non-video games

[lazarus]

Who plays them?

I'm particularly into German or Euro style board games. This started with Settlers of Cataan, but has moved on to many others. Two of the highest rated on boardgamegeeks.com are also my favourites, Power Grid and Agricola.

These games strike a nice balance in difficulty. They make Risk look like Parcheesi (way too random), but aren't as involved as the old Avalon Hill games (which I dearly love, too).

For instance, Power Grid has a limited random element. You have a map of a country or region (I have all the expansions), for instance, Brazil. These have cities on them. Your objective is to buy power plants (which come up randomly in the market) to power cities. You have to strike a balance between capacity and customer base to win.

Agricola is difficult to describe. It's basically a resource management game with virtually no random element at all. Each player gets a number of actions each turn to develop a farm, grow a family (which gives you more actions on later turns), and feed everyone.

Another great resource management game is Puerto Rico. It's got a steeper learning curve, because you have to buy buildings, as well, so you need to understand what they all do. They each impact the rules a different way. The combinations of rules changes get very interesting.

What's great about all these Euro games is they're different every time you play them. There's no One Great Strategy to win, you have to adapt to the game environment and the other players each time.

I also like tabletop miniatures gaming, in particular, Battletech. I lost most of my stuff to an asshole ex-roommate, and was pleased to see a new company has taken over and brought in back into print. I'm saving up to buy some terrain and miniatures, and well as more books of mechs.

[uriel1972]

1. I have no friends who play them. /sigh

I've got maybe a dozen PnP RPG's sitting on my shelf and I go through them every now and then, but play them ,no.

[lazarus]

2. I used to run Middle Earth Role Playing

based on the Rolemaster system (all percentiles). Loved it, loved the system, much better than AD&D, IMO.

I don't even know if I have any of the books anymore. I may need to eBay them. I finally have some folks interested in playing it.

[Ohio Joe]

3. I used to play the Avalon Hill games when I was younger

Their Lord of the Rings game was a favorite but now... I just don't know anyone else that wants to play them

[lazarus]

4. check the Meet Up site

I found a board game group that meets a few times a week. Unfortunately, they do social party games, not strategy games.

They knew about a gaming store in the area that has a gaming night once a week that's more focused on strategy games, though.

Oh, that's an idea, too. Hit the local gaming stores and find out from them if there are groups that meet. There are at least three stores in our county that have tables and have regular gaming nights.

I have three AH games right now. I've got the original Starship Troopers. It's got a unique way of teaching you how to play the game. It has seven scenarios, each more complicated than the last. The Federation player starts with one squad of like 8 Marines, but ends up at the end with two companies of over 100. There would be no way to just jump in to that last scenario. (I've never had anyone stick with it past the third scenario, though.)

I have Kingmaker, which haele and I keep meaning to play. It takes a while, though, and we don't have room for a table in our new house. That's the one where you reenact the Wars of the Roses.

Finally, I picked up a sealed copy of Conquistador in a thrift store for 3 dollars five or six years ago. That one is complex as hell, I've read the rules several times and still can't quite get a grip on it. I think playing it the only way we're going to figure it out.

[Codeine]

21. Are you familiar with ConSimWorld.com?

It's a great forum built entirely around board wargames of this sort, from the old favorites like Avalon Hill and SPI to the companies currently making games in the genre.Got me back into wargames in a big way.

[lazarus]

24. was not familiar with them

my family doesn"t get quite into that level of gaming. I'm lucky I convinced them to play Euro games, tbh.

[InternalDialogue]

5. Joe, you're in Denver, right?

I have a friend there who has a gaming group once a week. If I understand their setup, each player brings a game and each game gets played once per night. Some people introduce new games, others bring old favorites.

I can ask him if they're looking to add participants, or maybe if he has a favorite shop where you might meet another group to play with.

[Ohio Joe]

6. That would be sweet

If he is good with it, let me know and I'll PM you my email. Thanks!

[Hayabusa]

7. Here's another

I primarily play tabletop games like D&D and Star Wars. I wish that I could get into miniature wargames like Warhammer 40k, but I simply don't have the funds to do so.

