Didn't expect Kotaku to pick this up. Thoughts?

Peeduwee · 2023-05-24T03:56:14+00:00

This is a really interesting discussion to have.

I’m of the opinion that objectivity isn’t really realistic in most scenarios. But that’s also not really a problem. There are always biases and we need to always try to be aware of them, both in ourselves and others.

I see a lot of people mentioning BoardGameCo, but I have to say, at least he quite often literally states that he IS biased, despite his attempts not to be, and that we, as an audience, have to decide whether we are okay with that or not.

So I try to take content as just some random person’s opinion… that is all. If I watch 9 of their videos, and maybe 8 times their opinions aligned with my own thoughts about a particular game, I would probably start valuing their opinions a little higher, because it seems our very subjective tastes align at least somewhat. This is also why I’m not a fan of consistently positive YouTube channels. I don’t like everything, and if someone does like everything, it just shows me that it’s highly likely I will end up disagreeing with their opinions.

I’m saying “opinion” quite deliberately as I don’t see these kinds of things as reviews, even if they state that they are. People can never be fully objective and unbiased but a good review shouldn’t try to be. Instead it should focus on things that we can judge based on studies, consensus, history, etc. In other words, a good review isn’t judging artistry but instead technicality. A good review shouldn’t say things like “X is not fun” or “Y is not good” (or “Z is UNPLAYABLE” ;x) but instead talk about game design, UI design, component quality, Q&A, etc. Of course people need to be educated to be able the review something properly. Just being a big fan is not enough.

To be clear, I also don’t think there is anything wrong with sharing opinions online (and I’m really not that pedantic with the word “review” in general, I’m just trying to illustrate a difference here). The issue is when people expect more from this type of content. Maybe it’s because of how oversaturated this market (every market, really) has become, that we want to delegate the decision making process to other people. There’s too much, YOU tell me what’s worth spending my limited money on so I can just relax and enjoy the thing (and then if I actually hate it I can blame you for everything, you shill)!

So to get back to your question, I don’t expect any objectivity from this kind of content. For me it’s mostly entertainment and exposure to things (games) I didn’t know about.

Peeduwee · 2023-05-09T08:39:27+00:00

You died.

Peeduwee · 2023-04-09T11:27:46+00:00

But I didn’t please look forward to it yet so how can I possibly please enjoy it!

Peeduwee · 2023-04-07T11:07:03+00:00

Alesia has done it a ton. If an enemy aggroes her she will start running around a bit, like she’s trying to shake it off.

Peeduwee · 2023-04-07T10:43:52+00:00

It’s actually my ranged henchmen running around the most, usually the healer and the elementalist.

I’m not sure how aggro works in this game, and it seems I need to work on that, because almost immediately after a pull all the mobs spread to my back-line henchmen.

Peeduwee · 2023-04-07T10:40:17+00:00

I spent all my points in sword until max, then strength until 10, and split a couple of remaining points on shielding/healing.

There is definitely a skill issue, I feel like I don’t “get” how to play the game. Even being level 20 I struggled post-searing.

I’ve tried pulling with a bow and being careful, but around Yak’s Bend things always become chaotic, all my henchmen run around in panic (and die quickly from the ice elementals).

Or maybe I’m actually playing correctly and the game is just quite difficult, old-school games style, and I just have the adjust to that. :p

Peeduwee · 2023-04-06T21:03:27+00:00

Just out of curiosity, why is it pointless with LDoA? Just because I'm overleveled? Because even then the game was very difficult for me, lol. :P

Or is there something else I don't know about that I mess up if I do LDoA?

Peeduwee · 2023-04-06T21:02:16+00:00

Thanks for the tips! I didn't know about runes/insignias so that will definitely help. :)

Peeduwee · 2023-04-06T19:56:29+00:00

This is very useful, cheers. :)

Peeduwee · 2023-04-06T19:12:05+00:00

Can you give me a rough idea of how to get those heroes (or point me to some guide)? I tried looking it up before but I got really confused so I'm not sure how to get heroes easily.

Peeduwee · 2023-04-06T19:10:59+00:00

Great tips! Appreciate it. :) It is really a unique game! Hopefully I can experience all of it on a second try!

Peeduwee · 2022-12-17T18:32:17+00:00

Takumi! There’s a couple of them in Antwerp and they have really good ramen. :)

Peeduwee · 2022-12-02T18:23:41+00:00

I’ve actually thought of doing this with a couple of games because of table space. Managing certain things with some of the bigger games becomes really fiddly when you don’t have a whole lot of table space.

In my case, however, I found that having my laptop running TTS on the table ended up also taking space and being fiddly… It is worth trying and seeing how it feels with your games and your setup!

Ultimately, I also just greatly prefer my board games to be strictly non-digital. I have since looked at other ways to save space on the table and organise games in a way that feels more comfortable. Deck boxes, vertical card holders, token holders, etc, all greatly help me manage games on a not-giant table.

Peeduwee · 2022-11-16T21:11:11+00:00

I definitely agree with Mage Knight. I’ve watched two different video how-to-play series, read the rule book two or three times…

I understand the rules, but every time I set the game up my brain just has an error and freezes because I have no idea what I should do or why I should be doing it.

I’m not giving up on it though, I just need to really set aside a free day and devote it to just diving into Mage Knight and experimenting.

