Yeah, I've banned it from IRC too, although really only while it's called 'S'. It was already getting auto-logged out by the channel bot for excessive spam anyway.
However after glancing at some of the impressions, I might've dodged a bullet. Doubt I'll bother chasing up another copy of it again, at least, not until it goes on sale.
Wait a second... An apparent roll and move mechanic? Components other than wooden cubes and discs? There is no way that that's a German game! You will pay for trying to deceive me, Brian Brewer...
On a more serious tone... Nice! I look forward to more of this...
And just as a little aside, some of the heavy Euros do have single player modes that can really hold your interest. Le Havre is quite well regarded, although I must admit I prefer something with a bit of theme for my solo experiences (some co-ops work great this way).
Le Havre is quite well regarded, although I must admit I prefer something with a bit of theme for my solo experiences (some co-ops work great this way).
Co-op games are essentially single-player games with the tasks distributed amongst the players.
I saw something the other day that opened my eyes to how bad this really is. These games have rules to limit how much information is shared between players, usually hidden behind vagaries where, for example, you might have cards in your hand but cannot say what they are. Break the rules and do it anyway and it's easily seen that it is solvable by one person with the other players serving no purpose other than to do what this person says in order to 'win'.
Anyway, that got a little serious from a response to the comic from Gaz. I do have something cool to share at least...
This comic reminds me of this awesome series of videos on BoardGameGeek: Board Games in 5 Seconds. Brilliant if you're familiar with some of them, others are funny regardless.
My regular D&D campaign came to an end on Saturday and our next big game kicks off in October or November. Hopefully there will be plenty of board gaming in the interim, I've been hankering to move some chits around.
Co-op games are essentially single-player games with the tasks distributed amongst the players.
I saw something the other day that opened my eyes to how bad this really is. These games have rules to limit how much information is shared between players, usually hidden behind vagaries where, for example, you might have cards in your hand but cannot say what they are. Break the rules and do it anyway and it's easily seen that it is solvable by one person with the other players serving no purpose other than to do what this person says in order to 'win'.
Anyway, that got a little serious from a response to the comic from Gaz. I do have something cool to share at least...
I actually played video games last night! Good GOD that hardly ever happens any more. I decided to stop playing Plants Vs Zombies 2 since my urge to throw the controller would result in a broken iPad, so I thought I should fire up the Xbox 360 and try some of the unopened games I have for it
Red Dead Redemption, don't hate me
Unplugged the Foxtel from our TV's only HDMI port to plug the Xbox 360 in...and somehow fried the TV's HDMI port. It just wouldn't get any signal at all. And since I gave away my component cables ages ago, that means more Xbox 360 until I get a new TV.
Then spent two hours trying to get a component signal from the Foxtel box...but that is turned off by default in the Foxtel system settings, and you have to connect via (UGH) composite first, find the menu, put in your PIN to enable component out (what PIN? no idea, turned out to be 1234 thanks to Twitter), then save the settings, and then connect via component. Holy fuck, what a stupidly complicated process.
Co-op games are essentially single-player games with the tasks distributed amongst the players.
I saw something the other day that opened my eyes to how bad this really is. These games have rules to limit how much information is shared between players, usually hidden behind vagaries where, for example, you might have cards in your hand but cannot say what they are. Break the rules and do it anyway and it's easily seen that it is solvable by one person with the other players serving no purpose other than to do what this person says in order to 'win'.
Yeah, I agree that the alpha-gamer issue is a huge problem with many of them. I've found Sentinels of the Multiverse to really break that trend, though. The difference with this one is that every player is so diverse with so many different things they can do that you don't have one player trying to control everything, as everybody needs to concentrate on their own situation. Instead of the single leader controlling the play, you get many suggestions and discussions about what you might be able to do, or people asking if anyone can do one small thing that would allow themselves to do something awesome for the group in response. It's that interaction that makes a co-op work brilliantly, where everybody works together against the common goal without feeling that they are just following instructions from the leader. In the right group, almost any co-op can work this way, but Sentinels seems to work even if you have a typical alpha-gamer in the group.
