Gencon 2009 was very fun. While there were a few disappointments they did not detract from the overall experience. My wife and I went in well prepared, having learned from our first experience in 2007 and from going to DragonCon last year. Snacks, backup breakfasts, and various supplements came along. Left behind were all of the rpg books that are dead weight. Laptops were kept locked in safes back at the hotel, and only what we needed each day was taken along. It helped.

Wensday night brought the first disappointment after passes were picked up. The swag bag, a long traditional greeting of many a gaming convention serves both as an advertisement for the various vendors and companies attending, but also as a way for those running the con to thank all of those who paid to attend. This year’s consisted of several handfuls of postcards and single page fliers, an anemic coupon book, and finally a six pack of M:tG cards. There was much grumbling as people walked away from that line. In contrast, 2007′s swag bag had a starter deck of World of Warcraft’s CCG latest expansion, two full packs of M:tG cards, a pack of Axis & Allies minis, hundreds of flies, and a hefty coupon book.

However that did not diminish the fun. Thursday came too quickly and not quickly enough as we were up at the crack of dawn to get going. Friends needed to be at the con by 7:30 am and I had an 8:00 am seminar to attend. My time in seminars was split between writing ones and game design this year. I was able to get into the dealer’s room around 10:30 in the morning and it was a great feeling. Being there and in the middle of this wonderful gaming environment gave me goosebumps.

Of course that didn’t last very long. I shortly found out about the new edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. The dice and cards and everything was put on display.

I need to put this out there: I am doing my best to keep an open mind about this new version of the game. However, I am disapointed in the lack of information about it. Likewise there is a absence of outreach to the many WFRP communities. Fantasy Flight, to their credit did hold several seminars at GenCon and has put those on the web for the curious. Hopefully those in charge will be relenting on the information hold and will soon allow those that have participated in the development to speak more about it.

The highlight of the day was getting to meet another gaming blog group, the Brilliant Gameologists. They were recording a podcast in one of the seminars. When it goes up, I’ll set a link here.

Friday was likewise busy with more seminars and a little bit of shopping. Saturday was the final two seminars and the L5R interactive. Unfortunately with the way events unfolded that day, I was unable to get to the costume parade or contest. So no pictures of that this year. By this point, everyone I was there with was exhausted. We passed the last few hours of Saturday with a bout of the new Pathfinder. It was nice to spin a few d20s before heading back to the hotel for one last night. Sunday morning was a slow affair. It started with a trip to a restaurant discovered on Wednesday night for one last meal. We did not reach the dealer’s hall until close to 11 that morning.  A couple of hours was spent running around picking up last minute buys. Dice, a new map grid, and a few games. Once upon a time, a storytelling card game published by Atlas Games, the Pathfinder core book, Forbidden Kingdoms, the d20 version and finally The Prince by Phalanx and Kragmortha (a Rigor Mortis game) published by Mayfair games.

Tags: Collectible card game, Conventions, Games, Gaming convention, Pathfinder, WFRP, WFRP 3

So, The other night, H3llDr0p came over, and we had a little beer tasting.

My Oatmeal Stout was ready, as was his small batch test.

H3llDr0p’s small batch was a very effervescent ale. Indeed, apparently it popped the cap off the bottle at one point.

It had a very fruity flavor, very appley with distinct citrus notes. The Citrus flavor became more pronounced as the beer warmed up. Very nice. It was interesting, because he’d been going for a very hoppy flavor, using five times the hops that would normally go into that much beer, but the hop flavor was no where near as strong as he expected.

My Oatmeal stout had a strong Coffee flavor. VERY strong coffee flavor. This was followed by a distinct almond cream after taste, and just a bit of hops at the tail end. It had no head, but upon review, that’s apparently normal for stouts. Guiness only has a head because of the force mixed nitrogen. I am thinking that next time I do a stout however, I will try one of the things that Guiness does, which is adding soured beer to the new batch before fermenting to add complexity to the flavor.

I tried to make a Black & Tan out of them, but they mixed instead of floating. Still very good.

