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[Board Games] Cornfields are awesome until you floop the pig

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Posts

  • BogartBogart Streetwise Hercules Registered User, Moderator mod
  • NamrokNamrok Registered User regular
    I'd be curious to hear what you think of Tokaido at different player numbers. With 5, everything felt way too crowded for me. I got completely excluded from meaningfully participating after the first Inn. Just sat there bored for the last 40 minutes, getting nothing while everyone else was collecting mementos from the trip left and right. When you are doing nothing in Tokaido, you are really doing nothing.

  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    I've never had a KS arrive on time so I don't really mind delays. Some of them get annoying (Moongha Invaders, Mr. Card Game for example) but every project will be delayed somehow, usually multiple times.

    I guess you have selective memory, because 3 posts before this you mention Myth, which shipped, at worst, a month late, and they were very up front about why this happened. Given the kickstarter average of "several months to years" of delays, I think 1 month worth of "This got stuck in a dumb legal nebula, but we fixed it." is pretty "on time."
    But that's me.

    Depends on what you count as "shipped" I guess.

    Over half of the kickstarter material hasn't been shipped yet. And the game isn't really functional yet.

    I don't consider myself to have really received "My Myth Kickstarter" yet.

    I find this curious. As almost the entirety of the stetch goals were future expansion content anyway, it's strange to me that you consider it incomplete when you've essentially received the base game and will receive advance copies of future products. Would you draw a differentiation between 'received' and 'received in full'?

    Well, lots of the stuff in the base game references/uses the stuff that didn't show up yet which is pretty unique to most Kickstarters, since the "2nd wave" stuff is usually just expansion stuff. Thus the "not really functional yet".

    Plus, I think pretty much everyone has agreed that the content you get in the box, ESPECIALLY considering the state of the rulebook, flatly isn't a complete game. You have to write your own rulebook.

    What is this I don't even.
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    I've never had a KS arrive on time so I don't really mind delays. Some of them get annoying (Moongha Invaders, Mr. Card Game for example) but every project will be delayed somehow, usually multiple times.

    I guess you have selective memory, because 3 posts before this you mention Myth, which shipped, at worst, a month late, and they were very up front about why this happened. Given the kickstarter average of "several months to years" of delays, I think 1 month worth of "This got stuck in a dumb legal nebula, but we fixed it." is pretty "on time."
    But that's me.

    Depends on what you count as "shipped" I guess.

    Over half of the kickstarter material hasn't been shipped yet. And the game isn't really functional yet.

    I don't consider myself to have really received "My Myth Kickstarter" yet.

    I find this curious. As almost the entirety of the stetch goals were future expansion content anyway, it's strange to me that you consider it incomplete when you've essentially received the base game and will receive advance copies of future products. Would you draw a differentiation between 'received' and 'received in full'?

    Well, lots of the stuff in the base game references/uses the stuff that didn't show up yet which is pretty unique to most Kickstarters, since the "2nd wave" stuff is usually just expansion stuff. Thus the "not really functional yet".

    Plus, I think pretty much everyone has agreed that the content you get in the box, ESPECIALLY considering the state of the rulebook, flatly isn't a complete game. You have to write your own rulebook.

    Mmm, okay. I simply can't have this experience since I'll be in the 'everything arrives at once' position. We'll see how differently that goes.
    To the original question though, what of a hypothetical game that was a base and had stretch goals of mostly expansions? Suppose you'd feel similar?

  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    I dunno. This is not a policy or anything, it's just a gut feeling from what I've received. I don't feel like I've really received my kickstarter stuff yet.

    I might feel pretty different if the out of the box experience felt more like a complete game.

    What is this I don't even.
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    That's fair. Again, it was a curiosity, but having had the situation explained better I understand where you're coming from.

  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited April 2014
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    I've never had a KS arrive on time so I don't really mind delays. Some of them get annoying (Moongha Invaders, Mr. Card Game for example) but every project will be delayed somehow, usually multiple times.