Pandemic, on the other hand, can really suffer from the alpha-gamer, as there is just no enough hidden information nor player diversity to separate the roles from each other. An experienced player really can start taking over everybody else's turns, even if you use the rule for hidden hands. Elder Sign also suffers greatly from this problem, unfortunately. In the games I played of it, Ghost Stories did suffer from this to a lesser degree, where two of us realised we were perhaps telling the other two what to do a bit too much. Again, if you have the right group, these games can still work wonders, but it really depends on the group, and how willing players are to risk losing at the cost of allowing everyone to contribute equally.
Unplugged the Foxtel from our TV's only HDMI port to plug the Xbox 360 in...and somehow fried the TV's HDMI port. It just wouldn't get any signal at all. And since I gave away my component cables ages ago, that means more Xbox 360 until I get a new TV.
Before you go to that extreme, make sure you try at least once more after trying another cable or unplugging the cable and plugging it in again and power-cycling both the TV and 360. Sometimes, either the TV or 360 might just refuse to gain sync on the cable and it will seem like there's a lack of signal, but taking the cable out and putting it back in again can get it to work.
For Brisbane beer hounds, I went for after work drinks on Friday night and the group suggested we go to the Down Under Bar. I was hesitant, because the place is dodgy and seedy. I hadn't been there for years. But... I was pleasantly surprised!
They were serving James Squire Hop Thief American Pale Ale (which I've never come across before) for $6 a pint. It was bloody tasty, and insanely cheap. I walked away drunk and happy.
I actually played video games last night! Good GOD that hardly ever happens any more. I decided to stop playing Plants Vs Zombies 2 since my urge to throw the controller would result in a broken iPad, so I thought I should fire up the Xbox 360 and try some of the unopened games I have for it
Red Dead Redemption, don't hate me
Unplugged the Foxtel from our TV's only HDMI port to plug the Xbox 360 in...and somehow fried the TV's HDMI port. It just wouldn't get any signal at all. And since I gave away my component cables ages ago, that means more Xbox 360 until I get a new TV.
Then spent two hours trying to get a component signal from the Foxtel box...but that is turned off by default in the Foxtel system settings, and you have to connect via (UGH) composite first, find the menu, put in your PIN to enable component out (what PIN? no idea, turned out to be 1234 thanks to Twitter), then save the settings, and then connect via component. Holy fuck, what a stupidly complicated process.
We never play Pandemic with hidden hands. Seems like a silly rule. But you're spot on that co-op games like Pandemic with an alpha gamer can be terrible. Our group has played enough with each other that we don't ever have any alphas and everyone gets a say. Yes the game can be played in single player mode but the fun of the game is the interaction with the players and all losing together.
Though, if I were the alpha gamer in our group, I probably wouldn't think there were any issues. Therefore I am a terrible person. I'll let Rezbit decide that. Unless we're joint alphas..
Is there any reason at all to buy a Vita locally? Accounts are locked to the memory stick, but it doesn't prevent you from creating one of any region on any system, right?
But yes I have a PC! And it has a fuckton of games on it that I would love to play. But it also has Photoshop and unless I can, Jim Davis style, afford to outsource all the writing and drawing tasks, that's what ends up being loaded every single time I touch it.
Yeah, I agree that the alpha-gamer issue is a huge problem with many of them. I've found Sentinels of the Multiverse to really break that trend, though. The difference with this one is that every player is so diverse with so many different things they can do that you don't have one player trying to control everything, as everybody needs to concentrate on their own situation. Instead of the single leader controlling the play, you get many suggestions and discussions about what you might be able to do, or people asking if anyone can do one small thing that would allow themselves to do something awesome for the group in response. It's that interaction that makes a co-op work brilliantly, where everybody works together against the common goal without feeling that they are just following instructions from the leader. In the right group, almost any co-op can work this way, but Sentinels seems to work even if you have a typical alpha-gamer in the group.
Pandemic, on the other hand, can really suffer from the alpha-gamer, as there is just no enough hidden information nor player diversity to separate the roles from each other. An experienced player really can start taking over everybody else's turns, even if you use the rule for hidden hands. Elder Sign also suffers greatly from this problem, unfortunately. In the games I played of it, Ghost Stories did suffer from this to a lesser degree, where two of us realised we were perhaps telling the other two what to do a bit too much. Again, if you have the right group, these games can still work wonders, but it really depends on the group, and how willing players are to risk losing at the cost of allowing everyone to contribute equally.
