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New Board Gaming |OT2| On Tables, Off Topic

EYEL1NER

Member
I finally pulled the trigger and got a copy of Gears of War: The Board Game. It's arriving tomorrow. :D
I'd be interested to hear your impressions. I've owned a copy for quite a while and got lucky enough to find the PoD card expansion for MSRP last year or the year before when it was going for $100 online. Like all of the FFG overlord games, I haven't been able to find anyone to play it with me though.
 

hoggert

Member
They are releasing a 2.0 version of it basically, called Prime Runners edition. It is the same game but it takes some of the changes from Dragonfire and pulls them into Shadowrun.
Goddamn, thanks for the info. I got sick of Radho gushing about how great Crossfire is and almost bought an English copy from a store in France a couple of weekends ago. Even with shipping it was much cheaper then all the resellers and wasn't showing up at a reasonable price used either.
 
I'd love to play Gears but it's too damn expensive.

Also,been looking to play Shadowrun Crossfire but didn't realize it's getting a redo or something. Where can I find info?
 

Daedardus

Member
Okay board game GAF, this is my first venture into traditional board games and after some research I've decided to go with Scythe as the first board game I will actually own. Ordered it online and will be picking it up at the post office tomorrow. Really like the art design and production value from the videos I've seen and the engine building interests me. Artstyle and the hex tiles remind me a bit of Civ V if you ask me. Hope it will be fun to play too, have a whole day for myself to learn the basics and some friends are coming over in the days after.

Been researching some other games too and my god, there is lots of very well made stuff that I want to own. I guess I have to blame my family for always bringing those lame board games that made me less interested in the hobby, but there's a lot more stuff catered to my interests than I initially thought.

Might drop by here from time to time to discuss my plays and some of the games I will be picking up on the line. Does anyone have a good link to promising upcoming games in the following year? Can't seem to find a good overview that discusses potential gameplay a bit.
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
Okay board game GAF, this is my first venture into traditional board games and after some research I've decided to go with Scythe as the first board game I will actually own. Ordered it online and will be picking it up at the post office tomorrow. Really like the art design and production value from the videos I've seen and the engine building interests me. Artstyle and the hex tiles remind me a bit of Civ V if you ask me. Hope it will be fun to play too, have a whole day for myself to learn the basics and some friends are coming over in the days after.

Been researching some other games too and my god, there is lots of very well made stuff that I want to own. I guess I have to blame my family for always bringing those lame board games that made me less interested in the hobby, but there's a lot more stuff catered to my interests than I initially thought.

Might drop by here from time to time to discuss my plays and some of the games I will be picking up on the line. Does anyone have a good link to promising upcoming games in the following year? Can't seem to find a good overview that discusses potential gameplay a bit.

Scythe isn't a bad place to start at all. IT may seem so but it actually isn't very complicated. It is around 2 hours long though, and best with at least 3 people, so I hope that isn't a problem for you.
 

Daedardus

Member
Scythe isn't a bad place to start at all. IT may seem so but it actually isn't very complicated. It is around 2 hours long though, and best with at least 3 people, so I hope that isn't a problem for you.

Two hours is the best amount of time though. I mostly bought it because we needed something to burn through the hours when spending a calm sunday together, and a board game seemed better than always having to pull out the Switch or laptop to watch a series.
 

Daedardus

Member
What other games have caught your attention?

Gloomhaven, it has that nice D&D feel to it. Game's expensive though and hard to get. Terraforming Mars also has that nice theme to it, and appeals to me greatly because I'm an engineer. I already played a bit of Mysterium and that game is really fun for family nights, and the art is ace. Power Grid also looks interesting and fits my studies as a power engineer, but I fear the game will be more like a job than an actual game.

Basically, I prefer some games that have a very good theme going for them and where the actual package is put together nicely. I do like resource gathering and engine building and the main objective is just to have fun with friends. So competitive games where you don't have to be a total dick to each other or co-op games where nobody will get frustrated for the choices someone less experienced makes.