    I guess you have selective memory, because 3 posts before this you mention Myth, which shipped, at worst, a month late, and they were very up front about why this happened. Given the kickstarter average of "several months to years" of delays, I think 1 month worth of "This got stuck in a dumb legal nebula, but we fixed it." is pretty "on time."
    But that's me.

    Depends on what you count as "shipped" I guess.

    Over half of the kickstarter material hasn't been shipped yet. And the game isn't really functional yet.

    I don't consider myself to have really received "My Myth Kickstarter" yet.

    I find this curious. As almost the entirety of the stetch goals were future expansion content anyway, it's strange to me that you consider it incomplete when you've essentially received the base game and will receive advance copies of future products. Would you draw a differentiation between 'received' and 'received in full'?

    Well, lots of the stuff in the base game references/uses the stuff that didn't show up yet which is pretty unique to most Kickstarters, since the "2nd wave" stuff is usually just expansion stuff. Thus the "not really functional yet".

    Plus, I think pretty much everyone has agreed that the content you get in the box, ESPECIALLY considering the state of the rulebook, flatly isn't a complete game. You have to write your own rulebook.

    Mmm, okay. I simply can't have this experience since I'll be in the 'everything arrives at once' position. We'll see how differently that goes.
    To the original question though, what of a hypothetical game that was a base and had stretch goals of mostly expansions? Suppose you'd feel similar?

    I wouldn't, personally. Almost every other KS I've done works like that, the base is completely usable and the stretch goals are all very much expansions. But MYTH just doesn't feel like that; they tied it all together. And that's not BAD, just different.

    You can certainly play the base game but there's some Captains, items and abilities you won't be able to use without the rest of the stuff or if you do use them you'll need to make some house rules.

    But, then, house rules are pretty much the expected in MYTH.

    Magic Pink on
  • EndaroEndaro Registered User regular
    Namrok wrote: »
    I'd be curious to hear what you think of Tokaido at different player numbers. With 5, everything felt way too crowded for me. I got completely excluded from meaningfully participating after the first Inn. Just sat there bored for the last 40 minutes, getting nothing while everyone else was collecting mementos from the trip left and right. When you are doing nothing in Tokaido, you are really doing nothing.

    It plays well with two.

  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    i finished my monolith for nexus ops. my cat was intrigued by it.
    10270743_773720415979351_253191218130321344_n.jpg

  • JonBobJonBob Registered User regular
    edited April 2014
    Namrok wrote: »
    I'd be curious to hear what you think of Tokaido at different player numbers.
    Because of the way double spaces work, it's like Ticket to Ride. 3 or 5 is tight, while 2 and 4 are more free. If you felt too constrained, maybe 4 will feel right to you.

    That said, I wonder why you felt shut out for so much of the game. Only 2 or 3 nearby actions will be full when it's your turn, so you have a lot of options. Are you saying you were out of money? That can suck for sure, and it could be worth skipping a couple spaces to go to the farm. Or you could just focus on free actions like panoramas or encounters.

    With Crossroads in the mix, you have some extra viable choices such as buying a "share a space" amulet or using cherry trees for quick cash.


    JonBob on
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  • poshnialloposhniallo Registered User regular
    edited April 2014
    I don't see how player count can exclude a particular player from the game. I can see how in some games a game choice could, e.g, Putting your settlements next to 2s and 12s in Cafan. And if that was inobvious, then I think that would be a very valid criticism. But if one player feels excluded, then all the others must too, surely?

    It's a nice game, but very light. Like a sorbet.

    I might get Crossroads for it some day. That adds a lot to it.

    Also, the last inn before you reach Edo/Tokyo? You can totally see my house from there. If you really hard at the Sea panorama. I'm probably in three waving.

    poshniallo on
    I figure I could take a bear.
  • UtsanomikoUtsanomiko Bros before Does Rollin' in the thlayRegistered User regular
    My copy of Arctic Scavengers arrived in the mail this afternoon.

