Polyhedral Underground - Wisconsin Gaming Group ~ Wisconsin Gaming Group - Oshkosh

May - 2012

Upcoming Events

Welcome to Polyhedral Underground!

For those of you new to our little group of geeks, we are a hobby board game group located in Winnebago county in east central Wisconsin, with many interests. If you're here that means that some of them are your interests too. Board games, computer games, rpg, miniatures, sci-fi, fantasy, and probably other such things. Even with all our interests board gaming remains primary for us.

We always like having new players around so introduce yourself on the forums and get comfortable. And if you find that we're your type of gamers, well, invite yourself to a game night or day that we frequently have.

So take a look around and let us know what you think.

And welcome again to: Polyhedral Underground!

Friday May 18th - Friday Night Lights!

Poster:

Skittlebrau
Forum: Game Nights / Meet Ups

Fri May 18, 2012 6:40 pm

Should be there a little after 7. With TTR maps and a guest.

Comments: 14 • Write comments • Views: 92

Game of the Month 2012 Nomination Thread

Poster:

Captain Yid
Forum: Game Nights / Meet Ups

Wed May 16, 2012 5:50 pm

Mexica

Comments: 34 • Write comments • Views: 325

Thurs. May 10th Transcontinental Railroad -Game Night

Poster:

Eric Holdridge
Forum: Game Nights / Meet Ups

Fri May 11, 2012 11:13 am

Thank goodness. I was worried that somehow the forum update had erased Antholo from existence or something.

Hope to see you again soon!

Just four in attendance last night, but got to try 3 new-to-me games, TtR Nordic, Homesteaders, and Hawaii. Would play all of them again.

Thanks for teaching, guys!

Comments: 13 • Write comments • Views: 95

CVG

Providing the latest news, previews, reviews, features, tips and cheats for UK gamers

<![CDATA[<b>This is our list, but what do YOU want to see?.</b><br />

We don't know much about the next Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, but we know it's in the works.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> Smash Bros. Wii U: What we want to see

<![CDATA[<b>"So he's the guy who made the big purple dildo?".</b><br />

We're going to level with you: this week has been a bit of a blur, along with constantly firing up news stores we've been frantically preparing for E3, which - excitingly - is almost upon us.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> CVG: Comments of the week

<![CDATA[<b>Rob Taylor pines for Bobby Pins and Pip Boy 3000...</b><br />

"War. War never changes..." Ron 'Beast' Perlman is a bona fide B-movie hero, but of all his bizarre roles he'll never, ever top that iconic line - four words that'll forever send a shiver down my spine. Maybe I'm biased.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> Why I Love... Fallout

<![CDATA[<b>2012: An Etrian Odyssey...</b><br />

Etrian Odyssey IV is a strange mix, layering brutal difficulty and hardcore complexity over a friendly anime-eyed face. But there's a reason we have "every extremity crossed tight" (trademarked, Nintendo Gamer issue 74) for a UK release. That reason? It's as compelling as it is complex.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> Etrian Odyssey IV: Now with hot air balloons

<![CDATA[<b>Why the return to Pandora will be better than ever...</b><br />

Remember how in the original Borderlandsthe combat felt stiff and repetitive? Enemy AI was predictable, andmost could be dealt with by simply chewing away at their health with whatever gun you happened to have equipped at that particular moment.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> Borderlands 2: Smarter enemies, crazier guns, cooler characters

<![CDATA[<b>Wii U branding also added.</b><br />

A QA tester for Traveller's Tales, the developers of Lego Star Wars, Lego Batman and - if the rumours are true - Lego Lord of the Rings, has leaked an image of a revised version of the Wii U controller.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> Wii U controller image leak shows proper analogue sticks

<![CDATA[<b>... and running... and jumping...</b><br />

In his grunting Scottish brogue, Karn chortles "You jump like a lass". Our broad-shouldered companion through our first hands-on dungeon playthrough highlights one of the distinctive characteristics of Darksiders II's grim new protagonist (this time you take control of horseman Death). No, Death doesn't have a womanly gait. But he can certainly jump.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> Darksiders 2: Dead man walking

<![CDATA[<b>Shun Nakamura on Smash Bros, Miis and music...</b><br />

Shun Nakamura marches to the beat of his own drum. Or should that be the shake of his own maracas? Responsible for Dreamcast's monkey/ maraca mashup Samba De Amigo, Nakamura has turned his gaze on Paris for 3DS's rather fabulous Rhythm Thief And The Emperor's Treasure. Next stop? Nintendo All-Star Musical.<br /><br /><a href=

Click here to read the full article]]>" /> Rhythm Thief interview: "I'd love to create a Nintendo All Star Musical!"