Stuff that's not for me are things like that Star Wars Rebellion game, it looks really, really well made and lots of strategic depth, but the length and 2 player puts me off a bit. Not a big fan of Pandemic too, so Pandemic: Legacy would probably be not my cup of tea.

I guess I would like Terra Mystica and Vitticulture, too? The problem with Terra Mystica is that I can have big trouble reading the board state, because my brain can't really discern the plain colours and busy templating used.
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
Gloomhaven, it has that nice D&D feel to it. Game's expensive though and hard to get. Terraforming Mars also has that nice theme to it, and appeals to me greatly because I'm an engineer. I already played a bit of Mysterium and that game is really fun for family nights, and the art is ace. Power Grid also looks interesting and fits my studies as a power engineer, but I fear the game will be more like a job than an actual game.

Basically, I prefer some games that have a very good theme going for them and where the actual package is put together nicely. I do like resource gathering and engine building and the main objective is just to have fun with friends. So competitive games where you don't have to be a total dick to each other or co-op games where nobody will get frustrated for the choices someone less experienced makes.

Stuff that's not for me are things like that Star Wars Rebellion game, it looks really, really well made and lots of strategic depth, but the length and 2 player puts me off a bit. Not a big fan of Pandemic too, so Pandemic: Legacy would probably be not my cup of tea.

I guess I would like Terra Mystica and Vitticulture, too? The problem with Terra Mystica is that I can have big trouble reading the board state, because my brain can't really discern the plain colours and busy templating used.

I don't really like Pandemic at all but Pandemic Legacy is amazing. It also is a very nice production. Terraforming Mars I feel is grossly overrated and the bits are all kinda shitty. Terra Mystica is one of the very best games I have played and Viticulture is from the same designer as Scythe. Good luck finding Gloomhaven lol

From what you say, you would probably like one of Vital Lecerdas games. Lisboa came out recently and it is a gorgeous package for a complex engine builder.

Origins-Lisboa.jpg


Here is is for 70 on CSI, regular price 100.

http://www.coolstuffinc.com/p/23867...MIyJ2W6-qW1gIVRVx-Ch2SdQBCEAQYASABEgIJefD_BwE
 
Well, I traded away Millennium Blades in exchange for Blood Rage. As much as I enjoyed MB, my group wasn't quite as keen on it. And I can't blame them too much, it was fairly stressful being on a timer, and I constantly felt as though I was sorting through the chaff that I would otherwise never include in ANY deck.

I'm hoping a shorter, area control game, and with miniatures (which they seem to like), will grab their attention more... after we play a little more Mage Knight, which is our current obsession.
 
Should get much cheaper/easier with the reprint Kickstarter shipping here in a few weeks..........
Wouldn't be so sure.. I'll most likely grab it this month for 150 or so... doubt it will get cheaper.. as for battle on, how is it?
I was mildly interested, but I doubt I can get my friends to play it.. is it solo friendly? With auto deck or anything?

Also.. same price.. terra Mystics or feast for odyn?
 

Blizzard

Banned
Wouldn't be so sure.. I'll most likely grab it this month for 150 or so... doubt it will get cheaper.. as for battle on, how is it?
I was mildly interested, but I doubt I can get my friends to play it.. is it solo friendly? With auto deck or anything?

Also.. same price.. terra Mystics or feast for odyn?
I found Terra Mystica kind of abstract and dry, and I like the Viking theme of Feast for Odin better. Grain of salt, I'm a huge Feast for Odin fan.

However, Terra Mystica is probably regarded as a euro classic while Feast for Odin is a much more recent development.

It may also depend what you want. Feast for Odin has a solo mode that works very well. Terra Mystica doesn't have one, at least not officially that I'm aware of. Terra Mystica involves everyone on the same map. Feast for Odin can involve competition for certain action spaces or islands, but largely allows players to do their own thing.
 

