Tom’s Comments (group member since Nov 06, 2012)

Tom’s comments from the BoardGameGeek group.

Eric wrote: "I happen to know that December 4 is a particularly good day to have a birthday...
"

By the way, happy birthday!

Thanks! I'm shooting for December 25th so I can always have an excuse to not travel to see relatives.

"Can't come this year, baby's much too new."

"Can't come this year, the baby's celebrating her first birthday."

"Can't come this year, you're used to me not coming now."

But it looks like it might be the 15th. Still, should be close enough...

Hi all,

My wife and I are going to BGG Con for the first time this year (and maybe the last for a while, Molly is expecting our first baby in December).

Any of you going too? I'd love to meet you in person, maybe squeeze in a game.

Best,
Tom

I tend to categorize my games between "experience" games and "puzzle" games. Not all games fit, but it works.

For example, I find that I hardly remember any single instance of Ticket to Ride. There are a few times I specifically remember, but I usually just remember having fun. It was a good time puzzling out my way to victory or defeat.

However, I remember nearly every instance that I've played Battlestar Galactica. I remember people revealing as Cylons when I had trusted them, and I remember feeling vindicated when I brigged someone and they turned out to be a Cylon. I remember being a Cylon sleeper agent and brigging the President.

Both games were fun, but one of them I still talk about and have several stories about.

To me, it's the difference between an "experience" game or otherwise.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any classifications other than filler, Ameritrash, Euro, etc?

I have a friend who loves games with a story-telling aspect. When we play Mansions of Madness, he likes us to make thematic statements as we reveal our cards or choose actions.

If the game has even a slight bit of campaign mode, he's in. The progression from level to level is enough story for him, even if it's a loose story. Legends of Drizzt and Castle Ravenloft games hit this spot for him.

What about y'all? Do you prefer games with a story-telling aspect? Or do you dislike them? Does a story help your experience, or could you just as easily ignore it?

Eric wrote: "there tended to be fewer stallouts in new games if I was the one who read the rules"

To this day, my friends will find me at a convention to ask for a ruling on Battlestar Galactica. I totally hear you about lessening the stallouts.

I used to love reading rule books, but for some reason, it's kind of a pain now.

What about y'all? Do you, or did you, like reading the rules to games?

If so, are you the go-to "rules person" of the group? Does it affect your gaming at all?

I played 2-player Nightfall on the iPad today, and the pass-and-play was kind of annoying. We couldn't both see wounds getting assigned, or one of us would be looking at the other person's hand.

Smallworld for the iPad, however, was awesome. It's an open-information style game, so we could watch the game develop the entire time.

What are your favorite digital board games? Least favorite?

(By the way, I caused 42 points of damage in that Nightfall game earlier. I was pretty proud of that achievement.)

Caroline wrote: "It's called Project O.L.I.V.E. and we are releasing it in October of this year. We are aiming to have it available for Virtuacon 14."

Very exciting. Best of luck!

Caroline wrote: "Tom wrote: "What do you write?"

I also work on longer fantasy/sci-fi stories, in hopes that one day I will finish them and release them into the world as novels."

Be sure to post here when you do publish, it'll be cool to read them.

Caroline wrote: "Lately I have been writing quite a bit for an RPG I am creating with friends on RPGG (the RPG side of BGG)."

Sounds super-cool. When do expect to release it?

John wrote: "Board games, computer programming, studying languages."

Now I've got to ask a non-writing question: Have you mastered any languages besides your native language?

T.S. S. wrote: "Board games, reading/writing, & music (playing in an orchestra)."

What do you write?

Caroline wrote: "Making/playing games, reading/writing, making jewelry."

What do you write?

M.A. wrote: "Aside from reading and board games, I also love writing and video games."

What do you write?

I'll see if our friend wants to break out HoO and give it a try.

Is Cyclades based on Greek myth? Another friend owns it and talked about Pegasus and other mythological monsters. He really liked it, but his wife hated the cutthroat aspect.

Eric wrote: "Greek mythology. Love it. Not a lot of good games with that theme though."

Is Heavens of Olympus any good? Someone donated it to my wife's convention last year, and a friend got it. We haven't played it, though.

I say genre to relate to books, but I mean theme.

I go back and forth between super-hero themed games, and fantasy based games.

Of course, if you're into Euros more than thematic games, your answer will be wildly different. Maybe agricultural themed games?

Hi all,

I'm hosting a board game give-away. Here's the link to my blog for anyone interested: Sign up here

And, to keep this in the spirit of discussion, what's your favorite board game based on a book?

Or favorite book based on a board game?

My favorite game-based-on-book is the Lord of the Rings LCG. Both my wife and I really enjoy it, and I've gotten several friends into it. It's super-difficult, which makes winning all the more rewarding. It's one of my favorite co-ops.

Which is funny, because I didn't enjoy the actual book of Lord of the Rings so much. My wife and I are re-reading it though, so we'll see how I feel after this go-around.

Mine are playing board games, reading sci-fi/fantasy, and playing Ultimate.

I suspect a lot of us will say board games and reading, so I asked for three.

Clay wrote: "Lord of the Rings."

LotR was hard for me to get through back in high school, but I finished the trilogy and The Hobbit. I'm re-reading Fellowship of the Ring with my wife, seeing if my experience changes as an adult.

Caroline wrote: "Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. An epic fantasy with a unique magic system and a unique magical illness that has cursed the land."

I've been a fan of Sanderson since I read Mistborn. The hard magic systems really speak to me.