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[Board Games] Cardboard Action at a Distance

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Posts

  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    Tertiee wrote: »
    Athenor wrote: »
    Got in two board games today with a good friend!

    I'm gonna tell you about them in reverse order.

    First, New Horizons: The Race For the Galaxy Boardgame:

    I assume you meant New Frontiers. I'm also not sure how to feel about goals since we found the information didn't stay hidden for long though maybe that's because we were at 5p.

    Thanks, fixed.

    In my game above, I pulled 3 goals and my opponent pulled one. Admittedly only one was a stockpile goal, which can only be fulfilled when the goal has been revealed. But at least once in the game I felt my knowledge helped. Well, twice. I was able to make sure I grabbed all the keywords from an explore action that I needed, and then not discard those planets with my powers -- which I would've as they were very not valuable planets that only helped me in the goal race.

    But yeah. In this game, the goals aren't a race to see who can complete them first, which fundamentally makes them feel different. Given the +1 priority boost, I can see it being a good choice for long term strategy.

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
  • Dirk2112Dirk2112 Registered User regular
    ArcSyn wrote: »
    Anyone have recommendations for first expansion for Tokaido?

    Was thinking too of getting some good luck coins to replace the cardboard tokens and use in some other games as well. Has anyone ever used them before? How do they hold up or feel?
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07Y8CM87Q/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ARM5JG1QBG2C7&psc=1
    Amazon has 260 for $12, which I think is pretty good for metal coins?

    The coins look cool and I bet they work great for other games. I wonder if they rust or turn color as they age.

    As for Tokaido neither expansion is necessary, but I would buy Crossroads before Matsuri.

    In Crossroads, every landing space now has 2 options. We like buying amulets instead of donating to the temple, but almost no one uses the gambling mechanic. It also comes with other characters. Having more options is good, but it does take away from the simplicity of the game. It is an ok expansion, but I could live without it.

    We don't own Matsuri, but it adds more characters and bonus cards that get applied at the Inns. Some of the bonus cards give points based on Crossroads, so you have to remove them if you don't own Crossroads.

    NNID = Zepp914
  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    Goals are fine, the main upside is turning the $2 action into $1 makes the game better imo. $2 is a pretty strong action a lot of the time.

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    Welp, taught Food Chain Magnate to some friends and their take was somehow “I’d rather play Machi Koro, because at least that game where you don’t interact at all is short”

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  • SixSix Caches Tweets in the mainframe cyberhex Registered User regular
    Played two games this weekend that I’d never played before. First up was Azul, which I was given a couple of years ago and just now opened and played, and it’s great! Very light, pretty interesting, easy to teach, and tactile in the best ways.

    I also played Spirit Island for the first time and...woof, that’s a game. I think it’s something I’d enjoy a lot if I had a group that was playing it regularly, but I don’t see that ever happening. We played the baby version of the game that’s missing a fair amount of complexity and there was still a lot going on and while I didn’t feel lost, I definitely felt like I was missing a lot of good choices because I was digesting everything I had in front of me. It’s one of those games that while I’m glad it exists, I’m not sure I’ll personally want to play it much.

    can you feel the struggle within?
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Welp, taught Food Chain Magnate to some friends and their take was somehow “I’d rather play Machi Koro, because at least that game where you don’t interact at all is short”
    Ouch. That's a take-away alright ...

  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Welp, taught Food Chain Magnate to some friends and their take was somehow “I’d rather play Machi Koro, because at least that game where you don’t interact at all is short”

    FCM is literally all player interaction though...

  • FryFry Registered User regular
    I broke out Decrypto for a new group last night, and it hit very well

    Unfortunately, we had to call the game early because people had to leave. We had just finished the sixth round, and only a single miscommunication token had been awarded, and no interceptions. I was amazed, frankly; I sort of figured that the wheels would usually be starting to fall off by round 4 in most games.

  • PowerpuppiesPowerpuppies drinking coffee in the mountain cabinRegistered User regular
    Disliking FCM is hyper reasonable but that reasoning seems completely unreasonable

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  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    I'm a sucker. I special ordered Aftermath.

    I also got shown a quick rules summary of Rune Stones, which appears to be kind of like Splendor and a deck builder had a kid. It was described as a middle-complexity game by one of our store's experts, and... Well, I was impressed. For as complex as the game looked, the rules were all pretty straight forward.

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
  • BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    Man these expansions for Mansions just don't feel like they're worth the cost of a full new game

    but i just

    keep on buying em! this one has snakes!

  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    Man these expansions for Mansions just don't feel like they're worth the cost of a full new game

    but i just

    keep on buying em! this one has snakes!

    Theoretically the expansion content can get remixed into the older sets. I honestly haven't played it as much as I'd like, to see how much remixing there is. But I feel your pain.

