The Future of Video Games

**NEW GAME LOCATION at The** Let's play board games. Not the ones your ancestors played but the really cool ones of the new millennium. We play everything from fun, social games to light to heavy strategy games. Don't know how to play? Not a problem - we're happy to teach. It's a great chance to learn new games or play your favorites with non-competitive people who like to laugh. You can build a railroad, eradicate a plague, or explore the far reaches of the galaxy in one evening. While many will bring their own games, you can show up gameless and still play. We play at the Ballston Quarter mall basement food court on Wednesday from 6:30-10:00. It's within walking distance from the Ballston metro and there's evening parking in the garage for $1. **Find us at the tables with the boadgames.** Look for a group that has containers and carrying bags with multiple games.

Hello Ladies and Non-Binary folks! Are you looking to meet some cool nerdy lady and non-binary nerds and geeks? Then come join the DMV D&D group at Andy's on May 27th for our next Ladies and Non-Binary Happy Hour event! his will be a night filled with drinks, conversation, and good ole nerdy conversation! Whether you are an experienced adventurer or someone new to the TTRPG world, this event is for you! **Can't make any of the events? Want to stay in the loop? No worries! Join the [DMV D&D Group](https://discord.gg/bDvGRtKfhR) to stay aware of all future events!**

Join us for **Eberron: Confidential!** Stories of noir, pulp, adventure and everything in-between await! Whether it's the crime ridden alleys of Sharn where the Boromar and Daask are in open gang warfare, or the far flung territories where adventure and treasure wait in hidden depths; there's something for everyone in Eberron! ***Note***: Please join the event even if its full! We are trying to gauge community interest so we know how many DMs we should recruit to support our player population! **Questions & Concerns:** If you have any questions, please feel free to message me either on Discord(@vinbear) or here on Meetup. **Links:** [Natural Ones Community Discord Link](https://discord.gg/Zj58w85XuW) [Eberron Lore Playlist by Jorphdan](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJqE7QBvDyc-PqjO6EyBIYAG9P6HXnv3F) **This week's plothook:** DM Vince: Gang war has gripped the streets of Lower Sharn. The Boromar and Daask are in open conflict. The Sharn Watch is trying to keep the violence from spilling onto the regular population. Who will you help? Feel free to make a character or use one of the Pre-Generated Characters available (Provided at the event) **Character Creation Guidelines:** [D&D Beyond Link w/ Shared Content](https://www.dndbeyond.com/campaigns/join/7563996667606540) **Rulebooks:** *PHB, DMG, Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, Eberron: Rising from the Last War, The Pugilist Class(2024), Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, Mordenkainen presents: Monster of the Multiverse, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, Book of Many Things* **Character Level:** *4* **Fixed HP option** **Multiclassing w/ pre-requisites (2024 classes only)** **Attributes:** *Point buy or Standard Array (no rolled stats)* **Species:** PHB or Eberron races preferred. **Backgrounds:** If taking a Dragonmarked Heir, must match species to appropriate Dragonmark. **Starting Equipment / Gold:** *Per starting class and background OR gold option offered by either. Can then sell off or purchase basic adventuring gear, weapons, and armor based on standard pricing.* *100gp for a Common Magic Item (+base cost if weapon/armor).* **Permanent Magic Items / Loot Budget:** 2 Loot Point (LP) *(LP Budget will increase as community narrative progresses)* *Uncommon Magic Item = 1 LP* *Rare Magic Item = 2 LP* *Very Rare Magic Item = 4 LP* **Firearms: Availability, Pricing, and Proficiency** *Artificers are considered proficient with all Firearms* *Pistol(100gp), Musket(75gp), and Shotgun are considered Simple weapons.* *Revolver and Rifle,Hunting are considered Martial weapons.* *Shotgun, Revolver, and Rifle,Hunting can only be acquired with LP and increases the base cost of a Loot item by 1 compared to the usual Loot Budget.* *For example:* *Revolver(Common) = 1 LP* *+1 Revolver(Uncommon) = 2 LP* *+2 Revolver(Rare) = 3 LP* *+3 Revolver(Very Rare) = 5 LP*