GameSpot Previews

Latest updates from Gamespot.com

Consider Heroes of Ruin for a spot of dungeon crawling on the go.

Heroes of Ruin: Diablo for Your 3DS? [3DS]

The Five Fundamentals of FIFA 13 [Xbox 360]

Sony trades sandy for sterile in its latest downloadable game, The Unfinished Swan.

Exploring Nothingness in The Unfinished Swan [PlayStation 3]

This game has multiple genres, an '80s sci-fi flick art style, and a coffee pot, and best of all, it's free!

A Desolate Future or The Desolate Hope? [PC]

Drop the fluffy clutch and do some sack circle work as Little Big Planet goes racing.

Ready, set, go-kart! Get ready to race with Sackboy [PlayStation 3]

We traverse a future space forest in the closed beta of Sega's long awaited MMO sequel.

Phantasy Star Online 2: MAG Fest [iPhone/iPod]

Is there still room for creativity in Call of Duty? Treyarch hopes so.

The Five Biggest Surprises About Call of Duty: Black Ops II [PlayStation 3]

Get off the couch and get involved with the sports in London 2012 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games.

Getting Physical With London 2012 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games [PlayStation 3]

The Gamer Dome

Sorry, no RSS items found in the cache file.

RPG.NET

The premiere indie roleplaying site.

Brave New World: Rogue Trader Is Crazy Fun and Here's Why

Superseeds: Lost Heroes

Sandy's Soapbox: Kickstarter, the Avengers, and Pirates

Tools for increasing RPing at your table.

Tricks for GMs: How to Get the Players to Play More In-character?

One change point in 1783 and a slew of historical reviews.

A Bit of History: Third Anniversary Double Issue

All about birds to eat, complete with magic and plot hooks.

The Beastly State of Your Campaign: Eatin' Birds

Banned, withdrawn, impounded, and censored RPGS over the years.

Designers & Dragons: The Column: The Top 10 Censored RPG Books

The Horror: A May Day Wicker Man

BoardGames with Scott

Join Scott Nicholson on his monthly exploration of board games! Scott explains and reviews a different board game on this video series. These short reviews will introduce you to strategy games, party games, family games, and other types of board and card games that go far beyond the traditional games gathering dust in the top of your closet!

<![CDATA[Hey there! I’m working on a new social game. One of the things I need for the game are get-to-know-you questions. So, I thought it might be fun to crowd source it. If I use your question, I’ll give you appropriate credit on the game card/screen with your question! If you want to see your [...]]]>

Get your name in Scott’s game!

<![CDATA[Hello there! I wanted to first apologize if you had any spam coming your way from this blog. Bad guys found their way in and replaced my RSS feed with their own Web site, so I ended up deleting the whole blog and reintroducing the content. I will be at PAX East spending most of [...]]]>

Updates, GDC and Heading to PAX East

<![CDATA[I’ve been doing short video reviews for about 6 months and posting them to YouTube. These reviews are filmed during the play of the game, so they are much less polished and usually involve me talking with the players about their impressions of the game. Most are under 5 minutes. I’ve made about 30 of [...]]]>

InPlay Video Reviews and Google+

<![CDATA[I’ve started a new blog focused on my research on games called Play Matters. It’s going to be my main focus where I talk about what I’m going with serious games, games in education, and game design. If you want to keep up with my scholarly view of games, you can do so at http://becauseplaymatters.com]]>

New research blog – Play Matters

<![CDATA[As part of a charity auction on Board Game Geek for Tom Vasel, I volunteered to create a video (with a silly opening) on the game of the high bidders’ choosing. The winning game was The Republic of Rome. You can watch the video here: or download it through the Internet Archive at http://www.archive.org/details/TeachingVideoAboutTheRepublicOfRome. This [...]]]>

Teaching video of The Republic of Rome

<![CDATA[I’ve posted an auction on Boardgamegeek.com for over 100 board and video games from my collection that closes on May 22. You’re welcome to visit and bid, and if you find the minimum bid too high for you, you can place an offer that I’ll consider! You can find the auction at http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/67340/bgws-closeout-auction-ending-may-22/]]>