    So... has anyone besides SU&SD had a chance to play this?

    hmm.gif
  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    I think you may be the first in this thread. So play it and give us a report already! :P

  • PMAversPMAvers Registered User regular
    I've got my copy, although I won't be able to play it until tomorrow at the earliest.

    persona4celestia.jpg
    COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    I also got a copy, but I'm not sure when I'll get to try it out.

  • InkSplatInkSplat 100%ed Bad Rats. Registered User regular
    I won't be getting my copy til the 23rd. :(

    Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
  • Professor PhobosProfessor Phobos Registered User regular
    Er, I played it.

    And said I did.

    In this thread.

    What am I, chopped liver? It's fun.

  • EndaroEndaro Registered User regular
    If only we knew someone who's played it. Some day...

  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    I guess no one has played it, but I'll be taking a shot at mine tomorrow.

  • antheremantherem Registered User regular
    We played a KS copy of Galactic Strike Force at PAX East. I'm kind of meh about it - the rulebook is not particularly easy to follow, and the game (like Sentinels) is the sort of co-op where all the information is known so it's very susceptible to alpha-dogging.

  • mr_michmr_mich Mmmmagic. MDRegistered User regular
    My copy of Arctic Scavengers showed up yesterday instead of next Wednesday when it was supposed to. Thanks to Art's Game Store, the 3rd party seller on Amazon who got it out the door quickly.

    I opened it up to play a 2-player game with my fiancee, who immediately balked at how drab the theme was. We play a lot of games, and she's usually very good about trying something before forming an opinion. She enjoys games from King of Tokyo to Mage Knight to Eclipse to Eldritch Horror. But for whatever reason she was not feeling this game. We started playing just the two of us, with none of the expansions, just so she could get a feel for the gathering and skirmish concepts.

    After the first two (non-skirmish) rounds, she started to get the hang of it, and we were enjoying ourselves. We're still learning the strategies and whatnot, so we were basically just digging a couple times and buying a brawler or scavenger. Once the skirmish started, it was fucking on. A two-player game makes the bluffing in the skirmish that much more cerebral, although it's interesting having partial knowledge of their build based on who they recruit. She had some awesome cards from the dig (and the contested resources) pile that threw big curveballs, allowing her to win some skirmishes handily with only a couple of cards...even with the +2 margin condition for 2-player games. We stopped after about 6-7 more rounds to do dinner, especially once we realized the end condition is when the contested resources pile (14 cards) is depleted. With the +2 margin condition, there were plenty of "dead rounds" where there was a draw and no card was taken.

    I need to read up on the rules a bit more...I think there might be alternate win conditions, and I think that "tie skirmish" contested resources may go into the junk pile. We also didn't really see the way that trashing cards works (throw any number of cards from your hand into the junk pile and shuffle it up). I think you want to trash cards that are clogging up your deck, but it doesn't seem to cost you anything? The economy of this game feels a bit different from other deckbuilders.

    We're going to play some more this weekend and I'll be able to give some more thorough thoughts.

  • Professor PhobosProfessor Phobos Registered User regular
    I will say that I think the sweet spot is 3 players rather than 2.

  • PMAversPMAvers Registered User regular
    persona4celestia.jpg
    COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
  • EndaroEndaro Registered User regular
    PMAvers wrote: »

    I hope it's good, because boy is that important.

  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2014
    mr_mich wrote: »
    I need to read up on the rules a bit more...I think there might be alternate win conditions, and I think that "tie skirmish" contested resources may go into the junk pile. We also didn't really see the way that trashing cards works (throw any number of cards from your hand into the junk pile and shuffle it up). I think you want to trash cards that are clogging up your deck, but it doesn't seem to cost you anything? The economy of this game feels a bit different from other deckbuilders.

    We're going to play some more this weekend and I'll be able to give some more thorough thoughts.

    Tied resources do, in fact, go into the junk pile.

