30 votes

Announcing the Tildes Backlog Burner event for November 2024: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month!

It's almost time...

...for another Tildes Backlog Burner -- the event where you try out games you've always wanted to play (but haven't yet -- for whatever reason).

The Backlog Burner for November 2024 will officially begin in two days on November 1st.

If you're new to the Backlog Burner, check out our previous events to get an idea of what's going on:


Backlog Bingo returns again!

Backlog Bingo is a backbone of this event, so it's of course back and better than ever! u/Wes has made some new tweaks to his amazing site, and we've also further developed our category sets.

For this event, you can choose between two different official Bingo lists:

  • Flow: A conceptually abstract list of ideas to guide you. Let your imagination flow.
  • Flux: A tweaked and updated version of the May 2024 category list.

If you participated last time, clear your old card and start fresh with a new one. If you're new to the event, simply go to the Backlog Bingo site to generate your card.


Notification List

If you are interested in participating in the Backlog Burner, please comment in this topic. Anyone commenting/replying here will automatically be added to a notification list for the Backlog Burner, unless you specify otherwise.


Start Planning (or Playing)

Technically the event starts in two days, so you have time to roll your cards (if you're playing Bingo) and plan out what you'd like to play for the month. That said, if you're eager to jump right in, and start early, I certainly won't stop you!

Let's get ready to burn through these backlogs!


Backlog Burner FAQ

What exactly is the Backlog Burner?

Your "backlog" is all those games you've been meaning to play or get around to, but never have yet. This event is an attempt to get us to collectively dig into that treasure trove of experiences, scratch some long-standing itches, and knock a few titles off our to-play lists.

It runs every May and November. New discussion topics will go up once a week during those months.

You do not need to sign up in advance -- the topics are open to all. If you would like to be included in the notification list, comment in this topic to be added.

How do I participate?
  • Choose some games from your backlog and play them.
  • Then tell us about your experiences in the discussion thread for the week.

That's it!

Optionally: you can play Backlog Bingo which is a fun way of cutting down the choices you have to make and playing games you might not have normally selected on your own.

Do I need to finish the games that I play?

Nope! Not at all.

There aren't really any requirements for the event so much as this is an incentive to get us to play games we've been avoiding starting up, for whatever reason. Play as much or as little as you like of a given game.

Try out dozens for ten minutes each or dive into one for 40 hours. There's no wrong way to participate!

Can I make multiple posts in the same topic?

Yes! Each discussion thread stays live for a full week, so feel free to make multiple comments in the topic as you play different games. This isn't considered noise -- it's considered valuable participation in the event!


Backlog Bingo FAQ

Important: All data for your Backlog Bingo card is stored on your device, not the server. Clearing your browser data will irrecoverably delete your card.

I'm a returning player. How do I reset my previous card?

If you've already created a card and wish to start over, click the Edit Rules button in the header to access your card settings. Then click the Reset button, and confirm the prompt. This will irrevocably delete your present card, allowing you to start fresh.

Where is my data stored?

All data is stored by your browser in local storage. There are no accounts, and nothing is sent to the server, so it's privacy-friendly by design. This does mean that you are responsible for not deleting any browser data on wescook.ca, either manually or through automatic cleanups performed on browser close.

Backlog Bingo is open-source, and licensed permissively under MIT.

What is the difference between the "Standard" and "Golf" modes?

In Standard Mode, each square on the bingo card corresponds with one single game. Duplicate games cannot be entered into different squares. A winning card would have a row of five different games that each filled in one square.

In Golf Mode, duplicates are not only allowed -- they are encouraged! The purpose of Golf mode is to try to find a single game that will fill multiple categories at the same time. For example: Stardew Valley might fulfill You got it on sale, A solo-dev project, and Has romanceable characters all at the same time. A winning card would have all twenty five squares filled, but possibly only six or seven different games.

What is the star space in the middle?

That is the "wildcard" or "free space."

In Standard Mode, there are no requirements to fill it. You can choose any game you want! Anything goes!

