driving on Thursday night: If you KNOW you'll be out before midnight, park at the Columbia Tower garage. The entrance is between 5th and 4th on Columbia Street. It's $9 as long as you're in by no earlier than 5:00 and out by no later than midnight. If you stay past midnight, though, you'll be charged the $9 plus the regular rate, which would get as high as an ADDITIONAL $21 if you stay until 2 AM.

If you plan on staying later than midnight and a cab/Uber/Lyft/bus isn't an option, park on the street. It's $4/hour until 8:00, so if you arrive close to 7:00, you would only pay between $4 and $5 for the whole evening. If you do park on the street and aren't going to feel comfortable walking back to your car late at night, see me or any one of the event hosts and we'll arrange something for you (either walking you back to your car or just giving you a ride to your car at the end of the night).

For those of you busing it, the closest bus tunnel station is Pioneer Square station. It's only 2 blocks away from the 5th avenue entrance to the Columbia Tower, but keep in mind that it's up a steep hill.

ONCE YOU ARRIVE: Come in to the building via the 5th Avenue lobby. There will be a club concierge near the elevators that will let you up. The elevator will take you to the 40th floor where you will check in. You don't need your printed ticket, but it will speed things up if you have it. Once checked in, you'll head up a second bank of elevators to 75. Once there, you'll be directed to 76 by the Club's concierge.

See everyone Thursday night!!

-Matt

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes! by Matt Winberry

We're going to have this great new game in one of the small conference rooms on Thursday. It's a race-against-the-clock puzzle game that requires collaboration of several people to help a player defuse a bomb.

From their Website:  One player is trapped in a virtual room with a ticking time bomb they must defuse. The other players are the “Experts” who must give the instructions to defuse the bomb by deciphering the information found in the bomb defusal manual. But there’s a catch: the experts can’t see the bomb, so everyone will need to talk it out – fast!

We'll have a computer (The Bomb), Bomb Defusal Manuals and plenty of scratch paper. Your job is to not explode.

Don't have your tickets yet? Get 'em while they last!

Already have tickets? Help us with our final marketing push and win a Tokaido game (and other goodies) in the process! All you need to do is help us boost the signal. Find the post titled The Invite/Share/Tweet contest official thread pinned post (it's the very first one) on this facebook event page for more info!

Geeky Tasty Adult Beverages! by Matt Winberry

To celebrate Emerald City Comicon weekend, why not have a drink? Here are the signature drinks that you will be able to get at the event on Thursday.

GALLIFREY DOUBLE SUNRISE
A sweet and tart cocktail with a cherry kick to it that rounds it out very nicely.

GallifreyDoubleSunrise.jpg
Ingredients for Gallifrey Double Sunrise:
  • 1 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • Orange Juice
  • Grenadine

THE TICK BLUEBERRY LEMONADE
Either have the bartender hand the person a spoon when they hand them the drink or put a tall spoon in the glass for them to walk around with. It’s sort of a “thing” with the Tick.

Ingredients for The Tick Blueberry Lemonade:
  • 12 oz. bottle of Jones Soda Berry Lemonade
  • 1 oz. Blueberry liqueur
  • 1 oz. Vodka
  • 1 Blue Twizzler

The Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver
Ah! Big, flashy, lighty thing, that’s what brought me here! Big, flashy, lighty things have got me written all over them! Not actually, but give me time. And a crayon.

Ingredients for The Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver:
  • 1 shot vodka
  • 1 shot blue curacao
  • 1 splash Rose Blue Raspberry Mix
  • Fill glass with orange juice (to color)

Love Potion #8.5
Inspired by the drink of the same name in The Sims 2

  • 8 Raspberries
  • Crushed Ice
  • 10ml / 0.33oz. Chambord Raspberry Liqueur (Or Raspberry Juice)
  • 50ml / 1.5oz. Raspberry Lemonade
  • 100ml / 3.3oz Champagne (Or Tonic Water)
  • Top Up with Lychee Juice
  • Mint Sprigs
  • Fresh Lemon Juice