Tag: Board Games

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GAMING

A Gaming Holiday Hangover – The Gamer in me GL-22

It’s sooo tempting to play what’s new!

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

During the holidays there’s ample opportunity to play any number of games.  If you are a dedicated gamer like me then you probably received a couple new games as gifts.  Your friends were off from school or work so it was the perfect time to go online and coordinate some Destiny boss runs, or get together for a Board game night.  You probably played more games over the last couple of weeks than you had the last couple of months before.  Now that you have been sufficiently spoiled you can’t help but want to keep playing.  You probably have a new favourite.  Like the next Season of your favourite show on Netflix you can’t wait to binge play it.  Of course what happens when you quickly finish that current Season on Netflix?  You suffer a form of withdrawal when it’s over.  Nothing else you watch seems worthy.  Well even though games don’t suddenly end.  Playing too much of a favourite game can quickly render it unplayable.  I don’t care how much you love a particular game.  If you don’t give it a rest every once in a while you’ll quickly tire of it.

Like it or not it pays to switch genres

Different types of games require different skills.  Games can excite our imagination, fuel our competitive nature, challenge our intellect, and at times totally surprise us.  Of course most of all they’re entertaining.  Most of us excell at one or two particular types of games.  Focus on only the ones that you are best at, and you limit how entertaining games can be.  I’m not a big fan of First Person Shooters, but there have been a few that I actually loved when I tried them.  Some people wouldn’t even consider playing a Racing simulation style game.  Then you sit them down, and have them try out your gaming steering wheel, and they become hooked.  I’ve known people who dismissed Board games as a child’s distraction.  Then I talked them into playing a game of Roborally after a few beers, and they couldn’t stop playing until they finally passed out.  It might surprise you what games will surprise and entertain you.  So as much as you love the new game you got on Christmas.  Don’t keep playing it until you hate it.  Play something totally different every now and then.  Even if it doesn’t totally thrill you.  It will make going back to your favourite game that much more satisfying.

Don’t bully your buddies

Just because you are still available after Christmas doesn’t mean that your friends are.  For many this time of year is getting into their slow time at work.  The big sales are coming to an end.  The winter weather shuts down a lot of the outdoor activities and industry.  Even the Real estate, and home improvement markets slow down.  If this is a slow time for you?  It won’t be long before you are going stir crazy wishing you had a few more friends to game with.  Don’t message all of your gaming friends like a pyramid scheme direct marketer.  Your Best shot of getting a few friends together to play some games is to just let everyone know that you are available.  Trust me, just because they might be busy most of the time doesn’t mean that they aren’t interested in blowing off a little steam by having a games night.  When they have a free night, they’ll be happy to know that at least you are definitely available.  As long as you make a habit of showing up when invited.  You will probably receive enough invitations to to keep your gaming addiction under control.

As much as I hate winter, so do a lot of other people.  Staying indoors is the perfect excuse to try a few new games so get gaming!

Categories
GAMING

The Dos & Don’ts of Family Gaming – The Gamer in me GL-21

YOU’VE BEEN WARNED

Many of us will be spending a lot of time with our families over the holidays. The more time you spend with them the greater the chance that you will end up playing a few games.  Family Gaming can be absolutely great. Beware of making the classic mistakes that can turn a fun night into a warzone.

PROPER GAME SELECTION

Picking the right game to play with your family is key to having a successful day. There are an endless amount of choices so choosing the right game might not be as easy as you think. You can’t just open a pack of cards, and be done with it. Or can you? Card Games are a classic favourite with many families. A single deck of cards can provide hours of entertainment. So many different games can be played requiring minimal set up, and a rereading of the rules generally isn’t necessary. Everyone remembers how to play, and quite a few of the games require a fair amount of luck to win. The luck factor is very important. It means that one family member is unlikely to win every game. Well there you have it then. Cards are the perfect family game. Well hold on for a second. Not every card game is appropriate for a family get together.

