GameTable Online
Encyclopedia
GameTable Online is a popular web game portal that specializes in online adaptations of board, card, and dice games. Their game platform offers both head-to-head play against other players or computer opponents for single player mode. As of September 2010 GameTable Online offers 28 games. Their best known games are checkers, chess
, hearts (game)
, and Axis & Allies. There is a mix of free and "Premium" games. The "Premium" games are the most popular and to play those against other humans requires an activation fee per game title.
GameTable Online use Java
to launch and play their games. They can be played on Windows
, Macintosh
and UNIX
computers and require a web browser and the common Java download. The GameTable Online user base is predominantly English speaking and the website supports no other languages.
, Minton sought to build a website that focused on tabletop games rather than typical computer games. In 2003 GameTable Online went public with their first set of 5 games. Since 2003, games have been added gradually. Traffic jumped up significantly when they began hosting a number of games by Wizards of the Coast
. These games were developed by GameTable Online for Wizards of the Coast's Gleemax
game site in 2007-2008 but by September 2008, Wizards of the Coast abandoned the Gleemax game portal. In the aftermath, GameTable Online adopted the games at their website. The games from this arrangement were Acquire
, Axis & Allies, Battle Cry
, Guillotine
, and Vegas Showdown
.
GameTable Online's game list (as of September 24, 2010):
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, hearts (game)
Hearts (game)
Hearts is an "evasion-type" trick-taking playing card game for four players, although variations can accommodate 3–6 players. The game is also known as The Dirty, Black Lady, Chase the Lady, Crubs, and Black Maria, though any of these may refer to the similar but differently-scored game Black Lady...
, and Axis & Allies. There is a mix of free and "Premium" games. The "Premium" games are the most popular and to play those against other humans requires an activation fee per game title.
GameTable Online use Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
to launch and play their games. They can be played on Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
and UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
computers and require a web browser and the common Java download. The GameTable Online user base is predominantly English speaking and the website supports no other languages.
History
GameTable Online was founded in 2001 by Joe Minton. As the President of Cyberlore StudiosCyberlore Studios
Cyberlore Studios was a developer of computer games based in Northampton, Massachusetts. The company was founded by Lester Humphreys, Ken Grey, and Herb Perez. Since 1992, they produced expansion packs for MechWarrior 4, Heroes of Might and Magic II, and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness...
, Minton sought to build a website that focused on tabletop games rather than typical computer games. In 2003 GameTable Online went public with their first set of 5 games. Since 2003, games have been added gradually. Traffic jumped up significantly when they began hosting a number of games by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
. These games were developed by GameTable Online for Wizards of the Coast's Gleemax
Gleemax
Gleemax was a website whose alpha phase was released by Wizards of the Coast on October 10th 2007. Functionality was limited to basic blogging features and personal profiles. Wizards had plans to make it "the home for gamers" at some point in the future, with major functionality to be revealed...
game site in 2007-2008 but by September 2008, Wizards of the Coast abandoned the Gleemax game portal. In the aftermath, GameTable Online adopted the games at their website. The games from this arrangement were Acquire
Acquire
Acquire is a board game designed by Sid Sackson.The game was originally published in 1962 by 3M as a part of their bookshelf games series. In most versions, the theme of the game is investing in hotel chains. In the 1990s Hasbro edition, the hotel chains were replaced by generic corporations,...
, Axis & Allies, Battle Cry
Battle Cry (game)
Battle Cry is a board wargame based on the American Civil War, designed by Richard Borg and published by Avalon Hill in 2000.While superficially similar to conventional board wargames, it borrows from miniatures wargaming with its use of plastic figures and its simplified rules.The map is initially...
, Guillotine
Guillotine (game)
Guillotine is a card game created by Wizards of the Coast and designed by Paul Peterson. The game is set during the French Revolution, and was released on Bastille Day in 1998. The goal is to collect the heads of Nobles, accumulating points...
