By Jim Reed
One of the greatest thrills of this hobby is the diversity in the wide spectrum of table top games. The constant barrage of new and exciting titles, expansions, and reprints means that "the cult of the new" can continue to strive and the hobby can remain fresh, exciting, and full of anticipation.
As gamers, this easily translates into a very good problem, what do I purchase out of the plethora of products that come out every month.
(You do know what a plethora is Jefe?)
The answer to this is a completely personal one that relies on individual decisions. Maybe you just buy every single game that comes out. Maybe you only buy certain companies products, or a specific game system. Maybe you buy only certain styles of games, or certain themes, or certain mechanics. Maybe it's a mixture of all the above. Maybe you buy your games based on certain theories. (Use the Jones Theory anyone?) Maybe it's just whatever you can afford at the time, how much space you have, or who the designer is.
How one persons purchase decisions are made can not be the basis of every ones collection strategy. Even if you think you have formulated the perfect unique equation, it may not be perfect for everyone.
That said, would you believe that I'm still about to tell you how I like to base my decisions? Would you believe that I've now asked four questions in this blog?
I'd like to say that this method is one of a kind but I highly doubt it is. I'd also like to say that it has some really catchy name or slogan to it, but, no.
I will start off by quoting a well known slogan that goes "Money Talks, ...... " well, lets just say that if you know it, you can fill in the rest. Let's just focus on the first part though. Another famous expression that fits my thinking is "bang for your buck!".
The best way I like to explain, is by using the term "pay per play". Am I willing to "Pay" based on an estimated number of times I am likely to play the game? Example time.
Lords of Waterdeep cost $33.00 (Cool stuff Inc. price with no shipping) I have played the game 8 times since purchasing it. I have essentially paid roughly $4.15 per play. To me, I would pay that much money to play this game. Plus, I'm fairly confident that this game will see the table many more times. It has a great Pay Per Play Value.
Take a simple quick cheap game like Jungle Speed. $14 / 38 plays = about .37 cents per play. Fantastic PPP!
Now, I bought Rune Wars just before Christmas a few years back. Retail for $88 after tax. I have played it 1 time. Do the math. Would I pay someone right now $88 to play Rune War?. I really like it, even with only 1 play, but no way!
Now there is an apparent catch to this philosophy. You need to be able to judge how often you think your purchase is going to get played. Sometimes you make good guesses and sometimes you don't (such was Rune Wars)
Also, there will be some other factors involved here an there. It could be a sentimental factor, or a purchase just to support the company (kickstarter backing).
Recently I did not purchase the Fantasy Flight Game Rex. I played this at a convention and thought it was fantastic, but I know my game group, my family, and the friends I play with. I would have a really difficult time getting it played. I may pull off a play or two but that is probably it. So the Pay Per Play value for me is probably around $20-$30. That's not a justifiable range for me. The same goes for the Mouseguard RPG. At $80, and knowing how many other rpg system I have, and how little I manage to get them played, not a good bet for me.
I'm not going to talk much on this but this line of thinking can be used in other areas of life as well including camping and outdoor gear, tools, Electronics, Video Games, and more.
So there you have it. Jim Reeds Pay Par Play Value Theory Thingy. Maybe I can call it the "Reedplay Value"!?
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Game of Thrones re-read
By Jim Reed
I'm not sure how many people will be interested in this, but I at least thought it would be fun. If you have never read the series, this blog is going to contain many spoilers and not really talk about the books as a whole, but just focus on the different aspects I get from reading through the series a second time.
I first read through the first 5 "Song Of Ice and Fire Books" about four years ago. I finished book 4, A feast For Crows with about a year to wait before A Dance With Dragons released. Since then I have read through many chapter summaries but never went back and read the books page for page.
So I start again, With Ned Stark still Lord of Winterfell and Robert Baratheon King on the Iron Throne. With Viserys Targaryen still dreaming of reclaiming the realm and with Jon Snow, nothing but an out of place bastard boy.
Let's begin!
A Game Of Thrones
Pg 1 - 304
Right away the first thing to note was how much easier it was to manage and digest all of the names being slung around early in the novel.
It's not long before you get Stannis, Littlefinger, Varys, Aerys, and Rhaegars names all dropped and knowing who these people are made it a quicker, simpler read. Even having more understanding of the major characters introduced in the first few chapters helped to see the bigger picture.
I remember spending almost as much time in the Appendix of the first book than I did in the chapters.
I wasn't sure how I would handle the characters that I know their ultimate fates, (in this book mostly the party from Winterfell, and those across the narrow sea) but I seemed to absorb more of the story they were in, wanting to know more about them.
On the initial read through, characters that didn't have their own chapters just had to take a back seat. There was just too much to compute, but with characters like Robb and Theon and even Illyio and Jorah, I found myself more compelled toward them and that they were easier to read about.
DREAMS:
I've only had one Bran dream re-read so far but I was definitely more engrossed this time around although I'm not sure why yet. His journey has been one of the most least interesting to me. Maybe I'm looking for a spark?
HISTORIES
I knew re-reading these books that it was the histories that I was going to be the most interested in. The War of The Trident, the Tower of Joy. During the first read, all of this back story was overwhelming. I couldn't keep track of the current living characters let alone all the dead ones from the past 300 years and longer. But this time I find myself soaking it all up and eagerly awaiting the next time a characters reflects back or tells a tale. A few times even so far, like in a Sansa or Catelyn chapter, I have to fight the urge to skim ahead because I know what's going to happen in that chapter and that there is not going to be any back story. But I haven't skimmed yet!
NEW NAMES an PLACES:
Loren Lannister and King Mern - two name I hadn't remembered (I assume Loren is Tywins father or grandfather?) i don't remember if King Mern is mentioned anywhere else. I know the Field of Fire is mentioned and now I'll know what that battle was.
THOUGHTS and THEORIES
If there's one theory that is universally debated when it comes to this series it's the Jon/Lyanna/Rhegar theory. And this is where it all started. I did not pick up on this myself, but I have been paying close attention this time around. Not having read much on theories here's my view so far.
Ned tells Robert that Lyanna made him "Promise Me, Ned" as she was dying. He's saying this in regards to her being buried in the crypts of Winterfell but it's not really that clear. This promise could easily be something else.
It's stated that there were rumors about Ned returning a sword of the fallen Sir Author Dayne to his sister Ashara and that this was the woman he beds and has Jon with. When Cat ask Ned about this, he tells her "Jon is his blood and that is all she needs to know." (It could be a siblings child) He also tells her to never say that name again and makes her tell him who she heard it from. It says that name was never spoken again. Did Ned kill the person who had spread the name to warn others to stop?
Ned has obviously told Robert that Jons mother is a woman named Wylla whom he bedded just after marrying Cat. So who is , and where is Ashara and Wylla if they exist?
- It's also intriguing to see how much of a fascination Tyrion has with dragons, dating back to his childhood and his dreams of someday riding one.
HBO
It wouldn't be right if I didn't at least mention this right? However, I am NOT going to do any comparisons to the book/show. But I just want to touch on how the show is impacting my read through.
Mainly, In place of the faces and the locations that I had constructed from the details of Martins words, they have been replaced by Kit Harrington, Sean Bean, and the rest of the cast. My visions of Harrenhal and Kings Landing now envisioned just as the set designers intended.
But that's not a bad thing. In fact, I find it rather enjoyable. Now when I read the dialogue I can envision it being presented in the same great manor and voice that Peter Dinkiledge superbly presented.
I'm not sure how many people will be interested in this, but I at least thought it would be fun. If you have never read the series, this blog is going to contain many spoilers and not really talk about the books as a whole, but just focus on the different aspects I get from reading through the series a second time.
I first read through the first 5 "Song Of Ice and Fire Books" about four years ago. I finished book 4, A feast For Crows with about a year to wait before A Dance With Dragons released. Since then I have read through many chapter summaries but never went back and read the books page for page.
So I start again, With Ned Stark still Lord of Winterfell and Robert Baratheon King on the Iron Throne. With Viserys Targaryen still dreaming of reclaiming the realm and with Jon Snow, nothing but an out of place bastard boy.
Let's begin!
A Game Of Thrones
Pg 1 - 304
Right away the first thing to note was how much easier it was to manage and digest all of the names being slung around early in the novel.
It's not long before you get Stannis, Littlefinger, Varys, Aerys, and Rhaegars names all dropped and knowing who these people are made it a quicker, simpler read. Even having more understanding of the major characters introduced in the first few chapters helped to see the bigger picture.
I remember spending almost as much time in the Appendix of the first book than I did in the chapters.
I wasn't sure how I would handle the characters that I know their ultimate fates, (in this book mostly the party from Winterfell, and those across the narrow sea) but I seemed to absorb more of the story they were in, wanting to know more about them.
On the initial read through, characters that didn't have their own chapters just had to take a back seat. There was just too much to compute, but with characters like Robb and Theon and even Illyio and Jorah, I found myself more compelled toward them and that they were easier to read about.
DREAMS:
I've only had one Bran dream re-read so far but I was definitely more engrossed this time around although I'm not sure why yet. His journey has been one of the most least interesting to me. Maybe I'm looking for a spark?
HISTORIES
I knew re-reading these books that it was the histories that I was going to be the most interested in. The War of The Trident, the Tower of Joy. During the first read, all of this back story was overwhelming. I couldn't keep track of the current living characters let alone all the dead ones from the past 300 years and longer. But this time I find myself soaking it all up and eagerly awaiting the next time a characters reflects back or tells a tale. A few times even so far, like in a Sansa or Catelyn chapter, I have to fight the urge to skim ahead because I know what's going to happen in that chapter and that there is not going to be any back story. But I haven't skimmed yet!