    Also minis are expensive. >.<

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
  • BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    There isn't as much blending of the expansions as I'd like, to be honest. A lot of the tiles are pretty specific, particularly in the last couple of expansions, but also, even if they weren't, in retrospect it's kind of a lot to expect them to make variant maps for all the different combinations of game elements that people may or may not own. The different new monsters will pop up sometimes, but also, often not, because the monsters are quite often thematically tied to their scenarios which limits where you'll find them.

    The game still gets to the table, and my group always gets excited for new scenarios, but yeah that specific aspect of the game didn't play out like I think a lot of people had hoped.

  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    I maintain that before FFG goes under or something, they desperately need to release Steam Workshop support for their apps. I mean, at this point I'm sure someone can replicate it, but I would love to be able to make scenarios for the community to distribute.

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
  • BursarBursar Hee Noooo! PDX areaRegistered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Welp, taught Food Chain Magnate to some friends and their take was somehow “I’d rather play Machi Koro, because at least that game where you don’t interact at all is short”
    Ouch. That's a take-away alright ...

    No, thanks, I'll eat it here.

    Seriously, though, I suddenly have a NEED to learn more about this Aftermath game Athenor was talking about.

    GNU Terry Pratchett
    PSN: Wstfgl | GamerTag: An Evil Plan | Battle.net: FallenIdle#1970
    Hit me up on BoardGameArena! User: Loaded D1
    egc6gp2emz1v.png
  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    Bursar wrote: »
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Welp, taught Food Chain Magnate to some friends and their take was somehow “I’d rather play Machi Koro, because at least that game where you don’t interact at all is short”
    Ouch. That's a take-away alright ...

    No, thanks, I'll eat it here.

    Seriously, though, I suddenly have a NEED to learn more about this Aftermath game Athenor was talking about.

    What would you like to know?

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
  • BursarBursar Hee Noooo! PDX areaRegistered User regular
    Can you explain the "the book is also the board" part? Do you read out the scenario, and then play it out on a map on the facing page?

    Is it campaign-y at all, and if it is, can it be played more than once? I don't know if I can support more than two legacy games in the home at once.

    GNU Terry Pratchett
    PSN: Wstfgl | GamerTag: An Evil Plan | Battle.net: FallenIdle#1970
    Hit me up on BoardGameArena! User: Loaded D1
    egc6gp2emz1v.png
  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    You are right on about the book part. It basically plays out like a "Choose your own adventure" where the book will dictate that you turn to a certain page. It's spiral bound so it lays flat. One side will have the map, broken up into sections and with symbols on it. The other will have all the text, special encounter/rule setups, etc. So during the initial mission, we moved through more than 1 unique map. They also use an encounter deck to randomize what kinds of things you encounter on a given page.

    Now, that said, one (minor) complaint I heard was that due to how travel works, you sometimes find yourself moving through the same terrain. This is most noticeable with the terrain near your home nest. The randomness helps take out some of the sting of that, and there are components that imply it might not always be the case, but I can't speak to that.

    It is a campaign, with at least 8 sessions and I think a lot more. However, it is NOT a legacy game. No components are destroyed. In fact, there is a "banish box" that is used to put cards/components that are removed from the game in, so that later you can reset the game. All other components that are kept game to game are placed into the other boxes. The only "exposed" component that you have to be careful with is the campaign tracker, a large board that tracks time spent on the mission, clues to WTF happened, scrap collected, food for the home nest, population of the home nest, and morale of the home nest. For those last 3, think Battlestar Galactica. :)

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
  • 38thDoe38thDoe lets never be stupid again wait lets always be stupid foreverRegistered User regular
    Fry wrote: »
    I broke out Decrypto for a new group last night, and it hit very well

    Unfortunately, we had to call the game early because people had to leave. We had just finished the sixth round, and only a single miscommunication token had been awarded, and no interceptions. I was amazed, frankly; I sort of figured that the wheels would usually be starting to fall off by round 4 in most games.

    I usually hope my game of Dekrypto ends before it becomes my turn twice because I seem to think that my teammates can figure out my obscure references.

    Have you guys played any of the pyramid arcade games? Its a box with these nesting pyramids. Apparently there are 50+ games you can play with them. I've played a few most are fairly meh, but there is one called World War 5 which is basically 10 minute risk. At that length I can enjoy risk. On your turn you can move a pyramid, grow a pyramid or place a new small pyramid in your starting country. If you try to move where someone else is you roll dice. Smalls roll 1 die, Mediums roll 2, and larges roll 3. You win when you have 3 pyramids in another colored area, or you eliminate all other players by removing all their pyramids from their home country. If you win a battle against another player they have to move to an open spot. Only if there is no open spot do they shrink one size.

    If you don't have enough time for a filler game this is great to break out.

