tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post3460171405030187264..comments2024-03-28T20:36:33.364-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Ares Magazine: Issue #1James Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-6675051196150604182012-05-15T21:17:52.222-04:002012-05-15T21:17:52.222-04:00John Boardman deserves special recognition for ano...John Boardman deserves special recognition for another part of the hobby--Diplomacy. Boardman started the first play-by-mail Diplomacy 'zine "Graustrak," which he published for almost 40 years. Dip PBM games were given numbers to identify the game, and these numbers were called "Boardman numbers" in his honor.Paul Glennnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-7009139561682898792012-05-10T11:08:55.768-04:002012-05-10T11:08:55.768-04:00I am very much looking forward your your articles ...I am very much looking forward your your articles on Ares Magazine. I hope you get a chance to play some of those board game inserts, some of which I still have. I am also interested in hearing your take on DragonQuest and Universe RPGs. Doyle Wayne Ramos-Tavenerhttp://www.facebook.com/Doyle.Tavenernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-77617345813359292012-05-09T07:54:58.169-04:002012-05-09T07:54:58.169-04:00 Here here!
Wargaming, boardgaming, and computer... Here here!<br /><br /> Wargaming, boardgaming, and computer interface design (especially in games) all owe a huge debt to Redmond Simonsen and his design philosophies. Especially when it comes to easy access of game information. Reverance Pavanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-38405282360112016912012-05-09T07:49:09.901-04:002012-05-09T07:49:09.901-04:00Whilst the games were admittedly the main attracti...Whilst the games were admittedly the main attraction for me, one of the very best bits of <i>Ares</i> (and to a lesser extent <i>Strategy & Tactics</i>) was the Feedback section. Mainly designed for subscribers, you could return the special feedback card with the various options selected (it was an OMR card). [And SPI actually used this customer data in their decisions! In 1980!] Mostly were how you liked the articles, etc, but the <i>really</i> great things were the dozen or so short pitches for new SPI games. Lots of cool ideas.<br /><br />The nice thing about the magazine games (both <i>Ares</i> and <i>S&T</i>) is that they allowed very talented game designers a chance to try out new things (more so with <i>Ares</i> as the SF/Fantasy basis allows them to build a world design around a game system they designed). Some worked, some didn't - but it was a useful test-bed for experimentation.<br /><br />I miss SPI.Reverance Pavanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-72857797957182626312012-05-09T00:59:04.612-04:002012-05-09T00:59:04.612-04:00Looks like Deadmau5 is dominating the top of that ...Looks like Deadmau5 is dominating the top of that scan; a message from the past promoting real musical acts in the future! The wired-up lady must be operating some kind of sound board.Bbhoneypawnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-45445734415259906702012-05-09T00:55:46.438-04:002012-05-09T00:55:46.438-04:00I liked Ares back when SPI started producing it an...I liked Ares back when SPI started producing it and had several issues. Now I only have the Barbarian Kings issue (#3 I think). I have enjoyed re-reading it recently. I don't remember the snarky reviews from the 80s, but they certainly strike me now as being over the top, especially considering that SPI turned out a lot of mediocre games, and plenty of stinkers too.James McCannhttp://profiles.google.com/jrmccann3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-35871681520577576192012-05-08T13:04:22.887-04:002012-05-08T13:04:22.887-04:00I just wanted to say a word of appreciation for Re...I just wanted to say a word of appreciation for Redmond Simonsen. He was SPI's graphic designer and he gave the company's games and magazines a classy and distinctive look. I'm not sure if he is still with us but he should be remembered as one of the great visual stylists of gaming.Jeffrey Flemingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-13937804207981198282012-05-08T13:01:54.872-04:002012-05-08T13:01:54.872-04:00Just wanted to say a word of appreciation for Redm...Just wanted to say a word of appreciation for Redmond Simonsen. He was excellent as SPI's graphic designer and he gave all the company's games and magazines a classy and distinctive look. I'm not sure if he's still with us but he should be remembered as one of the great visual stylists of gaming.Jeffrey Flemingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-30465923847566803002012-05-08T11:51:45.054-04:002012-05-08T11:51:45.054-04:00I was a big SPI fan and had an Ares subscription f...I was a big SPI fan and had an Ares subscription from day one. I remember this issue, and Worldkiller, well. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.Ewilde1968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-17649271103926422882012-05-08T10:52:14.946-04:002012-05-08T10:52:14.946-04:00I used to have the boxed version of Worldkiller. I...I used to have the boxed version of Worldkiller. I don't know what happened to it.Faoladhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-29961988399543955862012-05-08T10:08:56.597-04:002012-05-08T10:08:56.597-04:00I remember Worldkiller well. Terrific game.I remember Worldkiller well. Terrific game.Greyhawk Grognardnoreply@blogger.com