I've been heartbroken and angry seeing the police violence in America against black people and protesters. As well as the stories that people have shared about systemic racism in our society, and our industry, such as this thread from designer Eric Lang.
To help raise money for the ...
2020-06-09 13:27:21 +0000 UTC View PostI'm about to send out the next batch of lanyards and badges to the patrons who haven't received them yet. If you want to receive yours, please add your address to your account or update it with your current address.
If you don't want to receive your lanyard and badge, you can make that clear in your account. Click your avatar in the top right corner, go to "Manage Memberships", then under...
2020-05-31 17:00:15 +0000 UTC View PostHi de ho patroninos!
The days don’t change, and neither do the useless platitudes. Nevertheless, I hope you are hanging in there.
Lockdown has turned me into Rahdo - I am now only interested in two player games. And as such, I have shared four with you in my latest video. I’m very lucky that Serena has an appetite for games, or this whole thing would be a lot harder.
I’m still pl...
I've been playing a lot of 2 player games with Serena during lockdown, and today I'm reviewing some of those two player games that I think are worth checking out.
This isn't the video I was hoping to share with you today. I've been working for weeks on a bigger, funnier video that was back in the direction of my character videos. Unfortunately there was too much left to do for it, ...
2020-05-29 19:16:49 +0000 UTC View PostHello locked-down ludographers,
The monotony continues, and there’s nothing good about monotony - which you can tell because it rhymes with Monopoly.
This month I’ve temporarily transformed Actualol into a online tabletop gaming channel, sharing my favourite games to play on Tabletopia and 2020-04-29 11:29:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello patrons!
I hope you're all looking after yourselves. I'm returning with another foray into the world of online board gaming and some topical jokes. This time with the best games to play on Tabletop Simulator.
I enjoy a mixture of Tabletopia and Tabletop Simulator, but generally prefer TTS for the wider variety and slightly better controls. However, it can be a bit ugly...
2020-04-23 16:04:57 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello patrons!
Here's a little change from the norm - I've made a video about some of the games you can play online, to help get you through the lockdown.
I've been playing lots of games on Tabletopia (and Tabletop Simulator), and it's definitely a worthy replacement, at least for now.
Let me know if you find this video useful and if it's popular I will make a similar one for ...
2020-04-03 17:01:20 +0000 UTC View Post
We're hosting Wavelength live again today at 19:00 UK Time (14:00 New York Time). I hope you can come along and play in the chat with us!
The livestream will appear at this link, click through now to get YouTube to remind you: https://youtu.be/Y8hHcUiO9Ak
Actually yours,
Jon
2020-03-31 14:27:49 +0000 UTC View PostHowdy hand-washers!
What a month it’s been. I sincerely hope that you’re all coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. It suddenly feels frivolous to be talking about board games, and yet, we also need them now more than ever.
My city of London is on lockdown, but thankfully it doesn’t impede my ability to make videos. I have a new “Best of the Month” video out today, I’ve star...
2020-03-26 15:06:03 +0000 UTC View PostHopefully you've seen the live game show of Wavelength that Serena and I hosted on Wednesday. If not you can still play along by watching here. See if you can beat the winning score of 6/10, or my score of 3/10!
We're planning to run another game again soon, but we want to host it at a time that is suitable for the most ...
2020-03-20 11:14:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey patrons,
I hope you're all coping okay with the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those of you who are now in self-isolation. We're on lockdown here in London but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun.
Today at 19:00 GMT (UK time) Serena and I will be hosting a live game show version of Wavelength which you can play along with us.
Serena will give the clues and you'll try t...
2020-03-18 12:04:42 +0000 UTC View Post
It's here! Huzzah! I'm excited to share with you my Top 10 of 2019 video, with ten great games and loads of silly jokes.
I really hope you enjoy it. And I apologise for the long wait, I really wanted to make it special. It won't be nearly as long before my next video, since I've already half filmed it :)
Today is mine and Serena's 15 year anniversary, so double reason for celebratio...
2020-03-11 15:32:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Today I'm filming my Top 10 of 2019, and an upcoming best of the month video 😀
2020-03-04 13:04:05 +0000 UTC View PostGreetings gamers!
This month I’m sharing my favourite board games of last year, numbers 20 to 11. Hopefully, you’ve already seen my Top 5 party games video.
It’s been a disappointingly quiet month for the channel, as I was away at the start and ever since I’ve been religiously writing my Best ...
2020-02-27 18:51:03 +0000 UTC View Post
I'm back! Finally. It's been a disturbingly quiet time on the channel, with me being off on my honeymoon and then working hard behind the scenes on my big Best Board Games of 2019 video, which is one of the longer videos to make. But I promise it will be worth it.
My body decided to get another cold - that's two in two months! And I really didn't want to make one of my most viewed videos ...