In Golf Mode, it does not need to be filled. Because Golf is all about stacking up categories on a single game, any game used in Golf would fill it automatically, meaning it has no real function. As such, the square will be pre-filled for you if you play in Golf mode.

Can I create custom bingo categories for this, or other events?

Absolutely! The Backlog Bingo app reads in simple JSON files which define the available categories. We've created a couple prebuilt lists for this event, but you're free to tweak our categories, or create completely new ones. You could even use them for books, anime, movies, recipes -- anything!

If you are interested in learning more, you can find documentation on the wiki, and use an example JSON category file. You can also ask for help in the topic!

19 comments

  1. [3]
    kfwyre
    Link
    I'm pinging @Wes, my co-pilot for this event, to let him know that this topic is live. Feel free to leave him messages about how awesome he and his Backlog Bingo site are. He custom-made the...

    I'm pinging @Wes, my co-pilot for this event, to let him know that this topic is live.

    Feel free to leave him messages about how awesome he and his Backlog Bingo site are. He custom-made the entire thing to be used for our Backlog Burner events!

    14 votes
    1. [2]
      Wes
      Link Parent
      I'm excited to participate again! As always, huge thanks to @kfwyre for curating the category selection and putting this whole event together to begin with. I've begun planning how I want to play...

      I'm excited to participate again! As always, huge thanks to @kfwyre for curating the category selection and putting this whole event together to begin with.

      I've begun planning how I want to play my card for this event. I want to try something like a Golf card, but I'm not sure I'll have time to do a complete blackout. So I may customize my settings to allow duplicate entries like Golf, but with an easier win condition for a bingo. In all likelihood I'll meander around the board until a few days before the end, then panic and get a few final entries in for a bingo. Like usual!

      As for the category lists, I haven't decided if I want to play Flow and Flux yet. I may see what everyone else is doing, and choose the less popular option to add some variety. We'll see!

      If anyone has any questions about the Bingo app, feel free to ask. kfwyre or I will get you sorted straight away.

      11 votes
      1. Durinthal
        Link Parent
        I like the Flow idea! A couple of words on my card immediately brought certain games to mind and I'm looking forward to exploring that with the other themes.

        I like the Flow idea! A couple of words on my card immediately brought certain games to mind and I'm looking forward to exploring that with the other themes.

        5 votes
  2. hamstergeddon
    (edited )
    Link
    I think I'm going to participate this year. I've got dozens upon dozens of random humble bundle games that never got played and my current game rotation is just Minecraft and Backyard Baseball...

    I think I'm going to participate this year. I've got dozens upon dozens of random humble bundle games that never got played and my current game rotation is just Minecraft and Backyard Baseball '97. I need to branch out a bit and try some new stuff!

    10 votes
  3. J-Chiptunator
    Link
    Like I said in the final May 2024 Backlog Bingo thread, I'm going to partake in the fun with the newly-added Flow list. To spice things up, I was initially considering choosing the Golf mode over...

    Like I said in the final May 2024 Backlog Bingo thread, I'm going to partake in the fun with the newly-added Flow list. To spice things up, I was initially considering choosing the Golf mode over the Standard one, until yesterday when I noticed that there are two new Bingo lists this time around.
    So, Standard Bingo with Flow categories it is! I left every category checked due to not knowing the themes for each video game I own, filled all the cases with the most appropriate ones in advance and let the good ol' randomizer decide on what order I play them.

    Coming up with a relevant game for each category turned out to be much trickier than the classic Flux ones. Having a more intimate knowledge for each game becomes essential and can lead to spoilers if not being careful with the research process. To aid myself in this process, I let the Perplexity AI do the heavy lifting for me and picked a good chunk of previously-played games but haven't beat. Given it's been ages since I touched on some of them, I thought it might provide a fresh perspective.

    Many of my game choices won't take me over 20 hours to clear, so I should be able to understand very well the gist of them within no more than a couple of hours. Rather than play only one per day at minimum, I'll force myself with two at a time. That way, I should be less likely ending the month with games I've still yet to try, even when I wind up failing to meet that self-imposed requirement for a few days.

