tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46789896446857576002024-03-04T23:59:40.251-05:00Isamoor's CornerRead to the tune of "Return to Pooh Corner" by Kenny Loggins.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-22108082305810753352010-10-29T15:58:00.000-04:002010-10-29T15:58:49.506-04:00Equilibrium PlaytestsSo, gaming isn't dead with a newborn. It's just slowed down :)<br />
<br />
Anyway, got a solid playtest of Equilibrium in:<br />
<br />
<b>Early Game</b><br />
<br />
I got down a nice "Draw +2" permanent right at the beginning. My wife went for the early "1st Pairs".<br />
<br />
Really soon I played the bonus for "5+ of 3 Colors" and my wife played the big bonus for "11+ of 1 color". The strategy lines were pretty set.<br />
<br />
<b>Mid Game</b><br />
<br />
Thanks to my deep draw, I got *all* three of my big bonuses. My wife only got 2 of hers. She did complete her pair. And she hinted that she was going all Blue. She had plenty of Most Blue and 9+ Blue score cards down.<br />
<br />
I started fleshing out my chances with some "Count +1" cards so I could run my deck very thin.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Late Game</b><br />
<br />
I flesh out my "Count +1" to be one of each color. I also sneak in a "Most Yellow" since I know my wife isn't saving much.<br />
<br />
Then right around the end, Wham, my wife hits me with a "Trash 3". Suddenly I am counting my deck and see I'm all the way down to 17 cards. I immediately stop, as does my wife.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Scoring:</b><br />
<br />
I had 17 cards in my deck. 9 blue, 4 yellow and 4 red. But I had a Count +1 of each color! So I met my 5+ of all colors goals for a whopping +39 points.<br />
<br />
My wife of course scores her deep blue deck easy with 14 blue cards. But she only got down a couple of the big point bonuses. Her final deck has 21 cards in it.<br />
<br />
I sneak out the Most yellow since we both had 4 in our decks but I have a count +1.<br />
<br />
Final scores: Me 39, Angie 37<br />
<br />
Two point victory! And a nailbiter.<br />
<br />
I consider this a very successful playtest.<br />
<br />
We did have the "Share 12VP" cards in that pay out like the Cathedral in Notre Dame. I was unimpressed in their third game. We both just ended up playing the first 2 we drew and then stopped playing them. They might be more exciting with more players, but I'm starting to think otherwise.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-72898637514845817112010-10-07T13:06:00.002-04:002010-10-07T13:06:43.426-04:00Bouncin' Baby BoyA quick cross post. I'm now a proud father. Read all about it:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://parkesbrood.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-boy.html">http://parkesbrood.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-boy.html</a>Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-44188440303239360042010-09-27T20:07:00.000-04:002010-09-27T20:07:42.458-04:00New Equilibrium CardsTried a couple rounds of Equilibrium with some new cards tonight. What new cards you may ask?<br />
<br />
"Blue Count +1" - A full set of 6 cards of these. They are permanents that boost the count of that color when you check if you fulfill your score cards at the end of the game.<br />
<br />
"Others Trash A Score Card" - All other players have to trash a score card of their choosing.<br />
<br />
We also tried reverting to the trash/cycle without asking your opponent.<br />
<br />
The plays:<br />
<br />
<b>First Game</b><br />
<br />
I get an early "1st Pair" down, while my wife gets the Score Card discount permanent. She then goes heavy into blue and green spamming a lot of the "11+ of 1 color".<br />
<br />
I diversify and go for 5 of each color. I nail 2 of those big bonus cards. Ang hits me with a "Trash a Score card" but it barely hurt at all.<br />
<br />
Ang quits a bit early with 25 cards. I stretch it out just *trying* to find the other half of my pair. At the very end I play a Draw +4 to sneak out my pair.<br />
<br />
During scoring, I count only 4 blue in my deck. Oh no! But then remember I played a "count +1", woohoo! All my cards score for a nice wolop of points. Ang scores all of hers with ease. Too easily in fact, she should have went a couple more turns. She lost by 10 points this game. Of course, if I'd had 1 blue card less then she would have won handily.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Second Game</b><br />
<br />
Pretty much a role reversal. I play an early discount card and go heavy for blue and yellow. I decide to settle for 9 each so I don't play any of the 11+ cards.<br />
<br />
My wife puts down the "draw +2" permanent early and enjoyed a nice selection of cards for the whole game.<br />
<br />
My wife quits a little earlier than me since she didn't get the discount. However, she nails all three of the 13vp 5+ of 3 color cards. That's a mountain of points.<br />
<br />
I know I need a good score, so I pull out 2 turns on my own. For the first one I use the trusty Draw +4 to setup my last turn. I sneak out one more "8vp for 7+ of 2 colors". I manage to empty my deck and still have exactly 9 blue and 9 yellow. My wife also has 9 yellow to tie me for a most card... until we remember the "Yellow count +1" I played earlier. Then I get the extra 3 points I need to beat her.<br />
<br />
A nice nailbiter :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Verdict?</b><br />
<br />
"Count +1 Cards" - Definitely a great addition. They allow you to put your buffer into play and thin your remaining deck even harder. I wouldn't have them cost more than 1, but we both played a couple at the price of 1 and I think it was worth the price.<br />