The problem with the games is not that the 'alpha-gamer' or 'quarterback' or whatever you want to call it ruins the game by seeing the solution. The problem is the games themselves due to poor design. Rather than being a game, they're essentially puzzles. Because there is a solution, correct and incorrect choices exist. Most of them try to obfuscate it using hidden information which only demonstrates there is no real meat to these games.
While some problem players exist and exhibit such traits no matter the game that is played, these co-op games encourage that sort of behaviour in order to conquer them. Needing to act in a manner that is a detriment to the game itself in order to purposefully avoid this behaviour and experience demonstrates how poor they really are. The end solution is not to change the way you play them, it's to play a different game instead.
While I haven't played Sentinels, I can say that LotR LCG makes no bones about what it is. You can play solo or co-op and the scenarios are intentionally designed to be difficult with varying solutions to the problem (and varying game states and scenarios). It is a somewhat randomly variable puzzle and no information that could be shared is hidden because that would be detrimental. Building and playing your deck in a well-executed manner is clearly the point of the game. It is a difference of design and this is the root of both positive and negative outcomes.
For Brisbane beer hounds, I went for after work drinks on Friday night and the group suggested we go to the Down Under Bar. I was hesitant, because the place is dodgy and seedy. I hadn't been there for years. But... I was pleasantly surprised!
They were serving James Squire Hop Thief American Pale Ale (which I've never come across before) for $6 a pint. It was bloody tasty, and insanely cheap. I walked away drunk and happy.
Is there any reason at all to buy a Vita locally? Accounts are locked to the memory stick, but it doesn't prevent you from creating one of any region on any system, right?
Is there any reason at all to buy a Vita locally? Accounts are locked to the memory stick, but it doesn't prevent you from creating one of any region on any system, right?
This is rad. To answer the question you posed on twitter, no, this is not going too far. Arts and crafts is very much a part of the tabletop gaming hobby.
Print versions of a couple of roleplaying games I wanted weren't available, so I whipped up covers and made print copies of them through Lulu. They just arrived this morning and look great.
I did nothing through paypal. I just emailed nuuvem themselves, Took a few days to get the response to say the refund was being done. Got that this morning and the paypal email saying it was done.
This is rad. To answer the question you posed on twitter, no, this is not going too far. Arts and crafts is very much a part of the tabletop gaming hobby.
Print versions of a couple of roleplaying games I wanted weren't available, so I whipped up covers and made print copies of them through Lulu. They just arrived this morning and look great.
Not weird at all. Some (most?) of the box inserts that come with games are woeful. Cheap tackle boxes from HK on Ebay are wonderful. I've only used the ones I've bought for jewellery and RPG tokens, but I can see them serving many other purposes.
I've got to a point where I store my games in a tool case and spend time working out how I'm going to organise the games the best way. I rarely keep the boxes for games because it's just better for storage and transport to have them all in a case with other games.
I'm in one of those moods where I just want it now
Ok I'll wait a little longer then, I just think its strange that we still haven't seen the reduced RRP.
So I should go for either a 16gb/32gb card if I'm going all digital? Would it be best for me to make a US account for cheaper games and their ps+ deals? How do I find out what Hanes you get with ps+? Any other things I need to know?
I did nothing through paypal. I just emailed nuuvem themselves, Took a few days to get the response to say the refund was being done. Got that this morning and the paypal email saying it was done.
I'm in one of those moods where I just want it now
Ok I'll wait a little longer then, I just think its strange that we still haven't seen the reduced RRP.
So I should go for either a 16gb/32gb card if I'm going all digital? Would it be best for me to make a US account for cheaper games and their ps+ deals? How do I find out what Hanes you get with ps+? Any other things I need to know?
If you are going to have PS+ 32GB would be the best option. The 32GB is $72ish posted from Amazon UK, I expect it to get down around $50 on sale though.
Game UK has a pre-order for the 3G compatible Vita with an 8GB card and Killzone Mercs for $286 if you are super desperate to jump in and might use the 3G for MP stuff.
It's obvious that that's their fear, no? That they didn't do enough to ensure that illegal copies weren't easily purchased. It seems unlikely that they would, but they strike me as the victims here.
It's obvious that that's their fear, no? That they didn't do enough to ensure that illegal copies weren't easily purchased. It seems unlikely that they would, but they strike me as the victims here.