    By the way, here's what I got on my November 2024 Bingo Card:

    J-Chiptunator's November 2024 Backlog Bingo Card
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Pride Quantity Balance Restoration Open
    Resistance Peace Belonging Faith Organization
    Abundance Complexity ★ Wildcard Distribution Creativity
    Exploration Friction Perspective Silence Symmetry
    Repetition Choice Vulnerability Light Deception

    With that out the way, see you on November 1st for my detailed write-up on my first few games!

    5 votes
  4. Weldawadyathink
    Link
    Unfortunately I won’t be participating this time. The dang Factorio devs went and released space age. I can’t bear the thought of playing anything except that for the time being. Have fun y’all; I...

    Unfortunately I won’t be participating this time. The dang Factorio devs went and released space age. I can’t bear the thought of playing anything except that for the time being. Have fun y’all; I will be following these threads.

    5 votes
  5. kfwyre
    Link
    I was originally intending to do a Golf card with the Flux list this time around, but I’m really feeling the Flow list. I don’t want to do Golf with it either, because I know I’ll just “overfit”...

    I was originally intending to do a Golf card with the Flux list this time around, but I’m really feeling the Flow list. I don’t want to do Golf with it either, because I know I’ll just “overfit” games and force them to fill categories they just barely or only tangentially meet.

    I’d rather do my Flow in earnest, game by game and square by square.

    kfwyre’s Bingo Card (Standard/Flow)
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Wonder Organization Duality Perspective Conflict
    Courage Symmetry Adaptation Open Progress
    Isolation Endurance ★ Wildcard Trust Creativity
    Synthesis Empathy Deception Change Freedom
    Fear Truth Restoration Fleeting Causality

    I’m excited to get started! I also have even more games available to me than last time because I’m now in a Steam Family share with my gaming group.

    5 votes
  6. [2]
    Wafik
    (edited )
    Link
    I guess I should participate this year and finally make a dent in my backlog. Edit to add my card: Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25 Your friend loves it Is one of the oldest games you own Makes...

    I guess I should participate this year and finally make a dent in my backlog.

    Edit to add my card:

    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Your friend loves it Is one of the oldest games you own Makes you think Known for its composer Has survival mechanics
    Has both combat and puzzles Uses a unique control scheme A modded game Has romanceable characters Has a campaign longer than 12 hours
    From a studio you haven't heard of before Recommended by someone on Tildes ★ Wildcard Has cards Features a mystery
    You chose it based on title alone Has a score system Part of a long-running series You heard about it in our weekly gaming topics An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game
    On a platform you don’t normally use You're giving it a second chance Popular game you never got around to playing Has a fishing minigame Nominated for a Steam award
    4 votes
    1. JCPhoenix
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Likewise. I've been trying to be good this year and reduce the number of games I'm buying -- I'm at 20 this year, but a third are games I've played before on other platforms or DLCs -- knowing...

      Likewise. I've been trying to be good this year and reduce the number of games I'm buying -- I'm at 20 this year, but a third are games I've played before on other platforms or DLCs -- knowing that my backlog never shrinks, only grows. I guess like inflation, I've only managed to slow the rate it increases. Backlog disinflation, I suppose.

      Edit:

      JCPhoenix's Bingo Card
      Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
      Known for its legacy You have to tinker to get it running A solo-dev project Has a isometric perspective A romhack or total conversion mod
      Has a lives system Has a skill tree Has romanceable characters Nominated for The Game Awards Popular game you never got around to playing
      Has more than 3 words in its title Has a review score above 90 ★ Wildcard Has permadeath Owned for more than 3 years
      Randomness determines your fate Has a moral choice system Focuses on exploration Recommended by someone on Tildes You heard about it in our weekly gaming topics
      Released in the year you joined Tildes Is considered relaxing Has creatures Has both combat and puzzles Is open-source
      5 votes
  7. Durinthal
    Link
    I'm back after participating in the May event and already set up a new bingo card: Durinthal's bingo card (standard, flow) Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25 Friction Absence Justice Lost Light...

