[WoodForSheep]: Favourite game you learned in 2015 | ||
Steve | Jay | Nate |
I'd go with Celestia. A family friendly, fun push-your-luck game that's easy to teach and play. The artwork is gorgeous and the airship is pretty unique, adding that immersive quality to the game. | Not that I'm an expert at it, but would say that Ladies & Gentlemen was pretty fun. It can accommodate up to 10 players, and its fun getting to 'spend' someone else's money. | While there are no ground breaking ideas or mechanics introduced, Argent is still a fun game, using well known concepts and details. With its modular set-up, replayability is high and, with each different layout, a unique experience. |
[WoodForSheep]: A game everyone may have overlooked: | ||
Steve | Jay | Nate |
Could use a more family-friendly theme, and certainly a unique name, but as a game, The Game hits the right notes. Even with simple, straight forward rule set, its still a fun and challenging experience, in a small, compact... game. | Noir captures the anxiety of the chase, and being chased. It may not be everyone's cup of tea since it is a bit of a brain burner, but this game of deduction, and bluffing, and hunting, is simply a lot of fun. | I think I played a lot of 'worker placement' games in 2015, so no surprise, my dark horse game is Code of Nine. It's relatively quick, but challenges you to make the most out of your decisions since there are limited rounds and moves before the game ends. |
[WoodForSheep]: Something (WoodForSheep related) that happened in 2015 that was pretty cool? | ||
Steve | Jay | Nate |
Being invited to and attending CastleCon was a fun highlight of 2015, even while watching the Blue Jays bow out of the playoffs. Its always our pleasure to meet and service various gaming communities, and this was no exception. | We've established a good reputation with our current contacts, but its still a pleasant surprise when we get a request out of the blue, to help a contact build a gaming community. Now, we're headed to a few local malls in 2016, to do just that! Guess our reputation precedes us, in a good way. | Getting this guy on board (points to Jay), even after we told him all our trade secrets. Welcome aboard, minion!... Uh, i mean, partner! |
[WoodForSheep]: WoodForSheep just passed the 5 year mark, what's in store for the next 5?... Or maybe at least this coming year... | ||
Steve | Jay | Nate |
We've certainly teased it a few times already, and maybe I'm sounding like a broken record, but hopefully a space of our own, and not of the pop-up variety. A functional base of operations, less driving around to do deliveries, and less chance of getting booted out in the middle of a game. | Continue to build WoodForSheep as a name that has a positive influence, community-building focus. I still probably have to get up-to-speed, but would love to see more opportunities to introduce these fun games to new 'gamers' and build gaming communities in and around the GTA. | Unfortunately, I think we stalled a bit this past year due to some projects and plans not panning out as we hoped, but at the same time, as doors closed, new opportunities presented themselves. Hopefully, some of our plans for more online/digital content come to fruition this year. |
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[WoodForSheep]: What tabletop games (besides Stratos) have you played recently (say in the last 6 months) and liked?
[Board&Tale]: A couple games that we've played recently and simply can't put down have been Splendor and Star Realms. Also Suburbia! It has a great structure and the subtle humour is icing on the cake.
[WoodForSheep]: What are some of the top tabletop games on your (all time) list?
[Board&Tale]: That's a tough one, but we'd have to say that Risk, Settlers and Twilight Struggle (not to be confused with Twilight Imperium!) are all near the top of our list. Also Puerto Rico and Mansions of Madness – the former is just brilliant, and the latter makes the rich Lovecraft theme so much more concrete by taking place in small-scale locations you can build and customize.
[WoodForSheep]: Why the name "Board & Tale"?
[Board&Tale]: We arrived at 'Board & Tale' because we felt it evoked feelings of play, wonder and story-telling and echoed what we wanted to give our players: games worth telling stories about, with memorable elements and really cool interactions between them to keep everyone on their toes!
[WoodForSheep]: What's the inspiration for Stratos?
[Board&Tale]: While 'Stratos' was not modeled after any particular game, it was inspired by our favourite elements from a wide swath of games, especially lesser-known ones – even in formats outside of tabletop games. While some inspiration was derived from strategy RPGs, you don’t need to be an RPG nut to have a great time playing Stratos, but if you are, there are certain things you’ll appreciate!
[WoodForSheep]: What's the twitter pitch for the game (ie done in 150 characters or less, or around that, we won't be that strict)?
[Board&Tale]: Beautiful RPG-themed euro game adventure for 2-5 players, with non-euro alternate scenarios that are even better than the base game (and more to come!).
[WoodForSheep]: From first concept of the game to its current form, how long was that journey?
[Board&Tale]: All told, 10 years, with various twists and turns along the way. After sketching out the core ideas we got to prototyping out of Lego and cardboard to start. Once we got the game flow to a good state, we started with a single prototype made out of painted wood that seemed more like a fancy chess set than a board game, and iterated through a couple rounds of wooden versions before moving to produce it for the mass market. Quite a long journey with many late nights in recent years!
[WoodForSheep]: Where/when did that first light bulb come up (ie is there some bronzed napkin somewhere with the birth of Stratos on it)?
