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Category Archives: boardgames

Give Peace A Chance

Everyone likes to win, and so when we play games we attempt to use every means at our disposal to stack the odds in our favor. The most natural means we have by which to influence the outcome of any game are our tongues. Most every gamer has tried at one point or another to [...]

Posted 10 May 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °

A Matter of Style

I’ve enjoyed games all my life but have only made a hobby of it for the past half a decade. In that period I have been a successful player who maintains a solid win-loss record. While each game brings its own challenges and demands different skills, I have begun to question of what skills I [...]

Posted 19 April 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °

Games are Fragile

I baby my games. Perhaps I’m a little too obsessive compulsive about keeping them in good shape–they are only games right? Still, I can’t help it. If one card is torn, one tile dog chewed, one pawn lost, the game just feels “broken.” I’d easily pay $5 to replace a single lost/damaged component. It removes [...]

Posted 05 April 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °

Fill In The Blank

When an order of games arrives, I used to neatly stacked each title on the shelf shrink wrapped for a later day. I saw no need to rush. I had secured the title and would get around to it sooner or later. Trouble is, I have recently learned that even the most well-respected publishers will [...]

Posted 14 March 2006 § usability ‡ Comments Off °

Confessions of a Boardgame Potato

Immersion into the hobby can become a borderline obsessive-compulsive pursuit. It’s easy to become so impassioned about these games of ours that we find ourselves spending way too much time in the periphery of the hobby. I’m not saying that we spend too much time gaming for that is a noble pursuit. We spend too [...]

Posted 27 February 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °

Power Grid: Rules, Final Draft

The final draft of the Power Grid rules I started weeks ago had only minor revision: a few corrections and further elimination of bold facing as suggested during the first draft. I was stubborn, but eventually decided it was for the best. I hope the rules prove clear and useful.
My goal has been to make [...]

Posted 22 February 2006 § usability ‡ Comments Off °

When Theme Comes Alive

Theme is one element of boardgame design that must not be overlooked. It takes ho-hum mechanics and binds them to a storyline that adds meaning and helps captivate the audience. Divorce themes from boardgames leaving the likes of Chess, Reversi, Checkers, and Backgammon and you can forget about me taking such an enthusiastic part in [...]

Posted 14 February 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °

Mesopotamia: The Anomoly

On Monday I played Mesopotamia with my friends Sean, Paul (my roommate) and Pat. Sean started off extremely well for birthing more tribesmen while the rest of us tried to make due with just 3. Then Sean set off to explore the starting side of the board while the rest explored the far side. He [...]

Posted 09 February 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °

You’ve Had Your Turn

With the right mix of people gaming can be a blast, but it only takes one to ruin the experience for everyone. Of the kinds of people I dread playing, there is one kind that utterly offends me. These are the players who consider themselves the most adept and experienced often at a particular game.
Jeremy [...]

Posted 01 February 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °

Best Gamer’s Game 2005

Richard Breese’s Reef Encounter wins my personal accolade for the Best Game of 2005. The game is very “Kramer-esque” in its depth of tactical options. On any turn I’m considering
* whether, in light of inherent risks and timing, I have reached the best expected scoring potential for one of my corals.
[...]

Posted 31 January 2006 § ‡ Comments Off °