Daedardus

Member
I don't really like Pandemic at all but Pandemic Legacy is amazing. It also is a very nice production. Terraforming Mars I feel is grossly overrated and the bits are all kinda shitty. Terra Mystica is one of the very best games I have played and Viticulture is from the same designer as Scythe. Good luck finding Gloomhaven lol

From what you say, you would probably like one of Vital Lecerdas games. Lisboa came out recently and it is a gorgeous package for a complex engine builder.

Origins-Lisboa.jpg


Here is is for 70 on CSI, regular price 100.

http://www.coolstuffinc.com/p/23867...MIyJ2W6-qW1gIVRVx-Ch2SdQBCEAQYASABEgIJefD_BwE

Still think Terraforming Mars has that weird wacky theme going on, so I'll definitely tro to play once to decide if I want to buy or not. I'mn in Europe though and have a hard time finding Lisboa, cheapest I could find was €120.

Should get much cheaper/easier with the reprint Kickstarter shipping here in a few weeks..........

Retail recommended price was something like €140-150, best I can find is 130 now. Doubt it will go down too.

I found Terra Mystica kind of abstract and dry, and I like the Viking theme of Feast for Odin better. Grain of salt, I'm a huge Feast for Odin fan.

However, Terra Mystica is probably regarded as a euro classic while Feast for Odin is a much more recent development.

It may also depend what you want. Feast for Odin has a solo mode that works very well. Terra Mystica doesn't have one, at least not officially that I'm aware of. Terra Mystica involves everyone on the same map. Feast for Odin can involve competition for certain action spaces or islands, but largely allows players to do their own thing.

If you don't like the Viking theme, is TM still the preferred choice out of both? Both games look interesting from the gameplay department, but I don't know if they would be something for me.
 

Izayoi

Banned
My group LOVES Scythe. Going to pick up the expansion and the box organizer for it. The theme clicks, the combat never feels mean spirited (you can bait an attacker into burning themselves by intentionally losing, and potentially inducing a popularity loss), and even with four people the board does not feel too cramped. After our fourth game we really started flying. The turns go by quick and as long as we're not too stoned or drunk we can typically avoid analysis paralysis. Really, really enjoying it.

We're enjoying Pandemic as well, but it seems a little too simple. We cranked the difficulty and even then we never lose now (group of four). We've played about 10 games total (goes really fast with four like-minded people) and it's getting kind of thin. Would it be worth it to get the expansions or should we go for Legacy? Or maybe skip off to something more complex altogether?
 

Blizzard

Banned
If you don't like the Viking theme, is TM still the preferred choice out of both? Both games look interesting from the gameplay department, but I don't know if they would be something for me.
I mean, if you actively dislike the theme, it may be annoying to see little Vikings and artifacts. If you hate it I'd say avoid Feast for Odin. :p If you're just meh, where theme doesn't ruin your experience, I'd say the theme isn't overbearing.

It's hard to say whether you'd like the games without knowing what sort of games and mechancics you like.
 

Daedardus

Member
I mean, if you actively dislike the theme, it may be annoying to see little Vikings and artifacts. If you hate it I'd say avoid Feast for Odin. :p If you're just meh, where theme doesn't ruin your experience, I'd say the theme isn't overbearing.

It's hard to say whether you'd like the games without knowing what sort of games and mechancics you like.

I'm just meh to Vikings. I already posted a comment on this page what I'm interested in, but since I haven't played many board game, I can't say for sure what I like and whatnot.
 

Blizzard

Banned
I'm just meh to Vikings. I already posted a comment on this page what I'm interested in, but since I haven't played many board game, I can't say for sure what I like and whatnot.
My apologies, I didn't notice you were the earlier poster.

Since you like competitive games where you're not a dick to other players, I do think Feast for Odin is lower conflict than Terra Mystica. Odin involves resource gathering, transformation, and optimization, plus spatial puzzling, but is more about efficiency than engine building per se.
 

