Year In Review:
2018 Review
This Year Was… … :
Topsy-Turvy! In hindsight this description is hilarious because in my review of 2017, I had a suspicion that 2018 was going to be a Topsy-Turvy year and indeed what a crazy year 2018 has been. Getting through the many challenges in 2018 felt like it made my perseverance and faith levels go up at the expense of my lifespan.
Maybe that's what I need… a break
And that's a summary of my year in 2018. As always I also like to do a more positive summary of what 2018 has brought to this planet we call home and to Malaysia, the country I call home as well. (Please skip ahead a couple of paragraphs if you're here for the boardgame news.)
So in 2018, we had one of the most viewed wedding ceremonies on television ever when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, mainly because this union united viewers from across the great Atlantic Ocean. Less than a month later, 46.4% of the world came together to watch France lift the World Cup for the second time through sheer grit and tenacity. The world also turned a collective ear towards the plight of a soccer team and their coach trapped in a cave in Thailand and also breathed a collective sigh of relief when all thirteen of them were rescued although one of their rescuers, Saman Kunan, gave his life in the heroic effort of supplying oxygen to the trapped boys.
The good ones are always the stories that give you a little bit of hope for humanity
And on the not so positive front, we had the passing of two legends in their respective fields. A man who sought to understand the universe, its planets and many stars, Stephen William Hawking, theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author passed away peacefully after having battled ALS for more than 50 years. More than his work and accomplishments, his never give up and never say die attitude towards learning and living should motivate us to do better with what we have. Sadly the life of another brilliant mind, Stan Lee's life also came to an end in 2018. For the children and teenagers of today, they have lost a grandfather of heroes but for those of us born of the 70s and 80s, we have lost our beloved father of creative genius. I remember the days when my cousins & I would be jumping all over the house pretending to be Wolverine, Spider-Man or Cable, bringing to life the heroes of Stan Lee's imagination. His missing cameos in future Marvel films will not only remind us of what we have lost, but the oh so much we have been given as well.
And whilst it is sad that they are gone, no man can live forever but sometimes what they leave behind does
On the home front, we actually made the international news! The coalition political party of Malaysia lost after being the ruling party since forever (okay, 61 years in power) where our ex-ex-Prime Minister came out of retirement at 93 years old to bring low the current administration and become the world's oldest leader to serve a fresh term of office. Families came out by the hordes to do their civic duty, watch the counting results until they suspended further updates, waiting until the wee hours of the morning, wondering if a state of emergency would be called and then as transfers of powers are wont to happen in the cover of darkness, we woke up the next day to a new Malaysia. This was followed by a slew of raids, trucks of handbags, cash and jewellery seized, heads rolled, one uncharacteristic mass resignation took place (uncharacteristic for Malaysia) and a bombardment of corruption charges were levied at our former premiere, his wife and other top officials. Whether this is for the good or bad of Malaysia does remain to be seen, but there's something about being able to say that "I was there and I was a part of it" which makes me feel special and a part of something bigger, as if we were all the fuse that caused the explosion of change.
Many people wonder why such a change was historic for Malaysia, the above left is probably the reason why, and the bad ass looking 93 year old gentleman on the centre right was the one to do it
So let's talk about Padawan Minigeek and Padawan Babygeek who will be going through a tonne of change in 2019. Padawan Minigeek will be going to formal schooling and entering Year 1 / Standard 1 / Primary 1, and choosing the right school was a process that must have taken at least 9-10 months. We had concerns that she was not up to par in math and spelling and had to go through workbooks with her and push her to work a little harder. AND SHE'S ONLY SIX! I have become the parent that I didn't expect to be, but when the teachers call you in to share their concerns that your child is lagging behind, it gives you a little sense of panic. Personally I am a little more concerned that on top of her usually bossy attitude (I mean, why do older kids listen to her and follow her around? It doesn't make sense), she has adopted the speech of 17 year old rebellious, bimbo teenager, using words like "Whatever" and "Yeah yeah", I have had words with her about this and hopefully the attitude doesn't stick. So it's a double blow to me feeling old because my little Minigeek is growing up too fast for me to fathom.
