Merk's Spring Thing 2006 Reviews - Introduction

[Mike Snyder]

I was going to wait until SPAG comes out, then post these to my website
later. Jimmy Maher did email me to say it's okay to post since the current
issue is still a few days away -- and even though I wasn't going to, I've
decided I will.

I'm going to split them into multiple posts, to make it easier to skip
reviews and (if needed) reply about specific games.

A 2006 Spring Thing Review
Set ----------------------------------------------

When I review for a competition, I usually do two things. First, I write an
introduction. This lets me state a few goals and make a few predictions.
Second, I define my scoring criteria, so that every game is ranked fairly in
relation to the others, using the same scoring system.

I skipped both steps for the 2006 Spring Thing. At first, I intended to use
my
IFComp 2005 criteria (http://www.sidneymerk.com/comp05/scoring.shtml). With
only four entries - each being very different from any of the others and
none
of them being bad - I changed my mind. The final scores are kind of a hybrid
between this and my 2004 C32 Comp system
(http://sidneymerk/c32comp04.shtml).

Ranking them was no easy task. I was tempted to take the cheap way out and
rate them all the same - "Spring Thing 2006: Every Game Gets a Ten!" The
Potter and the Mould is action-packed with good scenery implementation, but
Pantomime has great writing and a trippy storyline. The Warlord, The
Princess
& The Bulldog is a lengthy puzzlefest with multiple solutions and some
clever
gameplay mechanics, but The Baron stands apart from its competition with a
well-told, thought-provoking story that lacks puzzles entirely.

To decide on scores, I considered the writing, the story, the
implementation,
the length of the game, and the experience as a whole. Every entry was great
in its own way. I am incredibly impressed with what each of these authors
has
done here, and any of them would make a fine Spring Thing winner. However, I
did decide on scores, and so that they're meaningful, no two scores are the
same.

9 - The Warlord, The Princess & The Bulldog
8 - The Potter and the Mould
7 - Pantomime
6 - The Baron

The reviews are listed in the order I played.