The Tao of Gaming

Since I've had locals asking to play Up Front, I've been updating my "rules rewrite." My rules are here (HTML). I could use some proof-reading, and if someone could translate the part about moving flamethrowers in rule 22.1 to english, that would be nice.

In my last version of the rules I had enough to allow people to play Scenario A with a few Bells and Whistles. I've added all the rules up to Scenario E, including AFVs and Overruns. I may add a few more sections over the holidays...

Update: I was doing this in Word, and the conversion sometimes messed up the "smartquotes." Those weird symbols are quotes.

Now that the holidays have kicked down work's door and scattered the teeming masses, time to start looking bat at the year. I played 133 titles (actually around 125, depending on how you count expansions) and just north of 600 games (that will hopefully go up a bit in the last week).

About 1/3rd of those games were Race (with or without the expansion), which should shock nobody. I also started playing Bridge again regularly. I got in over 40 sessions this year, which will probably drop a bit. I got in 30 odd games of Stratomatic for our league, and Glory to Rome almost got 20 games.

As to new games -- not so many of them. I obsessed over Agricola, Battlestar Galactica, Le Havre (just starting that) and played a ton of online Dominion. (Incidentally, I just played a few FTF games, and the setup/cleanup/shuffling really annoys me. It wouldn't be so bad if we played 5 games in a row, but I have no urge to do that during a gaming session).

I like Wabash Cannonball, and I think it will have staying power, but it won't occupy much thought when I'm not playing it. Ditto Tribune.

New games that were OK -- Airships, Dry Gulch Junction, Hanging Gardens, Jamaica, Lost Valley, Middle Kingdom, Pandemic, Palastgefluster, Stone Age.

Best forgotten -- Brass & Hamburgum, along with a few games that everyone has already forgotten.

All in all a pretty weak year, I think. Actually, that depends on how you count. A few games that invade my thoughts for a few weeks/months isn't bad. Arguably I'd have bought all of those "OK" games if they came out a decade ago. I don't know if I'd call it a "Historically Bad Year" like Joe did, but it wasn't a good year.

I really shouldn't call a game of the year just yet. My gut feeling is to make it Battlestar Galactica, but it's too early by about 6 months to make the call. On the other hand, it's the game I've had the most fun playing...