Boardgamers can be a “particular” bunch of folks – if you spend any amount of time with gamers, there are all sorts of interesting habits that you’ll be able to see. We’re going to run a series of polls here – probably about once a week – to give you a chance to see whether you’re like an average gamer or not!
You’ll be able to see the results in progress after you vote – and we’ll collate all of the results of the entire series of polls at the conclusion of this “Average Gamer Project”.
So, seeing as we’re talking about the Five and Dime Project today, let’s kick off the series of polls with two questions about recordkeeping…
While I no longer keep a log all the time, I only ever logged face-to-face. During my big group session We go keep an overall log, and I usually use that to write up a session report afterwords.
Interesting… My local group has also just started to keep track of the games played in our weekly sessions. While I don’t actually keep track of my own plays – this will get probably 50% of my gaming recorded for the year. It will still miss all the gaming done at conventions and those random (but treasured) moments when the kids come up to me right before bedtime asking if we can play a game of Dominion/Carcassone/Level X, etc.
Dale
The organizer of one of my two regular groups asks that we put the results of each game we play into a large notebook. I think he just keeps that for posterity’s sake; I’m not aware of any subsequent writeup. That’s the only regular record I keep of my games played, but, unlike Dale, I DO record my games during conventions. I found that I was losing track of what I’d played, with so many games being played in such a short period of time, so I jot down the game, who played, and who won. Without that, there’s no way I’d be able to create the “new gaming discoveries” articles that usually follow my cons. In addition, it’s a terrific way to remember the great times I have during these gaming orgies.
I log as many plays as I can on BGG, and always rate and add comments to new games as I go. But I get frustrated because as aa process, it doesn’t help me to return to games I want to play again, especially with different numbers of players. It weeds out the rotters, and the great games I can remember anyway, but the games I rate 6.5+ are of interest to me, and there are so many of them for me now, it’s one homogenous mass. I forget why that game was good, why I wanted to try it again. Discoveries slip away into the mist…
While I don’t personally keep a log of games (any more), I will happily do my part to help someone else keep one if that’s what they want to do.
@Jon – I agree with you that one of the reasons I no longer keep track of plays on BGG is that I just couldn’t find the time for it… However, if I had the time, I would do it like (fellow Opinionated Gamer) Patrick Brennan does in his ratings.
His ratings have almost a little capsule review – which is constantly updated – to give a lot of info in a little space. You can see it at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/PBrennan?rated=1&subtype=boardgame&ff=1
D
Trying to log all my games (again) this year. I’ve actually got started this time, so that’s progress.
I have kept my log of games on BGG, but have not recorded my plays there for several months. I also keep a notebook that I use to record plays to log on BGG.
I’ve been tracking plays for the last few years more out of curiosity to see what got played the most…and what didn’t get played. I generally keep an updated running commentary of my perspective on the games I’ve played similar to Patrick but find myself frequently changing formats…:-)
Yep, Larry – My motivation also is to see what’s getting played and what isn’t. Two main reasons I do this currently. One – if I play a game with others enough times to get my “money’s worth” ($1 per full play of a game x number of plays = eventually matching cost of game hopefully) I reflect on why it hit the table so often and plan to buy similar types of games in the future. If a game doesn’t hit the table, I try to figure out why and make plans to get it to the table the following year. This is one of the ways I manage my game purchasing behavior *grin*
The other reason is I want to see what kind of games other people I’m playing with like!
Montebanc (no relation)
alias Chuck Waterman
Kumamoto, Japan
I do the same, only shorter (terser) and I review my comments on replays, especially after a long lay off.
http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/EYE%20of%20NiGHT?rankobjecttype=subtype&rankobjectid=1&columns=title|status|version|rating|bggrating|plays|comment|commands&geekranks=Board+Game+Rank&own=1&rated=1&ff=1&subtype=boardgame
But that’s not my point. Doing this does not help me return to the in-between games. I know all my favourites, I can avoid the bad ones, but those games that nearly hit the spot, that needed another go, maybe with different people, those ones do not float out again.
I think I need another parameter, not Want To Play but Want To Replay Under These Conditions. I am missing something that will help me pick out, clarify why I want to play this one again.
I log plays pretty much religiously on BGG. I track the plays for my game group as well, so I developed a little report sheet that I ask everyone to fill out any time they play a game as part of the group. I also then use the sheets for my session reports on my blog (GamerChris.com).
And in general, I will count any game that I play against another person (regardless of venue) or against the system of a game itself (as in a solo game or coop game). I don’t tend to count games played against myself (when I take two or more sides in a game) or against AI’s.
There’s an archivist gene inside of me that actively relates well with BGG’s games played log. And if there was any hope it might take a break it was happily destroyed with Friendless’ that provided me with all sorts of technical details and feedback.
@Dale- I didn’t see that “much info in a small space” part of the play “logging” you directed us to. :) I saw very long comments that never got to the nitty gritty of something like “10 plays, all 4-player, 815 total minutes”.
I log all plays on BGG and I always include individual players (and almost always their scores). I make a point to include game length, too, in hopes that one day Aldie & Co. decide to mine the data and show us actual game length by number of players or average winning score with each number of players, etc. Hell, if he included winning percentages, I wouldn’t care but others would probably like to see it, too.