Episode 8: Fatigue & Failure

This week, Chris and Laura discuss fatigue, failure, and spectacular tantrums thrown by adults who didn't realize that it's hard to play a new boardgame when you're exhausted. If you're looking for ideas to play games successfully when you're overscheduled and underslept, or just want to hear some tales of games gone horribly, laughably wrong, listen in. 

 

Recommended  Games:

 

Civilization - This game by Avalon Hill is out of print, but it, and its companion game Advanced Civilization, is findable on Ebay. It is a collector's item though, so consider finding a friend with a copy to test play before purchasing your own.

Dominant Species - Fun but complex, this strategy game is one that requires time to learn. 

Mancala - A deceptively simple game using stones and a wooden playing board.

Monster Trap - This cooperative game is suitable for all ages, well balanced, and loads of fun.

Othello - A strategy game that takes "seconds to learn; a lifetime to master".

Pente - I have watched young children play this for hours. 

Pericles - This war game from GMT games is probably best for adults or older high school students. Consider it if you are both willing to devote the time to learning and want to dig into a detailed simulation of the opening years of the Peloponnesian War.

Settlers of Catan - Well on it's way to being a classic, this strategy game has multiple expansions and is a great entry point into strategy game play. 

 

Suggested Resources for Learning Games:

 

The Player's Aid - This blog and YouTube channel provides reviews for boardgames. If you have an interest in strategy or war games, there's a good chance that they've covered it.

Vassal - This open-source software allows for play of board and card games live on the internet or by email. If you are looking for a way to play through with other to learn the game before leading a game of your own, this is invaluable.

Watch It Played - This YouTube channel films game playthroughs. When reading the rules is leaving you confused, this is the next logical step.

 

Also, consider searching for your target board game with the keywords "walkthrough" or "instructional video". There's a good chance that someone has recorded a "how to" even if these resources haven't tackled it.

 

Can't see the links? Podcatcher turning my painstaking labor into plaintext? Come visit the podcast page at  https://played.podbean.com/ and get the full experience, complete with all the links in perfect functioning order.  

 

Intro and Outro Music:

"Crunk Knight" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/