NEW NAMES an PLACES:
Loren Lannister and King Mern - two name I hadn't remembered (I assume Loren is Tywins father or grandfather?) i don't remember if King Mern is mentioned anywhere else. I know the Field of Fire is mentioned and now I'll know what that battle was.
THOUGHTS and THEORIES
If there's one theory that is universally debated when it comes to this series it's the Jon/Lyanna/Rhegar theory. And this is where it all started. I did not pick up on this myself, but I have been paying close attention this time around. Not having read much on theories here's my view so far.
Ned tells Robert that Lyanna made him "Promise Me, Ned" as she was dying. He's saying this in regards to her being buried in the crypts of Winterfell but it's not really that clear. This promise could easily be something else.
It's stated that there were rumors about Ned returning a sword of the fallen Sir Author Dayne to his sister Ashara and that this was the woman he beds and has Jon with. When Cat ask Ned about this, he tells her "Jon is his blood and that is all she needs to know." (It could be a siblings child) He also tells her to never say that name again and makes her tell him who she heard it from. It says that name was never spoken again. Did Ned kill the person who had spread the name to warn others to stop?
Ned has obviously told Robert that Jons mother is a woman named Wylla whom he bedded just after marrying Cat. So who is , and where is Ashara and Wylla if they exist?
- It's also intriguing to see how much of a fascination Tyrion has with dragons, dating back to his childhood and his dreams of someday riding one.
HBO
It wouldn't be right if I didn't at least mention this right? However, I am NOT going to do any comparisons to the book/show. But I just want to touch on how the show is impacting my read through.
Mainly, In place of the faces and the locations that I had constructed from the details of Martins words, they have been replaced by Kit Harrington, Sean Bean, and the rest of the cast. My visions of Harrenhal and Kings Landing now envisioned just as the set designers intended.
But that's not a bad thing. In fact, I find it rather enjoyable. Now when I read the dialogue I can envision it being presented in the same great manor and voice that Peter Dinkiledge superbly presented.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Busy, busy, busy!
By: Matthew McHale
The life of an adult ( I use the term adult loosely ) trying to find time to get to engage in a favorite hobby can be nerve wracking. We have work, we have kids events all the time, maybe we are back in school or running a side business. And of course if your a home owner work there is never done. Myself I have plenty of unfinished projects around the house I just can't seem to get completed. I not complaining really it's just the way life is. But it can be frustrating not getting the time to do things you just like to do.
At different times I seem to deal with it differently. I went through a long stretch of not playing any games. The longest stretch by far since I got heavy into gaming. About 5 weeks without a single game. I was just completely out of it.
Now after a great day of gaming at a large game party I feel myself again. I'm back to wanting to get as much gaming in as I possibly can. I'll just have to make the time. I love being a game geek!!!
The life of an adult ( I use the term adult loosely ) trying to find time to get to engage in a favorite hobby can be nerve wracking. We have work, we have kids events all the time, maybe we are back in school or running a side business. And of course if your a home owner work there is never done. Myself I have plenty of unfinished projects around the house I just can't seem to get completed. I not complaining really it's just the way life is. But it can be frustrating not getting the time to do things you just like to do.
At different times I seem to deal with it differently. I went through a long stretch of not playing any games. The longest stretch by far since I got heavy into gaming. About 5 weeks without a single game. I was just completely out of it.
Now after a great day of gaming at a large game party I feel myself again. I'm back to wanting to get as much gaming in as I possibly can. I'll just have to make the time. I love being a game geek!!!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Mayhem at Mekash Manor II
By Jim Reed:
Jeff and I recently attended a game day in our area hosted by Chad Mekash. Chad is Grimnir on Board Game Geek where you've probably downloaded at least one of his great rules summaries. He has also done reviews on the Point 2 Point Podcast.
When we arrived, we were greeted by Mulder and Scully (Chad's beautiful dogs). We quickly jumped into a game with of Lost Temple, the new Bruno Faidutti game from Stronghold Games. Playing in the game was none other that Stephen Buonocore, owner of Stronghold Games.
Now I have to admit, we had just played Lost Temple a week earlier and in all honesty, I didn't like it very much. But, this is a great example of why you should always give games another shot. Why didn't I like it the first time? I had missed a glaring rule in the rulebook! This rule gives each player a gem every turn. The reason I didn't like the game the first time was because I thought it was stupid how there was hardly any ways to get gems yet many cards had you spending gems to gain their benefits. Ooops! I ended up really enjoying this game and will be talking about it more soon.
