Become a fan of Slashdot on Facebook

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
It's funny.  Laugh. Games

Everybody's Mad About Uno (msn.com) 74

More than 50 years after its debut, Uno has achieved unprecedented popularity among adults, but its resurgence is creating problems and confusions as players disagree on fundamental rules. WSJ, in a fun story [non-paywalled source]: Think politics divides? Try mixing competitors with different views on stacking "action" cards, or getting everyone to agree on the true power of the Wild card. And nobody can seem to decide whether staples of the game of their youth -- like mandating players yell "Uno!" when they have one card left -- are socially acceptable at a bar with strangers. Mattel has responded by actively settling rule debates on social media, definitively stating that stacking Draw 2 cards is prohibited, while simultaneously embracing the game's divisive nature through marketing campaigns. The company's "Show 'Em No Mercy" variant, featuring more aggressive rules, became the second-best-selling card game in the United States last year according to research firm Circana, trailing only classic Uno itself.
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Everybody's Mad About Uno

  • Everyone in the US older than about twelve has heard of it at least once, it's a cultural phenomenon like Boggle or Monopoly.

  • It's not a board game dumbass, it's a card game.

  • by Tablizer ( 95088 )

    An STD

  • An admission that a piece of your childhood was missed? Like seriously I didn't know anyone in the world doesn't know Uno.

    • I can only feel sorry for you if wasting time sitting behind a table dishing out pieces of cardboard was such a major piece of your childhood. But that explains your adult obsessions to an extent. Perhaps "The Devil All the Time" isn't as far from reality as I thought.

  • We play UNO at the kitchen table pretty often so I was surprised when we played with another family recently at how many differences there were in what we thought were the rules.

    Now you're telling me no stacking +2 ? Huh.

  • It is a favorite game with my family but we always have to agree upon the rules verbally before we begin playing. A combination of conflicting and vague rules across UNO sets along with various adaptions and house rules make it impossible to know what to expect unless we agree to them before starting a hand. It's also fun to allow different dealers to change one rule, but that gets confusing after awhile!
    • by xevioso ( 598654 )

      All of these issues have already been solved by a game that's been around for 30 years: Magic: The Gathering.
      It has elaborate and straightforward rules about stacking effects, resolving effects, players with priority, "APNAP" (Active players, or the player whose turn it is, playing effects and resolving them vs non-active players), and Instant-speed spells vs Sorcery-speed spells. All of this is an integral part of the game and a fundamental thing any Magic player needs to learn. The "holding priority" st

  • When you only have one card left. It's a Mexican game. [youtube.com]
    • by kackle ( 910159 )
      Ha, we even say "Uno" in other games where the player has "one" (of whatever) left...
  • If you're actually upset about the interpretations of grey-area or unclarified rules in the card game UNO, then that's a strong determinant signal that either:
    - you have a pretty fucking great life, or
    - you're oblivious

  • ... about Uno.

    Even though I did get into Board/Tablegaming 18 months ago and attend the local boardgame meetup once or twice a week.

    Right now I'm regularly playing Scythe [boardgamegeek.com] (with [boardgamegeek.com] extensions [boardgamegeek.com]) and Roll for the Galaxy [boardgamegeek.com] (with extensions [boardgamegeek.com]).

    And I've got a stack of other premium boardgames waiting to be played intensely.
    All of them waaaaay more interesting than Uno.

  • Like monopoly house rules?

    • by taustin ( 171655 )

      One would be hard pressed to determine which game is more prone to house rules. But Uno would likely win.

      • by unrtst ( 777550 )

        One would be hard pressed to determine which game is more prone to house rules. But Uno would likely win.

        Neither. Rummikub would win that :-)

      • Checkers?

        Dominoes

        Any other game? Because Monopoly house rules generally ruin the game? Playing Monopoly by the original rules tends to be much faster and more enjoyable.

    • We liked adding house rules to Risk.

      Paratrooper rules. Landing-ship rules. Limits on how many armies you could get in a turn. New rules on moving armies around, etc.

  • The only Uno worth playing is Hot Death Uno [boardgamegeek.com]

    It has attack cards, draws that stack (and ones that ends the chain...), as well as counter cards that let you send the attack back to the attacker. There's even a "Draw N" card where N is the numerical value of the card beneath it. (There's a 69 card which can be a 6 or a 9. Or with Draw N, a Draw 69)

    And yes, it's got rather colorful language on it. I know of it from a Windows 3.1 implementation of it, but there's an Android version as well.

  • My kids and I made our own version of Uno. You can definitely stack action cards in our game. Watch out for that Draw 16 card and a bunch of others the kids made up.

    There are a number of places that will print custom playing cards. A little graphics work and some imagination can go a long way.

  • by antdude ( 79039 )

    Stacking Draw 2 and Draw 4 cards rock!

  • END ferously regardless of the patent filer. As evidence of this I would say that you ought to RTFM.

    That ought to hold you for a while. And these are just recent discussions.