[Board&Tale]: When? 2006 Where? In our parents’ garages! Where else?! The napkin exists!
[WoodForSheep]: Anything interesting (mechanic, character, etc) that unfortunately got left on the cutting room floor along the way (well, one that you can share with us)?
[Board&Tale]: Without spilling too many beans, we used to have a 'healer' unit. After much play-testing, we decided the game was simply better without it since healing slowed the pace too much.
[WoodForSheep]: After I play my first game of Stratos, what should that experience be? After my 5th game?
[Board&Tale]: The first game gives many ‘aha’ moments – simple enough to get started, with realizations a bit later of just how much flexibility and options you can have even from a fairly simple set of characters and actions. What we often hear at the end of someone’s first game is “I was so close to winning, next turn I was gonna …” followed by the exact plan they’d been eager to try. Which, of course, they try to do in the next game.
By the 5th game there is a definite meta game that emerges, as well as even more creative play in using characters together and coming up with interactions you simply wouldn’t think of on your first play-though. We don’t want to spoil anything here, but this is what we wanted all along – having real staying power and depth, even as we pursued simplicity and refinement through the iterations over the years. With spells and treasures that can actually change the game board itself during the match, even re-playing the same map is usually quite a bit different from the last time!
[WoodForSheep]: If resources (and say even licensing) were not an issue, what would be the dream Board & Tale project?
[Board&Tale]: Without naming names, there is a certain franchise we would love to bring to tabletop form. Otherwise, though, our dream project is already here!
[WoodForSheep]: If you can share, what's next for Stratos (ie expansion)? Board & Tale (ie sneak peak of a new game in development)?
[Board&Tale]: Actually, this is one of the first questions asked after people play for the first time – although usually more of a statement along the lines of “what’s the first expansion going to be? I can see so many directions you could take this” – and they’re right. We have a lot of ideas and feedback collected, and are working on our expansion plans as we speak. No details yet – stay tuned!
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As you make your list and check it twice,
Its not our concern how you determine naughty or nice,
But perhaps wondering what gaming options are there,
Here's what others have purchased with special care.
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If you've dabbled into the world of table top games (beyond those found at the gaming aisle of big box stores), you may have heard of the term "Spiel Des Jahres". Or while browsing for games online, you may have seen an image of a token, wrapped with a ribbon marked with the same term. To put it simply, "Spiel des Jahres", in German, means "Game of The Year". It is an award which has been bestowed annually since 1978, to the best game released that year in the German marketplace.
Why the big fuss about Germany? Well, the country is considered by many, to be the centre of the board gaming world. The "Spiel" is like it's Oscars. The award is judged by a committee of game critics, who review games released in Germany for the year. In 1989, a separate award for children's games was created, known as the "Kinderspiel des Jahres".
While the "Spiel" tended to focus on family-friendly games, the committee would occasionally make special recognitions and awards for more complex games, like Agricola (back in 2008). In 2011, this was formalized into the "Kennerspiel des Jahres" (roughly translated to "Connoisseur-Enthusiast Game of the Year").
Winning any of these prestigious awards can quickly raise the game's awareness (and sales). Even just being nominated has its attraction.
If you're starting your board game collection (or looking to add to your extensive one), check out Colt Express (2015 "Spiel" winner), Broom Service (2015 "Kennerspiel" winner) and other past winners of these prizes. Even the nominees are pretty good!
Spiel des Jahres | Nominees | Winners |
Kinderspiel des Jahres | Nominees | Winners |
Kennerspiel des Jahres | Nominees | Winners |
I've had my fair share of struggles with this in the past, as I was pretty shy and introverted as a kid. However, since Nate and I started regular gaming sessions with WoodForSheep, introducing and teaching various games has become a way for us to begin a dialogue with people (or "break the ice") and make new friends in the process.
Here at WoodForSheep, the games we teach, especially to those new to the concept of modern games, fall into the following guidelines:
With the above guidelines, here are additional “ice breaker” games we recommend (since we’ve already mentioned games like Tsuro, Anomia and Spot It in past articles):
From personal experience, the above games are examples that are accessible and fun. They are avenues that allow people to gather and sit, play and have fun. Of course, one still has to take the initiative and ask, “Hi, would you like to play a game?”
]]>[WoodForSheep]: Favourite game you learned in 2014
[Steve]: I'd say it would be Five Tribes. Interesting gameplay with the unique mancala-type mechanic. Plus, I like the quality of the board and pieces. Another hit game from Days of Wonder.
[Nate]: While it generally comes down to a racing game (a genre I'm not a big fan of), I enjoyed the game experience of Lewis & Clark each time it made the table. Interesting game mechanic, tough decisions, fun game.
[WoodForSheep]: A game everyone may have overlooked:
[Nate]: It may not get a lot of acclaim, but Helios is a solid game. Solid components, fun game play. It fits that not-too-long, not-too-short gaming niche.
[Steve]: Colt Express came out later in the year, which may just have delayed its popularity. A simple, programmed-movement game with the eyecatching board and the theme is cool. Love the cut-out train!
