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[Board Games] THIS THREAD IS DEAD! POST IN THE NEW ONE!

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Posts

  • CesareBCesareB Registered User regular
    We got in a 5 person game of ticket to ride. Which was nice because it's usually my Dad and I playing it. We don't really come into conflict in a 2 player game.
    5 people, everyone was crowded and I was delighted that this scene played out almost verbatim with the two new players.

    i-XvK9tQs-2100x20000.jpg

    I'm pretty much the only person in my gaming group who is willing to play dirty. Like the others will get in each others' ways but almost only if their routes happen to be going the same direction. I'm the only asshole who will place routes JUST to get in the way. They hate me for it. However, I have won every TTR game we've played. Hopefully nobody ever notices this amazing coincidence.

  • MrBodyMrBody Registered User regular
    edited January 2018
    *call my conservative, religious parents on New Years Eve*

    "What are you guys up to?"
    "We're at the neighbors' party. We're about to play a game they had called 'Cards of Humanity' or something."

    oh no
    ooooooh nooooooo

    MrBody on
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    MrBody wrote: »
    *call my conservative, religious parents on New Years Eve*

    "What are you guys up to?"
    "We're at the neighbors' party. We're about to play a game they had called 'Cards of Humanity' or something."

    oh no
    ooooooh nooooooo

    Maybe you should get them A Game for Good Christians.

  • MrBodyMrBody Registered User regular
    So I keep getting my ass kicked in the ios Through the Ages game.

    I play with a bunch of Easy AIs and did an experiment by bumping one of them up to Hard (since with Agricola and Caylus the AI difficulty doesn't seem to make a bit of difference).

    The Hard AI has won hands down every time. It takes FOREVER to process its turn so I figured it was thinking more about moves, but I swear the thing is cheating somehow. Throughout the game it's always blowing everyone else out of the water with culture production and military strength (20 military compared to next highest of 8, and 2-3 times the culture of anyone else). This despite only ever having 2-3 Age A farms/mines and 1-2 Age A labs. I have no clue where it gets all that production from, even after looking at its techs and wonders. The next step would be checking the log every turn and writing that stuff down but...eh.

  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    MrBody wrote: »
    So I keep getting my ass kicked in the ios Through the Ages game.

    I play with a bunch of Easy AIs and did an experiment by bumping one of them up to Hard (since with Agricola and Caylus the AI difficulty doesn't seem to make a bit of difference).

    The Hard AI has won hands down every time. It takes FOREVER to process its turn so I figured it was thinking more about moves, but I swear the thing is cheating somehow. Throughout the game it's always blowing everyone else out of the water with culture production and military strength (20 military compared to next highest of 8, and 2-3 times the culture of anyone else). This despite only ever having 2-3 Age A farms/mines and 1-2 Age A labs. I have no clue where it gets all that production from, even after looking at its techs and wonders. The next step would be checking the log every turn and writing that stuff down but...eh.

    Well, I know all the way back in Civ 3, the difficulty slider was basically an effectiveness multiplier. It's possible that by sliding one of them to Hard, you gave that AI a better multiplier?

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • timhodgetimhodge AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited January 2018
    So I kind of always thought board games were boring nonsense for people who weren't cool enough to be playing RPGs or video games and it turns out that actually I was SUCH a moron. I can't even remember what kicked this whole thing off but suddenly I'm obsessed with board games and trying to figure out the smart ways to engage with a new hobby. Conveniently there's a little con coming up here at the end of the month where I'll hopefully be able to stock up on cool stuff.

    Though I gather it's divisive, the game that pulled me into this was Betrayal at House on the Hill. Horror is a genre that works for us (also picked up Eldritch Horror though we haven't played yet), and Betrayal just blew us away. I am INSANELY keen for the Legacy take.

    Where do we go for board game news? Are there any particular sites that are especially good for that? And are there any good forums around for sensible discussion, or should I just hang out here in the PA thread?