Next, I knew the day wouldn't be complete without getting one of my new favorite games to the table, Lords of Waterdeep from Wizard of the Coast. We played with the same four of us. Me, Jeff, Stephen, and John P. (This was Jeff an Johns first play) I love this game! I have to say though, that now that I feel experienced in playing it, it's easy to win against new players. I finished with a score around 140 and the other players didn't break 100. One of these times I'll get dealt the builder. During the game, we broke for lunch as Chad provided hogies (that's a Sub or long roll Sandwich) from one of my favorite local delis and his wife presented cookies she baked in the form of Meeples and blocks from Hammer of the Scotts.
After LowD, all the other guest had arrived and were heavy into their own games so we decided to pick something light and short and we Agreed upon Nexus Ops. Jeff or I had never played before and this was with the original Avalon Hill version. I must say we immediately fell in love with this game. I started out doing very bad but wound up winning in the end with Stephen and Jeff only 1 point behind. Early on I got secret mission cards that I had no chance in completing but as the game progressed I drew some that were much simpler and played into what I had been doing with my units. I'm adding this to my "must buy" list.
Afterward we had a great interview with Stephen Buonocore that will be, or already is (depending on when you're reading this) in episode 19 of Not Just Another Gaming Podcast. (Stephen gives us the scoop on not one, not two, but three announcements from Stronghold Games)
Jeff had to take off as did I for a bit, but I returned to all of the dinner still being left out for me. I devoured some delicious lasagna and salad before taking over for Chad in a game of Eminent Domain from Tasty Minstrel Games. This game is also on my "must buy" list but I hadn't played it in a few months. Chad had played about 5 turns so I had to figure out what he was moving toward. He had dumped his Produce cards and was pushing for heavy colonization. This was the first time for the other three players and I quickly noticed they were also focusing on colonizing. As a back up, seeing that the colonize cards were about to run out, I focused a few turns on research and grabbed the research cards that contained the colonize ability. After that, with everyone having trouble settling planets, I was rolling through and ended the game with 7 planets for a huge margin of victory.
It takes a few plays of this game to really grasp the mechanics of Action / Roles Selection. I could see it was frustrating to the other players and because of this Bob S. didn't like the game very much. Hopefully he'll give it another try. From what I know of the guys I was playing with, they're big war gamers, so I can see this game not appealing to them.
But not to worry, because the next game to come out was 1812: The Invasion of Canada. I had actually seen a few things on this game and was pretty excited to play it! Chad joined the game, as well as , Bob, James and John B. (John and I drew the Americans) It was later that I realized John has designed many games for Victory Games, West End, and Decision Games.
Again, I'll be talking about this one more later but overall I really enjoyed it. It is incredibly light but highly tactical. Early on John and I were doing so bad, including losing one of our reinforcement locations, that he mentioned possibly conceding the win on turn 3. We were talked out of it and on turn 7 We had put ourselves in a good position but it was made better when John played a card allowing us to move 8 armies. On the final turn of the game, we made a bold push but came up just short. The British ended up winning 1-0. Not bad seeing as how it was 6-0 when we thought about throwing in the towel.
Everyone left and Chad and I ended the night with one final game, another game of Nexus Ops. The two player experience was just as fun as the four player, confirming my enjoyment of this game.
During the course of the day, I saw a wide variety of games being played. Sekigahara (which doesn't look like a game for me but who knows, I'm judging a book by its cover.), z-man games Feudality (I don't know much about but it looked interesting and worth me trying to find a game of it at some point. Plus it had Pumpkineeples!), Eclipse, Ascending Empires (which for some reason I have no desire to play), Conquest of Nerath, Merchants and Marauders (I hear it was a pirate victory!), and many more.
It was a great day! Getting a chance to play with a few guys I'd never gamed with and a few I only see once every couple months was the best part. Well, ok, the cookies were pretty good too!
Some photos courtesy Bob S.
Jeff and I recently attended a game day in our area hosted by Chad Mekash. Chad is Grimnir on Board Game Geek where you've probably downloaded at least one of his great rules summaries. He has also done reviews on the Point 2 Point Podcast.
When we arrived, we were greeted by Mulder and Scully (Chad's beautiful dogs). We quickly jumped into a game with of Lost Temple, the new Bruno Faidutti game from Stronghold Games. Playing in the game was none other that Stephen Buonocore, owner of Stronghold Games.
Now I have to admit, we had just played Lost Temple a week earlier and in all honesty, I didn't like it very much. But, this is a great example of why you should always give games another shot. Why didn't I like it the first time? I had missed a glaring rule in the rulebook! This rule gives each player a gem every turn. The reason I didn't like the game the first time was because I thought it was stupid how there was hardly any ways to get gems yet many cards had you spending gems to gain their benefits. Ooops! I ended up really enjoying this game and will be talking about it more soon.
Next, I knew the day wouldn't be complete without getting one of my new favorite games to the table, Lords of Waterdeep from Wizard of the Coast. We played with the same four of us. Me, Jeff, Stephen, and John P. (This was Jeff an Johns first play) I love this game! I have to say though, that now that I feel experienced in playing it, it's easy to win against new players. I finished with a score around 140 and the other players didn't break 100. One of these times I'll get dealt the builder. During the game, we broke for lunch as Chad provided hogies (that's a Sub or long roll Sandwich) from one of my favorite local delis and his wife presented cookies she baked in the form of Meeples and blocks from Hammer of the Scotts.