    I'm back after participating in the May event and already set up a new bingo card:

    Durinthal's bingo card (standard, flow)
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Friction Absence Justice Lost Light
    Precision Progress Exploration Silence Transformation
    Fear Power ★ Wildcard Connection Threshold
    Fleeting Uncertainty Choice Repetition Empathy
    Tradition Increment Complexity Fragmentation Beauty

    I initially rolled flux a couple of times but kept getting squares that I had in my previous card (could have disabled them, I know) so I switched over to flow for something different. It's gonna be fun to figure out some games to fit the abstract concepts over the next couple of days before I get started.

    4 votes
  8. Cannonball
    (edited )
    Link
    I think I'll participate this time around! My backlog isn't outrageous but I have a bad habit of playing the same 2 or 3 games and I'd like to work through more of my library. Aiming to split game...

    I think I'll participate this time around! My backlog isn't outrageous but I have a bad habit of playing the same 2 or 3 games and I'd like to work through more of my library. Aiming to split game time between my PC and switch since I have a similar number of unplayed games on both systems

    Cannonball's bingo card (Standard/Flux)
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    You're giving it a second chance From a studio you haven't heard of before An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game Has a fishing minigame Has a skill tree
    Has a silent protagonist Has a review score above 80 Has a time limit It’s already installed From a different country than you
    Uses a unique control scheme Has more than 3 words in its title ★ Wildcard Part of a long-running series Focuses on exploration
    Has both combat and puzzles Chosen for you by someone else Known for its legacy Uses procedural generation Has great reviews, but not your usual type
    Has a logical vibe Popular game you never got around to playing Has a top-down perspective Adaptation of other media type (e.g. board game, movie) Features a mystery
    4 votes
  9. SingedFrostLantern
    Link
    Joining for the first time so I'm posting to make sure I commit myself to this. I'm fairly weak to deals and bundles, so I've got quite the selection between Steam, GOG, Epic freebies, itch.io...

    Joining for the first time so I'm posting to make sure I commit myself to this. I'm fairly weak to deals and bundles, so I've got quite the selection between Steam, GOG, Epic freebies, itch.io bundles, a Switch, and a PS4 given by my brother after he got a PS5; guess I'll also make it a personal goal to rotate between them.

    Decided to go for Standard/Flow: Standard because the backlog is huge, Flow for a little more freedom in the "just do it" sense.

    SingedFrostLantern's Bingo Card (Standard/Flow)
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Humor Connection Synthesis Morality Progress
    Harmony Love Erosion Causality Trust
    Pride Resistance ★ Wildcard Justice Sound
    Fragmentation Change Choice Community Light
    Threshold Symmetry Isolation Happiness Fear
    4 votes
  10. Eidolon
    Link
    Yay it's back! As with earlier this year I have minimal time to play, but will try to strike through a row even if I can't complete anything. Standard Bingo (Flux) Card Mode: Standard Bingo!...

    Yay it's back! As with earlier this year I have minimal time to play, but will try to strike through a row even if I can't complete anything.

    Standard Bingo (Flux) Card
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Is considered emotionally resonant Has a non-human antagonist Focuses on exploration Has a lives system Has a review score above 81
    Came out more than 6 years ago Adaptation of other media type (e.g. board game, movie) You wanted it when you were younger From a studio you haven't heard of before Has a skill tree
    Set in a real world location Music/rhythm-focused ★ Wildcard From now-defunct dev studio Uses procedural generation
    Randomness determines your fate Is open-source Has a time limit From a different country than you Part of a trilogy
    Uses a unique control scheme You heard about it in our weekly gaming topics Owned for more than 3 years From a different culture or country Has a minimalistic vibe
    4 votes
  11. Evie
    Link
    I've never done this before, but I hope to finish at least a few of the games moldering away in the library! Evie's bingo card (Standard/Flow) Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25 Beauty Fear...

    I've never done this before, but I hope to finish at least a few of the games moldering away in the library!

