I think my brother is letting his inner nerd out more often. It might be because he's now at a school where you can be smart and cool at the same time, not just a party school. But he's always had it in him, it's just nice to see it come out again.
He was actually the one to first get into video games. Our aunt had received a SNES from her boyfriend (now husband) and wasn't into it, so passed it on to my family. From age two my brother would play Super Mario World for HOURS. From then all the way through highschool he was a huge video game fan. Nintendo has been our roots, and my brother was the one to completely embrace that. He was a serious Mario and Zelda fan. At the same time he was ridiculously into SimCity on the console, which possibly harbored his love of urban planning. Actually, that combined with of living down the street from a famous architect's home and studio are probably the reasons he even considered that line of work, when of course he's not laying down some ridiculously entrancing beats as a DJ.
In college he still did play, more toward the Xbox, but he is not the hugest fan. He still plays the Civilization series like a mofo though. Not many other nerd pursuits, at least that I knew he did. Until today.
His nerd cred has just recently grown. It was his idea this year to go to Medieval Times for his birthday. I don't know why, he just decided he was going. Fortunately, I live near it so it's easy to coordinate. I call him today to let him know I got the tickets and how we'll meet up and he mentions he's waiting to catch up with a friend so they can play Settlers of Catan.
I was kind of taken aback. Settlers of Catan, if you haven't played it, is a nerd staple in the board game world. You establish rival towns and cities with your fellow players, managing resources and essentially making your country the best country ever. It can take hours with strategic people but is something that's really fun. My core nerd friends in college played it a lot.
So to hear my brother, who has kind've been the cooler of the two of us since high school, is actually anticipating to play this ridiculously nerdy game. I knew there was a bit of a geek in there for the longest time, but it's kind of nice to know that I'm not the only geeky sibling. Sure, my parents can be huge dorks, but different generations geek out to different things.
My brother was surprised that I was surprised. He just assumed that since he was a fan of Civilization that it was a given he'd love Settlers of Catan. Maybe that's on me, but I don't think I could assume he'd hang around with the kind of people who'd love to introduce that kind of board game to him.
At least this makes his birthday gift shopping easy. I'm getting him a board game of his own.
Showing posts with label board game. Show all posts
Showing posts with label board game. Show all posts
October 5, 2010
15 Games That Will Always Stick With Me
I got tagged for a facebook note that goes like this:
The rules: Don't take too long to think about it. 15 games you've played that will always stick with you. List the first 15 you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag fifteen friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what games my friends choose.
Problem is I hate tagging people for this stuff on facebook even if I like talking about it. Luckily the person who tagged me knows this blog, and I guess in a way I'm tagging you guys... don't feel obligated though.
So what's my list? Here it is (in no particular order) with explanations:
1. Mass Effect 2
This is one of my favorite video games of all time. I particularly love it because it is so well written! I know a lot of people were disappointed because it wasn't as monumental plot-wise as the first game, but you have to understand it's setting up the end of a trilogy. If you look at it that way, the set up is AWESOME. Good characters, and in general the good guy versus not-so-good guy choices made it totally replayable. In fact, I plan on replaying it soon, and this time, my Shepard is going to kick ass and take names later.
2. Dungeons and Dragons
I remember when I first was introduced to the game by a friend and her dad, I knew I had to run a game of it. And I did, but of course actual learning as a kid got in the way. But college brought me back to it and it was totally worth coming back to. I ran a game for three years with the success of an entertaining time had for all, and I'm doing it again. I will always have a soft spot for it, even if later incarnations prove to be not what I grew up with.
3. Hex Hex
Fantastic card game that involves you screwing over everyone else at the table. I have great memories playing this with a good number of my college friends late into the night while drinking. Adding awesome house rules made it even better. I bought it for myself and to have back home, and it's always deviously fun to play.
4. The Sims
I have an addiction to the Sims 3. I must want to be God. Is that a big issue?
5. Settlers of Catan
To be honest, I was never the best at this game but I love it anyway. It's a great strategy board game that involves monitoring your resources, so my economist sensibilities gravitate toward it. Another game I played a lot in college.
6. Unknown Armies
Again, discovered this in college and it's modern, urban, dystopia themes are fun to play. If you really want to get into the game, play someone who's obviously crazy to everyone else but himself. The focus on conspiracies and deep plots also making it great, giving a fantastic setting that's malleable enough for any good GM.