Tags: Ale, Almond, Apple, Beer, Citrus, Coffee, Hops, Oatmeal, Small Batch, Stout, Tasting

My friend Josh Wehner earlier this week posted a review of the new card game Dominion, something I was hoping to get to. He has been kind enough to expound on his original review and provide this strategy guide for this excellent game.

It’s hard to talk about strategy for Dominion in the abstract. Unlike most games, a lot changes between sessions, and even small changes in the pool of available cards amount to big changes in strategy. On the other hand, most players start out with the set of cards recommended for new players, the set of cards under “First Game” in the booklet. This is also the set of cards typically used in demos, so let’s treat that as standard, and then talk a little about where things vary when you swap in the other cards.

Begin at the end

There are two ways that a game of Dominion can end. Most games, especially most games using the standard set, end with the exhaustion of the Provinces (8 coins; 6 Victory Points). To win games, you’ll want to have bought as many of these big, expensive Victory cards as possible. And to make those purchases, you’ll want to tune your deck so that you are able to consistently spend 8 coins on that purchase. In pursuit of the lofty Province, you’ll be looking for big coins, aided by Actions that help you draw extra cards.

However, a game also ends when any three non-Province piles are exhausted. This is a little harder to do in the standard game, but I’ve seen it done. Here, your goal is make multiple buys every turn, ideally buying the same cards round after round until those piles are finished. So, look for cards like Woodcutter that give you more than one Buy each turn. Keep an eye out for cards like Workshop which let you gain a card without buying it. Since you need Action cards to make additional Buys, you should also pick up a few +Action cards, like Village. Market is a great all-in-one purchase here since it gives +Action, +Buy, and coin too. But don’t spread your choices too thin. You need to deplete three piles to end the game, so focus on as few cards as possible.

Any way it goes, don’t forget to buy more Victory Points! Try to keep a running tally of the Victory Points in each player’s deck. It may sound obvious, but remember that you don’t want to end the game if you’re behind in points. While you’re at it, you should be paying attention to the kinds of purchases your opponents are making, looking for clues as to their strategies, and be ready to adapt—if they’re trying to run down three piles, it’s best not to help them!

Your first two hands

There’s a trick to figuring out your first two hands of Dominion because you end up with one of two possible sets of hands. You’ll either have 5 coins in your first hand, giving 2 coins in the second, or 3 coins then 4. This happens because there are 3 Estates and 7 Coppers drawn in hands of 5 cards. So when you pick up your cards you can plan your first two purchases because you know what you’ll be drawing next turn.

So, you’re staring at your first hand. You’ve surveyed the available cards. What do you buy?

If I drew the 5 coin / 2 coin hand, I’d go with a Mine over a Market. The Market is a little slow in the early part of the game, and the Mine is better the earlier you buy it. It’s too early to buy an Estate as it will clog your hand with dead weight. However the Cellar is a really great card. It turns the junk cards in your hand into new cards, and because it gives you another Action, you can still play an Action if you draw one.

However, if your one of your opponents buys a Militia, use your 2 coin hand to buy a Moat. While Moat isn’t quite as good on it’s own, often causing you to draw Actions you can’t play, it’s better than Cellar if the other players are trying to attack your hand. It’s not just that Moat protects you from the Attack, it’s that Cellar just doesn’t work as well with only three cards in your hand.

If you drew the 3 coin / 4 coin hand, you’ve a wide range of options. First-time players tend to make two mistakes on their first buys: ignoring Treasure and avoiding over-paying. Those 10 Action cards make for very tempting targets, but Silver is often a better buy for 3 coins than all the rest. Beginning players tend to see Woodcutter as being strictly better than Silver—it costs the same, provides the same number of coins, and an extra Buy. It’s like you get that +1 Buy for free! But remember that you only get one action each turn. Whenever you draw two Woodcutters in one hand, the extra one is dead weight; Silver can always be spent.

