18 posts tagged “games”
The onslaught of nerdery you are about to sustain may be unbearable.
Remember when Andy created the beautiful Ewok Gospel?
Well, apparently, some people challenged his nerdery. He answered.
I relented.
Hoo boy. Get ready.
1. I watch Night Court reruns. They're on TV Land every weekday morning, and I DVR them and watch them. I watch them for almost entirely nostalgic reasons, but I will say that I found them to be about 75% cheesy, and about 25% genuinely funny. I legitimately find parts of them funny. I think this may be a sign of some deficit in my sense of humor, but further research is required.
2. We have started shooting season two of Mad Men. This makes me happy. The scripts have been amazing, and it's been wonderful being back at work with so many people I respect and adore. Also, at work the other day, Bryan schooled Aaron and me at No Thanks!. I exacted my revenge via a rousing game of Loco!. I will make game nerds of them all. And maybe we will play games whose names don't end in exclamation points.
3. Bea has started giggling once in a while. Yesterday, I was chatting with The Lovely Virginia and holding Bea in my left arm. My right hand was holding a pen, clicking it. Out of nowhere, Bea started giggling at the pen. It. Was. Awesome. That kid is funny/nice/lovely/loud.
4. My friend Andy continues to make awesome videos. He recently got a very super-awesome guest star for a video celebrating the 25th anniversary of Return of the Jedi. Please to watch, and subscribe to his new YouTube channel, Zilch Zone:
by Rich Sommer
Remember when I mentioned the new version of Risk being released this summer?
I had the chance to try the new rules while I was in the Frosty North last month during two games with Pat, Joe and Kris.
Sorry the review took so long.
How to begin?
How about: Holy. Shizoli. The game of Risk has become awesome.
Some may argue that it was awesome the whole time. I'm not sure that I entirely concur. The game we grew up playing, and that the generation before that grew up playing, was moderately unique when it came out in 1957. But it was long, repetitive, and led to people being eliminated and forced to sit on the couch playing Nintendo (or Pong (or Spirograph, depending on when you were playing)).
But there was something there that appealed. A nugget of a game that drew cocky teenagers to stake their reputations on a roll of the dice. And mean it, too.
I liked that Risk. It was fun. And I really liked the Lord of the Rings version that came out a few years back. I thought it sort of cleaned up what was an otherwise clunky, random, and overly simple system: point, roll, shrug.
But the version being published this summer fixes everything. I mean: everything.
Key elements that have been added:
Fifteen Cities. These raise the value of inhabiting a territory by allowing you to recruit another army for each city you control. That's huge, since you usually get 1/3 of a troop for each territory. During the initial setup, territories containing cities are likely to be snatched up first. Unless your name is Kris. At least that was our experience.
Capitals. Each player gets a capital of their color to be set with their first troop placement at the beginning of the game. Maintaining control of your capital garners you another troop during reinforcements. You can usurp others' capitals as well, getting you yet another troop. Also, you can only win the game if you have control of your capital when you meet the victory conditions. So those are kinda important.
Objectives. Speaking of victory conditions, here's where the new version really departs from the original. Also included with the game are twelve objective badges, eight of which will be used in each game. Six of the objectives are "Minor" and six are "Major." Four of each category are randomly drawn and form the core of the game. Objectives may require you to take over a certain number of territories on one turn, or to control a certain number of cities, or capitals, or whatever. Whomever is first to earn three objective badges wins the game. There are two ways to get an objective badge: Completing the objective printed on it, or eliminating a player who had already earned a badge.
Each objective carries with it a reward. This is given to the player who achieves the objective, and does not carry over to a player eliminating the player who earned it. Some rewards include an extra attack or defense die for the rest of the game (huge), two additional troops during recruitment, die roll modifiers for selected territories (an "Airfield"), et cetera.
Some people have stated that this sounds suspiciously like Risk with Mission Cards. Um, kinda, 'cept the objectives are out in the open, so it's much easier to see what opportunities your opponents have to crush you. Instead of taking some country, flipping over the card, and saying, "I win." Which blows.
