Comments and Questions on the June 2006 Challenge

Hey, I like it.... no fair entering Queen's Shepherd though, Chad! ;)

So, let me extend a hearty challenge...

*blows the imaginary dust off the knuckles of both clenched fists, raises them defensively*

...to all you brainiacs and maniacs, aspirers-to-the-throne, showdowners, throwdowners, and (in the spirit of this month's theme) hoedowners!

Take your best shot gents, good luck and may some great games come of this!

~Josh

This doesn't seem to mesh with the theme of "crops and/or animals". It seems to imply "crops, or crops with animals."

So, which is it? Given the usual limitations of 800 words and design limitations, I doubt that anyone will include animals if it's the second case.

Would you like the theme to stick with traditional farming (ie: wheat, oats, etc... ) or can we 'draw outside the lines' a bit and develop a non-traditional theme?

EDIT:

Oh, and being from Saskatchewan (big place in Canada where people do nothing but farm and mine uranium), I think I have an unfair advantage :P

I have you this time, there will be no threepeat!

Oh, but there will. Don't you guys know I'm a farming expert? I farm all the time, raising crops and whatnot. Why, I farmed just yesterday, and let me tell you, it was a significant harvest. Corn as high as an elephant's eye, and all that.

~Josh

Oeps, now I can't enter because I betrayed the identity of my games owner... (or something)

Cheese!

I'd like to see an entry about a 'crop of young cadets' or the like - where you 'raise', or train, people to do a certain thing...

In the meantime, every time I see "Crop Rotation", all I can think of is the Magic card that lets you sacrifice a land to go get another one from your deck.

- Seth

I brought this upon myself, really.

*sigh*

~Josh

So Territory Control is like Area Control, right -- like Dogs in the Park?

"While I hadn't expected to receive so many farming games about puppy mills..."

Or wait, is Risk a territorial control game?

Also, Doho, for Viking settlements in Japan, try here: http://www.uchronia.net/intro.html :)

The Vikings (Norse) actually found themselves in a very game-y situation farming in Greenland.

They valued cows, sheep and goats in decreasing order for prestige, but found those animals thrived in the reverse order.

They similarly had to choose between importing prestige items, such as stained glass for a cathedral, or survival items such as tools.

They had to estimate how much hay they would need for their herds to survive the winter. Store too much and you've wasted effort. Store too little and your herd suffers.

Different fjords had different microclimates, with benefits and drawbacks. Fjords are isolated from each other and require travel by boat.

The Norse built small summer outstations to take advantage of other territorities.

The Inuit arrived soon after and presented competition for these Europeans.

Possible drawbacks for developing this situation into a game are that:

* thematically, medieval farmers on an island is a pretty tired situation (build a cathedral? Never done THAT before!);

* far too much depends on the unpredictable element of winter -- "Oh, I didn't store enough food. I guess I lose."

* if you allow players to affect the weather, the game would probably be a lot like Amun-Re. :)

(All the Norse history is from Jared Diamond's Collapse.)

Farming presents all sorts of game-like choices. It's a great theme that, despite all the farming games out there, still has a lot of room to explore. For example, I haven't seen crop rotation before. I'm looking forward to reading the entries for this one.

Oh and if anyone was designing a game about Greenland, um, sorry! I'll spoil marijuana grow-ops next. ;)

Yogurt

:-)

-Bryk

hmmm, I wouldn't think that "Genre: Territory Control" would mean that it would be the primary object of the game. I would just assume it would mean that a main driver for how the game works obtaining and controlling territory.

Which, I'm not sure what the exact difference is.

Mines in ;)

Twas fun researching crop rotation, and my backyard looks great with the new corn seedlings. I could only fit one sheep in the sheep plot though, so I'm not sure how profitable my venture will be, especially as I don't have a dog, so had to leave my hamster on guard to make sure the sheep doesn't eat the seedlings. But he's a staunch hamster, or is it a she? How can one tell, really?

Cry havoc! And let loose the hamsters of war!!! ;-p

-Bryk

Ah Bryk me friend, I remember the good old days running around in that Circle, chasing the Nine Hamsters of War, our manic visages of glee. You and me ol' buddy, you won't find any hardier gladiators than we. Lions and Tigers and Bears (oh my!) sure, anyone can stand face to maw with a lion and hold their own. But when the Hamsters of War are unleashed into the arena there are few men willing or able to stand tall and shout their defiance, control their bladders and sway fate as we did...

Those were the days...

(you been taking lessons from Hannibabble? ;-p)

-Bryk

lol!

I have been away a looooong time so don't really know whats up there, though I must confess I am the one who introduced him to WOK ;)