Yeah, I won’t lie here, when Batman was a drug addict, that was pretty messed up. Especially since the drug he was addicted to was the drug Bane used to get the strength to break Batman’s back. He even grew a beard to show how far he’d fallen (though I don’t know how a beard represents that, but whatever).
But sorry DC, we are not likely to forget any of these! Bearded Batman passed out on a recliner with an empty pill bottle in his hand? Yeah, sorry, that is the kind of sight you can never unsee.
Live with your shame, DC, never disrespect Batman!
When most people think of fishing, we imagine relaxing in a boat and patiently reeling in the day’s catch. But modern industrial fishing — the kind that stocks our grocery shelves — looks more like warfare. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Jennifer Jacquet explain overfishing and its effects on ecosystems, food security, jobs, economies, and coastal cultures.
It turns out there’s a scientific explanation behind the saying, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!” Learn why a hot and humid day feels so dismal and some tips to avoid the really sweaty, gross days on today’s Quick Question!
This Star Trek TOS road trip sunshade might be just the thing you need to protect the inside of your car from those dangerous radiations coming from our sun.
It’s only logical to protect your car’s interior, and this Star Trek TOS Road Trip Sunshade will block UV rays and keep your parked car cooler. Made in the USA, it’s also a universal size to fit most cars, trucks, and vans. You’ll definitely need this for traveling by car when your transporter is malfunctioning. Perfect for your next five-year mission!
All this week we’ll be taking a look at some of the jargon used in board games. If you’re new to gaming, you might like our piece from last year explaining the terms used to describe different types of games. This week we’re concentrating on terms used by more dedicated players to describe characteristics of games and gamers, particularly ones that can be controversial or problematic.
Today’s phrase is “alpha gamer” which refers to a situation in cooperative games (players work together against the game rather than one another, such as in Pandemic) where one or more players wind up giving advice so strongly that they are effectively telling people what to do on their turn. It can also be referred to as “quarterback syndrome”.
This can be deliberate or it may be the result of someone with an overbearing personality or more assertive confidence than other players. It can be a particular problem when the “alpha gamer” is highly experienced with the game and playing with newcomers.
The negative of “alpha gamer” is simple: the other players feel they are having little or no input into the game and are effectively reduced to spectators.
Alpha gamer is largely a combination of a social issue and an inherent drawback to cooperative games. However, if you are uncomfortable with addressing the social issue during a game, there are a few ways to mitigate the issue.
Look for games which combine a shared win condition with personal, secret objectives such as Dead of Winter. This can help players feel more confident about making moves that aren’t necessarily what the potential “alpha gamer” is advocating.
Look for games which may have one player in a traitor role such as Dead of Winter again or Shadows Over Camelot. This can add enough doubt about the advice of the “alpha gamer” for players to consider taking a different path.
Explore games with a twist on the co-operative setup. For example, in This War Of Mine, players don’t control individual characters. Instead one player takes control of all the characters for a particular turn. The rules suggest that the current player makes all the decisions for the round without consultation and the group only discusses the decisions at the end of the round.
Consider games such as Escape: The Curse Of The Temple which play in real-time and are usually too frantic for players to not only take care of their own actions but also figure out and tell others everything they should do. In some games such as Magic Maze, communication is actually restricted as part of the gameplay.
