inconsequential ruminations

I installed my first full video game for ages yesterday. A few years ago I was rabidly into video games, about as much as I am now into board games, but they got very samey and I hate how solitary they are. However, I decided I needed a release when I am bored of reading the web and there is nothing on television, so I installed Neverwinter Nights.

So far it has just what I hoped for:

• Beautiful graphics.
• Better interface than Icewind Dale.
• I feel refreshed and healthy afterwards, unlike after a long session with a first person shooter.
• It is easy to pick up and put down, unlike online shooters or hectic RTS battles.
• A rich storyline.
• Reasonable commitment requirements (40 hours) – unlike Everquest.

Last night we played four-player Tikal with the following Wolfgang Kramer variant I found at (the awesome) [Spotlight On Games]:

Provide a one-minute sand timer and 4×6 chips (in the four player colors). Each player receives the six chips in his color. As soon as the active player places his tile, the timer is started. If a player runs out of time, he turns in a chip and flips it again for another minute, etc. At the end of the game, any remaining chips are worth three points.

We used my G8 timer and, apart from the usual unintuitive setup hassles, it worked perfectly.

The game itself was good, but was far too hectic at this speed. We finished in just over an hour – double our normal speed. It was so intense that my friend and I had sharp words when he started a conversation with the others during my turn! This is not what our games nights are about. We’ll use the timer next time, but two, or two and a half minutes, per turn and one minute per played chip sounds sensible.

I have also warmed to the advanced auction version after this game. I always felt the auctions were a bit pointless in previous plays, but in this basic game, the winner and second placed player (me) drew many more temple and treasure hexes.