Olorin

Member
We're enjoying Pandemic as well, but it seems a little too simple. We cranked the difficulty and even then we never lose now (group of four). We've played about 10 games total (goes really fast with four like-minded people) and it's getting kind of thin. Would it be worth it to get the expansions or should we go for Legacy? Or maybe skip off to something more complex altogether?

Go for Legacy. It sounds like you've got regular Pandemic figured out, but Legacy will bring new surprises every time you play. And the more you win, the harder it gets (and vice versa) It's a fantastic experience if you can play through the whole thing with the same group of people.
 
I found Terra Mystica kind of abstract and dry, and I like the Viking theme of Feast for Odin better. Grain of salt, I'm a huge Feast for Odin fan.

However, Terra Mystica is probably regarded as a euro classic while Feast for Odin is a much more recent development.

It may also depend what you want. Feast for Odin has a solo mode that works very well. Terra Mystica doesn't have one, at least not officially that I'm aware of. Terra Mystica involves everyone on the same map. Feast for Odin can involve competition for certain action spaces or islands, but largely allows players to do their own thing.

Clans of caledonia is getting buzz as the terra mystica killer so might be worth a look.
 

Daedardus

Member
Went to pick up Scythe and man this is a packed box. Tokens, tokens, cards, more tokens. Everything is surprisingly well made for the price you pay, even though the price is a bit higher than normal. But you notice that a lot of care and thought has gone into producing the box.

Played a dummy game against myself to get a feel for the mechanics, setup was a bit complex but playing the game is really streamlined. Friends are coming over in the next few days and I'm sure we'll be having a blast, it will be their first time playing Scythe too.

Going to pull the trigger and order Gloomhaven when I have the chance, really interested in that too. After that I'll see what to get next, but Terraforming Mars still has my interest. Weird that I found quite a few people complain about it online, but it still ranks very high on BGG, any reason for that?
 
Went to pick up Scythe and man this is a packed box. Tokens, tokens, cards, more tokens. Everything is surprisingly well made for the price you pay, even though the price is a bit higher than normal. But you notice that a lot of care and thought has gone into producing the box.

Played a dummy game against myself to get a feel for the mechanics, setup was a bit complex but playing the game is really streamlined. Friends are coming over in the next few days and I'm sure we'll be having a blast, it will be their first time playing Scythe too.

Going to pull the trigger and order Gloomhaven when I have the chance, really interested in that too. After that I'll see what to get next, but Terraforming Mars still has my interest. Weird that I found quite a few people complain about it online, but it still ranks very high on BGG, any reason for that?

From my experience terraforming mars is fairly overwhelming with so many options it can be a nightmare to know what to go for. Even when you do have a strategy you can get fucked by really bad luck in drafting. Additionally with how the milestone and awards work if your engine isn't helping to build towards them your opponents will often leap frog you at the end of the game. I have the game as a 9 on bgg even if it's not particularly my kind of game since I can acknowledge what it sets out to do it does very well.
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
Went to pick up Scythe and man this is a packed box. Tokens, tokens, cards, more tokens. Everything is surprisingly well made for the price you pay, even though the price is a bit higher than normal. But you notice that a lot of care and thought has gone into producing the box.

Played a dummy game against myself to get a feel for the mechanics, setup was a bit complex but playing the game is really streamlined. Friends are coming over in the next few days and I'm sure we'll be having a blast, it will be their first time playing Scythe too.

Going to pull the trigger and order Gloomhaven when I have the chance, really interested in that too. After that I'll see what to get next, but Terraforming Mars still has my interest. Weird that I found quite a few people complain about it online, but it still ranks very high on BGG, any reason for that?

The cult of the new is very real on BGG. Good games are way overrated on there with stuff that isn't great, but still good, getting into the top 100 and even top 10.
 

Neverfade

Member
The cult of the new is very real on BGG. Good games are way overrated on there with stuff that isn't great, but still good, getting into the top 100 and even top 10.


