Category: Board games

Posted on

Scheduling

This week I saw a good take on scheduling for D&D.

https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/543536/dnd-dungeons-dragons-scheduling-handbook-patch

The Scheduling page the author suggests you print out

After I shared it, someone else sent me this Hank Green video about combinatorics, which explains the issue really well.

Ultimately, I think that people have trouble with D&D scheduling in part because of two of the Geek Social Fallacies: #5, “Friends Do Everything Together” and #1,  “Ostracizers Are Evil.”

But you don’t have to do everything together. Like I talk about in Nuclear Event Planning, it is okay to prioritize “I want to host this event” over “I want these specific people there.” (It’s also okay to do the reverse, but then you have to accept the high likelihood that “hosting the event” won’t happen.)

Posted on

Board games: vibes vs mechanics

Yesterday, I went to a local board game store’s big yard sale event, and had some random conversations with people. After mistakenly trying to pick up one guy’s Mystic Vale because I thought it was still unclaimed (he was just resting his arms 😂 that box was big!), he pointed me to a game with similar mechanics, but a space theme instead of a fantasy theme.

I said “Thanks, I appreciate it, but I usually go for vibes over mechanics” and he nodded like he understood exactly what I meant.

Because here’s the thing: I do enjoy different types of game mechanics! Some more than others. In my board game group, I’m infamous for disliking trick takers, for example.

But the thing that makes me LOVE a game isn’t the mechanics. I enjoy Arcs, and will willingly play it with my friends, but I actively seek out Root games (when I have a spare full afternoon, which is, granted, not that often).

But sci fi games aren’t what fill my shelves. Cozy fantasy or nature theming is more my jam.

This feels similar to how my friend group somehow settled on only ever playing Century Golem, even though Century Spice Road is an identical game. There’s just something cooler about mining magical gemstones to power ancient guardians than there is about becoming a really good merchant. (Although I’ll always play a game or two of Jaipur!)

So. Vibes vs Mechanics. Which one are you?

Posted on

Shopping local: Gritty Goblin Games

One of the local game stores I like to wander around in, Gritty Goblin has an excellent selection of games, minis, and random accessories. The staff is always pleasant and helpful, despite seeming to consist solely of twenty year old young men, a demographic that has earned somewhat of a reputation for misogyny. Even at my age I still feel a little nervous in that context; so the friendliness is really reassuring.

https://www.grittygoblingames.com/

Posted on

Shopping local: Three Gear Games

I’ve been shopping and gaming at Three Gear Games and their predecessor store (The Family Game Store) since I moved to Maryland. The owners are friendly, and I love being able to host board game days in the store when I don’t have the spoons to do it in my house. Plus their stock is awesome; not just games, but stuffies and various accessories too.

https://www.3gearstudios.com

Posted on

Written Reviews

Is There a Future for Written Reviews?

My response to the above post follows.

I’m a fan of written reviews personally, in part because I am hard of hearing (and don’t process audio data well), and in part because they are just easier to absorb. Like other commenters said, with a written review you can scan the page to find something you’re looking for (using visual clues to aid in your scanning). It’s impossible to do that with audio or video unless those mediums are exhaustively annotated with – you guessed it – writing.

I do enjoy video things from time to time; I love Playing Around Games on TikTok, for example. (double check that name? did i remember it right?) But even a personable and pleasant video host like that still falls prey to the fact that I can only really pay attention, and absorb the audio, if I am in the right headspace to sit down and really exercise my brain towards listening to people talk. (And even then I prefer videos with captions!)

Video, as a medium, really shines when it comes to things like tutorials for playing a game. My gaming group will often watch a how-to video together before we play, just to see all the pieces and how they move/fit together/whatever. But if I’m reading a review/hearing someone talk *about* the game? Written, with optional photos of the game board, please.

Thank you for reading this far!

Posted on

Flamecraft is an utter delight

I backed this board game on Kickstarter purely on the basis of the little bread dragon making creme brulee, but I’m so glad I did. (I just wish I’d gotten the pink fancy dragon, too!)

If you’d ever like to come play it with me, and I know you IRL, just say the word. My child doesn’t often have the attention span to play a full game of it.

Flamecraft on Board Game Geek (buy it at your friendly local game store!)