Roadworthy: David Gallico|Goodman Games

Posted By billward on Aug 13, 2022 |

We recently had a chat with seasoned gamer and avid Judge David Gallico, of Rugby, UK, who shared with us his love of DCC, his thoughts on in-person as well as online convention gaming, and the pernicious difficulties of gaming across time zones!

Roadworthy: David Gallico

What’s your name, where do you live (and game), and what should Goodman Games fans know about you?

My name is David Gallico, I am possibly one of the more … er … “mature” judges, having been born on 25th June 1950! I live in Hillmorton, which is a district on the eastern side of the town of Rugby, in the county of Warwickshire, England. My “live” gaming is done here in Rugby and also at Leicester, but I also game online. I have been gaming since 1983, mostly D&D, AD&D, then 5e since 2016. I tried a few games of 3.5 but wasn’t so keen on it. I also play Call of Cthulhu, (mainly, but not exclusively, by Gaslight) the 1890s version. I have run one game of this but I have far more experience as a dungeon master in the original D&D, AD&D and 5e, and as a judge in DCC.

How did you first discover DCC?

I first discovered DCC at a special event at my local games store, Shadow Games in 2016. Alas this shop, a really great place to game, closed at the end of June 2018. Anyway, I digress, my first game of DCC was hosted by Judge Lee Neilson. This very first time I played DCC I thoroughly enjoyed it and was instantly hooked: I wanted more … a LOT more! My biggest regret is not discovering DCC a long time before I did!

As of “right now,” how many Road Crew games have you run this year?

None as yet, unfortunately. I had offered two games at the recent Romance of the Cyclops Con but had no takers. I think this may have been due to the time factor as 10am our time in the UK equals the early hours of the morning in the USA! My other game, scheduled for 2pm UK time would again have been very early on the other side of “the pond!” However, I do have quite a few games coming up. At the UK Games Expo I have a full house for The Queen of Elfland’s Son, The Star Wound of Abaddon, and The Sea Queen Escapes. Later, in August, I am offering Hole in the Sky, Jewels of the Carnifex, and The Sinister Sutures of the Sempstress at the Continuum in Leicester. (The latter is a city about 20 miles north of Rugby). I am also hoping to run something for DCC Day and Free RPG Day, if I can find a suitable venue, and at other events as I find out about them.

How has online gaming changed your playstyle?

Prior to the Pandemic, the only online gaming I did was with small groups of friends. However, with the covid-19 lockdowns, we all found ourselves with a stark choice: game online or not at all! Some of my gaming groups did just that, and I also found out about the fantastic Cyclops events. I missed the first one, but have attended every one since, mostly as a player, but I also ran a couple of games in Empire of the Cyclops Con, including The Balance Blade: the first time I’ve run anything online other than with friends I know in UK. I have gained some really great friends in the USA as a result of these online conventions. It really is wonderful being able to play with gamers in the USA and other places.

Give us a favorite gaming highlight from this year.

Saturday evening (BST, afternoon East Coast USA time, even earlier further west!) The Judge was Hector Kruz and the game was Faerie Dragons Wear Boots. After rescuing the faerie dragon queen from the clutches of the evil king who had kidnapped her, the evil king and his guards were chasing us down a passageway leading away from his kingdom. We, knowing there were monsters in the lake at the end of the passageway, dashed down it, except for Presto (me) who hid while the king and his army went past. The monsters attacked the king and his guards driving most of them back into the passageway. At this point, Presto cast a fireball successfully which blasted a huge crater in the passageway, and disposed of the king and his guards: all that remained was his crown and bits of the enemy, arms and legs. We then slipped past the monsters as they fed on the remaining guards. However, just when we thought it was all over, Venger showed up. We successfully defeated him, even befriending his horse! Then, Presto managed to summon Venger’s arch enemy, Tiamat the five-headed dragon, who grabbed the defeated Venger and made off with him! Presto said to her, “Enjoy!” as she left and received a nod from her blue head! A superb game in which our success was down to the way we all cooperated.

I shall give another example, if I may. I was running the level 5 adventure Beyond the Black Gate for some friends. At the beginning of the adventure the players were getting supplies together prior to setting out, and the party cleric was looking after the cart. A street urchin approached him and engaged him in conversation. Since he seemed such a nice, friendly lad, the cleric dropped his guard and failed to spot other urchins helping themselves to the contents of the cart, including all the gold they’d left on the cart whilst they went shopping! When the others returned and saw the urchin talking to the cleric, they were immediately suspicious. These suspicions were justified when they discovered the cart had been totally emptied!

By then, the urchin who had been talking to the cleric had gone, along with the holy man’s purse! The other players were not at all impressed with the way the cleric had “guarded” the cart and told him so in NO uncertain terms!

What advice would you give to other Road Crew judges running online games?

Above all, go out there and enjoy yourself! Don’t worry if things go wrong occasionally, that is bound to happen. However, be prepared to adapt to the changing situation if that happens.

Thanks for the chat, David!