Holy shit. I hadn't looked at the top 100 in a bit. What in the entire fuck. That top 10 in particular. Terraforming Mars? Rebellion? 7 Wonders Duel? Even Scythe doesn't belong up there.
 
People go around tossing around high ratings to games on Kickstarter that haven't been released yet on BGG. Anything with random fan reviewing allowed like that is gonna be skewed like movie reviews.

Lot of older games also don't get many reviews anymore, so their scores are based off a handful of reviews and sometimes this skews them in odd directions. And always you also get with the new hotness, folks posting up reviews after a demo or one play of the game, and never again, so when they find the game has issues down the line, the reviews dont get updated
 

Lyng

Member
Holy shit. I hadn't looked at the top 100 in a bit. What in the entire fuck. That top 10 in particular. Terraforming Mars? Rebellion? 7 Wonders Duel? Even Scythe doesn't belong up there.

Terraforming Mars just seems like a clunky race for the galaxy with a board.
I think Scythe is good enough to be there, but the one that really annoys me is Pandemic Legacy.
Talk about overrated.
 

Daedardus

Member
The cult of the new is very real on BGG. Good games are way overrated on there with stuff that isn't great, but still good, getting into the top 100 and even top 10.

I can agree that there seems to be a new game bias, but what would you recommend as your top 10/whatever? Does GAF have a community ranking list?

People go around tossing around high ratings to games on Kickstarter that haven't been released yet on BGG. Anything with random fan reviewing allowed like that is gonna be skewed like movie reviews.

Lot of older games also don't get many reviews anymore, so their scores are based off a handful of reviews and sometimes this skews them in odd directions. And always you also get with the new hotness, folks posting up reviews after a demo or one play of the game, and never again, so when they find the game has issues down the line, the reviews dont get updated

To be honest, list placement is also based on amount of reviews, so new games don't rank as easily as you suggest unless widely released. There can be an effect though where high ranking new games get pushed up the most due to prominence and remain high.

But you also have to keep in mind that new stuff can easily be better than older stuff, because of looking to the past and addressing past issues, along with improvements in manufacturing quality. You don't want these lists like Rolling Stone's or other outlet's 'List of Top 50 Comedy Movies' and it's only stuff from the 70s or 80s because that was when the author was young and everything that came after is seen as unimaginative shit. There will be certainly stuff that plays uncomfortably stiff nowadays, even though it might have been a gamebreaker when it released.
 
I can agree that there seems to be a new game bias, but what would you recommend as your top 10/whatever? Does GAF have a community ranking list?



To be honest, list placement is also based on amount of reviews, so new games don't rank as easily as you suggest unless widely released. There can be an effect though where high ranking new games get pushed up the most due to prominence and remain high.

But you also have to keep in mind that new stuff can easily be better than older stuff, because of looking to the past and addressing past issues, along with improvements in manufacturing quality. You don't want these lists like Rolling Stone's or other outlet's 'List of Top 50 Comedy Movies' and it's only stuff from the 70s or 80s because that was when the author was young and everything that came after is seen as unimaginative shit. There will be certainly stuff that plays uncomfortably stiff nowadays, even though it might have been a gamebreaker when it released.

You still have lot of bogus positive reviews going into the mix once released. Ton of 10's and 9 reviews from before a games release get counted in based off people supporting a KS? Cult of new hotness does happen since you get ton of people reviewing a product now and early impressions being posted as reviews instead of actually thought out critiques. They play the game once or demo it, go on BGG and are like "9 this is great!", but then these reviews don't change later when the hype wears off or problems come up.
 

cirrhosis

Member
peeps, 160 for gloomhaven 2nd print including the miniatures addon including shipping.. how does it seems? fair priced? tad too much?

It's worth it. I have the 1st printing, and it's all my game group wants to play. You will easily get hundreds of hours of enjoy from the purchase. My copy was a bit cheaper but I have no regrets.
 

Mr E.

