There are a few different ways to do things, but basically you have people post their actions to a thread for the game. In chess, for example, it's super easy since every action is a single move of a piece at location XY to position XY. With Eclipse, it would take a lot longer because many actions require random elements and immediate decisions that would slow down the game significantly (for example, every combat round being asked if you would like to fire or retreat, then the dice being rolled by an impartial party, then the next player (if alive) reacting to the result).
Eclipse also has a minor issue of secret information in the hidden reputation tiles mechanic. That could be handled by private message.
I think it would work best with an impartial moderator (so me, in this context) to keep track of the board and provide updates, but if everyone was trusting on it and you didn't mind the hidden information being public you could have everyone participate and put all the information into the thread.
The slowest potential part would be combat, unless everyone agreed to trust the random number generator in the Eclipse battle simulator and retreating was not allowed. All it takes is for Improved Hull to come out without any weapons for several rounds, and you'll be rolling yellow dice for days.
Yeah, it's most definitely one of the issues. I've been there before playing 3rd edition D&D in pbp format for years. That said, the fastest fix is consistent play. I honestly expect (know, even) that there are ways to speed up play, but I want to run the first game by the books, if this were to happen. So what three brave souls will be my first victims?
Fantasy Flight posts their regional X-Wing tournament schedule. Nothing close to me! I will suck it up and drive. There are two shops just over an our away, one in the south jersey suburbs of Philly, and another down the shore (in early June too, hmm perhaps make it a shore weekend). Other options are Philly itself (2 hours) and Connecticut (2 1/2 hours) but hopefully those are last resorts if I can't make the NJ dates.
Fantasy Flight posts their regional X-Wing tournament schedule. Nothing close to me! I will suck it up and drive. There are two shops just over an our away, one in the south jersey suburbs of Philly, and another down the shore (in early June too, hmm perhaps make it a shore weekend). Other options are Philly itself (2 hours) and Connecticut (2 1/2 hours) but hopefully those are last resorts if I can't make the NJ dates.
The official Netrunner tournament at the strat in NY is during Anime Boston. Not like I was going to win anyways.
How would you handle exploring? Trust the other person to be honest on tile explored? Then you have to remove that tile from your end?
Also, this means you have to set up your own game and mimic the moves? So if this game takes 2 months, my eclipse game will be occupied for that time? Sounds very not worth it to me. Why not just play on Vassal?
How would you handle exploring? Trust the other person to be honest on tile explored? Then you have to remove that tile from your end?
Also, this means you have to set up your own game and mimic the moves? So if this game takes 2 months, my eclipse game will be occupied for that time? Sounds very not worth it to me. Why not just play on Vassal?
Because Vassal might be the only thing worse than OCTGN.
How would you handle exploring? Trust the other person to be honest on tile explored? Then you have to remove that tile from your end?
Also, this means you have to set up your own game and mimic the moves? So if this game takes 2 months, my eclipse game will be occupied for that time? Sounds very not worth it to me. Why not just play on Vassal?
Is this regarding the eclipse PBP? If I'm moderating, the tiles will be tracked by numbers and images will be provided. I can set up and tear down a board as needed in my apartment and track stuff. I'm also not playing in the first game specifically because of the random elements (dice more than tiles) and secret information (reputation), but both of those can be massaged.
Went to local NJ hotel con yesterday. Actually had a really good time. There was mucho scheduling annoyance prior to the actual day-of, but since that was all sorted out, yesterday was pretty smooth and I managed to avoid all of the big issues I have with that con (even the people, the awkward and smelly people were there, but they never played in the games I wanted to play).
Played Pitchcar (awesome dexterity game), T'Zolkin: The Mayan Calendar (EXCELLENT new euro), Yggdrasil (mediocre co-op), Seasons (game that does some very cool but has some issues, would play again), and Merchants and Marauders (american/euro hybrid game that I'm kind of souring on).
I had a pathetic score playing T'Zolkin for the first time. In typical euro worker placement style, I created a brutally efficient machine for recruiting new workers and feeding them, but never turned the corner to use my army to actually generate, you know, victory points.
