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FAQ

This section is set up as a kind of Frequently Asked Question (found all over the web).

Games Trivia: did you know that....

(I came across some stupid things to know such as...)

bulletAquire was published by 3M (the guys from 'Post it') in 1968?
bullet3M was a game publishing company in the 60's?
bulletNBC (TV Network) was a game publisher in the 60's/70's
bulletGames Workshop stocks dropped 70%+ (approx. 700 (peaked at 850) to 160) over the last 3 years, as well as  Hasbro 70% (25 to 10)?
bulletAndrew Lloyd Webber (the famous componist) was a game designer (Calamity from Games Workshop)? (This should tell you not to become a game designer).
bulletMagic the Gathering heavily borrowed it's game mechanism from a game called "King of the Tabletop", Dragon Magazine #77. It was designed by Tom Wham. It was later 
developed into "Kings & Things" by West End Games and published by them and 
Games Workshop cooperatively. Later Pegasus re-did it, taking out the Tom 
Wham art. Richard Garfield claims he was heavily influenced by 'Cosmic Encounters', which also makes sence. The original game MtG was called 'Five Magics' (all gossip from the Newsgroups).
bulletThere is in fact an online electronical CCG, where you can buy bits that are represented by pictures on your screen? www.chronx.com
bulletThere are at least 20 games based on 'lord of the rings' by Tolkien? Not to mention all the 'tolkien'-related games (many Games Workshop games, D&D-games etc.)
bulletMagic the Gathering initially was played 'for ante', but was forbidden by gambling laws, as the cards started representing value?

Ebay: tricks & tips

  1. How come that bids go sky high at the last moment? That is psychology. Most people wait until the last moment in order not to alert possible competitors. If you sell Talisman on Ebay, don't panic if the price is still at $5.00 with 2 days to go (unless you misspelled the name of course and didn't give any sensefull description).
  2. How to overbid by just $0.01? Easy, suppose the current bid is $5.00 and the steps are $0.50. Overbid by $0.51. If the original bidders' maximum bid was just $5.00 and you got the item, you lost $0.01. However, if the maximumbid of the original bidder was $5.50, you just ovebid his maximum with just $0.01: if you got the item, you just saved yourself $0.49 (Lucky you!).  
  3. How to overcome $0.01 over-bids? See above, set your maximum bid at $5.11 when you bid for $4.50. In this case you avoid $5.01 and $5.10 overbids later on. You also might consider $5.25 (sitting in the middle). 
  4. Why would you wait for the last minute to bid? Suppose your concurrent bidder has a maximum of $5.00. Now, hours before closing you overbid by $0.50. Although your opponent had originally a maximum of $5.00, he might reconsider this maximum ('What the heck, I really want it') and thus might try to overbid you anyway. If you do this 'last minute' he doesn't have the time to reconsider. Note: people with last minute change of minds are the most dangerous ones, they might go for it, any (ridiculous) price. 
  5. How to become a succesfull last minute bidder? Get everything set with your absolute maximum bid (just one button to push) to push at the last minute. You might change you mind as well though so have another window open with even a higher absolute maximum bid. In case your 'original' absolute maximum bid might be too low, you still have one last chance (that is, a few seconds) to change your mind. Also keep the $0.01 strategy in mind. In case of doubt, use a $0.12+ above the normal raise.
  6. How to know your competitors? There are many dealers looking for bargains. They will drop out when the price is about to equal the 'normal' marketprice. Also, these guys are looking for MINT products. If there is something mint, they might 'go for it'. Don't worry about them when you are bidding on 'normal' used items. They won't be any trouble once the price is high enough, they will simply drop out. Resellers can be identified by the large amount of deals made over the last months. More of trouble are newcommers, with just a few (or no) references. These guys may become beserk, once they are about to loose a bid. Try strategy 5 (last minute bidder).
  7. How to find interesting goods on Ebay? Have multiple searches bookmarked. In that way you overcome the problem that some sellers do not correctly enter the description. 
    Also take a look at the different international ebay-sites (eBay Australia, eBay Austria, eBay Canada, eBay France, eBay Germany, eBay Italy, eBay Japan, eBay United Kingdom). Note that stuff comes from the original country is usually cheaper (GW stuff from the UK is cheaper that buying in the US). Also keep in mind that shipping costs are to be added. Please keep in mind that some sellers do not ship internationally. Oh, and looking for 'BOARDGAMES' at www.ebay.de or www.ebay.fr is not very usefull (not everyone speak English you know...).

What Are "German" Games?

