Board Games vs. Computer Games

[Gnerphk]

As often as I'm seen in here, one might think I'm entirely enamoured of computer games. This may be true... but they are far from my first love.

Growing up, my friends and I spent hours, days, weeks, months around the Axis & Allies board. Not long ago, I drove four hours to play a marathon A&A session, and right now in my shop I have tables set up for board game play - and I'm available as an opponent most days. (Anyone near DC can feel free to PM me.)

While occasionally one can find a community like this surrounding a game, for the most part computer games are impersonal and soulless. Worse, the anonymity provided by the internet setting can deprive a person of moral imperatives in the pursuit if their transient in-game goals; whacking a person around is far easier if you can't see their face.

As such, I find that a face-to-face board game is a far better use of one's time. Considering some of the new games that are on the market - Betrayal, Carcasonne, Catan, Modern Art - it's unlikely that anyone would find the variety less, and provided a decent set of opponents, the social aspect of gaming is far improved.

What are your feelings on this topic?

[Bree Fletcher]

To me, board games are a much more social experience. They just make something that computer games-fun as they are-can't. Like Axis and Allies, as you mentioned. I love how you can get six people around a table, and Britain over on one side is constantly entreating America to join the Western front, Russia just grins every time he smashes through a German line, and Italy and Germany are over in a corner bickering about how many soldiers they should send to Africa. While Japan is probably mocking America the whole time about his pitiful navy or something. You just can't get that same feeling in computer games.

And I don't know if by board games, you meant literal board games, with literal boards, but of course the tabletop RPGs deserve a mention. I want to roll my own d20s, damn it, not some machine!

[John Adams]

I think both have their own benefits and detractions.

For games like risk, or others, I have found a much more enjoyable experience when playing with online players as there are preformated rules, that do not leave the more competitive players in dispute of them (some of the people I know are highly competitive... You can argue with people, not so much a machine).

For board games such as chess, I prefer to play it in person (and shogi if I could find a board). It is always nice to beable to talk and play, without typing, and see another persons reaction... Things that are abit hard behind a computer screen (however, with advancements in voice technological programs such as skype, you can still talk while playing a computer game).

There are of course first person shooter computer games. Which, for obvious reasons, are hard to play in real-life with the same perameters. However, my experience with this is very limited, so I cannot comment further then to simply bring up the point.

In truth, however, I do not like the competitive games (and for somereason, I have yet to actually find a board game, save for Majong that is not based on a competitive aspect. Computer games are the same.), and play them in a non-competitve manner. For the sole enjoyment of it. In fact, I play to lose. So my opinion about both may be very biased. Therefore, in the end, I would choose board games. As, provided your opponent is not a die-hard, very serious player, you can have a discussion on other topics, while playing the game.

~John

[Gnerphk]

I never play to lose.

There are several cooperative games, though there's often a level of competition involved: "Scotland Yard" was one person versus the team playing tag in London, "Betrayal" is cooperative until a certain point, and games like "Carcassonne" can be played cooperatively - it's much more fun that way.

In my experience, there's simply no substitute for knowing the rules cold. Much more fun if there's no arguments.

[Mismaah]

Computer games own board games

[Gnerphk]

That's because board games are so awesome that even computer games like to play them.

[Moghedien]

They have crappy shogi boards on amazon one does look better atleast its wood. but if you go to the Japanese Amazon they have alot more options but you are paying shipping lol..

I cant find an online shogi game though.

[Rota]

I love board games that have a little complexity. I'm not going to play "sorry" or "tiddlywinks". But, I love Axis & Allies, or Scotland Yard, or Clue, etc...

Unfortunately I have never had the luxury of family or friends that also enjoy these games. I can count the number of times in my life that I have played these games to the end on my hands.

I have the new and classic version of A&A in my closet. I have played it a few times, where I played both sides... but that's just not the same. You can't play games like that, alone.