    Share
    twitter facebook
  • Get rid of the archaic electorial college system and then an individual's vote might count, but until then it doesn't. If N people vote for candidate X in a state, and N+1 people vote for candidate Y in that state, then the results are the same as if everybody had voted for candidate Y, and zero people voted for X.

    This is dammed unfair. Third party candidates not only can't win (which is to be expected, a bit), but they also can't even get any notice at all because those who vote for them get their votes erased by this messed up system. So if a candidate has like 10% of the popular vote, it looks like he has 0% instead. This prevents anyone not in the big 2 from getting any noteriety at all. A slow buildup of support for a new party, year after year, is literally impossible when everything small rounds down to zero.

    The electorial college made sense back when getting a real count of the votes was technologically infeasable. But today it makes no sense at all. At the very least they could stop rounding entire states to 0% or 100%, such that if a candidate gets 20% of the vote, then he gets 20% of the electors from that state. That would be sensible, but this is America. Land of the status quo.

  • by TedC ( 967 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @04:39PM (#2021900)
    ...to succeed because their products are sub-standard from a technology standpoint. There's no way they can compete on a level playing field and win. So now we have one branch of the US government trying to break their monopoly power, while at the same time another branch issues them broad, sweeping patents that help sustain that monopoly.

    That ain't right.

    TedC

  • by Tim Macinta ( 1052 ) <twm@alum.mit.edu> on Saturday February 06, 1999 @10:23AM (#2021901) Homepage
    I would imagine that most of the stupid patents are filed by big companies to keep some jerk from gaining a broad patent and suing everybody under the sun to get a quick buck.

    Huh? Wouldn't prior art be quicker, easier, and cheaper to create than a frivolous patent and provide just as much protection? I really doubt that these companies have any good intentions.

  • by cesarcardoso ( 1139 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @03:52PM (#2021902) Homepage Journal
    Hey, this game is becoming dangerous.
    We must dump patents NOW - or they'll dump all creativity and intelligence on Earth.
  • by jirka ( 1164 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @11:54AM (#2021903) Homepage
    I can easily show prior art for this one in our own magazine ...

    US patents are scary ...

    I think I'll patent taking a shit ... then everybody who will take a shit from now on will have to pay me a $1 for the privilage ... I don't want much ... and I just want what is rightfully mine for the idea of patenting it ...

  • by Nietzsche ( 1308 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @11:15AM (#2021904)
    Not really. I would think it was just a stupid, inane, and moronic if it was done by any other company. The fact that it happens to be Microsoft just reinforces the idiocy and monopoly of Microsoft.
  • by Iffy Bonzoolie ( 1621 ) <iffy@xarb l e . o rg> on Saturday February 06, 1999 @01:27PM (#2021905) Journal
    If it came to trial, I think the patent would just be found illegitimate, due to Prior Art. Big deal.
  • by Iffy Bonzoolie ( 1621 ) <iffy@xarb l e . o rg> on Saturday February 06, 1999 @01:35PM (#2021906) Journal
    "It uses that Athenian form of government called Democracy"


    Actually, We are a Democratic-Republic, which is rather different than a true Democracy. We vote for representatives, who have free reign to do whatever they want (which is what they SHOULD do, not pander to the popular vote).

    I have to say that I sure am glad that the government doesn't decide who sleeps in a box and who gets to buy an island, though. Pinko COMMIE!@#^%^!@!~~!Q1``

  • by Iffy Bonzoolie ( 1621 ) <iffy@xarb l e . o rg> on Saturday February 06, 1999 @01:42PM (#2021907) Journal
    "-Have no culture"

    Man, we have TOO MUCH culture. "Culture" is way overrated. Preserving culture is just annoying. Why not just do what we like, and let that be our "Culture" instead of trying to act like our ancestors, or whatever silly things people try to do? WHO CARES what language you speak? WHO CARES what you wear? WHO CARES what you eat, as long as you enjoy it all? I like diversity to the point of eliminating "culture." Asians that talk with southern accents... White people who talk with asian accents... YES! Bring it on!
  • by Matts ( 1628 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @01:23PM (#2021908) Homepage
    Slashdot should patent something similar but pointing out the use of Anonymous postings. Slashdot is the first such web-based-news service to offer anonymous replies that I'm aware of.

    Just an idea. Probably a bad one... ;-)

    Matt.
    --
  • by Spruce Moose ( 1857 ) on Sunday February 07, 1999 @06:59PM (#2021909)
    > Also the gcc acts real funny on my machine with
    > a whole bunch fatal signal 11 errors. I noticed
    > when I try to recompile somtething multiple
    > times, the compiler seems to stop at different
    > places with the signal 11 error and something
    > about program cc. If any of you know what is
    > going on, please tell me.

    This is most likely a problem with your hardware. Check out the GCC Signal 11 FAQ [bitwizard.nl] for more info.

  • by Ex-NT-User ( 1951 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @01:30PM (#2021910) Homepage

    Shee's it says the filing date is 1996.. as far as I can remeber BBSes, AOL, Prodigy, Compuserve and many many others have been around way before 1996.
    AOL , Comopuserve and Prodigy were gui driven and carried articles and magazines from various print companies. So what's new here?

