Today we're finishing out the Big Three of tabletop gaming, as well as my "Getting Started" series, at least for a while. Collectible Card Games(CCGs) are the most accessible of the tabletop trifecta and probably the most widespread as well, due to many CCGs being marketed to a much younger demographic than either RPGs or war games.
CCGs are the easiest of these three to start playing. CCG publishers box eveything you need to play into one package, from cards to rules to life counters to limited edition game starting coins. They want any semi-literate person with the ability to understand the bare minimum of rules to start playing their games. Most even have special little flash games on their websites that walk you through an example of play.
CCGs also have the widest distribution channels. You might find a few RPG core books at larger book stores, but in order to find most of the supplements you'll need to hit a gaming shop. There was a time when you could find blind boxed style miniature games at most toy stores, but that's pretty rare these days. Games Workshop won't even return your calls if you aren't a dedicated purveyor of games. Not so with CCGs. You can still regularly find the latest expansion of Yu-Gi-Oh! at your local Wal-Mart.
CCGs are distributed similarly to the blind boxed war games. By that I mean blind boxed war games stole their marketing structure from CCGs. A starter box gives you a deck, rulebook, and at least basic versions of any other equipment you need to play the game. The cards provided won't stand up very well in competitive level of play, however. For that you're going to need booster packs. Lots of booster packs.
Buying booster packs is like buying scratch off lotto tickets for gamers. They only cost a few dollars each, and the potential rewards are astronomical.
I got my start back in the early days of this style of game with the Decipher Star Wars CCG. After that it was Pokemon, right at the beggining of that fad, before picking up Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic:The Gathering almost simultaneously. In between there were various shortlived tenures with everything from Battletech to MagiNation. All told I probably own several hundred thousand individual cards. I quit playing CCGs completely before I graduated high school, and I've considered myself a recovered addict ever since. I won't even watch people play for fear of getting sucked into something I no longer have the time for. If it's your thing, though, have fun with it. If you've got kids and a sizable disposable income, it's a great way to bond with them. The rules are simple enough for adolescents to understand, but most of them are complex enough to keep you entertained. Good luck, happy hunting, and I'll see you in 48.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Getting Started: War Gaming
War gaming's a very different animal from role playing, the topic of my last getting started article. While players in an RPG focus on controlling a single character, in a war game you take control of the entire side of a battle. It might be be better to call it miniature gaming because a number of games don't involve a war at all. Miniature gaming makes it sound like some sort of terrier, though, so we'll stick with war gaming.
War gaming involves two or more players plunking down miniatures and and rolling dice at each other until one side achieves a goal, or more likely, no longer has any units to roll dice for. Dirty looks and smug grins are exchanged, miniatures are cased, and rematches are planned.
Like role playing the first thing your going to need to is find a group to play with. Also like role playing, the best place to do this is the local gaming shop. They'll have dice, miniatures, rulebooks, and various other sundries there. Don't buy any of it. You want to find out what other people are playing before you commit to a game.
Ask whoever's around if the shop has a game night. Tell them you're looking to start and want to watch a few games. If everything goes well, you should meet a group of people who can answer all of your questions and show you how to play. See if it's something you would enjoy. If it's not, ask around to see if anyone plays anything else. It's not as diverse as RPGs, but there are still a lot of fish in this sea.
There are two basic types of companies that make war games: the type that sell miniatures unassembled and unpainted, and the kind that sell them in blind boxes. Games Workshop is pretty much the ultimate example of the first. Their Warhammer and Warhammer 40k are the definitely the biggest market share of the hobby. Wizards of the Coast and Wizkids both produce good examples of the second.
The big problem with the first type of game is that it's actually two hobbies. You can easily spend more time assembling and painting miniatures for these games than actually playing them. The other big problem is the expense. You can easily spend a hundred dollars to get a competitive army up and running. This is in addition to all of the rulebooks, dice, paints, and other stuff you need to play.
The problem with the second type is that with a few exceptions all the miniatures are blind-boxed. This means you're going to get 6-10 random miniatures, many of which you have no interest in owning. It also makes it difficult to get the miniatures you do want.
