Speaking of web games, I just noticed that Oregon Trail on Facebook is now Northwest Trail. Looks like somebody got C&D'd...

I notice they also have Guillotine, which is a constant favorite lunchtime game at my office.

It sounds like a sequel to Down With the King, which I played many years ago. Imagine a card game based on Versaiiles during the reign of Louis XV, and you get the idea.

It's about the use of the second person, which is almost never done in lit-ra-choor, but overwhelmingly done in games (please to see thread title).

I've written several stories in the second person, because of the immediacy of the voice. I think it would be damned near impossible to sustain a whole novel that way, but it's fun to use in shorter fiction sometimes.

I notice they also have Guillotine, which is a constant favorite lunchtime game at my office. Something about work makes people want to decapitate French aristocracy, I guess.

I played this card game with my niece and nephew a lot a few years ago. Very fun.

Back to BT's question:

I would absolutely LOVE to play some online board games. Actually, I think Republic of Rome could easily be played online (provided it also included a chat function for the political phase). Like most computerized versions of board games, I imagine that would speed the game up considerably, since so many of the tedious manual manipulation of cards and pieces is automated by the computer.

I'd be down for playing some RoboRally. I don't remember how to play, but I'm sure I'll pick it up right away.

Obviously the scheduling with BT will be tough, but I'll probably have an easier time scheduling than some, since my schedule is kind of all over the place.

I think it would be damned near impossible to sustain a whole novel that way, but it's fun to use in shorter fiction sometimes.

I just read Halting State by Charles Stross. Entirely in 2nd person, flipping between two characters, so it always took me a couple paragraphs to figure out who I was. AND written largely in Scottish. Not the most fun read ever.

Not entirely off-topic either, as it's a what-if about real-world police action for an in-game (WoW-ish) item.

On a completely other topic, the non-profit Federation of Galaxy Explorers group is looking for some volunteer developers to help build video games for kids. My company participates every year; I think you can check NASA's website for more info.

They are also looking for a few people to spend a few hours a month helping to contribute to the Open Source “Orbiter Flight Simulator” project to add in some FOGE requirements. [link]

I have purchased Tomb Raider: Anniversary and a game controller.

I have snuck these things into the house.

I love subversive Sean. Hey, with the laptop you can even sneak out to play.

Considering it is now installed and I'm itching to play it, I'm not sure how clandestine it will remain. Plus, I eventually want to let S check it out and see if she might enjoy playing it.

It's apparently the original TR game redone for current gaming power. I'm askeered of the T-Rex. That thing was tough the first time around. I don't need it to be smarter.

I would absolutely LOVE to play some online board games. Actually, I think Republic of Rome could easily be played online (provided it also included a chat function for the political phase). Like most computerized versions of board games, I imagine that would speed the game up considerably, since so many of the tedious manual manipulation of cards and pieces is automated by the computer.

There are a couple of sites offering PBEM Republic of Rome:
http://www.yxklyx.com/thecolosseum/ror/
http://www.amarriner.com/

I'm not sure how far they've automated the rules resolution.

I've used PBEM for Diplomacy in the past. It works very well for this style of game. (Plus, it was the platform for my greatest victory, a Russian solo. Plus a game where as England I convinced France to open by moving his one fleet into the Med, even after opening to the English Channel and Liverpool.)

I'd be down for playing some RoboRally. I don't remember how to play, but I'm sure I'll pick it up right away.

If you sign up on Gleemax (currently free), you can play against computer opponents too, which should get you back up to speed on the rules (they have the rules too, more or less). The play experience is so much faster with a computer working out everything too.

Warning: the computer players are real buggers. Because so much of the challenge is working out the way through the obstacle course, and computer algorithms have a real advantage there. I have already once beaten seven computer opponents, though, through the simple expedient of one of them shoving me off my chosen path and right onto the last flag. So that was good of them.