Jackman, thanks, I'll look at some of the Columbia titles. At the moment, I really like GMT games, both block games (Sekigahara, Pax Baltica, 1805: Sea of Glory among the others) and "normal" cardboard tokens games (Here I stand, The Virgin Queen, Red Winter, etc). The real pity is that we often do not have time for them, or enough people to play with.

Aaaaand... big fan of Baldur's Gate here. Especially of Shadows of Amn / Throne of Baal. But there was no 3D, no PoV, no nothing too "modern" and they were greatly enjoyable because of this (at least to me). A friend of mine tried to have me playing Halo and another Batman one, and after three hours I was still trying to understand how to move... not for me!

Julia you'd probably like the Columbia games then since they all are Block games--so much easier to handle than cardboard counters and a great fog of war feel. East Front, the war pitting Germany and the Soviet Union was a fav of mine. There are other games in that series which can be linked into a giant WW2 grand game in Europe. I think I still also have West Front.

Joe playing Dungeons and Dragons was something I also did long ago but have not been involved in it since before the third edition of the rules came out. I actually saw Gary Gygax several times while he was at TSR here in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and also when GenCon was in either Kenosha or Milwaukee (the Convention was moved to Indianapolis several years ago). However I still play video games based loosely on it such as the aforementioned Dragon Age--I'm looking forward to the next itineration of that series for either the PS4 or XBOX 1. Used to love the Baldur's Gate titles also when they were on the PC. As to ooVoo I don't even know what that is-please explain.

Shucks remembering all this stuff here now makes me feel that maybe I was really was quite the Geek after all.

jackman: seeing Gygax must have been amazing...he started something that has absolutely exploded across myriad genres and time-periods. I have friends who live in Kenosha...small world!

ooVoo is a Skype -like interface for one-to-one or many-to-many webcam conversations. Two things that I really love about ooVoo ...1.) the audio/video quality is better than Skype and 2.) you can leave video messages for friends or family. Check it out.

it's okay...we re geeks before it was fashionable!

Gygax by accounts I have read was somewhat of an odd collation of Geek, party person, and ruthless businessman. His infighting with Dungeons and Dragons co-creator Dave Arnessan over whose game it really was managed to not only embitter them toward each other but also turned a number of fans against Gary who, because he felt he actually put their combined ideas into print and marketed them, was refusing to give Arnessan any credit at all. I can vaguely recall in the late 70's and early 80's going to an early Gen Con at University of Wisconsin Parkside campus in Kenosha actually seeing people carrying signs demanding Gygax share credit with his partner. It wasn't until much later when both were nearing the end that I believe they reconciled.

Naturally as D and D took off and Gygax got rich he started partying a lot--I saw him at the Kenosha campus with some attractive ladies though I don't know if he ever married. He formed TSR in Lake Geneva but incredibly somehow managed to lose shareholder majority control over it. TSR was eventually sold to Wizards of the Coast who are best known for Magic the Gathering and now Wizards is part of the Hasbro toy company. Gygax, attempted to market his own version of D and D in the meantime but more than once as he was in Convention panels discussing it he was served with cease and desist orders to which he would blithely say to people present--" Oh look another one!". I'm not entirely sure but I think Gary was severly strapped for cash before I believe he ultimately was able to settle with Wizards to get his name restored to the D and D product line and I think even marketed a different fantasy system through them. He passed away just a few years ago.

Toward the end if you didn't know who he was you might have mistaken him for just another crusty old fart which is what he looked like the last time I saw him which was at Gen Con the last year it was in Milwaukee around I think 2003 maybe I can't quite recall.

Thanks for info on ooVoo --perhaps I'll check it out.

Geeks may be "cool" now ---I am thankful for shows like The Big Bang Theory which to tell you the truth I can see a part of me in more than one of the characters. Long may its flag wave.

Sorry about my crappy edit skills. Obviously much of this post is not a quote from you you Joe.

Julia I'll check out some of the titles you mentioned particularly some of the naval ones. Most of my interest is around WW2 but here and there I wander into other arenas as well.

Baldur's Gate! Told you you played at least some video games. That was indeed a well crafted series- I think the first that introduced the idea of being able to romance other in game characters. If you liked that I strongly recommend the Mass Effect games which are more scifi based but with the possible exception of the ending in the concluding third game was exceptionally well written. The ending produced a lot of fan outrage so much so that Bioware actually redid it but most fans still were not placated. If you check it out read this link after you finish them otherwise check out this fan's idea as to how the ending should have gone.

http://arkis.deviantart.com/art/Mass-Effect-3-Alternate-Endings-SPOILERS-289902125

I see what you mean. WWII is big enough to absorb your whole gaming life... that's why I never tried. Still, my husband has a great interest / passion for the Pacific Theatre, so, I guess, sooner or later...

