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Bottom of the 9th is on Kickstarter!

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Craig
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Bottom of the 9th is on Kickstarter!

Hey, everyone. We just launched a fantastic new game on Kickstarter called Bottom of the 9th. It's a light card and dice game about baseball and bluffing. I had a chance to play with Darrell Louder, one of the designers, and I had a blast. I'm not even a huge baseball guy!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dicehateme/bottom-of-the-9th-a-dice...


Twitter: imprimis5. Follow away!

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Backed! Love the visual presentation of this one...!


MrLeRobot...

Craig
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Indeed. Like the rest of the DHMG stuff, it just feels comfortable, like an oft-used simile.


Twitter: imprimis5. Follow away!

Pydro
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This stinks. Trying to do the second tier, and it keeps timing out, and the number keeps going down.


Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

phantaskippy
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I was all meh, who wants a baseball game?

Then I read about it, looked at the PnP files, read about the solo variant and the Sentinels of the Ballpark and I'm hooked.

Spending money I don't even have for a game that this morning I didn't even want.

This is all the work of that hideous villain Mergatron!

cmschex
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Yeah KS is having real issues today

phantaskippy
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Pydro wrote:

This stinks. Trying to do the second tier, and it keeps timing out, and the number keeps going down.

 

Kickstarter doesn't want to take my money either.

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I LOVE the design of the player cards. Baseball cards! Great idea! And the Arkham Elders? Good lord did I have such a chuckle.

I'm with Skippy on this one. I'm not a huge baseball fan (don't get me started on the Phillies right now), but this one might have to be a back for me. Price is reasonable, the presentation and looks are fantastic, and I might have to swing at it. 

Print and Play option is also very nice and transparent. I'll be taking advantage of it for sure.

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...and I might have to swing at it. 

I've played it, and let me tell you: it's a three-pointer right into the end zone!

(I know nothing about sports.)


"Your goodness must have some edge to it — else it is none."
 - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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I don't know foote, The Arkham Elders might be old enough to actually get an offer from the Phillies. (oh snap)

morph147
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i really like the sentinels of the 9th strech goal..... wonder if I can talk my wife into letting me pledge. FYI though I didnt see anything about shipping on here.


My wife thinks Sentinels is ruining our marriage. I think she doesnt know what shes talking about because she wont sit down to play it

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I'm going to look at it, but if have no interest whatsoever in baseball and bluffing isn't my favourite.

This is how much I love you guys.


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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morph147 wrote:

i really like the sentinels of the 9th strech goal..... wonder if I can talk my wife into letting me pledge. FYI though I didnt see anything about shipping on here.

If you click to pledge on either level it will automatically add it.  The US shipping is $5 at least.  


Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31

 
Foote
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phantaskippy wrote:

I don't know foote, The Arkham Elders might be old enough to actually get an offer from the Phillies. (oh snap)

This is only funny because of how painfully true it is

phantaskippy
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This bluffing seems like it would be silent bluffing, not lying to people.

I hate games where I actively have to lie to people, I'm terrible at it, and I try not to lie so it really isn't a skill I wish to develop.

This game the bluffing is largely trying to guess where the other player will be throwing the pitch.

Pydro
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Still not going through, but I have to stop trying and go. Will have to settle for the first tier. Oh, well.


Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

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@Silverleaf

If I had to guess, I would suspect that Viva Java would be your favorite Dice Hate Me game. Have you played it?


“Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” ~Obi-Wan Kenobi

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Paul wrote:

@SilverleafIf I had to guess, I would suspect that Viva Java would be your favorite Dice Hate Me game. Have you played it?

I haven't. I don't think I've played any of them, actually. Is there a decaf version? ;)


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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Silverleaf wrote:
Paul wrote:
@SilverleafIf I had to guess, I would suspect that Viva Java would be your favorite Dice Hate Me game. Have you played it?

I haven't. I don't think I've played any of them, actually. Is there a decaf version? ;)

VivaJava: The Coffee Game: The Dice Game has a decaf version. No joke.


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Craig wrote:
Silverleaf wrote:
Paul wrote:
@SilverleafIf I had to guess, I would suspect that Viva Java would be your favorite Dice Hate Me game. Have you played it?

 

I haven't. I don't think I've played any of them, actually. Is there a decaf version? ;)

VivaJava: The Coffee Game: The Dice Game has a decaf version. No joke.

I love that that's a thing.


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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Yep, officially got an email that the second tier is gone and it didn't go through. Any chance for upping the number?


Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

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VivaJava: The Coffee Game: The Dice Game: The Decaf Version: Lite!


"Your goodness must have some edge to it — else it is none."
 - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Foote wrote:

 

phantaskippy wrote:
I don't know foote, The Arkham Elders might be old enough to actually get an offer from the Phillies. (oh snap)

 

This is only funny because of how painfully true it is

 

Ow.

Phillies are my team.

Ow.


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If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If not now, when? If I am for myself alone, what am I? -- Hillel

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We can share a good cry next time I see you Arenson9 crying

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@Pydro

I think that there probably is. I'll talk with Darrell, but I think we might be able to add some more in a week or two after PAX. Hopefully the Kickstarter nonsense will have calmed down by then.


“Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” ~Obi-Wan Kenobi

Pydro
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Thanks!


Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

morph147
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is there anyway they can actually post how much they need for the stretch goals on the kickstarter?


My wife thinks Sentinels is ruining our marriage. I think she doesnt know what shes talking about because she wont sit down to play it

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Those will be revealed over the course of the campaign! Stay tuned for more info!


"Your goodness must have some edge to it — else it is none."
 - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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This game looks pretty fun. I've never bought a game from DHMG, but I guess that's about to change!


You're free to do whatever you want to.

MrLeRobot
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Also, about the bluffing comment, I get the feeling that the game is more about double-guessing your opponent rather than plain bluffing. Right? I haven't read the rules yet, but I remember Darell talked about it during an episode of "The State of Games" (can't remember wich episode though...).


MrLeRobot...

phantaskippy
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The Stare Down is the "bluffing" point it seems, but that is a double blind guess.

Both select location, and batter gets bonuses the more correct their guess is.

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Yes, exactly as phantaskippy stated.

Each turn starts with the Stare Down. The pitcher secretly chooses the pitch Direction & Location (High/Low and Inside/Away). The batter has the same pair of tokens and is trying to guess what the pitcher will choose. This guess will be made off of the pitcher's ACE ability, the Pitcher's Fatigue track, and their good ol' gut.

Both players then, simultaniously, reveal their tokens. For each guess the batter gets correct, they get a corresponding ability (bigger/better ability if they get both right). For each guess that was wrong, the pitcher gains a corresponding ability- similar to the batter.

Then the pitcher rolls the pitch dice (Pitch & Control) and then mitigates them based on the abilities they have and wish to use.

The batter then rolls their Swing die, and mitigates as well based on the abilities they have and wish to use.

The result of the pitch/swing is then determined.

It sounds like a lot but the above takes about 10-20 seconds.

Hope that helps! 


On twitter: @getlouder

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Sadly Kickstarter still doesn't work for me.  This stinks.

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Okay, can someone explain to someone who has never seen a baseball match what "inside" and "away" mean? I assume from context that the terms are functionally equivalent to "left" and "right", but they can't actually mean that otherwise you'd just say "left/right", right?

Is there some special significance to the ninth inning?

Also what do those batting average numbers mean?

It may be obvious by now that I know literally nothing about baseball other than the fact that there's throwing/hitting/catching of a ball, and running, and striped shirts. And hot dogs and beer.


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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Inside means closer to the batter, outside means away. What direction this is changes depending on what side of the plate the vatter is standing on.

The ninth inning is the last inning. Each team gets a last chance to bat.

The average is the actual average of hitting the ball and getting on base vs getting out. Instead of a percentage, a decimal is used, and you read it as if it wasn't a decimal. .300 is a 300 batting average, which is good.


Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

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Thanks! I'm not sure I'm much wiser, but I have no previous baseball knowledge "context" to hang the information on.

I'm basing this entirely on rounders, since I assume the two sports have to be similar as they involve throwing, hitting, and running around a shape to score points.

Pitching: Does the ball have to be potentially "hittable" when it's pitched without the batter needing to take a step to reach it? Like it has to enter an imaginary area based on where the batter/bat is? So "inside" is the batter side of that area and "away" is the non-batter side. Not left or right because the batter could be on the left or the right (presumably because they 're left or right-handed).

Innings: I assume that only one team bats in each of the previous eight innings, in turn, so an equal number of bats/pitches. Why is there a ninth, in that case?

