The latest JSGC session report is up here. Games played: Reef Encounter, Santiago, Taj Mahal, The Menorah Game, Go x 2, Dvonn, Bridge.
Sunriver Games gets mentioned in the mainstream press.
And, oh. My Google check arrived. I'm rich, I'm rich. $10.51. I think I'll retire.
Yehuda
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Pattern Recognition Come to Life
Life imitates Art: I mentioned recently William Gibson's novel "Pattern Recognition". The main plotline in that novel was a series of video clips that was being anonymously released to the Internet. The latest brouhaha about LonelyGirl appears to have roughly followed that formula.
More attacks on video games, rather than parenting: Crave writes about the "death of childhood" as a result of video games, along with other popular culture. In Praise of Folly responds. My recommendation is a book called "Disappearance of Childhood" by Neil Postman, which tackled this issue a while ago. In my opinion, while some aspects of childhood (protection from sexual knowledge) are desirable, I would be happy to throw most of them (condescension, babying) out.
Nazi propaganda board game: Here is Stukas Attack, allowing you to bomb Britain and return, avoiding enemy searchlights and flak.
Yehuda
More attacks on video games, rather than parenting: Crave writes about the "death of childhood" as a result of video games, along with other popular culture. In Praise of Folly responds. My recommendation is a book called "Disappearance of Childhood" by Neil Postman, which tackled this issue a while ago. In my opinion, while some aspects of childhood (protection from sexual knowledge) are desirable, I would be happy to throw most of them (condescension, babying) out.
Nazi propaganda board game: Here is Stukas Attack, allowing you to bomb Britain and return, avoiding enemy searchlights and flak.
Yehuda
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Israeli Gaming at the ECGI / Chess News
Educational Center for Games in Israel
Also ...
Last week Rishon LeTzion hosted the World Chess Blitz Championship. Prizes totaled almost $100,000. Here is one story from the tournament.
More on the Brutal Yet Glamorous World of Chess
Speaking of Chess, apparently Briton grandmaster Danny Gormally punched out Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian. The cause of the fight? Levon was dancing with beautiful chess professional Arianne Caoili, and Danny wanted her. The kicker? She ended up leaving the dance with German grandmaster Arkady Naiditsch.
All's well that end's well. She's now a dancing celebrity in the latest season of "Dancing with the Stars".
Bet you weren't expecting that story when you woke up this morning, huh?
Yehuda
13.09.06
Wednesday
16.00
First meeting of groups to learn Go, Chess and other strategic games.
13.09.06
Wednesday
20.00
Social meeting for new volunteers.
12.10.06
Thursday
19.00
Scrabble Club
08.-09.-10.10.06
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of the Succoth holiday
Family Play Events
23.10.06
Monday
09.30
PlayStudyGroup
Please register for participation in these ongoing meetings
Play4Elderly
Ongoing Projects
"STRATEGIC GAMES are the latest hit with all age groups. (Don't let the children know that it is good for all round brain development.)
Following the successful summer course held in our centre based on the game of GO we are continuing with a chug led by Eitan Aharoni on Wednesdays. There will also be a chug for CHESS. Other strategic games are included.. Parents and/or grandparents and/or caregivers are invited to stay whilst their charges are learning. (Light refreshments will be available.) There will be opportunity for the adults to learn the games to ensure continuation of play in the family circle."
Location: HATABOR 32, TEL AVIV
Telephone: 0544 717 314
Also ...
Last week Rishon LeTzion hosted the World Chess Blitz Championship. Prizes totaled almost $100,000. Here is one story from the tournament.
More on the Brutal Yet Glamorous World of Chess
Speaking of Chess, apparently Briton grandmaster Danny Gormally punched out Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian. The cause of the fight? Levon was dancing with beautiful chess professional Arianne Caoili, and Danny wanted her. The kicker? She ended up leaving the dance with German grandmaster Arkady Naiditsch.
All's well that end's well. She's now a dancing celebrity in the latest season of "Dancing with the Stars".
Bet you weren't expecting that story when you woke up this morning, huh?
Yehuda
The Break
I decided to get a tutor for my daughter in math, rather than constantly engage in nightly attempts to tutor her myself. It's not that she's bad at math, or that I'm bad at teaching; it's just something in the dynamic.
To compensate, I continue to give her attention by playing a weekly game with her. This week it was Cities and Knights of Catan.
She's new to the game, so it wasn't hard for me to jump ahead, despite my being concentrated in one area and her having the rest of the board. We had no sheep, so we both lost our initial cities. I then built up to Aqueduct, green metropolis, a triangular city state, and from there I won by building Longest Road, Merchant, and a settlement in one go.
