Kickstarter Retrospective: Tiny Epic Galaxies and Rise of Cthulhu

So now onto a couple of smaller Games as part of my Kickstarter Retrospective:

Tiny Epic Galaxies by Gamelyn Games:  This is a game that I thought was quite good. However, after playing about 10 times, it was a bit played out for me. I wasn’t really too excited to play it and it also played quite slowly for what it was with more than 3. It wasn’t hitting the table too much and I felt I saw everything it had to offer (and a friend has a copy for when I want to play) so it was sold on.

Rise of Cthulhu by Chuck D’ Yaeger: A 2 player game where it was kind-of like Smash-up, in that you are fighting over locations. There are also investigators foiling your plan. I played it a few times but similarly, it was played out pretty quickly. So it was sold on.

So there are two games that lacked the repeated play discovery or excitement, so were sold on. They were good while they lasted, but ultimately reached their lifespan for me.

Some Legacy Board Game Thoughts

I just thought that I would give some ideas about legacy board games (or legacy-style board games). I don’t think it is any big surprise or insight that legacy games share allot in common with simple campaigns in games. The only exception is the secrecy, the changing mechanics and the permanency of change.

Gloomhaven is currently the highest ranked legacy-style game on boardgamegeek.com. What I really like about this is that, from the starting scenarios and heroes, you have a complete game. The hero selection, level of customisation, variety in starting scenarios and options for delve quests would work well as just a stand-alone dungeon crawl (excluding the tutorial missions, of course).

However, after this, the game just continues to open up. And that is what I really like. You have a full game, and then get more. Some other games do not do this as well in my mind. You wouldn’t just use the starting set-up on these games for multiple games. Instead, the game relies on you building up the experience and holding your hand.

That is where I feel legacy-type games would be the best. The legacy system is used to build upon a full game and add something to just another retail game from the market. I am not interested in games that use the legacy-type mechanics to instead strip game away and add it in later.

Kickstarter Retrospective: I Hate Zombies and Pocket Imperium

These are two lighter games on the list.

I Hate Zombies: This is a microgame that relies on rock-paper-scissors and some special powers to allow you to second guess your opponent. It is hampered by the mechanisms. Every second player is a zombie. And only the zombies have turns. Meaning that you could have a long wait between turns if you are not targetted. Sold onwards.

Pocket Imperium: This was on okay game. It relied on choosing actions. These actions get more powerful if no-one else chooses them (sort of the reverse of Race for the Galaxy). Unfortunately, it didn’t have those big exciting moments that maybe making it a slightly more grandiose would have solved. Sold onwards.

So two games that were just okay, but ultimately didn’t have much playtime for them because they lacked that extra oomph! factor.

MUSIC ADDITIONS TO PLAYLIST (13 APRIL 2018)

So after a few quiet months I have updated my playlist with some new songs (and also got rid of some old songs to make room). So without further ado, here is my non-expert opinion on what caught me on each song:

Edge of the World by Miracle of Sound and Lisa Foiles: A nice song. I like the melody, although I have never played the new Tomb Raider games. Also a good theme that runs through it. I like how it ramps up in the chorus. Fairly by the numbers structure but that is okay.

IDGAF by Dua Lipa: A cool song with a cool beat that runs through the song. A better comeback song compared to the Kelly Clarkson Stronger song, and it seems to be quite popular. Also the lyrics are a bit meta.

Mo Money Mo Probelms by Notorious BIG: This song is a but funny. I really just like the chorus lyrics and the contrast to the rap with the more chorus-type singing throughout. However, I never knew the name of it and never heard it at a convenient place to look it up. I finally heard it and remembered enough of it to look it up and add it to my playlist.

Youth by Troye Sivan: I’m not sure why this song has caught me. Maybe it is because I am getting older and like the general message. Maybe because the weird sounding instruments that it is based on are a change from the rest of the songs. I know I don’t like the lyrics too much so it probably won’t stay in too long.

Mr Jones by Counting Crowes: An old song but a good song that I just felt like listening to. I like the mini-story that this song tells through-out. Otherwise just a classic pop-rock pub song.

Wrestlemania 34: Build Thoughts

So Wrestlemania 34 is about to kick-off tomorrow. For me, the build has not made this feel like it is a decent Wrestlemania, or even a big pay-per-view. The build has been sorely lacking and feels very much like new year, old problems.

Firstly it is Ronda Rousey. WWE paid big money for a big name. Then she is shoved in against Stephanie and HHH. When will the authority figures take a rest. This could’ve been used as a big showcase instead of a tag match with 3 part-timers. And speaking of which, what is Kurt Angle’s role in all this? Why is he helping her, and what is the issues with her?

Remember when Absolution was a hot act led by Paige. Paige is injured noe, but haven’t absolution been absolutely devalued. Parity and jobber-like booking have hurt any mystique they have. The worst was when they were in a multi-tag match and stopped dead for Stephanie (oh women’s queen) announced the Royal Rumble, so they all just stopped fighting. Then they were fed to Rousey.

AJ and Nakamura means nothing for non-internet fans. They have both been devalued to the extreme with the Jinder experiment. They keep talking about this being a dream match, but there is nothing they have done in WWE that makes them feel like this should be a dream match.

Similar, 3 weeks ago, John Cena suddenly decided to tear down an old man who should be retired. And for what? There is no issue with them at all. Similar, Asuka decided that Charlotte had to be her opponent two weeks before Wrestlemania. Similar, Nia and Alexa had to build an intense hatred two weeks before there match.

This whole card, outside Roman and Brock, feels like it has been a last-minute booking with no long-term build. It feels like it was designed to appease hardcore fans without putting the work in. The biggest indicator of this is the Rusev addition at the last minute to the US Title Match. Or Braun being in the tag match.

I hope it is a good show. But this feels like it will be despite the build, not because of it. I remember when PPV matches felt big not because of technical talent, but because of the build and story to them. The leg drop, stunner, people’s elbow, etc. were over not because they were big moves, but because they leveraged the best of professional wrestling.

Characters I Like

The most engaging heroes that I like to watch or read about are very simple. They have to be heroic. However, they shouldn’t be perfect characters or author avatars. The most engaging characters are heroic but are still very human and imperfect. In fact they try to be heroic despite there greed, etc.

Recently, while looking for some new books or anime to read/watch/generally consume. One problem I keep seeing is the perfect character. This could be Goku in Dragon Ball reaching another new form, Luffy making even more new friends in One Piece, or some sort of new near-perfect character somehow getting through all the odds in Star Wars.

Characters that are perfect and get plot armor, seem to always have the right point of view, and have little to no flaws are boring to me. Heroic characters that are heroic despite their shortcomings are the most engaging.