Once you've picked your game, you need to decide which army you want to play. Different games call them different things: armies, factions, sides, loose conglomerations of chance allies. The goal is the same, though: create groups with homogeneous looks and unique play style. Look around. See if anyone's playing anything looks like fun. Look at the website for the game designer and check out their miniatures gallery. See what you like the look of. If you're playing with blind boxed miniatures you won't have to decide right away, because you'll be getting the same miniatures no matter what. But don't start an army for a game like Warhammer unless you know that's the army you want to play.
That's all I've got for today. Check out The Jungle for some great articles on Warhammer 40k, as well as some other great links. See you in 48, Mav out.
--A psychologist would call spending eight hours moving tiny pieces of plastic around a table grounds for institutionalization. We just call it war gaming.
War gaming involves two or more players plunking down miniatures and and rolling dice at each other until one side achieves a goal, or more likely, no longer has any units to roll dice for. Dirty looks and smug grins are exchanged, miniatures are cased, and rematches are planned.
Like role playing the first thing your going to need to is find a group to play with. Also like role playing, the best place to do this is the local gaming shop. They'll have dice, miniatures, rulebooks, and various other sundries there. Don't buy any of it. You want to find out what other people are playing before you commit to a game.
Ask whoever's around if the shop has a game night. Tell them you're looking to start and want to watch a few games. If everything goes well, you should meet a group of people who can answer all of your questions and show you how to play. See if it's something you would enjoy. If it's not, ask around to see if anyone plays anything else. It's not as diverse as RPGs, but there are still a lot of fish in this sea.
There are two basic types of companies that make war games: the type that sell miniatures unassembled and unpainted, and the kind that sell them in blind boxes. Games Workshop is pretty much the ultimate example of the first. Their Warhammer and Warhammer 40k are the definitely the biggest market share of the hobby. Wizards of the Coast and Wizkids both produce good examples of the second.
The big problem with the first type of game is that it's actually two hobbies. You can easily spend more time assembling and painting miniatures for these games than actually playing them. The other big problem is the expense. You can easily spend a hundred dollars to get a competitive army up and running. This is in addition to all of the rulebooks, dice, paints, and other stuff you need to play.
The problem with the second type is that with a few exceptions all the miniatures are blind-boxed. This means you're going to get 6-10 random miniatures, many of which you have no interest in owning. It also makes it difficult to get the miniatures you do want.
Once you've picked your game, you need to decide which army you want to play. Different games call them different things: armies, factions, sides, loose conglomerations of chance allies. The goal is the same, though: create groups with homogeneous looks and unique play style. Look around. See if anyone's playing anything looks like fun. Look at the website for the game designer and check out their miniatures gallery. See what you like the look of. If you're playing with blind boxed miniatures you won't have to decide right away, because you'll be getting the same miniatures no matter what. But don't start an army for a game like Warhammer unless you know that's the army you want to play.
That's all I've got for today. Check out The Jungle for some great articles on Warhammer 40k, as well as some other great links. See you in 48, Mav out.
--A psychologist would call spending eight hours moving tiny pieces of plastic around a table grounds for institutionalization. We just call it war gaming.
Monday, September 22, 2008
On Dice
Now seems like a good time to address one of the odder parts of gaming culture: dice. Except for most card games, almost every game uses dice to one degree or another. Typical shorthand for a die is the letter d followed by the number of sides. Multiple dice are given using an xda format, such as 3d6 for three six-sided dice. While the vast majority of dice are d6s, the range all the way from d2s, known to the rest of the world as "coins," to d100s, which are typically the size of tennis balls and are considered a novelty by sane gamers. The most common die besides d6s are probably d10s, followed by d8s and d20s, though d4s and d12 see a fair amount of use. There are also special dice, such as scatter die in some war games that show where artillery strikes land, or d%, which give you a percent. Usually d% are actually rolled as 2d10, either of two different colors, or with one die have sides marked in tens instead of single digits.
