cards and revelations
Aug. 24th, 2006 11:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
daidoji_giseiLast night I went down to Gauntlet Games for some card playing. I felt a little odd driving there, because this is the first time since Gencon that I had gone and, well, it's not every day you get added to the L5R story team.
When I walked in Hobie and Marty were standing at the front counter. Hobie saw me and made some remark about the new story person. I tried to think of something cool to say in reply but grinned like an idiot instead. We chit-chatted and then they started razzing me over the fact that I'd mentioned Jeremy in my LJ but not them--hadn't they helped me learn to play, too? So in the interest of accuracy I'll add that Hobie and Marty, along with the rest of the Comic World playgroup, also taught me how to play L5R--and how much fun L5R players are to hang out with.
After talking for a while I wandered back to the play area and found to my delight multiple L5R games in progress. I had been worried that the game was dying out for good in Lincoln at the time I was ready to start playing again, but maybe it was just dormant. (And: Eight years ago if you told me that I would someday be passionately in love with a collectable card game I would have laughed at you. I played role playing games, thankyouverymuch, not that card junk. Isn't life strange?) Anyway, I settled down to a game with a young man with a Scorpion ninjutsu/dueling deck. I regret not remembering his name, but most of the players at Gauntlet are new to me and I am horrible at remembering names. I'm still playing the pre-built Crane deck out of the Training Grounds set because I've been too busy to build one of my own. (At this point, everyone's figured out what I'm busy doing, right?)
The game lasts a long time and I manage to crawl to 40 honor before he shows up to take my last two provinces. At some point I realize that I could have won one of the previous battles if I had remembered what Venerable Master and House of the Fallen Blossom do. It wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game, but it made me decide that there is no point in trying to build myself a deck until I completely figure out how to play this one. I should also crack the shrink wrap on the Dragon deck too, and learn to play it.
Towards the end, when my opponent and I have huge armies on the table, Jeremy walks by and says that someone should drop an atomic bomb right in the middle, and then we'd have two clans gone. This triggers the following exchange:
Me: What, you don't think it's bad enough for the Crane that I'm on the story team?
Jeremy: Hey, you on the team will be good for the Crane.
Me: I can always spot the ones who haven't read my fanfic. It's not a good story unless someone is in pain.
As I drive home I think about my 'in pain' comment. I don't really believe that--I'm sure that good stories can be written about joy--but thinking over my accumulated fanfic I can't point to one that doesn't somehow involve someone being in some kind of pain. Many of them involve characters who resolved their pain and went on to something better, but that isn't quite the same thing. I think maybe I should broaden myself as a writer by writing something totally happy. *looks at list of story assignments* But not just yet.
When I walked in Hobie and Marty were standing at the front counter. Hobie saw me and made some remark about the new story person. I tried to think of something cool to say in reply but grinned like an idiot instead. We chit-chatted and then they started razzing me over the fact that I'd mentioned Jeremy in my LJ but not them--hadn't they helped me learn to play, too? So in the interest of accuracy I'll add that Hobie and Marty, along with the rest of the Comic World playgroup, also taught me how to play L5R--and how much fun L5R players are to hang out with.
After talking for a while I wandered back to the play area and found to my delight multiple L5R games in progress. I had been worried that the game was dying out for good in Lincoln at the time I was ready to start playing again, but maybe it was just dormant. (And: Eight years ago if you told me that I would someday be passionately in love with a collectable card game I would have laughed at you. I played role playing games, thankyouverymuch, not that card junk. Isn't life strange?) Anyway, I settled down to a game with a young man with a Scorpion ninjutsu/dueling deck. I regret not remembering his name, but most of the players at Gauntlet are new to me and I am horrible at remembering names. I'm still playing the pre-built Crane deck out of the Training Grounds set because I've been too busy to build one of my own. (At this point, everyone's figured out what I'm busy doing, right?)
The game lasts a long time and I manage to crawl to 40 honor before he shows up to take my last two provinces. At some point I realize that I could have won one of the previous battles if I had remembered what Venerable Master and House of the Fallen Blossom do. It wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game, but it made me decide that there is no point in trying to build myself a deck until I completely figure out how to play this one. I should also crack the shrink wrap on the Dragon deck too, and learn to play it.
Towards the end, when my opponent and I have huge armies on the table, Jeremy walks by and says that someone should drop an atomic bomb right in the middle, and then we'd have two clans gone. This triggers the following exchange:
Me: What, you don't think it's bad enough for the Crane that I'm on the story team?
Jeremy: Hey, you on the team will be good for the Crane.
Me: I can always spot the ones who haven't read my fanfic. It's not a good story unless someone is in pain.
As I drive home I think about my 'in pain' comment. I don't really believe that--I'm sure that good stories can be written about joy--but thinking over my accumulated fanfic I can't point to one that doesn't somehow involve someone being in some kind of pain. Many of them involve characters who resolved their pain and went on to something better, but that isn't quite the same thing. I think maybe I should broaden myself as a writer by writing something totally happy. *looks at list of story assignments* But not just yet.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 01:44 pm (UTC)Is it hard to learn? Is it something my 15 yo and I might enjoy together? Can I resist bezeling the tokens in beads to make nifty pieces of jewelry with? Or maybe drilling, they are plastic. I could crochet them into a choker with size 10 cotton.. okay... maybe I just want a excuse to buy the pieces.
My storyline brings all the boys to the cards...
Date: 2006-08-24 06:09 pm (UTC)Totally! And you've only seen the tip of the iceberg--L5R has lots of places for accessorizing. There's the Imperial Favor, which can be represented by a special card or a salt shaker or key chair or a specially-made knick-knack. And honor counters, which also take a wide variety of forms. Style won't win a tournament, but it can get you talked about. ;-)
Is it hard to learn?
Well, kinda. L5R is a very strategic game with multiple factions and more than one victory condition. The good news is that you don't have to learn everything at once; it's possible to learn the basic rules and pick up the more complex stuff as you go on. Right now AEG has available a learn-to-play set called Training Grounds II which comes with two premade decks (Crane and Dragon) and a rulebook that walks you through part of a game. Also, I'm pretty sure you can download the rulebook as a PDF off of the AEG site.
> Is it something my 15 yo and I might enjoy together?
YES! (Ok, so I'm biased.) L5R is a fun game of strategy, but it is also a continuing story set in a fansasty empire strongly based on feudal Japan. This means that in addition to playing the game you get to argue...err, discuss whether the Crane or the Dragon have the superior sword schools, whether Kaneka really is a land-grabbing [censored], what the Jade Champion was smoking when he decided to let Daigotsu Rekai live, and whether Shinjo Shono should rebel against the Khan and take back the leadership of the Unicorn Clan for the Shinjo family. Never a dull moment!
Of course, if you are philosophically deeply opposed to violence in any form this might not be your cup of tea. Samurai tend to lead short lives, you know.
Can I resist bezeling the tokens in beads to make nifty pieces of jewelry with?
Probably not. But you know, I've been thinking of laminating some old cards, punching holes in the edges and then making a hat like those old crocheted beer can hats. You know the kind I'm talking about?
Re: My storyline brings all the boys to the cards...
Date: 2006-08-24 06:25 pm (UTC)I saw some boxes on a site recently, I can't find the link.. that were made of cans that were stitched together, you could make a card box of cards all crocheted together. I've also used trading cards on some of the mini duct taped comp books I make for my best friend. I've been considering using one of those card protector sheets and lots of duct tape to make the ultimate game geek purse.
Okay.. I have issues. Obviously. I want the toys, I just don't want to play with them right way.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 05:01 pm (UTC)And, as I said, if I can be of any help do not hesitate to ask.