Padawan Babygeek is growing up like a puppy. He loves to be involved in everything, constantly wants to play, loves to go out, eats like there's a blackhole in his tummy and is growing bigger every month (no, really, I measure it). He's so constantly happy that when he looks down, you know that he's either sick or did something wrong. He bursts into tears when scolded, and looks at you with the sad eyes and upside down smile when he knows you're angry with him. He loves music, and if he can dance to it you bet he will start swaying and dancing to the beat. And he still surprises us when he says something new although I am a bit worried that most of the new words and mannerisms seem to be coming from Padawan Minigeek! Lord help me not be stuck with two teenagers so early in my parenting life! Padawan Babygeek is also changing schools, turns out that his school was not a really good fit for his already boisterous nature, so he will be going to Minigeek's kindergarten from next year onwards. I am working on it at home but hopefully with a more disciplined school environment, Padawan Minigeek will begin to learn that not every toy belongs to him and be less aggressive about it.
The plus side of them growing up so fast is that we can now play a very heavily house ruled King of New York together but we all had a lot of fun!
So I talked about getting help at work last year and help certainly did arrive but unfortunately it didn't stick, so I'm back to being stuck with the roles of 6 people at work. To be fair, the workload is not crippling, but the number of things I need to remember, the number of hats I wear and the occasional situation where I need to be in two places at the same time that can make things difficult. I also experienced my first personal health scare. I suppose I've reached that age where not every ache or pain can be explained away as the result of youthful exuberance, plus my family history tends to be a bigger factor in creating the scare, the older that I get. The situation at home will likely be undergoing drastic changes given the big changes Padawan Minigeek & Babygeek are going through. However I feel more settled in my role as an all-rounder parent. In many respects, spending time with my kids brings the little joys that keep me going. It's strange that whilst children need a parent, I have come to realize that as a parent, I need my kids too, an inseparable, symbiotic relationship if you will.
They carry me just as much as I carry them
Alrighty, with all that out of the way let's talk about some boardgame statistics for 2018, I'm still using the Board Game Stats app, simply because it makes recording a breeze. But here's a side by side comparison for 2018 and 2017:
Stats for SWAGamers (2018 v 2017)
My personal stats (2018 v 2017)
So 2018 was very much the same as 2017 with the following two exceptions. This year we finally got our FIRST Dime! (only 1 shy away from a Quarter!) and the reason for that is the epic and glorious Gloomhaven! So we ended up with 89 Plays for SWAGamers (2017: 62) and 74 Plays personally (2017: 42) or if you remove Gloomhaven from the equation then, 65 Plays for SWAGamers (2017: 62) and 49 Plays personally (2017: 42). Perhaps more interestingly for those who care about "winnin'", the following stats would be more interesting:
Meaning of symbols from left to right: Plays, Games Played, Wins, Win % & Win Chance
Win Chance is an interesting stat. It is calculated based on the number of Players in a play. So a 5 Player competitive game is a 20% Win Chance, coop and solo is calculated at 50% Win Chance. When you Win % is lower than your Win Chance, it turns Red, and Green if it is higher. Let's give an example, if for the whole year, the only game you play is a 20 Player Ultimate Werewolf game, and you win, your Win % is 100% and your Win Chance is 5%. So congratulations to Sean, Gideon, Moses (which is weird because the four of us always game with each other), Edward, Jimmy, Justin C & Me! For averaging more wins than your average chance to win throughout the whole year.
So let's talk about the… COLLECTION… It is a bit more ominous this year around because I have been a very, very bad curator. Let's get down to it. So in total, I made 4 new acquisitions in 2018 plus 1 down payment for a game releasing in 2019 (which in hindsight, is not as bad as last year's 3 new games… justifications, justifications). But this year, I finally decided to do some mass culling, mostly because of space reasons which I'm limiting to just two shelves (except for Gloomhaven which is a whole shelve to itself). I put 10 games on the block and managed to transfer ownership of 5 games to new homes, which actually makes my net acquisition to be –1 game! (more justifications) Let's run through the list in detail shall we?