[WoodForSheep]: The surprise seller of 2014:
[Steve]: Damaged boxes of Coconuts! When Nate agreed to receive this huge shipment of damaged product, perhaps flinging round brown objects at him was the proper response. But over the course of the year, we've created fans of the “coconut flinging monkey game”. Now that we’re almost sold out, wishing we had A LOT more copies!
[Nate]: Simple rules, cute art, accessible price point should probably have tipped me off, even so having Sushi Go as our best selling game of 2014 is still a pleasant surprise.
[WoodForSheep]: Something (WoodForSheep related) that happened in 2014 that was pretty cool:
[Nate]: I had to update Steve's section in our About Us page. Oh, something more business related... looking back at our 2013 reflections, some of our goals came to fruition, albeit briefly - we ran a small gaming convention to raise funds for Extra Life, and we ran a store, even if it was "One Day Only".
[Steve]: Attending Anime North for the first time on the other side of the table. Going in, we just didn’t know what to expect (will they like us?). We tried to present and showcase games that fit the crowd and theme of the convention, and to our pleasant surprise, these were well received (especially Tanto Cuore), even selling out of several titles by the end of the weekend.
[WoodForSheep]: Something for the audience to look forward to from WoodForSheep in 2015:
[Steve]: Our "One Day Only" pop-up store event at First Markham Place gave us an idea how such a location would fare in Markham. While we don't have anything definitive at the moment (ok, maybe there is something slightly), expect more pop-up events to come (and more)!
[Nate]: As we (hope to continue to) grow, the ways we serve and support the gaming community will also evolve. Hopefully these changes and adjustments will help us become the best friendly, local game store we can be. :)(clear as mud, eh?)
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[WoodForSheep]: What was your surprise favourite game that you learned in 2013?
[Steve]: Maybe its a case of a little too much The Resistance, but Mascarade was a welcome addition to play with large groups. This is an interesting deduction game that keeps everyone attentive and involved until the end.
[Nate]: A lot of interesting surprises this year, from Parade, Mascarade, even Star Trek Attack Wing and Q... wait, I'll talk about that later. For now, will go with Warmachine High Command. A different take on deck building mechanic since resources go into acquiring units for combat and conquest, with a rich, thematic backdrop of the Warmachine and the rest of the Iron Kingdoms.
[WoodForSheep]: What's a game everyone wanted in 2013?
[Nate]: Already a popular game, the revised version of Pandemic seems to have re-invigorated the title. There was a lot of interest in this cooperative game, not even counting the released expansions (both old and new).
[Steve]: Its always a surprise what combination of theme and mechanics appeal to a wide audience. Who knew big monster archetypes and dice rolling would be ingredients for a fun game (as is the case for King of Tokyo). For this year, its a heavy strategy game (with a playing time of at least 3 hours) about fantasy creatures and landscaping - Terra Mystica.
[WoodForSheep]: How about a good game you learned in 2013 that everyone should play?
[Nate]: As part of celebrating International Tabletop Day 2013, Mercury Games joined in and was kind enough to give a preview of Quarantine. It does have a medical theme, but it's not a cooperative game (not that there's anything wrong with cooperative games). What the game has are interesting choices - which always pique my interest. Some games present you with X choices, but filtering that down to what makes sense, may really be 2, or worse, 1 choice. Games in the other extreme have a billion choices, but no sense of flow, where none those billon make any sense. Quarantine strikes a good balance of varied options and practical choices.
[Steve]: Yes, its a deck building game. Yes, it deals with trains. Yes, both are themes and mechanics that have been explored through different incarnations in separate games, but never together, until now (or I haven't seen it until now). Trains brings in a unique addition to the deck building genre and train-themed games. Nothing entirely ground-breaking, but the game is always and enjoyable experience.
[WoodForSheep]: A goal or vision to accomplish in 2014?
[Nate]: Still need to work on last year's goal... which leaves much room for improvement. Though with all the events and conventions that we've been involved with (and will be involved with), makes one wonder if Markham should have it own gaming convention soon.
[Steve]: Or perhaps it may be time for WoodForSheep to be more... physical (cue music... "Let's get physical, physical. I wanna get...").
[WoodForSheep]: Something interesting you've learned about gamers since being involved with WoodForSheep?
[Steve]: Gamers are EXTREMELY competitive, even female ones. The ladies that say they're in it "only for fun"... WATCH OUT! They'll manage to deprive you of all your necessary resources, leading to a crushing defeat (yet, strangely, I'm content with that, don't mind it at all).
[Nate]: There's not a lot of areas in life that level a playing field like a game can. Those with athletic ability will do better at sports than those who don't. Sure, word-smart people will still do better in Scrabble and world-smart people will do better in trivia games. But, in a well designed game where a 4 year old can claim (legitimate) victory over those 4 times their age, its quite fun to see.
]]>[WoodForSheep]: What was your surprise favourite game that you learned in 2012?
