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[Board Games] Cardboard Action at a Distance

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  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    Ever had an online store send you a duplicate order? I ordered some games from Target's Buy One Get One Half Off sale a few days ago. I have now received three different shipments from Target, each containing the full slate of games I ordered. Both Target's order system and my credit card confirm that I've only been charged once, but I now have three copies of each of the games I ordered. (I chatted with Target's online customer service about it when the second box arrived and they just told me to keep the extra copies. I wonder if they'd say the same thing now that a third box has arrived?)

  • JonBobJonBob Registered User regular
    You did the right thing by telling them. They did the right thing by not making you return them. A victory for human decency today!

    Maybe you could consider paying it forward by, instead of trying to turn a profit on their mistake, donating the extra copies to a library or Toys for Tots or something?

    jswidget.php?username=JonBob&numitems=10&header=1&text=none&images=small&show=recentplays&imagesonly=1&imagepos=right&inline=1&domains%5B%5D=boardgame&imagewidget=1
  • jergarmarjergarmar hollow man crew goes pew pew pewRegistered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Mr. G wrote: »
    There's also one milestone in the game that feels like it could potentially be ruinous

    It does not seem like it makes for good balance that the first person to get $100 now gets a permanent 50% income bonus, that seems like it would contribute to some real steamrolling

    that almost seems like the one exception where the LAST person to get $100 gets that

    Anyone can get that bonus the hard way, though, right?

    They can, but it seems like too good of a bonus to hand it to the player who is already in the lead of the game and in a fashion that they're guaranteed to have it every turn for the rest of the game, where everyone else can GET that, but they have to use up a slot on their org chart to use it every time

    slow strategies seemed to make so much more money than fast ones when i played that it's definitely necessary and good and not close to overpowered

    if you reversed it I kind of think any first turn besides recruiting girl would become a game loss

    This milestone is sometimes mentioned as seeming unbalanced, but it's actually a nugget of genius.

    * It guarantees that the game ends with a satisfying bang.
    * Explicitly helping the guy in last place leads to longer games, and besides is NOT the Splotter Way.
    * As mentioned, it allows rushing early money
    * It's a FUN, exciting milestone to pursue.

    After playing a couple games, it's common for people to change their opinion, that a number of OTHER milestones are "broken", heh.

    When I was a child, I had a fever...
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  • AstaerethAstaereth In the belly of the beastRegistered User regular
    Gloomhaven report: Gloomhaven was played

    I only really missed one scenario because they had played twice without me but failed to win the second time, so they replayed it tonight

    I made a Cragheart named Johnson McCragrock

    Turns out Craghearts are basically A) the Avatar from TLA and B) not the tank our party needed since they’re so destructive toward adjacent allies

    Still, we did win and I managed to carefully complete my battle plan (by ditching enough cards throughout and timing things so I had few enough at the end)

    I want to play again before I really cement my opinion of it as a game

    But a few things that jumped out at me:

    -seems designed to be a DnD campaign w/o a DM, but keeps certain mechanics that are cumbersome in DnD and not much better here (attack modifier deck, initiative system)

    -the game starts out with lots of choices and then possibilities get reduced (here’s 14 cards, pick 11! Now pick 2 out of the 11! Now pick whether to go top/bottom or bottom/top or maybe generic?) which is not great for new players let me tell you

    -the game is putting a lot of work into fine tuning your motivational position—you want to help the group succeed but you also want loot because you can’t trade gold/items, you also want XP so you’re gearing your card plays toward that, you also want to complete your hidden scenario goal, and you also want to complete your hidden character quest... It feels like it wants to create the sense of like, a party of semi-cooperative hustling cutthroats but to me it just felt overdetermined, like rather than authentically deciding “fuck the group, I’m getting this gold,” much of the game was this conscious metaconsideration of how far I could pursue my own stuff without hurting the group. There was a tediousness to that. I’ve played other dungeon crawlers where abandoning the group plan for selfish reasons happened a lot more organically and that feels more fun and exciting than this did.

    Overally I feel like I’m excited by the form of the campaign, of building a character and exploring the map and uncovering all the secrets, but the actual game game did not feel super great, it just felt okay, I’ve played better. (Mage Knight has better card mechanics, Machina Arcana has better loot, etc.)

    I’ll definitely try it again and see (particularly since part of my issue was that the mission was very generic, but I assume things get less so once you get past the initial few quests). It wasn’t unfun and maybe it’ll go better, too, now that I’m more clear on how it plays and how my character works.

