Game Rulebooks

From: Adam Saunders <adam@asaunders.freeserve.co.uk>

Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I once joined a game and received the most unbelievable rule book in
return. The pages had been stapled so that the pages were not in the
correct order, some pages were UPSIDE DOWN and some were missing
completely - I was so stunned I almost joined just to see how bad it
would be (almost!)

Adam Saunders
adam@asaunders.freeserve.co.uk

(I really think it's time to drop the 'Spellbinder Games - best
avoided!' subject header - particularly when the topic has moved on -
after all, it's not that hard to change a subject header!)

Benjamin Foy wrote:
>
> On 3 Jan 1999, MadCentral wrote:
>
> > >>Do you think so? Suppose I (say) think of joining a game, read the rulebook,
> > perhaps play one turn, on a 'three turns free deal' maybe. Then I decide I
> > don't
> > want to continue.<<
> >
> > That would depend on what you didn't like.  If you were making
> > assumptions about game mechanics having played only one turn and quite
> > probably having no idea of how the dynamics of that mechanic
> > would work in play over the course of the game then I'd say you
> > were both arrogant and not the sort of player a GM would want anyway.
> > (Not the sort I'd want, certainly.)
>
> Hmmm, this statement is alittle presumptuous.  For example, I took over a
> VGA Planets position 5 years ago and paid $20 for the latest version of
> VGA Planets.  After 5-10 turns (I don't remember exactly how many), I
> realized that I wasn't enjoying the game.  There was no player interaction
> and alot of logistical work.  I had asked questions and realized that
> getting my warfleet anywhere useful anytime soon was impossible.  I was
> supposed to expand and expand and expand until finally I got somewhere
> useful.  I called my friend, who was running the game and we decided the
> best thing to do was have me quit.
>
> BTW, I have never quit any other PBEM game and I have played many of them.
> In a related story, I was looking into space conquest games to play and
> someone suggested Starfleet Warlord.  In response to questions they sent a
> very nice rules booklet with a color cover.  I read the rules but the game
> just didn't inspire me.  They weren't bad, just something was missing.  So
> I never joined the game. Was that arrogant of me?  I recently read the
> rules to Galaxy and that game did inspire me.  Intuitive things like game
> mechanics and marketing are hard to judge.  The Settlers of Catan is one
> of the most popular boardgames in the world right now.  Yet alot of people
> hate the game...  You never know until you play.
>
>                                         - Ben
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> "Cold hearted orb that rules the night,
>  Removes the colours from our sight.
>  Red is grey and yellow white,
>  But we decide which one is right.
>  And which is an illusion???."
>       from Nights in White Satin by The Moody Blues 1967

References

Re: Spellbinder Games - best avoided!
Chris@pandion.u-net.com (Christopher Yearsley)
Sat, 02 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Spellbinder Games - best avoided!
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Sun, 03 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Spellbinder Games - best avoided!
Benjamin Foy <bfoy@access5.digex.net>
Mon, 04 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Spellbinder Games - best avoided!
Chris@pandion.u-net.com (Christopher Yearsley)
Sat, 02 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Spellbinder Games - best avoided!
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Sun, 03 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Spellbinder Games - best avoided!
Benjamin Foy <bfoy@access5.digex.net>
Mon, 04 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000