Why the game is so awesome. Ultimately, it's Risk. But it's Risk that gives you the same vibe in a much, much shorter playing time. We completed two games in under three hours, and anyone who has ever played Risk knows how ridiculously amazing that is.
You can see pictures of the review copy I received here. The version that will hit stores this summer will look markedly different, but will utilize the same rules. It's rumored to look something like this:
Frankly, I like the look of the mass market copy a little more, since it evokes a flavor of old-timey war room maps. I will be picking up a copy when it hits shelves.
You should, too.
Because you don't have to spend an entire weekend waiting for your brother-in-law to wipe you off the map. You only have to wait, like, forty-five minutes.
And that makes it a much easier pill to swallow.
PREFACE: I must alert those of you new to this blog that I am a huge board game nerd. In fact, every time you come to this page, there's A Random Game from my Den Of Nerdery in the bottom right corner. Just so you know before reading this post.
Hoo, boy. That's a good question, Bea.
See, there's this board game called Risk. And in Risk, you're usually trying to control the whole world with little army guys. Your goal is to eliminate everyone else, which can take a very, very long time.
But the guys at Hasbro decided to revamp that old idea. They've taken the game and rewritten the rules from the ground up.
So, while it's still Risk, it's been streamlined. There are missions everyone is trying to accomplish for points. There are capitals each player has to hold onto for reinforcements. The game takes a lot less time, sometimes coming in at under two hours.
I heard about it here. And I looked at the pictures. And I became very, very jazzed.
Now, the new design won't be coming out until this summer. But one very kind soul, one of the people who rewrote the very rules I was talking about, has sent us a very special copy of the game. This is the note that was taped to the front of the box:
So that's what's in the box, Bea. A very special, limited edition of one of the first games every teenager plays.The board game Risk is changing.
This new edition - designed to play faster and more intensely - won't be available for the general playing public until later this summer. In the meantime, we thought some people, such as you, should get the chance to preview the new rules of the game.
In this box is Risk Black Ops, a special edition of the game that showcases the updated rules - however, the pieces and graphics have been created for this version alone. You are now holding one of only 1,000 copies of this special preview edition of the game.
The designers of the game thought you would appreciate playing the new version before anyone else.
Enjoy.
And I am beyond excited to get it to the table.
Yes you may, Bea. Yes you may.
TJ asked if I was busy with the baby.
Not yet. She is taking her full time. She's due on the 14th, and it looks like she's planning to ride it out.
We got to see some 2D pictures of her yesterday. She has some CHEEKS.
So, so cute. So, so excited!
We are planning to get a Christmas tree. Tomorrow, I think.
I am going to Chad's to play nerdy board games today. I am very, very excited. Because, you see, I like nerdy board games.
No news here on the strike. No idea when it will end. Negotiations are continuing today, but I am not entirely optimistic that the producers are going to show any flexibility in their heretofore ridiculous proposal. You can help jog the producers' awareness by sending them a box of pencils. Only costs a buck. And feel free to type "Mad Men" in the little box about which show you're supporting. Info below.
Our stuff is here.
Our. Stuff. Is. Here.
It came last Sunday. Life has improved immensely.
Our lovely pad has a large closet near the front door. I have been given permission to make this my personal area. I now present: My Den of Nerdery.
And, yes, the item to the right of the giant Dawg Head up top is a Browns Dice Tower my brother created, thereby marrying my two most beloved passions.
Like I said, Twilight Struggle hit the table yesterday. I played the USA (High Life hat and all), and Jeff played the USSR. Jeff made shirts. It was awesome. I love that game.
Okay. I am a sporadic blog-write-guy. Sorry.
I've been thinking about lots of little things to write about, but I always knew it would mean a big update post, so the pressure got to me. Now I'm here to face my fears.
