It was one of hose days... raining really hard and non stop all morning. We even put on our wellingtons to go outside. But it was dire. So instead, Alice and I decided to spend the morning inside taking care of the animals and telling them stories.
This time I wanted to see if Alice could play the game, following the rules, so we played the first variant of Animal upon Animal, Sheep Upon Hen. The game started pretty hard with the dog on the bottom. I followed it with the pig, but with those two, it was already a difficult tower to pile. When she couldn't place her first animal and I didn't let her keep the sun token, she didn't liked it. She looked at me strangely, wondering way the token had to return to the box and not to her hand. But I didn't dweel in it and we kept playing. Second time she drops the cow and the token get's back to the box she got a little frustrated. No fit, but definitely not very happy. She understood "taking turns" for while. After a couple, she just wants to take her sun token regardless. I had to tell her to wait a couple of times.
![]()
Rainy day = animal sorting
![]()
Piled high
![]()
A strong dog
![]()
Alice's flower meadow
![]()
Checking the rules for the next session
The game ended and despite everything she won, since I dropped some animals too. After some play time with the animals I tried to play the second variant, but it didn't last. Her focus on the die was merely to throw it. There was no association between the die result and the corresponding action. Still too soon for rules with Alice. As a sign of this, she started to store the pieces in the box herself, and afterwards she took the game to the shelf and request the dice game: Rory's Story Cubes.
![]()
Chunky dice are always fun
Story Cubes are, to my surprise, turning out to be Alice's favorite game. From playing with the box and dice, from listening to my stories, to throw the dice or just watch all the drawings on them. She loves all of it. Even my half-baked story about the fish who found the beetle and took it to the castle so it could sleep. The fish then returned home by plane to warm itself by the magical fire, from which a small boy appeared! I told you... half-baked story. I have to try and not take the drawings so literally.
![]()
...the fish that magically produce a kid from the fire...
:star::star::star:
I've been interested in the The Island of Doctor Necreaux ever since I watched [user=Rhado]Rhado[/user]'s videos and talks about being one of his favorites. And I was exited to learn that a 2nd edition would be coming to Kickstarter soon... Until I saw the price tag on it! 50 bucks for small box card game! Sorry guys. I would really like to support you on this and try the new implementation of the game, but that's waaaaaay over my budget.
![]()
This kickstarter sailed away without me
Which in turn led me to check the second hand market for the old version. Now those are interesting enough prices to try a small game that's mainly ever going to be played solo. Time to send some questions about shipping fees...
:star::star::star:
Tomorrow we're all leaving to Lisbon for the next 8 days. As usual my first considerations about what to pack revert to the cardboard hobby. But this time I have no idea about the audience. All of our capital friends work during weekdays, and that means little to no chance to arrange some sort of gaming time besides some 15 minute coffee/talk during the day, with Alice beside us. Ana is going to be working and arriving late as usual. So I've got no clue on what games to pack this time.
![]()
Another dead air picture
I'm thinking that if I find anyone to play, it's gonna be with Ana in the evenings. And since she's show interest in some of our "newer" games, I'm packing Artifacts Inc., London and K2. For smaller time frames we'll try The Builders, Wok on Fire, Tokaido and Limes (new to her also). For any "party" eventuality Bongo!, Rhino Hero and For Sale should do the trick. Wok on Fire falls in this category as well. For soloing I'm packing my PnP collection: Aquaducts, Land 6, Haze Island, The Draugr and Deep Space D-6. And all of this neatly packed inside the box of the expansion Kingdom builder: Nomads! Now that's a proper use for an empty expansion box stored in a closet!
![]()
Packing for the week ahead
:star::star::star:
Some interestig finds in the geekland today. The first came from reading the Geek Weekly Issue #159 and following the article about one user's quest to reduce is gaming collection to 100. I totally understand this type of endeavor and I wished I could also keep my collection in the "100's". Follow his quest in the blog The 100: Survival of the Fittest.
The second finding was this entire community of users that actively participate in the Gaming with Kids forums. There are a ton of tips, resources and ideas related to the hobby and your youngsters. From their first games recommendations to the "how to's" when you're playing heavy games with toddlers around the floor. Super cool. I'l subscribed for now and try to participate eventually.
:star::star::star:
Today I became the Lord of Dice once again, fighting the Lord of Cubes for control of the ever shifting Land 6. But Land 6 is a hard place to make a living. Really really hard. On my first meager attempt the nearest city was far and way from the starting square. When I eventually reached the town in he middle of nowhere, the Lord of Cubes was almost in complete control of the land. He crushed my initial city and left the rest of my already weak troops to scatter across some forest and farms. A pitiful attempt.
![]()
The Lord of Cubes conquers Land 6
![]()
A cube pillaging dice farms
On my second life as the Lord, I managed to hold on longer, using the sea as a way to find new hopes on the dies fates. Again I lost miserably. But at least I passed along the knowledge of experience and the information that control of the sea might just be the key to control of the land. The land of Land 6!
