There is nothing better than stealing victory away from everyone with being voted in by the council while everyone else's war machines are smashing against each other.
So played some Risk Legacy. Very fun. As someone that likes to throw down at some board games or run a huge variety of table-top RPGs, it worked pretty well for me. One player had played before, he bought a new copy for us to play. The first game went to him almost instantly. Second game went to me, primarily because of my diplomacy/role-playing skills. Basically, I was playing the "faction with bears." And you don't want to anger the bears. So leave the godamn bears alone. Don't play with the bears. Don't talk to the bears. Leave the fucking bears alone. And they actually listened to me. DON'T LISTEN TO THE BEARS. BEARS JUST GOING TO EAT YOUR FACE.
Watched Tabletop episode 4 (Ticket to Ride), and while Wheaton did have a smart girl on, he also put his wife Ann at the table. She started with the "I don't always play to win, just there to be social" crap again.
Watched Tabletop episode 4 (Ticket to Ride), and while Wheaton did have a smart girl on, he also put his wife Ann at the table. She started with the "I don't always play to win, just there to be social" crap again.
If you don't play to win, then go play Apples to Apples! Get out! Retire!
Ticket to Ride is Now Available on Steam! Purchase this week and receive the Europe DLC for free, offer ends Thursday, May 31 10AM PDT.
The best Online adaptation yet of Days of Wonder's best-selling train game, Ticket to Ride takes less than one minute to learn but a lifetime to master.
Play Solo or Online. With over 30,000,000 games played Online, and a new game starting every 4 seconds on average, Ticket to Ride is the ultimate online board game experience.
Oh mans. I hope more board games end up on Steam. Has anyone (Matt?) played this version? Is it a good adaptation?
Am I one of the few people that thinks he can "make" all the Ticket to ride games? I mean from my understanding the only differences between each set is the destination cards and the map itself. The rest is just going to be acquiring all the "trains."
Am I one of the few people that thinks he can "make" all the Ticket to ride games? I mean from my understanding the only differences between each set is the destination cards and the map itself. The rest is just going to be acquiring all the "trains."
There are differences in the rules for every version, and a small number of physical components. Europe has stations that you can build to use another player's connection. Marklin has something funky with passengers too although I've never played that one.
Am I one of the few people that thinks he can "make" all the Ticket to ride games? I mean from my understanding the only differences between each set is the destination cards and the map itself. The rest is just going to be acquiring all the "trains."
There are differences in the rules for every version, and a small number of physical components. Europe has stations that you can build to use another player's connection. Marklin has something funky with passengers too although I've never played that one.
I've played nine games of Risk Legacy now. We took pictures of the board before and after all but the first three games. We also did minor recordings of all the players. I'll see if it's salvageable for a video in the near future. Everyone makes a big deal out of my faction because I ham it up during the game, but I'm only a threat because I have a couple very specific offensive abilities going for me. We've played nine games. Currently the scores are 1/1/2/2/3, with the 3 player being at a major starting advantage at the moment. He also had played the game before and knew exactly what was coming in one of the "secret" packages that dramatically favored him when he triggered it... which is one of those "you can only keep this information secret once" problems. You probably either want to play this game with all new people or all people that have played through it before.
The game is incredibly random, as Risk is, and if people don't focus on victory points the games can take forever. The game also has a few more cards and events that favor the current leader. I assume this is intended to force the game towards a conclusion sooner. In our game, people have a wide variety of skill levels and experience. The biggest problem, from my perspective, is that everyone focuses on the army-building game and not on winning via victory points. It's also possible to play the long-game and focus on building the best possible world for whatever purpose, but I still think it's important that you always be progressing towards the game end to keep things moving reasonably quickly.
The worst instance of this was when I was going to take the game very quickly (turn 3 or 4) due to some incredible luck, when a certain thing happened that took me out of the game instantly. Without my manufactured drama to lead things towards finality, they kinda floundered around for three hours (in one of our only five player games originally). The other issue is that there's almost always only four of us, and the game boils down to two wars with two players each, which can be fun... but is less dynamic than I think five would be.
My wife returns from her 3-week business trip on Friday, and I'm reflecting back on what has been an incredible run of board gaming. Trying to remember everything that was played but I know I can't.
Here's what I can remember: 7 Wonders, Pandemic, Yomi, Confusion, Ascension, Pentago, Summoner Wars, Belfort, Cards Against Humanity, Munchkin Axe Cop, we've talked about all those before. Here are my thoughts on new and noteworthy games I played:
- Alcatraz: The Scapegoat: This is a polish co-op game that's not out in the US yet. Z-man is bringing it over. You are trying to escape Alcatraz by collecting a set of keys earned via moving around the map, collecting gear, and using it to complete missions. It's interesting in that you have to vote one player as the scapegoat each turn, and that player doesn't get any benefit from the team's mission completion that turn. Once any subset of players can team up to have all 6 keys, that group wins and everyone else loses. More often than not, a single person loses and everyone else wins. It was enjoyable to play just b/c it was different, but just like most co-ops, this one has very little replay value. Probably less b/c I think 1 person losing is pretty dumb.