<br />
"Trash A Score Card" - Horrible. Only good on the 2nd turn of the game if your opponent is stupid. Otherwise it just hits a cheap score card and you wasted your money (cards). Not to mention the rules overhead is nasty. What about attachments? What if multiple people have to trash? I just don't think this is working.<br />
<br />
"Auto trash/cycle" - Definitely becomes a bit friendlier game. Someone isn't malevolently trying to destroy your deck. It's faster too. Still, it leaves out a fair amount of interaction. Really... I'm pretty split on it and could go either way.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-54996849803406984492010-09-07T10:51:00.000-04:002010-09-07T10:51:46.167-04:00Crokinole - Yea, that's SweetSo I got my very own <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/521/crokinole">Crokinole </a>board over the weekend. It was a MayDay special straight from China.<br />
<br />
How's the board? Pretty solid I would say. I only paid $100 for it so I can't complain too much. There were no dings or dints. The only minor complains:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The lines are painted on top of the varnish. Odd and annoying. Didn't cover with 3 coats of wax.</li>
<li>The score pegs don't fit in their holes well.</li>
<li>There are 3 scruffs in the finish in a symetrical pattern like something was used to stack the boards.</li>
</ul>
<div>
But that's really it. It's a very nice board otherwise. I bought some wax and gave it a darn good waxing before we first played. I also made the rubber and screw pegs and installed them for some very stable play.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And it was awesome. I've only played 2-player, but this is by far the best dexterity game I've ever played. There is skill, strategy and FUN!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I really like the rule forcing you to try and bump an opponent's piece. It makes you attempt all kinds of wild shots. And if you fail a shot, you have to remove that piece... and any friendly piece it touched! Ouch! So suddenly you start adding extra risk for failure of certain shots.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've already logged 8 games from this weekend. I'm sure it'll burn out eventually.... but maybe not. I'd still play Tichu :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I also can't wait to try the partnership version!</div>Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-90322981904466451092010-09-02T14:07:00.000-04:002010-09-02T14:07:34.578-04:00Urges - Why?Man, I do for some reason just get urges to play certain games. I really don't know why. And often times I don't suggest them to my Wife just because I know we've played them a lot and I don't know why I want to play them more. Almost like I think of them as guilty pleasures. Isn't that strange? I think these are the top offenders:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/35503/ra-the-dice-game">Ra: The Dice Game</a> - I should really get tired of this one. There isn't a whole lot going on, and it does feel the same from game to game. And yet the decisions are just interesting enough and the situations unique enough to make me come back. I'm probably going to give in again soon.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/69789/ascension-chronicle-of-the-godslayer">Ascension</a> - I don't think it's an awesome game. But it is fun by golly. I want to kill some monsters. I don't care that I can't really plan my deck out. I don't care that the center row seems jumbled as piss most times. I just want to whack a cultist over and over.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7717/carcassonne-the-castle">Carc: The Castle</a> - The second Knizia. Maybe he's on to something. This one is odd. It breaks a lot of carc standards, and yet it still feels like carc. I also like the balance of the point sources. The fight over the biggest house always seems charming to me. It just has that certain touch...Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-13686204406520698102010-08-31T09:52:00.000-04:002010-08-31T09:52:40.069-04:00Subtle Balancing TweaksBoardgames are like Movies. You have a few blockbusters, and a lot of flops. You might take pity on the flops, but what about the blockbusters? Those few games are going to be played over and over until every little wart shines through.<br />
<br />
Looking back at thousands of plays can often give new insight that wouldn't show up without that much testing. And sometimes, some simple changes need to be made. Here I've compiled just a couple of those subtle changes that people have come up with for some true classics:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42/tigris-euphrates">Tigris and Euphrates</a> - The player going first has a very high chance of winning. I'm pretty sure it was over 30% in a 4 player game. The easiest and most applied fix is: Have the first 2 players take only 1 action on their first turn. It's just the same as Through the Desert for just the same reason.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36218/dominion">Dominion</a> - Again, the first place player has a higher chance of winning. The silly rules have a balance of the prior winner going last. I applaud them for trying something new, but still think this rule is stupid. Much better and simpler is to borrow from Puerto Rico: Just continue play until everyone has had an equal # of turns. Allow people to buy "Ghost Provinces" if they have run out. Makes for a much closer game IMHO.