Alternate Reality Games
Meet others in your local area interested in Alternate Reality Games. ARG is known as a cross-media game that deliberately blurs the line between in-game experiences and the real world.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out alternate reality games events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the alternate reality games events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find alternate reality games events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Alternate Reality Games Events Today
Join in-person Alternate Reality Games events happening right now
Free in-person event: Take Control of Your Mental Health
It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself.
Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went?
Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence?
Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.
Backrooms_(Showing 2)_Group Watch and Socialize Event
[MOVIE DESCRIPTION BELOW]
*A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.*
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**PLEASE SEE GROUP BIO FOR FULL FAQ. Meetup only allows a certain amount of characters when posting events from a mobile device and out FAQ is longer than that limit. A condensed version is posted below here**
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First-time attendees: below are some Frequently Asked Questions about events for your consideration:
* **What is involved in this type of event? (_Group Watch & Socialize Event)**
* We typically arrive before the movie, maybe chat and catch up with folks a bit, watch the movie in the theater, then afterwards have a more extended chat with everyone who saw the movie.
* **Do I have to chat before the movie?**
* Nope! Totally understandable if you'd rather just watch first so you can have something in common to discuss afterwards.
* **Will people approach me/talk to me?**
* Not a guarantee as it depends on who is hosting, but a good host or other group members will try to at least say hi to members after the movie and may make an effort to include newer faces in the conversation in some way. Please feel free to jump into the conversation as you feel comfortable and understand this is done with good intent :) We are happy to have you!
* **How will I know who is the host or where people are gathering to talk about the movie?**
* This depends on each host, but good practice is for the host to indicate a notable item of clothing they are wearing for other members to look out for. But generally we gather in a loose circle in the theater lobby or outside the theater to talk, so if you recognize the host or other group members - that's the spot we've decided on! Just kind of depends on the feel of the group where we gather.
* **What is with posting the seat numbers?**
* A good practice we've found is to post our seat numbers when we have ordered tickets for a movie. This is just another way for members of our group to find each other as it might not be immediately obvious who is here as part of the group event: some events are at public movie theaters, after all. You are not by any means obligated to post your seat number if you do not feel comfortable doing so, just something we've found that works nicely for encouraging some socialization.
* **Will there be food?**
* General guideline: if the movie starts at 7ish pm or later, you might wanna have dinner first or plan on buying movie snacks. Restaurant kitchens tend to close around 9-10pm. We sometimes do go to restaurants after movies as a group, but moreso bars whose kitchens may or may not be open. Plus, kind of bad manners for a group to descend upon a bar when the kitchen is closing is 10 minutes lol. Bars are just convenient social places, there is zero pressure to drink but there just aren't many places open late when we may leave movies. There is potential to order or provide food for group events, but it should not be expected unless stated in the event description.
* **How do I stay in contact with the group after the movie?**
* We have another app we use for discussion because Meetup is somewhat cumbersome to use for casual conversation. The app we use is called Discord. The link is posted below:
* Link: https://discord.gg/4r7QxzmSvH
* [Place link here]
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* **Can I create events as a member?**
* Initially, no but this group is open to members suggesting events or becoming part of the Event Organizers over time. We don't want to open the opportunity for everybody initially to create events because that kind of role has some responsibility towards it. There are certain permissions granted to that role that not every member should have. However, if a member has a proven track record of treating every group member with due respect, and a willingness to plan events: they can become and Event Organizer and create their own events. Please reach out to leadership if this sounds like something that would interest you.
* **Can I donate to the group?**
* Absolutely! See group bio
Italian Conversation Hour
Ciao a tutt\*!
Let's meet Monday at 6.30pm at the Upper Arlington Library (Tremont Branch) in **Meeting Room A** to speak in Italian for 1 hour.
Beginner and Intermediate Bachata Dance Classes with Todd Smith!
**✅ Bachata Mondays with Todd Smith!**
**👉 Beginner Bachata Class**
**$15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
7:00 pm – 7:15 pm … Registration
7:15 pm – 8:15 pm … Beginner Class
**👉 Intermediate Bachata Class**
**= $15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
8:15 pm – 8:30 pm Registration
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm Intermediate Class
**👉 If You Take Both Bachata Classes**
**= $25 In Advance / $35 At the Door**
**👉 Buy Advance Tickets Now at:**
https://columbussalsadancing.com/bachata-mondays-dance-class-tickets/
Bachata Dance Classes: Beginner and Intermediate (Every Monday)
**✅ Bachata Mondays with Todd Smith!**
**👉 Beginner Bachata Class**
**$15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
7:00 pm – 7:15 pm … Registration
7:15 pm – 8:15 pm … Beginner Class
**👉 Intermediate Bachata Class**
**= $15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
8:15 pm – 8:30 pm Registration
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm Intermediate Class
**👉 If You Take Both Bachata Classes**
**= $25 In Advance / $35 At the Door**
**👉 Buy Advance Tickets Now at:**
https://columbussalsadancing.com/bachata-mondays-dance-class-tickets/
In-Person Event: The Answers to Depression & Anxiety
This is an in-person meeting. At this meeting you will get answers to depression and anxiety. Find out the source of them and how to get rid of them.