- Lords of Waterdeep: D&D-themed Euro game. Plays smooth, plays fast, but I think it's highly overrated. It does do a great job of turning supposed Euro-haters into lovers of little wooden cubes, but other than that, it feels like they just kept piling shit on top when designing it. Hidden roles? Check. Screwage player interaction? Check. Auto-balancing victory point placement on a market of tiles (ala Small World)? Check. The hardened Euro gamer is going to have a tough time believe this game was actually competitively balanced.
- Castles of Burgundy: Holy fuck this game is good. A medium-weight Euro game where your actions are limited based on the dice you roll. Mitigating the luck of the dice is a challenge, and one I want to face again and again. The theme is that you are building a castle or some shit. Who cares. This one felt like a real neck-and-neck competition both times I played it as a 2-player. Can't wait to try with 4.
- Mord im Arosa: Crazy Italian cube dexterity game I'd never heard of! Here's the gist, there's a cardboard high-rise building with 8 floors, each with their own cutout holes, and a hole in the top of the tower. Drop cubes in and try to listen closely. If you can predict which floor has certain color cubes, you'll win. Themed around a murder mystery, being able to spot other people's cubes at the scene of crimes by calling out their color and a floor #. Crazy fun.
- Space Cadets: Was a playtest of a new co-op game coming out from Stronghold Games. I am down on co-ops but I really enjoyed this. Each player takes on a specific job on a starship briges. Helm, sensors, weapons, etc. At the start of a turn, you get a few minutes to plan out the group strategy ("lets fly over to the left, scan that asteroid, then shoot a torpedo at that enemy, OK?"), but then a 30-second timer starts and you all have to complete an individual mini-game to see if you can actually execute your part of the plan. For instance, the helm guy has to play Robo Rally to steer the ship. The power guy has to play a tile matching game to apply power to certain areas of the ship, the weapons guy has to play a disc flicking dexterity game to see how his torpedoes hit. Forcing everyone perform on their own helped downplay the bullying factors that I feel helps ruin most co-ops.
Quick post: had a fun Memorial Day weekend of gaming with friends. They introduced me to Shadow Hunters. It's like Mafia, but better in ways you can figure out who are the bad guys or good guys. I think it only plays up to 7 or 8 players, but I had a lot of fun. I may just buy it.
Played Game of Thrones for the first time. Brilliantly brings the ruthlessness of the series into the game mechanics. Me and my neighbour would have had easy pickings if we could have agreed to a truce until we were the last men standing. However we had severe "trust issues".
Super nervous. Timo helped me get an interview with Touko, designer of Eclipse a while back. I've been working on and off on creating a great post around it, until I realized I had put so much work into it that it was too good to just post on MTV Geek. Ben Kuchera is considering taking it as a freelance piece for the Penny Arcade Report now! ::crossing fingers::
GameSalute is absorbing The Dice Tower. That company is really becoming a powerhouse.
I know this may be a dumb question but what does Gamesalute do? I've been on their website and see they do game demos at conventions but outside of that I am so lost on why they are huge in the scene.
Funny aside: They will be at TooManyGames, which I shall attend, so at least I can see them "live."
GameSalute does just about... everything. They are making a play in every area of the hobby gaming space. Dan Yarrington runs the show, and is also owner of Myriad Games (a successful game store chain that is a separate business venture).
Their primary function is distribution, but like I said, they do more. Their specialty is taking Kickstarter folk who are in a bit over their heads, and showing them how it's done. A guy with a Kickstarter game will sign on to have their post-KS copies distributed through GameSalute, so they don't have to be packing boxes and shipping games out of their garage. They do this at a lesser expense than the established distributors, so it's a good deal for the little guy.
They also run a program for game stores to order copies above and beyond what the KS backers ordered, and handle future print runs.
They also employ a stable of artists, graphic designers, and PR folk, too. So these games that sign on for distribution often get a facelift and promotion out of the deal. In that regard, Game Salute plays in the development space.
Like I mentioned before, they also have a media arm, covering thew news on their website.
In short, they do: - Distribution - Development - PR - Media - Demo team
They're basically as ambitious as a Fantasy Flight, except that instead of a stable of in-house talent, they're like the Voltron of small indie companies and Kickstarter game designers.
Woohoo! Ben Kuchera couldn't work the Eclipse post into his schedule at PAR as a guest spot (so I posted it at MTV instead), but he selected it for "The Cut"
Woohoo! Ben Kuchera couldn't work the Eclipse post into his schedule at PAR as a guest spot (so I posted it at MTV instead), but he selected it for "The Cut"
Woohoo! Ben Kuchera couldn't work the Eclipse post into his schedule at PAR as a guest spot (so I posted it at MTV instead), but he selected it for "The Cut"
Hey Matt, any news on the Eclipse reprint?
It landed with distributors at the end of last week. Word is that all or almost all retailers had sold out the entire second print run through pre-orders before the copies arrived, though. Put your pre-order in for 3rd printing! Should be in the fall.
I ordered this from my FLGS, but no one I know has played it.
