Gamers Alliance REPORT 

Spring 2002 Vol. 2 No. 2

EDITORIAL

IT'S PRETTY BUT IS IT.....?

    Art? A difficult question to answer since beauty is in the eye of the beholder. An especially difficult question to answer when "pretty" and "art" meet as they did at the New York Historical Society.

    The New York Historical Society, located here in New York City, is one of the many cultural centers that make this great metropolis great. Among the many exhibitions currently on display there is The Games We Played: Victorian Games from the Liman Collection, a sampling of games from the collection of Ellen and the late Arthur Liman. Looking at game collections is something I find very tempting so, following the advice of Oscar Wilde who said (to paraphrase), "The only way to resist temptation is to give in to it. Then, it is no longer a temptation", I found myself at the Society, paid my admission fee and entered.

    The Limans specialized in games from the 19th Century up to the turn of the 20th Century. On display were some of the fabled games that antique game collectors know: Game of Round the World with Nelly Bly, Game of the District Messenger Boy, The Man in the Moon and over a hundred more. The boards, boxes and components were neatly arranged, mounted on the walls, displayed in glass cases. A very nice touch was that reproductions of a handful of games were placed on small "tables" in the center of the display area where visitors were encouraged to actually play the games! This was a rare touch and the NY Historical Society is to be commended for it! What I found there was fascinating. Yet, I found what was missing to be even more fascinating.

   The exhibit was only a small portion of the over 550 games that comprise the Liman collection. There was NO printed program on the exhibit! (I know. I asked!) And the only one actually knowledgeable about games in general or these games in particular at the entire exhibition was ME! Surely, this was a missed opportunity. And yes, one other thing. No modern games.

   Yes, I know this was an exhibition of the Liman Collection and their collection was targeted at antiques. And there is no question that the lithography of these vintage games is striking. For many game collectors (and the Limans are prime examples) drawn to these games, that is the attraction. Sure, it's pretty. But from where I stand, you're missing the art!

    If the center of appeal for games is the lithography, then it seems to me you can admire prints or labels, stamps or currency! And that's fine. (My father used to say that he was a collector too. "What do you collect?", I'd ask. He'd reply, "Money".) But what separates games from the rest of the pack is what you could call the "art within". The real art in games is the art of game design! To quote Shakespeare (as loosely as possible), "The play is the thing".

   What about the game play? Outside of the few examples available for visitors to the exhibit to touch and use, that phase of gaming was not discussed, not displayed, not highlighted and not given credit; a missed opportunity to appreciate the full history of games.  And yet, I fear more missed opportunities.

   Modern techniques have resulted in incredible artwork in games. All you have to do is go through issues of GA REPORT to recognize the high quality that is the norm, rather than the exception, in today's games. Fortunately, the art doesn't stop with "good looks". The art of games spills over into the art of game design and we reap the pleasure sown by such genuine talents familiar to regular GA REPORT readers such as Sid Sackson, Wolfgang Kramer, Reiner Knizia, and others every time we sit with our compadrés across the gaming table. 

  Games can be pretty. Games can be art. The beauty here is that games are pretty AND they are art wrapped together like a birthday present - and we can appreciate both. 

   In this issue of GA REPORT, we revisit the battles of the Civil War, produce goods and construct buildings in Puerto Rico and try to protect the environment while Ward Ahders cooks up some magic. We also welcome to our pages Greg Schloesser, fresh from his gaming adventure in Mexico. And, of course, much more. Until next time, Good Gaming!

                                                                                                 Herb Levy, President