Gamers have a special relationship with their dice. War-gamers and role players especially seem to fixate on dice. While someone losing at Parcheesi might glare at the dice if they repeatedly turn up bad results, a tabletop general might go so far as to give unruly dice a disapproving lecture mid battle, with every belief that it will improve his rolls. Likewise, a role player may well swap out dice that are rolling poorly, or even pre-roll dice to select especially lucky ones. Much of that probably comes from the fact that the player has more invested in a wargame or RPG than in a simple board game. Army lists and character builds are oftentimes crafted with a care that can border on compulsion. It only seems fitting that we should obsess equally about the other deciding factor in this equation: the dice.
Finally, there is a bizarre mix of etiquette and ritual that has grown up around dice in the gaming culture. Here are a few simple rules to help you get along with people who may take gaming a bit too seriously:
1. Don't touch another person's dice without permission. This isn't just common courtesy, there are gamers who, upon seeing their dice contaminated, will wail mournfully, rend their garments, and proceed to perform a twenty minute purification ritual before rolling them again. To be safe, don't even touch someone's dice bag until you know how uptight they are about their dice.
2. Make all rolls where people can see them. This may not be as big a deal in an RPG depending on your game master, but in a war game you definitely want to make sure your opponent can see you roll. Addendum 1: war gamers, make sure that any scatter die are rolled as near to the target as possible without endangering miniatures. It makes life easier. Addendum 2: role players, never ask to see a roll from you GM. He may be fudging things a bit for the sake of the story, or to keep a player in the game. Trust him to be fair.
3. Don't try to cheat. There are all kinds of sneaky ways to alter the probability of dice, from "bowling" dice to prevent ones, to cooking dice in a microwave to alter their balance. For your own sake, don't. You're dealing with people who know dice better than a Vegas craps stickman. You're going to get caught, and it'll probably be fairly early. You'll likely get kicked you out of the game, possibly permanently. If you're really lucky, you'll just get a stern talking to about the importance of honesty and trust. Otherwise, you may end up hanging from the roof of a gaming shop by your shoelaces.
That's the scoop on dice. Weird as it may seem, this stuff becomes pretty normal before long. Also, don't be too concerned if you seem to accumulate dice at an alarming rate. I own over 100, as we've established, I'm a completely rational human being. See in you 48.
Gamers have a special relationship with their dice. War-gamers and role players especially seem to fixate on dice. While someone losing at Parcheesi might glare at the dice if they repeatedly turn up bad results, a tabletop general might go so far as to give unruly dice a disapproving lecture mid battle, with every belief that it will improve his rolls. Likewise, a role player may well swap out dice that are rolling poorly, or even pre-roll dice to select especially lucky ones. Much of that probably comes from the fact that the player has more invested in a wargame or RPG than in a simple board game. Army lists and character builds are oftentimes crafted with a care that can border on compulsion. It only seems fitting that we should obsess equally about the other deciding factor in this equation: the dice.
Finally, there is a bizarre mix of etiquette and ritual that has grown up around dice in the gaming culture. Here are a few simple rules to help you get along with people who may take gaming a bit too seriously:
1. Don't touch another person's dice without permission. This isn't just common courtesy, there are gamers who, upon seeing their dice contaminated, will wail mournfully, rend their garments, and proceed to perform a twenty minute purification ritual before rolling them again. To be safe, don't even touch someone's dice bag until you know how uptight they are about their dice.
2. Make all rolls where people can see them. This may not be as big a deal in an RPG depending on your game master, but in a war game you definitely want to make sure your opponent can see you roll. Addendum 1: war gamers, make sure that any scatter die are rolled as near to the target as possible without endangering miniatures. It makes life easier. Addendum 2: role players, never ask to see a roll from you GM. He may be fudging things a bit for the sake of the story, or to keep a player in the game. Trust him to be fair.
3. Don't try to cheat. There are all kinds of sneaky ways to alter the probability of dice, from "bowling" dice to prevent ones, to cooking dice in a microwave to alter their balance. For your own sake, don't. You're dealing with people who know dice better than a Vegas craps stickman. You're going to get caught, and it'll probably be fairly early. You'll likely get kicked you out of the game, possibly permanently. If you're really lucky, you'll just get a stern talking to about the importance of honesty and trust. Otherwise, you may end up hanging from the roof of a gaming shop by your shoelaces.