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  • RickRudeRickRude Registered User regular
    TimFiji wrote: »
    RickRude wrote: »
    Man I wish I had a group to play gloomhaven with.

    Move to Oberlin, OH so both our dreams can come true.

    I was born in Dayton, OH. I wonder how far that is from Oberlin.
    in cali now

  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    I too will be playing Gloomhaven on Friday for the first time as someone in my group has just spontaneously picked it up. Slightly irked that I suspect it's going to de-rail Kingdom Death but also excited to see what all the fuss is about.

    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    so I didn't know anything about the Lord of the Rings LCG and I looked some stuff up

    hey is Arkham Horror LCG just the LOTR game again but in a way where they can own it themselves? it kinda seems like it

    LotR and Arkham Horror LCGs aren't really similar at all, other than being solo playable / co-op card games.

    Both are solid games that play very differently. Arkham is definitely an easier game to grasp and a much better experience out of the box (I think the LotR core set is the worst intro experience you could have and it needs a few more purchases to be playable). I like that both have connected storylines, but Arkham really reinforces that (outside of the Saga sets LotR doesn't have any mechanical links between scenarios) and in most cases losing a scenario still let's you move on to the next one which is a cool design.

  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    Ever had an online store send you a duplicate order? I ordered some games from Target's Buy One Get One Half Off sale a few days ago. I have now received three different shipments from Target, each containing the full slate of games I ordered. Both Target's order system and my credit card confirm that I've only been charged once, but I now have three copies of each of the games I ordered. (I chatted with Target's online customer service about it when the second box arrived and they just told me to keep the extra copies. I wonder if they'd say the same thing now that a third box has arrived?)

    What did you get free extra copies of, he asked nonchalantly

  • delf4delf4 Registered User regular
    JonBob wrote: »
    You did the right thing by telling them. They did the right thing by not making you return them. A victory for human decency today!

    Maybe you could consider paying it forward by, instead of trying to turn a profit on their mistake, donating the extra copies to a library or Toys for Tots or something?

    Thats what I did when Amazon accidently sent me two copies of Aeon's End. Its also nice because I know Toys for Tots and other charities need things for older kids.

  • FryFry Registered User regular
    If one were considering donating games to charity, there's also the option of sending the game to an interested forumer, and asking said forumer to make a cash donation to Child's Play or something. Just sayin'.

  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    My girlfriend and I are working our way through Journal 29: Revelation, which is the sequel to Journal 29 (the escape-room-esque puzzle book). I was at a board game cafe when I saw this on the shelves, and I didn't know they made a sequel book! So it was an instant purchase for me. So far, it seems a little easier, but this may be due to the fact that we've finished Journal 29, so we are used to their specific sort of puzzles. There are quite a few stumpers in there, though. If you enjoy Escape Room games (like EXIT or Unlock), I'd highly recommend giving Journal 29 and Journal 29: Revelation a try.

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  • AstaerethAstaereth In the belly of the beastRegistered User regular
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    My girlfriend and I are working our way through Journal 29: Revelation, which is the sequel to Journal 29 (the escape-room-esque puzzle book). I was at a board game cafe when I saw this on the shelves, and I didn't know they made a sequel book! So it was an instant purchase for me. So far, it seems a little easier, but this may be due to the fact that we've finished Journal 29, so we are used to their specific sort of puzzles. There are quite a few stumpers in there, though. If you enjoy Escape Room games (like EXIT or Unlock), I'd highly recommend giving Journal 29 and Journal 29: Revelation a try.

    I'm almost finished with the original Journal 29. I like it but I also find myself getting stuck and using hints a lot, and that says something about my worth as a puzzle solver that I do not like

    My mother loves those things. Have you tried The Librarian's Almanaq?

    ACsTqqK.jpg
  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    Astaereth wrote: »
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    My girlfriend and I are working our way through Journal 29: Revelation, which is the sequel to Journal 29 (the escape-room-esque puzzle book). I was at a board game cafe when I saw this on the shelves, and I didn't know they made a sequel book! So it was an instant purchase for me. So far, it seems a little easier, but this may be due to the fact that we've finished Journal 29, so we are used to their specific sort of puzzles. There are quite a few stumpers in there, though. If you enjoy Escape Room games (like EXIT or Unlock), I'd highly recommend giving Journal 29 and Journal 29: Revelation a try.

    I'm almost finished with the original Journal 29. I like it but I also find myself getting stuck and using hints a lot, and that says something about my worth as a puzzle solver that I do not like

    My mother loves those things. Have you tried The Librarian's Almanaq?
    I haven't tried it, but I've heard of it. I may move onto that (and The Conjurer's Almanaq, which is another one) next.

