boardgaming in photos - Android Netrunner, Escape

24 Aug 2014. After playing a few coaching games with Android Netrunner veterans Nik and John, I decided to buy the remaining three expansions in the first expansion cycle. I also decided to sleeve all my cards - about 600 cards in total. By default I'm a no-sleeves guy, but after appreciating better the depth of Android Netrunner, I felt it was an heirloom, thus the urge to sleeve it. This is a game that can provide many many plays.

Previously I organised my cards in ziplock bags. Now that I have bought more, I decided to organise them this way instead. I didn't buy those CCG card boxes. I made my own, using the box of the base game. Cheap, and environmentally friendly. I use the boxes of the expansions as dividers.

Here's how I organise the cards. On the left half, starting from the bottom, the first three sections are for cards of the three runner factions. The fourth section is for neutral runner cards. The fifth is for a legal, ready-to-play runner deck. All non-card game components are put into that ziplock bag at the top. On the right half, the first four sections are for cards of the four corporations. The fifth is for neutral corp cards, and the sixth for a legal corp deck.

There are two expansion boxes hidden away. Here they are, right at the top of this photo.

I made my dividers using milk powder boxes. Not that I'm particularly stingy (though I am a little), just that spending time making accessories for your boardgames is a fun activity in itself.

Playing Escape: The Curse of the Temple with Chen Rui (7) and Shee Yun (9). We first played this some time ago at Meeples Cafe. It was something different, but I didn't intend to buy it then. The children didn't request it either. Recently, Chen Rui asked whether I could buy it for her, out of the blue. I checked around, and found that it was out of stock in Malaysia, and also out of print at the publisher level. Eventually I managed to find a second-hand copy in excellent condition. Then when we first played, Chen Rui said the soundtrack was too scary and she didn't want to play anymore. Previously when we played at Meeples Cafe we didn't use the soundtrack. We just used my phone as a countdown timer. Shee Yun and I continued to play. We tried all the variants in the base game - the treasures and the curses, and managed to win too. However, to get Chen Rui to play, some work needed to be done. I had to compose a non-scary version of the soundtrack. I used simple tunes. They were a little silly, but they got the job done. Finally Chen Rui joined Shee Yun and I to play.

We have not yet progressed to the two expansions. I want to bring Chen Rui up to speed first - to play all the variants in the base game first. Both of the expansions have several modules. Together with the variant modules in the base game, there are plenty more combinations to explore.

My opinion of the game hasn't changed much. It's not a favourite, but it's a great game to play with the kids. There is enough challenge, and the real-time aspect keeps you involved throughout the game.