Shoutout to the guy at the game store who called me out on my setup

I was setting up a game of Terraforming Mars for my group last weekend. Had everything laid out like I always do. Player boards on the left, main board in the middle, resource cubes in a big pile. This older guy, maybe in his 60s, was watching from the next table. He just leaned over and said, 'You're making it harder on yourself.' He pointed out that my cube pile was a mess and I was wasting time fishing for colors. He showed me his method: using a cheap plastic craft organizer with little sections, one for each cube type. I got one for eight bucks at the craft store. Game setup is now under five minutes. Has anyone else found a simple tool that fixed a dumb habit?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_thea19d ago

Honestly that setup sounds like more trouble than it's worth. Fishing for cubes is part of the fun and keeps the game feeling loose. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather spend an extra minute than have everything feel so clinical.

alex_king19d ago

Yeah, I'm totally with @the_thea on this one.

emery87918d ago

Oh, I felt the exact same way for years. What changed it for me was playing a game with tiny cubes on a slightly uneven table. Watching half the game's pieces roll onto the floor wasn't fun, it was just a mess. Having a little tray to shake them in saved the whole night.