Gridiron (grunt, grunt)

Those of you paying attention will recall that I mentioned a few days ago, that I am taking part in an on-line Gridiron game, developed from a play-by-mail version that folded about ten years ago.

Other than obvious differences, primarily the interface - now browser based, not ye aulde penne and ye paper, much of the original game rules and style survive. As does my apparent incomprehension of said rules and interface.

Like most games spawned in the US, Gridiron (American Football), is well suited to statistical play, and therefore on-line simulations (there is no animation, it is all about formulae and statistical manipulation, who says I'm a geek? You at the back, there. Stand up and face the wall). Sadly, the thing that passeth for my brane is clearly less suited.

I distinctly recall building a team with a solid rush offense (please note that I shall only use that spelling of "offence" in relation to American Football. Similarly, "defense"), and some short passing ability. I also recall drafting in a massive Inside Line Backer so that I could build a monster mLB defense.

Well, I seem to have got it half right. In my pre-season game, I was defeated by two points (!) in a defense dominated skull crusher, where the total scores were two field goals and one safety. My beloved Scapa Flow Dreadnoughts (geddit?) lost 5-3 in what must have been the most defense dominated game of all time. And yet, my boys made all the yardage, and stopped all the Boston Pirates' offense dead in the water. And that yardage was made almost entirely by the Tight End (Ooh, Matron!). And there's clearly something wrong with the stats reporting. If accurate, I seem to have played with both offense and defense on the field for 42 minutes, and yet still lost...

I am confused. Oh well, there's another pre-season game coming up; I daresay the program will be tweaked before we get to play that, and again before the regular season starts. In the meantime...

Oh, and all coaches like to keep their play books secret, but this is ridiculous. My defensive plays are now inaccessible to me.

Argh.

Time for bed.

Gridiron (grunt, grunt)

Those of you paying attention will recall that I mentioned a few days ago, that I am taking part in an on-line Gridiron game, developed from a play-by-mail version that folded about ten years ago.

Other than obvious differences, primarily the interface - now browser based, not ye aulde penne and ye paper, much of the original game rules and style survive. As does my apparent incomprehension of said rules and interface.

Like most games spawned in the US, Gridiron (American Football), is well suited to statistical play, and therefore on-line simulations (there is no animation, it is all about formulae and statistical manipulation, who says I'm a geek? You at the back, there. Stand up and face the wall). Sadly, the thing that passeth for my brane is clearly less suited.

I distinctly recall building a team with a solid rush offense (please note that I shall only use that spelling of "offence" in relation to American Football. Similarly, "defense"), and some short passing ability. I also recall drafting in a massive Inside Line Backer so that I could build a monster mLB defense.

Well, I seem to have got it half right. In my pre-season game, I was defeated by two points (!) in a defense dominated skull crusher, where the total scores were two field goals and one safety. My beloved Scapa Flow Dreadnoughts (geddit?) lost 5-3 in what must have been the most defense dominated game of all time. And yet, my boys made all the yardage, and stopped all the Boston Pirates' offense dead in the water. And that yardage was made almost entirely by the Tight End (Ooh, Matron!). And there's clearly something wrong with the stats reporting. If accurate, I seem to have played with both offense and defense on the field for 42 minutes, and yet still lost...

I am confused. Oh well, there's another pre-season game coming up; I daresay the program will be tweaked before we get to play that, and again before the regular season starts. In the meantime...

Oh, and all coaches like to keep their play books secret, but this is ridiculous. My defensive plays are now inaccessible to me.

Argh.

Time for bed.

Brain creaking into gear....

Well, I have started another character sheet for the NWO finale. There is only so much that can be written at this stage because we still need to thrash out various plot lines, but equally there is much that flows from the last game and can be written up early.

This of course all rather depends on your writing buds functioning properly. Mine aren't at the moment. I am having to squeeze words out like the last little bit of toothpaste in the tube. I have a fair idea of where I am going, but it's like the handbrake is on, and the whole process is that much more effort than I would expect.

It's like anything else, I guess. I haven't written anything seriously for a year, since a few weeks before we ran NWO Rome early last September, and the old plotting and writing muscles are creaking through lack of exercise.

It's going to take a while to get into this...

Brain creaking into gear....

Well, I have started another character sheet for the NWO finale. There is only so much that can be written at this stage because we still need to thrash out various plot lines, but equally there is much that flows from the last game and can be written up early.

This of course all rather depends on your writing buds functioning properly. Mine aren't at the moment. I am having to squeeze words out like the last little bit of toothpaste in the tube. I have a fair idea of where I am going, but it's like the handbrake is on, and the whole process is that much more effort than I would expect.

It's like anything else, I guess. I haven't written anything seriously for a year, since a few weeks before we ran NWO Rome early last September, and the old plotting and writing muscles are creaking through lack of exercise.

It's going to take a while to get into this...