Maurice Suckling

Today’s library loan: Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival by Stephen Greenblatt.

Today’s arrival: The Well-Read Game: On Playing Thoughtfully. Tracy Fullerton and Matthew Farber.

We just played the intro module/scenario - and it was reportedly not that much fun for Austria (not participating in the war phase) and super uphill for Britain (starting so many VP behind)- but I can see how this might be a really satisfying long (8 rounds?) game experience.

Yes. This very much made me think you of, Charles.

Today’s arrival: The Blood in Winter: England on the Brink of Civil Sar, 1642. Jonathan Healey.

Ooo - yes - I’d heard that. Thanks for reminding me.

Yesterday’s game: Back to Congress of Vienna. Ended at the end of the second turn, with the Grande Armee destroyed and the route to Paris open. But France beats Russia on a VP tie. I like this game.

Yes - I share your sentiments. I’m a big fan of this series - but it’s taken a year to get this played.

Today’s game: Congress of Vienna. Just one turn played today. But I now have a good sense of the whole game loop. Very much enjoying it so far.

That’s not the current plan. We’re still working on it for now - testing, tweaking, replaying. In the spring we should be ready to show publishers something more ‘finished’.

This is the back of the book (I haven’t started it yet):

Today’s game(s) - a prototype : Japan’s Longest Day about surrender in 1945. Part 1 is about the fraught cabinet discussions leading up to the decision. Part 2 is about the coup attempt off the back of the decision. This is a co-design with Wes Crawford.

Delighted to hear that, Grant! Thank you for the news!

Today’s arrival: The Other Renaissance by Paul Strathern.

I never got any characters into any adventure - so you did far better than me.

Today’s arrival: Flashing Blades RPG. It’s some 30 years since this has been in my life…

Today’s game: Statecraft: Age of Elizabeth - a prototype in early development giving us the Elizabethan Age in 3 hours, for 2-6 players.

To my mind it has something of The King Is Dead about it. You don’t play as a faction, but seek to influence them.

Yes - I think it worked well. There’s good stuff in here!

Today’s game: The Last Kingdom. A board game adaptation of a TV show adapted from a series of novels which are an adaptation of history (which is an adaptation of life that was lived).

I played it just once just after it came out. Then sold it. But it’s been in my mind again of late, so wanted to take another look at it.

Yes - I don’t think you really find what’s special about this unless you embrace the chaos.

Today’s game, in Narrative-Driven Analog Games at RPI: Tales of the Arabian Nights, by Z-Man Games. Chaotic story creation engine game.

Yes - it’s really good, just what I was looking for - I like where he’s pitched this - battles get very short shrift - its focus is strategy and the relationship with policy.

This week’s reading: Donald Stoker’s Grand Design.

You know, it did feel to me like there was a lineage there from RoR to this with soecifc regards to that collaborative layer to a competitive game. It certainly makes perfect sense.

Today’s game: 1793: Patriots & Traitors. Still leaning, but I like how the laws come in and change the game state and the semi co-op element as everyone needs to work together to hold the Coalition armies back or everyone loses.

Yesterday’s secondhand bookshop find:

Today’s games in Narrative-Driven Analog Games: Monumental Consequence, and The Grizzled.