Monthly Archives: June 2014

My pop culture road trip to… Seattle

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Growing up, I became obsessed with music. It started in my early teens with the perfumed pop of Duran Duran and Soft Cell, morphed briefly into brooding Goth before landing squarely in the UK indie alternative scene of the late ’80s.

For a while it was a very English thing for me, but around 1988/89 that got turned on its head by grunge. I was working in a London record shop at the time and remember talking to the Southern rep about the next big thing. It was something different, and wrong, every month but hey, he had to get it right one time; and that time was Sub Pop.

LameFest UK (Nirvana, Tad, Mudhoney at the Astoria, London) was a blistering experience. It was as if someone had taken the energy and excitement from punk or metal, and added feelings and desperation to replace pomp and bullshit. My music had just grown balls. That first Peel Session from ’89, kicking off with ‘Love Buzz’, still sounds fresh and vital today.

My love affair with the Seattle grunge scene was fittingly short lived. By Nirvana’s epic Reading show in 1992 I was tiring of that thump thump thump, my record shop education having opened doors to everything from traditional folk to hip hop. But it still hurt when Kurt suddenly decided his time was up a few years later.

But the list of important Seattle bands is a lot longer than you’d expect from an otherwise unremarkable, unfashionable American city. Ray Charles in the ’50s, Hendrix in the ’60s, grunge; then Band of Horses, Foo Fighters, Fleet Foxes, Sunny Day Real Estate, Kenny G… There’s always one.

While I’ve been to hundreds of gigs and festivals and have bought 1000+ CDs over the past 30 years, the anti-romance of Seattle has stayed with me; it has a scruffy, unkempt quality I can relate to. So you can keep Liverpool and New York, Manchester and Austin; Seattle is still my musical Mecca.

This love affair has been rekindled in recent years by the remarkable output of Seattle radio station KEXP. I found it quite by accident while surfing YouTube for something to listen to. I don’t even remember what it was I found; and it says a lot that the radio station stuck in my mind more than the music. Here I was, watching a live HD radio session with fantastic audio. I was hooked - it remains the one thing on YouTube I’m subscribed to.

So here’s to Nirvana, and to KEXP, and to everything else that’s musically magnificent about Seattle. I’ll make it there one day; let’s say it right now - before I’m 50, I WILL go to Seattle. And of course it helps that it’s a couple of hours from Canada - a country I’d love to spend some time in. Until then though, I’ll keep it tuned to KEXP.

More (possibly slightly more exotic) League of Extraordinary Bloggers’ road trips:

Alea Apartments, Paros: Like you need 5 reasons to visit a Greek Island…

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Paros is a Greek Island (64 sq mi) in the Cyclades, about 100 miles south east of the mainland (south of Mikonos, close to Naxos). You can fly there in under an hour from Athens, or float over the Med in 3-4 hours by ferry. We travelled over at the end of May and were greeted by my ideal temperature; about 25°c (77°f) and sunny. In the high summer, you can expect temperatures to start from 25°c, heading closer to 35°c on a hot day.

It’s a trip we’ve been on before. Two years ago seven of us headed to Alea Apartments and had a fantastic time (read all about it). This time we were just four, which very much changed the dynamic, but for me the holiday was every bit as enjoyable - just different.

While the first visit was an adventure, this time it was much more about familiarity; but I think we all appreciated it as a chance to recharge the batteries. In the past when I’ve talked about Paros I’ve concentrated a little too much on the board games, which in hindsight is misleading and could potentially put people off. So in an attempt to redress the balance, and in a truer reflection of how we spent this holiday, I’d like to break down five very distinct reasons why everyone (not just gamers) should consider a holiday to this fabulous island, and in particular to Alea.

1) The trip

There’s no getting around it; England to a Greek Island is a day out of your life. However, travelling doesn’t have to be a chore and the best journeys become part of the experience, rather than simply going from A to B.