    We've been watching a lot of Tabletop and found it really useful, moreso than reviews, for figuring out whether a game will appeal to us. Are there any other groups out there doing that same "play a full actual game" thing? I mean I guess there must be, but I don't know who's, like, good.

    Our immediate plan is to get a few games of Pandemic under our belt so we can get into its Legacy games. Another high priority for us is grabbing Mysterium which looks really interesting. Coup looks like a huge amount of fun too. And while I know it isn't universally loved I'm hanging out for a new edition of Fury of Dracula because Dracula is cool.

    Something that I've only just started looking into, thanks to a mention in this thread I think, is Mansions of Madness. Does that whole app thing actually play well? Because if so... it sounds amazing.

    Any advice appreciated!

    timhodge on
    0877-0596-8498 | Swirlix, Dedenne, Floette
  • NotoriusBENNotoriusBEN Registered User regular
    edited January 2018
    Start with Shut Up & Sit Down reviews. These guys are kinda the forerunner/premiere reviewers.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyRhIGDUKdIOw07Pd8pHxCw

    also, look into Tabletop Simulator and you can play with a few PA'ers over the internet on a virtual game board with thousands of games modded into it

    NotoriusBEN on
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  • CaptainPeacockCaptainPeacock Board Game Hoarder Top o' the LakeRegistered User regular
    edited January 2018
    Start with Shut Up & Sit Down reviews. These guys are kinda the forerunner/premiere reviewers.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyRhIGDUKdIOw07Pd8pHxCw

    also, look into Tabletop Simulator and you can play with a few PA'ers over the internet on a virtual game board with thousands of games modded into it

    Agreed. Start with SU&SD. You may not agree with their picks or their opinions, but they are engaging and at least informative. You will find it s good starting place.

    CaptainPeacock on
    Cluck cluck, gibber gibber, my old man's a mushroom, etc.
  • FryFry Registered User regular
    edited January 2018
    MrBody wrote: »
    *call my conservative, religious parents on New Years Eve*

    "What are you guys up to?"
    "We're at the neighbors' party. We're about to play a game they had called 'Cards of Humanity' or something."

    oh no
    ooooooh nooooooo

    I am curious whether there actually exists a knockoff of Cards Against Humanity that is full of wholesome cards for conservative religious types. Y'know, like Settlers of Canaan is a thing that exists.

    Fry on
  • TertieeTertiee Registered User regular
    Apples to Apples Bible Edition does exist.

  • MrBodyMrBody Registered User regular
    Tox wrote: »
    MrBody wrote: »
    So I keep getting my ass kicked in the ios Through the Ages game.

    I play with a bunch of Easy AIs and did an experiment by bumping one of them up to Hard (since with Agricola and Caylus the AI difficulty doesn't seem to make a bit of difference).

    The Hard AI has won hands down every time. It takes FOREVER to process its turn so I figured it was thinking more about moves, but I swear the thing is cheating somehow. Throughout the game it's always blowing everyone else out of the water with culture production and military strength (20 military compared to next highest of 8, and 2-3 times the culture of anyone else). This despite only ever having 2-3 Age A farms/mines and 1-2 Age A labs. I have no clue where it gets all that production from, even after looking at its techs and wonders. The next step would be checking the log every turn and writing that stuff down but...eh.

    Well, I know all the way back in Civ 3, the difficulty slider was basically an effectiveness multiplier. It's possible that by sliding one of them to Hard, you gave that AI a better multiplier?

    I've never seen a board game port use them though. That's kind of a big deal you would think would at least be documented. If it's just a multiplier though why does it take 10 times as long to think about its turn.

    I'm spending more time looking over the AI mats and still have no idea where they're getting these numbers. For military strength I count the units, tactics, wonders, techs, leaders, colonies, and governments and I keep coming up several points short of what the game is telling me they have.

    The biggest headscratcher is how the Hard AI affords his buttload of stuff. I can focus exclusively on farms, mines, and labs and still not be anywhere near as developed as the Hard AI who can somehow manage to have double the culture of anyone else and as much military as everyone else combined, all built on an economy of zero food production, +2 minerals, and +1 science.