After LowD, all the other guest had arrived and were heavy into their own games so we decided to pick something light and short and we Agreed upon Nexus Ops. Jeff or I had never played before and this was with the original Avalon Hill version. I must say we immediately fell in love with this game. I started out doing very bad but wound up winning in the end with Stephen and Jeff only 1 point behind. Early on I got secret mission cards that I had no chance in completing but as the game progressed I drew some that were much simpler and played into what I had been doing with my units. I'm adding this to my "must buy" list.
Afterward we had a great interview with Stephen Buonocore that will be, or already is (depending on when you're reading this) in episode 19 of Not Just Another Gaming Podcast. (Stephen gives us the scoop on not one, not two, but three announcements from Stronghold Games)
Jeff had to take off as did I for a bit, but I returned to all of the dinner still being left out for me. I devoured some delicious lasagna and salad before taking over for Chad in a game of Eminent Domain from Tasty Minstrel Games. This game is also on my "must buy" list but I hadn't played it in a few months. Chad had played about 5 turns so I had to figure out what he was moving toward. He had dumped his Produce cards and was pushing for heavy colonization. This was the first time for the other three players and I quickly noticed they were also focusing on colonizing. As a back up, seeing that the colonize cards were about to run out, I focused a few turns on research and grabbed the research cards that contained the colonize ability. After that, with everyone having trouble settling planets, I was rolling through and ended the game with 7 planets for a huge margin of victory.
It takes a few plays of this game to really grasp the mechanics of Action / Roles Selection. I could see it was frustrating to the other players and because of this Bob S. didn't like the game very much. Hopefully he'll give it another try. From what I know of the guys I was playing with, they're big war gamers, so I can see this game not appealing to them.
But not to worry, because the next game to come out was 1812: The Invasion of Canada. I had actually seen a few things on this game and was pretty excited to play it! Chad joined the game, as well as , Bob, James and John B. (John and I drew the Americans) It was later that I realized John has designed many games for Victory Games, West End, and Decision Games.
Again, I'll be talking about this one more later but overall I really enjoyed it. It is incredibly light but highly tactical. Early on John and I were doing so bad, including losing one of our reinforcement locations, that he mentioned possibly conceding the win on turn 3. We were talked out of it and on turn 7 We had put ourselves in a good position but it was made better when John played a card allowing us to move 8 armies. On the final turn of the game, we made a bold push but came up just short. The British ended up winning 1-0. Not bad seeing as how it was 6-0 when we thought about throwing in the towel.
Everyone left and Chad and I ended the night with one final game, another game of Nexus Ops. The two player experience was just as fun as the four player, confirming my enjoyment of this game.
During the course of the day, I saw a wide variety of games being played. Sekigahara (which doesn't look like a game for me but who knows, I'm judging a book by its cover.), z-man games Feudality (I don't know much about but it looked interesting and worth me trying to find a game of it at some point. Plus it had Pumpkineeples!), Eclipse, Ascending Empires (which for some reason I have no desire to play), Conquest of Nerath, Merchants and Marauders (I hear it was a pirate victory!), and many more.
It was a great day! Getting a chance to play with a few guys I'd never gamed with and a few I only see once every couple months was the best part. Well, ok, the cookies were pretty good too!
Some photos courtesy Bob S.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
When Good Games Go Bad!
When good games go bad.
By, Jim Reed
Most gamers, including myself, usually make the decision on whether or not we like a game after just one play.
Sometime we may be undecided and agree that at least one more play through of the game is needed before we make a final judgement. (The reason for this could be a completely different article so I'll leave it be for now.)
Also, there are those games that we don't like after playing the first time but for whatever reason, we find ourselves playing it again and finding that we do like it.
Well, what about the other side of that coin. What about the games that you really enjoy the first time or even the first few times you play them but at some point, during a subsequent play, you realize you don't like the game very much anymore.
Sometimes I can see the reasons for this and sometimes I just can not.
Apples To Apples for example. I've just played this game so damn much that I just don't like playing it anymore. (But I do b/c others still want to) Over playing of a game has caused a drop in my likeness for quite a few games actually, but the trend mostly seems to be with party style games and fillers . (This makes sense seeing as how they are the most played with my bi-weekly group and at casual get together)
Over playing makes good games go bad.
There are two other games that Get a lot of negative press, Munchkin and Killer Bunnies. These games often get that love it or hate it reaction. But for me, I really enjoyed these games when I first started playing them, but now not so much.