 


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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Silverleaf wrote:

Thanks! I'm not sure I'm much wiser, but I have no previous baseball knowledge "context" to hang the information on.I'm basing this entirely on rounders, since I assume the two sports have to be similar as they involve throwing, hitting, and running around a shape to score points.Pitching: Does the ball have to be potentially "hittable" when it's pitched without the batter needing to take a step to reach it? Like it has to enter an imaginary area based on where the batter/bat is? So "inside" is the batter side of that area and "away" is the non-batter side. Not left or right because the batter could be on the left or the right (presumably because they 're left or right-handed).Innings: I assume that only one team bats in each of the previous eight innings, in turn, so an equal number of bats/pitches. Why is there a ninth, in that case? 

 

Each inning has a top half, in which the home team pitches and the visiting team bats, and the bottom half, in which the visiting team pitches and the home team bats.  A half inning is over when the fielding side records 3 outs

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The ball has to be hittable without moving. It has to go over the plate the batter is next to. If it is inside, it is between the batter and the plate. If it is outside, it is past the plate on the side without the batter. It also cant be too high or too low.

Each inning has two parts: top and bottom. During each top of the inning, the away team bats, during the. bottom, the home team. It goes:

Top of first
Bottom of first
Top of second
etc.


Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

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So the ninth's only significant because it's the last? No format changes otherwise?


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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Silverleaf wrote:

Pitching: Does the ball have to be potentially "hittable" when it's pitched without the batter needing to take a step to reach it?

If the ball can't be hit with a swing

that pitch is a quite legal thing

but it's not counted a strike

the batter gets to hike

up the bases if four balls do ring.

 

Translation:  If the batter doesn't swing at the ball, and the umpire judges that it wasn't hittable, it doesn't count as a 'strike' against the batter, and if the batter gets 4 'balls', they get to walk to first base.


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Pydro
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Silverleaf wrote:

So the ninth's only significant because it's the last? No format changes otherwise?

Correct.


Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

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And I thought cricket was confusing! ;)


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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An inning can go on indefinitely, you could score any number of runs.  So the bottom of the ninth is the last chance the losing team has to make up the runs to win the game.

If the winning team bats in the bottom half of the inning and they lead when the bottom of the ninth comes up they skip it, since the pitching team can't do anything to change the result of the game.

The bottom of the ninth usually has the entire crowd standing (since the home team always bats in the bottom and they are trying to come back and win) and is a very exciting time.

Inside-Outside is used instead of left-right because batters can be left or right handed, and it is more important to note if the ball is heading toward the player or away.

Pitching inside has value, as it is hard to hit a ball hard when it is closer to your hand, but you have the chance of actually hitting the batter, which gives the batter a free base.

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phantaskippy wrote:

The bottom of the ninth usually has the entire crowd standing

... because they're on their way to their cars to beat the traffic out of the parking lot before the game is actually over. ;)


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Okay, it's getting clearer.

Nine innings sounds like a really long game!


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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Silverleaf wrote:

Okay, it's getting clearer.Nine innings sounds like a really long game!

Hence the hotdogs and the beer.


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Donner wrote:

 

Silverleaf wrote:
Okay, it's getting clearer.Nine innings sounds like a really long game!

 

Hence the hotdogs and the beer.

Yeah, but you can grab those whilst doing something entertaining instead... cheeky

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Silverleaf wrote:

Okay, it's getting clearer.Nine innings sounds like a really long game!

At least it doesn't last FIVE SODDING DAYS.


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BlueHairedMeerkat wrote:
Silverleaf wrote:
Okay, it's getting clearer.Nine innings sounds like a really long game!

At least it doesn't last FIVE SODDING DAYS.

I was a football (soccer) fan as a kid. 90 minutes is a sensible number, with a nice break in the middle.

I tried watching American football once. It took about six years to play five minutes of game.


Just assume I'm always doing that.

Damn it, Ronway!

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Silverleaf wrote:
I tried watching American football once. It took about six years to play five minutes of game.

I find American football a lot like cricket - often when very little appears to be happening, one team has is doing something very well but you need to know the sport to see and understand it. They've wonderfully tactical at the top level, whilst relying on contests between individuals underneath

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I believe if you cut out the time at the line of scrimmage, and go with just snap of the ball to whistle and cut all the time inbetween, the actual action of an American Football game is around 11 minutes, and takes about 3 hours and 11 minutes to play.

As for Baseball the average MLB game is 3 hours, and a decent bit of that is TV time.  A non-televised game takes a lot less time, in college I would work the games and it was usually 90 minutes.

 

Americans like talking about Sports even more than we like watching or playing them, so we need big breaks in the action.

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