It's coming...

Asteroids!

History of Religon in a map

Discovered this fascinating "history" of the world's major religion on Digg. Watch as they spread across the map in the last 5000 years. Just click the image below to start the show, if you have dial-up be patient whilst it loads.



Why is this of interest to gamers? Well, obviously so many games are based on world maps, and many conquest games have similar expansion patterns to what you see in the video. I remember Kim from Northampton saying that she thought Risk was actually a game simulating the expansion of global preaching work, not a war-game (!).


Not sure if they got the dates exactly right for a few things (especially the conquest of Jerusalem on 607 B.C.E.), but nonetheless this video would make for some great talking points in a family study, bible study, or history lesson. Do you agree? Leave comments below!

Civlization II for free?

Civilization II for free?

This game was very very cool back in the day (1998? 1999?) and it's now FREE. Check out "www.bestoldgames.net" for free old PC games - and definately try Civ II if you haven't yet - it's a classic.

Their Strategy section has some other interesting titles from the late 1990's: Dune II, Colonization, Settlers II, Transport Tycoon, Xcom...

Most addicting Risk-clone ever?

Check out this super-addicting, FREE, Risk-clone, called "Dicewars". It's a Flash-game, meaning you can play it in a web-window.

Interesting spin on the classic game, it uses dice for units, and you roll and move stacks to conquer territories.

Have to play it to understand - it's amazingly addictive, plays in just a few minutes. Try it and "post comment" below if you agree!

More on Kramnik vs. Deep Fritz

Update: Kramnik loses to computer, score 4:2.

The current world champion of chess, Vladimir Kramnik, is now into game #4 against perhaps the most powerful chess computer program in the world: Deep Fritz.

Three of the four games have been draws, but in game two Kramnik made an unbelievable blunder and lost, overlooking an extremely simple move to put him in checkmate!

Check out all the articles on Chessbase here.

Mykerinos at GoF5

Mike, Kevin and I played a game of Mykerinos during GoF5. It was my second game, and I had a chance to try the strategy that had worked for me when I was introduced to it by Kevin a few weeks earlier.

Mykerinos is an area control game, with an Egyptian theme. Points are scored directly in 4-phases by placing markers (which represent archeological "digs") on cards which have benefits to be unlocked by the majority player. These benefits include access to special abilities of various "patrons", which ultimately are counted in a final scoring round.

Some of their abilities include being able to place markers in normally inaccessable locations, or allow placement of markers in an exhibition hall used for final scoring. There is also a patron that allows placement an additional marker initially, retrieve markers from off-board areas. The most important patron (which I call "Mr. Brown") allows you to place markers in the final scoring area ahead of your opponents.

In the two games I've played, this ability seems to be the most powerful - significantly out-weighing the benefit of short term scoring.

My game with Kevin and Michael finished the same as my earlier experience - I placed majority markers early in the game on Mr. Brown, and once secured, locked up the most desirable end-game scoring spaces, scoring more points for myself, but also denying my opponents valuable points. In future games it will be seen if the Brown power can be counter-balanced by a different strategy.

Games I played at GoF5

Everyone still recovering from Gathering of Friends 5? We were pretty tired after a week's work of preparation, and a day or two of recovery. It was wonderful to have my Mom and Dad and Tab and two of his boys with us too, they were pretty tired from the 10 to 20 hours of travel to Clarks Summit from Pittsburgh and Toledo.

And thank you so much to the Northampton friends - it's close to a 3-hour round trip to come here, and I know many had bookstudy or service groups on Saturday morning, not mention meeting the next morning.

We really had a lot of fun, I enjoyed running from table to table, watching the smiling faces and seeing the progress friends have been making in understanding and deepening their knowledge of German-style boardgames.

I was able to play San Juan, Mykerinos, Power Grid, Zertz, and Capitol over the course of Friday and Saturday. Some thoughts about the experience:

San Juan is in my top ten favorite games. A card-game spin-off of the number one ranked Puerto Rico, San Juan has the feel of it's big brother without the time investment or the fiddly components and setup. Just deal out a few cards, play them in front of you, draw some, shuffle.

You can play San Juan even four player in probably 40 minutes if you hurry, which Jared, Angie, Kevin and I did. Because we had 20 other guests around the house playing through their games, I didn't want to tie myself up too much into anything much longer, and I encouraged everyone to play quickly through their hands. Looking back, this decreased the enjoyment of the game a little for me I think.

Note: I write this review for those who have a good knowledge of San Juan. Check out the rules at boardgamegeek, and buy this great family game.

So Angie, Jared, Kevin and I sat down for a speed game of San Juan. After the deal, I played Tobacco as my first plantation, immediately thinking I would go for the 6-point Guild Hall (which adds two points to each plantation at the end of the game). The two Guild Halls in the deck are usually intensely fought over, as "guilding" is an easy win compared to trying to go after the 6-point City Hall, which adds one point for each violet production building. There is a 6-pt. monument building, which I've rarely (never?) seen anyone win with.

Kevin on my right built the prefecture, to take advantage of what appeared to be Angie's desire to play the councilor action (sitting to my left). Jared sat across from me, and played what I can only remember as a mixed bag of cards, although he had decent plantations and Produced and Traded a lot. I quickly played Gold Mine, as did Kevin, trying to take advantage of what appeared Jared was going to do (play Prospector at every opportunity). I played the 5-point Library to further take advantage of Prospector pulls that I planned on making (the Library doubles the "privilege" that each player gets for pulling an action).

