GenCon is always one of the best conventions of the year, and 2011 was no exception. The Hex crew had six panels and something like 20 games on the schedule and we got players/attendees for all of them--a lot were full. We also schmoozed with podcasters and other game publishers, ran into some old friends, met a ton of new people, and came up with lots of new ideas for games we're working on and new stuff that we might consider doing in the future. Thanks to everyone who came to our panels, played our games, hung out with us in bars, and otherwise made GenCon a lot of fun. If you haven't already, sign up to our Facebook or Twitter feeds for the latest Hex news, links, and information.

Hex Games is proud to support Gamers for Humanity in their fundraising efforts for New Orleans. The first 100 people to donate $10 or more to Gamers for Humanity’s New Orleans trip at www.gamersforhumanity.org will receive a copy of the new gaming supplement American Artifacts 2. Your donations will make this year’s New Orleans trip possible, and Hex Games wants to thank you for helping out.

Gamers for Humanity will be taking their 4^th annual New Orleans Work Trip from Sunday March 13^th through Saturday March 19^th, 2011. Help them lift up a city that has been laid low many times. New Orleans is more than just Mardi Gras; New Orleans is music and hospitality and relaxation and neighborhoods and caring and welcoming and warm weather, and it’s also hurricanes and flooding and oil spills. New Orleans and its people need your help. Gamers for Humanity needs your help.

If you join the trip to New Orleans you'll be helping a city full of wonderful people, and having fun along the way. If the trip isn't for you, you can donate to assist the volunteers with travel and housing funds. Most of the volunteers are like you--they want to help, but aren't swimming in vast piles of cash. And remember, once you donate $10 or more, you will receive your PDF copy of American Artifacts 2.

American Artifacts 2 gives you 20 magical items uniquely suited to the New World. Some are objects from American history, like Crispus Attucks's musket ball, or from pop culture, like Zuzu's petals. Some were created by wizards who act like scientists, and some by scientists who act like wizards; Nikola Tesla's ray gun, William Faulkner's pocket watch, and Benjamin Franklin's automaton all blur the line between magic and science.

All 20 artifacts are suitable for use in a wide variety of games. Each entry includes a description of the artifact, background information, and game mechanics. The artifacts range from the charming, like Mark Twain's cigar box, to the cosmically powerful, like the Shard of the True Plane. A detailed timeline is also included, that offers a clear overview of the occult history of America. And don’t worry, you don't need to have read the original American Artifacts to use this book. To learn more about American Artifacts 2, visit www.hexgames.com.

Gamers For Humanity is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit, incorporated in the State of Iowa. They are dedicated to helping improve the world around them through:

*increasing the participation of gamers in charitable activities across the nation by providing opportunities for enjoyable and meaningful volunteer work.

*providing human services to people and communities in need.

*encouraging the enjoyment of life for people of all ages through the playing of games.

They work to accomplish these goals by doing the work of organizing volunteer opportunities and opportunities for giving, and by collecting donated funds and items to be distributed to people in need.