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Monday Brews – Cinco de Mayo 2014
Hola! Welcome back to Boards & Barley for an awesome Cinco de Mayo! According to Wikipedia, Cinco de Mayo is also known as El Dia de la Battala de Puebla (Day of the the Battle of Puebla). It celebrates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the french forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. Now we commemorate by eating lots of chips, salsa, and guacamole and enjoying oversized Margaritas. Bummer… now I’m hungry for quacamole.
It’s Monday so here on Boards & Barley I like to recap the games and beer that I enjoyed in the past week. I’d love to hear what you enjoyed this past week. Feel free to leave a comment below! Let’s start with the Barley…
The Barley:
Belgians brew great beer!
BARLEY SPOTLIGHT: Karmeliet Tripel
I had never had the Karmeliet Tripel before, which is a travesty for someone like myself who really enjoys the Belgian Tripel variety of beer. The new local establishment that I keep mentioning had this on tap and served it in the glass shown in the picture. It was an excellent beer and I would definitely enjoy it again.
- NEW! Duchesse de Bourgogne – Another amazing Belgian Beer! I think I could easily get by with Belgian beer if it were the only country from which I could enjoy beer.
- Spaten Optimator
The Boards:
No spotlight this week. I played a few games but would rather just list them.
- Crokinole – Played with 4 players (6 discs each). We added a cool scoring rule where you score 10 points for each opponent’s disc that you knock out of play. However, if your disc also goes out of play on the same flick then it is a scratch and you do not get the points. This added a fun level of play to the game.
- Unpublished Prototype – This is a four player 4 card game that I don’t want to say too much about other than it is really awesome.
- Unpublished Prototype – I played a friend’s co-op game about healing patients. This game was very enjoyable and had an interesting and dynamic time aspect.
- Unpublished Prototype – This was a stock market game that had some interesting elements and worked well. I sure would love to see a different theme, though.
- Forbidden Island – I played with my kids and we lost on the VERY FIRST flood card (Fool’s Landing). I’ve never lost that quickly. You’ve technically only got a 19% chance on losing on the first draw of flood cards (16.7% on first card). And those percentages are ONLY if Fool’s Landing was one of the first six flood cards during setup. After we lost we reset the board and played again. But my kids lost interest before we could finish even though we had three treasures and a very good chance of winning.
Designer’s Corner:
I worked on Brooklyn Bridge this week. However, I have a problem in that there are about four different routes I would like to try with the design. I have several large changes that I would like to get playtested, which means my road to a “completed” game is going to be a much longer one that it was for Scoville. That’s fine though since I think this game has a lot of potential. Currently, however, it is more “Large Chunk of Stone” rather than “Finished David Sculpture.” I’ve just got my work cut out for me.
I also really want to dive into the design for Armada Galactica. I’m holding back on this because I don’t want to get into a cycle of 50% completed games. I’d rather keep my focus on Brooklyn Bridge and get that to the state where I could show it to a publisher with confidence. Sorry Armada Galactica… you’ll have to wait.
Also, I came up with what I believe could be a REALLY interesting tactile abstract game. I think this has the potential to be in the Qwirkle or Ingenious realm so I’m not going to give away any details just yet. Unfortunately this too will be waiting in the design queue for Brooklyn Bridge to progress.
Alright everyone. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed some Boards or Barley last week. If you tried something new that was awesome, let me know!
Monday Brews 4-28-14
Monday in Madison is rainy. Yesterday was rainy. Tomorrow will be rainy. Wednesday and Thursday will be rainy. And people wonder why Spring is my least favorite season. Oh well… at least we have board games to keep up happy during depressing weather like this.
So here we are starting another work week. While it’s dreary outside let’s look back and the Boards & Barley I enjoyed last week. That might brighten my mood.
The Barley:
So good! So smooth! So luxurious!
BARLEY SPOTLIGHT: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
I enjoyed this on tap at a new local establishment in the glass shown in the picture. It is chocolatey, smooth, creamy, and delicious. I recommend you try it if you are a fan of any beer styles what-so-ever.
- Homebrew: Oatmeal Stout
- Hofbrau Original
- Lakefront Cherry Lager
- Lake Louie Warped Speed Scotch Ale
- Homebrew: Scotch Ale
The Boards:
Small tin, Big game!
BOARDS SPOTLIGHT: The Builders
I picked this up for several reasons. The artwork is awesome. The game has been getting a little buzz from Euro lovers. And it was only $18.
