Face to Face Gaming…

On a semi-regular basis I get together with a few friends to play games (board games, card games, role-play-games and such like). Recently we met at Martin’s and we played these games:

Firefly The Game

this looked like a complicated game and we were becoming increasing uncertain about it as the length rules were being read out, but once we started playing it became clear it was not too difficult once you get the hang of it. It retains quite a lot of the feel and humour of the show and we soon got to enjoy it. It does have a lot to it and we did not have the time to finish a game but we definitely would give it a go again.

Betrayal at House on the Hill

this is a fun game that pulls together many of the iconic characters and situations from the horror (pulp) genre. It starts out co-operatively for a while until the ‘haunting’ begins where it is revealed that one of the players is a betrayer hell bent on the destruction of the others. From then on it is just a matter of time until he destroys them all or the hero’s thwart his evil plans. The tile based board and the many various situational haunting means that the game would seem to have a good re-playability to it. The only down side is that a player can be killed off and has to watch as the others continue to the end of the game.

SmashUp

This is a card based game where various stereotype fantastical factions are paired up (such as robots and pirates, dinosaurs and magicians, ninjas and undead etc.) to battle each other for dominance. I find these sorts of games difficult and I was having a hard time knowing what to play when, but the others seemed to enjoy much more.

Cards Against Humanity

This is another card game though it is only for very considered and select groups of players. It is possible the most un-PC game in the world with the very real possibility that it will offend nearly everyone. That said if you play it with like minding folk who have a very sick sense of humour then it is absolutely hilarious.

Very similar in game play to another great game called Apples to Apples you have a selection of cards with bizarre answers on them. Each person takes turns to pose a question and the others then select a suitable (unsuitable) card which the questioner then selects what he finds the most humorous from.

Probably don’t play this with relatives or those of a sensitive nature.

Just for a Laugh…

Recently we had a night out with Jodie and Lou at the Red Bar & Lounge in Dorking that hosts the Out Of Bounds comedy show as it travels around. For the princely sum of £4 each we got to see five artists try to make us laugh (with mixed success). The headline act was Katherine Ryan who has broken through to TV where we had seen some of her comedy before. She had a confident and engaging manner and put on a polished performance.

The venue is interesting as it is not ideally suited for performances as it is spread around the bar in a U shape such that half of the bar you cannot see the stage, here they got around that by broadcasting the show to large screen TVs.

New Wheels…

Vauxhall Meriva 1.7 Cdti 110ps SE automatic in Pepper Dust

This is a marmite vehicle that inspires quite dramatic love/hate views. Some of the ‘quirky’ features include the rear ‘suicide doors’ that open counter to the front in a barn door style to give easy access but can take some getting used to. Inside there is a feeling of space in what is quite a compact vehicle that is enhanced by the upright seating positions with their commanding view and the full-length panoramic glass sun/moon roof that floods the interior with light.

I was not looking at this model of car initially when my company BMW 1 Series was due to be replaced and my primary motivation was to get a practical smallish vehicle with an automatic transmission. Unfortunately the revised car list had a limited choice so after many months of waiting for the yet to appear revised list I was offered a choice from the pool cars (those cars that were surplus to requirements). I had settled on a BMW 3 Series somewhat reluctantly when I was advised it had gone and looking at what else was there I saw the Meriva. In addition to being automatic it was more practical than the BMW saloon and was cheaper too, so I jumped at it. Sue was not so impressed and felt the glass roof made it feel like the Pope-mobile and has christened it the ‘magic mushroom’ due to its colour.

I quite like it for it has a more comfortable ride than my previous sport tuned car, though it feels less positive in the corners. I like the higher driving position that gives me a better view of the traffic and the internal space is better. The build quality is not quite as high (but then neither is the price). I am still getting used to it and it seems to have its quirks so my view might change in the next few years that I have it for.

More of wot I have heard…

The Ash & Clay by The Milk Carton Kids

Described as an indie folk duo from California The Milk Carton Kids have a charming and accessible sound the has hints of performers gone by such as Simon & Garfunkel. They are however from a contemporary mould that includes popular artists such as the Mumford’s or Gillian Welch.

It is a very pleasing album and I recommending it heartily.

Top of the Town…

We were gifted a visit to observation deck of the Shard, the tallest building in London, and so we went earlier in the year.

Luckily the day we went was ideal with clear, bright wintery skies.

The view from the top was quite stunning and we could see for many miles around and we spent some time pinpointing landmarks far and wide. With the exception of a couple of other tall buildings the height of the viewing deck rendered much of the scenery to a flat, almost two dimensional, carpet below us and to some extent you get a more dramatic skyline from the London Eye. Nevertheless it did give a fine view over the capital and showed the river Thames winding its way through it in a pleasing way.

The building is interesting and the architectural conceits of jagged sheets of glass and partly exposed areas was quite enjoyable though I am not sure it is really worth the exorbitant price tag they are asking. Luckily for the gift as we might not have paid for ourselves otherwise.

We took advantage of being in town to meet up with Jamie and together we had a drink and walked along the south bank of the river and had a meal at the delightful dim-sum restaurant called Ping Pong.