[RexDart]

14. Instead of 40k

Which one joke was that 40k is what you're going to end up spending... Try a system that you'll only need 5-10 (or sometimes 1) minis on a side.

There are a number of old west rulesets that I can think of, Shootout, Legends of the Old West, Gutshot, The Rules with no Name, a Fistfull of Dice, Six Gun Sound and others that I'm sure I've missed. Your posse is usually 5 - 8 figures.

Necromunda was a GW product set in the 40k 'verse. You were running a street gang of usually 6. It's out of print now, but I think Two-Hour Wargames' 5150 is the same style.

If you only want to paint one figure, try a gladiator system. And all you need for terrain is a circle. My favorite is Habit Hoc Habit, although Warhammer Historical has just released "Gladiator" (original I know) which I'm trying to get a copy of. HHH also has a campaign element to so you can run a school.

Another thing might be to go to 15mm, or maybe even 6mm. The figures are a lot cheaper that way. Check out The Miniatures Page for more info then you'll ever need.

[lazarus]

15. another option is Battletech

You can get completely hard core into that game for around a hundred dollars, iirc. 8 miniatures (I think they sell a pack now of 8 plastic ones and a rules book, etc.), then as many record sheets as you can afford at a time. Start with 3025, then move on to more advanced mechs as you get good at it.

If you find someone else who likes to play, odds are they have all the stuff. I played for years without ever buying a thing, except for a couple of d6's.

It's a great game, too. I really intend to start playing again very soon.

[Hayabusa]

17. I played Battletech once

with my normal gaming group at a half-day student "recess" if you will at my high school. It was pretty fun, and they had the paper stand-up minis instead of plastic or metal ones. I actually have a Battletech book that I found at a used bookstore for pretty cheap. It's not a rulebook, but does have some lore. Not to mention that I bought the novels that Stackpole wrote.

I just don't know many people in my area that play it, though...

[Hayabusa]

16. Thanks for the options

but the majority of the minis gamers in my area play either WH40k or Flames of War, a WWII minis game. I guess the main problem for me on entering those games is that I'm a tank fanatic...

[Codeine]

20. 15mm science fiction is in a huge upswing right now.

Much less expensive than 40k, easier to paint, and you're not tied to the frankly dire rules that Warhammer uses.

Check out theminiaturespage.com for all sorts of discussion of minis, and http://dropshiphorizon.blogspot.com/ for info specifically related to 15mm science fiction.

[SidDithers]

8. My kids (13 & 11) got Settlers for Christmas last year...

and weren't too enthused. I don't think they've ever really tried to play it.

Should I give them some strong encouragement to give it a try?

Sid

[lazarus]

9. It's not optimal with 2 players

3 is good, 4 even better. Try playing with them.

The best part of the game is that the board changes every time you play it. One game you might get a set up that means building roads is the best way to win. Then the next time, it's all about cities. I've even survived solely by buying cards and getting victory points that way.

[NuttyFluffers]

10. Yes, quite a bit and know quite a bit for just about everything.

been on a GMT games kick, playing stuff like the cold war and war on terror. also collectible card games, tabletop roleplaying games, board games, etc...

kinda sad this place became so tightly associated with video games, now that you come to mention it. but whatever, i go to other websites to get my geek on.

[Ohio Joe]

12. Don't let that stop you

There is no restriction to just video games, all of the examples of gaming you gave are welcome. Please feel free to make posts about your favorite games, be it reviews or whatever about them you feel like talking about. Tell us about matches you had, up-coming release, news bits, whatever about that type of gaming you feel you want to talk about.

I know, when I post a review or news item, I do not restrict it to what I think everyone wants to know, I post the gaming stuff I find interesting and want to share. I encourage you (and everyone else) to do the same, it can only attract more people to the Group and let all of us know about the gaming goodness we are missing out on.

[lazarus]

13. We're trying to change the association

that's why i started this thread. Let's talk about other things besides video games.

You mentioned CCGs. I had a bad addiction to Magic a few years ago, bad enough that I stay away from it now. I'd end up spending all my time going to tourneys, etc.