The Builders is a game about building buildings. Each turn you have three actions which you can use to hire workers, begin construction, send workers to build the buildings, or take money. Play continues until someone reaches 17 points from their completed buildings or tools.
This game plays quickly and includes a plethora of interesting decisions. I played it twice last week and I’m looking forward to playing it again!
- Glass Road
- Crokinole
- NEW! Unpublished Prototype
- NEW! Thebes – I love the theme of this one. Doing research and then visiting archaeological dig sites to search for artifacts is great! But the way this game manages the time aspect adds a very interesting concept. While I thought the artifact digging added a little too much luck, I found the game to be very enjoyable and I’ll play it again.
- NEW! Hab & Gut – I’m not normally a fan of stock market games. Money is a very bland theme for me. But this game, with it’s lingering concept of player elimination for the lowest charitable donor, and its hidden information market manipulation aspects made this a love-hate game for me. I wanted to know more information than I knew. I actually thought the design of this game was really clever. I would definitely play it again.
I didn’t do any design work last week. I really need to finish reading Words of Radiance so I can get back to spending my free time on game design. But that book is so good. What Boards & Barley did you enjoy last week?
Monday Brews 4-14-14
Happy Monday everyone. I hope all of you that attended PAX East of the Gathering of Friends had a great time. I attended neither, babysat Saturday evening, and played one game all weekend. But that’s okay.
Today is Monday so I present you with me recap of the Boards & Barley I enjoyed last week:
The Barley:
BARLEY SPOTLIGHT: Wisconsin Brewing Co. Porter
I enjoyed this Porter at a dinner on Sunday evening with my wife for her birthday. The Porter is from the still new Wisconsin Brewing Co. I found it to be a very nice porter with characteristics one would expect from a porter. I would drink it again as it was easy to drink and enjoyable to taste.
They recently brewed a coffee porter that is only available on tap. I would definitely like to try it since I enjoy coffee flavored/infused brews.
- NEW! Founder’s Porter – I enjoyed this porter during Board Game Night. Not too much to say about it. It was decent.
- NEW! Saint Francis Gluttony – From a Milwaukee brewery that names their beers after the seven deadly sins. This was their Maibock. It was okay. I found it a little too sweet and not “Spring” enough.
- NEW! Penn Pilsner – It’s been a while since I had a straight up pilsner. This tasted like a pilsner, smelled like a pilsner, and was pilsner through and through. Yet I enjoyed it.
- Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter
- New Glarus Spotted Cow
The Boards:
US (Awesome) and German (Ugh) box covers.
BOARDS SPOTLIGHT: Eminent Domain
Eminent Domain has become my favorite deck builder. That’s probably due to the deck building portion being subtle. There are planets to colonize or attack. There are new planets to survey. There are new for of research to develop. There are so many awesome elements in Eminent Domain that the deck building portion is somewhat of a side thought. But that’s not to say you don’t need to consider how you build your deck.
For those who are sick of Dominion and don’t like the theme of Trains, I highly recommend Eminent Domain!
- Unpublished Prototype
- Dungeon Roll
Designer’s Corner:
The only design efforts I completed last week were from the Design Me article where I designed a new tile placement via dexterity game called ManHunt.
This week I hope to compile and balance the abilities in Brooklyn Bridge as well as make some modifications to how the Tower is built. These will make the game more “Euro” in style, which I am fine with.
I also have the necessary components to prototype Manhunt, which I just might do.
So those are the Boards, Barley, and Design Efforts I enjoyed last week. What did you enjoy?
Monday Brews 4-7-14
Welcome back to another awesome week on Boards & Barley. Don’t worry… I won’t fool you with that whole Hexes & Hops thing again. Two days ago, Saturday, was Table Top Day! I played no games on Table Top Day. Does that mean I have to turn in my gamer card? Instead I took my kids to my parent’s house and we all colored Easter eggs a couple weeks early. My kids loved it! And I found one of my first brews leftover at my parents house. It was one of my Alberti Ambers! I’m excited to try it a year after it was brewed and see if I still like it as much as I did a year ago!
Well I imagine many of you DID play games on Table Top Day. If so, let me know what your favorite game was!
Did you know that today, April 7th, is National Beer Day? From Wikipedia:
- National Beer Day is a celebration of the Cullen–Harrison Act being signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 22. That law went into effect on April 7 allowing people to buy sell and drink beer again as long as it was < 3.2% (4% ABV).
