The Tao of Gaming

This is where I thought the quality would jump. Did it?

I personally think it's too early for Goa [#50] to be in the list. But it's a good game.

Poker shows up at [#49]. Fine. Of course, Poker is really a category of games instead of a particular game. I like the formalized, Casino type games (although dealer's choice with the right group is fun). But it's chimerical nature means that anyone (who isn't opposed to gambling) can find something there.

Adel [#48]. Check. I've considered buy the reprint, even though I have the original. That 6th player ...

No surprise I'm happy to see Titan [#47] on the list, it's in my Top 10. Let me just take umbrage at one of the comments -- "The tactics of the battle board are fairly easy to learn, but ...". The tactics on the battleboard aren't easy. I remember a CS grad student at CMU who wanting to write a Titan AI (for battles only) and getting overwhelmed. [The pathfinding task can be particularly daunting for a computer, but humans don't do it so well either]. There are some easy hueristics ... Please don't write me any letters of recommendation, Josh.

I like Attika [#46], too, and would have voted for it.

Like Joe Huber, I wonder if 1830 [#45] is just a stand in for the entire system. I'd probably prefer '70 or '56 (for novelty), and I'd love to get Tom Lehmann's latest entry which is for sale, but I need a group I can play it against before I justify the cost. [I'd buy the deluxe version. I mounted my own copy of 1841. Never again!] I'd be surprised to see any other entrants in the genre. The first (in the US) is dominant.

Speaking of which, I was shocked to see Lowenherz [#44]. Domaine made the list, and these games aren't that different. So that means that they both have a reasonable following. Now, I've only played this one, twice or so, and I thought Domaine was clearly superior. I guess I'm in the majority. I also think the games are close enough that their votes could have been wrapped up (which probably would have only bumped this up 5-10 spaces, at most). Let another game in! Free the #101! [Of course, at that slot, who knows what it would have been?]

Traumfabrik [#43]. No real complaints. I wonder what the highest rated game that I'm actively bad it (meaning, like and rarely win) will be? Right now, #43.

Kicking Diplomacy around, Bridge drops in at [#42]. A touch low, but it's an acquired taste. Like Titan and 18xx, "Play a lot or play it not" in my book. (Sadly, my online game has collapsed, due to my moving one time zone and some recent babies among partners.) Incidentally, Larry Levy's point that Bridge 'evolved' (vs Diplomacy's design) is a good point. I'll withdraw Bridge from the challenge, but still point to Scrabble and Acquire.

I must have played For Sale [#41], but I haven't rated it, so I doubt I've played it twice.

So, about 8 games that I think belong, one I think doesn't (Lowenherz, although I think Domaine is borderline) and one I have no opinion of. So, basically I'm fine with all of the games! Should be smooth sailing to the contentious finals.