One of the most memorable plays of the game came on the first Gold Mine bonus from Jared's Prospector pull. We were all playing at such a pace that I excitedly started to flip over the four cards that the Gold Mine gives you, looking to see if there were no matching cards: this then gives the Gold Mine player a choice of one of the four cards as a bonus - a nice deal since it happens on a opponent's turn.

Kevin was watching closely along with the others as I dealt out the cards on the table. When I reached to take my choice of cards (since there was no match), Kevin interrupted and claimed it as his. Not remembering that he even had a Gold Mine, I was nonplussed. He was sitting between Jared and I, and technically, in the order of play would have had first crack at the card flip. Fortunately for me, I flipped up the next four, and ended up with a bonus as well.

Angie struggled in several build phases, and despite pulling councilor several times, was not able to get the cards she was looking for apparently, as after the game finished with the twelve builds, she had only 9 or so as I remember. Jared Traded more than anyone else, but was not able to secure a good enough large building to score bonus points to make him competitive.

Kevin ended up playing the Guild Hall along with me, and made good use of 3 Silver Mines, which netted him 15 points. He ended up beating me 38 to 37. Jarred and Angie were in the 20's.

Really enjoyed this fast-paced game of San Juan. More post-mortems later...

GoF5 in 39 hours...

Gathering of Friends 5: Clarks Summit is 39 hours away. Here's a summary of the the latest news.

When
1:00 pm to 10:00pm, last game starting at 9:00pm
Dinner at about 6:00pm

Attendance (confirmed):
Dave, Tammy, Grayson, Gabriel
Kevin and Marci, Northampton
Tab and boys (Ethan and Ryan), Pittsburgh
Ron and Mona, Toledo
Doug and Kim, Northampton
Michael (Willy Joe) and Nikki, Northampton
Mike S., Whitehall
Jared and Angie, Northampton
Al and Pat, Northampton
Ben, Rosanne, Susanne, Carbondale
Trudy and Nikke, Carbondale
Mike and Kate, Carbondale

Food
Everyone bring favorite snack, and/or favorite beverage for munching
(Dinner details to be posted here)

Games
Capitol
Caylus
Through the Desert
Mykerinos
Antike
Mare Nostrum
Power Grid
Puerto Rico
San Juan
St. Petersburgh
Settlers of Catan (original plus Seafarers, Cities and Knights)
Ticket to Ride (multiple versions)
Alhambra

Tables
There are two tables in the main area (downstairs) that will accomodate 6 and 4 players.
There are two tables upstairs that will accomodate 6 and 4(6) players.
There is a backup table in the kitchen that can handle 4(6) players.

Look forward to seeing you there!

San Juan news

There is some great news about the San Juan card game, little brother of the number one game Puerto Rico. A new version of the PC game (free) has been released, apparently correcting the error with the poor house in the game. Also, someone has published a 5-8 player variant to San Juan on the 'Geek, the rules of which are below!

Double-Deck San Juan Variant (Requires 2 sets of San Juan)

5 Player Modifications:

- Add ONE additional role from the selections below.

- Add cards: 1 each violet building, 2 each production building + 1 extra Indigo

- Add the following Trader market value tiles: [1 1 2 2 2 ] + [1 2 2 2 3 ]

6 Player Modifications:

- Add TWO additional roles from the selections below.

- Add cards: 2 each common violet building, 1 each “6” violet building, 4 each production building + 2 extra Indigo

- Add the following Trader market value tiles: [1 1 2 2 2 ] + [1 2 2 2 3 ] + [ 1 1 2 2 3 ]

7 Player Modifications:

- Add THREE additional roles from the selections below.

- Add cards: 3 each common violet building, 2 each “6” violet building, 6 each production building + 2 extra Indigo

- Add the following Trader market value tiles: [1 1 2 2 2 ] + [1 2 2 2 3 ] + [ 1 1 2 2 3 ] + [ 1 2 2 3 3 ]

8 Player Modifications:

- Add ALL FOUR additional roles below.

- Add ALL cards from the second San Juan set.

- Add ALL Trader market value tiles from the second San Juan set.

Extra Roles Available for 5-8 Players:

2^nd Prospector

Add a second Prospector, similar to Puerto Rico. This can give the Gold Mine an extra chance to pay off.

Colonist Ship

A new supply ship arrives with goods and colonists. Draw a number of cards equal to the number of players

and turn them face up on the table.

Action: Starting with the active player, each player takes one card from the new supply.

Privilege: Active player immediately takes one additional card if they have a Library.

Note: This could result in the last player in order not receiving a card. This is an intentional limitation of goods.

Captain

The active player indicates which of the five goods will be shipped back to the homeland during this round.

Action: Each player ships ALL goods produced of the selected type, sliding them beneath the Production Building.

Each card shipped is worth 1 VP at end of game.

Privilege: Ship a single additional good of any other commodity.

Note: Possession of the Library allows for a third unique commodity to be shipped.

Settler & Modified Builder

The standard San Juan Builder is divided into two unique roles like Puerto Rico.

These two new role tiles must be used together, and they replace the existing Builder role tile.

Settler Tile:

Action: Each player may build one Production building

Privilege: Active player pays 1 card less

Modified Builder Tile:

Action: Each player may build one Violet building

Privilege: Active player pays 1 card less

Card additions, Colonist Role, Captain Role, credited to Mik Svellov’s San Juan Variant, available at http://brettboard.dk/games/sanjuan.htm

(Note: this link is dead as of 11-4, will post update ASAP)

Perhaps we can try this new variant at Gathering of Friends 5?