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3076/puerto-rico">Puerto Rico</a> - This was actually what inspired the list for me. The players that start with Corn tend to kick the Indigo players' asses. It's true at all player counts. Hell, in tournaments they often bid 2-3 VP to start with corn to balance things out. I came across a thread on BGG that showed a much simpler balance for the corn players: Corn players start with 1 less doubloon. It slows them down just enough in buying the first mid-range building that scores balance out almost perfectly. Alternatively, you can view it as giving the poor indigo saps a buck to buy their indigo plantation. Source:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/557024/possible-game-balance-fix-for-4-player-game-p3-to">http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/557024/possible-game-balance-fix-for-4-player-game-p3-to</a><br />
<br />
So, are there any other minor balance tweaks for much played classics you have used?Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-34583186656197366692010-08-26T09:28:00.000-04:002010-08-26T09:28:35.848-04:00Nearly DimesSo I do enjoy fiddling with Friendless' Extend Stats over here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://friendless.servegame.org/dynamic/result/Isamoor">http://friendless.servegame.org/dynamic/result/Isamoor</a><br />
<br />
In particular, I like how it forces me to see how much of my collection I have actually played. And how often I have played them.<br />
<br />
He has a metric that encourages people to achieve "dimes" = 10 plays of a game. So of course, given a metric, I have to try and maximize it. So what games do I own that are really close to dime status that I just need to nudge over? And what ones am I likely to play next?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7866/10-days-in-the-usa">10 Days in the USA</a> - Okay, this one is a slight cheat. I own all the 10days series, but I just list them as a single game. They really aren't different enough by my standards. I just bought 10 days in the Americas, so I figure this one is going to make dime status in no time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/28720/brass">Brass</a> - This comes out like twice a year. So it may make it, but no time real soon. Expecially with a kid on the way next month. 2+ hour games in the evening are probably right out.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37400/sushizock-im-gockelwok">Sushizock</a> - See, just making this list makes me realize games I haven't played in awhile. I should get this game back to the table. It is adorably cute after all.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209/ticket-to-ride">Ticket to Ride</a> - Maybe when my kids get to 6-7 years old. I'm just rather burned out on the series as a whole. I would rather play Transamerica in almost all cases. It's just more interesting to me.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42057/utopian-rummy">Utopian Rummy</a> - Yea, my own design. I only recorded 9 plays after finally giving it it's own page on BGG. Trust me though, I've played it 100+ as a prototype. Still, my wife was mentioning it the other day, so maybe it will see the table again. (If I can find a copy laying around...)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15364/vegas-showdown">Vegas Showdown</a> - Just played this a month ago. Had fun. Want to pull it out again!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/22345/yspahan">Yspahan</a> - Totally burned out for me. However, my wife still enjoys it a lot. So it'll probably creep over the 10 plays line.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-90354159140022339512010-08-24T22:09:00.000-04:002010-08-24T22:09:33.546-04:00The Allure of the Dungeon CrawlI think every boardgamer wants to be a dungeon hero at some point. I know I was just fascinated with <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/699/heroquest">HeroQuest </a>when I was younger. I solo-played my copy over and over.<br />
<br />
And yet I just don't remember all that many good sessions. More recently I have owned and played <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8170/return-of-the-heroes">Return of the Heroes</a>. It too was good, but just not great.<br />
<br />
And do you know what killed my enjoyment in the end? Combat Modifiers. I hate the damn things. I understand their thematic allure, but I think they are just boring as piss.<br />
<br />
I don't care if the hill gets me +1 defense. I don't care if the barbarian rolls 1 more die. I just wanted to kill something dang it. Instead I spend time calculating what the rules say I did.<br />
<br />
I feel the same way about <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10630/memoir-44">Memoir 44</a> and <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24800/">Conflict of Heroes</a>. Both were solid thematic and easy to enter wargames. And both wanted me to remember different rules about trees and hills and roads. Blah. That is anti-fun.<br />
<br />
<br />
Probably the only interesting dungeon crawling I've done recently is <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57390/catacombs">Catacombs</a>. There isn't a ton of story. There is combat goodies, without friggin' modifiers!!! The most there is are a couple occasional "Deals 2 damage if hits" conditions. But that's all she wrote.<br />
<br />
And yet it all works out fine. In particular, the whole way arrows and ranged spells work is genius. You get a small little arrow disc you can shoot from near your character. That way you can hide behind a pillar and shoot around it. Brilliant!<br />