This is because of the expansions. For me, when I started adding in Munchkin expansions to the base game, it seemed to start weighing the game down. There were so many more races and classes and a lot more race/class specific weapons and items that it clogged things up. And the same goes for Killer bunnies. I bought the first few expansions which included the weapons Imporium, pawn shop, and defense cards and once again, the game seemed to get bogged down. I still enjoy playing both these games but I play base versions of Munchkin only (preferring the original overall) and play Killer Bunnies with only the blue and yellow cards.
Expansions can make good games go bad.
Finally it's the "I just don't know why but I don't like the game as much anymore" category. Obviously, for a lot of gamers, we can say that with games like Sorry, or Payday, or Parcheesi, because we didn't realize there were better games out there.
Last week, I got a chance to bring Shadows Over Camelot to the table for the first time in over a year. I had been trying to pull this one out on several occasions but it never worked out. I loved this game. I never had a bad experience with it, and the only reason it wasn't getting played was do to timing and player issues. So when I finally realized the situation to play it was perfect, I removed it from the shelf in anticipation. Setup and explanation went flawlessly and then we started playing. Somewhere, I realized I wasn't enjoying myself, and I had no idea why. Things going on in the game didn't seem that fun to me and I found myself caring less and less what happened as the game progressed. But honestly, even now, I'm scratching my head as to what the problem was. My mood? I don't think so. I was happy to be playing and didn't have any burdens or worries going on. The other players? They were great and all seemed to be enjoying the game. So why???
Looking at my collection, I realized I owned quite a few games that I used to love to play, but for some reason, right now in my life, I don't care if I ever play them again or not. Bohnanza, Zooloretto, Pandemic, and Battlelore. I mention these above others because these are all games that at one point I loved playing. Nothing happened that made me dislike them, so what makes me suddenly feel like I don't? Has this happened to you? With what games an why?
Sometimes, good games just go bad!
www.njagp.com
By, Jim Reed
Most gamers, including myself, usually make the decision on whether or not we like a game after just one play.
Sometime we may be undecided and agree that at least one more play through of the game is needed before we make a final judgement. (The reason for this could be a completely different article so I'll leave it be for now.)
Also, there are those games that we don't like after playing the first time but for whatever reason, we find ourselves playing it again and finding that we do like it.
Well, what about the other side of that coin. What about the games that you really enjoy the first time or even the first few times you play them but at some point, during a subsequent play, you realize you don't like the game very much anymore.
Sometimes I can see the reasons for this and sometimes I just can not.
Apples To Apples for example. I've just played this game so damn much that I just don't like playing it anymore. (But I do b/c others still want to) Over playing of a game has caused a drop in my likeness for quite a few games actually, but the trend mostly seems to be with party style games and fillers . (This makes sense seeing as how they are the most played with my bi-weekly group and at casual get together)
Over playing makes good games go bad.
There are two other games that Get a lot of negative press, Munchkin and Killer Bunnies. These games often get that love it or hate it reaction. But for me, I really enjoyed these games when I first started playing them, but now not so much.
This is because of the expansions. For me, when I started adding in Munchkin expansions to the base game, it seemed to start weighing the game down. There were so many more races and classes and a lot more race/class specific weapons and items that it clogged things up. And the same goes for Killer bunnies. I bought the first few expansions which included the weapons Imporium, pawn shop, and defense cards and once again, the game seemed to get bogged down. I still enjoy playing both these games but I play base versions of Munchkin only (preferring the original overall) and play Killer Bunnies with only the blue and yellow cards.
Expansions can make good games go bad.
Finally it's the "I just don't know why but I don't like the game as much anymore" category. Obviously, for a lot of gamers, we can say that with games like Sorry, or Payday, or Parcheesi, because we didn't realize there were better games out there.
Last week, I got a chance to bring Shadows Over Camelot to the table for the first time in over a year. I had been trying to pull this one out on several occasions but it never worked out. I loved this game. I never had a bad experience with it, and the only reason it wasn't getting played was do to timing and player issues. So when I finally realized the situation to play it was perfect, I removed it from the shelf in anticipation. Setup and explanation went flawlessly and then we started playing. Somewhere, I realized I wasn't enjoying myself, and I had no idea why. Things going on in the game didn't seem that fun to me and I found myself caring less and less what happened as the game progressed. But honestly, even now, I'm scratching my head as to what the problem was. My mood? I don't think so. I was happy to be playing and didn't have any burdens or worries going on. The other players? They were great and all seemed to be enjoying the game. So why???
Looking at my collection, I realized I owned quite a few games that I used to love to play, but for some reason, right now in my life, I don't care if I ever play them again or not. Bohnanza, Zooloretto, Pandemic, and Battlelore. I mention these above others because these are all games that at one point I loved playing. Nothing happened that made me dislike them, so what makes me suddenly feel like I don't? Has this happened to you? With what games an why?
Sometimes, good games just go bad!
www.njagp.com
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Fairy Tale Free For All
By JIM REED
So who turned over a stone and let out the spirits of Jacob and Wilhelm?
