Reunited & It Feels So Good

Reunited & It Feels So Good

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Should I stay or should I go?

Should I go or should I stay now? If I go there will be trouble, if stay it will be double. One of my favorite mechanics in Fresco is the victory point track/progress choice. Just to refresh your memory (or if your were unaware) when moving your victory point token, if your token lands on a point that if already occupied, you may go ahead one or fall back one space. I think having that choice is refreshingly powerful. Do I want to play aggressively, or sit back and wait to make my move. It plays into one of my favorite games; the meta-game (the game beyond the game.) In Fresco, being the leader, like many games, affects your play style and decisions. I have played Fresco aggressively and in a one back/drafting the leader position. Surprisingly, my game play experiences were very different. Regardless, what I like best, is having that choice, plain & simple. Fresco's turn initiative/catch the leader mechanic is eloquently combined. As the leader, you choose your time to go to the market last but if your willing to pay, going first is often available. Thus being in the lead is not as punishing as other games ( you have some control.)

While moving forward or falling back is not (per game mechanics) a huge decision, it is a very suttle choice. I have prescribed to Greenleaf's theory of servent leadership for many years. Are you a leader or follower? The best leaders were/are also good followers. I am willing to be both a leader and or follower. Within the meta game, if I am the leader & you choose to bring me down, I am at some level controlling your game play. If I choose to draft the leader, I have more choices as I don't have to look back over my shoulder. Will I choose to pass you or lurk behind you??? Wouldn't you like to know.

This week's gaming achievements were quietly rewarding. I found two games while thrifting that I am excited to see hit the table, Rio Grande's Corsairs & Reiner Knizia's Dead Man's Treasure. I managed to listen to the most recent podcast episodes of the Dice Tower, the D6 Generation, and Ludology. During game night I played two games of Innovation, and a short game of Let's Kill.

Having recently played 7 Wonders, my feelings are reaffirmed that Innovation is (in my opinion) a superior game to 7 Wonders given the player interaction and level of gaming tension. Despite having several games of Innovation under my belt, I or we have played some part of it incorrectly. If for some reason anyone from Asmadi Games reads this blog, please post an FAQ. Within the rules, we misunderstood a rule in the Dogma section that states that when a card draw of a # card other than from a supply pile has run out, that person does not draw a card vs. the rule on the reference card that state when you draw a # card from an era/supply pool runs out, draw from the next higher era.

A short note about Let's Kill, it is very very silly. Our game ended when Andy used Gary Coleman as a weapon to beat to death a victim who turned out to be Elvis for his final point. The premise is that each player is a serial killer who is trying to amass the greatest point total/body count.

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