<br />
I also like the way teamwork plays out. You can bounce a teammate around a corner and then let them take a nice pop-shot at the archer hiding behind there. A nice little one-two punch.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure it will withstand the test of time in my collection, but dang it, it's going to have a soft spot in my heart for getting rid of combat modifiers for much time to come.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-83192668860174305112010-08-20T15:48:00.000-04:002010-08-20T15:48:00.739-04:00Euchre vs Spades - The SuspenseHad a fun week of playing cards at lunch. Heck, I always have a fun week of playing cards at lunch. A couple days in particular though highlighted a sharp divide between Spades and Euchre for me.<br />
<br />
<br />
Euchre<br />
<br />
My team was down significantly. We had to make two loners in a row, or a loner without help. (We play 6-player bid euchre) My partner calls a regular loner, so I overcall with a no-help. I get 7 of my tricks, but need the eighth one to fly. I have a lowly 9, someone keeps a king and nails me.<br />
<br />
Now, did I do anything wrong here? Nope, not at all. Was there any thought at all to playing my cards? Nope, not at all. Was it still fun? Yea. But on to spades.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Spades<br />
<br />
Today we come to the last hand and our opponents are up by two tricks. My partner makes a huge bid, forcing the other team to bid Nil to stand a chance. His partner now has to not take all the bags and cover him. So he's forced to somehow walk a thin line of playing high enough to cover, but not high enough to take slop.<br />
<br />
Turns out the covering partner had to trump in one two many times. Late in the hand I lead a 4 of spades, the covering opponent throws off, and my partner plays the 3 of spades. The Nil bidder was forced to take it with a 5 of spades.<br />
<br />
Now, again, he didn't do anything wrong. And I wouldn't even say his opponent did anything wrong. But somehow it was just a much more enjoyable experience. Maybe some of that is because I won... but I hope that I'm at least somewhat objective about it. No, I think the real difference was the conflicting goals that the covering Partner had in Spades. He had a real challenge set out for him. Two mutually exclusive goals of not taking too many tricks but not letting his partner take any tricks. It just squeezed a lot more skill and interesting decisions into the game for me.<br />
<br />
<br />
Still, too bad 6-player spades sounds rather crappy. Oh well, on to next week!Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-62366012168517421442010-08-17T10:39:00.000-04:002010-08-17T10:39:59.240-04:00Taming the CollectionWith my first offspring soon on the way I've been trying to trim back the collection a lot. I still want to play some games with my wife in the next few years, but maybe I'm just trying to be more realistic. In particular, I don't see new, long & complicated games getting played. Although, there is a silver lining. I do get to move a few games classified as "Kids games" into the play room.<br />
<br />
So in my current collection, there is only one game I haven't played. That would be <a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/5404/amun-re">Amun-Re</a>. I'm thinking about trying it out with some family this weekend. But I have a conundrum.<br />
<br />
I believe the stupid bid-bounce mechanic would drive me nuts. If you're outbid, then you *have* to bid on something else. I realize this might encourage higher initial bids, but it almost sounds like a random event to determine what province you actually end up with in 5 players.<br />
<br />
And the thing is, I've played Vegas Showdown many times. It's a very solid game. And it works by allowing re-bids on the same item. So does Homesteaders. So why does Amun-Re need this annoying mechanic? I don't usually like house-ruling respected games, but what would happen if you allow re-bids?<br />
<br />
Well, I know a couple power cards would need removed, but only a couple. Other than that, would it really break anything?<br />
<br />
Grr, we'll see if I get it to the table, and then we'll see if re-bids are allowed in the end...Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-19430638530709082032010-08-12T23:14:00.000-04:002010-08-12T23:14:25.141-04:00Equilibrium PlaytestGenCon rekindled some PnP interest for me. I got to try out a few prototypes too, and so I decided it would be a good time to revisit some of my designs. I sat down tonight for a round of <a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/54754/equilibrium">Equilibrium</a>.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Early Game</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I started right off with nailing the "First Pair" score cards in my first two hands. Nice boon for me. I followed it up with the permanent "+2 Draw" to let me really control what I paid with. Notice I didn't actually signal what colors I was collecting. This left my wife in the dark for quite awhile so I counted on her trashing a nice spread of cards. Unbeknown to my wife, I was trashing all the yellow out of my deck setting myself up to score blue or red later.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My wife played the "Discount Score Cards" as her first card. Then she started alternating between score cards for Red and attack cards to reduce my deck. I think she made me trash and extra 7 cards over the course of the game. So even though she didn't know what color to hit, she was still making me pay. Unfortunately for her though, I knew she was going Red and started sniping the red out of her deck.