Although we didn’t play that well, I actually think the game is interesting. By nature, it is a collaborative game which allows only one winner. The “curse” cards are superbly useful when you want to fight down 1 particular player. By cursing, you can add strength and level on a monster. For example, initially the player is fighting against a level 1 monster, after cursing, it could be lv 10 or even higher. This exceeds the player’s expectation and he/she will not be able to defeat the monster, thus die.

Luck plays an important role in the game. I was a level 10 player (with bonuses) which is pretty high among the group. However, when I drew a card from the “door” cards, it turned out to be a level 16 monster while other players just drew a monster which is level 5 or even lower.

I believe if we know more about the rules, this card game will bring a lot of fun.

Unfortunately I was stupid enough to pick up the Duck...

The humor of this game is really great.  Many of the cards feature monsters and spell that are quite hilarious.  Though the game was a bit frustrating at first it eventually became quite fun when you realized how easy it is to back stab one of your competitors and make it almost impossible to kill a low level monster.  Overall this game is frustrating to learn however it quickly becomes quite enjoyable.  I would like to get a chance to play this again sometime.

Lord of the Rings Board Game

I love watching a team in sports work together to achieve a goal, or a group of people using each other to complete an obstacle course. Perhaps the concept of a team board game is just something I am not used to, and it will have to just grow on me.

That being said, I did not consider our gaming time a waste of time. I still love games of all kinds, so it was still interesting to play one which I had never been exposed to. I had absolutely no idea what was going on, but thankfully Evan seemed to be a pro at it. There were definitely stressful times during the game, as we went on a run of drawing several “Event” cards in a very short amount of time. Teamwork did come through multiple times, as each player sacrificed something to keep the Ring bearer away from getting taken. In the end, we were able to successfully destroy the Ring without any of us dying!

You want your family to go hungry tonight? Didn't think so. Lumber for Wheat.

Since Settlers of Catan has such a simple concept, and yet so much depth and strategy, the game feels almost as if it should be considered a collaborative endeavor.  For instance, any time a seven was rolled, the robber was immediately placed on Shep’s brick factory.  Despite everyone essentially working towards their own goals, it was simply understood that Shep should not–and would not–control the brick industry.  This of course ended in disaster as Rachel, who ironically enough also happened to be the banker, turned into an emporium for every resource on the board and bought her way to victory.

Of course Nick and I are focused on getting our picture taken while Rachel "sorts" the bank's cards...

Settlers of Catan is the kind of game that can be enjoyed by anyone.  Despite my losing streak, I nevertheless find myself wanting to play more; surely, this is the sign of an excellent game concept.  A competitive game that includes elements of collaboration adds a layer of depth that is impossible to find in any solely collaborative, competitive, or co-operative game.  To succeed in a game like Settlers of Catan is to understand the human psyche, to know that Shep is always up to no good, and to weigh the benefits of any action before it is made.

I returned to the game with a sense of what tactics were most successful. I found that the best option was to use everything which the game had to offer me, and utilize those opportunities fully: trading with other players, purchasing development cards and working towards claiming the title of longest road.

A Semi Collaborative Game

And of course obtaining property on ports for the moments when fellow players no longer wish to trade directly.

Through the course of the two games it seems that what made the biggest difference in my success was liquidizing all cards I received as quickly as possible.  The more settlements or cities I was able to obtain the greater my “income” from the surrounding land.  It was always a good time to buy, and the more I put in, the more I received.

This was as far as I can tell what primarily helped me win the game both times I played.  My opponents might suggest that I have some “strategy of deflecting suspicion” from myself to a fellow player, but really I’m just attempting to play logically.

An early virtual world concept built with open web standards.

Just saw this on Ars Technica: a very early virtual world concept built entirely with open web standards.  Obviously it isn’t much to look at yet, but as a Mac user I can only hope that gaming companies throw their weight behind this.

[Kataspace]

My group also made the game a lot of fun since we were all completely new to the rules and strategies we needed to employ to survive (with the exception of Evan whose help was greatly appreciated). By learning how to play the game as we went along, we all enjoyed trying to help each other out, learning from our mistakes and cheering each other on. Indeed, it almost felt odd how readily everyone was to sacrifice their own cards and tokens for the sake of their fellow players.