    Evie's bingo card (Standard/Flow)
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Beauty Fear Silence Order Courage
    Darkness Power Erosion Creativity Collaboration
    Quantity Fragmentation ★ Wildcard Endurance Justice
    Progress Empathy Freedom Happiness Precision
    Restoration Morality Survival Time Pride
    4 votes
  12. CrazyProfessor02
    Link
    I have always thought that this was a cool idea, so I decided to actually (try to) participate in this one. CrazyProfessor02's Bingo Sheet Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25 You wanted it when...

    I have always thought that this was a cool idea, so I decided to actually (try to) participate in this one.

    CrazyProfessor02's Bingo Sheet
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    You wanted it when you were younger Chosen for you by someone else Same number of letters as your username Has cards You can save/pet/care for animals
    Part of a trilogy Focuses on relationships Has a fishing minigame An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game You can complete it in only a few hours
    Set in a dungeon Has a score system ★ Wildcard Has survival mechanics Has both combat and puzzles
    Has a review score below 61 Has AI Has a time limit Has a skill tree Makes you think
    Your friend loves it Released in the year you joined Tildes From a different country than you Has permadeath From now-defunct dev studio
    4 votes
  13. [2]
    WiseassWolfOfYoitsu
    Link
    Sorry, can't hear you over several hundred anticipated hours of Factorio Space Age...

    Sorry, can't hear you over several hundred anticipated hours of Factorio Space Age...

    2 votes
    1. kfwyre
      Link Parent
      Silly me! All this talk of Flow and Flux, but I completely forgot to talk about our Focus category list for this Backlog Burner! Here's a sample bingo card with it so you can grok the vibe. It's...

      Silly me! All this talk of Flow and Flux, but I completely forgot to talk about our Focus category list for this Backlog Burner! Here's a sample bingo card with it so you can grok the vibe. It's perfect for a Blackout! 😂

      All joking aside, you and @Weldawadyathink did inspire me to make a custom category JSON file of the achievements for the DLC, in case anyone wants to play a parallel game of Achievement Bingo while they're stuck in Factorio for the month!

      6 votes
  14. deathinactthree
    Link
    This is a cool idea--my backlog now probably consists of more games than I've actually played, and my eyes glaze over every time I scroll through the list deciding what I want to install next....

    This is a cool idea--my backlog now probably consists of more games than I've actually played, and my eyes glaze over every time I scroll through the list deciding what I want to install next. This will definitely help force me to choose what to play.

    I like this card but I do think I may run into still having too many games to choose from to fit many of the categories--if that turns out to be the case then I'll try rerolling the card sometime in the next week or so.

    Death in Act Three's Bingo Card
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Considered a disappointment You can save/pet/care for animals From now-defunct dev studio A solo-dev project Has a lives system
    You control a party of characters You're giving it a second chance Nominated for The Game Awards A modded game Features a mystery
    Has permadeath Recommended by someone on Tildes ★ Wildcard Has driving Has a third-person perspective
    Has a skill tree Is considered relaxing A romhack or total conversion mod Someone else has played it for their Backlog Burner Has a score system
    Focuses on exploration Popular game you never got around to playing Uses a unique control scheme Adaptation of other media type (e.g. board game, movie) Is open-source
    2 votes
  15. AugustusFerdinand
    Link
    Late getting started, decided to go with Bingo card this time instead the previous attempt's Western-only theme. I already started as I saw this post and had this in mind when I started some...

    Late getting started, decided to go with Bingo card this time instead the previous attempt's Western-only theme. I already started as I saw this post and had this in mind when I started some previously unplayed games, but just now randomly generated the bingo card. Will mark any squares the games I chose did complete in the Week 1 update.

    Le Bingo Sheet
    Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 0/25
    Is beatable without killing any enemies Has both combat and puzzles Has a campaign longer than 5 hours Has survival mechanics Considered a disappointment
    Part of a trilogy Has more than 3 words in its title Has a skill tree Set in a post-apocalyptic world Is open-source
    Focuses on relationships A modded game ★ Wildcard You have to tinker to get it running From now-defunct dev studio
    You can create your own character Has dinosaurs You wanted it when you were younger Features a mystery Has a time limit
    Has a lives system Is mostly text-based It’s already installed Is one of the oldest games you own Has cards
    1 vote