[Nate]: For me, it would be Manhattan Project. Straight forward game mechanics with a good natural flow to the game. Plus, you can detonate nukes (without all the messy side effects of destruction, radiation, etc).
[Steve]: I was originally reluctant, but after playing String Railways, have to admit, it's a fun game. Its a unique take on a train network game, and it plays in under an hour. I’ll never look at coloured string the same way again!
[WoodForSheep]: What's a game everyone wanted in 2012?
[Steve]: Besides Spot It, which we already talked about last year, I would say Ghost Blitz. An interesting deduction and reaction game, with lovable game pieces, good for families and groups of friends.
[Nate]: Keeping with the big laughs for big groups idea, Anomia is a brain wracker that drew a lot of interest, provided you weren't too busy laughing already.
[WoodForSheep]: How about a good game you learned in 2012 that everyone should play?
[Nate]: After one game of Last Will, didn't like that first experience very much. But after being roped in for another play (with some time in between), found the game to have a lot more depth than I gave it credit for. A nice twist to most games, where you try and have the most money or victory points at the end of the game, this game gets you to spend, spend, spend!!!
[Steve]: Who knew that 16 cards could provide so much fun? Part process of elimination, part bluffing, Love Letter shows that good games can come in small packages!
[WoodForSheep]: What was a pleasant surprise for WoodForSheep in 2012?
[Steve]: Running a booth at TABSCON was a pleasant surprise for WoodForSheep. An unexpected opportunity and I think we did a good job. We met and engaged new people, and were able to promote WoodForSheep to a new audience.
[Nate]: New friends and partners from unexpected connections. Our involvement with the Geekish Holiday event in December 2012 started with a comment on their site. The Board Game Networking Night with The Biz Club in February 2013 came together after twitter exchanges.
[WoodForSheep]: A goal or vision to accomplish in 2013?
[Nate]: Strive to put out engaging content on a more consistent schedule, whether its e-newsletters, recommendations or snippets on social media.
[Steve]: Continue to build and serve a robust tabletop gaming community in the Markham/Richmond Hill area.
]]>Thankfully, there are a number of game releases that are good games on their own, but with the added layer of the pop culture brand, further enhances the gaming experience. Let's look at a few that stand out and should garner consideration as an addition to your gaming shelves.
Reference: TV Show (latest incarnation)
Game: Battlestar Galactica
At first, the game looks to be a standard cooperative game, where everyone is trying to ensure the survival of the
human race, which is being hunted down by killer robots (created by the same human race). However, the in-game twist
is that one of your fellow compatriots (ie one of the players) is one of the killer robots, too. So while everyone is
trying to survive another wave of attacks, this hidden agent may be going abouts sabotaging further efforts to
survive. The game is filled with tension and action, much like its namesake television show.
Reference: Book series
Game: Discworld
Each player is given a secret role based on some of the fictional characters from the books. Each role determines the
player's win condition. Some may win based on how many districts on the board they control, some may win based on how
much money is in their possession, others win by causing a lot of trouble. Deducing who your oppenents are becomes key
to prevent them from winning, while also using good strategy to ensure your victory. While I haven't read any of the
books myself, others have mentioned that the roles are quite true to the characters they represent.
Reference: Book series, and subsequent TV show
Game: Game of Thrones
The source material focuses on political and physical clashes between warring clans for control of the Iron Throne.
One side may have formidable warriors, the other has greater political influence, another is able to coerce situations
to their favour due to their immeasurable wealth. The game also reflects this with each faction having unique
advantages. Does the player charge into battle head on, or lurk in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to snatch
victory away.
Reference: Book series, and then blockbuster movies
Game: Lord of the Rings
LCG
In this cooperative game, each player leads their band of heroes into battle against the evil forces of Mordor.
Communication and cooperation will be key strategies to ensure everyone survives the current obstacle - either facing
down hordes of orcs or traversing through dangerous terrain.
Game: War of the Ring
Re-enact the epic battles from Lord of the Rings either as the armies of Middle Earth or as the forces of Sauron.
Expand your territory wisely, lest your oppenent break through your defenses and wreak havoc to your plans.
Reference: TV shows (various incarnations) and movies, and rebooted movie(s)
Game: Star Trek Fleet Captains
A tactical war game where each side controls a fleet of star ships. Each faction (with more being released through
expansions) has unique abilities that contribute to their individual styles and win conditions. A number of popular
ships through the Star Trek universe is recreated in detailed miniatures - Enterprise from the original series,
Enterprise-D from The Next Generation and more.
Game: Star Trek DBG
DBG stands for deck building game.
Based in the Next Generation timeframe, this is a game that can be played 3 different ways. Compete against each other
by exploring the universe and winning direct confrontations. Or pick sides and recruit allies to victory, recreating
the Klingon Civil War event. Or team up and attempt to survive the Borg invasion. Favourite characters like Picard,
Riker and Troi (both mother and daughter) help contribute to your winning strategy.
For today, let's play complete the sentence with the WoodForSheep boys.
[WoodForSheep]: Ok, first one... In 2011, I learned to play [blank], and found it to be a great game!