Of course I'm referring to the late Brothers Grimm who in the early 1800's, masterfully spun over 200 children's and households' "fairy tales". Over the course of more than 200 years now, their works have influenced an unimaginable amount of media, none of which my be more so than the adaptations created by a man some of you may have heard of, Walt Disney.
Today, it seems as if an explosion has occurred as if these Tales were just discovered. Also, everyone seems to want to put their own spin into the straw wheel. Lets look at some of the new works.
Grimm - This television show airs on NBC an stars David Giuntoli and
Russell Hornsby. Who? Exactly. This show is essentially another "cop drama" with a new twist. The premise is that Giuntoli plays a character names Nick, a detective, who finds out that he his a Descendant of the Grimm bloodline. Grimms, have spent their lives tracking and killing all the supernatural creatures that have infiltrated our world. Nick can see people for what they really are that usually boils down to some sort of animal/human hybrid. The show outright says that it bases it stores around the famous "Grimms Fairy Tales" but many of the creatures so far have been outside of these tales. There's a sense of an over-arcing story line involving Nick's boss but mostly it's just the "criminal of the week." With the title and premise so blatantly stating what it is, this is still probably the furthest away from the true fairy tales. It's not a great show and I've been keeping up with it and enjoying it. I'm just not sure how much lasting power it has.
Once Upon A Time - This one's home is ABC and host a huge cast. Most will be recognizable from their past works in television an film and some are fresh faces. The plot here is that in the land of fairy tales, the Evil Queen has cast a spell transporting all the people into the town of Storybrooke in modern times. No one remembers their other lives but somehow the grandson of Prince Charming and Snow White knows they are all trapped and is trying to make them see. The show bounces back and forth from the fairytale world to our world creating a very deep back story and personality for all of the Characters. I think this show is fantastic. To see how this cast, of now nearly dozens of fairytale characters, lived in the same world and now are living in ours is fascinating. To see how their relationships evolved an personalities got carried over is really amazing writing. They throw some pretty cool homage in there for fans too. The local florest is called "Game of Thorns"
Robert Carlyle who plays Rumplestiltskin (Mr.Gold in our world) really shines for me. If you haven't given this one a look, you need to.
Snow White and The Huntsman - Dubbed a fantasy action drama, this movie (coming summer 2012) stars Twilight's very own Kristen Stewart as Snow White who is on the run from her evil step mother , who wants to eat her heart for eternal life. The evil Queen recruits Thor, I mean The Huntsman, played by Chris Hemsworth, to bring her back. Obviously, they wind up falling in love and with the help of the seven dwarves, unite to take down the evil .... Blah blah blah. Obviously not one I'm going to go see.
Mirror Mirror - Julia Roberts plays the Evil Queen in this movie where she rules the realm and banishes her step daughter Snow White, who eventually falls in love with the prince and with the help of the seven dwarves, unite to take down ..... Wait a minute! Didn't I just say this? This film (March 30th) seems to be taking the lighter side approach as it is being solicited to children and teens. My daughter wants to see it, but we'll just wait for the video.
In aother media, Zenescape Entertainment has an ongoing popular title simply called "Grimm Fairy Tales" that started back in 2005. In 2009 , Fairy Tale Fights, a hack-and-slash action game, hit the consoles with little to no success. Reiner Knizia designed a card/dice battle game for Playroom Entertainment a few years back and I heard absolutely nothing good about it.
So, why this sudden boom of Fairy Tale Fever? I don't really know. Obviously these tales have had huge success on small screens and large screens. (with exceptions - anyone see 2010s Red Riding Hood? Snore!) But outside of this, it hasn't really caught on, despite the tremendous depth of theme and characters. I love fantasy and this is just another avenue for it, full of folklore and mystery. But not all things can be created equal and some things should not be created at all.
So who turned over a stone and let out the spirits of Jacob and Wilhelm?
Of course I'm referring to the late Brothers Grimm who in the early 1800's, masterfully spun over 200 children's and households' "fairy tales". Over the course of more than 200 years now, their works have influenced an unimaginable amount of media, none of which my be more so than the adaptations created by a man some of you may have heard of, Walt Disney.
Today, it seems as if an explosion has occurred as if these Tales were just discovered. Also, everyone seems to want to put their own spin into the straw wheel. Lets look at some of the new works.
Grimm - This television show airs on NBC an stars David Giuntoli and
Russell Hornsby. Who? Exactly. This show is essentially another "cop drama" with a new twist. The premise is that Giuntoli plays a character names Nick, a detective, who finds out that he his a Descendant of the Grimm bloodline. Grimms, have spent their lives tracking and killing all the supernatural creatures that have infiltrated our world. Nick can see people for what they really are that usually boils down to some sort of animal/human hybrid. The show outright says that it bases it stores around the famous "Grimms Fairy Tales" but many of the creatures so far have been outside of these tales. There's a sense of an over-arcing story line involving Nick's boss but mostly it's just the "criminal of the week." With the title and premise so blatantly stating what it is, this is still probably the furthest away from the true fairy tales. It's not a great show and I've been keeping up with it and enjoying it. I'm just not sure how much lasting power it has.