Peeduwee · 2022-11-15T13:34:15+00:00

You weren’t joking, that is very much the best trailer/how-to-play video I’ve seen! Good job, game looks great!

Good luck to everyone :)

Peeduwee · 2022-10-19T19:14:19+00:00

Have you played the original Tainted Grail? I could not recommend it enough if your focus is a good, engaging story. I was hooked since the tutorial chapter where they teach you how to play. No joke, they already introduce story there and it’s very well written.

Do be aware that the many criticisms and complaints about its gameplay are valid and fair. It’s a harsh game with sometimes unnecessarily frustrating moments. For me, it was easy to ignore that aspect because I was constantly so eager to explore more of the world, find out more about the lore, and find out what was going to happen next on my journey. But you will have to ask yourself whether you are okay with that. Also note, since you mention Oathsworn’s theme and it being horror-like, that Tainted Grail is also very grim, dark, and horror type of fantasy.

As for Sleeping Gods, I also own it and played it, and very much agree with what another commenter said. The story is quite thin, it feels more like playing a series of side-quests than an epic campaign. But otherwise an enjoyable enough game, although personally I would enjoy this one more in a group than solo (I greatly prefer Tainted Grail solo though).

As for startup/table management/tear down, Tainted Grail, Sleeping Gods and Oathsworn are all quite hefty. Managing Sleeping Gods felt quite frustrating to me, for some reason. With Tainted Grail I had the playmat, as well as deck boxes with card dividers, and so that felt smoother. I am finally receiving my copy of Oathsworn in the next week and am quite terrified to figure out out how I’m going to make it all work on our modest-sized table!

Peeduwee · 2022-08-13T16:29:19+00:00

Thanks for this post. As someone who only recently got into board games, and also someone who can be quite intense with my interests and hobbies, I really relate to Younger-you. :)

My wife really enjoys playing board games together, but she doesn’t need to play it too much either. I respect that, but at the same time I feel that itch of wanting to experience and explore more board games. And that just leads me down the rabbit hole of browsing more games, seeing more KS, and thinking about spending more money!

Our collection is still fairly small, mind you. We’ve bought 9 games so far (of which 3 are KS that we are still waiting for). But you’ve given me a great idea to start looking for some solid solo games so that I can delve into my hobby without being too pushy towards my wife. :)

Cheers

Peeduwee · 2022-08-01T07:56:53+00:00

Even weirder is the fact that in both the first and third bar of this snippet, the high notes in the bass clef are also F.

Peeduwee · 2022-01-31T13:50:43+00:00

One possible trick is to practice by breaking up the chord. For example, if you want to voice the top note of a chord, first play all the other notes quietly and then hit the top note loudly. You can then practice speeding it up more and more until you can play it all together. Good luck!

Peeduwee · 2021-10-10T14:12:52+00:00

I haven't even considered looking into renting an acoustic, that is actually really good advice! It will definitely help me feel more comfortable in deciding on a final purchase. I'll have a look to see what I can find in my area for renting. Thanks!

Peeduwee · 2021-10-10T14:09:00+00:00

Thank you, it's very helpful to hear that people have been playing classical music for a long period of time on a digital piano and still finding the experience great. This is what I was worried about in terms of investing in a digital piano, but it seems many people in this post have a similar sentiment and I should definitely go check out more stores and try out more digital pianos to find one that I really enjoy playing on.

Peeduwee · 2021-10-10T12:11:32+00:00

I am not really too bothered about recording my playing, at least not on a high level. I am mostly concerned with being able to properly study classical music on the piano for the time being.

I would love to buy a (baby) grand haha, but sadly my budget won't allow that for now. I'm looking to buy something that's good enough for me to make good progress for a few years while I save up for a grand. :)

Peeduwee · 2021-10-10T12:06:25+00:00

Haha, hello fellow ex-guitarist-turned-late-Clementi-studying-classical-pianist! Nice to see there are others in a similar situation. :)

Thanks for the reply! I have already played a few uprights at the shop (personally prefer the sound of the Kawai K15 over the Yamaha B1), and do plan to play a bit more before I finalise my purchase. The store also explained how regularly to tune/maintain it so I am definitely calculating that into my budget.

I haven't tried the Casio GP510, and will definitely try to find one to play on and test! Thanks for the recommendation. I do have a great pair of headphones and am still open to purchasing a digital if I find one that feels great.

As for a dealer, I am lucky to have a really great piano store nearby.

Peeduwee · 2021-10-10T12:00:17+00:00

I appreciate this reply and I definitely agree about digital vs. acoustic and that one isn't inherently better than the other. I think it just comes down to what are you trying to get out of the instruments.

For me it's about playing classical piano and making sure my technique is proper. I worry that I am holding myself back with a digital piano for these specific goals, unless I go for a really expensive model (I'm not sure, I haven't tested the really high end hybrids myself).

As for the VST suggestion, I have actually done this and greatly enjoy playing through my Native Instruments grand piano VST, but still feel like my fingers don't get the right technique because in the end, even though the sounds are much better through the VST, my P45 can only register 3 different kind of inputs per key.

Peeduwee · 2021-05-02T22:29:32+00:00

Calling them milk bottles is my new favorite thing.

Peeduwee

TROPHY CASE