  • TimFijiTimFiji Beast Lord Halfway2AnywhereRegistered User regular
    Two questions for you, thread:
    1) What is Magic Maze? Seems fun but I'm not sure what it is!
    2) Which is a better crawler: Massive Darkness or Sword and Sorcery?

    Switch: SW-2322-2047-3148 Steam: Archpriest
      Selling Board Games for Medical Bills
    • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
      edited January 2018
      MrBody wrote: »
      Tox wrote: »
      MrBody wrote: »
      So I keep getting my ass kicked in the ios Through the Ages game.

      I play with a bunch of Easy AIs and did an experiment by bumping one of them up to Hard (since with Agricola and Caylus the AI difficulty doesn't seem to make a bit of difference).

      The Hard AI has won hands down every time. It takes FOREVER to process its turn so I figured it was thinking more about moves, but I swear the thing is cheating somehow. Throughout the game it's always blowing everyone else out of the water with culture production and military strength (20 military compared to next highest of 8, and 2-3 times the culture of anyone else). This despite only ever having 2-3 Age A farms/mines and 1-2 Age A labs. I have no clue where it gets all that production from, even after looking at its techs and wonders. The next step would be checking the log every turn and writing that stuff down but...eh.

      Well, I know all the way back in Civ 3, the difficulty slider was basically an effectiveness multiplier. It's possible that by sliding one of them to Hard, you gave that AI a better multiplier?

      I've never seen a board game port use them though. That's kind of a big deal you would think would at least be documented. If it's just a multiplier though why does it take 10 times as long to think about its turn.

      I'm spending more time looking over the AI mats and still have no idea where they're getting these numbers. For military strength I count the units, tactics, wonders, techs, leaders, colonies, and governments and I keep coming up several points short of what the game is telling me they have.

      The biggest headscratcher is how the Hard AI affords his buttload of stuff. I can focus exclusively on farms, mines, and labs and still not be anywhere near as developed as the Hard AI who can somehow manage to have double the culture of anyone else and as much military as everyone else combined, all built on an economy of zero food production, +2 minerals, and +1 science.

      How many players are you playing with? The ai definitely doesn't cheat. If I had to guess I'd say you're focusing too much on infrastructure and not valuing yellow cards enough, and theyre grabbing tons of yellow cards and focusing on military and culture (which is generally speaking how you win). If you're playing 2p you can basically ignore rock production and rely on yellow cards. Don't t ignore science and you probably don't want to ignore food but you can work around food if it comes to it. With more players infrastructure becomes more important since the same number of yellow cards are split between more players, but only ever up to a point.

      My name on there is Ah_Pook, shoot me a friend request and we'll play some games and see :)

      Edit: all that is general, there's nothing hard and fast in TTA which is why it's so fascinating. Depending on how the cards come down the right move game to game will be different.

      Ah_Pook on
    • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
      @mysticjuicer what's your app username let's play TTA. @MrBody what's your app username? We'll get a forum 3p game going. Room for 1 more if anyone else wants in.

      Also my dad legit beat me in our weekly TTA game yesterday for the second time. It was the first time that I didn't give him trenchant strategic advice that led to him beating me though, so I think this counts as the first real time ;) I did tap out a few turns into age 3 just because my dad is real slow still and we had already been playing for 3.5 hours, but I didn't see any way for me to win without him making a huge blunder somewhere.

    • mysticjuicermysticjuicer [he/him] I'm a muscle wizard and I cast P U N C HRegistered User regular
      I haven't bought the app. :(

      narwhal wrote:
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    • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
      edited January 2018
      Buy the app right now omg it's so good. Then tell me your username :)

      Ah_Pook on
    • Medium DaveMedium Dave Registered User regular
      edited January 2018
      Fry wrote: »
      MrBody wrote: »
      *call my conservative, religious parents on New Years Eve*

      "What are you guys up to?"
      "We're at the neighbors' party. We're about to play a game they had called 'Cards of Humanity' or something."

      oh no
      ooooooh nooooooo

      I am curious whether there actually exists a knockoff of Cards Against Humanity that is full of wholesome cards for conservative religious types. Y'know, like Settlers of Canaan is a thing that exists.