**Wednesday Board Game Night -at 3 Gear Games** Join us for our weekly Wednesday board game night! Our group gathers regularly to play a variety of great tabletop board games. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or just looking to try something new, there's a spot for you at our table. Plus, it's a great opportunity to meet other like-minded people and form lasting connections. So come on out and join us for a night of fun and friendship! * **Date:** Every Wednesday Night * **Time**: 6pm -9pm (may go as long as 10pm) * **Cost**: $6 per person( Pay on arrival) * **Place**: 3 Gear Games (25C Street, Laurel MD 20707) **Space is first come first serve** Join our other weekly board game night every Saturday from 1pm -10pm Visit our website to see more of our weekly and special events: [https://www.3gearstudios.com/](https://www.3gearstudios.com/) You are welcome to RSVP on Meetup, but please keep in mind that some of our regular attendees do not RSVP, so there will always be someone available to play. How awesome is that?

*Oddball Cinema Presents: Food for Thought* *The Founder* is a sharp biographical drama that tells the story of Ray Kroc, a struggling salesman who turns a small California burger joint run by the McDonald brothers into a global fast-food empire. As Kroc’s ambition grows, so does the tension between innovation and ethics, revealing the ruthless drive behind one of America’s most iconic brands. With a compelling performance by Michael Keaton, the film explores the cost of success in the pursuit of the American Dream. ■ Title — The Founder ■ Director — John Lee Hancock ■ Cast — Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch ■ ©2016 \| Rated PG\-13 \| 1h 55m \| Period Drama\, Biography

Best darn night ever! Lots of games. Even more laughs. Come and find out for yourself. New members or members who just haven't been out to a meetup are strongly encouraged to come. All are welcomed! OH, and Spider Kelly's has an awesome beer garden in the back. On nice nights, that's where will be. Can't make this board game night? Good thing we do this EVERY Wednesday. Other groups this event is posted to: Fun Times in the DMV, Arlington 20's & 30's Shenanigans, Alexandria-Arlington Active & Awesome, What's Up Arlington, Ballston and Clarendon Singles Mingle Group, Arlington 30s/40s, and !Best Happy Hours in the DMV

Whether you’re new to modern games, or a seasoned gamer, our new Boards & Barrels game night is the place to play. We’re pairing the best wines with new and classic games for an evening of analog fun and community. Choose from our growing game library or bring a favorite. *Unplug. Uncork. Unbox.* **Every Wednesday 6 pm - 9 pm**

Grab a game or bring your own, this event is open play. Whether it is chucking dice, full of traitors, laying tiles, or only cards involved, it doesn't matter; as long as it is a fun game, let's get it to the table and play it. The library will have games available to play but as always, you are welcome and encouraged to bring your own games. So leave a comment about what you are bringing! But be ready to teach your games. The library is located within walking distance of the Silver Spring Metro stop and there is a parking garage across the street. **NTBG** *is a safe environment for all to have fun. Bullying/harassment is not tolerated.*

NOTE: This working session is at Lamond-Riggs Library not MLK. It is near the Fort Totten Metro Station. A game development **Working Session** involves 3 key parts: 1. Tell people what you're going to do 2. Actually do stuff 3. Show people what you did **What to bring**: Laptop, Charger, maybe a power strip if you have one handy, any other game development tools you need. Try to download any software you need before the working session. There is Wifi at this location, but it may be slow if you have to download any large files.