[Steve]: Spot It! I remember seeing this for the first time at one of our public Game On! sessions; someone had brought it with them. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. I then became acquainted with the rules and gameplay when we started our involvment with the library program. I thought it would be an excellent gift for my cousin and bought her a copy and taught my family how to play as well. They in turn taught it to their friends. It turned out that everyone LOVES it!
[Nate]: King of Tokyo. A bit underwhelming when preview pictures were first available. Cardboard cut-outs and an itty-bitty board... that's it?!?!?! While other big monster games were being released around the same time, a few with slick looking models, KoT seemed destined to be lost to obscurity. Certainly underestimated that this was designed by the man who made Magic: The Gathering. After one play, we were hooked. Rarely is there a turn that nothing happens - everyone is simply watching how the dice falls, whether its your turn or another person's, since those could still affect your monster. The rules are simplistic, but the path to victory could take many twists and turns. Its been a blast sharing this with everyone else ever since.
[WoodForSheep]: In 2011, we certainly sold a lot of [blank].
[Steve]: Angry Birds Knock on Wood. I can understand the popularity of the digital game, readily available on Apple and Android devices. I didn't think it would translate that well as an actual boardgame. Then, the game was mentioned as one of the "hottest toys" of the holiday season and that caused a lot of buzz and parents were scouring EVERYWHERE to find a copy. We'd try our best to keep it in stock but they just kept going in a matter of days.
[Nate]: Qwirkle. Was going to mention Angry Birds or Spot It, but Steve got to them first (d'oh). The game is abstract with no ties to a particular genre or theme, broadening its appeal and potential audience. Its also not very dependent on prior knowledge (like a dictionary-encompassing vocabulary, like the one Steve has) since its keys are shapes and colours, so the appeal also crosses most age demographics. The fact that this game also won a prestigious board game award in 2011 is just icing.
[WoodForSheep]: In 2012, a game that more people should give a try is [blank].
[Nate]: Hanabi. While the game 7 wonders is quite popular, that game's designer also created Hanabi. This is a straight forward, cooperative game where all the players, as a team, try to complete sets of cards; five colours, numbered 1 to 5. The caveat is everyone plays with their hands face out, meaning no one knows what cards they are holding. We've had games that were hilarious, and games that were agonizing... but always fun. It also comes with rules for another game, Ikebana, but we barely get around to that since Hanabi itself is a fun challenge.
[Steve]: Dixit. It is a simplistic yet fun game to play. It's great for all ages and there really isn't any language barriers since they are picture cards. Every time we've taught this game to new players, they absolutely love it! The game not only fosters creativity but also critical thinking and analysis. It's one of the few games that gamers enjoy since it is easy to pick up and play in a short period of time.
Just so this doesn't degrade into an otaku's pet project done in the confines of his basement (not that there's anything wrong with that) that may take years to complete (ok, now that's a bit of an issue), Nate does promise to do a few things as part of this un-boxing...
So, with those factors in mind, the goal is to have all (or a decent majority) of the figures in some form of coloured condition by our library-partnered event in March, which is about 11 weeks away (THAT'S NUTS!). You're all free to chime in and make sure Nate stays the course.
As with most things Nate does, the simple route (i.e. painting the figures as presented/suggested by the character cards) was just not enough of a challenge. He wanted something more thematic/recognizable (what an otaku), so he's decided to choose a painting scheme (or several schemes) in tribute... but to what?
First thought was to follow a few schemes from the Fate series of animes (e.g. Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero, etc), but got stuck on the minions and villains. As his following of fantasy-genre animes was more limited than he initially thought (Slayers didn't seem to fit either), he figured may as well go with something even more recognizable - comic books! But then comes the question, Marvel or DC? What would look cooler - shaman 'hulking out' to the angry bear or the paladin decked out in kryptonian armour colours? Without having to prolong this article unnecessarily (because it actually did take Nate a few days consideration to settle on a decision), DC won out on this little internal debate. Anyone out there is more than welcome to give the other universe a shot, and send the link back here so we can check it out!
With the painting scheme settled, this week's victims, err... subjects, are (since there's two of them), SDE sub-bosses Rex... and Rex.
As Rex (and Rex) are supposed to represent a formidable challenge to the SDE heroes, Nate whipped out his (now out-dated, thanks to the "New 52") DC Encyclopedia in search of dastardly villains. Flipping through Killer Croc, Gorilla Grodd and a few other heavy weights (BANE!!!), Nate settled on war world tyrant, Mongul (or it could be his son, Mongul II, who looks fairly the same). An initial attempt at a more golden epidermal layer was an epic fail (see facebook gallery, link further below), and Nate had to eventually cut his losses and use a more substantial base for the skin. Apparently, Mongul does not have any fingernails, which sort of made the colour options a challenge - though Nate settled on the purple since that was the other prevalent colour Mongul sports. Throw in some other purplish hues and the blue, and Rex Mongul is ready to bash some SDE heroes.