Flying from Heathrow with BA is about as easy as things get within Europe, while the metro from the airport to the port was nicer than the London Underground equivalent (I know, not saying much!). The best thing is that the the train drops you directly opposite the right berth for the Paros ferry, leaving a hassle free stroll to the last leg of the journey.

Travelling off-season left us one ferry option, but I wouldn’t take a different one anyway. The massive Blue Star ferry takes four hours; but when that’s on a carpet-like Mediterranean in balmy sunshine while the sun goes down, I have absolutely no complaints. And there’s a bar…

2) The town of Naoussa

The ferry drops you in Paros’ main port, Parikia. It’s a nice seaside town but for me it doesn’t have the personality of Naoussa (pictured), a sleepy fishing village just 15 minutes away by road. Hiring scooters seems to be de rigueur, but I’ll stick to the bus or a taxi thanks!

Naoussa is one of those great little places that, while being unabashedly touristy in places, gives off a sense of community rather than tackiness. It’s the kind of place that feels as if it’s open all year round, rather than closing when the Brits bugger off in September.

You only have to round a couple of lesser lit corners to arrive in pretty yet urban back streets, or before popping out into farmland and countryside. It’s also very friendly, with pretty much everyone having enough English for you to get by. Lazy? Sure, but I already know two languages (English and online game nerd) and I can’t remember another one.

Better still the shops, as well as having a bit of tourist tat, tend to offer some very high quality clothes, ornaments and jewellery. Naoussa attracts an interesting mix of people, but the relaxed, traditional feel of the place seems to help the the posh yacht sect mix easily with island hopping young ‘uns.

3) 10 minutes from the apartments

Alea Apartments is about a 10-minute stroll from the centre of the village - far enough to be nice and quiet.

You’re also about a five-minute walk from two beaches (one tiny and secluded; one lovely, pictured) and about the same distance from a decent supermarket (and some other shops, including the island’s best cake bakery).

The apartments themselves are average sized and pretty basic; but this is reflected in some very reasonable prices. There’s a basic cooker and a fridge, so you can be self-catering, plus air-con. There are 14 apartments, ranging from two to four person, with at least five having a sea view.

This certainly isn’t luxury living; there’s no pool and generally nowt fancy. There is a secluded private courtyard with tables, sun umbrellas and the odd deck chair which is nice for an afternoon chill - or an evening of board games, of course.

But this isn’t a place to come if you’re looking for a fancy resort; but the beach has a bar/restaurant and everything is within walking distance, which is good enough for us.

4) The Varrias Family

People so often make the difference to a holiday and you simply can’t fault the Varrias family as hosts. On both of our trips they’ve picked us up from the port and this time also drove us back. They were a constant font of knowledge when we needed it, offering us all kinds of trips around the island and tips for food, drinks etc. The main point of contact are the two sons, Dimitris and Simos. They’re friendly and intelligent people (a teacher and a doctor) who have been brought up on the island, but have good experience away from it as well. They’ve always been around for us as much as they can, joining us for drinks, games and even meals - actually becoming part of the group (although I’m sure this isn’t compulsory!). Mum Maria provided regular home cooked treats and coffee in the mornings, and while she only has a few words of English she exudes such personality that it’s always great to see her at the start of your day. Dad Aristides is a renowned Parian marble sculptor and while not involved in the day-to-day of the apartments, he gave us a fantastic tour of the old marble mines and a local church on our previous visit.

5) Playing Cyclades in the Cyclades

And finally, yes, there are some 500 board games in reception. They range across the scale from silly, short dexterity games up to hugely involved four to five hour epics.

Any taste is catered for here and the guys are often around to teach games when they can. They love to play, so if you’re into games it’s a bonus.
I’m a self-confessed board game addict but on this trip, I barely played two games a day.

Our days soon became very uniform; stagger out of bed at 10ish, go to the beach for a swim, get some lunch then chill out in the afternoon, go out for a meal in the evening then head back for some more wine and some games.