BGWS Closeout Auction

<![CDATA[On a recent episode of CBS Sunday Morning, I was part of a segment on modern board games. I think they did a pretty good job of covering the hobby, despite the “look at the weird people” opening segment showing people in RPG and video game costumes. You can see the video at http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7361550n and [...]]]>

CBS piece on board games

<![CDATA[Greetings! As I’ve closed down the show, I’ve decided to sell off about 350 of my games (which is about a third of my collection, so I’m not selling everything!) You can find information about the sale at http://tinyurl.com/bgwssale You can still hear me on the On Board Games podcast. I was particularly happy with [...]]]>

Game Sale and Updates

BGG Latest Reviews

BoardGameGeek features information related to the board gaming hobby

<p>by <a href='http://boardgamegeek.com/user/BrooklynMike'>BrooklynMike</a></p>
Matt and I got a chance to play through the first scenario in the latest LnL addition to their WaW franchise: Nuklear Winter '68. I'd like to offer some impressions, and then a quick description of the game. <br/><br/>First, the game's back story is unsettling: the nuclear war at the end of WW2 takes place in Europe instead of Japan, and this time both sides are armed. Basically, the Allies nuke Germany and environs back into the stone age, but not before London, Paris and a few more notable cities are counter bombed. <br/><br/>Hitler has been assassinated, and the Nazi leadership (don't recall, Himmler, I think) take the entier military might and political population of the Third Reich underground into camp-sized bunkers. Over time, NATO builds a wall around what's left of Germany and the world tries to move on. <br/><br/>Then, in 1968, the Nazi leaders deem the time ripe to re-emerge and continue world conquest. About that time, a mutant / zombie population of the wasteland that was German has decided the time is ripe to break out of the surrounding walls and start world conquest. NATO nervously observes the unprecedented levels of activity in the hot zone with growing alarm. Scouts are sent in to investigate, and hilarity ensues. <br/><br/>The scenarios pit the mutant / zombies, the Black Hand, against both the 3rd Reich player and the NATO player. An interesting campaign context is included, that allows players to build up supply points between games based on performance. <br/><br/>Game component quality is up to or surpasses what we've come to expect from LnL. Mounted board, sturdy colorful counters, high production value rules, all around great. The rules are printed with dark text on dark background though, and that is a bit hard to read. <br/><br/>The counter mix is, well, whacky. the NATO forces are up to 1968 standards, but the Nazis still their WW2 vintage forces ... augmented somehow by a flying saucer! So you get Stukas and Abrahams duking it out. The Black Hand stick with mobs of Zealots (reasonably good infantry) some APCs (Pests), tanks (Megrims) etc. <br/><br/>If you have played the World at War series you will be very comfortable with this game. The factors on the counters are familiar (AP, HE with ranges) but their use is different. No more rolling multi dice for a hit number .. rather your attack value + 2 D6 is opposed by the defender's armor value + 2 D6. The more the attack total exceeds the defense total, the more damage you inflict. Terrain, range, etc. modify this. We found this combat mechanism somehow smoother and faster, and got used to it quickly. <br/><br/>The command rules are souped up, with tiered bonuses depending on the range of the commander to the unit. The activation mechanic is the same as WaW with chit pulls dictating who activates which formation. The Black Hand have a significant advantage in that they activate ALL their units when their activation marker is pulled, they don't have discrete formations. Also, since they are fanatics, they automatically rally and are always in command.<br/><br/>Fire combat is much as you would think, with ranges augmenting or decrementing the effectiveness of the shooting, except for missile weapons. Some vehicles (the King Tiger comes to mind) are nearly unstoppable with very thick armor. There is Op Fire, moving fire. Interstingly enough, there is not defender fire in assaults ... the attacker's roll is opposed by the defender and normal results applied. There are a few assault bonuses for assisting (stacking) with infantry or AFVs. If you fail to take the hex you are thrown back shaken. <br/><br/>Units can be shaken, reduced, Out of Contact etc. and all these states limit their effectiveness. Moving fire rules allow more running and gunning, and more flexibility. We didn't get to play with many of the neat toys (we only did scenario 1) but in addition to the Nazi Flying Saucer there are Stukas, helicoptors, chemical, biological, mines, sandbags ... a seemingly endless array of interesting new battlefield assets. <br/><br/>The first scenario is an encounter between a small German force motering to a arms dump in a local town, and a band (murder? clatch? flock?) of Black Hand zealots. We learned that fire power against units in the open is deadly, about 1/2 of Matt's infantry (he was German) blown away by the overwatching Megrim tank. Matt learned caution quickly, and started exploiting the longer-range German guns to shoot at the Black Hand without risking counter fire. <br/><br/>The Black Hand (who for some reason I imagined as speaking with American hillbilly accents) had deployed far forward and dispersed (mistake). A single infantry can be hard to dislodge, but since the infantry AP weapons can't even pierce the King Tiger armor, the front line was pretty quickly dislodged by rolling up that monster and blasting away. <br/><br/>The scenario objective was a town in the south east corner of the play area. For several turns the Black Hand fell back then fled to the town. Having lost several Zealots, and the tank by now I had little choice but to set up a defensive perimeter around the town. Turns have an exact number of activation pulls, calculated at the start of the game (ours was 5). Matt's German formations had 2 markers each, and he got a streak of outrageous activations, where both formations went twice a turn. And, he took full advantage. <br/><br/>Even so, it was not until around turn 7 that he arrived at the edge of the objective town. I decided that rather than sit on the outskirts and get blown to bits, I retreated into the town, out of line of sight, lurking in the shadows and forcing the Germans to come in after me (shades of Stalingrad). <br/><br/>In he came, and as it would happen, the last turn activation sequence was such that the game hinged on an assault on the very last possible die roll on the very last possible unit activation! Matt managed to dislodge my last desperate Zealot and won the game, but it was a nail biter. <br/><br/>So, in summary: Fun? Lots! Characterful? Very! Legitimate war game? Seem so, need to play more to see. Gonna play again? Oh, for sure ... we'll probably play through the campaign to add some continuity between the scenarios. Recommended? Most definitely!