    I think the danger of trashing everything you can is that the points margins are much smaller than the games we're familiar with. Also, the tool/bonus/action mechanic means you risk being stuck with more bonuses than you have actions.

    admanb on
  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    edited April 2014
    Endaro wrote: »
    PMAvers wrote: »

    I hope it's good, because boy is that important.
    It's okay. The outlined rules are:
    Rule Zero: Consider YouTube (see if the work is already done for you, basically... Play the Video for everyone, and you're done!)
    Rule One: Actually Know the Goddamn Rules (have general knowledge of the game backwards and forwards)
    Rule One Point Five: Give them something to play with (tokens, fiddly bits, etc. Helps them connect to the game.)
    Rule Two: Who, How, Why (Explain who each person is in the game, how to win, why it's cool)
    Rule Three: Practice (figure out a spiel ahead of time)
    Rule Four: Play without rules (or less rules) (in most games, you don't actually need to use all of the rules to play the first few rounds of the game)
    Rule Five: Dummy Turns (Play "practice" turns and open hands)
    Rule Six: Accompany Rules with Examples, and Examples with Names.

    But the video is mostly valuable in the examples of how NOT to do rules explanations.

    Most of these seem like common sense to me, but Rule One Point Five isn't something I've generally thought about. When I'm explaining Sentinels of the Multiverse to a new group (which happens pretty much every board game night), I have them pick out a hero deck and give them the deck while I'm babbling about what to do and how to do it. It's something I'll have to do for other board games, too, while explaining them. Rampage was fun, in this regard, because everyone is helping to set up the buildings while learning the rules.

    For Rule Zero, I have a Space Alert tutorial on my tablet (along with all of my Space Alert soundtrack files), which is WAY better at explaining the game than I ever will be, and it takes about 10 minutes to view. For Betrayal at House on the Hill, Wizards has an interactive Flash tutorial for it, which was really helpful in explaining the rules and flow of play to new players.

    Hahnsoo1 on
    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • EndaroEndaro Registered User regular
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    Endaro wrote: »
    PMAvers wrote: »

    I hope it's good, because boy is that important.
    It's okay. The outlined rules are:
    Rule Zero: Consider YouTube (see if the work is already done for you, basically... Play the Video for everyone, and you're done!)
    Rule One: Actually Know the Goddamn Rules (have general knowledge of the game backwards and forwards)
    Rule One Point Five: Give them something to play with (tokens, fiddly bits, etc. Helps them connect to the game.)
    Rule Two: Who, How, Why (Explain who each person is in the game, how to win, why it's cool)
    Rule Three: Practice (figure out a spiel ahead of time)
    Rule Four: Play without rules (or less rules) (in most games, you don't actually need to use all of the rules to play the first few rounds of the game)
    Rule Five: Dummy Turns (Play "practice" turns and open hands)
    Rule Six: Accompany Rules with Examples, and Examples with Names.

    But the video is mostly valuable in the examples of how NOT to do rules explanations.

    Most of these seem like common sense to me, but Rule One Point Five isn't something I've generally thought about. When I'm explaining Sentinels of the Multiverse to a new group (which happens pretty much every board game night), I have them pick out a hero deck and give them the deck while I'm babbling about what to do and how to do it. It's something I'll have to do for other board games, too, while explaining them. Rampage was fun, in this regard, because everyone is helping to set up the buildings while learning the rules.

    For Rule Zero, I have a Space Alert tutorial on my tablet (along with all of my Space Alert soundtrack files), which is WAY better at explaining the game than I ever will be, and it takes about 10 minutes to view. For Betrayal at House on the Hill, Wizards has an interactive Flash tutorial for it, which was really helpful in explaining the rules and flow of play to new players.

    I love the Space Alert tutorial, but I never use it because it feels just a little too long/slow for a lot of the groups I teach. The rules are a lot faster if you summarize them yourself, even if you lose all the humor in the process.

  • EndaroEndaro Registered User regular
    edited April 2014
    Oh, also, Playdek has some kinda sale going on if anyone is looking to pick up some iOS board games.
    The sale started today (April 18th) and will run through April 28th, so check out the sale and perhaps pick up a game you’ve always wanted to check out!