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • JonBobJonBob Registered User regular
    edited April 2019
    The Librarian's Almanaq is cool, but its origins as a puzzle hunt are very clear. You really have to destroy it to play, and the puzzles are largely set out for you.

    The Conjurer's Almanaq is an entirely different beast that just happens to be by the same author. It reads like a book and the puzzles are well-hidden with no instructions. There are no hints. It is also crammed full of extra bonus side puzzles that have no bearing on the main "escape." This makes for amazing "aha" moments when you solve things, but can also get very frustrating. It took me about a month to solve it.

    I can heartily recommend The Conjurer's Almanaq. I also recommend that you let me know if you do! I have gotten very practiced at helping people get unblocked without spoiling anything or making them feel like they didn't solve it themselves. The smallest nudge is often all that is needed.

    JonBob on
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  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    Ah_Pook wrote: »
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    Ever had an online store send you a duplicate order? I ordered some games from Target's Buy One Get One Half Off sale a few days ago. I have now received three different shipments from Target, each containing the full slate of games I ordered. Both Target's order system and my credit card confirm that I've only been charged once, but I now have three copies of each of the games I ordered. (I chatted with Target's online customer service about it when the second box arrived and they just told me to keep the extra copies. I wonder if they'd say the same thing now that a third box has arrived?)

    What did you get free extra copies of, he asked nonchalantly

    Several titles from the Unlock! series. The second shipment worth has been distributed around to a number of my coworkers...which is probably what will also happen to the third shipment.

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    do y'all do anything to customize how you play Food Chain Magnate

    I printed out and laminated 5 of these

    sLo4Rh3.png

    so now I don't need the milestone or CEO cards or the busy tokens cause dry erase markers will do the trick for all of the above

    I also swapped out the paper money for poker chips cause this ain't Monopoly and the paper was way harder to count quickly

    for a game this long and sprawling (both in scope and table space), anything to condense it down and making it smoother helps

    6F32U1X.png
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    Blurgh. Slightly flat Kingdom Death evening as we were picking it up after a short break, but had left things at the start of the settlement phase so instead of going into action we went into the angst of indecision that is spending resources. As the game progresses the amount of options open to you get very large, but the consequences of getting it right/wrong are pretty huge and it leads to far too much time spent deliberating and debating.

    After that we whipped through a level 1 lion fight in mere minutes (needed one more fur to finish the set, and we've manage to keep failing to innovate out of turn dashes which makes a level 2 lion a massive pain in the ass due to his passive ability making him run away every turn) and then I was certainly too burned out on settlement phase faffing to go through it again so we packed it in and played Wingspan which was very nice.

    I'm definitely going to finish up the settlement phase by myself so next session can go straight to the action. Then players can either decide to get involved with the crafting or leave it to me/others and the crafting debates will also make a good food break. It didn't help that I was hosting and so was trying to bounce between running the game and sorting cooking the pizzas.

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  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    do y'all do anything to customize how you play Food Chain Magnate

    I printed out and laminated 5 of these

    so now I don't need the milestone or CEO cards or the busy tokens cause dry erase markers will do the trick for all of the above

    I also swapped out the paper money for poker chips cause this ain't Monopoly and the paper was way harder to count quickly

    for a game this long and sprawling (both in scope and table space), anything to condense it down and making it smoother helps

    Throwing the paper money in the garbage is like step zero for any game that comes with paper money.

    That board is fuckin' rad.

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    edited April 2019
    Honestly I've found one of my favorite things about board games is that if you really like a game you can make it a little craft project to improve the experience with it, be it storage solutions or supplemental materials

    I made reference cards for Spyfall that list all the locations in the game on them and hand them out to every player so it doesn't become very obvious who the spy is when one person is staring at the middle of the table constantly

    Mr. G on
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  • jergarmarjergarmar hollow man crew goes pew pew pewRegistered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    do y'all do anything to customize how you play Food Chain Magnate

    so now I don't need the milestone or CEO cards or the busy tokens cause dry erase markers will do the trick for all of the above

    I also swapped out the paper money for poker chips cause this ain't Monopoly and the paper was way harder to count quickly

    for a game this long and sprawling (both in scope and table space), anything to condense it down and making it smoother helps

    One possible improvement to this layout is a way to indicate how many slots are under your CEO. When the bank breaks for the first time, the number of slots could end up being 2, 3 or 4.

