RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (Full Version)

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Mike Solli -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/23/2006 8:05:53 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Two buddies of mine actually managed to finish a scenario of this:

Longest Day boardgame

Thought it to be quite impressive feat...[:D]

[image]http://files.boardgamegeek.com/bggimages/pic44313.jpg[/image]




Wow. This brings back memories. I have this game and played the campaign game solitare to the end. (Yes I am nuts.[sm=00000280.gif])

It looked like the Germans were going to win but the British got 1 or 2 divisions off the east end of the map right at the end of the game (the road leading ENE from Caan).

By the way, a friend and I started Campaign for North Africa. We got a couple of turns into it before college forced us to quit. Too bad.

I also have SPIs War in the Pacific. Unfortunately, I never played it and this game has relegated it to the closet, probably forever.[:(]




Mike Solli -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/23/2006 8:10:41 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

Can someone, please, explain to me how in this day and age someone would still like to play board game instead of game on computer? [8D]



Personally, I prefer board games to computer games. Yeah, the computer games do all the calculations, but I've never met any of my PBEM opponents. I love having the map spread out in front of me and having all those thousands of counters arrayed on the map. I also prefer to have my opponent sitting across from me so I can make rude comments to him in person. I also love seeing the look on my opponent's face when I do something particularly dastardly.[:D]

Keep in mind that I started wargaming in 1970, before computers were generally available.




Mike Solli -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/23/2006 8:24:35 PM)

Ooh, I may have to buy this game. My copy of WitP is mint with the counter trays labelled and all counters cut with an exacto knife. I should be able to get enough from it to buy this one.[:D]




panda124c -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/23/2006 8:33:11 PM)

Ok who remembers the "Europa" game series? The Longest Day ranked up there with Anzio. Ah yea the good old days when you could "discuss" the meaning of the rule ranther than have a machine dictate to you. [:D]




Mike Solli -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/23/2006 8:34:41 PM)

I remember that series well. For years I waited for the whole shebang. When it never materialized, I sold off all except for Russia and France. I played the hell out of the eastern front games.




Feinder -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/23/2006 11:01:47 PM)

I've got the WitP by VG. Knavey has Battle of Britian from Europa. I think maybe the Russian one too. And he has Longest Day.

It's just tough to find an opponent for board-games, let alone the time to commit.

I've met one my PBEM opponents (Erstad). He was in Tampa on business, so we met and had a couple beers.

-F-




treespider -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/23/2006 11:17:49 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli


quote:

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

Can someone, please, explain to me how in this day and age someone would still like to play board game instead of game on computer? [8D]



Personally, I prefer board games to computer games. Yeah, the computer games do all the calculations, but I've never met any of my PBEM opponents. I love having the map spread out in front of me and having all those thousands of counters arrayed on the map. I also prefer to have my opponent sitting across from me so I can make rude comments to him in person. I also love seeing the look on my opponent's face when I do something particularly dastardly.[:D]

Keep in mind that I started wargaming in 1970, before computers were generally available.



And if a rule is broken, you change it, instead of having to wait for a patch.




aletoledo -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 1:19:26 AM)

quote:

A buddy of mine in college had SPI's WITP. We got it setup on a 6x15 plywood board. Then he got engaged...

nothing says babe magnet like a dedicted wargamer!




Demosthenes -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 1:46:28 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

Can someone, please, explain to me how in this day and age someone would still like to play board game instead of game on computer? [8D]


BTW, I think that authors of that (and other monster board games) should have invested just a little more time/effort and transfer it to computer.

They already have the "heart" of the game (i.e. rules) and they already have the graphics (maps, cards with icons) - why not simply transfer this to computer and, without AI of course, create perfect PBEM or hot seat game?


Leo "Apollo11"


There is a dimension in board gaming that is absolutely missing in computer wargaming.
Others have mentioned some of the positives in board games -
seeing the entire map with the units present (stimulates the mind and feeds info into your mental calculations that NO computer screen ever can),
You don't wait for a patch to fix a broken/ridiculous rule
You actually SOCIALIZE with fellow beings
A well done map and set of counters is a thing of beauty

The last, which no has mentioned, is the tactile sense of touching units. They become real - there they are - you can touch them, you find your self MUCH more concerned about losses (which goes a long way toward recreating the pressure of ACTUALLY loosing men) and it makes your thought process inherently more realistic.