    38thDoE on steam
    🦀🦑🦀🦑🦀🦑🦀🦑🦀🦑🦀🦑🦀
    
  • BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    edited February 2020
    Athenor wrote: »
    I maintain that before FFG goes under or something, they desperately need to release Steam Workshop support for their apps. I mean, at this point I'm sure someone can replicate it, but I would love to be able to make scenarios for the community to distribute.

    My understanding, aware that I haven't looked too deeply into it, is that there is a fan-developed app called Valkyrie that allows people to come up with new scenarios and integrate them with the existing Mansions app. So there's that. It's been a long time since I checked in on what was going on there; I bet there's some real cool shit happening.

    BloodySloth on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    Athenor wrote: »
    I maintain that before FFG goes under or something, they desperately need to release Steam Workshop support for their apps. I mean, at this point I'm sure someone can replicate it, but I would love to be able to make scenarios for the community to distribute.

    My understanding, aware that I haven't looked too deeply into it, is that there is a fan-developed app called Valkyrie that allows people to come up with new scenarios and integrate them with the existing Mansions app. So there's that. It's been a long time since I checked in on what was going on there; I bet there's some real cool shit happening.

    Yeah, it's real popular. Folks on BGG love the thing.

  • FryFry Registered User regular
    Anyone do business with GameNerdz (Plano, TX)? They seem to have a good price on Marvel Champions, but I am skeptical of stores I've never heard of before.

  • Custom SpecialCustom Special I know I am, I'm sure I am, I'm Sounders 'til I die!Registered User regular
    Fry wrote: »
    Anyone do business with GameNerdz (Plano, TX)? They seem to have a good price on Marvel Champions, but I am skeptical of stores I've never heard of before.

    I've ordered a few things from them in the past, haven't had any issues. I don't recall shipping being especially fast, but neither are MM or CSI when shipping cross-country.

    XBL: F4ll0utBP | STEAM | PSN : CustomSpecial | Bnet: F4ll0ut#1636
  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    I received my copy of King’s Dilemma. Now to schedule a time to play.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
  • MNC DoverMNC Dover Full-time Voice Actor Kirkland, WARegistered User regular
    webguy20 wrote: »
    I received my copy of King’s Dilemma. Now to schedule a time to play.

    Whoa, you play your games?!

    Need a voice actor? Hire me at bengrayVO.com
    Legends of Runeterra: MNCdover #moc
    Switch ID: MNC Dover SW-1154-3107-1051
    Steam ID
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  • KetarKetar Come on upstairs we're having a partyRegistered User regular
    I now have game nights scheduled with my usual group on March 7th and March 14th - one at a friend's new place, and one at our house.

    My lofty goal is to get one unplayed game to table. Between the two nights, not each night. I'm not insane.

  • tyrantula22tyrantula22 Registered User regular
    MNC Dover wrote: »
    webguy20 wrote: »
    I received my copy of King’s Dilemma. Now to schedule a time to play.

    Whoa, you play your games?!

    Well he schedules times to play them. Of course everyone ends up backing out so you never do actually play them, right?

    Battletag: Tyrantula22#1623
    Steam ID
  • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    I've actually been really impressed with my Charterstone and pandemic group scheduling and keeping game nights.

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  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    MNC Dover wrote: »
    webguy20 wrote: »
    I received my copy of King’s Dilemma. Now to schedule a time to play.

    Whoa, you play your games?!

    Only some! Others sit immaculate in their shrink wrap upon my shelves, awaiting the inevitable apocalypse that wipes out just about everyone except myself and my game groups. We can live off the land and play board games, it will be a glorious end of days.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
  • BigPointyTeethBigPointyTeeth run away! run away! MinnesotaRegistered User regular
    Fry wrote: »
    Anyone do business with GameNerdz (Plano, TX)? They seem to have a good price on Marvel Champions, but I am skeptical of stores I've never heard of before.

    I've done so a few times. I find them a bit slower than CSI when it comes to an order being shipped, but aside from that, I haven't had any issues.

  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    I will vouch for gamenerdz. They have great deals pretty regularly, and I've never had an issue with ordering from them.

  • Dirk2112Dirk2112 Registered User regular
    ArcSyn wrote: »
    I've actually been really impressed with my Charterstone and pandemic group scheduling and keeping game nights.

    I had no trouble keeping the Pandemic Legacy schedule going. After Season 2, everyone mentioned wanting to play Charterstone, so my wife bought it. It is still sitting on the shelf unwrapped. I guess it was just too much Legacy...

    NNID = Zepp914
  • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    Dirk2112 wrote: »
    ArcSyn wrote: »
    I've actually been really impressed with my Charterstone and pandemic group scheduling and keeping game nights.

    I had no trouble keeping the Pandemic Legacy schedule going. After Season 2, everyone mentioned wanting to play Charterstone, so my wife bought it. It is still sitting on the shelf unwrapped. I guess it was just too much Legacy...