The other common rookie mistake is buying something you don’t really want because you’re afraid of over-spending. A card that costs more isn’t necessarily better. Keep your larger strategy in mind and don’t buy something that doesn’t fit. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with spending 4 coins on a 3 coin card like Silver, Woodcutter, or Village. The combination of cards in your deck is what matters most. Look for cards that go well together even if you over-pay.

So buy a Silver with your 3 coins. If you’re aiming for the Provinces, this will help you quickly build up to 8 coin hands. If you don’t know what you’re aiming for yet, or you want to see what other players are going to do, Silver is a flexible, low-commitment addition to your deck. If, on the other hand, you’re going for the “deplete 3 piles” strategy, a Woodcutter does accelerate your buys and brings along enough coins for an Estate all on his own.

With a 4 coin hand, I’d buy a Smithy if I was using my 3 coin hand for Silver, as it increases the odds that I can draw that extra money in subsequent turns. If I’d bought a Woodcutter for 3 coins, then I’d buy a Village now. Villages make your Action cards better as it gives you 2 extra Actions after you play it, and +1 Card means the Village replaces itself in your hand.

Later turns

If you’re pursuing Provinces you’re trying to build a deck that consistently generates a 8 coin hand. One reliable way to get there is to buy Silver and Gold, but you should diversify a little. Mine lets you trade up one Treasure card for a more valuable Treasure. Smithy draws more cards, getting you closer to 8 coins. Militia slows your opponents down, while you grab more Provinces. You need to maintain a balance of cards in your deck. It’s best to buy Treasure and Actions in the early part of the game and gradually shift to buying more Victory cards as the game moves on.

Alternatively, if you’re trying to deplete three piles, use Woodcutter’s coins and extra Buy to purchase an Estate, while using your own coins to buy additional Woodcutters and Villages. Like the Province strategy you also need to maintain balance, but it’s important for you to end the game before your Province-hungry opponents ramp up to bigger Victory cards. The cards you want, Estate, Village, and Woodcutter, aren’t expensive, and you can still make progress with as little as two Copper in your hand. This strategy depends on speed, so keep on your toes and the game will be over before you opponents know whats hit them.

Whichever route you pursue, remember that it’s easier to fix problems early on, when your deck is small, and you cycle through it more often. The cards you buy in the first third of the game will be played over and over again; the cards you buy later won’t show up as much. If you buy a Moat to defend against your opponent’s Militia, you can’t actually use it until you shuffle it into your deck. It’s best if you can react to your opponents’ purchases, rather than their plays. Buy a Moat when they buy a Militia, instead of waiting until they use it against you.

Other cards

Some of the other Kingdom Cards offer support for strategies you already know, but others offer whole new strategies themselves. Here are some highlights from the base set—if you want to figure the strategies out for yourself, turn away!

Witch puts Curse cards, worth -1 Victory Point into your opponents’ decks and lets you draw extra cards, too. Because Witch gives you +Cards without +Actions, you’ll want to look for +Actions cards like Village or Festival, which you can use to play more Witches each turn. Witch-heavy games can be brutish, with lots of counter-attacks, so pick up a few Moats. Remember that the number of Curse cards must be adjusted to the number of players during setup and that Curses count towards the “any 3 piles” condition that ends the game!

Chapel doesn’t look like much, but it’s one of my favorite cards in the game. Most players avoid Chapel like the plague it seems to be: who’d want to Trash so many cards? The secret to Chapel is that it lets you get rid of worthless cards even as you add better cards to replace them. You’ll have a smaller deck, but it’ll be the cream of the crop, every hand full of Gold. Start by buying Silver and Chapel, then use Chapel to Trash your Coppers and Estates, and keep buying Silver. Soon, you’ll be throwing the Silver away as you buy Gold. A few Gold, in a small deck, makes for fast Provinces.

It’s hard to stop Chapel when it gets going, but you have a few options. One of the best is the Thief, which steals Treasure from your opponents’ decks. Because Chapel has so little cheap Copper, the Thief is more likely to snag their Gold, and because they have such a small deck, the loss of treasure hits especially hard.

