Anybody out there?

What happens if you have a game and nobody wants to play?

With some games, it's not that difficult to get somebody to play with you. You explain the rules, set up the board and you're off and running. After all, everything you need to play is in the box and strategies develop during set up or once play has started. In either case, everybody's playing the game and having fun.

But then somebody had to invent collectible card games.

In these games, not everybody is on even footing. By the very nature of the distribution of components, some folks are going to have great cards and some aren't. Technically, everyone who wants to play is going to have to invest in the game to have their own set of cards to play with. But if they don't, and you're willing to share some of your cards to play with them, it's still uneven, as you're likely to have kept all of the best cards for yourself and you've spent a lot more time getting just the right cards in your deck than your friend will ever have. Unbalanced? Maybe just a little.

And what do you do when you've found such a game, spent a lot of time getting just the right cards and you can't find anybody who will play with you? Or the game gets canceled?

Maybe we need rehabilitation so folks can learn to let go from games that used to give them so much enjoyment. But heck, I want to play now. Anybody out there? Anybody?

Winter games

GC has found a new way to play in the snow.

It is with great sadness that I announce the end of an era. Decipher has announced that with the release of the latest expansion, they are discontinuing their Star Trek Collectable Card game. No longer can I sneak Cardassian infiltrators into Garak's Tailor shop. No longer may I capture Wesley Crusher and ask him "How many lights do you see?" After 13 years, it's over and done with.

Okay, so maybe I'll still be able to coerce my kids to playing a game. And Mike Lynch, if he's ever in the area. You know, this means that everyone who plays will be stuck with the cards they have. No more surprises. Hmmmm.

Hey gang, battlecruisers are poised to strike. Let's play a game for old time's sake!