To the majority of you out there who obviously came along from 1980 onwards - pc's are nice and have gotten nicer, but don't kid yourself - the only two things pcs' do better than board games are 1) take up less space, and 2) it's easier to find an opponent (AI or PBEM)





Jim D Burns -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 2:08:14 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Demosthenes
There is a dimension in board gaming that is absolutely missing in computer wargaming.
Others have mentioned some of the positives in board games -
seeing the entire map with the units present (stimulates the mind and feeds info into your mental calculations that NO computer screen ever can),
You don't wait for a patch to fix a broken/ridiculous rule
You actually SOCIALIZE with fellow beings
A well done map and set of counters is a thing of beauty

The last, which no has mentioned, is the tactile sense of touching units. They become real - there they are - you can touch them, you find your self MUCH more concerned about losses (which goes a long way toward recreating the pressure of ACTUALLY loosing men) and it makes your thought process inherently more realistic.

To the majority of you out there who obviously came along from 1980 onwards - pc's are nice and have gotten nicer, but don't kid yourself - the only two things pcs' do better than board games are 1) take up less space, and 2) it's easier to find an opponent (AI or PBEM)




You forgot one of my favorites, praying to the dice gods. [&o][&o][&o][:D]

We all did it to some extent, but one of the guys in our gaming crowd had a real gem of a ritual he'd go through on critical die rolls. It added a real sense of drama to the roll and the outcomes often lead to intense emotional outbursts of despair or joy.

LOL great fun... I miss the social aspects of board gaming, but the hours and hours of work going into setting up those monsters was a real pain.

Jim




RUPD3658 -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 2:54:11 AM)

There was something very satisfying about having a pair of "Lucky dice".

Of course when they failed you...again...there was something satisfying in hitting them with a hammer. [sm=00000028.gif]

It is also more fun to taunt your opponant face to face then via e-mail.




Demosthenes -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 3:36:00 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns



You forgot one of my favorites, praying to the dice gods. [&o][&o][&o][:D]

We all did it to some extent, but one of the guys in our gaming crowd had a real gem of a ritual he'd go through on critical die rolls. It added a real sense of drama to the roll and the outcomes often lead to intense emotional outbursts of despair or joy.

LOL great fun... I miss the social aspects of board gaming, but the hours and hours of work going into setting up those monsters was a real pain.

Jim



quote:

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658

There was something very satisfying about having a pair of "Lucky dice".

Of course when they failed you...again...there was something satisfying in hitting them with a hammer. [sm=00000028.gif]

It is also more fun to taunt your opponant face to face then via e-mail.


Yes my bretheren of the holy cardboard-backed map, Yes- how could I have forgotten the die roll rituals (for the important ones[;)])
And the oh-so-human satisfaction of face to face gloating (of course if you wished to portray yourself as a 'good sport' you gloated ...and did the 'victory dance' in your mind...untill said vanquished opponent left[:D])

You youngsters out there owe it to your self to go back to our comon roots and experience the true joy of the wargamer's art...go to E-bay, dig aout some cash and try your first honest to God military board game....if you dare risk being transformed.

Demosthenes




bilbow -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 4:21:43 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: 2Stepper

"Nostalgia" is 100% the cause I suspect. That or morbid curiousity.

With regards to computers as an option, I can relate to this however. The same friend that pointed out this link to me I'm sure remembers an instance in 1994 when we were both on leave home and elected to break out Task Force Games "Federation and Empire". An enjoyable game for those that liked SFB.

Any rate, four hours into setup we looked at one another with the mutual understanding...

"You do realize we have computers that can set this up and play it in a few minutes right?"

Needless to say all the die-cuts went back into the box and the game went back on the shelf. [:D]


All about nostalgia. [:D][8D]


Nostagia for sure. I played most of the old monsters back in the 70s and 80s. Just can't imagine doing it now. Not with PBEM WIP so much fun and so much less work to play.




bradfordkay -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 6:07:35 AM)

"the only two things pcs' do better than board games are 1) take up less space, and 2) it's easier to find an opponent (AI or PBEM)"


You forgot two others: a PC game takes up a lot less space, and is nearly invulnerable to Typhoon Fluffy.

I will admit to missing the ability to quickly glance at the whole map and receive an impression of how the battle is faring...




