Rake for the Galaxy - Players start off owning small lawn care businesses of galactic scale in this worker placement game. Start off with a small dedicated team of landscapers and gradually make them more effective by upgrading their equipment from simple rakes to swarms of nanites!
Rate for the Galaxy - This dry economic simulation has players assume roles as members of a galactic federal reserve. Do you fear rising inflation, or does the economy have more bull than bear? You'll have to weigh these factors carefully in this semi-cooperative hidden role game, as you try to determine which members are bought off by who!
Recycle for the Galaxy - Try to reduce or eliminate galactic waste in this exciting card drafting, auction game. Players will draft different kind of recycling plants, bid on contracts for waste removal, and try to expand their service areas! Can you clean the galaxy and still churn a profit?
Introduced Cash and Guns to my friend's teenagers and another friend. It was a good time of threatening each other with blanks that resulted in a surprising scoring round where I thought a few painting and diamond gatherers had managed to run away with it, but instead it was the sly cash grabber (me) who managed to jump way out in front.
We then jumped into another gun-based confrontation game of Bang: The Dice Game which I had forgotten how quick and brutal it can become. Table-talk was a bit lacking, and the second game ended up with the same roles for all but two of our 7 person group. However, it was fun and didn't overstay it's welcome. There was a bit of confusion I think, as a fellow outlaw proceeded to KILL me after I had clearly shot the sheriff, but it was still fun as people died and flipped over their cards. I enjoy that even with player elimination, the rounds start to shorten so much you end up only a few minutes from a restart so it isn't boring. Plus you can still win if your team wins. Sheriff and deputies won both times, but if we play more that could easily change. I need to sleeve it and see if I can fit it all in a deck box for carrying around to convention or something.
I avoided Azul for the longest time because I thought the theme was dull. Laying colored tiles? Oh no, not for me. I want to throw around dudes on a map and chuck dice! But after reading all the positive statements about it here and elsewhere, I decided to give it a try.
It might be the most-played game in my house now. Everyone loves it. It's fast-paced, full of interesting decisions, fun gotcha' moments, and there's a visceral satisfaction to grabbing a bunch of tiles and laying them on your board in just the right positions for chains of points. Azul is a reminder for me not to judge a book - or in this case a board game - by its cover.
Azul really is the perfect fast game. I had another (!) board game weekend this past Saturday. I'm feeling spoiled as hell. 2 weekends, 2 Saturdays filled with games.
#1 - 3 Player Azul
I've now played Azul at all possible player counts. At 2 players, it's surprisingly cut throat. At 4 players, it's a bit chaotic and hard to affect other people, but possible, and you definitely need to pay attention to what people are going for so that you don't end up with only a couple tiles in your big 4 and 5 slot rows. At 3 players, it's got a nice mix of both. You can reasonably affect both of your opponents, but the decision points aren't so complicated that you can't really figure out what the board will look like when it gets back to you. However, opponents can be unpredictable!
I played this twice on Saturday at 3 players. I've played Azul more than 10 times now. One player has played lots of video games, but not many board games, and the other hasn't really played any games ever (except the ones I've taught her). Game #1 had the two new players at 61 and 60, with the new player at 60. I ended up with like ~40 something points because I did not figure how brutal they were going to be to me! The second game they were extremely brutal to one another instead of just to me, and I squeeked by with a 3 point victory. Both people loved it and probably would have kept playing Azul all night, but they also wanted to see some of my other (many) games.
#2 - 3 Player Quantum
Simone, the new player, won game number 1 of this because her boyfriend and I smashed heads early on and couldn't make much headway. I won game #2 because Ben and Simone fought each other and I snuck around the corners mostly avoiding fighting. At 3 players, I really think I'll have to play with the board set up because it seemed like no matter what, 1 player kind of got ignored early, and that made it extremely difficult to stop them later on. Combat becomes potentially catastrophically resource intensive for both players that engage in it, leaving player #3 to place a bunch of cubes early and maintain a pretty solid lead. Possible that more cubes might mitigate this as well, giving more time for upgrades and expansion ships to come into play.
#3 - 4 Player Codenames
While I cooked up some dinner, 2 additional guests arrived and lead 2(? maybe more) games of Codenames. Only 1 person had played before. From the shouts and groans and sounds emanating from my dining room, I think that codenames remains one of the safest, highest satisfaction game that I own.
#4 - 4 Player Crokinole
While I put finishing touches on dinner, they played a quick game of Crokinole. That game brings out the inner competitor in everyone, and there's basically no hard feelings. You can only admire someone who pulls off a sick shot, and high fives go around any time something ridiculous happens. Plus, you can hang the board on the wall for a nice piece of decor.
