Monthly Archives February 2006

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]