Nerd Alert: Settlers of Catan: Might be my gateway to LARP'ing (Live Action Role Playing) and other strategy games

So before I begin about Settler's of Catan, let me give you an overview of Gaya's game history

1) Spectra (my sister) and I would draw elaborate paper dolls (well done ones too), and we would create story lines for them (all of this is normal), but then we would sometimes role play and take on the persona of the paper dolls, for example we would be in the mall and rather than Spectra and Gaya chatting and window shopping, it would be Tiffany and Whitney  (this begins to transcend normal).  It was quite fabulous, Tiffany and Whitney had such great lives and it was so fun taking on these identites. They were smart, athletic, popular, and awesome. I don't remember all the details, but I would say this went on for at least a year or two!

 

{The paperdolls}

 

{Spectra and me being bird like}

 

 

 

2) Tetris and other computer games  - my parents decided that they would pay Spectra and I to play computer games (interesting parenting strategy- but I guess we both turned out ok). BOYYYYYY - it was awesome.  One day I literally spent 8 hours playing Oregon Trail (forge the river!) and made sweet sweet cash (that I would stash to pay for my math camp for 4 weeks at Mount Holyoke college - no I am not kidding). Needless to say, I was quite good at these games.  But sometimes it showed a negative side to myself (a competitive side (Spectra would call it my slythein side)).  In colonizaiton (a game about colonizing the new world), I would often attack other settlers, stealing the resouces, and destroying those that stood in my way. In the game civilization I would conquer the wonders of the world, explore new lands, and was always prepared for barbarians to attack!!!   I am pretty sure I was awesome at these games.  I also really excelled at tetris -  I was so good and could play for hours (this addiction resurfaced my 2nd year in grad school when I should have been working on a thesis). 

 

{pic of Colonization and Civilization - old school versions}

 

 

{Oregon Trail - thanks to http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/06/the_history_beh/ for the pic}

 

{Pic of Tetris, thanks to http://vadim.oversigma.com/Tetris.htm}

 

3) Traditional board games- my family loves normal board games too, although to be honest they don't often take advantage of my ruthless nature.  I just can't compete at the scrabble and badlerdash's of the world - my parents are just too well read and have decent vocabularies!

 

4) Other - I love that werewolf murder game, where you sit in a circle and close you eyes....yes, that one!

 

All of this history leads me to this: Settlers of Catan: A few months ago my friend Lauren introduced me to this board game....oh it is awesome, according to wikipedia, "Players assume the role of settlers on the game board, each attempting to build and develop their settlement while trading and acquiring resources. Players are rewarded points as their settlements grow; the first to reach a set number of points is the winner."  The games rules are initially intimidating and complicated, but soon, you might start dreaming about your strategy and how to get more bricks, or wood!  Literally, I had a dream about my strategy, I needed more stone!!

 

{pic of Settlers http://www.catan.com/}

I am thinking this might be my new addiction.  I really need to be careful or before you know it I will be LARPing (Live Action Role Playing).

 

{Pic: A larper  Photo by onionsaregross}

 

Growing up time does not mean no more game time, right?

 

2 questions for my readers (including those lurkers out there):

1) Any other games I should get my hands on?

2) What game addiction have you had?