Fun or fair? Which is more important...

[igycrctl]

When choosing which scenario to play? I was looking at the ROAR list for recommended scenarios and the list for most balanced scenarios and was wondering if there was a way to combine the two list into a single “most fair and fun” list. To this end, I was thinking about weighting fun or fair differently to get a single rating, but was unsure which was more important to most people. I’m interested in what you all think.

 

[Tuomo]

"Fun" and "Fair" can be made or broken by the dice, IMO, perhaps more effectively than the effort the designer put into making the scenario Fun or Fair. That's just life.

That said, you probably do want the scenario to be as fun and fair as possible before you sit down and start rolling dice.

It's hard to have fun if the scenario isn't fair. But a scenario can be fair without being fun. So I'm gonna say fun is the more better thing.

 

[ecz]

"Fun" and "Fair" can be made or broken by the dice, IMO, perhaps more effectively than the effort the designer put into making the scenario Fun or Fair. That's just life.

That said, you probably do want the scenario to be as fun and fair as possible before you sit down and start rolling dice.

It's hard to have fun if the scenario isn't fair. But a scenario can be fair without being fun. So I'm gonna say fun is the more better thing.

but there are scenarios unfair at the point they become fun.

 

[Honza]

As long as they are a fair lot of fun I don't mind.

 

[zgrose]

Just play a little faster so you can judge the quality of the scenario in real-time!

 

[JR Brackin]

When I look at a scenario I try to decide whether this is one that I will enjoy. if it is a style of action that I like I start to look at it from the view would I want to play either side - if that is good than I suggest it to my opponent. This is not foolproof, I have played scenarios that look good and I would take either side just to find out that they either were not balanced or had little appeal.

I agree that fun is more important, especially if you going to spend several hours playing the scenario. You definitely want to enjoy your time playing it.

I try not to judge a scenario based on ROAR W/L record unless it looks really bad (11-2, 25 7, etc) but I will click on the scenario to view the rating that players five the scenario. That being said this is subjective in that I wonder how many people give ratings below 5, I know that I will and so will my opponents. However, for making a decision I weigh that more than the W/L record. I have played scenario where I believe that my side had little chance of winning, but enjoyed the scenario immensely since it was fun to play.

 

[Roy]

Without a doubt more fun.

I have played a balanced scenario that was as fun as watching concrete set.
I have also played scenarios that significantly favored one side that were fun.

my obligatory emoticon. - :wtf:

 

[aiabx]

Fun. I'm not a professional ASL player who depends on winning to feed my family.

 

[Spencer Armstrong]

Fun. I'm not a professional ASL player who depends on winning to feed my family.

Man, that's a relief.

More and more, fun. And more and more, I can spot what is and isn't for me, as long as I'm willing to lay the boards out and look at it.

 

[Jazz]

When choosing which scenario to play? I was looking at the ROAR list for recommended scenarios and the list for most balanced scenarios and was wondering if there was a way to combine the two list into a single “most fair and fun” list. To this end, I was thinking about weighting fun or fair differently to get a single rating, but was unsure which was more important to most people. I’m interested in what you all think.

Why are you playing at the time?

A tournament? Probably want it as balanced as possible.

Against someone that you enjoy making tank thread noises and trash talking? Something with toys and damn the balance.

Against someone that you have history with and bragging rights are important? <shrug> Your call.

 

[Matt Book]

Fair = Fun at a Tournament
Fun is any ASL in any other setting

 

[Robin Reeve]

The problem of evaluating a scenario from ROAR or other online resources arises when you want to play a recently published one, because it won't have been played by many players.

I think that there is a part of risk taking when you decide to play a scenario.

I personally look at:
- the general situation and action depicted
- the toys used
- the VC
- the SSR
- the publisher and the designer

I usually don't like too complex VCs (or evolutive ones) and too abundant and complex SSR.
It doesn't prevent me from playing scenarios with such in a absolute way, but it makes me hesitate.

I admit that I am not good at evaluating the balance or the dynamics of a scenario.
Some players are much more gifted than me at that level - which makes them much better players than I am .
But, as things evolve otherwise as I thought they would, I live with the risk taking element.

And the major fun factor is, for me, the human interaction with my opponent.

 

[kcole4001]

Fun, every time.
Win or lose, enjoyment is key, sometimes that means different things, complex, lots of vehicles, or just basic infantry, but as long as you'd want to play it again then the objective has been achieved.

 

[Tuomo]

And we all know, of course, that the map is the single most important factor in determining whether a scenario is fun

 

[kcole4001]

Scenarios without maps just suck....

 

[Spencer Armstrong]

Scenarios without maps just suck....

Memory ASL. For when Memory Chess is just not challenging any more.

 

[newege]

Scenarios without maps just suck....

au contraire - Up Front! was a barn burner of a game!

 

[Nadir_E]

Casting another vote for "fun" with the caveats that have been noted already - if it's really unfair, it's probably not a lot of fun.

 

[kcole4001]

au contraire - Up Front! was a barn burner of a game!

This is true, I enjoyed it myself, but it's not ASL.
And my memory is not that good, and improvement is extremely unlikely. :dontknow:study:

 

[Paul M. Weir]

How about interesting?