I will be offline until Saturday night Israeli time for Rosh Hashana.
So please have a meaningful hag, if you celebrate it. Here's this year's task: find a loved one, ask what he or she would really like to accomplish by the end of this year, and help him or her to do it.
Peace, baby,
Yehuda
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Sunday, September 05, 2010
First Look at Indonesia
My good friends Bill and Shirley have returned to Israel for a few months, and they brought with them four things I asked them to bring to me from the US: the board game Indonesia, a box of random Magic card commons, an ICv2 magazine, and a cookie.
Indonesia is a well-regarded but expensive game. I bought it using a coupon code for Boards and Bits that I had received as a birthday present from a friend (thanks Abraham), combined with a (comparatively) low price for the game and free shipping offer from B&B.
Indonesia is a Splotter game. Splotter is a Netherlands game company that makes wildly imaginative, fantastic looking, fascinating games. Their games often feature revolutionary mechanics that are adapted and popularized by other companies for other games (which become more popular and successful). In the two other Splotter games that I've played, the games had a few mechanics that disn't work, or had a long playing time and a lot of bits, or had very non-intuitive game play. Indonesia is their second highest ranked game on BGG, and the highest rated one I have tried, so I have high hopes.
I experienced some initial buyer's remorse when I suddenly realized that I had bought a game that takes 3-4 hours to play. My game group doesn't do well with longer games. We never even managed to finish a game of Die Macher. What had I done? Could we ever finish a game of Indonesia?
Indonesia is a route building, pickup and delivery, and company acquisition game, combining aspects of Acquire and train games such as the 18xx series. We opened the game up to play a few sample turns, so that we would be ready for a complete game. I sat in for a few rounds (after which I had to leave) while the others played another round or two.
The rule book is a freaking mess, running on for dozens of pages of small print where a few pages of tighter language, ordered correctly, would have been much appreciated. The components are pretty enough, but I have yet to figure out how the boat colors and shapes make any sense. The map spaces aren't big enough for the items that need to go into them. None of this is enough of a problem to ruin the game (I'm looking at you, Railroad Tycoon).
As the rounds progressed, we began to make sense of the rules, and they were not all that complicated. It looks like a fine game. I don't know how long it will actually take.
Many times, longer popular games get reprinted in new editions that streamline their game play, making them more family oriented. E.g. Age of Steam to Stream, Lowenhertz to Domaine, etc. The first thing cut is the auction for turn order, which takes up a fair amount of time. There's added value having this auction, and losing it certainly removes a strategic element from the game; however, it is not really necessary. Removing that strategic element lets you focus on the other elements. That will probably be the first thing to go, if I want the game to be playable in my group. Some monetary adjustment may have to be worked in to accommodate that.
Otherwise, looking forward to trying a complete game.
As for the Magic cards, I was happy with the cards I got, mostly. I was promised, and received, no more than 4 of each card. But I would have been happier with no more than 2 of each card, or even 1 of each card. I like playing with new cards and their variety; I don't need them to build decks. So really, I only received about 350 new cards for my $20, which is still a decent deal.
As for the ICv2 magazine, I thought it would have a lot more, but it was just one or two dispensable articles and their industry top 10 tables that they eventually post online, anyway. Simple top ten tables without any further info (the rest of the games, how much the sales were, the sites reporting) is not much use.
As for the cookie, yum.
Indonesia is a well-regarded but expensive game. I bought it using a coupon code for Boards and Bits that I had received as a birthday present from a friend (thanks Abraham), combined with a (comparatively) low price for the game and free shipping offer from B&B.
Indonesia is a Splotter game. Splotter is a Netherlands game company that makes wildly imaginative, fantastic looking, fascinating games. Their games often feature revolutionary mechanics that are adapted and popularized by other companies for other games (which become more popular and successful). In the two other Splotter games that I've played, the games had a few mechanics that disn't work, or had a long playing time and a lot of bits, or had very non-intuitive game play. Indonesia is their second highest ranked game on BGG, and the highest rated one I have tried, so I have high hopes.