That's the scoop on dice. Weird as it may seem, this stuff becomes pretty normal before long. Also, don't be too concerned if you seem to accumulate dice at an alarming rate. I own over 100, as we've established, I'm a completely rational human being. See in you 48.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Running Your First Game
Running a game is pretty scary the first time you do it, especially if you haven't been gaming long. The first thing you need to do is get your players together. You're on your own there. After that you need to decide what system to play. If you've role-played before, you'll probably want to use one of the systems you know, especially if you already own the books for it. You'll be better able to teach any new players much faster because you've been through the system. If you've never role-played before, you're in a bit of a pickle. Assuming you have no access to any sort of game unless you buy it, you need to make a decision. What sort of game do you want to run? Do you want your players to carve into hordes of orcs on the field of valor, or stare down ancient evils beyond human ken? Now ask yourself what sort of game your players want to play. Do they want to be cybernetically enhanced swordsman, tearing into their enemies with blade and bullets, or do they want to be aged vampires, gliding through backroom intrigue and manipulating grudges centuries in the making. It's your game, but they don't have to play. And without players, you might as well just sit around playing with army men. No offense, wargamers.
As far as good starting games go, Dungeons and Dragons is a something of a staple. Most gamers cut their teeth on that, and the new edition is very user friendly, and would probably be ideal if you like sword and sorcery style gameplay. World of Darkness is also pretty simple, but it focuses more on supernatural horor and role playing, which is usually difficult even for experienced GMs. Stay away from HERO or GURPS, though. They're good systems, but there's a lot of math there you don't want to have to mess with while you're trying to make an adventure. You could try one of the free systems floating around on the internet, but I wouldn't recommend them. There's very little GM support with those, and you need support like an acrobat with double D's.
Speaking of support, I seriously recomend getting a premade adventure. DnD has loads, and WoD has at least a few. One of these will allow you to run a few sessions without spending much time writing. Fell free to modify the adventure, if you want. Your players probably won't notice, and if they do they won't freak out. You're doing this for fun, so if a few changes make it feel more like your game, then do it. Whether or not you use a premade, be sure to know the adventure. Don't just read it through, mark pages, write notes. Read the entry for all the monsters and traps that are in the adventure. The last thing you want to have happen is to reach the climax of your carefully crafted (or purchased) adventure, your players have just confronted the dread Lord Belron of the Guild of Immense Inconvenience, and suddenly the entire session comes to a grinding halt because you have to stop and look up the rules for his +5 girdle of horror.
Lastly, seriously consider getting someone else to do snack duty. It'll really help out your first time if all you have to do is prep the game. It'll also make someone else feel responsible for the success or failure of your game.
I haven't the space, time, or expertise to teach you everything you need to know to run a good game. As in most things, with GMing experience is the best teacher. Check out this series. Most of the articles are shorter than this post, but every one of them is extremely helpful.
That's it for this week. See you all Monday.
As far as good starting games go, Dungeons and Dragons is a something of a staple. Most gamers cut their teeth on that, and the new edition is very user friendly, and would probably be ideal if you like sword and sorcery style gameplay. World of Darkness is also pretty simple, but it focuses more on supernatural horor and role playing, which is usually difficult even for experienced GMs. Stay away from HERO or GURPS, though. They're good systems, but there's a lot of math there you don't want to have to mess with while you're trying to make an adventure. You could try one of the free systems floating around on the internet, but I wouldn't recommend them. There's very little GM support with those, and you need support like an acrobat with double D's.
Speaking of support, I seriously recomend getting a premade adventure. DnD has loads, and WoD has at least a few. One of these will allow you to run a few sessions without spending much time writing. Fell free to modify the adventure, if you want. Your players probably won't notice, and if they do they won't freak out. You're doing this for fun, so if a few changes make it feel more like your game, then do it. Whether or not you use a premade, be sure to know the adventure. Don't just read it through, mark pages, write notes. Read the entry for all the monsters and traps that are in the adventure. The last thing you want to have happen is to reach the climax of your carefully crafted (or purchased) adventure, your players have just confronted the dread Lord Belron of the Guild of Immense Inconvenience, and suddenly the entire session comes to a grinding halt because you have to stop and look up the rules for his +5 girdle of horror.