Creative Accounting – Making the numbers say what you want to say
Games that have left the Wishlist:
So last year, I had Clank! In Space!, Codenames: Marvel, Heaven & Ale, Magic Maze and Majesty: For The Realm on my wishlist. Only Clank! In Space! remains on the list and only Majesty: For The Realm was purchased whilst the rest have left the Wishlist.
It's true that having a Wishlist helps curb your impulse buying
Just a quick paragraph on why they dropped off my Wishlist: It turns out that Codenames: Marvel is actually for Marvel fans and not Marvel Cinematic Universe fans. Big DIFFERENCE because most Marvel fans are actually casual MCU fans and would have no clue about most Marvel trivia. Heaven & Ale's attraction did indeed wane over time, based on descriptions given by reviewers, the game was too tight for my tastes, I already have Agricola to scratch that itch. Lastly, Magic Maze was a little too crazy, I know I talked about the value of having games that are newbie friendly but we haven't had many new people this year and I don't have a bag of holding full of gold so… bye bye.
Games that are still in the ring:
So, Clank! In Space! is still on my Wishlist. I had an opportunity to pick this up but based on a WhatsApp group poll, I picked up (a nearly impossible to find in Malaysia) a copy of Aeon's End: War Eternal instead, which for approximately the same price apparently provides more value. Having not played Clank! In Space! yet, I bowed to the wisdom of a peer group poll and pulled the trigger. Nevertheless, Clank! In Space! is still on my radar and I'm hoping to get it second hand on the cheap.
I sincerely hope that this doesn't fall off the Wishlist but man it's been two years and I still haven't gotten it yet
Another game that has been on my Wishlist but is technically an expansion is Orleans: Trade & Intrigue. I very, very, very rarely buy expansions, unless they come bundled together with the base game. Particularly if the expansion is released very shortly after the base game, it makes you wonder if they couldn't just release the expansion content in the base game itself. But too many people have sworn to never play without the Orleans: Trade & Intrigue expansion once they have it for me to not sit up and take notice. We'll see what 2019 brings.
It would seem that the stars would really need to align for this to enter my collection, since hardly anyone sells expansions second hand on their own without the base game
So what's new to the Wishlist? It's a rather short one actually.
Aeon's End - Teaching Gamers how to work together in harmony
Aeon's End - So I already have Gloomhaven, and that already does teach Gamers how to cooperate but it definitely does not teach the harmonious bit. Aeon's End fills this gap magnificently, like the equivalent of fighting Kaiju in a Jaeger in Pacific Rim (what a crappy movie). So because I bought Aeon's End: War Eternal, I'm kinda keen on getting Aeon's End as well, I don't think I will actively seek out the mini expansions unless they become suddenly available in Malaysia. But yes, the only reason it is on my Wishlist now is because I thoroughly enjoy Aeon's End: War Eternal and want more of it.
A Feast For Odin - So many choices your mind will explode
Okay, so I've had a in and out of love relationship with what is deemed to be Uwe Rosenberg's biggest game - A Feast For Odin. Let me list the reasons for me to love it to be in my collection: (1) It has the Patchwork mechanic which I don't have in any of my games (2) It's a big, heavy game which I love (3) I'm a big Uwe Rosenberg fanboy (4) VIKINGS! So let's move on to reasons why shouldn't it be a part of my collection: (1) God is it hard to find people to play an Uwe Rosernberg big game with me (2) Man is the game expensive… And that's it. Unless I can pick this up cheap, I highly doubt it's going to enter my collection.
Games Added To THE SHELF:
So I've already covered Majesty: For The Realm and Aeon's End: War Eternal earlier. Let's go over the remaining two games… and a half?