      Yes, it's called A Game for Good Christians. Which is allllllllllll about the Bible.

      All of the Bible.

      Especially the weird, unwholesome stuff, like collecting foreskins, the time Jesus was racist or God smearing shit on your face (Malachi 2:3).

      All with accompanying relevant passages at the bottom of the card.

      Or, of course, the boring-ass Bible Apples to Apples.

      Medium Dave on
    • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
      TimFiji wrote: »
      Two questions for you, thread:
      1) What is Magic Maze? Seems fun but I'm not sure what it is!
      2) Which is a better crawler: Massive Darkness or Sword and Sorcery?

      I don't know Magic Maze, but I would marginally edge Massive Darkness over Sword and Sorcery because the enemy mechanics in S&S are difficult to parse and are extra punishing for new players. MD is easier and its main problem is that you are drowning in loot by turn 3.

    • jakobaggerjakobagger LO THY DREAD EMPIRE CHAOS IS RESTORED Registered User regular
      The problem with starting with SU&SD for reviews is you will have way less tolerance for the huge percentage of the rest of board game reviewers that is just uncharismatic nerds unscripted mumbling with bad lighting (nothing against those guys, I'm just too shallow to watch that content in video form. I think a lot of those videos should probably just be written reviews, which would also force them to be slightly more structured hopefully).

    • captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
      jakobagger wrote: »
      The problem with starting with SU&SD for reviews is you will have way less tolerance for the huge percentage of the rest of board game reviewers that is just uncharismatic nerds unscripted mumbling with bad lighting (nothing against those guys, I'm just too shallow to watch that content in video form. I think a lot of those videos should probably just be written reviews, which would also force them to be slightly more structured hopefully).

      It took a bit of casting around youtube before I stumbled on SUSD for reviews. I remembered Matt Lees from his E3 summaries and I really like their videos.

      Does anyone have a site they go to for good text reviews or previews? Sometimes I'd just like to skim a quick page or so of how a game basically plays and whether it's any good at all when I'm on my phone or at work or something.

    • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
      jakobagger wrote: »
      The problem with starting with SU&SD for reviews is you will have way less tolerance for the huge percentage of the rest of board game reviewers that is just uncharismatic nerds unscripted mumbling with bad lighting (nothing against those guys, I'm just too shallow to watch that content in video form. I think a lot of those videos should probably just be written reviews, which would also force them to be slightly more structured hopefully).

      Yeah, I would probably suggest, as far as news and light information on games, to go for podcasts. The Dice Tower podcast, or SUSD podcast, or one of the many others just if you're looking for board game news.

      Then if there's a game that sounds interesting and is already out, look it up on Youtube. You won't find the polish and editing of Tabletop, but you'll likely find many over the table or on the table video shots of people playing the game in entirety. It will be awkward and poorly lit and they will stutter or otherwise not be professional, but if you start with the high quality stuff, it will make watching these videos even harder. In reality, the high quality professional videos are few and far between for the amount of games getting releases these days, so it's better that they are more focused on entertainment in the review, than just reviews or playthroughs themselves.

      If you need further information, then look up the BGG game page and find some written reviews. There are a lot of good people out there writing long and in depth reviews in text form on game pages and it's helpful.

      4dm3dwuxq302.png
    • CaptainPeacockCaptainPeacock Board Game Hoarder Top o' the LakeRegistered User regular
      TTA iOS has the best tutorial I've ever seen.

      Cluck cluck, gibber gibber, my old man's a mushroom, etc.
    • jakobaggerjakobagger LO THY DREAD EMPIRE CHAOS IS RESTORED Registered User regular
      captaink wrote: »
      jakobagger wrote: »
      The problem with starting with SU&SD for reviews is you will have way less tolerance for the huge percentage of the rest of board game reviewers that is just uncharismatic nerds unscripted mumbling with bad lighting (nothing against those guys, I'm just too shallow to watch that content in video form. I think a lot of those videos should probably just be written reviews, which would also force them to be slightly more structured hopefully).