Cities and Knights is one of those games that I "played out". You get the game, you play it to death, you put it aside. And then, after a break, you bring it back out for one session to play casually. As you rotate it back into non-obsessive casual play, you being to appreciate it again, especially if you play it with new players.
This has happened to me with several games; I imagine that it has happened to most of you as well.
The Real Truth, A Christian magazine, weighs in on video games, and the results are not pretty.
Meanwhile, the University of Richmond is teaching classes in poker.
The world is going to Hell in a hand basket.
Yehuda
To compensate, I continue to give her attention by playing a weekly game with her. This week it was Cities and Knights of Catan.
She's new to the game, so it wasn't hard for me to jump ahead, despite my being concentrated in one area and her having the rest of the board. We had no sheep, so we both lost our initial cities. I then built up to Aqueduct, green metropolis, a triangular city state, and from there I won by building Longest Road, Merchant, and a settlement in one go.
Cities and Knights is one of those games that I "played out". You get the game, you play it to death, you put it aside. And then, after a break, you bring it back out for one session to play casually. As you rotate it back into non-obsessive casual play, you being to appreciate it again, especially if you play it with new players.
This has happened to me with several games; I imagine that it has happened to most of you as well.
The Real Truth, A Christian magazine, weighs in on video games, and the results are not pretty.
Meanwhile, the University of Richmond is teaching classes in poker.
The world is going to Hell in a hand basket.
Yehuda
Monday, September 11, 2006
Three by Emily
-1-
I play a finely fashioned game,
From fanciful designer;
Not all the meeples, mats, or pawns
Could make a game that's finer!
A player of the water I,
And partner to the sun,
With no opponent challenging
My happy position.
When gives the robber stolen lumber
Back, and also grain,
When sevens roll thrice more than threes,
I shall but play again!
Till hunters stalk for skittish deer,
And gatherers reap gold,
I'll wander over shell and slate
Until I have grown old!
-2-
Because I could not wait for him,
I went to make some tea;
The game was just between ourselves
And all eternity.
He slowly thought, he knew no haste,
So I did put away
The dishes, and my kids to bed
For he had thought all day.
At ten o'clock, I read the news:
It said it rained in Greece.
Eleven o'clock then passed, then twelve,
So I read War and Peace.
The next day, he was thinking still;
Of what, I cannot tell,
I swept the floors and washed them, too
And dusted him, as well.
He suddenly reached out his hand
And almost moved a pawn;
But then he scratched his beard, and stilled,
And stayed that way 'til dawn.
When finally he moved, I nearly
Had a heart attack;
For as I reached, he said to me,
"Can I please take that back?"
-3-
I'm losing! How about you?
Are you losing, too?
Then there's a pair of us--again!
We always lose, we do.
How dreary to be winning!
How public; it's much sweeter
To say you're losing voluably,
And gang up on the leader!
I play a finely fashioned game,
From fanciful designer;
Not all the meeples, mats, or pawns
Could make a game that's finer!
A player of the water I,
And partner to the sun,
With no opponent challenging
My happy position.
When gives the robber stolen lumber
Back, and also grain,
When sevens roll thrice more than threes,
I shall but play again!
Till hunters stalk for skittish deer,
And gatherers reap gold,
I'll wander over shell and slate
Until I have grown old!
-2-
Because I could not wait for him,
I went to make some tea;
The game was just between ourselves
And all eternity.
He slowly thought, he knew no haste,
So I did put away
The dishes, and my kids to bed
For he had thought all day.
At ten o'clock, I read the news:
It said it rained in Greece.
Eleven o'clock then passed, then twelve,
So I read War and Peace.
The next day, he was thinking still;
Of what, I cannot tell,
I swept the floors and washed them, too
And dusted him, as well.
He suddenly reached out his hand
And almost moved a pawn;
But then he scratched his beard, and stilled,
And stayed that way 'til dawn.
When finally he moved, I nearly
Had a heart attack;
For as I reached, he said to me,
"Can I please take that back?"
-3-
I'm losing! How about you?
Are you losing, too?
Then there's a pair of us--again!
We always lose, we do.
How dreary to be winning!
How public; it's much sweeter
To say you're losing voluably,
And gang up on the leader!
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Civilization: the Card Game
Everyone talks about "Civilization Light", but nobody really knows what they want. Here comes Soren Johnson (also here) to give us Civilization: the Card game. 250 cards and rules based on Civ IV.
Not interesting enough, you say? How about a new board game out of Lebanon?
Designed by Jawdat Kazoun, the game was created by Reem Askalan, a Lebanese woman studying in MIT. The game was set to be released in Beirut the day before the war broke out. It is essentially a trivial pursuit game, but a seventh category includes open ended questions that allow the player to speak his or her mind, such as, "When does freedom fighting end and terrorism begin?" or "Is history true?"