Right, Jaheira (For the Fallen!!), and you're allowed to romance with her if you were a male character. It was kinda funny

I'll check the Mass Effect games, then. Still, time is a major issue, but who knows? Thanks for pointing this out!

The funny part of that whole romance thing from my view was that I had no idea you could do it when I was playing. I was playing a female Fighter/Magic-User and I later recalled Anomen kept asking my character annoying questions to the point where I told him to shut the heck up and that I wasn't interested in his problems. I guess that was me rejecting his "advances" and since female characters had few other options for suitors that was the end of that. It was only after a friend cued me in as to what was going on with his character that I even realized what I had done. Just as well since most people who played the game thought Anomen was a weeny.

You'll find Mass Effect will give you romantic options as well even with members of another species. And even same sex relationships. Take that Star Trek!

jackman1,

Thanks for the interesting background on Gygax...quite a lively story!

Cheers,

Joe

The discussion's moved on quite a bit, but Schwaig, if your Arkham Diplomacy list isn't full yet, feel free to add me too. I've only ever played it once, and have found that Rex largely scratches the "bullying, backstabbing, and deterministic combat" itch for me, but I'd definitely be interested in exploring it further. (Wargames too, for that matter, although it's been really hard to get anyone in my group interested in such things; I keep meaning to pick up something relatively popular and accessible, like Memoir '44, or Rommel, or Napoleon's Triumph, or one of those new GMT counterinsurgency games like Cuba Libre, but we'll see...)

Actually I do have one GMT title I recently picked up from Origins this year--Commands and Colors Napoleonics. I got it at a good price so one of these days I'll actually have to read and play it. Problem is, as with all of you, opponents for this sort of thing ain't easy to find. When I take the time to learn it mayhaps I'll speak to you about it again Julia.

@Subochre: Cuba Libre sounds like an interesting title (and something I love to drink :whistle: )

@Jackman: Sure! I haven't played it so far, but read great reviews, so I'd be more than happy to talk about this game with you

@Subochre: Glad to hear you're on board. Aren't too much until now.

Anyone who is interested, let me know.

Julia I'll check out some of the titles you mentioned particularly some of the naval ones. Most of my interest is around WW2 but here and there I wander into other arenas as well.

Baldur's Gate! Told you you played at least some video games. That was indeed a well crafted series- I think the first that introduced the idea of being able to romance other in game characters. If you liked that I strongly recommend the Mass Effect games which are more scifi based but with the possible exception of the ending in the concluding third game was exceptionally well written. The ending produced a lot of fan outrage so much so that Bioware actually redid it but most fans still were not placated. If you check it out read this link after you finish them otherwise check out this fan's idea as to how the ending should have gone.

http://arkis.deviantart.com/art/Mass-Effect-3-Alternate-Endings-SPOILERS-289902125

Hello jackman, interesting link for ME3 It wouldn't have been too hard to actually do it like that...it's the only game in the ME series I have "only" played through twice.

Since a lot of you have played and loved Baldur's Gate, what about Planescape: Torment? How many have heard of it? I remember it as *the* best game I played until my 20s. It's similar to BG in terms of isometric perspective and 6-character party and combat, but everything else is different. And so, so twisted and awesome and memorable

Also, played and finished Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs last week. Anyone heard of it or played it?

I'd have loved to play Torment, but sadly I didn't have any chance to. From that series, I played (and loved) the two Baldur's gate with their bonus material (Tales from the Sword Cost and Throne of Baal) and the two Icewind Dale games, the first one with the Heart of Fury mode on since the very beginning (man, that was a Hell of a game!!). The second one had a bug, and I stopped in a cavern filled with lava because there was no way to have the encounter with giants that would have allowed me to go on with the story. I tried on-line and with a guide downloaded from I-don't-remember-where, and there was no solution. I had no previous savefile, so I quit (no interest in playing again 60+ hours to reach the very same point without knowing what had happened)

Now I'll say something for whom hard-core videogamers would consider me a heretic: those games where perfect. Great graphics, great music, great and complex story, and an incredible series of tactical options, and it's a pity they had to change all of this. I'd have bought countless other games done in the same way (and I'd have loved to see a reissue with this graphic of old time classics, from Eye of the Beholder to all the Dungeons and Dragons vintage game)

This said, back to cooking (I just won an incredible X-Wing game thanks to a scandalous good luck with dice)

Not quite the same and a bit older, but do you also know the Gothic-Series from Pyranha Bites?

