In the game discussed below, I noted that there was a slight drag in the game play. When WEGS is played with 7+ players, there's bound to be some bumps, especially with new players. The new player curve isn't always the issue though - folks tend to play the game as fast as they can and there's nothing wrong with savoring your turn at bat... However, there is one thing that I've been slipping on lately - the four dice rule.
WEGS is designed to be played fast. Part of the design is reflected in the fact the game uses only 2D10 and 2D6 for its fuel (that's two ten-sided dice and two six-sided dice for you non-gamers...). I have a strong belief that the fewer dice you have on the table, the faster the game moves. Many other games in this hobby cover the playing field with lots and lots of funny sided dice. There's a built in joy for gamers to collect dice, too. In this hobby, you never can have too many dice. So, very often, folks show up at the game table with dice bags bulging with funky polyhedra. It's almost a status thing... but that's not what WEGS is about. At all.
And that was the one major bump in the game flow the other night. There was one player who had various funky dice set out before him. Often he would select different dice every inning, changing colors and determining the one he would use for highs and the one he would use for lows. This wasn't a showstopper, but it did impact the game flow. Everytime we got to his turn, he had to decide which dice to use. While I can appreciate that thrill, it just ain't WEGS. I think it breaks down one of the ways you buy-in to the game.
I don't mind folks swapping dice for new ones half-way through the game - that's actually really fun. If the set you start out with keep letting you down, there's nothing wrong with digging some new ones out. I think the mental act of committing your actions to four simple dice has some adventurous beauty about it. You're putting your faith in these things - and they may burn you real bad. That's the joy of it all sometimes.
So, it was a small blunder, but an important one to remember. After a month of running game after game, I got sloppy.
2D6. 2D10.
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2 comments:
Larry,
Interesting. I get the impression that it wasn't enough for the player to simply change dice, but the changing of the dice had to be a ritual requiring witnesses. That's what slows the game down. I heartily endorse, though, that there are times when bad or tired dice need to be put away ;-) There's nothing like fresh dice!
Mel
That was def a part of it, too. I've seen players that really make the most of their dice rolls - sometimes it gets excessive, but some of it is priceless. When you make folks clear away all unused dice, it limits their choices. I forgot to do that this time...
I'm slippin', Mel!
:-(
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