![]()
Not even close
Thank you geek readers and see you tomorrow.
Photo & Image credits: ZombieBoard
This time I wanted to see if Alice could play the game, following the rules, so we played the first variant of Animal upon Animal, Sheep Upon Hen. The game started pretty hard with the dog on the bottom. I followed it with the pig, but with those two, it was already a difficult tower to pile. When she couldn't place her first animal and I didn't let her keep the sun token, she didn't liked it. She looked at me strangely, wondering way the token had to return to the box and not to her hand. But I didn't dweel in it and we kept playing. Second time she drops the cow and the token get's back to the box she got a little frustrated. No fit, but definitely not very happy. She understood "taking turns" for while. After a couple, she just wants to take her sun token regardless. I had to tell her to wait a couple of times.
Rainy day = animal sorting
Piled high
A strong dog
Alice's flower meadow
Checking the rules for the next session
The game ended and despite everything she won, since I dropped some animals too. After some play time with the animals I tried to play the second variant, but it didn't last. Her focus on the die was merely to throw it. There was no association between the die result and the corresponding action. Still too soon for rules with Alice. As a sign of this, she started to store the pieces in the box herself, and afterwards she took the game to the shelf and request the dice game: Rory's Story Cubes.
Chunky dice are always fun
Story Cubes are, to my surprise, turning out to be Alice's favorite game. From playing with the box and dice, from listening to my stories, to throw the dice or just watch all the drawings on them. She loves all of it. Even my half-baked story about the fish who found the beetle and took it to the castle so it could sleep. The fish then returned home by plane to warm itself by the magical fire, from which a small boy appeared! I told you... half-baked story. I have to try and not take the drawings so literally.
...the fish that magically produce a kid from the fire...
I've been interested in the The Island of Doctor Necreaux ever since I watched [user=Rhado]Rhado[/user]'s videos and talks about being one of his favorites. And I was exited to learn that a 2nd edition would be coming to Kickstarter soon... Until I saw the price tag on it! 50 bucks for small box card game! Sorry guys. I would really like to support you on this and try the new implementation of the game, but that's waaaaaay over my budget.
This kickstarter sailed away without me
Which in turn led me to check the second hand market for the old version. Now those are interesting enough prices to try a small game that's mainly ever going to be played solo. Time to send some questions about shipping fees...
Tomorrow we're all leaving to Lisbon for the next 8 days. As usual my first considerations about what to pack revert to the cardboard hobby. But this time I have no idea about the audience. All of our capital friends work during weekdays, and that means little to no chance to arrange some sort of gaming time besides some 15 minute coffee/talk during the day, with Alice beside us. Ana is going to be working and arriving late as usual. So I've got no clue on what games to pack this time.
Another dead air picture
I'm thinking that if I find anyone to play, it's gonna be with Ana in the evenings. And since she's show interest in some of our "newer" games, I'm packing Artifacts Inc., London and K2. For smaller time frames we'll try The Builders, Wok on Fire, Tokaido and Limes (new to her also). For any "party" eventuality Bongo!, Rhino Hero and For Sale should do the trick. Wok on Fire falls in this category as well. For soloing I'm packing my PnP collection: Aquaducts, Land 6, Haze Island, The Draugr and Deep Space D-6. And all of this neatly packed inside the box of the expansion Kingdom builder: Nomads! Now that's a proper use for an empty expansion box stored in a closet!
Packing for the week ahead
Some interestig finds in the geekland today. The first came from reading the Geek Weekly Issue #159 and following the article about one user's quest to reduce is gaming collection to 100. I totally understand this type of endeavor and I wished I could also keep my collection in the "100's". Follow his quest in the blog The 100: Survival of the Fittest.
The second finding was this entire community of users that actively participate in the Gaming with Kids forums. There are a ton of tips, resources and ideas related to the hobby and your youngsters. From their first games recommendations to the "how to's" when you're playing heavy games with toddlers around the floor. Super cool. I'l subscribed for now and try to participate eventually.
Today I became the Lord of Dice once again, fighting the Lord of Cubes for control of the ever shifting Land 6. But Land 6 is a hard place to make a living. Really really hard. On my first meager attempt the nearest city was far and way from the starting square. When I eventually reached the town in he middle of nowhere, the Lord of Cubes was almost in complete control of the land. He crushed my initial city and left the rest of my already weak troops to scatter across some forest and farms. A pitiful attempt.
The Lord of Cubes conquers Land 6
A cube pillaging dice farms
On my second life as the Lord, I managed to hold on longer, using the sea as a way to find new hopes on the dies fates. Again I lost miserably. But at least I passed along the knowledge of experience and the information that control of the sea might just be the key to control of the land. The land of Land 6!
Not even close
Thank you geek readers and see you tomorrow.
Photo & Image credits: ZombieBoard