The majority of the finest card games and boardgames produced in the past many years have originated in Northern European countries, especially Germany. These are predominantly games of light strategy; some demand cunning strategy, some hard-nosed negotiating skills, and some have an element of luck thrown in. Why are these games so great? Well, they don't drag on all night; the longer ones clock in at 60-90 minutes, and many of the family-oriented titles can be played in 30-60 minutes. As far as gameplay is concerned, it's hard to top the "German" games. Many will have you bartering and negotiating with your friends and family. Finally, the Germans have been producing these games en masse for many, many years, so the quality of the cards, counters and other components cannot be matched by North American companies.(http://www.germangames.com)

What Games really suck?
(Inquest sept. 1997)

The following games were nominated by Inquest as result of a professional attempt to make a game that really sucks:

  1. Aftermath (Fantasy Games Unlimited)
  2. Campaign for North Africa (SPI)
  3. Trader of the far reach (Griffen P/L)
  4. Fall of Rome (SPI)
  5. TV Adaptions (TRS)
  6. Doctor Who (CCG from MMG Ltd)
  7. Supervillians (Task Force Games)
  8. Witchcraft (Myrmidon Press)
  9. Pirates&Plunder(Yaquinto)
  10. Belter (GDW)
  11. Power&Perrils (Avalon Hill)
  12. UFO (Avalon Hill)
  13. Dallas (SPI)
  14. Chart Wars (Amour soft)
  15. Star Fleet Missions (Task Force Games)
  16. Plot to Assassinate Hitler (SPI)
  17. Immortal (precedence Publishing)
  18. World of Synnibarr (Wonderworld Press)
  19. Super Deck! (Card Sharks)
  20. Battle Cattle (Wingnut Games)

What are the Top 100 games?

This list can be found at http://scv.bu.edu/~aarondf/Top100/list.txt. I own the bold ones. (go here to find a list of thousends of games in ranking)