I experienced some initial buyer's remorse when I suddenly realized that I had bought a game that takes 3-4 hours to play. My game group doesn't do well with longer games. We never even managed to finish a game of Die Macher. What had I done? Could we ever finish a game of Indonesia?
Indonesia is a route building, pickup and delivery, and company acquisition game, combining aspects of Acquire and train games such as the 18xx series. We opened the game up to play a few sample turns, so that we would be ready for a complete game. I sat in for a few rounds (after which I had to leave) while the others played another round or two.
The rule book is a freaking mess, running on for dozens of pages of small print where a few pages of tighter language, ordered correctly, would have been much appreciated. The components are pretty enough, but I have yet to figure out how the boat colors and shapes make any sense. The map spaces aren't big enough for the items that need to go into them. None of this is enough of a problem to ruin the game (I'm looking at you, Railroad Tycoon).
As the rounds progressed, we began to make sense of the rules, and they were not all that complicated. It looks like a fine game. I don't know how long it will actually take.
Many times, longer popular games get reprinted in new editions that streamline their game play, making them more family oriented. E.g. Age of Steam to Stream, Lowenhertz to Domaine, etc. The first thing cut is the auction for turn order, which takes up a fair amount of time. There's added value having this auction, and losing it certainly removes a strategic element from the game; however, it is not really necessary. Removing that strategic element lets you focus on the other elements. That will probably be the first thing to go, if I want the game to be playable in my group. Some monetary adjustment may have to be worked in to accommodate that.
Otherwise, looking forward to trying a complete game.
As for the Magic cards, I was happy with the cards I got, mostly. I was promised, and received, no more than 4 of each card. But I would have been happier with no more than 2 of each card, or even 1 of each card. I like playing with new cards and their variety; I don't need them to build decks. So really, I only received about 350 new cards for my $20, which is still a decent deal.
As for the ICv2 magazine, I thought it would have a lot more, but it was just one or two dispensable articles and their industry top 10 tables that they eventually post online, anyway. Simple top ten tables without any further info (the rest of the games, how much the sales were, the sites reporting) is not much use.
As for the cookie, yum.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Session Report, in which Gili and I play some two-player games
The latest Jerusalem Strategy Gaming Club session report is up. Games played: Mr Jack x 2, Netrunner.
Attendance will hopefully pick up again next week. My Netrunner cards are for trade or sale (listed on my BGG profile).
I played Scrabble with Rachel over the weekend and won by 100 points (JEEZ on a triple-word helped).
Attendance will hopefully pick up again next week. My Netrunner cards are for trade or sale (listed on my BGG profile).
I played Scrabble with Rachel over the weekend and won by 100 points (JEEZ on a triple-word helped).
Monday, August 30, 2010
My Little Vacation in the Galil
Rachel organized a small vacation for us in the Galil this weekend. We stayed at the tzimmer (B&B) Ohr Hashachar in Moshav Goren, which is in the Western Galil very close to the Lebanon border. This place costs a bit more than your typical SPNI field school, but it comes with wine and cookies, a jacuzzi for two, free cable TV, privacy, and quiet.
What it did not come with is breakfast or any other meal. We brought our own food for the weekend.
Salient events:
Stopped at Caesarea beach on the way up. I already knew, but let me tell you so that you know: the beach at 12:30 pm on a hot August day in Israel is no fun for sane people. While Rachel frolicked, I found an umbrella at a nearby wedding hall and sat there until security kicked me out.
I needed a minyan to say kaddish, and there is one at Goren. It is Sepharadic, however, which means a siddur with the prayers ordered very differently than how I am used to, as well as continuous chanting in an accented slur, so that I couldn't figure out what prayer they were saying, anyway. Somehow I managed to say kaddish at about the right times, but my kaddish is missing a number of words and phrases that their kaddish has, so I had to keep readjusting my timing to match the other kaddish-sayers. I was tenth man for the minyan on Sunday morning.