Card Game Dos & Don’ts

As popular as Poker has become over the last decade. Suggesting that the family play Poker together over the holidays is a seriously bad idea. Everyone has a different amount of expendable income. Some people can afford to play Poker and lose. There are those that winning is really the only option. By suggesting a game of Poker you are essentially saying that you have money to burn, or you are arrogantly confident in winning. You also effectively exclude anyone who is feeling the holiday pinch in the wallet. Christmas is an expensive time for many. Don’t be a tool, and ask your family to gamble. If your family is familiar with four handed Euchre I would suggest that as maybe the perfect substitute. Four handed Euchre is played as two teams of two so you win or lose together. That also allows you to occasionally switch up the teams so stronger players can be paired up with weaker players creating balance. There is a bit of bluffing in Euchre. If you play to ten points like most people then you can put something trivial as a prize on the outcome. Winner gets a larger slice of pie, or the losers have to give a candy cane to the winners for each point they lost by. Whatever you decide Euchre provides the right combination of competition and friendly fun.

Board Game Dos & Don’ts

If your family prefers to play Board games. Choosing the right Board game is absolutely critical. Unlike Card games which are easy to pack up, or simply switch to another game if the current game your playing isn’t enjoyable. Board Games can require a lot of set up, a fair amount of time to play, and in some cases additional time to relearn the rules. I’m sure that most of you have started at least one game of Monopoly that never got finished. The same can probably be said about Risk. A quick note about Risk, don’t ever play Risk with an odd number of people. Doing so practically guarantees that an alliance will be created at some point in order to crush the individual that got off to a good start. This usually results in a lot of swearing, and in extreme cases a trip to the medicine cabinet. Keep a fair amount of Advil, and possibly some Band-Aids if you intend to play Risk. I’ve finished a few games of Monopoly in my lifetime, and I consider that to be one hell of an achievement. It takes an incredible amount of dedication, and patience from all involved to actually finish a game of Monopoly. Instead of Board games that require a lot of patience, strategy, and who knows how long to play. Choose games that are much shorter, and contain a random element like Snakes and Ladders, or Sorry. If you are from a family full of dedicated gamers then I would suggest bringing a cooperative Board game to play. That way you can all win or lose as a team. It also allows the most serious gamers to take on a greater role, and the occasional gamers to feel involved. Basically everybody wins. If you are unfamiliar with cooperative games I would suggest that you read my https://cobelife.com/competitive-or-cooperative-the-gamer-in-me-gl-20/

Video Game Dos & Don’ts

For many gamers it’s all about technology now. It doesn’t matter if you are a PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo fan. There are great games on all the different platforms that can be enjoyed by many. A favourite of mine that’s perfect for family occasions is the PlayStation Playlink game That’s You! Up to six people can play at once, and instead of using traditional game controllers each player uses an application on their cellphone. The game itself is very simple. The Players are presented with an example and each Player votes for which Player the example is most like. If you vote with the majority you earn points. For a more detailed review of That’s You check out my  https://cobelife.com/the-gamer-in-me-gl-8-thats-you/  Now on the flipside there are many games you should avoid. Honestly there’s too many to list, but the majority fall in to two categories; First Person Shooters, or Competitive Fighting Games. Seriously avoid the Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, and Halos of the video gaming worlds. Unless you want your family get together to be filled with trash talk, and a potential fight. Certain Sports games like Madden or FIFA fall under the Don’ts column as well. Do yourself a favour and take turns playing classic side scrollers, or racing simulators. Those games can be as much fun to watch as they are to play.

VIRTUAL REALITY IS HERE!

I’ll tell you where it isn’t though. At your family get together. If you were hoping to see your sister trip over her gift basket then play VR. If you would prefer to pretend that you aren’t with your family at all then play VR. If you were were hoping to see someone get disoriented and vomit well then set up the Virtual Reality. I’m sure you see what I’m getting at. Virtual Reality with the family is a huge Don’t! Maybe in a few years as the technology improves things will change, but for right now just no.

Hopefully my warnings, and suggestions will help make your family occasion that much better. All the best!