The fact is that the games aren’t really notable in the price; it’s just an added extra you can take advantage of if and when you like. You can comfortably bring people along who simply aren’t into games - it’s just a nice place to be.

And if you just so happen to play board games 14 hours each day while they top up their tan, so be it…

Rialto: A four-sided game review

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Rialto is an area majority board game, from renowned designer Stefan Feld, that cleverly incorporates card drafting and bidding. It was released in 2013, plays two-to five players in about an hour, and retails for around £30.

While set in Venice, the game couldn’t be more abstract; those who need theme in games need not apply. However, the rest of us can pretend we’re vying for control of the six districts of the city (over six turns) while also erecting valuable buildings to support our cause - and, of course, earning the most victory points in the process.

The components aren’t much to write home about but do the job perfectly well (with one exception, the score track - more on that later). The cards are small (original Ticket to Ride size) but work well and are high quality; the cardboard money and wooden pieces are bog standard, while the board is clear and stylish, if a little light on interesting detail.

There is one fiddly part of set up, as you need to stack 12 piles of cardboard buildings on the board. If you separate them up in baggies this isn’t much of a chore and anyone used to setting up a game such as Puerto Rico or Endeavor will be used to it anyway! Otherwise, it’s very easy to get up and running.

Teaching

Rialto’s gameplay is very simple and the eight-page rulebook does a great job of explaining all the moving parts. There’s a double-page set up spread, components page, a page each for cards and buildings and a page of variants; so yes, the actual gameplay is described over just two pages.

Teaching the game is a breeze. Each of the six rounds has three phases; card drafting, card playing and clean up. Four of the 12 different buildings you can buy have effects on each of these three phases, adding plenty of variation and room for multiple strategies. There is a round summary printed on the board too, for easy reference, while the player boards are very simple and intuitive.

Drafting is clever yet simple. You deal one more set of six face-up cards than there are players (so four in a three-player game) and each player chooses a set, adding two cards from the face down stack. You then discard down for a hand of seven.

Phase two is the meat of the game. It consists of six set actions all players can take - as long as they play the appropriate cards. The cards you draft come in seven varieties; one for each of these actions, plus a wild. Anyone who bids on an action will do it - but the person who bids most gets a bonus. The actions let you:

  1. Affect turn order
  2. Get money (to pay to use your buildings)
  3. Get buildings
  4. Get victory points
  5. Get councilmen (placed to gain majorities in areas)
  6. Place councilmen (in this round’s district)

It’s two of the bonuses that make things interesting: action four lets you place a bridge, while the winner of action five places a gondola. These bridges/gondolas are placed between districts (you can place in any empty spot on the board on any turn) and will define the value of both districts they span in final scoring.

Bridges score high, between 3-6 points, so you’ll want them with their higher scoring end in districts you’ll win. Conversely Gondolas all score 1-1 but let you place a ‘free’ councilman at one end, possibly giving you the upper hand in a district - or giving you a way into a district you’d missed (or want a head start in).

Every area has four spots available, so an area’s value can be as high as 24 or as low as 4 (perhaps lower, as if no one bids a gondola or bridge card in a round that item simply isn’t placed). At game end, the player with most councilmen in an area scores those points; the person in second scores half that and the player in third halves the score again. Simple.

The four sides

These are me, plus three fictitious amalgams drawn from observing my friends, and their respective quirks and play styles.