Member
It took me a few years (and a few duds) to find my preferred game mechanics. No wonder the rankings are fucked over on BGG.

If no other games were ever released there's enough content out there to last a person forever.

I tend to go with cult of the old. If a game has been out a few years and still highly regarded its worth a look. My most recent purchase was Mombasa. I tend to gravitate towards Euro games rather than the Ameritrash stuff.
 

emag

Member
It took me a few years (and a few duds) to find my preferred game mechanics. No wonder the rankings are fucked over on BGG.

If no other games were ever released there's enough content out there to last a person forever.

I tend to go with cult of the old. If a game has been out a few years and still highly regarded its worth a look. My most recent purchase was Mombasa. I tend to gravitate towards Euro games rather than the Ameritrash stuff.

I don't know if the hyped Kickstarter games of the last few years are going to fall out of the BGG top 20, let alone the top 100, within the foreseeable future.

No game released after 2014 has broken into my top ten (which is comprised mostly games released between 1999 and 2008), but I'm probably set in my ways (and I certainly play fewer new-to-me games in 2017 than I used to in, say, 2007).
 

Blizzard

Banned
I'm just meh to Vikings. I already posted a comment on this page what I'm interested in, but since I haven't played many board game, I can't say for sure what I like and whatnot.
You know what I forgot yesterday? Viticulture Essential Edition! It's made by the same guy who made Scythe, has nice art, has a nicely integrated theme, and has a classy feel. It also doesn't involve being a total dick to other players.

If you check it out and like it, you can pick up Tuscany Essential Edition to make the game even more solid.
 

Blizzard

Banned
Holy shit. I hadn't looked at the top 100 in a bit. What in the entire fuck. That top 10 in particular. Terraforming Mars? Rebellion? 7 Wonders Duel? Even Scythe doesn't belong up there.
If you're talking top 10 overall games, I'm fine with Scythe, 7 Wonders Duel, and Gloomhaven being there. Heck, The Castles of Burgundy probably belongs there if you take out the unbalanced board.

I haven't played the others besides Terra Mystica which I was lukewarm on.

*edit* DOUBLEPOST OF SHAME
 

Blizzard

Banned
Bgg's ranking is pretty much useless and I'd love for something else to come along
I disagree, since I think it's useful for the following:

1. It lets me know what classic games are still considered classics.
2. It lets me know what a certain average player type rates a game (e.g. lower randomness, higher strategy).
3. I'm not sure I've ever really played a BAD game in the top 100, or top 100 strategy. Some aren't for me, but they're at least reasonably solid.
4. It warns me against outright bad games, if something is relatively new but has a very low rating / ranking.


If I don't stress about whether the top 10 is precisely objective by whatever measures I would use, and if I mentally adjust for certain games, it's useful information.
 

Mr E.

Member
Jaipur which I rated a 7, currently ranked 94 on BGG which is a solid fine game, is no where near better than Glass road rated at 191, which ever way you slice it.

New folks into the hobby are probably missing out on some fine games if they take the rankings as gospel.

Say what you like about video game rankings but I think there a better indication of what's good.
 

emag

Member
Bgg's ranking is pretty much useless and I'd love for something else to come along

Most played (by different users) with at least two years of wide availability in the US?


Based on this geeklist, in August 2017, the 10 (12) most widely played games published in or before 2015 were:

1. Splendor (~1800 users/month)
2. Codenames
3. 7 Wonders Duel
4. Patchwork
5. 7 Wonders
6. Carcassonne
7. Love Letter
8. Castles of Burgandy
9. Pandemic
10. Dominion
(11. Concordia)
(12. Pandemic Legacy)

Moving the cutoff back one year would remove Codenames, 7 Wonders Duel, and Pandemic Legacy while adding King of Tokyo, Star Realms, and Sushi Go to the tail end (Jaipur would be 13, with ~800 users/month).

I think such a list is somewhat biased towards 2P games and lighter/shorter games, even though it's based on unique players. So maybe not the best approach.
 
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