online boardgames

[pmart]

www.vassalengine.org (or just google VASSAL)

You have to d/l the java run time environment, but this is a great system for playing games online. Carl and I actually played a hot seat game of advanced squad leader with this back during senior year. They also have a newly released module for turning point stalingrad. It looks great, it has a better interface (imo) than the other two programs I earlier mentioned in conjunction with TPS, and you can play head to head in real time over the net. (and also save games and recomence latter) That's much more fun imo than pbem, and also tends to make sure games actually get finished. Check it out...

[frosty]

I'll look at it this weekend, but first I must recover from the last 25 days.

[randscreen]

Here's another place to play boardgames online: www.brettspielwelt.info/

BSW has mostly "German style" games like Settlers of Catan and Puerto Rico.

Edit: fixed url.

[AlferdPacker]

German games are sun while playing them, but at the end of the night they leave me unsatisfied. There isn't enough player interaction. You can't influence another player directly, only indirectly. Puerto Rico being the most popular example of this.

At some point I want to be able to say, "I'm doing this to you". Rather than, I'm going to buy this resource which will affect how you play your turn.

If I'm going to lack that confrontation in a game, I'd prefer to play something more fully cooperative, such as Arkham Horror or Lord of the Rings.

I enjoy games such as Puerto Rico and Power Grid, but playing the type more than once a month leaves me a little cold.