Eric R. Franklin @gamethyme@dice.camp

This weekend, I got to do some English revision on the rules for a new/upcoming game. I haven't done that in a couple of years, so it's a weird feeling.

I've missed this more than I realized.

And there are times where you have no option BUT to pass (or lose points). And if you can force your opponent into that, it's an equally powerful play to make.

I like Azul. It's a good game. It's an excellent gateway game, IMHO.

Stained Glass of Sintra adds something Azul lacks - the ability to pass your turn.

They don't call it a pass, and there is another mechanical thing it does (resets your Glazier), but it amounts to a pass. And, in a two-player game, it can be a super-powerful play.

Played Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra last night. I liked it better than "vanilla" Azul. Probably more thoughts later when I'm not rushing to get ready for work.

GAMA has reinstated mask mandates for Origins. https://twitter.com/originsgames/status/1526638918757646338

The wife and I were planning to attend WorldCon this year, but then this pandemic would not stop.

So we're still taking the week off, but we're not leaving town. We may attend virtually (that's still a thing that is an option).

Set Phasers To ...

(From "Star Trek Discovery: Adventures in the 32nd Century" Issue 3, which dropped today).

The FLGS just let me know that my copy of Tales of Xadia has arrived, but is badly scuffed up. They say replacing it could take "a couple of weeks." If it's even possible.

So now we need to get there in person to determine if it's too badly damaged for us to accept.

So ... Saturday just got a bit more full.

You know one of the things I really like about Mastodon compared to Twitter?

I can bitch about brands here without "Brand Ambassadors" showing up to try to help me.

I haven't, yet, but just you wait. I will.

First in-person Game Night in nearly two years was tonight.

A weird feeling trying to get back into it - there are definitely game-related "muscles" which have atrophied.

We played Hanabi and Qwirkle. It was more fun than it should have been, given how simple the games were.

Our first game of Hanabi, we missed a rule that would have made it easier, and we still scored 21 w/no misplays. The second game, we managed a paltry 17.

I ... dominated Qwirkle. An easy game, but still fun sometimes.

Went to the comic shop today - we scheduled the run for Free Comic Book Day, but somewhere along the way, I forgot that it was FCBD.

Wayyy too many people for me. Got the one FCBD book we cared about, though (Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Sarah Gailey).

Breakfast at Happy Teriyaki: the best way to start a weekend.

... and he has apparently been removed from GAMA.

... and JDA's Twitter account is gone.

Update: GAMA's Twitter account is back.

GAMA have deleted their Twitter account @thegamaonline@twitter.com

Yes, but G+ "Circles" were too complex and no-one got them.

*eyeroll*

https://gizmodo.com/twitters-circle-lets-you-tailor-who-sees-your-tweets-1848875643

Y'all, I know that the new Blade Runner RPG dropped on Kickstarter today - and it's cool, but you do know you can get that from your FLGS after the project runs, right?

Maybe look at something from a smaller creator that won't be as easy to find?

(Not my project, BTW, not even someone I know; just someone whose social media feeds are interesting and entertaining)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dlimedia/the-heart-of-fire-a-dandd-5e-campaign-and-dungeon-crawl