      Does anyone have a site they go to for good text reviews or previews? Sometimes I'd just like to skim a quick page or so of how a game basically plays and whether it's any good at all when I'm on my phone or at work or something.

      Usually I just check the reviews on a game's Boardgamegeek page (it's under Forums, for anyone unfamiliar with BGG's still rather Byzantine structure)

    • captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
      Boy BGG is a great site with a terrible design.

    • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
      The mobile version of the game pages is so much nicer.

      4dm3dwuxq302.png
    • jakobaggerjakobagger LO THY DREAD EMPIRE CHAOS IS RESTORED Registered User regular
      Individual game pages got a little bit better after the re-design but there is uh, still room for improvement, definitely.

    • DarricDarric Santa MonicaRegistered User regular
      TimFiji wrote: »
      What is Magic Maze? Seems fun but I'm not sure what it is!

      Magic Maze is a cooperative game where the aim is to move four characters through a tile based maze that you unveil as you go, to four separate locations, then back out to four separate exits, before the sand timer runs out. The catch being that each player only has access to one or two actions, and the players aren't allowed to gesticulate or communicate at all, except for placing a shared marker in front of another player which means "DO SOMETHING".

      The passive aggression of tapping the marker in front of someone while they figure out what it is they're meant to be doing is ALWAYS funny.

      That said, I've struggled to get repeat plays of it to the point that we've progressed passed the introductory games. It's hilarious, but a bit repetitive and actually quite stressful.

    • El FantasticoEl Fantastico Toronto, ONRegistered User regular
      Fry wrote: »
      MrBody wrote: »
      *call my conservative, religious parents on New Years Eve*

      "What are you guys up to?"
      "We're at the neighbors' party. We're about to play a game they had called 'Cards of Humanity' or something."

      oh no
      ooooooh nooooooo

      I am curious whether there actually exists a knockoff of Cards Against Humanity that is full of wholesome cards for conservative religious types. Y'know, like Settlers of Canaan is a thing that exists.

      Yes, it's called A Game for Good Christians. Which is allllllllllll about the Bible.

      All of the Bible.

      Especially the weird, unwholesome stuff, like collecting foreskins, the time Jesus was racist or God smearing shit on your face (Malachi 2:3).

      All with accompanying relevant passages at the bottom of the card.

      Or, of course, the boring-ass Bible Apples to Apples.

      For what it's worth, I played a version of Cards Against Humanity that used the entirety of Moby Dick quotes (including the Foreward at the start of the book) and it's got a surprisingly massive amount of filth. Like, whale sperm (as opposed to sperm whale) and out-of-context sexual innuendo references.

      The game was called Dick.

      PSN: TheArcadeBear
      Steam: TheArcadeBear

    • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
      Fairchild wrote: »
      MegaMan001 wrote: »
      Anyone seen Gloomhaven in the wild at your FLGS?

      February seems to be the target in the United States.

      Thank you good sir.

      I am in the business of saving lives.
    • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
      @CaptainPeacock what's your TTA name? Wanna play some games?

    • CaptainPeacockCaptainPeacock Board Game Hoarder Top o' the LakeRegistered User regular
      I actually haven't created a profile yet. I'm not very good at it. Need to polish up my strategies.

      Cluck cluck, gibber gibber, my old man's a mushroom, etc.
    • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
      No better way to do that than by playing games ;)

    • Medium DaveMedium Dave Registered User regular
      We played Gloomhaven at lunch today at work.

      Gloomhaven seems kinda fucking hard.

    • DracilDracil Registered User regular
      edited January 2018
      MrBody wrote: »
      Tox wrote: »
      MrBody wrote: »
      So I keep getting my ass kicked in the ios Through the Ages game.

      I play with a bunch of Easy AIs and did an experiment by bumping one of them up to Hard (since with Agricola and Caylus the AI difficulty doesn't seem to make a bit of difference).

