boredgameanthonydeyn

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Guess Who Ethnic Bias?

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Game ArtWork/design

Hero quest

Carcassonne

Cribbage

I have chosen 3 out of 10 games that jumped out to me for various reasons. The first game is Hero Quest.

Hero Quest is a dungeon crawler game where you and you friends make your way through an evil lair taking down various monsters as you go. To be honest it looks extremely similar to Dungeons and Dragons. This is also why I chose it, it's a great example of a game that would be played by an audience of an older age range, it requires many hours of time and practice before the game can be played fluently. For this reason it’s not a family game. Rather you and your nerdy friends would be the perfect audience. 

In terms of art style, I feel this game has a very retro feel. (Which is appropriate bearing in mind it was made in 1989) It reminds me very much of Conan the barbarian. 

Carcassonne is a castle builder game, new tiles appear and the game is played on. This is a very simply colourful game, I imagine it to be played with younger children at a family gathering. However the simplicity shouldn’t detract from a game. I really like the element of how the map gets bigger as more land is discovered and tiles are flipped.

The final game is Cribbage, in this game you make your way around a scenic farm land using the peg holes. the reason I chose this game is because of the very unique board design, I’ve never seen a game that plays in this simple faction with such a complex board.

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How Have Board Games Changed

Culture plays a significant role in shaping board games, often influencing their themes, mechanics, and historical context. For instance, the game Battleship, which emerged during and after World Wars I and II, reflects the naval warfare of that era. The strategic and hidden movement aspects of the game parallel the tactics employed in naval battles, creating a connection between the game and the historical events of the time.

Viking Chess, also known as Hnefatafl, reflects the cultural and military strategies of the Viking Age. With heavy themes of protecting the king, the game mirrors the importance of leadership and defense in Viking society. The asymmetrical nature of the game, where one player defends a central king while the other surrounds and tries to capture it, captures the essence of Viking warfare and their societal structures.

In modern times, current culture continues to shape board games. Themes have diversified to encompass various genres, from fantasy and science fiction to real-world issues. Social and cooperative games, like "Pandemic," reflect a growing emphasis on teamwork and global interconnectedness.

The rise of technology has influenced game design, leading to digital integration and the creation of hybrid board games that blend physical components with digital elements. Moreover, the impact of pop culture is evident in games based on movies, TV shows, and video games, catering to contemporary interests.

Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have empowered independent designers, enabling the creation of games that might not align with traditional market trends but resonate with niche or diverse audiences. This reflects a cultural shift towards inclusivity and diversity.

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EGX London

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Ammo Create painting pt 2

Arguably the most satisfying process was the stencils. It seemed simple, all I had to do was place the stencil on my box and spray paint over. However this thought proved to be false. There was a fair bit more I needed to do in order to archive a clean result.

My first attempt was the numbers on the lid of the create. For this I simply placed the stencil on the lid and using an off white spray paint sprayed over the stencil. Once dry enough I removed the stencil and was extremely pleased with the result. However I noticed a little bit of the lid was caught in the white spray paint. This was a valuable lesson as I proceeded to use masking tape and paper to protect the surrounding area of the box. Opposed to simply spraying directly onto the stencil. 

Another element that was important was making sure the stencil was level on the box. The last thing I wanted was the stencil lifting up or being blown while spray painting. This would cause the design to be smudged and ruined. To avoid this I used masking to to secure the stencil design along with paper to mask the other exposed places.

Overall I’m extremely pleased with the end result. I looks super authentic in my opinion, if I saw this in an army surplus store it certainly wouldn’t stick out to me. The bleeded edges of the stencils look super authentic too. This is because I used spray paint opposed to using a sponge and stippling paint onto the stencils. I’m glad I used spray paint as it gives a far more convincing effect.

I was initially not sure what colour I should use for the stencils, it was between: black, white, yellow and red. However I’m very glad with my choice of white. 

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Monopoly

Monopoly is a classic board game that has been a staple in households around the world for decades. Created by Charles Darrow and patented by Parker Brothers in 1935, Monopoly is a real estate trading game where players buy, sell, and trade properties, aiming to bankrupt their opponents. The game includes a square board with streets and properties, player tokens, property cards, Monopoly money in various denominations, and houses and hotels that players can purchase to increase the rent on their developed properties. Additionally, Community Chest and Chance cards add an element of chance to the game, influencing players' fortunes. Monopoly is known for its competitive and strategic gameplay, making it a classic choice for family game nights and friendly competitions.