7. Dragon Age
I could say it's the good story (which is good) or the kind of gameplay where I get to micro-mange or the awesome friendship system. But I'll be honest with you: I still have a crush on Alistar. And I think I will for a while.
The Boyfriend also doesn't mind this, which works out great.
8. Tetris
My grandmother has, on a kid's standards, the most boring house. We used to visit a lot so my mom could help take care of the house, and my brother and I would bring our gameboys because there was nothing. else. to do. Tetris saved me from bordem. I played that thing for hours, causing my mom to be haunted by that music for the rest of her life. She doesn't mind too much.
9. Kirby's Adventure Land (real title?)
Another gameboy game that saved me from boredom, and introduced me to the awesomness that is Kirby. He's just a fantastic protagonist, super cute but he'll swallow your soul. Kinf of like chibi cthullu.
10. World of Darkness games
LARPing is one of the first activities I did as an adult on my own in Chicago. World of Darkness was a great way to start the hobby because I was able to do a character driven story where I can be as important or unimportant as I want. I like the new friends I've made and I like the worlds I've played in.
11. Monopoly
My family used to play this, all four of us, on the weekends. One thing you have to understand about my parents is that they didn't go easy on us. My dad had multiple monopolies, and would trick you into selling your properties to him so he could have an empire. I was 10 mostly when we played. Good family memories though, and I kind of appreciate that my parents didn't make it easy. Means I had to earn my winnings.
12. The Game that can Only End in Sorrow
In college, it was our version of Truth or Dare when we were doing a late night of drinking. Only it was only truths, you'd roll a die to see who'd get asked the next question, and then the rest of the group would think of a question to ask. Less damaging than Psychologist, and more laid back.
13. Left 4 Dead Series
My first real online game, as in I played the game with strangers online. Also, who doesn't like killing zombies?
14. Pathfinder
When I heard about Pathfinder, I knew I had to experience it. I was hoping D&D 4.0 was what Pathfinder is now. I like the system, because it cleaned up the things I thought needed to be cleaned up in 3.5 but kept the stuff I thought was worth having in.
15. The Boyfriend's Current Development Project
I can't say much about it, but the reason that I am so psyched about it is because 1) it looks like it's going to be great and an indie game for those of us that like RPGs with great stories and world and 2) it's the first video game I'll get to see in the production process.
The rules: Don't take too long to think about it. 15 games you've played that will always stick with you. List the first 15 you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag fifteen friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what games my friends choose.
Problem is I hate tagging people for this stuff on facebook even if I like talking about it. Luckily the person who tagged me knows this blog, and I guess in a way I'm tagging you guys... don't feel obligated though.
So what's my list? Here it is (in no particular order) with explanations:
1. Mass Effect 2
This is one of my favorite video games of all time. I particularly love it because it is so well written! I know a lot of people were disappointed because it wasn't as monumental plot-wise as the first game, but you have to understand it's setting up the end of a trilogy. If you look at it that way, the set up is AWESOME. Good characters, and in general the good guy versus not-so-good guy choices made it totally replayable. In fact, I plan on replaying it soon, and this time, my Shepard is going to kick ass and take names later.
2. Dungeons and Dragons
I remember when I first was introduced to the game by a friend and her dad, I knew I had to run a game of it. And I did, but of course actual learning as a kid got in the way. But college brought me back to it and it was totally worth coming back to. I ran a game for three years with the success of an entertaining time had for all, and I'm doing it again. I will always have a soft spot for it, even if later incarnations prove to be not what I grew up with.
3. Hex Hex
Fantastic card game that involves you screwing over everyone else at the table. I have great memories playing this with a good number of my college friends late into the night while drinking. Adding awesome house rules made it even better. I bought it for myself and to have back home, and it's always deviously fun to play.
4. The Sims
I have an addiction to the Sims 3. I must want to be God. Is that a big issue?
5. Settlers of Catan
To be honest, I was never the best at this game but I love it anyway. It's a great strategy board game that involves monitoring your resources, so my economist sensibilities gravitate toward it. Another game I played a lot in college.
6. Unknown Armies
Again, discovered this in college and it's modern, urban, dystopia themes are fun to play. If you really want to get into the game, play someone who's obviously crazy to everyone else but himself. The focus on conspiracies and deep plots also making it great, giving a fantastic setting that's malleable enough for any good GM.
7. Dragon Age
I could say it's the good story (which is good) or the kind of gameplay where I get to micro-mange or the awesome friendship system. But I'll be honest with you: I still have a crush on Alistar. And I think I will for a while.
