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The Village Square: March 2, 2015

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[vc_row el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_left dragon_andrew”][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”25942″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1424557541248{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557308584{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1425279044731{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”]Things are running smoothly with our new redesign in place, let us know what you think! We’re continue to improve our layout and graphics for the news including the most recent Dragon’s Peak.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Community Talk

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269262600{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_left dragon_andrew”][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”25942″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1424557541248{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557308584{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1425279106996{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”]Our adventures are on their way back from their adventures and will hopefully be joining us next week here in town. For now we’ve got plenty of great conversation from the community.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269246676{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Today marks a truly momentous occasion. To cut right to the chase, Greater Than Games and Dice Hate Me Games are coming together as a single publisher. Say hi to the whole team![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Greater Than Games and Dice Hate Me Games are Merging
Greater Than Games

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”26320″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425174788821{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269205060{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]However, in more recent years, I’ve found my interest in getting new physical boardgames on a sharp decline. For some reason, I’d much rather just play many of these games on the digital versions, single-player, or against bots. It seems like when I do, I’m getting the stuff I love about the games, only faster and more pure. Today, I’d like to unpack why that is, exactly, and make a recommendation to Eurogame designers.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Why Eurogames Are Inherently Single-Player Games
KeithBurgun.net

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”26321″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425174802237{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269170421{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Books are based on their characters and their dangers center on them. Games are based around their outcomes. No outcome or a random outcome means no goal, no tension. It gets boring real fast. So we work backwards from that. We want an outcome that matters to the player. So we’ll have to set up dangers that matter to the player with regards to the outcome. How? We need to create dangers that hinge on choices the player makes.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

What Good Books Can Teach Game Designers
Wiltgren Design

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”25973″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425173392052{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269118978{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Having dedicated lately more than the fair share of my time to publishing rather than designing, I realized that there is a downside of standardizing – it kills some of the creativity of designers (myself included) on the altar of delivering a marketable, user-friendly, industry standard product. The designer in me is trying to fight the other side of my board gaming personality (the publisher) screaming for more freedom and less standard components.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Pros and Cons of Standardizing in Board Games
NSKN Games

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”25969″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425173415860{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269085705{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Your game must have tension to succeed. You must challenge your players to work within constraints, and force them to accomplish twice as many things as it seems they are able to do.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Great Tension
Hyperbole!

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”25968″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425173442141{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269045790{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]I’m Bruno Faidutti, I’m French (though I don’t care much about it), 53. I design games because my two passions are playing games and reading books, because I want to be creative, to impress myself and my friends, and because I’m far too lazy to write books.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

How Bruno Faidutti Makes Games
And He Games

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”26319″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425174819390{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425269007168{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Let me start by saying that I am a fan of house rules, and I’m going to explain why. I’m not intending to change anyones opinions here, although my opinions on this matter have been changed over the years, so who knows. I will also try to describe the reasons some people give for not using house rules, and why those reasons don’t stop me using them[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

House Rules
Whose Turn Is It Anyway?

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”26323″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425175350585{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425268962589{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_right dragon_generic”][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]This is a page that features various artists’ takes on the name or logo ofThe Inquisitive Meeple. These artists have created this art free of charge, and we would like to publicly say Thank You to each and every one of them.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Art Gallery
The Inquisitive Meeple

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424630461638{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”26322″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1425174832828{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1425268937527{background-color: #f2f2f2 !important;}” el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_dialogue_left dragon_andrew”][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”25942″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1424557541248{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557308584{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1425279185501{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”]Hope to see you next week![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Games On Our Table

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”dragon_dialogue dragon_andrew”][vc_column width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557322031{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”25942″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1424557541248{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1424557308584{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1425279377086{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”]I didn’t get the chance to play any games this week but I’ve got my favorite weekend of the year, IndyCon, coming up this weekend! So I should have plenty of gaming to talk about next week. In addition, starting on Friday I’ll be sharing what I’m playing all weekend on Twitter (@UpliftAndrew).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

I love optimization and engine games with tableau builders and card driven ones being my favorite. This usually means medium-heavy euros and medium-light card games.

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