Am I the only one who saw a board game cafe in Portland with a 'no talking about strategy' rule?
Went to Mox Boarding House last weekend and they had a sign saying 'please keep game talk to rules and flavor, not optimal plays,' which feels like it kills half the fun of being a geek.
Wow, I used to totally agree with you! But I played at a cafe with that rule and it was actually great for trying new games without pressure. It makes the whole vibe more about hanging out than winning.
Yeah, the "no optimal plays" thing is a game changer. I was skeptical too, but like taylor174 said, it takes the pressure off. Last time I played a new worker placement game under that rule, we just laughed at the silly art instead of stressing over who blocked the best spot. It felt more like a group hang than a tournament qualifier.