    The prices for the games are as follows:

    Agricola - 3.99

    Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer - FREE

    Can't Stop - 0.99

    Fluxx - 0.99

    Food Fight - 0.99

    Lords of Waterdeep - 5.99

    Nightfall - 0.99

    Penny Arcade - 0.99

    Summoner Wars - FREE

    Tanto Cuore - 0.99

    But it doesn’t stop there, the sale is extending to most of the IAP we offer! Make sure to take a look at the IAP for your favorite games to see if something you’ve had your eye on is now on sale!

    Endaro on
  • GuibsGuibs Weekend Warrior Somewhere up North.Registered User regular
    Finally received my copy of Seasons and Hanabi yesterday. Boy Seasons looks AMAZING. The cards art is amazing. I went through the rules and it's simple enough. Had watch Rahdo's run through so I had pretty much all the rules down. I thought the cards would be intimidating but most of them are pretty obvious. Hopefully my kids pick it up but I may help them pick their cards for the first game. already looking to order the first expansion because I just know I will love this game. Can't wait to get my first couple of games going.

    On the other hand, was able to get my first official game of Dungeon Lords today. got this one 2 weeks ago at one of my FLGS for just 30$ brand new. The game is a lot of fun but it is procedural. You really have to follow the steps one by one for turn resolution, worker placement and espicially the combat Iin typical Vlaada fasion). The combat resolution has to be the most "complicated" part of the game. My 10 years old once I walk him through the 4 step example the game provide got most of it. I was still coaching him during his resolution to make sure he would understand the different tactical decision. Anyway, It was a fun game. I played it risky in the end and got blocked for mining gold at the last turn By the dummy player (yeah the negative of playing a less than 4 players game) and my son denying me the gold I needed to pay the dungeon association taxes. coudln't pay up the gold and my dungeon was pretty big so it translated into a hefty 12 points penalty and it cost me the game. Still I had a lot of fun and my son too. I just hope I can get my younger son and wife to play so we can get a real 4 player games.

    Also had a game of dungeon Petz The weekend before with my younger son and although I prefer the rules for dummy player in dungeon petz, It's still not my favorite mechanism.

    jswidget.php?username=Guibs&numitems=10&header=1&text=none&images=small&show=recentplays&imagesonly=1&imagepos=center&inline=1&domains%5B%5D=boardgame&imagewidget=1
    PSN: Guibs25 | XboxLive: Guibs | Steam: Guibsx | Twitch: Guibsx
  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    Endaro wrote: »
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    Endaro wrote: »
    PMAvers wrote: »

    I hope it's good, because boy is that important.
    It's okay. The outlined rules are:
    Rule Zero: Consider YouTube (see if the work is already done for you, basically... Play the Video for everyone, and you're done!)
    Rule One: Actually Know the Goddamn Rules (have general knowledge of the game backwards and forwards)
    Rule One Point Five: Give them something to play with (tokens, fiddly bits, etc. Helps them connect to the game.)
    Rule Two: Who, How, Why (Explain who each person is in the game, how to win, why it's cool)
    Rule Three: Practice (figure out a spiel ahead of time)
    Rule Four: Play without rules (or less rules) (in most games, you don't actually need to use all of the rules to play the first few rounds of the game)
    Rule Five: Dummy Turns (Play "practice" turns and open hands)
    Rule Six: Accompany Rules with Examples, and Examples with Names.

    But the video is mostly valuable in the examples of how NOT to do rules explanations.

    Most of these seem like common sense to me, but Rule One Point Five isn't something I've generally thought about. When I'm explaining Sentinels of the Multiverse to a new group (which happens pretty much every board game night), I have them pick out a hero deck and give them the deck while I'm babbling about what to do and how to do it. It's something I'll have to do for other board games, too, while explaining them. Rampage was fun, in this regard, because everyone is helping to set up the buildings while learning the rules.

    For Rule Zero, I have a Space Alert tutorial on my tablet (along with all of my Space Alert soundtrack files), which is WAY better at explaining the game than I ever will be, and it takes about 10 minutes to view. For Betrayal at House on the Hill, Wizards has an interactive Flash tutorial for it, which was really helpful in explaining the rules and flow of play to new players.

