What next?

Martin Mayers

Elder Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
4,569
Reaction score
1,989
Location
The Gulag
First name
Gulagwanker
Country
llUkraine
Okay this is my last pitch for why you should purchase Red Barricades and it's from Fish, otherwise known as The Grofaz.

At the twenty fifth ASLOk we were interviewed by the 2 Half Squads for their podcast. Its episode 47, Fish and Action. At about the 1 hour and 19 minute mark of the podcast Fish continues the interview, which was on the verge of ending, as he felt a need to extol about Red Barricades and our devotion to it. If you're not convinced by Fish not many others could convince you.

Btw our interview starts at about the 45 minute mark. Interview with Bob Bendizoid Bendis before ours. He gives some good advice to tournament attendees.
Horses for courses.

I genuinely think it's very dull. I've tried it four/five times. Every time I look forward to it then, a couple of sessions in, I'm just tired of same old.

I totally respect that for some it's fantastic.
 

Tim Niesen

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
1,209
Reaction score
146
Country
llUnited States
Steve would love to play Red Barricades, maybe I will tell him to purchase it. If he does, I will not have to buy nothing. He could hide the game from his spouse at Don's house! Tim
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,466
Reaction score
4,989
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
Horses for courses.

I genuinely think it's very dull. I've tried it four/five times. Every time I look forward to it then, a couple of sessions in, I'm just tired of same old.

I totally respect that for some it's fantastic.
Appreciate a different opinion. We can't all like exactly the same stuff and ASL has a lot to satisfy all it's fans.🤗
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,466
Reaction score
4,989
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
Steve would love to play Red Barricades, maybe I will tell him to purchase it. If he does, I will not have to buy nothing. He could hide the game from his spouse at Don's house! Tim
Sounds like a great plan!🤗😉
 

atago44

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
197
Reaction score
172
Country
llUnited States
Steve would love to play Red Barricades, maybe I will tell him to purchase it. If he does, I will not have to buy nothing. He could hide the game from his spouse at Don's house! Tim
Now that sounds like a solution!

You guys will love it. At least I did!
 

atago44

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
197
Reaction score
172
Country
llUnited States
Appreciate a different opinion. We can't all like exactly the same stuff and ASL has a lot to satisfy all it's fans.🤗
You know, I have just never been thrilled by the Guards Counterattack.

I think it is because it is just so scripted. Plus the unit density for the second scenario.

I know. Shut up and play!
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,466
Reaction score
4,989
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
You know, I have just never been thrilled by the Guards Counterattack.

I think it is because it is just so scripted. Plus the unit density for the second scenario.

I know. Shut up and play!
Yes perhaps scripted but remember what it was, a first baby step into SL. The thrill came from learning to play, not the scenario itself.

Btw the first scenario I played and the last. I'm satisfied with that. 🤗
 

atago44

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
197
Reaction score
172
Country
llUnited States
Yes perhaps scripted but remember what it was, a first baby step into SL. The thrill came from learning to play, not the scenario itself.

Btw the first scenario I played and the last. I'm satisfied with that. 🤗
Oh, I absolutely understand that--the first scenario that a generation of SL players ever played, including me.

I think part of my issue is that I read an article on "how" to play the scenario (not quite an AAR) and that is deeply engrained in my subconscious. I believe it was the analysis of the scenario in the ASL Classic, but I am not sure. So it is a bit problematic for me to play it solo, which these days is all I have. (Yes, I know about VASL. Problem there is Java, for some reason, does not like my computer, and you have to have Java to download the app.)

I will add concerning playing solo--back before I had a regular playing partner it worked. But now, having played a good bit with a partner, there are just so many dynamics that are different. Basically, I know and understand every thing that my "opponent" is going to do, and having that missing fog of war is one of the things that makes the game great.

Oh well, not having played for awhile (I am reviewing rules via the Starting Kits both to refamiliarize myself and because I have some family members who are interested--shallow is better when you can't swim!), and I think that, especially when I play Streets of Stalingrad, it will be a good review exercise.

Playing with someone would make all the difference in the world.
 

Martin Mayers

Elder Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
4,569
Reaction score
1,989
Location
The Gulag
First name
Gulagwanker
Country
llUkraine
Oh, I absolutely understand that--the first scenario that a generation of SL players ever played, including me.

I think part of my issue is that I read an article on "how" to play the scenario (not quite an AAR) and that is deeply engrained in my subconscious. I believe it was the analysis of the scenario in the ASL Classic, but I am not sure. So it is a bit problematic for me to play it solo, which these days is all I have. (Yes, I know about VASL. Problem there is Java, for some reason, does not like my computer, and you have to have Java to download the app.)

I will add concerning playing solo--back before I had a regular playing partner it worked. But now, having played a good bit with a partner, there are just so many dynamics that are different. Basically, I know and understand every thing that my "opponent" is going to do, and having that missing fog of war is one of the things that makes the game great.

Oh well, not having played for awhile (I am reviewing rules via the Starting Kits both to refamiliarize myself and because I have some family members who are interested--shallow is better when you can't swim!), and I think that, especially when I play Streets of Stalingrad, it will be a good review exercise.

