Tag: game

10th Inning, 1 Out, Need 1 Run to Tie…

Here are sample pictures of a tense game situation in a recent play session of RallyBird Baseball. I’m on the right, playing Home (blue). The situation as we join us is… It’s the 10th inning, with 1 Out. Score is Red 3, Blue 2.

Note: The RallyBird made an appearance earlier, which I squandered, so it flew away. I’m on my own now!

The pictures below are screen grabs from the video I took of the match–while failing to turn the microphone on, as I mentioned in my previous post.

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As blue offense, I made my At Bat decision and laid the card down. Red defense has started to place her defensive tiles, starting with the pitcher zone…
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Red completes placing the defensive tiles
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I reveal the At Bat card. It’s a hit that Drives Left. The sum of the relevant Glove zones is a 7. I roll the dice… a 9. Success!
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Since my Drive Left succeeded in moving a runner, Defense has to flip (if white numbered) or remove (if red numbered) one of the tested zones. She decides which one…
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I move the runner tokens according to the result on the card for beating the Gloves sum–it was a double.
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I take the Drive Left card back into my hand.
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Here’s the situation as I consider the tactic for my next batter. I have set up runners on base in a way that avoids the common double-play threat. My opponent is showing her array of Glove tile values as a courtesy.
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I select my next At Bat card and place it face down.
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Visitor puts down her defensive Glove tiles. (Defense made an error I didn’t catch–she should have removed the red numbered 4 Glove that failed in the previous Drive Left.)
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I reveal my At Bat card: Infield Left. The sum of the relevant Glove tiles is 7.
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I roll the dice, a 10, which beats 7. Success! However, the details on this particular card explain that runners on base only advance if forced, so there’s no score.
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Red (visitor) has to choose which Glove tile takes the impact. She flips the tile in the pitcher’s Glove zone. (Sorry that the screen capture includes the mute video play controls.)
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Here’s the field situation as I contemplate my next At Bat. 10th Inning! Bases loaded!!! One out. Score is still 3-2. I’m one run behind…
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I made my decision and placed my At Bat card face down… Note that I’m looking down so my opponent cannot read my face, which she did earlier in the game.
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Defense has placed her Glove tiles… Not that the course of the inning has lead her to have at this moment a lot of stronger Glove values, except for that 2. If I could hit at that weakness, it would help! I turn my face down to the table in nervousness…
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Nope, I hit against her strength. I chose a Drive Right. Her relevant defense Glove zones add up to a value of 9.
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My die roll result is a 6, quite less than a 9. Is that right? Is 6<9 or maybe 6>9 today? Should I challenge and have the HQ in New York check the video…. Oh no… It’s my second Out! Defense holds!

 

Here’s the situation… 10th inning, 2 outs, bases loaded, down by 1 run. And due to limitations with the video source, here I have to leave you hanging. Folks, it’s a mystery what happened next. Yep, I guess we’ll never know if I hit in another run or perhaps even two for a Walk-Off. No, we’ll never know.

Okay seriously my next At Bat was another Out… I left ducks on a pond stranded…  What a finish! Visitors 3 – Home 2 was the final score. Congrats to my worthy opponent M. who persevered in this tense game session of RallyBird Baseball.

If I can recover pictures of the remaining (tragic) play I’ll come back and add them.

Now on BGG: the RallyBird Baseball Board Game

The RallyBird Baseball board game now has a presence on the premier board game website, Board Game Geek. If all goes right over time, more content about the game will show up there. Here’s the address (or click the picture below): https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/252879/rallybird-baseballScreen Shot 2018-05-27 at 10.47.40 AM.png

Theory 3: Baseball Offers a Natural Dramatic Structure

In this video I describe baseball’s natural dramatic storytelling structure. Yes I use a graph. There are two kinds of baseball dramatic structure. You may recall from grammar school the classic literary story graph with rising action leading to the climactic confrontation. The overall drama is the fatigue of the starter pitcher, the rising tension when the coach needs to send in the first reliever, and what happens next. I also argue that the baseball game includes mini dramas each half inning with the struggle of batters and baserunners against the hard limit of only 3 outs.

(If you’re looking for Theory 2, Baseball has dynamic topography, I appended the link below. And here’s the link where you can purchase the game. Thanks!

 

Theory 1: The Game of Baseball is Not Symmetrical

This new video replaces my previous effort on the same topic. It gives more description of my theory, and does not include a feline interference. I also quote from a baseball book as anecdotal support of my theory. In addition, it includes more specific information about how the theory influenced my board game design. I honestly don’t know if my theory is controversial or not. It’s probably not; however, I haven’t heard anyone talking about it in this manner. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to let me know what you think!