Mynok -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 6:38:04 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Demosthenes

You youngsters out there owe it to your self to go back to our comon roots and experience the true joy of the wargamer's art...go to E-bay, dig aout some cash and try your first honest to God military board game....if you dare risk being transformed.

Demosthenes


Amen and amen. Despite our differences, I'd love to roll the luck (or unlucky in my case) dice across a big map full of beautiful cardboard with you!

[:D]




Demosthenes -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 6:44:08 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mynok

quote:

ORIGINAL: Demosthenes

You youngsters out there owe it to your self to go back to our comon roots and experience the true joy of the wargamer's art...go to E-bay, dig aout some cash and try your first honest to God military board game....if you dare risk being transformed.

Demosthenes


Amen and amen. Despite our differences, I'd love to roll the luck (or unlucky in my case) dice across a big map full of beautiful cardboard with you!

[:D]

(Mynok - our differences are more minimal than you would guess[;)])
AND - imagine getting into miniatures - if you have ever seen a battle fought with the likes of 10 or 20 sided dice and these models- THAT is wargaming at it's best!
(by the way, for those of you who haven't seen these before - they are all smaller than your index finger[;)])




[image]local://upfiles/19015/0E3436AF040F42C8860B4618171A536E.jpg[/image]




Mynok -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 6:50:47 AM)


Oh but I have, my friend, I have! Not the modern naval vessel you so beautifully portray there, but I have spent many an enjoyable hour fighting the age of sail with gorgeously decked out miniature SOL and frigates. Battle of the Saintes, Trafalgar, Glorious First of June...you name it I've fought it....

Not to mention I'm a big fan and participant of ancient miniatures. There's nothing like a good row between the Persians and Greeks/Macedonians at Gaugemela......




bilbow -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 7:00:10 AM)

How about naval miniatues on a tennis court? Great fun. In the fall you get built in randon smoke screens with all the leaves blowing around.




Demosthenes -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 7:00:56 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bilbow

How about naval miniatues on a tennis court? Great fun. In the fall you get built in randon smoke screens with all the leaves blowing around.


Yes! Quite!


quote:

ORIGINAL: Mynok


Oh but I have, my friend, I have! Not the modern naval vessel you so beautifully portray there, but I have spent many an enjoyable hour fighting the age of sail with gorgeously decked out miniature SOL and frigates. Battle of the Saintes, Trafalgar, Glorious First of June...you name it I've fought it....

Not to mention I'm a big fan and participant of ancient miniatures. There's nothing like a good row between the Persians and Greeks/Macedonians at Gaugemela......

Ahhh the age of Fighting Sail, and Triremes!

You really get more involved in battles than you ever do in this GAME! (NOT that I am bashing WitP- it is what it is...and it's not tactical.) but the finer points of tactical combat! (drool)

Myself (as I guess may not be a surprise) I have loved taking US heavy Frigates into action against the Royal Navy (1812...That's for the Chesapeake incident! Have at you![:D])

Oh a grand Time! (by the way -I love anciet Greek/Persian warfare...look at my avatar [;)])




bradfordkay -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 7:11:24 AM)

Steve Peek and Craig Taylor produced some great naval tactical boardgames over the years: Wooden Ships and Iron Men, Trireme (IIRC?), Ironclads and Flattop. The first three were obviously related (very similar systems) and the latter was of course forced to be different by its very subject. I can't say how many hours I spent with friends playing those (we used to have some wild four way free for alls in WSIM!).




Jim D Burns -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 11:21:22 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

Steve Peek and Craig Taylor produced some great naval tactical boardgames over the years: Wooden Ships and Iron Men, Trireme (IIRC?), Ironclads and Flattop. The first three were obviously related (very similar systems) and the latter was of course forced to be different by its very subject. I can't say how many hours I spent with friends playing those (we used to have some wild four way free for alls in WSIM!).



I forgot what it was called (definitely not miniatures), but I went to Carmel CA once and witnessed a huge naval battle fought on a lake (I think it was one of the Guadalcanal engagements) with replica ships that ranged from 1 to 3 feet in length. They had powered turrets that fired ball bearings and they actually sunk one another. Of course all the model ships were built to some kind of specs so no one had an advantage that his historical ship wouldn’t have had over its opponent vessels (different sized ball bearings, wood thickness, etc.). It took several guys to man the remotes for the larger ships. Was an awesome day.