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Classic Deck of Cards

A classic deck of cards is cherished for its simplicity, portability, and adaptability. With 52 cards divided into four suits, it offers countless gaming possibilities. Originating in ancient China around the 9th century, playing cards spread to India, Persia, and eventually Europe by the late 14th century. The standardized deck we know emerged in the 15th century with hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. This adaptability makes it perfect for a variety of games, from Poker and Bridge to family favorites. Its enduring appeal stems from its rich history, suitability for all ages, and the social interactions it fosters in both casual and competitive settings.

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Catan

Catan, formerly known as The Settlers of Catan, is a popular board game designed for three to four players, but expansions allow for more participants. Created by Klaus Teuber, it's a strategy game where players build settlements and roads on the island of Catan. The game begins with players placing two settlements and roads.

Catan's primary resources include wood, brick, wheat, ore, and sheep, which players use to build structures. Resource production is determined by the roll of two six-sided dice. Players can trade resources with each other, enhancing the social and negotiation aspects of the game.

Key objectives involve accumulating victory points by building settlements, cities, and achieving specific development cards. The first player to reach the agreed-upon number of victory points wins. Catan is celebrated for its mix of strategy, negotiation, and luck, making it a cornerstone of modern board gaming.

I absolutely love this game! The sheer amount of fun that can be had is amazing. The game in my opinion perfectly balances luck and strategy. Its also a very appealing game to look at. This is an often overlooked part of a game. It must feel and look satisfying to the eye. This is such a good game, If you haven’t already do yourself a favour and play it!

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Guess Who

"Guess Who?" is this awesome two-player board game from the '70s. Each player grabs a mystery character card, and the game board's filled with a bunch of different characters. You take turns throwing out yes/no questions about how these characters look. The other person answers and flips down characters that don't match your clues. You use this info to whittle down your options. Whoever guesses the other person's mystery character first is the winner.

Ive had the pleasure of playing the game in the past, it’s a fun game. However I have found it to become rather boring after a few games. The strategy leaves little room for improvement. And even practice at the game doesn’t seem to add anymore depth to the games strategy. Personally I prefer games such as Monopoly and Catan, these are games where you buy and sell resources and expand your empire. To compare Guess who to these very popular strategy games is unfair since they sit in entirely different categories. However I simply wanted to highlight the fact there’re games I find far more enjoyable.

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Hnefatafl

Hnefatafl, also known as Viking Chess, is an ancient board game that originated in Scandinavia. The name "Hnefatafl" is Old Norse and can be translated as "king's table" or "king's board," reflecting the central role of the king piece in the game.

The game is asymmetric, meaning that the two opposing sides have different objectives and pieces. Generally, the game is played on a square board with an uneven number of squares. The central square represents the king, who is initially surrounded by his defenders. The attackers, represented by a greater number of pieces, surround the edges of the board.

The objective for the defenders is to help the king escape to one of the corners of the board, while the attackers aim to capture the king by surrounding him on all four sides. The pieces move orthogonally (horizontally or vertically, not diagonally), and capturing is typically done by surrounding an opponent's piece between two of your own.

Hnefatafl has several historical variations, and the rules can differ slightly between them. The game was popular during the Viking Age and continued to be played in various forms throughout medieval Scandinavia and other parts of Europe. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in Hnefatafl, and enthusiasts have developed modern rule sets and boards for playing the game.

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Ammo Create painting pt 1

The process of painting my ammo create was an easy one. I began by gathering a selection acrylic paints. With the help of the college Technician Simon I was able to mix the correct colour army green. I wanted a vintage cold-war Russian army green colour, this proved rather challenging to create, I believe this is because the colour I wanted has a rather yellowy undertone. The colour I ended up mixing wasn’t quite what I originally wanted. However this doesn’t mean I’m any less happy with it, In fact I may be even happier with the new colour I ended up with. So a huge thank you to Simon, there is absolutely no way I would have got anywhere close the colour I wanted without his help.

Another thing to mention is the primer, it was suggested to me that I use a primer. However I decided not to use a primer for a few reasons. The main one is the fact I’d loose the amazing rustic feel of the wood grain, with potentially 3 coats of paint including the primer. This would cause the woodgrain of the box to flatten and loose its rustic appeal.

The other reason is the brighter colour, using a white primer would cause the army green colour I mixed to appear lighter. This is a big issue. Its for all these reasons I opted to not use a white primer.

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Finished wooden box

Once everything was build I was left with the finished wooden box, with the exception of paint. I’m extremely pleased with the end result, the box is sturdy and very strong construction. The hinges are smooth and able to take quite a bit of abuse without breaking, and the handles are not what I originally intended. However they turned out rather nice. 

