Tell us about your "important" game.

It was because of a somewhat odd man I got interested IMHO the most exciting game ever. Of course I am talking about Chess....and Bobby Fisher. When I was 8-9 years old my dad told me that a single man had defeated the USSR with a game.... This was 1972, a time when the cold war was at its peak and to me, a strange serious man wearing a suit was playing a high stakes game against the enemy of the world. I needed to know what was so special about that specific game which caused so much uproar....

For those who do not know the man Bobby Fisher...

Impressed and curious about the incredible carreer, reputation and excentric personality Bobby Fisher created for himself I wanted to know more and to learn that "important" game. Not many of my friends were able to play the game....actually none of them. My father did teach me the rules, the basics and how to irritate my opponent ala real irritating proffesional players, at age 12 my father was no match for me... and did he disinherit me..ha,ha..

Just kiddin'...I played many games throughout my life, so far..like most of you, I guess. Cards games, board-games, sport-games, then the early video/tv-games like ping-pong, the Commadore 64 games, hand-held games, home computer games, nintendo, play-station games and X-Box games. Most of these games I abandoned because of various reasons but one does still remain and have always been of interest to me...Chess.

At a certain moment in time there were chess computers on the market and couldn't wait to own one...Wow..just the thought being able to play against an opponent when ever you feel like playing. The first reasonable strong playing computers were very expensive...(read: above my budget). In 1984 I was able to buy my first chess computer and according to my friends it made me better, stronger and faster.

It was this machine..the Novag Constellation. It was very hard to beat and had some interesting features like solving problems which could be programmed into the machine.



The Constellation served me well and a few months ago I bought my second "3D" chess-computer. I write 3D because of course there are chess-software programmes available which can be run onto a computer. I prefere to play with a table-top chess computer..it is more fun and is just more nice to play with. My second computer is a second hand which I bought on the internet for 15 dollars. It is made in 1998 and is a stronger player than the Constellation. It is in mint condition, has more features than the Novag and is a great machine to play with.



The technology in merging chess-software and table-top chess-boards is not standing still. Today there are beautifull exotic wooden chess boards with the most beautifull carved wooden pieces available with wire-less communcation to a laptop computer elsewhere in the room. This way it is possible to play real time over the internet with an opponent on the otherside of our planet. A machine like that looks much like the one below..



Do you have a specific game that got stuck on you and does still give you pleasure to play...? Tell us about it.

Good old-fashioned pen and paper RPG's, like D&D. It's like having a secret life, where you can be anything, do anything, kind of the closest thing to virtual reality, as long as you have a good imagination, and great players/friends.

We still try and do this, though now, with most of us married, most with kids, we do it much less frequently (and more as an excuse to catch up). When younger, we'd do it many times a week. Now, we're lucky if we can plan once a month.

reply to post by Gazrok


That must be something good...but...What are RPG's and D&D's..? Playing with Rocket Proppeled Grenades..? Can be fun but that is not what you mean..right?

reply to post by zatara

My husband and I play Everquest. The old game, we have such fun together! I am a Wizard and he is a Ranger and it actually adds another dimension to our real life as we save each other and win battles in virtual reality! We laugh a lot! We are not fanatics just low stress playing, never going to be in the top 10 on our server

reply to post by Char-Lee


This is good...I already have fun reading how much games can play an "important" part in someones life. My sister is growing a farm on her cell-phone...It means everything to her although I have no idea what she is talking about.

reply to post by Gazrok


I'm with Gaz on this.... Except I went to AD&D 2nd addition.... 3rd addition blew chunks.....

Oh Vampire the Masquerade was another good Pen and Paper, dice game

Originally posted by zatara
reply to post by Char-Lee

 

This is good...I already have fun reading how much games can play an "important" part in someones life. My sister is growing a farm on her cell-phone...It means everything to her although I have no idea what she is talking about.

My niece tried to get me to Farmville! it confused me and I had no idea what was going on or why I needed to trade for a chicken! lol just was pretty action free and boring after fighting monsters!

reply to post by zatara


I think he means spit balls? That's my guess....

Chess is a great game, my BF and I like to play, I only won once, and I think he helped me....."ummm babe, are you sure you wanna do that? " One of these days, lol......I can beat him at ping pong though , but he'll never admit it....

I still play poker, and actually win a few bucks too........

dp

That must be something good...but...What are RPG's and D&D's..? Playing with Rocket Proppeled Grenades..? Can be fun but that is not what you mean..right?

RPG = Role Playing Game

D&D = Dungeons and Dragons

We play kind of a hybrid between 2nd and 3rd edition, with some home brew options (flaws and merits) thrown in.

I played EverQuest a while back...even beta tested it (when I was single, many years ago). I even started a guild that eventually grew pretty big and is likely still going (was last time I checked). It was my first and only MMORPG. I played a Dark Elf cleric, and started a guild with only Dark Elves, Ogres, and Trolls. We did a lot of interaction with other guilds, guild wars, etc. Was a lot of fun back in the day.

I'm married now, so lucky if I get to play my X-Box 360 an hour a week, hehe....(and then it's for Skyrim)

Oh Vampire the Masquerade was another good Pen and Paper, dice game

Yeah, you just have to be really careful with game balance if you include things from lots of sourcebooks. Their playtesting at White Wolf isn't the greatest in the world, and you can end up with a character that will eat the others for breakfast...if you're a munchkin. If you ever mix Werewolf and Vampire, play a Vamp with lots of fortitude. Sure, in the beginning of a fight, you'll get torn up, but as they run out of rage, you are gaining discipline points and blood pool from drinking werewolf blood, and you're going to then rip up these spent puppies.

(and yeah, I know that half of you have NO idea what I'm talking about, but hard to de-geek this....)

reply to post by Gazrok

I played EverQuest a while back...even beta tested it (when I was single, many years ago). I even started a guild that eventually grew pretty big and is likely still going (was last time I checked). It was my first and only MMORPG. I played a Dark Elf cleric, and started a guild with only Dark Elves, Ogres, and Trolls. We did a lot of interaction with other guilds, guild wars, etc. Was a lot of fun back in the day.

You know to a certain level it is free now. Maybe you could get an account for your wife and one for you, if you have two computers and try it again I found clerics seem to be very nice persons and here you went with Dark Elf and only Dark exclusive guild!

reply to post by Gazrok


IF you get a chance brother... I suggest you find a game called Neverwinter nights...

Its the only game you can get the true D&D pnp experience, with all the dice and strict hardcore roleplaying rules...

theres a server called Narfell which has been running for over 10 years...

Only for die hard D&D fans... I should know, I've been one since I was 15

reply to post by zatara
I love Canasta! It's a two deck card game and uses 4 jokers. When the hubby is in town we have friends over to play at least a couple of times per week. I never get tired of it and it's more addictive than chocolate!

Canasta

GOLF....

Just me versus the course.

reply to post by Gazrok


I still have my dice set(s), and all my 2nd edition books (and a few of my first edition and basic books). I also still have Heroes Unlimited and Shadowrun (both great games).

In high school I was a chess player. Didn't lose often, except to a couple of teachers.

Nowadays it is Call of Duty. My Walter Mitty needs a victim.