    -Ex-Nt-User
  • by linuxrulez ( 2414 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @11:00AM (#2021911)
    As I commented on the current poll, everyone needs
    a good laugh once in a while.
  • by FiReStOrM ( 2543 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @08:25PM (#2021912) Homepage
    I'm not the person that originally asked, but if anyone knows, I would also appreciate a good reference/tutorial on assembly language.

    Specifically, assembly for the Intel x86 microprocessor. I'm sure there's a glut of stuff out there, but does anyone have any reccomendations?

    I'm fine with high-level languages, and have some experience with the Motorola Z80, so am not looking for a "beginner's" book, but something that assumes familiarity with high-level languages (C/C++ is fine), and some understanding of assembly would be ideal.

    Any ideas? TIA

    - Sean


    - SeanNi
  • by FiReStOrM ( 2543 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @09:47PM (#2021913) Homepage
    I believe you only own the air above your land up to a certain height (can't remember what that height is, something like a mile or 2, I think). Above that, nada.

    &nbsp&nbsp - Sean


    - SeanNi
  • by dattaway ( 3088 ) on Sunday February 07, 1999 @12:59PM (#2021914) Homepage Journal
    Videogate, patentgate, evasivegate, lyingassgate...
  • The Assembly-HOWTO is a rich source of leads for the particular processor implimentation you wish. Remember, that with each GNU assembler package, you will find a wealth of documentation in the tarball and the author's web page. Plus there is the ever handy google web page and dejanews powersearch (the regular search seems to be too dumbed down lately.)

    BTW: I have a wealth of Z80 proggies and many with a GUI system (with mouse!) built in. I can post them on my web page if there is interest. I don't know if anyone still designs with the old reliable, but cumbersome Z80. All that and the largest program was 2000 lines! :)
  • by dattaway ( 3088 ) on Sunday February 07, 1999 @01:29PM (#2021916) Homepage Journal
    >Well america never stop astonishing me. Patent everything. Even human life! This is America. And America is also:

    Welcome to America. World Domination. In this great country of America, we were all taught in our history books at a young age that our ascestors came over here on ships from England. It was easy to get a pass if you were a criminal or undesired. So a lot arrived on this contenent and had problems getting along with the Native Americans (indians.) Furthermore, some enterprising imigrants passed by Africa and kidnaped people of identifiable color for lifetime slavery. Let me tell you, talking about all this stuff is pretty much taboo here. But you get the idea. Some things never change. But they should.

    Bill Gates is one of the last fucking assholes alive.
  • by dattaway ( 3088 ) on Sunday February 07, 1999 @01:50PM (#2021917) Homepage Journal
    And this has happened with Linux. Some nut unwisely decided to just register the trademark of Linux and harass distros. The blind distribution by the patent office costs everyone. Its good business if you are a lawyer. Its not good business if you have to cave in to the extortion from all sides and have to pay "protection" for something you thought was common sense.
  • by smithdog ( 3152 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @08:57AM (#2021918)
    In the information age these two legal constructs are anachronisms. We should begin phase out of the Patent and the Copyright and replace them both a GNU-GPL flavored legal construct.

    As for M$, they would make an ideal place to begin the phase out. As part of the remedy in the federal anti-trust trial, M$ patents should all become public property. Each new M$ copyright would only have a duration of 3 years.

    Sound resonable?
  • by Ken Broadfoot ( 3675 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @10:51AM (#2021919) Homepage Journal
    What do you think he is investing in anyway?

    Soon patenting DNA sequences will also belong to Bill. He will own your desktop and your DNA too.

  • by dew ( 3680 ) <david@week l y .org> on Saturday February 06, 1999 @10:43AM (#2021920) Homepage Journal
    In order for a patent to be considered valid, its owner must litigate patent infringements. Microsoft has made no move to litigate under this patent, despite the apparent existance of multiple violators. This invalidates their patent. At this point, they are legally incapable of enforcing it. Chill out, everyone. This one's not to worry about.

    Oh yeah, and to that troll who said no-one would care if it wasn't Microsoft: go **** off. Everyone agrees that broad patents suck, regardless of what company files them.
    David E. Weekly (dew)

  • by cthonious ( 5222 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @02:59PM (#2021921)
    Just change the graphic so that the "R" is a little higher and looks like a middle finger
  • by edgy ( 5399 ) on Saturday February 06, 1999 @08:53AM (#2021922)
    I submitted this one, and I think it's VERY relevant.

    According to the Arcana Mailing List [ml.org] the culture in the U.S. Patent office calls for approving more and more patents, and they're already approving 80% of patent submissions. Here's a cool excerpt from these E-mails [ml.org] from people who've worked for the patent office:

    > This needs to be made clear to more people. The Patent Office is heavily
    >biased towards rewarding examiners who allow a lot, and it is creating a
    >culture to match. Unfortunately, our 'customers' are collectively paying
    >the higher costs of confusion and legal help to sort the whole mess out.

    What is algebra, exactly? Is it one of those three-cornered things? -- J.M. Barrie

    Working...