Saturday we walked around the forested Park Goren, with a view of Montfort Castle. The experience was occasionally interrupted by people riding dune buggies (they make the engines loud on those things on purpose), but otherwise pleasant. And all while managing to stay within 2000 amot of Goren.
Sunday we visited Kibbutz Hanita, which was Rachel's first home in Israel 24 years ago. She learned Hebrew there for six months and then moved to Jerusalem, and she hadn't been back since she left it. Hanita is right on the border with Lebanon. Hanita, like many other kibbutzim is on the verge of losing its identity as a kibbutz: members now own their own homes and cars, and pretty soon they'll simply be stockholders in the kibbutz industries (contact lenses and plastic coatings, as well as some agriculture).
Hanita's main interest to outsiders is its tower and stockade museum. It holds stories and artifacts about the founding of Hanita and other kibbutzim like it, as well as movies with astoundingly well-preserved video from the time (pre-state). Most impressive is a) how egalitarian we Israelis are and were, with women and men pitching in to do the hard labor, b) how much work so many people put in to the founding of this country, while today we (well, at least me) are a bunch of whiners, and c) how violent and unaccepting the Arabs were then and still are today about this new country that formed in their midst - all the land upon which Hanita was founded was legally purchased, but that didn't seem to matter.
Oops. Forgot to warn you about politics.
What it did not come with is breakfast or any other meal. We brought our own food for the weekend.
Salient events:
Stopped at Caesarea beach on the way up. I already knew, but let me tell you so that you know: the beach at 12:30 pm on a hot August day in Israel is no fun for sane people. While Rachel frolicked, I found an umbrella at a nearby wedding hall and sat there until security kicked me out.
I needed a minyan to say kaddish, and there is one at Goren. It is Sepharadic, however, which means a siddur with the prayers ordered very differently than how I am used to, as well as continuous chanting in an accented slur, so that I couldn't figure out what prayer they were saying, anyway. Somehow I managed to say kaddish at about the right times, but my kaddish is missing a number of words and phrases that their kaddish has, so I had to keep readjusting my timing to match the other kaddish-sayers. I was tenth man for the minyan on Sunday morning.
Saturday we walked around the forested Park Goren, with a view of Montfort Castle. The experience was occasionally interrupted by people riding dune buggies (they make the engines loud on those things on purpose), but otherwise pleasant. And all while managing to stay within 2000 amot of Goren.
Sunday we visited Kibbutz Hanita, which was Rachel's first home in Israel 24 years ago. She learned Hebrew there for six months and then moved to Jerusalem, and she hadn't been back since she left it. Hanita is right on the border with Lebanon. Hanita, like many other kibbutzim is on the verge of losing its identity as a kibbutz: members now own their own homes and cars, and pretty soon they'll simply be stockholders in the kibbutz industries (contact lenses and plastic coatings, as well as some agriculture).
Hanita's main interest to outsiders is its tower and stockade museum. It holds stories and artifacts about the founding of Hanita and other kibbutzim like it, as well as movies with astoundingly well-preserved video from the time (pre-state). Most impressive is a) how egalitarian we Israelis are and were, with women and men pitching in to do the hard labor, b) how much work so many people put in to the founding of this country, while today we (well, at least me) are a bunch of whiners, and c) how violent and unaccepting the Arabs were then and still are today about this new country that formed in their midst - all the land upon which Hanita was founded was legally purchased, but that didn't seem to matter.
Oops. Forgot to warn you about politics.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Poetry and the Road
We just hosted our initial "Word of the Week", a weekday evening meeting over poetry and wine, something I would like to do regularly far into the future. This week's word of the week was "transition", and all the poems had to be about the word. I read from an Emerson essay (paragraph 29). Next week's word (actually, it will be in a month from now) is "temptation".
