910: Custom Cards Against Humanity

[Flint_A]

Y'know, I think this is the first actual canonical strip I've done that has all five of these guys together... or, at least, the first one where they're wearing clothes.

Cards Against Humanity is a fantastic party game, but it's not perfect. As with most "equal opportunity offensive" things, there actually is an unspoken standard of what's acceptable and what's not, and you have to play with a group of people who both won't be too offended by the acceptable stuff and won't try to steer the game in the unacceptable direction.

Also, it's a game that sometimes uses "randomness" and vulgarity as a substitute for humour, and if you happen to be playing with some unfunny or unoriginal people, you can get into the kind of situation where cards like "firing a rifle into the air while balls deep in a squealing hog" or "BEEEES!!!" are a default win regardless of context, and that's just straight up bad gameplay.

I like to imagine an actual proper competitive comedian's version of CAH, one with a deck-building mechanic more like Magic The Gathering. You'd make your personal deck of 100 cards - write all your own material, of course - and then face off against an opponent with their own deck. Rather than take turns with the black cards, you'd have to have a neutral judge (or panel of judges) with their own black deck. But then, I guess, if all the cards are written by the participants, there'd really be no reason to give money to Cards Against Humanity, LLC.

I really, really want to like this game and I really, really can't.

Also, it's a game that sometimes uses "randomness" and vulgarity as a substitute for humour, and if you happen to be playing with some unfunny or unoriginal people, you can get into the kind of situation where cards like "firing a rifle into the air while balls deep in a squealing hog" or "BEEEES!!!" are a default win regardless of context, and that's just straight up bad gameplay.

Tailsteak, I LOVE YOU. This needed to be said.

But then, I guess, if all the cards are written by the participants, there'd really be no reason to give money to Cards Against Humanity, LLC.

There already isn't, unless you feel indebted to them. You can print and cut the cards for free, or use one of several very nice game clients. Some even work well on smartphones!

[Horizon]

The game you're looking for here is Quiplash. If you can't watch the video, the premise is simple:
Every person is given two questions, to which they must write funny answers on their phones. Each question goes to exactly two people. The rest of the players vote on which answer is funnier, and then it is revealed who wrote what answer, and points are awarded accordingly.

It's a lot more fun than CAH because in Quiplash, the only reason you don't have anything funny is because you aren't funny.

[bobismeisbob]

From what I've seen of CAH LLC's business model they'd be fine with that version even if they never saw a dime for it.

[Glundyn]

Also, it's a game that sometimes uses "randomness" and vulgarity as a substitute for humour, and if you happen to be playing with some unfunny or unoriginal people, you can get into the kind of situation where cards like "firing a rifle into the air while balls deep in a squealing hog" or "BEEEES!!!" are a default win regardless of context, and that's just straight up bad gameplay.

Tailsteak, I LOVE YOU. This needed to be said.

I harbour the same sentiment.
Any time I played CAH the cards that acknowledged that genitals exist would always win by default, no matter how clever I got with any other cards. It was infuriating.

Quiplash

Quiplash does sound like a lot more fun. Especially now I've found better, more creative friends.

[Flint_A]

I only have a few friends on my "white list", I refuse to play CaH against anyone else. Quiplash does sound a lot better.

[cyberchihuahua]

You can also play anonymously online and not have to worry about offending your friends.

https://pyx-2.pretendyoure.xyz/zy/game.jsp

[lemma]

Re: Quiplash

my experience of playing it was that it was a cool idea, but

a. the questions are imo less inventive/wacky
b. people still give offensive answers
c. the lack of the random element in the cards actually makes the game less fun, at least for someone who hasn't played it a lot, because in CAH sometimes you'll have a card in your hand that you would never have thought of but which actually is incredibly clever for the question.
d. players are paired off for the questions, rather than having everyone give their answer to each question. fewe ropportunities for funny

I think the way to go is find people who share your taste to play CAH with, and use expansion packs.

[Horizon]

Well, see, the thing about CAH is that it doesn't matter if anyone at the table is actually funny or not, whereas with Quiplash, you have to be at least kind of funny for it to work. I'm fine with that, since I am funny, but I can see why someone might prefer CAH.