I did happen to have a few brews last week, though, so let’s start with the Barley.
The Barley:
BARLEY SPOTLIGHT: New Glarus Spotted Cow
This is one of the most popular beers in my locale. It is a farmhouse ale that is naturally cloudy. It reminds me of a cream ale or a Hefeweizen in its characteristics.
One of the reasons it is popular is because it is a really good beer. Unfortunately for you non-Wisconsin folks you’ll have to come to Wisconsin to get it.
Honorable Mention: 4 Brothers Sibling Rivalry
The Boards:
BOARDS SPOTLIGHT: Jaipur
This was the only game I played last week and I played it twice with my wife. The first time I dominated her. The second time, a few days later, she had thought about a new strategy and it worked as she dominated me.
In the game you are trying to collect sets of the same color which can then be turned in for points. A round lasts until two piles of point tokens are gone. Then you total the points you have and the winner gets a token to mark their victory. This is a best out of three game, so the first person to win two rounds is the overall winner.
For those who haven’t play Jaipur, it is a great two player game that is light yet fun. My wife and I enjoy it and I would recommend it!
Designer’s Corner:
I didn’t really do all that much in terms of design this past week. I did, however, put more thoughts together for that space/sci-fi game I mentioned last week. The most interesting thing about this current concept is that it has a terrestrial theme as the basis for the mechanics and I’m going to apply them to space instead. I normally don’t use mechanics from a theme without using the theme itself. The tentative title is Armada Galactica.
I’m actually really excited about this game. I think I’m gonna try to make it about a 1 hour game with an Ameritrash feel rather than my standard Euro feel. That means I’ll have a heavy Euro and a medium Ameritrash design going at the same time. That should keep things interesting.
There you go. Those are the Boards, Barley, and Design Efforts I enjoyed last week. What awesomeness did you enjoy? Did you dominate Table Top Day? Try any new brews?
Hexes & Hops Favorite Things
I’m sick of that old Boards & Barley motif. So I’m switching it up for the foreseeable future. Today I want to provide you with a list of my favorite things in the gaming and brewing world. There are many things that make both the gaming and brewing hobbies awesome and I imagine you will share in a lot of my opinions today. Let’s start on the Hops side of things…
Hops Favorites:
Perfect color! (And flavor, for sure!)
BEER STYLE: Adjunct American Lager
I’ve had Bocks, Cream Ales, Dunkelweizens, Trippels and just about everything that you can think of. I just can’t help but possess an affinity toward the American Adjunct Lagers. I mean, so many people drink them that you can’t help but love them. And the television advertisements with Clydesdales and Vortex bottles are AMAZING!
Plus, my family is all geniuses (according to MENSA) and they prefer American Adjunct Lagers. So of course this would be my favorite beer style. Also, I really prefer my beer looking the same coming in or going out. The clearish yellow color is ideal for that. ‘Merica is really nailing in on the head with this beer style!
BEER ESTABLISHMENTS: College Bars
Sure, some of you may prefer those high end establishments with 40+ beers on tap from all over the world. You’re wrong. The college bar seen, with it’s 3 American Adjunct Lagers on tap or buckets of 5 cans for $6 are the truest beer scene there is. And they usually have so much history. Often they are named after some famous old dude who somehow managed to skirt the law during Prohibition. So they’ve got history and awesome beer at incredible prices.
See how happy everyone is? College bars are the best!
Just like graffiti, PBR has a special place in many people’s hearts!
BEER: Pabst Blue Ribbon
I’ve gotta be a homer on this one and choose a local beer. Anything that wins a blue ribbon is fine by me! PBR is from Milwaukee, where I grew up. So maybe I’m biased. I’m not. It’s fantastic beer and I’m just finishing my third of the day.
Did you know that it’s also perfect for eating with your cereal. I actually prefer pouring an ice cold PBR over my Honey Nut Cheerios instead of milk. When that sugary layer on the Cheerios melts away you are left with a PBR that is infused with the sweetness of honey. So Good!
BEER BREWING PHASE: Bottling
There’s nothing better than having to wash 50 bottles, a plastic 5 gallon bucket, an auto-siphon, 50 bottle caps, a plastic tube, and some plates to rest the stuff on. Boiling the wort is alright. Transferring the beer from the plastic fermenter to the carboy is fine. But the best part of homebrewing is getting to spend three hours with my 50 newest friends (the bottles). Sanitizing and filling each bottle one at a time is so fulfilling! Why would anyone ever want a kegging kit. Those people are totally missing out!