Lastly, seriously consider getting someone else to do snack duty. It'll really help out your first time if all you have to do is prep the game. It'll also make someone else feel responsible for the success or failure of your game.
I haven't the space, time, or expertise to teach you everything you need to know to run a good game. As in most things, with GMing experience is the best teacher. Check out this series. Most of the articles are shorter than this post, but every one of them is extremely helpful.
That's it for this week. See you all Monday.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Getting Started: Role Playing Games
So you want to start playing rpgs. Fantastic, it's a great hobby. But how, you ask, does one start? Well, Billy, to get started you don't need to drop a wad of cash on books or dice. In fact, don't spend any money on any books yet. The best way to get started is to find a group of people who are already playing. They'll have the books, dice, miniatures, laminated battle-maps, and mortgages on their homes that you need to play. They'll also be able to teach you much more quickly than a book would.
One way to join a group is to already know someone who plays. Ask them if you can join their game. If they're not running things, they may have to clear it with the GM, but most gamers are happy to introduce new people to the hobby. After all, the more people that do this, the fewer weird looks we get in the grocery line. And don't sweat it if he says no. Its (probably) not you, he just has too many people in his game right now, or isn't at a place where he can bring in another player. Ask him to let you know the next time he's starting a game, and if he knows about any other games in the are that might take a new person.
You might be saying to yourself "Eric, you great thundering idiot, if I knew someone who played, I'd already have asked them that, you twit." First of all, there's no need to be insulting. Secondly, I'm getting to that. If you don't know anyone who plays, then you have a few options. If you're a college student, or live in a college town, there are often clubs that meet regularly to play. My college has three. Check around campus, or use the internet. You'd be surprised how happy they'll be to see a new face.
If you don't have access to a gaming club, your next option is probably to go to a gaming shop. These are small, usually independent stores that sell the above mentioned sundry books, dice, miniatures, and laminated battle-maps that are the trappings of this hobby. Many now allow you to apply for mortgages without even leaving the store. Talk to whoever's behind the counter. Most of the people who work in these shops are gamers, and they have at least a passing knowledge of their regular clientèle. Tell him you're looking to take up the hobby, and ask if anyone's running a game at the shop. A note of warning: I shouldn't have to say this, but don't go to a random person's house/apartment/abandoned meatpacking plant to play a game if you don't know the the group. That's good advice for everybody, but especially to you ladies out there. The hobby tends to attract somewhat socially inept people. Most of them are harmless, but much like the general population it's that tiny not so harmless fraction that you have to worry about.
What if you don't have a local gaming shop, or you've been banned from said shop for incident involving the owner's prized miniature collection and a gerbil? Well, then you've got a few options. You can try online role playing. There are a number of forums devoted to pen and paper style role playing on the 'net. Good luck with that. My experience is that those games fall apart like a house of cards in a wind tunnel, but maybe you'll have better luck.
Your other option is to try to start your own game. Get a few of your friends together, pick up a core rulebook, some dice, and a pre-made adventure, and have a go at it. I know what you're thinking: "But Eric, you tremendous dolt, I've never even played an rpg before. I don't know the first thing about running a game." My first experience with role playing was as a game master. Granted, I've never gmed since, but I managed to intrigue several of my friends enough to con them into running campaigns, so it all worked out. I'll post some advice on picking a system and starting your own game on the next post. While you're waiting, check out this article on character building, sans physical and emotional trauma. See you in 48!
--Role playing is a lot like sex. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's pretty awkward for at least a few days afterwards.
One way to join a group is to already know someone who plays. Ask them if you can join their game. If they're not running things, they may have to clear it with the GM, but most gamers are happy to introduce new people to the hobby. After all, the more people that do this, the fewer weird looks we get in the grocery line. And don't sweat it if he says no. Its (probably) not you, he just has too many people in his game right now, or isn't at a place where he can bring in another player. Ask him to let you know the next time he's starting a game, and if he knows about any other games in the are that might take a new person.