Review: Nuklear Winter '68:: NW'68 Impressions and AAR from Metro Wargamers of NYC

<p>by <a href='http://boardgamegeek.com/user/vmp0514'>vmp0514</a></p>
Those wishing to see the full review (pictures included) can do so at the following page:<br/><br/><a target='_blank' href="http://vincentpaone.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/whos-got-game/" rel="nofollow">http://vincentpaone.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/whos-got-game/</a><br/><br/>A full list of my board game reviews can be found on the same site here:<br/><br/><a target='_blank' href="http://vincentpaone.wordpress.com/board-game-reviews/" rel="nofollow">http://vincentpaone.wordpress.com/board-game-reviews/</a><br/><br/>---<br/>Let’s pretend for a moment that you’re hosting a party and that the guests of honor should be arriving any minute. You’ve got your Star Trek DVDs locked and loaded, you’ve got your favorite Hanson album blasting away, and the eighteen topping pizzas that someone is sure to be allergic to are on their way. You’re confident that Captain Kirk can keep your guests actively engaged throughout the evening, but you’re thinking of bringing out a party game just to be sure.<br/><br/>In all seriousness, how often has this happened to you, ”in an mmmbop they’re gone” aside? Trying to find an activity that all of your guests will enjoy can be a difficult thing to do. It can also be nerve-wracking if you happen to have your eye on a special someone and don’t want to appear boring.<br/><br/>People often associate party games with common names like “Scene It”, “Pictionary”, “Outburst”, and “Apples to Apples”, however you may be surprised to learn just how many party games lie beyond the comfortable nest that you and your regular group have dug yourselves into. I’m here today to take a look at one such example, titled “Who’s Got Game?”<br/><br/><i>Who’s Got Game: 4+ Players, Ages 18+, Average Play Time = 30-60 Minutes<br/></i><br/>Before we get started, I wanted to extend a quick thank you to Adam Kornblum (the co-creator of “Who’s Got Game?”) for reaching out to me and sending me a free copy to review. He was extremely polite and helpful in answering all of my questions.<br/><br/>“Who’s Got Game?” was developed by seven-time New York Times best-selling author Neil Strauss and game developer Adam Kornblum. The main inspiration behind this game was based off of Neil’s books, “The Game” and “Rules of the Game”, just to name a few. Adam wanted to create a game that encouraged people to overcome the fear of getting to know new people, and after both parties collaborated, “Who’s Got Game?” was born.<br/><br/>Just as a quick overview on what this game is about, players will be taking turns drawing cards and socially interacting in various ways in an attempt to score the most points. Let’s take a quick look at the components, setup, and gameplay before heading into the review.<br/><br/><u><b>Components</b></u><br/><br/><u>Script Cards</u> – These cards are the meat and potatoes of the game and come in various forms. Some cards might require players to perform physical challenges while other cards might task players with acting or public speaking.<br/><br/><u>Scorecard</u> – This serves as a way for players to keep track of their points during a game. Ideally, one person should be assigned as the scorekeeper.<br/><br/><u>Notepad and Pencil</u> – Each player will be given one at the beginning of the game, to use as required by whatever script cards that they may draw.<br/><br/><u>Sand timer</u> – A timer that is used as needed throughout the game and during the “Final Challenge.”<br/><br/><u><b>Setup</b></u><br/><br/>Setting up the game is fairly easy and consists of the following:<br/><br/>1. Shuffle the script cards and place them into the script card holder.<br/><br/>2. Choose a scorekeeper and give everyone a pencil and notepad.<br/><br/>3. Choose a permanent partner that you will be tasked with interacting with throughout the game. Give your partner a unique nickname. Everyone else will be doing the same.<br/><br/><u><b>Gameplay</b></u><br/><br/>Throughout the game, players will be known as “The Leader”, depending on who’s turn it currently is. The scorekeeper begins the game as The Leader.<br/><br/>The Leader picks up a script card from the holder and reads it aloud. The script card will instruct everyone playing on what to do…tasks will vary from card to card. Once the task on the card is completed, the scorekeeper will give the appropriate players points, based on what the card instructed them to do and how successful they were in completing them.