Codenames meta thread (rules discussion etc)

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Thu Dec 10, 2015 15:50

Festive Warrior wrote:

DavPaz wrote:

Curiositree wrote:

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Malc wrote:

I think being captain would be the best part. Even if you don't get to do much between clues.

I've been playing hypothetical captain for both sides through the game, asking myself what I'd play if I had to, and it's not easy.

It's not 'body' either.

:DD

Myp figured it out immediately

Indeed.

I'm not sure that's something to be proud of.

Bobbyaro · **Joined:** 18th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 11843

For either of them

Curiosity · **Posted:** Thu Dec 10, 2015 16:31

Cap'n Gingerbeard wrote:

I definitely would want to move on to another round of same team new captains, but only if the blue team start working out how to hurry up their turns

I agree.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

Are the words completely random, or are they selected from a gurt big master list?

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Cap'n Gingerbeard wrote:

Are the words completely random, or are they selected from a gurt big master list?

I've got a list of about 750 words I swiped from Board Game Geek. They are not random; they are chosen to be relatively rich in double meanings and common associations.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

I thought that would have to be the case

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38460

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

they are chosen to be relatively rich in double meanings and common associations.

Like Grim...'s mum.

YES! I got one!

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

I am being asked questions about clues that involve Google/Wikipedia/etc. I'm going to stick to the BoardGameGeek rules;

Quote:

2. Restricted Google/Wikipedia use for Players is impossible to enforce so there will be no official rules on this. That said, I would prefer that it only be used by spymasters to create clues and that spymasters not create clues that they think will require google use by their spies.
-Also, if you use google don't make it obvious. I don't want to see people saying that they have no idea to what that "apoptosis" clue is referring and then 10 minutes later giving a technical definition of it. It is annoying to watch an opponent spymaster use a bizarre term/reference about which very few people are familiar and then everyone on the team appears to be experts in that topic. At least try to pretend you are not using google.
3. If you are not sure if a clue is allowable then check with opposing spy master to get approval.
4. If you need a judgement on something and I haven't chimed in then GM me.
5. Please point at one word at a time and wait until finding out the result prior to pointing at another clue.

6. Any private GM discourse about the game between anyone other than the two spymasters should go through the GM and with GM approval prior to sending it.
7. Moderation of apparently invalid clue: The rules indicate that the offending spymaster should lose their turn and that their opponent will get to choose a free word of their own color to be revealed. The moderator reserves the right to enforce that rule or to use a less harsh version of that rule if it seems more appropriate. A less harsh version could involve only a word reveal or only a loss of turn or a word reveal chosen by the offending spymaster. This may be done to deal with a borderline case.

Grim... · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2015 13:03

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Sun Dec 13, 2015 15:39

Amusingly, after buying me 'c9lt 'express for my birthday, my Brother has now bought me this for Christmas.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

I am literally never running this game again. I see now it was a terrible mistake.

...but if anyone else wants to have "fun" arguing about what is or isn't a valid clue, I have a Google spreadsheet set up that takes most of the work out of running a game.

Edit -- here.

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 14:28

I could run one if there's appetite.

Just to see if Grim... explodes.

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 14:33

Mr Dave wrote:

I could run one if there's appetite.

Just to see if Grim... explodes.

In.

KovacsC · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 14:53

myp · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 15:04

PectIN

Malc · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 15:06

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

BattINg a thousand

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25588

OK, why not.

In.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 15:53

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38460

IN like Uncle Bryn

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Mr Dave wrote:

I could run one if there's appetite.

Just to see if Grim... explodes.

What's your ruling about multi-word proper noun clues, clues that need a Google, etc?

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 16:51

And are you going to ignore them once they're written down?

myp · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 16:53

Grim-beard... the noisy wrote:

And are you going to ignore them once they're written down?

Why didn't you check with him first? You only have yourself to blame.

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 17:19

Festive Warrior wrote:

Grim-beard... the noisy wrote:

And are you going to ignore them once they're written down?

Why didn't you check with him first? You only have yourself to blame.

If that's how you've got to win, man.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 17:24

Grim-beard... the noisy wrote:

Festive Warrior wrote:

Grim-beard... the noisy wrote:

And are you going to ignore them once they're written down?

Why didn't you check with him first? You only have yourself to blame.

If that's how you've got to win, man.

What, by following the rules? Yeah.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22266

GazChap · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 17:56

In, and would also volunteer for El Capitan.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 17:57

GazChap wrote:

In, and would also volunteer for El Capitan.

Really hope Grim... ends up on your team.

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 18:00

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Mr Dave wrote:

I could run one if there's appetite.

Just to see if Grim... explodes.

What's your ruling about multi-word proper noun clues, clues that need a Google, etc?

I will rule with an Iron Fist. Anyone caught using illegal clues will have a ball removed.

But more seriously, having readed the rules. I'm just a judging man. It's up to someone else to raise an objection. Up until someone does that, everything is fine. Clues which I would find objectionable:
- Hipsters
- Words that don't pertain to the codewords meaning
- Things that aren't English, excepting things that are now English
- Use of the number as a clue
- A word or part of a word that exists in the list, unless it has already been revealed. i.e. if kingfisher is on the list, King wouldn't be allowed.

Things I will allow:
- Compound words that exist. Dilation-Duck is not a compound word, it's a word I've just invented. Father-in-law is a compound word. Although some people may wish it was something that hadn't been invented.
- Names of things that exist will be allowed. Superman returns would be allowed. Penisman returns would not be, because there's not a film by that name.

