Nanofictionary is a storytelling cad game that does a great job of providing props which help get players thinking creatively. It's also an Andrew Looney game and thus has the implicit wackiness that you'd expect.
Post originally by Albert Magnus at 2003-07-03 01:34:03
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Great review. You've made me keen to check out this game which I otherwise have missed. Btw, I loved your Modern romance story. The one with the President and the snake would require a good teller of tall tales!
Post originally by Shannon Appelcline at 2003-07-03 11:32:23
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The modern romance story was told by a friend a couple of weeks ago while we were playtesting the game.
The President one was actually the first story that I told with Nanofictionary, a year ago at GenCon when some other folks pulled out their deck and convinced me to play. The fact that I could still remember the cards almost a year later (and I'm certain those are the same ones) says something about the enduring nature of the stories you tell.
Post originally by Sam L-L at 2003-07-03 11:54:58
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...and it's Once Upon A Time. Nanofictionary simply is not as enjoyable a game; my friends and I played it once, didn't really enjoy ourselves, and put it back on the shelf. It doesn't have the wacky twists and turns that Once Upon A Time gets, and the sense of everyone playing the same game is vastly diminshed because you're each telling your own story and not all telling the same story and trying to take it in different directions.
If you want to choose one, choose Once Upon A Time, and if you already have OUaT, you don't need Nanofictionary. It's kind of a shame that a game by such a good company (Looney Labs) is so completely overshadowed by another game in the same niche.
(All of the preceding is, of course, simply my opinion and that of my friends.)
Post originally by Shannon Appelcline at 2003-07-03 17:24:28
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Personally, I think you're unfairly judging the one game by what makes the other fun.
As I said, I thought that OUAT produced better group dynamics, but that's not necessarily the be-all and end-all of game playing. If I want to really be a ham and tell my own story my way, Nanopictionary will better allow that.
But, based on what you prefer, it sounds like OUAT is the better game for you.
Post originally by Sam L-L at 2003-07-05 13:52:54
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Your point of view has a lot to be said for it, but then again, what's a game without group dynamics? If we didn't want to interact, we should just sit at home and write our own stories
You're right, I was clearly biased going into Nanofictionary by my experiences with UoaT, but the same would be true for any other game -- e.g., any other board game with tiles, economic resources, trading, and development is probably going to be compared to Settlers of Catan, and any board game about aliens with different characteristics is going to be compared to Cosmic Encounter. If they're not as flat-out enjoyable (and really, isn't that what games are for?) they're going to be overshadowed.
(And honestly, maybe I was a little extra disappointed since Looney Labs usually has such excellent games, such as Icehouse and Chrononauts.)
Post originally by Stu at 2003-07-08 09:29:56
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I agree with both the sentiments: I enjoy OUAT more than nano-fictionary, because the group dynamics are better (and allows players who are not so good at handling entire stores to play when they feel they have something good), and I agree that some people could like more the ability to ham it up on their own.
But, for that latter group, I think The Adventures of Baron Munchasen has the drop on Nanofictionary as well. It's got a lot of the same: "How well can you spin a story on your own?" challenge, but the bickering between players adds a fun group dynamic (where people are allowed to throw minor twists at your stories), and the whole theme and atmosphere is a whole lot more fun.
Post originally by Shannon Appelcline at 2003-07-09 18:23:02
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I've read through Baron and my one problem is with the setting. I don't feel sufficiently knowledgeable about its particular historical background to be confident about telling enjoyable stories.
Granted, you could use the same rules in the modern day.
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