Game Celebrity Walks Into Town

Lord of the Rings Developer Answers Totnes Call

A day of childcare was brightened considerably last week when David Farquhar arrived on the doorstep. A known ‘face’ among the UK’s game elite, frequent contributor to games magazines and, best of all, the lead developer of Reiner Knizia’s Lord of the Rings (among other projects), this was the best evidence yet of the power of the internet.

After a couple of emails between us, prompted by the website, David popped round while he was in the area teaching some life skills to auditors – a huge market, I suspect.

What a fine chap. He had taken pity on my so far pathetic attempts to get through to the end of the Ring game and joined me in another assault on Mordor. This time we absolutely skinned it, scoring 77 points with no hobbit deaths. Obviously, effective card play was key, and the success had nothing to do with the fact we hardly saw an adverse event tile for the whole game.

David had also brought a copy of Reiner Knizia’s new design on the golden age of Hollywood – Traumfabrik (Dream Factory). A nice game this. Nothing too complex here, a straightforward auction game as players try to construct Oscar winning films by bidding for various components to fill their screenplays – actors, guest stars, directors, special effects teams, musical directors and camera crews.

The game is a close relative to Ra, but the theming here is much better, while the game play is probably more straightforward. Unfortunately, as far as I know, Traumfabrik is not slated for an English language release. Not that this should hold back any punters. With the exception of the rules and the film titles, everything in the game is either represented by a symbol or has an English name. I think a rules translation is already on the Gaming Dumpster, so there is no excuse.

A multi-player game at heart, it is a reasonably two-player exercise. David thumped me at it during our run-through. He churned out film after film while I did a Hugh Hudson and bankrupted my studio in an attempt at daring filmmaking – getting Alfred Hitchcock to direct an unusual version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – now showing in Hamburg’s Red Light District.

In between the play I managed to glean a few titbits about the design process behind LotR as well as a short preview of forthcoming attractions from the Knizia factory. It sounds as if he will have about 450 new titles ready by the middle of next year!

Anyway, a splendid afternoon, which saw me better off to the tune of a Gandalf card signed by John Howe – the game’s artist – and a rule book signed by David. All I need is Knizia’s signature on Fatty Bulger and I will have a real collector’s item. Thanks David.

6 December 2000

Meeting of Minds – Quarterly Report

Bring on the Spin Doctors

Here we are, three months on from that first session when four of us sat down to play Stephensons Rocket. Little did we know of the rollercoaster we had set in motion, as thousands of enquiring minds would be drawn to Totnes to sample this new era in board games…

Well, we did have six people on a couple of occasions.

It is true; from four people in our first session to five people in our sixteenth hardly represents exponential growth. Behind this rather unforgiving statistic, however, hide some more optimistic figures. We have had eleven people through the doors in total, with promises of more to come. So the aim of launching a regular two-table session is not too unrealistic.

A regular bunch of eight to ten would be the ideal, allowing two meaty games to be played simultaneously, allowing a second chance for the designs that split the ratings vote. At the moment, if a game goes down badly with two people, it is unlikely to see the artificial light again, no matter how much the others rave about it.

Having said all that, more people is not necessarily the ultimate goal. The five regulars we have at the moment form a good competitive group and we are playing games, which is the real point of it all. We have managed 19 different titles since September, with four – Lord of the Rings, Lost Cities, Euphrat & Tigris – getting repeat bookings. Nine of these games are Knizia designs, with no other designer represented more than once (although I am sure Herr Kramer will make a concerted effort in future weeks). The top overall ratings have gone to La Citta, Tikal, Lord of the Rings, E & T, Guillotine and Union Pacific; with Dog Eat Dog and Katzenjammer Blues getting the ‘don’t darken my door again’ judgement.

The website, too, has been a success. Over 200 hits in its first four weeks and a useful portal for anyone interested in joining us. And it keeps me off the streets, which is no bad thing, opium dens being what they are.

The important thing is the sessions are now established. There were a few occasions when we could have abandoned the whole idea but we stuck at it. Now the evening appears to have developed a certain diaristic permanence.

As far as plans for the future go, there are not many beyond keeping the group going and playing more games. There are quite few of the recent and relatively recent still to sample – During the next quarter Chinatown, Vino, Carcassonne, Aladdin’s Dragons, Die Fursten von Florence, Cartagena, Die Handler, Carolus Magnus, Java, Torres and Giganten will all be vying for table space with past favourites.

There are several older classics I am also keen to move up the agenda, including Mediterranee (Serenissima), Quo Vadis, Titan the Arena, Koalition, Basari, Through the Desert, Die Macher (a risk worth taking?), Europa, Junta and Condottiere. I have a particular soft spot for El Grande and Modern Art, although Ron dislikes both of these – Modern Art in particular, which she absolutely loathes. We used to play this a lot before we were married. It was not until our honeymoon that Ron informed me that she hated Modern Art with a passion and would not expect to be asked to play again. Another good reason for a two-table group.

By the time we have got through this lot, there will be another shed load of new games waiting to soak up the disposable.

So what does it all amount to? Well, probably nothing more than an amusing way to spend a Monday evening. Still, that’s good enough for me, even if not as visually appealing as a hill of beans.

The secret project which has kept Alex, Helen and Paul away from the table for the past few weeks can be revealed. Dice n’ Duel now has a sister shop in the nearby metropolis of Exeter, cementing the team’s position as the number one independent games retailer in the south west (as far as I am concerned).

Game Engine opened its doors today and brings to the people of Exeter the same goodies that have kept Totnesians happy for the past couple of years. Board games, Collectible Card Games, Roleplaying systems and accessories, the latest computer and console titles, puzzles, figures and jigsaws: all spread over two floors and fronted by knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Anyway, do yourself a favour and give these people the support they deserve. The quicker they can retire, the fewer of my games sessions they will miss!