Sometimes it's sad to see some-one put up a collection for sale of a game they loved playing over the years. But you know it is right for them to do so. The spark has gone, it's not fun any more for them. They have moved on to pastures new, while their old love sits at home unloved hidden away.

It's better in this situation that they both call it a day and move on. The loved game deserves a new loving home. A home where they will get the love and attention they deserve.

This way the split can be amicable and part on good terms. Even remain friends with memories of the good times together. Maybe sometime in the future they will bump into each other and reminisce about the good times over a friendly drink. Before they know it they are embracing, fumbling around, rolling dice and moving counters.

The next morning the horror of the previous night hits. The gamete of emotions, guilt, revulsion, denial, blame, regret, hit both. Sure it had been fun. However that spark they once had was still missing. They go their separate ways head hung low, skulking back to their current partners.

At the opposite end is when you know it's the wrong thing to do. Yeah both sides have hit a rough spot, but they just need to work it out. Sit down and talk. Communicate how they are feeling.

If they go their separate ways you know both will be filled with regret and a deep depressing sadness. Knowing that the one, that soul mate has gone from their lives.

Sure they will find new games and players. But there will always be that something missing. Nothing will compare to what they both had. They will go through life as if it was a dream, wondering what could of been. Regretting not being with their soul mate.

Decades later they will meet up by chance both weathered by time. The magic spark is still there. They chat about the separate paths taken to this point in time. Deep sorrow hits when they both realise how wasted the years have been without each other.

What short remaining time they have left will be spent together, but it's a shadow of the happiness they could have had.

This post is dedicated to Todd and Android:Netrunner may you work out your differences

Posted by me using my iPad and the Blogsy app

After eventually waking up at 11:30, finally convincing Nath to get some milk for a coffee, we actually were up and ready to play games around 1:30.

I know the above makes it sound like we have been extremely lazy. However the mitigating circumstances I'm about to give to go to excuse this slothiness. Nath had been working yesterday from 5pm until 2am. Guess who gladly dropped Nath off at work and picked him up (once the call came through saying he was ready to be picked up)? Yep me. Nath then watched a little bit of TV while finishing off the remains of Dominos pizza that I had ordered for tea.

So final getting to sleep time was more like 3am. Which means our final crawling from the depths of sleep isn't as bad as it had initially seemed.

I won't go into the txt wars between us for who would make the coffee. But it was a moot victory because Nath had no milk. I only drink black coffee when I don't want to share my drink!

Star Realms

Our first game of the day and the big hit of the day with Nath. We've played several games of this today. Including mixing in the Heroes and Events from the Crisis expansion.

Nath wants Star Realms for his birthday in October. That is how much he likes the game. That will give me time to track down the Gambits expansion for him. He won't get the promos I have, but he will get the base game, Crisis, Gambit and the deck box and a play mat. I'll call this the ultimate Star Realms gift box.

I'm now pushing Nath to also get the awesome app so we can play between visits.

Run, Fight or Die!

Nathan was enjoying this push your luck zombie dice game. Until his evil dad (played by me) killed him playing an event card dealing the final wound point to kill him and get the win with a single follower worth two victory points.

For me the game really does build the tension up, and force you to push your luck to clear zombies away before they kill you.

Nations the Dice Game

I think Nath was indifferent to this game. It was really quick to play and I think Nath was surprised at how quick.

I enjoyed the game we played a lot, and think this will make an excellent game for my non-gamer friends.

Roll for the Galaxy

A slow start while we got to grips with the rules and what was going on. Which meant that Nath didn't like it at that point. But once the learning curve had been passed Nath started to enjoy the game and get into it. I think Naths further enjoyment was increased by the fact he beat me by a good margin.

As I have said previously the nice thing is that these games are new to both of us, so we are at an equal starting point playing them. Well except Star Realms which Nath has picked up very fast.

Right time to play more Star Realms…

Posted by me using my iPad and the Blogsy app

Cypher a small pocket cyberpunk themed card game from the same publisher that bought you Love Letter arrived today. This looks like it has the potential to be another game for the students, and added to the library of games I can use with them.

I'm getting excited about tomorrow. I'm going to be visiting Nathan for a couple of days.

The final list of games I'm going to be taking with me to play with Nath will be the following:

• Star Wars Imperial Assault – there is no way I'm not playing this amazingly great Star Wars game with Nath. Skirmish mode, Imperials v Rebels, Father v Son, Vader v Luke
• Run Fight or Die! This push your luck zombie dice game will be right up Naths alley I think.
• Roll For The Galaxy
• Nations the Dice Game
• Imperial Settlers
• Star Realms – as if I wasn't going to teach Nath this game. It's my most played game, thanks to the amazing app.
• AGES – I love the game, it's fun to play. However I do value Naths opinion (more than anyone's) so having him play this and give me his feedback is important.

I think the above is a nice selection of games that are not too heavy but at the same time not too light. They all have themes that will appeal to Nath. Plus the majority are all new and we will both be at the same level of experience playing the game – ie none what so ever.

I may throw in Hive, not sure whether this abstract game would appeal to him. I'm tempted to take Formula D but in the small amount of time we will have together (there is never enough time) there is only so much we can play in that limited resource. I'd be surprised if we got to play half of the ones in the list above.

Plus I know until I'm on the road to Naths I will change my mind. Then on the journey I'll be like “I should have bought …”

So one more sleep ^_^

Posted by me using my iPad and the Blogsy app

You wouldn't it would be safe to say, describe me as a formula one racing fan. I find the sport and especially the TV/radio coverage boring. It's about as exciting as watching washing going round in a tumble drier for me. The commentators make it even worse because they try and make it sound exciting.