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Those are my favorite HOPS related things… lets move on to my favorites from the HEXES category!
Hex Favorites:
GAME MECHANIC: Roll & Move
I grew up with this game mechanic. I think we all grew up with this mechanic. And obviously this choice is backed by nostalgia. But seriously… when the game can play itself in such a way that you are sitting there like you’re at the movie theater, that’s awesome!
Think about it… you get the awesome tactile feel of a die in your hands. You shake it, some people blow on it, and then you drop it to the table. Then tension fills the air as you are wondering, hoping, dreaming of seeing the right result on the top face. Sure, sometimes you don’t get the result you were looking for. But when you do it’s as if you’ve got a scissors in your hands and you’re cutting down the nets on your way to the Final Four! Does it get better than that?
Think it through, my friend. Think it through!
PLAYER STYLE: The Thinker
I won’t call it “Analysis Paralysis” as I don’t like that derogatory term. However, the player who thinks through their decisions is really the wisest of sages. They can see the big picture. They can calculate like a NASA rover crew. They know how to optimize their every move. To watch a Thinker in action is like watching Van Gogh paint sunflowers in a field on a warm summer day. Glorious!
The other advantage is that while The Thinker is choosing his or her action it allows for you to have the time to emulate their truly genius play style. Their awesomeness in thinking each decision through and through is what allows you to become a better player by also having time to think about the moves you will make when your turn comes up in 10 minutes.
From now on you should treasure and embrace the Thinker!
GAME NIGHT HABITS: Finger Licking
Some people would probably dislike finger lickers. They’d say something like, “They lick their fingers, then touch my game components. It’s like my game components have been in their mouths!” I disagree. Finger licking is an ages old way of cleaning the crud off your finger tips. Let’s face it, we usually have snacks that stick to your fingertips as you’re eating them. Doritos are guilty of this, but let’s not blame the delicious chips. What better way to clean off your fingers than to lick them, right in front of everyone, so they all know that your fingers are clean? I mean, can you imagine if people had to walk all the way over to the bathroom to wash their fingertips every time they had a snack? Games would take forever!
GAME ART: Glory to Rome
I’m a fan of the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid!). Glory to Rome utilizes the KISS method greatly! The art is so simple. It gloriously portrays what the game is about. The vivid use of color gradients is strong with this one. Check out the box cover:
Simple Font, ✔. Picture of game, ✔. Cartoon art of crazy dude with sword, ✔. Non-cartoon art of roman building, ✔. This game has it all!
I can’t take my eyes off that awesomeness! If you can, then here are two Runners-Up for you: Letter head and Europa 1945-2030.
Tech Support: Allowing us to relive our great experiences since 2005!
GAME: Tech Support
Some games have themes we can’t relate to. Whales in space. Building Bridges. Cross-breeding peppers. You get the idea. But there are some games that are so accessible. There are games that everyone can relate to. This game, Tech Support, is just that!
I mean, everyone loves great tech support and we can all relate to it. I can’t think of anyone I know who hasn’t had a great experience with tech support whether it was about their computer or their phone or their cable. So of course this is a perfect theme with a HUGE potential audience!
GAME DESIGN TIPS:
There are a few favorite game designer tips so I’m lumping them all together here.
- All prototypes should be “publisher ready.” If you haven’t hired an artist for your prototype, don’t bother showing it to a publisher!
- Each game you design will sell at least 50,000 copies. So don’t be afraid to quit your day job.
- You only really need to playtest 1-3 times. (Insider secret!)
- Balance Shmalance: unbalanced games are always more fun as players can try to find the hidden ways
your games are brokenpaths to victory! - Don’t worry if your game has 500 wooden components. They’re so cheap that a publisher won’t mind.
- If you want to launch a Kickstarter campaign, just add minis to your game. It’s the easy path to the money.
- 2 Hour playtests are fine. People are just joking if they complain.
- Spinners are a great way to add randomness to your game design. Dice are way overused.
- Paper money is awesome. Don’t let that Vasel dude fool you.
- CCGs are the wave of the future. Start designing one today!
There you have it. Those are some of my favorite Game Design Tips. I hope you learned a little something from that list!
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I’m excited to be kicking off this new Hexes & Hops motif with such a great article. Thanks so much for reading. In the rare instance that you may disagree with my choices, please feel free to comment below! You’re the best!
Boards and Barley 