  • The writer: You have to admire Rialto’s drafting. As with all Feld games, you want to do everything every round - but this adds a delicious twist. Choosing first is great, as you get your pick - but the players drawing after you know what you’re going for and can act accordingly. But what were your blind picks? And what will you use your wild cards for? Maybe you’ll even hold some back for next round.
  • The thinker: Once again, Feld has managed to create a subtly confrontational strategy game where both long term planning or tactical nous could be the winning gambit. At first, turn order can seem a mixed blessing - but the turn order track also breaks all ties. In a game where many districts may be tied on some level, this can be huge. But go too hard on it and you’ll be short elsewhere. A tremendous game.
  • The trasher: Must… have… water. How… can… game… set… in… Venice… be… so… DRY?! I was bored looking at it, then I perked up a little at the drafting. But once you’ve got your cards in hand, what you do with them is simply boring. Sure, there can be moments where a well played card can be the difference between winning or losing a district - but it’s a bit like cricket; by the time that one exciting six is whacked out of the ground I’ve probably already dropped off.
  • The dabbler: Rialto is a pretty sweet game, although not really to my tastes. It looks pretty ordinary and never really gets the heart pumping, while interaction is at a minimum and you always need to be concentrating on what’s going on. The tight nature of the area control mean you can get some table banter going on with the right crowd, while it’s simple enough to teach almost anyone. So while I wouldn’t pick it myself, I don’t mind playing it sometimes - but not too regularly, thanks very much.

Key observations

Some have claimed Feld’s games can get unfairly high ratings as those knowing they don’t like his games won’t try them - so won’t give them the likely low marks games from unknown designers would get. I think Rialto suffers from quite the opposite; it’s not ‘Feldy’, but those not usually liking his games probably won’t give it a go - which is a real shame.

For dissenting Feld fans, Rialto is often described as too light and seemingly unoriginal - and at worst dull or uninspired. Words such as “smooth” and “standard” mock it with faint praise, while it is somehow criticised for being over balanced, too swingy AND having a dominant strategy. The latter criticisms are often coupled with ‘played once’, which is a shame as the game comes into its own after a few plays - but bored, uninspired players aren’t going to get that far and why should they?

I feel the theme and components play a massive part here. The box itself is wonderfully stylish, but it’s really hard to be ‘wowed’ by what’s inside. Worse still the old Venice theme is far from original, and with no real reason to use it here it seems to weigh the game down to dull before you even get going. All I’d say is that if you can see past the theme, and like area control games - and specially drafting/bidding mechanisms - I’d recommend trying to see the wood for the trees before writing this one off.

Finally, speaking of what’s in the box, the one component issue hinted at earlier is the absolutely terrible score track on the game board.

You are meant to move the scoring markers between these small artistic street lamps and while it looks pretty, it’s totally counter intuitive to do and a real barrier to keeping things flowing - especially as only the ‘5’ and ’10’ spaces are marked with numbers. Sorry, but the graphic designer that let this get past them needs shooting; I can mount no defence!

Conclusion

Rialto isn’t a game for everyone, but certainly is a game for me - and despite it being the least publicised/loved of Feld’s 2013 releases it has sill found its way into the BGG Top 500. It averages over 7 in the rankings and I personally rate it 7.5 out of 10.

11 points for blue, 5 for white, 2 for yellow

For me, the game offers a pretty unique blend of interesting mechanisms that should appeal to strategists - but probably not more tactical players. It is also surprisingly light and I wouldn’t be scared of putting it on front of relatively new gamers, although I’d want to be pretty confident it would be their sort of game (so new, not casual gamers).

Many strategists will easily see past the flimsy theme and enjoy this as the clever abstract game it is. And it’s definitely worth playing a few times before writing it off if you get any enjoyment from your first play; it is deceptively varied in terms of becoming ‘good’ at the game. Watching the draft becomes crucial, while ‘building’ strategies that initially seem weak soon become powerful once you understand them.

Overall, I feel that Rialto is better than the sum of its parts and deserves at least a few plays from any serious euro gamer.

More Stefan Feld game reviews:

Game mechanisms I hate: Randomising randomness

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I’ve been thinking about ways to vent my frustration on certain board and card games without outright starting to do ‘bad’ reviews. The main reason is because it seems like a lot of effort to go to (my reviews are loooong) just to say - I don’t recommend this.

When thinking about some of the games I really don’t like, it began to dawn on me that they often shared similar characteristics. So in an attempt to water down the process, I’ve decided on the occasional ‘mechanisms I hate’ post.

