If I'm not mistaken, Civilization started out as a board game which inspired Sid Meier to create the PC game.

Wow, match 3 must eat time...

My day's been a mixture of attacking the kitchen with Viking fury, downloading with Viking perseverance, and playing Plants vs Zombies with a grin. Also went for a walk to enjoy the onset of evening. This time of the year really gets me where it matters; so beautiful, primal and darkly exciting. I never knew death and decay could be so much fun :-)

I think I'll put a Hammer film on later and dissolve into it completely.

One of my joys is to gather some friends around a table to talk silly, get stuffed with snacks and roll some dice. :-)

You're right - I just checked Wiki and: 'Meier admits to "borrowing" many of the technology tree ideas from the board game Civilization, published in the United Kingdom in 1980 by Hartland Trefoil.'

It makes sense because all Firaxis games feel like they've got board games hidden inside.
One of life's ABSOLUTE pleasures! The social aspect of face-to-face gaming - being able to see, hear and share the experience with others, is so much better than online multiplayer. Multiplayer can be really good, but being in the same room is best. I love the sound and apprehension of dice rattling across a game board as well :-)

Ohhh, this really makes me want to play some games. I like board games too but unfortunately my family doesn't, so I never really get to play. Four or five years ago I got Monopoly as a birthday present, and in all that time I've played it ... twice. No one ever wants to play. :(

Oh, that's a shame! I wish you lived next door - we'd have board gaming nights and get everyone involved. Even getting the various pieces out of the box is fun :-)

It does when you're running through dungeons and fighting every battle. Regular match-3 doesn't eat that much time, it's "pick up, play a bit, get bored, go back to it later".

Sounds like a good mix of enjoyment and productivity. Also, Plants vs. Zombies is just fun in general.

Winter is good, not in the sense of things breaking down, but the quiet of it all being gone. When it gets cold enough, even the little bit of life around here goes away. No bugs, no animals, just wind, desolation and silence.

Exactly my thoughts.
My friends and I try to organize a get together to play some games from time to time. It is a good way to get updated on our daily life. Infinitely better and more fun than a direct call or email. :-)

I must have a go at match 3. I'm looking at 10,000,000 every other day at the moment. It seems almost ridiculously priced for what's on offer (judging by the feedback).

For such a simple idea, Plants vs Zombies is just about perfect.

Summertime insects are the worst. When I was a kid I unwittingly sat on a wasp in the back garden and it was a pain in the...arse. Funny in retrospect, but insects around the place quickly start to annoy. Combine that with oppressive heat, resulting sweat and all of the energy being sucked out of your body and I usually begin to start feeling twitchy in mid-spring.

Good moaning. How are ye doin'?

So I had my first day of class. I was a bit scared to be dropped in the middle of stuff I didn't know, specially math and physics and such. I had no idea how I'd deal with stuff I didn't understand or lacked background to.

Well whaddayaknow. First math lesson and what is it? Limits, the same limits I learned at high school 20 years ago. The ones I struggled with until I ultimately dominated them like a mistress at a massage parlor.
Pretty much the same with physics, no complicated stuff that made my head spin.
So far as I can tell. What we're seeing is mostly revision of high school material. No new shite.

I'm feeling much more confident now.

In other news. Damnit CDprojekt why do your games need me to invest every waking moment in them? A whole week and I've just started chapter 4 of the first witcher.
I ain't complainin'.

I love it. As a kid I used to get frustrated if I didn't win or if chance wasn't going my way. I was teased (not always good-naturedly - I have siblings) and it was a good learning process. It took a while, but I was able to relax and not take it so seriously. I think board games made me love gaming in general - all that variety and different challenges. Add in the social side and its the most complete kind of entertainment.

My suggestions for that would be 10,000,000, You Must Build A Boat, Puzzle Quest 1 and 2. Retail, that's 30 dollars for all 4, and you'll end up with over a hundred (possibly as much as two to three hundred) hours of play time.

Yes, it was very well made. Shame that Popcap got swallowed up, leading to EA putting out an abortion in the form of multi-player garbage and calling it a sequel.

I can see why you would. Your description of the "fun" that summer contains hits the nail on the head. Bugs, heat, energy drain, wanting to stay inside where it's dark and cool with a large beverage for months on end.

Case in point - currently dealing with an infestation of half inch long flying ants. And it's the middle of October. But since it's evidently the summer that refuses to die, there's no cold to kill the little bastards.

Those sound like good suggestions - I think I'll be getting 10,000,000 this evening.

Popcap also put some 'mild' DRM in the game, which will be removed as fully as possible when its uninstalled.

Half inch long flying ants sound like a 70s disaster movie. When they completely cover the windows head for the kitchen and climb inside the fridge. Wasn't The Swarm a great movie? It didn't do any of the cast's careers a jot of good, but its cringeworthiness is worth repeated viewings.

Been lurking, just pretty busy with lifestuffs and haven't felt I've had anything useful to say in the moments I've been at the computer... Just sending some love to the fine lads and ladies of the thread. I hope you all have a lovely week!

I'll hopefully be more "cognitively functional" later in the day, and will actually catch up with some of you.
*hugs and waves all around*

I akh :-)

I haven't seen you in a while. How's that family of yours?