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Boardgames!
Mojo_Jojo
We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered User regular
We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered User regular
It's summer and this traditionally means that it's boardgame season. So we need a thread, once again, to discuss purchase choices, tactics, session reports and all the other nonsense that needs to be said.
We tend to have pretty terrible OPs in these threads, I'm going to try and change that this time.
Boardgames? Moer leik Bored Games, lol!
I don't care if you really feel that way or if you are just being a cock. The answer is the same, don't go shitting up this thread. Instead, you can amuse yourself by eating as many pills as you can find in your parent's medicine cupboard as quickly as possible.
Is Tempus out yet?
Update 1/8/06: Yes, yes it is. I've just started hearing reports of online stores having it in stock. This means that you can even likely skip down to your local FLGS (or Travelling Man) and pick yourself up a copy. A word of caution though: This isn't the game people thought it was and those who go in expecting it to be a civilisation building game have come away dissapointing. It is very much more abstract than people expected.
Monopoly/Munchkin/Fluxx is the best!
It really isn't. Nobody wants to claim that the game isn't fun in certain conditions but it relies almost entirely on luck. There is a big exciting world of more advanced games out there and you'd do well to experience it.
"Game name". Thread over
This isn't a poll thread asking which is the best game. That question doesn't even make sense. If you want to discuss how much a game rocks then do it, but try to actual stimulate discussion rather than failing to manage even one sentence.
Is there some kind of site on the internet that deals with boardgame reviews and news?
Yes, it's called BoardGameGeek and it can be very useful for finding out lots of things. They also run PBP games on there, which are really slow but can be great fun.
Most of the people on these forums have an account there. I know I do.
I thought I'd also include some pretty photos and brief descriptions of what I'd consider the popular boardgames and those that people on these boards might care about.
Risk
This was my gateway game. We bought this and it set us off on our tradition of meeting a few times a week during summer to play some games.
It now comes in a few flavours, most notably, Godstorm and 2210AD.
Most people shy away from this as they have horrible memories of games taking several days. Usually, this means they were trying to play a conquest game. I like to think of this as playing the game wrong, as it really isn't fun. Play with missions. It's awesome and games are shorter.
Settlers of Catan
This was my second game as far as I remember. Still played as much now as it was then.
It's a game of resource trading and the eternal "I've got wood" jokes. There are a few different versions with different art, some much prettier than others.
Two expansions also exist:
Seafarers of Catan. This one was original going to be part of the base game but was taken out in order to cut costs. It fixes a few resource imbalances by allowing you to make sea routers in addition to paths. Also introduces the GOLD tile and some scenarios (although most people don't like the scenarios). We've played one game of standard settlers since we picked up this expansion and that was to teach a new person the rules.
Cities and Knights Of Catan. This one is less of an expansion and more of a brand new game with similar mechanics in places. Introduces advanced resources, different city levels and some other bits and bobs. Fun, but we don't play it as much by any stretch of the imagaintion. Provides a fun change though.
Puerto Rico
This is considered by many to be the finest boardgame ever made. It is always at the top of the highest rated games on BGG too.
The players are plantation owners in Puerto Rico in the days when the ships had sails. Growing up to five different kind of crops: Corn, Indigo, Coffee, Sugar and Tobacco, they must try to run their business more efficiently than their close competitors. It has a fairly small random element which most hail as a good thing. There are no dice to be held at the mercy of, just the available crops. Everything that goes wrong tends to be your own fault. It really is awesome.
Carcassonne
The big game that I've not bought or played. Yet.
This one is a game based around laying tiles. I can't really say much except it's quite light and I'll be picking up it up shortly. It also has 6.39billion expansions and a few hundred different base sets. Nobody knows whether any base set and expansion combination will work.
Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition
Not really as famous as the others I've listed, but I play a great deal of it and it is pretty different to the others I've presented
If that picture doesn't do something for you then you're dead inside. This is a game about managing a space empire. It's a little like a Master of Orion boardgame. Some people have a problem with victory being based on victory points rather than conquest, so you may want to try before you buy.