You might be saying to yourself "Eric, you great thundering idiot, if I knew someone who played, I'd already have asked them that, you twit." First of all, there's no need to be insulting. Secondly, I'm getting to that. If you don't know anyone who plays, then you have a few options. If you're a college student, or live in a college town, there are often clubs that meet regularly to play. My college has three. Check around campus, or use the internet. You'd be surprised how happy they'll be to see a new face.
If you don't have access to a gaming club, your next option is probably to go to a gaming shop. These are small, usually independent stores that sell the above mentioned sundry books, dice, miniatures, and laminated battle-maps that are the trappings of this hobby. Many now allow you to apply for mortgages without even leaving the store. Talk to whoever's behind the counter. Most of the people who work in these shops are gamers, and they have at least a passing knowledge of their regular clientèle. Tell him you're looking to take up the hobby, and ask if anyone's running a game at the shop. A note of warning: I shouldn't have to say this, but don't go to a random person's house/apartment/abandoned meatpacking plant to play a game if you don't know the the group. That's good advice for everybody, but especially to you ladies out there. The hobby tends to attract somewhat socially inept people. Most of them are harmless, but much like the general population it's that tiny not so harmless fraction that you have to worry about.
What if you don't have a local gaming shop, or you've been banned from said shop for incident involving the owner's prized miniature collection and a gerbil? Well, then you've got a few options. You can try online role playing. There are a number of forums devoted to pen and paper style role playing on the 'net. Good luck with that. My experience is that those games fall apart like a house of cards in a wind tunnel, but maybe you'll have better luck.
Your other option is to try to start your own game. Get a few of your friends together, pick up a core rulebook, some dice, and a pre-made adventure, and have a go at it. I know what you're thinking: "But Eric, you tremendous dolt, I've never even played an rpg before. I don't know the first thing about running a game." My first experience with role playing was as a game master. Granted, I've never gmed since, but I managed to intrigue several of my friends enough to con them into running campaigns, so it all worked out. I'll post some advice on picking a system and starting your own game on the next post. While you're waiting, check out this article on character building, sans physical and emotional trauma. See you in 48!
--Role playing is a lot like sex. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's pretty awkward for at least a few days afterwards.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Welcome to Readers
Welcome to Game Signs, a tabletop gaming blog. In the coming weeks I will be posting, on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule, articles on various aspects of gaming, especially articles for those just entering our hobby.
Why? The reasons are several. First is that there aren't really many good sites about tabletop gaming on the net. There is a plethora of good forums, rpg.net being the first that comes to mind, not to mention a mind boggling array of news blogs. But there aren't many sites posting solid articles about gaming. I'd like to change that, and guide people to those sites that are putting up quality material. I'd also really like to help those who are just starting out. We as gamers don't often think about how intimidating our community can be, what with our 3.5e and our bell curves and our THAC0. (Does anyone actually talk about THAC0 unironically anymore?) My hope is that I can help a few of these new people join the fold, even if it's only by providing links to other people with better advice. I'll try to include at least two relevant links with every post.
Why part deux: why me? Why should anyone listen to what I have to say? I've been gaming as a serious hobby for 7 years now, which means I can just barely remember when ADnD was seeing widespread use. It also means I remember what it was like to not know what THAC0 meant, or to think that a dice pool is where your dice sit when you're not using them, or even that dice that weren't six-sided were just a novelty. We've all been there. It's just a little fresher for some of us. I hope that the links and articles I provide in future posts will be informative, or at least entertaining.
Eric Mav,
Gamer
Why? The reasons are several. First is that there aren't really many good sites about tabletop gaming on the net. There is a plethora of good forums, rpg.net being the first that comes to mind, not to mention a mind boggling array of news blogs. But there aren't many sites posting solid articles about gaming. I'd like to change that, and guide people to those sites that are putting up quality material. I'd also really like to help those who are just starting out. We as gamers don't often think about how intimidating our community can be, what with our 3.5e and our bell curves and our THAC0. (Does anyone actually talk about THAC0 unironically anymore?) My hope is that I can help a few of these new people join the fold, even if it's only by providing links to other people with better advice. I'll try to include at least two relevant links with every post.