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mid Game</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I played a "7+ of 2 Colors" to delay giving Ang info for another round, but then I finally had to signal a color. I did about 3 blue score cards back to back. I had the nice large hand size to work with though, so I could weed out the yellow while going lightly on trashing blue.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My wife was a score card machine. Dropping more and more red. And then even the hard to achieve "12VP for 11+ of a single color". Her early discount meant she could play far more score cards than I since they were each subtly cheaper for her.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Last Plays</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My last play was a gambit "Guess Opponent's Blue". Ang never actually signaled if she was collecting a second color, but I noticed a lot of yellow down and remembered feeding a lot of blue back into her deck. So I went with "7" as my guess. The turn after that she drops a "7VP for 9+ Blue" right on top of a "+3VP if Successful" so I thought my guess would be way off.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Scoring</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I slimmed my deck all the way down to a lean-mean 18 cards. Exactly 7 Red to nail my "7+ of 2 Colors". And 10 Blue so enough to score all my own score cards.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ang had to stop earlier than she wanted since she knew I'd been sniping her Red. She actually went a turn longer than I, but still ended with a bigger deck due to her discount permanent and the number of attack cards she'd played. Turns out she hit *exactly* 11 Red for the big 12VP bonus, AND exactly 9 Blue for the extra 10VP from her earlier gambit. (But the 9 was just in range for my guess to pay off)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After tallying the scores, Ang had 2 more positive points than I, but my deck was 4 cards smaller so I won a very close game by 2 VP. (If I'd guessed one lower, ang would have won. If Ang had had 1 less Red or Blue in her deck, then I would have won. If I'd had one less Red in my deck, Ang would have won. It was all razor thin to me.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Thoughts:</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I had a lot of fun. Our strategies were sufficiently different, and yet reached very similar scores. You can tell our skill has come up since we both managed to collect exactly the cards we needed in our remaining deck. Some of that is closely counting cards, but even then you can't exactly know. You have to guesstimate how much your opponent is trashing of what colors as you go. It's an engaging and intriguing exercise to me. And that's how I like it.</div>Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-29280100833021257972010-08-10T13:45:00.000-04:002010-08-10T13:45:50.981-04:00GenCon is OverSo I spent a lot of time cataloging my adventures over on BGG. Here are the series of links:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57400/isas-gencon-2010-days-0-1">http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57400/isas-gencon-2010-days-0-1</a><br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57438/isas-gencon-2010-day-2-better-annotations">http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57438/isas-gencon-2010-day-2-better-annotations</a><br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57455/isas-gencon-2010-day-3-gettin-sleepy">http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57455/isas-gencon-2010-day-3-gettin-sleepy</a><br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57480/isas-gencon-2010-day-4-its-over">http://boardgame.geekdo.com/geeklist/57480/isas-gencon-2010-day-4-its-over</a><br />
<br />
Hit of the show? Probably <a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/69789/ascension-chronicle-of-the-godslayer">Ascension</a>. It was a great take on the deck-building genre. In particular, the rules are a little simpler and the setup time is vastly reduced. It seems quite balanced to me although I haven't gotten a chance to play it much yet.<br />
<br />
The bigger hit was getting to see all the publishers and designers who showed up. That was quite the treat to put faces to a lot of names.<br />
<br />
Now only a year left until it starts again.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-86325706887797829762010-07-27T19:44:00.000-04:002010-07-27T19:44:54.134-04:00Ack GenCon CraziesOnly a week to go! I'm scrambling to get things done at work. And still keep track of all the game swaps I scheduled at the convention. Lordy lordy!<br />
<br />
I've got to play a bunch of stuff recently, but none of it new to me. That's far from a bad situation. Especially since many of the recent games have been solid. I'll give a couple contrasts here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/220/high-society">High Society</a> - I've always liked For Sale better. And I've even liked Money better now that I've finally gotten to try it. I like the idea of not knowing how long the game will last. But High Society takes that aspect to an extreme. It just ruins the ability to plan much. It went on the trade pile after this last play.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/93/el-grande">El Grande</a> - Well, it's still a classic. I got to play my own copy a second time. I think I've got an original release. The King is a little small, but the friggin' cubes are massive. The play is just as chaotic as I remember it. With plenty of take-that and score changing. And yet, it always seems to get across that "epic" feel. I think I like it so much just because it's got that special "epic" feel in the minimum amount of time necessary to achieve it. (About 2 hours.) I'll be holding onto it and breaking it out a few more times for sure.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-2262160989731002272010-07-23T10:11:00.000-04:002010-07-23T10:11:02.800-04:00Revisiting: Carcassonne the CastleI now have the dubious honor of buying the same game 3 times. And everyone of those was a deliberate purchase for myself. What's even crazier is that I have sold this game twice because I didn't want it anymore. Not because it was a good deal. I mean, I've probably lost a good $10-$15 per copy, so let's put it at a $40 game for me now. What is it?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/7717/carcassonne-the-castle">Carcassonne the Castle</a><br />
<br />
Why do I keep getting rid of it?<br />
<br />
1. I maybe kind of like vanilla-carc better. I sure as heck got carc'd out for awhile. I had the big-box+Castle+H&G.<br />
<br />
2. My wife doesn't think it's as pretty when it's done. And, I've got to agree with her in general.<br />
<br />
3. I was buying new games and needed the shelf space.<br />
<br />
<br />
So why do I keep getting it back?<br />
<br />
1. I enjoy playing it.<br />
<br />
2. I keep thinking about the damn thing.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, here I am on my third copy. Of course we had to play it. And you know what? I think I liked it better than ever. It was nice and close. I really like how the bonus tiles add some hard thought to scoring, and then once you get them they can guide your long term strategy.<br />
<br />
I think the Keep is just the right level of complication. I like how much of your score is hidden at the end.<br />
<br />
Yea, I just like the damn thing. So sue me. Now if only "The City" was simpler. The whole wall thing there just seems bonkers. And there's no fun bonus tiles to run along and collect :(<br />
<br />
Of course, if I want to be honest, I think I'm on my third copy of <a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/122/quo-vadis">Quo Vadis</a> too. I suppose I have a love-hate relationship with Knizia.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-53426450904504944562010-07-20T09:53:00.000-04:002010-07-20T09:53:54.992-04:00Vacations OverHad a great time cruising around the Eastern US. Spent the last week dipping my feet in the Atlantic.<br />
<br />
Also got to play a good chunk of games since we traveled with another gaming couple.<br />
<br />
Some highlights:<br />
<br />
Man I still love Brass and Ra. Both of these got played and I enjoyed them immensely. I won both handily, and sometimes I worry that this overly influences my enjoyment. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. But it was still a great time.<br />
<br />
Chaos in the Old World- Played with 4 experienced players. Turned into a real "Whack the Leader" fest. I mean, I know that's what it's supposed to be, but damn. It got tiring quickly. That play really took the shine off for me.<br />
<br />
Zendo and Uptown both got played. Props to Kory Heath for some great designs. I heard that Uptown is getting reprinted with Plastic bits. I might just jump on that, it's just a great game. I haven't gotten to use the new rules yet though. Kory decided that they made a slightly better game. The new rule is just in the scoring:<br />
<br />
Your final score = #Groups + #Captured Pieces of the player you captured the most of<br />
<br />
I really like the idea of how that spreads the hate around. And it makes it possible to win with multiple groups instead of the winner always having 1-2 groups.<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to work, plenty to catch up on!Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-20184567389929564632010-07-05T10:42:00.000-04:002010-07-05T10:42:45.984-04:00Vacation SeasonIt's smack dab in the middle of Vacation season.<br />
<br />
I hiked around the Smokey Mountains last week. Still did a little game playing, but mostly just collapsed after a long day of walking.<br />
<br />
In particular though, I did get another go around with Brass. Ya know what? I still like that game by golly. I know they've recently released Age of Industry, but it just doesn't sound as appealing. It seems to take just as long and focuses more on short term planning than long term planning. Bleh to that.<br />
<br />
<br />
At the end of next week I'm off to Kittyhawk North Carolina. No oil spill for me. I'm heading there with boardgaming buddies, so I'm sure tons of games will get played. The tough choice will be what couple games to bring on the plane with me. I'm thinking Brass will make the cut.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-59579554919077838232010-06-12T11:54:00.000-04:002010-06-12T11:54:32.013-04:00Boardgame LibrarySo I just started abusing my local library for books again. Just finished a very good one:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345518705/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0Y268JCVQ1A9S79SMYW3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">The Warded Man</a><br />
<br />
If nothing else, it's been a long time since any book has made a character such a bad-ass. It takes half a book for his inner bad-assedness to surface, but when it does he's out to friggin' get you.<br />
<br />