So why then have I gone and bought a boardgame that recreates the formula one driving experience? Was the Tabletop episode with Wil Wheaton and friends really that good an advert for the game? Er Yes.

There are some nice touches to the game like how it uses different sided dice to simulate using different gears. Or how a car has to stop in a marked area round each of the corners or the car takes damage.

And the game does seem much more fun than actually watching the sport. So another game removed off my “to buy” list and added to my pile of shame of games I really must get to the table.

Thought I would end today's post with a Nico and Loki photo. I just love the evil look on Nicos face as he plots some act of evil to get the chew off Loki.

Posted by me using my iPad and the Blogsy app

So last night using the power of the internets, webcams and other bits of magic that I couldn't even imagine back in the early eighties as a young teenage me, I played a game of Android:Netrunner. This gave me a chance to play my Noise deck against Jinteki. It needs some adjustment, especially on the economy side. Sadly for me the majority of my viruses had migrated to the bottom half of my deck. I didn't do too badly, I scored six points before dieing from a snare. I had been reduced to a hand size of two after taking three brain damage earlier.

New Royal Mail Uniform announced – the saga continues

So called in the Royal Mail depot today. Firstly told they couldn't give me my parcel without a card!! When I pointed out that one was never left, I gave them the tracking number, but conviently they are upgrading their computer system and wasn't able to find it, although they were sure it was on the premises. They even tried saying that they had tried delivering the game, and tried neighbours as well. I pointed out that it wasn't possible, and that their person on delivery was lying but they wouldn't have it. Honestly this is starting to smell like they have stolen my game.

I spoke to Amazon and complained about all this, and have ended up cancelling the order and got a refund. Time to source from elsewhere I think.

Finally after teaching Love Letter to my friend at work, ready for tomorrow's Love Letter tournament, we had a quick look at Run Fight or Die!

Sadly there was only time for a couple of turns each, but wow! We really liked it. Although my friend could do with being a bit luckier rolling dice. I'm now very very keen to get this to the table for a full play ASAP.

PS currently have Formula D (an F1 racing game on its way), along with a copy of Hive Pocket (an abstract game). When they arrive that will be two more off my list of games to get, and two more on my pile of shame.

Posted by me using my iPad and the Blogsy app

I like Games Lore they are a nice reliable company. Well my experience with them so far has been very good. This morning the latest data pack from the SanSan Cycle dropped through the letter box.

I love the data packs and the job that FFG do with them. I love the leaflets that they include with background information on them. They add meat to the Android universe that FFG have created. It's a simple thing but adds so much to the game for me. After all the theme is so awesome.

A Tale of Woe

I should be telling you all about the arrival of Imperial Settlers today. But sadly due to a bunch of lazy lying b'stards at the Royal Mail I can't.

You may detect I'm just a tad upset about this.

Tracking numbers are great things. So when I was on Amazon this morning checking when my Munchkin Loot Letter would be arriving I noticed that it was also saying that there had been an attempt to deliver said Imperial Settlers at 8:23am!

This kind of took me by surprise because I was sitting down stairs in the living room drinking an awesome mug of coffee, with Loki curled up next to me. There was no knock on the door, no little card lying about how they had tried to deliver.

So you can imagine I was very pissed off to see this as an update.

Now I have popped out this morning around 10:30, the pack needed some treats to keep them busy. However mum was dog sitting. So there was someone at mine, sitting in my living room (which by the way the front door opens into) with the dogs.

But apparently once more according to the tracking the Royal Mail had tried to redeliver the package! Once more no card through the door. Once more no knock on the door. Once more a false claim by the delivery person.

Is it a wonder that business is being lost to competitors by the Royal Mail, when they clearly employ liars who are not doing their job. I am fed up with the Royal Mail. Bunch of thieves and liars if you ask me. When I don't receive a package that I've ordered it has always been the Royal Mail that was meant to be delivering it. It's funny as the replacement always gets through no problems.

There is going to be an angry me turning up to the local depot Monday morning. Even then the managers are incompetent, never returning calls when asked to so a complaint can be made.

The sooner the Royal Mail goes out of business the better I say.

Posted by me using my iPad and the Blogsy app

Yesterday after a hard day at the ol' mine face known as work I arrived home to the delightful surprise of some new arrivals.

You will remember I have previously pointed out that it is now possible to avoid the eBay fleecers and get the Tabletop promo card for Dead of Winter for a bargain five dollars plus postage.

Now this may seem an odd thing to say but I'm a kind of an off and on again Felcia Day fan. For those not in the know about who Felcia Day is, she is an actress, writer, and producer. Much of her fame comes from the geek/nerd culture world. I do like the web series she wrote and starred in called The Guild. What I'm not a big fan of is Felcia Day the personality.

Now this for some, nay many geeky/nerdy fans out there be heresy. But I'm man enough to take any flak. I just find that when she is on shows like Tabletop or her show co-optitude with her brother that she really really really irritates me. Especially when she plays the coy “am I cute?”, or “because I'm cute” look. It just grates. I'm a rational sane person, despite how sad I must appear at this point in time. I just hope that is some act that Felcia puts on for the cameras.

So why if at best I can be described as a luke warm Felcia fan did I want this promo? If nothing else has been established on this blog since it became about gaming that one of my personality quirks is that I'm kind of a complentionist. That some part of my DNA that defines who I am, there are some chromosomes that switched on this flaw within me. The other reason is heck I can banish Felcia from the colony of survivors, basically throw her to the zombies!

The other bargain that arrived was Run, Fight or Die with the two expansions I wanted. Which if you remember I got at a great price compared to what Amazon were asking.

I'll look at this dice rolling, push your luck zombie based game in another post once I get a chance to play it.

Posted by me using my iPad and the Blogsy app