Why part deux: why me? Why should anyone listen to what I have to say? I've been gaming as a serious hobby for 7 years now, which means I can just barely remember when ADnD was seeing widespread use. It also means I remember what it was like to not know what THAC0 meant, or to think that a dice pool is where your dice sit when you're not using them, or even that dice that weren't six-sided were just a novelty. We've all been there. It's just a little fresher for some of us. I hope that the links and articles I provide in future posts will be informative, or at least entertaining.
Eric Mav,
Gamer
Friday, September 5, 2008
An introduction to gaming
If you're reading this blog, chances are you're looking for one of two thing. Either you're a fellow gamer looking for information (or, more likely, delicious,delicious rumors), in which case hail and welcome, brother! I'll get to you in the a little bit. The other possibility is that you're a friend or loved one of a gamer, trying to discover just what it is they do until 4 o'clock in the morning. This article is for you. In fact, much of this blog is devoted to explaining this bizarre and twisted hobby.
First thing you need to understand is that tabletop gaming isn't a unified kingdom. It's broken up into various fiefdoms and principalities, not unlike Germany during the middle ages. Everything from the most minimalist card game to the most mind numbingly complex role playing game is encompassed within this header. Let's get down to defining these categories and providing a few examples of each.
1. Role-playing games(RPGs): These types of games center around a group of people, henceforth known as the players, creating and taking on the role of characters in a fictional world. Looming over this as a (hopefully) benevolent god is the game master. His or her job is to create and populate the world the player characters (PCs) inhabit, drawing them into adventures and providing them adversaries to slay. It's a bit like improvisational theater, except that the success or failure of a task is resolved by dice. If you're lucky, they're six sided.
Archetypal examples: Dungeons and Dragons (DnD), World of Darkness (WoD)
2. Collectible/Trading Card Games (CCG/TCG): The action in these games revolves around cards. The cards represent the characters, weapons, and actions taking place within the game. Want to summon a valient knight? Play a card. Want to equip him with a blazing magical sword? Play a card. These games are where I got my start, back in the heady days of the Decipher Star Wars CCG. These games are usually sold in several parts: a starter deck that gives you a legal deck, usually 40-60 cards, plus the rules and all the other things you need to play, like life tokens or asparagus counters or whatever, and booster packs, which give you seven to fifteen random cards that you can use to customize your deck, like a pack of baseball cards. Warning: these can get addictive. There's a little rush you get opening a pack of cards, wondering if this time you'll get the ultra-rare Gold Eyes Chartreuse Dragon you need to complete your deck. Counting all my TCGs, I own twice my weight in colorful little pieces of cardboard.
Archetypal examples: Magic: the Gathering (M:tG), Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh
3. Wargames: Sometimes referred to as miniature games, these games focus on moving tiny plastic or metal miniatures around a Lilliputian battlefield, vying for control of their 1:50 scale universe. Like rpgs, dice are the primary arbitrator is the mighty die. Unlike rpgs, the dice are not noteable for they're unusual shape, but for sheer numbers. Yahtzee has nothing on these games. In Warhammer you can roll upwards of 60 dice on an attack. Most war gamers wouldn't get out of their chair to pick up five dice. These games are also noteable for the expense necessary to play them. An army can easily cost over a hundred dollars to start. Did I mention the miniatures come unpainted? The miniatures come unpainted and unassembled. Painting and customizing these little guys has become a hobby unto itself. Alternatively, some games use less expensive pre-painted miniatures packaged in blind boxes. With these games you get into the same thing as with CCGs: you're constantly buying packages of figures to try and get that last one you want.
Archetypal example: Warhammer
4. Traditional: These are probably what you're most familiar with. While games like Monopoly and Uno are technically part of this group, most gamers tend to lead towards the more obscure games. This category is defined by games that are complete, self contained units. Everything you need to play comes in the box. While occasionally expansions are released for this sort of game, buying them won't give you an advantage over your oppenents, like buying more cards or miniatures might. They just offer the ability to play with more people or expanded rules
Archetypal examples: Settlers of Chattan, Munchkin.