I have not played it myself, but a game designer friend of mine who is a wiz at Euros swears up and down that Navegador is a fantastic game. Seems to jive with BGG user's impressions of the games, and he's someone I trust in this area.
Comments
"Ahem, e-excuse me guys, but I won."
The game is incredibly random, as Risk is, and if people don't focus on victory points the games can take forever. The game also has a few more cards and events that favor the current leader. I assume this is intended to force the game towards a conclusion sooner. In our game, people have a wide variety of skill levels and experience. The biggest problem, from my perspective, is that everyone focuses on the army-building game and not on winning via victory points. It's also possible to play the long-game and focus on building the best possible world for whatever purpose, but I still think it's important that you always be progressing towards the game end to keep things moving reasonably quickly.
The worst instance of this was when I was going to take the game very quickly (turn 3 or 4) due to some incredible luck, when a certain thing happened that took me out of the game instantly. Without my manufactured drama to lead things towards finality, they kinda floundered around for three hours (in one of our only five player games originally). The other issue is that there's almost always only four of us, and the game boils down to two wars with two players each, which can be fun... but is less dynamic than I think five would be.
Here's what I can remember: 7 Wonders, Pandemic, Yomi, Confusion, Ascension, Pentago, Summoner Wars, Belfort, Cards Against Humanity, Munchkin Axe Cop, we've talked about all those before. Here are my thoughts on new and noteworthy games I played:
- Alcatraz: The Scapegoat: This is a polish co-op game that's not out in the US yet. Z-man is bringing it over. You are trying to escape Alcatraz by collecting a set of keys earned via moving around the map, collecting gear, and using it to complete missions. It's interesting in that you have to vote one player as the scapegoat each turn, and that player doesn't get any benefit from the team's mission completion that turn. Once any subset of players can team up to have all 6 keys, that group wins and everyone else loses. More often than not, a single person loses and everyone else wins. It was enjoyable to play just b/c it was different, but just like most co-ops, this one has very little replay value. Probably less b/c I think 1 person losing is pretty dumb.
- Lords of Waterdeep: D&D-themed Euro game. Plays smooth, plays fast, but I think it's highly overrated. It does do a great job of turning supposed Euro-haters into lovers of little wooden cubes, but other than that, it feels like they just kept piling shit on top when designing it. Hidden roles? Check. Screwage player interaction? Check. Auto-balancing victory point placement on a market of tiles (ala Small World)? Check.
The hardened Euro gamer is going to have a tough time believe this game was actually competitively balanced.
- Castles of Burgundy: Holy fuck this game is good. A medium-weight Euro game where your actions are limited based on the dice you roll. Mitigating the luck of the dice is a challenge, and one I want to face again and again. The theme is that you are building a castle or some shit. Who cares. This one felt like a real neck-and-neck competition both times I played it as a 2-player. Can't wait to try with 4.
- Mord im Arosa: Crazy Italian cube dexterity game I'd never heard of! Here's the gist, there's a cardboard high-rise building with 8 floors, each with their own cutout holes, and a hole in the top of the tower. Drop cubes in and try to listen closely. If you can predict which floor has certain color cubes, you'll win. Themed around a murder mystery, being able to spot other people's cubes at the scene of crimes by calling out their color and a floor #. Crazy fun.
- Space Cadets: Was a playtest of a new co-op game coming out from Stronghold Games. I am down on co-ops but I really enjoyed this. Each player takes on a specific job on a starship briges. Helm, sensors, weapons, etc. At the start of a turn, you get a few minutes to plan out the group strategy ("lets fly over to the left, scan that asteroid, then shoot a torpedo at that enemy, OK?"), but then a 30-second timer starts and you all have to complete an individual mini-game to see if you can actually execute your part of the plan. For instance, the helm guy has to play Robo Rally to steer the ship. The power guy has to play a tile matching game to apply power to certain areas of the ship, the weapons guy has to play a disc flicking dexterity game to see how his torpedoes hit. Forcing everyone perform on their own helped downplay the bullying factors that I feel helps ruin most co-ops.
Funny aside: They will be at TooManyGames, which I shall attend, so at least I can see them "live."
Their primary function is distribution, but like I said, they do more. Their specialty is taking Kickstarter folk who are in a bit over their heads, and showing them how it's done. A guy with a Kickstarter game will sign on to have their post-KS copies distributed through GameSalute, so they don't have to be packing boxes and shipping games out of their garage. They do this at a lesser expense than the established distributors, so it's a good deal for the little guy.
They also run a program for game stores to order copies above and beyond what the KS backers ordered, and handle future print runs.
They also employ a stable of artists, graphic designers, and PR folk, too. So these games that sign on for distribution often get a facelift and promotion out of the deal. In that regard, Game Salute plays in the development space.
Like I mentioned before, they also have a media arm, covering thew news on their website.
In short, they do:
- Distribution
- Development
- PR
- Media
- Demo team
They're basically as ambitious as a Fantasy Flight, except that instead of a stable of in-house talent, they're like the Voltron of small indie companies and Kickstarter game designers.
I ordered this from my FLGS, but no one I know has played it.