Did you know that unwanted emotions like anxiety, depression, unhappiness, loneliness, hopelessness, anger, fear, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not due to a chemical imbalance in your brain from some nebulous chemical reaction "by chance".
Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you.
The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life.
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life.
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This group is created by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation of Central Ohio and Church of Scientology of Central Ohio.
Alternate Reality Games Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
CABS Friday Boardgaming 6/12
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
Board games at The Forge
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.
Casual Boardgames - make friends, then beat them in games
Welcome to Casual Boardgames, where we enjoy classic tabletop games and social deduction games while bonding over good food, drinks, and great conversations.
We started this group to meet new people and make new friends, and bonding over games in a relaxed atmosphere is a great way to do that.
We currently meet near route 23 and Polaris Parkway, and this is close to areas like Powell, Lewis Center, Worthington, and parts of Westerville and Columbus.
Feel free to bring your own games or play one of the many games our members bring. If you are inexperienced, we will help you learn.
Here are just a few examples of the kind of games we play.
Tabletop/board games: Splendor, Catan, Azul, Dominion, 7 Wonders…
Social deduction games: Code Names, Chameleon, Werewords…
IMPORTANT:
1. While we love playing a variety of games and competing, we are not just about the games. We interact and talk while playing, and this leads to a lot of laughter and fun. If you just want to compete and focus solely on the game, then this is probably not the group you are looking for.
2. Many people join groups like this and never (or rarely) show up after weeks or months. If you join and never really come, we will eventually remove you from the group as a courtesy to our members. Why? Because limiting group conversations (on the app) to regular members makes communication and planning much easier. Also, while it may be rare, it protects members from people who join because they are interested in following a person instead of having a real interest in our group. If you get removed, it is just because you haven’t come, and we follow this protocol as a courtesy to our regular game players.
Psychic Development Series II - Pueo Group
Private Group. Closed to the Public
Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy.
In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected.
The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve.
I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia
THE BEAST/ La Bête (2023)
In the year 2044, in the age of AI, a woman named Gabrielle (Seydoux) tries to purify her DNA by purging the inherited memories of her past lives. She (re)lives her life in 1910 Paris and 2014 Los Angeles, and as the procedure goes on, the lines between her worlds become blurred. These three timelines have a lot of connective tissue holding them together; certain symbols and motifs appear repeatedly, not to mention Mackay’s Louis, a figure whom Gabrielle seems drawn to in each lifetime.
*The Beast / La Bête* can be streamed for free on Kanopy or the Criterion Channel. It's also available for rent on Amazon Prime, AppleTV and YouTube.
Alternate Reality Games Events Near You
Connect with your local Alternate Reality Games community
Open-Table RPG Meetup!
Try new games, meet new people, and find out what story games are all about!
Explore the reaches of space! Witness kingdoms rise and fall! Create and explore tragedies! All within a single game night.
We play story games like Fiasco, Kingdom, Polaris and Microscope that encourage everyone at the table to participate creatively. We also have one-shots of indie, OSR, and narrative-focused RPGs such as Apocalypse World, Dread, Lady Blackbird, and Old School Essentials!
Everybody's welcome! It doesn't matter if you've never tried story games before or never played roleplaying games at all! Just bring your brain and a good attitude and come try it out!
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**IMPORTANT**
* When you arrive look for the marked Story Games Columbus Tables. Each table will have a separate game. Seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis.
* If all tables are full, look for a Facilitator. We will find a way to get you into a game!
* There is a flat $3 cover charge for events at Tabletop.
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**Facilitators!!**
Please arrive early so that we can get you set up with a table.
Please reach out to me ASAP if you would be willing to help facilitate. You can reach me on the SGC Discord here -
https://discord.gg/jUTvWUu
Origins Game Fair 2026
[https://www.originsgamefair.com/](https://www.originsgamefair.com/)
[https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026](https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026)
### **Discover the Heart of Tabletop Gaming at Origins Game Fair**
Celebrate over 50 years of gaming, community, and connection at Origins Game Fair 2026, June 17 to 21 in Columbus, Ohio! Since its inception in 1975, Origins has been the premier gathering for gamers, creators, and fans, offering something for everyone - from seasoned veterans to first-time attendees.
Explore exciting events like board and card games, miniatures, roleplaying adventures, LARPs, collectible card games, cosplays, and more. Compete in game tournaments, test your skills in our puzzle competition, and immerse yourself in the Origins Film Festival. Plus, don't miss the massive exhibit hall, filled with the latest games, accessories, and collectibles from top publishers and indie creators alike.
Whether you're here to play, learn, shop, or connect, Origins Game Fair offers a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all. Be a part of a community that has fostered friendships, sparked creativity, and built memories for five decades. Get your tickets today and experience the ultimate tabletop gaming event!