The game is called Explorers and can be purchased over the web.
And now to demonstrate the difference between quality and not-quality, here is not-quality, and here is quality 1 2 3. (especially part 2)
Yehuda
Not interesting enough, you say? How about a new board game out of Lebanon?Designed by Jawdat Kazoun, the game was created by Reem Askalan, a Lebanese woman studying in MIT. The game was set to be released in Beirut the day before the war broke out. It is essentially a trivial pursuit game, but a seventh category includes open ended questions that allow the player to speak his or her mind, such as, "When does freedom fighting end and terrorism begin?" or "Is history true?"
The game is called Explorers and can be purchased over the web.
And now to demonstrate the difference between quality and not-quality, here is not-quality, and here is quality 1 2 3. (especially part 2)
Yehuda
Thoughts on Quality 4
Back to the original question: I created a game (a story, a piece of art). Few other people like it. Does that mean that it lacks quality?
After all, I have reworked the material, occasionally pruning when necessary. I have sent it out to the world to get it challenged. The lack of enthusiasm must mean something, right?
Well, yes, not really, and no.
Something not accepted by the public it was made for is a poor quality something for that public. So yes. But as far as having quality and value, what matters is that the public that gives the feedback is the public to which the something is directed.
Even then, that public can decide that they don't like it, even if it has "quality". For instance, a quality story about a plane hijacking might be poorly received right after a real-world hijacking. That doesn't make the story low quality, only the reading experience at that time.
A quality something is one that "at least at some time" could be received well by the intended audience.
But wait. What if the audience is myself? Perhaps it only has quality if I have quality taste. If my taste is white sugar, processed cheese, and pratfalls, maybe the fact that I like my own creation doesn't indicate any value in the creation. Similarly, maybe my wider audience is also devoid of taste. In which case, who is to judge?
I suppose that, within the public you are aiming for, you need to have the creation evaluated by other successful creators. If they judge it to have quality, it probably does. If they don't, it may still have quality for a different audience, or may have to overcome some sort of group think against its style. More likely, it doesn't have quality.
Note: if the public is simply yourself, then the judgment of whether something you created has quality depends solely on yourself, and can only be evaluated by comparing it to other items you have previously created. To be sure that your evaluation is good, you should be widely knowledgeable about the field in which you are working. If you create a movie to please yourself, and you've never seen any other movies, you may please yourself; but you should really know more about movies before you do this, as you will better be able to please yourself with a richer creation. And then you can ignore any naysayers; after all, the movie wasn't made for them.
There is a bootstrap problem, of course, because how did anyone decide that the items that the judges created had quality? Somewhere along the line, you have to get more serious about worth. I don't know if I'm going to get any further into that on this blog. I may start trolling Kierkegaard, Kant, and so on. Or not.
Yehuda
After all, I have reworked the material, occasionally pruning when necessary. I have sent it out to the world to get it challenged. The lack of enthusiasm must mean something, right?
Well, yes, not really, and no.
Something not accepted by the public it was made for is a poor quality something for that public. So yes. But as far as having quality and value, what matters is that the public that gives the feedback is the public to which the something is directed.
Even then, that public can decide that they don't like it, even if it has "quality". For instance, a quality story about a plane hijacking might be poorly received right after a real-world hijacking. That doesn't make the story low quality, only the reading experience at that time.
A quality something is one that "at least at some time" could be received well by the intended audience.
But wait. What if the audience is myself? Perhaps it only has quality if I have quality taste. If my taste is white sugar, processed cheese, and pratfalls, maybe the fact that I like my own creation doesn't indicate any value in the creation. Similarly, maybe my wider audience is also devoid of taste. In which case, who is to judge?
I suppose that, within the public you are aiming for, you need to have the creation evaluated by other successful creators. If they judge it to have quality, it probably does. If they don't, it may still have quality for a different audience, or may have to overcome some sort of group think against its style. More likely, it doesn't have quality.
Note: if the public is simply yourself, then the judgment of whether something you created has quality depends solely on yourself, and can only be evaluated by comparing it to other items you have previously created. To be sure that your evaluation is good, you should be widely knowledgeable about the field in which you are working. If you create a movie to please yourself, and you've never seen any other movies, you may please yourself; but you should really know more about movies before you do this, as you will better be able to please yourself with a richer creation. And then you can ignore any naysayers; after all, the movie wasn't made for them.
There is a bootstrap problem, of course, because how did anyone decide that the items that the judges created had quality? Somewhere along the line, you have to get more serious about worth. I don't know if I'm going to get any further into that on this blog. I may start trolling Kierkegaard, Kant, and so on. Or not.
Yehuda
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