I've been having a tough time getting games to the table in recent weeks, and I don't see it letting up for another 4-6 weeks unfortunately.
The biggest reason being we are forced to move. 😥 After downsizing from our big century home at the end of April 2020, and deciding to rent a nice little home for a few years (as we needed the break after a decade of massive changes - mostly in our businesses AND having the goal of living simply), we had a nice little sanctuary to find comfort during such crazy times with the pandemic.
However, here in Canada, the housing market is absolutely insane! So our landlord did a complete 180, jumped on the bandwagon and decided to test the market (getting over $200,000 more than he paid for the home just under 2-years ago.... 😯). The only "comorting thing" is that so many other families are in the same boat we are. We are 100% not alone. Although I'm not sure how people will survive this market. Purchasing a home is drastically overpriced and not worth the cost to purchase, and rents are skyrocketing to unrealistic prices as well.
ANYWAY, all of this unexpected stress and emotions has really hindered my gaming hobby. Not only is getting things to the table increasingly tougher (as boxes begin to pile up, stress remains high and the chaos of 'stuff' begins) but my brain just doesn't have the energy right now. Despite gaming being a stress management tool and mental release for me. I'm itching to get games like Rise of Fenris, Gloomhaven and Caverna to the table, but my brain just doesn't have the capacity right now to make it through a game. 😞 It's kind of interesting being deeper into my hobby now and experiencing these kinds of feelings for the first time with my games.
Thankfully with variety on my shelf, it's been the smaller, lighter games that have been out (still less often than I'd like). Squire for Hire, Dungeon Roll, PARKS, Res Arcana, Majesty: For the Realm, D-Day Dice...to name a few. They've all hit the table recently.
I've also taken advantage of digital games a bit more, to save time and brainpower, but also to explore some new games to see if I'd like to invest in the physical copies after we move and settle in somewhere. I've been leaning more on Steam for this than BGA recently as I don't have the time or patience to play online right now, and I'm becoming more a fan of just being able to pop on the PC and play a game I want to play, rather than waiting for someone to come online to play against like on BGA.
The game I've been most excited to try (as it's been on my wishlist since coming into the hobby 1.5yrs ago) was Viticulture, which is now available on BGA. I watched Rodney Smith's video of how to play the game and immediately knew I'd enjoy it. I purchased it on Steam instead before we left for our camping this past week, and not even halfway into the game I knew this game was rising up my wishlist fast! What's not to like about running a winery!?!? 🍷Plus, I enjoy Stonemaier games.
We got back from the woods yesterday and last night I planned to sit down and purchase the digital version of Aeon's End since the table is unavailable. To my surprise Steam has a massive sale, so I picked up Aeon's End plus these few other games (for a total cost of what Aeon's End regular price is):
... All of which have been on my wishlist for quite some time. 😀 So I was excited to learn and try them out to see if they will end up on my shelf someday.
*Cottage Garden - I forgot was a Uwe Rosenburg game, so I knew JW would be proud. 😊 I definitely want to get the physical copy down the road. It'll be an even more relaxing game at my table for sure.
*One Deck Dungeon - I knew I would enjoy this game, and the digital version has only moved it higher on my wishlist. A nice little solo game, dungeon crawl and dice chucker! Mike, I saw it on your shelf in your post!! I can't wait for it to be on mine as well.
*Potion Explosion - I've had this on my wishlist since playing it on BGA last year, but it remains further down my list for me. The digital version was on sale for $0.79CDN so I couldn't go wrong. I do enjoy the game, but it doesn't speak to me like others so it may stay as a digital copy in my collection instead of taking up shelf space. Unless I see it for a good deal, that is. 😉
Cheers Mike!
You and your family have my sympathies, Derek. Moving is a colossal hassle, especially when you weren't planning on it! I think 'they' say death, divorce, and moving are the top 3 events for invoking stress. Prices in the U.S. are crazy, too. My girlfriend put an offer on a house last month for $20,000/€16,879/C$24,796 over the asking price. She was outbid. The dude that got it offered $71,000/€59,925/C$88,019 OVER the asking price! Are you f**kin' kidding me? My brother, who still lives in Portland, OR (poor bastard, as it used to be a cool city but is now a shithole), has a friend with a Studio Apartment (under 600sq/ft - 56sq/m) that's selling for $325,000/€274,378/C$403,098! What?!?! It's friggin' insane! 😵
Eventually you'll be settled in to your new place and you can get back to important matters such as Scythe, Gloomhaven, and other scary games. 😀
Those lighter ones you've been playing can be pretty fun, at least for me, anyway. I often like games that are just simmering my brain instead of fryin' it on full heat. Here's my brain; here's my brain on Mage Knight (probably):
Sounds as if the Bargain Ninja has been snaggin' some good buys on Steam, etc. One nice thing about those games is the footprint is small and the set-up/break-down times are only seconds. My drawback with the Digital versions is I can't cheat. 😄
Yeah, One Deck Dungeon is a nice, little game - I have fun with it. If you like the 'outer space' theme, One Deck Galaxy (1-2 Players) is comin' to Kickstarter soon. Potion Explosion is very 'pretty' in its digital form (looks fine in real-life, too).
