User:Cuc

FAN CLUB MEMBER TYPE

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Fan, Game Technician

ABOUT MY HISTORY WITH LOONEY LABS

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I discovered the Looney Pyramids system by accident in 2010, but was charmed mainly by (Binary) Homeworlds. I have since studied more than 20 games and introduced this game system to my family in the Netherlands in April 2016.

I am in the process of describing the game rules clearly and succinctly, in order to eradicate as much confusion as possible. Most notably, Homeworlds has gone through quite some changes lately. The most current official rules are those provided with the Pyramid Quartet set (Promo Picture), see Homeworlds Rules (Version 13 as of this writing).

ABOUT ME

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I am a Master of Science in Math, graduated in 1993. I am an author of non-fiction books in Philosophy of Religion. I love games, including Go, mainly for their ability to stimulate both hemispheres of the brain and help the mind become balanced and flexible. In addition, games have a social component and are a pleasant pastime and can be the subject of interesting discussions. Games have many more benefits, such as increased memory, fluidity of thought, concentration, attention span. I use them as a tool to teach critical thinking skills, strategy, deductive logic, inductive logic, creativity.

LOONEY LABS GAMES I PLAY/PROMOTE

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It is best to provide my Star Ship Captain List of my favorite games (see below).

The list has changed over the years, but the main theme is abstract strategy games. There are some notable exceptions, such as Zendo and Icehouse.

• Zendo is an inductive logic game, and although it has some strategy, this may only come into play when you are already very good at the game.

• Icehouse is a game I've never actually played yet. This game, I've been told, is more like a sport. It comes with etiquette rules (cool/uncool behavior descriptions). Yes, it's a strategy game, but in real time; it could just as well have been soccer or baseball, none of which I consider to be abstract strategy games either.

Can you believe that Icehouse was the first Looney Pyramid game (from 1989), gave the name "Icehouse pieces" to the Pyramids, and was based on a vague description in Andrew Looney's book "The Empty City" of a game played on Mars 20,000 years ago? Together with his friend John Cooper, he figured out the exact rules, and they've played the game for 6 years or so before the first OTHER game with Looney Pyramids was invented, namely Martian Chess (1995).

STAR SHIP CAPTAIN LIST

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As a service to all other Starship Captains, here is my list of preferred games in order of preference (as of 4/20/2020, updated from 1/31/2016).

Compiling this list, I wished the top 3 contains more slots! If I have added "multiplayer", then that is the version I prefer. If I have added "2-player", then that is the only version that exists. If nothing is added, I do not prefer any version.

Games marked with * can be played with a Homeworlds set. A Homeworlds set consists of 3 trios, each in 4 colors. Some of the games indicated need an Icehouse stash per player, that is 5 trios in a color. If needed, you can create the following combos of two colors: Shell (Red, Yellow) and Ocean (Blue, Green). This gives you 6 trios in each combo, and you're all set to play these games.

1. (+1) * Homeworlds / [Homeworlds PQ Rules]

2. (-1) Zendo (multiplayer) / * Ikkozendo / [Pyramid Zendo Rules] / [Ikkozendo Rules (Original)]

3. (-1) * Hextris / [Hextris Rules (Original)] / [Hextris Board]

4. (+1) * Branches and Twigs and Thorns / [Branches & Twigs & Thorns Rules (Original)] / [Fairness in BT&T]

5. (+1) * Martian Chess / [Martian Chess Rules (Original)]

6. (+5) * Pikemen / [Pikemen Rules (Original)]

7. (-) * Ricochet Pyramids / [Pyramids Rules]

8. (-) * Blam! (2-player) [Blam Rules (Original)]

9. (-2) * Tic Tac Doh! (2-player) / [Tic Tac Doh! Rules (Original)]

10. (-2) Zark City (multiplayer) / [Zark City V2.0 Rules]

11. (-2) World War 5 (multiplayer) / [World War 5 Rules (Original)]

12. (-9) Icehouse (multiplayer) / [Icehouse Rules (Original)]

13. (-3) IceTowers (multiplayer) / [Ice Towers Rules (Original)]

14. (-2) Pharaoh (multiplayer) / [Pharaoh Rules (Original)]

15. (-2) Pink Hijinks (2-player) / [Pink Hijinks Rules (Original)]

16. (-2) Volcano (2000) / Caldera (2011) / [Volcano Rules (Original)] / [Caldera Rules (Original)]

17. (-2) Treehouse (multiplayer) / [Treehouse Rules (Original)]

RESOURCES

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I own an extended classic Zendo game, 5 Rainbow stashes and 5 Xeno stashes for a total of 150 pyramids in 10 colors. Furthermore, I designed, printed and laminated all my boards: 8x8, 7x7, 6x6, 5x5, 4x4, 4x3, 3x3, Hextris, 6 quadrants of Multiplayer Board (for Branches, Twigs and Thorns, Pikemen, etc.). In addition, I have a World War 5 board and 10 Good and Evil cards (for multi-player Homeworlds). I backed the Kickstarter Pyramid Arcade and as of the end of 2016, I own two PA sets (not opened), to give away one day. I backed the Kickstarter Pyramid Quartet in March 2020 and contributed to many last minute changes in the rules of PQ Homeworlds; by the end of 2020, I hope to receive 1 Martian Chess, 1 Nomids and 3 Homeworlds sets.

PROJECTS

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I am collecting and editing the major rules and variants of Homeworlds. The book will contain a game example with notation based on the SuperDuperGames.org version of the game. I am also collecting and editing the rules of games playable with the Homeworlds PQ set. See the list above for games included.