Floor Games: H.G. Wells, James F. Dunnigan, Michael J. Varhola, James F. Dunnigan: 9780972251174: Amazon.com: Books

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial

Hardcover
$30.95

Paperback
$38.20

Buy used: $38.20

Delivery Saturday, March 30. Order within 4 hrs 19 mins

Deliver to Canada

Used: Acceptable | Details

Sold by flipNpages

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Follow the author

Floor Games Paperback – March 4, 2006

by H.G. Wells (Author), James F. Dunnigan (Author, Foreword), Michael J. Varhola (Introduction)

67

See all formats and editions

Often referred to as a companion volume to Wells' wargaming classic Little Wars, Floor Games is H.G. Wells' 1911 introduction to recreational gaming. Highlights include a lighthearted, often humorous discussion on the theory and methodology behind a wide variety of "floor" and tabletop games. Features of this new edition include:

* A Foreword by renowned game designer James Dunnigan, founder of game company SPI and magazine Strategy & Tactics, that discusses Wells' influence on the development of the modern wargame.

* An Introduction by publisher Michael. J. Varhola that discusses the fist edition of the book, the special challenges associated with republishing it, and its significance to modern wargames and roleplaying games alike.

* Numerous tips on creation of improvised models, terrain, and other wargaming props.

* Hundreds of pieces of the "marginal art" that illustrated the original 1911 edition of the book.

* Eight photographs taken for the original edition of the book showing the props and games created by Wells and his sons.

Report an issue with this product or seller

Print length

98 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Skirmisher Publishing LLC
Publication date

March 4, 2006
ISBN-10

0972251170
ISBN-13

978-0972251174
See all details

Peter Dennis
31
Paperback
$20.43
$9.71 shipping
Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).
189
$29.40
$9.97 shipping
Michael Moorcock
849
Hardcover
$18.69
$10.62 shipping
RPG Team Wizards
368
Hardcover
$44.84
$13.07 shipping
Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS)
1,873
Hardcover
$27.33
$11.90 shipping
Estelle L. Weinrib
26
Paperback
$27.95
$9.73 shipping
Only 12 left in stock (more on the way).

Editorial Reviews

Review

An excellent read! Full of inspiration for impromptu game creation, and a reminder that the simplest of items can, with the aid of imagination, become nearly anything needed for entertainment. Wells' humor shines in this book, and the affection he feels for both his children and the games they play are evident. The photos are not only interesting for their relation to gaming, but as a historical glimpse. If you are a player of games and an imaginer of worlds, this book is well worth picking up. --DriveThruRPG (Jameson Hogan)

Must reading for anyone with an interest in game history or design. A masterwork by a master of literature! --M. Odysseus Warhol

About the Author

Michael J. Varhola is an author of numerous books, games, and articles, as well as the founder of game development company and manufacturer Skirmisher Publishing LLC. Non-fiction books he has authored or co-authored include The Writers Complete Fantasy Reference with Terry Brooks, Everyday Life During the Civil War, Fire & Ice: The Korean War, 1950-1953, and D-Day. Gaming books he has authored or co-authored include Experts, Warriors, Tests of Skill, Nuisances, Experts v.3.5, and Nation Builder with Gary Gygax. He is a 1993 graduate of University of Maryland, College Park, from which he received a B.S. in journalism.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skirmisher Publishing LLC (March 4, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 98 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0972251170
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0972251174
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds

Best Sellers Rank: #6,319,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #80,345 in Education Theory (Books)

Customer Reviews:
67

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

H. G. Wells

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

The son of a professional cricketer and a lady's maid, H. G. Wells (1866-1946) served apprenticeships as a draper and a chemist's assistant before winning a scholarship to the prestigious Normal School of Science in London. While he is best remembered for his groundbreaking science fiction novels, including The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and The Island of Doctor Moreau, Wells also wrote extensively on politics and social matters and was one of the foremost public intellectuals of his day.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

67 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Neat little historical book. Genuine war-game history!

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2010

Verified Purchase

It is a neat little book of historical value to miniatures war-game enthusiasts. It was written by H. G. Wells, the father of science fiction, in the early part of the 20th century. The rules, and the concepts are simple, by today's standards, but it is still fun to read and enjoy. All of the basic elements of any war game are there. Mr. Wells' sense of humor comes across, along with his sense of whimsy, and the joy he obviously had in writing, and playing, these games. Cheers!

Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2018

Verified Purchase

If you enjoy war games or want to see the more playful side of H.G. Wells then it is a good buy.

One person found this helpful

The original at-home wargame, this edition is missing the little marginalia illustrations.

Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2024

Verified Purchase

Good combination book, really Floor Games is underrated as a source of inspiration not only for games to play with the kids but also for inspiring your own wargaming. Little Wars is not just the rules of play but a designer's diary of how H.G. Wells came upon the idea with some friends and the testing and writing of the game over the years. Good photos in there of men playing the game in the study or in the yard, but sadly this book is missing the charming marginalia illustrations of the original Little Wars book. Overall great read, and a good one if you're interested in game design!

Wonderfully Fully Illustrated Edition

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

Wonderful 8.5 X 11 edition of these two seminal works on gaming by one of history's most notable authors. And this edition does indeed include all of Wells' original illustrations and photographs.

Customer image

Customer image

Customer image

16 people found this helpful

Delightful book.

Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2020

Verified Purchase

Delightful book.

Annie Van Natten

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2016

Verified Purchase

Very good book...... it felt like I was on the floor seeing the world they created!

Nice edition -- only lacks the diagram

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2022

Verified Purchase

It is a nice edition of the two books, but is conspicuously missing the "Sketch Plan of the Battle of Hook's Farm." If you just want to read them, the copyright is well-expired, and you can find them as PDFs online.

Skirmisher Online Gaming Magazine

A Worthwhile Release

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2006

With all the new gaming titles that come out every year, and many of them of dubious merit, it is refreshing to find a classic like Floor Games being made available again.

Originally released in 1911 by literary giant H.G. Wells, this book is sometimes characterized as a "companion book" to the same author's Little Wars (originally released in 1913 and most recently re-published by Skirmisher Publishing LLC in 2004). This volume is much more than that, however, and stands on its own as a classic of gaming theory and philosophy. As such, it is definitely must reading for anyone who enjoys or devotes much of their leisure time to games.

This edition of Floor Games also includes insightful prefatory pieces by game designers Michael J. Varhola (Introduction) and James F. Dunnigan (Foreword). The former is fairly well known in roleplaying circles, while the latter is founder of game company SPI and magazine Strategy & Tactics, and creator of more than 100 board games, including such trendsetters as Panzerblitz and Jutland.

All in all, this new edition of Floor Games is a pleasure to read and an excellent value to boot.

4 people found this helpful

Get to Know Us

Make Money with Us

Amazon Payment Products

Let Us Help You

English $USD - U.S. Dollar United States

© 1996-2024, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates