Kickstarter's Impact on Board Gaming

As with other industries, Kickstarter has left it's mark on the gaming community. Through Kickstarter, emerging game designers and games are given a chance to be published and circulated among a wide audience.

What impresses me the most about these Kickstarter games is the quality and professionalism of the product. I would have never known games like D Day Dice and Carnival were Kickstarter games by looking at them. These are real professional games, not some half-assed attempt. The rules are well thought out and thoroughly play-tested. The pieces, cards, boards, etc. are made out of quality materials and feature great artwork.

Thanks to Kickstarter, anyone with a good game idea can fund its publishing.

First Ever International TableTop Day

Saturday March 30th, 2013 was the first ever International TableTop Day. Brain child of the one, the only, Wil Wheaton of Geek and Sundry's Table Top, this day was to celebrate board gaming.

This new gaming holiday is needed. Actually playing board games in person, rather than than video games, computer games, or iOS games is important. Gaming the slow way promotes critical thinking and problem solving. No machine to assist in calculating strategies or the most points. 100% human brain power at work!

TableTop Day also spreads board gaming awareness. I have been gaming since I was born... Ok 5, but still. My first games were not the traditional Monopoly (barf!) I love sharing my gaming hobby in the hopes that new players will love it as much as I do!

Hope you had a great TableTop Day! Perhaps we should invent some lore to go along with this day, like Santa Claus or the Easter bunny?! I'm thinking the dice fairy or game gnome or something. Any thoughts?!

Could President Obama Become a Gamer?

My BF and I talk about how we think President Obama could become a gamer. Politics aside (not that I'm against talking about it, but because this is a gaming blog and a celebration of nerdom we'll avoid it), President Obama does represent nerdom well being that he is an intellectual president. He's interest in Harry Potter and other nerdy things does make me want to launch a campaign to teach him a board game or two (Then the question is which one? Small World? Carcassonne? Ticket to Ride?).

Of course there are some logistical issues behind trying to get the President into to gaming. For one how would you get him a game or two? If you send it to the White House, I doubt he'll get it. (DC Area people know these things; he wouldn't get it). Maybe the best way is to get a Senator involved in gaming first and then have them teach the President? Maybe Wil Wheaton needs to meet the President! Who knows?! Clearly we haven't figured out all the details yet.

If anyone has any ideas on how to introduce the President into gaming, let me know! I am certain once we taught him a game or two, he would be hooked!

Not Playing By The Rules

Have you ever modified the rules, or made up new ones for a game? I am not talking minor modified rules, or House Rules, but significantly changed or brand new ones.

I just created a new solo version of Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small (ACBS) & it's expansion All Buildings Big & Small (ABBS). Why make up a solo version when Agricola has a solo version? Per my previous post I have, let's call them issues with regular Agricola. Plus I don't own regular Agricola.

Any ways as you can see below I assigned each spot on the board a number based on the roll of three six-sided dice, since I don't have have a D20 (I know I'm a bad gamer!). I decided it would be most annoying if the easiest rolls to make (9-12) should be on the animals. Animals are the point (and worth the most points) of ACBS, so it makes sense.

Each round the player with the start goes first. Yes the "other player" (aka Dirk) can go first. On my turn I take it as normal; pick a space and take the stuff/ do the action. On Dirk's turn I roll the dice and take the stuff/ do the action unless the action has already been taken. Then I re-roll. Refill & Repeat for the usual 8 rounds, with 3 actions per round.

The solo version is better than the first that I first created. That one is play the 8 round game with 3 actions each round. Because there was no competition the resources and animals would easily build up, making the game easier. But that first solo version was a great introduction to how to play Agricola (all flavors) well by conserving actions.

The addition of ABBS did not really change either solo version that much, since there are still only 4 special buildings still available (2 from ACBS & 2 ABBS; all randomly chosen).

Secret Gaming Project

Today there was a giant box blocking my door when I got home. I was so excited to open it and reveal my secret project to all of you.

My secret project was to finally come up with a suitable storage option for my Small World Collection (Small World, Underground, Realms, and all the mini expansions and promos). Alas my project has FAILED (for now...[dun dun dun]).

My requirements were that all of my Small World Collection had to fit in 1 box with the races, powers and other bits properly secured and divided. I refuse to condense my collection into either the the Small World or Underground, or use bags for the races. To me that is just wrong.

Hearing other gamers raving about Plano fishing tackle boxes, I did some investigating. I found this lovely Plano tackle box that had an open top and 4( !) divided boxes that pull out for use. I opened my package to open my tackle box and pulled out my Small World game board.

The board DID NOT fit!

It was about a quarter inch too big :( The measurements I had taken I compared to the outside measurements listed on Amazon. They didn't listen the interior measurements. Plus where the box closes the clasp takes a bit of the top's open space where I would have put the game boards. It takes up at least a quarter inch that I need. (Insert size does matter joke here.)

I am not giving up. I will be going to the sporting goods store with my game to measure the inside of the box versus the game board. If that doesn't work, perhaps a trip to the Container Store is in order.

iOS Stone Age Review

On December 7th another iOS board game adaption was born. Campfire Creations created a seamless adaption of Stone Age, originally by Micael Tummelhofer.

Graphics: Awesome. Not too slow. No real glitches.

Sound & Music: I never play with sound or music only because I sometimes play in public and I don't want people on the bus or metro to look at me funny.

Tutorial: I already know how to play Stone Age, but I always play the tutorial just so I learn how to work the App. Overall I think the tutorial is good, but could use some pointers like this is how you see what you have and others have.

Game Play: True to the original game. Dice seem to be fair, unlike in Catan.

AIs: There are 3 AIs, Og, Mogg & Grogg. Grogg is the "hardest" AI, though as an avid Stone Age Player I have managed to defeated him on several occasions. The next App update says it will include more AIs. I hope they have skill levels and maybe a few more lady AIs.

Play Options: Stone Age features Solo, Pass-N-Pay & Online Multi Player via Game Center. Online play has two options Friendly and League. League has a 5 day time-out period. I have yet to play League, but it does intrigue me.

Overall I am very impressed with the first app by Campfire Creations. They have followed The Coding Monkey's Carcassonne Gold Standard of iOS board gaming adaption apps.

Why I hate poker

Many who know me always suggest I try poker. When I finally did, I hated it.

I couldn't get past the fact that a "good" poker player folds at half their hands. Why would I play a game to only really actually play half the time?! I guess those televised World of Poker games make the game seem much more exciting. They at least look like their playing each round.

My second gripe with poker is the strategy seems pretty basic compared to various strategic board games I play. Poker really seems to only have one strategy - only play the hands you can win. This seems so boring.