#5 - 5 Player Ladies and Gentlemen with Courtesan
We ended up having fun with this one, but I think it was the first "eh" of the night. It took a little long to resolve at 5 players, and didn't really have a satisfying conclusion. Honestly, I probably shouldn't have played, and just reffed to keep things moving quickly, but because I had to explain the rules separately, and then pause my resolutions to answer questions, the simultaneous play didn't quite work out well. We also had 1 player who didn't really engage in the silliness and was just handing cards over, so it kinda sorta fell flat a little. Everyone was still having fun with suggestive comments and being silly overall, but the game definitely felt like we needed more people for it to really shine.
#6 - 5 Player Cockroach Poker Royal
It amazes me how tense this game is. You literally just put a card face down in front of someone else and tell them what that card "is", true or false. One of our players was a god damn human lie detector, and I am absolutely awful at this game, so I avoided her like the plague. The other players kept testing her, and kept getting wrecked for it. Silly, fun, and *mostly* resolves itself fast enough that you just want to play again. Sometimes the game can drag a bit if people are being nice, but with a group of brutally cruel folks, I got 4 rats in a matter of ~15 minutes. Probably would have been even faster if it hadn't been the first time for 4 of the people.
Diagnosed with AML on 6/1/12. Read about it: www.effleukemia.com
Everyone was still having fun with suggestive comments and being silly overall, but the game definitely felt like we needed more people for it to really shine.
The game is definitely best at 6 or 8. I really like the *idea* of the courtesan but it seems to fall short in practice.
When we play, we often have two tables set up, so the gentlemen can "go off to work" at the other table to do their nonsense while we ladies have a sedate shopping experience. The gentlemen can then set up their stock market such that everyone can reach the center equally, which is nice. I really like that approach.
Revenue for the Galaxy. App-based F2P but laden with MTX.
Rares for the Galaxy: in this new customizable card game with guest designer Richard Garfield, players will construct their own decks using their personal collections of cards sold in randomized boosters. Don't just hope to start with Alien Toy Shop, open your wallet and make it happen!
+3
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AuralynxDarkness is a perspectiveWatching the ego workRegistered Userregular
Reel for the Galaxy: Space fishing. Mix and match space boats, space outboard motors, space rods, and so on to produce the biggest space trophy.
Rent for the Galaxy: You can't actually ever own the game, but you can rent it out from your friendly neighborhood board game cafe (select partner locations only).
ChaosHatHop, hop, hop, HA!Trick of the lightRegistered Userregular
Rice for the Galaxy - An intense corporate farming simulation. Grapple with the difficulty of expanding your operation to different planets, each with a unique atmosphere, terrain, and labor laws. Players will have to plan ahead with a corporate action programming system that represents the bureaucracy of a large multi system farming corporation.
That actually sounds kind of cool. You could make it so the farther you program something out and lock in the greater the yield. Have some mechanism that shows you potential trends so you can try to game it out.
"Elections on Tyros are good for the conservative party." "Oh so I guess I'm going to double down investment in Tyros hoping that in X turns some kind of pro-corporate laws come through."
0
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tzeentchlingDoctor of RocksOaklandRegistered Userregular
Ricochet for the Galaxy - ping your ships and colonies off each other and the various planets to claim them in your amazing mashed-up empire! Knock your opponent's worlds out of orbit and take them for yourself!
Amazon is selling Gloomhaven for a comparatively good price, and I almost, almost went for it. But what I'm reading about the set up and tear down time is really pushing me off of that game. I don't know if I have the patience, not to mention I play a lot of my games outside my home. I'm not sure how realistic it would be to do that with Gloomhaven and my particular situation. Oh well!
Dashui on
Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
Amazon is selling Gloomhaven for a comparatively good price, and I almost, almost went for it. But what I'm reading about the set up and tear down time is really pushing me off of that game. I don't know if I have the patience, not to mention I play a lot of my games outside my home. I'm not sure how realistic it would be to do that with Gloomhaven and my particular situation. Oh well!
Get the Broken Token, Meeple Realty, or Go7 Gaming inserts for it. They apparently turn set-up into an exercise in pulling out a couple of trays.
(I'm still building mine; I've had no real crafts time the past couple of months.)
Amazon is selling Gloomhaven for a comparatively good price, and I almost, almost went for it. But what I'm reading about the set up and tear down time is really pushing me off of that game. I don't know if I have the patience, not to mention I play a lot of my games outside my home. I'm not sure how realistic it would be to do that with Gloomhaven and my particular situation. Oh well!
Get the Broken Token, Meeple Realty, or Go7 Gaming inserts for it. They apparently turn set-up into an exercise in pulling out a couple of trays.
(I'm still building mine; I've had no real crafts time the past couple of months.)
Those would help. They also cost about $80. I'm not really willing to do that.
If Gloomhaven drops further in price at some point, I'll probably go for it. But I don't think it's a fit right now for who I'd play it with and where it would be set up. For the rest of you! Amazon's $136 price doesn't sound bad.
Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
Amazon is selling Gloomhaven for a comparatively good price, and I almost, almost went for it. But what I'm reading about the set up and tear down time is really pushing me off of that game. I don't know if I have the patience, not to mention I play a lot of my games outside my home. I'm not sure how realistic it would be to do that with Gloomhaven and my particular situation. Oh well!
Get the Broken Token, Meeple Realty, or Go7 Gaming inserts for it. They apparently turn set-up into an exercise in pulling out a couple of trays.
(I'm still building mine; I've had no real crafts time the past couple of months.)
Those would help. They also cost about $80. I'm not really willing to do that.
If Gloomhaven drops further in price at some point, I'll probably go for it. But I don't think it's a fit right now for who I'd play it with and where it would be set up. For the rest of you! Amazon's $136 price doesn't sound bad.
There are other solid dungeon crawlers. The core set of Imperial Assault will scratch pretty much exactly the same itch, for half the price.
Amazon is selling Gloomhaven for a comparatively good price, and I almost, almost went for it. But what I'm reading about the set up and tear down time is really pushing me off of that game. I don't know if I have the patience, not to mention I play a lot of my games outside my home. I'm not sure how realistic it would be to do that with Gloomhaven and my particular situation. Oh well!
Get the Broken Token, Meeple Realty, or Go7 Gaming inserts for it. They apparently turn set-up into an exercise in pulling out a couple of trays.
(I'm still building mine; I've had no real crafts time the past couple of months.)
Those would help. They also cost about $80. I'm not really willing to do that.
If Gloomhaven drops further in price at some point, I'll probably go for it. But I don't think it's a fit right now for who I'd play it with and where it would be set up. For the rest of you! Amazon's $136 price doesn't sound bad.
There are other solid dungeon crawlers. The core set of Imperial Assault will scratch pretty much exactly the same itch, for half the price.
Yes and no. Like, Gloomhaven and IA will scratch the same itch on a mission to mission basis, but, personally its the meta level, persistent campaign stuff that makes Gloomhaven interesting and sets it apart from IA.
Personally, if Gloomahven was just a series of loosely linked missions I would have lost interest in it about 5 or so missions in.
I've been insanely tempted by some Meeple Realty stuff lately. As I try to buy fewer games and go for only the cream of the crop, well of course that just leaves disposable income to throw at blinging my shit out. Meeple Realty really seems to have some of the nicest insert options. It almost makes me want to buy the newer edition of Tzolk'in so I can get the insert for that with the vastly superior first player marker.
Oh also, I still have stuff to sell. Please, fund my desire to have pointless but really cool inserts. Also I might buy like ONE game. Maybe Baren Park? Part of the challenge of buying less games is I still want games, but the goal is to get stuff that is like "Wow this is excellent" or it fills some hole in the collection. I've generally gotten good at "will we like this game?" so there are very few absolute duds that we play, but just trying to kick it up that extra notch into excellence.
FYI @ChaosHat sold me a game last week and it was an excellent buying experience. Fair price, shipped within days, excellent condition. A++, would buy again, etc
Seconded! My care package from @ChaosHat arrived today in great shape!
I was a bit further away, so got mine today, in great condition, thanks again @ChaosHat!
Amazon is selling Gloomhaven for a comparatively good price, and I almost, almost went for it. But what I'm reading about the set up and tear down time is really pushing me off of that game. I don't know if I have the patience, not to mention I play a lot of my games outside my home. I'm not sure how realistic it would be to do that with Gloomhaven and my particular situation. Oh well!
Get the Broken Token, Meeple Realty, or Go7 Gaming inserts for it. They apparently turn set-up into an exercise in pulling out a couple of trays.
(I'm still building mine; I've had no real crafts time the past couple of months.)
Those would help. They also cost about $80. I'm not really willing to do that.
If Gloomhaven drops further in price at some point, I'll probably go for it. But I don't think it's a fit right now for who I'd play it with and where it would be set up. For the rest of you! Amazon's $136 price doesn't sound bad.
There are other solid dungeon crawlers. The core set of Imperial Assault will scratch pretty much exactly the same itch, for half the price.
IA is based on descent, and thus isn't coop and has a bunch of dubiously designed mechanics and missions (imo)
Posts
So many coins...
Rake for the Galaxy - Players start off owning small lawn care businesses of galactic scale in this worker placement game. Start off with a small dedicated team of landscapers and gradually make them more effective by upgrading their equipment from simple rakes to swarms of nanites!
Rate for the Galaxy - This dry economic simulation has players assume roles as members of a galactic federal reserve. Do you fear rising inflation, or does the economy have more bull than bear? You'll have to weigh these factors carefully in this semi-cooperative hidden role game, as you try to determine which members are bought off by who!