<br/><br/>Afterward, the next person clockwise will become The Leader, pick up a card, and the process repeats. After a set number of script cards have been played, each player must complete “The Final Challenge.”<br/><br/>The Final Challenge is the same every game. The sand timer is flipped and each player must write down one thing that each other player had said during the game. Each player gets one point per accurate statement.<br/><br/>The scorekeeper then must tally all of the points that players have earned throughout the game and during The Final Challenge. The person who has the most points at the end of it all wins!<br/><br/><u><b>The Review</b></u><br/><br/>First, I’d like to touch on how easy the game is to pick up and play. There aren’t that many components, but having a boatload of pieces doesn’t always make for a great game. Sometimes, all people want to do is play something quick and easy as opposed to losing an entire weekend to Risk.<br/><br/>I also want to mention that I like how the script cards have ten different types of categories. Let’s face it, some of us aren’t as social as others and some of us aren’t as comfortable in revealing our personal pleasures when in a group setting (sorry, I’m old-fashioned). Uncomfortable with massaging your partner as the script card tasks you to do? Draw a new card! Giving players a variety of ways to interact allows the game to be customizable to suit a particular group’s needs or wishes.<br/><br/>Creative minds can have a lot of fun with the script cards without keeping score. You could take the script cards out to a social gathering (public or private) and just use the cards as an activity to help pass the time. I remember, as a kid, frequenting a particular Pizza Hut that had trivia cards at every table…and I had a really good time. The potential for creating a particular “deck” of script cards to match a particular situation is endless.<br/><br/>Overall, ”Who’s Got Game?” is a fantastic party game that has a lot to offer. Playing the game with your kids and family is possible, but this game is ideally meant for an adult group setting. You’ll get the most bang for your buck by keeping the audience over eighteen years of age. If your kids do express an interest in trying it, I found that the best way to make this game family friendly is to go through the cards ahead of time and exclude the more raunchier ones.<br/><br/>The family and I played a full game (excluding the inappropriate and more difficult cards) and things went very well. We actually sat around for an hour afterwards, playing out the actions on the Storytelling cards and analyzing personality types on the Cold Reading cards without keeping score. I really liked how the cards were open enough to allow younger audiences to answer in a silly manner, much like we do when playing “Say Anything!” or “Apples to Apples.”<br/><br/>Jennifer, my girlfriend, mentioned that this game would be “a hoot” to play for when her brother and sister came over with their significant others. Her thoughts on the game paralleled with mine in that playing the game with kids is very possible, but it would be better with a group of adults…the more the better. Regardless, the kids had a blast and didn’t want to stop playing.<br/><br/>If you’re in the market for a new party game, give “Who’s Got Game?” a look!<br/><br/>You can learn more about the game on the official website and on Board Game Geek here:<br/><br/><a target='_blank' href="http://www.neilstrausspartygame.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.neilstrausspartygame.com/</a><br/><br/><a target='_blank' href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/121826/whos-got-game-the-game-with-benefits-by-neil-strau" rel="nofollow">http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/121826/whos-got-game-the-...</a><br/><br/>You can purchase the game through the official website as well as through Amazon, here:<br/><br/><a target='_blank' href="http://www.amazon.com/Whos-Got-Game-Neil-Strauss/dp/B005F3GPJC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336555860&sr=8-1&tag=article-boardgamegeek-20" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Whos-Got-Game-Neil-Strauss/dp/B005F3GP...</a><br/><br/>The scorecards that come with the game are for the four to six player game. You can find and print scorecards for the eight to twelve player game here:<br/><br/><a target='_blank' href="http://www.neilstrausspartygame.com/score8.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.neilstrausspartygame.com/score8.pdf</a><br/><br/>