Rachel and I will be away for the weekend, only to be heard from again Sunday afternoon when I drop by my work to clarify a few issues; we'll be passing by the office as we return, anyway.
Shabbat Shalom.
Yehuda
Rachel and I will be away for the weekend, only to be heard from again Sunday afternoon when I drop by my work to clarify a few issues; we'll be passing by the office as we return, anyway.
Shabbat Shalom.
Yehuda
Session Report, in which I somehow lose Dominion twice
The latest Jerusalem Strategy Gaming Club session report is up. Games played: Dominion/Intrigue/Seaside, Antike.
Earlier in the week, Rachel and I played Scrabble. She started off ahead, but I caught up and beat her some 340 to 310.
Earlier in the week, Rachel and I played Scrabble. She started off ahead, but I caught up and beat her some 340 to 310.
Board Game Blog World Roundup
New blogs, etc since my last posting ...
Board Game Dialog - Michael Schroeder, Niagara Falls, NY. Board game reviews and other posts.
Fun Board Games - Gary Sonnenberg, Waukesha, WI. Intro to board games posts. He also blogs at Googols of Games.
G*M*S Magazine - Paco Jean, Peacehaven, UK. Various articles about gaming, actively seeking other writers.
GameSalute - A number of people, including Dan Yarrington of Myriad Games. There is no information about them on the site, so I can't tell you more. They do video interviews and other news items. They also want to be an online destination, referral service, and networking hub for customers of brick-and-mortar game stores.
Games Champ - John Rowlinson, Manor Park, UK. A look at mostly mainstream board games.
GamingRetailer - Mark Cracco, South Bend, IN. A podcast about and for game retailers.
Giant Fire Breathing Robot - Andrew, Dylan, and co, San Francisco, CA. Games, podacst, and other geek stuff. Originally Tabletop Quality.
Guilt Free Games - Josh, David, JM, Jeff, Junelle, originally from NH. Board gaming.
Meepletown - Christian Wilson, Alabama. Board gaming.
Musings, Ramblings, and Things Left Unsaid - Alfred. Actually, I dropped this blog a few years ago when it went dormant, but it has picked up again. You have to ask for an invite to see it, however.
Nerdaphernalia - Matt Sall, San Antonio, TX. Board gaming.
The Games of Rob Bartel - Rob Bartel, Edmonton, Canada. Blog and board game design discussion.
Wizard of Odds - Posts about calculating odds in games, mostly for poker.
Board Game Dialog - Michael Schroeder, Niagara Falls, NY. Board game reviews and other posts.
Fun Board Games - Gary Sonnenberg, Waukesha, WI. Intro to board games posts. He also blogs at Googols of Games.
G*M*S Magazine - Paco Jean, Peacehaven, UK. Various articles about gaming, actively seeking other writers.
GameSalute - A number of people, including Dan Yarrington of Myriad Games. There is no information about them on the site, so I can't tell you more. They do video interviews and other news items. They also want to be an online destination, referral service, and networking hub for customers of brick-and-mortar game stores.
Games Champ - John Rowlinson, Manor Park, UK. A look at mostly mainstream board games.
GamingRetailer - Mark Cracco, South Bend, IN. A podcast about and for game retailers.
Giant Fire Breathing Robot - Andrew, Dylan, and co, San Francisco, CA. Games, podacst, and other geek stuff. Originally Tabletop Quality.
Guilt Free Games - Josh, David, JM, Jeff, Junelle, originally from NH. Board gaming.
Meepletown - Christian Wilson, Alabama. Board gaming.
Musings, Ramblings, and Things Left Unsaid - Alfred. Actually, I dropped this blog a few years ago when it went dormant, but it has picked up again. You have to ask for an invite to see it, however.
Nerdaphernalia - Matt Sall, San Antonio, TX. Board gaming.
The Games of Rob Bartel - Rob Bartel, Edmonton, Canada. Blog and board game design discussion.
Wizard of Odds - Posts about calculating odds in games, mostly for poker.
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