Episode 23: Going Fast and Turning Left: Intuitive Statistics in ”Circus Maximus”

Going fast and turning left: racing hasn't changed much in the last 2000 years. But that doesn't mean racing is boring. In this episode, Chris and Laura explore the chaotic fun inherent in the chariot racing game, "Circus Maximus" from Avalon Hill. They discuss ancient Roman life, how games build an intuitive grasp of statistics  and probability, and have some book and movie recommendations as well. 

 

Games Mentioned:

 

Circus Maximus & Gladiator - Both currently out of print, these companion games from Avalon Hill simulate the excitement and chaos of Roman sporting events. 

Diplomacy - A game of negotiation and backstabbing as players act the parts of countries prior to World War I.

Sleeping Queens - A strategy card game where players need a little luck and some fast thinking to wake the queens placed under a sleeping spell.

Sushi Go - A pick and pass card game where players accumulate points as they collect sushi dinners.

Outfoxed - A fun, cooperative game that can be played with nearly everyone. Here's a good playthrough video, though there is a small difference in how the Thief Card is presented. It looks like the earlier game used red and green dots, rather than green dots or blank spaces. This is probably an alteration to make the game less confusing for those with red-green color blindness. If you buy a used copy, that may be an issue. 

Dragonwood - A card and dice based adventure game, Dragonwood is a fun introduction into the elements of roleplaying and card combat games.

 

Books and Movies Mentioned: 

 

Ben Hur - The classic epic with its iconic chariot race; also our favorite movie to watch at Easter.

The Roman Mysteries - Flavia Gemina is a young sleuth with devoted friends and penchant for getting into trouble in ancient Rome. "The Charioteer of Delphi" is a great companion novel to read when playing Circus Maximus.

 

 

Can't see the links? Podcatcher turning my painstaking labor into plaintext? Come visit the podcast page at  https://played.podbean.com/ and get the full experience, complete with all the links in perfect functioning order. 

 

Intro and Outro Music:

"Crunk Knight" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Other Music:

Music from https://filmmusic.io
"Super Circus" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Music from https://filmmusic.io
"One-eyed Maestro" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)