First out of the pit is randomising randomness. You see, I like random in games - I love card shuffling, dice rolling, even spinner spinning. But while luck adds fun and tension, too much of it can be a bad thing. What I’m talking about here is adding randomness to more randomness until it quashes any chance of strategy, tactics or fun.

Memoir ’44 (Richard Borg)

This is a game I expect to catch flack for criticising, so before going on I’ll say that other opinions are very much available: and I’m certainly not saying Memoir ’44 is a bad game, because it isn’t. I’m simply going to outline why I personally don’t enjoy it (and I’ve played a lot of games online) and don’t want to play it again.

It’s a cleverly designed light war game, in which the logistical struggles of troop movement are abstracted through a card system. The play board has three areas (left, right, centre) and several types of action and unit. You’ll draw cards into your hand, with each showing particular combinations you can do if you choose it; ie, attack with three units on the left.

This card randomness works well; it can be frustrating as you wait for the right card, but in a brilliantly tense way. Finally you work yourself into that awesome position, leaving your opponent with what should be no chance, and roll the dice…

War gamers love that stuff and you need luck in this type of game; but for me Memoir gets it all wrong - ie, one infantry unit vs four of the same unit in adjacent squares roll exactly the same amount of dice vs each other (three), so 4 vs 1 becomes 1 vs 1 on a lucky roll. The online implementation proves it too, with all the damning stats in great detail - I’ve had games with a hit rate below 20%, where my opponent had more than 70%. No chance.

Thunderstone (Mike Elliot)

The first time I sat down to play Thunderstone I was excited. Really excited. I was then loving Dominion and was super excited about a fantasy themed version that added a little bit extra to the deck-building genre. And for the first two plays, I was hooked.

The problems came when you started to get the hang of it a little and started to build something of a strategy. Now I new my deck was being built in a way that should be able to deal with the monsters that would come up in the dungeon - so why was the game feeling just as random as before?

Simple. What Dominion does is pretty dry, but it works on a strategic level. It sets you a kind of puzzle (how can I best achieve success with the mix of cards available to buy?) and adds the random element of shuffling to mean that even if two people go the same way, there is an element of chance and replayability.

Thunderstone took this concept (wholesale) and just added a dungeon - or another level of random. You try to build the best deck you can, shuffle a random selection into your hand, then hope the right monster happens to come up at the right time so that you happen to be able to defeat it with what you happen to have drawn. To me, that’s simply a crapshoot.

Quarriors (Mike Elliot & Eric Lang)

Never before has a game screamed, “not for me!” quite as much as this one. And while I’ve never played it (unless you count the app, which was more than enough), I can say with a very reasonable amount of authority that I would hate it and never will.

Again, it’s a dice game - thumbs up; and it has a deck-building element - thumbs up number two. But if you hadn’t already guessed it, it mixes the two standard random pots into one enormous one. You first pick your dice blindly out of the bag each round, hoping to get the dice you want - and then you roll them, hoping to get the side you want! Ye gods.

But it gets worse - because you can’t really mitigate it either. I won’t sully the word ‘strategy’ by even attempting to shoehorn it in here, but you can wave thoughts of tactics out of the window too; because you roll and have to deal with what you get. This puts it well below Yahtzee on the tactical scale, leaving you with nothing.

Even more depressing is that this system has spawned several other games, including a ‘collectible’ dice gaming system that hits right at the heart of another of my big bugbears - the return of collectible game frenzy in usually sensible people with Marvel Dice Masters. But more on that next time…

NOTE: The quote in the above meme is from an episode of Parks and Recreation, featuring fictional game ‘The Cones of Dunshire’…

AND ANOTHER THING: Designer Mike Elliot seems like a lovely chap every time I hear him interviewed, and I liked his game Fleet Captains. But generally I think it’s fair to say his design style doesn’t really appeal to me (although it does to thousands of other gamers).