I was sort of lamenting a nice easy way to borrow boardgames as this. There are a couple locals that I swap games back and forth with a fair amount. But sometimes we end up just waiting on each other to buy copies of certain games that nobody wants to risk. (Like Catacombs)<br />
<br />
I do appreciate the boardgame library in GenCon a fair amount. Each year I probably try out 3-4 titles from there. And then another 5-6 from the exhibit hall. It just is a mad-house in many ways so it's hard to stay sane and really test out some deep games.<br />
<br />
If only I lived closer to Cincinnati. I hear the CABS library is a friggin' sight to see. Maybe I should just head down to Origins sometime just to check things out :)Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-87542294374485556912010-06-08T11:13:00.000-04:002010-06-08T11:13:57.838-04:00GenCon WoesWell, sounds like there won't even be space for open board gaming at this year's GenCon. How lovely. Guess we'll just have to take over whatever space we can find.<br />
<br />
The whole convention center here in Indianapolis is currently ripped to shreds. They're trying to get everything put back together in time for the 2012 SuperBowl. This means next year we should have just gobs of space available to play games. This year? Not so much. Maybe Origins isn't that far... And yet I work a whole 3 blocks from GenCon so it's too darn convenient.<br />
<br />
Last GenCon? Quite fun as always. I am particularly still infatuated with Ra: The Dice game. I feared it might have been a flash in the pan, but it's hooked me and staying strong. It's currently outlasted both Roll Through the Ages and Alea Iacta Est. I play the others, but I just keep getting drawn to Ra: Dice. I think it's the setup and the play speed. There's something to be said for a super short setup time.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-37755993219802482412010-06-01T09:18:00.000-04:002010-06-01T09:18:27.195-04:00Steam for 2Got a chance to play some nice expansion maps for Steam:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgameexpansion/47686/age-of-steam-expansion-alabama-railways-antebellum">http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgameexpansion/47686/age-of-steam-expansion-alabama-railways-antebellum</a><br />
<br />
I previously had avoided many of the expansion maps because they all seemed to want to add their own wrinkles and mess with the basic formula. I understand why they do this; to improve the longevity and keep people playing. But dang it, sometimes I just wanted another map.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I played the Alabama version with my wife. It went really well actually. The map was sufficiently tight. We both reached from top to bottom by the end, but I was weighted very high towards the top and she was weighted towards the bottom.<br />
<br />
<br />
We also played with some hybrid AoS / Steam rules.<br />
<br />
We used the Steam goods production. We used the Income/Shares/Locomotive chart from AoS. We used the role selection from Steam, but put everything at half price. And lastly for scoring we did: Income - Shares + Links and called that good enough.<br />
<br />
<br />
I won, but only by about 6 points. I actually really enjoyed how the income reduction acted as a great "whack-the-leader" mechanic. And here I thought it would just be annoying.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-77978638340164628942010-05-27T09:24:00.000-04:002010-05-27T09:24:19.448-04:00Against my Better JudgementI never listen to myself eh? Well at least I'm still sticking to the budget.<br />
<br />
I bought and played a few games recently. Here's some simple thoughts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/59149/bunny-bunny-moose-moose">Bunny Bunny Moose Moose</a> - As others have said... it just doesn't work. There's all of 2 times a year you could play this. The last day of a game convention. Then you'd have gamers that care enough to follow the confusing ass rules. But they'd be tired enough to be loopy to enjoy it. It just isn't going to work in any other environment.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/41002/vasco-da-gama">Vasco da Gama</a> - It's okay. Sequencing your actions is fun. The limited way to score points just isn't. I was hoping the logistics made up for it. They just don't really in a 2-player game. I still should try it with 4 players to see how the tighter board works out for me.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time!Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-69750695144350166342010-05-15T09:50:00.000-04:002010-05-15T09:50:14.443-04:00Musings on NothingSo I got a chance to play my pimped Acquire. It was actually quite enjoyable.<br />
<br />
The big clay hotel markers were a blast. I forgot to get an in game shot, but here's a snapshot of them being formed:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTq-1Qk0nyzhOgSDeTkk9GKTDkwHUwf3t8R5TdN4D4W5sBW2r7037skYBxhd3e7l3ARdson8AMHAbtdaBgBLY6hwWN4lOoPsA20WG2ymTyjKM9JU0j_SDfQZJvaaDOONxt9qBSTA6ekQ/s1600/IMG_2992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTq-1Qk0nyzhOgSDeTkk9GKTDkwHUwf3t8R5TdN4D4W5sBW2r7037skYBxhd3e7l3ARdson8AMHAbtdaBgBLY6hwWN4lOoPsA20WG2ymTyjKM9JU0j_SDfQZJvaaDOONxt9qBSTA6ekQ/s320/IMG_2992.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
They were very easy to see. The colors matched the stocks just great. It as easy to read their name. And the size let us know stock prices without using the reference sheet. (Small is "N", medium is "N+1", large is "N+2"; all up to 6 large)<br />
<br />