Pos Score Ave. Game Title Company Status SDev #Vot Year
===============================================================================
1 7.925 8.07 Euphrat & Tigris Hans im Gluck Avail 1.95 164 1997
2 7.833 7.92 Die Siedler von Catan Kosmos Avail 1.97 263 1995
3 7.654 7.78 El Grande Hans im Gluck Avail 1.83 178 1995
4 7.496 7.88 Ohne Furcht und Adel Hans im Gluck Avail 1.45 55 2000
5 7.407 7.64 Torres FX Schmid Avail 1.42 89 1999
6 7.379 7.54 Durch die Wuste Kosmos Avail 1.54 129 1998
7 7.372 7.53 Modern Art Hans im Gluck Avail 1.75 134 1992
8 7.358 7.59 Vinci Eurogames Avail 1.78 88 1999
9^ 7.280 7.43 Tikal Ravensburger Avail 1.58 135 1999
10 7.274 7.57 Taj Mahal Alea Avail 1.18 69 2000
11 7.184 7.41 Die Siedler von Catan Se Kosmos Avail 2.04 86 1997
12 7.169 7.36 Advanced Civilization Avalon Hill Avail 2.24 103 1991
13 7.109 8.86 Paths of Glory GMT Games Avail 1.05 11 1999
14^ 7.096 7.25 Bohnanza Amigo Avail 1.76 128 1997
15 7.079 7.25 Samurai Hans im Gluck Avail 1.56 112 1998
16 7.054 7.21 Medici Amigo Avail 1.74 120 1995
17 7.006 7.16 Cosmic Encounter Eon OOP 2.21 124 1977
18 6.982 7.18 Hare and Tortoise British Intell Avail 1.69 94 1973
19 6.980 7.56 Die Fursten von Florenz Alea Avail 1.14 32 2000
20^ 6.979 7.22 Ursuppe Doris & Frank Avail 1.67 79 1997
21 6.978 7.14 Acquire 3M Avail 1.98 118 1962
22 6.974 7.41 Iron Horse db-Spiele Avail 1.65 43 1997
23 6.934 7.57 Empires in Arms Australian Des Avail 1.79 29 1983
24 6.929 7.38 Die Macher Hans im Gluck Avail 2.25 41 1986
25^ 6.880 7.30 Hannibal: Rome vs Cartha Avalon Hill Avail 1.68 43 1996
26 6.872 7.08 Bridge Public Domain Public 2.65 87 1925
27 6.870 7.06 Ra Alea Avail 1.83 97 1999
28 6.855 7.20 Kardinal & Konig Goldsieber Avail 1.44 52 2000
29 6.830 7.61 El Grande: K & I Hans im Gluck Avail 1.90 23 1997
30 6.813 7.12 Union Pacific Amigo Avail 1.61 58 1999
31 6.810 7.24 We the People Avalon Hill Avail 1.41 41 1994
32 6.804 7.02 Lowenherz Goldsieber Avail 1.87 83 1997
33 6.795 7.19 Rasende Roboter Hans im Gluck Avail 1.37 45 1999
34 6.784 6.91 Elfenland Amigo Avail 1.64 140 1998
35 6.755 6.93 Lost Cities Kosmos Avail 1.95 102 1999
36 6.750 8.50 Tichu Fata Morgana S Avail 2.22 10 1998
37 6.740 7.14 Stadte und Ritter Kosmos Avail 2.28 44 1998
38 6.719 7.63 Battle Cry (Hasbro AH) Hasbro Avalon Avail 2.00 19 2000
39^ 6.712 6.90 Go Public Domain Public 2.76 93 
40 6.683 7.50 Chinatown Alea Avail 1.12 21 1999
41 6.648 6.81 Liar's Dice Milton Bradley Avail 2.08 108 1987
42 6.647 6.94 Carolus Magnus Winning Moves Avail 1.54 58 2000
43 6.603 6.97 Mu Doris & Frank Avail 2.24 46 1995
44 6.598 6.86 Stephensons Rocket Pegasus Spiele Avail 1.79 64 1999
45 6.597 6.74 Civilization Avalon Hill OOP 1.92 121 1981
46 6.588 7.11 Schotten-Totten ASS Avail 1.53 32 1999
47 6.546 7.05 Die Kaufleute von Amster Jumbo Spiele Avail 1.21 33 2000
48 6.519 6.79 Um Reifenbreite Jumbo Spiele OOP 1.71 60 1992
49 6.515 6.88 Up Front Avalon Hill OOP 2.95 45 1983
50 6.508 7.11 Schoko & Co. Schmidt OOP 1.55 27 1987
51^ 6.453 6.57 Robo Rally WOTC Avail 2.12 139 1994
52 6.448 6.66 Star Fleet Battles Task Force Gam Avail 2.82 76 1982
53 6.445 7.04 Daytona 500 Milton Bradley OOP 1.51 27 1990
54 6.445 6.70 Can't Stop Parker Bros Avail 1.83 63 1980
55 6.441 6.92 Call of Cthulhu Chaosium Avail 2.07 33 1981
56 6.422 6.79 Take It Easy Spears Ltd Avail 1.44 43 1990
57 6.416 6.55 Adel Verpflichtet F. X. Schmid Avail 1.79 117 1990
58 6.414 6.67 Empire Builder Mayfair Avail 1.79 62 1988
59 6.402 7.09 Bausack Zoch Verlag Avail 1.81 23 1987
60^ 6.401 6.77 Showmanager Queen Games OOP 1.63 43 1997
61^ 6.392 7.02 Morgenland Hans im Gluck Avail 1.53 25 2000
62^ 6.388 7.43 Empires of the Middle Ag SPI OOP 2.06 15 1980
63^ 6.379 6.90 Tales of the Arabian Nig West End Games Avail 1.94 30 1985
64^ 6.371 7.02 6 Tage Rennen Holtmann VIP OOP 1.70 24 1988
65 6.370 6.53 Die Siedler Kartenspiel Kosmos Avail 2.15 97 1996
66 6.365 6.82 1856 Mayfair Avail 2.55 34 1995
67^ 6.361 6.49 Manhattan Hans im Gluck Avail 1.38 119 1994
68^ 6.355 7.46 La Citta Kosmos Avail 1.28 14 2000
69^ 6.353 7.00 McMulti Hexagames OOP 1.95 24 1988
70^ 6.352 6.93 Kohle, Kies & Knete Schmidt Spiel OOP 2.20 27 1994
71^ 6.347 7.54 Barbarian, Kingdom & Emp Icarus Games OOP 2.18 13 1983
72^ 6.345 7.31 Die Siedler von Nurnberg Kosmos Avail 1.58 16 1999
73 6.345 6.69 Sherlock Holmes, Consult Sleuth Publica OOP 2.02 45 1981
74 6.344 6.44 Diplomacy Avalon Hill Avail 2.45 154 1959
75 6.330 7.00 Breakout: Normandy Avalon Hill Avail 2.49 23 1993
76 6.329 7.43 Greyhounds Hans im Gluck OOP 1.79 14 1985
77 6.327 6.56 Britannia Avalon Hill Avail 2.06 66 1986
78^ 6.316 6.51 Age of Renaissance Avalon Hill Avail 2.42 78 1996
79 6.312 7.33 Caesar's Epic Battle of Avalon Hill OOP 1.91 15 1971
80 6.307 6.50 Deluxe Illuminati SJ Games Avail 1.69 79 1983
81 6.299 6.60 Republic of Rome Avalon Hill Avail 2.38 51 1990
82 6.299 6.72 Reibach & Co. FX Schmid Avail 1.21 36 1996
83 6.295 6.63 Basari FX Schmid Avail 1.38 45 1998
84 6.290 7.05 Zertz Don & Co Avail 1.64 20 2000
85^ 6.289 6.38 Chess Public Domain Public 2.30 160 
86^ 6.289 6.85 Hera & Zeus Kosmos Avail 1.63 27 2000
87 6.286 6.59 Airlines Abacus OOP 1.83 50 1990
88 6.284 6.92 Sleuth 3M OOP 1.82 24 1967
89 6.276 7.36 Talisman the Expansion Games Workshop OOP 1.50 14 
90 6.276 6.44 Drunter & Druber Hans im Gluck Avail 1.50 92 1991
91 6.272 6.43 History of the World Avalon Hill OOP 2.08 97 1993
92 6.267 6.90 Kontor Goldsieber Avail 2.49 24 1999
93^ 6.266 6.39 Titan: the Arena Avalon Hill OOP 1.63 124 1997
94 6.261 6.50 Linie 1 Goldsieber Avail 1.92 63 1995
95 6.254 6.50 Mamma Mia Abacus Avail 1.61 61 1999
96 6.245 6.55 Pfeffersacke Goldsieber Avail 1.71 49 1998
97 6.243 6.73 Santa Fe White Wind OOP 1.50 31 1992
98 6.242 6.49 Kremlin Avalon Hill Avail 1.94 60 1988
99 6.239 7.12 Intrige FX Schmid OOP 1.62 17 1994
100^ 6.227 6.78 Tycoon Jumbo Spiele Avail 1.37 27 1998

