Archive for the ‘Computer Games’ Category

Or is it because we smell?

Posted on in Computer Games, Games, Miniatures, WWW.

Last week I was introduced to Playfire – a social networking site for computer gamers. It got me wondering why there’s no equivalent for wargamers.

There’s BoardGameGeek but (a) the interface sucks and (b) its remit is so much wider than wargames. TMP and Frothers are fine places to come together and talk about games but that’s all. Where’s the site where I can catalogue the games I play and the miniatures I own and connect with other players?

A lot of the functionality that the knitters have on Ravelry would be great – a flexible but standardised way of listing “projects” – which minis, which paints, which TOE, WIP photos, etc.

Considering how geeky and techie a lot of wargamers are, why has no one created the site? Is it simply because the idea of social networking isn’t really our thing?

Someone will now pop up in the comments and tell me about a site that I should have known about all along.

Making history

Posted on in Computer Games, Magazines, Memes, My Life, TV, Work, WWW.

As we’re all blogging for history, here’s a bit about my day.

Alarm went off at 7:00. Lettice got up. I didn’t. Whoops. Staggered out of bed at 8:00 and between checking e-mail, showering, eating breakfast and faffing about managed to get into work around about 9:45. No meetings this morning so not a problem. Check work e-mail and calendar and tell the project manager that I love her because she’s worked out that in our incredibly tight schedule for the site (www.visitlondon.com) redesign I actually have no tasks allocated to me between the end of November and the sometim in February so I can take some holiday after all. But then I groan as I realise that Friday is booked up with meetings from 10-12 and then 12:30-16:00. Ouch.

Spent most of the day working on a project for our kids’ site (www.kidslovelondon.com). Nothing terribly exciting – a bit of CSS, bit of XSLT, bit of JavaScript (enforcing my own recently written coding standards to avoid document.write and use appendChild() etc.). Minor panic regarding the half term edition of the kids’ newsletter but it got sent out on time and everyone seems very happy with the new style.

Went to lunch with Lettice – she’s working at VL for a few weeks. And after that it was time for today’s round of meetings about the redesign project. Time and money versus ambition. Same as every project I’ve ever worked on. We actually have a very good team (and soon to be a much bigger team, an ad will be appear in this week’s New Media Age for six positions within the web team at VL) and doing most of the work in house will cut down on some of the headaches.

Ended up working until 18:30 which makes up for the late start, though a fair chunk of the last hour was spent playing Bang! Howdy (www.banghowdy.com) whilst waiting for other people to go through the designs of the Christmas pages with me. We need to have some pages up very soon in order to cover the switching on of the Christmas Lights.

London Bridge was busy and I just missed the 18:39. I bought this week’s New Scientist (suckered in by the ‘what would happen to Earth if humans vanished cover story) and this month’s .net (a couple of articles that I can quote mine for a brainstorm in one of Friday’s endless meetings). Ran into Séverine and we caught the 18:51 to Tulse Hill and then walked up to West Norwood together.

Home, sausages for dinner, then watched CSI: Miami with Lettice before sitting down to write this.

So there you are, not my usual sort of post and probably not of any great historical interest.

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Fumblers by name…

Posted on in Computer Games, Sport.

This weekend the Frankenstein’s Fumblers played four matches. How many do you think we won? None. Not a single one. One draw and three losses. Touchdowns scored: one. Touchdowns conceeded: seven. Oh dear. 🙁

Three for three

Posted on in Computer Games, Sport.

Last night Frankenstein’s Fumblers lost an exhibition match against the lizardmen of the Turbo Freaks. That’s played three, lost three.

Oh well, those were the pre-season warm-ups and with the cup nearly over we have the league to look forward to.

Despite losing the Fumblers continued to provide entertainment and raked in a sizable purse, which along with it being a casualty free match means that we have the cash to spend on new team members.

Say hello to our new Flesh Golem, Bride of Frankie, (pictured on the right in characteristically stoic mood at a press conference to announce her signing) bringing that much needed feminine touch to the squad. Any notion that this is nepotism on the part of team captain, Big Frankie, is strongly denied.

 

Frankenstein Fumbled

Posted on in Computer Games, Sport.

Last night the Fumblers became the first team to crash out of the Cup. After losing 0-2 to the Dwarf Giants and 1-2 to the Numinous Comets they creep back to their crypt in shame.

But, like all good undead, they will rise again!

Frankenstein’s Fumblers are now available to play exhibition matches, so all other losers, or any late comers who missed out on the Cup, or any confident winners up there in the heavenly half of the draw, come and have a go if you think you’re soft enough.

‘cos the werewolves are getting hungry, and want some more star player points…

First Blood

Posted on in Computer Games, My Life, Sport.

Last night the 2006 Old World Cup started. This, in contrast with the recent rubbish in Germany, is a Blood Bowl tournament played over the web with a few friends. My team, Frankenstein’s Fumblers, played the opening game against the Dwarf Giants.

The Fumblers have a nice mix of muscle, speed and cannon fodder. The Giants have muscle, more muscle and some muscle on the side. The Giants won 2-0.

As the cup is being played as a double elimination tournament this means that I’m not out but I do have an uphill struggle if I’m going to win. My next match will be against the loser of Numinal Comets (elves) vs Veni Vedi Viking (um, Vikings).