    When I was a child, I had a fever...
    jswidget.php?username=jergarmar&numitems=7&text=none&images=small&show=hot10&imagesonly=1&imagepos=right&inline=1&domains%5B%5D=boardgame&imagewidget=1
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  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    jergarmar wrote: »
    Mr. G wrote: »
    do y'all do anything to customize how you play Food Chain Magnate

    so now I don't need the milestone or CEO cards or the busy tokens cause dry erase markers will do the trick for all of the above

    I also swapped out the paper money for poker chips cause this ain't Monopoly and the paper was way harder to count quickly

    for a game this long and sprawling (both in scope and table space), anything to condense it down and making it smoother helps

    One possible improvement to this layout is a way to indicate how many slots are under your CEO. When the bank breaks for the first time, the number of slots could end up being 2, 3 or 4.

    I've either just crossed out the third one or drawn on a 4th with the marker

    6F32U1X.png
  • jergarmarjergarmar hollow man crew goes pew pew pewRegistered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    jergarmar wrote: »
    Mr. G wrote: »
    do y'all do anything to customize how you play Food Chain Magnate

    so now I don't need the milestone or CEO cards or the busy tokens cause dry erase markers will do the trick for all of the above

    I also swapped out the paper money for poker chips cause this ain't Monopoly and the paper was way harder to count quickly

    for a game this long and sprawling (both in scope and table space), anything to condense it down and making it smoother helps

    One possible improvement to this layout is a way to indicate how many slots are under your CEO. When the bank breaks for the first time, the number of slots could end up being 2, 3 or 4.

    I've either just crossed out the third one or drawn on a 4th with the marker

    Yeah, you're right, but a dotted line to a 4th spot would be a nice reminder. I've been in a couple of games where that step was forgotten.

    When I was a child, I had a fever...
    jswidget.php?username=jergarmar&numitems=7&text=none&images=small&show=hot10&imagesonly=1&imagepos=right&inline=1&domains%5B%5D=boardgame&imagewidget=1
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  • PMAversPMAvers Registered User regular
    admanb wrote: »
    Mr. G wrote: »
    do y'all do anything to customize how you play Food Chain Magnate

    I printed out and laminated 5 of these

    so now I don't need the milestone or CEO cards or the busy tokens cause dry erase markers will do the trick for all of the above

    I also swapped out the paper money for poker chips cause this ain't Monopoly and the paper was way harder to count quickly

    for a game this long and sprawling (both in scope and table space), anything to condense it down and making it smoother helps

    Throwing the paper money in the garbage is like step zero for any game that comes with paper money.

    That board is fuckin' rad.

    Unless you take the money and build money wads out of them. And then it becomes rad again.

    persona4celestia.jpg
    COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Honestly I've found one of my favorite things about board games is that if you really like a game you can make it a little craft project to improve the experience with it, be it storage solutions or supplemental materials

    I made reference cards for Spyfall that list all the locations in the game on them and hand them out to every player so it doesn't become very obvious who the spy is when one person is staring at the middle of the table constantly

    In some cases you can build the entire game! Like for Dune, though you won’t need to do that much longer.

  • MrBlarneyMrBlarney Registered User regular
    edited April 2019
    Didn't join the new thread yet since I was out on vacation, but now that I'm back and the thread is still early, I've decided to put in some effort to write up some game recommendations, as per the opening posts. (Maybe we should bring in the suggestions from previous thread(s) for more comprehensive lists, though? Maybe just bulleted-list form so that true newcomers have more to work from?)

    Filler Games: Deep Sea Adventure
    Deep Sea Adventure is a very light push-your-luck game for 2-6 players that plays in about 30 minutes. Everyone's a treasure hunter looking to salvage bounty from the ocean depths - the winner is the player with the highest treasure total at the end of the game. Each round, you'll dive down to pick up treasures - deeper ones tending to be worth more points - to bring them back to your submarine. However, each treasure you hold reduces your movement and consumes air. When the air runs out, the round ends, so if you didn't get back to the ship, then you don't get points. Oh, did I mention that we're all really bad treasure hunters, so we're all sharing the same submarine with a common air supply? This game creates a lot of groaning and jeering when someone makes a decision that could or would screw others over.