I still think Lim-Dul's Vault is the most powerful card I ever saw, and it's an unrestricted uncommon. If you're not familiar with it, it's an instant that costs one blue and one black to cast.

It lets you look at the top five cards on your deck and put them back in any order. If you like, you can pay one life, put those five on the bottom, and sort the next five, repeating as long as you have life and want to do it. Back when you could have four Drain Life, it was almost broken.

I greatly enjoyed the Highlander CCG. I actually have a beta test deck laying around somewhere. I don't know if it's still in print.

Star Wars was supposed to be a great game, although I never had the money to get into another game.

My favourite may be Net Runner, also by Wizards of the Coast. It was a cyberpunk/hacking game where you had two decks, one for each game, one hacker and one being hacked. Lots of fun.

[Hayabusa]

22. Star Wars was good

depending on which company made the game you're playing. I've heard nothing but praise for Decipher's version of the game, but a healthy mixture of love and hate for Wizards' version. Their work on the RPG, though... Saga edition is awesome.

[ZombieHorde]

11. I really like chess, but I never get to play. nt

[Hayabusa]

18. Thanks to an $85 gift card to my local store

I bought the Flames of War quick start set and a Sherman Firefly tank and had about $30 left. The other FoW players were very helpful on helping me, something that I'm certainly grateful for. Now to learn the rules!

[Codeine]

19. Wargames, boardgames, miniatures, and RPGs are my main hobbies.

I don't even play any video games beyond the odd racing game (I do love GranTurismo). I love the good old hex-and-counter wargames, both Euro and Ameritrash-style boardgames (Agricola is just amazing, but I suck at Power Grid in a big way), sci-fi-n fantasy, and historical miniatures games, and I've been playing role-playing games like D&D since I was 11.

Let's make this a geekier place!

[Hayabusa]

23. I've been playing D&D

since I was 16 about ten years ago. I've just gotten into miniature wargaming and advanced board games (hurray $1 Axis & Allies Revised at a garage sale!)

[lazarus]

25. the trick to Power Grid

is to never buy more than 5 power plants for the whole game. I buy a starter plant, then a mid game plant that will power 3 or 4 cities, then nothing but end game plants from there out.

Of course, that changes on different boards. China just brutalizes me, I cannot for the life of me get the timing down for that board. This weekend we're going to try Japan, that one looks like fun. You can start two networks instead of just the one.

[Broken_Hero]

26. I play a few...

The main one being Magic the Gathering. My main issue with table top games is that ability to find other people to play the games. When I was younger I'd play Samurai Swords, and Axis and Allies, D and D, Vampire the Mas/Werewolf the Apoc, and Risk. I found it very hard to find other people to play the games with, and I fell out of playing, except with Magic(taught my wife).

I wish I could find a decent group of table top gamers, because I see a lot of board/minature games that look amazing, but I have no idea how to play, or if investing money into it would be worth it, if the only person I can play against is my wife, or by myself....

I have a hard time finding Magic players...wait, I have a hard time finding sane Magic players, most of the guys I play against are too critical/to the rule types who think they are Gods Gift to the rule system, and what cards you can, or can't use and it kills the fun factor. Usually I spend 99% of the time debating cards, and the rules, and it is very aggravating(at times I had issue with this with Dungeon Masters).

[NuttyFluffers]

27. find your Family Local Game Store (FLGS)?

Wizards of the Coast, who now manage MtG and D&D, has a store locator on their website. your local FLGS would welcome the extra custom.

and yes, i agree MtG players have changed over the years; less casual, more aggro competitive. the same sorta applies to D&D as well, in my experience, but whatever.

there's plenty of old fogeys out there who miss getting their geek on. just show up and chat up the owner. eventually they'll nudge you towards their calendar and when to visit for events. from there it's the process of meet and greet and learning to be diplomatically selective.

[yuiyoshida]

29. I USED to love playing Card games like...

Tomb Raider
Full Metal Alchemist
C-23
Legends of the Five Rings
Yugioh!
Rage
ReCharge (Marvel game)
also played Dominos... and had regular card sets for Solitaire.

[AllyCat]

30. We like Ticket to Ride and Exploding Kittens

Catan is fun too!