    I love the Space Alert tutorial, but I never use it because it feels just a little too long/slow for a lot of the groups I teach. The rules are a lot faster if you summarize them yourself, even if you lose all the humor in the process.
    The tutorial video I'm talking about isn't about the tutorial scenario in the Space Alert rulebooks. It's a video that explains how to run each station and what to do. I have it on my tablet (saved from some YouTube video or something, not sure), and it's way faster and better than trying to explain the game myself.

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • EpimerEpimer Registered User regular
    Goddamn I love Archipelago.

  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    Tales of the Arabian Nights with the in-laws.

    Within one round my Father-In-Law has been able to choose the reaction 'enter' when encountering an elephant, and my Brother-In-Law has had to read aloud a card about his obsidian horse which flies when you pull its knob.

    I may have been the poor bugger to end this game as a crippled, wounded, lost, forlorn, beast, but I didn't care as my sides were aching from the laughter.

    Love this game.

    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • InkSplatInkSplat 100%ed Bad Rats. Registered User regular
    I really want Archipleago. But I feel like it might be a bit to big to get much play, especially when I've for Suburbia to scratch people's tile-related inches.

    Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
  • Professor PhobosProfessor Phobos Registered User regular
    Anyone played Clash of Cultures?

  • TrynantTrynant Maniac Brawler Rank 20.100 and full WildRegistered User regular
    Epimer wrote: »
    Goddamn I love Archipelago.

    This is a thing I agree with and approve of.
    InkSplat wrote: »
    I really want Archipleago. But I feel like it might be a bit to big to get much play, especially when I've for Suburbia to scratch people's tile-related inches.

    Archipelago has three different game lengths determined by three sets of objective cards. You can keep the game reasonably short with the short-game cards!

  • InkSplatInkSplat 100%ed Bad Rats. Registered User regular
    Trynant wrote: »
    Epimer wrote: »
    Goddamn I love Archipelago.

    This is a thing I agree with and approve of.
    InkSplat wrote: »
    I really want Archipleago. But I feel like it might be a bit to big to get much play, especially when I've for Suburbia to scratch people's tile-related inches.

    Archipelago has three different game lengths determined by three sets of objective cards. You can keep the game reasonably short with the short-game cards!

    I didn't so much mean big as in length, but I realize I chose my words poorly. I meant more it seems a bit heavier than what I am likely to get to the table.

    Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
  • CaptainPeacockCaptainPeacock Board Game Hoarder Top o' the LakeRegistered User regular
    Epimer wrote: »
    Goddamn I love Archipelago.

    I approve of this message.

    Cluck cluck, gibber gibber, my old man's a mushroom, etc.
  • Joe DizzyJoe Dizzy taking the day offRegistered User regular
    InkSplat wrote: »
    Trynant wrote: »
    Epimer wrote: »
    Goddamn I love Archipelago.

    This is a thing I agree with and approve of.
    InkSplat wrote: »
    I really want Archipleago. But I feel like it might be a bit to big to get much play, especially when I've for Suburbia to scratch people's tile-related inches.

    Archipelago has three different game lengths determined by three sets of objective cards. You can keep the game reasonably short with the short-game cards!

    I didn't so much mean big as in length, but I realize I chose my words poorly. I meant more it seems a bit heavier than what I am likely to get to the table.

    I'm not sure I'd call Archipelago a heavy game. It's a game where you can definitely overthink your options and then it does drag a little. But overall, sticking to your goal(s) and actively incorporating the cooperative element helps keep down the complexity.

    I've found that it's only people who immediately latch onto becoming the "grand winner" as opposed to just sharing victory with other players, that really let the game's complexity and length spiral out of control.