### **Important Dates**
**Volunteer Applications Open:** November 28, 2025 - May 15, 2026
**Event Submission Open:** November 14th, 2025 - February 2, 2026
**Volunteer Shift Selection Opens:** February 3, 2025
**Late Event Submission Opens:** February 3, 2026 *There is no guarantee that any events submitted after February 2 will be reviewed or approved.*
**Late Event Submission Closes:** April 5, 2026
**Perk Request Deadline:** April 10, 2026
**Layout Request Deadline:** April 15, 2026
**Event Registration Opens:** April 25, 2026 (1 PM EST)
### **Registration Hours:**
**Self Serve - Scan and Go**
Wednesday - 8am - Midnight
Thursday - 7am - Midnight
Friday - 7am - Midnight
Saturday - 7am - Midnight
Sunday - 7am - 2pm
**Full Service / Materials Pickup**
Wednesday - 8am - 9pm
Thursday - 8am - 8pm
Friday - 8am - 8pm
Saturday - 8am - 6pm
Sunday - 8am - 4pm
**In 2026 you can go to Scan and Go for tickets purchased after you already have your badge just by scanning the barcode on your badge! Less waiting in line!**
### **Exhibit Hall Hours:**
Wednesday - Closed
Thursday - 9am - 10am - Premier Badge Holders
Thursday - 10am - 6pm - All Attendees
Friday - 10am - 6pm - All Attendees
Saturday - 10am - 6pm - All Attendees
Sunday - 10am - 4pm - All Attendees
### **Gaming Hall:**
Wednesday - Noon - 1am
Thursday - 8am - 1am
Friday - 8am - 1am
Saturday - 8am - 1am
Sunday - 8am - 4pm
### **Important Information:**
**Refunds:** There will be a 10% service fee for ALL Refunds; Badges and Tickets.
**Badge Refund Deadline:**. April 15, 2026 No refunds on badges will be processed after this date.
**Event Tickets:** \- will be refunded up to 24 hours before the event starts\. All event ticket refunds will have a 10% service fee\.
Customize the IDE: Building Extensions for Visual Studio Code - Alan Barber
**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**
*Customize the IDE: Building Extensions for Visual Studio Code*
Visual Studio Code is one of the most widely used development environments today, and much of its flexibility comes from its extension ecosystem. Extensions allow developers to customize the editor with new features, integrations, and workflow improvements tailored to their needs.
In this session, we’ll cover what extensions are and the different types available, including full extensions written in TypeScript or JavaScript, along with lighter-weight extensions such as color themes, language packs, language support, code snippets, and keymaps. We’ll also look at practical reasons a developer might create an extension, from automating repetitive tasks to adding custom tooling.
The session includes a hands-on walkthrough of creating a new extension, testing it locally, and understanding the basic project structure. We’ll close with a brief overview of how extensions are packaged and published to the Visual Studio Marketplace and other distribution options.
**YouTube Link**
TBD
AI Improv: let’s build a game together with Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini and b
We are going to build together with all the CLIs! E will be doing it at Columbus Code and Coffee
Agenda
---
Hosted By
James Power, Organizer
Pete Gordon, Organizer
Just a Software Guy in the age of the Internet.
Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-columbus-presents-ai-improv-lets-build-a-game-together-with-claude-code-codex-and-gemini-and-be-the-judge/.
Battle of the personal agents
Join the Columbus AI community for a special event.
**Battle of the Personal Agents** is your chance to see what people are actually building with AI agents and personal automation systems. Whether you’re running OpenClaw, Hermes, or a completely custom solution, bring your agent and show the community how it works.
We’re interested in real-world implementations: the problems your agent solves, how you use it day-to-day, how it’s hosted and managed, how you built it, and why you’ve chosen to keep using it. Live demonstrations are encouraged, so be prepared to show your code, architecture, workflows, and your agent performing real tasks.
This is less about polished presentations and more about sharing practical experience, comparing approaches, and learning from one another. If you’d like to present, please contact Chris Slee (via meetup) before the event so we can allocate enough time for everyone’s demonstrations.
Come ready to show what you’ve built, discover what others are doing, and maybe find a few ideas worth taking home.
Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus.
Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformlabs/)
Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/transformlabshq)
Claude Code with Unity
A session on using Claude Code, Anthropic's AI coding agent, in real Unity development. We'll cover what coding agents are, where Claude Code fits, and how to apply it to an actual game project.
The format is presentation-style, with live demos and time for questions throughout. After brief scene-setting on coding agents and what makes Claude Code distinct, we'll go problem-driven: demoing it live on a released Unity game and introducing each feature as a solution to a problem we hit.
What to Expect:
* An intro to coding agents and where Claude Code fits
* A live demo on a real Unity project
* Key features as solutions to real problems: 𝖢𝖫𝖠𝖴𝖣𝖤.𝗆𝖽, context management, hooks, skills, subagents, and MCP
* Unity-specific pain points, including Domain Reload and MCP caveats
* Putting it together
All experience levels welcome. Food and drinks provided.
*Note: meetup topics may change — check back for the latest details.*

























