tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post4923477129172225340..comments2024-03-24T21:54:49.518+09:00Comments on Hexsides and Hand Grenades: Phase Line Smash: A Brief Lookbradhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07676567236378987679noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-55625008679678200952014-03-28T17:42:33.416+09:002014-03-28T17:42:33.416+09:00Those are some great insights into the game and I ...Those are some great insights into the game and I appreciate you coming around to comment, David. I hope you drop in again some time soon and hopefully I'll have a playthrough of the game posted here at some point! Thanks again!bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07676567236378987679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-36087436203015960652014-03-28T14:04:26.132+09:002014-03-28T14:04:26.132+09:00Thank you, Brad! I want to modify one line I wrote...Thank you, Brad! I want to modify one line I wrote above, as it sounds pejorative. I was thinking of remarks I had seen about "the size of the rule book scared me away," but I should better have said, "Some people didn't want to have to read that much before playing."<br /><br />Reviewers in more recent years have talked about how the rules are really not as difficult as they might appear, but are filled with examples and references to what the rules mean in real-world terms. I found in doing extensive playtesting that novice and experienced players alike would make (different sorts of) assumptions that caused the game to play "incorrectly," as a solitaire game does not have two players to correct each other in flawed interpretations. If the goal is to ensure that a non-computerized solitaire game plays correctly, the rules must anticipate and prevent potential misinterpretation that all players bring with them. The result is more information to impart, therefore longer rules. I decided that since PLS was intended as an in-depth study, detailed, immersive rules were appropriate for one making this commitment. The thing that I would say in retrospect is that this was unusual, and not what some buyers would expect. The rules would definitely benefit from an index, and perhaps some modifications to the GDW rules style to encompass this atypical immersive approach. From what I have seen, players who make the commitment to spend time with the game are pleased by the learning opportunities it provides, and that was the goal. It is definitely not a "kill a couple hours with something light," solo game, and we probably should have had stickers on it that said that. :-)<br /><br />"Uncompromising" is a good word, that's the way I approached it. I insisted on having the second booklet added for the historical notes (adding a couple bucks to the price), because having interviewed officers and soldiers from just about every US and UK unit on the map, been through their personal and unit papers, etc., I felt it would be criminal to not capture all of that while it was still fresh in my mind. I used to have the map set up permanently in my game room and would play it as often as I could. I feel a personal connection to the units, and there's always something new to try. I think the PLS system would have been great for a modern two-player game, and that would have allowed us to make the rules shorter!<br /><br />You're welcome, and thanks again for the nice review.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01610853220688539645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-2697361855141753252014-03-28T13:14:59.166+09:002014-03-28T13:14:59.166+09:00Hi David! Thanks so much for your comments and ba...Hi David! Thanks so much for your comments and background behind the design and development of the game. PLS has stuck in my mind for the better part of a year as one of those games I so desperately want to get out on the table and play through. If I had to think of one word that sums up the game, I would say it's "uncompromising", and I mean that in a good way. Setting down a game of PLS on the table with the intention to play through with as few mistakes as possible is not a task to be taken lightly and I'm glad that the game was developed the way it was. Every time I start going through the rules and the first several turns, I always learn something new about the way the war was fought and what kinds of problems the Coalition commanders had to deal with and that's a definite feather in your cap. Thanks to you and Frank for doing it right.bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07676567236378987679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-29409079926182615512014-03-28T13:06:28.088+09:002014-03-28T13:06:28.088+09:00PLS is what was called, "light design, heavy ...PLS is what was called, "light design, heavy develop." Frank gave me two pages of rules outline, two pages OB notes, and the map. He talked me through the outline to make sure I understood his intent, and I took it from there. Literally every word on and in that box was written by me, except for Frank's designer's notes. But, the original map and OB research, the concepts of the phase-less movement by chit pull, the scaling of the combat and movement values, the CRT and combat results, that was all Frank. Frank has remarked that I probably should be listed as co-designer, but in the classic design/develop division of labor, Frank came up with the basic model, mechanics, and research (designer), and I fleshed them out, refined them, playtested it, and wrote it all down (developer). We are both very proud of the result, although a lot of people didn't "get it" at the time. Some people seem to be afraid of reading or want a more mindless, easy-to-win solitaire game rather than an in-depth study. Too bad.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01610853220688539645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-88253553776362353812012-12-09T00:31:22.821+09:002012-12-09T00:31:22.821+09:00It's on my "retirement shelf" too bu...It's on my "retirement shelf" too but I hope to give it at least one decent try before that happens.bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07676567236378987679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-14244975676493901352012-12-09T00:30:33.235+09:002012-12-09T00:30:33.235+09:00Thanks Eric! I've updated the post to reflect...Thanks Eric! I've updated the post to reflect your correction. Much appreciated.bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07676567236378987679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-41563283995808613922012-12-09T00:04:24.938+09:002012-12-09T00:04:24.938+09:00I bought this on a strong recommendation...From Er...I bought this on a strong recommendation...From Eric Walters. <br /><br />The rule book is daunting. No index, no cross referencing. Its a bitch. Sadly there are too many really good well written games out there to be played. Yet I shall keep in case in my dotage I become more patient!Hipshothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18156034936250337219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366189854010071552.post-26374988923210055662012-12-08T21:33:17.972+09:002012-12-08T21:33:17.972+09:00David C. Nilsen, the developer, deserves a great d...David C. Nilsen, the developer, deserves a great deal of credit for the game and I think it was he who wrote the marvelous historical notes.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08733489090374129023noreply@blogger.com