Space Encounters: Rules

Space Encounters! is the first game I designed on my own outside of job. It is a big and unwieldy game from which I learned a lot. It's not the best game! But, I'm putting it out there in case somebody wants to spend 5 hours making all the pieces and another hour or two playing it.

Overall the game is cumbersome and tries to combine too many things.

Please enjoy and comment if you play it!

Note: I wrote about the design process for Space Encounters! fairly extensively in three previous posts, found here, here, and here.

The rules and content for Space Encounters! can be read here.


I will post the board layout later!

Copyright 2010 Grant Rodiek

Farmageddon: Rules

NOTE: THE RULES BELOW AND ON THE LINK ARE OUT OF DATE. FARMAGEDDON CAN BE BOUGHT WITH FINAL RULES AND BEAUTIFUL ART FOR $13.99 HERE!


Farmageddon is my most recent card/board game project. I didn't create it to sell, so in the hopes of more people enjoying it I am posting it here for others to create and try. Please feel free to print the rules and build the game yourself. All I ask is that if you play it, leave me a comment and tell me what you thought! If you have any questions, please post a comment.


The rules can be seen in document form here. 

Theft

To the best of my knowledge, I've only had two things stolen from me: a Cannondale mountain bike, and as of last Friday, an Orbea road bike. The world's thieves apparently have it out for my bikes.

The loss of the Orbea is particularly devastating. For one, it was an incredibly expensive bike that I intended to ride forever. It was a one-time purchase, the pinnacle of quality. But the bike also meant so much to me as well. It wasn't just a thing.

Cycling will always hold this special place in my heart. I went to college weighing 240 pounds and approaching a size 40 waist. After a summer of cycling I dropped to 175 pounds and a size 32 waist. I rode 6000 miles my sophomore year, often spending upwards of 15 hours on my bike after class and on the weekends. Most Saturdays and Sundays I met 10 others in front of the bike shop to ride 50-75 miles, or drive out into the countryside to tackle harder challenges like Oklahoma's Mount Scott.

The bike was the first big thing I bought entirely with my own money. I worked hard in college and had a good job. In the spring of my senior year I bought the Orbea to celebrate my graduation and hard work both in the classroom and on the road.

I never rode much in San Francisco. It's always cold, the hills are beyond reasonable, and cars are everywhere. Instead of riding in the endless countryside of Oklahoma, I found myself dodging erratic and irresponsible motorists. Cycling was an escape in Oklahoma, here it feels more like exercise. But even still, the few times I have ridden with friends I've utterly stomped them.

Granted, this is a cheap shot; I rode practically daily in college and they did not. But, like Italy, my modern victories are few and far between and I must cling tightly to glories of the past.

It is unreasonable for me to spend so much money to replace my bike. I will not ride it every day, let alone every week. They money is better spent elsewhere.

But. If there is a lovely day and I want to ride to work, I want that option. If my friend calls me up to ride in Napa, I want that option.

I Bet you Voted for Obama: A Douche of the Week Story

Beth and I were just finishing a very lovely dinner at the excellent Elite Cafe on Fillmore Street. We were eating outside as we were accompanied by the miscreant corgi and the weather was really nice.

With half an apple crumb dessert to go, the unfortunate and overpowering scent of cigarette smoke entered my sinuses. I looked up from my sweet delight and noticed a sharply dressed, suited man smoking not 2 feet to my right. He was accompanied by a giggling woman with a very strong foreign accent.

I hate cigarette smoke. Even more, I hate people so oblivious to the comfort of those around them, like the assholes who immediately put their seat entirely back at the beginning of a 23 hour flight. It's important for me to note that I think it's possible to be a smoker and not be a douche.

"Could you please not smoke near me while I'm eating?" I asked. I was honestly not snarling or being rude. I made my request politely.

He grins a bit, says "Oh, sure, my apologies," and begins pacing about in front of me. I guess this is no longer smoking in front of me? His giggling harlot says something to the effect of "you are saucy" to me. She was making fun of me!

This enraged me. I could barely eat; I was just stunned at their behavior. I'm not irrational though, nor was I willing to cause a scene in front of a good restaurant on a crowded street. I calmly add "It's also illegal for you to be smoking here."

Tokyo Rose on his arm giggled and said "He doesn't like smoky." At this point, I was trying to do the math to compute whether I could kill her with my spoon.

He walked in front of my table again and said "I bet you voted for Obama, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I bet I did," I responded. Really? Because I don't like to have you smoke on my face while eating I'm some raging, bleeding heart liberal? I hope to god I have health care of some sort if types like you rule the world.

The pregnant woman sitting at the table immediately left of me nodded at me in approval of my stance. Her husband then said, "I didn't vote for him and I'd like you to stop smoking."

Wow! I really Mr. Smoky Suit gets E. Coli or Salmonella. I'm entirely willing to trade the deliciousness that is Elite Cafe for one incredible bout of fatal food poisoning. Well, make that two bouts.

DC Universe Online: A Horrible Introduction to Your Product

I'm having an absolutely horrendous time trying to experience Sony's DC Universe Online for the Playstation 3. Here's my user experience so far...