, and Vegas Showdown
Vegas Showdown
Vegas Showdown is a board game for players aged 12 and above.From the publisher:Build your own hotel/casino by bidding against the other players to acquire tiles that represent slot machines, lounges, restaurants, and other casino-related places. Put those tiles on your player board, which...
.
Games
The games at GameTable Online span the range from public domain classic, "beer-and-pretzel" light games, German-style board games to "Ameritrash" strategy games. Games that are based on licensed game properties are built with the permission of game publishers and/or designers and are modeled to look their real world counterparts. Despite the strong presence of Wizards of the Coast games, GameTable Online features games from a variety of publishers.GameTable Online's game list (as of September 24, 2010):
- 10 Days in Africa
- 1960: The Making of the President1960: The Making of the President1960: The Making of the President is a board game simulation of the 1960 U.S. presidential election in which John F. Kennedy defeated Richard M. Nixon. It was created by Jason Matthews and Christian Leonhard and is published by Z-Man Games. Graphic design was supplied by Joshua Cappel...
- AcquireAcquireAcquire is a board game designed by Sid Sackson.The game was originally published in 1962 by 3M as a part of their bookshelf games series. In most versions, the theme of the game is investing in hotel chains. In the 1990s Hasbro edition, the hotel chains were replaced by generic corporations,...
- Axis & Allies (Revised and 1942 editions)
- BackgammonBackgammonBackgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits...
- Battle CryBattle Cry (game)Battle Cry is a board wargame based on the American Civil War, designed by Richard Borg and published by Avalon Hill in 2000.While superficially similar to conventional board wargames, it borrows from miniatures wargaming with its use of plastic figures and its simplified rules.The map is initially...
- Battle of the Bands (card game)
- Battle for Olympus (game)
- BosworthBosworth (game)Bosworth is a four-handed chess variant manufactured by Out of the Box Publishing company since 1998. It is played on 6x6 board and uses 4 sets of standard chess pieces....
- Checkers
- ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
- Condottiere
- Cosmic WimpoutCosmic WimpoutCosmic Wimpout is a dice game produced by C3, Inc in 1976. The game is played with five custom dice, and may use a combination score board and rolling surface, in the form of a piece of cloth or felt available in various colors and designs...
- Creepy Freaks
- Dogfight
- Euphrat & Tigris (also known as Tigris & Euphrates)
- GuillotineGuillotine (game)Guillotine is a card game created by Wizards of the Coast and designed by Paul Peterson. The game is set during the French Revolution, and was released on Bastille Day in 1998. The goal is to collect the heads of Nobles, accumulating points...
- Hearts (with a "Turbo" version that includes special rules)
- Igel Ärgern
- Kill Dr. Lucky
- Lord of the FriesLord of the FriesLord of the Fries is a card game created by James Ernest and published by Cheapass Games and Steve Jackson Games. In 2008 Steve Jackson Games released a new edition with revised game components....
- Lost Souls
- New England
- Nuclear War (card game)Nuclear War (card game)Nuclear War is a card game designed by Douglas Malewicki, and originally published in 1965. It is currently published by Flying Buffalo, and has inspired several expansions...
- RoboRallyRoboRallyRoboRally is a board game originally published in 1994 by Wizards of the Coast . It was designed in 1985 by Richard Garfield, who would later create the card game Magic: The Gathering. The game and its expansions received a total of four Origins Awards...
- TsuroTsuroTsuro is a tile-based board game designed by Tom McMurchie, originally published by WizKids and now published by Calliope Games.Tsuro is a board game for two to eight players. Each player takes their turn by selecting a tile from their "hand", and places the tile on the board to build a path that...
- VampireVampire (card game)Vampire is a vampire-themed card game designed by Reiner Knizia. The goal is to meld sets of vampires from six different suits. The game ends when all cards have been drawn, or a player has melded vampires from all six suits, and the winner is the player with the most points....
- Vegas ShowdownVegas ShowdownVegas Showdown is a board game for players aged 12 and above.From the publisher:Build your own hotel/casino by bidding against the other players to acquire tiles that represent slot machines, lounges, restaurants, and other casino-related places. Put those tiles on your player board, which...