The Boyfriend also doesn't mind this, which works out great.
8. Tetris
My grandmother has, on a kid's standards, the most boring house. We used to visit a lot so my mom could help take care of the house, and my brother and I would bring our gameboys because there was nothing. else. to do. Tetris saved me from bordem. I played that thing for hours, causing my mom to be haunted by that music for the rest of her life. She doesn't mind too much.
9. Kirby's Adventure Land (real title?)
Another gameboy game that saved me from boredom, and introduced me to the awesomness that is Kirby. He's just a fantastic protagonist, super cute but he'll swallow your soul. Kinf of like chibi cthullu.
10. World of Darkness games
LARPing is one of the first activities I did as an adult on my own in Chicago. World of Darkness was a great way to start the hobby because I was able to do a character driven story where I can be as important or unimportant as I want. I like the new friends I've made and I like the worlds I've played in.
11. Monopoly
My family used to play this, all four of us, on the weekends. One thing you have to understand about my parents is that they didn't go easy on us. My dad had multiple monopolies, and would trick you into selling your properties to him so he could have an empire. I was 10 mostly when we played. Good family memories though, and I kind of appreciate that my parents didn't make it easy. Means I had to earn my winnings.
12. The Game that can Only End in Sorrow
In college, it was our version of Truth or Dare when we were doing a late night of drinking. Only it was only truths, you'd roll a die to see who'd get asked the next question, and then the rest of the group would think of a question to ask. Less damaging than Psychologist, and more laid back.
13. Left 4 Dead Series
My first real online game, as in I played the game with strangers online. Also, who doesn't like killing zombies?
14. Pathfinder
When I heard about Pathfinder, I knew I had to experience it. I was hoping D&D 4.0 was what Pathfinder is now. I like the system, because it cleaned up the things I thought needed to be cleaned up in 3.5 but kept the stuff I thought was worth having in.
15. The Boyfriend's Current Development Project
I can't say much about it, but the reason that I am so psyched about it is because 1) it looks like it's going to be great and an indie game for those of us that like RPGs with great stories and world and 2) it's the first video game I'll get to see in the production process.
July 27, 2010
Battleship movie?!
Everyone remembers the board game Battleship, right? You guess where your opponent has placed their ships in hopes of sinking their entire fleet. A description can be found here, though it focuses more on the pen and paper version. Most people know the the Milton Bradley board game version pictured below.
So now they're going to make a movie based on this. Part of me thinks this is a horrible idea. Why? Well, according to this article, the whole movie is going to be in space. So instead of flying around shooting each other, we get boring bomb launches in outer space. Space is three dimensional fighting! It's not meant to have stagnent ships!
Also, Rihanna is starring in it. Nothing against Rihanna... but I hope her acting is better than her singing. You think she sings well? Have you heard her without autotune? No? No one has. Anyway, there are some other nerdy stars there, but this project... this sounds like a cheese fest waiting to happen. And unlike Snakes on a Plane, there's isn't an actor on the project smart enough to make the cheese factor work for them.
Once again Hollywood will ruin a small part of my childhood.
Though to be honest I will probably be dragged into watching the movie with some friends anyway. That's how I got dragged into every other movie I had serious doubts about.
November 30, 2009
WolfCon Report!
What an awesome weekend! I am so glad I went to WolfCon, and I definitely told people that I am planning to go next year.
To be honest, the idea of having a Con after Thanksgiving, when most people will have friday off work, is a fantastic idea. You start the day early with a board game, card game, or RPG and you don't start there.
It's a small, local con but it's a good one. First of all, it's run with a ton of enthusiasm. Everyone wants to have a good time and wants to make sure everyone else has a good time. Second of all there are a lot of good teachers when it comes to board games. For example, the Battlestar Galactica board game could easily get confusing and unenjoyable fast considering how complicated the rules could be. However, it was actually really fun and easy to pick up because I was playing with someone who knew exactly how to explain the rules, and when not to explain too much. Third, the people who attended were all extremely friendly.
I played a couple of RPGs, a few board games, and even some soccer on Saturday! Dull moments did not last for long periods of time. I would suggest coming with a couple of friends so you know you can find a game to try out and play pretty quickly. It was nice, since the Con was small, to have a mike available to announce events and pick up games. I got a couple of people to play Settlers of Catan that way, and I found out about a CyberPunk game that way.
I am hoping to help in some way with WolfCon next year, so if you see me post about it a lot in the next year, don't think they're paying me to post. I'm just helping out people promote an awesome con.
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