Funny enough, I saw someone post a spreadsheet that is supposed to be run on a laptop at the gaming table to help you calculate merger payouts in Acquire. I suppose it might save a *tiny* amount of time. But really, it's not that hard of a game to calculate. I understand calculators for some of the 18XX style games, but I think you're just getting lazy with Acquire.<br />
<br />
<br />
Of course, I also make my own large & legible payout sheets and drop the units back to $1 so it's not annoying as piss to do the math. I suppose if you wanted to leave everything in hundreds I could handle the calculator better.<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, off to a fun weekend of friends and gaming. Got gobs of painting done around the house, so I'm glad to be done for awhile.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-91204980212515709192010-05-11T21:17:00.000-04:002010-05-11T21:17:52.353-04:00Kneading Clay is Danged HardCan barely type. Kneaded 7 globs of clay into custom hotels for my pimped out <a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/5/acquire">Acquire</a>.<br />
<br />
I went with logs for the cheap ones. "L" shapes for the medium priced. And just big square blocks for the expensive ones. I plan on printing off some labels and sticking on the side for super easy identification. Wish me luck!<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm also probably going to place a game order for some Steam maps and <a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/41002/vasco-da-gama">Vasco da Gama</a>. Vasco passes most of my buying tests. People are still playing it a year later. Nobody here has a copy I can try out. It seems to have different ways to get ships if not really different ways to score VPs.<br />
<br />
I don't really like worker placement, but I've finally realized it's more of a auction in disguise. Mainly due to being able to "outbid" somebody on an action just by risking a harsher price on the action.<br />
<br />
Anyway, prolly give into that order today. Will still put me in the black next week on the budget.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-29314123862481573662010-05-06T19:03:00.000-04:002010-05-06T19:03:47.637-04:006-Players with cards6 players is just such a mushy number. For most game days, I'd much rather split 3 and 3 than play 6 player something er-other.<br />
<br />
But at lunch time with the card crew, it just doesn't make sense to do that. We all love playing with partners way too much. So instead we play some double-deck bid Euchre.<br />
<br />
And I've just decided that double-deck big euchre ends in a blow out a little too often for my tastes.<br />
<br />
Spades is probably the opposite end of this. A team is seldom completely out of a game of spades. Our lunch games go nice and tight.<br />
<br />
<br />
So... are there any better trick taking games for 6 players out there? I know tichu *says* it will play six, but that just sounds odd. Maybe pinochle or something?Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-14584359528520975782010-05-04T09:28:00.000-04:002010-05-04T09:28:33.595-04:00Revisiting YspahanGot in a play of an "old" favorite. <a href="http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/22345/yspahan">Yspahan</a><br />
<br />
Yea, I know it isn't really old. It's only old to me since it was among the first game I bought.<br />
<br />
My wife still loves the heck out of this game. Me? I enjoy it. I don't really like it a bunch anymore. For the most part, it just feels too worn out. There are multiple strategies to try... well, sort of. There's maybe two. Getting the big buildings fast and spamming souks. Or getting on the caravan in a big way.<br />
<br />
The problem is that the caravan is pretty damn good when you work it right. If you can throw two guys up there per turn and generate two cards while doing it, that's just a nearly insane number of point. (I'd say 9 points conservatively.)<br />
<br />
I suppose you could generate that much with a solid souk strategy, but it would be difficult. Hrm hrm hrm.<br />
<br />
Maybe I should try it.<br />
<br />
See, now I've got myself talking into it being more open than it feels.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4678989644685757600.post-57147977481904361042010-05-02T15:30:00.000-04:002010-05-02T15:30:53.132-04:00Alright, Back on the WagonWoot! Exam is over. How'd I do? Heck if I know. It was a six hour written exam. They take some time to grade those suckers. (Should know around mid-July)<br />
<br />
So what have I been doing since Friday?<br />
<br />
Well first I've been reading a bunch. I don't let myself read fiction while studying. I'm reading the Percy Jackson series now so I can stay caught up with my younger sister.<br />
<br />
I've also been pimping out an old copy of Acquire I got. What have I been doing to it?<br />
<br />
Well first I re-did the board to give it 4 distinct quadrants. Then I re-did the number and lettering so that each quadrant replicated the same letters and numbers. Now when you have a tile, you have 4 places to put it.<br />
<br />
This was how the board was made in a version very briefly published in 1997. I really wanted to try it out, so away I went.<br />
<br />
Next I've got some colored clay to form into hotel markers and bake. I *really* liked the different sized hotel markers from my 1999 version and just don't think I can live without them. I've never done back-at-home clay though, so who knows how the hell this will turn out.<br />
<br />
I sure don't!<br />
<br />
More gamin' soon.Isamoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17246918125961752266noreply@blogger.com0