Review: Who's Got Game? The Game with Benefits by Neil Strauss:: Who's Got Game? Review

<p>by <a href='http://boardgamegeek.com/user/Random_Phobosis'>Random_Phobosis</a></p>
<b>The Resistance</b><br/><br/>Я знаю, что вы мне не доверяете.<br/>Нет, я-то человек, но доказать это мне нечем. Пока нечем. Но, согласитесь, если бы я был крысой, я бы не стал рассказывать вам об этой игре, верно? Погодите, я ещё никого не обвиняю. Нет, конечно, у меня есть подозрения! Но я озвучу их после голосования, а пока... Ладно, давайте пока что просто предположим, что я человек, и выслушаем меня.<br/><br/>Теперь уже я вряд ли сяду играть в <b>Мафию</b> или <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37111/battlestar-galactica" >Battlestar Galactica</a>, потому что <b>Resistance</b> чудесным образом совмещает в себе все их достоинства, но при этом лишён их чудовищных недостатков. Чтобы стало понятно, чем же он так хорош, давайте вначале об этих недостатках и поговорим.<br/><br/><br/>Почему не стоит играть в Мафию<br/><br/>Главная моя претензия - player elimination, то бишь, выбывание игроков. Партия заканчивается очень быстро, если только играет не совсем уж толпа. При отсутствии "спасающих" ролей вроде врача игра в компании приличного по настольным меркам размера заканчивается на втором ходу. Удалось набрать больше народу? Поздравляю, выбывшие на первых ходах будут скучать ещё дольше.<br/><br/>Второй серьёзный минус - отсутствие игромеханических оснований для дедукции. Кто-то считает "а он пошевелился" нечестной уликой, кому-то приелась "психология лжи" и надоело "вычислять по глазам", некоторым просто не нравится безосновательный гон. Как бы то ни было, партия в "Мафию" больше смахивает не на детективный триллер, а на "Битву экстрасенсов".<br/>Более того, приёмы необоснованных обвинений довольно скоро начинают повторяться, и реиграбельность уходит в пол: хотя в каждой следующей партии ситуация меняется полностью (потому что роли распределяются по-другому), с точки зрения игрока <i>выглядит</i> игра всегда одинаково, и этот факт я нахожу весьма печальным.<br/><br/>В общем, "Мафию" я рекомендую изгнать из города/казнить.<br/><br/><br/>Почему не стоит играть в Battlestar Galactica<br/><br/>В сущности "Баттлстар" - это две суб-игры в одной коробке: кооперативный кризис-менеджмент и дедуктивная игра про предателя. К обеим суб-играм у меня есть вопросы, да и связаны друг с другом они, прямо скажем, не лучшим образом.<br/><br/>Начнём с кризис-менеджемнта. По правде говоря, он тривиален.<br/>Решения, которые приходится принимать в "Баттлстаре", практически всегда очевидны даже для неопытных игроков, а от какой-нибудь <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31260/agricola" >Агриколы</a> местное распределение ресурсов и рабочей силы отличает только обилие мелких, слабо влияющих на процесс механик, да маловариативность - по правде сказать, те же агрикольные "оккупации" вносят в процесс куда больше разнообразия, чем толстые стопки совершенно одинаковых по сути баттлстаровских кризисов и дестинейшенов.<br/>В то же время кооперативным играм, вот даже самому завалящему <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic" >Пандемику</a>, Баттлстар проигрывает из-за общей зашумлённости процесса: немногие существенные решения тонут в постоянных перекладываниях фишечек, возне с ключевыми словами и прочем игромеханическом мусоре. Если вам за все сыгранные партии довелось хоть раз поразмыслить над тем, в какую сторону перемещать транспорт - вам крупно повезло. Но раз всё это так тривиально, зачем тогда терпеть мучения добрых два часа?<br/><br/>Что касается "предательской" части, то моментов дедукции во многих партиях просто не бывает: сайлонам чаще всего выгодно не палиться до самого конца, а потом внезапно раскрыться и как-нибудь сильно всех расстроить. От гениальной механики кризисов нет никакого толку, если злодеи предпочитают не высовываться.<br/>В результате игра сильно напоминает Мафию - опять детективы уступают место экстрасенсам, потому что игромеханика отказывается предоставлять конкретные доказательства. Зачем продолжать игру после раскрытия предателей - для меня и вовсе загадка, потому как доступные тостерам действия еще скучнее, чем у пассажиров "Галактики".<br/><br/>Короче говоря, из двух часов, уходящих на партию, вычислением предателей удаётся заниматься минуты три в лучшем случае.<br/>Предлагаю запереть "Баттлстар" на бриге, а дополнения к нему - выбросить в открытый космос.<br/><br/><br/>Почему стоит играть в Resistance<br/><br/><center><![CDATA[<div style=''><a href=