Once Upon A Time - This one's home is ABC and host a huge cast. Most will be recognizable from their past works in television an film and some are fresh faces. The plot here is that in the land of fairy tales, the Evil Queen has cast a spell transporting all the people into the town of Storybrooke in modern times. No one remembers their other lives but somehow the grandson of Prince Charming and Snow White knows they are all trapped and is trying to make them see. The show bounces back and forth from the fairytale world to our world creating a very deep back story and personality for all of the Characters. I think this show is fantastic. To see how this cast, of now nearly dozens of fairytale characters, lived in the same world and now are living in ours is fascinating. To see how their relationships evolved an personalities got carried over is really amazing writing. They throw some pretty cool homage in there for fans too. The local florest is called "Game of Thorns"
Robert Carlyle who plays Rumplestiltskin (Mr.Gold in our world) really shines for me. If you haven't given this one a look, you need to.
Snow White and The Huntsman - Dubbed a fantasy action drama, this movie (coming summer 2012) stars Twilight's very own Kristen Stewart as Snow White who is on the run from her evil step mother , who wants to eat her heart for eternal life. The evil Queen recruits Thor, I mean The Huntsman, played by Chris Hemsworth, to bring her back. Obviously, they wind up falling in love and with the help of the seven dwarves, unite to take down the evil .... Blah blah blah. Obviously not one I'm going to go see.
Mirror Mirror - Julia Roberts plays the Evil Queen in this movie where she rules the realm and banishes her step daughter Snow White, who eventually falls in love with the prince and with the help of the seven dwarves, unite to take down ..... Wait a minute! Didn't I just say this? This film (March 30th) seems to be taking the lighter side approach as it is being solicited to children and teens. My daughter wants to see it, but we'll just wait for the video.
In aother media, Zenescape Entertainment has an ongoing popular title simply called "Grimm Fairy Tales" that started back in 2005. In 2009 , Fairy Tale Fights, a hack-and-slash action game, hit the consoles with little to no success. Reiner Knizia designed a card/dice battle game for Playroom Entertainment a few years back and I heard absolutely nothing good about it.
So, why this sudden boom of Fairy Tale Fever? I don't really know. Obviously these tales have had huge success on small screens and large screens. (with exceptions - anyone see 2010s Red Riding Hood? Snore!) But outside of this, it hasn't really caught on, despite the tremendous depth of theme and characters. I love fantasy and this is just another avenue for it, full of folklore and mystery. But not all things can be created equal and some things should not be created at all.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
How a Horror Movie Convention Changed My Life!
by Matthew McHale
Funny in life how one thing can lead to another, those rare moments where what seems like a small decision can wind up totally changing the course of your life. I often think back to a party I was at in 1989. What if I would have left that party when I was going to? What would my life be if I had not stayed and met my long time partner and wife? (Still together after more than 22 years) What would I be doing without her and my three children? Impossible to say.
Another one of those moments, that is not so drastic, was one night at a horror movie convention. It was at Monster Mania in Cherry Hill, N.J. in August of 2008. Five of us horror movie fanatics got together to play D&D. A game I had not played in many years. So long in fact it, was edition 3.5, and I had not played since AD&D first edition. I remember the night so clearly. The rush of playing that wonderful game again and the excitement of slaying my first monster after about twenty years. I was hooked. My favorite game of my youth was back in my life as an adult. I ran out to buy all the 3.5 books. I have since moved on to Pathfinder which is an improved 3.5 with a different name. After all these years it is still my favorite game.
So this brings me to one more of these moments that can change your life. Again it revolves around horror. I am an actor at The Haunted Prison (Halloween haunted house) in Mt Holly, N.J. We are all volunteer but they show their appreciation for the help by taking us to other haunts, on them. It was the Halloween season of 2009 and The Prison hosted a bus trip to a haunt in Reading PA. On the trip home I heard Jim Reed talking about board games and a game night that he hosts at his house. I asked him about the games he was talking about, having seen some of them at the game store where I played D&D. He asked me if I would like to come over for a game night. I in turn told him I would be more than glad to Dungeon Master for his game group to try RPGs if he wanted. I went over Jim’s on January 1st 2010 to play Decent. This was the first time I met Jeff Scott, and after a long game of Decent, I had a new obsession: BOARD GAMES!
Now here I am very much involved in this wonderful hobby and I come back to the same question, what if I didn’t go to Monster Mania that night? What if I sat somewhere else on the bus on the trip back from the haunt? Of course, I’ll never know. But I do know that I may have missed out on meeting some great friends and missed out on some great memories around the game table.
Now ask yourself: What if…?
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