Comments on: Swiggers http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/ A minimalist blog, with a pretentious title, about strategy games. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:36:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael Longdin http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/comment-page-1/#comment-1046 Michael Longdin Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:01:23 +0000 http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/#comment-1046 GI - I'm a bit old fashioned here because I prefer to read reviews/articles in print format than on the net (where my attention span can be a bit limited). I don't think GI is up to the standard of Counter (yet) as far as content goes but the professional look certainly makes up for it. I do spend more time on something if I know Brian is looking to publish it than I do if I'm posting something to the Geek. Maybe this attitude is wrong - Brian did say to me that the Internet has made people lazy when it comes to good writing and I tend to agree with him. GI - I’m a bit old fashioned here because I prefer to read reviews/articles in print format than on the net (where my attention span can be a bit limited). I don’t think GI is up to the standard of Counter (yet) as far as content goes but the professional look certainly makes up for it. I do spend more time on something if I know Brian is looking to publish it than I do if I’m posting something to the Geek. Maybe this attitude is wrong – Brian did say to me that the Internet has made people lazy when it comes to good writing and I tend to agree with him.

]]> By: Tycho http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/comment-page-1/#comment-1009 Tycho Sat, 16 Apr 2005 10:50:08 +0000 http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/#comment-1009 Iain, I'm glad you liked your first evening at Swiggers, & glad to hear it won't be your last. Michael, you'd be welcome too, and yes, the GGG games days are still running on the second Saturday of each month. Among the things I like about Swiggers is being able to play a different selection of people each week, seldom having to make up the number for a game I'm not keen on, and experiencing a wide selection of games. The dark lining of those silver clouds is a certain superficiality: many good games get played once and never seen again, others don't get played enough to ever discover the finer points or overcome an initial poor impression, and many of the people remain rather anonymous. What was your name again? If you turn up infrequently, you won't be alone. There's maybe a dozen regulars but a typical evening's attendance is about twice that (certainly more than you saw), and while I reckon I've played against something like 70 people there over the last year and a half, I often see faces I don't know. Not surprising, since the club is within reach of so many people (and an ever-changing population), but local to almost no-one. Having no membership organisation or fees also helps! Did I say no fees? You played 4 games so that's £28. Please send a cheque forthwith. :) T2R: I agree with Michael that the Europe version should have been an expansion. I have both games, and while together they still represent better value-for-money than most other games I own (which may be unique but are played less often), I resent having to give up the shelf space. Possibly I’ll eBay one when I get a final ultimatum from my wife (at which time I’ll be glad I didn’t ditch a box). Flandern 1302: yes, it breaks no new ground, but I like it, and I don’t have any similar games in my collection. Maybe sweet grapes, since I won! Geschenkt: You can make your own copy from a 6 Nimmt deck (or regular deck plus magic marker) and some pok€r chips or equivalent. You didn’t hear it from me, though. Wyatt Earp: I’m keen to play again, that one hand wasn’t really enough to form an opinion. Iain, I’m glad you liked your first evening at Swiggers, & glad to hear it won’t be your last. Michael, you’d be welcome too, and yes, the GGG games days are still running on the second Saturday of each month.

Among the things I like about Swiggers is being able to play a different selection of people each week, seldom having to make up the number for a game I’m not keen on, and experiencing a wide selection of games. The dark lining of those silver clouds is a certain superficiality: many good games get played once and never seen again, others don’t get played enough to ever discover the finer points or overcome an initial poor impression, and many of the people remain rather anonymous. What was your name again?

If you turn up infrequently, you won’t be alone. There’s maybe a dozen regulars but a typical evening’s attendance is about twice that (certainly more than you saw), and while I reckon I’ve played against something like 70 people there over the last year and a half, I often see faces I don’t know. Not surprising, since the club is within reach of so many people (and an ever-changing population), but local to almost no-one. Having no membership organisation or fees also helps! Did I say no fees? You played 4 games so that’s £28. Please send a cheque forthwith. :)

T2R: I agree with Michael that the Europe version should have been an expansion. I have both games, and while together they still represent better value-for-money than most other games I own (which may be unique but are played less often), I resent having to give up the shelf space. Possibly I’ll eBay one when I get a final ultimatum from my wife (at which time I’ll be glad I didn’t ditch a box).

Flandern 1302: yes, it breaks no new ground, but I like it, and I don’t have any similar games in my collection. Maybe sweet grapes, since I won!

Geschenkt: You can make your own copy from a 6 Nimmt deck (or regular deck plus magic marker) and some pok€r chips or equivalent. You didn’t hear it from me, though.

Wyatt Earp: I’m keen to play again, that one hand wasn’t really enough to form an opinion.

]]> By: Mikko http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/comment-page-1/#comment-1003 Mikko Sat, 16 Apr 2005 09:34:40 +0000 http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/#comment-1003 Re: Games International - I agree. Michael's writing is good, but many of the reviews - well, I'm not saying they're necessarily poorly written, but in complete disagreement with my views. Based on the one issue I read, subscription would be a waste of money for me. Re: Games International – I agree. Michael’s writing is good, but many of the reviews – well, I’m not saying they’re necessarily poorly written, but in complete disagreement with my views. Based on the one issue I read, subscription would be a waste of money for me.

]]> By: Michael Longdin http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/comment-page-1/#comment-999 Michael Longdin Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:02:38 +0000 http://cheyne.net/blog/2005/04/swiggers/#comment-999 TTR: I agree that both are equally as good and I firmly believe that every gamer should have a copy of one of them but I think it is a bit cheeky for Days of Wonder to release Europe as a full game rather than an expansion. I have now ditched one of my boxes and loaded both games into one to save shelf space. I still think it is an excellent game but if they release future maps [as they are threatening] then unless they go down the AoS route, I doubt I will be buying them. Flandern 1302: Played this is Essen and no desire to play again. ANOTHER area influence game and nothing particularly new to recommend it. Geschenkt: This is on my list to try but I haven't seen it any stores over here. I haven't been to Swiggers before but I have been to the GGG monthly games days a couple of times (although it's quite a few years ago). I don't know if they still have them though. If you plan on going again, give me plenty of warning & I'll see if I can make it as well. [and by the way, only some of the writing in GI is of "high quality" :)] TTR: I agree that both are equally as good and I firmly believe that every gamer should have a copy of one of them but I think it is a bit cheeky for Days of Wonder to release Europe as a full game rather than an expansion. I have now ditched one of my boxes and loaded both games into one to save shelf space. I still think it is an excellent game but if they release future maps [as they are threatening] then unless they go down the AoS route, I doubt I will be buying them.

Flandern 1302: Played this is Essen and no desire to play again. ANOTHER area influence game and nothing particularly new to recommend it.

Geschenkt: This is on my list to try but I haven’t seen it any stores over here.

I haven’t been to Swiggers before but I have been to the GGG monthly games days a couple of times (although it’s quite a few years ago). I don’t know if they still have them though. If you plan on going again, give me plenty of warning & I’ll see if I can make it as well.

[and by the way, only some of the writing in GI is of “high quality” :) ]

]]>