The other Rex was an easier decision... big, boney and bad... sounds like your unfriendly, Superman-killing Doomsday! Someone (or is that something) warped enough to rip out their own tail, and use it to bash whatever gets in their way (as opposed to Mongul, who'd use another's tail to do that). Grays, greens and bone tones complete this Rex's scheme.
The final products:
Nate was pretty satisfied with the outcome for Rex Doomsday. He looks ready to bash SDE heroes around the dungeon with no abandon. A bit more mixed feelings on Rex Mongul (isn't it cute, Nate's named them)... hard to visualize how the colour scheme would have worked without diving right into it. Then again, it reminds Nate of a Warjack, still unfinished, that had a similar scheme... that also left Nate with mixed feelings. Perhaps its another lesson learned through this experiment. Rest assured that you don't have to despair too much, Nate isn't loosing too much sleep over it.
More pictures on our Facebook page.
Comments, suggestions, critiques, questions and whatever else are always welcome. Those irrelevant or not very constructive will be simply ignored (Nate's just being upfront about it).
Preview for next week:
Steve recently had the opportunity to ask Justin Gary a few questions. Besides being owner and CEO of Gary Games, Justin is also a devoted gamer and an accomplished MTG Pro Tour player (don't worry if you don't know what that means).
Steve: Do you have any favorite boardgames at the moment?
JG: Other than lots of Ascension, I have been playing a fair amount of Citadels, Race for the Galaxy, Ra, and El Grande.
Steve: Are there any other titles that Gary Games is planning to release? If so, could you tell us a little bit about them?
JG: Of course we plan to continue making Ascension expansions (including Storm of Souls coming out this November/December). In addition, we are working on several other titles, but unfortunately can’t reveal any details about them now. Look for some announcements first quarter 2012.
Steve: The new Ascension: Storm of Souls expansion will introduce a new card type, Events. Can you tell us more about them? Will future sets also continue to introduce new mechanics to keep the gameplay fresh?
JG: Events are an exciting new addition to the Ascension world. Event cards represent the different factions of the Ascension world rising to dominance. When an event card flips into the center row, it is set aside and creates a new rule for the game that all players must follow. Some cards interact with the Event cards, becoming stronger when their faction’s events are in play. We have a lot of exciting new ideas for future expansions and I know Ascension fans are going to love what we have in store. Storm of Souls represents a lot of great mechanical changes to the game, not just with the new Event card type, but also with Trophy Reward monsters, and a whole slew of exciting individual cards and interactions.
Steve: Can you tell us about your experiences from being a gamer and a game designer? Any advice for those people who want to venture on their own and publish their own games?
JG: I am very fortunate to have been able to build a career around my passion of gaming. For those out there who want to do the same, I recommend putting in the hours to develop their skills and try to get involved in the industry at any level they can. Playing and doing well in tournaments, writing strategy or community articles, and designing and showing off your own games are all great ways to get noticed and hone your skills. Most importantly, be sure to learn from your mistakes and take criticism well- its the only way you will get better.
You can read the full interview @ his blog.
]]>In most games, you would not want to be rolling this with your pair of dice. In many popular board games, this means your progress is at an absolute crawl. If this (or similar low rolls) is the majority of your results, it can be a very long and frustrating session. From personal experience, these are the sessions that you want to end now, even if you lose by a large margin, just to end the misery. Its possibly enough reason for you to swear off board games forever.
For games like Chutes and Ladders (or its snake-y variant), Monopoly and even Risk, winning the game often has less to do with a player's wit and more with where you fall with 'Lady Luck'. While this may be interesting to some players, this reliance on the random can quickly become stale, and feel repetitive (read: boring).
But what if rolling the dice wasn't the only way to win the game? That would certainly change how chance affects one plays the game, and even the outcome. While classic games like Monopoly are still dependent on dice rolling results to win, modern games offer various alternatives to progress and even victory - lessening the impact of randomness on the game.
This then allows the game to be engaging for all the players involved, since each player has an active interest in the game no matter what results from their dice roll. Player's aren't simply counting spaces along the board and waiting for their next turn, but they actively observe what the effect of each person's turn has on their own possible plays - increasing the emphasis on planning and strategy.
A few games where chance plays a part in the game, but isn't central to it:
Settlers of Catan - the classic precursor to modern boardgames, Catan relies on the dice for resources to be produced (though not necessarily for the player rolling the dice)... However, if a player is short on resources, they have opportunities to barter with other players for what they need, or, being more mischievous, they can try to acquire the resource using the robber. As well, with various options in the game, the lack of a resource may just mean a shift in strategy on the way to victory (points).
King of Tokyo - players take the role of a giant monster (based on popular monster tropes: giant primate, destructive lizard, invading alien, etc) out to conquer Tokyo. Dice rolls determine if a player is attacking other monsters, gaining powers or accumulating (victory) points. A majority of results still allow a player to 'do something', especially since there are opportunities to re-roll the dice during the turn. Another game similar in mechanics would be Dice Town - this one is set in the American West.
