Shake Out! Review and Contest Up on Starship 613

STARSHIP613

A HANGOUT FOR CAPITAL NERDS

Raffaele Furgiuele of Starship 613 has posted a lovely review of Shake Out! and will also be hosting a contest to give away a signed copy!

Pro's and Con's Review: Of Power and Glory

Format: Board Game
Designers: Allen Lamb
Distributed Through: The Game Crafter

In this review I have a look at a game from a fellow Game Crafter: Of Power and Glory. It's hard to classify this game as it incorporates elements of worker placement as well as a unique, how do I put this... European conquest simulator? In Of Power and Glory, players take on the role of noble families exerting their influences on eight kings of Europe in the hopes of supporting the right kings to ultimately win the game. This indirect influence over the standings of the kings really is the meat of this game and what makes it worth trying. Though the game is fairly deep and strategic it also plays relatively quickly, a game usually lasting about and hour or so.

So, in the usual Pro's and Con's fashion, I'll be giving you a run down of the game from a professional and consumer point of view. Read on to find out what I though of Of Power and Glory.

Great Quote From GDC 2012: Horse Shit!

I wasn't at GDC this year, but I did, as always, follow the news on several sites. Kotaku posted a quote from Dear Esther writer, Dan Pinchbeck that I wanted to share with all of you:

"Of all the turds in the pipe, this is the granddaddy. Games are not too expensive. If you go to the store to buy granola and accidentally buy horse shit, getting six boxes for free is not extra value. Games do not need to add extra content to be a better value. I used to spend a long time pumping money into slots as a kid with this. 'The gameplay never changed, there was no kind of, like, change in the experience, this kind of stuff, I played it, I put a lot of money into it because I loved it."

Now, I do think that adding quality content to a quality product does, indeed, add to its value but I couldn't agree more that there's no point padding a mediocre game out with more crap. Dev time and resources are better spent making a tight, fun, experience rather than a long drawn out slog.

We Have a Winner!

Please join me in congratulating Carolyn of Virginia for being the winner of the Father Geek Shake Out! giveaway!

I want to thank everyone who participated and are now following this blog or my twitter feed and Carolyn, your copy of Shake Out! is on its way!

So, thanks again to all who participated and stay tuned for more news, musings and announcement.

F. U. Social Games or Why I Stopped Playing Tiny Tower

Oh Tiny Tower you rapscallion! You almost got me! I see what you did there. I thought you were going to be a fun little management game and then you went and pulled a fast one on me. You aren't a "game" game, you're a "social" game!

TWENTY TWO MINUTES LEFT IN SHAKE OUT! GIVEAWAY!!!

Head over to the contest website hosted by Father Geek to win your free copy of Shake Out!