The Biggest Loser

When we first started dating, Peter asked if I was “into board games.” To me, board games involved things like Monopoly, Settlers of Catan, and Risk. I excitedly told Peter that I was absolutely “into board games,” with my favorite being Taboo. This was the same thing I told my friend Chris when I first moved back to California following residency. Chris and I have been good friends since high school, and so I was happy that we were reconnecting. Both Chris and Peter guffawed at my response. They are both now involved in teaching me “real” board games.

The first few games that Peter introduced me to include Agricola, Ark Nova, Dead of Winter, and Terraforming Mars. They’re all fun in their own right. However, they were quite the departure from my kiddie tabletop games in comparison. These long-form games involved extensive rules, convoluted game mechanics, and nuanced resource management. For someone who enjoys the simplicity of Taboo, this was quite the adjustment. Until you learn the flow and mechanics that underlie these games heavy with resource management, they can be a steep learning curve. The games take an inordinate amount of time to set up and explain (which most times helped only marginally given just how complex they can be). It would require a full playthrough to get a good feel for the game. The problem? 1 round would take several hours, especially if it involved first-timers. Two rounds can then take up the entirety of the day.

But it turns out that I enjoyed Taboo for another reason: the collaborative and team-based nature of the game. I’ve always had more inclination for team-based games because of the unique opportunities for communication and strategizing. It’s inherently a different flow and mindset from more individualistic games where there is either no meaningful collaboration between players or the sole object always is diametrically opposed and detrimental to all other players. Team-based games encourage me to try a little harder as to not let down my teammates. Winning or losing both can leave me with a sense of accomplishment if an earnest effort was dealt. Peter, on the other hand, is extremely competitive—winning is winning, no matter the setting.

I think the argument can be made that the same perspective regarding winning and losing can be taken in more competitive games as well. However, when playing these long-form games and pouring in hours learning the game feels extremely unrewarding when, in your very first game, you are targeted by a veteran player and condemned to 4 hours of struggling.

Peter has an unintentional yet cruel habit of squashing all other players mercilessly, even against neophytes who pose no real threat. I have survived this first-hand with every new game we play together. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it is un-fun, but it is definitely frustrating and leaves me feeling very defeated. Usually, the games we play together only start to feel more engaging or fun after a few rounds in. With games that take 3-4 hours per sitting, however, this may mean delayed gratification until the next gathering.

This past weekend, we hosted board game day (and night, as it would turn out) for our friends Chris, Eva, and Jeff. Chris, a board game enthusiast, suggested Terra Mystica, primarily because he’s never played and thought it sounded interesting. Eva, his wife, is also an enthusiast. Peter and Jeff are both board game veterans, though only Jeff has played this particular game. Then there was me, a complete noob with little experience with these types of games. I had no idea what to expect as we entered the weekend, much less have time to read up on the rules beforehand. I was fairly preoccupied with several things on my mind, including a giant cockroach that made its way into our kitchen that morning.

We started the day of board games at 1:00 PM with some In-N-Out which Peter picked up for the group as I prepared snacks, fruit, and drinks for our guests. Poor Peter had to endure the torment of the local In-N-Out teeming with customers in a terribly designed lot. As usual, he survived the duress with little damage but some some psychological scarring and a whole tray of deliciousness. He arrived home right as all of our guests arrived—talk about good timing! We ate and chatted to catch up for the first half hour or so, before decidedly clearing the table to start setting up. Board games of this nature require not only time but significant amounts of space for all the elements involved. Jeff meticulously explained all the mechanics, 80% of which went right over my head.

The game we chose, Terra Mystica, is like Settlers of Catan but on crack, involving intense resource management with numerous paths and decision trees. We role play as various mystical races and clans that compete for land, power, and expansion. Games of this sort are very cut throat by nature, and it is very much possible to target specific players. Naturally, Peter made it his mission to destroy me in our very game because I made the grave mistake of building a settlement near him (for both our benefits)! I represented a clan of giants, whereas Peter represented half-lings. How fitting.

But soon enough, the feelings of struggle, punishment, and resignation started to creep in. Despite this, I was able to exact my revenge by sabotaging his path to victory, landing him solidly in third place after Jeff and Chris. He was not amused by my singularly focused gameplay, but what was a boy to do but retaliate? By the end of this first and introductory game, it was 6:00 PM, at which point we decided to take a break as a group to grab some Hainan chicken for dinner.

The second game was slightly better as we all entered with at least a rudimentary understanding of the base rules and mechanics. The twist was that we’d be incorporating the expansion pack already. I still was not good enough to plan extensively and anticipate the effects and influence of other players, much less a whole new set of mechanics. It was evident from the start of this second round, as usual, that Peter had a very specific vision laid out already. This is the advantage he has garnered from years of experience playing these types of board games. This second game was equally punishing for me as the first but mostly because I chose a clan that was very difficult to strategize around as a beginner.

Peter was a little more relenting this round and we actually teamed up a little in certain phases of the game, with him even helping me with decision trees. I think he either pitied me or didn’t want to incur the fury of a blind rampage that would lead to his downfall. Maybe cooperative efforts can lead to a win-win situation after all: victory for him, and an enjoyable time for me. As fate would have it, even with our combined efforts, Chris and Jeff still dominated the map. By the end of this second game, it was already 10:30 PM.

Typically, Peter is very tired by the end of these evenings as he normally retires to bed by 9:00 PM. On this particular evening, however, he appeared invigorated with competitive spirit, even as we were winding down at midnight. It was good to see him so enthused instead of demoralized at the fact that we’ve just disrupted our sleep schedule. Funnily, we did have to be up at 6:00 AM the next day anyway. We learned a lot from Terra Mystica about ourselves, ranging from our general strategies, planning, resource management, adaptation to last minute decisions, and working around other people’s decisions. In talking about Terra Mystica, we ended up talking about our preferences in gameplay, much of which reflects our general approach to life.

For example, Peter understands now that my preference for team or co-op games is rooted in a concern that if a punishing experience can be unenjoyable for me, it is likely unenjoyable for others at the table as well. On the flip side, I can understand Peter’s fiery spirit and desire for total domination: if he’s going to spend hours playing a game, he’s going to aim for the best possible results. Really, if he’s going to be investing any amount of time in anything, he’s going to aim for the best possible results. Needless to say, we are both newly minted fans of the game. Peter has already started several Terra Mystica games with our friends on Board Game Arena. He’s irrationally cute in his unfettered excitement when playing his moves before bedtime.