Alien Frontiers - a colony building game set in outer space. Players race against each other to gather resources and build colonies on the newly discovered planet. Dice rolls determine which actions a player can perform during their turn, provided a previous player hasn't already performed that action. Though there are ways to work around that obstacle, or even just raid resources from other players outright. Considered to be a casual or moderate game, expert gamers may find Troyes a more complex and challenging game.
]]>When Donald Vaccarino sat down one day by the seaside and came up with the concept for the card game Dominion, I wonder if he realized this would revolutionize the world of games. Of course, he could have thought, "This would be a really cool game mechanic" - which also works (The part of the story about the seaside is pure speculation on my part).
In Dominion, Vaccarino has literally filtered down the challenge and intrigue of deck construction, aspects commonly found in collectible card games like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic: The Gathering, and made a game unto itself. In most of these card games, commonly referred to as CCGs, deck construction is a balancing act of strategy, synergy, combinations and also actual costs. As with any economic model, limited supply and high demand will cause certain cards to rise in value.
Short of some form of alchemy that would change a Mahamoti Djinn to Jace two-point-oh (Magic reference, don't worry if you don't get it), the frustration with most of these CCGs is the arms race mentality that goes on. As new sets are released every few months, another chase for the- next-big-card begins and starts the cycle anew of finding and acquiring. The challenge among those who play is to accurately predict which cards among the cornucopia of choices will contribute to a winning deck strategy, which would then raise the market value of the card. Prosperity, whether as a collector or a player, is fleeting.
Dominion though, makes this challenge of acquisition part of the game itself. While it may still be a frustrating experience (foiled in getting that last Festival), its contained within the game environment, and doesn't linger when the game ends (or rather, it shouldn't). Different combination of kingdom cards (cards that allow you to take various actions during game play) may make one card good in one setting, but quite useless with other kingdom cards. Using only 10 of the 25 kinds of kingdom cards offered in the game, each session is almost guaranteed to be a new experience; unless you are able to play 3,268,760 times. With the multitude of variations the game can be configured to, increased even further as new expansions are released every now and again, the game certainly doesn't get old or too done.
Another aspect of Dominion that is surprising is the general appeal of the game. The appeal for CCG players is already evident. Game enthusiasts are intrigued by the game since it offers a unique mechanic and even a glimpse into collectible card games, without the large (financial) commitment associated to it. And even females (whether casual gamers or not) find a theme in the game that they can understand and get into... shopping.
What's amazing though, is not just the game Vaccarino has created, but the whole genre of gaming it has spawned. Before Dominion (i.e. before 2008), there was no such thing as 'Deck Construction'. In just a few years, the genre has exploded with many popular games, each with its own theme and unique twists. However, they all have similar mechanics, so if you get a chance to learn Dominion, you already know how most of these other games play.
A quick run through of some of the other 'Deck Construction' games (those that I've played at least):
A few that I haven't played yet:
A few other games coming down the line:
That's one of the more common questions we've heard since Steve and I started this WoodForSheep venture.
In today's world, where everyone is trying to stretch the value that they get for every dollar spent, our response is... "Why not boardgames?"
Like most forms of entertainment, boardgames are all about the experience. In particular, boardgames present a unique opportunity for a social, interactive experience since most games require at least 2 players (and some get better with more). Also, as the title suggests, its an affordable alternative to more common entertainment options.
Let's take a (biased) look, comparing boardgames to some of these alternatives based on the following factors, for a group of 4 people (be it a family spending time together or friends hanging out):
Activity | Price/Cost | Interaction Level | Replayability | Commitment |
Night at the movies | Approximately $40-$60 depending on time and day of week. A bit more if its 3D. A lot more if food is also purchased. | None at all during the movie, as that would annoy everyone around you and may get you kicked out of the theatre. | One time event, unless you're willing to pay for the experience all over again. | Time to travel to and from theatre, plus another 2-3 hours sitting in the movie, then maybe more time to go to the coffee place after to have a lively discussion on how good/bad the movie was. |
Activity | Price/Cost | Interaction Level | Replayability | Commitment |
DVD/BD at home | Depending on how recently it was released, $10-$35. This also assumes you already have all the necessary peripherals - TV, disc player, etc. | Similar to going to the theatre, you'll mainly be focused on the screen, though better leeway to make snide remarks. | Good value here since you can hit replay as long as you want to, though outside of a few films or TV shows, why? | Depends on how long the disc is... could be a few hours (for a movie) or a few days (for a TV series). |
Activity | Price/Cost | Interaction Level | Replayability | Commitment |
Video games | If its just the game, $30-$70. Gaming unit is upwards of $150. Extra controller(s) are $50/each. Assumes TV and such already available. Even moreso if each person has to have their own unit/game. To access multiplayer modes, some may require monthly subscriptions to the game network ($10/month). | Encourages much yelling and screaming - very exciting when you get to say "you just got pwned!". Then perhaps much vulgarity for those tasting the agony of defeat. | Depends on the game, but with the possibility of downloadable content, could be very re-playable... that is until the sequel comes out. | Variable. Depends on how glued you are to the game. |
Activity | Price/Cost | Interaction Level | Replayability | Commitment |
Boardgame(s) | Games can go from $15 to $80. Depends on complexity, length, etc. | A number of games require bluffing, negotiations, trading... You will (have to) talk to the people you are playing with. | Very. Modular boards, expansions (though yes, it will require more money), number of players all change the way each game plays out. | Most games do require table space to layout all the components, game times vary from 30 minutes to 90 minutes (or more) depending on the game being played. |
Movies are a bit high on the cost, and not much on the replay value. DVDs and Blu-Rays have some cost benefits, but lack in the interaction. Video games offer a higher level of interaction, but have high cost and the quality of interaction is suspect. Boardgames are comparable on the positive points and even excel in the aspect of interaction, that is unmatched by any of the other entertainment forms.
