November 30, 2014: Ogre: Legacy Of Heroics

I'm not quite a month into my new position here and my head is still spinning a bit. I'm learning more and more, and each day it seems there's still so much I don't know. Well, okay, there is so much I don't know, but I'm amazed at the patience and generosity shown by denizens of the Ogreverse.

I wish I could say "This! This One Thing has been my biggest challenge!" but I can't. Not really.

There's just the sheer size of the Ogre legacy. This isn't a new game. Quite the opposite in fact! This is a game with scores of loyal fans, a rich history, and lots and lots and LOTS of smart folks who have spent a great deal of time and attention on the very fabric of the game.

So, with that said, a lot of my time has been spent reading and learning-- about how rules have been interpreted, what's important to the players, both those who have played since they can remember (hi honey!) and those who are newer (oh hey, that's me!), what bogs down a game, and how heroics work in the world of Ogre.

Oh, heroics! That's another thing I've been sorting out. Heroics in Ogre aren't really like those in any other game I've played. There's not a five-man-band, where there is the hero or the leader, the lancer, the smart plucky sidekick, the big dumb guy, and the heart of the party. In Ogre, we have the heroics of the hard choices -- making the choice between the forces that live and die, even if they are just counters on a map, because the legacy I mentioned before gives the game weight. Those counters, those chipboard cutouts, and that bunch of paper in an old plastic bag have a bit more oomph because of the time and energy poured into the game over the years, by its creator and by its fans, and it's made me rethink my idea of heroics and what goes into a "simple" game.

I want to honor that energy, that devotion to this game and its legacy, so I'm learning. Thank you all for teaching me.

-- Jennifer Atkinson