Playing with someone would make all the difference in the world.
The best investment you could make in my humble opinion would be getting whatever you need to get on the IT front to get VASL working so that you can get some regular online opponents mate.
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,466
Reaction score
4,989
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
The best investment you could make in my humble opinion would be getting whatever you need to get on the IT front to get VASL working so that you can get some regular online opponents mate.
That is outstanding advice. Talk, read even play SASL every day and I'd wager you'll learn more from a real, that is living, opponent.
 

Martin Mayers

Elder Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
4,569
Reaction score
1,989
Location
The Gulag
First name
Gulagwanker
Country
llUkraine
That is outstanding advice. Talk, read even play SASL every day and I'd wager you'll learn more from a real, that is living, opponent.
VASL and Skype and you're playing essentially real FTF ASL, without all the annoying counter fidgetery and what not that goes with it (I prefer VASL to FTF...weirdo that I am).
 

atago44

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
197
Reaction score
172
Country
llUnited States
The best investment you could make in my humble opinion would be getting whatever you need to get on the IT front to get VASL working so that you can get some regular online opponents mate.
I don't disagree with you.

But one complication is that I come from that generation that did not have computers. As for computer "skills," I learned to operate a very basic calculator when I was young (you would not believe how "advanced" we thought those things were--and the coolest thing was that you could turn it upside down and spell "hELLO," or for the baser and more risque,' "hELL."), I took a computer programming class my senior year in high school (my great achievement there was learning to design programs using at least two methods to role 1st edition Advanced Dungeon and Dragon ability scores,) and did my honors thesis my senior year in college on a word processor (talk about advanced!).

The internet was invented when I was about thirty, and did not really become popular until I was in my later 30s.

The point I am making is that I was born on the wrong side of the generation line that separates people who actually know to how to download apps, etc. My computer skills are basically using the internet, using email, and word processing--but I am a really mean artist on an Elite-style typewriter!

More seriously, the past few years we have done a lot of work using various new apps, etc., at my job, so I am struggling but making progress. I will be looking into your suggestion. But as it is something that is not in the least intuitive for me, it will be a struggle. That is especially true given that I am single, no children, and no close friends able to do such thing.

Woe is me!
😭
 
Last edited:

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,466
Reaction score
4,989
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
I don't disagree with you.

But one complication is that I come from that generation that did not have computers. As for computer "skills," I learned to operate a very basic calculator when I was young (you would not believe how "advanced" we thought those things were--and the coolest thing was that you could turn it upside down and spell "HELLO," or for the baser and more risque,' "HELL."), I took a computer programming class my senior year in high school (my great achievement there was learning to design programs using at least two methods to 1st edition Advanced Dungeon and Dragon ability scores,) and did my honors thesis my senior in year college on a word processor (talk about advanced!).

The internet was invented when I was about thirty, and did not really did not become popular until I was in my later 30s.

The point I am making is that I was born on the wrong side of the generation line that separates people who actually know to how to download apps, etc. My computer skills are basically using the internet, using email, and word processing--but I am a really mean artist on an Elite-style typewriter!

More realistically, the past few years we have done a lot of work using various new apps, etc., at my job, so I am struggling but making progress. I will be looking into your suggestion. But as it is something that is not in the least intuitive for me, it will be a struggle. That is especially true given that I am single, no children, and no close friends able to do such thing.

Woe is me!
😭
You sound like a perfect candidate for VASL. Look I'm an Old Man Out of Touch myself but it can't be that hard. You got to this site didn't you? Just go for it! Enough geeks here with nothing better to do than help out an isolated gamer. OMOOT 😉
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,466
Reaction score
4,989
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
You sound like a perfect candidate for VASL. Look I'm an Old Man Out of Touch myself but it can't be that hard. You got to this site didn't you? Just go for it! Enough geeks here with nothing better to do than help out an isolated gamer. OMOOT 😉
Then again being an OMOOT how would I know what a perfect candidate is and what they would be perfect for?🤔🤔
 

atago44

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
197
Reaction score
172
Country
llUnited States
You sound like a perfect candidate for VASL. Look I'm an Old Man Out of Touch myself but it can't be that hard. You got to this site didn't you? Just go for it! Enough geeks here with nothing better to do than help out an isolated gamer. OMOOT 😉
Oh, I am. But with what was once called "all deliberate speed." Which means, I still have taxes to do, I have a thousand things to do, which are of a higher priority that setting up VASL, I am chronically sleep deprived which makes doing anything beyond posting on a list and finding new ASL products to buy extremely difficult, etc.

What I have done at this point is (a) searched my own computer to see if Java is on my computer; I have not learned that it is, but that doesn't mean it isn't.

Second, I have tried to access Java and received back a message indicating that my computer was "suspect" and hence not been able to even contact to it.

And third--I just tried to access, and lo and behold!, I had no problem. Why it "likes" me now but wouldn't even "speak" to me previously, I have no idea (true love?). I guess I better take advantage of it now before it decides it doesn't "like" me again.

Question--is it a free download, or do I have to pay for it?

I am sure I can find that out myself, but I am asking a favor from a friend.
 
Last edited:

atago44

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
197
Reaction score
172
Country
llUnited States
I will add--when I tried to access it previously, I was using a VASL how to page.

Maybe that is what the problem was.
 
Top