We tend to have pretty terrible OPs in these threads, I'm going to try and change that this time.
Boardgames? Moer leik Bored Games, lol!
I don't care if you really feel that way or if you are just being a cock. The answer is the same, don't go shitting up this thread. Instead, you can amuse yourself by eating as many pills as you can find in your parent's medicine cupboard as quickly as possible.
Is Tempus out yet?
Update 1/8/06: Yes, yes it is. I've just started hearing reports of online stores having it in stock. This means that you can even likely skip down to your local FLGS (or Travelling Man) and pick yourself up a copy. A word of caution though: This isn't the game people thought it was and those who go in expecting it to be a civilisation building game have come away dissapointing. It is very much more abstract than people expected.
Monopoly/Munchkin/Fluxx is the best!
It really isn't. Nobody wants to claim that the game isn't fun in certain conditions but it relies almost entirely on luck. There is a big exciting world of more advanced games out there and you'd do well to experience it.
"Game name". Thread over
This isn't a poll thread asking which is the best game. That question doesn't even make sense. If you want to discuss how much a game rocks then do it, but try to actual stimulate discussion rather than failing to manage even one sentence.
Is there some kind of site on the internet that deals with boardgame reviews and news?
Yes, it's called BoardGameGeek and it can be very useful for finding out lots of things. They also run PBP games on there, which are really slow but can be great fun.
Most of the people on these forums have an account there. I know I do.
I thought I'd also include some pretty photos and brief descriptions of what I'd consider the popular boardgames and those that people on these boards might care about.
Risk
This was my gateway game. We bought this and it set us off on our tradition of meeting a few times a week during summer to play some games.
It now comes in a few flavours, most notably, Godstorm and 2210AD.
Most people shy away from this as they have horrible memories of games taking several days. Usually, this means they were trying to play a conquest game. I like to think of this as playing the game wrong, as it really isn't fun. Play with missions. It's awesome and games are shorter.
Settlers of Catan
This was my second game as far as I remember. Still played as much now as it was then.
It's a game of resource trading and the eternal "I've got wood" jokes. There are a few different versions with different art, some much prettier than others.
Two expansions also exist:
Seafarers of Catan. This one was original going to be part of the base game but was taken out in order to cut costs. It fixes a few resource imbalances by allowing you to make sea routers in addition to paths. Also introduces the GOLD tile and some scenarios (although most people don't like the scenarios). We've played one game of standard settlers since we picked up this expansion and that was to teach a new person the rules.
Cities and Knights Of Catan. This one is less of an expansion and more of a brand new game with similar mechanics in places. Introduces advanced resources, different city levels and some other bits and bobs. Fun, but we don't play it as much by any stretch of the imagaintion. Provides a fun change though.
Puerto Rico
This is considered by many to be the finest boardgame ever made. It is always at the top of the highest rated games on BGG too.
The players are plantation owners in Puerto Rico in the days when the ships had sails. Growing up to five different kind of crops: Corn, Indigo, Coffee, Sugar and Tobacco, they must try to run their business more efficiently than their close competitors. It has a fairly small random element which most hail as a good thing. There are no dice to be held at the mercy of, just the available crops. Everything that goes wrong tends to be your own fault. It really is awesome.
Carcassonne
The big game that I've not bought or played. Yet.
This one is a game based around laying tiles. I can't really say much except it's quite light and I'll be picking up it up shortly. It also has 6.39billion expansions and a few hundred different base sets. Nobody knows whether any base set and expansion combination will work.
Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition
Not really as famous as the others I've listed, but I play a great deal of it and it is pretty different to the others I've presented
If that picture doesn't do something for you then you're dead inside. This is a game about managing a space empire. It's a little like a Master of Orion boardgame. Some people have a problem with victory being based on victory points rather than conquest, so you may want to try before you buy.
Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
Mojo_Jojo on
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Also, out of sheer curiosity. Has anyone tried out the World of Warcraft board game yet? I'm just curious about the game mechanics more than anything.
It's like Monopoly meets Sorry!, in that it's all about gaining territory and screwing over the other players. I highly recommend it.
EDIT - Got rid of queerisms...
opinion is wishful thinking at its worst.
- Robert A. Heinlein
I love boardgames. Boardgames are awesome. Too bad life too often gets in the way of gathering folks together for an evening of gaming goodness. Really too bad, because goddamn those pics looks like delicious fun.
I’ve a pretty extensive collection of Axis & Allies expansions, from all those great new units from Table Tactics to a number of custom maps, including one of my own creation that incorporates elements from all A&A editions. I also created a “tactics†version of the game for hex-based play, but we’ve never had a chance to playtest it.
Settlers of Catan looks pretty cool, but Twilight Imperium made me wet my pants with glee. HOLY SHIT!
Greatest game of all time.
Might be worth having a look at the official site. Some companies like to stick up PDFs of the rulebooks. I hear mainly good thigs, although I'm still far too bitter about how craptastic the Warcraft boardgame was to risk trying.
Is Ticket to Ride any good? I've seen it around and it sounds really neat and I would like to pick it up, though I can't find the second edition (Europe) anywhere.
There's a completely free version of the game you can play online made by the company that makes the board game. That should probably be a good way to try it and see
I still own 2nd Ed Axis & Allies, Shogun, Fortress America, and Conquest of the Empire in their original packaging. In addition, I own several semi-commercial expansions.
Great games.
Does anyone else here make their own boardgames? I've got a few in the design stages that will need playtests soon.
They seem to have lots of really good, creative, games. Memoir '44 looks awesome too.
I'm working on one actually, as well as have been working on a heavily combat oriented card game for quite a while now as well. Love this kind of stuff, just don't have anyone nearby locally to ever play with :P
It sure is. Look at the bottom right of the TTR main page for the link.
I always try to get people to play Robo Rally, but they're all "what the shit? a programming board game? let's play uno!!"
Don't get me wrong, I like Uno, but I like Robo Rally too.
I can usually get people to play Wiz-War though.
As for games starting knife fights, apparently Diplomacy destroys friendships and marriages and leaves people weepy-eyed and alone.
Lately we've started playing more rpg'ish games, like Runebound and someotherone made by the same company that involves dungeons (Sorry, only played it once, I don't own it).
I'm going to get to try that huge LOTR board game...War of the Ring...I think that's what it's called. We almost played it a while back, but even the "abridged" instructions were a couple of pages. We're going to celebrate the independence of our country this year by playing a fantasy board game involving a ring, wizards, goblins, hobbits, and giant grumpy trees.
While it won’t change the way you play the game forever, it’s a nice change of pace and a nice twist on an old classic.
You can try making more elaborate tech trees, too. I created a three-tier tree inspired by RTS tech trees that made the focus of A&A very different. Suddenly, economics were vital not just for troops, but to ensure you didn’t fall behind in the tech race. Fun stuff.
On a number of occasions. Most are in embryonic form, untested, though several we’ve played.
In the late 80s, I made a dice-based baseball game, based on real stats, featuring salaries and contracts and using d10 dice and so on. A whole mess of cool stuff. Card-based random events, base stealing, strategy, etc. The game turned out well enough so that a circle of us played this game I had created for ten years, drafting teams each season, tracking stats, keeping records, and all that sim goodness. We stopped playing largely because creating the player cards each season became a chore I couldn’t keep up with.
Roughly at the same time, I had made a fantasy war game inspired by Axis & Allies rules, set in a fantasy realm of my creation. Generic stuff, to be sure – elves, dwarves, etc. – but it wasn’t terrible, as I recall.
