Not the sort of thing I usually post about but, man, I feel like shit at the minute.
This is probably the lowest I’ve felt in about 5 years. I’ve put so much in to work, relationships, and keeping myself fit and healthy over the last few years and it seems like none of it is paying off. The last few months have been excruciating. So little patience left right now.
Movies, kittens and Japanophilia will resume shortly!
I took the morning off work today to watch my friend’s 3 year old son for an hour. I had the trains out and Thomas racked up on Netflix but Ben was pretty set on saying hello to my (notoriously skittish) cats.
They kept their distance at first but eventually Molly came over to investigate and as he bent down to stroke her Ben said:
Don’t be afraid Molly. I’m Benjamin, and I’m a boy.
Anditwasthecutestthingever!
I’ve found a local gaming group and I played my first game of Terra this week. I’ve been curious about it for a while now as it’s so highly rated but playthroughs and reviews haven’t quite done it justice: it’s brilliant.
A (very) brief explainer for any readers who don’t know Terra:
The map is split into hexes (think Civ) and each hex is a different type of terrain (forest, lake, wasteland, etc.)
Each race can only build on a single type of terrain, to expand your territory you terraform adjacent tiles to convert them to your terrain type. Each race’s player board indicates how costly it is to convert each terrain to your preferred terrain.
Tiles are claimed by building dwellings which can subsequently be upgraded to other building types. Each has a certain cost and offers certain benefits. Some costs can be mitigated by building on tiles adjacent to other players but your build action will help them generate resources.
Each turn you will produce resources: workers (cubes), money, priests, power. These are spent to perform actions. Production and action costs vary between races so race choice is very important (each race also has a special power); your choice should be informed by already selected races and the round bonuses (round bonuses are randomly ordered each game).
Various actions throughout the game score (or spend) victory points. At the end of the game you can convert outstanding resources into points and points are scored for largest contiguous empire and a number of other scoring mechanisms and potential bonuses based on what you chose to build in the game.
It’s pure strategy and there’s more to it than I’ve explained here. It’s also really really good.
There were five of us playing, I was the only newbie and of the others two had played before a few times and the other two played pretty much every week. I was the Giants (one of the regular players picked my race for me) and I came third with a score in the low 100s, which I think is pretty good for a first play? As you’d expect the two guys who play every week came first and second with scores up in the 130-140 range, the two other guys were in the 50-70 range.
I could’ve scored a little higher but there a few mechanics I didn’t fully understand until I’d missed an opportunity to capitalise but I really can’t wait to play again. I’m some way off knowing the best race based on reward order and all that jazz but I could certainly manage my economy better now I’ve played once.
Roll on next week!
From my annual report (generated by Warby Parker’s highly scientific annual report generator).
Actually pretty accurate.
Giving is clearly the best part of Christmas so why not indulge yourself:
Help Heifer International end hunger and get some sweet things from Pat Rothfuss and his awesome pals (think of a fantasy author, they’re probably in). Donate anything and you’re in the lottery to win rare editions, signed editions, other lovely extras, or if you think I’ve been an especially good boy this year (I have, I really really have) you can buy Longclaw for me and sleep safe knowing that you’ve helped a whole bunch of people feed themselves and that I’m safe from reanimated corpses (other goodies are up for auction).
A bunch of children’s hospitals have Amazon wishlists, you can buy the toys and games they need so kids in hospital over Christmas have decent stuff to play with. Close to home there’s Bradford, Manchester, Alder Hey, Sheffield, and Dublin, but there are hospitals all over the world you can help out or you can donate directly to Child’s Play.
Support Wikipedia. You almost certainly use it, and you probably ignore the fundraising message when it pops up. Pay the £3.
If you want to support another cause but you’re not sure who to give to try Charity Navigator or Give Well.
Even if you’re trying to keep Christmas small you are probably going to spend a hell of a lot of money, and a decent amount of it on crap, make sure you give something to a decent cause.
PS: Longclaw.
The Winter Wolf was so much fun. This video was the winning entry to the Winter Wolf video competition. These guys were in a different wave to me so you don’t get to see me arse-deep in mud (or hear Sarah’s whoops!) but this is the course pretty much as it was for my run.
So. Much. Fun.