]]> Содержимое коробочки. Картинка за авторством EndersGame</center> За эту игру можно усадить от пяти до десяти игроков - довольно широкий спектр, хотя порывшись в вариантах, можно найти домашние правила для игры ещё большей толпой или, наоборот, вчетвером. Это - первое преимущество перед тесным Баттлстаром и жадной до игроков Мафией. В начале партии традиционно раздаются роли (карточки лояльности), большинство оказывается добропорядочными членами сопротивления (мирные жители, или просто "люди"), а некоторые - имперскими шпионами (предатели, мафия, оборотни, злодеи, тостеры, крысы). Как положено, нехорошие по-мафиозному "знакомятся" друг с другом, пока приличные люди "спят", после чего "Мафия" заканчивается, и начинается игра. Партия состоит из пяти раундов, в каждом из которых сопротивление пытается выполнить миссию, а крысы - эту самую миссию завалить. Хорошие ребята выигрывают, если им удаётся выполнить три задания, плохиши - если валят три из пяти. В начале каждого раунда игроки решают, кто пойдёт на миссию: на первые задания обычно отправляется пара человек, чем дальше - тем больше народу нужно брать с собой. Игрок с переходящим по кругу званием лидера номинирует несколько кандидатур (это ж практически "Executive Order"), после чего все голосуют. Людям надо выбрать на задание порядочных жителей, а крысам - постараться включить в команду предателя, чтобы тот смог провалить миссию. Если предложенная лидером команда отклоняется большинством голосов, то он теряет доверие, и лидерство переходит к следующему игроку по часовой стрелке, который номинирует другой состав команды - и так пока какую-нибудь команду не утвердят. <center>

]]> Тут вот указано, сколько человек и в каком раунде идут на миссию. Картинка за авторством PoisonApple</center> Миссия - по сути тот же кризис из "Баттлстара". Только лучше. Все участники миссии играют на стол одну из двух карт - "успех" или "провал". Люди могут играть только "успешные" карты, оборотни - и те, и другие. Сыгранные карты перемешиваются, а затем раскрываются. Если все карты - "успешные", миссия выполнена и засчитывается людям, а если есть хотя бы один "провал" - она идёт в зачёт злодеям. <center>

