I’m becoming more willing to offer to double in hopes of making the computer resign in backgammon. Case in point: I thought a double-and-resign was my best chance at victory, frankly, as my position was not a good one. I was unlikely to get those two pieces out of white’s home quadrant, and it wasContinue reading “A Satisfying Victory”
Category Archives: Video Games
A Court-Martialable Offense
Captain’s Log, Stardate 3100.0. Our routine survey mission in quadrant Capella I has been cut short. USS Enterprise has received word from Starfleet Command that a rogue Klingon fleet has crossed into Federation space. Orders from Admiral Turner are to intercept and destroy all 11 Klingon vessels in Federation space. We are going to redContinue reading “A Court-Martialable Offense”
A Memoir of the Klingon Invasion of Stardate 3800.0
Captain’s Log, Stardate 3800.1We have received orders from Admiral Turner at Starfleet Command, Priority One. A massive Klingon incursion into Federation space, led by General Gorrel, threatens Federation headquarters. We are breaking off our survey mission in quadrant Procyon IV to counter this invasion. Captain’s Log, Stardate 3804.6We have been fortunate that the Klingon incursionContinue reading “A Memoir of the Klingon Invasion of Stardate 3800.0”
Boldly Going Where No CoCo Has Gone Before
It is the year 2025. I am playing Mike Mayfield’s original 1972 Star Trek game in a TRS-80 Color Computer 3 (released 1986) emulator on my Linux Mint Debian Edition machine. I did not have a CoCo 3. I wanted a CoCo 3. I had a CoCo 2, and I loved it. My first computerContinue reading “Boldly Going Where No CoCo Has Gone Before”
Adventures in Backgammoning
I was losing this game of backgammon badly, then I came back to win it, with white leaving five pieces on the board. How badly was I losing? At one point, I had five pieces pinned in white’s home quadrant, white offered a double or resign (and I did not resign), and white had alreadyContinue reading “Adventures in Backgammoning”
War in the Baltic
Can you ever have enough houses and farms? That’s the question, isn’t it. Oh. You thought I was talkinng about housing and agricultural policy. There is a presidential election happening. I’m talking about that, surely. No, no. I was talking about Age of Empires II: Age of Kings. From time to time, I play AgeContinue reading “War in the Baltic”
Dispatches from the Front
Two weekends ago, while going through some boxes from my move two years ago, I found my Age of Empires III collector’s edition. When I moved, I neatly repacked that collector’s edition box, and therein were my game discs. Since I didn’t have them, I couldn’t play the game (which meant that, when I feltContinue reading “Dispatches from the Front”
On Taking the Wonder Victory
Last night, after a particularly grueling day at the office, I decided to blow off some steam by grinding civilizations under my boot. But instead of pulling out Age of Empires III, as is my wont when I feel the urge to pillage and conquer, I went older school — Age of Empires II. IContinue reading “On Taking the Wonder Victory”
On Waging the War in the North
A group of Orcs rushed down the rocky, snow-covered mountain trail toward my party. My two-handed sword was held out in front of me, and as the orcs approached I swung. The sword connected with the lead Orc. He staggered under the blow, and my momentum carried him into the Orc immediately behind him, knockingContinue reading “On Waging the War in the North”
On Dragons Breathing Fire
Every day brings the One Ring closer to Mordor. Every day brings The Lord of the Rings: War in the North closer to me. Here’s the launch trailer: Holy fuck! There’s a dragon! And it’s breathing fire! This is me. Being excited. Breathing fire! To get excited — because the game comes out on TuesdayContinue reading “On Dragons Breathing Fire”