      The Hard AI has won hands down every time. It takes FOREVER to process its turn so I figured it was thinking more about moves, but I swear the thing is cheating somehow. Throughout the game it's always blowing everyone else out of the water with culture production and military strength (20 military compared to next highest of 8, and 2-3 times the culture of anyone else). This despite only ever having 2-3 Age A farms/mines and 1-2 Age A labs. I have no clue where it gets all that production from, even after looking at its techs and wonders. The next step would be checking the log every turn and writing that stuff down but...eh.

      Well, I know all the way back in Civ 3, the difficulty slider was basically an effectiveness multiplier. It's possible that by sliding one of them to Hard, you gave that AI a better multiplier?

      I've never seen a board game port use them though. That's kind of a big deal you would think would at least be documented. If it's just a multiplier though why does it take 10 times as long to think about its turn.

      I'm spending more time looking over the AI mats and still have no idea where they're getting these numbers. For military strength I count the units, tactics, wonders, techs, leaders, colonies, and governments and I keep coming up several points short of what the game is telling me they have.

      The biggest headscratcher is how the Hard AI affords his buttload of stuff. I can focus exclusively on farms, mines, and labs and still not be anywhere near as developed as the Hard AI who can somehow manage to have double the culture of anyone else and as much military as everyone else combined, all built on an economy of zero food production, +2 minerals, and +1 science.

      AI doesn't cheat. Unless you're playing challenges. Then yes, they very much do cheat on the harder difficulties.

      Dracil on
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    • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
      Amazon has In The Year Of The Dragon for $19, if anyone wants a real good cheap game.

    • PowerpuppiesPowerpuppies drinking coffee in the mountain cabinRegistered User regular
      Ah_Pook wrote: »
      Amazon has In The Year Of The Dragon for $19, if anyone wants a real good cheap game.

      whats it like

      sig.gif
    • MvrckMvrck Dwarven MountainhomeRegistered User regular
      Hey Board Game Friends, I am in search of help. I'm not sure if it was this thread, the SE++ one, or during the Upside Down, but I remember someone describing a game as "Catan, but better." Have a friend coming in from out of town who only ever plays Catan, but wanted to try to twist his arm into playing something else. Does anyone remember the post or what game it was? I can't seem to find the post.

    • PMAversPMAvers Registered User regular
      Mvrck wrote: »
      Hey Board Game Friends, I am in search of help. I'm not sure if it was this thread, the SE++ one, or during the Upside Down, but I remember someone describing a game as "Catan, but better." Have a friend coming in from out of town who only ever plays Catan, but wanted to try to twist his arm into playing something else. Does anyone remember the post or what game it was? I can't seem to find the post.

      I think it was Concordia?

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    • Dirk2112Dirk2112 Registered User regular
      edited January 2018
      Mvrck wrote: »
      Hey Board Game Friends, I am in search of help. I'm not sure if it was this thread, the SE++ one, or during the Upside Down, but I remember someone describing a game as "Catan, but better." Have a friend coming in from out of town who only ever plays Catan, but wanted to try to twist his arm into playing something else. Does anyone remember the post or what game it was? I can't seem to find the post.

      :?

      Catan, being a gateway game, is supposed to open the door to other modern or Euro games. I have never heard of it shutting the door. Get this person 10CCs of Carcassonne or Ticket to Ride stat.

      In all seriousness, there are tons of expansions for Catan. You can try one of those to freshen it up. You could also look into 7 Wonders or 7 Wonders Duel if it just the 2 of you. The couple I know that love Catan also recommend Archipelago. Shut up and Sit down has a good review, but I have never played it.

      Dirk2112 on
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    • WearingglassesWearingglasses Of the friendly neighborhood variety Registered User regular
      Fuuuck I just opened my newly bought Keyflower, so many fiddly bits.

      And damn, the rules are heavyyyy. Heavier than Viticulture. Even watching Watch It Played to follow the rules overwhelms me a bit.

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