    Oink Games, the game's publisher, specializes in these kinds of small-box games with streamlined mechanics. Some of my faves include distilled poker game Kobayakawa, drawing party game A Fake Artist Goes to New York, and bluffing and push-your-luck hybrid Troll

    Family Strategy Games: Sushi Go Party
    Sushi Go Party is a light-weight drafting game for 3-7 players that plays in about 30 minutes. Players are diners at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant aiming to have the best meals possible. Each type of sushi in the game has a different way of scoring, so you have to put some consideration into what other players are doing in order to come out on top in each round. The original version of the game had a single deck that was used for the entire game, but where Party shines is the addition of many more menu options that you can mix and match for each game. This not only provides additional variety for replayability, but slightly better consistency in expected draws for each round of play.

    On a side note, I actually prefer Sushi Go Party to a heavier card drafting game, 7 Wonders. I feel like Sushi Go Party has a better ratio of fun to time and complexity, and is a much more flexible selection for breaking out for play.

    Medium-to-Heavy Games: Viticulture: Essential Edition
    Viticulture is a mid-weight worker placement game for 2-6 players that plays in about 30 minutes per player. The objective of the game is to create a winery with the largest amount of renown, through making and shipping wines, and through spreading good press through visitors. I often use it as an introduction into worker placement for those who have had some experience with other games since, even though there are a lot of actions and resources to juggle, the theming makes it fairly smooth to introduce to players. While it's got a fair amount of luck in which vine cards, orders, and visitors you get, you have plenty of actions to enact a winning strategy. That luck also gives the game replayability, as you have to adapt your strategy around what you get.

    For those that want more, there's a couple of small expansions with additional visitor sets to try, and a full expansion, Tuscany, that provides a new action board and additional options for expanding your wineries.

    MrBlarney on
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  • CaptainPeacockCaptainPeacock Board Game Hoarder Top o' the LakeRegistered User regular
    Formula D in Filler Games, because car noises.

    Cluck cluck, gibber gibber, my old man's a mushroom, etc.
  • GlaziusGlazius Registered User regular
    Formula D in Filler Games, because car noises.

    I've played Formula D. I would not call it filler, especially if you're doing multiple laps. Good family game though, because car noises.

  • JonBobJonBob Registered User regular
    MrBlarney wrote: »
    Maybe we should bring in the suggestions from previous thread(s) for more comprehensive lists, though?
    Good idea. Done.

    jswidget.php?username=JonBob&numitems=10&header=1&text=none&images=small&show=recentplays&imagesonly=1&imagepos=right&inline=1&domains%5B%5D=boardgame&imagewidget=1
  • FryFry Registered User regular
    "Recommended number of players" might be a good stat to include.

    For example, Aeon's End claims it plays 1-4, but IMO four players is kinda terrible (there's very little room to do any deckbuilding). Two or three is the best.

  • BluecyanBluecyan Buzz.. Buzz Buzz? BUZZ! Buzz buzz BuzzRegistered User regular
    edited April 2019
    Coup and 7 Wonders are our go to filler games. Coup is great 5-6 players it does have player elimination but it's such a quick game it doesn't mean you spectate for long. Easy to teach as there are only five roles and like eight actions.

    7 Wonders is longer but a fairly fixed length (3 rounds if 7 card plays) and fairly decent simultaneous turns so little down time. Works as well for 4-7.

    Burgle Bros is a great coop family game. What starts off as a tile revealing exploration game turns into a puzzle game as you try to trick guards to not see your friends while cracking safes.

    Not sure about Nemesis. I've played it enough now to heartily recommend it, but I want to say it fits better in the cooperative category or the mid-heavy. It's a true semi cooperative in that multiple people can win and you need to work together to do so. Turns are broken up into smaller two action rounds so it's never too long for you to do something and you are invested in what other players do. The theme definitely comes through as each pull from the alien bag is tense, every draw revealed attack card could leave a player in serious trouble, and there is enough time to do some cool things but not enough time to do all the cool things. Some games have felt like Aliens, mowing down waves and waves of intruders while the ship slowly falls apart. Other games felt like Alien where you spend the game running from that stupid queen and praying those contamination cards don't turn out to be infected. I like that if (when) someone betrays you it's because their objective is incompatible, usually because something important happened or there is just less time, rather than a card just saying "you are a traitor". You don't have to lie to betray everyone and win by yourself. On the flip side, working with everyone's goals and having everyone win feels epic. Or so I would imagine, except every game so far the Mechanic goes off to fix something by himself and never comes back.
    Edit:Fine at 3 Best at 4-5

    Played the story based Coop version and it's fine, I really like the comic book aspect, but it would work better as a tablet app since passing the book around is not very conductive of group storytelling. It does work better with the personal objectives though.