Gardens are an antidote and a strategy unto themselves. These are worth 1 Victory Point per 10 cards in your deck. So, if you have 50 cards in your deck, each Garden becomes a discount Duchy. Gardens asks you to build a deck around it, ending the game with a giant pile of cards. Look for cards, like Woodcutter, that grant extra buys, and use every extra buy you gain. (Remember, Coppers cost 0 coins!) Look for cards, like Workshop, that help you pick up as many Gardens as you can. Gardens even turns Curse cards to your advantage.

Remember to re-evaluate cards and strategies as the available card pool changes. It’s a little tricky to win by depleting piles with the standard card pool, but it gets easier when more +Buy cards are available. You might completely dismiss a card like the Village, until you see it putting multiple Witches into play every turn!

The first expansion, Intrigue, is available now, and adds a whole new batch of Kingdom Cards. Many of the cards from Intrigue offer you a choice every time you play them, or combine aspects previously assumed to be separate, like a Victory cards that’s also a Treasure. The second expansion, Seaside, is expected to start shipping in October.

For more information on Dominion and it’s expansions check out the Dominion page at BoardGameGeek. You can even play Dominion online at BrettSpielWelt.

Tags: Cards, Dominion, Game

A Haunted Night was created out of a challenge to myself. I wanted to see if I could create a complete RPG and have the rules fit on one side of a standard sheet of paper. This means that the rules have to be easily explained, the conflict resolution needs to be simple, and above all that it has to grab and keep the audience’s attention in the first few sentences. There is not any room to waste on the usual extraneous text that goes into flavor or explanations.

I had been toying with some game ideas, most of them stemming from watching several J-Horror movies and the tropes. However, these were heading in the usual directions I took things at that time; Complex. The actual idea of forcing myself to pare back the complexity came from a contest hosted on The Forge, something I had recently joined. So I set the goal of trying to get the idea and the rules of the game down to a single page.

The big idea I had was to turn the tables on the usual ghost story. Instead of being the living trying to remove the haunting spirits, the players would be the haunting spirits and trying to bring horror to the living. In order to keep things simple, the main mechanic would revolve around the idea that the more scared the living, the more powerful the spirits. This came from observing that in many J-Horror movies, the ghosts or whatever don’t have the much power until the people they are trying to get at acknowledge them.

I then had to figure out how the players would carry out the haunting, their abilities and powers. I was able to come up with four or five pretty quickly. Pretty standard tropes that haunting spirits have: Possession, Illusion, Manifestation, Animation, and Silence. But these did not seem to be enough. I wanted to have a total of six and spent a few days trying to come up with the final one, Telekinesis. Players select three of these for their spirits and assign point values. The final part to spirits are a reason for haunting. I put three in the game and the player has to choose one and has to personalize it for their spirit.

The other side of the equation, Victims, are played by the GM. Like spirits they get to have a set of abilities, but these are better referred to as beliefs. These are Faith, Science, and Superstition. Each of these beliefs are what is used by the GM to disbelieve in the actions of the spirits and get a set of points put between them just as Spirits get with their own powers. Victims also have a Horror Meter that is how scared they currently are and a Flight Score, which is how scared they have to get before trying to get away. Both of these should be hidden from the Spirits, making the Victims a bit of a black box. Fear goes in and it is possible that Fear Points come out.

In an effort to break the open ended nature of most games, A Haunted Night comes with a victory condition. As soon as the Spirits have either scared off or killed all of the victims, the game is over. So it is not a victory in as much as a single player wins the session, but that the Spirits have exacted some measure of vengeance or have been able to spread their message of whatever to the living world.

To date I have gotten exactly one shot at running a session for people. It was fun and pointed out a couple of problems. The first was that I was running it for eight people. Charitably, I could call it chaotic. It was not easy giving everyone a chance to haunt and have fun. We played only the one situation I had set up, I was kinda stoked by how quickly my friends caught on to the idea and got in to it.

So, here you go, a chance to look it over and tell me what you think.

A Haunted Night

A Haunted Night by Matthew Parmeter is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

Tags: A Haunted Night, Forge, Free Game, Ghost, Horror film, J-Horror