And On the Sixth Day, God Created.. FRIDAY!!.. And There Was Much Gaming.

[BanzaiCat]

Color it however you like.

[Arctic Blast]

Finally got some time in with Hearthstone over the past couple of days, and I'm really pleasantly surprised by it. Very easy game to learn, and they slowly introduce the layers over the course of the first run of tutorial practice games. Once you get the basics down, you're ready to go.

You can take on different classes in solo games in order to unlock them for you to use. You'll also gain basic cards for your decks by using classes a few times, as well as learn how to play them best.

MP seems to have a pretty solid matchmaking system. I haven't run into anyone with a massive power advantage, and most matches have been close. The only two ass kickings I've been a part of (one each way) happened because one person's customized deck turned out to be a mess.

You can build custom decks, mixing class-specific cards and neutral cards in whatever way you want. Card packs that you earn are random...it really is a digital CCG...but they all seem pretty useful.

I'm having quite a bit of fun with it. You can buy more card packs, but since the results are randomized and you earn card packs through play anyway, I don't see power creep being a real issue here.

I've been curious about the tabletop card game.  Is this essentially the same?

Also... isn't it in closed beta or something?

I had no idea that there was a tabletop card game version, so I have no idea.

And nope, it's an open Beta. Anyone who wants to try it can download it through Battle.net.

[BanzaiCat]

Gridiron Solitaire is growing on me. I'm 3-1 in my first season but the next game, I have to play the only 4-0 team in the league. This last game I won after a fourth-quarter comeback, even though the game yet again gave itself a big gain (which it's done in each of the four games I've played now). The tension is there, almost like a real game, and it's really odd that it feels like that given it's such a light simulation.

[Nefaro]

I had no idea that there was a tabletop card game version, so I have no idea.

And nope, it's an open Beta. Anyone who wants to try it can download it through Battle.net.

Hrmm.. perhaps I was thinking of something else.

I seem to recall a tabletop game named Hearthstone but that may not be the case.   As for the recent card game, I probably mixed it up with Thunderstone (Advance) which is a deck builder style one.

[Bison]

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My team made a nice recovery from last seasons disappointing loss in the WS to win it all this year.  Now I've got some contract decisions to make and scour the free agent rosters and my minor league rosters to retool for another run.  I want to bring down my salary costs over the next couple of years to open up cap space when my big stars hit the end of their current contracts and are too expensive to renew.

[Martok]

I was gone all weekend, so there was no gaming for me. 

Actually, scratch that:  I did get to play some actual, honest-to-goodness, 3.5 Dungeons & Dragons on Saturday while visiting friends.  Man, it had been way too long! 

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My team made a nice recovery from last seasons disappointing loss in the WS to win it all this year.  Now I've got some contract decisions to make and scour the free agent rosters and my minor league rosters to retool for another run.  I want to bring down my salary costs over the next couple of years to open up cap space when my big stars hit the end of their current contracts and are too expensive to renew.

Congratulations Bison! 

[MetalDog]

Don't encourage him, Martok!  He's already insufferable and the REAL season hasn't seen its first pitchers or catchers report to spring training yet.

[Bison]

Make that back to back World Series championships.  Of course I had 3 players retire, 2 were in the primes of the their careers 26 and 28 years old respectively.  The other is only disappointing because his name is Bill Murray.  Two starting pitchers are down for a long time too.  One for 11 months and the other 9 months.  This is going to be an interesting off season.  I need to rebuild my outfield, middle relief, and pick up a starter.  I also need to resign my closer who most likely is going to want to much, which means I'll need to find a closer too.  I'm thinking a play off appearance is a reasonable expectation at the moment.  I also forgot the guy whose career was ended due to a fractured skull that happened somehow during the World Series.  It was a brutal day after tasting the sweet nectar of victory.

Metaldog you need to buy Out of the Park Baseball.  It's worth every damn penny of the $20 asking price.

[Bison]

The season was another good one as we finished with 101 wins, but got knocked out in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Actually as a GM it was frustrating.  I had a lot of injuries this year.  I suspect it's time to look at my line up and make some long term adjustments.  My stars are getting to the twilight of their careers as well as a couple of the FA I picked up to fill in holes.  Of course I wasn't expecting the league to expand and then the jerks to take two of my best young talents.  Grrr....anyway good times in my fictional league.

[Bison]

Don't encourage him, Martok!  He's already insufferable and the REAL season hasn't seen its first pitchers or catchers report to spring training yet.

Yeah that's right buddy.  You read it correctly.  I'm a freaking god!

[MetalDog]

YOu're killing me, Bison!  Is there NOTHING that gets past you?

[BanzaiCat]

One word: Photoshop. ;)

[MetalDog]

Alas, my friend, I am hopeless in just about everything to do with computers that even a five year old can do.

[Bison]

One word: Photoshop. ;)

Photoshop my ass you Johnnie Foozball lovin' fool!  That was just some awesome skills of being able to put together a good enough team that the computer manager could to a World Series championship.

[BanzaiCat]

One word: Photoshop. ;)

Photoshop my ass you Johnnie Foozball lovin' fool!  That was just some awesome skills of being able to put together a good enough team that the computer manager could to a World Series championship.

LOL!!!!

Geez, take it easy. I was just messing with you, dude.