News Flash: Lew Pulsipher Has Been Cockpunched By Drake

repoman wrote: Pointing the finger and saying that sucks but I'm no writer, is bullshit too. I've seen your posts Jeff. You write well enough. You could post articles on overlooked games or older games. That you don't is not an indictment of your ability but of your motivation.

Interesting. Something to think about.

Thanks!

Hmmmm. Tuesday Freakout is not as entertaining

Ska_baron wrote: Hmmmm. Tuesday Freakout is not as entertaining

But I offered pie....

I can't say I understand the raging over the article. I got enough out of it to understand that Dragon Rage is a throwback game. Drake may have crossed into borderline rant mode a few times, but his underlying point sounds totally valid to me . 50 page rulebook ? He's not attacking the length per se, but rather the length given the subject matter. Hell I've digested many rule sets that long - when the subject requires it . And his comments about boring game play sound spot on .

As for Pulshipher, while I don't have anything against him, the columns he posted here were about as interesting as reading the tax code. Definitely struck me as an academic out of touch with the real world.

scissors wrote: [...] and what other site has Black Barney?

justin-bieber.com

Msample wrote: 50 page rulebook ? He's not attacking the length per se, but rather the length given the subject matter. Hell I've digested many rule sets that long - when the subject requires it . And his comments about boring game play sound spot on.

Battlelore had an 80 page rulebook IIRC, which could've been written in 10. Page count doesn't really tell you much about the complexity of the rules. Point is, Drake's review might be entertaining, but it tells you hardly anything about the game, except its physical components, the contents of the first page of the rulebook --things you could get out of an 'unboxing the game' review-- and the factoid that the game is "not fun at all", which is usually a sign of bad writing, when aspects of something are stated instead of described to the reader through various means, as in a novel when characters are described not through their actions but by attributes given to them by the author: the first approach is a lot more difficult than the second.

Schweig! wrote:

scissors wrote: [...] and what other site has Black Barney?

justin-bieber.com

I don't go there anymore. I WAS supporting a fellow Canadian proper but now he just spits on people. So I'm back to stalking Avril Lavigne again. It's going to one day be a Rene Angelil / Celine Dion love story except not as creepy.

How the heck does Scissors not even have 700 posts yet, btw? He's been here forever.

/misses Summer Glau

//also, this place was and still is awesome

repoman wrote: Lastly, the F:AT meme that the site has taken a nose dive gets under my skin.

I like the niche that this site has carved out. I like the fact that it does have that clubhouse feel. I like that it isn't staffed and full of career boardgame bloggers because that means if someone has something to say about a game it holds more weight since they aren't just churning through game after game after game giving out weak analysis just to keep the reviews (and review copies) flowing. I know if a game that has been released a few years ago keeps popping up every so often I know it is a game I should look at if i missed it the first time around. That's why I just picked up Rush n Crush in trade.

There is always room for improvement, but on a community driven site such as this you have to be happy with what you put in. So I'm content.

Schweig! wrote:

scissors wrote: [...] and what other site has Black Barney?

justin-bieber.com

I think Barney quit him when he lied...he said he'd swallow.

I don't think its a great review. I can see why someone would be bored with Dragon Rage, but there is a some what unwarranted personal tone to it.

Dragon Rage tells an interesting narrative, but its too simple to be a really engaging strategic hex and counter but at the same time lacks any hidden information or mechanical intrigue. Its 50 page rule book is a tad over done for such a simple hex and counter.

Personally i like Petes hyperbolic posts and the FAT rage. FAT needs some freekout, embrace it.

so weird! We both made posts about Beiber spitting without knowing the other was going to.

I still don't know why you named him Superfly Circus's Performer of the Year 2013 tho

Black Barney wrote: How the heck does Scissors not even have 700 posts yet, btw?

I think that's because he quits F:AT all the time.

It should be a rule that you may come back after quitting F:AT only when you bring along some cool cartoons.

Msample wrote: I can't say I understand the raging over the article. I got enough out of it to understand that Dragon Rage is a throwback game. Drake may have crossed into borderline rant mode a few times, but his underlying point sounds totally valid to me . 50 page rulebook ? He's not attacking the length per se, but rather the length given the subject matter. Hell I've digested many rule sets that long - when the subject requires it . And his comments about boring game play sound spot on .

As for Pulshipher, while I don't have anything against him, the columns he posted here were about as interesting as reading the tax code. Definitely struck me as an academic out of touch with the real world.

Ok, to critique the review in a slightly more serious way, this is why I think it's a shit review. (Although I'm not raging as such, more eye rolling in a way that makes people want to punch me IRL).

1. You're being way too charitable about the rules thing. He doesn't qualify it. He argues that a 50 page rule book is de facto outdated. Actually, for a light wargame with lots of chrome, it's about what I'd expect. (For comparison, the Virgin Queen rulebook is 44 pages and I'm not including the Scenario book in that count).

2. This links into a wider issue. By complaining about the length of the rulebook, along with things like cardboard chits and numbered hexes, the overwhelming impression he gives me is that he doesn't actually know this genre of boardgaming. At all.

3. He can fuck off with the "every game needs plastic and we'll pay more!" argument. Yeah, I get it Drake. You have lots of disposable income to piss up against the wall. I don't. Fuck you.

4. The Pulsipher manifesto on the first page is fair game. It came with Dragon Rage after all, so it's a legitimate issue for the review. But it's a single page in an apparently scarily lengthy rulebook. Spending four paragraphs on it (in a nine paragraph review) is ridiculously self-indulgent. Dude needs a fucking editor to slap him upside the head and red-pen him.

5. Pulsipher's academic career, on the other hand, is over the line. And I say that as someone who pretty much disagrees with everything I've seen Pulsipher say on game design theory. If you want to review one of his game design articles, do that. If you want to critique his academic writing, do so. But this just came across as shoehorned in. It was petty and obnoxious. Especially as it boiled down to "HURR HURR PULSIPHER TEACHES GAME DESIGN AT A CRAP COLLEGE". That's not analysis, that's playground taunting.

6. I've just reviewed a review. Fucking meta, yo. I hope someone reviews my review of the review next.

Black Barney wrote: so weird! We both made posts about Beiber spitting without knowing the other was going to.

I still don't know why you named him Superfly Circus's Performer of the Year 2013 tho

BUCKWHEAT GROATS...who the fuck else?

faceknives wrote:

Msample wrote: 3. He can fuck off with the "every game needs plastic and we'll pay more!" argument. Yeah, I get it Drake. You have lots of disposable income to piss up against the wall. I don't. Fuck you.

As someone who's known Matt a long time, and has flown into town specifically to have lunch with him, I am the one with the disposable income. Matt is broke as fuck 9/10 times. So, fuck me, not him. I'm easier.

Repoman wrote: Certain posters here have certain on-line personas. Pete's has always been and will continue to be one of over the top vulgarity

I grew up listening to Eddie Murphy, George Carlin, and Richard Pryor. Something tells me it had an effect. Sadly, there's no online personality...I have only one personality. Surprisingly, I have friends all over the world who are fiercely loyal as am I to them, so I'm thinking that if someone can't handle me, well, I have plenty of friends and they can either get on the Circus train or get out of the way. I live life to the fullest in my own way, and some people don't get that or somehow think they have the right to tell me to act otherwise. Good luck with that. I make no excuses, I am who I am and I like "me", and if they don't like me, that's entirely their problem.