Free to play board gaming all day until we close

Join the Bitcoin District Book Club! We meet every month to explore new and exciting rabbit holes by reading books that are popular with bitcoiners. Join us for a deep dive into *The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy* by William Strauss and Neil Howe. In this session, we’ll explore one of the most influential modern frameworks for understanding historical cycles and generational change—and why its predictions seem increasingly relevant today. Strauss and Howe propose that history moves in recurring cycles, or “turnings,” each lasting roughly 20–25 years and shaped by generational archetypes. According to their model, societies pass through four phases: a High, an Awakening, an Unraveling, and finally a Crisis—the “Fourth Turning.” This final phase is marked by institutional breakdown, social upheaval, and a restructuring of the political and economic order. We’ll discuss where we might currently sit within this cycle, how past Fourth Turnings (like the Great Depression and World War II era) unfolded, and what this framework suggests about the coming decade. For those interested in macro trends, generational dynamics, and long-term historical patterns, this book offers a provocative lens for interpreting today’s instability—and what may come next. Buy the book on [Amazon](https://a.co/d/0dNwKse5) **Event Notes:** * Discussion Starters: We’ll kick things off with a few key questions around generational cycles and crisis periods, but feel free to bring your own perspectives. * Future Reads: Let us know if you have recommendations for future book club selections! We’ll add them to the list posted [on our website](https://bitcoindistrict.org/bookclub). * Afterwards: Feel free to join us at Pubkey after the meeting to hang out, continue the conversation, and grab some food! **Getting There:** * 🔴🟢🟡 Gallery Place/Chinatown + 2 min walk * Parking: Street & garage parking available nearby

**Saturday Board Gaming- at 3 Gear Games** We hold board game meetups every Saturday. Play great tabletop games from our library or bring your favorites from home. **Date:** Saturdays **Time:** 1pm -10pm (most people tend to show up around 2pm) **Place:** 3 Gear Games 25 C Street, Laurel MD 20707 **Cost**: $6 per person **Play Games \| Make Friends** **Follow Us On:** [Join Our Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/3gearstudios/groups) [Join Our Discord](https://www.3gearstudios.com/3-gear-games-events-community/community/) Website:[ www.3geargames.com](https://www.3gearstudios.com)

Known for its easy-to-learn, hard-to-master gameplay, Killer Queen is a 5v5 arcade experience that blends the movement of Joust, the chaos of Mario, and the teamwork of Overwatch — all on one screen. This New Player Night is designed specifically for beginners: * Learn the controls 🎮 * Join a team 🤝 * Play in low-pressure matches 😌 * Meet friendly local gamers 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Whether you're competitive or just curious, this is the perfect time to jump in. No experience needed — we’ll guide you through everything. Killer Queen is as much about the community as it is the game. Come meet your neighbors and discover your new favorite arcade night. #MeetThyNeighbors 🐝 Want to Study ahead of time? Heres a quick how to play: [https://youtu.be/TOUybu8A9HU?si=mW23WztCyxg0Q0_u](https://youtu.be/TOUybu8A9HU?si=mW23WztCyxg0Q0_u) [https://killerqueenarcade.com/howtoplay](https://killerqueenarcade.com/howtoplay)

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Artemis II and Beyond,”** on how the recent space mission fits into long-term plans for the Moon, with Michael J. Neufeld, retired senior curator for the Space History Department of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/northern-virginia-artemis-ii-beyond](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/northern-virginia-artemis-ii-beyond) .] NASA’s recent, spectacular Artemis II mission is a sign that the United States is serious about sending humans to the Moon again. Gain an understanding of how Artemis II fits in both past and planned lunar missions with historian Michael Neufeld, who was lead curator of the Smithsonian’s Destination Moon exhibit. He has taught at Johns Hopkins, Colgate, and other universities, and is the author or editor of nine books dealing with the history of technology. He’ll start by looking at the aftermath of the Apollo program of a half century ago and why it ended only four years after its first lunar mission. He’ll consider why no lasting lunar programs emerged from major announcements by two presidents, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, that astronauts would be going back to the Moon and on to Mars. His vividly illustrated lecture will then explore how Artemis is a product of a human spaceflight program that has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. We’ll look at how collaboration with Europe, Canada and Japan became integral to the shuttle and International Space Station programs, and how the rise of new commercial space companies such as SpaceX has enabled NASA to buy both space services and space craft. Both international and commercial partners are involved in the latest Moon efforts, with SpaceX and Blue Origin expected to supply the landers to take astronauts down to a planned base on the Moon’s South Pole. How soon will any of this happen? Probably not as quickly as NASA says, but the specter of a Chinese landing on the Moon by 2030 is one obvious reason to keep things moving along. We’ll look at the sustainability of the Artemis space program for at least the next decade or so. You’ll emerge from the talk with no doubt that exciting days are ahead for space fans. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: The Artemis II mission launch (NASA photo).