Overall I’m extremely pleased with the result I archived. Patience is defiantly the key when building something like this, theres no point in rushing the process. It’s better to take an extra day rather than rush the process and mess it up.

When paired up next to the real ammo create I used as a reference, you can see a very strong resemblance between them. Its very hard to tell the apart, this only give away is the handles, colour and slight hight difference. This all proves to me that I did a good job replicating the feel and look of a military ammo create. The next step is to paint the box and add my stencil designs.

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Wooden Ammo Box pt 7

At this point I was on the finishing details of the box. I simply had to add some more nails where necessary, and build some sort of handle. The process of making the handle was an easy one, originally I wanted to make a rope handle to carry the box. However this was too much effort and I instead opted to make a pair of wooden handles.

Sawing two even blocks of wood, these would make up my handles. I then beveled the edges to make it feel more refined and stop splinters. Even though this is meant to be a mass produced military create, I figured they would take the time to bevel the handles to make them more comfortable.

Finally I added more nails to areas that where uneven or needed strengthening. In retrospect I honestly feel I could have got away with a third of the nails I used. However I feel much more at ease knowing this box could probably survive a tumble down several flights of stairs.

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Wooden Ammo Box pt 6

Making the lid of my box was an easy enough process. I previously made the lid as one of the first part of my box, essentially all I had to do now was add the hinges and make sure the lid fit correctly. After finding a suitable pair of hinges I marked where they should go with a pencil, (using a pencil opposed to a pen is a good idea since pencil can be rubbed off after). 

After the wood was marked where the hinges should go I moved on. Dew to the thickness of the wood this limited me as to how large the screws used to attach the hinges could be. Using the metal sheers I was able to cut six screws (one for each hole in the hinges) to the appropriate size.

Finally I screwed the hinges in place, this was a relatively easy process. However I was very cautious ton take my time with this. 

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Wooden Ammo Box pt 5

Continuing the process of building my box I decided to build the sides. This would prove to be rather challenging. First measuring the length the planks would need to be, I then used a handsaw to cut them to size. The reason for this is that the band saw blade was being replaced so I had to use a handsaw.

Once all the components where cut I used the sanding disk to refine/smooth the edges. This was a slow process as I didn’t want to accidentally remove too much material. Eventually I sanded all the sides to the correct size. 

In order to attach them I used the exact same process I have for every other piece so far. Drill pilot holes, round nail point and hammer nail into the wooden planks. Dew to the angle of the side planks, I had to use clamps to hold them in place while I hammered the nails into place. Once everything was nailed into place I bent the nails over to stop them from coming out.

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Wooden Ammo Box pt 4

I previously made the lid and bottom of my box, I now decided to work on the front and back of my box. First by measuring how wide the front of the box needed to be, I was then able to decide how tall I wanted the box. Once I had all of my  dimensions and lines drawn, I moved onto cutting the wood using the band saw.

Once the two planks that would make up the front of my box where cut, I moved to making the support braces for the two panels that make up the front of my box. This was an easy enough process, I measured how big these supports needed to be and then cut them with the band saw. 

To complete them I plained them to get the exact right size.

Once I had all of my pieces cut out I assembled them. Using a drill to drill pilot holes and then hammering nails to secure them. This was a time consuming process as I had to continually readjust and make sure the pieces where square. Eventually I completed the front of my box, I repeated all of these process to create the  back of my box. To make sure everything was assembled correctly I pieced everything together. Thankfully it was all measured correct!

The next process is to create the sides of my box, and then finally piece everything together.

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Wooden Ammo Box pt 3

Continuing to build the lid of my box, I decided to plain the braces for the lid. This was a good decision, it add another element to the box and helps break up the monotony.

Next I moved onto the assembly of the lid. I used a drill to bore out pilot holes. With the help of an extra pair of hands I  stabilised the planked of wood together. Next I was able to use a nail and hammer to hammer the nail into the plank of wood. I repeated the process until I felt all points of the lid where secure. I rounded the ends of each nail before hammering them into the wood, this stopped the nails from splitting the wood.

To fully secure the nails to the wood, I bend the nails over and hammered them slightly into the wood. 

With the rest of the day I used my time to make another lid. However this would be the the bottom of my box instead. The only difference being I hammered the nails the other way into the planks. This was so the bent over nails wouldn’t be on the inside of the box. Rather the flat head of the nail is on the interior of the box.

It was a rather lengthy process. However I don’t think theres anything I could have done to make it go any faster. It’s just one of those jobs you must take care with. I have a feeling the rest of the rest of the building process will be like this, a lot of measuring, double checking and re-measuring.