  • mr_michmr_mich Mmmmagic. MDRegistered User regular
    All of this talk of Archipelago is relevant to my interests. It's been sitting at the top of my wishlist for awhile, but I can't bring myself to pull the trigger on it for a few reasons. First of all, at $60ish it's a bit heavy on the wallet. I'm also worried that I won't be able to get it to the table since, as mentioned above, it's got a lot of moving parts. I absolutely love the idea of hex-based exploration and map generation, as well as the notion of a possible traitor mechanic. We already have Eclipse and Mage Knight though, so I'm not sure how much table time this would get. And from watching Rahdo runthroughs and such, the bits for uprising and market economies seem a bit fiddly for my liking. How does it play with 2 players? Anyone have the solo expansion? How long are the "short" gameplay objectives realistically?

    We had a game night last night. First five of us played Arctic Scavengers for real. They were all totally new, but picked up on it early. Again, we didn't use any of the extra modules. Again, people were sort of skeptical at first and started to warm up to it after the skirmishes started. The game seemed to go pretty fast, not taking much longer than our 2-player game earlier. There are a few notes I want to carry forward for people that are playing, with the caveat that all of these were with 0/4 modules:
    • Starting with 0/4 modules is probably not a good idea. I've done this twice and regretted it both times. People almost seem to think the game is just "meh" without any meat on its bones, and whenever I show them the modules they don't seem to think that would've been too much. A boardgame-savvy group can probably start with all 4; if you're super worried maybe just use the Tribal Leaders and clans/guilds.
    • The skirmish mechanic is brilliant. The first player (which rotates every turn) gets to peek at the card everyone's fighting for, which offsets the disadvantage of being the first to commit some cards. We were still learning some of the potent combos, so some people really surprised us by having 8 combat points in 3 cards and such.
    • We did run into some hurdles where some guys could not draw medicine from the dig pile. There seems to be a shortage of high food/no medicine cards, and the Thugs all went quickly. This meant that people who didn't get their engine off the ground early fell behind fast, and it was tough to recover.
    • The other side of that is that if you don't balance your deck well, you may end up with too much medicine. I frequently had a ton of medicine but no food, and that really sucks because most food-producing cards can actually do something else in a pinch if need be. Having 4 medicine and a dig is a shitty feeling.
    • The Scout card might be a bit OP. We had a guy who basically bought 4 of them and then consistently used those to cycle through his deck, increasing his hand size to 7, allowing him to do just about everything. Since there's no real downside to reshuffling your deck, he was able to do this pretty consistently.
    • We definitely hit a wall with a bit of a snowball effect; one guy bought up a few thugs and then went bonkers in every single skirmish. I would put 5 cards with 10 combat points and still lose. He ended up winning with 35 points, and I was close behind with 31. The other scores were like 28 and 24.

    Altogether we had a blast with it. I definitely don't think the game is a relic from raptor Jesus, but it's certainly fun. The hype is definitely a bit much -- one of the veteran guys in our group was saying that this game feels like a watered down Dominion. We need to play it with modules, and definitely more than once, before I can really weigh in on that but I think it's a fallacious comparison to make. We could spend $80 on a Dominion big box or something and have a huge deckbuilder with a ton of cards that does nothing but build decks. Or you can spend ~$25 on this game which packs quite a wallop and has another dimension besides just building an engine. When we're more familiar with the different cards and tricks, when we're not drinking, I suspect there's going to be a lot of metagame about who's got what in their decks and what they may/may not be bluffing with...that seems like something Dominion just can't do.

    We also played some King of Tokyo with the expansion. This was the first time we played with 6 people though, and it made the double-city thing interesting. At this point we were all drunk and I got knocked out pretty early every round, as always. KoT is a boatload of fun and there's a ton of player interaction, but at the end of the day it's still a filler/party game. The cards in the expansion are a ton of fun but they really warp the balance of the game.

  • InkSplatInkSplat 100%ed Bad Rats. Registered User regular
    So, Marvel Dice Masters has been said to have been sold out to distributors for a while. Well, apparently WizKids oversold it…a bit. I just got an email from Coolstuff saying they're only getting 10% of their ordered units of the Starter sets, and any preorders placed after March 11th are going to get delayed to the "near future".

    Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
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