PLEASE NOTE!!! This event will be In-Person for our very 1st Improving collab! If you know the [Columbus Unity group](https://www.meetup.com/columbus-unity-user-group/) location, we'll be at the same place. This is our 1st event and are doing a soft launch with limited attendance. 1st come 1st serve. If you want to be there and we fill up, please email me at [info@thecogg.com](mailto:info@thecogg.com) and I'll be in touch. All street parking is free on Sundays but you can also pay to park in any of the local garages. See image of [parking map here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mr9_LFIggbs-0_Zd3AJTGNqEhgMf2TzQ/view?usp=sharing). \-\-\- On the last Sunday of the month, we're having our usual end-of-the-month social gathering with our GameDev Meetup meeting. There will be announcements and presentations followed by some social networking Let's continue the conversations with good vibes and friends. All are welcomed from all ages and backgrounds to this public event. If we can, we'll be streaming or uploading the video later via our COGG YouTube channel here: [https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams) (Also please do subscribe if you have not done so!) No game development experience required! If you are interested in doing a 20 minute game development related presentation, please fill out our form online here: [https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1](https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1) Or e-mail us at info@thecogg.com with the following: Your Name, Company/Affiliation, Name of Your Game/Topic, Description, Tech Needs, and Your Contact. Be sure to check out our Discord for real time news updates: [https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ](https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ)

Thanks for being a part of the CABS Meetup Group! We meet @ the COFFEE UNDERGROUND on Indianola Avenue. We play many different games @ CABS - bring your own or play one of the OVER 2222 in our library. What are your favorite games? What was the last game you played? Hope to see and game with you soon! Check us out on Facebook! Doors open early on Saturday Mornings at 10am and around 4pm on Fridays if you are interested in learning new / simpler games ... or new to the hobby or just want to check us out come in early just after noon and we will show you around before the crowd grows. Stay for a game or two, an hour or two or for the day! Your first visit is free and after that it's $5 a meeting or you can join for the year! It's Your Move

The Forge does have a full bar and kitchen. There is no cover charge but they do request all attendees to purchase a minimum of ~20 per person. Soft drink refills are 1 each. Please support our hosts so we can continue to provide great events for the group! The Forge has a large library of games available for us to enjoy. Hosts and regulars will also provide numerous popular games but please bring any games you would like to teach and/or play. Doors open at 6, and we expect gaming to be rolling by around 630. Please promptly end your games and clear out the space at 10pm when the bar closes. We encourage socializing but do not permit disruptive behavior of any kind. Thank you for your continued commitment to providing a fun and welcoming space to veteran, newbie, and rookie gamers in the Columbus area. Parking can sometimes fill esrly. There is additional parking lot behind the neighboring Mexican restaurant that is free and easy to walk from but it's a bit hidden.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** Like it or not, AI agents are now capable of turning a quickly written paragraph of requirements into a pull request that is ready to be integrated into real-world production applications and it's now our responsibility to make sure AI doesn't go rogue and take down prod - or corrupt our data by misunderstanding the requirements or our existing schemas. In this session we'll explore strategies to protect our codebases through unit and integration testing, documentation, and code review along with additional ways of providing context and guard rails to our AI agents as they carry out the work we've assigned them to do. By the time we're done, you'll have a firm grasp of the problem and understand some helpful options for protecting your codebase from vibe coding mishaps getting YOLOed into prod. **YouTube Link** https://youtube.com/live/BltmWMH1zG0?feature=share

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.

Boardgaming and boardgaming and MORE boardgaming .... we have over 2000 games onsite to play Join us !!!

Thanks for being a part of the CABS Meetup Group! We meet @ the COFFEE UNDERGROUND on Indianola Avenue. We play many different games @ CABS - bring your own or play one of the OVER 2222 in our library. What are your favorite games? What was the last game you played? Hope to see and game with you soon! Check us out on Facebook! Doors open early on Saturday Mornings at 10am and around 4pm on Fridays if you are interested in learning new / simpler games ... or new to the hobby or just want to check us out come in early just after noon and we will show you around before the crowd grows. Stay for a game or two, an hour or two or for the day! Your first visit is free and after that it's $5 a meeting or you can join for the year! It's Your Move