(btw: Magic is on place 186, Warhammer Quest 533, Warhammer Fantasy 1552, 


NOTES ON LIST
Ranking Codes
^ Game moved up from its position in the last edition. 

Votes average: 
Please try to send votes on Both the games you like and the ones you don't.
Your own average of votes should be as close to 5.5 as possible.
At my discretion, I will throw away sets of votes (from new voters) where
there are less than 10 votes or the votes are significantly above/below 5.5
This is not a strict requirement but should serve you as a guideline.

Status Codes:
OOP: Out of print - may be very difficult to find.
Avail: In print - should be easily available in the company's area.
Unknown: Status unknown to me or unclear for some reason.

Ordering:
This list is sorted by Score. The score is simply the standard average
EXCEPT that all games are considered to also have 5 votes of 3.25 to start
out with. This is done to avoid a game with 1 10 vote rising to the top
of the list. The particular numerical values (5 and 3.25) are somewhat
arbitrary but these seem to work well and will likely NOT be changed.
See http://www.clark.net/pub/iz/Books/Top100/top100.html for the list of
SF/Fantasy books this list's format is based on.

This list is periodically posted to the rec.games.board Usenet newsgroup.
This list is also available on the WWW at:
http://scv.bu.edu/~aarondf/Top100/list.txt
and links to the latest list, a more comprehensive list, and the FAQ are at
http://scv.bu.edu/~aarondf/Top100/

Who ownes what?

Below you find some of the most influential gameboard companies. None of the information below is true (means, you cannot sue me for bad information)

Mattel (US) owns International Games (Uno, Skip-Bo)

Hasbro (US) owns Avalon Hill™, Wizards of the Coast™, Parker Brothers™, Milton Bradley™ (MB). Furthermore they own Microprose, Playskool and things like Monopoly, and brand / license partnerships Pokemon™, Star Wars™, Batman™, Teletubbies™ and Superman™; Harro Potter, Nascar

It should be mentioned that WotC (Magic The Gathering, Pokemon, etc.) took over TSR (Dungeons & Dragons, Forgotten Realms, Dragon Dice, etc.), before Hasbro took over WotC. Althought Dragon Dice belonged to TSR, they sold off the license to SFR (as I am informed).

Ravensburger (Germany): 

They also own Buchverslag Otto Maier.

Famous Titles:  Tikal, Catan

Games Workshop (UK) owns Citadel (miniatures).

Hans Im Gluck (Germany)