What unifies all of these sundry pastimes? Mostly that their meant to be played on a table. Thus the name "tabletop game". The table isn't strictly required. Any clear flat surface will do in a pinch, but the games are designed to be played face to face, without the aid of any sort of electronic apparati. Not that I have anything against electronic aparati. I'm not posting this from some bizarre, WiFi capable typewriter. But the point is that these games are meant to promote human interaction without a computer or console.
First thing you need to understand is that tabletop gaming isn't a unified kingdom. It's broken up into various fiefdoms and principalities, not unlike Germany during the middle ages. Everything from the most minimalist card game to the most mind numbingly complex role playing game is encompassed within this header. Let's get down to defining these categories and providing a few examples of each.
1. Role-playing games(RPGs): These types of games center around a group of people, henceforth known as the players, creating and taking on the role of characters in a fictional world. Looming over this as a (hopefully) benevolent god is the game master. His or her job is to create and populate the world the player characters (PCs) inhabit, drawing them into adventures and providing them adversaries to slay. It's a bit like improvisational theater, except that the success or failure of a task is resolved by dice. If you're lucky, they're six sided.
Archetypal examples: Dungeons and Dragons (DnD), World of Darkness (WoD)
2. Collectible/Trading Card Games (CCG/TCG): The action in these games revolves around cards. The cards represent the characters, weapons, and actions taking place within the game. Want to summon a valient knight? Play a card. Want to equip him with a blazing magical sword? Play a card. These games are where I got my start, back in the heady days of the Decipher Star Wars CCG. These games are usually sold in several parts: a starter deck that gives you a legal deck, usually 40-60 cards, plus the rules and all the other things you need to play, like life tokens or asparagus counters or whatever, and booster packs, which give you seven to fifteen random cards that you can use to customize your deck, like a pack of baseball cards. Warning: these can get addictive. There's a little rush you get opening a pack of cards, wondering if this time you'll get the ultra-rare Gold Eyes Chartreuse Dragon you need to complete your deck. Counting all my TCGs, I own twice my weight in colorful little pieces of cardboard.
Archetypal examples: Magic: the Gathering (M:tG), Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh
3. Wargames: Sometimes referred to as miniature games, these games focus on moving tiny plastic or metal miniatures around a Lilliputian battlefield, vying for control of their 1:50 scale universe. Like rpgs, dice are the primary arbitrator is the mighty die. Unlike rpgs, the dice are not noteable for they're unusual shape, but for sheer numbers. Yahtzee has nothing on these games. In Warhammer you can roll upwards of 60 dice on an attack. Most war gamers wouldn't get out of their chair to pick up five dice. These games are also noteable for the expense necessary to play them. An army can easily cost over a hundred dollars to start. Did I mention the miniatures come unpainted? The miniatures come unpainted and unassembled. Painting and customizing these little guys has become a hobby unto itself. Alternatively, some games use less expensive pre-painted miniatures packaged in blind boxes. With these games you get into the same thing as with CCGs: you're constantly buying packages of figures to try and get that last one you want.
Archetypal example: Warhammer
4. Traditional: These are probably what you're most familiar with. While games like Monopoly and Uno are technically part of this group, most gamers tend to lead towards the more obscure games. This category is defined by games that are complete, self contained units. Everything you need to play comes in the box. While occasionally expansions are released for this sort of game, buying them won't give you an advantage over your oppenents, like buying more cards or miniatures might. They just offer the ability to play with more people or expanded rules
Archetypal examples: Settlers of Chattan, Munchkin.
What unifies all of these sundry pastimes? Mostly that their meant to be played on a table. Thus the name "tabletop game". The table isn't strictly required. Any clear flat surface will do in a pinch, but the games are designed to be played face to face, without the aid of any sort of electronic apparati. Not that I have anything against electronic aparati. I'm not posting this from some bizarre, WiFi capable typewriter. But the point is that these games are meant to promote human interaction without a computer or console.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)