    Bluecyan on
  • DashuiDashui Registered User regular
    edited April 2019
    Gloom of Kilforth is becoming a favorite of mine. It can somewhat be described as a more advanced Forbidden Island with a fantasy theme, RPG mechanics, and gorgeous artwork. You start by choosing a race and class, and then you're racing against time to collect keywords (for your personal saga or quest) and face encounters as more of the map falls into "gloom" each night. It's very luck based, with lots of dice rolling, but it absolutely drips theme and personal storytelling. It can run a bit long, though. I wouldn't play it with more than two players. Subsequently, it is a fantastic solo game.

    I didn't back Nemesis, but I am waiting for Lifeform to get my alien fix on. I hope it's just as well received. Amusingly, it's also designed by the person behind Kilforth, Tristan Hall.

    Dashui on
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  • FairchildFairchild Rabbit used short words that were easy to understand, like "Hello Pooh, how about Lunch ?" Registered User regular
    Hadn't heard of LIFEFORM, but NEMESIS is my early lead for Best Boardgame of the Year.

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    So I'm still relatively new to playing tabletop games, I've only been in this for the last 3-ish years, so I'm still trying to figure out things like genre

    who can tell me what the differentiation is between what makes something a "Euro" and what makes something "Ameritrash" (which, as I understand it, started as a derogatory term and has been just kinda accepted like "walking simulator" was in video games?)

    I can tell you that Food Chain Magnate is definitely a Euro and Cosmic Encounter is Ameritrash and I couldn't tell you WHY beyond "one very clean and abstract about having a lot going on and one extremely messy about having a lot going on"

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  • FairchildFairchild Rabbit used short words that were easy to understand, like "Hello Pooh, how about Lunch ?" Registered User regular
    I think 'Ameritrash' is a stupid term and I never use it, so you've got me there. I do note that Eurogames tend to have very little, if any, conflict. I remember Reiner Knizia's CLASH OF THE GLADIATORS being very memorable back in 2002 because it actually involved combat as its main focus.

  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    There's not a clear definition of either. generally AT is heavily thematic stuff with lots of luck and lots of chrome, and typically featuring direct player interaction. It came out of American design traditions of the late 70s and 80s. Think stuff like Heroquest and the MB Gamemaster games (Axis and Allies, Fortress America, Shogun etc). Euros were originally German style games with clean rules and a focus on mechanics over theme (old Knizia games being a great example). Euro as a term now is kinda meaningless, as it basically means not AT and encompasses all kinds of stuff.

  • FryFry Registered User regular
    edited April 2019
    I think one of the main things is
    Direct conflict: Ameritrash
    No direct conflict: Euro

    If the most you can do to hinder an opponent is outbid them or block the space they need, it's probably a Euro. If you can actually beat them up and take their stuff, it's Ameritrash

    Fry on
  • GvzbgulGvzbgul Registered User regular
    Helped out at a kids camp yesterday.

    Remember when i said Superfight sucked? Well, it still does. But i will add one gigantic exception...

    Kids fucken love it. Biggest hit of the night. I was thinking of getting rid of it but i dont think i can now.

  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    Fry wrote: »
    I think one of the main things is
    Direct conflict: Ameritrash
    No direct conflict: Euro

    If the most you can do to hinder an opponent is outbid them or block the space they need, it's probably a Euro. If you can actually beat them up and take their stuff, it's Ameritrash

    El Grande and Tigris and Euphrates though

  • JonBobJonBob Registered User regular
    There used to be a clearer divide in the 90s and early 2000s. There is a lot of cross-pollination now and many games can't be put cleanly in one bucket. As a result, those terms are losing their usefulness.

    Broad generalizations include the following:
    Ameritrash: direct conflict, lots of rules, output randomness, plastic minis, fantasy/sci-fi/historical themes
    Euro: indirect conflict, simple rules, input randomness or no randomness, wood, mundane or pasted-on themes

    Complicating this is the fact that what "Euro" meant in the mid-90s was much more interactive, as well as simpler and family-weight. Now when people hear "Euro" they probably initially think of heavier economic games.

    jswidget.php?username=JonBob&numitems=10&header=1&text=none&images=small&show=recentplays&imagesonly=1&imagepos=right&inline=1&domains%5B%5D=boardgame&imagewidget=1
  • WearingglassesWearingglasses Of the friendly neighborhood variety Registered User regular
    Ameritrash tended to have more reliance on dice when resolving stuff as well (output randomness, as pointed above), but yes, newer games tend to blur the lines more now.

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