Artemis to dock at Casual Dragon

Jacob Fries, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·2 min read

Oct. 21—Casual Dragon Games will host the Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator this weekend, for the first time since prior to the onset of the Covid pandemic.

Artemis is a computer game that allows the players to take on the role of a bridge crew member aboard a sci-fi styled spaceship reminiscent of something from Star Trek. Each bridge role is performed from a different computer.

"You have roles like engineering, communications, or weapons, and all different people get different ones," said Sharon Stack, Casual Dragon's head cashier. "You're all overseen by your captain, who doesn't have a computer, but they still see what everyone's doing and give orders as you go on different missions."

The goal is usually to protect a sector of space from invading enemies by strategizing with fellow crew members. There are several scenarios and challenges that can be done as well, such as playing with a smaller group in which the players try to use multiple computers at once.

"I love how you get to see how the ship is run from all these different positions. I've been captain quite a few times," Stack said. "I've also managed both navigation and weapons at the same time when going through much higher difficulties."

Artemis play at Casual Dragon Games, 136 Walnut St., is free of charge and no prior experience or equipment is necessary. The game is on from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Artemis is known in the area mainly as a game played at conventions and hub locations. Game handler Lee Hunt, who is known by local fans of the game as "Greybeard," reached out to Casual Dragon to inquire about its interest in hosting Artemis again, according to Stack.

Hunt has taken the game to events around New York state and the East Coast; over the past few years in Western New York, Artemis has surfaced at UBCon, the Niagara Falls Fan World convention, North Tonawanda's Lil'Con, and Queen City Conquest. Hunt is known to be willing to guide players through different scenarios, help them choose their ships, and lend tech support for the game itself. He also has been known to reward players with pins if they manage to finish scenarios successfully.