]]> Миссия провалена! Картинка за авторством schwarzott</center> На следующие миссии приходится брать всё больше игроков, а значит, риск взять в команду предателя повышается. Приходится анализировать, кто, где, с кем и когда был, кто как голосовал, кто на кого гонит и кто кого защищает. Как и везде, людям надо вычислить крыс - но тут для таких вычислений есть твёрдая логическая основа. В общем-то, я только что объяснил все правила. Как и "Мафия", Resistance не представляет сложности для нон-геймеров, казуалов, неопытных игроков, младших родственников и проч. Огромный плюс. Здесь нет ни отвлекающих цифр, ни ненужной арифметики, ни возни "я кину много, ты кидай поменьше", ни бестолковых "реклессов" - ничего лишнего, только дедуктивная суть. Вышла "чёрная карта" - значит, в команде есть предатель. Вышли только "добрые" - значит... ничего это не значит. Предатель в команде всё равно наверняка был, просто он затаился и пытается втереться в доверие. Примерная нить размышлений может выглядеть так: - Я играю за человека. - В первом раунде на задание послали меня и соседа, вышла одна карта "успех" и одна - "провал". - Я - человек, и, естественно, клал "успех". Значит, "провал" положил мой сосед. Следовательно, он - предатель. Я об этом знаю, но для остальных игроков мы под одинаковым подозрением. - В следующей миссии в команду из трёх человек я предлагаю взять себя и двух других игроков, но не брать соседа-оборотня. Сосед голосует "за". - Теперь я могу доказать остальным игрокам, что сосед - злодей. По результатам первой миссии, если бы он был человеком, то я должен был бы быть крысой, и сосед бы об этом знал. Но если сосед - человек, то почему он голосует за команду, в которой присутствую я, крыса? Следовательно, он не человек. - Более того, за команду из одних только людей предатель голосовать бы не стал, и команда с двумя оборотнями сразу - тоже невыгодно (оба могут кинуть "провалы" одновременно и спалиться). А раз сосед-тостер проголосовал "за", то в выбранной команде есть как минимум (и вероятнее всего) один предатель. - Понятно, что на задания можно брать меня, и ещё кого-то из двух выбранных игроков, а вот кто-то третий - предатель. - Теперь можно высказать всё это остальным игрокам и наблюдать драматическое бурление - или придержать доказательства до решающего раунда и посмотреть, не выдадут ли как-нибудь злодеи других своих товарищей... Увы, Баттлстар такими задачами балует отнюдь не каждый раз, а если бы и баловал - всё равно в Резистансе партии примерно в шесть раз быстрее. <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/tongue.gif" alt="" border="0"> Да и механики, похожие вроде бы по сути, здесь работают поприятней. Тот же титул Лидера - аналог президента/адмирала, меняется значительно проще, имеет гораздо более мощные (хотя и значительно менее очевидные) рычаги влияния на игру и требует пристального внимания и коварной манипуляции со стороны как людей, так и тостеров. Почему стоит купить Resistance В базовый вариант, как и в Мафию, можно зарубиться обычной колодой игральных карт - правила лежат где-то рядом в разделе файлов. В покупной же версии присутствует опциональное мини-дополнение, добавляющее в игру занятные возможности (знакомые нам, опять же, по Баттлстару), но без прироста сложности. Теперь лидер (который, напомню, меняется минимум раз каждый ход), перед заданием ещё и раздаёт парочке других игроков (но не себе!) специальные способности вроде бальтаровской возможности посмотреть чужую карту лояльности (и наврать про неё окружающим), публично "просветить" сыгранные на миссии карты, провалить голосвание, отобрать звание лидера и так далее. Конечно, сам выбор лидера, кому именно отдавать способности, уже говорит о многом. <center>

]]> Карты способностей. Картинка за авторством EndersGame</center> Благодаря способностям, глубина игры увеличивается на порядок, а логические цепочки, уличающие товарищей в предательстве, уже с трудом помещаются в голове. Особенно, если вы специально допустили в них ошибку, чтобы подставить невиновных. :} К недостаткам платной версии можно смело отнести тему: противостояние добрых повстанцев против злобной империи прочно укоренилось в западном сознании, а вот у наших идея предателей внутри предателей внутри предателей вызывает диссонанс. Крысы - они и есть тостеры, давайте называть вещи своими именами. А ещё в доставшейся мне редакции текст на трёх языках, что раздражает. Еще хуже то, что на каждом формулировка эффекта некоторых карт немножко различается и совсем не соответсвует правилам - но всё равно карты учатся очень быстро, и народ ориентируется в основном по символам. Ну голосуем уже!.. <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-up.gif" alt="thumbsup" border="0"> наконец-то, в игре про вычисление предателей можно, собственно, вычислять предателей <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-up.gif" alt="thumbsup" border="0"> простые, понятные, логичные, прозрачные и очень элегантные правила, на радость ветеранам и казуалам <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-up.gif" alt="thumbsup" border="0"> скромное время партии - от 15 минут и до часа, если спорить очень-очень много и горячо <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-up.gif" alt="thumbsup" border="0"> гибкое количество игроков <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-up.gif" alt="thumbsup" border="0"> ужасно портативно <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-up.gif" alt="thumbsup" border="0"> можно играть простой колодой карт <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-up.gif" alt="thumbsup" border="0"> впечатляющая добавка глубины в платной версии <img src="http://geekdo-images.com/images/thumbs-down.gif" alt="thumbsdown" border="0"> дурная тема На мой взгляд, Resistance - однозначно лучшая игра про предателей на сегодняшний день. Если вы любите вычислять оборотней и сеять панику в сердцах людишек - играйте немедленно. А я эту партию уже выиграл: в примере в середине обзора на самом деле тостер - не только спалившийся сосед, но и я тоже." /> Review: The Resistance:: The Resistance - Russian review - обзор на русском