Play to Learn

Tonight's gaming update:

• Played TransAmerica, a game of building railroads. Unlike other (very popular and rightly so) train games, that take hours and often require a good deal of housekeeping, TransAmerica takes less than a half hour with six players- each player tries to connect their five cities across the nation, building off each others' tracks. I find it a very light and accessible game, particularly for kids and non-gamers. Plus it teaches geography! Teachers, you know you want it.



• Played San Juan. Based off of the heavier Puerto Rico, San Juan is a card-only adaptation- each player wants to construct buildings worth the most points, but each round has players choosing the different roles to play, so the strategy lies in playing not only with your given cards, but also within the restrictions of the actions chosen by the other players. I lost, but I felt the larger sense of the game coalesce around me. This definitely needs a second (or third, or fourth) play.


(Interestingly, both San Juan and Trans America came in as Spiel des Jahres finalists in 2002.)


• Played a coffee shop game prototype of my own. Some of you may recall this game fondly. I wanted to know how the game played with strangers, with folks who don't get the in-jokes or had contributed previously. I felt a little self-conscious, but as the game started, I felt more embarrassed by the alpha quality of the game. The hand-drawn art and PG-rated crude humor actually did not contribute to that feeling- just the gameplay and the various loopholes. The three victims game some very good feedback, not only regarding individual cards but also as to the overall structure. Dan "the Monkey Man" offhandedly mentioned something that I really need to take to heart- basically, don't cling to a bad design.

I realize that a few days ago I mentioned the importance of alphas. Coincidence?

After this evening's entertainment, I added a few more games to my Funagain wish list. Now I'm a little homesick.