THINGS I'VE BEEN THINKING LATELY:
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You know how some Cadbury Creme Eggs can get that little crack where air gets in and the cream inside (is it technically a "fondant"?) turns somewhat grainy and hard? I've had quite a few of those in my day, especially here in NYC, land of "hey, I'm twelve and there's something I can squish as I walk by on my way to steal some condoms from the pharmacy." Well, I had a Creme Egg last night that Blew. My. Mind. It was airtight, and the (cream/fondant) was perfectly composed; just cracking the shell almost made this tiny little "pffft" sound as the insides breathed their first air since being lovingly sealed at the Cadbury plant in Heaven Above. Damn, it was good. I wish it was Easter every Sunday.
- Twilight Struggle is my new favorite two-player game when you have more than two hours to kill. I know: People say it's slightly skewed toward one side. But the USSR needs all the help it can get, am I right? (That was not intended to make any sense whatsoever.) Anyway, I've spent about 12-14 hours on this one this month, and it's hitting the table again today. It's. So. Good. Oh, and: I. Am. A. Nerd.
- If you have the chance, check out this Iron & Wine concert from NPR. It's so freaking good.
- Remember eight million years ago (read: September 24th) when I posted that I was going to have some good news to share? Well, it's literally taken since then for me to lock down the info. It's done: The Lovely Virginia and I are moving to Los Angeles! I knew when I posted this that they were planning to take us along, but I only put pen to paper about two weeks ago. It's been a little stressful, to say the least. We start shooting in late April. It's crazy and wonderful and terrifying. We booked our movers yesterday. We're outta here in about two weeks. Yikes. So there's that.
- I booked a Cingular "dropped call" commercial that shot in Los Angeles about two weeks ago, so The Lovely Virginia and I took the opportunity to take a little scouting trip. We like it there. Here's us in our new habitat:
What is your favorite board game?
Submitted by I'm Unique.
See, now... that's a tough question for someone like me. I have a few favorites. I happen to like games. A little bit. But the question wants me to narrow it down, so here goes. I would probably have to choose Memoir '44 by Richard Borg. It's a fairly simple WWII game, and while easy to learn, there are several different ways to play it, and I like that. I still haven't picked up any of the three expansions, which will bust open the variety even wider.
As a nerd, I have tracked what games I have played and when for the last couple years. Memoir '44 tops the list with the most plays, but Bohnanza is nipping at its heels.
I was curious as to why so many people had recently "joined my neigborhood" on here, and I was surprised to find that I had been pegged as having something interesting to say, especially regarding my formation of a two-man book club with PJ. All I can say to that is:
Seriously?
Well, thanks to everyone who has come to find my little corner of the interweb. I thought I should at least give a few updates for those recently joining us.
- My lack of posting recently is due in no small part to the fact that I finally quit my temp job. I find that I have a lot less useless crap to write about when I'm not stuck behind that horrible little desk in Times Square.
- Part of the reason that I was able to quit was that I have a couple commercials running right now. If you're near Quebec, you can see me running into a window in the Bud Light spot I shot two years ago. If you're on the east coast, you can see my wide load pushing a cart of peaches in a Stop & Shop commercial. And if you watch any sports at all, you may catch Kenny Mayne of ESPN fame spinning me in a chair at the end of a Progressive spot. All good things.
- PJ and I moved on to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
following Deliverance. I started reading it on September 12, and finished it two days ago. It broke my heart, and while I'm glad I read it, I'm glad I'm done with it. No ideas for our next selection yet, but I'm thinking something old. Twain, maybe.
- I may have some very good news to share, but I have to wait to mention it. Give me a week or two.
- I had a migraine two days ago. I barfed. I was sad.
- And I think that's about it.
- Oh, wait: If you can help it, don't go see the movie The Black Dahlia. It is not good. Not at all.
- And my wife and I have skipped about a month or so of Sunday Evening Game Time, partly due to some travel, and partly because many of my friends who were gone for the summer are back and helping me get my game fix. But I brought it up with her today, so maybe we'll get back on track. TBD.