I've got four in the hopper. One, called Brinksmanship is a quick and dirty Cold War/UN game. No dice, just person to person influence. Another is a fuedal game in which your serfs _are_ your currency. The third is somewhat similar to Fortress America and Conquest of the Empire titled "Last American President". The final one I'll post a link to the map shortly.
I began designing games with Axis & Allies variants. The problem with the game is a combination of its economy and its starting setup. My fourth game began as an A&A variant, but I've since gone beyond that. None of the rules between my game and A&A are the same. New combat. New economy. New victory conditions. Everything. Here's a link to the board (work in progress) itself:
Click Me
Comments on some games mentioned/asked about so far...
Carcassonne is OK. As far as expansions go, get the Traders and Builders, and Inns and Cathedrals. The rest hurt the game more than they help it.
Heroquest has been usurped by Doom and/or Descent: Journeys in the dark, for the dungeon crawl experience.
Memoir 44 and Ticket to Ride both rock. Get them, have no fear.
War of the Ring is awesome. True. Same for TI3.
Apples to Apples isn't that much fun. For a better game with similar gameplay/theme, try Attribute. It's also much cheaper.
This one is sort of a board game as it uses a traditional chess set ... with an added twist.
http://www.sjgames.com/knightmare/
The artwork is topnotch, although to be honest I still prefer original chess any day of the week. Still, it's a fun diversion if you're feeling like something abit different.
Then of course there is my favorite war game ever .. Diplomacy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomacy_(game)
I doubt I need to describe the game as any war gamer worth their salt has played this one. Suffice to say it, Diplomacy is the ultimate "I'm your friend but going to stab you in the back in 3 turns" game.
Pictionary comes close in my family - not a game went by without my sister being reduced to incandescent rage.
Anybody here play Thud, the Discworld board game based on the Battle of Koom Valley?
Good morning!
The above post on the Vampire (a la White Wolf) game sells it pretty short. Its really nothing like Monopoly or Sorry, although region control and "Ha ha fuck you" are prominently featured.
While the graphic design on it is total balls, and the game is only as good as the players due to a heavy negotiation aspect, it was a decent bit of fun.
猿も木から落ちる
These things, while a tad pricey, are the best thing since polyhedral dice. A thousand times better than any battlemat on the market.
Tact-Tiles
opinion is wishful thinking at its worst.
- Robert A. Heinlein
So, they are jigsaw whiteboard tiles? Awesome.
猿も木から落ちる
Those are awesome even if you don't play board games. Just having them would make me a better person.
You could totally line a cubicle or wall with those and be the most popular guy in the office.
That's what I meant. Well said btw.
opinion is wishful thinking at its worst.
- Robert A. Heinlein
EDit: I'm .91 geek gold away from having a badge. How long have hundreths of geek gold been getting handed out? Are we having deflation problems?
Basically. What you can't see in the pictures is that they are about 1/8" thick and very sturdy. One of the best things about them is that, if you play on a large surface, you can slide the whole map around to players who have a hard time reaching it.
It's also nice to pre-draw your maps, then reveal it to the players a tile at a time. They erase really easily, which is great during play, but if you draw it out and let it set over night, you can pack up your map and it won't get smudged much at all.
opinion is wishful thinking at its worst.
- Robert A. Heinlein
I've played. Not very good at it, though.
EDIT: Robo Rally kicks ass. It's a blast to play and everyone has a good laugh at the stupidity of their robots.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/article/ah20050708a
Anyone know if it's any good?
My plans to become an elderly greek man were smashed by my inability to master the finer points of backgammon.
I hear that it is pretty special although I've never actually seen a copy for sale.
http://www.mindgames.ca/home.html
Canadian site, all prices in CDN.
That store seems to have pretty lousy selection.
Try:
http://www.jogocanada.com
http://www.germangames.com
http://www.levalet.com
The last is only really great for european imports like Pitchcar.
猿も木から落ちる
Tetris + Go = Blokus = Sheer Awesome
also, you can play online, which I would totally do if other people are into this game.
That said go to the stores Apotheos recommended. :P