Recycle for the Galaxy - Try to reduce or eliminate galactic waste in this exciting card drafting, auction game. Players will draft different kind of recycling plants, bid on contracts for waste removal, and try to expand their service areas! Can you clean the galaxy and still churn a profit?
You trade the dice.
Steam - Talon Valdez :Blizz - Talonious#1860 : Xbox Live & LoL - Talonious Monk @TaloniousMonk Hail Satan
Raise for the Galaxy: high-stakes interplanetary poker.
Introduced Cash and Guns to my friend's teenagers and another friend. It was a good time of threatening each other with blanks that resulted in a surprising scoring round where I thought a few painting and diamond gatherers had managed to run away with it, but instead it was the sly cash grabber (me) who managed to jump way out in front.
We then jumped into another gun-based confrontation game of Bang: The Dice Game which I had forgotten how quick and brutal it can become. Table-talk was a bit lacking, and the second game ended up with the same roles for all but two of our 7 person group. However, it was fun and didn't overstay it's welcome. There was a bit of confusion I think, as a fellow outlaw proceeded to KILL me after I had clearly shot the sheriff, but it was still fun as people died and flipped over their cards. I enjoy that even with player elimination, the rounds start to shorten so much you end up only a few minutes from a restart so it isn't boring. Plus you can still win if your team wins. Sheriff and deputies won both times, but if we play more that could easily change. I need to sleeve it and see if I can fit it all in a deck box for carrying around to convention or something.
Azul really is the perfect fast game. I had another (!) board game weekend this past Saturday. I'm feeling spoiled as hell. 2 weekends, 2 Saturdays filled with games.
#1 - 3 Player Azul
I played this twice on Saturday at 3 players. I've played Azul more than 10 times now. One player has played lots of video games, but not many board games, and the other hasn't really played any games ever (except the ones I've taught her). Game #1 had the two new players at 61 and 60, with the new player at 60. I ended up with like ~40 something points because I did not figure how brutal they were going to be to me! The second game they were extremely brutal to one another instead of just to me, and I squeeked by with a 3 point victory. Both people loved it and probably would have kept playing Azul all night, but they also wanted to see some of my other (many) games.
Revenue for the Galaxy. App-based F2P but laden with MTX.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
When we play, we often have two tables set up, so the gentlemen can "go off to work" at the other table to do their nonsense while we ladies have a sedate shopping experience. The gentlemen can then set up their stock market such that everyone can reach the center equally, which is nice. I really like that approach.
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
Rares for the Galaxy: in this new customizable card game with guest designer Richard Garfield, players will construct their own decks using their personal collections of cards sold in randomized boosters. Don't just hope to start with Alien Toy Shop, open your wallet and make it happen!
It's like String Railway, but in space.
Perhaps I can interest you in my meager selection of pins?
That actually sounds kind of cool. You could make it so the farther you program something out and lock in the greater the yield. Have some mechanism that shows you potential trends so you can try to game it out.
"Elections on Tyros are good for the conservative party." "Oh so I guess I'm going to double down investment in Tyros hoping that in X turns some kind of pro-corporate laws come through."
Face for the Galaxy: It's Guess Who? but with aliens.
Perhaps I can interest you in my meager selection of pins?
....fuck why doesn't this game exist.
Get the Broken Token, Meeple Realty, or Go7 Gaming inserts for it. They apparently turn set-up into an exercise in pulling out a couple of trays.
(I'm still building mine; I've had no real crafts time the past couple of months.)
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Those would help. They also cost about $80. I'm not really willing to do that.
If Gloomhaven drops further in price at some point, I'll probably go for it. But I don't think it's a fit right now for who I'd play it with and where it would be set up. For the rest of you! Amazon's $136 price doesn't sound bad.
There are other solid dungeon crawlers. The core set of Imperial Assault will scratch pretty much exactly the same itch, for half the price.
Apparently!
I knew about the Void mini expansion, but now they have Entanglement with new maps and rules? Shame I trade it already.
Yes and no. Like, Gloomhaven and IA will scratch the same itch on a mission to mission basis, but, personally its the meta level, persistent campaign stuff that makes Gloomhaven interesting and sets it apart from IA.
Personally, if Gloomahven was just a series of loosely linked missions I would have lost interest in it about 5 or so missions in.
Like Descent, it's more about running past all the enemies without dying than anything else, especially with how swingy and unreliable the dice are.
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/116331/guess-who-mix-n-mash
... Galegacy?
It's like of smallworld had a bidding element for battles with a touch of Diplomacy added in.
Definitely looking forward to playing again.
but they're listening to every word I say
I was a bit further away, so got mine today, in great condition, thanks again @ChaosHat!
My BoardGameGeek profile
Battle.net: TheGerm#1430 (Hearthstone, Destiny 2)
IA is based on descent, and thus isn't coop and has a bunch of dubiously designed mechanics and missions (imo)