This Isnt Some Kind Of Game
By Daniel on June 29th, 2009- Comic »
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Games
I like games, and like the idea of games, much more than I actually get to play them.
I’ve always wanted to play Monsters Menace America, though I’ve only played it maybe twice, at work. My son Kaid is all over it, since it features his favorite thing in the whole world: Kaiju. Once he’s a little older, we’ll give it a go.
So far, we’ve been playing a few improvised games: a chariot racing game, and a very simple miniatures battle game that uses some war dice I have from some other game. (Attack die 1 has 3 skulls and 3 blanks, defense die has 3 shields and 3 blanks.) Overall, we’ve had a good time, and have avoided a complicated rule-set that might frustrate him too much.
I really like strategy games, but loath having to manually manage all of the resources, in some kind of epic 18 hour game. To me, this is where online games really shine. Let the computer do the heavy lifting, and let me decide on the right strategy for the game.
That said, I’m really interested in playing the Settlers of Catan game series. That seems like it could lead to epic fun.
What are your favorite games?
- Daniel
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I enjoy the classic, chess. Never fancied myself as much of a gamer beyond that.
Catan is really great stuff. Complicated though. Start with Settlers and learn the basic rules. Then you can go to Cities and Knights and/or Seafarers. The problem we’ve had with Catan is that it takes three hours to teach someone how to play the basic rules, which is at least a rule set behind what we usually play. None of our so-called friends have that kind of attention span.
I’m big on geometry games lately. We have Triangle Triumph, from Cranium, which is colorful, simple, and fun. There was also a game I saw in Barnes and Noble with red and black hexagons, like connect four only with six sides. I didn’t pick it up, but that’s the sort of game I like lately.
@ethan – 3 hours, seriously? That is most unfortuate that you have had that experience – it would certainly turn me off. I have taught dozens of people (gamers and non gamers alike) to play Catan (and I usually throw them directly into Seafarers since i don’t care for being limited to the island much), and most everyone has gotten the hang of it in about 10 rounds. Our 4 player games usually don’t run past 90 minutes anyhow. Of course, they all complain at the end of the game that they lost because they didn’t understand the strategy of placing their initial settlements, even though i try to explain that it is very important. I try to keep it to the basics of the pieces you have, the cost card, initial setup (including settlement spacing), the turn (including trading), resource production (including the significance and probability of 6, 7 and 8 on the dice), and what development cards do to start and handle other questions in play from there.
@Daniel – Play Catan! It is not that complex – I like to think of it as a very very lite Civilization like game without any combat – there is low-level resource management and it takes some time to play. It is a minimum 3 player game, though they make a travel version which is 2 player as well as a card game which is player (depending on how many of your friends can be cajoled into playing a board game for a couple of hours). My wife and I started with the card game and later moved to the board game and have roped most of our non-gamer friends into playing it at least once (my gamer friends already play, so no roping was required). Many of those friends have even returned to play it multiple times now and some have become rabid players, bordering on gamers!
As for playing games with the kids, I would recommend checking out Carcassonne (My kids, 6 and 3, prefer the Carcasonne: Hunters and Gatherers game to the original Carcassonne) and Ticket to Ride (especially if he likes trains – my 3 year old can play a full 1 hour game with a little guidance on which routes to work on, I think mostly because he gets to play with the train cars).
There are so many good games out there to play, and some of they are even popular enough that you can get them at your mainstream stores (Target, WalMart, etc) though finding a good FLGS will expose you to many more you would never even see in the other venues.
Cool, thanks for the info.
I’m used to haunting FLGS as well, and seeing lots of other games. Just not for a while.
Since starting Steam Crow, my leisure time has become close to nil. (Not complaining!
)
I love what I do, but just don’t have much time for games as I’d might like.
Back in the 80’s, Milton Bradley produced a game called “Shogun” (Later renamed “Samurai Swords”). I still have the original and we break it out now and then. It’s basically a feudal Japan version of Risk with a few more strategy twists thrown in. Lots of fun.
Recently we’ve been playing different versions of the Munchkin’ series of card games. Those are fun too. One of the guys has been pushing Settlers, but we haven’t gotten around to giving it a whirl yet. Sounds fun though.
I totally share your love of games.
wow. that last sentiment is grim… but kind of sweet.
Lord of the Rings Risk is good fun.