Good luck with your "relocation", Derek. I'm hopin' it'll all works out for the best. 🤗
P.S. Hope ya had a fun Camping Trip!
Argh! Just as I was getting ready to Post a response (large for me) the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) raised its ugly head.
[Insert expletive here]! 😡 Back to square one.
The two times my wife and I moved I tried to stay as positive as possible. It’s hard, I know, and I remember days when she was just crying because we lost the bid on one house or another. As I said, regardless of the circumstances as to ”why” people move, I’ve seen so many instances where it all turned out so well that I cannot do anything but to offer a positive response. Houses are expensive but nothing is written in stone. If you don’t find something the first time you are bound to find it the next. I would love to stay in my current home but things don’t always work out as planned. Or, at least, according to the natural order of things, are always subject to change.
I deeply sympathize with you Derek. Thanks for sharing about your situation! hope it will resolve well in the end and that you'll be able to find a nice place.
I really understand this feeling of dread when you would like to play one of these big meaty games and... it's just too taxing, and you give up. There are mean nights where I'd like to play something a bit more fleshed-out than Tajemnicze Podziemia or even Bullet, and I end up not having the courage to do so.
Then I sit down behind my computer, go to Solitaire Times as in default mode, look at all the notifications, reply, and click "refresh". If nothing, I go to BGG and do the same. Back and forth. Refresh refresh refresh.
As for your Steam loot... I approve of it! One Deck Dungeon is a great app. It is faithful to the real game (you even get to roll the dice and they can go anywhere on the screen), it's smooth, it's intuitive, the campaign is handled well... I really enjoy it.
I have myself made a few purchases on Steam... Including Shards of Infinity because I have been tempted for the game since Gloomknight recommendation! I also got Shephy; I haven't tried it yet but it's very cheap and I've seen the game popping up a few times in the thread. It's by the same designer of Cadet Stimpy's beloved Fish, Farewell, Forever.
Small World is also on sale, it's a good one, and the AI is decent. The app is good, way smoother than the actual physical game, no fluff, very functional.
Root is on sale as well, but a bit more expensive. If you want to try out one of my favorite games... The app is awesome (if you turn off the stupid combat cut-scenes, that is), it makes the game feel really easy to learn and play. I have realized that the game is not so complex now that I have played through the app.
Moving can be a challenge regardless of the circumstances... I don’t envy you. But on the flip side.. (it can be exciting, too!) “Hello Gaming Room!!” Lol! As far as not getting the time to play those heavy games, I understand the feeling. Ever since early this year my work responsibility has picked up tremendously. I am working longer hours with not only less time to play the games, but less willpower to do so as well. Most of my free time has been spent getting smaller games to the table such as Shards of Infinity.
For all those movie buffs out there... and a big thanks to JW and Athena.. I’ve been watching the Alien series (1-2 and Prometheus so far - all great films!). My favorite way to ”get in the hobby” of gaming when there is a lack of time is to read (Solitaire Times) or watch (for now the Alien movie series: in preparation for buying Legendary Encounters: The Alien Deck-Building Game). Also, I tend to “buy” more games when I am at a lack of time to actually play them.. as that actually helps placate me..as strange as that sounds.
I also can't play my games when I'm not feeling well or am burdened by troubles. Hang in there, Derek, things will change and you're going to find a good house eventually. Not everyone can afford to buy expensive property, and prices are bound to drop.
@JW: When you said "the food part", I was expecting to see what snacks you're having while playing AE. 😄
I hope the housing problem will be resolved soon for you, Derek. Prices are outrageous around here as well.
Great picks on Steam 😉
I must say I enjoy Cottage Garden most as a family and friends game, as I can explain it to anyone and it's very relaxing and enjoyable. For solo, it's a bit too easy. Though sometimes it has a nice soothing quality to it, and sometimes that's just exactly what I'm looking for.
One Deck Dungeon is great, and I think the digital version helps in developing strategies, as you can try out and undo stuff. Near the end of the game you can do so many transformations with your dice, rewinding your steps because there may be some smarter move is too hard for me in the physical game. Anyway, the game is way less random then people think - though playing a campaign is where the fun lies.
I had been looking forward to Potion Explosion for a long time (again, as a family game) before I bought it, but it somehow fell a bit flat. It never gets to the table, even when my daughter picks a game to play.
I've got Aeon's End on the tablet, and I once tried to play it four-handed. The food part: it is doable on a digital implementation. The bad part: my brain can't make decisions for four interacting mages. 😄