Jim




AmiralLaurent -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 1:09:38 PM)


The main problem with these monster boardgames is logistics.... in real life. That is having space to play, time to set them up and people in near area to play with.

Computer games resolve the 3 problems: you need only a computer, set up = loading time and you can play with someone on the other side of the earth with no problem.

I played board wargames for 15 years but it is finished now. Any board game I would play now had to be finished some hours later.

You have no AI in board games. For me it would be a far better idea to write this as a computer game without AI, but apparently all computer game companies have rejected this idea. It's a pity because the AI part is the harder part (and the costlier).

By the way this monster boardgame seems like an economical suicide for me. WITP has allready a narrow public, this game will even have a narrower one.




Demosthenes -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 3:40:02 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns


quote:

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

Steve Peek and Craig Taylor produced some great naval tactical boardgames over the years: Wooden Ships and Iron Men, Trireme (IIRC?), Ironclads and Flattop. The first three were obviously related (very similar systems) and the latter was of course forced to be different by its very subject. I can't say how many hours I spent with friends playing those (we used to have some wild four way free for alls in WSIM!).



I forgot what it was called (definitely not miniatures), but I went to Carmel CA once and witnessed a huge naval battle fought on a lake (I think it was one of the Guadalcanal engagements) with replica ships that ranged from 1 to 3 feet in length. They had powered turrets that fired ball bearings and they actually sunk one another. Of course all the model ships were built to some kind of specs so no one had an advantage that his historical ship wouldn’t have had over its opponent vessels (different sized ball bearings, wood thickness, etc.). It took several guys to man the remotes for the larger ships. Was an awesome day.

Jim


Hi Jim,

I went to one of those too. As I rcall it was called something like Combat Model Club.
There is a link to one of their sites here: http://www.mwci.org/
It was interesting to watch (I took my son with me)




MadmanRick -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 4:26:31 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

Wow thanks for the link. Its SPI's old War in the Pacific board game revamped, I'm definitely a pre-order purchaser. I own an original unpunched SPI game in pretty good shape still and actually played it twice back in the early 80's with a friends punched game. The game had real problems due to almost no play testing being done. It was basically impossible to ship sufficient supply to Pearl Harbor to run its air force let alone anywhere else in the Pacific due to a broken supply transportation rule.

Air groups used almost an entire month’s supply for a transport chain, Air Wings required far too much supply to ever get enough to even use them. We played a few months both times and tossed in the towel. I hope these issues have been addressed.

Doubt I’ll ever play it again (not enough fanatics like me left anymore), but it’ll be a nice addition to my collection.

Jim



There have been a number of variants published over the years, that address those broken rules and make SPI's WitP playable (at least somewhat). Having followed DG's production track on the new WitP, I can tell you that this puppy will not only be playable, it'll be a fairly accurate sim too! The price is steep (even at pre-order prices) and the space required will be unholy, but if you consider that used copies of SPI's original WitP are selling for upwards of $300-400 on eBay, the investment in dollar terms isn't that outrageous. Now, considering the game would take up the entire living room of my NY apartment, I'll have to pass....sadly. I DO expect that the print run will sell out and rather quickly!! Also, for those interested, Fire & Movement issue 138, has a preview of DG's WitP and some info on the playtesting. It's very informative!

Rick




MadmanRick -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 4:35:02 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: treespider

SPI also had another monster "Campaign for North Africa". IIRC it had a rule in it referred to as the Spaghetti rule and tracked the amount of water the Italians had available for pasta. A buddy of mine has it boxed in his garage.

Decision Games is basically revamping all of the old SPI monster classics. They previously re-released War in Europe.


DG is in the process of revamping the War in Europe boardgame yet again, as the previous one sold out. They are also hard at work on a computer version of said game. The only problem is that game will not contain AI and will simply "enforce" the rules, so that either solo play or another human player (either hotseat or pbem) will be necessary. This method of development is fast becoming commonplace, what with the advent of Aide de Camp, Vassal, Cyberboard and the Hexwar website. It does offer one advantage, in that you're not paying for something many may never use, ala Matrix's WitP and by that I am referring to the AI. I know many here have never (and would never) play a game against the AI. So why pay for it??

Rick




MadmanRick -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 4:44:10 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

Can someone, please, explain to me how in this day and age someone would still like to play board game instead of game on computer? [8D]


BTW, I think that authors of that (and other monster board games) should have invested just a little more time/effort and transfer it to computer.