    Yeah, after we're done these two were taking a break from legacy games. We've gotten so many new games over the past year that we don't bring out because we want to play the next session of the legacy game instead. So after this it'll be a circuit of games we haven't played or miss playing for a while.

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  • DashuiDashui Registered User regular
    edited February 2020
    I finally found a bigger game that my girlfriend likes. We devoured three scenarios of Clank! Legacy in one night. She just did not want to stop. She loves the story bits, constantly unlocking new materials and upgrades, and discovering locations on the board. I might have to start looking into other campaign/legacy/story-based games.

    I do have Gloomhaven. Fully sleeved. Wooden insert made. Completely untouched. I still haven't tried Scythe: The Rise of Fenris. Those might be worth a shot, but they're also a little heavy.

    Dashui on
    Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    Speaking of heavy, I tried Maracaibo tonight. 4p new players took us 4.5 hours. It was exhausting, but I enjoyed it. Probably not a play all the time kind of game. It's by the same guy as Great Western Trail and uses a similar kind of rondel, but replaces the deck building with a giant deck of multiuse cards and tableau building and some majority scoring stuff. It's neat if you're in the market for a beastly euro game.

  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    edited February 2020
    We played Clans of Caledonia last night, mostly as a curiosity and because I'd prodded my friend a few times that it was still in shrink (not that I had much of an urge to actually play it). From what I had known of it, I was just never that interested since I already like Terra Mystica an awful lot.
    Anyway, turns out it's actually a pretty good game with some interesting-enough things going on. There's a decent market system, enough personal tracks to manage, a fairly involved contract system, and an economy that's sort of impressively built around ~$15 exchanges (things cost like $10-20) despite assorted combined methods of income. It's 100% noticeable after one game though, that even though the only luck in the game are what contracts are drawn, it feels like maybe too much luck for a game like that. It's not really even what they give you so much as whether or not what they cost you is something you can afford to pay.
    But I would absolutely play the game again. It probably implements the "good feelings" of the Terra Mystica games better than Barrage does, though I would still personally prefer TM or GP over either of them. But YMMV and maybe it's actually the TM-like game you've always wanted~

    ArcticLancer on
  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    webguy20 wrote: »
    I received my copy of King’s Dilemma. Now to schedule a time to play.

    It's very good and I'm eager to play again with my group! Two important suggestions for the start:

    1) Go over the secret agenda cards with everyone at the table before agendas are chosen. They're poorly visually designed, IMO, and it's not clear what zones are in or out of the desired area. It's not even clear what they're conveying at all unless you read the example in the manual, tbh. Everyone needs to be clear on this, since it's the main source of points.

    2) everyone needs to understand endgame scoring and the king dying vs abdicating. People felt a bit ambushed when they realized that the last place player actually gets MORE prestige/crave than the 3rd and 4th place players when the king abdicates — just the opposite kind of score from everyone else, to show you rose above the mess of a government that failed the kingdom or etc. You might actually tank your score if you think abdication is likely, for that reason.

  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    Does anyone here have thoughts on the Trogdor board game as a game?

    The store got in some, after.. well.. not having it for forever. I have literally no attachment to Homestar Runner, but that hasn't stopped me from buying things in the past. If a game is solid and fun, that kind of seals it for me.

    Now, fair warning: I've already bought it. But I can return it, as I'm fighting the urge to unwrap it. Mostly I'm just stinging because I picked up my copy of Aftermath and paid off some FFG stuff I can't pick up till tomorrow, and then Rune Stones and its expansion was on the shelf.

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
  • ChrysisChrysis Registered User regular
    Athenor wrote: »
    Does anyone here have thoughts on the Trogdor board game as a game?

    The store got in some, after.. well.. not having it for forever. I have literally no attachment to Homestar Runner, but that hasn't stopped me from buying things in the past. If a game is solid and fun, that kind of seals it for me.

    Now, fair warning: I've already bought it. But I can return it, as I'm fighting the urge to unwrap it. Mostly I'm just stinging because I picked up my copy of Aftermath and paid off some FFG stuff I can't pick up till tomorrow, and then Rune Stones and its expansion was on the shelf.

    Fun, and surprisingly tricky. Mostly due to the unpredictable enemy movement and low possible health pool. Probably not a great every week game, but good for every now and then.

    Tri-Optimum reminds you that there are only one-hundred-sixty-three shopping days until Christmas. Just 1 extra work cycle twice a week will give you the spending money you need to make this holiday a very special one.
  • GvzbgulGvzbgul Registered User regular
    Its fine. I definitely wouldn't play it if it wasn't a Trogdor game, but as is it's fun and you have a pretty even chance of winning. The biggest downside is the unpredictable enemy movement. It feels somewhat pointless to actually plan your moves and think about what might happen because anything could happen and there's not really any safe spaces (unless you hide, which you can do far less than you would like to).

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