So, take a chance. Dive into the world of modern boardgames. At the very least, you have some time to kill until the next movie showing starts.
]]>While resetting the board and having another go again right away may be enticing, everyone probably would like to take a break and give the gray matter (the brain) some time to recuperate. But then no one wants to really leave the table and lose that gaming momentum (except to answer nature's call, and maybe get a drink). What to do? Well, you dig out from your gaming collection... a nice filler game.
A what?
Filler game.
What's that?
It's a game you play, in between games. More specifically, its a game you can quickly play in between sessions of longer games.
So, what makes a good filler game?
Some filler game recommendations:
Tsuro |
This is my favourite filler game (at the time of this writing). It takes 5 minutes to teach, and the first game will be done after 20 minutes. The pieces are big and solid, making it easy enough to pull from the box or to tidy up. A bit of spatial recognition may be required, but nothing requiring extraneous planning. |
Coloretto |
A game with straight objectives which requires simple focus, not the multi-tasking resource management of other games. |
Gosu |
Army building game that may take 10 minutes to explain all the nuances, and the first game may take a full 30 minutes. Subsequent games though are fast. Blink, and you could be holding the white flag of surrender. |
Bang! The Bullet |
Recall comment about mindless chaos. This is a 'mafia' type game set in the old west. Make sure you're friendly with your crowd or you could find yourself out of the game, before your first turn even starts. |
Lemming Mafia |
Its like a horse race, betting on which little lemming will reach the end of the pier first. But since the mob is involved, the race could be fixed... and you get to fix it. |
The next matter to determine is what to talk about. Rest assured, Steve and I will be sharing our 2 cents on games (ex. reviews), game trends (ex. comparisons), each other's personal life (probably more of Steve's since his is more interesting) and whatever else boardgame related that may come up (ex. industry news). I'll also share our some of our experiences that may come up in the industry or just business in general (in case it may prove helpful to somoene else starting their own business, preferable not in the same area); though it may just be general ramblings of a madman.
So, one of the first challenges was how to store our inventory, which meant looking for good shelving options. After trips to Canadian Tire, Home Depot and even Costco... and seeing the cost for new, good sturdy shelves that could hold chunky cardboard boxes (of variable weights) meant that we should look somewhere else for now. My better half (no, I'm not bi-polar) suggested that we should look for second hand ones to get us off the ground. So I was off to scour Kijiji, craiglist and redflagdeals to find something sufficient. After finding some potential possibilities, and inquiring (and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting), got some replies (yay!) and settled on some old industrial shelves a company was looking to sell, since they were moving to bigger and better places (Mississauga, really? :P).
Of course, the pickup had to be complicated, since convenient and easy weren't on the menu.
After making some quick calls, arranged to borrow a van. Couldn't work around my day job schedule, so zipped over during lunch for the pickup... hoping that with their help, we can get it all loaded in under 30 minutes, and still make it back to work on time. Once arriving, I can't say I was surprised to find out that... there was not much help available. Oh well... so off to lugging 10 metal brackets and 4 baseboards from the 6th floor to the loading dock where I parked. Thankfully, there was a service elevator (though i may have left a mark or two when moving in and out of it... sorry). As each of these brackets felt like carrying a 12 pound bowling ball, I realized one thing: I am SOOOOOOO out-of-shape. Not that it was going to get any better with holidays coming around the corner (and the obligatory eating that goes with it).
So, it took a little longer to load everything... which barely fit. Seems the van was only like 7 feet long, so had to be creative in angling the pieces right to make it all fit, without punching through any of the windows. Not too bad. Was only a bit later coming back, although way exhausted from all the unexpected carrying (and the aforementioned being-out-of-shape). Regardless, lesson learned and made a call to make sure to have help when unloading and installing back at WoodForSheep headquarters.
Not much happening on the final leg of this story. Got off work. Got back. Got help. Got it unloaded. And got it all up and done. I guess one interesting thing is that this was pretty much done on impulse and I didn't measure anything... like if the space where the storage shelf would go would fit 8 feet (both length and height). After trying out a few different positions and hoping not to cut any power or water lines, was able to fit it into a satisfactory place. Now, its installed... yet again, barely. Boxes unpacked (and urge to open games kept in check) and lo and behold... storage space! See pictures for your viewing interest. :)
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