They already have the "heart" of the game (i.e. rules) and they already have the graphics (maps, cards with icons) - why not simply transfer this to computer and, without AI of course, create perfect PBEM or hot seat game?


Leo "Apollo11"


Leo,
If you are truly interested in boardgame transfers for computer play, check out these sites:

http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/adc2/ADC2-Main.html
http://www.vassalengine.org/community/index.php?option=com_welcome&task=display&displayAll=1
http://cyberboard.brainiac.com/download.html
http://www.wargamesbymail.com/
http://hexwar.com/

The only drawback to these ports of boardgames is that in most cases (but NOT all) one needs to own the original game or have access to a copy of the rules, as they are not included. The reasoning for that is to avoid copyright issues and the theory is that only persons already owning the original games, can use these products. I can tell you that I currently have every one of those engines (with the exception of Hexwar) on my computer and some of the modules are very nice. They are faithful recreations! The only one I avoid are the for $$$ versions, but that's only because they haven't done any of my favs that way yet.

Rick




MadmanRick -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 4:57:38 PM)

Also,
Just to weigh in on my "geekiness", I personally own AH's The Longest Day, SPI's War In The Pacific, War In Europe, GDW's The Third World War & Assault series and VG's Pacific War & the Fleet Series (all 5 volumes). That's it as far as monsters go, but I do have another 25-30 boxed wargames laying around. I recently removed them from storage, as I was getting nostalgic! Computer games in my book, only offer a few advantages over board games and that is ease of setup, space issues and the ability to comeback when ready (i.e. save). Board games however (especially the monsters) are simply awesome, the counters, the maps, no computer game can truly convey how massive say the War In The Pacific truly was, quite like seeing those "acres" of maps from SPI's WitP. Also, the face to face gaming is incredible, you truly get to know your partner and can actually socialize. Computers are nice, but I see them as the "lazy" way to game.

Rick




Big B -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 5:04:42 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MadmanRick

Also,
Just to weigh in on my "geekiness", I personally own AH's The Longest Day, SPI's War In The Pacific, War In Europe, GDW's The Third World War & Assault series and VG's Pacific War & the Fleet Series (all 5 volumes). That's it as far as monsters go, but I do have another 25-30 boxed wargames laying around. I recently removed them from storage, as I was getting nostalgic! Computer games in my book, only offer a few advantages over board games and that is ease of setup, space issues and the ability to comeback when ready (i.e. save). Board games however (especially the monsters) are simply awesome, the counters, the maps, no computer game can truly convey how massive say the War In The Pacific truly was, quite like seeing those "acres" of maps from SPI's WitP. Also, the face to face gaming is incredible, you truly get to know your partner and can actually socialize. Computers are nice, but I see them as the "lazy" way to game.

Rick

Own those too..

Totally agree[8D]




bilbow -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 6:43:55 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MadmanRick

Also,
Just to weigh in on my "geekiness", I personally own AH's The Longest Day, SPI's War In The Pacific, War In Europe, GDW's The Third World War & Assault series and VG's Pacific War & the Fleet Series (all 5 volumes). That's it as far as monsters go, but I do have another 25-30 boxed wargames laying around. I recently removed them from storage, as I was getting nostalgic! Computer games in my book, only offer a few advantages over board games and that is ease of setup, space issues and the ability to comeback when ready (i.e. save). Board games however (especially the monsters) are simply awesome, the counters, the maps, no computer game can truly convey how massive say the War In The Pacific truly was, quite like seeing those "acres" of maps from SPI's WitP. Also, the face to face gaming is incredible, you truly get to know your partner and can actually socialize. Computers are nice, but I see them as the "lazy" way to game.

Rick


Agree generally with this, but there is one area where computer games are far better simulations, and that is FOW. Board games have never come up with a good way of handling FOW, and it is especially important in situations like those represented in WIP.




Demosthenes -> RE: Something to "fry" your gaming brains! (2/24/2006 6:51:18 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: bilbow

Agree generally with this, but there is one area where computer games are far better simulations, and that is FOW. Board games have never come up with a good way of handling FOW, and it is especially important in situations like those represented in WIP.


Generally you are correct, but -
Have you ever played Avalon Hill's original Midway ... with the screen deviding the search board..

[image]local://upfiles/19015/2C4A33902B3F489EB8E813E5034AF902.jpg[/image]




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