Lorenzo il Magnifico by Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli & Simone Luciani
Lorenzo il Magnifico - So having unexpectedly sold more boardgames than I thought I would when I put my cull list online, I decided I could pick up something nice for myself, a little birthday present to myself if you will. With Newton, Barrage & Coimbra coming out, I decided to finally get one of the Big 3 of Simone Luciani's designs The Voyages of Marco Polo, Grand Austria Hotel & Lorenzo il Magnifico. Making this decision was made easier by there being a BNIS copy of Lorenzo il Magnifico being sold second hand at a discount. I have a feeling that I'm not going to regret this purchase.
Roll Player (including Monsters & Minions expansion) by Keith Matejka
Roll Player - There was a point that I really hated the publisher, Thunderworks Games, because Roll Player was released in bloody 2016 and there was no retail copy available anywhere in Malaysia. I even considered backing the second printing when they launched the Monsters & Minions expansion kickstarter but I had just gotten Gloomhaven at the time and by comparison, all games fell short of Gloomhaven's price tag v content ratio. Still, I've always loved the look and the idea of Roll Player and it has been jumping in and out of my Wishlist throughout the year. So when someone put up a BNIS bundle for sale, at a price I have sworn to the seller to take to my grave, this became my impulse buy of the year, and I love it!
Everdell (including Pearlbrook expansion) by James A. Wilson & Art by Andrew Bosley
Everdell - There are boardgames out there that look oh so good! I've actually done the whole impulse purchase just because it looks great. The bonus here is that not only is it a magnificently illustrated game, the component design was well thought out to suit the theme of the game with a plus that the game design itself is actually very good. There are deluxe or collectors' editions of games out there that I desperately wanted to have such as Yokohama & Gugong and Everdell very quickly joined the list. The game and its expansion won't be arriving until September 2019 so I only needed to make a downpayment on the pre-order that's why it's considered only half of an acquisition.
Closing Thoughts On 2018:
I will be honest and say that in terms of boardgaming, Gloomhaven has taken over my boardgame interests in a real way. It becomes something you play, think about the whole week, blog post the session and the play again the next week. Eat Gloomhaven, breathe Gloomhaven and live Gloomhaven and all that Having said that, when we started the campaign I consciously wanted to ensure that it would not take over the normal monthly meet ups and so we scheduled a separate fixed date just for Gloomhaven and it has become the thing to look forward to in my boardgaming life.
It ain't heavy, it's my Gloomhaven
I spent a lot of time with the Padawans Minigeek and Babygeek this year, taking about a little over two weeks of leave throughout the year either for them or to be with them. It does get a little weary but somehow as the designated Jedi Master, my midichlorians just can't seem to help themselves when they get the sniffles, ouchies or even when they get into trouble in school. There are technically no ranks at the Padawan level but as Minigeek and Babygeek set out on their own respective missions of attending school, I can't help but worry if they will be alright. And then when Minigeek and Babygeek tell you they love you, all is right in all the galaxies in the universe.
Oh my Padawans how I love you, I can't count the ways
So what's next in 2019? I actually suspect there will be more of the same of 2018. I don't know how long the Gloomhaven hype will continue for us but I'm seriously considering getting a proper table for gaming in the back room as that coffee table I have to shift in every time we want to get a session in weighs like an Indian bull elephant. I will probably let go off more games in 2019 as I do need a bit of the space. But yes that's more of the same, so let's look ahead to 2020 instead! Exciting news, I've made plans with Gideon to do our Essen Spiel pilgrimage! The feeling of excitement is palpable even though it is 1 year and 10 months away! I highly suspect that this is going to be a one and done sort of thing for me so I'm really hoping 2020 will be a really strong year at Essen Spiel.
And as is customary for me to end each year with an annual geek contribution, here's something from playthatfunkyboardgame for your viewing pleasure:
Courtesy of playthatfunkyboardgame (IG)
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