If in doubt, PM the opposing spy master. If he agrees it's ok, his agreement will be binding regardless of complaints from other players. If he disagrees and you think he's being a dick rather than validly disagreeing and still want to persist with said clue, you may at that point bother me, I will pass down some sort of judgement based on whatever arguments you choose to put forward and the number of Hipsters on your team. Naturally, my agreement is also binding, because I am awesome.

Don't use internetty search things. Naturally, I can't know if you have, but the game should be based on your current knowledge. However if I find someone has an oddly specific knowledge of, say, 12th century Clowns, the shame of your potential cheating will be aired to all. SHAME!

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 18:16

Mr Dave wrote:

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Mr Dave wrote:

Words that don't pertain to the codewords meaning

What does that mean?

Satsuma · **Joined:** 20th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14356

Are we having a Christmas mafiascum?

Bobbyaro · **Joined:** 18th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 11843

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 18:41

Grim-beard... the noisy wrote:

Mr Dave wrote:

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Mr Dave wrote:

Words that don't pertain to the codewords meaning

What does that mean?

If you had a word "Thumb", a valid clue would be, say, Hand. An invalid clue would be Slum, because the meaning of the word Thumb has nothing to do with the meaning of the word Slum - even though they rhyme.

Although Bum might cover both words were they to exist on the same grid. (Bodyparts and finding Bums in Slums)

Again, this only becomes an issue if Mr Opposing Spymaster raises a fuss and you can't justify to us why Thumb has anything to do with Slum.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Mr Dave wrote:

If you had a word "Thumb", a valid clue would be, say, Hand. An invalid clue would be Slum, because the meaning of the word Thumb has nothing to do with the meaning of the word Slum - even though they rhyme.

Although Bum might cover both words were they to exist on the same grid. (Bodyparts and finding Bums in Slums)

Again, this only becomes an issue if Mr Opposing Spymaster raises a fuss and you can't justify to us why Thumb has anything to do with Slum.

Rhyming clues are generally allowed in the games I've seen on BGG, FWIW. Although it's hard to communicate to your players that this is a rhyme and not a semantic clue.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22266

I don't see why rhyming is out? Nor real words that are anagrams of the start of a few words, or words that make up other words etc...

Doesn't making the clues have to reference the answers directly make it a bit... Limited.

I'm thinking more like only connect rather than jeopardy.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

Rhyming is way more cheating than confusing wordplay nobody understood!

Bobbyaro · **Joined:** 18th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 11843

Tbf, Dave has defined the rules he wants, those are the rules we play by.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22266

In The Beex Midwinter wrote:

Tbf, Dave has defined the rules he wants, those are the rules we play by.

Look at Mr status quo over here, I'm surprised at you. Fight the power man!

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

In The Beex Midwinter wrote:

Tbf, Dave has defined the rules he wants, those are the rules we play by.

Completely agreed, I pointed it out as a matter of academic interest only.

I don't really understand how you use rhyming clues anyway. It's so easily misunderstood by your team given that you can't say "this is a rhyming clue." Maybe if some of the words you want to clue about rhyme with each other you could try "rhyming: x", I guess.

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 20:35

Trooper wrote:

I don't see why rhyming is out? Nor real words that are anagrams of the start of a few words, or words that make up other words etc...

Doesn't making the clues have to reference the answers directly make it a bit... Limited.

I'm thinking more like only connect rather than jeopardy.

2
I'm just going by the 'official' rules as supplied in the bought game. And rhyming is in the "Flexible rules" section, because it does rather contradict the main rule of
"Your clue must be about the meaning of the word".

If people want it, I'm happy. As before, I'm really only here so that if the two spymasters disagree, they have an not-impartial arbitrator to stamp down a foot of justice.

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 20:41

Ok, so far I have :
In The Beex Midwinter. Whoever the hell that is.
Grim...
Kovacs
Myp
Malc
Doc G
Mimi
Curio
Cras
DavPaz
Trooper
Gaz- Captain

Anyone want to volunteer to be a cpatin to beat a Gaz and his minions? First come, first served and that.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 20:54

Fuck yeah.

Goddess Jasmine · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 21:09

Hmm, I'll have a go, but seem to be online at the exact opposite time to everyone else.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 21:20

Curiositree wrote:

Fuck yeah.

Fucking hell, don't put me on this guy's team. He had to google pectin ffs

Bobbyaro · **Joined:** 18th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 11843

God, I find myself agreeing with myp! :-)

Malc · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 21:44

I would like to be considered for captaino

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 22:55

In The Beex Midwinter wrote:

God, I find myself agreeing with myp! :-)

I hate to tell you this, but you've ended up on Myps team. And Curios.

You probably stand the better chance of winning anyway, given the other team.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2015 23:17

Mr Dave wrote:

In The Beex Midwinter wrote:

God, I find myself agreeing with myp! :-)

I hate to tell you this, but you've ended up on Myps team. And Curios.

You probably stand the better chance of winning anyway, given the other team.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Thinking about it, there's no reason we couldn't play this with three teams rather than two. You just convert most of the grey words to another team. Then the smaller teams might be able to go faster without feeling they are leaving anyone out of the discussion, and 50% more people get the knuckle-biting joy of being the captain.

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Codenames meta thread (rules discussion etc)

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