Made up for it by dominating my first play of Seasons. There was a girl who had played before breathing down my neck the whole time but I pulled away in last year and got 197 points. Third and fourth place barely cracked 50. If you can't draft well, you are basically screwed in this game and I feel it'd lead to a lot of lopsided 4-player games. Would like to try it with 2.
I finished preparing my newest version of my game last night. Everything sleeved and organized. I am planning on doing some play testing this weekend, and I will be bringing it to PAX East with me for sure.
It appears Will Wheaton and company are now doing an international Table Top Day on March 30th. Nice to know my 3 local stores who already have an event in their normal rotation will get some extra pub.
It appears Will Wheaton and company are now doing an international Table Top Day on March 30th. Nice to know my 3 local stores who already have an event in their normal rotation will get some extra pub.
I used to hold game days 3 or 4 times a year, but it's been almost a year in my new house and I still haven't had a big old "invite everyone I know" kinda game day. Life craziness and plenty of invitations to other people's game days have kept me from scheduling my own, but it's back on! Time to pick a date.
It appears Will Wheaton and company are now doing an international Table Top Day on March 30th. Nice to know my 3 local stores who already have an event in their normal rotation will get some extra pub.
Week after PAX East.
I went to the panel of the producer, Boyan Radakovich, at Emerald City Comic Con. He spoke a lot about the show and this event. He's trying to get it to be a yearly thing.
The panel was pretty cool. While we talked before about how the Geek & Sundry videos aren't necessarily for some of use who are hard core board gamers, Boyan said that these videos are mainly for those who want to get into board games.
He also mentioned that there are a lot of games he would have liked to put on there, but filming it would have been boring. He continued on about how Wil Wheaton is pretty much acting on how he's no good at games.
Overall, it was a great panel. He urges anyone who is doing this on the 30th to tweet about it.
Also local game stores who are involved will have some pretty cool gaming stuff to give out, like exclusive Gloom cards, a 7 Wonders play mat, and other things.
Comments
Eclipse also has a minor issue of secret information in the hidden reputation tiles mechanic. That could be handled by private message.
I think it would work best with an impartial moderator (so me, in this context) to keep track of the board and provide updates, but if everyone was trusting on it and you didn't mind the hidden information being public you could have everyone participate and put all the information into the thread.
http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/16135/ios-news-eclipse-coming-in-february-phantom-leader
But still, excite!
I did pick up Uchronia over the weekend though. Just need to learn to play that.
Also, this means you have to set up your own game and mimic the moves? So if this game takes 2 months, my eclipse game will be occupied for that time? Sounds very not worth it to me. Why not just play on Vassal?
I had the game won in turns 5 and 7 and was cock blocked, Fremen took it on turn 9. Four hours of gaming right there...
Played Pitchcar (awesome dexterity game), T'Zolkin: The Mayan Calendar (EXCELLENT new euro), Yggdrasil (mediocre co-op), Seasons (game that does some very cool but has some issues, would play again), and Merchants and Marauders (american/euro hybrid game that I'm kind of souring on).
I had a pathetic score playing T'Zolkin for the first time. In typical euro worker placement style, I created a brutally efficient machine for recruiting new workers and feeding them, but never turned the corner to use my army to actually generate, you know, victory points.
Made up for it by dominating my first play of Seasons. There was a girl who had played before breathing down my neck the whole time but I pulled away in last year and got 197 points. Third and fourth place barely cracked 50. If you can't draft well, you are basically screwed in this game and I feel it'd lead to a lot of lopsided 4-player games. Would like to try it with 2.
http://boardgamegeek.com/image/1582877/vanish
The panel was pretty cool. While we talked before about how the Geek & Sundry videos aren't necessarily for some of use who are hard core board gamers, Boyan said that these videos are mainly for those who want to get into board games.
He also mentioned that there are a lot of games he would have liked to put on there, but filming it would have been boring. He continued on about how Wil Wheaton is pretty much acting on how he's no good at games.
Overall, it was a great panel. He urges anyone who is doing this on the 30th to tweet about it.
Also local game stores who are involved will have some pretty cool gaming stuff to give out, like exclusive Gloom cards, a 7 Wonders play mat, and other things.