Nope, sorry

I'd have loved to play Torment, but sadly I didn't have any chance to. From that series, I played (and loved) the two Baldur's gate with their bonus material (Tales from the Sword Cost and Throne of Baal) and the two Icewind Dale games, the first one with the Heart of Fury mode on since the very beginning (man, that was a Hell of a game!!). The second one had a bug, and I stopped in a cavern filled with lava because there was no way to have the encounter with giants that would have allowed me to go on with the story. I tried on-line and with a guide downloaded from I-don't-remember-where, and there was no solution. I had no previous savefile, so I quit (no interest in playing again 60+ hours to reach the very same point without knowing what had happened)

Now I'll say something for whom hard-core videogamers would consider me a heretic: those games where perfect. Great graphics, great music, great and complex story, and an incredible series of tactical options, and it's a pity they had to change all of this. I'd have bought countless other games done in the same way (and I'd have loved to see a reissue with this graphic of old time classics, from Eye of the Beholder to all the Dungeons and Dragons vintage game)

This said, back to cooking (I just won an incredible X-Wing game thanks to a scandalous good luck with dice)

You know, you can get it here: http://www.gog.com/game/planescape_torment Actually, this is one of the few times the game is NOT on sale, so if you wait a bit it will probably be on sale again (usually 30-80%). Even if 7 euro is not that much anyway.

Part of the team (including Chris Avellone, the lead designer) behind Torment is also working on a spiritual successor ( http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/torment-tides-of-numenera?ref=live ). Obviously I funded the project Look at it! It's isometric! The music is by Mark Morgan! It has an awesome and original setting! Even if this game manages to convey half of the emotions PS: T did, it's worth it.

Schwaig, I've played Gothic 1. There's very few things I remember about it, except it being set in a magic force-field prison and the beetle-ragù Oh, and NPC's had schedules...

You know, Tox, you've made my day I didn't know it was downloadable (didn't think about the possibility either), it's so *awesome*!! Considering I'd have gladly given them 20 $ for the game, 7 EUR is a magnificent price! And I didn't know about the successor as well! Gonna contribute on their site!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

So happy!! thx

I did have and started playing Torment but ultimately couldn't get used to how esoteric and weird it was so I don't think I ever finished it. It was an aweful lot of text reading as well and I couldn't quite get into such odd characters as Morte the talking skull. I was younger then so perhaps I'll give it one more try if it will still actually run on my current PC. Naturally then I'll look into the successor as well.

And Julia it's like I'm looking at a female clone-I too played the Icewind Dale series though my memory of them has faded significantly. Sounds like you'll be getting back into video games after all.

Also, played and finished Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs last week. Anyone heard of it or played it?

I also have not heard of this one. How about an old Naughty Dog (the company that brought you The Last of Us for the PS3) produced game for the Sega Genesis called Rings of Power ?

Yep Tox it would have been expensive for Bioware to do that ending for ME3 but this is still the ending I think of when I finished my game. I played through it three times myself and was a total Paragon each time. Darn it though you still couldn't make it with some of the characters you wanted to-lol.

I did have and started playing Torment but ultimately couldn't get used to how esoteric and weird it was so I don't think I ever finished it. It was an aweful lot of text reading as well and I couldn't quite get into such odd characters as Morte the talking skull. I was younger then so perhaps I'll give it one more try if it will still actually run on my current PC. Naturally then I'll look into the successor as well.

And Julia it's like I'm looking at a female clone-I too played the Icewind Dale series though my memory of them has faded significantly. Sounds like you'll be getting back into video games all.

Also, played and finished Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs last week. Anyone heard of it or played it?

I also have not heard of this one. How about an old Naughty Dog (the company that brought you The Last of Us for the PS3) produced game for the Sega Genesis called Rings of Power ?

Yep Tox it would have been expensive for Bioware to do that ending for ME3 but this is still the ending I think of when I finished my game. I played through it three times myself and was a total Paragon each time. Darn it though you still couldn't make it with some of the characters you wanted to-lol.

Well playing Torment was actually quite like reading a book Since I was and am into books a lot, maybe that's why I liked it so much.

And the characters can't get any better than PS: T, in my opinion. They are the most original I have ever encountered, if you bother to unveil their background and what binds them to you. Or you could just manipulate them and use them and discard them (Practical One, looking at you )

Amnesia and Amnesia: AMFP are two games based in the same universe, but not direct sequels, by Frictional Games and thechineseroom, respectively. They're horror-adventures and amongst the best I've played lately. Play them right (in the dark and alone) and you won't be forgetting them any time soon Frictional has also made the Penumbra trilogy, also a horror-adventure, although in a different setting (a bunker in Greenland). All exquisite games with wonderful mood, story and made by big Lovecraft fans (just think that Penumbra's protagonist is named Philip H. and the engine that powers all of them is the "HPL Engine" )

I've never heard of Rings of Power and I only own my laptop and a X360 (which has sat on the shelf, unused, since April now) so I can't play Last of Us. When I was little I had a Sega Mega Drive and all I really remember is playing Sonic the Hedgehog and Alex the Kid