Overall, The Lord of the Rings board game made for a very entertaining evening. My only complaints were that a few of the rules seemed a bit arbitrary, such as a player losing the entire game if they didn’t have enough cards to discard and I would have enjoyed more direct confrontation with some of the obstacles instead of just rolling a die or sacrificing cards. However, these were all very minor complaints and did not detract significantly from the game.

Munchkin is interesting for not only its concept but also for the obviously light-hearted nature of the creators.  This game has a mixture of humor for all age ranges and a seemingly very high re-playability rate. I found myself feeling very competitive while playing which is usually a sign to me that it is a good game because I do not have a naturally competitive nature.

I would say the thing I enjoy most about this game is the humor behind it.  However, I feel that having the opportunity to play again, now that I pretty much understand the rules, would allow me to appreciate this game even more!

After recording a number of additional soundtracks, A-Mei’s popularity became so widespread that she began her concert tour around Asia in 1998. That same year, she was awarded as the most popular singer in Asia by Billboard Magazine. During an interview with Billboard, she explained how her interests in music started with her family. “My mother sings, my sisters sings, my father used to sing. It’s a family thing. It’s really something that we do together with our tribe, something important in our culture.”

A-Mei’s career seemed flawless and of impeccable reputation until 2000, when she was asked to sing the National Anthem of the Republic of China at the inauguration of Taiwanese President Chen-Shui bian. Since A-Mei was not of Chinese origin, Chinese leaders were angered and banned her from visiting mainland China, and Taiwanese citizens questioned her patriotism. Because of this, A-Mei’s contracts with Chinese companies were cut, as well as the silencing of her music on Chinese radio stations. In response to this controversy, A-Mei stated, “I had to suffer the consequences of a decision that was not made by me. I should have been more discreet in my behavior, which impacts so many people.”

But that disappointment did not stop A-Mei from pursuing her goal of being a successful entertainer. A couple years later, in 2002, she was given the award of “Favorite Artist – Taiwan,” which she won again in 2004. Along with many other awards and recognitions that A-Mei continued to receive throughout the years, it did not stop her from sweeping the Golden Melody Awards in 2010. Despite her long-time presence in the Asian music industry, A-Mei’s domination is outstanding and incredible. She won Best Female Mandarin Singer, Song of the Year, and Best Mandarin Album. It was then that she was considered “The Pride of Taiwan” once again, despite her controversial political past.

A-Mei’s influence in Chinese pop culture has been tremendous and monumental. Her successes despite her hardships have continued to break through due to her dedication and love for music. A-Mei shows that she can not only conform to the times and remain at the top of the charts, but that she can do it excellently, without letting set backs and failures put her career on the backburner. This is a prime example of an iconic Chinese pop culture leader who affects her fans and the world to this day.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-12/11/content_1226448.htm

http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/mei-biography

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2004/08/07/2003182025

http://chinesepopculture.blogspot.com/

A frustrating thing about the game (or the somewhat made version we played) is that until you a draw a race or class card, you cannot do anything but accumulate “treasure” cards, which are basically buffs to enhance your character. I would love to go more into detail about the game, but I cannot even…find…the…right…ahh *head explodes*. Here is an official description of the game:

Munchkin is the mega-hit card game about dungeon adventure . . . with none of that stupid roleplaying stuff. You and your friends compete to kill monsters and grab magic items. And what magic items! Don the Horny Helmet and the Boots of Butt-Kicking. Wield the Staff of Napalm . . . or maybe the Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment. Start by slaughtering the Potted Plant and the Drooling Slime, and work your way up to the Plutonium Dragon…

Yeah, I’ll let you figure it out. But really, after you get the hang of things, its quite fun. You even have a chance of getting crabs. You think I’m kidding? Do I look like a clown to you? Hmm? Am I here to make you laugh? Sorry, I just recently watched Goodfellas. If anything, a comparison that may make sense to some, is that Munchkin is like the Eve or FFXIV of board games. I think something that may make the game more interesting is if  a player who gets cursed were to take a shot of (insert liquor of choice). Anyway, my eyelids are getting heavy and my brain is shutting down, I’m out.