2020-02-26 17:14:23 +0000 UTC View PostJust a quick update to let you know that I'm currently working on my Top 10 Games of 2019 video. It's always nerve-wracking to let the channel go quiet for a while like this, but I think that like last year's video it will be worth it.
I can't wait to share it with you,
Jon
2020-02-13 17:16:51 +0000 UTC View PostUnhappy January patrons! I hope that if you live in the Northern Hemisphere all the grey days aren’t turning you too blue.
Hopefully you’ve seen the video I released today “Things You Can Say Wearing An Actualol Lanyard” - my first dip back into making comedy. I’ve got more planned for next month, but thi...
2020-01-27 15:36:36 +0000 UTC View Post
As the lanyards arrive to the patrons backing at $5 and above, it's about time you knew the power that wearing it bestows. This is a silly video detailing the sorts of things you can say while wearing an Actualol lanyard, that takes a turn...
Please make use of your new powers! Remember, you aren't truly wearing an Actualanyard until you've told someone you're wearing it.
Actually y...
2020-01-27 15:02:45 +0000 UTC View PostYesterday I packaged up and sent 176 lanyard and badge combos to everyone giving at $5 or above for at least three months.
If you don't have your address on your Patreon account, I can't send you a lanyard! Please add it now and I'll send it in the next batch.
If you don't w...
2020-01-18 15:41:21 +0000 UTC View Post
I'm back! Slightly later than I'd hoped because I caught a cold. But I've now released it back into the wild to terrorize someone else (my wife).
It's time to return to our regularly scheduled programming: great board games and some silly jokes. Please watch and enjoy.
And I have a giveaway for you! Ludicreations offered me an extra copy of On The Underground to send to one of you l...
2020-01-15 17:20:53 +0000 UTC View PostHappy New Year patient patrons! I hope your decade went, in a way that was suitably decadent.
Are reviewers pressured to do positive only reviews? Why do you play board games? What TV shows inspired you to become a writer?
I answer those questions, and many more, from you wonderful patrons in this month's Q&A.
Please leave me your questions for the next Q&A in the comments!
Actually yours,
Jon
2019-12-24 10:58:48 +0000 UTC View Post
And now we must end the series in the most obvious and derivative of ways - with the Top Ten.
It's been a funny old ride compiling a Top 50 Board Games of All Time. Am I 100% certain of the ranking? Nope. I feel like it could change on any given day of the week. The order is up for debate, but within these five videos are definitely my favourite games of all time.
I look forwa...
2019-12-18 16:11:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Back to the list! As before, we continue the trend of classic Actualol recommendations mixed with unexpected hidden passions never previously discussed on the channel.
A small fact about the list is that I didn't consider any games released in 2019, as I figured my feelings about new games are still in the early, idyllic stages of our romance, and it wouldn't be fair to judge them until o...
2019-12-12 15:27:48 +0000 UTC View Post
It's Christmas Time, there's no need to be afraid...of trying to get your family into board games.
Here is my Top 10 of games to give as gifts this year - to your friends, to your family, to the postman because he carries all your board games all year round. These are all great for newbies and fairweather gamers - i.e. gifts for anyone. Get them one of these this year, then maybe next yea...
2019-12-05 17:08:09 +0000 UTC View PostWell, what a pledge drive! It's been quite a month. I'm incredibly grateful to every one of you that has decided that Actualol is worth having in this world. It's always a scary time asking for money, and I'd been putting off this request until the "right time" since I left my job this time last year. I had little confidence before I ran the pledge drive that there would be more people wi...
2019-12-01 16:50:02 +0000 UTC View Post
It's Part 3 of my Top 50 Games of All Time - with some great bluffing games, and some of my favourite thematic games.
Which of these games is your favourite?
Actually yours,
Jon
2019-11-28 18:48:55 +0000 UTC View PostLast reminder! For everyone who has been giving at $5 and above for the last three months - please update your address on your Patreon account.
I will be sending you your Actualol lanyard and Actualove badge very soon, and it would be really sad if it goes to an old or incorrect address.
To the newer patrons, I will send your lanyard and badge after you've given for three mont...
2019-11-28 15:02:30 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey there pop pickers,
It's time for the Top 40, which takes me back to the Sunday evenings of my youth, as I listened to Mark Goodier counting down the music charts, with my hand on the record button of my cassette recorder so I could STEAL all my favourite songs.
But enough with the niche UK-specific reminiscing - let's get back to board games.
In this section of the l...
2019-11-20 16:52:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello Patrons!
To continue the pledge drive month, I'm doing something I've long been asked for - my top games of all time. An insight into the games I love the most. And a chance to talk about some games that I've never spoken about before on the channel.
I'm delighted to see all the new names on the credits at the end of the video. We're now 65% of the way towards the Future...
2019-11-14 15:46:06 +0000 UTC View Post