Julia, make sure that if you buy Torment, you get all 4 mods too. They're all there on the page with instructions on how to get them working. I've never used them (they increase the resolution for modern computers, fix bugs and add back some content that didn't make it in the game) but I would surely install them were I to play again

@Jackman: aye, it seems like somebody's responsible for this :p seriously, you sparkled my curiosity, and I'm happy for this

@Tox: thanks for highlightin the 4 mods. Sure, I'll get them too

Julia in case you haven't already looked into Columbia Games' East Front you can listen to this Dice Tower video review. The game has apparently been updated since I have played it last to East Front 2 with accompanying map and possibly component changes--I'll have to check it myself. BGG has a forum dedicated to the game and even if you don't know how to play the Strategy session has a number of interesting comments. You should be able to tell whether this title would interest you at all.

http://boardgamegeek.com/video/15810

Also with regard to Mass Effect 3 here is a link to one of a great many video clips online which illustrates just part of the dialogue during the romance of just one of the possible love interests in the game. It was my romance as my "Shephard" was a woman when I played but of course you can play a male as well. Perhaps this might sway you if you're still on the fence and give you a good idea of the quality of the writing and video clips.

SPOILER ALERTS

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0rKO-kziWpQ&ei=0oFMUqDVJJDhiwLE2YGwBg&usg=AFQjCNFQAbvv4SIwjCUD-oW7DdhYNRALiw

And later...

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDQQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dh8XLvemBdl8&ei=0oFMUqDVJJDhiwLE2YGwBg&usg=AFQjCNG17WgPo5iBLppCWWL84IvJFgOqcg

Star Trekkies would be proud.

Good to know all of this, thanks Jackman!

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/58936/wars-of-the-roses-lancaster-vs-York

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25277/richard-iii-the-wars-of-the-roses

Okay just resurrecting this thread to ask if any of the board gamers who answered here before ever heard of or played either of these War of the Roses block component games? Game of Thrones sort of rekindled my interest in the genre and any thoughts on either title would be cool to listen to.

I've heard some magic word of summoning (like D&D and Baldur's Gate) so I felt compelled to post here !

I can't say I'm a big videogame fan, but they're useful if I have nobody to play with me ! Well, they were a bit more useful before I get my hands on AH, as I tend to play it rether than videogames nowadays.

This said, I still like to replay through Baldur's Gate ( ) from time to time - when I have time. On the opposite, when I don't have time enough - or space, as the table I'm using for AH also serves other purposes - it's Diablo II.

And finally, speaking about videogames, I noticed you didn't mentionned Alone in the dark (the first one), Shadow of the Comet and Prisoner of Ice which were all very Lovecraft influenced (well, Shadow of the Comet is much more than simply influenced, it really is mythos based).

@Jackman, sorry I can't be of much help with your question . Except for AH, I'm not a big fan of boardgames, and I can't really envisage wargames with hexagones and without miniatures (that's why my table is sometime to cluttered to play AH !).

First Zoogey I love the name. If you were old enough--and I don't know your age--I'd say you were from the 1960-1970ish hippie era in the US.

Your remarks about playing videogames when there's no one else to play with certainly hit home for me as I have rarely been in a relationship and have few friends that I see a lot. Which also explains my generally solitaire board gaming as well---sometimes like right about now I consider bg purchases such as War of the Roses that I shouldn't because they aren't suited to playing alone. So maybe they see action once or twice then get shelved, sometimes for years, until the next time my constantly changing and often brief interest in the genre resurfaces.

As I told Julia on this thread if you liked Baldur's Gate then definitely try the Mass Effect series of video games as the links on other posts on this thread will certainly show you. I also played Diablo 2 and indeed have played Diablo 3 but for some reason 3 just doesn't hold my interest like 2 did. I have a high level monk in 3 but now I only occasionally boot up the game when I really feel like it's time for mind numbing and now even boring experiences. I wish I was better at Blizzard's other major non MMORPG StarCraft. Watching the pros play that game makes me wish I was more of a typist in order to compete with such a high skill level. I am not familiar with the other titles you mentioned except for Alone in the Dark but alas I never did try it--perhaps I'll reconsider.

Soon I'll be purchasing a PS4 (and unfortunately missing out on Titanfall or any more Halos---oh wait--maybe I'll get both systems) but for now it's AH or maybe now War of the Roses. Probably if I would stop watching so much TV like Game of Thrones my attention span would increase and I could save myself money but I guess I pathetically justify it all as somehow broadening my horizons. Hmm maybe I should try medication LOL.

jackman51,

I did LOL when I saw that you mentioned StarCraft . I enjoy the game immensely (including Brood War ) and having watched the Koreans play this game, I'm stunned by their prowess, but when you're fingers are flying so fast across the keyboard...how much FUN is it to play?

Cheers,

Joe